The Nen Contract

Chapter 9

Killua and Gon waited in a clearing for the nen users to approach.

"They aren't being particularly stealthy." Killua remarked.

"I wonder why they're showing themselves now." said Gon, "They're the ones that were following you earlier, right?"

"I think so." said Killua, "Tailing someone doesn't give the best first impression, although it could be another Zushi situation."

"What do you mean?" Gon asked.

Killua dismissed the question with a wave, "Tell you later, they're getting close." he said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

They were indeed. The three of them had lined up around twenty meters from the pair, two shorter men flanking a tall one. The man on the left was bald and muscle-bound, with a leer on his face. The middle man was thin and wiry, all tendons and lever-like appendages. The man on the right looked out of place among his counterparts, a man one could pass on the street without a second glance, he had few notable features.

The plain man stepped forward.

"Where is the girl?" he asked conversationally.

Gon glanced at his friend, but Killua made no move to answer.

"I was reliably informed that if I found you, then I would find a young girl who my client would dearly like to meet. Now, unless she has grown a few inches and, ahem, grown something else too, I don't think that the person with you is my objective."

"Why is everyone we meet a pervert?" whispered Killua to Gon.

"I don't know." replied Gon. Then "What exactly is a pervert? Like Hisoka, right?"

"Will you two focus!" the man said, as Killua nodded furiously. "I don't think you understand the situation. Tell us where the girl is..."

The man smiled menacingly, "Or we will kill you both."

Gon and Killua exchanged a glance. Then Killua disappeared. I can barely track him, thought Gon, as Killua sped around the clearing, wheeling towards the men. Gon took a more direct approach, but still Killua struck first. His two yoyos whipped towards the plain man. Throwing his arms up, the man blocked one, but the second slipped his defence and thudded into his side. The man grunted, falling to one knee. Then Gon was upon him, with a flurry of ryu assisted blows. The man kept up with the first three. For the fourth, he was too slow to adapt his aura. Gon kicked low, blowing through the man's weakened ken and knocking the man down.

Killua had moved on to the others. Keeping up a series of attacks with the yoyos, he let Gon deal with the plain man. The other two backtracked away, the shorter muscle-man looking frustrated. The tall one, however, smirked. A ball of aura materialised in his hand, and he wound up like a baseball pitcher. An emitter?, Killua wondered. Then the tall man's arm whipped forward like a sling, and the ball shot forward, straight towards Gon. Killua's yoyo shot out, intercepting the attack. As the two collided, the ball detonated, bursting blue fire that splattered the ground and lay there burning. The yoyo shot into the ground from the blast, burying itself at least a meter into the earth.

Gon felt a surge of concerned aura and turned to see the tall man charge up again. Killua didn't let him throw it, though. His remaining yoyo flashing out, Killua drove him further away. The bald man flared his ren and started towards Gon. I think he wants to fight me hand to hand, thought Gon.

"First comes rock!" Gon yelled, as he hid his hand and charged his Ko.

The bald man did not hesitate and ran in swinging.

"Jan! Ken!! ROCK!!!" Gon managed to blurt out. He punched. The bald man blasted backwards until he hit a tree with a crash. Gon winced, I hope I held back enough, he thought. He ran to find Killua.

Killua was standing, staring at his opponent. Numerous nen balls whizzed around the tall man, forming a protective circle.

"Hey Gon."

"Hey Killua."

They stood staring at the man for a moment.

"Paper?" Gon asked.

"Sure." Killua replied.

"First comes rock!" Gon yelled again.

The man in the circle formed another ball in his hand.

"Jan!"

The man wound up.

"Ken!!"

The man threw. Killua's yoyo swung down. This time the explosion sent the yoyo blasting upwards. Killua span about, whirling it in a series of round the worlds to dispel the momentum.

"PAPER!!!" Gon shouted and shot his projectile forwards. It hit the circle and the balls detonated, the blue fire briefly making a blinding wall around the tall man. Killua and Gon were in the air. Leaping over the wall and landing on the man, they bore him to the ground.

"I surrender!" he shouted.

*************

"Well, that's fourteen broken ribs, one broken leg and a concussion between you." Killua told the three would-be kidnappers, "I must say, you're better at tracking than fighting. How did you find us?"

"You made some ripples when you were searching for a nen expert." the plain man said. He continued, "Our employer said that, should this situation arise, we were to give you this sealed letter."

Killua took the proffered letter from the man. Gon looked over his shoulder.

"Isn't that the Zoldyck family crest?" he asked.

"Yep." said Killua, as he tore it open.

Dear Killua,

I hope these thugs keep you on your toes and provide a modicum of entertainment for you.

Come home soon.

Your loving mother,

Kikyo Zoldyck

"Wow. So, they're from your mum?" said Gon.

"Apparently." sighed Killua, "It's actually one of her more thoughtful gifts, I suppose. I'm almost touched."

The kidnappers were looking at them both in horror. Gon and Killua turned to face them.

"What?" they said together.

"N-nothing."