Y/N POV

We race up the stairs, catching up to Kurapika and Leorio. They looked like they were talking about something special. I'm about to tell Gon and Killua to let Leorio and Kurapika enjoy whatever type of moment they are experiencing, but Gon speaks before I can say anything. 

"See you at the goal, Kurapika!" 

The mentioned boy smiles, and Gon smiles back. 

"Catch you later, old timer!" Killua remarks. 

"Bye!" I shout and start to race ahead. But then Leorio screams:

"I'm not old! I'm a teenager, just like you guys!" 

What? 

I look around in surprise, and I can see that everyone is in shock. Leorio, a boy around our age?Impossible. Leorio is not a teenager. 

"Huh," is all Killua manages out. 

Leorio just grunts angrily at us, a vein sticking out of his head. He raises a closed fist up and shakes it, as if threatening us. But because it's him, it seems like an elderly man threatening us. Not very threatening. 

"Uh, bye." I dart away, Killua and Gon trailing behind me. 

"You know," Killua remarks as we all start running horizontally and in a straight line, "I'm impressed that you guys can keep up with me." 

"Really?" Gon blushes.

"Or it's that everyone's slow," I butt in. 

"Mannn . . ." Killua starts complaining about how boring the Hunter Exam is going to be. 

"Wait, Killua, why do you want to be a Hunter?" Killua explains and Gon blows up. "You thought it would be FUN?" Gon is in literal awe. Killua smiles proudly. I snicker and Killua, still smiling, elbows me in the stomach. 

"Ouch. That was the most passive-aggressive smile I've ever received. Plus, real gentlemen don't hit girls."

"It's a good thing I'm not a gentleman, then. Equal rights, equal fights."

"You're so corny."

I don't get a response and, in response, I turn my head pettily. The air quiets for some time, and I yearn to hear something other than other people's pants for air. I run a hand through my imaginary beard. "Guys, I'm Netero."

"Who's that?" 

I answer Gon, "He's the chairman. And my grandpa. Not really. The point is, we're really close to him, so I call him Grandpa Netero. And truth be told, he's really old. Like really old." 

"Fun. We love old guys," Killua says sarcastically. 

"We do," Gon replies, trying to keep the joke going. He's too cute; it's as if he's my little brother. I think he's older than me though. I was born on August 8th. 

I snort. "Anyways, Gon. Why are you becoming a Hunter? I already told Killua why." 

"You did?" Killua cocks his head over my way. 

I nod. "Yeah. Like how I was living on the streets and then bumped into Gon and just stayed with him and came here." 

"You didn't tell me this." 

"My fault." 

"But if you lived on the streets, how would you know Netero?" Killua questions. 

"I used to have a house, but Dad left when I was born. And then Mom died when I was 10, so now I'm living on the streets."

"What the hell?" 

I shrug.

"Anyway, Gon, why do you want to be a Hunter?" Killua continues.

"Well, my dad was a Hunter. So I want to be a Hunter!" 

"What type of Hunter is he?" 

"I don't know," Gon answers almost immediately. 

Killua starts laughing. "That's kinda weird. You want to be like him, but you don't know anything about him!" 

"Yeah. I was raised by Mito-san - she's my aunt. I've only ever seen my dad in pictures. And when he was twelve, my dad took the hunter exam and passed. Then he left Whale Island. I want to know why he chose to be a Hunter over being with me," Gon says, choosing to ignore Killua's comment.

"Hey! The exit!" Killua cries out. We look at each other and race up. 

Suddenly, someone grabs me by the arm. Gon and Killua don't notice, they're so focused on beating each other. 

I twist, trying to land my eyes on my 'kidnapper.' A tall man with pale skin, gold eyes, reddish purplish hair, and a star and tear drawn on his cheeks meets me. "What do you want?" I cry, seeing the boys cross the finish line without me.

GON POV

"GOAL!" Killua and I scream. A little giggle comes out of us as we burst out of the endless tunnel and breathe in the fresh air. "Well, I beat you, Killua and Y/N! You both owe me dinner!"

"No, I did! You and Y/N owe ME dinner!" Killua argues. 

Killua and I both pause, waiting for Y/N to say that she beat the both of us. 

"Umm . . . Y/N? Your cue." 

"Yeah," I agree. "Aren't you gonna say that you beat us? Wait actually, don't say that."

No response. 

Killua turns around and so do I. "Y/N?" Killua asks. 

"Y/N!" I scream. I point at Y/N, who's in the arms of a clown-like person. 

We rush over to her when suddenly the tunnel flashes white. Everyone drops down, thinking it's a bomb, except for me and Killua. We stay standing, closing our eyes. By the time we open our eyes, the light had receded and Y/N is standing out of the guy's grasp, looking at him defiantly. The guy, though, smiles and licks his lips. He holds her chin lightly and brings her face to him. He whispers something in her ear. Y/N's face goes blank white as if she's seen a ghost. 

