A/N: Hi, it's Olive and Stick here. We have a great idea for a story and we can't wait to share it with you guys! We'll try to update frequently but we have three stories going on and lives, so no promises. Sorry about that.

Just something to keep in mind as you read, the timeline is bumped up by five years. So at the beginning of the series, Killua and Gon are 17 instead of 12 when they take the Hunter Exam and you have to be at least 17 to take the exam. Kurapika is 22 and Leario is 24. Everyone is five years older, except for Chrollo. He's eight years older (so he's 34) but you'll see why in a minute. :p

Watching her home in Meteor City disappear behind the horizon line was one of the hardest things Arcadia ever had to do. It was exciting but terrifying. The only time she had ever left the city before was ten years ago, after she had begged and pleaded with her mother to take her to see her maternal grandparents. The blonde didn't think that would wise but the little girl had been insistent. She was positive that if she could just meet them, she could change their minds. They would forgive her mother for leaving the clan and then they could be one big, happy family.

Her mother agreed, albeit unwillingly and the two left. A month later Arcadia came back but her mother never made it home.

This time, Arcadia left the city with a man named Hisoka. He was new to the family web but she trusted him and cared for him as much as any other spider- except for her father, of course. He was the only person alive who she still shared blood with. Blood mind you and not opinions.

He coddled her and wanted to keep her safe from the outside world. He didn't let her participate on missions and she was only allowed to leave the base with an escort. Only the Troupe knew she existed, outsiders actually believed she was the Troupe's slave or maid. "I have a lot of enemies, you see," He once told her years ago. "If they found out I had a daughter they'd-"

"I don't care!" The eight-year-old had snapped. "I just want to help. I'm trained, I can fight, and I'm a member of the troupe." She pulled the collar of her shirt down slightly and pointed at the spider tattoo in the center of her chest. Inside the black spider was a red number zero. "I'm a spider, too. I'm just like you. I deserve to go on missions. Don't I?"

Her arguments and pleas fell on deaf ears. "No."

Tears pricked at Arcadia's eyes and Chrollo Lucilfer sighed. Raising a little girl inside Meteor City had its challenges. Even when his wife was alive it had been tough, but it was even harder now that she was gone. The older Arcadia grew the brighter the fire inside her burned. He knew it was only a matter of time before the flames were out of his control. All he could do was try to buy himself a few more years, months, days. Whatever he could get. "Until you can use Nen, no. You don't." He said firmly.

She had no idea what Nen was but it didn't matter. She'd learn it. "Okay. Then teach me!"

He shook his head and looked away from his daughter as the tears fell. It broke his heart to play the role of bad parent, setting rules and boundaries. Giving groundings and punishments. He'd much rather spoil her with presents and give her the world but he already lost one love. He would not lose another. "It's something you must learn for yourself."

With that he walked away. He walked past his daughter, leaving the little girl to sit alone on the dirty floor. He left her alone to try and teach herself Nen, a task he knew she would never be able to accomplish.

Arcadia didn't know better at the time. She sat there thinking about Nen, hoping if she just thought about it enough the answer would magically appear. Frustration brought tears, as she let herself fall back onto the floor and let out a low cry. How was she supposed to learn Nen if she didn't even know what Nen was?

The sound of her crying had members of the Troupe rushing in to make sure she wasn't hurt. Two skidded to a halt in front of her, their eyes wide with worry. "What is it? Are you okay, kiddo?" the big hairy man known as Uvogin asked as he scooped her up in his arms.

Arcadia sniffled, bottom lip still trembling as she cuddled into him. She rested her head in the crock of his neck to hide her reddened cheeks. She didn't mean to scare them. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for comin' though."

"Any time, Princess," the swordsman Nobunaga said as he ruffled her hair. "Now, what's wrong?"

"Can you teach me Nen?" Both men stiffened as they exchanged looks. Arcadia frowned at their hesitation. Uvogin looked at his best friend with fear in his eyes.

