The Otonari's Last [Draft, Discontinued]

V - the Otonari Clan

"Let's go get some sleep," I say cheerfully, and they sigh in relief.

We head toward a room and sit on the floor, Leorio immediately falling asleep. I lean back against the wall and shut my eyes, letting out a deep breath.

"Hey, Ara." I open my eyes at Kurapika's voice.

"What is it, Kurapika?"

"You never told us why you were taking the exam," he answers, looking at me.

I chuckle slightly. "You never asked. Well, it's a bit of a story." Kurapika nods, so I continue. "Have you heard of the Otonari clan?" He shakes his head and gives me a puzzled look.

"The Otonari were a clan that had a strong relationship with music. Many of these people had abilities that allowed them to use sound to their advantage, whether it be in battle or everyday life. The Otonari were targeted constantly for these unique powers, as many people wanted them for their own purposes. These attacks were never successful...until this clan caught the eye of one specific group." My hands tighten into fists, and I stare at the ground in front of me.

"This group fought the Otonari clan, trying to get them to use their powers so their leader could copy them, but not one person would fight back. The entire clan was wiped out in a single night," I choke out, tears beginning to stream down my face. "I was the only survivor." I glance at Kurapika, and my eyes widen at what I saw.

His eyes had turned a glowing scarlet.

"How long ago was this?" he asks quietly.

"About four years."

"...Do you know the name of this group?"

I looked him in the eyes, my features hardening into pure hatred. "I will never forget it. That name has been scarred into my mind since the day I learned it." I pause slightly. "They're known as the Phantom Troupe."

"I had a feeling..." Kurapika turns away and looks at his clenched fists. "Ara, you're not the only one whose clan was killed by the Spiders. Do you know of the Kurta?"

"Of course," I respond, nodding and wiping my tears away.

"I am the last Kurta," he says, looking at me. I wrap my arms around him, and he hugs me back.

"I'm so sorry, Kurapika," I whisper to him.

"No, I'm sorry for forcing you to talk about your past," he whispers back. I pull away from him and lean against the wall.

"You didn't force me to do anything." I yawn and rest my head on his shoulder. "Goodnight, Kurapika." He mumbles something back, but I was already asleep.

***

"I apologize for the long wait," a voice says over the intercom in the airship. I had woken up about an hour ago, but I have yet to see Gon. "The airship will soon arrive at its destination." I look out a window, Kurapika and Leorio joining me.

"Woah! That tower is huge!" I press my hands against the glass, gaping at the tall building in front of us. The boys laugh, and I smack their shoulders. "Hey, I've never really been out of my town, alright?" I turn away from them, pouting. The airship lands on the top of the tower, so we disembark. Gon and Killua meet up with us, and we glance around.

"Ahem..." Beans draws our attention. "Everyone, the exam's Third Phase will begin here, at the top of Trick Tower. To pass this phase, you must reach the tower's base alive. The time limit is seventy-two hours. With that, we will now begin the Third Phase. I will pray for your success."

"No way," Leorio mumbles to us. Beans re-boards the airship, which immediately takes back off.

"Best of luck to everyone," he says over the loudspeaker. Gon steps over to the edge and peaks over, and the rest of the boys join him. I begin to walk over to them, but suddenly fall though a panel of some sort. I yell as I fall, but the panel closes before I can draw anyone's attention. I land on my butt, and I rub it as I stand back up.

"Ouch..." I glance around the room, and walk toward a pedestal with a single watch on it. It reads '71:57:34' on its face. "The time left...?"

"That is right!" a voice calls through the intercom in the corner of the room.

"Who're you?"

"I am Lippo. I'm the prison warden here, as well as the Third Phase examiner. Multiple routes through this tower have been prepared. You've chosen the Path of War. You will need great strength for this path. Good luck to you, little lady." I hear a rumbling sound from behind me, and turn to find that a stone door was sliding open.

"Path of War, huh? I'm guessing that means I get to fight," I murmur, smirking. I pop my knuckles and walk through the door, greeted by the sight of two buff men wearing cloaks. The door slides shut behind me. "And who might you guys be?"

"Our names do not matter. All you need to know is that we are prisoners of this tower, and we have been hired to delay you as long as possible," one man says, stepping forward and throwing off his hood. His black hair stuck up at odd angles, and his face was covered with scars.

"That's it, huh? And how are you going to delay me?" I ask, bringing my hands up to guard my face.

"Through your death." The man rips off his cloak and rushes at me. I dodge, quickly moving to the side.

"Man, does that mean that I have to kill you?" I ask, disappointed. "Killing people isn't my favorite pastime, you know." The man growls and lunges at me again, but I swiftly dodge under his outstretched fist and pull back my own, delivering a punch to his chin. The man's head snaps to the side, and he abruptly falls backward, unconscious.

"Hey, Lippo-san!" I yell, keeping an eye on the other man. "Do I have to kill these guys?"

"No, but they will try to kill you," he responds over the intercom.

"Alright, then. So you want to kill me now?" I crouch slightly, ready for my next attacker. The second man steps forward, and tosses his cloak on the ground. He walks toward me calmly, and I follow suit. Before he can pull his hand back for a punch, my leg shoots upward, hitting him directly under the chin. The man stumbles back, clutching his face.

"Ah, did I break your jaw? My bad," I teased, giving the man a fake sympathetic look. His eyes grow furious, and he rushes toward me.