Chapter Text
Riley being dragged by gon to places around the airship, he still haven't seen any sight of brook. Unfortunately
"So where do we go first?" Gon asked killua they did walk around the air ship but they didn't have a specific location
It was getting dark and they have been snooping in places for quite a while
They entered the kitchen looking to get food though there's also food in the dining area but someone said 'It's more fun this way' I mean a little fun won't hurt while trying to find brook he'll try having fun too
So even if he knows what's gonna happen he'll at least try to have fun
Of course gon and killua were kicked out but before the cook can grab Riley he tried to give his excuse
"Someone told me I can get pretzels here"
It was a lie and the cook looked at him with doubt in his eyes but took a plate and placed a dozen pretzels on top
"Here, now leave and tell your friends to stop disturbing the chefs"
Oh now Riley feels really bad lying to him riley hated tricksters and liars yet here he is lying, he really gave him pretzels he'll atleast return the plate "Of course, I'll tell them that. Thanks for the pretzels" Riley left keeping up with gon and killua
"Woah pretzels!" Gon beamed "Where'd you get those?"
Pointing back at the kitchen door "Someone gave it to me, he said to stop disturbing the chefs"
"Wow lucky, Can I have one?" Riley handed killua a pretzel it was a slightly small pretzel than the others but we don't talk about that "Sure, here you go"
"Ah. Look" gon said running fast to get a closer look through the window
"Wow"
Riley looked at the shiny lights from the far away buildings and boi does those electricity bills look expensive and for some reason in this moment nothing seemed to worry him, unusual
He wanted to concentrate on the conversation specially now he knows deep inside that if he f-ck up this scene the friendship he thinks he has with them might me over. Nevertheless for some reason it was okay to riley it's okay for this to happen
He didn't wanna worry for the future now, not now. He'll enjoy every moment of this life for sure or at least he'll try his best even if he regrets it the next second
A part of the window got a little foggy which caught rileys attention, He drew a mini gon and killua with gon having puppy ears and killua having cat ones he didn't forget to add brook too of course. Riley is pretty satisfied with his work of art he listened back in the conversation
"When I told them "I'll decide my own future" They all got mad. My mother started sobbing telling me I had a gift for this job..." Killua showed an irritated face while talking about his family then turned into a slight smile when he told about him stabbing her mother and successfully running away "If I become a hunter, the first thing I'll do is arrest my family. I'm certain they have a huge bounty on their head" He seemed to shine while revealing his future plan, gon laughed hesitantly
"True True but what if we try to convince some other newbie hunters or mercenaries to try capture them then if many fail maybe the bounty will be a little higher. Doubt it'll work though" Riley gave a light suggestion with a slight evil smile and killua gave him an 'That might work look' and they both lightly laughed menacingly while gon sweat-dropped looking at them both
Suddenly a frightening feeling was felt by the three of them which causes riley to throw the plate but remembering the show he accidentally threw it to where netero shows up, he didn't expect this since netero arrived in just a split second he didn't expect to be greeted by a plate he caught it preventing it from falling and placed it near a table and looked back
"Is everything alright? I was just passing by you seemed to be quite alarmed" Netero questioned seemingly not knowing anything
"Sir Netero. Didn't you have a sensation someone was closing in from there" gon pointed at the direction the sensation came from
Killua looked at the Chairman and a conclusion came to his mind
"Your pretty fast for an old man" Killua stated
"You think? I was walking without haste." They both stared at each other, gon questioning the sudden change of feel on the room and Riley on the side only worrying about the plate
"What do you want? got nothing to do until the finals?" Killua asked not really looking for an answer
"I was bored I was looking for someone to play a game with. And you" The chairman looked at riley causing him to stop worrying over the plate "That badge...that's a number '6' right" Both gon and killua looked at the badge and they're sure it's a number '9'
"Yes, yes it is I was actually was hoping to maybe meet the original number '9' and maybe tell them 'what a coincidence, right?' and maybe that moment will stay in his mind forever" Riley didn't miss the opportunity to tell what his 'expectation' was "but I didn't get the opportunity too, maybe next time if I'll retake the exam and get the same badge again or something similar" This story was a lie and he really just wanted to maybe not get hunted on the part where they need to hunt each others badges you know just in case he got that far in the hunter exam. It's an early investment
"Hoho, Is that so." Riley seemed a little nervous at the sudden pause "Well Mr. Satotz is looking for you" Netero stated
"???" Why so, Riley wanted to ask yet he didn't prod further. He just gave a look questioning where should he go too to meet mr. satotz. Chairman Netero ignored his questioning look and instead asked a question himself
"It's your first time participating in the hunter exam, Right? How'd you like it so far" Netero said changing the topic
"Me, I'm disappointed. I thought it'll be a lot harder" Killua said and the mood of the room changed again, Riley is now considering if he should just quietly walk away and find mr. satotz with no help or directions "Will the next test be difficult"
"You'll see" Netero said which made Killua irritated by the reply "Riley, Gon. Let's go" with that said they started walking away
"If you win you'll receive a hunter license" It made them pause
Long story short Riley left to look for mr. satotz while gon and killua went to play a game with Chairman Netero
Riley enjoyed eating pretzels with gon and killua or at least as long as it lasted. He searched for mr. satotz hastefully but making sure this time the plate is safe since riley still got to return it
Without noticing he bumped into someone
"I'm So Sorry" Riley said a few moments after he felt the impact he paused for a moment he didn't expect to meet this person specially him not wearing his disguise
...
