Hey Guys, Crescent Rider here and I am back with another chapter...
There isn't much for me to say except that I'll be posting chapters on masses instead of single-release chapters.
That is all and enjoy the chapter!
Dolle Harbor
After Gon, Kurapika, Leorio, and Ebony passed the Captain's test. They were taken to the harbor where it'd supposedly led them to the Hunter's Examination Site. While Kurapika and Leorio went ahead, Gon and Ebony remained by the captain for a moment.
The former shook hands with the Captain while the latter just stood next to him.
"Thanks a lot, Captain. That was really fun," Gon thanked,
"I've got to admit I had a pretty good time, myself," The Captain remarked, "Oh, yeah, let me give you a bit of advice as a small token of my appreciation,"
"Advice, sir?" Gon mouthed,
The captain then turned his head towards a certain direction and pointed at something in the distance, "Look. Do you see that big cedar tree? The one up the top of that hill?"
"Uh-huh," Gon replied,
"You'll wanna make your way there first," The Captain directed, "it's a shortcut to the exam site,"
"Interesting," Ebony remarked, and just that,
"A shortcut? Great! So, just head for that tree, huh?" Gon repeated, "Thanks for the tip, Captain. You're the best,"
"Good luck to you," The Captain said, then he turned to Ebony, "Same goes for you as well,"
"Of course, and in return for your advice. I will tell you what I want from the Hunter's Exam," Ebony declared, and the two listened in on what she wanted,
After a dramatic pause...
...
...
...
Ebony gives a straight answer, "Nothing,"
The Captain lightly gasped while Gon became awfully curious about her answer, "Nothing? Then why are you taking the Hunter's Exam?"
"The licenses they issue are just a tool for me. But if I ever feel the need to use it on a problem, then I'll use it like any other," Ebony said, "I don't have any motives for the world... Not right now, but I'll take what I can use should a motive arise shortly,"
"And to think I got a little worked up over your story," The Captain remarked, "But, I won't complain. After all, you impressed me when we first met so I was going to pass you either way,"
"Thank you," Ebony thanked, then turned to Gon, "Let us depart for the cedar tree,"
"Right!" Gon agreed, and then the two left while he said his goodbyes to the captain,
Bus Station
Gon would find Kurapika and Leorio first and Ebony just tagged along to the examination site. They would check out the bus routes and Leorio would notice that the cedar tree is far from Zaban City, where the Hunter Exam is located.
Kurapika asked Gon if he had misheard the captain and the latter clarified that he hadn't and just told him that he should go to the cedar tree while Leorio complained about little information about the notice. For Ebony, she stared at the map and waited patiently for Gon to head toward the Cedar Tree.
As soon as Gon decided to head out to confirm the captain's word, Ebony followed him. However, Leorio points out that the bus for Zaban City is about to leave. But both ignored his suggestion and headed to the cedar tree just as the captain instructed.
Cedar Tree Path
After some time, Kurapika followed them, but he walked right next to Ebony, "You know, I'm curious, Ebony,"
"About what?" Ebony inquired,
"Why you're taking the Hunter Exam," Kurapika said, "Even though Gon, Leorio, and I told the captain our reason for becoming a hunter. It bothers me that you didn't say anything due to certain circumstances aboard the ship. What reason do you have in becoming a hunter?"
"Nothing," Ebony revealed, which surprised him just as she surprised the captain, "A Hunter's License is but a tool for me. As for my motives, I have nothing in particular. Until I have one, I'll hold onto my licenses and use it when necessary,"
"I see..." Kurapika understood, 'She's certainly strange...'
"Hey, Ebony, I have to ask. Where are you come from?" Gon asked,
"Meteor City," Ebony revealed, "However, I was raised there. Not born there,"
'Meteor City, I think I've heard of that place before,' Kurapika remarked with his hand under his chin,
"What kind of place is that?" Gon inquired,
"I won't tell you the details, but I will say that it isn't a place where people live happy and normal," Ebony clarified,
"I see..." Gon understood,
After several minutes of walking, Leorio somehow manages to catch up to them and gets all bashful for having to leave them back at Dolle. Ebony assumed that he learned something suspicious about the bus, but she dropped the thought as she considered the matter insignificant.
They soon arrive at some rundown town and the atmosphere would give the average person the creeps since it appears abandoned. Though Leorio remarked on how no one was here, Gon remarked that there were people here.
Then said people dramatically appeared from an alleyway and they considered several masked individuals and an old lady with closed eyes and clasped fingers, "Exciting..."
