"Nen?"

The captain nodded. "Have you heard of it?"

Momo frowned. "I don't think so… Should I know about it?"

The captain shook his head. "You shouldn't. Which is why you're here."

"I… don't think I understand."

"Nen is the ability to utilize the energy of your life force," the captain explained. "Your aura, if you will. With Nen, people are able to do incredible things. Enhance their bodies, create objects… even manipulate others."

Momo felt a shiver run down her spine at that. "And…? What does that have to do with me?"

"I think you're well aware of that little 'ability' of yours that you used to help save Katsuo."

"I… Y-yeah."

"You see, there are some people that are born with Nen. They have absolutely no formal training in Nen, yet are able to develop their own Hatsus."

"...Hatsus?"

"Sorry, unique Nen abilites specific to a select person. These people are normally called psychics, geniuses, even superhumans. I'm fairly sure you fit the bill."

Momo nodded. "So you think I'm one of those people? But then, why are you telling me this?"

His eyes narrowed. "I'm telling you this now so you don't end up becoming a target later. The existence of Nen is supposed to stay a secret from the general public. If you were to reveal this knowledge…"

Momo shuddered. "I understand. I can't let this get in the wrong hands."

"Not just that. Even though Nen is supposed to be a secret, there may be some people taking the Hunter Exam that already know of it, or are even fully trained. There are plenty of unusual people taking the Exam, after all. Revealing your Hatsu may put you at risk to those people, especially since you've never even heard of Nen before this."

"So, no different from how it's always been…" she muttered.

"How it's always been?"

Momo jolted and nodded. "I was afraid that this ability would make people see me differently, so I tried to avoid using it… The only one who really knows anything about it is my brother."

"The blond boy, Kurapika."

"Mmhm."

"He doesn't know of Nen, does he?"

"He doesn't. At least, I don't think he does…"

The captain nodded and motioned to the door. "Alright. You can go now. I think it goes without saying that you can't tell anyone what we talked about here."

Momo frowned. "What am I going to tell them? I know that Brother, at least, will ask what happened here…"

The captain picked up his beer bottle and thumbed it. "Just tell him it ain't any of his business and it's nothing dangerous."

"That's only going to make him more curious…"

"Do you really need an excuse that badly?"

"Um- I've been told that I'm really bad at lying on the spot."

The captain groaned, grabbed a canister, and chucked it at her. "Say that we've been talking about that seasickness of yours. I'm giving you this because I said that you might need it in the future."

Momo caught the implication and grinned. "Thank you, sir! I'll see you later!" She waved and bounced out the door, acting as if nothing serious had ever happened within the confines of the captain's cabin.

It was a good thing she's had so much practice in acting before.

o o o

"Momo!" Kurapika called as she padded down the steps. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" She held the bottle of pills in her hand. "The captain just wanted to ask about my seasickness and gave me this to help me in the future."

"Speaking of seasickness, how are you not sick right now?" Leorio asked.

"Well, I trained myself so that it's not so bad anymore. Although, I can't do much against really strong storms, like the one that just passed…" She rubbed her head sheepishly and chuckled. "I'd always had a really weak stomach since I was born, so…"

"A weak stomach?" Leorio frowned. "Shouldn't you have gotten that checked?"

"The Kurta clan wasn't really up to date with the rest of the world in terms of technology," Kurapika explained. "So we didn't have a reliable way to check that until after…" He coughed. "And it would be strange for two kids to ask for a checkup that really should have been done a lot earlier… It would raise a lot of questions."

Leorio snapped his fingers. "Then how about this? Once I get a Hunter's licence and become a doctor, I'll give you guys that checkup that you need, free of charge!"

Kurapika looked up, his lips twitching as though fighting down a smile, and a sparkling light in his eyes. "Really?"

Momo beamed, not bothering to hide her own happiness. "You'd really do that? Thank you!"

Kurapika looked at Momo, saw her joyful face, and shook his head, no longer bothering to hide his own smile. "Then I'll hold you to that promise, Leorio."

"And you bet I'll keep it!" The three smiled at each other, while Gon looked on happily.

o o o

"He said to head for that cedar tree?"

"But the Exam's in Zaban City… the tree is in the exact opposite location."

"Perhaps you misheard him?"

Gon shook his head. "He said to head for the lone cedar tree, I'm sure of it."

"Well, if the captain said so, then I'll have to listen to him!" Momo smiled. "Gon, you going?"

