Chapter Text
"Nothing like a good intro to start of this season, eh?” A blaring voice through a megaphone echoed, Trevor.
“You said it. Welcome to Stawaki Carnival!” Derek announced, matching the tone, stealing the megaphone.
“Our newest set for the fourth season of the show. We have much in store for them. None for their enjoyment, though. It’s gonna be taxing, exhausting... it’s gonna be filled with drama.” Trevor shows off his jazz hands.
“We’re keeping it casual, just like last season. Six teams of three, all set off to battle it out and tackle the carnival with season-themed challenges, and a bunch of new advantages to keep the game interesting.” The other host replied.
“You thought you’ve seen the worst of the worst before? Just you wait; there’s an endless supply of entertainment. I am your host, Trevor McGregor!” He exclaims, stealing back the megaphone.
“And I’m your host, Derek Johnson. And this is...” Derek tries to snatch the megaphone back, sending him and the taller man stumbling to the floor.
Trevor comes out victorious, and yells into the megaphone.
“Disventure Camp: Carnival of Chaos!”
Down on the ground, the two hosts stood with passion. Trevor was beaming with excitement, barely able to hold himself still. Derek couldn’t quite match the enthusiasm but carried a knowing smirk.
Up in the sky, however, was a different story. Three helicopters flew up in the air, all with varying colours. One red, one blue, and one green, one flying after the other.
From the blue helicopter came varying personalities.
Richard was out first. He adjusted his, ironically, blue cap, placing his hands on his hips. He was grinning with competitiveness. Somehow exceeding that was Logan, a ginger-haired man with a toothy smile. He stood beside Richard with similar confidence.
Then came Alessio. He was somewhat blissfully unaware of what was going on, but almost mysteriously stood with his hands behind a back and a deadpan face. Behind him? Stood Anastasia, looking a lot more serious. She scowled, stepping off the plane and exuding... anger? Not arrogance, but she for sure meant business.
Natalia came after; it was hard to get a read on her. She had an impeccable poker face, - an impeccable outfit. She was gorgeous, and she knew it. Lynda, however, was conniving. And she knew it. The older blonde lady had a gentle grin... in front of the others. However, standing at the back, she couldn’t help but smirk.
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Confessional: Natalia
“Okay, so we just have the best team already? Varsity jacket and the old guy clearly have the muscle to carry us. Not sure what the blondies got going for them, but the hunk with the glasses?” She snorts. “Every team gotta have some eye candy.”
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Confessional: Anastasia
“Hmm. Could be better, could be worse. I’ve already picked my least favourites, but luckily only one of them is on my team.” She crosses her arms in a huff.
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From the red helicopter, there was a strange sense of positivity. Leading the charge was Tristan, grinning ear-to-ear, contrasting the gothic appearance they upheld. They were followed by Benji, who appeared equally as overjoyed to be there. The boy was strutting confidently, staring between all his peers. Hannah came behind, looking around with morbid curiosity, looking at a little bit loss of her surroundings. Still smiling, though.
Following up are Amelie and Jade. The latter looked particularly bored. Not entirely disinterested, but on her mind, she very much had better places to be. Amelie wasn’t exactly chipper, either. She had her arms folded, walking in heels and narrowing her eyes at anyone who dared to look her way. And then there was Zaid. He looked a little bit grizzly, at least from the beard. There was a strangely warm smile on his face, however.
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Confessional: Benji
“Soooo... hi.” He waves at the camera. “This place is a lot less... I dunno, decrepit than I thought it’d be?” Benji gestures behind him with a thumb. “Tidier than my bedroom, at least. An upgrade never hurt.”
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Confessional: Amelie
“This competition is practically already won. From the helicopter ride alone, these are the most gullible people I’ve ever met in my life. If I lose this game, then shame on me!” She announces.
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And finally, the green helicopter held some very... unique characters.
At the front, was Diego. Standing as the tallest of the group, he tipped his explorer hat comically and walked over to the green mat with a tree symbolised on it. He had a half-smirk, half-gentle smile. Not too far to his left was Spencer, a much shorter man with glasses. Perhaps has the worst poker face out of everyone. He was very openly smiling like a supervillain.
Someone with a better poker face, one might say, is Ted. Ted was more like the comical supervillain one would expect; he’s just way better at hiding it than the shorter man. There was an underlying sense of... control, too. Next was Ivy. She was gliding as she walked. She seemed carefree, moreso where she was happy with what she was doing.
Marissa seemed content, too. Albeit she was quite serious. As was expected from someone wearing military gear and boots. She was confident, much like the rest. Someone who was full of absolute confident, was Isabel. She was, well... a nun. She was walking elegantly, similarly to Ivy, although she seemed more precise in where she stepped forward.
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Confessional: Ted
“I’ve learned that no matter circumstances, you’ve gotta work with what ya’ got. My team has two hunks, a nun, a nerd, and... some other girl. If I play my cards right, they’ll all crumble.” He rubs his hands together.
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Confessional: Diego
“The scenery here is amazing. Aw, if only they’d let me bring a camera here. I’m already seeing a whole bunch of nooks and crannies to explore.” Diego chirps.
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After that, everyone was finally where they were supposed to be. Lined up and ready.
There was tension. Trevor and Derek were remaining suspiciously quiet as the campers quietly awaited further instructions. Then, the megaphone came back out from the previously triumphant Trevor.
