This is my next story. I hope everyone enjoys it! By the way, this setting is in a normal world with normal people, if you could call the Kingdom Hearts characters that. I have also adjusted the ages, but not by much. And if you can tell, I gave the first-name-only people last names. Oh yeah, and I have Vanera thrown in there from my last story, just for fun. She evens the party. A good part of the story is going to be set in the summer camp, and for everyone's knowledge, I have never even been to one. I really don't know how they operate, so please, humor me.

Summer Nights

Chapter 1: Camp

Yuffie dragged her two stuffed suitcases to the car and fought to see against the sun. It was a bright, ten o'clock morning, and just the beginning of summer.

She opened up the trunk and hastily threw the suitcases in and made her way around to the driver seat. She was on her way to Camp Kaman to spend two horrifying weeks of her summer. Damn Kairi and her utter persuasiveness. She had begged and pleaded to be a counselor with her, Aerith, and Vanera, using the excuse that she had gone to the camp every summer and always dreamed of being a counselor.

The leather seat was sticky and burning on Yuffie's bare legs as she sat down, and it would take nearly two hours to get there.

This is wonderful, Yuffie thought.

She pushed a pair of sunglasses onto her eyes and started the car, making sure to roll down the window to let in some ventilation.

In ten minutes she was on the highway, speeding high above the normal limit in an attempt to get there before it got past noon when things would really heat up. She turned up the radio and started singing along with the song.

"Highway to hell..." she sang at the top of her lungs along with the chorus. She laughed at the people staring at her from their cars. Did she really have the volume up that loud?

She reached out her hand to turn it down a little bit, but decided against it. Who cares if she liked listening to music? It was her business, anyway.

A little over a month ago she had been planning on getting a summer job, most likely a lifeguard, just so she could wear those hot little red suits. She could mingle with the guys, and yell at some kids. Yeah, that would have been fun.

Oh well, a side of her said. You can still yell at some little kids if you want to.

After driving for what seemed like hours, Yuffie pulled over at a gas station and filled up her car with a few more gallons of gas. It wouldn't hurt to be on the safe side. As Aerith always said, 'Better safe than sorry.'

She removed the nozzle and grabbed her purse from the car to pay for the gas. She wiped her forehead and sighed. It was so hot outside, you could call it sizzling.

The door was open and Yuffie could feel the joys of air conditioning. Thank God for modern science! She quickly skipped inside and breathed in the coolness deeply.

Hmm...maybe I should get a bottled water, too, and a candy bar...

She grabbed bottle of water and huge chocolate Hershey's bar with almonds. Chocolate was her greatest weakness.

She swiveled around from the candy section and bumped heavily into someone. The impact sent her and the other person sprawling on the ground, their purchases-to-be spilled everywhere.

"Ow!" she exclaimed angrily. She turned to see who she had bumped into and found herself staring into an extremely attractive male face. He had deep, cobalt blue eyes and soft brown hair. He had a long scar running from his forehead to part of his nose. And he didn't look happy.

"Watch where you're going," he muttered angrily and picked up his things. Yuffie stared at what he bought. Sun-screen and bug-spray. She looked back up at his face then snapped out of her trance.

"Sorry," she said quickly, uncharacteristically soft.

She picked her and her items up and pushed past him, a light blush spreading across her cheeks. He shook his head and proceeded to the cash register behind her.

The line was long, but moving quickly. She took her spot and waited a few minutes before it was her turn. She spread her things across the counter and told him what station her care was at, number two.

"Your chocolate is broken. Want me to get you another one?" asked the cashier.

"Oh, no, that's okay," she said distantly and picked up her things. In a hurry, she got to her car, anxious to get inside and away from the gas station. What had come over her? She didn't usually act like that; usually she acted slightly sophisticated around cute guys.

It was his attitude, she told herself unconvincingly. He put me off with his rudeness.

She sighed and got herself back on the road. It wouldn't be long before she got to Camp Kaman. Already about a half and a quarter of the trip was past. It wouldn't be long before she would meet Kairi, Aerith, and Vanera at the entrance.

The drive was as uneventful and boring as she expected. She pulled onto the gravel and grass of Camp Kaman and parked her car next to Kairi's. Thankfully, counselors could have their own cars with them instead of attending the bus with the kids.

Other cars were jammed up together like they were fighting for parking space. Was she late for something? She didn't see any of the buses yet, but who knows?

She got out of the car and opened the trunk. Her suitcases were smoldering from being under the hot sun. The handles were warm when she picked it up.