"Exciting...?" Leorio parroted,
"Exciting..." The old lady repeated,
"Exciting...?" Leorio repeated,
"Time for the exciting multiple-choice quiz!" The old lady announced and her masked assistants started playing band music while the group dumbfoundedly stared at them. As soon as they stopped, the old lady continued, "Let me take a guess. All four of you are headed for the cedar on the hill, aren't you? There's only one way to get there. You'll have to pass through this town first,"
"And what's the requirement to pass through town?" Ebony asked while the boys expressed confusion,
"You must pass a quiz comprised of a single question," The old lady revealed and Ebony went silent after,
"Wait a second! What is going on here?" Leorio interjected,
"You'll have five seconds to answer. If you're correct, then you can move on. If not, you're disqualified from this year's Exam," The old lady explained,
The group understood her intention, and Leorio boasted about how good he was with quizzes. Though he would register the old lady's previous words and exclaim the absurdity of just one question.
"Your answer must be either the number one or two," The old lady continued, "Any answer that is not the number one or number two will be deemed incorrect,"
"Hold on! All four of us have to share the same question?" Leorio questioned, "So if Kurapika here gets it wrong it means I get disqualified, too?"
"Not very likely. Although, if the roles were reversed," Kurapika remarked, throwing his hands, and shaking his head, "It would all but be inevitable,"
"You wanna repeat that!" Leorio angrily questioned,
"It's okay! Even if only one of us knows the answer, all four of us get to move on," Gon assured, then scratched the back of his head, "And I'm real bad at quizzes,"
"Then why don't we let that guy behind us go first?" Ebony suggested,
"Huh? What guy?" Leorio questioned,
"Him," Ebony said as she pointed her finger, and the group turned to see some random guy behind them,
"That's real nice of you kid, I appreciate it," The guy said,
Leorio asked who he was, and Gon revealed that this guy followed them ever since they left the port. The guy would apologize to Gon since the reason why he followed them was because of what he had heard from the captain.
With that, the group went with Ebony's suggestion and let him answer the quiz first.
While the group watched, they listened to the old lady's question while a button was placed before them, "Now, here is your question. A group of evil villains have kidnapped your mother and your true love and only you can save one of them. Choose one for your mother or two for your true love. Which do you save and which of them dies?"
The boys of the group gasped at that question while Ebony just blinked on the spot. Before long, the guy that followed them pressed the button, "The answer's number one,"
"Oh? And what's your reason?" The old lady questioned,
"It's your mom! It's not like you can replace your mom. But a lover, you can always find another one," The guy explained,
The old lady doesn't seem to flinch nor show a slight change of expression. She just raised her thumb and pointed at the back, "You may pass,"
"Seriously?" Leorio exclaimed,
"Looks like the trick is telling the old lady whatever she wants to hear," The guy figured, "Adios!"
With that, the guy runs past the old lady while Leorio blows a fuse on the absurdity of the quiz, "Hang on! What kind of crap is that? There's no way that was the right answer! We're just supposed to say what we think she wants to hear. What's up with that? Say something!"
The old lady remains unflinching as ever and Leorio grumbles to himself, "Ugh, okay. I've had just about enough of this. I'm gonna find my own way!"
"It's too late for that," The old lady stated, "Refuse to take the quiz if you wish. But know you'll be disqualified,"
"Grr, that's nuts! Different people would answer that in different ways!" Leorio yelled, "There's no right answer for that question and never has been!"
Kurapika gasped upon realization, Ebony remained but knew the real answer from Leorio's outburst, and Gon remained oblivious to the argument. When Kurapika tried to tell Leorio, the old lady stopped him as she caught on and told them that anything besides the answer would result in disqualification.
"And now here is your question," The old lady began, "You learn both your son and your daughter have been kidnapped. You will only be able to rescue one of them. Choose one for your son and two for your daughter. Which of these two will you rescue?"
Leorio continues to gnash his teeth at her, then goes to pick up a stick from the side just as the old lady starts counting. He was practicing his swing while Gon, Kurapika, and Ebony waited for the count to finish.
Once she finished, the old lady mimicked the sound of a buzzer with her voice, "Time is up!"
Leorio then goes to attack the old lady, but Kurapika intervenes by using his bokken to block the blow. The two would argue with each other as if they were a married couple, and then Kurapika pointed out that Leorio's actions would jeopardize the real answer to the quiz.
Then Kurapika explained that Leorio inadvertently gave the right answer, which was silence. The question has no right answer, however, they can only respond with 'one' or 'two'.
Leorio then questions the guy who answered before them, and Kurapika states that he was only told to pass instead of saying that he's correct. Which meant that the path behind the old lady wasn't the real path to the Hunter Exam.
