Chapter Text
(Recap)
Kristal smiled at the Camera as Oliver gave her a small countdown. She noted Derek and Trevor also looking annoyed, but she smacked both of them upside the head to look Camera ready.
Trevor started. “Previously, on Disventure Camp All-Stars: After the Chaos! We traveled around the world in Kristal’s very expensive private jet to collect 27 of the series' most iconic participants to compete in this epic season.”
“Our season 2 contestants had a much more…admittedly, friendly reunion with each other.” Kristal Continued. “Unless they happened to be named Riya or Aiden. But our old friends from season 1 and season 3 all still seem to have some petty grudges from 3 years ago and last year.”
“Finally,” Derek finished. “We arrived over Camp Tipiskaw, where it all began, and threw our 27 competitors out of the plane, with their parachutes determining which team the unfortunate campers would be placed on.”
Kristal then shoved the two men aside. “With the 27 contestants now on their way to their new camps, we leave asking the one lingering question. Who amongst them will be the first unfortunate victim to get the dishonor of being eliminated first. Find out, right now, on Disventure Camp All-Stars! After the Chaos!”
(After Intro)
Dan hit the sand hard, stumbling before ripping off his harness.
Ted landed cleaner a few seconds later. He unclipped calmly, like the fall hadn’t mattered.
“Still breathing,” Ted said mildly.
Dan snorted. “You make it sound optional.”
Ted’s eyes drifted over the group. “First moments are interesting. Everyone swears they don’t care who they end up with.”
“We don’t even know the teams,” Dan said.
Ted nodded. “That’s when it matters most.”
He stepped closer, voice low but not secretive. “You’ve seen my season. Things lock in fast once teams are established.”
“And I’m supposed to do what with that?” Dan asked.
“Nothing yet,” Ted said. “Just notice.”
“Some people bond out of fear. Some out of loyalty. Some because they assume they’ll never be expendable.”
Dan crossed his arms. “You talking about me?”
“I’m talking about anyone who thinks playing clean keeps them safe,” Ted replied evenly.
A beat.
“And if I don’t play along?” Dan asked.
Ted’s smile was calm, almost parental. “Then someone else decides where you land. You already know how that ends.”
Dan not having anymore questions followed Ted in an attempt to find the Magenta camp.
(Camera Cut)
Fiore hit the sand feet-first, knees bending to absorb the impact. She straightened immediately, brushing sand from her jacket with sharp, irritated motions.
A split second later, wind caught Hannah’s chute at the worst angle. She came down sideways, spiraling just enough that she nearly crashed into Fiore before slamming into the sand beside her.
“Ow…okay, I’m good,” Hannah gasped, sitting up too fast. Her hands shook as she fumbled with the straps.
Fiore stared at her, unimpressed. “…Do you usually aim for people when you land?”
Hannah blinked, finally registering her. “I’m sorry, I almost…” She cut herself off, swallowing hard. “I didn’t mean to.”
Logan touched down last, skidding a bit before popping up with forced enthusiasm.
“Well,” he said lightly, trying to inject humor into the moment, “guess that’s our welcome committee. Kinda unfair we end up with the scary kid, huh?”
He smiled at Hannah as he said it.
Hannah flinched. She took a step away instead, wrapping her arms around herself. The panic from earlier hadn’t fully left her yet.
“Logan,” she snapped, sharper than she meant to be. “Don’t.”
The word landed heavier than expected. Logan froze, “…Hey, I was just joking.”
Hannah exhaled, trying to steady herself, then looked back at Fiore, really looked at her this time.
“It doesn’t matter what she did before,” Hannah said firmly. “She’s still a child. And you don’t get to turn her into a punchline.”
Fiore’s eyes narrowed, confused but alert. “I don’t know who either of you are,” she said flatly. “But if he’s implying I’m weak, he can say it to my face.”
Logan blinked. “Oh. Uh. Didn’t mean…”
“Doesn’t matter,” Hannah cut in, her voice calmer now but no less protective. “Just don’t.”
A beat of silence passed. Logan forced a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Right. Got it.”
Fiore crossed her arms. “For what it’s worth,” she said coolly, “I landed better than both of you.”
Hannah let out a breathy laugh, she didn’t realize she was holding.
Logan chuckled too, half a second late.
(Camera Cut)
Jake and Miriam both followed Tom down a pathway, the former spy took the map from them.
“I think this is where the three of us will have to split. “Miriam, Yellow is down the middle, Jake; Magenta is down the right, and I’m down the left.”
Jake bit down on his lip as Miriam gave him a very firm look.
“Wait, Tom!” he called over. “On the jet, you mentioned we would get a chance to talk. Seeing as how we won’t be on the same teams…this could be our last chance. You think we can talk now?”
Tom gave him a very nervous look. “Uh…no…we should quickly get to bonding with our team members early. And besides, there's always the loser's motel if we get eliminated. We should just try and focus on surviving for now. Okay? We’ll have plenty of chances if we just survive.”
“But Tom-” The boy was left disappointed as the ex-spy took off down the path. He just sighed in disappointment.
“Just let him go, Jake.” He looked over at Miriam, the old lady gave him a look of annoyance. “Tom clearly isn’t interested in patching things up with you.”
“Miriam, I don’t want to assume things like last time,” he replied nervously. “I want to make sure I actually hear it from him this time.”
“Jake…you’re a millennial…ghosting is in your generation's dating nature…usually it’s reserved for petty young straight fools who don’t understand the true value of a good husband and wife like my generation did. But I think Tom’s violence speak’s volumes.”
He simply rubbed the back of his head. Miriam’s words could be harsh…typical of someone of her generation, but she was usually correct about her intuitions.
“Still, After everything you went through, I just can’t believe this would truly be it.”
“Jake, if you never move on, you might end up like I did before I met you, and you saw what I became after what happened to my husband and son.”
“I know, Miriam.” He replied.
(Miriam Confessional)
“I’ve tried my best with Jake these past 3 years as he waited for Tom to call. And while I’m excited to play again. It’ll be difficult for me to expect Jake to go far on his own, hopefully whoever ends up on his team is competent…and kind…enough to protect him from danger.”
(Camera Cut)
“Okay, James, you’ll have to take this path and continue a kilometer in order to get to the magenta camp.” Lake said, pointing down another pathway.
“Thanks a lot, Lake,” James replied. “Maps are so complicated, we have google for such a good reason. Technology just makes things so much easier.” The man noticed Aiden’s nervous look.
“Don’t worry about me, Aiden.” He assured his boyfriend. “I’ll see you both in the challenges, and I already saw who I’m on a team with, If you and Lake feel like you’re in trouble, I’m sure I can get away with throwing a challenge for you.”
Aiden’s green eyes didn’t take too kindly to that. “Don’t do anything like that, you got lucky in your dumb plans last time silly. Lake and I can take care of ourselves, babe!”
James gave him a thumbs up. “I know, I trust you too, Aiden.” he quickly gave his boyfriend a kiss and waved goodbye to the two of them.
Lake simply looked at Aiden, who still looked unsure about James leaving, she simply placed a hand on his shoulders. “Don’t worry Aiden, I’m sure things will go fine.”
(Lake Confessional)
“I know what Aiden’s concerned about.” She said, rubbing her arms. “It’s been no secret that, while James may have redeemed himself to his fans. He did also grow quite a few resentment from people who disliked how seemingly every dumb thing James did magically worked out.”
As the Camera just adjusted itself, she then adjusted her wig quickly. “Not that I can’t say I blame those people; James was quite rash in some of his moves last season. The amount of critics bashing him for what he did to Karol was quite unnecessarily cruel. You all do know Rosa, Maggy, and I all also voted for Karol too? Right? We did that because, at the time, it wouldn’t have mattered if we lost again, we’d still have the numbers to kick Aiden and James after her.”
(Camera Cut)
The wind tore at three parachutes at once.
Spencer hit first, clean, controlled, knees bending as he released the straps and scanned the area like he was already counting numbers.
Jade landed a second later, less elegant but steady, laughing under her breath as she stumbled forward and caught herself.
Isabel came down last, touching the sand softly, almost reverently, as if she were stepping onto sacred ground instead of a game show beach.
For a moment, the three of them just stood there, the ocean loud behind them.
“Well,” Spencer said dryly, brushing sand from his sleeves, “same circus. Different tent.”
Jade smiled at that. “I was hoping you’d say something normal first.”
Isabel adjusted the strap of her bag, eyes already drifting past them toward the treeline, toward camp. “Normal was never really our brand.”
Jade turned to her then. “Guess this is where we split.”
Isabel nodded slowly. “Looks that way.”
Jade hesitated anyway. “Still… I’m glad it’s you out here. Even if we’re not…” She gestured vaguely between them. “Together.”
Isabel softened, just a fraction. “You always did worry about balance,” she said. “About people.”
“And you always told me that worrying made me predictable,” Jade replied.
“It still does,” Isabel said, not unkindly. “But it also makes you… better at certain things than I am.”
Spencer shifted his weight, watching them with interest. “For what it’s worth,” he added, “I’d rather have someone who adapts than someone who doubles down.”