'How does she know?' Nobunaga mouthed silently. Did Uvogin slip up and tell her? Chrollo would kill them both if he found out. Uvo for being an idiot and Nobu for not keeping an eye on Uvogin.

Uvo shook his head cluelessly. 'I don't know.' He said, holding one hand up in the air as if to proclaim his innocence. The other hand was tightly wrapped around the little girl.

Nobunaga shrugged helplessly. "What's nen?" He stuttered, not sure what to say or how to get out of this sticky situation. His only option was to play dumb.

"You're not going to help me?" she asked in a small voice as she looked up at him to give her best puppy-dog eyes. "Please? I know you know." Nobu bit his bottom lip, feeling a bead of sweat form on his brow. He knew Uvo was weak against her heart-melting, watery eyes.

And he was too, damn it.

The two men looked at each helplessly. Their mouths hung open, wanting to say something but the fear of Chrollo's threat caught the words had their tongues tied. Eventually, Nobu spoke. "Uh...We don't even know what nen is, sweetheart. We really don't."

Arcadia tightened her fist around Uvo's shirt. "You're lying." She turned to glare at Nobunaga over her shoulder. "Why are you lying?"

The swordsman felt his chest squeeze in pain. "I-I don't know what you're t-talking about." The air felt faint in his lungs. He was being called out by a child, but he couldn't give into the child's wishes. Regardless of how much he wanted to.

"Yes, you do." Arcadia's frown grew and she twisted from Uvogin's arms and gave the two a dirty look. "You two suck. Thanks for nothing." Running off, she tried to find a member of the Troupe who wouldn't lie to her face.

"Wait, princess!" Uvogin called from behind her. "I'm sorry!" Nobu elbowed his friend in the side before he could say anything else. Not that it mattered, young Arcadia was officially ignoring them.

The youngest spider went to every member she could find but no one would speak of it. Not even Pakunoda who, as her mother's best friend, was like a second mother to her. They were too afraid to tell her the truth, even though she hadn't realized it at the time.

It was only years after she had given up learning about Nen that she learned the truth. She had just turned fifteen when a man who looked like a clown named Hisoka challenge Omokage, the 4th spider, to a battle to the death. Hisoka had won, taking Omokage's place. It was an… adjustment. Though Omokage had been eccentric in his own way, Hisoka was also eccentric with an acquired taste. It was Hisoka who told her the truth. His words still rung in her ears.

"You really don't know, do you?" the clown said with a laugh. "Oh princess, your father forbid them from teaching you about nen. He did this knowing that you have to learn nen from someone. You cannot learn it on your own." He eyed the stacks of books on her walls. She really was her father's daughter. "And books will only take you so far. Even so… your father burned all the books on nen in this town, did he not?"

At first, she shook her head in disbelief. The words slowly sinking in. "He did," She said quietly to herself. Rage threatened to consume her. "Of course, he did. He thought he could keep baiting me along, promising me that once I learned this stupid Nen, I could become a full fledged spider." Her body began to tremble as the adrenaline pumped through her veins. Did he not see that she could help on missions instead of sitting in this rotten city, waiting for everyone to come home?

Her knuckles turned white as she dug her nails into the soft skin of her palms until drops of blood dotted the floor. He strung her along for years, knowing that she'd never succeed. "I hate him," she said, as her eyes began to water and burn. He lied to her face, day after day. Year after year, through all her crying and pleading. All of them. They all lied to her.

A feeling began to wash over her, a feeling she had only felt once before. It made her head feel fuzzy and her stomach churn, but at the same time she could feel her inhibitions slip away. If her father was standing in front of her now, she wouldn't be able to stop herself.

Hisoka's eyes widened as he felt her aura flare. It radiated, filling the room with its' presence and power. The edges reaching out, groping and searching for the cause of her anger. Instead, it found him. Hisoka could feel the aura's appendages brush against his skin, causing his lungs to deflate in bliss. He had never seen anything like what he saw now.

Her pale, silver eyes were now the most magnificent shade of red. Delicate, but dark like a stormy sea. The anger in her soul, the fury in her heart, he could see it all in her scarlet eyes. It was delicious, addictive, and oh so enticing. It was in that moment, he swore to himself that he would have it. All of it. He would have her.

