Title: Cruel Ties

Rating: M

DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Hunter x Hunter belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro. Two highly respected mangaka! I do not own the characters in any way nor the story plot. Only the idea of this fanfiction!

MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes: So my writing is taking a toll. It has hit a phase where I can't write anything and it annoys me! So this might sound negative, but I have no confidence in this chapter, at all. Please forgive me for this chapter.

Also, Hunter x Hunter is not that popular among my followers, but I do hope you give it a chance...I have so much planned for when the final phase comes and for the future arcs!

Thank you and enjoy!

Chapter 02: Emotional Shields


Why was she trembling with every step he took? Why was her heart racing, yet on the verge of stopping?

Keeping her focus locked on the clown male coming closer to her, the time-traveler miko tightened her glare as her fingers curled a tighter grip on her bow. Hearing Gon cough for oxygen and seeing Leorio unconscious on the ground was enough to tell her this man was anything but nice.

"I must say…"

She attention was brought to his presence.

"I didn't think much of you in the beginning," Hisoka chuckled under his breath. The corner of his lips stretched upon seeing her fearless expression. An expression he absolutely adored on his prey. What made his blood boil with lust for a fight was the fact she had not been sensed until the last second.

She was able to wound him.

He stopped in his steps before making another card appear between his index and middle finger. "I must applaud your efforts for that attack. You were able to get a scratch; not many are able to do that."

"Then perhaps that should teach you not to underestimate others," Kagome spoke back, keeping her senses aware for any sneak attack. Should she release another arrow? Or should she just grab Gon and Leorio and make their escape? Not knowing the opponent's attacks was the frightful part in any situation, but she could sense his malice.

"Please do forgive me."

Her eyes immediately widened the moment his voice was heard from behind. Instinct quickly took her to swing her bow back while reaching for an arrow inside the quiver. Her wrists immediately became clasped by Hisoka's own hands, stopping her from any other movements.

"Kagome-san!" Gon shouted from the background as he came to support himself on one knee. Looking around the area for his fishing pole, Gon hurriedly – and clumsily – made his way to it.

"Don't worry," Hisoka snickered. "I won't do anything to her."

Struggling for her freedom, Kagome cursed under her breath for having not sensed Hisoka's person from behind. Were her senses failing on her after being in a coma for a year? Trying to pull again, she winced at his tightened grip.

"Please don't struggle; I would hate to destroy something as interesting as you," his smile continued.

"You expect me to just stand still under your grasp?" she sent a glare over her shoulder.

Hisoka's eyes narrowed to match his grin. There was no mistake on what he had sensed through that incoming arrow, and now upon touching her he was given his answer: she had a hidden power. Taking a glance over to petite boy sending his own threatening glare to save the miko, he chuckled. "Do not fear," he spoke, releasing the miko. Watching her turn around while placing her guard up, he raised a brow at the quick response Gon gave to stand beside her. "I won't kill you two nor your friend over there. After all, he passed."

"Passed…?" Kagome whispered, confusion beginning to overtake her concentration.

"Yes," Hisoka nodded, somehow making his aura decrease in bloodlust, "you two pass, as well. I hope the three of you grow up and become fine Hunters. It would be a shame that your potential ends here."

Before the miko or Gon could ask the meaning behind his words, a ringing caught their attention. The two watched as Hisoka dug out a small black walkie-talkie from his pocket before pressing the button for him to receive the incoming message.

"Hisoka, you should get back here?" a muffled-static voice was heard on the other side. "We're nearly at the Phase Two site."

Hisoka sighed, pressing another button to reply, "okay, I'll be right there." Slapping away the dirt from his pants, he made his way towards the unconscious teen before picking him up and placing him over his shoulder.

"O-Oi!" Kagome shouted, taking a step forward. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Hm?" he raised a brow. "Taking him, of course. You can't possibly carry him between the two of you, right? As I mentioned before, trust me; I won't kill him. I'll take him straight to the end of the Phase One in one piece."

'Does he seriously think we can trust him?' her brows furrowed. The feel of someone pulling on her shirt from behind made her look over her shoulder. Her expression softened noticing Gon keeping his eyes on the clown male. Exhaling, she could read his slightly distressed aura. Was he worried or frightened? It could be both.

"It's always good to have friends, isn't it?" Hisoka smiled once more. "I do hope you two can find your way back."

As sweat trickled down their foreheads and jaw line, the two could only remain still and watch Hisoka disappear and blend with the fog. Kagome's shoulder relaxed down as she heard Gon's heavy breathing. 'This must be his first death encounter…,' her eyes narrowed worriedly.

"Gon! Kagome-san! Are you all right!?"

Hearing the familiar voice, both looked over their shoulders to see Kurapika running towards them with a concerned expression of his own.

"Kurapika-kun…?" Kagome whispered, wondering where he had come from.

"Are you two crazy?!" Kurapika scolded. It was understandable Leorio having gone to attack Hisoka out of pure pride, but to see Gon and then Kagome come into the fight was a foolish move. His shoulders dropped, 'then again…Leorio would have been killed right there and then if Gon and Kagome didn't intervene.'

"Gomen," Gon spoke, keeping his gaze down before bringing back his focus on the miko. "Arigatou, Kagome-san…for saving me."

She sighed as a small smile appeared over her lips. "No need to thank me; I did what I had to do. Besides, you were right about that Hisoka guy; he should be avoided."

"Did he take Leorio?" Kurapika questioned, seeing no sign of him. Gon's nod gave him the answer before he sighed himself. There was no doubt Hisoka's true power had not been shown, but the true mystery was Kagome's abilities being able to injure him – even if slightly. If anything, she seemed to have experience in battle after observing her reflexes and the way she was able to handle Hisoka's nature. "We should hurry back to the others before Phase One comes to an end," he spoke, sneaking a glance to the quiet miko. "The problem is the fog…"

"Don't worry," Gon smiled, "I can track down Leorio's cologne."

"Track…his cologne?" Kagome repeated. "What do you mean?"

Pointing at his nose, Gon's smile got bigger. "I can track him down with my sense of smell. We should take Hisoka's word and follow."

"You aren't seriously trusting him, are you?" Kagome blinked, a bit taken back by his sudden change in expression. The last thing she wanted was to trust the clown who was on the verge to kill a teen and a kid. Knowing there was no other way, she sighed and adjusted her bow in her hand. "I guess you're right."

"Then we should get going," Kurapika added as he moved to the side to let Gon lead the way.


Tilting his head up, Gon's nose twitched as he got a whiff of Leorio's cologne. "This way," he instructed, turning right at the divided path.

As the miko ran behind the young boy, she could not help but wonder how he was able to tell with his sense of smell. Of course Inuyasha was similar and that was how they got around, but he was a demon. 'I wonder what kind of environment he was raised in.' Although she would have been able to tell where everyone was by reading people's auras, she was unsure if she should even demonstrate her abilities. Was this world just about physical fights and non-spiritual? 'What have I gotten myself into?'

"You really can tell, huh?" Kurapika spoke, bringing Kagome out of her inner thoughts.

"Uh-huh," Gon replied, keeping his eyes ahead. "Fortunately, Leorio's cologne is very unique. I can smell him from a few kilometers away." Continuing their run, Gon looked up to see the visible fog threading between the leaves and branches. After having encountered Hisoka head-on and watching how Kagome was able to handle herself against him, he could not help but wonder if he was able to even handle any fight. He had confidence, but something had tired him out after Hisoka released him.

Looking over his shoulder, he blinked as he observed the silent miko continuing to follow him. What they had all presumed her to be clueless in the world of Hunters and the exam itself, she seemed more experience than them. "Nee, Kagome-san…"

"Hm?" she looked down.

"What do you think Hisoka meant when he said that we passed?"

The same confusion she had when Hisoka gave them the 'green light pass' returned. Her expression tightened, unable to give a clear answer to the boy's question. "Who knows…," she replied. "Honestly, I don't even want to know what we passed. It is safer to avoid people that have gained an interest on you, but to avoid them is actually harder than it sounds."

"Hisoka said you passed?" the Kurta male questioned.

"Apparently," Kagome shrugged, turning her head to face the blonde. "I don't know what he meant by it, but my guess he was probably toying with us."

Kurapika's brows dropped down in thought. Hooking his thumb and index finger under his chin, his memory flashed back after witnessing Hisoka being surrounded by the other examiners that had met their early death. "Hisoka was attacked by the other examiners," he spoke. "He said something about judging them if they are worthy to be Hunters. He is probably acting as a judge."

"A judge?" Kagome blinked. "You mean like…an actual judge to this exam?"

He shook his head: "I doubt that. He is probably a judge to himself. He must have his own benchmarks for evaluating power. It's possible that he was ascertaining each applicant's strength. Leorio, Gon, and you probably met his standards."

"I see," Gon nodded back.

To hear they passed Hisoka's standards made the miko sweat drop. She did not even want to know what these standards were. Dealing with Naraku and his own malice ways was enough.

"I was powerless to do anything against him…"

Kagome and Kurapika blinked in unison as they heard Gon's low whisper. The miko quickly felt the same distressed aura she had sensed after Hisoka left them alone. "But you were able to land your first hit on him, right?" she asked, knowing the boy was probably down for not being able to do anything during the moment.

"Only because I surprised him. Besides, Leorio passed even though he lost…"

"Perhaps he sensed that you three were kindred spirits," Kurapika spoke.

The miko raised a brow: "sensed?"

Narrowing his eyes, an image of Hisoka appeared in Kurapika's head. "I seriously doubt that Hisoka could qualify as a Hunter. However, I must admit that he did impress me with his superhuman agility and graceful technique. It's quite common that those possessing special talents are drawn to others with unique gifts. Most likely, Hisoka's instincts and experience told him that you three had the skill and potential to become Hunters."

'Drawn to other with unique gifts, huh?' Kagome told herself. Turning her head back to the front, Kagome realized Kurapika's words held truth. She had not realized herself, but the reason she had been open to talk to Gon and the others was probably due to this 'attraction' of uniqueness.

"Killing you now would have been a waste to him…," Kurapika continued. "That was probably his perspective."

"I just hope that is the only perspective of him we get," she sighed. As silence draped over them and only the crunch of their steps on the dirt was heard, Kagome's eyes landed on Gon while holding his fishing pole with Leorio's suitcase. "Are you okay, Gon-kun?"

"Mhmm…"

She tilted her head to the side: "but?"

Gon's gulped, tightening his grip on his fishing pole. "I guess I was excited." His words took Kagome and Kurapika by surprise. "I was so scared, I wanted to run away, but…I couldn't. After watching Kagome-san," she blinked, "I was excited. To see her fight back and be able to face her opponent without showing fear – it was exciting." He chuckled, looking over his shoulder to see a wide smile to the two. "Isn't that strange?"

Lost and unsure what to say to the young boy, Kagome's shoulder unstiffened. In Gon's eyes she had seemed unafraid, but the reality was the opposite. She was unsure what Hisoka could be capable of, but her instincts had taken her to risk her life for the two he had barely met. The feeling Gon had been introduced is what she had felt when she encountered the centipede demon the first day she met Inuyasha. She was afraid, but also excited.

Gon was all but a kid experiencing the outside world (although she was just as new to this one).


