The second phase was officially over and everyone gathered on to the airship that was flying in the night towards the third phase's site. Netero decided to introduce himself to the forty-three remaining applicants whom were gathered in the front room of the airship. The green bean was beside him too, turns out that he was the Chairman's secretary. Kagero was eating her egg during the gathering. It was so good. Now she wished that she would have kept the second egg she got.
"Originally, I'd planned to make my appearance during the exam's final phase, but as I'm already here..." He paused and looked around the room, looking amused, "I'm loving this tension in the air!" Killua and Kagero ended up yawning at the same time, they grinned to each other when they made Gon yawn also. Kagero watched with fascination that their yawns caused a ripple effect, causing another person to yawn and another, and so on. It was quite entertaining. "So I think I'll stick around for the rest for the trip." Netero laughed.
His secretary Beans took over and explained a few things, "We are scheduled to arrive at our destination tomorrow morning, at eight AM. You'll find dinner waiting in the dining hall. You are also welcome to get some rest. In other words, you're free to do as you please until you are contacted."
"Okay, Gon, Kagero! Let's explore the airship!" Killua still had plenty of energy to spare.
"Yeah!" Gon happily accepted the offer.
"Sure, sounds fun." Then the boys ran off and Kagero followed.
Kagero overheard Leorio say "How can they have so much energy? I'm hitting the sack." Kagero internally laughed at Leorio, he would have punched her if she did aloud. While Kagero, Gon and Killua were exploring, the previous examiners were having dinner and were talking amongst themselves in an employee's only dining room.
• • • • • •
"Hey, how many applicants do you expect to make it?" Menchi asked Buhara and Satotz.
"You mean the exam?"
"Yep. This year we have quite an impressive group—even though I did fail all but one of them at one point."
"But doesn't it depend on what the upcoming phases consist of?"
"That's true... But didn't you notice it? One of them had this whole aura thing going on." She took a bite of her food. "What do you think, Satotz?"
"Oh, yes. I like the rookies this year." He stopped eating to talk.
"Ha! So you agree?" Menchi was happy. "I think number two-ninety-four has a good shot." (Hanzo)
"I'm partial to number ninety-nine" (Killua)
"He looks like a selfish, spoiled brat." She turned to Buhara. "What do you think, Buhara?"
"Well… He isn't a rookie, but number forty-four is the one I favor." (Hisoka) "I'm sure you noticed but when one of the applicants was on a fit it was number forty-four who was really on the verge of killing someone."
"I did notice that, of course. He could barely restrain himself from tearing off our heads. But he was that way since he laid eyes on us."
"Really?"
"Yeah, that's the real reason I was so edgy. He kept challenging me."
They kept talking about Hisoka when Menchi remembered something.
"But you know what," She caught Satotz's and Buhara's attention. "Number four-ten really catches my eye. I'm sure we all have our eyes on him." (Kagero)
"Yea." Buhara and Satotz both agreed.
"What really surprised me was his perception." This raised Satotz eyebrow. "He noticed that I was edgy because of number forty-four, and it seems that he isn't fazed by him." She took a sip of her drink. "His physical ability is also quite astounding."
"I've seen hints of that in the first phase." Satotz commented. Menchi and Buhara's mouths were open in shock.
• • • • • •
"I don't think going in there's a good idea."
"Oh come on! It'll be fun!" Killua nudged Kagero to go in the kitchen with them. After exploring around they were kicked out by one of the chefs, though not without taking some food first. Each of them had a large thing of meat on a bone. Kagero had to wonder what kind of animal it was from.
"See I told yo–"
"Wow, awesome!" Killua ran to the window and pressed his face against the glass. "Look, Gon!"
"Wait what?" Gon ran over. "Woah! It's like the ground is covered in jewels!" The two boys faces were plastered to the glass, Kagero sat down on a bench by the window and stared out of it. She huffed and pouted. She was cut off from what she was saying, though the view made up for it.