Isabel met his gaze. “Some of us don’t believe in stepping back once we’ve chosen a path.”
Jade looked between them, thoughtful, then took a step closer and pulled Isabel into a quick hug. “Be careful,” she said quietly.
Isabel returned it, brief but sincere. “You too. Try not to overthink yourself into a corner.”
She turned and headed down one path toward camp.
Spencer watched her go, then glanced at Jade as they started in the opposite direction. “You okay?”
Jade exhaled. “Yeah. I think… I want to do this differently.”
Spencer raised an eyebrow. “That so?”
She nodded. “I’ve played the smartest game before. This time, I want to play the right one.”
Spencer smirked faintly. “Good. Because if someone out here thinks they’re already running things… I don’t plan on letting that slide.”
(Camera Cut)
Benji hit the sand like a Nascar driver crashing into a wall.
There was a sharp thump, a startled yelp, and then silencefollowed by a groan.
“…Okay,” Benji said from the ground, voice muffled. “Good news. I survived.”
Zaid touched down a few seconds later, landing cleanly and already unclipping his harness. He looked over, unimpressed. “You landed face-first.”
“Intentional,” Benji replied, rolling onto his back. “I’m trying to build my pain tolerance for the challenges.”
Zaid offered him a hand anyway. Benji took it, wobbling as he stood. Sand clung to his shirt, his hair, somehow even his shoes.
“You good?” Zaid asked.
“Define good,” Benji said. “Because if “good” includes internal bruising and a rapidly developing craving for ice cream, then absolutely.”
Zaid sighed, the same long-suffering sound Benji had heard dozens of times back in Carnival of Chaos. “You just got here.”
“And I’m already starving,” Benji shot back. “Do you think they have, like, a welcome granola bar? A complimentary muffin? Anything? This is an all-stars season after all.”
“This is an island,” Zaid said flatly. “There are no snacks.”
Benji stared at him, wounded. “You didn’t have to say it like that.”
Zaid started toward the treeline, gesturing for Benji to follow. “Maybe if we find camp quickly enough, we can forage. Fruit. Maybe some roadkill if we’re lucky.”
Benji brightened instantly. “See? That’s just snacks with extra steps.”
Zaid stopped and turned, fixing him with a look. “Benji. This isn’t a joke.”
Benji slowed too, hands lifting in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. I know. I’m taking it seriously.”
Zaid raised an eyebrow.
“I am,” Benji insisted. “I just…if I don’t joke, I panic. And if I panic, I do something dumb. Like… worse than usual.”
Zaid studied him for a moment, then nodded once. “Just don’t let the jokes be the plan.”
“Hey,” Benji said, grinning as he trudged after him. “I’ve learned things. Growth. Development. I even landed worse than last time, that’s commitment to the bit!”
Zaid shook his head, but there was the faintest hint of a smile. “Just keep up.”
“I will,” Benji said. “But if we find coconuts, I’m calling dibs.”
Zaid didn’t look back. “We’ll see.”
(Cyan Camp)
Ellie and Gabby both arrived at their camp, spotting the essentials they had from their season, a fire pit, and a cyan colored tent and sleeping bags. That’s really it, not much for them.
“Finally! We’ve arrived!” Gabby cheered.
“Good, we can relax and see who’s on our team;” Ellie replied, nervously, as she and Gabby took a seat on the half logs around the fire pit.
Gabby seemed to note why she looked so concerned. “Don’t worry Ellie! I’m sure that, since there are nine of us from each season, we’ll have been divided 3 by 3.”
“That’s good…I’m not exactly Ms. Popular with any of them.”
“Nonsense!” Gabby replied. “Who cares about your popularity? You’re the cream of the crop! The Belle of the Ball! The Chicken of the Tender! At least…to me!”
They heard heavy footsteps as they turned their heads to see Tom approach the camp. There was a brief sense of joy Ellie had, because Gabby was partially responsible for Tom getting his new job as a police officer after their season, thanks to Gabby helping him expose Derek and Trevor’s crimes. However, Tom’s very eminent scowl at the sight of her told her that any positivity Tom would have was reserved solely for Gabby.
“Are you going to welcome me? Or? Do you just want me to set my shit down and leave you?” Tom muttered.
“You’re one to talk, after the way you acted on the plane, you should be lucky I’d so much as acknowledge you. ”
Gabby pushed her way in between them. “That’s enough! Both of you! If you continue to bicker, it’ll be the death of both of you. Then, I’ll be alone with a bunch of strangers…and you know I don’t exactly do well with those.”
Ellie rubbed her arm uncomfortably, though it didn’t seem like Tom particularly cared. Gabby had a point; she was going to have to try to make good with Tom if she was stuck with a particular crowd from season 2 and 3.
“Strangers? Nonsense! We should fix that!” The three season 1 contestants looked over as Aiden and Lake joined them. Tess followed behind them shortly after.
Ellie smiled to herself. Four girls and two boys. One of them being Tess. She should be safe at least for now.
“Finally, some familiar faces,” Ellie said, exhaling. “None of whom are Yul.”
That earned a small laugh from Lake and a softer one from Aiden.
“You watched our season then?” Aiden asked, setting his bag down near the fire pit. “Yeah… it’ll be interesting to see how long Yul keeps that ‘reformed villain’ thing going. I give it, what three episodes?”
“Generous,” Lake replied dryly.
Tess dropped her pack beside Ally’s usual spot, out of habit, before remembering Ally wasn’t here. She corrected herself without comment and joined the circle.
“This team already feels… calmer,” Tess said. “Which probably means it won’t stay that way.”
Gabby gasped theatrically. “Tess! Don’t jinx us on day one!”
Before Tess could respond, the sound of hurried footsteps and an ungraceful thud echoed from the treeline.
“Ow—okay, no, that one’s on me.”
Benji stumbled into camp first, sand in his hair, shirt half-untucked, clutching his side like he’d just lost a fight with gravity itself.
Zaid followed closely behind, far more composed, though clearly annoyed. “I told you to slow down.”
“I was slowing down,” Benji protested. “The ground just, attacked me.”
Lake blinked. “…Is he okay?”
“I’m great,” Benji said quickly, flashing a thumbs-up. “Emotionally? Questionable. Physically? We’ll circle back.”
Zaid sighed. “You really need to take this more seriously, Benji.”
“I’m serious! Just…seriously hungry.” Benji rubbed his stomach. “Do islands do snacks? Coconut granola bar situation?”
“There are no snacks,” Zaid said flatly. “We forage.”
Benji groaned. “Well, that ruins the vibe.”
Ellie, watching from the fire pit, noticed the familiar contrast she had already observed on the plane: Zaid disciplined, grounded, calculating, while Benji brought chaos and comedy in equal measure. Should be…interesting, she thought.
Isabel emerged from the trees shortly after, her bag slung neatly over one shoulder, eyes scanning the group with quiet calculation. She took in Tess, Lake, Aiden, Benji, and Zaid, before her gaze finally settled on Ellie and Gabby.
“Looks like this is my team,” Isabel said quietly, a small, wry smile forming. “I hope everyone’s ready to… cooperate.”
Gabby bounced forward instinctively. “Hi! I’m Gabby! And you must be—”
“Isabel,” Isabel interjected politely but firmly. “And yes, I know your name.”
Ellie raised a brow, noting her tone. “Well… welcome, Isabel,” she said lightly, choosing her words carefully.
Isabel quickly locked eye contact with Benji and Zaid.
Benji stumbled forward, brushing sand off his shorts. “Okay, okay… maybe I’m not exactly the perfect captain,” he admitted, grinning sheepishly.
“But hey, at least Isabel’s still keeping tabs on me, reminds me of that comment she made back in the old days about my losing streak…”
Zaid groaned, “You’re never gonna let that go, are you?”
Ellie rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide a small smile, while Gabby laughed, clearly enjoying the familiar banter. Isabel just smirked, letting the joke hang in the air without giving him the satisfaction of a direct reply.
Lake whispered to Tess, “She seems… serious. Like, really serious.”
Tess smiled softly. “Well, at least she’s focused,” she said warmly to Isabel before glancing at Benji.
“Though Benji, try not to trip over the first patch of sand, okay? And maybe don’t declare yourself captain of the ship this time.”
Benji grinned sheepishly, while Isabel let out a small, amused sigh, rolling her eyes at the little reminder of last season.
(Isabel Confessional)
Isabel sat, arms loosely folded.
“Cyan team,” she said. “Not exactly who I would’ve picked, but I’ve seen worse.”
She shrugged.
“Benji and Zaid aren’t the best people from my season to be stuck with. One of them’s kind of a mess, and the other’s way too responsible for his own good. But honestly? I’ll take that over being on a team with Overstasia again.”
She let out a small laugh, shaking her head. “I don’t think the island could handle that twice.”
Her expression shifted, more thoughtful. “Ellie, though… she’s interesting. She’s smart, she knows how to play, and she doesn’t waste time pretending this is just a summer camp. That makes her workable.”
