Hiker…

(6am - Day 3 Morning)

"MINNA! GET UP!" A very loud and excited Kaoru spoke walking around to each bivvy group making sure the other students where sitting up in their sleeping bags and/or placing their sneakers on ready to leave the warmth and "comfort" of their sleeping area.

"Kaoru enough for Kami's sake! We heard you the first time 20 minutes ago." Sano spoke annoyingly as he crawled over a curled up fox and Souzou, kicking him on his way past making sure he'd get up soon but left Megumi as she was.

Sano had woken up during the early hours of the morning to hear soft talking coming from the campfire, his ears picking up the voices of Misao and Aoshi. He stayed exactly were he was, not moving an inch, the position he was in was comfortable and Sano knew that if he moved a huge chill would spread its way through his sleeping bag making him shiver all over. He definitely didn't need that at all.

A sneeze had broken into Sano's thoughts that early morning and he opened his eyes slightly to look over at Megumi who was sitting up in her sleeping bag, the cold air not effecting her at all as she wrote something in a small notebook she brought with her. The green glow stick that was always placed up for Kaoru was enough light for Megumi to see the lines in her diary so she may write down whatever it was that she was thinking at that very moment or during the entire day when they were walking.

Sano remembered scaring the living daylights out of her when his hand reached out grabbing hers, a soft shriek escaping her lips and her head snapping to the left to look down at him in utter surprise. He had told her to go back to sleep. He told her that tomorrow would be a long day of hiking to make it to the next destination and to Sano's shock she had nodded her head in agreement. She finished up in her…diary was the only word Sano could think the notebook would be and she tucked it under the jumper she used as a pillow and closed her eyes falling back to sleep. Sano briefly smiled as she curled deeply into her sleeping bag, the covers moving over her head once more and he closed his eyes falling back to sleep as well.

"Now Sano yo-"

"Kaoru, will you help me collect firewood so we can build the fire so everyone can have coffee, tea or Hot Chocolate with their breakfast?" Kenshin spoke up breaking into the small 'motherly' speech Kaoru was going to dish out to Sano. Her cheeks turned slightly pink but she nodded her head in agreement and silently walked beside Kenshin heading further down the track to move to the designated area of were firewood could be taken from. Sano sighed happily, as Kenshin knew what Kaoru was going to do but had broken in on her to stop her from doing any such thing. He would absolutely thank Kenshin for doing that later on today.

"Yo Sano, you seen where Misao-chan headed off to?" Souzou spoke as he was now out of his sleeping bag and rolling it up so stuff it back into the small bag it came in. Souzou watched as Sano yawned loudly and scratched his already messy hair shaking his head negatively.

"I heard her get up, but don't know which way she went, possibly to the toilet maybe…" Sano replied back and placed on his sneakers looking back into the bivvy tent. The slightest bit of movement came from Megumi but that was only to dig deeper into the warmth of her sleeping bag. Sano shook his head and finally noticed Misao's sleeping bag had already been rolled up and placed into her bag, which was missing also. He watched as Souzou moved out of the bivvy tent, taking his relatively light pack with him and moving off to speak to the other guys waiting around for Kenshin and Kaoru to bring back firewood. He didn't seem worried at all now and so Sano didn't worry either. He was still intrigued though… Out of the corner of Sano's left eye he watched a figure coming closer, only to pass him heading in the direction they would be walking later on this morning.

"Aoshi-san?" Sano spoke facing the tall man who stopped walking, his hands in his trouser pockets, his black jacket zipped all the way up to his chin and what seemed to be a toothbrush hanging out of the side of his mouth. His hair was slightly ruffled from sleep and he hadn't bothered to brush it, which in any case Sano doubted any of the guys on this camping trip actually brought a brush or comb with them…maybe Kenshin, but he doubted that also.

"Nani?" Aoshi had replied softly, the long apricot coloured object in his mouth moving ever so slightly as he wondered over towards the young male student.

"Misao seems to be better but she is up already and backed her things leaving the tent without even telling us. Do you know where she is?" Sano watched as Aoshi shrugged his shoulders and crouched down peering into the tent to see the only sleeping figure left was Megumi.

"Probably gone to the toilet." Aoshi replied casually and Sano followed him with his eyes as he moved into the tent to sit beside Megumi. Sano watched as Aoshi placed out his bare hand towards Sano and spoke his quiet request, his eyes never leaving Megumi's, her head now out of the sleeping bag.

"Water…" A small smile crossed Sano's lips as he handed a bottle of water to Aoshi watching curiously at what he was going to do to his cousin. Aoshi unscrewed the lid off the bottle of water, cupping his bare hand and pouring some water into it. He placed the bottle beside him and poured the water over Megumi's face watching and hearing a loud scream escape her lips as she sat straight up in her sleeping bag fully awake now.

