Even though the sun was setting, Riven could still make out the landscape through the airship windows. Rolling green hills and plush trees made for quite a pleasant contrast against the blue rivers and lakes that broke it up. Just when she thought she had seen it all, there always seemed to be more that arrived to prove her wrong. She supposed she shouldn't have been surprised, since she had never been anywhere but the Dark Place before, but she couldn't possibly have imagined the nearly ridiculous extent of the world.
Unfortunately, as wondrous and magnificent the Airship truly was, she didn't feel like she was flying. There was a sturdy ground beneath her feet, and there was no rushing wind, nor a flipped stomach. When she had first realized she was eventually going to be a passenger, while she was eating her egg, she had been so excited that she thought she'd never be able to sleep. And she would hate to say it, for fear of sounding or being spoiled, but she found the experience rather disappointing. It seemed to drag the adrenaline from her blood, forcing her to gradually become aware of her sore and ragged body. She remembered all of the horrors she had faced in just that one day; running the equivalent of ten marathons, fending off Hisoka, catching that boar, and diving off the side of a cliff… Never had she ever believed she do any of these things. What shocked her even more was her success.
Riven smiled fondly at her breast, Karasu tucked into her jacket and sleeping, this time without the use of serums. He had had a long day as well. She strolled through the ship, wondering about her younger companions. Gon had run off to go explore the moment they had boarded, along with Killua, of course. Riven thought about the newcomer, wondered if she should trust him as much as Gon seemed to. The spikey-haired boy accepted him like he was a part of their group, and spent an abnormally large amount of time with him. She had reason to be suspicious, didn't she? As far as she could say, the blue-eyed child hadn't given her, Leorio, Kurapika, or even Gon a reason to trust him.
Riven scolded herself; she had never been so hypocritical in her entire life. Gon had trusted her back on the boat when they first met, and she had done nothing to prove herself either. Who said they had an official group, anyways? Why would she get to decide who was in or out? If anyone was to, it would have been Gon, not just for his impeccable judge of character, but because of who he was. He was the glue, the gel that allowed her, Leorio, or Kurapika to get along at all. Without Gon, Kurapika would have probably beaten Leorio up and thrown him overboard for insulting his people. She cringed at that thought, and then laughed when she realized how easily the blond could have done it.
After Chairman Netero had introduced himself, told the remaining applicants that supper would be provided, and they would arrive at their destination at eight the next morning, they were all dismissed to do as they pleased. She had never felt so relieved.
"I'm hitting the sack," Leorio dead-panned after groggily watching Gon and Killua rush off. Riven laughed in agreement, saying she couldn't have heard anything she agreed with more. Riven, Leorio, and Kurapika as well, began to casually make their way to the hallway.
"There is one thing that concerns me…" the blond admitted, a contemplative expression on his face. Dark and heavy bags underneath his eyes made Riven question how his brain was even still functioning.
"What's that?" Leorio wondered. There was a whole list of concerning and troublesome things they still had to deal with, but picking just one out at a time like this was nearly impossible.
"How many more phases are there?"
Riven cringed, not wanting to have to think at that moment. There was nothing worse than trying to think logically when you were tired enough to hallucinate. Thankfully, she didn't have to problem-solve for too long, for the trio was approached by a familiar, chubby, man in blue.
"On average, there are five to six phases," Tonpa informed them matter-of-factly.
"Which means we still have three or four to go," Leorio sighed, his shoulders slumping. Riven felt deflated, realizing that she wasn't even half way through with the exam. She had been aware that it could take weeks, but the first two phases had taken less then twenty-four hours. She wondered who planned the pacing.
"All the more reason to rest now," Kurapika concluded, closing his eyes and turning away from Tonpa.
"But you should be careful…" the man warned, his demeanor dark and serious. "We were only told when we'll be arriving at our destination. It's possible that the third exam could take place on the airship itself. It doesn't necessarily mean we'll be contacted at 8 AM."
"Are you serious?" Leorio exclaimed. Riven frowned in deep thought. She hadn't realized it, but it made sense. She was told that the exam was difficult and tricky, as it'd proved to be thus far, and an entire night of peace seemed a tad fishy. But when she remembered Satotz, and even Menchi and Buhara, she felt a wall of doubt. Hadn't both exams had specific starting times? The first phase didn't start early, and during the second phase, no one was even allowed past the walls until noon. There had been a poster on the door that had the time, and Riven was sure it began fairly. No, she decided, they would not start the exam on the airship.
"If you plan to make it to the next phase, don't let yourself relax on this airship."
Kurapika and Leorio told Tonpa they would heed his warning very carefully, but by the looks on their faces, it seemed to her they didn't give him a second thought. Riven began to seriously wonder how thoughtless Tonpa could be.
