A Worthy Opponent (HunterxHunter)

Chapter 32: A Win for a Loss

Raine made her way to Hisoka. The rock he sat on was a couple meters above the ground.

Mmmm, as expected~ He thought as she approached him.

There's multiple ways this could go...but I could save her if all goes well.

"You seem different, are you okay?" She tilted her head. He grinned but didn't answer. "Did...something happen?" She questioned again stepping closer. A few squirrels started drinking from the stream near her.

"Who knows?~" He said coldly.

"Okay...I'll give you some space." She turned away. Hisoka rolled his eyes. That's not what he wanted. He threw a playing card at the squirrels and she appeared in front of them in an instant to catch it, but the slick surface slid between her fingers, slicing her palm.

Raine jumped up to a rock next to him and stood eye level. "What did you do that for?" She said with wounded eyes.

He leaned forward, a few inches from her face. "Don't walk away from me~" He purposely made the air between them cold again. Raine frowned.

"Hisoka stop...where is this coming from?" She placed her hands on her hips.

He completely ignored her question. His hand fell to her cheek, then reached for the flower. "How lovely~ did Jungle boy give you this?" He twirled it around in his hand.

She glared at him. "Yes. And don't make a scene please, the Spider might detect us."

"I wish I could say that I care~" He chuckled. He didn't give the flower back. "Raine~ have you forgotten we're still playing a game?"

"Of course not..." She seemed to catch on to his intentions as she responded in a toneless voice.

"You will be mine by the end of tonight. Not his, so let's rid ourselves of his presence shall we?~"

Hisoka magically turned the pure white flower to ashes in his hands, letting them float away in the breeze. It became quiet. She didn't say a word. She sulked like a wilted flower herself, disappointed.

Don't look so sad~

Though his heart dreaded, he continued to flaunt his emotionless phase, blowing the rest of the ashes from his hand. A performance for the audience.

"A warning~" He said then brought his face back to hers with threatening scowl. He met her dead in the eyes, suppressing every real feeling he had ever encountered. All that mattered right now was stopping this mission.

I didn't know when the right time was...but now that we're closer to the village and Jungle boy no where in sight to guide or protect them....

Time to finish this now~

He released a dark purple aura between them. A gurgling mist revealing his intent. His plan that had been in action since she exposed him. To betray her. To let her know she didn't have the advantage. To remind her how serious she should take their game....to break her before she broke herself.

He leaned in, still sitting on the rock.  "You know who I am Raine. You know that I....always...win~"

Illumi was right that she would leave him. Any moment. He needed to initiate now. He couldn't waste an opportunity to provoke her, scare her as it neared her possible prediction, as it neared the new dangers of the Riv and his village. Sweat dripped down her forehead, racking her nerves and yet, she could have held him back with her aura. Using her original tactic.

"I don't understand. What are you doing?" She shielded herself with a light barrier.

"Piecing the puzzle together~"