Hey guys! I'll always be on hiatus reason, I never truly stay anywhere for long. Plus hardly wifi at all. I'm sorry for it all!

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

I was going crazy! It was taking forever for the boys to hurry up and finish! Well I hoped they finish.. I was hoping they didn't get killed or lost. I wanted all of us to make it. However I knew the stats. Most newbies didn't get the hunter license the first time around.

...

I finished my book.

...

I ate my snacks.

...

I played my games. Hikaru finally showed up! I was happy to see she passed too! I wanted her to play some games with me but she wouldn't. She was all dirty and tired. She saw I was cleaner than her and she gave me a tired look.

...

I drew pictures.

...

I wrote down things.

...

I napped.

...

It was taking them forever to come by. Several people already came. I was already losing my mind! Who knew sixty hours was so long. It feels like forever. Why were they so slow? Are they alright? If they don't show up soon I feel like I'll end up losing my mind!

...

Three minutes remained and so far only twenty-one people, including myself, were in the tower. I still held hope that they could come bursting out the door. I sighed. The ninja guy kept on talking about ninja things. He was so full of himself I wanted to punch him. There were a few people. This woman, Ponzo, could control bugs. I found out by accident but she was kind enough to tell me things. She had a big hat. She was really nice and I learned some new things about bugs. However I don't really like bugs..

I had packed my backpack and was just sitting against the wall. I was on alert. A door opened! I instantly looked and it was only a guy. He made it but then he fell to the floor dead. A lot of people mocked him. I just rested against the wall again.

One minute left. I huffed out a sigh. Maybe it was better this way. Then another door opened and out came Kurapika, Gon, and Killua! I jumped up. Running towards them I jumped into Kurapika's arms hugging him. I had been frightened, honestly. What if he had died and I hadn't been there to save him. I wanted him to succeed.

"We're just on time." Kurapika said looking at me.

"Thirty seconds" the intercom spoke.

"Nothing else to say. That was risky." Leorio said. He and Tompa made it. The whole group had been together? Unbelievable! Why was I the only one to be separated from them? I almost pouted. I let go of Kurapika, ending our hug.

"How'd it go?" I asked Gon and Killua.

"Gon had this idea and I still can't believe it worked!" Killua spoke telling me about how they chose the long path and then proceeded to smash through the wall to the short path.

"It was only because I saw one of the weapons break through the floor. I wanted all of us to pass." Gon spoke innocently.

"He certainly does think outside the box." Kurapika mentioned.

"I can't even feel my hands." Leorio stated.

"END OF ROUND TIME!" The intercom rang out. "THIRD ROUND. NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS WHO REACHED THE GOAL, TWENTY-EIGHT. INCLUDING ONE DEAD"

We all gathered at the door that suddenly opened. We went outside.

"Congrats to all who passed. There are only two more trials left. The fourth one and the final. The fourth round will take place on Zebiru's island." A small beady eyed man with glasses said. He put down a weird box. "This lottery will allow us to determine who are the hunters and who are the prey. Inside the box there are twenty-seven numbered cards. These numbers are just the ones given to you in the beginning of the competition. You will pick a card in the order you came in."

Hisoka stepped forward. He grabbed a card. Sensing me watching him he gave out a creepy grin, to which I ignored. I stepped up next. Putting my hand in the box I pulled out 389. My stomach dropped. I knew whose number that was. It was Seji's number. Oh well. I had helped him out a lot already. This was something I could do. Payment I guess?

Seji stepped up forward. He pulled out his number. He was silent. I was sitting next to Kurapika. He was deep in thought. He barely pulled through the last test. I was a bit concerned for him. Finally his turn came and he was a bit shocked. He whispered in my ear, "I ended up getting Tompa's number. Shall we form teams?" I looked at him.

"I got Seji's number." I grimaced. In a few short hours he had been my companion. I could do it. I could get his number.

"The guy who came behind you?" I nodded. Kurapika raised an eyebrow. "He was the only sane one in a room full of weirdos." He nodded. Kurapika just knew. He had already gotten the gist of me. I found this weird. I was barely able to get back into sync with him. "I'm going to solo this." I said staring straight ahead.

Finally everyone was done drawing cards. "Your card and the card you drew have been recorded in this machine."

I gasped! It was a machine? I thought it was a box!

"You're free to do what with this card. The participant corresponding to the ticket you picked is your target. To each his own target. What you have to grab is the numeral sheet of your target. If you succeed in grabbing your targets numeral sheet, three points!" The instructed said holding three fingers. "If you keep your numeral sheet, three points! The other sheets are only worth one point. To reach the end you need a total of six points. You'll have to get six points in the time you're in Zebiru's Island."

We all got into a boat and sailed to the island. I was nervous. I had to get far from Kurapika. Unless Seji decided to surrender his sheet.

We got to the island. We left the boat in the order we arrived to the tower. I pouted. Hisoka got all the good spots. I breathed in deeply. Kurapika patted my back. I looked at him gratefully. After I got my targets number I would definitely go looking for him. Next it was my turn. I jumped and ran into the woods. I stayed behind a few moments. Seji would be next. Do I do this to him? No. He's a target. He has no name. Maybe he'll surrender.

