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Chapter Text

Kristal was having her make-up done by Emily with a smile on her face when she spoke up.

"Is everything ready, Emily?" Kristal asked.

"Oh, yeah, don't worry." Emily nodded with a chuckle.

"Gather the crew, then! It's time." Kristal turned towards the camera.

"Welcome, one and all, to Disventure Camp All-Stars! You heard that right! We're back with twenty-four of your favorite and not-so-favorite competitors. We are just about to pick them up from all across the world in this private jet. Once everyone is on board, they will be flown to Camp Tipiskaw, a location some of you might have missed last season, where they will spend the next eight weeks. Three years have passed since our first season, two since our second, and one since our third. Imagine what shenanigans our contestants have been up to. Who will compete on our biggest season yet? And more importantly, what the hell have they been doing this whole time? Find out right here, right now, on... Disventure Camp All-Stars!" Kristal announced.

The camera was focused on a plane flying through the sky before focusing on Emily, Marcus, Nina and Oliver inside of it. Emily handed parachutes out to her three co-workers before pushing them out of the plane.

Below, James pulled Logan in for a side hug in front of the entrance of Camp Tipiskaw, wanting to take a selfie with him. James and Logan both grinned at the phone's camera as James took the shot.

Ally was sitting on a log by a bonfire pit as both Amelie and Natalia attempted to lecture her. While Ally initially listened attentively to what the two women were saying, she lost interest once Amelie and Natalia started screaming at one another.

Fiore was looking for an idol in a nearby bush with a scowl on her face when Ashley and Will approached her, clearly suspicious of her. A sudden shout from Fiore made Will run off in fear, much to Ashley's chagrin.

Grett and Jade were sitting next to each other on the dock. Jade looked down at her reflection in the water miserably before Grett laid a comforting hand down on her shoulder, making her smile. The two women smiled at each other before Alec appeared to discuss strategy, greatly annoying them both.

Aiden was playing dodgeball against Lake on the beach, while Jake stood off to the side, watching. An unexpectedly strong throw from Lake led to Aiden falling over once the ball hit him in the face. Jake quickly rushed over to help Aiden back up, an action that Lake couldn't help but glare at.

Spencer, too, stood on the beach, contemplating whether he should change into his swimsuit or not. Diego, who was talking to Hannah nearby, was thoroughly distracted by this and watched in anticipation. Hannah slapped him in the back of the head with a frown on her face to get his attention back.

Ellie and Gabby were posing in front of Tess as she sketched, with Gabby looking particularly excited. Instead of sketching the couple, though, Tess chose to sketch gay furry porn.

Back at camp, Connor was leaning against a tree, with Riya straddling his lap. The two flirted quietly as Zaid sat on a tree stump next to them, eating a salad with an annoyed expression on his face. When Hunter approached Zaid, ready to explain some challenges to him, Zaid tossed his salad into Hunter's face.

The members of Cyan Team, Magenta Team and Yellow Team then proceeded to walk to the central campfire pit together, where the twenty-four contestants posed for the camera.

Derek and Trevor stood by the voting urn, with Derek looking annoyed and Trevor looking excited, before Kristal pushed them both out of the way to get the spotlight, a wide smirk adorning her face.

Ally, Hannah, Hunter, Jake and Logan were all gathered outside of a Canadian airport, waiting for Kristal's plane to show up and pick them up.

"So, uh... Do you think they're gonna be here soon, or...?" Jake trailed off.

"Maybe this whole thing was a sham? Why else would they already be too late?" Hunter suggested.

"Don't be so paranoid, man. It's only been a couple of minutes, maybe they just got stuck in sky traffic or something." Hannah shrugged.

"Sky traffic sounds a bit wild. Maybe the plane was old and couldn't get it up anymore?" Hunter suggested, making Ally chuckle.

"Enough about getting things up! Why don't we just play some games while we wait, Hunter? You put the Switches in your bag, didn't you?" Ally asked. Hunter did not respond as his eyes widened in horror.

"Hunter... Hunter, no... Don't tell me you forgot the Switches." Ally covered her mouth with her hands as she started tearing up.

"I'm sorry, Ally, it just slipped my mind." Hunter sighed as Ally started weeping.

"Why don't we go for a jog or something instead? Can't hurt to get ready for all the physical exertion of the season, right?" Logan asked before Kristal's plane landed in front of them. This made Ally stop crying and quickly wipe her tears away.

"Well, um, looks like the jog's gonna have to wait." Ally shrugged as she got up from her seat.

"Don't forget to keep the seat next to me empty for Amelie." Hannah winked at Logan, who nodded in response, blush coating his face.

Interview - Ally and Hunter

Ally and Hunter were sitting on two chairs in front of Emily, who had a wicked smirk on her face.

"So, Ally, after checking social media, I've noticed that you have quite a vocal group of haters. How have you been dealing with them?" Emily asked her.

"Oh, you know, I've mostly been trying to ignore them. You can't please everyone, right?" Ally shrugged with a nervous chuckle.

"She's also been trying to appease them, but that hasn't really been working," Hunter added on.

"Hunter... We are on TV. You weren't meant to say that." Ally clenched her fists, a stilted grin on her face.

"Right. Sorry. Can we just move on to my question?" Hunter winced.

"Oh, you don't get a question. No one here really cares about your lack of a life." Emily giggled, earning herself glares from both Ally and Hunter.

Interview - End

Ally and Hunter chose to sit down in the first row of seats together.

"I know it's a bit nerve-wracking, but it's exciting, too, right? I mean, the three of us are gonna be back at the place where we met together. I'd say that's pretty cool." Hunter shrugged.

"Don't forget that we aren't here to plan cute dates, we're here to play and win this game. I can't take another sixth place loss," Ally muttered.

"You shouldn't beat yourself up over that," Hunter said.

"Sorry. I'd rather not talk about this right now," Ally mumbled. Hunter nodded at her with a miserable expression on his face.

Confessional - Hunter

"I wish I knew how to help Ally, but all I can really do is be there to support her. I still wish I could do more for her, though." Hunter sighed.

Interview - Jake

"Jake, how come Miriam didn't agree to come?" Emily asked.

"Oh, she's busy. She's been investing most of her cash into hiring black strippers. She hasn't hired any white ones, though. She says it's harder to see the coke on them." Jake shrugged.

"And what about Tom?" Emily wiggled her eyebrows at him.

"I don't really know. We talked things out, but agreed we shouldn't stay in contact after what happened in our season. I can only assume he declined because he almost died at the end of his last stay here." Jake shrugged.

"Ah, how dreadfully boring. My sources tell me you have shitty parents. Is that true?" Emily asked.

"They're definitely not the most accepting people, but I'm not sure if I'd call them shitty. They're s-still my parents, after all." Jake shrugged.

"Well, my sources are very sure they'd call them shitty," said Emily.

"That's just great for them, then." Jake rolled his eyes with a pout.

Interview - End

Interview - Logan

"Logan! How has last season's walking, talking closet case been doing for the past year?" Emily asked.

"Oh, it's been awesome! I've kept in touch with Richie, Nat, Alessio, Hannah and Spencer and they're all so cool! I'm lucky to have friends like them," Logan said.

"What about your family back home? Did they take your new discoveries about yourself well?" Emily questioned.

"Yeah, actually! I don't know why I was even worried they wouldn't. They're super supportive!" Logan chuckled.

"Wow, that's... really fucking boring. Did you at least wind up doing something interesting with those million bucks you won last season?" Emily sighed, making Logan raise an eyebrow at her in confusion.

"Uh... I went on an awesome vacation with my family and gave the rest to my mom so she could help finance my siblings' futures," Logan told her.

"I better not get fired for providing a boring interview. This meathead is giving me nothing to work with!" Emily groaned.

Interview - End

Interview - Hannah

"Hannah, I've seen you have... a bit of a reputation. Tell me, what number is bigger? Three, or one?" Emily asked, making Hannah roll her eyes.

"I've seen those memes. When the one is Spencer, that's the number I'd rather take out," said Hannah.

"I take it that beef is still scalding hot?" Emily asked.

"Why wouldn't it be? That asshole kept taking out friend after friend and he never even apologized!" Hannah shouted.

"Ah, yes, the patented Hannah Curse. Pray tell, Hannah, for a recruit who had a horrible time competing last season, you accepted your invite shockingly quickly. How come?" Emily asked.

"I'm really sick of my bartender career. Being an underpaid therapist for a bunch of drunk people is exhausting! Amelie has offered to help me, but I know I can't rely on her. I have to get myself out of there, and if it takes this shitty show for me to accomplish that, I'll just have to accept it." Hannah shrugged.

"So, basically, money!" Emily giggled.

"Yeah, more or less." Hannah nodded.

"Just one more question before you go! You cried a lot about losing your friends last season, Hannah. How many of those did you actually stay in touch with?" Emily asked.

"Well, I see Benji and Logan in person all the time, and I still text Amelie, Diego, Natalia and Tristan," Hannah said.

"Interesting, interesting." Emily nodded.

Interview - End

Amelie, Ellie, Gabby, Jade, Natalia and Tess were all waiting for the plane to show up in an airport in New York.

"I take off work for this and they seriously can't even arrive on time?" Ellie scoffed.

"Maybe they all died. That'd be kinda sad." Tess shrugged.

"Oh my gosh, is that Tess Morgan from Disventure Camp Season 2?!" Gabby screamed in excitement.

"Yeah, babe, that sure is Tess." Ellie chuckled.

"I would've never guessed." Tess rolled her eyes, a faint smile on her face.

"Looks like even us D-list celebrities have our fans, huh?" Ellie shrugged.

"Can't you get your squirticle to stop screaming? She's giving me a headache." Natalia groaned.

"Oh my gosh, is that Natalia Baez from Disventure Camp Season 3: Carnival of Chaos?!" Gabby screamed in excitement.

"Oh my gosh, is that Gabby from the psych ward? Because I think they might want you back." Jade scoffed.

"Well, that's a bit rude." Gabby winced. Jade breathed out a defeated sigh.

"Yeah, that went too far." Jade nodded.

"Aren't you gonna apologize for it?" Ellie cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Yes, please keep fighting. It would be most favorable if you lot destroyed your social standings before the season could even begin!" Amelie chuckled to herself before the Disventure Camp plane landed behind her.

"Took them long enough." Tess rolled her eyes.

Interview - Amelie

"Amelie, my name twin! What a displeasure to be seeing you again." Emily chuckled.

"I'd be displeased, too, if I had to face the perfect being I was a cheap imitation of." Amelie smirked at Emily.

"Well, Amelie, if you're so perfect, how come you only made it into the cast because Benji called in sick, of all things?" Emily chuckled.

"Because the producers, alongside everyone else working on this show, lack taste. That much should have been obvious by how you choose to style yourself." Amelie chuckled to herself.

"Rich, coming from the dinosaur with a mid-life crisis." Emily rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I am indeed rich, unlike you." Amelie winked at Emily, who narrowed her eyes at her in response.

Interview - End

When Amelie entered the plane, Hannah and Jake both perked up.

"Amelie! I haven't seen you in so long! How have you been?" Hannah rushed over to Amelie's side with a smile on her face.

"I have been nothing but amazing, obviously. What else were you expecting." Amelie rolled her eyes, a teasing smirk on her face.

"You can keep the feigned nonchalance for your boyfriend back home, because I'm not buying it." Hannah shook her head with a giggle.

"Aren't you the head of Pierre Planning?" Jake asked Amelie.

"Looks like you've gotten even more famous, hm?" Hannah nudged Amelie with her elbow.

"Uh, no, I just recognized her because we've been neck on neck in wedding commissions lately." Jake chuckled.

"Oh, you plan weddings, too?" Hannah asked.

"Yep! I needed to get a job at some point, and I've always been a fan of the romantic, so..." Jake trailed off with a shrug.

"Do not bother conversing with this cretin, Hannah. He is nothing more than an overgrown child begging for attention." Amelie waved Jake off, earning herself a glare from him in the process.

Confessional - Amelie

"He has barely been a part of my industry, and he already believes himself to be worthy of my consideration? I'd be respecting his boldness if he wasn't so insufferable with it." Amelie shrugged.

Amelie sat down next to Hannah with an exhausted sigh.

"What's wrong, Amelie? You're acting even more agitated than usual." Hannah laid a hand down on her shoulder.

"I'm just not sure if this is the best idea for you, Hannah. I know last season hurt you a lot. I don't want you to get hurt like that again," Amelie admitted.

"Relax, Amelie. Seeing you guys after the season made it way easier to accept that it really was just a game. I don't think this season is gonna be as bad, because I know I'll still have you by the end of it," said Hannah.

"If you're sure." Amelie smiled at her, though she still seemed hesitant about it all.

Confessional - Hannah

"The only real worry I have for this season is that Spencer might be back again, and I'll be forced to put up with his usual bullshit. Luckily, I doubt his personality is gonna win him any allies, so if he is back, I'm sure he'll just get booted first." Hannah chuckled to herself.

Interview - Ellie and Gabby

"Ellie, Gabby, how do you feel heading into this season?" Emily asked.

"Worried. I think everyone from my season would be immature enough to still be pissed about stuff from three years ago, so I might be going into this season with more enemies than I really want to have." Ellie sighed.

"You have to look at the bright side, though! Most of the people here will be new faces, so you can make new allies to exterminate the old enemies!" Gabby cheered.

"You don't seem particularly remorseful about your gameplay, Ellie. Do you plan on changing your game plan for this season, or are you gonna be just as ruthless as you were the last time you played?" Emily questioned.

"Look, my only mistakes last season were working with sociopaths like Alec and Fiore, and putting any degree of trust in someone who isn't Gabs. I don't plan on repeating either of those mistakes, but everything else is fair game, really." Ellie shrugged.

"Interesting. Very, very interesting." Emily chuckled into her palm.

Interview - End

Ellie and Gabby sat down in the fifth row together. While Gabby was initially smiling, that smile dropped once she noticed Ellie's anxious expression.

"Baddie, you don't have to worry. Nothing can stop the two of us." Gabby laid her hand down on top of Ellie's.

"Maybe. There's just a lot riding on this. I can't fuck it up again." Ellie sighed.

"You won't. And even if you do, I'll be there to help you pick up the pieces. So turn that frown upside down, okay? You look so much cuter when you're smiling." Gabby poked Ellie in the cheek.

"Thanks, Gabs." Ellie giggled.

Confessional - Gabby

"I've kind of given up on getting Ellie to open up to me. There's something that's been bothering her for years, I think, but she just changes the subject whenever I ask about it, so I've started to try cheering her up a little instead! Just to, you know, help at least a little bit." Gabby shrugged.

Interview - Natalia

"Natalia, the PR manager haunted by a distinct lack of in-game PR skills, long time no see! Viewers back home are simply dying to know if you're gonna be convincing any old people that I'm your mother again this season." Emily rolled her eyes.

"Girl, I love you, but don't go blaming me for Lynda's dumbassery, or I'll turn your pretty little face a little less pretty." Natalia rolled her eyes.

"Oh, coming out of the gate swinging with a threat! Is this newfound energy gonna be reflected in your gameplay this season, too?" Emily asked.

"I got out last season because I didn't go after the big fish until it was too late. I'm still gonna be as divalicious as ever, obvi, but I'll have to play a little more aggressively to avoid getting fucked over by some deranged Anastasia kinnie, or Anastasia, herself, again." Natalia rolled her eyes.

Interview - End

Natalia couldn't help but squeal in excitement as she sat down next to Logan behind Jake, who was leisurely snacking on some chips.

"Logan, sweetie, long time no see! How've you been, king?" Natalia asked him.

"I've been way happier ever since last season, I can't even lie. Thanks for supporting me back then, Nat. Being openly bi has been freaking awesome!" Logan cheered.

"You actually enjoy having men in your dating pool? Boy, I'm sure psychologists would brawl over the chance to pick at your brain." Natalia giggled. Logan couldn't help but laugh along.

Confessional - Natalia

"Oh, I'd kill to be put on Logan's team. I know Isa declined her invitation because she was tempted into drinking again during last season's auction, so he's gonna be by far my closest bestie in the cast," said Natalia.

Interview - Tess

"Tess, Tess, you're a real fan favorite from your season, so it's obvious why you were invited. The real question, though, is why you decided to come back," said Emily.

"I want to spend some time with Ally and Hunter. That's it, really." Tess shrugged.

"So, this is what to you? A vacation?" Emily raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah, basically. It's not like any of us have a shot at winning, anyways," Tess said.

"Defeatist as always, I see!" Emily chuckled. Tess just blinked at her, her expression completely stoic.

Interview - End

Upon heading into the plane, Tess immediately walked over to the first row, where Ally and Hunter were sitting.

"Hey, guys," Tess said nonchalantly.

"Tess! We haven't seen you in so long! How are you?" Hunter grinned up at her.

"Alive," said Tess.

"Oh my gosh, samesies!" Ally cheered before wrapping Tess up in a hug. Hunter quickly wrapped his arms around both women afterwards.

Confessional - Tess

"I've really missed Ally and Hunter at college, but when I hugged them, I realized that I really didn't miss their stench. I wish they'd shower more often." Tess sighed.

Interview - Jade

"Jade, how have things been with Spencer since last season?" Emily asked.

"Cordial. We aren't terribly close, but the two of us still talk from time to time. He tried to talk about some... complicated things before, but that's not really what I'm looking for in our friendship," said Jade.

"Interesting... How have you been responding to the backlash for having left Logan for dead?" Emily questioned.

"I ignore it." Jade shrugged.

"So I take it you're still as allergic to accountability as ever?" Emily chuckled.

"No, but I think I might be developing an allergy to dumb questions," Jade said before poignantly coughing into her hand. Emily rolled her eyes in response.

Interview - End

Upon entering the plane, Jade chose to immediately narrow her eyes at Amelie, who glared back at her with a vengeance.

"You better watch yourself this season, Jade. I won't let you best me again," Amelie told her.

"Are you sure you shouldn't be the one watching yourself? You wouldn't want me to eliminate you a third time, would you now?" Jade smirked down at her.

"That was just beginner's luck, which will certainly have run out by now." Amelie scoffed.

"Keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night, Amelie." Jade rolled her eyes before heading further into the plane.

Confessional - Amelie

"I respect Jade as a competitor, which means she is one of the very few people here I would consider an active threat. If she ends up stuck on my team, she better start counting her days." Amelie chuckled.

Connor, Ivy, Riya, Tristan and Zaid were all gathered in an airport in California, waiting for the plane to arrive.

"You've got this, Zaid! You're gonna make me so proud, regardless of how far you make it!" Ivy told Zaid, his hands tightly clasped in her own.

"Yeah, dude, it's already super exciting that you even got invited to begin with!" Tristan chuckled.

"Oh, are you two coming along with us?" Connor asked Ivy and Tristan, his eyes wide.

"Ah, no, they didn't get an invite." Zaid shook his head, clearly disappointed.

"I'd rather watch from home, anyways, especially since Benji won't be competing," Tristan admitted with a chuckle.

"I'm sure you two will appreciate having more room to yourselves." Zaid winked at Tristan, making them blush.

"D-Dude! It's not like that!" Tristan giggled, with Ivy and Zaid laughing along.

"Sure it isn't." Zaid teasingly rolled his eyes.

"Do you think the plane is coming soon? We've been waiting for a while," Connor questioned.

"Oh, you know what they say about pilots." Ivy shook her head with a chuckle.

"I don't think anyone does, C-list. Still, I'm genuinely shocked they'd invite exclusively the least interesting member of your trio back," Riya said, earning herself glares from Ivy, Tristan and Zaid. Before a fight could break out, the Disventure Camp plane landed behind them.

"Guess it's time to say goodbye," Tristan mumbled before wrapping their arms around both Ivy and Zaid.

Interview - Connor and Riya

"Riya, you have gotten a notable boost in popularity since competing in Disventure Camp. Tell us, how's it feel?" Emily asked her.

"Good, of course. While it's a shame that it took a trashy reality show for my talent to be acknowledged, I'd still say better late than never." Riya shrugged.

"How do you feel about Riya's newfound success, Connor?" Emily questioned.

"Oh, I'm obviously happy for her! With how hard she's been working, she deserves every little bit of her fame," Connor said, a smile on his face.

"How uncomfortably sweet! I take it this pointlessly supportive streak is a result of you two getting together? Or is your relationship still just as ambiguous as it was by the end of your last season?" Emily asked.

"There is nothing ambiguous about us," Riya shook her head, "Connor is my malewife."

"That I am! Bark, bark!" Connor nodded, still grinning. Emily gazed at the two with nothing but disgust.

Interview - End

Upon entering the plane, Riya sneered at her fellow competitors.

"Looks like the casting director only made one good call this season, which was inviting me, of course." Riya tossed her hair back.

"Oh my gosh, Riya! I'm, like, your biggest fan! Can I get an autograph?! Please?!" Gabby screeched at her.

"No," Riya said before strutting past Gabby. Ellie glared at her for this.

"Oh my gosh, Riya Sharma actually acknowledged me," Gabby whispered to herself before squealing loudly.

"You're loud. I don't like that. Stop being like that," Riya told her.

"Anyway, how's it been hanging, cool kids?" Connor asked Ally and Hunter.

"Oh, you know, there's been ups and downs. How about you?" Ally shrugged.

"My life's been grand since we last spoke, honestly," Connor admitted.

"All thanks to me, of course." Riya chuckled.

