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Episode 1- Reach for the Stars
“It’s been two years since the original season of Disventure Camp, and two seasons are in the records. With two winners, two messy seasons, and far too many strained relationships to count. I’m Kristal McLean, host of the second season and our grand new contest: Disventure Camp All-Stars! From the two casts to play the game so far I have gathered a choice eighteen through selective phone calls, only receiving a few rejections… look it’s not easy to get that many All-Stars out of not even thirty people. But we still got quite the cast, from the farms of the southern United States to the cities of Canada and even a couple plucked from Brazil and Europe. Yes, we need to widen our casting net, but that’s a problem for the next season! Now let’s bring this plane in for landing, we got a couple right here at home in Ottawa!”
Kristal steps out of the plane as her voiceover ends and sees Jake and Miriam waving at her. “Ugh of course these two had to say yes.” She mumbles under her breath before beckoning them over with a smile. “Jake, Miriam, glad you could make it! Although you specifically,” she pauses and points at Miriam. “Aren’t you way too old for this? This show can get dangerous you know.”
Miriam scoffs in annoyance. “Oh please, people asked me that back in season one and I still showed them.” The original winner looks much the same as before, with the only noticeable difference being her green shirt has many small flowers instead of just one.
“Yes, you did, with quite underhanded tactics at that. You’re lucky we’re not doing a heroes vs villains theme or you two might end up separated. But let’s not keep things held up with pointless arguing, get on the plane. Seats aren’t assigned so sit wherever.”
Jake finally breaks his silence as he sits beside Miriam on the plane and Kristal walks out of earshot. “Real charmer of a host we got this time, wonder where she got it from. Kind of making me think this was a mistake, coming back I mean. Who knows who we’re going to run into…” The blue-haired man has tied his hair into a ponytail and replaced his long-sleeved shirt with a jacket but looks much the same otherwise.
“Oh poppycock, we’re not leaving now.” Miriam glances out the window at the empty runway. “That Emily woman sure was invasive back then though.”
Start of interview
The screen flickers to an interview room, where Jake and Miriam are seated on the left facing a redheaded woman on the right. She is dressed similarly to Kristal and sports large sunglasses on her forehead that complement her smug expression.
“So, Miriam…” Emily pauses for a moment to check her notes. “... Foster, Miriam Foster, and young Jacob Hamilton with you. How has life been since you won the first season?”
“About as well as it can be at my age.” Miriam smiles slightly while crossing her hands in her lap. “I got myself a beach house so I can enjoy some time away from all the noise. And Jake here… I got him out of that ugly household. His parents didn’t know how to react after our season, so of course they blew up in the worst way possible. Maybe they’ll come around but I wouldn’t hold my breath.”
“Uh huh…” Emily looks down to take some notes. “So I’ve gotten a lot of people asking about you two after last season. Guess a lot of them liked the whole grandmother and grandchild vibe you had going on and were wondering if you’re still in contact.”
“Oh yeah, definitely.” Jake smiles at the memories as he looks kindly at Miriam. “All the time, we even went on a trip recently… just had to cut it short cause of Miriam’s back problems.”
Miriam scowls, looking away from Emily. “I’d rather not talk about that to her.”
“Not a problem, I’m sure most people watching don’t care about an old lady’s back anyway.” Emily flips through her notes again. “Ah yes, one last thing for you Jake. How have things been with Tom?”
Jake's smile quickly fades, replaced with a look of uncertainty as he rubs his arm. “I… don’t really know. And I’m not sure I want to talk about it to you if I’m being honest here.”
“Eh, whatever, I’m sure it will all become clear with you both on the season.” Emily smiles at the camera. “And that’s the first interview done, now move along you two.”
“So here we all are again.” Miriam is somber with little emotion showing. “And I fully expect the likes of Alec and Fiore, and that Ellie, to be here too. The first time I came on this show changed my life, and I have something of a family again. So for a repeat, when I likely will be an early target for many reasons? I only hope nothing goes terribly wrong.”
End of interview
Back on the plane, Kristal is checking her phone with an annoyed expression as Tom finally walks in, causing Jake to blush slightly as he looks away. The former spy had changed his look and was now dressed in more normal clothes with jeans and a grey jacket. His scarred face and neck were fully exposed as he waved a scarred hand awkwardly, unsure how to break the silence.
“Ugh, it took you long enough.” Kristal’s annoyed tone shatters the silence as Tom stows his duffel bag and takes a seat across from Jake. “I thought spies were supposed to be fast.”
Tom scowls briefly. “That feels offensive… but if you must know, I ran into someone I knew from police academy at the TSA and…”
Kristal cuts him off as she heads into the cockpit. “Oh look at that, I’ve suddenly stopped caring. Emily, let’s get this thing moving to Toronto!”
Start of interview
“So, mister Thomas Reed…” Emily places her hands on her notes. “How has life in the police force been?”
“Scary.” Tom idly scratches his neck and avoids her direct gaze. “And sometimes boring. But the donuts are good.”
“Not doing those stereotypes any favors I see. Is it a step up from your previous work?”
“...” Tom looks down for a long moment before speaking. “Yes. I don’t want to talk about that though.”
“Oh that’s perfectly fine, there’s something else people have been begging to know anyway.” Emily looks at him with a smirk. “How have things been with you and Jake?”
“Jake?” Tom blushes, still not looking up. “We’ve been good I think? Just been working a lot, and he’s always with Miriam. And I don’t want to see them get hurt… is he going to see this?”
“The interviews will be public, obviously. Why, scared he’s going to run away or something?”
Tom looks up at the cameras more confidently, a ghost of a smile visible. “Jake, if you can hear me… I never gave up on you. It’s just not safe yet in the real world, but on the show? Hear me out, it’s all I ask.”
End of interview
“You said you would call.” Miriam finally speaks after a long moment of silence.
“I did?” Tom sheepishly scratches the back of his neck, looking out the window at the rapidly shrinking ground as the plane ascends. “Guess it must have slipped my mind, I’ve told you how busy work keeps me…”
Jake looks as if he wants to say something but instead turns away, disappointment clear on his face. Sighing, Tom slips in some earbuds to listen to the onboard music and leans back in his seat, waiting for something else to happen.
Jake looks into the camera in the plane’s bathroom. “This feels oddly familiar somehow… where was I? Ah right, Tom…” He stops for a moment, momentarily blushing. “No Jake, stop it, he might be hot but he’s been way too absent since our season! I’ve only seen him a couple of times and his answers are so vague I don’t know what to think… he’s not keeping a secret from me, is he?”
Tom sighs, looking away from the camera. “This is going to be way harder than I thought. But I’m making headway on finding those people, so we’re almost there. Just hold on a little longer Jake. With a little help we’ll get this done!”
The plane touches down about an hour later and Ally and Hunter wander in with Kristal meeting them at the entrance. The two are out of breath, with Ally in particular clutching her sides.
