Chapter Two

Nobunaga unlocked the motel room door, showing me into a small room. Unsurprisingly, there were no particularly respectable accommodations that were affordable in Meteor City so Nobunaga had instead paid for a room at the Happy Days Motel – an establishment he claimed made up for its grungy appearance in comfort but I suspected this was just him trying to reassure me.

My first impression of the room was that it must've been cheap.

The walls were rather drab-looking, the room was small and there was very minimal furniture. Although I guess I hadn't expected him to be squandering hundreds of Jenny (it was confusing to accept this new type of currency but I had to get over it) on someone he had only recently met. The bed at least looked like it could be somewhat comfortable. I couldn't help but notice that there were no other beds in the apartment aside from that one.

"I'm not your dad, so I won't be staying with you." I wondered briefly how my dad - and by extension my mother - was doing before waving those thoughts away. I couldn't beat myself up about things that were out of my control.

I walked around the room, observing everything. I smiled slightly at the sight of a TV, although experience would tell me that the only I'd be able to watch would be either boring, cheaply made or long advertisements. On the wall was a decently-made painting of the mountainside which looked out of place. Soon, I encountered a door which led to a bathroom- unfortunately, a particularly shoddy bathroom. I immediately backtracked out of said room.

Nobunaga observed my curiousness with an amused, inquisitive expression, finding my inquisitive nature to be somewhat endearing. As he leaned against the wall and watched me with the slightest smile, I figured that he must've gotten along well with children. Although I wasn't a child… mentally, even if he didn't know that. As I closed the door to the bathroom, I walked over towards the bed in front of Nobunaga and sat down, breathing out exasperatedly and letting my guard down.

"You know what, kid? Let's get to know each other." He started, deciding to try and casually talk to me, believing my relaxing to be the same as me being comfortable in his presence. He sauntered over to a nearby chair before dragging to the space in front of me, before sitting down. "We barely know each other. It'll be fun…!"

'If barely knowing each other was a problem then why even train me?' I thought but did not dare to say. I looked at him uneasily and muttered an almost inaudible 'okay', which thankfully he acknowledged – considering his physical abilities, him having good hearing was understandable.

"My full name is Nobunaga Hazama." He explained. Admittedly, I hadn't known his last name but that was because it had been a while since I last saw the Yorknew City arc. "What's yours?"

"… Mitsuru Nishimura." I lied, randomly choosing the surname Nishimura on a whim.

"Nishimura, eh? Okay. Now it's your turn to ask a question."

My turn…?

I realized something. Although I lacked the information to truly understand what was happening around the world, I could ask Nobunaga questions that could at least clarify things for me.

"H-how old are you?" I asked suddenly, leaving him to look at me with a slightly bewildered expression before relaxing into a smile – maybe I was willing to talk to him.

"I'm 27 years old – born on September 28, 1970."

I concentrated, biting my lip in an attempt to focus, trying to remember my Hunter x Hunter trivia. The Yorknew City arc was between September 1st to September 5th in the year 1999. It was currently the year 1997, if Nobunaga was 27 years old, which was two years before the Yorknew Arc starts. Shizuku should've already joined considering that, from what I could remember, she replaced a member who died three years prior to the Yorknew arc. I wondered who I was replacing.

"My turn – when were you born?"

"I was born in…" I remembered I said I was ten and tried to subtract my current age from the current year. "… 1987, March 18. A-and you know that I'm ten."

Although I had changed the year, the date was the same as my birthday in real life.

"Oh – March 18? So, you only had your birthday last month."

That meant it was currently April.

"W…w-who are the current Phantom Troupe members?" I hesitated to ask but the words rushed out of my mouth.

He frowned before shaking his head. "There are currently only 12 members of the Spider, other than me."

He cleared his throat before starting a long-winded explanation.

"The Spider is led by the Head: Chrollo Lucilfer, a specialist Nen user. Beneath him are the now eleven legs: me, Machi, Feitan, Phinks, Uvogin, Pakunoda, Kortopi, Shalnark, Hisoka, Shizuku and Franklin. You are replacing the old member, Grilmer."

I absorbed this information, my ears perking at the mention of the name 'Grilmer'. I knew this character wasn't in either the manga or either adaption of the anime and he couldn't have been the former 8th spider because Shizuku was here – he or she must've been never talked about in Hunter x Hunter. I noticed that Nobunaga hadn't mentioned Bonolenov as part of the legs. After thinking for a second, I figured it out. Bonolenov must have replaced the member Grilmer before the beginning of the Yorknew City arc, but I would be the one replacing Grilmer this time.

