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Fandom HxH: Searching
- Thread starter Sen Pai
- Start date
Sen Pai
I'm back, baby.
The Hunter Exam: a yearly event that one must pass to become a Hunter. Successful applicants receive a Hunter Card, an applicant can go almost anywhere in the world and do almost anything. With such alluring rewards, the Hunter Exam attracts millions of people. However, only 1 in 10,000 make it to the main exam.
Gathered in a wide underground tunnel, an unusual bell rang from the wall opposite to the entrance, calling attention to the now raising stone wall. The ringing - or chirping - noise came from a green bell held by tall polished man in a purple suit. He stood like a statue in front of a seemingly endless tunnel.
"I apologize for the delay. Thank you for waiting." The purple suited man spoke but it seemed only his impeccable moustache moved rather than his mouth. "The entry period for Hunter applicants is officially closed." Did he have a mouth? "So, with no further ado, the Hunter Exam will now begin!"
Instantly, the crowd's atmosphere changed as the air was filled with determination, excitement, anxiety - you name it.
"--keep in mind that there's a very real chance you could end up seriously injured." The moustache mouth man continued to speak, explaining the risks of the Hunter Exam. "Death is another distinct possibility." For real though, how does his form speech with a moustache? "...but for the rest of you, kindly exit through the elevator located behind you." Of course, no one would leave. Everyone had worked hard to get to that tunnel.
"Right, then. Very well. All 420 applicants will now participate in Phase One With that, the man spun around, raised one leg (and the opposite arm), and began marching down the tunnel at a leisurely pace.
Naturally, the crowd began to follow allowing our 5 heroes to begin the first phase of the 28nth Hunter Exam.
Lucem
QuirkyAngel
Castello
Life.
Gathered in a wide underground tunnel, an unusual bell rang from the wall opposite to the entrance, calling attention to the now raising stone wall. The ringing - or chirping - noise came from a green bell held by tall polished man in a purple suit. He stood like a statue in front of a seemingly endless tunnel.
"I apologize for the delay. Thank you for waiting." The purple suited man spoke but it seemed only his impeccable moustache moved rather than his mouth. "The entry period for Hunter applicants is officially closed." Did he have a mouth? "So, with no further ado, the Hunter Exam will now begin!"
Instantly, the crowd's atmosphere changed as the air was filled with determination, excitement, anxiety - you name it.
"--keep in mind that there's a very real chance you could end up seriously injured." The moustache mouth man continued to speak, explaining the risks of the Hunter Exam. "Death is another distinct possibility." For real though, how does his form speech with a moustache? "...but for the rest of you, kindly exit through the elevator located behind you." Of course, no one would leave. Everyone had worked hard to get to that tunnel.
"Right, then. Very well. All 420 applicants will now participate in Phase One With that, the man spun around, raised one leg (and the opposite arm), and began marching down the tunnel at a leisurely pace.
Naturally, the crowd began to follow allowing our 5 heroes to begin the first phase of the 28nth Hunter Exam.
Lucem
QuirkyAngel
Castello
Life.
Last edited:
QuirkyAngel
White Masquerade's Blue Oni
Hinata Raihara
Seated neatly on a raised piece of pavement within the underground tunnel she'd been sent to, Hinata Raihara had been using gyo to scan her competitors, looking for any among them that had their aura nodes opened and could be considered worthy adversaries, when a bell sound drew her attention to the wall opposite of the entrance. Stone wall raised, revealing a moustached man in a purple suit. Strong. Definitely someone to be wary of. That was Hinata's impression. Therefore, while others near her grumbled about the proctor being late, Hinata pushed the butt of her staff against the ground and stood, dusting what could only be described as a shrine maiden's dress and listened to the mouth-less man's warning.
There was no way she was backing out now. Not with all the effort she'd put in and certainly not with the promise of wealth on the line. Like her, the others didn't back out either, some not knowing their limits.
Fools.
It wouldn't be her fault if some of them ended up dying.
Hinata frowned. The examiner gave no instructions. No verbal clues as to what "Phase One" would be. He simply spun around and marched away. "I guess we're supposed to follow?"
Not really waiting for anyone else, though not moving especially faster than anyone else either, Hinata strolled after the Hunter exam proctor, her staff acting as a walking stick. Steps echoed along the tunnel walls as many others did the same. All 420 of them. Hinata wasn't enochlophobic by any means, but she would like to see the numbers lowered. The less competition she had, the better her chance of success. This was especially true when one of the Hunter examinees had the nerve sling their arm around her shoulder and offer to help a "little girl like her" pass the exam.
Hinata glared. "No,"
Shrugging the arm off, the 5'2'' girl in with a red ribbon in her hair, ignored the indignant protests of her fellow examinee and continued forward. If she were to team up with anyone, it would be someone strong at the very least. There were two other test takers that caught her attention. One a boy with white hair. The other, a guy whose aura dripped with slime. Slime man was a little...gross...though, so she wasn't entirely too sure. Didn't want to touch. Besides, Hinata had more important things to worry about. Unless she was imagining things, the proctor was moving faster and faster with every step. The proof was in the fact that she'd already left Mr. Free-Arm behind.
"Phase One" of the Hunter Exam had already begun.
Sen Pai
Lucem
Castello
Life.
There was no way she was backing out now. Not with all the effort she'd put in and certainly not with the promise of wealth on the line. Like her, the others didn't back out either, some not knowing their limits.
Fools.
It wouldn't be her fault if some of them ended up dying.
Hinata frowned. The examiner gave no instructions. No verbal clues as to what "Phase One" would be. He simply spun around and marched away. "I guess we're supposed to follow?"
Not really waiting for anyone else, though not moving especially faster than anyone else either, Hinata strolled after the Hunter exam proctor, her staff acting as a walking stick. Steps echoed along the tunnel walls as many others did the same. All 420 of them. Hinata wasn't enochlophobic by any means, but she would like to see the numbers lowered. The less competition she had, the better her chance of success. This was especially true when one of the Hunter examinees had the nerve sling their arm around her shoulder and offer to help a "little girl like her" pass the exam.
Hinata glared. "No,"
Shrugging the arm off, the 5'2'' girl in with a red ribbon in her hair, ignored the indignant protests of her fellow examinee and continued forward. If she were to team up with anyone, it would be someone strong at the very least. There were two other test takers that caught her attention. One a boy with white hair. The other, a guy whose aura dripped with slime. Slime man was a little...gross...though, so she wasn't entirely too sure. Didn't want to touch. Besides, Hinata had more important things to worry about. Unless she was imagining things, the proctor was moving faster and faster with every step. The proof was in the fact that she'd already left Mr. Free-Arm behind.
"Phase One" of the Hunter Exam had already begun.
Sen Pai
Lucem
Castello
Life.
Castello
The Original Chef Kitten
Paio Cruntz
Paio knew he stood out, he could feel the gaze of a few of the attendees. Their scorn punctured him but it made him all the more confident. This was the year he would stand out; HE'D be the one people try to stay away from, the dangerous one in this brutal competition.
He was confident for another reason.
To most attendees, he probably looked like standard teenager, adorned in a youthful baseball camp and cheery clothing. To those with "Gyo," he drew attention. By looking at the competitors that he had caught the eye of was a good indication of who likely noticed something off about him.
He had a slimly aura, it oozed off his skin, even dripping to the floor like water from a pipe. It was a calming aura, however, like rain. However, its looks were bizarre, nothing like a normal aura. It was enigmatic and it was clearly drawing attention. By simply existing there were people wary of him but he knew that he could also become a target. He would not win this year without allies.
After the moustached man's speech, Paio had noticed someone catching his visage. It was a young girl and Paio was quickly to discern where she had come from, the Kaijing Republic. He was a little perplexed, as Nen's popularity had phased out in the region. Furthermore, Hinata seemed more traditional. Paio knew the basics of their ancient culture from a lecture his father had recorded but he never expected someone to embody the country's roots. He was intrigued to say the least. He had caught a glimpse of her scanning him with Gyo.
As she began to run, he was sure to catch up to Hinata. "Hey!" He introduced. "Noticed I caught your glance there, it ain't because I am handsome, eh?" He said with a joking smile. "You know, I never expected someone from Kaijing to end up here!"
QuirkyAngel
Lucem
Ten Thousand Club
Nova Rose
Nova had been waiting in the dark tunnel for what felt like hours. With no sign of the examiner, he decided to use the remaining free time to get some rest, knowing that there probably wouldn't be many opportunities to do so during the exam. He kept his eyes closed while leaning against the concrete wall, trying to ignore the rustling and chattering of four hundred people. While he was eventually able to tune them out, it was hard to sleep peacefully when someone was staring at him.
Lazily opening one of his eyes, he spotted a young girl in a strange outfit staring at him from across the room, but her gaze quickly moved to the next person in the sea of people. The shrine maiden clothes were eye-catching, but he was mostly focused on the aura surrounding her brown eyes. It wasn't surprising for a prospective Hunter to know Nen, but he wasn't expecting anyone around his age to have experience with it. He spotted a few other people who appeared to have opened nodes, but it was hard to tell how much training they had at a glance. With the short maiden, however, he could see that she had some formal training, considering that she was able to use Gyo. It didn't seem like she was interested in him specifically, so there was no need to overthink it.
Before he could close his eye again, a low rumbling filled the tunnel, followed by the ringing of a bell. The examiner had finally arrived, and the test could begin. Although, the lanky old man didn't provide much information about what it would entail. Instead, he gave a brief warning before marching off, prompting the participants to chase him after a moment of collective confusion.
When the brisk walk eventually became a full-on run, it became apparent that they weren't just following someone to the exam site. The first phase was most likely an endurance test, requiring them to keep up with the moustached man. It wasn't clear how long they'd have to keep this up for, but Nova didn't have any problems keeping up. Compared to trekking across a dangerous wasteland for over a week, this wasn't too hard.
As he ran, he noticed the girl from earlier get approached by two men. The first one didn't seem like someone to worry about, but the old guy with a goatee was a little different. Like the girl, he had opened aura nodes, which most likely made him a Nen user. He probably noticed her using Gyo and decided to approach her. Either that, or the shrine maiden just had a talent for getting the attention of older men. It didn't seem like the guy had any bad intentions, but the girl could probably handle herself if anything happened.
After watching the two of them, Nova thought about the merits of teaming up with other people. He didn't think he'd have any problems passing the exam by himself, but things would be easier if he had fewer enemies, especially if they could use Nen. He thought about approaching them, but quickly decided against it. Just popping in like that seemed a little awkward after the slimy guy just showed up. He noticed one other person around his age with an aura, but he still wasn't sure about striking up a conversation with a stranger.
Running a hand through his ashen hair, Nova decided to put those thoughts to the side for now. For the time being, he could think about more important things. Did his canteen have enough water? Did he bring enough bullets?
Nova had been waiting in the dark tunnel for what felt like hours. With no sign of the examiner, he decided to use the remaining free time to get some rest, knowing that there probably wouldn't be many opportunities to do so during the exam. He kept his eyes closed while leaning against the concrete wall, trying to ignore the rustling and chattering of four hundred people. While he was eventually able to tune them out, it was hard to sleep peacefully when someone was staring at him.
Lazily opening one of his eyes, he spotted a young girl in a strange outfit staring at him from across the room, but her gaze quickly moved to the next person in the sea of people. The shrine maiden clothes were eye-catching, but he was mostly focused on the aura surrounding her brown eyes. It wasn't surprising for a prospective Hunter to know Nen, but he wasn't expecting anyone around his age to have experience with it. He spotted a few other people who appeared to have opened nodes, but it was hard to tell how much training they had at a glance. With the short maiden, however, he could see that she had some formal training, considering that she was able to use Gyo. It didn't seem like she was interested in him specifically, so there was no need to overthink it.
Before he could close his eye again, a low rumbling filled the tunnel, followed by the ringing of a bell. The examiner had finally arrived, and the test could begin. Although, the lanky old man didn't provide much information about what it would entail. Instead, he gave a brief warning before marching off, prompting the participants to chase him after a moment of collective confusion.
When the brisk walk eventually became a full-on run, it became apparent that they weren't just following someone to the exam site. The first phase was most likely an endurance test, requiring them to keep up with the moustached man. It wasn't clear how long they'd have to keep this up for, but Nova didn't have any problems keeping up. Compared to trekking across a dangerous wasteland for over a week, this wasn't too hard.
As he ran, he noticed the girl from earlier get approached by two men. The first one didn't seem like someone to worry about, but the old guy with a goatee was a little different. Like the girl, he had opened aura nodes, which most likely made him a Nen user. He probably noticed her using Gyo and decided to approach her. Either that, or the shrine maiden just had a talent for getting the attention of older men. It didn't seem like the guy had any bad intentions, but the girl could probably handle herself if anything happened.
After watching the two of them, Nova thought about the merits of teaming up with other people. He didn't think he'd have any problems passing the exam by himself, but things would be easier if he had fewer enemies, especially if they could use Nen. He thought about approaching them, but quickly decided against it. Just popping in like that seemed a little awkward after the slimy guy just showed up. He noticed one other person around his age with an aura, but he still wasn't sure about striking up a conversation with a stranger.
