The hours following the bus crash seemed to drag on and on. There was nothing to do besides follow after the driver like a trail of baby ducks. Arcadia groaned as she trudged along with the rest of them. Because of the water, her mp3 player was broken, her phone was busted and everyone was in a bad mood. All in all, the second stage of the preliminary exam was very reminiscent of the first.
It was boring.
From the hill above the river they had made their way into a forest. "It's quicker to cut through it," the bus driver had said. Arcadia didn't trust him but it wasn't like she had any other choice. None of them did. If they wanted to continue with the exam they had to follow him.
Maybe if Hisoka was here, she thought, she'd have someone to talk to. Scratch that, Arcadia knew for a fact that he'd do something eccentric and kill this bloody boredom. But as night began to fall, there was still no sign of him. If she hadn't been so confident in his abilities, she would almost say that she was worried about him.
"God, the Hunter Exam's have a lot of walking." Arcadia huffed and puffed in frustration as she stepped over a fallen tree trunk. "I swear, it is like 90% getting from one area to another, for no good reason."
"Stop whining, girlie. If you don't like it, go home," One of the guys spat at her. "The Exams are made for men not for women. Go back to the kitchen where you belong."
Arcadia smiled even though her eyes narrowed into slits. "What's your name, sir?" she asked cheerfully.
The man stared at her like she had sprouted another head. He couldn't understand what she was so happy about but after a moment, he decided it didn't matter. He really didn't care. "Lufo Donio. Why?"
Her smile widened. "I like to know the names of the people I plan on killing."
The man stopped short as Arcadia hummed and walked forward with a little extra pep in her step. The man shook his head, exchanging looks with the guys around him. They all were thinking the same thing. The girl was a freak.
Killua's interest was piqued as he overheard the exchange. As he came up behind Arcadia, he folded his hands behind his head. "So, you've killed people before?"
"Oh, yeah." Arcadia smiled boastfully. "Loads of times."
Killua's look turned smug as he eyed her over. She could feel his scrutiny bore holes into the back of her head. With the way he was acting it was almost like he didn't believe her. But why? Was it because she was a girl? Or was it for some other reason?
"How come?" he asked.
She shrugged. "Sometimes for money. Sometimes for fun. Kinda runs in my family, I guess."
Killua scoffed. He doubted killing ran in anyone's family like it ran in his. But something about the girl made him believe her. He didn't know why but maybe it was just the way she said it. His eyes lingered on her small form. She wasn't that small, but next to him it felt like she was. He was almost six feet while she had to be at least half a foot shorter.
"Your family kills people, too?" Killua asked, his brows furrowing in thought. What were the chances of her being an assassin, too? There was no way, he would have sensed it, he was sure of it. If she really was an assassin, she wouldn't be so happy and so normal, so weak… but then again, as he thought back to the brief glimpses of bloodlust that glimmered in her eyes.
She might be.
"Yeah, they kill people all the time." Arcadia looked back at him, happy to see that he was at least thinking about what she was saying and not just laughing it off. "I'm from Meteor City, you see. Everyone says it's a really bad place but I can tell you it's a thousand times worse. There's no government and it's a complete anarchy. Even though there's no written laws, there's one unspoken rule. Kill or be killed. It's a survival of the fittest kind of thing. If you want something you take it. If you want someone, you go get them. Kind of like that, you know?"
The ex-assassin nodded. "So I've heard. My mother's actually from Meteor City."
"Really? What part?"
"I dunno."
"Oh, okay."
After a few seconds of silence, Killua glanced at the girl. He chewed on his lip. "So your family, they're not assassins, right?"
She shook her head. "No. They just kill people to assert their dominance."
"Oh." Killua looked away, frowning. Part of him was disappointed that she wasn't an assassin. It would have been cool to talk to someone his age in a similar situation as him. Other kids like him, did they want to be assassins? Were they hoping to take over the family business? "So why do you kill?"
"Well, in the past I've killed because I was bored," Arcadia grinned and laughed sheepishly as she scratched the back of her head. "Oh, and because people pissed me off. Some people are just better off dead, you know?"
