CHAPTER 9

Events Within the Fog


The participants ran through the Numere Wetlands within the fog and within the screams of the unfortunate ones who fell into the mouths of the creatures of the marsh.

"Gon, Leila and you too dwarf, let's go move towards the front." Killua suggested.

"Don't call me dwarf, grandpa." Eclair glared at Killua but didn't voice out any disagreement with his suggestion.

"The fog's getting thicker. I guess it's better to move towards the front so that we won't lose sight of the examiner." Leila agreed.

"That's not all. It's better if we move away from Hisoka." Killua glanced at Hisoka for a moment.

"Hisoka?" Gon asked, confused about Hisoka's role in the conversation.

"He's probably gonna start killing once the fog gets thicker. I can tell it from the smell."

Gon sniffed the air. "I don't think he smells though."

"I also don't feel good about him, Gon." Eclair said. "He looks dangerous."

"Oh. Ok." Then Gon turned his head towards the back and yelled. "Leorio, Kurapika, Iris! Killua said that we better run at the front!"

"If we could, we would've been there!" Leorio yelled back.

"You continue ahead, Gon. Don't worry about us." This time it was Kurapika who answered.

"I'll also stay with them, Gon. See you guys at the finish line." Iris also gave her response.

"This guy has really no sense of tension." Killua commented earning a sweatdrop from Leila. The black haired girl couldn't really agree more.


"Is it really ok for you to run with us, Iris?" Kurapika asked, concerned. "I mean, I think it is well within your capabilities to run ahead."

"Why, Kurapika? Don't you like me here with you anymore?" Iris fake pouted. Teasing someone is really something she can't resist.

"I-I-It's n-not..I-I mean..." Kurapika stammered through his blush.

Iris chuckled. "Kurapika, you're cute."

Kurapika blushed into a deeper shade of red. He's been had. She was teasing him and he failed to recognize it. And then the comment. It was the perfect recipe for his embarrassment. But seeing Iris happily chuckling at his blunder, he felt he doesn't mind. He was making her smile and that was enough for him.

"But really, I'd rather run with you and Leorio. I'd be too worried to run ahead if I leave the two alone." Iris reassured. Then she linked one arm around Kurapika's arm and the other arm around Leorio's. The two men blushed at the sudden action from the girl.

"Besides, we teenagers should stick together." Iris continued her answer. "Even if one of us is unbelievably one."

"Hey! I'm still nineteen!"

Leorio's statement was enough to send Iris in another round of chuckles.


"That damn, stupid, disgusting frog." Eclair cursed in anger and irritation.

"Let's just be thankful that it didn't digest us before it spat us out." Leila said trying to chill her friend's rage.

The four of them were swallowed by a giant frog as they ran. Fortunately, it spat them out almost immediately. Its saliva went along for the ride which caused the red haired girl's irritation.

"It just spat us out because of this juice, you know." Killua informed as he dangled a can of orange juice for everyone to see.

"That's Tonpa-san's juice." Gon recognized.

" Yeah. But whatever, we could still get out without this thing anyway." Killua threw the can away and stood up. "Let's go catch up with the main group. We can still make it if we hurry."

The others stood and nodded. The group resumed their run but after a while Leila noticed Gon slowing down.

"What's wrong, Gon?" Leila asked. Her question halted everyone steps and all stared at Gon in confusion.

"I'm worried about the others." Gon voiced out his concern.

"They can take care of themselves, Gon." Killua responded.

"I know but still..." Gon hesitated then turned around making up his mind. "I think I better go back and check if they are alright."

"Then I'll come with you, Gon." Leila motioned to follow her friend but a sudden tug on her hand stopped her. She turned around and immediately noticed Killua holding her hand with an unreadable expression on his face. "Killua?"

When Killua saw Leila about to leave, his hand just automatically reached for the girl's hand. He doesn't know what's gotten into him to do what he did. All he knows is that he doesn't want Leila away from him. He wants her by his side. There's also this very unpleasant feeling in his stomach that he felt when he thought about Leila leaving him to be with Gon. It was irrational and unreasonable but that's exactly what he was feeling at the moment.

"Stay with Killua and Eclair, Leila."

Gon's request brought Killua out of his thoughts.

"Don't worry I'll catch up with you as soon as I can." Gon assured. "I'll bring the others with me too."

"Ok." Leila relented, albeit hesitantly. "Just be careful alright?"

"I will."

"Avoid Hisoka at all cost, Gon. It's safer if you don't run into him at all." Killua warned recovering from the questionable feeling he felt before.

"Ok."

"You better not make us wait for too long, idiot." Eclair said masking her concern. In all honesty, she was a bit displeased and worried about Gon leaving but she wasn't one to admit that to anyone.

"I promise, Eclair." Gon smiled and ran back. "Ja."

Leila, Killua and Eclair resumed their run looking around for the main group.

"Killua, is something bothering you?" Leila asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"You've been holding my hand for a while now."

Leila half expected that he'd let go but instead his hold on her tightened.

"Betsuni. The fog's just getting thicker. It's troublesome if we get separated."

"Oh." Leila realized. "Then you should hold hands with Eclair too. I mean, the three of us should stick together."

"I'd rather hold hands with a frog than hold hands with that grandpa." Eclair intervened.

"I couldn't agree more, dwarf. A frog even seems to be a lot more appealing than you." Killua retorted.

A few tick marks appeared on Eclair's head which Leila immediately sensed. This two might just kill each other any moment now. She should've kept her mouth shut. But what's done was done. All that's left now is execute a solution to prevent any eventual injuries so Leila reached out to Eclair's hand and held it.

