It was an odd feeling just sitting in the round room. Potential enemies slowly entering with pride as they passed another test. All the while, Gon sat by his side, eager to learn the nuances in meditation Leorio knew. An all or nothing kind of kid.

"Kid, did it ever occur to you that I'm trying to manipulate you to abuse your trust later? Maybe even kill you?" Leorio prompted. Others were no doubt listening. No one seemed willing to talk with one another in an effort to have an advantage later. But Leorio's training and Gon's trusting and free spirit proved to be outliers in the group.

"Are you?" Gon asked with such unbridled innocence that it should have belonged to someone younger or been downright illegal for someone his age to have. Leorio snorted at the question's delivery.

"Nah. I don't think Killua would appreciate it," Leorio responded. Killua might try to kill him if he heard Leorio targeted one of his friends. Gon blinked. His owlish eyes brimming with trust.

"Then I have no reason to doubt you," Gon responded easily. Un-be-liev-able.

He was even closing his eyes and going back into that meditative state Leorio had him practicing.

"Number 100. Pass." Leorio heard over the intercom as a doorway opened. Killua walked through looking like he had taken a casual stroll in his own backyard rather than going through a prison tower. The bored expression was one that promised pranks and other unfortunate situations. His bored gaze absolutely lit up seeing his new friend Gon and Leorio, the ever familiar "doctor" of Kukuru mountain.

His smile curled into a very... cat got the cream look.

Leorio leaned back against the wall. He was not letting Killua get behind him. A bored Killua was a potentially dangerous Killua. Sure, he could be patient, but only when he felt like it.

"Hey Gon."

Gon's eyes popped open. His body filled to the brim with excitement.

"Killua!" he greeted happily as he jumped to his feet. "You made it!"

"Was there any doubt?" Killua asked sarcastically. Gon shook his head, begin to prattle to Killua who seemed eager to compare their experiences in the tower. Killua was "humbly" bragging about dealing with a few weak murders along his way down. Gon on the other hand was earnestly honest about his little traveling time with Tonpa, Hisoka, Gittarackur and Leorio himself. Granted, that little manipulation time did leave for an unexplained time loss. And Gon was very open about not remembering the event Gittarackur was involved in. Hm. That would be tricky to explain to Killua. He was not a child to let things go. Then again...

His eyes slowly moved around the room, making sure to look at everyone in the room, his mind focused more on Illumi. One of Illumi's needles could change that rather quickly. Could he even justify stopping one of those needles?

No, he didn't have to worry about that now. It would be difficult to explain what he was doing to the others, and too difficult to cover up the bloodshed from eliminating all the witnesses. He could ponder his decision later when he was less likely to be noticed panicking over it.

"Number 404. Pass."

Another doorway opened. Out came a tired and slightly haunted looking Kurapika.

"Oh. Hey Kurapika!" Gon greeted the blond. Kurapika's eyes wandered over to Gon. He gave a curt nod and walked to be in close vicinity to Gon and Killua. A silent alliance that was more an open secret than anything. It was almost like those three brothers that were taking the exam together. Openly working as a team to deter others from targeting them. Playing the number game.

But someone might try and take one of them for bait too. God help the poor fool that attempted that on Killua. If Killua didn't kill them, Illumi would.

But that depended on what the next challenge would be. If it was anything like the cooking challenge they had earlier, it wouldn't happen. But who knew what the next challenge- or how many challenges were left?

He just wanted his license to help get a miniscule amount of potential freedom.

"... so, Mister Leorio was teaching me how to meditate."

"Hah? You're learning that from the old man? Why? It's so boring."

"It's kind of neat. It reminds me of fishing back on Whale Island."

"Meditation is supposed to be rather relaxing. I'm rather surprised Leorio knows how to meditate," Kurapika stated. Not intentionally mean, but it was rather rude. Leorio's jaw clenched in irritation.

"Yeah. He's really good at it!"

It was official, Gon was his favorite in the room. He didn't judge Leorio's meditation and sure he wasn't silently threatening to kill people.

Lippo kept a close eye on the ones that had beaten his Trick Tower. A few outstanding candidates, and a few lackluster individuals that would do better not coming back for the next exam. The rookies seemed especially promising. On their third trial, and six rookies still going strong. And two of them children no less.

Still, they still had to survive two more rounds before they could qualify as hunters. More than half of them should be gone by the next round. No more than half will move on. But if he'd have to wager, he was certain the rookies that made it this far would be able to handle the next portion just as they had with the first and third rounds. The second was two much an outlier to use as a guide.

This exam was certainly very interesting this year.

And before anyone knew it, the 72 hours were up. And another pathway opened for the applicants.

One by one (or in the case of Killua and Gon, the two of them) each person made their way down the path. A few were wary of what was to come.

But the end of the path led to sunshine and the appearance of a short man with a mohawk that had to have been Lippo, along with another person who most likely was an assistant. In front of them was a table with a box on top. A small square opening there, big enough to fit one's hand through.

Lippo explained that they were to approach the box and take one token in order that they came down from the tower. Straightforward. Each applicant approached and took a token. Some with more force than necessary...

But the twist was revealed. Hunt and be hunted.

He took a look at his target number. 246.

Wasn't that- Wait, who was that?

He had been so distracted by the fact Killua and Illumi were taking the test, he hadn't paid attention to other people's number. And now, everyone was covering up their badge number to prevent any further advantage to their hunter. Well, everyone but Hisoka and Gittarakur it seemed. He knew that no one here should be able to take down Illumi. But Hisoka had equal confidence to Illumi and powerful Nen hidden away that could be detrimental to those who got too close.

He was glad he didn't have either of their numbers.

Not when he had his additional goal of "assisting" Tonpa to pass.

I figured I needed to update this. So here it is!