Running up the hill, Gon, Kagome, and Kurapika sighed in relief at the sight of the hunter applicants resting in front of two huge double doors. Looking around, they could see a few other applicants trying to catch their breath from the long run while others seemed to have already received their rest by arriving earlier than most. Coming onto flat ground, the three of them slowed down their pace.

"Looks like we made it in time," Kurapika whispered.

Searching left and right for their missing companion, they walked through the crowd of people while ignoring the looks of the others. As Kagome followed behind Gon, she immediately stopped in her tracks as she felt a wave of aura being thrown at her. The miko's head whipped around to see none other than the blood lust clown waving her with a smile before pointing a finger to another tree across. Shivers ran up and down her spine before turning her head towards the direction of his finger.

Her eyes widened the moment they landed on a half-conscious Leorio with a bruised cheek. "L-Leorio-san!"

Gon and Kurapika were quick to hear the name and look behind. Without a second thought, the two of them made their way to Leorio who had been perched against a tree. The miko's eyes slowly returned back to the clown. Leorio had been returned, but she was sure this was Hisoka's beginning of playtime.

Making her way towards the group, she watched as Leorio winced at the feel of his bruised cheek. "Man, that stings…," he sighed, rubbing the swollen cheek. "Why am I all beat up?"

"Huh?" the three blinked in unison.

"My memory is kind of hazy," Leorio shook his head, unable to remember what had brought him here.

"He…doesn't remember?" Kagome whispered as she stood between Gon and Kurapika. Did he forget with Leorio's punch or had Hisoka done something? Either way, telling Leorio the truth would probably rile him up.

Kurapika leaned towards the two, hiding his lips by cupping them with his hand. "We probably shouldn't tell him what happened," he whispered.

"Yeah…," Gon chuckled nervously.

Kagome sighed as she watched Leorio continue to touch his cheek. Coming to sit on her knees, she grabbed his suitcase from Gon's fishing pole. "Do you have anything here that could help with the swelling, Leorio-san?"

"It's weird being called '-san' when you are older than me," he glared mildly. He nodded to her question, "yeah, I have a first-aid in my suitcase."

A small smile appeared over Gon's lips as he watched the miko open Leorio's suitcase in search for a remedy to lessen the swelling. She was courageous, but he could tell the older girl had a heart for others. He hoped he would be able to get to know her better and find out about the jewel she was searching for.

"Gon."

The called boy blinked before turning around to face the other young silver haired boy holding his skateboard walking towards him. "Killua!"

"I can't believe you actually got here…," Killua scoffed, surprised the others were able to arrive on time after having lost them during the run. "I seriously thought all of you were done for."

"I just tracked Leorio's cologne," Gon replied, meeting Killua half-way.

Killua's eyes widened slightly, "c-cologne?! That was how?" Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, Killua leaned in to get a closer look of the boy. "You're definitely weird."

"Itai!"

"Hold still, Leorio-san," Kagome huffed, retreating her hand and the cotton ball. That is what he got for heading into a fight without knowing the dangers. Anyone would be stupid to start a fight with Hisoka if it could be avoided. Releasing a soft sigh, Kagome closed his suit case after finishing her job (seeing he was not going to sit still). "Just be careful, Leorio-san," she spoke before standing back on her feet. Hearing laughter, her eyes landed on the two boys as they conversed with each other.

The youngest, yet the bravest to take such a journey.

"Everyone here has done excellent work." One clap caught everyone's attention towards the double doors. Satotz observed the remaining applicants; he was surprised to find so many still standing before the second phase. "Phase Two," he spoke, "of the exam will occur here, in the Biska Forest Park. So, I shall take my leave." Giving them a small bow with his head, he spoke one last time. "Best of luck to all of you."

Watching their first examiner march back into the woods, Kagome's shoulders relaxed. A part of her felt relieve to know the long endless run was over, but she was still tense to unknown of the second phase. If the first phase was a bit difficult to deal with, she could not imagine what the other trials were storing for them. 'All of this just to get information about the jewel and the others…,' she sighed under her breath.

As Gon and Killua made their way to the miko, along with Leorio and Kurapika joining them, the sound of heavy doors creaking open caught their attention with the rest of the applicants. All eyes immediately noticed the many kitchen stations equipped with stoves, grills, cooking utensils, and other fresh produce. The stations were laid out on the front lawn of the white mansion before them.

"Will all applicants who passed the First Phase please enter?"

The female voice made their focuses land on the female with teal colored hair styled in five knots. She smirked upon noticing the confused expressions on the applicants' faces. Adjusting the black transparent mesh shirt and her bikini top, she looked above her to send the grin to the large and tall black haired and pale skinned male sitting behind her. If anything, everyone noticed his large size being bigger than the doorframe.

"Welcome," she spoke again, "I'm Menchi, the Second Phase examiner."

"And I'm Buhara," the male behind her introduced himself, "the other examiner."

"Two examiners?" Kagome whispered, following the rest of the crowd as they made their way into lawn.

"I just hope it isn't too difficult with two examiners," Leorio scoffed under his breath.

Before anyone could question about their task, a sudden growl echoed throughout the area. Heads turned to the sides, wondering the source of the echoed growl.

"Mah, mah," Menchi chuckled, "you must be hungry, Buhara."

Buhara exhaled, rubbing his stomach underneath his yellow shirt. "I'm starving…"

"Well then…," standing up from the couch, Menchi raised a brow before placing her hands over her hips. Taking small steps towards the top stair case, she looked down at the muddled applicants. "You heard him, right? Phase Two will involve…cooking!"

Dumbfounded.

All of them stood as a silence draped over the area. The miko blinked a couple of times as she tried to comprehend Menchi's words. 'Cooking?' she repeated in her head. Of all things, cooking? And here she thought they would be having a tournament of some sort. 'Well…it shouldn't be so bad.'

"Wait a minute!" a male with a rounded face with blonde hair slicked back into a ponytail spoke out. As eyes landed on him, the man took a step forward. "What do you mean 'cooking'!? We're here to take the Hunter Exam!"

"Of course you are," Menchi nodded. "Your challenge for the Second Phase is to produce a dish that will satisfy our palate."

"Why the hell do we have to cook!?" Hanzo, another applicant, glared at the woman. Was she mocking them?

Exhaling at the many complaints, Menchi shook her head. "Why you ask? That's because we are Gourmet Hunters."

"Gourmet Hunters?" Kagome whispered. "So there are different types of hunters?"

"You really don't know anything, do you?" Leorio's eyes lowered into a dead-fish expression.

Laughter from the blonde hair applicant escaped from him first before everyone else joined in. Todo, the same male, scoffed at the ridiculous challenge that was placed on them. "Man, what a letdown," he commented. They're Gourmet Hunters, huh? What a joke!"

Another round of blinks were given from the miko as she watched the rest of the applicants laugh while Menchi had crossed her arms with a contorted rage on her face. Was it really something to laugh about?


Lowering the binoculars from his sight, Satotz exhaled as he watched the view from a tree. He could not help but shake his head as he heard the many laughs being given to Menchi and Buhara, but his biggest worry was the expression the woman was starting to give off. If anything, this would surely create conflict.

"The Gourmet Hunters Menchi and Buhara…," he spoke to himself. "Their selection as examiners could prove problematic." Scanning the group of men and women, he was still fascinated by the many that remained. "Depending on how this goes, less than 50 could pass Phase Two."


Calming himself from his laughing high, Todo adjusted his bag over his shoulder. "So?" he asked with a smug grin. "What are we supposed to make, Gourmet Hunters-san?"

Menchi was sure the glare on her face would be glued permanently the more she heard the guy. If it were not for the rules or the exam, she would have killed him by now for the disrespect. Giving him one last glare before closing her eyes, she turned her to the side. "Buhara."

On cue, the heavy Gourmet Hunter took a step forward to stand beside his partner. "The required ingredient is pork. You're free to use meat from any species of Biska Forest pigs. You must use the cooking facilities here to prepare the pork. And you only pass if we both find it delicious."

"Pork?" Kagome titled her head to the side.

"As in pig meat?" Leorio blinked.

Turning her head to the aspiring doctor teen, Kagome's eyes hooded into a bored look. "What other kind of pork meat is there?"

"Uruse!"

"And we will evaluate more than just the taste," Menchi added. "Don't underestimate the intricacies of cooking. Got it? When we've both eaten our fill, the exam will end."

"We get. We get it," Todo waved her off with his hand. "Let's just start."

With another huff from the female examiner, she allowed Buhara to give the starting cue. "Then," he smiled widely, "the exam's Second Phase…," he tapped on his belly, creating a drum sound to echo into their ears, "begins now!"

Kagome and the other four remained still the moment the stampede of applicants rushed to the double doors in search for their main ingredients. Holding onto her bow and arrows, the miko glanced over her shoulder with shock taking over her expression. "Everyone is surely in a rush…"

"Of course they are," Kurapika sighed. "She said the exam would end when both of them have had their fill. If they get their fill from ten plates, then that means the rest of us are disqualified."

"Ah, I see…," she nodded. Cooking for a Hunters license? Who would have thought.

"Mah…," Gon exhaled heavily as he gave out a pout. "I am not that good at cooking…" He had dreaded the thought of having a written exam, but cooking was possibly the worst now.

Stuffing his hands inside his pockets, Killua began to walk towards the forest. "There is no use of us just standing here. We should go get a pig and then see what we can do with it. If worse comes to worse, we can just roast it." Looking over his shoulder, he gave the miko a grin. "Or we can make Kagome cook it."

Her eyes dropped into a tight glare as the rest of the males followed the white haired boy. "Is that supposed to be a sexist joke?" This journey was definitely something she never imagined of taking, but if it meant it would help finding her friends, the jewel, and go home, then she had to do it. Cooking or fighting, she would take on the task. Taking in a deep breath in, Kagome cleared her mind before taking off to follow the boys.

She scanned the scenery before her; nothing but trees and bushes and no animals in sight. There had to be a reason for picking 'pork', right? Pigs were practically harmless, as far as she knew. Observing the other men and women around, she could tell they were having difficulty trying to find the pig, if there was even one. Adjusting her bow over her shoulder, she noticed Gon walking in front of her.

"Any luck?" she asked.

Gon shook his head, "nope."

"Catch a pig and cook it," Leorio spoke, coming with Kurapika and Killua behind. "This is way easier than the First Phase."

"I hope it will be that simple…," Kurapika whispered.

From the corner of her eyes, Kagome watched Killua run past her. She turned her head to see him sliding down a hill after Gon had gone first. "O-Oi!" she called out to them, wondering what the two boys were up to. Instinct pushed her to slide down after them; not a second later, Kurapika and Leorio following their own curiosities. The three of them gasped at the sight of Killua bumping into Gon after he had halted his slide. The miko immediately closed her eyes, waiting for the collision.

Her body pressed against Killua, both of them groaning after Kurapika and Leorio stopped behind them and added to the weight. "Ugh…," the miko groaned, rubbing her lower back, "why didn't you two move out of the way?"

"Don't blame me!" Killua huffed. "Gon stopped all of sudden and I didn't have time to react!"

"Found them."

The four of them blink after hearing Gon's voice. Following his pointing finger out to a clearing, their eyes widened at the sight of the huge pink pigs eating some of the weeds on the ground.

"Pigs!" Leorio exclaimed. He retracted his own index finger the second he noticed the white food they were chewing on. "Wait…they aren't eating weeds. T-They're chewing on bones."

