We will be speeding through the Hunter Exam, so hope you don't mind the fast pace - since the other arcs are way longer and detailed.

As stated before, we will be updating this fanfic every Thursday or Friday (PST).

"" - speech

italics - thoughts/memory/dream

Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter.


"..." Arla blankly looked down at the tall featureless pillar. This was Trick Tower - the location for Phase Three.

"Can we even climb down this?" Leorio murmured with an equally blank face. Arla held onto his arm sleeve to stabilize her footing as she felt Ai grab onto her arm at the same time. They watched an experienced rock climber candidate trying to climb down the side, but they were quickly eaten by some flying monsters. "...I guess that answers my question."

"Well that was a fast goresome death." Ai laughed nervously, not wanting to go near the edge of the tower. Arla nodded in agreement.

"We'll have to search for clues." Kurapika announced to the group.

Arla forced herself to not grab onto Leorio again and went down on her knees to check the flooring. "In my favorite mystery novels… Places like these usually have some kind of trap door or some kind of mechanism."

"Oh, oh, oh!" Ai tugged at Arla's arm sleeve. "Which mystery novels did you read?" Her indigo eyes sparkled at Arla. She smiled wryly at the crossdresser.

"Well… We can always talk about it after the exams? I would be happy to discuss them with you then." Arla motioned to Ai to start knocking on several places. When she was a little further from the group, she eventually found a space that seemed to be hollow. She stood up from excitement and her foot stepped on it harshly when she was about to call out to the others. "Shinichi, Go-" Before she could complete her sentence, she screeched when the door opened, making her fall in. The last thing she saw was everyone turning their heads to see her but she realized that at the speed of their head turning, they probably ended up not seeing her at all.

"Ouch…" She rubbed her bottom and childishly glared at the trap door above her. "Couldn't you have made the landing softer?!" She yelled at the door. Realizing how ridiculous she was being, she coughed and regained her calmer self. "I suppose I have no choice but to meet everyone at the end."

When she found herself surrounded by millions of doors, her eye unwillingly twitched, indicating her indignation towards the situation she was in. "What...is this…"

"Choose the door that leads to the right path. Only one door will be safe. The rest will lead to danger. Choose well." Someone's voice echoed in the room. She sighed.

While she did not want to use her power very much, it seemed like she had no choice this time. Raising her right index and middle finger, she focused her energy into them. "In the name of Froshumburg, Arlania, I write. Edit. In the name of Arla, I write. Assume. One door leads to safety. Requires. Safest path, no danger, reaches the base of the tower within 72 hours. Payment. Temporarily lose sensation in left hand in the next 72 hours." As she wrote what she said in the air with her energy, a light surrounded her, absorbing her left hand. She could no longer feel anything in her left hand.

Understanding that her power was working well, she smiled and continued her chant. "Set. Activate! Show me the light - SHOOTING STAR ROAD." She grabbed the light that the words formed in her right hand before releasing it above her. It seemed to go through the walls and floor.

After the shower of light ended, a sliver of light connected to her left hand.

"...Well hopefully, this worked. It was a simple one, so there should not be as many errors…" She doubted herself a little, but since it was better than straight guessing, she decided to follow the light. She could almost hear her family members yelling at her for using her powers so recklessly.

A slight grimace appeared on her face as she opened the first door. Her right hand immediately grabbed her dagger, but nothing appeared. She sighed in relief. "So far, so good… Thank goodness."

She continued to follow the light and sometimes, she almost fell into danger, but she managed to generally get out of it by editing her order a few times until the conditions were finally met.

"With this… There should be no problems." She huffed in annoyance. If only her power was more convenient, then she would not have to suffer as much. "It can't be helped. I should be grateful that I have this power in the first place."

When she opened the next door, she stepped into the room with a blank face.

A voice announced her arrival. It had taken her around 37 hours to get to the bottom of the tower.

"Ah… I made it already." Her tension had been high for no reason.

She blinked a few times, making sure that she was at the right place.

Once she confirmed the faces of the candidates, she silently walked around to see if the others made it too. When she could not find them, her heart dropped. She wanted to be with them. A bit disappointed, she sat near a female candidate and rested with her guard somewhat up.

Due to unfamiliar stress and the release of the tension inside of her, she ended up falling asleep while waiting for the Third Phase to finish.


"Please check the contract, my lady." Lawrence handed over a piece of paper. Arla sighed to herself.

"Must I?" She hated this job of hers to a good extent. At the same time, she was proud to help her family.

"Well it is ultimately your decision. Your family does not expect you to finalize this contract. After all, they love you too much." Lawrence merely shrugged as if it wasn't his problem.

