I finally got the second chapter up! Yay me! Please reveiw!
#2: How Sweet
Kurapika and Lawanna had caught up to Gon quickly, even though he had gotten a head start. The serious look on Gon's face was replaced with a smile when the other two were on each side of him.
"We're here for you.", Kurapika told him. Lawanna nodded her head in agrement.
"Something just feels wrong.", Gon said.
The seriouse look returned to his face. The look became more worried when they heard moans comming from up ahead of them. Soon they saw Tonpa laying flat on the ground. He moaned and cried out.
"Tonpa!", Gon cried out in a gasp. when he saw the man on the ground. Gon was the first one to his knees on the ground next to Tonpa. Kurapika and Lawanna ran right behind Gon. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Tonpa screamed and struggled to get away from the boy's touch. After a short fight Tonpa seemed to realize it was Gon, and he was in no danger, at the current moment atleast.
"Oh, it's horrible. It was all a trap.", Tonpa confessed to them all. He pointed a shaky fingure in the direction down the tunnel.
"What happened?", Kurapika questioned him in his calm tone.
"He needs your help.", was all Tonpa was able to say before he fainted from whatever had happened to him before the three of them had gotten there. They looked at each other before they all nodded.
"We'll be back for you soon, don't worry!", Gon told the man who couldn't respond and then set off the way Tonpa had pointed out for them. They ran as fast as they could to find and rescue Leorio. Both Kurapika and Lawanna could have sworn they had saw the littlest of a tiny smirk on Tonpa's face. Or it was just really bad lighting.
Leorio was had his back slumped up against the large tree trunk Tonpa had set him at. He was still soaked in swear and out of breath. The tree's were all along the walls as fare as you could see in the dim light. The tops of the tree's crashed and pushed agains the ceiling's limits. Some of the tree branches had even broken the glass caseing of a light or two. But the lack of light was not what was bothering him. Instead it was what he could hear. When he first was placed at the tree's base he could only hear himself weezing, trying to catch his breath. But now he heard the sound of waves bashing against cliffs; the wind howling as it reced pass your body; seagulls flying high in the sky over everyone and everything; and loud bells. The bells sounded huge- as big as builings.
And even with all of those noises, Leorio was able to make out the haunting whispear of a familur voice long gone from his life. When he heard is name being called, he repleyed with a name, too.
"Peitro?", he chocked out the name that felt so sorrowful in his mouth. It seemed like hours after Leorio had finally found what he was looking for. Standing just a out of reach was Peitro. The image of Peitro was distorted and rippled when the tears over flowed from Leorio's eyes.
"Leorio!", everyone took turns calling out the name of the man they were so despreat to find. They had just turned the corner that was ahead from whre Tonpa had directed. They seemed to be a little thrown off by all the trees. Gon started to sniff a bit before looking at everyone.
"The sweet smell.", he said. Lawanna turned to him with a puzzled look on her face. She didn't understand the signifegance of that information. She turned to Kurapika hoping he could tell her but he was busy standing stright up and gasping. With a small sigh of defeat she gave up. Finally catching on that wasn't noraml he called Gon over. With a deep breath he backed away from the two 12-year-olds.
"Kurapika, what's wrong?", they asked the blonde.
"The Troupe!", he shouted. With no reason he held up his sheathed swords- ready to attack or defend himself. He shut his eye's tight and shook his head. "No! Please don't!" When Kurapika opened his eye's they was a very noticable change. His eye's were now now red. The scarlet hue was truely beautiful. When you saw them you couldn't help yourself, you simply had to gaze at them. They were so unusal and gorgeous you had to. The more you became obsorbed by them, the fainter the feeling of fear and hate was.
"Kurapika, can you hear me?", Gon's tone was firm. He demanded to know.
"What is going on, Gon?", Lawanna looked from Gon to Kurapika.
Gon and Lawanna's calls and questions were replaced by the sound of horses. They snorted and whinned. Their hooves trampled across the ground, pounding the earth down.
"Make them stop...", he whimpered and feel to the floor. He layed there without moving for a moment. Gon ran over and started to shake his shoulders. It didn't help very much. Kurapika mumbeled and mumbled those same 3 words over and over again and again. His eye's were still gorgeous, red, and sad.
