Lunchtime is for Lunch

AN: Publishing this a day earlier because I will be busy at the usual time on Saturday. There will be a release on Sunday following the usual schedule, though I won't be doing anything on Labor day... I am too lazy to write on a Holiday! Or rather I will be busy doing a whole lot of studying as my first round of tests is coming up.

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"...So what exactly is happening here?" with no small amount of disbelief on my face I looked over at the other occupant of the felled tree trunk I was sitting on. While waiting for a response I decided to take a spoonful of some sort of meat stew.

'That's… about as salty as the average HoI4 player' scrunching my face up at the taste of the meal I decide to set it aside before turning to my recent teacher whose name I still haven't learned.

"We are eating lunch." dismissively shrugging off my question she continued to somehow eat the stew she had prepared on the camp stove we sat across from.

"I somehow managed to gather that, what I was asking is why are you taking me on as a student." giving her a pointed look, I proceed to use a set of two long sticks to take my previously boiling canteens of water off the fire. Grabbing a rag from my bag I grab a canteen of water before diluting my serving of stew with the water.

"You overthink things kid, I already told you I picked you out of convenience. A recently minted Hunter who has already begun learning Nen without a teacher will help me out quite a bit." looking over at me, her eyes immediately lock on to hands that were still thinning out her hazardous cooking with water.

*tch* "Hey what the hell are you doing with that!" flaring her aura at me with a face filled with disgust at my actions. Quickly shooting her arms out and snatching my wrist holding the canteen, stopping the flow of water.

"Making it edible… the amount of salt in this stuff would make some pass from dehydration on a good day and were in the middle of a desert." shrugging off the tide of negative emotions engulfing me and the jolting pain filling my arm, I ignore her as I rip into her cooking.

"Mm… it's actually quite good like this. Ah, as for your reasoning about it being convenient… I can think of all sorts of people that can meet those requirements. For instance, any large well-established crime family will have at least one novice Nen practitioner that you could convince into being your student and send to the hunter exams. Wouldn't be hard to convince them, the benefits of being a Hunter would be enough to convince them." Rebutting her before she can reply, I point out an easy way to get the promotion she seemed to be shooting for.

*Smack* using her free hand she hit me over the head with a fed up scowl on her face.

"Yowch!" rubbing the top of my head once again today I made a mental note to get another hat because at this point I was concerned I would get CTE if I stayed around her too long.

"Don't cut me off… Also, once again you think too much. While what you proposed is pretty easy it's nowhere as convenient as just picking you since you're here. Though I am curious, what is with your reluctance to have me as a teacher? This is a pretty good opportunity for you, so why are you trying to avoid it." giving me a slightly bewildered look as though she was looking at an idiot. Looking away from me, she proceeds to bend over the cooking fire and pours another serving of stew into her bowl, and goes back to eating in silence.

"Hmm… I suppose you are right that I have been deflecting the idea of having you as my teacher, though it's just not you in particular rather, it's the idea of a teacher I have been avoiding. Looking at it now, the idea of learning on my own is quite foolish and all… Though I'm not sure if you would be a good teacher for me, while I'm not the best or even all that experienced with reading people your probably an Enhancer no?" setting down the empty bowl at my foot alongside my canteen, I turn to look at the side profile of my prospective Nen teacher.

"I'm an Enhancer huh…" pausing for a moment she turns to look at me before cracking a sly smile. Turning away for a moment as she stares forward into space as she seemingly thinks about something. Just as quickly, she turns to look me in the eye as she says something that surprised me quite a bit.

"While I don't blame you for thinking that, I am not an Enhancer but actually a Transmuter. You probably came to that conclusion after having met one before… typically headstrong or self-righteous, they definitely leave an impression. In regards to Transmuters, they are the deviants, the tricksters, people who can think on their feet." unknowingly confirming my foreknowledge she looks at me with a slight smirk before getting up to start cleaning up the campsite a bit.

"So how was your first lesson as my student hmm?" Moving to metal buckets of water above the fire, she then moves to collect all the dirty dishes for washing.

"Well… I already knew that for one, and secondly I still have not agreed to be your student. Not only that I still don't even know your name, though I have to admit I am somewhat interested in how you would be a Transmuter…" moving to help with the cleaning I rummage in my backpack and take out two small bottles, one of the sanitization tablets and another of dish soap before walking over to the heating water.

"You already knew how to profile a transmuter? Color me surprised! As for being my student, your stipulation was that I was an enhancer and would not be helpful in training whatever your nen type is… A stupid idea as any Nen master knows a bit about each category and even if not, could help you with the basics and advanced techniques. So you should just be my student already and get me my promotion!" Taking the bottles out of my hand before giving them a short look she puts the soap in one bucket and the sanitizer in the other. She then stops for a moment before looking at me.

"Hey… I am the one who cooked the meal so you should at least clean it no?" standing up and quickly walking away towards her tent she leaves me to clean up by myself.

"But I supplied a lot of the ingredients… *sigh* well I don't really care either way." shaking my head as I sit by the fire and wash all the cookware a small smile creeps its way on my face. While a menial task, camp cleaning like this reminded me of all the camping excursions I did with my buddies in my past life. Eventually, though, I finished up after having airdried everything and setting it in a neat stack on the log before grabbing my backpack and moving toward my 'teachers' tent.

"Hey, I finished cleaning and drying everything, though I didn't know where you wanted it so I placed it on the log. Oh, also while I'm here I might as well ask your name…" standing next to the tent as it was rude to barge in uninvited I talked through the thin canvas of her tent.

"I suppose your right… I don't know yours either, Though you could just call me teacher! But if you have to call me by name then allow me to formally introduce myself: I am Claire, a One Star Floral Hunter!" popping out of the tent near the end of her introduction, the now named Claire looked excited to see what kind of reaction I had apparently.

"Heh?"