Killua nodded. He could agree with that.
"And like I said, I sometimes did it for money. There's this place under the city, under the sewers and abandoned subways called the Pit. The mafia runs it and they schedule battles where all weapons and all fighting styles are allowed. Sometimes it's one giant free for all and other times it's a bracketed tournament. Because you can only win by killing your opponent or by getting them to cry uncle, it can get really bloody sometimes."
"So basically it's like the underground version of Heaven's Arena?"
"Kinda. I've never been there but my Dad says the fighters in the Pit make Heaven's Arena look like child's play."
"Has your Dad ever been to the Arena?"
Arcadia laughed. "Yeah. He has to go once every six months because he's a floor master."
The snowy haired teen stared at her in shock. That was… impressive.
"One day," she continued. "I'm going to get to the top. I want to beat him."
"It shouldn't be that hard," he snorted. "I've already gotten to the 200th floor."
It was Arcadia's turn to stare at him in shock. "What!? When?"
"When I was six."
Arcadia barely suppressed her surprise. "How long did it take you to get there?"
"Two years."
She was speechless. When she was six she still played with dolls. When she was eight she just started getting good at fighting. "Why were you in Heaven's Arena so young?"
"It was apart of my family's training. I wasn't allowed to leave or go home until I reached the 200th floor."
"That sounds intense." She lowered her voice. "I kinda wish my family was more like that. They're so scared that I'll get hurt, they won't train me. They always take it easy on me." Arcadia made a face. "I hate it."
Silence followed her words. Silence, aside from the sound of feet marching along leaf ridden paths. Both were lost in their own heads, thinking of their homes and the lives they led. "What about you," she asked going back to their earlier conversation. "Have you ever killed someone?"
Killua shrugged. "Yeah, but it's no big deal. Like you said, killing is kind of a family thing for me too."
Arcadia gave a small nod, glancing back at Killua. His bright blue eyes were glossed over, far away in thought. Even if she had killed hundreds of people, he had killed thousands. Before he could even walk, his parents put a knife in his hand and held the throats of their targets in front of him.
His first memories were not of birthday parties or whatever the normal people grew up remembering. His first memory was blood. A spray of red, streaking across a blank, white background. The droplets that splashed across his face leaving warm, wet spots.
"Do you think we could be lost?" Arcadia asked after a moment of silence.
"Unlikely. I bet we're just heading to another one of his tests."
Killua barely got the words out of his mouth before he heard a subtle thud beneath his shoe. He froze, his eyes darting to the ground as he took a step back. There was no visible difference, it looked the same, but he could have sworn…
There was a loud, metallic creak as an underground latch gave way. Immediately, Arcadia jumped backwards, away from the noise as a trap door opened up beneath the center of the duckling horde. Her right foot landed on a purple shoe and her back bumped against a muscular chest that had gotten in her way.
"Hey, watch it!" The white haired teen snapped as he stumbled.
"No, you watch it!"
The two leapt away from one another and glared at the other until recognition sunk it.
"Sorry," Arcadia said, her face heating up. She was willing to bet she hadn't physically hurt him in any way, shape, or form. The only thing bruised at that moment was her ego. She couldn't even jump backwards without bumping into someone. What must he think of her?
Killua showed no signs of accepting her apology. Instead, he just looked passed her. "Ouch." He said, his face impassive and his tone dull.
Arcadia's brow furrowed in confusion so she turned around and followed his line of sight. There was a bed of spikes and spears laced with barbed wire about fifty feet below them. Ten people had fallen all the way to the bottom and their bodies were a bloody and mangled mess.
Her head tilted to the side in thought. Was that what Killua was talking about when he said 'Ouch' and not her?
Seven contestants clung to the sides of the walls, using their weapons like ice picks to climb up the dirt and rocks. A few had cut the spikes they were about to fall on, only to land and break their legs from the long saved their lives, at least, if they could get out of the hole.
"Huh." The driver mused as he inched closer to the edge of the drop. He almost sounded disappointed, somehow. "Not as many as last year."
