Disclaimer: I don't own HunterXHunter. I am not making profit off of this story.

A/N: I promised to update monthly, so here's the September entry! (: Comments and critiques are welcome, as always!

A friend to all is a friend to none.

XXX

The examiner gestured deeply into the underground tunnel before us. "Please, this way."

The crowd began to follow him into the darkness. "I will confirm one more time," he stated. "The hunter exam is extremely difficult, so whether it is because of unfortunate luck or a lack of skills, you can get hurt of even die. There have also been numerous instances where examinees have been incapacitated by other examinees. If this does not matter to you…please follow me."

As expected, no one except for the man who had gotten his arms cut off by Hisoka stayed behind. "Understood," the examiner said. "405 applicants will participate in this first exam."

Leorio sighed from beside me. "As expected, not even a single one's chickening out," he said quietly. "I was kind of hoping for a few."

No one answered, as we were more preoccupied with the sudden realization that the people around us had begun to jog.

"Hey, what the heck!" Leorio exclaimed. "Is it just me, or is everyone starting to pick up their pace?"

"The pace has really quickened all of a sudden," Kurapica observed.

I nodded, finally mounting my bicycle. "Yeah, the people in front of us are even running!"

The examiner began to speak again. "I forgot to introduce myself," he said sheepishly. "My name is Satotsu, and I'm the examiner for the first exam. I will now escort you all to the second exam site."

"The second exam…?" one of the examinees asked. "Then what about the first?"

Most of the people around me gave similar shouts of confusion, even as Satotsu picked up the pace further, forcing those in front to run or risk being left behind. "The second exam has already begun. Yes, to follow me to the second exam site is your first exam," he clarified. "I cannot disclose the destination or the duration of the trip. You will simply have to follow me."

"What a strange exam," Gon decided.

"Is this a test of endurance?" Leorio asked, eyes bright with exhilaration. "Alright then! I'll follow you wherever you go!"

Just then, a white-haired boy rolled right by us on his skateboard, causing Leorio to point accusingly. "Hey kid! That's not fair! You're cheating!"

"Leorio, I'm on a bicycle," I pointed out, and he gaped, as though noticing for the first time.

"Ah, that's right!" he exclaimed loudly. "Arella, how could you? Both of you are cheating!"

"How come?" the boy asked, calmly turning around to face Leorio.

"What do you mean 'how come'?" Leorio cried. "Because this is a test of your endurance! Arella, ditch the bike!" I virtuously resisted the urge to smack him.

"But you're wrong," Gon defended us. "The examiner just said to follow him."

Leorio whipped his head around to yell. "Gon! Whose side are you on?"

"Mine, of course," I said haughtily, smiling widely.

Kurapica sighed, closing his eyes. "Don't waste your stamina like that. You really should just stop talking. As long as you don't cheat, this test allows you to use anything you want."

Leorio fumed, though the white-haired boy looked thoughtful. "How old are you?" he asked Gon.

"I'm almost 12," Gon declared, and the newcomer hummed while thinking.

"Fine, I'll run too," he decided, flipping his skateboard in the air and catching it with one arm.

I stifled a laugh. It seemed that the boy was determined to show that he wasn't inferior in any way to someone who seemed to be near his age. "Your loss," I said, "but I'm keeping my bicycle. No way would I be able to keep up otherwise."

However, Gon was more than entertained at the white-haired boy's skateboard trick. "Whoa! That was cool!" he shouted, and he immediately began to chat animatedly with his new friend.

"I'm Killua," the boy declared.

"I'm Gon!" Gon replied.

"Hey, Mister, what's your name?" Killua asked Leorio.

"M-Mister?" Leorio spluttered. "I may look old, but I'm still in my teens, just like you guys!"

"Leorio, if you don't want to be called old, then don't be old!" I teased, causing him to go into another fit.

Kurapica smacked his palm into his forehead and attempted to surreptitiously distance himself from the group.

I laughed, then paused in thought. I followed him at his pace easily on my bike. "Right, Kurapica—what were you saying before?" I asked, and he scrunched up his face in confusion.

"Before…?" he asked, trying to remember what I was talking about.

"You know, right before the exam started, you were about to say something about the kirikos, but then the starting bell went off," I described.

His eyes widened in recollection. "Ah, right!" he exclaimed. "Arella, I was going to ask about your special power!"

This time, I scrunched up my face in confusion. "My…my special power?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes," Kurapica affirmed. "The one you used during our fight with the kiriko beasts, when you snapped your fingers. I've been meaning to ask for a while."

"Oh, is that what that was? A special power?" Leorio asked, coming up alongside us. "I saw you snap your fingers once, but I didn't really think much of it, 'cause I was more preoccupied with treating the younger kiriko's fake injuries."

A quick glance told me that Gon was still with Killua, away from the three of us. "Ah, that's just nen," I explained. "When I snap my fingers, I can harden air particles to create a solid wall of air."