"No, I'm coming with you. I'm sure he had a reason for suggesting that, so I want to check it out!"

"Oi, oi, the bus to Zaban City's leaving… It would be easier to just take it."

Momo turned to him in surprise. "You mean you're not coming with us?"

Leorio rubbed his head. "Er…"

Momo frowned. She didn't want them to separate. Not yet. And while it may be selfish, she sincerely believed that the captain's advice would help them all pass the Exam. So she decided to deploy her secret weapon:

Puppy dog eyes.

Leorio cringed and instantly looked away, but the damage was done. He shifted on his feet unsteadily, leaning towards the bus, then her, then the bus again. Then…

"Argh! Fine! I'm coming with you!"

"Yes!" She pumped a fist in the air and looked at Kurapika. "Brother, you're coming too, right?"

"That's right."

"Then let's go!" Gon called, somehow already a few meters ahead. Momo laughed and chased after him, followed by Kurapika and then Leorio. The four journeyed like this for a while, Gon and Momo cheerfully taking the lead, with Kurapika and Leorio trailing behind. Soon enough, they reached a sandy town, devoid of any sign of life- at least, for those who couldn't notice them.

"This is creepy… it feels like we're the only ones here," Leorio muttered.

"But there are plenty of others here," Gon stated.

"What?"

A door slid open, and all of them tensed. Momo could only stare as a wooden stage settled in front of them, carried by people clothed with white, almost ghost-like cloaks and strange furry wigs. In the center was an old woman, with her eyes closed and hands clasped together.

"Exciting…"

"E-exciting…?" Leorio repeated.

"EXCITING TWO CHOICE QUIZ!"

Momo resisted the urge to slam her head into the floor. Next to her, Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio could only stare blankly.

"You all are headed toward that tree on the hill, correct? To reach that tree, you must pass through this town. I shall administer a single-question quiz. You'll have five seconds to give your answer. Give the wrong answer, and you'll be disqualified. You'll have to give up on taking this year's Exam."

Momo felt a chill down her spine. This lady means business!

"I see… Then, this is also part of the Hunter Exam."

"Well, I happen to be a quiz taking expert, so- wait, only one question?!"

"Your answer will either be the number 1 or 2. Any other answer will be considered incorrect."

"Wait, so we all share the same question?" Leorio asked. "So if one of them answers incorrectly, I'll be disqualified too?"

"Hey!" Momo frowned.

Kurapika gave Leorio a deadpanned look. "As if that would happen. What scares me is the high likelihood of the reverse happening."

"Brother," she warned.

"But, you know, it's easier this way!" Gon's cheerful voice chimed. "Only one of us needs to know the answer!" He rubbed his head sheepishly. "I'm not that good at quizzes."

"Hey, hey, hurry it up. Or else I'll answer the question first," a voice called. They turned to find a rather conceited looking male waltzing up to them with his hands in his pockets.

"Who are you?" Leorio frowned.

"He followed us here, all the way from the port," Gon answered. Momo gaped at him. How in the world did he know that? Though now that I think about it, I did feel a strange gaze on me…

"I happened to overhear your conversation," the male gave as an answer.

"What are you going to do?" the old lady called.

Momo shrugged. "Why not let this guy do it? He seems real eager for it."

"Letting him go first would be beneficial," Kurapika agreed. The four moved aside for the male to step forward. A stand with a button was placed in front of him.

"Here is the question," the lady began. "Evil villains have captured your mother and your lover. You can only save one. Select 1 for your mother, and 2 for your lover. Which will you save?"

The group jerked as a whole. Y-you can only save one? Momo screamed in her mind. What kind of quiz is this?!

The male slapped the button and crossed his arms, smirking confidently. "The answer is 1."

"Oh? And what makes you say that?"

"Because you can't replace your mother, but you can find another lover," he stated.

The lady pointed her thumb behind her. "You may pass."

"What?!"

The male turned to them and smirked. "You just have to tell the old lady what she wants to hear. It's that simple."

Momo's eyes burned when he said that, so casually as if he was talking about the weather. Simple? Simple?! How the hell can he say that it's simple?! A firm grip on her shoulder snapped her out of it, and she turned to find Kurapika's stern but slightly ticked gaze.

"Control yourself, Momo," he said out loud. I'm mad too, he said through his eyes. "We have to stay calm."