"Nee, Killua. Where are your mom and dad?" Gon asked out of the blue.
"Hmm, they're alive…" a pause, "probably." It was clearly added on as an afterthought. HE didn't seem to care that much about his family.
"What do you mean?" Gon asked taking a bite of his meat.
"They're assassins."
"Huh? Both of them?" Gon was surprised, his mouth ajar.
Kagero lifted Gon's chin so his mouth closed. "That's cool, so you're an assassin too, huh?" Kagero asked nonchalantly—though it was a rhetorical question. She noticed during the first exam that when Killua walked he made no noise, so she just sort of assumed it was something of the sort. Plus there was also Hanzo who she noticed didn't even hide his ninja status. It was a strange world, so she was trying to get used to the absurd things that this world had to offer.
"That's your first reaction?" Killua laughed. "You two really are a riot!"
"Huh?"
"You two are the first people who have ever responded seriously."
"Well, you're telling the truth." Kagero said seriously as she finished her food.
"What makes you think that?" Killua asked Kagero.
"Well you aren't lying... Are you?" She would have to reassess her ability to judge character if she was wrong.
"That's weird... People only like me because they can't tell if I'm serious or not."
Gon and Kagero both 'hmmed'.
Killua started talking about how he was indeed an assassin as Kagero said, and explained about his position in his family. His family snapped when he said he didn't want to be an assassin. In the end... there was a fight, Killua stabbed his mother in the face and his brother in the side, and ran away from home.
The three continued talking when Netero over heard them and decided to pull a prank, he let out a surge of murderous intent and vanished to the other side of the hallway. The two boys reacted a few seconds after it was released, though Kagero looked right to the area where Netero moved to. She narrowed her eyes and disappeared to reappear behind Netero. Though she didn't know it was
"Something wrong?" He looked behind him to see Kagero. She shook her head, sighed and relaxed. Netero was playing around with them.
"Netero-san... Did you see someone coming from over there?" Gon pointed in the direction where the intent came from.
Netero replied in an irritating way. "No~"
Kagero walked back to the boys. "Nice trick Netero-san."
"Netero's fine."
"You're quite fast." Killua said, "What do you want? You don't have to do anything till the last phase, right?" Killua was annoyed.
"No need to be so unkind. I got bored and was looking for some companions." Kagero raised an eyebrow, 'Companions?'
"Let's go, Gon, Kagero."
"Wait a moment. Would you care to play a game with me?"
"A game?"
"If you are able to defeat me, I shall let you be hunters!" He taunted them into playing.
"Really? I'll play!" Gon piped.
Killua was hoaxed into playing the game by Netero and Kagero followed, amused by the whole situation. Netero lead the three into a room that had port windows and padded walls, it was clearly a type of training room. Netero stood in the middle of the room bouncing a ball.
"Now, I'll go over the rules of the game." He balanced the ball on his finger. "If you can take this ball from me, before the airship reaches its destination, you win. Well, that gives you nine hours." He spun the ball on his fingertip. "You're free to attack me however you'd like. I won't touch you."
"Eh, but that's no fair. You can't call that a game."
"Why don't you give it a try first?" Netero taunted.
"We just have to take the ball?" Killua was stoic, not believing him.
"Yeah."
"Then I'll go first."
Killua started walking around the room slowly. While he was walking, duplicates of himself were created. Each of them
"Ooh, I see lots of Killuas!" Gon exclaimed.
"It must be an assassination technique." Kagero pointed out.
Killua started to attack and his copies vanished. Netero easily evaded all his attempts to get the ball. Killua was even more pissed off and decided to do a spinning dropkick. He launched himself towards Netero, low to the ground and planted the kick right to his shin. Netero didn't react. A few seconds later Killua held onto his shin and jumped up and down in pain from the force of his kick.
"Killua! Tag! Tag!" Gon called Killua cutely. Killua limped over, nursing his sore shin, and clapped hands with Gon. He looked over to Kagero who was simply watching from the corner of the room, sitting on the floor and leaning against the corner.
