A/N: AAAAAAHHH. ALH, I am back on you. Now that we're done with the essentially boring hunter exams, we are on to the fun arcs! First, the Zaoldyeck arc. I don't know what to call it so let's call it that! ^^

[I don't know what's happening with me.. I'm sucked in back to Killua addiction recently.]

This is just a filler chapter, some kinda. I just want to make sure there's a division between the last of the Hunter Exam part, and the begin of the ZAOLDYECK ARC! Yay. xD

Original Word Count: 2,791

DISCLAIMER: Again, the hiatus-master Yoshihiro Togashi owns HXH.

The four friends walked out of the room, Gon leading them up front with still a hard face. No one could tell if it was pain and sorrow or determination that was shining his eyes, but it was a deep emotion. Too deep, Akane thought, that it was too hurtful to see in a young child's face, especially Gon's, since he had a very optimistic and bubbly personality.

She sighed. Even though she didn't want to face it, she had to. "You're serious, aren't you Gon?"

Gon turned around, Akane a bit relieved to see that the angry expression was gone from his childlike visage. He did not answer with words and barely nodded.

Leorio tapped his chin with a finger, thinking. "Kukuru mountain, isn't it? Haven't heard of it," Leorio said. "But Akane, you said…"

"I live pretty near it," she answered with a nonchalant nod. "As I've told that creepy Gitarakuru guy, it is the view from my backyard."

"Where is it, anyway?" Leorio asked. He wasn't that knowing to those kind of geographical materials and knowledge. He didn't bother to study them.

"It's around the mountain border of Padokia. My family lives at the end of the Rimowa town—that was nicknamed Rome, for I don't know what reason, but it's more famous as that name—but not exactly at the outskirts… the mountain border and forest is basically our backyard experience every day," Akane said. "Dentora province, where Kukuru mountain is really counted in, is just a walk away from my house. There's not much of a border, you see, just a small arch saying, 'Welcome to Dentora.' Padokia, really weird yet cool place." She missed her home, and loved patronizing it.

"Padokia?" Kurapika asked. "That's three days on airship from here."

"Yeah," Akane nodded. "Shall we get started?"

"Wait!" Gon said, and the three turned to see him already running off to one of the examiners, Satotsu. He had a card in his hand. Akane recognized it as a Hunter License… or at least, something that looked like it. But it wasn't.

What kind of and whose license is that?

"Satotsu-san!" Gon called.

Satotsu turned around. "Gon?"

"Can I ask you what this is, Satotsu-san?" Gon asked. "Someone I know let it fall… I thought it was a Hunter License, but apparently it isn't…"

Satotsu took the card that was in Gon's hand. His eyes widened. "Aah, a certificate of a Double-Star Hunter." He flipped the card over and gasped. "Gon.. you said me this belonged to someone you know…"

Gon nodded. "Yes, it belonged to someone named Kaito, but…"

Shaking his head, Satotsu said, "No, Gon. This card belongs to a hunter named 'Ging'.'"

This time, it was Gon's turn to gasp. Father… "C-can you tell me more about this Ging… Satotsu-san?"

He nodded. "Of course. He was well known in his work; he excavated ruins and did his best to preserve them, using his own fortune for the preservation of it, to the very littlest detail. He was known not only in the quality of his work, but also in the way. Now, his works are used as models for the next generation." A solemn smile spread across his face. "He was my hero, when I do my own job. I wanted at first to do it for the Honors, but when I saw his work, it was shame that I felt. I have never met him, but I still dream on doing so."

Gon almost grinned at the irony. I haven't met him too, Satotsu-san.. and yet he's my father.

"…do you know the electronic pages? You might be able to learn more about him there," Satotsu added, realizing Gon would have a better reach on the information he wouldn't be able to provide since he already had the Hunter License.

Gon nodded. "Thank you, Satotsu-san!" He said, and ran back to his three waiting friends.

After a few minutes, Kurapika finally sighed, letting his hands drop to the sides. "Finally. I thought it would take forever. I got us the tickets. One airship to the Padokia region, by the Dentora province."

Akane nodded happily, and smiled cheerily. Both names were very familiar to her—the point of going home was already exciting her. What's more, she has her friends. "That's for tomorrow morning, right?"

Kurapika nodded. "Tomorrow at seven in the morning."

"Where are we going to stay?" Leorio asked. "…I mean, you don't want to rush to the Zaoldyeck house while having jet-lag, right?"

Akane laughed. Typical Leorio. "You can stay at my place."

