The next four years on Whale Island for Gon and Kurapika flew by and they made sure to make every moment of them count. They spent days on end in the vast forests, training themselves in the best way they knew how, by having fun.

Never could it be said that the two boys did not try every possible way to get Mito to let them apply for the Hunter Exam. Technically speaking, she couldn't stop Kurapika from going since she was not actually the boy's guardian but she could refuse Gon and it was well known that Kurapika only wanted go if Gon could too. Eventually Mito relented, but gave a single requirement, Gon would have to catch the Lord of the Lake. It was a feat that only Ging, Gon's father, had accomplished and Kurapika had complete faith that his little brother would succeed as well. He was not disappointed.

"Kura-nii! I did it! I caught him!" Gon shouted excitedly as he staggered down the streets towards Kurapika with the Lord of the Lake held proudly above him.

"I knew you could do it! Hunter Exam here we come!" Kurapika cheered running to help Gon carry the huge fish to the dock for all to see.

The look on Mito's face was full of both sadness and acceptance when she saw the two boys she treasured like her own children carrying the monster sized fish together with huge, proud smiles on their faces.

"This means I can take the Exam now Mito-san?" Gon asked her excitedly once they had laid the fish at her feet. She didn't say a word but nodded reluctantly.

"Yata! Arigato Mito-san!" The small boy cheered, positivity beaming, but Mito couldn't bring herself to be happy as well. She looked at the beautiful blonde Kurta she had taken into her heart as well as her home cheering along with her so sweet, happy and precious nephew, congratulating him happily. The thought of loosing them was agonizing but she couldn't deny them any longer. So she gathered her strength and formed a smile for them and lead them home proudly.

-x-

"You both have everything packed? And food for the way? And warm clothing? You never know when they might come in handy…"

"Mito-san…we're fine, we have everything we need." Kurapika told her with a comforting smile, halting her worrying as the three of them stood at docks the next morning in front of the ship that would take Gon and Kurapika to the Hunter Exam. Kurapika's eyes were un-bandaged, the scars on them long since faded and barely visible, but they remained firmly closed shut. Dressed in the Kurta clan clothing that Mito had made for him but with a simple brown cloak over them, the hood adjusted just so to shade his eyes from any prying ones, his Tonta Swords were also tucked away from view. And right there beside him was Gon, dressed proudly in his bright green jacket and shorts, fishing rod in hand and a pack firmly secured on his back. Mito had to admit the two of them made quite the pair, Kurapika looking very mysterious and stoic with his cloak and hidden eyes while Gon appeared the epitome of innocence and carefreeness with his bright clothing and bright smile.

"Yes of course, I know…" She apologized quietly. She reached forward and pulled both of them close her, tears falling unchecked. "I am so proud of both of you." She paused, suddenly pulling both away from her at an arms length and looked them straight in the eyes, or closed eyes in Kurapika's case. "Promise that you will both come back to me, please promise me that."

"I promise Mito-san." Kurapika answered first firmly.

"I promise too Mito-san! We'll come back!" Gon declared confidently right behind his brother. And Mito could only smile back at them fondly.

"Thank you, both of you." She whispered as she watched them board the ship that would take them towards a new future of the their own design.

-x-

"Suge! So amazing!" A small boy dressed in all green with gravity defying hair exclaimed excitedly as he ran around the deck of the ship with his boundless energy, apparently determined to see the ocean from every possible angle.

"Gon, calm down we only just got underway…" His companion chided the other boy with a easiness that said he was use to the other boy's actions, his face was hidden from view by his cloak's hood as he rest against one of the masts casually.

Leorio Paradinight was a man who prided himself as being a observant man but he found himself at a loss as to what to make of these two strange kids who had boarded the ship at Whale Island. He just stared at the cloaked boy, he was assuming it was boy by the depth of his voice and short stature, wondering why he would possibly want to hide his face when suddenly the aforementioned boy stood and strode briskly over to where he was sitting.

"Excuse me, can I do something for you? It is commonly considered rude to stare." He told Leorio evenly with only a hint of irritation visible in his voice.

"Sorry, you just give off a certain mysterious air always wearing a cloak like that. Would make any guy curious." Leorio countered cleverly, well he thought it was clever anyway. He couldn't see the his face but he swore he could feel the boy's insulted glare anyway.

"How I wear my clothing is of no concern of yours." He snapped at Leorio, his irritation now quite obvious as he marched way in a huff towards the all green boy who was talking with the captain of the ship. Leorio wasn't usually one to eavesdrop, in his own opinion of corse, but his curiosity got the better of him and he positioned himself in a good place that was out of sight but close enough to hear the conversation being held between the two boys when the captain had left already.

"And how far away is it? I thought I felt something like that…but if it's close…" That was the cloaked boy, Leorio noted to himself.

"It's pretty close, and it's a big one! I told the captain and he seemed really surprised that I knew." It was the perky green clad boy this time.

"I'm not surprised Gon, your so smart." Cloak boy praised the green dressed boy, Gon.

"Thanks Kura-nii! Your pretty smart too!" So the stuck up kid was the energetic one's older brother. Leorio filed the information away for possible use at a later date. "So who was the tall guy you were talking to earlier?"

"Oh him… He was just being rude and I corrected him for it, nothing more." The brat is really gonna get it for that! He seethed to himself from his hiding spot.

"But Kurapika, you never talk to people first! That's great! You would only do that with me, Granny or Mito-san! You must like him! I'm sure you'll be great friends!" Leorio's jaw just dropped at the boy's words. Friends?! With that brat?! He had to be joking! But apparently he wasn't the only one who thought that Gon was making no sense.

"Him as a friend?! No way! He just wouldn't stop staring at me and it really bugged me so I felt I should say something!" The cloaked brat, Kurapika, argued fervently.

"Okay, but I still think you guys would be good friends." Kurapika just sighed, Leorio could almost hear him shake his head, but gave no response to Gon's statement.

"We should get inside, if your right and you almost always are, the storm will be on us soon." Storm?! That got his attention, it certainly didn't look like a storm was on it's way… "I would recommend you do the same Eavesdropper-san." Leorio flinched as he felt the Kurapika brat glare directly aimed at the stack of crates he was hiding behind.

"Great, just great. A storm and annoying brats could my day get any worse?" Leorio grumbled to himself. And as if just to prove him right, it began to rain, heavily.

"I just had to ask…"

Author's Note- Yes! And the Hunter exam's begins! I hope you all enjoyed his chapter, I felt it would be more interesting to see how Leorio would handle Gon and Kurapika from his perspective. I'm sorry if it seemed confusing but I really wanted to give it a try. As for the name of the type of swords Kurapika uses, they have never actually had a name in the anime or manga, so I made one up! :) Be kind and leave a review! They make me happy! Motivated! And Inspired! Thanks for reading!