(AN: Almost at the double digits…again! Man, we're getting further and further away from things of quality, and closer and closer to Pahkit-UGHHHHHHHH…)
Chris: Last time on Total Drama: Heroes vs. Villains, the 8 had a boat race, and it sure was first rate! Mal nearly beat them all, but he couldn't beat himself! Mike wrestled for control behind the scenes, and succeeded! Cameron wrestled with forces both in and beyond his control, especially when his mom got involved, hahaha! Heather and Jo bonded further, Dawn got some form of her mojo back, and Zeke's ready to crush the competition! Duncan and Zoey get ever closer to the big smooch! In the end, Mike quit the show after Cody's device told the whole campground about Mal's nefarious ways! 7 are left, and it'll be 6 after this! Right here on…Total…Drama…Heroes vs. Villains!
*cue the theme song*
Episode 9: This Mineshaft is Mine
Heather and Jo clinked their glasses together.
"To the final 7!" Jo said, smirking. "And here's hoping we get further than that!"
"Rate we're going? We'll slip under the radar and make finale, no problem." Heather sipped elegantly on her sparkling water.
"Ha! You're not wrong!" Jo dug greedily into her steak.
Jo: Mal's gone. Honestly, the only people on the villain's team left are Dawn, who's not a villain, and us! We've got this in the bag!
Heather yawned loudly as she got up. She stroked her hair and headed to the girl's part of the spa hotel.
"I'll be getting changed. Don't wait up!"
"Heh, I won't!" Jo said, still eating her steak. "Man, these guys know how to cook!"
Zoey glowered up at the spa hotel. Ezekiel was quick to notice.
"What's up, eh?" he said, sitting down on the lower bunk. "Yo'ou look like someone's made off with yo'our prized possession or something!"
Zoey looked at him, but not for long. "Oh, it's just…kind of wish it were Duncan and I up there."
Zoey: I still think Duncan going to Boney Island was a good idea, but what really would've been nice was him and I going there. Maybe I could…snap…out of this state. *she glares at the camera* I'm serious, I can't go back to how I was before.
Dawn hummed quietly as she sat on her rock. Cameron sat next to her, on the beach sand.
"So, um…are you okay?" he asked, as Dawn's aura flared green.
"I'm more than okay. Last night, I had a dream. A dream that helped me remember everything I had forgotten. About my past. About my upbringing. I also gained closure on my ability and how it can help rather than hurt."
A tendril wrapped itself around a rock and picked it up. Another came to Cameron and playfully tapped his shoulder.
"I must thank Mike…or, well, Mal. He was the lynchpin to everything that has happened to me and was instrumental to his own defeat."
Cameron quirked his eyebrow. "I'm sorry?"
"He was the one who dropped me from the cliff…" A tendril pointed to the tall, iconic cliff. "…and was the one who awoke the hidden strength locked away deep inside."
Cameron looked less confused. "Well…I mean, I guess. But he's gone now, so…what are you doing meditating?"
"Coming to terms with the strength in me. Making it part of me instead of running away from it. You understand."
Cameron looked at her tendrils playing around with the scattered beach debris. "I mean, I think I do, but…most of my strength came from other people. People like B. Or Zoey. Or…well, anyone."
"You shouldn't doubt yourself, Cameron. I've seen what you've been doing in these challenges. You have heroic qualities and you should let them shine through. You stood up to your greatest obstacle earlier tonight. That speaks volumes about your growth."
"Dawn, uh…if I wanted to be lectured, I would've opened a book. What are you getting at?"
"Merely the results of my meditation. My aura's permeating my brain, probing through its many crevices and discovering any hidden links."
"So, uh, my last question. Why's your voice not all…raspy?"
"Simple. My mind went into a berserker state once my aura was fully unleashed. I had no control over it. Now, with this dream and the events that followed, I will be working on integrating my body and soul with it."
Cameron looked back at the cabins. "Well, uh, shouldn't you stop that and—"
"Never forget, Cameron. Our time on this planet is fleeting. We are just beginning our walk on the road we call life. It is a short one, some shorter than others…"
Cameron jumped slightly as he heard a buzzing sound from the spa hotel. "Huh…what's going…"
One of Dawn's tendrils got a sensing of the surrounding area. "Oh, it's just Heather and Jo bringing their bodies closer together in the art of love. Or, in layman's terms, copulation. Oh, they're using a mechanical vibrator to enhance their experience."
Cameron cringed slightly. "You mean they're—"
"Cameron, my parents are both female and they do acts like this every Friday. Why should this be any different? They're only human…"
"No, it's just—I mean…mom wasn't very huge on talking about…(he whispered the last word) that."
"Understandable. After your father left, she was reborn as a Christian female, and obtained their advantages and cons in the process.
"She's spiritual as well, Cameron. Just in a different way. Never lose sight of that."
