What Makes me Tick

Episode 2: Along For the Ride

It was already bright outside when the group had awoken. Well everyone except Pepper, who refused to get up.

”What!?” Allen screeched as he saw the sight before him.”How are you up before me and Ethan!” Allen demanded from the coral haired girl. She just shrugged in return as she roasted some of the birds she caught over the fire.

Ethan sighed. Him and his brother got up at somewhat normal times so it wasn't that big of a surprise to him. Though she must have gotten up at dawn for her to prepare such a meal for them. It was odd since Ethan would have thought of her to be too lazy to ever get up to do anything for anyone else. In fact, shouldn't Leena be the one sleeping and Pepper up and making breakfast for everyone?

”She really likes to sleep...” Leena commented already knowing what the blond Man was thinking.

Allen and Ethan both sat across from the coral haired girl. She was just so calm compared to how she was the night before. ”I never wake Pepper up when I have a nightmare...” Leena sighed while rubbing her temple.

”Why is that?” Ethan asked in return.He was kinda interested now.

”I don't wanna bother her with my silly Troubles, I put enough stress on her as it is...” She played around with a plastic fork, gnawing on it a little.

Ethan nodded understanding where the girl was coming from. ”Why can't you be more like her?” He teased his brother who was being a little too silent.

”What? There is no younger sibling greater than me!” He scoffed obviously trying to lighten the mood.Which in a sense did help.

”You've gotta be kidding, right? Your such a prima donna!” Leena laughed at him. ”Whatever... I'll go wake up Pepper! Keep an eye on breakfast for me 'greatest younger sibling'” Leena laughed yet again as she strode off towards the tent. Moments later Ethan and Allen had The privilege of hearing how Pepper and Leena’s mornings often went.

”Hey Pepper, wake up.” Leena shook the bundle of blankets that was her sister. All she got was a groan in response.

”You leave me no choice Pepper!” Leena threatened the still half asleep girl. She then started tugging on the blankets to the point where Pepper was left with only a corner of the blanket.

”You’re gonna rip the blanket!” Pepper screeched tugging on the blanket. It was a full on tug of war now.

”Gunther is angry!” Pepper used her angry voice for her so called 'evil' persona known as Gunther. This only caused Leena to laugh and continue tugging.

After a while their play fighting caused their tent to collapse down on top of them, the entire time they laughed.

Allen and Ethan watched the entire thing from start to finish.

”Ethannn why can't we do that!?” Allen looked at his older brother obviously jealous that he did not have that kind of relationship with his sibling. Allen grinned evilly to himself as he  thought of yet another scheme. He would make him and his brother have that relationship. That was for later though, when he had more motivation to do such things.

After the groups hectic morning it came to packing up their small camp. Though everyone seemed to be dragging along obviously not very motivated to pack. It took them about an hour longer than it should have but they all finally finished and were standing in a small cluster around their no longer burning campfire.

“You know,” Ethan began after taking  a look at the map, “We’re heading the same direction.. May we accompany you to the next town, and then be on our way?”