Well, hello people! Nothing to say right now of interest...

Anyways, here's the chapter! Thankyou, RandomGothicNinjaNerd for constant encouragement and my sister, who helps get my ideas in line and is checking my grammar...

And of course, all of my reviewers and favouriters and story-alerters once again! I truly enjoy knowing people like my story!

And voila!

Dusky's point of view ^^

As other people ran off to do their jobs, I stayed with Kurapika, not knowing what to do, since every other job had been filled by the others. I stared blankly at all the controls, then at Kurapika furiously writing calculations on a sheet of paper. That hand looked like it might cramp anytime soon. I looked over his shoulder and shuddered at all the numbers and weird symbols covering the page.

Ack. That looks so complicated that I don't understand half of it. No, a quarter of it. Actually, I don't understand any of it. Man, I hate maths... Gaah! Wish I had something to do…

I looked out the window to try and see anything interesting. It was all the same. The two muscle men rolling missile things to where Hanzo was standing, other people loading the cannons, people rushing around doing last-minute preparations and check-ups, the progressively greying sky, reminding everyone that our time was running out.

I stuck my tongue out at the sky. I hated storms, the noisy, annoyingly wet things, but Wind loved them. She would stand in the rain (when she was allowed) and tip her head back laughing, spinning around and around until she was so wet she looked like she'd been dragged through a lake and back. I wondered if Wind was alright…

A sudden tremor ran through the ship. Kurapika immediately went to the funnel things that were the ship's equivalent of a PA system.

'Is everyone alright? Are any people hurt?'

There were immediate positive responses, and looking relieved, Kurapika went back to his frantic calculating and log-book reading. I sighed and tapped Kurapika's shoulder, motioning that I was going outside. He smiled at me, nodded and immediately went back to tapping his calculator.

I did a mini fan-girl scream in my head and happily skipped away from the main cabin, my grin nearly splitting my face into two. Kurapika smiled at me!

I went down the stairs and onto the upper deck. There were too many levels on this ship; I only knew the names of two levels. I mean, if it was up to me to name the levels, then there would be the deck, and the upper deck, and the upper upper deck with the window, and… Anyway, moving on, I tried to count and name all the levels but I gave up. I mean, do I count the levels with little mini balconies? Or are only the ones with windows considered decks? Or are all of them decks? Gaah! Too many levels... how do the people name them anyway?

I lied down on my back in a sheltered alcove and looked up. A wind was starting to blow, so I was grateful for the metal walls. It was like a nook, only there was no ceiling. It blocked the wind whilst allowing me to look at my surroundings as well. I closed my eyes to think. Where would we be in the storyline right now? The wind picked up.

Well, everyone's in their places, except for the last couple of check-up people, and… Oh! The tremor must have meant that Leorio had been buried already! Then Gon and Killua came up and Gon would dive back down to rescue Leorio… Then all the lights get switched off to direct all the electrical power to the cannons and that's the last bit before everyone gets rescued and flown off to the next bit of the exam. I can't stay with Kurapika, because the head-banging part is crucial for revealing Killua's brother… which means that I STILL HAVE NOTHING TO DO! Oh boy, I never thought that going into my favourite anime would be boring… It's such a rare occurrence to switch dimensions, Jeb mentioned something about it being the first time in 2000 Earth years? But that's the bad part of going into a story, because it's hard to fit in…

Something wet landed on my face. I wiped it off only to feel another wet thing, and another, and another. I opened my eyes. It had started sprinkling. I groaned and stood up. I need to go find and hide in a better place …

Just when I had got up and started to walk towards the stairs, the whole ship went black. I was glad I was on the upper deck, because the ocean water wouldn't have reached up to it yet. I waved my hand in front of my eyes.

Wow! I can't see my fingers! It's so black! Are my eyes even open?

I touched my eyes. My eyes watered. It hurts!

Sigh. I was so stupid. I slowly felt and stumbled my way to the door and closed it. Then I slowly continued feeling and stumbling my way through the dark.

I don't ever want to be blind, because this must be what it feels like.