"No one was talking to you, Riya. Just go back to relying on idols and advantages to carry you through the game." Ally rolled her eyes.

"Now, now, how about we don't argue right away?" Connor stepped in between the two women.

"No! I want to watch Riya eat that flop up!" Gabby cackled.

"I don't think Riya's a cannibal, sorry." Connor shook his head at her.

"Somehow, you've gotten even more old." Ally giggled at him.

"Doesn't that tend to happen to people when they don't die?" Gabby asked, making both Ally and Hunter laugh.

"I don't get the joke," Connor admitted.

"Sorry, man. Guess you're a bit too old for humor." Hunter shrugged.

Confessional - Riya

"That little brat claiming I relied on idols and advantages when she was already out by the time I even played my idol seriously pissed me off! She better hope she's not on my team after that," Riya said.

Once Connor and Riya had gotten seated in the eighth row and Riya had taken a look around the plane, she turned towards her boyfriend, a nervous expression on her face.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Connor?" Riya whispered to him.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Connor smiled at her.

"You know what kind of image I have to maintain for my career, Connor. I can't promise I'll always be the most pleasant person to be around," Riya admitted.

"I know that, Riya, but I also know that I can trust you, and that you should honestly have more faith in yourself. I know you'll know where to draw the line, and if you're a bit mean to me for the cameras sometimes, I won't take it personally. Pinky-promise." Connor chuckled.

"Thank you, Connor." Riya softly smiled up at him.

Confessional - Connor

"I was the one who suggested to Riya that we should come back. Don't let this air, but the persona she's gotten famous for has been eating away at her, because she's not sure if it's really an act after all she did last time she competed. What better way is there for her to prove to herself that she's grown than competing again, only less... murder-y this time?" Connor shrugged.

Interview - Zaid

"Zaid, who are you, again?" Emily asked.

"What?" Zaid furrowed his eyebrows at her in confusion.

"Whatever. Are you excited to see your pal Logan again?" Emily rolled her eyes with a groan.

"He's not my pal. Obviously I'm not looking forward to that reunion." Zaid crossed his arms.

"What about Spencer? Some of fans seem to be convinced things got steamy between the two of you!" Emily giggled.

"Christ, no! Even if I was into dudes, that weasel's the last guy I'd want to be with. I just hope he gets out earlier this season so I don't have to work with him again," said Zaid.

Interview - End

Ashley and Will were sitting on a bench in a Texan airport, smiling softly at one another. Will had his arm wrapped around Ashley's shoulders.

"Aren't'cha excited, big guy?" Ashley grinned up at him.

"Well, uh, I guess? I'm mostly nervous, but I'm sure there's excitement somewhere in there." Will chuckled as the plane landed behind them.

"There's no need to be nervous. We're gonna do great, trust me." Ashley kissed Will on the cheek before the two of them grabbed their luggage and got up.

Interview - Ashley and Will

"Ashley! Basically every member of our audience has come together for once to agree that you are dating down. Would you say you agree?" Emily asked.

"Of course not! I love Will. He's a total sweetheart, and basically part of my family now." Ashley shook her head.

"Interesting taste in men you have there, then! Will, how does it feel to know that you only got invited because," Emily pulled out a lengthy list, "Miriam wanted to party with hookers, Tom was traumatized, Lill got knocked up, Nick was busy preparing to raise a kid, and Drew is on trial for accusations of vehicular manslaughter?"

"Aren't you missing someone? There was this purple guy, right?" Will asked.

"Oh, right. Yeah, we just forgot about him." Emily shrugged.

"I'm just glad I got invited. I hope my run here doesn't end the same way as last time," Will admitted, too nervous to make eye contact.

"Pretty sure all the fans actually want you to be the first boot again, so if you aren't, prepare for hate mail." Emily shrugged, making Will slump in his seat. Ashley patted him on the back encouragingly.

Interview - End

Once Ashley and Will had gotten themselves seated in the tenth row of the plane, Ashley turned towards Will, a smile on her face.

"Don't let that lady get'cha down, Will. We've got this, no matter what anyone says," Ashley told him.

"She has a point, though. I barely even got into the season. You deserve better than that." Will sighed.

"Even if I did, I wouldn't want better. Guess ya just have to deal with that." Ashley chuckled, earning herself a soft smile from Will.

Confessional - Will

"Ash always knows just what to say to cheer me up. I'm so lucky to have her," Will said, his voice soft.

The plane landed in an airport in Mexico next, where Lake had been waiting alongside Rosa Maria, who held Sofia in her arms.

"I suppose this is goodbye for now, then. It's a shame you couldn't join us, Rosa," said Lake.

"I would've loved to, but someone has to stay behind and take care of Sofia. I know you'll make me proud out there, though." Rosa smiled at Lake.

"Bye, auntie Lake!" Sofia waved at Lake.

"Expect me to return with a million dollar briefcase, girls. I love you!" Lake giggled before heading into the plane.

Interview - Lake

"Lake, we've seen your coming out post on social media. How did you realize you're a lesbian?" Emily asked.

"I used the freedom Rosa had given me to really think about who I am. While I love yaoi a lot, I think I honestly much prefer pussy," Lake admitted.

"Wise words." Emily nodded at her.

Interview - End

Upon entering the plane, Lake walked over to where Tess was sitting, a wide smile on her face.

"Tess! How have you been? I haven't seen you in, like, a year," Lake asked.

"We had an hour-long conversation in DMs yesterday, Lake," Tess argued stoically.

"Well, in my opinion, texting is nothing like a face-to-face conversation, Tess. I suppose I might be old school in that sense." Lake shrugged.

"Wait aren't you, like, Lake Müller? Like, the author? Because, like, if so, I'm, like, such a huge fan of your book! That twelve page sex scene between the dragon and the knight changed me as a person," Jake admitted.

"I actually helped a lot with that. Sent her some pictures of my Bad Dragon collection to help her get the shape right." Tess shrugged.

"That's so cool!" Jake grinned at her.

"Okay," Tess said in response, which made Jake's smile falter.

"Uh, did I do something wrong?" Jake's eyes widened.

"No, you do not have to worry. I am always happy to meet a fan!" Lake assured Jake. The smile on her face made Jake's return in turn.

Confessional - Lake

"While I am grateful that my writing has managed to touch people, I do wish it had touched them in different ways. The only aspects that seem to be discussed are the sex scenes! As if all the character development is irrelevant! Everyone seems so focused on when the dragon enters the knight, but no one seems to care about his quest for the potion that even made such a feat possible in the first place. It is a shame." Lake shook her head while breathing out a disappointed sigh.

Lake sat down next to Tess with a friendly smile on her face.

"It is so nice that we could meet up like this again," Lake said.

"I guess so. By the way, did you ever get that butterfly tattoo you mentioned considering a while back?" Tess asked.

"I, um... Yes," Lake admitted, her face tinted red.

"Can I see it?" Tess asked. Wordlessly, Lake pulled up her left sleeve.

"Lake." Tess stared at her shoulder.

"I know." Lake sighed.

"Lake, that looks like a penis," Tess pointed out.

"I know!" Lake cried out before burying her face in her hands.

"How did that even happen?" Tess asked.

"The tattoo artist asked if she could take some creative liberties, and I did not want to get in the way of another artist's true potential," Lake admitted.

"So you let her draw a penis on you," Tess concluded. Lake was far too embarrassed to respond.

Confessional - Tess

"The fact that Lake got a tattoo of a penis despite being a lesbian is incredibly funny," Tess said, her expression unflinchingly disinterested.

The plane's next stop was an airport in Colombia, where Diego had been waiting, petting a condor. It flew off when the plane landed, which was Diego's cue to get up.

"I won't lose this time," Diego muttered to himself before heading into the plane.

Interview - Diego

"Diego! How come you're here, despite being Red Team's lowest-ranking member? How many people had to decline those invitations, exactly?" Emily asked.

"I don't really know. I think they mentioned that my build made me a useful inclusion, but I don't know why." Diego shrugged.

"Looks like we've located the thumbnail bait! How's your career been going?" Emily questioned.

"It's been going well, thank you for asking!" Diego smiled at her.

"Alright, now onto the important stuff, how do you feel about Spencer nowadays?" Emily smirked at him.

"I am not particularly fond of him. That's all I'll say." Diego shrugged, a miserable expression on his face. Emily, too, simply shrugged in response.

Interview - End

Upon entering the plane, Diego was immediately greeted by Hannah, who rushed over to his side to give him a hug.

"Diego! How are you feeling? I know this must be a little nerve-wracking after what happened last time you competed," Hannah asked.

"Of course it is, but it's exciting, too. I know what I did wrong last time, and as long as I don't repeat those same mistakes again, I think I could make it really far into this season," Diego said. He didn't sound entirely convinced of what he was saying.

"That's the right attitude! We've got this season in the bag!" Hannah pumped a fist into the air.

Confessional - Diego

"Last season, I was so focused on my dreams of romance and friendship that I barely even played the game. This time around, I am here to win," Diego stated.

Aiden and James were sitting in an airport in Brazil, watching TikToks while waiting for the plane to arrive. James had his arms wrapped around Aiden's shoulders.

"Are you sure this guy's content is meant to be funny? I don't think he's even made a joke yet," Aiden asked.

"The humor is referential, Aiden. Don't be such a comedy snob." James rolled his eyes before the plane landed behind them.

"Well, looks like I've been saved from the referential humor. Eureka!" Aiden chuckled to himself.

Interview - Aiden and James

"And here's James, one of two winners in the cast! Do tell us, how have you been spending your prize money?" Emily asked him.

"I've been traveling with Aiden, and the two of us have been enjoying every moment." James looked over at Aiden, a lovesick expression on his face.

"I take that to mean you've forgiven James for his many fuck ups the last time you two played, Aiden?" Emily asked him.

"Of course I have. I rewatched the episodes, and I noticed that I was honestly just way too rash towards the one guy who really liked me. I couldn't stay mad at him." Aiden chuckled.

"Not even for his rather controversial actions in the kiss-a-thon?" Emily asked.

"That's water under the bridge, Emily. Aiden knows to expect my smooches now." James giggled.

"Uh, yeah." Aiden nodded, a nervous grin on his face.

Interview - End

Upon entering the plane, Aiden and James were immediately approached by Lake, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Aiden, James, it is so good to see you again!" Lake chuckled while wrapping her arms around both men.

"The pleasure's all ours, Luke," James told her.

"My name is Lake, actually," Lake corrected.

"Even I know that. Just how dumb are you, James?" Riya asked while checking her nails.

"At least he knows how to say sorry! You've never even apologized for leaving me dangling off a cliff!" Aiden shouted at her. Riya just rolled her eyes at him.

Confessional - Lake

"In James' defense, I do not think we have had a single proper conversation. The most interaction we have had is with Aiden, as a group." Lake shrugged.

Once Aiden and James had gotten themselves seated in the last row, James turned Aiden's head by his chin and kissed him. Once he'd separated from Aiden, he smirked.

"For good luck." James winked at Aiden.

"That was embarrassing, James," Aiden argued.

"Aw, come on, you know you love it when your hubby kisses you," James said before laying his head down on top of Aiden's.

"Yeah." Aiden sighed in defeat.

Confessional - James

"Aiden likes to play hard to get sometimes. I get the appeal of it, honestly. The reward's always deliciously sweet." James licked his lips.

Alec, Grett and Spencer were waiting for the plane in an airport within the United Kingdom. Alec and Spencer were both reading, whereas Grett was busy checking her phone.

"How much longer will this plane take to get here?" Alec groaned.

"Shockingly, whining about the wait will not make it appear faster." Spencer rolled his eyes.

"You know, having a little respect for your elders would help you actually make the final four this time." Alec scoffed.

"Not talking down to people who are younger than you might let you escape being eliminated by a child again, but what do I know?" Spencer shrugged, not taking his eyes off his book.

"You have just made yourself an- Grett, what are you doing?" Alec asked her once he noticed her filming them.

"What? My followers are gonna eat this pointless drama up!" Grett chuckled before the plane landed behind her.

"Since when did they have the budget for an entire plane?" Spencer raised an eyebrow at this before the three of them got up and ready to head into the plane.

Interview - Grett

"Grett, you've shared a lot of inspirational stuff on your social media, all revolving around your change. Tell me, is any of that exaggerated?" Emily asked.

"Of course not, Emily. I would famously never lie. I have grown and changed as a person in the last three years, and I'm so grateful I got to have my amazing fans on that journey with me," said Grett.

"A change in mind was accompanied by a change in body, though. What inspired you to lose all that weight, Grett?" Emily questioned.

"Are you bloody serious?! Ask me something like that again, and I'll have you fired!" Grett screamed at Emily, making her giggle.

Interview - End

With an exhausted sigh, Grett sat down next to Jade.

"I don't know how Emily's been able to keep her career with a personality like that." Grett scoffed.

"I assume she wasn't any more polite towards you than she was towards me?" Jade asked.

"She's a bitch, and that's coming from me." Grett shrugged.

"You're Grett, right? I remember you as quite a fierce competitor," Jade said.

"I was, wasn't I? Don't sell yourself short, though, you had a damn good run in your season, too. Made it a hell of a lot farther than I did." Grett chuckled.

"If we're lucky, we could get the chance to work together. I know I was impressed with what I saw from your gameplay," said Jade.

"I'll keep the offer in mind, thank you." Grett winked at Jade.

Confessional - Grett

"In the influencer industry, you learn to have a keen sense for who around you is just full of shit. Jade, for example, is one of those people. It's clear she's just trying to butter me up for an alliance, but I do like having more control in the game, so I'll play along for now," said Grett.

Interview - Spencer

"Spencer, I've heard from some very trustworthy sources that your grades have been slipping ever since your last time competing. How come?" Emily asked.

"That is really none of your business, Emily." Spencer narrowed his eyes at her.

"Maybe not. Aren't you excited to see your old castmates again? I'm sure you didn't keep in touch with any of them, after all." Emily giggled to herself.

"I did keep in touch with Logan and Jade," Spencer argued.

"Two more people than I would have expected!" Emily smirked over at Spencer, who just glared at her in response.

Interview - End

Upon stepping into the plane, Spencer noticed that not a single person was particularly happy to see him.

"Of course they had to invite the fucking demon twink back." Natalia scoffed.

"At least you won't have to deal with him for long if he gets put on a team with people he knows." Jade shrugged.

"It'd be seriously awesome to vote him out a third time!" Hannah giggled joyously.

"Guess someone better call pest control!" Zaid chuckled.

"We can also just spray him with pesticide on our own." Hannah shrugged.

"Or I can just crush him with a log again. Perhaps it will pack a bit more of a crunch this time." Amelie shrugged while checking her nails.

"What I'd pay to see that demon twink go splat!" Natalia giggled.

"I completely forgot about that nickname!" Hannah laughed loudly. Spencer turned towards Logan, but he was laughing, too.

"You gotta admit, Spence, they're really funny." Logan shrugged. Spencer sighed in response.

"Hey, you're in no position to be sensitive after the way you treated Ivy." Zaid narrowed his eyes at Spencer.

"I suppose not," Spencer mumbled.

Confessional - Jade

"Did Spencer expect a warm welcome? I thought he'd be smart enough to know that no one really likes him, but I guess that was an overestimation. While I like him well enough, even I'm not willing to put my ass on the hot seat to defend his honor. It just wouldn't be strategically sound." Jade shrugged.

Quietly, Spencer sat down next to Jake, who was still eating chips with a smile on his face. Spencer raised an eyebrow at him.

"Where did you even get those?" Spencer asked.

"From the store back home. Do you want some?" Jake asked, accidentally spitting a few crumbs into Spencer's face.

"...No," Spencer said through gritted teeth.

Confessional - Spencer

"From what I have seen, Jake is an emotionally volatile buffoon. And he has just spit in my face. Needless to say, I hope I will not have to deal with him for long," Spencer said while wipping the wet crumbs off his face with his sleeve.

Interview - Alec

"Alec! It's been three whole years since we last saw you, with no major appearances since! What made you decide to come back?" Emily asked him.

"Money," said Alec.

"Delightfully to the point! Now, your last elimination was a result of a heart-wrenching betrayal from Fiore. How do you feel about her nowadays?" Emily asked.

"I still think her parents were right about her. She's a mistake." Alec sneered.

"It's not a surprise you would say that, Alec, having a criminal record for child neglect and all. Now, there's been this photo floating around of you in a sex dungeon, getting dommed by Miriam. Care to explain that?" Emily asked.

"Okay, we're done here!" Alec shouted before getting up and storming off.

Interview - End

Alec sat down next to Zaid before pulling a book to read out of his luggage, not saying a single word to the other man all the while.

"You can be quiet, yes?" Alec asked.

"Uh... yeah, why?" Zaid raised an eyebrow at him.

"I do not want to be subjected to hearing your voice as I read." Alec shrugged.

"Looks like you're a ripe asshole. Guess Spencer can find an actual buddy this season." Zaid chuckled to himself, making Alec roll his eyes and focus on reading Twilight instead.

Confessional - Alec

"I read articles about the previous seasons to prepare for this one. Watching a reality TV show is beneath me, after all. The articles described Zaid as friendly. I doubt the writers paid any attention to his personality." Alec scoffed.

Fiore was shooting tranquilizer darts at screaming nuns while cackling when the plane landed behind her.

"Goodbye, fuckers!" Fiore flipped the nuns off before running over to the plane.

"Take her! Take that wretched brat! Not even Satan would welcome this child as his own!" a random nun screeched.

"Guess he wants me as much as your ex-husband wanted you, Pa-bitch-ia!" Fiore shouted back at her. The nun, apparently named Patricia, started violently sobbing as the plane took off.

Interview - Fiore

"Fiore, how come you-" Emily was quickly interrupted.

"Go choke on all that botox you stuffed into your cheeks, you jaundiced leech," Fiore told her.

"I guess that's that for the final interview, then!" Emily chuckled as Fiore glared at her.

Interview - End

Once Fiore stepped into the plane, Alec immediately loudly groaned.

"They invited her back? Seriously? The producers made a serious mistake with that, just like her parents did when they chose not to abort her." Alec scoffed.

"I don't like Fiore, either, but don't'cha think that's goin' a wee bit too far, Alec?" Ashley asked.

"So Alec's ugly and holds a deranged grudge against a small girl? He should really pick a struggle." Grett checked her nails with a shrug.

"Okay, but it's Fiore! She's a demon!" Will argued.

"Really? Demon? If you're gonna insult someone, at least be creative about it, last place." Grett rolled her eyes.

"Shut up, Grett. We don't need you to develop some sort of fucked up white knight disorder on top of your obvious eating disorder." Fiore rolled her eyes while walking past Grett, whose jaw dropped in response.

Confessional - Alec

"Now that Fiore mentioned it, Grett does look different than she did the last time I saw her. Could she have potentially lost weight?" Alec stroked his chin, lost deep in thought.

With a groan, Fiore climbed onto the seat next to Diego, who smiled at her kindly.

"Hello, little one. Who might you be?" Diego asked her, his voice gentle.

"The bitch who pushed your disgustingly muscle-rotten ass out of the plane window mid-flight if you don't shut the fuck up soon," Fiore told him.

"Well, you certainly have some colorful language at your disposal." Diego frowned down at her.

"Go kill yourself," Fiore said. Diego turned away from her, an annoyed expression on his face.

Confessional - Diego

"Whoever tried to raise that little girl did a terrible job! I'm well-acquainted with crappy parents dropping their crappy kids into my tours to make someone else parent their kids for them, but I wasn't exactly looking to do that out here, too. I just hope I can escape that responsibility by not being put on her team," said Diego.

A couple hours later, while the contestants were all resting on their seats, Kristal walked out of a private area and stood in front of them.

"Welcome, everyone! Before we get too focused on the game at hand, I'd say some introductions are in order! I'm Kristal McLane, your host for this season!" Kristal announced.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, ma'am." Diego nodded at her.

"Oliver, my assistant director, will continue to be in charge of this season's challenges, to ensure they are all safe," Kristal said as Oliver stepped out.

"You were testing challenges all the way back when I was competing! You're really passionate about this, huh?" Jake asked with a grin.

"I guess you could say that." Oliver chuckled.

"Marcus, the bus driver, will drive any of the losers to the motel once they're eliminated," Kristal announced as Marcus stepped out.

"I really hope I can escape being in that bus this season, too. I'm actually terrified of them ever since I got hit by one as a kid," Hunter admitted.

"I would love to feed off that fear!" Nina cackled after jumping out from behind Marcus' back.

"What's the doll's purpose again? All she did host one challenge last season." Zaid shrugged.

"I don't know, honestly," Kristal admitted.

"Are there any other staff members left?" Hunter asked.

"Oh, right! Emily will be working on making the best, juiciest dramatic edits!" Kristal announced as Emily stepped out.

"You're seriously letting that bitch edit your show? Just let her starve on the street, where she belongs." Grett scoffed.

"You would know about starving, wouldn't you?" Emily snickered into her hand as Grett glared at her.

"Lastly, my interns for this season will be Trevor and Derek, freshly bailed out of jail!" Kristal announced as the two men stepped out.

"Uh, hi!" Trevor waved at the contestants.

"Why did you bail people out of jail for this show?" Hunter raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oliver wanted to get some revenge, and I wanted to be a supportive girlfriend." Kristal shrugged.

"Girl, you could do so much better." Natalia rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, the local obesity case doesn't need anyone to kiss his fat rolls." Derek scoffed, earning himself glares from literally everyone in the plane.

