The girls reluctantly get ready for a hike. Yuri looks around, she's not even ready, while Sayori and Monika willingly changed their clothes in front of the others, there was no way she was doing that.
"Uhh... Monika..." Yuri practically whispers but Monika hears her.
Monika turns her whole body towards Yuri in one motion. "Yes Yuri?"
"Is there uhm... Anywhere I could... Change?"
Monika looks around. "Why not in the tent?" She points at the empty one she would be sharing soon tonight.
"Erm..." Something about changing in a tent didn't sound too appealing.
Monika looks down for a second and takes a deep breathe. "Here, go over there behind those bushes, and be quick. I'm not telling the others that way you can feel more secure, I guess."
Yuri stares at the bushes, it's better than nothing. She let's out a quick "Thank you." To Monika before grabbing her clothes and heading off behind the bushes.
Natsuki approaches Monika. The tall girl takes a deep breathe. Expecting to have the same convo considering the pink girl is still in her normal clothes.
"Are we going?" She whines.
Monika looks at the small girl puzzled. "Erm... Not now, still waiting for Yuri."
Natsuki looks around. "Where is she?"
"Shes changing, she wanted some privacy, speaking of which you're uhm... Still in your clothes you wore on the way here?"
Natsuki scoffs. "I don't need to change, I was already in this outfit for an hour in a car with four stinky people! Plus, it's not like I care about this outfit anyway..."
"I uhh... Guess that makes?" Monika gives a weird smile.
Sayori suddenly jumps between them, eager to begin walking.
"Whoa calm down there." Monika says, softly chuckling.
"I don't know why you're so excited, it's just walking, except there's dirt and trees everywhere... And bugs!" Natsuki shivers at the thought.
"Well get used to bugs." Monika says while dusting herself off.
"What's wrong with bugs?" Sayori's head perks up.
"What's wrong with bugs!? They're just icky!" The small girl squeaks.
Sayori shakes her head. "They're so small though! So they can't possibly hurt us!"
Monika nods along.
"Ever heard of poison!??" Natsuki shrieks.
Yuri suddenly emerges from the bushes in a different outfit, yet still wearing long sleeves.
"Took you long enough." Natsuki says.
"Uhm... Sorry I kinda had trouble changing out here... Felt like I was being watched..."
"Out here? Most likely." Monika mirks.
Sayori squeaks again. "Let's go!" She starts hopping along before shortly realizing she had no idea which direction they were headed. "Wait which way were we-"
Monika points the opposite direction from where Sayori was going. "That way."
"Oh..."
~
A few miles of walking had proven difficult already. While Sayori and Monika seemed to be hopping along freely, Yuri and Natsuki were dragging their feet along the dirt, ruining their shoes.
"How long... Have we... Been walking?" Natsuki says, breathing heavily.
"Hmmm, 20 minutes!~" Monika's smile stays the same throughout the sentence.
Natsuki throws her head back and groans. Suddenly the tall girl pats her shoulder.
"Time will go by faster if you don't think about it..." Yuri says, out of breath aswell.
The small girl shrugs Yuri's hand off of her shoulder. "What is there to think about out here?" She says while kicking a branch.
Yuri shrugs while looking away.
Natsuki feels a little bad about throwing the tall girl's hand off of her shoulder, but she brushes it off, the painful walk was more of a bother than anything else and she wishes for anything exciting to happen before her legs explode.
Monika suddenly stops walking, and the other girls do so aswell. "Hmmm..."
Sayori's looks at Monika with curiosity. "What's up?"
"This way!" Monika takes a left off of the trail and into the woods.
The other girls stand there confused. Before Sayori happily follows along. "Wait for me!~"
Yuri and Natsuki share a glance before Yuri shrugs and follows the other two reluctantly. Natsuki rolls her eyes and follows aswell.
~
"Where are we going Monika?" Yuri asks from behind.
Monika pulls a sudden map from her pocket and tosses it behind her without looking.
Yuri shields her face and the map lands in front of her, she picks it up and scans it. "I didn't know this place had a map..."
"Well it's not like I just took you guys to some random forest and called it 'camping'!" The brunette chuckles.
"That sounds like something you'd do..." Natsuki mumbles from behind the others.
Monika looks down for a second. "Yeah, you're right."
"So how much further?" Natsuki asks.
Yuri stares at the map. "Erm..."
Natsuki snatches the map from her hand and glances over it. She then sighs.
"Better get your legs ready!" Monika teases.
"You'll make it!" Sayori calls out.
"Easy for you to say..." Natsuki pouts.
Yuri remains quiet and follows along the others, though she had the same annoyance as Natsuki right now. They soon approach a hill, Natsuki and Yuri pray that that's not where they're headed.
"Don't die yet guys!" Monika says to the others.
"Yet!?" Natsuki says.
Monika ignores her and they all proceed to walk up the hill. Natsuki's feet are already burning but she tries to hide it to look tough.
Yuri takes notice to Natsuki's weird expression. "You okay?"
"Yep!" She let's out with a painful squeal.
"You sure?" Yuri asks nervously.
Natsuki simply nods and Yuri decides not to ask any further. Even Monika and Sayori are breathing heavily.
"Okay so I might've underestimated this hill..." Monika says, out of breathe.
"We can't back down now!" Sayori says.
"What if someone were to push you?" Natsuki says, actually considering it.
"You wouldn't do that! ...Right?" Sayori glances behind her to Natsuki.