With that, he pointed the controller at the ground, and the trap doors began to close. If there was any doubt left that the the pre-exam was one giant death trap, there was none now.
"No! Wait!" The screams of those still trapped in the pit echoed throughout the forest, sending birds flying from the trees. The fallen applicants hurried towards the top, hoping to beat the doors before they closed. Three did and they jumped through the cracks, but the others weren't so lucky. The doors banged shut, sealing them in the darkness. Their cries were silenced by their earthy tomb.
"Fifty-three." The driver said as he turned to look at them, a smile curling the corners of his lips. "Thirty of you perished in the bus. Another seventeen fell into the hole. You are all that is left."
"Fifty-four."
The Examiners eyes moved to Arcadia, staring at her young, passive face. Out of everyone, she was the most surprising. "I think you miscounted," he said."
"I didn't. You forgot about someone who stayed behind at the bus but he'll catch up soon enough." She have a small jolt when she remembered her manners. "Sir."
The driver stared at her for a moment, trying to piece the confusing girl together. Arcadia Lucilfer, he called. The old hunter had tried to save her life but perhaps she didn't need saving at all. Or maybe she was she just naive enough to think someone she knew on the bus had survived when they most likely died.
Either way, his smile grew. "Did I, now? I guess, we'll see. Why don't we go ahead and call it a night? It will give him plenty of time to catch up, won't it?"
Arcadia looked around nervously as the other applicants glared holes into the back and sides of her head. "A-Are you sure? We're almost there, aren't we?" She asked, hoping to appease the masses.
That, and not a single soul besides the driver wanted to spend the night in the creepy forest, sleeping on the cold and dirty ground.
"I'm sure. It will be at least another twelve hours to get there and I'm… tired." he said as he turned and began to walk away. "We'll set up camp here."
"But sir-!" Arcadia called after him but he didn't look back as he disappeared into the blackened forest. Her eyes shifted to Killua, who had already turned and made his way towards a tree to climb up. Her eyes shifted to the ground, where the trap had been. Sleeping in a tree was her plan, as well. The ground wasn't safe…
The driver was not concerned with setting up a place to sleep like many of the contestants who searched for firewood and tent materials. Instead, he was making his way back towards the bus. He wanted to see if the man the girl had such faith in truly did exist. Was he coming?
The driver did not have to go far. Only a mile behind them, he came to a stop. He could sense it, the aura of nen. Of nen soaked in blood. His eyes narrowed as the shadow before him stepped closer, a wide grin spread from cheek to cheek.
"Oh, my." Hisoka purred, slowly suppressing his nen once again. "Could you sense me coming from that far away?" The driver lifted his chin higher, forcing himself to show confidence despite his internal doubts.
"I would like to say I could. That would be quite impressive." The driver admitted. "A girl said she thought someone was trailing behind, so I doubled back to see if she was right. Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt or lost."
Hisoka gave a soft moan. "Mm. Cadi-chan. Here I was thinking she left me to die."
The driver couldn't hide a look of disgust that washed over his features. The sight and sound of a grown man moaning over a teenage girl… Disgusting. "So, you two know each other?"
"Oh, yes." Hisoka said as he began to walk closer. The driver held his ground, though the muscles of his body grew more tense with every step the clown took. "Very, very well." The driver stood still, letting Hisoka walk past him and continue towards the makeshift campsite. The driver's hand tightened on his controller.
His first gut instinct was right. That girl was in serious danger.
Hisoka! Arcadia thought as she saw a familiar flash of magenta. She had found a tree to call her home for the night and nestled herself high into the branches just as Killua and several others had done.
Relief that he Hisoka okay brought a big smile to her lips. Part of her was starting to get worried he didn't make it out. For once she was glad his yellow, snake-like eyes landed on her. He flashed a wide smile in her direction and even waved cheerfully at her before jumping into a tree of his own.
Arcadia tried to smother her smile, but for some reason she couldn't. She was so happy. She was taking the Hunter Exams and one day soon she would finally learn about Nen, she had sort of made her first friend, and Hisoka didn't die. He was the only one in her whole family who was ever honest with her. She'd miss him.