“Ha-ha-hey, campers! Welcome to the grounds of Stawaki Carnival!” He waved his free hand. “I don’t wanna waste anymore of your precious time, so let’s chuck you into the deep end! Here are your maps.” He looks at Derek, who is holding three maps. Individually, they are caught by Anastasia, Hannah, and Diego on their respective teams.
Derek grins, elbowing Trevor playfully.
“Don’t forget, this is for a million big ones. If you’re not playing to win, then why are you even here?” He cackles. “Of course, there is an immunity idol or two in play. So, if you’re in a tough spot, there’s your out.”
“Aaanyway, those maps are involved in your first challenge. All you’ve got to do is find the marked location on your map and build up a shelter. The two winn teams will earn a tarp to cover their shelter! Shouldn’t take you too long.” He steps to the side with the other host, allowing the contestants’ entrance to the carnival.
“Wait... I have a question?” A timid voice calls out, Hannah. “So, like, will we be getting anything to help with our shelters?” She murmurs.
“Nope!” Derek snickers. “You’ll find minor supplies at your camp, but nothing to help with the shelter. Anyone else?” He looks around, and grins at the lack of raised hands. “Alrighty, then. Go, go, go!”
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Confessional: Hannah
“Listen. I may be young, but I’ve seen my fair share of treasure maps. Can’t be that hard, right?”
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The Blue Team first began to wander through shrubbery, tossing branches aside that got in their way. Up ahead, Anastasia was holding up the map.
She turned around, noting that Alessio and Natalia were particularly lagging.
“Keep up. If we take too long, then we’ll barely have time to build a shelter.” She snarls, earning a glare from Natalia.
“Maybe I just don’t wanna be up close and personal with that stare of yours. You’re acting like I’m plotting to end your bloodline, girl. Chill.” She claps back without hesitation, earning a harsher glare.
Logan looks between the pair, hesitantly speaking up.
“Umm... come on, girls. It’s only been five minutes. Can’t we slow it down a little?” Logan suggests and is quickly shut down.
“Oh, don’t be so sure. The pretty girl has a point. I’d rather not sleep in the mud.” Alessio interrupts.
Anastasia huffs and continues walking.
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Confessional: Lynda
“Well, lookie here. There’s already some drama goin’ on, and none if it involves me. Exploit it, I shall.” She sits back comfortably.
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“What about an icebreaker? That’ll pick our chins up!” Richard exclaims.
“...Seriously? Are we five?” Anastasia interjects.
“I think it’s a good idea. Who wants to go first?” Logan looks around at the others expectantly.
“Oh! I will!” Richard volunteers boisterously. “So, what’s, uh... everyone’s favourite colour?” He glances around.
“Are we actually doing this?” Lynda looks around at the others. Only Logan and Richard seemed interested.
“Blue! Blue’s the best, no question.” Logan asserts.
“Of course you like blue. Blue jacket, blue team. You’re basically the ocean.” Natalia snorts.
“What!? Who said anything about the ocean? Not me. Nope. I’m just... a normal guy, you see? Nothing special. Hah.” Logan’s voice trails off. He frowns at the puzzled expressions he gets.
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Confessional: Logan
“I’m admittedly not really good at the whole ‘keeping secrets’ thing. I’m an Olympian, if you didn’t know. Got bronze in swimming last year. I kinda wanna keep that on the down-low, though. Can’t have everyone thinking I’m a threat on the first day.”
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Confessional: Richard
“It’s an honour to be competing on a team with a guy like Logan Bell, of all people. Me and my husband see him on TV all the time!” Richard smiles, proud.
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“Can we take this seriously for a few moments?” Anastasia yells quietly to the back, where it was now Logan and Richard lagging. “I like purple. Now move.”
Almost comically, they arrive at their destination mere moments later. Turns out, the campsite wasn’t all that far.
“Okie dokie! I’m gonna take a breather and then start helpin’ you guys out with the shelter.” Lynda says bluntly, not giving room for argument.
“Actually... not a bad idea. I’m with housewife.” Natalia shrugs, taking a seat on a log next to her.
“Sure. We can rest for a bit, but then we need to start some work. We can’t sit on our asses; we’ll end up losing on the first day.” Anastasia exclaims.
“I, personally, will go off alone for the time being. I will be back soon.” Alessio walks away, shrugging. “Or not.” He mutters to himself.
Lynda and Natalia look at each other, blinking.
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Confessional: Alessio
“Whatever this... icebreaker nonsense they’re babbling about? Not for me. I prefer to dabble in my own interests.” Alessio huffs, looking away from the camera.
“Though... my favourite colour is also blue.”
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Back to the pair, Natalia looks Lynda up and down, grinning.
“So, like, are you actually a housewife? I kinda just assumed.” Natalia asks.
“Oh, yeah. Been workin’ hard in the house since I was twenty years young.” Lynda replies, prompting a wider grin.
“Am I allowed to ask how old you are? Girl to girlboss?” Natalia teases.
“Ah, I’m a secretive young lady, see. I’ll only tell ya’, I’m old enough to drive.” She teases back.
“So... you can cook?” Natalia asks.
“’Course I can. What, you take me for a lazy lady?” Lynda said, now also smirking.
