The darkness feels nice along my skin. Smooth and unbothered. I feel nothing but rest and it's nice, but it doesn't last long. A water drop from a leaf falls into a river and causes a ripple effect. No. I don't want to be here. But I'm already a young girl again. My feet are bruised because the woman I thought was my mother beats them. I don't know what I've done to offend her. One day my pet monkey Dari goes missing, and my fake mother tells me she cooked 'the beast' for dinner since we were running out of food. I can't get the taste of the rice and honey I get from school out of my mouth. Mama signs me up for experiments with doctors so we can afford food.

I feel their needles tap at my spine before they break my flat feet and straighten them. 'We'll give you the feet and eyes of angels' they said. My flesh swells from the medication and make my bones feel like shattered glass.

Wake up. Wake up. It's just a dream, I tell myself, yet I can't wake because my father isn't home yet. Does he know what mama does to me? Does he care? I miss when he would take me swimming and I'd see silverfish that shined like little moons in the water. My skin is patchy, my hair falls out, my eyes itch and turn a muddy hazel. They string a metal corset around my chest.

As my body's remade I wonder if pain is what makes beauty and love possible. I go to school in my metal corset and the other kids stay away from as if I'm an infection. The only thing left that touches me are books. My teacher brings some in for me. Like Water for Chocolate. The Bluest Eye. The Borrowers. Harry Potter. I pretend I am the words I read, magical and understood.

One day a young man approaches me by the river as I wash clothes. Big brown puppy eyes, messy hair, baggy clothes. Ging. He was wounded on his side. He's on the run from one of the local gangs. He tells me he's a hunter exploring the Dark Continent. I dress his wound and sit with him for a while. He tells me about his home, Whale Island, the fisherman's port. I continue to run into him around the village: the market, school, paths through the jungle. I don't know why he's here with me, but the more I talk to him, the less I care.

He tells me about stars, mythology, combat, life outside The Dark Continent. He teaches me how to fight starting with a fishing pole, bamboo rods, then with knives. I feel powerful for the first time. I go home less. Mama yells at me to stay away from whatever keeping me out, burns me when I don't listen. The last time she hits me I fight back and win, beat her within an inch of her life. Ging tells me to stay with him, removes the metal corset and kisses my scars. My skin feels like brick, but he kisses me like I'm made of flowers.

*

I wake up gasping for air like I've been underwater. Another nightmare. The ground beneath me sways from side to side. On my hands and knees, my head is pounding. I look around and notice that I'm in a metal cage. There's a young woman in the corner staring and reaching out to me. "Are you okay?" she asks. I flinch back and wait for my vision to clear. It smells like manure. There's hay on the floor. Is this an animal cage? Fuck, my head. I touch a knot that feels swollen and bruised on the top of my head and find blood on my fingers.

"Take it easy. It looks like they hit you pretty hard."

I look up at her and see a lean, girlish body, pink doe eyes and a long blonde ponytail. She wears a pink 19th century style dress with a wide blossoming base. Honestly, she looks like a porcelain doll. "Name's Bisky," she says.

"Oby," I mutter, "Where are we?"

"They're keeping us in the room where they stash the animals."

I look outside the cage and notice a room of wambari and listen to the deep chirping sounds they make. Our cage is next to one with a mother and two of her hatchlings. She's massive. Bigger than a horse. I wonder how the men control them since these animals don't look easy to take down. They still have the bodies of jaguars and heads of eagles with talons for feet that I remember. But everything on them looks mutated like they've been fed steroids. Huge pointy ears, fangs almost as long as their necks, clipped talons, and chains around their beautiful golden feathers. There are a few rips and sores along their fur from where the poachers must've tortured them.

"How'd you get here?" I ask.

