Point of View Switch: Kai
After informing Ponzu and Nicholas of my unplanned delay, I grab my backpack with all my belongings and head to the airport to catch the flight I booked online to Glam Gas Land, ready to spend the remaining days until my dinner with Menchi training and planning how I will handle the events with Yorknew City and the Chimera Ants.
Date: June 30th, 2011
My short stay in this city, a clear adaptation of the city Las Vegas from my former world, has been quite entertaining, to say the least. From the moment I set foot in the city, I was overwhelmed by the labyrinth of narrow alleyways, bustling markets, and the wide variety of shows that make up this entertainment destination in the middle of the desert.
Despite only staying here for two days, I have enjoyed several interesting shows at the hotel where I am currently staying, the Bar Jack Princess Hotel, and have been able to appreciate the trade of various interesting resources and items, including some quirky foods that I had not seen before (making me understand why Menchi would have this city in her radar).
Right now, after having confirmed the time to meet Menchi today, I find myself standing in front of a mirror in my room, adjusting the elegant black suit I bought from Gusto a while ago for formal occasions like this.
"It's been a while since I've worn clothes like this. It feels a bit weird, to be honest." I think out loud as I finish adjusting my collar and sleeves.
Having prepared for an elegant dinner, I set out into the night city illuminated by signs, attractions and buildings with blinding lights, and following the path I had traced when I first arrived in the city, I quickly arrive at the Paladar Divino restaurant, which, despite its size and striking appearance, goes unnoticed by blending seamlessly with the equally stunning surrounding architecture.
Walking through what appears to be the hallway of a five-star hotel or a palace, I arrive at the reception desk right at the entrance to the guest area. "Welcome to the Paladar Divino restaurant, sir. How can I assist you this night?" The receptionist asks me at arriving.
"A friend of mine made a reservation for us to meet here tonight. Look up for Menchi, the famous Gourmet Hunter." I answer politely.
"Oh, are you saying you're Mr. Kai, whom Miss Menchi invited this night? Would you mind corroborating that with your Hunting License?" The receptionist requests in a polite but cautious tone.
Granting his request, I show him my Hunter's License, and he immediately calls over a free waiter and invites me to join him at Menchi's table. As we walk between the tables, I become more and more aware of the atmosphere and the type of people there: important magnates from the world of business and entertainment, and some shady individuals who look like they are from the mafia, all exchanging and discussing information that sounds important. Even if this kind of elegant atmosphere isn't for me, I still have to get used to it as a Blacklist Hunter.
"Kai, you finally arrived! We finally meet again after so long, and I must say your outfit truly lives up to my expectations." Menchi says smiling when I arrive at her table, looking stunning with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Menchi is dressed in a lilac strapless dress with a gathered skirt, exposing most of her upper body, and her hair, normally tied in 5 top knots, is now tied in a single ponytail that reaches down her back. In an easy-to-describe way, I feel like I'm standing in front of a magazine supermodel.
"Kai?" Menchi asks, bringing me out of my stupor.
"Ah, sorry, thanks for the compliment. You also look incredible tonight." I say taking a seat in front of her.
"Thanks, you're very kind. Now that you've arrived, you can browse the menu to see what catches your eye. Everything is of exquisite quality, but I recommend avoiding the dishes made with salapor meat and papiper spice. These flavors are a bit strong for a novice. You should also try a couple of starters and a main course so you're full and can enjoy more meals." Menchi says handing me the menu card.
"I see you know what you're doing, and also, the receptionist seemed to know you and hold you in high regard. Do you visit this restaurant often?" I ask, trying to start a conversation.
"I don't visit it that often, but I've known the owners for a long time. When I was just starting out as a Hunter, I visited this restaurant in search of a culinary experience, and when I was disappointed with the quality, I spent a few months instructing the chefs on how to properly cook the ingredients they used. I'm arguably the reason this place has become such a successful and well-known establishment in the city, so it's only natural that they have a certain degree of reverence for me." Menchi explains with a tone of pride and haughtiness in her voice.
"Wow, that's pretty impressive. You'd expect nothing less from a Single-Star Gourmet Hunter." I reply.
"Naturally, it is something obvious. I see you really know how to appreciate the value of things." She says giving me a flirtatious wink that makes me jolt a bit.
"W-Well, why don't you continue talking? I'd love to hear more of your stories as a Gourmet Hunter." I say a little nervous.
"It will be my pleasure, as long as you also share a little about how you've been doing since you signed up for Heavens Arena." Menchi responds with an unusually soft voice.
"S-Sure." I reply somewhat inhibited.
With this, the two of us continue talking about our past experiences, enjoying getting to know each other better and deepening our relationship as we enjoy the dishes brought to us, which I wouldn't be willing to eat right now if Menchi hadn't invited me.
However, given the elegance and high class of the place surrounding us, enjoying the food seems impossible, and I cannot fully appreciate the exquisite dishes prepared for us, hastily devouring such delicacies without throughtoly savoring them as they deserve.