Gon started stretching. "Okay!" He got into his fighting stance. He accelerated to Netero. Netero relaxed his guard when Gon suddenly disappeared. He looked above to see Gon looking all smug and confident...Until... He hit the ceiling.
Gon cringed in pain on the floor.
"Idiot! We all know you can jump really high! Control your strength!" Killua crossed his arms and let out an exasperated sigh.
"Yeah, Netero let his guard down for an instant." Kagero pointed out.
Netero sweat dropped, No kidding...
Gon got up from his spell of pain and rubbed his head. "I messed up there." He walked around and gave it another shot, but failed.
"Mirage! Do you wanna' go?!" Gon ran up to her.
"Sure." Gon had his hand up in the air waiting for a clap to switch them out. Kagero paused and clapped his hand, getting a huge grin from Gon.
Kagero got up and walked to Netero. She looked to Killua. "Hey Killua, how'd you do that move you did? Then one when you multiplied yourself." Kagero asked, she was curious and wanted to learn it.
"I just walked silently in a certain rhythm." Killua gave a vague description.
"I see..." She tried walking around in a syncopated rhythm,"..." She tried again. "Killua, you'll have to teach me later." She sulked. Though she knew she wouldn't be able to get it just like that. But she certainly hoped so, that would have been so cool. She sighed, she'd done something similar to that in training before... but it was too difficult to learn right off the bat. She needed to learn how to walk without making any sound at all.
"I guess I'll start now." Kagero circled him. Though there was only two of her. This was from training with her father though. It's from moving from one place to another so quickly that it leaves an after image, and that would be the double. No, it wasn't rhythm echo, but it was better to use as a distraction, though it was really tiring to do and she couldn't do it for more than fifteen seconds at a time. She made her circle smaller and smaller until she was close to Netero. Then she jumped making the after image vanish. Netero looked up, expecting her to do the same as Gon, only to see her not in the air. She was behind him. Kagero jumped up and propelled herself off of the ceiling and appeared behind him. Netero bolted forward suspecting that she was behind him, the footprint on the padding that was on the ceiling giving her plans away.
"Che." Kagero kicked the ground. "One more time."
This time she just walked up to him. Netero was wondering what she would do before Kagero suddenly went all acrobatic on him. Then she grabbed onto his arm and swung herself around his body. Kagero was on his back when he went to the wall and leaned against it pinning her to it.
"Damn it." She cursed. She tried to wriggle herself out, but couldn't. She wiggled her knees up his back and pushed, making him stumble forwards. She fell to the ground with an 'Umph' from the lack of pressure keeping her up. She got up slowly, sighing, "Someone switch with me..." She took a few deep breaths to steady her breathing.
After a few turns between the boys—which took a span of about twenty minutes—Killua was trying again for the fourth time and was getting angry.
"You boys aren't getting anywhere. Why not attack simultaneously?" Netero offered.
"Okay... I'll get you this time!" Gon bolted into the fight but got his face pushed into the ground almost immediately by Netero.
Kagero joined in few minutes later after the two couldn't do anything. Having Kagero join in would put more onto Netero's plate. Kagero jumped up to bring down a heel on his shoulder, but he spun away, only to face Gon. Gon was in motion to kick Netero's head, but missed by a foot, not having enough reach. That's when he kicked his boot off to get more distance and knocked him right in the chin. Kagero took the chance and kicked him in the chest, making him fall. As Netero fell backwards Killua kicked him in the back and he fell forwards. All the sudden motion made Netero loose his grip and the ball flew above Netero's back. Killua went to jump for the ball but Netero moved his leg to kick the ball out of the way. Kagero intervened just before his foot got close the ball and pushed his foot to the ground, though Netero just ended up using his other leg to kick it away. He recovered and went to grab the ball still in the air. Kagero frowned at how good Netero was it was really impressive but quite frustrating at the moment.
