Meleoron took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth before taking out a lighter. He lit up the end and sucked on the stick, and then exhaled a puff of smoke in the air. I made a face when I smelled the smoke. I sighed, my eyes showing displeasure.

"You shouldn't be smoking. I hate it when people smoke around me. It's bad for you and for others around. You'll be having trouble breathing later in life, or something even worse than that." I told him with concern in my tone.

"Yeah. And the smell will stick to you, and people will smell you coming, giving away your position even if you're invisible." Gon added.

Meleoron laughed softly. "I appreciate the warnings, but to be honest, I don't really care much. While my invisibility is sort of a trademark, my real ability is on an entirely different level."

"What?" I said in confusion.

"Here. I'll show you guys."

Gon and I watched Meleoron puff at his cigarette again, and all of a sudden, he completely vanished!

"Huh? Where is he?" I asked, turning my head around to find him.

"I can't sense him at all." Gon replied. "All I can smell is the cigarettes."

I scrunched up my face in disgust. I tried touching the rock where he sat before, but I didn't feel him there. I was so confused. I went to the other rock where I sat with Gon, but he was not there either.

I turned back around and there he was, sitting on the rock he sat before. I yelped at his sudden reappearance.

"Where'd you come from?!" I exclaimed.

"Hmm? I was right here the entire time." The chameleon simply replied, and I choked in shock. "My second ability is called Perfect Plan. By holding my breath, I can 'erase' my presence without people sensing me one bit. You guys were touching me...but your minds didn't realize you were doing it."

"Eh? We really touched you?" Gon asked in disbelief, and I felt like I had done something incredibly wrong and stupid.

He exhaled some more smoke, and I softly groaned. "You know how some guys never get noticed? When you go to a restaurant in a big group, there's always one person that the waitress forgets to bring water. I'm like that, but more extreme. I'm right here, but no one ever notices me."

"Uhhh..."

"I use my ability to turn invisible so I can keep this one a secret and prevent people from knowing about it. Out of everyone in this world, you guys are the only ones who know about this besides me. So let's just keep it this way for now, okay?"

Gon and I gulped, feeling pressured by the fact that only both of us knew about Meleoron's special ability. So I decided to keep my mouth shut about it, for now.

Meleoron started leading us through the forest, and we followed him.

"Why tell us something so important?" Gon asked.

"Well, it's to build trust. Since I'm the one taking a risk...if I can't get you guys to trust me, then we can't start anything at all." He replied.

"You mean how you said we'd be valuable partners, right?"

"Yeah, but let's save that for later."

"Huh?"

"Like I said, we have to trust each other first. Once both of you agreed to become my partners, then I'll be happy to tell you everything you want to know."

"Okay, we'll be your partners. Right, Lizzy?" Gon turned to me, taking me aback.

"What?" I exclaimed.

Meleoron chuckled a bit, and then shot a bewildered glare at the boy. "That was fast! You don't know to negotiate, kid! Don't be so trusting of me! You should be suspicious of me, of the whole world! Think about it before you can trust anyone!"

"I said it was okay. I don't know why you're being so difficult." Gon whined, and Meleoron put his finger on his nose, leaning closer to his face.

"Can you even make this decision on your own? What about your buddies? They'll have a fit when they find out you two teamed up with a suspicious-looking monster!" He groaned and looked away from us, clutching his head. "And why the hell am I insulting myself? It's not like I chose to be this way."

I sighed and placed my hands on my hips. "Listen. I don't think I trust you very much. However, if you tell us why you want us to be your partners, then you'll earn my trust. I want to hear every detail from you without a trace of dishonesty."

I heard the chameleon groan, and he turned back to us. "There. She's suspicious of me, so why shouldn't you be?" He said to Gon.

There was no answer from him, and I continued to stare at the chameleon with penetrating eyes. He sighed.

"Whatever. Even a friend you've had for 20 years could stab you in the back! Time is not a matter of trust! Say, 'Ho!'" He pointed at us, and we didn't say anything, making him groan again. "You guys are no fun. We can never be friends."

If you don't share your reason with us, idiot.

The three of us walked further into the forest until Meleoron spoke up again.

"So, you're sure about this?"