Running a hand through his ashen hair, Nova decided to put those thoughts to the side for now. For the time being, he could think about more important things. Did his canteen have enough water? Did he bring enough bullets?
Sen Pai
I'm back, baby.
Sheena Monroe“Thank you very so much.” Sheena took the round badge and offered a polished smile to the animated green bean in return. As the nutritionally dense and delicious-looking fellow nodded and tottered away, Sheena looked down at the black numbers printed on the badge and suppressed the amused smirk tugging at his lips.
Number 420.
After pinning the badge to the red fabric of his shirt, Sheena barely had time to inhale before a strange bell sounded and the stone wall ahead of him began to rise, revealing a purple moustached man who began to march down the tunnel.
Seeing all the applicants began to follow the marching moustache man, Sheena felt excitement tingle from the base of his neck down to the tips of his fingers.
Here we go.
While Sheena leisurely followed along, careful not to accidentally hit anyone with the long metal rod in his right hand, he found himself curiously observing the applicants that surrounded him. Some of these people had a different air about them.
"Noticed I caught your glance there, it ain't because I am handsome, eh?" Directly in front of Sheena, a rugged-face young man joking introduced himself to a traditionally dressed girl. Sheena couldn’t put his finger on exactly what was different but the air around felt, for a better lack of words, thicker.
Regardless, Sheena knew for certain that everyone in this tunnel were strong in their own ways – he wasn’t such a haughty young master to refuse to acknowledge another’s strength. These people were unlike the thousands of prospective applicants that flooded the docks and town.
Earlier today…
Sheena hopped off a boat and followed the crowd of Hunter Exam applicants into the port town. Seeing as how this was his first time travelling like a working-class member, Sheena wanted to spend a bit of time before the Hunter Exam exploring Dolle Harbor. It was a rather quaint little sea-side destination with sturdy stone roads and buildings. Having walked out of the fencing match with nothing but the clothes on his back, Sheena pouted as his stomach began to protest. He needed to find somewhere to eat. Fast. After all, a hungry man is an angry and irrational man.
Wandering into a pub-style restaurant, Sheena made a B-line to the bar and sat down next to a tattooed mass of protein, which he later identified as a burly man.
“Good afternoon, ma’am, could I have the house spe—” Sheena politely raised his hand to order from the pretty waitress in front of him but was cut off before he could complete his order.
“Ya pickin’ a fight, little man?” The tattooed man beside Sheena boomed. Sheena saw the waitress’s facial expression morph into fear before he glanced over at the man. There were, in fact, two walking balls of muscle standing beside Sheena and they were about to start a bar fight.
“Who ya callin’ little man, tiny male?” The other protein-powered man pushed the tattooed man backwards into Sheena. Ah, but Sheena couldn’t have a bar fight happening before mealtime, could he? It’s important to designate time for eating to really enjoy the dining experience.
Catching the tattooed muscle - sorry, I meant man. Catching the tattooed man, Sheena gently pushed the much larger figure back onto his feet. “Excuse me for interrupting,” Sheena began, only wanting to eat his lunch. “But could you gentlemen relocate your scuffle elsewhere?” The waitress stared at Sheena in shock. Or was it fear for the small - that is, relative to the two big burly men - young brunet?
The big men began to push each other back and forth, which quickly turned into a violent brawl throughout the bar. Every time the tattooed man was knocked towards Sheena, who tirelessly caught the big man and pushed him back with a lazy hand. Sheena’s irritation threatened to break through his polite exterior. If he didn’t get a meal in him soon, his stomach would unionize and go on strike.
“Gentlemen, please! Don’t waste your handsome selves over in this lovely establishment.” Sheena stood up and yelled over the chaos, calling the men’s attention to himself.
For a few seconds, they all stared at him blankly.
“Handsome?” The tattooed man started.
“Ya gay?” The other muscular man finished.
Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Sheena dodged a half empty beer mug thrown his way. “Wh- no?” And the bar fight continued. And so did the protesting in Sheena’s stomach. Leaping over the bar to avoid a flying wooden chair, Sheena found himself looking down at the cowering waitress. Crouching down to the girl’s level, Sheena gently took the girl’s shaky hands into his own and offered a reassuring smile. “I’d like a house special please.” Picking up a metal rod under the counter, Sheena stood up and launched himself over the bar and between the two muscular mealtime disturbers.
“Hey, I haven’t seen you before.” A chunky man dressed in blue ran up beside Sheena, pulling his head out from the clouds. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed that he, and everyone else around him, had gradually sped up into an all-out run. “The name’s Tonpa, what’s yours?” The man, Tonpa, introduced himself and turned away from Sheena to pull out two orange cans of juice from his satchel. “You’re looking a little thirsty, how ‘bout a toast to your first of many Hunter Exams!”
Of many Hunter Exams? Smiling politely at Tonpa, Sheena chuckled to himself. He wasn’t planning on taking this Exam more than once. Having grown up around two-faced aristocrats, Sheena could smell a duplicitous intent from a mile away – and Tonpa stunk of deceit.
However, when Sheena looked down at the orange cans, he beamed. He’d never tried this brand of juice. The servants back at the manor would squeeze the juice from fresh fruit. After all, methods of preservation and storage can cause the concentration of vitamin C in the juice to degrade. However, canned juices were definitely affordable! And a man with food or drink was a friend of Sheena’s.
“What a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Tonpa.” Graciously taking one of the cans of juice, Sheena slipped the tip of his finger under the aluminum tab and cracked the lid open. “My name is Sheena Monroe.” Bringing the can of juice up to his lips, Sheena poured a bit of the juice into his mouth. Instantly, Sheena’s sand-coloured eyes widened.
Ew. Tastes like shit.
Covering up his disgust with a well-mannered smile, Sheena couldn’t bring himself to swallow the disgusting liquid.
You cannot call this crap juice. This is piss.
Nodding respectfully along with Tonpa’s prattling about his Hunter Exam veteran status, Sheena felt himself gag. He couldn’t take the taste of the juice any longer. Now, it wasn’t terrible by regular standards. In fact, most people would say it tasted like regular orange juice. However, those people ended up shitting a river and failing the Hunter Exam. On the other hand, Sheena’s
Tastes like it was made from concentrate…and something else?
Deciding that he couldn’t hold his repulsion in any longer to figure out what the mystery ingredient was, Sheena swiftly turned his head away from Tonpa and spat the juice out before the man noticed. “That’s amazing, Mr. Tonpa. You sound very experienced. I’ll be in your care then.” Sheena gracefully placed his hand over his chest and bowed his head towards Tonpa. Unfortunately for Sheena, because of this maneuver, he didn’t realize he had spat his saliva-juice mixture on the face of the short-tempered applicant just to his left.
“Hey.” A heavy hand crashed on Sheena’s left shoulder, causing him to turn around innocently. The tattooed muscular man from the bar gripped Sheena’s shoulder, fuming. “Yer that twink from the bar,” Recognition caused the orange juice on the man’s face to steam off from fury – or was that embarrassment? The scuff marks from the day’s previous events were still evident on the man’s clothing and a pinkish red bruise was blending into a faded blue on his left cheek. “Ya think ya can spit on me and get away with it?!” The man pulled Sheena towards the fist he formed with his other hand.
Twisting out of the way of the fist, Sheena quirked an eyebrow at the muscular man and laughed amicably. “Oh, muscle man,” Sheena chimed as he continued to dodge punches. “It’s so lovely to see you again.” Of course, Sheena thought the opposite of what he said. This man almost ruined his lunch. “How are you doing? Did you apply ice to your bruise as I suggested?” However, Sheena instinctively made conversation and he was surprised to see that mass of protein powder again. Ducking under a rather heavy right hook, the corners of Sheena’s lips twitched downwards into a frown for but a microsecond. Muscle man’s arm had contacted another applicant, who flew into several other applicants.
Ah, I should get out of here.
Unfortunately for Sheena, chaos had already erupted around him. Limbs, swords, nun chucks, and a variety of projectile weapons flew from left and right. Avoiding getting caught in the crossfire was like playing an extremely sped up version of Twister in the air. Although Sheena had never played Twister before, with the way he danced around and between the quickly escalating fight, it seems he would be quite good at the game.
Catching a glimpse of purple, Sheena tried to work his way out from the center of the brawl. However, while Sheena could smoothly avoid the assailants, he couldn’t seem to get out of the fight and the marching moustache man didn’t look like he would be slowing his inhuman gait – even if a quarter of the applicants were involved in a fight.
“Ladies, gentlemen, please,” Sheena tried to calm down the people around him. “Let’s focus on the task at hand.” But, over the rioting, Sheena’s voice seemed to fall on deaf ears.
Nearby:
QuirkyAngel
Castello
Possibly Affected:
Lucem
Life.
Life.
Forever Wandering
Zaida Allenstar
The dull, grey, concrete wall of the tunnel was the only thing in Zaida's line of sight with her head tilted upwards. Many thoughts had been running in her head for some time while waiting for the examination to start, but gradually it all faded away and she was left mindless and bored. It even came to the point where she started tallying the number of people by their hair colors, but that simple task eventually lost its entertainment as well. Which left the restless girl to gaze up towards the ceiling of the tunnel in hopes of finding something interesting. Just as her eyes were beginning to droop down, a ringing vibrated in Zaida's hearing.
The blonde turned her head over to the source of the sound and took notice of his authoritative presence. It was clear others felt it too as conversations died down. He began to speak what more than likely was an introduction to the Hunter Exam but all Zaida could focus on was the perfection of the man's rather humongous moustache. She even squinted to see if the man had a mouth underneath all that fluff, the thought of how he consumed coming into question. At some point, an elevator had appeared and Zaida had assumed that maybe that would take them to the first part of the exam but then she noticed that no one moved towards it. Zaida made a soft sound of realization once she deducted the elevator to be an exit.
Her attention was still deviated from the proctor, but then the crowd of contestants gradually moved in waves towards a new opening. Zaida blinked a few times, surprised that suddenly there was a passage and that everyone was beginning to move in the direction of it. Did the man perhaps run that way? Without much information on what to do, Zaida decided to follow the crowd too as much as she didn't want to. This seemed rather simple of a task to do for a phase of the exam, but from her first impressions of other examinees, perhaps this wasn't a horrible method to weed out some of them.
This became clear as Zaida began to easily pass other individuals with her easy jog. Running was a past time of hers, especially when she began to annoy her family too much. Before if she became too much to bear, they'd tell her to run. So with how often she became intolerable in her younger years, Zaida has a lot of mileage under her belt. With her mind lost in memories, Zaida didn't notice the sounds of some scuffling close by until she lost her balance from a collision with a person. An unflattering shriek left her lips as she fell onto the floor, her elbows and gloves receiving scrapes from the impact.
"What is going on!" Zaida growled as she jumped from the ground, but she shrieked once more when she dodged a flying dagger. A brawl of contestants stood in her path now to the moustache man. She sighed and pulled down the cheeks on her face. Zaida didn't want to expend any energy yet for close combat, but it appeared that she had no other option at the moment. The girl lifted the straps of her suspenders and placed them on her shoulders. "Who in the hell started this anyway?" Her eyes scanned the crowd to figure out if she could find someone who was either heavily beat or intensely dodging fists. It was then she spotted a familiar figure, well not from her memory but more as an individual who checked out from general descriptions her siblings have given her of children of other businesses. A tall, brown-haired boy whom from his actions appeared to be trying to find some clarity within the chaos checked out Zaida's list of Sheena Monroe. From what she heard those he was an illegitimate child, but still, he was a part of the Monroe family. Perhaps there can be some perk in helping him? That and he was looking like a total idiot trying to calm down a fighting group of ruffians.
With a clear goal in mind, Zaida made her way through the crowd. Upon entry, she was greeted with a fist attempting to catch her at the chin, but she reflexively responded with a sidestep that followed with a clean jab to his ribs. The man collapsed to his knees, which allowed Zaida to jump over him, but then a baton of some sort was being swung towards her side. "Not fair!" The girl grabbed onto the baton and pulled the contestant closer to the point that she delivered a sloppy upper hook. It didn't knock the person out, but it left them staggering a bit. With two bodies set aside, Zaida weaved through the rest of the crowd with only needing to redirect a couple of other punches before she reached the person she assumed to be Sheena.
"What are you doing there just standing there trying to get the attention of these idiots? You're a bigger idiot to think that they'll listen to you. Come on, you twink! We need to get going! Moustache man is getting away," without any hesitation, Zaida reached over, grabbed the boy's wrist, and began sprinting to close the gap that had appeared between the contestants.
Sen Pai
Lucem
Ten Thousand Club
Nova Rose
Things were going well so far. It didn't seem like this marathon would be over anytime soon, but he didn't feel any fatigue. It looked like everyone was too focused on keeping up with the examiner to bother other runners, so there were no obstacles to worry about either. As long as things stayed like this, he'd be able to clear the first phase of the exam without breaking a sweat. With any luck, the others would be just as easy.
As he thought about what awaited him at the end of the tunnel, he could hear somebody stirring up a ruckus behind him. Instead of turning around, he chose to keep running, ignoring all the talk about juice and twinks. There was no point in getting involved, especially when the moustache was picking up the pace. He'd just keep to himself and focus on the goal. That's what he planned on doing, but it was hard to ignore the scuffle when a knife went right for his face.