In a secluded hallway, Leorio plopped down on his bottom and heaved a heavy sigh of relief.
"How is your head?" Riven asked him, recalling how Hisoka had knocked him unconscious. Of course, he still didn't quite know how he had come to injury, and that made it more worrisome. The brunet tentatively felt his temple and chin, flinching in pain. Not only did he have bruises, but probably a concussion. Riven leaned over him, kneeling now, and examined him. She had read several books on head trauma, and knew that even people who seemed normal could be in danger of permanent damage or internal bleeding.
"I don't have any symptoms of a concussion," Leorio informed her in his doctor voice. "My eyes are dilating correctly and my motor-skills are functional. It's just a nasty bump."
Riven smiled in relief. It seemed Leorio didn't need any help when it came to medical crises, not that it really surprised her. She plopped herself right next to him, dreary and aching. In mere seconds, Leorio had begun to snore softly. Kurapika sat down as well, at Riven's left.
It felt like darkness crashing around her, her eyes no longer able to stay open. As quickly as her doctor friend, it seemed, Riven was drifting to silence, her fingers stroking Karasu's wings as he shifted in his slumber. She joined him.
When her eyes fluttered open, and her head jerked up, it wasn't light like she thought it should have been. The night sky still twinkled with stars. Stretching, Riven realized that a gray blanket had been laid over her lap. She recalled how Leorio had fallen asleep first. They must have handed them out while the two of them were out, and Kurapika must have retrieved them and distributed them. He was curled up beside her, his face peaceful and young. Riven liked his expression, as it made him seem happier.
A pang in her stomach alerted her to the reason she awoke in the middle of the night; she hadn't gone to the bathroom in nearly two days. Struggling to free herself from her confines, Riven had to crawl over Kurapika's feet. She watched his face intently to assure she didn't wake him unnecessarily, since that would be unfair to him. When she was far enough, she stood and slipped out into a separate hall, this one lighted. She figured that the bathrooms would be easy to spot with a sign, and sure enough, she found them without trying too hard. After she relieved herself, she went to the sink and flipped the faucet on; how convenient they were! Warm water at the touch of her hand? It was nearly unthinkable. However, Riven was still too exhausted to fully appreciate the magic of civilization.
She accidently saw her reflection in the mirror, and cringed. Her eyes were hollowed out from dark circle, her lips were thin and cracked, and dirt smudged her pale skin. She scrubbed her face under extremely hot water until she felt smooth and unblemished, wishing she had done that ages ago. She then tried her best to comb her finger through her long hair, hating how snarled and dirty it was. She managed to heal it somewhat, but it left much to be desired. Karasu, waking to her movement, poked his head out of her blouse, his eyes still glazed over from sleep. It must have been a while since they had initially crashed for the night.
Just as Riven was about to leave, she noticed the mud caked on her shoes and legs. Sighing in exasperation, she kicked the boots off her feet, rinsed them, washed her socks, and scrubbed her feet. She ran her fingers through her toes, much like with her hair, enjoying the sensation. Feeling much better, Riven stretched once more before leaving for real.
That's when the unfortunate happened:
Two men appeared from around the corner, spotting her on her way back to the darkened hall way. The taller man nudged his companion, nodding in her direction. Riven didn't want to draw attention to herself, so she maintained her current speed and avoided eye contact. They approached her, regardless. Silently, she cursed herself for not waking Kurapika.
Their clothing was normal, and they seemed rather plain, so Riven didn't remember them, but the white tags on their chests, 390 and 391, informed her that they were examinees. Then again, what else would they be? They got closer.
"Look, it's a girl!" the short, dark featured man exclaimed in mock surprise.
"Yeah," the tall man played along, "never thought she'd make it this far."
In confusion, Riven scrunched up her face. She assumed they must have just kept an eye on her, since only her and one or two other applicants were female this year. She wouldn't have been eye catching otherwise, not dressed in gray and black, hiding her womanly parts.
She flinched when they cut off her walking, trapping her against the wall. She could have kept walking and risk bumping into them, but she didn't want to touch them under any circumstance. She nearly scowled when the tall one played with a strand of her hair, but she managed to retrain it to a twitch in her lip. Still, she avoided eye-contact.
"Whatcha doin' up?" they questioned. "Ain't you tired?"
Riven stood stock still, a fluttering in her chest. At first she thought it was her heart, but the confusion on the men's faces told her otherwise. Thinking quickly, realization painted on her face, Riven quickly unzipped her jacket and whistled shortly, releasing the hounds. Well, releasing Karasu. He cawed and jumped into the tall man's face, flapping ferociously. Many feathers drifted to the floor. Riven darted behind him and attempted to dash back down the hallway, but she was jerked to a halt. Her arm screamed at her as she was spun around by the angry and shocked dark man. Aggressively, she used her free arm elbow his wrist, not hearing the crunching noise she was hoping for. She tried again, this time receiving a yelp, and she broke free. Riven took off again, not quite running full-speed from her tired and unresponsive body.
