#the evolution of chrollo

[absolute-flaming-trash]

Idk if I can ask this of youuuu buuuuut hear me out. Chrollo right right. Taking you to the aquarium

I am hearing you loud and clear, my friend 💛

Warnings: Yandere, Kidnapped reader, Implied captivity.

Word Count: 411

“Beautiful, aren’t they?”

Chrollo’s voice came from your left, but you didn’t look towards him to acknowledge what he said. Instead your eyes remained on the enormous wall of glass that separated you from thousands, if not millions of gallons of water.

The creature in question that earned that comment from Chrollo was drifting by slowly. If someone didn’t know any better, they’d call the movements aimless. Without purpose.

“Dearest?”

“I heard you.” You replied flatly, not looking away from the whale shark swimming no more than twenty feet away from you.

He hummed. “Millions of years on this earth, and still they remain the same.”

You glanced at him briefly, knowing well that he had more to say than just that. You decided to humour him.

“Why would there be any need to?” The whale shark adjusted its course to swim further towards the middle of its massive tank. “Their environment has been stable enough that evolving in response to any change isn’t necessary.”

“True.” He said. “But even still, it’s such a shame such magnificence doesn’t do well in captivity.”

You grunted. “Couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that replicating their environment is almost impossible.” One of your hands went out to gesture to the whale shark as its form grew more desaturated due to distance. “Pelagic species like this don’t belong here.”

“Perhaps this is the moment they needed, then.”

An expression of confusion and mild annoyance spread across your face. “What?”

“To change.” He continued. “They’ve barely evolved because there hasn’t been any need to, correct? Perhaps time in captivity is the stepping stone into that.”

“You can’t be serious.” You scoffed. “You realize that evolution takes millions upon millions of generations to occur, right? There’s no way in hell that would be able to happen, not in this lifetime.”

“Perhaps not evolution, but adaptation.”

“It’s in the same vein.” You argued, getting agitated by how dismissive he was on something that was so obvious to you. “It doesn’t work that way.”

“Why ever not? If a species as complicated as a human can change their behaviour to suit their environment, surely a creature that has had little change in its initial design could as well.”

The was an ever growing urge to swat at him, and you had to clench your jaw to suppress it. “What’s your point, Chrollo?”

He smiled as his eyes moved between you and the aquarium.

“You’ll understand soon enough.”

© absolute-flaming-trash 2023. Do not repost, modify, copy, or claim.

[bipabrena]

New Beginnings (Chapter 1): HxH fanfic where the Royal Guards and Meruem survive.

A fic where Pouf and Youpi arrive before Netero activates the nuke, and they save the King. The mortified Hunters find themselves stunned when the King shows them mercy. Gon is unable to transform once Pitou admits Kite is dead. The fic will mostly follow the Royal Guards, and Meruem grows to love them for their devotion. He and Komugi separate from them to live a peaceful life, and the Guards begin their shenanigans. They'll fight at Heaven's Arena (Pouf will interfere in Chrollo's quest to become a Floor Master, impeding his fight with Hisoka), they'll meet the Troupe, go to Greed Island, and meet Gon and Killua (who have not separated) again. KilluGon-HisoIllu pairings. Hisoka is raring to fight them, which might end up terribly for him. The Guards will exploit their potential (since in canon they were newborns) by training, and will reach Meruem's level and beyond. Gon can't let his grudge against Pitou go, even with the reincarnated Kite's encouragement. Read it here.

X

Forty seconds before Netero unleashed Zero Hand, Pouf and Youpi descended upon the battlefield, reflexively cloaked in Zetsu. What greeted them was a bewildering spectacle of colours and flashes moving with such velocity that even their exceptional senses struggled to keep up.

Their eyes darted frantically along the blurs. Frankly, they couldn’t even tell the progression of the fight.

Who had the leverage?

Which one was the enemy?

Which one was the King?

Then, abruptly, the frenetic blurs of dance ceased, leaving only the sight of an arm hurtling through the air.

"Ah, there he is!" Pouf moved to dart forward, but Youpi restrained him.

"Wait," Youpi appealed as Pouf glared at him. "The King has the advantage. The old man's lost two limbs. If we interfere now, we’ll only be insulting the King.”

Pouf frowned. He turned to look at the scene, biting his lip in concern. His wings blazed in multiple shades of colours as he decided to release his scales.

And then, in a blaze of brilliance, the entirety of the old man's aura transformed into a light as blinding as a star. Pouf and Youpi shielded their eyes. The next they heard was an immense explosion. They could almost feel the heat from here. As the echoes of the blast subsided, they cautiously surveyed the aftermath, only to be met with settling dust and debris.

"No!" Pouf's cry echoed through the air, but Youpi restrained him a second time, his strength holding Pouf in check.

Pouf growled as he recoiled in Youpi's arms, desperately trying to reach the King. "Youpi, release me!" he snarled, but Youpi remained resolute.