Isabel leaned forward slightly. “And with the way this team’s shaping up? It wouldn’t hurt if a few of us compared notes. Nothing official. Just… keeping our options open.”
She smiled, casual but knowing. “You don’t survive this game by standing alone.”
(Magenta Camp)
Hannah, Logan, and Fiore arrived first at the Magenta campsite. The wind caught their hair as they staggered to steady themselves. Hannah nearly collided with Fiore, but instinctively put a hand on her shoulder to keep her upright.
“Careful!” Hannah said softly. “You okay?”
Fiore blinked up at her. “I’m fine… Look, I know last season was messy. I want to work with you all. I want to play differently this time.”
Hannah’s expression softened. “I can hear that. I’ll give you a chance. Not everyone’s impossible to change.” She deliberately avoided looking at Logan, who still had his arms crossed, a crooked, wary grin on his face.
Logan spoke up, tone teasing but sharp. “Yeah… well, let’s be real. You’re scary, Fiore. I’m not just going to trust that talk.”
Fiore narrowed her eyes but didn’t respond, sensing Hannah’s silent support.
Jake jogged over, glancing at Fiore with a frown. “I can’t blame Logan. She’s… well, she kind of wrecked challenges for the purple team last season. We’re going to need some serious effort this time to cover for her.”
Fiore’s eyes twitched, but before she could answer, Hunter and Ally appeared. Hunter’s smirk was almost casual.
“So we’re blaming her for everything?” he asked.
Jake shook his head. “Not everything. But, you know, she caused enough problems.”
Hunter leaned slightly toward Jake. “Interesting way of putting it. Some of it might have helped you more than hurt.”
Fiore let out a small smirk but stayed quiet, glancing at Hannah, who gave her an encouraging nod.
Ted who just arrived, leaned forward with his sly grin. “Well, look who just landed. Hope you’re ready. This season’s gonna chew up a lot of you.”
Dan arrived beside him, walking with measured steps. His eyes scanned the group carefully, noting body language, spacing, and the subtleties of everyone’s stance. He paused slightly on Fiore, his gaze brief but deliberate. “You’re all here,” he said evenly, voice calm but precise.
“We’ll see how well this team functions under pressure.” He allowed the hint of acknowledgment toward Fiore to linger, enough to note her presence, but not enough to give away any favoritism or strategy.
Hannah gave a quiet nod, still slightly withdrawn from Logan, who had a goofy half-smile plastered on his face.
“Finally, someone with sense,” Jake muttered under his breath.
At that moment, James ran toward the group, beaming. “Hey guys! I hope I speak for all of us when I say, our team looks stacked! We’ll be crushing the competition!”
“You bet!” Jake replied.
“The others don’t stand a chance!”
(Fiore Confessional)
“I’m so unbelievably screwed.” She facepalmed. “Hunter and Hannah seem to be the people who are willing to work with me. While Hannah at least appears to be going through some turbulence with Logan, unfortunately, that gamer girlfriend of Hunter’s might have him wrapped around her finger. I’m gonna need a miracle to survive one elimination ceremony.”
(Jake Confessional)
“This team is a bit of a mixed bag,” Jake admitted, running a hand through his hair. “I won’t lie, I’m not ecstatic that Fiore’s on my team. Last time things didn’t exactly go well when she was around. But, Dan? He’s a good teammate. Solid, reliable, and I can trust him to pull his weight without drama. That’s reassuring.”
He glanced away for a moment, “Hannah and Logan seem nice enough. Ally too. Friendly, capable, all that. I can work with that.”
Jake’s expression darkened slightly. “But Hunter seems different… from the version I saw on TV. After watching some post-game interviews of his it isn't unexpected that he is a more polished and confident guy this season, but there’s something else under the surface here. Like he knows more than he’s letting on, or he’s expecting something from people. That kind of foresight can be good, but it can also be dangerous. I’m not sure which yet.”
“And Ted…” Jake muttered, almost under his breath. “Something about him doesn’t sit right. He’s smooth and confident, almost too confident. I can’t put my finger on it, but I’m going to be watching him closely.”
(Yellow Camp)
Connor grunted as he rubbed the flint and magnesium together, sparks skipping across the log pit before finally catching. A small flame bloomed, steady and bright. He leaned back with a satisfied nod just as Riya stared at the fire, impressed despite herself.
“Wow. I never knew you could start a fire with just some rocks,” she said. “Impressive.”
Connor chuckled. “Flint and magnesium. Scouts, when I was a young lad. Builds character. Teaches you patience.”
“Hot diggity!” a voice chimed in. “You’ve already got a fire going!”
Connor and Riya turned as Miriam approached the campsite, cane tapping against the ground. She surveyed the setup approvingly.
“Nicely done, sonny. Always good to see someone who knows how to be useful.”
“The pleasure’s mine, ma’am,” Connor replied, straightening slightly. Riya attempted to put on her villainous glare beside him. Miriam ignored it completely.
Footsteps crunched through the brush.
“This way! We’re here!”
Alec emerged first, calm and observant as ever. Yul followed with his usual swagger, and Grett trailed just behind him, already uneasy. Connor immediately clocked the way Miriam’s expression hardened.
“Oh… Miriam…” Grett laughed nervously. “Nice to see you again.”
“Grett,” Miriam said dryly. “The human hemorrhoid. What a treat.”
Grett winced. Yul, on the other hand, grinned.
“Careful, Granny,” Yul said, stepping forward. “You look a lot like this other old lady I got accused of pushing down an escalator.” He leaned closer. “And if you insult my girlfriend again, I promise you’ll be the one rolling down this hill.”
“Just try it, whippersnapper,” Miriam snapped back.
Before Yul could escalate, movement from the treeline drew attention.
Spencer stepped into the clearing first, hands relaxed at his sides, expression neutral but alert. Jade followed closely, eyes scanning the group instinctively, already reading the room.
“Oh. Fantastic,” Yul muttered. “Now the British twink shows up.”
Spencer stopped, then smiled politely just enough to take the edge off the tension.
“Funny,” he said calmly. “I remember an interview where someone said my social game was lacking. Nice to see I still make an impression.”
Miriam huffed while still glaring at Yul. “At least Spencer speaks like he’s got a brain.”
Grett glanced at Spencer, surprised. He met her gaze briefly, but something about it made her look away first.
Alec’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Spencer. “We keep running into each other,” he said. “Strange how that works.”
Spencer’s lips twitched. “Funny thing about familiar patterns,” he replied. “They tend to repeat.”
Jade stepped forward, breaking the moment. Alec turned to her.
“I’ll say this,” Alec said. “Your gameplay in Carnival of Chaos, impressive. Efficient. Ruthless, even.”
Jade blinked, visibly taken aback. “That’s… not exactly what I’m aiming for this time.”
Alec raised an eyebrow, intrigued but unconvinced.
Another set of footsteps cut through the air. Anastasia emerged from the trees, posture sharp, eyes immediately locking onto Yul. He looked her up and down with open disdain.
“Just because you’re a model doesn’t mean you’re going to outshine me,” Yul sneered. “People like you burn out fast.”
Anastasia didn’t raise her voice. She didn’t smile.
“Say one more word,” she said evenly, “and I’ll make sure everyone here remembers how your modeling career ended.”
The camp went quiet.
Yul scoffed, but he took a step back.
Connor cleared his throat. “Well,” he said, forcing a chuckle, “looks like we’ve got ourselves a… lively team.”
Miriam smirked. “Lively’s one word for it.”
As everyone began settling in, Grett glanced once more at Spencer and this time, she didn’t look away.
(Alec Confessional)
“This team is a mess.”
Alec sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Nobody here is on the same page, and half of them don’t even realize it yet. Yul is a liability, Grett and Miriam won’t work with anyone unless they’re calling the shots, and that kind of tension always explodes sooner rather than later.”
He paused.
“That said… Spencer and Jade are workable. They think before they move, and that already puts them ahead of most people here.”
A small, calculating look crossed his face.
“Connor and Riya are… interesting. There’s history there, unresolved history, and people like that tend to be predictable when pressure hits.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “Especially Connor. He wants to be seen as decisive, as strong. That makes him easy to read and easy to influence.”
“I’ll especially keep an eye on him,” Alec added.
(Grett Confessional)
“I’m starting to think coming back here might have been a mistake,” Grett said thoughtfully. “But… maybe not in the way I expected.”
She tilted her head slightly. “This team is chaotic. Everyone’s got baggage, grudges, something to prove. Usually, that’s the kind of environment where you either seize control fast or get swallowed whole.”
She paused. “And then there’s Spencer.”
Her tone softened, “He’s different. He’s observant. He doesn’t rush to dominate conversations, but when he does speak, people actually listen. He knows when to step in and when to let things play out.”
Grett hummed. “That’s… interesting.”
She looked back to the camera. “I don’t know where he fits yet, or if we’re going to end up on the same side long-term. But I do know this, he’s not someone you underestimate.”
“And right now? I’m kind of glad he’s here.”
(Magenta Camp)
As the nine members of Team Magenta settled around the firepit, the air grew heavier, the distant rumble of thunder rolling over the treetops.
