[[ Hello everyone!

Here is chapter 3 for you.

I hope you enjoy, please R&R! (: ]]

"Hisoka…" A soft voice called out.

At Sunshine Residence on Waffle Island lives a girl in her young twenties that resides in room 1B. The sun has made its claim on the sky and it's light shines through her window, yet she still remains asleep.

She tosses and turns in her sleep as if she is having a nightmare and as she lies on her left side, a crescent moon shaped birthmark is revealed on her right shoulder.

Her bed sheets are of a pure white and when the sun shines over her bed, her hair blends in with her covers.

As the warmth of the light continues to take over her bed, her dreams become more vivid and her soft voice fills the air in her room.

Beep beep beep! Beep beep beep! Beep beep beep! With the sound of the alarm clock ringing, her dreams have faded and she reaches for her clock in a half-awake, half-asleep state.

As she slowly opens her eyes, the warm light reflects off her beautiful amethyst eyes and they shine like gemstones. The clock reads 8AM and as she sat up on her bed, she looked at her wrist and on it was a gold charm bracelet. However, for a charm bracelet, there are only two charms on it: a blue crescent moon and a playing card with the joker on it. She looks at the bracelet with melancholy eyes and a sad face.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Who could it be so early in the morning?" she asked in between yawns as she got out of bed and walked towards the door.

As she opened the door an old woman was standing there with a basket of fruits. She was about 4 feet high, had medium length white hair that she put into a bun, was wearing a green kimono, and had a very kind aura surrounding her.

"Suno-baa!" the girl called out in a pleasant tone. "Good morning!"

"Good morning Tsubaki-chan, my garden has finally bloomed fruits. I had quite a few left over; I thought I'd bring some over to you." She said while holding up the basket of fruits.

"ah, thank you Suno-baa, I'll take those from you. Would you like to come in? Sorry my house is a little messy, I just woke up." She said while taking the basket and placing it on the kitchen counter.

"haha, don't worry about it honey. Why don't you go get ready and I'll make some breakfast for you." She said as she slowly walked into the room.

"Are you sure? Oh! Where are my manners, would you like some tea Suno-baa?"

"No, thank you, honey, please, let me make you breakfast, when exactly was the last time you had a home cooked meal? You can't live off room service all the time, you'll burn through all the money you worked so hard to get." The old woman stated as she pushed Tsubaki towards the bathroom.

"Well, if it's really no bother, can I take you up on that Suno-baa?"

"Of course!" She replied with a smile.

Tsubaki also gave a smile and started to get ready to shower and get ready for the morning.

The old woman's name was Setsuno and she lived in apartment 1A. She is a very kind and caring old woman, she is strong for her age and has always been nice to Tsubaki ever since she moved in four years ago. She cares for Tsubaki and worries about her because she fears that Tsubaki does not take care of herself too well. Setsuno is also a hunter and has been training Tsubaki with her Nen.

Setsuno walked to the refrigerator and grabbed the eggs and the milk. She walked around the kitchen to gather the ingredients needed to make pancakes.

While Tsubaki was in the shower, a sweet aroma filled the room. She grabbed her robe and wrapped her hair in a towel. She walked out of the bathroom and headed towards the kitchen counter.

"It smells delicious Suno-baa," she said with a smile on her face.

Setsuno placed a stack of three fluffy pancakes on a plate and placed it in front of Tsubaki. She cut up the fresh blueberries and strawberries and used it as a garnish. Then she finished the pancakes off with some whipped cream and maple syrup.

"Homemade pancakes; a family recipe. Try some Tsubaki." She said while handing Tsubaki a fork and knife.

Tsubaki dove right into the plate; she cut into the pancakes making sure to grab a piece of each item on the plate. She put it in her mouth and a smile appeared on her face.

"This is absolutely delicious, Suno-baa! I've never had pancakes like these before! So fluffy and sweet, a hint of vanilla, a little bit of dark chocolate, and the tartness from the berries just pulls everything together!" she said while continuing to fill her mouth with the pancakes.

"I'm glad you like them Tsubaki, whenever you feel like eating them please don't hesitate to ask." She told Tsubaki with a smile.

"Ne, Suno-baa…" Tsubaki's tone suddenly changed as she finished her breakfast.

"Yes? What is it?" Setsuno asked in concern as she washed the dishes.

"Thank you for taking care of me these past couple of years. If it hadn't been for you, I would've died that day…"

"But you didn't. You're here, right now. You're alive and training to get stronger to achieve your goals. You will find that boy you've been searching years for and maybe one day, you'll remember what happened in the past."

"I don't know how it's possible I have all these memories of him but I don't even know who he is exactly.