I looked around and still saw nothing. Sigh. Maybe if I slept and went into that weird dimension of Jeb's I'll have something to do. Or maybe I could join Killua with Hanzo.

I brightened.

Why not?

I straightened up and stepped forward confidently, filled with new resolve. But then I realised I lacked a crucial point in my plan.

Umm… Where is it again?

I'd wandering around and around and around and around and around and around for hours, but my watch (courtesy of Jeb) told me it had only been eight minutes. Wind had always told me to be more patient…

I sighed and turned a corner. And I looked up. And I saw my saviour. A patch of light! I called out joyfully and ran towards the light. I chuckled. That kind of sounded like I was dead and running towards the light. I think even just the sight of the light was getting me high… I was met with the sight of Hanzo barking into the funnel thingy that led to Kurapika. Killua was just lounging around, frowning, when suddenly –

'Hanzo! Shoot the hurricane! You can counter the forces so that the ship gets balanced while the hurricane doesn't hit the ship!'

Hanzo's eyes widened and he immediately barked into the funnel thingy.

'Did you hear that?'

A smooth female voice answered, slightly metallic.

'Of course. This is much more interesting than bombing a wall.'

I rolled my eyes. Hello, bomber woman? Life threatening situation here! And she was saying that it was more interesting to hit a hurricane than a wall? Sure, it was an once-in-a-lifetime chance, but still…

I ran towards a mini porthole they had. All it showed was a view of calm sea water, bubbles drifting serenely past the window, because we were underwater here. Then suddenly there was a boom! And I saw a flash of red! It was so pretty. Just like Kurapika's eyes when he goes mad!

My eyes goggled. I knew I was acting like a three year old, but I couldn't help it. I was witnessing a cannon fire!

The roaring noise of the hurricane drew nearer and nearer but then it suddenly faded. The lights in the corridor flickered back on and I immediately ran out onto the deck. I flung open the door to see the hurricane twirling away into the horizon.

I saw Gon lying on his back on the deck and rushed over to see if he was ok. He was so still.

Oh gosh, don't tell me he's dead! Does he have hypothermia? Or maybe he had a secret flu and was hiding it from us! Or maybe he had contacted…

My worrywart instincts, which had thrived due to Wind, kicked in. I laid my hand onto his forehead but it got removed by a really pale hand. The pale handed person picked up Gon, put a blanket underneath and put Gon back again. I looked up to see Killua.

'He's fine. You should check on Wind. He had a really serious cough-attack before.'

My eyes widened. Cough attack? Wind doesn't recover from those unless she has her cough-syrup or unless she breathes in really warm, really moist air that won't aggravate her lungs!

I took off running.

Wind's point of view …^(oo)^

I looked up from under my blanket. I sighed happily, seeing light struggle weakly through the thick blanket. So everyone was safe, huh? Else we wouldn't have the electric lights…

The door suddenly flew open with a bang and a large, shadowed form rushed in, who was probably Dusky. She tried to stop, but skidded, stumbled and tripped over one of my shoes instead.

'AAAAAH!'

I chuckled quietly at her. Yep, it was Dusky alright. She turned furiously at me, knelt next to my head and wrenched the blankets off my head.

'You don't need to laugh Wind…' She trailed off, staring at me. I frowned and touched my face.

'What? Is there something on my face?' I rasped. My throat still felt raw from my cough attack before. Maybe Jeb could get me some cough-syrup…

Dusky suddenly launched herself at me, hugging me hard. I looked at her (her hood had fallen off in launching) in surprise. She had tears in her eyes!

'I thought that you would still be coughing and that you would be coughing blood everywhere and bits of lung would be flying out of your mouth and all around the room and that –'

I cut her off while putting her hood back in place.

'Umm… Dusky? My cough stopped because the blanket covered my nose and mouth and the air got all warm and moist… And I don't think that would entirely be possible, since if bits of lung came out, I would die, so I'm ok…'

'OK?! You have a terminal disease! You're going to DIE in five months…' Dusky trailed off when she looked at my sombre face. I looked away, a bit awkward. I wish she wouldn't yell at me…

'Jeb told me that I only have three months and ten days left, and since he told me yesterday, and today is a new day…'

Dusky slumped over.

