Uh, hi there. I'm sorry for the four month hiatus. You guys probably thought I was dead. Well, I'm not.

If you want something to blame for my absence, blame college. That's the only excuse I have, because to be honest, part of the reason for the lack of updates was my lack of motivation. Now that that's cleared up, this story is back on track.

The latest poll results show Mawile and Chandelure in first, followed by Azurill, Noivern, and Seviper in second, and Combusken, Cryogonal, Baltoy, and Minun all in third. The poll is several months old now, so I'm actually going to be taking it down after this chapter. I might put up another poll at the merge or something like that.

Enough delaying. Have a chapter.

"Quiet! He'll be coming out any minute now!" Noivern said, trying to quiet Castform and Azurill down. The three of them were camped out behind some bushes by the cafeteria. Noivern held a pair of binoculars that were pointed at the door of the cafeteria to give a better view.

Castform looked doubtful. "I dunno, Noivern, we've been out here twenty minutes and he hasn't shown up."

"He'll be out soon, I know it," Noivern assured her. She peered into the binoculars and saw the door creaking open. "Shhh! He's coming out!"

As Jirachi cracked the cafeteria door open for some fresh air, a bucket of cold water spilled onto his head. Jirachi yelped as the freezing water splashed onto his face. The bucket landed upside down on his head, obscuring his vision.

Noivern roared with laughter as Jirachi struggled to pull the bucket off of his head. "Hey! Who's laughing?" Jirachi shouted, though his voice was muffled by the bucket.

Azurill couldn't help but laugh with Noivern. "That was hilarious!" she said. "Where'd you get the idea to prank Jirachi like that?"

"Hey, if he wants to shoot me with a bunch of freezing water, I'm more than happy to return the favor," replied Noivern, grinning mischievously.

Castform let out a short chuckle. "You're not at all like who I'd expected you to be when I first met you, Noivern," she confessed. "In a good way, of course."

"Thanks," said Noivern, punching Castform gently on the side because she didn't have a shoulder to punch gently. "You too."

"Guys, we should probably go. Jirachi's gonna pull that bucket off real soon and I don't want to be here when he does," Azurill warned her friends. She began bouncing off into the woods as the bucket came off of Jirachi's head with a loud popping sound.

Noivern and Castform ducked behind the bushes as Jirachi cast wary glances around. "Don't think I won't find out who did this!" he threatened. "I have security cameras, you know!"

-static-

"Totally worth it," snickered Noivern. "Man, the look on his face…"

-static-

Chandelure was sitting out in the center of camp, enjoying the sunny weather while reading her brother's novel. Druddigon came marching back into camp from the woods and caught a glimpse of the chandelier sitting alone. He turned to face her and called out.

"Chandelure," he called, getting her attention. Chandelure's gaze lifted from the book and lazily focused on Druddigon. "I think you and I should have a talk."

"I was thinking the same thing," Chandelure replied calmly, closing the book and floating over to Druddigon. "We should go somewhere more private."

Druddigon nodded and motioned for her to follow him. He led her into the woods and past a clearing that contained several logs. Chandelure spotted several empty bags of chips and couldn't help but wonder who else had been in the woods.

Finally, they stopped behind a large rock that obscured their hiding place from plain sight. "We should be able to talk here without being interrupted," Druddigon finally said. "You mentioned that you wanted to talk as well, so I'll let you speak first."

"How kind of you," drawled Chandelure sarcastically. "First things first–what was your involvement with Escavalier?"

Druddigon furrowed his brow in thought. Evidently Chandelure had caught that slip-up from Escavalier, and it was clear to Druddigon that she wasn't going to drop it until she got an answer.

"Escavalier and I allied with each other, starting in the seventh challenge when we had to stay awake," Druddigon began. "I proposed a mutually beneficial plan to her and was able to sway her into voting with me. This alliance didn't last long, and she was voted out at the next opportunity, unfortunately."

"That's it?" Chandelure asked, looking unsatisfied.

Druddigon folded his arms. "That's it. I had no plans for keeping Escavalier long-term, but she didn't even get to serve her purpose for one elimination," Druddigon lamented. "Now that I've explained myself, I want to make something clear to you. I'm not your enemy."

Chandelure didn't seem convinced. "You brought me out here just to say that?" asked Chandelure scathingly. "I've had my eye on you for a while, Druddigon, and there's nothing you've done yet to make yourself seem trustworthy."

"I've just been working alone. I haven't done anything wrong," Druddigon informed her. "If you'd like to argue otherwise, go ahead. I'd love to hear what you think I've done to make myself untrustworthy."

"Making alliances in secret is enough," Chandelure stated. "Alliances are threats. They make elimination ceremonies difficult to control."

"Unless you're in one. That's why I'm here," Druddigon said. "I'll get to the point. It's obvious to me that you're working alone–you're rarely ever seen even socializing with the team. I, too, am alone after Escavalier's elimination. I would like to ally with you for the time being."

"You want me to be your next pawn?" Chandelure scoffed. "No thanks. I'll pass."

Druddigon's eyes narrowed. "You know as well as I do that your vote doesn't make a difference right now. Tell me, how many eliminations have you won? Hm?"

Chandelure looked down, scowling. Druddigon smirked. "That's right. You've never been able to determine who the loser will be," he said. "That can change. Two votes are more effective than one, and if we vote alongside the right Pokemon, we can win the majority. I know from experience that a lone vote does no good."

"But why me?" asked Chandelure, looking up. Her tone was no longer hostile, but still suspicious. "We've never been on the best of terms."

"That doesn't matter. We're not becoming friends, we're becoming allies. This is in both of our best interests," Druddigon told her. "I have some information I'm willing to share if you're willing to lend your vote to me."

Chandelure exhaled deeply. "All right. I'll join, but if at any point I feel this alliance is detrimental to my own plans, I'm out. I also want a say in the vote," she stated. "Those are my conditions."

Druddigon put out a hand. "We have a deal, then."

-static-

"Do I like Chandelure? No. So I definitely don't trust her," Druddigon commented. "But if she's really playing along for now, I might be able to make this alliance work. First, I'll need to take out the larger alliances, like Azurill's, for our votes to be effective."

-static-

"Druddigon is definitely planning something. He's clearly not doing this for my benefit; he just wants to further himself in the game," Chandelure stated. "So don't believe for a second that I trust him.

"I do, however, acknowledge the fact that our combined vote will be more effective," she remarked. "So I'll work with him for now."

-static-

Jolteon sat in the center of camp, scratching behind his ear with one paw. He was struggling to figure out who could have nabbed the idol so early in the game, but to no avail.

Vaporeon suddenly returned to camp, drying herself off from her latest trip to the lake. She caught Jolteon's eye as he glanced up, and he immediately looked away, blushing.

"Hey, what's up?" Vaporeon asked, walking over. She seemed oblivious to Jolteon's expression. "What's this?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing," Jolteon said quickly, scrambling to hide his notebook. Vaporeon watched awkwardly as he tossed it into a bush. "It's nothing."

"Then why'd you throw it in a bush?" Vaporeon asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because of how...unimportant it is?" Jolteon suggested weakly. Vaporeon walked over to the bush and pulled out Jolteon's red notebook, which was covered in thorns. She managed to pry the notebook out without getting scratched.

Jolteon felt his heart sink as Vaporeon opened the notebook. "What's all this?" she said quietly to herself, reading the contents. "You have everyone on the island's names in here. Some of them are even crossed out."

"I was just trying to figure out who had the idol," Jolteon muttered, embarrassed. "I probably got it all wrong, but–"

"Wow, that's actually really neat," Vaporeon commented. Jolteon blinked in surprise. "I wouldn't have even put this much thought into it, but your suspects for who has the idol are all possible. It's kind of scary to think that someone can use that idol at any moment."

Jolteon felt his nerves starting to calm down. "I just did some simple deductions, really," he said. "Whoever's out obviously didn't have it, and there are some Pokémon who rarely leave camp anyway."

Vaporeon smiled and handed the notebook back to Jolteon. "Sorry for prying. I was just curious," she apologized. Jolteon went red in the face, but again she didn't seem to notice. "You can cross my name off that list, by the way. I never found it."

With that, Vaporeon walked back into her cabin. Jolteon opened the notebook again, and with a pencil, scratched Vaporeon's name off the list.

-static-

"I never paid much attention to Jolteon since he was on the other team, but he seems pretty smart judging by that notebook," Vaporeon said. "Considering I spend most of my time with Lopunny or Minun, I rarely get to talk with the others. Especially the other team."

She smiled for a moment. "And he's kind of cute, too," she admitted. "It's a shame he's on the other team."

-static-

Seviper glanced up in surprise as Liepard set down her lunch tray on the table and sat down across from Chandelure. Liepard gave Seviper a friendly nod and began eating.

"Sssince when did we eat together?" asked Seviper, looking confused.

Liepard shrugged. "I don't know. I don't have many friends on the Milotics, and I remember talking with you during the seventh challenge. I mainly just want to stay away from her," Liepard said, narrowing her eyes as Castform floated past.

"You're ssstill mad at Cassstform? What did ssshe do, anyway?" Seviper inquired.

"I'm more afraid of what she has yet to do to me than what she's already done," sighed Liepard. "She's a dangerous Pokemon to have on your team."

Seviper rolled her eyes and continued devouring the salad Diancie had cooked up. An assortment of berries from at least three different regions were included in the salad; Diancie clearly spared no expense on the meals.

"But more importantly, seeing as I'd like us to be on the same page, I want to show you something," Liepard offered. Seviper's interest was renewed as Liepard pulled a calendar out from underneath the table. "Have a look at this."

Seviper slid the calendar across the table and flipped it open using her tail. Inside the calendar was a short list of what she assumed to be challenges. "Where'd you get thisss?" Seviper asked, her eyes wide.

Liepard laughed softly. "Baltoy. I used some scare tactics and he coughed this up. It's useful, isn't it?" she asked with a smile. "All the challenges up until the merge."

"And you're ssshowing thisss to me why?" Seviper asked warily, her tone uncertain.

"We might not be able to work together now, but what's stopping us from making a post-merge alliance?" Liepard replied. "Why not get an early start? If we can help each other starting now, that increases our odds a lot! Doesn't it?"

Seviper thought about it for a while and concluded that Liepard was actually offering help, no strings attached. "Well, okay," Seviper said, a bit doubtfully. "Knowing the challengesss helpsss a lot. And today'sss challenge…"

"Is pretty simple, actually," Liepard finished. "Which is why I was hoping I could tell you so you could be prepared."

"At leassst we don't have to face our worst fearsss again," Seviper muttered. She slid the calendar back to Liepard. "Mossst of thessse ssseem pretty ssstraightforward. Hopefully they're as easssy as they look."

Liepard picked up the calendar and nodded to Seviper. "Good luck out there today," she said. The Dark-type left the table and exited through the cafeteria doors. Seviper ate some more salad absentmindedly.

-static-

Cryogonal, Dusclops, Tyranitar, Beedrill, and Minun were gathered around a different table in the cafeteria. Tyranitar was chowing down noisily on a taco while Beedrill cracked a few jokes to Minun, who laughed at each of them. Cryogonal and Dusclops were chatting to each other about plans for the next challenge.

"I know it's not what we want to discuss right now, but we really should decide who to vote off if we lose," Cryogonal said. "Escavalier was a wild card, but she was still an asset to the team. I'm not convinced losing her yet was the right move."

"There's nothing you can really do about that, man. She's gone," Dusclops pointed out. "We can't bring her back, so let's focus on who we have left."

"Right. Mawile's with us now, so we obviously want to keep her in," Cryogonal said, trying to think of each of his teammates. "I'd personally love to get Chandelure off the island sooner rather than later, since she knows about our alliance...not to mention that she's kind of a jerk."

"She's...not that bad," Dusclops said, trying to defend her but failing miserably. Cryogonal raised an eyebrow. "Okay, okay, so she's a bit hostile! She just has trust issues, I'm sure."

"My point is that the trust issues go both ways. I don't exactly trust Chandelure, either," Cryogonal told Dusclops. "Now I've noticed Chatot and Jolteon hang around each other a lot. They probably work together, but I see no reason to vote either of them off just yet."

"Scrafty's not very useful," Dusclops suggested. "Maybe we could vote him off next!"

"You have a point, but we have to think long term. Scrafty's not useful, but is he a threat?" Cryogonal asked. "Tell me who you'd rather face in the finals: Chandelure or Scrafty?"

"Point taken...we should keep some of the weaker players around. Gotcha," Dusclops agreed. "But I still say we should give Chandelure a chance. I don't think she's that bad."

"Let's put Chandelure aside right now. Speaking of weak players, Baltoy hasn't done much for us," Cryogonal said. "I'm fairly sure he has more brains than Scrafty does, so we'll still want to be careful around him."

"Druddigon's probably our strongest guy right now," Dusclops said. "So I assume we'll keep him?"

"Until the merge. Druddigon is great to have on a team, but he's not somebody I want as an enemy," Cryogonal said. "We should try to get rid of him as the merge approaches."

"Noivern seems pretty popular on our team right now," Dusclops said. "Azurill and Castform hang around her a lot, so she's probably running three votes against ours."

"So we're on even ground. I don't see any of them as threats," Cryogonal told Dusclops. "None of them are...I don't mean to offend them, but they're not exactly the brains of this team or the brawn. As long as they don't hold the majority vote, they're really pretty harmless."

"That leaves Liepard. Any thoughts on her?" asked Dusclops, rubbing his hand awkwardly.

