【ＥＲＩＫＡ】
God I can't do this! It's just so hard!
Erika face palmed herself as she observed the participants looking for pigs under rocks, behind trees, inside bushes, and in grass.
I just can't tolerate this! Under ROCKS? Seriously?!? Do you have no common sense? C'mon people!
She rolled her eyes and started to trek deeper into the forest. The thick bark from the trees were swarming with bugs. The leaves softly crunched under Erika's boots.
Then she heard the squeals.
Wide-eyed, she followed the loud sounds to a clearing in the woods. The aggravated, giant, behemoth pigs were squealing with anger.
In front of the stampeding pigs was Gon. He was running right back to the other participants.
Then the screams erupted. And then smash, crack, splat.
People were stampeded on, squished under a pig's hoof, or impaled by tusks.
Dust clouds formed making it harder to see but Erika fortunately grabbed the thigh of a fat pig and pulled him. He tripped and immediately attempted to get up but Erika had already punched him on the forehead.
Thump.
She dragged the poor pig back to the giant gates where she started cleaning off the dirt.
"Hey Menchi?"
She asked, not bothering to look up as she concentrated on wiping off all the dirt.
"What is it, Erika?"
"Where are the big knives kept?"
Erika pointed to the puny little cutting knives that were 1/10 the size of the pig.
Menchi grinned before pointing to the cupboard. Surely inside were giant cleavers, sharp to the touch and shiny.
Footsteps could then be heard from outside the gates and participants flooded in with their giant pigs.
Kurapika was on the left of Erika. His pig was fairly fat and strong.
Tough meat if you don't prepare it right.
On her right was Killua. He immediately jammed the metal stick from the roasted into the pig and put it above the fire.
So did everyone else.
Erika chopped up the meat getting to the ribs and pulled it out. It was all bloody and whatnot.
Scrunching up her nose, she cleaned off the blood and seasoned the meat with salt and pepper.
There was no fricking oven.
"Crap."
She got a metal tray from.. somewhere.. then jammed it into place atop the crackling fire.
The meat sizzled and smoked as Erika started preparing the sauce.
After she was finished she checked the meat. It was slightly over cooked but oh well.
I'm not gonna be a housewife anyway!
She brushed on the sauce and looked at her food. Blinking once, twice she saw she didn't actually destroy it. T'was alright.
A sigh of relief escaped her mouth as Menchi called all the participants up.
"#23!"
A man with a roasted pig that looked identical to everyone else's pig stepped up. He wobbled under the weight of his meat as he went up the stairs.
Menchi didn't take a bite so Buhara ate it all.
"10."
Was Buhara's grade.
"0."
Said Menchi.
That left #23 in shock.
"The meat is undercooked and dirty."
#23 gulped. He scored a half grade.
〜
"#73."
Erika grabbed her tray of alright ribs and walked up the stairs.
'Woahs' could be heard from behind her as she presented the meat.
Menchi took a bite. As she ate everyone went silent. The only sound was Buhara's munching and Menchi's 'Hmm..'.
"10."
Said Buhara, like he said to everyone else's.
"4.5. It's a tad undercooked and needs more seasoning."
"Whatever."
Erika replied, uninterested.
She strode back to her station where Killua and Kurapika stood.
"You currently have the highest rank."
Killua said.
"I don't really care. I didn't pass so... meh."
She answered.
Kurapika smiled in her direction that made her study him as if he were an alien. That smile, she knew, was meant for her.
And no one ever smiled so sweetly for her. It made her feel so-
g u i l t y.
〜
Everyone had failed the exam because of Menchi's pissy attitude and Hisoka's pedophile-like, stupid, creepy, useless face making Menchi pissy.
Through the whole test after she failed Erika just glared at Menchi then at Hisoka then Menchi then Hisoka, on and on and on until her jaw hurt.
Everyone started to riot at their results and tried to rebel, demanding a better grade. Menchi refused and told them to try again next year.
Even that made Erika super pissed.