Killua did not miss the exchange between them. Though he had been pretending to be asleep, he saw everything. He heard everything. He could feel every vibration and footstep though the tree.
Never let your guard down around others, Illumi's voice echoed inside his head. If you do, you'll die.
Never turn your back, never close your eyes. Follow from behind.
Only trust family. Everyone else is the enemy.
Shut up. Shut up. Killua tried to force the words out of his head. I'm trying to sleep. Just close your eyes and sleep. Killua tossed and turned on his branch, constantly trying to reposition himself into a more comfortable position in hopes of falling asleep but to no avail. He stayed up the whole night, listening to other people- including Arcadia- snore blissfully in their sleep.
Suffice to say when morning came and the driver told everyone to gather around, he was not pleased. Arcadia, however, was more bubbly than ever as she hung upside down from her tree branch and watched the driver. Killua tried to ignore the way her dress rode up her leg, revealing the smooth skin of her thighs but it was hard to keep his eyes off her.
Before the driver even said a single word, the trap doors clicked and opened up once more and a dozen idiots who were absent minded enough to stand on it fell in. Down below, a few people had survived and eagerly reached out towards the light, but almost as quickly as they had opened they closed.
"No! Wait! Please!"
"Somebody help me!" Voices cried from down below.
For three guys who had been waiting for a chance like this, they managed to jump through the narrow gap just in time to freedom. Arcadia tilted her head to the side as she looked at the petrified faes of the survivors. They were terrified.
"How cruel." She mused, dropping to the ground and landing like a cat. She lifted her head and her eyes shifted to the Examiner. "The others, are they going to die down there?"
"They can always dig their way out." He shrugged, glancing around the faces. He silently mouthed the numbers as he counted the heads once more. When he got the same number he frowned. "Last night we had fifty-four challengers. Twelve fell in just now and three came out. Arcadia, was it? You like to count, tell me, how many applicants should be left."
Her eyes, like everyone else, began to look around and count the number of people in the crowd. All eyes except for a pair of yellow ones. He wouldn't even look in her direction. Internally cursing the clown for his stupidity, she said "Forty-five."
"But how many are standing here?"
Her head throbbed as she forced her eyes away from the killer clown. Did it count as cheating if he killed off all the competition? "...Thirty-seven."
"How odd," The driver repeated, glancing at Hisoka. Shit, he knows! Arcadia thought in panic. If Hisoka failed again, he was going to go freaking nuts. He'd lose his fucking mind and kill the Examiner and everyone here. He'd ruin her chances of ever taking the exam and learning nen. This idiot!
Hisoka, however, wasn't concerned and just smiled innocently at the Examiner.
Arcadia's heart hammered in her chest. Maybe if she lied through her teeth, the Examiner would buy it. "After so many people died, it's not really surprising that eight just decided to go back home, right?"
She forced a smile and the examiner's eyes narrowed in her direction. He knows.
"Right." The bus driver said and turned to head off into the forest. Arcadia's mouth dropped open. She could hardly believe her luck. The examiner wasn't making a big deal of Hisoka's bad habits. Thank god.
After thirty minutes of walking they reached a clearing with a small town visible in the distance.
"Is that it?" One guy asked, glaring at the instructor. "I thought you said it was another twelve hours?"
"Did I? We must have made better time than I thought."
"Listen here," the man took a step towards the Examiner, reaching out to grab him by the front of his shirt while his other hand balled into a tight fist. "I've had about enough of your fucking games. I'm sick of it!"
The Examiner remained impassive as he stared back into the angry challenger's eyes. "Alright. Fine. You can leave."
The man paused, taken aback for a moment as his rage dissipated and reason returned to his tiny brain.
"I hope you don't think I'm keeping you here against your will. You, like the other eight people who disappeared in the night," the man paused to glance at Hisoka and Arcadia. "Are free to drop out from the Hunter Exams at any time."
"I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"
"Nope, you're finished. It's over for now but remember to register for the exams again next year."