"Are you sure, Akane? I don't think so…" Leorio muttered.

"My room is enough for ten people! Plus, we have a comfy attic if you don't want to be seen around much," Akane said with a laugh. She was now truly excited, and Gon and Kurapika could see it pretty easily. Then she stopped. "What about tonight?"

Now it was Kurapika's time to smile. "Apparently, you're going to have to renounce the party temptations."

Akane pouted like a five-year-old. "You have gotta be kidding me! I haven't been to a party in YEARS!"

"Killua, or Party?" Kurapika asked playfully, waiting for a clever response from Akane.

She grinned. "Party now, Killua later! That's tomorrow anyway."

"You're going to be too drunk," Leorio said, but she shook her head. "Not me! I have strong tolerance to beer to…uhh… MOST alcoholic drinks! TRUST ME!"

Leorio laughed at the girl's persistence. "Yeah right!"

She, instead, just gave them the thumbs-up sign. "Yup. And the one who doesn't attend later will not be able to ride the airship, not one step!"

And what gave you the right to do so, goldie? She heard in her head, and bit her lip momentarily remembering that only Killua called her by that nickname, and only when no one was around. It was like their special call to each other—even though he had Gon, he still remained calling Akane names. This, of course, Akane knew, was Killua's sign of affection.

"A-and in case you're thinking what gave me the right, have you realized it was my License used to contact the airship?" She answered the thought in her head. She got the Hunter License that was sitting near the computer. "So everybody's going to the party!" Her grin became even wider. "It's official! Let's all hang loose and have fun!"

That night, all four of them went to the Hunter's last party. They were celebrating, all the new Hunters and the examiners. They gathered in one lavishly decorated room, eating and drinking to their heart's content.

Once in a while Kurapika would look at Akane worriedly, half-knowing there would be one point that night were she would just lose consciousness. He hoped it would be sooner, and not later deep in the night, because the sooner she falls asleep, the easier will she be to wake up. And the hangover would be less painful.

But she never, not once, toppled. She drank the punch and she enjoyed her time, enjoying the foods and the salads, talking to the other 'friends' she will soon be parted with. She even talked with Netero, and they were laughing. Kurapika shook his head. You're being overprotective again. She's just acting like herself… she is tolerant with alcoholic drinks.

Hanzo approached her minutes later when she finally sat down, enjoying the view. "Hey, have some," he offered, and handed her a glass. It had an orange-ish colored liquid inside, and Akane thought it might be something like Margarita. So she took it with a smile.

"Hanzo, what are you going to do after this?" She asked, fingering her glass.

"I'm a professional ninja back in my hometown," he said proudly, before extending his hand which had his own glass. "Bottoms up?"

She grinned. "Bottoms up!"

Their glasses clinked together before she drained the glass into her mouth. Her eyes widened with the sudden streak of pain. She fell off her chair, earning Kurapika's attention. She felt her throat close, and her question was forced out of her mouth as the wind was deprived of her. "What…is this?"

"Cranberry juice and vodka," Hanzo said, kneeling before her as he tried to pull her up. Kurapika was now standing beside him.

"What happened?" He asked, seeing Akane limp and unconscious on the ground. "What did you do?"

Hanzo shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know! We were just drinking some cocktail, man! And she had the ultimate off-the-roof tolerance for them! What is it now?"

"She must've been allergic to it!" Kurapika said as he took Akane in his arms, determined to bring her to her room quick. If he was right, she would be having an allergy, and since she's breathing hard, it must've caused her asthma to turn into effect. He would have to find her inhaler or something for allergy.

How many things is this girl allergic to?

He finally managed to put her back on her bed, and searched her bag for something. There was a tiny bottle with words he wasn't so familiar of. Maybe Leorio was familiar with them, but he couldn't be sure. And besides, there wasn't enough time.

He took a pill and put it in Akane's mouth, forcing her to swallow it with the water he poured in. She started to cough in no time, and later, she squinted her eyes open, and she blinked in confusion.

"Was that Cranberry?" she asked, and Kurapika nodded. "I should've known. I'm sorry."

Kurapika rolled his eyes. "What are the things you're allergic to? So that we know what not to feed you."

Akane looked down. She didn't want to be an extra weight to the gang again, because of her allergies. She thought maybe if Killua was here, he could make up a joke like, 'So that we know what to feed you, kukuku~' or something. In her mind, she could see his catty face, his playful glance. Truly, she thought, she had really applied him in herself as a younger brother. She shook her head, telling herself to stop thinking of the what-ifs. Kurapika looked at her amusedly.