The old lady soon smiled and stood from her position, "That is correct, the real path is right over here,"
Two masked assistants would open the door and reveal a path leading a different but unsuspecting path to the cedar tree, "Follow this path for two hours and you will reach the lone cedar tree,"
"Okay, I was not expecting this," Leorio remarked,
"There is a couple that lives in a small cabin under that tree who will serve as Navigators on your journey," The old lady said, "They will guide you to the Exam site if you live up to their expectations, that is,"
Leorio would then drop the piece of stick, and apologize to her, "I'm sorry. I hope you'll forgive me for being rude,"
"Don't be. I don't mind," The old lady assured, "Meeting people like you is the only reason I do this job in the first place,"
She then turns to him and gives a sincere smile, "Do your best. Become the best Hunter you can be,"
With that, Leorio chuckled and agreed. Then the group hears Gon groaning as he states, "I'm stuck. I can't figure out the right answer,"
Leorio would chuckle, Kurapika just smiled, and Ebony just glanced at him.
"You've really been thinking of an answer this whole time?" Leorio questioned, "You can stop now,"
"Huh? But why?" Gon inquired,
"Because the quiz is already over," Kurapika elaborated,
"I know that, but what if... you know?" Gon pondered,
"Something like that happens for real?" Ebony assumed, and eyes turned to her,
"Yeah, like what happens to me someday?" Gon stated, "If two people are in trouble, and I can only help one of them. Then what? It wouldn't be right to pick one over the other. But like it or not, that is a choice I might have to make. Just hope I know what to do"
'Quite perceptive of him,' Ebony remarked, and a just one,
Then the group walks down the path to the lone cedar tree...
Two Hours Later...
Leorio kept complaining about several things while Gon, Kurapika, and Ebony ignored his ranting. They also come across another sign that says 'Beware of Magical Beasts!'.
But down the path, they'd spot the cabin where the Navigators presumably live and Leorio knocks on the door, "Hey? Anybody home?"
"I guess not?" Gon remarked,
Leorio twisted the opens and the group walked into the house. That's when all four gasped upon seeing a fox-like creature standing on two legs over an injured man and a woman on hand.
"Magical Beast!" Leorio exclaimed as all four stood their ground,
"It appears to be a Kiriko. It can take on human form!" Kurapika presumed, "They're extremely intelligent,"
"It's holding the wife by the neck," Ebony remarked,
"And that guy on the floor looks like he needs a doctor, bad!" Leorio added,
The Kiriko then jumps through the window with the woman, and the first to gaze at it through the broken window are Kurapika, Gon, and Ebony.
"Please help. Save her!" The husband pleaded, "You have to save my wife,"
Gon and Ebony would vault over the window while Kurapika tosses his bag away, "Leorio, see to his injuries!"
"Right! I'm on it!" Leorio agreed and remained by the husband's side,
The three pursue the Kiriko on foot, and Gon takes the lead due to his heightened senses even under the pitch of darkness. Something Kurapika and Ebony acknowledged deeply.
What follows is Gon jumping over branches to outmaneuver the Kiriko and this causes the two to admire his skill. But during Gon's pursuit from the branches, they hear Kiriko provoking him into taking the wife away and this causes the young boy to miss a branch and land on the ground.
"You hear that? It can talk," Gon astonishingly remarked, "That's amazing!"
"Kiriko are well-versed with human speech, Gon. Otherwise, it wouldn't work when they were in their human form," Ebony said, then something mentally clicked when she recalled something the old lady said,
But rather than tell them, she would keep it in mind as she needed to confirm her assumption first before telling.
"Really? Well, that ought to make this a lot easier," Gon remarked, and went for the branches again, "Hey, come here, you dumb Kiriko!"
"What?" The Kiriko mouthed,
This gave Gon a window to close in the distance and whacked its head with his fishing pole. This prompted Kiriko to release the girl and Kurapika went to save the wife before she hit the ground.
With that, the Kiriko leaves the area while Gon chases him through the trees. Ebony remains with Kurapika and the wife.
"Are you hurt, miss? Are you feeling anywhere at all?" Kurapika asked,
"I'm fine, but... what about my husband? Is he alright?" The wife asked,
"Not to worry. Our friend is taking good care of him," Kurapika assured, then the wife pleaded to take her to him,
Kurapika would glance at her arm, and then notice some tattoos on the wife's forearm. He seemed to notice something off about her, and so did Ebony.
Then they heard Leorio's voice from behind, "Kurapika! Ebony! You guys okay?"
"Leorio," Kurapika mouthed,
"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the cabin?" Ebony questioned, then glanced at his hands.
"I came here to check up on both of you," Leorio said, "As for that guy, he's good. I think he'll pull through fine. Lucky for him, the wound wasn't as deep as it looked, I gave him some painkillers so he's sleeping it off back at the cabin,"
"I see..." Ebony said with closed eyes,
Then she struck Leorio with a palm strike to the chest without too much force, and Kurapika didn't retort her for it. Because he knew something was off the moment he made mention of the husband...