It’s not that Youpi didn’t want to help the King. The matter was that Youpi's newfound clarity, the alarming evolution he'd undergone during his short fights helped him assess situations dispassionately. He could now maintain a cool head, and he could segregate myriads of dangers accordingly.

“Look,” he pointed once the dust settled. “The King is alive, and the old man is withering away. Let’s allow His Majesty to finish him off, then we can return to the palace and help Pitou.”

Surprisingly, Pouf nodded. “I’ll create a clone to go back. I want to notify Pitou that we’ll be coming soon.”

Their eyes were keen on the distant figures of the King and his opponent. As the conversation progressed, Pouf's brow furrowed. Then, he squinted.

“Do you see anything?” Youpi asked.

“… There’s an abundance of white, purple, and black in erratic ratios. The old man exudes worry and fear, yet his confidence remains steadfast. In fact, I'd dare say his confidence is only growing.”

“But he’s about to die, isn’t he? That last attack seems to have drained him.” Youpi wondered what the King was saying to him.

“No…” Pouf’s brows creased, “something feels wrong.” It was now Netero’s turn to talk. “I was right. His confidence, no, his cockiness is growing,” his voice trembled. “Alarmingly so.”

Youpi’s eyes widened. “Why?”

“… Something’s wrong,” Pouf raised his voice with a quiver. Then, he let out a wheezing breath as Spiritual Message's emotional patterns became clearer.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Youpi, get out of here! I’m getting the King!”

“What? Wait, Pouf, what’s going on?”

Without further hesitation, Pouf raced towards the King. “Don't ask questions! Just go!”

“I can’t leave you two here! I’ll come with you!”

“No time to argue! Do as you please!” Pouf's voice grew distant.

“Meruem, King of Ants, you understand nothing… of humanity’s infinite—”

Netero abruptly stopped when he saw a flash before him. This hesitation, this nearly imperceptible delay was his doom.

“Pouf!” Meruem's shout was loud and wrathful amidst the sudden chaos. “Unhand me! Unhand me at once or I—”

“He bears a bomb, Your Majesty! We must flee!” Pouf's voice rang out.

“What are you—”

Despite his moribund state, Meruem could discern the shock etched upon Netero’s face. Without hesitation, he plunged two fingers into his chest, piercing his heart.

“… What…” Meruem mumbled.

Under normal circumstances, the bomb would detonate in 0.3 microseconds. Yet, nestled within Netero’s failing heart, its activation awaited the cessation of all vital functions. With two and a half seconds to spare, Pouf and Youpi seized the opportunity, propelling themselves away in a blur of motion.

Barely enough to avoid the detonation site.

When Pouf reached Youpi with the King under his arm, Youpi clasped Pouf's hand, unleashing a burst of speed that shattered the sound barrier. Through the transformative power of his metamorphosis, Youpi reshaped his form, sacrificing muscle mass to enhance his agility. This allowed him to propel himself 1.5 times his usual velocity, distancing them from the impending detonation.

As the bomb erupted, their extremities felt like they'd tripled in weight. The air around them felt scorching, and the shockwave hurtled them through the air, propelling them towards a wasteland filled with mountains. They rammed onto one, but the strength of the shockwave had been so violent the crash wasn’t enough to decrease their momentum. Youpi brought his wings forward and wrapped them around Pouf and the King to protect them, bearing most of the impact.

The momentum decreased after one kilometre. They fell onto the ground and rolled, until they finally came to a violent stop, battered and dazed.

For a moment, they were motionless. Then, they coughed.

Pouf and Youpi sat on their knees, struggling to regain their bearings. Their hearts raced as they gasped for air, feeling smoke in their throats. Meruem rose stoically, seemingly unmarred by the ordeal.

It was then that Pouf's brows creased. “Y… Your Majesty!” he cried raspily at the sight of the cuts permeating the King's body.

“Your Majesty!” called Youpi. “Are you alright? Are you in any pain? I can take us to Pitou in eight minutes!”

Meruem dusted himself off. Then, Youpi grunted slightly. His balance momentarily faltered before regaining his footing on one knee.

"Are you alright?" Pouf inquired. It did not go unnoticed by him in midst of the chaos how Youpi had borne the majority of the impact.

Youpi responded with a subtle nod, indicating that he would manage. Their attention returned to the King, awaiting his reaction.

“… A bomb,” Meruem muttered, his gaze drifting skyward. So many stars, he briefly recognised. “How undignified.”

No, he thought to himself. The old soldier was merely fulfilling his duty. He stuck to his resolve to the end without allowing his heart to be swayed. And yet, for such a lethal thing to exist…

He looked down again. “Did you fight off the intruders?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

To their immense surprise, the King's gaze softened slightly. “Meruem,” he announced with pride. “My name is Meruem. I know that now. So, from now on, call me Meruem.”

“… Meruem-sama,” they said collectively with a nod.

“No. Meruem.”