“Perfect! I don’t know about you, but I’m a girl that can eat. So, as long as we eat the competition up, we’ll be fine.”
“Well,” Lynda sits up. “We can feast like queens all we want. If I’m still in the game. What’s say you and me? Day one alliance?” Lynda offers.
“Who am I to say no? I’m in, girl.” Natalia reaches out her hand, and they shake on it.
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Confessional: Natalia
“I’m no mathematician, but my brain is telling me that me and Lynda soloing against the rest of the team won’t work.” She taps the side of her head. “So, we just need a third.”
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Meanwhile, Logan and Richard are sitting off to the side next to a tree. Logan’s cross-legged, smiling at some benign story from the older one.
“How come you have a daughter?” Logan asks, scratching his head.
“Hm? How’d ya mean?” Richard raises an eyebrow.
“Well... you have a husband. So...” Logan trails off, hoping Richard would understand. He did not. “So, who gave birth?”
Richard bursts out laughing, making Logan more puzzled.
“Logan, - we adopted.” He deadpans. Logan smiles sheepishly.
“Oh.” He murmurs.
“Hey, boys.” Natalia’s voice calls out. “Wanna talk?” As a reponse, they both nod.
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Confessional: Natalia
“Well, three was fine. Four is even better. Just need to decide who’s going: Hot, brooding and mysterious painter, or the bitchy blonde who’s already ruffling people’s feathers.”
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And then, the camera cuts to the red team arriving at their camp.
Hannah, of course, had been leading up ahead.
“All right! We made it. What do we wanna do about a shelter, team?” She turns to ask the group.
“I think-” Tristan begins to speak.
“Let’s think logically about this,” Amelie smirks rudely. “Trevor and Derek are the ones judging, non? So, we must make the shelter up to their standards.” She exclaims loudly, looking for reactions.
“Can you... shut up for a sec?” Jade complains.
“Yeah, seriously. Who made you the boss again?” Zaid butts in without hesitation.
“Okay! Woah, woah. Let’s calm it down a little, guys.” Tristan suggests, reluctantly trying to die down the beginning chaos.
“Yeah. What he said.” Benji grins, making Tristan wince. “I think your idea was fine, Amelie.” He gives a thumbs up.
“Merci. Now,” Amelie said.
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Confessional: Amelie
“I didn’t know communicating with buffoons would be quite so difficult. Rowdy, disrespectful, defiant. Need I go on?”
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Confessional: Zaid
“I’m... already fed up. Tristan’s alright. Hannah’s taking charge, even though I think she’s, like, a teenager. Jade’s not really saying anything, either.”
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“Now-”
“Personally, I have a better idea.” Jade intervenes. “They probably want more creativity. We got any artists around here?”
“I’m-” Tristan begins to speak.
“Excuse me!” Amelie butts in once again. “I’d like to speak without some children including themselves when they didn’t need to.”
The area goes silent, despite the scowling.
“Thank you.” She smiles. “Jade, you’ll come with me to collect wood. Hannah, Benji, go and fetch us some water for cooking. Tristan, Zaid, you both shall go and find some decor we can use that Trevor and Derek would like.” She then claps her hands together. “Maintenant!”
Sighing, the pairs split up from one another.
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Confessional: Tristan
Okay, clearly Amelie’s missing the mark here. Having a leader is great and all, but causing a divide this quickly? Splitting us up in pairs? I don’t wanna pin anyone as the first out, but...” They sigh.
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Hannah and Benji were both wandering down to the lake nearby their camp, conversating casually.
“Thanks for saying something, dude. I was too nervous to really, you know... say anything really.” Hannah admits. “My mouth just stops working sometimes.”
“Nah. Don’t worry ‘bout it. I’m good with my mouth.” He says proudly. Hannah looks... uniquely disturbed.
“...Right.” She mumbles.
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Confessional: Hannah
“Benji’s odd, for lack of a better term. Can’t say I don’t like him, but if he keeps saying shit like that then we’re gonna need to work on his people skills.
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On the other hand, Amelie and Jade were completely silent.
Jade was collecting wood on her lonesome, occasionally giving Amelie a side-eye.
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Confessional: Jade
She sighs.
“Wonderful. Thought I could make an early alliance, but I’d rather not have Ms. ‘Target on my Back’ as the first one.” Jade pauses to think. “I’ll leave it up to chance.”
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“So, Amelie.” Jade clears her throat. “The hell was that?”
“Excuse me? How dare-”
“Stop. Just answer my question. Why so aggressive?” Jade affirms. Amelie seems taken aback.
“I was simply putting people in their place. I can’t-”
“Bossing people around isn’t going to get you anywhere. With all due respect, social game is the most important aspect of this kind of competition.” Jade explains.
“I don’t need your branch, Jade.” Amelie refutes. “If you’re offering an alliance, then of course. If you’re offering a kinship? Then just remember; I’m in charge.” Amelie bites back with similar levels of dominance.
The two women glare at each other momentarily, before turning their backs.
Then, they continue to collect wood.
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Confessional: Amelie
“You really can’t get the staff around here.” Amelie says, clearly annoyed. “Ça ne fait rien, the world keeps turning. I’ll get more opportunities. Better opportunities.”
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A few moments after, Tristan and Zaid arrive at an abandoned tent. It was decrepit, covered in dirt, but filled with glorious props.