Moments later, the imposter snickered just as he reverted to his original form, "How'd you know? How'd you know that I was an imposter"
"Two things... One, Leorio wouldn't have the right mind to go up and leave his patient alone in a cabin with a promise and Magical Beast on the loose. And two, he always carries his briefcase with him," Ebony pointed out, "Since you don't have that, I was certain that you weren't him at all,"
The Kiriko went on to laugh and jumped to the branches. But Ebony wouldn't let it escape as she pursued the Kiriko through the tree branches.
As soon as she was within earshot of Kiriko, she stated, "You can drop the act, I already know your intentions with us!"
The two soon stopped, but maintained a fair distance between them, "Oh? What sort of act are you talking about?"
"The scenario you three established," Ebony pointed out,
"And what could you possibly know?" The Kiriko questioned,
"As we chased you, I recalled that your kind is capable of shapeshifting, possesses incredible intelligence, quite acknowledgeable to human speech," Ebony said, "But despite this, you wouldn't go so far as to hurt someone if they threaten you first,"
"Oh? And what if I decided to attack you here and now, wouldn't that prove your deduction wrong?" the Kiriko inquired,
"It would, but I know that that isn't the case," Ebony said, "When I mentioned how I knew, or in this case assumed to know, about the scenario. You stopped to talk to me instead of continuing our game of cat and mouse. Therefore, you've become suspicious of my knowledge and stopped to confirm what I know through conversation,"
The Kiriko hummed as it pondered, then it smirked as it offered one final question, "Alright, answer me this. If you somehow knew that I and those two set this all up, what reason would we have to do such a thing?"
Ebony confidently smirked as the words of the old lady resonated into her mind, "To test us all. The old lady from before mentioned Navigators guiding us to the Hunter's Exam. But only after we meet their expectations. Or in this case, your expectations,"
The Kiriko soon chuckled at that, stood upstraight, and placed its hands on his hips, "Well, you certainly did just that. So how about we all go back to the cabin, I'm sure your friends are waiting for you there,"
Cabin
The Kirikos soon gathered back at the cabin with the rest of the group, but two of the Kirikos would happily remark on how long it had been since someone was able to tell them apart.
Though Gon tried to say that it was the husband that he and Ebony hit, the three just sweatdrop as they still can't tell which is which.
The Kirikos then introduced themselves as Navigators of the Hunter's Exam, the man playing the husband was the son while the wife was the daughter. The Family of Kirikos mainly supports the Hunter's Exam by guiding worthy applicants to the site since they always change every year.
However, they don't help every candidate. First, they test them to see if they're even qualified to take the Exam. To ensure that they all have what it takes.
"Mr. Kurapika," The Daughter called out, "We made certain that we only gave you the most vague of hints. But you were still able to pick up on them and determine that we aren't actually a married couple. You only caught a glimpse of my tattoos. But you knew that in this region, these tattoos are only worn by women who've taken a vow of chastity,"
Kurapika demonstrates incredible knowledge and therefore passes their test. He earns a fist bump from Gon.
"Mr. Leorio," The Son called, "You, sir, unfortunately never realized that I wasn't who I claimed to be,"
This made Leorio nervous, but the son would continue, "However, you dressed my wounds faster and more thoroughly than any doctor. More importantly, you demonstrated admirable empathy and kindness by continuing to reassure me that my wife would be okay,"
Leorio gets all flustered, but his compassion makes him worthy of the Hunter's Exam. And therefore, he passes their trial.
"Ms. Ebony," The Husband called, "You, however, hold keen awareness and knowledge much like Mr. Kurapika. From discovering my disguise to your suspicion of our intentions. You've managed to see through it all,"
And because of Ebony's deduction skills and keen awareness, the Husband passes her and Gon raises his fist to him, "Nice one, Ebony!"
Ebony just bumped his fist, and nothing more.
"And finally, Mr. Gon," The Husband said, "Your superhuman physical ability and your powers of observation defy logic. You, too, are worthy to take the Hunter Exam. So, you pass,"
With that, he bumps fists with Kurapika, Leorio, and Ebony before being taken to the Exam Site by holding onto the heels of the Kiriko after they've spurted wings from their arms. In Ebony's case, she would hold ride onto the back of the Kiriko holding Gon.
Thus, they enjoy their brief journey through the sky. To the starting line of the Hunter's Exam...
That is it for this chapter, as for what comes next. It'll be the arrival of the Hunter's Exam. And boy do I have something planned for that chapter...
Especially when it comes down to meeting certain characters
Also, let me know of any inaccuracies in Ebony's deduction. I'm not a great author, but I try to be a good author for the stories.
That is all and I'll see you all in the next chapter!