Survivor: Konoha
By: Gomamon
Last Time on Survivor:
The two tribes finally merged into one. Shannon and Faye had a sour disagreement over the priorities of work at their new campsite, prompting Jiraiya to target him first instead of Zolo. During the feast, Holland and Mai's flirtations were called into question, but they both dismissed it as harmless fun. In the meantime, Meryl tried rekindling the former Vixen alliance, but Mai was unwilling to break her current ties with Jiraiya. Roy cut a temporary deal with Holland to secure his position, while Holland made a separate deal with Shannon and exchanged immunity for his vote. As Tsunade slowly splintered apart, Zolo and Meryl stayed true to their minority alliance, and at tribal council, Zolo was voted out by the majority of the Sarutobi tribe.
Nine castaways remain. Who will be voted off next?
Episode Eight: Guardian Angel
Sarutobi Tribe : Bulma (Dragonball Z), Faye (Cowboy Bebop), Harley (Pokemon), Holland (Eureka Seven), Kari (Digimon), Mai (Yu-gi-oh), Meryl (Trigun), Roy (Fullmetal Alchemist), Shannon (Scrapped Princess)
- - -
DAY 22
Looking up at the cloudless morning sky, Holland was thankful for yet another sunny and breezy day in Konoha. Other than that miserable rainstorm a few weeks ago, the weather had been very generous thus far. Every day, the sky appeared a little bluer, the trees seemed a little greener, and even the birds sang to a more chipper tune. Holland loved living in these tranquil Konoha forests. Sure, the bug bites were annoying and there were bird droppings everywhere. Yet, compared to the chaotic settings he had lived through in the past, Holland didn't mind the peaceful monotony at all.
"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Holland asked, smiling at the petite woman next to him.
"Yes…yes, it is." Meryl said hesitantly. She wasn't accustomed to making friendly chat with Holland of all people. He was like Shannon in ten years with greying hair and a leadership complex. May be the Gekko-State captain was just in a talkative mood today, because she thought that was a very uncharacteristic thing for him to say.
"I didn't learn to appreciate how beautiful the world is until the moment I almost lost it." Holland continued, looking a bit lost in his own thoughts. "I remember like it was yesterday…the second Summer of Love."
Meryl nodded her head as a response. She still didn't know where this conversation was going. That was the reason why she didn't like talking with Holland very much. He scared her most of the time.
"You don't know what the hell I'm rambling about, do you?" Holland asked.
"No, not really." Meryl admitted sheepishly. May be he was a better people reader than she thought. "But it sounds like you got hit by a case of nostalgia."
Holland said nothing as he glanced up at the blue skies again. Meryl can tell that he was thinking, but she didn't know what exactly was on his mind. For all she knew, he could be plotting some diabolical plan to vote her out of the game. She was beginning to realize how little she knew about this enigmatic leader next to her. He always seemed so cold and distant in her eyes. She didn't even know why Holland invited her for a morning walk in the forest, when Meryl really preferred to go by herself.
"Are you preoccupied with something, Holland?" Meryl asked. He shot her a curious glance, which made her turn away in embarrassment. Oh, she wished he would not stare at her with those piercing blue eyes. They make her feel like he could read through her soul.
"Why do you ask?" Holland was still staring at her.
"You seem different, that's all. You keep looking at the sky and stuff…" Meryl laughed nervously. "Sorry if I'm distracting you."
"I was just thinking about my wife. It's like you said, nostalgia sledgehammered me." Holland replied with an earnest smile. "I do know my family is up there looking out for me though."
"Oh, are they…? I'm very sorry!" Meryl winced.
"No, no, no! Shit, that came out the wrong way!" Holland let out a genuine laugh. He shook his head a few times, still laughing. It was a very masculine, very self-assured laugh, one that soothed Meryl's ears for some strange reason. "I meant they're on an aircraft. They're flying. With Gekko State."
A compassionate smile found its way on Meryl's face. She couldn't help it if she was a sucker for good old-fashioned family values. Not that she was a big family person herself, but anyone with close bonds to their family can't be a bad person in her eyes. She was beginning to warm up to Holland. Strict and mysterious as he was sometimes, this guy was definitely a good family man.
"Well, have you gotten your wife a present yet?" Meryl asked.
Holland did not seem to understand her question. He looked very confused.
"You know! A Konoha souvenir…or a memento of some kind. I bet she'd really appreciate it if you got her something special. All women love presents." Meryl tried to explain.
"A million dollar cheque is a pretty good present if you ask me!" Holland grinned. He gave the sky another hopeful glance. "I don't know. I'm not the romantic type."
Meryl smiled again. Now, she discovered that Holland was a practical person. She liked that quality in a man, seeing as she was one herself. Someone who was too much of an idealist made poor lovers. Meryl would know.
"That's such a guy thing to say." Meryl shook her head, still wearing that somewhat frustrated smile on her face. "I don't even think it's romantic. It's just a thoughtful gesture. I mean, I'd be really happy if some guy gave me a present, you know?" She paused for a moment and chuckled. "I know I sound really materialistic here…"
"No, I see your point. I'll think about it." Holland slowly nodded.
And for the third time, Meryl smiled. From this short little conversation, she discovered that Holland loved his family, viewed life practically, and could be very understanding to new suggestions. May be he wasn't as intimidating as she originally thought he was. He seemed like a nice guy. Meryl even thought that may be, just may be, the two of them can be friends.
- - -
Holland Novak didn't sign up for Survivor to make friends.
He didn't invite Meryl for a walk this morning just so they can talk about mundane topics although he was impressed with the air of maturity she displayed. She actually acted like a reasonable adult, which was something he found lacking in his current alliance members. Nonetheless, Holland wasn't just generating goodwill with this conversation. No, he had a much more practical intention.
He wanted to make an alliance.
An alliance with Meryl Stryfe.
Meryl Stryfe, a member from the enemy tribe.
The enemy tribe that Holland once stated he will decimate one by one.
Something wasn't adding up, as the production crew would tell Holland in one of his interviews, but he assured them he knew exactly what he was doing. He was not a strategic dummy as many players had dismissed him as. Just because he was the leader, it doesn't mean he was stupid. Just because he had a big target on his back, it doesn't mean he can't start making counter alliances to save himself.
Holland: I'm under no illusion that my current alliance is solid. Hell, I don't trust any of them. Ideally, Jiraiya will stay intact until the Final Six. But it's in human nature that someone will get greedy and screw up a perfect plan. So, that's why I need to ensure my safety before the time comes.
These words were coming from the same man who had been spreading propaganda about how Tsunade must be destroyed. Yet, his behaviour thus far seemed almost contradictory to an extent. After all, Holland was the one who cut a deal with Roy on their first night together. He was also the one who gave up immunity to Shannon during a critical moment in the swordsman's game. And very soon, he was about to make a similar offer to Meryl, who seemed destined to be the last Tsunade member standing.
Watching all of this unfold from a spectator's perspective, the production crew was more than startled at this revelation. Because Holland Novak, the man who foolishly tackled the leadership position from the get-go, might be a more suave game player than they gave him credit for.
Holland: I've been making side deals with Tsunade just in case, because you need to keep your friends close and your enemies even closer. But everyone here is an enemy when you think about it. And you don't necessarily need friends to win this game, as long as the jury can respect the way you played this game.
A menacing smile appeared on Holland's face.
Holland: If I made it to the Final Two, being the most blatant leader in Survivor history, and also with the biggest target on my back, I think I deserve a whole lot of respect!
So, he wanted to make a secret alliance with Meryl Stryfe. That much was clear to him. It had potential to become the most powerful alliance in this game. Best of all, he can easily see himself winning against her in the Final Two. She had a nice personality, but she was also the type who might aggravate a lot of players along the way. In other words, she was the perfect goat.
"I'm glad you didn't vote with us last night." Holland studied the petite woman intensively as he said this. "I think it's very admirable that you stuck by your alliance to the end."
"I was hoping you wouldn't bring it up." Meryl sighed, looking a bit disheartened. "I'm really sorry about my vote. Zolo and I targeted you because…I don't know, you seemed like the most obvious choice. We only know you guys for two days."
"It's no big deal. I understand we're all playing a game," said Holland.
"That makes me feel better. At least I'm not out of the game yet." Meryl smiled a little.
Was this the right time for Holland to offer an alliance with her? He already knew she was a trustworthy and loyal woman, judging by how she voted with Zolo despite all the obvious consequences. If she was really going to be the last surviving member of Tsunade, then would it not be wise for him to cut a deal with her now? After all, he wanted to secure Meryl as an ally before anyone else had the chance.
No. Not yet. It's too early. Holland thought to himself. There was slight possibility, not a very likely one he admitted, that Roy or Shannon might outlast Meryl in the game. It might be better to wait and see what will happen over the next few days. Holland didn't want to make any promise that he would be unable to fulfill.
"What are your opinions on Shannon?" Holland suddenly asked, changing the topic in a whole new direction.
"Huh? I…uh, I like him. You know, as a friend." Meryl looked flustered when she said this, almost like she was a teenage girl facing her first crush. "He's very serious and hardworking. I like those qualities in a man. Not that I'm looking at him in anything but a brotherly way…"
"Are you planning to go to the end with him?" Holland asked.
Meryl looked even more flustered than before, but now for an entirely different reason. Holland had always been a very blunt person. He didn't like to sugarcoat his words. When he wanted to know something, he'll just directly ask the question.
"Yes. That is my goal." Meryl quietly admitted. It was the undeniable truth. She didn't want to lie to Holland. She was not a liar.
Holland nodded his head as all his plans became clear to him. He cannot make an alliance with Meryl yet, because there was a huge obstacle getting in the way. Her friendship with the swordsman was too tight. They came from the same tribe and roughed through the same experiences. Holland didn't want to sign up as a second-class ally. If he was to team up with Meryl, then he wanted to make sure he was her one and only partner in this game. There was no way in hell he would settle down as somebody's second choice.
So, it was decided.
Shannon Casull must go home at the next tribal council.
- - -
Unaware that his fate was just sealed by the scheming leader, Shannon spent the morning doing laundry by the waterfall. He was soon joined by a surprising companion – Harley, who willingly offered to help with the washing. Contradicting his previous image as a slothful tribe member, it was quite unclear what motives rested beyond the Pokemon Coordinator's uncharacteristic actions. Was he trying to impress the swordsman for his jury vote? Or was he simply turning over a new leaf? Either way, Shannon was not one to refuse a helping hand.
"You're not rinsing them properly. Here, let me show you." Shannon took the shirt from Harley's hands and demonstrated the correct method. The Pokemon Coordinator oohed and aahed in comprehension.
"Boy, you're really skilled at this!" Harley exclaimed.
"There's no skill involved in washing clothes. It's just a matter of doing it correctly and thoroughly," said Shannon. "You'll learn if you do it often enough."
Shannon: Sometimes, I think I'm doing all this work for naught, because I'm getting voted out in a few days anyway. Why work so hard when it doesn't make a real difference in whether I stay or go? But I'm not the type of person who does something just to keep up an appearance, unlike a few others in this game. No matter what happens, I'm not going to change who I am.
"So, do you wash clothes for fun or something? Is that why you're so good at it?" Harley grinned, almost with a hint of cheek in his voice.
"Yes." Shannon looked up, not smiling.
"Um, okay. Don't you have any hobbies?" Harley asked.
"I swordfight sometimes," replied Shannon.
"And…?"
Shannon didn't reply at first. It took him quite a while before he can come up with an appropriate answer.
"And I take care of my sisters everyday. That is my other hobby," said Shannon.