“Hunter, I… told you…. to check when… we had to be here!” Ally glares at him as she speaks between breaths, standing up straight after a moment. The gamer girl looks rather different from her last season, with a new pair of square-framed glasses immediately standing out. Her long brown hair is now tied into a ponytail, and her clothes are darker-toned. A Space Invaders shirt replacing her old Pac-Man one completes her new look. “That was a hard run enough with my training!”
Hunter sighs into a smile, hefting his large duffel bag in one hand. The athletic guy looks barely changed from his previous season, with only the hues of his clothes standing out as changed. “Sorry, it’s my fault. Lost track of time during the stream, I’m sure you can relate.”
Ally smiles infectiously, starting to walk into the plane with Hunter. “You got me there. You at least remembered to bring our Switchs at least?”
“Ah…. no.” Hunter grimaces as Ally’s glare returns. “Hey, I said I was distracted, okay? We left in kind of a hurry…”
“Great!” Ally throws her hands up in the air, looking exasperated at Hunter. “Now we have nothing to do in our free time! This season’s going to be so boring…”
“Oh you can stop blaming Hunter, I would have confiscated them anyway.” Kristal approaches with a smile, unsettling both of them. “There won’t be any electronic devices allowed at camp this year, we’re doing a more cut-off from the outside world experience. Drama is so much spicier when you can’t see what’s going on with everyone else, don’t you think?
“See?” Hunter’s smile returns. “It worked in the end, no need to get all worked up.”
“....” Ally rubs her arm silently for a moment. “Still though, I asked you for something and you just forgot?”
“Ahem!” Kristal clears her throat and points behind her. “Onto the plane, we got thirteen more of you people to pick up.
“Hunter got lucky there I guess.” Ally sighs, her hands tapping on the wall idly. “But really wish I’d read the fine print. No electronics, for the whole season? I’ve barely gone without games for a day in years! This is going to be harder than I thought, and that’s before… no, not going to give them the light of day right now.”
Start of interview
“Allyson Amber, Hunter Page, it’s so good to have you here!” Emily sips from her water. “You two were pretty popular back on your season, how you handling the fame in your lives now?”
Ally’s voice is low as she speaks with Hunter placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “That’s one way of putting it… People can be awful sometimes, especially when you’re as chronically online as I am. They say hurtful things. A lot.”
“Yeah…” Hunter looks blankly past Emily, staring at the wall. “The reaction to the three of us was… mixed is putting it nicely. While I can’t speak for Tess of late and most of them don’t bother messing with me, it’s harder for Ally. She cares what people think of her, maybe too much at times.” He turns to look at Ally, greeting her with a smile she returns after a moment’s hesitation.
End of interview
“Hunter? Ally? Is that you?” Jake beams and waves at the pair as they enter the seating area. “It is! We were hoping you guys would be on this season!”
“Really, us?” Ally is genuinely shocked at the smiles greeting her. “You liked us?”
“We didn’t just like you, you were our favorites in your season.” Miriam smiles sweetly, calming the uneasy Ally ever so slightly. “You two and Tess, it was sweet how you all ended up despite the bumps on the road. Speaking of Tess though, where is that girl?”
“How do I feel about this?” Hunter thinks for a moment. “Not the best? Sure it’s nice seeing Ally have a reason to smile because someone actually liked her, but Jake? I don’t hate the guy but he’s far from who I’d want as an ally. But it has been two years, maybe he’s worked out some of his problems? I should give him a chance, this could work out for us. But I’m keeping an eye on him just in case.”
“Tess? Oh, she’s fine, we just haven’t seen her in a while.” Hunter sits with Ally in front of Jake and Miriam. “She’s gone off to college in London, her uncle’s from there and recommended it for her. And she did like the idea of studying art in Europe, so off she went. We miss her though.”
“Yeah, it’s been too long.” Ally pulls a book out of her bag with a sigh. “Lucky I brought some light novels with me at least, will make this trip not completely boring.”
“We are now landing in Hollywood, California!” Kristal’s voice blares over the intercom around five hours later. “Because what is a season of Disventure Camp without some rich people who probably don’t need the money?”
Just outside the plane, Riya is standing with her luggage and wearing sunglasses as Connor approaches. The Hollywood star is dressed very differently from last time, sporting an expensive fur coat, a pearl necklace, and a gold bracelet on one hand. Little of her clothes under the coat can be made out, save for what looks like red pants and high-heeled boots. Connor is a study in contrasts, with the only notable difference from his last appearance being the tone of his clothes.
Start of interview
“Connor Blake and Riya Sharma, if I may say, you two are looking good.” Emily smiles, taking in the confused duo. “Let’s start with you, Riya. You’ve skyrocketed in Hollywood after season 2, from big-budget movies to network dramas and everywhere in budget. How does it feel to be known for your acts of villainy?”
“Incredible.” Riya flashes a movie star smile, unsettling Connor next to her. “I love to act, it’s simply in my blood, and everyone eats it up. If the people want the villainess, then they’ll get her.”
“Okay, that’s more than a little unnerving… Connor! What about you, how are you taking this?”
“Me?” Connor rubs the back of his neck, clearly not expecting to be asked something yet. “I guess I’m happy for her? We had something back in season 2, I think we both can admit that.” Riya slightly nods at this. “But we drifted apart, she had her acting, and I had my perfume company. But now we’re back for season three and can spend some more time together.” Riya’s smile breaks for a very brief moment that no one but the cameras picks up on.
End of interview
“I’ll be honest, I almost turned down this season.” Connor leans slightly on the wall as he speaks. “But then I heard Riya would be here and well… I have to try one last time. To see if there’s any possibility for us. I know I saw someone I liked there at one time, and as for her… I want to think she did as well. But really, I just want us to end up happy in life. In whatever form that may take.”
“Hey.” Connor comes to a stop next to Riya. “Good to see you back here… I like your coat by the way.”
Riya quickly smiles but doesn’t soften her stiff posture, saying nothing in response.
“So um… all those bad things you said after the show last time. You didn’t mean all that, did you?”
“Oh, that?” Riya waves a hand dismissively. “That was nothing, I simply said what the people wanted to say. I have a reputation to uphold, after all, none of it was personal.”
“Personal or not, it still hurt.” Connor walks into the plane without another word, leaving Riya with a rare look of surprise that she quickly wipes away to follow him. The two sit across from Ally and Hunter, with Connor receiving some friendly greetings and Riya apprehension from those present.
“That Connor needs to grow a spine.” Riya scoffs with a hand in a slightly raised but loose fist. “Of course, I came back, and of course, I said choosing Connor to help in the finals last season was a mistake. He just held me back, Yul or Karol would have been the right move. I’d have won then. But unfortunately, I can’t change the past. I just need to win this time, and that is precisely why I am here. I don’t need anyone’s sympathy or so-called love in my love, I’m perfectly happy as I am. And besides, who could love the villainess of TV? No one, that’s who.”