Clink!

The two ladies immediately reacted to the sudden sound and looked towards the front door.

"Suno-baa, it can't be them right?" Tsubaki whispers.

"Get dressed Tsubaki and grab whatever items you need, we need to leave immediately. Hurry! I'll prepare the room for our escape."

Tsubaki did as she was told and ran straight to her room. Tsubaki got dressed in a short white kimono decorated with blue flowers and with sleeves that dropped below her shoulders that fanned out at the ends. She quickly put on her white thigh high boots and placed her light blue rose hair clip in her hair. Grabbing a silver locket tucked away safely in her drawer and her katana that was placed under her pillow, Tsubaki was ready to make her escape.

In the meantime, Setsuno put sealing tags on the front door and on the wall surrounding the door, she then proceeded to the living room and placed the sealing tags in each of the four corners.

Setsuno then pushed the couch against the door and revealed a hidden door. On top of the door, Setsuno placed a software chip, which was actually a time bomb, and activated it to go off in five minutes. She then quickly ran tot eh door and focused her Nen into her ears. She heard footsteps not too far from their room.

"Hurry Tsubaki, we need to leave now!" Setsuno demanded as she opened the door that led to an underground tunnel system. The tunnel walls had level two seal tags placed on them and as they were running, they heard a loud bang behind the door.

"The intruders have entered, how much longer until the bomb activates?"

"Thirty seconds, keep running!" Setsuno explained. They both ran towards the exit with all their might and as they finally reached the door plastered with sealing tags a loud explosion was heard and a cloud of smoke was following behind them.

The tunnel shook violently and as Tsubaki looked back, she saw the tags activating, she opened the door quickly and shut it immediately.

The sealing tags that were placed in the tunnels and the room prevent outsiders from getting involved with the Nen bomb and it seals any reaction from the explosion that could affect others around them.

"Do you think it worked?" Tsubaki asked while gasping for air.

"Maybe… The Machiyo is strong, they're Northern Taira's assassination group after all. They were trained under your Mother and your Aunt; you know how ruthless they were."

"That's right, it's been over ten years since I left the family, I bet their training regime has changed drastically. So what do we do now? Relocate again?"

"No, they're up to something, I'm going to lead them away from here and look into the matter. As for you, I want you to take the Hunter Exam, I contacted the Chairman a while ago just in case something like this happened and he said that he will welcome you whenever. You're going to catch the next boat out of time and head toward the Hunter Exam Site."

"The Hunter Exam?" Tsubaki was shocked, she never thought of becoming a Hunter and she was always told to stay away because of the bounty that was on her head, "What about the bounty?"

"There may be a lot of people that know of the bounty but there are more that don't. Besides, joining the exam might be the safest place for you right now. Also, a Hunter's license will be a valuable asset, you can't always use your Princess title so your Hunter's license will make up for that. Now hurry and go, and most importantly Tsubaki-chan, stay safe and make some friends, okay?" Those were Setsuno's last words as she gave a smile to Tsubaki and disappeared from her sight.

Tsubaki looked towards the direction Setsuno left in and with a smile replied, "As you wish, Suno-baa." Tsubaki then looked towards the docks and immediately made her way to begin the Hunter Exam.

After Tsubaki got on board the ship headed for the hunter exam site, it made one last stop before reaching its destination. The boat headed to Whale Island to pick up a boy of about 12 years old. He had spiky black hair, wore green and red clothing and carried a fishing pole on his back. As he boarded the ship, he waved goodbye to the people of the island and told them the he will become the best hunter in the world.

"Hah! Best hunter in the world? You're kidding me! A kid like you? HAHAHA! Don't underestimate us kid. There are millions of skilled applicants every year trying out for this exam. Don't say stuff if you don't have anything to back it up." A passenger said.

"Then you would be wise to keep your mouth shut. This 'kid' seems to have more potential than you do. I suggest you don't underestimate him either." Tsubaki spoke as she stood up to the passenger who gave her a dirty look in return.

"Hey lady, if you aren't careful of what you say, you're going to have a target on your back." The man threatened.

However, in a blink of an eye, Tsubaki was behind the man with her katana at his neck, "I already have one. If you'd like to add another, it'll be no problem."

"N-no, that won't be necessary." The man said with panic.

Tsubaki released her katana and the man escaped from her grasp and returned to his own group.

"Whoa, that was cool, you're pretty fast too! I'm Gon, what's your name?" The young boy asked with large eyes.

"Tsubaki, pleased to meet you Gon." Tsubaki greeted with a gentle smile.