"What should we do?", Lawanna asked Gon. He didn't repley but instead handed her his fishing rod and held Kurapika up. oce he was had the blonde boy balanced on his knees, Gon backed into him and hoisted him on his own back. Now that he was safely riding piggyback they started walking to find Leorio.
"We're comming, Leorio!"
'Just hang in there...the both of you.', she thought to herself as she tryed to swallow the lump of worry in her throat.
Tonpa hadn't been funning for long, it didn't seem, after the 3 rookies had left him on the ground fainted. But he was out of breath, and was still patting the dirt off his cloths. As he stood in the middle of the tunnel's hallway to recharge, the sound of wheels rolling echoed from the darkness ahead. It came from the boy on the skateboard He stopped infront of Tonpa and stared blankly at the face of the guilty man.
"You look a little nervious.", he told him. "What about?"
"Me, uh, no?", Tonpa stuttered uncontrollably and blinked.
"Yes you are.", he said after a short pause. "Did you lead them to a trap?"
"What! No, I would never do that!", Tonpa defended himself, though, his overall performance was over the top. With a tiny smirk-ish smile, the boy inched forward. Tonpa backed himself against the wall.
"There's something I thin kyou should remember.", he told him with a look that could kill. "Those who betray others, seal their own fate. Most likely-they'll be killed by betrayal, you know." Tonpa opened his mouth but no sound came. "I'm not lying. If you want I could show you." Tonpa looked at the boy with fear. His whole body was shaking. He had a feeling of doom. "Like now." When Tonpa's eye's started to make the journey to the back of his head the other boy rolled his own eyes. He left the older man and skated down the path.
Lawanna was trying her hardest to get Kurapika under control. He'd started with just a kick and punch-but now was trying to tip himself and the wobbling Gon over. But everytime she got one limb another would smack into her-which caused her to release the limb she already had. And Kurapika's struggles finally ended up with them all on the ground.
"Oww...are you okay Gon? Is Kurapika alright?"
Before Gon could answer her the sight of the boy from earlier skating to them had called for their full attention. The curiosity they had to why he was now here turned into shock and conffusion when he kicked Kurapika, hard, for some unclear reason.
"Why did you do that?", Lawanna shouted from Kurapika's side. He only hacked and caughed before he was on his knees, too. The same look of confussion was on his face. The 3 of them stared at the skateboarding kid for a minute in akward silence. "Why...did you kick him?", Lawanna tryed again. He told them the truth of what Tonpa had tryed to do to them, and what he had probibly done to Leorio.
"Atleast your back to normal now, Kurapika.", Gon smiled. "But how'd you know about the sap and everything else?"
"Assassins have used it for a long time.", he told him. "We should go find your old man friend."
"But we don't kno-"
I know a way how we can find the old guy, catch up with the group, and still probibly pass the first part of the Exam.", he said as he looked at the wall. "The game is always funner if you take risks."
"I'm glad you came back for us.", Gon looked at the boy. "Are you going to tell me your name, now?"
The boy looked back at Gon and smiled.
"Killua.", he told them.
"Kill...ua.", Lawanna repeated. "Alright."
"Okay, Killua, what's your idea?", Gon asked Killua as he dug in his shorts' pocket. The two never lost eye contact.* Pulling out a silver cylinder from his pocket he held it out for the others to see.
"It's a bomb. Small but effective.", Killua told them with a small amound of pride.
"That's a bomb?", Gon pointed to it. The other's got the feeling that Gon had most likely never seen a bomb before in his life.
"Why do you carry bombs around with you?", Lawanna tilted her head. She really wasn't really expecting an answer anyway.
"I say we blow up the wall and go through.", Killua told them as he tossed the bomb into the air and catched it in his fist a few times.
"The wall and all?", the three repeated.
Leorio's feet marched but he wasn't makeing much progress, though. He would reach his destanation if he actually moved his feet forward. His shoulder's were slumped down and his head hung low. Then he stoped his marching, picking up his head he looked ahead.
"Pietro.", he bite down on his bottom lip when he looked at the skeleton form of his friend. "I can't go with you. I'm sorry. But if I stay and pass this Exam I'll be able to have as much money as I could ever need. Then I would be able to get into medical school and become a doctor. I'd be able to help people who are poor. People that can't afford health care-I'll charge cheap. Hell, I won't even charge at them at all..."
