LAST TIME ...

"Man, how did I get myself into taking the damn Hunter Exam."

"I made this little bet with a friend of mind... whoever wins this bet gets to make the loser do one thing that the win ordered without any complains."

"Congratulation, Nobunaga! You're going to be taking...this year's Hunter Exam!"

"Goodbye! I'll make sheer to come home right when the exam is over! Eeeee! I can't wait for the hunter exam."

"Huh, what a little girl doing here?"

"Oh no. You didn't scare me in the least. But thank you for your concern."

"Wow, what a kid!"

"No way, man, that guy can use Nen! Ha! You're right, this is not going to end pretty."

"Thanks, man, you really did help me to blow off some steam. Well, you and that funny girl over there."

"NO!"

"Yes, he did, but why are you trying to kill him? ... Why did you decided that you wanted to kill him the time that you did? It doesn't add up. You didn't have to save me back there but you did. So I'll rephrase my question, why did you save me?"

"Ha, maybe the Hunter Exam won't be so boring after all. Maybe I should keep a close eye on that girl."

"Who knows, maybe the other will like her too."

Chapter 2 - Awful Drawing x Who You Are x YOU TOO

~Nobunaga' s POV~

After yesterday's 'show',or how the captain would like to call it, the rest of the trip was nothing more than smooth sailing. Let me just tell you, that it was kind of boring the hole way to Dolle Harbor. The only exciting thing that happen was when Yuki, the kid I just learn the name of, jump head first, into the ocean to save that guy name Katzo. And boy, was her friends mad at her for that. But it was really, really funny when that blond haired kid and that other guy, the one with the short temper, blush when they got kiss by her. Ha!

The captain said that all three of them pass, and that he was going to drop them all off at the dock closest to the exam site. As for me, well, the old man said that I was going to do just find in the exam. I guess that means that I pass also.

I knew that we were support to be arriving at Dolle Harbor today so I made my way to the deck. I thought since it was really early in the morning that no one would be up, but boy was I wrong. When I first open the door, I was greeted by that same girl that I found funny. What was her name again… oh, that's right, Yui was it? Or was it Yuki? Or was it… oh, whatever it is, she was the one who greeted me.

"Oh, hello, mister. I didn't thought that anybody would be up at this hour," she greeted.

I got out my cell phone and read the time. 5:58. 'Man, why did I decided to wake up so early, again?' I walk over to where she was sitting, "Yo," I look down at what she was doing. I couldn't really see what it was since her poncho was blocking my view. But I know that it have something to do with the pen on top of her ear, "Hey, kid, what is that, you got there? A drawing or some sort?"

"Yes actually, do you want to see it? I would really like to get another opinion on it?" and just like that, she got up and handed me her drawing.

When I first took at look at it, the first thing that ran through me mind was, 'What the heck am I looking at?' It look like a bunch of squiggly lines, wield shapes, and a lot of poorly draw circles. I mean, come on, how can anybody mess up when it came to drawing circles? Even Phink can do a better job than this. It's likes…

"So, what do you think?"

I look down and saw the girl staring at me like she couldn't wait to know what I have to say, 'Oh boy. Okay, so what do I say? … Err! These are the days when I wish Shalnark or Feitan was here. They would know what to say. Wait, did I just say Feitan?' "Uhh, sorry, but can you repeat that?"

"I ask, what do you think?"

"Oh, right! Uhh… well… huh… it's… sorry... huh... but, what is it exactly?" I gave up trying. It was no point in hiding. And lying won't make it any better.

"I don't know, a drawing of Dolle, maybe?"

I tilted my head, "Huh? How can you not know what you were drawing? You drew it."

"True, but I never been to Dolle Harbor before, so I decided to draw a picture of what it might look like," she smile at the end.

"Oh!" I look down at the draw, "I see now. Well… it sure is an... uh?... interesting one."

"You think so!" the girl look really please.

I nodded, "Yes, yes. Without a doubt." 'Technically I wasn't lying.' "I mean, I can definitely picture Dolle having… uh… mountains."

"Mountains?"

"Yes, yes. You know, these tall, round, shapes in the background."

