Chuu wasn’t walking - she was skipping towards the fighting area. 

She was so, so proud of HeeJin! What a brilliant girl! 

Ahh, for all the self-doubt she carried like a locked-up tower in her heart, HeeJin was no less deserving of a license than any other human present!

She can only hope that this will raise her confidence.

Chuu smiled contentedly, as she turned to Hanzo.

Now let’s move on with her round too.

His suspecting squint carefully examined her movements. Shinobi were a strict bunch, hell-bent on rank structure and more often than not sticklers for rules. What Choerry just did was something straight from the other world for him. It must’ve bore suspicion - was Chuu like that too?

Chuu rolled from balls of heer feet to tiptoes and back.

Yes, she was. Who knew, she might be even worse.

No matter how she pitied HyunJin, she wasn’t about to undermine her determination. Chuu had to respect her efforts, especially after witnessing the lengths the girl was ready to go for it. 

Which meant, she couldn't just forfeit two times, letting Hanzo and then her wounded friend succeed without any effort.

Chuu wasn’t sure HyunJin would forgive that. She’d lose the girl. Her only option was to leave HyunJin to her own struggle. 

Some time later, Chuu was releasing forfeiting Hanzo from a grapple with a victory secured. 

“Winner: number 10!” 

Chuu focused on the unreleased tags, the one in particular.

HyunJin felt like . Since the proximity, she could tell her mental and physical status down to details and that was the only correct way to summarize all of that. Chuu didn’t know how HyunJin would continue.

Still, underneath that, the girl's determination beat steadily - Chuu couldn’t help but marvel.

---

Pokkle versus Bodoro went unpredictably well for Pokkle, since the boy decided to switch the tactics and covered his arrows with strong sedatives.

His job went down from aiming at limbs to being done as soon as he left a scratch.

And scratch he left, almost piercing the old martial artist’s ankle.

As this sedative wasn't one of his, given to him only before the start of the exam by a trusted friend, he had an antidote that he pulled out immediately, giving it to Bodoro, who, in his turn, admitted his loss when he regained consciousness for all ten seconds before losing it again.

Pokkle explained that it will take Bodoro less than half an hour to fully recover and as such, it was turn for the next match.

---

Her next round arrived sooner than expected, her limbs goddamn burning. At least it seemed like her short blackout cleared some of the fog in her head.

It was pitiful. She was pitiful. 

And she was up against an only slightly rumpled shinobi.

HyunJin never expected to be so bitter over herself. She was so unbelievably weaker than anybody in her branch of the tournament, it was absurd.

Hanzo was standing in front of her with a stormy expression, almost staring her down. He had to feel humiliated by his fights too, and no doubt wanted to be done with this as much as she did.

HyunJin bent her knees, ready to both dodge and advance if necessary.

“Begin!”

She tensed. 

There was a pregnant pause where neither of them did anything. HyunJin was ready to defend herself and attack to the best of her abilities, however low her “best” currently was. She would pass the Hunter exam. No matter what. She waited for way too long to waste another year.

“Forfeit,” said, no, - ordered Hanzo. “You are in no way fit to fight right now. You have zero chances.”

“If winning against me is so easy then come and take it.”

This could only go from bad to worse for her, but she refused to hand her loss over.

He solemnly closed his eyes…

Something hit the back of her head, causing her head to spin again, her legs giving out from beneath her again, falling to the floor. Again.

HyunJin immediately jerked her limbs to stand up and jump away from the attacker, but pressure on her spine pushed her back, before she could even lift herself from the floor. The force increased and, god, what would she do with a broken spine?..

”Forfeit,” repeated himself Hanzo. She jerked her head from side to side in refusal, unable to breathe in.

The pressure lifted from her spine and HyunJin hurried to stand up and put some distance between them - she had to avoid being helplessly pinned down-

Left arm was kicked from under her and she fell back, this time being pinned by a bigger weight of someone sitting on top of her, something in her ribs panging pitifully. She’d be able to lift them both easily under normal circumstances, if her left leg wasn’t grappled in a wierd way. One of shinobi’s hands moved to support the limb from below and the other, closer to the knee and where one of his legs propped hers, laid between two points of leverage. 

