Author's Note: Please do not worry. Not all chapters will be this long, but the introduction is special. There will be an elimination this time, I promise.
Location: The K'wala Docks
Competitors: All
"What do you mean we're starting the challenge now?" Koh growled. "It's the middle of the night!"
"I know," Chris replied. "That's what makes it special! But, before I explain…" Chris pulled out two sets of bandanas: Seven red, seven yellow. "Team names! Logan's team has received the red bandanas and shall henceforth be known as the Kempt Kangaroos!"
Logan, Harald, Cole, Joshua, Olivia, Pearl, and Lain now all wore red bandanas.
"And Marisa's team shall be known as the Witless Wallabies!" Chris declared.
"Now that's a name I can get behind!" Taylor shouted. He, Brad, Giuseppe, Koh, Winona, Marisa, and Brittany wore yellow bandanas.
"The name suits you, Taylor," Brad remarked.
"Don't be mean," Marisa chastised, causing Brad to blush.
Confessional: Brad
"She talked to me!" he shakes his head. "Not that I care."
"Enough chit-chat!" Chris yelled. "Let me explain the challenge!"
Challenge Info:
In the first elimination challenge, each member of The Kempt Kangaroos and The Witless Wallabies will be facing off in a boxing match. The boxing ring will be suspended 10 meters over Lake Gellafiche, located in between K'wala Island, Kahn'gru Island, and Wollobi Island. In a best of seven format, one competitor from each team will fight to knock the other person off the ring. However, they will have to do this while holding torches. If one person's torch is dropped or they fall off the ring, the other earns a point. First to four wins.
The Matchups:
(Kahn'gru Member vs Wollobi Member)
Cole vs Brad
Lain vs Marisa
Joshua vs Koh
Olivia vs Giuseppe
Logan vs Taylor
Pearl vs Brittany
Harald vs Winona
Location: Lake Gellafiche
Competitors: All
"So?" Chris asked. "Who's ready to fight?"
In the yellow corner, Brad- who had changed from his vest to blue swim trunks- raised his hand, in which a torch was held. "I sure am."
In the red corner, Cole, now wearing red trunks, spoke up. "I'm ready too, Chris." He waved his torch around menacingly.
"Fight!" Chris said, and the match was on.
Round 1- Kempt Kangaroos 0, Witless Wallabies 0
"YARRR!" Cole screamed like a banshee and charged. He dodged Brad's first jab by sheer luck and tried to push him. Brad stumbled but sidestepped the attack. Cole attacked with renewed intensity, over and over, slowly pushing Brad back.
"He's actually going to do it!" Logan muttered.
"Go, Cole!" Pearl and Lain shouted encouragingly.
Brad kept sidestepping again and again. Finally, he looked behind him and realized that he was close to the edge. He paused, waiting for Cole's next move. Cole hesitated as well. They stared each other down.
Finally, Cole grew impatient. He rushed forward with a yell, his torch high in his hand. He threw everything he had into this last push- but, Cole's klutziness hadn't been taken to account.
Five feet away from Brad, Cole tripped over a board. Brad simply stepped aside as Cole tumbled off the ring, belly flopping into the water ten feet below.
Confessional: Cole
"That hurt a little." He smiled impishly. "But I'm good!"
"Point for The Witless Wallabies!" Chris declared as Brad climbed down the ladder. "Next up... In the red corner, the Psycho Psychic, Lain! In the yellow corner, the Brutish Blogger, Marisa!"
Round 2- Kempt Kangaroos 0, Witless Wallabies 1
The two girls faced each other. Lain gave a small smile. "The thing about being a psychic, hon, is I can sense your every move."
Marisa lost her nerve for one second, then regained it. "Well, try to sense this!" she lashed out at Lain with her free hand. Lain dodged to the left and stepped back. Marisa tried to body check Lain, but she dodged, and Marisa nearly stumbled off the ring.
Confessional: Lain
"That was total luck. But what Marisa doesn't know can't hurt her."
Lain jumped forward with surprising athleticism and brought her arm down on Marisa's wrist- this made her drop her torch.
"Point for The Kempt Kangaroos!" Chris announced. "Good call, Lain."
"I'm still not forgiving you, Chris!" Lain snapped.
"Ah...right." Chris awkwardly continued. "Well, next up is… In the red corner, the Sulfurous Swede, Joshua, and in the yellow corner... " his voice rose an octave. "Crazy Koh!"