Cameron groaned. "I really hope she doesn't chew me out royally when I get back…winner or not."
Cameron: I'm just afraid of the can of worms I've opened with mom. She means well, but she was far too overprotective of me. Well, mom, I know you're watching. I'll conquer anything thrown in front of me, and I'll emerge a stronger man because of it. *he pounds his fist into his open hand* That's a Wilkins promise!
Duncan strode along the beachside, taking in the scenery.
Man, going here might not have been the best idea…
Several loud shrieks and screeches sounded from afar. Duncan shuddered slightly and held his pocketknife tighter.
Whelp, might as well get some shelter for tonight.
He spotted a tree up the way. It was tall, and the pine needles cloaked anything or anyone that might have been inside.
Duncan clambered up it quickly, settling on a mid-level branch. He yawned loudly, and shut his eyes.
Ah, man…Zoey, you're one weird chick sometimes. But, eh, I like ya alright.
He put his hands behind his head and drifted off to sleep…
Late that night, a small boat crept onto Boney Island. A large, black man stepped off it.
"Ssssh!" Chef hissed to the camera in his face. He pointed at Duncan's tree.
He quietly climbed it and gently wriggled the knife out of Duncan's hand. He slowly climbed back down and crept back onto the boat.
As he arrived back at the Dock of Shame, he took out a fishing net. Putting it in the water, he found several soggy pages of Gwen and Ezekiel's diary. He snickered as he got off the boat and headed for the spa hotel.
He entered Heather and Jo's room, and nearly threw up.
"Man, it smells like sex in here!" he hissed under his breath.
He gently picked up Heather's vibrator. He winced as an unidentifiable substance trickled through his fingers.
It's for the best…
He silently went out of the room. He shuddered as he headed back downstairs.
The sun rose on another lovely day at Camp Wawanakwa. However, what was going on on the island itself…wasn't as lovely.
A loud, piercing shriek emanated from the spa hotel.
"MY VIBRATOR! WHERE'S MY VIBRATOR!"
Heather growled as she tossed aside pillows, cushions, and even the breakfast plates, all in search of her special toy.
Jo yelped as a fork embedded itself into the wall, right where her head used to be. "Hey, watch it! I enjoyed last night, but, uh…you think that's a bit much?"
"Its' not here…it's not here!" Heather's eyes were bloodshot.
"Ah, pshaw! It'll be fine! You probably kicked it under the bed or something! You definitely thrashed around a lot last night when you had that shoved straight up you—"
"Shut it! I'll find it, one way or another!"
The signature airhorn sounded from below. "Morning, losers! Meet me outside for your challenge in 10!"
Heather let loose another scream. "Chris, I'll find this thing, one way or another!"
Heather: So now, the big question remains: who took it? I'd like to say it's Jo playing a prank on me or Chris throwing a wrench into my plans, but it's still too early to tell. What, you think I'm that dumb to immediately blame someone without figuring out all the evidence first?
Ezekiel was doing stretches as Zoey, Heather, Jo, Cameron, and Dawn walked out.
"One and two and one and two…sup, eh? Gotta be up bright and early to kick these challenge's butts, eh?"
Jo made a forced gagging sound. "Oh, great, here we go…first Gwen, now Brick. Geez, nice to see such positive influences rubbing off on you, Zeke!"
"I know, eh? They're good people!"
Ezekiel: New day, new me, eh? Gotta keep on top of everything here, ya know? No'o more people like Justin comin' to stand in my way anymore!
Chef motored up in the Boney Island boat, with Duncan looking forlorn beside him.
"Punk wannabe's upset that his knife's been taken!" he said, escorting him to the rest. "Wonder what that's all about?"
"I know what that's all about!" Chris said, as an intern rolled up with a long golf cart train built for 7.
"We'll be going to the site of your next challenge!"
Heather and Jo exchanged glances. Zoey just glared.
"Good. Hopefully it'll be more physical."
Duncan shrugged. "Hey, if it means finding my knife, I'm up for anything."
"Oh, you'll see…" Chris said, as the 7 got into the carriages and they set off.
"Oh yeah, you'll need some morning breakfast!"
Chris tossed them seven cans and a can opener.
Jo was the first to open hers. "Spam? Yuck!"
Jo: Uck, spam? Really, Chris? Thought you cared for us a little more than that…
Dawn: *she looks forlornly at her can of spam* I'm not eating this. It's a disgrace to the pigs that died to make this possible…*she dumps the can in the confessional toilet*
Cameron: *he looks sadly down at his can of spam* Not even a fork. Guess we're going full-on Neanderthal today.
Ezekiel: *he greedily scarfs down the spam* Breakfast of champions, eh? Booyah!
Chris parked the golf cart by something very familiar to a handful of the competitors.