Kurapika blinked: "don't tell me…they're carnivores?"

As soon as the pig crunched the bone in half in its mouth, the five of them jolted at the screech it emitted. They quickly scrambled back onto their feet and made a run for it as the parade of pigs ran after them.

"Since when are pigs carnivores!?" Kagome exclaimed. They made a run for it towards the rest of the applicants, taking them by surprise at the sudden stampede of their hungry guests. Watching the pigs separate to attack, the five of them could not help but watch in terror the moment the pigs' huge snouts tackled them into the air.

"These pigs are crazy!" Leorio shouted, taking the lead in the run.

Kagome rolled over to the side, letting the parade of pigs continue forth and follow other applicants. With her chest heaving for oxygen, her focuses landed on Todo lifting a huge boulder and throwing it towards one of the pigs. Her eyes narrowed the moment the boulder was smashed into pieces by the pig's own snout. Others tried throwing knives, branches, and even physical attacks to stop the pigs but nothing worked.

"Oryaaa!"

The miko blinked, looking over her shoulder to see none other than Gon jumping up in the air before slamming his fishing pole on the pig's snout. "Chotto matte, Gon-kun!" extending her arm out to stop him, she winced as he was tackled back by the very same attack as everyone else. She sighed, unsure what the plan was at this point to get a pig for the exam. Her eyes glided upwards, seeing the apple tree above the pig. 'Perhaps we need to find a weak spot, but we need a distraction…'

"Gon-kun!" she called out.

Turning his head to the miko, Gon blinked to see her pointing at the tree above the angry pig and then at her bow. Catching her signal of a double attack, he nodded as he tightened his grip on his fishing pole. He was awed by her fluid motions as she grabbed an arrow from her quiver and positioned it beside her bow. Her aim was released with the arrow striking one of the branches of the tree to shake a few apples. Gon blinked as the apples dropped like a waterfall on the pig's forehead, hazing his view.

"Yosh!" he whispered. Jumping back up, Gon slammed his fishing pole over the pig's forehead. Gon retreated back, both of them eyeing the pig as it fainted from the hit and fell on its back. "Ah! It fainted!"

Kagome stood up straight, blinking at how simple it had been. The attack was to weaken it, but the pig had come out unconscious from the hit. "It…worked?"

"Ah! Their foreheads are their weak points?"

Jumping with chills from the voice behind her, the miko's whipped her head around. "K-Killua-kun?" Where the heck had he come from?! "Don't scare me like that!"

"What?" he pouted. "You should always have your guard up!"

'It was!' she sighed. Scratching the back of her head, she noticed Gon ruining to her with the pig over his head as he carried it with his two arms. Gon dropped the unconscious pig in front of her, confusing her with the action. "What's this?" she asked.

"You got the idea, Kagome-san," he grinned. "It should be yours! Don't worry! Now we know what their weak spot is thanks to you! Come on, Killua! Let's go get one!"

Broken words passed between the miko's lips as she watched the two kids run past her to get another pig. With her shoulders dropping from their nerves, she scratched the back of her head. Why did she feel like they were not counting on her strength to catch a pig on her own? Shaking her head, the miko watched as the rest of the applicants had heard their conversation and began to use their own skills to attack the foreheads. What was everyone's goal once obtaining the license? For Gon to go on his own at such a young age to find his father, Kurapika off to avenge his clan, and Leorio aspiring to become a doctor, it made her think about everyone else.

She walked over to the fainted pig, and with the strength she could muster, she carried it on her back. Trying her best to avoid any other pigs and attacks from the other applicants, Kagome followed the dirt path leading back to Menchi's examination.

'Cooking, huh?' she hummed to herself. 'I mean, I don't have much experiencing a whole pig like this, but I don't think it would be any different than cooking the small pieces of pork they sell at supermarkets.' Cooking a whole pig would be a difficult task, but she just hoped the amateur skills she had with the knife and stove would help her create a decent dish for Menchi and Buhara.

Finally arriving at the cooking stations, Kagome blinked at the sight of a few people already having placed their pig on tops of a grill where they could turn the skew and roast it. "Wow…," she whispered, "so I guess we are all roasting it?"

Kagome grunted as she placed the pig over the counter before slapping her hands clean of the dirt. The sound of running echoing closed in towards the lawn, making the miko and the others look towards the entrance. Blinking, Kagome was slightly taken back by the view of everyone having picked up a pig and carrying it over their heads with their hands. 'Will you look at that,' she snickered with a smile.

Her eyes followed Gon's and Killua's person as they placed their pigs over the grill, just like everyone else. Tilting her head to the side, she made another smile. "That didn't take long."

"Of course not," Killua scoffed, sending her a smirk. "The pigs weren't that tough after all."

"Nee~, Kagome-san!"

Looking over to her left, Kagome noticed the apron Gon held.

"Here!" his smile widened. "They had these hanging on the side of the counter."

A nervous laugh escaped the miko as she squatted down in front of Gon, letting him place the apron on her. "I don't think we have to wear it, Gon-kun," she chuckled, noticing his apron already tied around him. Despite everyone else already doing their own thing, she thought it was best to humor Gon and go along with his positive ways. His way of thinking eased the heavy tension in the air and in more ways than others, she felt thankful. 'It's like having Shippou here…'

"Yosh!" Gon smiled again. "Let's get cooking!"

Walking over to the counter, the miko grabbed a knife from the drawer and pouted in thought. How exactly was she supposed to cut this thing?

"What are you going to do, Kagome?" Killua asked, watching her blankly stare at the pig.

"I…don't know," she shrugged. "This is harder than I thought."

"Just roast the pig," Leorio slid into the conversation. "That is what everyone else is doing."

"Huh?" the miko blinked. Noticing Leorio pointing towards Todo walking towards Menchi, Kagome's eyes widened slightly upon catching the roasted pig plated on a huge plate. "H-He's done!?"

"I guess so…," Kurapika replied with a whisper.

Dropping the heavy plate before Menchi and Buhara, Todo scoffed at the task he had performed. Swallowing a bit of his pride, Todo extended his arms out to the side. "There," he spoke, eyes narrowing at the sight of unamused Menchi – who had closed her eyes after demonstrating his plate – and Buhara already drooling over the sight of meat. "Now eat the pig and send me to the next phase."

Menchi sighed, resting one of her arms over the head of the couch. "Okay," she grabbed the fork with her free hand, "it's evaluation time~. Taste testing~," she dragged her tone lazily.

Everyone at their stations waited to see how the examiners would evaluate in hopes to get a better idea for themselves. As Buhara quickly dug into pork, the watched him raise a card with a red circle. "It's delicious!" Buhara exclaimed with a full-mouth.

"It's overcooked," Menchi spoke, raising a card with a blue 'x'. "The tough texture ruins the flavor of the meat."

"What!?" Todo exclaimed, brows furrowing down. "You didn't even take a bite!"

"It's plain as day!" she shouted back. Huffing at the sight of the burnt pig, she shooed away the first 'cook' before blinking at the sight of the ninja applicant, Hanzo, placing his own creation. Menchi's eyebrow slowly twitched as her eyes remained glued on the roasted pig.

"Okay!" Hanzo smirked, crossing his arms. "Dive in!"

Gon and the others blinked, watching as Buhara gave another approval with his circle card while digging into the pig and Menchi giving the same blue 'x'.

"Eh!? Why!?" Hanzo asked, taken back by the judgment.

"Charred on the outside, uncooked inside," she exhaled, not even bothering to look them in the eye. "Your fire was too strong."

One after another, a roasted pig was presented by the applicants; Menchi's annoyance rose and slowly brewed into anger with the simplicity she was receiving. 'Honestly…all they're doing is roasting the whole pig, like it's all they know how to do! None of them has made any effort!'

Watching from the side lines, Kagome placed the knife on the counter beside the pig. Menchi's aura slowly rose in waves of rage, and if anything was making her worried was the explosion of frustration Menchi would give off. "I guess…everyone decided to give a roasted pig?" she whispered.

"Well, no one has passed yet…," Leorio added, seeing one applicant after another being rejected by Menchi's lecturing yells.

"And Menchi hasn't even taken a bite," Kurapika sighed. "The only one eating is Buhara."

"Can't anyone out there satisfy me!?" Menchi shouted.

Placing her hands on her hips, Kagome exhaled. She could not entirely blame Menchi for her annoyance on seeing the same plate one after another. Here she was overthinking on what to do and everyone had gone the simple route. "You know," she spoke, catching the attention of the other four, "she means more than just roasting the pig, guys."

"Hmm," Kurapika hummed before snapping his fingers. "That's it! I see what you're saying, Kagome-san. This phase of the exam is a cooking test, but they're judging us on originality and powers of observation."

"I see…," Leorio grinned, placing his pig on the huge plate. Placing a mini white flag with the Hunter Logo printed on it over the roasted pig, Leorio made his way to the two examiners and presented his dish with pride. "Here you go! How do you like my cooking!?"

The miko's eyebrow twitched: "t-that isn't what I meant…"

Menchi quickly flipped the dish, making the pig fly into the air before Buhara captured it within its arms. "Is this supposed to be a kiddy meal!?"

Shaking her head, Kagome could only stand and see Gon go after Leorio's rejection and present the pig decorated in a hibiscus flower crown and a bed of them underneath the meat.

"I'm next!" Gon exclaimed, standing straight with a huge smile.

"It's basically the same thing!" Menchi pushed it to the side, veins popping one after another on her forehead.

Dropping her forehead onto her palm, the miko had to suppress another sigh. Apparently decorating the exterior of a roasted pig is what they got out of her explanation. Her attention was soon brought back to the front, noticing Kurapika having placed his own dish before the two. Kagome blinked, a bit surprised to see the roasted pig sliced in pieces with layers of pineapple and lettuce in between each layer of meat. "Oh?" she tilted her head to the side. "He…actually did something."

"I am next!" Kurapika spoke, showcasing his 'masterpiece'. "Please judge my creation."

Menchi's brow rose, noticing the difference in color on the plate. "Eh~," she stared, still not putting her hopes up. "Finally, something that resembles an actual dish…"

Watching Menchi grab her fork and for the first time break a piece off the pig and pineapples, Kurapika waited for the final score. 'The point is to use the provided facilities and ingredients to highlight the main feature, the pork. In other words, the taste is insignificant!'

"Disgusting!" Menchi flipped the dish once again into the air, taking the Kurta male off guard from her sudden outburst. "Appearance is important, but only if it also tastes good. You're no better than number four-hundred and three!"

Disappointed in his miscalculations, Kurapika dropped his head low with Menchi's words echoing inside his head. Did she really compare him? He sighed, making his way to his station while ignoring Leorio's laugh.

"Too bad!" Leorio chuckled. "She even said you were no better than the others."

"She compared him to you," Kagome cut in.

"Nani!?" Leorio shouted.

She turned her head away from Leorio's stabbing glare, deciding it was best to not say any more. Apparently they did not get her explanation and now here they were with their rejections from Menchi. Humming to herself, Kagome tapped her chin with her index finger. 'None of them have cooked a meal before…,' she huffed. 'Or maybe they just didn't even try.'

"Nee, Kagome?"

Looking over her shoulder, the miko blinked to see Killua pointing at his own uncooked pig. "Want to cook mine?"