"… uh… but those aren't…"

"And I must tell you, it would make scents to have added bicycles in your drawing. Good creativity."

"…"

"But what I don't understand, is why is there a giant duck on top of bunch of snakes." I remove the picture from my face, and saw that the girl was now hitting her head against the ship's railing, "Uh… what are you doing?"

She stop slamming her head, and let it rest on the railing, "The mountains were suppose to be buildings," she mumble.

"Eh?" a sweat drop felled down my cheer.

"And the bicycles were meant to be people."

"…" I went animated frozen.

"Very, very poorly draw people. And the giant duck… sign… that was actually suppose to be our ship, on top of the water, not snakes."

"… went, I didn't mean it like that. It just that…"

"It's okay," she turn around and continued sitting, "I know that I'm a lousy drawer. Ha, I just couldn't sleep so I thought it might be a good idea to get up and go on deck. But I got bored here around thirty minutes ago. So when I found that book, I just thought drawing a picture would be a good way in passing the time."

"…" I decided to hand her back her book and sit down beside her, "Hey, kid, why did you decide to try out for the Hunter Exam?"

She look up at me, "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious in why a little girl, like yourself, is interested in becoming a Hunter."

She look up at the sky, "Well, it probably because my daddy is one."

I look down at her, "Oh really now?"

"Uh-huh."

"What type?"

"Type?"

"Yeah, you know, what kind of Hunter is he? A Blacklist, an Assassin, maybe perhaps a Contract Hunter?"

She hug her teddy bear closer to herself, "I don't know. I… I… I never knew who was my parents."

"…" my eyes widen.

"When I was younger, I was told that my parents got killed in an accident. But later on, when I met Kite, I learn that he was a Hunter. So I decided that I would become one also, in order to find him."

I couldn't believe my ears. This girl, she… she… she, want to become a Hunter just so she could find the man that most likely abandoned her. Back in Meteor city, no one ever said or even think of anything like that. There was really no point in trying to care about someone who doesn't even a knowledge your very existence. I'm sure a lot of people out there would have to agree with me on that one. But this kid… "Okay, so what are you planning to do once you find him?"

She tilted her head to one side, "I don't now. I guess I haven't really thought that far ahead, yet."

There was a long moment of silent, until the girl spoke first, "Hey, mister, why are you trying out to become a Hunter?"

"Me? Huh, that's a good question," I scratch my head, "I really don't know. Eh, let's just say that my friend talk me into it."

"Huh?" she look confuse, but that look quietly change, "Alright then, then can you tell me what kind of Hunter are you interested in. You seem to know a lot more about it than I do."

I look up at the sky, "What kind of… hhh… I guess it would have to be a Treasure and Blacklist Hunter."

"Treasure and Blacklist?"

"Yeah, you know, the kind of Hunter that goes off in search for treasures. Now that is something I could see myself making a living out of," I laugh at the end. It was true. Hunting for treasure would be one way in calling what I do now, "Oh, and about Blacklist. Eh, what can I say, I find them amusing." 'Amusing to kill.'

She nodded, "Oh, I see."

There was another moment of silent, "How about we change the subject. Tell me about yourself?"

"Like what?"

"Anything. Like… oh… I don't know, where did you grew up? How many siblings do you have? What are your dreams for the further? Are you good or bad at anything? I already know that art is one of them. Ha! And you know, all that kinds of stuff."

She put a finger on her chin and made a hmm sound, "Alright, but only if you answer the same question also."

I smirk, "Deal. So, where did you grew up?"

"Oh, that's easy. I grew up with me Aunty and great-gamma, on Whale Island."

"What did you do on the island?"

"Hey, that was two."

I roll my eyes, "Just answer."

"Find. Back on Whale Island, I didn't have any siblings or friends, so I would often spend most of my days playing in the forest. I never really like going to school, so my Aunty and great-gamma would often take turns teaching me things. I would often fail everything they teach me, that I wasn't interested in. And in that case, I guess that would be just about everything that doesn't have anything to do with plants or nature. They're really nice, but you should never make my aunty angry, Haha!"

"… I see. Well, I guess it's my turn now."

