For a short period of time everyone was unitedly gobsmacked. Pokkle's jaw was visibly dropping lower and lower till Kiri feared it would detached from his head.

"Written test?!" He shouted. "But I know nothing!"

'An assessment of basic knowledge that a Hunter should know would be nothing out of the ordinary," said Kurapika. "In fact, it should be the bare minimum."

"Eh, don't say that Kurapika! I've finally gotten so far it would suck for me to flop the last test!" Whined Gon, pulling a face. "Hey Hanzo, where are you going?"

Everyone turned to look at the ninja who had silently made across the room towards the door.

He ninja turned. "The early bird gets the worm." With that, he gave a thumbs up and dashed out of the door.

The rest of the contestants exchanged panicked looks and followed suit until it was just Kurapika, Gon, Killua and Kiri left.

"I'm not sure that phrase is used in that context but okay," said Kurapika, starting to stand up.

"Where are you going?" Kiri asked.

"To the library, obviously."

"I'm wondering if it's too late for me to study now...Hey Gon, want to go steal the test papers?" Said Killua cheekily, nudging his friend in the ribs but Gon was already laying flat on the floor, a white substance which appeared to be his soul was floating slowly away from his body.

The loudspeaker sounded. "Contestant 405, please make your way to the reception room."

"Oi Gon, it's your turn, get yourself together!"

Kiri and Kurapika slowly edged away from Killua who was now shaking Gon by the shoulders and slapping him around the face in and effort to bring him back to his senses, until they were safely back in the corridor.

"Poor Gon, it seems like tests are his weak point."

"Are they your strong point?"

Kiri cocked her head to one side. "Well I wouldn't know, I've never taken one."

A look of horror struck across Kurapika's face. "Don't tell me..."

"Well I guess I was homeschooled, but only for a short while though."

Kurapika gripped Kiri by the shoulders. Kiri was slightly taken aback once again. In the short space of a day the close contact with the Kurta was too much and she wasn't sure if she could take it. Nevertheless, she stayed rigid and eyed him back.

"W-w-w-what is it?"

"Kiri," Kurapika began. He took a deep breath. "How many continents do we have?"

Kiri breathed out a sigh of relief. "Is that all you wanted to know? Do you think I'm stupid? There's obviously 15."

"Can you name them?"

"Huh? Well I guess Yorkshin City, Meteor City...How am I supposed to remember them all?"

"I knew it." Kurapika sighed out loud and held Kiri out at arm's length. "You know next to nothing."

"H-How rude!" Stuttered Kiri. "You can't say that."

Kurapika held out six fingers. "We have 6 continents, Kiri. And cities aren't continents."

"Same difference. Potatoes, potatates. What does it matter."

"I would seem like I need to educate you."

Kurapika held Kiri by the elbow and proceeded to tug her along towards the library. She tried to wriggle out of it but his grip was stronger than it looked.

They reached a set of oak doors which swing open easily upon touch. Inside, the other four contestants were sitting in a line on a long dark wooden table, side-by-side, scribbling away. The books were piled so high closely together, they were almost hidden behind it.

"Wow, they're really going at it aren't they."

Kurapika led Kiri to a nearby table and pushed her down onto a soft, plum-coloured chair. He selected a couple of books off the shelf before pulling a chair up besides to her. Flicking open to a page of a map, he pointed the continents out.

"One, two, three, four, five and six continents. Yorkshin city is over there and Meteor here."

"Oh, I live somewhere around here then", said Kiri, pointing to another area.

"Republic of Padokea? What is it called?"

"Kukuroo mountains."

"I haven't really heard of it, surprisingly."

"It's quite a touristy place, maybe you should come visit sometime. Although I should warn you about Mike."

"Mike?" Kurapika leaned on his hand and looked at her, tilting his head to a side. "Jealous boyfriend?"

"W-what, no!" Said Kiri, spluttering, almost falling off her chair. "Mike is our dog! Guard dog!"

Kurapika laughed, his voice tinkling. "That's good to hear."

Before Kiri could figure out what that meant, the loudspeaker blared again, calling Kurapika to the reception room.

Kurapika pushed his chair out and excused himself. "I'll be back soon."

Kiri watched him leave and blew her cheeks out in annoyance. "I'll find out something he doesn't know and surprise him. That'll teach him for underestimating me."

