Author's Note
Hello again, dear readers! Can you believe we're already at episode 10? I can, but it still feels pretty surreal. Even more so that I'll be starting work on the second Aftermath of the season this Sunday, after I put the finishing touches on next week's chapter on Saturday. Surprisingly, it wasn't really the song that took up so much time for me, but rather the changes I had to make to the plot. Next week is Jamaica, and if you recall the plot from the canon episode you'll see why I had to change so much.
Also hard to believe is that it's now been about a week since The Ridonculous Race ended in the US! I've seen both the original aired finale and the alternate ending, and I liked them both. Still, for the time being I'd prefer it if reviewers left out spoilers for the series - many people read this story, and the reviews, and I'd rather nobody gets spoiled about a series they haven't seen yet.
Now, let's move on to the reviews!
Elizabeth Life Stone: I'm glad you liked last week's chapter, and I hope you were able to find the last couple episodes of TRR! Also happy you like DJ and Sammy as a couple.
I. M. Poik: Glad you're liking Sammy's choice to join Alejandro's alliance, and are looking forward to what's gonna happen next. As for your rating of last week's song...meh, I'll take it.
TaitanoRules555: Thanks!
Solarr-Eclipse: Glad to here from a Newfoundlander! Especially since my writing of the dialect was apparently pretty good. I've given my thoughts about doing a Shuffled version of TRR before, but I suppose I can say it again: Basically, although I do have ideas for what I would do, don't get your hopes up that I'll cover the season any time soon. Likewise, don't expect to see any of those characters get cameos in this series. I'm glad you agree with Sammy's decision regarding her alliance, and as for whether or not Dawn will return in London...well, you'll just have to wait and see!
CVluvFoxy: I see, I see. Well, I'm afraid you'll just have to read on and find out more about what DJ's reaction to his girlfriend's 'deal with the devil' is, as well as what Scott's position in the game is really like. I'm glad I've been keeping you guessing about who's going home next, though.
PizzaTheBomb: Haha, I'm happy you enjoyed last week's song! As for Dawn...well, that's just something you'll have to wait to find out about. And yeah, just like in canon Sugar really doesn't like or trust Ella.
aloasa: Ah, sorry to hear that but at least it doesn't seem like it was my writing that you didn't like since you liked the drama and alliance between Sammy and Alejandro. I do hope you find this week's episode more entertaining though.
DSX62415: Hoh, perhaps you're right about Sammy needing to be careful, perhaps you're not - only myself and time know for sure. And I hope you're able to watch - and enjoy! - the rest of TRR.
turn forever you and me: I'm happy you liked it! I just hope what becomes of the new alliance meets your expectations.
acosta perez jose ramiro: Thanks as always! I hope you were able to watch the finale.
bruno14: Glad you liked the song last week, and Scarlett too! As for Sammy and Ella...well, you'll just have to wait and see what happens to them next.
FOWLKON: Yeah, I suppose a lot of last week's episode was predictable. Oh well, it's still good. Thanks for the review!
Glowing Insanity: Glad you liked it! And I'm glad I've been able to keep surprising you with unexpected developments.
Zak Saturday: No problem.
ashDanLand: Thanks! And I hope you have a good field trip.
P. T. Piranha: Welcome back! I'm glad you've caught up. I'm glad you're liking the mix of canon and original elements, since I feel that's one of the reasons why the Shuffled series has been so successful. Scott having his sabotage backfiring was honestly not something I consider, but I can see it working in another fic, at least. Regarding the lack of a real losing streak, it was something I decided I wanted early on as I felt it was caused, in part, by DJ's curse in canon and I knew I wanted to avert that subplot as well. It allowed me to make the teams seem more balanced, even if Team Universe has avoided elimination so far. For Sierra, I'm pretty happy with the direction I decided to take her in. For a while I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do with her, but without Cody around to distract her I feel like she really has a lot of potential I've been able to tap. And as for last week's episode...well, I'm certainly glad you liked it so much! I look forward to your reactions to the rest of the second quarter.
OMAC001: You'll find out with time on both accounts, and I hope you like what happens.
LadyEnigma888: No problem! I'm glad you're liking how this season is shaping up, between Sugar as a main villain, Alejandro's developments, Bridgette and Geoff's subplot, and of course the mystery surrounding Dawn. As for TRR, it was honestly one of the best seasons I've seen in a while. I really liked the Goths as well, and also the Sisters.
Animation Adventures: Haha, yeah. I'm happy you liked Ella taking initiative last week, both with the song and making sure people were having a good time. It's been...interesting trying to figure out her motivations, and what she would and wouldn't want to do. She's a very sweet person even when compared to other nice people in the cast, and it's been fun writing her. Regarding the Newfoundland English, Jerd's phrases were the same ones he used in canon so it was just a manner of transliterating them. Actually getting the spelling right for both McLeans just took some googling common Newfoundland phrases and such, it was more straightforward than it seems.
Mister Kennedy: Ah, I see, well everyone is entitled to their opinions I suppose. Don't worry though, I will definitely be giving time to other characters. As for your questions about The Ridonculous Race, I suppose I must answer yet again: Yes I have seen the entire series, yes I really enjoyed it, but no I'm not gonna do a Total Shuffled Presents version anytime soon. Nor will those characters have any cameos in the remaining three Shuffled series fics that are planned right now. There is a possibility of me including them in other, shorter works though.
