"The Hunter Exam will now begin. I am Satotz, the Phase One Examiner", the purple haired man said as he began to walk, with a long stride, into the tunnel where he had come from.

The crowd shifted uneasily in the back, where I was standing, as those at the front surged forward after Satotz.

"You must follow me to Phase Two. This is the exam's first phase".

"Easy enough", I muttered to Gon who raised an eyebrow and shifted his fishing rod to a more comfortable position on his shoulder.

He simply responded, "So you think", without his usual optimistic tone. Well...that was odd behavior coming from Gon...perhaps he was a realistic optimist?

I shrugged a shoulder and began slowly jogging after the people in front of me.

Leorio ran up to my left.

"Yo Avi", he said, "If you were a pair of sneakers I'd be in and out of you all day." He threw me a megawatt smile. I responded by raising an eyebrow.

Kurapika butted in and glared at me. "Leorio", he said,"I know you find Avi attractive, but perhaps it would be best if you focused on yourself and helping everybody in our group."

I glared at Kurapika who glared back with a stony expression on his face. He wasn't gay. He valued his friends and thought I was a threat.

"I enjoy running", I stated, "And lifting. Well…mainly because I enjoy eating. So yeah, I'm in decent shape". Kurapika looked confused until he realized that both Leorio and I were ignoring him. He shot me a look and moved away.

Leorio threw me a devilish grin. "Yeah, I can tell". Lol. Not. I glanced down at my body. I was bit on the chunkier side...but I had muscle so I knew if I ate healthy foods and exercised, the ten pounds would melt away, like they always would. It would simply take dedication. If I cared that much, which I didn't.

My smile grew. I would definitely have fun during my free time! But I then steeled my thoughts. Nope. I had a purpose now: kill the Kurta, gouge his beautiful scarlet eyes out, and pass the Hunter Exam.

Simple enough a plan. But…said Kurta was running behind me. I could try to kill Kurapika now, during the First Phase…but he was on guard. Everyone was. Maybe someone else would pick Kurapika off and I could sneak back and then take his eyes.

As I ran, I thought of the most efficient ways of how to kill Kurapika. Kurapika was always on guard. There was no way I could seduce him because I knew Kurapika was also a prude and probably had never even touched a female before. And he already mistrusted me.

Poison was out too as I had no resources, yet. Could I handle Kurapika one-on-one? Probably not…no…I had to wait for the right moment when Kurapika was weak and friends weren't near.

Gon would stop me, yes. Leorio too, even though I knew Leorio was attracted to me and liked my attitude a little. Leorio talked like he was this cold-hearted person, but from my interactions with him I could tell he was a bit immature and a flirt with a heart of gold. But that heart would belong to someone else who was not me. I had no intentions of finding a partner currently. Leorio was just someone who I would use to get closer to the Kurta. If I managed to get those eyes, my parents would be set for life and the business secure. Perfect.

After running for about two hours, sweating profusely, and listening to myself and others pant like dogs, some white haired kid rolled past Leorio on his skateboard.

I saw Leorio stiffen besides me. Well, I was a bit angry that I didn't bring a skateboard too.

"Hey!" he shouted, "Wait up kid!"

I looked at him and panted, "How…do…you…have…energy…to…shout?"

Leorio winked. "Good stamina. I last a long time". I smirked and rolled my eyes.

He then turned back to the white haired pale boy who was nonchalantly looking at us.

"Show the Hunter Exam some respect!" Leorio began.

I was frankly surprised when the teenager turned his head toward Leorio and even bothered to respond. "What do you mean?"

Leorio pointed an angry finger. "Why are you using a skateboard? That's cheating?"

I rolled my eyes and had to disagree. "Why are you wearing a suit rather than shorts or athletic pants? Because you decided to use the resources you brought along with you. I can't blame the kid".

I was completely out of breath. Wow. That was stupid of me, now I was even more exhausted.

"This is an endurance test!" Leorio angrily responded both to the pale boy and me.

"No it isn't", piped up Gon. "The examiner only told us to follow him".

"Gon!", Leorio yelled; I watched the vein near his eye twitch. He did look really unattractive when he yelled. "Whose side are you on, eh?"

The pale boy's eyes darted from Leorio to Gon and I watched the expression in those light blue eyes shift from amusement to curiosity.

The boy slowed down a little and let Gon catch up.

"Hey, how old are you?" he asked Gon. Leorio was steaming with anger and I playfully poked his bicep.

"Burned", I said with a smile.

