Next chapter! YAY! And it's a long one...

Summary: When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating boy to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Not Kingdom Hearts, not Riku, not Sora, not Roxas, not even Axel. Just Alysa. Figures I get the crazy one.

Author's Note: OHMYGOD. Twenty one reviews in ONE WEEK? AND I get to be in the AkuRoku C2, which is one of my favorite C2s EVER?

You guys have outdone yourselves. You make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Let's keep it up, shall we? –wink-

Reviewers:

Lily Vendrum: Yes, my counselors are quite nuts, and that makes me excited. Can't you just see Axel being the kind of pyro that is proud of his burn marks?

Sekre: Hahaha. Oh yes, Riku is a total man-slut. But he can change…right? We're unfortunately leaving the bunk beds behind, so I think the proper question is who will get to share a sleeping bag first? My lips are sealed.

Abnormally Weird Person: Oh, the cheesiness is totally intentional. And also, sadly, based off true events (mostly. hehe)

NaruFreak: Ohmygod. That review MADE my day. I have a friend I think you would really get along with (she makes great owls). Maybe sea-salt ice cream will come, but defiantly not Olette and Pence. I'm having enough trouble splitting dialogue between eight people…ehhh…

My Hidden Story: O.o I didn't even know they MADE biscuits with mints in the middle. How awesome is THAT?

Kyrene Once Blood Roses: Unfortunately, not all camps can be populated by fun slashy boys. Only my imaginary camps. In my head. Yes. And who could resist Riku? No one. Well, Sora couldn't. Mwahaha.

apie: to everything you said: oh HELLS yeah.

Alicia: of course I'll do complimentary ones too. But if you leave a psychotic review, it makes it easier for me to think up witty commentary to reply here with. Yay!

AngelicOrqueil: I have almost no idea what you said. But bonus points for being the first reviewer to leave me a rap. Yay for you!

Alright, let me tell you something; it was really fun to write this chapter. My ideas keep getting better and better, and I already have some of the most important –coughcough- scenes played out in my head. So thanks for giving me an opportunity to write this…it makes me happyful. Yes, I realize that's not a word.

And to begin with a rude awakening…

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If Sora had thought seven o'clock was bad, he was woefully under-prepared for wakeup the next morning, just as dawn was brushing the tops of the pine trees.

"Bananas? You have got to be joking," a hazy voice rang out. Sora frowned into his pillow and pulled his blankets up around his ears. Stupid dream voices. Always being so noisy and female.

"Hey! Banana boys! Wakey wakey!"

Something cried out from the bunk below Sora, and there was a sound like a lot of weight hitting the floor.

"Ooops. Sorry, Roxas. Didn't mean to scare you."

"You're not allowed to be in here." Roxas' voice swam up to Sora's ears. It sounded muffled, as if he was speaking into the floor.

"How else was I supposed to get your sleepy asses into the van? Speaking of which…"

Sora, who had been yawning and preparing to turn over and fall back asleep, was rudely awakened as first his blankets, then his pillow, were snatched away.

"Hey!" he protested with eyes still closed, reaching out blindly. "Gimme those back."

"Not in this lifetime, kid."

Sora cracked open ocean-blue eyes to see….Alysa?

"GAHH!" he said, jumping backward so fast he hit the opposite wall. He twisted around frantically, trying to find something, anything to cover up his bare chest and boxers. For the love of god, WHY hadn't he chosen pajamas?

Alysa, meanwhile, was trying her best not to laugh as she watched her small charge thrash around, finally ripping the bottom sheet off his bunk and wrapping himself in it, staring at her with wide, indignant eyes.

"Alysa! You're…you're…this is a boy's cabin…and I'm not wearing anything!" he squeaked indignantly.

"Nothing I haven't seen before, kid. But if it's such a big deal I'll go wait in the van. Be out in five minutes, or I barge in here despite your state of dress- or rather, undress. Got me?"

