Survivor: Konoha

by Gomamon

Sixteen castaways, all from different anime series, will embark on the adventure of a lifetime. For the next thirty nine days, they will have to survive the wilderness as well as each other. Who can outwit, outplay, outlast? Who will be the Sole Survivor?

2. Episode 2: Vixens Attack

Survivor: Konoha
By: Gomamon

Last Time on Survivor:

Tsunade began the game on a low note, poisoning themselves with the berries that Mina discovered. Meanwhile, Jiraiya struggled to make fire and maintain harmony within the group. But whereas Tsunade slumped in their sickness, Jiraiya thrived under the leadership of Holland and the strength of Guy. Despite a setback from Keitaro, they emerged victorious in the immunity challenge, sending Tsunade to tribal council. In a desperate attempt to save herself, Mina claimed that she had a hidden immunity idol and threatened her tribe to vote out the mouthy Meryl. However, Tsunade called Mina's buff at tribal council, where she became the first person voted off.

Fifteen castaways remain. Who will be voted out next?

Episode Two: Vixens Attack

Jiraiya Tribe : Asuka (Neon Genesis Evangelion), Bulma (Dragonball Z), Faye (Cowboy Bebop), Guy (Naruto), Harley (Pokemon), Holland (Eureka Seven), Kari (Digimon), Keitaro (Love Hina)

Tsunade Tribe : Kurz (Full Metal Panic!), Mai (Yu-gi-oh), Meryl (Trigun), Orihime (Bleach), Roy (Fullmetal Alchemist), Shannon (Scrapped Princess), Zolo (One Piece)

- - -

DAY 4

When Mai woke up this morning, she found herself wrapped in the sheltering embrace of Kurz Weber. She felt at ease with his burly arms draped intimately around her waist. She rested in this position for a moment, allowing the warmth of their bodies to envelop her senses. It was then she noticed his luscious lips were mere inches away from her own. She drew herself closer, yet she fought off the strong urge to plant a kiss on the sleeping pilot. Instead, she laid her head on his broad shoulder and closed her eyes again. It had been a while since Mai felt so comfortable by a man's presence. She wanted to enjoy this fleeting moment as long as it would last.

"You awake?" Kurz whispered.

She opened her eyes and saw the handsome pilot grinning toothily at her. Having just woken up, he looked a bit groggier than usual, but his cheerful grin was still as infectious as ever. Mai couldn't help but feel a small smile creep across her face.

"Good morning, stranger." Mai whispered back, tapping him on the nose. "Did you sleep well?"

"Best night of sleep I had since I've been here. It helps when there's a cuddle buddy by my side." Kurz laughed. "We should do this every night."

"What am I? Your pillow?" Mai teased playfully. She pulled herself away from the pilot, but he grabbed her hand and prevented her from rising.

"Pillows." Kurz corrected, his lecherous gaze now fixated on her bosom. "And may I add they're some damn nice pillows!"

Mai: Last night, Kurz and I did a little snuggling to keep warm. He's a simple guy, so I know exactly what he wants. Mind you, we both know this relationship is nothing more than a harmless fling. But as long as it helps bring Kurz closer to me, I don't care what happens between us.

She flashed the camera a triumphant smile, one that visibly indicated she felt quite proud of her accomplishment.

Mai: Of course, it gets lonely out here, so it's always nice to wake up next to a man. Ah…I love the smell of men in the morning. It smells like…victory.

Zolo narrowed his squinty little eyes at the two blondes, not liking what he saw. He watched the couple from a distance as they continued displaying their affection in a very blatant manner. Zolo felt uncomfortable being somewhat of a voyeur, although the stubborn pirate would never admit to such a shameful deed. He tried averting his gaze away from them, but the couple was now walking towards him, much to his dismay.

"Hey Zolo!" Kurz exclaimed with his usual airiness.

"I hate your face." Zolo scowled.

"…and good morning to you too!" Kurz responded without missing a beat. He faced the pirate with a raised eyebrow. "I see that you're grumpy as always. So, what's wrong with you today?"

"You remind me too much of Sanji." Zolo grumbled.

"Sanji?" Kurz repeated the foreign name to himself. He made a face at Zolo. "Who the hell are you talking about, marimo?"

"He's just some asshole I know…never mind." Zolo rubbed his forehead in frustration. He then glared at the two grinning blondes. "What do you want from me?"

"We need your help to build a shelter." Mai demanded. From her strict and authoritative tone of voice, it was clear that 'no' would not be an acceptable answer to her request. "It sucks sleeping on the ground every night."

"I'm not in the mood." Zolo smirked, putting his hands behind his head.

"You will help us. It's a team project," said Mai.

"Hmm." Zolo remained unfazed. "Have you talked to the others?"

"Does it matter? We're building a shelter. End of story." Mai snapped her fingers conclusively.

Zolo grumbled something unintelligible under his breath, but Mai ignored him as her attention was diverted elsewhere. She somehow found herself staring at his bare chest, eyeing the deep scar on his torso with fascination. Eventually, she couldn't resist the temptation to step forward and give his muscular biceps a firm squeeze.

"What the hell are you doing, woman?" Zolo frowned.

"Damn, this body is killer! You ought to put these guns to use more often, tough guy!" Mai laughed. She licked her lips in what seemed to be a seductive manner, but Zolo couldn't tell for sure. Her feminine wiles had no effect on him whatsoever.

"Save your breath. Your shit doesn't work on real men." Zolo grunted, shaking the blonde's hands off his body.

"Do I look like I care?" Mai rolled her eyes, albeit the slight tinge of disappointment in her voice contradicted her. "You're no fun."

Zolo: Mai is a dangerous woman. And when I say dangerous, I mean that she's a no-good snake in the grass who cannot be trusted. She might be surprised to know how many men are immune to her charms. The only sucker around this joint is Weber, who'll end up regretting his association with that woman. She's playing him like a fiddle and he's too smitten to realize it.

Despite the rejection, Mai quickly rebounded and regained her composure once more. She cocked her head back and placed her hands on her hips, creating a rather dominant stance that would have made most people a little wary. The fearless Zolo, of course, was not one of them.

"Are you building the shelter or not?" Mai asked.

"Let Shannon do it." Zolo shrugged lazily. "That guy is a workhorse. He'll build the damn thing for sure."

"Yeah, he's like the housekeeper of Tsunade. It's awesome!" Kurz grinned.

"You're dumping all the work on Shannon?" Mai glared.

"Do you have a problem with it?" Zolo asked.

"No, of course not." Mai shook her head and smirked. "I just thought you two might need to consult with Roy first. Doesn't he make the decisions around here?"

"Where did you get that idea?" Kurz laughed.

"Isn't he the de facto leader of the pack?" Mai prodded, looking as if she was expecting a more elaborate answer.

"Hell no! He's not the de-fatto whatever of me!" Zolo scoffed, dismissing the remark as if it was a stupid joke. "Who'd want to take orders from that sleaze?"

"Ah, that's…interesting." Mai said, her smirk growing even wider. "Very interesting…"

Mai: It's obvious the men have an alliance, but the good news is that they're not as unified as it seems. I'm still figuring out their dynamics. Like, who makes the decisions? And where do the weak links exist? I need to be prepared for the battles ahead. If the men think they can pick me off right after they're finished with Meryl and Orihime, they can think again. I'm not going down that easily.

She paused and pulled her blonde curly hair behind her back. This allowed Mai's vigorous face to be brought in full display to the camera.

Mai: You see, I'm what some people call…a vixen – a shrewd, attractive, and dangerous woman. Men fear me because whenever I'm in danger, I have only one defence mechanism: I attack.

- - -

As usual, Holland was meandering around the Jiraiya campsite dressed in nothing more than his underwear. This display of immodesty typically drew a few uncomfortable glances and several light-hearted complaints for him to put on some clothes. Today, Holland heard nothing of that sort. In fact, he heard nothing at all, other than the orchestra of snores that originated from the shelter. Even though noon was fast approaching, half the tribe was still asleep. Holland was beginning to think his tribe members enjoyed the comforts of their new shelter, in addition to the leisure of immunity, a little too much for their own good. And unsurprisingly, he wasn't alone with that thought.

"They're still sleeping? Unbelievable! The springtime of youth should be up and lively, not down and sleepy!" Guy exclaimed as he returned from his seventh firewood trip this morning. He dropped the huge bundle of wood nearby Holland's feet.

"That's enough firewood to last us a whole year." Holland muttered, eyeing the clutter on the ground. "Yet, we still don't have a fire started…"

"Optimism, my friend! Optimism! Look into my eyes and let the optimism of youth penetrate your soul!" Guy laughed.

Holland blinked a few times, not knowing how to respond to such a bizarre remark. Instead, he chose to ignore the ninja completely.

"Without a fire, we can't cook food, we can't boil water, we can't keep warm, and we can't protect ourselves if a dangerous animal comes to attack us." Holland shook his head, almost defeated. "We need a fire."

"It'll happen sooner or later. Of course, it'd help if some people would stop snoozing and help out!" Guy said, sounding a little more serious than before. He shot an annoyed glance at the shelter, where four tribe members were still sleeping. Even from a distance, he could identify who the slackers were: Asuka, Bulma, Faye, and Harley.

"A few of them are up." Holland said in a nonchalant manner. "Kari and Keitaro are in the forest. They're finding some fruits for lunch."

"Good! I'm impressed!" Guy gave an approving nod.

Guy turned his head towards the shelter for another look. He watched Harley, who had just woken up, stagger out, glance around at the seemingly deserted campsite, and then climb back into the shelter to continue his slumber. It was at that point Guy drew the bottom line. Feeling outraged at the apparent laziness, he decided something had to be done.

"I shall wake them up!" Guy began marching towards the shelter, but stopped after a few steps. He glanced back at Holland, expecting some support. However, the leader remained still and displayed no intention to join Guy on his mission. A little frustrated, the Konoha ninja left without him.

Guy: My way of the ninja is try hard, and work harder. For my tribe members to lounge around and expect everything to be done for them, it…it really breaks my heart. If they want to succeed, they'll need better work ethics. And I'm going to tell them. Somebody has to!

At the age of fifty, Bulma had a reasonable fear that she would be a hindrance to her tribe. She might look young in appearance, thanks to the miracles of expensive cosmetics and lucky genetics, but her aging body had a certain limitation in physical prowess. It meant that the work younger tribe members did required twice the effort and energy from Bulma. Thus, her body tired more easily and she required adequate rest to accommodate her flaw.

Yesterday had been a tiresome day for Bulma. Her tribe made finishing touches on the shelter, which required the efforts of everybody in order to put it together. In addition, she spent hours working to build a fire, but with no evident success. By the end of last night, she felt drained of all energy and could barely move a muscle. Bulma was just glad she could sleep in for a few extra hours today, so that she could gain back the strength she had lost earlier.

Or so she thought.

"RISE AND SHINE!!!" Guy's voice rang through the campsite like the obnoxious sound of an alarm. "The spirit of Konoha frowns upon sloth! WAKE UP!"

Bulma could hear a few disgruntled complaints before she even opened her eyes. Those voices belonged to Faye and Harley, neither who were pleased with being awakened to such aggravating noise. Bulma still felt too drowsy to react accordingly, but it was a well-known fact among the tribe that she was not a morning person.

"Oh…merciful…heavens…" Harley grumbled. He tried to block out the ninja's voice by covering his ears. "Make him stop."

"He could make a corpse stir with that voice." Faye muttered.

"The early bird gets the worm…and the late bird gets its poop! Wake up!" Guy continued hollering, even though most of the tribe had risen by now. Only Asuka remained motionless in the shelter, it being either the defiance of a teenager or the indication of a very heavy sleeper. "Wake up! Wake up!"

