On the way to camp, the girls inside the bus continued to sing the National Anthem of Camp Caprice for as long as possible as everyone knew the words... except for maybe Courtney and Dakota.
"At Camp Caprice, price, price, we don't say mooses, we say meece, and we feel proud, proud, proud as we sing our song aloud, And every morning, morning, morning, as a new day's dawning, dawning, we are proud, proud, proud, so we sing our song aloud, We come in peace, peace, peace, we're the girls of Camp Caprice, and we feel proud, proud, proud, so we sing our song aloud~"
"It's very annoying." Courtney chuckled as she tried to interrupt the song after a while.
"One more time!" Tootie cheered.
"Does this happen a lot?" Dakota asked Zoey.
"More times than I would like to admit," Zoey replied. "Don't worry though, we're almost there."
Dakota nodded as she glanced out the window as that seemed to be true as the front gates of Camp Caprice were coming into view right now. The campers all cheered once they saw that they finally made it over to their summer camp.
Soon, the girls came off of the bus and gathered their things as they got ready to go to their very first meeting in camp. They were met by a brunette woman who wore her hair in ponytails and also wore a purple visor along with a tan pocket shirt and a whistle around her neck. She also wore brown shorts with white socks and brown shoes.
"And I'm thinking I see some new faces out there!" The brunette woman known as Margie announced from the front of the center of the campground. "Hi, new faces! Hi! And also some familiar ones! Hi!"
"We've been standing here for hours," Courtney complained. "I'm ready for my masseuse."
"It's only been five minutes." Ginger whispered to the rich girl.
"And I don't know how else to tell you this, but there's no masseuse around here." Zoey added.
Courtney gasped and looked wide-eyed in dismay to find that out.
"And now for last year's 'Guppies', now entering the 'Sunfish' age group..." Margie began to announce.
"Oh! That's us!" Dodie beamed as she stood with Ginger, Macie, Lil, Zoey, Dakota, and Courtney.
"This is the summer where you'll get certified right after you make the island swim at Camp Caprice Lake," Margie continued with a friendly smile before she gestured to the man beside her. "Let's give a big hand for Jed who heads up the water front!"
A young man was shown wearing a light tan pocket shirt with a whistle around his neck. He also wore tan cargo shorts with brown shoes and a gray visor and appeared to have glasses and black hair on his head.
"So we meet again." Macie whispered at the sight of Jed.
"Does someone have a crush?" Dakota asked Zoey.
"Yes, but we're not going to tease her about it." Zoey whispered in advisory.
"Ginger! Lil!" A voice called out.
"You guys!" Lil smiled along with Ginger as a redheaded pigtailed girl and a purple-haired girl with sunglasses began to walk toward them.
"Oh, you let your hair grow," Eliza said to the redheaded girl. "It's really nice."
"Lil, I see you're not wearing your ribbon anymore." Reggie added.
"Oh, yeah, I thought it was kinda babyish." Lil shrugged in response.
"So who do we have here exactly?" Dakota asked.
"Ah, right," Ginger said before introducing everyone. "Dakota, these are our good friends: Eliza Thornberry, daughter of Nigel Thornberry. You might've seen his nature show."
"Sometimes." Dakota nodded at that.
"And this is Reggie Rocket," Lil added before looking over. "Good thing this is an all-girls camp and we get a break from Phil and Otto, right, Reg?"
"You said it, Lil," Reggie nodded. "I could definitely use a break from Rocket Boy."
"And this is Dakota Milton, she's Courtney's cousin like Zoey is my cousin." Ginger then said.
"Dakota Milton, huh?" Eliza asked. "I think I saw you in one of my sister Debbie's magazines."
"Yeah, that was most likely me," Dakota giggled. "I usually make an appearance on Toon People magazine if I can, plus sometimes I'm in Hollywood with my Aunt Darlene."
"Any questions?" Margie soon asked the campers.
"Question!" Courtney piped up.
"Oh, boy..." Dakota whispered as she knew how her cousin could be sometimes.