About two hours later, Ashley comes out of her farmhouse in rural Texas to see a plane landing on her fence, narrowly missing the cornfields. The cowgirl looks as if she hasn’t aged a day since her original season, still looking much the same along with her boyfriend Will who comes out with her.
“Ah darn, that fence took a while to get right.” Ashley scowls in annoyance. “Least it missed the crops.”
“You got this Ash.” Will smiles softly, his gentle kindness calming Ashley down quickly.
“Yeah.” Ashley leans in to give Will a quick kiss as they hold each other. “I’m not going down without a fight like last time. I’ll win this for us, you better count on it!”
Start of interview
“Ashley Graham was it?” Emily checks her notes again. “Don’t really got much on you and I’ll be honest, you’re our dark horse player this season. Production thought you had potential despite going out early before. Any thoughts on that?”
“Dark horse?” Ashley grins confidently, leaning forward a bit in her seat. “I work with horses every day, so I ain’t got no problem being your dark horse. The first season got me the love of my life despite neither of us lasting long, so this show’s already paid off for me. Not gonna complain about what happens, but would I like to win? Obviously, but as long as someone wins who deserves it, I don’t think I’ll really mind much.”
End of interview
“There’s only one person I don’t want to see step on that plane.” Ashley crosses her arms while leaning against the wall with an angry expression. “That brat Fiore needs help, but knowing these producers she’ll be back. And will be trying her nasty little tricks again, but I can guarantee they won’t work this time. I refuse to let that demon spawn hurt the people I care about again.”
The plane lands at an airport in central Mexico a few hours later, where Lake and Rosa Maria are waiting. The German girl hugs her friend, who looks much the same as before and is holding her smiling daughter Sofia. The same cannot be said of Lake, who looks much more herself than she did before. She wears a short red wig adorned with a flower and short socks poke out of her running shoes. Her outfit consists of denim shorts and a loose green shirt that exposes her arms and a bit of her stomach along with having a slight V-neck. All told she looked more at ease with herself as she said goodbye to her closest friend.
“Are you sure you can’t come?” Lake’s voice is tender as she speaks without breaking the embrace. “It won’t be the same without you.”
“I would in a heartbeat if I could, comadre .” Rosa Maria softly pats Lake’s back with her free hand. “But I can’t leave Sofia again, she’s at an important age and needs her mother. You can do this for both of us, okay?”
“Worth a try.” Lake finally pulls away from the hug and begins to turn away. “I’ll come back with a way to turn our life around, I promise.”
“Oh, I’m sure you will. One other thing though.” Rosa Maria smirks, confusing Lake for a brief moment before she speaks. “If you see Yul, give him a good kick in the nuts for me.”
Lake laughs, flashing her a mischievous smile. “I’d have done it even if you didn’t ask.” With one last wave, the German girl sprints into the plane and out of sight.
Start of interview
“We got ourselves a celebrity here! Lake Müller everyone!” Emily beams as Lake sits down, causing the girl to blush.
“Oh there’s no need for that, I only wrote a few books.” Lake smoothes out her clothes and looks around the studio.
“A few books that became instant best sellers because of your fame from Disventure Camp. People loved you and your story… well everyone except your family of course.”
Lake’s expression shifts into sadness for a brief moment before she shakes her head. “They didn’t understand me, tried to force me to be someone I wasn’t. I’m not shocked they disowned me. And well, I’m not going to say there wasn’t some sadness there, I did have some good memories amidst all the bad. But I’m done with them now, I have new friends who care for the real me more than they ever did. And I will admit I take some satisfaction in using the skills they forced me to acquire in my own life, the way I want to use them.”
Emily simply nods along, not showing any emotion one way or another during her story. “That’s admirable, I can see why you became such a fan favorite. You got your eye on anyone if you don’t mind my asking?”
Lake blushes again, stammering as she answers. “I do mind! You’re being quite invasive right now!”
“Am I? Perhaps that one was a little too far… oh well, as good a time as any to remind everyone of those interviews you did after your season!”
A screen drops down between them to show Lake just after season 2, looking directly at the camera as she speaks.
“You want me to say what I thought of my competitors?” Lake is thoughtful for a moment with a finger on her chin. “Well, Karol was great with animals, I liked that about her. Oliver, I didn’t know well but he seemed like a fun guy. The same goes for Kai really, but his telling off Yul was funny. Yul himself? Oh, umm…. He knew what kind of style worked for him? I liked Maggy, she was a gentle soul. Connor really knew how to make good perfume, those scents were divine. Hunter was always cool and popular and good at challenges, and Ally and Tess really liked him. Those two brought out the best in each other, I could really tell that. Then there’s Riya, who for all she tries to make people think she’s a villain, I want to think there’s some good in there. Aiden’s great, I really related to him when it came to realizing who I was. James, I’ll admit I’m still a bit skeptical of, especially for Aiden’s sake, but he does make Aiden happy. I’m keeping an eye on him though. And finally Rosa Maria… my new favorite person, along with her daughter. No offense to any of my other friends, but I just feel a connection with Rosa.” Lake stops to catch her breath, taking a drink of water. “Oh and Kristal, might as well mention her. I definitely like her more than her dad, she must take after her mother.”
Lake smiles as the screen retracts. “I really went on there, didn’t I? Sorry I stumbled on Yul, he’s seriously hard to like.”
Emily smirks, setting down her notes. “No worries at all, Yul is a real piece of work.”
End of interview
“So here I am again, competing on Disventure Camp.” Lake adjusts her wig to ensure it’s in place. “I’ve had a busy life since then, wrote a couple of books that really took off. That Emily wasn’t lying about that, they sold like crazy and I’m decently rich now. And I have plenty more ideas for more so I don’t need to win anymore. I’m just here for my friends really, Aiden and James can use the support. And Riya too, I want to try again with her. But don’t expect me to just stick to the people I knew from before, I want to widen my social circles. And a show like this feels like a great place to do so.”
“No way!” Jake jumps up from his seat, rushing over to Lake as she boards the plane. “Are you the Lake Müller? I love your books! The prince and the knight is my favorite!”
Lake smiles and takes a seat nearby. “Thanks, I really appreciate hearing that. Tess did the illustrations so it was a group effort, the princess and fairy one too. I got a couple more ideas brewing so make sure you keep an eye out.”
Jake’s eyes widen into a grin. “I’ll definitely do that!”
Lake leans back in her seat and catches Riya’s gaze out of the corner of her eye. The actress immediately looks away, guilt briefly staining her normally cold demeanor.
A long ten hours later, the plane finally landed in Brazil. Aiden and James jog into the seating area just as the door opens, both looking practically unchanged from before aside from the beaming smiles they wear as they hold each other’s hand. Which only widen as they see Lake and rush to meet her.
