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Full Story Summary: Whale Island is not only famous for its marine resources but as a destination that attracts merchants from all over the region for the many trading opportunities that it offers. Gon lives on this remote island with his aunt Mito, who is the only parent he's ever known since his dad, Ging, who travels extensively, left him with her soon after he was born. With this much responsibility, Mito takes caring for him seriously and as a result is very strict with his lessons. Gon on the other hand, is easily distracted and has recently become enamored with a strange merchant that has been visiting their island as of late.

What happens next is the story of how Mito fights to keep Gon safe from the past that almost killed him.

Can she succeed in her efforts, or will this mysterious man by the name of Hisoka derail everything that she has been struggling to rebuild in Gon's life?

N.B.: Whale Island.

hat a tragic thing to happen…”

“Do you think he jumped?”

“Definitely not! How could you even think such a thing?!”

“But he knows this island too well for something like this to happen.”

“It was an accident. The rains have been terrible lately. Plus, he just got back; there is no reason for him to want to jump off a cliff. Travelled the world and his aunt was talking to me this morning at the Harbor about how he was getting ready to settle down for a little while.”

“Poor Gon…Will he…recover from this…?”

“Don’t worry, he’ll get the best care, his father is Ging Freecss after all—”

From where he lay at the bottom of the cliff, Gon heard those voices coming at him like urgent snippets from many different conversations.

And listening was all he could do right then, as most of his senses had been dulled. He could not see, feel, smell or taste anything.

Maybe that was a blessing in disguise as something told him that he would not really want to feel anything right at that moment.

He was aware of two things; the sound of the rushing waves and the voices of the people who, he could tell from the pitch of their voices, were gathered around him, at least no more than three to six feet away.

“Did anyone call for Mito Freecs?!” One person shouted.

“Yeah, but she’s not here yet.”

 “But the emergency team is here!”

“Thank goodness! We definitely won’t be able to deal with this here…”

In his fading consciousness, Gon heard those voices as though they were far away.

“Don’t worry, Gon, you’ll be okay.”

This new voice sounded closer.

“Just stay with me. Don’t fall asleep.”

What?

Gon tried to open his eyes but could not.

And what frightened him about everything happening in that moment was that he could not exactly recall where he was or what he had been doing prior to the appearance of so many people around him.

What…happened…?

Why…am I lying down…?

Ah…I feel so sleepy…

“Gon!” The same voice near him bore a hint of urgency. “Don’t fall asleep! Don’t—”

And then everything was not only black, but numb as well.

xxx

N.B.: Two weeks later… Location: Azian Special Hospital…

“I appreciate that you came to see Gon when I called,” the woman sitting near Gon's bedside said as Killua entered the hospital room.

Gon's friend had been there for two days so far and his presence had been a great help.

Seeing him talking and laughing with his sister was a pleasant distraction for the nerve-wracking time she had spent at that hospital—or maybe they were all helping to distract one another from what had happened.

“It’s no big deal. Where Gon is concerned, I will drop whatever I’m doing to come to him,” Killua replied.

“I still feel bad about interrupting your journey though. But I feel immensely grateful for your presence.”

“When you said that Gon was in the hospital, I thought that he needed my help, but I see that he has recovered already.” Killua, who had visible shadows under his eyes, looked to the bed where Gon lay. Apart from the bandages on his wrists, he looked as though he was merely sleeping. “Is he…really going to be okay, Mito-san?”

“Yes, apparently the Association he belongs to has very skilled Healers,” Mito replied. “That’s probably one of the few things that makes me happy about him being a Hunter.”

“What…?” This caught Killua’s interest.

A Healer?

“How serious were his injuries?” He asked robotically.

He almost did not want to know. Just thinking about Gon being hurt brought back the massive amount of pain he had felt a few months earlier when his friend had almost died.

Even being in that hospital room now and seeing him lying in the bed was a near traumatic experience for him. A reminder he did not want to be pulling at his heartstrings.

“Nii-chan…”

“…” Killua regarded Alluka who was now gently squeezing his hand. It was a comforting gesture, one that was aimed at helping him to feel better.

