Sequoia Coast dynamite

Of course Hide said yes. Another mission? They'd had so much fun on the first! Or, well, Hide had had fun, for the most part, because he had met Orochi and that was probably the greatest thing that had ever happened to him. Orochi was fun, challenging, smart, brave... Hide didn't think he was imagining the warm feeling he got when he was talking to the other boy. But they hadn't had a lot of time to just talk recently, and since Orochi's demotion, Hide didn't think it was the best time to bring it up.

But maybe this was a better opportunity to talk to his friend about the way he had been feeling recently. Hide doubted that Orochi was one for soft, mushy talk, but it was the orange boy's goal to force him into one. And who knew, really - Orochi could feel the same about him, in return.

He didn't think anyone else would have the other boy pressed against their side for warmth. That was most likely reserved for Hide.

So, yeah, he was pretty excited for this trip.

Or, he was, until they got about halfway down the land bridge. 

It was so frigidly cold, and the snow was so deep, it was taking most of Hide's energy to just keep walking. He'd never been more grateful for Orochi's stable presence than he was right now, because not only was his sense of smell dulled by the snow, but his hearing was getting drowned out by the ocean. The only solid thing he had to hold onto was Orochi.

"It... it'll be fine!" he tried to reassure, though it was getting difficult to keep his feet under him as the waves began to rise. It was a vicious onslaught, knocking him off balance and sending him sliding away from Orochi.

And then, he couldn't hear his friend anymore. 

Hide struggled to keep his balance, sightless eyes round with terror as he fought to keep from panicking. "Orochi?" he called, and received no response. Another wave hit, and he just barely managed to keep himself from getting dragged out to sea. 

Where Orochi had gone.

"No... no!" he cried, taking several frantic steps forward as he sought out his friend. He called for him, for what felt like eternity, but could really only have been a few agonizing moments.

He had never felt more alone.

The next big wave that hit dragged Hide out after his friend. Water filled his ears and nose first, robbing him of his hearing and scent. The world was spinning as he was caught in the current, fighting to try and keep his head above water.

It was hopeless. He knew that, on some level, but it still took his lungs screaming for air for several minutes before he finally took in his first gulp of water.

Burning saltwater flooded his lungs, and his body began to still. In his last coherent moments, he began to relax.

This isn't so bad...

It was quiet. Calm. He could barely feel anything anymore.

His eyes fell shut.

In those last seconds, before his soul left his body, he thought he heard someone calling his name.

And then he was gone.