The 369 applicants who made it through the long underground tunnel find themselves in an unexplored land teaming with strange creatures, known as the Numere Wetlands.
I'm keeping pace with Gon and Killua while Kurapika and Leorio are somewhere behind us.
Killua tenses as he notices a change in the atmosphere. "Gon, we should move up," He suggests.
Gon agrees. "Yeah we don't want to lose sight of the examiner."
"I'm more concerned with increasing the distance between us and Hisoka. Staying too close to him is dangerous. I can smell it in the air."
"Smell?" Gon sniffs the air. "Hmm... I don't think he smells." He calls out, "Leorio! Kurapika! Killua says that we should move up!" I don't know about the smell but I certainly have a bad feeling. The air seems thick and eerie. The fog only helps to mask the killers true intentions.
"Hey can't you feel the tension surrounding us?" Killua asks him.
"Moron!" Leorio yells back. "If I had the strength I'd already be there!"
"Don't worry about us!" Kurapika assures him.
"What?" Gon calls back still concerned.
"Let's go, both of you," Killua says jogging ahead.
"Ah, wait," Gon and I say together running after him.
~~~~~
"I can hear people screaming all around us," Gon says a little worried, more about them than himself.
"Just stay on your guard," Killua tells the two of us.
"I wonder if Leorio and Kurapika are okay..." Gon contemplates aloud.
Despite the nagging feeling I have I try to reassure him, "I'm sure they'll be fine..." I trail off.
The ground moves beneath our feet and the three of us stop moving.
"Wha—" I can't even finish my sentence when the ground caves in and we're all swallowed by what I'm pretty sure is a giant frog.
"Wow it's dark in here," I exclaim, stating the obvious.
"Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark," Killua asks as I hear the sound of a soda can being opened.
I glare through the darkness. "No, not at all," I reply.
"Hey what are you do—" Gon starts to say. The next thing I know the frog is spitting us out and I'm lying on the ground, drenched in frog goo.
"Well that was fun," I say sarcastically.
"Guess he didn't like the taste of us," Gon says scratching the back of his head.
"It was this," Killua says holding up one of the drinks Tonpa gave him earlier.
"That's from Tonpa-san," Gon points out. "Guess he saved us."
Killua throws the can on the ground "Well I could have escaped without it."
I look back towards the way we had come from still concerned about the other two guys. The wind silently blows my hair back as Gon speaks my suspicions aloud, "I'm still worried about Leorio and Kurapika."
"I am too..." I agree.
"Forget about them," Killua stands up. "Let's get a move on. We can still catch up to the examiner."
Gon and I hesitantly stand up to follow him. This isn't right. We need to help them. I turn to head back in their direction when someone grabs my arm.
"Go with Killua," Gon says firmly.
"What? No, I'm going to go find them."
"Killua!" Gon calls out.
"Huh?" he pokes his head out from the fog.
"Make sure my sister doesn't follow me," Gon runs off to find the guys.
Killua's calling after him. "Hey where are you going?" but he's already gone. I run after him. Killua moves in front of me to stop me.
"Get out of my way," I say forcefully.
"Great, babysitting," He mumbles. "Or you'll what?"
I can feel my eyes turn scarlet. "Or I'll move you myself."
He just stares at me looking a little stunned. I try to shove him out of my way but I don't have much luck. Man how strong is he?
He shakes his head to recover from the shock and sighs, "Don't make me carry you."
"Leave me here and you won't have to."
He grabs my arm but I manage to break free of his hold and start running in the direction Gon went. I run right smack into someone. Damn it's Killua. How'd he do that? He picks me up and slings me over his shoulder.
"Put me down!" I struggle against his grip, but he just holds me tighter.
"I warned you."
"Killua let me go!"
"It's too late, you won't find him now."
"Don't be so sure. He's my brother!"
He thinks a moment before replying, "But he's not really."
My eyes glow a brighter shade of scarlet and I force my way from his hold. "Sorry Killua," I whisper and run after Gon.
Damn him for leaving me behind. He should know better than that. I look around confused. I'm not really sure where I'm going. The thick fog makes it harder to tell. Maybe Killua was right... I shake that thought from my mind. I have to trust my instincts. I take a deep breath and make my way through the marsh.
