Camp Circle V! A New Threat On The Rise?

Soon the day of the winter trip comes. Chizuru sleeps when a soft hand pokes her cheek. 

Pastel "Chizuru~"

Chizuru wiggles her nose a bit before getting poked a couple more times.

Pastel "Chizuru. Time to get up, it's trip day!"

She says softly as Chizuru opens her eyes to see her mom standing above her with a soft smile. 

Chizuru "Mom..? Should you be at the office by now?.."

Pastel "I took the day so your father and I can send you off together!"

Chizuru smiles a big, tired smile.

Chizuru "I love you guys!"

At school, a bus waits in the lightly snowy parking lot as the class gathers along with their families. 

Henry "You got all your medicine?"

Chizuru "Yes."

Henry "And the backups?"

Chizuru "Yes.."

Henry "And the spares?"

Chizuru "Yes dad! I've been taking the stuff for 17 years."

She says as her dad checks over her person and bag.

Henry "Okay, just making sure. Now remember, it's gonna be kind of cold up there so make sure you bundle up. And make sure you keep an eye out for danger in those woods. Always run away if you see anything."

Chizuru rolls her eyes as Pastel approaches her. 

Chizuru "I can't believe you actually got dad to agree to this."

Pastel "It took a little convincing but he knows this will be good for you." 

Henry "I'm right here, you know."

He says, irritated with his back turned to them. They both giggle before Pastel looks at Chizuru.

Pastel "Please be safe dear. Especially with your boyfriend going too, just, you know, be safe."

She gives Chizuru a look before Chizuru blushes and pushes her mom away with an embarrassed look.

Chizuru "Ew mom! I know!"

Chizuru makes her way to the others as she looks back. Pastel and Henry both wave to her with worried but happy looks on their faces. Chizuru smiles back one last time, a big happy smile. Asami hugs Hikigaya tightly as Hamasaki kisses Shiori on the forehead.

Hamasaki "Be safe you two."

Takanou "If anything happens, just give us a call."

Asami "I'm gonna miss you, my baby boy!"

She crushes Hikigaya in her embrace before he tries shoving her off of him.

Hikigaya "Mom, let go! I'll be okay unless you squeeze me to death first!"

He shouts angrily before she lets go.

Asami "You go on and have your spiritual journey out in the woods. Maybe then you'll find your calling."

Hikigaya "Yeah, whatever… Love you mom."

He says with a pouty face as Asami smiles widely at him while waving. 

Asami "I love you both so much my babies!"

She shouts. They head towards the group as they look over to a girl shouting.

Emiko "Now get a move on! Dad expects a full report on those trees!"

She shouts before kicking Touma in the butt. He winces in pain as he rubs his butt and joins the group with a pouty look on his face. Both Touma's mom and dad sweat a bit at Emiko's actions. 

Hikigaya "She seems happy to see you go.. What was all that about?"

Touma "Hm… dad said Circle V has different trees.. Emiko took that as an order I guess…"

He says softly.

Ryuji "At least we know this trip will be educational for one of us."

He says casually, poking a little fun at Touma as he droops a bit. 

Samuel "Alright everyone! Let's get moving, shall we?"

She calls out to the students from the bus entrance. The class begins to climb into the bus, Alice follows the line with a sleepy look and a nose bubble coming from her nose. Soon, all of class 4-1 is loaded on the bus as they wave goodbye to their parents one last time. Lucy sits with a slightly pouty face as she looks down. Mormo then jumps up and onto the seat in front of her and looks at her. 

Mormo "Hey, listen here girlie. I know you don't like me much, and I mean, I don't understand why but why don't we work past it?"

Lucy looks at him with an annoyed look.

Mormo "I have this plan, see? Maybe if we-"

Haru "Hyah!"

He shouts before chopping Mormo in the side with his hand. Mormo goes flying and slams against the bus window. Lucy smirks before high fiving Haru who giggles.

Mormo "This is gonna be a long drive, isn't it?.."

He grumbles, flat against the window before sliding down. The bus rattles and rolls down the road for hours, all the way to the point where the sun lowers in the sky. The class plays games and tells stories until most of them even fall asleep. As they roll down a road surrounded by tall trees and thick forest and in the dense shadows of the forest, they see a pair of headlights going in the opposite direction. 

Kitaro "I didn't think we'd see anyone else around here."

He says casually, getting the attention of the few others who are awake. They watch as two peace officer cars escort a large transport vehicle, roughly half the size of the entire bus.

Hikigaya "Wouldn't it be crazy if the prisoners on that bus escaped?"

Shiori "That would definitely make things more fun."

She says casually before giggling with him about it. Sugawara sweats a bit at their words.

Sugawara "Don't say that…"

He says softly. Eventually, the bus makes a turn down a small road under a large sign reading "Camp Circle V". They make it all the way to the main entrance where they all make their way off the bus, stretching and yawning. 