"Yes," said Sora, rather grouchily.

"Good. And you might want to help you buddy up. I seem to have…erm…scared him."

"Not scared. I was surprised. Surprised."

"Sure….." Alysa drawled, then swept through the door.

Sora pulled himself to the corner of his punk, peering down. Roxas lay facedown on the floor, blankets twined around his slim frame. With only a tuft of blond hair visible, he resembled a rather fuzzy caterpillar.

"Ummm…." said Sora, covering a giggle with his hand.

"Not. One. Word." Roxas said, pulling himself up and grimacing.

Sora had only been up five minutes, but this trip was already interesting.

-----

When Sora and Roxas emerged four and a half minutes later, sleeping backs thrown over their shoulders and yawning, they were met with the sight of what appeared to be a large gray whale parked in front of their cabin. Doug and Alysa leaned against the outside, Doug chatting nonstop to Alysa, who was staring off into space. Her gaze swiveled around to meet her two sleep-tousled campers and she cracked a grin.

"Good timing," she said with a grin. "Off to get the other two head cases!"

"Alysa, I really don't think we should refer to our campers as…"

"Just get in the car, Doug."

-----

Sora and Roxas clambered into the van and took the middle seats, right behind a very sleepy, and very non-communicative, Kairi and Hayner. Kairi was staring out the window with a vacant expression in her eyes and Hayner had already conked out again, his head titled back and faint snores issuing from his open mouth.

"They're...umm…not morning people," Roxas explained in a whisper as Hayner mumbled something in his sleep and swatted an imaginary enemy.

"I don't think I am, either," Sora mumbled, pushing past his friend to claim the window seat. If he was going to be stuck in this car for eight hours, he at least wanted something pretty to look at.

They drove a down another beaten path for a few sleepy minutes, pulling to a stop in front of another cabin. Everything was quiet; it was the epitome of a peaceful, sleepy morning.

"I'll go get them," Alysa said with a wicked grin, and shot out of the car before Doug could stop her.

A few tense minutes later, the idyllic woodland atmosphere was broken by a scream.

"Holy SHIT! ALYSA!"

"Now, is that anyway way to greet your counselor, Axel?" came Alysa's sarcastic drawl, and Sora could almost picture her wide, shark-like smile.

Doug covered his face with his hands.

It was a sleepy and chastised Axel that emerged after a few more minutes, followed by Riku, who looked, to Sora's infuriation, fresh as a daisy. The two piled their bags in the back and, with a few sleepy scowls in their direction, took their seats in the last row of the van, directly behind Sora and Roxas.

Alysa hopped into the front seat, looking very pleased with herself.

"And I thought you guys had it bad with bananas. These poor souls have been dubbed 'the woodchucks'."

She shot an evil grin into the rearview mirror. "Everyone buckled? Good. Then let's get this show on the road!"

She pushed the clutch into 'Drive' and stepped on the accelerator. Rocks and dirt shot out from beneath the spinning wheels as they shot down the main road and out of the camp, onto the main access road. Doug, in the shotgun seat, was hanging on to his seatbelt and peering worriedly at the speedometer.

"Alysa, I think you should know the speed limit here is…"

"SO!" Alysa said, deliberately cutting him off. "Welcome, one and all, to Velma the Van. She is large, she is old, and she is grouchy, rather like my Aunty Myrtle. I hope you will enjoy riding in her, since she will be your home for the next fun-filled eight hours!"

"I think someone lost their virginity back here," Axel said dryly, inspecting a curious stain on the cushion.

"Better ask Riku. Anything look familiar? The upholstery, the...ceiling?" Roxas said with a bitter smirk, twisting around to face the silver-haired boy.

"I don't suppose we're allowed to attack fellow occupants?" Rikuasked coolly, returning the glare.

"That would be a big no-no. Save it for when we make camp; you two can be our entertainment tonight. Our very own WWF! Riku, you might want to use scare tactics. Roxas doesn't handle loud noises very well. "

"Alysa!"