Momo felt her blood shift from a boil to a simmer. She gave the slightest nod, and looked back forward, only now registering the angry screeching that was Leorio ranting.

"I won't put up with this sham! I'll find a different route!"

"It's too late. Refuse to take the quiz, and you'll be disqualified."

"Th-that's just ridiculous! Different people expect different answers! There is no right answer!"

Kurapika seemed to jolt. "No right answer… I see!" He whipped around. "Leorio-!"

"Wait!"

Momo snapped her attention towards the old lady and her brother.

"Not another word from you. Say anything but the answer, and you're immediately disqualified."

Momo instantly latched onto her words. She said anything but the answer… So Brother can still answer the question! But then, why isn't he saying anything?

"Here is your question. Your son and your daughter have been kidnapped. You can only rescue one. Select 1 for your son, and 2 for your daughter."

Momo stiffened, heart racing. If both Shintaro and I had drowned back there, who would my dad have chosen to save? Who would my mom choose to save?

"Five."

Her eyes slid to Kurapika, who was watching their other two companions with a desperate sort of pleading. Kurapika can only say the answer, and the old lady probably only told him that because he figured out the answer, but he isn't saying anything-!

"Four."

Something clicked in her mind. He isn't saying anything.

"Three."

Of course! If Kurapika knew the answer, he would definitely say it! But he isn't saying anything, which means that is the answer!

"Two."

But can I say anything? Nono, she said that any other answer would get me disqualified, so I can't! She looked over at Gon and Leorio. Please don't do anything stupid!

"One. Buzz. Time's up."

Leorio lunged at the old lady, roaring like a lion all the way. He raised his makeshift stick weapon and brought it down, only for Kurapika to block it.

"Calm down, Leorio!" he yelled.

"How am I supposed to calm down?!" he bellowed.

"You'll waste our correct response!" Kurapika snapped. Leorio instantly stepped back, a dumbfounded look on his face.

"The answer was no answer," Momo explained, stepping beside Kurapika. "Am I right?" He nodded gratefully.

"Back then, you hit the nail on the head, so to speak. This quiz had no right answer, but we could only state 1 or 2 as an answer."

"Basically, silence was the right answer, and the only response we could give," Momo summed up. She shot a look at Kurapika. You were going to do one of those long explanations again, weren't you?

His lips quirked up at that before he resumed his calm face towards Leorio.

"But- what about that other guy?" he asked.

"The old lady never said he gave the right answer. She only said, "You may pass." So this path isn't actually the correct path. Am I right?" He directed this at the old lady in question.

"You are correct." She got up and moved to a wall on the side. "This is the correct path. It leads directly to the tree. Walk two hours and you'll reach the top. A couple lives in the cabin beneath that tree. They serve as Navigators. If you meet their standards, I believe that they will guide you to the Exam site."

The stick in Leorio's hand clattered to the ground. He walked over to the old lady and bowed. "Gran, I'm sorry for my rudeness."

"Don't be. I don't mind. I do this job because I enjoy meeting people like you." She then smiled up at him. "Do your best to become a good Hunter."

Leorio smiled one of his warmer, more gentler smiles back. "Yeah, I will."

"Ahhhhhh, it's no use!" They turned to find Gon on the ground, a look of innocent dismay on his face. "I still can't find the right answer."

Leorio and Kurapika burst into laughter. "You were still trying to find the right answer? You can stop now," Kurapika told him.

"What? Why?"

"The quiz is over."

"I know. But… I was thinking… What if I get in a situation like that, where I can only save one person… What should I do then?"

The relieved smile on Momo's face faded.

"It wouldn't be right to just choose one," Gon continued. "But one day, I might have to make that choice."

Momo's lips pressed into a thin line. She didn't want to admit it, but he was right. He was right, and she was a fool for hoping that she would never have to run into another life-or-death scenario where her loved ones were at stake. When the time came, she would have to make a choice.

She wasn't sure if she would ever be ready for that time.

But there was something else that scared her, something that had bothered her ever since she had been reborn into this world.

If I was forced to make a choice between Kurapika and Shintaro… between the brother of this life and the brother of my past, who would I end up choosing?

o o o

"Walk two hours?" Leorio grumbled. "It was two hours, two hours ago!" They walked past a sign with simple, almost picturesque writing. "Another 'Beware of magical beasts' sign? Are we ever gonna make it to the exam site?" He flailed his arms. "I'm hungry! I need to take a dump! I gotta take a leak too!"