"Okay, okay, okay! We get the message!" Bulma shouted impatiently. "Shut up!"

"Wake up!"

"Shut up!"

"WAKE UP!"

"SHUT UP!"

"Kill me now." Faye sighed as she lied down on the shelter floor. It was impossible to go back to sleep with so much noise coming from both ends of the camp. She glanced over at Harley, who still had his hands pressed against his ears.

"This is like the worst morning ever." Harley mumbled.

Holland: Laziness stems from complacency. I'm worried that some of us are too dependent on Guy winning the challenges and doing all the work for them. That said, I don't think Guy handled the situation very well. He's not a diplomatic person and he lacks the social graces to not offend others with his bizarre ways. And unfortunately, he has bizarre written all over him.

Holland offered a dry smile to the camera.

Holland: Sure, Guy is a great asset to the tribe and everything. I like him, but at the end of the day, I wouldn't want him as my ally.

By the time Holland, in an ambling stride, arrived at the shelter, all of its occupants had left the parameters. Guy's voice was so grating that it drove them away from him as far as possible. The only exception was Asuka, who managed to sleep through the whole ordeal. However, Bulma almost dragged that girl out of the shelter with force, reasoning that if she wasn't able to sleep, then nobody else should either. And so, Jiraiya was fully awake and Guy somehow fulfilled his mission.

"I wonder if the other tribe heard me." Guy turned to Holland with a grin.

"I think your voice echoed through the entire village of Konoha, to be honest." Holland grinned back.

"At least the slackers are awake." Guy said, satisfied.

"True. But sometimes…sometimes you have to compromise." Holland's smile began fading away. "Don't push them too hard. They did a lot of work yesterday and they should rest for the next challenge. I don't want this tribe to fall apart at its seams."

"Just because we won the last immunity, it doesn't give us the right to slack off. We have to constantly strive for the best!" Guy exclaimed.

"Hey, we don't have to be the best." Holland smirked. "We just have to be slightly better than the other tribe."

- - -

Roy Mustang never knew he could be such a gentleman. Women had called him many things in the past, ranging from handsome to charming to arrogant to downright sexist, but nobody had ever considered him a gentleman. That was more of an appropriate term to describe Shannon or even Keitaro from the other tribe. Roy saw himself as more of an aggressive man, somebody who was not afraid to ruffle a few feathers when the situation demanded it. A gentleman, in his mind, was not a suitable title for a powerful and important colonel like himself.

"You're a real gentleman, Roy." Orihime said.

"Why would you say that?" Roy asked, although he knew the answer very well. Sometimes, he just liked to hear other people praise him for his few good deeds. His ego demanded it.

"You just are!" Orihime shrugged her shoulders. "You have the gentle face of a man."

Roy wasn't sure if her last sentence made any sense, but he knew better than to question the bubbly redhead's way of thinking. In the past few days, he had found out that Orihime was a bit of an airhead. He thought it might be an act at first, but he soon learned that she was indeed – and Roy hated to be this frank – not that bright of a girl. But what she lacked in common sense, she made it up with her tremendous compassion and kindness towards everyone. Orihime was unarguably the nicest person on Tsunade, and it was difficult for anybody to say a bad word against her.

Just this afternoon, Orihime had volunteered to retrieve water for the tribe. Although she was ill, the redhead still tried her best to contribute as much as possible. She reasoned that she had no excuse to be lazy. In fact, being sick meant she would have to work extra hard to redeem her worth. It was the reason why she had made that long trip to the water hole despite her flimsy condition. And it was also why Roy opted to accompany her on this trip, for a sick and fragile girl like her was not suited to travelling alone in an unpredictable forest.

"You didn't have to come with me out here. I would've been fine by myself," said Orihime.

"No, I insist. After all, three eyes are better than two." Roy grinned.

"That's why you're a gentleman." Orihime flashed a grateful smile at the handsome colonel. "Thanks anyway."

"You look a little healthier today. Are you feeling better?" Roy asked.

"Kind of. You know that feeling when you're on a rollercoaster and you're about to reach the highest point? And at that moment, you realize your seatbelt is loose and you worry that you'll die when the rollercoaster comes crashing down. Except by the time you open your eyes, the ride is already finished!" Orihime let out a small girlish giggle. "I've never been on a rollercoaster before, but I imagine that's what I'm feeling right now."

"Hmm. That's interesting." Roy offered one of his vague stock answers that he sometimes used on his subordinates and boring dates. He nodded his head as if he understood what Orihime had said. "Glad to hear everything is alright."

Roy: At the moment, Orihime is on the chopping block. She's pleasant enough to avoid it last time, but we can't overlook her ailing health anymore. Everyone in Tsunade has recovered from the poison except her. And for that reason, she's the most logical choice to vote out next.

The smile on Roy's face began to fade away.

Roy: How do I cheer up a girl for whom the guillotine is drawing nearer and nearer? The answer is simple – I don't. I finish my business, wash my hands, and move on to the next victim.

Several minutes later, the two of them arrived at the water hole. Roy surprised himself once again by offering to do the manual labour all by himself. Orihime did not argue with him, knowing the limits to her capabilities very well. So, she watched from the sidelines as Roy filled up various pots and canteens with water.

"I'm going to feel better soon," said Orihime with a faint smile. The soft-spoken redhead paused for a moment and gazed absentmindedly at the sky. "Just a few more days, and I'll be as good as new!"

"Shannon and Meryl are finding more medicine right?" Roy asked, steering the conversation into another direction. He just didn't have the heart to tell Orihime she might not last that long in the game.

"Yep! Shannon said he might know another place where he can find those red leaves, so he set off this afternoon with Meryl." Orihime replied. "Shannon is great, isn't he? I bet he'd make a good husband to a lucky girl some day."

"I don't think he's into girls." Roy smirked.

"What?" Orihime's head perked up.

"I saw him check out my ass the other day. True story." Roy let out an exasperated sigh. "He couldn't keep his eyes off me. He violated my body with his eyes."

Orihime's eyes widened in disbelief for a moment, and then she narrowed them suspiciously. She studied the colonel's face for a few seconds, and while Roy tried turning away, he couldn't suppress an amused smile that betrayed his expression.

"Roy…you liar!" Orihime laughed.

"Gotchya." Roy grinned.

"I'm glad you two have a good laugh at my expense."

All of a sudden, a dull and masculine voice spoke behind them, startling both Orihime and Roy. In a rare moment where he was caught off guard, Roy actually dropped the pot that he was holding, thus spilling water everywhere on the ground. Shannon grumbled as he rushed over to help him, picking up the fallen pot in one easy swoop.

"And that's why you don't talk behind people's backs, Mustang. You never know who might be listening." Shannon warned. The tall swordsman towered over the pair, with his arms crossed and his face looking even more rigid than usual. Standing beside him was the petite Meryl, still grinning mischievously at Roy's little joke.

"What a coincidence!" Orihime exclaimed, not yet realizing that the swordsman had been standing behind them for a while now. "Shannon, we were just talking about you!"

"Yes, I heard." Shannon muttered, sounding unimpressed.

"Any luck finding the medicine?" Roy asked.

"The forest is dry. We couldn't find anything." Meryl shook her head sadly.

"You tried your best." Orihime flashed them a sincere smile. "I'm feeling much better today, so I'm going to be okay. Don't worry about me!"

"I'll try again tomorrow." Shannon grunted.

"Shannon, it's okay. Please…please don't work yourself too hard. Look, I'm feeling much, much better!" Orihime laughed, stretching her arms out to demonstrate her point. At that moment, quite ironically, she also let out three rapid sneezes in a row. Sneezing wasn't a common symptom found in her illness, but it did nothing to support her argument.

"I'm going to look for more leaves tomorrow." Shannon repeated, causing Orihime to sigh in defeat. There was no way she would be able to convince him now.

"You two have been at this for the past few hours. Impressive." Roy noted, nodding his head a few times in approval. "I'm not one to give out compliments, but you must've worked really hard."

"Well, you know…I don't mind working and stuff." Meryl said, shifting her lavender eyes away from the colonel as she spoke. "Anything for Orihime, I suppose."

Meryl: I feel bad because I wasn't looking for the medicine. I'm sure Shannon had genuine intentions, but I only kept him company because…well, because I was trying to find the hidden immunity idol. I know it's in the forest and I spent the entire afternoon searching for the stupid thing. No luck so far, but I'll try again tomorrow.

She bit her lips, which was a subtle indication that she felt quite frustrated by her lack of success.

Meryl: Last night's tribal council made me realize how precarious my position is. I'm really scared right now, because I think I'm the next to go. The only thing I can do is to work hard and get my hands on that idol. Find it first, and worry later…

- - -

Meryl wasn't alone in her search for the idol. On the other tribe, Faye and Harley made an even more strenuous effort to seek the much coveted item. The two of them began as individuals, but soon teamed up to increase their chances of success. In a vast forest where the idol could be hidden in so many different places, teamwork became an advantageous asset. Unfortunately, the hours they devoted to this task brought back little results. Although both Faye and Harley were willing to search through the evening, the sun began to set and their only source of light was diminishing away. The pair had no choice but to retreat.

"Did you find anything?" Harley asked.

"Zip." Faye shook her head. "What about you?"

"Nothing! Ugh, this is so frustrating!" Harley grumbled. "Where could it be?"

"Well, we know it's not in the east side of the forest. That part was thoroughly searched," said Faye.

"Twice." Harley reminded her.

"At least it narrows down the scope. Tomorrow, we'll search the west side and work our way around the forest." Faye placed her hands on her hips. "We're going to tear this place apart."

"And when we find the idol, the two of us will share it." Harley added, "If you're in danger, I'll give it to you and vice-versa. That's how it's going to work, right?"

"You know it." Faye winked.

"Nice doing business with you, Miss Valentine." Harley grinned, extending his hand to the bounty huntress. They shook hands, confirming their deal with the idol and potentially even more.

Faye: Harley tells me he doesn't have the immunity idol, but he could be lying to me. I don't know how honest he is with me. I mean, I know I'm not being completely honest with him either, so…so if I find the idol, I'm not going to tell him anything.

She smirked at the camera.

Faye: Tough luck, bitch.

"You know I've got your back." Faye told Harley on their way back to camp. She was so used to flattering people that her expression didn't even change as she lied through her teeth.

"I'm totally on your side, sweetheart." Harley laughed.

"Let's say we start an alliance. Five makes a majority, so we need three more people." Faye proposed, "Any suggestions?"

"Bulma must be in our plans no matter what. I simply adore that woman!" Harley replied without hesitation. He brushed a long strand of hair away from his cheeks and laughed. "She has sass, spunk, and style all in one neat little package. Love her!"

Faye shrugged her shoulders. The genius inventor was far from first on her list, but the two women didn't seem to have any problems with each other so far. If Harley was so set on having her in the alliance, then Faye supposed she would compromise. As long as it benefited her, she didn't care exactly who was in the alliance.

"Personally, I want Holland with us." Faye suggested, "He could be the ringleader of our alliance and deflect attention off us."

"We'll let him think he's making the decisions, while we pull the strings from the back. Oh, it's perfect! I love it!" Harley added with a girlish giggle. "Okay, we have you, me, Bulma, and Holland so far. Who's going to be our fifth?"

The pair exchanged troubled glances with each other. They were stumped. Their brainstorming session came to a sudden halt since neither could bring up an appropriate name. Bulma and Holland had been easy enough choices, but the remaining tribe members each had their own faults and quirks that made them undesirable allies. One more person in the alliance would make a big difference, but who shall that person be?

"Well, I can tell you who I don't want in my alliance – Asuka." Faye replied at last. "That girl has a big chip on her shoulder. She's just too…angry."

