Hunters X and X Heroes

Starting X Point

   The nearly indecipherable yelling of diverse sellers and the screeching of exotic animals in cages drowned out her voice, leaving her question on the exam site unheard by the group that walked a little ahead of her as they continued to converse on the shady backgrounds of congested cities like Zaban.

   "Excuse me-" Rukei started, only to choke on curls of cerulean smoke that billowed into her vision. She swatted it away; the culprit with a long pipe sporting a rippling, tin frame sat on a threadbare, striped mat. He raised a brow at her annoyed stare and offered a sloppy smile and tip of his pipe as an apology.

   Withholding an aggravated sigh, she nodded back and turned to the others to restate her question-

   Only that the others weren't there, leaving the child in the bustling market street. Her eyes flew over the scene, searching for the unmistakable, red symbols on the back of Kurapika's garment or for Leorio, who stood a head taller than the rest of the crowd and theoretically should have been easy to find.

   Theoretically, Rukei reminded herself as she slinked through streams of bodies. Though searching for them was annoying, calling for them would be embarrassing: she wasn't a lost child in a supermarket.

   She wasn't!

   But the bold color of the foreign market overwhelmed her- from the excavated bug-like jewels of the ruins a little south of Zaban (it's a scam- don't look) to a roasted panda frog skewered on a stick (unheard of. A delicacy? A fraud!), Rukei found herself lingering by the stalls, not close enough to merit attention, but close enough to listen to fantastical stories.

   Rukei, no matter what she may tell the reader, was actually a lost child in something akin to a supermarket.

   Well, two children can be better than one. "Rukei, look at this!"

   Pulling the girl over to another stall filled with vibrant, harlequin textiles, Gon chattered with the seller excitedly, turning to Rukei and making a comment here and there. He devoured all the ludicrous information the mustached merchant fed him; with the way his face lit up with amazement though, Rukei almost wanted to believe it too.

   Leorio owned an unbelievably loud voice, which was wonderful in this situation, because if it were a decimal quieter, his voice would have been lost in the ruckus,"Gon! Rukei! We're going to leave you behind!"

   Gon turned about in the direction of the holler, "Just one more second!"

   "Now!"

   They hurried back to Leorio and Kurapika. They reached the plaza, clear enough for Rukei to take a breath and walk ahead at her own pace without being buffeted by people. Their guide, glancing down at the paper slip in his hand, confirmed the address and smiled to himself. "That's the place!"

   The edifice oppressively towered over them, and the sunlight off the windows glared at her. "Wow! It's so tall!" Gon exclaimed, taking a step closer to the building and glowing with excitement, "This'll be my first shot at the Hunter Exam...I wonder if this is what Dad felt like!"

   "Over here!"

   Waving at them a couple paces away, the Navigator pointed at the puny building beside it with his free hand. Overrun by the an army of ivy and with windows boarded up to hold its painted,  wooden sign, the beaten business appeared a very unlikely place to hold the test. Leorio expressed this exactly. "You better not be joking! You're telling me this tiny restaurant can hold the thousands of exam applicants?"

   "This tiny restaurant can hold the thousands of exam applicants," the man replied with a patient smile. Upon the hesitant and incredulous stares, the Navigator decided that it was best that they see it for themselves and headed off, "No one would expect the exam site here, right?