"Little Bitch!" One of them shouted. Karasu was then flying by her head, not able to go very fast from the lack of room. He also wouldn't leave her behind. They door was in sight, but now the men were pursuing her. Maybe they hadn't thought of going very far with her tonight, but now she provoked them. Now it was serious. She reached the door, not caring that it wasn't the one she had come from. She had to use precious seconds to slide it open, in which a hand found its way on her back.
The door slide open anyway, but it wasn't by Riven's doing.
"If I were you, I'd turn around right now. I will not allow two idiots who disobey me become Hunters!" Menchi threatened, her hands on her hips. Riven could only stare that the slightly older woman, shell-shocked. One grumbling, and one biting his tongue, the two men glared and spun on their heel. Soon they were out of sight.
"Why didn't you fight them?" Menchi inquired, setting down a platter of sweet looking strawberries with a strange magenta coloring. Riven took a bite, relishing the impossible juice. She thought for a moment, trying to decide that for herself. After the initial shock, Riven had thanked the Examiner profusely. Shrugging her off, the beauty had invited Riven to her chambers, insisting she try to eat something since she had missed dinner. Riven wondered how she knew that.
"I believe when faced with the options of 'fight or flight', I lean towards the latter," she admitted after quite some time, taking another strawberry, or whatever it really was. The thought of how she hadn't run away from Hisoka, and concluded that that had only been so because she thought Kurapika was in danger. This time, she wasn't worried for anyone.
Menchi, in fascination, offered one to Karasu, who perched on her arm. He ate it like a rabid beast. The woman smiled at her softly.
"I never knew such a creature existed. He's a raven you say?"
Riven nodded, juice spilling down the side of her mouth and onto her chin. She wiped it away with her sleeve. "Do you plan to be a Beast Hunter?"
Horrified, Riven scowled and vigorously shook her head. Entrapping and animal sounded awful, and selling one for cash seemed cruel. Karasu had a freedom that he took for granted, and was a friend before even a pet, family before merchandise. The only other animals she could bare to kill had been out of necessity.
"What kind, then?" Menchi pushed. Slowly, she swallowed, unsure of how much she could, or should, say. Hesitantly, she found no harm in telling everything.
"I haven't yet decided for sure, but even if I do pass this year, I have time."
"Oh?"
"I'm looking for somebody… My sisters actually." Riven tried to recount the times she had told this personal story to over the years compared to the last week. The difference was drastic.
She continued to explain where she came from, how her sisters where technically missing, but no one was looking for them but her. She shared more than she ever had with the others, and she wasn't sure why. Perhaps she would tell them finally the next time it came up. Menchi didn't stay as passive as she had expected, and the woman even uncrossed her legs at one point and sat politely. She 'ah'ed in understanding when Riven explained how odd a thing like Gourmet Hunting seemed to her.
"But I understand now," Riven assured, not wishing to upset to surprisingly kind Examiner. "I get why you risk your life for that thrill, for the food… Once you start, it becomes a necessity."
Menchi chuckled at her eagerness, patting her on her head. The day before, when Riven met her, she never would have guessed she would have found a friend in her.
"I'm not sure Gourmet Hunting is for you," the green-haired woman admitted, scrutinizing her. Riven deflated, disappointed. She had thought Menchi would jump at the chance to accept a new colleague, but she just grinned at her and shook her head.
"The thrill that you tasted when you jumped off the cliff? That's not just for Gourmet Hunting, but for every kind. Blacklist Hunters, Contract Hunters… they all get that rush. I'm afraid your heart isn't quite in it for the food." She chuckled again, finishing up the alien fruit. "It's nearly day-break. I would get some rest if I were you."
Riven awoke again for the second time at precisely 7:45 AM. Kurapika and Leorio had already returned their blankets and after rousing her, also returned hers. She thanked them and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, stretching. After speaking with Menchi, she felt like a whole new person. When they hall was partially emptied, Kurapika glanced at Riven.
"Did you wonder off last night?" he questioned, his voice a mixture of curiosity and concern.
"I went to the bathroom, and ran into Menchi-san," she half-fibbed, not wanting to burden him. After all, nothing had really happened last night to accuse anyone of. Kurapika looked relieved.
"No trouble then?"
"No. Did something happen?" Now it was Riven's turn to worry. Kurapika shook his head.
"Nothing really."
She left it at that, hurry to accept her breakfast and shove it down. They were required off the airship at any second. As she stepped onto the ridiculously tall tower, she almost missed the poor thing.
