A/N: Just headcanon-ing that any who took a ship were hit with a storm so meh

The first phase hadn't even begun yet and I was already annoyed. We had 402 applicants waiting in this underground room and everyone mainly kept to themselves except for two people. A bald ninja who felt the need to tell people he was a ninja and then tell them to keep it to themselves yet we all could hear him just fine and a plump, block-nosed man who called himself Tonpa. The supposed ninja didn't really annoy me as he hadn't bothered me yet so I guess you could say that all of my irritation came from Tonpa who had walked up to me as soon as I had collected my number tag from Bean.

The round man gave a smile as he approached me while I had been attaching my tag to my shirt with the magnets. I looked at him with a quirked brow, dropping my hands to my sides to appear nonchalant though I was more than ready for an attack. I had been ready for an attack since I started my trip to the exams, making rest difficult to achieve even when the opportunity was there. Thankfully this wouldn't be my first all-nighter so I was able to go through the night without trouble.

"Haven't seen you around before," he paused as if waiting for me to say something but when I just continued to look at him, he began to sweat and continued, "The names Tonpa, feel free to ask me any questions you may have, this is my thirty-fifth time after all." Though he made it sound like he was boasting and proud, I could read in between the lines. I knew what he meant and I knew exactly why he had approached me. He crushed rookies for fun whether it be just their spirits or by making them fail by any means necessary. He wasn't the first one I'd seen. There were some who had tried to crush my spirits and determination at the very beginning only to fail when we got hit with a storm. Time to knock him down a peg, I thought before smirking at him which caused him to falter.

"Wow! Thirty-fifth time? You must really suck old man!" I laughed while rubbing the back of my head as his smile faltered before coming back though it was accompanied by sweat beading along his forehead. He went to say something when I thumped a balled up hand against my other palm, "Oh! I know! Since you've been here so many times, are there others who suck as much as you or are you the worst one here?"

"Well, no," he stumbled in embarrassment, "While I do have the most experience here, there are others who are also veterans."

"So you are the worst one here, got it. Well, I wish you the best of luck though idk if you'll need it considering you'll most likely fail the 2nd phase," I simply shrugged and walked past him as he stood there frozen.

I had either stunned him or made him super annoyed but it didn't matter to me either way. So long as the fat bastard left me alone, I didn't care. I tore my gaze from the ceiling and looked back at the crowd as I continued to rest back on my hands, my legs stretched out in front of me. I sighed softly as I shifted my weight and brought my hands to reach my feet, grabbing them and staying there as I stretched out my muscles. As I began to lean back to go into a different stretch, the elevator doors opened. I turned my head as many others did, curious to see who else joined. A group of three exited the elevator and much to my surprise a boy around my age was among them. Grinning, I stood to my feet with one last stretch and began making my way towards them. When I was about five steps away, Tonpa walked up to them and started to speak with them. I felt my eyebrow twitch and continued my journey.

I reached them right as he finished speaking, "If you have any questions, feel free to ask me!" I stood next to him with my chin up and a smile on my face, excited to meet someone my age yet also trying to show I don't like the man I'm next to and I could tell he knew that was my objective as he glanced at me and took a step away; probably to avoid being injured. "My name is Tonpa," he stuttered out as he tried to keep his calm.

"I'm Nishinoya!" I greeted with a grin, reaching my hand out to the young, spiky haired boy for a handshake. He had been the one to catch my attention after all, he was around my age.

"I'm Gon!" he grinned back and shook my hand, "This is Leorio and Kurapika." He pointed to each of them respectively; pointing to the taller, black haired man as he introduced Leorio and the shorter blonde for Kurapika. I simply nodded my head towards them as a way to show respect, they are older and I did have my manners.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintances," I spoke to the two before turning my attention back to Gon, "Is it your first time taking the exams? This is my first time." I bounced in spot as I spoke to him, happy to have someone else my age taking the exams.

Gon nodded, "Yeah! This is my first time so I don't know much about the exam." He paused for a moment as he turned to Tonpa, "So Tonpa, are there others who have taken the exam a bunch of times like you?" As he asked this, I took the spot next to him as the older boys also turned their attention to the box nose man. Having nothing else to do I decided to look around at the other applicants again as they spoke, listening to everything they said.