"I suppose…" She murmured to herself. "But for the sake of protecting my family, I will finalize it myself. We cannot afford to lose against them, after all." With her pen in hand and directing her energy into the pen, she wrote the contents carefully. On the side, there were messy handwritten copies of the same contract with no power inside of them. The paper that she wrote on glowed as it was now imbued with her power. "Now if they break the contract, they will definitely suffer from the consequences." She huffed to herself - satisfied with her work.


"Eh? Arla… Arla!" With eyes filling up with tears, Ai looked towards the gang with urgency. "Arla fell down in here! She fell down, aHHH-" When she began running towards them, she was cut short in her tearful rambling as she also fell in from another tile.

"Oi, Shinichi!" She barely heard a voice yell while falling through the darkness.

Landing painfully on her back, Ai hissed as she straightened herself up, breathing roughly. "I swear," she muttered, her voice hoarse from her newly caught cold and still feeling a bit shaky from the adrenaline. She then ferociously glared up at Wonka. "The least you can do is ask if I'm okay, jerk!"

"Sorry, sorry," Wonka said with a grin and his arms crossed, not at all sorry. "It's just that you seem pretty fine… With that excited gleam in your eyes and that smile."

It was true that Ai had a wide and shaky smile, paired together with eyes that shone fervently - as if she enjoyed the thrill.

"So? You're still supposed to ask! Jerk! Like, isn't there that saying that people who smile the most are hurt the most - aCHOO!"

Rolling his eyes, he heavily sighed. "That is painfully irrelevant in your case and you know it, idiot." He made a disgusted noise as Ai blew her nose in a tissue.

"..." A gust of wind whooshed through the dimly lit room.

Eyes clear and a captive to any sight, Ai blinked as she turned to face numerous figures. "I knew it. I sensed a lot of souls in this place," she commented.

The innumerous distorted figures seemed to get roused into frantic behavior.

"You… You can see us?"

"Yes." Ai smiled, as if having been through the same thing many times before. "I can see you, just like I can see my friend here, Willy."

"Wonka," hissed the man - or ghost - in question.

"She can see us, she can see us!" Many fervently circled around her, swirling and taking more distinct appearances.

"You're the first," spoke a man with short curly orange hair, curiously observing her with his green eyes, a grizzly scar outlining through his right eye from his eyebrow to halfway his cheek. "Not many have sensed our presence, much less see us." He smirked. "What are you?"

"Me?" Standing up, Ai dusted herself. "Well, I'm only a dolphin kitten with the heart of a puppy - that is what I am, nya!" Grinning, she pointed her thumb at herself.

"..."

Wonka sighed, facepalming. "You idiot…"

"Call me Ai, or Shinichi, as that is what I'm going by for now." Her grin turned sheepish.

"Ai," whispered another ghost, floating a bit closer to her; her peerless obsidian eyes glinted with hope, even as her long hair dragged her into peril. "Can you…truly see us?"

"Of course, as proof, I can tell you that you're a pretty lady with super long eyelashes!" Giggling as she said that, Ai walked closer to them.

Behind her, Ai could hear Wonka groaning.

"Pretty...?" The female soul whispered, blinking as flickers of surprise danced within the dark pools of her eyes. And then she smiled, chuckling slightly. "It has been a while since I heard that, counting the years I lived behind prison bars up to for how long I've been dead."

Tilting her head back, Ai blinked at them innocently. "Prison bars...? Ah..." It was then she realized that they all must've been prisoners here and that this tower was a prison tower; it made sense now.

"We're all prisoners." Another ghost confirmed her thoughts, eyes heavy set on his taut face. "Or we were, before we died," he added, voice gruff.

"I see," murmuring that half-heartedly Ai scoured the dim room she was trapped in; reading the question on top of the screen on one of the walls within the room, she stalked towards it and grabbed the watch.

"Do you abhor us?"

That question made Ai pause as she was strapping on her watch. Turning to look at the woman with sad obsidian eyes, Ai tilted her head questioningly. "Abhor? Why would I hate you guys?"

"Because we're criminals," answered the orange-haired ghost from earlier. He looked at her, his eyes piercing. "We've committed heinous crimes at a national, or even international level, to be locked up in here."

"I know." Ai returned his gaze with a smile. "Location-wise, and the way the way this complicated tower seems to be made nearly inescapable, I doubt they'd bring a person with just any felony here."

Slowly pacing, Ai murmured thoughtfully, "It's a good location for the Third Phase of the Hunter Exam, this place definitely fits the theme of having to escape."

