Chapter 19: I'm Sorry! I Really Am!

(Yumi POV)

As we got off the blimp we all lined up shoulder to shoulder in front of chairman Netero. I smiled at Killua and he smiles back with a bit of softness in his eyes as we lined up next to each other. 

"Well hello everyone!" The Chairman says as he finally speaks up. "Is everybody well rested up?" He then continues not letting any one respond (not like they would have)

"You see the Hunter Selection Committee runs this hotel so this place is all yours until the battles have concluded"

Soon a man in black rolls over a white/bulletin board that's being covered by a white cloth.

"For the next phase we will be holding a one-on-one tournament" The Chairman continues as he pulls off the white sheet on the white/bulletin board. "You only need one win to pass"

"One win!" Gon on my far right exclaims as Leorio soon follows.

"Then in this tournament..." 

"The winners are removed from the competition while the losers move up the bracket" Netero says as he then pauses for 'dramatic effect'.

"In other words. The one that makes it to the top will not pass. Does everyone understand now?"

Everyone stays silent so the old man takes that as a yes.

"Now to reveal the bracket" as he says that he removes the white tape covering the bottom of the white/bulletin board to reveal the bracket.

I quickly scanned the bottom of the board and see my name where Hanzos spot was to stand.

'Wow if this really is a fanfic the author is lazy as hell' I can't help but think with distain.

"Impressive right?" Netero boasts interrupting my thoughts. "Everybody has at least two chances to win"

"But people like #12 and #406 has five chances" Ponzus future boyfriend points out.

"Why didn't you use a balanced bracket?" The martial arts guy that's about to die pipes up next.

"A question on everybody's mind" Netero says trying to sound cool.

"This bracket was assembled based on your performance throughout the entire exam. Simply put those who preformed better got more chances"

This makes me turn towards Killua on my left seeing his discomfort. I want to say something but it's too late. The damage had been dealt.

"I don't believe it. Can you explain how you scored our performances"

Netero just stares at the kid. I look away rolling my eyes. 'This man child.' 

I think as he soon makes a horribly goofy face shaking it from side to side as he shouts "NOOOOOPPPE!"

This startels Killua as he reacts like a cat which makes me chuckle under my breath. I'm glad he didn't hear me as he goes on to retort.

"Why not?!"

"Because your scores are classified" Netero answers simply with a punchable smile.

"I can't tell you your actually scores. But I can explain the process to which I we got to them."

"First, I we consider three basic categories." He then raises his hand to signify three. 

"Physical strength, mental acuity, and overall impression. For physical strength we factored in agility, flexibility, endurance, and perception. And for mental acuity we factored in reliance, adaptability, judgement, and creativity. But these was only used and a reference point as you all needed to at least some enough of each of these qualities to advance to the final stage. However we where most concerned about your overall impression. This refers to intangible factors that can not be categorized." He then pauses to laugh like Santa Claus.

"You could consider this the assement of your potential as a hunter. We also incorporated the opinions of your peers. That was in our process" Netero finally finishes.

'You talk too much old man'

I turn to Killua who is obviously having an inner strife going on. I knew it was probably a bad idea but I couldn't help but remeber the boy from yesterday who was joking with me, playing pranks on people, and stealing food with me with a cheeky smile. And I couldn't help myself.

"Killua it's okay. You don't have to feel bad" I say trying to comfort him raising out my hand to pant his back.

Slap

I froze. 'No way that just happened' I think to myself as the reality of the situation sink in and the pain in the back of my hand started to pulse and heat up.

I look up at the boy who just hit my hand away with disbelief as he just looks at me with cold wounded eyes.

"Don't touch me. And don't even try to help. You're empty words don't make me feel better" he says as he begins to walk away. And I'm just left there. 

I still can't fully comprehend the situation. 'Did Killua just. Reject me?'

I really didn't know what to do. It was like the cheeky smile that filled my mind was now shattered by the cold gaze I had just witnessed.

My mood just fell. I didn't feel like doing anything.