That's when Gon kicked his other boot off and hit the ball further away.
"You and your little tricks!" Netero yelled.
"Good going Gon!" Kagero gave him a thumbs up.
The two boys yelled 'It's mine!' and reached out to grab the ball. That's when Netero got serious, exerting all his force into his leg and shot himself like a cannon towards the ball. The old man zoomed passed the boys, making them move with the shockwave. He saw a scarf fluttering by the ball as he got closer. His eyes widened and it wrapped around the ball and was pulled towards another direction. Kagero caught the ball with a grin, blowing her bangs up out of her eyes with a huff. "Well that was a ball." She laughed at her pun and saw Killua blink owlishly before sighing. Netero chuckled and Gon wasn't even paying attention.
"Wow! Kagero you got it! You're amazing Kagero! Netero!"
"No, he's only been using his right leg and left arm. Even though I got the ball I'm not accepting the title." She looked to Netero and tossed the ball to him. "Also, you weren't really going to give us the title anyways. Were you?"
"Oh, you figured it out? And here I thought I'd fooled you." Netero relaxed.
"So that's what he was doing..."
Killua's expression darkened and he got up from the floor with an annoyed huff. "Forget it... I give up. I lose!" He walked to the door and paused to pick up his shirt. He turned to face Netero with an exaggerated laugh, "Hah, hah! You really know how to piss me off, old man. Now come on, let's go, Gon!"
"Oh, I'm gonna play a little longer."
"What? Didn't you just hear what I said?!"
"Yea! I don't care about the ball. We've only used up half of the time limit. I'm gonna make Netero-san use his right hand before the time runs out." Killua was speechless, and so he left in that bundle of frustration of his.
"I'm also going to stay a bit longer." Kagero said to Netero.
"Really?!" Gon was happy.
"I'm going to get some drinks though, be right back." Kagero left to find vending machine or something. She walked around the outer hallway and looked at the night sky, on the way she found a vending machine. Kagero got four bottles of water and a few chocolate bars. When she looked at the options she was surprised to see some brands that were from her world, and some that looked really weird. From a picture on a bag of chips it looked to be a… fish flavor? It had scales but also fur and animal ears. She would not want to encounter such a fish. It had unnaturally long fangs. She ended up purchasing it, just morbidly curious about the chips.
While she was walking back to the training room she heard a noise. She went to inspect—out of morbid curiosity once again—and saw two people lying on the floor, dead. In the other direction she saw Killua. She walked up to him not making a noise—rather tried but he still didn't notice due to his state of mind—and put bottled water to his neck getting him to flinch and turn around, ready to strike. But she just grinned at him.
"Here," she tossed him the water bottle. Killua didn't seem like himself. Then she remembered something from TV. Her grin widened and she calmed down to be able to do a straight face while she did it.
Kagero cleared her throat, "Killua."
"Yea...?"
"Have a snickers."
"...Why?"
"Because you're not yourself when you're hungry," She put the chocolate bar in his hand and walked off, waving. Killua started laughing. Not only because she didn't react to the people that lay on the ground, but because she pulled off the Snickers slogan, and with such a straight face that made it hilarious.
Walking back to the room, she passed by the dead bodies. "..." Kagero frowned, bending down to crossed their arms and closed their eyes—mustn't be disrespectful to the dead.
"Hmm, I wouldn't have thought you were a killer."
Kagero jumped away from the voice with a start, dropping the water in the progress. She tensed, and looked to the owner of the voice. "...Hisoka..." She sighed, "Don't do that to-" She stopped herself before she said 'a girl', wouldn't want to give away her cover. She followed up with a sigh. She relaxed her posture and looked at Hisoka, then she saw his face, he was silently laughing at her. She looked annoyed and continued, "Don't do that to a person, almost gave me a heart attack." She bent down to pick up the water, "And no, I didn't kill these men. Killua did you see, he just had some... pent up frustration."