“Lake!” Aiden is met by Lake’s friendly embrace and watches as she does the same to James. “You look great, has it really only been a year?”
“Has it really?” Lake thinks for a moment. “Longest year of my life then, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’ve been living my best life. And so have Rosa and Sofia, they wanted to be here but it just couldn’t work out.”
“We’ll just have to see them after the season then. Maybe we’ll come back with even more money, that would make a nice reunion gift.”
“Now what’s a reunion without a reunion selfie?” James pulls Aiden close with a hand on his shoulder and holds out his phone. Lake smiles and moves in close for the camera flash. “We’re definitely all taking a trip together when this is all said and done.”
Aiden nods and follows Lake and James to their seats. “I can agree to…” His voice trails off as he spots Riya. “I’ll catch you guys in just a moment, okay?”
“Hmm?” James follows his gaze. “Be careful with her.”
“I’ll be fine.” Aiden comes to a stop in front of Riya with a scowl, causing the actress to finally look up. “Hello, Riya. ” He practically growls her name as she looks at him clearly not caring.
“Well, if isn’t James’s boy toy,” Riya smirks in delight at her own joke. “If you’re still all worked up about last season, forget it. I did nothing wrong, I was merely playing to win and you were in my way. There’s a fabricated sense of danger on these shows anyway, you were never going to actually die there.” She keeps speaking, cutting off his attempt to interrupt. “So go back to your loser friends, I don’t have time for the likes of you.”
Aiden sighs defeated. “Wow, she actually got worse! I don’t feel safe around someone like that, and neither is James or Lake. I just hope nothing terrible happens because of her… But I’m going to let Riya dictate how I play this game! I’m here with my boyfriend and my best friend, and I’m going to enjoy every last minute of it. Who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky and Riya won’t affect my game at all! Here’s to a long run in Tipiskaw!”
Start of interview
“Aiden Brooks and James Costa, welcome!” Emily smiles as she picks up more notes. “Good to see you two are still together. So James, our season 2 winner ! I’ve heard you and Aiden have been doing a lot of traveling, tell us more about that.”
“Oh, how much do you want to know?” James speaks energetically and with wide gestures, his expertise in entertaining people clear. “I had a decent sum before so most of the money went toward our travels. Aiden loves to see new places, we’ve been to a couple dozen countries since the last season. We were just back in Brazil for a bit to see my sister and get her a nice new car when we got the call.”
“Living the life, that’s what I like to hear.” Emily turns to Aiden. “Now as for you, there’s a question a lot of people wanted me to ask you. So tell us, do you still have any grudges against James for how he used you in your original season?”
Aiden chuckles, looking lovingly up into James’s eyes. “Well considering I’m still dating the guy, not really. Sure it was rash and kind of not nice to do the stuff he did, and some of it still stings a bit when I remember it. But now? He makes me happy and has spent most of his winnings ensuring that happiness continues. So yeah, we’re good, no grudges here.”
End of interview
“Am I a bit shocked Aiden let things go as easily as he did?” James adjusts himself in the confessional so the camera gets a good angle. “Yeah, I’d be lying if I said otherwise. He’s a good person and I played him back then. But it’s in our past, and I’m glad he’s willing to keep it there. And as for this season… well I’ve already won, so a good time would be nice. Certainly wouldn’t complain about more money, but I’d really have to bring my A-game to get it.” He flashes a grin. “So course I brought it.”
The plane travels through the night until a rough landing jolts everyone awake as Kristal’s voice announces over the intercom. “We’ve making a very brief stop in Italy. I say briefly since we’re technically on private property and staying here for a long time would be ill-advised.”
The contestants look out their windows as the plane opens to see a large boarding school with a prominent cross on the roof. An imposing gate standing in front of the building makes it clear that trespassing is not taken lightly here.
Kristal emerges from the cockpit and goes to stand just outside the plane. “She should be here any… right on time.”
A blur of yellow bursts from the building and runs for the walls of the gate as an angry nun runs out after her. The blur was none other than Fiore from the original season, and she made climbing the enormous gate look easy, landing on the other side before the nun could unlock the gate with her key.
“Close it, she’s a faster runner than she looks!” Fiore screams at Kristal while running into the plane. The young girl has grown a bit since her last season and is dressed more professionally, likely forced by her school’s dress code. Her hair is tied back in a ponytail and she wears a simple yellow sweater and blue shorts. Her manic energy does not seem at all lessened.
“Relax, there’s an easier solution to this.” Kristal pulls a small stack of money out of her pocket and hands it to the nun who is about to call the police on her cell phone. With a few words that the two are too far away to make out, the nun takes the money and walks back into the school, locking the gate behind her.
“Money, it solves all the world’s problems,” Riya says with a smirk as Fiore looks impressed.
Start of interview
“Alright, miss… Fiorella Ricci was it?” Emily carefully reads the name. “I’m glad you just go by Fiore, my Italian isn’t the best.”
“Ugh, tell me about it, of course, my parents had to give me such an over-the-top name.” Fiore rolls her eyes and starts swinging her feet in the air from her high seat. “But we’re not here to argue weird names, are we Miss Campbell ?”
Emily scowls very briefly. “You do not hold back, do you? That’s what made you famous you know, people were shocked to see just how deranged you were. The duo of you and Alec was quite popular among our villain lovers, some were even quite disappointed you didn’t win it all. You’d be shocked how many people claimed the show was rigged when you lost at the very end.”
Fiore grins creepily. “Sounds like my kind of people, where can I meet these nutjobs? And before you ask, yes, I’m still angry about losing to someone who’s a million years old. How she hasn’t fallen over dead by now is beyond me. I’m going to have fun seeing her get humbled this season.”
“And they thought I was crazy saying you’d have the most intense insults yet.” Emily chuckles. “One last thing before I let you go: Alec. How are things with the two of you?”
“How should I know?” Fiore shrugs, losing her intensity. “He was decent as far as the people there went, but he got all butthurt when I betrayed him at the final four and we haven’t spoken since the season. I mean come on, he should have seen it coming. As if I’d be willing to go to the finale with him when the other options were a decaying pile of bones and a brokeass bitch. But eh, if he ever wants to talk again, maybe I guess. He was someone I could almost tolerate.”
End of interview
“What are you jerks looking at?” Fiore scowls in return at the glares that meet her from nearly everyone on the plane. “Most of you don’t even know me so quit giving the little girl your death glares.”
Ally looks up with a chuckle. “Okay, I won’t pull a Luigi on you if you insist.”
“Careful with this one, she’s a rascal.” Ashley shakes her head, erasing Fiore’s brief smile. “Don’t let her looks fool you, she ruined the first season for so many of us.”