~~~~~
As I'm trekking through the swamp, I am acutely aware of my surroundings, as to not get swallowed up by another frog. I pass by other contestants' lifeless bodies on the ground. I quickly scan them to make sure none of them are my new friends, or my brother. I shudder thinking of what might have happened to the corpses, and if the same could happen to Gon.
I hear a commotion going on to my right. "Now I'm excited." The voice sends chills down my spine. I hear Gon yell in anger so I run towards the sound as fast as I can. My eyes are burning red. Gon is fighting Hisoka with his fishing rod as Leorio is lying on the ground unconscious... I hope. Gon kicks up dirt with his fishing pole for cover and makes a swipe at Hisoka. But Hisoka grabs him by the throat and starts choking him.
Gon!! I scream in my head. Without thinking, I throw the dagger I had kept hidden at Hisoka. He dodges it, slightly moving his head. It only manages to make a slight cut on his left cheek. He throws Gon to the ground. He's coughing, trying to catch his breath. I run to him in an instant, planting myself in between them spreading my arms out wide. "Leave him alone!" I shout.
"That look..." Hisoka's voice is dripping with desire. "You're willing to die for your brother."
"No... Kira," Gon says struggling to get to his feet.
Seeing Gon struggle Hisoka appears to be yearning for something, "Do not fear," he says to my brother. "I will not kill your sister or your friend. They passed... Yes, you passed as well. Grow up and become a fine Hunter."
Something buzzes and Hisoka takes out this weird communication device. A distorted voice starts speaking on the other end, "Hisoka, you should get back here. We're nearly at the Phase Two site."
"Okay, I'll be right there," he replies. "It's always good to have friends," he says picking up Leorio and throwing him over his shoulder. "You two can find your way back to the sight, yes?" We both nod our heads. "Good." He disappears into the mist. All Gon and I can do is watch him leave with the full realization that we very well could have just died.
"Gon! Kira!" a voice calls out. "Are you alright?" It's Kurapika, but neither of us answer him.
~~~~~
"This way," Gon says leading the way as Kurapika and I follow behind him.
"You can really tell?" Kurapika asks.
"Uh-huh. Leorio's cologne is very unique. I can smell it from a few kilometers away."
Silence falls between us.
"Say Kurapika... what did Hisoka mean when he said we passed?" Gon questions him.
"Hisoka was acting as a judge."
"A judge?" I inquire.
"Yes. He must have his own benchmarks for evaluating power. It's possible that he was ascertaining each applicant's strength. Apparently, both of you and Leorio must have met his standards."
"I see," Gon says. "But I was powerless to do anything against him."
"Didn't you land your first hit on him?" asks Kurapika.
"Only because I surprised him," he states disappointedly.
"And I'm pretty sure he let my dagger hit him," I say, face palming, realizing I left it there.
"Besides," continues Gon. "Leorio passed, even though he lost..."
Kurapika thinks for a moment. "Perhaps he sensed that you were kindred spirits. It's quite common that those possessing special talents are drawn to others with unique gifts. Most likely Hisoka's instincts and experience told him that you had the skill and potential to become Hunters. Killing you now would have been a waste... that was his perspective..." Kurapika realizes what he just said. "Oh sorry... was that insensitive on my part?"
"No... but I was pretty excited as well. I was so scared, I wanted to run away... but I couldn't. And at the same time I was excited. Isn't that strange?" Gon asks eagerly.
"Gon, you're okay right?" I ask him wholeheartedly.
"Yeah... why?"
I smack him in the back of the head. "Don't ever ask me to stay behind again."
"Right," he replies uneasily. "About that... did Killua let you go?"
"I wouldn't say he let me, but you can't be mad at him okay?"
Gon nods his head in agreement, "Only if you apologize for coming after me."
"What? I'm not going to apologize!" I cross my arms, yelling louder than I anticipated.
"Only I can do things like that. You can't!" he shouts back at me.
"Don't tell me what to do, Gon. I'm going to help my friends and I'm going to help you! Whether you want me to or not. You should apologize to me for trying to make me stay behind."
He stops walking. "I didn't want to have to worry about you."
"Well I had to worry about you, as well as Kurapika and Leorio," I say hugging him from behind. "I won't apologize for that."
Kurapika interrupts, "You shouldn't be so concerned about us."
"But we're friends right?" I ask him with a smile.
"O-of course."
"Then we will always make sure you're okay," I reply with an unwavering resolve.
At this stage 220 candidates have withdrawn from the exam, leaving 149 remaining applicants.