"Well, I have the most experience here, but there are a few others," Tonpa started with a sigh of relief when I had left his side. Did I make him that anxious? "For instance, there's him…" he began as he pointed to a chubby man with his hair slicked back into a ponytail and the sides shaved, "Number 255, Todo, the wrestler. He's unmatched in strength and he's smarter than he looks."

"If he were unmatched in strength, wouldn't he have passed the first time he took the exams?" I muttered to myself with an eyebrow cocked, Gon being the only one to hear as he glanced at me with a small grin forming. I could tell that this would be a great friendship.

"On the other side, we have number 103," he pointed to a bulky man with a large nose, though smaller than Tonpa's, wearing a robe and had a turban wrapped around his head, "Bourbon, the snake charmer. He tends to hold grudges, so you don't want to end up on his bad side."

"Bourbon? Like the drink? How scary," I muttered sarcastically which caused Gon to chuckle slightly, leaving me smirking at Tonpa who glanced at me in annoyance. Oops, guess he could hear me.

"And then…" he trailed off as he pointed to another man, this time much older than anyone else I'd seen in the exams though he was muscular so I knew not to underestimate him. He had a prominent chin, mustache, and long gray hair that was tied back in a high ponytail. "Number 191, Bodoro, the kung fu master. He's getting old, but there still isn't a better martial artist around."

"Again, if he was that good, he would've passed the first time. I'm starting to think he's just trying to scare us," I grumbled, now getting annoyed. Gon subtly nodded in response letting out a soft hum in agreement.

"Then you have the three brothers," he pointed to a group of three men who each had similar marks under their eyes and wore different clothes though all bright in color, "Amori, Imori, and Umori. They perform consistently well, thanks to their excellent teamwork."

"'Consistently well'? Meaning they never make it further than they did before or that they never get better?" I felt genuinely confused this time, it didn't make any sense to me. I scratched the back of my head with my brows furrowed before shrugging and letting it go.

"And number 384," this time he pointed to a man who sported an Afro puff hairstyle with a pair of sunglasses and seemed to be carrying something that looked like a beehive with a long stick attached to it, "Geretta, the huntsman. He specializes in killing all manner of creatures, by blow dart and club. There are many more, but they have taken the test the most times."

"So they're not as great as you tried to make them out to be then," I said with an eyebrow raised. A scream ripped through the group as Tonpa went to reply, causing them all to jump and turn to the scene. A man appearing to be a magician with red hair was walking away from the screaming man whose arms were turning into petals before he stopped and turned his upper body with a grin, holding a playing card in his one hand.

"Oh, how peculiar…" he trailed off with a small chuckle, "His arms seem to have become flower petals. No smoke and mirrors here." He paused and seemed to take a moment to relish in the quiet shock of the room, "Do take care. When you bump into someone, you really should apologize."

The room remained quiet as Tonpa began to talk to us again, "That psychopath is back again." Chills ran down my spine, worry now filling my being. If someone like him couldn't pass, what made me think I could pass?

"Again?" Gon asked in shock, sweat dripping down his face in fear.

"Does that mean he took last year's exam?" Kurapika questioned.

"Number 44. Hisoka, the magician," Tonpa paused slightly, "Last year, he was the number one pick to pass until he almost killed an examiner he didn't approve of."

"Then what the hell is he doing here?!" Leorio yelled in surprise and fear as I stood there, frozen to my spot as the realization that I may have to fight him registered in my brain. "They're letting him retake the Exam after something like that?"

"Of course, they are," Tonpa responded, sounding completely done with Leorio though they had barely spoken a word to each other. Though, Tonpa's tone told us he was serious, which caused my attention to snap out of my thoughts and focus on them again, "They change the content and Examiners every year, and the Examiners choose the new material." I took a breath to try and calm my nerves. He didn't pass because he tried to kill someone, which means I may be able to pass after all. I told myself this until I began to believe it, though Tonpa's next words made a chill go down my spine, "The devil himself could pass the Hunter Exam if the Examiners say it's okay, it's how the whole thing works." I knew people of all kinds came to take the Exam, but I didn't realize they were actually allowed to take the exam. Guess they really don't discriminate.

"Anyway, nobody likes the guy. I'd keep my distance if I were you," at this I bristled, not liking the way he said it nor the way he thought I would genuinely take his advice even if I really wanted to at this moment.