"Just cranberries," she answered in a weak tone.

Kurapika nodded. "Do you still want to go back?" He offered, but she shook her head.

"I think I need a rest… I've been drinking too much, too," she grinned. "Tomorrow at seven?" She yawned. "Good-night, aniki~" she told Kurapika as a joke.

Kurapika smiled and bent down to leave a kiss on her forehead. "Good night. Sweet dreams."

Tch. You're so weak.

No I'm not! You don't know!

Look at you! Almost falling off dead because of some Cranberry what-not.

It's not my fault!

You should be able to stand through that kind of torture, or you're not strong enough.

…Strong enough for what?

You should give it up, Goldie. It's no use.

No, we will bring you back. If it's for Gon, we'll do it.

…I don't want you guys to die yet. Especially Gon.

We won't die! We'll all come down from Kukuru alive.

You're not strong enough.

Now you don't say one more word, Kil. I will prove you wrong. We will save you, and we'll show you! We are strong enough.

Akane woke up that morning not the least dizzy. She folded the sheets and went over to her bag to shuffle for a set of clean clothes. Before she entered the shower, however, she took a glance outside to the sun that was barely rising, to the mountains that barricaded it. She somehow saw the hope that came out of the yellow rays.

We will find Killua, no matter what.

She felt her body being rejuvenated by the water droplets that sprinkled out of the shower. She smiled, remembering how when she was a child, her father taught her to see every little rainbow out of every little droplet. He taught her how to be content with the small things that she could easily have.

But this time, she knew that with Killua out there, being hurt, she knew, she couldn't just be content with the small things. She would have to fight for it, this time.

Facing the full-length mirror, she was running her brush roughly down her hair when she heard three rapid knockings on her door. "Akane, we're about to leave. Are you ready?"

She recognized the voice as Kurapika's. "Almost! Can you wait for me outside?" She called through the door.

"Sure! We'll go ahead and tell the Chairman!" he said. She heard him trod lightly on the carpeted floor outside.

She put down her brush and put it in her bag. She stared at her reflected in the mirror. She was wearing a blue, long-sleeved polo. The sleeves reached up to her elbow. She had white pants on, and her gray rubber shoes that looked like boots.

…your bangs. They're going to get in your way.

She thought it was funny how she was hallucinating, these past few hours. She could hear Killua's voice, telling her what to do. Even more, taunted her.

She clipped her bangs to the left side of her face. She ran her fingers through her long blonde hair and put another clip midway back. She wore it just the same way as she did before the first exam started.

She smiled. She knew this felt like déjà vu. Doing the exact same thing.

"Better?" she asked in thin air.

She didn't bother to wait for the response of the Killua in her head. She knew what he would say, anyway. He would say, 'I guess,' in a plain monotone voice.

She didn't want memories, she wanted the present. She wanted to see him and ruffle his hair again. She wanted to hear him laugh and to see his catty face again. For some reason, she also wanted to add, She wanted her little brother back.

She slung her bag over her shoulder and stepped out the door. She walked across the silent corridor, and outside the front gate she saw her three friends Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio.

She knew that another chapter of her life has been written, and another one is bound to begin.

At least she was sure that this new adventure would still be with them.

Not only them, she thought, but also the Zaoldyecks.

She felt the cold fear run down her spine. Her father had warned her of the Zaoldyecks, and yet here she is, about to face the worst fear of anybody in the world.

But Killua is a Zaoldyeck too, isn't it? She thought. He wasn't as scary as her father had told her, but he still had that creepy factor in his aura.

"C'mon!" She told them, running out the path faster before them. Kurapika, Leorio, and Gon came dashing after her. She laughed. For once, she felt so free. But she knew there was one of them that didn't feel as free… not anymore, anyway.

Don't worry, Killua, she thought in her mind with a confident grin. We will save you from them.

A/N: I was watching the episodes concerning the next few scenes of the Zaoldyeck arc when I found this very peculiar scene... I was laughing my guts out, imagining Akane's reaction to the would-be monster dog Mike [pronounced Mi-kay]! xD This is some kind of spoiler, but it's two sentences. But it's a nice joke, though. I think.
I think it's the freaking out part that's the best... not the words she said. [It's the expression I'm imagining in my head that's making me laugh.]

*pointing at Mike* "That is a hound that has undergone strict training."
*jaws slack, freaking out* "YOU CALL THAT A HOUND? I CALL THAT A DEVIL!"