Quickly stepping to the side, Nova narrowly avoided losing his nose. Feeling a little annoyed, he looked in the direction it came from and got a good look at the chaos that was going on behind him. Fists, blades, and several cans of juice were flying around the cramped space as examinees slowed down to kill each other. In the middle of it all was a brunet trying to calm everyone down. He heard something about a twink, and the guy's appearance definitely fit the description. As he dodged another knife, Nova came to the conclusion that this was the person responsible for him almost getting an unwanted nose piercing.
Soon after the fighting started, he noticed a young girl dive into the fray and yank the brunet out of the growing dust cloud. He watched her deal with a few guys along the way, causing him to raise a brow. She was pretty good for her age, and it didn't look like she was using Nen either. The twink seemed to be around the same age. He was expecting to be surrounded by a bunch of old veterans, so seeing this many young people was a surprise.
As he watched the pair run to catch up with the examiner, he noticed a few disgruntled folks pull themselves away from the carnage. In an attempt to get ahead, one burly guy decided he could just push him to the side and keep going. Nova was already a bit irritated, so he wasn't too keen on letting that happen. Instead, he stepped to the side when the muscular man tried to put a hand on his shoulder and followed up with a quick punch to his jaw. Without taking another look back, Nova continued running, listening to the thud that soon followed. Stretching his arm above his head, he felt his annoyance fade. He wasn't completely warmed up yet, but this was a good start.
Things were going well so far. It didn't seem like this marathon would be over anytime soon, but he didn't feel any fatigue. It looked like everyone was too focused on keeping up with the examiner to bother other runners, so there were no obstacles to worry about either. As long as things stayed like this, he'd be able to clear the first phase of the exam without breaking a sweat. With any luck, the others would be just as easy.
As he thought about what awaited him at the end of the tunnel, he could hear somebody stirring up a ruckus behind him. Instead of turning around, he chose to keep running, ignoring all the talk about juice and twinks. There was no point in getting involved, especially when the moustache was picking up the pace. He'd just keep to himself and focus on the goal. That's what he planned on doing, but it was hard to ignore the scuffle when a knife went right for his face.
Quickly stepping to the side, Nova narrowly avoided losing his nose. Feeling a little annoyed, he looked in the direction it came from and got a good look at the chaos that was going on behind him. Fists, blades, and several cans of juice were flying around the cramped space as examinees slowed down to kill each other. In the middle of it all was a brunet trying to calm everyone down. He heard something about a twink, and the guy's appearance definitely fit the description. As he dodged another knife, Nova came to the conclusion that this was the person responsible for him almost getting an unwanted nose piercing.
Soon after the fighting started, he noticed a young girl dive into the fray and yank the brunet out of the growing dust cloud. He watched her deal with a few guys along the way, causing him to raise a brow. She was pretty good for her age, and it didn't look like she was using Nen either. The twink seemed to be around the same age. He was expecting to be surrounded by a bunch of old veterans, so seeing this many young people was a surprise.
As he watched the pair run to catch up with the examiner, he noticed a few disgruntled folks pull themselves away from the carnage. In an attempt to get ahead, one burly guy decided he could just push him to the side and keep going. Nova was already a bit irritated, so he wasn't too keen on letting that happen. Instead, he stepped to the side when the muscular man tried to put a hand on his shoulder and followed up with a quick punch to his jaw. Without taking another look back, Nova continued running, listening to the thud that soon followed. Stretching his arm above his head, he felt his annoyance fade. He wasn't completely warmed up yet, but this was a good start.
Sen Pai
I'm back, baby.
Sheena Monroe
“Come on, you twink!” A blonde young lady appeared from behind two, now unconscious, ruffians. Sheena would have to look up the definition of a twink later. Perhaps he had the wrong idea of what a twink was? Quickly glancing down at himself, Sheena raised his eyebrows in wonderment. Was he a twink? “We need to get going! Moustache man is getting away.” Fingers wrapped around Sheena’s wrist and he found his legs picking up speed as he ran one step behind his saviour.
A bit bewildered, Sheena thought that the girl before him seemed familiar. However, after realizing that he was staring, Sheena quickly tore his gaze away from the blonde and looked for the purple moustache man.
Much to his relief, the purple figure was getting larger as he and the girl raced. However, the purple man seemed to be higher than before. As the ball of his foot contacted the first step of the stone staircase, Sheena glanced over his shoulder at the shrinking brawl. The angry yells and crashes echoed through the tunnel. At least 80 applicants were still stuck, or knocked unconscious, in the fight Sheena had inadvertently instigated. Well, he did his best to stop the fight. If they were left behind because they were knocked out or too injured to continue running then, well, as Tonpa mentioned, they have many Hunter Exams ahead of them.
Turning back to his saviour, Sheena picked up his pace to run beside her. Unsure as to where he had seen her before, Sheena scoured his memory of faces. Was she a bodyguard of someone he had met before? Perhaps she was a passing glimpse? Possibly a daughter of a businessman? Considering his presence at the Hunter Exam, Sheena figured it wasn’t too implausible for more than one runaway rich kid to be here chasing their dreams. Well, the easiest way to find out is to ask.
“Thank you for your assistance,” Sheena bowed his head, looking down at the hand wrapped around his wrist. “I’m Sheena Monroe. Might I know my hero’s name?”
Life.
“Come on, you twink!” A blonde young lady appeared from behind two, now unconscious, ruffians. Sheena would have to look up the definition of a twink later. Perhaps he had the wrong idea of what a twink was? Quickly glancing down at himself, Sheena raised his eyebrows in wonderment. Was he a twink? “We need to get going! Moustache man is getting away.” Fingers wrapped around Sheena’s wrist and he found his legs picking up speed as he ran one step behind his saviour.
A bit bewildered, Sheena thought that the girl before him seemed familiar. However, after realizing that he was staring, Sheena quickly tore his gaze away from the blonde and looked for the purple moustache man.
Much to his relief, the purple figure was getting larger as he and the girl raced. However, the purple man seemed to be higher than before. As the ball of his foot contacted the first step of the stone staircase, Sheena glanced over his shoulder at the shrinking brawl. The angry yells and crashes echoed through the tunnel. At least 80 applicants were still stuck, or knocked unconscious, in the fight Sheena had inadvertently instigated. Well, he did his best to stop the fight. If they were left behind because they were knocked out or too injured to continue running then, well, as Tonpa mentioned, they have many Hunter Exams ahead of them.
Turning back to his saviour, Sheena picked up his pace to run beside her. Unsure as to where he had seen her before, Sheena scoured his memory of faces. Was she a bodyguard of someone he had met before? Perhaps she was a passing glimpse? Possibly a daughter of a businessman? Considering his presence at the Hunter Exam, Sheena figured it wasn’t too implausible for more than one runaway rich kid to be here chasing their dreams. Well, the easiest way to find out is to ask.
“Thank you for your assistance,” Sheena bowed his head, looking down at the hand wrapped around his wrist. “I’m Sheena Monroe. Might I know my hero’s name?”
Life.
QuirkyAngel
White Masquerade's Blue Oni
Hinata Raihara
"Oh? You're more cultured than you look," Eyebrows raised, Hinata was nonetheless pleased that the slime-nen user had recognized her home country, an unconscious smile forming on her face. She didn't expect many would. Least of all, the attire of a Bakkan Shrine Maiden (in training). Hinata still had no desire to touch his nen, but she could appreciate that he seemed quite knowledgeable...even if he looked the brutish, sportsy type. He didn't seem to have any problem keeping up with her as well.
A worthy adversary no doubt.
"I'm Hinata Raihara from the B-," Hinata paused, frowning when a commotion sounded from right behind them. The dark-haired girl didn't slow down, keeping with her ever-consistent pace, but she did glance behind her and catch the gist of the conversation. Tonpa. Sheena Monroe. Something about spitting. Seemed some of the applicants had met, and didn't like each other, earlier in the preliminaries of the exam.
Idiots, the lot of them.
That Sheena Monroe guy seemed especially troublesome.
"-akkan Shrine," Hinata finished, ducking a pretty-looking dagger that flew in her direction. Catching the glint of shine as the blade passed her head, Hinata instinctively reached up, caught the blade between two fingers, and nonchalantly pocketed it. She had no use for a dagger, but she could certainly sell it for a decent price. Probably. No harm in making whatever profit she could while taking the hunter exam. Of course, the greatest profit would come when she held that license in her hands. Grinning at the thought of it, Hinata blinked when, from the dust cloud behind her, a blond girl dashed by with that Sheena Monroe guy in tow.
Twink.
Hinata smirked.
She was somewhat glad that the girl seemed to have sense in her, but, at the same time, a bit disappointed that the girl's yell knocked some sense into a couple of the brawlers as well. Knocking out the competitors before they could be a hindrance later was a valid strategy. Hinata didn't know if that Sheena Monroe guy did it on purpose or not, but, if he did, he was quite clever. Agile as well for someone who hadn't quite opened his nodes yet.
"Let's pick up the pace a little," Hinata said to the older slime-boy with a baseball cap. "Just a little though."
It wasn't a race and Hinata saw no point in wasting her energy when she had no idea what "Phase Two" would be. Could be a fight. Could be something even more challenging. So long as the mustache examiner remained in sight, and they didn't lose him, it was good enough. "And I'm not sure what you mean when you say you're surprised, Big Guy. The people of the Kaijing Republic love Hunters. Plenty of citizens apply."
Though the number that actually passed were rather small, it wasn't due to lack of nen knowledge or anything. At least, that was what her father had told her. Knowing nen wasn't a requirement to pass the test. It simply helped. A lot.
Castello
(mentioned:
Sen Pai
Life.
)
"Oh? You're more cultured than you look," Eyebrows raised, Hinata was nonetheless pleased that the slime-nen user had recognized her home country, an unconscious smile forming on her face. She didn't expect many would. Least of all, the attire of a Bakkan Shrine Maiden (in training). Hinata still had no desire to touch his nen, but she could appreciate that he seemed quite knowledgeable...even if he looked the brutish, sportsy type. He didn't seem to have any problem keeping up with her as well.
A worthy adversary no doubt.
"I'm Hinata Raihara from the B-," Hinata paused, frowning when a commotion sounded from right behind them. The dark-haired girl didn't slow down, keeping with her ever-consistent pace, but she did glance behind her and catch the gist of the conversation. Tonpa. Sheena Monroe. Something about spitting. Seemed some of the applicants had met, and didn't like each other, earlier in the preliminaries of the exam.
Idiots, the lot of them.
That Sheena Monroe guy seemed especially troublesome.
"-akkan Shrine," Hinata finished, ducking a pretty-looking dagger that flew in her direction. Catching the glint of shine as the blade passed her head, Hinata instinctively reached up, caught the blade between two fingers, and nonchalantly pocketed it. She had no use for a dagger, but she could certainly sell it for a decent price. Probably. No harm in making whatever profit she could while taking the hunter exam. Of course, the greatest profit would come when she held that license in her hands. Grinning at the thought of it, Hinata blinked when, from the dust cloud behind her, a blond girl dashed by with that Sheena Monroe guy in tow.
Twink.
Hinata smirked.
She was somewhat glad that the girl seemed to have sense in her, but, at the same time, a bit disappointed that the girl's yell knocked some sense into a couple of the brawlers as well. Knocking out the competitors before they could be a hindrance later was a valid strategy. Hinata didn't know if that Sheena Monroe guy did it on purpose or not, but, if he did, he was quite clever. Agile as well for someone who hadn't quite opened his nodes yet.
"Let's pick up the pace a little," Hinata said to the older slime-boy with a baseball cap. "Just a little though."
It wasn't a race and Hinata saw no point in wasting her energy when she had no idea what "Phase Two" would be. Could be a fight. Could be something even more challenging. So long as the mustache examiner remained in sight, and they didn't lose him, it was good enough. "And I'm not sure what you mean when you say you're surprised, Big Guy. The people of the Kaijing Republic love Hunters. Plenty of citizens apply."
Though the number that actually passed were rather small, it wasn't due to lack of nen knowledge or anything. At least, that was what her father had told her. Knowing nen wasn't a requirement to pass the test. It simply helped. A lot.
Castello
(mentioned:
Sen Pai
Life.
)
Castello
The Original Chef Kitten
Paio Cruntz
"Nice ta' meet'cha Hinata! Go ahead and call me Paio." He chuckled lightly. "Never thought I'd get close to a real life shrine girl! Ya' ain't some cosplayer either, ya' the real thing! Textbook!"
The knife that drifted into Hinata's fingers drew an 'o' across Paio's face but that was about it. This was his second time through the hunter's exam after all, he had seen many weird things. Last year there were men with giant lizards, someone who had brought his maid entourage and even someone who carried their gaming set up to the hunter exam. A knife in the preliminary rounds of the exam? It just did not phase him like it would last year. Death was not unheard of in the exams, even he was lucky to still be alive.
"Niiiice." He said in congratulations. "Ya' got some reflexes there, girl! Ya' plan on using that knife or are you one of those hoarder folks?"