She nodded and lean in with an eager smile.

"Okay, where to begin? Well, I don't know if you know this or not, but I came from a city called Meteor city."

"Meteor city?"

"Yeah, it's often called a junkyard and a place full of weirdos. Though no one there calls it that. We much proper to call it by its name. Ha! It's a place like no other. A place forgotten and abandoned by the world. Where people can throw anything away there, even newborn babies."

"Newborn, babies?"

"Yeah, newborn babies. Matter of a fact, couple of my closest friends end up like that."

"…"

"But you know, it not so bad as people say it is. If anything, we are all like one big happy family. Well, I won't call it happy, but you get my point. Long story short, I'm proud that I came from it. And I'm glad that I met the people that I did," I look back at the girl and saw that her face was cover by her teddy bear, "What's the matter?"

"… oh, nothing. It just that, when you said that newborn babies get thrown away there, it make me think about myself."

"…"

"I'm just wondering why my daddy gave me to my aunty and great-gamma instead of just throwing me away."

"…" I put my hand on her head, "Look, kid, I don't blame you for thinking that way. But you need to know that it isn't worth it to be thinking about that man," she look up at me as if what I just said was not what she was excepting. I chuckle, "What? That wasn't what you were excepting?"

She shuck her head.

I chuckle again.

"… Okay, so what was the next question again?" a light bulb lit up on top of my head, "Ahh! I remember now. Let's see now… huh… no, I don't really want to talk about my further, so that off of the list. And you," I pointed my finger at her, "Already said that you have no siblings, so that also off the list. Huh? ... I guess that just leaves what we're good and bad at then," I was just about to ask it, but she beat me to it.

"So what are you bad at, mister?"

I tilted my head to one side, "Hey, stop calling my mister. Just all me Nobunaga, alright?"

She smile and nodded.

I scratch my chest, "Okay, so what am I bad at. Huh? … you know, I don't really know. What can I say, I guess I'm not bad at anything, really? Guess I'm just that good."

She pouted, "How about modus-deely-ly?"

"Huh?"

"Modoestedly."

A sweat drop fell down my cheer, "Are you trying to say, modestly?"

Her face lit up, "Ah, yes, that's it!"

"… wow, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think you might actually get along with Feitan."

She look confuse again, "Fait-ton?"

"Yes, Feitan. He's one of my friends," I search through my brain, "He a really short guy who is bad a grammar and something spelling."

She nodded, "Is he the one who talk you into taken the Hunter Exam?"

"No, no. he like to see people in pain, but it wasn't him."

"In… Pain?"

I wave my hand in the air, "Okay, okay, that's enough about me. It's your turn."

She put a finger on her chin, "Okay, well… let me see…"

"Don't take too long, now."

"…"

"…"

She took in a deep breath, "I good at fishing, but terrible at math. I can barely do twenty push up, although I have great flexibility and balance. I know all kinds of plants and how to communicate with animals… but whenever I'm in the kitchen, weeelllll…eh, I sort of burn it down and turn whatever I touch into a ticking time bomb."

A eyes widen and a fell more sweat drop fell down my face.

"I love to sing and sometime dance for myself, my aunty, great-grandma, animals, and also the flowers. But I can never seems to draw a single tree," she pouted, "No matter how hard I try, I can never remember most of the people I come across names and faces. Thought if they make an impression on me, well that in entirety different story." she stop talking a took in another deep breath, "And…"

'Wait, there's more?'

"I can also hold my breath for a quite sometime, and see a bit underwater for quite sometime."

"O-kay, well, that's…"

"Oh, and my great-gramma said I have sharp eyes."

"…"

She smile and nodded.

"Okay! Good to know!"' Well, she sure is straight forward and honest. I wonder if she going to turn out to be an Enhancer.'

She look up at the sky and smile, "Good morning."

I look up, also, and notices that it is already sunrise, "Huh, I guess it really is morning, now. We should be arriving shortly," I took out my phone and look at the time again. 6:37. 'Wow! Have I really been talking to her for this long?'

"You think so?"

I look back at her, "Huh?" 'Wait, did I say the last part out loud?'

