Leorio's pace was casual as he headed towards Tonpa. There seemed to be no attempt at stealth from the veteran test taker as they approached one another.

"Everyone's hiding pretty well. I wonder how many people are actually going to pass?" Leorio pondered aloud. He had no doubt Illumi would pass. Even under a different face and name, he would not allow failure at such a "simple" test. Hisoka would also most likely pass. His desire to fight did leave him most likely to gather the badges of many individuals rather than his own target. And he doubted Hisoka would lose his own badge with most avoiding him like the plague. Wisely so. The others...

Well, Killua had a good chance of passing as well. The Zoldycks were nothing if not thorough in training. Something that many of the hunters who had applied, were clearly lacking in. Maybe there was something in the water back at Kukuroo Mountain. The blood of their enemies perhaps? Some effect of post mortem nen from an ancestor?

Or maybe it was just a gathering of insanely powerful individuals procreating solely for strength. Who was to say?

He heard a rustling in the leaves of a nearby bush. No one attempting to be stealthy would move so loudly intentionally. And while they were in a forested section, there were far better places to attempt sneaking up on a guy.

Still, he pulled out his trusty knife, a simple and often overlooked tool, allowed into his care by the butlers who trained him. If by any off chance it wasn't someone like Tonpa, then he wanted to be ready to defend.

"Whoa! Hold it just a moment! Don't hit me!" a familiar and expected voice shouted out. A fellow competitor stepped out. His hands in the air trying to show he meant no harm. "It's me."

"Oh. Just you Tonpa?" Leorio bated. He doubted the rookie crusher was alone. His little ally no doubt hanging nearby.

"Am I right to assume," he began, his knife moving ever so slightly in his hand, the reflection making itself seen and noticed easily by Tonpa, "That I'm your target?"

"Wait a minute! Hold on! Listen to me!" Tonpa pleaded. "I promise you're not my target."

He would be a fool to believe Tonpa's words. The genuine plea in his voice that tried to imply he was harmless. Even if Leorio knew he could take Tonpa down, that wasn't his goal.

"Prove it."

Tonpa's hand twitched, "I can prove it."

He kept one hand up and open as the other reached into his pocket. His eyes never left Leorio. Eyes of prey staring at a predator. Was this how Illumi felt-? Not even possible. Illumi had no shred of remorse or satisfaction from the looks he received from his victims. He had no doubt. Tonpa pulled out a familiar card. The number 192 stamped on it. Leorio paused for a moment. His eyes narrowed as he thought back on the contestants, as well as their numbers. It took a moment longer than he would like, and most likely have gotten him reprimanded for taking so long to recall back at Kukuroo Mountain, but he did recall the older man with silver hair that bore the same number Tonpa was hunting.

He could work with that.

He didn't ease up on his stance.

"Then are you aiming for multiple badges instead Tonpa?"

Tonpa looked surprised.

"Why would you think that?"

"It's a viable way to pass," Leorio said simply. "It also would mean less competition in the final round."

Sweat beaded on Tonpa's face with Leorio's stiff guard.

"If you want to try and take my badge, I think you'll be disappointed. But I'm game if you are."

For a man who held no desire to pass, but a desire to live, Leorio could already guess the outcome.

"What? No. There's really no point in just going after anyone. It's a lot of time and energy and let's face it, there isn't a whole lot of time to do all that."

Suddenly his expression shifted to one of worry.

"W-Wait. Don't tell me I'm your target!"

"Lucky for you, you're not."

Lucky for Leorio if he wanted to pull off his petty stunt. He reached into his own pocket, still holding onto the card with his target's number like Tonpa, and revealed the number. 247. Clear as the sunny day they were standing in.

"247. Isn't that Ponzu?"

"Girl with the hat?" Leorio responded. He didn't know her name, but he made sure he kept in mind his target once assigned his number to hunt.

"I've seen her fight before. This ain't her first time here after all. I could tell you a bit about her. Fighting style. Weapons. Weaknesses. I just have a favor to ask you."

"Oh?"

A suspiciously timed gurgle came from Tonpa's stomach.

"It must've been those berries I ate. They really aren't sitting well with me."

"Berries huh?"

He had his doubts.