"Ugh! TMI?" Momo growled, already a few meters ahead of him with Gon and Kurapika at her side.

"Leorio! We'll leave you behind!" Gon called.

Kurapika looked up and smiled. "I see it."

"You do?" Momo perked up. "Finally! Let's go!" She charged forward, followed by all the others. They reached the quaint little cottage in only a few minutes.

"Hello?" Leorio called. "Anyone home?"

"Are they out?" Gon asked.

Momo frowned. The house was quiet- too quiet- for a supposed couple living there. Like Gon said, they could be out, but…

Leorio turned the knob. "We're coming in."

The door opened to reveal a yellow furred beast standing over a man, clutching a woman in his arm.

"A magical beast?" Momo hissed.

"Not just any magical beast, it's a transforming magical beast, the Kiriko!"

The Kiriko turned and crashed through the window. Momo, Kurapika, and Gon ran to the window.

"P-please… save my wife…" They turned to find Leorio already snapping open his bag and pulling out various bandages and other medical gear.

"Leorio, we'll leave the man to you!" Kurapika ordered as they jumped out the window. Gon rushed after the faint shadow in the distance, followed by Kurapika and Momo.

He can follow that shadow even though it's night?! I wonder if Hibiya could- no, no, focus!

Gon leaped into the trees and bound along the branches, the sibling pair following from the ground.

"Kiriko! Let her go!" Gon demanded.

"Take her from me, if you can!"

Gon jumped, missed, and fell to the ground. Momo pulled him back to his feet while running.

"You alright?"

"Wow! He can talk!"

Yeah, he's fine, Momo smiled.

"That magical beast, the Kiriko, uses human speech," Kurapika answered, ever the informationist.

"Oh! That makes this a lot easier!" He leaped back into the trees. "Hey! Silly Kiriko!" When the Kiriko turned toward him, he lunged, winding up his fishing pole and bashing it into the Kiriko as hard as possible. This made it drop the woman. "Kurapika!"

Kurapika leaped up and caught her before she could reach the ground. He sighed and looked back up at Gon. "He's so reckless…"

"Brother! You got her, right?"

He nodded. "What are you-"

"Stupid kid! You'll pay for this!"

"Wait!"

"I'm going after Gon! Take care of her and yourself!" And she dashed after Gon. While the boy was travelling by air, she was forced to run along the ground, keeping an eye on the steadily disappearing figure. She growled to herself and clucked her tongue. If Hibiya was here, this would be so much easier!

A shiver went down her spine. She stopped, seeing as how she couldn't see Gon anymore anyway. She narrowed her eyes, doing her absolute hardest to keep her powers in check. She could feel eyes on her- and they weren't anyone she knew.

"Whoever you are, come out!" she called. "If you want to get Gon, you're going to have to get through me first!"

The bushes rustled, and a figure stepped out. It was-

"Brother?!" she gaped. She would have known if it was her brother. She had felt his eyes on her many times before, and she would've been able to recognize if it was familiar. But then- what was it that her brother had said?

Kiriko, a transforming magical beast…!

"You're not Brother," she accused, tightening her stance. "You're a Kiriko, aren't you?"

'Kurapika' sneered, and it looked so very wrong on his normally stoic, quietly gentle face. "How did you figure it out?" He started transforming, growing larger and stretching until a yellow-furred beast stood in his place. "How did you know that I was fake?"

"Brother said that you were a transforming magical beast," she stated. "And Brother would never leave that woman alone within these woods, not after I told him to take care of her. I just made-"

"A logical guess," the Kiriko smirked. "But that doesn't explain how you knew you were being followed."

She tensed. Why is it asking me all these questions instead of attacking? "I felt your eyes on me," she answered, unable to think of a convincing lie. "And they weren't anybody's I knew." She narrowed her eyes. "Why haven't you attacked me yet?"

Shrill laughter rang through the forest, but it wasn't coming from the Kiriko in front of her. "Hey, sweetheart! Come out here!" a voice called, so similar it was pretty much identical. "You're gonna love this!"

Sweetheart? She stared at the Kiriko as it perked up.

"Come back to the cottage if you want an answer to that question," it grinned, before bounding away. Momo deadpanned at it.