“Uh… that doesn’t sound great,” Logan said, glancing toward the thin-looking tent. “Anyone else thinking that thing’s not exactly storm-proof?”
“I wouldn’t trust it,” Fiore replied flatly. “The tent we won in my season was way sturdier than that.”
James let out a sigh. “Great. First night and we’re already miserable.”
“Wait, maybe not,” Hannah spoke up, surprising a few of them. “In one of the games I played, we covered the tent in leaves. It helped keep the rain out. If we layer enough, it could work.”
Logan blinked. “Uh… which game was that again?”
Hannah gave him a brief look, “You really don’t remember?”
Ally’s face lit up. “ForestCraft! I love that game. It’s actually one of my favorite ones to stream,” she said, already energized. “And yeah, Hannah’s totally right, the leaf layering mechanic works if you do it thick enough.”
Hunter nodded immediately. “Yeah, that checks out. If we get enough coverage, it should insulate the tent too.”
“I’m in,” James said, already standing. “Better than sitting here waiting to get soaked.”
Logan shifted on the log. “Mind if I come with…”
“Yes,” Hannah said instantly.
The word landed harder than intended. Logan froze, clearly caught off guard.
“I mean…” Hannah stood, avoiding his eyes. “I just think it’ll be faster with fewer people.”
Hunter hesitated, then followed Hannah’s lead. Ally and James trailed after them, the four disappearing into the trees together.
An awkward silence settled over what was left of the group.
Dan cleared his throat. “Well… that went great.”
Jake winced. “Rough.”
Trying to recover, Jake glanced at Logan. “Hey, uh if you want, Dan and I were thinking of seeing if there’s any food around. Might as well make ourselves useful.”
Dan paused for half a beat, eyes flicking to Jake, surprised, but he didn’t say anything.
Logan forced a small smile. “Yeah. Yeah, I’d like that.”
The three of them grabbed what they could and headed off in the opposite direction, their voices fading as they moved into the forest.
That left only Ted and Fiore by the fire.
For a moment, neither spoke. The crackle of the flames filled the gap.
Ted finally broke the silence, leaning back slightly, his tone calm but deliberate. “You notice how fast lines are already being drawn?” he said. “People don’t even realize they’re doing it.”
Fiore scoffed quietly. “They never do. They just decide who they’re comfortable with and pretend it’s strategy.”
A faint smile tugged at Ted’s mouth. “Exactly. Comfort masquerading as morality.” His eyes followed the path Dan had taken, just for a second. “Even the ones who look like they fit in? Sometimes they’re just carried along.”
Fiore glanced at him. “You mean Dan.”
Ted nodded subtly. “Jake grouped him into the offer without even asking. ‘Dan and I,’ just like that.” He shrugged. “Dan didn’t object, but he didn’t volunteer either. That’s not confidence, that’s someone trying not to rock the boat.”
Fiore’s gaze lingered on the forest longer this time.
“I don’t think you’re expendable,” Ted continued, turning back to her. “In fact, I think you’re useful in ways they’re too scared to acknowledge.” He paused, then added, more gently, “And I get the sense you’re tired of being decided for.”
She didn’t respond right away.
“I’m not asking you to trust me,” Ted said. “Trust is expensive. Cooperation’s cheaper.” His gaze flicked once more toward the dark jungle. “All I’m saying is, you don’t survive a game like this by assuming everyone else is as comfortable as they pretend to be.”
Thunder rolled again, closer now.
Fiore stared into the fire, then finally looked back at him. “Then I guess we’ll see who actually knows how to play.”
(Dan Confessional)
Dan sat with his elbows on his knees, looking down before glancing up at the camera. “So…yeah. Magenta.”
He gave a small, almost amused breath. “Everyone’s already split, even if they don’t realize it yet. Some people are trying really hard to make things feel normal. Others are pretending they don’t care.”
He shrugged slightly. “Jake grouping me in when he asked Logan to look for food wasn’t a big deal. I don’t think he meant anything by it. That’s kind of the point.”
Dan tilted his head. “People make decisions fast out here. They decide who’s easy. Who won’t push back. Who’s…fine wherever you put them.”
There was a pause. “I’m on decent terms with Jake. Logan’s alright. Hannah seems kind, just…distant. Ally and Hunter feel solid.” He glanced away. “Solid groups form quickly.”
His mouth twitched, “Ted’s saying very little, honestly tells me more.”
Dan leaned back slightly. “I’m not worried. But I’m paying attention this time.”
(Ally Confessional)
Ally adjusted her sleeve, “Things already are complicated,” she said. “Hannah seems really nice and genuinely kind, but there’s definitely something going on between her and Logan. Like they’re standing next to each other, not with each other.”
She hesitated, then sighed. “And Hunter…” Ally glanced off to the side before continuing. “Some of the stuff he said earlier about Fiore making the other team’s problems more interesting, it just… rubbed me the wrong way.”
Her voice softened. “Last season, things spiraled fast. And I know how easy it is for comments like that to turn into real damage. Especially when people start treating others like tools instead of people.”
Ally folded her arms, grounding herself. “I still get hate comments for going along with using Yul as a shield. People act like I masterminded everything, or like I didn’t have a choice.” She shook her head. “They don’t see the pressure. They don’t see how fast the game moves.”
She looked back at the camera, more resolved now. “I don’t want to repeat that. I want to play smarter, but also better. And if I see things heading in a direction that feels familiar…”
She paused. “I’m not going to ignore it this time.”
(Yellow Camp)
“I’m fucking freezing.” Yul shivered, arms crossed tight despite the fire. “What the hell was my manager thinking, sending me out here in a crop top?”
“Oh darling, don’t be dramatic.” Grett leaned into him, looping an arm around his waist. “Fashion is suffering, and suffering is hot. Plus, everyone gets to admire those abs.”
Yul smirked, clearly enjoying the attention.
(Yul Confessional)
“I wasn’t sure about this whole ‘fake relationship’ thing my manager set up with Grett. But she’s… fine. Keeps me relevant, keeps me safe. One guaranteed ally in a game full of idiots? I’ll take it.”
He squinted at the camera. “You’re cutting that part about it being fake, right?”
“Unfortunately…” Oliver sighed offscreen. “Your manager made it very clear we’re cutting anything that could hurt your brand.”
“Figures.”
(Camera Cut)
Nearby, Alec adjusted his position by the fire. “At least they let us keep our sleeping clothes. Temperature’s only going to drop tonight.”
“Some of us planned ahead,” Riya said smugly, pulling her alpaca fur coat tighter. “Warm and stylish.”
Connor smiled politely. “It does look nice.”
“I know,” Riya replied flatly. “I’m going to bed.” She stood and walked off without another glance.
Alec watched her leave, then looked back at Connor. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Connor said, after a beat. “I’m fine.”
“If you want to talk,” Alec added evenly, “I’ll be by the lake.”
(Connor Confessional)
“I worry about Riya. She turns it on for the cameras, and sometimes… it cuts deeper than she realizes. I don’t think she means to hurt people. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.”
(Camera Cut)
Back at the fire, Spencer stretched his hands toward the warmth. “So this is what bonding looks like here. Mild hypothermia and unresolved tension.”
Grett chuckled. “You get used to it.”
Jade sat a little apart, quietly observing. “You really don’t,” she muttered.
Yul glanced between them. “You two still pretending you’re not threats?”
Spencer smiled politely. “Not pretending. Just letting people underestimate us.”
Jade shot him a look, not annoyed, just noting the choice of words.
Anastasia, sharpening a stick with her boot pressed against it, snorted. “He talks too much.”
Yul scoffed. “Rich coming from you, bimbo.”
Anastasia didn’t raise her voice. She didn’t need to. She simply walked over and slapped Yul in the face leaving a red mark on his cheek.
“How’s that for a “bimbo”?”
A brief, uncomfortable silence followed.
Grett laughed softly, trying to smooth things over. “Wow! Big energy tonight.”
Spencer leaned back, glancing between Grett and Yul, curiosity flickering but unreadable.
“Yeah,” he said lightly. “Seems stable.”
Alec watched the group, eyes lingering on Spencer and Jade just a second longer than the rest.
Jade felt it and looked back at him.
No one said anything.
(Spencer Confessional)
Spencer let out a small breath, as if he was still organizing his thoughts. “First night, new team… you don’t really know anyone yet,” he said. “You just get impressions.”
He shrugged lightly. “Grett’s…earnest. Loud, affectionate, kind of impossible to miss. But it’s not chaotic in the way people assume. There’s a steadiness to her. You can tell when someone believes what they’re saying, even if it’s a bit much.”
His expression shifted. “Yul, on the other hand…” He paused, choosing his words. “Is very aware of how he comes across.”
Spencer glanced back toward the camp, then returned his eyes to the camera.
“I’m not making any calls yet. It’s way too early for that. But part of my game is noticing where things don’t quite line up.”
Spencer paused. “So for now, I’ll just keep an eye out.”
(Cyan Camp)
The nine members of the Cyan team were packed into the tent, rain hammering against the canvas so hard it felt like the island itself was trying to break in. Thunder cracked overhead, close enough to make the poles shudder.
