AUTHOR'S NOTE

WishStar: Yes, you made yourself quite clear before about your opinion on Jock. ;-) Thing is, I have two plots in mind for Brick that I cannot combine: one with Jock, and one without. The plot not involving Jo as his love interest would mostly be in a future All-Stars remake that I want to write. So the question is whether I should pick the plot that comes early, or the plot that comes later. At that, I am stumped.

TDRI: Thanks for your input, and for reading my story!


TEAMS

TOXIC RATS: Brick, Anne Maria, Sam, Dawn, Zoey

MUTANT MAGGOTS: Scott, Jo, Mike, Lightning, Cameron

ELIMINATED: Dakota, Staci, B

RECAP

Chris stands on the dock underneath a vibrant sky with Chef. "Last time on Total Drama Revenge of Island!: Ten campers went on a scavenger hunt that was spookyyyy. Lightning and Mike got on each other's nerves- actually, Mike just got on Lightning's nerves." He chuckles. "The first alliance of the season was formed! Also, I switched Zoey and Cameron onto opposite teams. Hey, it's my show. I can do whatever I want.

"Lastly, arachnid Izzy showed up to do an eight-legged tap dance for a captive audience. Who will ride the Hurl of Shame next? How many times can I laugh at them before then? Find out right now, on Total. Drama. Revenge of the Island!"

Chef crosses his arms. "Why're ya having me stand here, anyway?"

Chris's mouth pushes up into a pout. "You didn't have to come. I just thought you'd want to."

Chef glances at his face before looking at the sky. "Whatever."


MUTANT MAGGOTS' CABIN

On the left side of the males' bedroom, Lightning and Scott rise and fall under their blankets. The camera view moves over to the other side, where Cameron is sitting up in his sleeping bag. He scribbles at a lightning pace in a notepad, lifting his head at the bunk above him.

The view shifts up to Mike, who is crouching on his bed. "Alright, which one of you guys was it?" His voice is slow and murmuring. "Please don't, Svetlana."

"Stick ze landing Svetlana," he says in a higher tone. "Practice makes perfect ten." He spreads out his arms and springs to his full height.

CRACK! Mike's eyes shoot open. "OW!" His knees fall out from under him, and he tips off the edge of the bed.

THUMP! He lands on his back with a crack. His eyes are squeezed shut, limbs spread out in a star position.


CONFESSIONAL: MIKE

"That was not a good wake-up call," Mike says. His eyelids droop, making the bags under his eyes more prominent. "I don't even want to go back to sleep, or else my personalities might kill me. Svetlana specifically."


Cameron stares at Mike as Lightning and Scott sit up. "What the heck was that?" Scott says, turning his head left and right. He clutches the edge of his his bed and leans over. "Wow, Mike... You okay?"

Mike touches his head and winces. "No, not really."

"What's not okay is interrupting Lightning's sleep for the hundredth time!" Lightning flops back into bed and folds the pillow over his ears. He lifts it off just as quickly, looking ahead at the wall. "Hey, wait a second."


CONFESSIONAL: LIGHTNING

"Why is Jo on the girls' side of the cabin?" Lightning says. "He could've moved into the guys' side after B got out! Unless he has a thing for Zoey. I thought Mike had that though. Huh, lucky Jo."


Jo stands in the middle of the girls' bedroom wearing a towel. "Ah... solitude at last. I can finally work out like the ancient Olympians." She unties the towel, letting it fall from her chest.

Lightning opens the door. "Hey Jo, why don't you move in to t-" His eyes pop wide open.

Jo clutches the towel ends in a fist around her chest. She jabs her finger at the door, her face dark red. "GET OUT!"

Doing a shaky turn, Lightning walks out the door and shuts it behind him.


CONFESSIONAL: JO

Jo is back in her sweatsuit, though her eyes keep darting from the camera. The color from her face has gathered into her cheeks. "I don't think he saw anything but my- my-"


CONFESSIONAL: ZOEY

Zoey raises both arms in the air. "Hooray for fresh beginnings!" She lowers them and smiles. "I have a chance to make a good impression on my new teammates. It's great that there's more girls to talk to. I can hardly start a conversation with a guy- except Mike. Still, I think us separating is a good thing." Her eyebrows press inward. "Not because of the 'Vito' incident, he must've been in a bad mood. It happens to everyone! I mean, he's been- he was so nice to me otherwise. If I wanted a boyfriend, he would be it. But I don't do that kind of thing, relationships."