'We need to get you to Avril quickly then… You'll have time to rescue him, won't you?' I nodded, knowing who 'him' was.

'Yeah… Me and Jeb calculated the time, and I have lots of time left, so don't worry. Let's join Killua and Gon on the deck, ok, Dusky?'

'Ok…'

She didn't yell at me? I sighed in relief.

She slowly helped me up. As she did, I thought I saw a flicker of white outside the door. But when I stepped out into the hallway with Dusky supporting me, there was nothing there except the flickering of shadows.

Killua's point of view!

I looked at Gon. He was still resting. I really didn't want to leave him like this, but I wanted to know who Dusk and Wind were. They were a mystery, and I don't like mysteries. I took off after Dusk, but went back to check how Gon was doing quickly. Then I softly ran after him.

I heard their voices again. They were talking softly, I couldn't hear properly so I sidled a bit closer. I heard Wind's slightly hoarse voice.

'…bits of lung came out, I would die, so I'm ok…'

Huh? Bits of lung? That doesn't make sense. Using the shadows, I crept closer until I was right next to the door.

'OK?!' Dusk screamed. 'You have a terminal disease! You're going to DIE in five months…' I stiffened. Wind was going to die? In five months? And he said he was ok!

'Jeb told me that I only have three months and ten days left, and since he told me yesterday, and today is a new day…'

I started. Only three months and nine days and Wind would die? He was one of my close friends, standing alongside with Gon. He couldn't die! But he said they had a cure in Avril before… I guess he would go there after the hunter exam. Why the hell did he not get the cure when he was already in Avril?

I slinked away, having heard enough information. I didn't want to know anymore. As I walked up the steps and sat next to Gon, I suddenly realised something odd.

Who the hell was Jeb?

Back to Wind's View~

I followed Dusky as she led me to the cabin where Kurapika was, after she helped me get my pack and staff. I hobbled along with her towards the main cabin. To my surprise, Kurapika was still in the position he was in without his bandages.

'Hey Dusky, isn't he supposed to be bandaged?'

'Yep. I guess we should do it, huh?'

'But I always thought that Illumi did it…'

'Considering his personality, I doubt he would.'

'Oh yeah! I never thought of that before…'

I got my first-aid kit out and Dusky quickly took the bandages out of the kit.

'So we wrap the part that's injured, right?'

'Right.' I answered her. The seagulls were screeching. Were they greeting a new day? I wish I understood them…

'So, how do you do it?' I looked at her and sweat-dropped.

'Uh… I think you just wrap his head. Like, hold his head in your lap or something and wrap the bandage around his head, over the bleeding bit.'

Dusky slowly turned red.

'Hey, Dusky, why are you turning red?'

'Put his head on my lap?!' she squeaked.

'Uh, yeah. It would be the easiest…' Then I realised what she was flustered about.

'Oh.' I smiled a Cheshire cat grin at her. Then I heaved myself off the floor with my staff. 'Then I'll leave you two together for some private time, shall I?' I winked at her.

'Hey Wind! Don't abandon me here! Kurapika still needs his head bandaged!'

'Payback for the ship incident for leaving me with Killua,' I sang and sniggered behind her back as I kept walking. I closed the door.

'Hey Wind! Windfarest Sani, I demand you to come back here!'

I just tapped my staff loudly on the floor as I hobbled away from her.

'Come back here!'

I walked out of the main cabin to join Killua and Gon. I sat on the other side of Gon and watched as the sky started to lighten to dim red. Dawn was coming.

I sighed happily and rested my chin on my knees (of course, after putting my pack and my staff aside). Gon was starting to stir. I smiled down at him and stroked his hair. He really did have coarse hair! I chuckled as I kept stroking.

I didn't notice (then) how Killua snuck glances at me with a frown on his face.

Wow! I stood on the deck next to Gon, breathing the fresh sea breeze. We had already received the cards telling us who we were 'hunting', and now, I guess, I'm 'prey' too.