"Well, he definitely looks dangerous," Leorio commented, causing me to scoff under my breath. He gave me the impression that anything he looked at seemed dangerous to him. In other words, he looked like a wimp to me.

"Oh!" Tonpa suddenly exclaimed, catching our attention away from the clown, "I almost forgot!" He began to rummage around in his bag for something with a wide smile on his face. "Let's have a toast to friendship. Whaddya say?" he said as he turned to us with the same smile on his face and cans of what I assume to be orange juice in both hands.

"Hey, thanks! Yeah, don't mind if I do!" Leorio grinned at the offer while my frown worsened, something about this felt fishy. "I was dying of thirst," he continued as he grabbed the can from Tonpa's outstretched hand with thanks as Kurapika grabbed the other can, also giving his thanks. Tonpa reached into his bag again and pulled out two more, offering them to me and Gon who reached out and grabbed one with thanks before looking at me. I sighed as I reached out and grabbed the can and muttered a reluctant thank you, staring at it as the others opened theirs with a crack.

"Here's to new friends and good fortune," Tonpa cheered at us with a smile that seemed extremely fake to me yet the boys all cracked their cans open and Gon happily took a sip as the other two boys followed behind, Kurapika a bit more hesitant and simply held the can to his lips as he watched Gon for a reaction though he didn't have to wait for long as Gon quickly spit the orange juice back out and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"Sorry Tonpa, this juice must have expired. It tastes kind of funny," Gon said as nicely as he could while smiling innocently at the man in front of us. He was too naive for his own good.

"Seriously?!" Leorio yelled as he spit the juice out and if anyone had been just a few steps closer they would've had an orange juice bath, while Kurapika just calmly poured the juice on the ground with his eyes closed. A smile broke out on my face at the group, who would've thought they trusted Gon's judgment so quickly especially when he's clearly the youngest of them. It made me wonder how long they had actually known each other, it seemed odd to think that they had just met at the beginning of all this. Leorio yelled and brought me back to the matter at hand, "That was way too close!"

"Huh? That's strange," Tonpa trailed off with a wavering smile. That mixed with the stutter at the beginning of his sentence made me tense and narrow my eyes at him; did he try to poison the drinks? No, that's ridiculous. Sure this is the Hunter's Exam but to go as far as poisoning the newbies in the beginning seems a bit far fetched. "I'm very sorry! I didn't realize the juice had gone bad," he yelled and bowed towards us for a second before straightening and rubbing the back of his head with an apologetic look on his face. I didn't like how much of an open book he appeared. It was all too artificial and fishy.

"It's okay," Gon started, "You don't have to apologize. Is your stomach okay?" The man hasn't dranken one, Gon, I thought to myself with a sweatdrop running down the side of my head. He is too kind and I worry that someone may try to take advantage of that, I'll need to keep my eye on him.

"Yes, I'm fine," Tonpa stuttered out again as he began to sweat. I could only assume from nerves as it really wasn't hot in here.

"I've sampled all kinds of mountain grasses and plants," Gon explained with a cheery smile on his face, "so I can usually taste when something's bad."

"Really?" Tonpa stuttered again, confirming for me that his nerves were getting the best of him as I tilted my head at Gon, "That's amazing."

"But Gon, how does that tell you that orange juice from a can is bad? Wouldn't it be different from sampling grasses and plants?" I raised my hand to my chin in thought as he seemed to blink in confusion before simply giving me a closed eye smile.

"I can just tell!"

"Eh?! That's not the answer I was looking for, you know!" I shouted in astoundment at this boy's answer. He was so weird.

"Sorry about that again," Tonpa said with a smile as he seemed to be getting ready to move on. "I'll see you around."

As he turned and walked away into the crowd Leorio spoke up, "Talkative old man."

"Like you're one to talk," I said with a smirk as I glanced at him from the corner of my eye.

"What'd you say, you brat?!" He yelled with a vein protruding from his forehead.

"See, just by that reaction, I know you're old!" I teased and stuck my tongue out at him causing him to start seething but before he could say anything, a loud ringing noise echoed through the cave-like room. We all turned our attention to a tall man with purple hair and a mustache but the thing that confused me most was the lack of a mouth, which threw me for more of a loop when he began to talk.