Gently stopping, Ai once more faced them with a smile. "And to answer your first question… I don't hate you; perhaps it's simply my ignorance towards your crimes, or that I know you've gone through your own stories and journeys. Whatever it is, all I know is that I cannot judge you guys… Although in all honesty, that's just how I would rationalize it." Laughing sheepishly, Ai continued, "In truth, it's just because I don't feel bad or anything by just talking to you guys. To me, you just feel like anyone else, and I like being friends with people."

"Ai…" The woman clasped her hands in front of her chest.

Mutterings and words from the other ghosts stirred up a small racket.

Calmly, the orange-haired guy closed his eyes. "I see." Opening his eyes once more, he asked, "I commend you for your honesty; what do you desire from us? Our help?"

"What? No," Ai replied, scandalized. "I'm in an exam, and although my physical abilities fail me and I'll undeniably have to rely on Willy to push me to my limits, I would like to pass this exam by myself for most of the time."

A low growl came. "It's Wonka."

Laugher erupted from some of the ghosts.

"Ahaha, is that so?" Clearing his throat, the orange-haired man looked at her with a small smile. "Then, if you ever require our help, call for us; I promise to you, as long as you're within this tower, we will come."

Smiling widely, Ai nodded. "Thank you, truly."

And with that, the ghosts took to vanishing away to other locations.

"Are you sure you didn't need their help?" Upholding an irritated expression, Wonka snarled, "The next time you call me that abominable name, I will not lend you my help ever again." His eye twitched as he saw her chuckling.

"Awwh, c'mon, Wonka, I know you're too nice to do that."

Rolling his eyes, Wonka crossed his arms. "Yeah, yeah, your smooth talk won't work on me now, considering it's just about as smooth as a goddamn wrecked road."

Still laughing, Ai turned back to face the question on the screen.

"What is greater than God,

more evil than the devil,

the poor have it,

the rich need it,

and if you eat it, you'll die?"

"This is exactly up my alley," said Ai, her hair covering her eyes.

Wonka sighed, knowing what she wanted him to say. "Why?"

Turning to him with speed that would have otherwise snapped her neck, she looked at him with bright glittering eyes and an excited grin. "Because I get to solve mysteries! Mysteries!" She squealed, violently shaking her head as she held her cheeks in her own hands. "KYAAA! Shinichi would be so proud of me meow~!"

"But you're Shinichi…" Letting out a despaired sigh, Wonka shook his head.


"I feel like I'm doing something wrong," muttering to herself, Ai narrowed her eyes as she adjusted the chair; there were still 49 hours left as she tried to figure out what to do with the two connected rooms in the god knows what 'mystery' number.

Wonka dawdled around in the background, bored out of his mind, before standing upright. "What are you doing?" He stared at her as Ai began undoing all of her progress.

"I realized that the command on the screen isn't asking for me to arrange the rooms identically, but to set them as mirror images!"

And then she sneezed again.

"Gross!" Wonka stared at her, shivering.


"Phew, that was exciting," Ai said as she exited her route, looking around the room of the contestants who had arrived by then. Her eyes sparkled when she saw a certain person.

"Arla-" Suddenly realizing that the older girl was fast asleep, Ai stopped herself. She must have been really tired. Even though Ai was not, since she got enough chances to rest during her own route - with it being focused on puzzles and riddles, she doubted Arla had that kind of leisure.

'Fine, I'll be good and let Arla sleep no matter how much I want to talk to her right now,' Ai thought, pouting.

Instead, she continued looking around the room, her eyes shining once more when she saw Hanzo.

"Hanzo-saaaan," she whispered as she quietly jogged over to him.


"...I see…" Arla smiled warmly at the five. Ai pouted as she sat next to Arla comfortably and held onto the older female's arm.

"Seriously. We would have been better off with you or Shinichi, instead of that…" Killua glared at the stubby male.

"But at least, you guys were able to stick together!" Ai cried out in indignation. She scrunched up her nose when she recalled what she had to go through.

Gon sheepishly laughed. "At least, everything ended well!"

Kurapika crossed his arms and sighed in relief. As long as they reached the end, it did not matter to him on who they ended up with during this phase of the exam. However, he silently agreed that things would have been easier for them if they were with Arla or Shinichi instead.

"I wonder what's next." Leorio murmured as he looked around.

"We'll find out soon enough." Kurapika answered him. As if responding to the blonde male's words, an announcement echoed throughout the room, informing the applicants that they would head to Zevil Island for the Fourth Phase of the exam.

Arla stood up from her seat and hardened her resolve to pass the next phase as well. Ai also got up on her feet, patting the dust off of herself, as her facial expression turned serious the moment the location of the next phase was announced.


As they rode the boat, which was brimming with tension, Ai gulped. Right now, her worries were not directed towards the Fourth Phase, but rather, it was about whether she would tell them the truth or not. She considered all five of them - and Hanzo - as her friends, and to lie to her friends…

Silently pondering over her options multiple times, she finally came to a decision; she would tell them the truth.

