Chapter Text
Idia's mouth hung open in sheer horror, staring at his name on the screen. He'd been chosen as one of the people to go-
Ugh, he could barely say it,
Camping.
The word echoed in his mind and he hunched over, clutching his stomach as it started to protest. He felt hot; sweat beading on his forehead, and his extremely loose, oversized shirt was suddenly far too tight. He couldn't go camping! Not without Ortho, who was not one of the people chosen to come. To make it worse, electronics were banned! Stupid Vargas, planning this whole stupid thing! Stupid, stupid, stupid!
Idia sucked in a deep, shuddering breath. It'd be okay! It'd be okay. He just had to convince Crowley to not make him go.
It would be easy, right? Just go up to the headmage and ask politely, calmly and with dignity. Yeah
.
.
.
"PLEEE-HE-HE-HEASE DON'T MAKE ME GOOO-HO-HO-HOOOOOOOO," Idia sobbed, down on his knees in front of the man with his hands clasped in front of him. "I'LL DO ANYTHIIIIIIIIIIIIING!"
Crowley looked uncomfortable, shuffling in place. "Ahem, now, Mister Shroud-"
Idia sobbed louder.
"Mister Shroud, I'm afraid the decision is final, there's nothing that can be done now that I've posted the people chosen for the trip."
Idia wailed, falling to his face and crying into the carpet. An almost comical puddle of tears spread around him. "Please....." he whimpered, reaching out weakly to clutch at Crowley's shoe. Crowley startled and shook him off like he was some ant clinging to his leg.
"I am sorry," he repeated.
Idia sobbed harder into the floor, his hair turning a dull shade of grey. With a nervous laugh, Crowley cleared his throat. "Yes, well be packed and prepared by tomorrow," he said, sealing Idia's fate.
Quick footsteps led out the door as Crowley fled the sobbing boy. Idia let out a long, pathetic whine.
"Brother?" came a voice from outside the door, flying in. Ortho's visage appeared in his peripheral vision, head tilted to the side. "Come on Brother, this can't be that bad. It'll be a good chance to make friends!"
He just let out another pitiful whine. Ortho sighed, taking hold of Idia's ankles and dragging him out, down the hall and back towards the Ignihyde dorm.
"Wait, wait!" Idia struggled. Ortho paused. "Put a blanket over me so people can't see me and know how much of a loser I am."
Ortho sighed, but left to find a blanket. Eventually he came back and draped a loose white sheet over Idia, then started dragging him again.
Once in his room, he cried in bed for an hour before deciding to be responsible and pack. Since he couldn't bring any of his electronics, he was stuck just shoving in whatever he could into a light backpack (because he'd die if he had to carry a heavy bag). Some bug spray, a few mangas, a book of crosswords, lots of snacks, matches, soap, rope, a blanket and a toothbrush. He felt like he'd forgotten something, but whatever. After trying to lift his backpack, he removed the rope and replaced it with a knife. Who knows what creatures he'd come across out there.
Oh, not that he'd be able to fight them off at all. No, he was being generous to the others, as once he was killed them they could loot his body and use the knife to protect themselves.
This was when he decided to check who else was going on the trip, and promptly collapsed to the ground again.
Vil, Leona, Jack and a few other random NPCs. Idia couldn't handle going up against such bosses! Especially Vil, at least Leona would ignore him unless he annoyed the guy! He'd probably trip and fall and Vil would hold a perfectly manicured hand up to his perfect mouth and snicker and Idia would die of shame right there. -300 health instantly. One shot KO.
Idia sobbed into his floor for another thirty minutes, then pushed himself to his feet. Right, clothes. He had to bring clothes, didn't he, that was the thing he'd forgotten.
He threw in three thick hoodies and a pair of blue t-shirts, and one pair of cargo pants. If anyone asked, he'd say the cargo pants were for the pockets but really he just liked the way they didn't press against his skin too much. Tighter pants were extremely uncomfortable against his skin. Then he paused for a moment before throwing in a compass he won in a contest (not the prize he'd been going for but it might come in handy now). All the camping animes he'd seen had something bad happen and he had to be prepared to fight for his life.
After he finished the emotionally draining activity of packing his backpack for a three day camp, Idia crawled into his gaming chair and started up Legend of Zegend. Time to play away his worries for the next eight hours straight.
~~
Vil hummed as he gazed at the list of people who would be attending the camping trip. It certainly wasn't the... best... of groups. Leona would be there, which would be horrible. The lion beastman got on his nerves for his refusal to take any pride in or care of his appearance, and for his snarky responses every time Vil said something about it. Idia annoyed him for much the same reason, but Vil liked him a lot more than Leona. Perhaps it was because the boy was so pathetic that he couldn't possibly get mad at him.
It'd be like getting angry at a wet puppy. Besides, Idia wasn't nearly so snarky as Leona was.
Jack was his one saving grace in that group. He was the one person Vil knew wouldn't annoy him, and that wouldn't fanboy over him (looking at you, random potatoes in the group).
With a sigh, Vil pulled out two large bags starting to pack the essentials: his skincare, makeup, four changes of clothes, five different pairs of shoes, haircare, toiletries, sunscreen, a pair of shades, a towel in case they were expected to go swimming, his diary and bugspray. Then he packed three days' worth of pre-prepared meals and two water bottles, because he didn't want to know what Vargas was going to try to make them eat and drink on this trip.
He nodded at the bags, hands on his hips. That was pretty much it, unless he had forgotten something. Well, he didn't have a sleeping bag but he could buy one at Sam's store tomorrow. Vil stood them beside his door and set out his outfit for the first day, then took a shower, did his nightly skincare routine and went to bed.
He slid under the silk sheets, sighing with contentment and falling asleep easily.