"About what?" Gon asked.

"You teaming up with me. Of course she's suspicious of me, until I have to explain myself. Won't your buddies object?"

"Hmm. Probably. Killua and Lynn are pretty cautious of everything."

"Then we're done. This deal's dead in the water."

"If I insist on having it my way, it'll be fine. They won't like it, but they'll give in."

"Oh, Gon! Why do you have to be stubborn about everything? Not to mention, selfish?!" I protested, and the boy only smiled at me.

"Hey, if you can't team up with him, you might as well turn around and leave." He plainly suggested, and I grew more pissed.

"Won't you just be wary of him for once?! I mean, look at him! He's a Chimera Ant and we're humans! Don't just ignore that fact!"

"But that doesn't mean I can't trust him. He might help us, even if it means betraying his own comrades."

"As if! We haven't even seen how strong he is in battle! I bet he's as strong as a low-ranking soldier ant!"

That caused Meleoron to growl quietly and suddenly scream at us, particularly me.

"Will you quit it already?! Geez, you don't have to say something like that about me!" He turned around and placed a hand behind his head, sighing in annoyance. "Whatever. If you say it's okay, I trust you. So let's get down to business."

"Yeah." Gon nodded.

"I wanna..." He stopped walking, and we did too. "I wanna take down the King."

I gasped. Take down the King?

"Wanna know why?"

"Of course I do." Gon said.

"I'm taking revenge."

I went all sober upon hearing the word 'revenge.' Who was he gaining revenge for?

"I can't tell you why I want revenge right now." He stated as we started walking again.

"Okay. I'm a bit curious, but I can wait." Gon replied.

"I want to hear everything. And it better be good." I told him.

He sighed and stopped walking. "If you insist, I guess I'll have tell you right now."

"What? Already?" The boy exclaimed.

"I'm just kidding. Beg all you want, but I won't tell you yet." Meleoron took out a cigarette from his pocket.

"I didn't beg for anything." Gon pouted, and I rolled my eyes at the chameleon.

He took out a lighter and lit the end of the cigarette before putting it in his mouth. He sucked on it and exhaled a puff of smoke in the air. I groaned loud enough for Gon to hear.

"The King killed someone who saved me." Meleoron suddenly spoke up, making me and Gon look at him curiously. "His name was Peggy. I saw the King behead him right before my eyes."

My heart was filled with pity as I could relate to him because he lost someone who was dear to him.

"But at the time, I didn't even realize that someone who was close to me had died."

"Why not? You saw it happen, didn't you?" Gon asked.

Meleoron flicked his cigarette away from him and flattened it with his foot, nearly igniting the grass.

"Because I'd forgetten who Peggy was to me. I'd forgetten he was my foster father, the one who raised me." His eyes showed grief as well as his tone.

My heart became heavy with more pity for him. I felt his pain, as well as his resolve for vengeance.

Gon and I sat on a tree root across from Meleoron. I felt very bad for the chameleon. He didn't sound deceitful, but he did bring back feelings of grief to my heart.

"A little while ago, I began to recover my memories from when I was human. I haven't remembered everything. No, that's not quite right. I remembered a few things. The names of my parents, my own name, and episodes of my childhood. Peggy was the name of the Chimera Ant the King killed, and also the human name of my foster father. He was an academic, always carrying thick books around." Meleoron solemnly explained, my eyes being soulful as I listened to his triggering words. "In both life and death, he never parted with his books about NGL."

"Do all the ants have human memories like you do?" Gon asked.

"I don't know if we're all the same. Some are clearly like wild beasts, which makes it impossible to tell what they're thinking."

I frowned. Of course Meleoron didn't look wild. And he had gone through the same troubles I had with my sister. Why couldn't I trust him so easily like Gon, without even forcing myself to do so?

"I think I understand. This is why, when I first met you, I was willing to trust you. You're all human. More human than all of the ants I've met so far. In fact, I would even say that you're still a human." Gon explained, smiling innocently.

"Really? When I met you, I had the opposite reaction. I could sense an inhumane beast inside you. And you, too." Meleoron pointed at him, and then me. "That's why I wanted to team up with you guys. Because we're not all that different."

