Bab 27: Red Waters
"Two hours, she said it would, take two hours by walking right? It's been three hours with us running!" Leorio complained while panting.
"We might have been there before night broke out if you had picked up the pace, Leorio." Said Kurapika.
Before them was a sign with a large warning. (BEWARE OF MAGICAL BEASTS)
"Another one of these signs? Are we ever going to make it to the exam site?" Asked Leorio to himself.
"I-I'm sure we will as long as we can make it to the tree soon we'll make it to the exam in time." Said Mary.
"I'm tired, I'm hungry, I need to use the bathroom!" Complained Leorio.
"Leorio, come on we'll leave you behind!" Shouted Gon.
"I see it." Said Kurapika.
"I-I wish I was a bit taller, all I can see is a hill." Said Mary while looking at the ground. "But it's a good thing we called off the race, I don't think Leorio would've been able to make it."
"Well we can always have another race." Said Gon.
"Well I don't really mind not having another one." Mary said while giving an awkward smile.
After walking for a bit longer they arrived at the base of the tree. There a lone cabin stood. The dark of night had already crept in, no lights shone from inside the cabin, making for a strange sight considering the navigators were supposed to be ready for any examines.
Leorio was the first to knock, "Anyone home?"
"Are they out?" Asked Gon.
"M-Maybe they're just asleep."
"Only one way to find out. We're coming in!" Said Leorio.
"W-wait, you can't just-" Before she could finish they were met with a terrible sight.
The furniture inside was smashed with a beast and it's yellow fur and bunny like ears shining in the moonlight. Blood marks splattered onto the floor.
"Its a magical beast!" Shouted Leorio.
"A magical beast?" Asked Gon.
"It's a shape-shifting magical beast, the Kiriko! They can take human form, and they're extremely intelligent beasts."
"He's got a woman!" Shouted Gon.
"And the guy on the floor needs medical attention."
All of a sudden the beast jumped out of the window, still holding onto the woman.
"P-please... save my wife!" Said the man on the floor.
"K-Kurapika you guard Leorio while he's taking care of the man, Gon and I will chase after the beast!" Mary ordered while taking out her steel wire.
"Cmon lets go, Gon!"
"Right!"
—————
In the forest
"Gon you can still see him right?" Asked Mary.
"Yeah, he's over to our left!" Yelled Gon from up in the trees.
"Got it!"
Mary then ran ahead at full speed as she laid a trap of wires to where the Kiriko was. It was surprisingly well made considering how little time she had to make it, it was a strange pattern, consisting of wires overlapping one another to form a diamond like shape with hundreds of even smaller diamonds in between.
Just sounding a few seconds away Mary could hear Gon's voice. "Kiriko! Let her go!"
"Come and get her, if you can!"
"We already got you! Kiriko!"
"Huh?"
The beast game close to crashing into the trap before it let the woman go and jumped over it.
"You won't get away!" Yelled Gon.
"Gon stop for a moment! We already have the woman." However Mary's efforts were futile, for starters Gon ended up tripping on the topmost wire as it couldn't be seen, and then just continued his chase. Sighing deeply Mary turned to the woman, "A-are you alright? Do you have any injuries?"
"I'm okay. What about my husband? How is he?"
"D-don't worry my friends are taking care of him, by the way, if you are married why do you still have that tattoo?"
Suspiciously the woman turned away.
"I-I see, so you're one of them too..." reasoned Mary. "I'm sorry, but I'll need to apprehend you before I can take you to your husband."
Mary took the wire from her trap down and tied the woman up, subsequently dragging her because of her small height.
[I hope Gon doesn't hurt himself...]
"Mary!" Shouted a voice from behind.
It was Kurapika, who in an instant was also apprehended by Mary by using her wires.
"How did you know? How did you know I was an imposter." Asked the Kiriko.
"You accidentally put the left most wooden sword in place of the right one." Said Mary.
"But they look the exact same!" Said the Kiriko.
"Y-You could say you Kiriko look the exact same too though..." She whispered while looking up towards the moon.
——————
Back at the cabin
"Don't worry sir, those two will bring back your wife I promise you, but right now you need to stay still so I can dress your wounds." Said Leorio to the man.
"Thank you, Thank you." He said while raising his arms to show his thanks.
"Those tattoos." Said Kurapika.
"Ahh... yes they are umm, the tattoos of my native land, you see in my home we would mark children with their given name onto their arms." Said the man.
"Interesting, because I saw the exact same tattoos in a magazine while coming over here. The tattoo means, single for life. Strange isn't it, Leorio?" Asked Kurapika while taking out his wooden swords.
"Hey. Kurapika don't do anything rash. This man is still injured."
"Leorio, open your eyes, he's one of them too." Kurapika said while getting ready to attack the man.
"I may not be a doctor yet, but I'm obligated to look after those who I have given medical attention." Leorio said while taking out his knife.
The air around them was tense and as Kurapika took his first step forward the door to the cabin swung open.
"H-hey guys! I've apprehended both Kiriko." Said Mary.
Both Leorio and Kurapika stopped instantly as the "injured" man stood up and spoke, "Well then I guess that's my cue to leave!" He had transformed back into a Kiriko and jumped out the window.
"W-What do we do now?" Asked Leorio.
"L-Leorio, there's only one thing we can do." Said Mary, while tightening the pull on the restraints to the apprehended Kiriko.
—————
Moments later Gon and the other two Kiriko come into the cabin with laughter. Before their eyes was yellow hair scattered about the floor with some purple mixed in too. A terrible aroma filled the air as Mary came out with her hands covered in a red liquid.
"Mary, what have you done? Where's Kurapika and the rest?"
With her platinum hair and blue eyes she turned to Gon and gave him a gentle smile.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
A_Random_Person
A_Random_Person I’m going to be using [ ] to show when characters are thinking from now on. (Thank you to Immortal_Peasant) Also have you guys ever met someone who looked exactly like yourself? (Not including twins). Let me know about any spelling mistakes and the sort so I can improve the chapters, also my first true cliffhanger what an experience!
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone