Hey there! It's Yoshida Megumi-chan on charge! It's been too long since I last updated (about half an year). I started learning German and let me tell you it's not fun. I have to write around sixty words a day and remember them and… For any Germans reading this, your language is awesome no matter how many times I've thought about strangling my German teacher (she's awesome too).
Thank all of you who reviewed, favorited, followed and read this story – it means the world to me to see that you like what I create.
WARNING! I have updated the prologue, and there is an important AN there, so I would be grateful if you go back and read it. All chapters in First POV will be eventually revamped, but it will take time.
By the way, for all those who giggle at my Lapis – she won't be paired up with anyone from this fandom. Those who thought she would be with Kurapika/Hisoka/Illumi/someone else from the HxH fandom, I am sorry to disappoint you.
Now that everything is out of the way, I hope you enjoy this!
Cliff Jumping X Eggs X Building bonds
Mana's POV:
For the protocol, if someone falls from an air-balloon and tells you that you are allowed to retake your text, DON'T BELIEVE HIM. It's just fated to be, like, a thousand times harder than the one you failed.
Anzu had just told Mana she was proud of her for not blowing anything up (she did, actually, make a few things explode – she put the pig on that stick to roast it and suddenly all ovens in her line violently combusted, but her sister was so bored, it seemed, that instead of just going on autopilot, she literally fell asleep while cooking, so yeah, of course a few explosions wouldn't wake her up) when that gramps with gravity-defying hair fell out of nowhere like a meteorite, grinning like a fool.
And all that brought them to this situation-
"There is simply no way I'm gonna do it!" Mana nearly squealed with fright (It wasn't a squeal, you hear? Mana doesn't squeal like some pissy-pants girl, no, she doesn't).
Okay, time to rewind things a little. The examinees were on top of mountain Split in Half (Wow, what an original name, it doesn't state the obvious, of course it doesn't) and the examiner for the Second Phrase, Menchi, decided that the appropriate remake test for that cooking failure was to jump from a cliff to get some eggs. Simple, right? And Mana must be thankful, because now she had a second chance to prove that she's worth her salt and can become a Hunter and at least it's not cooking or drawing (No talent in that either) and she can actually do it because it's just jumping down from this like insanely high cliff with a river on the bottom and an almost ninety-nine percent chance of dying while doing that and-…
Wait, time out, I forgot where I was… Er, the last thing I remember saying… Cliff jumping, chance of dying… Aw man, I can't remember the whole sentence…
/Ahahaha, loser…/
Hey!
/What? It's not my fault you rile up so easily and begin using these cow-behind-long sentences no one can remember./
I don't rile up that easily!
/Yeah, you don't. It's only when you're scared that you do things like these./
Okay, oh-everything-knowing-voice-in-my-head, then please tell me why exactly I have a – irrational, as far as I know – fear of heights.
/Oho, okay then. I will./ The voice turned serious and Mana was already regretting asking.
She remembers the sensation of the wind blowing in her face, the short moments where she feels weightless, but the ground is near, she can see the cold, hard marble tiles under her, travelling closer and closer…
Am I… falling down?
…
Why?
She sees blood pooling down, staining the white stone, and a small, pale hand, and then gravitations finally brings her too low and the floor comes too near, and she crashes into it, body protesting, bones shattering with ear-splitting crunch, digging and tearing into lean muscles and soft organs, and she can see no more, but she can feel, can feel the life draining out of her, just like her blood that's spilling on the ground, but it's too slow and she's left with only pain as company, and the pain is too much, and if her windpipe wasn't already destroyed and she wasn't uselessly struggling for air she might have screamed, and she can hear, can hear the laughter, hysterical and mad, and she thinks-
Who is 'she'?
Mana found herself returning to reality in a state of panic, because suddenly she couldn't breathe and it was the same as before and-
/Breathe, idiot. In, out. In, out. Yes, just like that, like every healthy living thing can. Don't be afraid./
The albino took a shaky breath, savoring the way her lungs were filled with air, then let it go and did it again. She didn't know, nor care, about anything other than breathing. It was such a simple necessity for living, one so easily forgotten, yet so precious to her now, just because of that- of that-
What was that? Mana asked, feeling a fair share of fear of the answer.
/That,/ the voice responded, /was the reason you fear heights./
I don't remember it happening in these twelve years of my life.
