Why Was I Chosen? (OCxVarious)

2: Starting To Show My True Colors

Ging and I stopped at a small village, and rented a small barn, for there were no more places for us to stay. We sat on a large sack of hay, little ways from the ground. 

"Aura, or Nen, is the life energy produced by all living bodies vital for survival. Aura from all parts of the body has a tendency to flow together, producing one mass of energy. This happens without the individual's awareness, typically resulting in a slow leak of aura continually escaping the body. If one were to lose their entire aura, it would be equivalent to using up all the energy keeping them alive, which would be fatal. The pores or points on the body from which aura flows out from are called Aura Nodes. Controlling those nodes is the first step to being a user of Nen."(I got this from Hunterpedia, no way would I write that on my own)

I nodded. 

He continued. "Nen of the Flame (燃, Nen) is sometimes used in Shingen-ryū kung fu as a precursor to learning the actual Nen. They are mental exercises akin to meditation that strengthen one's force of will. Regular practice can smooth the flow of one's aura. The Four Exercises of Nen of the Flame are, Ten: Focus the mind, reflect upon the self, and determine the goal. Zetsu: Put it into words. Ren: Intensify your will. Hatsu: Put it to action."

He continued again as I started spacing out. (You can completely ignore what Ging is saying at this point.)

"In order to fully grasp Nen, one must first learn the Four Major Principles of the Shingen-Ryu school of Kung-fu. Everything else, including a practitioner of Nen's individual skills, is based on the basic manipulations of one's aura flow. The Four Major Principles, in order of study, are: Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu. These basic techniques become second-nature to those experienced in Nen. For example, a beginner must learn to use Ten and concentrate to maintain it; whereas someone with experience will practically always be in a state of Ten, even during sleep.

Ten: Once a person has had their aura nodes opened, they must learn to keep their aura from leaking away from their body. Ten (纏, Envelop; Shroud) is the process of keeping the nodes open, but also having aura flow through and around the body rather than away from it. Once maintained, it creates a shroud around the user that feels similar to standing in lukewarm, viscous fluid. Having a shroud of aura surround the body is the most basic defense against the emotional attacks from other users of Nen, however, it can't defend against Nen physical attacks. Ten maintains youthful vigor and reduces one's aging; since the energy powering the body no longer leaks away, one can keep the body from breaking down and deter the aging process. Through frequent meditation, one can improve the quality of their Ten.

Zetsu: While Ten allows a user to keep aura from leaking away from their body, Zetsu (絕, Suppress; Null) stops the flow of aura from their body altogether. By closing all of their aura nodes, the user is able to stop almost all outflow of their aura like water from a valve. Since the user is no longer surrounded by their own aura, they are more sensitive to the aura of others. This can be useful when tracking another person and it will also prevent other users of Nen from noticing them.[1] Zetsu can also be used to relieve fatigue, since it forces the body's external layer of aura to be fully contained within. However, since Zetsu involves shutting off one's aura, it can be dangerous due to it leaving the body defenseless against any aura attack. Even a weak attack enhanced with Nen could do massive damage.

Ren: Ren (練, Refine; Enhance) is a direct application of Ten. Since a user is capable of keeping aura from leaking away from the body, it's also possible for them to produce more aura around themselves without having to worry about losing it. Ren focuses on outputting a high amount of aura and keeping it on the body, expanding the size and intensity of it. If Ten is considered to be purely defensive, then Ren typically what is used for offense. This increases the user's physical strength and durability and provides a large pool of aura for any advanced techniques or individual skills they decide to use.

Hatsu: Hatsu (發, Release; Act) is the release or transmission of one's aura so it can be projected to carry out a certain function. In essence, Hatsu is one's personal expression of Nen that creates a special and unique paranormal ability (colloquially called a Nen Ability). A good Hatsu should reflect a person's own character; one can never truly master Nen if they only copy other people's abilities."

Ging was about to continue again but I blurted out "Do you have a textbook in your brain or something?" 

Silence. 

Ging sighed. "Nevermind. That stupid explanation is boring. Basically, Nen is something everyone has. They just can't use it. It's in everything that has life. If a raccoon had the brain of a human, it could probably use Nen too. Your Nen nodes are already open. Your using Ten right now." 

I looked at my hand, and I was, in fact, softly glowing a mint color. "Hm.." I said. "Can I try to mess around with it?" I asked, looking at him. He nodded. 

I jumped from the haystack and pretended I was water bending. My aura moved as if it was water, moving smooth and graceful. I was glad it was like that, because I loved graceful things. 

"You look like an Emitter from the way you're controlling that aura. You could be transmuter for all I know." I laughed as I twirled, the Nen highlighting my figure. 

Ging suddenly threw an apple while I was doing a backflip, and I concentrated my aura to my foot. Using my aura as an extension of myself, I changed the aura to sword like properties, and cleanly cut the apple in half. I gave Ging a questioning glance.

Ging grinned back. 

"Your training starts now."

~A month later~

"Hey Ging," I asked, surprised I could even stand after the hellish training he gave me. "do you have any children?" I said, sitting down. 

'This is how I'll bring up the question of how old Gon is.' I told myself in my mind. 'If Gon is my age, which I'm hopeful he is, then I'll be able to calculate when the Kurta clan is massacred, and I won't stop it, but visit before it, and become friends with Kurapika. When the clan is massacred, I'll be able to provide support, being the only friend out of the clan he has. I can also help him with a place to stay.'

Ging looked up. "I have a kid, named Gon. I left him with my cousin though. He should be about your age." 

"Hmm.. Cool! I might visit him one day. You should come too! I mean, he is your child."

Ging rubbed his neck sheepishly. "I wouldn't know how to approach him."

I gave him a 'really?' look. Ging shrugged again. 

"Anyways, I few of the villagers told me a bit of the outside world and I've created a list of places I want to visit. Now Whale Island is on my list!" I said, bringing out a folded paper. 

"I never said Gon was on Whale Island... How did you know?" he said, narrowing his eyes.

I smiled, but on the inside, red lights were flashing. 'Crap! He never did tell me! Think Akiyo, think!' 

"Remember when you started talking about when you were a kid? You started talking about your childhood all grandpa-like and I told you that you were turning old by the second and you grew an apple at me..." I smoothly lied. 

"Really? I don't remember that." Ging said.

I gave a fake 'really' look. "You have selective memory or something."

Ging shrugged and told me to do a few more laps around the village as I groaned, already done a few hundred with my other exercises. I did so anyways. 

I gave myself a metal pat on the back when I finally saw that the coast was clear, and Ging had shrugged off my slip. 'I am so amazing!' I told myself as I cried tears of relief. 

Next chapter we meet the main four before cannon!