"You know what, why don't I introduce the first challenge right now? Everyone will grab a parachute and jump out of the plane. The color of your parachute will dictate which team you're on. To give you a demonstration..." Kristal grabbed a parachute and pushed Derek and Trevor out of the plane with it.

"What did I do?!" Trevor cried out as the two men plummeted. The contestants all watched this occur in horror.

Confessional - Aiden

"Seriously?! We're starting the season with a height-based challenge after the last season I competed on traumatized me into developing a fear of those?! Talk about being inconsiderate." Aiden crossed his arms with a pout.

"Are you sure that's safe?" Aiden asked.

"Definitely!" Oliver nodded at him.

"Now, first rows come first! If you choose not to jump, you'll be out of the season, and out of the running for the three million dollar prize!" Kristal announced.

"Three million?!" Hannah gasped.

"Didn't you read the contract?" Kristal raised an eyebrow at her.

"I didn't!" Jake cheerfully announced.

Confessional - Hannah

"Okay, maybe I skipped out on reading the contract, but it was really long! Did they seriously expect me to read all that?" Hannah said.

In the end, everyone chose to jump. First up were Ally and Hunter. Ally had a magenta parachute, whereas Hunter had a yellow one.

"Crap! I was really hoping we'd get to form a pre-merge majority again," Hunter grumbled.

"At least there's still the merge to look forward to?" Ally shrugged, an awkward smile on her face. Hunter smiled back at her.

Jake and Spencer were the next to jump. Jake had a cyan parachute, whereas Spencer had a yellow one.

"Damn, I was hoping we'd get put on the same team!" Jake sighed.

"Truly a tragedy." Spencer rolled his eyes, clearly not being truthful.

Next up were Logan and Natalia, who both got magenta parachutes.

"We're together again, bestie! Let's go!" Logan cheered.

"We're gonna slay this competition's boots house down, trust me." Natalia chuckled.

Next up were Amelie and Hannah. Amelie had a magenta parachute, whereas Hannah had a cyan one.

"Damn it! Looks like you'll have to try to have a social game of your own this time." Hannah sighed.

"Excuse you?" Amelie narrowed her eyes at Hannah.

Next up were Ellie and Gabby, who both had cyan parachutes.

"We'll get to spend so much time together, baddie!" Gabby cheered.

"And we'll get to control a fourth of Cyan Team's votes." Ellie smirked at her.

Next up were Lake and Tess, both of which also had cyan parachutes.

"It looks like we will be on the same team this time, Tess!" Lake called out to Tess.

"I know," said Tess.

Next up were Grett and Jade, who both got yellow parachutes.

"Seems like our early alliance-building won't be going to waste." Jade breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Let's make sure to stick together, then." Grett nodded at Jade.

Next up were Connor and Riya, who also both had yellow parachutes.

"Yes! We hit the jackpot!" Connor cheered.

"You hit the jackpot, Connor. I hit the dinosaur exhibit in the museum." Riya tossed her ponytail back slayfully.

Next up were Alec and Zaid. They, too, both had yellow parachutes.

"Here's to hoping Fiore gets a different color." Alec shrugged.

"I wish you had gotten a different color, too." Zaid sighed.

Next up were Ashley and Will, who both got magenta parachutes.

"Yee-haw! Looks like we've got all the manpower we need to take our team by the horns!" Ashley cheered.

"I'm glad I didn't get stuck on a team without you," Will meekly admitted.

Next up were Diego and Fiore. Diego's parachute was cyan, whereas Fiore's was magenta.

"Oh, yes, this is such a relief!" Diego sighed blissfully.

"Well, fuck you, too." Fiore rolled her eyes, making Diego chuckle bashfully.

The last two to jump were Aiden and James. Aiden had a cyan parachute, whereas James had a magenta one.

"James, no! What am I gonna do without you?!" Aiden cried out.

"Look pretty and wait for me, obviously." James winked at him.

Back in the plane, Kristal was grinning down at the contestants floating in the air before turning towards the camera behind her.

"Just like that, our biggest season yet is about to start! The twenty-four most iconic participants of Disventure Camp are back, this time to compete for three million dollars. From start to finish, they will only have a camping tent and basic supplies. New challenges and new twists will await us in the most difficult season yet! With the three teams formed and looking for their camps in the forest, one question remains... Who will be voted out first?" Kristal asked the camera.

"My money's on James," Emily muttered.

Chapter Text

"Previously, on Disventure Camp All-Stars! We went around the world in a rented jet to collect all the players of this epic season."

"Some reunions were friendly and tender. Others? Not so much."

"We finally returned to Camp Tipiskaw after two whole years, where the campers were forced to jump out of the plane."

"Their parachutes revealed which team they would belong to from then on. All twenty-four campers should now be on their way to their respective camps."

"Now, one lingering question remains... Who will suffer the humiliating title of being this season's first boot?"

The camera was focused on a plane flying through the sky before focusing on Emily, Marcus, Nina and Oliver inside of it. Emily handed parachutes out to her three co-workers before pushing them out of the plane.

Below, James pulled Logan in for a side hug in front of the entrance of Camp Tipiskaw, wanting to take a selfie with him. James and Logan both grinned at the phone's camera as James took the shot.

Ally was sitting on a log by a bonfire pit as both Amelie and Natalia attempted to lecture her. While Ally initially listened attentively to what the two women were saying, she lost interest once Amelie and Natalia started screaming at one another.

Fiore was looking for an idol in a nearby bush with a scowl on her face when Ashley and Will approached her, clearly suspicious of her. A sudden shout from Fiore made Will run off in fear, much to Ashley's chagrin.

Grett and Jade were sitting next to each other on the dock. Jade looked down at her reflection in the water miserably before Grett laid a comforting hand down on her shoulder, making her smile. The two women smiled at each other before Alec appeared to discuss strategy, greatly annoying them both.

Aiden was playing dodgeball against Lake on the beach, while Jake stood off to the side, watching. An unexpectedly strong throw from Lake led to Aiden falling over once the ball hit him in the face. Jake quickly rushed over to help Aiden back up, an action that Lake couldn't help but glare at.

Spencer, too, stood on the beach, contemplating whether he should change into his swimsuit or not. Diego, who was talking to Hannah nearby, was thoroughly distracted by this and watched in anticipation. Hannah slapped him in the back of the head with a frown on her face to get his attention back.

Ellie and Gabby were posing in front of Tess as she sketched, with Gabby looking particularly excited. Instead of sketching the couple, though, Tess chose to sketch gay furry porn.

Back at camp, Connor was leaning against a tree, with Riya straddling his lap. The two flirted quietly as Zaid sat on a tree stump next to them, eating a salad with an annoyed expression on his face. When Hunter approached Zaid, ready to explain some challenges to him, Zaid tossed his salad into Hunter's face.

The members of Cyan Team, Magenta Team and Yellow Team then proceeded to walk to the central campfire pit together, where the twenty-four contestants posed for the camera.

Derek and Trevor stood by the voting urn, with Derek looking annoyed and Trevor looking excited, before Kristal pushed them both out of the way to get the spotlight, a wide smirk adorning her face.

Ally, Hunter, Jake, Logan, Natalia and Spencer all wound up landing in the same area of the woods.

"Aw, dang. Looks like I'll be heading to camp on my own." Jake sighed before pulling a map to Cyan Team's camp out of his backpack and walking away.

"It sucks that we're not on the same team, Ally. I was really hoping we'd get to play together again." Hunter sighed.

"Hey, at least the chances are higher that one of us ends up with Tess on our team, right?" Ally chuckled.

"Good point. I'll be seeing you in merge, then," Hunter said before leaning down to share a tender kiss with Ally.

"It's kind of disappointing we won't be able to work together this season, Logan," Spencer admitted.

"I don't know, man, I think it's for the best, really. Your way of playing the game last season made us fight a lot, so it's probably for the best we're not really that connected this time around." Logan shrugged.

"...Right. You're right, Logan." Spencer nodded with a sigh.

"Of course he is. Now, go scram! We have better things to do than waste time talking to waste like you." Natalia rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, we should get going, man." Hunter nodded before pulling out his map and leaving with Spencer.

"Leave the map reading to me, Logan. I don't think you even know how to read to begin with," Natalia said, making Logan chuckled. Both Ally and Logan followed her as she headed towards Magenta Team's camp.

Confessional - Jake

"I don't really have any friends in this cast, but that's okay. My only real enemies are my season's villains, so Ellie, Gabby, Alec, Grett and Fiore. What are the odds that even just more than one of them ends up on my team? I'm genuinely asking, I have no idea how math works," Jake said.

Meanwhile, Alec, Connor, Grett, Jade, Riya and Zaid all landed in the same area of the woods.

"It looks like the six of us will all be on the same team," Alec noted.

"We know, genius, we aren't blind. Guess you're projecting because of your shit eyesight, huh?" Riya rolled her eyes.

"I barely know you, and you have already revealed yourself to be entirely insufferable. That would be impressive if it wasn't so pathetic." Alec scoffed.

"An old man who looks like an incel can't be calling anyone pathetic," argued Riya.

"Can't all this arguing just wait until we get to camp, at least?" Jade sighed.

"I agree with Jade. You're strategists, right? Shouldn't you be looking forward to finding out who your other potential allies are or something?" Zaid asked.

"Good point, Zaid! I can already tell I'll like you." Connor chuckled while patting Zaid on the back.

"That makes one of us. Let's just get a move on, people!" Grett rolled her eyes before the sux contestants all started heading towards Yellow Team's camp, being led by Alec.

Confessional - Connor

"I would have stepped in to stop Alec and Riya from fighting, but I don't want Riya to think I'm upset with her. I'll step in more once she's feeling more secure, though," said Connor.

Aiden, Ashley, Diego, Fiore, James and Will, meanwhile, all wound up landing in the same area of the forest.

"Is everyone alright? That was excitin', but this show ain't known for bein' safe," Ashley asked.

"I'm quite alright. It's just a shame Aiden won't be on my team." James sighed.

"Yeah, but I've heard distance can be good for a relationship, so maybe this is a good thing? Just don't get voted off too early, okay?" Aiden shrugged.

"I think that's total doohickey. Will and I've barely been apart since our season, and our relationship's been great," Ashley argued.

"Aw, that's so romantic! I'm jealous!" Diego cooed.

"It's all thanks to Ash. She's just the best." Will softly smiled at his girlfriend, who couldn't help but smile back.

"Gross! Can't we just get a move on before I have to watch two ugly-ass adults make out like teenagers or whatever the fuck those two are about to do?" Fiore scoffed.

"I almost didn't notice ya! Gee, do these producers hate us? Makin' us deal with ya again is just cruel." Ashley groaned.

"I'm not happy about this, either, you cow-brained dumbass, and yet you don't hear me complaining. Guess I shouldn't be expecting emotional maturity from a horse girl, though." Fiore rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, we should get going. I can lead you, Diego," said Aiden.

"Aiden, baby, no goodbye kiss?" James chuckled. He grabbed Aiden's waist and nuzzled his chin into the crook of his neck.

"Right." Aiden sighed before turning his head towards James, who locked lips with him in turn. The kiss lasted a bit too long for the comfort of everyone else around them, but James didn't seem to mind.

"Good luck, babe." James winked at Aiden once they'd separated.

"You, too." Aiden nodded as he wiped a bit of spit off his lips.

"Now, new teammates, it's time for me to lead the way. I've become an expert on maps thanks to all my travels recently." James chuckled before pulling out his map and guiding Ashley, Fiore and Will away.

Confessional - James

"It's probably for the best for our potential teammates that Aiden and I aren't on the same team. We get up to some wild stuff basically every night by now." James chuckled to himself.

Lastly, Amelie, Ellie, Gabby, Hannah, Lake and Tess all landed within the same area of the woods.

"Oh, wow! Looks like most of us from Cyan Team wound up landing here!" Hannah said with a chuckle.

"Yes, everyone here seems to belong to it, apart from me. Well, no matter, I am more than capable of managing to get by on my own. Good luck, Hannah. You will need it." Amelie chuckled to herself as she pulled out her map and walked away.

"Is she always like that?" Ellie asked Hannah.

"Yeah, she can be a bit... prickly. She's real nice once you get to know her, though." Hannah shrugged.

"Like an angry kitten, only not cute at all!" Gabby said, making Ellie chuckle.

"Guess I'll leave that comparison to animal experts like you, Gabs," Ellie said.

"Oh, you are an expert on this subject? What degrees have you received?" Lake questioned Gabby.

"An apartment filled with way too many animals to count should count as a degree with how much work we have to put into it." Ellie sighed.

"Just shove the animals in a blender or something." Tess shrugged. Ellie, Gabby, Hannah and Lake all looked completely horrified by her suggestion.

"You have some serious issues, Tess." Ellie winced.

"Regardless of that, we should probably get a move on," Hannah said before pulling out her map and leading Ellie, Gabby, Lake and Tess away. Gabby glared at Tess with nothing but violent hatred behind her eyes.

Confessional - Tess

"I don't know why Gabby's upset. If someone thought of me as work to take care of, I'd rather have them shove me in a blender than stress themselves out over it, too." Tess shrugged.

Jake was the first to arrive at Cyan Team's campsite, a content smile on his face.

"Home, sweet home for the next few weeks! Honestly? Not the worst plot of land to end up with." Jake shrugged as Aiden and Diego arrived at the campsite.

"This is quite a lot smaller than the campsite I was in during my last season," Diego noted.

"That's probably a result of Kristal wanting to undo some of the first hosts' deforestation around here," Aiden suggested as Ellie, Gabby, Hannah, Lake and Tess arrived.

"Seriously? First we get stuck with an animal slaughter supporter, and then it turns out we have to deal with Jake from now on, too?" Gabby groaned.

"Do you two still have beef because of that quiz challenge from the first season?" Aiden raised an eyebrow at them.

"Well, apparently, we do! As if Ellie on her own wasn't already bad enough." Jake crossed his arms with a pout.

"Okay, no need to fight. I'd like to be excited about getting to work with Diego without having you two whine at each other in the background," Hannah told Gabby and Jake.

"That is a good point. We should be focusing on the positives here, like... Aiden! It is quite exciting we can work together again this season," Lake told her friend.

"Seems as though most of us can get along quite well!" Diego chuckled.

"For now, at least. I'm expecting a lot more bickering once we're all forced into the same tent," said Aiden.

"We can always just kick any assholes out, though. If they cost us the challenge afterwards, it'll be an easy vote-out," Hannah said as she side-eyed Gabby and Jake.

"I don't know. Wouldn't it be kinda cruel to just not let someone even sleep in a tent?" Aiden asked.

"Didn't you break someone's leg the last time you competed? Why do you care about cruelty now?" Gabby asked.

"You threatened a lot of lives back on and off our season, and yet you still care about animal cruelty." Ellie shrugged, making Gabby gasp in understanding.

"Is that really the best comparison?" Hannah winced.

"Doesn't really matter if it's good as long as it works, does it now?" Tess shrugged.

Confessional - Lake

"While I have my reservations about Ellie and Gabby, I know I can trust Aiden and Tess, and the rest of my teammates do not seem bad, either. I just do not see why Gabby felt it necessary to bring up what happened between Aiden and Karol, especially when Karol honestly deserved worse than what she got in the end. She tried to get in between true yaoi. That is simply unforgivable." Lake shook her head.

Ally, Logan and Natalia were the first members of Magenta Team to make it to their campsite.

"No games, no cabins... This is gonna be seriously tough." Ally sighed.

"Hey, no matter how tough it might look, don't go thinking so badly right off the bat! You have to be a bit more confident if you wanna make it out here," Logan told her. His words just seemed to make Ally more anxious.

"Look, what my dumbass friend here is trying to say is that you'll be fine, honey. You have a team to help you get used to this bullshit before it all ramps up, so don't worry too much." Natalia shrugged as Ashley, Fiore, James and Will arrived at the campsite.

"Looks like I hit the jackpot, getting a fan on my team." James winked at Natalia, which made her blush and giggle.

"If only if I was that fucking lucky. I'm stuck with tweedle-dumb and tweedle-ass over here." Fiore scoffed while pointing a finger at Ashley and Will.

"Aren't we all kinda just stuck with each other, though?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, my friend, but sometimes that's a good thing, and other times, it's... not. Luckily, I think I can get by on this team." James wrapped his arms around Logan and Natalia's shoulders.

"So, uh, does anyone know who our last member will be?" Ally asked.

"All I know is they won't be Aiden, which really sucks." James sighed.

"Keep talking about how in love with your skunk-haired boyfriend you are and I'll vomit on those rags you call your pants," Fiore told James.

"Hey, dudette, no need to be so hostile right off the bat!" Logan told her.

"I liked you a lot more back when you were pretending to be nice," Ally admitted.

"Oh, do you two know each other?" Logan asked.

"No, she probably just rewatched the first season, dumbass." Fiore rolled her eyes.

"I'd rewatch that season for the dumbass, too. Tom's smoking hot, seriously!" Natalia licked her lips.

"I didn't rewatch it because of the hot men, they were just a nice bonus!" Ally argued.

"Was I one of the hot men...?" Will asked.

"To anyone with decent taste, definitely!" Ashley grinned up at Will while nodding at him.

"I don't know, he's not really my type. Too much muscle, y'know?" Logan shrugged. Will's shoulders slumped as Ashley turned her head to glare at Logan. Thus, no one noticed Amelie arrive.

"If you added a distinct lack of brains to that pointless abundance of muscle, you would just be describing yourself, Logan." Amelie chuckled as Logan glared at her.

Confessional - Ally

"I'm not even gonna bother lying, this team's not exactly exciting. I was hoping Tess would join me, but instead I got stuck with a bunch of strangers! Worst of all, I have a child on my team. Children are, like, the most useless things ever! The only positive about them is that they can be exploited for content." Ally sighed.

Meanwhile, Hunter and Spencer arrived at Yellow Team's camp.

"Looks like we're the first ones here! That should be a good sign. The early bird pets the worm, right?" Hunter said.

"Don't you mean that the early bird catches the worm?" Spencer raised an eyebrow at him, clearly unimpressed as Alec, Connor, Grett, Jade, Riya and Zaid arrived at the campsite.

"Hm. Seems like we don't exactly have the worst line-up. There's no Fiore, at least." Alec sighed in relief.

"No need to lay your hatred on so thickly," Hunter said.

"How about we all settle down before we keep arguing? We have to be able to work together if we want to win challenges," Connor said. The mention of challenges made Hunter perk up.

"I've actually been doing lots of research on the past challenges since winning them was kinda my main thing last time I competed, so I'm definitely prepared for those challenges! We won't lose a single one as long as I'm here!" Hunter exclaimed.

"You probably just jinxed us." Jade sighed.

"Greetings, Jade." Spencer nodded at her. Jade nodded back at him, seeming troubled.

"Well, at least there's one duo that won't be fighting much. I just wish there were more of those here," Hunter muttered.

"Don't sweat it, kid. We can work through whatever issues may arise as a group," Connor told him.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. The only way to work through our biggest issue here is by stomping on the rat before it causes an infestation." Zaid sneered at Spencer.

"You're already defying our de facto leader? That makes your attempt to paint me as an issue even dumber, Zaid. How do you manage to keep finding new lows to hit?" Spencer asked him.

"For the record, I never agreed to let Connor lead me," said Alec.

"Me, neither. I'm an independent girlboss. I don't need no man to lead me," said Riya.

"Are outdated buzzwords your substitute for a personality, or why do you use them?" Jade asked Riya, making Grett chuckle.

"You're funnier than I would have expected, Jade," Grett admitted.

Confessional - Jade

"People don't tend to find me funny, really. I know Grett probably just said that to strengthen our alliance, but it was still nice to hear," said Jade, her voice quiet.

The next morning, James, Logan and Natalia were all gathered around Magenta Team's bonfire, which James had lit for them.

"How'd you learn to light a fire so quickly?" Logan asked.

"It was part of a TikTok trend a while back, so Aiden and I took some classes," James said.

"It sounds like you do all kinds of stuff together. It's gotta be rough to be separated from him like this, huh?" Logan asked.

"Of course it is. Aiden is really something special. I don't anything could ever even hope to compare to him, really," James admitted.

"You two are seriously just the fucking cutest couple ever! I'm honestly jealous," Natalia admitted.

"Don't worry. Even someone like you can probably find love somehow," James assured her. Natalia narrowed her eyes at him in response.

Confessional - Logan

"It was really sweet of James to be so supportive of Nat. I have no idea why she looked so mad about it, though. Is she not used to people supporting her like that?" Logan pondered.

Diego and Hannah sat down on a log by Cyan Team's campfire, smiling at each other.

"Thanks for coming along with me, Diego," Hannah told him.

"There's no need to thank me, Hannah. What did you want to discuss, though?" Diego questioned.

"Our strategy, obviously. We're only two people on a team of eight, so I suggest we split up and make new allies on the team. Then, we can combine both our alliances to take out everyone else," Hannah suggested.

"That sounds like quite a solid plan! Did you have any specific people in mind for this?" Diego asked her.

"Not really, no. We just gotta see who we bond with, I guess." Hannah shook her head.

"I will keep you updated on how that goes, then." Diego smiled at her.

Confessional - Diego

"I know I'm not exactly the greatest strategist, so I'm grateful to have a friend like Hannah to help me navigate this part of the game," Diego admitted.

