Well, lucky for everyone involved, there is proper indoor plumbing, and Grim and I get to tidying the cabin a bit. "Hey—do that breath thing of hot air, not fire—to the outside?" He's learned a new trick recently, and it's amazing for dusting.

Which, Grim grins. "Stand back and watch the magnificent Grim work!" He declares.

And with a huff, and a puff—he blows the dust out!

We're not doing half back—with teamwork, we've got this place in decent shape before we venture back outside—a bit hot and tired and needing a water break. Sitting down on a bench outside and looking around. It's still pretty early—but that's when we hear a lot of voices and soon see a group of students approaching.

Ah! So these are all the members of the camp! Good—I pull out my camera and take a good, wide picture from a distance. Crowley wanted shots, and he wanted words. So of course I'm going to get whatever I can.

I spot—surprisingly, but not, Deuce, Ace… "Oh—I think it's the sports clubs." Huh. I laugh a little. "C'mon, Grim, let's go say hi!"

"Yeah!"

When we get closer, Grim shouts out. "HIIIIIIII!" Loudly, and the dumb duo turn, they're saying something but we can't hear them just yet.

Probably bullshit, knowing them.

"You guys are so damn slow! How long were we supposed to wait? We even cleaned up the cabin!" There goes grouchy Grim griping again. I roll my eyes where he can't see. We weren't really waiting, either, since we were being iproductive/i.

But it is cute when he has his paws on his… sides? I don't think they're long enough to sit on his hips. Actually, I have no idea how Grim's skeletal structure works.

Maybe there's x-rays in Twisted Wonderland. I want to know now.

"Hi guys." I offer.

"GRIM?" Why are they shouting in surprise? It's something, some event that probably is going to involve some bullshit shenanigans. Of COURSE we're here.

"Morning, you two." I greet pretty cheerfully, but that's because I've been iproductive/i.

Otherwise, I am so pissed about this bullshit.

"The Prefect, too? Why?" Ace is asking the right questions.

"Crowley." We don't need to explain anything else.

"Remember? No and I got forced into the paper reporting this week—and this is our first big assignment." Grim explains calmly and maturely. I'm so proud. I might cry.

"Oh… I guess…" Deuce—please. Please use that brain cell.

"I was the one that assigned this." Crowley, the crow of never approaches behind us and I feel a shudder of foreboding shiver up my spine. "—as it will be their duty to use the ghost camera to record this event, and write an article for the paper." He's smiling too much.

"You know, the amazing cameraman Grim and his lowly assistant are on it!" Grim.

I take in a breath and let it pass today. I don't care—I have running water. A working toilet. A shower. That's what I care about this weekend.

"Something like that." I comment.

"We're going to make sure to see every moment you struggle!" Oh my God I thought we were making progress! We're not.

"Bein' an asshole again…" Ace remarks.

"We're working on it." We really are.

"Ah, and yes—Coach Vargas requests cooperation with the ghosts of Dwarfs' Mine. Do not be scared—I did negotiate this arrangement as I am so kind." Crowley seems serious, but—at the same time we're missing most of his expression because of that weird-ass mask.

"Headmaster, I can take it from here!" Bellows the one and only Coach Vargas, who I now notice is… short. Like. Really short.

Compared to the Headmaster at least. That's jarring. I don't know why it's escaped my notice before? Oh right, I've five-foot-fucking-four.

Everyone's tall. Except… Riddle, Epel, and Lilia. That's it. We're the short gang. I get to be the leader, being the tallest by like an inch.

"Those ghosts are pretty familiar…" Grim and I have the same train of thought here. I remember being chased those awful days ago which was probably a month or something—it feels like an eternity, and it also feels like yesterday. Which, the chandelier incident was thankfully not yesterday. We've all come a long way since then. Except Grim.

"ATTENTION STUDENTS! Now that you're all here, we can being Camp Vargas! But before we can begin the camps events, you need to set up your own tent! I have supplies for you settled in the clearing over there—so come on, groups gather and start setting up your tents!"

There is a chorus of complaining, and talks of magic.

"EXCEPT—YOU CANNOT USE MAGIC! Please hand your magical pens, and phones to Headmaster Crowley for safe keeping. The point of Camp Vargas is not to use magic, but to use your muscles, and your brain!"

Oh yeah, there is a chorus of complaints.

"Wow. No magic. How. How difficult and strange!" I say so sarcastically. Oops.