Poor Bonolenov.

Our game continued on for about half an hour, with me learning many trivial things like Nobunaga's favourite colour (he liked purple), whether he preferred winter over summer (summer was better) and even who his best friend (reluctantly said he was close with Uvogin). Eventually, he decided to call it quits and told me that he was going to head out, apparently having somewhere else to sleep while I stayed at the motel room. Did he even sleep?

"Tomorrow, we'll start our training so get some rest, Mitsuru. I'm going to teach you about the basics of Nen."

He waved goodbye before opening the door, leaving me alone to my thoughts.

…

That night had been rough. I found myself constantly twitching, rolling myself up in the covers before kicking the cover off me before repeating the process. Shadows contorted and snapped into horrifying shapes on the walls, and I tried to distract myself by listening in to the faint sounds of movement from the other rooms. Whenever my mind wasn't thinking about how defenceless I was in this world I was inexperienced with, I couldn't help but think of my family again. Were they grieving or did they not even know I was gone? Was it… ungrateful of me to be living here while my parents could be planning my funeral, while they were in deep grief? I didn't know and I was very distressed.

I had never been so glad to hear the insistent sound of a murderer knocking on my door before; in my either of my lives.

"Breakfast?" He asked, handing me a brown paper bag with some form of snack inside. I muttered a quiet 'thank you' before eating it.

Nobunaga smiled before starting. "Alright, let's get to it: training begins now!"

To start with, Nobunaga explained to me the concept of Nen, writing and drawing on a piece of paper to illustrate his point. I already understood the basic idea but it was interesting and somewhat reassuring to hear him explain it, as if confirmation that this really was happening. Even despite my acceptance of what was happening to me, I still couldn't escape the uncertainty that this might not be real.

He outlined the Four Major Principles: Ten, Zetsu, Ren and Hatsu. I would study Ten first, before moving onto Zetsu, then Ren. I would learn to apply those principles to the advanced techniques. Hatsu would be something I would do afterward by refining it myself, as Hatsu was based around individuality so Nobunaga couldn't exactly teach me it. But first, he explained, I must learn how to activate my Nen.

"To activate your Nen, there are two main methods: the deliberate way or the aggressive way. However, we don't have nearly enough time to do it the deliberate way – it doesn't take a whole year to replace an old member - so instead we're going to have go through Initiation or Baptism. This is where I use my aura to force your Aura nodes open. You must learn to use Ten very quickly, or else you will grow tired."

I frowned, worried for my safety.

"Don't worry – it can only be dangerous if the teacher is either inexperienced or has malevolent intentions." He reassured, although I didn't feel any better.

He then asked me to get rid of any extra belongings on my body that I didn't need although I didn't have any. A cold shiver ran up my spine as he moved his hand behind my back because, although he told me that it could be dangerous, I knew for certain that this method could kill me. And it wasn't as if I trusted Nobunaga with my life or anything even close.

Suddenly, with no warning, I could feel myself be overpowered by an intense feeling. I couldn't stop myself from shaking slightly, part of me excited and another part of me surprised. I gasped, noticing something next to my arm that hadn't been there before.

Flowing around my body was something that looked like steam. My aura.

I had already accepted that I was in the Hunter x Hunter universe but even so, seeing my Aura flow around my body was something in a world of its own. I observed the foreign energy with an inquisitive expression, unable to describe the feeling of having something invisible around my body. It was if I was standing in the middle of a cloud. Needless to say, I found it very interesting. Nobunaga, however, digressed.

"Don't get distracted, concentrate on keeping your aura within your body."

I closed my eyes and breathed out, calming myself. This was more important than staring at the outline around my body.

"Focus. Then visualise your aura flowing around you like your blood"

I could feel my Aura flow around me.

"From the top of your body, to your shoulder. Work your way around the body."

My body was calm, finally ridding itself of all its stress.

"Now imagine that flow to ebb away, to hover around your body."

I was almost at peace.

Suddenly, I heard Nobunaga whistle, almost beaming in approval. I didn't understand nor wish for it, but I couldn't help but feel happy at the sound.

