the game

the game: how it all begins

Chapter one: How It All Begins

            "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."- Seneca

I smiled slightly to myself as I looked out the window that over saw the busiest part of the village I'd just returned to. So many memories went through my head as I recognized a pedestrian or two. I sighed again as I looked back in the mirror, and saw my own reflection. I then began to wonder how I would look to them if I were to just show myself to them. Would they even recognize me as the same scrawny, flat chested, bossy yet awkward girl I use to be? I sighed as I looked at myself again. No, I defiantly looked different. I barely recognized myself.

I brushed through my long, curly dark hair, and gently placed the purple headband on my head. I brushed through my long hair again, and then stood up. Indeed, a great deal had changed about me since my pre-teen years. I was more womanly, as far as my looks were considered. My hair was long, and my style of clothing had definitely changed. I looked at my blue shirt that clung nicely to my curves, and the short black skirt that clung to my hips, and frowned slightly when I noticed a wrinkle in the skirt. I bent over carefully, and smoothed it out. I stood up straight, and looked at my appearance again. Satisfied with everything, I finally walked out the door, and down the hallway.

     As I walked down the long, dark hallway I began to notice just how much dust had collected in the hallways since I was last here. Cleaning was definitely due soon. I smiled as I passed by old photographs, but one in particular made me stop. It was a dusty old picture of my old team. I gently picked it up, and blew away the dust. Then I dusted away the cobwebs, and when it was clean enough, I smiled at the picture, just lost in the memories of back then....

    After a moment of nostalgia, I set the picture down, and walked to the kitchen. The kitchen smelt of my brother's usual cooking. The delicious aroma's enveloped me as I sat down to eat. I knew something was wrong as my brother sat across from me, giving me the solemn look he always gave me when he had bad news, but this level of seriousness I hadn't seen since he told me about our parent's deaths....

        "What's up?" I finally asked, not being able to hold in the curiosity anymore. He sighed, and shook his head. I sighed, and looked at him, momentarily forgetting my breakfast. "Big Brother, if it's something I need to know, you have to tell me." He nodded, and looked at me.

        "Yeah, you're right. You're no longer a child who doesn't understand the situation, and what the circumstances are, you do need to know." His piercing, yet emotionless grey eyes looked away for a moment, then looked back at me." But that doesn't mean that I want to tell you. I'm still you're elder brother, and I'll always want to protect you." I looked at him confused, not really understanding where this was all coming from. What news did he have to tell me? What could be so important, that it bought out this level of seriousness I had never seen from my brother? However, despite the curiosity I knew was shining brightly in my eyes, he remained silent for a few minutes; his own deep green eyes looked as if they were in deep thought. I was getting impatient with all of this.

         "Tenzo! Quit beating around the bush, and just tell me what you need to tell me, and don't you dare say it's nothing. I know that look, and I know it must be bad so just tell me." He nodded again, and looked down. After a moment, he looked up at me.

        "The Hunters.... They got Hisoka...." He said softly, slowly looking me straight in the eyes. It took a moment for those words to register in my brain, but once they had, my breath became ragged. My heart stopped beating for a moment. They got Hisoka? No it wasn't possible. I simply couldn't believe it. Hisoka was always a pillar of strength; nobody could take him down....