I smiled. "Then I'll trust you. We'll help you defeat the King."

The chameleon returned the smile and nodded. He stood up to stretch. "Okay, let's get down to business. But first, could you tell me your names? I just forgot to ask." He held out his hand for us to shake.

"Oh, I'm Gon. Gon Freecss." The boy introduced himself and shook his hand. Then, he let go of his hand to let me shake it.

"Lizzy. Lizzy Azrelt." I told him my name, shaking his hand gently before letting it go.

"Here. Give me your hands. I have something to show you." He told us, and Gon and I looked at each other before complying. I grabbed his left hand and Gon grabbed his right hand.

"I actually have another ability." He said before turning on his aura, surprising us. "And we have met the conditions to activate it."

Conditions? Oh, I got it. He needed to hold each of our hands to start the ability. That was his activation requirement.

"Time for me to show you guys my third ability." Meleoron said before his aura flowed through me and Gon, filling us with awe.

"Activate!" He yelled, causing the aura to spike. I breathed in a short gasp as I gaped at my hand holding his. It only lasted for a brief moment before the aura decreased.

Meleoron gestured to a yellow bird sitting on a branch, chirping a sweet tune. We went to it, and Meleoron signaled me to touch it. I reached out my hand slowly and caressed its back. To my surprise, it didn't move at all.

Gon touched the bird as well and was also surprised that it still didn't move. Meleoron exhaled, and the bird flew away.

"Wait. We were using Perfect Plan, too?" I asked.

"That's right. My third ability is called God's Accomplice. It allows me to extend the effects of Perfect Plan to any other person as long as I maintain contact with them." He briefly explained.

I was amazed by his ability. Meleoron held up a finger and smirked.

"Now do you understand how powerful this is? This ability will let us approach and attack an unsuspecting enemy, and they won't see it coming. The King's strength doesn't matter. If we land a mega-punch to his unguarded vitals, he's finished."

Me and Gon shuddered, unsure about his plan.

"Gon, Lizzy. You two are just the perfect partners I've been looking for. If we work together as a team, we can deal an unprecedented blow to that son of a bitch!"

We sat down on some tree roots to discuss about Meleoron's intention of testing me and Gon.

"So I was watching you guys when you used your abilities. They were my underlings, you know." The chameleon admitted, and we gasped in shock. "I sent them to test your strengths, and they..." He paused when he noticed our sullen faces. "Ah, no need to feel bad. They were killing for fun behind my back. They're not my soldiers or allies anymore. From their perspective, I'm the one who changed."

Even if they were testing us, I still thought I was not suited to be Meleoron's partner. I couldn't attack the bat, and I couldn't use my ability for too long.

"About us being your partners...There's someone who'd be better than me and Lizzy." Gon stated, and I realized who he was talking about.

"You know someone?" Meleoron questioned.

"Yep. I'll call him."

"Hold on." The chameleon stopped him, opposing his idea. "Right or wrong, I trust you guys. I won't blame you if you end up betraying me. And I won't regret my decision, because I watched you, spoke to you, and decided to trust you guys. Just because you trust someone doesn't mean I can trust them, too. That's not how it's going to work. Does that make sense to you?"

"I get your point, but still—"

"Hey! My life's on the line here, right?" Meleoron threw his cigarette to the ground and crushed it with his foot. "Listen. My Perfect Plan is actually a vulnerable ability. More vulnerable than you think. I can make people ignore my existence, but I'm still right there. They just don't notice me. So their attacks can still hit me. If an enemy is around someone with my ability, what would they do? They'd launch attacks in every direction."

"Oh, that's right." I said, understanding what he was explaining.

"If one of those attacks hit me, even by dumb luck, I'd be done for. Hate to say it, but when it comes to combat, I'm the weakest Chimera Ant around. I'm basically a foot soldier. Forget the King. I couldn't even survive a punch from a Squadron Leader. If I just turn invisible, others can locate me with En. It's already been tested, so the other Squadron Leaders know it, too. I need my enemies to believe that my power is weak. They need to think that En is enough to beat it. This ability is only invincible if no one knows about it. But enough explaining. My point is that I don't want to reveal my power to anyone else, not even if it's someone you trust."

