3
Amira rubbed her eyes as she felt Killua move on her lap. Opening her eyes, she saw him with is eyes open watching her.
"Good morning, Killua." Amira said with a smile. "Did you sleep well?"
Killua nodded and sat up. "Yeah."
Amira nudged Kurapika with a smile. "Wake up. It's time to get some breakfast before the next phase."
Kurapika yawned before opening his eyes.
"Man, it's too early." Leorio said as he opened his eyes.
The four stood up and left the room heading to the dining hall.
They quickly got some breakfast and started to eat.
"I wonder where Gon is?" Kurapika asked with a look at the people in the room with them.
"Killua, you said that he was playing a game with the chairman, correct?" Amira asked in concern.
Killua frowned and nodded his head. "Yeah. He was. I'm not sure where he is."
"Hey, it's after 8 am. Why are we not there yet?" Leorio said looking at a clock in the dining room.
"Maybe something happened, and we had to slow down?" Kurapika said in concern.
Amira turned to look around and saw Mr. Bean.
"Mr. Bean, can I ask you a question?" Amira said looking at the man.
The green man walked over with a smile. "Good morning, applicant 406. How can I help you?"
"Good morning. I actually have two questions. Why are we late to the next phase and do you know where Gon, applicant 405, is? He was playing a game with chairman Netero last night." Amira said with a concerned look.
"Applicant 405 is still sleeping in the game room from last night." Mr. Bean said with a smile. "as for the time, Chairman Netero ordered us to slow down. Have a good day."
Mr. Bean walked off with the others staring in confusion.
"So, Chairman Netero ordered us to slow down? But why?" Kurapika said in concern.
"Who knows? The guy seems crazy." Leorio said.
The four continued breakfast while waiting for Gon. It was almost an hour when they heard the intercom come on and Mr. Bean started speaking.
"I sincerely apologize for the long wait. The airship will be arriving at its destination shortly."
Amira sighed. "I'm going to make a breakfast sandwich for Gon. Killua, will you please find him?"
Killua sighed, "Yeah. I guess I can."
Amira smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. "Thank you so much."
He ducked his head and walked out of the room. Leorio and Kurapika smirked at the boy seeing the blush on his face.
30 minutes later the three waited with the other applicants in the lobby area.
"I'm sure they will be here soon, Amira. Do not worry." Kurapika said while placing a hand on her shoulder.
"AMIRA" Gon suddenly yelled.
The boy ran over and hugged the older girl.
"Gon, we were worried about you." Amira said with a look at the boy.
Gon laughed while rubbing his head. "Sorry, I had so much fun with Mr. Netero I fell asleep in the gym."
Amira, Kurapika and Leorio laughed while Killua rolled his eyes.
"Idiot." He said in a huff.
"Here. Eat this quickly before the next phase." Amira said handing him the roll stuffed with eggs and a sausage patty.
"Thanks, Amira. I'm starving." Gon said.
Amira turned to Killua who watched the other boy with a blank look. She reached out and pulled the boy to her, giving him a hug.
Killua froze in shock waiting to see what would happen. Amira gave a small squeeze before moving back and ruffling his hair.
"Good job, Killua."
He huffed and looked away. "Yeah. Yeah. Sure."
"Attention everyone, we are now landing on Trick Tower." Mr. Bean said with a smile.
The applicants and Mr. Bean walked off the ship. Everyone was looking around in confusion.
"What is going on?" Amira said while viewing the area.
"Everyone, this is the site of the hunter exam's third phase. Your task is to reach the bottom of the tower alive. The time limit is 72 hours." Mr. Bean said with a smile. "The third exam will now begin. Good luck to each and every one of you."
Gon and the other boys walked to the edge looking down. Amira sighed and went to follow them. She took one step and suddenly the ground under her feet disappeared. She dropped down into the darkness.
A few minutes later she landed on the stone ground.
"Where am I?" she said looking around.
A white tv screen lit up. Walking over, Amira saw a table with two watches. The words on the screen answered all her questions.
Two to work through the challenges. Work together or you will not pass. Lose one another and you will not pass. Good luck.
Amira sighed and picked up her watch. "So, I can't move on unless I have someone else with me. I also can't pass if they die. Guess I'm waiting."
She walked over and sat on the floor by the stand. 10 minutes later, a light from above opened and a figure fell down.