"You took to Ten well, for a beginner." He observed, making me turn away as my face had an exhilarated expression on it that made me feel embarrassed. For a moment or two he smiled before wearing another commanding expression on his face.

"But it's nowhere good enough for the Phantom Troupe."

I frowned, with the smallest part of me disappointed that I was nowhere near strong enough, but another part of me knew it was because I had only just started. So, I nodded and we continued practising.

…

It had been one month since the day I was initiated and I was getting more comfortable around Nobunaga.

While it had taken me longer to learn that it did for Gon or Killua, I eventually managed to get a hang for Ten. It was slightly embarrassing for me as I tried holding myself up to the standard set by the two protagonists – even though technically they didn't even know Nen considering this was like two years before the start of Hunter x Hunter – but the occasional line of approval from Nobunaga made me feel better about the whole thing. I kept forgetting that the man who smiled and encouraged me was not just a thief but a horrifying murderer who stole the eyes from the corpses of the Kurta clan; I felt like I was acting like the naïve child I looked like.

At that moment, since Nobunaga felt like my Ten met the criteria for the Phantom Troupe (which I doubt existed, he just didn't want anyone weak to join the gang), we had moved on to Zetsu. Zetsu undoubtedly easier for me to handle.

What wasn't easy for me to handle was Nobunaga's way of teaching.

I moved my hand to try to move blindfold up slightly before Nobunaga slapped my hand down.

"We need to work on your basic instincts. Knowing Nen is a great asset but Nen is just a tool – the way you use it counts. If you only rely on Nen, then you're going to be screwed in situations where you cannot use Nen."

"B-but why the blindfold?" I asked, wringing my hands together. The lack of knowledge about our destination was making me somewhat anxious, considering who I was with.

"The blindfold is so you can learn to rely on your instincts! If you can't see, you'll have to rely on instincts rather than observation." Nobunaga explained to me, although this news hadn't done anything to quell my anxiousness.

"We're going to play a game. The aim of the game is to make sure you rely on instincts and your own senses just as much as you rely on Nen, as they're just as important. I shall throw rocks at you while using Zetsu, while you must use your instincts to avoid them. You cannot take the blindfold off nor can you use Ten to protect yourself. Let's go!"

I could hear him jump away and my heartbeat rapidly increased.

With no idea where he was, I had no clue where the projectiles would come from. Suddenly, I heard a sound and recoiled in pain as what I assumed to be a jagged rock flew into the back of my right leg.

Suddenly, Nobunaga's voice could be heard far behind me. "You aren't relying on your own senses. Stop worrying where I am, calm down and let your senses tell you instead."

I swerved around just in time for a rock to make contact with my stomach, sending me down onto my backside as I coughed.

I pushed myself back up, trying to calm down but then another rock came, just missing me as I turned slightly to avoid it; not due to my instincts but rather dumb luck.

Whenever I tried to calm down and think about it, another rock would fly my way and strike me down. This was non-stop, and very discouraging.

For twenty whole minutes, I tried pathetically to avoid Nobunaga's projectiles but no matter what I did they would strike me down.

I was almost on the verge of giving up. I breathed out, trying to stop my eyes from watering- they weren't tears yet but I didn't want to cry in front of Nobunaga.

I recognised the sound of a stone flying through the air on my right. I moved back, although sloppily, resulting in me falling back onto my backside before hearing the stone whizz past me. I pushed myself up, wondering if this was what relying on my instincts meant.

Another whizzing sound from behind me on my left. I quickly dodged, stepping to the right slowly as I felt the air next to me as the stone barely missed the left side of my face.

The pace picked up slightly, another rock coming from directly in front of me. I ducked down, feeling it skim the top of my head, only touching my hair.

More and more rocks were being thrown and I was dodging more and more rocks. Occasionally, one would skim me or hit me but my confidence had boosted after I realized all I needed to do was to trust my instincts.

One rock flew from the top-right corner, and I could feel it come towards me as if it were a part of me. Instead of just moving out the way, I felt myself moving without thought as my arm shot outwards, my fingers spreading out before suddenly clamping shut.

I heard Nobunaga heartily laugh, accompanied by impressed clapping sounds as I realized what I just did.

Hastily, I used my left hand to take off my blindfold and I looked down, trying to see if what I thought I did was what I actually did. And there it was, my fingers clasping it tightly: a rock.

