Part 35: Others X Over X Self

Later that moment of desperately knowing about my cursed arm, my mind was occupied about it.

I should've convinced Binolt more so he can tell me. I think I'll just find out everything myself.

"Secco?" I came back to reality when Gon suddenly called my name. We have been walking for how many kilometers towards Masadora, but I never felt tired, and so do my friends. I guess this is the result of training.

"Huh?" I turned around to see him and looks like he was worried about me.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Y-Yes, don't worry," I answered with a fake smile. I guess I should focus on improving my skills first and then, I will know about my arm.

After hours of walking, we finally made it towards Masadora.

"We finally made it!" Gon shouted and Killua and he both gave each other a high-five. I smiled at how happy they were. I hope this will last long.

We went towards a department store and Bisky bought cards. I couldn't take a peek of what she bought so I don't know her plan.

"Okay. We will go back to the Canyon." Bisky announced which gave us a surprise.

"But we already made it here!" Killua shouted with irritation. It's true that our primary goal was to go here, in Masadora, and we just couldn't go back there since we already got here.

"You said that you wanted me to train you, right? So we'll go back to start our training." Bisky said and I finally understood what those cards are for.

"Let's go!"

After hours of walking again, we finally made it to the canyon area of Greed Island.

Bisky released the objects inside the cards and they were actually digging tools for unknown purposes.

"I want you to go back to Masadora," Bisky yelled as a sign of the start of the training, "But this time, you'll go in a straight line!"

"Eh?!" We all exclaimed in unison. I couldn't believe what I heard. Then that means, we must pass our way through those big rocks? So that's why she bought digging tools.

This is complete torture!

We already started walking and digging through the canyons towards the town. After hours of non-stop digging, we finally made it to our first rock. Each one of us fell to the ground out of exhaustion. If we will do this every day, I don't think I can make it to Masadora alive.

It's finally night time when we finished. Bisky demanded us to sleep in a sitting position this time. She put big rocks on the top of our heads while we hold ropes that hold the rocks.

So that means, if we let go of these ropes, the rocks will fall into our heads. This is another torture! I don't think I can rest well with this.

I turned to look at Killua sleeping with a smile on his face. Looks like he knows how to deal with this kind of training. While me, I don't know what to do.

That night, the rocks have fallen to my head many times. Gon also experienced the same, but mine is more than him, based on how many bumps we got in our heads.

The next day, we began digging again through another big rock. Our digging was going smoothly at first, then all of a sudden...

"Ah!" Gon exclaimed, which made Killua and I both looked at his side at the same time. We abandoned our digging and looked at what the former found.

"This rock is so hard." Gon said as he poked the rock with his shovel. Killua did the same to test it.

"How can we pass through it?" Killua asked and we all think of methods that we'll try. We only got three shovels and a cart which obviously couldn't destroy the hard rock. If we strike at it together, it will take us a very long time. Work smart, not work hard, as they say.

"I have an idea!" Gon yelled all of a sudden and we all looked at him to listen to his idea.

"What if we use our aura and let it flow to the shovel? Like this." He demonstrated it and his shovel was completely wrapped of his aura. I admit that it was a great idea.

"You're right!" Killua said and did the same thing.

I also did the same thing and we all dig altogether. Compared to before, our digging right now was faster and easier.

After we finished the second rock, which just took us a few hours to dig through, Bisky explained to us the application we just did during the digging.

"It is an application of Ten called Shu where you let your aura flow to the objects you are touching."

She also said that once we reached Masadora, we will finally complete the first stage of training.

We dug more rocks in few days until we finally reached Masadora.

"We did it!" We all cheered and made a short celebration for completing the first stage of training.

"Excuse me, boys!" Bisky shouted as we tried to roam around the city, lead us to look at her. Then, suddenly, she grabbed my arms and pulled me over to her. "We have an important matter to do! Be right back!"

We walked away, still pulling me in my arms while I saw a glimpse of Gon and Killua's confused faces. Even I don't know what's going on.

"Bisky," She finally let me go and gave me time to say my words, "What's wrong? What was the important matter we have to do?"

"Calm down, missy. Just relax and leave it all to me!" She shouted cheerfully as she showed hair accessories she bought.

"Oh no."

***

NARRATION

"What's taking them so long?" Killua irritatedly yelled as Gon and he waited for the two girls.

"Sorry for the wait!" They heard Bisky shouted from the distance. Killua turned around to see Bisky having her ponytail neatly tied this time after Binolt cut off her other ponytail.

"Oh good. Now let's go!" Killua said in a poker face tone and started to move.

"Wait a minute!" The former shouted once again, which made the latter annoyed and turned around in frustration.

"What n—"

But his sentence was stopped when he saw something he didn't expect to see. Standing in front of him was a shy Secco with her hair tied into a ponytail.

As she tried to adjust her tied hair, as her face warmed up because of embarrassment, Killua couldn't help but stare at her. Is it amusement, disgust, or maybe...?

"I-It's weird, right?" Secco spoke stuttering, doesn't know what to say.

"You look so good!" Gon complimented him, making her more flattered. "Right, Killua?"

Secco was happy changing her dresses and shoes, but she never tied her hair up or even played around with it. This was actually her first time.