Her eyes widened to see a man with pins all in his face stand up.
"Hello. You will need to put on the watch so we can start our journey." Amira said with a smile.
He walked over and picked up a watch placing it on his wrist. Amira watched as he read the sign above him before turning to look at the girl.
"I'm Amira. What's your name?" the girl asked.
"Grittarackur" He said in a cracking voice.
One of the walls opened up and a tunnel appeared. Grittarackur started walking forward with Amira following him.
The two walked through the tunnel. It was quiet and nothing was happening yet. Amira looked up and noticed some odd patterns on the roof.
"Hey, Grittarackur. There's something wrong with the celling." Amira said in confusion.
A slashing noise was heard from behind. The two looked back and saw blades falling from the roof.
"RUN." Grittarackur said and took off. Amira quickly ran behind him toward the door at the end of the tunnel.
The door was locked. Grittarackur tried hitting it with nen but nothing happened.
Amira noticed a maze puzzle on the wall with a ball in it. "I think we have to solve the puzzle."
She ran over and started twisting the board making the ball in the puzzle move. Behind her she could hear the blades falling closer.
"Left. Right. Right. Right. Left. Almost done." Amira said breathing quickly as the blades were moving closer. Two more and the one above them would slice them to pieces. "Got it."
The door popped open and the two jumped in the next room as the blade came down where they were standing.
Amira breathed heavily before letting out a laugh. "That was crazy but fun. Nothing better to get the heart racing than almost being sliced like sliced bread."
Grittarackur nodded his head. "Let's move on."
The two started walking before coming on a maze. Amira walked over and read the plaque.
"Get through the maze together but don't get caught by the monsters of the maze. They will kill you. They enjoy human flesh."
Amira took a step back with a sarcastic smile turning to look at the man. "Sounds like this will be a walk in the park. All we need to do is avoid the flesh-eating monsters."
Grittarackur nodded his head and the two started in the maze. As they were halfway through a sound was herd.
"Woooooo"
The two turned to see a small wolf watching them with saliva dripping down its mouth. A pin flew by Amira's face and hit the wolf in the forehead killing it.
Amira's eyes widened in shock. "That's a Great Siberian Wolf. They are the deadliest wolves on the planet because of the poison they carry in their saliva. How in the world did they get them here?"
"Come on." Grittarackur said with a look.
The two took off with Amira following closely behind the larger male. Grittarackur grabbed her and pushed her forward as a wolf appeared biting his wrist.
He slammed his nen infused hand against the creature sending it flying. More howls were heard. The two ran into four more of the creatures before making it to the next room.
"Your hurt." Amira said looking at his wrist.
She reached into her bag pulling out a vile of blue liquid and a blue bandanna out. She pushed it into his hand. "Here. This will take care of the poison."
The man stared at her for a few minutes before swallowing it. She quickly wrapped his wrist with the blue bandanna.
Turning to the room they were in Amira looked around to see a board on a table on what looked like a floating platform. On the other side was a sand pit.
"To escape from this room, you will need to complete the puzzle however to give it a more interesting challenge, lets cool you two off." A voice said from above.
A small hole opened up and water started streaming in.
Amira and Grittarackur looked at each other before running over to the sand. The two started digging pulling out 10 canvas bags with them diving under the water at one point as it rose above the sand pit. They splashed though the water to the area where the table was. It was slowly moving up as the water raised.
"Great, another puzzle. Can't get any more fun than this." Amira said with an amused look.
"Let me make it more fun, Contestant 406." The voice said in amusement.
Two panels opened in the roof and more water started to flow in. Two dark shadows dropped from the ceiling.
"They have tiger sharks. That's just great." Amira glanced at the camera along the wall. "I was just joking. Can't you take a joke?"
"I will take care of the animals. You figure out the puzzle." Grittarackur said with a huff.
Amira started to respond only to drop down as the shark jumped across trying to bite her. "Good idea. I do the puzzle, and you deal with the water puppies with the giant teeth."
The girl shifted and moved the pieces while avoiding the sharks that were hitting the platform and trying to jump up for a bite. She jumped back as one tried to bite her leg.
"Hey. Do I look like a cookie? Bad water puppy. Bad." She said telling it off with a shake of her hand.
Grittarackur kicked the shark off. "Hurry it up."
Water started spilling onto the platform. Amira shifted the puzzle, and her eyes lit up as she fit the last piece in. "I'M DONE."
