A girl around 11 or 12 was leaning against a wall in the underground place while listening to her i-pod. She has long silver grey hair flowing freely down her back, reaching her waist, she has golden eyes that seem to have a twinkle in them. She was wearing a black shirt with white shorts that reached until just above her knees and a pair of black converse high tops. She pinned the number she received, 77, on the bottom left corner of her shirt. And she's carrying a black ripstik "G", holding it under her right arm.

According to the girl, so far, there are nobody interesting aside from number 44, a man who looked like a magician. He wears face paint, with a maroon star on his right cheek and a spring green teardrop on his left cheek. His outfit has suit symbols decorating it. He has red hair and is hard to miss. The rest of the candidates are just typical old man with huge muscles and really small brains. They weren't even scary. Of course, when she entered, they glare at her, while some just simply stared at her wondering how a little girl got there and what is she doing there, she just shrugged them off and lean against a wall scanning the candidates for a brief moment. And of course, Tonpa had approached her with the cans of laxative juices. But she just drank it and toss the empty can away.

After a while, a boy around 12 arrived, he has spiky, silver hair with blue eyes. He was wearing a dark blue long-sleeved turtleneck under a light blue v-neck with blue shorts and some kind of boots. He has the number 99 pinned on the left side of his chest. Tonpa approached him. They talked for a short while and Tonpa gave him a can of those laxative juices. The boy just simply drank the juice like her and walked towards her direction. They started a light conversation to pass time.

A long time passed, so far, there are two interesting candidates, number 44 and 301. Number 301 is a really weird guy with pins all over his head and some on his chest. He is really hard to miss with all needles and not to mention he made clicking noises whenever he move. While once again scanning through the applicants, the girl noticed her brother there, he was number 315, she wondered what he was doing there but decided not to bug him. Her brother is a handsome teenage guy around 15 with fair skin. He was fairly tall and slim and has black hair and red eyes. His outfit consists of a white tee, a pair of jeans, black sneakers and a black jacket. He looked like an ordinary teenager except for the fact that he gave off such a cold vibe that nobody dares to get within two meters radius around him, even Tonpa avoided him.

The door of the elevator opened and out came 3 candidates. One was a boy around 11 or 12 with spiky black hair with green tips and large, light brown eyes. He was wearing a green jacket with reddish edges covering a black tank top, green shorts, and green laced boots. He was also carrying a fishing rod. The second one was a blonde teenager around the age of her brother with brown eyes. He kinda looked like a girl but he was a guy for sure. His outfit consists of a blue cape-like outer garment with a mandarin collar, decorated with orange-colored hem, a white full-body training suit underneath and a blue Chinese style flats. The last one was a middle-aged man with spiky black hair and brown eyes. He wears a dark blue business suit, black shoes, and a pair of teashade sunglasses. And he was carrying a suitcase of some sort.

The young boy with green clothing made an attempt to talk to the other contestants, but he just receive glares in return. The weird green blob approach them and gave them their numbers. The middle-aged man number 403, the blonde teen number 404 and the youngest one number 405.

"Haven't seen you guys around before." A voice called out to them. The trio looked up to see a fat man with box-shaped nose sitting on one of the huge pipes. Of course it's Tonpa. He has his fake smile on. "Yo."

"You can tell we're new?" The youngest one asked.

"More or less." Tonpa said jumping down and walking towards them, stopping a few feet away. "After all, this will be my thirty-fifth attempt." He said with a fake smile.

"Thirty-five times?!" The trio exclaimed. The old man and the youngest had really shocked faces while the blonde one is more composed but with a hint of shock evident on his face.

"Well, you could say I'm an exam veteran." He said, again, with that fake smile of his. The old man and the blonde boy turned to look at each other for a moment before the old man turn away muttering "that isn't something to brag about" with a look on his face.

"Indeed." The blonde one agreed.

"If you have any questions, feel free to ask me." Tonpa offered, plastering another one of his fake smile that he mastered so well most thought it was a real genuine smile.

"Thank you." The young one is so naive.

"My name is Tonpa." He said while offering a hand for the young boy to shake.

"I'm Gon." Gon said shaking the hand Tonpa offered. "These are Kurapika and Leorio." He said referring to his two friends. Kurapika and Leorio just nodded their heads in greeting.

"Hey, are there others who have taken the exam a bunch of times like you?" Gon asked while looking up to Tonpa curiously.

"Well, I have the most experience here, but there are a few others. For instance, there's him..." He pointed to number 255, a really fat man sitting on the floor eating. "Todo, the wrestler. He's unmatched in strength. And he's smarter than he looks. On the other side, we have number 103, Bourbon, the snake charmer." He's a man wearing grey clothes with a purple scarf and something that kinda looked like a hat on top of his head. He's sitting meditating with his eyes closed. "He tends to hold grudges, so you don't want to end up on his bad side." A snake suddenly appeared on Bourbon's left shoulder and he peeked open his left eye. "And then... Number 191, Bodoro, the kung fu master." Referring to an old man sitting in a kinda meditating pose. With his chin up and eyes closed. "He's getting old, but there still isn't a better martial artist around. Then you have the three brothers, Amori, Imori and Umori." They looked nothing alike except for their similar clothes and paint under their eyes. "They perform consistently well, thanks to their excellent teamwork. And number 384, Gerreta, the huntsman." Gerreta was a guy with a dark skin and weird hair. He's sitting leaning on the wall while doing something with his weapon. He wears weird clothes and a hat on his head. "He specializes in killing all manner of creatures, by blow dart and club. There are many more, but they have taken the test the most times." Tonpa said finishing his long lecture.