I waited on him. He appeared in front of me. He saw me and looked relieved. "Are we going to be teammates?" I shook my head.

"We can make a deal. I'll take your sheet and I make sure you don't get killed by the people. Or.." I trailed off.

"Or what?"

"I'll take it by force and leave you by yourself hoping you don't get killed by the blood thirsty killers." I said looking away.

"I knew it was too good to be true. I don't think I'll make the hunter exam this time. I know when I've lost." He took his number sheet off and gave it to me. His dark blue hair covered his eyes.

"I'll protect you! Let's go hide." I said pulling his arm. I felt horrible.

"Next time I'll make it." Seji said.

"I'm pretty sure you will so long as you don't run into any trouble."

"Yeah. Who's going to protect me from psychos next time." I laughed. "So who's the people you're always beside?" He said glancing at me.

"My friends." I said airily. I was looking for escape routes he could use and looking around to make sure I wasn't being trailed.

"Whose your target?"

"294"

i gasped! That's Hikaru's number!"

"The blonde girl?"

"Yes! How are you going to get that?"

"I'm not. She far stronger than me."

"How do you expect to get stronger if you don't try?"

"She kinda scares me.." I looked at Seji.

"How are you in this exam?"

"I wanted to see how far I could go and I'm actually pretty happy with how far I've gotten."

"You didn't have a goal?"

"I did. It was to prove everyone at home that I can take the exam." I shook my head. I don't really understand. How can I? I wasn't bullied like he appeared to be.

"Well I think you're amazing for being able to show them that you can do this. Maybe next time you'll pass the hunter exam!" We had walked a good bit. I was on alert.

We sat by a lake. We talked a good bit. Then someone stumbled into the clearing. I had already heard her footsteps and knew it was Hikaru. Seji was shocked but I smiled and offered her the fish I had caught earlier.

"Humph."

"What number did you get?" I asked happy to see my new friend.

"Does it matter?"

"I could help you find the person!" I said happily.

"You're Hikaru?" Seji asked. Hikaru looked at Seji.

"Did she force you to be her friend?" She said with sympatheticly.

"She actually protecting me." Seji said looking down. Her eyebrow went up. "She had my number. Offered to protect me from the crazy people. She stood up to Hisoka so I'm safe" Hikaru looked at me.

"Are you an idiot?!" Hikaru yelled at me! "You could have gotten killed! What was going through your head!? You're dumber than I thought!" I sweat dropped.

"He had threatened Kurapika and I was not going to let Hisoka kill him when I just found him!" I exasperated. "I just found my best friend after so long! I didn't think I would find him so quickly. I haven't even gotten rid of the threats in my life yet! So there's no way I'm going to let Hisoka kill him off!" I finished my rant.

"What do you mean, after so long?" Hikaru questioned.

"I'm one of the two Kurta left in this world. My tribe was massacred by the Phantom Troupe." I said looking her in the eye. Hikaru was stunned. I had recited this many times, so that even now it didn't faze me.

"I remember hearing about that on the news. That was your family? What happened after the massacre?"

"Yeah. And then some guy decides he wants to use the power of my eyes and takes me in so I can be a killer. He told me they had even gotten Kurapika. So I felt like there's no meaning in this world since I was the only one left." I felt tears wanting to come out. "I felt so alone. I didn't have a friend in that place. I didn't even want to kill. I did tho. I didn't have any place in the world. Then I made a friend. Well she forced me to be her friend so I just went wth it. She told me they lied to me. She had heard stories of a boy with red eyes. So I wanted to investigate. She even had found a picture of a news clip and I saw it was Kurapika! So I left. It's been about two weeks since I left and they've been hunting me down." I said smiling now. The big boss had been upset when he realized I wasn't going to be his puppet anymore!

"Now you're free?" Seji asked.

"I will be."

"So your eyes do turn scarlet?" Hikaru questioned. I took off one of my black contacts. Forcing my eyes to turn red, I showed them. They gasped. I smiled. I knew what my eyes looked like. It was the same reaction as anyone else who saw my eyes.

"Your normal eye color is blue?"

"Yup!" I smiled.

"It's a shame that it's hidden." Hikaru commented.

"Well it's to protect me from the world. There may be some people after me if they found out." Hikaru nodded.

"Whose your target?" She asked Seji. He looked to the ground.

"you.."

"And you're not trying to take it?"

"he's frightened of you." I said trying not to laugh. She only raised her eyebrow up again.

"Surely I'm not that frightening."

"I didn't think so."

"That's cause you're like a wild child."

"Just cause I can do more things than you doesn't mean I'm wild! Anyways who is your target?"

"197. One of those Amori brothers. I think."

"We might find them!"

"We?"

"You don't want us around?"

"You'll only get in my way."

"Fine fine."

Hikaru made to leave and we followed her.

"I thought I said I'm doing this alone."

"Well I just wanna see if you can do this by yourself. I'm not helping you." I replied. She rolled her eyes and kept walking.

Sorry you guys again! I've been trying to write to you guys! Hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter! :P cheers!