It was a small party, just the four of them. Chronos had come here to Okayama to speak with one man about when the next Exam was and what he had to do, in order to qualify for it. He had been sitting down at length and talking to Kichona about being a Hunter. There was far more to being a Hunter then one would originally believe. While it was true they could work for anyone they chose in the end they were an group that could get the funding and backing for anything it wanted. One word from the chairman and things changed for people in a day. If he could become a hunter it could take Route in a whole new direction and so he was here in Okyama with that goal in mind. To find out what he had to do and what Rank he had to fall into in order to have any chance of even beginning to bring there dream into being. They....being himself and Kicha who he kept close at his side. Kicha had wandered off once for a week and a half not meaning to had simply gotten lost in Meditation and it had nearly broken him with worry and so he'd rather keep Kicha as close as possible. Especially since if anyone found out about his eyes and were like Namai Bura his life was in mortal danger. They had lucked out this last time but....it was not a chance he was willing to take with the smaller Kasai. But his guide to Arclight was not Kicha who had never been invited to the tower, but rather Mugo who came here once a week for.....evaluations. And with him Killian.....And that part did not amuse him in the least he was disgusted to call Killian a traveling partner at all.
He looked at the huge tower before him.....and it was massive spiraling up into the sky a good twenty one stories. But the craftmanship of it could not be done by man. The stone was perfect not a seam to be seen Windows of seeming crystal and gemstone....marble and stone and metal intertwined in such away that.....it could not be duplicated. And into the building they walked and he blinked at the large lobby. Grand white stone staircases with gold trim curved gently up to the next floor, a desk stood there between the first two and off to the side a golden birdcage with glass for it's walls.
Ikki blinked when she looked up seeing them. "Hmm? A Mugo, Killian you just left here two days ago....the Chairman hasn't summoned you....I don't have any notes about it." She said blinking and Mugo smiled shaking his head.
"Bu~" He said playfully as if Neo should have been expecting his return. "It's alright honestly I thought I'd sur~prise him.~" Mugo said looking at her and smiling. "Oh is my cu~tie around~?"
"Your cutie?"" Ikki asked and then paused. "Oh you mean Toki....I believe he's up in the office with the Chairman right now going over a few things."
"Oh Bu~" Mugo said pouting. "I had hoped he'd show us up~" He said pouting slightly then perked up as he glanced over at Chronos this could be fun. "Say~ Ikki would you be so Kind as to call Re for me~? " He asked while he'd get a 'fat chance in hell' am I coming down there to get you from Toki he knew his brother even without his memories would come and show them up.
Ikki nodded and lifted the phone calling him and after a moment she looked at Mugo. "He'll be down shortly he was in the library." She said pointing to the grand stairs. The elevator for everyone but Neo himself only went up to his office when the card was swiped and the code entered. When it was Neo there was no need for codes he could tell it were to go upon entering and it would move. This was after all.....his, this entire building. "I'm not sure how happy the Chairman will be though....I should call up to let him know your here..."
"Oh no~" he said shaking his head. "That would ru~in the sur~prise~" Mugo said and Ikki blinked when Mugo's hand landed on hers shaking his head no.....he wanted to see it the look on Neo's face when Chronos walked into his office.
Chronos looked at Mugo as Ikki paused and then when Mugo withdrew his hand she pulled hers back not wanting to challenge Mugo as she didn't have the powers to protect herself against an attack.
"Feathers and Friends together ~Hello.<3" A voice sing-songed as he came down the stairs seeing them and Chronos looked over the young man had pink hair and blue grey eyes. But he was dressed so oddly....he glanced at Mugo who as soon as the young man hit the lobby was ontop of him holding on and nuzzling for all he was worth and the man simply brought his arm up and hugged Mugo back. "Too you see to happy am I." He said nodding slightly and smiling.
Chronos looked at him quietly as Killian sighed.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to that." he said looking at the duo. "If it's not riddles its....."
"Know you fine just talking am I. Understand will you listen you will." Kagera said and Chronos chuckled.
"I take it your the one I need to talk to if I want to speak with the chairman?" Chronos said warmly to the young man. Then shot Kilian a look. "He has Asphara the fact he can still communicate with everyone is a blessing." Chronos said knowing what it was. For what it was.
"Reason have you <3?" He asked looking at him and Mu pouted.
"Re~ Chronos wishes to speak with him about what he needs to do to qua~lify for the next Hunters exam and how hard it is to rank high enough to be able to achieve his goals.~" Mugo said and Re looked at him queitly.