With her eyes drooping into a glare, Kagome pinched his cheek before pulling it. "You know, you're cuter when you stay quiet." Chuckling at Killua's embarrassed expression, accompanied with his glare, Kagome sighed and released his cheek.

"Man!" Buhara contently sighed, tapping his bulged out belly with the pigs' carcasses piled behind him. "That was a lot of food! I think I'm stuffed!"

"Hai!" Menchi huffed, more than annoyed to see the stupid dishes. Here, she had hoped for more and all she got was less than an amateur's level of cooking. "I'm stuffed, too!" With a scoff escaping her lips, Menchi stood from her seat, and crossed her arms. "Therefore, no one passes. We're finished here!"


"As I expected," Satotz whispered, lowering his binoculars. "She has lapsed back into her old bad habits." Digging inside his suit, Satotz pulled out his cell and speed dialed before bringing it to his ear. 'Guess we are going with Plan B.'


All applicants remained frozen and confused from Menchi's sudden declaration. With only less than half having presented their dishes, the rest of them were more than confused. Failing them without giving them the chance?

"Did you present your dish, Kagome-san?" Gon asked, pulling on the miko's apron.

Shaking her head, the miko gave out a pout. The feel of everyone's auras rising from frustration to rage made her drop into a silence. No doubt this was going to become a fray between applicants and examiners if Menchi did not clear herself up.

"Zero applicants made it?" one of the men exclaimed. "Are you serious!?"

"Does she really mean it?" another questioned. "The exam is over?"

A sudden crash of metal made everyone look to the other side of the lawn and see one of the cooking stations having been crushed to the ground. Water sprouted out from the sink's pipe as the rest of the produce rolled down to the floor. "I won't accept it…," Todo growled under his breath, fist tightening along with his glare.

"Oh?" Menchi's brow crooked up. "In the end, you've still failed."

"Stop screwing around!" Todo barked back. "You asked for pork, so we risked our lives to-!"

"I said to prepare the pork in a manner we both found delicious!" Menchi interrupted, not wanting to hear any excuses the others had. "None of you made anything remotely delicious. You all did almost the same thing. There was no effort made…," she scoffed again, watching the disappointment melt onto their confident faces. "Just when I thought someone actually tried, they only changed the appearance. No one attempted to emphasize the flavor. I'm positive that none of you took cooking seriously!"

With a sweat drop looming over Hanzo's head, the ninja shrugged. "Pork dishes are all the same, though…"

In a flash, Hanzo was grabbed from his red bandana that hung around his neck and blinked in terror to see Menchi's angered expression. "Just say that once more! Any more crap from you, and I'll shove my arm up your ass and knock your teeth out! Don't you mess with me! I don't want any lip from a bunch of amateurs who can't even roast a pig! Now why don't you repeat it to my face!?"

Buhara sighed, watching the other side of Menchi slowly curtain open for everyone to see. 'Mah, mah. There is Menchi's bad habit again…after all, only a handful of chefs in the entire world can satisfy Menchi.'

Pushing Hanzo out of her face, Menchi sat back down on the couch with her legs crossed. Any more words out of anyone and she was sure she was going to kill them. And here she thought she would be dealing with good applicants who were worthy of becoming Hunters. "In other words, you people don't have the guts to try anything new."

"Shut up!" Todo yelled, pointing his index finger at the woman. "I'm not trying to become a cook or a gourmet! I want to be a Hunter!" The encouraging cheers of the others fueled his smirk. "My goal is to become a Black List Hunter. I refuse to let a mere Gourmet Hunter decide my fate!"

Menchi shrugged at his speech: "too bad you got stuck with a mere Gourmet Hunter as an examiner…should I say better luck next year?"

"Why you….!"

Kagome and the others watched as Todo began to redden as his rage built. Everyone took cautious steps back, not wanting to get in the middle of what they knew would be a one-sided fight. Although they were angered themselves about the failing, they knew they could not do much about it.

After all, she was a Hunter – they were not.

As Todo rushed forward to attack the female Hunter, everyone watched with wide eyes as he was punched into the air before crashing into one of the cement pillar beside the double doors. They all winced in unison, seeing Todo roll down to the floor as debris of cement slowly piled over him. Heads slowly turned back to the attacker, seeing Buhara slowly retreating his fist.

"Buhara," Menchi's tone drowned in toxic, "don't interfere."

"If I hadn't, you would have killed him, right?" Buhara added, watching three thin and long butcher knifes in each of Menchi's hands.

She chuckled, standing up from her seat once more. "Probably." Making her way down the stairs, her eyes focused on each of the applicants, seeing them paralyzed after seeing Todo's aftermath. "Let me clarify this...we frequently venture into the dens of ferocious beasts, searching for ingredients. Every Hunter knows some form of martial arts." Throwing all six knives into the air, Menchi began to juggle them in front of her without missing her rhythm. "You all lack focus and the willingness to experiment. That alone disqualifies you from becoming Hunters!"

'I have too,' Kagome looked to the side after hearing Menchi's words. Although she was sure there were other ways of finding Inuyasha, the others, and the jewel, she had a feeling the Hunter's License would lessen the trouble – if that. Before she could say anything herself to help the situation, a sudden rise in bloodlust made her turn her head to the left. The miko's pupils dilated as she saw the menacing grin on the clown's face while slowly taking out a card with one simple swipe of his wrist. 'Is he being serious!? Does he seriously think on attacking her?!' Taking a step to the side, in hopes to stop him from making the argument into a big war, she and everyone else stopped their thinking and actions upon hearing a voice being spoke through a speaker above them.

"That said," the voice chucked, "it would be excessive to fail every single applicant."

"That voice…," Kagome whispered, head tilting back to see a blimp shadowing them in the air.

"Ah!" Leorio blinked, noticing the two 'X's' next to each other on the blimp. "That's the symbol of the Hunters Association! Is it someone from the Selection Committee?"

'Hunter's Association?' the miko looked back up.

Before anyone could question the blimp or the voice, eyes landed on the male dropping down from the blimpse's window. Everyone covered their eyes as soon as the unknown person dropped onto the dirt and created a crater from his one-tooth Geta shoes.

Lowering her elbow from her eyes, Kagome blinked to straighten her focus on the mysterious old male. She could see his white beard and the white male's kimono. 'H-Huh?' she blinked, immediately recognizing the small and thin white ponytail on the top of his bald head. 'T-That's-!'

"W-Who's that geezer?" Hanzo questioned, raising a brow suspiciously upon seeing the smile on the old man's face.

"The Chairman of the Selection Committee," Menchi answered, walking forth to meet the older man on the dirty path. "He is in charge of the Hunter Exam: Chairman Netero."

"C-Chairman?" Kagome whispered.

"Do you know him, Kagome-san?" Gon asked, having her heard her shock.

Gulping, Kagome look at Gon from the corner of her eyes with a nervous smile. "A-Ah…no," she shook her head. "I was just surprised to find the Chairman here, that's all."

Gon blinked at her nervous tone; he could tell she was caught off guard on something. Although there was more to Kagome that no one knew, Gon was determined to learn about her, but would give her time to adjust. There had to be a reason a person who had no idea about Hunters was trying to get a license.

"Well," Netero chuckled again, "I work behind the scenes. I only take action when there is an issue, like now. So, Menchi-kun…"

"Hai…"

"You failed all of the applicants because you disapproved of their reluctance to try new things?" Netero questioned.

Dropping her head in shame, Menchi's brows furrowed, unsure how to look at the Chariman in the eye. "N-No," she stuttered. "I lost my cool when one of the candidates insulted Gourmet Hunters and I made the exam harder than necessary."

Netero nodded, taking a peek at Todo slowly coming up to his hands and knees after the hit. "In other words, you're aware that this exam was unacceptable."

"Hai," she nodded again. "When cooking is involved, I lose control. I'm unqualified to be an examiner." She took a deep breath in, trying her best to tame her pride knowing what was the right thing to do after the huge scene she had caused. "I will resign as examiner, so please redo the Second Phase!"

With the silence dragged for a minute, all the examiners stood still watching Netero think to himself after hearing Menchi's request. They had never heard of a phase being redone, but they were sure not opposed to it (although fear was to be felt without knowing what could be changed).

"Hmm," Netero hooked his fingers underneath his chin, "but it would be difficult to find another examiner on such short notice, but," he smiled, raising a brow, "how about this? I'd like you to continue serving as an examiner. But you must also participate in the new test you propose." He chuckled upon noticing Menchi's expression having brightened only slightly at his offer. "Is that acceptable? I'm certain that will help the applicants to accept the results."

Menchi gave it some thought; a smile slowly made its way onto her lips. She was embarrassed for what had occurred against Todo, but she still held her pride as a Gourmet Hunter. "That's true…then the new challenge will be boiled eggs!"

"Boiled eggs?" Kurapika blinked.

"Seems…a little too easy compared to the pig, don't ya think?" Leorio raised a brow questioningly.

"Chairman," Menchi called out, "can you take us to Mt. Split-in-Half in your airship?"

"Mt. Split-in-Half?" Netero repeated, looking up at his transportation. "Ah~ I see what you're doing. Certainly, I can! I have no objections."

Menchi chuckled, looking over at Buhara from her shoulder. They would see a Gourmet Hunter was not all about being behind a counter.


"Come on, Kagome-san!"

"Hold on, Gon-kun," the miko huffed, taking a step outside the blimp. The short flight had given her a bundle of nerves after watching their destination going farther and farther from the mansion. No one said a word inside the blimp; everyone was just as curious to see where Menchi planned to take them to redo the exam. Being the last one out, Kagome blinked out the bright rays from the sun in her eyes and slowly gained focus to see Menchi standing before a cliff split in half.

Kagome joined the others as the others also came close to the split mountain. Eyes widened at the sight of the never ending bottom blanketed in fog. Droplets of sweat clung on the applicants' skin, praying they were not about to do what they thought.

"Now, everyone…," Menchi chuckled, "look down there."

Eyes scanned the many webs connected from one mountain to the other with bundles of eggs attached to each other to form a sack hanging from the thin webs.

"W-What is that?" Hanzo gulped.

"A Spider Eagle's web," Menchi replied.

The miko's brow twitched at the sound of the insect, making her cringe all together. 'And here I thought I was done with spiders…'

"They build webs down there?" Gon questioned, fascinated by the sight.

A gust of wind blew upwards, pushing a few people back in shock. Scoffing at their fear slowly making its appearance, Menchi rested her hands on her hips. "Look below the web. As you can see, there are eggs: Spider Eagle eggs."

"Spider Eagles build their webs in deep ravines, to protect their eggs from predators," Netero added, walking behind the miko with his hands behind his back. "This makes their eggs one of the most difficult ingredients to obtain. The eggs are also known as dream eggs."

Looking over her shoulder, Kagome's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the old man. "Y-You aren't saying…"

"Of course," Menchi smiled, sending the miko a wink.

All eyes landed on the female examiner after hearing her heels. In a blink of an eye, Menchi dropped down into the split with gasps of fright escaping most of the applicants. Menchi grabbed onto one of the spider webs, twirling twice before slowly down to observe the eggs that were closer to her person. She remained still and patient, exhaling her anxiety.