/Well, duh, that's because- no, wait, I won't tell./ (Yeah well way to be annoying) She only got more curious.
Oh, is it connected to these strange flashes of my sister with long hair and me, debating something about attacks and wars and-
/No./ Mana was starting to feel really annoyed (Say it with straight sentences, like A means B, not like A is south from F and G is 5034 km from Q so with that information you are now ready to find out with what colour is written Z).
Why not? I mean, both of them are my memories, right?
/No, they're not./ (Please stop being cryptic!)
What do you mean?
/Exactly what I said./
Okay, mysterious-voice-in-my-head, please explain.
/That falling thingy was your memory. The War Council are mine./ (More information I have no use of but is there to distract me)
We have separate memories? And what's with that singular, shouldn't it be plural?
/Whatever, chipmunk, just don't ask- LOOK OUT!/
Wha-?
She felt a tad more weightless than she was supposed to be. Wind hit her face.
Wi…nd?
Under her there was mist pooling lazily, hiding the water and rocks underneath it.
Water?... Rocks?
With horror, Mana realized she was falling, the river under her suddenly starting to grow larger. She could only stay still, mouth open in shock, listening to the yells of her friends as she was tumbling down to certain death.
"Mana! Hang on the spider-eagle webs!" Anzu shouted. Her voice was shaking with fright, and the younger twin, somewhat hazy through the terror, thought that it wasn't Anzu who had to be afraid.
/Forget about who's turn is it to be scared, just do what she says!/
Mana tentatively reached a trembling hand out, struggling not to curl into a ball and weep. The webs (and ground, an equally-scared part of her mind whispered) were drawing closer. She had only one chance, and if she failed then-
I'm scared, she cried out in her mind, but there wasn't a trace from the voice. 804? Where are you? 804!
Silence.
804 wasn't there.
Mana was all alone.
Mana was all alone the first time she fell, too.
Someone help me, please!
Her fingers brushed the sturdy spider web, unable to get a good grip, still paralyzed by fright. She plummeted to the ground, stiff from shock and horror.
Then she felt something clasping her wrist, and she stopped falling.
Mana needed another few seconds to realize that someone - impossibly - had saved her. When she finally had the courage to look up, she was instantly met with big, brownish-hazel eyes and a concerned smile.
"Are you okay?" Gon asked, surprisingly quietly. The albino could only nod, not trusting her voice right now. A full-blown grin appeared on his face, even as his shoulders sagged with relief. "I'm so glad!"
The twin was brainstorming a way to thank Gon for him saving her life, when she heard several whooshes and looked up only to be met with the sight of maybe about twenty or so examinees jumping down. Her previous reluctance to talk completely forgotten, she turned her shocked face towards her savior.
"What are they doing?" Gon grinned down at her.
"They are trying to pass the Second Exam, just like you and me." Ignoring the – surely unintentional – jab (you could have said 'us', not 'me and you'!) which pretty much stated that they weren't on equal grounds, she continued questioning him.
"But- I mean, if all of them try to get eggs from this place, isn't there the very real danger of there not being enough of them for everyone? Not to mention that there isn't a guarantee that the spider web can handle all of our weight and-" She looked up, "They surely are falling slowly. Aren't they supposed to be immediately here because they are heavier than us?"
Gon shrugged, then winced and started apologizing profusely when Mana shrieked and tightened her grip on his hand.
"I'm really sorry, I forgot and-"
"Gon, shut up, please."
"Okay." Was it possible to respond to a 'shut up' with such a sunny smile? The albino was considering the possibility that he was not a human very seriously now.
"Now answer my question."
"Well, if you haven't realized, you fell a really long way down. Not to mention that there are spider webs higher than ours, so…" One of the examinees caught a web up and left from the two kids. The girl blinked, remembering how tiny the participants of the exam looked when she saw them jump.
"Wait. If I had fallen down such a considerable amount, then how in the world did you manage to catch me when you realized I missed the spider web?" Gon laughed sheepishly, but she could hear the uneasiness behind it. "How?" she pressed. He sighed, a little ashamed.
"Well I jumped right after you, of course."
Mana's jaw fell open.
"Wha-What do you mean you jumped right after me? Like, you jumped down the moment you saw me falling?" That wasn't possibl-
"Well, yes, basically." And she stands corrected.