"Oh Doug, get used to it."

It was going to be a long trip, Sora thought to himself as he watched Doug gulp and reach for his handhold as Alysa took a particularly aggressive turn. Roxas and Riku were still glaring behind him. Axel had scooted forward so as to be farther away from the stain, and as a result he and Roxas were now practically bumping heads. Only disaster could ensue.

Yes. It was going to be a -very- long trip.

--------

They managed to maintain a quiet peace during breakfast, seeing as their mouths were too full to insult each other. Munching on a strawberry pop-tart, Sora rubbed the sleep from his eyes and was just congratulating himself on a full half-hour without a fight when Roxas piped up from next to him, "Can we change the station, please? This song is making my head hurt."
Sora, who had been vaguely humming along, listened closer and discovered it was none other "Hollaback Girl," by Gwen Stefani. He recoiled in horror.

"I rather like it," Axel said, bobbing around to the beat and accidentally head-butting Roxas in the process.

Holding his forehead, Roxas cursed. "Well, no one care what you like, so it's all settled then. Alysa?"

"Oh, but we haven't even gotten to the Bananas part. I thought that would be your favorite."

"Alysa...PLEASE?"

She heaved a dramatic sigh. "Fine. If you insist."

She twiddled the knob on the radio and an Atreyu song filled the loudspeakers of the van. Immediately, a calm smile settled over Roxas' features and he slid back in his seat, humming and occasionally mimicking the loud, roaring noises that were coming over the loudspeaker.

They all sat for a few moments in awkward silence as the main singer screamed and yelled and made weird guttural throat noises that made the whole car shake. Kairi's eyes were getting progressively wider and wider, and Sora could have sworn he heard the singer scream something about stabbing…or pigs…or stabbing.

Hayner still hadn't woken up.

Predictably, it was Axel who spoke first, shouting to be heard over the din.

"Is anyone else receiving strange impulses to choke people?"

"Yes. You." Roxas said from beneath gritted teeth.

"Besides that…is anyone picking up mild hints of…violence? I don't think this is a good influence for us, Alysa," Axel said, working to keep his face straight.

"You're probably right," Alysa said with a sign, looking more relived than anything. Despite Roxas' protests, she twiddled the dial some more, and Sora could hear the first roaring strains of his favorite Green Day song. Before he could tell her to leave it here, he heard an unpleasantly familiar voice say, "I love this band! Let it play, Alysa!"

Sora turned around, flabbergasted. Riku liked the same music he did?

"Figures you would like them," Roxas said with a shudder.

"And it figures that you would like metal."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, just an observation."

"What are you observing?"

"Nothing."

There was a moment of silence as the two glared at each other. Axel placed a cautious hand on Riku's shoulder, looking at Roxas once more. "Hey, ease up. Long ride ahead."

"I just always thought you were more of an…emo person myself." Riku said with a deadly glint in his eye.

"WHY YOU…!"

They grappled furiously for a few moments with Sora and Axel trying to pull them off each other. Doug was waving his hands frantically and uselessly, and Alysa was shouting very loudly, "GUYS! I SAID, WAIT UNTIL TONIGHT!"

Kairi snorted dismissively and turned to look back out the window.

And Hayner still hadn't woken up.

They scuffled for a few more seconds before Alysa, reaching the end of her very short rope, said, "FINE! IF YOU WANT TO FIGHT ABOUT IT, HERE!"

She twisted the radio dial viciously, and something that sounded suspiciously like a folk guitar started to play.

They were all stunned into inaction by the noise, so when the warbly-voiced man started to sing about his horse, his dog, and his woman, it was perfectly, and horribly, audible. Roxas, who had an arm draped around Axel's neck, attempting to push him off, froze in horror. Riku sat stunned and open mouthed, and Sora was trying to plug his ears with his shirt. None of it worked. The horrible melodies went on, and on, and-

Cut off.