Star Saber21: Yeah, you've got Sammy down pretty well. As for Zeke's fishing skills, I needed someone to bring in a big haul, and I figured why not have it be Ezekiel? I'm glad you liked my version of Sea Shanty Mix, it's one of the songs I really like from the season as well. And as for Dawn...well, when I do explain it I hope you like it.
wifishark: Who knows?
Knifez: No problem! You're trying to finish up Total Drama Chaos, right? Totally understandable that you're strapped for time right now. Moving on, yeah, it would've been hell turning Newfoundland into an elimination. The entire challenge is set up to eliminate one of the teams early on, so I'd either have to have that team not be up for elimination (similar to the bike challenge in season one) or just have the usual 'minor perk for the next challenge' thing. But that would still require some big changes to the Screeching In, and then there'd still be a lot of time lost from not having the aside scenes to the losing team, and...yeah, it would've been a pain in the ass. That aside...yeah, having DJ not being a mess right now was weird. Sammy...well, her reasoning will be explained soon enough. Glad you're liking who you're liking, and yeah the merge is super late this season so I always wonder if people wanting certain character to make the merge really mean the fourth quarter of the story, or the second half...anyway, I hope you enjoy this, and I wish you good luck on finishing your project!
Aaaand that's it for now! As usual, the TVTropes page for this series could always use more work. I greatly appreciate the effort everyone has put into it so far!
The remaining contestants this week are, of course:
Team Victory - Ezekiel, Scott, Tyler, Geoff
Team Chris is Really Really Really Really Mean - Shawn, Sierra, DJ
Team Universe - Sammy, Alejandro, Ella, Sugar, Scarlett
With all that taken care of, we're off to the City of Love! Who will score, and who will strike out? Find out soon. Enjoy!
- Fangren
Episode 10 – Can't Help Falling In Louvre
"Previously, on Total Drama!" Chris opened, the recap starting on the series' world map as the plane icon 'bounced' towards Canada's eastern coast. "Newfoundland showed us a whale of a time," he said over a shot of a killer whale's fin breaching the surface of the sea after Shawn and Sierra pulled DJ up into their boat, "as the cast was stranded in the open ocean." The contestants were shown getting forcibly pushed out of the jet, then shown lining up in their respective team boats. "Forced to race to shore, each team was pretty much left to fend for themselves." He chuckled over shots of the race beginning, and a few clips from the musical number showing Ezekiel, Shawn, and Scarlett attempting to catch fish.
"Although Team Chris is Really Really Mean was still hurting after having booted off Bridgette," the host continued over a shot of the team of three ricocheting through an ice field and washing up on shore, "Geoff was hurting even worse, and took it out on his team." A montage of the party boy's glares and bitter words from the previous episode were shown, all directed at one person. "By which I mean Scott," Chris clarified with a light chuckle.
"Meanwhile, Samey took advantage of her teammates trying to get her in an alliance by taking them on a wild goose chase to find Dawn," the host continued, the recap montage showing Sammy 'spotting' her missing friend, followed by Team Universe's boat docking against a rocky outcropping, and finally Sammy and Alejandro reaching the top of the rock to discover it barren and empty. "Needless to say, she found diddly-squat."
"In the end, DJ and Geoff managed to secure a tie for first between their teams," Chris added as the clips flashed to the two boys sitting back-to-back kissing cod. "And Team Universe was spared because it was a reward challenge of the lobster kind." The losing team was shown running into the lobster shack after the final challenge had ended, then an earlier clip was shown of Ezekiel excitedly holding up a lobster in a trap. "Mmm, tasty!" he added with a chuckle as Tyler was shown chugging his bowl of chowder.
"Twelve players are still fighting for a million clams," Chris said as the recap ended and the scene flashed to him leaning up against Chef in the plane's cockpit. "Who's falling apart? And who'll storm the world of art? Find out now," he spread his arms wide and accidentally smacked Chef upside the head, knocking his pilot's hat off. "On Total! Drama! Woooorrrrlllddd~ Tooouuurrrr~!" A flock of geese flew by under the plane in the final zoomed-out shot.
xxx
(Fade to Opening Theme)
Dear Mom and Dad, I'm doin' fine;
You guys are on my mind!
Ya asked me what I wanted to be,
And now I think the answer is plain to see!
I wanna be...famous!
I wanna live close to the sun!
Well pack your bags, 'cause I've already won!
Everythin' to prove, nothin' in my way;
I'll get there one day.
'Cause I wanna be...famous!
(Na-na nanananaa, nanana-nanaa, na-nananananaa)
I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous! (Na-na nanananaa, nanana-nanaa, na-nananananaa)
I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous! (Na-na nanananaa, nanana-nanaa, na-nananananaa)
(Fade to Episode)
xxx
The episode opened in the cargo hold where DJ and Sammy had already met up.
"I just don't see why you went and joined Alejandro's alliance," the brickhouse told his girlfriend. "Dude's bad news, don't you remember all the stuff he's pulled?"
"It's not that I've forgotten," Sammy told him, "and I don't think he's really changed, but, I mean, I was pretty much gonna vote with him anyway since we all want Scarlett gone. So I figured why not just let him think I'm on his side until the merge?"
"I guess...," DJ told her uncertainly. "Just be careful, okay? I'm worried about you. I know Dawn leavin' like she did messed us both up, and I don't want your teammates taking advantage of you because of it."
"Thanks," Sammy smiled, before looking down and away. "And, umm, about Dawn..."
"Yeah?" DJ asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Well, y'know how you think you saw her back in the Alps?" Sammy asked, and her boyfriend nodded. "Well, I really should've told you then, but...I saw Dawn too, back in New York." DJ's brow shot up. "And then again back in Newfoundland, it's why my team was so late to the challenge."
"Whoa, really?" DJ smiled. "You saw Dawn too?"
Sammy nodded. "I'm really sorry I didn't tell you before now, I didn't want you thinking I was seeing things."
DJ shook his head. "Don't worry, I get it. But I think this means that Dawn really is followin' us! I mean, me just seein' her one time coulda been a fluke, but if you're seein' her too then it can't be a coincidence!"
Sammy shook her head. "I'm sorry, DJ, but I think it really was just us seeing what we wanted to see. There's no way she could have followed us all over the world, not when we're in a plane!"
"Maybe she stowed away somewhere," the gentle giant said with a squeak in his voice as he started looking around, "and we just haven't been able to find her?"
"DJ, no," Sammy told him, looking straight into his eyes. "I wanna see Dawn again too, but I don't wanna get my hopes up that it'll be any time soon."
They stared silently at one another for a moment, then DJ took a deep breath. "Yeah, I understand," he told his girlfriend. "You're probably right. We gotta move on from this."
They hugged, then broke apart. "Thanks," Sammy said. "Now let's get back to our teams."
"Good idea," DJ said, and they walked off hand-in-hand.
xxx
"I can't really blame Sammy for givin' up hope," DJ confessed in the restroom, "but I'm not ready to. I figure that if anyone can follow a plane halfway around the world, it's gonna be Dawn."
xxx
/
The footage cut back to Sammy walking silently into the economy class seating area where her teammates immediately turned their heads to look at her – Alejandro and Ella along the left wall; Sugar and Scarlett along the right.
"Sammy!" Alejandro immediately greeted with a broad smile. "How nice of you to join us again. Come, sit with us!" He motioned to an empty spot on the bench next to Ella.
"Hey! She's gonna sit with us, y'hear?" Sugar countered angrily before turning a sweet smile towards the cheerleader and waving her over. "C'mon then, Sammy, sit a spell!"
"Umm..., sorry, but I'll pass...," Sammy told her awkwardly, the faces of both other girls falling into scowls as the cheerleader passed them by to sit next to a slightly uncomfortable-looking Ella.
xxx
"I'm going to assume this means that Samey has finally chosen a side," Scarlett told the restroom camera with a mixture of annoyance and frustration in her voice. "Fortunately, I'm smart enough not to fall victim to the 'Gambler's Fallacy' and other such psychological traps, meaning that I recognize my present position is only slightly more precarious than it was." She sighed deeply. "And as Sugar has so far been useless, I must find a way to rectify this situation myself."
xxx
/
"Hey guys, sorry I was out for so long," DJ greeted as he walked into first class where both his own teammates and the members of Team Victory were currently relaxing.
"No worries, dude!" Geoff told him, walking over and sharing a high-five with the brickhouse. "You were just havin' some alone time with your girl, nothing wrong with that."
Scott immediately scoffed. "Maybe for their team," he muttered.
"Don't even start with me dude," Geoff immediately turned around and told him sharply. "It's because I listened to you and Lightning, mostly you, that I let things get so bad between me and Bridgette and her team voted her off." He motioned behind him, the camera panning slightly to the right to show Shawn, Sierra, and DJ watching awkwardly. "So from now on, I am totally gonna get behind inter-team mingling. After all, just because we're on different teams in the competition doesn't mean we can't be friends, or even more!"
"Yeah!" Tyler chimed in enthusiastically.
"Well I don't like it," Scott said. He noticed Sierra giving him a suspicious look from across the aisle, then sneered and said "What?"
Sierra just turned her head and looked out the window.
xxx
"Scott's whole 'stick with the teams' thing is so fake," Sierra told the restroom camera with disgust. "I mean, he's totally just trying to cover for his secret alliance with Sugar. Now if only I could find proof that it actually exists..." she finished, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
xxx
The camera cut to a close-up of one of the plane's loudspeakers as it screeched into use. "This is your captain speakin' so listen an' listen good!" Chef's gruff voice came over. "We're comin' in for a landin', so expect some turbulence!"
"I wonder where we are now?" Sammy asked as the shot panned away from the loudspeaker, showing the rest of economy class. The members of Team Universe looked out whatever window was nearest, and Ella gasped.
"Oh, I know exactly where we are!" she said excitedly. The camera cut outside the plane, then rapidly rotated downwards to get a shot of a glittering, almost circular city bisected by a river arcing through the southern portion of it. "We're in Paris!"
A majestic tune began to play, even over the telltale whistling of the plane descending. Several shots from the ground of the jet circling around the sky were shown, including in them the Arc de Triomphe, a good stretch of the Seine, and finally the Champ de Mars leading up to the Eiffel Tower. The background music took a more dangerous turn as the jumbo jet finally made landfall in the park itself, gouging the grass and earth and knocking numerous trees out of the way.
The scene cut to the shaking and rattling cockpit, where Chris was standing in the doorway. "What's with the landing?!" he asked Chef with a mix of panic and anger.
"You told me to land at the Eiffel Tower, so I did!" Chef shot back.
/
The footage skipped ahead to the contestants walking away from the landed plane towards their host standing at the edge of the plaza surrounding the tower. "Welcome, my little crepes, to France!" the host greeted as the three teams gathered around him. "And more specifically, to Paris!"
"The City of Love!" Ella declared excitedly. "The most romantic place in the world, oh how I've dreamed of coming here!" With an air of bashfulness she leaned up closer to Alejandro, who seemed slightly taken aback by the gesture. "To be in Paris with one you love...don't you think it's just fantastic?" she asked her handsome teammate.
"Too bad for you two lovebirds," Chris interrupted with a smile, "we won't have time for romance. Paris is also known as a cultural center with countless museums and art galleries, and we'll be going to the most famous of them all, The Loavr!"
"It's The Louvre," Scarlett corrected. "Not that I'd-" she was cut off by a shock from her collar.
"Man, I should remember to do that more often," Chris told himself happily. "Anyway, the, uh, place where we're going today is the home of lots of priceless artwork. And I do mean priceless, by the way. Even just one piece is worth more than any of you, even with the million dollars." The camera panned across the stunned looks of the contestants. "So it goes without saying that you do not wanna break anything once we're inside."
"If our challenge is in the Louvre," Alejandro asked, "why have did you land at the Eiffel Tower?"
"'Cause I felt like makin' you kids walk, of course!" Chris answered happily as Chef drove up behind him on a scooter. "See you there! And make it snappy!" He grabbed a helmet from Chef, then hopped on the back of the scooter; the two men drove off, leaving the contestants to groan and follow after.
/
"Man, bein' here just makes me miss Bridgette," Geoff commented to Tyler as the two boys jogged side-by-side. "All this romance in the air...I should be enjoyin' it with her."
"I get how you feel," Tyler told him. "I wanna enjoy spending time with Ella here too, but she's just gonna be all over Alejandro instead."
"At least your girl's still in the game," Geoff told him sadly. "Even if you can't, like, be with her, you can still be with her, know what I'm sayin'?"
"I guess?" the jock answered, slightly confused.
"As for me," Geoff sighed, "I just gotta keep goin' without my little Bridgey-bear."
/
The footage skipped forward to a shot of the Louvre, then to a close-up of the wheel of a hand truck currently loaded with a crate of some sort The shot zoomed out to reveal it was about twice the size of Chef, who was wheeling it through one of the Louvre's halls. "Challenge time, kids!" Chris called from off-screen just as the hulking man dropped the heavy crate down and wiped the sweat from his brow.
The camera quick-panned to the host and contestants, gathered in another stretch of hallway. "Each team gets their very own famous sculpture," he said as the shot panned across the teams, landing on Team Chris on the left. "Chris is Really Really Really Mean, yours is Rodin's 'The Thinker'," he told the group of three, handing Shawn a photograph of the seated statue which Sierra and DJ looked over his shoulders to see.
"Team Victory," the shot cut to the four expectant boys, "you guys get the 'Venus de Milo'!" He handed the photograph to Scott, who whistled in appreciation.
"Prettiest hunk of rock I've ever seen," he said with a smile.
"Calm down lover boy," Chris told him as he took out the third photograph. "Team Universe! You ladies get the 'Statue of David'!" He handed the photograph to Scarlett, who said nothing even as Sugar and Sammy looked over her shoulders.
"Here's how it works," the host continued. "It's up to you guys to find your statue hidden somewhere in The... Loa-ve-ra..re.." he narrowed his eyes as he struggled to pronounce the museum's name.
"Shouldn't be too hard, eh," Ezekiel told his teammates. "Aren't the statues pretty big?"
"About that," Chris spoke up with a smile as Chef appeared behind him. "Chef has broken the statues into pieces, and hidden them! First team to find their pieces, race to the Pyramid Court," he pointed down the hall to the right, "and reassemble them, wins!"
"But 'The Thinker' isn't located in the Louvre," Alejandro spoke up in confusion, "and the 'Statue of David' isn't even in France!"
"Well we're not using the actual statues," Chris told him with a smile. "Those are priceless! Chef made some fake ones," he said matter-of-factly, "right?"
The shot cut to Chef's face as he slowly looked from the host to the camera, rapidly filling with dread. The camera cut back out to show the whole group as Chef abruptly ran off without a word.
"I almost forgot the twist-twist," Chris said after watching Chef go. He whipped out a remote control, gave it a sly look and said "Here's your motivation!" He pressed the button, and the camera cut to the giant crate as it beeped and fell apart with a dramatic spike in the music.
Out of the small cloud of dust that was stirred up, a sasquatch roared and shook it's fist; followed by a grizzly bear growling and revving a chainsaw; and lastly a tiny goat kid that caused the dramatic music to fade into something softer.
"Wait, isn't that the goat that ate our sausage in the Alps?" Ezekiel asked nervously. The shot cut to the goat's close-up as the background turned red and it roared ferociously, the dramatic music returning in full force. "I think it is!" Ezekiel yelped as the four members of Team Victory huddled together in fear.
"I'd start running," Chris told them all.
The shot cut a little ways down the hall as Team Universe ran screaming first, being pursued by the sasquatch. Team Chris was next, Shawn screaming "Why is it always the bears?!" as he and his teammates were chased by the bear. Team Victory was last, the goat kid hopping as it chased them along.
The focus moved back to Team Universe as Scarlett and Sugar were shown getting chased from behind by the sasquatch. "Somebody do something!" the pageant queen screamed. The camera cut ahead to Ella as she looked back and frowned, the shot zooming out as she stopped running, took a deep breath, and let her two slower teammates pass.
"Hey mister yeti with the big furry feet!" she sang, causing both the sasquatch and her teammates to skid to a halt. "Beneath all your anger, I know you're quite sweet!" she continued, putting a hand on the charmed ape-man's cheek. "And if you'd not try to eat us, it'd be really neat!"
The sasquatch looked uncertain. "Now now," Ella told it, "you're in Paris! Why waste your time chasing us when you could be looking at all the lovely artwork of the Louvre?" The sasquatch looked around, then grinned. It nodded at Ella, and she waved happily as it walked away.
"That was quite impressive, Ella!" Alejandro told her, the rest of Team Universe standing behind him.
"Why thank you!" Ella replied with a blush, quickly grabbing Alejandro by the arm. "Now we can go together without any distractions!"
"...yes, together," Alejandro said as Ella led him away, an uncertain look of his own on his face.
/
"Found one!" Sierra said as the footage skipped forward to her holding up what looked like her team's statue's left arm. They were in a hall with a lot of modern-looking sculptures, and DJ was scratching his head at one of them.
"Awesome," Shawn said with a nervous look behind the group. "And no sign of danger, either. But I don't think we can count on that forever."
"You think that bear's gonna find us again?" DJ turned his head to ask.
"Either it or something else," Shawn told him, still looking around. "I'm thinking it might be a good idea to split up," he suggested. "We'll cover more ground looking for statue pieces, and if one of us runs into danger the other two will still be able to complete the challenge."
"You, uh, you almost sound like you're expectin' us to get seriously hurt in here," DJ said with a nervous smile and squeak in his voice.
"Hey, I gotta be prepared at all times," Shawn told him. "You never know when a horde of brain-munchers is gonna come outta hiding after all."
"Or a chainsaw-wielding bear," Sierra said with a wide-eyed look behind the survivalist, "look!" She pointed off to the left of the screen, the boys turning their heads and gasping.
The music spiked dramatically as the shot cut to the chainsaw-wielding bear as it roared at them.
"You guys run," Shawn shouted quickly, "I'll lead it away!" The bear roared again and swiped its chainsaw at the three, but DJ and Sierra scattered with a scream while Shawn just quickly ducked. "You missed me, you big fur-ball!" he taunted before running off, the bear promptly giving chase.
/
The dramatic music leveled off as the scene flashed to Team Victory walking through another hall of the art gallery; Scott, Tyler, and Ezekiel were already carrying a piece of their statue each. Geoff was trailing a few paces behind them, slouching slightly in his sadness.
"Cool, another piece!" Tyler said with a grin, the camera quick-panning ahead to show what looked like a hunk of the 'Venus di Milo' sitting on top a pillar.
"This one's yours, man," Scott told Geoff with a smirk. "Unless you're still feeling too down to get it for the team."
"Don't even start, dude," Geoff said, scowling at the farmer as he himself walked forward. "Just because I'm seriously missing Bridgette right now does not mean I can't compete." He hopped onto the pillar and started shimmying up it, the camera lingering on his teammates as they watched. A few seconds later, he hopped down with the statue hunk in his hand. "See?" he said proudly, eyes closed. "What'd I tell ya?"
"Sweet, guy, and you got the best part too!" Ezekiel told him with a grin, causing the party boy's eyes to pop open and take a closer look at what he'd grabbed.
It was the chest.
Geoff stared at it blankly for a second, then scoffed and looked away. "It's just a rock, dude. It's got nothin' on Bridge."
"Good, now stop thinking about her and let's get moving!" Scott told him and the others before leading them away.
/
The scene flashed to Alejandro and Ella looking at Grant Wood's 'American Gothic', the singer still holding on to her crush's arm. "What lovely couple, don't you think?" Ella asked her companion as the camera switched to a head-on perspective.
"Actually," Alejandro replied, leaning forward slightly to look at a placard under the painting, "I believe they're meant to be father and daughter."
"Oh," Ella said, her facing falling slightly in disappointment. "Well, even then it's still a lovely painting, made even better since I get to enjoy it with you!"
"Thank you," Alejandro told her. "I've enjoyed spending time with you as well, but don't you think we should be focusing on the challenge?"
"Oh, don't worry about that," Ella told him with a light handwave. "I'm sure the others have it covered!" Alejandro made a noise of discontent as he looked off to stage right, the camera quick-panning over to the rest of their team walking down the hall ahead of them. All three girls were carrying multiple pieces of the statue.
"Uggh, just look at those two," Sugar said bitterly with a glance backward, standing to the right of Scarlett and Sammy. "Plottin' and schemin', tryin' to get rid of us."
"I hope you realize that by aligning with them," Scarlett whispered to Sammy, "you've essentially doomed yourself if our team goes to elimination three times before the merge."
"Oh, I know it's risky," Sammy replied, "but I'd still rather work with him than with someone who once hijacked a giant robot and attacked everyone. No offense."
"None taken," Scarlett deadpanned.