"There sure are a lot of people on board, huh?" The boy turned around and looked at the many faces on the boat but there were a few that stood out to him the most. There was a boy with medium blond hair wearing a blue and orange tabard with a white training suit under it and blue Chinese style flats looking out at sea. There was also an older looking guy with black spiky hair wearing a navy blue business suit and a small pair of tea shade sunglasses sitting and reading a magazine.

"Quite. There are also some pretty impressive people on here; I'm excited to see what this exam has to offer. "

Tsubaki and Gon continued to get to know one another as they walked around the boat. They then saw a crew member named Katzo get bullied by the other crewmates but before either of them were able to help in anyway, the Captain of the ship walks out of the cabin and tells Katzo to stop dillydallying. The captain is a fairly large built man with a red nose and is carrying a bottle of beer with him.

Amidst the chaos, Gon looked towards the sky and examines the seagulls.

"There's going to be a storm coming," Gon stated.

Tsubaki looked at Gon in surprise and also examined the sky.

"How do you know that?" The Captain questioned.

"The seagulls; they are warning each other about a storm. Also…" The boy started to sniff the air and then he jumped to the crow's nest, cleared his airway and smelt the air. "It's a huge storm that's coming! I can tell by the smell!"

The captain was surprised. That boy… Those eyes... Could he be?

Soon after, the sky darkens, rain falls, and the waves are rushing outrageously. As the captain tries to control the boat, the applicants on board are thrown around the ship and many fall ill. The captain hands the helm over to one of the crewmembers and goes to check on the applicants. He sees many of them piled on the floor with no strength to move.

Pathetic. Haha, and they're supposed to be taking the hunter exam.

"Here are some herbs, it'll help make you feel better" The boy in green said to one of the sickly passengers.

"water…" a sick man said.

"it's gonna be here soon." Gon explained.

Hmmp, that boy really is something. Oh? As the captain looked around he saw the blond haired boy in the hammock reading a book as if nothing happened.

"Whoo! This is one sour apple." The man in the business suit said while spitting out the bite he took from the green apple.

He also saw Tsubaki with a bucket of water and washcloths as she was trying to calm the other applicants and cool them down so they don't get any sicker."

I see… Looks like we have some tough nuts on board.

The captain then summons the four well applicants to another room and begins to question them.

"What are your names?" he asked.

The 12-year-old boy raised his hand and shouted, "I'm Gon!"

"Kurapika" the blonde said with no interest.

"Leorio" the man in the business suit replied.

"Tsubaki" The white hair girl answered with a smile.

"Why do you guys want to become hunters?" the Captain questioned.

"We don't need to answer you! If you're not an examiner, we don't need to tell you anything!" Leorio stated in a harsh tone

"Just answer me" the Captain said.

"My dad is a hunter" Gon began to speak. "I left whale Island because I wanted to know why my dad wanted to become a hunter."

Whale Island… So this is Ging's son. The time has finally come, huh?

"Hey Kid!" Leorio yelled. "Why did you answer him?"

"eh? Why can't I tell him why I'm here?"

"Nevermind, but I'm absolutely not revealing why I'm here."

"I agree with Leorio, if I were to tell you why I'm here, I would be revealing my deepest secrets." Kurapika said while tightly holding his hand over his heart.

"Hey!" Leorio yelled while pointing at Kurapika. "Aren't you younger than me? How about showing respect and calling me Leorio-san!"

"As for me…" Tsubaki began to speak.

"Oi! Are you guys ignoring me?!"

"This is the only safe place I could be and… I have someone I need to find." She said with a determined face.

"If you're looking for someone why not just go to the police? Do you really need to become a Hunter? I mean the business of a Hunter is pretty dangero-" Before Leorio could finish his sentence, Tsubaki took her katana and placed it right under Leorio's chin.

"Using the police to do a job like that is like asking them just throwing their lives away. The person I'm looking for is no weakling. He could probably kill us all in an instant. That is how I remembered him and it's been over 15 years since then, how much stronger do you think he's gotten?"

Leorio gave a gulp. "I got it… Please just put that away" Tsubaki did as she was told and apologized.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to resort to any violence…"

"Well now that we're all calm, you two still won't answer me?" The Captain looked at Leorio and Kurapika and only silence was given. "Very well then, tell the Examination board that we have 2 more dropouts"

"What do you mean?" Leorio asked confusingly.

"You guys don't get it do you? The exam has already started."

"What?!" Leorio and Kurapika suddenly got serious.

"Every year, there are tons of applicants and the Board does not have time to go through and review all of them. That's why they hire us: to trim the fat. So think carefully before you answer my question" It was silent for a period of time.

"I am the last survivor of the Kurta clan." Kurapika began. "Four years ago my clan was annihilated by the Phantom Troupe. I wish to become a Hunter and hunt them down."

