The next day, Gon and I went to the port. The ship that would take us to the cite was leaving soon. I hid in his backpack so that we could enter the ship. Through the backpack zipper I could see Gon smile and waving to Milo.

"I'll see you soon." Gon yelled as the ship left the port.

"Take care of yourselves." She yelled back.

I smiled and hopped out of the bag. Gon and I sniffed the air.

"There's a storm coming, mister." Gon said.

"Its just clear skies. Go down below deck and rest before the exam."

"Ok." He said as he picked me up.

We went downstairs to see everyone with seasickness. I hopped out of his arms and I fetched a bucket of water. He smiled and we started tending to the sick. I noticed that only 3 other people were not seasick. This guy in a hamock, reading, this guy sitting eating a apple, and the cabin boy. He came over and helped us take care of the sick, too. The captian came in and called the people in. I followed them and sat at attention like everyone else.

"What are all of your names?" The captain asked.

"Leorio." The tall man in the businesses suit said.

"Kurapika." The blond haired boy with grey eyes and a cover up with a cross on it said.

"I'm Gon and this is Kikumi. Say hi, Kikumi." I yip a hello and everyone laughs.

"Now, tell me why you want to take the exam." The caption said.

Leorio complains about something and Kurapika doesn't answer. I start yipping, telling my story in fox, but no one listened to me. Gon picked me up and said

"I'm going to the hunter exam to look for my father and Kikumi came with me." I yipped my approval in this plan because no one can understand me.

"If you don't answer, you will fail the beginning test." The captain warned.

"What?!" Leorio and Kurapika say in disbelief.

"You heard me, now spill. Why are you taking the exam?!" He yelled.

I flew out if Gon's arms and hid under a chair. Gon coaxed me out from under the chair. I was a bit shaken by his lould voice. Kurapika sighed and said

"I'm looking for scarlet eyes to gain. That is all I wish to say."

"All I want is the money, so that I can become a doctor." Leorio shouted.

I got scared and I almost went under the chair, but I stayed in Gon's arms. Leorio yelled at Kurapika and they took the fight outside. The storm finally hit and Gon helped the cabin boy get ready.
Suddenly, a huge wave knocked me and the cabin boy off of our feet. I was flying out into the water, when the cabin boy caught me mid-air, but he was still falling.
I wiggled under to his armpit and saw that Kurapika and Leorio tried to grab his ankles, but missed. Then Gon jumped off the boat and caught the cabin boy. Kurapika and Leorio grabbed his ankles and they saved Gon and the cabin boy, who was holding me. When they got him back on board, he lifted his arms to see that I was curled up in his arms. I looked at the cabin boy, thankfully, and I jumped into Gon's arms and he held me tight.

"Kikumi, don't scare me like that." I nodded and he hugged me tighter.

Leorio came over and yelled "Gon! What were you thinking? You would be shark bait right now if me and Kurapika hadn't caught you."

"But you guys did catch me and you saved Kikumi. Thank you Leorio, Kurapika." Gon said, with gratitude in his eyes. Leorio smiled and Kurapika's eyes softened, just a little.
I wanted to thank them too, so I brushed my tail against each of their legs. Leorio grinned and picked me up while Kurapika petted me.

Soon we were at the port and we all got off.

"Hey, kid. Come here." The captain said.

Gon walked over to him and asked. "What is it, mister?"

The captain whispered "Head for that maple tree, it will take you to the exam. Good luck!"

"Thanks!" Gon yells as he is walking away.

I yip my goodbye to the captain. He smiles and goes into his ship.

"Let's head towards that maple tree." Gon announced.

Leorio said "But thats the opposite direction of the exam cite. I'm taking the bus. Kurapika, let's go."

Kurapika shook his head and stared walking towards the tree.

"Fine." Leorio started to walk towards the busses, but turned around later. "I'm coming with you." He yelled.

He caught up with us as we entered this town. Then there was this lady, sitting on the road wanting us to take a quiz. I walked up to her and give her my fox stare, already knowing what the answer. She asks

"Do you believe in this fox's answer?"

"Wait, no..." Leorio started, but cut off by the lady

"because you should. She is right. The answer was silence, so you all pass."

She opens the path to the maple and we walk on. I climbed onto Kurapika's shoulder and we walked towards the maple tree, with Leorio complaining the whole time. My ears perked up and I got off of Kurapika's shoulder. I sniffed around a little. 'I smell blood. Someone's injured.'
I say in my head as I took off running.
"Kikumi!" Gon yells, "Kikumi, what did you find?!"

I ran into the house and showed them. There was a bleeding man and a crying woman, next to him. Leorio stepped up and took out his brief case and wrapped the man up.
Suddenly I heard a rusling in the bushes and I lunged. I bit something hard and yellow. I gnawed at it until it picked me up and whipped me off. I screached as I was about to hit a tree. Kurapika ran and caught me just before I hit the tree.
The gnawed yellow thing ran and Gon chased it. Kurapika looked at the man that was injured and realized that this was a act. Gon came back with the yellow thing and said

"Their acting. This is a part of the exam."

Leorio stopped wrapping the man and came over to the others.

"Good job, all of you. You all pass. Leorio, Kurapika, Gon, and Kikumi."

Gon, looking a bit surprised, said "Kikumi isn't taking the exam. She is just going with me. She is just a fox."

"No, that fox is a ten year old human girl. She is a Kitsune." Said the man.

"WHAT!!!" Everyone says in disbelief and shock. Everyone looks at me, expecting me to run from the shout, but I'm too busy talking to the man. I ask him

"Could you tell them that the reason I'm taking the exam is because just a few days ago, my sisters were caught in a fox hunters trap. I want to rescue my sisters, but I'm stuck as a fox until I have a family."

He just smiled at me and told me

"You'll tell them when your ready."

The woman coughed and said

"We'll take you to the exam now."

The people turned into bird men and flew us up to the cite. I was in Gon's backpack, enjoying the ride when my eyes began to water again. I began to sob, as this is how my sisters used to carry me. Gon takes me out of his pack and gives me a hug. I feel genuinely happy for the first time in a while. As we neared the cite, I heard my stomach grumble. Gon laughed and said

"Looks like someone's hungry. Hey, can we go to a restaurant to get something to eat?"

"Sure, in fact, that's where we have to go." The man said.

"Cool." Gon said.

I snuggled close to Gon and accidentally fell asleep in his arms.

"Silly Kikumi." I heard Gon say before everything turn dark.

*Gon's POV*

"Kikumi is a girl." I whisper out lould because she fell asleep in my arms.

"Apparently." Kurapika said.

"Wow, she fell asleep quickly." Leorio joked.

I looked up, serious and said "Guys, we need to help her turn into a human again."

Leorio and Kurapika looked unsettled at me. 'He has a dark, serious side. Scary.' They thought.

"She helped us get past the lady and get us to the exam. We need to help her in return." Leorio adds.

Kurapika says "Once she does transform into a girl, let's ask her why she entered the hunters exam."

"We will be there for her, right?" I ask, my seriousness gone.

"Certainly." Kurapika said.

Leorio smiled and said "We already there for her, aren't we? I hope she sees it that way soon."

*Time skip*

When we got to the restaurant, I ordered a beef steak with green beans and some blueberries. I took the bag and we were brought into a room that turns out to be a elevator.

*Time skip* brought to you by elevator music

When the elevator stopped it opened up to a room full of people. We each got a pin and I asked for one for my little pet. He gave me a smaller pin with the number 406 on it.

"Perfect. Thank you, sir." I say as I walk away.

I put it in my bag carefully, as not to wake Kikumi. I zip my bag up and run up to the others, excited to start the exam.