Update: Story is NOT dead. Updates to chapter to improve flow, followed by continued plot. Thanks for any feedback and likes/follows.
Unknown location, starting site of the Hunter's Exam
"Ding!" Gears clanked and whirred before sturdy metal doors smoothly eased apart. A sea of gazes slid towards the opening elevator, their owners' eager to interrupt the numbing wait with sizing up the newest arrival.
An unfamiliar one emerged, sharpening the interest in the room. Medium height, young looking. A neck hidden by a tightly wound pure white scarf and wide angular shoulders underneath a short poncho hid the chest. Hair a shade more red than gold framed an androgynous-pretty face, dark-green eyes framed by thin black markings, the rest of the hair tied into a small cloth-covered bun.
But the look of an otherwise naïve picking was offset by decorated yet well-used light armor and weapons; the metal plating of the fitted leather bracers, fingerless gloves, and greaves declared yet another prepared fighter, as did the knife, waist-quiver and strung bow.
The eyes silently narrowed back at them while likewise scanning the crowd, neutral face giving nothing else away when confronted by the stares…
Someone thought they were tough. As if just getting here made them good enough-
Then a small blue bird flew out from between the elevator doors, trailing long black tail feathers as it hovered in place. Its rapidly turning head swept over them with unblinking eyes as though it were judging them back, stopping behind the rookie.
Then the redhead turned around, looked at them, closing eyes as the expression melted into unmistakable fondness. "Asuln, it's fine," the rookie sighed. "It's their business if every here wants to be a weird obsessive stalkers."
Rolling eyes at the bristling looks from the veterans, the rookie offered an offhanded leathered fist. The bird gracefully fluttered onto it with a Chirp!, and from there it flew to the top of the rookie's head, perching on top of the bun like a live dangling hair ornament.
The redhead then strode to an empty spot without hesitation, plonking a shoulder-bag next to the spot as though in a safe place instead of in the midst of seasoned, ruthless fighters with far more experience and strength.
Looked like the rookie had delusions of being a tough warrior, with an attitude to match. It would be fun seeing how long it took for that shell to crack…
It was stifling.
Being crammed into a windowless room large enough to easily contain a whole archery-field was as uncomfortable as being trapped underground for days.
And that was just Piquan's first impression out the elevator doors. The thick tension, as the unnaturally hushed sounds of such a large gathering pressed down, with matching serious expressions drawn on every face like enemy warriors before the ambush… eyeing them as though they couldn't decide whether she was an insect or a real threat. To be dismissed or to be targeted… neither was a good option, so striking for somewhere in the middle was best.
Standing before the funnily green-and-short being near the hidden entrance doors, Piquan fingered the circular white numbered badge he handed over. Number three hundred, neatly printed in Common. Looked like a normal badge, but intricate miniscule wires of metal and sparks of nen lay within… interesting.
Slipping it into her bag, she called to Asuln; she didn't want to let him fly around with these suspicious men. Moving with confidence she didn't truly feel, Piquan strode to the nearest clear space against a wall and sat, drawing knees in for her arms to rest comfortably on. No knowing how long it'll take for the Exam to start she thought, taking in the sleeping bags and leftover meals closest to her while ignoring their owner's not-so-subtle glances.
Hmm, only a few people seem to be my age. Everyone else seems to be in their twenties or older, the younger examinee realized. Though it made sense; people seemed to think adults had a better chance of passing, and it'd sounded like only a few test-takers passed each Exam, even after multiple attempts. Quite a few astounded reactions had been thrown her way after she'd mentioned her intention to take the exam.
The only advantage she'd have would be her nen, and the grueling training from her Guro and the Temple. It's said so many inevitably die in this test, that the examiners don't care if there's killing done.
… We have to be careful.
From underneath her bangs, Piquan watched as the glances of the stalker-starers switched to the next person who walked through the entrance. Sizing up the competition, huh.