The background music took an eerie turn as the camera lingered in place as the three girls of Team Universe walked past a hallway. The shot zoomed in on it, revealing that Sierra had been watching from behind a strange-shaped sculpture.
"Huh," she muttered to herself. "I guess Sugar and Scarlett haven't given up, even though Sammy's already in an alliance with Alejandro..."
xxx
"I'm like a super good multitasker," Sierra explained to the restroom camera, "so when Shawn had us split up I decided to use the opportunity to spy on Sugar and Scott while still looking for statue pieces. I've only found Sugar so far, but since I'm pretty sure Scott's gonna be gone soon anyways that's probably for the best. I still really want some proof of their secret alliance, though."
xxx
The focus switched over to DJ, who was nervously creeping through one of the halls with a few statue parts in his arms. "Just gotta take things nice and slow," he told himself while looking around. "Don't wanna alert any bears, or yetis, or even zombies." He stopped in his tracks and looked forward, his brow rising a bit.
"An Ancient Egypt exhibit?" he asked as the shot cut to a small stone-lined doorway set between two pillars; there was an arc of hieroglyphs above it and a sarcophagus leaning against the wall beyond it. "Maybe that's where one of the statue pieces is?" DJ told himself as he started to walk forward. "Gotta be careful though, who knows what could be in there."
The music became tense and eerie again as the gentle giant approached a T-intersection where the doorway was located. The camera cut to the left passage as a small shadowy figure with long hair suddenly darted away, its footsteps immediately catching DJ's attention. "Somebody there?" he asked, quickly running towards the side passage to check and catching a glimpse of pale blonde hair turning left around another corner and out of sight.
"Dawn?!" DJ gasped, immediately forgetting the Ancient Egypt exhibit and giving chase. The scene followed him out into the next hallway where he stopped; the camera mimicked his gaze as it panned across the hall, devoid of everything except art...and the head of 'The Thinker'. "Sweet!" DJ said with a grin.
/
A short drumroll heralded a scene change to a close-up of the head of the 'Venus di Milo'; the shot zoomed outward to show that it was guarded by several lasers, and that the members of Team Victory were looking at it with statue pieces in each of their arms.
"How are we supposed to get our last piece from behind these security lasers?" Scott asked, standing second to the right with Ezekiel to his left, Geoff even further left, and Tyler to his right.
"Guess who was captain of his gymnastic teams in kinder-gym?" Tyler replied with a confident thumb towards himself. "It's Tyler time!" he declared, backing up a little before launching himself forwards...and straight into one of the pillars on the side of the room.
"Yeah, looks like Zeke is gonna have to do it," Scott said with an unimpressed look at the fallen jock.
"What? Why me?" Ezekiel asked with wide eyes.
"Because you're the smallest one here," Scott told him before leaning in and whispering "Plus, I still don't think Geoff's head is in the game," with the camera panning up a little to show Geoff staring forlornly at what looked like a painting of a couple kissing.
"Right," Ezekiel said, nodding even though his eyes still showed his anxiety. "I guess I just move," he cautiously stuck a finger towards one of the lasers, "and-YEOW!" he hollered as he touched the laser and got zapped.
Chris was heard laughing, and the scene cut to him and Chef watching Team Victory on what looked like a monitor in a security guard's station as a faster-paced dramatic tune played. "Looks like things have taken a shocking turns for our contestants!" he told the camera. "Electrifying, wouldn't you say?" he asked Chef, who immediately looked around awkwardly.
"Uhhh...," the hulking man murmured.
"Too cheesy?" Chris asked.
"Maybe...," Chef responded, and the two men turned to face the camera.
"We'll be right back," the host said with a smile.
(Fade to Commercial and Back)
"Ella, we really must get going," Alejandro told the girl who was still on his arm and standing still to look at another painting. "I have no idea where Sammy and the others have gone."
"Oh, can't we just forget about them for now?" Ella pouted. "We're having such a wonderfully romantic time right now, why stop for a challenge? Unless...," she looked him in the eyes as her lip began to tremble, "you're saying you don't want to have a romantic time together...?"
"It's not that, trust me!" Alejandro said, taking her hands in his. "It's just that I want to make sure we win and get to stay together. Besides-"
He was cut off when a hand tapped on his shoulder, and the shot pulled back to reveal Chris. "Hi!" he greeted with a cheery wave at the two which Ella absentmindedly returned. "My name is Chris, and I'm the host of the show! Hey, did you know you're on it," he scowled, "right now? And are supposed to be doing a challenge?"
"Sorry," Alejandro told him, "Ella just wanted to spend some time alone with me."
"Aww," Chris smiled, "don't care! You two can have your little date on your own time. This is my time, and I don't want boring romance. Luckily, I know just how to make things more interesting!" He grinned, and the pair of dings sounded off with the appearance of the musical note icon.
"Oh, thank you so much!" Ella said excitedly, even going so far as to give the host a startling hug. "I've been looking forward to this ever since we landed!"
"Yeah, great," Chris said, forcing her away from himself.
"You do know what she's gonna sing about, right?" Alejandro asked as Ella took a twirling leap away.
"Oh I know," the host answered, "and it's still better than watching you two look at paintings for an hour. Ella, if you would?" He looked towards the singer, who was already grinning.
