Last Exam: Part 3

Two brothers faced each other, one shocked out of his wits, the other cool and unreadable. The uncaring attitude Stasy had fallen onto the people was erased by the tension between the Zaoldyeck family, and from what Killua had told her, Stasy knew that this little reunion could only breed trouble.

"Mum and Miruki told me you've hit them," Irumi demanded his brother for an answer.

"You could say it like that," Killua felt a cool bead of sweat trickle down his cheek.

"Mum was crying," Irumi informed him. "She was confused. 'Succeeding in educating that way gives me such pleasure, but I'm worried to see him leave right now.' After thinking a lot, she called me. It's an unexpected meeting. She feared you'd like to become a Hunter. To tell you the truth, I also wanted an accreditation for my next work."

"I don't especially want to be a Hunter," Killua took a step back. "I just wanted to try the exam."

"That's reassuring," Irumi spoke in a monotone. "So I can talk to you openly. You won't become a Hunter. Your vocation is to be a killer. You're just a dark, passionless puppet. Inside, you have no passion nor desire. You feed yourself with shadow, and the only pleasure you can feel comes from the death of people. You're just as we taught you, father and I. What were you expecting in becoming a hunter?"

'This bastard!' Stasy was quivering in anger, however this was nothing like what she felt for Gon. 'Even if he is Killua's brother, that's no reason for him to control his life like this! If this wouldn't get Killua disqualified, I'd kill that little punk right now!'

"It's not becoming a Hunter that led me here," Killua was trembling. He obviously feared his brother. "But there's something I'd like to have."

"No, there isn't anything," Irumi decided for him.

"Yes, there is something!" Killua retaliated.

"Pff!" Irumi scoffed at his little kid brother. "So tell it to me! What would you want?"

"I want..." Killua began. "I want to become friends with Gon. I'm fed up with killing. I just want...to become friends with Gon. I want to have fun like a normal kid."

"That's impossible!" Irumi told him. "You can't make people become your friends. The only judgement you're able to pass on a human being is whether you can kill them or not, because that's what we taught you. You're amazed by Gon. You're always together, aren't you? This has nothing to do with being friends.

"That's wrong," Killua muttered in a small voice.

"If you stay close to him," Irumi continued, "one day, you'll want to kill him, because you'll ask yourself if you can kill him or not. You're a natural born killer."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, PINHEAD!" Rage shouted from the side. The men in black gave her a warning glare, but she wasn't going to intervene. Just scream her heart out at this punk. "It's Killua's decision if he wants to be friends with Gon, not you! You don't own him! Killua is a free being, living, breathing, moving, of his own will! Stop trying to brainwash him into a mindless puppet! Can't you see he doesn't like killing? If he doesn't want to, then let the rest of your messed up family do the killing! Lossing Killua won't hurt you guys! Killua, Don't listen to this shit head! If you and Gon want to be together, that's your business. He has nothing to do with it! And I'm sure Gon feels the same way about you!"

"Really?" Irumi spoke nonchalantly, despite Rage's yelling. "That bothers me. If the other one already thinks he's a friend...I know! I'll just have to kill Gon." "OVER MY DEAD BODY!" "Killers don't need friends because they're always in the way. Where is he?"

"Please, the trial isn't," the referee began but got a face full of pins which caused his head to become deflated and deformed.

"So?" Irumi asked.

"Resting...room...two...next... AIEE!! AGH!!"

"Thanks," Irumi said as he began to walk towards the door. However, Kurapica, Leorio, Hanzo, and-of course-Rage, including the men in black, stood in front of the door, blocking his path.

"Damn it!" Irumi cursed. "If only I didn't need this certification for my next work. If I kill them here, I'll be disqualified and Killua will automatically pass. I was going to make a mistake, because if I kill Gon, the result will be the same. Yes. I know! I'll start with passing the exam and then I'll kill Gon! Doing it this way, even if I kill everyone here my title can't be taken back, can it?"

"No," Chairman Netero answered calmly. "No special rule prohibits that."

"Did you hear that Killua?" Irumi addressed his younger brother. "If you don't win against me, you won't be able to save Gon. Will you be able to fight for friendship? No, you can't. The reason is simple: More than the friendship, what matters most is if here and now you can defeat me or not. You already have the answer. 'With my strength, I can't beat my brother.' 'If you feel you can't defeat him, don't confront him.' I was the one who gave you that advice, remember? Don't move. If you move even a tiny bit, I'll consider it to be the start of the fight. From the moment our bodies touch each other, the fight will begin. There's only one way to stop us. You understand? But...don't forget: If you don't confront me, your precious friend, Gon, will die."

"Don't listen to him, Killua!" Rage shouted desperately. "I'll protect you, no matter what! If he even lays a finger on your head I'll rip him limb from limb! I won't stop at anything to keep him from you, so just do what you want to do!" 'I'll even bring Malevolence out if this continues. I will protect you, Killua, my love.

Irumi's hand came dangerously close to the sweat-soaked Killua. "Damn! I lost..." Killua spoke out loud.

'What?!'

"Ah, I feel better!" Irumi clapped his hands together. "I'm done with the fights. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! I lied to you, Killua. I have no intention of killing Gon. I only wanted to test you." He slapped his hand on killua's trembling shoulder. "Now I have what I wanted. You don't have the qualifications to make any friends. More so, you don't need any. You'll continue listening to what your father and I tell you. You only have to do your work correctly and everything will be fine. If someday, it becomes necessary for you to pass this exam, I'll guide you. But now, that's not the case."

Killua did not say anything back. He merely stood there with a blank face and a now still body. It scared Rage. He looked just like...Listless. Irumi walked over to Hisoka and Killua walked straight towards the wall.

"Killua!" Leorio, Kurapica, and Melancholy called out to him, but he didn't answer.

"Killua! Killua!" She cried, shaking his body briskly. Still no response.

"Irumi, you bastard!" She shouted over to his brother. "Change him back! Make him the old Killua again!"

"He is the old Killua," Irumi answered, straight-faced. "He is as he should be."

"No he's not! This is not Killua! This is not the boy I love!" She cried at him, her anxiety eating up at her, then she turned back to the boy. "Killua! Killua! Please! Say something! I swear I won't hug you anymore if you just speak! I won't declare my love for you in public! Oh, please, don't be like this! Please! Don't walk down this road! I've been there! Don't become a mindless killer like I once was. It's not a happy way to live your life. Its not even living! Please come back! Please come back to me, Killua." She cradled his head close to her heart as she rocked him back and forth, her tears mingling with his sweat.

Everyone remained silent for what felt like the longest minute. Somehow they felt like she deserved their respects, not that Killua died or anything though.

"Next match," the new referee shattered the silence. "Leorio versus Ecstasy."

"Now?" Melancholy sighed, but stood up and walked over to the fighting round.

"Sorry, Mel," Leorio apologized. They were just not in the fighting mood.

"Begin!" the man in black shouted.

Melancholy looked up at Leorio with tired eyes which rooted him to the floor. There was no way he could fight her in this condition. But he didn't need to anymore, because suddenly, Mel was bleeding uncontrollably, with Killua's hand running through her chest. He slowly pulled his bloody hand from her body as she fell to the floor, which didn't help her current condition. "Killu...a?" she looked up at him in a pool of tears in blood. The last thing she could remember before passing out was the blurry image of Killua's face and the juror's call of "Disqualified!"