𝖌𝖚𝖒𝖚𝖘𝖘𝖊𝖗𝖛𝖎

t w e l v e

one by one, hunters grabbed a hold of the web, dangling in wait. a handful of impatient, foolish candidates dropped to retrieve the eggs in a rush.

what a waste of spider eagle eggs.. [name] thought, frowning in disappointment.

"we should get going too!"

"not yet."

"why not?"

"there's no wind."

"there isn't always an updraft."

"they just had to learn the hard way i suppose."

leorio clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth, snarling.

"then when's the next one?"

"wait.."

[name] glanced over at the boy, watching as he sniffed with closed eyes. she softly smiled.

nice to have mountain boy isn't it?

then, the web was heard and felt stretching and beginning to break at the weight of several dozens of hunter applicants.

"what?!"

"the web won't hold us all!"

"gon, not yet?"

silence.

"damn! i can't wait for an updraft!!" hunter applicants complained, letting go of the web and falling.

"it's gonna snap!!"

"..NOW!"

and with that, the hunter applicants simultaneously released their hold on the web.

[name] screeched at the top of her lungs, grabbing a spider eagle egg and turning to face upwards. she came to be silent. the tranquillity and beauty of falling down without an end brought tears to her eyes.

when the wind came, the hunter applicants were pushed upwards.

[name] giggled, clinging onto her egg. she met eyes with gon for a moment. a huge grin stretched the girl's face.

~

nibbling at the egg, [name] sighed in contentment. she melted, falling and leaning onto kurapika who, taken aback, grabbed the girl's shoulder. she laughed, fixing her posture and holding onto his arms, wrapping them around herself and continuing to feed on the boiled spider eagle egg. she gently rested the her head into his neck.

snarls escaped from onlookers.

"hey, todo-san," gon called out, holding out his egg. "would you like a bite?"

todo gratefully took the egg, biting into it. his eyes widened.

"it's delicious.."

"now you've experienced the joy of discovering how good something can taste. we're risking our lives for that joy," menchi claimed, using her thumb to point at herself.

"i was completely outclassed out this year. i'll be back next year," todo announced in defeat, bowing.

~

standing a few metres away, chairman netero and the green headed creature began to introduce themselves to the remaining forty-two hunter applicants.

"i am netero, chairman of this year's hunter exam selection committee."

"i am his secretary, beans.

"originally, i planned to make my appearance during the exam's final phase, but as i'm already here.."