I had thought that Dusky and I would be prey and hunter, but I was wrong. It was number… I looked at the rectangular card. No. 04. I looked around. There were only two guys that I didn't recognise, and those two were probably me and Dusky's prey.

I wondered a little about how Zebiru's island was going to look like in real life. I hope they don't have a lot of bugs. I hate bugs to the extent of that Dusky accuses me of being an insectophobe. That's why I love insect repellent. I had found a bottle in the first aid kit, and it seemed to be working.

I looked out to sea again. My ears pricked up, hearing footsteps approach. I turned around to greet Dusky and Killua.

'Hey.'

'Yo.'

'Hi!'

Killua plopped next to Gon. I sat on the other side of Gon and Dusky sat facing us. We sat in silence for a few moments, all of us looking at each other. Then Killua broke the ice.

'Which number did you pick?' Killua asked, looking at Gon.

'Secret! What about you?' Gon asked back.

'…'

We all smiled awkwardly at each other.

'Don't worry. My target isn't any one of you.'

'Me too.' They looked at us.

'Oh. Dusky and I don't have your sheets either.'

'Then we count to three and show what we drew in our lottery?'

We nodded.

'1!'

'2!'

'3!!'

We all showed out target sheets.

Gon: 44

Killua: 199

Wind: 04

Dusky: 68

Killua's eyes bulged.

'Seriously?' Gon nodded. 'You're not very lucky at lottery.'

'You think that too?'

Dusky and I smiled at each other. They were following their dialogue word for word from the manga. Which was a good thing, because that meant that Dusky and I didn't actually have to change the story line that much? They continued their talk. When they were near the end, and Killua was getting up, Dusky piped up.

'Hey, you two stop ignoring us and answer my question please. Who's number 68?'

Killua shook his head. Gon started to shake his head when he looked up.

'Wait! I think he's the guy with the really long blue hair!'

I looked up. One of the two guys that weren't supposed to be here was the guy with the long blue hair. The other one had short brown hair.

'Seriously? Oh thank you Gon! I love you!'

Dusky glomped Gon. Gon blushed a little and pushed her off him.

'Get off me.' I smiled discreetly and tried to stifle a cough. Killua narrowed his eyes at me but stood and put one foot on his skate-board.

'Well, we won't let the others worry us.' Killua turned his back to us and twisted his head to face us.

'Try to stay alive, Gon, Dusk, Wind.'

We all put our thumbs up to him as he skated away.

Only later did I realise that he had stressed my name.

'Please leave the boat in the order of arrival at the bottom of the tower during the third round! An interval of two minutes will separate each candidate leaving the boat!'

I shook my head to clear it from the drowsiness fogging my mind. The rest of what the girl was saying was lost to me, but it didn't matter since I already knew what she was saying anyway.

I slowly stood up and rubbed my eyes.

'Departure of the first candidate!'

I watched as Hisoka slowly blended in with the forest. I yawned and dawdled towards the plank to the island.

'Departure of the second candidate!'

I slowly stumbled down the plank and yawned again. I paused and stretched, breathing in. Then, with my pack on my shoulders and my staff in my hand, I sprinted forwards as fast as I could. To others, it would seem like I had suddenly disappeared from the spot. I knew because Dusky told me when we had experimented before.

I hid in the trees in a spot where I could still see the ship clearly. Two minutes later, Dusky went off the ship normally, without my sleep-induced drunkenness. She actually looked graceful! I gaped but forced myself to settle on my tree branch calmly to wait for the random guy with short brown hair to come.

Oh hey, this was a tropical climate wasn't it? I wonder if any pineapple grew here?

And so, the plot thickens! Will Killua find out what they're hiding? And so,

Reviews are greatly appreciated, other stuff also appreciated (of course). I'm thinking of starting another fic, but of course, after awhile. But should I do a Yu Yu Hakusho one or a Gakuen Alice one? Or a Card Captor Sakura (it might be a bit childish, but it was the first anime I watched so I'm kind of attached) or Prince of Tennis?