She had not yet let go of his hand since they returned to the hospital after he had taken her out for some fresh air and ice cream and the smile Killua gave her in response to this concern was reassuring, hoping to ease her worries at the growing disquiet she could sense in him.

Convinced that he was now okay, Alluka smiled and Killua felt his heart swell with joy. The happiness he felt whenever she looked at him was one that he never had to fake.

“Gon had a strange visitor a week ago,” Mito started to explain, her voice low. “A woman with lime-green hair who wore a long, light cloak and kept half her face covered. I probably wouldn’t have let such a suspicious person near Gon, but she radiated such a peaceful, comforting aura when she spoke to me.”

“What did she say?”

“She told me to not cry and that she was here to help him,” Mito replied with a smile. “And I have to admit that I fell for her words right away. Before she came to see him, his condition was very very bad, but afterwards…” She looked up at Killua. “To answer your earlier question, he had a major concussion and multiple broken bones. That woman was like an angel sent by the gods.”

“Oh?” Killua cocked his head to one side. “Tell me more about her.”

“Well…” Mito tapped her chin. “The woman was kinda young. Couldn’t be older than thirty. Seemed genuinely nice too. I was able to talk to her briefly before the blue-haired guy she was with said that I’d have to leave the room before they could conduct the procedure. He seemed anxious to get started and I didn’t want to keep Gon from getting the treatment that he needed so I left.”

“So, they were Association doctors, I suppose.”

“No, but they were Hunters,” Mito replied. “Showed me their Ids. The guy was Nicholas Takahashi and the woman…I’m not sure what her name was, since her badge only had “Hana” written on it.”

“That is weird,” Killua mumbled. “Why would Nicholas Takahashi be visiting Gon?”

“You know him?”

“Yeah.” Killua nodded. “He’s a bigshot Investigator with the Azian police. Always in the tabloids…the media loves him.”

“Maybe he’s one of the people Gon met while out looking for Ging.”

“Doubt it.”

“Then those two must be friends of Ging’s,” Mito concluded.

“Probably.”

 “As for the woman, while I waited in the corridor, the doctor explained to me that Association Healers were very busy people and that Gon was really lucky to get one to travel all the way to meet him. There was actually a waiting list of people who needed their help.” Mito paused for a bit, as though thinking back on that conversation. “He said that Ms Hana was going to give Gon some special medicine.”

“I wonder what ability she has,” Killua mumbled.

‘Medicine’, huh? What did she use?

A Nen-transmuted ointment?

Pills?

“By the time she was done and I was allowed to see him,” Mito went on, “Gon was looking a lot better and that wasn’t even five minutes later. He was still unconscious but I was grateful.” She bore a confused expression. “Imagine that…multiple broken bones and a major concussion in less than five minutes…”

“She worked that fast??” Killua's eyebrows shot up. “No wonder that woman is hard to get a hold of. She’s clearly a miracle worker…”

“Yes, that’s what the doctor said she was,” Mito replied. “When I asked grandma Abe about her, she only smiled. Took me a while for her to eventually tell me that there used to be a famous tribe by the name of Hana that specialized in healing but they’re no longer around. So it seems that ‘Hana’ is her surname and not her given name.” She sighed. “Anyways, I looked all over to thank her personally for what she did for Gon but she and her companion had already left.”

“So you want me to find her for you…?” Killua guessed. “It might be a bit hard, since Hunters generally don’t want to be found, but it can be done.”

I guess I can ask Milluki for a favor—

“I wouldn’t put you through that,” Mito said. “I don’t want to bother her either. There’s a reason why she hides her face and doesn’t use her real name. It won’t be right to go snooping into her affairs just to say thanks.”

“I guess.” Killua shrugged.

“What you can do for me though, is if you ever bump into someone with green hair who goes by the name ‘Hana’, you can tell them thanks for me.”

“Will do.” Killua nodded. “Gon is so fortunate to have good people around him.”

“Yes,” Mito agreed. “And she was quite a strange woman too. As soon as she held his hand and sat at his bedside, she started crying.”

“That really is strange,” Killua mumbled. “Maybe she is just an emotional one who hates to see people in pain.”

And now that I think more on it, if the Association has exorcists, then it isn’t odd to think that they’d have Healers.

Yes. Nen users who put all of their potential into developing healing abilities.