"Ah, remember this baby?" he said, patting the side of the old, collapsed mineshaft.
Ezekiel scratched his head. Duncan shrugged. Zoey was still glaring.
Jo visibly cringed. "Yeah…freaking blind gophers landed me somewhere around here…I know that much."
"Good! This is the site of your next challenge! You guys will be racing to the lowest part of the mineshaft!
"Your task is to find a way in, first and foremost. With the collapse of this baby last season, that's gonna be tough. However, it's not impossible! I should know!"
"And how do you know, exactly, Chris?" Jo said, a look of suspicion etched on her face.
"Your helper/hinderer is already down in there!" Chris said, a massive smile spreading on his face. "Won't that be great?"
"No!" Heather and Jo said in unison.
"Aww. Don't care! Anyways, there's some extra incentives for going around and exploring every nook and cranny on the way down!
"In some dead-end spaces, you'll find little trinkets that will help you out! Flashlights, mining helmets, pickaxes, the works!"
Chef was wheeling in a cheap TV, which was operated on batteries.
"For a little extra incentive, we've hidden 3 special items down there, too! If anyone finds one of them, they gain a great advantage in tomorrow's challenge!"
The TV flickered on. Camera angles showed three distinct items hiding deep inside.
Heather gasped. "Wait! That's my—"
"Indeed! You'll be searching for Duncan's trusty pocketknife…Heather's vibrator…and some salvaged parts of Zeke's diary!
"Your other incentive for going down? Last one to cross that finish line deep inside is automatically eliminated!"
Everyone, save for Zoey, gasped. She glowered at Chris.
"Uh-huh. And what's stopping us from getting back out at the end?"
"Oh, Chef's got that aspect covered!" Chef arrived again, but this time he was in a large drilling apparatus.
"Consider this your time limit! Once you're all inside, all entrances will be sealed off! At certain intervals, the speakers inside will announce certain events! It'll be terrifying and exciting!"
Cameron let out a shaky sigh. "Okay…anything else?"
"Yup! No walkie-talkies or bonus backpacks for any of you, ha! It's just you, your competitors, and your helper, scrambling around the dark, dusty cavern, in a futile race to the bottom! Won't that be great?"
"Stow it, McLean!" Duncan said, glaring at Chris. "That's too far!"
"Aww, the juvenile delinquent's telling me what's too far, huh?" Chris said. "Don't care! Heather, since you technically won the last challenge, you're first and you have a two-minute head start!"
Heather grinned wickedly at the rest of the competition. "Good. I'll find my vibrator, make it to the bottom, and clinch an easy victory!"
"I won't be too sure about that…" Chris said. "Anyways, get going!"
With a toot on the airhorn, Heather ran off.
Cameron looked over at Jo. She seemed slightly discontented.
"She'll be fine!" he said, trying to cheer her up. It didn't help.
"I've got this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach right about now…" Jo shuddered slightly.
Jo: Honestly, I don't know who would make me feel like that…Pride Patrol's gone, Chatterbox isn't even here, and the less said about Helmet Head, the better!
Heather searched every inch of the mineshaft, searching for an opening. A small hole greeted her soon enough.
Meh. I've taken smaller.
Heather slowly slid in. Wiggling around, and with some difficulty, she finally slid into the mineshaft.
"Oof! Okay…it's pretty dark in here…"
She felt the wall with her right hand. Slowly but surely, she stepped along, away from the only light she was able to see…
The air horn sounded again. "Two minutes are up! It's anyone else's race!"
Heather groaned as she heard 6 other pairs of footsteps racing around above her. "Oh, great, wasted too much time going in…might as well have not had my advantage after all!"
Ezekiel immediately grabbed Cameron and Dawn.
"Listen, eh? We gotta stick together!" he said, peering around any corner and crevice he could find.
Dawn hummed quietly as small tendrils shot out of her. They felt the air, waiting to feel any changes in air pressure.
Cameron was peering closely at the ground. "Hmm…parts of this seem unstable. Maybe if we all combine our weight, we can get somewhere!"
Ezekiel nodded. "However, uh…we might even need that, eh?"
Dawn's tendrils had rooted themselves into the dirt and was starting to dig it up. Cameron watched in amazement as a hole inside was created in no time.
"Alright, Dawn!" he said, hurrying towards it. "Let's get going!"
Within minutes, the trio were inside and hurrying along the narrow shaft. Dawn's tendrils made for a strong light source.
"Wow, eh? We'll be down at the bottom in no time!" Ezekiel said, sighing happily.
"Yeah, but, uh…do you want to find your diary pages? I'm sure those mean a lot to you."
"If it's on the way, then sure, eh? If not…no thanks!"
Ezekiel: Victory o'or not, I'm go'oing all the way, eh? Yeah!
Cameron looked over at Dawn. She had been eerily quiet the whole time.