"I don't feel either way about her. She's not a threat, but she's not a weak player. She's honestly safe for most of the game—not a threat and not in a big alliance, but not weak enough for our team to vote for her. I'd say she'll make it far," Cryogonal predicted.

"So now that we've analyzed our whole team, do you have any choices made?" Dusclops asked.

"Yes, but of course I'd like your input as well," Cryogonal said. "I think it should be Chandelure. You probably figured I'd say that, but look at the facts! She's the logical choice."

Dusclops scratches his head uncomfortably. "Well...okay. You haven't led me wrong yet," Dusclops agreed reluctantly. "You're probably right."

"CAMPERS!"

"Ah!" Minun screamed, jumping at the sound of Jirachi suddenly shouting through the intercom. Beedrill stifled a laugh.

"We're starting your challenge pretty late today, but you'll have plenty of time anyway, so don't worry about that! Meet by the edge of the woods!" Jirachi ordered.

"Guess it's time for our challenge," Tyranitar said, shoving the last of the taco in his mouth. "You guys ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Beedrill said. He put his arm around Minun. "The real question is, are you ready, jumpy?"

"Shut up," Minun groaned, her face flushing. She walked toward the doors with Tyranitar and Beedrill following, the latter chuckling softly.

"We should get going," Cryogonal told Dusclops. "Come on."

-static-

Combusken was the first to arrive at the woods, where Jirachi and Diancie were already patiently awaiting the campers. Diancie motioned for him to wait in the clearing for others to arrive.

"So, uh...what's the challenge?" asked Combusken hesitantly.

"We're waiting for the others to show up before making an announcement," Diancie said.

"Oh," said Combusken. "All right, then."

Jirachi moved closer to the co-host. "I bet it was Baltoy. He and I never got along," he muttered to Diancie.

"Will you quit talking about that stupid prank? It was probably just the interns having some fun!" Diancie hissed at him. "Seriously. I don't want to hear about it."

"The interns?" Jirachi repeated, raising an eyebrow. "No, dumping a bucket on my head isn't their style. They'd be more obvious to get a reaction out of me."

"...Should I ask?" Combusken asked, reminding the hosts he was still there. Jirachi and Diancie stared at him blankly.

"Um, no," Jirachi said after an awkward pause.

-static-

Once the rest of the contestants had shown up, Jirachi began his explanation. "Okay! So since the last two challenges weren't very active, we're doing something a lot more physical today! It's a classic game you all should know!"

Jirachi enthusiastically clapped his hands together. "It's time for HIDE AND SEEK!" he announced.

Silence. Then Reuniclus spoke up. "After we faced our worst fears, all we have to do is play hide and seek?"

"Are you actually complaining?" Jirachi groaned. "I try to give you guys a break and you don't even appreciate it! Ungrateful little—"

"Calm down," said Diancie, putting a hand on Jirachi's shoulder. She faced the campers. "Yes, all you have to do is play hide and seek. However, it's not going to be that easy. Jirachi and I will be doing the seeking, and we're giving all of you ten minutes to hide."

"So what are the rules? I'm assuming if you find us, we are out," Mienshao said.

"That's the first rule," Diancie answered. "The rules are simple enough that they shouldn't require much explaining. If Jirachi or I finds you, you are out of the challenge and you must wait in camp."

"If you realize that we're nearby, you're allowed to leave your hiding spot at any time to find a new one!" Jirachi added. "But bear in mind that if we catch you, you're out! So if you're feeling like playing risky today, go for it."

"Once a team has all of its members found, it loses. The losing team will vote out a teammate, as usual," Diancie concluded. "Questions?"

"You mentioned that we have ten minutes to hide, but are there any restrictions on where we can hide?" Lopunny asked.

"You're not allowed to leave within a two mile radius of camp," Jirachi told her. "So that gives you plenty of hiding places in camp, the forest, even the tunnels if you can get there in time."

"Winning a game of hide and seek doesn't seem too hard. Surely there's a twist," Castform prompted.

"Trust me, we know how to make this interesting," Jirachi chuckled. "Today we're getting some help from my friend again! I'm sure everyone remembers Thundurus."

Jirachi snapped his fingers and the Electric-type genie appeared before the campers. "Howdy," he said, waving a hand. Many of the campers were caught off guard by his friendly demeanor this time around.

"I'm hesitant ta ask, but how exactly is he gonna make this 'interesting?'" Chatot asked reluctantly.

"Thundurus felt unfulfilled after his short stay during the race," Jirachi said. "Can't say I blame him! So this time around, he's here to finish the job. Thundurus is playing offense today! Meaning if he finds you, not only are you out, but there's a good chance he'll try to attack you first!"

Thundurus' expression changed to one of sadistic glee. "So you runts better RUN," he cackled. Lilligant and Noivern exchanged a nervous glance.

Diancie pulled out a stopwatch. "You have ten minutes to roam freely and find a hiding spot before we begin searching for you," she announced. "I'm starting the timer now."

The campers quickly scattered, many of them retreating into the woods or fleeing back into camp.

-static-

"This was kind of a random challenge, if you ask me," Clauncher said, tapping his claw on the seat. "There were hardly any rules and it was basically a free-for-all. It's a good thing I teamed up with some of the others or I'd be bored out of my mind waiting for the hosts to find me."

Clauncher tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Although maybe it wasn't such a great idea...hiding in groups is probably a bad idea when the goal is to NOT get caught."

-static-

"You got any plans?" Jolteon shouted to Chatot as they fled. "I don't want to get zapped by Thundurus, so–"

"Jolteon, you're an Electric-type," Chatot reminded him flatly. "I'M the one who should be worried. And mah plan is ta get ta the tunnels. The hosts will have trouble findin' us in there."

Jolteon swallowed nervously. "The tunnels? Why do we have to do the tunnels?"

"What, are ya tellin' me yer afraid o' the dark now?" Chatot snorted. "The tunnels will conceal us, that's why. Now hurry up!"

Jolteon reluctantly followed after Chatot as they headed toward the mountainous region of the island. He thought he saw Scrafty climbing a tree out of the corner of his eye. Hopefully the hosts wouldn't think to look up into a tree.

-static-

Dusclops and Cryogonal were back in camp. "All right, I have this one in the bag," Dusclops told Cryogonal. "So, uh...good luck, I guess?"

Dusclops vanished a second later, leaving Cryogonal alone in the middle of camp.

-static-

"Turning invisible is a nice perk of being a ghost," Dusclops said, grinning. "And we've got Chandelure on our side, too! There's almost no way we'll lose this time."

-static-

"Dusclops?" Cryogonal called hopefully. He got no reply. "Well, this sucks. Now I have to find my own hiding place. I can't just turn invisible to win, unfortunately. I'll have to rely on strategy again."

Cryogonal pondered his options for a moment. Then he finally decided on a spot.

"If they think to check back here, I'll definitely get caught," Cryogonal sighed, closing himself in the cafeteria's freezer. "I have to hope they won't think of this."