Leorio gulped, looming over the two young boys to see Menchi hanging from the web. "E-Even if she can get an egg, how will she climb back up?"

Feeling a small caress of wind on her cheek, Menchi released herself from her hold. Grabbing one of the eggs and separating it from the others, everyone watched Menchi continue to fall down into the abyss.

"Oi!" Leorio shouted. "S-She jumped down! Is she trying to kill herself?"

"No," Kurapika cut in, shaking his head, "she's not."

A wave of harsh winds blew into the air, lifting Menchi back up to her audience. Awed by her return, Kagome's shoulders dropped in relief. For a second she had the same mindset as Leorio and for sure the rest of the people around. But thinking back, Menchi's smile since they had arrived was not out of cockiness – it was confidence. As Menchi made a front flip and landed back where she had first dropped, she showcased the huge egg in her hand.

"That looks fun!" Killua grinned.

"This ravine has updrafts," Netero chuckled at Gon's and Killua's intrigued expressions. "They help the hatched chicks fly up to the web."

"That's right," Menchi nodded, turning to face the applicants, "now I just need to boil the egg."

"Y-You must be joking…," Todo stuttered, shocked to even see Menchi back alive after that free fall. Where does someone even get the trust on a drop? "No reasonable person would jump down there-!"

"I've been waiting for this!"

Hearing the overly enthusiastic tone, heads turned to see none other than Gon giving a wide smile before he and Killua grabbed the miko's hand and pulling her down for the fall.

"O-Oi!" Kagome shouted.

With everyone seeing Gon start the fall, the remaining applicants chuckled as they heard the miko's voice drown deeper into the split. One after another jumped into the split; Menchi turned her head side-to-side in an attempt to stop them from heading down without instructions.

"C-Chotto matte!" she exclaimed. "I haven't finished explaining everything!"

Catching herself onto one of the webs after being let go, Kagome huffed. Her anxiety levels had skyrocketed the second Gon and Killua dragged her down, and it was not like she was opposed to the task, but she did not even have time to inhale. Feeling the weight of the web lower, she immediately turned her head to the left and right to see Killua and Gon on either side, respectively. "What the heck, you two!? A little warning would have been nice!"

"That was fun!" Gon laughed.

"We should try that again!" Killua grinned.

"Did you not hear me!?" the miko shouted.

Once again, the weight of the webs shifted, making the three look to Killua's side and see Leorio and Kurapika having joined them. Looking around, Kagome noticed only about half of the applicants having dropped down to take Menchi's task. 'Did the others stay behind?' she questioned. The miko looked back to see the other applicants hanging from the webs before one person let go.

"Catch you later!" he shouted, dropping down and grabbing one of the eggs.

"Let's go!" Leorio snickered, ready to get this phase over with.

"I…wouldn't advise that," Kagome commented, catching Leorio off guard.

Gon nodded, keeping a straight face and watching the unnamed male continuing to fall and disappear into the fog. "Not yet."

"W-Why not?" Leorio raised a brow.

"There's no wind," Kagome replied, looking at him from the corner of her eyes. "Menchi-san wouldn't make this a task for the exam if it was going to be this easy."

"She's right," Kurapika added, "there isn't always an updraft."

The echoing shout for help from the male made the others cringe, not knowing what was below waiting for them. Although everyone was eager to jump and grab an egg, they knew they would have the same fate as the previous applicant if they did not let patience come their way.

Leorio scoffed, feeling his arms tiring from the hold. "When is the next one, then?"

"Wait."

Heads turned to Gon, taken back by the confidence behind his tone. Looking at the young boy from the corner of her eyes, the miko could not help but smile at the sight of Gon waiting. Most people would ignore others who had a connection with nature (thinking it was absurd), but with her own experience in the feudal era and witnessing things many would see as a fantasy, she understood what it meant to connect to certain things. 'He is definitely a unique boy…'

Gon closed his eyes, waiting for the sign he needed. Despite feeling the webs loosening and leveling them lower, he continued with his concentration.

"W-What!?" Leorio exclaimed, feeling himself lower.

Kurapika looked above, noticing the webs starting to separate themselves from the mountains. "The web won't hold us all!" he shouted.

Leaning his head forward, Killua directed his focus on Gon. "Gon, not yet?"

The webs continued to slowly, and frightfully, lower them all to their deaths. One applicant after another dropped, anxiety winning their mental battle. With their screams echoed between the mountains, the miko's fingers tightened their hold on the web. A side of her wanted to let go and take her chances, but she wanted to trust Gon and his instincts. "Gon-kun?" she whispered.

Her eyes widened the second Gon's eyes snapped open. "Now!" he shouted.

Not wanting to waste another second, all of them let go and dropped down to grab an egg from the multiple of piled together. From above, Netero smiled, watching them disappear into the fog. The smile stretched as he felt the wind gracefully rise before turning into a full blast. Chuckling at the sight of them floating back up, Netero noticed the miko's small smile as she, Gon, and Killua looked at each other.

"And the rest of you?" Menchi asked, looking over her shoulder to see Todo and the other half of the applicants looking away in shame. "I guess you quit."

"It takes courage to concede, too, Menchi-kun," Netero chuckled.


Looking around her surroundings, the miko noticed the color of the sky having dwindled down into an auburn blush. The atmosphere had calm down after the whole feud between the examiners and applicants, and now the ones who had passed waited patiently for their boiled eggs to finish. A few received their own and not wasting time to dive into it. Pleasured and content smiles were given once their taste buds melted at the sweet and savory taste of the egg.

"Here you go."

The miko blinked, having heard Menchi's voice behind her. Turning around to face the examiner, the miko was handed the egg she had grabbed, already peeled halfway. "Arigatou," Kagome smiled.

"No," Menchi shook her head. "I should be apologizing instead, but I am glad some of you took the chance to believe me and dive into the split."

"Heh…," Kagome looked away, eyes dropping into a dead-fish look, "more like I was dragged down by two kids."

"Well, I hope you enjoy it," Menchi smiled back as she returned to give the last batch of boiled eggs to the ones who passed.

The miko's eyes dropped down to the egg in her hands; she began to wonder about those who were already Hunters. For them to sacrifice and take the risk to venture out was a huge task, but upon witnessing Menchi's smile for what she did, the miko would tell it was life style that she would not change. Kagome chuckled to herself, taking a bite of the egg. 'Sugoi…this is really good!' Taking small bites, the miko looked around to find Killua with Kurapika and Leorio with their own eggs, but no Gon in sight.

"Nee, Todo-san."

The familiar voice caught her attention, making her turn around to see the applicants who had not made it stand in front of the blimp. Kagome blinked, noticing Gon walking up to Todo with his boiled egg in hand.

"Would you like a bite?" Gon asked, a smiling decorating his lips.

Kagome lowered her food from her lips, a bit taken back by Gon's act of kindness. Watching Todo's eyes brighten after taking a bite from Gon's egg, the miko chuckled softly in reaction to Gon's wide grin.

"It's delicious…," Todo whispered.

"Now you're experienced the joy of discovering how good something can taste," Menchi spoke, walking over to meet the two males. "We're risking our lives for that joy."

Sighing under his breath, Todo nodded before giving Menchi a bow with his head. "I was completely outclassed this year. I'll be back next year!"

"Having fun?"

The familiar voice made the miko blink, making her look to her right to see none other than the Chairman coming to stand beside her. Reading his expression, she could tell Netero was waiting for her to ask her numerous question, but seeing they were not even half-way through the entire exam, she decided to wait.

"Fun?" she scoffed with a smile, looking back at the smiling Gon. "More like tired."

Netero raised a brow: "but?"

She chuckled, "but this is definitely different. I…have met some interesting people."

Observing the miko's expression from the corner of his eyes, the older male snickered back before closing his eyes. He had his own questions about the girl and where she came from, but currently, it was not the right time nor place. Resting his hands behind his back, he gave the miko a bow with his head before heading towards the aircraft.

"Very well," he cleared his throat, "I will be taking everyone to the Third Phase. Will those who have passed, please follow me."

Kagome continued to stare at the old man's back; an image of her own grandfather appeared inside her head. 'Guess I am getting homesick…,' she exhaled softly, trying her best to keep the smile on her face.

"You spoke to the Chairman?"

"Hm?" she blinked, looking back to her right to see Killua staring at the old man walking inside the blimp. "Uh…somewhat?"

"You know him?" Killua questioned.

How else was she supposed to explain she had been in a coma for a year and suddenly thrown into the exam? Knowing the Chairman could create issues within the exam; other applicants could begin to think there was favoritism involved if their history was told. Deciding it was best to keep quiet for now, Kagome gave Killua a shrug.

"He reminds me of my grandfather," she chuckled. "I guess that is what caught my attention of him…"

Killua raised a brow suspiciously; his eyes follow the miko even as she tapped on Gon's shoulder to leave for the Third Phase. The girl definitely was the definition of a mystery, but if Gon trusted her, who was he to go against that? Huffing under his breath, Killua dug his hands into his pockets as he followed the others into the blimp. 'I can ask her later…'


Waiting for everyone to enter the main lobby of the aircraft, Netero took the opportunity to observe the remaining applicants. It always intrigued him to know what kind of people decided to take the Hunter's Exam and those who had the potential to pass each phase. It made him smile whole heartedly to see them all with a determined look and away from the fright most normal people possessed. With the last applicant entering the room, he cleared his throat.

"Allow me to introduce myself to the remaining applicants." His smile stretched upon making eye contact with the miko who stood between Gon and Killua. "I am Netero, Chairman of this year's Hunter Exam Selection Committee."

"I am his secretary," eyes lowered to the petite green headed creature, "Beans."

"Originally, I'd planned to make my appearance during the exam's final phase, but as I'm already here…" His eyes narrowed to match his smirk upon feeling everyone's tensed and alert auras. Although most were not aware of their auras filling in the room, Netero could see a select few who had shifted at the sensation, the miko included. Aside from auras, Netero's eyes scanned each and everyone's expression: ready and serious. "I'm loving this tension in the air! I think I'll stick around for the rest of the trip."

"We are scheduled to arrive at our destination tomorrow morning, at eight in morning," Beans spoke, seeing a few yawns from people. "I am sure you are all tired. You will find dinner waiting in the dining hall. You are all welcomed to get some rest. In other words, you're free to do as you please until you are contacted."

"Okay!" Killua exclaimed, leaning back to catch Gon's attention. "Gon! Let's explore the airship!"

"Yeah!" Gon nodded, following Killua as they ran out of the lobby.

"O-Oi!" Kagome called out. "Don't run inside the halls!" Sighing under her breath, she knew it was a futile attempt to stop the two boys. Despite being in a life or death exam, they were still curious kids.

Leorio raised a brow, hearing Gon's and Killua's laughter echo through the hall. "How can they have so much energy? I think I'm hitting the sack."

"You say that again." Kurapika nodded, seeming to agree with Leorio for the first time.

Although she was on the same boat as the other two, Kagome was unsure if she should be sleeping. So many things were on her mind, sleep was the last thing to do. Getting some rest was probably the smartest thing to do, after all, they had no idea what was to come in the next phase.

"However," Kurapika spoke, bringing Kagome's and Leorio's attention back to him, "I do have one concern."

"Hmm? What's up?" Kagome blinked.

"Just how many more phases are there?" Kurapika asked, wondering if the third would be the last or if there was more to come. "They never mentioned that, have they?"