"You okay?" he asked, as her aura wavered.
"In my attempt to control this, I now realize that this uses a vast quantity of energy," she said, gasping slightly in the process. "Doing any other rudimentary tasks distracts me from performing at my peak of my aura."
Cameron gave her a concerned look. "Well…okay. I just don't want you getting hurt again."
Cameron: I still flinch when I think back to that blue harvest moon. I never want Dawn to go through anything like that again.
Duncan and Zoey examined a small rivulet of water nearby the mines. It was trickling out of a narrow entrance.
"Hey, look! That looks promising…" Duncan said, making for the entrance. He strained hard against the rocks blocking it, managing to force themselves slightly wider.
"Alright! If we squeeze our way in, we're golden!" he said, wedging himself in between the rocks.
Zoey stared apprehensively. "You sure this is going to work?"
"Positive!"
With a small pop, Duncan finally made his way inside. Zoey stared at the opening.
Might as well make it easier, I suppose.
With little effort, she shoved the rocks aside, creating an opening she could easily get through.
"There. Now, shall we look for your knife, or shall we go straight—Duncan?"
It was too late. Duncan was already deep inside.
Duncan: That knife has got more history than I ever have had with Zoey! I can't just give it up now! It…*he sniffs slightly* it's my reminder to never give up on myself…*he wipes a small tear from his eye*
Jo stared at an opening on the far side of the mineshaft. There was a small light dancing around within it.
Huh. Too easy!
In no time at all, Jo sprinted inside, heading towards the brightening light.
Aw yeah! Gotta meet up with Heather again, and—
Jo turned the bend and stopped dead in her tracks. Her mouth gaped open.
"You."
Lightning: Yeah, that's sha-me, all right! Chef and this weird, crazy girl asked me to help out with the challenge, and I was all like, "sha-yeah!" People can't get enough of the Lightnin'! Also, Chris gave me these…*he holds his hand over a jar of fireflies, so they won't get away* to help them see with! Now that's smart thinkin', Chris! Findin' the best ways to make my lightnin' shine! Sha-bam!
Chris: *he's nearly fallen over laughing* Yeah, Lightning! He's both their helper and their hinderer! Have you seen his "help" in his sole challenge in Season 2? Guy can't think worth beans!
"Ooh, it's sha-Jo!" Lightning said, the jar of fireflies squeezed onto his head.
"Oh, God, what did I get myself into…" she said, shaking her head with it in her hands.
"Well, you need the skills of me, me, me!" Lightning hurried ahead. "C'mon, I know the way down!"
"Uh-huh. And would sha-idiot care to tell me where he's taking me? Cause I need to make a detour!"
"Ooh, is it the protein bar! Mmm, protein…"
"Cut. It. Out! Can't you see why you were first eliminated last season?!"
"Sha-please! No one could see the true power of tha Lightnin'! I'm too gewwwwwwd for this dump!"
Jo: And in 3 minutes tops, I still hold no regrets.
Zoey crept her way along, hold onto the wall as she went.
God, Duncan, I wish I knew where you were…
She yelped slightly as she tripped over something. She fumbled around in the darkness, finally picking it up. It was a flashlight, with a fresh battery.
Zoey's face was etched in an expression of confusion. "Huh, He passed this up? That's not Duncan."
Zoey: From what I know, Duncan's the type to use anything possible to his full advantage. Only problem is, anything he can do, Mal can do better. *she sighs* I hope he's okay…
Heather was still walking along the mineshafts, completely blind.
There's gotta be something around here! Ugh! I wish Jo were here. Least I'd feel less paranoid.
Heather stopped, her ears perking up. In the distance, she swore she could hear something revving up outside.
The speakers whined on. They crackled as Chris spoke.
"Greetings, everyone! Chef's starting up the drill, so, uh, I'd start heading further in if I were you! Hahahaha!"
Heather yelled and started sprinting into the pitch blackness.
"Help! Help! They're after me!"
She ran, screaming, until she tripped over a loose rock. She yelled even louder, and she started to plummet.
Down…
Down…
Down…
Zoey continued down the mineshaft, flashlight beam illuminating the walls.
Come on, Duncan, where are you…
Zoey arrived at a drop-off point. She still saw neither hide nor hair of Duncan.
Did…did he jump down?
She stared into the deep, dark abyss.
Well, no time like the present…
She knelt down, went as low as she could go on the ledge, and slipped off.
Ezekiel's ears perked up as he heard the wind whooshing nearby.
"What was that, eh?"
Dawn felt the area with her tendrils. "Zoey has jumped off a ledge."
"What?! Is she nuts?" Cameron leaned against the wall to steady his breathing.
"She's your friend, isn't she Cameron?" Dawn asked. "We must go help her."
Cameron sighed. "I dunno. Things have been weird between us lately."