-static-

Lilligant was digging a hole in the forest. She wiped away several beads of sweat and kept up the hard work. After minutes of nonstop digging, the hole was big enough for her to fit in. She hopped into the hole and began to cover herself with dirt.

When she was finished, her head blended in with the greenery, making her look just like another flower.

-static-

"Wheeeeee!" Castform exclaimed gleefully, shooting into the air. "I can just hide up here, disguised with the clouds!

"Actually, hold on a sec. They've got Thundurus, and he can fly," she realized. "Plus we're only allowed in a two mile radius from camp, meaning I can't go too high. Maybe I should just hide in the cabin."

Shrugging, Castform floated back down and went into the female Milotics' cabin. Liepard was already hiding inside.

"Uh...hi," Liepard said awkwardly.

Castform grinned. "Well, well, if it isn't Keyboard Cat! Wanna hear some jokes?"

"SOMEBODY HELP ME."

-static-

"Being stuck with her outside of the challenges is bad enough," said Liepard, looking weary. "Being stuck with her inside a cabin for an entire challenge is much, much worse. I couldn't even escape."

-static-

Tyranitar was in the mountains. He picked up a few boulders and started stacking them in front of himself.

-static-

"There's not a whole lot you can do to hide when you're as big as I am," Tyranitar said sheepishly.

-static-

Vaporeon and Lopunny raced down to the lake. Vaporeon immediately dove underwater and began scouting out places to hide. Lopunny watched her swim away wistfully, wondering where she could hide nearby.

Vaporeon's head popped up out of the water. "Lopunny! There's a small space in between those bushes over there!" she called out. Lopunny looked over to see two thick bushes close together, with a small enclosed space in between as Vaporeon had described. "Go hide in there!"

Lopunny nodded. "Thanks!" she called back. She jogged over to the bushes and crammed herself in between. It was a tight fit, but she was relatively concealed.

Vaporeon returned underwater and swam deeper until she came across one of the underwater caves in the lake. She had remembered them from the first challenge, and they made for good hiding places.

Vaporeon entered the cave and hid inside. The hosts couldn't breathe underwater, so they wouldn't find her all the way down here...hopefully.

-static-

Reuniclus opened the door to the rec room. "Desperate times call for desperate measures," he sighed. He crawled onto the floor and slid underneath the pool table.

-static-

Beedrill flew across the island until he was above the mountainous region. It was technically within the two mile radius, so anything in the region was fair game. Beedrill angled his body downward and flew into the ravine.

"They'll have some difficulty finding me down here," he said with a smirk.

-static-

"I don't know where to hide!" panicked Combusken. He looked around the camp frantically. Jirachi and Diancie were watching him with amused expressions–he'd been standing there paralyzed with fear for two minutes.

"You only have ten minutes to hide, you know," Diancie reminded Combusken from afar.

"Eight minutes left, buddy!" Jirachi added. "Get a move on, or Thundurus will whip us up some fried chicken!"

Combusken yelped and sped off as far as he could upon hearing this. Jirachi cackled with laughter. "Man, he hasn't changed a bit," said Jirachi, wiping a tear from his eye. "He's just an even bigger chicken." Diancie rolled her eyes.

-static-

Noivern arrived at the tunnels. After considering her options, this was her best shot at staying safe–she had good night vision and would be able to navigate through the tunnels easily, despite how dark they were.

She wandered through the tunnels until she found a space big enough to fit into. As she was about to climb inside, she brushed against a feathered object.

"This spot's taken," came Chatot's raspy voice. Noivern laughed awkwardly and pushed herself back out of the space.

-static-

"Check the stopwatch," Jirachi said. Diancie glanced down and showed it to the host. "Nine minutes and forty-nine seconds elapsed...the campers should all be hidden by now."

Diancie handed him the megaphone and covered her ears. Jirachi turned the megaphone on and grinned. "ALL RIGHT, CAMPERS, LISTEN UP!" he shouted at a deafening volume. "YOU'VE HAD YOUR TIME TO RUN AWAY, SO NOW IT'S TIME FOR OUR PART! I HOPE YOU PICKED A GOOD HIDING PLACE, BECAUSE IF YOU DIDN'T, YOU MIGHT BE IN FOR...A SHOCK!"

Jirachi turned off the megaphone and broke into a fit of giggles. "Get it? Shock? Because we're having Thundurus...oh, man, and I came up with that one on the spot, too!" Jirachi laughed. Diancie groaned loudly.

Thundurus shook his head. "I regret agreeing to help you," he sighed.

Jirachi waved a wad of cash in his face. "I think this speaks for itself," he said, grinning.

Thundurus plucked the money from Jirachi's hand, and his face lit up in excitement once more. "Pleasure doing business. You should invite me more often!" he said happily, shooting upward into the sky.

"So here's the deal," Jirachi said to Diancie. He handed her a walkie-talkie. "Thundurus has one of these, too. If you spot a camper, you hail him and he'll come over and zap 'em. We can both cover more ground if we split up, so ta-ta for now!"

Jirachi clapped his hands and disappeared in an instant. Diancie slid some goggles onto her eyes and cracked her knuckles. "Let's get down to business," she muttered. "I wonder where everyone's hiding…"

Diancie entered the campgrounds and took a quick look around. She noticed Dusclops in the center of camp, tapping his fingers on one of his legs impatiently. He didn't even seem to care that Diancie was right there.

"Uh, Dusclops, you know I can see you, right?" Diancie called out. Dusclops glanced up in shock.

"Wait, what? But I'm invisible!" he complained. "There's no way! Are you cheating somehow?"

Diancie slid the goggles off and Dusclops was no longer visible. "You don't have to stay invisible anymore," she said. Dusclops reappeared, looking disgruntled. "And since turning invisible pretty much ruins the point of hide and seek, I'm using these," she added, showing Dusclops the goggles.

"What ARE these?" Dusclops asked, picking them up in his hands.

"Silph Scopes," she explained. "They make ghosts visible, and now they contain an X-ray feature as well." She turned to face the camera. "You can find them in stores for the discount price of $19.99 today! Look for Silph Scopes in stores near you!"

Dusclops stared blankly at her. "What are you doing?"

Diancie shrugged and slipped the goggles back on. "We get paid for things like that."

"Then I guess there's no need for me to prolong the inevitable," a new voice said from behind the co-host. Diancie swiveled around in surprise to see Chandelure. "Hi."

"Um...you're out?" Diancie said in questioning tone.

Chandelure seemed unfazed. "I didn't have a hiding place anyway."

"You know what? Jirachi didn't prepare you guys for this very well," said Diancie, putting her hands on her hips. "You're both still out, but I'm giving you immunity tonight. You would have won if I hadn't brought the Silph Scopes."

Dusclops grinned and looked at Chandelure. "Hey, sweet! We both get to live another today!" he said to the other ghost enthusiastically.