"Take you now can I. This way come you now.<3" He said as he began to move and walked over to the glass elevator guiding the four inside with himself and they all easily fit. He shifted easily pulling his license out and slid it in the reader. A closed circle opened up and shifted locking into place and a holographic key pad appeared in which Kagera typed in the code.
The elevator glided up in a way that impressed Chronos no harsh start a smooth constant quick climb as if the elevator was designed for one sol purpose going up and down to this floor and knew it's destination well. Upon arrival they all climbed of and Mugo still clung to the man he called Re. Although his connection to this pink haired man he didn't know.
"What the hell are you doing here again?!" A voice angry and hostile said and Chronos looked over as a young man with blue black hair stood looking angry sitting next to him was a blonde who had a terrible scar going down one side of his face and his eye was semi milky as if he had lost some sight in it.
"Oh bu~" Mugo said playfully. "Aren't you ha~ppy to see cu~tie~" He teased Toki and saw that look of sheer hatered rage and utter disgust in his eyes. It was lovely.
"NO!" Toki said with a firmness that made Kogai looked like he was best friends with Mugo. "How many times do I have to say it! I hate you!"
"Oh~ But 'Hate' is such a stro~ng word~" Mugo said as he went to let go and approach.
"So help me even approach me and I'm sealing your ass where I won't have to look at you anymore!" Toki said and the blonde at that point moved got up and put his hand on Toki's shoulder.
"Toki calm down he won't come near you." Natsu spoke showing a darkness to his own voice. "Who is this guy that bugs you so much anyways?"
"That's Mugo clinging to Han." Toki said and Natsu blinked.
"That's Mugo?" He said surprised and staring then shook his head. This was the guy Neo punished soundly? He didn't get it.
"Feathers and friends together ~Hello!" Kagera spoke suddenly and Toki looked over at him opening his mouth and closing it again smiling gently "Kitties, time, needles endlessly Abound, Feathers, friends, we shall greet now we met let us share a merry seat!"
Chronos was quiet as he looked at him. Again with that.
"Indeed....your confusion is understandable. The first is greeting allies with common strengths and backgrounds 'Feather's' All alike gather together. And calls them friends because they come from the same 'bird'." A voice spoke from the far right making Chronos turn his head the man was sitting there with his eyes closed. Swirling a glass with some sort of wicked looking red drink in it and resting his chin on the back of his hand. "The second, Kitties refer to the Mugo brothers, endless full of mischief. Time no doubt to yourself Chronos leader of Route Troupe and young Kichona who holds connections to cycle of time itself. Needles refers to Killian he asks that you all be greeted as 'friend' and that you be allowed to share in a welcome seat to be heard."
Chronos looked at him as he opened one eye seeing a stunning mint green eye looking back at him. "And to you I say well met." He said looking at Kagera. "Mugo do be a dear and loosen up on Kagera a bit won't you? I won't make him leave the office so you can relax."
Mugo pouted a bit and loosened up but did not let go. While Neo might not make him leave that didn't mean his brother wouldn't.
"There are several reasons for all of you gathering here today but If I must take a guess it's only the two of you. If you'll bare with me a moment Chronos I will speak with in length....but first Mugo....what is it you wish to say?" Neo said as he took a long drink out of the wine glass.
"I want to take Kagera and go 'home'~." he said looking over at Neo half expecting to be told no. Kagera was a Target Hunter a Mark Hunter they didn't leave the Tower unless they had a Target. "I be~lieve that going there might help jog something he has for~gotten..."
"Granted." Neo said simply as Mugo opened his mouth to argue and blinked looking at him and Neo smirked. 'I as much as you might think otherwise Mu, have no problem with him going there to try to regain his lost memories. And just perhaps it will help him more then hinder. Kagera is a good friend of mine."
Mugo rested his chin on Kagera's shoulder. "Then I will see to it he gets there and home safely.~" He said his brother was alive but had no memories nothing. He remembered Mugo's voice and was vaguely familiar with his face but....everything else was gone.
Neo gestured to the chair before his desk. "You can have a seat Chronos what you wish to discuss might take a while."
Chronos walked up and sat down setting the Chrono Scythe down next to him but had brought Kichona over with him and once again made his lover sit in his lap Kichona being there was a calming presence for him and more over if things got to hostile energies he could shield him easier this way.
Neo opened his mismatched eyes then to look at Chronos who rose an eyebrow and smiled a bit his one eye was the same as Kichona's and Kogai's....gemstone he was at least half of there kin.
"I'm here because....." He started and then went into length about what he wanted. They talked back an forth and Neo tipped his head.
