­I would like to point out now that no matter how much I wish I do not own any part of Yami no Matsuei. Now on with the story!

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The 2nd. Task

(Part Four)

"15, 16, 17, 18, 19, …" Raphael was counting as he was doing push ups for his punishment for the prank he pulled. "23, 24, 25, …"

"He's got a ways to go to get to one hundred so why don't you go get some sleep?" Hisoka suggested to Tsuki as he sat down on the ground with the map.

"Hai." Tsuki said as he got up and stretched. "See you in the morning Mr. Hisoka." Tsuki said and he headed off to one of the tents.

"This should teach you that what you did was irresponsible Raphael." Hisoka said. As he looked at Raphael. Hisoka then looked down at the map. He was checking the map to see where the next camp spot was at. Suddenly his mind for no reason at all remembered earlier on when Tsuzuki fell on top of him.

'That Tsuzuki …' Hisoka thought to himself. He then felt a strange feeling in his chest and his face started to turn a light shade of pink. Hisoka put his hand over his heart as he waited for the strange thing in his chest to go away.

"48, … 49, … 50, … Mr. Hisoka are you alright?" Raphael asked. He stopped when he was pushed all the way up and looked at Hisoka.

"Nani? Oh I'm fine keep going. I know we haven't been out here for that long that you made it to one hundred." Hisoka said.

"Hai, 51, .. 51, .. 53, .. 54, .." Raphael continued on with his punishment and Hisoka went back to reviewing the map now that the strange thing in his chest had stopped.

Forty-five minutes later:

"… 98, ……. 99, …………..1.….0.…0." Raphael said. "I'm done Mr. Hisoka."

"Good now get to bed." Hisoka responded as he stood up and stretched. He was pretty tired and only knew that just three and a half more hours until they would have to get up.

"Hai." Raphael said as he ran off to his tent, tripping over his own feet along the way because his body was so worn out from the pushups. Hisoka put the map away and headed off to his tent for some sleep.

Foot steps in the dark were now followed by a pounding heart. But the heart wasn't pounding because the one running was making his heart beat faster. It was pounding because something deep down inside him had him worried.

The darkness was still never ending and every time the boy breathed in he coughed as his lungs breathed in smoke. He didn't know what had caused it but he knew what the smoke was from.

"Mr. Hisoka you up yet?" Tsuki asked as he was standing outside Hisoka's tent.

Hisoka jumped up to a sitting position. It took him a few minutes to remember where he was at.

"Mr. Hisoka?" Tsuki said again.

"Oh, Hai I'm a wake Tsuki." Hisoka replied as he remembered where he was. He placed his hand on his heart and found it was still racing just a tiny bit. 'What can that dream mean?' He thought to himself.

It only took the troupe an hour to eat and get everything packet up. "Alright everyone lets go." Hisoka said and the Bears started hiking.

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Tsuzuki's troupe got off on a slightly earlier start then Hisoka's troupe did. This was because Yuu and Yuri calculated that from how things went yesterday that if they start and hour earlier then they should get to the next spot on time.

"Oh boy you guys really had a good idea." Tsuzuki said as they walked..

"Well, sir we just didn't want you to have to worry about being late." Yuu said.

"Hai, you just will have to make sure to be careful of any thing that bites." Yuu added. The rest of the kids laughed and so did Tsuzuki.

'Now Hisoka won't get mad at me if we get to the next spot a little too late.. Thank you so much Yuu and Yuri.' Tsuzuki thought to himself.

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Tatsumi's troupe had packed up and left just a few minutes after Hisoka's troupe.

"So you are saying that someone is picking on that kid?" Tibiae asked as Eric had told him all that had happened during the night.

"Hai." Eric said. "The kid had actually scared us both." Eric said.

"Man we have got to get that kid back and not just for us but for Tsuki as well." Tibiae said in a low voice so only Eric could hear.

Eric agreed. "Hold on one second." Eric said and he then made his way to Tatsumi. " Tatsumi sir?" Eric said. "Are you guys going to scout out the next spot to night like you three did last night?" Eric asked.

"Hai we are and I'll need you guys to follow the same orders as we gave last night." Tatsumi replied as he gave Eric a smile.

"Hai." Eric said and he went back to his cousin. "I have an idea." He whispered to Tibiae. The two cousins then spent the rest of their hike coming up with a plan.

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Hisoka's Troupe was unpacking and setting things up. They were glad that they made it while it was still daylight. "Alright guys it is 7:35. We made good progress." Hisoka said. And depending on how fast and well the tents get set up will depend on how much free time you guys will have before it is time to fix diner." Hisoka said. Hearing this everyone cheered and set to work as quick and as efficient as they could go.

"Hey what took you guys so long." Tsuzuki said as he was walking up behind Hisoka who turned and was very surprised that Tsuzuki had made it while there was still light out.

"T-Tsuzuki." Hisoka said as his green eyes showed the surprise.

"Heh, Surprised that we could get to the next site before dark and get everything set up in thirty minutes?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Huh? Oh No." Hisoka said as his cocky tone was back. He turned away from Tsuzuki and ran his right hand's fingers through his sandy blonde colored hair. "Just surprised that you have more scratches on you." He said as he had closed his eyes and lowered his head. "Seems I can't leave you to fend for yourself not even for the second day." Hisoka said.

Tsuzuki did have more scratches on him but to Hisoka's relief they weren't bite wounds. "H-Hisoka …" Tsuzuki said.

Hisoka saw the hurt look on Tsuzuki's face and for some reason it made his heart sink. "Geez …" Hisoka said. "Come on you." He said as he grabbed onto the front of Tsuzuki's uniform. "Raphael bring the first aid kit to my tent!" Hisoka called to Raphael who wasted no time in moving his butt.

"Hisoka!" Tsuzuki said as he seemed to be wagging a tail and going with the happy puppy look.

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"Alright just like last night we want you all to look out for one another." Tatsumi said to Tibiae and Eric while Hisoka and Tsuzuki waited for Tatsumi to say lets go. "Okay let's go." Tatsumi said. They started to walk.

"Wait." Hisoka said.

"Nani?" Tsuzuki said. Hisoka pointed at Tsuzuki then to the ground in front of him. This puzzled Tsuzuki.

Hisoka close his eyes for a moment then opened his eyes again and spoke. "I am not having you take me down with you each time you fall." Hisoka said. "Now get in front of me." Hisoka said. Tsuzuki slumped his shoulders as he walked in front of Hisoka.

"Alright now that we have that settled lets go." Tatsumi said as he smiled a wondered if Tsuzuki was going to fall backwards onto Hisoka. However he didn't have to wonder for to long because he heard to thuds. Tatsumi turned around and saw something that surprised him. Tsuzuki did fall but this time it was because Hisoka tripped somehow and took Tsuzuki down with him.

This brought on what felt like years of silence as Hisoka was lying completely on top of Tsuzuki almost as if they were in bed sleeping together.

"Mr. Hisoka? Your shoe is untied." Tibiae said as he was the first one to speak.

Hisoka was an even darker shade of pink then he was last night. This worried Tsuzuki. "Hisoka you are looking flushed. Do you have a fever?" Tsuzuki asked as he felt Hisoka's forehead.

"I'm Fine!" Hisoka yelled out as he pushed Tsuzuki's hand away from his fore head and then pushed himself off of Tsuzuki and began tying his shoelaces. Hisoka was fuming with a mixture of anger, annoyance, and embarrassment.