Camping Trip from Hell 2

Hisoka wasn't the first to get up the next morning. In fact, he was the last. Even Tsuzuki was up and active when Hisoka crawled out of his and his partner's tent. Watari had breakfast made, and Tatsumi was reading a paper- it was an old one, but did that stop him? I don't think so. Tatsumi looked up and smiled.

"Look who is finally up. Good afternoon."

"Afternoon? I actually slept that long?"

Hisoka was almost bright red, then.

"Don't worry. I'm just glad you're relaxed enough to get a good night's sleep."

"Um, yeah. I felt oddly relaxed when I went to bed."

"The serenity of nature can do that."

Hisoka went over to Watari, who offered him a plate of food, which he refused, and Tsuzuki waved to his partner, while stuffing his face.

"So, what is on the agenda for today?"

"First thing's first. We need more water."

"Bon, can you get it by yourself this time?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Hisoka grabbed the water pouch and the purifier, and went off towards the lake. He did the same thing he did before, rolling up his pant sleeves and got the water. It took longer for him to do it than Watari- it was harder than it looked, but when he was done, he stood up, trying to balance on the log as he carried the heavy load. He stopped midway, however, as he thought he saw something move in the water by him. It didn't look like a fish, it looked…almost like a face. Hisoka stared at the water, until Tatsumi's deep voice brought him out of his daze. He almost fell off the log, but he didn't.

"You were taking so long, I just came to check on you."

"Oh, sorry."

Hisoka handed Tatsumi the water, and looked back into the water, feeling slightly dizzy.

"Don't stare at the water too long, Kurosaki."

"Hm? Why is that?"

"They say that if you do, the maiden would suspect you of being her beloved, and drag you into the depths where you would never return."

Hisoka looked startled, stepping away from the water, quickly. Tatsumi laughed and went off, leaving a frightened Hisoka to follow suit. During the rest of the day, it was very quiet. Tatsumi and Watari did some exploring, which left Hisoka and Tsuzuki to do as they pleased. Tsuzuki was lying on the hammock, eating something sweet and almost dozing off, and Hisoka was sitting on a chair near the fire pit, reading. He tried to concentrate on his book, but he kept hearing a soft voice. He looked up.

"Did you say something, Tsuzuki?"

"Hm? No, I didn't."

"Oh, I see."

"Hm… it's getting late, isn't it, Hisoka?"

"Yeah. I bet Watari and Tatsumi are on their way back."

"I hope so."

"Why is that?"

"It's not good to be out in the woods after dark. What with the legends, and all."

Hisoka had enough by then. He was tired of everyone teasing him, and telling scary stories about the lake. There was no way it could have been true. When Tsuzuki started laughing, Hisoka rose from his chair, knocking it over, and he glared at his partner. He didn't speak. He just walked off in anger. He didn't know where he was going, but the more he walked, the more dizzy he felt.

Watari and Tatsumi arrived shortly after, before it started getting dark, to Tsuzuki's relief.

"Oh, good, you're back!"

"Of course."

"We're not crazy enough to get mixed up with the maiden. Say, where did Bon go?"

"Oh, he got mad about something and stormed off."

"And you didn't go after him!"

"Well, I…"

"Tsuzuki, it is dangerous around here after dark, you know that! We have to find him."

They all agreed and ran off in the direction where Hisoka had gone.

Hisoka didn't know what the feeling was that was coming over him. He felt dizzy, almost numb, and before he knew it, he was staring into the lake again. He climbed up onto the log, which went out into a deep area of the lake and just stared down.

"Gabriel…"

The voice… it was the noise he heard earlier while reading. He looked around, but couldn't see anyone.

"My Gabriel…come…" "Gabriel…"

Hisoka repeated. He could sense Tsuzuki's presence drawing nearer, but he couldn't control his body.

"Come…!"

Tsuzuki and the others had just reached the lakeside to see the blank expression upon Hisoka's face as he fell face-first into the lake.

"Hisoka!"

The water was cold. Colder than Hisoka thought it would be. Why did he just fall in? he didn't understand it at all. He was sinking, but he found he couldn't move his body the way he wanted to. His breath escaped him, and he began to feel light headed, and weak. Just as his consciousness started to fail him, he felt a warm hand fall on his cheek. His eyes opened halfway and then wider than they had ever been before. He was staring into the face of a woman. She was almost clear looking, and it scared Hisoka. The woman, without any warning, got close to him and pressed her lips to his.

"Gabriel…"

Hisoka flailed his arms and legs about, trying to get out of the strong hold he seemed to be in, until he felt himself being pulled up. He broke though the water and let out a gasp, as air finally began to fill him up again. Tsuzuki, who had pulled him up, rested Hisoka on the ground as the boy coughed and hacked. The boy didn't want to remain on his back, and curled up on his side as the water he had swallowed was coughed out. Tsuzuki patted the boy's back until he was finished, and then wrapped him up in his large trench coat. Watari picked the boy's shivering form and they ran him back to the campsite. Hisoka was sitting in Tsuzuki's lap in front of the fire trying desperately to calm down. He was still shivering, and Tsuzuki was holding him tightly. When he started to calm down, Tatsumi spoke.

"Kurosaki… what happened?"

"It… it was impossible… a woman… I saw a woman in the water, and she kissed me…!"

"It was the maiden, for sure."

"B-but I thought you all were making that up just to scare me!"

"We would never. The maiden is real."

"You've seen her, too?"

"No, Bon. I don't know a soul who has and loved to tell about it, except for you."

"Kurosaki, the maiden isn't only a legend. She is the lost soul of a woman who was betrayed by the man she loved. She killed herself in the lake, and somehow continued to live on as a supernatural entity."

"If you know she's dangerous, then why do you come up here?"

"She was never dangerous before now. I don't know why she affected you so much… I'm sorry. I should have been there sooner…"

"Tsuzuki…"

Hisoka turned around in his partner's lap and saw the sorrowful look upon his face. He hugged him, which made Tsuzuki happier. Suddenly, Hisoka shivered and Tsuzuki noticed that the fire had gone out.

"I'll make the fire up again."

"Bad news, though. I can't seem to find the matches."

"Oh, don't' worry! I'll just build a fire the way I used to do in my time!"

Uh-oh. That was everyone's first thoughts.