Silent over the mystery, the three thought to themselves. They were talking about the Hunter Exam, so it was possible three was not enough. Looking around the lobby, there were too many applicants still left. Knowing how the exam worked, just a handful of people got the license.

"On average, there are five to six phases."

The three looked over their shoulder, seeing none other than the trickster Tonpa adding himself into the conversation.

"Which means…we still have three or four to go," Leorio sighed, eyes drooping at the sight of the senior applicant. "Tch, all the more reason to rest now."

A grin slowly appeared over Tonpa's lips as he watched the three try to walk around him to get the rest they needed. Not wanting to miss his opportunity, Tonpa chuckled under his breath. "But you should be careful." His amusement heightened upon stopping them in their tracks. "The secretary only told us when we'll arrive at our destination. It's possible that the third exam could take place on this airship itself. And it doesn't necessarily mean we'll be contacted at eight in the morning."

"Huh!?" Leorio exclaimed, all relaxation blowing away. "Are you serious!?"

"Hmm, that does make sense…," Kurapika nodded.

Raising a brow at Tonpa's mischievous grin, the miko could not help but agree. There was a high possibility of the third phase occurring on the airship and some could get tricked to miss it. 'Then again, Netero-san appeared out of nowhere. It was not planned for him to show up until the end...right?'

"You might wake up to discover that the exam has already ended." Tonpa shrugged, loving the nervous expressions on the males. "If you plan to make it to the next phase, don't let yourself relax on this airship."

"Dammit," Leorio cursed. Exhaling out a little of his anxiety, Leorio waved his goodbye. "Well, that was some good advice. Thanks!"

"We shall bear that in mind." Turning his back, Kurapika began to follow Leorio out the door. "Are you coming, Kagome-san?" he asked, looking over his shoulder.

The miko took a glance at Tonpa from the corner of her eyes, watching him smirk one last time before waving his own goodbye. To rest or not rest was the big question now. Looking at the blonde boy, she shook her head. "I think I will do some walking around to clear my head," she smiled. "I can't really sleep if I think too much."

"Alright," he nodded back, "just don't stay up too late."

Their concern for her puzzled her, but the biggest confusion was her own worry for the four. By the looks of it, they had less experience when it came to battle and facing death. By no means did she consider herself better than them, but there were a few things some had to learn only through harsh conditions. Scratching her cheek with her index finger, the miko sighed. "So should I sleep or stay awake?"

"I suggest getting some rest."

Looking over her shoulder at the sudden voice, Kagome was greeted with a close eyed smile from the Chairman. "Netero-san…"

"Don't worry," he chuckled, "the third phase won't be held in the aircraft. The last thing I want is for my aircraft to be destroyed because of a fight."

"Curse that Tonpa," she grumbled under her breath. If there was one thing she could not tolerate it was mind tricks. She just hoped Kurapika and Leorio would ignore Tonpa's words and get the rest they needed.

Watching her small anger exploding, Netero softly laughed. It was treat to be the Chairman and see so many different personalities in an applicant. As sweet and gentle the girl looked, he could tell she was a person one should be careful to mess with. "Well," he spoke, "get some rest – you will need it."

Kagome followed his person walk out of the lobby, leaving her with only a few applicants who remained inside. Exhaling her frustration and exhaustion, the miko looked out the window to see night having already fallen.

'And another day goes by…'


"Nee, how many applicants do you expect to make it?" Reaching to grab a scallop from the plate in the middle, the female Gourmet Hunter turned to face her partner, Buhara, as he took a bite of his bread.

"You mean pass the exam?" he asked.

Nodding to his question, Menchi took a bite of the seafood. One of the wonders of a Hunter was the treatment. Of course their jobs were difficult, but the compensation was great. She was only glad her part was over and now she was enjoying a delicious dinner with the other examiners. "This year, we have an impressive group. Though I did fail them all at one point…"

Buhara raised a brow as he stacked his eight plate on the side. "But doesn't it depend on what the upcoming phases consist of?"

"Well," she shrugged, "that's true…but didn't you notice it? Most of them have strong auras." Turning to the other side of the table, Menchi faced the first phase examiner. "What do you think Satotz?"

Brought into the conversation, Satotz placed his silver ware on the side to look at the other two conversing. "Oh, yes," he agreed. "I like the rookies this year."

A wide smiled made its way onto Menchi's lips. "Ha! So you agree? I think number two-hundred and ninety-four, I believe his name is Hanzo, has a good shot."

"Hmm, I'm partial to number ninety-nine, Killua-san," Satotz added.

Remembering his face, Menchi could not help but scoff. "He looks like a selfish, spoiled brat. What do you think, Buhara?"

"Well…," he looked up, "he isn't a rookie, but number forty-four is the one I favor: Hisoka. I'm sure you noticed Menchi, but when Toga was throwing a fit, it was number forty-four who was really on the verge of killing someone."

Menchi scoffed at the memory of having almost every applicant come after her, but the true threat had been the strong auras that were clashing. "I did notice that, of course. He could barely restrain himself from tearing off our heads. But didn't you realize? He was already that way from the first moment we appeared."

"Really?" Buhara questioned.

"Yeah, that's the real reason I was so edgy," she sighed. "He kept challenging me."

"I had a similar experience." Setting down his cup of coffee, Satotz opened his eyes. "He should be carefully monitored. Though it pains me to admit this, we are birds of a feather with him. However, his affinity for darkness is far stronger."

Lightly scoffing at the mention of Hisoka's dark aura, Menchi munched on another scallop. "I don't know; there was another person who was actually willing to clash with him."

"Hm?" Satotz blinked.

"This girl's aura had risen the moment she sensed Hisoka's. No doubt in my mind she had felt his bloodlust. I am also sure Hisoka felt her aura, too." Menchi set her fork down before reaching for her cup of coffee. "I commend her for her courage; that place was going to become a battle field if the Chairman didn't come."

Nodding, Satotz reached for his hot drink once again. "As Hunters, we are continually seeking out rivals. Ultimately, the Hunter Exam is a place to find opponents worthy of respect. And every once in a while, we encounter someone who hits the floor running, when we try to slow thing down," he chuckled, "an oddball of sorts."


"Hey, there! Kids! Stay out of the kitchen! Go eat in the dining hall!"

Dropped angrily onto the floor after being grabbed from the back of their collars, both Gon and Killua looked over their shoulders to see the chef of the aircraft sending them a glare. Killua took a bite from the fried chicken leg in his hand as the chef shut the door on them with a huge slam.

"Tch, what's his problem?" Standing up, Killua followed Gon out from the hall. Although kicked out from the kitchen, both were content having grabbed some chicken the chefs had hidden. Making their way down the main hall, Killua turned his head to the right seeing the aircraft flying over a city. "Wow, awesome!" he exclaimed, running to the window. "Look, Gon!"

Curious himself, Gon follow and rested his palms on the glass. "What is it?" His eyes gleamed with excitement upon seeing the many lights illuminating the city below. "It's like the ground if covered in jewels!"

"Yeah," Killua nodded.

The two sat on the stools facing the counter and windows; both of them looked out to enjoy the scenery with neither of them feeling sleep asking them to rest. Finishing his food first, Gon placed the bone in front of him before taking a look at the silent Killua beside him. "Nee," he whispered, "I was wondering…"

"Hmm?"

"Where are your mom and dad?" Gon questioned.

Humming, Killua lowered his food. "Hmm…they're alive. Probably."

"What do they do?"

"They're assassins."

Gon blinked, taken back by the answer. Turning to face Killua, Gon's expression was unchanged. "Huh? Both of them?" he asked.

Facing Gon, Killua gave a blank blink before erupting a laugh. "That's your first reaction?! You really are interesting!" He sighed, resting his chin on his palm. He never thought he would get such a calm reaction after telling them his parents were assassins. "You're the first person who's ever responded seriously."

"Well, you're telling the truth, right?" Gon tilted his head.

"What…makes you think that?"

"Just a hunch?"

Giving out a low hum, Killua nodded, looking out the window. It was interesting to hear someone trusted their gut that much. To think someone like Gon easily trusted people. "That's weird," Killua sighed, "people only like me because they can't ever tell whether I'm serious." His eyes relaxed, taking in the calm and cold scenery before him. "I'm from a family of assassins; they are all assassins. And," he sighed again, looking at his own reflection in the mirror, "my family has really high hopes for me…but I can't stand it. Who wants to have their life planned out for them?" Killua quickly turned back to Gon with wide eyes. "When I told them I wanted to decide my own future, they all snapped! My mother had tears streaming down her face, as she told me I have the potential to be a top assassin. Horrible parents, right? It's natural their kid would rebel."

Smirking with Gon's soft laugh, his expression shifted back to his confidence. "We ended up fighting. So I stabbed my mother in the face, my brother in the side, and ran away from home." He snickered, thinking of the rage the two must have built by now. "I'm sure they're out for blood now, but if they find me, I'll send them packing." Scoffing at thought of being dragged back home to listen to his mother's orders, Killua rolled his eyes. "When I become a Hunter, I'll start by capturing my family. I'm sure they're worth some hefty bounties…"

With Gon sweat dropping at the sight of Killua wanting to capture his own family for money, he was surprised to see him even here. If his family were that strong, they should have already been here trying to return him home, right?

"So?"

Gon blinked, turning away from his reflection and placing his focus on Killua.

"When are you going to ask about Kagome?" he questioned.

"Kagome-san?" Gon repeated. "What about her?"

A twitch on his eyebrow became visible on Killua before he leaned in. "Aren't you a bit curious to know who she is? Or where she even comes from?"

"Hmm, I am," Gon shrugged, bringing his elbows to rest on the counter, "but I don't see it right to ask her."

"Huh?"

"I can tell…something is holding her back from telling." The young applicant sighed; the image of the miko flashed in his mind. Although he was young, he was not oblivious to everything. He had seen the smiles and frowns the miko produced. He could see her concerns and small ounce of happiness appear at times. Having mentioned she was here to become a Hunter without knowing what a Hunter was or did was appalling, but there was a reason for everything. "It's almost like she's lost."

Only being able to stare with nothing to say back, Killua turned his head to face the window once more. Lost or found, he could tell when a person was hiding something, yet Gon was there to believe anyone no matter what. He sighed under his breath, dropping his chin over his palm. "You're weird…"


Clearing his mind of his responsibilities, the Chairman took a step out from the hall only to stop for a second upon noticing Gon and Killua staring off into the city. If he remembered correctly, these were the kids Kagome was looking after (even though she did not see it herself).

Netero chuckled under his breath, noticing their guard having dropped slightly. Deciding to have a little fun, Netero's aura slowly rose into his bloodlust before sending it towards the two kids.


The wave of bloodlust quickly made Gon and Killua turn their heads. Eyes went wide upon facing nothing but an empty hall with no owner of the killing lust. Killua's eyes slowly narrowed, not liking having been sneaked on. If anything, that was his job and experience.

As the two stood up from their seats, they continued to stare at the empty hall, wondering who had sent that predatory aura.

"Something wrong?"

Immediately turning their heads the other way, their defense doubled upon hearing the voice. The small echo of wood clicking on the floor kept the two still, waiting to see who appeared at the end. To their surprise they became even more suspicious with the Chairman's smiling greeting them with concern.

