Disclaimer: I don't own Hunter x Hunter but I do own Phoenix
The group of four and the Kiriko's finally made it to Zaban city after flying through the night. The son Kiriko had transformed back into his man form and was guiding the four hunter wannabes to the exam site.
"As Navigators, our job is to identify worthy Hunter applicants" The man form Kiriko began to explain while Gon was looking around at all the stalls they were passing, "And guild them to the exam site. In other words, it would be extremely difficult for someone to reach the site without the navigators help"
As the navigator was talking Gon wandered off to the side to get a closer look at some of the merchandise the stall owners sold, Phoenix following close behind him so he didn't get into trouble. The first stall the two went up to was one that was selling panda frogs on a stick.
"Hey, wanna try one?" The stall owner asked the two young teens, "Its Zaban's famous panda-frog-on-a-stick! A true delicacy" Gon looked like he was going to take it before Phoenix pulled his arm and lead him away from the stall.
After a few boring stalls they came across one where a young women was selling antiques. She held out a golden brooch that had purple jewels on the middle, "This brooch was excavated from Zaban's underground palace. I bet it's a national treasure" She said convincingly to the two young Hunter wannabes.
Gon and Phoenix leaned in slightly to get a better look before smiling and moving on to the next stall. Gon was zipping from stall to stall so fast that Phoenix had to hold onto his hand so she didn't lose him.
After a while the two heard Leorio shouting back at them, "What are you two going?" He asked, "We're going"
Phoenix nodded and pulled Gon along since he wasn't paying attention and made her way back to the rest of their group. Once she was with the group again she let go of his hand and stood by Kurapika as the five continued on their way.
It wasn't long before the group of hunter wannabes and their guild arrived in front of an expensive, tall building.
"I believe that is the building" The man form Kiriko spoke up double checking the paper with the address of the hunter exam site.
The four hunter wannabes looked up at the tall building in front of them in surprise. Leorio and Kurapika looked up with slightly wider eyes, Gon was grinning excitedly while Phoenix blinked as the man form Kiriko was moving to the right of the tall expensive building towards a small restaurant.
"It's so tall!" Gon exclaimed, "They have a really nice building!" Phoenix looked at him with a confused look making Gon tilt his head at her, "Is something wrong Phoenix?" He asked curious.
Phoenix shook her head a little, "Nothing, it's just that isn't what most people would say about someone's building" She answered scratching her cheek, a nervous habit she had when she was a child and hadn't grown out of.
Gon only chuckled at her and shrugged his shoulders.
The three males moved forward a little while Phoenix stood where she was watching the man form Kiriko from the corner of her eye, "So this is the exam site…" Leorio trailed off, "This is what draws…"
"Hunter applicants from across the world" Kurapika finished for the oldest teen.
Gon balled his fist at his sides, "My first shot at the Hunter Exam… Was this how my dad felt, when he first arrived?" The brown eyed boy asked rhetorically.
Before anyone else could say anything else the man form Kiriko called out to them, "Hey, guys!" The four turned to him, "Over here!"
The three males looked shocked that the Hunter exam was going to be in the small restaurant and not the big fancy building while the only female had a look of realization, now knowing why the man form Kiriko was standing in front of the small restaurant.
"Here" He said simply as he pointed at the restaurant.
"Wait, this isn't funny!" Leorio stated obnoxiously, "Isn't that an ordinary restaurant?" He asked.
Phoenix nodded slightly, "The perfect cover" She mumbled to herself.
"You can't possibly mean that Hunter applicants from across the world are meant to assemble here?" The glasses wearing teen complained.
"I do" The man form Kiriko answered.
"It makes sense, no one would expect the hunter exam, with its millions of candidates to be located somewhere so ordinary" Phoenix piped up making the other three look thoughtful and the man form Kiriko nod with a smile.
The five quickly entered the restaurant, not a lot of people were inside and it was a little quiet. "Welcome" The chief spoke up not looking up from the food he was cooking.
"Is the back room opened?" The man formed Kiriko asked gaining the chiefs attention imminently.
"What will you have" The chief asked with a slight edge of curiosity.
"The steak combo that opens your eyes to the light" The man formed Kiriko answered as the hunter wannabes behind him watched silently, "For four"
"For four" The chief said slightly sharper, "How would you like them?" He asked with narrowed eyes.
The man formed Kiriko leaned forward slightly and pointed his right index finger towards the ceiling, "Grilled over a low flame, until cooked" The man formed Kiriko ordered.
The chief just went back to the food he was cooking, "Got it. Let yourselves into the back room" He said.