"I wouldn't wait to find out if I were you." Monika says.
~
After quite some walking, they finally reach the cliff.
"Wow!" Sayori peaks over the cliff of a waterfall, close enough to the point where she'd fall with one wrong move.
The purple haired girl seemed to be the only one who noticed. "S- Sayori be careful..." Sayori doesn't respond.
Monika however, takes notice, she walks over to Sayori, but instead of warning her, she simply sits with her feet dangling off the edge. And Sayori does the same.
"Are you guys crazy!?" Natsuki yells.
"What? Don't be so scared Natsuki!" Monika teases.
"What? I'm not! I just don't feel like dying today!"
"Sureee." Monika says sarcastically.
"The view is amazing! Come on guys!" Sayori beams at the other two and Monika gestures them to come over.
Natsuki doesn't budge but Yuri slowly walks over and takes a seat next to Sayori.
"I- I'm good over here!" Natsuki calls out, annoyed that Yuri of all people could out do her.
"Are you sure about that?" Monika says.
Natsuki grunts and walks over to Yuri and sits down with her arms crossed and her head up.
"Aren't you... Gonna look down?" Sayori says.
"Pshh..." Natsuki almost looks down but immidieatley her head forces itself up again.
Monika chuckles. "The view is the best part, you wimp!"
"Hey! I'm not a-" she suddenly looks down and finds her self scooting away from the edge. "JESUS!"
"Yuri giggles. That's a bit of an over reaction..." She mumbles.
"Sh- Shut up!"
"Need someone to hold your hand or something?" Monika teases once again.
"That would be nice- I mean no!" The small girl marches over to the edge again and sits down. She gulps. "How long do we plan on being here!?"
"All night maybe..." Monika smirks.
"Group cuddle!" Sayori shouts before wrapping her arm around Yuri and Monika.
Yuri feels a little uncomfortable but lets Sayori do it anyways.
The four teens sit in silence admiring the view. Monika feels a little comfort, apart from being two seconds away from death, something about the current spot she's in brings warmth to her heart, something she hasn't felt in a while.
~
After a little while, they decide to head back, as it's starting to get dark outside. The four girls stick close to eachother on their way back, making sure not to get lost because of how dark it is and the fact that no one brought a flashlight.
"Are you sure this is the right way?" Natsuki says.
"The map says it is..." Monika waves the map in the air.
Sayori coughs. "Make sure it isn't upside down, I accidentally read a book once not realizing it was upside down-"
"Of course you did." The pink hair girl scoffs.
Monika stops in her tracks. "Where's Yuri?"
The other two look around.
"Yuri?" Sayori calls out. There's no response.
"She was right next to me!" Natsuki says.
Monika takes a deep breath. "Remain calm..."
"What are we gonna do!?" Sayori sqeuals.
"Guys I'm right here..." Yuri emerges from behind them.
"GHOST!" Sayori wacks Yuri with a nearby branch, causing the big girl to collapse over holding her face. Natsuki stares at Sayori who just awkwardly laughs it off.
"Are you okay?" Monika asks, helping her back up.
"Yeah..."
"Sorry!" Sayori hugs Yuri.
"Ah-"
"Try to stay with us, I sorta kinda freaked out with you dissapearing like that." Natsuki says.
"Eh... Sorry... I thought I heard a noise behind us and when I guess I was looking back longer than I th- Thought becuase you all were gone..." Yuri explains.
"You... Heard something behind you?" Natsuki asks nervously.
"The wolves!" Sayori shouts.
Monika chuckles. "Sayori there's no w-"
"I knew it!" Natsuki points at Monika. "You brought us here to get eaten by wolves!"
"What? No that's not... It was probably just the wind!" Monika says.
"Guys, let's not make a big deal out of this..." Yuri says.
"This is how horror movies happen..." Natsuki says, while looking around the others.
Soon they start walking back to their camp, Natsuki nervous about the earlier event.
~
After finally reaching the camp, Monika and Natsuki start a fire and they all sit around it.
"What now?" Sayori says while shoving a smore in her face.
Monika puts her hand on her chin. "Hmmm... Ghost stories?"
Natsuki rolls her eyes. "How clichè Monika."
Sayori tosses a marshmellow at Natsuki. "For a girl who acts tough, you sure are scared of a lot of things!"
"Hey! I'm not scared this time, telling ghost stories is childish!" Natsuki crosses her arms.
"You're one to talk..." Yuri mumbles, she quickly covers her mouth when she notices Natsuki's death stare. "Uhm... Sorry..." She slowly backs away from the teen with burning eyes.
Monika snorts. "You're not sorry..."
"Fine, whatever, tell your stupid stories." Natsuki says.
"Alright." Monika clears her throat. "This is-"
"I HAVE A STORY!" Sayori shouts.
"Erm... Sayori I was kinda..."
"Please Monika?" Sayori begs.
Monika sighs. "Okay, let's hear it."
"Thanks!~" Sayori repositions herself as if getting ready for a speech. "Ahem... Once there was... Uhh..."
The other girls stare blankly.
"Uhm... I forgot..."
"Great start!" Natsuki shouts.
"Sorry..." Sayori shrinks down.
"It's okay." Monika shows her a smile, "Anyways, as I was saying... Well... You guys might not like it... The ending is-"
"Just get on with it already!" Natsuki says.
"Okay, if you insist!" Monika smirks.
They all sit around curious to what the story has to offer.