“Score!” Tristan runs over to a small bundle of dirty toy ducks, grinning.
“Look at this tent, dude. We could have, like... a dark carnival theme.” They continue.
“Well, what d’ya know?” Zaid follows over. “We got this, uhh...” He steps towards the miscellaneous large object. “A big face?”
“That’s totally going on the front.” The goth attempts to pick it up, failing.
“You need some help, man?” Zaid offers, making Tristan wince again.
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Confessional: Tristan
“Hey. I’m non-binary, by the way. I know I gotta tell people, so they don’t misgender me. But... it feels more awkward having to explain it. Y’know?”
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“Sorry, I...” Tristan coughs.
“It’s cool, dude. I don’t mind helping.” Zaid smiles.
With the help of the Zaid, the duo manages to lift the face, with great difficulty, and start making their way back to their campgrounds.
Finally, we had the green team. They approached their camp, and were met with the sight of a fresh, flowered area. There were plenty of insects crawling around, and a small circular patch of grass where a supposed campfire could be started.
“Alright.” Marissa asserts, glancing around. “It took us a while to get here, so we should start ASAP.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Ivy replies, grinning. Spencer, next to her, rolls his eyes.
“What? She doesn’t look like a ma’am?” Ivy reaffirms.
Marissa deadpans, looking back at the map.
“Anyway... we haven’t got much to work with here. Any brainiacs with ideas?” She glances around for suggestions.
“Yeah, I’ve got one.” Ted calls out.
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Confessional: Ted
“Marissa’s taking charge. That’s good. If we do bad in a challenge, it’ll all be on her, and she’ll be the one going home.” He smiles to himself.
“What? Not like we’re gonna lose any muscle on the team. Just look at Diego.” Ted’s smile becomes a smirk. “Or, better yet, look at me.” He flexes his arm dad-ishly.
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“There’s a bunch of trees around here. What if we just, like, decorated some o’ those?” Ted suggests.
“Okay, but what will we do when it rains?” Isabel asks, curious.
“Duh. We’ll hang the tarp over our heads.” Ted says.
“That’s only if we win, idiot. We need to ensure we won’t be drenched when rain inevitably comes.” Spencer yells out.
“Well... at least I tried, okay? What’s a nun doing out here anyway?” Ted says, flustered.
“I didn’t even...”
“Okay! Okay! Let’s calm down for a second.” Marissa calls out. “Ted, thank you for volunteering your idea. Anyone else? Diego?” She turns to the seemingly quiet man.
“Hm?” He looks up.
“Anything you think we could do for our shelter?” She repeats.
“Oh, sorry. We could pitch up some tents?” He suggests. “There’s plenty of grass and leaves around here. It would fit nicely with the “green team” aesthetic.” He continues, suddenly chatty.
“Wow, that’s... a good idea.” Isabel exclaims. “I vote for Diego’s idea.”
“I second that!” Ivy shouts.
“We-” Marissa sighs. “Alright. Raise your hand if you’d like to do Diego’s idea.” In response everyone except Ted raises their hand. “Alright. Tents it is.”
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Confessional: Marissa
“This is turning out to be pretty fun. I’m not exactly infamous for running away from a challenge, albeit.” Marissa sits back. “In the future, I’ll be enlisting in the military. Taking on a rough role of, hopefully, a lieutenant. Just like my father.” She looks down at her lap shyly. “This is merely the training grounds.”
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In one area, Diego, Spencer, and Ted were all rummaging around in some shrubbery, looking for things to create a camp.
Ted, ever the ambitious man, couldn’t bear the silence.
“What are we even searching for, again? I’m just finding a bunch of leaves.” He complains.
“Yes, that is the point. Look for the green ones with pointed ends.” Diego says.
“They’re all fucking green! And they all have pointed ends.”
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Confessional: Spencer
“Watching this is... pathetic. I’ve been studying statistical probability in university for the past, what? Year or so? Never have I seen such a dysfunctional bundle.”
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“C’mon, mate. If you want to help, go and fetch some vines, or something. It’ll help pitching the tent.” Spencer suggests, and Ted grins.
“Sure! I can do that. Better than him, at least.” Ted glares back at Diego and then wanders off into the woods.
Diego sighs.
“Sorry about him, amigo. Not sure why he’s so riled up at me.” Diego whines.
“Probably because your idea was better than his. Some men simply have fragile masculinity.” Spencer explains casually.
“That’s certainly one way of putting it.” Diego chuckles.
“So, you explore jungles often?” Spencer asks. “You seem to know what you’re talking about. And your attire is...” Spencer gestures vaguely at Diego. Diego blushes.
“Oh! Well, - I’m a tour guide. One of Colombia’s best.”
“Figures. I’ve got an aunt who lives out there.” Spencer replies. Diego opens his mouth to contribute but falls short. “We don’t talk much anymore. She’s in prison, now.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.” Diego says sympathetically.
“Don’t be. Not your fault.” Spencer shrugs, walking to collect more leaves.
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Confessional: Diego
"Spencer’s life is already sounding a little tragic. I can’t help but feel a little bad for him. He’s got this adorable face that I just wanna hug, you know?” He sighs dreamily, now ignoring the camera completely.
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A few hours later, nighttime had finally arrived. Tents were structured and shelters were built. There was positivity radiating from most.