I still had a job to do so I forced my body to move but it felt foreign. I felt empty. Dejected. Rejected. Again. And I don't blame Killua. He is just twelve, him feeling inferior is normal. 

'But, But.'

I forced the tears that where threatening to sting my eyes down. Cause I was not going to cry here. In front of the boy who just hurt me.

No.

When I'm alone, with my thoughts, and hopefully some alcohol, I'll let nyself cry, let my self loose, let myself rest.

Due to my little masculine pep talk I was finally able to listen to what Netero was saying but I was only able to catch the last part. Thankfully I watched the anime and read the manga so I should be just peachy.

(Gon's POV)

I bend down to tie my shoes the excitement dancing within me.

'Yumi is strong. If there is anything I know about her. It's that. Not stronger than Hisoka but obvious very big challenge. And I really want to fight her!' I think back on how she weilded both her scythe and her knife with equal beauty and precision and feel my heart beat faster.

As I get up and I finally see the girls face clearly for the first time since we got off the blimp I relise something is off about her.

'She's definitely smiling. But it's colder some how. More distant.' Then suddenly I relize somthing that shocks me.

'She's going to forfeit the fight isn't she!'

"Yumi!" I suddenly shout out loud startling everyone in the room except the girl whome her name was called. At least her eyes seemed less distant.

"Yes Gon? How can I help you?" She says sweetly, obviously a tease but again it's just not right.

I shake my head. "Yumi I really don't know what happened but please. Please fight me! Don't forefit!"

The girl stops her fake teasing and just looks at me with a nonchalant gaze as she shrugs her shoulders.

"No can do Gon".

"Why Not!" I know I sound like I'm whinging but I frankly didn't care. I really wanted to fight this girl.

"Well because I really don't want to hurt you and I'm not in the best of moods to guarantee your overall safety"

she says simply but its obvious it's not as simple as that. I can see it in her eyes that this isn't somthing that we can argue but I won't give up! I rack my head for a solution.

"Okay then... Um. Them let's reschedule our fight! To a time when you feel better and when I'm strong enough to make it worth your while!"

I say grasping at straws. I admit it wasn't easy to own up to the fact that I was simply not strong enough to face Yumi right now. But I had to eventually so it's better to get it out of the way.

Yumi looks at me with a soft smile and nods.

"Okay then I'll take you up on that offer. Just be warned I won't be slacking off either. So you'll have to be improving at five times my speed to even make a dent in the large gap between us" she says now sounding slightly entertained.

I nod enthusiastically. "Don't worry I'll catch up to you in no time! I promise!" Yumi genuinely laughs this time mumbling somthing about main characters and promises but I ignore that as the most important this is that now I have a battle look forward to in the near future.

"Well now that, that is settled, Netero, may I drop out" Yumi asks facing the man. He nods obviously a bit disappointed about somthing.

'I know I should be happy, I know that this future battle is still great. But, But.' My mind is drawn back to the demeaning smile Hisoka gave me as he punched me in the face and my blood boiled never wanting to win like that again. 

"I WON'T WIN LIKE THIS!" I say as I charge towards Yumi with my fishing rod. Faster then I've ever seen her move before she whips out her scythe and blocks my attack effortlessly as she shakes her head.

"Why are you like this Gon. Why can't you just give up"

She soon pushes away my rod as well as me with a single swing. I try to land on my feet from the sudden momentum but I can't reorient myself on time as I soon tumble away. 

"Gon don't let me hurt you" Yumi says but it sounds more like a caution to herself then me.

"I don't care if I get hurt! Just fight me properly!" I shout as I charge in a second time.

"Your Deku looking ass tryna make things harder for yourself" I hear her mumble seeing this as a chance I quickly pick up my pace remembering the move she tried on Netero and I try to replicate it. As I quickly increase my momentum and appear behind her I try to hit her in the head but she just jumps.

The light of the ceiling temporarily blinds me as she comes down. I catch a glimpse of her and dodge realived I saw her in time just to feel a blunt object hit me at the back of my head. I soon go limp on the ground. I soon slowly losing consciousness as Yumi squats down beside me with a totally cool look as she mouths the words 'after image'.