Harley opened his mouth, although no words came out. He was more than ready to crack a cheeky little joke, but then he realized Shannon was being completely serious with him. If the Pokemon Coordinator was with anyone else, he would be laughing his head off at what seemed like the lamest comment in the world. Yet, in front of the earnest and introverted swordsman, Harley felt a little bad. He knew he should hold back on his usual wiseass remarks.
"What're your hobbies?" Shannon mumbled in a very quiet voice.
"What?" Harley asked out of instinct. He heard the question, but he was just stalling for time. Somehow, answers like 'shopping' and 'cosplaying' didn't seem acceptable or appropriate in this context.
"Never mind." Shannon appeared very flustered as he averted his gaze elsewhere.
"So, what are your plans for today?" Harley changed the subject as naturally as he could. He was so desperate to avoid an awkward moment with the swordsman.
"I want to go hunting. That used to be Zolo's job until you guys voted him off." Shannon replied. His gaze was still fixated on the shirt he was holding. "I'll have to wait until I finish with the laundry, and that's very time-consuming."
"Why don't you let me take care of the laundry? I can get Faye to help out," suggested Harley. "Then, you can go hunting and do all the other chores at camp."
"I don't want to bother anyone," muttered Shannon.
"It's not like Faye is doing anything productive at the moment. She's probably taking a nap. I'll go wake her up and the two of us can finish the laundry together. It won't be a problem." Harley smiled widely at his companion. "Just leave it up to me!"
"Are you sure?"
"Positive!"
"Well then, thank you."
"You're very welcome!"
Harley: I…uh, I hate to credit Guy for absolutely anything, but camp life has gotten a lot more difficult without him around. Everyone is too exhausted to do any work, and we still have a few more weeks to go. That's why I'm starting to appreciate Shannon's value around camp. He cooks, he cleans, he gathers wood, he hunts for food…I mean, he's like Martha Stewart meets Artemis, except you know, he's a guy.
He flashed a toothy grin at the camera. It was the type of reaction from a person who knew he just said something funny.
Harley: Honestly, I've nothing in common with Shannon. I don't tend to surround myself with people who are so serious all the time. But we're trying our best to get along, you know, despite our differences. The last thing I want is another misunderstanding over work ethics or whatnot. I really want to be Shannon's friend and uh…hopefully, this will be a case of opposites attract!
As she dipped a few random items of clothing in the water, Faye let out an audible and prolonged sigh. She cast a few leering glances at her companion Harley, who tried his best to ignore her cries for attention. He knew she was trying to provoke him and he would not give her that satisfaction. Nonetheless, the bounty huntress continued to sigh and shake her head in disappointment, until Harley finally had enough of her passive aggressive behaviour.
"Look, it's not that much work…" Harley began.
"Harley, we're looking at the Mount Everest of dirty clothes here. It'll take us ages to wash everything!" Faye shouted angrily. "You know, I was in the middle of a nice nap until you came over and ruined everything. Now, I'm being forced to do work that I never volunteered to do…"
"Okay, I'm sorry! I just thought Shannon was doing a lot of work and it'd be nice to help out…" Harley muttered, sounding very embarrassed as he put the swordsman's clothes away. Faye, while snickering, punched her friend in the shoulder.
"You little shit! You didn't need to drag me into this! Chicks before dicks!" Faye hissed.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Harley cleared his throat.
"Yeah, sure, whatever. I can see it in your eyes." Faye smiled knowingly.
"What? He's quite the dashing fellow, isn't he?" Harley purposely avoided making eye contact with Faye. He now picked up one of Roy's shirts and folded it in half. "Anyway, I kind of admire the guy. That man is like a machine. He never stops working."
"You didn't say that about Guy." Faye teased.
"Well, Guy looked like a rotten mushroom with green fungus growing all over his body, so get off my case!" Harley grinned. "All I'm saying is I won't mind if Shannon stayed around for a little longer, that's all."
Faye's smile instantly faded away. It was now replaced by a more serious expression. Harley knew that look – it was her game face. Her poker face. Her business face.
"Don't get too attached. He's going home in three days," said Faye.
"But he works so hard on this camp, Faye! If he goes home now, our workload for the next two weeks will like…quadruple! There's no way we can just sit here and do laundry, you know? We won't have someone slaving for us everyday!" Harley sighed under his breath. "Can't we vote out Roy first?"
"You know how I despise Shannon with a passion." Faye glared at her friend.
"Why are you so hesitant about voting Roy out? Every single time I bring his name up, you act like I've just put a curse on your family!" Harley glared back. "I know you've feelings for the guy, but…"
"I don't have feelings for Roy. None whatsoever." Faye quickly denied.
"If you say so…" Harley didn't sound convinced. "So, what if Shannon wins immunity?"
"Then we vote off that bitch Meryl."
"That's like going after Bulma instead of Holland. It doesn't make any sense!"
Faye did not respond back, which only made the Pokemon Coordinator feel even more frustrated.
"Can you promise me you'll at least consider voting out Roy at the next tribal council? We need to keep our options open." Harley grumbled in annoyance. "We're running this game, Faye. We can make the finals together if we don't let our feelings get the best of us!"
"I don't want to talk about this right now." Faye shot back.
"Oh Faye…"
"Not now."
And the subject was dropped.
After that discussion, Faye remained awfully quiet for the rest of their time together. Harley tried his best to engage her in more light-hearted conversations, but she seemed like she was lost in her own world. The Pokemon Coordinator thought it was best to leave her alone for a while. So, he quickly finished his portion of the work and walked away.
"Where are you going?" Faye asked, speaking up for the first time after a long period of silence.
"I'm going to cause some trouble," replied Harley. He gave his friend a playful wink. "It's classic Harley, and you're going to love it."
- - -
Since last tribal council, Meryl thought her days in this game were numbered. Never could she have imagined that she'd become the most sought out player in Sarutobi. As the weakest female of the Tsunade Three, it appeared like she was the least threatening member, and thus also the most likely member to survive in the long run. The combination of those two factors made Meryl a key player in many strategic plans, because Jiraiya wasn't going to hold together their alliance much longer, and she can potentially become an all-important swing vote.
Holland figured out this simple fact and decided to approach Meryl with an end game alliance in several days.
Unfortunately, Harley was also thinking along the same wavelengths. And he had no hesitation in proposing an alliance to Meryl now.
"So, just to summarize, this alliance is between you, me, Faye, Mai, and Bulma. It will carry us to the Final Five. Don't worry about Holland or Kari. We can vote those two out any time," said Harley.
He had made a pretty convincing pitch to Meryl for the past twenty minutes, starting from how much he admired her integrity and ending with how he wanted worthy people in the end. Along the way, Harley threw a few flattering compliments at Meryl, because simple white lies can be effective when used properly. And he knew Meryl was buying his whole speech. He can see the visible thinking in her big silver eyes.
"This is almost like a women's alliance, except you know, there's me." Harley smiled cheekily.
"What're you talking about? It is practically a women's alliance." Bulma teased. She had been sitting alongside with Meryl by the campfire, listening to the conversation as a coincidental spectator and an occasional commentator.
"Shut up, you bitch," laughed Harley. Of course, he and Bulma both shared the best sense of humour in the game, so there was no feelings hurt even as they exchanged playful little insults to each other.
Meryl blinked a few times. She still did not know how to respond. How else can she respond when someone just approached her, in the middle of the day, with an offer that seemed to have rained down from heaven? She thought she was going home next. She thought Tsunade was doomed. She thought there was no chance for a comeback. But she couldn't have thought more wrongly.
"Are you still with me? Have I overwhelmed you?" Harley asked during an awkward silence.
"I never thought this was a possibility…wow!" Meryl chuckled. She was trying her best to maintain her composure. What she really wanted to do right now was to jump up and down in joy. This might be the happiest moment in her life. "Are you sure you're not pulling a fast one on me? I feel like I'm dreaming."
"Oh yeah. The five of us. It's happening." Harley nodded his head eagerly.
Harley: Meryl is a great ally because she's honest and a little…naïve. She's not a big threat in the challenges, nor is she a danger in the game. In all truthfulness, I'd rather have her in my alliance than little Miss Do-Nothing Kari Kamiya, who tried voting me out not so long ago. Screw Jiraiya loyalty! I'm surrounding myself with people who I actually like and trust!
If only Meryl left the deal as it is, everything would be perfect. Had she just said yes without adding any further complications, this alliance of five could very well happen and dominate the entire end game. Five was the right number to secure a majority in the tribe, which was a simple numerical fact that even the slightly clueless Meryl understood. She might even be able to slip through the cracks of Jiraiya and find herself in the Final Five or beyond.
But then, she got greedy.
"I'd like to include Shannon in our alliance if that's possible," said Meryl.
It sounded like an innocent little request. Poor sweet Meryl was just fulfilling an obligation to protect her only friend. Yet, Harley's expression changed so fast that she might as well have slapped him across the face. He certainly didn't recall mentioning Shannon's name anywhere in his deal. It was impossible to fit six people into a Final Five alliance! That was simple mathematics!
"Um…I mean, I obviously don't expect Shannon to go all the way with us." Meryl stammered. Once she noticed the shift in atmosphere, she did some serious backtracking as quickly as possible. She might be asking too much from Harley, who willingly offered her the deal of a lifetime. She didn't want to piss off her only lifesaver in this game.
Bulma glanced at Meryl with a tiny smirk. What a messy situation! She was relieved that she wasn't in Harley's shoes at the moment. She was even more relieved that she happened to be sitting here in the right place at the right time. Otherwise, there was a distinct possibility that she could be excluded from this game changing alliance on a whim.
For example, Harley could have easily agreed to Meryl's request with a simple solution. Replace Bulma's position in the alliance with Shannon and voila! Case solved.
Yikes. That was close.
As Bulma contemplated over her dash of luck, Harley was struggling over a troubling dilemma. Can he afford to keep Meryl's promise? Everyone knew Shannon was next on the chopping block. In fact, he would have gone last time if it wasn't for his unexpected immunity win. As far as Jiraiya was concerned, the swordsman's fate was still sealed at the next given opportunity. He was going home in three days.
But then, Harley turned around to look at Faye Valentine for silent guidance. She was still doing laundry inside the shelter, albeit she hadn't made much progress in the last twenty minutes. His friend appeared as lost as ever. She just wasn't the same kickass tough chick he allied with at the beginning of the game. He hated to imagine this, but she was probably thinking about Roy.
And it was at that moment Harley knew what he must do.
"I can promise you Shannon won't go home at the next tribal council." Harley said to Meryl in a hurried tone. "That's all I can promise you."
"No, that's more than enough." Meryl nodded her head with an excited smile.
"In return, I want you and Shannon to vote with us at the next tribal council." Harley continued, trying to phrase his sentences as carefully as possible. "The two of you have to vote with us no matter who the target is."
"Yes, yes! That won't be a problem!" Meryl replied without hesitation.
"Are you sure about this, Harley? I mean…" Bulma cast a concerned glance at the Pokemon Coordinator. Had he gone too far this time? "You know what the order is."
"Don't worry. I'll work my magic somehow!" Harley winked. He paused for a moment before adding, "Oh, one more thing. Don't tell anyone about this. This conversation is strictly between the three of us."
So, Meryl was feeling more than grateful by the end of their conversation. She got saved by the kindness of a stranger. She even managed to save her dear friend Shannon, which was a major accomplishment on its own. In less than twenty four hours, this helpless girl from Tsunade went from sitting duck to power player like no one expected. It was an amazing feeling, but at the same time, it was also a little scary.
Because Meryl realized that if she was spared from the vote, someone else will have to fill in her place.
And that someone will definitely not go down without a serious fight.