Ellie and Gabby were cuddling in Cyan Team's tent as Tess sat next to them, not really doing anything except look bored.

"You two look strangely cozy while on camera like this," Tess noted.

"I know, right? It was actually my idea to cuddle right now for the sake of the game!" Gabby exclaimed, a bright smile on her face. Tess raised an eyebrow at her in response.

"How is cuddling helping your games, exactly?" Tess asked.

"I know my baddie is gonna play super hard this season, so I want to give her some much needed time to unwind before she kicks everyone's asses and wins!" Gabby explained.

"Not exactly sure how useful a strategic move this really is, but I don't know how much time I'll have for stuff like this when the game actually gets going, so I might as well enjoy it while I can." Ellie shrugged as she ran her fingers through Gabby's hair.

Confessional - Tess

"Ellie and Gabby are overwhelmingly in love, honestly. I'd usually find that kinda cute, but it's only reminding me of how disappointed I am to be separated from Ally and Hunter right now, honestly," Tess admitted.

Alec, Grett, Jade, Riya and Spencer all gathered on a beach near Yellow Team's campsite.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you here," said Alec.

"Probably to talk about how much you hate Fiore, right? That's kind of all you ever do." Riya shrugged.

"While I'd love to discuss that subject a bit more, that isn't the purpose of this meeting. In truth, our fellow players don't really like us. In a game as popularity-based as this, we might not last long unless we stick together. As such, I propose we form a villains' alliance," Alec said.

"Just the four of us? What about people like Amelie, Ellie or Fiore?" Grett asked.

"Also, since when was Jade disliked? Last time I checked, the majority of the other players have a neutral or positive opinion of her. Even I respect her game," Spencer argued.

"She lost a considerable amount of rapport after the truth of her leaving Logan for dead became more of a public knowledge. And while I wouldn't mind including Amelie and Ellie in our alliance in the future, I am wholly against ever working with Fiore again. It'd be such a mistake." Alec shook his head.

"You really hate that girl, huh?" Grett asked.

"I'm not fond of children, either, but this is just a game, Alec. A little maturity wouldn't hurt you." Spencer rolled his eyes.

"That's rich, coming from the baby who got brought to tears in more episodes than he evaded receiving votes in." Riya scoffed. Spencer shrunk in on himself a bit.

"I understand that it is a game, but I truly despise Fiore. To put it into perspective, one time, my son was playing in the uncleaned sandbox I got him for his birthday when he stepped on a shard of glass that went right through his entire foot. I was reading Fifty Shades of Grey at the time, so obviously, I didn't intervene until his sobs became loud enough to ruin my mood. Naturally, I yelled at him until he passed out from blood loss and I was able to finish the chapter in peace. I wouldn't just leave Fiore bleeding in the sandbox. Unlike my son, I'd pick her up and toss her in a different box filled with shards of glass. That is how much I earnestly despise Fiore," Alec explained. The other potential members of the villains' alliance just stared at him in sheer horror.

"Jesus Christ, Alec, what is wrong with you?" Grett asked.

"Is this meant to be some sort of intimidation tactic to scare us into joining your stupid alliance?" Riya narrowed her eyes at Alec.

"If it is, it honestly worked on me. Plus, I'm not one to deny membership of a definitive majority alliance to begin with." Jade shrugged. Hesitantly, Grett, Riya and Spencer nodded in agreement, making Alec smirk.

Confessional - Spencer

"Alec has some issues he might need to work through, but I don't know if I'm in a position to judge, really. Riya had a point, I am not exactly known for being the most secure or stable individual. And it's not like I'm in a position to refuse Alec's offer, regardless of how strange an individual he is. If I don't join his majority, I doubt there's any hope of me lasting long this season. I know how easy people find it to vote for me, after all." Spencer looked down at his arm as he rubbed it.

Ashley and Will were sitting in Magenta Team's tent. Will looked even more anxious than usual, which concerned Ashley.

"Hun, I don't know what you're so worried 'bout. It's all gonna be fine," Ashley told him.

"B-But we're stuck with Fiore again! This is one of the biggest things I was scared of happening this season, Ash!" Will cried out.

"I get that, I'm not exactly glad to see her, either, but it'll be alright. She must've run out of schemes to pull by now. We'll just vote her off early and move on, and it'll all be okay, alright?" Ashley asked Will.

"I just... don't want to go out like that again. Getting mocked and treated like some nutjob just because I'm scared is..." Will trailed off with a shudder.

"I know, Will. I get that you're still upset, but ya can't let that fear consume ya. We're still here, and we've got this new shot to avoid making the same mistakes again. Let's embrace it instead of just cowerin' in fear, okay?" Ashley laid a hand down on Will's shoulder.

"O-Okay. Thanks, Ash." Will gave Ashley a shaky smile in response.

"Anytime, hun." Ashley smiled back at him.

Confessional - Will

"My biggest fear was getting separated from Ash, followed by having my elimination from last season just repeat again. I don't know if I could take going through that again. But if Ash is sure it won't happen, I... I want to trust her." Will nodded to himself.

Connor, Hunter and Zaid all gathered around Yellow Team's bonfire.

"So, we're screwed, right?" Hunter asked the other two men.

"What are you talking about?" Connor raised an eyebrow at him.

"All the more villainous members of the team kinda just walked off together earlier. They're definitely forming an alliance as we speak, and the three of us don't really outnumber the five of them," Hunter explained.

"Oh, damn it! I should've known they'd pull something like that." Zaid groaned.

"Let's not get too defeatist here, boys. They outnumber us, sure, but that means they have more members we can talk to. Maybe one or two of them will even agree to work with us instead of the other villains," Connor said. After a short pause, both Hunter and Zaid nodded at him.

Confessional - Hunter

"Connor's right. Just because an early majority got me and my girlfriends to the merge during our last season doesn't mean the same has to apply here. It just sucks that I focused all my research on the challenges instead of the relationships between the villains." Hunter winced.

Aiden, Jake and Lake were on a stroll through the woods, having quite a pleasant conversation.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but what became of you and Tom in the end, Jake? Are you two finally together after all these years?" Lake asked him.

"Lake, you can't just ask him that in your first conversation with him!" Aiden shook his head at her.

"Oh, I am so sorry. I did not realized it would be a sore subject," Lake admitted, her face somehow even paler than usual.

"It's okay. Tom and I talked things out, and we agreed we're just... not meant to be, I guess. Tried dating a bit lately, but... I don't know. It just hasn't been working out." Jake sighed. Aiden looked at him with sympathy as Lake narrowed her eyes at Jake.

Confessional - Jake

"I didn't mind talking about it, but man did it remind me that I really want a boyfriend again. I've been a bit too worried about any cute guys getting sick of me since I competed, though, which... kinda made them all get sick of me. So I'm still single." Jake sighed to himself.

Ally and Amelie were having a conversation in the woods when Fiore walked past them, looking for advantages in random bushes.

"Of course you'd be looking for advantages already. It's all a child like you has to rely on." Ally scoffed.

"And what is that supposed to mean, you low-brow bitch?" Fiore glared at her.

"She is just pointing out how truly pathetique you are, Feeorey. Now, go hurry along back to your parents. They must be worried sick! Oh, wait, no, I just remembered. They wouldn't be, would they now?" Amelie smirked down at Fiore, who only glared back up at her in response before storming off.

Confessional - Ally

"I fucking hate kids. They always rely on stupid cheats and hacks, and those don't even exist IRL! Trust me, I looked it up. Without cheats here to carry her, Fiore's nothing more than a liability." Ally scoffed.

Later that day, the twenty-four contestants had gathered on the beach for their next challenge, dressed in only their swimsuits. A notable exception was Spencer, who was still wearing his sweater jacket. Kristal stood in front of them, an excited grin on her face.

"Welcome, everybody, to the first challenge of Disventure Camp All-Stars! To make up for what Derek and Trevor did during the show's first season, Oliver decided that a little repopulation should be in order! As such, your challenge will be getting the animals out of those trucks and into the wild," Kristal announced while pointing at three trucks. One was green, one was yellow, and one was red.

"How are we gonna be doing that?" Connor asked.

"I was getting to that, Connor. First, though, the animals have been categorized by harmfulness. The green truck contains eight completely harmless animals, the yellow truck contains eight mildly dangerous animals, and the red truck contains four very dangerous animals," Kristal said.

"Shouldn't we get protective gear or something? It doesn't sound like the dangerous animals would be safe to deal with," Connor asked.

"Just shut up, Connor. Four members of each team must carry as many animals as they can to their team zones, while the other four attack and try to stop the carriers of the opposing teams. Green animals are worth one point, yellow ones five points, and red ones ten points. The team with the most points by the end will win immunity and a waterproof tent, second place will just win immunity, and last place will have no choice but to vote someone out! Now, I'll let you form your groups," Kristal said.

Confessional - Hannah

"Diego and Gabby were obvious picks for the carrier position, so Ellie and I volunteered to work with them. It doesn't really help my strategy of branching out, but I... honestly kinda forgot about that when I volunteered," Hannah admitted, blushing a bit.

Derek and Trevor were looking absolutely miserable as they set the trucks up for the challenge.

"Maybe this will serve as at least a tiny bit of paying back, right? Gosh, what were we thinking, Derek?" Trevor sighed.

"We weren't, Trevvie. All we can do now is move on. No point in dwelling of mistakes we can't undo, no matter how awful they were." Derek shrugged as Emily approached.

"Hurry it up, soap droppers! Kristal wants to start the challenge now!" Emily said before leaving.

"I fucking hate that bitch," Derek muttered under his breath as the contestants all got into position.

"Let's see here... The carriers of Cyan Team will be Diego, Ellie, Gabby and Hannah, while its attackers will be Aiden, Jake, Lake and Tess! For Magenta Team, its carriers will be Ashley, James, Logan and Will, while its attackers will be Ally, Amelie, Fiore and Natalia! Lastly, for Yellow Team, its carriers will be Alec, Grett, Hunter and Jade, while its attackers will be Connor, Riya, Spencer and Zaid! With that out of the way, let the challenge begin!" Kristal announced.

Confessional - Hannah

"With both Diego and Gabby on my side, I'm feeling pretty damn confident about this challenge," Hannah said.

Diego rushed into the red truck and got a wolf. He rode it towards Cyan Team's zone. Fiore tried to stop him, but just got knocked over as Diego scored ten points for Cyan Team. Ally quickly ran over to Fiore's side.

"God damn it, Fiore, why are you so useless?! You should've parried that wolf!" Ally shouted at her.

"What the fuck does that even mean?!" Fiore yelled back.

"Of course a little girl like you wouldn't know about parrying! Do you even know anything about anything?" Ally groaned.

"Well, I know that you're an annoying asshole, if that counts." Fiore scoffed.

"It doesn't count, because it's wrong, obviously. Literally stop projecting." Ally rolled her eyes as Alec ran past them.

"You make that mistake regret being born almost as much as her parents must regret birthing her, Ally!" Alec cheered her on.

"I don't know what's going on, but I love you, babe!" Hunter blew a kiss at Ally, who giggled and blushed in response. Fiore shot the camera a deadpan look as Hannah retrieved a bird from the green truck. With Lake's protection, she was able to bring it back to Cyan Team's zone and score a point.

Confessional - Ally

"Fiore's so lucky we're on TV right now! If we weren't, I would've unloaded the full extent of my gamer rage onto her. Not the slurs, though. I totes don't say those anymore," Ally said as beads of nervous sweat ran down her face.

Diego led a lion out of the red truck, but before he could get it into Cyan Team's zone, Amelie pushed him over and pulled the lion into Magenta Team's zone by its mane.

"Amelie, you're being way too fucking rough! That's basically animal abuse!" Zaid shouted at her.

"It is quite literally just the challenge, moron. At the very least, my hands are not dirty with koala blood." Amelie scoffed as Zaid narrowed his eyes at her. In the background, Jake protected Gabby as she led a snake from the red truck into Cyan Team's zone.

Confessional - Zaid

"Considering my team's still at zero points while the others are in the double digits, I'm not getting my hopes up about winning this challenge. I just hope Jade will agree to vote Spencer off with my alliance if we lose." Zaid sighed.

Ashley noticed that Will was shaking like a leaf as the two approached the colored trucks.

"Everything's alright, Will. These animals are our friends, ya don't need to be scared of'em," Ashley assured him.

"I-I know, Ash, I just... I'm sorry. I-It doesn't matter." Will sighed before heading into the green truck, leaving Ashley looking worried. As Alec was carrying a squirrel from the green truck to Yellow Team's zone, Riya and Spencer worked together to toss Fiore into the lake when she tried going after the squirrel. Riya and Spencer high-fived as Fiore sunk into the water.

Confessional - Will

"I know I have to be better if I want my whole situation to get better, but it's... difficult. And being better means not relying on Ash as much, which, um... kinda leaves me with no support system?" Will shrugged, an anxious smile on his face.

As James was rushing towards the trucks, Lake grabbed his wrist to stop him.

"Have you heard that Jake is not with Tom anymore?" Lake asked him.

"Um, no, but I don't really see why I'd care, either." James shrugged.

"Are you not concerned that Jake might be poisoning Aiden's mind? Jake is not behaving as an uke should," Lake muttered.

"Don't you worry, Lake, Aiden and I have a perfect relationship. If he ever thinks about leaving, I know just what to do to reel him back in." James smirked at her as Grett got a monkey from the yellow truck. Jake tried to take it from her, but Grett pushed him over and delivered the monkey to Yellow Team's zone.

Confessional - James

"What in the hell even is an uke? I don't know why Lea decided to act like my boyfriend would leave me during the first conversation I've really had with her, but I'm not fond of whatever trick she's trying to play." James crossed his arms with a scoff.

Ashley ran into the red truck and started guiding the last animal, a crocodile, out of there.

"There ya go, just follow me!" Ashley nodded at it, a kind smile on her face.

"Ash, watch out! There's an alligator following you!" Will screeched.

"Yeah, from the red truck! Gee, there's no need to overreact like that." Logan rolled his eyes.

"Stop! Come here, crocodile!" Diego shouted all of a sudden, and the crocodile turned towards him, much to Ashley's chagrin.

"Yes, please take it! I don't want Ash to be getting hurt!" Will nodded.

"Will, you can't just let Diego take our free points!" Logan shouted at him.

"I don't really mind." Diego shrugged as the crocodile started following him.

"Croc, over here! I like getting wet in the water, too!" Logan announced. The crocodile turned towards him.

"That's my loot, Logan! Get your own!" Ashley narrowed her eyes at him as the crocodile turned back to her.

"By trying to be the best on your own, you're hurting your team, Ashley! God, do you not know anything about pre-merge challenges?!" Hunter shouted as the crocodile turned towards him.

"Don't talk to my girlfriend like that!" Will shouted at Hunter.

"Way more importantly, stop distractin' our crocodile!" Ashley added on. The crocodile turned towards her in response.

"Can't we just pull it by the tail and drag it or something?" Logan asked as the crocodile fell unconscious. Constantly turning towards different people was quite a dizzying experience.

"That would just be cruel! You have to be more gentle with animals." Diego shook his head.

"The challenge actually wasn't to be gentle, it was to score points, Diego. Why don't you try paying attention next time?" Hunter rolled his eyes.

"I don't think I like you, Hunter," said Diego.

"Here's to hoping my studies can pay off," Jade muttered to herself before making strange noises with her teeth. This somehow woke the crocodile up, and it sprinted towards her, right into Yellow Team's zone.

"Dang it! How were we supposed to compete with that?!" Diego cried out as Jade ran past him and got a goat from the yellow truck. On her way back, she was attacked by Tess. In the end, Jade overpowered her opponent and brought the goat back to Yellow Team's zone.

Confessional - Logan

"I can't believe we lost out on ten whole points like that just because Ashley and Will couldn't focus on the challenge! I know Fiore's a menace, but I'm not sure if she's really the biggest liability on the team at this point." Logan crossed his arms.

Riya was keeping an eye out for opponents with animals when Connor approached her, a somber look on his face.

"Riya, I, uh... I heard about your new villains' alliance. Is it true? Are you working with the other villains?" Connor asked her.

"Connor, I... You know I have an image to maintain. You said you were okay with that." Riya clenched her fists.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I don't mind! Even if we're on opposing sides, my opinion of you won't change. You don't have to worry about that. I just wanted to know for the sake of my own game." Connor softly smiled at her.

"Right. I shouldn't have assumed. I guess I'm just a bit on edge from being surrounded by blubbering morons all day." Riya sighed, making Connor chuckle. Meanwhile, Hannah got an iguana from the green truck. With Jake's protection, she managed to carry it to Cyan Team's zone.

Confessional - Connor

"I feel a bit bad for scaring Riya like that. It almost makes me want to avoid playing the game if it could stress her out further, but I know that babying her wouldn't help her, either. I know she's got this, so I just need to be looking out for myself and my alliance for now," said Connor.

Diego and Gabby rushed towards the three trucks.

"Let's save those animals from confinement! Freedom for all!" Gabby cheered.

"I quite like the sound of that! I take it you have a fondness for animals, too?" Diego smiled at her.

"Of course I do! And even if I didn't, no one deserves to be locked up like that. Trust me, I would know." Gabby sighed, making Diego look at her with concern.

"Hey, if you ever need to talk, I can lend you an ear, okay?" Diego told her.

"Aw, thanks! You're such a bestie!" Gabby grinned up at him as James rode out of the yellow truck on a horse behind them. With a cheer, James ran over Natalia before riding into Magenta Team's zone.

Confessional - Gabby

"When I first competed, I had so many people take advantage of me because I really wanted to have some friends. I'm not letting that happen again! Diego might be a bestie, but until he proves himself, I can only rely on my baddie!" Gabby declared.

Amelie raised an eyebrow at Riya as the latter kept an eye out for any opponents she could attack.

"I expected more from you, Riya. I thought you would be a capable young woman, but your current form is pathetique." Amelie scoffed.

"Your entire appearance is pathetic, Amelie. Did you forget to leave the rags behind when you went from them to riches?" Riya cocked an eyebrow at her.

"At least I have earned my success without dropping to my knees for some morally pretentious retirement home inmate." Amelie crossed her arms.

"At least I have found success, Amelie. Look at yourself, a sixth place pity inclusion because you wouldn't have even survived a single damn elimination ceremony without a twist to save your ass." Riya rolled her eyes.

"Has no one ever taught you about respect, or are you too wrinkly to care?!" Amelie gasped in offense as Hunter took a turtle from the yellow truck. Ally tackled him to the ground, and Hunter was too distracted by his half-naked girlfriend being on top of him to fight her off. This made bringing the turtle back to Magenta Team's zone quite easy for Ally.

Confessional - Amelie

"While my respect for Riya is minimal, it does still exist, which is more than what I can say about most of these cretins surrounding me out here. It was almost fun to trade insults with her, to be entirely honest," Amelie admitted.

Ashley carefully led a goose out of the yellow truck. When Spencer and Tess tried to take it from her, she knocked them both over before focusing her attention back on leading the goose to Magenta Team's zone. When Spencer landed in the sand, the collar of his sweater was pulled down a bit, revealing his shoulder blades. Diego's eyes widened as he noticed.

"Bloody hell. I guess I better close this before it completely falls off me," Spencer muttered before putting his jacket back on and pulling the zipper back up. Diego couldn't focus on anything but each inch of skin that was slowly being hidden beneath the cloth.

"Diego. Diego, please tell me you're not staring at who I think you're staring at," Hannah said, having stood behind Diego this entire time. Diego flinched away from her, clearly startled, as Hannah decided to glare at Spencer, who raised an eyebrow at her once he'd noticed.

"Obsessed, much?" Spencer asked her.

"You wish! Go back to getting no ass but your own, which you probably can't even enjoy since your head's taking all the space up." Hannah scoffed.

"You seem quite obsessed with what is put within my behind, Hannah. Is this your emotionally stunted way of flirting, or are you simply that poor at crafting decent insults?" Spencer smirked at her.

"I would love to be within his behind," Diego admitted, his voice soft and quiet. Spencer couldn't hear him, but Hannah most certainly could. She looked like she was about to cry because of it. Feeling a bit guilty for making Hannah's eyes wetten, Diego entered the yellow truck and got a faun. Despite Amelie's best attempts to take it from him, he delivered it to Cyan Team's zone.

Confessional - Diego

"This is really bad. I've been trying to suppress my crush on Spencer ever since he eliminated me a year ago now, but seeing him in person, seeing how delectably beautiful he looks... How could a simple man like me not become weak at the sight?" Diego swooned.

Alec was the next to head into the yellow truck, retrieving a woodpecker from it. Ally tried to take it from him, but he just knocked her away before she could.

"I get that you're trying to prove you're an alpha male or whatever, but not every bitch likes it rough, you inbred incel!" Natalia shouted at Alec as she helped Ally get back on her feet.

"I can't believe that asshole became a fan favorite with a personality like that," Ally muttered while glaring at Alec.

"It is because he is a man. Men always get away with more than we do. That is why us iconique girlbosses must stick together," Amelie told them as she approached. Behind her, Jade was holding a stoat when Lake attacked and snatched it out of her hands. With a grin on her face, Lake carried the stoat into Cyan Team's zone.

Confessional - Amelie

"I plan on ensuring Logan's exit the first chance I get this season. If I aim to succeed in that endeavor, I need to gather as many allies as I can as quickly as I can. Exploiting the concept of girl power could help me with that, if I have Ally pegged correctly." Amelie chuckled to herself.