Chandelure returned Dusclops' look emotionlessly. "Wonderful," she said without any inflection.

-static-

"I might not like Jirachi, but I take back anything I might have said about Diancie," Dusclops said. "She's not so bad."

-static-

Combusken walked into the forest hesitantly. He didn't venture out of camp often, so he had no way of knowing what awaited him in the woods. He brushed a few tree branches out of his way and stepped over protruding roots as he went deeper.

Loud hooting from the trees nearly made Combusken jump. He glanced up warily, but saw nobody there. He continued on, but something felt wrong.

Combusken looked behind him to make sure he wasn't being followed. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that there was nobody. He turned back around and decided to keep going.

Until he saw a spooky one-eyed tree standing over him.

Combusken shrieked loudly and ran the other direction. Noctowl flew down from the trees and high-fived Trevenant. "Nice work with the distraction," Trevenant rumbled, chuckling.

"You know it, Twigs!" Noctowl hooted, grinning crazily. "Scarin' these campers is practically our job!"

"Don't call me Twigs," Trevenant said, folding his arms. Noctowl rolled her eyes.

Shiftry stepped out of the bushes, eating a Pecha Berry. "Actually, our job is to not mess with the competition," he reminded Noctowl. "Seriously, Jirachi's going to kill us if he finds out."

"Since when did having a little fun get anyone killed?" Noctowl said, shaking her head. "It's our forest, anyway! We can do what we want!"

"Hell yeah!" agreed Trevenant. He bumped fists with Noctowl. Shiftry shook his head in dismay.

From his hiding spot in the trees above, Scrafty watched the unfolding events with a look of utter confusion.

-static-

"So basically, there's a bunch of weird forest freaks running around and scaring us?" Scrafty said uncertainly. "That's all I can figure. Well, it's not the weirdest thing I've seen on this island."

He shuddered. "Escavalier has done some...unspeakable things."

-static-

Combusken ran out of the woods, screaming loudly. Jirachi noticed him pretty quickly and lifted his walkie-talkie to speak into it.

"Thundurus, we've got a runner. I repeat, we have a runner," Jirachi relayed to Thundurus. "You have orders to fry the chicken."

A massive thunderbolt from above struck Combusken. He fell unconscious immediately. Jirachi smirked in satisfaction.

-static-

"THE MILOTICS ARE CURRENTLY LEADING BY ONE MEMBER!" Jirachi announced over the intercom. "IT'S STILL ANYONE'S GAME."

Mienshao, who was hiding underneath the dock, groaned uncomfortably. She was having difficulty staying underwater for so long. She would have preferred a hiding spot on land, but the space underneath the dock was well hidden.

She took a deep breath and put her head back underwater. She'd just have to wait out the Milotics a little longer.

-static-

Diancie gently opened the door to the male Milotics' cabin. The inside was empty, as she predicted. The cabins were obvious hiding places, but as such they were easy to discover.

She opened the door to the female Milotics' cabin next. She didn't see anyone at first, and she was about to leave when she heard a sneeze.

Diancie peeked underneath the beds and saw Castform and Liepard hiding there. Liepard was wiping her nose with one paw. "Stupid dust," she whispered.

Diancie jerked her thumb toward the door. "You're out," she said. Liepard sighed in defeat.

Castform popped out from underneath the bed energetically. "Well, we had a good run! Guess it's up to the others," she said. "I wonder who else is out."

As Castform and Liepard left the cabin, they saw Dusclops, Combusken, and Chandelure already sitting in the center of camp.

"Okay, Dusclops and Combusken I expected to get out, but you too, Chandelure?" Liepard asked.

"I see you didn't fare much better," Chandelure countered. Liepard rolled her eyes and sat down beside Dusclops, who looked slightly offended by the cat's last comment.

"I guess we just have to wait for the others to lose," Castform said glumly. She brightened up quickly after that. "Who wants to hear a joke?"

Dusclops raised a hand, grinning. He turned around to see Liepard and Chandelure glaring at him. His smile faltered and he put his hand down.

"Sheesh, tough crowd," Castform muttered.

-static-

"I can see you up there," Jirachi called as he levitated through the forest.

"Damn," Scrafty swore. He hopped out of the tree and began walking towards camp, lighting a cigarette on the way. "Least I don't have to worry about smoke revealing my location anymore."

"Were you seriously waiting to do that the whole time?" Jirachi asked, turning around as Scrafty lit a cigarette.

Scrafty stuck the lit cigarette between his teeth and grinned. "You tell me," he chuckled.

Jirachi looked revolted.

-static-

Druddigon watched as a smoking Scrafty sauntered into camp shortly after Castform and Liepard's elimination from the challenge. The lizard was smoking as usual, and Druddigon was irritated to see him continuing the nasty habit.

Druddigon was hidden behind the corner of the warehouse. He had with him a pair of binoculars, and he was using them to keep tabs on the hosts. If he knew where the hosts were at all times, he wouldn't have to worry as much about them catching him.

Diancie had just left the camp after finding Castform and Liepard, since she probably figured most of the campers had better hiding places than those two. Druddigon had lost track of Jirachi after he had gone into the woods.

The Cave Pokemon grunted in frustration. It was too difficult to keep track of both hosts at the same time, and there was no telling what Thundurus could even be up to.

A light tap on Druddigon's shoulder brought him back to reality. He whirled around to see Thundurus.

"You must be shocked to see me," Thundurus said, cracking a joke. Druddigon was not amused. "No laughter? Not even a smile? Well, I guess it wasn't that funny."

Thundurus shot back a few yards and blasted Druddigon with a Thunderbolt attack. Druddigon fell to his knees, gasping in pain. He felt the paralysis kicking in, and he was too stunned to move.

"Got another one," Thundurus whispered into his walkie-talkie. "How many are left?"

"There are seventeen left," Jirachi's crackling voice said over the walkie-talkie. "Seven Milotics and ten Gastrodons."

"Gotcha," Thundurus replied. He picked up Druddigon with some effort and hauled him into camp.

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in," Scrafty chuckled as Thundurus set down a paralyzed Druddigon.

"I hate that expression," Liepard muttered sourly.

"Lighten up, whiskers!" Castform said cheerfully. "We're winning the challenge! So you've got nothing to worry about."

"Actually, we're not," Dusclops pointed out.

Castform looked surprised. "...oh. Well, in that case, feel free to be a wet blanket," she said to Liepard. The Dark-type tried to tune Castform out.

-static-

"Were you even trying?" Diancie asked Baltoy, who had been hiding in front of the hosts' headquarters.

"Not really," Baltoy replied. "There's a few Pokémon on my team that I want to eliminate, anyway."

Diancie shrugged. "To each their own. You're out," she informed him. Baltoy gave her a brief nod of acknowledgment and headed to the center of camp.