"Oxygen facials. Are they part of the package or are they extra?" Courtney asked the camp counselor.
Margie just blinked at that. "Anyway, let's all just try to have a great summer this year at Camp Caprice!" she then announced.
All of the girls soon cheered hopefully.
"I don't think I know Courtney Gripling very well." Eliza piped up.
"Just don't hang around her too much, Eliza," Reggie suggested before having a dark smirk to herself. "After all, she betrayed me."
"She did?" Eliza frowned. "What happened?"
Reggie glanced over before sighing. "I don't like to talk about it," she then said softly. "It was a very unpleasant experience."
"Oh, Reg. I'm sorry to hear that," Eliza frowned. "I know Ginger is at least still good, right? I feel like I haven't hung out with you guys in so long."
"Oh, yes, you can trust Ginger Foutley any day," Reggie nodded. "After all, has Reggie Rocket ever wronged you before?"
"That's mostly your brother's job." Eliza remarked.
"Exactly." Reggie smirked.
Zoey and Dakota glanced over a bit.
"So good to see Eliza Thornberry again, we hardly see her anymore." Zoey remarked.
"Because her parents travel all over the world?" Dakota guessed.
"Oh, for sure," Zoey nodded. "Ya know, her dad hosts the nature show and her mother shoots it. Last I heard though, Eliza had to go to boarding school in London until she escaped." she then added.
"I hope it was for a good reason," Dakota commented. "My old friend Lo had a hard time escaping punishment when she threw a big party and invited me and I was gonna help her out, but..." she then added, trailing off a bit.
"Was that when you got the acceptance to Revenge of the Island?" Zoey guessed.
"Exactly," Dakota nodded. "I hated leaving Lo behind like that. I hope she can forgive me."
"If she's your real friend, she will, but if she doesn't, we can still be BFFs like you promised." Zoey said with a small smile as she put her arm around Dakota in comfort.
"Thanks, Zoey," Dakota smiled back. "You're so sweet."
"I try my best anyway," Zoey nodded. "After all, someone once told me that the grass is much greener on the other side and I usually told Ginger that too."
"Let's just hope we can help out our cousins in need." Dakota said.
"I hope so too," Zoey replied. "Especially your cousin. No offense."
"None taken, and I thought I was the sheltered one." Dakota nodded.
"I just hope Mike and Sam are okay back home without us." Zoey said softly.
"I'm sure they'll be just fine as long as they don't let certain people get to them." Dakota advised.
Zoey nodded at that as she just hoped for the best as did Dakota. This was going to be an interesting season of Caprice after all.
MEANWHILE...
Back in Cartoon Network City, Mike and Sam sighed together as they sat in Pops' Diner together.
"I miss Zoey," Mike sighed as he stared at his bowl of soup. "Summer is ruined forever."
"Lemme guess, you have a fly in your soup?" Pops asked as he came by to check on the boys. "That's normal, it tastes like chicken anyway."
Mike didn't say anything and just walked away.
"Have it your way..." Pops rolled his eyes before he went to see his favorite customer: Johnny Bravo.
"Oh, Dakota, why did you leave?" Sam sulked to himself as he stared at his tuna sandwich."I wish there was something I could do to make this summer extra special."
"If only I can make it up to her and make this summer come alive again," Mike continued to sulk. "But how?"
Soon, a certain redheaded girl known as Jen came into the diner.
"Ah, hello there, Jen," Pops greeted. "What can I get for you?"
"I spoke with Bobo on the phone earlier and requested a big order of burgers to go?" Jen prompted.
"Ah, right... Let me check the kitchen..." Pops nodded as he went to the back.
"What about my chili?" Johnny complained.
"I'll be with you in a moment, Johnny!" Pops replied.
Johnny groaned as he sulked in his seat, trying to be patient until he began to look hungry for Mike and Sam's chicken soup and tuna sandwich since they weren't eating them.
"Johnny, don't eat food you didn't pay for." Jen reminded the blonde muscleman.
