Second Exam: Intermission
"It's decided: In the Second Exam, phase two, EVERYONE'S FAILED!!!"
A series of retaliations erupted through the multitude of indignate examinees.
"So that's it? Everyone's just failed?!"
"This is just ridiculous!"
"WAAAAAHHHHAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"
"Will you shut up already?!" Killua shouted at the source of the water works.
"B-But..they've failed me!! Mel!!! I've worked so hard for this moment and now its all gone!!!"
"Well, then take it next year!!" the white-haired boy lashed out, but Gon stepped forth. "Wait, did you say 'Mel'?"
The watery-eyed girl looked up at the onyx-haired boy like a wounded puppy. "Yes. My name is Melancholy. Mel for short."
Their mouths hung open. They looked at each other, the same thoughts going through their head. What was this girl? The two boys jumped when a loud smash erupted from the direction of the examiners. Number 255 had smashed the table that held Menchi's plate and cup.
"I've had enough of this!!" He erupted. "You don't like our sushi, too bad!! I came here to be a black-list hunter, not a prissy cook!"
"Sorry to hear that," Menchi shrugged her shoulders. "'Cause this year, prissy cooks reign. Better luck next year, huh?"
"Don't you mess with me!!!" the chubby dude yelled as she charged Menchi, however he soon went flying back as Buhara smacked him with a wide swing of his massive hand.
The pink-haired girl glared at the giant from over her shoulder. "Buhara, that was uncalled for."
"Not really," the gargantuan retorted. "If I hadn't stepped in, you would've killed him."
Menchi snorted and the stood up from the couch to reveal that she had been holding long butcher's knives all along. "He want's to be a black-list hunter?" she scoffed. "Remind him that he was just popped by a prissy cook." She began to flip the knives lazily. "Doesn't matter what kind of hunter you aim to be; you've got to be proficent in the martial arts. Rare foods are often obtainable only in inhospitable places and us Gourmet Hunters are frequently called on to capture poachers. If you're any kind of Hunter, the martial arts becomes second nature. As does the burning desire to seek the unknown! That's what I look for in all of you!"
"Even so," a voice that seemed to ascend from the heavens called out into the open air. "Isn't it a bit too abrupt to fail the entire applicant pool?"
Everyone looked up into the sky to see a massive blimp floating along lazily in the air, although its proppelers were swirling franticly. Brandished in bold colors on the side was the offical Hunter logo. The Judging Committee had arrived. A little dot moved along the bottom of the blimp and slowly grew bigger until it landed with a hard thud on the ground. An old man with Chinese articulation simply walked from the spot he had landed as though it was a mere hop.
"Chairman Netero," Menchi straightened her back anxiously. "Head of the Exam Commission."
"Menchi," the old man addressed the examiner which stood at attention.
"Yes, sir!"
"Did you fail them because they lacked the desire to challenge the unkown?"
"Well...no," she admitted. "I got ticked when an examiner belittled the task and when they all found out how to make the dish, I lost my appetite."
"Did this inhibit your ability to make a sober evaluation?" he tested her.
"I admit I get very emotional about food, so I've failed as an examiner. I'll resign my post, and withdraw my decision."
"Hmmm," the old man thought, stroking his beard absent-mindedly. "I think changing the present test would compromise the results of the exam. Instead, I'll have you stay as examiner. However, you will participate in the new test yourself to set an example for the examinees. That way, they at least know they've got a shot. How does that sound?"
"All right," Menchi perked up again. "How about we try boiled eggs? Chairman, can you take us up to that split mountain over there?"
"Why, of course," he chuckled and then all the examinees were whisked off in the blimp, to the mountain.
When they had finally reached the elevated ground, they all spilled out on the one mile radius that made up the plateau that was Split Mountain. Running through the middle of the exspanse, was a deep gash the opened into a ravine.
"Wow...that''s some drop," Number 255 swallowed a lump in his throat as he peered over the edge.
"Yup," Menchi agreed, in the middle of removing her boots. "Deepest one in these parts. There's a fast river at the bottom that'll whisk you away to sea." She finished her task and walked to the edge and then leapt off. "Later, gators."
Everyone gasped as they believed Menchi to have commited suicide. However, Netero explained. "The Spider Eagle lives here. They spin webs across the ravine and lay their eggs here, so land beasts can't get them. Just grab a strand collect an egg and then climb back up."
"And then you boil it!" Menchi chimed in and everyone turned back to the ravine to see her waiting with a speckled egg.
"HECK YEAH!!!" the shout resonated through the forest. Everyone turned to see the girl jump into the air, practically bursting with energy. "That sounds awesome! I want to try!!! See you guys!" she waved back to a stunned Gon and Killua and then leapt off the edge, a fading "WHHHHHEEEEEE!!!!" cutting the silence.
"Neat," Gon broke the tension. "This should be fun."
"Yeah," Killua agreed. "Now that's a test."
"Beats cooking six ways to sunday," Leorio chimed in. "Let's go!!"
Everyone leapt in after Gon and Killua, although a few remained.
"That's it?" Menchi almost seemed disappointed. "No one else?"
"It's ok to know your limits," Netero followed up. "You can take the exam another time."
Down below, the bug-eyed girl latched onto one of the webby strands of the Spider Eagle nest and swung around once, before the white rope finally held strong. She grabbed one of the brown speckled eggs, and then worked her way back to the wall just as Gon and Killua dropped down onto a strand next to her.
"You guys just getting here?" she smirked.
"When did you change back to Stasy?" Killua asked, unmoved.
Stasy went rigid, but then smiled. "During the blimp ride. You guys were just so pre-occupied with the test you didn't notice I wasn't balling my eyes out anymore. Well, I'd love to chat, but I can't hang here all day. See you at the top!"
Without another word, she crawled up the side of the cliff like a four-legged spider. Killua just shrugged and hurried to collect an egg and return back to solid ground.
Once everyone, who didn't fall, that is, had made it back to the top, a giant cauldron lay waiting, complete with boiled water. They all tossed in their eggs and waited an hour until Menchi said it was time.
"Here's a chicken egg," she held up a normal white egg. "And here's a spider eagle egg." she held a speckled brown egg in her other hand. "Try both, and tell me how you like it."
The examinees each held a white egg and a brown one. They curriously nibbled both and nearly jumped from the shock.
"IT'S DELICIOUS!!!" Everyone yelled in unison. "It makes regular boiled eggs seem like rubber balls!!"
"I hope you now appreciate what we Gourmet Hunters do. "Not all treasures are jewels, metals, or artifacts. Gourmet Hunters live for such delicacies."
Everyone stared at their food, revising on their opinions of Gourmet Hunters. Then, Netero jumped in.
"Now everyone, hop back into the blimp and I'll give you all a ride to the next Exam!"