Leorio's eyes twitched and he angrily muttered something. After all, he had no energy left to yell.

I glanced back at Gon.

"I'm fifteen years old", Gon replied.

"Same", the boy answered, "Guess I'll run too". With that, he somehow flipped the skateboard into the air, caught in, and ran with the skateboard tucked securely under his arm. I narrowed my eyes. I guess I underestimated him too. Not again! That was a difficult gymnastics move.

"I'm Killua", the pale boy said.

"I'm Gon!" Gon said happily as he introduced himself.

I gently smiled and glanced at Leorio who was really beginning to sweat.

"Leorio", I said while gasping for precious air, "You smell. So I'm going to run a bit farther away from you".

Leorio seemed either too tired to respond or didn't care of what I thought of him. Maybe both.

Now it was time to see how weak the Kurta was. I glanced for that distinctive golden blond head of Kurapika.

There!

I grinned and sped up until I was alongside the blonde boy.

I looked at him. He was taller than me, but not that much taller. That was expected as I was tall to begin with.

He was clearly broader and more muscular than me though. I would have to cheat when I physically fought him.

I glanced at his foot rhythm and body movements. No injuries or aches that I could see.

"Are you done staring at me", Kurapika coolly stated. I frowned. Damn him. He wasn't even breathing heavily and still had energy to snap at me!

But I quickly dropped the frown and threw him a megawatt smile.

"Couldn't help it!" I cheerfully said. But not really. Because you're kind of girly looking. Yet I still find you attractive.

Kurapika said nothing and focused his gaze ahead. So he was going strong, just as I had predicted. I had a feeling it would be easier to steal a pair of scarlet eyes from one of the nobles with their tight security or...do I dare say it? Perhaps I could go against the mafia? Maybe that would be easier than killing one measly, lone Kurta?

Instead I cocked my head and couldn't help but taunt him. "Are you sure you're not a female?"

The muscles in Kurapika's arms tightened. Good. He was beginning to crack.

Of course he looked, physique wise, like an eighteen-year-old male, but his face was just…pretty. Perfect.

I glanced at his face and grimaced. Kurapika caught my grimace and I watched his tawny eyes light up with curiosity.

"Why are you grimacing?" he asked, "Are you injured?"

My jaw dropped a little before I stopped it.

Maybe I misheard him?

"What", I asked, "Am I injured?"

Kurapika nodded. "If you are, I can carry you".

I stared at Kurapika in awe. He was being nice…to me. Me, who has only messed with and insulted him.

I blinked and fiddled with the end of my braid as I ran and attempted not to trip.

Then, I composed myself. No. I would not be derailed by some stupid stranger's kindness. He wants something...but what? "I'm fine. Why would you offer to help your competition? Well, me, specifically?"

Kurapika threw me a gentle smile which made me feel guilty for being such a competitive bitch. "You're my friend. Or, well…the closest thing I have to a friend. I would rather have an ally to fight with against someone like Tonpa or our competition". Either Kurapika hit his head and thinks we're friends, is acting and plotting to kill me, or genuinely wants to help me for some reason. But he did raise a fair point...

I held his gaze for a second and replied, "No. We are not friends Kurapika. We're allies. Temporary allies." What was he playing at? What was he doing? He was mad at me a couple of minutes earlier?

"You were mad at me earlier but now you're being nice?" I quickly questioned.

Kurapika shrugged. "You seem to have some issues, but those are your problems. I realized since Gon and Leorio want to work with you, I guess I'm stuck with you. I prefer to avoid arguments over petty issues. Do expect me to ignore your stupid, instigating comments."

My mouth twisted in an angry grimace as I glared at him. "Is that what daddy told you to do? Ignore your problems? Run away from the real issue?"

I watched the light in those tan colored eyes fade as they darkened to the purplish color again. I now knew why they changed from tan to purple (for a split second). It was because his eyes would turn that beautiful blood red that everybody wanted to see.

Because I now knew he was a Kurta.

I now know that if he ever found out that it was my family, myself included, who began trading the first batch of his people's eyes, that he would easily kill me.

Besides, I was going to kill him anyway. But I had to be careful and not let myself become attached to Kurapika. I could never be friends with a Kurta.

That's why when Kurapika opened his mouth to disagree or perhaps question my previous comment that I tripped him.

Kurapika's mouth opened in shock as he fell face flat onto the ground. I sped ahead, leaving him on the ground behind me. I didn't look back but I knew he would survive.

If he could survive the Kurta massacre, he could survive a fall.