"Then it's no problem if it's me, right Eclair?" Leila smiled.

Eclair sighed. "I guess its ok. At least it's you, not him."


"Let's split up on my signal."

Kurapika stared at the bloodthirsty man before them. They were running through the fog when they spotted Hisoka playing examiner with the other examinees who now lied dead on the ground. Now, Hisoka wants to play with them.

"Split up?" Leorio questioned.

"We can't take him down. He's too strong. Even if we work together, the result will probably be the same." Iris said bitterly.

"His capabilities are clearly superior to ours. We'll have a higher chance of surviving this if we split up." Kurapika continued.

"Damn it. Then I guess there's no choice." Leorio finally consented.

At Kurapika's signal, the three of them ran in different directions. As Iris ran, she began organizing her thoughts and calming herself down. She hates to admit it but she was scared. She was scared of Hisoka. He was merciless and bloodthirsty akin to demons that she would sometimes read about in books. Yet, all the while, she can't help but admire his skills. He was strong and she, Iris, is also aiming to be strong. She hates how bloodthirsty he is though. That man won't hesitate to kill anyone. If the three of them stayed there then they definitely would die. It was a blessing that Kurapika was there to steer them into the right action.

Right. Kurapika. Kurapika and Leorio. Where are they? Weren't they able to get away? Iris became frantic. She already ran a bit far from the site. She already ran a far enough distance yet she hasn't seen the both of them. Worry permeated her whole body. Without a second thought, she began running back. She won't let it happen again. She won't let anyone she cares for die if she can help it. Not anymore.

Then the sound of someone running caught her attention. It came from her side and it was running towards her. She stopped and waited for the person to come near enough for her to identify. Then she saw something blond through the fog. Kurapika. It was Kurapika. Before she knew it, she was running towards him. Before she knew it, she had her arms around him. And before she knew it, they were both on the ground with her embracing him tight.

After a few moments, Iris realized what she had done. She blushed. The relief of seeing him was too much that she couldn't help but do what she did.

"Gomen, Kurapika. I didn't know what came over me."

"A-ah...it's alright." Kurapika responded who for some reason can't look her in the eye.

Recovering, Iris looked around. "Where's Leorio, Kurapika?"

"He is-"

Before Kurapika could answer, they both heard a shout. It was Leorio. They were both stunned. The fog was thick so they had no clue what just happened. Then the next thing they heard surprised them even more. It was another shout but this time it came from someone much younger. Then it both hit them it was Gon.

"Gon?!" Iris stood up in surprise. "What's he doing there?"

Without hesitation, Iris ran towards the voices worried about their friends while Kurapika immediately followed her.

"I'll come with you, Iris."

Iris nodded in acknowledgement.


"Gon! Leorio!" Iris yelled hoping that the two would respond not caring if Hisoka heard her. She was too worried about her friends to even think about him.

Then the fog cleared. The both of them saw Gon on the ground but Leorio nor Hisoka was anywhere to be seen.

"Gon, are you alright?" Kurapika asked in concern as he approached the younger boy.

"I'm alright."

"Where's Leorio?" Iris inquired.

"Hisoka carried him."

"What?!" Kurapika and Iris exclaimed in alarm.

"He said he'll bring him to next site of the exam. He said we passed so he won't kill him."


Leila looked worriedly at the direction of the marsh. Most of the participants including her, Éclair and Killua are already at the site of the second phase of the exam. It had been thirty minutes since they arrived and the others are still nowhere to be found. Leila was getting really worried that she unknowingly squeezed Killua's hand that was still holding hers.

Leila and Éclair let go of each other the moment they arrived. Éclair wanted to take something out of her bag and check something. Killua never let go of her though. Leila didn't ask and just accepted the boy's gesture thankfully. Frankly, Killua's hand on hers somehow comforted and assured some part of her, though, for the life of her, she can't understand why.

Then Hisoka arrived who was surprisingly carrying an unconscious Leorio on his back. Leila's eyes widened.

'Just what on earth happened?'

Hisoka deposited the still unconscious Leorio at the trunk of a nearby tree and left. The action brought Leila out of her stupor and she immediately approached Leorio letting go of Killua in the process. Feeling the absence of Leila's hand, Killua turned to the girl and found her running towards Leorio. Éclair also noticed this so the both of them ended up following Leila.

"Leorio, wake up!" Leila shook Leorio trying to wake him up. It's not working though. The guy's still unconscious.

"Éclair, Killua, Leila!" A shout interrupted Leila's efforts.

Gon finally arrived. Kurapika and Iris came with him too.

"You guys' really got me worried, you know." Leila pouted.

However, rather than a verbal reply, Leila got a hug from Iris in return. She let go of her after a while. The others raised an eyebrow at the scene not sure what to make of it but they made no move to stop it.

"Mind enlightening me about the sudden hug, Iris?"

"I'm just happy to see you." Iris grinned earning a confused look from Leila. "I guess, I missed you guys." Then Iris turned to Killua and Éclair. "You two want a hug too?"

"Pass." Killua and Éclair replied simultaneously.

"Eh? Why not?"

The others sweatdropped.

'What's gotten into her all of a sudden?''


Author's Note: As I hit my ninth chapter and the eighth day since I've posted this story, I'd like give my grateful appreciation to xelectrox, LunaSawada27, gryffindorgal105 for favoriting and following my story. I'd also like to thank you guys who took the time to read my story. Hope you guys liked the story so far. Expect more chapters coming up! :)