“But, sire—”

“Don’t make me repeat—” A realisation dawned as he spoke, and for a brief second, he was shocked something so obvious didn't come to him until now. “You left Pitou all alone.”

“Yes, sire, we wanted to—”

“Did you neutralise the intruders? Or did you leave her and Komugi in the palace alone with them?”

“The man I fought is completely defenceless. I removed his Nen ability,” Pouf reassured.

Youpi swallowed heavily with a drop of sweat bead on his cheek.

Noticing, Pouf's brows creased warily. “Youpi, what is it?” 

Youpi lowered his head, seemingly unable to meet their gaze.

“Did you not kill them?” asked Meruem.

“I… I didn’t.”

“What!?” Pouf screamed. “They did not best you in combat, so why are they still alive?”

Pouf blabbered incessantly, with indignation, but Meruem told him to quiet down. Imperially, he firmly told Youpi to explain himself. To not lie to him.

And so, Youpi did. He recounted his encounter with Knuckle and the others, detailing the events surrounding Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and the ensuing bargain.

Despite his shame, Youpi met Meruem's gaze with unwavering honesty. “I felt that breaking a promise would make me a loser, even if it were a promise made to an enemy. I understand that I have betrayed you, and for that I’m unworthy of asking for forgiveness. But please, Your Majesty, allow me the chance to ensure your safety and eliminate any remaining threats. After that, I will accept all punishments.”

Meruem’s eyes were shadowed, and so they couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

Pouf erupted in a tirade of indignation. “How could you do that!? You allowed your feelings to cloud your judgment! You prioritised yourself over the King! As we speak, these intruders may kill Pitou! And once we’re there, they’ll fight to take the King’s life! I can't believe you'd be so selfish as to—”

Silencing Pouf and addressing Youpi directly, Meruem was calm. "Firstly, I commanded you to call me Meruem. I tire of repeating myself. Secondly, I only asked that you don't lie to me. I see no reason to punish those who speak the truth. Let's return to the palace now."

Their mouths hung wide. Pouf's mouth moved, but no words came out.

It was then Meruem's gaze drifted into the distance. “… I trust Pitou,” he said with implicit sincerity.

They were dazed. It had been not long ago that the smallest of inconveniences resulted in Meruem whipping their faces with his tail. All they could do was comply. Meruem held onto Youpi’s leg with his tail, and Pouf followed behind. During their return, Youpi provided a detailed account of the enemy's abilities. Pouf could only shake his head with a scowl, veiling his anger.

Three and a half minutes before their arrival, Knuckle and the others advanced towards Gon's location. Pitou had already succeeded in healing Komugi, with fifteen minutes remaining. Outside, Ikalgo briefly stood guard to assess their surroundings, joining the group shortly after.

She’s already fully healed… thought Pitou. I just need to think of something fast. I can’t take her with me to Peijing, but Pouf and Youpi aren’t here. And even if Pouf were here, he hates Komugi. I fear what he might do in a misguided attempt to protect the King. I know he'd be able to convince Youpi, too.

Knuckle, Killua, Palm, Ikalgo, and Meleoron arrived. Pitou grew increasingly nervous as they spoke to Gon, and all Gon did was assent. It seemed his own allies were as wary of him as Pitou was.

Then, Pouf arrived.

Gracefully flying through the window, Pouf warily observed the enemies. Knuckle contemplated using his ability against Pouf, but he knew the distance afforded Pouf ample time to evade. Similarly, Meleoron found himself unable to act, but because he was trapped in a paralysis from being uncloaked before two royal guards.

“… Pouf,” Pitou’s eyes widened. In any other situation, she would be thrilled to see him. But knowing that they differed in how they saw Komugi, she was wary. Was he here on a mission of his own... or, her throat tightened, was he here with news of the King?

Pouf barely restrained himself from smirking smugly. “The King has defeated his enemy. He will arrive shortly along with Youpi and my real body,” the Hunters froze. “Is the woman healed?”

Pitou’s eyes glistened with relief. “Yes, she’s okay! Please tell His Majesty that Komugi is okay!”

The Hunters found themselves unable to breathe.

It wasn’t just Pitou now, but Pouf, Youpi, and the King. This was bad. No, not bad. This was the worst possible scenario. This woman was their bargaining chip, but if the King was coming, if he could get a hold of her, the Hunters would lose their only leverage. For Gon, the knot in his throat was different. The current situation meant that Pitou had no reason to keep her end of the bargain.

“You mustn’t be afraid,” reassured Pouf with a condescending smile. “If you obey, the King will surely spare your lives. His heart is boundless, that way.”

“Yeah, and then what!? He’ll just turn humanity into a bunch of mindless soldiers!?” Knuckle yelled boldly.

Pouf closed his eyes as his smile widened. “That depends entirely on His Majesty.”

With no reason left to lie, Pitou withdrew the surgical tools from Komugi's body. The wound closed seamlessly, leaving no scars, and the oxygen mask vanished.

"She will wake soon," Pitou informed Pouf, who nodded in acknowledgment.