Later, that is.


Arla soon sat down with Ai, Killua and Gon after talking to Leorio and Kurapika about the Third Phase of the exam on the small steamboat as they headed to Zevil Island. "So which numbers did you pick?" She asked quietly, despite knowing that they were probably not going to show her.

"What about you, Arla? Shinichi?" Gon asked.

"Well..." She laughed awkwardly at them. "But the number I got… I don't think I got any of yours."

"Me too, nya!" Ai piped up.

"Same here." Killua grinned.

Gon nodded. "Un. Me too!"

"Then we count up to three and show our sheets?" Killua suggested with everyone nodding in agreement. "One… Two… Three!" Everyone showed their pieces of paper. Arla had number 384, Ai had 69, Killua had 199, and Gon had 44. "..." Killua glanced at Gon with a pitying expression. "Seriously? You're not very lucky at lottery…"

"Un…" Gon nervously agreed, but his facial expression slowly changed into one of excitement.

The odd change in his expression piqued her interest. "How do you feel about it?" Arla asked, knowing that Gon had to get Hisoka's ID tag.

"Scared and excited…" His hands curled into fists. He gave her a shaky smile. "If it's a classic confrontation, I probably don't have a chance, but since I just need to steal his tag and maybe with a little bit of luck…"

"Well as long as you're excited about it, then I'm sure you'll do well." Arla pointed out. "Unless your fear outweighs your excitement by the time you fight him to steal his tag."

"EXACTLY! We know that you can do it, Gon! The luck of the stars shall bless you, meow!" Ai's fist pumped up into the air. She gave him a thumbs up soon after. "Because you rule, bro!"

Killua stood back up. "Well, try not to worry about it too much, you two." Before he left, he paused and grinned at both of them. "Try to stay alive, Gon! Arla! Shinichi!" He finally disappeared.

Arla also stood up as she smiled warmly at Gon and Ai. "I hope we all pass this phase too."

"Un. Good luck, you two!" The three of them then went their separate ways.

As everyone gathered around, the woman informed them that they only had one week to get the six points and then to return to the boat by the end of that time limit. Arla stood tall, observing everyone around her. After all, Kurapika and Killua told her to pay more attention to her surroundings, so she would do just that.

When her name was called, she dashed into the forest without stop. In seconds, however, she came to an abrupt stop. "This should be a good spot."

She raised her right index and middle finger once more. Her energy pooled into the tips of them as she wrote in the air at a rapid speed that was not considered to be normal. "In the name of Arla, I write. Assume. One person has the badge number of 384. Requires. Knowledge of exact location of person who has a badge number of 384 for 7 days. Set paralysis trap of person who has a badge number of 384 the moment their guard is down and when opportunity is best for me to take the badge from them. Hide my presence from everyone in my vicinity and warn me when danger is near while giving me the chance to escape or hide."

She paused, unsure of her choices. "Payment. Temporarily lose sensation in left hand for 7 days. Temporarily lose eyesight in left eye for 7 days. Temporarily lose voice for 7 days. Increase stomach pain to level 8 out of 10 with 10 being highest pain level for 7 days." Once she loses her voice, it will be hard for her to edit her orders, but she could always do it in her mind if she focuses hard enough. Nevertheless, she did not look forward to the next seven days.

"Special Condition. Once I have badge number of 384, cancel payment and written word."

When she finished writing what she said in the air with her energy, a burst of light swirled around her, entering into her left hand, left eye, throat, and stomach without stopping. "Set. Activate! Show me the path of a predator - HUNT OF THE BEAST."

Immediately, a sharp pain shot through her stomach and she tried to yell out from the pain, but her voice disappeared. She fell to the ground, twitching from the immense pain in her stomach. When she tried to stand, her left hand slid across the ground, giving her minor scratches, as she fell back down again. This time, she used her right hand, but the loss of her eyesight in her left eye made her feel a little nauseous. Nevertheless, she forced herself to stand tall, doing her best to ignore the pain and the imbalance in her eyesight. Tears soon sprouted from the corner of her eyes; she could no longer control her own reaction to the neverending pain in her stomach.

She gasped, bumping into the tree behind her and sliding down to the ground.

Her vision subtly switched to a vision of a tall dark-skinned male who sported an Afro puff hairstyle. He wore a heavy short-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and a white ruff.

In seconds, her vision returned back to normal. 'So that is the person with number 384…' She sighed inwardly to herself, wiping her eyes with her arm. 'Let's find a safe hiding spot first and then wait…'

She trudged onwards into the forest - in search of the best place for her hunting and resting.