And I thought I was going to get in some sort of fight…? Though now that I think about it, their eyes didn't feel very murderous… She sighed and turned. Well, the only way I'm gonna get answers is by going to the cottage, so going to the cottage it is!

o o o

"Hmm… How many years has it been since someone was able to tell us apart? I'm ecstatic!" They were all gathered at the cottage at the foot of the cedar tree, the two Kirikos, the couple, and the examinees. Momo glanced back and forth between the two Kirikos, frowning.

Seriously?! I thought Gon was really skilled, especially for his age, but this takes the cake! I can't see a difference between them at all!

"Hey," Leorio whispered. "Can you tell their faces and voices are different?"

"No, not at all…" Kurapika muttered. Momo nodded along with him.

"You see, the one Kurapika and I beat up is the husband," Gon explained, turning back toward them.

Which one are you talking about? they all thought with a sweatdrop.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves," one of the Kirikos said, as they all gathered together. "We are the Navigators. Our family provides support for the Hunter Exam."

"I'm their daughter!" the 'woman' chirped.

"And I'm their son," the 'man' waved.

"Man, you had us fooled," Leorio sighed. Momo could agree with him. I definitely didn't expect something like this!

"The Hunter Exam site changes every year," a Kiriko explained. "It's quite difficult to locate it."

"So we Navigators help by guiding the applicants to the site."

"But we don't help every applicant. We test applicants to see if they're qualified to take the Exam."

"Kurapika," the 'woman' began. "You successfully used the most vague of hints to determine that we weren't spouses." She raised her arm, which caused her sleeve to fall back and to reveal tattoos on her skin. "The hint was these tattoos, which in this region, mark a woman as single for life." She rubbed her wrist, which caused the tattoo to smear and come off. "You've demonstrated that you're very knowledgeable, therefore you pass."

Kurapika relaxed, before turning to look at them with a smile.

"Leorio," the 'man' began. "You never realized my true identity. However, you dressed my injuries faster and more thoroughly than any doctor. More importantly, you continued to reassure me that my wife was safe. Your kindness makes you worthy to take the Hunter Exam."

Leorio rubbed his head and smiled. "Stop it," he mock scowled at the others' looks. "It's embarrassing."

"Momo," the Kiriko on the left began. She instinctively tensed and straightened. "You were able to tell when someone was watching you, and even if it was someone you were familiar with. You were able to see through my disguise almost instantly. For your perceptiveness, and for your irrefutable trust in your brother, you deserve to take the Hunter Exam."

Momo exhaled and beamed. "Brother, I passed!" she whispered excitedly. He smiled and nodded along.

"Finally, Gon," the Kiriko on the right began. "Your superhuman physical ability, and powers of observation makes you worthy to take the Hunter Exam. You pass."

Gon grinned, a big, wide, happy smile stretching across his face. He raised his arm and fistbumped the others.

"We will now take you to the Exam site!" they declared, transforming back to their original forms and stretching out big, leathery wings. Momo gasped at the realization.

Ohmygod, we're flying?! That's so cool!

In the end, Kurapika was lifted by one, Leorio was lifted by two, and Momo double teamed with Gon due to his naturally lighter body.

"Isn't it great that we all passed?" Gon called to the wind.

"It's too early to celebrate," Kurapika reminded. "We merely earned the right to take the real Exam."

"Geez, Brother! Don't be such a party pooper!"

"Yeah! What's wrong with celebrating a little!"

"You all really should think a little…"

"Stop being such a smart-ass!" Leorio snapped. He then dropped several feet.

"Stop moving around!"

"If you fall, blame yourself!"

Gon laughed at his antics. Momo smiled before looking up at her own Kiriko.

"Are you sure this is alright? Carrying us both like this…"

"I'll be fine," the Kiriko replied. "As long as you don't move around as much as that guy, there won't be any risk of falling."

Momo couldn't help but chuckle at the subtle jab. She looked down at the land below, at the lake sparkling with the light of the full moon, the shifting of the shadows as trees rustled in the wind, the deep, rich night sky.

"The view's amazing," she muttered to herself. I only wish that you were with me to see it… all of you. Everyone in the gang. Her hands tightened. I promise. After I get my Hunter's licence, I'll find all of you, and bring us back together. I will… definitely…

Reform the Blindfold gang once more.

A/N: And with that, happy holidays! It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm really sorry for not updating sooner, but I can't really control my brain's muses (which more often then not results in many different story ideas all at once... Just take a look at my profile .-.)

Since it's winter break, I'll try to get more of my stories updated, but no promises. Until then, I'll see you on the next chapter!