Hisoka almost laughed at that again. He wondered if it was worded that way deliberately. He eyed Kagero, and she sensed him looking at her. Kagero looked up to him and back to the water and chocolate bars. She sighed, "Here."
"..."
"Don't you want it?"
"What made you think that, boya?"
"Well you were just tantalizingly eying the chocolate... Now here, take it." She took his hand and placed a Kit Kat and a bottle of water in it. "You need the break anyways." She laughed and ran off. Though Hisoka probably didn't need a break—she just said it for the pun. Another person in the shadows watched her departed.
"Hisoka..." The person spoke monotonously.
"Ara... Illumi, you saw that?"
"I saw him give you those items and make a joke. Though if he didn't kill them, that means Killu must have."
"Yes, Kagero doesn't have the aura of a killer... though he seems to be used to death..." He smiled to himself creepily. Though she was only used to death because of hunting.
He better not be targeting Killu too. He has enough children to target already... Illumi thought after leaving the clown to indulge in his... thoughts...
When Kagero got back to the room and opened the door to see Gon and Netero talking. They looked up when the door opened.
"Here ya guys go." She tossed a bottle to Netero and Gon.
"Thanks!" Gon caught the bottle, same with Netero.
Kagero walked up to the two. "Pick one." Gon picked the Hershey's and Netero got the Twix. Kagero was left with the Caramilk.
"What did you give to Killua?" Gon asked assuming she gave Killua one too.
"The Snickers." She paused and drank some water, "He's not himself when he's hungry." Netero started laughing.
"Wha-What's so funny?" Gon was confused because he hasn't watched television in a long time.
"Nothing, just something from television." Netero explained.
"I haven't watched television in a really long time. My TV broke."
"Poor kid..." Kagero side commented. Netero started laughing again. "I also gave Hisoka one, a KitKat." Gon choked on his Hershey's and started chugging his water to get it down. "I bumped into him... or rather he scared me by sneaking up on me." Netero looked amused, "It looked like he wanted some so..." She smiled sheepishly, "I gave him some. Though I had to get another bar and water... Man, he needs to give us a break with all his creepiness." She deadpanned. Netero started laughing again.
"Oh yeah, what's this animal?" She brought out the bag of chips. "It's like a fish…cat?"
"That's exactly what it is. They're called Sakaneko."
"Oh…" She didn't really want to eat a catfish. "You guys want them? I just got them out of morbid curiosity."
"Sure!" Gon ate them and commented on their weird flavor.
When they were done their snack they went back to sparing. While Gon was trying to get Netero to use his right hand he sped his movements up considerably. Gon decided to take a break so Kagero took a turn.
"Mind if we spar instead? I already got the ball from you."
"Sure."
"Then let us dance." Netero deadpanned at her pun relating to her other pun.
Kagero and Netero sparred while Gon rested. The spar was amazing, Kagero's reaction time was at its peak and she managed to get some good hits in. Then she decided to get serious, not that she wasn't serious already, but she wanted to go full power with her strength. She knew that if she just hit him blindly she wouldn't be able to get him to go flying. So she went behind him and buckled his knees by kicking the back of his knees slightly. He fell under his weight a little and she took the chance to kick him as hard as she could in the back. Netero went flying towards the padded wall, slamming into it.
"Creative little..." Netero cursed under his breath, though he was thoroughly impressed with her overall ability and strength.
They spared a bit more until she noticed Gon was rejuvenated and ready to go.
"Well I guess I'm done..." Kagero smiled. "I'm satisfied with this for now. Gon, you good?"
"Un!" Gon nodded and ran in to resume him fight. After a few feigns and psyche's he head-butted Netero in the stomach. Netero didn't react but then Gon went to do the same thing again. Netero knew that if he hit his stomach again without relaxing his, muscles he would shatter his skull, but if he relaxed he would be the one feeling the pain. Netero evaded him by using his other hand to push on his back and Gon went flying towards the wall, slamming head first into it. Man the kids going to get brain damage someday, though... Gon ended up falling asleep in the end after hitting the wall to hard.