Netero contained his chuckle as he saw Killua's death glare on his person while Gon's was a simple stare of confusion. Of course their level of experience was different, but they were strong enough to had sensed his bloodlust.

"Ano…," Gon spoke, "Netero-san? Did you see anyone coming from that side?"

Netero simply shook his head. "No."

Hardening his glare on the old man, Killua's focus heightened. There was no mistake the person who had sent the bloodlust was the Chairman, but for him to arrive to the other side of the hall was questionable. 'When did he…?' Scoffing under his breath, Killua placed his hands inside his pockets. "You're pretty fast for an old man."

"Oh?" Netero raised a brow. "That little trick? I barely moved." He met his glare, finding amusing to find someone so young already having trust issues. He meant no ill upon sending his aura, but he was curious to see what kind of abilities they had.

"What do you want?" Killua asked, order in his tone. "You don't have to do anything until the last phase, right?"

"No need to be so unkind," Netero smiled. "I got bored, and was looking for some companions." Chuckling a little more at Killua's defensive nature and Gon's confusion, he decided to converse a bit more. "By the way, I meant to ask the two of you…any thoughts on your first attempt at the Hunter Examination?"

"Uh-huh!" Gon replied, a huge grin coming onto his lips. "It's fun! And there haven't been any of the written exams I was dreading."

Killua scoffed: "I'm disappointed; I expected the exam to be more difficult. I am hoping the next phase will be more entertaining?"

"Well~," Netero whispered, looking off to the side, "I wouldn't know about that."

Huffing, Killua turned around, deciding it was best to move on from the conversation. "Let's go, Gon!"

"Huh?" Gon blinked.

"Please wait a moment," Netero spoke, stopping Killua from taking another step. "Would you care to play a game with me?" The smirk on his lips returned as he saw the white haired boy slowly look over his shoulder: his attention was caught.


A small yawn escaped; eyes blinked out their exhaustion. Resting her forehead on her palm, the miko exhaled as she felt her body beginning to weigh her down. The phases were not tiring by all means, but the psychological aspect was. Not to mention her own worries for her friends and the jewel.

'Just where could they be?' she asked herself, slowly dropping her hand back onto the counter before facing the window. While she was in a coma, the others could have gone out to venture for a way back or even trying to find the others. No doubt in her mind everyone was lost.

'Is there even a way to the feudal era…?'

There was fear and doubt in their return, but the least she could do now was to find them and the jewel before their situations worsened.

Blinking at her reflection in the window, her vision soon became blocked by a card with the 'A' of hearts printed in the front. Kagome blinked again, taken back by the appearance of the card. Changing her focus to the window, her glare immediately showed upon catching her 'visitor'.

"Would you like to play cards with me? Perhaps that can take away the frown in your face."

The smile on the male clown stretched even as she slapped his hand away from her view. Turning to face him, she tried her best to hold back the hate. "Where did you come from, Hisoka?"

"You should never let your guard down, kitten," he chuckled.

"Don't call me that."

Making the deck of cards disappear from his palm, Hisoka's eyes narrowed to match his smirk. The second he found her alone, he wondered if her knowledge on aura was as he predicted. Although her guard had been down for a second, he was surprised to find her calmer than most after appearing behind her. "Well," he sighed, "seeing as you won't join me, I will say I am glad you have made it this far and the other boys, of course. It would be saddening to see them fail so early with the potential they have."

Before she could question his interest and reasoning, he disappeared the moment she blinked. Slowly letting her shoulders relax from her defensive stance, she brought her hand up only to feel something caught between her fingers. "Huh?" Kagome looked down, noticing the same card he had presented her with. The corner of her lips twitched as she stared at the signature. "This guy is going to bring trouble…"

'Or maybe I just need sleep…,' she sighed for what seemed to be the hundredth time. Deciding it was best to finally get her rest, the miko made her way down the hall. Before taking a turn to the rooms, she halted upon feeling Killua's aura clashing with 'Netero-san?'

Letting curiosity lead the way, Kagome followed the young boy's aura until she came to face Netero's back as he stared at the two kids. "Gon-kun? Killua-kun?" she whispered.

"Ah! Kagome-san!"

With her hands slightly out in front of her, Gon quickly latched onto them, making her 'huff' at his dropped weight. How was this kid not tired?

"Guess what, Kagome-san?" he grinned. "Netero-san told us there is another way we can become Hunters!"

"H-Huh?" she blinked, raising her eyes to meet those of a smiling Chairman. "Another way?"

Netero nodded: "a game. If they are able to defeat me, I shall let them be Hunters. Of course, you can join, too, Higurashi-san."

"Let's play, Kagome-san!" Gon jumped with joy. "Let's do it, Killua!"

Having not heard from the other boy, Kagome looked towards him only to see the seriousness in his face. Anyone could tell he was not amused; he looked annoyed, almost mad.

"How about it, eh?" Netero asked again.


Walking into a bright room with blue padded walls, Kagome could see this was a training room. Wooden floors to help with balance and slips, and the padding proved it was there to keep the sound in and minimize injuries. Why she had followed, she had no idea. Perhaps she was curious herself to know if she could become a Hunter to avoid the rest of the phases.

Closing the door behind her, she heard the sound of a bouncing ball in the middle of the room. She turned her head before coming to stand behind the two boys, and watched Netero having removed his white kimono and stood in a black tank top and white sweat pants while standing on one leg – barefooted. On his index finger, he let a yellow and black ball spin as he gave them a wink. When he said game, did he actually mean a…game?

"Now," Netero chuckled, "I'll go over the rules of the game. If you can take this ball from me before the airship reaches its destination, you win. Hmm, I believe that we're scheduled for an eight a.m. arrival? Well, that still gives you nine hours. You're free to attack me however you'd like. I won't touch you."

"Eh?" Gon blinked. "That's too easy! You can't call that a game!"

'Knowing this old man, he probably has a trick under his sleeve,' the miko sighed, crossing his arms.

"Why not give it a try first?" Netero raised a brow, catching the ball onto his palm.

Holding onto his suspicions, Killua remained still while staring at Netero and recording each of his actions. Defeat him in his game and become Hunters that quickly? It sounded fishy, but who knew how many more phases they had left. Besides, if all phases were like the other two, he was sure the rest of the exam was going to bore him. "We just have to take the ball?" he questioned.

Netero replied with a nod.

"Then," Killua took a step forward, "I'll go first."

Taken back by his courage to engage with Netero in the game, Kagome watched the white haired boy from the corner her eyes as he took cautious steps to the side. His movements became fluid and predatory, eyeing Netero and the ball at all times as he began to make a circle path. The miko could not help but frown at the sight of Killua's wavering aura: anger. Keeping her eyes on Killua, she began to see faint clones of himself appearing behind him as he continued to walk in a circular path.

"Ah!" Gon exclaimed, seeing the same images of Killua being left behind. "I see lots of Killuas!"

Calm, yet surprised by such a difficult technique being performed by the young boy, Netero kept his focus on the real one. No doubt this method was though by force. 'This is an assassination technique: Rhythm Echo. Practitioners use a certain rhythm to create after-images, confusing the enemy. I am astonished that such a young child has already learned it.'

Quickly leaning back from Killua's sudden jump from his side, Netero wasted no time to avoid each of Killua's hands that tried to reach for the ball. With Killua doing flips and kicks, Netero simply took one legged jumps back while balancing the ball on his index finger.

Amazed by Killua's and Netero's quick reflexes, Gon felt himself pumped for his try. "Nee! Kagome-san! Want to try!?"

"Eh…," she chuckled nervously, "maybe?" Her mental strength was one thing, but she could admit her physical levels varied depending on her opponent and circumstance. Her going against Netero, who was the Chairman? She was still unsure about the whole Hunter concept, but if there was a chairman for such a thing, then that meant he was strong, right?

Continuing to watch the two go back and forth with their attempts to grab and avoid, Kagome sighed upon noticing Killua's annoyance reaching a new level. 'He doesn't take things lightly, huh?'

"What?" Netero snickered, jumping to the opposite side of the room. "That's it?" To add some fuel to his teasing, he threw the ball into the air and balanced it over his forehead.

Killua's eyes narrowed in response, feeling his blood boil at the taunt. 'In that case…' taking off in an instant, Killua slid on the floor with his left leg extended out, 'I'll stop his movement!' Kicking his shin, Killua smirked upon hearing Netero's gasp.

Both Gon and Kagome flinched at seeing the hard kick on Netero's shin, no doubt there was going to be pain.

"Ouch…," Gon whispered, "right on his pivot leg!"

Ready to take the ball and win his little game, Killua slowly retreated his leg back until he noticed Netero having the same smile on his face. His leg quickly sprung with pain finally feeling just how muscular the old man was. "Itai!" Killua jumped up, hugging his leg to his chest.

'Hmm, he didn't hold back with that kick,' Netero nodded, looking down to his shin free of any bruises. 'If I were an ordinary person, that would have shattered my leg.'

"Damn…," Killua whispered under his breath. "His legs are hard as iron…"

"Sheesh, that would have dropped anybody onto the ground," Kagome sighed, resting her hand over her hip. Killua had given it his all into that kick; Netero could have easily avoided it. She was sure the Chairman was testing their strengths and weaknesses at this point. 'No way they will get that ball,' she frowned. 'But this might spark something…'

"Killua!" Gon called out, waving his hand in the air. "Tag me! It's my turn!"

Pivoting on one leg to face the other two, Killua grumbled a few curses under his breath as he hopped towards the enthusiastic Gon. Giving him a high-five, Gon quickly lunged to the side, stretching his legs to prepare for his turn.

"Gon-kun, be careful." Kagome scratched the back of her head, knowing it was impossible to get the kid to listen. An exciting Gon was much harder to control. Looking to her side, the miko frowned upon noticing the angry glare glued on Killua's features. There was no doubt in his expression he was more than annoyed. "Killua-kun?" she whispered, hoping to get some kind of response.

His eyes remained forward; nothing was said back.

She sighed again, knowing Killua had placed a shell protecting his emotions. She only hoped there was a way to make him understand not everything meant he was weak if he could not do it. Placing her attention back on the 'game', Kagome watched as Gon took a few stretches. 'Does Gon-kun really think he can get the ball from him? Even I can tell Netero-san is on a whole other level.'

Focusing on the boy as he stretched, Netero raised a brow, wondering on his abilities. 'What will this kid try? He appears to be a very honest boy.'

Gon slapped his cheeks with both of his hands before bending his knees to prepare for a takeoff. "Yosh!" he shouted. "Here we go!"

Netero chuckled, amused by Gon's sudden speed the moment he sprinted towards him. Balancing the ball over his head, the Chairman crossed his arms in wait. 'Oh…he has a quick first step, but he would need another ten years before attacking me head-on. I guess he is just a child.'

The moment Gon took a leap upwards, heads tilted up in shock. Kagome's eyes widened, surprised from his sudden move. 'F-From above?' The shock quickly subsided the moment Gon's head bumped with the ceiling, making her and Killua wince from the sound.

Dropping to his knees, Gon placed his hands on top of his head as he felt the pulses. "Itai!"

"Aho!" Killua pointed his finger at him. "We know that you can jump really high! Control your strength! For a moment, the old man relaxed his guard!"