-static-

"I haven't gotten to vote much yet. Three times, actually," Baltoy stated. "There's much more that I can do if my team loses than if my team wins. In particular, I have my sights set on Liepard."

Baltoy scowled at the camera. "She'll regret messing with me. I'll make sure of it."

-static-

Minun was immensely regretting her decision to hide underneath one of the counters in the kitchen. "Oh Arceus, I hate enclosed spaces," she breathed.

Jirachi cracked the door underneath the counter open. "You don't have to stay in there," he offered. "There's a nice spot waiting for you back at camp. With all the losers!"

Minun crawled out from underneath the counter as quickly as possible and headed outside to meet with the others, not paying much attention to Jirachi.

"That should even the score a bit," Jirachi said to himself. "Now, where are the rest of them hiding?"

The floating host ventured further into the kitchen until he reached the freezer. He opened the door and found an impatient Cryogonal inside.

"You're out, buddy," Jirachi said. "Not a very creative hiding spot."

"I worked with what I had," Cryogonal said, frowning. "Should I just wait back at camp for now?"

"Yep. We haven't found all of the campers yet," Jirachi notified him. "But your team is losing pretty heavily right now. You better hope they make a comeback!"

Cryogonal's frown remained on his face as he left the cafeteria. Jirachi left shortly after Cryogonal, having determined that there were no others campers hiding in the cafeteria.

-static-

"You really couldn't come up with anything better than this?" Diancie asked Reuniclus quizzically. The two of them were inside the rec room, and Diancie was conversing with Reuniclus, who was still under the pool table.

"I don't do well under pressure, okay?" Reuniclus said defensively. "You guys gave me ten minutes to come up with something!"

"You could have hid in the woods," Diancie suggested.

Reuniclus twiddled with his gelatinous fingers nervously. "But I, uh…"

"What?" asked Diancie.

"I don't like hiding in the woods, okay?" Reuniclus said, throwing his hands up. "I get freaked out when I have to go into the woods alone."

Diancie smiled at him. "Your secret's safe with me. Now run along back to the others."

Reuniclus pulled himself out from underneath the pool table. "Thanks for, uh, not being a jerk about my hiding place," he said, rubbing his head.

"That's Jirachi's job, not mine," Diancie joked lightheartedly. Reuniclus smirked and floated outside to rejoin his team.

-static-

The rock shattered into pieces in Tyranitar's grip as it was blasted by a powerful, concentrated electric shockwave. Tyranitar grunted and picked up another boulder to use as a shield. Thundurus cast another electric attack at Tyranitar, but the Rock-type rolled out of the way and the shockwave hit the mountain, causing rocks to tumble over the side of the mountain.

"You're really putting up a fight!" Thundurus shouted excitedly. "I never got to fight anyone as strong as you during the race!"

Tyranitar whipped a boulder at Thundurus. The genie's eyes widened and he barely managed to dodge out of the way. "H-hey! I thought you were a pacifist!" Thundurus protested.

"I have to defend myself somehow!" Tyranitar called back. He picked up another boulder and held it in front of himself again. "I'd really appreciate it if we could stop fighting!"

"Hmph. Fine," Thundurus agreed unhappily. "But either way, I found you. You're out of the challenge."

Tyranitar nodded. "Okay. See you later, then." The big green dinosaur began lumbering down the mountain casually as if nothing had even happened.

-static-

"I suppose fighting a legendary is a good workout," Tyranitar said. "I might take the rest of the day off."

-static-

Jirachi had left the camp to search elsewhere around the island. He had told the campers that they could visit the mountains and tunnels, so he had decided that exploring the island's cave system might be a good place to start.

"And now it's time for my…" Jirachi paused dramatically, "...handy-dandy flashlight!" He whipped out a small orange flashlight and flicked the power switch. The flashlight cast a dim beam of light into the dark depths of the cave, allowing Jirachi to see small sections of the cave at a time.

One of the first things he saw was an awkwardly positioned Chatot trying to fit into a tiny indentation in the cave wall. Jirachi prodded the bird to let him know he had been found.

"It was that obvious, huh?" Chatot said, looking disappointed. He flew down out of the hole and landed next to Jirachi.

"Well, considering your hiding place was only a short distance into the cave and you're a colorful Pokémon...yes, it was that obvious," Jirachi confirmed. "Must be hard to camouflage yourself when you're at least four different colors."

"Don't rub it in," Chatot warned him. The bird tipped his hat to the host and flew out of the cave. Jirachi decided to continue looking further in, figuring Chatot might not have been alone.

Jirachi progressed deeper into the cave, shining his flashlight across the tunnel back and forth. He thought he caught a glimpse of something purple moving, but it darted out of sight. The sign of movement was quickly followed by a loud bump and a female voice letting out a shout of pain.

The host sighed and caught up to Noivern. "Come on. Really. You tried to get away from me and you weren't even paying attention to where you were going," he lectured her.

Noivern was sitting on the cave floor, rubbing her head from where she had bumped into a stalactite. "Hey, I had a decent hiding place!" she told Jirachi. "You wouldn't have found me without that flashlight."

"Ah, yes. The wonders of technology," Jirachi marveled. "But the thing is, I do have a flashlight. You're out!" he said, beaming.

Noivern grumbled quietly and flew past Jirachi. The host continued on his merry way to pick off some more contestants.

-static-

Diancie had just discovered Seviper wrapped around the highest branches of a tree and sent her off to camp. The odds were still stacked against the Milotics, however, and Seviper wasn't worried that her team would lose.

"Hm...where else would the campers hide?" Diancie thought aloud, trying to think of places where the campers usually gathered. An idea came to her. "The lake! That's it."

The co-host arrived at the lake quickly and looked around the area. Nothing caught her eye immediately, so she began to look around more carefully. She examined the surface of the water and saw nothing but her own reflection.

A subtle cough caught Diancie's attention. She turned around swiftly to see Lopunny crammed between two bushes. The bunny waved hesitantly. Diancie waved back.

"I'll just be on my way, then," Lopunny sighed, pulling herself out of the bushes. Diancie turned her focus back to the lake. It was possible that some of the campers could have hidden underwater. Dusclops, Clauncher, and Vaporeon could all breathe in an underwater environment, but Dusclops had already been discovered.

"Here goes nothing," Diancie told herself. She pulled out her convenient scuba gear from her pocket and dove underwater to have a look around.

The Jewel Pokémon sank deeper into the lake, and not being a particularly strong swimmer, it took Diancie some effort to pull herself into one of the underwater caves. Diancie pulled out her flashlight and flicked the power switch. It didn't turn on.

Diancie took a closer look at the label. "Warning: this product is not waterproof," she read. "Now they tell me."

Diancie returned to the surface in defeat. A concealed Vaporeon grinned victoriously.

-static-

"Gotcha!" said Jirachi, yanking Jolteon out from behind some rocks by the scruff of his neck. Jolteon yelped in pain and began pawing at the air. Jirachi dropped the Electric-type on the ground next to him.