The man formed Kiriko nodded and led the four teens towards the back of the restaurant before opening a door for the four to enter. In the room was a plain wooden table with a moving center piece that had a few salt and pepper shakers. The table had four chairs for the hunter wannabes to sit on.
"Wait here" The man formed Kiriko advised them.
"Wait? Where are the others?" Leorio asked perplexed.
"I can't wait for the steak combo" Gon said happily.
"Gon, that was just the password to get us inside" Kurapika informed the brown eyed boy as he and Phoenix moved to the table to have a seat.
Gon looked a little disappointed, "Oh, we don't get to eat" He asked making Phoenix giggle softly into her hand.
"One in every ten thousand" The man formed Kiriko spoke up at the door gaining the teens attention, "The number of applicants who make it this far. You've done extremely well for first-timers! Well, good luck"
Gon held his hand out for a hand shake while the man formed Kiriko looked surprised, "Thanks!" Gon said gratefully.
The man form Kiriko smiled and shook Gon's hand, "I would be happy to serve as your Navigator next year as well" The man formed Kiriko said happily before leaving the four teens alone to go back home to his family.
There was a few seconds of silence as the Kiriko's words sunk in before the room gave a rumble and began to descend downwards.
"It appears this room is an elevator" Kurapika spoke up.
Leorio joined Gon Kurapika and Phoenix sitting at the table. Gon sat on Phoenix's left and opposite Kurapika who sat on her right and Leorio opposite Phoenix with Kurapika on his left and Gon on his right.
Leorio crossed his arm annoyed, "Bastard" He started gain the other three teens attention, "That meant that he expected us to fail this year"
"Once every three years" Kurapika said quietly but loud enough for everyone to hear, "The frequency with which a rookie passes the exam"
Gon and Leorio leaned forward a little as Phoenix began to swing her legs and tuned the boys out already know what Kurapika was taking about.
'I wonder if there will be any interesting people at the Hunter Exam. Many a few kids, probably not but maybe' the toxic green eyed girl thought to herself.
The girl was brought out of her thoughts when she heard a slam on the table. She jumped and ended up hitting her hands on the table which she had in her lap and looked up a little annoyed.
She found Leorio and Kurapika in each other's faces and Gon looking a little scared.
"GON! What do you think? What kind of Hunter do you want to be?" The two oldest teens yelled at Gon who could only stutter out a few words, nervous of getting the wrong answer.
Not getting an answer out of the brown eyed teen the two turned to the only female and asked a little calmer what she thought but still yelled.
Phoenix only looked on in confusing before sighing and turning to Gon about to ask something but was interrupted by the elevator dinging telling the four hunter wannabes that they had arrived.
"Saved by the bell" Phoenix whispered to Gon who nodded with a nervous chuckle.
The four quickly left the elevator and entered an underground passageway that had pipes lined on the walls either side of them and a wall on the far end of the room. There was hundreds of hunter wannabes in the passageway and just about all of them were glaring at the four who just entered.
"Strange atmosphere down here" Leorio mumbled to his three friends.
"They clearly differ from the hunter applicants we saw at the port and in the city. Each is a master, in their own right" The blonde informed Leorio.
Leorio looked a little nervous as Kurapika tensed up a little as if someone was going to attack them, Gon looked around curiously.
Phoenix looked around bored before sighing and looking up at the ceiling showing them all they she had no interest in them, 'Looks like there's not a single person who's caught my attention so far. How boring' she thought to herself.
Gon stepped forward a little, "Excuse me" He spoke loudly trying to get someone's attention but everyone just turned away from the four, "Everyone's really tense" He said to himself more than his friends.
"Hello. Please take a number " Suddenly a green bean like man appeared in front of the four, it was holding out a badge with the number 402 in bold black numbers, none of them moved so Phoenix walked forward a little a took the badge with a sweet smile as a thank you. Once all four had the badge the green bean continued, "Be sure you wear this on your chest at all times. Be careful not to lose it" It said before turning away.
Phoenix pinned her badge on the right side of her chest before seeing what the others numbers were, Leorio had gotten 403, Kurapika 404 and Gon 406.
"Haven't seen you guys around here" A masculine voice called out to them. The four looked up to their left and saw a middle age man with a large stomach and a box nose in a blue outfit with a shoulder bag similar to Kurapika, "Yo" He said friendly before jumping down to them.
Phoenix took a step closer to Kurapika getting a bad vibe from the box nosed man. Kurapika seemed to feel the same as he moved a bit closer to Phoenix as well.