“This sucks…” Tom muttered, shifting uncomfortably. “I hope you all can go a day without sleeping like I can…”
“I still hate thunder,” Aiden groaned, pulling his knees closer to his chest. “James always made me feel calmer. I wish he was still here.”
“I don’t like it either,” Tess admitted quietly. “Storms always made me feel alone. Like…really helpless.”
Gabby tilted her head, clearly trying to inject some life into the gloom. “What about you, Lake? First Tipiskaw thunderstorm?”
Lake exhaled slowly. “Memorable,” she said. “My father was trying to force me to quit the show. Said I’d brought ‘disobedience and shame’ to the family.” She paused, jaw tightening. “Kristal and Rosa helped me through it. If they hadn’t…I’d probably be married off to some disgusting noble by now.”
There was a brief, heavy silence.
“Ah…” Gabby said gently. “On our season, I was hiding out after sneaking away from the motel to investigate Derek and Trevor’s crimes.” She turned, bright smile returning as she looked at Ellie. “What about you, Ellie?”
Ellie stiffened. “Uh… nothing.”
“Nothing?” Tom snapped, the word sharp enough to cut through the rain. “You don’t remember stabbing me and Jake in the back? Making us look like hypocritical assholes on national television?”
Ellie’s eyes flashed. “Oh, come on. Even Miriam couldn’t deny that you, her, and Jake wouldn’t have let me place further than fourth. I needed the money! And I didn’t know Alec and Fiore were going to manipulate Jake into wasting your totem…”
“That doesn’t make it better!” Tom shot back.
“QUIET!” Gabby shouted, stepping between them, arms out like a referee breaking up a fight. “Can’t you two just get along?!”
The tent went still.
Benji, who had been sitting cross-legged near the edge, blinked at the sudden silence. “Okay, um… just throwing this out there…if the tent collapses, do we all die, or is that like…a separate challenge?”
Aiden snorted despite himself.
Zaid leaned over slightly, lowering his voice. “Hey,” he said to Benji, calm but firm. “Not a bad instinct. Maybe just…aim it a little softer?”
Benji considered that. “Softer. Got it.” He cleared his throat. “Uh. Thunder’s loud, but at least we’re all dry-ish?”
“That’s…better,” Zaid nodded.
Isabel, seated nearby with her hands folded neatly in her lap, glanced between Ellie and Tom, then at Benji. “If this is your version of de-escalation,” she said mildly, “it’s unconventional. But effective.”
Benji beamed. “See? Team morale officer.”
Zaid allowed himself a small smile.
Gabby relaxed slightly, grateful for the interruption. Tess smiled faintly, her shoulders easing.
Isabel’s gaze lingered on Ellie for a moment longer than necessary, curious, thoughtful, before she tilted her head. “Still,” she added lightly, “it’s…interesting. All this passion on night one. Makes you wonder what kind of bonds people are hoping to form here.”
Ellie met her eyes, expression unreadable.
Tom looked away, jaw clenched.
Lake shifted closer to Tess, lowering her voice. “So… we’re not doing this all night, right?”
“Please no,” Tess murmured back.
Another crack of thunder rolled overhead, but it felt less oppressive now. The tension hadn’t vanished—but it had loosened, just enough.
Benji leaned back against the tent wall. “Cool. So. Emotional ceasefire?”
Zaid nodded. “For now.”
Lake let out a surprised laugh, and Tess followed with a soft, genuine chuckle of her own. For a moment, despite the rain and the thunder and everything hanging unsaid, the tension eased just enough for the Cyan team to breathe.
(Tom Confessional)
“Yeah…you know things are bad when Gabby has to be a mediator between me and Ellie. Make no mistake though, I don’t trust her…Ellie, I mean.”
(The Next Day)
The three teams each arrived towards the entrance of the camp. There, they found 3 loaded trucks painted with three colors. Green, Yellow, and Red, as well as their team colors in front of three locked doors.
“Welcome campers! I hope you all had a wonderful sleep!” Kristal cheerfully smiled.
“Wonderful; would be a lie…” Aiden grumpily shot back. “Worst night of my life.”
James leaned over to Aiden. “Is everything okay?”
“Not really, the rain soaked us badly.” Aiden replied, replied, rubbing his arm.
“You know, if you cover the tent in leaves, the rain won’t get in.”
“Uh…James…let’s maybe not help out the opposing teams.” Jake spoke up.
“Jake is right…” Logan crossed his arms.
Aiden raised his eyebrows, “oh, so it’s okay if the rest of us FREEZE TO DEATH? ”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.” Jake replied, narrowing his eyes.
“Kristal…what happened to the cabins?” Riya asked, annoyed. “It’s not professional for someone like myself to be sleeping in a bag on the dirt.”
“Glad you asked!” Kristal’s face narrowed in a twisted smile. “We burnt them to the ground!” Seeing the horrified look of the contestants she continued.
“Since Season 1 has finally aired in full after being lost, the producers were only allowed to greenlight filming of this season, if we agreed to repair the environment that your Season 1 hosts destroyed!
“Yay!” Gabby clapped her hands. “We can finally make up for all the damage those two freaks caused to nature! Now we can see animals again!”
“Which…brings us to today’s challenge!” Kristal replied. “Behind each of you, there are 3 containers of different colors. The Green one contains 8 completely harmless animals. The Yellow one contains 8 neutral animals, and the red one contains 4 very dangerous animals. 6 members of each team will be transporters, their job is to take as many critters as possible from the carriers to those door zones. The other 3 will be attackers, it is their job to stop you from doing that by any means necessary. Green animals are worth 1 point, Yellow 5, and red are worth a whopping 10. Once they’ve all been collected, the points will tally up, most points wins reward, and least points will see me at elimination. Any questions?”
All of the contestants didn’t look thrilled about having to do this, in any capacity.
“It’s 3 million dollars for you all are competing for, so suck it up.” Kristal replied.
"One more thing, this season there are two immunity idols hidden around camp, not to mention there will be other twists."
This announcement caused all 27 contestants to eye up each other in speculation of if someone already found an idol. However out of all the contestants Ted drew the most attention from his Magenta teammates as a result.
Before things could become chaotic Kristal quickly said, “I’ll give you 2 minutes to strategize.”
(Fiore Confessional)
“So these asshole producers pay off my shitty catholic prison to have me back on the show. Don’t put me on the team with majority villains. And have the AUDACITY to make the first challenge a physical one so I can’t prove my worth to those season 2 and 3 nutcases?” She crossed her arms as she looked away from the cameras.
(Camera Cut)
“Dude this suuuucccckkkks.” Derek groaned.
“At least helping with these animals will ease my conscience.” Trevor replied.
“What the hell were we thinking?”
“We weren’t, Derek.”
“Hey you two soap droppers.” They both glared as Emily walked over. “Challenge is starting, Kristal needs you on the move, now. Or do you both need to be written up to Oliver?!”
“We’re coming.” Trevor grumbled.
“Alright, we’ve got our three defenders; on Magenta; Fiore, Hunter, and Ally. Their transporters are James, Dan, Logan, Hannah, Ted, and Jake. For Cyan; the defenders are Lake, Aiden, and Tom. With Ellie, Gabby, Benji, Zaid, Isabel and Tess, as the transporters. And for Yellow, Connor, Yul, Spencer, Jade, Anastasia, and Grett are the transporters, while Alec, Riya, and Miriam defend. This challenge starts…NOW!”
“Alright, which one should we grab first?” James asked.
“Red,” Hannah replied, confidently. “If we can get two of them in, we’ll have a hard time losing.”
James nodded in agreement before Jake could even speak up as the two entered the red one.
Gabby emerged from the green truck with an iguana lazily on top of her head, a bird on her finger, and a squirrel in the palm of her left hand.” Giggling like a little kid as she handed the squirrel to Tess and the bird to Ellie. “Come on! Let’s find these friends a home!”
Grett and Yul both struggled with moving a baby goat causing Spencer to have to assist. Connor took off by them, holding all to a small monkey, who furiously tried to scratch at him.
The three Cyan girls quickly made their way down the paths towards their zone, before they came across the three magenta teammates guardian their zone.
Hunter quickly tackled Ellie to the ground as Gabby ducked past him.
Ellie shoved at his shoulder, furious.
“You may be used to getting what you want because you’re Mr. Cool, Popular, and Good at Challenges,” she snapped, voice shaking, “but I don’t appreciate you taking advantage of my friend when she was emotionally vulnerable!”
Hunter’s jaw tightened. “I wasn’t taking advantage of Tess. I was trying to help.”
Ellie’s eyes flashed. “Funny. Because from where I’m standing, you’re really good at justifying yourself.”
“You’re one to talk, using Jake’s trust issues to advance your game?” Hunter said in retaliation.
Ellie’s visibly recoiled. “I didn’t know the full details of Alec and Fiore's plan, I was just trying to survive. Hunter, I’d watch what I say if were you, I don’t think you want everyone to know what happened on your season, do you?” This caused Hunter to go quiet.
