Disclaimer: I don't own anything in or related to Yu Yu Hakusho.

For Love of an Illusion

By: Fier Shadowquest

"Heaven bent to take my hand
Nowhere left to turn
I'm lost to those I thought were friends
To everyone I know
Oh they turned their heads embarassed
Pretend that they don't see
But it's one missed step
You'll slip before you know it" - Fallen- Sarah McLachlan

CHAPTER 1

"Get that thing out of my face."

"Aww, come on Jason! Seth and Amanda didn't mind, right guys?" The tall strawberry blond gave a bubbly laugh as she refocused her brand new camcorder, bringing the surly young man into sharp focus. The others in the back of the van didn't comment.

Jason scowled. "I mean it Shelly! Why don't you pester Jade?"

"Because I'm driving," the shortest of their group answered. She threw a hard glare at the girl sitting in the passenger seat. "And she knows that the minute she points that thing in my direction it's going out the window."

"And I rather like my camera," confirmed Shelly. "So come on! Smile for me! At least a little one?"

"Give it up Shell, you're starting to get on my nerves," Amanda said, speaking up for the first time in the past two hours. When Shelly stuck her tongue out at her, she rolled her eyes and went back to staring out the window, eyes watching the tall pine trees zip past.

"You guys love me," Shelly said sweetly.

"Are we there yet?" Seth groaned.

Jade suppressed a sigh of her own. She wished that she never agreed to this little road trip. It was Spring Break for the entire group, and no one had wanted to waste it at home. So what did her wonderful friends propose?

A week-long camping trip. At a site none of them had been before.

Just wonderful, she sulked. It wasn't like she didn't like camping, quite the contrary. She loved the great outdoors. Camping, hiking, and horseback riding were some of her favorite activities. She even liked rock climbing the one time she did it. No, what set her on edge was why Seth and Jason insisted on this site. They absolutely refused to go anywhere else.

At least it got her out of the house for a while. Her parents had been pestering her for weeks, all the old arguments back in focus. Where are you going after High School? Are you going to find work anytime soon? You've almost graduated, why aren't you applying for college?

And of course the most annoying question; Why don't you have a boyfriend? This of course, would come from her mother, an everyday housewife who was certain that a girl was nothing without a good man by her side. Jade loved her family, but at times like these she wished that they would just mind their own damn business.

"Hey guys, I think we're here!"

Jade snapped out of her thoughts and focused back on the road in front of her just in time to catch an old wooden sign flash by saying Welcome to Shadow Rock Mountain.

"Jade, pull over!" Shelly squealed. "I want to film something!"

Sighing, she parked the beat-up blue van on the side of the road. The five of them quickly piled out, eager for a chance to stretch their legs. The boys proceeded to do some minor stretches, while Amanda approached a large granite boulder with a large plaque bolted to it. Shelly was busy filming the surrounding forest and her companions all the while speaking a quiet monologue to the camera.

Jade walked up next to Amanda, who was frowning at the plaque.

"What's up?"

Amanda gave her a brief glance before pointing at the third paragraph. "Read this," she said simply.

Now curious, Jade turned her attention the copper plate, the old metal long-since weathered green. It took a moment to make out the words.

. . . this area was a favored location for ceremonies and rituals performed by several minor cults that had inhabited the area. Even years after their discontinuation, many reports have been made of strange events occurring within the mountain itself, making Shadow Rock a paranormal hot-spot for . . .

Amanda snorted. "I think we found out why the boys wanted to come here."

"Seth. Jason." Jade growled. "Get your asses over here."

"NOW," Amanda added.

Cautiously the two made their way over. Seth gave a nervous grin while Jason smiled pleasantly. "Yeah?"

Jade pointed at the plaque behind her, watching their expressions carefully. "You two wouldn't happen to know anything about this now would you?"

Busted.

"What is it?" Jason asked, the curly-haired brunette making a play at innocence. He eyed the words a little too curiously and attempted an "honestly-shocked" expression. He failed miserably.

Seth gave the plaque a once-over, before paling. "W-well what do you know? I didn't know this place was supposed to be haunted."

"What are you talking about!" Shelly piped up. "You told me that strange things would happen here!"

Amanda gaped at the perky girl. "They told you about this?"

"Well, yeah. Why do you think I bought a new camera? If we see anything creepy I want to get it on film. Tabloids pay big bucks for stuff like this you know!"

"Jason . . ." Amanda growled. "You are so dead!"

Well aware of his girlfriend's wrath, he took a step back. "Oh, come on Amanda! It's not like anything's gonna happen! Lighten up."

After much bickering between the quarreling couple, Jade ordered everyone back into the van. Jade was just as agitated as Amanda, but held her tongue. There was nothing they could do about it now, so the best thing to do was to set up camp before sundown, and beat up the boys later.

As she steered through the winding mountain road, Jade reassured herself that Jason was right. What could happen?

oOoOo

"Hey guys! It's food!" Amanda shouted. When she received no immediate response, she shrugged and looked at Jade. "It's not like they deserve it anyway."

Jade nodded over her cup of coffee. "Agreed."

The group had found a suitable campsite a little ways off-road, nearby a nice little creek that wound around the slope and out of site. Two tents were hastily pitched and sleeping arrangments made. The next morning Amanda and Jade had taken it upon themselves to start breakfast while the others went off for some exploring.

A firm believer of first come first serve, Amanda piled some toast and sausage onto two paper plates and passed one over to Jade before sitting on a log beside her. "I hope I didn't burn it."

Jade took an experimental bite and shook her head. "It's fine."

"Hey! Where's ours?"

The two young women turned to look at the latecomers.

Jade pointed. "Everything's on a plate by the fire. Make it yourself."

Jason and Seth glared, but didn't protest.

"You Guy's have got to check this out!" Shelly squealed, ploping down between the other girls. With excited flourish, she flipped open the LCD screen on her camcorder and began playing a bit of new footage. "You know the creek? Well, it drops off over into this big crack in the side of the mountain. We couldn't find where it comes out. See?"

Mindful of her breakfast, Jade peered over Shelly's shoulder. The picture was a bit shaky, focusing briefly at a small three-foot waterfall before panning wider to show a massive split in the granite mountainside, creating what looked like a miniature bottomless pit. The water tumbled inside it without splashing.

"That's weird."

"No," Shelly corrected. "It's cool. The boys and I were going to go back and see if we can find where the water exits. You guys have to come!"

Amanda gave a pointed look at the boys. "Fine. So long as they behave themselves."

Jason dragged his index finger in a small "x" over his chest, grinning. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

Jade gave an inward sigh. Would any of them ever grow up?

Author's Note: The story will pick up soon, and the first of the Yu Yu Hakusho cast should show up within the next two chapters. Be patient (if anyone IS reading this), I'm trying to make this work.