Seems like this person is like Alluka…although Nanika isn’t very good at healing.

“But I’m really thankful that the Association intervened when it did,” Mito went on. “Who knows what would have happened if he had gone to a regular hospital.”

“I’m happy that Gon is okay.”

“I know you are,” Mito said, smiling gently.

A comfortable silence enveloped them and as the setting sun bathed the room in a wash of warm orange light, Mito looked up at Killua. “I have another favour to ask of you.”

“What is it?” Killua asked without pause. “I’ll provide anything he needs.”

“Thanks for your interest and your friendship with Gon,” Mito started and as Killua gave her an odd look, she added, “This is just for a little while, but can you stay away from Gon until he rebuilds his life?”

“W-what…??” Mito had made her suggestion in a voice that was so soft that the meaning behind what she had said had caught Killua off-guard. He was expecting anything. Even a request for a financial loan or for him to run a major errand since she could not leave Gon's bedside, but…

Did he hear right? Or could it be that he was interpreting her words wrong?

“What do you mean by ‘stay away’?”

“The doctor said that there is a 99% chance that Gon would have amnesia when he wakes up, and that certain things may trigger his full memory to return,” Mito explained. “He was not sure about the extent of the potential amnesia, but…I wish I could pick what Gon forgets.”

“Huh?” Killua gave her a weird look.

“Maybe it’s selfish of me,” Mito said. “And probably I’m returning to my old ways of hiding things from him like I did with hiding the truth about Ging… but to be honest, I was a little happy when the doctor told me about his possible amnesia. I’m really sad that this accident had to happen, but I want to believe that it happened for a reason.”

A tear slid down her cheek and her voice broke as she went on, “The life of being a Hunter is dangerous. I want Gon to forget all about being a Hunter. That life has brought him nothing but pain.”

“So…” Killua took a deep breath in an attempt to stem the tide of pain rising in his heart. “You want me to stay away from Gon?”

“That’s unfair!”

“Not now, Alluka,” Killua said turning to his little sister. The anger on her face was palpable. “Gon—”

“Gon is your friend isn’t he??” She demanded. “Gon is our friend. We can’t just accept this!”

“We walked together! We went to so many places in town together!”

“We talked all night and played games!”

“Gon is nice! You can’t leave him! You can’t forget him!”

“Yes…” Killua's smile was pained. “But Gon's aunt knows what’s best for him.”

“But…!” Alluka puffed up her cheeks but then sighed at the sad, yet accepting look in her brother’s eyes. “But…If this is what brother wants then that’s fine.”

“Thanks.” Killua's hand found her hair, where he patted it lovingly. “I won’t be forgetting Gon, though. I promise.”

“Please don’t misunderstand me,” Mito said as she watched the two siblings conversing. “I’m sorry for calling you here then telling you something like this.” There was a sad look on her face and it seemed as though she was on the verge of more tears. “I just wanted you to see Gon before…you know…”

“Yeah.”

“But you can’t be here when he wakes up.”

“Did the doctor give an exact time for him to regain consciousness?” Killua asked.

“No, but the healer, before she helped him, said that it might take a month for him to wake up…said that it’s natural for people to sleep for a long time even after they’ve been healed. Apparently it’s their body’s way of getting over the trauma of the experience they had.”

“Oh.”

“So if she’s right,” Mito said. “Gon should be waking up in three weeks.”

“Then I’ll leave a week before he’s expected to wake up,” Killua conceded. “Before then, I’ll stick around, eat with him, talk to him and stuff. Talking to him while he sleeps might help him to not feel so lonely in that darkness. And Alluka and I won’t leave until my two weeks here are up—even if that request comes from you.”

“Thank you, Killua.”

“But I’ll have you know that you’re wrong about Gon,” Killua said boldly. “Sure, he’s experienced quite a lot of strife these past two years since he first set out to find Ging. Sure, 100 percent of that pain was caused by being a Hunter but that’s natural in our lifestyle. The life of being a Hunter isn’t easy. Many people have died, some have gone mad, but Gon became stronger because of it. He also found himself.”

“And he made some great friends!”