Meryl: It's like a miracle rained from the sky and just landed at my feet! What a gem! Harley not only offered me an alliance today, but he guaranteed that Shannon won't go home at the next vote. I don't know how he's going to pull it off. I don't even know if he's lying to me or not. But I want to believe him, I really do. It's not like I've any other choice anyway. Nobody else has offered me an alliance.
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, as she tried her best to interpret the recent developments.
Meryl: Something big is happening in this game. I can sense it. The collapse of Jiraiya has just begun…
- - -
A pie eating contest might seem like an unconventional reward challenge, but that was exactly what the castaways will be competing in today. There were identical looking pies laid out on nine separate tables. Every single one was freshly baked out of the oven, so the air was filled with a delicious pie crust scent. That, of course, attracted all the bugs and critters as uninvited company, which made the food less appetizing than they should have been. Nonetheless, it was a strange sight to see so many pies lined up in neat little rows, especially in the middle of a Konoha forest. That fact didn't phase most of the players, who were just content knowing they'll be eating food for today's challenge!
"Welcome to the land of pies," said Iruka, smiling. "Here's how this reward challenge is going to work: there's a letter written on the plate underneath each of the pies. There're eight letters in total, and together they'll spell out a word. First person to scream out that word will win the reward!"
Mai eyed her fellow tribe members to size up her competition. This wasn't a physical or a mental challenge, so she didn't know if her chances of winning had improved or not. The only skill required was eating, which was something she learned to appreciate very much after three weeks of starvation.
"You'll have to eat the pies in order to find out what the word is." Iruka continued, "However, you may not use your hands at any point, so you'll have to literally dig through the pie with your mouth. You don't need to eat all eight pies as long as you can figure out what the word is. Just remember the letters are not in order, so you may have to unscramble them first."
"The winner will enjoy an overnight trip at an inn, located in the heart of the Konoha village. You'll get to shower, eat a nice dinner, and of course, sleep in a bed." Iruka gave a cheery smile at the nine castaways. "And just as an extra incentive, the winner of this reward will get to take two people with them."
"You guys, I'll kill for a shower right now." Bulma grinned.
All nine castaways now stood behind their assigned tables. As instructed, they had to place their hands behind their backs. After confirming that everyone was ready, Iruka raised his arm in the air to signal the players.
"Survivors ready? Go!"
Mai felt a brief moment of ecstasy when she took a bite of her first pie. The warm delicious crust instantly melted in her mouth. It wasn't even the taste that overwhelmed her, but the pie's sweet aroma was such a different smell from the stink and reek back at camp. After a few more bites, she identified her dish as an apple pie, her favourite kind.
Meanwhile, Roy shred all dignity as he dove right into the pie like nobody's business. He almost compared himself to a starving dog eating out of a dog dish, which wasn't that much of an exaggeration given his living conditions in the past three weeks. He barely swallowed his first bite when he saw a sign of the first letter on his plate. The letter M, Roy thought to himself before he moved on to his next pie. That ended up being a crucial mistake, because he mistakenly misread the letter 'N' as the letter 'M'. In his hurry to finish all the pies, he accidentally identified the wrong letter and lost all his chances of winning this challenge.
"Roy, Holland, and Shannon are already eating their second pies! Most people are finishing up their first…" Iruka reported as he walked along the aisle. "Harley is eating very slowly compared to the rest."
"I can't help it. The food is too good!" Harley said between mouthfuls. He wasn't even trying to win this challenge. He just wanted to enjoy the pie for as long as possible.
Just then, Faye knocked over one of her pies by accident. It landed face down on the ground. The bounty huntress groaned as she picked it up, until Iruka reminded her she cannot use her hands in this challenge under any circumstances. She then glared at him as if it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard.
"Do you want me to eat from the ground?" Faye asked in disbelief.
"That's what the rules say." Iruka shrugged.
"You're a sick bastard," muttered Faye. After thinking over her options, she decided to ignore the fallen pie and just focus on the remaining ones still on the table.
The players didn't have the time to enjoy these pies no matter how delicious they might be. Most of them didn't even finish the entire pie. Instead, they just ate the centre of it so they can see the hidden letter on the plate. Shannon opted for a different strategy altogether. He didn't actually eat the pie, but rather he took huge bites and then spat them out on the table. It was disgusting, yes, but he was moving through the pies at a much quicker pace than everyone else.
"Shannon is leading with six pies finished! Holland and Mai are right behind him with five each. Roy has fallen behind, still working on that fifth pie. Meryl, Bulma and Faye are on their fourth. Kari is finishing up her third." Iruka paused as he stood next to the Pokemon Coordinator's table. "Harley is dead last with just one done."
"Slow and steady wins the race," joked Harley.
Meanwhile, Shannon was going through the available letters in his head. U, U, N, N, S, I. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out what possible word contained two 'U's and two 'N's. At the same time, Holland was also trying to create a word with a different batch of letters. J, U, S, T, I. As luck would have it, the first four letters he uncovered spelled out the word 'just'. Since then, he had gone through the vocabulary for any words with 'just' in it. The closest he came to was justices, which seemed too obscure to be the right answer. It should be something more obvious, Holland thought, or at least something more relevant. It should have something to do with Konoha or Survivor in general.
Poor Kari had a small choking fit when she swallowed a huge piece of pie without chewing through it, which ultimately slowed down her progress very much. A few players were also getting sick of eating the pies, and dare they say it, they were getting a little too full. To eat so little in the past three weeks and then eat so much all at once was just a recipe for disaster. Bulma felt nauseated after she finished her fourth pie. She let out a loud belch before she began on her fifth.
And then, all of a sudden, Mai's hand shot in the air.
"I think I got it!" Mai exclaimed, while Iruka ran towards her table. "Stunning."
A few players glanced anxiously as they waited for Iruka's response. The host shook his head, telling the blonde that was an incorrect guess. It was actually logical from Mai's perspective, but she was missing the key letters that both Shannon and Holland had, which made them instantly know she guessed the wrong word.
By this time, Shannon had begun his eighth pie. Even with seven letters, he couldn't deduce what the word might be. Hopefully, after he finished, he can rearrange all the pies on his table and spell out a word. It was only a matter of time before he figured it out, Shannon reassured himself. He was in the lead after all, and that was what mattered the most.
But this challenge was never about who can finish the pies the fastest. It was about who can solve the word before everyone else.
And that was exactly what happened with Holland Novak, who pounded his fists on his table, causing a huge commotion.
"Ninjutsu!" Holland shouted out. He only ate six pies so far, but the latest letter that was revealed (the letter 'u') made him realize he can spell out jutsu with his pies. It was then all the pieces fell into place.
This had to be the answer.
This was the only answer.
"Congratulations, Holland wins the reward!" Iruka exclaimed.
Holland wiped the crumbs over his lips and grinned. He had pie plastered all over his face, but the victorious outcome made for everything. A few players came over to congratulate them, although some others remained at their tables and continued eating the pies. They don't know if this will be the last time they can eat such delicious food at a challenge.
"You may take up to two people with you on the reward," said Iruka.
"I'm bringing Mai and Shannon." Holland paused before adding a quick explanation, "They finished the most pies after me. It only seems fair."
"So, it's decided. Holland, Mai, and Shannon are going to the inn for an overnight stay. You guys are coming with me." Iruka clapped his hands together conclusively. "The rest of the losers, I've got nothing for you. You can now head back to camp."
"Can we bring the pies with us?" Bulma joked.
Mai and Shannon thanked Holland for his decision, and then the winning trio departed with Iruka to the direction of the Konoha village. But just before Mai left, she could hear, with her sensible ears, a few distant voices from the losers walking back to camp.
"She didn't even win the reward challenge and she got to go!"
"Mai is sleeping in a bed again! Don't you guys think she's getting a little too pampered in this game?"
Startled, the blonde turned around to identify the voices. But she did not discover which sore losers made such bitter remarks about her.
- - -
Located at the heart of the village, the Konoha Inn was a fancy building swarming with tourists and villagers alike. The trio wasn't given a chance to interact with anyone, since Iruka quickly checked the players into a luxurious room, complete with two double beds and a window view of the busy Konoha streets. It wasn't as heavenly as advertised, but compared to their living quarters for the past three weeks, this seemed like paradise.
Once they were settled down, Mai locked herself in the bedroom and didn't come out until a few hours later. She spent all that time showering, washing, cleaning, brushing, and doing any hygienic activities she can possibly think of. Meanwhile, the other two men simply enjoyed the luxury of lying on a warm, cozy bed. The only downside to this reward was the confinement, since they were prohibited from exiting their bedroom and interacting with the Konoha villagers. Even so, they had no complaints. Just winning this reward, lying on these beds, and enjoying the cool breezy chill from the electronic fans were more than enough to satisfy them.
Holland: Winning this reward is a major boost to our morale. The food and beds were only afterthoughts compared to how excited we were about the bathroom. You can't even imagine the amount of filth on our disgusting bodies after twenty two days. So, just the ability to take a shower, get a shave, and sit our asses on a nice toilet was wonderful. It's like we got a twenty-four hour pass back to civilization, where we're made to feel human if only for a short little while.
When Holland emerged from the bathroom, last out of everyone, he almost looked like a brand new man. One hour of tidying up had taken a drastic, and even magical, transformation on a once haggard man. Mai didn't recognize him at first with his grey hair gelled back and his scruffy beard shaved off. She always thought he was a sexy man in his own strange manner, but now he was just smoking!
"Oh my god, you look so damn hot right now!" Mai blew a wolf whistle and laughed. "You look ten years younger without that stupid beard."
"You clean up well." Shannon agreed. He too shaved off his three-week stubble in the bathroom, but the swordsman didn't have the same reception from Mai.
"I'm not actually Holland. I'm his younger brother, Finland." The Jiraiya leader grinned sheepishly at his cheesy little joke. He took a seat around the dining table and invited his companions to join him. "C'mon, the food is getting cold. Let's eat!"
The meal was delicious as expected, but the one item that registered in their memories was the sake. Oh yes, the sweet Japanese alcoholic drink was an instant favourite among the three. They spent hours consuming the sake, accompanied by dozens of silly drinking games they played around the dining table. However, none of them had a high tolerance for alcohol, so it didn't take long before they were completely wasted throughout the night.
Shannon, the responsible one, called it quits before he got too drunk and rowdy. There might be an immunity challenge tomorrow, and he didn't want to wake up with a nasty hangover next morning. Thus, he retired to bed early, leaving Mai and Holland to continue with their randy drinking games. It was basically a rehash of two nights ago, where the two kept exchanging intimate sexual innuendos to each other.
Except they were in a bedroom this time, drunk as can be.
"You want this, don't you?" Mai smiled seductively at the handsome Jiraiya leader, who flashed a stupid drunken grin at the blonde. She slid her arms over his neck, which slowly made their way down to his chest and beyond. "You want a lap dance, don't you?"
"O-oh yeah…" Holland mumbled. He was so drunk that his words came out as an unintelligible slur.
Meanwhile, Shannon was struggling to sleep through the noise. When he opened his eyes out of frustration, he witnessed a disturbing image by the dining table. Mai was currently undressing her blouse in front of Holland, who rocked back and forth in his chair like he enjoyed it. The young swordsman detected the suspicious intimacy going on between Mai and Holland, which might escalate to a new level with severe consequences.
"You guys should stop!" Shannon called out. He knew he shouldn't get involved, but it just didn't feel right to leave them alone like this in their drunken states. "You both had too much to drink!"
They ignored him.
"Holland, you shouldn't be doing this!" Shannon warned. "What would your wife think if she saw this?"