(Hunter Confessional)
“Despite the fact that Ellie knows the truth, I’m aware my season was re-edited to better suit Western audiences.”
He shrugged. “Apparently, production didn’t like that I didn’t have many flaws or vulnerabilities to exploit for the Truth and “Kristal Says” challenges.”
Hunter crossed his arms. “I’ll have everyone know that I’m nowhere near creative enough to invent my own strategy games. The strategy games I do like are Risk, Clash of Clans, and HOI4. Recently, I’ve been switching things up and have been giving more RPGs a chance, Ally’s been trying to get me into RPGs. The only RPG’s I’ve tried are the original trilogy’s in both the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series.”
A pause. “Anyways, I don’t mind the goofy edit because it lowers my threat level, which helps my game.”
His jaw tightened. “But with Ellie watching me this closely, I don’t know how long that’ll last.”
(Camera Cut)
Fiore quickly ran at Tess, who simply put her other arm out, stopping the little girl with the biggest “I don’t give a shit.” look on her face, and just pushed her to the ground.
Ally braced herself as Gabby charged at her, only for the dark-skinned Polish girl to viciously punch her with a sadistic grin as she shoved her way past her, knocking the gamer girl to the ground as both her and Tess entered their zone.
“That’s two points for Cyan!” Kristal called from over the megaphone.
“No fair! Gabby punched me!”
“Not against the rules! I said any means necessary! So long as it won’t get this show taken off the air. It’s allowed!”
As Hunter continued to struggle with Ellie, he quickly looked up, as if to ask for the rest of his team. Only to find James, Dan, Ted, and Jake struggling with a wolf that looked very, very angry.
He grunted before grabbing the bird from Ellie and moving it into Magenta’s zone. He then quickly moved over and helped Ally up, and the two spotted Fiore looking quite rough as she pushed herself up from the dirt. Hunter noted Ally looked very frustrated when she also spotted their team struggling with the wolf.
(Camera Cut)
Connor quickly ran towards the Yellow Zone holding onto the fighting monkey as it kicked and scratched at him. He quickly skidded to a halt as Lake jumped at him, though he quickly shifted himself as the young German girl flew past him, crashing to the ground.
“Haha! Victory!” He quickly ran into the Yellow Zone.
Yul and Grett followed close behind him, now holding on to a Racoon and Beaver with Jade and Spencer guarding them. Aiden, Zaid, and Benji quickly jumped in front of them, however, Riya quickly tackled Aiden, Spencer and Jade double teamed Zaid, and Yul kicked Benji in the balls allowing for him and Grett to advance.
Alec watched as the goat Yul, Grett, and Spencer had let go of ran past all of them.
“Fiore! The goat!” Logan called.
He looked over, and, though the goat was still a small baby, it still knocked Fiore off her balance and kicked off her small body.
“Nice job…” Logan crossed her arms. “We just lost 5 points.”
“I’d like to see you try and get the goat in my body ginger-snap!” Fiore grunted.
Alec walked over to Logan, “You know, a little camaraderie doesn’t hurt, Logan. I would’ve thought being an Olympic bronze medalist and the oldest sibling in your family that you would want to be a good influence to young children.”
“I didn’t ask you!” Logan replied, crossing his arms. “Why don’t you mind your own business?”
Alec crossed his arms. “I don’t particularly care for that type of tone, and I doubt whatever fans you still have after you failed to take any accountability following your season would be ashamed to see you are picking on children!”
Hannah quickly moved in between them. “Logan, we need to focus…get your head in the game!”
Logan simply shook his head in disappointment as Hannah turned to Alec.
“Sorry about that…Logan can get…frustrated…with people when he’s losing.” He replied. Alec raised his eyebrow before he took off.
(Alec Confessional)
“When I got the call to come back, I made sure to look closely at the Season 2 and 3 players. Not just the edits, the patterns.”
He scoffed. “Logan stood out immediately. People love to pretend he’s some steady, dependable presence, but that reputation has always felt… manufactured. In his season, he made selfish calls, avoided accountability, and somehow walked away still framed as the good guy. Fans noticed. A lot of them did.”
Alec folded his arms. “And here? It’s the same thing. The moment things start going badly, he looks for someone smaller and easier to blame. Fiore drops the goat, and suddenly it’s all her fault, not the poor coordination, not the panic, not the fact that he wasn’t actually helping.”
He shook his head. “That’s not leadership. That’s insecurity.” Alec leaned slightly closer to the camera.
“What really gets me is how quick he is to moralize while doing nothing constructive. He talks like someone who expects praise just for having the ‘right’ tone, even when his actions make things worse. That kind of player doesn’t win games, they just drain their team.”
A beat. “Which is fine for me.” His mouth twitched. “As long as Logan keeps drawing attention to himself and Fiore stays in the crosshairs, no one’s looking too closely at me. If I can stir things just enough to keep Fiore around another vote, the team will stay fractured.”
(Camera Cut)
Alec moved over to Riya as the two watched the Magenta team continue to struggle with the wolf. Riya went to make a move, but Alec quickly held her back.
“What?!” Riya asked firmly.
“Just…give it a second,” he said. “You’re an actress. I’m sure you can do a wolf call, right?”
They watched as Lake and Tom pushed toward the Magenta side. Tom barreled in first, tackling Dan, Ted, and James in a messy pile.
Lake darted past him, eyes locked on the wolf before Anastasia hit her hard from the side.
Lake went down with a grunt. Anastasia kept her footing and stepped over her as Lake scrambled back up.
“Watch it!” Lake snapped.
“You ran straight into me,” Anastasia shot back.
Isabel rushed in and grabbed Anastasia’s arm, yanking her away. “The wolf’s gone. Let it go.”
Anastasia twisted free and shoved Isabel in the shoulder. “Don’t grab me.”
Isabel shoved back without hesitation. “Then stop costing us time.”
Anastasia laughed and stepped forward. “You’re always this annoying!”
Isabel grabbed the front of Anastasia’s jacket and jerked her sideways. “You’re the one who always starts problems!”
“You’re one to talk you wretch nun.” Anastasia responded.
“At least I don’t mistake chaos for control you nuisance.” Isabel retaliated.
Anastasia shoved her back, the two of them stumbling before breaking apart as the wolf suddenly bolted again, this time straight towards the Yellow gate.
“Wolf’s moving!” Tess shouted.
The distraction was enough. The wolf slipped through the chaos, sprinted past Riya and Alec…and crossed cleanly through the Yellow team’s gate.
“And that’s a whopping 17 points for the Yellow team!” Kristal called.
Anastasia clicked her tongue and turned away. Isabel stared after the wolf for a beat longer before running back toward her team.
From Yellow’s side, Alec watched the whole thing quietly.
Riya glanced at him. “You look pleased.”
Alec shrugged. “People show you who they are when they’re under fire.”
(Riya Confessional)
“This Alec guy seems quite smart…I could use someone like that.” She adjusted her sunglasses as she posed for the camera. “Connor’s loyalty will only go so far because he’s too nice and it’ll mess up my game. I’m going to need a much less ethical man if I want to win.”
(Camera Cut)
“Damn.” James grunted.
“Come on! Green container!” Hannah commanded.
The contestants continued pulling in animal after animal, racking up point after point. Tom and Grett viciously fought over a venomous snake, before Aiden tackled Grett and Tom flung the snake past Tess and into the Cyan zone.
Hannah rode a horse from the container, leaping over Miriam and rushing it into the magenta zone.
An Angry goose chased Spencer into the Yellow safe zone as Connor brought in a snapping turtle.
All of the teams then froze as Gabby and Ellie both walked an alligator and…a fucking Lion? Into the cyan safe zones, none of them daring to even so much as challenge either girl.
“We’re in a forest in the middle of Canada? Why is their a FUCKING lion?!” Yul shouted. “And how are these two little shits dragging such vicious creatures around?”
(Ellie Confessional)
“Gabby may…or may not...have gotten us banned from the zoo on a date for getting into a Tiger’s enclosure to help it out when it was injured…she’s always had a way with taming such vicious animals. Though…it makes having to care for all the tamed ones back at home a hassle with all the money we launder for them.”
(Camera Cut)
Alec continued to watch as Yul brought a baby deer over. However, Tom quickly slid into him, knocking him off his feet as Aiden grabbed onto the baby deer. “Gabby! Take it!”
Gabby gleefully ran over and grabbed onto the baby deer as she ran into the cyan performance.
“Nicely done Aiden!” Tom high-fived the dual-hair colored boy as Alec looked over and spotted Jake’s upset look.
A smile formed on his face as he began his way to Jake. He tapped to boy on the shoulder, and Jake turned to him as he held onto the woodpecker.
“Looks like Tom’s already replaced you, eh?” He asked.
“Uh…what?!” Jake asked.
“He’s been smiling a lot more than usual around Aiden.”
“What?!” Jake asked.
“I noticed it the moment I got on the plane. Aiden and Tom were smiling at each other a lot. Wouldn’t be surprised if they talked this out beforehand.”
“That’s ridiculous!” The boy protested. “Aiden’s been with James since Season 2 ended.”