"I was in the middle of training two pupils of mine on how to ride the wambari when the one I was flying was shot out of the sky. I was able to shroud myself in nen so I didn't fall to my death, but I saw a few of the poachers trying to round up a group of the animals. I fought them all long enough to free most of the wambari from the trucks they were in, but eventually I was shot with a tranquilizer dart. Must've been one of the men coming back from using the bathroom. I was captured only a few hours before you. Pretty sure they plan to torture us for information."

"Yea, I get that," I say cradling the wounded part of my head.

Bisky points at my injury. "I can heal that if you want."

I stare at her for a moment, wondering if what she says is true and if she has anything to gain by lying to me. But with the blood loss and drowsiness I feel, what do I have to lose? "Sure."

Bisky crawls near me and summons her nen ability, which looks like a masseuse with long pink hair. The woman takes my dreads down and massages lotion into my scalp. Once she begins rubbing, the pain melts away. I ask Bisky about herself and she tells me she's a double-star stone hunter interested in rare gems. I reveal that I'm a blacklist hunter searching for Mattheo, the head of poaching operations here. After a few minutes the knot, dizziness, and pounding from before all dissolve and I feel refreshed. Even my thoughts become clearer. The lotion she used must be enhanced with nen.

"Thanks," I say rubbing my head when she's done. My hair now smells like bubblegum.

The pink haired lady disappears and Bisky smiles at me. "No problem. Now we can focus on getting out of here."

I look to see how many guards are here. Four. There are about 16 cages with wambari. We use our nen to try to break through the cage, but the bars are protected by a stronger aura. "We'll have to wait for the guards to come get us," I say. "There's a chance they'll isolate us during interrogation. So we'll just have to get past whoever's in the room."

"But we don't know the layout of the rest of the building. Or where the alarms are or how much security there is."

"We'll have to take our chances. They'll likely try to kill us whether or not we give them answers."

Bisky rubs her chin. "If my students are as noble as I think they are, they're likely trying to infiltrate as we speak. But if they don't show up in time we should find a way to get to the roof. All security is on the ground so we won't have to worry about fighting anyone. From there we'll escape by jumping through the trees."

"It might be nice to have some cover though," I respond, "the guards will shoot at us the first chance they get. We should free the wambari."

Bisky shakes her head. "That would be hitting two birds with one stone, but there won't be enough time."

"Even releasing a few of them from their cages would be enough to distract the guards while we free the rest."

"This might work if help is on the way," she sighs, "Fine. Let's do i—"

The door unlocks behind us and a few guards come to pick us up. They tie our hands in front of us and push us along the dingy dimly lit room. Bisky's hands are hung up on a hook by a rope and she's lifted into mid-air. They tear off her dress, leaving her long scrawny body exposed in just a white a bra and panties. Two guards remove small dead monkeys from buckets then splash blood all over Bisky. She gasps and shuts her eyes as everything from her hair to her feet is stained crimson. I'm also stripped down to my underwear but then forced to sit in a wooden chair.

A soft, deep voice comes from behind us. "I heard you've been looking for me."

A man with sun-tanned skin, auburn eyes, slicked back dirty blonde hair sits opposite of me. Average height, muscular build, white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. An exact replica of the picture I was given to track him down with. Not hard on the eyes at all.

"My employer's looking for you," I respond.

"And who would they be?"

"You'll find out when you meet them."

He smiles faintly and stares at me as if he's seen me somewhere before. "Your name's Oby right?"

How does he know my name? Maybe he's had spies out too. But how would he know to look for me if he doesn't even know who hired me?

"I've seen quite a number of your dance videos. You're quite the vision, but it probably makes anonymity in this line of work difficult. An exciting double life though. It's nice to have body, brains, and beauty."

His gaze slowly travels down my body as if he's picturing me naked. It's a look I'm used to getting, but I never feared it because I was free to defend myself, leave, or even ignore. But here, I'm trapped and at this man's mercy. "What do you want?" I ask.

"Tell me who you're working for and if there's anyone else out looking for me."

"Wouldn't matter would it? You're going to kill us either way."