"And too arrogant." Harley nodded in agreement.

"And too aggressive," added Faye.

"And too annoying," Harley said for the sole purpose of continuing the pattern. He tried picturing the confident teenager in his head, but the image of her unpleasant scowl made him shiver. "Ugh. I'm convinced. It'd be impossible to work with Asuka."

"How about Kari?" Faye asked. "She seems harmless."

"No…way…in…hell!" Harley waved his arms wildly in the air to emphasize his point. He had not yet forgiven the misunderstanding between himself and Kari, even though it happened three days ago. The petite DigiDestined was still a nuisance in his eyes, for now anyway.

"We might as well cross Guy off the list too." Faye muttered bitterly.

"He's absolutely unbearable!" Harley shrieked.

"I don't think he likes us anyway." Faye stated, hitting closer to the truth than she realized. "He's not only a threat, but he's an obnoxious threat. He proved it this morning."

"So, that leaves us with one person…" Harley mumbled.

"Keitaro." Faye felt her eyes roll to the top of her head when she spoke of this name. "Here's the guy who couldn't even finish a simple puzzle. An alliance with him is meaningless…there's no way he'll last long in the game. He's cannon fodder."

"What a loser!" Harley formed the letter 'L' with his hand and placed it over his forehead. "Ugh. Why do all the men in our tribe suck so much?"

Harley: Hallelujah, it's raining men? Unfortunately no, all the buff and good-looking guys landed on the other tribe. Meanwhile, I'm stuck with a bunch of duds and zeroes. Keitaro? Ew. And Holland? Double ew. And…and Guy!? That ugly haircut, those ridiculous clothes, and the eccentric mannerisms! Oh, he's just too much!

"But I suppose Keitaro isn't that bad…" Harley added as an afterthought. He rubbed his index finger against his chin. "He's a nice guy. May be a little vanilla, but he's essentially a nice guy at heart."

"He might not be good in challenges, but he's tolerable around camp." Faye agreed.

"Do you think he can be our fifth?" Harley asked.

"Well, speaking of Keitaro…" Faye lowered her voice to a soft murmur. She grabbed Harley's arm and stopped him from taking another step forward. "Look at who we have here…"

Some distance ahead, they could see Keitaro Urashima standing on his tiptoes, the front of his lanky body pressing against a tree trunk. He was just tall enough for his arm to touch one of the branches dangling from above. He struggled to grasp the branch for a while, occasionally grabbing it and letting it slip out of his fingers again. This process repeated itself a few times until Keitaro succeeded at last. He finally had one hand clutching onto a thin branch, while he used his other hand to remove a sphere-like object from the tree.

The item was small in size, but it was big enough for Faye and Harley to make out its shape from where they were standing. It almost resembled a tennis ball, except this item had a rich golden bronze coat that wrapped entirely around its body. Keitaro stared at his item with admiration for a few seconds before he carefully inserted it in his pocket.

"Look at him. He's hiding something," Faye whispered.

Her voice must have been too loud, for it alerted Keitaro that somebody else was in the proximity. His expression instantly turned shifty, and he looked more and more like a guilty criminal caught in the act. Keitaro turned around, scanning his surroundings for any possible intruders or spies. It was fortunate that Faye and Harley hid in a discreet blind spot behind a large coniferous tree, thus they remained undetected by Keitaro's surveillance.

Although he couldn't discover anyone, Keitaro didn't seem convinced that he was alone, so he made a rather abrupt departure. Luck was on Faye and Harley's side again, since he left in the opposite direction from where they were concealing themselves. The pair remained in their hiding spot for several minutes, just to make sure that he left the area and would not return. Once the coast was clear, they ran towards the mysterious tree.

"There doesn't seem to be anything." Harley muttered after examining the branches for a few seconds. "All I see is leaves."

"You're not looking hard enough!" Faye snapped, although she couldn't see anything significant herself.

"It looks like he was holding an amulet of some sort, doesn't it?" Harley asked.

"That could be the hidden immunity idol." Faye's eyes lit up.

"Are you sure?" Harley gasped.

"He has it. Didn't you see his face when he heard me? He looked like he saw a ghost!" Faye nodded her head with even more confidence.

"To be fair, I'd be scared too if I hear a voice when I'm alone." Harley argued, "Let's not jump to conclusions here."

"His expression and his body movements said it all." Faye insisted, "He acted like a man who had something to hide."

"But he could've took anything…it might even be a leaf!" Harley said with uncertainty.

"We saw what the object looked like. It's definitely not a leaf." Faye waved her hand in dismissal. "Besides, the sky is almost dark. Why would Keitaro be in the forest at such an odd time?"

"Because he's a freak?"

"No, because he was looking for the idol. And he found it."

"It…it makes sense. It would explain why we can't find the idol today." Harley muttered to himself. As the realization dawned upon him, the Pokemon Coordinator began to frown. "Now, we have a problem. If Keitaro has the idol…"

"He has it! I'm one-hundred percent positive." Faye corrected.

"Okay, we know he has the idol." Harley sighed in exasperation. "What do we do?"

"The way I see it, there're two things we can do." Faye paused for a moment to collect her thoughts before she began her explanation. "The first method is simple. It's like how the old saying goes…keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer. We can coerce Keitaro into our alliance and have him on our side. That way, we know for sure the idol won't be played against us. And if we work on him long enough, we'll be able to manipulate the idol in our favour."

"I don't like that idea. We're depending on Keitaro too much. What…what's the second method?"

"We force him to play the idol. In other words, we vote his ass out."

- - -

DAY 5

Starting a fire was never an easy task on Survivor. Many attempts had been made in the past, and many failures had followed. The lack of success was understandable, since the castaways either lacked appropriate resources or lived in too harsh of an environment. Unfortunately, the Jiraiya tribe had no such excuses. Not only were they provided with a box of matches in their supplies, but the weather remained warm and sunny ever since they arrived in Konoha.

Yet, it was the fifth day, and Jiraiya still had no spark, no flame, and definitely no fire. To make the situation worse, they found out today they were out of matches.

It seemed obvious now – Jiraiya was doomed.

Asuka: I'm stuck here with a bunch of imbeciles! We might've won the last immunity challenge, but failure is inevitable for a tribe that can't start a fire. Even on the first day, I already sensed Jiraiya was full of losers. And I was right of course, I'm always right! If you hang around losers too much, you become a loser yourself. That is exactly what's happening to me, and I – Asuka Soryu Langley – am anything but a loser!

She shook her fist angrily at the camera as if she was demonstrating a point.

Asuka: Jiraiya is a sinking ship and I'm so ready to get off. But until that time comes, I'll have to live here for a while. I might as well start an alliance, because we're destined to go to tribal council sooner or later. It's bad enough to live with these losers, but it'd be even worse if I got outlasted by them!

While Asuka cursed her luck, Keitaro was doing something a little more productive. He was attempting to start a fire with his glasses. If there was any knowledge he retained during his high school science classes, he remembered the lenses in his glasses could reflect and intensify sun rays against dry tinder, thus lighting a fire over time. He wasn't sure if an inexperienced camper like him could make this work, but after four days of no success, any random idea seemed like a plausible one.

"You've been doing this forever! This is never going to work, puzzle boy!" Asuka spat. She sat beside the young bespectacled man, observing his lack of success with a smug smirk.

"Patience is everything, Asuka." Keitaro smiled weakly. As someone who failed his university entrance exams three times and still persevered, he was a master on the subject of patience. "And my name is Keitaro. I'd appreciate it if you would stop calling me puzzle boy."

"Shut up, puzzle boy." Asuka growled. "What makes you so sure the glasses thing will work anyway?"

"I saw it on TV once." Keitaro admitted.

"Oh right, you saw it on television, so it must be true." Asuka rolled her eyes. "No wonder you're so stupid!"

"You don't have to be so negative…" Keitaro mumbled in a dejected voice.

"You're not in the way of sunlight!" Asuka grabbed his hand and steered it to the left. "You're not even holding the glasses properly!"

"My hand! It hurts! It hurts!" Keitaro yelped. Despite his protests, Asuka still clutched onto his hand like she was gripping on a handlebar. As a result, Keitaro dropped his glasses on the ground.

Then suddenly, without any warning, she brought his hand towards her chest until it was pressing against her left breast. Keitaro, who was almost blind without his glasses, didn't realize what he was touching until several seconds passed and one curious squeeze later.

"What are you doing!?" Keitaro shrieked in horror. He instantly shook his hand off her breast and backed away from the redhead. "What the hell…"

"You enjoyed it, didn't you? Pervert." Asuka smirked.

"Y-y-you forced m-me…!" Keitaro stammered, spitting out his words with minimal success. His face was scarlet with embarrassment. "W…why did you do that for!?"

"I want you to be my ally." Asuka replied without any hesitation.

"Is that all!?" Keitaro's mouth gaped open in a mixture of shock and disbelief. "You could have just asked! You…you didn't have to…"

"Is that a yes?" Asuka interrupted.

"Well…" Keitaro paused. Now that he had some time to think over her question, he began to realize what impact an alliance with Asuka might have on his game. "I don't see the harm in it…"

"It's a yes. Score!" Asuka grinned.

Asuka: Mission accomplished. That's one down, and just a few more to go. I asked that dweeb to join my alliance because I know I can push him around. He's just like Shinji…they're both big wusses. There's no way he'll ever say no to me. Loyalty – it's the only thing I'm looking for in my allies, and Keitaro has it.

She grinned proudly at the camera, still rejoicing over the fact that she had a new alliance member.

Asuka: Damn, I'm so good sometimes. I love how my twisted little mind works.

"Just so you know, our alliance is strictly conditional. If…if you do anything crazy, don't expect me to rescue you…" Keitaro quickly added. He was trying to cover his bases in case he rushed into this decision too fast.

"Hey, you said yes! You can't worm your way out of the alliance!" Asuka snapped.

"I never said yes! I…didn't even agree to the deal!" Keitaro threw his arms up in frustration.

"Well, a kiss seals the deal!" Asuka scoffed.

Asuka leaned her head towards Keitaro, who used the little reaction time that he had to pull back and avoid her. However, she grabbed him by the shoulders with a strong grip and forced a sloppy kiss on his lips. It took a few seconds for Keitaro to gather the strength and push Asuka's body away from him. He immediately wiped his mouth on his sleeve, looking absolutely abhorred at what just happened. His face flushed even redder than before.

"I have a girlfriend!" Keitaro cried.

"So what? It's not like I'm romantically interested in you anyway." Asuka raised an eyebrow, not understanding his concern.

"Naru is going to kill me if she finds out." Keitaro muttered, burying his face in his hands.

"Be a man, you dweeb." Asuka rolled her eyes.

"How could you say that? You…you…" Keitaro suddenly stopped in the middle of his sentence. He closed his eyes and sniffed the air. "Hey. Do you smell something?"

"Yeah." Asuka nodded, also sniffing the air with curiosity. "It smells like…smoke."

Keitaro located his glasses on the ground and put them back on. He shifted his gaze downards, where a thin cloud of smoke was rising from the small clutter of tinder on the ground. If he looked very carefully, there seemed to be the slightest hint of an orangey-red flame hidden within. A confused Keitaro turned towards Asuka for an explanation, but all she did was offer him a wide and toothy grin, which was enough to confirm Keitaro's suspicions.

"Fire! We have fire!" Keitaro exclaimed with glee.

"Quick, do something! Don't let it go out, puzzle boy!" Asuka yelled.

Keitaro lied on the ground and began blowing, very gently, on the feeble flame. He was careful not to extinguish the flame in one big huff. Asuka was by his side, adding more dry materials to the tinder in frequent intervals, thus allowing the fire to grow in size. Through their efficient teamwork, they were able to maintain the flame until it grew to a legitimate and reasonable size. In front of them was an actual blazing campfire, and neither could believe their eyes.