"Yes, Jen... Sorry, Jen..." Johnny said bashfully.
"Hey, uh, Jen, what are you up to?" Mike asked. "Why do you need a bunch of burgers to go?"
"Oh, Brick and I are going away for the summer with his cousin and we need a lot of food for the trip," Jen explained. "It's a long way's away from Cartoon Network City, you see."
"Going away for the summer?" Mike and Sam asked.
"Yes, the bus will be leaving in an hour, so I have to hurry," Jen explained with a nod. "I'm not as prepared as Brick, but I'm sure I can manage what this summer experience will be all about with him and his cousin who I haven't met yet."
"Here ya go, Jen," Pops said as he came back with a rather large bag and put it down on the bar table. "25 bacon and gravy cheeseburgers and four bottles of water for your summer trip with the cadet."
"Thanks, Pops," Jen said, taking the order and soon paid with a 50 dollar bill. "Keep the change."
"Gladly~" Pops chuckled, accepting her money and gave her the food she had asked for.
"Well, see ya guys later," Jen told Mike and Sam as she walked past them. "I gotta get moving if I wanna leave the city for the summer to be with the one I love and adore."
"Uh, okay then... Bye." Mike said.
"See ya." Sam added.
Jen then continued to leave right out the doors.
"Even Jen's leaving for the summer..." Mike sighed.
"Everybody's leaving." Sam added.
And then suddenly, the two boys jumped up in unison and suddenly spoke to each other. "Hey! I got an idea!"
"No no, you go first." Sam then said.
"No no, you." Mike shook his head and suggested.
"Okay, I was thinking, why don't I sneak aboard on this bus leaving for the summer along with Jen and Brick and end up going to Camp Caprice with them and I could surprise Dakota." Sam soon explained.
"Well, that's exactly what I was thinking!" Mike replied.
"You were?" Sam asked out of surprise.
"Yeah! Of course," Mike chuckled and smirked. "I was gonna surprise Zoey, but I guess we can surprise both our girls."
"We just need to figure out the bus schedule and be fast about it." Sam suggested.
"Well, like they say 'No time like the present'." Mike advised.
"Well said, my friend. Well said," Sam nodded. "We better go now while we still have time and pack our stuff and get to that bus before Jen and Brick leave on it."
"That's a good idea," Mike agreed. "Hurry now!"
And so, the two left the diner together to do what they had to do to get ready to join Jen and Brick on the bus.
"All right, Johnny, will you have your usual then?" Pops asked as he came to see his favorite customer, holding out a notepad and pencil.
"No, thanks. I'm good." Johnny replied as he ate the tuna sandwich and was having the soup as a side dish.
"Suit yourself, son." Pops shrugged and then walked away again.
"Mm... Tuna-y~" Johnny smirked at the taste.
LATER...
"Hurry, Mike! That must be the bus!" Sam called out as he and Mike were running with their luggage, seeing the Cartoon Network Bus about to leave town.
"We can still make it!" Mike added.
Jen smiled as she saw Brick and was about to sit down next to him as The Mayor was at the driver's seat with a few phone books underneath him, about to close the door.
"WAIT!" Mike and Sam's voice called out.
"Was that Mike and Sam?" Jen wondered as she turned her head.
The Mayor then opened the doors as Mike and Sam came aboard suddenly.
"It IS you guys," Jen said to them. "What're you guys doing here?"
"We came here... to surprise... Dakota and Zoey... at Camp Caprice..." Sam explained as he panted heavily.
"Yeah... they left without us and we miss them..." Mike added as he also panted heavily. "Thought we'd... join them... on their adventure."
"Uh, guys? This isn't the bus to Camp Caprice, this is a bus for-" Jen began to explain.
"Everybody please take your seats and settle down!" The Mayor told the passengers on board before closing the doors and starting the bus. "We have a long trip ahead of us!"
"Do you know these guys, Brick?" A certain blonde boy asked the black-haired boy sitting next to him as the bus started to move.
"Yeah, kinda," Brick admitted with a nod. "What are you guys doing here?" he then added as Jen came to sit down with them.
