Miracles in a Lifetime

X • END ☓ OF ☓ PHASE THREE

     As I lay down, I daydream about my future.

     What will it be like, I wonder. I continue to pay no mind to the intercom spouting announcements of the applicants' arrival and whether they passed this phase or not, since the constant monotonous reminders were ticking me off. But the only thing that is more annoying than the intercom announcements are the stares that Ren and I are receiving.

     My whole body trembles with slight anger, raising my temperature. Ren notices the subtle change in my mood and growls at the nosy people for me. His actions calm me down slightly, though the fact that I can't sense Gon, Killua, Leorio or Kurapika keeps me at unease. Just the existence of the possibility of them getting killed in this tower makes my heart clench, and my eyebrows furrow.

     Is this what people call "worrying over someone"? Thinking about these foreign emotions make my head ache.

     "Your allies have yet to arrive, and the phase is nearly ending. What shall we do, Master?" Ren whispers to me. I close my eyes and try to relax, while calmly attempting to detect their presences in the entire tower, using more energy than usual. It takes a little while, but once I feel their auras approaching our location with great speed, I open my eyes and smirk.

     "We don't have to do anything, Ren. They're safe, and will be arriving in just a second through that door," I say, pointing across the room.

     The door suddenly opens to show three figures: Gon, Killua, and Kurapika. I let out a breath of relief and stand up. Ren shrinks and props himself up on my shoulders once again. The boys and I meet each other halfway, and the two younger ones smile as they see me. Kurapika, however, keeps a stoic face.

     "Tenshi-san, you're here!" Gon exclaims with a bright smile that I wish I could return. But I can't. Thinking of how I can't smile back makes me frown a little bit.

     "Cloak-san, you okay?" Killua's nickname snaps me out of my thoughts. I look over at him and I feel Ren narrow his eyes.

     "Master, I too, do not understand why you insist on wearing your cloak. You'd be more respected if you showed your true self." I shake my head at my scaly companion.

     "What do you mean by that?" Killua asks. My eyes dart to him in surprise that he heard Ren, and am even more taken aback when Gon and Kurapika show curious gazes as well.

     "Tenshi-sama is a very rare beauty that you'd find only once every–" I hush Ren by stuffing a cookie in his mouth. He looks at me with innocent eyes and interest while chewing on the treat.

     "'Rare beauty'? Don't you think you're exaggerating it a bit?" Kurapika asks with a raised brow. I roll my eyes in response and give a wave of dismissal to the idea, hoping they'd just forget about it. Then I turn to Ren and glare with disappointment and warning.

     Don't say anything, I tell him with my eyes. Ren's eyes glisten with guilt.

     "Uhm," Ren says with discomfort. "Tenshi-sama wants you guys to ignore what I just said and..."

     The three look at him with impatience. "And?"

     "And," Ren gives me an apologetic look for earlier, "and not to worry about it, since she does not plan on showing you her true identity until there is complete mutual trust and companionship."

     Their eyes widen with realization and they get taken aback, but Gon, of course, does Gon things. He gives me a large smile.

     "But Tenshi-san, I already consider you a friend I'd protect," he answers wholesomely. My heart clenches and feels warm, in a good way. I lift my head just a little bit, so that I can show him my small smile. Gon's eyes widen, and he smiles again.

     "Wow! Even though I only saw part of your face, I can tell that you're super pretty!" he exclaims. His two friends look at him incredulously, and one is about to say something but a long beep cuts him off. Bean's voice suddenly booms with final announcements throughout the cavern.

     Twenty-six applicants have passed, and one has deceased.

     I blink my eyes in revelation. But there were so many contestants... What became of them?

     As we all sit here thinking about what was just reported, a very large door instantly opens with loud creaks and scraping sounds, which shake the walls of the building. Light pours into the room and we all head out. Once I get outside, I immediately inhale a large breath, taking the fresh air into my system.

     This feels nice. The wind breezes against my face, and I smile at our natural surroundings. If it weren't for the armor under my cloak, however, I think I'd enjoy this more.

     We gather at an open area quite a ways from the door of Trick Tower, and a man with glasses and purple hair spikes congratulates us. He gives us a little information about Phase Four, and how it will take place on Zevil Island, which is right across the sea loch. The man then instructs us to draw numbers, or lots.

     Apparently, the numbers that we pick are our targets for the next phase, and as we have our prey to hunt, we will also be the prey of someone else.

     It sounds kind of complicated, but I think I get the gist of it. This particular activity both excites me and sends shivers down my spine. I am hoping that I get a good number... I want to have fun with this.

     "Who was the first applicant to pass?" the man with purple hair asks. I notice that the majority of the people look around for the first applicant, and I feel the gaze of a certain magician on me. Without delaying this event further, I take long strides towards the box and dip my hand right in. My companions gasp with realization and amazement.

     I stir up the pieces of material in the box before picking one from the very bottom. Looking inside the sealed card, I figure out who my target is. It makes me satisfied knowing who it is, though I did promise to myself that I wasn't going to kill anyone.

     But that won't stop me from leaving this man a few cuts and bruises. Maybe even some broken bones.

     He is a rotund male who is annoying, and he tried poisoning me. His pigmentation is a tan brown, and he has a large, flat nose in the middle of his face.

     His number is sixteen.

     Tonpa, I'm after you, bastard.

EDITED ON: Friday, November 29th, 2019