Wait. Stop for a moment please.
WHAT. /WHAT./ 804 appeared out of nowhere, words flat, just in time to speak in unison with the other.
"Wha-But-How-Why?" Mana was too flabbergasted to think straight, let alone form an intelligible sentence or notice the extra presence in her head.
"Because you were falling down. Do I need another reason?" He looked at her, no, stared at her, challenging her to contradict him. It was intimidating, even more so when it was coming from Gon. No, it didn't stop her from trying.
"Because I was- You jumped down a cliff because someone was falling down, fully aware you could both die? When you know what you want to do with your life, you have yet to see so much more things? You'd throw away your life as if it was nothing? Who does that?" The younger sister ranted angrily, and rather disbelievingly. Gon just looked calmly at her, which was not at all Gon-like, and was something she would research for, to find out these strange mood swings he was having, and answered simply.
"I do."
Mana was completely floored. There was no hesitation, no doubt, like he was stating a well-known fact. It was certainty that came from knowing something that cannot be explained, that just is – like a small kid saying he was a boy, or like Mana saying she was an assassin.
"Okay," She agreed in a small voice, unwilling and unable to continue arguing with him, "okay."
They waited in comfortable silence for their friends. First came Killua, after a second Anzu was beside him and studying Mana, trying to see if anything was wrong. The red-eyed girl waved her hand away, even if just a little, to show that she was fine. Gon holding her or not, she was not risking a second fall, and she was finally sure she wasn't going to throw up, which, too, was a plus. It seemed the boy was good not only in saving, but in distracting her, too.
Mana was brought out from her musings when she heard someone calling her, and looked up to face her sister.
"You okay? It's rare for you to space out like that." She asked, concerned.
"Yeah, just thinking." Mana answered automatically. Anzu frowned.
"About what?" The younger one glanced up at Gon, then shrugged, immediately regretting the motion when she swung a little. Okay. No shrugging then.
"About things."
"What things?" It was obvious that she had received the hint, but still pressed for answers. Big sisters really were-
Annoying.
"About you begging me for mercy. And then about a certain shota-liking pedo-clown." It was the first thing that came to her mind, and the raised eyebrows of her blood above her were the confirmation that it was anything but a plausible excuse.
"Oh. Okay then." Anzu answered, amused, and it was made clear to Mana that her big sister, while certainly not letting her out of the loop, was going to humor her for a while.
However, Mana was privy to one big secret that was not known by anyone else… And that big secret was that her twin was, actually, very frustrated because she couldn't read her! Surprised? Yes, Mana's pokerface was perfect. She loved her pokerface. She wanted to marry her pokerface.
/But if you marry your pokerface, what happens to Gon/
Hm yeah, I mean I want to marry Gon too what should I do- WAIT REWIND PLEASE, WHEN DID YOU GET BACK, WHAT ARE THESE STRANGE THINGS YOU'RE MAKING ME REPEAT AND YOU DO KNOW I'M EXTREMELY MAD AT YOU FOR LEAVING ME BEHIND LIKE THAT WHEN I WAS FALLING DOWN THE HAMMING CLIFF DO YOU KNOW HOW SCARED I WAS, IN ALL THE SALAMI'S NAME-
/Dude please calm down, what's with all these Caps Lock, chill! Author-san, please get your little finger away from the CAPS LOCK oh you did it again HAHA-/
Yes, I am the one who needs calming, of course. And you're the one who's speaking with Author-san and breaking the Fourth Wall, but it's not like it's illegal or something, of course it isn't-
/You're not my mother, I can do as many illegal things as I want because I'm awesome!/
Wow, rebel stage much?
/Yes, much, and this rebel-stage voice in your head wants to know why you would marry your pokerface when you have a perfectly nice chance with Gon./
Please, LEAVE MY WEDDING PLANS ALONE! I promise that if you are a good voice and don't hinder me, I will find you a nice voice-in-head to marry.
/I'll hold you onto that. Try not to let me down./
Like you did, you mean.
/Me? What did I do?/
Don't play stupid, you left me alone while I was falling to my death, petrified from fear! I mean, how is that even possible? You're in my head, you can't go anywhere! I want an explanation and I want a good one! NOW!
/That was because…/
Because…
804 mumbled something incoherently. If it was possible to deadpan in someone's mind, then Mana was doing it.
