Midnight dew clung to the grass and mixed with the warm mid-morning air. The cooling effect of the slowly evaporating water droplets contrasted with the gentle breeze in a comforting way. Birds chirped in joyous sing songs, swooping in a sky dance, which Violet watched through the tree canopy from her secluded spot by a small pond.

Sweat laced her skin from the jog to her preferred training location. It was hours from Heaven's Arena. For extra caution and to surround herself with nature, she trained off the park's main path. As always, she hated running. More of a sprinter, she disliked any training involving lengthy running, but she understood to improve her stamina, it was necessary.

Absentmindedly, she practised the sleight of hand trick Hisoka had taught her with a fresh deck of cards. Tilting her head back to the cards, she lost herself to deep thoughts about her strategy.

Using the cards against Hisoka is out of the question. That would mean copying a technique he is already an expert at using.

She would use them to practice the Shu he mentioned and another Nen technique she wanted to develop. With a deep sigh, she fell onto her back in the grass, allowing the dampness to invade the cotton of her black training shirt. She held the ace of hearts above her, angled into her line of vision.

Fourteen days. Thinking, she furrowed her brows, I don't know what I can accomplish in that time, but if I do nothing, the outcome is assured. Her lips curled into a sneer. I want to rattle him like no one else has in the past. And the only path to getting home is through Hisoka. I will bulldoze it open if I must.

As she prepared mentally to rise, the disruptive vibration of her phone buzzed within her brown cargo trouser pocket. Viewing the front screen, the caller's name displayed as unknown. Curiosity, her fatal flaw, beckoned, and she answered the summon.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Ms. James. This is Sensei Wing." She remained silent, waiting for him to continue. "Ms. James?"

Her eyes spun despite no one being able to see their movements. My God, he's a daft human being. "I'm here, Wing. Just call me Violet. What can I do for you?"

"I have been speaking with Gon and Killua at length. They wish for you to have training."

They've constantly chastised you with incredible perseverance until you cracked, you mean.

"You need to understand it's considered illegal for a professional hunter to give people who haven't passed the hunter exam teachings in Nen."

Violet paused for a moment. "You're a professional hunter?"

"Yes," he responded.

"Oh."

"Is there a problem?" Wing sounded confused.

"Oh. No. I just wouldn't have imagined you when I thought 'professional hunter'. Continue," she answered.

Snark likely wouldn't aid his opinion of her, but blunt truth and honesty always seemed the best approach. Wing released an exasperated sigh, and she couldn't help the curl that played on the corners of her mouth.

"Your fight with Hisoka could be considered an emergency, which is the only time a hunter may teach a non-hunter about Nen. I'm willing to give you a few lessons."

Violet considered it but noted how much his voice betrayed the truth. She needed help, but there was something more pressing. "I do have a Nen-related question. Is there such a thing as putting a limit on Hatsu?"

The line went silent for a while. "Who told you about such a thing?"

"Hisoka. I haven't used my abilities since for fear of it, but he could be lying," she admitted.

"Let's plan to meet. It would be best to discuss this in private," Wing responded.

Violet sighed, annoyed she wouldn't get answers right away. "I'm training about two hours from Heaven's Arena. Can you meet later this afternoon or tonight?"

"Yes, of course," Wing answered. "There is a small coffee shop patio near Heaven's Arena, Crushed Bean Café. They have a punching fist with a coffee bean in the middle as a logo. I'll meet you there around four."

Groaning, Violet asked, "Does everything in this town have to revolve around fighting? There are other things to life, you know."

Wing responded with a soft laugh. "I tend to agree with you. However, Heaven's Arena is world-renowned across the Five Nations and beyond. They're the biggest employer and save many from the streets. Most businesses want to associate with that success."

"And beyond?" Violet hummed. "There are other countries beyond the big five?"

"Well, yes. But they're not officially recognised. There is another vying for it and hoping to turn it into the Six Nations. Only time will tell how that turns out for the rather small country." Wing cleared his throat. "However, we aren't here to have a political or geography lesson. Let's meet at four and discuss your situation."

"Okay. I will see you then." She sat while disconnecting the call. Letting her head hang back, Violet looked up at the tree branches sheltering her from the sun. Having Nen training would be useful, but will it be enough with only fourteen days? Gon and Killua have been training for months now. She sighed and closed her eyes. "Nothing to do but keep working at it!"

-------

Violet sipped her tea in the outdoor seating area of a small café. Her ankles sported a small thin line scar but otherwise were healed. The cinnamon masterpiece of a drink touched her tongue and lit her tastebuds into dancing joy.

A small girl's cries turned to sobs and drew Violet's attention. Her mother held a hand to her temple, clearly not the first meltdown she'd dealt with that day. She spoke to the child, but Violet couldn't hear the words through the dull background noise of the busy square. The sobs became wails, and Violet's lips smiled lightly, but her eyes threatened to break into tears.

What I'd give to suffer through a hundred tantrums...

Pulled from her thoughts by the sound of a man clearing his throat, Violet watched her tea with annoyance. She had been mindful of his approach and remained settled.

"Wing."