As the two were waiting in front of Yellow Team's zone, Riya couldn't help but notice how frustrated Spencer looked.

"Focus on the challenge instead of whatever pointless thoughts are bouncing around in that head of yours, Spencer!" Riya shouted at him.

"I am focusing on the challenge. I would suggest that you do the same." Spencer narrowed his eyes at her. Riya just rolled her eyes in response as James retrieved a beaver from the green truck. Zaid tried to take it from him, but James evaded the attack and returned to Magenta Team's zone.

Confessional - Spencer

"While I am not exactly fond of having insults thrown my way, it is nothing I'm not used to. In all honesty, I welcome it for once. If I am in an alliance with people who are as abrasive and unlikable as Riya is, I might be able to go unnoticed for once," said Spencer.

Hannah turned towards Ellie as the two women approached the truck.

"Hey, you seem chill, and I know you've got a good head on your shoulders. How would you feel about joining me in an alliance?" Hannah asked her.

"Uh, sure, but have we ever even spoken with each other? How do you know I'm chill or smart?" Ellie cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Okay, honestly, I just wanted to make an ally, and Gabby's talking to Diego," Hannah admitted.

"Huh. That makes four. Together, we have control over half of the team. Just one more vote, and we'd be in a majority," Ellie mused.

"Exactly! We can dominate this team together!" Hannah nodded at Ellie with a smirk on her face.

"I do like the sound of that." Ellie smirked back at Hannah begore retrieving a raccoon from the green truck. Riya knocked her over and took the raccoon from her before carrying it back to Yellow Team's zone and scoring a point.

Confessional - Ellie

"I don't know why Hannah even bothered lying. I thought her second pitch was a lot stronger, but I guess most people out here don't really use their brains as much as I do." Ellie shrugged.

Grett turned towards Jade as the two women approached the trucks.

"So, Jade, how are you feeling about Alec's alliance proposal?" Grett asked her.

"I think it's a solid idea, and I'm not dumb enough to turn down an offer like that for an easy majority." Jade shrugged.

"Do you really think Alec is trustworthy?" Grett raised an eyebrow at her.

"No, but the only person I have an ounce of trust in is you, Grett, so he's nothing special," Jade said, making Grett's eyes widen. Jade headed into the green truck and retrieved a chicken, but a well-placed punch from Natalia left her too weak to hold on. As such, Natalia was free to take the chicken and carry it to Magenta Team's zone.

Confessional - Grett

"I know that Jade's claim of trusting me was most definitely a lie to keep our alliance strong, but it still flabbergasted me. What kind of moron actually trusts me? I'm as fake as a person can get!" Grett said.

Aiden and Jake were on lookout for any animals being carried by opponents when Aiden spoke up.

"So, do you think the producers hid an idol or something around camp this season, too?" Aiden asked him.

"Uh, maybe? I don't really know. Haven't given it much thought." Jake shrugged.

"Ah, damn. I was hoping you might have an idea of where it could have been hidden," Aiden admitted.

"Have you looked in the lake? That's where I'd be hiding if I was an idol," Jake suggested. Aiden raised an eyebrow at him, clearly unimpressed as Ashley took a rabbit from the green truck behind him. Tess tried to get in his way, but Ashley pushed her over and successfully delivered the rabbit to Magenta Team's zone.

Confessional - Jake

"I've never tried to think like an immunity idol before, but it's honestly kinda depressing. Those things can't even move. Are they even really conscious?" Jake asked, his expression conveying overwhelming concern for the state of the immunity idol population.

Ellie was smiling at Tess as the latter got back onto her feet.

"So, what was that all about?" Ellie asked.

"What do you mean?" Tess asked back.

"We were about nine points in the lead when Alec got that rabbit. You had absolutely no reason to try to take it," Ellie pointed out.

"Oh. Wild," Tess said, making Ellie chuckle.

"I like your vibe. How about we become allies?" Ellie asked.

"Sure." Tess shrugged as Hannah was carrying a chameleon from the green truck behind her. Fiore tried to take it from her, but she just picked her up and tossed her away before heading into Cyan Team's zone.

Confessional - Tess

"By gaining Ellie as an ally, I gain Gabby, too. This makes us three, which is better than two. Neat," Tess said, not yet having chosen to emote.

With the challenge having ended, the twenty-four contestants all gathered in front of Kristal, who was smirking at them, again.

"Looks like the winning team that will receive the waterproof tent is Cyan Team, with thirty-three points!" Kristal announced. Aiden, Diego, Ellie, Gabby, Hannah, Jake and Lake all cheered at this as Tess stood next to them, looking bored.

"Second place will go to Magenta Team, with twenty-eight points! No waterproof tent for you guys, but at least you're immune." Kristal shrugged. Ally, Amelie, Ashley, Fiore, James, Logan, Natalia and Will all seemed fairly satisfied with this.

"Yellow Team... I will see you lot at elimination tonight, where you will have to bid one of your teammates farewell," Kristal said, a grin on her face. Alec, Connor, Grett, Hunter, Jade, Riya, Spencer and Zaid all eyed each other suspiciously.

Confessional - Will

"From what I've heard, Yellow Team has a lot of the meaner players. I really hope they'll choose to get rid of one of those. Ever since getting slapped by Fiore, I've had a huge fear of mean gameplay!" Will admitted.

When the eight members of Yellow Team had made their way back to their campsite, visibly disappointed, Alec spoke up.

"I didn't expect us to lose a challenge this quickly. None of you looked as weak and useless as Fiore, after all," Alec admitted.

"There's no point in crying over spilled milk now. All we can do is look forward and discuss where to go from here, really." Connor shrugged.

"I won't be discussing that with you, Connor." Alec rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, we don't need the opinion of the old codger. Not sorry." Grett shrugged.

"It seems that subtlety has been damned. How delightful." Spencer scoffed.

"That's ironic, coming from our local vote magnet. When did you learn the social skills to understand subtlety?" Jade chuckled into her hand. When she noticed thaf Spencer wasn't laughing along, though, she stopped.

"You're drawing lines between us because of your villains' alliance, aren't you?" Connor crossed his arms.

"So what? I doubt any of you has an idol, and even if you did, you don't even know who we're voting for tonight." Riya rolled her eyes.

"You might as well just give up now." Jade shrugged.

"You're seriously gonna vote for one of us over Spencer?! He's the whole reason why we even lost the challenge! Spencer's cursed or something. The longer we let that asshole stay on our team, the more challenges we'll lose!" Zaid argued.

"Wow, what great claims you are pulling out of your ass, Zaid." Spencer scoffed.

"Don't even start, Spencer. There's a reason the team you were on tended to lose last season, and it's because you are just a complete burden on the team in every challenge," Zaid told him.

"Uh, actually, that's not really the case. He did decently well in almost every challenge his team lost in. The only pre-merge challenges his team lost that he fumbled were the train and pole challenges. He excelled in challenges like the clown and raft ones, so I think that evens out. He mostly just got unlucky with his team composition, honestly." Hunter shrugged.

"Hunter. Hunter, why the fuck are you arguing against me on this? We're on the same side, remember?" Zaid asked him, clearly annoyed.

"Because I did not spend weeks researching pre-merge challenges just so I could listen to you lie about them," Hunter said. Zaid's eye twitched in anger, which made Spencer smirk.

Confessional - Zaid

"Connor is seriously the only person on this team that I can stand. I wish Ivy, Tristan or Benji was here to make this season at least a little more bearable." Zaid let out a sigh.

Once the villains' alliance had predictably left to discuss the vote, Connor, Hunter and Zaid were left to huddle together.

"Alright, it's clear that we'll have to flip at least one villain if we want to avoid being guaranteed the loss of one of our own tonight, but who do we vote for?" Hunter asked.

"I'm not voting for Riya, regardless of what side she's on," Connor said.

"Since I debunked Zaid's pretty dumb arguments Spencer earlier, I think the other villains would just assume we're playing emotionally if we target him. If we want a calculated player to flip on their majority, we need to present them with a strategic reason, not an emotional one," Hunter said.

"Fine. While I want Spencer gone, that's obviously not gonna happen tonight, thanks to a certain someone." Zaid narrowed his eyes at Hunter.

"Don't blame me, blame your own lack of knowledge about the pre-merge challenges." Hunter shrugged.

"Whatever. Considering people liked Jade enough to let her make it through the jury vote last season, I doubt anyone is flipping on her. That just leaves Alec as our target, then." Zaid sighed.

"Sounds good to me, bro." Connor nodded at him.

Confessional - Zaid

"Alec looks like he'd be harder to beat in a tiebreaker challenge than people like Jade or Spencer, but what's that matter? We can't afford to plan around a tie when we don't even have enough votes for one yet." Zaid scoffed.

As the villains' alliance continued their journey to the beach, Riya was pulled into a nearby bush by Connor.

"Riya, I need to talk with you. It's about the game," Connor told her.

"I don't know how you haven't noticed, Connor, but we aren't exactly allied here. I have no reason to listen to whatever drivel you're going to be spewing from your mouth." Riya rolled her eyes.

"Look, I understand that a majority villains' alliance might sound alluring, but these people are villains for a reason, Riya. Do you really think you can trust that any of them will stay loyal to this alliance?" Connor asked her.

"Villains don't get far in games like this by being stupid, Connor, so yes, I do expect some basic critical thinking skills from these people." Riya shrugged.

"Fine, then. But my alliance is voting for Alec tonight. If you're girlboss enough to realize that you don't need and can't trust that man, you'll join us," Connor told her.

"Keep dreaming, grandpa." Riya rolled her eyes with a scoff.

Confessional - Riya

"While the prospect of betraying Alec this early sounds alluring, it also sounds incredibly stupid. I like pulling off a good blindside, but only an idiot would pull a move like that this early," Riya said.

Once Riya's conversation with Connor had concluded, she caught up to Alec, Grett, Jade and Spencer, who were waiting for her on the beach.

"You sure kept us waiting. What were you up to?" Jade asked her.

"If it had been anything we'd need to worry about, she would have done it later instead of drawing our attention to it now. Let's just focus on the vote for now, alright?" Grett said.

"Fine, then. Does anyone here have a target in mind?" Jade asked.

"I'm quite partial to Zaid, personally. He's needlessly confrontational and horrifically insufferable, so not someone I would want sticking around." Spencer shrugged.

"I don't see a problem with that. All our options are ripped, so it's not like we're losing out on a notable challenge beast," said Grett.

"It'd be quite nice to bot have to listen to his complaining all day." Spencer chuckled to himself.

"I wouldn't mind voting for Zaid. Connor's someone I'd rather keep around for now, and Hunter's far too good at challenges to cut this early." Riya nodded.

"Looks like we've come to a conclusion, then," Jade said with a nod.

"It appears so." Alec sighed in disappointment.

Confessional - Jade

"I don't get why Alec seemed disappointed by our choice of target. Could it be that he struck up some sort of side deal with Zaid while we weren't looking?" Jade pondered.

Spencer was the first to leave once the villains' alliance's meeting had ended. Before the others could follow suit, Alec spoke up.

"Wait. I have a proposition for you all," he said.

"What kind of proposition?" Riya raised an eyebrow at him.

"And why couldn't Spencer be here for it?" Jade asked.

"Maybe Alec's decided to cut the crybaby from the alliance." Grett chuckled.

"I don't trust Spencer not to flip on us after we take out Zaid. Connor and Hunter don't have the same established conflict with him, and might even be willing to let him join their alliance once Zaid is out. Since convincing Riya to vote for Connor would be a fool's errand, I suggest the four of us vote out Hunter tonight to keep Spencer in line," Alec said.

"I doubt Spencer would flip on such a clear majority for no apparent reason." Jade shook her head at Alec.

"Hunter did defend him from Zaid, though," Riya argued.

"Exactly. That's a potentially positive bond the other alliance could use to get Spencer to betray us." Alec nodded.

"We'll think about it, Alec. You just vote Hunter, and then the three of us will decide whether to side with Spencer or with you later," Grett told him.

"That would put us in quite a cozy position," Jade noted.

"Alright, then. None of you seem particularly dumb. I trust that you'll make the right decision, unlike Fiore's parents when they chose to not have an abortion." Alec nodded at them.

Confessional - Riya

"Alec would be a truly scary man if he didn't look like a crossbreed between an alcoholic hobo suffering from every disease in the book and Grindr's least popular used goods twink." Riya shrugged as she checked her nails.

Confessional - Alec

"While it might seem stupid to betray an ally the first chance I get, what other option is there? If Zaid goes, and Connor and Hunter remain, Riya and Spencer will both still have a reason to betray the alliance next vote. By cutting Hunter, Spencer will have no choice but to stay loyal, and our alliance can stay strong, regardless of whether Riya chooses to make a mistake or not," said Alec.

Spencer was sitting by Yellow Team's bonfire, eating some berries, when Hunter sat down next to him.

"I don't think you're evil," Hunter said.

"Hello to you, too, Hunter. Perhaps you could use that as your next conversation starter." Spencer rolled his eyes.

"Look, I get that there are some weird morality lines being drawn right now, with the villains on the one side, and the others on the other, but I don't think you belong on the side of the villains." Hunter shook his head.

"And what makes you think that?" Spencer raised an eyebrow at him.

"A true villain would have done horribly in all pre-merge challenges, but you didn't. There is good in you, Spencer. Even if Zaid can't see it, and even if you can't see it, I can. And that's why you shouldn't vote for the villains. To show that you can be a good person, you have to betray your allies and vote for Alec with us," Hunter told him. Spencer just slowly blinked at him in response.

"Sure thing, mate," Spencer mumbled, making Hunter grin.

Confessional - Hunter

"I don't know a thing about Spencer's morality, and I don't really care, either. I'm not looking for the most moral numbers, just for numbers in general. I just thought appealing to his morality would be my best bet at getting him on my side." Hunter shrugged.

Grett and Jade headed into Yellow Team's tent to have a private conversation about the vote, only for Zaid to barge in second's later.

"Do you mind? We're a bit busy right now," Jade asked him.

"What would your girlfriend think if she saw you barging into a place where women are sleeping?" Grett gasped before giggling slightly.

"She's a better player than I am, so she'd understand that I have a reason for it. I hope so, at least." Zaid winced.

"And what would that reason be, exactly?" Grett asked.

"Presumably to talk us into betraying our alliance tonight. Knowing him, his proposed target will be Spencer." Jade shrugged.

"Oh, my! Isn't Zaid one of those valiant heroes, though? He would never advocate for betrayal!" Grett put a hand on her forehead to dial up the theatrics.

"Look, I'm just saying this for your own good. You can't trust Alec. He's known as a villain for a damn good reason, and it's because he's not only shifty, but will also stab you in the back and dump you in the trash the first chance he gets," Zaid said.

"So you're saying we should stab him in the back and dump him in the trash the first chance we get, instead? How noble." Grett rolled her eyes.

"And how hypocritical. Didn't you see Hunter talking to Spencer when you came in? He already took Spencer's side over yours when it came to the challenge debate. Do you really think he wouldn't do it for this vote, too?" Jade asked, making Zaid's eyes widen.

"Oh, but he wouldn't, right? He's not a villain, so he would never advocate for anything but loyalty! Oh, wait, Zaid, why were you here again?" A vicious smirk spread across Grett's lips as Zaid audibly swallowed past a lump in his throat.

Confessional - Jade

"I have to take a more offensive approach to my strategy this time around. Staying under the radar just isn't a viable strategy after you've already been a finalist once. At least working with Grett is quite fun, so the shift isn't uncomfortable or anything." Jade shrugged.

Not long after, Grett and Jade met up with Riya in the woods near Yellow Team's camp.

"Riya, just so you know, Zaid just gave us an offer to vote for Alec, which basically gives us complete control over tonight's vote. Whether Alec, Hunter or Zaid goes depends entirely on what we choose," Grett said.

"I don't think we should vote for Alec. He doesn't have positive connections to anyone but us, so he's not a threat, and he has given us a pretty useful majority alliance right off the bat." Jade shrugged.

"You don't know Alec like I do, Jade. That man is a menace, and he has already betrayed and eliminated me once," Grett said.

"That sounds more like an issue of your own skill than a flaw of Alec as an ally. I say we stick with him for now." Jade shook her head, making Grett groan.

"Fine, then. If we're going to be loyal to Alec, though, we should be fully loyal, right?" Grett asked.

"Right. Connor told me to vote for Alec, too, but I'd much rather vote with him for Hunter tonight. It's best for us if we cut him early before he can get anywhere near the end. He could win that final challenge, after all," said Riya.

"I guess this matter has been settled, then." Jade nodded as Grett crossed her arms with a pout.

Confessional - Grett

"This is too perfect of an opportunity to cause Alec's elimination to pass up on, but Jade has by far been my closest ally this season. Is revenge really worth potentially losing her trust?" Grett asked herself.

Shortly before the vote, Grett approached Zaid on the beach.

"Look, chef, I have thought things through, and decided that there is some merit to your suggestion. But if I am going to do you this favor, you better return it, alright?" Grett asked him.

"Of course. Did you have anything specific in mind?" Zaid asked.

"Naturally. I advise you to speak with Hunter soon." Grett winked at Zaid, whose eyebrows furrowed in response.

Confessional - Zaid

"The deal Grett suggested is a bit much, but after talking things through with Hunter, we agreed it's what would be best for our games. I just hope it actually pays off." Zaid sighed.

During the dark of night, the eight members of Yellow Team sat down on tree stumps by the elimination bonfire. In front of them was a podium, which Kristal was standing behind.

"Out of all the teams we have here, you are definitely the least stacked, so I must admit I am glad to see that you're here instead of the more popular groups. All of you have already voted before, but just in case you've forgotten, you will have to walk over to the voting podium, cast your vote, and deposit it in the voting urn. Afterwards, I will read the votes, and the person with the most votes will be eliminated. Advantages will have to be played before the votes are read. Now that you're all caught up, get voting!" Kristal announced.

Voting Confessionals

"Instead of studying how to win pre-merge challenges, perhaps you should have studied how to avoid pre-merge eliminations." Riya shrugged while holding a vote for Hunter up.

"Alec. I'd apologize for voting for you right out the gate, but I need to vote for someone, and I can't say I'd miss you," Connor said while holding a vote for Alec up.

"You have made your disdain for me quite clear. I don't know what you expected to come from that, honestly." Spencer shrugged while holding a vote for Zaid up.

Grett tapped on her chin for a moment before casting her vote with a grin.

Alec appeared thoroughly bored as he cast his vote.

Jade had a calm smirk on her face as she cast her vote.

Hunter cast his vote with a confident smile on his face.

Zaid rolled his eyes before casting his vote.

"Once the votes are read, the decision is final. The person who received the most votes must leave the camp immediately. So, if anyone here as an idol or an advantage they would like to play, now would be the time to do so," Kristal announced.

No one spoke up.

"I'll read the votes, then," said Kristal.

"First vote... Hunter." He rolled his eyes.

"Alec." He raised an eyebrow at Kristal.

"Alec." He crossed his arms with a frown on his face.

"Alec." He scoffed quietly.

"Hunter." He narrowed his eyes at Kristal.

"Hunter." Uncertainty slowly crept into his expression.

"Zaid." He couldn't help but smirk at this.

"That's three votes Alec, three votes Hunter, one vote Zaid. One vote left."

Alec had a scowl on his face as Hunter and Zaid smiled at each other.

"The first person eliminated from Disventure Camp All-Stars is..."

Riya checked her nails confidently as the scowl on Alec's face deepened considerably. Connor leaned forward on his stump, clearly invested, as beads of sweat ran down Hunter's face, which had somehow managed to become even paler than usual. Jade smirked over at Grett, which made Zaid grin. Grett smirked back at Jade as Spencer's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"...Alec! That's four votes, you're out," Kristal told him. All five members of the villains' alliance appeared shocked by this result.

"Wh-Why didn't anyone else vote for Zaid?" Spencer asked the others.

"That doesn't matter right now, Spencer! Which one of you flipped?!" Alec shouted at the three women on the team.

"Does it really matter? You're out of the game now, regardless of who voted for you." Connor shrugged.

"Grett, are you the flipper?" Riya narrowed her eyes at Grett.

"Don't tell me I got stuck with another ally who'd betray an alliance with me over petty feelings." Jade sighed as Spencer shrunk in on himself behind her.

"What?! No, I didn't! I... I can explain!" Grett argued.

"I'm afraid you're blaming the wrong crusty crumpet," Zaid said, making all gazes shift over to Spencer.

"Dude, you can't just reveal who flipped like that!" Hunter hissed out.

"Well, then, Spencer, you just made a mistake greater than even Fiore's existence by betraying me," Alec assured him before storming off. At the bus stop, he crossed his arms, a scowl on his face, before getting picked up by the Bus of Losers.

Confessional - Riya

"There's something fishy about all of this. If Spencer voted for Alec, who voted for Zaid? And if Spencer didn't vote for Alec, why would Hunter go along with Zaid's lie just to throw him under the bus?" Riya pondered.

Confessional - Hunter

"Grett offered to vote Alec with us, but in exchange, there was some stuff we have to lie about. According to our cover story, Zaid told Grett he'd vote for me, but I convinced him Spencer to vote for Alec at the last second. Luckily for us, the fact that she needs us to uphold that lie gives us some leverage over her," Hunter explained.