"We're coming with you guys to Camp Caprice!" Sam added.
"And this must be your cousin," Mike added before looking over. "Hey, wait a second. That's not a girl."
"Uh, no, my name's Gus," The blonde boy replied. "Gus Griswold. Brick's cousin from Disneyville." he then clarified.
"Then why are you on a bus to Camp Caprice?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, it's an all-girls camp!" Mike added.
"That's what I tried to tell you guys!" Jen reminded them. "This isn't a bus to Camp Caprice! This is a bus to Spengler Military Academy."
"Wait, what?" Mike asked with wide eyes.
"Now you tell us?!" Sam added.
"All aboard the non-stop trip to Spengler Military Academy with no turning back!" The Mayor called out and soon drove them away from Cartoon Network City.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Mike and Sam cried out as they tried to rush to the back of the bus to get out, but it was too late. They were going to be taken for a ride anyway.
Meanwhile, at Camp Caprice, the girls began to get settled into the cabins they were given.
"Sorry you won't be bunking with us this year, Lil," Ginger said to the brunette girl. "We'll make it up to you somehow."
"I just hope that Tootie Cooties isn't in my cabin..." Lil scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Just try to make the most of it, okay?" Ginger advised. "They probably wanted Courtney to bunk with us because Dakota would be coming here too."
"Yeah, whatever," Lil shrugged. "I'll see ya guys later."
"See ya then, Lil." Ginger nodded and waved her off.
"Whatever." Lil sighed as she went to go over to her own cabin, taking out a number she was given.
"Don't worry, Ginger, I'm sure Lil will have a better summer once she's able to see you guys during the day." Zoey told her younger cousin.
"Yeah, I hope you're right," Ginger replied. "Let's get settled, okay? Where are Dakota and Courtney?" she then wondered.
"Probably moving their stuff over." Zoey guessed as they came into the cabin together.
Ginger nodded as she followed her cousin inside the cabin before she saw Dodie putting something up on the wall. "Hey, what's that for?" she then wondered.
"For our summer goals!" Dodie said like it was obvious as she put a blackboard on the wall. "I was thinking we should each set one. Mine is to be more hands on since I eventually want to be a counselor here someday." she then added.
"Well, that's at least an admirable goal." Zoey remarked with a nod.
"Thank you, Zoey; I'm glad someone mature understands," Dodie nodded as she began to write down her goal on the board. "Okay, what about you guys?" she then asked her best friends.
Before anyone could answer that question, Dakota soon opened the door and began to help Courtney come through with the younger girl's pink trunk.
"Oh, what a charming hiking station!" Courtney smiled as she took a look around. "I read all about them in Adventure Girl Magazine. So, will a servant be coming by soon to carry my trunk the rest of the way to the hotel like Uncle Leonard owns?" she then added.
Dakota sighed and shook her head. "Please tell me I wasn't this bad." she then said to Zoey.
"She'll learn, she's still young." Zoey advised her best friend.
"There aren't any servants." Ginger soon told Courtney.
"And there is no hotel." Macie added as she sat on top of the bunk bed.
"We sleep here," Zoey told Courtney. "We're the Navaho girls and this is the Navaho Cabin."
"We are proud, proud, proud so we sing our song aloud!~" Dodie sang aloud out of excitement.
"Oh..." Courtney said as she took a look around the rustic cabin. "Well, I think the faux dead flies on the windowsill add a-" she was about to say.
"I hate to tell you this, Courtney, but those aren't faux," Dakota spoke up. "Those are real, much like the mutations I had to face on Revenge of the Island."
Courtney then recoiled suddenly from the dead bugs in the cabin.
"But there is some good news, CG, saved you the lower bunk," Macie piped up with a small smile. "Hope you don't mind a little light snoring."
"Well, what about those twin beds?" Courtney pointed out, seeing a couple of twin beds in the room.
"Sorry, Courtney, but these are for Cabin Big Sisters," Zoey clarified. "And if we let you take one of them, then everyone else will wanna take them."