“I know, I saw the season too.” Ally smiles slightly at Fiore, confusing both her and Ashley. “I’ll be careful around her, don’t worry. But say what you will about her, she was entertaining.”
Fiore grins happily much to Ashley’s astonishment. “I aim to please, dorkasaurus.” She turns away to sit down, not noticing how quickly Ally’s smile fades at the insult.”
“Well, this season’s off to a weird start already.” Fiore shrugs with a look of bafflement. “Clearly the cowgirl’s still got her head up her ass about how I ‘mistreated her’ last season. As if I even did anything that bad to her. And now some freaky pale gamer girl is trying but not trying to get on my good side? Meh, like I care, I’m just gonna play this game for myself. I finished second before and only failed cause of that miserable old woman. And she almost got me killed, explosions are dangerous people! It’s going to be harder this time though, people are onto me, and my one ally I could count on is probably still hung up over my betrayal.” She jumps to her feet with a malicious grin. “But it doesn’t matter, 'cause I’m winning this time! And nobody’s going to stop me!”
“Alec?” Grett walks up to Alec in the London airport and looks him over. “You look rough, been a hard couple of years?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Alec did indeed look grungier than before, having lost his sweater vest and gained a messy start of a beard that wasn’t amounting to anything along with a bit of weight. “You look better though, nice to see one of us has improved their life.”
“Yeah, I’ve reformed myself since… well our first season wasn’t a good look for me.” Grett has noticeably changed from her last appearance, as she lost quite a bit of weight and is wearing more form-fitting clothes. “I made a lot of mistakes back then and got a lot of hate. So I decided the best way to move forward was to reinvent myself.”
“So you’re accepting it, that’s the start of the path to recovery.” Alec nods solemnly. “We all made mistakes back then, the best thing we can do is admit that and try to fix ourselves. In whatever form that ends up taking.”
“If you want to put it like that, yeah, pretty much. I’ll admit I abused my power after the show and said some unflattering things online. But once I got a good look at myself on TV… I had to change. Nothing else for it.”
Alec raises his brow in slight shock. “Sometimes it takes a shock to bring out honesty, but it came forth just the same and you’re the better for it.” Grett smiles as a plane comes in for landing near them with the Disventure Camp logo emblazoned on its side. “A private jet? Shocking, I didn’t think they had such a high budget.”
Start of interview
“We’ve finally found you, Alec Çelik.” Emily takes a long drink of water. “You’re not an easy man to track down.”
“Because I enjoy my privacy.” Alec crosses his arms in annoyance, clearly not wanting to be there. “And I’m only doing this interview because your superiors insisted it’s mandatory and I need to get back on the show for the money.”
“And they’d be correct. But I’ll humor you and make this short. First off, any reason you’ve barely shown up for anything on TV since your season?”
Alec waves his hand dismissively. “I’m simply not a fan of the camera, next.”
“Oh very well.” Emily flips through her notes and smiles. “What about you and your ex-wife, Cheryl was it? What happened there?”
An angry scowl overcomes Alec. “I do not want to talk about that. Are you going to ask anything that’s not horribly invasive or was this all just a waste of my time?”
“Apologies, I’m just the messenger” Emily turns on the screen between them, revealing a photo of Alec passed out at a bar. “And I only have one last message.”
At the sight of the picture, Alec bolts from his seat angrily and storms out, not even giving Emily a chance to say another word.
End of interview
Alec walks past Grett and into the plane, finding few empty seats left. With a sigh, he sits next to Fiore but refuses to look at her.
“Alec?” Fiore looks disappointed up at him. “Is this still over last season? You do know that if anyone is to blame for that it’s you right?”
“Don’t talk to me.” Alec keeps staring straight ahead, causing Fiore to finally give up with a sigh.
“How can Fiore say something like that?!” Alec sighs in disappointment. “I opened up to her, she did a bit of the same, and it meant nothing to her? I thought we had something more than that, that we were friends, but I guess not. So now I’m coming back and have no one I can truly trust. And my life is a mess, so I need this. I need this a lot.” He looks up at the camera determinedly. “And I will win. The last time I held back, that wasn’t my full potential. There are a lot of ways you can play this game, and I intend to utilize them. It’s not too late for me to fix my life. Whatever it takes, I will not give up or falter this time.”
“Wasn’t there supposed to be one more with your group?” Kristal looks around as Alec and Grett enter the plane. “Or did I make some sort of error on my paperwork?”
“Ew, get out of my way!” Yul grimaces as he pushes aside someone who can’t be made out and boards the plane. He doesn’t look too different from his last appearance, with only a change in hairstyle being of note. “I’m late because a marching band got in the way of my limo. So I just told the driver to floor it and well, guess I made it.” He looks around the seating area and scowls. “Why’d you go and pick up all these losers before me? And is that a child?!”
Fiore laughs dryly. “Wow, is that a pimply bitch?”
Grett walks over with a smile, stopping Yul from retaliating. “Honey, you made it!” Before anyone realizes what’s happening, Grett leans in to kiss Yul, with him returning the gesture happily to the shock of everyone present.
Hunter takes a moment to pick his jaw off the floor before responding. “Are you two dating?!”
Grett chuckles a bit. “Yeah, we met after season 2, bit of a long story there.”
Riya looks confused. “You’re not gay?”
Yul rolls his eyes overdramatically. “Ugh, no, why would you think I’m associated with those…” A buzzing in his pocket interrupts him and he forces a smile. “I mean I’m not a part of the LGBTIKZ community. But if I was, there wouldn’t be anything wrong with that.” Lake visibly scowls at him but he’s too distracted to notice as he sits down with Grett.
Start of interview
“Gretchen Clark, Yul Kim, it’s great to have you both here!” Emily looks between them with a smile. “Everyone’s been dying to know how this happened.”
“What’s there to tell?” Yul shrugs noncommittally. “My manager had some brand deal for us, don’t ask me to remember what it was. But we hit it off and here we are.”
“Uh huh, and Grett, are you concerned at all about how he acted on his last season? He wasn’t exactly a popular player last time around.”
“Yeah, and?” Grett smiles slightly at Yul. “Neither was I, luv. But we’re not like that in our real lives. Yul’s quite nice when you get to know him actually.”
“Aww, that’s real sweet.” Emily looks for more questions. “Good to see you’ve changed, even lost some weight I see.”
Grett suddenly flares in anger, causing Yul to shrink back away from her. “Don’t you even start with that!”
“Yeah, my weight’s still a bit of a sensitive topic…” Grett is calmer in the confessional as she takes a seat. “My family’s still upset at me over it as if I could control it. But I’m getting better, it’s just not going to be easy or fast. At least I got Yul at my side this time, and I’m going into the season with a better attitude. So I could end up making some friends if things go right. But obviously, I’m still playing to win, and I know they brought me back because I of how nasty I was last time. So don’t expect me to work with any of those goodie hero types, 'cause it’s not happening!”