"I apologize for the wait. The entry period for Hunter applicants had ended," he stated with a monotone voice that sounded sort of nasally and behind him the wall began to move, the room shaking as it opened up to show a long tunnel. "The Hunter Exam will now begin!" he yelled out over the sound before quieting back down once it was done. "A final caution, if you are short on luck or ability, you could very well end up seriously injured or even dead. Those who accept the risks, please follow me. Otherwise, please exit via the elevator behind you." He waited for anyone that wanted to leave to do so yet no one moved which wasn't surprising as anyone who was currently here worked hard to get here and knew the risks before even reaching this room. I grinned as he turned his back to us and spoke as he began to start walking away with the group of us all following him, "Very well, all 404 applicants will participate in Phase One."

It was quiet for a few seconds before Leorio spoke up, "Of course, no turned around and left, though, I'd hoped a few might withdraw." I laughed quietly at what he said.

"Afraid you'll lose because of how many of us there are?" I teased and he sneered at me.

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" he shouted though quieter than he usually would, showing that he was actually more nervous than he wanted to show.

"Sure, sure," I nodded and smiled at him before looking forward again, starting to pick up the pace to match the pace of the rest of the group.

"What?" Leorio stuttered as he began to run faster.

"The people in front started to run," Gon and I said simultaneously, which caused us to look at each other before laughing.

"He's picked up the pace," Kurapika said as if to explain further as to why they started running though to me it seemed like he simplified it for Leorio.

"I neglected to introduce myself," the tall man said from the very front of the group, loud enough for us to hear but I wasn't sure if he was loud enough for the ones in the back - not my problem, they should've picked up the pace. "I am Satotz, the Phase one examiner. I shall lead you to the exam's Second Phase," he explained, which made me blink and tilt my head slightly.

"Second Phase?" the supposed ninja asked at the same time that I realized what it meant. "What about Phase One?"

"We're already doing Phase One," I muttered to myself before chuckling at myself. Why did it take me that long to get that?

"It has already commenced," Satotz explained what I had already piece together, sending many of the applicants in for a loop as they processed it.

"It's already begun?" A random person near us mumbled, I wasn't really paying attention to anyone but the people I decided to travel with so who had spoken I wasn't sure.

"This is part of the test?" another questioned, making me groan.

"Obviously. He said that, didn't he?" I sassed with a roll of my eyes, looking over as a chuckle escaped my travel companions. I grinned at the fact I could make them at least chuckle, sure that I would eventually get them to actually laugh.

"You must follow me to Phase Two," Satotz explained for the second time, "This is the Exam's first Phase."

"Follow you? That's it?" the stupid ninja stated the obvious, again. Even though I wasn't focusing on who was speaking I could unfortunately recognize his voice as he hadn't stopped speaking to people since he got here. I was honestly surprised he hadn't lost his voice yet.

"Yes," Satotz acknowledged . He's a much better person than me, I wouldn't have answered. "I cannot tell you where or when you must arrive. You need to follow me." His explanation had me thinking, bringing a hand to my chin with a finger resting on my bottom lip. It sounds like an endurance test but the added stress of not knowing how long or far we have to run makes it not just an endurance test but also a measure of our mental strength in facing difficult situations. If we can't pass this there's no way we would make it to the end of the Exams.

"I'll be right behind you!" Leorio's shout snapped me out of my thoughts once again to see him speed up past us. I tilted my head slightly with furrowed brows.

"If it's a sort of endurance test, shouldn't he save his energy until the end? At this rate he'll crash and burn," I voiced my concerns to which Kurapika nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll stay with him until we make it to the end," he smiled at us before also picking up the pace so as to not lose Leorio.

"Guess it's just us now, Gon," I said and grinned at the boy who grinned back.

"Let's finish this phase together!"

"Together!" I agreed and pumped my fist with his own raised one.

3748 words, not including A/N's

Also you may see that the dialogue doesn't always match what they say in the English dub but that's because I swap between what they say in the Dub and what the subtitles say for the Sub as I usually write while at work and tend to use an online transcript of the Subbed version.

I am also doing most of this from the top of my head of what I remember of the scenes so if something won't happen exactly as they did in the anime, that would be why. I have also watched both the 1999 and the 2011 versions so some scenes may be from one while some are from the other. Which is completely fine because it's a fanfiction and therefore does not have to be completely loyal to the events of the show.

Also, updates may be slow due to a busy work schedule but I will be updating, I promise.

Feel free to leave reviews!