"Go ahead. Become a great doctor. I know you can.", the voice of Pietro conforted Leorio.
In an instant all the familure sounds and images Leorio had known were gone. They were gone in a blast of fire and smoke. There were no more birds, there wasn't a feild with a patch of flowers here and there, there wasn't the sound of the water, and there wern't anymore bells. And Peitro was gone, again.
The realization that none of it had been real hit Leorio. Instead of bells ring he heard Gon's childish laugh bounce around. Once the smoke cleared a bit, you could see Gon and Leorio both on their backs connected to eachother by the top of their heads touching. Kurapika and Kullua landed fine and were now standing up. Lawanna was wide-eyed on her knees, holding her backpack close.
"That was not fun.", she said and kissed the bag.
Killua and Kurpaika turned to the hole in the wall.
"It wasn't the most pratical way to get from point A. to point B. but it was fast.", Kurapika said with a smile. Then he looked down at Leorio's groaning body.
"What's go-"
"Tonpa tricked us, all of us.", Kurapika told him. He sat up and crossed his legs and arms. "And whatever you saw, it was all just memories. A hillusanation from the sap."
"The sap doesn't help you get your strenght back at all.", Lawanna added in a way like she had figured it out all for herself, though in a way she did.
"Ah.", was all Leorio could say for a minute, he had his eye's narrowed in thought. "Why was I the only one hulisanating them? Why wern't you guys?"
"I didn't feel a thing!", Gon told him with a grin on his face.
"I was...", Kurapika said and looked down at the ground.
"I was fine.", Lawanna shrugged.
"I guess since your still a kid, you don't have any issues yet.", Leorio sighed. After a moment he realized Lawanna standing next to Kurapika. He waved. "Uh, hi?" She smiled and waved back.
"I can understand that you don't remember me.", she told him how she had appeared at first for his aid, then how she followed Gon and Kurapika to find him. He only nodded his head. "And I guess it would be better to stay with a group around my own age."
"Now isn't the time to be talking about useless stuff.", Killua said looking at her. She balled up her fists and grunted at him.
"What are you doing here, cheater?"
"His name is Killua. He helped us.", Gon corrected his tall friend.
"Ready to go, Mister?", Killua smiled as he held up three more silver bombs. He threw them behind Leorio after the click was heard. Leorio followed them untill they clanked against the ground.
"What was that? I heard a click."
"Run and hide.", Lawanna mumbled him a warning and ran to the hole and jumping through withthe others.
"What was the-", the bang and smoke cut Leorio off. His jaw hit the floor and shattered. "There bombs!"
Satotz was farther ahead of the remaining applicants, but he could still hear Tonpa's boasting upon his return. He could also hear the rumbling within the walls and feel the faint vibration below the floor. Once it had gotten worse everyone stopped and looked around in either fright or confussion.
"Are they digging a new tunnel or something?"
"Oh My God! It's an Earthquack!"
"Does that mean we're gunna die!"
"I don't want to die with all you people!"
A new tunnel wasn't being dug out, it wasn't an earthquack, and noone was going to die. It was only an exspolsion fromthe other side of the wall. A few pebbles and small rocks flew through the thick black smoke, and less then a minute later Leorio, Kurapika, Killua, Gon, and Lawanna jumped over to the other side.
"Just what is going on?", Satotz raised an eyebrow down at the 5 rookies.
"Well, hee...we had to get back with the rest of everyone, as fast as we could.", Gon exsplained rubbing the back of his head.
"Are we in troble for breaking the walls?", Lawanna asked the Examiner. She put the backpack back over her shoulders before looking at him.
"I never said you couldn't destroy the wall.", he reasured her. "But tell me; how did you manage to get back from the tunnel that was filled with the Trees of Hilusanation? That's very impressive that your mentaly unharmed from that path."
Tonpa twitched and chuckled as he looked at each of the rookies that escaped from his traps.
"Where in the world did they get the Rookies from this year?", he shook his head in amazement. Leorio was making his way over to Tonpa with a scowl on his face terrafying enough to scare anyone.
"How dare you, you Lard Bastard!"
"Leorio, stop it."
"NO! He tricked us, Gon. He's really pissed me off!", Leorio turned and looked down at the brown eyed boy and rolled his eyes. Leorio's grip on Tonpa loosened and he scurred away like the rat he really was. "Your just lucky I like Gon better then you."