The camera view shows the back of Dawn as she walks toward the woods, humming to herself.

"Hey, Dawn!"

Dawn turns toward the camera. "Good morning, Brick."

The perspective switches to full view as Brick jogs up to Dawn, wearing a grin that forms crinkles around his eyes. "Good morning. Would you like some company during your walk?"

"I'll be alright on my own. Thank you for the offer, though."

His grin vanishes, and he scratches the back of his neck. "Are- are you sure? I mean, there are some dangerous mutant animals in there."

"They're harmless, as long as you don't startle them."

"Really?" Brick says, both eyebrows lifted.

Dawn smiles. "Indeed. Their mutations have made them a little agitated, but they're still animals."

"Animals can still hurt you," he says. "I consider it my duty, ma'am, to keep you safe from the agitated ones."

She tilts her head while staring at him. "Hm. Well, if you insist." She begins edging into the trees, and Brick walks beside her.

The two stroll along on the twigs and pine needles littering the dirt floor. Dawn stoops to examine a curly sprout standing above a patch of grass. "Toxic waste exposure has killed much of the plant life here," she murmurs. "Still, Mother Nature never stops giving her gifts all over the world- even to this small, contaminated island."

"I never thought of nature that way," Brick says. "Back in Cadets, though, we learned how to survive the elements." He grins. "I also learned in Muskrat Boys when I was little."

Dawn stands and turns to him. "I can tell it still means a lot to you."

He opens his mouth, and no words come out. "... Yeah, it does. H-how did you know?"

"It's in your aura." Her eyebrows pinch inward. "It was the thing you looked forward to most among the teasing you suffered in school. When you were of age, you moved on to military school and created a new identity that you need to assert to others. That is why you came with me on this trip."

Brick's eyes have widened as she spoke. He squints at her now with flat black irises. "You don't know what you're talking about. I'm not like that at all! I grew out of that teasing and became the kind of person I wanted to be, that I'm proud of."

"You've always been a good person, Brick. Please try to understand- I don't want you to feel bound to this 'better' identity. It's okay to be weak sometimes, those who care won't judge you. If you continue to act on the need to prove yourself, you will wear yourself out doing good for others." She pauses to take a breath. "Your actions should come out of the goodness of your heart, not for your own sake."

"I know you mean well, Dawn, and I'm grateful for your concern," Brick says. "But I'd rather you not mention my childhood. It's not really something I like to talk about." Dawn only has time to nod before he walks away.


CONFESSIONAL: BRICK

"Dawn has this amazing ability to read into other people's lives," Brick says. "However, she doesn't understand the toughening treatment you get as a cadet. 'No weakness is allowed on the battleground, meaning it will NOT be allowed on the training ground!'" His voice has dropped to a booming growl, almost like a lion's. "Drill instructor's orders. You know, I once had a fear of the dark before I learned how to suppress it. It is my sole dream to become a fearless fighter for my country." His smile wavers.


All the teens sit at their team tables in the main lodge eating breakfast, which consists of bacon, chicken legs, and other unidentifiable meats mushed together. An apple lies on the side of every tray.

Scott, Jo, and Lightning sit on one side of the Maggots' table. Cameron takes a piece of bacon and chews on it, keeping his eyes down.

Jo puts down her fork. "Listen here, Toothpick." Cameron looks up mid-chew. "I'm in charge of this team, take it or leave it. But if you try anything against me, you'll be voted off next. I'll make sure of it. Understood?"

"Mhm." Cameron swallows. "I got it."

"Good." She takes up her fork and shovels meat into her mouth.

Lightning shakes his head. "You still eat like a dude..." The others look at him curiously.


CONFESSIONAL: CAMERON

"I was ready to go home yesterday," Cameron says. "I'm still suspended in disbelief right now, though Jo's sure to knock it out of me soon enough." His mouth stretches into a thin line. "But I won't let this second chance go to waste. I'm going to strategize from here on in to get myself into the merge."


Zoey sits between Dawn and Sam, with Brick and Anne Maria facing the three. "Well, Zoey, welcome to the Toxic Rats!" Sam says with a flourish.

"Glad to be here!" Zoey says, pushing her fork with her finger. "I can't wait to get to know you guys."