Emily takes a moment to regain her train of thought before turning to Yul. “One last question for you: you said some pretty awful things last season. Some were horribly racist and upset a great deal of people, do you have any defense for that?”
“Oh please, my joke of a manager made me say that stuff!” Yul scoffs with a dismissive hand wave. “But I fired that moron, so you can expect a new Yul this season. One that certainly won’t cause any controversies!” He flashes a grin at the camera.
End of interview
“Of course, that was a load of lies!” Yul laughs as he leans on the confessional wall. “As if I’d let my manager dictate what I say like that, that was all 100% Yul and it’s not going anywhere. People these days are just too soft. You push one old lady down an escalator and suddenly you have to ‘reinvent yourself’. It’s almost like you can’t say anything without someone saying ‘no that’s wrong’ these days and UGH! I’m so sick of it! So of course I came back to the show so I can win and live in luxury with people doing as I say. And if they don’t like it they’ll be out the door. And that’s exactly how I plan on playing this game.”
Earlier, inside the airport, Ellie and Gabby were sitting waiting for the plane. The two hold hands as they wait, idly looking around the busy airport but more focused on each other. Ellie looks somewhat different from before, as her clothes have changed to lighter colors and she wears a more prominent undershirt. Her hair is also cleaner and exposes her ears which are visibly pierced. Gabby next to her has changed less, only switching her solid red sweater for a stripped one and tying a red bow in her hair.
Ellie sighs when the plane comes into view and squeezes her girlfriend’s hand. “Well here goes nothing. I’m glad I can try this again but… not too many good memories at that place. Aside from meeting you of course.”
Gabby leans in to kiss her cheek with a giggle, causing Ellie to blush and loosen up slightly. “You’ll do great this time, I just know it! This year is our time, we’ll get to the end and win!”
“I’m not interrupting something, am I?” Tess smirks as she approaches while a black haired man with greying hair walks away from her. Tess’s appearance has changed a fair bit, as her long hair is now tied up in a bun and she wears a more concealing white shirt with a black top over it. “My uncle was as hard to get away from as ever, hope I’m not too late.”
Ellie quickly composes herself with a smile. “A little but the plane was late too, so wouldn’t worry about it.”
“Do you two know each other?” Gabby looks between the two with a confused expression. “And is she coming with us?”
“Yeah, she’s my best friend at uni, and of course she’s coming with.” Ellie stands up from the bench and gives Tess a friendly hug. “We met at orientation and have been close ever since. We may have different majors but anyone who thinks there isn’t an overlap between art and food is an idiot.”
Tess chuckles a bit as the trio starts toward the plane. “As I’ve heard you say on more than one occasion to said idiots. And you must be Gabby.” Gabby eagerly nods in confirmation. “Ellie’s told me a lot about you, nice to finally meet you. I’m still shocked that such a bad show produced a strong couple like you two.”
“I owe Ellie a lot, she saw me through tough times in college when she didn’t have to.” Tess smiles while leaning on the confessional wall. “I haven’t had an easy life, dealing with depression is never easy. But Ally and Hunter helped me over that first hurdle, and when my uncle invited me to stay with him in London to attend college here, I couldn’t say no. But I was a bit scared of being alone during my time on campus… until I met Ellie. We just clicked, and she was there for me. I’d seen her on the show of course, but this? This side of her was new to me, and she’s one of the most important people in my life now. And of course her girlfriend will be important to me too, since any friend of hers is a friend of mine. And then there’s Hunter and Ally… I’ve missed them. I haven’t seen them since the show, being a continent away will do that. But I still care for them deeply, and knowing I’ll be seeing them soon makes me happy. So yeah, I’m feeling good about this season. I got plenty of people who got my back.”
Start of interview
“Tess Morgan was it?” Emily smiles, clearly getting tired. “Can’t say I’m surprised to see you here given the other two thirds of your trio are already here.”
Tess smiles a bit sadly. “Yeah, it’s been too long since I’ve seen them. Things kind of got forcibly stopped for us after the show, life will be like that.”
“Oh, is there actually truth to the stories that you three all like each other? I’ll admit I wasn’t certain either way.”
“Well… yes or no. I don’t know.” Tess rubs her forehead wearily. “We all had some issues to work out during our original season, and then it was over and we were off on our own lives. So I can’t really say there is something there, but I can’t say there isn’t either. All I can say is…” She looks up with a smile. “I would like there to be.”
End of interview
Ellie watches as Tess is pulled into a hug with Hunter and Ally, knowing those three would want to catch up and not wanting to interrupt them. “Come on Gabs, let’s see if there’s any seats left.”
“Doesn’t look like we have much for…. IS THAT RIYA SHARMA?!” Gabby rushes over to the surprised Riya with a beaming smile. “It is you! I’m your biggest fan, you totally dererved that Emmy for Black Widow’s Gambit !”
Riya smiles after her initial shock. “Well thank you, always glad to meet a fan. And good luck on the game I guess.”
Ellie grabs Gabby’s hand as she catches up, looking apologetically at Riya. “Sorry about that, she’s a bit hyperactive at times. But she’s still my favorite ball of energy.”
“Oh it’s no trouble, she’s hardly the worst fan I’ve encountered. You two should probably sit down though, I think Kristal’s getting impatient.” Riya looks over at Kristal who loudly clears her throat in agreement.
Ellie and Gabby jolt to attention and move further into the plane, finally finding two empty seats in the back near Jake, Tom, Miriam, and Ashley. Gabby initally smiles at seeing them but as Ellie is meet with scowls from the first three she finds her smile quickly fading.
“Of course they brought you back.” Jake rolls his eyes while refusing to look at her. “Dragging us down on live TV wasn’t enough, now we have to deal with you again?”
“Those interviews were pretty bad…” Tom rubs his arm absentmindedly, also not meeting her gaze. “I would have let it slide without them. You said some hurtful things and they hurt.”
“I can’t say I was entirely surprised.” Miriam actually meets Ellie’s gaze as she speaks. “I got thicker skin so I shrugged off what you said about me, but it hurt the people I care about. I hope the payout was worth it.”
Ellie scoffs, looking over them before turning away as Gabby silently observes with a conflicted expression. “Whatever, I don’t get why you’re holding a stupid grudge for so long but I don’t have the energy to argue with you right now.”
Ashley’s voice calls out over the ensuing awkward silence as she pats the empty seats next to her. “Hey, you two can sit here if y’all would like. I ain’t one to hold a grudge like that. Your words hurt sure, but it’s been years, I let it go.” Gabby smiles and it spreads to Ellie as the two sit next to Ashley. “Great, nice to see you two again, and may I say you look cute together? I love seeing people happy like you two are.”