"The exam's Third Phase will begin here, at the top of Trick Tower," the Secretary Beans informed the applicants. Riven examined her surroundings, unsure of whether to feel excited or panicked. They were up nearly higher than the cliff, resting on a surprising stable, rectangular, obelisk-like structure. "To pass, you must reach the bottom of the tower. The time limit is seventy-two hours. With that, we will now begin the Third Phase."
Riven dazedly glance over the edge of the white sky-scrapper. Perhaps, she thought wistfully, that they could all jump off the side and pray for a gust of strong winds to carry them to safety.
No such luck. When a world-renowned mountain climber, as he claimed, attempted to scale the side, the most hideous creature with wings Riven had ever seen or heard of mercilessly tore his body to shreds. She felt sick to her stomach.
"Now there are only 39 applicants," Kurapika stated darkly at Riven's sides. She felt the strawberries threaten to rise up. Suddenly, she turned back to the blond.
"39? But there were 42 yesterday," she reminded, sure she hadn't missed counted, yet sure Kurapika wouldn't have either. He didn't avert her eyes, but they narrowed; not in suspicion, but woe.
"Two applicants were killed on the Airship last night," he informed her. Riven had gone cold, not quite believing someone would attack during an unspoken truce.
"Was it Hisoka?" she whispered, furious for not taking any precautions whatsoever. She hadn't thought the other examinees would be so cruel and dishonorable, but Hisoka happened to fit that bill very nicely. Kurapika just shook his head.
"I don't know. For their sake, I hope it wasn't."
She glanced at the other applicants spreading out on the tower to figure a way to pass. A cold buzzing hit her when she realized the two men from last night were no longer among them.
Time drifted by painfully slow. Perplexed, Riven tried to think of a way to somehow enter the tower. Obviously going on the outside was impossible, since no one would be able to fight the flock of monsters while holding onto the wall. The examiners had to have hidden some sort of door, or maybe they were expected to destroy the roof and force themselves in. She doubted the latter was the case, since Riven continually noticed the size of the crowd gradually decreasing, and no holes where visible. She doubted all thirteen of the absent examinees had managed to sneak through so successfully.
She probed, prodded, and kicked the ground while she pursed her lips, lost. Karasu restlessly stuck his head from her jacket. She hadn't bothered to put him out, since sleeping for so long couldn't be healthy. But she just couldn't give up her advantage of his secret. If it came down to serious matters, that may be all she had.
"Kurapika! Riven! Leorio!"
Riven glanced up, seeing Gon waving her over with the other two. She obeyed, wondering what he could have discovered. Killua slinked next to him, his hands in his pockets, with a bored expression on his face.
"What is it, Gon?" the incoming blond urged. The boy grinned, kneeling to the ground.
"Look, I found a hidden door." He applied a delicate amount of pressure, the square stone sliding down, but returning to its original state afterwards. Riven gasped in amazement and joy, relief flooding her voice.
"So the stone flip to make and entrance."
Leorio cheered and thanked Gon, but the partial victory was short lived. Gon went on to describe how he had seen one of the other applicants use a door, but it wouldn't open again when he tried it. Then he pointed in a near circle.
"There are also doors over there, there, there, there, and there," he added, confused.
"Six doors in the same area? It could be a trap," Kurapika pointed out, not at all sounding concerned or unnerved. Riven was envious.
"And it looks as though one door can only be used once," Killua added.
"It's not large enough for multiple people," Riven estimated. She felt the stone underneath her fingers. "Only one can go through at a time."
"In other words," Killua concluded helpfully, "we one person for one door. We'll have to split up."
They all agreed to randomly pick a door for themselves, so that there was equal chance of success.
"No hard feelings if someone springs a trap?" Gon asked brightly, to no one in particular. Riven shook her head, slightly disappointed that they wouldn't be able to continue any farther. It was probably inevitable that this would have happened, but that didn't make her want to do it anymore.
"No hard feelings," she agreed. Riven took her place behind one of the doors, unconsciously clenching her fists. She owed these people so much… she recalled how they saved her from an ocean-y death, how they practically lead her step by step through each test, each obstacle, each hardship. She suddenly felt that she couldn't pass without them, a strange, unfamiliar feeling.
She didn't want to be alone anymore.
"On the count of three, we jump," Leorio instructed.
"I guess this is goodbye for now," Gon said. Kurapika nodded and smiled softly, fondly almost.
"We'll meet up again, at the tower's base," he spoke confidently, like there was no doubt in his mind.
"One!"
"Two!"
"Three!"
Riven jumped onto her trap door, a sensation of weightlessness that wasn't as welcoming as others washed over her senses. She was falling into darkness.
So hopefully that length was better, and hopefully I can update that quickly again! Boy, did I miss Riven!
See you guys next time!
~Mao
