The sun filtered through the trees of Zebiru Island, casting dappled shadows on the dusty ground. Celeste, with bubblegum-pink hair and a sly smirk, glanced at the unconscious man sprawled at her feet. "You're more useful than I thought, huh."
Leorio wiped sweat from his brow. "Your plan of faking a chase and yelling like an idiot wasn't half bad."
His watch buzzed: +100. Celeste raised an eyebrow. "Nice work." They moved on.
Celeste walked lightly, swinging her arms like she was strolling through a park. She'd introduced herself with a grin that made Leorio question her real name. "You sure this plan's a good idea?" he grumbled. "Feels like a cheap trick."
Her green eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh, honey, relax. We're just borrowing points from candidates. We've nabbed two already. Your turn's done—now it's mine."
Leorio clenched his teeth. "You scanned my badge while I was asleep! That doesn't count."
She laughed brightly. "Don't hold a grudge. I let you live, didn't I? Besides, I leave the prisoners to you since I can't scan them." She winked.
"Stop calling me 'honey'!" he muttered, cheeks flushing. "Criminals are worth too few points. What's next?"
Celeste stopped, hand on hip. "Simple. I play wounded damsel, whimper a bit. If it's a criminal, we take them out. If it's a candidate, you knock them out, I scan their badge. Easy."
Leorio frowned. "It's dishonest."
"Dishonest?" She stepped closer, smirking. "This is the Hunter Exam, not a kid's party. You wanna be a Hunter or not?"
He stepped back, adjusting his glasses. "Fine. But if this goes south, I'm ditching you."
"Deal," she said, her smile hiding something. 'He's too naive,' she thought, checking her watch. 'Perfect for covering me until I've got enough points. Then I'm gone.'
They found a spot: a path lined with thick bushes. Leorio hid behind a tree, knife in hand, heart pounding. "Ready?" he whispered.
Celeste crumpled her orange uniform, rolled in the dirt, and mussed her hair. "Ow… help me…" she moaned, voice quivering like a stage actress.
Leorio rolled his eyes. "You're overdoing it."
"Shh!" she hissed, staying in character. 'Guys always fall for this.'
Minutes dragged. The path stayed empty, save for a distant bird's song. Leorio gripped his knife, knuckles white, shooting annoyed glances at Celeste, who kept smearing dirt on her cheeks to sell the act.
"Ow… please, help me…" she whined.
Leorio sighed loudly. "Fifteen minutes, Celeste! Nobody's coming. This plan's a bust."
"Shh!" she snapped, glancing at her watch. 'A sucker's bound to show.'
"I'm done," he said, tapping his foot. "Five more minutes, then we move."
"Chill, honey," she murmured, smirking. "Trust me."
"Trust, my ass," he muttered, but stayed put, thinking of Gon, Killua, and Kurapika somewhere on the island. 'I've gotta pass this exam.'
Footsteps broke the silence. Leorio ducked lower. A bulky man with messy brown hair appeared, stopping when he saw Celeste curled on the ground, her uniform torn just enough to show her collarbone. "What's going on? A prisoner?" he asked, stepping closer.
"Help me… please…" Celeste whispered, lifting tearful eyes. She shifted, letting her shirt slip to reveal a hint of her chest. 'Take the bait, idiot,' she thought.
The man's cheeks flushed. Leorio, behind the tree, nearly dropped his knife. 'She's going that far?!' he thought, embarrassed.
The candidate crouched beside her, smirking. "Need help? Who did this? Another candidate?"
Celeste nodded, tears streaking her face. "Yes… I'll do anything… just help me…" Her trembling hand brushed his arm.
He chuckled, stroking her shoulder. "Anything, huh? Don't worry, I'll help. How's a gorgeous woman like you a criminal?"
She leaned closer, sobbing, pressing against him. 'Too easy,' she thought, feeling his pulse quicken. He wrapped an arm around her, murmuring comforts.
But her grip tightened, locking him in place. He frowned. "Hey, what's—"
A crack rang out. Leorio sprang from the bushes, swinging a thick stick. "Sorry, pal!" The blow landed on the man's neck, and he collapsed, out cold.
Celeste jumped back, buttoning her shirt. "Nice one!" She rummaged through the man's pockets, found his badge, and scanned it. +100 flashed on her watch. "Perfect!"
Leorio dropped the stick, catching his breath. "Did you have to… do all that? That was awkward!"
She laughed, patting his shoulder. "You're too cute when you're flustered. We make a hell of a team, don't we?"
"Yeah, whatever," he muttered, grabbing his knife. "Next time, less weird plans."
She shrugged, pocketing her watch. "We got the points. That's what matters." 'He's naive but effective,' she thought. 'A few more, and I'm home free.'
---
**Flashback: The Cave, Hours Earlier**
Leorio woke, startled, to Celeste standing over him, her orange jumpsuit half-unzipped. His face burned. "Put some clothes on!" he shouted, looking away.
She snickered, zipping up slowly. "Just a little hello, honey. Gotta motivate you."
"Motivate?!" He jabbed at his watch, fuming. "-100 points! You scanned my badge while I was asleep!"
She crossed her arms. "We can bicker, or we can work together. I'm good at traps. You can throw a punch. Split the points fifty-fifty. Deal?"
Leorio narrowed his eyes. "You're a criminal. Why trust you?"
"Because you're breathing," she said, smiling slyly. "I could've slit your throat. So?"
He clenched his fists, thinking of his friends and his dream. "Fine. But if you screw me over, you're done."
"Scout's honor," she said, raising a hand. 'As if I need him forever,' she thought, eyes glinting.
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