The children had transformed into a pack of energetic explorers, racing ahead of the main group with boundless enthusiasm. They darted between trees, scrambled up sturdy branches, chased after colorful butterflies, and stopped to examine trails of industrious ants. Every step of the journey was an adventure waiting to happen.
"Hey, Eiji," Sengoku whispered conspiratorially, pulling his teammate away from the group of chattering five-year-olds. He pointed toward a particularly massive tree in the distance. "Doesn't that look familiar? I think we're getting close to where we found that honey last time."
Eiji followed his gaze and immediately recognized the landmark. His expression shifted from curiosity to wariness as memories of their previous "honey acquisition mission" came flooding back.
"Sengoku, please tell me you're not planning to get us chased by angry bees and territorial bears again," he said with a mixture of exasperation and resignation.
"What do you mean 'again'?" Sengoku protested indignantly. "Did anyone actually get seriously hurt last time? And if I remember correctly, you were the one who ate the most honey afterward!"
"Are you kidding me?" Eiji's voice rose slightly before he caught himself and lowered it to an urgent whisper. "Did you conveniently forget that I got stung at least five times? You were the only one who made it through completely unscathed!"
Sengoku paused as this inconvenient fact registered. After a moment of consideration, he shifted tactics with the shameless pragmatism that had made him such an effective doubles player.
"Okay, fine, but the real question is: do you want fresh wildflower honey or not?"
Eiji's resolve wavered visibly. His sweet tooth had always been his weakness.
"What exactly are you proposing?" he asked, though his tone suggested he was already being drawn in.
"Simple reconnaissance mission," Sengoku explained with the confidence of someone presenting a foolproof plan. "We scout the situation now, then once we're settled at the picnic site, we come back with proper equipment and execute a perfectly planned honey extraction. What do you say?"
After a moment of internal struggle between caution and sugar cravings, Eiji nodded reluctantly.
"Alright, but we're just looking this time. No improvised heroics."
The two tennis players quietly slipped away from the main group, heading toward their remembered treasure location.
Their stealth mission might have fooled the other children and most of the adults, but Gustave's Observation Haki had been maintaining a protective perimeter around the entire group since they'd entered the forest. With so many young ones present and various wild animals in the area, he wasn't taking any chances with safety.
When he sensed Eiji and Sengoku's departure and tracked their path toward the wild bee colony, understanding dawned immediately. Those two are planning another honey heist, he thought with amusement. Well, as long as they're careful about it, fresh honey would make an excellent addition to our picnic desserts.
Meanwhile, the two would-be honey thieves were making their way through increasingly dense underbrush, using fallen branches to push aside brambles and overgrown ferns. Their previous expedition had carved a rough trail that was still partially visible, making navigation somewhat easier.
The beehive was constructed in the crown of the tallest tree in the immediate area, providing the colony with an excellent vantage point to monitor their territory. Unfortunately for stealth operations, this also meant their activities could be easily observed from that elevated position.
"Look at the size of that thing!" Sengoku breathed when they finally had a clear view of their target.
"It's definitely grown since our last visit," Eiji agreed, squinting up at the massive hexagonal structure. "I'd say it's at least five times larger than before."
They spent several minutes carefully surveying the surrounding area, noting potential escape routes, checking for signs of bears or other large predators, and generally assessing the tactical situation. Once satisfied with their intelligence gathering, they slipped back through the forest to rejoin the main group.
When the two "scouts" casually reappeared among the other hikers, acting as if they'd never left, Gustave allowed himself a barely perceptible smile. Their little honey adventure would certainly add some excitement to the day.
"We're almost at our destination!" he called out, moving to the front of the procession. "Just a bit further, everyone!"
"Finally!" came the enthusiastic chorus from children and adults alike.
The promise of reaching their picnic site gave everyone a renewed burst of energy, and the pace quickened noticeably.
After another thirty minutes of hiking through progressively more beautiful forest scenery, they emerged into what could only be described as paradise.