If fire did represent life as the game motto indicated, then this was the first time the Jiraiya tribe had truly been alive.

Keitaro: What just happened? I'm still a little overwhelmed right now. It's like one big confusing whirlwind and I still have no idea what's going on. One minute, I'm being harassed by Asuka to join her alliance. Then, the next thing I know…there's a fire. I made a fire! Me, of all people! This is so crazy!

He shook his head in disbelief and laughed.

Keitaro: I'm going to enjoy this moment, because I'm sure it'll fade away soon. This game moves too fast for my brief stint of glory to last long. But for now, I'm the hero. I'm the hero of the day, and I'll never forget this moment for the rest of my life.

"How did it happen?" Keitaro asked, totally astonished. He speculated that his glasses, which had dropped on the ground, must have somehow been positioned at the right angle, thus igniting an accidental flame. It seemed like a wild guess, but it was the only logical explanation he could think of.

"It might be an act of God." Asuka smirked. "May be I should start calling you miracle boy from now on."

Once the rest of the tribe was informed about the good news, they reacted with as much enthusiasm as they could muster out of their fatigued bodies. Guy and Harley paraded around the camp in singsongs and cheers, while Holland wasted no time doing the essentials – boiling water and cooking the much needed food. Soon, the entire tribe surrounded themselves around the newly constructed campfire, munching on warm rice and drinking boiled water. This was their first legitimate meal they ate since they arrived, and it tasted more delicious than anything they could imagine.

"I'm so happy I think I might cry." Bulma laughed as she chewed on a huge wad of rice. "Thank you, Keitaro! You're our saviour!"

"Hey! I helped out too!" Asuka folded her arms against her chest.

"I'll give credit where it's due. Thank you, Asuka." Bulma smiled.

"This…this…" Holland swallowed his mouthful before he continued his sentence, "This feels much better than the orgasms on my honeymoon night."

"Now I lost my appetite." Faye joked.

"I don't use that comparison carelessly. This is an excellent development for our tribe. We now have a shelter and a campfire." Holland said, his face almost beaming with joy. "I say we're doing pretty damn good out here on Survivor!"

"Hear, hear!" Guy laughed.

"Can I suggest a toast to our two heroes?" Kari smiled, raising her water canteen high in the air. "For without them, we might've died from starvation and thirst!"

"I'll drink to that!" Bulma grinned. "Go Keitaro! Go Asuka!"

"Keitaro, you really redeemed yourself this time, didn't you?" Faye smirked. "From zero to hero, that's quite a transition. Good job, kid."

"Yeah, that challenge loss is totally in the past!" Harley added.

Keitaro, who was not used to receiving so much praise in the past, could only respond by smiling modestly at his tribe members. He felt joyous inside, not just because of the fire or the round of compliments, but because of the newfound harmony he witnessed within the tribe. Nobody was arguing and nobody was plotting. They were just getting along like any decent tribe should. Keitaro enjoyed this rare moment of peace between his tribe members, for he speculated it would be very short-lived.

Kari: Good things happen to people who work hard. After hours…no, it must have been days…of failed attempts and relentless perseverance, we finally have a fire at our camp. And like the old motto goes, fire represents life in this game. I think having this flame could only signify good things for Jiraiya in the future. It might sound corny, but I believe in us.

- - -

Iruka welcomed the two tribes for their first reward challenge. The host stood in the centre of an elevated platform, shaped like a circular ring. By his feet were two gigantic padded bags, one in bright orange and the other in dark green. The Tsunade tribe eyed these bags curiously, speculating among themselves what the challenge would involve. Jiraiya, on the other hand, was more occupied with observing their competitors. Some of them had been wondering who got voted out at the first tribal council, and now they got their answer.

"Jiraiya, take your first look at the new Tsunade tribe…without Mina, voted out at the last tribal council." Iruka declared in a chipper voice. "Welcome to your first reward challenge, my fellow Survivors. It's time to get physical. For today's challenge, you'll face off in a one-on-one sumo challenge against each other. But instead of using your fists, you'll be exercising your strength with these sandbags."

A few players groaned. Iruka ignored the unenthusiastic responses as he continued his explanation.

"Each match will feature one player from each tribe, who will fight against each other on the platform. It's guys versus guys, and ladies versus ladies. The objective is to knock your competitor out of the ring with your sandbag. Every match won gives you one point. The first tribe to reach four points wins the reward. As an additional note, you may not make any physical contact on the other player's body during the match. Otherwise, you're disqualified and the other tribe takes the win."

Iruka tried stressing the importance of his last few sentences to the castaways. These boundaries and limitations were established to ensure nobody would be severely harmed during what was a very physical challenge.

"So, want to know what you're playing for?" Iruka smiled. He pulled out two tiny boxes from his vest. Like most things in the challenges, they were coordinated accordingly to the tribe colours: Jiraiya orange and Tsunade green. There was a small lock attached to each of the boxes, thus concealing whatever the items lie within. "The winning tribe will take back to camp this mystery box, which will play an important role in the game exactly five days from now. In addition, they'll also receive a pivotal clue to the whereabouts of the hidden immunity idol."

"Lovely." Meryl smiled.

"Jiraiya, since you have an extra member in your tribe, someone has to sit out in this challenge. Keep in mind whoever sits out must participate in the next challenge." Iruka said, "Also, to keep the matches even between the two tribes, the person you sit out must be a woman."

A brief discussion between Jiraiya followed, but the decision was rather easy to make. Kari, the youngest and arguably the weakest tribe member, volunteered to sit out. Afterwards, the two tribes were asked to predetermine an order in which they would compete, alternating the matches between men and women every turn.

"Let's begin the challenge." Iruka hopped off the platform and joined Kari on the side bench. "The first match will feature Keitaro from the Jiraiya tribe versus Shannon from the Tsunade tribe!"

Cheers came from the two tribes, but Keitaro didn't look confident as he stepped inside the ring. The skinny university student picked up the orange sandbag from the platform, but almost immediately dropped it due to its tremendous weight. He stumbled back a few steps before he found his footing and managed to hold up the sandbag with both hands, albeit his stance was shaky. In contrast, a perfectly calm Shannon lifted up his bag and placed it over his shoulder with utmost ease.

"Survivors ready?" Iruka asked, raising his arm in the air. "Go!"

Right off the bet, Shannon took an offensive approach and dashed towards Keitaro, who stood passively on the spot with no idea how to defend himself. He closed his eyes, embracing for the worst as the swift swordsman slammed his sandbag into Keitaro's body. The helpless university student was sent flying in the air for a few seconds before he made a painful landing in the mud, just a few inches outside the ring.

"The match goes to Shannon! Tsunade wins a point." Iruka declared.

The next round featured Faye and Mai Valentine against each other, a showdown so ideal and attractive that it prompted Kurz to holler with excitement. Both women shot annoyed glances at him, particularly Mai who thought he was being a distraction, but the playful pilot was still grinning from cheek to cheek.

"Ah…battle of the breasts." Kurz laughed, while a few other castaways snickered at his remark.

"Shut up, Weber." Shannon grumbled humourlessly.

"Damn kid. I swear one of these days I'm gonna kick his ass." Zolo added.

"My ass?" Kurz raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Sounds like sexual harassment to me, mister."

"Shh! Be quiet, you knuckleheads!" Meryl hushed the men's babble, which was drowning out Iruka's voice as he announced the start of the second match. "It's about to start!"

On the platform, Faye and Mai eyed each other with caution, neither willing to launch the first attack. At last, Faye ran forward with her sandbag, hoping to crash Mai out of the ring just like what Shannon had done earlier. Mai reacted quickly and dodged to the left, but Faye was already thinking one step ahead. The agile bounty huntress changed directions and tried slamming her bag into the blonde's shoulder. As a result, Mai was knocked back a few steps and her feet were getting dangerously close to falling off the platform. She tried to gain back ground, but all it took was another strong push from Faye and Mai's left foot was outside the ring.

"Match goes to Faye. The scores are now one-one." Iruka declared.

Holland and Roy were pitted against one another in the following match. Having watched the offensive strategy succeed the last two times, Holland decided to imitate this approach and charged towards the colonel like a bull. Roy smirked, expecting such a move in advance, thus he held a steady stance and defended himself with his own sandbag. His sandbag crashed into Holland's, and the two men squared off in a war of strength. The younger, more athletic Roy edged out and was able to push the skinny Jiraiya captain backwards. Holland cursed his aging body and tried running away, but Roy stopped him by literally throwing his sandbag at the captain's legs. Holland collapsed on the ground, leaving him in a vulnerable and open position. Even as he tried to get back up, he was not strong enough to counter Roy's next attack, which managed to push the fallen Holland out of the ring.

"Match goes to Roy. Tsunade now leads two-one."

The fourth round was a battle between Asuka and Orihime. The two redhead teenagers stormed towards each other, their bags clashing in the centre of the ring. Asuka gave one big shove and succeeded in sending her competitor a few steps back. However, she was unpleasantly surprised when Orihime, who possessed a black belt in karate, pushed back with equal might. The two girls continued attacking with these short, quick pushes, but neither was strong enough to hold a lead before the other person recovered. In what was the longest round yet, a test of strength turned into a test of endurance, as both their bodies were tiring out from fatigue. This was unfortunate for Orihime, whose health was still frail from her illness, so her strength dwindled much more quickly. At some point, Asuka was able to push Orihime back further and further, until the latter dropped out of the platform at last.

"Match goes to Asuka. Both tribes now have two points. Remember, it takes four points to win the challenge."

After a lengthy scuffle, the following two matches didn't last long. Kurz competed against Harley next, a match that was lopsided in strength to begin with. The Pokemon Coordinator put up a fight by running around in circles, trying his best to avoid contact with the blonde pilot. His luck eventually ran out when Kurz caught up to him, and was able to knock Harley out of the platform with one effortless push. However, Jiraiya was able to catch up in the next match, when Bulma caught Meryl off guard and shoved the petite insurance agent outside the ring. Thus, the two tribes were now evenly matched with three points each.

"This is the deciding match." Iruka announced as the last two competitors stepped onto the circular platform. "It's Zolo versus Guy. Whoever wins this round will win the reward for their tribe."

"You're going down, Jiraiya." Zolo glared.

"Likewise, Tsunade." Guy smiled, but there was some hint of edge and intensity in his voice. He narrowed his eyes at the swordsman. "Good luck."

"Keep the luck. I won't need it." Zolo smirked.

"Survivors ready?" Iruka raised his arm in the air. "Go!"

Zolo ran forward immediately, with his head down and his sandbag clutched closely to his chest. He held a posture that resembled a football player going in for a huge tackle. The burly pirate then slammed his sandbag into the Konoha ninja's chest, but Guy didn't even budge. Zolo tried again, this time pushing with more aggression and force. Again, Guy remained still on the spot. Then, in one swift motion, the Jonin delivered a powerful blow to Zolo's head with the sandbag, which was strong enough to push the pirate away but still stay inside the proximity of the ring.

Taking a different approach, Zolo maintained a swordsman's stance, holding the sandbag in a similar manner to how he usually carried a sword. He darted forward and swung his bag at the ninja, who dodged the attack with ease. Then, in a move that nobody saw coming, Guy kicked his right foot upwards, knocking the sandbag right out of the pirate's hands. He then leapt up and caught the green bag before Zolo could make a grab for it. As a result, Guy now held two bags in his possession, and Zolo had nothing but clenched fists.

"It's over." Guy said as a grin emerged on his face. "You don't even have a weapon. You're open to all my attacks."

"I'm just getting started." Zolo muttered, wiping some blood that came from a fresh cut on his lips. "Don't mess with me, bastard!"