She leafed through the pages of the book until a certain one with a detailed set of drawned pictures caught her eye.

"Aha."

Whilst Kiri was waiting for Kurapika, she was getting increasingly distracted by the row of four guys studying. Studying wasn't the right word for it because they were more like bickering.

"Leorio...What are you doing?" Questioned Ponzo, slamming his book shut.

"Huh? Are you blind? Is the turban obscuring your sight? I'm studying."

Pokkle pulled out the slip of paper from him. "Aren't you making a cheat sheet? Is this how you will cheat your way into medical school? Do medics now just have their heads full of grass that they have to depend on these. Remind me to never go see a doctor, I would rather self medicate."

"Hey give that back! Geniuses have their own way of geniusing!" Leorio reached out to grab it.

"Oh? Let us have a look at that." With one swift move, his ninja neighbour swiped at Pokkle and grasped the cheat sheet. "Lesse...This doesn't look too bad. I'll be taking it."

"I can charge for that!" Shouted Leorio. "I should, in fact!"

"Too late, it's mine already."

Kiri watched the scene unfold with interest. They were so rowdy but she couldn't bring herself to leave the room.

It's been a while since I've had so much fun, she thought happily.

The young girl felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Oi, Kiri."

Kiri turned to see her younger brother.

"Killua, where's Gon?"

Killua pointed to a corner of the room where the carcass of Gon appeared to be, his soul had clearly departed. "I don't think I can save him. The word test truly had some kind of horrific effect on him."

"Maybe he has been traumatised before."

"Must've been a tough time."

They nodded together in unison.

"Anyways, they called your name earlier didn't he? What did he want?"

"He was just asking who I'm interested in and who I want to fight."

"Who are you interested in?"

"I said Hisoka at first, but he knew I was lying straight away," Killua replied. "It's not that I'm not interested in Hisoka, but it's that Gon interests me even more. He always does things I don't predict and he...He's fun to be with. I don't get bored." Killua turned his head away when he said the last sentence, slightly embarrassed are the words he had just left himself say.

"But that's probably only because we're around the same age! You and them others being waaay older than me anyways, you old bags."

Kiri plonked him on the head. "Don't call your sister an old bag."

The White-haired boy rubbed his injured head. "And you? You seem to be spending an awful lot of time with Kurapika...Am I sensing something?" Killua said this slightly, raising an eyebrow, a grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. Kiri could feel a tease coming on.

"What are you talking about, of course not." She said this line in a more composed manner than she thought she would, trying to avoid eye contact. Wanting to divert his attention she changed the topic. "Why did you come find me anyways."

"Oh, originally it was because I wanted to find a way to bring Gon back to life but we're landing soon anyways."

Kiri looked outside the window to see the huge circular domed building that looked like a pinpoint before, coming closer and closer. Killua walked back over to his friend and began shouting that the ship was about the land which was met with a groan from the four 'studiers'.

The library opened again and Kurapika walked back in.

"We're almost there." Kurapika walked over to the window and drew the curtain back further a bit. The sun was higher now as it was late morning. The light spewed in, making the Kurta's hair look an even finer shade of gold. Kiri watched his calm expression, his eyes on the approaching destination and mouth set tight.

Kiri stood next to him. Without a word, she took one of his hands in hers and intertwined their pinkies.

"Kiri?"

"I promise that you will make it through okay. If you don't then I will swallow a thousand needles."

A look of confusion swept across Kurapika's face before he busted out laughing. "What's with that?"

"Oh, you didn't know?" Said Kiri, slightly proud of her picking the right subject that she thought the well-read Kurta wouldn't know. "In the country Jappon they do this ritual to make promises. If the promise is broken then the punishment is swallowing needles. Or maybe I remembered it incorrectly, but I think it is needles."

"That's a bit one-sided," he smiled and tightened his pinky around hers. "But I promise everything will be okay too. For you too. I'll make sure of it."

The moment was a bit strange, with commotion going on behind them, Killua shouting, the Quautro squabbling, but to them they were in their bubble. It was almost like the puddle of sunlight that they were standing in was protecting them from the outside world. It was serene and time stood still.

The moment was theirs.

Kiri smiled back. "It's a promise."