Arla watched patiently as Geretta or Number 384 approached Gon after paralyzing the younger boy with a blow dart. Her eyes narrowed at him. The dark skinned male took Gon and Hisoka's number badges effortlessly and left the area. She followed him soon after with thoughts of helping Gon plaguing her mind.

It was sudden - the jolt in her mind.

Geretta had fallen into her trap. She dashed towards him without care and stopped in front of him. The shocked expression on the older male's face pleased her strangely enough. After all, it was the first time she used her powers in this way. It proved to her that her powers can be effective when she did it right.

While she also did not begrudge him for doing his duty in getting the right badge for the exam, she still cared more for Gon than she did for this man. 'For that, he will pay with his own badge and his target's.' She then paused. 'The moment I take his badge, the paralysis will fade away and he will be able to attack me.' She glanced at him with a sad expression. However, the sadness disappeared within a millisecond. 'Life is death's trap. No one lives long. For the people who do, only hell with speckles of heaven remains.' She pulled out her dagger, hardening her resolve to take her target's life for her own safety and security.

In seconds, red stained her sight and the stickiness of his blood clung onto her skin and clothes. The metallic coppery smell permeated the air as the body fell to the ground in a limp. The head soon rolled away.

'Who?' She stared at the grotesque scene before her with shock.

The moment she processed what happened in front of her, she realized that the pain in her stomach had already disappeared. She almost swayed backwards from the sudden recovery of her eyesight in her left eye.

"Hm…" Someone appeared from the side.

It was someone dangerous - someone who she did not want to come across.

It was Hisoka - clearly finding something to be of a pain.

"If you want to kill, kill faster. Don't hesitate, unless you want to die."

She blinked in surprise. That was the last thing she expected to hear from him. She then wondered why her power did not warn her of Hisoka's presence. That was when she realized that her power determined that he would not be a danger to her at the moment.

"Thank you for educating me." She bowed to him politely, showing her respect towards him. While she was absolutely terrified, her manners - that were instilled in her for such a long time - took over her.

He glanced over at her with an emotionless expression. She was not sure if his emotionless expression was more terrifying than his wide smile.

"Do you feel safe?"

She blinked in surprise.

It was an odd question he asked but she could not stop herself from answering. "No. I am very terrified of you, but my power told me that you are not going to kill me tonight. However, if that is not true, then I must accept the results that occur after." Her voice trembled harshly; she could not stop herself from shaking in fear.

"...Power." His eyes narrowed on her. "What power?"

"It is… It is a bit difficult to explain, but…" She paused, trying to figure out a simple way to explain it. "The results I want can be done with the appropriate payment. In a way, my power is the power of words." She was unsure if it was a sufficient explanation, but she just wanted to grab the badge and leave.

Seemingly content with her answer, he walked over to Geretta's body and pulled out two badges - Gon's and his own. No longer acknowledging her presence, he left as swiftly as he came.

She fell down to her knees, breathing hard. Her arms shook and she almost felt her tears well up in the corner of her eyes. Wiping her eyes with her arm, she managed to walk over to Geretta and took out her target's badge of 384.

"..." She stood in front of his body in silence. "Since you do not seem to be a bad person, I wish you the best in your journey of the afterlife." She placed her hand over her chest and bowed towards the man.

She then turned around and walked away from the blood drenched scene.


"He's eastwards, up on a tree," telling her that, the ghosts once more swirled away.

It really was convenient to have ghosts helping like this.

"Haha, thank you, guys." Grinning sheepishly, Ai resolved herself; she had to defeat her target and get his badge.

Stalking her target, she was waiting for number 69 to fall asleep, so that she could easily take his badge…

Except…

Right as he yawned, settling inside a tree, her stomach growled.

Loudly.

"Who's there?!" He came out, looking around frantically with a dangerous looking knife.

She went pale. "He has a poisoned knife, Wonka!"

Sighing, Wonka shook his head. "Then it's time for that?"

"Yeah!" Squeaking that, she jumped out of the bushes.

"Oi! Wait, at least, idiot!"


Arla glanced at the steamboat from a safe distance away and then down at her clothes. She was utterly dirty and all she wanted at that moment was to wash all the filth off of her. Sighing very lightly to herself, she glanced around, wondering where everyone else was. 'Gon wasn't there when I checked…' She had hoped to help her new friend to recover and to get new badges in case Hisoka had taken both of their tags for himself, but she had a strange feeling that Hisoka had given the badges to Gon instead. If Gon was really like her cousin, then she believed that he most likely hated that truth - that he had failed to retrieve the badges he needed to get for the exam on his own in the end.