"But if we can't have our pens, then… if we use magic we'll gather a lot of blot!" Deuce has the brain cell today. Good to know.

"CORRECT SPADE! Not that all of you heard." Boy can this man bellow. "You CANNOT use magic during this camp because you risk accumulating Blot! Remember, too much Blot accumulates and can result in a dangerous state known as iOverblot/i. SO it is imperative during this camp that you do NOT use your magic! AM I UNDERSTOOD?" Boy, Vargas. Please. Shhh.

"YES, SIR!" Many shout out in unison.

I think I heard that loud guy Sebek. A glance around tells me, yes, I did. What club is he in? Hm.

And he's made his way to stand near Deuce and Ace. We totally adopted another one! I think I see Epel and Jack nearby too!

Totally have a group of freshmen now. Team building mission accomplished. And, we've got a member from the majority of the dorms. Heartslabyul, Ramshackle, Savanaclaw, Pomefiore, and Diasomnia. That's pretty impressive even if people are going to say Ramshackle doesn't count—but clearly it does. Maybe. Not really.

Students are shuffling over, handing their pens and their phones, which Crowley is labeling with a magic spell. Good, because so many of them look alike that it would cause some major problems in the future…

Huh.

Look at me, I have nothing to hand over!

It takes a hot minute to get through everyone—and I see several faces I recognize, including Leona, Ruggie, Riddle… oh, isn't that one of the Leech twins? One of those scary fucks that chased us? Yeah, avoiding that guy.

I'm not sure which one that is either… Hm. Not great.

But, we head off following Coach Vargas—ignoring what Crowley says as he departs. It's not a far set to the campsite either—and we see a pile of tenting supplies.

"Grim. No Wei." Ehk, I hate when I'm addressed directly by Coach.

"Yes?" I ask.

"You two will supervise. Make sure no one uses magic!" Why are we given work, too?

"Sure. We're… going to wander around and record anyway." I pull out my camera.

"Excellent!"

"This place is huge…" Grim remarks, as Vargas starts with the announcements.

He informs the students that each tent holds about two people, and there's enough for everyone—so each club needs to gather as many as they need for their members. I see groups already forming for each of the sports clubs, and how they're gathering around and counting out—then grasping tents. It's…

Oh. He gives them an hour.

That's… going to be pretty entertaining. I take a picture of the start up.

And, there's even tools.

"Let's check the groups out." I say to Grim.

"Yeah!" He's excited. I… guess I don't know why.

But, I feel a presence approach! Turning around, I spot Ruggie and Leona! And… they are decked out in some pretty swanky sports wear. Huh. Those look like expensive, high-fashion duds. I—am not commenting at all, because all I wore was my athletic gear. I don't really have much clothes…

"Ruggie, you got it?" Leona asks with a smirk.

"Shishishi—right here." He pulls out something from his bag.

A… hat?

"Good." I do not like the continued smirk on Leona's face.

And Ruggie comes over, firmly shoving the hat on my head. Which causes me to blurt out what is basically a verbal keysmash in surprise.

"See? Perfect! What did I tell you?" And there's more laughter from Ruggie.

Now my hair is messed up and I reach to adjust it…

"...It says… Lil'… uh…" Right, Grim's a slow reader. Yeah.

"Lil' Bun." Leona finishes, snickering.

"Huh." I just. "Well, I needed a hat for this anyway! Thanks a lot, Leona! I appreciate you thinking about me." I give a nice, big smile. He was the one that declared our friendship in the first place and I will not let him live that down as long as he lives.

The two of them shut up, and give each other confused looks.

"C'mon, Grim—let's go greet others. Thanks again!" And off I go.

Actually, I do not mind a cutesy hat at all. Girl advantage.

"How about Riddle's club?" Grim asks as we head away from those two.

"The… Equestrian, was it?" I think I remember Riddle mentioning it, and a horse he has—I don't remember its name at the moment.

"Yeah!" We do spot the teapot tyrant, and head over.

I see Sebek who is… I realize he's wearing a raincoat? I think that's a raincoat, with a hoodie underneath. He's got a lot of weird patches sewn onto the green jacket—it looks like… two sets of horns, two things of fire, a mask, a lightning bolt, a spinning wheel… and maybe a dragon head? Did he put them on himself?

Honestly, I didn't get a good look at him last time, but his hair is slicked back—but it has an odd kink to it, sort of like lightning, I guess, when you draw it like a kid. It's a very light green—and he has some pretty neat, but thick eyebrows that are currently furrowed.