"As it is, I can barely stand," he continued, a sheen of sweat now clearly coming in waves upon his brow. Distress very apparent on his face as he clenched his gurgling stomach. "You are pre med right? Do you happen to have any medicine on you?"

A cry for help. As one striving to become a doctor, it would go against the oath he would one day be asked upon to take if he let Tonpa suffer. However, he was not a doctor yet. Not in the legal sense of the word.

He could see a shudder overtake Tonpa as the gurgling grew worse. A threat of bodily evacuation clear.

"Are you saying that you want me to assist you in your recovery in the entirety Tonpa?"

"If you'll help me then yes!"

Leorio grabbed Tonpa by his collar, and forced him back into the bush.

"Evacuate what you need to as I get you some medicine. Also, describe the berries you ate."

"I-Is that really nessecary?"

"Of course. If I don't know what you consumed, I may give you the wrong medicine. And that could be life threatening," he explained. "You'll find I take my patients' lives very seriously."

He didn't hear any shuffling, any major indication of an emergency evacuation. As though the surprise had made all his symptoms disappear.

"Tonpa. Those berries you ate?" Leorio repeated.

"Ah! Can't you just give me some anti-diarrheal medication?"

"Tonpa, that's just a temporary fix. You said you trusted me with your health. And I take that very seriously. So, those berries?"

"Ah! They were uh, black."

"Black hm?"

"And very small."

"Bumpy or smooth?"

"Bumpy."

"Mmhm... Not what I wanted to hear, but it's the best medicine for this," Leorio sighed.

"Once you're done in there, I'll administer the medicine."

"What? Can't you just hand it to me to take?!"

"Don't you trust me with your health? Also, while I'm waiting, why don't you tell me more about Ms. Ponzu."

He heard an unhappy grunt.

"Now?"

"You offered information as payment for the medicine. So go ahead and talk."

"Fine. She's one of five remaining candidates that uses drugs as a weapon of choice."

"Do you know what kind?"

"She's good with just about any kind of toxins so you'll want to be careful."

He doubted that whatever toxins she had on hand could be worse than those used within Kukuroo Mountain.

"She's real patient. She likes to wait until her opponent slips up or grows tired."

Sounds like a few of the butlers he knew.

"So she likes traps huh?"

"Other than that, she's not that intimidating. Not really one to use fisticuffs or anything like that."

A sigh came from the bush. Tonpa staggered out, looking ill, but annoyed.

"Alright. Ready for your medicine?" Leorio said.

"Yes please!"

Leorio knelt down, placing his briefcase before him. He undid the clasps and opened it. A rustle from the above had him grab a syringe from inside, filled with a favored medicine of his on Kukuroo Mountain. Twisting his body, he grabbed a would be attacker who had leapt from the trees above by his own weapon. A jolt coursing through him all too similar to whiplash ran through him as Leorio's arm did not give. The man let go of his baton, ready to bolt back into the trees. Alas, Leorio was used to such reactions from Killua and on certain occasions, Milluki and Kalluto. It was merely child's place to give the man a little sedative for attempting to harm him while working with a "patient".

"Don't you know it's rude to interrupt a doctor with a patient?"

The man stared at him with wide eyes, baffled that his strategy seemed to fail. His grip on his wooden baton weakened as he fell to the ground in a heap. A small brown monkey ran to him, angry and defensive of the fallen man.

"He'll be up in a few hours. I don't aim to kill," he explained. To the monkey? To Tonpa? To himself? Or just to some unknown individual watching. The monkey didn't react to his reassurance, but also didn't attack. Animals always did seem to know when they were outmatched.

"I guess though, I should take his badge. A good lesson and all."

He held out his hand expectantly at the monkey. Sure enough, the little bugger knew better than to engage an opponent so focused on him. It handed over badge number 119.

"Now then, time for your medicine Tonpa."

"Wa-Wait! I- I think I'm feeling better-"

"Now now, no need to worry. I have just what you need," Leorio assured. "You'll find that one little shot from me, and you'll be just fine to finish the exam."

"Hey now! I just remembered! I have my own medicine. Must have slipped my mind!"

"Come now, you came to me for medicine. And it's clear you need some help. Don't worry. You'll be just fine."

He turned back to his briefcase and pulled out another syringe.

"Wait a sec-"

"It'll be over before you know it. Don't worry Tonpa."

And that's another chapter out. Thanks so much for reading!