001 ~ A X Strange X Encounter

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~ A X Strange X Encounter

"One every three years."

Was the probability of a rookie passing the Hunter exam.

"You are more likely to die than to pass."

Was a popular saying for worried parents to say to their overly ambitious children.

"It's not an exam, it's a gathering of very sick people."

Wise words from past applicants.

Yet it did not do much to deter the amount of people from being eager applicants for the exam.

This year's exam was no different. Pros from all over the world were gathered in the dark tunnel, each applicant equally determined - well mostly - a certain white haired boy, a teenager at most, stuck out like a sore thumb. He skated freely through the undeniable tension between each of the contestants, careless of the glares from the adults. With a flick of his ankle, his bright yellow skateboard was sent flying through the air and landed snuggly in his arms. He landed softly right in front of a box-nosed man. Badge number 99, Killua, flashed an innocent smile, as innocent as any boy of his age had, disarming and amicable.

"Tonpa-san, do you have any more of those juice?" Killua maintained a perfect smile. "Perhaps it's the nerves? My mouth is real dry!"

The round tubby man named Tonpa smiled back a not-so innocent smile. "Ah, of course!" Without hesitation, he handed the boy another drink which was immediately finished with two huge gulps. And another can emptied. And another. And another. Tonpa's surprise was unmasked, and it didn't go unnoticed. Like a switch, Killua's eyes turned sinister, not a trace of the innocence he displayed earlier. "Worried?" His smile was playful. "Don't be. Poison doesn't work on me."

Killua looked out for Tonpa's alarmed expression as he walked away.

Tonpa. The rookie killer. A sadist that handed rookies drugged drinks, a person that did no good except maybe serve a little entertainment to Killua while he waited for the Hunter exam to start.

Once again, Killua fell into boredom. He peered over where Tonpa was, still handing out new drinks to newly arrived newbies. Killua hummed, it seemed their previous interaction wasn't enough to put a stop to Tonpa's crimes. For whatever reason, it kind of pissed Killua off. It wasn't that he cared about creating new victims, it was their fault for trusting a stranger in the first place, nor was it because Tonpa was just pure evil. But it was more of how underhand and stupid his little tricks were, to the point Killua was debating if he should just kill him.

However that thought was quickly replaced as Killua's watchful eyes landed on who Tonpa was talking to next. His eyes shifted towards the new comer's badge number; 177. Curious. It was another kid, a kid dressed in black cloak, covering them from head to toe. It was enough to pique Killua's interest, he hadn't expected to see anyone his age here, despite the fact Killua has almost never interacted with anyone his age, he doubted regular 12 year olds were particularly fond of participating in an exam designed to get people killed.

The kid must have been competent enough, he concluded. He continued watching.

The kid extended a hand out, accepting Tonpa's drink. Competent yet gullible, Killua added to his previous observation. 

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