Most of them had the feeling of average people… but one, whom the crowd distanced themselves from – like a school of fish around a hungry shark – had the slightest blur of the air around him.
The mark of a fellow nen-user.
Inwardly, her heart shivered. Slicked-bright red hair like freshly spilled blood, the cheerfully slitted gold eyes of a predator, inhumanly gleaming sharp nails, and an outfit reminiscent of clowns and playing cards.
The most creepiest – and one of the powerful – humans she'd ever seen. His aura… it's so wrong.
Then Asuln dove underneath her poncho, clinging to her tunic so that she could see quick blinking eyes and silent lashing tails.
Warned, she stayed still, peering through her bangs. The clown's eyes seemed to flick towards their direction, bloodlust rousing from him-
Piquan fought instinct, and focused on the ground instead of predator's eyes. Breathe in, out; let the jade bracelet on her right wrist work. Please, please, work.
Guro had gifted it her before she'd left; engraved with Evitan symbols that would help her control her nen, it's jade vines wrapping the main body of her aura so that it didn't grow wild from fear to let her appear like she couldn't wield nen.
If your presence suddenly vanishes, the strong will always be put on guard. Be the blade of grass in a plain. Bend with every breeze. So long as your roots strong, you shall not be uprooted.
Then the focus was gone, the clown looking away to flip through a pack of cards with a bored air. He didn't find them.
Relieved, Piquan reached for her pack to start making a sandwich, careful of the feathered warmth stirring back to life on her chest. Casually swept her eyes over the crowd, noting blood-clown bobbing away to a more distant and safer spot.
Done, she set the food before her and whistled. –Food?-.
Asuln popped out from his hiding place and dove, yanking out parts of the sandwich and eating them in order of his most favorite parts.
As he gobbled his meal, change rippled through the crowd. Amusement, cruel smirks plastered on some of the faces.
Are they laughing at Asuln.
No. They were looking elsewhere... towards a heavily sweating guy with a sword strapped on his back, frantically pushing his way past snickers to burst out the entrance.
Why is that funny?
But it was better that the man leave then, than attempt to take the test if he'd lost his will to. But the way they had laughed… those people couldn't be counted as potential allies.
As she watched Asuln finishing his meal, Piquan folded the waxpaper back into her pack and leaned back, watchfulness giving way to boredom. Mmm… might as well get some reading done since I don't feel tired.
"Cheep!" Asuln twisted around, flicking away the last of crumbs and landing on her shoulder at the first rustle of pages. Read?
"Okay," Piquan easily replied. Since there are so many strangers around, I won't read Evitan. 'Better to show less than the total of your blades'. The Common book I got in this town should be fine. "'Chapter one-'" she murmured to snuggling warmth-
"Kah."
At the bird-cough, Piquan looked up.
Movement pushing against the standing. A middle-aged chubby man approached, a weak presence making him hard to read. When his shadow blocked her reading, she squint-glared upwards with irritation.
A large round covered belly – more unusual than anything else within the muscle-displaying room – was the first thing she noticed. Short oil-combed brown hair, a pug-like nose among the lines of a middle-aged face, grey tunic over slight-fitting tan long sleeved shirt and pants – no obvious hidden weapons, just fat – and a blue-grey canvas satchel. He must have mistook her assessing glance as an invitation, for he large smile beamed before-
"Hi there! This must be your first time taking the Hunter's Exam!" his voice cheerfully introduced.
"….Yes?" Piquan finally responded, for the sake of politeness, after a lengthy pause. He's very friendly, for a stranger. Like a seller from the city. What does he want?
The tone seemed to make him pause in turn. His brow contorted, suggesting he was waiting for more information to be volunteered.
I can wait. To be safe, she scanned the area around him. No others approached, nothing but the occasional curious glance of strangers-towards-other-strangers' affairs; Asuln still with focus on the fat light-blocker from within her scarf.
Then the too-friendly man gave up and ploughed on. "Well, my name is Tonpa! What's yours?"