Cameron: With Duncan and Zoey being so close, and especially my odd relations with her, it's…it's all just so confusing!
Heather was gasping and panting. Her wedges weren't making running through the dark, twisted mineshaft any easier.
Gotta find someone…gotta find someone…
A small light bobbed up and down ahead. It illuminated several passages ahead, which Heather was passing at an alarming rate.
"HELP! HELP! ANYONE!"
"Aw, come on! She can't sha-shut up?!"
Jo gasped. "Heather?!"
"Jo! Oh-my-Gawd! I can't believe it!" Heather ran straight into Jo's awkward embrace, picked her up, swung her around, and finally kissed her.
Lightning shrugged. "Ooh, I see tunnels! And when there's tunnels, there's always a light at the end of them!"
Lightning: Every football game! Sha-boom! Lights at the end of those tunnels, baby! *he kisses his biceps*
Lightning sprinted down the nearest tunnel. Heather gasped, watching their only source of light disappear.
"Oh, no! Jo, baby, hurry!"
Jo immediately pinned Heather to the wall. "Listen. Something's up with you, and I intend to know what."
The doe eyes disappeared, and the familiar smirk Jo knew all too well appeared on Heather's face.
"Knew you'd see through it."
Heather: Simple strategy! Play defenseless and damsel-in-distress, get the perks of being me. Ah, the advantages of feminine charms. Shame it was only Jo around. Imagine if it was someone gullible, like Ezekiel.
The loudspeakers crackled on. "How's everyone holding up, huh? Guess what? Chef's going to start drilling!"
A loud rumble sounded throughout the mineshaft. The ground trembled slightly.
Heather clamped Jo's shoulders. Jo narrowed her eyes.
"Less fearing, more steering. Our light source is getting away!" She pointed angrily at their only light source, which grew dimmer and dimmer as Lightning got further and further away.
"C'mon!"
The pair hurried off after him.
Dawn sighed slightly as she felt the walls quake.
"We need to go further down. The mine will start collapsing, bit by bit. We don't want to be caught in the rubble."
Cameron nodded. "Do you know the way?"
The tendrils felt the air. One pointed to their right.
"Yes. Hurry."
Zeke led the way as the three made it through a small tunnel and appeared on the edge of a ledge. Several other tunnels were strewn out below.
A tendril sensed the air again. "I feel an object near here."
Zeke broke out into a grin. "Lead the way down, eh!"
"Only one problem. I'm incapable of procuring my wings at the moment…unless…"
A large rock slammed down near Cameron's left foot. "No time! We need to get down…nooooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!"
Cameron screamed loudly as he jumped. Zeke's eyes turned into pinpricks.
"No, eh!"
Dawn's eyes opened, glowing a steady pale green. Her breathing intensified.
Her tendrils shot out to grab Cameron, but their efforts were futile.
Cameron was going down…down…down…
Zoey groaned as she rubbed her legs.
That…was steeper than I thought.
She shone the light around the area. Parts of it looked slightly familiar, especially to one who watched Season 2 before.
The remains of what appeared to be a massive mutated gophers nest stood before her. Nestled within were several sheafs of paper, as well as a cover.
Zoey thought for a few moments. Wait. Is this another nest? The one Jo and Staci were in last season was much closer to the surface…
She picked up the paper and cover and set off.
Guess they made nests all over this place, then…that's right, the Season 2 challenge was mostly near the surface.
She gripped the paper and set off. Why's Duncan avoiding all of this? Is he that attached to that knife of his?
A low rumble sounded from overhead, and some loose rocks clattered onto the floor. Zoey took a deep breath.
Right. No time to lose.
She hurried onward, flashlight beam illuminating the way ahead.
Elsewhere, another source of light was running along, ignorant of the couple behind him, trying to catch up.
"Aw, yeah! Nice night for sha-sprintin'!" Lightning said, hurrying along. "No care in the world, nothin' to worry about…it's all sha-g-OOF!"
Lightning slammed hard into the wall. Heather and Jo finally caught up to him.
"Oh, great. A dead end! Thanks a lot, Liability!" Jo said, gripping his upper arm hard. "Let's go!"
"Sha-aaaaaah!" Lightning was yelling as Heather and Jo ran back to where they started.
The rumbling picked up as they made it back to the junction. "Right…" Jo mused. "One of these has to lead deeper in…"
Heather watched anxiously as the ceiling above them cracked. "Uh…I think we have to pick something, now!"
Jo licked her finger and felt the air. "Huh, this one's a little bit staler…" she said. "Also, I think I feel an open passage just ahead…"
The tunnel sloped downwards. Heather, Lightning and Jo hurried along. The rumbling grew louder.
Meanwhile, further down below, the loudspeakers crackled on again. "Okay, so, uh, Chef's about a quarter of the way down! Top levels are starting to collapse further than they were! Man, wasn't that Season 2 challenge a blast?"
