Cards and Keys

Chapter Fourteen: Bloodlust

Lucy POV

The next morning, I was awoken not by the peaceful hum of the river, but by a loud splashing noise. I knew that it could be whoever was hunting me, so I quickly got on my guard and snuck down the tree to investigate. With my hand fixed on my keys, I crept through the bushes and towards the river.

"Hooray!" A childish voice cheered.
"Gon? Is that you?" I asked, crawling out the bushes.
The small boy turned to me, holding his fishing rod and...a bird?
"Oh, hi Lucy! How come you're in the bushes?"
he asked as I brushed a few leaves out of my hair.
"I thought you were whoever's hunting me. You're not hunting me, are you?" I said with an awkward laugh.

"Nope! Hisoka's my target- oh shoot. I wasn't supposed to say that. Please don't tell him!" Gon panicked, waving his arms around.

Hisoka's his target? That poor kid. I knew Hisoka wouldn't hurt him, since that was our agreement for me joining his team. And even if it wasn't , I don't think he has a desire to hurt him. Since he said he's not 'ripe', whatever that means. I just hoped he wouldn't scare him too much.

"Don't worry," I assured him,"me and Hisoka decided to split up this round. What's the deal with the bird though?" I gestured to the dead bird in his hand.

"I was trying to practise for catching Hisoka. I'm gonna get him while he's hunting his target! Do you want to come with me?" He said with a smile, gesturing to the woods.
As much as I wanted to look after the kid, I knew going with him would've been a terrible idea. I would've had to choose between helping him or Hisoka, a decision I'd rather not have to make. I wouldn't stop him, but I couldn't help him either. Plus, I still had my own target to track down.

"Ah, I better not. I still need to find my own target. Just, please stay safe, okay?" I said with concern, placing a hand on his shoulder. I felt guilty about leaving him, but going after Hisoka was his own choice to make.

"I will, I promise! See you later, Lucy." He said cheerily, gathering up his belongings and departing into the depths of the woods.

"You better!" I called after him, watching his silhouette disappear behind the trees.

Following Gons' example, I set out to find my own target. I didn't know much about him, apart from what he looked like. His appearance wasn't particularly striking in comparison to the other applicants. Apart from the giant blow dart he'd had strapped to his back, I'd rather not get shot with that thing. I wasn't sure where to start my search, so I followed the path of the river. I searched through the forest for hours, ducking behind trees and bushes whenever I heard a suspicious noise, but there was no sign of him. With the lack of anything better to do, I practised concealing my nen as I walked- I think Hisoka had called it 'zetsu'. Though, annoyingly, my practise was disrupted by the guy who was hunting me. It was applicant 89, Hisoka's target. He wasn't anything special and I managed to knock him out without even summoning a spirit or star dress. All I'd needed was my whip and a good old Lucy kick! And I took his badge just in case it came in handy later.

After dealing with him, I'd tried carrying on with my search, but I didn't get far before I felt it. I didn't know what it was- something in the air, a feeling, a premonition maybe? Whatever that feeling was, it was sadistic and laced in bloodlust. My first instinct was to run, but I dismissed it. Unconsciously, I think I knew it would lead me to Hisoka. So I chose to investigate. I followed it, the intensity of the bloodlust increasing the closer I got to the source.

My little investigation ended up leading me to what I'd been searching for the whole day- my target. He was crouched behind a bush, his blowdart in hand. I peered through the leaves of the tree I was hiding behind, trying to make out who he was aiming it at. Just a few meters in front of him, but completely oblivious, stood Gon.