Killua pulled Alluka closer to his side in a little hug. “He sure did.” He turned back to Mito. “But since you want Gon to recover, I’ll respect your wishes one hundred percent because I know that he will overcome this. He will get his memory back.”

Mito looked back to the bed where Gon lay and smiled softly. “I’m sure he will…” She could not find it in her heart to say that he would get his memories back. “I’m sure that Gon will recover.”

xxx

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A/N: Nicholas Takahashi is an OC from UxD. You'll find out more about him and the mystery woman, also why she was cryng when that story returns...

NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW: A CAREER CHANGE

Chapter Text

Content Dictionary

Thoughts

xxx: End of a section

[[Sound]]

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"Memory of a conversation."

.

"Heh." or Heh: A laugh

"Hah..." An audible / thorough exhale

.•.

.•.

.•.

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N.B.: Present; Location: Whale Island Harbor… Time: Late morning⏰

.•.  

HE RAGE OF THE SUN beat down upon the harbor, searing its occupants as the cool breeze rocked the boats, causing their hulls to bob in a slow dance whilst their sails fluttered and ballooned.

"Gon Freecss?"

"Yes. That's what I said, Hisoka replied with his usual fake smile plastered to his face.

Did I stutter?

He did not add that part though. If he wanted to find out where Gon lived and appear to be as amiable as possible, he had to be nice to these islanders.

The man, an aged gentleman who was once an accomplished fisherman, studied Hisoka boldly. In his past career, he was used to dealing with many different types of people from all walks of life, so he had become quite good at reading a person's character and intentions.

And right at that moment, this stranger, although he continued to watch him for a long time without responding to his question, merely smiled and waited patiently for an answer.

This could mean that the tall redhead was a decent person, but he strongly doubted that such was the case. Sure, not crumbling under the searching stare of another could mean that he was faultless. But it could also mean that he was so used to falsehood, pretense and deception that he was well-adapted to putting on a farce.

Something about this guy doesn't sit right with me.

But I just can't quite tell what it is…

Wouldn't the first thing one would do is introduce themselves? He just walks up to me and asks about the Freecss boy. He was polite enough but he's acting as though he's privy to any information concerning Mito's kid.

Yeah. I really don't like this dude.

Is he a friend of Gon?

Nah. He's a little too sketchy.

But then...Gon makes friends with just about anyone...

"..." Eventually he stopped trying to analyze the strange redhead and brought one hand up to twirl at the curled edge of his white mustache. "What business do you have with that child?"

"We're friends~" Hisoka said cheerily in response to that gruff question. "And you know, we have some catching up to do~"

"..." The old man narrowed his glare further. Yeah right, you creep.

"So are you going to tell me how to get to his place or not? ~" Hisoka could feel it; he was starting to get anxious. It had been such a long time since he had seen Gon and here was this overly wary old man watching him as though he was planning something horrible.

Actually...~

Yeah, he was totally planning something horrible, something that involved both himself and Gon lying in bed together but...

His gaze flicked to the other as the silence stretched between them.

I don't appreciate being judged for my tastes~

"You know," the old man started, "If you really were Gon's friend, you'd have at least known where he lives. Additionally, Gon makes it a habit of meeting anyone who visits him by coming out—" he illustrated his statement by pointing downwards at the wooden planks that lined the protrusion they were standing on, "—right here. He always makes the journey here to meet them and head inland together."

"Well...~" Hisoka tried to not let his urge to kill the man show on his face. As a result, his smile was friendlier and his eyes remained as little slits. "This visit is a surprise~" His hand waved eloquently at the beautiful bobbing expanse of ocean behind them. "Can't a friend desire to surprise another? ~"

"Then call him and tell him that you're here," the old fisherman retorted. "That would be 'surprise' enough. We're a small island of folks who consider each other family. I don't know how you rascals do it in the big city, but it's impolite to just show up in front of someone's house." He frowned, looking over Hisoka's obviously expensive outfit. It was a simple ensemble of khaki pants, and white shirt, but they were name brand pieces and new. His hair was overly well kempt and he even had a manicure. What was a guy like this doing visiting Gon?

"I've known Mito-chan since she was a baby," he continued, "and she's not the type to like surprises. Even if you're there to visit Gon, you're grossly impolite to just drop in on her and expect to be well received. She likes to be prepared for guests."

