Kari awoke to the sounds of crackling and popping. She turned her body to face the dull brown canvas ceiling which she slept under the night before. The thin walls let light through and she could see an orange light emanating from a single place. She got up, and immediately jumped back into her sleeping bag. I didn't think it would be so cold in the morning… She thought, changing into clothes suitable for the temperature. She stood up and unzipped the zipper to the tent, stepped out, and rezipped the zipper.

"It's about time you got up!" Her obnoxious brother shouted from a chair in front of the fire, which he sat upon. All around the fire, sat Sora, Izzy, Mimi, Joe, and Ken. Cody, Yolei, and Davis sat at the wooden table and Matt and TK were standing at either ends of the table, preparing breakfast on propane stoves.

"Sleeping Beauty has awoke!" Davis shouted turning his head to look at Kari whom had walked to the fire and sat in an empty chair. TK also looked up and looked at Kari. He looked, and couldn't stop. Something distracted him so much, he didn't remember to look back at the eggs, which he was preparing on the stove which, shortly thereafter, began to blacken.

"Morning Kari." TK managed to say before smelling his fault. "Oh crap!" He yelled and grabbed a near-by water jug and dumped it on the pan. "Uhhh…. Who likes their eggs WELL done?" He asked with a dumb grin on his face.

"Great job, TP!" Davis complained. Yolei smacked him upside the head.

"Never denounce a cook's food in which you are about to eat!" She explained violently.

Matt walked around to assess the damage. "Whoa, dude. I haven't seen you fry food like that since you were about 10." He said, putting his hand around TK's shoulders. They both stood and admired TK's work before Matt left his side and returned to the other side.

TK grabbed a plate and hastily scraped the ruined eggs onto it before grabbing a couple more and beginning again.

"Hey! When's the grub gonna be done over there!" Tai shouted impatiently from his seat.

"When he gets it done, I suppose." Izzy spoke up, pouring hot water from the kettle on the fire into his mug of hot chocolate.

"Was that your idea of a joke?" Cody asked, turning around on his seat.

"Call it what you will, it's the truth." Izzy stated firmly, sitting back in his chair.

A couple minutes later…

"Alright, food's on!" Matt called, placing a plate of pacakes on the table. Everyone rushed around with plates and forks, grabbing the food like crazy. "Man, from the looks of it, one would say that it looks like you all haven't eaten… Ever." Matt said while eyeing the table, which was completely bare of substance.

TK walked half way around the table. "Now, I could of SWORN there was some food here…" He said jokingly.

The air became warmer as the sun cleared the pine-infested ridge of the small valley-like enclosure the camp was in. Sweaters and coats were removed, and shortly thereafter, shorts replaced pants.

Mimi sniffed the air, "Ahhh…. Aren't the woods wonderful?" She asked no one in particular.

Sora gave Joe a strange look. "But, I thought you hated the outdoors, Mimi." She pointed out.

"Usually, I do." Mimi clarified, "But, this camp has a full bathroom with showers!"

Davis stepped out of the "Boy's Tent" and put on his hiking boots. "Showers? Who showers when they're camping? Really… It's all about being unkept and dirty. Living rough." He explained.

"Yeah! Like a man!" Tai exclaimed.

Kari walked out from behind a tree. "Well, in case you haven't noticed, Tai, some of us aren't men here." She retorted.

"Yeah, and some of us aren't even male." Ken said, smiling, from his seat at the table.

Everyone but Tai and Davis cracked up laughing. Davis's face squished up in anger. Tai simply let it roll of and began laughing as well. TK came up behind Davis and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Relax, at least you're one of the guys." He said with a smile. Davis's face unsquished and he sighed.

Kari smiled widely. She admired TK's sense of pity. Even she understood the insult which TK had spoon-fed Davis.

"Now then, who's up for a hike?" Yolei suggested,

Kari walked over to her and stood by her. "I'll go."

Davis, at seeing this, immediately volunteered.

"Hiking can be extremely dangerous without the proper supplies." Jow said, brandishing his backpack. "I'd better go with you, in case you get hurt."

Tai stood up. "Joe, you never could admit you like the outdoors." He said, walking over to the group of hikers.

"I bet there are plenty of interesting planet and animal specimens along the trails. I think I'll go." Izzy said.

Cody stood up and joined the group along with Matt. "If you're all going, we might as well go too." Matt said. He looked over at TK who was standing around, watching everyone make up an excuse to go. "You coming, bro?" He asked TK.

TK wasn't just staring at the whole group. He had been staring at Kari. He couldn't help it. It was like some sort of magnetism. "Uhh.. Yeah. I'll go." He managed to say.

-

Part 2- The Hike, coming soon.