Running was elementary for Paio, it was clear he was not even remotely trying in this phase. He even let loose a small yawn. When Hinata offered to pick up the pace, he offered her a quick nod, but then his ears twitched as they do when he was in thought. From his shirt's pocket, he pulled out a small package of peanuts, the syrup and salt flavoured kind. Paio brandished it for Hinata to see.
"This phase is boring me, ya' want to spice it up a bit?" He proposed, looking ahead.
"You aren't very subtle, y'know? I already know something very important about ya' and ye' know something about me. We ain't like most of these people, we got an." He paused, giving her a smile. "An edge, ya' could call it."
He continued. "So I propose a nice race. If ye' win, my lucky peanuts are on the line but ya' gotta cough something up in the likely event that I win!"
QuirkyAngel
Life.
Forever Wandering
Zaida Allenstar
Zaida could begin feeling her heart pumping furiously inside her chest as her adrenaline began diminishing. She wiped away a few beads of sweat from her neck, slightly worn from the sudden burst of action. Her eyes glanced behind and noticed a few of the other contestants stepping away from the brawl and attempting to reach the examinees who were far ahead in distance. Then the twink matched her pace to start a conversation. He formally introduced himself as Sheena Monroe, so Zaida's siblings were pretty spot-on in describing the boy. He didn't seem to have much to offer at the moment. When she noticed his eyes looking down at her hand, Zaida's attention followed and immediately she released her grip on his wrist.
"Zaida," the girl wanted to keep the conversation short but she couldn't help but scoff at his diction, "Hero? What were you? A damsel in distress? You're gonna have to change that state of mind, twinkie. If you saw that as a heroic deed, then you're saying that you needed help, which makes you appear helpless. You know what we're in right? The Hunter Exam. What are you taking the exam for?" She purposefully left out saying her surname since she wanted to figure out Sheena first, and Zaida wasn't aware or rather cared if her words came across harsh or not. The scrape on her arms were starting to sting and itch which didn't help with her mood. Usually she was a lot more collected than this, but Sheena here had to go and instigate a fight.
"What even happened back there? Did you really start that fight?" If he was going to stick around then the least Zaida could receive is answers. With more information, she can at least conjure up a more honest impression of the boy, because currently he was an annoyance. But it was only the start of the exam, and an ally would be beneficial for Zaida. She greatly hoped that perhaps Sheena has some redeemable qualities.
Sen Pai
Sen Pai
I'm back, baby.
Sheena Monroe
"Hero? What were you? A damsel in distress?" The blonde, Zaida, scoffed and let go of Sheena's wrist. Taken aback by the sass, Sheena's smile faltered for a second. While he was not expecting such a response, Sheena quickly regained his composure. "You're gonna have to change that state of mind, twinkie. If you saw that as a heroic deed, then you're saying that you needed help, which makes you appear helpless." Sheena pursed his lips in thought. He had been helped quite a bit in his life. However, the only person who helped Sheena and didn't expect anything back was Nanny - and she was a special case. From Sheena's experience, people always expect something back for their effort. Zaida was most likely the same.
Gently clearing his throat, Sheena looked up at the tunnel's ceiling and ran his fingers through his auburn locks. "Well, I guess you're correct about that. But twinks are supposed to be helpless, isn't that right?" Sheena's mouth tugged into a sheepish smile, chuckling at his joke. Initially, Sheena thought his lithe figure was the result of years of training. Speed, accuracy, endurance - Sheena had trained his body to be able to produce enough power to move quickly, balancing power carefully with endurance. However, Sheena might have to consider bulking up if he wanted to retain the little masculinity he had.
"You know what we're in right? The Hunter Exam. What are you taking the exam for?"
Was she trying to get to know him? Sheena mentally scoffed, careful not to let his pleasant exterior slip. Should he be flattered? If Sheena hadn't grown up surrounded by shallow aristocrats, he would've had a much more optimistic reaction to the rather common question. "The ship captain asked the same thing," he mused. "Do you believe my reason for being here will dictate whether or not I pass?" Well, there was no reason for Sheena to lie. He didn't have a noble or tragic cause. However, he had a low chance of being taken seriously if he spoke the truth.
"Have you heard of World Tree Birds?" Sheena's eyes lit up with excitement despite his casual tone of voice. "They're a species that makes its nest on top of a World Tree, which can only be found on the Dark Continent." And access to the Dark Continent is prohibited due to the calamities befalling mankind whenever expeditions to the Dark Continent were undertaken. "I wonder how cooked World Tree Bird tastes." Sheena's imagination danced from flavour to flavour. He wondered what the meat would taste like, or what aroma it'll have when cooked. What was the best way to cook World Tree Bird? The only way Sheena would find out would be through personal experience. "So becoming a Hunter is the first step to venturing beyond the Known World and trying it." And all the other unique foods the Dark Continent may be hiding.
"What even happened back there? Did you really start that fight?" Zaida's annoyance was evident to Sheena. With the scrapes on her arms, Sheena decided that her feelings were valid.
While being pulled out of a fight might not be the most ideal first impression, Sheena looked over at Zaida with an amused expression. "Can a twink such as myself really instigate such a massive brawl?" Sheena gestured back at the direction of the fight - whose clanging had disappeared as they ascended the stairs. "I had the unfortunate circumstances to running into an acquaintance with a rather negative view of me," Although his frown feigned disappointment, Sheena's eyes had a mischievous glint. "Our prior meeting seemed to have wounded his pride and, when we met just now, he foolishly lunged at me. I only moved out of the way." Sheena put his hands up in mock defense. The memories of the knocking out the muscle man by throwing him off balance with a series of lunges amused him. Now, Sheena wasn't one to find entertainment in knocking a man unconscious, but muscle man's pure size made his fall seem like time had slowed down. "It was but pure misfortune that he ran into someone with a temper that equaled his own." Sheena purposefully left out the part where he had spat juice on the man. However, he guessed that even if he didn't spray Tonpa's orange juice on muscle man's face, the absolute boulder of muscle would've still wanted retribution for his earlier loss.
"So, Miss Zaida, my apologies for taking up far too much of this conversation." While he didn't mind sharing such shallow information about himself, Sheena couldn't help but wonder about the girl who had the skill to pull him out of the fight. "How about yourself? Why grace this lovely tunnel with your expertise?"
Life.
"Hero? What were you? A damsel in distress?" The blonde, Zaida, scoffed and let go of Sheena's wrist. Taken aback by the sass, Sheena's smile faltered for a second. While he was not expecting such a response, Sheena quickly regained his composure. "You're gonna have to change that state of mind, twinkie. If you saw that as a heroic deed, then you're saying that you needed help, which makes you appear helpless." Sheena pursed his lips in thought. He had been helped quite a bit in his life. However, the only person who helped Sheena and didn't expect anything back was Nanny - and she was a special case. From Sheena's experience, people always expect something back for their effort. Zaida was most likely the same.
Gently clearing his throat, Sheena looked up at the tunnel's ceiling and ran his fingers through his auburn locks. "Well, I guess you're correct about that. But twinks are supposed to be helpless, isn't that right?" Sheena's mouth tugged into a sheepish smile, chuckling at his joke. Initially, Sheena thought his lithe figure was the result of years of training. Speed, accuracy, endurance - Sheena had trained his body to be able to produce enough power to move quickly, balancing power carefully with endurance. However, Sheena might have to consider bulking up if he wanted to retain the little masculinity he had.
"You know what we're in right? The Hunter Exam. What are you taking the exam for?"
Was she trying to get to know him? Sheena mentally scoffed, careful not to let his pleasant exterior slip. Should he be flattered? If Sheena hadn't grown up surrounded by shallow aristocrats, he would've had a much more optimistic reaction to the rather common question. "The ship captain asked the same thing," he mused. "Do you believe my reason for being here will dictate whether or not I pass?" Well, there was no reason for Sheena to lie. He didn't have a noble or tragic cause. However, he had a low chance of being taken seriously if he spoke the truth.
"Have you heard of World Tree Birds?" Sheena's eyes lit up with excitement despite his casual tone of voice. "They're a species that makes its nest on top of a World Tree, which can only be found on the Dark Continent." And access to the Dark Continent is prohibited due to the calamities befalling mankind whenever expeditions to the Dark Continent were undertaken. "I wonder how cooked World Tree Bird tastes." Sheena's imagination danced from flavour to flavour. He wondered what the meat would taste like, or what aroma it'll have when cooked. What was the best way to cook World Tree Bird? The only way Sheena would find out would be through personal experience. "So becoming a Hunter is the first step to venturing beyond the Known World and trying it." And all the other unique foods the Dark Continent may be hiding.
"What even happened back there? Did you really start that fight?" Zaida's annoyance was evident to Sheena. With the scrapes on her arms, Sheena decided that her feelings were valid.
While being pulled out of a fight might not be the most ideal first impression, Sheena looked over at Zaida with an amused expression. "Can a twink such as myself really instigate such a massive brawl?" Sheena gestured back at the direction of the fight - whose clanging had disappeared as they ascended the stairs. "I had the unfortunate circumstances to running into an acquaintance with a rather negative view of me," Although his frown feigned disappointment, Sheena's eyes had a mischievous glint. "Our prior meeting seemed to have wounded his pride and, when we met just now, he foolishly lunged at me. I only moved out of the way." Sheena put his hands up in mock defense. The memories of the knocking out the muscle man by throwing him off balance with a series of lunges amused him. Now, Sheena wasn't one to find entertainment in knocking a man unconscious, but muscle man's pure size made his fall seem like time had slowed down. "It was but pure misfortune that he ran into someone with a temper that equaled his own." Sheena purposefully left out the part where he had spat juice on the man. However, he guessed that even if he didn't spray Tonpa's orange juice on muscle man's face, the absolute boulder of muscle would've still wanted retribution for his earlier loss.
"So, Miss Zaida, my apologies for taking up far too much of this conversation." While he didn't mind sharing such shallow information about himself, Sheena couldn't help but wonder about the girl who had the skill to pull him out of the fight. "How about yourself? Why grace this lovely tunnel with your expertise?"
Life.
Rantos
The man with 1001 waifus
Soren
Tags: N/A
What was that sentiment that bore no meaning, much like the rest? Those few good words that could turn and inspire generations. There were so many, a single lexicon could be stocked full, pages bearing to tear from the sheer weight of all that metaphorical ink. The multi-meaning words swam around Soren's head. Which wonderfully useless combination was the right one for the situation. What was that modern-day mantra? Oh, wait, it comes to him, finally.
"Third time's the charm!" Snapping at his success as his voice echos down the hollowed out halls of the underground. There it was. Wonderful words really. An expression. A word for a word. Meaningless made lovely. But, there was power in these words and their repetition. A power Soren didn't feel himself. But the words weren't meant for him. "Hey buddy, third time's the charm."
With a pat on the back, he spoke these words to others. He passed by a moody man. Third time's the charm. Rubbing the shoulders of an exhausted kid. Third time's the charm. Giving a thumbs up to the group of friends. Third time's the charm. Helping an unconscious man stand up, then helping him lean against the wall. Third time's the charm. These words were meant for those who could actually help, it was meant for them. So who better to say them than Soren. So he did, and that's all there was to it.
Smiles abound, smiles all around. From and caused by Soren. Smiles that all seemed so... what was the word. Cute. Yes, they must have been cute. There was no doubt they were cute. After all, what was a smile if not cute. And as Soren spoke these thoughts aloud, others seemed to respond favorably. Yes, without a doubt, these smiles had to be cute.
Yet, oddly enough, the cute smiles stopped. A group of people all fighting amongst each other. Common causes: A clashing of egos, miscommunication, an asshole. Civic duty demanded that the right thing to do is find a solution and deescalate. After all, the fight was obstructing the exam. Countless faces, all plastered with recognizable worry, watched the fight. So, he needed to bring back those cute smiles. That's what a normal person would do after all. The right thing.
Plenty of people were already on the floor. Some unconscious, others close. But Soren wasn't looking for those who were still. Soren was looking for those who were still writhing. Those few who were on the ground, trembling in pain. Those who's pain would be shared at a simple touch, and would no longer be writhing alone. He shared the sensations of broken bones and torn up skin. Some handled it far better than others. But most stopped, while few went down. It was a bit... chaotic, if that was the right word. But at a certain point, after taking hit after hit, Soren could start using his own pain to inspire.
He was coughing now, wiping dried blood off his lip, but he coughed alone. The fight didn't stop entirely, but those who witness, and those who writhed, seemed still now. So why were there still so many worried faces? Directed at Soren now. Was he a new problem? Was he the problem all along? He had done the right thing. Yes, he had, and that was the problem. Realizing all too late that he did the right thing, not the kind thing. Ah, that made sense.
"Third time's the charm, right?" Such good words did not inspire cute smiles this time. It was far too late, huh. Sticking his hands in his pockets as a sign of goodwill, Soren saught to do the best thing that would be done. He ran. Excusing himself from the situation where he was no longer wanted. He ran in the direction of the old Hunter. No use crying, he would just have to try better at the front of the back.
Tags: N/A
What was that sentiment that bore no meaning, much like the rest? Those few good words that could turn and inspire generations. There were so many, a single lexicon could be stocked full, pages bearing to tear from the sheer weight of all that metaphorical ink. The multi-meaning words swam around Soren's head. Which wonderfully useless combination was the right one for the situation. What was that modern-day mantra? Oh, wait, it comes to him, finally.