The aura around Dr. Blythe turned thinner, which suggested Pitou would deactivate the ability. Before she did so, Pouf spoke. “Heal your arm.”

“… Oh, right.” She extended her arm as she rose to her feet. The box opened and scissors emerged to cut down her sleeve.

The darkness and rage in Gon’s expression gradually vanished as the realisation kicked in. The realisation Pitou had neither the reason nor intention to fulfil her promise.

In just fifteen seconds, her arm was healed. She clenched her fist until it scrunch, and swung it around. She was satisfied.

“We’re here,” Pouf announced.

The allied ants' expressions twisted with fear, their lips downturned in a whimper of terror.

In an instant, Pouf's sharp eyes caught Meleoron's subtle gesture. As Meleoron's chest rose with a deep, silent breath, he felt a sudden pressure on his neck and something sharp against his temple. His surrounding allies had only felt a breeze.

Meleoron let out a whimper of pain, and when they searched for him, they found Pouf as if he'd never moved from his position, now holding Meleoron in place. His claws were pressed against Meleoron's temple, with his leg firmly planted over Meleoron's to force him still. He drew blood.

“M-Meleoron!” cried Knuckle.

"I won't allow you to escape or make anyone invisible," Pouf stated coldly. "That's your ability, isn't it? You plan to use such petty tactics against the King. You might try holding your breath to flee, but I can pierce your brain faster than you can activate your power. The choice is yours."

Meleoron trembled.

“Be grateful I did not kill you on the spot.”

Immediately, Pitou positioned the unconscious Komugi behind her and drove herself into a corner. Even if they tried, they wouldn’t be able to harm Komugi. Pitou was, quite literally, shielding the girl with her own body. She'd noticed Gon’s aura grow darker. Witnessing Pouf's threat towards the chameleon traitor only fuelled Gon's instability further, Pitou noted.

Read the rest of the chapter here.

[good-girlinhell]

i finished rewatching hxh and now idk what my life is rn...

[basedkikuenjoyer]

Late nights are for Togashiposting. It's the law, Shogun Momo decreed it. Just like it is law LNTP has to be wordy, especially if it’s Hunter x Hunter. Kurama wasn't exactly an isolated concept in his work, right? Yoshihiro Togashi has since become much more known for the wonderfully "free" Hunter x Hunter, but anyone who was familiar with YYH recognizes the basic hero quartet right? Kurama to Kurapika is an obvious parallel, though the subtle ways the two differ make for some deep contrasts to delve into. Tonight’s about how Kurapika himself fits into the bigger evolution of an archetype Kiku will pick up in One Piece, how that fits into the nebulous rhythm of one author influencing another. But something tells me this will all come together in future ramblings.

For clarity, not quite as big of a HxH fan overall. Like it, glad it’s back, but I have a fair number of parts that miss. Yorknew has none of them, perfect arc up there with Chapter Black. Great moment is this awesome scene in the car. I love it to pieces. And not just for crossdressing Kurapika which we’ll get to in just a sec. I love this scene because Chrollo, the guy all chained up, is a hostage that wants to sacrifice himself. Knowing his followers won’t have the heart to let him die. So what does he do? Something we’ve talked a lot about with Ace, One Piece, & Wano...he tries to bait and provoke Kurapika into snapping and killing him. Luckily we have TheOreo and other mature-woman-we-stan Melody up front. Kurapkia’s story is all about the heavy toll seeking this kind of vengeance, thinking you have to do it alone means. 

Then of course, he makes a pretty girl which gets you a point. We went from Kurama who's only petty berserk button all series was being mistaken for a girl to "tactical crossdresser" Kurapika to Kiku just being trans. This is a pretty interesting space alone because Togashi showed a clear growth for actural trans characters too. From Miyuki in YYH to Alluka in HxH. Remember, you see a lot of more progressively intended depictions in anime & manga through this time period as a reflection of positive legal victories for trans folk in Japan around the same years. That mindset rippled out and we see publishers relenting on old “Comics Code”-type restrictions. 

That’s pretty much it after delinquent Yusuke “confirms” his suspicion, in the process demonstrating the advantage in the fight. Basically he’s saying don’t half-ass it. Not the most PC take today but it works. Blunt, but not really that different than if Oda say...had Kin grill Kiku about carrying herself the way she does only to turn around and feel slighted when the guys treat her like a little sister. Of course, Oda himself has been revealed to be responsible for Rurouni Kenshin including a similar story around the same time. Even back then, there's a fundamental divide in approach though. Miyuki admonished for not "picking a side," Honjo humanized through trying to find a comfortable middle ground to make the most of. Alluka an evolution but only to the point we had a climax of Killua realizing it’s bad to ask her to do the same, Kiku...we don’t fully know yet. My guess is focusing on what comes after resolving that inner conflict. It seems like part of a common thread in One Piece, not being tied to a “coming of age” mindset. That’s going to need to wait for Uta’s day, for now I wanna finish the thought on Kurapika.