"The Exam will continue.", Satotz shouted as he got farther and farther away from the group. Everyone started running again, trying to atleast keep their Examiner in sight. Killua, Gon, and Lawanna were all running in a side by side infront of Kurapika and Gon.
"Thank you for your help, Killua.", Gon and Lawanna thanked the other boy.
"I wasn't helping you. This is just a game for me.", Killua told them looking stright ahead.
"But you still helped.", she told him.
"So thank you.", the smile that never seemed to leave Gon's face grew larger.
"Good news, everyone. We're almost finished.", Satotz interrupted to make his announcement.
"That's great news!", Leorio perked up.
"Now, I'm going to pick up the pace a little."
"That's bad news!", Leorio was crushed.
Leorio shook like a dog to get the sweat from off of him, as much as he could anyway. He'd striped his shirt off and had it tied around his waist. He was thinking about doing the same to his pants; they were so soaked that it was a little hard to run.
"So you were lying to us on the ship?", Kurapika asked from the side.
"Nope, it's always been about money!"
"Well, I wish you luck."
"Hah! I won't need luck if I have money!", Leorio was running as fast as he could. "Now will you please stop it-your making me nervious."
"Stop what?"
"Being nice."
"Leorio, are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine! I feel so good I could do this all day! Naked! Check it o-", Leorio cut himself off when he hit the floor face first because of the pebble he tripped over. But just as quick as he feel he was back on his feet running. He was even ahead of some of the others. "I don't care how stupid I look! Pretend you don't even know me if you want!" With the smile that crossed Kurapika's lips, he tore off his own pancho/cape* (I don't know-it's a horrible guess what it is, feel free to correct me).
"Hey! Look! The Exit!", Lawanna Gon could contain his exsitment at the sight of a blob of light up turned and looked at him.
"You seem really happy.", he said with his eyebrows raised.
"Yeah! Arn't you!"
"No. It's just an ordanairy exit.", Killua yawned.
"No it isnt. It's the exit to go to the second part of the Exam."
"Then we're one step closer to becoming Hunters."
"Why do you want to become a Hunter so badly, anyway?"
"My Dad's a Hunter!", Gon's smile stretched across his face. "I heard he's not just one of the best Hunter's around, but that he's The Best Hunter In The World!"
"You heard?", Lawanna asked. Gon nodded.
"Yup. I only saw him in a pitcher that my Aunt Mito gave me. I told her I was going to become a Hunter, just like him."
Killua looked back at exit, it was getting closer and the light was getting a lot brighter. "So, could I maybe try out your skateboard sometime?" He looked down at his skateboard tucked under his arm and then at Gon.
"Sure. But only if I could use your fishing rod, Gon."
"Would it be okay if I tryed, to-", Lawanna was cut off by a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to see Hanzo, the Ninja. He was smilling at her.
"I was wondering where you went.", he winked at her.
"Hi.", she said as nice as she could. She quietly sighed as she listined to him talk, and talk, and talk.
Satotz was already out of the dimley lit hallways and on the other side of the exit with the short man tat had givin out the number badges to everyone. Gon and Killua were the first to step out. Then Lawanna and Hanzo with a few other's. Kurapika and Leorio were a few seconds later.
'Those are some tough kids.', he thought to himself looking at Gon and Killua smiling. He was exspecting for children to pass. Or to make new friends.
A/N: Way to go, me! Yay! Chapter 2 finally up! But to be honest, I feel like this chapter was a little sloppy...does anyone else think so? But I atleast I got it up, right? ^.^;
*So, has anyone noticed that in the scene when Killua is getting the bombs from his pocket he just stares at Gon and Kurapika. It's silly, I know, but I thought it was odd. :p
* I really don't know if I should call it a cape; it doesn't really look like one, or a pancho; I guess pancho works better, yeah?
And I'll give everyone a tiny spoiler: nobody probibly noticed Lawanna was holding on to her backpack for a reason...there is something in there. And it is, well, you'll see next cahpter! xD
Though I have to admit that I do think Lawanna is getting just a bit annoying with her nice-ness. I think she could use a little attatude tweek.
I also want to say thank you to Bob Is Hawt but I'm Hawter and RhiannonWolf for their reveiws and wonderfly nice comments.
Please keep reviewing and telling me what you think!