"Third time's the charm!" Snapping at his success as his voice echos down the hollowed out halls of the underground. There it was. Wonderful words really. An expression. A word for a word. Meaningless made lovely. But, there was power in these words and their repetition. A power Soren didn't feel himself. But the words weren't meant for him. "Hey buddy, third time's the charm."
With a pat on the back, he spoke these words to others. He passed by a moody man. Third time's the charm. Rubbing the shoulders of an exhausted kid. Third time's the charm. Giving a thumbs up to the group of friends. Third time's the charm. Helping an unconscious man stand up, then helping him lean against the wall. Third time's the charm. These words were meant for those who could actually help, it was meant for them. So who better to say them than Soren. So he did, and that's all there was to it.
Smiles abound, smiles all around. From and caused by Soren. Smiles that all seemed so... what was the word. Cute. Yes, they must have been cute. There was no doubt they were cute. After all, what was a smile if not cute. And as Soren spoke these thoughts aloud, others seemed to respond favorably. Yes, without a doubt, these smiles had to be cute.
Yet, oddly enough, the cute smiles stopped. A group of people all fighting amongst each other. Common causes: A clashing of egos, miscommunication, an asshole. Civic duty demanded that the right thing to do is find a solution and deescalate. After all, the fight was obstructing the exam. Countless faces, all plastered with recognizable worry, watched the fight. So, he needed to bring back those cute smiles. That's what a normal person would do after all. The right thing.
Plenty of people were already on the floor. Some unconscious, others close. But Soren wasn't looking for those who were still. Soren was looking for those who were still writhing. Those few who were on the ground, trembling in pain. Those who's pain would be shared at a simple touch, and would no longer be writhing alone. He shared the sensations of broken bones and torn up skin. Some handled it far better than others. But most stopped, while few went down. It was a bit... chaotic, if that was the right word. But at a certain point, after taking hit after hit, Soren could start using his own pain to inspire.
He was coughing now, wiping dried blood off his lip, but he coughed alone. The fight didn't stop entirely, but those who witness, and those who writhed, seemed still now. So why were there still so many worried faces? Directed at Soren now. Was he a new problem? Was he the problem all along? He had done the right thing. Yes, he had, and that was the problem. Realizing all too late that he did the right thing, not the kind thing. Ah, that made sense.
"Third time's the charm, right?" Such good words did not inspire cute smiles this time. It was far too late, huh. Sticking his hands in his pockets as a sign of goodwill, Soren saught to do the best thing that would be done. He ran. Excusing himself from the situation where he was no longer wanted. He ran in the direction of the old Hunter. No use crying, he would just have to try better at the front of the back.
QuirkyAngel
White Masquerade's Blue Oni
Hinata Raihara
"I refuse," Hinata replied bluntly, keeping the same distance between herself and the proctor. She only sped when he sped and slowed when he slowed so the gap didn't close. "There's no need to take up such an inane challenge during the test. Wasting energy when you don't have to is the crux of stupidity. I don't even want your peanuts."
Perhaps if he had offered a substantial amount of jennies the outcome might have been different.
"What makes them lucky anyway? Did you infuse them with a bit of nen like the charms made in my family's shrine? We've got tons of those."
Not that she brought very many with her. Just one. Perhaps she should've brought more to sell, given the sheer number of test takers that would NEED the luck in order to pass, but Hinata decided to focus her efforts on passing the exam and becoming a Hunter instead. Money would certainly come later.
"I sincerely hope they aren't 'lucky' in the same way that Tonpa guy's soft drinks are lucky," It was actually the second time someone had offered her food today. She'd refused, since she wasn't the sort of accept food from boys she didn't know, but was glad when she found out later that several examinees had dropped out due to stomach problems. Wasn't as if any of her training let her see through trickery. Not the same way her mother did at least. So while Hinata prided herself on her observational skills and her ability to read others, she couldn't ever be 100% certain. Just by looking at Paio, Hinata didn't think he was the sort to play a dirty trick like that. Too much arrogance. He seemed fairly simple-minded as well. However, Hinata wasn't willing to take the chance. The "Bakkan Shrine Revival Plan" hinged on her becoming a hunter after all. "But, even if they aren't, as a real, not cosplaying shrine maiden, I don't accept luck from anything that isn't from my God, Bakkan."
As much as she wanted to prove she could beat Paio in a race with her arms tied behind her back, the profit gained didn't balance with the effort cost.
"And I don't have anything to give you." Giving away her own charm in a bet was blasphemous, she needed her staff, and her talismans were useful in case she ever ran into EVIL. Maybe the dagger?
"Honestly, from the way you talk, I gather you're quite familiar with the exam." Sticking with Paio might be useful in that case. "It's my first time taking the Hunter test, so I can't say much, but if I were to give you advice Paio, it'd be to not underestimate your opponents too much. Just because we have an 'edge' in one area doesn't mean we can't fail."
If people could pass the exam without knowing nen, there was a chance it meant that there were other qualities being tested. Written knowledge? Medical skills? Hunter trade secrets? Hinata had no idea and her father wouldn't tell her much, but she refused to fail because she underestimated her opponent...or the test. If she didn't become a Hunter, it wouldn't be because she didn't give it her best. Hinata was serious like that. "So, if you're bored, why don't you try running with your eyes closed? Practice your other senses."
That, at least, is what her mother would've told her if she complained. As if to follow her own advice, Hinata's eyelids closed as she focused on the sounds around her. The many footsteps. The moving bodies. And, of course, the presence of the somewhat intimidating proctor who she couldn't afford to lose. His nen radiated.
Castello
"I refuse," Hinata replied bluntly, keeping the same distance between herself and the proctor. She only sped when he sped and slowed when he slowed so the gap didn't close. "There's no need to take up such an inane challenge during the test. Wasting energy when you don't have to is the crux of stupidity. I don't even want your peanuts."
Perhaps if he had offered a substantial amount of jennies the outcome might have been different.
"What makes them lucky anyway? Did you infuse them with a bit of nen like the charms made in my family's shrine? We've got tons of those."
Not that she brought very many with her. Just one. Perhaps she should've brought more to sell, given the sheer number of test takers that would NEED the luck in order to pass, but Hinata decided to focus her efforts on passing the exam and becoming a Hunter instead. Money would certainly come later.
"I sincerely hope they aren't 'lucky' in the same way that Tonpa guy's soft drinks are lucky," It was actually the second time someone had offered her food today. She'd refused, since she wasn't the sort of accept food from boys she didn't know, but was glad when she found out later that several examinees had dropped out due to stomach problems. Wasn't as if any of her training let her see through trickery. Not the same way her mother did at least. So while Hinata prided herself on her observational skills and her ability to read others, she couldn't ever be 100% certain. Just by looking at Paio, Hinata didn't think he was the sort to play a dirty trick like that. Too much arrogance. He seemed fairly simple-minded as well. However, Hinata wasn't willing to take the chance. The "Bakkan Shrine Revival Plan" hinged on her becoming a hunter after all. "But, even if they aren't, as a real, not cosplaying shrine maiden, I don't accept luck from anything that isn't from my God, Bakkan."
As much as she wanted to prove she could beat Paio in a race with her arms tied behind her back, the profit gained didn't balance with the effort cost.
"And I don't have anything to give you." Giving away her own charm in a bet was blasphemous, she needed her staff, and her talismans were useful in case she ever ran into EVIL. Maybe the dagger?
"Honestly, from the way you talk, I gather you're quite familiar with the exam." Sticking with Paio might be useful in that case. "It's my first time taking the Hunter test, so I can't say much, but if I were to give you advice Paio, it'd be to not underestimate your opponents too much. Just because we have an 'edge' in one area doesn't mean we can't fail."
If people could pass the exam without knowing nen, there was a chance it meant that there were other qualities being tested. Written knowledge? Medical skills? Hunter trade secrets? Hinata had no idea and her father wouldn't tell her much, but she refused to fail because she underestimated her opponent...or the test. If she didn't become a Hunter, it wouldn't be because she didn't give it her best. Hinata was serious like that. "So, if you're bored, why don't you try running with your eyes closed? Practice your other senses."
That, at least, is what her mother would've told her if she complained. As if to follow her own advice, Hinata's eyelids closed as she focused on the sounds around her. The many footsteps. The moving bodies. And, of course, the presence of the somewhat intimidating proctor who she couldn't afford to lose. His nen radiated.
Castello
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Sen Pai
I'm back, baby.
By now, the applicants had been running for almost a month over 5 hours. The crowds’ numbers had dwindled from an ample 420 to a meager 272 – some from the fight, others dropping off like flies. While the bodies of the fatigued lay as sweaty lumps in the tunnel, the moustache man kept at an inhuman pace, swinging his elephant trunk limbs up the stairs. Our heroes’ aerobic endurance and mental perseverance was being tested by a tiresome journey, lacking a foreseeable end.
Then, the light appeared at the end of the tunnel.
It started out small but grew as our heroes ascended. As the moustache man, who led the group with no sign of weariness, drew closer to the tunnel’s end, a hint of blue skies could be spotted if you squinted at the light. The enclosed scent of the tunnel was slowly replaced by a fresh breeze, carrying the scent of wild grass and heavy dew.
The group had traversed over 80 km: not an easy feat at all. “Now then,” Moustache man, reaching the very top of the stairs, planted his two feet together and turned around. “Let’s see how many applicants have made it this far.” Looking back at the reduced numbers, moustache man nodded in acknowledgement and waited patiently for the persevering applicants.
When the Hunter applicants reached the top of the stairs, they would be greeted with a heavy fog that shielded the forest ahead of them. The forest was densely populated with thick trees. The forest seemed to span kilometersmiles, for you imperialists, even climbing up the distant rolling mountains. The fog gave the forest an aura of mystery and seemed to move across the treetops as if the forest was breathing.
“The Misty Wetlands,” the moustache man, Satotz, began. “Also known as Swindler’s Swamp.” Satotz explained that within the wetlands lived a variety of creatures that hunt by deception. “We must cross it to reach Phase Two of the Exam.” Turning around to the group, Satotz raised a finger to make a helpful point. “If you are deceived, you will surely die.”
The group clamoured at the first situation where they could face death. Sure, they were warned at the beginning of the Exam, but back then death seemed like a distant relative – you didn’t think you’d be meeting them anytime soon. However, now it was Christmas dinner and your mother decided to invite the entire extended family and said relative showed up with a lukewarm casserole while you were on door greeting duty.
Large metal doors began to roll down, sealing off the tunnel (and anyone’s only option of escape). Cries of one unfortunate straggler could be heard as the metal doors thudded shut. He had run over 80 km only to fail at the very end of the tunnel.
“These wetland creatures are not to be underestimated,” Satotz called the group’s attention back. “They will use every trick in the book to fool their prey.” Satotz crossed his arms and turned away from the group. “Now then, please follow me closely so you won’t be deceived.”
At that very moment, an angry cry called out from the back of the group.
“Don’t fall for it!” A beaten-up looking man with tattered clothes limped out from behind the tunnel. “Don’t let them fool you!” The man dramatically claimed that Satotz was lying to the applicants. “He’s an imposter! A total fraud!” Pointing an accusatory finger at Satotz, the man claimed to be the real Examiner.
The crowd erupted with murmurs. If this man was the real Examiner, then who was Satotz? Could they trust this new man? Could they trust Satotz?
“I’ll prove it,” The man pulled a limp long limbed Satotz lookalike out from behind the tunnel. “Look at this!” An ape-like creature with brown fur covering its body and Satotz’s head was dragged in front of the crowd. The creature had Satotz’s head but instead of a mouthless moustache void it had a mouth with overgrown canines and a long proboscis-like tongue.
Satotz’s moustache only twitched in response.
“This is a man-faced ape from the Misty Wetlands.” The beaten-up Examiner gravely warned the crowd. “The man-faced ape loves the taste of human flesh.” However, human meat is not very nutritious (roughly 1300 kcal per kilogram!), especially in comparison to other animal species. So, considering the abundance of nutrient-dense creatures in the Misty Wetlands, it is likely that the development of the man-faced ape’s preference for human flesh developed due to social and cultural motivations. Anywho, the self-proclaimed Examiner continued.
“Their limbs are really long and thin so they’re actually quite weak. That’s why they disguise themselves as humans and trick us into following them into the wetlands, where they work together with other creatures to kill and eat us.” If the man-faced ape is truly as weak, then it is likely that they partake in commensalism, scavenging off the humans remains left by other creatures. Once again, another piece of evidence that suggests the man-faced ape’s consumption of human meat is not driven by survival as the process of hunting is far too risky for little reward.
“That’s what he wants! To deceive the entire Hunter applicant pool and feast on every one of you!” If Satotz was a man-faced ape, it would explain why he doesn’t run like a normal human being.
Life.
Castello
QuirkyAngel
Lucem
Rantos
HerculePyro
Then, the light appeared at the end of the tunnel.
It started out small but grew as our heroes ascended. As the moustache man, who led the group with no sign of weariness, drew closer to the tunnel’s end, a hint of blue skies could be spotted if you squinted at the light. The enclosed scent of the tunnel was slowly replaced by a fresh breeze, carrying the scent of wild grass and heavy dew.