"Let's head back to my hotel room. It will be safer to discuss matters there," he advised before leading her back to his room. Once there, he signalled for her to sit on the tan couch of his small living room.

"You were asking about limits on Nen? Why did Hisoka bring that up?"

Violet narrowed her eyes. It was bad enough Hisoka knew about her abilities; she trusted this man even less than the murderous redhead. "I'd rather not go into details. Is it possible or not?"

"Without the details, I cannot hope to answer appropriately," Wing responded before adjusting his glasses. The white dress shirt sat half out of his black dress trousers.

"My God, man. You are so fucking annoying." Violet huffed and looked away, crossing her arms to calm her frustrations. Regret swiftly raged through her chest. The unintentional slip of anger would cost her.

Wing's eyes widened momentarily, then narrowed. "If I'm to be your teacher, you will respect me and my teaching. Is that understood?" His tone was clear and forceful.

"Who said anything about wanting you as my teacher?" Violet growled back.

"You need training if you even hope to last a few seconds against Hisoka. The goal is not for you to win, just survive," Wing responded, ignoring her rising animosity and growing facial grimace.

"Who the hell trains for a fight with the goal of losing?"

"Hisoka is a Nen master. You barely comprehend the basics. I cannot hope to train you in less than a month, even in the basics. That's an unachievable goal."

"Unachievable until the day it's not. If you don't try, you'll never know. What harm is there in aiming for a win?" Violet clipped, her mood worsening with every statement from him.

Wing raised his hand, then held her focus with an emotionless and strong stare. "We're getting off-topic. What you're asking for is information on an advanced topic. I cannot explain it properly and all the details around it to ensure Hisoka is not tricking you without at least teaching you the basics first," Wing answered honestly.

Oh, good lord, man! We're not preparing for a board exam!

"Let's go over the basics of Nen," Wing instructed as he began his first lesson, whiteboard and all.

Violet sighed but decided to humour the teacher. She would have that question answered by the end or wouldn't be returning. It was overwhelming and painful to wrap her brain around the numerous terms the professional hunter threw out without pause. However, certain inconsistencies started to appear. She raged internally when she spotted the discrepancies.

"Wing." It took every ounce of effort not to fly across the room and strangle him, let alone keep her voice even.

He stopped, turning to look at her with a soft expression, unaware of the rising tensions.

"Do you know what I did for a career before I ended up at Heaven's Arena?" she asked.

He offered nothing more than a raised eyebrow and frown. Waiting on him for anything more proved fruitless. Wing did place the whiteboard marker down and shook his head, but nothing further.

"I hunted down, mercilessly, I might add, all kinds of different creatures. Mostly demons, though. Tricky beasts with several different forms and cultures. Hard to spot and veracious for life of all forms. Sometimes, I'd even be tasked to track and kill psychopathic humans. I existed in an organisation that worked from the shadows with the world governments.

"Essentially, I hunted, gutted, tortured, and murdered every kind of liar imaginable under both the sun and moon. Many of these creatures and people were exceptional liars. I became an expert at spotting a falsehood. They were more capable of killing me than I was them, yet here I stand."

Violet stood, stepping towards Wing and noticed him strengthen his aura from Ten to Ken. Halting, she crossed her arms and glared with a deep frown. The knowledge that Wing far outmatched her did not escape her notice, but the bluff only pertained to her physical capabilities; her mood seethed.

"What does your past have to do with our lesson?"

"That is not the full explanation of Ten or Ren. You've told a half-truth. I don't care for the reason. It's belittling and, broken down to its basic concept, a lie," she answered, glaring.

Wing held himself well, showing far less emotion than herself; she saw the occasional muscle twitch. He wasn't without skill, but she was furious.

"Yes. It's true this is not the full explanation of these techniques. I'm used to starting with this explanation when teaching," Wing relented. "I build on it later to encourage learning in my students."

"I'm not eight or twelve, and I'm not brand new. I don't need kid gloves to learn." Violet sighed and dropped the intimidation, relaxing her body. "This is not going to work. You don't want to teach me. I need a teacher who wants to ensure I will be the best Nen user possible. That's the role of a teacher."

After a short pause and consideration, Wing responded, "You're right, Violet." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Just answer my question about limit Nen, and we'll call it even. That's more important right now."

"Yes. You can place a limit on your Nen," Wing answered. "The part of Nen Hisoka was referring to was Nen Vows. You can put a limitation on individual skills that will strengthen the Nen. However, if the limitations are broken, you can lose your Nen or your life. This is why they are heavily ill-advised."

"Then what he said was true." Violet sighed. "Can you remove the vow or limitations without consequence?"

"Possibly. If a Nen is placed, it must always have a way to be undone." Violet perked, but Wing raised a hand to settle her excitement. "However, it would take an outside force, a Nen exorcist in this case. Even then, there is no way to know if it will be successful as this is a contract one makes with themselves."

Slumping back against his seat, she picked at the edge of a pocket on her trousers. What am I going to do? I cannot use my strongest skills, and yet Hisoka has everything... Raising her head high again, she asked, "Wing. Would you mind answering one more question?"

He nodded. "I'll answer to the best of my ability and with honest detail."

"Can you tell me about Hisoka's Nen?"