She was his.

From there, he hatched a simple plan. "I'm registering for the Hunter Exam," he said, as he tried to gently nudge her in the right direction. "If you pass, you'll find someone to teach you nen. All pro-hunters know how to use nen."

"Really?" The girl asked, her anger fading.

"Yes."

"Okay then," She nodded, grinning to herself. Finally, years later, she found a way to learn Nen. "I'll do it."

And that's how she ended up here. Alone with Hisoka.

Her father was probably furious right now. He had to be. She could still feel the heat from her father's eyes from when she first mentioned taking the Hunter Exams. He said it was out of the question, but she wasn't asking. She would take the exam one way or another.

Although her father didn't want her to leave the nest, especially after he had lost the love of his life, she did it anyways. She understood why he was afraid because she was too, but she didn't want to be afraid anymore. It was no way to live.

The fact they hadn't seen a single soul on their way out of the hideout, confirmed her suspicions of Hisoka. Her eyes darted to the tall, lean man beside her. A content smile plastered on his lips as he sauntered forward without a care in the world. The man beside her was not sneaking out and was not worried about being caught. She would bet a million jenny that he went straight to her father and told him about her plan the minute he found out.

...and she would be right.

Her father knew they were leaving but he didn't try to stop them. With Hisoka there, there wasn't any need to stop her. Not as long as long as 4th spider stayed by her side and babysat her.

Arcadia's pale, icy eyes narrowed on her companion. Feeling her gaze, the corners of the clowns lips twitched upwards. He expected her suspicion. She was such a clever girl for her age and she would need to be if she had any hope of passing the Hunter Exams. He promised her father he'd keep her alive, but he wasn't going to do all of the work for her. She'd never be able to blossom into the flower she was meant to be if he did.

"They're not going to come after us, are they?" Arcadia said as she looked at the desecrated city of trash behind them. The joker at her side chuckled softly.

"If they were, they'd be here already."

Arcadia clenched the straps of her book bag until her knuckles turned white. She knew it. "Are you sure?" Her voice lowered. Hisoka hummed innocently, his eyes flickering to the child beside him.

"Something on your mind, Cadi-chan?" He nearly sang, ringing bells of irritation in her head. Arcadia ignored his question like he ignored hers and the two continued their journey out of the city in silence.

She followed close by Hisoka's side, trusting him to be her guide to the Exams. With full faith in where they were going and having no responsibility of making sure they got there, she was free to enjoy the unfamiliar sights. Some, she vaguely remembered seeing with her mother. Others, she saw for the first time.

The cities were the most curious for her. Watching how a real civilization functioned and how people outside of Meteor City behaved with one another, was mind blowing. It didn't make any sense. Everyone in Meteor City was a threat, you greeted strangers with bravado and power or you ran the other way. If you didn't act like that, you died. But yet, she could only watch in amazement as someone bought milk. They didn't steal it. She watched as customers talked to cashiers and store owners as friendly as they would to their own mother. She watched as people bought things with little wads of paper instead of taking what was theirs.

This world made no sense to her but she couldn't seem to get enough of it.

Hisoka was not as interested in the mundane as Arcadia was. In fact, he was disgusted by it. Meteor City was his home by choice, living amongst the strong and the brave. The potential that pooled in the Criminal Capital was unlike anywhere else. He could only imagine, he could only dream, what potential could be found in a child born in such a powerful, dangerous place.

His eyes followed the girl as she explored the normal world, feeling the butterflies kiss his insides. She was a magical creature from another world compared to the run-of-the-mill humans around them. He did his best to pull her away from the deceptive allure of the regulars, keeping them pushing forward toward the exam with the 'threat' of them missing the bus.

That was all it took for her to run back to his side and forget about her curiosities, for awhile at least. Until they reached the next town and the events repeated themselves. It was a minor inconvenience, one Hisoka was glad to leave behind him once they reached rural, wild areas. Arcadia, however, was not as pleased. The wilderness had been interesting at first, but it was not that different from the nature that crept back into the abandoned parts of Meteor City.