The group had traversed over 80 km: not an easy feat at all. “Now then,” Moustache man, reaching the very top of the stairs, planted his two feet together and turned around. “Let’s see how many applicants have made it this far.” Looking back at the reduced numbers, moustache man nodded in acknowledgement and waited patiently for the persevering applicants.
When the Hunter applicants reached the top of the stairs, they would be greeted with a heavy fog that shielded the forest ahead of them. The forest was densely populated with thick trees. The forest seemed to span kilometers
“The Misty Wetlands,” the moustache man, Satotz, began. “Also known as Swindler’s Swamp.” Satotz explained that within the wetlands lived a variety of creatures that hunt by deception. “We must cross it to reach Phase Two of the Exam.” Turning around to the group, Satotz raised a finger to make a helpful point. “If you are deceived, you will surely die.”
The group clamoured at the first situation where they could face death. Sure, they were warned at the beginning of the Exam, but back then death seemed like a distant relative – you didn’t think you’d be meeting them anytime soon. However, now it was Christmas dinner and your mother decided to invite the entire extended family and said relative showed up with a lukewarm casserole while you were on door greeting duty.
Large metal doors began to roll down, sealing off the tunnel (and anyone’s only option of escape). Cries of one unfortunate straggler could be heard as the metal doors thudded shut. He had run over 80 km only to fail at the very end of the tunnel.
“These wetland creatures are not to be underestimated,” Satotz called the group’s attention back. “They will use every trick in the book to fool their prey.” Satotz crossed his arms and turned away from the group. “Now then, please follow me closely so you won’t be deceived.”
At that very moment, an angry cry called out from the back of the group.
“Don’t fall for it!” A beaten-up looking man with tattered clothes limped out from behind the tunnel. “Don’t let them fool you!” The man dramatically claimed that Satotz was lying to the applicants. “He’s an imposter! A total fraud!” Pointing an accusatory finger at Satotz, the man claimed to be the real Examiner.
The crowd erupted with murmurs. If this man was the real Examiner, then who was Satotz? Could they trust this new man? Could they trust Satotz?
“I’ll prove it,” The man pulled a limp long limbed Satotz lookalike out from behind the tunnel. “Look at this!” An ape-like creature with brown fur covering its body and Satotz’s head was dragged in front of the crowd. The creature had Satotz’s head but instead of a mouthless moustache void it had a mouth with overgrown canines and a long proboscis-like tongue.
Satotz’s moustache only twitched in response.
“This is a man-faced ape from the Misty Wetlands.” The beaten-up Examiner gravely warned the crowd. “The man-faced ape loves the taste of human flesh.” However, human meat is not very nutritious (roughly 1300 kcal per kilogram!), especially in comparison to other animal species. So, considering the abundance of nutrient-dense creatures in the Misty Wetlands, it is likely that the development of the man-faced ape’s preference for human flesh developed due to social and cultural motivations. Anywho, the self-proclaimed Examiner continued.
“Their limbs are really long and thin so they’re actually quite weak. That’s why they disguise themselves as humans and trick us into following them into the wetlands, where they work together with other creatures to kill and eat us.” If the man-faced ape is truly as weak, then it is likely that they partake in commensalism, scavenging off the humans remains left by other creatures. Once again, another piece of evidence that suggests the man-faced ape’s consumption of human meat is not driven by survival as the process of hunting is far too risky for little reward.
“That’s what he wants! To deceive the entire Hunter applicant pool and feast on every one of you!” If Satotz was a man-faced ape, it would explain why he doesn’t run like a normal human being.
Life.
Castello
QuirkyAngel
Lucem
Rantos
HerculePyro
Lucem
Ten Thousand Club
Nova
Aside from the earlier scuffle, the first phase was pretty uneventful. He just ran, keeping his eyes on the examiner's back the entire time. Before he knew it, he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. The darkness faded away as he reunited with the sun, and he could feel the gentle breeze brush against his skin. He let out a breath and placed his hands on his hips as the door closed, not caring to look back now that he was finally somewhere with fresh air.
The foggy wilderness seemed less inviting than the endless tunnel, but he wouldn't have to worry about getting caught up in a fight between a bunch of clowns. He'd have to be careful not to make any mistakes in the swamp, but he was confident that he could deal with a bunch of sneaky animals. It was easier to get lost in a place like this, but he performed better when there was lots of space.
Stretching his legs, he prepared to chase after the moustached man once again but stopped when a sudden cry interrupted the start of the second phase. Another man appeared and started making wild accusations about the examiner being some kind of man-eating monkey. Nobody made a sound as he waved around the furry body with a familiar face, the other applicants seemingly trying to decide who they should trust.
The way the examiner walked was pretty bizarre, but it wasn't enough of a reason for Nova to believe that the guy was a magical beast. He didn't trust anything the stranger said, but he kept quiet during the explanation so he could rest for a little longer. A Hunter wouldn't lose to a weak ape, and he was pretty sure they wouldn't be dumb enough to be fooled by one either. It didn't seem possible for one of those things to kill an examiner and take their place. He also had some pretty solid evidence for which one of them was lying. Aura didn't lie, so anyone experienced with Nen could tell from a glance.
He wasn't sure if this was part of the test, but it didn't seem like the second phase would start until the liar was exposed. With that in mind, Nova removed his gun from its holster and aimed at the disheveled "man". Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger and watched the speeding bullet narrowly miss the target's head. He didn't want to kill something if he didn't have to, so he'd just give it a little scare. If the apes were so weak that they had to rely on tricks like this, they probably wouldn't want to fight once they were exposed. If he was right, they'd just run away once they were spooked.
Sen Pai
Aside from the earlier scuffle, the first phase was pretty uneventful. He just ran, keeping his eyes on the examiner's back the entire time. Before he knew it, he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. The darkness faded away as he reunited with the sun, and he could feel the gentle breeze brush against his skin. He let out a breath and placed his hands on his hips as the door closed, not caring to look back now that he was finally somewhere with fresh air.
The foggy wilderness seemed less inviting than the endless tunnel, but he wouldn't have to worry about getting caught up in a fight between a bunch of clowns. He'd have to be careful not to make any mistakes in the swamp, but he was confident that he could deal with a bunch of sneaky animals. It was easier to get lost in a place like this, but he performed better when there was lots of space.
Stretching his legs, he prepared to chase after the moustached man once again but stopped when a sudden cry interrupted the start of the second phase. Another man appeared and started making wild accusations about the examiner being some kind of man-eating monkey. Nobody made a sound as he waved around the furry body with a familiar face, the other applicants seemingly trying to decide who they should trust.
The way the examiner walked was pretty bizarre, but it wasn't enough of a reason for Nova to believe that the guy was a magical beast. He didn't trust anything the stranger said, but he kept quiet during the explanation so he could rest for a little longer. A Hunter wouldn't lose to a weak ape, and he was pretty sure they wouldn't be dumb enough to be fooled by one either. It didn't seem possible for one of those things to kill an examiner and take their place. He also had some pretty solid evidence for which one of them was lying. Aura didn't lie, so anyone experienced with Nen could tell from a glance.
He wasn't sure if this was part of the test, but it didn't seem like the second phase would start until the liar was exposed. With that in mind, Nova removed his gun from its holster and aimed at the disheveled "man". Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger and watched the speeding bullet narrowly miss the target's head. He didn't want to kill something if he didn't have to, so he'd just give it a little scare. If the apes were so weak that they had to rely on tricks like this, they probably wouldn't want to fight once they were exposed. If he was right, they'd just run away once they were spooked.
Sen Pai
Sen Pai
I'm back, baby.
The echoing of the gunshot saturated the air, disturbing a resting flock of – most likely murderous – birds in the forest. The supposed examiner let out a shrill squeal a second after the bullet grazed the side of his head. “Holy s—!!” Falling backwards onto the ground, the man let go of the limp man-faced ape. The buzz of the bullet seemed to put him into a state of shock.
Once again, the group of applicants exploded with chatter.
“Did that boy just shoot at him?”
“Do you think he missed on purpose…?”
“We should stay away from him…”
Seconds later, the disheveled man regained his composure. “You could’ve killed me!” Dirtied face turning a bright red, the man grit his teeth and pointed at Nova. “I could have you disqualified for attacking an Examiner!”
Sheena Monroe
While already on edge by the debate of which Examiner to trust, Sheena tore his gaze away from the original moustache man. Yes, the original Examiner had an unusual gait, but that didn’t necessarily mean he was inhuman. However, Sheena had his own reasons to believe that the newcomer was not the real Examiner.
Then, Sheena’s eyebrows jumped at the sound of the gunshot. Standing farther away from the self-proclaimed Examiner, Sheena peered past the many heads to get a good look at the unkempt man, who was now on the ground, and the silver haired boy who shot at him.
“Well, that was unprecedented.” The applicant who had shot the gun was young. Having already seen a couple of younger applicants, himself and Miss Zaida included, Sheena wasn’t too surprised at the sight of the young man. He must have incredible aim to be able to miss so accurately. Unfortunately, it seemed that his plan to scare off the other Examiner didn’t go as planned. Then again, the guy could just be trigger happy. Sheena liked to give people the benefit of the doubt.
“I could have you disqualified for attacking an Examiner!” The most-likely-fake Examiner exclaimed.
Glancing down at the limp man-faced ape, Sheena pursed his lips in thought. He couldn’t attack the second Examiner in the off chance that he is the real one but…he could attack the other creature, couldn’t he?
“Excuse me one moment, Miss Zaida.” Sheena swiftly made his way to the back of the crowd, readjusting his grip on the steel rod. Approaching the limp creature, Sheena eyed it carefully. If this so-called-Examiner was a man-faced ape himself, then this limp creature must be colluding with him. Then, Sheena raised the steel rod over his head and struck the unmoving creature.
No response.
Sheena frowned and furrowed his eyebrows. If his theory was correct, then the creature should’ve flinched in fright or at least showed some sort of reaction to the pain. Perhaps he wasn’t using enough force?
Smack.
Smack!
SMACK!
Sheena hit the man-faced ape repeatedly as the crowd looked on. The second Examiner watched with a particular horror in his eyes. After the third hit, Sheena huffed and turned away from the battered and STILL limp man-faced ape. If the creature was pretending to be dead, Sheena thought the creature definitely deserved a larger portion of the prey they manage to haul.
Shooting the rest of the applicants a brief “I tried” smile, Sheena returned to Zaida’s side. “Well, I will put my trust in Mr…” Sheena gestured over at the purple suited man expectantly.
“Satotz.” The moustache man finally introduced himself.
Sheena nodded and finished his sentence. “Mr. Satotz.” Taking a step towards Satotz, Sheena looked back at Zaida and extended a hand. “What do you think, Miss Zaida?” Quickly taking his hand back, a habit he had yet to break, Sheena laid out his reasons for believing in Satotz: Satotz being there since the beginning of the tunnel, the self-proclaimed Examiner’s look of horror whilst Sheena hit the limp creature, and … “A man-faced ape couldn’t afford such an expensive Vouis Luitton suit and, on top of the designer label fees, reinforce it.” Sheena beamed with rich boy confidence. Not only did he know an obvious liar, he knew his Brada from his Purberry.
Life.
“Well, this will be another test of judgement. Those who would like to continue to the Second Phase of the Exam, please follow behind me closely.” Satotz unfolded his arms and began marching into the marsh.
68 of the applicants, mostly those who took longer to exit the tunnel, stayed behind with the fake Examiner while the rest of the Hunter applicants followed Satotz into the mist. Minutes after leaving the clearing, the remaining 204 applicants knew they had made the correct choice when faint screams could be heard in the distance.
Lucem
Life.
QuirkyAngel
Castello
Rantos
HerculePyro
Xcelgamer
Once again, the group of applicants exploded with chatter.
“Did that boy just shoot at him?”
“Do you think he missed on purpose…?”
“We should stay away from him…”
Seconds later, the disheveled man regained his composure. “You could’ve killed me!” Dirtied face turning a bright red, the man grit his teeth and pointed at Nova. “I could have you disqualified for attacking an Examiner!”
Sheena MonroeWhile already on edge by the debate of which Examiner to trust, Sheena tore his gaze away from the original moustache man. Yes, the original Examiner had an unusual gait, but that didn’t necessarily mean he was inhuman. However, Sheena had his own reasons to believe that the newcomer was not the real Examiner.
Then, Sheena’s eyebrows jumped at the sound of the gunshot. Standing farther away from the self-proclaimed Examiner, Sheena peered past the many heads to get a good look at the unkempt man, who was now on the ground, and the silver haired boy who shot at him.
“Well, that was unprecedented.” The applicant who had shot the gun was young. Having already seen a couple of younger applicants, himself and Miss Zaida included, Sheena wasn’t too surprised at the sight of the young man. He must have incredible aim to be able to miss so accurately. Unfortunately, it seemed that his plan to scare off the other Examiner didn’t go as planned. Then again, the guy could just be trigger happy. Sheena liked to give people the benefit of the doubt.
“I could have you disqualified for attacking an Examiner!” The most-likely-fake Examiner exclaimed.
Glancing down at the limp man-faced ape, Sheena pursed his lips in thought. He couldn’t attack the second Examiner in the off chance that he is the real one but…he could attack the other creature, couldn’t he?