"Perhaps. But one way ensures a quicker, less painful death than the other."

His stare feels like fingers fondling me or a roach crawling along the back of my neck. But I shrug and continue to play it cool. "I got nothin' for you. Let's try this again after I've had a good night's rest."

Mattheo looks at one of the guards near Bisky and nods. The guard gut punches her with the butt his rifle. Bisky heaves and coughs. One or two of her ribs might be cracked, but I have a feeling she can take the pain. I would if it were me. That's the price of being a hunter. I remain silent and the guards continue to beat her.

Mattheo stares at me the entire time, waiting for me to break, but I won't. It's not my first interrogation and it won't be the last. Sociopaths like him always try to manipulate people into doing what they want, try to make people feel guilty for their actions. I know better than to fall for his tricks. Bisky takes the beating like a champ, grunting and coughing up blood, but she remains quiet.

"Bring it out," he orders. The guards bring out one of the wambari, presumably a male since it's larger than the one we were next to earlier. Its fangs are the size of small swords. I can see its ribs. It looks like it hasn't had a decent meal in a while. "You ever wonder how a wambari kills its prey?"

"No, but I'm sure you'll tell us," Bisky responds after spitting blood on the floor.

"Most predators go for the jugular and their prey bleeds out in 30 seconds tops. But the wambari likes to feast on its meal while it's still alive. It claws and bites initially to debilitate, swiping at the legs or neck. Then when it closes in, it slices open your intestines and feasts on them while you're still breathing. The last thing you'll see is yourself being eaten alive."

Bisky looks at the beast salivating as it looks at her, smelling the overwhelming scent of blood. It strains against its chains, pupils narrow and sharpen as it watches her limp body. Bisky looks around the room likely wondering when her students will show up.

"Yummy. Anybody else ready to eat?" Bisky says. Though she tries to brush it off I can hear the fear in her voice.

"Do you two know each other?" Mattheo asks.

"No," I answer.

"That must be why you're so apathetic. Not gonna lie, I was hoping you'd do more stalling."

"This isn't Charlie's Angels. I'm not going to distract you with a lap dance," I respond.

He laughs. "There's no need for foreplay. But I would like for you to get down on your hands and knees, crawl to me, and give me a blowjob."

Bisky looks up in surprise and disgust. I know he'll feed off of any anxiety or worry I have so I refuse to feel it, refuse to let my face be anything but neutral. My humiliation is what would bring him the most pleasure, not the act itself. Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather die a thousand deaths than to willingly be sexually assaulted. I already have enough demons to reconcile with, I don't need another.

"How about this, I'll let one of you go if you do it."

I know better than to agree or try to compromise with men like this. Their promises are empty. Mattheo's idea of letting one of us go would be Bisky running away only to be tracked down by the starved wambari and ripped to shreds. He's into mind control games.

I don't break eye contact with him. "No thanks. I'm good."

He walks over to me with a crooked half smile. His hands pull my legs apart in a sharp wrenching motion. "You know I can just take it, right?"

"If that's what you wanted, you would've done it already, limp dick."

Bisky's eyes widen. She's probably afraid for me and thinks I've gone too far. "Oby—"

"Shut up," I yell at her. This is between me and this sick fuck. If he's gonna try something, then should just do it instead of dragging it out with his bullshit scare tactics.

He laughs as if tickled by me. "You're right," he nods over to the side, "Put her over the table."

Two men drag me over to a table, slam my face down, and place my arms out in front of me. My nen flares up til the purple flame is back, I struggle with the guards and try to break free of the rope, but they're nen users too and overpower me together. I feel Mattheo come up behind me and spread my legs with his foot. I hear him unzip himself and feel him jerk his penis erect against my backside.

I hoped my taunting would emasculate him and leave his flesh flaccid, but I was wrong. I manage to break the rope and stand up long enough to head butt Mattheo, but his nen is already on. I feel it protect his face from getting a broken nose. They force my head and arms back down like I'm getting ready to be nailed to a cross.

