A Worthy Enemy (HunterxHunter)

Chapter 12: A Doubtful Cure

"Shit!" Feral hastily wiped the spilled chemicals on the concrete floor. The pungent fumes stung his nose without the vents on in his basement. Of course he added too much hydrochloric acid into the serum. And now it was going to eat right through the steel bullets. That's another client added to the list of people who might kill him. Damn it, when is he gonna get his shit together? The underground market was no joke and he'd for sure be hunted if he missed a deadline again.

"Arghh!" He powdered baking soda over the floor to absorb the excess acid but it was already breaking down the concrete from the added phosphoric compounds. All that was left was a puddle of sizzling liquid eating his basement. "Great," he rubbed his temple and began to stand up, "I swear I measured the damn—"

Feral smashed his head on the corner of the desk and bit back a scream, pressing his hands over his head to smother the throb. He gritted his teeth, stumbling up again and reached out blindly over the table. Then it was the sound of shattering glass above that made him gasp as a bottle of his finished serums poured over himself and the floor. "FUUUUUUUUU—"

"Feral?"

"—UNNY how...I'm so clumsy," he stuttered, breathless. "Careful Josey, stay there." He quickly unbuttoned his lab coat and threw it into the burn trash can.

His sister tapped her foot at the top of the basement stairs with arms crossed. "I know, I know. I'm practically eight years old, not four! I just need help with something, please."

Feral grabbed a trash can and swept the broken shards in with a brush. "With what?"

"A game."

Feral wrinkled his nose. "A game, Josey? Can't you see I'm in the middle of something important?"

"Pleeeeeaaaseee. I need you to be a character for pretend so Sherman and I can continue our story!" She fumbled with the toy sword in her hand before her voice lowered hesitantly. "I-it's not the same without you..."

Feral almost wiped his face, exhausted, but stopped himself before he spread more chemicals over his skin. He knew his sister wouldn't admit it out loud, but he had been so busy lately, not able to spend the time he wanted with her. Even now there was more work since he fell behind, but...that's a future-him problem. "Fine," he grumbled. "Just let me clean this up and I'll be up in a few minutes."

Hours of work...wasted. The hell am I gonna do, start over right now? I'll finish tomorrow.

Joselyne's smile brightened, and it was already enough to make him feel at ease. When the door closed, he could already hear her celebrating with Sherman, her best friend that she apparently made when he was imprisoned. Feral finished tidying the place then made his way up to meet them. He found them running around in the front yard with their wooden swords in their hands and a crown in Josey's.

"Now what's this character I have to be this time?" Feral asked.

Josey let out her evil laugh at Sherman before handing Feral the crown. "Can you be the princess?"

Feral gawked at her. "Princess! Why am I the princess?"

"Because me and Sherman are going to rescue you, duh." Josey flipped her purple pigtails out of the way and raised her sword with a high pitched battle cry.

"Y-yeah! We're warriors!" Sherman raised his too but his oversized bike helmet fell over his face and he had to readjust it.

Feral pointed at Sherman. "Why can't he be the princess?"

Josey rolled her eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Because we're using the slide as the castle and Sherman is afraid of heights."