"At length you have to wait a full year for the normal exam." He said looking at him. "However hearing you and your reasoning for wanting the highest rank you can go and still have your freedom to move about.....would mean right now taking the Secret Exam." Neo said looking at him. "This exam is not offered to everyone because it is shooting solely for Rank S. Should you pass the exam you will be given a Rank S position fitting your power level. However should you fail you will not be able to take the next years exam unless you undergo special training with a select group of Rank S Hunters. Refusal to go through the training will ban you from ever being able to take the normal exam. You will not get a second chance at this Exam. At the same token should you pass depending on the evaluation at the time you will be given a Rank S position at the end of the exam." Neo said looking at him. "However Rank S is not an open public rank. It is not like the other ranks which are comprised of Bounty Hunters through the entire group. This rank is part of my inner guard or circle one has to be immensely powerful to achieve a Rank S position." Neo said as he looked at Chronos. "Ranks 1 through 3 Are held by one and only one Rank S member at a time. They are Target Hunters and do not leave the tower unless given a Target to take down. There primary purpose is safeguarding this Tower unless something happens that they must leave it. Ranks 4 and 5 Are the last of the Bounty Hunter Ranks while they are also part of the the 'guard' for the tower they still maintain there freedoms to come and go but receive the additional perks your looking for."
Chronos looked at him. "I'll take the exam." He said looking at him. "To become a Rank S."
Neo looked at him as amusement danced in his mismatched eyes and then he stood finishing off his drink at once and nodded. "Well then come with me."
The elevator fit them all but there was no room to use the key pad. Not that Neo needed it. "System override. Voice Authorization." He said simply and the closed key pad glowed. A bell like voice chimed. "Override in progress. Voice match verified.....requested floor."
Neo looked at those gathered everyone in his office in fact. "Sub-level 4."
And then the elevator went down and as it went down Chronos could see everyone in the tower going into a tizzy at the idea that this man had left his office. Was that really that unusual? Once it reached that floor and they walked out the room lit up with spheres of light along the ceiling. And Chronos noted that odd pattern on the floor but it was different as if the pattern had shifted in position.
He walked into the center of the room with Neo who walked up and put his hand on a ball lifting it off of the podium and turned to face Chronos as the others moved off to the side to watch. Neo looked at him as he turned his hand and the podium went down into the ground it smoothed out and he realized the podium was made out of stone and no doubt...Neo sent it away.
"It's rather simple really Chronos this is the exam you have until that hourglass over there runs out which is sunset two hours away from now, to find a way to take this ball from me." Neo said as he held firmly in his hand. "You can use any means but killing is not allowed." He said more to the point it would be a waste and break little Kicha's heart.
Chronos nodded. "So I just have to take the ball from you? That's it."
"That's it. This is the exam..." He said and then the time began and Chronos moved about him feinting in a different points and each Time Neo dodged him gracefully as if it was nothing at all. This continued and after an hour of baiting and dodging Chronos began to fight he swung his fist and Neo dodged simply bending and then appeared behind him and using one hand shoved knocking Chronos forward as if to 'tease' him a bit and Mugo sighed this was going to end with Chronos failing he knew first hand how powerful Neo was. Neo nearly crushed him.
Half and hour passed another fifteen minutes went by and then Chronos did the most unlikely thing of all he stopped moving and stood there looking at Neo as Neo balanced on one foot and tossing the ball back and forth between his hands looked at him.
'The rules are you have to take this ball from me and no killing.'
Chronos looked at Neo who was waiting for his next move and then did something that blew the minds of those watching he held out his hand and looked at Neo. "Give me the ball."
Neo who had been standing there with one eye closed paused and set his foot down on the ground a smile and amusement dancing in his features before he moved his wrist tossing the very heavy ball to Chronos who caught it and held it his Chrono scythe was not light. But as he held the ball the last of the sands fell through the hour glass and it was over.
"Well done....your the first to figure it out."
Chronos holding the heavy ball nodded. "It was in your wording."
"Indeed. I had said this was an exam. And I had said that to pass the exam you had to find a way to take the ball from me. Most over-think it." Neo said amused. "They assume that because I say it's an exam, and that they have to take the ball to use as much power as necessary. However that's not the correct answer had you even pulled an ounce of power I would have shifted to Offense and this would have taken a who lot darker of a turn. One in which would make Little Kichona very sad."
Chronos nodded. "You did say all of that but it was 'take the ball' there are many ways to do it. One would be to find some way to trick you. The other ore direct approach was to hold out my hand and demand it. This making you give up the ball and taking it from you. As a parent would a child."
Neo chuckled. "Indeed. Come let us go upstairs and determine your Rank." He said as he walked over took the heavy ball and tossed it to the center of the room were hte podium reformed and caught it again.
