Flame

Chapter 5 Rewritten

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Phoenix

Two hours have passed since the exam started. The applicants have travelled over thirty kilometres from the start. No one knew how far they had left to go. They were forced to run at the leader's pace, with no goal. It was a monotonous course with no end in sight.

Phoenix was running next to Kurapika, looking around at all the applicants. 'Hmm, seems quite a few have dropped out already... how sad,' she thought, not giving them a second thought.

Looking to her left she watched Leorio over Gon's head as he ran, taking note of his sweaty, panting form quickly. Phoenix sweat dropped at the older teen's state so early in the exam before focusing on Gon, who was to the right of her. He didn't look bothered with the running, which was good. Kurapika seemed to be breathing fine, if a little heavier than her normally would, not that most people would notice.

Phoenix herself was feeling perfectly fine, she was starting to get a little bored though.

Phoenix was brought out of her thoughts of her friends by the sound of wheels coming up to them. It rolled past Leorio, drawing his attention immediately.

"Hey! Wait up, kid!" Leorio shouted at the person on the skateboard, who was now riding in front of the group of four.

Phoenix turned to the person Leorio was shouting at and perked up a little when she saw it was the silverette from earlier that was now riding his skateboard in front of their little group.

"You should show the Hunter exam some respect!" the teen continued to yell when he had the kid's attention.

The kid turned slightly to looked at Leorio before answering, "What do you mean?"

"Why are you using a skateboard? That's cheating!" Leorio declared.

The silverette looked up at Leorio innocently, "Why?" He asked a little confused.

"Why... This is an endurance test!" Leorio shouted louder.

Phoenix stumbled once the words left his mouth and would have face planted if Kurapika and Gon didn't catch her in time. Once she had her balance back, she turned to Leorio. "This is an endurance test? Since when? Why didn't you tell me? That was rude Leorio," Phoenix pouted. Kurapika chuckled and Gon smiled sheepishly from either side of her.

The silverette looked at the green-eyed girl amused at her comment. Leorio was looking at the girl in annoyance.

Gon put his hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It isn't, don't worry," he reassured her and turned to Leorio when he was about to start yelling at him as well. "It isn't an endurance test Leorio."

Leorio bent down to get close to Gon's face while he was still running. "Gon, what are you saying?" he asked annoyed that that young boy wasn't agreeing with him.

"The examiner only told us to follow him," Gon explained simply.

Leorio seemed to be getting more and more aggravated by the second and Phoenix was a little concerned that he was going to pop a vein or something. Looking at Kurapika who was watching Leorio with a deadpan expression shared an eye roll with the young girl before the two turned to watch the others again.

Leorio looked a little surprised as the silverette slowed down and passed him settling in between Gon and Phoenix, looking between the two in interest. Not having met anyone his age before he was curious to know who these two were.

Gon and Phoenix stared at the silverette with innocent curiosity.

"Hey, how old are you two?" The silverette asked them as he looked between the two.