Leorio whistled. "That's pretty handy," he commented. "How d'you do that?"

I chewed my lip, trying to find an adequate explanation. "It's…it's just nen," I said helplessly. "Everyone's got nen, but some people never learn how to use it. The abilities differ from person to person. If you'd like, I can teach you both the basics when the exam is over."

"Does it take a long time?" Kurapica asked.

"Well, yes," I said, "especially if you want to master it. It took me all my life to get to this point, and my father always said I never even realized half of my potential. It's really quite useful."

"Yes, but you must have been quite young when you started learning," Kurapica pointed out.

"That's true," I allowed, "so it'll probably take you less time."

"Can you choose what power you get?" Leorio asked excitedly, no doubt imagining himself as some super-human hero.

I frowned, thinking. "I'm not sure," I said slowly. "I think your inner desires help to point your nen in the right direction, but I don't think that you can outright choose what skill you get. It's like how I bleed a lot when I'm cut. I think my nen ability developed to help make up for my deficiencies. Ever since I got the hang of my nen, I haven't really ever been injured."

"That would be useful," Kurapica murmured.

"Tell me about it," Leorio agreed. "I could do something like make all the counterfeit money I want, and no one would ever be able to tell the difference."

I cracked up at Kurapica's appalled expression.

XXX

Four hours later, I no longer felt like laughing.

In fact, I no longer felt like doing anything besides dropping dead on the floor. I couldn't believe how obstinate these people were. My legs were turning to lead and my arms were beginning to feel numb. And I was still on my bicycle.

I rolled my bicycle to a stop as Leorio ceased running.

"Leorio!" Gon's concerned voice cut through my jumbled thoughts, and I turned just as Leorio barreled past me, roaring at the top of his lungs. He had dropped his suitcase, and was quickly leaving it behind.

"NOTHING WILL STOP ME FROM BECOMING A HUNTER!" he bellowed, speeding even past Kurapica, who was staring in bewilderment.

I glanced at Gon as he swiftly looped the end of his fishing rod around the suitcase, pulling it towards him. "You want me to attach that to my bike?" I asked. "It'll be easier."

"It's fine," Gon assured me, and Killua pulled him into another conversation. "Thanks anyway," he added. I smiled at their instant friendship. It was a good thing Gon had met another kid his age in the exam.

My smile was wiped off of my face the second I saw the stairs.

Satotsu seemed to sense our despair, and turned with a smirk on his face. "Now," he announced, "I'm going to pick up the pace a bit."

I smacked myself in the forehead, causing both Kurapica and Leorio to look at me with apprehension. "No," I moaned, rolling my bicycle to a stop again. "I can't bike up stairs."

Leorio rolled his eyes. "Yeah, now you can suffer like the rest of us," he snickered.

"But I don't want to suffer like the rest of you," I whined. I glanced at the stairs, then back at my bike. "They don't seem too steep. Maybe if I—"

"No," Kurapica said firmly, grabbing the back of my bicycle.

"But I—"

"No," he repeated sternly, and that was that.

I remorsefully ditched the bicycle and started up the steps. "That was a gift," I complained.

"Really?" Leorio asked in surprise. "That thing didn't look new."

"Hey, my neighbor gave his old bike to me when he found out I was planning on taking the hunter exam out of the goodness of his heart," I said, affronted. "It's the thought that counts. Plus it was really useful in this exam." As I said this, I realized it was very likely that I might not have passed if it weren't for the bicycle. I resolved to give my neighbor a call when I had the chance to thank him.

As the hours passed, people began to drop out, one by one, leaning against the walls when they could no longer climb. I, myself, was feeling more than a little winded, though not as much as Leorio, who had completely shed his upper torso clothing.

Gasping for breath as he ran, Leorio had completely transformed himself. His suit was wrapped around his waist and his tie dangled around his neck like a scarf. Concerned, Kurapica and I exchanged a glance. It was hard to believe this puffing, sweating, looking-as-though-he-were-dead man would make it through even this first round, let alone all of them.

"Leorio, are you alright?" Kurapica asked.

"Yeah!" Leorio wheezed. "As you can see, I realized that I can keep going as long as I don't try to keep up my appearances!" Neither Kurapica nor I was convinced, though we let him be. "I'm going keep going even if it means I have to go butt-naked!" he declared. "Kurapica! Arella! If you're going to pretend not to know me, now's your chance!"

"Heh. It's too late for that," I said cheerfully. "You guys are stuck with me forever."

To my left, Kurapica seemed to take Leorio's actions to heart, as he also removed his outmost layer of clothing, placing the cloak in his bag. "Leorio, can I ask you one thing?" he said suddenly.

"I don't want to waste my stamina by talking," Leorio replied mildly.

"Are you really trying to become a hunter only for money?" he asked, causing Leorio to look dumbfounded. "No, right?" he continued. "Although we've only known each other for a few days, I can at least tell that much. Your attitude can definitely be improved upon and you're not too bright—"

"Kurapica!" I interrupted hastily, seeing a vein begin to throb in Leorio's forehead.