After a week of walking in the middle of nowhere, she had had enough. Arcadia threw her head back to groan in frustration. She knew why the bus had to be in a remote area but she couldn't help but fear for the worst. What if they were in the wrong place and what if they had gotten lost? What if the buses had left early without them or what if the information they had been given was faulty?

The ticket burned a hole in her pocket and she pulled out the map she had bought. They were supposed to meet the bus in the middle of nowhere, halfway between Dolle Harbor and Zaban City. On this street.

Arcadia looked up. The long black road burned in the light of the winter sun. Tall, wild weeds formed a wall on either side of the road that towered high above their heads and swayed in the gentle breeze. That was it. One road and forest of grass. There were no other roads in sight, no off shots, no corners for it to hide around. The bus had to be here, but it wasn't. Did they miss it? The uncertainty had her clawing at her hair. If it wasn't for Hisoka, she would have turned back and tried to find another way to the Exams.

Her gray eyes shifted to the man beside her, only to quickly look away when she noticed his yellow snake eyes on her. The clown's thin lips pulled back into a large grin as he watched the young girl beside him. He could tell that she was already beginning to squirm and the Hunter Exams hadn't even begun yet.

"What's wrong, Cadi-chan?" he asked as his smile widened. "Do you want to go back home?"

His question sounded teasing at first, but to Arcadia's ears there was a patronizing undertone. She clenched her jaw, unconsciously jutting her chin higher into the air as she marched through the tall, dead grasses. "Of course not." She said incredulously, a light shade of pink rising to her cheeks.

"I can take you home if you'd like."

"No! I'm just bored, that's all. I can't wait for the Exams- for all the action."

She grinned at him and he grinned back but there was a sinister glimmer in Hisoka's eyes that was not found in hers. "All in good time," he said. "With any luck, this year will be better than the last."

Somehow, the joker was able to widen his smile further as he thought of all the potential that could be waiting for them. Arcadia watched, her eyes studying his facial expressions. She admired the clown and his desire to constantly test himself against his foes. He was so sure in his own abilities and so confident in whatever he did... Even now, as they stood in the middle of a savannah heading to who-knows-where, he didn't hesitate. He never faltered. Not even once.

"Hey, Hisoka?" She called his name as she looked away, trying to keep the uncertainty she felt from her voice while playing with one of the stems of grass between her fingers. "What are the Exams like? I know the're hard but I mean-"

"They're not." Hisoka said dismissively, causing her eyes to snap back to his. "They're easy."

"But then why'd you fail last year?"

Hisoka's eyes narrowed on her, causing a shiver to tickle the back of her spine. The air between the two grew heavier. Tenser. "Because I had a little... disagreement... with an Examiner," he said as his demeanor shifted. No longer was he relaxed and withdrawn, instead, his anger and bloodlust radiated off him, making the warm air feel that much colder.

That examiner had escaped with his life by the skin of his teeth. Hisoka could admit that he got too excited and played with his prey for a tad too long. And because his prey had squealed, he failed the exams. It was a mistake. But it was a mistake he wouldn't make a second time.

Next time, he'd just kill the silly examiner and be done with it.

"About what?" she asked, pulling the mad clown from his thoughts.

"Nothing you need to worry about, Cadi-chan." Hisoka hummed, though he stood by what he had said one year ago. An examiner who wasn't stronger than he was had no right to judge him. Strength, was all that mattered. Power. Ability. Potential.

And beside him walked the fountain of youth. Beautiful and tall, each step full of elegance and grace. A waterfall of long black hair hid platinum eyes embezzled in porcelain skin. She was rare gem amongst a world full of coal and rocks. She was girl he one day wished to defeat. He wanted to take her into the field of battle and then claim her as his prize in bed. But alas, he would have to wait a few more years before she came into her prime. In the meantime, at least he had her father to play with.

The thought of the magnificent man had Hisoka licking his lips.

