"Can I play too?~" Hisoka wandered towards her, hoping to test the waters of her potential. And as expected, she was already awaiting his presence from her bland expression.
What are you planning?~
A brief flash of light caught his eye from the floor, a pair of shiny weapons laid by her feet. "New toys?~"
She nodded innocently and wiped the sweat off her forehead. Although you could tell from her body she trained for hours under the heat, the energy around her was very full. That determination still blazed in her eyes.
Bisky was the first to respond to him. "You know...that's not a bad idea." She turned to Raine. "Practice close combat with him while working on attacks with the blades, but this time, we'll work on slicing the opponent instead of thrusting, so whatever you do, those blades do not stop spinning." Raine picked up her blades preparing. "Hisoka, I want you to simply dodge accordingly."
Bisky walked away and sat on a bench. "When I yell 'SWITCH', you will switch roles. Hisoka will change to physical attacks and Raine will dodge. Blocking will not be allowed, only dodging, so no contact unless someone strikes and the distance between you both should never increase. There will also be no Nen allowed, pure skill and strength. This will help Raine become familiar with the variety of options that comes with fighting while dual-wielding."
Hisoka studied her. Judging by her power, she will be slightly faster on offense with the advantage of knowing how I'll dodge her attacks. But while on defense with weapons spinning, her focus might shift slightly, finding it difficult to evade with them in the way. Even if she did know where I was going to attack, she would need to come up with new strategies as she won't be able to put her hands on the floor, so most of her evasions would be aerial.
Raine glared at him as they positioned themselves. A rush of adrenaline pumped through his veins from the little game. This was only the beginning of their bloodshed. And if any other person were to be in his position, surely, they would be cut up in no time. Her blades started spinning.
"Go!"
Raine lunged at him without hesitation. Every step and attack she took was followed by another, more continuous and planned than any opponent he faced. Her movements never stumped; her arms continuously swung, then followed with kicks. Hisoka found himself getting creative with each dodge from the complexity of her angled attacks as she swung high and low. The sheer match etched without a sound beat except for the blades slicing the air like mini helicopters. It was almost like they were dancing, matching each other's movements, both adjacent and reversed. When she struck forward, he swayed back, when she twisted left, he ducked right. But he quickly caught on to the subtle shifts of her footing and became predictable to dodge knowing how she'll strike.
"Is that all you can do?~" he instigated, ducking another kick. Raine hissed and Hisoka immediately launched himself in the air, reading her moves, and twisted sideways as she struck both high and low at the same time. Hisoka chuckled giddily, while her face contorted fiercely, irked at his counter. But that annoyance quickly turned to comprehension. Raine stepped right to strike and Hisoka prepared to dodge left but she faked it out for a spin kick with her opposite foot, almost knocking him to the side. Hisoka grunted as she simultaneously followed with a spinning flip to hide how she would strike. At that moment, his disbelief turned to caution, barely able to evade it in time. A cut slashed his shoulder and Hisoka's eyes widened, pleased.
"A person who is arrogant is also ignorant," she warned.
"SWITCH!" Bisky called.
"Oh, my sweet, we have only begun~"
Hisoka matched her frightening speed, calculating where to punch in tenths of a second. Continuous jabs left and right shot at her, but she easily ducked with cartwheels in the air. As he came down for a blow to her face, Raine positioned the knife where he was about to strike and was already placing her body in preparation for his next attack. Hisoka had no choice but to retract his attack.
She's figured out her stance must also change from a basic physical one, and that her blades still serve as offense even when evading. I must be careful where I hit~
"SWITCH!"
"SWITCH!"
"SWITCH!"
Bisky made calls faster and faster. As Raine jutted forward, Hisoka swerved away. Back and forth, they pushed and pulled. Both were instantly striking without hesitation the moment they were called to offense. But of course, Raine didn't have a single scratch on her.
Her attack pattern requires her forearm to remain perpendicular to the blades to achieve a horizontal slice across, avoiding thrusts straight through~
It was getting easier and easier to dodge her blades. Her movements slowed in variability. But again, Raine's aura only sizzled from his reaction. Hisoka pressed his lips together in anticipation when Raine closed her eyes as if she understood his thoughts. Her blades started spinning in all directions. At first, they spun like a wheel. Now, they were rotating in an infinity loop, allowing her to strike in a punching style. The sudden adaption created advantages as she shot forward, and Hisoka was cut on his torso. His eyes flickered to his wound then back to her.
"SWITCH!"