“Please, Aiden’s a superfan of the show who changes his decisions on a dime with how rash he is.” Alec rolled his eyes. “And, besides, take it from someone who had a troubled marriage, I’ve gotten quite inept at sniffing out cheaters.”
Jake bit down on his lip. “Are you…gonna take the woodpecker from me?”
“No point, your team lost already.” Alec replied, “I don’t need to cause you any more pain than your emotions already give you.”
“Oh…piss off!” Jake replied.
Miriam looked nervously as she spotted Alec beginning to walk away from Jake.
Unbeknownst to anyone Isabel watched from afar what occurred and formed an intrigued look on her face.
(Miriam Confessional)
“I’ll have to keep my eye on Alec, he may not be willing to work with Fiore again, but he’s slippery…I’ll need to look out for Jake to the best of my ability.”
(Isabel Confessional)
“I noticed Alec talking to Jake earlier,” she said
She exhaled quietly. “Jake’s easy to read when he’s stressed. You can kind of see when something gets in his head.”
A small pause. “I don’t think Alec’s doing anything too flashy but what he said to Jake is useful information to know going forward.”
(Camera Cut)
As Jake walked, Aiden quickly tackled him and grabbed the woodpecker.
“HEY! What’s wrong with you?!”
“Sorry! That’s the challenge.” Aiden replied. He put the woodpecker inside as a bell rang.
“And that’s the challenge. With a total of 38 points! The Cyan team wins immunity and a reward! We’ll be replacing that tent of yours with a waterproof one! Second place goes to the yellow team with 31 points. They will also be safe from elimination!”
“Alright! As it should be!” Yul pumped his fist.
“Proud of you all gang!” Connor cheered.
“Next time, make sure we get first so we get the reward.” Everyone glared at Riya,
“Err…Anyway; that leaves the Magenta team with only 12 measly points. Yeesh. I’ll be seeing you all tonight where one of you will be the first person voted out of Disventure Camp; All Stars!”
As the rest of Magenta groaned or stared at the ground, Ted didn’t look upset in the slightest. He smugly smiled while everyone else glared at him.
(Magenta Camp)
The Magenta team baring Ted and Fiore gathered in a loose circle near the dying campfire, the earlier tension from the challenge still hanging thick in the air.
It was Hannah who finally broke the silence.
“Okay,” she said, folding her arms, voice calm but firm. “We should probably talk before this turns into everyone whispering in corners.”
Jake nodded quickly. “Yeah. Agreed.”
James leaned back against a log, unreadable. Hunter and Ally sat close together, listening. Logan hovered near Hannah, uneasy. Dan lingered just off to the side, attentive but quiet.
“So,” Hannah continued, “Ted’s name has come up. A lot.”
“That’s putting it lightly,” Logan muttered.
Jake exhaled. “Look…he’s slippery. And after the challenge? He was way too calm. Smug, even.”
Ally tilted her head. “You think he has the idol?”
“I think he wants us to think that,” Jake said. “Which is almost worse.”
Hunter nodded slowly. “Either way, it means a straight vote is risky.”
James crossed his arms. “So what are you suggesting?”
“A split,” Hannah replied. “Ted and Fiore. That way if he plays something, we still control it.”
Logan shifted his weight. “Makes sense to me.”
Ally glanced at Hunter, who gave a small nod. “I’m fine with that.”
James didn’t respond right away, eyes flicking between faces. Dan watched him carefully.
Jake cleared his throat. “Before we lock anything in… James, can I ask you something?”
James looked up. “Sure. What’s up?”
“Have you noticed,” Jake said slowly, choosing his words, “how quickly Tom and Aiden have gotten close?”
James blinked. “No. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re not on the same teams.”
“Well have you talked to Aiden at all?” Jake pressed. “Like… other than the leaf thing earlier?”
James’s expression hardened. “The leaf thing that you accused me of collaborating with the other team over? What exactly are you implying about Aiden and Tom?”
“Uh—what?” Jake stammered. “Nothing, I—”
“Respectfully,” James cut in, standing now, “you don’t know Aiden like I do. Be very careful with what you’re suggesting.”
Jake raised his hands defensively. “Whoa, no need to get hostile.”
“You’re implying my boyfriend is cheating on me,” James snapped.
“What? No, I’m not making anything up! I was just saying what I’ve noticed—and I’m not the only one. Are you really that ignorant? Or just blind?”
James stepped closer, finger pressing into Jake’s chest. “Listen to me. You clearly still have trust issues. I know Aiden. He wouldn’t cheat on me. And Tom isn’t as sexy, friendly, or understanding as I am.”
Jake’s eye twitched. “Are you calling me a liar?”
“A lie would require intelligence,” James shot back. “You’re just delusional.”
He scoffed. “Honestly that ginger girl was right, dealing with you should count as community service.”
James turned and walked off, leaving Jake frozen, mouth slightly open.
No one intervened.
Hannah stared at the ground, jaw tight. Logan shifted uncomfortably but said nothing. Ally glanced between Jake and the path James disappeared down, clearly conflicted. Hunter exhaled through his nose, expression unreadable. Dan remained silent, eyes flicking after James, then back to Jake.
From behind a cluster of trees just far enough away to stay unseen, Ted watched the whole thing unfold with quiet amusement. Fiore crouched beside him, arms wrapped around her knees.
“Well,” Fiore murmured, a grin tugging at her lips, “that went beautifully.”
Ted smiled, slow and satisfied. “I didn’t say a word.”
Fiore snickered. “Didn’t have to. He lit the match himself.”
Ted’s gaze stayed fixed on the campfire as the others awkwardly dispersed. “When people think they’re in control,” he said softly, “they forget how easy it is to tip them over.”
Fiore’s eyes gleamed.
(James Confessional)
“The casting team really dropped the ball inviting Jake back.” James rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe He and Tom had the ‘popular relationship.’ Aiden supported back in Season 1. Ellie and Gabby were clearly much better suited for each other. I mean, have you all seen what he posts on Social Media? Always crying about never finding his true love, being unable to stand the idea of that stupid boyfriend of his ghosting him for 3 years. #Thirsty.”
(Hunter Confessional)
Hunter sat back against the confessional wall, arms crossed, expression calm but thoughtful.
“Yeah… things got messy back there,” he admitted. “James and Jake blowing up like that? Not ideal. But honestly… it doesn’t change the plan.”
He shrugged lightly. “A split vote still makes the most sense. Either way, tonight resolves something. And for me? That’s fine because I gain information either way.”
Hunter leaned forward slightly, eyes sharper now.
“I’ve learned that you don’t always need to force outcomes. Sometimes you just need to put yourself in a position where every option still benefits you.”
A small, knowing smile tugged at his lips.
“There are people on this team who think they’re steering the game. And there are people who think chaos is bad for them.” He paused. “I don’t.”
He leaned back again, relaxed. “No matter how this vote lands… I’ll be fine. And when things start shifting later?”
He glanced off to the side. “I’ll already be standing where I need to be.”
(Logan Confessional)
Logan ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly before looking back at the camera.
“Okay…so this just got way messier than it was five minutes ago.”
He shifts his weight, clearly torn.
“Coming into tonight, the plan was simple. Fiore. Jake was completely on board with it, no hesitation. He said it made sense, said it was clean.” Logan lets out a short, humorless laugh. “For once, I thought we were actually aligned.”
His expression tightened. “But after James blew up like that?”
Logan shakes his head. “Jake flipped. Hard. Now he’s pulling me aside, saying James is unstable, saying we can’t trust him, saying this changes everything.”
He looks off-camera for a moment. “And I get it. James went too far. I’m not pretending that didn’t happen.”
A beat. “But at the same time…Fiore still didn’t pull her weight in the challenge. That didn’t magically disappear because two grown men started yelling at each other.”
Logan exhales again, slower this time. “So now I’m stuck in the middle. Do I stick with the plan that made sense…or do I back Jake when he’s clearly acting on emotion?”
He gives a small, uneasy shrug. “And the worst part? If I choose wrong, I’m not just picking a vote, I’m picking which mess I’m tied to going forward.”
(Camera Cut)
Dan sat alone at the campfire, elbows on his knees, eyes fixed on the flames. Ted approached without ceremony and eased himself down beside him.
“First votes are funny,” Ted said lightly. “Everyone acts like they’re simple.”
Dan gave a small huff. “They usually are.”
Ted nodded. “That’s the lie that makes them dangerous.”
He let the silence stretch.
“I told you earlier that if you ever wanted to know who would protect you in a vote, I’d tell you,” Ted continued, still staring into the fire. “You still interested?”
“I guess,” Dan said, cautiously.
Ted hummed. “Before that, let’s clear something up.” He glanced sideways at Dan. “I don’t have the idol.”
Dan’s eyes flicked to him, surprised despite himself. “Then…what’s stopping me from telling everyone that? Letting them vote you out clean?”
Ted didn’t hesitate. “Nothing.”
The word sat there, blunt and honest.
“That’s why this matters,” Ted continued calmly.
“Because once Fiore and I are gone the votes don’t suddenly stop being easy.”