Round 3- Kempt Kangaroos 1, Witless Wallabies 1
"Yo!" Koh called down to Chris. "Scaredy-Cat's not moving. The loser fainted...again."
"Great. Now I gotta get him down." Chris said under his breath. "Joshua forfeits! Uh… just take a short break, everyone, while I get him."
Intermission- Kempt Kangaroos 1, Witless Wallabies 2
Brad, during the break, had an idea. He ran over to where Giuseppe and Taylor were talking.
"Look," he said. "There are four girls on our team, and three of us. Sooner or later the girls are going to realize that too."
"I see where you're going, Amico." Giuseppe agreed. "We must stick together. No way are the girls all going to vote with each other every time."
"And we can outnumber them!" Taylor realized. "Because, um, four... and three… but… seven… um…"
"So," Brad interrupted. "Alliance?"
"Alliance," the other two boys said at the same time.
Confessional: Taylor
"Yeah! An alliance! I was hoping to pair with Brittany, because…" he trails off. "Brittany…" Taylor realizes that the camera was still on. "What was I saying?"
Taylor ran off, presumably to tell Brittany about his top-secret alliance, when he tripped over a bottle in the sand. "Hello, what's this?" he wondered aloud. He was about to open it, but Chris was beginning to talk, so he stashed the bottle in the brush.
"Okie Dokie!" Chris said, dragging Joshua by the feet across the sand. "Now that Mr. Fainty McFaintyFaint is done, we can start. Take your places!
Round 4- Kempt Kangaroos 1, Witless Wallabies 2
"In the red corner, the Silent Samurai, Olivia!" Chris motioned to the girl, who held the torch but was immobile. "Freaky! And in the yellow corner, the Italian Stallion, Giuseppe!"
"Fight!"
Giuseppe charged Olivia, who made no attempt to dodge. When he came within a foot of her, Olivia reached out and, using Giuseppe's momentum, flipped him over the edge with what must have been superhuman strength. He went down instantly.
Confessional: Giuseppe
"H-h-how?" he stutters.
Confessional: Olivia
Olivia holds a drawing up to the camera. It is her, in a traditional judo gi. In the picture, she has a black belt.
"O-kay…" Chris said. He was a little nervous. "Um… let's give it up for our next to combatants!"
Round 5- Kempt Kangaroos 2, Witless Wallabies 2
"In the red corner! The Gruesome Gamer, Logan!" Logan smiled a little. "And in the yellow corner, the Out-For-Blood Athlete, Taylor!"
The two faced each other, with their torches in hand. "Begin!"
Logan and Taylor began to fight. Taylor, who was rather impulsive, charged Logan, but he was way off, and both of them knew it. Why would he do that?
The answer was then revealed. At the last second, as he went barreling past Logan, Taylor reached out and knocked the torch out of Logan's grip. It was sent clattering to the dock.
Confessional: Logan
"Well… that Taylor may not be the sharpest crayon in the box, but he is an excellent battle strategist. I need to reconsider my opinion about him."
"I did it! I did it!" Taylor cried. I- whoah!" he said as he accidentally jumped for joy...right off the dock.
Confessional: Logan
"Then again…"
"Point for The Witless Wallabies! This is neck and neck!" Chris cried dramatically. "Pearl and Brittany, you're up!"
Round 6- Kempt Kangaroos 2, Witless Wallabies 3
"In the red corner… the OCDemon, Pearl!"
"I am not OCD! Pearl protested, putting hand sanitizer on her torch.
"Yeah, yeah. And in the yellow corner… the Choppy Cheerleader, Brittany!"
"Ready? Remember, if you win this Brittany, your team will win." Chris explained.
"I win?" Brittany asked, incredulous.
"Um… no, you-"
"I win!" she yelled, excited, and to celebrate, cannonballed of the boxing ring, giving The Kempt Kangaroos their third point.
"Um...okay…" Chris said. "Let's just... um... Next match!"
FINAL ROUND- Kempt Kangaroos 3, Witless Wallabies 3
"Who's up there?" Cole asked Pearl from the ground.
"Winona, I think, and…" Pearl's face suddenly showed horror. "Oh no…"
Confessional: Harald
"That is correct, Zukünftige Sklaven. I, Harald Skeithwick, shall be able to win the challenge! Then I will become the overlord of my team!"