'Ohhh, that makes sense' Is all I can think. Before I black out.

(Killua POV)

Yumi gets up as cool as a cucumber much diffrent from the face I'm used to seeing on the girl. It makes me uncomfortable. She soon turns to the old man looking at him as if he was the only one in the entire room. 

"Now that he's knocked out and he still hasn't admitted defeat. May I please do so myself?" 

I turn my head towards the old man following Yumi's gaze to find a very satisfied smile as he nods.

"I will accept Yumis forfit"

Now I don't know how to feel about any of that. Sure I felt really bad for acting so cold towards Yumi especially after realizing last night just how horrible her state of mind was. I was going to apologize after the fight (translation when his pride simmered down while avoiding eye contact) but that fight changed everything.

"Is Yumi actually stronger than me?" A thought that was swirling through my head for quite some time. 

'I know for sure that the move she used at the end was some form of rhythm echo. But she had only seen it once, and it was only briefly. That wasn't near long enough for her to be able to understand it enough to apply it while in the air!'

I really didn't know what to do or how to react. So when Yumi passed by me to rest on the wall behind me I couldn't do or say anything. My brain was going hay wire and I just stod there.

Just as useless and pathetic as I really am.

(General POV)

Yumu really didn't feel like going to comfort Kurapika as he was coming back from his fight with Hisoka. She still had to figure out her own feelings right? She shakes her head vigorously.

'Thats a horrible thought. I live for these people! How could I ever try to put myself before them! They are MY everything! Suck it up Yumi! Be glad that they are even willing to speaking to you. NOPE we are not going down that rabbit hole. Just act, just act, just act!'

"Kurapika you good" Yumi walk up to ask sneaking up behind the boy giving him an Anya like close eyed smile.

This startels him as he was deep in thought. Once he recognizes that it's Yumi he smiles on impulse and nods but before she can scurry away Kurapika reaches out and grabs Yumis hand remembering somthing he wanted to ask the girl.

Yumi starts to panic.

'Please don't talk to me, Please don't talk to me, Please don't talk to me'

Due to her panic attack and unsetteled emotions she reacted to Kurapikas touch physically jerking away.

As her brain fills with curses she looks up at Kurapika eyes filled with regret and undiscribable emotions. Realizing her broken state Kurapikas heart aches.

'How did I nit notice this' He starts to berate himself.

'I knew about her past but I let myself be fooled by her smiles and comforting words. How did I recognize Gons pain instantly but it's taken me this long to recognize Yumis!' He tries to think back to when Yumi started to act strange.

Now this was a difficult task as Yumi wasn't someone you'd label as normal. But surprisingly he could tell it was since sometime yesterday. Gons silence distracted him so much that he didn't notice Yumis. 

Now he was trying to figure out what to do with this information when before he knew it Yumi had already turned around and walked away out of sadness of what she had just done.

It seemed like it was only then Kurapika relised what he should've said and wanted to say from the moment he grabbed her arm.

'Are you okay! I couldn't ask her if SHE WAS OKAY! DAMMIT!'

But to Kurapikas disappointment he was too late as Yumi had already stepped into the fighting ring.

Hey everyone don't have much to say here (other than my poor babies Killua and Yumi seriously needs someone to raise their self esteem) to let's go straight to the question!

If you suddenly got truck-kuned into your favorite anime what would be you're first reaction.

1. Heck Ya! (Kinda Basic, but also super relatable. It's anime!)

2. Oh sh*t my search history (Now what are you hiding 🤨)

3. I can't finish the book/fic/show I was reading/watching 😭 (Once I realize this I might cry. Also I'd like ghost you guys and I'd hate to do that)

4. I love the show but I don't want to be in it! (I see you AOT fans, or just like reasonable people)

5. Sure I'm fine with it. Sounds exciting unlike my last life. (It's true but I'm not sure it'll be a good kinda exciting. I'm just saying.)

6. Wait what about my family? (Honest to God this might sadly be my second)

7. Other (put what that might be in the comments! I'm curious!)