The man crumpled to his knees. He couldn't believe what he had just done, he had to open his mouth. He couldn't keep quiet and now he was going to have to wait a whole year before he could try for the Hunter Exams again. His hands moved to either side of his face, his brain on the verge of exploding from his skull.
He'd have to survive the first two trials all over again. He made it this far just to throw it away. What was his family going to say? He already lost his job, he couldn't afford the food on the table or the roof over their heads. "Please…"
Despite such human suffering before them, no one paid him much attention. They focused their eyes on the driver who was in turn, focused on them.
They all had something to fight for, it wasn't just him.
"Now. Unless anyone else would like to leave?" He paused, waiting for anyone to move or speak up. No one did. "Alright then. I want everyone to understand, from the moment you handed me your Hunter Exam application, your examination had begun. My job is to make sure only those of you worthy of becoming a Hunter even make it to the first stage. You've survived this far and you have shown your mental acuity. Now, it is time for you to show your physical ability in a trial by combat."
Arcadia's face lit up and she grinned from ear to ear. Combat she could do. Combat was the thing she excelled in. Her fingers twitched towards the grip of her swords. This was her time to shine.
The rest of the applicants had a mix response. Some were just as excited as her, others were terrified, and some couldn't care less. Like Killua.
Arcadia's eyes searched for the applicants in particular who liked to make fun of her, with all of their snide comments still ringing in her ears. She'd find them in the battle and she'd give them their just deserts.
After all, karma's a bitch.
"So, what do we have to do?" someone asked.
"The same thing you've been doing all this time," the Examiner said. "Survive. I don't care if you use weapons. I don't care how you do it, just survive. I will let you know when to stop but I expect most of you won't make it that far."
A silence followed his words as everyone stared at him blankly. He was ordering them to just start senselessly killing one another?
"Well? What are you waiting fo-?" The Examiner began to say, but before the words could even finish leaving his mouth, three bodies hit the floor. His eyes widened.
One man's head was sliced clean off, a bloody playing card lodged into a tree on the directly behind him. Another had a hole in his chest with the Zoldyck standing over him, his still heart in his hand. Using her dual swords, Arcadia had sliced the back of Lufo Donio's knees and ankles, causing him to fall forward and scream as he clutched his injured limbs.
Two had been instant kills and one had been an act to cause pain.
The youngest spider paused and looked at the applicants who were frozen with horror and disbelief. "Oh, was I not supposed to start yet?" She asked, causing the others to jerk into action.
And so the brawl began.
Grunts of pain and aggression filled the air as splatters of blood coated the ground. The dull thud of bodies hitting the grassy floor was drowned out by the sound of clashing metal and the screams of dying men. It's just like the Pits back home, Arcadia thought as she spun and twirled through the field of corpses, swinging her swords around while she laughed and danced to the sound of battle. The only difference was they were in a beautiful, sunny park and not the smelly underground. Not to mention, this was for the 287th Hunter Exam and not just for the money.
"Psycho BITCH!" A swordsman roared as his blade slashed through the air towards her. She giggled, ducking backwards under the giant sword while it flew only a few inches above her face.
"If I wasn't a little bit crazy," she straightened her back as she shifted into an attack position. "I wouldn't have made it this far."
And ain't that the truth. She was totally insane for running away from home. When her father caught her, he'd kill her.
But that was a problem for another day.
The man lunged for her again, his blade swinging from the opposite direction, but she effortlessly back-stepped out of its way. Compared to Uvo, this brute was an ameature.
"Little bit? You're a bat shit fucking lunatic, lady!" The man hissed, the veins on his forehead throbbing as his arms swung the blade wildly. Just one swipe was all he needed to kill the scrawny cunt.
Yet she remained elusive. She wasn't even trying, that much became obvious. She was toying with him, playing a game- she was having fun. "Is that the best you got?" she grinned. "You have to be faster than that."
"I'm going to kill youuu!" His words lost their power when the end of one of her swords pierced through his chest. His wide eyes locked sightlessly before him as blood sputtered from his lips. "I'll… kill… you." He managed to croak before his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he collapsed to the ground before her like many others.