“Excuse me one moment, Miss Zaida.” Sheena swiftly made his way to the back of the crowd, readjusting his grip on the steel rod. Approaching the limp creature, Sheena eyed it carefully. If this so-called-Examiner was a man-faced ape himself, then this limp creature must be colluding with him. Then, Sheena raised the steel rod over his head and struck the unmoving creature.
No response.
Sheena frowned and furrowed his eyebrows. If his theory was correct, then the creature should’ve flinched in fright or at least showed some sort of reaction to the pain. Perhaps he wasn’t using enough force?
Smack.
Smack!
SMACK!
Sheena hit the man-faced ape repeatedly as the crowd looked on. The second Examiner watched with a particular horror in his eyes. After the third hit, Sheena huffed and turned away from the battered and STILL limp man-faced ape. If the creature was pretending to be dead, Sheena thought the creature definitely deserved a larger portion of the prey they manage to haul.
Shooting the rest of the applicants a brief “I tried” smile, Sheena returned to Zaida’s side. “Well, I will put my trust in Mr…” Sheena gestured over at the purple suited man expectantly.
“Satotz.” The moustache man finally introduced himself.
Sheena nodded and finished his sentence. “Mr. Satotz.” Taking a step towards Satotz, Sheena looked back at Zaida and extended a hand. “What do you think, Miss Zaida?” Quickly taking his hand back, a habit he had yet to break, Sheena laid out his reasons for believing in Satotz: Satotz being there since the beginning of the tunnel, the self-proclaimed Examiner’s look of horror whilst Sheena hit the limp creature, and … “A man-faced ape couldn’t afford such an expensive Vouis Luitton suit and, on top of the designer label fees, reinforce it.” Sheena beamed with rich boy confidence. Not only did he know an obvious liar, he knew his Brada from his Purberry.
Life.
“Well, this will be another test of judgement. Those who would like to continue to the Second Phase of the Exam, please follow behind me closely.” Satotz unfolded his arms and began marching into the marsh.
68 of the applicants, mostly those who took longer to exit the tunnel, stayed behind with the fake Examiner while the rest of the Hunter applicants followed Satotz into the mist. Minutes after leaving the clearing, the remaining 204 applicants knew they had made the correct choice when faint screams could be heard in the distance.
Lucem
Life.
QuirkyAngel
Castello
Rantos
HerculePyro
Xcelgamer
HerculePyro
Arson on the Orient Express
Pharah
The exam had been a blast! Pharah had arrived bright and early, one of the first to reach the exam site, she had gotten chatting with a few of the returning competitors to get a feel for how the exam would play out. The portly man Tonpa had offered her juice but Pharah didn’t want to risk a bathroom break in the midst of the exam and had politely refused.
The examiner that had arrived had been bizarre, he spoke but his mouth wasn’t even visible, hidden behind a slight moustache. Somehow a commotion had started as the participants began to run behind the examiner, Pharah had wanted to stay and enjoy the friendly scrap but had resigned herself to clubbing someone over the head with her boomerang before continuing on her way.
It had been a proper test of cardio, a full-on marathon; Pharah was very appreciative of her long hunting sessions with her father for allowing her to maintain a steady pace for such a long time. Dressing light had been the right move. After emerging from the tunnel, she had wiped her brow with her sleeve and waited for the stragglers to make it. Before long, the gate shut behind them and they were met with their next obstacle. A man claiming to be their real instructor.
He was certainly convincing, the man-faced ape resembled their instructor quite a bit, but Pharah had been in the swindler's swamp before. She hadn’t ventured far but she knew enough of the traps and tricks that could occur for the scheme to be plausible. But this was an exam, she guessed that the new examiner was just a ruse to trick them and decided she’d stick with the examiner from the start. Others had been more obvious about their misgivings about the fake examiner.
The sudden gunshot was still ringing in Pharahs ears as the well-dressed kid boldly proclaimed his trust for their original examiner. Pharah looked at the boy who’d fired the gun with concern. Someone his age carrying a revolver around casually and choosing to fire it at a seemingly fellow human was quite concerning. She assumed that this boy didn’t have a father who grilled in the proper etiquette of firearms
As their examiner turned and made his way to the swamp, inciting the examinees to follow, Pharah followed. She jogged up to the rich kid and gave him a playful shove in the side.
“Way to pick the lamest way to call the bluff kid. Best not rely exclusively on the creatures not wearing clothes. Human-faced apes aren’t the only creatures that try to mimic humans. But that’s just the start: old family friend of mine knew a guy who’s cousin’s nephew got separated from his friend over on the east side of this place after a big hippo creature caused them to hallucinate they were at home with their girlfriends… poor Michael. They banned him from the zoo after he relapsed at the aquatic exhibit…”
Pharahs voice trailed off, lost in sorrowful reminiscence. Snapping out of it she drew her hunting boomerang and gave it a playful toss in the air, catching it.
“Moral of the story: stay wary in the swindler's swamp. And make sure that iron pipe of yours doesn’t suddenly become a terracotta drop python. Those buggers will spring up out of nowhere”. With a cheery wave Pharah increased her pace and moved closer to Satotz, her breathing even and steady. Users of gyo would see that her aura was calm and smooth in a stable form of Ten.
Sen Pai
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Life.
Forever Wandering
Zaida Allenstar
Despite the irritated tone that Zaida was using, the twink managed to chuckle at a joke he said. This managed to calm Zaida down and even bring a small seed of guilt. But the aches on her arms were convincing her to feel otherwise.
As they continued to jog along, Sheena continued to answer the blonde's questions, although they were quite long-winded responses. Zaida simply kept quiet as he continued talking, wondering how he could continuously string so many words together. When she was younger she had the same issues of never ending her conversations, but gradually her sentences became shorter as less of an audience stuck around her. Sheena must've been more fortunate to have someone always around him.
Her half-a** attention finally noted when a question was being directed back to her. "Me? I'm looking for someone," she paused wondering if her next words would prompt him to ask more, "Not here in the exam. But, someone out in the world." Once again a short answer, but Zaida had nothing further to share. The time had passed with no change in scenery, and the young blonde's mind began to wander. If the brown-haired boy had been trying to prolong a conversation, then Zaida would've half-mindlessly acknowledge his presence as simple observations and judgments of the boy's appearance, mannerism, tone, attitude, etc. were the things currently occupying her thoughts.
But then the change in light intensity pulled her eyes away from Sheena. Up ahead was the exit of the tunnel. Even if was a nuisance, the brown-haired boy definitely helped pass the time of the first stage.
"Finally," Zaida mumbled as she followed after all the applicants up the stairway. As they all finally settled at the top, the young teen began to feel new aches on other parts of her body, realizing that she may have received more blows from the earlier fight than she imagined. She groaned as she spotted a few fresh bruises, glaring their beautiful colors of yellow and purple to her. Once again, Zaida was mostly distracted from the proctor's words. Only catching some words that seemed important. Cross...to reach Phase Two. More running.
As much as running isn't too much of a struggle for her, Zaida was itching for more. Even though she got hurt earlier, there was still that leftover desire to punch some things. Right as they were about to continue, a man shouting captured everyone's attention. Maybe it was because the man was holding a deflated replica of the proctor, but he certainly was receiving Zaida's full attention. So much so that she even felt began to doubt the nicely dressed man close by that had led them down the tunnel. That was until a loud pop of a gun sounded from the group of examinees.
An unflattering sound from Zaida brought a few glances in her direction, but all she could focus on was the ringing in her ears and searching for the person who shot the weapon. Right as she spotted the potential culprit, she heard Sheena say something and then left her side. Her eyes caught the smackdown Sheena was giving to the man-faced ape, a smirk appearing on her face. "Alright Twinkie, you got some spunk in you. But where was that when you were in that fight earlier?" Zaida remarked once the brown-haired boy had returned.
At this point it was clear that the man who claimed himself to be the examiner with his limp ragdoll of Satotz, as she learned, was all a ruse. This time the air felt somewhat lighter with the boy, as if the girl's earlier judgment of Sheena had disappeared. But then she began laughing as she heard his comment, "You sound like one of my siblings. You really are a rich boy, aren't you?"
Zaida's laughter continued as some of the applicants began following after Mr. Satotz, Sheena and Zaida included. She finally felt her bout of giggles subsiding as she felt someone else approach them, or more like Sheena. Zaida's eyes couldn't help but widen as a taller, older girl approached the brunette. Fixated on the rather mature presence she emitted, Zaida couldn't fully capture the conversation her and Sheena were having, rather she was trying her best not to trip or say anything silly like a child. But as quickly as she came, the older girl left. "What did she say to you? I couldn't hear anything," Zaida scooted closer to Sheena, eager for details.
Sen Pai
HerculePyro
Castello
The Original Chef Kitten
Paio let out of a scoff, shaking his head. "Man, you're kinda a buzzkill, ya' know that Hinata? Could use to lighten up a bit." His eyes trailed off to a man in shorts and a t-shirt collapsing onto the floor from exhaustion. His smile turned to a confident one. "Look at these suckers, this phase is easy, I could do this for days. Most of these folks ain't even cut out to be real hunters."
He took a peanut and hulked it down into his mouth. "You're missing out, bud. If your god got his palms on these peanuts, he'd bless 'em in an instant."
The moustached man came outside and Paio stopped, wiping off a single bead of sweat. He watched as the situation unfolded. Paio was not surprised, he had watched worse in his first hunter exam. The bullet blowing past the examiners face was a surprise for sure, though.
"Heh, gotta hand it to the gun-guy, that's some guts there." Paio plopped another peanut in his mouth. "I'd have just aimed for the head though. If it was an actual examiner, he woulda dodged it. These guys ain't amateurs."
His eyes trailed to Hinata. "Well, what's our next move, Hinata?"
QuirkyAngel
He took a peanut and hulked it down into his mouth. "You're missing out, bud. If your god got his palms on these peanuts, he'd bless 'em in an instant."
The moustached man came outside and Paio stopped, wiping off a single bead of sweat. He watched as the situation unfolded. Paio was not surprised, he had watched worse in his first hunter exam. The bullet blowing past the examiners face was a surprise for sure, though.
"Heh, gotta hand it to the gun-guy, that's some guts there." Paio plopped another peanut in his mouth. "I'd have just aimed for the head though. If it was an actual examiner, he woulda dodged it. These guys ain't amateurs."
His eyes trailed to Hinata. "Well, what's our next move, Hinata?"
QuirkyAngel
QuirkyAngel
White Masquerade's Blue Oni
Hinata Raihara
80 kilometers.
Hinata tucked a stray dark brown lock behind her ear as they finally exited the tunnel and entered what looked to be a misty swamp. The distance wasn’t too bad, but it was longer than she expected it to be, making Hinata glad she paced herself. Though Paio bragged about how easy the first phase was, the truth was that the first part of the exam tested both physical and mental endurance. No one knew how long the tunnel was. The exam could’ve very well had them running in the dark for “days” as Paio suggested. Weeks even. She wondered if her fellow peanut-loving examinee would carry the same positive attitude then.
Besides, the first phase wasn’t done.
“We keep following the examiner to the area of the second phase, obviously.”
She didn’t even pay the fake Satoz any mind except to note the sound of gunfire as one of the examinees attempted to scare away the tricksters while another attempted to wake up the “dead” ape-face. Seems not all of the potential hunter candidates were idiots. Even if she weren’t tracking Satoz by his nen, did it make sense for a skilled Hunter, selected by the Hunter Examination Board, to be ambushed and injured by a monkey in the first place? Didn’t the man-faced ape literally just tell everyone that it was a weak species? Would a real Hunter be tricked by weaklings so easily? Anyone with half a brain could’ve realized it was lying based on the inconsistencies.
‘Swindler’s Swamp’ Satoz had called it.
Hinata sighed. “If you don’t want to die, use your head.”
She didn’t have the time to follow and help every one of them should they decide to walk into a nest of carnivorous apes. The exam was still going on. Still…as a priestess of relatively virtuous and good nature, she couldn’t rightfully walk away from people who were dumb enough to walk to their deaths. The least she could do was try to convince the more hesitant ones.
Drawing a talisman from her sleeves, she waved it towards the fake Satoz as if attempting to ward it away. “Your trickery won’t work on me, you horrid apes! Such blatant EVIL can’t hope to fool the eyes of Bakkan, let alone its priestess! Those who want to follow the TRUTH and not be deceived by this mucky swamp should follow me!”
And with that Hinata swiveled around, dress fluttering slightly, as she followed the real Satoz into the mist. Confidence was the key when it came to gathering followers. Besides, it wasn’t a lie exactly. Even with the mist obscuring her vision, Hinata didn’t have a problem following Satoz’s nen. If the examiner had hidden it with zetsu or something, tracking him would’ve much harder. Fortunately, he hadn’t...and Hinata had no plans of being fooled by what only her eyes saw. Or, rather, didn't see.
What irked Hinata was the muck that stained her shoes, making running slightly more difficult, and the Ruse Ravens that wouldn’t shut up. “No one listen to those birds! I’m over here!”
Whether or not her words were heard, Hinata had no idea. She didn’t look behind her as she continued forward.