First up, was to judge the blue team.
Walking up to the shelter was one of the hosts. However, there was a lack of any Derek or any Trevor in sight.
Instead, there stood Emily. She stepped forward, scowling.
“Hello!” She called out. As she did, the six members all waddled out of the shelter to greet her.
“Hello?” Anastasia’s disinterested voice called out. “Why are you here? Weren’t you hospitalised last season?”
“If you must know, I’m perfectly healthy now. The body cast was a bit dramatic, they just broke a few of my ribs.” Emily scoffed.
“H-how are you talking about that so c-casually?” Logan stuttered, gagging.
“Whatever. That’s not important. Just show me the shelter so we can get it over with.” She groans.
“Emily, I know you’re, like, a diva and all that. But where’s the other two?” Natalia asks, looking unnaturally giddy.
“Just show me the shelter so we can get it over with.” Emily snarls.
Everyone stands by, allowing her access into the shelter. She looks up and down, unimpressed.
“Why is it so ugly?” She asks bluntly.
“Well... we were more focused on survival rather than the look of it.” Richard explains. “Plus, it’s super sturdy. See?” Richard harshly punches the side of the shelter, it not moving an inch.
“Right. Sure. Is there anything else to it, or is that it?” Emily asks.
Silence.
“It’s got some fishes on it?” Alessio gestures behind him to the blue fish he had painted on the side.
“You think some fish’ll earn us the points? I think we accept our loss right here right now.” Lynda complains.
“So, you forfeit?” Emily asks.
“NO! We don’t.” Anastasia exclaims. She glares back at Lynda. “Keep your mouth shut. Do you want to win or not?”
“Whatever. I’ve seen enough here.” Emily scoffs, walking away, leaving behind a miserable-looking blue team.
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Confessional: Anastasia
“Why is everyone already getting on my last nerve? It pains me to say this, but I’m preferring the men to the women on this team. Even the Italian fellow is tolerable.” Anastasia huffs.
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On the other side of the carnival, Emily stood before the red team’s shelter.
It looked like a haunted house.
“Where’s Derek and Trevor?” Hannah asks, noting the lack of hosts around.
“What?” Amelie yells out, coming out of the shelter to be met with the sight of Emily. “Why are you here?”
“’Cause I was called back to host as an intern. Shut up, doesn’t matter. Let’s get on with this.” Emily grumbles.
“Hey, we worked hard on this. At least be a little respectful.” Zaid complains. Emily ignores.
“I can’t tell if this looks worse or better than the last one.” Emily mutters, examining it.
She walks over and knocks her hand against the side, hearing a creak.
“It’s not very sturdy itself, but the materials are hard and sturdy. Heh." Benji explains.
“Was there no theme with this one either, or...?” Emily asks.
“Nah! We had a theme. We were thinking something gloomy, cause the carnival’s run down.” Tristan explains.
“What? When did we agree to-” Amelie opens her mouth to speak, before being interrupted by Hannah.
“Yeah! What Tristan said.”
Emily sighs.
“I’ve seen everything here. Kinda lame, but I think the concept of it is fine.” Emily then walks away.
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Confessional: Tristan
“At least I wasn’t completely ignored this time. She didn’t hate it, so... bonus?”
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Finally, for the green team’s shelter.
Emily approached some tents stuck to the ground and raised her eyebrows.
“Is that it?” She speaks.
“Oh, these? Well, they’re completely handmade!” Diego blurts out, smiling to himself.
“For sure! Ted also grabbed some vines to help keep the tents sturdy, and ensure no wind blows them away.” Ivy explains melodramatically, placing a hand on Diego’s shoulder.
Ted smiled in appreciation.
“Yep. We didn’t want to overcomplicate things with a huge monument.” Spencer points out.
“Wow. You really thought this through, huh?” Emily says in dismissal. She did seem particularly less bored at this one, though.
“Yep! I don’t really know how he managed, but Diego connected all the leaves with the vines and some twigs to make a functional doorway.” Marissa says enthusiastically.
Emily hums. She thinks for a moment, before taking a walkie-talkie out of her pocket.
When she speaks into it, the message is sent through all the speakerphones across the carnival, so that all teams can hear.
“Alright, everyone. I have my verdict.” She grins. “The winning team, by a mile and more, is the green team!”
From behind her, the green team cheers. Ivy being the loudest.
“Hell yeah! We ate them up, no cap.” The actress yells. She keeps her smile, but her pupils thin. “Why did I say that.”
Emily rolls her eyes.
“Anyhow, between the red and blue team, which both did atrociously, I’m going to have to give the win to...”
She pauses.
...
“The red team! The only thing they had going for them was the design. Red team, green team. Derek and Trevor will arrive with your tarp shortly. Blue team? You should be ashamed.” She mocks
And then morning came.
The three teams of six were peacefully standing out on their respective mats, some looking more miserable than others.
The blue team’s hair was looking wetter than the others.
“Morning, campers!” Trevor announced. “How’d everyone sleep?” He grinned.
“Is that a serious question?” Lynda grumbled, glaring at them through her drooping fringe.
“Slept like a log. Better than I thought I would, really.” Isabel stretched, looking enthusiastic.
“Enough that we’re ready to destroy the other teams again.” Hannah cheered enthusiastically.