Everyone here is so weak, She mused to herself as her eyes shifted to the others. Killua had both his hands in his pockets. He wasn't even trying anymore. Instead, he was playing a new game, by himself, of how many he could kill without using his hands. So far, he was up to 4.
"Pathetic." A cold voice laced with malice caught her attention. She turned, shocked to see it had come from Hisoka. She had never heard his voice sound like that nor had she ever seen such ice in his eyes.
"...Hisoka?" His name escaped her like a soft breath, she couldn't hold it back because she didn't know it had slipped out. The clown's eyes turned to her, a familiar glimmer returning to them.
"Oh, my. Cadi-chan. Have I scared you?" His lips curled into a sinister smile. He took a step towards her and her body stiffened in response.
"S-Stop. Now's not the time for jokes. I don't want to fight you." She tried to keep her voice firm, but the tip of her blade she pointed at him trembled from her shaking hands. Hisoka eyed the pointed end of her sword. Another inch his smile grew as his eyes trailed back towards her.
"You're no fun, Cadi-chan. Let the weaklings pick themselves off." Her hands tightened on the grip of her swords. He took a step closer and she took a step back. It was getting hard to breath, like she was trapped in the bus all over again. She had seen what Hisoka could do and she was no match for him. "Why don't we have some fun ourselves, hmmmm?"
"We can't!" Her voice wavered as she turned away from him and ignored his approach as she focused on another opponent. "Members can't fight each other. It's against the rules."
Without waiting for his reply, she leapt back into the throng of battle.
Hisoka watched her go, chuckling softly to himself. The Troupe won't be able to protect you from me forever, little spider. As soon as he had the chance to fight her father, he wouldn't need to abide by their stupid rules.
Killua jumped over someone like a game of leap frog, nimbly stepping on a few heads as he made his way towards Arcadia, his hands still shoved into his pockets. "What was that about?" He asked, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. He had watched the two of them from the beginning, it was obvious they knew each other but what was a girl like her doing with a guy like him? Even if she was a capable killer, that man… Man, he was something else.
Arcadia spared Killua a moment's glance before she returned her focus to the man she was fighting. "What was what about?"
"Don't play dumb. That guy you were talking to just now, how do you two know each other?"
"I'm not playing dumb, I don't know him."
She mentally cursed the clown. He knew she was trying to distance herself from the Troupe, to branch off on her own and show everyone how independant she was. Even strangers were picking up on the fact she had a babysitter.
Before Killua could question her more, two guys attempted to team up against him. He glared at them, clicking his tongue in annoyance. "I was talking." He kicked one of them so hard across the jaw his neck twisted and the other, had a good look at the bottom of Killua's purple shoes right before the smashed into his nose.
When the seventh man fell, the bus driver finally put a stop to the fight. "Alright, I suppose that's enough." He stepped forward, glancing around at the six survivors. Four of them, were bloody. Hisoka and Killua, however, had not a drop of red staining their clothes.
Arcadia's once white dress had gone pink from the shark infested waters and now crimson from battle. Along her soft, peach skin were various cuts. Some deeper than others, but none were fatal or seemed to cause her much pain. Partly because of the adrenaline that was pumping through her veins, setting her body on fire.
She had always found battle to be exciting, more than that, it was freeing. Sneaking into the Pits, fighting people who didn't know who she was and who didn't treat her like a fragile piece of glass, it was the only time she ever felt free.
Even after running away with Hisoka, she had yet to feel the feeling of freedom that she was experiencing now. She couldn't stop smiling. She didn't want to stop fighting and she didn't want to put her blades away but there wasn't really anyone else left to kill. Of those who were left, she wasn't sure how many she could take down. Hisoka, absolutely not. The scruffy, old man was doubtful as well. He carried himself with confidence and power. Killua...well, she didn't even want to kill him.
"Are we… Hunters… now?" A younger guy on the scrawny side panted as he gasped for air.