"—but you don't seem like the materialistic type," Kurapica continued, undaunted. "I've seen many greedy people before, but you don't really fit the mold."

I winced, wondering how well I fit the mold, since my goal really was money.

I turned to see Leorio's reaction. "Geez," he sighed. "You sure like to argue with logic." He scrunched up his nose and pressed his lips together grimly.

"Scarlet eyes," Kurapica said abruptly. "It's the reason why the Kuruta tribe was targeted. The scarlet eyes refer to a unique trait that only the Kuruta tribe members possess. If our emotions become intense or excited, our pupils turn into a reddish color which makes them look as if they're on fire. If we die in that state, the scarlet color remains in the pupil. The tone of the eye is considered one of the seven most beautiful colors of the world. The Phantom Brigade massacred my tribe for the eyes. I will stop at nothing to capture them. And I will reclaim the eyes of my people! For this reason, I will become a hunter."

"…They've probably already been sold on the black market," Leorio pointed out nonchalantly, "and you won't be able to get close to the ones who bought them since they're probably either people of extraordinary power or wealth.

"I can if I'm a hunter," Kurapica responded calmly. "If I become a money-chasing contract hunter, I'll be able to gather all kinds of information."

"Contract…? That kind of hunter is the kind of pride-less hunter you hate the most," Leorio said in confusion. "Aren't they the kind of hunter who chase after petty riches like a dog?"

I winced at this, though remained quiet as Kurapica thought to himself. "My pride," Kurapica said slowly, "is meaningless in comparison to the pain of my people."

There was lengthy pause. "Too bad," Leorio finally said. "I don't have any kind of noble reason to compare to yours. My goal is simply money."

"Don't lie!" Kurapica exclaimed. "You can't honestly believe that you can buy everything with money!"

"Sure I can," Leorio replied loudly. "Material objects, dreams, love—even people's lives can be bought with money! Everything has a price!"

"I cannot forgive you for that comment, Leorio!" Kurapica snapped. "Take it back!"

"Why? It's true!" Leorio retorted. "If I had money, my friend wouldn't have died!" There was an uncomfortable silence as Leorio realized what he had just revealed. "Damn," he sighed.

"Your friend was sick?" I whispered, suddenly seeing the similarities between my situation and Leorio's past.

"It wasn't an untreatable disease!" Leorio burst out heatedly. "The problem was the huge cost for surgery! I'm a simple guy, so I thought I could just become a doctor. It was my dream to treat the children who didn't have money, like my friend, and tell their parents, 'I don't need any money.'" He laughed bitterly. "What a joke! If I want to become that kind of a doctor, I need a fortune to pay my way! So do you understand now? Money, money, money! I need—"

He turned to glare at us and promptly lost his tongue. "A-Arella, are you crying?" he asked incredulously, causing Kurapica to whirl in alarm. Indeed, there were tears dripping down my cheeks, and I scrubbed furiously at them, causing my eyes to sting as I rubbed my salty sweat in my eyes. "You—I'm sorry," Leorio stammered in a horrified tone. "I wasn't mad at you or anything, really!"

I would have laughed at the flustered expressions on both their faces if I hadn't been crying my eyes out. Honestly, the lack of sleep, food, and rest was getting to me. I was mentally and emotionally exhausted, and it was showing.

"I know that," I sniffled indignantly. "I just—the both of you… It's so terrible. And now you've both got me started on the possibility of my brother dying. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't pay for his hospital bills."

Kurapica cleared his throat. "I'm sure Leorio didn't mean to make you cry," he said nervously, and I immediately whapped him in the back.

"You, too!" I snapped, causing his eyes to widen in panic.

"I—well, that is—" He cut himself off. "I sincerely apologize for any discomfort I may have caused," he said formally, as Leorio snickered at his side.

"But really," Leorio said, shaking his head with a baffled expression on his face, "what is it with girls and crying? And then yelling right after! Is it, like, your time of the month or something?"

"You moron!" Kurapica hissed, going red instantly. "Shut up, now!"

Both boys turned to me in slight fear, as though I would cause them bodily harm. Feverish laughter bubbled up from my throat. "Yeah, sorry, sorry," I said, endeavoring to control my wayward emotions. "I—you're right, I'm talking crazy. What's done is done, so I just have to get stronger so I can kill Hisoka faster."

"That's not what I meant!" Leorio cried, dismayed. "Hisoka is out of your league! Revenge isn't always the best path—Kurapica, you say something, too!"

Kurapica gave Leorio a flat stare. "I'm not certain I am the best person to discourage vengeance," he said wryly.

I gave a watery smile, right as blinding sunlight hit our faces. "It's the exit!" people shouted around us.

"Alright! Just a little more, Leorio!" I said encouragingly, and we dragged ourselves up the last few steps.