Confessional - Jade

"And just like that, Spencer has betrayed me again. Honestly, I don't know what I expected." Jade sighed.

Confessional - Grett

"Oh, no, I definitely didn't vote for Alec. I voted for Zaid! Since Zaid agreed to vote for Hunter, I thought it'd be smarter to vote with Spencer so he doesn't feel fully ostracized from the alliance. I guess I overplayed my hand a little, but Alec's elimination isn't really my fault, it's Spencer's!" Grett giggled into her hand, "They'll fall for every word I feed them, and yet Spencer will still be forced to work with us, because his other option is Zaid's alliance. I'm a bloody genius!"

Confessional - Spencer

"I am immensely confused right about now. The villains left me out of the vote, the heroes framed me for flipping, and somehow, Alec was eliminated. Now, I am left between two sides who both consider me disloyal. Wonderful." Spencer groaned to himself.

Chapter Text

"Previously, on Disventure Camp All-Stars! The teams got acquainted, leading to some early alliances forming."

"As Yellow Team drew lines in the sand because of perceived morality, Ally made her disdain for Fiore more than clear, and Amelie joined her to gain her loyalty later on.'

"Hut, hut, hike! Our first challenge of the season was a frolicking game of football with wild animals, during which Alec joined in on the Fiore hate train, Lake became suspicious of Jake due to not fitting into a stereotype she'd assigned to him, and a revealed shoulder made Diego fall head over heels in love again."

"Cyan Team and Magenta Team won immunity, sending Yellow Team to elimination. Alec wanted Hunter gone, Hunter wanted Alec gone, and Spencer wanted Zaid gone. Through some clever gameplay, Grett positioned herself as the swing vote."

"In the end, Grett sided with the heroes and voted out Miriam's sub, which Spencer got the blame for."

"Twenty-three are left. Who will be voted out tonight?"

The camera was focused on a plane flying through the sky before focusing on Emily, Marcus, Nina and Oliver inside of it. Emily handed parachutes out to her three co-workers before pushing them out of the plane.

Below, James pulled Logan in for a side hug in front of the entrance of Camp Tipiskaw, wanting to take a selfie with him. James and Logan both grinned at the phone's camera as James took the shot.

Ally was sitting on a log by a bonfire pit as both Amelie and Natalia attempted to lecture her. While Ally initially listened attentively to what the two women were saying, she lost interest once Amelie and Natalia started screaming at one another.

Fiore was looking for an idol in a nearby bush with a scowl on her face when Ashley and Will approached her, clearly suspicious of her. A sudden shout from Fiore made Will run off in fear, much to Ashley's chagrin.

Grett and Jade were sitting next to each other on the dock. Jade looked down at her reflection in the water miserably before Grett laid a comforting hand down on her shoulder, making her smile. The two women smiled at each other.

Aiden was playing dodgeball against Lake on the beach, while Jake stood off to the side, watching. An unexpectedly strong throw from Lake led to Aiden falling over once the ball hit him in the face. Jake quickly rushed over to help Aiden back up, an action that Lake couldn't help but glare at.

Spencer, too, stood on the beach, contemplating whether he should change into his swimsuit or not. Diego, who was talking to Hannah nearby, was thoroughly distracted by this and watched in anticipation. Hannah slapped him in the back of the head with a frown on her face to get his attention back.

Ellie and Gabby were posing in front of Tess as she sketched, with Gabby looking particularly excited. Instead of sketching the couple, though, Tess chose to sketch gay furry porn.

Back at camp, Connor was leaning against a tree, with Riya straddling his lap. The two flirted quietly as Zaid sat on a tree stump next to them, eating a salad with an annoyed expression on his face. When Hunter approached Zaid, ready to explain some challenges to him, Zaid tossed his salad into Hunter's face.

The members of Cyan Team, Magenta Team and Yellow Team then proceeded to walk to the central campfire pit together, where the twenty-three contestants posed for the camera.

Derek and Trevor stood by the voting urn, with Derek looking annoyed and Trevor looking excited, before Kristal pushed them both out of the way to get the spotlight, a wide smirk adorning her face.

The air was tense around Yellow Team's camp when its seven members returned to their campsite. Grett was the first to break the silence, speaking up with a sigh.

"Jade, Riya, I am so sorry. Zaid told me he would vote for Hunter, so I thought it would be for the best if I voted for Zaid alongside Spencer to help him feel less excluded from the alliance. Had I known Spencer would flip like that, I would have never thrown my vote like that," Grett assured them.

"Thanks for saving our butts back there, boy! We owe you one now." Connor chuckled while patting Spencer on the back.

"And you owe us an explanation, Spencer! Why the hell would you flip on Alec like that?" Riya narrowed her eyes at Spencer.

"I guess he must've realized that I'm too good in challenges to lose this early." Hunter shrugged.

"I did no such thing. I didn't even flip! I have no idea why the heroes are saying I have, but I voted for Zaid, I can promise you that," Spencer told the other members of the villains' alliance.

"Really, Spencer? At least you were honest the last time you betrayed my trust for dumb, petty reasons, and yet you can't even do that much on your second offense?" Jade asked him.

"I didn't betray you, Jade! You have to believe me," Spencer argued.

"Does that mean you're not gonna work with us anymore?" Hunter asked Spencer.

"I'm sure we can pull him back to our side. The villains don't really seem to want him, either, after all." Connor shrugged.

"Oh, no, we'll be keeping him. If he works hard enough, we may even consider him worthy of being an ally instead of a pawn again." Riya chuckled to herself.

"Trust me, he's not exactly useful in either role." Jade sighed. Spencer looked at her with a hurt expression on his face.

"If we can all agree that Spencer would make for a lousy ally, I certainly wouldn't mind voting him off next time we lose," Zaid said, earning himself a glare from Spencer.

Confessional - Hunter

"I feel a bit bad for throwing Spencer under the bus like this, but if we threw Grett under the bus instead, we wouldn't have as much leverage in the game. Hopefully, if I can convince Zaid to play nice for a bit, everyone else's lack of trust in Spencer will make him agree to work with Connor and I," Hunter said.

During the morning, Grett, Jade and Riya all gathered around Yellow Team's bonfire to discuss the aftermath of the vote.

"Alright, without Spencer here to attempt to gaslight us into thinking he didn't flip, we can actually start working on developing a strategy. Any ideas, ladies?" Grett asked.

"We still need Spencer on our side. Even if he isn't exactly trustworthy anymore, he's still the swing vote. If we don't get him back on our side, he will just team up with the heroes to take one of us out," said Riya.

"I hate to admit it, but Riya has a point. Even if we agreed to vote Spencer out next, that would leave one of us in a tiebreaker challenge against a muscular man the next vote. We need Spencer for at least one more round." Jade sighed.

"Riya should go talk to him, then. I doubt he'd be happy to see me, considering I blew his cover, and Jade isn't exactly the greatest at concealing her current contempt for Spencer," Grett said. Riya nodded at her in response.

Confessional - Grett

"This whole plan could seriously not be going better for me. My allies still trust me, the swing vote has no choice but to work with me, and I don't have to deal with the deadbeat dad of the year any longer. If revenge continues tasting so damn sweet, I could see myself getting addicted." Grett chuckled into her hand.

James and Logan were hanging out by Magenta Team's bonfire.

"We're really lucky it hasn't rained yet, or else we'd be envying Cyan Team right about now." Logan chuckled to himself.

"That's true, my friend. At least I'd rest assured that my Aiden would be alright, though. You must feel the same about your own boyfriend, right?" James asked him.

"I don't have a boyfriend," Logan said.

"What about that glasses twink you kissed? Isn't he yours?" James raised an eyebrow at him.

"No, no, Spencer and I are just friends, nothing more!" Logan shook his head rapidly.

"That kiss told me otherwise. I guess you lost your spark, though. You were so ready to pull him in to get what you deserve, and now you've... what? Just given up?" James shrugged.

"I didn't give up, I just realized I actually wasn't really into Spencer like that," said Logan.

"Ah, that makes more sense. Someone as hot as you shouldn't be dating so far down, anyway." James shrugged, making Logan chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess once the rose-tinted glasses fell off, Spencer stopped being much of a looker," Logan admitted.

Confessional - Logan

"I honestly really like James. He's a lot of fun to talk to, and with how highly he talks of Aiden, I'd love for James to introduce me to him, too! I hope we can stay friends after the show so that can happen," Logan said.

Ashley and Will, meanwhile, huddled together within Magenta Team's tent.

"Alright, Ash, what's the plan?" Will asked her.

"If we want Fiore gone as quickly as possible, we'll need to go out and make some allies. We barely avoided losin' the last challenge, so we gotta act quickly just in case our luck runs out," Ashley told him.

"How are we gonna gain allies quickly, though? Do we just ask like Lill did?" Will asked.

"We split up. If I make one ally, and ya make another, that's already half the team! Enough to cause a tiebreaker challenge, which we both know Fiore ain't winnin'." Ashley shrugged.

"A-Alright, Ash. I'm not the best at talking to new people, but I-I'll try. For you." Will nodded at her.

"That's all a gal can ask for, really," Ashley said with a grin on her face.

Confessional - Will

"If I make an ally out of James, Logan or Natalia, the other two members should probably follow suit, right? I guess that means they're my best targets, as terrifying as they are to talk to," Will said.

Connor, Hunter and Zaid all gathered within Yellow Team's tent.

"Alright, guys, while last elimination went surprisingly well, we can't relax yet. We have to figure out our next course of action first," Hunter said.

"I doubt we'll be able to convince Grett to flip again, and with how easily the villains accepted that Spencer was the traitor, I doubt revealing the truth will gain us any allies, either. The villains just wouldn't believe us." Connor sighed.

"We could always just do the smart thing and use the villains' valid disdain for Spencer to get him eliminated next vote." Zaid shrugged.

"While I'm not against the idea, wouldn't that just force us into a tie with the villains once he's gone?" Connor asked.

"I'd take the eventual tie over more of Spencer any day." Zaid shrugged.

"I suppose it's something we can keep in mind as a last resort if we can't get any of the villains to join us as a long-term ally," Connor murmured.

Confessional - Zaid

"Last resort my ass. I already had to miss out on making Spencer the first boot because of Hunter's challenge obsession, I won't let Connor get in my way now, too. I swear I'll make sure Spencer doesn't merge again," said Zaid.

Ally was gathering sticks in the woods when Natalia approached her, grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh, hey, Natalia! What are you up to?" Ally asked her.

"I'm up to socializing, queen. See, you kinda need allies to get by in this game, and one from one diva to another, the rest of the people on this team just aren't on our level. Girlbosses like us have to stick together, you know?" Natalia shrugged.

"Sure thing, but what about Amelie? Shouldn't she be included in this alliance, too?" Ally asked.

"Look, Ally, I'll be real with you. Amelie is an opp of mine. I can't work with her, and that means you can't, either," said Natalia.

"Why can't I?" Ally furrowed her eyebrows at her.

"Because I've seen the online hate campaigns, Khially. I know no one considers you to be anything more than... well, a nothingburger in a pretty body. I can help with that, though. I can fix that horrendous PR of yours and get you a new, far more slaytastic reputation. Doesn't that sound nice?" Natalia asked.

"I... I guess when you put it like that, it makes sense. Alright, I'm in." Ally nodded at Natalia, thus making her grin widen.

Confessional - Natalia

"Oh, poor, poor Ally. I almost feel bad for manipulating her considering how easily she fell for it, but I got out last season because I didn't work hard enough early on. I am gonna be putting all I've got into this season, even if it leaves me feeling guilty," Natalia said.

Aiden, Jake and Lake were gathered around Cyan Team's bonfire, talking to one another. Lake seemed notably displeased by Jake's presence, which Aiden quickly took note of.

"Are you okay, Lake? Your face is all sour," Aiden asked her.

"Ah, yes, I am perfectly fine! Say, Aiden, why don't you tell Jake about your travels with James, since you are such a perfect couple?" Lake suggested while glaring at Jake.

"Ignoring whatever the hell Lake's damage is, I would like to hear some stories. Your relationship just feels like such a fairytale romance! Is it just as beautiful behind the scenes?" Jake asked him.

"Well, James filmed most of it, so there's not much left to tell that isn't too... personal to talk about," Aiden admitted, his face red with blush.

"Oh, I see! Is James good in bed? He certainly looks like a man's wet dream, but does he live up to the hype?" Jake chuckled.

"I don't... I don't want to talk about that. Let's just move on." Aiden sighed. Jake looked worried as Lake glared at him.

Confessional - Jake

"I genuinely like Aiden. He's been nothing but a cool dude so far. I hope my dumb question didn't, like, make him hate me. It probably did, though. Of course it did. He obviously hates me now, and he's gonna leave me, just like everyone else does. At least it won't hurt as much since I'm not super close with him yet," Jake said.

Spencer was on a stroll through the woods when Riya approached him, a confident strut in her step.

"Riya, if you're here to yell at me for a betrayal I didn't even commit, I strongly advise you to find better ways to spend your time," Spencer told her.

"That isn't why I'm here, but I guess it's a good thing you're self-aware enough to realize that any time spent with you is wasted." Riya shrugged.

"If you aren't here to flaunt your lack of critical thinking skills, what are you here for?" Spencer asked her.

"Well, officially, I am here because the villains' alliance still needs your vote. Between the two of us, though, I think we both know that Grett is full of shit," Riya said.

"Wait, does that mean you don't believe I flipped?" Spencer's eyes widened.

"Of course you didn't. You had no reason to. If you did it to gain favor with the heroes, they wouldn't have thrown you under the bus to protect Grett, who had an actual motive. Grett obviously can't be trusted, and the heroes are a circlejerk of insufferably morally superior men, so you're the teammate I'd most like to have as an ally," Riya explained.

"Well, when you put it like that, it does sound quite appealing. I'm in." Spencer nodded at her, a smirk on his face. Riya smirked back at him in response.

Confessional - Riya

"Hopefully, this alliance with Spencer will help me play both sides of this moral conflict. I'm not about to get upstaged by two losers who could never even dream of being as delightfully devious as I am." Riya chuckled connivingly.

Fiore was sitting on a tree stump in the woods, her arms crossed and a scowl on her face, when Amelie approached her.

"What do you want? Weren't the first couple insults enough?" Fiore glared up at her.

"I want to work with you, Feeorey. Those previous insults were nothing more than strategique moves, executed to ensure Ally would be a loyal pawn. Now that Ally's loyalty has been secured, I believe it is time for me to make a true ally," Amelie said.

"And why would I want to work with you? You're an insufferable bitch who's spent all her time around me picking on me," Fiore asked.

"To put it simply, you have no better options, Feeorey. I am quite literally the only person on this team who is even willing to work with you, so I'd strongly advise against turning me into yet another enemy, infant," said Amelie.

"Fine, I guess you do have a point. I'll work with you for now." Fiore sighed.

"Quite excellent news! Us villains simply must stick together, after all." Amelie nodded down at her.

Confessional - Amelie

"I am a complete genius. Thanks to my incredible intellect, I was able to come up with the idea of a villains' alliance. For now, it will only include Feeorey and I, but I am certain we can branch out more once we reach the merge," Amelie said.

Ellie, Hannah and Tess were all hanging out within Cyan Team's tent, seemingly relaxing. Ellie appeared anything but relaxed, though.

"So, like... are you good, Ellie? You don't look like it," Tess asked her.

"You can just chill here, don't worry. We've got a majority set up already, so it's not like any of us are at risk of getting cut anytime soon." Hannah shrugged.

"Are you sure? I've seen your season, you know. What if Diego is teaming up with the other guys behind our backs because he's worried about another girls' alliance taking control? Then he could blindside us," Ellie asked.

"Look, Diego's sweet. He's my friend. But he's really not that much of a thinker. You have nothing to worry about." Hannah shook her head.

"Yeah, it's actually kind of wild and insane of you to think like that, Ellie." Tess nodded along.

"If it makes you feel any better, though, I can go talk to him? You know, ensure his loyalty remains intact?" Hannah offered.

"Oh, cool. Does that mean we can go back to the silence now? My suicide daydreams got interrupted by this conversation," Tess asked.

"That's... concerning." Hannah winced.

"Just go talk to Diego, Hannah. I'll stay here and keep Tess company," Ellie told her. With a nod, Hannah left the tent.

Confessional - Ellie

"I'm not actually worried about Diego's loyalty, I just wanted Hannah to leave so I could spend more time alone with Tess. I need to make sure she won't flip to Lake's side the first chance she gets, and I won't succeed in doing that if I have to pay attention to both her and Hannah at once," said Ellie.

Diego was gathering food in the woods when Hannah walked up to him, seeming very much unhappy.

"Hello, Hannah! It's a pleasure seeing you again!" Diego grinned at her.

"Look, Ellie sent me because she's worried you won't stay loyal, but that's stupid. You're one of the most loyal people I know. The only reason I agreed to talk to you about this is because there's a much bigger issue we have to face here." Hannah crossed her arms.

"O-Oh? Whatever could you mean?" Diego asked as beads of nervous sweat started rolling down his face.

"I mean your awful fucking taste in men! You can't seriously be falling for Spencer again, Diego! It's Spencer. He's the biggest piece of shit around!" Hannah told him.

"I know, Hannah, but... Look at him!" Diego argued.

"I want to barf whenever I do, Diego. You need to get a damn grip already! Don't you remember how much he hurt you the last time you indulged in a crush on him? Do you really want a repeat of that?" Hannah asked him.

"No, I just... I can't control what my heart wants, Hannah. And seeing his soft skin that reminds me of how soft his personality can be once he feels comfortable enough around someone makes me crave him like nothing else," Diego admitted.

"Diego..." Hannah trailed off, a miserable expression on her face.

Confessional - Diego

"I know Hannah only wants what's best for me, and I do admit that she might have a point, but... I've always been a hopeless romantic. I want to be swept off my feet by a dashing prince, and Spencer is... perfect for that. It's why I haven't been able to truly get over him. He is exactly what I'm looking for. I can't just give up on that so easily." Diego shrugged.

Once his conversation with Hannah had concluded, Diego walked over to the beach near Cyan Team's camp, where he ran into Gabby, who was feeding a duck.

"I see you have made some friends already, hm?" Diego asked, a smile on his face.

"Of course! The animals around here are so nice. All animals are, obviously, but these ones, especially!" Gabby nodded.

"I must agree. Animals are... a lot easier to deal with than people. You can talk to them, and love them, and..." Diego trailed off with a sigh.

"I feel you, bestie. Back before I was with my baddie, no one really accepted me. I was... crazy. Too insane to be around others. But animals never thought of me that way. I fucking love animals," Gabby said.

"I don't think of you that way, either, Gabby. You certainly have your oddities, but I find oddities quite charming, personally." Diego chuckled as he laid a hand down on Gabby's shoulder.

"Thanks, bestie." Gabby smiled at him in response.

Confessional - Gabby

"I know I wanted to wait with growing attached to and trusting Diego, but he's nice, and I have very low standards for besties, because only having my baddie and Tom to talk to gets kind of lonely after three years." Gabby shrugged.

Derek, Emily, Kristal and Trevor were all hard at work in the staff tent when Oliver came in, a smile on his face.

"The challenge is ready, Kristal!" Oliver called out to them.

"Thanks, honey! I'll be right there!" Kristal nodded towards him, a smile on her face.

"Hey, why don't we release the sharks and eels before the challenge starts? It could help spice that shit up a bit." Derek chuckled to himself.

"You're not wrong, honestly. It sounds kind of exciting." Kristal nodded.

"And the best part is that we'll get to watch the interns test this version of the challenge, too!" Emily said.

"What?! No, come on now, I didn't say that!" Derek shook his head.

"Thanks, Derek. If I lose a leg, that's on you." Trevor crossed his arms with a huff.

Confessional - Trevor

"I noticed that Derek isn't really helping much in the challenge-testing department, but I guess that's okay. I can test well enough for both of us!" Trevor declared, a confident grin on his face.

Later that day, the twenty-three contestants had gathered on the dock for their next challenge, dressed in only their swimsuits, with Spencer, once again, being the exception. Was it a result of main character syndrome? Kristal stood in front of them, an excited grin on her face.

"As you can see, everyone, Yellow Team chose to get rid of Alec last elimination!" Kristal announced. Ashley, Ellie, Fiore, Gabby and Will all smirked at this.

Confessional - Will

"Yes, they voted someone with mean gameplay out! If things keep going this well, this will be the least scary season ever!" Will cheered.

"This challenge isn't going to be too difficult! You will all get scuba gear before diving underwater to look for your team's treasure chest. Different clues hidden around the seabed will help guide you towards the location of your chest," Kristal explained.

"Isn't that kinda dumb? What if we find the chest before we find any of the clues? Wouldn't be too difficult since they're all hidden, right?" Jake asked.

"I did not ask for your opinion, so please do keep it to yourself from now on. Regardless, the first team to bring their chest to the dock will win immunity and a fishing kit. The second will only win immunity, leaving the third fully up to elimination!" Kristal announced.

"That sounds simple enough." Hunter nodded.

"Does it now? I guess I better add another twist to it. You see, I was inspired by a conversation last season to hide an idol within the lake. If it is not found during this challenge, it will be rendered non-functional, so better keep your eyes peeled for that!" Kristal announced, making all the contestants gasp.

"An immunity idol so early into the season? That is huge," Lake admitted.

"Thank you, Lake! Now, go get your scuba gear from Marcus, and head into the lake! The water. Not the person," Kristal said.

