The Aura

Planning for the exam

Kurapika and Scarlet leave the cemetery. It was their birthdays and they were watching Kohana's beautiful aura. Kurapika pulls into his driveway and turns his engine off. He is about to open his door when Scarlet reaches over to give her father a big hug.

"I love you so much, daddy!" exclaims Scarlet.

Kurapika is surprised at her sudden action. He hugs her back.

"I love you, too." says Kurapika.
"I owe you so much. You have given me such a great life. If something were to happen to me, I want you to know that I am extremely grateful to you." says Scarlet with tears falling down her cheeks.
"What are you talking about, Scarlet? You are only twelve. Nothing is going to happen to you. I simply wouldn't allow it." replies Kurapika. He rubs her back.
"I just want you to know." says Scarlet.

Kurapika smiles.

"Come on. Let's go share some birthday cake." says Kurapika.

Scarlet has been closer to Kurapika after their big argument the previous year. She knows Kurapika won't change his mind about allowing her to become a Hunter. She has been trying to come up with a plan to take the next exam. She knows she will need to go behind Kurapika's back and that makes her feel guilty.

Scarlet has nine months until the next Hunter exam. She has been gathering all of the information she could find about it.

Kurapika and Scarlet are sitting at the kitchen table enjoying a big slice of vanilla birthday cake.

"My baby girl is twelve! One more year and you'll be a teenager!" exclaims Kurapika.
"And you'll be forty!" Scarlet says with a laugh.
"You're right!" exclaims Kurapika, smiling.

Kurapika's phone rings. Scarlet gets up to answer it for Kurapika.

"Daddy, it's work." says Scarlet as she hands him his phone.
"Work?" asks Kurapika as he takes the phone from Scarlet. "Yes? This is Kurapika."

Scarlet listens to her father talk about work on the phone. She notices he is getting upset.

"What? That's impossible! There is no way he could have escaped!" shouts Kurapika on the phone. "I understand. Consider it done."

Kurapika ends the call. He looks at Scarlet.

"Daddy, I am twelve now. I am perfectly safe here. It sounds like you have an important hunt ahead of you. Go." says Scarlet.
"I don't know if I feel comfortable leaving you home alone at night." says Kurapika.

Scarlet grabs Kurapika's suit jacket and puts it on him. She pushes him to the front door.

"Go, daddy! Go and catch that bad guy!" exclaims Scarlet.
"But..."says Kurapika.

Scarlet hands him his car key.

"I know what to do in an emergency." says Scarlet.
"Uh...okay. Please call me if you need anything. If I don't answer, call Leorio." says Kurapika.

Kurapika leaves for work, leaving Scarlet alone. She takes this opportunity to work on her Hatsu. She runs to the backyard and makes a stack of big rocks. She has had an enhanced fist since she was one. She throws one rock up and punches it into tiny pieces when it falls back down. She spends the next hour practicing. When she goes back inside, she notices that she had missed several of Leorio's calls.

Dammit! Dad probably asked him to check up on me!

Scarlet calls Leorio back right away.

"Scarlet? Thank goodness! Please don't be like your father and not answer my phone calls." says Leorio.
"Sorry, Uncle Leorio. I am fine. I promise to call you if I need anything." says Scarlet.
"Okay, sweetheart. Please be safe." says Leorio.
"I will. Thank you." says Scarlet. She ends the call.