Despite her protests to being a counselor, she had to admit, the scenery was wonderful. After she had gotten off the highway, the roads become more country-like, and the foliage more bountiful. She could even see mountains in the distance. She must be seeing for miles, her vision unclouded by city pollution and buildings.

She dragged her suitcases through the entrance of the camp. 'Camp Kaman' was engraved into a wooden, rustic sign.

She walked up a large, worn down trail, and then she noticed a large looking cabin off to the side. The doors and windows were propped open, and a sign in front of the door said, 'Counselor Orientation.'

Oh great...that's probably the office, she thought. Yeah, and I'm probably late!

She peered into the open doorway. A bunch of metal gray chairs were lined up and occupied by young looking people. Around their legs were suitcases and duffel bags. In the front room four older people were talking to them.

"Here at Camp Kaman, we try to make things completely and totally comfortable for the children. As you all know, the age range is from six to sixteen. Boys on one side of camp, girls on another. Boy counselors for boys, girl counselors for girls. It's simple," said a salt-and-pepper haired woman. She was dressed in green shirt that was tucked into a pair of khaki shorts that came down to her knees. On the left of her shirt, it said, 'Camp Kaman Instructor, Sheryl.'

"Exactly, Sheryl. Also, there are new and old counselors here. Junior counselors and senior counselors, so for the seniors this is a review. A cabin of children can have either one senior counselor, or two junior counselors. Of course at the end of this orientation, you will be assigned cabins," said a balding man with dark hair and wearing the same attire as Sheryl. 

"And," said the youngest person there, a middle-aged woman with blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, "Counselors have a curfew, probably just like all of you back home. At the end of the day, around eight-thirty, the kids will be sent to their cabins with their counselors. At nine-thirty, the lights go out. Counselors will have free-time until ten-thirty. Punishments will be handed out to those who do not follow."

"Finally, to wrap this all up," said a bald man, "We instructors know how much you young people like to fool around on the job. Hopefully, you will take this all very seriously and turn down any sexual encounters. Alcohol and drug usage is strictly forbidden. If you are caught with it, you will immediately be sent home."

"Our next meeting will be on Friday. Now, please stay in your seats and I'll assign cabins," said the blonde woman.

Yuffie slunk into the room and tried to make it to an empty chair in the back.

"Hey, you girl," the blonde said. She held a clipboard. "I assume you are Yuffie Kisaragi?"

"Yes," she mumbled. What was coming over her today?

"Don't be late again. Have your fellow counselors explain the rules to you, and here is your outfit that you will wear at all times unless said otherwise. You see, this was all explained before, and you would have known if you had been there."

The woman handed her three of the same outfit she was wearing, only it said, 'Camp Kaman, Junior Instructor, Yuffie.'

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Now take your seat and I will assign cabins."

Yuffie quickly took her seat. She looked up momentarily and saw another figure in the doorway. Her heart almost stopped beating when she saw who it was. The man from the gas station! So he was a counselor as well? That would explain the sun-screen and bug-spray.

"Another late person? You must be Squall Leonheart," the woman said in a frustrated voice. She thrust him the clothes and didn't bother saying anything else. "Get a seat."

He gave a nod and passed by Yuffie without acknowledging her. She bit her lip and stole a glance at him. He appeared angry. Maybe he was held up, before.

"Okay, everyone, quiet down! There are ten cabins for each gender, and from five to seven kids in each. The cabins are B1 through B10, and G1 through G10. As you hear your name, find your fellow counselor mates, if you have one, and proceed outside for further directions."

Yuffie listened intently at the names called out. One caught her attention, though.

"In B7, junior counselors, Cloud Strife and Squall Leonheart!"

She made a mental note of the cabin this Squall guy was in and listened for her name, praying that one of her friends would be in her cabin.

"In G9, junior counselors, Yuffie Kisaragi and Kairi Harp!"

Yuffie stood up, relieved, and grabbed her suitcases and bundle of clothes. She searched over different heads for Kairi's distinct crimson red hair.

She spotted Kairi holding two duffel bags and searching intently through the crowd.

"Kairi! Over here!" Yuffie shouted. They ran up to each other and gave each other a hug. Kairi's indigo eyes were round and wide.

"Yuffie, where were you? I thought you were a no show!"

"Of course not. I called you earlier and told you I was coming."

"I know, but it's not like you to be late."