Alysa smiled sheepishly from the front. "That was one punishment even I couldn't take."

"We should…we should probably leave the radio off, for now," said Doug weakly.

Alysa nodded and glared sternly back at her charges. "One more incident like that, and it'll be techno. And you might want to detangle yourselves," she said with a small smile.

Roxas, suddenly noticing where his arm was, yanked it back with enough force to send Axel slamming into the window.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

"Sorry," Roxas said, not looking very sorry at all.

They all fell into a moody silence, doing everything but staring at each other.

"I can't believe we got stuck with you two," Roxas said after a moment, burrowing his tousled head into his hands.

"Right back atcha," Riku said, distaste lining every feature.

"Hey, kids, kids! Those are not nice words…" Doug said earnestly, staring back at them.

"You bet they aren't." Roxas mumbled under his breath.

"And as a group, we should learn to get along! What do you say?"

No one said anything, just stared at him in disbelieving silence.

"Ok…" Doug said, running a hand through his curly locks. "Let's try this. I learned it at counseling seminar. Roxas, you go first. Tell me exactly what you don't like about Axel and Riku. Then Riku will go. Then we will attempt to sort out—"

"I think Riku is a pompous asshole who can't see for even one second that other people might have other opinions, hobbies, or interests. He is so self-centered, he can't stop flipping his goddamn hair in the wind, and he INSISTS on bragging about each and every sexual encounter he has. And Axel is a spaz who goes along with it."

Doug blinked.

"I'm kind of hurt, Rox. I'm don't think I'm a spaz…"

But Riku cut his redheaded friend off. "Well ROXAS is a self-serving, 'I am holier than thou' stubborn metal-head who won't listen to people when they try to apologize, won't grow up and take things like a man, and refuses to stop squealing with disgust whenever I tell him about girls. And Sora…Sora looks like he's thirteen, and he's giggly, and also goes along with it." Riku's aquamarine eyes settled on Sora, then flicked away.

"Well," Doug said, a bit breathlessly. "Now let's analyze these problems and…"

"Oh, give it a rest." Alysa said from her perch behind the wheel. "You asked for it, now give it up before you really get in over your head."

Doug raised a finger, looked as though he was about to speak, decided better of it, and slumped back in his seat. And the car was silent again.

Sora stared at out the flat gray expanse of highway, and the forests stretching away beyond that. There was a crack in the glass that obscured most of his vision, but he really wasn't focused on that.

He felt as if he had been slapped. He knew Riku and he had never exactly been friends; far from it. But when he had said those things, something inside Sora had wrenched apart. He didn't know quite what it was; he could only assume it had something to do with the fact that he had never been around someone who clearly hated him so much. And he didn't know why he cared. Sure, he had been thinking, for a few minutes, that all the insults and teasing were friendly, but it was clear that they ran much deeper than that. And, he thought, stiffening his shoulders, I don't care. He and Axel can go over and be mature and older looking, and Roxas and I can have fun by ourselves.

There was silence in the car for another hour.

-------

Finally, Kairi had decided that looking out the window was not quite captivating enough for her attentions and had reached into her bag, emerging with the latest issue of a popular teen magazine. She dove into it eagerly, leaving Sora with a view of the cover girl, a bubbly blond who encouraged him to try her summer hairstyles- hairspray free!

No thanks.

Roxas and Riku still were pretending the other didn't exist, and even though Axel and had weakly tried to initiate conversation, the glares Roxas shot him shut him up pretty quickly. The mood in the car was positively stormy, and they had another three hours to go.

Alysa peeked in the rear-view mirror to see four grumpy faces staring back at her. Then her gaze landed on the teen magazine Kairi was reading. One particular headline jumped out at her. She smirked; a terrifying sight.

"Hey, Kairi!"

Kairi's auburn head popped up from between the pages. "Hmm?"