She then turn around and look into the sea, searching for something. She pouted, "Aww! I can't see the harbor."

"Huh?" 'I guess that means that I really didn't say it out loud, after all.'

She then look at me, "Hey, mist-… I mean, Nobunaga-san, would you like to hear one of my songs?"

I stare at her blankly, "Uh? Sure thing."

She got up and stood there on top of the railing. 'Wait, is she series?'

~Third Person's POV~

Nobunaga walk up to a streak house restaurant and went inside.

The head chief look up at him, "Oh, hello there, sir, what can I get for you today?"

"Now, let me see, what was it again," Nobunaga dug into his pocket and got out a piece of paper, "I would like one streak combo that opens your eyes to the light."

The man eyes sharpen, "A streak combo? How would you like it cook?"

Nobunaga chuckle, 'I Guess I got it right. It was a good thing that I stole this paper from that navigator.' "Grilled over a low flame, until cooked. If you please."

The man smile, "Oh, sure thing. It's in the back."

Nobunaga did as he said and made his way out back. He was led into a small room with only a table inside. Once the door close, the hold room started moving. 'Guess this is an elevator of some sort.' Nobunaga look at all of the things on the table, until his hand reach for a white button with a number on it that read 556. 'Now why would this be here?' He didn't know what to do with it, but he thought that it was going to be important, so he decided to hold onto it.

Once the elevator stop, Nobunaga took a step outside and was greeted with a glance from everybody.

Nobunaga signed, "Okay, let's get this over with," he mumble.

"What are you doing here, Nobun?"

Nobunaga jump forward and turn around when he felt something touch him on the shoulder. He was about to strike with his sword, until he recognize who it was, "PAKU, WHAT WAS THAT FOR AND… " he tilted his head to one side, "Wait, why are you here?"

"The same reason why you're here, to take the Hunter Exam," she walk right up to Nobunaga and pull on his yukata, "Come."

"Hey, hey, hey! There's no need for pulling!"

As Pakunoda walk through the crowd of applicants, while pulling on Nobunaga. She notices that they were being stare at. So she stop in her tracks and look to her left. All of their eyes were directed at Nobunaga. She smile, "He's one of us," after she said that, more and more of the people started looking at Nobunaga, and backing away even more than they already were.

Nobunaga notices this and ask, "Huh? What of us? Wait, don't tell me that the other are here too, Paku."

She nodded and let go of his clothing. "So, you're coming?"

Nobunaga made a face, "Jeess, Paku. You should have took me that from the beginning?"

And just like that. They started walking again.

~Pakunoda's POV~

We made our way over to a corner where most of our friends were. Well, all of our friends who ended up taking the Hunter Exam. They are look at us with little surprise. I guess they were expecting this to happen.

Feitan, who was sitting on top of a pipe line ask, "Oh, you're here also, Nobun."

His grammer was deplorable as always.

Nobunaga eyes burst out, "Wha! I'm here? What are all of you doing here?!" I was about to answer when Nobunaga look at me and said, "And don't give me the same half bake answer you did, earlier!"

I smirk and look down, "Find. Would anybody like to answer his question?"

"Err! What do you think? We're all here for and because of the same reason you most likely are, you dope," stated Franklin.

"Oh, so I'm a dope, huh!?"

"Whatever, let's just get on with the stories telling, already," that was Phink who was whining.

We all look at he as if he was still a child in grade school. "Story? What story?" ask Uvogin.

He look around at all of us before smirking and then shrugging, "What? Oh don't give me that look. I know I'm not the only one who want to know how or why we all got here." we all have to agree with him on that. Well, everyone except me, of course. I took the liberty in looking through everybody's memories already. They were all pretty boring. Well, except for Nobunaga's. Phink rub his hands together, "Okay, so who's first."

Franklin raises his hand, "Me. It's best to just get it over with," he scratched his head, "Let's see now, well to put bluntly, me and Shizuku got trick," we all continued to stare, "A little while ago, we came into the up stair's restaurant looking for Shalnark. He told us that he got something important to tell us, and that it couldn't wait. But when we got there, he was no where to be found. We continued to wait for what seems to be forever. And the next thing we knew what hit us, it was already lunch hour. So we order. I remember Shalnark saying something about the streak combo there being able to open your eye's to the light, and that we should totally try it. But without even knowing it, I end up saying the password and getting ourself into the Hunter Exam."