Hisoka thrust at her again, already adjusting to her newfound potential. "Oh, Raine~" he taunted veering to an opening beside her. As if time slowed, Hisoka brought his lips to her ear and whispered in a shivering breath. "Don't be so weak~"
A small trigger of hers he had figured out, a trigger to activate her real strength. Raine growled at his approach, her aura summoning to her eyes. Hisoka pinned her movements flawlessly. Not once had Raine dealt a critical blow or gained a noticeable advantage. In fact, he was doing quite well improving at a consistent rate, acquiring the right technique to overcome the surprises she threw.
Still, it was also a loop he was stuck in as she was adapting all the same.
Her combat skills are exceptional. This could go on for a while~
What differed from fighting other opponents versus Raine, was her unfazed aura. When going against Togari, the examiner from the tower phase, or Kastro from Heaven's arena, exposing their plan and making it seem like nothing affected him ticked them off. With Raine, she was never angered by his ability to read her plans or his inability to be provoked. It wasn't even in her best interest to show off or defeat him. She seemed to enjoy the battle right now. So, what would truly break her?
Hisoka snapped out of his thoughts while on offense, feeling a sharp tension from Raine's glare. Perhaps he should finish her off now. He switched tactics as quickly as he thought of it. He aimed only for her forearms pushing them in to pressure her into slicing herself. This already caused her slight hesitation. No matter what position she was in, he would attempt to kick her forearm into her body, even if there was an opening somewhere else. Raine had to focus not on evading from his attacks but dodging in a way her arms wouldn't graze her. She gritted her teeth and steered them up, down, out, in, while Hisoka ignored her open torso or face. He already knew the flips she'd go for-- aerial somersaults and jump twists.
Hisoka struck a side hook to her arm, but she evaded with her entire body. This put her in a position where her arms covered her torso, an opening to deal a clean hit into her forearms.
"Argh!" She grudged, realizing if she moved her arm, his leg would collide into her side with not enough time to duck. He finally had her on edge, her movements slipping.
But Hisoka saw her footing switch instantaneously to a new position, a sign she was about to plunge into the air for another flip.
She can't dodge mid-air. Does she expect to jump over my kick? I would hit her anyways~
But instead of launching herself, Raine launched her blades into the air.
"SWITCH!"
Hisoka gasped mid-kick. She caught his striking leg, yanked him in, and jump spin-kicked his jaw with the back of her heel in a sickening crunch. Hisoka slammed onto his side, thudding against the floor. All without her Nen-enhanced strength.
"Okay, that's enough!" Bisky came towards them with the ends of her lips curving up.
Raine towered over him, blocking the sun. "Are you okay?" she asked catching the blades flying back.
Hisoka lay gazing at the sky, grateful for the shade, and took a moment to process what just happened. His skull silently reverberated his brain while slight astonishment crept in before he finally shook his head and sat up, grabbing his jaw. "You had the advantage of knowing when she'd switch it up, but I would've won had you not bent the rules, lending you open hands~"
Raine shrugged, "She said as long as they don't stop spinning, and I've already nicked you."
Hmmm, a quick thinker...but only in the spur of the moment~
Hisoka wiped his face and chuckled. Her expression flaunted nothing of victory, in fact, she was already studying her hands, probably thinking how she could improve. "We should do that more often~" he said then took her hand, tinged with blood, and pressed his lips to it as if he said the most polished words. A fragile toy in his toy box. He met her eyes, wondering what it would look like when he killed her, and the colors slowly drained from them.
Hm?~
His smile faded. The sudden thought took him by surprise when it was followed by a dull feeling of malaise. If he killed her, would he be as pleased as he was with her now? Her eyes were what he fancied most; he couldn't pluck the fruit too soon.
"I would ask if you kicked him a little too hard in the head but...it's Hisoka," Bisky said. "Anyways, I think Kurapika is waiting to meet up soon and we need to fill everyone in about tonight."
Raine removed her hand from his grasps. "Good fight," she said walking away, stretching her wrists and fingers.
"I'm here," Kurapika said sitting by the bench.
"Oh, how long were you there?" asked Bisky.
"Not too long, I only saw Hisoka get knocked down." His comment made Bisky chuckle.
Hisoka stood up and joined them. The blue sky settled into warm hues as the sun neared the horizon. He looked at Raine who was wrapping her pinkie finger with a band-aid.
"We came across someone who wants to meet up to tell us information on Jujib," Raine started. "He was very secretive about it and said we should meet him in his house through the back door with cover."
"His name is Ajij. He also pointed out Raine's necklace," Bisky added. "And there was someone using Zetsu following us that probably has something to do with that. I think we'll get the answers we need from the meet-up."
Kurapika held his chin. "I was able to find a map of the city and the Jujib jungle. When I bought it, people warned me not to go near Jujib, saying it was suicide. Apparently, people disappear when they go in," he paused to think, "but I didn't feel anyone following me."