"I had a little run-in," Yuffie said with a trace of bitterness in her voice. They walked outside, in step.

"Tell me about it, later. There's Sheryl over there. I've known her since I was six!" Kairi said excitedly.

She sped up and joined the circle of counselors who already had their name called out.

Yuffie took her time and looked around. It seemed like the cabins were all spaced out pretty well. She could see a few trees, then a bend where everything else must be. She joined Kairi and sighed. She had a feeling this whole counselor thing would be awhile.

"Okay, the kids will be here any minute. The girls' cabins are down the northwest path, and the boys' cabins are down the northeast path. Find your cabins quickly and stand by the door to greet your kids. There will be an announcement later on once all of the buses are unloaded. Until then, you are free to help the kids unpack. You, however, will not see your cabins until the end of the day, so you must leave your things here," said Sheryl. She pointed to two picnic tables.

Everyone moved to the picnic table and put it down, including Yuffie. She felt herself groaning inwardly.

That must mean we'll be on our feet all day...she thought wearily. I can already feel my calves aching.

Kairi turned to Yuffie and grabbed her hand, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Come on, come on, we'll go see the cabin!"

"Okay," Yuffie agreed reluctantly. They followed the path with the other counselors like blind sheep. Right where Sheryl said, there was a line of spaced out cabins with their numbers posted on the side of the doors. In between the different cabins were trees, benches, or open space.

Yuffie and Kairi found their cabin easily and took a step back to look at it. It was a medium-sized cabin, with a deck in the front and two pots of flowers on the steps to get to the door.

Kairi immediately went inside and motioned for Yuffie to follow.

"C'mon, Yuf," she insisted.

To tired to resist, Yuffie followed. There was a small entrance with hardwood floors and a mat against the two walls for shoes. The rest of the cabin was of very short carpeting. The doorway led to a small sitting area with a stone fireplace and a couch and armchair. The last room held three sets of bunk beds and dressers.

"Oh my gosh, we might have nine kids with us!"

"Better than ten," Kairi said cheerfully.

"What's that?" Yuffie questioned. She could hear strange chanting. It sounded very...evil.

"The kids. They're singing the Camp Kaman song! Let's go out and wait on the porch."

Yuffie's mouth dropped. Those were kids singing that? She followed Kairi and leaned against the wooden railing.

They waited for fifteen minutes, and then overheard names being called out. It took another five minutes for a bunch of giggly girls and hormonal teenagers to come up the path. Yuffie leaned toward Kairi and asked, "Kairi...we aren't getting the sixteen year olds, are we? We're almost the same age as them!"

"Oh no. The older, more experienced senior counselors get to handle those. You have to be a junior counselor for three years until you get to their status."

Yuffie scoffed. Status? The way Kairi said it, it sounded like a luxury.

A group of timid girls that looked about six and seven approached them. Yuffie counted heads. Six kids in all. She sighed. So that would mean three extra beds.

Kairi put her hands on her knees and bent down closer to their level of vision.

"Hi girls, we're going to be your camp counselors from now on. My name is Kairi, and this is Yuffie," she said. Yuffie gave a little wave.

One older looking girl gave a glare to Yuffie. "I don't like you. Eat dust!"

She threw a fistful of dirt at Yuffie's face.

"Oh my gosh, you little brat—"

Kairi nudged her.

"What's your name?" she asked the girl who threw dirt. She clasped her hands together.

"Cindy," she said in a sweet voice.

"Cindy, that wasn't very nice. Say sorry to Yuffie."

"Sorry, Yuffie," Cindy said and cast her eyes to the ground. When Kairi wasn't looking, she stuck her tongue out at her.

I am not going to make it out of here alive...Yuffie thought sorrowfully.

______________________________________________________________________________

Okay, I know this sounds mean, but here's the deal. If I don't get enough reviews I'm going to stop writing it, or if I lose interest. But with a lot of encouraging reviews I will continue writing! Oh yeah, I know Kairi's last name isn't Harp, but I had to make it up.

Also, the pairings will show up later. And I don't think the whole story will take place here, but it might. I think things will start getting better after this, because the first chapter was very technical and all. And there's a little surprise coming up, but you can probably figure it out.

And I know this probably won't be my best story, but I'm going to attempt to write a story that is light on tragedy. But who knows, some things my wicked, evil minds comes up with to torture everyone...I think I need mental help. ^-^

So now, review, since you kindly read through the whole story. You bothered to read this, so why not? Just move your mouse a little over there, that's right...down there...