Arcadia said nothing else and instead stepped an extra foot away from Hisoka. He was getting creepy. Even though she had hundreds of questions to ask him, she wasn't so sure she wanted to know the answers. There was no way they could share the same opinion. What was easy for him was probably going to be very difficult for her. That much was obvious from the very beginning, even with something as simple as the letters they received from this year's Chairman of the Hunter Exams, which only had a series of numbers on an otherwise blank sheet of paper. One look and Hisoka knew they were coordinates, a date, and a time. She wasn't even sure what she was looking at, so would she even be there now if it hadn't been for him guiding her way?

Most likely not, but for the moment, Hisoka did not mind. He expected many great things to come from her, in time. It took another hour but eventually the sound of an engine roared in the distance. Over yonder, she could see the bus. "Look, Cadi-chan. I told you we would find it."

"Are you sure that's it?" Her voice wavered. She couldn't remember the last time her heart hammered in her chest and that her palms began to sweat. After days of walking, hours of waiting, the moment she had waited for was finally here.

...and what a sight it was.

For such a well funded organization, she was not expecting to see such a deplorable mode of transportation. The red paint of the triple decker was peeling and rust dirtied its rims. There were even holes in the side of the bus where the metal had simply eroded away. It didn't look safe enough to sit in, let alone safe enough to drive.

Yet through the tinted windows, she could see it was jam packed and crowded. As soon as the doors opened, people flew out of the bus for fresh air and to stretch their legs. "Five minute break. Then we are continuing to the next stop." A voice called from inside while the flood of people continued to pour onto the road.

A man a few hundred feet ahead of them rummaged in his pockets before pulling something out. Arcadia strained her eyes to see what it was, but even then, she still could barely make it out. She noticed it wasn't just him, but nearly everyone on the road was holding tight to pieces of paper.

"What are they all holding?" She whispered, edging closer to Hisoka as the empty road became suddenly crowded.

"Their applications," Hisoka said from beside her, glancing around at all the unfamiliar faces.

"Oh." She pursed her lips, feeling the tint of pink return to her cheeks. She felt so inferior next to Hisoka. She couldn't even tell what they were holding but for him it was no trouble. This was so unfair.

The stark difference of ability between them was amusing for Hisoka. One day soon, the little blossom beside him would be able to do the same. It was a day he couldn't wait to see. To watch her flower bloom was going to be almost as exciting as to behold her ripened fruit.

"Hey Hisoka?" He didn't bother to hide his smile as the dove looked up at him.

"Hm?"

"You're not going to interfere with my Exam, are you? You are going to let me do this on my own?"

"Oh?" His smile grew. She wanted to prove herself, the silly dear. She actually believed what he had told her.

"Once we get onto that bus, this is it. I want to go my own way. I'll never get stronger, I'll never become a Hunter, if I always have others to depend on."

"But what if you need help?"

"I don't need help, I don't want help." Arcadia said, her silver eyes locked onto him. A fire burned beneath her glossy orbs. "I'm gonna do it on my own."

"But what if your life is in danger?"

The sixteen year old's stormy eyes darkened on the clown. "Then I will find a way to save myself or I will die." They only had a few more seconds before they will have made their way through the crowd and to the front of the bus, where the driver stood checking the applicant's paperwork. "Promise me you won't' interfere. Promise me you'll let me do this on my own."

"I promise," he lied cooly as a smile pulled on his lips. It was a promise Hisoka had no intention of keeping. He had already promised her father the exact opposite and should he fail, he had no doubt that he would either be killed by the Troupe or exiled. Either way, he wouldn't be able to learn about Chrollo's powers and therefore, he'd never get to defeat him.

Arcadia frowned as she looked away. He thought he was hiding his smile but she could see right through it. She knew this was going to be annoying, in fact, she was willing to bet her father had asked Hisoka to keep her safe.

Damn it.

Arcadia took a deep breath. Ugh, whatever. She thought to herself, resisting the urge to glare at Hisoka the Betrayer. I'll just stay as far away from him as possible.