“Hey. Calm down. We still beat your team. Green beats red any day.” Ivy teased loudly, grinning to herself.
“Well, lucky for you guys, we’re keeping it simple once again. Teamwork makes the dreamwork, eh?” Derek gives finger guns to the crowd.
They stay silent.
“...Anywho, welcome to the Demansplainer! Hell yeah!” Derek gestures behind him at the giant rollercoaster with three corresponding colours.
“Was that one of your ideas or was the carnival’s budget really that low?” Natalia groaned.
“Nope. The carnival was abandoned for a reason.” Trevor retorted.
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Confessional: Natalia
“They really need to hire more staff. Especially after last season. Shane Dawson only managed to stay relevant thanks to good PR. Disventure Camp, if you’re hiring, then...” Natalia brings a finger phone up to her ear, grinning.”
-----
“No matter that, it’s time to explain the challenge!” Derek interrupts. “On my go, everyone will ride the coaster together. During the ride, you will see 8 flags appear alongside the coaster at random intervals. After you return, you must then place the flags in the order that you saw them on the tracks at the challenge station.”
He gestures behind him at the challenge area.
“If you get the order wrong, you must send two of your members back on the coaster for a second run. This will be detrimental to your time. So, use it wisely.” Trevor snickers. “The sole winning team will win sleeping bags! Whether this will be alongside the tarp is yet to be determined.” His grin becomes a smirk.
“We read, campers?” Derek asks. He receives mostly excited nods. “Then go, go, go!”
And off they went.
Anastasia and Richard, Logan and Natalia, and Alessio and Lynda were all the respective pairs sitting on their coaster.
For red team, Amelie and Benji, Jade and Hannah, and Tristan and Zaid sat side by side one behind the other.
Finally, green team had Diego and Spencer, Ted and Isabel, and Marissa and Ivy occupied in the seats.
“You never answered my question earlier.” Ted speaks up, turning towards Isabel.
“How do you mean?” Isabel inquires.
“Well, you’re a nun, duh. What’re you doing on a... backstab-y betrayal show?” He crosses his arms.
“I-I mean... spreading God’s word?” She replies sheepishly. “But, for real? The money.” She chuckles.
“Can’t fault ya’. Can’t really understand why anybody wouldn’t be here for some cash.” Marissa suddenly says from behind them.
“Some cash? This is a million dollars we’re talking about here.” Ted exclaims. “That’s life-changing cash.”
Meanwhile, at the back, Diego looked incredibly anxious.
“You okay?” Spencer asks. Half concerned, half irritated at his fidgeting.
“Yes, sí. I’ve just never been on a rollercoaster before.” Diego admits shyly, looking out of the vehicle.
“You’ll be fine.” Spencer states. “I don’t think the producers would risk an injury within the first week.”
“That’s true...” Diego murmurs. “Can I hold onto you? J-Just for the ride. It’ll put my mind at ease.” He requests.
Spencer sighs, not wanting an argument.
“A-Alright. Don’t kill me, though. You look like you have a strong grip.” He teases, though has a serious undertone.
Diego smiles, placing his hands on Spencer’s shoulders.
Before anything else could be said, the rollercoaster began to move. Diego’s grip tightened, and Spencer scowled.
-----
Confessional: Spencer
“I can’t fault Diego for being scared, as babyish as it was. But would it hurt to release his death grip occasionally?” He groans.
-----
“Okay, team! Each person remembers a flag! Me and Richard can remember two each.” Anastasia exclaims to her team, earning four nods.
There was little to no time to see any of the flags.
By the time anyone blinked, the coaster was going so fast that they’d already passed half the flags.
And then other two were gone.
And then the coaster came to stop; everyone disoriented and wondering what on Earth the correct order was.
Blue team arrived first to their mat, rushing over to the flags.
“I’ve got the first two.” Anastasia claims. She picks up a brown-purple one, and an orange-yellow one, placing them first. “Richard?”
Everyone looks to the man expectantly, only to be met with an awkward smile.
“Uhh... sorry, I forgot. I-it went so fast!” He cries out. Lynda scowls.
“Typical men. Whatever. I know the last one was the green and blue one.” Lynda complains.
“But that’s the one I was remembering.” Logan mentions, surprised.
“What a surprise! Failing at the first chance we get.” Alessio wails. “Woe is this team.”
“Okay, the philosophy is cute, but do you remember any order?” Natalia asks.
“Ah, yes. The last one was blue and green.” Alessio claims.
“Fuck’s sake.” Natalia facepalms.
-----
Confessional: Alessio
“I wasn’t exactly putting any effort in. The aim of this game is not to be comfortable; it’s to not get voted out. This challenge doesn’t risk elimination, so why should I bother?”
-----
Green team was having similar success in their efforts.
Initially, everyone walked over to the flags and fluttered their arms around in attempt to succeed. This was unsuccessful, via Spencer.
He was humming to himself, placing the flags seemingly randomly.
“Spencer, the first one is already wrong. Can’t you discuss it with us first?” Marissa requested.
“No offense, but my memory is realistically far better than yours.” He says arrogantly.
“You’re wearing glasses. We’re supposed to trust your vision?” Ivy says, matching his tone.
“Trevor! Derek! I’ve got it.” Spencer calls out. They walk over, smiling.