"It won't be long." Dakota added as she tried to help cheer up her younger cousin.
"Yeah, it'll be worth it, CG," Macie nodded. "Camp builds character."
"CG?" Courtney murmured out of curiosity.
"Well, I'm all unpacked," Ginger spoke up suddenly. "I'm gonna go see what's changed since last year."
"I'll walk with you." Zoey offered.
"Thanks, Zoey." Ginger smiled as she grabbed her bag.
"I've got to hit the infirmary." Macie said as she climbed down from the bunk bed.
"Already?" Dodie complained to the green-haired girl.
"Are you feeling okay, Macie?" Zoey asked out of concern.
"I'm fine, Zoey; I just wanna acquaint myself with the staff," Macie reassured the older girl. "It pays to grease the wheel."
"Ahh... Gotcha." Zoey nodded now that she understood what Macie meant by that.
"I'll walk you over," Dodie offered to Macie. "I wanna stock up on postcards at the canteen. Race ya!"
The younger girls all laughed and raced each other out the door while Zoey, Dakota, and Courtney were left alone in the cabin. Zoey then went to go join Ginger on her younger cousin's walk around while Courtney began to look a little uncomfortable.
"Uh, did you girls want some company?" Courtney offered. "As in me?"
No one answered her though.
"Here, Courtney, I'll help you with that." Dakota offered as she helped with her cousin's pink trunk.
"Thanks, Dakota." Courtney sighed in relief.
"What're big cousins for?" Dakota smiled.
Courtney smiled back at that.
LATER...
Ginger and Zoey were walking around the campsite together to get properly settled in among their new surroundings.
"Zoey, you know what I love about being far away from a place I really love?" Ginger began to ask her cousin.
"What's that, Ginge?" Zoey replied.
"It's how when you come back, it's almost like it's new again." Ginger explained.
"That's an interesting lesson to go by." Zoey nodded as they soon made it to a farmhouse.
Ginger soon climbed the fence as she saw a horse who was grazing in the grass. "There you are, Lady Guinevere," she then greeted the mare kindly. "How have you been?"
The horse seemed to smile at Ginger and soon approached the redheaded girl as Zoey kept an eye on her cousin.
Ginger giggled as she pet the horse kindly. "I brought something for you." she then said before reaching into her bag to take out an apple for the horse.
Lady Guinevere smiled and soon began to eat up the apple.
"Uh, hey, campers aren't supposed to feed the horses," A boy spoke up as he walked by. "You know, camp rule."
"It's just an apple; I brought it for Guinevere," Ginger reassured him as she took out another apple. "She's an old friend."
"She remembers you." The boy noted with a smile.
"Either that or she's using Ginger for her produce." Zoey teased, causing them all to laugh.
"Um, can I?" Ginger asked hopefully as she took out her second apple.
"Don't let Margie find out." The boy said as he came to put a saddle on the mare inside the fence.
"So, uh, kid? Are you new around here or something?" Zoey asked. "I didn't think there were any boy campers in Camp Caprice."
"I know I haven't seen you before," Ginger added. "I'm Ginger and this is my cousin Zoey."
The boy smiled, about to shake her hand, until...
"Yoo-hoo! Ginger! Zoey! Boy!"
"You know her?" The boy asked as Courtney came by, trying to avoid bugs at all cost.
"Yeah..." Ginger and Zoey admitted.
"Ginger, you're the girl in the know. Where do I drop off our dry-cleaning?" Courtney asked before seeing the boy. "Uh, boy. You there. Can you run a quick errand?" she then requested. "Two bottled waters."
"I'm out of here." The boy scoffed quietly and soon left with the horse.
"That was rude!" Courtney pouted. "He didn't even introduce himself."
"Maybe he's... shy." Ginger guessed.
"Yes, boys can be unpredictable sometimes," Zoey nodded. "Courtney, where's Dakota?" she then wondered.
"Getting a tan by the cabin," Courtney replied. "She told me to get us some bottled water and to get our dry-cleaning taken care of."