When they reached the driver, Hisoka took the lead. He handed his application to the driver who jerked his head and gave silent permission for him to climb on in. With a wave, he disappeared into the bus.

The application burned in her hand. It was her turn now. Excitement bubbled in her chest and the girl couldn't wait. But the driver had a very different reaction to her when she stepped up and held out her paperwork with the biggest grin plastered on her face. The man didn't nod her in like he did Hisoka, instead he just shook his head in disapproval. Her smile immediately fell from her face.

The driver had worked for the Hunter Association for many years, he had seen almost everyone fail, few pass, and many die. He could tell with one look at her that she wouldn't make it through the Exams. He doubted that she'd even make it to the Exam in the first place. She was far too thin and the meager muscle she had on her wouldn't be save her from what was about to happen. Even those weapons on her side, the two swords and the daggers she thought she had hidden, wouldn't be enough. If anything, they'd only hurt her in the first phase. He sighed to himself. He hated sending kids to their deaths. "Paper?"

"Here you go, er... sir." She stuttered, trying to remember how to be polite like Pakunoda told her. He took one look at it, before a look of relief washed over his face.

"Sixteen? You're a bit young for the exam. You have to be at least seventeen to sit for it. I'm sorry, I can't let you board." He smiled as he held the paper back out for her.

Her breath froze inside her chest but she willed herself to remain calm. She knew this might happen, it was nothing to panic over. Not yet, anyways. "My birthday's in a few days, sir. When I registered they told me as long as I turned 17 before the first phase of the exam, I could take it."

"Well, I suppose that works." He paused searching for her name as he skimmed the paper once more. Part of him was hoping for another reason to disqualify her. "Arcadia Lucilfer?"

"Yup, that's me," she smiled wide once more. After another moment, the guy sighed and handed her her paper.

"Go take a seat."

"Thank you, sir!" She cheered as she hurried up the steps and into the bus before he could change his mind. Two steps in and she was hit by the hot stench of sweat and man stink. All eyes turned to her as she came to a stop at the front of the bus, frozen like a deer in headlights.

Several of the men smiled creepily at her as their eyes wandered over her body. She tried to ignore them, pulling on the straps of her backpack as she made her way down the isles of the bus. Hisoka wasn't there, so she assumed he already went up to the second or third levels.

He had to be scouting out the competition. Knowing she should do the same, her steps down the isle slowed, allowing her to have a better look at the people she passed. There wasn't one girl on the bus. Almost every person there was a big, strong, macho man. They might look as intimidating as Uvo but she knew they were nowhere near as strong. They didn't have the same feel.

Hisoka could eat these men for breakfast. With a small smile and pep in her step, she continued to an empty seat. Perhaps, the clown was right. This would be easy.

"Hey look, it's a little girl! Go home, girlie!"

"Don't listen to him, sugar. Come to daddy." The smile fell from her face as a series of catcalls and jeers followed the first comment. Her hands curled into fists when the laughter came next.

These people, were nothing like the people she had seen in the civilized cities. These were people that reminded her of home. A small, sadistic smirk pulled on the corners of her lips as her fingers inched and twitched towards her blades. I'll show them, I'll show them all.

The only one who didn't laugh at was a boy in the back left corner, leaning against the window. Shaggy, white hair framed his pale face. For a moment, his bright blue eyes met hers and she felt her anger dissipate with a flutter in her chest. The blue orbs seemed to shine in the sunlight.

He had felt the danger in the air and he could sense the bloodlust radiating off of the girl but when she quickly glanced away her bloodlust disappeared. The second he realized she wasn't going to do anything he lost interest and looked back out the window. He suppressed the urge to snort. He had hoped there would finally be something or someone exciting.

He guessed not.

Arcadia, however, was beyond excited to see not only a boy her age but a cute boy. She had never even talked to someone her age before. If you don't count fighting and killing as talking.

But what should she do? How could she make friends? What did friends do? And what was a friend, really? She never had any friends before not counting her family. How could she make the little white haired boy like her?

Do nothing, Machi would say. He'll come to you.