You're in my head, how can I not hear what you're saying if we are one and the same? What's this, a conversation in the physical world?
/I WAS SCARED TOO, OKAY!/ 804 practically screamed. Mana winced.
That volume… Wait, you were scared? Like, you were scared just like me?
/Yes, I was scared just like you./ The albino could practically hear the eyeroll. /No matter what you might think, I died that time, too./ 804's, err, voice, was practically emotionlessly flat by now. Mana decided to leave the subject be.
Instead, she returned to the physical world (that is to say, she stopped paying attention to her mind) and looked around, eager to get this done before a second fall happened… when her eyes found Hisoka.
It was disgusting. The looks he was throwing Gon were too much. Mana shuddered.
/Pedophile alert!/ 804 giggled out.
Why are you saying it so cheerfully!?
Hisoka licked his lips, his expression becoming even more elated.
/He looks like he's jerking off to Gon./
Please, don't plant images like these in my head. I don't really want to know what that clown is thinking about when he's looking like that.
/Make us two./
"So, How will you do it?" Anzu inquired, finally snapping Mana away from her Hisoka musings.
"How will I do what?" The whitehead asked, cocking her head in her sister's general direction.
"How will you make me beg for mercy, duh."
Oh. Right. She had said she was thinking about that, right?
What to do, what to do….
/Look around, I'm sure we'll think of something fun./
Mana involuntary shifted her eyes to Killua, who was hanging beside Anzu.
/Oooh, target in range./
I found it, kufu.
/… Creepy./
Double returning it to you, my dearest.
/You're really beginning to scare me./
It was your idea.
/… It was./
"Yes, really, how am I going to do it?" Mana pretended to muse, then shrugged. "Well I suppose I have no other choice than to lock you and Killua in a room, with no way out, for indefinite time." She continued. The two mentioned kids' eyes widened in shock.
"Why are you punishing me, too?!" Killua whined. "I didn't do anything!" Anzu nodded fervently.
"Yes, he's not at fault, look at what a good boy he is, no sense in making him do something he clearly doesn't want to, right?"
"If I didn't know you were saying this only because you don't want to be locked in a room with me for two days, I would be flattered and disgusted at the same time." Killua intoned from beside the rambling twin. Anzu glared.
"By doing this I am automatically saving your ass too, so could you at least pretend to agree with me so we can avoid this situation?"
"Wow, now that I think about it, you are giving away your dignity just to save me. Do you, by chance, have a crush on me, I wonder~?"
"I am wondering whether I should poke fun at you for even imagining that I may wish to be with someone like you, for admitting on imagining me with you, or just to get angry and beat you up. Please choose whichever you like best."
Killua gaped, blushing the slightest bit.
Mana cackled.
Oh My Vegetables, if they marry it's going to be so fun hearing them arguing about silly things.
/Their life together is going to be sixty percent gold mine for sitcoms with married couples./
I'm glad we're on the same page about them, 804.
/Yeah… But I'm still killing him if he does something I don't like to her./
That's a given.
Anzu and Killua were still arguing when Mana returned from her conversation, which was cute and annoying at the same time.
Oh please, I may love my (new) matchmaker job, but that doesn't mean I don't want you to get along! Please!
/Yes, plead twice, it may actually work!/
Voice, don't get sarcastic on me and just shut up.
"Well, I like what I hear. I may install an eavesdropping bug just to hear all your arguments." Mana sang, grinning. Her grip on Gon's hand relaxed just a bit.
"You won't dare!" Anzu yelled. Mana smiled a cat smile. Killua opened his mouth to add his opinion.
Then there was a snap and the web they were hanging on started tearing apart.
Put a smelly onion on it and make me eat it… Mana cursed in her head, tightening her grip on Gon's hand immediately.
"Uh-Oh" Killua muttered and Anzu licked her lips nervously. Somewhere next to them, Leorio was panicking and Kurapika was consoling him. He was saying something about Gon knowing when to jump.
The younger twin glanced up, only to be met with a sunny smile.
"Don't be afraid, Mana." There was a painful edge to his voice, the hand he was holding onto the web was slightly trembling and Mana just noticed how he stopped holding her hand as tightly. She was gripping his hand too hard, and he couldn't hold her from falling forever, no matter how strong he was. She had half a mind to just let go, because she couldn't bear seeing him straining to resist gravity this much just to save her.