He gave his name, no telling if it's real even if there's no obvious shift. Even if it is… "… Biyahero," she finally gave, the Evitan title foreign enough to sound like a name in Common.
"… I see! Your pet is real pretty, what's it's name?"
"…Yes, he is." He is not a mere pet… but Tonpa doesn't need to know. "… And he's … Blue-y," Piquan faked, ignoring the sudden twist in her scarf with a vain squeeze of claws.
"…" The fat man's smile shrunk, but still awkwardly hung there as two sets of eyes continued to stare. Is he looking for something? It was like and unlike an Evitan-to-a-stranger, both judging, but without the boldness nor a Warriors' subtle probe of nen; Tonpa's look too long and nervous.
Oh, he wants to talk. Social talk—nothing an Evitan adult besides her Guro would have started with her. How do I continue this?-
Evidentially at that point Tonpa realized he would have to say most of the words to fill up the silences. "So!" he exclaimed, sitting cross-legged and too close for comfort, "Did you know I'm a veteran of the Exam?"
A raised brow – while subtly scooting back – was enough to spur him on. "Yes, I've taken the Exam for a total of thirty-five times, so I know the most about it!" Arms proudly crossed puff-chest he added, "I was younger than you when I first started."
One-word answers, hums, and nods and shakes of the head were enough to fuel Tonpa's one-sided conversation. Resigned to getting no reading done, the teen let him continue since Asuln hadn't attacked him. I almost wish he would, haaa, she silently sighed, letting her head thunk against the wall.
Except Asuln stayed still, his presence still tight while the man talked a lot. At least some of the stuff was somewhat useful, so that helped curb any restless movements if not thoughts. Through it Tonpa revealed the usual total number of phases he'd estimated the Exam had (above five, depending on the number of remaining examinees, which explained why the competition was so cut-throat), what qualities the previous Exams had tested for (wilderness survival, endurance, fighting), and other repeat Exam-takers and their reputed specialties; a wrestler, blow-gun hunter, monkey-tamer, staff-wielder, a fellow bow-user… those people with she vaguely noted, the rest blurred into a forgettable mass.
Besides pausing to stare whenever Tonpa made a too-sudden hand movement amidst his enthusiasm, Asuln continued perching still on Piquan, twitching tail-feathers on her back the only movement from him. Hmm… Asuln's not inspecting Tonpa up close like he normally would, which means he doesn't like him. Though there's no reason I can't try to get some helpful information-
"Mr. Tonpa?" Piquan interrupted, halting the loud man mid-sentence, his mouth comically hanging open. "You are a very experienced veteran of the Exams, right? You must know who the one with red hair is, the one building a card pyramid?"
Looking past her finger, Tonpa turned. Almost as quickly he turned back, unable to hide a shudder.
"Yeah… he's Hisoka." Leaning in, he whispered, as if the jester were just a step away. "He claims he's a magician; killed his own Guide once he reached the site of the Exam." His throat bump bobbed as he swallowed in fear, leaning back. "He's one of those types you need a team for in order to properly watch out for."
From his satchel Tonpa's plump hands abruptly pulled out a plastic-wrapped bar. "So how about it? Let's help each other whenever we can, Biyahero." Holding the shiny good in front of him, he insisted, "Here. Take it. We'll need to help each other when we can."
Piquan eyed it, nodding as she caught it when he tossed it over. "Sure, thanks." Guro's parting words echoed in her mind.
Your skills are well enough to pass the Exam by yourself. But it's not just about your abilities. It's a chance to find future comrades. Those who you can rely upon for aid as a Hunter… to share in your times of sorrow and joy.
Choose them wisely.
Another wide smile, before Tonpa stood and waved. "Well, I just saw a friend I'm going to meet up with. Just remember what I said," he said in a nonchalant stand, before leaving in a fast walk.