"But it's over. Look at where your feet are."

Zolo's eyes gazed down and frowned. He saw that he was no longer standing on the platform. Some time during the heated shuffle, he must have taken his feet outside of the ring without even realizing what a critical mistake he had made.

"The match goes to Guy!" Iruka announced, just to cement the victory in place. "Jiraiya wins the reward!"

"Like I said, the challenge is over." Guy said with a hearty laugh.

"No, it's not over. It's far from over." Zolo muttered, glaring sternly at the muscular ninja. "Next time, I'll defeat you. Mark my words, Might Guy. I will defeat you."

Guy offered no reply, but the grin on his face grew even wider than before. He might have won a mystery box and a pivotal clue about the idol, but these materialistic possessions all paled in comparison. Guy had won something much more important – something, or rather somebody, that made his competitive juices run vivid and wild.

He just found himself a new rival.

- - -

Thanks to the efforts of Guy and the three ladies, Jiraiya brought back to camp two items from the challenge. The first was the mysterious orange box, which was sealed shut with a lock. Asuka suggested they smash the box open against a rock or some sort, even though the words 'DO NOT OPEN' were printed in big bolded letters on the cover. Some castaways tried shaking the box by their ears to speculate what it might contain, but the object inside made no noise. A few people even doubted if there was an actual object in the box, joking that it might be like a Pandora's Box in which those who disobeyed the rules would be punished.

Figuring out what was inside the mystery box entertained Jiraiya for a while, but most of them paid more attention to the scroll of parchment, which was the second item they received. The parchment contained a clue to the whereabouts of the hidden immunity idol, something that was on everybody's minds. They never discussed about this matter openly, but behind each other's backs they exchanged whispers and rumours and strategies about it that spread throughout the camp. In many ways, the idol was like a forbidden item, spoken of only in secrecy and only to trusted allies.

"The idol isn't on the ground" was all that the vague clue said, but it provided enough information to send the Jiraiya tribe in frenzy. When they returned to camp that afternoon, most tribe members made up excuses to be alone and then slithered their ways into the forest with their newfound knowledge about the idol. Only three people were not part of this search: Faye, Keitaro, and Asuka.

"Why aren't you looking for the idol like everyone else?" Faye asked. She and the bespectacled university student were walking around the empty campsite in no particular direction. Since almost nobody was present, they felt free to talk about the idol as loudly as they wanted.

"Somebody has to stay here and watch the fire. It might as well be me." Keitaro explained with a friendly smile. "We worked so hard to make this fire, so we can't let it go out no matter what."

"That's very considerate of you. Who knew decent men would actually exist beyond myths?" Faye muttered.

All of a sudden, she grabbed Keitaro by the shoulders and embraced him in a very intimate hug. The bounty huntress moved her hands swiftly across his body, making her way from his shoulders to the waists and then to the rear. She tapped his butt a few times, in firm stroking rhythm, and then slowly pulled herself away from his body. A speechless Keitaro cleared his throat a few times, his face flushed with embarrassment.

"I never got a chance to thank you personally." Faye winked.

"Um, Faye, I have a girlfriend." Keitaro mumbled, finding it very awkward that he disclosed this fact to two different women today. "I think we might be getting a little too close…"

"Don't worry, she'll understand. We sleep inside the same shelter, we're like roomies!" Faye chuckled airily.

Faye: I did a quick body search on Keitaro today to see if he has the idol. I discovered that he did have something in his pants…well, that was a poor choice of words, but the point stands. Keitaro has the idol. The clue today confirmed my suspicions. All those chumps read it and thought the idol was still in the forest. They're wrong – the idol is in Keitaro's pocket. And soon, it'll be in my hands.

The sly bounty huntress wasn't sure if the rules forbid players from stealing the idol from its rightful owner, but she thought it wouldn't hurt to try.

Faye: Now if only there's a way to get into Keitaro's pants…

"Do you think Asuka is acting a little strange?" Faye suddenly asked.

"Why?" Keitaro's head turned in alarm. "Did she try to kiss you?"

"No...I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff." Faye raised an eyebrow.

"It-it's just a…a…miscommunication." Keitaro stammered, closing his mouth before he yapped about his secret alliance with Asuka. "Um, why do you think she's strange?"

"Well, for starters, she's going through our belongings right now." Faye pointed her index finger at the shelter, where Asuka currently sat inside. She was sifting through a handful of Holland's clothes and emptying the content from its pockets. So far, she had found nothing.

"What is she doing now?" Keitaro smacked his forehead in frustration.

"Is Asuka looking for the idol…in our clothes?" Faye asked.

Before Keitaro could reply back, a loud high-pitched scream interrupted their thoughts. That annoying shriek belonged to none other than Bulma, who emerged from the forest just in time to catch Asuka during her act. Even from a distance, Keitaro could see that angry expression on the inventor's face as she stomped towards the shelter. She was not pleased with what she saw.

"What do you think you're doing, young lady!?" Bulma yelled.

"Bug off." Asuka rolled her eyes in response, which made the inventor even more furious.

"You bug off! You're the one who's rummaging through our things!" Bulma shrieked.

An excited Faye approached the two women in hopes of getting a better view of the spectacle. Keitaro followed her to the shelter. He could already sense what was about to happen would not end on pleasant terms.

"Don't touch my clothes!" Bulma stuck her nose in the air rather snootily. "I don't know where those hands have been, missy."

"You take that back!" Asuka yelled.

"How dare you, you petty little thief!" Bulma snapped back.

"I'm not a thief." Asuka said.

"Then what are you doing!?" Bulma shouted.

When Asuka couldn't provide an answer to a simple question, it only proved to Bulma that she was right. This led to more bickering between the two women. Very soon, the entire tribe heard the noisy commotion at the campsite and assembled themselves around the squabbling pair. Kari arrived last to the scene, but she was frustrated by how passive her tribe members were. Nobody, not even Holland the so-called leader of Jiraiya, stepped up to dissolve the argument. Everybody just watched them bicker as spectators, but nobody acted as a peacekeeper.

Keitaro: I think Bulma might have overreacted. I'm not saying what Asuka did is right, but I don't think it was necessary for her to make this such a public spectacle. She could've resolved this privately with Asuka when they're alone, but instead Bulma made a huge fuss over it. There's so much drama!

He frowned glumly at the camera.

Keitaro: Whatever harmony and team unity Jiraiya experienced earlier had pretty much disappeared at this point…I shouldn't be surprised. I knew the peace wouldn't last long.

"What's going on?" Kari asked at last.

"She's invading my privacy!" Bulma shouted, wagging her finger at Asuka in a hostile manner. "I caught that girl go through my belongings with her dirty little hands."

"Bite me, you hag." Asuka growled.

"Devil girl!" Bulma hissed.

"I'm sure there's a misunderstanding somewhere," said Kari.

"How can there be a misunderstanding!? I caught Asuka red-handed. I saw her with my own two eyes." Bulma shouted. "She's a thief!"

"There's no need to call each other names. Let's try to resolve this like mature adults." Kari managed to maintain an air of calmness despite having the two women yell endlessly in her ears. "All we need is a simple apology from both of you."

"I have done nothing wrong." Bulma folded her arms across her chest.

"She's not getting a damn apology." Asuka added.

"Alright then…" Kari sighed. She had not planned to play the role of peacekeeper, but the situation demanded one and nobody else stepped up to the plate. "Why don't we take a time out? You two need to separate and have some time to think things through."

Bulma just shook her head and mumbled something under her breath. Eventually, she did leave on a rather grumpy and indignant note. The rest of the tribe followed suit, disbanding now that the argument was over. Asuka also began to depart, but stopped after taking a few steps. She turned around, wearing a defiant smirk on her face.

"Hikari!" Asuka exclaimed.

"Yes?" Kari asked uncertainly, not used to being addressed by this unusual name.

"I like you. You stood up for me when nobody else would." Asuka paused, nodding her head a few times in approval. "If you're ever in trouble, you just come to me. You know I have your back no matter what."

"Okay, thanks…I guess." Kari said with a weak smile.

"I'm dead serious, Hikari." Asuka said, "You and I together can take this tribe and turn it upside down."

Kari watched Asuka turn around and leave, having made her point. It was clear what she was trying to imply, yet the petite DigiDestined didn't know if it was wise to align with such an intense and extreme character. Nonetheless, Kari was just thankful that she was on the redhead's good side. After all, Asuka could either be a very powerful friend…

Or as Bulma will soon discover, Asuka could also be a very deadly enemy.

- - -

Camp life was a lot more peaceful in the Tsunade tribe, but Meryl suspected that it might just be calm before the storm. Sooner or later, an ugly argument would erupt among the strong personalities within the tribe. Meryl knew that as long as she was on the chopping block, there would not be a day of peace in this tribe. She would even argue her way to stay in the game, however ineffective and ridiculous the method might seem. But for now, she opted for a more productive survival method: finding the hidden immunity idol.

Today, she was on another search for the idol. This time, she did it with the company of Orihime, under the excuse that she was accompanying her to the water hole. Meryl knew she should never let other players figure out her true intentions, for part of what made the idol so special was its secrecy. Of course, she thought everyone else did the same. They searched the idol during their own time, with nobody else knowing.

"You don't really want to go to the water hole, do you Meryl?" Orihime asked with a faint smile. "I can tell because your eyes are looking at everywhere in the forest. You're trying to find the immunity idol, aren't you?"

"Uh…well, yeah…I'm sorry. That's what I'm doing." Meryl sighed as she gave her confession. She had forgotten how observant Orihime could be sometimes.

"It's okay, I'll help you look." Orihime said.

Meryl smiled in response. She wasn't sure if the redhead was trying to humour her or not. She was just glad that Orihime had not ratted her out to the other tribe members yet.

"Are you in danger of being voted out, Meryl?" Orihime asked, gazing upwards absentmindedly at one of the trees.

"I know I am." Meryl replied at once. "The guys aren't going to vote you out. Shannon has a soft spot for you. He'll protect you for the next vote at least. But I don't have anyone. I only have myself."

"You have me." Orihime said.

What damn good will that do? We're going to be the next two voted out! Meryl thought to herself, but smiled at what was essentially a comforting remark from the redhead.

"Meryl?" Orihime asked again.

"What now?" Meryl turned around, growing a little impatient. She was trying to look for the idol but found Orihime to be a huge distraction.

"I found it."

"WHAT!?"

"Shh! It's supposed to be a secret, remember?" Orihime whispered, pointing her finger upwards at a tree. "Look, it's up there. It's hanging from that tree like a Christmas ornament."

Meryl's gaze followed that direction until she finally saw a golden shiny object dangling from the tree branch. Her mouth gaped open in surprise at first, but it eventually evolved into a joyous grin. Meryl realized that the item resembled a small amulet, and as far as she was concerned, those things don't grow on ordinary trees. Thus, there was only one explanation for its presence in the forest.

It was the hidden immunity idol.

And she found it.

Meryl: I was just on a harmless trip to the water hole with Orihime, but I never thought we'd locate the hidden immunity idol. Wow. It's such an amazing feeling. Simply wow.

She beamed happily at the camera. The petite insurance agent clapped her hands a few times and let out an uncharacteristic girlish giggle.

Meryl: I'm saved!

Neither woman was tall enough to reach the item from the ground, but it did not take long before Meryl climbed the coniferous tree and retrieved the hidden immunity idol. For a moment, she thought of running away with the idol to herself, but it would be due to a foolish and selfish impulse. When Meryl was back on the ground with the amulet, Orihime noticed the woman's sudden wariness towards her. And that was when she knew she had to do the right thing.

"Take it. It's yours." Orihime said, patting the petite insurance agent on the shoulder.