As if warning, Hanzo’s hand pressed down. HyunJin realized where this was heading and clenched her jaws. 

“Forfeit.”

He gave her several seconds to respond. She used them to try to raise herself, then to attack him, to reach anything at all, but previous damages made her efforts null, swatted away as if they were nothing at all. 

At her stubborn and fiesty silence, he started pushing down.

She held on for as long as she could, only increasing her efforts as the pressure rose. HyunJin gritted her teeth, resentful tears gathering in her eyes, holding out, holding out... 

“I lose” slipped out at the same time as she felt something crack.

---

Due to Hanzo’s and HyunJin’s match lasting less than half an hour needed for aftermath of the sedative to go away, the conversation arose whether to simply wait or postpone the fight between Bodoro and Leorio, since it would be for the better to let HyunJin have a short break.

HyunJin agreed, somewhere in the subconscious, too tired to talk. She was standing only by still present will. 

The pain was deafeningly loud, but slightly dulled as long as she didn’t move and put her weight on the right leg instead. Added onto it was her beyond-belief exhaustion. HyunJin was sure that if anyone put a hand on her shoulder, she'd just fall. 

She was forced to look truth in the eyes - there was only one logical conclusion to this. It was obvious. She closed her eyes and fruitlessly willed herself to not be heartbroken over such ending.

She wasted an entire year.

Her bet with Netero went void. 

Unclenching her jaws, HyunJin inhaled, her determination at its life’s apparent end.

“I forfeit.” 

…That wasn’t her voice.

Everyone, contestants, examiners and observers turned towards Killua, who was holding his hand up, the other casually tucked in the pocket.

The first to voice the majority's question was HyunJin herself. “What.”

Putting the raised arm back in the pocket, Killua looked at her, smirking at the flat tone.

“You would be a boring opponent,” he shrugged. “You got really screwed with the order - you would’ve easily won if you were in the other branch,” he pointed to the board with his chin. 

Referee took the cue and filled the short pause before Killua could say more. “Winner: number 390! Next are numbers 99 and 301, please come forward!”

Killua continued staring her dead in the eye. She was staring back, focused on listening, unable to say anything. 

“This is not a pity win,” he pointed out and HyunJin exhaled, the raising fire going out with the air, “you are just way belo...”

HyunJin did not hear the second part, falling unconscious as soon as the sparkles of anger that were keeping her standing dissipated.

---

The first thing HyunJin registered upon waking up was that bodies and hers at that particular moment especially. Pain, a lot of it. There was something cold pressed to her side. 

Second, she was almost sitting.

Third was that it was way too warm under the covers. But to throw them away she would need to move. Dilemma.

This was a different awakening than usual. Wait, was her arm in a cast? Now that she thinks of it, her thigh was also grasped by something.

Wasn’t she busy being beaten up by Hisoka and then Hanzo? Right, yeah, that was why her body was so. Rough on her right now. She probably fainted, didn’t she? She hoped not. That would be embarrassing to do before she finished the phase. Wasn’t her fight up soon? With Killua? Oh, no, wait.

HyunJin was done, he forfeited.

She is going to beat his .

No, that sounded wrong... She wasn't angry?

She… she had to admit, she either hit her head too much or she was on some painkillers, to be this out of it.

Neither was all that promising.

HyunJin opened her eyes and the daylight hit her with full force. Room was nothing like she expected, since she assumed she was going to wake up in a medical bay, but instead she was presumably in one of the hotel rooms. It was expensive, beautiful and unlived in. 

To the left of her bed, HeeJin sat on a chair. The girl was looking worse than the brownhead felt. Heejin had eyebags underneath her eyes and HyunJin doubted it was possible to curl invards more than she already had, hugging her knees. The girl stared vacantly at the window, yet to notice HyunJin’s awakening.