Killua's cheeks grew red like tomatoes as his name was called, trying to react normally to Secco. He talked to them while turning his face away from them.

"S-Secco is still Secco, Gon! There's nothing special in it! It's not like it changed her for the better or anything!" Killua shouted with his full volume. "Now let's go!"

After that, Gon and Bisky booed at him for not making any good compliments to Secco. However, even though with those harsh words he spitted, Secco can still smile and stay happy.

"Maybe he was just shy, that's all." She muttered as they moved out of Masadora and back to the canyon area.

***

SECCO RASVIN

Bisky told us to start collecting monster cards. We spent days hunting for monsters around the canyon until we finally finished obtaining all of them and gained cards.

The night came in and it was our time to rest for tomorrow's training. But there's something that has been bothering me and that is about my arm.

I couldn't sleep and the idea of keeping my arm away from my friends for safety is all I've been thinking.

I removed my bandage to see my ugly arm. It's still distorted as the last time I left it covered. I must be strong enough to overcome this fear of it. My friends' safety is my priority than having great control of power. It must be eliminated. But that would mean my friends will abandon me. Now that I don't have this arm, I'm just a normal girl, a burden. I must learn how to control these things first.

Once I will know enough about it, I will know how to control it. That's the only way that could benefit me and my friends.

"Are you tired of the training?" All of a sudden, a familiar voice spoke right behind me, making me jump in my position.

I turned around to see Killua with his arms supporting his head, still in his dirty clothes. Then, I saw a glimpse of a slight surprise on his face and quickly averted his eyes to me.

"N-No! That's not it. I was just thinking..." I said to him as I looked up, went back to the ocean of thought I had before.

He sat beside me, doing the same thing, looking at the stars, spacing out. Somehow, this is so calm and quiet, with him. I thought it would be intimidating.

"Hey." He spoke, turning his head around to see me. I turned also to see him until we met each other's eyes. His cheeks suddenly grew red and averted his eyes again. "I-I'm sorry... for the harsh things I did to you. I never realized that it hurts you."

"Like what?" I asked him innocently. Because I'm so occupied of my own goals in getting rid of the monster in me, I forgot what others did to me before.

"Y-You know when I tried to kill you and didn't listen to you in the Hunter Exam. A-And other things I did to you." He said as he lowered his head. Gon might insist or influenced him to apologize like this. It's just... it wasn't like Killua to be like this.

"I-It's fine! It's really not your fault! I'm just so stupid back then" I said with a troubled smile after he apologized.

I heard a deep sigh coming from him as he turned around to see me with his 'meh' face.

"You're really selfish, you know that?" He said to me without any hesitation.

"H-Huh?" The only sound I released from my mouth after I heard his unexpected reaction. I didn't know if he wanted me to be annoyed or it's just his honest comment.

"I-I didn't do anything selfish in my life, at all! I always think of other's conditions before I make a decision!~" I shouted all of a sudden, then pouted since the words he said offended me.

After that, he suddenly made a sneak attack on me. He reached for both of my shoulders and pushed towards the ground.

And now, we purposely ended up in this awkward position. I don't know how it looks like to other people, but I know that Killua is on top of me, trapped and couldn't get out of his eyes.

"K-Killchi..." I stuttered and embarrassed at what happened to me. I felt my cheeks grew hotter than before as I was locked in him.

He raised one of his hands and poked my forehead, giving me great pain.

"Don't take the wrong idea!" He shouted as he, too, was blushing because of what he did.

"Even if you considered other's conditions, that doesn't mean you considered their feelings, too." I was shocked by what he said, "You keep denying and disregarding their guilt and concern towards you like it doesn't break their heart, you don't know how hard to keep those emotions. If you don't want to be selfish, then don't be selfish."

"I hate selfish people, you know."

I understood everything he said to me, but that last line reminded me of someone I knew before.

"I-I'm sorry," I said in guilt because of what I said earlier. Because of me, too focused on other's safety, I didn't think of how they feel as I was risking my life and being reckless all the time.

"I'm sorry!" All of a sudden, tears flew out my eyes as it reached towards my ears. I tried to cover it with my arms to keep Killua from seeing it.

"Now..." Killua spoke out of the blue. I wiped my tears using my hands and looked at him, "do you accept my apology?"

I didn't answer for a while since I'm still in deep thought. Killua was struggling with his guilt and I couldn't even give him a proper answer.

"Mm." I nodded at him with a warm smile, happy that I could finally have a nice reply to him.

"A-and by the way!" Killua shouted, stuttering in his words. I listened to him as he tried to say what he wanted to say. But his red cheeks are still visible though, "T-That ponytail... l-looks good on you."

Because of what he said, I can feel my cheeks getting warmer again. He, complimenting my new features is really unexpected, but it makes me happy hearing that.

Right after that time, Killua and I both saw Gon and Bisky standing beside us.

"Why is Killua on top of S—!" Gon was about to say something, when Bisky slapped his mouth, keeping him from saying anything.

"Sorry to interrupt," Bisky said with a sly smile on her face.

Embarrassed, both of our faces got hotter. I can feel Killua was about to shout based on his breathing.

"I said..." He muttered, ready to shout.

"Don't take the wrong idea!!"