A Worthy Opponent (HunterxHunter)

Chapter 11: An Evening Flight

I rubbed my eyes sitting up. Dawn was at its peak. Sunlight spilled over my face. The ambiance shook my senses, waking me up. I realized I still had a blanket around me. My pants hung from a branch and I quickly dressed before everyone shrouded together. Bisky got up and chuckled beside me, noticing the panic in my eyes. But Hisoka and Illumi weren't there.

Maybe they're at the river.

I found Kurapika sitting on a tree above me. He also seemed to be taking in the view.

"Thanks for the blanket," I told Kurapika who landed beside me. "The material was so realistic despite being created from Nen."

"In my free time, I realized how convenient it was to be able to create regular objects. I took my time feeling different materials and memorizing them with my senses. I still do every now and then."

I pondered his words for a moment, wondering how much skill it took until I heard footsteps trudging closer and turned around to find Hisoka and Illumi walking towards us from the lake. Their auras gloomed with a heavy atmosphere. Muddy shades manifested like clogged pain. I didn't bother stuffing my frown. Hisoka's aura had been disoriented lately. It almost bothered me how pressuring it was, but it was good practice for me to constantly endure it. Otherwise, I didn't know how to address it. That man was complicated on the inside, but that only made me want to break it down and understand. My abilities...

I'll think about it later.

He noticed my stare but I took my time leaving his gaze.

"Let's go," Kurapika said.

And with that, we ran as the sun flew over our heads.

The sun beat over our heads harsher today than it had yesterday. By the time we reached the town, sweat-drenched down all our bodies. The beams blazed mercilessly with no clouds to shield us. The thing I noticed when we arrived at the town was how small it was. Just enough buildings to even call it one. Houses and stores were stuck next to each other, roads were made of light brown bricks, and the number of people planted in the area was significantly small to the busy streets back in the city. Fishing boats crowded the shore and a giant airship sat near the docks. Our ride to the city. It stuck out the most because of how developed it was built, not matching the town's architecture.

"There should be water on the airship," Kurapika pointed out, noticing our exhaustion.

"I can't wait to shower!" Bisky sulked wiping her forehead. "This lady needs her bubble baths."

I laughed in agreement. As we made our way towards the ship, I realized it was actually much, much bigger than I thought.

"Woah..." I whispered in awe. The high-rise ship was layered with many windows, revealing endless floors lining the length of the sides. We stepped on board and the captain greeted us. Frigid air-conditioned temperatures blasted my face. We all showed him our Hunter's License and he nodded his head acknowledging our achievements. I only smiled because this was the opposite reaction Gunther gave me. I gazed to the floor already missing him. He was most definitely responsible for 40% of my self-confidence.

The interior was jaw-dropping...at least to me as the tour guide escorted us around. My eyes teared up from not blinking, struck by the lucrative designs and variety of foods available. The number of venues that fit in this flying air balloon was too bizarre to comprehend. I practically gasped around every corner, earning giggles from Bisky. There was a bar, a pool, mini-stores, a bakery, a gym, and more. I found myself wandering back to the baker who was beating dough. A heated oven left scents of something sweet-smelling that drew me in.

Dad would go crazy if he smelled this!

"Raine! There you are," Bisky said grabbing my arm, dragging me back to the group. "He's showing us to the rooms now." Hisoka stood crossing his arms, chuckling.