I notice he also has pointed fangs, like the beastmen—and his green eyes are multi-color, with a slit pupil like a cat. He did say something about being half… noct fae? I don't really remember. There was a LOT of information there. I might need a follow-up.

"—is this place dangerous?" I catch Sebek saying in a somewhat-normal volume.

"It is better to be cautious than unaware." Yeah, that sounds like Riddle alright. I guess he's head of the club? Or at least a well-respected member of it. "We'll set our tents up here."

There's… a silver-haired student, with strange, dazzling purple eyes. He looks so serious—and, by the green, he's a diasomnia student. I notice the old, worn callouses on his hands, but he also, for a moment, looks… sleepy?

They're setting up their tents by the river… I take a picture. "C'mon, let's not interrupt." I tell Grim.

"Yeah, yeah…" Grim of course comes with me.

It's the Track and Field club. I see Jack and Deuce with their group, talking—I'm waiting to get a good photo—and I catch Jack's Tsundere face. Yeah, I get a nice photo of that. It's a good picture moment.

There's many.

Admittedly, I'm having fun watching their struggles—and I don't offer to help, either, because I am not a member of these clubs. I am the news. I am here to give an unbiased perspective on the event and catalog it—as news reporters should be—and my biases shouldn't exist. At all. I have none. That's a fact. I am neutral—doesn't matter if my friends are here, I can't give bullshit because of it.

The Magishift Club is—well, basically it's Ruggie and Epel being good workers and Leona being his lazy self.

But they're working hard and I get good photos.

"You know, I think the Track and Field are doing great—and so is the Magishift!" Grim's giving compliments without complimenting himself! I'M SO PROUD!

Every day is a possibility for progress and when it happens I just—oh, I'm a little teary eyed.

"You think so?" I ask. But what does he know about camping…?

We walk and view the Basketball Club… and it doesn't look great. Jamil looks like he's about to burst a blood vessel and I don't know why, but it might be because of Floyd.

Ace is—okay, Ace has that panicked expression. I get a photo of it.

I'm an ass.

Grim has pretty good ears, too—he can hear them, and I can't.

"TIME IS UP!" We hear Vargas call—and there are a lot of tents now—and some with some… awkward shapes, but I get a good shot far off of it all. This I think might be one of the main pics and points at their accomplishments with set-up. It's not bad at all, especially when I doubt most of them have done this before. Good job, boys.

Vargas gives a very thorough look over the tents. "Some are pretty sloppy… but overall it's fine." He's kind of harsh, huh? And I can hear his booming voice from all the way back here. "The clubs passed!"

I can't hear whatever students are saying… but I can see sass from a distance. Snapshot time.

"NOW!" Vargas ignored all commentary. Fair. "Since you are warmed up and your muscles are clearly ready for more, let me tell you about your tasks for today!" I've got my notebook out, and I start jotting down his instructions. Basically, the teams need to collect badges from the ghosts after they complete the missions. If they do not get all seven badges in three days, they fail—if they succeed, they get a prize. Failure means the club is disbanded. Oh shit.

That's. Wow.

Maybe… that's why there's not that many clubs? Huh.

SO the first day has three missions—they need to light a fire and keep fire wood, they need to fish for food and cook it successfully, and then they need to go to the mines and get magistones that are one cubic centimetre and more than a gram. Uh.

What?

So, the students are pulling out pamphlets as well, and getting instructions on tools and that all of this must be done by sunset.

Wow. I'm.

I'm so glad we're not participating!

"Did you get all that?" Grim asks me.

"Yeah. Let's take some pictures, and then pick who to follow. Okay?"

"Yeah!"

I've got the notebook under arm, and the camera in hand. I'm turning to take some pictures of the teams making their plans. It's really good to see actual cooperation among students at Night Raven College, because, let's face it? It's not common. And I'm honestly zero-percent fond of that—which is why I like making friends and having team work! It's great.

I think the mines will be fine… Deuce, Ace, Grim, and I defeated the monster at the start of the school year—so it should be safe now, especially with the ghosts' cooperating.

"I HAVE NO OBJECTIONS!" That is definitely a Sebek shout, and both Grim and I screech and jump.

"GOD ALMIGHTY SEBEK, A THREE!" I call out.

I'm ignored.

"NO WE DON'T!" Sebek. PLEASE.

"COULD YOU NOT?!" He's SCARING me!

"How about we go where Sebek isn't?" Grim grumbles.

"I… agree." And off we head, trailing after part of the Magishift club.