"You got her?" Mattheo asks his men.

I can feel them nod before he continues. Focusing on my aura I try to build up my nen strong enough to protect my body, but Mattheo's nen presses harder, breaking any guard I form. His hands flows up my back, neck, face, then traces my lips several times. "I forgot to mention how much your mouth reminds me of your father's."

"What?" I shout raising my head to the side as much as I can. They slam it back onto the table so hard my skin shrieks. Shit. I gave him the reaction he wanted, what he truly needs to get off. To unnerve me, to know that he pushed me a little closer to the edge.

Maybe the safest thing I can do is accept that it's going to happen. Wait for the moment I can make him pay for this later. I'm so used to finding my way out, used to being the conquerer, that I can't believe this is happening. If it was just me and him in a straight up fight, I would win. What bothers me most is that I'm about to be taken by someone so weak and cowardly. He needs other men around witnessing him to feel powerful.

I close my eyes and lie still. As long as there's a plan for me to look forward to, a moment outside of this that I can escape to, I can get through this. Like not looking down while facing a great height, I can't give into fear. As I feel him begin to push my panties to the side I try to focus on what connection Mattheo could've had to my father and what would be the best way to kill this prick when the time is right.

A deep unfamiliar voice comes from behind us. "Screw this!" There's a ripping sound like something's pushing through a surface. A crackling sound follows and a flash of lightning strikes the guards holding me down. Someone shouts "Jan-ken Rock" and release a huge ball of light that shakes the whole building. The wambari is released and runs at Bisky, but she knocks it in the jaw and slams it into the ground with ease.

Now's my moment. While his guard's down and he tries to figure out what's happening, I flip over and kick Mattheo in the dick. When he leans forward to cup himself, I kick him again in the face. He falls by the feet of someone who looks like the Hulk version of Bisky, tall and buff as a body builder. Gunfire ensues as do the lightning and balls of fire. Mattheo pulls up his pants and tries to run, but Bisky picks him up and pummels him, yelling between each punch. "You-do-not-treat-women-like-that!"

Her hits are as vicious as she looks. All I see is blood between her fist and Mattheo's face before she throws through the wall outside. I realize the alarms have been going off this whole time. The wambari are rattling against their cages, squealing and trying to escape.

"Are you okay?" I look around and there's Killua by my side. An empty killer expression in his eyes, his white hair's full of static. So he and Gon are Bisky's students...

"I will be. Thanks," I look around at the guards checking to see if any of them has keys. "Did you see any men on your way in that had keys to the cages?"

Killua pulls out a key ring. "We figured you guys might be locked up so it's the first thing I grabbed coming in."

"Good. Start unlocking the cages."

Killua's eyes grow big with fear and uncertainty. "Are you sure?"

Several men come up to attack us. I narrowly dodge one's machete. "Do it now! I'll take care of this," I yell.

Killua runs along and follows my orders while two men run at me at once. Both their swords thrust towards my neck, forming an X as I backbend. One of the blades scrapes my chin and neck. When they pull back their blades I jump over them and face the wall Bisky knocked open. The walls are made of wood, earth so I can focus my aura to get it to move. Before the guards can move in to impale me, I yank two wooden planks forward through their necks. A few more run at me but I swing the wood around overhead like a hammer and knock them down.

"Are you okay?" Bisky asks as she forms a wall of nen to deflect the bullets coming at us.

I look through the hole in the wall. "I'm fine. Go help Gon and Killua. I'm going after Mattheo."

A few of the wambari are already running through the place. Shots are fired at them, killing the one in front, but soon they're ambushing the guards, penetrating their bodies with talons, picking them up and dropping them to their deaths.

