Lone Wolf: Chapter 4. Sorry for the long wait. I can't believe it's been a month. Thanks to karika88, AzNAnGeL07, Whitezetsu, and takari freek for reviewing.

Chapter 4: Swimming at the Lake P.1

Rika awoke at about nine the next morning, feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead. The Tamers were supposedly going to the lake for a swim. Sunlight lit up the room with its cheerful rays. Rika looked across the room at Ryo's bed. It was neatly made, Ryo nowhere in sight. "Good morning Pumpkin!" Ryo said, standing up. He had been kneeling by her bedside the entire time. Dressed in a white t-shirt and blue jean shorts, Ryo had already eaten breakfast and brushed his teeth. Rika caught herself staring. He just seemed extra cute today, although to anyone else he looked exactly the same. His hair was the usual, the two locks drooping on his forehead. 'Ugh. Just shut up and go away, you stupid conscience,' Rika thought to herself. 'Well I don't exactly have a choice. I'm stuck in here,' her conscience replied. She tried glaring at it but of course, we all know that glaring at your conscience is impossible. Realizing this, Rika gave up.

Rika sat up and threw her fist at Ryo's face, stopping just before it hit its target. "Don't do that again. Or else," she threatened. "Oh, fine," Ryo responded, pouting. She climbed out of bed and grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of shorts along with her swim suit. Turns out the t-shirt just so happened to be white and the shorts were blue denim. Rika didn't notice any of this as she got dressed in the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and returned to her room, putting her pajamas away and making her bed. Finishing the small task, Rika headed downstairs. She'd been expecting to have to make her own breakfast as it was still early. Instead she found each seat at the table, minus one, set with utensils and cups, along with a bottle of syrup in the center. Ryo came out of the kitchen with a plate of pancakes and a carton of juice which he handed to Rika. She muttered a thanks and he smiled, pulling out a chair for her. She glared at him while he pulled out the chair at the seat that wasn't set and sat down. "I hope you're not trying to poison me," Rika said, taking a bite. "Course not. I'd never do something like that," Ryo replied, a little surprised. "So is it good?" he asked her after she had swallowed. Rika's conscience was yelling 'Hell yeah!' but what came out of her mouth was "It's okay." Ryo smiled even though he was hoping to receive a yes. 'Well at least she didn't say it's horrible,' he thought to himself.

The others awoke soon after, changing out of their pajamas and brushing their teeth, following their noses towards the dining room and kitchen. Rika had finished eating already and was sitting on the couch in the living room watching TV. Ryo had placed a large plate stacked with pancakes next to the syrup; the Tamers could serve themselves. Hopefully they'd get enough. Kazu and Kenta ate so much, it was a miracle that they weren't fat. Ryo was also watching TV.

Jeri smiled, "Aww. You two look so cute! You guys match." Everyone looked at her. It had came out of nowhere. The only sound had been coming from the TV and Kazu and Kenta stuffing their mouths. The Tamers followed her eyes and x marked its spot on Ryo and Rika. Takato chuckled and Henry sighed. Rika looked at Ryo, then at herself. She looked down and figured it out. White t-shirt. Blue jean shorts. Leave it to Jeri to point something like this out. She sighed. Kazu and Kenta were confused. "I don't get it," Kazu stated. There was a long, long pause. "Oh! I get it!" Kenta yelled. Everyone gave him 'what the hell' faces. It shocked them how slow the two boys were.

"Jeri, whats your point?" Rika asked, annoyed. "That you guys match and that you look so cute," Jeri answered. "Oh, just let it go. Both of you," Henry said. It was too early in the morning for them to start bickering again. "Yeah. It was just a coincidence. Right, Wildcat?" Ryo said, joining the conversation. "Yeah, a coincidence Jeri and Akiyama, don't call me that again." Henry finished eating his pancakes. "Well, if you guys are done arguing and the rest of you are done eating, can we go to the lake? Preferably sometime soon," he said, exhausted already. If the entire vacation was going to be like this, he would rather go home.

A few minutes later everyone finished eating. The walk to the lake was about half an hour; they could swim as soon as they got there. "Oh! We could have a picnic," Jeri said happily. "Come on Takato. You can help." "Oh, alright," Takato said, following her into the kitchen. "We'll each carry our own towel. Goggles if you want. Suzie get the suntan lotion," Henry took charge. "Kay," his younger sister replied. Ryo headed towards the staircase. "Want me to get your towel too?" he asked, directing the question at Rika. "No thanks. The last thing I want you to do is go through my stuff," she answered, following him up. "Kazu, Kenta, if you guys are going to eat a lot, bring some of your own snacks," Henry told them. "Yes, sir," the two saluted, going to their room, grabbing a plastic bag from the kitchen along the way. Henry went to his own room to get his towel.

"So the last thing you'd want me to do is go through your stuff?" Ryo asked, smiling. Having reached the hall, they were walking side by side now. Rika ignored him. "You wouldn't mind if I did this?" he questioned, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. She froze. They were outside of their room now. Thankfully, everyone was downstairs. Rika could feel her blood rushing to her face. "You're looking a bit red, Pumpkin." Ryo left her side and entered the room.

Jeri and Takato were making a dozen sandwiches. Some were peanut butter and jelly, some were ham, others were chicken, and one was tuna. (A/N: Ew, tuna. No offense to anyone who likes it of course. Honestly, I've never even tried it. It just smells weird. I'll shut up now.) Each sandwich was cut diagonally in half, forming twenty-four halves. Jeri grabbed a basket while Takato got some napkins. (A/N: Or not. Wow. That place has everything. The basket I mean.) They packed the basket and went upstairs to get their own towels and in Takato's case, goggles.

Kenta had returned to the kitchen to get another plastic bag. He and Kazu had already filled up the first bag with potato chips, cookies, and other junk foods. Kazu walked to the living room where Jeri had left the basket. He peered inside the wicker container. Sandwiches. To himself he wondered, 'Where're the drinks?' He yelled. "Takato, you idiot. You forgot to pack drinks. What will we do if we get thirsty? Don't you have a brain?" Takato ran down the steps, goggles around his neck, towel in hand. "Oops," he said lamely.

About fifteen minutes later, the Tamers were out of the house and on their way to the lake. Five minutes after they started walking, "Are we there yet?" came out of Kazu and Kenta's mouths. Had Rika not been carrying her towel in one hand and a two liter bottle of soda in the other, she would've punched them. Of course, she could always hit them with the bottle but let us just say she was in a 'nice' mood.

After endless complaints from Kazu and Kenta, the Tamers finally reached their destination. It was a little before one. The sun was at its highest point. To everyone's relief, minus Rika and Ryo, there were trees providing shade. They all pulled off their t-shirts and shorts, and after being forced to put on sun screen by Jeri, jumped into the warm water of the lake. (A/N: They had their swimming suits on underneath, okay?) They had most of their side of the lake to themselves. The lake was big, other groups were spread out a distance away from them, Rika was satisfied.

There was splashing. There was racing. There was eating. There was conversation. Everyone enjoyed themselves, but we'll go into more detail on that next time.

Lone Wolf: If I didn't stop there, it would've taken another month.
Hiei: Review. Usually if she gets a decent amount, she feels guilty and she'll update sooner. Of course she is trying to keep three stories going.
Lone Wolf: Chapter 5 after Chapter 2 of Ice and Chapter 7 of HKISA. Ja.