HunterXHunter: Hunting for Love - Part 5/5

 
Aiai, The City of Love was an area of the game which existed to fulfill and somewhat parody the deep well of romantic cliches and scenarios for those who entered. Schoolgirls looking for their special someone, struggling artists looking for models, maids who couldn't help but go after hopeless cases, and boy-bands who inevitably all fell for the same woman. If it existed in a soap opera or visual novel, chances were you could re-enact that tryst in Aiai.

The town was packed, however almost none of them were there to engage in virtual romances. No one was saving the helpless NPC’s from a gang of thugs. No one was sneaking into the room of the prince sick of royal women and looking for something different. No everyone was here because a light had shot out from this general area and struck them changing their gender to the opposite of what it had been. A bunch of disgruntled, uncomfortable guys and angry, ashamed gals were tearing the town apart and getting into fights which wound up being mostly awkward for everyone. Everyone was looking for whoever was responsible for their current state. But with over half of the game’s player population in the same spot, not to mention the roving NPCs who kept trying to initiate their questlines, no one was getting anywhere.

“Argh I give up!” Killua let out an exaggerated sigh and fell onto a nearby bench. A hint of annoyance crossing her face as her boobs gave a slight bounce.

“Hrmm… We need more clues than just the area.” Gon said slumping down next to her. The much more exaggerated bounce prompted Killua to look the other way.

“It's probably the best idea to wait. Chances are whoever did this will announce themselves eventually.” Hisoka added her thoughts from behind them. Killua and Gon turned their heads to look at the oddly familiar looking woman. They didn’t recognize her for a few seconds, but when they spotted the marks under her eyes and dress it hit them.

“H-Hisoka?!” The two of them shouted, Killua jumping off the bench.

“Hello.” She said with mild amusement. “You two certainly did become cute didn’t you?”

“Like I want to hear that from you. Piss off freak!” Killua was taking the defensive.

Ignoring her friend’s cue, Gon instead innocently asked a question to Hisoka. “Do you know what happened Hisoka?”

“I have some theories. Nothing worth mentioning though. Someone wants all of us to gather here given how showy they’ve been. I imagine he will show up eventually”

“I agree. With so many players here it’s impossible to pick out the culprit without some kind of divination ability. You kids were affected too hmm?” Another older woman approached them. The group looked at her for a moment trying to decipher who she was as she clearly recognized them.

After a few seconds Killua burst out laughing. “Haha they got the old man! Look at those things on her chest!”

“Shut up you brat!” Tsezguerra shouted; turning away to try and hide her very obvious assets. Biscuit noted to himself that Killua only seem flustered by Gon’s new form and smirked.

“Ah… H-Hello there. May I wait with you all as well?” An attractive blonde woman came over with a shy demeanor. Her glasses further added to her subtle charm.

Tsezguerra shot Genthru a glare and it was quickly returned before Genthru went back to her sweet act. The darker haired woman was about to object to the liar’s inclusion in the group when a voice could be heard all throughout Aiai and the majority of the NPCs vanished. All around the city a new NPC took their place in the form a cute pink haired woman in a tight latex outfit adorned with various heart accessories and patterns. She smiled to everyone and brought out a microphone to address all the players. Each copy of her moved identically and her voice echoed through the streets of Aiai ensuring no one would miss the important announcement.

“The Player cap has been reached! Aiai would like to invite all of you to a very special ‘Romantic Wonderland.’ This special event is mandatory for all players currently in the city of Aiai. You may not leave Aiai until you claim at least 5 event tickets and any attempts to prematurely leave will result in a removal of all cards in your binders. Tickets can only be obtained from… Going on dates! That’s right everyone it's time for some mingling in Greed Island! So find a partner and get to it! Let’s show each other a little love and affection to get away from all that horrid fighting! The people with the most tickets at the end of the week will get a very special prize too, so let the Romantic Wonderland Player Dating Event begin! And just to spice it up, everyone will get some makeovers to better help them attract potential soul mates.”

The ground of Aiai lit up as the woman stopped talking and regardless of people’s attempts to avoid it everyone was swallowed in a bright pink light that was intent on making them look their best.

Killua stood fuming with an angry and humiliated expression. She had thought her previous outfit was bad enough, but the new princess gown she found herself in was far worse. Its low neckline gave full display of her assets and the puffed up shoulders made her feel like a moron. Somehow despite the fact her new dress covered her legs entirely she felt more embarrassed by the large dress and petticoats underneath.

“May I get you anything princess?” Biscuit asked in a mocking tone. Killua looked over to see he was now in a well-fitted butlers uniform complete with a tray and some tea on it.