"You can tell we're new?" Gon asked innocently.
"More or less?" Box nose answered, "After all, this will be my thirty-fifth attempt" He said proudly.
Leorio and Gon jumped in surprise, "Thirty-fifth?" The asked together.
"Well, you could call me an exam veteran" He said with the same proud tone.
Leorio and Kurapika shared a look, "That's not something to brag about" Leorio commented quietly to the blonde.
"Indeed" Kurapika agreed just as quiet.
"If you have any questions feel free to ask me" Box nose offered.
Before any of the boys could asked anything Phoenix spoke up "Um, Mr. Box nose," She spoke in a shy tone with a slight blush on her cheeks which Kurapika noticed imminently was fake and had to hid his smirk, while Leorio choked on his laughter trying to swallow it and Gon looked at her with a spark of amusement in his brown eyes. Phoenix noticed Mr. Box Nose's eye twitch slightly at her nickname for him, "What's your name or can I call you Mr. Box Nose?" She asked with her fake shy voice.
Kurapika pursed his lips trying not to laugh, it wasn't every day that Phoenix was purposely rude to someone but when she was she could say the best things. Leorio coughed a little to cover the chuckles that came out and Gon sent her a cheeky smile.
Phoenix smiled sweetly at the man when she heard a few applicants around them trying to cover their chuckles as well.
"My name is Tonpa, please don't call me Mr. Box Nose" Tonpa asked trying not to sound annoyed but when Phoenix's sweet smile turned into a smirk he knew then and there that she was going to continue to call him Mr. Box Nose and made a mental note to get rid of her.
"I'm Gon" Gon said shaking Tonpa's hand before pointing at the three behind him, "This is Leorio, Kurapika and Phoenix" Gon introduced.
The two boys only nodded at him but Phoenix just looked away and started to look around again for anything interesting. She ended up tuning out the boys again not being interested in knowing who was who, she could do that herself if she really wanted to know.
While the toxic eyed girl was looking around she unintentionally locked eyes with a pair of curious sapphire eyes that were staring straight at her. She noticed the eyes belong to a boy Gon's and hers age, he had white fluffy hair. He wore a white shirt over a blue turtle neck and grey shorts that finished just above his knees and purple and white shoes. He also had a badge with the number 99 on it. The sapphire eyed boy was carrying a skateboard.
Phoenix gave the boy a sweet smile which caused the boys cheeks to turn a slight pink colour before he turned away quickly.
'What an interesting boy. Guess this is going to be fun' Phoenix thought to herself before there was a scream.
Looking over there was a bald man with a purple cape kneeing on the group with his arms in the air in front of him but the strange thing was that his arms were turning into small pink flower petals.
"Oh, how peculiar" A sinister voice spoke up. Looking over Phoenix noted that the man with pink and purple hair was speaking and he looked like a mix between a clown, a joker and a magician, "His arms seem to have become flower petals. No smoke and mirrors here" As he was speaking the now armless man fell onto his face, "Do take care. When you bump into someone you really should apologize" He said quietly to the armless man but in the now silent room it was clear as if he had shouted it.
Phoenix watched in interest only half listening to Tonpa as he explained who the clown man was. 'Hisoka huh? Why does that name sound familiar to me?' Phoenix thought to herself not taking her eyes off of the clown.
Hisoka feeling someone staring at him more than everyone else turned his head slightly and looked out the corner of his eyes and his small golden orbs locked onto a pair of toxic green with a ring of yellow around the pupil. His eyes widen a little shocked but not enough to be noticed.
He quickly gained his composure back and gave the little girl with the scarf around her head a slight smirk and waves cheekily at her.
Phoenix's reaction was only a small confused smile and a nod before turning back to Kurapika, not noticing that Hisoka was still watching her.
'So she's here! How exciting!' Hisoka thought before turning away as well.
"Oh right!" Tonpa exclaimed gaining the fours attention again, "A little something to mark our acquaintance. How about it?" He asked after rummaging through his bag and bringing out a few cans of juice.
Phoenix raised a suspicious eyebrow while Leorio smiled happily, "Oh, appreciated" Leorio said happily while the four teens grabbed a can each, "As it happened, I was thirsty"
"Thanks!" Gon said gratefully.
"Thank you" Kurapika said shortly while Phoenix only nodded holding her can at her side, holding the top of it with her fingers.
Out the corner of her eye she noticed a few people watching them with amusement, no more like they were watching Tonpa. A flash of white caught Phoenix's eye as she turned her head slightly and locked eyes with the sapphire eyed boys again. He pointed to her can and slightly shook his head, warning her not to drink it. Phoenix's eyes widened slightly and nodded back her thanks.