"Secret girl chat time, now. Get up here," Alysa said, patting the space behind her.

"Ok…" Kairi said, unbuckling her seatbelt and sidling up until she was crouching behind Alysa's chair. They had a whispered conference as Sora watched, wondering what they were up to. When they broke apart, they wore identical grins.

Uh-oh.

"Hey, guys!" Kairi announced, waving the magazine sinisterly. "I have an idea for a game."

"What sort of game?" said Riku warily.

"A fun one."

"Uhuh."

"And anyone who doesn't want to play, gets to listen to Vanilla Ice," said Alysa from the front seat.

They all shuddered in unison.

"How do we play this…game?" Riku said. It looked as if he was in pain.

"Well, the thing is…" Kairi said, and flipping through the glossy pages of her magazine. "It's more like a…quiz."

She held out a page. Bold pink lettering on the top proclaimed, "Opposites Attract! Who will you fall in love with? The Complete Quiz!"

She winked at the four terrified faces in front of her. "So, who's first?"

-------

"Roxas, you are totally meant for a Sagittarius man!"

"Shut up, Axel."

"But then again, I'm a Capricorn, so…"

"Shut UP, Axel!"

"Touchy, touchy. Just like a Leo."

Roxas ground his fists in frustration and tossed the magazine back to Kairi. "Next question. Let's get this over with," he said, taking deep breaths.

She smirked at him and read on. "When your man asks you to come out for a bite, you immediately hope that your dinner dates takes place in….

A- A diner- you like the casual atmosphere

B- A steakhouse- you're not afraid to dig into a big hunk of meat!

C- A five star restaurant- you have expensive tastes

D- The bedroom- why even go out?

"Does anyone else notice anything…sexual, about this magazine's quizzes?" Sora said, feeling very uncomfortable.

"Shut up and answer the question."

He withered under Kairi's gaze. "Umm…a steakhouse."

"Sora likes his big hunks of meat," Axel said with a wink, then yelped in pain as Roxas hit him.

"You next," Kairi said, her gaze boring a hole in Roxas. Alysa, in the front, was cracking up so hard she was swerving into the next lane. Doug had his hands over his head and was muttering something; probably a prayer.

"A diner," he said grudgingly.

"Funny, me too!" came a voice from the back.

Roxas buried his head in his hands. "Axel…please…just shut up."

"And that leaves Riku…" Kairi said, turning toward the silver haired boy. "Let me make a bold guess…is it D?"

"Actually, no."

Sora and Roxas let out simultaneous snorts of disbelief.

"You don't want to get food on the sheets," Riku said, mustering up a look of innocence. "Probably B or C."

"Oo…Riku also likes his big hunks of me—OWW. Why does everyone keep hitting me?"

"Because you wont. Shut. Up." Roxas said, slamming his head into the cushions for emphasis.

"Well, that's the last one," Kairi said, and everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. She appeared to be counting on her fingers, brow wrinkled in concentration.

"It looks like she's doing rocket science," Sora whispered to Roxas.

"Well, this is pressing information," Roxas said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Alright! Everyone quiet for the results!"

"I can't wait!" Alysa said, bouncing on her seat. The car gave a shuddering moan and she stopped immediately, looking around warily.

"Axel's perfect man is no pushover! He'll stick up for himself in any situation, and while he's perfectly content to take charge, he'll let you lead once in awhile as well. Though he may appear to have a temper, he's a real softy inside."

"My man sounds so dreamy!" Axel said, and mock-swooned out of sight.

"Riku…your perfect man is a sensitive charmer. Though at first you wouldn't be drawn to his cute gifts and simple charms (you usually like the bad boys!) you will find yourself hooked within the week. Never let this cutie go!"

Riku rolled his eyes.

"Roxas…your man is a fun-loving adventurer! Though you might be turned off by his boundless energy at first, you'll soon come to love his undying abandon for you and his determination to get you to that perfect show or dinner date."

