Whispers of the Sky (Hunter X Hunter)

Time X To Tell X The Truth

It isn't weakness,
When you learn to lean in on another for help...
-*-

"Why are you here?" Killua grumbled in complaint at the sight of Yllina tagging along behind them.

"Killua, that's not nice." Gon scolded him for the umpteenth time Killua started an argument with Yllina. The boy himself couldn't understand why they didn't get along. Killua told him it was because Yllina was a 'girl' and that just made him even more confused.

He didn't hear a rule like that back in Whale Island.

Even Yllina couldn't grant him a decent answer. In fact, their argument just started getting worse ever since they got back from the fight with Hisoka. Killua had been avoiding her like a plague after that and made sure to at least stay a few steps away from her whenever he threw insults her way.

"The adults went to sleep so I decided to tag along. Besides, Gon and I have been friends far longer than you both did so I have every right to be here." Yllina argued back and Killua knew, regardless of the insults he'll throw at her, she'd be here to stay.

Something that irritated him to no end.

"Ah! Look at the view." Gon, hoping to ease the tension, ran towards the side of the blimp to where the windows were.

Beyond them was a wide expanse of night sky illuminated by the city lights and the twinkling stars above. It was like a sea of jewels and for once Yllina had forgotten her argument with Killua to enjoy the view. Soevenia had only stars to see so this sight always took Yllina's breath away since the different city lights sparkled beautifully in the night.

"I don't understand why you would enjoy this. I've seen this view so many times it makes me sick." Killua, ever the mood killer commented making Yllina huff in irritation.

"Do you have an issue with me? I don't understand why you hate me when I never even did anything wrong to you!" She finally exploded but her anger didn't seem to affect Killua the slightest which only made her angrier.

"Fine be that way!" She growled and looked away from Killua, the white haired boy doing the same. Once again, Gon had been caught in the middle, unable to comprehend how it went wrong again.

Who should he even talk to first? What should he even say? Aunt Mito had told him that letting them fight to help them get to know each other better always worked. It did with Kurapika and Leorio so why wouldn't it work with them?

Should he try a different approach?

"N-neh, do both of you have parents?" He tried asking something about families, maybe hoping that it'd help them get to know each other better. In fact, it made him want to better understand his two friends who still refused to see eye-to-eye.

"I do." Killua admitted, finally turning to meet Gon's gaze. Only Yllina didn't turn to them, her fingers tightly gripping onto the fabric of her clothes tightly.

"I-I don't... They're both dead." She breathed quietly but it was loud enough to be heard by the two males.

'Deep breaths.' She told herself. Would now be a good time to tell? To let them know the truth of her and Rhode's purpose here? It would be nice to be their friends a bit longer even if Killua could be unbearable sometimes. She didn't understand why he didn't like her but she didn't want to let him continue living with that kind of mindset.

She was determined to make them her friends but if she told them... Would they still be?

"S-sorry... I didn't know and-,"

"Mhm. It's alright, Gon. I'm sure they're somewhere up there watching over me and Rhode." Yllina assured Gon, hoping to save him from feeling guilty at bringing up such a sensitive topic.

"How did they die?"

"That's a bit morbid of you to ask, Killua." Yllina chuckled, the forced tone she used not going unnoticed by Killua. It was obvious the topic bothered her, and it was a topic he was quite surprised she was willing to mention even after she and Rhode had been so secretive of their backgrounds this entire exam.

"Then I won't pry." He didn't force her to say more, the fact that she was willing to disclose more about herself now was enough for him.

"A-anyways. What do they do for a living? My dad is a hunter that's why I aspired to be one." Gon, once again hoping to diffuse the situation, changed the question into a more proper one to save them the awkward silence.

"My parents are assassins. Well technically, all of us are." Killua shrugged as if it were normal to have that kind of family. He noted the rigid form of Yllina upon his announcement as an assassin, wondering what she thought of him now.

It was obvious she had now become apprehensive of him, something he already expected given the dark background of such people like him.

Typical reaction. How boring.

"Wait, so you're all a family of assassins? Amazing!" Gon admitted whole-heartedly which took Killua by surprise. It was enough to make him forget Yllina's reaction, laughter erupting from his throat at the unusual reaction of Gon.

"You're strange. I can never tell if you're being honest or faking it. I guess that's your charm." Killua admitted before continuing. "In my family, the main activity is assassination. It's annoying especially when they put tremendous amount of pressure on you. I hate it when people tell me what to do with my life so I ran away. I told them that 'I'll live my life how I want it to be' and they all got mad. Long story short, I attacked them and fled."

"When I become a hunter, I'll hunt down all of my family. Surely the bounty for them will be high." Killua finished with a nod, the amount of money he'd be getting from them making him grin widely. Gon could only sweat drop at such a proud declaration of putting your own family behind bars.

'Killua's family sure is unique...'

"It must be nice. To decide your own future..." Yllina finally spoke, causing both of them to turn to her figure who stared at the black expanse of sky, a distant smile on her lips as if recalling a memory.

Gon and Killua really did have nice dreams. No matter how odd Killua's were. Did Yllina have dreams? She'd like to think that she did but from the number of times the Head Priests reminded her she had no right to have such notions... She probably gave up having them.

Even this exam made her question if she did take it out of her own volition or out of her duty to the people she left behind.

"Neh, why did you want to become a hunter?" Killua couldn't help but ask, his earlier assessment of the girl changing again. This was what irritated him about her. Sometimes she could be so unbearable that it annoyed him to no end, or maybe she'd be those typical NPCs in video games who had no character whatsoever.

In short, she was as generic as they come and yet there were times, especially like this, that she'd have that look in her eyes that told him the heavy burden she carried. He didn't know what it was but it was enough for him to know that it took a toll on both her and her partner. It was like the weight of the whole world had been placed on her shoulders and it made Killua wonder if such were the case.

From NPC to a Main Protagonist- just what kind of person is she?

"I guess Rhode wouldn't mind if I told you guys. She did agree with me when I said that we could trust you." Yllina finally admitted realizing that right here, right now was the moment she had been waiting for. The perfect chance to finally tell them. It would be here where she would know the truth if whether or not they would treat her the same way even after hearing her story.

Once again, her response had taken Killua by surprise. Here was the girl, who moments ago, had become apprehensive of him after hearing he was an assassin. Now here she was about to reveal her purpose here and trusted them with it? She was an idiot, that much Killua admitted and yet just like with Gon, he couldn't help but be touched at having been considered as someone they could trust.

Killua didn't know what he did to deserve such kinds of people in his life but if someone out there was willing to give him such people then it wouldn't hurt to stay by their side a little longer-

Right?