“HeeJin,” she called, her voice barely raising above cracking whisper. Cleared . No reaction. “HeeJin,” she tried again. Nothing. She inhaled more, wincing at a pang of pain in her ribs. “HeeJin!”

The fear dashed across her face and girl gasped, eyes flying wide. She did not uncurl to defend herself, like HyunJin thought frightened HeeJin would do with her basic training.

HeeJin hugged herself even tighter, shoulders jumping to her ears, white-knuckled hands grasping upper arms.

HyunJin frowned. This was wrong. “Sorry,” started HyunJin. “I didn’t mean t...”

“Ah,” weakly said HeeJin, interrupting her. “You are awake! It is great. Great... Even before the orientation started! If you are able to walk, you will be able to join everyone.”

HyunJin’s frown deepened. Exam had finished while she was out, but the girl was acting wildly unusual for her. Did HeeJin fail?

She asked so and HeeJin barked out a laugh, a joyless one, some tension leaving her figure with it. “No, I passed.”

“Then who had failed?”

“Killua.”

Killua? That seemed wrong. She did not notice she said that aloud until HeeJin laughed again in the same resentful tone. 

“It is.” HeeJin’s face suddenly distorted and she let out a small sob, burrowing her head in her elbows. “So wrong,” barely heard HyunJin. 

Quitly, HeeJin began crying.

Something went seriously awry after she lost consciousness. Wincing at sharp stabs of pain all over her body, she moved to a sitting position, noticing that her arm was in a cast now. As was her leg.

At least her spine was fine. And HyunJin hoped she was checked for any brain trauma - Hisoka’s knees at times were rougher than the floor.

She scooted over to HeeJin and half-draped her arm over the girl as comfortingly as she could.

“What happened?” 

HeeJin made a desperate gasp for air, but couldn’t form her words. HyunJin removed her arm and dragged the chair with the girl on it closer, almost hugging HeeJin now.

They sat like this until HeeJin had to look for a napkin. HyuhJin held HeeJin’s forearm as the girl blew her nose, still shaking from the sobs. At least she lowered her knees. There was water on the bed table and HyunJin pointed at it. “Drink.”

Blush filled HeeJin’s face and she raised her free hand to her face, the one HyunJin was still holding, attempting to hide her embarrassment. “I-I’m sorry. I was supposed. Supposed to console you, not. This.”

“It’s okay,” firmly said HyunJin, giving forearm a gentle squeeze. “You are worse for wear than me.”

“No... no.” HeeJin made several deep inhales. “I’m good… I’m good,” she echoed after herself in a whisper.

HeeJin was full of bull. But she was having a mental breakdown, so HyunJin would let it slide.

She moved herself closer to the edge of the bed and put her casted leg on the ground. There was a crutch leaning on the nightstand. HyunJin was fairly sure that, ideally, she shouldn’t be moving at all, but if the Hunter Association for some reason decided to give her lackluster attention that allowed her to move on her own, she would take it any day. 

HyunJin was going to get it off before she gets home anyway. The last thing she wanted was to be confined to the house. 

As soon as she made a move towards standing up, HeeJin jerked towards her, putting both hands on her shoulders, pushing her back on the bed.

“Don’t! Don’t do unnecessary motions.” she looked alarmed. “You have a fracture in your femur and,” a fracture? A break or a crack? Did she get an operation and the splinter was a thumbs-up? Wait, wouldn’t she be in way too much pain to move it if it was a break? Painkillers, definitely, “your arm is broken, two of your fingers are broken too,” expected, “and a broken rib, crack in another,” oof, “and a ton of bruises,” HeeJin cringed, carefully not looking at HyunJin's face. Right, Hisoka was a respectful opponent that didn't shy away from hitting the other's face.

“I am on painkillers, it seems,” slowly said HyunJin. “Does 'fracture' mean a crack or was I operated on?”

“A crack, thankfully. It would’ve been bad to have both a broken rib and a femur,” answered the most pressing question HeeJin, HyunJin humming in agreement.

A beat of silence.

“You said there should be an orientation.” That sounded important.