Jo scowled. Heather gave her a look.
"You weren't even there!"
"Yeah, but the gophers sure wanted a bite outta me-whoa…oa…oa…"
Jo screeched to a halt just in time. Rocks skittered down the open passage, which was similar to what Cameron, Dawn, and Ezekiel got out of.
Jo looked straight down. "Huh…wonder where everyone else got to…"
A loud thump above her answered her question. Several loose rocks fell around them.
Heather craned her neck upwards. She gasped.
"Okay…what in the world is…"
Jo looked up as well. Her jaw dropped.
There Dawn was, aura flaring out on all sides of her. Her tendrils were waving madly in an effort to do something. Ezekiel's head popped up from a precipice above the two.
Heather winced as she saw Dawn's tendril latch onto the ledge above them. She jumped backwards as Dawn's body caught up. Her tendril strained as Dawn's aura flared again.
"Listen, weirdo, just…go up there and hang out with your loser friends!" she snapped.
Dawn's pale gaze was fixated right on her.
"I will do that. I will go up there, and I will find your precious object, and we will head to the finish line with it in hand."
Heather swore she felt her stomach drop.
Dawn slowly raised herself up with her aura. She stared over at the three.
"I'd be careful if I were you."
"Ha! Careful, shmareful, let's get sha-goin'!" Lightning shoved both Heather and Jo down the shaft before jumping in himself. "Cannonbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllll…"
Heather and Jo screamed loudly as they plummeted down, down, down…
Ezekiel watched the pair fall. "Well, uh…how can I get down there from here, eh?"
Dawn finally pulled herself up. "Please, stay there. Cameron will go find the item, and I'll be his guiding light."
Cameron had already disappeared. Dawn slowly walked after him. "We'll be back."
"Well…o'okay, eh? I'll see what I can do'o…"
Dawn slowly walked along behind Cameron. Her aura flickered slightly.
This isn't good…I'm running low on stamina.
Cameron, however, had better luck.
"I got it!" he shouted, hoisting up Heather's vibrator in his hand. He then cringed as he felt some liquid seep through his fingers.
"Okay, that's…gross."
Cameron: It's anyone's guess as to what that was used for. Maybe…no, mom never used things like that.
Before too long, the two were back at the large tunnel complex.
"Zeke! Jump!" Cameron said, screeching to a halt by the edge of their cliff. "Dawn'll catch you!"
Ezekiel gulped. "Yo'ou sure, eh?"
"Positive! Dawn, get ready!"
Dawn got into position, her tendrils ready to catch Ezekiel like a flower would catch an insect. She shook slightly, something Cameron wasn't unaware of.
"Dawn? Are you okay?"
"I'll…I'll do my best."
With a loud yell, Ezekiel jumped, his eyes shut tight. He braced himself for the worst.
Thankfully, Dawn caught him and gently placed him down onto the ledge.
"We must hurry. Everyone else is down below and…"
A loud rumble above them confirmed their worst fears.
"Come on!" Cameron said, taking Dawn and Ezekiel by the hand and jumping down.
The three screamed loudly as they plummeted…
The rumbling intensified in the lower chambers of the mineshaft. Rock started to fall at a higher intensity than they had before.
Zoey sighed slightly as her flashlight beam grew dimmer…and dimmer…and dimmer.
Great. No sign of Duncan, this flashlight beam's about to give out…thankfully I have Ezekiel's diary pages.
The loudspeakers crackled on. "Hey. Why so glum? You're almost there, and the drill's about 2/3 of the way down! Ha!"
Zoey sighed as she saw several larger-sized rocks tumble and fall in front of her.
Fine. Let's find this exit…
THOOM.
THOOM.
THOOM.
Larger rocks started to cascade from the upper levels. Zoey's eyes widened.
Change of plan.
Bracing her back against the wall, Zoey grunted loudly as she put the whole weight of the mineshaft ceiling onto her shoulders.
Dawn's tendrils were getting pelted by rocks. She had used them to anchor the three to the shaft, and was slowly climbing down.
"Easy, Dawn…easy…" Cameron gulped as the quantity of the rocks increased.
Ezekiel had his eyes wrenched shut. "Let me kno'ow when it's over, eh!"
The rocks started to fall faster. Whole chunks of the shafts above were starting to rain down on the three.
Dawn grunted in pain. "I…I need to…let go!"
With the last of her energy, she let go of the wall, sending the three screaming. Dawn gasped slightly as she used her rapidly shrinking tendrils to gently land them on the ground.
Zoey gasped as the weight on her shoulders increased tremendously. "Guys…I hear drilling this way! This has to be the exit!"
"Alright!" Cameron escorted Dawn along as best he could. Ezekiel flanked the rear, making sure there were no boulders dropping nearby.