'Nevertheless, I hope he's doing well…' With that thought in mind, she began to ponder about what everyone else might be doing. That was when worry and uncertainty started to plague her mind. 'They'll be okay, right…? No, Arla! What are you thinking? They are your friends. Of course, they will be fine.' She shook her head as an attempt to get rid of any negative thoughts. She then smiled wryly to herself. 'How long has it been since I thought about other people like this…'

Before she could get lost in her thoughts, a booming voice roared across the island. "All the participants are invited to come back to the starting point of the test! Participants must make themselves known within the hour. After this delay, the ones who haven't shown themselves will be disqualified! Please pay close attention to this information. Tags stolen from now on will not be counted. Verifications will be made and anyone who breaks this rule will be disqualified!"

Hearing those words, she stood up immediately from her spot. She cringed a little bit from the aftereffects of her power. While the cancellation of her power was done, her body had yet to completely recover from it. She supposed that only 85% of her body had recovered. The stomach pain gave her trauma, so whenever her stomach felt even a little bit uncomfortable, she could not help but react badly to it. "This must be why Mother and Father forbade me from using my powers in this kind of way…" She muttered under her breath.

In seconds, she felt a hand tap on her shoulder lightly; unfortunately, it was her left side that still felt stiff from the aftereffects of her power. Flinching from her discomfort, she turned her head to see who it was. She smiled warmly at him and did her best to relax. "Killua, it is very good to see you right now."

He opened his mouth and then closed it. He had noticed in that split second when she flinched that something was wrong. "...Did you get hurt?" His grin flickered into a small frown.

"..." She did not know how to answer him. "...I. I believe that I am hurt, but I should completely recover soon. I'm about 85% recovered so far. Most likely." When he noted the confusion pooling into her eyes, he just accepted her answer.

"Well, don't push yourself. Remember, you're not physically as strong as the others, so just go at your own pace." He then walked ahead of her and motioned for her to follow. She took his words into consideration and walked at her own pace.

"Arla! Killua!" Leorio waved at the two with a relieved expression.

"Leorio, I am very relieved to see you right now." Arla smiled at him as he approached them with Gon and Kurapika behind him. "Where is Shinichi?" She scanned the area in hopes to see the other female of the group - safe and sound.

"Meow!" Ai jumped up and down from behind Killua and Arla as she dashed towards the rest of the group.

"Hey Shinichi!" Leorio greeted the younger male with an amused expression. "Did you get all of your badges?"

"I sure did, bro!" She gave him a thumbs up before greeting the rest of the members. As they all began to head to the airship together, they shared stories of their time on the island - one at a time, with only a few saying the very minimal details of their experience, such as Arla.


When the airship began to take off, an announcement echoed throughout the area. "In a while, the president will be talking to each and every one of you. Just a small conversation. When you're called, please come to the first reception room on the first floor. Candidate number forty four, please come to the reception room right now."

Arla sighed a little, still feeling a bit exhausted from the previous phase of the exam. She swayed as she walked towards the comfortable seating. 'At this point, there is no way I can even take a simple shower right now. I am so tired… If Mother saw me right now, she would be so disappointed in me.' Arla almost chuckled to herself when imagining that.

It was in that very second that she almost tripped on her feet, when luckily, Ai managed to grab onto her arm on time. "Oh," Arla blinked. "Thank you, Shinichi." She warmly smiled at the younger girl.

"Do you need some help?" Ai brightly smiled back at the older female.

"That would be most appreciated. Thank you very much." Arla struggled towards the seating, but this time, it was with less trouble.

"What really happened? It doesn't seem like you just set a trap and got the badge from your target if you're this much in pain…" Ai murmured to Arla with an unusually serious expression.

"Well… It…" Arla was unsure as to whether she should tell her new friend about her power. After all, it was her power that made her lose everything in the end. But perhaps, she wanted to be a fool - just one last time - to see if humanity really could be trusted. So she continued, "It might be a bit difficult for me to properly explain…but I have this power…" She then noticed how Ai's eyes lit up with unusual understanding; it was as if she was in a similar situation, even though she had yet to explain everything to the younger female.

"A power…" Ai encouraged her to continue.

"This power requires a payment, but it is not as simple as money. It has to be something that equals to what I ask for. The easiest payment would be my own body, such as my sense of taste or the increase of pain on my body. While I could sacrifice someone else, I do not find that to be tasteful at all." Arla paused, wondering if she comprehended all of her words so far. When she realized that the other female did, she explained further. "My power requires specificity in words. This means that if I do not say the assumptions, conditions, results, and payments clearly and descriptively enough, then there will be flaws in the wanted results and could possibly end up becoming a failure. That is the last thing I would want."