Turning back to warn her friends she noticed that Gon had already took a gulp of the drink as had Leorio. She bit her lip in worry but it was quickly changed to shock and confusion as Gon spit his out in a waterfall like effect.
"Tonpa-san, this juice must be expired" Gon said smiling awkwardly at Tonpa, "It taste funny"
Leorio was quick to spit his juice out after that, "Seriously?" He asked angrily, "That was close!"
Tonpa looked surprised but Phoenix noticed it wasn't because the juice had gotten bad but that Gon had noticed it's taste, he was becoming nervous, "H-Huh? That's strange" He stuttered slightly.
From beside her Kurapika was pouring his juice out with his eyes closed a little annoyed, phoenix only continued to hold hers, planning on keeping it in case she'd need it for something.
"I'm very sorry!" Tonpa apologized loudly to the four, bowing down with his hands together, "I didn't realize the juice had gone bad" He said getting onto his knees.
Gon being Gon was quick to forgive him, "It's okay. You don't have to apologize. Is your stomach okay?" Gon asked worried.
"Y-Yes… I'm fine" He stuttered again making Phoenix narrow her eyes slightly.
"I've sampled all kind of mountain grasses and plants" Gon explained making Phoenix raise her eyebrow in question, who just eats grass and plants? "So I can usually taste when something's bad"
"R-Really?" Tonpa asked in disbelief, "That's amazing" Tonpa stood up after a second pause, "Sorry about that again. I'll see you around" He said walking away quickly.
"Talkative old man" Leorio commented after Tonpa was out of hearing range.
Phoenix nodded, "I don't like him" She announced to her friends who looked at her then back at Tonpa.
A while later a ringing noise filled the room and the far wall began to open sliding upward toward the ceiling.
"I apologize for the wait" A man with lavender hair, a mustache, a suit and no mouth spoke loudly above everyone, "The entry period for Hunter applicants has ended. The Hunter Exam will begin now!" As soon as those words were spoken a thick tension filled the room. "As a final caution. If you are short on luck or ability, you could very well end up seriously injured or even dead. Those who accept the risk, please follow me. Otherwise, please exit via the elevator behind you"
The room was dead quiet waiting for anyone to leave, when no did no-mouth continued, "Very well. All 404 applicants will participate in Phase One" With that he turned around and started to walk, his arms thrown back as he walked and his legs straight.
The applicants were quick to follow him with Phoenix, Gon, Kurapika and Leorio close to the middle.
"Of course, no one turned around and left. I'd hoped a few might withdrew" Leorio spoke to himself.
Everyone was waking for a minute before the people in front of the four started to pick up the pace and started to jog so they copied them and started to jog not wanting to be left behind.
"Wh-what?" Leorio asked confused.
"The people in front started running" Gon answered him.
"He's picking up the pace" Kurapika added.
Phoenix sighed, "This phase is just running for a while isn't it?" She asked rhetorically.
The boys al shrugged not sure of the answer but it was answered when the no-mouth man spoke from in front of everyone, "I neglected to introduce myself. I am Satotz, the Phase One examiner. I shall lead you to the exam's Second Phase"
There was confusion in the crowd as the bald ninja called out, "Phase Two? What about Phase One?" He asked.
"It has already commenced" Satotz-san announce making the crowd even more confused, "You must follow me to Phase Two. This is the exam's First Phase" The examiner finished.
There was a few more questions before everyone just focused on their running. Phoenix sighed and threw her head back and groaned as she ran, "Why did it have to be running?" She asked to the heavens.
Kurapika chucked and patted her head since he couldn't ruffle it since she still had her scarf wrapped around her head, "It's okay Nix, we shouldn't be running for too long" He encouraged her making sure to use her nickname.
Phoenix stuttered slightly haven't heard her nickname for a few days before smiling sweetly at Kurapika with a slightly blush over her nose before turning forward and continued to run without complaining.
"This test is weird" Gon commented.
"I expect this is an endurance test. Fine by me. I'll be right behind you!" Leorio announce with confidence.
Phoenix giggled a little knowing that Leorio will be panting very soon. She knew Kurapika was going to be okay if not a little out of breath and she was sure that Gon would still be full of energy once this is finished. As for her, well she could run for days if need be.
Hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Why does Hisoka seem familiar to Phoenix and how does Hisoka know her?
I'm thinking of asking you all a question in my author notes after every chapter so let me know if you think I should or not?
See you next time :)