Zoey strained, sweat coursing down her forehead. She shakily started to rise, part of the mineshaft lifting with her.
"Zoey? Zoey!"
Zoey gasped. "Duncan?!"
Duncan came running out of an adjacent passage, pocketknife in hand.
"Oh, man, finally! I was wondering where you'd gotten to…hey, why are you not, uh…all calm and mellow?"
"Duncan, not now! Where were you?! Why didn't you grab this flashlight? Why did you leave me to die in the darkness?"
"Oh, seriously? Zoey, you're speaking to the king of busting out of juvie! My vision at night's like a hawk's! Wait…that doesn't sound quite right…"
"Duncan, go! I'll hold this up, just—"
Anything Zoey was about to say was interrupted. A large rock slammed down on her leg, causing a loud snap to ring around the area.
Zoey shrieked. This alerted Jo, Heather, and Lightning, who screeched to a halt.
"Ooh, that sounds harsh…" Jo said, staring at the tumbling rocks in front of them.
"Sha-please! Broken bones are a day's work for the Lightnin'! Sha-boom!"
Lightning was off in a flash…again. Jo and Heather groaned, running after him.
Cameron was gasping and panting with the effort needed to support Dawn. Ezekiel was continually looking behind him as they went.
Presently, they heard the snap and the scream. Ezekiel's eyes shrunk, and his already pale skin grew paler.
"I'm go'oing back, eh?"
"Zeke, no! Are you insane?! You're going to die!"
"I'm never leaving a man…or wo'oman behind, eh?!"
Ezekiel: I might've said this befo'ore, but I'll never abandon anyone again, eh? Never!
With a shove, Ezekiel launched Cameron and Dawn towards a cul-de-sac in the cave. This one, however, wasn't a mere dead-end: there were small pricks of light coming out of it.
The loudspeakers crackled on. "Cameron and Dawn are first to reach the bottom! Cameron crossed first, and he had one of the three items, so he gets immunity and a major advantage in the next challenge!"
Cameron weakly pumped his fist. "Yaaaaay…"
"Oh, and Dawn crossed with him! She's also safe…and both of them will be working together in next episode's challenge!"
Dawn weakly moaned. "Wha…"
"Aww, you'll see! I wonder who'll be next?"
Ezekiel sprinted back towards Zoey, who was struggling to do anything.
"Oh, crap!"
"Nnngh, tell me about it!" Duncan grunted as he futilely strained against Zoey's boulder.
Ezekiel did the same, but their combined efforts were just as fruitless as before.
"SHA-AAAAAAH! EVERY MAN, WOMAN, AND JO FOR HIM, HER, OR JO-SELF! RUN FOR YOUR LIIIIIIIIIIVES!"
Lightning sprinted past the three, who stared at him in shock. Heather and Jo were right behind him.
Duncan gritted his teeth. "That's it! I'll get you out here or die try—"
"No." Zoey clenched her teeth as she said it.
Duncan stopped, mouth open. Heather and Jo skidded to a halt.
Jo whistled slightly. "Dang. Wasn't expecting it to be that bad…"
"I kno'ow, eh? Pretty rough…"
Heather smirked. "Alright. We're leaving. Meaning you three will be up for elimination…although I don't like your (she grinned maliciously at Zoey) chances."
Duncan's fists clenched tighter than they ever had before. "You take that back."
"Try me!"
"Duncan, don't you dare."
Duncan turned angrily to see Zoey looking at him pleadingly. His expression softened slightly.
"Duncan, no. I know how you feel, better than anyone, but…taking it out on others isn't going to help."
Duncan started to tremble slightly again. "You think after all the crap Mal put me through, after everything, I'm going to roll over and—"
"Duncan, Mal's gone. He doesn't control you anymore. You need to let go of the past…let go of him."
"Zoey, I—I ju—this knife means everything to me! It's who I am, it's what I'm all about, it's—it's—"
"Come closer, Duncan."
Duncan knelt down, flinching as some rocks barely missed him. Jo smirked.
"Aww, wookit the cootey wootey couple!"
Heather folded her arms. "Oh, I'm so going to love this drama. How about we stick around?"
"Duncan…you're easily the best thing that's happened to me on this show. I mean, I started off so—so, uh, weird…and…well…you know."
Duncan stifled a small chuckle.
"Duncan, you're the major reason I'm the way I am, right now…and, well…I can't thank you enough—"
Duncan gasped slightly as Zoey shot forward, kissing him fiercely on the lips and clutching his face and neck so he wouldn't wrench away. His eyes slowly closed as he returned it, gripping her shoulders tightly.
Jo gagged as Zoey moved her hands down to his shoulders, gently massaging them. Heather rolled her eyes.