"...~" Hisoka's irritation was starting to show on his face. After all, it was a very hot day and standing on a rotten pier exchanging words with an old man was not how he was hoping to spend the better half of an hour.

When he had made the decision to take the trip to Gon's home island after finding out that Gon had returned home following the Chimera Ant attack, he was hoping to just ask around a little and get to Gon's house in no time.

And then after getting to his house, he intended to put forth his most presentable self to his aunt and steal him away.

But...if all the Islanders here are as suspicious as this old fart, I can imagine how protective that Mito is of Gon-chan~

"I'm not going to tell you where Gon lives, that's for sure," the man finished, spitting on the ground. His tone was stern, showing that he was not open to discussing this decision. "I'll have you know that his aunt doesn't play nice, so you're welcome to ask around until someone eventually tells you something useful, but if you got bad intentions or you're one of those Hunter-people who works with the government, I suggest you get back on that boat and return to wherever the hence you came."

With that, he walked off, and Hisoka watched him go, debating momentarily whether to kill him now or later.

"..." His hands itched. The temptation to spill the old man's blood was strong.

Yes…it's been a little while since I've killed~

He clenched his fist.

No. His golden eyes swept over the harbor; sly and calculating. There's too many people around~

Even if they don't see it happening, the sudden appearance of a stranger and the murder of a local would rouse too much suspicion~

It already seems as though this place hardly gets visitors, other than merchants and sailors.

So I'll have to be good until I can find Gon.

Then I'll make things bad for him~

"Heh~" Hisoka turned and walked back to the merchant boat he had smuggled a ride into the Island's harbor with.

He walked elegantly, unaware that it was this very nature of his that made the islanders so suspicious of him. He was so neatly dressed, so poised and handsome that he stuck out like a perfectly untouched grape in a bunch of rotten and infected ones.

It was not that everyone on the island looked bad; it was just that a stranger, appearing as though he was a wealthy and eccentric city slicker, had suddenly appeared on their island after hitching a ride with a merchant ship of all things.

And as the old man had stated, Whale Island residents were close knit and looked out for one another.

"...🎵~ " With a hop in his step and a song in his heart, Hisoka hummed as he meandered his way through the crowd of sweaty laborers and sailors who were busily unpacking merchandise and carrying it off the ship.

He had already forgotten his anger at the old man's attitude.

Hisoka was not the type to hold a grudge for long. The way he dealt with people that bothered him was to either kill that person right away, make a plan to kill them later, or forget about them.

And besides, the guy had told him some truly valuable information without meaning to.

.

"I'll have you know that his aunt doesn't play nice, so you're welcome to ask around until someone eventually tells you something useful, but if you got bad intentions or you're one of those Hunter-people who works with the government, I suggest you get back on that boat and return to wherever the hence you came."

.

So this Mito lady is just as much a spitfire as Gon is~

No surprise there~

Which means, I got to tread carefully. Playing nice like I initially planned, won't get me my boy toy. I got to think of something else.

Either that or just bypass her completely and steal Gon away. If I can get through to him, he's hard-headed enough to make her let him go without trouble.

That way, Gon would do all the troublesome work for me~

That would be so delightful~~~ I just love it when prey walks right into my hands~ ♥

"Hm~~" Hisoka chuckled internally then stopped to focus his gaze on the one he had been looking for aboard the ship.

He was a tall blonde man who had seemed rather friendly so far and Hisoka knew that if he played his cards right that he would get the information he was after from him.

"Hah~ Hot day isn't it? ~" Hisoka cooed, looking down at the worker before him. "Do you come here a lot? ~"

At the sound of that familiar voice, the young worker, appearing to be in his early or mid-twenties, looked up.

"...?" Abandoning his task of packing out heavy bags of spice into another crate, he straightened up and shaded his eyes to get a better view of the one who was attempting to converse with him.

"Hey." He nodded when he recognized the redhead, the one whom he had convinced the captain to take on board for a ride to Whale Island.

"Sure we come here all the time," he replied with a kind smile that caused the sun squints at the sides of his green eyes to lengthen. "We come here about once a month to collect spice. There are other merchants that visit more regularly though, especially those that are responsible for gathering the fishing bounties from the local fishermen."