"The final round!" Chris said emphatically. "Whoever stays in the ring longer wins! Representing The Kempt Kangaroos, The Petrifying Poet, The Fierce Fashion King, The One, The Only… Harald!"
Harald raised his torch and gestured to his team. They said nothing.
"The only thing in Harald's way, representing The Witless Wallabies, The Evil Empress, The Scary Snake… Winona!"
Winona smiled evilly at Harald as her team cheered loudly. "This is going to be fun."
Confessional: Winona
"I don't know if the camera caught him, but Harald has been insulting me since we got here. It's time for payback."
"Fight!"
Harald danced around the ring, jeering at Winona. "Well, it seems like I've been given an easy win, Dummkopf."
He came close, threatening to strike, but dodging out of the way. Winona didn't move except to dodge. Harald heard laughter and smiled. He must have thought they were laughing at Winona and not the circus clothed weirdo dancing around her.
"You're weak!" Harald catcalled, still bouncing around. "You're stupid! You're mother-"
"Stop," Winona said. Her voice was deathly calm. "You can insult me. You can insult my looks, skills, or friends. But no one, NO ONE INSULTS MY MOTHER!"
With that, she charged, seeking to kill. She wrapped her hands around Harald's neck and slammed him down. Winona punched Harald in the gut repeatedly, before using a 'flying elbow' on him. Harald submitted and dropped his torch. Still, Winona continued, hitting harder and harder. She picked him up, and, with a defiant yell, threw him off the ring.
Confessional: Logan
"He had it coming."
Confessional: Koh
She whistles. "Respect, girl. I still don't like you, but respect."
Confessional: Chris McLean
"I'll have the viewers at home know that portions of this show are staged and resultingly did not actually occur." he leans in. "Did that sound believable?"
"Witless Wallabies win! Witless Wallabies win!" Chris announced. He checked his watch. "And Kempt Kangaroos… meet me at the K'wala Campfire Ceremony, where one of you will be going home."
Location: Camp Kahn'gru
Competitors: Cole, Olivia
Olivia was sitting on a stump near her camp. She heard rustling and saw Cole come into the clearing.
"I've been wanting to talk," Cole said as he sat down.
Olivia said nothing.
"My Grandpa Tom says that the quietest people have the best stories. Plus, you seem like a good person to hang out with," Cole ventured.
Nothing.
Cole then brought up his hands and made some gestures- sign language. The words appeared on the bottom of the screen. Would you prefer me to sign?
Olivia stood up, shocked, and slowly signed back. You know sign language?
Yeah, Cole replied. My mom, she-
"Cole! Olivia!" Pearl's voice came from far away. "We're having hot dogs. Wanna come?"
Olivia turned to Cole. This stays secret.
Cole looked confused like he didn't understand why, but he agreed and the two walked away.
Location: Camp Wollobi
Competitors: Taylor, Giuseppe, Brad
"...so, then, I heard Chris talking, so I stashed the advantage away." Taylor finished. "But I have it now, so we can use it if we need to."
"Good find, T-Dog!" Giuseppe said. He and Taylor high-fived.
"What does it say?" Brad insisted.
Taylor unfurled the scroll and read aloud. "Secret Advantage: Vote Steal. You may use this after the votes are cast, but before they are counted, to nullify somebody's vote and gain an extra one yourself, which you must cast immediately. Use it well." he glanced up. "Says here that I have to be the one to play it."
"Doesn't matter," Brad replied. "We'll be sticking together, right?"
"Right," chorused the other two. They obviously had never played the game before.
Location: K'wala Campfire
Competitors: Kempt Kangaroos
"Welcome back," Chris said at the campfire. "Kempt Kangaroos, you lost the challenge, meaning you must send someone home. Does anyone have anything to say?"
"I do," Harald said. He had casts on both arms and one leg. His head was also completely bandaged, so he looked like a low-budget mummy.
"There is a great demon among us. You are fools if you do not recognize them. This is why I think that it would be wisest to vote out-"
"Aaaaaand, time is up. Cast your votes!" Chris interrupted.
The seven competitors walked (or hobbled, in Harald's case) to a small hut. The voting style was as such, as Chris explained: The contestants will write the name of the person they want to be eliminated, and put the paper in a box. Chris would then read the papers at the ceremony, and one team member would leave the K'wala Islands.
Harald voted first. He wrote down Logan's name and showed it to the camera.
Logan was next. He wrote Harald's name. "Great Demon has spoken, Harald."