〜
Through her keen senses Erika could make out the faint sounds of an engine being used and propellers working.
Eyeing the mountains she could spot the silhouette of the shadowy blimp that came closer and closer.
Waiting for its arrival she kept her eyes on the sky. After 10-20 minutes the blimp was atop the Second Phase's location.
A shadow fell from the sky, a cloud of dust trailing behind it.
After it cleared, in the middle of the dust was an old man with droopy ears, his white hair was in a ponytail and his beard was well kept.
Everyone turned their attention towards the man.
"C-chairman!"
Menchi exclaimed. She got up from her chair and started walking down the steps. Her things bouncing as she made her way down.
Menchi stopped in front of the chairman, who took a slight glance down.
She then turned to face everyone as she introduced him.
"This is chairman, Netero. He runs the Hunter Exam."
Erika took a look at him. He looked soft and wrinkly with that smile.
Netero averted his eyes from Menchi and turned to look at Erika. Gazing into his eyes Erika trembled a bit.
M-m-monster.... How many years of training.... I-I'm shaking... Such a force.... Scary
Netero turned back to Menchi with a smile as she apologized for failing everyone.
Erika was still trembling at the force of power in front of her. Hisoka though, seemed rather craved.
"Now now Menchi, we can't have you failing all the participants."
Netero explained.
"Yes, Chairman. I'll resign my spot as an examiner. Please pick a new examiner immediately!"
Menchi said.
"Unfortunately we don't have any Hunters right now on stand-by. You're going to have to come up with a new Second Phase."
He replied.
"Yes Chairman! Chairman, may we have a ride on your blimp to the mountain? I think I know what the New Second Phase is going to be."
"Oh?"
Netero asked. He took a moment to consider before it struck him.
"I see. Very well then!"
He stated.
〜
【ＫＵＲＡＰＩＫＡ】
「On The Blimp」
As everyone gathered on the massive blimp, Kurapika searched for his companions. He first found Gon and Killua playing so he decided it was best to leave them be.
Walking through the lonely halls he found Erika squinting through the window as if searching for something too, or thinking.
Her arms were trembling a bit, but not much. Her lips formed a tight line, clearly unhappy.
"Erika?"
She turned around to look at him. Her eyes softening when he came into sight.
"Sorry.. Just thinking about things.... Personal things.."
She said.
Kurapika smiled comfortingly. She sat down near the window and patted the seat next to her.
He made his way to the seat sitting down a few centimeters away.
"Let's talk about ourselves. To get to know each other more."
Erika suggested with a tiny, genuine smile.
"Sure, that would be.... Actually really nice."
〜
「３０ ＭＩＮ ＬＡＴＥＲ」
【ＥＲＩＫＡ】
"That was probably a lot of fun."
Erika chimed.
What the heck? Am I having... fun? No way. B-but it's nice spending time with him. I don't want to be alone again.
"So Kurapika? Why did you decide to take the Hunter Exam?"
She asked, curiously.
"... I had a clan. The Kurta Clan. Then one day... A high ranked group of thieves called the Phantom Troupe slaughtered them all because of our eyes two years ago."
He said.
"I want to become a Hunter so I can get revenge on them for stealing the scarlet eyes of my bretheren."
He finished saying.
The spider on Erika's necked seemed to feel hot. Her long, thick purple hair covered most of her neck thankfully.
Wide-eyed a shocked she narrowed her eyes once more at the floor. Distantly she gazed at something she couldn't see.
Erika wasn't a member of the troupe thankfully two years ago or she'd have to go through such guilt.
I'm spending too much time with civilization. It's filling my brain with unneeded emotions. What a nuisance...
"I'm sorry for your loss.."
Was all Erika could mumble out of her mouth.
"S-sorry for making it all gloomy, haha.."
Kurapika said, nervously.
"N-no problem.."
She replied, rubbing the back of her head.
I'm sorry Kurapika, but I have to lie to you. I don't wanna be alone again.
Stay tuned for more.
Luv you guyz.