"Well done, Mitsuru." He smiled, not expecting that I would do anything but dodge the rocks let alone catch one of them. "You relied on your instincts there, instead of observation."

I smiled unknowingly, feeling the rock as I flipped it over, smoothing the jagged stone with my thumb.

Nobunaga noticed this and added, "you did well today."

"…Thank you." I didn't even mumble as I said this, so impressed with myself I forgot my inhibitions.

Nobunaga patted me on the shoulder with a soft smile, before stretching.

"That's enough training for today, let's go get some lunch."

Let's just say that we got a lot of looks when we went to eat, considering how I looked.

…

It had been exceptionally easier for me to learn Zetsu rather than Ten, taking only two weeks for me to meet Nobunaga's expectations- half the time it took for me to learn Ten, too. It had really put a spring in my step and made me excited to learn Ren, even if I still took longer than Gon and Killua did to learn it.

In the beginning, I struggled with Ren slightly, wondering why my aura wasn't intensifying. However, considering that I already learned Ten, I wasn't as easily deterred as before and then learning Ren became easier to grasp. All it took were two and a half weeks, which for me was a major accomplishment, even if it was slightly longer than the time it took for me to learn Zetsu.

I sighed, lounging carelessly on my shoddily-made bed, skimming the words of the page in front of me with my finger as I read along with it. Fortunately, the nights had gotten easier for me to deal with as I became more comfortable in the routine although sometimes my mind would drift to my parents, or my friends and I would wonder if I would ever see them again.

The sound of knocking on my door made me put my book down. It could have only been Nobunaga as he was the only person who ever came around, so I quickly pushed myself off the bed and went to open the door. I opened the door allowing Nobunaga to come in, noticing something was off.

By off, I meant Nobunaga looked too happy. He had an excited smile on his face, which was very different to the teacher character he used during my training, so I immediately wondered what was going on.

Luckily, I didn't have to wait too long to get an answer.

"I've decided that, for working so hard, you should be rewarded." Nobunaga explained, looking down at me with an eager expression that made me both excited too, and uneasy. What was so good that would cause Nobunaga to act so excited? It was also somewhat jarring to think that Nobunaga thought I needed to be pacified for simply training but, since from his perspective I was a kid, maybe he just thought that kids worked better with rewards.

"So, I've decided to allow you to meet one of the Spiders." He exclaimed. I gulped, wondering why he thought this had been a good idea. There was another murderer… here? Which one was it?

Although I had liked him on the show, I knew that I would probably freak myself out if Feitan was here. He was too… sadistic, for lack of a better word, for me to handle.

Stepping into the room, previously obscured by the darkness from outside, a woman stepped into the room. She was skinny and fairly tall (although this could've just been my new, short height), wearing a purple suit that exposed quite a fair bit of her cleavage. She had short, blonde hair that had only reached the bottom of her neck. I instantly recognized her and became anxious. Her power was one that could ruin me.

"I hadn't expected Nobunaga to be teaching anyone," she started, walking towards me in her serious way, "but it's nice to meet you."

I was lost for words, wondering about what this could mean for me. Was she going to… use her mind-reading ability on me?

She stared at my anxious expression before chuckling and looking at Nobunaga, who also smiled.

"Timid, isn't he? That's alright. I used to timid when I was younger, too."

She raised out her hand for me to shake it, which I did so reluctantly and only because Nobunaga expected me to.

"My name is Pakunoda."

...

Word Count: 3,601

This chapter clarified when the story is taking place. So this story is taking two years before the Yorknew City arc so by the time that starts Mitsuru will be twelve years old. I decided that the Troupe shouldn't have more than thirteen members so, if Mitsuru was gonna join, someone had to go. Bonolenov was chosen because, let's face it, he was probably the least emphasized member of the Phantom Troupe along with Kortopi except Kortopi was still very important to the Yorknew arc despite his lack of screen time. Bonolenov just wasn't ever important.

Anyway, Pakunoda has shown up, so Mitsuru's memories could lead to a lot of conflict.

Mitsuru is learning Nen! Soon enough, maybe even in the next chapter, we'll find out what Mitsuru's Nen type is: is he an Enhancer, Transmuter, Conjurer, Emitter, Manipulator or Specialist? Leave a review to give your opinion on which one he should have.

Thank you for reading! I am grateful for the people who have favourited and followed this fanfiction. Please leave a review because they do motivate me, although I'll still write a chapter.