"G-go away, Sh-shannon...go back to-to sleep." Holland muttered, waving his hand in dismissal.
"Yeah, stop being so preachy!" Mai chimed in.
Annoyed that he got told off, Shannon closed his eyes and ignored the couple for the rest of the night. He fell asleep eventually, and whatever activities Mai or Holland did after that, nobody knew but them.
- - -
DAY 23
Holland woke up this morning feeling like he was the shittiest person in the world.
"Shit…" Holland rubbed his hand across his forehead. His head was throbbing. He was experiencing first-hand how awful a hangover can be. "Shit…what have I done?"
He can only remember traces of details from last night, but even the vague memories were enough to flood his conscience with immense guilt and shame. It didn't help matters that he woke up half-naked with an arm draped over Mai on the same bed. That was when Holland first realized he might have done something terribly wrong, even if he didn't quite remember what he did.
"God, what happened last night?" Holland muttered to himself. He browsed around his seemingly foreign surroundings. He didn't remember anything other than winning this reward from hell. This didn't feel right.
"You're awake." Shannon emerged out of the bathroom, looking calm and composed as always. He walked over to the coffee machine. "Do you want something to drink?"
"Shannon, did anything happen between the two of us?" Holland asked.
"We slept on separate beds, thankfully." Shannon mused. He then poured himself a nice cup of coffee. "We shouldn't have drank that much. It wasn't very responsible of us."
"No, I'm talking about me and Mai!" Holland was starting to get a little aggravated. "Did we do anything…inappropriate!?"
There was a long, uncomfortable silence. It was the type that felt very guilty even though no accusatory words were spoken. Shannon didn't know how to respond, but he understood he had to tread this subject very carefully and very sensitively. Holland looked like he was on the verge of a furious rage.
"I don't know. I fell asleep early." Shannon admitted quietly. "I'm not responsible for your actions."
Shannon can tell that wasn't the answer Holland was looking for, but it was the truth no matter how unpleasant it might sound. Mai gave a steamy lap dance last night, that much he remembered. Whether anything else happened beyond that, the young swordsman felt like he didn't have the right to comment.
"You don't know how much this is killing me right now." Holland buried his head into his hands. "You've no idea how devastated I am. You can't even begin to imagine what's going through in my head…"
"We were all drunk," said Shannon, trying his best to console the troubled man.
"That's not a good justification. I'm a married man. I should've known better. I…I shouldn't have crossed the line with Mai." Holland cast a brief glance at the blonde, still sleeping cosily on the bed. He turned away with disgust. "This is so ridiculous! What would Talho think if she saw this!?"
"I think you should distance yourself from Mai." Shannon suggested.
"What?" Holland looked up with surprise.
"If she's the apple that tempts you, then you should stay away from the tree." Shannon clarified, "I think you should disassociate yourself from Mai completely. "
Holland didn't say anything, but deep down he knew Shannon was right. Mai Valentine was toxic. A married man like him shouldn't have anything to do with a promiscuous woman like her. He shouldn't have brought her on this reward in the first place. He should have taken someone with more self-control, like Meryl, or someone totally nonsexual, like Kari. But inviting Mai to this reward, as Holland now discovered, was like inviting the fox to the henhouse.
Holland: I can't remember what happened last night. No, this isn't a convenient excuse. I don't remember anything except the morning after. I…I seriously pray that I didn't do anything my family would be ashamed of, because I've a terrible feeling that…
He let his thoughts hang there. It was too painful for him to continue down that train of thought. He was clearly reacting to what might or might not have happened in a very severe manner. Worst of all, Mai knew nothing about his feelings. He would never dare to confront her about this issue. Not only was it too awkward, but Holland was just too much of a coward to face his worst fears.
Holland: It was a disgraceful night, and I'm just trying my best to pretend that it never happened. I don't know what I was thinking then, but I'm surely regretting it now. Shannon is right – I should just stay away from her. I won't let anyone jeopardize my marriage. And the best way…the only way…to accomplish that is to vote Mai out of the game as soon as possible.
Just then, Mai's body began to stir on the bed. She was waking up. That prompted Holland to run into the bathroom and lock himself in there. He needed some time to think, and some space away from Mai. Feeling confused, she cast a confused glance at the bathroom door, then at Shannon. The swordsman then handed her a warm cup of coffee.
"Thank you." Mai muttered in a drowsy voice as she sipped on her drink. "So, what's up with Holland? He seems a bit down."
"I don't know what happened, but it's probably your fault." Shannon deadpanned. "Do you remember anything that happened last night?"
"Nope!" Mai exclaimed proudly. She turned to Shannon with a sheepish smile. "We did some wicked partying last night. Did you lose your virginity to me? No, I'm kidding! Kidding! Don't be so serious!"
"That's not very funny." Shannon shot her a disapproving look. If only she knew what Holland was feeling right now, she wouldn't find it funny either. But of course, Mai didn't remember anything that happened last night. Her conscience was clean as far as she was concerned.
"I liked you better when you weren't so mouthy." Mai stuck her tongue out at the swordsman. She turned her attention back to the bathroom door. "May be Holland isn't a morning person. I hope he feels better soon…"
- - -
While Holland more or less declared a cold war on Mai, Harley was preparing a secret war of his own. He had established a new alliance of five in the Sarutobi tribe, even though four clueless people didn't even know about its existence yet. Harley was determined this alliance would dominate for the rest of the game. They were the alliance to beat. And at the moment, Harley gathered his entire alliance, sans Mai, around the campfire to discuss their next strategic move. Roy and Kari were conveniently absent due to their treemail hike.
"I guess this is our first meeting together. It's kind of exciting, isn't it?" Harley grinned at the three women around him. He had not intended to be the leader of this alliance, but he was the glue that held everyone together. After all, he managed to unify archenemies Meryl and Faye in the same team, which was quite the feat. "First and foremost, we need a name."
"Harley's Bitches!" Bulma exclaimed.
"No, I don't think Mai would like that name very much. I don't think I like that name either." Meryl smiled faintly, shaking her head. She wanted no part of an alliance that referred to themselves as bitches. How degrading was that? "Why don't we just call ourselves The Vixens?"
"That works too. Whatever, it's just a name." Bulma shrugged her shoulders. "What I really want to know is our target. Who're we going to vote out first?"
"I think we should vote out Roy at the next tribal council," suggested Harley.
And almost immediately, he got a dirty glare from Faye. If looks could kill, Harley would already be dead by now. The bounty huntress didn't like the sounds of this plan whatsoever, just like he expected.
"You want us to vote him out?" Meryl sounded uncertain.
"Is there a problem?" Harley asked.
"Not exactly, but…" Meryl bit her lips. She didn't know if she should mention this to her only lifeline in the game. "But someone from Tsunade is going home, and that's not very reassuring to me."
Harley just wanted to tell her to shut up and follow the plan, but he managed to keep his cool. Meryl was a cautious person in nature, so she had a lot of doubts about this prospective alliance. She only knew Harley for a few days and she didn't know how much she can trust him. Right now, it didn't sound very promising that Roy was leaving instead of Shannon. Someone from Tsunade was still going home. That was like delaying the inevitable for three more days. The pecking order hadn't changed at all.
"If you vote for Roy this time, I promise you that someone from Jiraiya will go home the next time. I promise." Harley said in an earnest tone. This wasn't that much of a problem in his opinion. He wanted to get rid of Holland and Kari as soon as possible anyway. "Tsunade won't go down one by one, I promise."
"I feel bad voting for Roy, but…" Meryl took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Okay. I'll talk to Shannon about it. We'll vote for Roy tomorrow."
Harley smiled. He managed to convince Meryl to vote out Roy, which was the easy part. Mai and Bulma would go with whatever the majority says, so they won't cause any problems either. Now, how on earth will he be able to convince Faye to do the same?
"I have a question." Bulma raised her arm in the air. "Are we going to tell Holland and Kari about this or not? Kari is harmless, but I'm really worried that Holland will freak out if we betray him now."
"We don't need Holland's permission to do anything." Harley said in a slightly annoyed tone. "We both know the core alliance that's running this game consists of us five. And Holland? He's a nobody."
Harley: For the longest time, Holland ran the alliance in Jiraiya and we all listened to him because that keeps the heat off us. But he isn't in charge of the show anymore. I don't think he had that much power to begin with. Sure, he bosses people around and barks out orders, but Holland is nothing more than a figurehead. Someone who thinks he's important, but he really isn't. He's like one of those old grandfather clocks that you keep around for sentimental value.
The Pokemon Coordinator was grinning at the camera like a little boy in a candy store.
Harley: There comes a time when you have to stop riding on coattails and start playing the game, which is exactly what I'm doing right now. You don't want to emerge too strong too early, otherwise you risk a big downfall. Yeah, I'm running a really ambitious alliance, but I believe everything will work out in my favour. These are my girls. And they're not going to let me down.
"That said, we should let Holland know we're voting out Roy. Let him feel included for one more vote. If he doesn't think he's in danger, he won't do anything stupid." Harley continued, waving his hands in an animated manner as he talked. "We'll just have an easier time as an alliance, don't you agree?"
"What about Kari?" Meryl asked.
"Kari is powerless. She can't do shit in this game!" Harley laughed in dismissal. "But we'll tell her anyway. Or Holland will. We should keep up the illusion that he's in charge."
"I'm just worried because Holland really wants to vote out Shannon. You know how stubborn that man can be once he makes up his mind on something." Bulma shrugged her shoulders. "It'll take one smooth operator to talk him into our plan."
"Lucky for you girls, my mouth is made of sugar, spice, and everything nice! I can sweet-talk that man to do anything for us!" Harley flashed a very cheesy grin at the three women. He wasn't actually that serious, although he did believe in what he was saying. "It can't be that hard to convince him to vote out Roy instead of Shannon."
"No, you'll scare him away. Let me talk to Holland." Faye volunteered, much to Harley's surprise. "I don't mind. He doesn't scare me."
"Are you sure? Don't you have a problem that we're voting…" Harley was interrupted halfway into his sentence by the bounty huntress.
"I'll do what's best for our alliance," Faye cut him off.
"But don't you feel sad that…"
"I'll take one for the team."
Well, that was easy. Harley sighed in relief. He thought his friend might put up a difficult fight to get her way, but she seemed to have given up on protecting her Survivor boyfriend. Perhaps she had seen the light. Perhaps she finally understood following this alliance was the best move for all of them.
"They're coming back." Bulma whispered, subtly gesturing her hand to her left. Roy and Kari were emerging out of the forest with the treemail.
"Hush everyone! Act natural!" Harley panicked.
"Hey, is he carrying…a bunch of flowers?" Meryl squinted at the two distant figures. Roy seemed to be carrying several crimson red roses in his hands. Walking beside him, a smiling Kari was holding up a single rose.
"Oh god, what is wrong with that guy?" Faye muttered under her breath. Despite her words, she was grinning from ear to ear. It was easy to see that she was impressed. "Why are you making it so hard to vote you out?"
"Hello, hello. I brought everyone something special today!" Roy shouted as he and Kari drew closer to the group. All four of them smiled their most congenial smiles, acting like innocent tribe members who were certainly not scheming and plotting moments ago.
"I see that Prince Charming has arrived from his castle." Bulma said jokingly.
"Where did you find those roses? They're so pretty!" Meryl squealed.
"I happen to stumble upon a lovely rosebush in the forest, and I immediately thought of you ladies back at camp." Roy explained, "Here is a rose for each of you."
He gave each woman a red rose, making them blush or laugh or a combination of the two. And Harley received one too, who accepted his gift with a gracious and good-humoured smile. Everyone was pleased with their presents. Even Faye, ice queen extraordinaire, was visibly touched by this romantic gesture. She thanked Roy with a hug, perhaps holding the colonel in her arms for a little longer than she intended to.