Dawn watches Zoey's fork. "Don't feel nervous, you''ll fit in just fine."

Zoey stops, lifts her fork, and smiles. "That means a lot to me, honestly."

"Why's that?" Brick asks. Anne Maria stares ahead as the rest look at Zoey.

"I didn't really fit in with my last team. Jo was pretty much team captain, and she didn't like me that much."

"She can be disagreeable at times, but I've always seen her as a strong competitor," Brick says.

Zoey bobs her head. "Oh, she is." Just then, feedback sounds over the loudspeaker.

"Attention campers!" Chris says. "Breakfast is cutting into precious time that you can spend getting injured. Grab your swimsuits and meet me at the dock, pronto!"


The campers stand on either side of the dock wearing their swimsuits. A crumpled scuba suit sits in front of each team, attached by tube to oxygen pumps decorated with the team symbols. "Alright! Here to help us get today's competition under way, say hello to one of our classic competitors, Bridgette!" Chris says.

A canoe comes to the dock, with Owen in front and Bridgette in the back. "Let's get this over with! Remember, my contract said demonstration only," Bridgette snaps, pointing at Chris.

Chris puts one hand up. "Relax. No demo needed. Just chum the water with Owen." He raises a finger. "Challenge, Part One: each team must get a pair of water skis in an underwater mission, or drown trying. One victim- I mean, camper- will snag the skis in an old school diving suit and float them to the surface, while the rest of their team pumps them oxygen. First team to surface their skis wins, and gets an advantage in Part Two. So, decide who's diving!"

"I'll dive," Jo says to her team. "Any objections?"

Mike's forehead creases. "Uh, yeah. How do you know none of us are faster than you?"

"Yeah, I bet I'm the fastest here!" Lightning says.

"Remember the race across the lake after Chris blew up our ship? I made it to shore second after some Rat girl," Jo says. Mike and Scott glance at each other as Lightning scowls.

"That wasn't an actual race," Cameron says. Jo grabs the scuba helmet and shoves it onto his head, causing him to fall over with a loud clunk.

"Jo makes a solid point." His voice sounds smaller inside the helmet.

"Listen to Chicken-Legs, get busy pumping air, and don't make me use my whistle." Jo pats her neck and gasps. "Alright, who took my whistle?!"

Lightning and Mike crouch near Cameron. "Don't mind Jo. She likes to think she's the boss of everything," Lightning says. He stretches out his hand.

Cameron takes it, and Lightning pulls him into the air. Landing on his feet, he tilts backward and hits the dock with a grunt. Lightning raises his eyebrows. "It's the helmet weighing him down," Mike says.

Before they can reach for it, Jo marches up and yanks the helmet off Cameron's head. "I'll be needing that," she says, and walks away.

"I volunteer to dive for our team," Brick says to the Rats. "In Cadets, we ran through river currents to build endurance- and character, too."

"Wow! That sounds like the training of a warrior apprentice," Zoey says.

Anne Maria coughs. "Weirdo."

"Do you play video games?" Sam asks.

"No, I just watch a lot of action movies. I do some crafts in my spare time too." Zoey points to the pin in her hair and smiles. "I made this flower, see?"

"Is that made of felt?" Anne Maria asks, squinting one eye. "Girl, can't you afford the fake flowers in shops?"

Zoey's smile dissipates. "Uh, I think we should let Brick be the diver, what about you guys?" Sam says. The team nods, Zoey lowering her eyes to the dock.

Dawn walks to her and smiles. "I think your flower is pretty."

Zoey looks up and blinks. "Thank you. Dawn, is it?" Dawn nods. "I remember talking to you before, right over there." She points to the group of rocks on the shore.

Dawn shifts where she's standing. "Yes. I may have imposed myself upon you at the time. My apologies."

"No worries!" Zoey forms a smile. "It was rude of me to walk away without getting to know you. I'm glad I have the chance now."

Jo and Brick step to the middle of the dock. Jo smirks. "Well, looks like I have easy competition."

Brick narrows his eyes in the midst of smiling. "We'll see about that." The two put on their scuba suits.

Chris lifts one finger. "Ready...GO!"

SPLASH! Jo and Brick sink to the bottom and squint ahead. A boulder stands in the distance, balancing both pairs of water skis. The two divers run in slow-motion; Jo chops the water with her arms, but Brick's motion more-resembles punching with his closed fists.