Kurama & Kurapika are both so well loved because they’re truly good people and not stupid about it. Mature, wise, but carrying a big burden you know they beat themselves up over. Rare archetype that straddles being relatable and aspirational. Incidentally I’d say that’s part of the big evolution from Himura Kenshin to Okiku as well. Both inclined to pacifism but Kiku is too practical to make it an ethos. Just generally tries to do her best. There’s one scene in the late Raid though that took my mind off of everything and put it squarely in Yorknew City:

It’s not just “Cipher Pol killed Izo.” It’s a discrete group who can pop up anywhere believably and one that has a long history with the Straw Hats. Here a member is sharing a unique double KO with the first of the samurai we meet and the last one we know is part of the group. Who’s little sister has the whole “sweetheart with a demonic alter ego” archetype. Kurapika’s big motivation is a quest of vengeance, eliminating the members of the mysterous Phantom Troupe and recovering the signature glowing red eyes of his tribe. In order to grow strong enough fast enough he took a big risk that would stymie his long-term development and shorten his life. A sentiment painted extremely tragically for main boy Gon later in the series and Momonosuke’s in Wano. Kiku of course has a lot of that on the table too.

Gotta give me this at least, it’s a full-fledged concept. Glib Sweetheart Quartermaster who normally tries to talk her way out of fights first. Maybe even favors a pistol now as a tribute which when paired with an apparently restored left arm makes me think of another famous combat pacifist in manga. If it’s Cipher Pol though...sucks to be them. Because they alone will have to deal with an unknown demonic samurai of Wano’s past. Makes for lovely games with the Marines not knowing who she is, like Kurapika you can build the Dream of Vengeance into an impediment to a true dream. It’s such a good concept sitting on the table.

Real crazy thing though is...Kiku picked up the torch of this shonen archetype and moved it forward a bit. The four years Wano took overlapped with Togashi sporadically releasing a slow trickle of a Kurapika-centric arc. Opens the question, have we seen a reversal? Is some final turn of the Kakin Succession and what it may mean for the Last of the Kurta inspired by Oda’s tale of similar sibling samurai?   

[reeeyachi]

CLOSED: 300 Followers Event

Wow, I can’t believe I’m actually doing this. Blame writer’s block but that aside, since I see a lot of blogs I love do this, I’m going to try it to. Also to thank you for following this hxh hoe of a blog. Ily! <3

Event: CREATE YOUR OWN FIC Anime/Manga: Hunter X Hunter only Mechanics: Simple. Create your own fic using ingredients that you personally want from the categories below, and I will cook it up for you.

We have five (5) main categories: prompt, genre 1, genre 2, characters and setting. You can only choose one (1) item per category for prompt, genre 1, genre 2 and setting; but you may choose a maximum of four (4) items from the characters category.

How to order: Send via ask using the form below and item number. For the genre category, it’s okay if you only want one genre, just leave genre 2 blank. For the character category, the Reader option must be paired with another canon character. Do let me know if you have additional notes for your order.

PROMPT: GENRE 1: GENRE 2: SETTING: CHARACTERS: ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Notes: All meals will be one-shots. Up to me how many words I’d like them to have. Up to me when I’ll post them as well. You can go as crazy as you want with your mix, but I will not entertain smut requests for and involving minor characters. All canon characters will be IC.

Oh, and another thing, I will only allow a maximum of two (2) requests per Tumblr user. Ya girl doesn’t want to fry her braincells. Okay, let’s go! Categories below the cut. Enjoy!!! <3

PROMPT (Choose only one)

Some of my fave hxh quotes and recently faved song lyrics:

“It takes a mere second for treasure to turn to trash.”

"People only find me interesting because they can't tell whether I'm serious or not."

“There are liars who only lie when there's a reason to, and there are liars who also lie without a reason.”

“Human potential for evolution is limitless.” 

“When I say it doesn't hurt me, that means I can bear it.”

“Is your pride really worth throwing all of that away?”

“He's my buddy, my friend. But it wasn't until recently that I realized that.”

“If you're willing to do whatever it takes. I won't hold back.”

“I do not fear death. I fear only that my rage will fade over time.”

“You are light.“

“The only principle is that there are no principles.”

“Even the fastest eye can be fooled.”

“I won't have to show you any mercy.”