The first person we run into is Epel.

"Hey Epel!" Grim calls out excitedly with a wave.

"AH… Grim, No…" Epel looks so sweet all the time, but I know better.

You can't be soft-hearted and be in the same club as Leona, after all.

I'm still curious of why he's in Pomefiore… Something about the shape of the soul, if I recall. Huh.

"We're starting with you first!" Grim declares. "You're collecting firewood in the woods, right?"

"Mhm! We just finished getting firewood, actually." He looks pretty excited.

"Why is there leaves and twigs? Those burn easily… too easily…" Oh… Grim breathes fire. He doesn't know anything about a fire-starter.

I.

I never… thought… about that before—huh.

"It's called a fire-starter, Grim. You're a fire-breathing monster and all, but for us non-fire-breathers, it's to get the fire going and the wood burns slower, longer, to keep people warm that don't have fur coats." Ruggie's giving a bit of a laugh.

"Huh. Sucks to be you guys." Grim laughs a little—ah, don't stroke his ego…

"How are we going to start it?" Epel asks.

"I'll show you. C'mon, let's get back." I definitely hear a shishishi laugh from Ruggie, too.

If he tries to use Grim, I'm charging.

We go with them, might as well get some pictures of the fire-starting.

And—there's lazy Leona there to greet up.

"Huh. You're back… with extras." Leona looks… tired. So that's actually not unsual.

"So Leona was here all along—slacking, as usual." Grim, while you are absolutely right, this is not a fight we can win. Magic or no magic.

"How's my best bud doing?" He can't escape friendship now, he's the one that declared it to the entire world, after all.

As expected, Leona ignores me. "Talking shit, fur ball?"

"No!" Grim is either denying it or calling for me. I'm really not sure, actually.

But this isn't on me. I think.

"Ruggie—you're going to show us how to light it, right?" Epel looks so sweet, too. It just…

I'm not sure how to describe it.

Ruggie's setting things up, and gives a satisfied hum. Describing the structure of a proper camp fire. I'm not surprised he knows this—he's the survivalist type, clearly.

I take a couple pictures too, and tuck them away.

"And see? This rock—and this steel file…" Ah, flint and steel. Not surprised.

"Where'd you get a file?" Grim asks.

Probably keeps it after an escape from prison, but I'm not voicing that theory aloud. Not yet.

"From the toolboxes." Ruggie gestures over to them casually. "It's meant for this, anyway."

He explains further, showing the proper technique to make sparks, and bam! Fire. As man has done for eons… I think in Twisted Wonderland too—but considering the whole magic thing? Maybe not.

Huh.

Maybe I'll ask Professor Trein about it later… I'm actually curious, now.

I don't know why Epel and Grim are shocked about him making fire… weird. I'm. I'm just going to take some pictures. Go me.

A lot of people are oo-ing and aw-ing.

Fucking city folk.

I just realized that Ruggie's shirt says ihungry/i.

"Hey! Ghost!" Ruggie calls out.

And—receives a patch! I get the pinnacle moment on camera, too. Ten out of ten work, Reporter No.

Oh, right, Vargas Badge. Whatever.

It's a pretty feel-good moment, but—suddenly party pooper cuts in.

"It's too early to celebrate." Leona, can we—uh.

Okay.

So this strange, wood-like creature with wings appears—it's jingling. I—um. I'm sort of—oh wait! The pointed ears, the wings? It's a fairy! I was paying attention to Sebek's long-winded spiel yesterday! But why is a fairy here? What does it want, exactly?

There's a bit of panic among the group—but then we see there's a small swarm of them!

"Why are they here?'

"Why are they mad?"

Leona lets out the biggest sigh. "It's because of the fire."

"It's my fault?!" Ruggie looks appropriately panicked. "But why? Oh, forget it! It doesn't matter! We have to drive them away, and fast, before they do something to the fire."

It's a fight.

Honestly, I was sort of waiting for this drama. But I stand back and take a couple pictures. I am here to report, after all.

"Stop that bullshit and direct, iMister Friendship Coordinator/i." I hear Leona's mocking tone.

"Ah—but I'm a reporter right now, Mr. Kingscholar! Are you sure you need my bunny help?" I'm picking a fight during a fight. Not a good move on my part.

"NO! Please help!" Epel calls out.

"C'mon! Stop bickering—what do we need to do!?" Ruggie calls.

Okay, I am being an asshole. I tuck the camera away, and assess.

I've got it.