A Death Penalty

Phase 2

Gourmet hunters? I always liked them. Their simplicity and drive always impressed me. How they're willing to risk their lives for the joy of food and exquisite flavor. That takes more than just guts. Mechi was definitely my favorite examiner so far. She had the spunk that made me respect her. She reminded me of Gon as well. Satotz was good though too, just boring. Like this exam.

"Eh? The pig is at your station, what are you still doing here?" Gon asked, coming up next to me. Everyone else had already begun roasting their pig, but I wanted to do something different. It was so sweet that he was checking up on me though.

"Im looking for an ingredient to impress her." I said, shooing him away. He shrugged and ran back to his cooking station. It took me a minute but I finally found what I was looking for. A flavor boosting herb. I was back at my station in an instant, a trick feitan taught me, and got out all the ingredients and dishes. I cut the pig into pork chops and pan cooked them in butter and the herbs. With the special equipment, I was done in about 5 minutes. I plated it and brought it to menchi. It looked appetizing to me, so I hoped it was good for her. She looked at me in surprise when I put my dish down for the two of them.

"You...you actually made a dish! And it smells good too. I'm impressed!" She said before digging in. "Wow. This is pretty good for an amateur. If you were a professional, it'd be too overdone and dry. Not to mention the lack of plating decoration. But for what I've been given today, this is outstanding!" She praised. I gleamed. She liked it!
"So far, you're the only one who passes!" She exclaimed. I fist pumped in the air. "As for everyone else, you fail! Not even close to passing! We're both full, so the exam ends here." She said.

That big man from earlier started throwing a fit and hisoka started to get mad. I did too, even more so than hisoka. How dare he insult Menchi and the gourmet hunters? My murderous aura exploded, almost crushing the applicants.

"Now now, that's enough, don't you think?" A voice said from over head. An old man fell from the sky and landed quite harshly, creating a small crater in the ground. He had an aura that canceled out mine. I got the message, so I concealed my bloodthirst and shrunk my aura. He, in return, withdrew his. He and Menchi discussed what went wrong and all the boring stuff.

Honestly I think she was in the right. Her qualifications for passing the test weren't that hard, it's just that everyone here lacks the ability to think outside the box or even take this phase seriously.

At this point I wasn't really listening.
I just followed my four friends onto this blimp thing and zoned out. Apparently the re-takers exam was much more fun but Menchi wouldn't let me take it since I already passed. Gon still got me an egg anyways. He was so sweet. We got back onto the blimp and seperated after the freetime announcement.

The two younger boys ran off to explore, and the older ones went to rest. I didn't want to do either. So I sat on one of the comfy benches and watched the world pass beneath me. It was very peaceful, and all I could think of was how homesick I was. How much I wanted to be with the troupe again, to be with Chrollo again. It's strange isn't it? My goal is to kill sinners for their crimes, yet here I am. Working with them, and missing them. They're the most notorious theives in the world, yet I somehow love them. I suppose it was only natural. I grew up with Chrollo. Then I moved on with the rest of the phantom troupe. The spider is as close as I have ever gotten to family. As close as I ever will get as well.

I think I ended up falling asleep, because when I woke up, there was a blanket over me, and Killua was there. I was the one who said I didn't want to sleep, but I did it anyways.

He turned to me when I opened my eyes. "Finally awake huh?" He said. I knew he couldn't see my face, so he must have pretty good senses. I nodded, yawning. I held the blanket between my fingers. "Did you do this?" I asked. He shook his head. "Nah, it was already there when Gon and I found you. Think it was of the other two?" He asked, not interested at all. I shook my head.

"Well, it doesn't matter. We're landing soon, that's all I have to say." He huffed, turning away. I giggled. What a tsudere.  He turn back. "What are you laughing at?!" He growled before running around the corner. Adorable.

I followed after him, sensing everone in a room not two far ahead. I assumed it was the docking area.

As soon as we landed, everyone piled off and the blimp took off. Not before the old man said "You have 72 hours to get down this tower" or something. I guess I wasn't very good at paying attention. Not my fualt that everything in this exam has been boring. I was walking towards the four boys when the tile beneath my feet flipped, causing me to fall down into a room. I let out a short scream of surprise. I landed roughly on my ass. Well, that was unpleasant. "Who puts concrete flooring in a room appilicants will be falling into? That's just rude." I grumbled aloud. Although, had I been paying attention, I would have noticed the flip tile instead of being an idiot.

I was in an almost empty room with a pedestal in the very middle. I got up and walked to it. On it was a wrist watch. I picked it up and clicked it onto my wrist. There was only an X and an O. In front of me appeared a screen.

"The judge"

Was all it said.

"Does that mean I'm being judged, or I'm doing the judging?" I asked aloud, genuinely curious.