She comes up out of the tunnel, eyes glazed over. 

"Y/N! Are you ok?" Killua asks, holding her shoulder. She just walks past him, though. 

"Y/N?" I share a glance with Killua when she doesn't answer me. "Something's wrong." 

"Obviously. Y/N isn't like this, and I knew her for less time than you did. It's gotta be what the clown said to her. He must've done something too." 

We see Kurapika and Leorio come out. We tell them what happened and that they should go and look over her really quickly. They oblige. I hear Kurapika mumble to Leorio something about how he might be able to fix her? Is Kurapika pretending that Y/N is a robot? Whatever the case, it just matters that Leorio helps Y/N.

After passing the two's conversation, we head over to the clown guy. He's leaning against a tree, shuffling cards rhythmically, never missing a beat. 

"Hey!" I shout. "What did you do to Y/N?" 

The clown looks at me, smirking. I shudder but stand my ground. "Pleasantries, first." He grins widely, eyes half-closed. "Hisoka."

"What did you do to Y/N?" Killua demands, completely ignoring what the clown had just said.

"Nothing that she won't recover from," he hisses, an evil gleam in his eye. "Plus, I didn't even do anything. I just told her some information."

Killua opens his mouth, angry, and so do I, when Satotz, this phase's proctor, starts speaking about the marshland we're about to enter, and how there are many dangers. "They will try to fool you with every opportunity. Stay close to me." 

KILLUA POV

I notice Y/N not moving, just rocking slightly and staring into space, lost in her thoughts. When everyone starts looking around except her, I sigh and pick her up, carrying her like a backpack and stuffing my skateboard between her body and my back. Walking back over to Gon, I ask what's happening. "Satotz is talking about the marshland and how it's dangerous. And then that guy came over. He says Satotz is an imposter. I don't know who's telling the truth." His nose wrinkles as his brain starts working, the gears turning.  

I watch the scene fold out. Leorio is screaming, like always. I wonder, does he ever get a sore throat? 

Out of the blue, Hisoka throws three cards at both people. The Satotz that took us through the tunnel catches it, while the other man falls and dies. "Hmm. That settles it then." Hisoka starts talking about how a real hunter would have caught the cards. 

Just shut up, I fume. And that glitzy guy with pins . . . why does he remind me of someone? I talk to myself, my thoughts switching from topic to topic.

We start to head into the marshlands. Gon stays with me, making sure Y/N doesn't fall off my back. 

"Gon," I say. "Let's move up."

"Yeah. We should stay with the examiner," he agrees.

"I'm more concerned with increasing the distance between us and Hisoka. We don't want this happening again. How is she?" 

"Still the same," he answers, his eyes flitting to the girl on my back. "But I think she fell asleep." 

"She definitely owes me for this." 

Later on, me and Gon are still running. Y/N is still asleep. "Idiot, idiot, idiot!" I repeat. "Why didn't she fight against hisoka?" I keep muttering to myself.

"What?" 

"Nothing." 

"I hear people screaming all around," Gon marks, changing the conversation. He looks around, but he doesn't seem that nervous. 

"Just stay on your guard," I reply absently. 

"I wonder if Leorio and Kurapika are ok," Gon continues.

"Pro-" 

And then we fall into a hole. By the feel of it . . . a tongue? It's sticky and wet. Yuck. 

The animal we're on starts walking somewhere, indicated by the way we bounce up and down. I feel something metal hit my thigh. I look down and the gleam of silver catches my eye. Perfect. 

Seconds later, we're freefalling from the creature's mouth in throwup. Disgusting, but at least we're out. Looking up, I see that the creature that we fell into is a frog. 

"Must've not liked the way we tasted." Gon scratches his head, embarrassed. Why was he embarrassed? That we didn't taste good? How could you get embarrassed over that? 

"It was this," I clarify. 

"That's from Tonpa!" Gon says. "Guess he saved us." 

The deceiving little prick? Not a chance. "I could've escaped," I shrug nonchalantly as if it was nothing. Gon looks at me in awe. If Y/N was awake, she would've pounced on how proud I looked. Man, that would've been annoying. "Anyway, where is she?" I reference to the girl who just minutes ago was lying on my back. 

"Hey!" Someone punches my back.

"Oww! What was that for?" I scream, swiveling around and locking eyes with Y/N, who's straining the frog's throw up from her hair. "Ew, you got it in your hair? That's nasty."

"Thanks for that overwhelming confidence in my image."

"Of course," I laugh.

She rolls her eyes jokingly. "Anyways. Thank you for bringing me with you. I'm going to go now. By myself. No offense. Bye." Y/N stands up and starts off alone.

"That was extremely weird. But fine. Gon, let's go."

"Aww, I wanted to ask her what Hisoka said to her."

author's note: guys do u not get why i put august 8 😭

leorio's born 3/3

kurapika's born 4/4

gon's born 5/5

hisoka's born 6/6

killua's born 7/7

so you're born 8/8...