Water started to drain and the two watched as the platform lowered down sinking below where they started at. Soon the water was gone and only the flopping of the fish was heard.
Amira glanced at them before looking at her partner. "I suddenly have a desire for sushi? What about you?"
He tilted his head looking at her before turning to the stairs that were sticking out of the wall.
Amira frowned watching him. "Tough crowd."
She glanced at her clothes and sniffed them. "Eww. I smell like fish and I'm freezing. This sucks."
"Hurry up." Her partner's voice said.
Amira glanced up to see Grittarachuk staring at her from above.
"Coming." She said with a smile and rushed up to the top of the floor. A door was open before them.
Amira glanced at him with a sarcastic smirk. "They have tried to slice us up, feed us to poisonous monsters and drown us. What could be next?"
Snickering could be heard from above.
"Since you complained about being cold let me warm you up, Number 406." The voice said in amusement.
The two walked in to see pedestals everywhere. Flames suddenly sprang out of the ground.
"The two of you must pass this room to reach the final room. Be warned that some pedestals are not pedestals at all. Also, the prisoners are going to be shooting at you from above. You may use the shield to protect yourself but there is only one. Remember you both must get to the end for you both to pass." The man said.
Amira sighed before looking at her partner. "What now?"
The man looked at her before grabbing the shield. "Come here."
Amira walked over and the man bent down with his back to her.
"I will check the pedestals while protecting our left. You protect us from the arrows above and to the right with these." Grittarackur said handing her some pins.
Amira nodded her head as climbed on his back. "Don't drop me. If I die, you disqualify."
He did not make a sound and started moving forward. They made it across without a scratch on them.
Grittarackur let the girl drop down from his back.
"Go team us." Amira said throwing her hands in the air. "4 points us and 0 points to the hunter."
Grittarackur just watched her with a tilt of his head.
She suddenly turned to him with a frown. "However we speak of this to no one. Got to protect my good image you see."
Grittarackur tilted his head before nodding.
The next room opened and the two walked in to see two people waiting.
"Finally. We thought no one would get here." A man in a gray robe said while standing up.
"This is the last room. If you both defeat us than you will have passed this phase." The other man said.
"What do you get?" Amira asked with a tilt of her head.
"For every hour we waste, we get that many years off our time prison." The first man said with a delighted voice.
"Who will go first?" The first asked jumping up and down.
Amira removed her bag and stepped forward. "Ok. I will go first."
The girl walked forward and took a stance. "I assume the winner is the one who kills or renders the other unconscious?"
"Wrong. You must kill your opponent to win." The hyperactive man said while jumping in place. He removed his gray robe revealing himself.
Amira's eyes widened in shock. "I know you. Your Pepito the child killer."
The crazy man laughed and pushed his purple hair back from his face. His eyes were twitching in a crazy look. "Oh yes. I was the terror of Yorknew city. I killed so many children. Homeless, poverty, middle class and rich. They all felt the horror as I sat on them and strangled life from their bodies. I sent pieces of the child with thank you letters to the parents for having such wonderful children."
He closed his eyes in a look of absolute bliss. "OH, to see the light of life leave their eyes. It's so wonderful."
Pepito opened his eyes to look at Amira. "They gave me four life sentences with no chance of parole. I will enjoy adding you to my list. You're older than my usual victims. I prefer much younger children from a year to 12-years-old. I had hoped for some kids to be in this group but got to work with what I got."
Fury burned in Amira's eyes as Gon and Killua's faces appeared in her mind. "I promise that you will not live to see the next day."
A buzzing noise was heard and Pepito launched at the girl with a raised fist. Amira's eyes narrowed and she disappeared from before him.
"What? Where did you go?" He said in shock looking around.
"Right here." She screamed and kicked him in the head sending him slamming into the wall face first.
BOOM
Dust flew in the air as blood sputtered from his head.
"ahhhh. What the hell." He screamed in pain as he backed away from the wall trying to wipe the blood from his eyes.
Amira appeared behind him grabbing his arms and pulling them backward with her foot in the middle of his back.
A sickening pop and a tearing noise were heard. Pepito screamed in horrific pain.
She quickly grabbed him and pulled a blade from her wrist shift placing it against his throat. A drop of blood trickled from his throat.