“These people are being mean to my Ellie!” Gabby pumps her fists in anger in the confessional. “Okay I guess Ashley’s fine, and Riya seemed nice… that fur coat better be fake though. Not so good impressions on the others this time though. Ellie didn’t mean anything by it, she was just playing the game… although that rant back on my first season did go a bit far at the end. But that’s not my Ellie, she was just speaking in the moment after Jake pushed her too far and it came off as harsh! I know her, she’s helped me through hard times.” She smiles brightly, her anger having faded. “She’s a good person. Just sometimes shows like this make people go a bit overboard. She’ll show them this time though, they’ll see the real her. I want the whole world to see the girl I fell in love with. And if that’s all I accomplish this season, well, mission accomplished!”
Start of interview
“And now for our final interview, Elizabeth Collins and Gabrysia Nowak!” Emily carefully reads the names off her notes. “I see why you just go by Ellie and Gabby.”
“Yeah, it’s a lot easier.” Ellie takes Gabby’s hand with a smile at her. “But I still think Gabrysia’s beautiful, just like the girl it belongs to.”
“Stop it Ellie, you’re making me blush in front of all the cameras…” Gabby shyly looks away from the cameras and at Ellie. “And we’re getting off topic I’m sure.”
Ellie chuckles and turns back to Emily. “Guess so, just you’re fun to tease. So Emily Campbell was it? What kind of questions you got for us?”
“Well you just answered one.” Emily laughs while looking between them. “Lot of people were wondering how you two have been since the last season, but I don’t think I need to pry anymore for that answer. I’ll stay out of your private life so moving on… we don’t really have much else for Gabby. Ellie’s a different story. You came so close to winning last time only to fail spectacularly. You then went on to do some interviews that were less than flattering about your cast members and well, only Gabby didn’t express discontent toward what you said. Probably because she’s the only one you didn’t insult.”
Ellie’s good mood quickly vanishes as Emily speaks, her smile shifting into a frown as Gabby looks at her uneasily. “Well it’s not my fault everyone decided to hold a grudge for two years. I’m far from the first person to do that on reality TV and I’m certain I won’t be the last. And it’s not like I said anything that terrible anyway.”
Almost on cue, the screen between them flickers to life and Ellie appears on it, looking fresh out of the original season of Disventure Camp as she speaks of her competitors.
“You want to know what I think of all of them? Well Gabby’s the only one I can tolerate, she’s someone special. The rest…” Ellie scowls and takes a deep breath. “Dan was a thorn in Gabby’s side, I loved seeing the look on his face when he got voted out. Drew… I’ll be honest I barely noticed him. Literal who? Nick was a smug prick who I was glad didn’t last long. Will and Lill… I guess Ashley likes them, I just view them as cowards from what I saw. Ashley taking so long to realize what Fiore was up to really doesn’t speak well of her intelligence. I don’t think I’ve ever met a worse person in my life than Grett, and I don’t really care if she claims she’s turning her life around. Tom and Jake, don’t get me started, those two are a walking disaster. Jake needs therapy, not the stress of a reality show, and he’s an idiot for thinking otherwise. And Tom is clearly not much brighter going on reality TV as a spy. As for that old bitch Miriam, I didn’t have too much against her until she faked her death to stop me from winning. What kind of person does something like that?! Fiore’s behavior makes me question what her family is like and if they might have been right about her. Oh and Alec? Really, bonding with another child after your own disappointed you? You must really want that parent of the year award.” She finally stops and takes a drink of water. “Okay I’m done, glad I got all that off my chest.”
Gabby places a hand on Ellie’s shoulder as the video ends, looking at her cautiously. “You did go a bit overboard there Ellie, even I can’t ignore that. You don’t agree with all that anymore though do you?”
“I…” Ellie takes a moment to answer, looking between Gabby and Emily. “I really needed the money back then, and there’s some truth to those words. I will say they were spoken a bit too in the heat of the moment… sometimes I say things I shouldn’t when I get mad and I have to live with them. But hey, it’s made me good at fixing messes. Story of my life you could say.”
End of interview
“Well here I am, going back to Camp Tipiskaw.” Ellie looks reflectively in the mirror. “I came so close last time. So, so close… it haunts me. I could almost touch money that could change my life, and it was ripped away. All because of one mistake that made Miriam think I needed to be punished… but I met Gabby. The girl I love more than any girl or guy I’ve ever dated. I have some important people in my life, and I treat them well enough, but none as much as her. She knows better than anyone the real me. And it’s that knowledge that pushes her to reckless behavior at times. Yeah we all have our issues, no one’s perfect. But I’m getting a second chance now, and I need to make the best of it. I’m barely getting by, and I can’t count on Tess’s generosity forever. I need to win something, I can’t go back empty handed again. And if I can do it as me, without making stupid mistakes that haunt my dreams for years again, then all the better. We are what we make of ourselves, there is no heroes and villains in reality after all. I refuse to be remembered as some vile villain who got ‘the karma she deserved’ on international television. I want to be remembered as myself, Elizabeth Collins, the girl who rose from the ashes of her defeat.”
“Good morning campers!” Kristal loudly wakes everyone up the next morning, causing them to realize the plane has landed again. “We’re just making a brief stop then it’s not far to Tipiskaw.”
“Another stop?” Alec counts for a moment before growing confused. “I was told there would be eighteen competitors, who else are we picking up?”
“I’ll let you see for yourself.” Kristal opens the jetway with a flourish. “Give a warm welcome back to Marcus Reiner and Oliver Bennet! You may remember them from season 2, and they will be the bus driver and assistant director respectively.”
Aiden sighs in relief. “Ah good, he left the demon puppet behind.”
Nina suddenly appears floating behind Marcus and glares at Aiden. “As if you skunk-headed kidnapper. You lot are too fun to mess with.”
Marcus chuckles and leads Nina into the cockpit with him as Aiden shrinks back into his seat. “Come on Nina, let’s not trouble them anymore right now.”
“It’s alright Aiden, the scary monster is gone.” James smirks playfully, causing Aiden to frown before laughing it off. “Oh Oliver, congrats on the promotion.”
“It really suits you.” Lake chimes in with a smile.
“Ah, thanks guys…” Oliver sheepishly rubs the back of his head. “Bit weird being in a position to boss you around now, but I have to say I prefer it to being a contestant.”
“Management looks good on you.” Connor flashes a toothy grin. “So don’t mind us and do your thing.”
Emily suddenly walks onto the plane and raises her sunglasses. “Someone call for a production assistant?”
“Oh come on, who invited the noisy bitch along?” Yul crosses his arms in annoyance. “Didn’t get enough from us in the interviews?”
“I did so shut up.” Kristal closes the jetway again and heads for the cockpit. “We needed someone to dig up drama, she was free. Simple as that.”
“Say, whatever happened to those guys from season 1?” Tom interrupts Yul’s attempt at speaking again. “The two hosts and that crazy guy?”