"You're very stiff. Could it be that you aren't enjoying the dinner? Maybe the food is not to your liking?" Menchi asks with an inquisitive look.
"No, it's just that I'm not used to dining in such a formal setting, so I feel out of place. Besides, fancy, elegant food isn't my thing; I prefer home-style meals or franchise restaurants." I answer trying to clarify the reason for my discomfort.
"I understand you. I was also quite nervous the first time I came here starting my career as a Gourmet Hunter. But if you keep going like this, I won't be able to enjoy this dinner either, and that is something I cannot allow." Menchi says as she pours wine into my glass with a warm smile.
"Since we finally meet after so much time, let's forget everything else and party to celebrate our success in our Hunter missions. What do you say, Kai?"
"Well, drinking and letting loose is not really my thing. But why not? A night is a night, so let's party!" I say, taking the wine glass and clinking it with Menchi's before we both drink them all.
After that, things got much better; as the night went on, the excitement and energy enveloped both of us, and even thought I was not as enthusiastic about partying at first, with the alcohol gradually clouding my mind, I soon found myself in high spirits and enjoying dinner with Menchi much more relaxed than before.
Likewise, Menchi's behavior also changed as she continued drinking, starting to give typical drunken speeches full of criticism and complaints of everything, even grabbing me by the collar at one point for no apparent reason. Considering that being such a successful Hunter she shouldn't have many opportunities to let loose, I went with the flow and just let her act as she pleased as long as she didn't cross the line.
In addition, the restaurant also offered us a show by the city's most famous entertainment company, The Moritonio Troupe. It was a pleasant surprise to discover the canocity of this corporation which detailed Hisoka's origins as a Nen user, and the light and visual show that its current leader, Abaki, provided us with using his fully developed Nen powers was truly sublime.
In this atmosphere, the hours flew by in a blur of laughter, alcohol, and inhibited emotions. I barely noticed the reaction of the people surrounding us like I had before, and before I knew it, the world around me seemed to spin as I felt a strange sensation wash over me.
Date: July 1st, 2011
When I wake up, I find myself in an unfamiliar hotel room. The bright morning light streams through the window, making me squint. My head is pounding because of the hangover, and as I try to sit up, I realize that my clothes have been swapped for a plain bathrobe.
"Menchi?" I call out, but there is no response.
My last night partner is nowhere to be seen, and as panic begins to set in, I look around the room trying to piece together what have happened. As crazy ideas start to flood my head, I see my clothes folded on a chair, so I stumble out of bed and put them on as I make my way to the door, hoping to find some answers. As I open the door, I am greeted by the sight of a hotel employee walking down the hallway.
"Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" I call out, my voice hoarse.
The employee turn around to look at me, a sympathetic and helpful expression on her face. "You're at the Starcrest Hotel, sir. You checked in with one of our guests last night, both looking drunk and quite animated as you made your way to her room. It seems you two had quite a fun time, but she left early this morning." She answers.
"Do you know where she went?" I ask, trying to keep the worry out of my voice.
"I'm afraid not, but she left a message for you at the front desk." She replies.
Hearing this, I hurry down to the front desk to check it out, the employee's words echoing in my mind. When I reach the lobby, the receptionist hands me a small, folded note. I open it quickly and my eyes start scanning the handwritten message:
[Dear Kai, I'm sure you're feeling a bit confused after overdoing it last night. But don't worry, because as your senpai and a Gourmet Hunter with high alcohol tolerance, I remember the events well.
After we finished dinner and staggered out of the restaurant, I suggested going to the hotel where I was staying to continue the fun since it was close by. You eagerly agreed, and the two of us went up to my room while we continued to talk trash and laugh like idiots. After a while, you said you were feeling very hot and undressed to go take a shower; and honestly, a 10 out of 10. Truly impressive.
After that I fell asleep in bed and didn't wake up until the next morning, when I saw you lying next to me with your bathrobe on, so I called the front desk to tell them to hold the room until you left and wrote this note, leaving it under your folded clothes on the chair.
Last night was certainly a great way to relax after such a long work. Next time we meet, you're the one buying the meal. I'm really hoping you won't disappoint me.
With love, Menchi.]
Reading the letter, I feel relieved as the explanation of the note gradually fills in the gaps in my memory, and even though I feel like there are still certain parts missing as I make my way out of the hotel, I decide to just accept her explanation without further investigation, leaving what happened last night as a funny drunken anecdote and hoping it stays that way for both of us.
After arriving back at my motel room and gathering all my belongings into my travel backpack, I head to the front desk to return the key and walk to a secluded alley. Once I'm sure no one is spying on me, I activate my Orbital Orbs and prepare to use one of my abilities: Wormhole Orb.
This orb makes use of the characteristic spatial properties of the Emission category to become into a glowing circular portal that connects to any desired location I can think of, regardless of distance. It's a perfect ability to travel travel or escape to incredibly distant areas in a short time, with no limit to the places it can lead to.
