End of Fourth Exam
"In a while, the fourth Round of the trials will end," speaker announced to the entire world. "All participants are to come back to the starting point of the test. The participants must make themselves known in the time of one hour. After that, the one's who haven't shown up will be disqualified. Please pay close attention to this information. Tags stolen from now on will not be counted! Verifications will be made, and people who break these rules will be disqualified."
Stasy had already traveled to the starting point and was merely waiting for the other examinees to arrive. Surprisingly, sitting out in the open on the beach didn't leave her a sitting duck as much would expect. She wasn't attacked once. She cashed in her number sheets, giddy at passing, but more giddy at passing with Killua. "My love, this means we shall be together for another round!" she exclaimed but was only met with a punch in the face. Killua had gotten better at blocking her glomps and other signs of affection.
"I don't care if you're in your other personalities," Killua sighed with annoyance. "However, I cannot tolerate Love!"
"Aww, but, sweety..." Love pleaded.
"NO!" Killua shouted with anger and his eyes widened into a death stare.
"Killua," Gon said from behind the two fighting. "You don't know how much this means to her. Let her remain as Love at least until the next round begins."
"But Goooooooon!" Killua whined. "She's been pestering me ever since we met and I'm sick of it! I just don't want my personal space invaded."
"Killua," Gon sighed again, and then moved closer and lowered his voice so that only the silver-haired boy could hear. "She picked your number."
The assassin boy's eyes widened and he stared at the bright girl who ran over to his best friend. 'She...picked my number...and yet...she never made the attempt to take mine.'
"Oh, Gon!" Love cried as she strangled the poor boy in a tight hug. "Oh my sweet little Gon! I love you like a brother! You're plan worked! It worked! Becuase of you, I can remain here longer with my friends and the love of my life! I'm so happy!"
"She couldn't be happy if she were already a hunter," Kurapica chuckled as he and Leorio joined the gang.
"I hate to interrupt this love fest," Leorio said, pointing to the airship that already held the other examinees, "but we need to get on that ship, or they'll leave us here."
"Right," Love apologized.
On the blimp, the examinees lounged about, well, some of them lounged, anyway.
"What kind of test do you think the last exam is?" Leorio posed the question to the little group of rookies that sat in a circle in the middle of the room.
"Who knows," Kurapica shrugged. "I heard this next test is to be devised by the Chairman himself."
"Do you think it's a written test?" Gon fretted. "I'm not really good with written tests."
"Yeah, me neither," Leorio added.
"Heh," Apathy snorted. "I don't think anyone here is good with written tests."
"Hey, are you trying to say something?" Pokkuru stood up suddenly.
"I'm trying to say you're all a bunch of idiots," Apathy sighed, leaning against a wall.
"Why you!" Pokkuru growled.
"Don't get so heated up over her words," Killua sighed. "Fighting now won't do any of us any good."
"Don't act so cool, boy!" Apathy rolled her eyes. "Just because you gained the favor of the other seven, doesn't mean I'll go along with this quietly. I see no profit in befriending you. Any of you, with the exception of Hisoka of course." The girl smirked as she walked by the magician who merely ignored her. All this hot-headed-ness was going to get him worked up if he paid attention to what they were saying.
"What is your obsession with that freak?" Killua shouted, standing up also. "All you ever talk about is that guy! If you ask me, he's the one you're truly in love with!"
"Well at least he doesn't push me away all the time, like you do," Apathy rose her nose into the air. "Plus, it's good to have a powerful ally. Sorry, boy, but Hisoka could kick your ass any day."
Killua was shaking with fury. "Fine!" he shouted, turning away and kicking open the door. "I'm outta here!"
"Good riddance!" Apathy sighed exaggeratedly. "Right Hisoka?"
The magician looked up. He had only come in the middle of the fight but he could still grasp what was going on. "Really?" he questioned her, bemused. "Then why are you crying?"
"I'm not crying!" she retaliated, wiping the tears from her eyes. "It's all that stupid Melancholy's fault! She's always doing this!"
"Stasy," Kurapica led her to the side. "I know you're a little ticked that Killua didn't appreciate your efforts to spare him and go through all the trouble of getting three other tags, but you need to calm down. There's actually a bright side to all of this."
"What?" she laughed bitterly.
"Killua was angry at you for caring too much about Hisoka," he smiled as he whispered to her, like he was sharing a juicy secret. "That means he was jealous."
"Killua was jealous?" Stasy reiterated.
"Yeah, I think you should go apologize to him," Kurapica suggested quietly. "Your mood swings caused you to act like a..."
"Like an ass?" Stasy finished his sentence with a light chuckle.
"Yes, exactly. Reconcile with him. After that, you might have the chance to score some points with him while his emotional defenses are down."
Their conversation was interrupted by a voice on the loud speaker. "In a while, the Chairman will receive you for a conversation. When you're called, please come to the first reception room of the first floor. Candidate number 406. We ask that you please come to the reception room."
"Ah, that will have to wait for later," Stasy said to Kurapica. "See ya!"
Stasy jogged to the reception room to find the old manin his burnt orange clothes sitting at an old Japanese style table with a bit of paper. There was a pillow opposite the table in which the Chairman motioned for her to sit.
"Is this the last round?" Stasy asked nervously.
"I wouldn't say there's no relation," the old man replied. "I'd like to ask you a few questions. Above all, why do you want to become a hunter?"
"I'm searching for what I believe to be the greatest treasure," Stasy answered with a smile. She had gone through this topic so many times, but it never bored her. This was her life, after all. "Hunters do seek treasures after all, so this title would benefit me in my search."
"Oh really? And what is this great treasure?"
"Family," Stasy smiled fondly at the word. "A place with people in where I belong."
"Don't you already have that with some of the other rookies?" the man countered.
"Yes, but we'll have to part once the exam is over, won't we? I can't follow him forever."
"Well, then, on to the next question," the old man continued. "Among the eight other candidates, which retains most of your attention."
"Oh, #99 by far!" Stasy replied immeadiatly. "He's so hott! But besides him, it would have to be Asparagus-nii, I mean, number 44. He's strong and I'd like to see what all he's capable of."
"And last question," the old man pursued, "Among he other eight participants, who do you want to fight against the least?"
"Number 99!" Stasy cried out exasperantly. "Oh, I am unable of harming a single hair on his heavenly body! I'd rather kill myself than think of deforming his beautiful complexion!"
"Thank you," the old man said absent-mindedly. "You may go now."
Stasy stood up and walked out of the room. 'Well, that was simple enough. I wonder what the Last Round will be like.'