Oh don't give her that bullshit, Phinks would yell. Flaunt your assets, girl! Make him want you. At that, she could practically seePakunoda slap him for being so perverted, even though she wore the most revealing shirt out of all the female members.

Uvo and Nobu would agree with Phinks while Shalnark would smile and tell her to just be herself. Anyone would be a fool not to like you Cadi-chan, whether as a friend or romantically. Shizuku, Kortopi, Bono, and Franklin would all agree. Feitan on the other hand would say Kill him while her father would tear his eyes from his book and sigh, No boys allowed.

Arcadia ignored the echoing words of her noisy family as she sat beside a chubby young man. I'll play it cool like him, she decided, glancing over her shoulder at the snow haired boy. She was a few rows ahead and to the right, but at least she had a clear view of him from the aisle. I can be cool, right?

It turns out she couldn't. Her palms were sweating and she couldn't keep her eyes from wandering back to him. The boy's face slowly hardened with each glance he felt come his way. He could feel her eyes on him, just staring like a stalking creep. It didn't even take five minutes for him to grow sick of her antics.

The next time Arcadia looked his way, his icy blue eyes found hers once again, but there was no shimmer or light like before. They narrowed dangerously, and the darkness in them made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She jumped in her seat, not expecting such intensity from someone who looked so… calm.

With a startled eep she turned away as a furious blush flared against her cheeks. She hadn't realized that he knew she was watching him. He either had really good senses or she must have been really transparent. Her shoulders slugged forward.

She wasn't sure what was more upsetting. The fact she couldn't even hide the fact she was staring at him or the fact he probably thought she was an annoying weirdo. The girl frowned to herself, looking to the guy beside her only to realize he was staring at her while she was distracted with the cute boy. Not noticing she was being watched was probably the most upsetting realization. She let her guard down for a boy!? What was wrong with her? Angrily, she looked away from the chubby man to glare at the seat in front of her.

She was here to become a Hunter, to learn about Nen, and become an official member of the Troupe. She didn't have time for boys (even if she really wanted to find the time) and she couldn't afford to make slip ups as dangerous as this one.

The Troupe would have laughed at her for her mistake, except her father who would just stare at her with a know-it-all expression. It just won't happen again, she vowed and pulled out her mp3 player. Unable to decide what she wanted to listen to, she put it on shuffle and let the music drown out her thoughts. As the bus drove along winding roads through the countryside and the hours grew longer, the blasting of her music did little to dispel the constant boredom.

"When are we going to get there?" People would ask.

"How much longer?"

"Are we there, yet?" The contestants continuously nagged the bus driver, who would either ignore them or replay with a short 'We'll get there when we get there."

"Ugh," she groaned in frustration as she banged her head against the back of her chair. She hated this feeling, the waiting. There was no waiting in Meteor City. The thought gave her pause as she realized she was starting to miss her home. It might not be as pretty as some of the other cities she had seen, but at least it was always exciting. If they didn't get there soon and off the smelly bus, she knew she was going to die of boredom or from the poison gas the man beside her kept emitting from his ass.

Arcadia glanced out the window. The flat, grassy plains had given way to flowery meadows on rolling hills which turned into peaks and mountains. A river snaked through the reeds at the bottom of the ravine, parallel to the road. She sighed, staring at it longingly. The heat in the bus had her clothes sticking to her skin. She was wearing a thin white dress that cut off mid-thigh for Heaven's sake and she was burning. Her feet, stuffed into knee high gold socks and knee high black boots, were melting. She was sure if she stood, she would feel the sweat pool between her toes.

It was torture and it was never gonna end. She brought weapons, she brought her rollerblades, she brought her clothes… but she forgot to bring a deck of cards. She might at least have been able to make a few jenny's from the big, dumb oafs around her on the way.

The calm ride was interrupted by a small explosion at the front of the bus. The tires squealed and Arcadia's forehead slammed into the seat in front of her and stars danced across her vision. The passengers aboard the bus screamed in fear as the vehicle spun out of control and off the road.

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