Confessional - Jake

"What I told Aiden about where I'd hide if I was an idol probably inspired this, so... I guess that means I'm an inspiration to the masses! Awesome!" Jake chuckled.

Once everyone had received their scuba gear and put it on, Diego spoke up. Marcus was looking down at Fiore with concern in his eyes, as the weight of her helmet left her unable to stand.

"I... do not believe these were made with my size in mind." Diego chuckled as his pecs were pushed up by the strap holding the air tank up.

"They probably were, honestly. Sex sells, and your body is as comically sex as they come. I'm almost jealous," Ally admitted.

"Will we ever get a challenge that doesn't force us to wear swimsuits, by the way?" Jade asked.

"Guess you'll see if you stay long enough! For now, though, just get into the water!" Kristal announced.

Confessional - Ashley

"Findin' a single chest in a lake this large ain't the real challenge. The actual challenge is decidin' whether to go for immunity right away, or to keep lookin' for the idol. I, for one, am just gonna go for immunity, but I doubt all my teammates would," Ashley admitted.

Upon entering the lake, Cyan Team regrouped.

"Should we split up for this challenge? I don't think we need all eight of us to cover the same ground," Jake asked.

"Yeah, you make a good point for once in your useless life. We should split up into groups of two and just use our gear's radio channel to share any clues we might find." Ellie nodded.

"Will that not prevent us from potentially discovering the idol?" Lake asked.

"It's a great idea, then, like all of the ideas my baddie has! If anyone goes off on their own, we know who we have to be suspicious of!" Gabby said.

"Exactly. I'll be going with Hannah." Ellie nodded.

"Not with Gabby? That's weird. I'd like to go explore with Aiden, though," said Jake.

"I can go with Gabby! I always enjoy spending time with a friend," Diego said, a smile on his face.

"I suppose that leaves me with Tess. It could be nice to catch up more," Lake mused.

"Let's go win this challenge and make the other teams cry, then!" Gabby cheered.

"It's really not that serious." Jake shook his head at her disapprovingly.

"How about we just split up before another fight can break out?" Diego asked as he laid his hand down on Jake's shoulder, making the latter blush.

"Sounds good to me. I've always been great at my bar community's scavenger hunting games, so we should have this one in the bag." Hannah giggled.

"Looks like I totally chose the right person to go with and do not regret my decision at all, then," Ellie said, her face pale.

"Are you sure? You look... off," Aiden asked her.

"Hey, don't be rude!" Hannah told him.

"He is not being rude, Hannah, he is merely trying to look out for our teammate," Lake argued.

"Yeah, sometimes people look off one day, and the next, they're dead because of some kind of disease. Do you want Ellie to be dead tomorrow, Hannah?" Tess asked her, looking bored. Hannah narrowed her eyes at her in response.

Confessional - Aiden

"So much for trying to avoid any other fights breaking out. It's already annoying that no one can get along as is, but now that I got wrapped up in an argument, that puts a target on my back, which I really do not need right now. I just hope Jake can help me find the idol, since he inspired Kristal to hide it in the first place." Aiden sighed.

Magenta Team, too, regrouped once all its members had entered the lake.

"Alright, we should probably split up and explore in duos to cover the most ground," said Ally.

"Great idea, Abby. I'll be joining Logan, then." James nodded at her.

"You can count on me, bro! I'm not gonna flop another swimming challenge, trust me!" Logan chuckled.

"True, you don't need to get kissed by that ugly twink for a second time," James said.

"Wait, you think Spencer's ugly as shit, too? I think you might actually be bestie material after all!" Natalia said with a giggle.

"Sure thing, Nataliar," said James.

"That's a weird nickname, b-but if she doesn't mind, I guess I could go with Natalia." Will shrugged.

"I'm taking Amelie, then! No way in hell am I going anywhere alone with cowface and basement dweller over there." Fiore scoffed while pointing a thumb at Ally and Ashley.

"Don't talk about her like that! Ash has a very beautiful face!" Will shouted at Fiore.

"She just has to suck it up and live with the insults, Will. All of us do." Ally breathed out a sigh.

"It seems to me that you are projecting, Ally. Do not forget that iconique girlbosses do not share their weaknesses so carelessly," Amelie told her.

"Of course you'd say that. Only someone with mean gameplay would think like that," said Will.

"Let's not fight 'bout our gameplay styles now. I'll head out with Ally, the rest of y'all can go with whoever your partner is," Ashley said.

Confessional - Ashley

"I don't think it's a great idea to turn Amelie against us, even if she's got the mean gameplay that scares Will in spades. We need as many votes as we can get to send Fiore away as early as possible, and the more we push Amelie away, the further she's pushed into Fiore's clutches," said Ashley.

Meanwhile, Yellow Team was discussing their challenge stragegy as well.

"I know distrust must run high right about now, but we need to split up like the other teams if we want to avoid losing our second challenge in a row," said Spencer.

"He's right. We'll be putting ourselves at a disadvantage by sticking together." Riya nodded.

"I'll be working with Riya for this challenge," said Spencer.

"That's fine by me." Riya winked over at Grett and Jade, who nodded back at her in response.

"I'll work with Connor, then," said Zaid.

"Do you really miss your little pretentious actress girlfriend so much that you need to go for another actress' sloppy seconds?" Riya rolled her eyes.

"Don't talk about Ivy like that." Zaid clenched his fists.

"To get back on topic, since this is a pre-merge challenge, I should be more than ready to take it on by myself!" Hunter said.

"You just want a chance to look for the idol without being disturbed," Jade said.

"That's not true! I would never prioritize a game advantage over a pre-merge challenge win!" Hunter shook his head at her in response.

"That is incredibly stupid. Worst part is that I actually believe he means it." Riya sighed.

"Let's just get going so we don't fall behind," Connor said.

"The old fart makes a decent point. Come on, Jade," Grett said before swimming away alongside Jade.

Confessional - Spencer

"Riya is practically the only real ally I currently have. I might as well use this challenge as an opportunity to further our bond and decrease the likelihood of her betraying me in the future," said Spencer.

As Amelie and Fiore were swimming through the lake, Fiore turned towards Amelie, a scowl on her face.

"With how much the whole team fucking hates my guts, I'm screwed once our team actually loses. Do you have any plans in mind for that?" Fiore asked her.

"Of course I do! You see, my primary objective right now is to remove Logan from the competition. He is already forming a trio with James and Natalia, so it shouldn't be too difficult to turn Ally and Ashley against him," Amelie said.

"What did that dumbass even do to piss you off so bad?" Fiore asked her.

"He orchestrated my elimination. I wouldn't say I am upset, I simply recognize that he is a threat to my game, and those have to be eradicated." Amelie shrugged, making Fiore nod.

Confessional - Amelie

"Despite her disturbingly small stature and inherent inferiority to me, Feeorey is not the worst pawn to have under my thumb. That honor would still go to Logan, of course," said Amelie.

As Grett and Jade were swimming through the lake, Grett turned towards Jade, a puzzled expression on her face.

"What do you have against swimsuits, Jade?" Grett asked her.

"What are you talking about?" Jade asked back.

"You asked when we would have a challenge that doesn't force us into swimsuits earlier. What do you have against them?" Grett explained, making Jade sigh.

"Look, Grett, you wouldn't understand because you've always been gorgeous, but the world isn't exactly kind to people who are different. I have come to terms with my body, but..." Jade trailed off.

"It's still uncomfortable to show it off after all the mistreatment it got you, right?" Grett asked.

"Yes. How did you know?" Jade asked.

"I didn't exactly lose all this weight just because I felt like it, Jade." Grett chuckled humorlessly, making Jade gaze at her sympathetically.

Confessional - Jade

"I didn't expect Grett to understand what it's like, but... Maybe I'm not as alone as I thought I was in feeling like this," said Jade.

Not long after, Amelie and Fiore came across Grett and Jade in the lake.

"Ah, Grett, I have been meaning to converse with you. Would you mind accompanying me to a more... private location to avoid any unwanted attention being brought to our conversation?" Amelie asked.

"You can pull whatever trick it is you're here for with me present, too, Amelie." Jade crossed her arms.

"I am very much aware of what I can and cannot do, Jade, I simply don't want to." Amelie shrugged.

"Just fucking say it already! You're being even more insufferable than usual. It's not like Grett wouldn't have told Jade right after, anyways." Fiore scoffed.

"Fine, then. I was about to suggest that we form a villains' alliance. We can work together across teams and then crush the eventual merge within our iron grip," Amelie said.

"You know we make a good team, Grett, and I know I wouldn't mind working with you again this season." Fiore nodded.

"Stop butting in, infant, the adults are speaking." Amelie rolled her eyes.

"I have no idea how your boyfriend manages to put up with you," Fiore muttered.

"Can we stop it with the excessive insults for once and just focus on the strategy? We already have a villains' alliance on Yellow Team, it certainly wouldn't hurt to expand that." Jade nodded.

"If you have a villains' alliance on your team, how the hell did Alec even get voted out first?" Fiore asked them.

"He tried to ensure Spencer wouldn't flip, which gave Spencer the opportunity to flip in the first place. I trust that the villains' alliance's new leader won't be that stupid." Grett smirked at Amelie, who grinned back at her in response.

"You can trust me, Grett. There are no better hands for this alliance to be in," said Amelie.

Confessional - Jade

"Amelie made it incredibly clear on the plane that she does not want me to stick around for long. While the expansion of the villains' alliance is useful for my game, Amelie is not, so I will be trying to convince Grett to compromise our loyalty to said alliance if it means ensuring Amelie's exit," Jade said.

Meanwhile, Aiden and Jake were swimming around, looking for the chest.

"Hey, Jake, I just wanted to say that there are no hard feelings about this morning. You've been looking anxious ever since we talked, but I promise I'm not upset anymore," Aiden assured him.

"Was I really that obvious? I was really trying to not make it clear how worried I was." Jake sighed.

"Well, I'm sure the attempt counts for something." Aiden shrugged. The whine that Jake let out in response made Aiden giggle.

"Still, I'm sorry about that. I guess I just got carried away. I haven't really had any sort of relationship in a long while now, so I just... got a bit too invested in yours to make up for it, I guess," said Jake.

"It's really not that big a deal. Is everything okay, though? There's a reason why you haven't been dating much, right?" Aiden asked.

"Yeah, I... I tend to get a bit paranoid. It drives most guys away," Jake admitted.

"There's no better way to work through that than to expose yourself to it, right? How about you just, uh... flirt with Diego or something? I don't know, he's the only single guy on the team." Aiden chuckled.

"I might as well give it a shot. Diego's got one hell of a body, and I'm sure he's probably nice, too. Maybe. I was too distracted by his pecs to ever focus on anything he was saying," Jake admitted.

"You didn't really have to admit that so easily, but okay!" Aiden chuckled to himself.

Confessional - Aiden

"I really do want to help Jake find a partner, honestly. I know that I'd be... well, basically nothing without James, and I don't want any of my friends to have to feel like they're worth nothing," Aiden said.

Ally and Ashley, meanwhile, were exploring the lake as well.

"Are ya doin' alright, Ally?" Ashley asked out of the blue.

"Uh, yeah? Why wouldn't I be?" Ally chuckled uncomfortably.

"It's just that a couple things ya said earlier were... concernin'. Why do ya feel like ya have to suck up insults? Are... Are Hunter and Tess-" Ashley was cut off by Ally.

"No! Hunter and Tess would never treat me like that. How could you even imply that? You don't even know anything about them!" Ally shouted at her.

"I'm sorry, Ally, but if they're not the ones makin' ya think that way, who is?" Ashley asked.

"Look, Ashley, I get that you don't get this because you grew up on a farm and have probably never even heard of the internet before, but when your livelihood depends on how you deal with social media, that opens you up to seeing a lot of opinions about you. You have to suck the negative ones up if you want to make it." Ally shrugged.

"That sounds like a pretty sad way to live," Ashley muttered.

"Yeah, well, at least I know to stick to my lane. I don't butt into other people's business and act like I know how to live their lives better than they do," Ally told Ashley, a scowl on her face. Ashley just winced in response.

Confessional - Ally

"Who does Ashley think she is, calling my life a sad way to live? I swear, you try to have an honest conversation one time, and you get a response like that." Ally sighed miserably.

Not long after their conversation had concluded, Ally and Ashley came across Hunter.

"Oh, hey, Ally! How are things going on your team?" Hunter asked her.

"Fine, I guess. I'm stuck with a kid, though, which has been incredibly frustrating. And not in the good way, like some games are positively frustrating." Ally sighed.

"I don't think I've ever played a game that I found to be frustrating in a good way, but I'll take your word for it." Hunter chuckled.

"What are ya even doin' out here alone? Did your team decide to go solo?" Ashley asked him.

"That's basically just asking for Hunter to snag the idol, though," Ally argued.

"The idol hasn't even crossed my mind once, actually. I know that what really matters are the pre-merge challenges, and I am dedicated to winning those," said Hunter.

"I have such weird taste in men. I still love you, though." Ally smiled at Hunter.

"Love you, too, babe. I'd tell Tess, too, but she's kinda no around right now." Hunter shrugged before spotting a clue towards Yellow Team's chest on the ground. He gasped before swimming over and grabbing it.

"What's wrong, Hunter?" Ashley asked him.

"Yellow Team, I found one of our clues. It's a picture of seaweed," Hunter told his six teammates through the scuba gear's communication system.

Confessional - Ally

"Hunter is honestly really hot when he's so laser-focused on a task like this. I'd usually try to be a bit distracting for fun, but we don't have time for that. I have to laser-focus on winning this challenge, too!" said Ally.

Riya and Spencer, too, were exploring the lake together, when Spencer noticed the anxious expression on Riya's face.

"What are you looking at, pipsqueak?" Riya asked him.

"Is something the matter? It isn't like you to show weakness so openly," Spencer asked her.

"Why would you care?" Riya asked.

"Curiosity, mostly. Potentially a small amount of concern, but I simply don't like you enough to muster up more than the bare minimum of it." Spencer shrugged.

"At least you're honest, I guess. Last time I was underwater like this, I... I got lost. It's not a pleasant memory. I hate who I was back then, and I hate being reminded of it like this. I feel weak," Riya muttered.

"Well, I, for one, wouldn't consider you weak over this. Someone weak would be running away and refusing to face their fear, but you jumped in without even so much as a complaint. That demands strength," Spencer argued.

"Hm. I didn't expect that to come from you, honestly," Riya admitted while next to a hole.

"I suppose I am not as predictable as you might have first assumed, then." Spencer chuckled before spotting a clue. He swam over to pick it up, which gave an eel the opportunity to attack Riya while she was alone.

"Why are there eels here?!" Riya screamed as she was swimming away.

"Riya!" Spencer cried out. He left the clue behind as he swam over to her side. He beat the eel over the head with his air tank, which made the tank burst open.

"Shit, hold on!" Riya yelled before grabbing Spencer by the arm and swimming upwards, dragging him all the way to the surface of the lake.

"Damn it, I left the clue behind." Spencer groaned.

"There's a clue right by a weird eel hole. Spencer's equipment took a hit while we were trying to get it, so one of you losers is gonna have to step up and contribute for once," Riya told her teammates over radio.

"Why don't you get it if Spencer's the only one with faulty equipment?" Hunter asked her.

"Because fuck you, that's why." Riya scoffed.

Confessional - Hunter

"I don't think Riya really gets how motivations or basic reasoning skills work. If she's already so bad at simple stuff like that, I don't think she'll be someone we can rely on to help out with all the intricacies of pre-merge challenges," Hunter admitted.

Meanwhile, Natalia and Will were exploring the lake as well.

"This is really scary. Who knows what could be lurking i-in the depths of the water out here?" Will asked.

"Your mom?" Natalia shrugged, clearly disinterested.

"Hey, my mom is wonderful!" Will glared at her.

"Then you must've gotten a lot of your personality from your dad. Like, how are you this annoying?" Natalia rolled her eyes.

"I just... I'm just scared. I can't help it. I wish I wasn't like this, too." Will sighed, making Natalia wince.

"Oh, kitten, I'm so sorry. If you, like... need some help standing up for yourself, my ears are one of my many open holes." Natalia laid a hand down on Will's shoulders.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it." Will smiled softly at her before Natalia spotted a clue and quickly grabbed it.

"Lookie here... We found a clue, whores! It's a drawing of a shark, but, like, not even the hot furry sharks I look at in my free time. Just a regular one," Natalia told her teammates with a shrug.

"You, uh... You really didn't have to go into that much detail." Will winced.

"Girl, I just started not being sick of you, don't make me undo my character arc now," Natalia told him.

Confessional - Will

"It's nice to make a new friend like this! The only person who hasn't gotten tired of me by now is Ash, though, so I don't really expect that friendship to last." Will shrugged while rubbing his arm dejectedly.

Ellie and Hannah were searching for clues not too far away from where Natalia and Will were.

"Sorry about earlier, by the way. It's not that I'm upset to be working with you, I'm just not happy with how the rest of this panned out," Ellie admitted with a sigh.

"Is something wrong?" Hannah asked her.

"I'm just worried Tess won't stay loyal to our alliance if she spends so much time with Lake. If Tess flips, then they'll have enough votes for a tie," Ellie explained.

"Can't we just work with Lake for the first vote, though?" Hannah asked.

"That would only leave Aiden and Jake as targets, and Lake has been spending basically all her time with them. I don't think that would work," Ellie said.

"Maybe we can lie? We could form a girls' alliance, tell them to vote Diego out, and then vote for someone else behind their backs," Hannah suggested.

"And risk alienating Diego in the process? If we want him to vote with us, we need to make sure he knows that we're on his side. Wait. I think I have an idea, actually," Ellie said, making Hannah grin in excitement.

Confessional - Hannah

"Ellie's honestly one of the smartest players around. While I appreciate that for now, I learned my lesson with Isabel and Jade. There's no way in hell I'm staying on her side for any longer than I have to," Hannah said.

Connor appeared notably nervous as he explored the lake alongside Zaid.

"Hey, Zaid, don't you think we should go check up on Riya? She could have gotten hurt when Spencer was attacked," Connor asked him.

"And? She's our enemy, Connor." Zaid rolled his eyes.

"Is she, though? Sure, she's in a different alliance, but she's still a member of the team," Connor argued.

"And that means nothing. Trust me, no one in this game is ever on your side. You might think she's a teammate now, but what good is a team that is eating itself alive?" Zaid muttered.

"I'm still worried about her, Zaid. I love her," Connot admitted.

"And yet she chose to be a villain. I get that you love her for some reason, but are you seriously willing to let yourself get dragged down with her?" Zaid asked, giving Connor pause.

Confessional - Connor

"I don't think I appreciate how Zaid talks about Riya very much. I can't confront him about it without risking losing an ally, but Riya isn't dragging me down in the slightest. The happiest years of my adult life have been with her! I just can't say that, because my alliance needs every vote it can get." Connor sighed.

Not long after, Connor and Zaid wound up coming across Grett and Jade within the lake.

"I know this is a pointless question considering how useless you both are, but have you found anything?" Grett asked them.

"If they had, they would have informed us over radio," said Jade.

"Jade's right. We haven't really been having much luck out here," Connor admitted.

"Of course you haven't. Why did I even bother asking?" Grett sighed.

"I don't know, honestly. At least their complete lack of challenge prowess will make them easy targets for the next elimination." Jade shrugged.

"We're right here, you know?" Connor said.

"Yeah, we know." Grett nodded at him, a taunting smirk on her face, as a bunch of fish swam past the group.

"I do hope the staff did their research on sealife, and didn't just dump a bunch of fish into these waters. They have to ensure the animals can survive in here if they're forcing them in," Jade murmured. Zaid, however, didn't hear her, and just swam a bit closer to Grett.

"You better stop being so goddamn condescending, or I'll tell Jade your little secret and wipe that smug smile off your face." Zaid sneered at Grett, making her smile drop and eyes narrow. Jade raised an eyebrow at this interaction. Before anything else could be said, Connor spotted a clue and swam over to it.

"Alright, guys, we found a clue! It's a drawing of a rock that kind of looks like... I think that's a gremlin from the movie Gremlins? Those really shouldn't be touching water, though," Connor told his teammates.

"Dude, no one here is elderly enough to get your old movie references," Hunter said.

"Well, excuse me for trying to lighten the mood!" Connor threw his hands up in frustration.

Confessional - Hunter

"Connor's way too old to make any sort of referencial joke, but I think I know which rock that clue might be about. See, I realized you needed great memory to perform well in some pre-merge challenges, so I stole the part of your brain that's responsible for keeping memories from a body in the mortuary near my house and had it sewn onto my own brain! Double the memory space!" Hunter crossed his arms with a proud grin on his face.

Riya and Spencer were both sitting on the dock, awkwardly waiting for their teammates to show up.

"Are you alright? That must have been quite the scare down there," Spencer asked her.

"You're asking me? You're the one who lost his air supply." Riya crossed her arms with a scoff.

"Yes, that was... pretty stupid of me, wasn't it?" Spencer chuckled humorlessly.

"It was stupid, there's no denying that, but... I appreciate it. That stupidity makes you a good pawn to keep around." Riya laid a hand down on Spencer's shoulder.

"Hey, I'll take it." Spencer chuckled as Connor resurfaced with the chest in his hands.

"We have the chest! Does that mean we win?" Connor asked.

