A Worthy Opponent (HunterxHunter)

Chapter 27: A Warm Fire

"Might I stop you from wreaking havoc? Chasing relentlessly after fights. You're needed for a job later on. Not all of us are immune to poisons you know. And even I can see you're straying off course."

"Ah~ But you know good fights make me feel so—

"No more of that!" Bisky squealed.

The men darted their faces to her, her cheeks flushing a deep red, her fists balled. "J-just get back here and do what you're told!"

FLASHBACK ENDS

"Ohhhh, nothing. We just played some card games." Bisky cleared her throat. Raine raised an eyebrow at her with almost baffled eyes. Hisoka chuckled to himself.

"Hmm, you know I wanted to ask you Illumi," Kurapika started, "could your pins manipulate animals too or just people?"

"Just people," he simply responded. Ahmad handed Raine a fruit. Her smile brightened to thank him before facing Illumi.

"I thought so," said Kurapika. "I was thinking Riv could be another manipulator but I haven't crossed many of them so I'm not sure what they're capable of."

"Manipulators must be attached to a certain object and care deeply for it," Bisky said. "It's just how Ahmad cares about the nature of this Jungle and is able to adjust them at will."

Ahmad sighed, "It's very draining. I manipulate the aura around plants. My father taught me Nen at a young age, solely for this purpose, so I've been able to incorporate some enhancing techniques. I carry around a special herb and drink tea from it every day to maintain my strength because an enhancer's point on the hexagon is far from a manipulator. That's why I won't be able to maintain the violet flowers very long, they will start to fade soon." He handed Hisoka and Kurapika fruit, Illumi refused his.

"Could I help?" Raine piped up.

"It's possible but there are too many, and I don't want to risk using up all your strength. This is my job, you have not to worry," he warmly assured.

Raine split her fruit in half and reached across Hisoka to hand it to Illumi. He stared at her for a moment before finally taking it to which she responded with a winning smirk, then sat back to eat the other half.

"Oh? Since when did you two become best friends?~" Hisoka looked between them.

"Since this afternoon." She finished her fruit in only a few bites then held her hands up to the fire. It was the first time they spoke since his confrontation. Her little peaks at him here and there had been nonstop. She was consistently standing or sitting near him too. His lips curved in a faint smile as she tucked herself in a ball to warm herself.

"Assassins don't have friends." Illumi took a bite out of his fruit. "Mmm!" He exclaimed but his expression remained blank. Raine and Bisky giggled at his juxtaposed reaction.

"You heard him, Raine, he doesn't have friends~" Hisoka leaned back on his arms. "Besides, even if he did, he's already taken. Isn't that right Illu~"

"Hey, you can have multiple friends, just like how I have all of you." Raine met everyone's eyes besides him since he was leaning behind her. Kurapika nodded, the fire creating a soothing ambiance of hope.

Hisoka sat forward. Weren't they supposed to be enemies?

He thought back to their first day camping together in the forest. Everyone was closed off and doing their own thing. Even Raine spoke little to no words, only focused on the mission...ignoring his presence. Tracking her progress was the only thing on his mind. The fight excited him every moment. But now something has changed. He himself was now sitting with these people in a fireplace feeling included. Almost comfortable. A deep underlying realization dawned on him. How she's slowly changing everyone around her. And she might not even know it.