"Gon, when do we jump?" Kurapika asked, successfully stopping her grim train of thoughts. The red-eyed girl bit her lip.
Please, let it be soon.
"Just a little bit" Gon answered, glancing down again. His eyes locked with red ones. "I won't let you fall." He promised. Mana wanted to believe in him. In fact, she was just starting to think they may get out of this situation. Then someone jumped with a scream and fell into the mist. There wasn't a splash. Mana's ears were sharp enough to hear the bones breaking and the wet sound of meat falling on something hard. The queasiness appeared again, she could feel the bile climbing up in her throat.
Her grip on Gon's hand weakened and she slipped down a millimeter. Instantly the boy was holding her tighter, smiling down at her the whole time, as if he wasn't straining to hold them up.
This will end.
The albino completely stopped holding Gon's hand, his grip on her was the only thing that prevented her fall. He was too concentrated on the wind that was supposed to come to notice.
"NOW!" Gon suddenly yelled. Mana wretched her hand away from his, and plummeted down the air for the second time, just as scared as before, ignoring Anzu's gasp. However, this time, she wasn't paralyzed in fear.
I would be made eat onion before I make someone strain just to keep me safe!
/That's the spirit./ Mana could practically hear the smile.
She reached out with her hands, successfully grabbing an egg, and waited for the wind to blow her up, stubbornly fighting with the panic.
Gon said so. And she calmed down surprisingly fast.
/I have to say I find it quite bothering that you were able to fight off our worst fear just because you believed in the words of a whacky twelve years old human boy./
Make us two. However, the albino felt her lips curl up in a smile, you have to admit he is really talented at making others believe him without second thought.
/I'm not really sure that's a good trait./
Yeah, me neither. I mean, look at what he did to us, right?
/He made us like him like more than a friend should (I think)./
You're admitting it so soon?
/Yeah, why not? It's gonna create problems for us if we don't admit it to ourselves. Then, well, no one ever said about telling him./
Hm… Sound logic.
The wind came just at the right moment and the people were all sent flying in the air, now far from the ground (and more than possible death).
Flying is more fun than I initially thought.
/Yeah, it is./
How do we get off the wind.
/Um… Oops?/
SERIOUSLY?!
/Well excuse me I have never been in this kind of situation, just jump from the wind to the ground or we're both gonna die (again)!/
Jump from the wind to the ground… Yeah, because that makes so much sense.
Mana easily jumped from the air and landed on her two feet without any problem (she pointedly ignored their shaking or the sweat running down her neck and back, which definitely wasn't from fright, definitely).
/Well it may make no sense, but it worked at least, didn't it?!/
I'm really starting to reconsider entering this exam. I mean, it's, like, the first day and we've defied just how many physic laws again?
"Was it so bad?" Anzu walked up to Mana with an egg in hand, robbing 804 of chance to answer and effectively cutting through the mental conversation she had. The younger one raised an eyebrow. "The falling, I mean. You looked like you were going to vomit."
"Yeah, I was seriously going to be sick. Lucky there was no one underneath me, right?" Mana finished with an awkward laugh.
Anzu rolled her eyes, throwing her own egg around while humming. Buhara and Menchi called all participants to come around them, and took all eggs. Anzu pouted. Mana had half a mind to snap a photo of her.
Since I have a phone, the only thing I think about doing with it is snapping photos of my sister. I'm pretty sure that's not how they are supposed to be used. I think I should have bought a camera!
Arisu's POV:
Anzu was gazing at the sky, keeping her now boiled egg firmly in her hands.
"Hey, Nee-chan" Mana tapped her shoulder and pointed to the object in her sister's hands. "You know we will eat the eggs we caught, right?"
"What?" Anzu turned around, startled, then huffed and threw the egg a disgusted glare. "There is no way I'm gonna eat this trash."
Just to prove this, she held the egg maximally away from herself, not even willing to glance at it.
/Ugh. What are we gonna do with it./
We can't throw it away, it's food. Food shouldn't be thrown away, no matter how much one hates it.
/Can't we at least annoy someone with it?/
Suddenly, a bulb metaphorically appeared above Anzu's head and she had to bite her tongue to stop the evil laughter from escaping. She skipped down to Killua, beaming.
