Chapter 83: Chapter 80: Tent Trouble Chaos

The group finally arrived at the campsite after what felt like an eternity in Aether’s chaotic driving. The sun hung high in the sky, casting golden light over the open field where rows of tents were already being pitched by other students.

Everyone hopped out of the car, stretching their limbs and taking a deep breath of the fresh air. Aether clapped his hands together with an overly cheerful grin.

“Alright, team! Let’s set up our tents!”

Amber’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “This is going to be so much fun!”

Albedo adjusted his backpack, already scanning the area to determine the best spot to pitch their tents. “Let’s find a flat area away from any trees. It’ll save us trouble if it rains.”

Kazuha nodded thoughtfully. “And away from the campfire spot. We don’t want smoke blowing into our tents all night.”

Scaramouche groaned, arms crossed. “Why do I feel like I’ll end up doing most of the work?”

Lumine raised an eyebrow at him. “Because you probably will if you keep standing there doing nothing.”

With everyone mildly motivated, they split into pairs to start setting up.

Ayaka & Amber:

Amber and Ayaka worked on their tent together. Amber enthusiastically pounded tent pegs into the ground while Ayaka struggled to hold the tent poles steady.

“Amber, wait! You’re hitting them too hard!” Ayaka cried, her voice full of concern.

Amber froze mid-swing. “Oh no, did I bend it?!”

Ayaka sighed in defeat as one of the poles leaned awkwardly to the side. The tent now resembled more of a collapsed umbrella than anything else.

“Maybe we should… start over,” Ayaka suggested gently.

Amber laughed sheepishly. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”

Venti & Albedo:

Meanwhile, Venti and Albedo worked side by side, though it was quickly becoming clear that Venti was more of a liability than a helper.

“Venti, hold the pole steady!” Albedo instructed, his voice calm but firm.

Venti saluted dramatically. “Aye, Captain Albedo!”

The moment Albedo turned his back, Venti started spinning one of the poles like a baton. It was all fun and games until it slipped from his hand and smacked Albedo square in the back.

“Ouch!” Albedo flinched, turning around slowly with narrowed eyes.

Venti froze, holding up his hands. “It was an accident, I swear!”

Albedo pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just… just hold still and let me handle this.”

Kazuha & Aether:

Kazuha and Aether seemed to have the smoothest setup so far—at least at first.

“This isn’t so bad,” Kazuha said with a faint smile as he adjusted one of the ropes.

Aether smirked confidently. “See? We’re naturals at this.”

But fate had other plans. Just as Aether pulled one of the ropes tight, the opposite side of the tent collapsed entirely, causing the whole structure to flop onto Kazuha.

Aether froze in horror. “Kazuha? Are you alive under there?”

A muffled voice emerged from the pile of fabric. “…Barely.”

Aether frantically started trying to untangle the mess while Kazuha remained trapped under the heap.

Lumine & Scaramouche:

On the other side of the field, Lumine and Scaramouche were… well, not exactly making progress either.

“Hold the pole steady, Scaramouche!” Lumine said as she wrestled with the tent fabric.

“I am holding it steady!” Scaramouche snapped, his brows furrowed.

The pole suddenly slipped from his hands, and the tent collapsed on Lumine.

“Seriously?!” her muffled voice came from under the fabric.

Scaramouche raised an eyebrow. “Well, maybe if you’d given me better instructions—”

Before he could finish, Lumine’s hand shot out from under the fabric and grabbed his ankle, pulling him down into the tent with her.

From the outside, it looked like the tent had swallowed them whole.

The Aftermath:

Eventually, after what felt like hours of chaos, everyone’s tents were more or less set up—though each one looked slightly crooked or misshapen in its own unique way.

Amber and Ayaka’s tent leaned dramatically to one side, as if one strong gust of wind would send it flying.

Albedo and Venti’s tent was surprisingly stable, though Venti had somehow managed to tie one of the ropes into a ridiculously oversized bow.

Aether and Kazuha’s tent stood tall, but the doorway flap refused to close properly, flapping gently in the breeze.

Lumine and Scaramouche’s tent was… questionable. It stood up, but the two of them were now sitting outside it, glaring at each other while brushing dirt off their clothes.

Venti stood up, hands on his hips as he admired their chaotic setup. “Well, look at us! A bunch of pros!”

Albedo sighed. “At least they’re standing.”

Amber clapped her hands together. “Now that the tents are up, who’s ready for lunch?”

Kazuha stretched his arms above his head. “I think we’ve earned it.”

Scaramouche brushed off the last of the dirt from his pants. “As long as Venti isn’t the one cooking, I’m in.”

Venti gasped dramatically. “How dare you!”

Lumine laughed at their banter as the group began making their way toward the camping kitchen area.

Despite the chaos, the crooked tents, and the near-disasters, there was a warmth in the air—a sense of camaraderie that made every struggle worth it.

And this was just the beginning of the trip. Chaos was far from over.