"I see." Hisoka tapped his chin. "Are you familiar with a lot of the residents here? ~"

"I am." He nodded. "It's hard not to know everyone when the island is this small." A laugh bubbled past his lips. "There's nothing here but sailors, merchants, a few residents, wildlife and bush."

"Heh~" Hisoka was smirking now. This guy was very different from the rude old man he had met a few minutes earlier. "Would you happen to know someone by the name of Gon Freecss? ~"

"Is he the one you came all the way from Azian to see?"

"Why yes, he is~" Hisoka replied. "So do you know him?"

"Oh, yes. Everyone knows who Gon is. He's very well known around this area. Loves to fish, so he's always around these parts." With arm outstretched, he pointed to a specific spot, far to the end of the rocky seashore. "Likes to sit on any one of those rocks over there and cast his line out into the sea."

"Hm." Hisoka smiled internally. Finally. Progress~ "Ok, so if I just hang around 'these parts', I'll bump into him?"

"No." A flash of worry crossed his features and the young man shook his head before he looked away to grab and heft one of the huge spice bags over his shoulder.

He turned and headed back into the bowels of the boat.

"And why is that?" Hisoka followed him as he walked, his heeled boots clicking against the worn floorboards.

"Was in an accident."

"Oh?" Hisoka frowned.

I didn't hear about that.

Is he referring to the accident Illumi told me about before with the Chimera Ants?

Or was there another one?

Before Hisoka could ask, the young man went on, "My name's Jean by the way."

"Hm~" Hisoka nodded without offering his name in exchange.

"I heard you asking about him back there." The stairs they descended led them down into the belly of the boat—a large space that was filled with crates and sacks of spices.

They were in the storage area below deck and the blonde dropped the bag he was carrying on top the others that were neatly lined up against the wall and turned to look at Hisoka.

"Hah..." He huffed and wiped the trickle of sweat from his forehead. "The people here won't talk to anyone outside about him."

"Is that so? ~" Hisoka watched Jean sit on one of the bags and followed suit. "Is it connected to his accident?" he paused, feeling compelled to ask, "Did he recover?"

"Heh." Jean laughed. "He's quite hardy you know. I grew up here on this island before I went away and I know his aunt. We were two of the few kids living here. Just like Gon is one of only two kids around his age here. Despite that, he’s not discouraged at all. That boy is something else. He's just like his dad."

"So I've heard~"

"He'd never be held up for too long. It's just that this time, his situation is a bit…complicated."

"Hm?"

"How can I say this…" Jean paused for a moment, his handsome, rugged face twisted in thought as a cool breeze, coming in from the ocean, wafted in through the open windows to rustle his blonde hair. "His aunt has always been protective of him but after Gon returned from his little adventures last year, she eased up quite a bit. Things were going good for him I suppose, but unfortunately, Gon fell off a cliff not long after he'd been back."

"A…cliff? ~" Hisoka raised a slim eyebrow. "What…"

"Yeah. It's really weird. I heard that at the time, he had been trying to find the Hunters' License that he'd misplaced when the accident happened. No one really knows what took place because that boy knows this entire island like the back of his hand."

"Hm...~"

"My theory is that the hurricanes that have been hitting the island recently, weakened the roots that were holding the soil together," Jean explained. "And with the thick underbrush near the cliff's edge that had been eroded away, it was hard to see that the ground was not solid enough to walk on."

"What happened afterwards? ~" Hisoka prompted, finding himself intrigued by the other man's story now.

"He was flown out to the Azian continent for surgery. Thankfully it was a success."

"How long ago was that?"

"Hm…maybe 3…no 4 months ago?" Jean leaned back. "He's back from the hospital now, but he's on lockdown. And that's why the villagers have been so secretive about him. His aunt is adamant that him getting into the whole Hunter business has been a curse. He went searching for his absentee father and ended up doing a lot of dangerous things. Now after trying to live peacefully, the same Hunter License gets him in trouble. She wants him to live a normal life and she especially doesn't want him near Hunters."

"Interesting…~" Hisoka nodded. "But that must be hard to accomplish with such an excitable boy as Gon. He'd never let himself be tied down easily."