"Come on, let's get go—"
With a small amount of effort, Zoey gripped Duncan's shoulders, slid him slightly over, and flung him right into Heather's chest, sending the pair toppling down the shaft.
Jo was beside herself. "HEY! That's my girlfriend you're messing with!"
Zoey gave a small smirk. "Better mess with a different girl, then."
Ezekiel stared at Zoey, stunned. "What's with yo'ou, eh?!"
"Listen. Get out of here. Now. It's not safe."
"B-but the challenge, eh?"
"I'll take this loss. GO!"
Ezekiel quickly nodded and sprinted off. All Zoey had now for company was her flashlight…which quickly went out.
Thankfully I didn't saddle him with that responsibility…
With that, Zoey was soon engulfed in a large pile of rocks and stones…
Duncan and Heather grappled as they inched closer to the finish line.
"Let go of me!"
"I didn't agree to this, sister!"
With a grunt, Heather finally flung Duncan's pocketknife out of his grip. "Gotcha!"
Duncan gnashed his teeth. "Oh, I'm not done yet!"
"Heather! Heather! I—oh, jeez…"
Jo stopped just short of the two. A cascade of rocks fell right near them…pulverizing Duncan's knife.
"Noooooooooooooo!" Duncan cried out in dismay. Heather smirked and kicked him.
Right across the finish line.
"Looks like Heather and Duncan are next! Good luck working together tomorrow!"
Duncan stared in dismay at Heather, who did likewise. "What?!"
"I literally just kicked you! How did that count?!"
"I just keep getting better…ooh, means Zeke and…Jo are the last to cross!"
Ezekiel sprinted into the room, with Jo following him, flabbergasted.
"Un-real! I'm with this string bean in the next challenge? Not cool!"
"Oh, it will be…ooh, Chef's finally cleared!"
Indeed, he did. Chef burst through the ceiling, drill whirring wildly.
"C'mon, scrawny kids! We're gettin' outta this joint…"
Chris stood in front of 6 competitors, with Lightning holding a tray of that many marshmallows.
"Well, well! What a day it's been! Congratulations to all of you for getting out alive…some…better than others…but this means that you guys are moving on!
"As for tonight's eliminee, no voting is required."
Chef had an extremely battered and bruised Zoey over his shoulder. She moaned in pain.
"Zoey! Last to arrive and got injured! Two-for-one, you're out of the game!"
Duncan groaned, punching his open hand with his fist.
"Dammit! Zoey, I…hang on."
He got up and ran to the Flush of Shame, where Chef was loading her in.
"Listen…Zoey, it's been great having you here, you know. I just wanna say, I'm sorry for any-everything I, uh, may or may not have done to you in the past and…yeaaah…God, I suck at this…"
Chris could barely manage to hide his smirk. "Sure, you do! Alright, Lightning…hand these babies out to…
"…Cameron…
"…Dawn…
"…Duncan…(this one bounced off the back of his head, and he turned back, glaring.)
"…Heather…
"…Ezekiel…
"…aaand Jo!"
Jo smirked as she caught the final marshmallow. "Just as it should be!"
"Sha-shut it, dude!"
"Uh-huh."
Jo: Of course, he'd think I'm a dude. Did he hit his head somewhere down there?
"Cameron! With immunity, the spa hotel is yours…and you can bring any other person of your choice along with you!"
Cameron looked over at Dawn. "Isn't it obvious?"
"Sure! Knock yourself out…maybe literally, given what your partner's like…"
Duncan sighed. "I'm gonna miss you, man."
As Chef pushed the button, Duncan swore he saw a hint of a smile on Zoey's face as she spun around and vanished from view…
Duncan: Well, looks like it's just me left in this strange alliance…and maybe Heather and Jo. Not sure who I can trust anymore, especially at this stage of the game. Maybe it's time I shifted my priorities…went lone wolf, maybe?
"And that's a wrap! Find out which contestants' links to the others stand the test of time, and whose will shatter immediately…next time on Total…Drama…Heroes vs. Villains!" Chris said, as the cameras shut off.
"…WAIT! DID ANYONE WANT TO VOLUNTEER FOR BONEY ISLAND?!"
"We do!" Heather and Jo shouted from afar, the latter having her returned vibrator in her hands.
"Sure! Chef, let's get rocking!"
(AN: And we reached double digits! Not sure when Episode 10 will release…it's just, grad school starts very soon, and I need to focus on that. Be prepared for a small break. Sorry!
Also, hey, Zoey made 7th place! Not bad for who was originally hate bait. Whatcha think?)
Remaining contestants: Cameron, Dawn, Duncan, Ezekiel, Heather, Jo
14th: Anne Maria
13th: Cody (quit)
12th: Brick
11th: Eva
10th: Justin
-merge-
9th: Gwen
8th: Mike/Mal (quit)
7th: Zoey (injury)
Next Up: A Triage of Trouble