Suddenly, a scream was heard. The candidates turn their heads to where the scream came from, it was a man wearing a warrior-like outfit and a purple cape and has a weird hairstyle. His hands are turning into red flowers.

"Oh, how peculiar... His arms seem to have become flower petals. No smoke and mirrors here. Do take care. When you bump into someone, you really should apologize." Number 44 said in his creepy voice and a creepy smile on his face. By now, everyone had their eyes on him, glaring.

"That psychopath is back again." Tonpa said with a frightened look on his face, he didn't even try to hide it.

"Again?" Gon repeated with his curious face.

"Does that mean he took last year's exam?" Kurapika asked as he and Leorio turned to look Gon and Tonpa.

"Number 44, Hisoka, the magician. Last year, he was a virtual lock to pass the test, until he all but killed an examiner he didn't like." Tonpa said with his brows furrowed. Hisoka has begun to walk away.

"A-And they're still allowing him to retake the exam this year?" Leorio stuttered, utter disbelieve written on his face.

"Of course." Tonpa said it like it was the most common thing in the world. "Every year, the examiners and test content change and the examiner are the ones who choose the new content. The devil himself could pass if that were the examiners' determination. That's just how the hunter exam works. Anyway, no one likes him."

"He looks dangerous. That much is for sure." Leorio stated.

"Oh, right... A little something to mark our acquaintance. How about it?" Tonpa said, back to his 'normal' self, while pulling out three cans of juices, laxative ones, the same one the girl and the boy drank earlier.

Leorio and Gon gladly took it while smiling and thank Tonpa while Kurapika just replied with a simole thank you. The other candidates snickered at the scene. Tonpa, the rookie crusher is in action. (please note the sarcasm)

Gon took a sip of the juice and then spit it out saying that the juice tasted weird and asked if it was expired. Leorio who had also took a sip of it quickly spit it out while Kurapika, who hasn't even put the can near his mouth, just simply pour out the juice with a calm face. Tonpa was shocked since the juice should have practically no scene or taste. He became nervous and apologized. Gon, being the very naive boy he is, forgive him and asked if his stomach is okay. He also told him how he had tasted all kinds of herbs in the mountains.

Tonpa then excused himself and walk away thinking about how there's something wrong with this year's rookies. Tonpa snap out of his thought when he heard someone called his name. It was the silver haired boy and the girl with, also, silver hair.

"Could I have more of that juice?" The boy asked while waving his hand, a cute smile on his face. "Must be my nerves. I'm really thirsty."

"Can I have some more too?" The girl asked, tilting her head to the side a little with a too sweet fake smile on.

"Eh? Oh, sure..." Tonpa said that awkwardly, really awkward. 'What the hell? The laxative they drank earlier should have taken effect by now. What's going on?' Tonpa thought while watching the kids approach him. The boy click it open and drank the can of juice, holding two more on his other hand. The girl took one from his hand and drank it too. 'It's only a laxative, but if they imbibe that much, they could die of dehydration.'

"Worried?" The girl smirked, snapping Tonpa out of his thoughts.

"We'll be fine. We've trained. Poisons won't affect us." The boy explained. And with that, they both walked away, the girl raising her left hand and wave it mockingly at Tonpa without even looking back.

'Poisons? They knew what was in the juice? But they still drank it? Number 77, Serafino and number 99, Killua. This year's rookies are all insane... Well, it doesn't matter. That just means crushing them will be all the more worthwhile.' was Tonpa's thought after they left.

RRRRIIINNGGG

The sound of a bell was heard. One of the walls lift up revealing a purple-haired man with no mouth and a weird mustache. He's wearing a neat purple suit.

"I apologize for the wait. The entry period for Hunter applicants has ended. The Hunter Exam will now begin! A final caution. If you are short on luck or ability, you could very well end up seriously injured or even dead. Those who accept the risks, please follow me. Otherwise, please exit via the elevator behind you. Very well. All 404 applicants will participate in Phase One." His mustache moved up and down as he said those words. Then, he began to walk in a weird manner. Suddenly, the pace started picking up and the candidates in front has started running.

"I neglected to introduce myself. I am Satotz, the Phase One examiner. I shall lead you to the exam's Second Phase."

"Phase Two? What about Phase One?" The bald guy, Hanzo, asked.

"It has already commenced." Murmurs started among the candidates. "You must follow me to Phase Two. This is the exam's First Phase." Satotz finished his explanation.

"Follow you? That's it?" Asked Hanzo.

"Yes." Satotz confirmed. "I cannot tell you where or when you must arrive. You need to follow me."

"I see how it is." Kurapika said.

"This test is weird." Gon said with a cute expression on his face.

"I expect it's an endurance test." Leorio said in an unusually serious tone and expression. Then he began to smile, returning to his usual self, while saying "Fine by me. I'll be right behind you!"

'But there is mental stress of not knowing how far we'll have to run. He's also testing our mental fortitude.' Kurapika concluded all this while still running.