"About time Meg-chan." Aoshi spoke moving out of the tent and walking off further down the path they would be taking today to have some small peace and quiet to himself and to see if he could locate any of the species of plants he was looking for.

"I'LL GET YOU FOR THAT AOSHI!" A loud yell could be heard as Megumi vowed to get revenge somehow. A chuckle softly left Aoshi's lips, his hands tucking back into his trouser pockets and his long bangs swaying across his face as he shook his head lightly. Soft coughing to the right of Aoshi broke into the peaceful silence of the forest and he headed off in the direction making sure that the student wouldn't drift too far away from the others. The coughing got louder one of the students not fairing well in this cold weather.

"Is everything all ri-" Aoshi was cut from his question as the student he saw was the one he had actually been thinking of, but definitely not in the state she was in at the moment. Misao sat on a fallen tree trunk, her pack at her feet and was bent over wrapping up her blistered feet. What had been surprising was the fact she was wearing her blue/purple long pants and…just a black sports bra, Aoshi noting goosebumps forming over her creamy bare skin. Between Aoshi swiftly turning his back on Misao to give her what little privacy she had left and a small 'Eep' escaping her lips as she scurried to get her jumper to cover herself with, Aoshi tried to apologise and explain at the same time while Misao's half clothed image flashed through his mind.

"I'm sorry Misao… I heard coughing and came to investigate… I didn't know you'd be…changing… I apologise for not making my presence known before coming over to check." Misao quickly placed her now dry black skivvy top back on and her blue/purple top over the top and hurriedly placed her sneakers back on hoping her embarrassed blush was down to a minimum.

There had been a small queue for the female toilet and Misao couldn't be bothered waiting and instead headed off to find a small-secluded area to check on her growing blisters and to change back into her usual clothing she was going to wear during the day. Obviously the spot she picked wasn't secluded enough and now one of her instructors had walked over to check on her and Misao practically died inside when she realised it was Aoshi.

After several moments of silence between the two, Misao really couldn't blame him because he was giving up his time to help out Tokio-san and the fact that it was his job along with Tokio-san's and Kenshin-san's to make sure all the students were looked after and healthy.

"Iie Aoshi…you were just…doing your job and well it was silly of me to be this far away and all so… Well anyway there is nothing that can reverse time to change what has occurred and so lets just forget it every happened shall we?" Misao had stood up, her sneakers back on, her feet not hurting so much anymore and picked up her pack walking hurriedly passed Aoshi to head back to the main area for some much needed Hot Chocolate and cereal.

Aoshi watched Misao's figure weave in and out of the trees heading back to camp at an incredibly fast pace. A small smirk crossed Aoshi's lips as he leaned against the trunk of a large tree watching Misao's back disappear back down the pathway. He knew she was trying to act in a mature and civilised way but he could feel her anger and embarrassment. The flaming redness on her cheeks as she raced passed him was a tell tale sign once again of what had occurred between them. That was one small incident that would be with Aoshi for quite some time now.

"MINNA-SAN! BREAKFAST!" Aoshi heard Kaoru's loud voice yell, wanting all students to move towards the campfire to eat. To think someone was this happy at six in the morning was just ludicrous…on second thoughts…Kenshin was happy non-stop. No wander Aoshi thought they made such a good couple. There was still hope for his slightly dense friend after all. Aoshi would have to speak to Souzou and/or Misao on this matter. Something had to be done about his best friend and Kaoru. Aoshi knew when two people clicked instantly and Kenshin and Kaoru were just that. The chemistry they shared was…how could Aoshi place it… phenomenal maybe? Aoshi nodded his head slightly, heading back to the campsite. His plants would just have to wait for the moment, there was still time to embarrass Kenshin after all.

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To be continued…

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Authors Notes: I thought that was a nice place to leave it. I know its short Minna-san, but well the evening will be long because it'll have all four couples in it. Kenshin/Kaoru, Aoshi/Misao, Sano/Megumi and Souzou/? (Haven't got anyone for him yet. Who should it be Minna-san…my own character yes?)

With this chapter, since its all walking…you really don't need me to tell you that yeah they walked for approximately 12 kilometres that day to reach the next destination, to come close to the area of where they will be rock climbing and abseiling. The day after that, the night actually, the group will meet up with Saitou's and well...do prepare for Aoshi leaving…he doesn't like Saitou very much…since he did still his Tokio…so to speak…it'll be explained later on…when he accidentally slips it out speaking with Misao…what a baka…

Don't mind me…I'll let little things slip out now and then. I'm just trying to recover my aching legs from going bush walking for 10 hours…ITAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was the best source, it certainly brought some memories out for this story of what happened on my camping tip (the activities…not helpers…) Hmmmmmmm I'd LOVE if Aoshi was on my camping trip and was MY instructor… *hehehehehe*

Ja Ne… please keep reading my fics…they won't end soon but I'm always jotting things down of what to place in the next chapters for all my unfinished stories…and new ones too.