"But you found it first. You're the idol's rightful owner." Meryl mumbled.

"You are the one who actually got that idol." Orihime shook her head. "I wouldn't have been able to climb that tree by myself."

"Are you sure? I…I don't really deserve this." Meryl's gaze was averted elsewhere.

"I'm positive, Meryl. I don't want it. You need this more than me. You said so yourself," said Orihime.

"You don't have to be so selfless. I know this idol isn't mine." Meryl said with a weak smile. It pained her to admit this, but she was a rather moralistic person at heart, and she knew this idol wasn't hers for keeps. "I'll feel guilty if I have this idol in my pocket. Take it, Orihime. Take back what's yours."

"You can keep the idol to yourself. I won't even tell a soul about it." Orihime shook her head again, seemingly insistent on her stance in this subject matter. "I just want you to promise me one thing."

"What?" Meryl asked with uncertainty.

"I want you to promise to never vote for me in tribal council ever again," said Orihime.

"Of course! Of course I'll promise you that, silly!" Meryl broke into a huge grin. She approached the redhead and embraced her in a warm hug. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome." Orihime grinned back.

"I swear on my life that I'll never vote against you in this game. I'd be a dirty traitor if I did." Meryl raised her right hand in the air as if she was speaking an oath. "I'll never forget this act of kindness, Orihime."

"Does this mean we're in an alliance now, senpai?" Orihime asked.

"Of course we are!" Meryl laughed. She waved the shiny amulet in front of Orihime's face. "And this idol will be our little secret."

"It's so beautiful…" Orihime murmured, leaning forward to examine the amulet. It had the letters "H.I." engraved on the cover.

"Survivor is a beautiful game. It truly is." Meryl smiled.

Orihime: Some people might ask why I gave up the idol to Meryl. It doesn't seem like a very smart thing to do, but I think it'll benefit me in the future. What's more important is that I gained a new friend…and a new ally today.

She smiled reassuringly at the camera. She almost seemed confident that she made the right decision today.

Orihime: The idol alone won't keep me in the game. What I need are allies who I can trust completely with my heart.

The redhead teenager was too polite to admit this to the camera, but she realized the full impact of her actions today. She might not have the idol in her pocket, but she gained the trust of Meryl forever. And that, in a sense, carried so much more value than a little amulet.

First it was Shannon, and now Meryl. It would seem as if Orihime Inoue was on her way to becoming the most popular player in the Tsunade tribe.

- - -

DAY 6

Bulma was definitely not a morning person. With proper and adequate rest, she could be a very talkative, sociable, and sometimes even friendly woman. But without her beauty sleep, she disintegrated into an intimidating, unsociable, and grumpy old hag. Her tribe members experienced the severe transformation this morning when Guy woke everyone up with a piece of treemail, informing the Jiraiya tribe there was an immunity challenge immediately. Bulma was not pleased, and it showed on the angry scowl she wore for the rest of the morning.

"Welcome to your second immunity challenge. I know it's a little earlier than usual, but…" Iruka wasn't able to finish his sentence, for Bulma shot him such an intense glare that it forced the host to change the subject. "Anyway, I need that immunity idol back."

"It'll be ours in no time." Asuka boasted as she handed the host the wooden sculpture.

"Immunity is back up for grabs." Iruka declared, "For today's challenge, I hope you've got an empty stomach, because you'll be eating some famous Konoha delicacies!"

"Ramen?" Guy asked.

"No, of course not!" Iruka laughed. "I'm talking about the delicacies of this forest. Yep, that's right…it's a gross food challenge. Each tribe must send a representative to eat a certain dish. You win a point if you finish everything on the plate, but you get nothing if you can't complete your meal or you vomit during the process. Whichever tribe has the most points at the end wins immunity."

Iruka opened the refrigerator beside him and pulled out a small paper plate, containing two unmoving spiders. One was lying on its back, with all eight of its tiny legs pointing at the sky.

"We'll start with something small. A sample, if you will," said Iruka. He placed the plate on a nearby table. "Come on up, send someone to eat these delicious spiders! Don't worry, everybody gets a turn. Tsunade, since you're short one member, someone will have to eat twice."

The courageous Guy was chosen to eat first as the guinea pig. Mai also volunteered just for the sake of 'getting it over with'. The two players gathered around Iruka's table and picked up a spider from the plate. Guy dropped the creature inside his mouth and swallowed it immediately. He then displayed his mouth wide open, verifying to Iruka that he finished everything. Mai followed suit, almost to the same degree of calmness and courage.

"No problems for Guy and Mai!" Iruka grinned, bringing out the second plate from the fridge. Meanwhile, Asuka and Roy stepped up as the next batch of competitors. "But it's only going to get harder from now on."

Asuka wrinkled her nose when she saw two skinned rats on the paper plates. Their bodies looked like brownish blobs of meat, but she could tell they were rats because their tails were still attached. Iruka confirmed that they were cooked thoroughly, but Asuka still found them very unappetizing.

"You don't need to eat the tail," said Iruka.

"Oh gee, thanks. That makes it so much easier." Asuka rolled her eyes.

Roy took small nibbles of the rat bit by bit, made a few faces along the way, but eventually swallowed it whole. Asuka had more difficulty, almost vomiting in her mouth after the first bite. She clasped her hands over her mouth, preventing herself from throwing up. She slowly continued eating while grumbling under her breath. After a long struggle, she finished her last bite and spat out the rat's remaining tail on the plate.

Shannon and Harley faced off in the third round, while Iruka presented them with twelve squirming worms on two separate plates. Shannon finished his dozen in no time, brushing them down his throat like he was drinking water. Meanwhile, Harley turned ghastly pale when he picked up the first worm, which wriggled in between his slender fingers. He put the worm inside his open mouth, but pulled it out almost instantly.

"This is so nasty!" Harley shrieked, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "I can't eat this! I'm sorry, but I can't!"

"It's for immunity! Try harder!" Holland shouted.

Harley shook his head, shrugged his shoulders, and did whatever he could to apologize to his tribe. The Pokemon Coordinator was certain that he could not eat the squirming worms. He sadly returned to his tribe members, knowing that he had let them down with his pathetic performance. Harley could only wish someone from the other tribe would buckle under the pressure as well.

"Tsunade now leads by one point." Iruka announced. He then replaced the third dish with a fourth, which was covered up with a bamboo lid. "This next one is a mystery dish. I won't unveil it until both representatives arrive at the table."

Both Bulma and Orihime looked apprehensive when they walked up, anticipating the worst. Iruka removed the bamboo lid and revealed two delicious slices of chocolate forest cake on the plate. There were no dead insects, animals, or anything of that sort. It was just a legitimate piece of cake, which made Bulma break into a huge toothy grin.

"This isn't forest food!" Bulma said jokingly. The sight of a chocolate cake was enough to cheer her up from whatever bad mood she had due to a lack of sleep. "But I'll take it!"

"Sorry I lied, but I thought you deserved a little break. You didn't get a luxurious reward after all," said Bulma.

"Why didn't I get a chocolate cake during my turn?" Mai protested.

"Some people are just luckier than others." Iruka shrugged his shoulders.

Eating the chocolate cakes with their hands was a little messy, but Bulma and Orihime consumed the cakes with ease. Thus, both Jiraiya and Tsunade earned an easy point.

"The next dish is actually a drink." Iruka said, pulling out two tall glass cups from the fridge. Before he even explained, some players already deduced what the drink was by its nasty yellowish colour. "Deer urine."

"That's disgusting!" Kari made a face.

"Thank you." Iruka grinned.

Trying to ignore what she was drinking, she poured the urine into his mouth at a rapid pace. She didn't mind the bland taste all that much, but it was the horrid stench that made her feel somewhat queasy. However, she managed to gulp down her entire drink, as did her competitor Kurz.

"Tsunade is still in the lead." Iruka brought out the sixth plate to the table. "The next delicacy is quite special. These are beetle larva found in the trunks of dead trees in this forest."

"Yummy." Keitaro joked.

Neither Meryl nor Keitaro knew what to make of the beetle larva, but they tried their best to devour the gruesome item anyway. Meryl closed her eyes and threw the entire larva inside. She chewed it for a few seconds, but choked due to the amount of juice that poured out. Around the same time, her gag reflex kicked in and she felt a strong wave of nausea arising within her. She tried to suppress it, but she ended up vomiting in her plate anyway. Keitaro flashed a sympathetic glance at her, but continued eating without being affected much.

"No points for Tsunade," said Iruka. He glanced over at the other competitor, Keitaro, who was faring surprisingly well with the beetle larva. "Keitaro is still eating."

"I'm done." Keitaro swallowed and then opened his mouth for verification.

"Jiraiya and Tsunade are tied once more!" Iruka nodded his head in approval, while Meryl frowned and mumbled an apology to her tribe.

The seventh dish contained two dead grasshoppers, which Faye and Zolo devoured with ease. Faye ate hers quickly, and Zolo was even quicker. This round was over in less than twenty seconds, with both tribes gaining one more point.

"Since we're tied going into our final round, the winner will be determined by whoever finishes the next dish first. Tsunade, somebody in your tribe will have to go twice." Iruka explained.

"I'll go again." Zolo said.

"No, please let me try." Orihime raised her arm to speak. "I got a cake during my turn, so I didn't get to eat any gross food."

"Are you sure?" Zolo raised an eyebrow.

"I won't let you guys down." Orihime smiled.

"Alright, so it's going to be Orihime versus Holland. This should be interesting." Iruka said. He served the eighth and final plate on the table. It contained only two berries, and Orihime recognized them as the Minaberries right away. She knew too well about the effects of these fruits, and the consequences that followed on the first day. "The last food item is a poisonous berry commonly found in the Konoha forests. They can cause massive stomach aches for at least days to come."

Iruka smiled at the two competitors.

"Whoever eats this berry first will win immunity for his or her tribe. At what cost will you pay to win? Let's find out…" The host raised his arm in the air as a signal. "Survivors ready? Go!"

Holland picked up the berry, but looked hesitant as he dangled it in front of his lips. Like Orihime, he learned about the poisonous berry on the first day. He didn't get to experience what the so-called Minaberries will do to his body, and he had no desire to discover it now. Yet, immunity was on the line and Holland was stuck in a dilemma that he could not solve.

He glanced over at Orihime, who shoved the berry in her mouth without any hesitation. In a matter of seconds, the berry was swallowed down her throat, and all that she held was a leftover stem in her right hand.

Orihime ate the poisonous berry.

Again.

"Tsunade wins immunity!" Iruka exclaimed, but his voice was drowned out by the celebratory cries from the victorious tribe. A couple of people grabbed the idol and passed it around, experiencing the touch of victory for the first time. After six days of absolute misery, Tsunade finally pulled through and won a challenge.

Orihime smiled weakly as she watched her tribe laugh and celebrate in front of her. Some of them even patted her on the back for her courageous sacrifice. And what a sacrifice it was! Clearly she had not recovered from her previous illness, but she went ahead anyway and ate the berry without thinking twice. Most players didn't seem to grasp the full picture yet, for they were too blinded by their win to comprehend what Orihime had done.

Shannon was the only one who realized what tremendous selflessness she had demonstrated yet again. Only he realized how she sacrificed herself for the tribe, putting their best interests ahead of her own. Only he realized that while Tsunade prospers in triumph, Orihime will suffer for many days to come.

"Thank you, Orihime." Shannon leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "Thank…thank you for everything. You've sacrificed too much for this tribe."

"If it means Tsunade can stay intact, I'll do it again in a heartbeat." Orihime laughed.

And it was at that moment Shannon promised himself to protect Orihime from all harms her way.