"Yep! Yellow Team gets first place in the challenge, meaning they win both immunity and the fishing kit!" Kristal announced, making all of Yellow Team cheer.

Confessional - Riya

"That fishing kit will be pretty useful in keeping our strength up for future challenges. Maybe I should take Spencer fishing at some point, actually. Spending more time with him will make him even easier to manipulate, after all." Riya checked her nails.

As Diego and Gabby were exploring the lake, looking for clues to Cyan Team's chest, they heard the announcement of Yellow Team's victory.

"Crap! We're falling behind," Diego muttered.

"Don't worry, bestie! We just have to swim like a dolphin and bite like a shark, and then victory will be ours in no time!" Gabby giggled.

"What are we biting here, exactly?" Diego asked her.

"The ankles of all our opponents! If they're open and bleeding, swimming will be too painful for them to do, and we will win!" Gabby cheered.

"You scare me sometimes, Gabby. I really like that about you," Diego admitted, making Gabby cheer loudly.

Confessional - Gabby

"Diego is the first person I have ever met who's actually liked my more violent ideas. Even my baddie tells me that I need to keep them down if I want to get a job. I really like Diego," said Gabby.

Meanwhile, James and Logan were exploring the lake, too.

"You've got surprisingly good form for someone who's not a professional!" Logan noted.

"Yeah, that's probably a result of that TikTok trend where I had to swim in dentures while being chased by a shark. If anything can improve your swimming skills, it's that." James shrugged.

"Wait, are you being for real?" Logan's eyes widened.

"Realer than the merch I sold through my collab with Skibidi Toilet." James nodded at him.

"That's crazy! You have to tell me more about that, man!" Logan chuckled.

"Sure thing, my friend." James laughed along.

Confessional - Logan

"James' life sounds absolutely wild! I'm grateful to have such a successful career, but living off of doing extreme dares and fun challenges sounds like a dream come true! Maybe I should consider a change in profession," Logan pondered.

Not long after, Diego and Gabby were ambushed by a shark. Despite their best attempts to soothe it, it knocked Gabby out of the way and started chasing after Diego. After running into Aiden and Jake, he pulled them behind a rock alongside him, confusing the shark, who just kept swimming forward, thus passing them. Not much later, James and Logan arrived in the same area.

"And Lake seriously thinks Jake is influencing Aiden to stop being with you? That's insane!" Logan asked.

"We lived! What a relief!" Diego cheered, his arms wrapped tightly around Aiden and Jake.

"Wow, you're... really buff. And hairy," Jake whispered, his face covered in a crimson blush. Logan turned towards James with a wince.

"What, Logan? They are obviously celebrating not getting eaten. Did you think I'd get jealous over that? Aiden is mine, and he knows it." James scoffed.

"Where'd that shark even come from?" Jake asked Diego.

"Dang, you actually met a shark? I love sharks! I'm super jealous right now." Logan whined.

"Hey, if you want to go after it and meet it, I'm sure it would appreciate the thicker meat on your bones." Jake shrugged.

"Jake and I are barely a snack for that thing." Aiden giggled before James spotted a clue nearby and swam over to pick it up.

"Listen up, everyone, I found a clue. I think it's a drawing of a sunken ship. Has anyone seen one of those lying around?" James asked his teammates.

"I have, actually! And by the way, your voice sounds really fucking hot over radio," said Natalia.

"Oh, I know." James chuckled to himself.

Confessional - Aiden

"Now that I'm alone with Diego and Jake, I can try to play matchmaker for them! There's no way Diego's still hung up on Spencer, after all, right?" Aiden laughed at the thought.

Lake and Tess, meanwhile, were in much less danger as they explored the lake.

"So, Tess, I have been thinking lately, and I do believe we have to get rid of Jake soon. I do not want him to disturb the perfect yaoi story Aiden deserves to have," said Lake.

"Okay. I don't see why I should care, though." Tess shrugged.

"Because you are my friend. You are supposed to care about how I feel," said Lake.

"Right. Right, sorry. I care." Tess nodded, making Lake look at her with concern.

Confessional - Tess

"It can be difficult to really care about what other people think. In truth, I don't care about Lake's or Aiden's yaoi story or whatever she was saying at all. It just blends together most of the time. She wants me to pretend, though, and I guess I like her enough to do that much, at least," said Tess.

As Aiden, Diego and Jake were swimming through the lake, Jake spoke up, a smile on his face.

"Thanks for saving our butts back there, Diego," Jake said.

"We wouldn't have been in any danger to begin with if it wasn't for you, but yeah! You're so strong and helpful. How come a guy like you is still single?" Aiden asked Diego before turning his head to wink at Jake.

"I usually move way too fast. I feel so strongly so quickly, and it pushes people away. I thought I was just trying to stop doing that after last season, but I think there is a much greater reason for why I've been avoiding going out with any guys lately," Diego admitted.

"Yeah? What is it?" Jake asked him.

"I don't know if I can tell you. The news greatly upset Hannah, and I do not wish to upset you, too," said Diego.

"Hey, we won't get upset with you. I promise." Aiden laid a hand down on Diego's shoulder.

"Alright, then, if you're so sure... I think I am still madly in love with Spencer, even after all this time," Diego said, making Jake's shoulders slunp in defeat. Aiden consolingly patted Jake on the back.

Confessional - Jake

"Well, at least I didn't sink too much time into flirting with him, and he still makes for nice eye candy." Jake shrugged.

As Gabby was swimming around by herself, she came across Ellie, Hannah, Lake and Tess.

"Gabs, are you okay? How come Diego's not with you?" Ellie asked her.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm fine! Diego just got ambushed by a shark, so he had to flee." Gabby shrugged.

"What do you mean by that? Is Diego alright?" Lake's eyes widened.

"He should be fine if those muscles of his are worth anything," said Tess.

"Disregarding that, though, I've noticed that the five of us work together amazingly. Why don't we form a girls' alliance?" Ellie suggested.

"Have the five of us ever really worked together?" Gabby raised an eyebrow at her.

"I suppose it does not matter too much. I, for one, would not be opposed to this alliance," Lake admitted.

"Me, neither. I don't really care about any of the men on my team to any degree at all," said Tess.

"I do care about Diego, obviously, but I'm not gonna let him drag my game down. I'm in," said Hannah.

Confessional - Ellie

"Hannah and I both agreed this would be the best course of action for us. It's risky, but it's our best bet at not alienating Diego while also ensuring we get a majority in our next vote," said Ellie.

Nearby, Ally swam into a hole while Ashley wasn't looking and got stuck.

"Oh my gosh, help!" Ally cried out, attracting the attention of Tess, who quickly swam over to her side and pulled her out of the hole.

"Are you okay, Ally? Why did you swim into a random hole?" Tess asked her.

"I'm sorry, Tess, I just... get scared during challenges sometimes. Crud, this is totally like that time I stopped steering my bike and crashed into a bush! Do you think the cameras caught it?" Ally winced.

"Yeah, they did." Tess nodded.

"Damn it. Why can't I just have a fanbase as loyal as Ellie's? Her most iconic moment didn't turn her into a laughingstock," Ally muttered under her breath before swimming away. Once Ally was gone, Tess spotted an immunity idol, hidden behind a patch of seaweed, and grabbed it.

"It looks kinda ugly. This show should really hire some artists to design these things," said Tess before shoving the idol down her bikini and swimming back to her female teammates.

Confessional - Ally

"In case anyone heard me, I said I wanted to have a fanbase as loyal as Ally's. Mine. Because I love my fans. You are all so loyal and awesome and I love each and every one of you individually. I'd marry you all if I could, trust me." Ally made a heart with her hands while facing the camera.

Not too long after, Ellie, Gabby, Hannah, Lake and Tess came across a horrific scene. Amelie laid beneath a boulder, looking injured, as Fiore laid on the seabed, motionless.

"Woah. What happened here?" Tess asked, seeming thoroughly disinterested.

"Amelie! Are you okay?!" Hannah screamed as she swam over to Amelie's side.

"It hurts..." Fiore groaned.

"Shit! We have to get them up to the surface!" Hannah shouted.

"Do we, though? This is probably just some sort of act to catch us off-guard." Ellie rolled her eyes.

"Not even Amelie would go that far, Ellie!" Hannah shook her head.

"And I don't think I can swim like this? Are you seriously fine with leaving me for dead if you're wrong?" Fiore asked.

"She's got a point. Child endangerment is lowkey kinda bad." Tess nodded.

"I will carry her, then, whereas the rest of you can attempt to free Amelie from the boulder," said Lake before taking Fiore into her arms.

"How are we going to be lifting this entire boulder, though?" asked Tess.

"With our hands, obviously," said Hannah.

"There's no way we'll pull this off," Ellie muttered.

"Didn't you say we worked together well? Why are you going back on that now?" Tess asked.

"Tess is correct. We are allies. And allyship is almost as strong a motivator as uke and seme preferences," Lake said.

"Wow, you are... really fucking gullible." Fiore snickered before pulling out a sharp rock and stabbing it into Lake's air tank.

"I told you!" Ellie groaned.

"That you did. Thank you for letting your guard down, though." Amelie cackled before stabbing a sharp rock into Ellie's air tank.

"Shit. We'll get you for this!" Ellie shouted at them before swimming towards the surface.

"How come I didn't get stabbed?" Tess sighed in disappointment.

"I will tear your goddamned hairs off for hurting my baddie, you disgusting bitch!" Gabby screeched before lunging at Amelie and tearing at her hair. Amelie tried and failed to fight her off as Lake swam up, towards the surface.

Confessional - Ellie

"See, I learned not to care if people are on death's doorstep thanks to Miriam. If the rest of my team had just listened to me, we wouldn't be two members down because of the psycho kid and her newly found adult minion." Ellie sighed.

Just as Ellie and Lake reached the surface, Ally and Ashley did, too, carrying Magenta Team's chest.

"We've got a chest for you, Kristal!" Ashley shouted.

"That you do! Looks like the challenge has just ended. If the immunity idol hasn't been found yet, it's not gonna be functional anymore!" Kristal announced.

Confessional - Ashley

"It sucks that I couldn't find the idol, but I doubt I'll be needin' it, anyways. It shouldn't be hard to convince my teammates to vote Fiore off now that she doesn't have that sweet act of hers to hide behind," said Ashley.

With the challenge having ended, the twenty-three contestants all gathered in front of Kristal, who was smirking at them, again.

"Since Yellow Team was the first to bring its chest to the surface, its members win not only immunity for tonight, but a fishing kit, too!" Kristal announced. Connor, Grett, Hunter, Jade, Riya, Spencer and Zaid all cheered at this.

"The second team to have brought its loot up here was Magenta Team, so they, too, will have immunity for tonight! It's their second silver medal in a row!" Kristal announced, making Ally, Amelie, Ashley, Fiore, James, Natalia and Will all cheer. Logan rolled his eyes at the mention of the medal.

"As for Cyan Team, though? Since you guys brought me nothing, you also get nothing. Tonight, you'll have to vote out one of your own. I recommend you think that decision through carefully," Kristal said. Aiden, Diego, Ellie, Gabby, Hannah, Jake, Lake and Tess all eyed one another uneasily.

Confessional - Will

"If Ellie gets voted off next, that would be perfect for the removal of mean gameplay. I guess it could apply to Hannah, too, but Ellie's a much worse offender. I really hope she goes tonight," said Will.

Shortly after the challenge had concluded, Ellie, Gabby, Hannah, Lake and Tess all gathered around Cyan Team's campfire.

"Who were you guys thinking of targeting tonight. I don't mind voting for anyone who isn't here," Tess asked.

"I'm not voting for Diego just yet. He could still be useful for challenges, so I say we target Aiden or Jake," Hannah said.

"I am not voting for Aiden to leave. His friendship means more to me than this entire game does." Lake shook her head.

"Why did you join an alliance that's against him, then?" Gabby raised an eyebrow at her.

"Because I do want to work with you all. I just cannot cast my vote for Aiden. We have to vote for Jake," said Lake.

"I'm not opposed to that." Tess nodded.

"I am grateful to have you on my side here, Tess," said Lake.

"Lake, we are all on your side here. We're your allies," Hannah assured her.

"That's so true, Hannah. I definitely won't mind getting rid of that hideous manchild!" Gabby started cackling to herself, which made Ellie smile softly at her before snapping herself out of it.

"Alright, then. Tonight, our target will be Jake." Ellie nodded at the other women.

Confessional - Tess

"It's a really good thing I managed to get roped into an alliance with both Ellie and Lake. I really don't want to see either of them leaving anytime soon," Tess admitted.

Meanwhile, Aiden, Diego and Jake gathered within Cyan Team's tent.

"So, what is this about, Aiden? I assume you called us here to discuss the vote?" Diego asked him.

"Woah, you wanna discuss the vote? That's, like, really smart, Aiden." Jake's eyes widened in amazement.

"Yeah, it's obvious that the women have formed an alliance since they all just decided to meet up right after the challenge. If we want to stand a chance against them, we need to form a counter-alliance. Since Ellie and Tess are the only ones none of us are close to, we should target one of them. Lake's my best shot at convincing someone to flip, and she won't vote for Tess, so our target will have to be Ellie. Are you two in?" Aiden asked them. Jake nodded immediately in response, whereas Diego hesitated a bit before meekly nodding, too.

Confessional - Diego

"I find it difficult to believe that all my allies would just create another alliance without me, especially Hannah, but... it's strange that I haven't been approached to discuss the vote yet. I suppose it's for the best if I stick with Aiden until I am told of another target," Diego said.

Not long after his conversation with Diego and Jake had concluded, Aiden approached Lake in the woods near Cyan Team's camp.

"Aiden? Is there something wrong?" Lake asked him.

"You're in a girls' alliance, aren't you, Lake?" Aiden sighed, making Lake look away in shame.

"They offered, and... it was simply too good of an offer to refuse," Lake muttered.

"Please don't do this, Lake. Creating a gender war on the team won't help anyone. Just work with us. Vote for Ellie. I swear it'll be worth it," Aiden told her.

"I... I will consider it, at least. I cannot make any promises, though. There are allies relying on me among the women," Lake said.

"I guess that has to be good enough, then." Aiden nodded at her.

Confessional - Aiden

"I know I wasn't exactly the most strategic player last season, but after seeing the kinds of players I'd have to go up against in an all-stars season, I tried to make sure I got a few basics into my brain. I think it's paying off, honestly!" Aiden said.

During the dark of night, the eight members of Cyan Team sat down on tree stumps by the elimination bonfire. In front of them was a podium, which Kristal was standing behind.

"Cyan Team, it's such a shame to see you all here so early." Kristal sighed. Before she could say anything else, though, Ellie spoke up.

"Hey, mind if I butt in for a sec?" Ellie raised her hand.

"Go for it." Hannah grinned at her.

"Everyone here knows about the women's alliance, sure, but did you know that Lake has been trying to throw your ass under the bus all afternoon, Jake?" Ellie asked.

"Ellie, what are you doing?" Tess' eyes widened.

"Being honest. Diego, Jake, we are voting for Lake tonight. You're more than welcome to join us." Ellie shrugged.

"We're the ones who are actually on your side here. Despite her good girl act, Lake's a snake," said Hannah.

"Tess, you're with us, too, right?" Ellie turned to her.

"I... I can't just vote off my friend, Ellie. I'm sorry." Tess shook her head.

"Do not be sorry, Tess. Ellie should be sorry, and she will be once we vote her out. Who could trust her after a stunt like that, after all?" Lake narrowed her eyes at Ellie.

"So you deny trying to convince us to vote for Jake?" Ellie asked.

"I- Well- Technically, I did, but-" Lake was quickly interrupted.

"And that's all that really matters, isn't it?" Ellie smirked at her.

"I guess all the glaring wasn't as harmless as I'd thought." Jake crossed his arms with a huff.

"Can't we just all agree to eliminate Jake instead of fighting?" Tess pleaded.

"While I'd love to vote for Jake, the target for tonight has to be Lake. Please work with me here, bestie," Gabby said to Diego.

"Do not work with them, Diego. Despite being your supposed bestie, Gabby did not even suggest including you in our alliance. Do not let yourself be used by her," Lake told him.

"Wouldn't it have been kinda weird to include a man in the women's alliance, anyways?" Tess asked.

"Diego, Jake, just work with me here, okay? We have to stick together, and we have to vote for Ellie. She's gonna play us all just like she's playing Lake if we don't!" Aiden said.

"Don't listen to him, Diego! We're your real allies!" Hannah shook her head.

"You didn't even talk to him about the vote before this!" Aiden argued.

"We had to kill the women's alliance first so he'd know we weren't just keeping him as back-up." Ellie shrugged.

"I think I've heard more than enough from you, Ellie. Save the talking for your exit speech." Aiden sneered.

"Is she even going, though?" Tess asked.

"Obviously not, right, Diego?" Hannah scoffed.

"I don't know, Hannah. Aiden does have a point. He actually talked to me before the vote." Diego looked away from her with a troubled expression on his face. Before Hannah could respond, Kristal spoke up.

"While this chaos is all incredibly exciting, we do need to get a move on here, so get voting already!" Kristal announced.

Voting Confessionals

"I... I don't know what to do," Tess admitted with a sigh before hesitantly casting her vote.

"Sorry, Lake, but we needed to make things really messy to ensure a divide in the outsiders. You were just the best target for that." Hannah shrugged while holding a vote for Lake up.

"Ellie. Honestly, just fuck you." Aiden rolled his eyes while holding a vote for Ellie up.

Ellie had a smile on her face as she cast her vote.

Jake breathed out a deep sigh before casting his vote.

Lake glared at her vote as she cast it.

Gabby appeared almost remorseful as she cast her vote.

Diego hesitated for quite a while, sweating bullets the entire time, before finally casting his vote.

"Once the votes are read, the decision is final. The person who received the most votes must leave the camp immediately. So, if anyone here as an idol or an advantage they would like to play, now would be the time to do so," Kristal announced.

Tess blinked at Kristal, but did not speak up.

"I'll read the votes, then," said Kristal.

"First vote... Ellie." She rolled her eyes.

"Lake." She glared at Ellie.

"Lake." Her eyes widened in fear.

"Lake." She wrung her hands together nervously.

"Ellie." She crossed her arms with a scoff.

"Ellie." Her expression turned a lot more nervous.

"Jake." He raised an eyebrow at this.

"That's three votes Ellie, one vote Jake, three votes Lake. One vote left."

Jake furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as Ellie and Lake glared at one another.

"The second person eliminated from Disventure Camp All-Stars is..."

Jake tilted his head a bit, trying and failing to comprehend the situation. Ellie sat up a bit straighter, clearly nervous. Lake bit into her bottom lip anxiously. Hannah frowned at Diego. Tess blinked again. Aiden's hands were shaking as he laid them down on his knees. Gabby tapped her chin curiously. Diego's entire body seemed to slump in his seat as he looked away.

"...Lake! That's four votes, you're out," Kristal told her, sounding immensely disappointed. Lake whipped her head around to look at Tess.

"Tess... Why did you vote for Jake instead of Ellie? Do not even try to deny it, I would recognize lines drawn by your hand anywhere," Lake asked her, looking like she was about to burst into tears.

"I'm sorry, Lake. I was just caught in the middle and couldn't decide." Tess sighed.

"I have been your friend for years, Tess, and you could not choose me over Ellie?" Lake asked her. Tess didn't respond to that.

"Who voted for Lake, then?! I know it was one of you!" Aiden shouted at Diego and Jake.

"I'm sorry, Aiden, but I had to choose my friends over my allies tonight," Diego admitted softly.

"You made the right call," Hannah assured him.

"And just like that, we've secured a majority." Ellie chuckled to herself.

"Do not expect it to last, Ellie. Your majority will crumble, just as your morals have for the alluring cash prize." Lake scoffed. Ellie just silently rolled her eyes at this.

"It sucks you have to go like this, Lake," Aiden said.

"Yes, but... at least I stayed true to the kind of person Rosa has helped me be. I do not regret a thing, Aiden," Lake told him before embracing him in a hug.

"Take care of yourself, Lake." Jake nodded at her as she walked away.

"It's a shame you're already leaving." Kristal sighed as Lake walked past her.

"I was hoping we would get to talk before I left, but... it looks like that was not in the cards." Lake shrugged, a sad expression on her face, before leaving. At the bus stop, she waved at the camera, a shaky smile on her face, before getting picked up by the Bus of Losers.

Confessional - Ellie

"Diego and Hannah have proven their loyalty tonight, and Gabs would never turn against me. Cutting Lake like this was risky, but I'd say that risk paid off." Ellie chuckled to herself.

Confessional - Diego

"While I appreciate Aiden and Jake, Hannah was already upset with me to begin with. I don't want to anger her further and risk pushing her away," Diego admitted.

Confessional - Tess

"I would've chosen Lake over Ellie without a second thought, but that was not what this was about. If Ally wants a fanbase like Ellie's, Ellie might be able to help her in ways that Hunter and I just can't. My decision tonight was made for Ally's sake, not for Ellie's," Tess said.

Confessional - Jake

"I'm not sad to see Lake go, but I am sad to see that Diego isn't nearly as trustworthy as I thought he'd be. He really just betrayed us the first chance he got." Jake sighed.

Confessional - Aiden

"This sucks, but I can't give up yet. I still have Jake on my side, and the two of us are not out of the game yet. If there's a reason why I'm still here while Lake has left, I'm willing to wait for it," Aiden said.