The camping area was a natural amphitheater roughly one square kilometer in size, carpeted with lush green grass dotted with clusters of small white wildflowers. A crystal-clear stream meandered through the center of the meadow, dividing it into two roughly equal sections. The water ran shallow and gentle, no more than forty centimeters at its deepest point, flowing over a bed of smooth, multicolored pebbles. Schools of small fish darted through the current like living jewels.
Following the stream upstream for three or four hundred meters revealed an even more spectacular sight: a modest waterfall cascaded down from a rocky outcrop, creating a perfectly clear pool that sparkled emerald and turquoise in the dappled sunlight filtering through the forest canopy.
"Oh my goodness, it's absolutely breathtaking!" Yor gasped, her usual composure giving way to genuine wonder.
"I haven't seen a place this beautiful since I was a child," Hiroshi said nostalgically, his eyes following the gentle curve of the stream. "It reminds me of summers I spent at my grandmother's house in the countryside."
"Mr. Gustave, how did you possibly find such a perfect location?" Yor continued, still marveling at the pristine natural setting.
"Actually, I discovered this spot during one of our hunting expeditions with Shanks and his crew," Gustave replied, settling down on the soft grass and closing his eyes to fully appreciate the peaceful atmosphere. "The moment I saw it, I knew it would be ideal for something exactly like this."
"It's like a fairy tale!" Conan exclaimed, tugging at Gustave's sleeve with excitement. "The water's so clear you can see all the way to the bottom, and look at all those fish!"
After everyone had spent several minutes simply absorbing the beauty of their surroundings, the practical business of setting up camp began. Gustave had purchased several high-quality tents in advance, and most of the groups made quick work of assembling their temporary shelters.
Most groups, that is, except for the Nohara family.
Whether it was Shin-chan's "helpful" interference, Hiroshi's tendency to misread the instructions, or simple bad luck, their tent remained a chaotic pile of poles, stakes, and fabric long after everyone else had completed their setups.
"Mr. Hiroshi, would you like some assistance?" Loid offered diplomatically. His own tent had gone up with military precision in less than ten minutes.
"Oh, well, you see..." Hiroshi began, scratching his head in embarrassment.
"Yes, please!" Misae interrupted before her husband could politely decline. She was beyond caring about pride at this point - watching other families efficiently complete their preparations while theirs remained a disaster was testing her patience to its limits.
"Misae?" Hiroshi looked hurt by her quick acceptance of help.
"If you can get this tent properly set up in the next ten minutes," she said through gritted teeth, "I'll admit I was wrong to accept Mr. Loid's help. Otherwise, we're getting assistance whether you like it or not."
Recognizing the wisdom of strategic retreat, Hiroshi handed over his hammer with a sheepish laugh. "I think we'd really appreciate your help, Mr. Loid. Thank you."
"Not a problem at all," Loid replied smoothly. "We're all friends here, and teamwork makes everything easier."
As the two men began working together with practiced efficiency, Shin-chan provided his own commentary on the proceedings.
"Papa really isn't very good at this kind of thing," he announced matter-of-factly, shaking his head with exaggerated disappointment.
WHACK!
Another impressive bump sprouted from Shin-chan's skull, courtesy of his mother's lightning-fast disciplinary reflexes.
"This whole mess is half your fault!" Misae scolded, her fist still clenched threateningly. "If you hadn't been 'helping' by hammering random stakes into the ground, we might actually have made some progress!"
"Hehe... sorry, Mama!" Shin-chan giggled nervously, already edging away from potential further retribution. "I think I'll go play with Kazama and the others now!"
Before Misae could respond, he had scampered off to join the other children, leaving only his cheerful voice floating back: "Have fun with the tent!"
Misae sighed deeply, watching her son's retreat with a mixture of frustration and resignation. "That child is going to be the death of me," she muttered.
At the same time, she couldn't help but feel grateful that Himawari had remained contentedly attached to Tezuka and the other tennis players throughout the journey. If both of her children had been causing chaos simultaneously, the family might have ended up sleeping under the stars tonight.