"That… sounds really complicated." Ai scratched the back of her head with a nervous laugh. "But that also sounds dangerous to you." The moment she said that, her eyes flickered of sadness.

"I suppose I might have went too far and overpaid this time." Arla sighed to herself lightly.

The two of them did not notice the rest of the group splitting up and leaving the room.

It was only the two of them who remained.

"...I am, however, almost done recovering. I believe I am at 90% now." She smiled warmly at the younger female. "...Also...since no one is here, you can drop the act now, Shinichi. But I suppose your name isn't Shinichi… What is your name? I would love to know it - to know my friend's real name - if you do not mind telling me."

Ai froze up.

She genuinely looked shocked.

Arla supposed that Ai truly did believe that she could fool everyone into thinking that she was a male. While she would usually not bring this up until the other person felt comfortable enough to reveal it themselves, she could not help but want to know the name of her first female friend - the first outsider who now has the privilege in knowing her power's true nature. "I… did not expect you to be this shocked, Shinichi. It is quite obvious to another woman that you are a fellow woman, despite the two of us being young."

"I…" Ai blubbered.

"If you do not wish to tell me, then I understand. There must have been extenuating circumstances behind your cross dressing, or perhaps, as my brother once said, you swing the other way. Nevertheless, I will still accept you as my friend." Arla placed her hand over her chest and closed her eyes briefly with a relaxed expression, savoring the peaceful moment.

"I, I, I DO NOT SWING THE OTHER WAY!" Ai panickingly responded. She threw her hands up in the air. "I… I'll tell you my name later…but about your power, I do understand! I really do! Since I also have a power… A power that is difficult for others to understand…" Her voice gradually quieted down at the last part. "So you're not alone in that sense, meow!" She managed to say to the older female. "And can you please keep me being a female a secret for now? I'll reveal it eventually… just not now."

"Of course. You have my word." Arla held the younger female's hand and smiled supportingly at her.


After chatting with Ai a bit more, Arla felt the heaviness in her heart lighten up.

Her shoulders no longer seemed as burdened by her past.

'A long time ago, I might have believed my power to be one of a curse, but now… I wonder… I wonder if I could believe it to be a blessing instead.'

While they were only new friends, she could not help but feel that she would be friends with this girl for a very long time to come. After all, just learning about Ai more and more made her experience a fulfillment and contentment that she never had in her life before.

'Is this what it means to have a true friend? To make a true friend with no other influences but ourselves?'

This made her realize as to why a lot of girls befriended other girls - because the subtle details of being a girl did not have to be explained at all. There would merely be pure silent understanding.

'Or perhaps, that is why people befriend those who can relate to them the most - rather than befriending someone who cannot or would have a hard time understanding them…'

"Candidate number 285, please come to the reception room." Arla stopped talking and stood up from her seat. She no longer seemed to have issues with her body.

"Is that you?" Ai perked up.

"Yes, it seems like it is my turn now. I will see you later then, Shinichi." She smiled warmly at the young girl and walked towards the reception room. Using all of her composure and manners, she stood tall, walking lightly and gracefully as if it was no effort at all. Her posture, however, commanded the attention of others - clearly filled with a burst of charisma that she usually kept under wraps.

When the door opened, she entered calmly, facing Netero who sat across from where she stood leisurely. "You can sit down in front of me." He motioned to her as she followed his directions. "So… why do you want to become a hunter?"

"I want to become a hunter because it is the only way for me to live properly - as a human being." Arla replied. Her composure remained relaxed but sharp.

"A human being? And how exactly is a villainess supposed to become a human being?" There was slight mockery tainting his tongue. She did not react to his jab; she only smiled at him. He seemed a bit disappointed that she did not react.

"I did not expect someone such as yourself to believe in such rumors. But if according to you, I am a villainess, then why can't a villainess become a human being?" Her hands gathered together. "Do they not deserve to live? To be given a second chance when they want to change?"

"Apologies. I did not expect one like you to join this exam. Not many of your status would fall down to our level." He rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "Even if they experience what you did."

Her smile dropped. She no longer smiled. "Everyone is equal in status. Wealth and ancestry has nothing to do with this. Not many of my status can fall down to your level because they are incapable of even reaching up to your level in the first place, and thus, due to their ridiculous pride and fear of the unknown, their ignorance stops them from joining an exam, such as this."

"..." His eyes narrowed at her as if wondering if she was being truthful or not. He then smiled brightly. "I am glad that the rumors are not true. Lawrence has chosen a good master and mistress then."

Her eyes widened a little. "You know of Lawrence?"

"Ah, trained him a little. Stubborn idiot, but good fella. He usually has a good eye for people, so that's why I was testing you earlier." He laughed heartily. She could only helplessly smile back at him. "...So I guess you want a job that can help you live and that's why you're here."