"And the worst part was that we never did got our steak combo," Shizukz pouted.

Franklin put a hand on top of her head, "I got so piss when I got down here, that I ended up killing a couple of people," we all knew that when he said a couple, what he really meant to say was a couple of dozens.

After Franklin was done explain, we all nodded slowly and turn our heads towards Phink, "What?" he ask.

"Well, you were the one who came up with the idea for all of us the share stories. So it would only make sense if you go next."

Phink rub the back of his neck, "Jeess," he then look up at Feitan, "Long story, short - we got into a bet with Shal and lose."

"Huh!? You too!?" asked Nobunaga.

Uvogin raise an eyebrow.

Phink continued, "A vid-e-o game bet. In which the loser has to do a dare the winner wishes. And like always, Shal won. Damn it! I really should had saw it coming. He's always asking us if we are interested in taken this stupid Exam."

I nodded once more before looking over at Nobunaga, "And you?"

"Huh?"

"Well, talk. You just said that you got drag into this by a bet, made by Shalnark, so why not continued."

"Oh, well like Phink's and Fei's story, I also got into a bet with Shalnark and lose. But it wasn't a video game bet. It was a stealing one."

I nodded, "Uh-huh. And?"

He stare at me with a puzzle look again, "And, what?"

I smirk, "Aren't you going to tell us about this little girl you met and who you became quite fond of."

Everybody turn to look at Nobunaga was a smug look on their faces, "Ohh! A girl," taunted Phink.

"Is she cute?" asked and continued Feitan.

"W…wha!" Nobunaga asked.

Before Nobunaga could clarify what I said. I answered, "Yes, girl is. Quite matter of a fact."

"PAKU!"

Uvogin, Franklin, Phink, and Feitan chuckle and continued grinning.

"Ahahahaha! Soooo. Is she taken the Hunter Exam or what? If so, we would like love to met her," followed Uvogin, "Right everybody?" everybody nodded, including Shizukz and myself.

Several veins appear on Nobunaga's face, "Would. You. Guy. Please. Shut. Up," he said grinding his teeth together.

"Oh, don't be like that. There's nothing wrong with wishing to settle down and have a couple of kids along the way. I mean, your not getting any younger."

"WHAT ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT! SHE'S LIKE TWELVE! AND WHAT IS THIS TALK ABOUT ME BEING OLD! ERR! WE'RE EXACTLY THE SAME AGE, YOU MEAT HEAD!"

I watch as everybody face turn from surprise to full on laughing. I for one couldn't help myself either.

Nobunaga breath heavily and even the people from cross the room could feel the rage he was given off. I put a hand onto Nobunaga shoulder, "Why don't you go blow off some steam by killing some of the people inside this room?" many of the people who were listening in on our conversation back away. I pointed my finger at them, "Why don't you start with the people who was eavesdropping?" Nobunaga turn around and did just that. We all watch as so many people gotten themselves killed by Nobunaga's sword.

"Nobun killing more people than I did," dryly laughed Feitan. It was true, whenever someone or anybody came over, and decided to intimidate or flirt with us, we would often kill them in a heartbeat. Of course, we also decided to kill somebody who was staring at us or if we were just in a bad mood. That is the main reason why the number of people in the room is in the four-hundreds, even though the last person that just came in had a button that read, 563.

"Huh?" Shizuku put a finger on her lip.

"What is it," asked Phink, finally calming himself down.

She look over at me, "Paku, Uvo, how did you two got here?"

"Oh," Uvo look down at her, "To be honest, how we got here wasn't anywhere near as interested as your guys stories. Nobun's for started. Ha! Shal just called in a favor from Paku and she said yes. I heard that she was going to be trying out for to become a Hunter, and well, what are friends for. Am I right or am I right?"

I put my hand on my cheek, 'Shalnark. He somehow gotten all seven of us to take the Hunter Exam. But why? What is he up to?'

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