HUNTER X HUNTRESS

CHAPTER FOUR

The eight of us land just outside of a small town and we all bid farewell to the navigators, the mother, son and daughter all left leaving the father to show us the way. We walked through town and I discreetly went into shops and bought a few things. In a window I saw a bag that I liked, it resembled a backpack, it was a dark forest green and had brown outlines to it. I picked up the bag and looked inside, I found that along the lining of the zipper there was the same lettering used for nen. After a little more investigating, I found that the bag was bottomless. I thought it would come in handy so I bought it along with a pack of playing cards, throwing knives, a bow and arrows, food, water and some other necessities as well as extra clothes. I was grateful that my money that I had cam with me and some how transferred into jenny when I landed here. After some time and getting lost I finally found the restaurant that we were supposed to meet at, somehow I ended up there before the gang saw the large building next to the exam site. The looks on their faces when they realized that the real location was the restaurant.

"You've gotta be kidding me. Hey, navigator, you sure this is the right place?" I snickered behind them and assured them that this was the right place. They all nodded their heads and the navigator spoke up. "Excuse me sir, We'll have the steak combo."

The chef replied, "How would you like it done?"

"Grilled over low flame." The both of us said at the same time. The navigator glanced at me and I giggled. "Sorry, couldn't help it. I saw someone come in here earlier and they said the same thing." I explained to the group. A lady in a light pink uniform came up to us and asked us to follow her to a back room. She opened the door for us and once we were all inside the navigator began speaking again. "Welcome to the hunter exam. It always takes new applicants by surprise. They say the number of participants in the millions, but only about one in ten thousand make it this far. That's how difficult it is to reach the exam hall. For beginners, you four have done exceptionally well, I'd be honored to be your navigator again next year." He held up four pins with numbers on them. "Here, catch." He threw one to each of us, Kurapika and Leorio caught theirs and Gon's hit him on the forehead. I easily caught mine and put it in my pocket. The navigator looked over at me after seeing where I put it and nodded in approval. "Good luck rookies, it's time I say goodbye."

"Mr. Kiriko." Me and Gon call out at the same time, I smile slightly and we both walk up to him. He turned to face us and Gon held up his hand. "Thanks a lot." I nodded my head in agreement and after he shook Gon's hand, I held mine out to him, once he took it I pulled him into a small hug and whispered a small 'thanks'. He began to back out the door and before it closed he said, "I hope we meet again." I nodded and smiled at him. He shut the door and after a minute the room began to move like an elevator.

"The whole room is dropping." Leorio spoke the obvious, "I can see that." Kurapika said and I sweet dropped at them. "Wow, this is so cool." I agreed with Gon, it was actually pretty cool. After a few minutes of silence Leorio spoke the one thing that was on all of our minds. "Well he didn't have to say it like that, did he? He made it sound like we had no chance of making it in our first year."

"One every three years." I spoke for Kurapika. "The passing rate for rookie applicants. One passes every three years is the average. Most of them don't even make it half way. The testing can be rather difficult, testing your mind, body and even in some cases your spirit and emotional strength as well. If someone doesn't have the resolve to pass the exam then there really is no reason for them to take it." Kurapika nodded and took over the explanation. "Some never recover enough to make a second attempt."

"I don't really understand." Gon. "Why do so many people Wanna put themselves through all of that just to get a hunter license?"

"What!?" Kurapika and Leorio shouted at the same time.

Leorio: "You've made it all this way and you still don't have a clue?"

Gon: "Guess not."

Kurapika: "Listen Gon, when your a hunter it means..." Leorio cut him off.

Leorio: "It means you've got the most..."

Both: "Well paid job/honorable job, in the world."

The two of them turn to face each other and I swear I saw sparks flying. "Your such a goodie goodie arnt you?" Leorio starred down at Kurapika, "And your just a money grubber." The two of them turn back to poor little Gon.

Leorio: "Gon, listen to me, when you become a hunter, you'll get an official license. once you have it, you can go pretty much anywhere you want. And you can use any public facilities free of charge." Kurapika's face changed and I almost laughed at his expression. (-_-) "If you decide to become a treasure hunter or a contract hunter working exclusively for a rich benefactor, you can make a fortune in no time, and then you would never have to work again."

Kurapika: "Ignore him Gon. A hunters job is to secure order in society and nature. when you become a professional hunter you can protect priceless cultural treasures and endangered species. You can also bring wanted criminals and poachers to justice. like what Kira said, It requires a sound mind and body and strong convictions."

Gon: "Uhhh, Kay?"

Leorio: "So which is it Gon?"

Kurapika: "What kind of hunter will you try to be?"

I sighed, the two of them fighting is already giving me a head ache, I don't know if I can survive the test long enough to live to thirteen, let alone this team. Gon began thinking and told us that he hadn't decided yet. I thought that the fighting was over for now, but then Gon had to bring me into it. "What about you Kira? What kind of hunter do you wanna be?" Thanks a lot Gon....

"Well, honestly I would have to agree with both of your explanations." Kurapika and Leorio both sweat dropped at me. "When I think about it, each person has to have their own reason for doing what they do, Kurapika, you want to avenge your clan, to do that you wanna become a bounty hunter. Leorio probably has a reason for wanting to gain so much money in such a short time. Inside his brief case is medical supplies, and when we were back with the navigators he did a pretty good job patching that guy up. In this world, you cant really do anything if you don't have the money to. Families can go hungry, children die of illness, people loose their homes, and all because they didn't have the money to save themselves. So in a way, both are good reasons to become a hunter. I personally don't know what kind of hunter I want to be, but I do know that I want to be able to help in any way I can. So I guess the kind of hunter I wanna be, is just a hunter. Well... Huntress, I suppose." The elevator room finally stopped moving and the doors slid opened. I was grateful that we were finally out of that room and that we dropped the subject on hunter class, instead, all of our focus was pushed toward all of the angry faces that looked our way. Oh boy.... this is going to be fun....

(A/N) In case your a little lost, I am using the 1999 version of the series, there is an extra phase in this one, but I think that it is an important part in the story and it will help me advance the characters and the plot. So, hang in there if it become confusing. If you haven't watched the 1999 version, I recommend it.

Thnx, Bye!