"You…you really know how to please a group of women, don't you?" Meryl beamed at the rose she was holding in her hands. "This is a really nice gesture, Roy. Thank you."
"Yeah, you're such a nice guy!" Kari chimed in. At her age, she wasn't used to receiving romantic presents like these, but even she could appreciate what he had given her.
"Ah, it was nothing. I want to make it up to you ladies after I screwed up dinner last night." Roy waved his hand in dismissal.
"My husband never gives me flowers, so this is quite the pleasant surprise." Bulma grinned toothily. "I want to get a divorce and marry you right now, Roy Mustang! You're so cute!"
Roy felt reasonably satisfied with himself after witnessing the delightful reactions from the women. Yet, as thoughtful as his gesture was, there was one person immune from his charms. Harley stared at his rose, uncertain whether he should be laughing or not. He cannot believe how cheesy this man was. Even worse, he cannot believe how all of the women were falling for his shtick. Especially Faye, who almost seemed head over heels about Roy at this point.
Harley: All the girls are practically in love with Roy. He brings them flowers, he makes them laugh, he flatters them with compliments…he's a very smooth operator. It's almost like he's dating five women at once, that's how ridiculous it is! Don't get me wrong, I like Roy too, but I don't want to line up and have his babies, you know?
He chuckled and shook his head in disbelief.
Harley: I'm very worried about Roy. Believe it or not, we're playing a very similar game. All the girls he's flirting with are my allies, so his actions conflict with mine. How can I have an alliance if everyone has already fallen under his spell? Roy thinks he can get through this game by charming all the women. Well, I think he's about to meet his match.
- - -
It was around noon when the reward winners returned to camp. Although they were away for a short period of time, so much can happen in less than twenty four hours that it was always important to stay informed. As soon as the trio made their arrivals, the players began to pair off in separate locations for gossip and updates on the latest developments.
Roy went to Holland, so he can try cutting another deal with the Jiraiya leader.
Harley paired off with Mai, so he can inform her that they were voting out Roy.
And Meryl made an instant beeline for Shannon, so she can share the good news with her dear friend.
As the two took a long walk in the forest, Meryl explained everything she knew to Shannon. She told him about Harley's new alliance. She told him about the deal that kept him safe from the next vote. She told him about Roy as the new target. And she told him about Harley's promise that someone from Jiraiya will leave before them. Shannon listened attentively throughout, never commenting even at the most surprising news. He waited until Meryl finished the whole explanation before he voiced his two cents.
"I don't think it's happening." Shannon said in a very quiet voice. "I think they're lying to you and getting your hopes up, but I still think Tsunade is getting voted off one by one, starting with me."
"But Harley promised me over and over again that he won't vote you out next," argued Meryl.
"That alliance is full of people who are spineless and will flip on you in a heartbeat. You can't trust them, Meryl. You can't believe a single word they're saying," said Shannon.
Meryl bit her lips, looking a little disappointed although she was trying hard to suppress her emotions. She thought he would be as excited as she was, since they were both being saved at tribal council. This was supposed to be good news, a joyous occasion, and a cause for them to celebrate. Instead, he acted like a gloomy grey cloud and totally rained on her parade.
"I'm just being realistic." Shannon added, after he had noticed the shift in Meryl's previously enthusiastic expression. "I can't help that I'm a cynical bastard."
"No, I know what you mean. I've thought about these possibilities too. They could be lying to me." Meryl frowned as she nodded her head. "Still, I really want to believe it's true. I want to believe that you'll survive the next tribal council, because I…I don't want you to go."
"What happens will happen. We're not in power. We can't do anything about it," said Shannon.
"Yeah…" Meryl nodded her head again.
"I also don't appreciate how you put words into my mouth. I never promised that I'll vote out Roy." Shannon continued, "I will do it this time because you already confirmed with Harley. But I'm asking you to respect me and not do it again in the future."
"I'm sorry," muttered Meryl.
The two of them walked in silence for a while. Occasionally, Shannon would glance at Meryl, who had her head down and a worried frown etched on her face. And she looked so delighted just five minutes ago. It amazed him how quickly this woman can go from one emotion to the next. She really did wear her heart on her sleeves.
"I made you upset, didn't I?" Shannon asked.
"Well, you can be a bit of a killjoy at times, yeah…" Meryl smiled weakly.
"Let me cheer you up." Shannon grabbed her hand all of a sudden, making the petite insurance agent blush with surprise. "I'm going to take you to a special place."
Meryl: I understand that it's very likely Shannon will go home next. I think he almost anticipates it to happen. I just hope, with my fingers crossed, that Harley will keep his promise. They can take everything away from me, but they can't take away my one glimmer of hope.
Shannon remembered standing in the same spot, under the same tree, near the same waterfall two weeks ago. Orihime had suggested the two of them build a time capsule that they'll uncover on the final day of the game. Now, here he stood with Orihime's best friend, Meryl, and the two of them were about to dig up the past. This seemed like the most appropriate time to take out the time capsule, since Shannon assumed he would be leaving tomorrow night.
"So, what did you think she buried underground?" Meryl asked with a tiny smile. "May be an 'I love you' note to her dear Onee-chan?"
"Why can't a guy and a girl just be friends on a platonic level?" Shannon grumbled.
"Well, it's a shame you feel this way. She told me once that she had a small crush on you." Meryl said in a seemingly nonchalant manner.
Shannon ignored her playful teasing and continued to dig up the time capsule. After a few minutes, he managed to uncover the sacred items. It was wrapped around one of Orihime's pink t-shirts, just as he had remembered it. He took a deep breath, hesitated for a moment, and then began unfolding the shirt. There were the medicinal leaves that he had oh-so-predictably put in the capsule. And then, there was Orihime's item: a tiny pink bandage with a small blood stain on it. Shannon laughed out loud, much to Meryl's surprise.
"Um, what is this?" Meryl asked, unclear about the significance behind a simple bandage.
"Do you remember that I cut my hand on the first day? This was the same bandage that Orihime gave me." Shannon was wearing one of his very rare smiles. "I thought I threw it away on the second day. I can't believe she kept it all this time."
"Wow. She has always been such a thoughtful girl." Meryl eyed the bandage in Shannon's hands. "So, what're you going to do with it?"
"I'm keeping it as a good luck charm," replied Shannon, who carefully placed the pink bandage into his pocket.
"Do you want me to pretend I'm Orihime so you can relive the moment?" Meryl smiled slyly. She then spoke in a high-pitched voice in order to imitate Orihime. "Onee-chan, you're hurt! Let me caress your hand in a borderline affectionate manner!"
"You really like taunting me, don't you?" Shannon narrowed his eyes at his companion, not looking too amused.
"Hey, you're like a brother to me! Get used to it!" Meryl grinned, flashing a thumbs-up gesture. "Besides, you took me here to cheer me up, didn't you?"
"Well, are you happy now?" Shannon asked.
"Yes. Very." Meryl nodded her head, still grinning. "This was a super sweet gesture. You know exactly how to make me smile."
Shannon: I'm really glad I dug up the time capsule, because that was the one thing constantly on my mind. I was worried I wouldn't have the chance to fulfill Orihime's wish. Now, I can exit this game without any regrets. I've already established the mindset that I'll get voted out tomorrow night. I'm not going to cling onto a false hope that Harley or Faye will save me. I know too well that you can't depend on anyone in this game.
He took a deep breath before continuing with his confessional.
Shannon: The only thing I can depend on is immunity. I don't know what are the chances of me winning it again, but I'm going to try my best. I don't think Holland will be that generous anymore. If I want to stay in this game, I'll have to earn it by myself.
It was almost time for the immunity challenge, so the two of them began heading back to camp. Meryl, perhaps still a little giddy after unveiling the time capsule, was in a particularly talkative mood today. She didn't have anything interesting to say, but she kept talking about whatever sprang up to mind. After all, this could potentially be Shannon's second-to-last day left in the game, so she wanted to cherish every moment she had with her friend.
"Shannon, do you believe in guardian angels?" Meryl asked out of the blue.
The swordsman shook his head. He didn't understand this woman at all. One minute ago, she was talking about her best friend Millie. Now, she had moved on to a completely unrelated topic. He wasn't sure if it was even possible to follow her random train of thoughts.
"My definition of a guardian angel is someone who has your back at your most vulnerable time." Meryl explained, "The angel will reach out to you when you're at your lowest low. Just like how you helped comfort me when Orihime got voted out. That was the moment I knew you were my guardian angel."
"How can I be your guardian angel? I can't even save myself." Shannon muttered.
"That's okay. Your angel will save you when the time comes. That's why I don't think you'll get voted out." Meryl smiled at the swordsman. "Call me naïve, but I think you will be saved."
- - -
The concept of guardian angels was ridiculous and childlike in Shannon's honest opinion. He didn't believe in them, nor did he believe he needed to be saved. However, it stuck to his brain for some reason. They were the only things he can think about for the rest of the day. As he arrived at the immunity challenge, he was beginning to have a change of heart. And as he reluctantly returned the immunity headband to Iruka, he sure hoped there was a guardian angel looking out for him.
"Immunity is back up for grabs!" Iruka declared. "Today, you'll be competing in an endurance challenge…with a twist."
"There's always a twist," said Roy.
The immunity challenge tested their endurance by requiring the players to walk constantly without stop. They were to walk along a designated path through the thick bushes and over the steep slopes. The entire course around the forest was circular, so the ending point was the same place as their start. This is also known as the 'pit stop'. It is there they will meet up with Iruka, who will keep tally of their standings.
Every time a player crosses the pit stop, it will count as a lap. All the players are required to finish one lap every five minutes. Otherwise, they're eliminated from the challenge. Players can also be eliminated if they take shortcuts or do not follow the original course. At any time, they can eliminate themselves if they no longer want to participate in the challenge.
Players can accumulate laps over time (for example, they can finish three laps in ten minutes, although the requirement is only two laps). They may also choose to run instead of walk, but players are advised to conserve their energy as this is an endurance challenge. There is no set end to when this challenge. A victor will be determined by whoever is the last person walking.
"Survivors ready?" Iruka eyed the nine castaways at the starting line. "Walk!"
As expected, Shannon took an early lead in the challenge. He was the tallest castaway with the longest leg, so naturally the steps he took were larger than anyone else. Roy was right behind the swordsman, while Faye proved she can walk just as fast as the boys. The same cannot be said about the tiny Kari or the petite Meryl, although they weren't struggling so to speak. They were only walking after all. How difficult can walking be?
The course itself was not too long or challenging despite a few minor obstacles along the way. A healthy, well-fed person can probably finish a lap in three minutes or less. Shannon completed his first lap in a little over two minutes, as did Roy. Holland soon crossed the pit stop as well. Faye fell to fourth place after a struggle with a particularly rocky hill. Bulma looked comfortable with fifth place, taking a slow and steady approach unlike the other players. Meryl and Kari lagged behind, but they still managed to finish their first laps in less than four minutes.
Fourteen minutes passed by until the challenge claimed their first casualty – Faye Valentine, who opted to quit right after she completed her third lap. She knew she was safe from tribal council anyway. There was no need to stress her body and win an immunity she didn't need.
"I'm done." Faye said, voluntarily sitting down beside Iruka at the pit stop. "This challenge can go on for hours. I'm already tired."
You wouldn't have quit so easily if your butt was on the line. Meryl glared irritably at the bounty huntress.
A few minutes later, Harley dropped out for the same reasons as Faye.