"Yes." She blinked and stared at him absentmindedly, trying to take all of this in.

"We don't judge, based on the past and on rumors, unlike normal type of jobs. As long as you're good at your job, that's all that matters." Netero smiled reassuringly at her. "That's probably why he sent you to the exams..."

"..." She did not know what to say to him, so she just nodded in response.

"Well then… let's move on now." Netero cleared his throat and had his notepad ready. "Among the ten other candidates, which one retains the most of your attention?"

She tapped her chin before answering. "If I had to just choose one person, it would be Shinichi. But her name most likely is not Shinichi. She is the one who dressed up as a male."

"Ah, 369." Netero grinned.

"Yes, 369. Also, if I can choose other people as well, then it would also be Killua, Leorio, Kurapika, and Gon." She was unfortunately not good at remembering minor details - though she knew what would not be their badge number if she was given a random number, so she could not provide him with their exact badge numbers.

"That would be 99, 403, 404, and 405." Netero clarified for her as he scribbled on his notepad. Without looking up at her, he asked another question. "Among the ten other participants, who do you want to fight against the least?"

Arla paused, wondering if her answers would influence what the next phase would be about. If her guess was correct, then it would be a battle tournament of sorts. "If it was just one person again, then it would be 369… Shinichi. If I can choose more than one though, then I would also include 99, 405, 403, and 404. Also number 44 and 301." Hisoka and the oddly strange Gittarackur seemed acquainted when she observed closely; she did not want to go against Hisoka nor anyone else who was associated with him.

By the time Netero finished asking his questions, Arla stood back up from the sitting mat with grace before bowing in respect towards the old man. She slid the door open and left.


"Candidate number 369, please come to the reception room."

"Oh my god." Jumping up, Ai cleared her throat, turning to face Gon and Killua once again. "That's me. For some reason, I want to go pee now, meow."

"Don't tell us that!" Killua hissed at her, as Gon laughed.

"I'll hold it in for now," Ai whispered, clutching her stomach. "But I have a small bladder. I hope it's over soon."

"Ahaha…"

"Ugh, just go already, you idiot!"

"Then I shall!" Saluting, she took to marching towards the room with an intense expression.

Entering the room, she cleared her throat, and closed the door; locking eyes with Netero, she exhaled as she relaxed. "Phew, glad I don't feel like leaking my bladder now."

Ignoring her comment, Netero gestured to the cushion seat across from him. "You can sit here if you want."

"Of course!" Grinning, Ai took to sitting cross-legged on the cushion as she excitedly anticipated his words. "I like interviews. I hope this one is fun."

"Is that so," Netero questioned. "Then I hope this one is up to your tastes; why do you want to be a hunter?"

"Why I want to be a hunter," repeating the question to herself, Ai held her chin thoughtfully. "In all honesty, there are many reasons; it's convenient, and it'll help me in my goals… But if I had to pick my main reason…" She looked up at Netero, smiling. "...Then it would be to escape and find my brother."

Scribbling something down on the notepad he held, he nodded to himself. "Escape? From where, the cult house you were raised in?" Despite his question, his voice remained jovially casual.

Blinking in slight surprise, Ai responded, "Of course, just like my brother escaped from there four years ago. Although I am a bit surprised that you conducted a background check, it's only natural, I suppose."

"Escaped?" Netero looked at her as if he knew something she did not. His question dipped in irony.

Once more blinking, Ai tilted her head. "Is there something about my brother's escape?"

"No, nothing," Netero commented as he fingered his beard, just like before. "From the other candidates, who retains your attention the most?"

"Hmm~ That's a bit hard to say, there are a lot of them after all, nya!~" Furrowing her eyebrows in concentration, she continued. "For people who I'm looking at positively, it would be Arla, Gon, Killua, Kurapika, Leorio and Hanzo; in a bad sense, it's Hisoka and…" Her expression sharpened. "Gittarackur." Many souls followed Hisoka - that was for sure, but Gittarackur… Rather than it being about the number of ghosts that followed him, there was just something very malevolent about the man himself.

Nodding while writing it down, Netero followed up with another question; "Then who would you want to fight the least."

"Well, the same people I just mentioned, honestly," Ai said, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head.

"Alright, you can leave now," he said casually, almost as if he was shooing her away.

"Thank you~"

Exhaling once more as she left the room, she stalked towards everyone else.

'I have to tell them.'

"Guys!" She waved excited as she approached them, grinning widely.

Without letting her speak further, an announcement boomed from the speakers. "Thank you for your patience, everyone! We will be arriving in thirty minutes at the place where the final phase will be held at!"


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