Well that was sudden, Piquan thought, turning over the food. The bar didn't look too bad. The shiny wrapper looked factory-made, standard with what the largest-cities had. 'Chocolate-caramel Energize; guaranteed to Boost your Energy' screamed the label. Opened, it smelled of flavored chocolate and caramel; dessert foods, both tasty enough by themselves, but together?
Asuln looked up from his preening at the opening-crinkle, before alighting on her wrist to eye the bar with cocked-head interest. "Cheep?"
Piquan held it still so the eager tongue could taste it—
Only to be spat upon the ground in disgust with a "Pfaah." Black tail feathers ripped the whole bar from her fingers to send it soaring over the crowds' heads.
Someone cried out in outrage.
Piquan dropped a bead of sweat. Definitely didn't like it. Hope Asuln's victim doesn't notice where it came from.
But Asuln ate everything that could be considered food by both humans and beasts. Nothing fazed him, only the bitterest of foods slowed him down with nibbles while everything else was devoured. He only reacts that violently to anything laced with ill-intent. So Tonpa's food was bad, despite not smelling nor looking spoiled with natural means. Either the food he gave me was contaminated without his knowledge-
-or he deliberately poisoned the food.
…Maybe the guy who ran out earlier also tried one of Tonpa's bars. He was clutching his stomach…
Just as Piquan stood up to find Tonpa, ringing bells sounded from speakers in each corner of the room. Nen flared out of seeming nothingness, making her almost jump with the bow-handle in her grasp-
But Asuln hadn't budged nor cried out from where he stood. He only turned his head to eye her at her sudden reaction. Hmm, he must have sensed that presence and judged it a non-threat long before it appeared from Zetsu.
His cocked head spoke You didn't notice? Nothing to jump at.
The foreign nen withdrew, suppressed but still at a discernable level of a nen-user. No bloodlust nor battle intent in it, but she couldn't figure out just what it meant from the highly-controlled flow. Alarm dying off with a rattle, the doors opposite the entrance creaked open from heavy iron-lined wooden doors materializing from once-blank walls.
A woman appeared from the fog issuing forth, dressed in a flowing layered purple-and-white robe with deep sleeves, elbows draped with a sash, long raven hair pinned in elaborate jewelry and ornaments; the appearance of a polished Kakinese princess of ancient times– with a smile of jewel-red lips and a chiming bow. She seemed out of place, like a delicate crystal vase among rough stone pots.
But the subtle aura shimmering with flashes of peach-pink proved her far stronger than the rest of the combined crowd, roughly the same as the Hisoka-clown's-
Who had noticed too, by the spike of hungry interest from his tainted corner.
Yeah. Definitely staying away from him at all costs.
"Welcome, all. Congratulations on making it… to the 286th annual Hunter's Exam!" the princess-lady declared, her voice melodic but clear and loud to silencing the murmurs throughout the hall. "I am Mokkinuta, and your exam proctor. Please, follow me, and I will lead you on this phase of the exam."
A dramatic swish of sleeves and tinkling jewels, as Mokkinuta glided away into the fog from which she'd come.
As the crowd started to follow, Piquan hastily stuffed the rest of her belongings into their packs', before she and Asuln joined the stream.
Hmm, interesting; seems like the examiners can use nen, even if most of the other examinees can't use it.
Still, she couldn't afford to underestimate the difficulty. Despite the risks, anticipation snuck into her veins. Asuln caught on to her mood, whistling to echo her eagerness.
Just how far can we go in this exam?
Notes
*Mokkin uta – xylophone song (Japanese, the equivalent language of Common/Universal, the oral equivalent of which is assumed to be commonly used throughout the HxH world)
Guro – teacher (Filipino)
Asul – blue (Filipino)
Piquan – Piquant, pleasantly spicy
Biyahero – "traveler", "wanderer."
Warrior – nen-using fighter
Guide – Exam guide. The people who act as guides to the site of the Hunter's Exam.
Kakin – a country in the Azian continent in the HxH world; loosely based on an East Asian country in real life.