"You don't have to be so rough, you know…" Jolteon muttered.

Jirachi nodded. "Yeah, I know. But that would take away all the fun from my job. I have to keep myself entertained somehow," he answered calmly. Jolteon was amazed at how illogical Jirachi's reasoning was, but then he realized that it shouldn't have been a surprise.

As Jolteon returned to camp, Jirachi emerged from the opposite end of the tunnel from the one he had entered. He was now at the edge of the ravine and he had a clear view of the forest on the other side.

"So many opportunities to find campers," said Jirachi enthusiastically, rubbing his hands together. He zipped out of the cave and began searching the ravine thoroughly.

Beedrill pushed himself further into a crack in the wall. "This is gonna be close," he muttered.

-static-

"That host can cover a lot of ground in a short time," Beedrill said, impressed. "It probably helps that he can teleport, but still. I was probably bound to lose once he decided to search the ravine."

-static-

A few minutes later, Jirachi was pulling Beedrill out of the crack in the wall. Beedrill flew off to camp and the host resumed his mad hunt for the remaining contestants.

As Beedrill arrived in camp, he was shocked to see the number of Pokémon already there. Most of the other campers had gotten out already. Some of the losers had started a small fire in the center of camp and were roasting marshmallows.

"Thanks for starting the fire, Combusken," Reuniclus told the newly evolved chicken. Combusken smiled awkwardly but didn't say anything. "Say, does anyone know who's still in the challenge?"

"Azurill's still out there somewhere," said Noivern, who was holding a bag of ice to her head. "And, uh...Mawile, that's right. I think that might be it from our team, though."

"I can confirm that those are the only two left from our team," Cryogonal agreed. "The Gastrodons have a few more left."

"Lilligant, Mienshao, and Vaporeon are all hiding," Minun said, expanding upon Cryogonal's thought.

"And Clauncher," added Combusken shyly.

Minun nodded. "Yeah, I forgot about him. Sorry."

"Anyone know where those guys are hiding?" Scrafty asked as he held a marshmallow on a stick over the fire. "Just out of curiosity."

"I saw Mienshao hide underneath the dock," Lopunny said. "But she could have moved by now."

A drenched Mienshao walked back into camp soon after Lopunny said this. "I was hoping Diancie wouldn't check the docks," Mienshao said.

"There's your answer," said Baltoy flatly. Mienshao glared at the cynical psychic.

-static-

"Next time you're planning on hiding underground, you should try to cover your tracks a little better," Diancie advised Lilligant. "I could tell that the dirt in this area had just been dug up."

Lilligant seemed disappointed that her disguise hadn't worked, but she took her loss with dignity and walked back to camp without complaint. Once Lilligant arrived back at camp, Diancie made a final announcement over the intercom.

"ATTENTION, CAMPERS! THE SCORE IS TIED NOW WITH TWO REMAINING CAMPERS ON THE GASTRODONS AND MILOTICS. IF YOU'RE STILL IN THE GAME, CONGRATULATIONS! YOU PROBABLY WON'T BE FOR MUCH LONGER," Diancie concluded.

-static-

Jirachi opened the door to the multi-purpose building. The lights were off, so he hit the switch and the overhead lights turned on individually.

The multi-purpose building had been reverted to its gymnasium layout. Bleachers lined one wall of the gym, while a court was in the middle. There weren't many places that a Pokémon could hide in there.

Jirachi inspected the bleachers closely. He thought he saw a form moving beneath the bleachers. "Aha!" he called triumphantly. He pressed a button and the bleachers began folding themselves up and collapsing against the wall to make more space.

A panicked Mawile dashed out from underneath the bleachers just as they closed. She looked at Jirachi with a look of a disbelief. "You almost trapped me in the bleachers!" she protested.

"Yeah, but I didn't actually trap you, so we don't have to deal with any lawsuits. Neat, huh?" asked Jirachi, grinning.

"You're unbelievable," Mawile scoffed. She walked for the door and left Jirachi alone in the gym.

Jirachi pressed the same button and the bleachers sprang back out. "Some people just don't know how to take a joke," Jirachi told himself.

-static-

Diancie stared at the pantry with a look of disbelief. "...you hid in the pantry."

Azurill was crammed onto a shelf among some canned beans. "Yup!"

"And Jirachi missed you somehow?" Diancie inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"I guess so!" said Azurill cheerfully.

"Well, you're out," Diancie informed Azurill. She brought a walkie-talkie up to her mouth. "Jirachi, I just found the last Milotic."

Jirachi's voice crackled to life on the other end. "Wonderful! Send them back to camp, and I'll teleport whatever Gastrodons remain."

Azurill hopped out of the pantry and marched back to camp. Despite her loss in the challenge, Azurill had once again been the last Pokémon standing on her team, and she didn't feel at all concerned about the elimination.

Diancie exited the cafeteria after the blue mouse and awaited Jirachi in camp. The host appeared a few seconds later, and with a snap of his fingers, Vaporeon and Clauncher appeared on both sides of him.

"I think you're forgetting someone," Diancie reminded Jirachi.

"Oh, duh," Jirachi said, slapping his forehead. "Silly me!" He snapped his fingers and Thundurus appeared as well.

"It's over?" Thundurus asked the hosts. Jirachi nodded his head solemnly. "Ah, darn it. I didn't get to do much here today, either."

"There's always room on this island for another legendary, man," Jirachi said. "Feel free to stop by anytime!"

"Will do," Thundurus said with a grin. He bumped fists with Jirachi and took off into the sky once more.

"And that concludes our challenge!" announced Jirachi, turning around to face the campers. "Vaporeon and Clauncher remained undiscovered during today's challenge, so they have won for the Gastrodons! Just out of curiosity, where were you two?"

"I was hiding in a cave underwater," Vaporeon explained. Diancie groaned softly. "Diancie was close to finding me, though."

"And where were you?" Jirachi prompted Clauncher.

Clauncher seemed proud of himself. "In the tank."

"In...the tank?" repeated Jirachi in confusion.

"You know, the tank. The one from the paintball challenge!" Clauncher explained. Jirachi and Diancie exchanged bewildered looks. "You'd never think to look in a tank for somebody, right?"

"Well, you've got me there," Jirachi said, rubbing his head. "I guess that does it. Gastrodons, you're all safe for another night! Milotics, one of you will be walking the dock tonight and sailing away on a Lapras!"

"This blows," Scrafty groaned. "Two losses in a row?"

"The other team's had it worse," Mawile whispered. "Besides, we lost Zoroark and Boldore in a row and we recovered from that. I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Guess we hafta vote someone out again," Chatot said to Jolteon as the two of them walked to the male Milotics' cabin. "We've already decided on our game plan."

Druddigon scowled as he watched the two of them disappear inside. Hopefully his new alliance with Chandelure would pay off in the ceremony.