"Not really," Jean replied. "The result of his accident is that he has amnesia, so he doesn't remember most of the things he used to like."

"That's a pity~"

"But, I can tell that he does long for it."

"Why's that? ~"

"Sometimes when I'm here on the harbor, I spot him out and about, looking at the merchants come and go. Mito's made a name for herself. When Gon had left to take the Hunters' Exam, during the time he was away, she worked hard and started a small trade business. She singlehandedly changed the way things work around here. Everyone on the island and nearby trading ports knows and trusts the Freecss so it wasn't hard to get their support, but it did take a lot of discipline and hard work. And now Whale Island is no longer only known for its fish exports. Now it attracts merchants from all over the world so I get to see her occasionally." He smiled in reminiscence, but it was brief as a frown took its place. "But I don't like what she's doing with Gon. His memory's gone, but his heart still longs for adventure. It's in his eyes, so he looks like a caged bird most of the time—like his real self is asleep inside him somewhere."

"Seems like Sleeping Beauty needs his Prince to come save him~"

"What..."

"Heh~" Hisoka laughed at the confused look Jean was giving him then explained, "Sleeping Beauty is a fairytale about a young girl who falls into a slumber and was only able to be saved by her Prince's intervention. What I'm saying is that this is something that shouldn't be happening to Gon and he needs to be saved~"

"Yeah." Jean got up and went over to break open one of the crates stacked near the porthole. "As much as I think that Mito is cute and hardworking, she needs to let the boy live his life."

Taking out two wine bottles, he walked back to Hisoka and handed him one."

"Thanks~ Hisoka said as he accepted the bottle and popped it open as Jean reclaimed his spot next to him.

[[Psssssh]]

The bottle hissed with a bit of froth escaping its opening and he knocked it to Jean's then tipped back his head and took a swig. It was red wine and had a smooth, slightly sweet and tart flavor. And being that it was kept down in the cool hollow of the boat, it was not as unpleasantly hot as the day was.

Good stuff~ Hisoka noted appreciatively, taking another large sip. 

Right then, he felt as if he had something to celebrate.

Once again, his fruit had beaten death and shown that it was worth the effort to be chasing after him. 

Ah my little Gon-kun~~~

"Gon can only remember the people he's spent the most time with," Jean said quietly. "And by 'most', I mean more than five years, so his memory is essentially reset to before he caught the Swamp Master. He does not remember becoming a Hunter or anything. He probably remembers his dream to set out and find his father, but that is debatable..."

"...~" Latching on to a phrase from Jean's statement, Hisoka paused mid-sip. "What's a Swamp Master…?"

"It's a huge, rugged and powerful fish around these parts that no one other than Gon and his dad has caught," Jean explained. "It has snapped many fishing lines and is a pro at escaping the fishermen's nets. One needs to have superhuman strength, a strong fishing line and spirit to handle that creature. Gon camped out for days just to catch it and then brought that giant thing all the way back to the market for his aunt to see."

"Gon is a special boy~"

"He is, but it's a pity he doesn't remember his trials of becoming a Hunter," Jean said. "He used to tell me of his adventures whenever he came out here to fish and my boat was docked."

Hisoka smiled.

So that's what it is, hm?

Memory loss and a certain troublesome and controlling family member, hm?

I came here expecting to find a cute boy to play with but…Seems like I'm going to have to spend some time with my in-laws to be. Sounds like fun. It's time to change my plans and play around in his aunt's little game instead.

For now~

Heh~

Sounds like fun.

He turned to the other man. "Would you tell me more stories of Gon's adventures? ~"

"Of course." Jean nodded. "I've got a lot. His aunt complains to me about all the things he still manages to get himself tangled up in on the island. And I’m done with work for now so if you’re in no hurry we can drink and talk.”

"...~" Hisoka reached into the pocket of his neatly pressed khakis and took out a small but fat brown envelope. Balancing his wine bottle in the crook of one arm, he reached in and took out some paper notes. But then, as though changing his mind, he pushed them back into the envelope and shoved the envelope back into his pocket. He then took out what looked like a small chequebook and a gold tone pen from his shirt pocket.