Pearl wrote down a name. She looked up at the camera. "Harald may have lost the challenge, but you are a class-A moron."
Joshua wrote down a name. "I need to get her out of here!"
Olivia hesitated, before writing down a name.
As Cole wrote down a name, his pen exploded. The ink ran over the paper, and Cole wrote a tiny name in the corner.
Lain looked at the camera as she wrote. "I could use my advantage, but why waste it now? Hopefully, this works anyway."
Location: K'wala Campfire
Competitors: Kempt Kangaroos
Chris stood. "The votes have been cast! Let's take a moment to review the day's- er- night's challenge."
"Why?" Logan asked. "We just did it."
"Shut up!" Chris snapped. "In the challenge, you needed to fight against a member of Witless Wallabies. The girls won. The boys did not. This sent your team to elimination, which is where you are now."
"We were all there, Chris," Logan interjected.
"I said, shut up! This season, safe people will be given an immunity torch. Those people will be safe for the night. Whoever does not receive an immunity torch will be eliminated and will never come back. Capeesh?"
Everyone nodded.
"Then, I'll read the votes. Unless… has anyone found a Secret Advantage and would like to play it?
Logan glanced at Joshua.
Joshua stared downwards.
Olivia stayed immobile.
Cole sweated silently.
Pearl was organizing rocks.
Lain stared straight ahead.
Harald reached into his coat…
and pulled his empty hand back out.
"Alright," Chris said. "I'll read the votes."
"The first vote is for...Logan."
Logan clasped his hands and bounced on his stump.
"The second vote is for...Harald.
Despite his injuries, Harald remained confident,
"The third vote… Um… Yo, Josh?" Chris inquired.
"Yah?" Joshua said.
"You know you have to vote for someone on your own team, right?" Chris said. "So, this vote for Koh doesn't count."
"Oh, um, OK."
Confessional: Joshua
"I was really hoping for that to work!"
"The next vote is for… Harald," Chris said as he read. Harald looked a little nervous now.
"And the next… Joshua." Chris looked up. "I can't imagine why. That makes, two votes for Harald, one vote for Logan, one vote for Joshua, and one vote for Koh, which, as Joshua has so cleverly figured out, doesn't count."
Chris cleared his throat. "The sixth vote of the night is for… Logan." Logan looked very worried.
Confessional: Logan
"I can't go home yet… I've barely started!"
Chris looked at Harald, then Logan. "Two votes each, and I can tell you that the last vote is for one of you," he said, unfolding the final piece of paper.
"The person leaving the competition is…"
"...Harald Skeithwick."
The wildly dressed man stood up, which must have hurt with his casts. "Eliminated first? How could this be?"
"Pro Tip, Harald:" Chris said. "Next time you play, don't injure yourself. Or insult people. Or dress like a-"
"Got it," Harald said. "How shall I be escorted out? A private jet? A yacht?"
"Nope!" Chris said gleefully. "You, mein Freund, will have the honor of trying out our Skydive of Terrible Horrible Agony! Patent pending."
"The what now?" Harald asked.
"The Skydive of Terrible Horrible Agony!" Chris shouted. "Patent pending."
Indeed, as Chris spoke, a helicopter flew overhead, landing on K'wala Dock.
"Enjoy your skydive! Don't hurry back!" As Harald walked away, Chris turned to the camera. "Thirteen remain! Will Brad's alliance hold strong? Will Cole learn Olivia's secrets? Will Joshua need to go to therapy to get over Koh? Find out on…"
"Total!"
"Drama!"
"The K'wala Islands."
Final Confessional: Harald
"Argh!" Harald shouts. He punches a wall. "Ow! I can't believe I was sent out first! I was going to forge strategic relationships, manipulate people, and- argh!" he punches the wall again.
Confessional: Logan
"Well, I'm glad that fool is gone. After all," he held up a bottle of hand sanitizer, which was clearly labeled PEARL. "There's only room for one villain on this team."
That's a wrap! I had so much fun writing this first episode. The others will be shorter, believe me. I've updated my poll and profile, so if you want to check out Harald's audition video, feel free!
The Votes:
Cole voted for... Harald
Harald voted for... Logan
Joshua voted for… Koh (doesn't count)
Logan voted for… Harald
Lain voted for… Logan
Olivia voted for… Harald
Pearl voted for... Joshua
14th Place: Harald (3-2-1 vote)