HeeJin nodded. “Yes, at noon.” Clock on the wall had its hands on nine-forty-five. “They will give out our Hunter Licenses and give a run-down on the rules. Afterwards we are free to leave.”

“I see.” HyunJin can easily do that. She wanted to have a couple talks with some people anyway. She wouldn’t want to let some of the others leave without a couple words.

In the bathroom she saw that she looked worse than expected, and not only due to many bruises (her face was a sight to behold) and stitches. Those always healed fast, while the other stuff... She cast a long look on her right arm and immobilized fingers. This was the most damage she ever had, aside from falling to her death. She never had to deal with that, never even seen them, only could guess by the torn and bloodied attire.

This was going to be exhausting. 

When she returned to the room, HeeJin's feet were on the seat again and she rested her arms on her knees, staring at the window. Not fully uncurled, but at least not as tense.

HyunJin helped herself with a crutch, not shying away from making extra noise. 

Taking an ice pack from the freezer for her aching rib, she sat on the bed, her back to HeeJin, once again pulling the girl from the depth of her thought. HyunJin presented her almost-dripping hair. 

“Can you help me untangle this?”

Silently, HeeJin began carefully brushing her hair with fingers, wet locks sticking to them.

They sat like this for a minute. HyunJin carefully did not look back. She waited.

HeeJin made a shaky inhale and told her what had happened after HyunJin fell unconscious.

---

“Next, 99 versus 301! Please step forward.”

As Killua and Purplish-Green Pincushionman stepped onto the fighting area, Choerry kept her eyes on HyunJin, who was carried away in a stretcher, until she left the room. 

She might have to thank Killua later. And apologize to HyunJin, even if the girl wouldn’t want anyone to pity her. The way she glared at her after Chuu’s question in the first round spoke for itself, she wouldn’t have let it slide if she was handed her win.

She sighed contentedly. HyunJin passed! In spite of her wounds and exhaustion! The girl was talented and made from tough stuff, to be in one piece after Hisoka’s whims. She just needed some refinement. 

The two examinees stopped in the middle of the room and the referee signaled the fight to start. Choerry, to be frank, was not overly interested in this one, except for figuring out how cautious she should be around Pincushionman. Killua was a nice boy, she just wasn’t as invested in him or fond of, as with the other three from his gang. 

Alternatively speaking, there was nothing all that curious about him yet. 

The boy took his hands out of his pockets and slowly moved into a fighting stance, looking dead in the eye at the Purple, who stood there with the same mien that was pinned in a pleasant smile.

“Been awhile, Kil.”

Killua startled, eyes slightly alarmed, and Choerry moved her hands behind her back as Pincushionman started pulling out long, four-inch needles from his head. 

This Manipulator. Used. A torture tool as basis of his hatsu. 

Choerry couldn’t help but lose her smile. 

As Gittarackur pulled out last needles, both hands full of them, his face started spasming, features snapping, as if something was pushing it from the inside, skin distorting over the peaks and lows, pops sounding through the room. His hair, too, began to sway, darkenning to black and growing out. Skin on his face turned to pale, facial features smoothing out and freezing, seemingly returning to their natural state. Gittarrackur opened his dark eyes, now big and perfectly almond-shaped. Choerry had to admit, now he even looked conventionally pretty. If not the said eyes.

They were the emptiest she ever saw on a human and it spoke volumes.

“Illumi!” barely moved his lips Killua.

Oh. Oh, no. 

Frick, the Illumi? She knows that name. How?! She was in the room with a Zoldyck and not dead yet, wow, what a privilege. No, wait, they are professionals. She has a message “Illumi”. She shouldn’t forget to convey the message. She was actually near a Zoldyck all along!..

And! Hisoka knew, they kept getting close to each other during the first two stages despite the fact that their instincts would scream of other high-level predators nearby and force them away from each other.

Her smile returned by the habit and Choerry felt her tention and chaoticness of the thought ease out.

Cautious? Yeah, no kidding, more like “warning, code mortal danger”.