~/~
[A tango-styled bal-musette tune began to play, an accordion taking the lead with a double bass and drums joining shortly after. The scene itself moved to a seemingly empty stretch of hall before zooming in on Jean-Honoré Fragonard's 'The Swing', in which Ella appeared to have taken the place of the paintings subject and was swinging about as though real life.]
"Alejandro, dear, right now it's so clear, why we're in fair Paris!"
[She sang along to the accordion, timing her swings to the beats and jumping from it – and the painting – at the end of her line.]
"So until my stay here ends, with my love my time I'll spend; you are the best thing that's ever happened to me!"
[She landed in another painting with a twirl, the camera pulling back to reveal it as 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte' by Georges-Pierre Seurat.]
"Ella, I hear you; I also want to, find out what we could be!"
[The charmer replied in an almost pleading tone, the scene cutting back to the hallway as the handsome young man looked on at the painting his teammate was 'in'. As soon as the focus switched over to him a guitar replaced the accordion that had accompanied Ella, and mimicked the melody of the previous two lines.]
"But I'm afraid our teammates will, turn against us now; but still, you are the best thing that's ever happened to me!"
[As he sang his second line, he turned away from Ella and looked towards a larger painting of three witches who had been modified to look like Scarlett, Sugar, and Sammy.]
"Can't you, put that aside for this?"
[Ella sang, the accordion returning once more but with a few accompanying notes from the guitar. Still 'inside' her previous painting, she reached to the side and 'pulled' Alejandro in as well, taking him by the hands and forcing him to sit down with her.]
"You light my fire, my heart's desire, it's truly bliss!"
[The camera zoomed in on them, then back out to show them standing in a hallway together holding hands as they'd been previously. Ella looked down with a brief but sad look that soon faded into a happy smile as she turned her head and motioned to another painting, a version of Jan van Eyck's 'The Arnolfini Portrait' changed so that Alejandro and Ella were the couple in it.]
"I see, how much this means to you,"
[Alejandro sang as the camera panned back down to the pair, the guitar taking the lead again though the accordion was still present.]
"Perhaps you're right, I'll be your knight, and take you through...The Louvre!"
[He let go of her hands to put one to his chest and extend the other one as he sang; he looked to the side, the camera panning to a painting of a knight on horseback that had Alejandro on the horse before cutting back to the charmer smiling at his companion and offering his arm. She took it gladly, and the camera moved behind them as they walked down the hallway.]
[The camera quick-panned over to Team Victory, Ezekiel now holding their statue's head and trying to make his way back through the security lasers. The focus was put on Geoff, who was staring sadly at a version of Johannes Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' that had Bridgette as the titular girl.]
"Bridgette, I miss you; wish I could kiss you, right here in fair Paris!"
[He sang to the portrait, a piano taking over the music in place of the accordion and guitar, the melody returning to what had opened the song.]
"But because you've left the game, my passion's not the same; you were the best thing that's ever happened, to me!"
[He leaned closer to the portrait of his girlfriend, then turned slightly to the right as the scene shifted to show the two of them in formal dress dancing something like the tango; he dipped her and moved in for a kiss, then the scene shimmered and he opened his eyes to reveal that he was about to kiss the severed head of the 'Venus di Milo'. The camera zoomed out to show Scott, Tyler, and Ezekiel looking at him awkwardly.]
"Isn't this perfect? My only regret's that we're not truly free!"
[Ella sang again, the scene quick-panning back to her and Alejandro, now doing a dance of their own down the hall; both the accordion and the guitar played in sync, taking over for the piano.]
"But you're still my shining star!"
[She sang, briefly resting her head on his shoulder as they lined up side-by side.]
"And together, we'll go far!"
[Alejandro added, spinning Ella around and dipping her.]
"You are the best thing that's ever happened to me!"
[They sang together in unison, the camera closed-in on their faces as they held the dip.]
"To me...!"
[Alejandro repeated as the musette finished up; Ella had closed her eyes and puckered up, but in that moment Alejandro's face was filled with hesitation and regret.]
~/~
"There you are!" The pair was startled out of their moment by the shrill voice of Scarlett, the camera panning to the left to show the remaining members of Team Universe standing nearby at the end of a side hallway, several statue pieces in each girl's arms. "Care to explain why you felt the need to wander off in the middle of the challenge and fail to obtain any parts of the statue we were assigned?"
Alejandro cleared his throat and quickly straightened both him and Ella out, the singer looking distinctly disappointed. "My apologies," he explained, "we were...delayed by a musical number."
"A likely story," Sugar said, glancing suspiciously between the two. "Yer just lucky the three of us managed to find the whole statue, so let's git to buildin'!"
Alejandro cleared his throat again. "Yes, of course," he said, following the three girls back down the hallway and leaving Ella to look down sadly.
xxx
"For the record," the charmer explained in the restroom confessional with a hint of desperation in his voice, "I am not in love with Ella. Not only is she too naïve, but she has no penchant for strategy or deception. But even so," he slumped down with his head in his hands, "there's just something about her," he gripped the side of his head hard, then looked up with his fingers still locked into place. "Something that makes me want to regret stringing her along as I have."
He took a deep breath, straightened up, and recovered his usual straight-faced demeanor. "But no," he said. "I am Alejandro Burromuerto, and Ella is just the latest girl whose heart I will break. I will not lose focus."
xxx
/
"Alright Team Dude," Tyler said as he dashed into a courtyard with an armful of statue pieces, "let's build ourselves a Venus! Woohoo!" He was followed by Scott, Ezekiel, and Geoff, all of them running excitedly.
