Twisted Wonderland 2

To Camping Perfection

Students fill the lecture hall in the early morning. The Headmage called a meeting everyone who are in a sports club. The students grumble as they mingle about, mostly complaining about why they have to be up so early.

Crowley stands at the podium and gathers everyone's attention. "I'm going to start by taking roll. Each representative should speak up when I call your club. Is the Equestrian Club here?"

"Naturally." Riddle answers. "All members present and accounted for."

"Next up, the Track Club."

Jack raises his hand. "Here!"

"And the Basketball Club?"

"Present." Jamil says.

"Which leaves the Spelldrive Club."

No one responds. Leona is kicked back in his chair, arms folded and his eyes closed.

Crowley quirks an eye. "Hello? Spelldrive Club? Are they absent?"

"We're here!" Ruggie exclaims. "The whole club's here, sir!"

"Very good." Crowley nods. "A full house, as it were."

"That was close." Ruggie scowls at the sleeping lion. "The last thing we need is people accusing us of not having any team spirit or something. You really went and dozed off before the meeting even began, Leona? Talk about audacity."

Leona doesn't appear to have heard him, still sleeping.

Ruggie sighs. "Guess talking to him isn't gonna wake him up..."

"Now on to the topic at hand." Crowley says. "I suppose I should begin by explaining why I summoned you all here. I realize this is short notice, but next week you'll all be going to a camp in the mountains, let's say. It's called Camp Vargas. As the name implies, it's a three day training camp overseen by our very own Coach Vargas. All athletic club members are expected to attend."

The students start to murmur to one another, questioning and complaining about this training camp.

"If you would all quiet down?" Crowley steps back. "Coach Vargas will elucidate. The floor is yours, Coach."

"Right!" Vargas steps to the podium. "Okay, here's the deal! Night Raven College is an athletic powerhouse, and we've been rocketing up the ranks in our division. Which is to be expected with ME at the helm. But why stop there, when I could give you even more opportunities to grow?"

No one seems too happy about this.

Vargas continues anyway. "That's where Camp Vargas comes in. You'll spend three days in the great outdoors, testing your mettle against several special challenges I've cooked up. They've all been specially designed to test you all to your limits! And that's the point! Anyone who surmounts these challenges will be well on their way to becoming a strapping stud like me. Now, obviously, getting to my level is no mean feat. I figured you all could do with some extra motivation, so the headmage has agreed to provide an incentive."

Crowley nods. "Indeed. I will purchase any one thing for any club that completes all of their challenges."

Ruggie's ears perk up. "Anything? Did you just say ANYTHING?"

"Ah, no, I didn't mean ANYTHING." Crowley clears his throat. "It was a poor choice of words. Please, banish the thought from your minds! Generosity has its limits, of course. If a club were to ask for a second sports field, for example, that would naturally be out of the question. I ask you to limit your requests to equipment for use in your club activities."