Half an hour since the challenge started, several players were on their seventh and eighth laps, but Mai Valentine was struggling to finish her sixth. The blonde had not been feeling well ever since that terrible handover this morning. Plus, she took a one or two minute break earlier, which was precious time she never managed to recover. When the thirty minutes came by, Mai failed to finish her sixth mandatory trip to the pit stop As a result, she was out of the challenge.
Ten minutes later, Kari was also eliminated for falling behind. She was unable to walk eight laps in the allotted time, and thus, she was out.
"Only five players remain! You're reaching your forty five minute mark! Keep it up!" Iruka shouted.
At the exact moment, Meryl was dragging her tired feet to the pit stop. She was about to finish her ninth lap in the race and narrowly escape a time limit elimination.
"How're you coping, Meryl?" Iruka asked.
"Not good. I'm sweaty, I'm thirsty, but I'm not going to give up." Meryl smiled weakly at the host.
In all honesty, she knew she was the underdog in this challenge. She had almost no shot of winning against the others, who were comfortably ahead as of now. She already escaped the past few eliminations in the nick of time. It was a wonder that she lasted in the challenge for as long as she did.
Shortly after, Bulma arrived at the pit stop, completing her tenth lap in the race. The elderly inventor showed no signs of fatigue yet, despite walking non-stop for the past forty five minutes. In fact, she looked like she could continue this race for hours. Clearly, her slow and steady approach at the beginning worked out in her favour. She was doing surprisingly well for someone her age.
"Bulma, how're you coping so far?" Iruka asked the same question to the inventor.
"Relieved! I'm glad you guys finally designed a challenge I'm good at!" Bulma grinned.
"Why? Do you do a lot of marathons?" Iruka looked surprised.
"No, I do a lot of shopping." Bulma joked.
Meryl, who was walking in front of the inventor, let out a tiny laugh. She couldn't help it, even though she scolded herself for losing focus. It was just that Bulma can be so funny sometimes with her cheeky sense of humour. She had an exceptionally sharp wit and a hilarious comeback for every remark. In many ways, she was known as the comedian of the tribe. Yes, her mouth can get a bit too smart for its own good, but that was also why everyone in Sarutobi got along with her. Meryl was no exception. She might only know Bulma for a few days, but she was already her favourite person from Jiraiya.
The persistent insurance agent went on to survive past the one hour mark. However, her legs gave up on her shortly after. She just couldn't command her exhausted body to move any faster. Unable to complete her fourteenth lap on time, Meryl became yet another casualty of the challenge.
As Meryl joined the other losers at the pit stop, she recognized her worst fear: Roy had surpassed Shannon in the race. The swordsman wasn't too far behind, but this was a clear indicator that he had slowed down since the start. Roy was currently leading the challenge. If he kept this consistency up, he'd be the likeliest winner.
And if Roy won immunity today, Meryl had no doubt that shit will hit the fans.
- - -
Holland Novak was eliminated after one hour and thirty five minutes of walking. He failed to complete the mandatory nineteenth lap on time.
He felt disappointed and a bit ashamed that he got outlasted by the likes of Bulma in an endurance challenge. Even as he walked over to the pit stop, he couldn't believe how well she had fared against the best athletes in this game. Roy and Shannon were slightly ahead of her, but neither showed the amount of stamina and energy Bulma displayed in her appearance. The two men were running out of steam, while Bulma looked like she could continue walking for an eternity.
Suddenly, someone who didn't look that threatening at first was becoming a serious contender in this challenge.
"One hundred and fifty minutes later, Bulma is still in the race!" Iruka declared, sounding a bit astonished in his tone of voice. "She is competing against Roy and Shannon, currently tied neck-to-neck for first place!"
"People in this game are constantly underestimating me." Bulma grinned.
While Bulma aimed to be the dark horse of this challenge, Shannon was just looking forward to the end. He might have started strong, but he was feeling weaker with every step. There were so many times he just wanted to quit walking and sit out like everybody else. But he knew he needed to win this immunity. His fate in this game depended on it.
At the two hours mark, all three walkers were still in the race. They had each completed twenty four laps on this gruelling course. Unsurprisingly, it grew more and more difficult to finish a lap on time. The course was the same as before, but their bodies felt so exhausted by now. It wasn't just the fatigue affecting them either, but the immense heat and the dire dehydration played important factors as well.
Roy was starting to lose it both physically and mentally. He had fallen behind and lost his earlier lead to Shannon. Even worse, Bulma was a few feet away from passing him as well. The colonel could feel his body slowly collapsing. He just didn't believe he could move any longer.
Five minutes later, Roy just narrowly avoided elimination by finishing his twenty fifth lap with seconds to spare. His troubles didn't end here, because he had less than five minutes to finish his next lap. He was now dead last in the race, not to mention he was on the verge of constant elimination.
Another five minutes later, Roy once again avoided elimination by a hair. He had to literally run to the pit stop in his final seconds, just so he can remain in the race.
Five more minutes passed, and inevitably, Roy was eliminated from the challenge.
And then, there were two.
Shannon continued to march forward, struggling with every step. Despite his best efforts to concentrate, he knew he was losing willpower as each minute pass by. His feet were aching. His head was throbbing. His mind was collapsing. Yet, he kept on marching forward. If he stopped walking, he knew he'd lose this game.
How is she doing this? Shannon thought to himself, looking back a few times to check out his other competitor. He, like the rest of the players, was in awe that the fifty-years-old Bulma was still in the race. Even the usual athletes, Roy and Holland, had fallen down by now, but this feisty woman hung in there like a true trooper. Shannon regretted ever underestimating Bulma as a competitor. He had gained a tremendous amount of respect for her.
I have to keep going.
I need to win this.
I must keep walking.
As he walked, Shannon constantly uttered these three lines under his breath. He even decided not to look back at Bulma so he won't feel discouraged about his chances. He just wanted to mind his own business and win this challenge. That was all he wanted to do. And it wasn't until ten minutes later that he finally got his wish.
Bulma broke down. Despite her bravado, she was unable to maintain her composure anymore. She reached her breaking point. She wasn't made out of steel. And she can't continue this walk any longer.
"I'm quitting. I think I proved my point." Bulma said, collapsing onto her knees. She sounded like she was totally out of breath. To her surprise, all the players at the pit stop gave her a thunderous round of applause for her tremendous effort.
"You go, girl!" Mai yelled out.
"It's okay! We're all so proud of you!" Harley chimed in.
"I don't want to be perceived as a physical threat." Bulma grinned at them.
"After two hours and twenty seven minutes, Shannon wins immunity!" Iruka shouted through the noise. The players were not just clapping for Bulma as the runner-up, but they were also celebrating Shannon's victory. "Again!"
Upon hearing this announcement, the only reaction Shannon can muster was a quiet smile and a sigh of relief. He can finally stop walking now. He was saved. No, that wasn't true. He wasn't saved at all. There was no guardian angel that flew down from heaven and gave him this win. Shannon earned this victory fair and square. He earned it all by himself.
In retrospect, winning this immunity did not affect his position in the game all that much. He was still in the minority. He was still the next likely target at tribal council. He was still fighting against impossible odds. Nothing had essentially changed. However, today's challenge proved that sheer willpower can carry him a long way in this game. He might be an outsider, but it didn't stop him from being a survivor.
- - -
DAY 24
Looking up at the cloudy morning sky, Roy wondered if this was the first sign of a heavy rainstorm later today. There was already a light drizzle last night that put out their campfire, so he didn't know if it was wise to light a new one or not. The camp was wet and humid, which made it difficult to spark a flame even with the appropriate resources. Besides, it almost seemed pointless to start a fire that will be extinguished hours later. Roy looked up at the sky again. He hoped it won't rain until tomorrow. He felt very powerless in the rain.
"What a shitty day, huh?" Faye said, also staring up at the sky. She was sitting next to him on the log. "Konoha is a shithole. I can't believe we still have to live here for a few more weeks."
"You sound tense this morning." Roy turned to face his female companion, who refused to meet his gaze.
"Tribal council blues," muttered Faye.
Roy nodded his head in comprehension. She needn't elaborate any further. Faye didn't say the exact words out loud, but he can sense the message from the gloomy tone of her voice. In a way, she was giving him an implicit signal about what to expect from the vote tonight. The two of them always had a mutual understanding that they'd watch out for each other's backs in the game. Even if they can't influence the final decision, they'd at least inform the other person about their impending doom.
"Have you talked to Holland yesterday?" Faye asked, while Roy nodded his head as a response. "What did he say?"
"He wouldn't make a commitment. He was afraid Shannon might win immunity again," said Roy.
"And he was right." Faye mumbled bitterly.
The bounty huntress did not disguise the fact she was annoyed about the outcome. She hated knowing that Roy was going home tonight and there was nothing she can do about it. Yes, she can understand the strategy behind such a decision, but it didn't mean she had to like it. Despite the sensible logic, Faye felt angry that one of the few people she genuinely liked was leaving, while eye sores like Meryl and Shannon were still here to make her life miserable. It just didn't seem fair.
"How are your legs?" Roy asked, changing the subject.
"Awful. Those damn bugs keep devouring me, night after night." Faye made a disgusted face. To demonstrate her point, she slowly ran her hands down her blistered legs, which were covered with dozens of brownish pink bug bites, from her thighs all the way down to her ankles.
"You used to have such lovely legs too," lamented Roy.
"I found a particularly nasty insect living inside my skin a few days ago." Faye added, causing the colonel to shift his expression. "I don't think I can wear shorts for the rest of my life."
"Hey, it can't be that bad. Let me take a look." Roy bent over so he can take a closer examination of her legs. "Yikes! Someone needs to get a shave."
He then looked up at his companion with a mischievous grin, prompting Faye to punch him playfully in the shoulder.
"I'm suffering in real agony here, you jerk! How dare you make fun of me!?" Faye exclaimed, half-laughingly. She shook her head a few times and feigned outrage. "You're so bad!"
"That's why you love me." Roy grinned.
"Unfortunately…" Faye murmured, averting her gaze elsewhere.
Roy: Shannon won immunity once again, which means I'm about to be Zolo'd out of the game. Although I tried my best to befriend the enemies so to speak, they still don't want anything to do with me. My only crime is that I was on the wrong tribe at the beginning of the game. So yeah, I think my impending elimination isn't fair at all, but that's life. I'm not going to complain about it.
A pensive expression crossed the colonel's face.
Roy: Besides, I'm not out of options yet. I still have one trump card in my pocket. No, I'm not going to campaign my ass off in the last minute. I'm not a desperate player like Zolo. Sometimes, less is simply more. I just need to give a subtle push in the right direction, and my pawns will do all the dirty work for me.
If only Faye could hear what this man was saying behind her back, she wouldn't have agonized over this decision right now. Because whether the bounty huntress would admit it or not, she did develop genuine feelings for Roy. He not only showered her with attention, but he was caring and affectionate in a way like no man had treated her before. So, it killed her – absolutely killed her – to know that she must write down his name tonight. She didn't want Roy to go. She wanted him to stay in this game so badly.
"Are you going to miss me?" Roy asked.
"I'll live without you." Faye tried her best to reply in a nonchalant way, but that lonely look in her eyes betrayed her. Roy could sense her vulnerability and knew how to capitalize on it.
"Well, I'm going to take a walk." Roy stood up. Then, in a very calculated move, he took off his jacket and gently draped it over Faye's shoulders. When she first felt his touch, her heart melted a little inside. "It's chilly this morning. I don't want you to catch a cold."