“So you’re finally... going to pay attention to me?“

“I’d have to break your spirit instead.“

“On second thoughts, will you even remember me?“

“I thought that it was worth it, to let myself just disappear.“

“I miss you, I mean it. I try not to feel it. But I can’t get you out of my head.“

“If my wishes came true, it would’ve been you.“

“And I think you should come live with me and we could be pirates.“

GENRE 1 (Choose only one)

Humor / Parody

Romance

Friendship

Hurt / Comfort

Angst

Horror

Tragedy

Supernatural

Spicy :3

GENRE 2  (Choose only one or none)

Humor / Parody

Romance

Friendship

Hurt / Comfort

Angst

Horror

Tragedy

Supernatural

Spicy:3

SETTING  (Choose only one)

Hunter X Hunter universe

School

Beach

Bar

Park

Mall

House / Apartment

Museum

Streets

Front porch / terrace

Garden

Forest

Mountains

Bus terminal

Strip club

CHARACTERS (You may choose a maximum of four, minimum of one; but if you choose Reader, you must choose another canon character to pair it with)

Reader

Gon

Killua

Kurapika

Leorio

Mito

Ging

Hisoka

Illumi

Chrollo

Alluka

Pakunoda

Machi

Komugi

Meruem

Knuckle

Shoot

Ikalgo

Silva

Zeno

Kikyo

Kalluto

Milluki

Zushi

Wing

Pariston

[aspoonofsugar]

What are the parallels that can be drawn between the Yorknew and Chimera Ant arcs, both in terms of characters and themes?

Hello anon!

Sorry for the wait!

Generally speaking I think that both the CAA and the YS arc have more parallels with other arcs and they specifically parallel the current arc.

That said, I think there are still interesting considerations that can be made about these two arcs.

GON AND KILLUA: A COMPLETE INVERSION

When it comes to Gon and Killua, the CAA basically deconstructs and messes up what the YS arc establishes.

For example, let’s consider this scene:

Here, Gon is basically accusing the spiders of being hypocrites because they can feel love for their comrades, but still choose to attack other people and to kill them.

In the CAA Gon ends up in this situation:

He told the Spiders that they should use their empathy and realize that other people have bonds exactly like them and that they are people too. However, when Gon has to face an opponent he hates he struggles to see them as a person with their own loved ones. Gon is so shocked about Pitou’s humanity that he is about to refuse it altogether and to kill not only them, but Komugi as well.

In short, Gon uses the same line of thought he had criticized the Spiders for.

Generally speaking, we can say that Gon in the CAA strongly parallels Kurapika in YS. Both characters are driven by revenge and are suppressing their own sense of empathy in order to kill the person they hate. They end up being helped by their friends’ actions which manage to stop them from losing it completely:

What is more, in order to obtain their revenge both end up using a vow and a limitation:

And end up paying the price for it at the end of the arc:

In short, it is as if YS is an arc where Gon is seeing and disapproving of his future self:

As a matter of fact he is so worried about Kurapika that he hopes he won’t meet the Spiders ever again.

He realizes better than anyone else how toxic Kurapika’s current mindset is, but when he finds himself in a similar situation he fails to use Kurapika’s experience to learn and has to spiral himself before he can be saved and helped.

As far as Killua is concerned, the YS arc is where his dynamic with Gon is fully established:

Gon is the reckless one who runs ahead and Killua is the one who stays behind and cleans the mess.

Killua is happy about this because he feels he can be useful to Gon despite his flaw of running away. Basically, he admires Gon for his ability to jump into action and to do so for both himself and for others’ sake, but Gon manages to give value to qualities Killua himself has. However, in the CAA Killua wants to show that he has improved and wants to be able to face challenges together with Gon rathen than simply being the one taking care of the cleaning-up:

In short, the CAA shows the limits of what is firstly said in the YS arc.

What can we make of all this?

it is interesting that Killua and Gon are not the main characters of the YS arc, but Kurapika is. Killua and Gon play a supporting role in that arc and they see their older friend struggle, they worry for him and try to help him. Because of their “innocence” they manage to see things in an unorthodox and clear way and overcome problems in an original way.

In the CAA they both grow and so they lose a part of that innocence. They find themselves prey of more complicated passions and what seemed obvious in YS becomes muddled in the CAA. In YS the beauty of their friendship is not under discussion, but in the CAA hidden tensions and problems pile up. Similarly, in YS it is clear that Kurapika’s behaviour is unhealthy, but living a similar ordeal makes them understand why exactly Kurapika had so much struggle avoiding it.

SPIDERS VS ANTS: CHALLENGING AUTHORITY

Both the YS arc and the CAA has one group which challenges authority.

I will be quoting myself from the metas I linked above:

So far every great theft the spiders have organized has been against a group holding some sort of power (the mafia and the country of Kakin). Both times they are acting against an established system and are willing to completely ignore the rules said system is based upon.

That arc (CAA) started with Meruem basically stealing a country from its ruler and trying to create a different power system.

The Chimera Ants were an example of a “different" which could not be accepted by society and this is why it was eradicated by making use of a “different” which on the contrary had been previously integrated:

No matter how much Meruem were to change, the world would have always rejected him because it couldn’t be sure that it had the ability to fully control him.

In short, both the Spiders and the Ants challenge authorities and are able to stand up to extremely damaging systems thanks to their power. As a matter of fact the Spiders manage to kill the Injus and the mafia dons, while Meruem and the Ants kill Ming Jol-ik (the fake one).

Both groups do not act out of a sense of justice, but are simply lashing out against systems they do not recognize. At the same time, they also have a fundamental difference.