Gon took out his phone and held it in front of Meleoron. "Find out for yourself."

"Huh?"

"I'll call him witbout mentioning you." He dialed the number and held the phone close to his ear.

"W-wait!" The chameleon cried.

"You just watch from a distance." He waited for someone to answer the phone, and when the phone line stopped ringing, he was met by Knuckle's loud voice, startling him and me. Meleoron and I watched as he talked with him on the phone, and after a while, he tried to call Killua, but he couldn't reach him. He tried to call Lynn next, but she didn't answer him either. I assumed she and Killua were in the middle of a fight against an enemy, and I was confident they could handle it. Besides, neither of them would lose to a low-ranking soldier ant thanks to their great powers.

When Gon finished talking to Knuckle, he told us that we should meet up with him and Shoot in Mandai City. Meleoron smoked another cigarette, much to my displeasure.

"Will you quit with the smoking already?! Seriously!" I grumbled, getting sick and tired of smelling smoke in the air. The chameleon shot an annoyed glance at me before sucking on the end of his cigarette again. When would he ever listen to me?

I slowly opened my eyes to see a bright light, then my vision cleared and I saw the ceiling of a room. I sat up and groaned, placing a hand on my forehead. I looked around to see that I was in some sort of hospital, the nurses treating sick and injured patients. I looked at my wounds and saw that they were bandaged, then I looked down to see that I was wearing a hospital gown.

I looked around the room and found Killua and Ikalgo at a bed not too far behind me, and the silver-haired boy noticed me and slightly smiled at me. I returned it.

"Ah, look who's awake?" A nurse with black hair and narrow eyes came to me and looked at Killua before taking a glance at me. "How wonderful."

"Thanks for everything. We'll be checking out now." Killua told her.

"Not until you guys pay your bills. The total is 3.6 million Jenny. If you can't pay, then I'll accept body parts instead." She said, her voice showing greed.

"Neither of us have our wallets with us, so we'll just go back home and wire it to you later." I said, clearly bluffing.

"You think I'm stupid enough to let you do that? Until you find someone to bring the money, you are staying right where you are."

Killua and I jumped out of our beds simultaneously.

"We don't have time for that! Give us the phone!" We demanded in unison.

The nurse complied and let us use the phone to call Gon.

"It's 10,000 Jenny per minute." She said, pissing us off.

"Shut up and go away!" Killua yelled at her.

Just then, a familiar voice answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Gon. It's me—"

"KILLUA!" The boy screamed over the phone, making me cover my ears.

"Oh my God!" I snapped and took my hands off my ears to hear him.

"Where are you? What happened? Are you and Lynn alright?"

"We'll explain when we see you and Lizzy. An enemy gave us some trouble. We've been in the hospital." Killua told him.

"That sucks. But thanks for calling. So, you guys are okay, right?"

"Yeah. We'll be back soon. Anything happen on your side?"

"We've found a strong ally. He's bonding with Knuckle very well. We have a plan that could defeat the King if it goes well."

"Oh."

"Let's talk it over as soon as possible, okay?"

"Okay. Then I need you guys to send money to an account. Do that and we can rendezvous later."

After finishing the call, we went back into the room to wait for the transaction to complete. Killua took off his hospital gown, revealing his muscular build. When I saw him like that, I felt my heart racing inside my chest, and my face went all red and hot.

W-what the—? He's completely healed! And...he's so muscular! Way more muscular than I am right now. Only have the six-pack and some muscle packed in my arms and legs.

Killua noticed me staring at him, and he was flustered. He began blushing madly and sweating bullets. I turned around and looked away, trying to get myself together after seeing every muscle in his body.

Yep, he's built way better than I am.

"Your payment finally came through." The nurse informed us after coming in. "All of you are good to go, so get out." She slammed the door shut and left the room.

A cell phone started ringing, and I realized that it was mine. I picked it up and answered it.

"Yes?"

"Uh, hey Lynn. Lizzy refused to pay your part of the bill, so I had to pay the full amount. Sorry about that." Gon told me, making me feel angry.

Damn you, Lizzy...

I sighed. "It's no big deal. Thanks, Gon."

"Mm-hmm. See you later."