"I can hardly breathe for excitement," said Roxas dryly.

"And Sora…your perfect man is the unapproachable rebel. Even though at first he may seem distant and aloof, his true feelings will shine through, and you'll never be happier than when he's taking you to meet his skate buddies or ripping down the slopes."

"I don't even skateboard," Sora wondered aloud to himself.

"Don't worry, your dream boy will teach you," Riku said with a grin.

Sora shot him a glare.

"Are we done now?" Roxas said, ignoring them.

"Yes," Alysa said. "And I don't know about you all, but I really have to make a visit to the little lady's room, especially after that." Without waiting for an answer, she turned off the highway on a Maine exit and followed the road for a few miles, until they came to a scenic point by the water.

When Velma rolled to a stop, there was a mad push for the doors as the smell of fresh air beckoned. Everyone rolled out at once and caught their breath, staring around.

They were at a scenic point by a lake. They were on a low cliff, about eight feet above the water, that curved into a placid cove a few yards down the shore. Birds chirped somewhere above, and the air was warm and humid. And most importantly, there was a tiny little Port-a-Potty off to the side, which Alysa darted into with a gleeful yell.

After six hours in the car, Sora was more than glad for an opportunity to stretch his legs. He wandered away from the others (Hayner had finally woken up, to a rousing chorus of, "You're not dead!") to see the view more clearly, rocks crunching under the soles of his shoes. He took a place on the edge of the cliff, trying not to get too close to the unprotected edge.

It was truly a beautiful sight. The lake stretched out, glassy and calm, seemingly into infinity, framed by the tall, spiky plumes of verdant green trees. The bright noon sun burned down from the sky, warming his face and bringing the color back into his cheeks.

So focused was he on the sights that, for the second time in two days, he failed to notice someone sneaking up behind him.

So when two hands clapped around his waist, he was most defiantly surprised.

He struggled and kicked and wiggled, but the large hands wouldn't let him go. He was moving closer and closer to the short drop….and he closed his eyes, prepared for the splash.

That never came.

He opened his eyes to find his feet still on solid ground, and two hands still wrapped tightly around his waist. He didn't move. What was going on? The hands were large and warm…

He twisted around, only to meet Riku's aquamarine eyes once again. The other boy had a curious expression on his face that Sora couldn't quite read. Instead, he stared into Sora's eyes, the same color as the water behind him. A long moment passed. Sora's breath was coming short- from shock, he supposed.

"Riku…" Sora finally managed to gasp out. "What are you doing?"

Riku's hands fled his waist with alarming speed, returning to his pockets. Riku's face took on its characteristic smirk. "Well, I was going to drop you in again. But since you were being such a baby about it…"

Sora opened his mouth, confused, but before he could reply a shouted voice met his ears.

"HEY! YOU'RE HOLDING UP THE VAN! STOP DANCING AND GET BACK HERE, WE STILL HAVE TWO HOURS TO GO!"

Alysa.

Riku turned away without a word and began to jog back to the van. Sora, blushing only a little bit, followed without hesitation, deciding he would figure that out…whatever that was…later.

Alysa surveyed the two boys running back toward her and smiled a little bit, a twinkle in her eye.

There was still so much fun to have.

------

Mwahahahah –evil laugh-

There's your sign of sexual tension #1. Many more to follow.

About the music thing- I acually likethe Atreyu.I just happen to have friends who don't, so I know the reactions.

About the quiz thing- Hahah. I'm so sorry. I just had to put that in there. Not like the results were too obvious, or anything...

So Riku and Roxas really hate each other…I don't really know why. I get the distant idea that it was a ruined friendship or something, but I'll resolve that later…for now they just get to bicker like idiots. Yay!

Next Chapter: We arrive (finally)! Setting up camp, pitching tents, cooking dinner on an open fire…all more good opportunities for chaotic fun…

Reviews make me smile. You want to make me smile, don't you? Well, don't you?