Alice "Ah~ that was a good night's rest. Now who's up for some games?!"

She asks excitedly. 

Lucy "The sun is just setting, dummy."

Alice "Ah- Oh.."

She laughs, embarrassed. 

Staff 1 "Welcome you guys! I hope you're ready because the next five days will be filled with adventure and exploration of the value of Camp Circle V!"

Staff 2 "But for now, let's get you to your cabin so you can put your stuff away then we're off to the mess hall for dinner!"

Haru "Yeah! I'm starving!"

Hisana "I hope they have french toast and red bean soup."

She says licking her lips as Hikigaya sweats.

Hikigaya "Why would they combo that?.."

He says, drooping a bit. The students burst into the large cabin, excited to see the living quarters they'll be staying at.

Chizuru "It's so cozy in here!"

Alice "I call the top bunk!"

She shouts, throwing her bag on one of the top beds in the middle of the room. Lucy sits on a different bed.

Lucy "These are actually pretty comfy."

Hikigaya sits on one across from her.

Hikigaya "They really are, huh?"

He adds.

Haru "Outta the way! I want this one!"

He shouts while slamming into Hikigaya, shoving him to the floor before cuddling up in his bedding.

Haru "This is the spot."

Hikigaya gets up and towers over Haru in his bed with red glowing eyes. He begins strangling Haru and shaking him back and forth.

Hikigaya "Is this how it's gonna be the whole trip!?"

He shouts angrily as Shiori, Lucy and Chizuru watch them from their beds. Chizuru giggles, Lucy smirks and Shiori sighs. 

Samuel "I hope you kids like it here because you'll be staying here for the next five days."

Class "It's great!"

They say excitedly as Samuel smiles warmly.

In the mess hall, the staff show them around as they meet more staff.

Staff 1 "And this is the mess hall. Feel free to hangout here in your down time or if you just want a snack. Our head chef loves to feed others so never be afraid to ask for a little extra.

Chef "That's right! All yall kids always come in here looking underfed and flimsy. I gotta fatten you up while I can!"

The loud but kind looking lady says. She gives them a wink as Alice steps up with her fist in the air and her tongue sticking out.

Alice "Alright then! Let's get grub going! I'm starving!"

Hisana "Yeah!"

She copies her pose with big smiles on their faces.

Chef "That's what I'm talking about!"

The large lady says with a smile as she begins preparing their dishes. The class sits at the long table, eating and chatting happily as Chizuru looks around and blushes a bit. Touma notices.

Touma "What is it?"

He asks softly.

Chizuru "It's nothing. I'm just.. so happy! This week is going to be so fun, I just know it!"

She says with a big smile as Touma blushes a bit and smiles back with a nod. Night falls over the camp as the class enjoys the first night of their trip with warm food and a cozy cabin, together. 

Some time later, in the deep dead of night, the peace officer convoy continues through the forest. The second officer in the car in the front looks back at the large transport van for a moment before looking at the first officer driving the car. 

Officer 2 "Do you think transporting him is a good idea?.."

He asks, sweating a bit. The first officer doesn't look at him and stays in silence for a moment before responding.

Officer 1 "I don't know. All I know is he killed every other inmate in Fort Link. He can't be trusted around life.."

He says, sweating with a distraught look.

Officer 1 "The bodies…"

The second officer gets a scared look before looking back at the van again. In the van, there is an armored driver cut off from the back by a steel cage. In the back sits two heavily armed guards and only one prisoner. He is a large man in an orange jumpsuit. Metal bindings wrap around his wrists and ankles along with a black bandana covering his eyes and top of his head. The prisoner sniffs the air for a moment when the guards suddenly point their weapons to the prisoner. 

Guard 1 "Watch it."

Guard 2 "Don't even breathe wrong."

The prisoner lifts his head a bit.

Prisoner "You might want to sit down."

The man says with a deep, scratchy voice. The first guard gets irritated and stands up, pointing the gun at him.

Guard 1 "Don't speak. Not a word."

He commands angrily when suddenly, a tree on the side of the road just ahead of the escort gets struck by lightning. The initial boom of the bolt causes the front officer car to swerve in shock. The driver of the van slams on his breaks when a large portion of the tree collapses right into the road. The van tries to swerve around it but still hits it on the right side causing the whole van to topple over. Inside the van, the standing guard flips over and slams into the van's walls as the seated passengers remain restrained in their seats. The van lays on its side as the other two cars halt abruptly. The guard who wasn't seated gasps for air as he lays on the ground injured. Suddenly, a heavy stomp lands next to him as the prisoner, now freed, stands above him.

Prisoner "You should've sat back down."

He then reaches down and grabs onto the guard's neck before a crunching sound is heard.