-static-

"We need a plan," Cryogonal said to Mawile and Dusclops. The three of them were sitting on the front porch of the male Milotics' cabin. It was late at night, and they would surely be called to the elimination ceremony soon. "Who should we vote for?"

"Did you two make any plans this morning while I was busy?" Mawile asked.

"Yes, but they'll have to be put aside for tonight," Cryogonal grumbled. "Chandelure, who was our target, is immune tonight. Fortunately, so is Dusclops."

"Boy, is it good to be me," Dusclops snickered.

"If I may suggest someone, why not Baltoy?" Mawile suggested. "He got out on purpose for today's challenge, or so I've heard. He's not exactly a team player."

"He is one of our weakest players, without a doubt," Cryogonal said, considering her suggestion. "All right, I don't see why not. We can afford to lose Baltoy."

"You can count me in on that," Dusclops said. "I've had enough of Baltoy to last me a lifetime."

"Good. We're in agreement?" Cryogonal asked, eyeing Mawile. She nodded. "Okay. Let's not mess this one up."

-static-

"I told Scrafty that Cryogonal's alliance is voting for Baltoy," Mawile revealed. "And he's on board with it. So far, this is playing out well for me. I hope it continues to be that way."

-static-

"If Mawile stands with us tonight, she'll prove her worth," Cryogonal said. "I want to trust her, but a part of me still doesn't. I hope that changes tonight."

-static-

"Okay, campers! Thirteen of you Marvelous Milotics remain. After tonight's ceremony, one of you will cease to be a part of this team," Jirachi began dramatically. "You've all placed your votes."

The Milotics all readily waited for the Pokéblocks to be passed out. "If you receive a Pokéblock, you're safe, as always," Jirachi said. "Here we go. First of all, since SOMEBODY gave Dusclops and Chandelure immunity without my permission, those two are safe tonight."

Dusclops got up and took his Pokéblock, looking smug. Chandelure took hers and returned to her seat with a bored expression.

"The next Pokéblock goes to Azurill," said Jirachi, tossing her a Pokéblock. Azurill caught it and popped it into her mouth while bouncing around excitedly.

"Jolteon, you're safe," Jirachi continued. The yellow Pokémon caught his Pokéblock and smiled at Chatot hesitantly.

Chatot pulled his hat over his eyes. "Chatot, you are too." Chatot glanced up in surprise and caught his as well.

"The next Pokéblocks go to Cryogonal, Noivern, and Scrafty," said Jirachi, tossing the Pokéblocks as he called names. "And finally, Mawile didn't receive any votes either."

After Mawile claimed her Pokéblock, only Druddigon, Castform, Liepard, and Baltoy remained. Druddigon cast glares at Jolteon and Chatot–he figured they would have voted for him. Castform seemed a bit perplexed. Liepard looked tired for some reason. Baltoy's expression was difficult to read.

Jirachi twirled his finger in the air. "The next Pokéblock goes to…" His finger spun around and finally pointed at Castform. "Castform."

Druddigon looked a bit more concerned than before. Had more than just Jolteon and Chatot voted for him? The bottom three was not a good place to be.

Liepard looked down at the ground. She didn't want to lose her shot at the money, but she didn't think her team would keep her around for much longer anyway.

Baltoy's eyes were shut tight in concentration. He seemed frustrated about something, or else intensely focused. It was hard to tell.

Jirachi popped the next Pokéblock high in the air and it landed on Druddigon's seat. "You're safe, Druddigon," Jirachi said. The Cave Pokémon released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"The final Pokéblock of the night goes to…"

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

"...Baltoy."

The psychic looked startled by this news, but he recovered quickly and went up to Jirachi to take his Pokéblock. He watched as Liepard sighed and walked toward the confessional.

-static-

"Once I hit the bottom four, I had this sinking feeling," Liepard admitted. "I didn't do well in today's challenge and I have no allies on my own team. It was all bound to catch up with me sooner or later.

"I...had a pretty good time here. I met some nice Pokémon like Frillish, Beedrill, and Seviper," she said, smiling. "And I hope those friendships will last outside this show. All in all, I don't regret coming here."

Liepard gently set her challenge calendar on the outhouse seat. "Guess I won't be needing this anymore," she said. "I'll let some lucky camper find this. So long, Pokémon Drama Island."

-static-

Not many Pokémon came to see Liepard off. As Liepard was packing her belongings onto the shell of her Lapras, Seviper came slithering down the dock.

"Hey," Seviper said, getting her attention. "I wasss hoping you wouldn't be leaving ssso sssoon."

"So much for that post-merge alliance, huh?" Liepard said, sighing. "At any rate, good luck. You're a stronger competitor than I was. You still stand a chance."

Seviper gave Liepard a cocky grin. "Winning wasss my plan from the ssstart," Seviper said. "Thanksss for your help today. I won't forget it."

Once Seviper left, Liepard boarded the Lapras. Before she left, though, one last visitor showed up.

"Hey," Castform called. Liepard groaned internally. "I just wanted to say...sorry."

Liepard was caught off guard. "I'm sorry if I was really annoying and stuff while you were here," Castform apologized. "It was just for fun, you know? I wanted to have a few good laughs, and I feel like I ended up doing so at your expense."

Liepard managed a smile. "Thanks. I, uh, don't hold it against you," she said. "Good luck, I suppose."

"See ya!" Castform said, winking. Liepard's Lapras began swimming away from the island, leaving Castform alone on the dock.

-static-

"Hmph. That's one off my list," said Baltoy. "But I'm a bit concerned with my current standings...I was at the bottom of tonight's ceremony. The team doesn't need me as much anymore.

"The merge can't get here soon enough," Baltoy groaned. "I can only delay my elimination for so long."

-static-

Druddigon pounded his knee with one fist triumphantly. "I achieved victory in tonight's ceremony," he proclaimed. "My new alliance is working! Chandelure voted with me tonight, and with some convincing, we got Azurill and her friends to vote with us. I don't doubt Baltoy may have even voted for Liepard."

He gave the camera a sharp-toothed grin. "Now, if this keeps up, I control the game. Chatot and Jolteon better watch their backs."

-static-

Jolteon sat on his bunk, yawning from exhaustion. He quickly pulled out his notebook and scratched off Liepard's name.

"Who could it be?" he whispered.

Congratulations! You made it through the chapter. Well, you probably did, unless you just skipped to the end.

Fun fact: Liepard was not my first candidate for elimination this chapter. I considered two other campers before she was decided upon. I'll let you speculate about who the others could have been.

Another fun fact: This chapter exceeded ten thousand words, a record for this story that I don't think I broke until now. I would imagine that future chapters will probably be longer.

This chapter wasn't too heavy on action or drama, but it did built up some character relations. Next chapter should probably be more focused on the aforementioned action and drama.

Once again, I'm sorry for the delay. Thanks for waiting.

Liepard: Don't forget to review! This story is powered by reviews!