Illumi decided to clean his needles specially since he'd been wearing them since phase one but also since hisoka has been complaining for cleanliness and considering they're on a airship with washrooms cleaning them where easy but he really didn't expect someone to suddenly appear since he didn't notice anyones presence
"...Hi" Said the black haired short kid "You've been spacing out a bit, are you ok? I'll get you a glass of water" 'The kid' Riley said making it an excuse to leave but Illumi isn't a mind reader how would he know what's running through the kids mind. He was looking up maybe trying to make eye contact for the conversation but either way it made him look more short
"Hmm. You're short maybe that's why I didn't notice you?" The kid made the most shocked face I've ever seen even when assassinating someone they weren't this shocked. I decided to emphasize it more I reached down he seemed wary so I quickly touched his head keeping him in place and placed my other hand about my head "You see you're short. I needed to crouch a little to touch your head cause you're short"
"???" Illumi decided to just leave since the kid seemed to still be processing that he's really short and It was a nice timing that he removed his badge while changing clothes and cleaning the needles or else he might have to kill him when he wouldn't even get payed for it
...
Riley stood their for a while till he finally moved his hand and reached the top of his head
"Am I that short. I am just as tall as killua and gon, Is it the hair?"
How great a new insecurity is unlocked
Riley didn't think of how weird the conversation was but if a assassin who takes his job seriously and might kill you just be seeing him and he stopped to tell you your short it might be true. Your just short
Soon Riley took a deep breath to compose himself and kept walking 'Don't think about it, it's only one person that said you're short it's like a grain of sand in the world where everyone have different opinions. You're not that short even if you are'
In just a few seconds he saw who he was looking for
"Mr. Satotz!" Hearing someone calling him he seemed to turn to look and he was holding something that Riley recognized "...brook"
"There you are I believe this is yours." Riley nodded slowly and reached out for brook to be handed to him "I found it on the kitchen counter from the previous phase"
"Thank you so much. I really thought I lost brook for good"
Satotz seemed to show a smile even without a mouth you know the eye smile. Satotz didn't dare to mention that they opened the book and took a look he might think it's a huge invasion of privacy which it is, let's just say satotz decide to keep his mouth shut for now but satotz do have more curiosity now for this hunter exam examinee. Satotz left since he finally gave the book back to it's owner
...
Riley walked for a while to return the plate to the dining area
He squished the plate at one of brooks pages for protection but now he can't seem to find it, he knows it's still there he can feel its weight, riley flipped the pages he won't be surprised if something strange happens he won't even question it he just needed to find the plate then he can be done here and sure he did. It turned to a drawing a plate kinda small but heavy, seriously? I mean it looks nice and its not that obvious but it's still heavy. Riley took the plate out gave it to the canteen lady and left to see if he can find a cozy spot to sleep but he also wanted to see what's gon and killua are doing yes riley knows they played that ball game with the chairman but Riley can give a little of his sleep time to maybe have a look and have a few more minutes of reduced sleep
He went back to the path he took before and lucky him he saw killua with a few dead bodies on the side, killua was shooked he was there and seemed a little hesitant to move
"Are they really dead?" Riley came closer to the bodies
"Yes b-but they're really shitty people" killua seemed to regret killing them now
"Well good, gives me an excuse to do this" Riley touched the dead bodies pockets
"W-what are you doing" killua watched as riley took their wallets and took the jenny
"Pfft I-i thought you were doing something else" killua covering his mouth he locked like that one purple cat from wonderland but this time white haired
"Huh? What do you mean by that???" Riley looked at the bodies while talking should he consider if he can fit it in brook and maybe like sell them parts he really need to figure out how to make money one way or another
"Nothing nothing, You know I really don't like that chairman guy" killua walked putting his arms on his head "Hmm Hmm" Riley shoved them to brooks pages they were quit heavy but at least brook is easy to hold since he's rectangle shaped and the books texture is brook like not some cold body, this is confusing tho how can he nor carry the pig on the earlier phase but can carry this is there like a system of weight riley doesn't know about anyway that's not the important questions right now
"Do you think I'm short?" killua stopped on his steps and looked back
"...I mean you're shorter than me so yes"
'ok so two people think I'm short that's okay, it might really just be the hair'
"Wait you know axolotls...is technically immortal"
"What-"
Safe to say riley didn't get a wink pf sleep
...
Arriving at the trick tower Riley really felt like he didn't sleep enough last night, holding brook when trying too it was a little heavy to easily carry now but Riley is slowing adjusting to it
Riley wanted to chill with gon and killua so he stood there for a moment looking for them he took one step to better his search since not many people fell from the tiles yet so they're quit plenty applicants yet the moment his shoe touched the tile it seemed unstable and he...fell
'PLOT WHY????'