"Wasn't Hisoka with you?" Raine asked.
"Oh, I ventured off to do some sightseeing. Did you know they have a circus performing tomorrow?~"
Not a complete lie~
He glanced at her knowing she was figuring out the truth. But it was up to her to reveal it. Raine ignored his stare and continued with a modest expression. To his fortune, she didn't say anything.
"Okay," Bisky finished. "We'll leave at midnight." Then they scattered and Bisky continued talking to Raine about her training and skills.
"So where did you go?" Kurapika asked Hisoka.
He shrugged. "Who knows? Are you really interested? I recall you were not a fan of idle chat~" He referred back to their little team up against the Phantom Troupe.
"I'm just trying to see how much you care to involve yourself in this mission. But the city seems to sidetrack you, so I wanted to ask if you were coming with us tonight?"
Hisoka shook his head. "It doesn't pique my interest, but I wouldn't mind finding the man who was stalking those two and killing him~" Hisoka made his way to the edge of the roof peering over the city. "But that's just something to do while I'm waiting~"
"Waiting?"
"For Raine~"
A moment of silence pulsed between them. "I see," Kurapika finally turned away, making his way towards the other two. Probably to inform them he wouldn't be there.
Hisoka sat comfortably on the edge gazing over the city, and for the first time, it was Raine who approached him a few minutes later.
"Hello," she said warmly.
He curiously tilted his head at this new approach. "To what do I owe the pleasure~"
She sat down beside him and hung her legs off the edge of the roof while pulling her brown hair to one side, letting it flow in the wind.
"You're not coming tonight?" she asked.
"I'll be around~" Then he leaned on his arm closest to her. "Why do ask? Do you enjoy my company?~"
Hisoka lowered his head to whisper something in her ear. Yet unexpectedly, she didn't shutter or back away. Hisoka paused. Raine had turned to face him. Challenging him in a way that was unintentional. Her eyes fell innocent as if she just decided to look at him too. Their faces stood less than a foot apart.
Why...
Hisoka frowned.
Her eyes again were surging with a strange power. A wholesome art piece. But that wasn't the reason he frowned. Something strange stopped him, or maybe it stopped his aura. As if the slightest movement would cause an avalanche. Her aura had softened into a gentle mien, too peaceful to disrupt. It was the same feeling he'd encountered earlier that made him hush in the treetops of the river, except this time it was stronger.
Right now, it felt as if he hit a barrier, a force field where anything violent couldn't enter.
Is she doing this on purpose? Does she know she's doing this? Is this how she truly fights her opponents?~
He scowled at her, irked by the sudden blockade.
"Does this have to do with the circus members?" Raine asked changing the subject nonchalantly as if the tension between them didn't exist. It slightly bothered him the way she wasn't acknowledging what she did. But he continued to act unfazed as the topic couldn't be avoided. She read his lie from earlier and decided to bring it up now.
"It may~" he said. But as much as he disliked her ability to see his secrets, he liked how she kept them to herself.
Raine leaned away facing the city, inhaling the natural breeze. Her retreat brought a sudden coldness around him.
The sky now fumed purple and pink at a lining where the orange sun hit the blue sky. Her eyes reflected the terrain, turning into a warm color in the center.
"Does any of this have to do with your prediction coming true?~" Hisoka asked knowing how she gave answers freely.
She looked down contemplating. "Hmm, I don't think so."
Hisoka narrowed his eyes.
A bad liar she said so it must be the truth. Still...~
"Now, now, there's no need to play mind games with me~"
Raine laughed as his statement obviously didn't apply to himself. She drew her legs in, huddling into her knees. "I wasn't really thinking about it. But it could." Confusion crawled up his aura, but she laughed again. "Sorry, that does sound confusing. Maybe I'm trying to have a normal conversation with you."
Hisoka narrowed his eyes to slits in even more suspicion.
Why?~
But it felt like she was telling the truth. No one had really sat down with him, daring to have a conversation. They were always repelled by his blood lust and intimidation. Or were simply too annoyed to try. And soon that would be her too.
"I'd love to see you angry at me~" he said blatantly.
"I already told you, negative feelings make my aura feel weird. It takes a lot," she sighed. "But knowing you, you'd enjoy trying anyway."
"So you get me~"
Raine shook her head standing up. "I'm going to shower. Do you need help tending your wounds before I go?"
He glanced at the forgotten cuts on his body. "How kind of you, but I'll be fine~"
Raine nodded and walked away.
Hisoka rested his head on his knees, his smile fading.
Perhaps I shouldn't wander too close~
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