Jo turns her head to Brick. Her laughter pierces through the helmet. "Hey, boxer! Wanna try using your arms more?"

"I'll have you know that I placed second in an underwater race with my fellow cadets," Brick snaps.

"Who got in first, the guy who actually pumped his arms?"

Brick grunts. "Maybe."

"Exactly, Pants-Wetter. You're not the slowest though, I'll give you that." Brick's face twitches as Jo breaks further away.


CONFESSIONAL: BRICK

"I do not appreciate your nicknames, Jo," Brick says, pointing at the camera. "I'm tired of your insults. I wish you'd treat me with a little more respect." He shakes his head. "If I could just gather the courage to say these things to her face..."


The Rats shout encouragements into the water as Anne Maria pumps air. "Go, BricK!" Zoey and Dawn say.

"Imagine that a Cheep Chomp is chasing you!" Sam yells.

Anne Maria turns around. "A what?"

Brick switches to the way Jo is running, speeding up right away. He closes the gap between them bit by bit until they are neck and neck and approaching the boulder.

Jo turns her head, and her mouth forms a wide "o". "What the-" She growls and puts on a burst of speed.

"Come on Jo!" Mike shouts.

"You can do it!" Scott says.

"Hmph. If Jo had let me swim, those skis would be surfaced by now," Lightning mutters, pushing down on the oxygen pump.

Cameron kneels at the edge of the dock and stares into the water. "It's a close race, guys." Mike and Scott go to sit on either side of him.

"Cameron, I just wanted to say- welcome to our team," Scott says. "I'm sorry no one said it to you sooner."

Cameron raises his eyebrows. "It's fine. I didn't really think about that anyway." Mike gazes at Scott for a moment before looking away.


CONFESSIONAL: MIKE

"Something about Scott's behavior seems off to me," Mike says. "I'm not saying that I know Scott really well, it's just that I might not know him as well as I thought." He scratches the back of his neck. "Huh. That sounds kinda weird."


CONFESSIONAL: SCOTT

"Ever since Cameron came, there's been loads of possibilities in the playing field," Scott says, rubbing his hands together. "I have to play my cards right to get what I want- Lightning and Jo gone. And Mega Jock's going home first."


Brick is ahead of Jo and only a few yards from the boulder. A tall pointed shadow pops over it quick as a flash. Brick falters, staggering to a stop. "Whoa, what was that?"

Jo passes by him with a smirk. "Tired already?" She stops in front of the boulder and tugs at one of the ropes tying down the skis.

"JO, LOOK OUT!" Brick screams. Jo looks up just as Fang descends on her, jaws open wide.

"AH-" Fang engulfs her helmet. His teeth scrape against the metal, and his smile drops. Furrows form in his forehead as he gnaws on the helmet, spit smearing the glass.

The camera view shifts to Chris standing on the dock with the contestants. "We care about the safety of our contestants, thus proving it with providing shark-proof helmets." A grin stretches across his face. "Of course, the rest of their bodies are fair game."

The campers look at him, their mouths twisted downward. Anne Maria and Lightning stop pumping. "Yeeeshh," Chris says, lowering his eyelids. "You guys take my jokes way too seriously."

Brick speeds through the water toward Fang and Jo. Jo flails her fists and hits Fang on the nose. She turns her body to him and sends a foot into his stomach. Fang spits out her head and whimpers, swimming away.

"Stupid shark!" Jo yells, raising her fist at Fang.

Brick descends in front of her. "Jo! You're alive, thank God!"

"Yup, I'm alive, and now I'm gonna win." Jo pulls the loosened rope so her pair of skis float upward. She rises to the surface with them.

The skis pop onto the surface, Jo rising a second later. "And the Maggots win the first challenge!" Chris says.

The Maggots cheer as the Rats stand in silence. As Jo is climbing onto the dock, Brick reaches the surface with his pair of skis.

Brick joins his team at the dock. "Dude, what happened?" Sam asks.

Brick pulls off his helmet. "I was ahead of Jo until Fang came and she beat him up, then she freed her team's skis."

"Whoa, hold up. Jo beat up a shark?" Anne Maria says.

"Not to mention a mutant one," Zoey says.

"That is a whole new level of epic!" Sam says.

"Yeah," Brick says, craning his head to look at Jo. "She is one formidable enemy."


NOTE: Another reminder to vote on the Jock poll in my profile. This author's curious.