'No kidding…,' Netero sweat dropped. There was no lie behind Killua's words; his guard had dropped the second Gon had taken his leap upwards. If it were not for the ceiling, he was sure Gon would have been able to take a hit on him.

Sighing under her breath, Kagome planted her forehead onto her palm. Of course Gon would be the one to not think of his limits. Although it was surprising to see Gon be optimistic about the whole situation, she wondered if he even had knowledge about fighting. 'If so…from where?' Relaxing her shoulders, the miko followed Gon's moments as he came back onto his feet and circled around Netero once again. 'Gon-kun is definitely a simple-minded person, but he can think.'

"I guess I messed up there," Gon chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Let's go once more!"


Blue eyes moved from side-to-side, following the movements of the Chairman along with Killua reaching for the ball only to collide into Netero's hard back. Kagome, having gone to sit crossed legged on the floor, chuckled lightly at the sight of Killua rubbing his nose from the collision. Three hours had swiftly passed by, and none of them got close to touching the ball once. Looking at Gon sitting beside her from the corner of her eyes, she could see his enthusiasm rise knowing he was next to try again.

"You should try, Kagome-san!" Gon grinned, making the miko blink. "You might become a Hunter before us if you get the ball!"

"The ball?" she chuckled back, looking back at the two going back and forth in the arena. "Netero-san is on a different level, Gon-kun. If he is the Chairman, that means he earned the title for a reason."

"Eh~," Gon turned his head back to Killua cursing under his breath. "Have you ever been in a fight, Kagome-san?"

Giving it a second to think over his question, she wondered if her types of fight meant what he questioned. Then again, some of her battles were life or death situations. Giving out a small pout, Kagome shrugged. "Depends what you consider a fight, Gon-kun."

The young boy blinked, observing the miko as she smiled at Killua's futile attempt to get the ball. Her mysteriousness only added onto his curiosity to know more about her, but he felt it was a door he could not open himself. With his lips stretching back onto a smile, he spoke. "Can I call you 'onee-chan'?"

"Huh?" Kagome turned her head back to the grinning boy. What had brought this on?

"You seem too young to be called '-san', and…," he stood back on his feet, "I want to get to know you more! I can tell you have a kind heart."

Blank from any words, Kagome could only stare back at Gon's sincere and pure personality. For someone like her that read aura's to understand a person, Gon took the chance to trust others out of his own choice. Trust was the hardest action to follow, but one that could carry the heaviest of consequences, yet here was Gon already trying to break the wall of formality to create a bond. Before she could reply, the two of them heard a low groan from the kid assassin as he rubbed his forehead after having bumped into the wall.

"Why don't you two try attacking me simultaneously?" Netero raised a brow.

Killua scoffed, taking Netero's advice as an insult, before taking off. "Why you!"

"Yosh!" Gon's smile stretched once again. "I'll get you this time!"

Both of them were quickly pushed down by Netero's left hand and leg as he casually threw the ball into the air. Landing on the other side of the room, Netero stretched his arm to the side before the ball fell into his palm.

"He isn't even breaking a sweat," Kagome whispered under her breath. Both kids continued to grab the ball from Chairman, but it was clear Netero was not using his full potential. If anything, it seemed like he was using only less than half. Watching Netero dodge each of the kids' attempt, Kagome chuckled at the sight of the old man's amusement.

Netero raised a brow noticing Gon having taken off from the ground to push him down. "Your attacks are starting to get boring-" Netero's eyes slowly widened as he saw Gon's foot coming to kick his chin. Leaning back for a dodge, Netero was shocked to see Gon's boot having come loose at his foot, letting the range of his kick extended. 'H-He kicked off his show to increase his range?!'

Killua smirked, noticing the ball become separated from Netero's hand and quickly gave the old man a quick from behind. "A chance!" he shouted, jumping up to catch the ball.

"I think not," Netero snickered. Balancing himself on his hands, Netero used his strength to pick up his legs and kick the ball away from Killua's reach. Flipping back onto his feet, Netero sprinted towards the ball only to find Gon's other boot flying towards the ball to move it away.

Surprised by the teamwork, Kagome's posture tensed. Her eyes followed both Killua and Gon passing Netero's person and reaching for the ball once again. She leaned forward, feeling the scene playing in slow motion as her nerves piled up. A rise in aura brought her attention back onto the Chairman, noticing his brows having furrowed down before taking a strong push off the ball of his foot. With the force of his push, he broke Gon and Killua apart by squeezing between them. Netero was quick to retrieve the ball back into his hand before looking at both Gon's and Killua's surprised expressions.

As Kagome's shoulders dropped back down, she slowly rose back onto here feet. After feeling Netero's aura rise, she knew Netero's buttons had been pushed knowing the two kids had a chance to catch the ball. Looking back at the floor where Netero before, Kagome's brows furrowed at the sight of scorched wood.

"I commend you on your efforts," Netero chuckled, spinning the ball on his index finger.

"You're amazing, Netero-san!" Gon exclaimed. "Really amazing!"

Tightening his glare, Killua's fingers curled into his palm as he stared at the old man. Nothing annoyed him more than being underestimated and played with. Standing back on his feet, he gave out a sigh to contain the frustration inside of him. "Forget it," he spoke, bringing their attentions onto him, "I give up. I lose!"

"You're quitting?" Kagome blinked, watching him grab his long sleeve shirt from the floor before heading towards the exit. "You still have time."

"She's right, Killua!" Gon added. "And just now, we came really close!"

Placing his shirt over his shoulder, Killua looked at the two. "Jeez, you really have no clue, do you? The old man has barely used his right hand and his left leg."

"Eh?!" Gon exclaimed.

The miko's eyes glided back to the Chairman; a sneaky smirk made its way onto Netero's lips.

"We are still powerless against him," Killua scoffed. "We could chase him around for a year, and never take the ball from him."

"Oh?" Netero chuckled, bouncing the ball over is palm. "You found out? And here, I thought I had fooled you."

Gon blinked, having never noticed Netero's handicap. "So that's what he was doing…"

"You really know how to piss me off, old man!" Killua's own grin made its way onto his lips. "Let's go, Gon!"

The young black haired boy smiled as he noticed the miko staring at him, no doubt waiting for him to follow after Killua. "I'm going to play a little longer, Killua!"

"Huh!?" Killua was quick to face the gullible boy before giving him a 'are-you-crazy' look. "Didn't you hear what I said?! It's useless! You won't be able to take the ball from him!"

He nodded back, "yeah! I don't care about the ball. We've only used up half of the time limit, after all. I'm going to make Netero-san use his right hand before the time runs out."

Taken back by his optimism, Killua's eyebrow twitched. He could not believe what he was hearing. Did he really think he could go against the Chairman of the Hunter Association? Turning his head towards the miko, he narrowed his eyes, making her jump. "Oi! Kagome! Tell him to give up!"

"Me?" she pointed at herself. "Gon-kun isn't going to listen to me, you know that. He…," she sighed, seeing Gon's eyes already set on Netero, "has already made up his mind."

Killua's lower lip stuck out with annoyance over Gon's persistence to do the impossible. Giving the miko another look, he sighed. "Fine. I got it. Good luck, then." Waving them off, he made his way towards the exit once again. "I'm going to get some sleep."

Shoulders slumping down, the miko could not help but drop her brows in concern. There was no mistake she had sensed a little anger in Killua's aura; no doubt the boy placed shields around himself. Scratching her cheek with her index finger, Kagome debated whether to follow after him or let him cool off for the time being. 'Perhaps I can talk to him another time..'

She turned back around to face the other two, wondering about the silence that had curtained over them. Raising a brow, she chuckled at the sight of Gon trying to sneak his way towards Netero – only to miss his chance to grab the ball once Netero moved it away.

"You fool!" Netero raised a brow back.


Barely able to keep up with Gon's speed, the miko's eyes tried to follow each feint move the young boy made. With another two hours passing by them, Kagome covered her yawn with the back of her hand. Whatever Gon's goal was at this point, she was sure he was not going to give up. The only one who seemed to be having a hard time was obviously Gon, while Netero seemed to barely break a sweat.

The miko winced the moment Gon's head collided with Netero's stomach and hearing his groan from the pain. 'Netero-san must be able to strengthen his muscles on command.' She watched Gon go for another headbutt, making her stand from her spot on the floor. "G-Gon-kun!" she shouted. 'If he goes for another headbutt, his skull with shatter!'

Having caught her worry, Netero's eyes narrowed to match his smile. He jumped up, stretching his legs on a split as he placed his right hand over Gon's back the moment he was under his legs. Chuckling under his breath, the Chairman quickly pushed himself away while also pushing Gon towards the wall.

"I'll just run away," Netero snickered.

Bumping against the cushioned walls, Gon still felt the impact of the collision. The miko gasped the moment Gon dropped face first onto the floor before making her way towards him. "Gon-kun? Are you okay?"

"Ah…is he dead?" Netero asked.

Placing her hand over his shoulder, Kagome tried to shake him for a reply. A sigh of relief blew between her lips as Gon slowly came back on his knees and hands. "Ah…," she blinked, noticing the huge bruise on his forehead, "Gon-kun you're-"

"Kagome-oneechan!" he shouted, making her jolt from his huge grin. "I did it!"

"Huh…?"

"Did you see that?! I made him use his right hand!"

Unable to form words, Kagome was taken back by his happiness. 'Right hand?' she questioned herself. Looking at the Chairman, they both stared at each other for a few seconds before finally remembering Netero's mistake. Turning her head back to Gon, a small smile formed over the miko's lips as she saw his smile stretch further.

"I did it!" Gon shouted, raising his arms in victory before fully passing out on Kagome's lap.

"A-Ah….," she blinked; eyes glued on his snoring person. Knowing the boy's body must have already reached its limit, she shook her head upon catching the time on the clock near the wall. 'Almost five in the morning, huh?' Carrying in his arms like a child, she adjusted his head to fall on her shoulder. "Guess he got you, Netero-san."

He chuckled back, "yes. Yes he did." Bouncing the ball over his palm, Netero's expression softened upon seeing the care the miko gave on the boy. "Of all things you can come across in the Hunter's Exam, I never would have thought to see you getting close to the young ones."

"Oh, I wouldn't say were are close, Netero-san, but…," she replied, making her way past the Chairman,. Bumping her hand underneath Netero's, the ball's direction was moved towards her. As the ball landed on Kagome's free hand, she chuckled at Netero's surprised expression, "I hope I can stay long enough to see them accomplish something."

The Chairman chuckled once again as the ball was thrown back to him. Catching it in his hands, he placed one of his hands over his hip. "You could get the Hunter License since you caught the ball, Higurashi-san."

"No," she shook her head, taking a glance at the sleeping Gon on her shoulder, "I think I will stick around a bit more."

Exhaling, Netero nodded at her decision. "Just be careful," he warned, "attachment is a good thing, but the most painful weapon." Giving her a small bow with his head, he watched her leave. "I do hope you are able to find what you are looking for, Higurashi-san." As the doors to the small arena closed, he turned his head to the clock above to see there was only less than three hours before arriving. "Hmm, guess I will talk to the pilot to slow down."


MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes: I apologize for the lack of updates, but I do hope people can forgive me. For those who don't know, I am currently studying abroad in Japan (for pictures and such, visit my Tumblr).

Please review :)

And thank you for reading!

Ja~ne!