The Fog and The Red Rain [A HunterxHunter fan fic]

The call of the birds.

"Ah wait...you used that one technique..wait, no..." Lian murmurde, and I turn around to face them in line. "Gon is also really clever, though." She adds, making Gon and Killua smile.

"It sounds like it was both Rhythm Echo and Shadow Step?" I ask, and Killua looks away, crossing his, arms.

"Maybe..." He grumbles, Gon and Lian laughing at his attitude.

I roll my eyes, scoffing and tuning around.

"What?" Killua calls, and I shrug.

"Nothing..."

"No, say it!"

I sigh, "Well, its just that's a bit....basic..." I mumble.

"True." Lian agreed, much to Killua enragement.

"Basic? Well, it was easy for me to learn." He smirked, and I snicker once more.

"What now? Don't believe me?" He hisses, and I shake my head.

Honestly, that's 100% believable.

"That just proves me right...you guys, really are strong. I'm glad I got to know you guys, and meet back up with you, Lian." I grin, closing my eyes. Happy I finally thanked them.

I snap my eyes open as we all yelp, a sentimental Gon catching all three of us in his arms without another word.

"I'm glad too." He says, even if its muffled in the back of Killua's shirt, its still quite frankly, one of the best things Gon has ever said.

Killua pats Gon's head with a small blush, and he lets go just as I have to "Please step forward ," and I suddenly feel slightly nervous.

The girl in the cloak walks out and slams the small door, and I glare. How rude.

I opened the door quietly and carefully. Netero was seated on the floor, a small table and cushion parallel to him.

He seems focused on writing something on a clipboard, and so I seat myself on the cushion.

"Hm..Well, I'll start asking my questions then. Try to answer as honest as possible." He grumbles, squinting at the paper before him.

"Okay, let's get this over with." I reply, running multiple scenarios in my mind. I stop at the blimp exploding and falling like a broken bird out of the sky.

"How is the exam so far?"

"...I didn't exactly come with standards in mind, but its somewhat.... Like a puzzle? Not difficult, that's for sure."

"I see I see, now, is there anyone you're keeping your eye on?"

I hesitate, "No, actually I've blocked out most of the examinees. They're all too...pale compared to others I've faced, you know?"

He keeps scribbling. "Mhm. Anyone you'd want to fight?"

I stay silent, enough time to make him glance up at me. I stare at the table, "Ah, well, the strongest examinee possible would be good. The most unstable, incomprehensible, difficult person onboard this very moment."

But not Hisoka.

"....Mm. Anyone you're avoidin-"

"Hisoka. Dear god if I have to fight him I'll kill myself, Netero, I swear. You'll never see the end of it." I groan, slamming my head onto the table.

A pause, and a raspy chuckle from Netero has me sitting back up. "Well we can't have that happening. You can go now."

_____Time skip, afternoon_____

"Ah, so that's what he's planning." Gon sweat-dropped and I then, picked up a fork from my meal, and proceeded to try to stab my throat open.

Lian, Gon, and Killua immediately slammed my hand back on the table without taking their eyes off the board the chairman has placed upfront.

I frown, letting the fork go with a sigh. "I know I said I'd kill myself if I had to fight Hisoka, but this, this is worse."

"Hm. Well, we'll now draw the name of the person that will be hunted first." Beans smiled, digging in a little white box.

"The rules seem simple, a persons name is drawn, the person is handed ribbons, the person ties them on their person, and the next day the rest of the examinees hunt the ribbon-wearer for twenty-four hours. By any means necessary, you must have a ribbon. The catch is the ribbons are off by one." Lian reads, and I groan.

"Meaning...one person each day won't pass the exam..."

"Mhm. And we're out there a whole day for each person here." Killua sighs, "What a bother."

"Any means necessary means killing is allowed, then." Gon states, worry etched into his eyes.

"I feel bad for whoever is first." A burly voice grunts at a nearby table.

"Agreed, especially since everyone is rested." A female, sultry voice replies with amusement.

"No mercy around these parts so far, that's for sure." Another man sighs and gets hums of agreement.

I count the examinees again, and whistle once I realize there's only eighteen. How incompetent of me to not pay attention to them sooner, since its obvious I'll be fighting some-

"Sienna Haze."

"Ohmygod." I whisper, letting my head fall with a harsh thud on the table, feeling countless burning gazes at my back.

-or all of them.

I hear Killua and Hisoka stifle snorts as Gon pats my back in comfort, Lian nudging me to get up as Beans calls for me again.

"Eto.... Sienna?"

I raise my hand, getting up with a grimance. "Here, here."

"Ah, don't look so down, you can't be weak if you've made it this far." Bean smiles, taking out a small plastic bag filled with ribbons from his coat and handing it to me.

I laugh, "Weak? No no, see, I just don't want to be bored to death by all these relentless idiots who think they'll even see another ribbon in their entire life." I smirk, feeling the chilling shift of rage emitting from almost everyone in the room. I grab the bag and thank Beans as I turn, scanning the wrath-ridden glarers.

Maybe anger will spice things up?

Netero chuckles, and I send him a smile as I sit back down, hearing the subtle squeak of a chair behind me get closer. I sit back, closing my eyes with a frown.

"The twenty-four hours stars tomorrow. If you plan on jumping me, I'll roast your lungs and send them to your mother." I call, bending my head back over the seat and blinking up at a burly man with tattoos covering his upper torso, right up to his chin. Only white cloth wrapped around his hands was the only skin covered on his upper body.

He grumbles, sitting back in his chair. "My mother's dead."

I grin, in a vain attempt to unnerve him, I show my sharp, parana-like teeth. "Wanna join her?" I hiss out, and his eyes narrow. He shakes his head.

I sit back up and join the conversation with Gon and Lian with a shrug.

Killua, on the other hand, sipped at his soda, side eying me.

I stick my tongue out at him, making a note that Killua is keeping notes.

What's to be expected of a Zoldyck, though?