- - -

It was still early morning when Jiraiya returned to their campsite, so Holland had plenty of time to reflect his loss at the immunity challenge. He lost his cool during the final round, just because he could not bare the thought of poisoning himself with those dreadful berries. Anything else and Holland would have been fine. His tribe members were obviously disappointed, but they respected him too much as their leader to say anything about it. Of course, as a former athlete, Holland was his own biggest critic when it came to losing under his pressure. Now he knew how Keitaro felt during the first immunity challenge, except this time Jiraiya was not lucky enough.

"I'm sorry I didn't step up to the plate today. I had the opportunity to win immunity and I let it slip through my fingers." Holland announced to his entire tribe when they returned to camp. He wore a solemn expression on his weathered face. "I take all responsibility for our loss."

"Who cares? We all screw up sometimes." Bulma was the first to dismiss the leader's remark with a casual laugh. "It was a stupid challenge anyway. Forget about it!"

"Yeah, it's not that big of a deal," added Kari.

"You tried your best today, and that's what counts the most." Guy pounded his right fist against his chest a few times. "We all have our fair shares of victories and losses in life. It's time to move on, team!"

"Thanks for understanding." Holland offered a thin smile to his tribe members.

Keitaro: When Holland lost the challenge today, everybody kind of just shrugged it off. I was a little surprised because if it was me in the same position, my tribe members would have hunted me down with pitchforks by now. There's no way they'd be this calm and casual about the loss. May be it's because Holland is viewed as the leader of Jiraiya, and everybody is intimidated by his power. He makes the decisions around here, so nobody wants to be on his bad side when Holland decides who goes home tonight.

Without an obvious scapegoat, Jiraiya was scrambling to find somebody else to vote out at the upcoming tribal council. Some people were in more danger than others. Harley, who also messed up in today's challenge, was feeling particularly vulnerable. It was why he worked extra hard to ensure the target would be anybody else but him.

"Wait a second…so you want to join my alliance?" Asuka asked, sounding a little baffled. There were a few people whom she wanted in her alliance, but the effeminate and eccentric Pokemon Coordinator was not one of them. Nonetheless, Asuka was curious to hear the rest of Harley's offer.

"Yep, it's exactly what it sounds like!" Harley nodded his head enthusiastically. "I noticed you and Keitaro are close, and I don't mind being the third wheel in your plans."

"What's your motive?" Asuka narrowed her eyes with suspicion.

"I don't have a motive! I'm just an innocent little thing trying to make sure he doesn't get voted off, that's all!" Harley laughed.

"Fair enough." Asuka turned towards Keitaro, who was standing quietly beside her. "What do you think, puzzle boy?"

"I say…the more the merrier. Welcome aboard!" Keitaro grinned.

"Are you sure we can trust him?" Asuka asked, ignoring the fact that Harley was right in front of her. "He doesn't seem like a trustworthy kind of guy."

"We need to start recruiting people in our alliance." Keitaro said, "And we don't have much time left."

"Don't you worry about me, sweetheart! Trustworthy is my middle name!" Harley laughed.

"Fine, you're in. But let me warn you…don't cross me. You'll regret it if you do." Asuka shot an intense glare at the Pokemon Coordinator, who just brushed it off with another airy laugh. "So, who do you have in mind? Does Bulma sound like a good target?"

"I think it's a sensational idea," said Harley.

"Aren't you friends with Bulma? Why are you so quick to backstab her?" Asuka asked instantly. Once again, she was interrogating the Pokemon Coordinator with blunt, unavoidable questions to test his loyalty. Harley gulped, realizing that the fiery redhead was a lot smarter than he imagined.

"Trust me, we're not that close." Harley shook his head. "I didn't make any deals with her, so technically I'm not backstabbing her in any way."

"So, you're willing to vote for Bulma with us?" Asuka asked.

"Yes! Do I have to do a ritual dance to persuade you?" Harley chuckled.

"Please, spare me the image." Asuka muttered, putting her hand in front of Harley's face. He squirmed a little, but still retained a false friendly smile. "Just vote Bulma or else."

Asuka: I'm building my army to take Bulma down at the next vote. Personally, I think she's an annoying hag from hell. She hasn't contributed to the tribe so far, and she won't do anything significant in the future either. It's not like she needs the money anyway, so she has no reason to play this game. Bulma doesn't deserve to be here…and anybody who thinks otherwise is dead wrong.

It took a long time for Harley to persuade Asuka that he was a loyal ally, but at last she accepted him into her little alliance of three. He might not be a rocket scientist, but he sensed a numbers disadvantage when he saw one. Asuka's alliance didn't have the majority and was thus useless in his opinion. Harley knew he had to be in one more alliance, if not more, to guarantee his safety for the upcoming vote. So, he excused himself from his new alliance members and went on to mingle with another ally, Faye.

"Did you find out who Keitaro is voting for?" Faye asked.

"He's voting Bulma tonight. Don't worry, we're totally safe." Harley whispered.

"Good, then we have our bases covered." Faye felt a confident grin creep across her face. "Now, we'll have to talk to Holland. He's the guy with the most power around here."

"He's our captain." Harley said, also grinning.

"I think he might already have some allies. Guy sticks to him like glue, so it's more than obvious they have a thing together." Faye said, "And I'm not sure about this, but Kari might be cozying her way into that alliance as well. She's quiet, but she's playing the game hard."

"That sneaky little bitch!" Harley snapped.

"It doesn't matter as long as we vote in the majority." Faye continued, "These alliances are built on less than six days of relationship. They won't last long if we manipulate things around here."

"Ooh, now I see that you're the real sneaky little bitch around here!" Harley feigned a surprised expression, prompting Faye to playfully slap him in the shoulder.

"Look who's talking." Faye smirked.

"You're so lovely, Miss Valentine. I want to put you in my pocket and just carry you around!" Harley laughed.

Harley: I'm definitely not loyal to Asuka or Keitaro, although it doesn't hurt to be on their good sides. If Keitaro does have that hidden immunity idol, then I'm going to make sure he won't vote for me under any circumstances. But let's face it, he'd be powerless without that idol. No, I need to align with somebody stronger…somebody with more of a backbone. And Faye Valentine is the perfect solution to all my problems.

He grinned toothily at the camera.

Harley: I don't want to sound overconfident, but these people don't stand a chance with us around. Two brilliant minds collide together can cause much, much damage.

- - -

Bulma knew she was in danger of getting voted out tonight, although she didn't fully realize how close she was to going home. For an older woman, she surprisingly proved her worth in the challenges, acing the physical and mental aspects with ease even when others failed to do the same. That fact alone should be enough reason for Jiraiya to keep her around a little longer, yet Bulma was nervous that nobody approached her for an alliance so far. She felt she was in the outs of the tribe, and she intended to do something to change her position.

If there was a tribe member powerful enough to secure or seal another player's fate, Holland was the man. Everybody in Jiraiya thought he made the decisions for the tribe, and whether it was true or not, Bulma only hoped he liked her enough to decide she could stay in the game. She was too proud to beg him for a favour, but she was reasonable enough to bargain with the Jiraiya leader, even if the deal would be temporary.

"Who are you voting out tonight?" Bulma asked, but before Holland could reply her question, she interrupted him with another sentence. "And don't you dare say my name."

"I haven't made up my mind." Holland said coolly.

"Don't lie to me, Holland. I don't like liars." Bulma glared.

"I don't give a shit if you like me or not." Holland shrugged his shoulders. "But if you want an answer, I'm probably going to vote for Asuka."

"That's what I want to hear! Good choice, I'm voting for that pesky little girl too." Bulma grinned.

"I might change my mind," said Holland.

"Holland, I'm voting for whoever you're voting for. Just tell me and I'll do it." Bulma was beginning to sound desperate, but she didn't care about keeping her dignity or her pride anymore. She just wanted three more days in the game. "In fact, I'll vote for anyone as long as it's not me."

"Good for you." Holland muttered dryly.

"Seriously, if you change your mind at tribal council, just give me a signal." Bulma continued, "Just…just uh, hold up the number of fingers based on the alphabetical order of the names. One finger for Asuka, three fingers for Faye, five fingers for Harley, seven fingers for Kari…and so on. You get the idea. Show me your hand and I'll know who to vote for."

Holland looked amused at her bizarre suggestion, but nodded his head anyway. He then held up one finger and wiggled it in front of her face.

"So far, the plan hasn't changed yet." Holland said.

"Good. I don't care how many fingers you hold up, just as long as it's not two." Bulma grinned.

Bulma: Selling a strategy is like selling a product. You need to have a special niche in order to attract people. In Survivor, you need to advertise yourself and make other players want to have you in their alliance. You don't have to be a well-rounded member. You just have to make yourself an appealing ally.

Not only was Bulma a capable inventor, but she was also a very successful businesswomen. As the top executive manager of the Capsule Corporation and its many franchises, it was no surprise that she knew successful marketing tips, some of which could be applied to this game.

Bulma: My strategy in Survivor is…I'll vote out anyone as long as it's not me. If anybody asks, that's what I'm going to tell them. They know where I stand. And they know they can use me as a vote. That's going to be my selling point. If they're smart, they'll want to include me in their alliance.

Holland was a busy man today. Not long after Bulma had left him alone, he was soon approached by Faye and Harley with the same intention of swaying his vote. They wasted no time cutting to the chase, for they knew Holland was a rather blunt person who didn't like sugar-coated words. The pair decided that Faye, the more aggressive of the two, would do most of the talking, but Harley would support her as a backup in case of any problems.

"Let me guess…you want to ask me who I'm voting for tonight." Holland sighed, beginning to feel a little exhausted from the constant strategizing. "It's Asuka. Now leave me alone."

"I want to see a different person leave." Faye said.

Holland didn't reply back, but stared at the bounty huntress in anticipation of her answer.

"Keitaro has the idol and I'd like to vote him out." Faye continued, "I already found out that he's voting for Bulma tonight, so she'll end up leaving instead. But the goal is to force Keitaro to play the idol early on and then he won't be a threat in the future."

"What makes you so sure he has the idol? Did he tell you?" Holland asked.

"I saw it. It's like a little amulet. I know he keeps it in his pants." Faye said.

"You searched through his pants?" Holland smirked.

"You don't want to know where those hands have been, sweetheart." Harley grinned.

"Anyway, it's a brilliant plan if you're on board. Well, are you?" Faye asked.

"What happens if Keitaro doesn't have the idol?" Holland managed to avoid replying by asking another question of his own.

"Then he'll get voted out instead of Bulma. Big deal. He can't even solve a puzzle last time. Our tribe can afford to lose him," said Faye with a shrug of shoulder. "It's a win-win situation the way I see it."

"You're going to end up looking really bad if you vote out the guy who started a fire for Jiraiya." Holland said.

"Stop avoiding the question, damn it! Answer me! Are you in or not?" Faye snapped.

"I haven't made up my mind." Holland replied nonchalantly. "It does some like a promising plan though."

"Yeah, whatever." Faye sighed. "Just let me know before tribal council, alright? And remember, good leaders don't waffle back and forth. I know you're a smart guy, Holland. Don't let me down."

Faye: It sucks not having the power in my hands. I don't like depending on other people, but sometimes I've to take that risk. Whether I can trust Holland's instinct is still up in the air, but I believe he'll make a beneficial decision for all of us.

As Faye had suspected earlier, Holland did indeed form an alliance with Guy and Kari. None of them actually mentioned such a term, but there was an unspoken agreement that the trio would work together and watch out for each other. The bond between them wasn't too surprising, since they were the three hardest working members in Jiraiya. Holland led the tribe, Guy dominated the challenges, and Kari finished all the camp chores like a trooper. Keitaro, who was another hard worker, would have been included in this pact had he not so foolishly associated himself with Asuka. And it might turn out to be his biggest mistake, for they were discussing about voting him out tonight.