/Is it just me or did you go even more nuts?/
"Hey, Old Gramps!" The girl yelled, ignoring the voice, and Killua robotically turned his head to face her, his expression a great imitation of a thug face.
"Huh?!"
Anzu paid no attention to his irritation and ruffled his hair, while balancing on her toes to keep them even.
Why the only thing that differed between us was the height?
/Forget the height, did you feel his hair? It was so soft! And he's a boy! Forget being sexist for saying boys can't have soft hair, why can't ours be like that?!/
"Good boy, you finally learned your name!" The older twin praised him, grinning stupidly wide for someone usually serious.
/OMG, you grinning? Aliens are coming this way now!/
Killua's cheeks reddened and he 'hmp'ed slightly, turning away.
He's just like-
/A cat./
Yes.
Anzu continued patting his head and he finally had enough, pushing her hand away and scowling.
"Gosh, stop already!" Anzu pouted (That's a lot of lost fun!) and the white-haired boy rolled his eyes. "So, what do you want?" He snapped at her.
"Can you do me a favor?" Anzu pleaded with a poor imitation of Mana's puppy face.
/Pathetic./
Well excuse me, but no one can copy this face! It's literally impossible!
"NO!" was the lightning-speed response.
/Yeah well it seems like no matter the excuse, YOU FAILED!/
No! Not all hope is lost just yet!
"I was going to ask you if you want to eat my egg…" Anzu fake-sighed, turning her back to Killua innocently.
"Why? You know that poisons don't affect me."
The twin scowled.
What kind of idiotic amateur do you think I am?
"Idiot, of course I know. I just despise eggs." Cue eyeroll from the boy.
"And you decided to dump your probably most-hated food on your most-hated person? Why am I not surprised." Anzu huffed.
"Don't make such a face it's the most logical thing to do! … And you're not my most-hated person, I just… feel extreme dislike towards you."
"Wow today all you do is praise me… Don't tell me you actually care about me?" Killua cooed, batting his eyelashes. The twin glared.
"Going far too ahead of yourself, pal." He snorted.
"Well then you shouldn't have given me your egg instead of Mana, or Gon, or Kurapika and Leorio… Which again brings us to the question: why me?" Anzu exhaled, irritated.
"I just explained it to you, don't tell me you didn't listen!"
"Oh, I did." Killua spun around himself. "That, however, does not mean you told the truth."
/This kid!/
Shit what am I supposed to do?!
/Calm down, just- just tell him about your matchmaking duty but make sure to do it in a twisted way so he doesn't figure out we're hiding something!/
Um… We are?
The voice groaned.
/Please someone tell me this kid is not as oblivious as it sounds./
What are you talking about? A kid?! And I'm not an it!
/Just… do what I say and leave me to cry and curse my life./
O…kay?
/Repeat after me:/
"Coz I don't want to spoil my baby sister, I'm not in mood to give anything to the pervert, and Kurapika will gain weight if he eats another one. And Gon… well…" (/Okay what excuse to use… Wow, the fact that I have absolutely no reason I shouldn't give this egg to Gon is practically so disheartening that even my heartless self felt that pain./) "Oh, just take the freaking egg and no more questions!" Anzu parroted.
Wait. What.
/I can't believe you just repeated it without even hearing what I said first! Now that's some Poor Communication Kills/
"Not before I hear why you won't give it to Gon." Killua responded, throwing her a weirded-out look. "I understood for everyone but Gon, no matter how ridiculous the reasons. Well, I kinda didn't catch what is with Kurapika and gaining weight, but who cares. Certainly not me. Just tell me why." Killua glared at her and the white-head rolled her eyes.
"Dense idiot. Is it only you and Gon, or the rest of the men are like that, too?"
/You're a dense idiot too you shit!/
Not now, voice.
"It's obvious that if I give an egg to Gon, Mana would be jealous." Anzu answered snappishly.
"But that does not answer my question! And in the first place, why should Mana be jealous from you giving an egg to Gon? It doesn't have any- Oh." Killua stopped mid-sentence, eyes shining with understanding. "I see now. You're playing a matchmaker, aren't you?"
"No shit, Sherlock. And I'm going so damn well it's hilarious!"
"So the reason you pushed Mana off the cliff…" The boy trailed off.
"It's a rare moment for me to do something and not have hidden plans for it."