On one hand the Ants are trying to create a new system where they rule on humans and Meruem is at the top.

On the other hand the Spiders are not interested in creating new systems and simply enjoy mess things up because of their fleeting desires.

I think that this difference is well shown in the war between the spiders and the Ants which happens in Meteor City.

At that time, both the Spiders and Zazan’s group find themselves without a leading figure. As a matter of fact the Ants lost their queen and as a result they separated and each one of them tried to create their own reign. Similarly, Chrollo was in no position to interact with the Spiders and they lacked a boss as a result. That said, they remained united.

Moreover, the way the title of Queen/Boss is treated by the two groups is completely different:

The Ants treat it seriously and their competition over it is real and harsh. The Spiders instead are not really concerned and treat it as a game. They decide that whoever finds the Queen and kills her is going to become the new Boss. However, the title is only a temporary one and it is definately not something official. This much is made clear by the fact that the group is not even complete when they make the bet. What is more, when Feitan is hurt, Phinks asks him if he wants to be subbed out. In short, none of them took the whole matter seriously and they simply enjoyed a little competition. After all, even if Feitan kills Zazan he is never treated by the others as a leader:

In a sense it is telling that the only one among the Spiders who takes the whole matter at heart is Kalluto aka the newest member. Kalluto himself comes from a hierarchical family, so it is not a surprise that he tries to climb the ranks higher, but what he fails to realize is how casual these ranks are.

Another interesting comparison is the one between the leaders of the two organizations:

Chrollo explains that his life must not be considered special, but that his orders must be obeyed.

The same can’t be said about Meruem. As a matter of fact the King is considered the pinnacle of evolution and the Royal Guards are ready to die for him. However, even if they try to follow his orders, they do not hesitate at disobeying him in order to do what they think is best for him.

This is why we end up with two characters facing a similar dilemma:

Both Pakunoda and Pouf are ready to disobey their superior’s orders for their superior’s sake. However, their motivations are opposite. Pakunoda does so even if it means to betray the Spider and she makes this choice because he values Chrollo as a person and gives him the humanity he negates to himself. Pouf is instead so obsessed with the wellbeing of the species that he refuses to see Meruem as a person despite Meruem’s arc being about him finding his own humanity.

These are the main parallels I could find between the two arcs. I hope it helps!

Thank you for the ask!

[hamliet]

What are hxh's themes?

Eeeeek okay. So HxH had a ton of themes, some unique to each arc, some overarching.

I’d say the overarching ones I’ll chat about here are growing up (aka responsibility), recovery from trauma, discovery, the importance of connection, and human nature. These are explored differently in each arc, though. First, I want to address overarching themes as addressed in the character development since HxH fundamentally addresses its themes through both character development and worldbuilding, and then I’ll briefly talk about each arc.

So let’s start with the premise. Here are our three main protagonists (there is a fourth but he doesn’t have an arc so I shan’t talk about him as much).

Gon–>a boy on a quest to find his father.

Killua–>a boy on a quest to escape his family.

Kurapika–>a boy on a quest to avenge his tribe.

Notice how it expands, showing us the importance of both self-discovery, connection, and discovery of the world in these quests and therefore the character development.

Deconstructed, however, this becomes:

Gon–>a boy struggling to cope with abandonment.

Killua–>a boy struggling to cope with abuse.

Kurapika–>a boy struggling to cope with loss.

I.e., trauma recovery. Connection seems to be offered as an necessity for these kids to recover. We also have this approach they take to their quests:

Gon–>a boy trying to become his father.

Killua–>a boy trying not to become like his family.

Kurapika–>a boy trying to honor his tribe’s memory.

Through their struggles with these goals, we see the consequences of their struggles to grow up (responsibility). What does it look like for Killua, who has siblings in terrible situations some of whom are not coping well?

What does it mean for Gon if he’s talented if he isn’t deciding his own path?

What does it mean for Kurapika if keeping himself chained to honoring a memory is literally killing him?

Now let’s look at the three characters’ negative foils, who are all excellent characters whom I love and whom exemplify the flaws of our protagonists.

Hisoka–>Gon’s foil, a manchild who seeks the next adventure at the cost of responsibility (which he actively shuns) and whom has no respect for any life including his own.

Illumi–>Killua’s foil, who is desperate to control the few things he can (takes responsibility too far in the other direction from Hisoka). He’s willing to die if his death can manipulate someone.

Chrollo–>Kurapika’s foil, who tries to remain cold and cut off from the world despite forming a cult of personality around him and finds the two things don’t really go together peacefully. He doesn’t think his life matters if his legacy is assured.

Essentially, through them we see the importance of human connection (and the consequences of not having it), what Togashi considers actually growing up/taking responsibility, and honestly, what it means not to recover from trauma because each of these characters spiral based on something that happens during the course of the story.

