Read the side comic by NotKiwi on Deviant Art!


The tunnel was dim, accented with small passageways that branched off into darkness and full of the un-synchronized stomping of 405 people. And I was stressed.

Killua is somewhere up ahead with a stranger... he might be dangerous... I remembered the bright eyed boy in green. But I doubt it...

Regardless, I should probably gather information about him from these guys... I glanced at the two in question. They looked almost harmless, I could beat them if I used Nen. But that would be embarrassing... using Nen on near defenseless teenagers? Lame.

They probably won't let me go at least until the next part of the exam... I fondled the pen in my pocket. Or I could knock them out right now and catch up to Fluffy... it would serve them right for getting in my way. I could care less about Killua's freedom. There's too much at stake to play around like this...

I soothed my agitated aura with a deep breath. Oh well, he won't fail on this part of the exam. And allies are a good resource; I might as well make the best of it. It's time to deceive these chumps!

I looked between my new companions as we ran. "So, why are you two taking the exam?"

Leorio snorted. "Money of course! Hunters are loaded."

I wasn't impressed. "You're willing to risk your life just for that? There are better ways to get rich, Le-Oreo."

"Hmph, shows what you know, brat..."

"He's right Leorio, everyone knows the greatest reward for being a hunter is honor." Kurapika said condescendingly. The older boy bristled at that. I sensed that this had been a point of contention before, and quickly made a plan.

"I, uhhh, am in it to be a lawyer!" I interjected, before they could resume whatever argument was brewing. They gave me a skeptical look. My mind was racing to keep up with my story. "I used to go to a reeeeally expensive academy! But I was kicked out..."

"Well, I guess that explains why you're such a brat..." Leorio muttered. I glared at him. You're gonna regret that...!

"I want to become a lawyer, to fix the corruption in my town. They treat the poor badly there..." I said sadly. Leorio and Kurapika gave me doleful looks and I cheered inside. Hook line and sinker! "But I want to become a lawyer without the help of my stupid rich school! So I'm going to gain access to hunter information and become the best lawyer ever!"

Leorio and Kurapika fell for it, those big softies. I hid a grin.

Well, most of it isn't a lie... I'd been kicked out of a fancy academy, and my town was terribly corrupt. And once upon a time, I had dreamed of become a lawful crusader. But that was before the incident... so maybe it wasn't the whole truth, but hey. They probably weren't being completely honest, either. We had just met. Strangers don't need to know the truth...

"So what about your friend up there? What's his story?" I asked, shaking them from their thoughts. The boy in question was young, probably younger than I was. And he had an innocent face, but... so did Killua at times, and he was no helpless flower.

"Oh, Gon?" Kurapika said thoughtfully. Then he smiled. "Hmm... he's an extraordinary kid..."

"We've only known him a few days, but he's a great guy." Leorio was grinning, too. I was startled that they'd just met. "He's only 12, but he wants to be a hunter like his stupid father..."

I blinked in surprise at that. "Stupid? If he's a hunter he can't be that dumb."

Leorio scowled so deeply his face turned ugly. "He was dumb enough to abandon his own child!"

Everyone was quiet for a moment. They really care about this kid...

"... well, what about your parents? I'm an orphan." I said quietly.

There was another pause. Score another pitty point for me! Leorio scratched his cheek.

"M-my parents are fine... we're just poor. So they were always working. That's why I'm going to be rich, so I don't have to worry like they do!"

Kurapika was silent a moment longer.

"I … prefer not to speak of my family." He said finally.

I zipped my lips and threw away the key. Awkwarrrrrd. There's a dark, brooding past if I ever saw one...note to self: no personal questions for Pikachu.

And then I noticed the trash. And my mood turned sour.

Tonpa. He was running all on his own, just ahead of us. It was no wonder he didn't have any friends. I was surprised that everyone here didn't outright hate him for the tricks he might or might not have played on them. Maybe they saw him as the Exam's personal form of natural selection, weeding out the weak and saving them some competition.

I personally wasn't as forgiving. You hurt someone important to me, last year... you're finished.

"I'll be back." I told Kurapika and Leorio.

"Hey, you better not go after Gon and Killua!" Leorio shouted annoyingly. I rolled my eyes and waved dismissively, grinning to myself as I caught up to the plump man. "I'm watching you, brat!"

"Ohhh, I remember you from last year!" I said in wonder up at the man. He gave me a surly glance. "You're Tonpa-San!"

"Yeah, I remember you. You were will that magician freak last year, weren't you." He said with a grunt, uninterested. "You didn't die last year, that's good. But I have no interest in non-rookies, so would you buzz off? I'm kind of busy."

I smiled a smile that I knew wasn't pleasant.