“I think it looks good on you Killua!” Gon chirped.

“Shut up G-” Killua froze at Gon’s new outfit. The last one was bad enough, but now she was in something which could barely be called clothing. A tight skimpy tiger-print bikini which left most of his top half bare and a matching bottom all hugged her curves tightly. The only other article of clothing she had on were some similarly patterned thigh-highs which only made her legs look better. Biscuit burst out laughing at Killua’s shocked expression.

Oblivious as always, Gon smiled and looked over to the others. Hisoka now wore a dancer’s outfit with the main differences from before being her exposed stomach and the dress being almost completely translucent. The top had become little more than a bra. A set of lavish necklaces, bracelets and even some anklets around her now bare feet completed the look. She struck a pretty daring pose and exclaimed, “How nostalgic, there were some girls in the circus who wore outfits like this.” Her confidence was especially striking considering all the former men in the area who were doing their best to hide themselves in their new lewd outfits, Tsezguerra being among them.

“Er… I don’t think I got an appropriate outfit.” She mumbled trying in vain to give herself any kind of modesty. The older woman had wound up with an ill-fitting school girl’s uniform, one clearly meant for a female much younger and much less endowed than she was. The blouse barely reached her navel and the buttons threatened to pop at any moment against the pressure of the woman’s breasts. Her tartan skirt was more of a miniskirt on her as well. The oversized leg warmer socks and mary janes as well as her side-ponytail and hair clips completed the youthful look for the devastated older woman.

“What the fuck is this!” Genthru let her sweet demeanor drop as her anger bubbled over regarding her new Nurse’s outfit. It was similar in some ways to her previous getup, but enough was different to piss her off. The fishnets were one and the tall red heels were another. Her shoal had vanished and the collar of her dress had lowered revealing a lacy red bra underneath. A stethoscope and nurse’s cap with a big red heart cemented the overall look. It was hard to be sure if the more sexual nature of the costume or the mocking nature of a healer’s garb for someone like her was what made her mad, but she had clearly had enough of the entire gender-swapping affair.

As everyone in the plaza began to calm down Hisoka spoke to Gon. “I’m sure any moment now our ‘villain’ will appea-”

“Players of Greed Island! It is I, the mastermind behind your predicament. Listen up!” As if on cue Fenek appeared on a rooftop shouting at those who could hear him. Gon’s group was right below him and looked up to the shouting man along with many others in the area. “‘Why have we changed genders?’, that is what you are all asking correct? Who did this and why? Well it was me! I made ingenious use of the cards available in this game as well as my own Nen abilities to draw every single one of you to this spot. All of you saw the direction my attack came from and as planned you have all congregated here! Aiai has hit its player limit and finally the special dating event has begun. Now this event has nothing to do with collecting cards and that includes the special prize at the end. So why then should I go to all this trouble to draw so many people here, especially those that would despise me? What could be my goal? Well let me start at the beginning. You see when I-” *Thck!*

A playing card had lodged itself into Fenek’s head and he fell backwards off the roof.

Everyone who was quick enough to see it looked to the card’s origin. “H-Hisoka!? Why did you do that?” Killua burst out.

“Well he said whatever he did was related to the cards. Considering his pitiful aura I highly doubt he was capable of affecting this many people on his own. He likely had no way to change us back. Did you feel like listening to the rest of his awful origin story? I’m sure it would have been disappointing.” Hisoka said this so matter-of-factly Killua had to pause and determine if the clown/dancer was right.

“Aww, I wanted to know why he did it!” Gon lamented and pouted.

A few people looked angrily at Hisoka, but a quick flash of a couple more playing cards and everyone hurriedly went back to their business, coupling off in groups to earn tickets faster.

“Well we haven’t changed back so it’s obvious we need to find another way to reverse this” Biscuit concluded.

“Well, we could always try earning the special prize. Maybe that has the power to do it. Gon? Shall we?” Hisoka extended a hand to Gon who looked at her puzzled.”

“Hey! What are you doing you sicko?!” Killua shouted, lifting her dress and stomping over.

“Oh? Would you like to date Gon first?” Hisoka asked teasing.

“W-What no! I mean if it keeps you away from her! I mean…” Killua started blindly waving an electric fist around. “All of you just shut up!”

The night was young on the first day of the dating festival. Card 33: Hormone Cookies gender bending effect was only meant to last 24 hours and most of them would have changed back some time the following day. However, upon his death Fenek’s lock ability had exploded outwards into one final post-mortem use, affecting everyone in Aiai at that moment. Their current statuses became locked and their gender swapped forms had become permanent. The majority of Greed Island’s players would be enjoying time in their new bodies for a long time to come.