"I guess Dakota doesn't remember much about Camp Wawanakwa in that case." Zoey rolled her eyes to herself.
"So what do I do with this laundry? Hello?" Courtney complained as she seemed to be ignored.
Meanwhile, The Mayor of Cartoon Network City finally dropped off the ones going to the military camp once they made it over. Mike and Sam kept trying to protest that they didn't belong here, but no one was listening to them.
"You should be able to impress some campers this year, Gus," Brick said to his cousin out of excitement. "Especially last summer when you took charge in Disneyville when that guy tried to end summer vacation for all of us."
"Tell me about it," Gus nodded. "I know Dad is gonna be really proud of me."
"I know I am." Brick smiled.
"Thanks for letting me come along, Brick." Jen said to her boyfriend.
"It's not gonna be easy even though you're a girl, Jen," Brick reminded his girlfriend. "Are you sure you're up for the challenge?"
"Sure, I've been through a lot worse." Jen reassured him with a nod.
"Man, this is gonna be some summer, huh?" Sam complained to Mike.
"It just would've been easier if someone like Jen had warned us that this wasn't the bus to Camp Caprice." Mike added.
Jen sighed and rolled her eyes as she overheard that.
"This is goodbye, son." Mr. Patteson told his younger son at the drop-off.
"Dad, don't make it sound so final." Darren replied.
"You know, one day you're gonna thank me for this." Mr. Patteson replied as his son got in line to join the other campers.
"Yeah, I'd thank you right now, Dad, if you take me home with you." Darren begged.
"Take us with you!" Mike and Sam added hopefully.
"You..." Mr. Patteson chuckled and playfully hit his son in the arm.
"Ow!" Darren yelped as that hurt him.
"Wait! No!" The voice of Chet Zipper complained as everyone faced him as his family drove away without him. "No, hey, wait, wait! I don't! No, please! Let me go to Grandma's!"
"See? Zipper can hardly wait to start," Mr. Patteson smiled at his son as he put his arm around him before walking away. "So long, son!"
Darren sighed. "Might as well get this over with." he then said to himself.
"I guess we might as well do the same until we find a way out of here." Mike said to Sam.
"I am never going on another adventure with you ever again." Sam groaned and rolled his eyes.
"Assignment #1!" A soldier yelled suddenly as they came to the campground to get settled. "Pitch the tent you will sleep in!"
"Hi. How are you?" Darren greeted as calmly as he could. "I'm Darren."
"Move! Move! Move!" The soldier snapped as Mike and Sam came to go in after Darren.
"Hey, don't I know you?" Darren asked Mike.
"I'm Ginger's cousin's boyfriend," Mike explained. "Mike Doran at your service."
"And I'm Sam Froud," Sam added as he rolled his eyes. "Coming here was a big mistake."
Darren scoffed at that. "How do you think I feel? I'm only here because my dad and big brother thought it would build character for me." he then added.
"Yeah, well, we came to see our girlfriends until someone got us in this mess." Sam glared at Mike as he explained that.
"Hey, it's really not my fault!" Mike defended. "Sam, you know it was a mistake!"
"Ah, Brick MacArthur... it's an honor." The soldier greeted the teenage cadet.
"Sir, yes, sir! I look forward to my summer here as well with my lady friend Jen Masterson and my younger cousin and son of Lieutenant Colonel Sherman Griswald: Gus Patten Giswald reporting for duty!" Brick replied as he saluted the soldier with very much respect.
"Well, la dee dah! I hope your lady friend is ready for grueling hours and hard work even if it involves getting her hands dirty!" The soldier replied.
"I'm ready, sir. Whatever you have to throw at me, I can handle it." Jen replied strongly.
"I like that spirit," The soldier nodded. "Let's just see how long it lasts and no complaining that you have split ends or broke a nail."
Jen rolled her eyes at that slightly. "Yes, sir." she then answered.
Mike, Sam, and Darren all just knew that this was going to be the longest summer of their lives.