“What’s your surname?”

“Ah…it’s Morales…” Jean responded automatically before he realized what Hisoka was doing. “Wait…are you writing me a cheque?”

Hisoka said nothing and once he was done filling out the cheque, he tore out the page and handed it to Jean.

"What is this for?" Jean asked as he took the cheque from Hisoka. "What???” He gasped. “Why are you giving me this??  Why are there so many zeroes?! Sure, the wine is expensive, but it was a gift…This is way too much...I can't accept—"

"I wasn't offering, I'm giving it to you~" Hisoka said in a tone that said that he was not going to accept any refusal. "It's thanks for your hospitality. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be on this island right now~"

“What’s the matter? You don’t have a bank account? ~”

"Ah...no…I mean, yes I do but—" Jean looked back to Hisoka with a shocked expression. "Th-this is...a cheque for over two million Jennies...who walks around with the intent to give people that kind of money??"

"I do.” Hisoka paused. “But only to people who give me what I want. Is there a problem? ~"

"I'm...really surprised...I…uh helped you…out because it was the right thing to do, not because I was expecting something…" Jean fumbled over his words. "I mean...You're too kind..."

"I'm not kind at all~" Hisoka replied honestly. "I just know how to reward someone who's treated me well~"

"Thanks..."

"Heh~" Hisoka eyed the young man's spaced out expression briefly before asking, "Do you know anyone here that might want to sell their boat?"

"Who's asking?"

"Me~"

"Seriously…" Jean frowned. How much money does this guy have?! "Merchant boats aren't cheap, you know. If one is being sold to you, you’ll have to purchase all its stock and probably hire the crew if they want to work for you."

"I'm aware of that~ I’ll have to write another cheque though…~" At the other's skeptical glance, Hisoka grinned. "My reason for asking is because I'm contemplating a career change~"

"Oh...?" Jean raised both brows. "Is that so?"

"Mmhm~" Hisoka nodded, pausing briefly to take a drink from his now half-empty wine bottle. "After your little story about my wild-haired acquaintance, I feel like I can do anything." He thought of Gon's angelic smile as he said this. "Gon has that kind of effect on people~"

Seeing that Hisoka was serious about his intention, Jean smiled as he informed him, "In that case, you've arrived on this island at the right time. The other spice merchant—" he pointed to their right, where the porthole showed the bright blue cloudless sky and the sea gulls shrieking in the distance "—the boat anchored next to this one belongs to an old Spice Merchant. Today might very well be his last day of trading so you're in luck, friend. He's been talking about retiring and I can put in a good word for you to acquire his boat and crew."

"Oh, yes~~That would be just spectacular~" Hisoka gave him a wide smile. "Lucky me~"

xxx

My TWITTER

Next Chapter Title: Peek

Next Chapter Teaser: Gon sees the mysterious merchant lingering around the dock and senses that there is more to him than meets the eye. Why can't he look away from him? Why does he feel terribly drawn to his light? And why does he keep getting this weird feeling that he had seen him somewhere before...?

A/N:

-1 Ah so the story is coming together! After Gon's accident, Mito has been attempting to keep Gon in the dark about his past and what he is, but Hisoka's arrival is about to turn all her intentions upside down. She managed to chase Killua away and Killua agreed to not contact Gon as this was for his own benefit, but Hisoka is not so easy to get rid of.

b. In UxD, Hisoka was wandering about prior to meeting Gon while on his way to YorkShin to meet up with Dawn. You can consider this story as the alternate to that wandering period. As mentioned, Gon's accident changed everything up but as fate would have it, he still can't escape Hisoka, even when he has amnesia.

-2 Lol...In his thoughts, Hisoka was referring to Mito as his future in-law not because he plans to marry Gon, but because he's after Gon's virginity and he's joking about the custom of a sheltered girl being deflowered on her wedding night to draw a comparison to the way Mito is sheltering Gon and how when he's taken his virginity, it would be as though he's family. Yes, Hisoka is a jerk but I love that about him xD

-3 Gotta buy that boat to get your uke, right? Lol

-4 In the next chapter, the story will now continue from its old story line but I need to edit those old chapters before I post them again.

Thanks for reading and being interested in this and see you in another update!