This man had to pay. And I didn't mind being the one to dirty my hands with his suffering. I subtly drew my pen from my pocket as I let him pass me. "You should be nicer to people who are stronger than you..."

And then he screamed. Everyone around us stopped running to stare. He collapsed, clutching his leg.

"AAHHHH- IT'S BROKEN!" He wailed. I hid my smirk, feigning horror as someone dropped to his side, reaching for his leg. Tonpa swatted him away. "NO, don't touch it!"

"What? Let me see!" Leorio shoved people out of the way to get to the collapsed man. "I'm training to be a doctor, let me see."

That surprised me. Him a doctor?

Tonpa continued to wail and swat away hands, but Kurapika held down one arm with both of his hands. I kneeled and held down his other arm, probably squeezing harder than I needed to.

Kurapika and Leorio were trying very hard for someone they hardly knew, I was impressed by their kindness. I cocked a brow as Leorio's deft hands palpated the man's leg. But the longer he searched, the louder Tonpa's cries became and the more confused Leorio became. I waited patiently, watching Tonpa's contorted expression with a look of horror. But deep down inside... I was pleased.

This man had hurt so many, broken the wills of so many, even got them killed... just for kicks.

He was trash. It was my civil duty to take him out.

"It's fine." Leorio said finally, looking unsatisfied but certain. Tonpa disagreed.

"NO! IT'S SHATTERED!" He screamed, eyes and nose dripping grotesquely. Leorio rose from his place beside him, looking down without a smile.

"There's nothing wrong. So there's nothing I can do for you." He said, turning to continue his run. Kurapika hesitated to follow. "Let's go."

"You're the expert, Leorio." I said quietly a I rose, but smiled wickedly to Tonpa as I passed. "Bye, bye."

Tonpa's gross beady eyes locked on me accusingly. "YOU! YOU DID THIS! FIX ME!"

"The Hunter Association will help you soon enough!" I said innocently and turned away, chuckling to myself. Maybe he won't be fit for next year's exam? The thought made me warm inside.

Until.

My feet left the ground. What-

One moment I was running after Kurapika, the next - my back crashed into stone. The wind rushed from my lungs, shoved out on impact.

I gasped, reaching for air but it stuck in my throat in fear... Oh no.

A shadow swallowed me and a chill gripped my heart.

Hisoka.

Towering, lethal, and frowning down at me, he was angry. Again.

I stared up at him, petrified, unable to cry out. We were in a dark side alley in the tunnel; no one noticed us as they ran past. I thought about fight or flight, but all I could imagine was his hand through my chest if I moved.

He wasn't happy.

He reeked of the sickeningly sweet aroma of murderous intent; it oozed from him, thick and choking. He loomed over me, frowning with one arm braced against the wall over my head. I swallowed with difficulty. He's so close... I can feel his heat.

"W-what is it?" I demanded, trying to sound brave. But I was trembling.

He looked down at me displeased. I felt like I was dunked in ice.

I flinched as he lifted his hand. But he didn't hit me.

Instead, a card appeared between his fingers, he ran it down my cheek thoughtfully. I winced but didn't swat his hand away this time.

I didn't dare move. What have I done? Is he angry that Killua and I aren't sticking together...?

Finally he spoke. In a low rumble that I felt in my bones.

"You may be taking the Hunter Association's Exam..." He said slowly and deliberately. "... but I'm your real examiner, Middle-Schooler-Chan... You only pass if I say so..."

He leaned down to my level.

The overwhelming darkness in his aura swallowed me.

The cloying stench of murderous desire stuck in my throat.

The sharp cold in his eyes promised violence.

I stared down at the 394 button on his shirt, unable to hold his gaze.

"I won't tolerate cheating, Liar-Chan. No more using your Nen."

I couldn't move to respond.I used it so subtly, how did he notice...?!

When I didn't move, I felt a sharply pointed card at my throat.

I trembled... as he drew the knife-like playing card up my throat... slowly lifting my chin... forcing me to stare helplessly... into his deep displeasure. The sharp tip pricked at my skin, threatening to break it. "Understand?"

I was numb with fear.

Under his undivided attention and irritated frown, I felt crushed.

I didn't even know I spoke my understanding until he suddenly smiled and the overpowering aroma of murder vanished. "Good!

"The exam would be too easy for you with your Nen. Then it would be no fun for me."

I gasped for air, falling to my knees, clutching my throat as he sauntered away. Seeing him twice in one day is too much..! I stared after him with wide wet eyes, scowling. He paused at the end of the alley.

"Oh, and do keep up with the other little ones." He said with a mischievous glance over his shoulder. "It's good to make boy friends."