"Netero..."
"Ahn?"
"Thanks, it was fun." Kagero smiled under her hood. "I'll be going to sleep now." She yawned. "Good night... But first..." She walked up to Gon and put his little jacket on the boy as a makeshift blanket. Kagero felt really warm because of all the exercise she was doing and followed Gon's idea of taking her sweater off. She didn't want to take it off in front of them just in case, but Netero was fine, he was an examiner and wouldn't tell due to a secrecy policy or something that she read in a form. Kagero just had a blue tank on with bandages underneath, and arm guards. Netero noticed a metallic gleam under them.
She nodded and walked off waving to Netero lazily, throwing her sweater over her shoulder.
"...Interesting boy."
It was peacefully quiet while Kagero walked through the airship at the ungodly hour. Suddenly she took a whiff of something—something that smelt unpleasant. Kagero took in a deep breath in and coughed. Man she needed a shower, and in a moment of unbelievable convenience there was a washer and dryer in the bathroom. She locked the door and threw all her clothes in the washer and set it for ten minutes since she didn't have a full load. While waiting she cleaned her wig in the sink since it needed to be washed by hand. It felt weird having her hair down after having it up in a wig after so long. Speaking of long it was really long after not being cut. It went all the way down to her tailbone, closer to the thigh. Kagero wrapped her hair loosely around her neck in a makeshift scarf.
"Ah!"
The beep from the washer scared her and she jumped. Kagero put it in the dryer and went to shower while she waited for that. There was hotel shampoo and conditioner in those tiny bottles. She ended up using two of the shampoo and four of the conditioners for her hair.
She stepped out of the shower after wringing her hair partially dry and finished it with a towel. She heard a beep from the machine and knew her clothes were done.
"Ahh, it's so warm~" Kagero hugged her clothes.
She wrapped her bandages on first—they were a smooth cloth material and were reusable if washed—and put the rest of her clothing on. When she excited the bathroom she felt a bit of a chill. Gon must be cold with just his small coat. Hmm… She went back to the room and quietly put her sweater over his body as another blanket. Gon's jacket would do nothing in keeping him warm. She jumped when he grumbled in his sleep and moved to scratch his stomach. Kagero sighed and smiled, he should never change. She felt her fatigue come back, the shower refreshed her but it didn't do anything to her still feeling tired.
Kagero yawned and walked to the rooms that everyone was sleeping in. Killua's white hair in the darkness caught her eye and since she didn't really know anyone else in the room it was the safest choice to go to his side. She sat down beside him and slowly drifted to sleep.
Killua was awakened by something plopping on his shoulder. He looked beside him to see Kagero sleeping peacefully. He smirked and snickered a bit as he remembered the Snickers thing she pulled off. He caught himself staring at her and noticed something.
He does have an awfully feminine face now that I see him up close. Looking down he noticed his sweater was missing, he also noticed that he had bandages all along his upper body and arms. He stopped his thoughts and went back to sleep, he would need the energy in the morning.
While everyone was sleeping an announcement came on. "I apologize for the long wait," it was Beans voice. "The airship will soon arrive at its destination."
Gon woke up from his slumber right when the announcement came on and bounded over the the windows to look outside. There was a tower on a cylinder shaped mountain with a manmade cylinder tower on top of it. It was really high above the ground. Then he noticed Kagero's sweater on the ground beside his own. "I'll have to thank him later!"
"Kagero... Kagero... Time to get up. Were at the site for the third phase!" Killua shook Kagero awake.
"Hnn... Killua?" Kagero's voice was sluggish and she was drooling a bit, she wiped her crusty eyes from under the bangs of her wig. Killua thought that Kagero looked even more like a girl like this. She was just so... cute when groggy.
"Wh-where are we?" She wiped the drool off of her mouth and yawned, stretching like a cat.