“Red team thinks they have it...” Derek pauses for dramatic effect. “And they are wrong! Time to send two people back on the track.”
“Yeah. Told you.” Ivy rolls her eyes. “Fine. I’ll go on. Marissa, let’s go!” She says excitedly, not giving Marissa room to protest.
-----
Confessional: Ivy
“I’m not exactly known for being on the downlow. Being a theatre kid does that to a gal, you know? Growing up in Hungary, I was kinda a nepo baby. I wouldn’t call myself upper class but having parents as famous actors helped our annual holiday trips. I’ve always wanted to be just like them! But I wanna do it myself. Without the status to help. Just... do it my way.” Ivy says passionately, unaware of her random monologue.
-----
Red team had a much higher morale than the other teams. Before a word could be uttered at all, Benji rushed towards the flags, thrilled.
“Are we sure we trust Benji to figure it out?” Zaid whispers to Tristan.
“I dunno, he’s got glasses. He’s probably smart.” Tristan shrugs, looking confident.
“Are you gonna let anyone else volunteer, dude?” Hannah calls out, seeing Benji organise the flags giddily.
“I got this! Memory’s my whole thing!” He squeals. “Shit, what was the last one again?” Benji grips his hair, a little irritated.
Hannah glares over at blue team’s order, shrugging.
“Try the blue and green one.” She suggests.
“Okay!” Benji places the flag at the end. “Come on... hole in one!” He waves his hands over at Trevor and Derek. Hannah raises an eyebrow.
“Y-Y’know... like in golf?” He recovers non-elegantly.
“Red team seems to think that they have it...” Trevor places a hand to his chin. “And they are correct! The Red Team wins the reward!” He cheers. The red team responds imitatively, cheering.
By the time they’d finished, Ivy and Marissa had just gotten off the rollercoaster. Marissa looked a little woozy and ran off somewhere behind a bush.
-----
Confessional: Logan
“We flopped. Again.” He whines. “We didn’t even submit an answer, and the red team had it! Come on, if we’re gonna win, we need to step up our game.” Logan punches his fists together, grinning.
-----
Confessional: Jade
“As... questionable as Benji's choice of words are, he won us the challenge today. He didn’t spark me as the type of guy to do so. Maybe I could use him in the future as a potential ally.” Jade theorises.
-----
“Red team! Come collect your sleeping bags. Not only do you have a cozy warm tarp, but now you have these to snuggle into. Isn’t camping just fun?” Trevor falls dramatically into Derek’s arms, quickly collecting himself.
We then cut to the green team, who seemed a bit beaten up after the loss.
Diego, in particular, was looking especially miserable, and sat down alone in one of the tents.
Marissa entered, smiling sympathetically.
“Hey. Are you doing okay?” Marissa asks awkwardly.
“Could be better.” Diego sighs. “I felt a little useless during that challenge.” He admits.
“Don’t worry, I don’t think anybody’s holding you against it.” Marissa reassures. “I’m certainly not. If anything, Spencer cost us the win.” She scoffs.
“Hmm... I suppose. I still wish I did more.” Diego continues.
“Hey.” Marissa repeats, placing a hand on his shoulder. She sits next to him, her smile warmer. “Don’t beat yourself up. One loss won’t create any hard feelings.”
Diego smiles, nodding.
“Thanks, Marissa.” He says shyly.
-----
Confessional: Marissa
“Well, there’s my good deed for the day.” Marissa stretches, grunting. “I’ve always been a bit of an empath, despite my career path. It’s a bit cheesy, I know. But it’s always what I knew I would do.”
-----
The red team, considering the victories, were celebrating.
Everyone, bar Jade and Amelie were sitting around a campfire outside and chatting joyfully.
Jade was watching from a distance, eyes narrowed. A moment later, she walked inside of their shelter and approached Amelie.
She was sleeping peacefully. Until Jade nudged her, that is.
“Hm?” Amelie stirred, noticing Jade. “What is your prob-” She’s cut off by Jade.
“Can we talk?” Jade enquires.
“If it’s better than my beauty sleep, then fine.” Amelie relents.
“We need to ally. I can’t emphasise that enough.” Jade explains. “Have you seen the others getting chummy out there? If our team loses, we’re the targets.”
Amelie hums in response.
“Okay, what’s your point? Even if that’s the case, two against four is still a losing battle.” Amelie replies knowledgably.
“That we work together.” Jade explains. “One smart brain is great. Two smart brains?” Jade flatters. Amelie grins.
“Alright. I’m in.” Amelie sits up, extending a hand to Jade.
They shake.
Not too long after, we cut to the blue team. Miserable was a good word to describe them.
Logan had an apple in his hand, munching on it quietly. They’d gotten a fire going, but other than that were generally distraught.
“So, basically,” Lynda began. “I cook him a whole chicken dinner. And he asks for pizza after?” She scoffs. “If that’s not ungrateful, I don’t know what is.”
Natalia agrees silently.
“So, what, you bitchslapped him? That’s what I’d have done.” She suggests.
“Hey! Knock it off.” Logan warns.
“Chill, muscleman. Sometimes children just need attitude smacked into them.” Natalia brushes him off.
“’Course I didn’t hit the boy. Can’t say I wasn’t tempted, though.” Lynda reveals.