"A rough way to keep them together, but a way nonetheless. Good job." Anzu snorted.
"Oh, the Mighty Killua praised my good-for-nothing self! My heart is going to burst from happiness~!" She sang and Killua rolled his eyes. As far as he could. And let such an irritated sigh it was a miracle he even could collect enough air in one gulp to pull it off.
/Okay pal no matter how annoying you think we are this was just an overkill./
"So, care to tell me why you hate eggs so much?" he asked. Anzu sighed, sagging.
"No way out of this now, eh?" Killua shook his head again, gleeful; she sighed again, as if a three-ton Tonpa was placed on her shoulders. "When I was little, I loved eggs, no matter how they were cooked or from what animal they were. I knew so much about them and how to make them (though I kind of can't anyway), that I was practically a walking encyclopedia for eggs. Then some kids from a random village asked me 'What does a snake egg taste like?' and, like the first idiot on earth and all other planets and dimensions (and by the way where did THAT swearway come from?), I decided to eat a snake course first I would have to find it, so I somehow got the idea that I could do it alone. When I finally got to see a snake's egg, there was a bonus-slash-unexpected surprise – the two meter pissed off mommy Cobra I failed to see coming." Anzu shivered from the memoryof the angry Cobra Mama Bear and Killua started laughing hysterically. The girl had an idea about what exactly he was imagining, and glared at him. "Yes, yes, I'm dying from laughter, my sides are splitting from so much giggles, call a doctor as long as he's not Leorio. Now, will you eat the stupid egg already?" She whined, throwing her arms in the air.
Killua nodded mockingly serious, still trying to control his laughing fit. Snatching the egg from her hand and checking it carefully – "It's not poisoned you doofus!" – , he peeled it and glanced at the hooded girl, as if searching for permission. Anzu waved her hand to the side, rolling her eyes.
"Eat it, Grandpa, I don't want it."
"You lose." In an instant, the egg was gone and Killua was licking his lips. "Thank you for the food!"
"You're welcome." Anzu and 803 answered in one voice.
/Well at least that ended./ 803 sounded tired.
Yeah…
Mentally agreeing, Anzu relaxed her stance a little, and as the Councilman-or-whatever-the-hell-his-title-was-called Netero started speaking, she felt herself nodding off. After what felt like seconds, someone brought their fist down her head. The girl hiccupped, opening her eyes, and stretched. It was a nice nap. The someone was revealed to be Mana, who snorted really ungracefully for such a graceful-looking child, and walked to the air zeppelin or whatever-it-was-called. Just as she was beginning to move after her sibling, Anzu felt someone pulling her to the ship. She rubbed her eyes, yawning and deliberately slowing down, and glanced at Killua, then at Killua's hand, which was on hers (he was actually holding hands with her, the nerve of him!) before focusing her sight straight ahead.
"Need something." She asked flatly, although it was more of a statement.
"We are to catch that plane or we won't be able to participate in the Third Phase." Killua explained, as if it wasn't obvious. The older twin squashed the urge to hit the boy and scream at him that she wasn't actually as stupid as to not know that.
"Oh, I heard that." She replied instead, voice just a tiny bit threatening.
"Then why are you here?" Killua was actually trying to avoid arguing with her, for once in the very small timeframe they knew each other. Anzu decided to respect that and lay off the teasing when he was serious. Not that a serious Killua happened very often, if what she saw up to this moment was his usual personality, but still.
"Speeches are making me sleepy." For a serious question one received a serious answer – at least, when Anzu actually wanted to answer. The boy evidently detected that, because he shrugged and started dragging her to the ship.
"Let's go, silver idiot." There was no real bite in his comment this time, so Anzu let it go this time.
"Look who's talking…" She retorted instead, mock-scowling but not freeing her hand from the iron grip it was in. Killua rolled his eyes and impatiently tugged her forward.
Somewhere in the far-away corners of Anzu's mind, a voice tittered. /Wow. If the dumbass I call a vessel tries to tell me she hates that boy after this, I will K.O. her. Really./
From the airship, a shadow watched the interaction between the two kids with rapt attention. Their eyes were drawn to the clasped hands. The figure scowled.
Aaaand, this was it! I hope you enjoyed and I apologize for the shorter chapter (~6000W) but this was the most perfect time to stop. See you again soon, YMC!