"At the third exam site." Killua suppressed a slight blush.
Killua ended up dragging Kagero out of the airship by the wrist and met up with Gon, Leorio and Kurapika. He almost got stabbed when her arm guard's hidden blade shot out, but she still didn't wake up fully.
"What's up with Mirage?" Leorio asked.
"He just got up..." Killua hit her upside the head.
"Ugh, Killua...You're mean..." Kagero grabbed the back of her head.
"Mirage, you have a mark on your face..." Kurapika pointed out.
"Ah..." She rubbed the spot lazily, eyes refusing to be open.
"I'd never thought that Kagero would be like...this in the morning..." Leorio laughed, "Doesn't really suit his usual self."
Kagero heard this and pouted at Leorio.
"Did he always wear bandages?" Kurapika questioned himself. Then Gon and Leorio noticed.
Somehow while Kagero was in this, state, she noticed someone watching her. Hisoka was staring at her. Though she was too tired to do anything, she just stared back and cocked her head to the side, wondering why he was staring at her.
Everyone's attention was gathered when Beans had an announcement.
"Ahem... Everyone, the exam's Third Phase will begin here, at the top of Trick Tower. To pass this phase, you must reach the towers base alive. The time limit is seventy-two hours. With that, we will now begin the Third Phase. I pray for your success.
The airship took off and Beans used the megaphone to encourage the rest of the applicants. "Best of luck to everyone!"
Kagero was slowly waking up and even in her state she found the humor to whisper, "And may the odds be ever in your favor."
Meanwhile, someone was watching them from deep within the tower. Most likely the examiner.
Gon looked down the edge of the Tower and was in awe by the pure height of it.
"Are we supposed to climb down?" Leorio said clinging on to his suitcase scared like it was a teddy bear.
"That would be suicide..." Kurapika sweat dropped.
"Heh. Maybe for a normal person." Eighty-six said arrogantly, his name unknown to them. He went over to the edge and started scaling the wall. "But a top-class rock climber can handle this, no problem."
Killua let out a "Wow" and whistled, impressed, though he would be able to do the same, just making holes to grip with his sharp nails and kicking them for his feet.
"He's going down pretty fast." Gon looked over the edge down to the man.
"Looks like I'll be the first one to pass the Third Phase..." The man said as he was climbing down.
"Be careful, arrogance is what kills people in the end." Kagero warned the man, finally fully awake.
The man stopped climbing when he heard weird noises. He looked to his side slowly to see huge monster birds come flying towards him.
"Stop! Stay away!" One purposely flew under him and took him into his mouth and flew away.
"G-Guess we can't climb down the side..." Leorio muttered.
"Oh yeah! Here Mirage!" Gon gave her, her sweater.
"Thanks." She tied it around her waist. Her scarf just stayed around her neck loosely, flowing in the wind.
A while later and Kagero noticed something. "Hey, there are fewer applicants."
"Yea, half of the applicants already found an exit." Kurapika stated.
"There must be hidden doors that lead below." Kagero bent down to knock on the floor. It sounded hollow.
"Kurapika! Leorio! Mirage!" Gon called them over waving. The three ran over to Killua and Gon.
"What is it, Gon?" Kurapika asked.
"Look, I found a hidden door." Gon pushed on a tile and it opened slightly. "There are others over there, there, there and there!" Gon pointed to the areas where they were.
"Some could be traps." Kurapika analyzed.
"And it looks as though each door could only be used once...We tried opening a door someone else used, but it wouldn't budge." Killua added.
"So no hard feeling if any of us spring a trap. Hmm." Kagero ruffled Gon's and Killua's hair. Gon simply looked up and Killua made a noise similar to 'Hn'. "What are you going to do?"
"Luck is part of the game..." Kurapika interrupted Leorio.
"I have no objection."
Everyone agreed and move to stand in front of a door and said their farewells.
"Let's go on the count of three."
"One."
"Two."
"Three!" Everyone jumped on to their designated doors.