Her cheeks flushed with colour and her chest tightened under his glance. She felt so silly to hear her heart pound at the mere sight of a man. What was this feeling inside of her that made her anxious and elated at the same time? It must be love, but no, no, no, Faye fought hard to deny her insensible desires and foolish impulses. She had always been the seductress, never the seduced. It was preposterous to think she was in love with this sarcastic, arrogant, and frustratingly handsome man. May be she was on her period, because what else could explain this irrational behaviour?
But as he took the first step away from her, Faye's instincts acted without her command. She shot her arm out and grabbed onto his hand.
That was the moment Roy Mustang knew he had been saved.
"Don't go." Faye mumbled unintelligibly.
"It's just a short walk. I'll come back soon," said Roy.
"Don't go." Faye repeated with a bit more aggressiveness in her voice this time. "I'm not going to let you go tonight. You can count on me. Don't do anything stupid in the meantime. I'll take care of everything."
Roy managed to suppress his smug smile long enough to put on a look of absolute gratefulness in his face. He knew he had Faye wrapped nicely in his hands. Now, all he had to do was direct his puppet to dance the way he commanded.
"It's too risky. You'll put an unnecessary target on yourself." Roy whispered.
"I'm a gambler." Faye scoffed in dismissal. As if a little risk will hold her back from what she was about to do. "If you don't risk anything, you risk even more."
"But will they listen to you?" Roy asked.
"I've more influence over my alliance than you think." Faye smirked, still clutching onto his hand like she never wanted to let him go. "I'll change their minds. Just watch me."
Whatever Roy said afterwards was irrelevant, because Faye was already more than convinced about what she needed to do tonight. She will take charge and fight for what she believed in. No, it won't be a popular decision with her alliance, but it was something that must be accomplished for her own selfish reasons. Faye will not rest until she persuaded all of them to follow her way.
Off she went.
To save Roy's life.
While he just sat back and watched her do all the work.
- - -
Holland had made peace over the fact that Roy will be voted out tonight. It wouldn't be his first choice, but c'est la vie. This move made the most sense strategically since a threat was leaving nonetheless. So, he issued the word out to his alliance, unaware that Harley and his posse made the same decision two days ago. Holland was playing right into their hands, although they made sure to act like it was his idea all along.
Faye had no intentions of making Holland a wiser man, but she wasn't beneath spinning a few half-truths in her favour. Instead of approaching her alliance to save Roy, she thought it would be smarter to swing the Jiraiya leader on her side first. He might be just a figurehead in the grand scheme of things, but he still carried a certain amount of authority around camp. It won't hurt to have his support.
"I was thinking Roy…" Holland began, but he was cut off by Faye because that wasn't what she wanted to hear.
"Roy is staying." Faye pulled the leader aside for a private chat in the forest. "Let's vote out one of the Tsunade chicks instead. Mai or Meryl. Either one can go."
"But Meryl isn't a threat…"
"She has connections with Mai and Shannon…"
"Let me talk!" Holland exclaimed. He wasn't used to being interrupted in the middle of his sentences. "Look, there's no reason to vote out Meryl right now. But I can do Mai. I'll definitely consider her."
Faye was startled. Her original target was Meryl – she was the easiest to campaign against – but she never expected Holland to turn against Mai this easily. She had assumed the two of them were pretty close. So, hearing this opened an entire new road for the bounty huntress, and she wasn't afraid to explore her options.
"Harley will flip out over this." Faye smirked, shaking her head several times. "We'll never get his vote."
"Take him out of the picture for a second. We have you, me, and Roy. That's three votes right there." Holland held up three fingers in his right hand. "Add Kari to the list. She'll vote with us for sure. And then there's Bulma, who goes with whatever the majority says…"
"No." Faye cut him off. She didn't trust that woman in a position of power. Bulma was the last person they should depend upon for a vote.
"Then we'll have to sway either Meryl or Shannon to our side," said Holland.
"Yeah, good luck with that." Faye scoffed.
"You're the one who wants to keep Roy here." Holland shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just offering you suggestions."
Faye remained silent for a long while before she finally looked up at Holland again. Just from that fierce look in her eyes, he can tell she had a new plan in mind. She was about to turn the tables against him.
"I'll talk to Meryl. I'll convince her to vote out Mai." Faye said cautiously, "But if it doesn't work out, you have to promise me you'll vote out Meryl instead. That's my final offer. Are you in or not?"
She didn't need to wait for a response. Time waited for nobody. Holland was always a very decisive person. He shook hands with Faye to confirm their deal as rock solid. He was an honest man. He wasn't the type who would break his word, or worse, his honour on a handshake. It was a notable and noble trait on his part, but it was also a vulnerable flaw for Faye to exploit at the perfect opportunity.
"I've one condition." Holland grumbled. Oh, how he wished he never took Mai on that reward from hell. Things would have been far less complicated if they just remained friends. "I need you to make a commitment to me. I'm not agreeing to this without a definite guarantee."
"Always the businessman, huh?" Faye smirked defiantly at the Jiraiya leader. "Final Two sounds good enough for you?"
They shook hands again.
Just like that, an end game deal was created in a hasty and almost impulsive fashion. Faye didn't fret too much about it; she wasn't going to honour this handshake anyway. She knew this, and Holland suspected it as well. He didn't get his hopes up, that's for sure. He just wanted something accountable to hold against Faye, like a bargaining chip or a piece of collateral, in case a crisis arises in the future.
He was always such a businessman.
"You know, this could have been a unanimous vote against Roy if you haven't intervened." Holland said, flashing a thin, veiled smile at the bounty huntress. "This could have been a straight forward tribal council until you messed it up."
"I know." Faye shrugged her shoulders. She flashed a tiny wink at the camera. "But where's the fun in that?"
Faye: Call me a selfish bitch if you want, but I'm not playing this game to make Harley happy. Mai and Meryl are his allies, not mine. They won't look out for me down the line, unlike Roy. So, it won't benefit me at all if he leaves tonight. So, I've decided to go against my alliance by keeping him around for a few more days. Being in an alliance is pointless if the decisions made aren't helping my position in this game.
Aside from these reasonable excuses, she conveniently left out the part about how much she enjoyed Roy's company everyday, which was what really motivated her to save him in the first place.
Faye: Harley won't be a happy camper once he finds out what I'm planning to do, but he can't stop me by then. I've everything set for tonight. Mai's ass is so out of here!
Imagine Faye's surprise when Meryl said no.
"I'm sorry, but I can't vote against Mai." Meryl sounded confused. Faye didn't give her a clear explanation other than the fact that they were changing targets at the last minute. "I thought we were in an alliance together. What happened to voting out Roy?"
Ugh. Faye tried her best to conceal her grimace. Her patience was already running thin, even though they had only been talking for thirty seconds. This was why she hated to speak to Meryl about strategy, or about anything at all. The dense woman just didn't get it most of the time. She was too ethical. She was too honourable. She was too loyal to her friends who would backstab her in a second.
Meryl Stryfe just wasn't made to play Survivor.
"We changed our minds. We replaced Roy in our alliance instead of Mai." Faye lied outrageously, and Meryl caught on right away.
"I find that a little hard to believe." Mai narrowed her eyes at the bounty huntress, who looked away. "Why are you telling me this just now? Where's Harley? Does he know what you're doing?"
"You ask too many questions. Vote for Mai and you'll be fine!" Faye said through gritted teeth.
"I know you're lying to me." Meryl shot the fatal words. "I don't understand why you're lying, but I'm not going to vote out Mai tonight. She's a good friend of mine. And I don't like betraying my friends."
Faye shook her head and rolled her eyes. It was like talking to a brick wall. This was impossible. She felt stupid for ever believing this plan was going to work seamlessly.
"Forget it. You're an idiot." Faye muttered under her breath.
"What's going on, Faye? I want an explanation!" Meryl shouted in frustration. She can sense somewhat was wrong. She hated feeling like she was always clueless about the bigger picture. "Are you still voting with us tonight? That hasn't changed, right!?"
"Idiot." Faye repeated again, sounding even more annoyed this time. Then, without replying to Meryl's question, the bounty huntress walked away with yet another new plan.
- - -
Meryl felt suspicious after that brief encounter with Faye, but she didn't investigate on the matter any further. She wanted to avoid coming across as too paranoid and needy to her new alliance members. They already seemed displeased when she implemented Shannon into their carefully weaved plans. She didn't want to be seen as any more of a nuisance.
Unfortunately, she should have been fighting for her life right now.
Because her name had now been thrown on the chopping block.
"Change of plans, everyone." Holland announced to his alliance of six at the shelter, literally a minute before they were set to go to tribal council. "We're voting out Meryl tonight."
"Wh-wh-wh-wh-what!?" Harley gasped in shock.
"This is a joke, right? Ha ha, very funny?" Bulma dropped her jaw open with equal astonishment.
"I'm always serious," grunted Holland.
"Your timing is perfect by the way." Bulma snapped sarcastically. "We've thirty seconds until tribal council and you drop the biggest bombshell on us. Gee, what are you going to do next time? Tap us on the shoulder right before we get to the vote?"
Ignoring Bulma, the Jiraiya leader went on to explain his list of reasons for voting Meryl out. But Harley wasn't listening to him. Instead, he fixed his attention onto Faye, who looked far too relaxed right now to be without blame.
What have you told him!? Harley shot an angry glare at his friend. He knew she was behind all of this. Up until this critical moment, Holland had been gung ho about voting Roy out.
Faye didn't return his gaze. She wouldn't look at him straight in the eyes.
"I trust that nobody has a problem with this?" Holland eyed his alliance members expectantly.
Kari was the first to reply back, telling everyone that she didn't care if they voted for Meryl instead of Roy. She was loyal to the Jiraiya alliance and blah, blah, blah. But she might as well have saved her breath and said nothing at all, since she was such a non-entity in this alliance anyway. The petite DigiDestined didn't have a voice in the decision making. She was just a useful vote.
Bulma soon echoed the sentiments, like an overenthusiastic parrot that was trying to desperately return to its master. She didn't have a strong opinion on whether Meryl or Roy should go tonight. She just wanted to vote with the majority and avoid any unnecessary attention.
Faye also nodded her head, not adding much other than a few meaningless words that had already been said by Kari and Bulma. That didn't affect her that much. She wasn't the one who made an alliance with Meryl. And she was never going to receive a jury vote from her arch enemy anyway. So what?
And very reluctantly, Harley was forced to agree with everyone else. Even though he had a million objections flashing across his mind right now, he didn't dare to make a big scene in front of the unsuspecting Holland. Faye had planned this perfectly. She found a way to avoid a major backlash from her alliance by including a few 'outsiders' into the mix. No matter how furious Harley was at the moment, he must play along for the sake of keeping up appearances.
"I disagree. I think we should vote for Roy tonight."
Then came the lone voice of protest, from none other than the always bold and the always rebellious Mai Valentine.
"You're saying this because Meryl is your friend. You don't want her to go," said Faye.
"I will vote out Meryl when it's necessary." Mai clarified. "But I don't think this is the right time yet."
"Well, it's five against one, so…" Faye let her sentence hang there for a while to make her point. "Do what you want, Mai. This could be a nice test of your loyalty, don't you think?"
Mai shot the bounty huntress a very nasty glare.
God, she hated that woman so much.
Mai: It's official. Faye Valentine is pissing me off. I thought it was so selfish of her to make such an important decision without our input. We decided that Roy will go tonight long, long ago. She has an epiphany all of a sudden, so we all have to change our game plans just for her!? How inconsiderate is that!?
She shook her head a few times in disbelief.