Castello
80 kilometers.
Hinata tucked a stray dark brown lock behind her ear as they finally exited the tunnel and entered what looked to be a misty swamp. The distance wasn’t too bad, but it was longer than she expected it to be, making Hinata glad she paced herself. Though Paio bragged about how easy the first phase was, the truth was that the first part of the exam tested both physical and mental endurance. No one knew how long the tunnel was. The exam could’ve very well had them running in the dark for “days” as Paio suggested. Weeks even. She wondered if her fellow peanut-loving examinee would carry the same positive attitude then.
Besides, the first phase wasn’t done.
“We keep following the examiner to the area of the second phase, obviously.”
She didn’t even pay the fake Satoz any mind except to note the sound of gunfire as one of the examinees attempted to scare away the tricksters while another attempted to wake up the “dead” ape-face. Seems not all of the potential hunter candidates were idiots. Even if she weren’t tracking Satoz by his nen, did it make sense for a skilled Hunter, selected by the Hunter Examination Board, to be ambushed and injured by a monkey in the first place? Didn’t the man-faced ape literally just tell everyone that it was a weak species? Would a real Hunter be tricked by weaklings so easily? Anyone with half a brain could’ve realized it was lying based on the inconsistencies.
‘Swindler’s Swamp’ Satoz had called it.
Hinata sighed. “If you don’t want to die, use your head.”
She didn’t have the time to follow and help every one of them should they decide to walk into a nest of carnivorous apes. The exam was still going on. Still…as a priestess of relatively virtuous and good nature, she couldn’t rightfully walk away from people who were dumb enough to walk to their deaths. The least she could do was try to convince the more hesitant ones.
Drawing a talisman from her sleeves, she waved it towards the fake Satoz as if attempting to ward it away. “Your trickery won’t work on me, you horrid apes! Such blatant EVIL can’t hope to fool the eyes of Bakkan, let alone its priestess! Those who want to follow the TRUTH and not be deceived by this mucky swamp should follow me!”
And with that Hinata swiveled around, dress fluttering slightly, as she followed the real Satoz into the mist. Confidence was the key when it came to gathering followers. Besides, it wasn’t a lie exactly. Even with the mist obscuring her vision, Hinata didn’t have a problem following Satoz’s nen. If the examiner had hidden it with zetsu or something, tracking him would’ve much harder. Fortunately, he hadn’t...and Hinata had no plans of being fooled by what only her eyes saw. Or, rather, didn't see.
What irked Hinata was the muck that stained her shoes, making running slightly more difficult, and the Ruse Ravens that wouldn’t shut up. “No one listen to those birds! I’m over here!”
Whether or not her words were heard, Hinata had no idea. She didn’t look behind her as she continued forward.
Castello
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Sen Pai
I'm back, baby.
Sheena MonroeSheena kept a slow jog behind Satotz's faint silhouette, curiously looking around the marsh to see what he could make out from the heavy blanket of mist. While the mist concealed objects from sight, the increased moisture in the air amplified the scents in the marsh: rotten eggs, decomposing plants, and a distant stench of copper. Sheena felt his heart rate pick up once he had identified the scent of blood. It was faint, thus far away. Letting out a silent sigh to calm his beating heart, Sheena reminded himself not to be lulled into a false sense of security. As Satotz mentioned, danger lurked in every corner. If he wasn't vigilant, he'd surely be killed - which would suck.
"Way to pick the lamest way to call the bluff kid." A black haired lady, if but an inch taller than Sheena, jogged up beside him and gave the twink a playful shove. And with that valgus force, Sheena
Tuning back to reality, Sheena nodded with sympathy in his eyes. "Michael's case is unfortunate..." Hearing this story, Sheena suddenly understood the several hippo-human relationships he had spotted before. Perhaps those young people were also hallucinating when they spent their time clinging to the fat arms of the old moneybags?
After the black haired lady sped up to catch up to Satotz, Zaida leaned in. "What did she say to you? I couldn't hear anything."
Smiling over at Zaida, Sheena laughed softly. "Oh, just bestiality warnings." Eavesdropping wasn't very becoming of a lady. Sheena inspected Zaida with a curious look. Having caught her comment about him sounding like her siblings, Sheena guessed that he was talking to someone who had money. Not that money really mattered to him. But Zaida definitely did not seem to act like the wealthy stuck up brats he was used to pleasing. "Speaking of animals, do you know what a terracotta drop python is?" Sheena's mouth began to salivate, wondering how this creature would taste. Sheena had heard before that snakes were often consumed breaded and fried. Ah, fried reptile...if his metal rod did turn into a snake, Sheena wouldn't mind.
Moments later, the fog suddenly thickened. Sheena ripped his gaze away from Zaida and searched for Satotz. He could barely make out Satotz's figure. "Oh dear..." Spotting the hippo-story woman from before, Sheena decided to play a game of directional telephone and follow her tall figure through the mist. "It seems we're about to lose Mr. Satotz. Should we run a bit faster to catch up?" Speeding up to run in pace with the hippo-story woman, Sheena saw Satotz's - or what he hopes is Satotz - figure appear again. Relieved, Sheena relaxed his gaze off of Satotz again (when will he learn?) to greet the hippo-story woman.
That is, until his attention was caught by something on the ground a foot or two ahead of the group. "Mushrooms!" Stopping right before he stepped into a field of mushrooms, Sheena bent down to inspect the fungi. Could they be edible?
HerculePyro
Life.
Castello
The Original Chef Kitten
Paio ventured into the thick of the fog, he could vaguely follow the proctor with his nen even if his sight waned. As he stopped to look, he had realized another thing: he had also lost Hinata throughout the fog. He could hear feet slapping against the mud and the anxious murmurs of other applicants, but he was estranged from where she might have gone. He wasn't worried, the sun was vaguely visible, so he at least knew he was not wandering in circles.
“No one listen to those birds! I’m over here!"
Her words allowed Paio to draw a location. Paio stopped following the proctor and ventured towards her voice but was quickly stopped by a satisfying squishing noise. He peered down to see a flock of mushrooms. If there was one thing Paio liked more than peanuts, it was mushrooms. He was quite the expert on them, as they were apart of many culture's diet. Paio bent over and picked one up, gluttony filling his face.
"Awh, hell yeah. Sugar Snap Mushrooms, my favourite!" He yelped with glee.
He could see another attendee eying the shrooms, Paio chose to approach the kid, holding the mushroom like a wee babe.
"Yo, bro! Ya' gotta try these things, they're fucking amazing, man!" Paio said, passing twink a bundle of shrooms.
Sen Pai
Paio bravely hulked down a mushroom. He chewed and then chewed again. Paio stopped. His visage went static for a few seconds. Terror struck, all happiness was erased. These weren't just any mushrooms, these were mushrooms used in many ancient ceremonies to overcome weakness and guilt, bringing the host its worst memories in the forms of vivid hallucinations.
His father's voice echoed in his head. "Ah yes, Sugar Snap Mushrooms, they are good, but be careful not to mix them up Ghostshrooms, Paio!"
"Motherfucker." Was all he could say, but the prompt was probably too late if twink was as dumb as he was.
“No one listen to those birds! I’m over here!"
Her words allowed Paio to draw a location. Paio stopped following the proctor and ventured towards her voice but was quickly stopped by a satisfying squishing noise. He peered down to see a flock of mushrooms. If there was one thing Paio liked more than peanuts, it was mushrooms. He was quite the expert on them, as they were apart of many culture's diet. Paio bent over and picked one up, gluttony filling his face.
"Awh, hell yeah. Sugar Snap Mushrooms, my favourite!" He yelped with glee.
He could see another attendee eying the shrooms, Paio chose to approach the kid, holding the mushroom like a wee babe.
"Yo, bro! Ya' gotta try these things, they're fucking amazing, man!" Paio said, passing twink a bundle of shrooms.
Sen Pai
Paio bravely hulked down a mushroom. He chewed and then chewed again. Paio stopped. His visage went static for a few seconds. Terror struck, all happiness was erased. These weren't just any mushrooms, these were mushrooms used in many ancient ceremonies to overcome weakness and guilt, bringing the host its worst memories in the forms of vivid hallucinations.
His father's voice echoed in his head. "Ah yes, Sugar Snap Mushrooms, they are good, but be careful not to mix them up Ghostshrooms, Paio!"
"Motherfucker." Was all he could say, but the prompt was probably too late if twink was as dumb as he was.
Lucem
Ten Thousand Club
Nova Rose
Keeping his eyes on Satotz, Nova ran through the thick fog with the remaining examinees. Even if he couldn't see the entire group, he knew that there were fewer people now. The distant screams made it clear that some of them fell for the forest's deception and died. Even after all that, the ape still walked away with a full stomach. He didn't think about it for very long, choosing to focus on more important things. If those people chose to stick with the fake examiner, it was unlikely that they'd survive the rest of this phase. He at least made an attempt to prevent that, so there was no reason to feel guilty. They would've died either way. That's all there was to it.
Despite the many threats lurking in the wetlands, Nova wasn't worried. He wouldn't be easily tricked by an animal, and he was still able to follow the examiner without any issues. Being experienced with Nen made tracking easier, but he believed he'd still be fine if the aura suddenly disappeared. He was used to walking through dust clouds, and all those years of training helped prepare him for stuff like this. There was also something else that helped guide him during this challenge.
Just a little ahead, there was a young girl sticking close to the man in the purple suit. It was the shrine maiden he'd seen earlier. Looking at her made him think about his earlier dilemma, unsure if he should try to team up with other people. If it was up to him, he'd prefer to work with someone who knew Nen. Having someone like that watch his back would be useful, especially since it'd get rid of his biggest competitor. There weren't many people here who met that criteria, and one of the few that did seemed to be stuffing his face with wild mushrooms. It was hard to say if a guy like that would make it through the exam, even with Nen. That only left the shrine maiden. Out of everyone he'd seen so far, she seemed to be the most competent applicant.
Nodding to himself, Nova picked up the pace a bit, running until he was at the girl's side. "So you can use it to, huh?" He continued looking forward as he spoke, not wanting to take his eyes off Satotz. He decided against talking about Nen aloud, but he was sure she'd understand. She was watching him before the exam started, so they were aware of each other. "I'm Nova." He managed to get through the greeting, but next came the hard part.
Nova had never spoken to someone his age before. He could count the number of people he knew on one hand, and most of them weren't around anymore. Even when he did talk to people, the conversations were brief, and they weren't very positive either. If he slipped up, he'd lose a chance at gaining an ally in a lame way. "What do you think about teaming up?" He wouldn't be heartbroken if she declined, but things would be a lot easier if she went along with it. He could handle things alone if he had to, but he'd take any opportunity to raise his chances of success. The exam had been easy so far, but he didn't want to lose his shot at getting a license because he let his guard down. He couldn't afford to fail.
QuirkyAngel
Keeping his eyes on Satotz, Nova ran through the thick fog with the remaining examinees. Even if he couldn't see the entire group, he knew that there were fewer people now. The distant screams made it clear that some of them fell for the forest's deception and died. Even after all that, the ape still walked away with a full stomach. He didn't think about it for very long, choosing to focus on more important things. If those people chose to stick with the fake examiner, it was unlikely that they'd survive the rest of this phase. He at least made an attempt to prevent that, so there was no reason to feel guilty. They would've died either way. That's all there was to it.
Despite the many threats lurking in the wetlands, Nova wasn't worried. He wouldn't be easily tricked by an animal, and he was still able to follow the examiner without any issues. Being experienced with Nen made tracking easier, but he believed he'd still be fine if the aura suddenly disappeared. He was used to walking through dust clouds, and all those years of training helped prepare him for stuff like this. There was also something else that helped guide him during this challenge.
Just a little ahead, there was a young girl sticking close to the man in the purple suit. It was the shrine maiden he'd seen earlier. Looking at her made him think about his earlier dilemma, unsure if he should try to team up with other people. If it was up to him, he'd prefer to work with someone who knew Nen. Having someone like that watch his back would be useful, especially since it'd get rid of his biggest competitor. There weren't many people here who met that criteria, and one of the few that did seemed to be stuffing his face with wild mushrooms. It was hard to say if a guy like that would make it through the exam, even with Nen. That only left the shrine maiden. Out of everyone he'd seen so far, she seemed to be the most competent applicant.
Nodding to himself, Nova picked up the pace a bit, running until he was at the girl's side. "So you can use it to, huh?" He continued looking forward as he spoke, not wanting to take his eyes off Satotz. He decided against talking about Nen aloud, but he was sure she'd understand. She was watching him before the exam started, so they were aware of each other. "I'm Nova." He managed to get through the greeting, but next came the hard part.
Nova had never spoken to someone his age before. He could count the number of people he knew on one hand, and most of them weren't around anymore. Even when he did talk to people, the conversations were brief, and they weren't very positive either. If he slipped up, he'd lose a chance at gaining an ally in a lame way. "What do you think about teaming up?" He wouldn't be heartbroken if she declined, but things would be a lot easier if she went along with it. He could handle things alone if he had to, but he'd take any opportunity to raise his chances of success. The exam had been easy so far, but he didn't want to lose his shot at getting a license because he let his guard down. He couldn't afford to fail.
QuirkyAngel
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