"Faye and Harley say that Keitaro has the hidden immunity idol. They want him gone." Holland said.

"I don't trust slackers." Guy scoffed.

"Me neither." Kari added.

"But when I think about it, it's not that bad of an idea." Holland rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If it's true, then we'll lose Bulma, who's not important to the tribe anyway. And if it's false, we'll lose Keitaro. He's not important either."

"He started a fire for us." Kari reminded him.

"But he might have the idol." Holland argued.

"I'd rather see someone who's a little lazier leave the game. Keitaro worked really hard to redeem himself and I think he needs a break." Kari sighed softly. "Don't you agree, Guy?"

"Kari has a very good point." Guy nodded his head. "But I don't care what decision you make, Holland. Just know that I'm on your side."

"Me too. You're our captain. You make the final decision." Kari added.

Holland: I'm not normally an indecisive person, but I've a lot to think about tonight. The entire tribe's fate rests in my hands. Should we vote out Keitaro, who might have the idol but made valuable contributions to the tribe? And if he has the idol, can we afford to lose Bulma, who might be argumentative but have performed very well in the challenges? Or perhaps we should just vote out Asuka, someone whom nobody really likes?

He paused, clasping his hands together and resting his chin on them.

Holland: With great leadership comes a great responsibility. I'm the proclaimed captain of Jiraiya, and I must make the decision based on what's best for my tribe.

- - -

Throughout tribal council, Bulma kept turning around to study Holland's reaction to various questions that Iruka asked. Looking back, she should have sat beside him so communication would be easier. Instead, she was forced to worry the entire night, wondering when Holland would give her the signal. The thought of Holland not telling her anything crossed her mind many times, which was why she felt so anxious every time she turned to look at Holland. His expressionless face revealed nothing about his emotions, his strategy, or his plans. Until the time came, Bulma was essentially a sitting duck at his mercy.

She tried to distract herself by paying close attention to the host's questions, but her mind always wandered back to Holland. It wasn't until Iruka directed a question towards her that Bulma finally woke up from her worrisome thoughts.

"Bulma…" Iruka said, "Asuka said earlier that she didn't get along with you at all. Would you like to elaborate this relationship?"

"Let's make one thing clear. Asuka and I have no relationship whatsoever." Bulma forced a nervous laugh. "I've always saw her as a self-centered girl who thinks she's right all the time. In short, she has a lot of growing up to do."

"Excuse me? You're like almost seventy, and you were yelling at me like some three-year-old yesterday!" Asuka raised her voice in an intimidating manner. "You're so damn immature!"

"I'm notseventy years old, you foolish little girl. I'm still young and loving life. In fact, I believe I've performed extremely well in challenges for someone my age." Bulma rolled her eyes.

"What-ever!" Asuka also rolled her eyes.

"Harley, let's turn to you for a minute. Over the past six days, you must've formed some relationships with a few people. Who are you getting along with the most?" Iruka asked.

"Oh Iruka, what a silly question! I get along with everyone. Every single person here is my friend." Harley replied with a big toothy smile on his face.

"Is there anyone you don't like in particular?" Iruka prodded.

"Of course not! I told you that I get along with everyone!" Harley laughed, waving his hand in dismissal.

"Guy, how about you? Is there anyone bugging you in your tribe?" Iruka asked.

"Some people aren't pulling their weight around camp, and that really bugs me." Guy shook his head and sighed. "Surely, the springtime of youth must have better work ethics than what I've witnessed in Jiraiya!"

"So, everyone in your tribe is lazy?" Iruka asked.

"No, there're a few hard workers around camp. Holland is one of them. Kari and Keitaro do a lot of chores too." Guy smiled.

"Wait, are you saying that the rest of us are lazy?" Faye raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't say anything. You said it yourself." Guy smirked.

"That's such bullshit. I…no, we all do a lot of work around camp." Faye said, "But you set such high expectations for everyone that it's impossible to meet your standards. We're not all made of muscles like you, you know."

"I'm not good with words, so I don't want to argue with you." Guy began shaking his head again. "But it's very clear that some people work harder than others. You know it, I know it, and the Konoha spirit knows it too."

Faye made a sound of disbelief. She was not satisfied with the accusation, but she didn't want to cast even more negative light onto herself, especially during tribal council. So, she decided to keep quiet, for now anyway.

"Let's focus on the more positive aspects of camp life. Keitaro, a little bird told me that you started a fire yesterday." Iruka said, "Is that true?"

"It's more of a…fluke, to be honest. But it's a fire nonetheless." Keitaro flashed a modest smile at the host.

"We also ran out of matches, so what Keitaro did really help us out a lot." Kari added.

"Wow, you used up a full box of matches! Well, I certainly hope you keep that fire lasting, or you're going to have a very difficult time out here." Iruka said with surprise.

"There'll be a fire in Jiraiya as long as Keitaro is around." Asuka said confidently.

"We'll see." Iruka remained unfazed. "Okay, enough chit-chat. It's time for the vote. Bulma, you're up first."

Bulma stood up and turned around for one last time. It was then she saw Holland subtly raise two hands from his lap, holding up a certain number of fingers. She smiled and nodded her head several times, indicating that she understood the message. Holland lowered his hands onto his knees again, and luckily, nobody caught the furtive interaction between them.

Eight fingers…Bulma thought to herself.

With confidence, she turned around and headed towards the rope bridge. She now knew who she was going to vote out tonight.

- - -

When Iruka returned to the players with a full voting urn, he sensed a much different atmosphere from the first tribal council. Almost everybody in Jiraiya knew who received the most votes, or at least they thought they knew anyway. Only Keitaro seemed nervous as Iruka pulled out the first vote from the urn, as he should be since his name was tossed around many times before tribal council even began.

"Bulma." Iruka said, unfolding the first parchment.

Her body stirred in slight alarm, but Bulma nodded her head once in acceptance. She knew this vote, quite predictably, came from an angry Asuka. The two women had still not made amends since their explosive quarrel on the other day.

"Bulma." Iruka read the five-lettered name again on the second parchment.

She angrily clenched her right hand into a fist. Instead of feeling nervous about the vote, Bulma felt a new emotion arise within her. Her apprehensiveness was replaced by sheer fury. If she was going to get voted out, it would not be a restful night.

Iruka paused for a long time before he pulled out the third parchment, unfolded it, and revealed a seven-lettered name.

"Keitaro." Iruka declared, "That's two votes for Bulma and one vote for Keitaro."

The bespectacled student winced uneasily at the sight of his own name. He had expected that Asuka, his partner in crime, would be the recipient of many votes tonight. In fact, Keitaro cast that second vote against Bulma as a pity vote, knowing that Asuka would most likely be voted out. She just made too enemies to ever last long in Survivor, and Keitaro got the false assumption he was safe as long as Asuka was still the scapegoat.

But he did not expect Jiraiya to target him instead.

"Keitaro."

He began shaking his head a few times in disbelief. Keitaro still didn't understand why they would target him instead of Asuka. He instantly regretted his association with Asuka in the past few days. He always thought she would be his ultimate undoing.

"Keitaro."

Asuka let out a soft cuss word when she saw his ally's name pop up for the third time. She understood why he'd receive one vote, and even two if Bulma managed to make someone pity her. But the third vote was like a final nail to his coffin, and Asuka then knew something suspicious was happening.

She turned towards Harley for his reassurance, but the Pokemon Coordinator evaded her gaze while the votes were read.

"Keitaro." Iruka said, "That's four votes for Keitaro and two votes for Bulma."

Feeling frustrated, Asuka shifted her gaze towards Keitaro, who already hanged his head in defeat. They voted against him instead of his ally for whatever reason he did not comprehend, and now it was clear to him what the last two votes in the urn will read.

"The second person voted out of Survivor: Konoha," Iruka did not even pause when he flipped over the seventh parchment. "Keitaro. The last vote will remain a mystery."

Keitaro remained in his seat for a few seconds, still shaking his head in disbelief. He finally stood up, but was interrupted when Iruka asked him the question.

"Keitaro, do you have the hidden immunity idol?"

All seven players laid their eyes upon him with anxiety and anticipation. A few players were confident that he had the hidden immunity and would pull it out of his pocket any time. Others were more wary and assumed that Keitaro was voted out for good. Bulma did not know what to think at this moment. She was not made aware of the rumours that he possessed the hidden immunity idol, and she might now receive the biggest shock of her life.

After a long pause, Keitaro opened his mouth to speak.

"Uh, I don't think so." He flashed a nervous smile at the players. "But looking back now, I should've spent more time looking for that thing."

Keitaro grabbed his torch and continued his walk towards the host. He smiled at a few players in acknowledgement, but most of them were too awestruck to respond back. They were so certain that he had the hidden immunity idol, and that he would use it tonight and Bulma would be voted out instead. Faye, in particular, was the most shocked of them all.

"The tribe has spoken." Iruka said solemnly as he snuffed out the torch. "It's time for you to go."

Before Keitaro departed from tribal council, he turned around to address his tribe members one final time. He put his hand inside his pocket – the same pocket that Faye had felt during her body search yesterday, and pulled out a small heart-shaped nut that was golden bronze in colour.

It almost looked too much like an amulet from a distance.

"I found this in the forest the other day. I was going to give it to Naru as a lucky amulet, but I think you guys will need it more." Keitaro said, tossing the small fruit to Asuka.

"See you later, dweeb." Asuka caught the nut and shot him a defiant grin.

"Good luck, Asuka." Keitaro laughed weakly. He turned around again and began his departure on the walk of shame. Very soon, his figure was enveloped by the darkness and he became a distant memory of the past.

"Keitaro gave you fire and a departing gift. In return, you voted him out." Iruka pressed his lips together, forming a thin wry smile. "I have nothing else to say, Jiraiya. Good night."

After leaving tribal council, Holland had a lot to think about on his mind. Voting Keitaro out was not his idea initially, but he was the one who orchestrated the demise by leading Jiraiya in that direction. Keitaro responded to the surprising outcome quite well, even though he never saw it coming. The good sportsmanship made Holland feel slightly less guilty, but he can't help but wonder if he made the right decision tonight.

Holland got his answer a few hours later, when heavy rainfall began to pour from the sky. Jiraiya's unprotected campfire was extinguished almost immediately, just like the flame on Keitaro's torch. By the time Holland realized what had happened, he could do nothing else but laugh. The Survivor gods sure knew how to deliver punishment with such sadistic irony.

- - -

Keitaro's Final Words

Wow, they voted out their fire-starting hero. I'm a little shocked and disappointed, but I guess that's the nature of Survivor. I still don't know why they targeted me. May be they're angry that I almost screwed up the first immunity challenge? Or may be they don't like that I bonded with Asuka? But I'm out of the game now, so it doesn't matter anymore. Good luck to everyone left!

- - -

Next time on Survivor: Konoha –

Jiraiya is running low on essentials…
Kari: We don't have a fire.
(Kari is seen sitting by a pile of ashes.)
Kari: We can't cook anything.

Meryl shares her secret…
Meryl: I have the hidden immunity idol.
(A smiling Meryl takes out her amulet and shows it to Mai.)
Meryl: Don't tell anyone.

And Mai makes a scandalous betrayal…
Mai: Hey Kurz?
(Mai rests her head on Kurz's shoulder. They are alone in the middle of the night.)
Mai: Meryl has the idol.
Kurz: Oh snap!

All this and more on - Episode 3: How a War Begins

- - -

Author's Notes: Thanks for the encouraging reviews, everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the last one. As always, I'd love to hear any of your thoughts about the story through reviews, my website, or the monthly survey. Speaking of surveys, the results to Episode 1 are posted and there's a new survey for Episode 2 as well. You can access both in my profile.