Mai: I knew I might have to vote out Meryl at some stage of the game, but I never thought it would come so early. Too early. I don't think I'm ready for it. The past few days have been rocky for us, but just when we found a way to be in the same alliance together…this, this crap happens! What the hell, man! I don't want Meryl to leave here thinking I've lied to her and brought her hopes up, because those weren't my intentions at all. I just wanted us to be on okay terms again…
On his way to tribal council, Harley fretted over the consequences of his actions tonight. He was going to vote out Meryl, right after he made an alliance with her three days ago. There was no way she'd ever give him a jury vote. She will hate him forever, and rightfully so too. Harley still couldn't believe Faye would back out in the last minute, thus causing his entire plan to fall apart right in front of his eyes. Everything was going so smoothly until then. He almost thought he had this game in the bag.
Oh well. Harley sighed. He'll find a way to recover and move on. Once he looked at the bigger picture, he realized Meryl was only his ally for three days, whereas Faye had been with him since the beginning. No matter how naughty the bounty huntress acted at times, she would always take up a special place in his heart. He couldn't help it; he had a soft spot for Faye Valentine.
"Hey."
Harley noticed Mai walking next to him. She tried to communicate through discreet whispers and hand signals, which was challenging since there were so many people around them, but he heard everything that he needed to know about.
"We don't have to listen to Faye and Holland." Mai murmured in her softest voice. It was difficult to speak and not move her lips at the same time. "They're bluffing. They don't have all the votes. The five of us can still vote for Roy. There's you, me…"
"Meryl."
"Shannon."
"And Bulma." Harley nodded his head in comprehension. He can always tap Bulma on the shoulder and inform her about the news right before the vote. A tricky situation, but it could be done. Indeed, he realized he did have the numbers on his side – but at what cost? "It's too risky. We'll alienate Faye and Holland if we go through with this plan…"
"Then, you're just going to chicken out and let Faye do what she wants? Unbelievable." Mai scowled.
"I don't want our alliance to fall apart before it even begins." Harley obviously looked very distressed about this decision. "I can stand to lose Meryl as an ally, but I can't imagine myself with Faye. She's one of my closest friends out here. I don't want to upset her."
"She's the one who's being a bitch, not you." Mai frowned. She didn't understand what the big deal was. They can still vote out Roy despite the curveball that Faye threw at them. "Look, I'll vote with you no matter what. But my opinion is that we should vote out Roy just like we originally intended."
"I don't know, Mai. I really don't know what to do…" Harley mumbled, gazing sadly at his own feet.
"Well, you better make up your mind right now." Mai warned him. "Because we're here."
Harley sighed to himself as he looked up.
They had arrived at tribal council.
Iruka was waiting.
- - -
As a host, Iruka knew better than to show blatant favouritism for his preferred players, but there were certainly a few people he rooted for over the others. Bulma Briefs became one of those lucky few after her surprising performance at the challenge yesterday, defeating the likes of Roy and Holland in physical endurance. Iruka was amazed then and still awestruck now. He never thought a fifty-years-old woman could emerge as a contender in the challenges among all these young athletes.
"It's like Lois and Clark." Bulma tried to explain with a toothy grin on her face. "Everyone thinks of Clark Kent as Superman, but just because Lois is living in his shadows, it doesn't mean she can't have a few superpowers of her own."
"I don't think I get it, but that sounds like a mighty good answer!" Iruka laughed heartily for a moment before catching his mistake and straightening his face. He decided to avoid asking Bulma any questions for the rest of the evening. "So Shannon, I obviously can't overlook your accomplishments. You won immunity again and came awfully close at that reward challenge too. Have it ever crossed your mind that you might win all the challenges from now on?"
"I won't grow complacent." Shannon replied in an unenthusiastic voice. "I play this game one day at a time."
"Did you think you needed this immunity tonight?" Iruka asked.
"Always," said Shannon.
Iruka waited for the quiet swordsman to elaborate on his answer, but that response never came. Shannon liked to keep his words short and to the point.
"Zolo went home last time. Am I making a fair assumption that another person from Tsunade will leave tonight?" Iruka asked a difficult question and he browsed the tribe for somebody to pick on. "Roy, what's your opinion on this?"
"If I was a betting man, that'd be my wager." Roy smiled.
"Why?"
"Because it makes sense." Roy shrugged his shoulders.
Again, Iruka waited for a more detailed answer that never came. Roy might be a wordy person at times, but he knew when and how to choose his words correctly. The right words can serve as powerful weapons in a war, just like how the right silences can be equally deadly.
"On the other side of the spectrum, we have Jiraiya." Iruka browsed the Sarutobi tribe once again. "Kari, you're part of the numbers so to speak. Do you feel like you're in any danger at all?"
"I always feel a little vulnerable. I think everyone does. It's tribal council. You never know what can happen." Kari smiled diplomatically at the host.
"I sense some anxiety in your voice." Iruka narrowed his eyes at the petite DigiDestined. "Do you feel like you're out of the loop in your new tribe? How are you basing your vote on tonight?"
Kari's smile grew tenser.
"A few people tell me how to vote and I listen to them."
"And you're happy with that arrangement?"
That smile on her face stretched so much it can't even be considered as a smile anymore. The little girl just dropped her head and refused to look at anyone.
"Yes, I'm very happy." She meekly replied.
"Interesting answer." Iruka nodded his head a few times, "Okay, it's time to vote. Keep in mind that anyone you vote out from now on will be part of the jury. Those seven people will decide on who wins the million dollars in the end." He paused a moment for dramatic effect. "Bulma, you're up first."
Before Bulma stood up to vote, she received a very light tap on her shoulder. She briefly turned around and caught Harley mouthing a name to her.
She smiled and nodded her head.
It was the signal.
- - -
Harley was the last person to vote tonight. As he wrote down five letters on the parchment, he let out an audible sigh, sounding both disappointed and relieved. Backstabbing allies wasn't as fun as he had imagined, but at least the night was over.
"Just like I promised you, Shannon didn't get voted out." Harley said with a sheepish smile as he held up his vote. "I'm a man of my word. Sorry."
Bulma saw his signal earlier tonight. And so did Mai.
Harley told his girls he was voting along with Faye.
When the Pokemon Coordinator returned to his seat, he was unfortunate enough to catch a glimpse of Meryl's vulnerable smile. It wasn't a sad smile as he expected, but rather a hopeful one, as if she was smiling gratefully at her potential saviour. And that was when a storm of guilt and misery struck Harley's conscience, because he realized nobody had informed the poor clueless soul about the bad news.
"Once the votes have been read, the person voted out will be asked to leave tribal council area immediately." Iruka inserted his hand into the voting urn. "The first vote…"
Meryl recognized her own handwriting for Roy.
"And the second vote…"
Again, there were three letters.
This was Shannon's vote, but Meryl was beginning to relax a little. She reassured herself there was nothing to worry about. Her new alliance must have stayed true to her; she just needed to believe in them. She can't be unnecessarily paranoid all the time.
Meanwhile, Harley was silently freaking out.
Oh god, oh god, she doesn't know! This is like a train wreck waiting to happen! Harley closed his eyes, cringing. He just didn't have the time to tell Meryl about the sudden change of plans. But then again, even if he did find the time, he wondered if he'd have the courage or the backbone to admit the truth anyway. Probably not.
"Meryl." Iruka read out a new name on the third parchment. "That's two votes for Roy and one vote for Meryl."
It wasn't until Meryl saw her name again that she detected something might be wrong. Wasn't this supposed to be a unanimous vote tonight? Harley promised her.
"Meryl."
She shot a worried glance at Harley.
"Meryl."
Harley was too busy staring at the ground.
"Meryl." Iruka paused for a moment. "That's four votes for Meryl and two votes for Roy."
By the time she heard her name called out for the fourth time, Meryl realized she had been used, played, and tossed aside like a good fool. Shannon was correct in his cynicism. Her so-called alliance had been misleading her all along. She should have known. Meryl also realized how amusing this situation was in a twisted way. Everyone kept telling her she was supposed to be the last surviving member of Tsunade. And yet, here she was, the first one voted out. They wanted her gone before Roy, Shannon, and Mai.
She felt like such an eternal loser.
"Roy."
Meryl wasn't the only one surprised when, against all expectations, Iruka read out the third vote for Roy tonight.
Holland's head darted up in alarm.
What!?
As he quickly calculated the numbers in his head, he came to the conclusion that Roy should not have received a third vote against him. Meryl, Shannon, and who else!? Three votes must have meant someone from his alliance defied the group consensus and voted with the Tsunade tribe anyway. And it wasn't Roy. He couldn't have voted for himself.
The mysterious third vote was concrete proof there was a conniving snake slithering in his alliance.
Holland already had an obvious suspect in mind.
"And the eighth person voted out of Survivor: Konoha," Iruka turned over the eighth parchment. "Meryl."
Meryl felt so emotionally drained when she stood up and grabbed her torch. She never saw this coming until a minute ago. How naïve of her to think she would be safe when she was in the most danger all along. Damn Harley for bringing her hopes up. Damn Harley for letting her guard down. Damn Harley for misleading her with an alliance that would never come into fruition. Damn, damn, damn.
The petite insurance agent gave Shannon a brief hug, then dragged her feet over to Iruka and presented him with the torch.
"The tribe has spoken." Iruka snuffed out the already dying flame. "It's time for you to go."
Meryl turned around and gave one last glare at her "alliance" members. If looks could kill, all four of them would have been dead by now.
Afterwards, she departed on her walk of shame. Slowly and sadly, her petite figure disappeared among the dark shadows. Shannon was the only person who cared enough to watch her leave. Everyone else seemed too busy shooting accusatory glances at each other, all of them concerned about the mysterious third vote that seemingly came out of nowhere.
"You've voted out your first juror." Iruka said in a solemn voice. "Six more to go. Goodnight."
Shannon Casull was the first one to get up and leave. He didn't want the others to see that he was smiling. Even though his closest friend and ally had been voted out, he couldn't help but smile at the miracle that happened tonight. He knew if Meryl was in his shoes, she would be smiling too. It was just a tiny modest smile, nothing too uncharacteristic of him, because he didn't want to grow too complacent in case things went wrong. One day at a time.
So, why was Shannon smiling?
Because there was hope.
All along, the quiet swordsman assumed he would be alone after Meryl was voted out. But what happened tonight proved otherwise. Just when he thought he was at the end of his line, that mysterious third vote showed him the light. Shannon had an ally somewhere in this tribe. He just didn't know yet who his guardian angel was.
- - -
Meryl's Final Words
I can't say I was totally surprised by the outcome. Nothing in this game can faze me anymore. I just can't seem to catch a stupid break at any point. Every time things are beginning to look up for me, there's always something to ruin my day. A lie, a loss, a bad twist…I've experienced it all. It's like I either have a grey cloud or a dunce hat on top of my head all the time. I think I might be the dumbest and the unluckiest player to ever play Survivor! At least I made the jury. I guess I should be proud of my one measly accomplishment.
- - -
Next time on Survivor: Konoha –
Roy worms his way into the majority…
Faye: We want to include you in our alliance.
Roy: Splendid.
(Roy kisses Faye lightly on her cheek.)
True feelings come out at the reward challenge…
(Bulma uses her machete to cut a purple rope. Mai winces.)
Mai: I didn't deserve that.
Bulma: Just like how you don't deserve to go on another reward.
And Jiraiya starts a witch-hunt within their alliance…
Holland: Who voted for Roy?
Faye: It has to be Mai.
(Harley snaps his finger in a conclusive manner.)
Harley: I think Kari is the rat.
All this and more on – Episode 9: Cinderella
- - -
Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews in the last episode, everyone! It's very encouraging and also very helpful to read your input on the story. Without giving too much away, I think Episode 9 will be an interesting read. Anyway, don't forget to review and take the survey! Every bit of input is greatly appreciated!