“You mean Derek and Trevor?” Emily laughs. “Those two are rotting in jail, and so would Jensen if anyone knew where he was.”
Gabby giggles suddenly, looking very pleased with herself. “Good, good, maybe next time they’ll think twice before mass murdering innocent animals.”
“Okayyy, I’m going to go…”Kristal backs into the cockpit with Oliver and Emily following her. “Someone make sure she doesn’t stab anyone.”
“She’s fine!” Ellie calls out just before Kristal vanishes from sight as she puts a calming hand on Gabby’s shoulder. “Just a bit overexcitable is all!”
“Way to go on dating the escaped mental patient!” Fiore grins mischievously, prompting several people to glare at her. “What, we were all thinking it!”
“Now approaching Camp Tipiskaw!” Kristal walks out of the cockpit with the plane still flying and Emily walking behind her. “You’re all gonna need to grab a parachute, we’re not cleared for landing.”
“Now you hold on just a minute!” Ashley leaps from her seat in a huff. “Don’t you own this place? And you landed on my farm without asking me so quit with the lyin’!”
“Yeah, I’m still not feeling the whole heights thing too much…” Aiden looks nervously out the plane window.
“Well too bad, it’s the only way to camp.” Kristal steps aside so Marcus and Nina can come forward wearing parachutes. “But first a demonstration.”
“I don’t really need this thing, and it’s bulky.” Nina glares back at Kristal just as Emily push her and Marcus from the plane and Nina’s eyes glow red. “YOU!”
Emily frowns as she wipes her hands on her pants. “Okay, forgot the ugly doll is a literal horror movie monster. Staying away from that thing.”
“I don’t know that story nor do I care to learn it.” Kristal turns to the frightened campers with a grin. “But anyway, you’ll be using your marked parachutes to jump, and the insides will show you your teams. Maps to your campsites are at the drop point, and don’t expect any cabins this time. Or electronics, those and your luggage stay on the plane and will be waiting for you at the losers motel. What you will find this season is three immunity totems. Why? Because we want to increase the drama, that’s why.”
“You have got to be kidding me?!” Riya cries out angrily. “I do like the sound of those totems though, good work on adding to the drama.”
“What kind of dump you running, wasn’t it bad enough last time?” Grett glares in annoyance.
“I’m only used to stunts in my games.” Ally looks nervous.
“Screw this, I didn’t volunteer to jump to my death.” Ellie crosses her arms and stands firm.
“For once I agree with Ellie.” Jake keeps in line with the others. “What if we refuse your little stunt?”
“Why don’t you let me finish?” Kristal loudly clears her throat. “Would a prize of $3,000,000 change any of your minds?”
Ellie goes slack-jawed for a long moment, taking in the silence that follows before immediately grabbing her parachute and tossing Gabby hers. “Come on Gabs we’re going skydiving.”
Aiden watches in shock as Ellie and Gabby leap fearlessly from the plane hand in hand, with cyan-colored parachutes opening as they drop. “Nope, no, uh uh, not doing that…”
Ally shrugs and jumps, a magenta color spreading above her. “I may have lied a little back there, kind of did some training before this season. Not the first time I’ve made a leap like this, and now I’m going to the finish line!”
“Wow Ally, you haven’t been slacking as much as I thought you were.” Tess chuckles a bit and follows, immediately experiencing conflicting feelings as she sees cyan above her and magenta over Hunter as he appears next to her.
“Separated again.” Hunter sighs, briefly moving over to squeeze Tess’s hand. “At least it won’t be as long this time.”
Aiden stands nervously near the plane’s exit. “I… don’t think I can do this. Sorry James, I…. AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!”
“Humph, he was taking too long.” Riya scoffs and leaps after him, watching cyan bloom over him as her parachute turns yellow.
“Aiden!” James leaps headfirst, falling until he nears Aiden before opening his parachute and taking Aiden’s hand. “I got you, you’re safe now. Shame we’re on different teams though, magenta’s not exactly my color.”
“It’s alright James, I’ll be with him.” Lake appears next, a cyan parachute above her. “Just don’t go getting voted out before we merge, okay?”
“I could say the same to you.” James laughs as Aiden calms ever so slightly.
“Look at this, same team!” Connor beams as he nears Riya, a yellow parachute carrying him to the ground. “We get to play together again!”
“Oh…” Riya hesitates for a moment before partially smiling. “That’s great!”
“Let’s see, what do we got this time…” Tom cranes his neck as he falls, glimpsing cyan. “A blue? I can work with that… oh you’re a pinkish one Jake. And Miriam’s yellow. Oh no…”
“Oh come on!” Jake sighs, looking between them wistfully. “Just when we were together again and had a proper chance to talk too…”
“It’ll be alright, we just need to make the most of it.” Miriam interrupts with a commanding but somber tone. “Just play the best game you can and think of each other, and luck may be on our side.” Tom nods in agreement as Jake looks uncertain.
“This better be the only time you make us leap from a literal airplane!” Yul screams as he plummets before he grins at seeing his and Grett’s yellow. “Okay you get minor points for not splitting me up from my only real ally here.”
Grett smiles a bit, taking Yul’s hand in hers. “We are so going to run this game.”
“A bold claim.” Alec suddenly appears nearby with a yellow parachute. “And one I’d like to see you try to fulfill, it sounds quite entertaining to watch.”
“I agree with Alec.” Fiore grins, a magenta parachute above her. “You look like your brain contains more creative ways to insult every race and sexuality imaginable than actual strategy.”
“And I’ve seen better hair on my cousin’s newborn, your point?” Yul falls faster, moving out of range for conversation.
“Looks like I’m the last one, yeehaw!” Ashley leaps from the plane energetically, a magenta parachute opening over her as she glares at the falling Fiore. “Ready for round two you little menace?”
“What, I can’t hear you!” Fiore pretends not to hear her. “You should really work on settling your grudges when we’re not falling from an airplane!”
“And that’s all of them.” Oliver walks over to Kristal and notices there are no more parachutes. “Wait where are ours?”
“There aren’t any, I lied about the landing.” Kristal moves back to the cockpit where Emily is waiting. “We’re landing in a clearing momentarily. Now come on, I brought some champagne to celebrate the start of the season, and I don’t want Emily to find my secret stash.”
“And with that, we’re off and running.” Kristal grins, sipping a glass of champagne in the confessional. “Season 3 is our first All-Stars season, and no I don’t want to hear the complaint that it’s too early, Chris did it with barely more contestants to pull from than I did. But this season will be different, a much harder experience. No cabins, showers, bathrooms, or dining halls. Just a camp and a lot of challenges as friendships, rivalries, and relationships will be tested. So I’ll leave you with one question as the teams search for their tents…” She spreads her arms dramatically. “Who will be the first loser of Disventure Camp: All-Stars?”