Kagero fell into a dark room with and torch in the room, and landed on her feet without making much of a sound. She looked to the back right corner of the room that was behind her. Aww, it seemed that she got a different room than the others.
"Who's there?"
"Don't be alarmed. Boya"
"Hisoka."
"Ping-pon! Correct! I've been waiting for you~"
"So you needed another person to continue..."
"Hai~"
Then a door opened and an announcement came on. "Number 44 and 410, you two will face a trial of obstacles before facing an opponent and choosing your paths. Please put these watches on." A stone pedestal came out from a wall with two watches on them. They had a time on them and two buttons, one thumbs up and one thumbs down. Both Hisoka and Kagero put them on and the torch went out.
"Ooh scary~" Hisoka said sarcastically. Kagero's face was blank as if asking '...really?'
"Come on." Kagero walked through the door and Hisoka followed. The door slammed shut and lights went on. There were two sided axes swinging from side to side. They had to get past this to get to the other side. Kagero walked through like it was nothing and same did Hisoka, it was just a matter of timing and rhythm. Hisoka was whistling absently and a maze of mirrors came up, there were two paths. They had to split up. Kagero read about these types of mazes in books. She looked to the floor. The lined from where the mirrors were hidden well since the floor was also glass and was in triangles. She walked through it and met a fork in the maze. She looked to the right to see no reflection strait on and to the left where she could see more reflections. She went right. She followed this logic and walked through. When she was done it took about ten minutes since it was an insanely large maze, there were even stairs going down to the next level to continue it.
"Figure's you would be done before me..." She looked to Hisoka. "You are a 'clown' after all." She laughed a bit. There was another door way and the watches started to glow.
The watched had a message on them. 'X' to open the door and 'O' to keep it closed. Naturally they both picked 'X' and the door opened. It was another puzzle. The ground lit up in a certain pattern a few times and it stopped.
"Hisoka..."
"Do you know what this puzzle is?"
"Not at all~"
"Hmm..." She reached into her pocket and grabbed one of the fruit bars she had and threw it on a square on the floor that didn't glow. That square on the floor warped and shattered. "Follow me."
Hisoka stayed quiet and did as he was told wondering what she would do next. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him along following the path she memorized when the floor was glowing. Each time they took a step on the correct square it glowed. She was right. The glowing squares from before was the correct path, and if they didn't take it the whole floor would shatter.
After they finished crossing they stepped on concrete and another door appeared. The glass floor behind them shattered and reviled spikes facing upwards ready to kill them if they had failed. The door open and the two went into the room. It was huge, high ceilings and large square footage. Two people appeared from the shadows.
"We'll be your opponents." One of them said.
"This will either be a team battle or separate. Use majority rules to choose. 'X' is team, and 'O' is separate."
Hisoka and Kagero hit 'O'.
"Pick your opponent," an announcement came on over an intercom, it was assumed to be the third phases examiner.
The first opponent had daggers on chains and seemed like a long distance fighter, thought he was really buff and macho, while the other looked like a hand to hand combat since he was wearing a Gi and had a black belt on, who was also quite macho though he wasn't as macho as the other guy.
"I'm willing to take the Karate Kid here." Hisoka laughed at Kagero's joke.
"I'll take Mister Daggers here then~"
(Omake)
The two boys yelled "It's mine!" and were about to grab the ball. That's when Netero put all his force into his legs and shot himself like a cannon towards the ball. The old man zoomed passed the boys. He saw a scarf fluttering by the ball, the scarf wrapped around it and was pulled towards another direction. Kagero caught the ball, an idea forming in her head.
"Wow! Kagero you got it! You're amazing Kagero!" Gon ran around excitedly.
Kagero raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Heh," She laughed, "Well you guys ain't got no balls on me."
Killua deadpanned at the terrible pun while Gon had no idea what it meant. Netero however... he had a hard time containing his laughter.
(Omake End)
Updated as up 03/06/2016.