"So you want to be a Bounty Hunter, huh? The Troupe is a Class-A bounty, you'd be throwing away your life."

"I do not fear death. What I fear most is that my rage will fade over time." Kurapika speaks with an unwavering determined voice and his eyes flash a beautiful crimson color.

"So it's just for revenge, do you need to become a Hunter for that?" Leorio asks.

"That's the most stupidest question I've ever heard Leorio." Kurapika retaliated.

"That's Leorio-san to you!"

"Places that are only accessible to Hunters, information you can obtain, actions that are impossible otherwise… There are many more reasons but it's pointless to explain to you."

"Why you!" Leorio's angered reached its boiling point.

"Hey! Why do you want to become a hunter Leorio-san?" Gon intercepted Leorio's anger and managed to calm him down.

"Me?" he gave a sly grin "I'll keep it short and to the point. I want money. Money can get you everything in the world!"

"Too bad money can't get you class Leorio" Kurapika said.

Leorio has begun to get angry again. "That's the third time. Step outside. I'll end the filthy Kurta Clan bloodline once and for all." Leorio began to walk to the door.

"Take that back Leorio!" Kurapika demanded, as he felt offended and insulted.

As Leorio was walking out the door he said, "It's Leorio-san to you."

With the storm raging on outside the two boys stepped to the deck and wanted to have a duel.

"Take back what you said Leorio! If you take it back, I'll forgive you!"

"How many times do I have to tell you, it's Leorio-san! You should show me some respect! I'm not backing down!" Leorio then takes a small blade out.

"I guess I have no choice" Kurapika takes out his bokken sword.

As the two continue to argue, a waterspout begins to emerge and the Captain orders the crewmember to go lower the sails. Gon and Tsubaki offer to help but before Tsubaki can leave, the Captain asks her to stay.

"Tsubaki was it?"

"Yes, is something wrong?"
"No, just," The Captain begins to talk in hushed tones, "The Hunter Committee will do the best they can to protect you. Long live the Princess."

"You-"

"My family lived in Northern Taira when your Father ruled, they had high expectation of you, you were going to be their Queen and unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse, didn't they?"

As Tsubaki and the Captain were finishing up their conversation, the crewmembers and Gon were out on the deck trying to lower the sails.

After a short while Tsubaki came up to help but before she could grab onto the ropes the rate of the wind increased and Katzo was thrown off the ship. Leorio and Kurapika watch this happen with shock on their faces and rushed over to try and grab him but they missed his legs and then they see Gon jump off to grab onto Katzo's legs. The two quickly grabbed onto Gon's legs and Tsubaki and the crewmembers ran to quickly pull them up.

The next morning, as the storm cleared away Leorio, Kurapika, Gon and Tsubaki were on the deck.

"You idiot! If we hadn't grabbed onto your legs, you would've been shark bait!" Leorio said.

"You really are reckless, you know that?" Kurapika added.

Tsubaki walked up behind Gon and patted his head, "But you're a good boy. Thank goodness you're safe and to take a risk like that to help a friend, you really are a kind boy Gon," she said with a smile.

"But you know… you guys did catch me. You both caught me." Gon said with a big smile on his face as he looked toward Leorio and Kurapika.

"Gon!" Katzo came to the deck and bowed respectfully to Gon.

"Thank you for saving my life Gon!"

"It wasn't just me" He looked over to Kurapika and Leorio, "They helped save you too."

Katzo turned to them and gave them a bow as well. "Thank you very much!"

"No, you don't need to thank me" Kurapika said with a straight face.

"Yeah, I'm just glad you're okay!" Leorio said with a smile.

"Hai! I'll be returning to my post now!" Katzo waved goodbye and returned to the cabin.

"I apologize for my rude behavior." Kurapika began, he faced Leorio and continued, "I'm sorry, Leorio-san."

Leorio started to get all flustered, "Now we just sound like strangers… You can just call me Leorio, Leorio's fine." Kurapika gave a smile. "Also…I'm sorry. I take back everything I said, I was wrong."

Gon and Tsubaki looked at each other and gave a smile; they then noticed the captain in the doorway of the cabin.

"I like you guys! Okay, I'll be bringing the four of you to the closest port to the exam site. All four of you pass!" Leorio and Kurapika had a big smile on their faces.

"Yay!" Gon and Tsubaki cheered and jumped in excitement.

Thus began the journey that will change the lives of these four forever.

[[ I will be following the parts of the anime in regards to the Hunter Exam so it'll be fun to recreate it with Tsubaki in the mix.

Thanks for taking the time to read this! ]]