"No, your official exam hasn't even started. Congratulations, though. You six are allowed to take them." The driver smiled and the young guys face paled. "Before I tell you where to go, I'd like to ask- for my own curiosity. Who are you, how old are you, and why did you all decide to risk your lives in the Hunter Exams?"
"My name is Titus Fin, age 57. I want to become a Hunter so I can leave a legacy behind for my grandchildren to follow. It's not really much of a risk, if you are experienced enough." The old man's voice was as gruff as his appearance. The driver gave him a small smile and nodded in agreement.
"A small risk is still a risk. I guess you just have that youthful arrogance, hm?" The Examiner teased, earning a snort from Killua. The driver zeroed in on him next.
"How about you, Mr. Zoldyck?" Killua's eye twitched slightly in irritation. He didn't want to be 'Mr. Zoldyck'. The whole point of leaving his family was to get away from that title. Now, he could feel the eyes of those around him, fearful and judging.
"No wonder he is so strong." The young guy whispered to himself, thinking no one could hear. Killua's hands balled into fists in his pockets as he gave a small shrug.
"Killua. Age 17. Thought it would be fun." He shrugged, glaring off into the distance.
"Oh?" Hisoka giggled. "We are here for the same purpose then. My name is Hisoka, 32." Killua glared in the clowns direction. Sinister interest sparkled in his eyes, making the hairs on the back of Killua's neck stand on end.
"You came here just to have fun?" The driver scowled at Hisoka. He didn't believe that for a second. There had to be an ulterior motive. Hisoka only smiled wider at the driver and gave a small nod of confirmation. With a heavy sigh, the questioner moved on. "What about you, young guy?"
"Me?" He stood up straighter.
"Yes, you. You're the only young guy left unless this girl here is a tranny and I missed the memo." Arcadia's eyes widened in horror, flickering to those around her who were now looking at her, imagining the possibility.
"I AM NOT!" She shrieked, her face burning from embarrassment and anger. She hated the bus driver! Her anger and humiliation only grew at the sound of Hisoka's laugh. That bastard…
"I-uh. My name is Keri Won, age 19." The boy paused, trying to tear his eyes away from her. She glared in his direction. "I want to be strong. Powerful and rich."
"Generic." The driver groaned, looking at Arcadia. "...You're not a tranny, are you?"
Her hand subconsciously moved to the hilt of a sword. "No!"
The driver chuckled, along with everyone else. He's making fun of me, she thought bitterly. "That's a shame. You might have stood a better chance against your opponents if you were." Arcadia blinked in surprise, glancing around at the others. None of them looked her way, not even Hisoka, their once laughing faces now turned to stone.
"What do you mean?" She asked, tilting her head as she looked back at him. He closed his eyes, giving a heavy sigh. He did not want to be the one to break the bad news to the naive girl, but it was best for her if she knew. Maybe then, she would do the smart thing and drop out before it was too late.
"First, let me ask you. Why do you want to become a Hunter?"
"My name is Arcadia, age 16. And I-"
"Sixteen?" Titus huffed. "Aren't you too young?"
"My birthday is tomorrow, on the day of the Exam so technically, I will be 17 when it starts." She smiled.
"Technically." The old man mumbled under his breath. She ignored him.
"For me, it's not really about becoming a Hunter. I want what comes with it. The power, fame, freedom, fortune, information at my fingertips… All that's nice. Real nice," a smug smirk pulled at the corners of her lips. "But what's most important to me is the list of contacts that will be at my disposal. Once I'm a hunter, I will be able to find someone who can teach me Nen."
The driver failed to hide his surprise. His eyes shot to Hisoka. He should have guessed, if she was traveling with someone like that, she would know about the secret arts. If that were the case, why didn't he just teach her, then? Something didn't add up. This girl was shrouded in mystery.
"Tell me, isn't it odd to you that the only people you've faced so far are men?" She blinked, surprised and confused by his random question. Sure, she had noticed that when she got on the bus but she didn't see how that's relevant.