-----
Confessional: Richard
“I’m not sure what those lads are talking about. I don’t know about them, but I’m raising my daughter to be much more civilised. Having gay parents must be hard for her, but as long as she grows up to be a decent human being, who cares?” Richard laughs.
“I never told my parents I was gay. Being closeted in the 90s was tough, but I got through it. And, hey! I got myself a loving husband in the end.” Richard places his hands on his hips. “Oh. Sorry for the spiel. I was told I need to talk about my life.”
-----
In the corner of the campfire, Anastasia sat quietly. From the corner of her vision, she noticed Emily approaching.
“You?” She calls. “What are you doing here?”
“I need everyone to gather. Trevor and Derek have another stupid surprise for everyone.” She rolls her eyes.
The team stares, dumbfounded, looking at the paper she held with curiosity. Logan took it from her.
“Send one player of your choice to meet in a private location on the map.” He reads.
-
“The player will make a decision that affects the whole team.” Hannah explains on her paper.
-
“Choose wisely. Or face the consequences.” Ivy reads, turning to her team.
“I’ll go. I’m the least indecisive person you could ever meet.” Ted volunteers, confident.
“I’m okay with whoever. Just don’t send me. That’s a whole lotta pressure I can’t handle.” Isabel shudders.
“What about Marissa?” Diego suggests. “She’s basically our team leader.” He mentions unofficially.
Marissa glances around, huffing.
“Sure. Why not?”
-----
Confessional: Marissa
“I’m not sure I agree that I’m the leader, but it’s good to know I’m trusted. Or maybe Diego’s just repaying me for earlier. Either way, I can work with this.
-----
“I’ll go! I’m the oldest one here, so I believe I would make the most mature choice.” Amelie says.
“Are you sure? You’d think being old would come with some kind of mental problems, no?” Hannah replies.
“I would keep your mouth shut if I were you.” Amelie warns.
“Personally, I agree. Amelie should go.” Jade suggests, nudging her forward.
“Seriously? You think Amelie should go?” Zaid says, surprised. “No offense, but I could name five other people on this time I’d prefer to pick.”
“C’mon, let’s be civil.” Tristan waves their hands up.
“Yeah, guys. Why don’t we take a vote?” Benji suggests.
“I vote for ‘Not Amelie’.” Zaid retorts, earning a glare from the brunette.
“I vote for ‘Zaid should be quiet’.” She glares.
“I vote for ‘Nobody Asked’.” He crosses his arms.
“Fuck you.”
“CALM DOWN!” Hannah yells. “I’ll go. If you’re gonna act like children, then I’ll do it to shut you up.”
Amelie and Zaid go quiet. Jade grins.
-----
Confessional: Jade
“It would help if Amelie would shut up, but this means they’ll likely target her before me with that huge target on her back. All I need now is a majority.” Jade thinks.
-----
“Personally, I think the blonde should do it.” Alessio says. Anastasia and Lynda deadpan.
“Which one?” Logan asks.
“The old one. You.” He points at Lynda.
“Excuse you? Who you calling old?” She growls.
“I think what Alessio’s trying to say, is that you’re wise, Lynda. That wisdom could help us out, yeah?” Natalia interjects.
“Is it not easier to send in the strongest person just in case it’s a challenge? I.e., me?” Anastasia points out.
“I’d argue Richard is the strongest.” Logan points out. “Plus, he’s also old, like Lynda.”
“Excuse you?” Lynda repeats.
“Wait- no, no. I just meant... wiser. Like you. Not old.” Logan recovers horribly.
“That’s what I thought.” Lynda huffs.
“Why not just do process of elimination?” Richard suggests. “Alessio and Lynda are a bit on the outside, me and Logan are a little dense, and Natalia hasn’t volunteered yet.” He turns to Anastasia. “Plus, she helped a lot in the challenge.”
“Thank you, Richard.”
-----
Confessional: Anastasia
“For a man, Richard is smarter than he looks. Men have always been out for me in my line of work. I’m a model; a fashionista, if you will. I’ve fought my way to the top. I’ve fought off every man who thought he could get an essence of my glory. I will do the same here. I will win this game.”
-----
Finally, the three arrived. Anastasia, Marissa, and Hannah.
They walked down a path nervously, not speaking much of a word to each other.
A sign stood there. It had an arrow pointing to the right where a small fortune-telling tent was placed.
“Go down the path together to a private booth.” Anastasia reads.
“You’re all about to make a major decision.” Hannah continues.
“You all need to agree on the decision before it is final.” Marissa finishes.
They continue walking down the path, weary and untrusting.
-----
Confessional: Marissa
“Well, this is it. This can either make or break my game. No matter the outcome, I’ll need to push through. I’ll make your proud, dad.” She makes a heart with her hands.
-----
Confessional: Anastasia
“I feel a bit of an outcast on my team. Natalia and Lynda are an unlikely bond, and the jocks have been talking about too kindly. This twist may have what it takes to save me.” She pauses. “I hope.”
-----
Confessional: Hannah
“I’m not gonna lie, I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing. I didn’t even sign up for the show, some recruiter guy in the bar I work at came up to me and said I’d probably do well, or something.” She shrugs. “Whatever. It’s a million dollars. If he thinks I can do it, then who’s to say I can’t if I don’t try?” Hannah laughs.