So let‘s talk about arcs now:

Hunter Exam Arc: really looks at how human beings pursue their goals at extreme costs, and how similar goals don’t necessarily equate to similar motivations.

Zoldyck Family Arc: really looks at the persistence and tendency of human beings not to give up, and introduces the idea that not all discovery is going to be beautiful.

Heaven’s Arena Arc: looks at the way human beings love a challenge, and yet starts to set the seeds for the dangers of trying to rush into goals/do things too fast.

Yorknew City/Phantom Troupe Arc: looks at the different ways people connect and the importance of choosing your own path vs. fate, and explores the idea that not everything humans do has meaning. 

Greed Island: takes an even darker look at just how far people will go for selfish, petty goals despite being one of the lightest arcs.

Chimera Ant Arc: explores pretty much all the themes TG’s been trying to explore and SnK too. Explores the futility of war, yet the way human beings are drawn to it, the way evolution is a motivator for humanity as a whole, what makes a human being a human being, and again, how connection really is enough to save the world from war and distress but humans are not patient enough for that. Also explores the limits of friendship and connection.

Election Arc: the importance of taking responsibility in relationships, and of breaking out on your own to grow up.

Dark Continent Arc: the current arc; it’s not finished yet. But I’d say it definitely seems to be exploring what human beings do when they’re pushed to their absolute limits and what happens when what you’re holding onto, be it people/connection or an idea like fun, is torn away.

[ao3feed-killugon]

Hijacked

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2nhD9R5

by MemoreM

Science has bypassed evolution. Biological augmentation has become the norm, and everyone from schoolteachers to soldiers to world leaders has some kind of access to the technology that gives humans powers that were once impossible to fathom. But some things never change-- crime, for instance. The latest and greatest in technology has criminals working smarter, not harder, and law enforcement has upped the ante too. Four of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's top undercover agents are working hard to stop a domestic terrorism group about to strike at an underground auction run by the New York City mafia, one of the FBI's largest informant pools. Will the daring team stop the crime of the century in its tracks, or will an unforeseen evil wreak havoc from the sidelines?

  (OKAY GUYS SORRY FOR THE CHEESY PLOT BLURB BUT I CAN'T HELP BUT BE DRAMATIC SOMETIMES)

Words: 907, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Hunter X Hunter

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: Other

Characters: Gon Freecs, Killua Zoldyck, Leorio Paladiknight, Kurapika (Hunter x Hunter), Biscuit Krueger, Palm Siberia, Illumi Zoldyck, Isaac Netero, Hisoka (Hunter X Hunter), Kuroro Lucifer | Chrollo Lucifer, Machi (Hunter x Hunter), Shalnark (Hunter X Hunter), Shizuku (Hunter x Hunter), Feitan (Hunter X Hunter), Nobunaga Hazama (Hunter X Hunter), Neon Nostrade, Light Nostrade, Senritsu | Melody

Relationships: Gon Freecs/Killua Zoldyck, Gon Freecs & Killua Zoldyck, Kurapika & Leorio Paladiknight

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Future, phantom troupe arc, ish, FBI, scifi-ish, mind control???? i guess, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, light killugon, not very romance-y, idk how to tag, help me please

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2nhD9R5

[hotpinkstaples]

elamshiinreplied to yourpost:elamshiin replied to your post: ...

Actually, yeah. I’ve been discussing it heavily with my friend when I started reading the DC arc. There are a few hinds to that, which may as well be red herrings, but here it goes: The Kurta clan is a traveling clan, they came and settled in Lukso and stayed isolated for 100 of years. A nomadic tribe like this could actually have several minor tribes which branched out. The Scarlet eyes may have been a necessary evolution in order to survive the harsh DC environment, Kurapika’s clan might have branched from this "main clan" long time ago, but kept the evolutionary trait. The giant birds shown in Kurapika's childhood chapter WERE shown on the map of the DC. Along with strangely familiar half-sphere shaped cottages. There must be a reason for all those "monster" rumors. 100 years ago, Kurta's could've been a war-mongering tribe, or at least the DC side of it. Troupe MIGHT know smth about that, Chrollo is a rare book hunter, and acts strangely secretive about the whole massacre thing...

ooooh that sounds like such a good theory!!!

[ddarker-dreams]

Hello lock. Is there a possibility of a part two for declawed? I loved it so much! If not that's ok, you're an amazing writer and I love everything you write 💗 I've been following you for a long time and watching your evolution as a writer has been amazing, keep up the good work!

hello hello!! thank you very much for your kind words and support <333

i actually do intend to write a continuation set within the branching declawed universe, i just have so many ideas, that narrowing it down to a few for the sake of writing a comprehensible story has been difficult HETJKMGR i feel like a strong foundation was established to be expanded upon, it'd be a waste not to... i need to figure out what approach i'll take. declawed has easily made it to one of my personal favorites, i wanna do it justice!

in the meantime though, i've been working on a yan chrollo x reader (unrelated to this universe) 👁 hopefully that'll tide us over until the next installment.