"I've noticed, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"Millions of people apply for the Hunter Exams but of those millions only 1 in 100,000 are women. Of those women, do you know how many even make it to the first stage of the Exam? Less than 3%. Combined with your age and your lack of experience, this being your first year taking the exam, your chances for actually passing the Exam and becoming a Hunter are even lower. I'd wager you have a less than 0% chance of passing and an almost 100% chance of getting yourself killed."
Arcadia clicked her tongue in annoyance. "I know the statistics, I read up on them before I came. What do they have to do with anything?"
"Women are weaker." The driver said bluntly, eliciting another click from her clamped mouth. "It is biological. You're shorter, lighter, and have less muscle mass. You lack the abundance of chemicals like testosterone in your body to help with physical combat. You are not made to fight."
"Tell that to all the men I've killed." She spat. "I know the statistics but the statistics don't have a damn thing to do with me! I am not weak! I can fight and I will become a hunter! Watch me."
Her body began to shake as a fresh wave of adrenaline washed through her. It was so hard not to lunge for the throats of everyone around her. She was so angry, so humiliated. Her silver orbs flickered crimson. How dare they? How dare they try to make me feel shame all because I was born a girl? "I'll prove it to you and to everyone. I'll prove you all wrong. you."
The examiner stared at her impassively. So it's true then, he thought at he looked back into those crimson eyes. A Kurta really did survive. "So your pride is worth more than your life?"
"A life without pride isn't a life worth living."
There was silence for a moment, she could feel all eyes on her but she ignored them. Her red eyes bored into the man in front of her. If she could kill him, she would. And she would enjoy it. Sexist bastard.
Right then and there and Hisoka sensed danger. As much as he liked to see her all fired up, he couldn't have her be disqualified so early on.
"Well said," The clown drawled before releasing a small chuckle. The sound of his familiar velvety voice was enough to make the red in her eyes dissipate. She wasn't sure if Hisoka's soft chuckle was comforting or more aggravating. Was he trying to calm her down or rile her up more?
She wasn't sure.
… and deep down neither was he.
"Indeed." The driver surprised her by saying with a small smile. "You will all need to take such determination with you into the Exam. Congratulations, your Hunter Exam will official begin. You all can move on to the bus station on the North side of the city. If you pass a big tree on a hill, you've gone too far. They leave tomorrow afternoon. You will need plenty of energy for your next phase so make sure you grab a bite to eat before you leave and get plenty of sleep. I suggest the local Bed and Breakfast, Cuisine on a Queen-sized Mattress. They have the best food. Mmm. Yes, be sure to order the spicy dumplings. You're all dismissed."
And just like that, they were free.
One by one, the challengers began to walk away, but Arcadia stayed in her spot, staring the Examiner down. He looked back at her calmly. Had he angered her so much she was going to attack? Her hand was turning white from gripping her sword so tightly. His mind raced with scenarios of how a fight would go down, but with his abilities, it would be over in seconds. There was no reason for him to be concern-
"Did you mean what you said? Do you really think it's hopeless? Do I not even stand a chance?"
The Examiner frowned at her downtrodden expression. He wasn't expecting that. "Honestly? I don't know. You aren't a bad fighter but there are plenty of people who are better. Your traveling companion is among them. Not to mention that boy, the one about your age…"
Her body relaxed as she released her hand from her sword. "If that's it, I'll be fine."
"How do you know?"
"Because I always get what I want." With that off her chest, she followed after the others towards the city.
The driver watched her go, a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips. She had a will of fire, that one. He could feel her desires, her ambition, all the way back here. This girl would become a hunter or she'd die trying. It's times like these that made the examiner think that the desire for power was more terrifying than power itself. He wondered if it would it corrupt her too, like it did the many others who sought it.
The girl suddenly stopped. "Oh, I never asked. What's your name, sir?" It was his turn to blink in surprise.
"Me? My name is Kusamba. Raul Kusamba. Why?"
"It was nice to meet you, Mr. Kusamba. I hope we meet again." She waved before running to catch up with her friend. Hisoka watched her pass, a sly smile creeping on his features as he looked back at Raul.
"Oh my…" the clown laughed as he followed after the girl. "You just made a grave mistake."