He finally turned to face Dan. “They land on you.”
Dan frowned but stayed silent.
“As long as I’m here,” Ted added, voice steady,
“you’re not the first name they say. I absorb that pressure. I give them somewhere else to look.” The fire popped.
“So let’s talk through them,” Ted said, almost conversational. “Jake’s emotionally volatile. Not a flaw…just how he operates. You saw it earlier.”
Dan’s brow creased slightly.
“When he asked Logan to go look for food,” Ted continued, “he grouped you in without asking. Decided for you. ”
Dan swallowed.
“That wasn’t a strategy,” Ted said. “That was comfort. You were the safe assumption. Furthermore, he’s going to vote for James without considering if it’s in his best interest.”
Ted counted off on his fingers. “Logan means well, but he cracks when he’s scared. You’ve seen that before.”
Dan nodded once.
“Hannah’s social,” Ted went on. “Which means she has options. People with options don’t lock themselves into one outcome.”
Ted leaned back slightly.
“Hunter and Ally?” He paused. “They work best when someone else sets the tone. When the path feels obvious.”
Dan considered that. “So James is the problem?” he asked.
Ted shook his head. “James makes things crowded. Too many voices. Too many people who think they’re safe.”
The fire crackled again. “If you don’t flip,” Ted said evenly, “Fiore goes home tonight. Then I go next. That part’s easy.”
He met Dan’s eyes.
“But after that? You’re the cleanest name left. Least ties. Least protection.”
Dan’s jaw tightened.
“They think you’re safe,” Ted added. “Because you haven’t disrupted anything yet.”
Dan stared into the flames. “They think this is locked,” he muttered. “They think I’m with them.”
Ted nodded. “That’s usually when people stop checking their footing.”
A voice called from the clearing.
“Elimination Ceremony Begins In 5 Minutes.”
Dan stood slowly. Ted rose with him, placing a steady hand on his shoulder.
“No one looks out for the quiet ones,” Ted said softly. “Sometimes you just make sure the noise stays loud.”
“I’ll leave you alone to allow you to make a decision,” Ted said before walking away
Dan didn’t respond.
Once Ted left, Dan pulled a small notebook out of his pocket and began to write in it while contemplating what to do.
(Elimination Ceremony)
The Magenta Team sat themselves down on the stumps of logs that made up their elimination ceremony at night. With tiki torches dimly lighting up the area Kristal stood. In front of her, an urn with the three team colors and a skull plastered on it.
“Welcome, Magenta team, I’m sure you all had a tense afternoon figuring out who to vote for. Though, if you ask me, there’s a very clear answer. But, I’m not allowed to interfere with that decision making. I’m sure you all remember how this works, but, just in case. You will each go up to the urn and write the name down of the person you’d like to vote for. The Person with the most votes, will be eliminated immediately. However, if you have one of the TWO hidden immunity totems, you may play it before the votes are read to save yourself.”
There was silence as the nine team members looked amongst each other.
(Voting Sequence)
James held his vote up to the camera, “I vote for Jake, I’ll probably get myself eliminated for this move, but no one insults Aiden like that and gets away with it.” He placed it in the urn.
Jake held up his vote. “James, I could forgive you for assuming I was lying and making shit up, and what you said about me. Believe me, I know I messed up there. But what you said about Tom? Even if he doesn’t love me and Aiden most likely isn’t cheating on you with him, I can’t accept slander of him like that.”
Hunter confidently put his vote into the urn.
Ally placed her vote into the urn looking unsure of herself.
Fiore nervously put her vote into the urn.
Logan closed his eyes as he but his vote into the urn.
Hannah sighed as she put her vote into the urn.
Ted smirked as he put his vote into the urn.
Dan nervously tapped the pen against the wood, before he looked back at the elimination area. After a moment, he simply shook his head, wrote down the name, and placed it in the urn.
(Camera Cut)
The 9 Magenta team members looked at each other, before they each looked back at Kristal.
“Okay; once the votes are read, the decision is final. The person voted out will need to leave the camp immediately, and report to the bus of losers…I’ll read the votes.”
“First vote…” Kristal said. “Ted!” She flipped the paper around, revealing Ted’s name.
Ted smirked.
“Jake!”
Jake didn’t look very surprised.
“James!”
James also didn’t look very surprised.
“Fiore!”
Fiore started to tense up.
“Ted”
Ted looked rather bored.
“Fiore”
Fiore bit down on her lip nervously .
“James again”
The Brazilian influencer raised an eyebrow.
That’s two votes for Ted, two votes for James, two votes for Fiore, one vote for Jake. Two votes left.”
“James”
“First Person voted out of Disventure Camp All-stars is…”
Fiore crossed her fingers nervously, yet out of sight where she knew her team couldn’t see.
James curled his hands into fists.
Ted confidently smirked.
Hannah, Logan, and Jake looked at each other nervously. Hunter and Ally looked confused by what was happening. Dan looked unsurprised by what was unfolding.
Kristal paused as Fiore and James both nervously looked at each other.
…
…
“James! That’s 4 votes, it’s time for you to go.”
Fiore breathed a small sigh of relief as James just shook his head in annoyance before glaring over at Jake. “I can’t believe you guys sided with that spoiled mooching boy toy.”
“Sorry to see you go so soon James.” Ally said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“From last season’s winner, to the very first boot…James, I’m sorry, but it’s time for you to go.”
Ted smugly crossed his arms and closed his eyes as Hunter and Logan processed what happened.
Hannah felt a pit form in her stomach as Jake glared back at James. “Just so you know, James, that wasn’t for all the crap you said about me. It was what you said about Tom.”
James simply snorted before he stood up and began his walk. “You know, Jake, Aiden told me before we rejoined this cast that I reminded him a lot of you, and maybe that’s why fans latched onto us the same way they did you and Tom. But, after spending my short time with you, I think I may have figured out why we’re the more popular couple. And it’s not because the two of us are still together.”
Oh really? What is that?” Jake rolled his eyes as James turned back to look at him, with a very smug grin.
“Unlike you, I actually learned how to be a better person.” Jake felt his mouth drop as James waved goodbye. “Good luck having this paranoid nutcase on your team.”
(Hannah Confessional)
Hannah exhales slowly, staring at the ground before looking back at the camera. “Four votes against James…”
She shakes her head, almost to herself. “Jake was one. That part’s obvious.”
Her voice tightens, not angry…just disappointed.
“But that means someone else flipped too. Someone who said they were with us.” She pauses, swallowing.
“And I keep replaying it over and over, and the only name that makes sense is Logan.”
Her eyes drop again. “Logan… how could you…”
(Dan Confessional)
Dan sits a little stiff, hands clasped together.
“I didn’t vote emotionally tonight. I voted based on where things are heading, not where people say they are.”
He shrugs slightly, uncomfortable but resolute. “James was becoming a flashpoint, and once that happens, everything around you gets louder and messier. I don’t need that attention on me right now.”
(Ted Confessional)
Ted exhaled slowly while crossing his arms, satisfied. “Look, voting James out wasn’t an easy call, especially considering that there are two couples on the team. On paper, the safer option would have been to vote out Hannah due to her sociability, plus voting her out would have backed Logan into a corner. However, this game isn’t played on paper.”
Ted shifted, glancing off to the side for a moment before continuing. “Logan cracks under pressure and has a history of not being loyal. Hunter and Ally on the other hand are more intriguing. When comparing what I saw of Hunter when I watched season 2 to what Fiore told me earlier, I can’t help but notice that something about him doesn’t add up.”
Ted Paused. “ By removing Hunter’s safety net in James, it’s only a matter of time before the dominoes fall into place.”
Ted gave a small shrug. “At the end of the day, I didn’t vote based on who’s the “better person” or who deserved to stay. I voted on who gives me a better chance moving forward. And right now, that’s Hunter.”
(Outro Sequence)
James approached the bench in front of a shitty, rundown motel, and smiled for the camera.
"Hello everyone! Thank you all so much for your support on this episode of Disventure Camp; All-Stars: After the Chaos! I'm here to thank everyone for their support on the last episode. If you'd like to be referred to as a different name in the future, please be sure to sign off your comment with that name! Can be something Silly, or a direct name. A list of names began to appear to the teleprompter for him.
“Special Thanks to; Rose thinks Hunter should elope with Tom! I suppose anyone would be better for Tom than that paranoid nutcase, although I’m not sure how Tess and Ally would feel.”
“CodyFanatic! Who thinks I was better in the re-edit then in the leak of the raw footage on the dark web? Thank you… I guess?”
“Davidver01! Who hoped that Anastasia and Yul would butt heads? What you wished for is always going to happen when you put two icons such as those two on the same team.”
“HajimeTDFan! Who wonders why Ashley isn’t here? Maybe production thought that she wouldn’t make it far if they gave her another chance.”
“wild_segeant716! nice picture of my sexy pooky!”
“Mikey_do_wikey! who thinks that 27 contestants is alot of people. I agree, this island wasn’t big enough for myself and that crybaby, let alone 27 people.”
And finally. “ Thank you to all the silent readers and kudoers for the support.”