Revenge is Sweet {HunterXHunter}

Growing X Up

Maya Killugya was a lovely child with a dark past. You could never see past her smile unless you knew her past.

Maya would smile from ear to ear every day, making her bright green eyes pop out, and no one would notice the pain in her eyes, except Shar.

Shar Kouwa had adopted Maya when she was eight years old. He knew her past and what had happened, but he couldn't see how she smiled every day. And he had only seen that smile falter once; the day he met her.

Maya lived nicely with Shar, he was kind and cared for as if she were his own daughter. And she pretty much was after that day.

Maya was a kind little girl, but she didn't have a lot of friends. Despite the size of Squid Island, there were few children that were her age, and they didn't want to be friends with Maya for a reason she didn't know. But she was kind either way.

The only thing Maya ever wanted was to become a Hunter and kill the Phantom Troupe. She had been in Shar's care for five years and lived and breathed the nature around her. Maya could see farther than the normal human eyes and could pick out a single scent in a large crowd. She could also jump from tree to tree faster than a monkey could eat a banana.

At the age of thirteen, Shar let Maya leave the island to take the Hunter Exam. And that's all she wanted, a chance.

"Remember to pack a water bottle, and send me a letter as soon as possible." Shar was making sure Maya had everything she needed for the long trip ahead.

"Shar, you sound like my mother. She was always bustling around and making sure I had enough, and then I wound up packed enough for two weeks when I went on a two day camping trip. It was embarrassing." Maya told Shar this every time he decided to remind her of everything she needed on trips.

"I know, but I don't want you under packed, but if you over pack that might weigh you down." Shar looked worried over this. Since Maya didn't have a mother, Shar took on the roll of mother and father. Maya appreciated it, but at the same time it was hilarious when he put on a pink apron Maya had made him as a joke a year ago.

"Exactly, Shar. Which is why I'm only packing a pair of clothes, a water bottle, my knives, and my crook. I'm thirteen, I'll be fine!" When Maya was around the age of six, her father had given her a pair of knives and had her and her brother field dress a deer and master the art of knife throwing. At the age of eleven, Shar decided she needed a long range weapon and got her a crook for her birthday. And ever since she had mastered knife wielding, she could use the crook pretty well.

"Well, as long as you're ready to go." Shar checked the clock on the wall and realized that the boat would leave in ten minutes. "The boat leaves in ten minutes, we need to go down to the docks quick." Maya quickly put her crook in the side pocket of the back pack and shouldered it as she and Shar ran out the door.

The two ran down the cobbled streets towards the docks where a large ship was picking up people for the Hunter Exam.

As they reached the docks Maya had five minutes left to board the ship. Maya gave Shar a hug as she whispered, "I promise I'll pass the Exam. I'll find the Troupe and I'll come back. I love you." Maya released Shar and looked up at him and smiled.

Shar looked down at Maya and finally saw through the walls she had put up for the past five years, and he hoped they would never fall. Shar knew Maya was a strong girl that could hold her own, "I love you too." Shar whispered back. "Now go pass that exam."

Maya gave him a quick hug one last time and boarded the ship that was ready to take off. She quickly ran up to the edge of the boat and put down her backpack and yelled, "Bye Shar! I'll pass the Exam, you bet! I'll send you a letter when I can!" Maya could see Shar waving to her as she waved back at him.

Maya smiled from ear to ear, but just before she turned back, she looked directly into Shar's eyes and let her smile falter for a second before putting back on her mask. She had shown Shar her true self, and he knew that she would be okay, and that her smile would never falter for too long.

(A/N Kind of a filler chapter, but I think it's a bit nice.)