The drawbacks are that this orb can only lead to locations whose coordinates it has recorded during its existence: it cannot take me to places I've been before I created it, nor can it take me to places I've visited while the orb wasn't floating around me.
This location registration is performed within a 5-meter omnidirectional radius of me, meaning that even if I visit a city, I can't open a portal to an unknown location within it because it'd be outside of that radius. That's why I put so much emphasis on traveling everywhere and sightseeing in every city I visit.
Also, the maximum time a portal can remain open is 1 hour, and the orb has a limit of 2 uses before it disappears. However, this drawback is based on the amount of aura I can invest into the orb, since before I started my little expedition to gain experience and renown as a Hunter, my use limit was 1. So as I increase my aura reserves and get stronger, I will be able to increase the maximum use limit of this orb and make it less of a weakness.
'Alright, let's go back with Nicholas and the rest.' I think placing the orb in front of me and expanding to form a glowing golden portal that leads me to an isolated part of Gelsea city,
Once I cross and close the portal, I look up to see the imposing symbol of the city, Heavens Arena, towering over the rest of the city, and as I start heading back towards it, I call Nicholas to inform him that I have returned and ask him to inform the others of it. After walking for a while, when I reach the entrance of Heaves Arena I am immediately welcomed by Nicholas, Ponzu, Killua and Gon smiling very happily.
"Kai, you are back!" Ponzu exclaims, throwing herself at me for a hug, to my surprise and embarrassment.
Upon my arrival, Ponzu seems to have changed from her more conservative clothing style, wearing a light blue sleeveless shirt, a short brown skirt printed with orange flowers, and having her hair tied back at the end with a scrunchie. In addition, her behavior also seems to differ greatly from before, being all clingy and touchy upon seeing me.
"I'm so glad you're back! Both Nicholas and I have been waiting impatiently for you to return and resume our Nen training! You're a naughty man for keeping us waiting for so long!" Ponzu pouts, displaying a cute air rather than an annoyed one.
"Y-Yeah, sorry. Y-You know I wanted to c-come before, b-but I couldn't say no to M-M-Menchi invitation. Ha ha ha ha." I laugh nervously, absolutely flustered and awkward with the current situation.
'Damn it! Why the hell is she acting like this?! Suddenly hugging me all happy and uninhibited while wearing such light clothing! I can feel her soft, smooth skin, and also the pressure of her br-br...' I don't give myself the chance to finish that thought as I shift my right hand into a claw and dig my nails into my palm to let the pain interrupt it.
"Hey, it's okay if you two want to cuddle together after so long without seeing each other, but at least have the modesty to do it in a room in the tower and not in the middle of the street, you pervert." Killua says rudely next to Gon.
"Oh, I see you still have a big mouth like always, Kil. What do you say if I show everyone what's on my cellphone and see if you have the nerve to keep calling me a pervert after?" I say, waving my phone with my left hand quite irked by Killua's repetitive insulting comments and making him put a terrified face in response.
"Hey Killua, what's Kai talking about? Is there anything interesting to watch on his cellphone?" Gon asks curious and completely oblivious of what I mean.
"It's not a big deal. They're just some souvenir photos we took before he left Gelsea, so there's nothing to worry about. Seriously." Killua nervously affirms to Gon, much to his confusion.
"And speaking of souvenirs, how about I sign up for a fight at the tower and we continue the celebration of this long-awaited meeting in my private room so I can give you the gifts I've bought in the shopping centers and souvenir shops I've visited on my travels. I have personalized ones for everyone, even for Zushi and Wing, who don't seem to be here." I state as I break the hug with Ponzu and look from side to side searching for them.
"They are currently training at the hotel, and that's why they haven't had time to come on such short notice." Nicholas says rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well, then leave them a message letting them know we'll meet in my private room. That is, if you're okay with it, of course." I ask looking at the group.
"I'm fine with it, boss." Nicholas says.
"I'd also like to celebrate your return with you, Kai." Ponzu says with a warm smile that melts my heart.
"Yes, and I'm also really looking forward to the gifts you've brought for us. I can't wait to see them." Gon answers very enthusiastically.
"I guess that's fine for me too, although I'm actually more interested in hearing about your experiences during your trip." Killua shrugs with his hands in his pockets.
"Okay! Then let's go inside right away!" I say, marching very excitedly into Heavens Arena followed by the rest of the group.
What no one but me knew was that hidden in the shadows, Hisoka was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, playing with a 5 of spades card in his fingers.
'You're truly an interesting individual, Kai. Just when I was losing my patience and was about to take it out on the boy in the fancy suit to overcome my boredom and, incidentally, give you even more incentive, you show up back in town at exactly the right moment to stop me.' Hisoka thinks to himself as his cheeks contort into his signature twisted grin.
'Mmm, you're even more fascinating than I thought. Yes, I want to harvest you more and more each time. Hurry. Hurry and become a Floor Master. I want to kill you so badly, that I don't know how much longer I'll be able to hold back.'