I jump through the wall seeing the early morning sky, trees, bushes, but no Mattheo. I look down for his tracks and drops of blood but find they disappear the further I go into the forest. All I hear and see are critters as I look up to see if he's hiding in any of the mangrove trees. How could he have escaped? I was sure Bisky knocked him down for the count if not worse. I gather as much energy as I can in my arms to move the branches around me, but he's not there. Fuck! I'm so angry my aura flares from purple to orange and white. I was ready to kill that piece of shit for what he did to me and now I may never get the chance.

My chest burns with anger and I feel so explosive I scream. A gush of energy leaves my body, splinters the trees around me, swirls up the dirt and mud paths nearby. Suddenly weak, I collapse to my knees. I vaguely hear explosions from the safehouse behind me and see a sea of wings overhead. The wambari fly free. I wish I could do the same. I don't know what happened to me, my rage has never looked like that. One lowers down and a hand reaches out to me. Gon's. I take it and jump on the creature's back behind him.

*

We ride away in silence for a few minutes for which I'm thankful. My thoughts are loud enough as it is. I want nothing more than a bath and to sleep. I can still feel the sensation of Mattheo's flesh on mine. I can't escape what he said. Your mouth reminds me of your father's. How disgusted, confused, and powerless I was.

None of tonight makes sense anymore. I was so happy a few hours ago with Hisoka, and then Ging, Machi, and Mattheo happened. My body doesn't feel like it's mine right now. I'm scared to rest for fear of a past I'm trying to forget coming back to haunt me. The wind sweeps through Gon's hair and mine. To be so young and small, his body's so strong and doesn't budge against mine. It's nice to be close to someone, something innocent for a while even though his musk is similar to his father's.

"I've been meaning to ask you," Gon starts, "Were you with my father earlier?"

My heart pounds out of my chest, but I try to keep myself calm. I was hoping to take my mind off things, but not like this. Dammit, I don't want to lie to him. "What do you mean?"

Killua and I tracked down the safehouse a while ago to rescue Bisky when we saw you. At first all I saw was you approaching and talking to someone, but the trees obscured them. Honestly, I thought it was Hisoka at first, but when the net captured you and I saw him come to help you...

So that's why Ging froze up then left me. He saw his son and ran away so he wouldn't have to face him. What a fucking pussy. He'd probably argue that he knew Gon would have things under control in no time so there was no need for him to be there as the third wheel.

I sigh and lean into Gon's back. "He was just a contact of mine. I thought he was going to help me capture Mattheo, but he was only there to hand me over to the poachers."

Gon looks back at me out of the side of his eye. "Are you sure? I could've swore I saw—"

I rub the sides of his stomach. "Sometimes we see what we want to see, honey. The mind can play tricks on us. Especially when it comes to the ones we love." At least that part's true. I can't believe I'm telling him to believe me instead of his eyes. He's either dense or naïve to trust me and here I am gaslighting him. What Gon sees in his father is an illusion. Ging isn't affectionate. He's not a gentleman. Or someone who'll be there. I mean the fact that Gon's pursuing his father and not the other way around should be a huge hint. Though I understand wanting to be validated and loved. We all take different roads to the truth.

There are things about Ging that I still don't understand, like why he took me under his wing but won't do the same for his son. Perhaps it's best for Gon to stay away from him, or else his bad habits might rub off. Gon strikes me as being everything that Ging isn't and I just want that to be true for as long as possible. I hate myself for protecting his father, but perhaps I'm protecting Gon too. "I'm sure you'll see him when the time is right."

His expression becomes hopeful again as he looks out into the moonlit night. On any other night this view would be beautiful. "You're right. I know I will."

Author's Note: Hey hey hey make sure to vote, comment, n archive!!! Hisoka will be back in the next section. Hopefully you like getting more of Oby's backstory. More on that later. Thoughts on the chapter? Do you guys like when I add music to chapters? Wanna see more of a particular character next time? Personally ,I'm just waiting on the fall out between Machi, Hisoka, and Oby to reach its climax (sips tea) lol. 💔💔💔Ttyl!