"I just dislocated both of your shoulder blades and ripped the tendons in your shoulders so you can never use them to touch another child again." She said with a fire burning in her eyes.
"Stop. Stop. I concede." He screamed in pain and fear.
Amira stepped back placing the small blade back in its holder when a voice, the director of the prison, called over the intercom. "The rules you set up, Pepito, was that death was the only way to win. Number 406, if you want to win this duel you must kill him."
The girl licked her lips before suddenly appearing on the man's back with a blade pressed against his throat.
"You deserve a worse fate than this simple death for what you did to all those children. The youngest was a three-year-old child." Amira said in anger before she shoved him forward and pulled a longer blade from her side. With one slash of the blade, his head left his shoulders.
The man's body dropped to the ground.
"Winner, applicant 406." The director of the jail said.
Amira cleaned the blood off both blades by whipping them off on the body, secured it to her leg and moved back with a blank face.
Amira walked over to stand by Grittarackur.
The man looked at her before moving forward to face his prisoner challenger.
"Same rules as the first match. I will try to go easy on you." The other prisoner said while removing his robe.
The buzzing noise was to start the match. Before the prisoner could move, gold pins appeared killing the man.
"Winner, applicant 301. You two may move down the hallway to the main resting area. You have both passed the third phase." The director said.
Amira grabbed her bag and started following Grittarackur.
The two were walking down the hallway and a panel lifted up. Grittarackur walked in first.
"Grittarackur, Applicant 301, is the second to pass. Amira, Applicant 406, is the third to pass. Time elapsed 12 hours and two minutes." A voice said as the man walked in.
Grittarackur turned to look at someone and Amira's eyes widened to see the one contestant she did not want to be near sitting there.
"Something told me you'd already passed the finish line." Grittarackur said.
Hisoka looked up amused.
'Please let someone show up. Please don't leave me with just these two.' Amira thought in fear.
A door opened to the left of them and in walked the bald ninja guy.
"All right. I'm the first one to finish!" he yelled in excitement.
"Hanzo, Applicant 294, is the fourth person to pass. Time Elapsed 12 hours and three minutes."
The look on the man's face showed he was annoyed. "Come on. Really? Fourth place."
Amira sighed. 'Why did it have to be him?'
She walked to the opposite side of the room from the three men. It was going to be a long two and a half days as she waited for her friends. Hours went by with applicant after applicant entered. Amira sighed. Gon and the others were not here.
"This is the final day." A voice said.
Amira looked up to see Polki move to sit by her.
"Your friends aren't here?" Polki asked in confusion.
Amira shook her head. "I really thought they would make it."
"THREE MINUTES REMAIN" the voice said from above.
They both looked up as a door opened and a man stumbled in. Neither could hear what he said but he collapsed.
One of the three brothers, the one in yellow, walked over to look at him. "He's dead."
Another brother in red shook his head. "What an idiot. Better to fail and try again than passing only to die to finish the phase."
"ONE MINUTE REMAINS"
Amira sighed and placed her head on her knees.
"That's it than. Looks like it's just the 20 of us here." The brother in blue said.
Everyone turned to see another door open. Amira's eyes lit up as in walked Kurapika, Killua, and Gon.
She stood up and rushed over to them. "There you guys are. I was so worried when you didn't show up but where is Leorio? Why are you all so dirty?"
"Boy my butt hurts. I wasn't expecting the short and easy to be a slide." Killua said in a dramatic tone.
Gon smiled. "Sorry for worrying you, Amira. We had some…difficulties. Leorio is coming."
She turned to the tunnel to see Leorio and Tonpa to appear.
Amira glanced at their hands. "What did you guys do?"
"We went through the wall of the long and difficult path and snuck into the short and easy one." Kurapika said.
"I figured with the weapons?" Gon said smiling while rubbing the back of his head.
"You were able to think of an amazing plan to work around our situation. That makes you special." Kurapika said.
Amira smiled at the boy. They had all passed.
A buzzing noise was heard.
"The third phase of the hunter exam is over. 26 applicants have passed with one deceased."
A door on the far wall opened and light poured in.
Gon smiled, "Come on everyone let's go."
Killua smirked. "Oh yea."
Gon took off and Killua grabbed Amira's hand pulling her along with him as he took off.
"Wait for us." Leorio said with a laugh as he and Kurapika followed. The five ignored the stares from the other applicants who watched in amusement.