The camera panned to the right, where Sammy was leading the rest of Team Universe to the same courtyard. "I guess this is the place," she said, turning her head back to her teammates. "Let's just put them down over there."
The shot cut to a close-up of the floor as both teams through their statues pieces into one big heap.
"Hey! You got some of your Venus in our David!" Sugar angrily accused.
"No, you got your David in our Venus!" Tyler countered. The two teams began to argue, and the camera panned to the left to show Sierra and DJ walking up with statue pieces in their arms.
"Huh, glad we got here last," Sierra said after she and DJ shared a bewildered look.
"True that," DJ said. "I just hope Shawn gets here soon with the rest of our statue."
/
A flash immediately took the scene to Shawn, who was backing warily down a corridor with a few statues pieces of his own, including part of the base and one of the legs. "Okay, just gotta regroup with the others," he told himself, "assuming they're still alive, and then make sure we have everything. No problem."
He promptly backed into something, which the camera pulled back to show was the sasquatch admiring a painting. It looked down and growled at Shawn in annoyance, causing the survivalist to yelp and dart away.
The music took a dramatic spike as Shawn promptly ran into the bear, who had apparently been trying to restart its chainsaw. It succeeded just then and brandished the weapon at Shawn with a menacing roar. Shawn screamed, then screamed harder when he tripped over and into a conveniently-placed golf cart.
"Wait a minute," he blinked as he righted himself and grinned, "this is great!" He started the cart, and sped off with the bear hot on his tail.
/
The scene cut back to the courtyard where Geoff was slumped down and looking sad.
"Uggh, seriously?" Scott told him while picking up what looked like an arm. "Stop moping already and help sort out our statue!"
"Dude, lay off!" Tyler chided as he watched Ezekiel lift a piece of their statue, which already had complete legs. "He's just missing his girlfriend, you don't need to make him feel worse about it."
"Pfft," Scott scoffed, rolling his eyes.
Tyler turned his attention back to Ezekiel and the statue. "Put the middle piece under the wide part," he directed. "The rotate the thingy straightwise," he rotated his arms in hands in what was apparently a demonstration, "no no no," he said with a smile and handwave, "under-over."
"I...what?" Ezekiel asked in confusion, eyes wide as he heaved what looked like a piece of torso onto what they already had. "That doesn't make a whole lotta sense, eh."
The camera panned over to Team Universe, who had completed a little bit less of their statue. "I'm telling you," Alejandro said to Scarlett as he grabbed a small piece of marble and placed it firmly on top of the statue in a position close to him, "this piece goes here!"
"Are you blind?!" Scarlett retorted. "The fractures don't match at all! Clearly it's a piece of the other team's statue."
"Please," Alejandro said dismissively, "the piece was merely chipped in the fall! More importantly, the shape and texture fit exactly what we need here."
Sugar was shown scowling with her hands on her hips, and the camera panned over to Sammy and Ella.
"So, umm, what exactly were you and Alejandro doing before?" the cheerleader asked hesitantly.
"Oh, we were just ending a wonderfully romantic duet," Ella explained with a bashful blush. "I really feel like we've made a big step today as a couple!"
Sammy's eyes widened briefly. "Umm...you...did watch the other seasons, right?" she asked even more hesitantly than before. "Because Alejandro's not exactly..."
"Oh, that's just rumors and exaggerations," Ella said with a pout and handwave. "Alejandro has been nothing but a gentleman to me. I really think we're in love!"
"...if you say so," Sammy said uncertainly.
/
The scene skipped forward to a close-up of the photo of the 'Venus di Milo' before the camera cut to Geoff looking at it, scratching his head, then sending confused looks off-screen along with Scott and Ezekiel.
The shot cut to their statue, which had the lower torso correct...and that was about it. The upper torso wasn't oriented right at all, it had no head, and the arms were both completely different from each other and the rest of the statue. Tyler was leaning against it proudly.
"Uh, I don't think this is right, dudes," Geoff said with a frown.
"Aww, seriously?" Tyler groaned in disappointment.
"There! All done!" Sugar declared as the focus cut to her slamming a head down on her team's statue. The camera immediately zoomed out and rotated around, revealing that not only was the head on backwards, but the torso wasn't aligned properly and the limbs had been completely jumbled around.
"No, no it isn't," Scarlett deadpanned.
Alejandro looked up from the photo he was checking and said, "I'm afraid she's right, Sugar." He handed the photo over to the skeptical pageant queen, and the camera showed it in close-up.
"Well at least you guys got all your pieces," DJ spoke up, the camera quick-panning to where he and Sierra were trying to keep a mostly-complete-but-top-heavy statue balanced.
/
"Aaaaaah!" Shawn's scream echoed through the otherwise empty halls, the background music become tense and dangerous again as the scene moved back to the chase. With his pieces of of 'The Thinker' in the back seat and the chainsaw-wielding bear keeping a distressing pace behind him, he was looking rather panicked.
"Okay," he told himself, "can't be much farther now! Just gotta find some way to shake the bear, and-"
He was startled into another scream when the vicious goat kid suddenly jumped out from behind a sculpture. Shawn quickly swerved out of the way and the goat landed on the ground, and was promptly tripped over by the bear. "Hah!" he laughed back at them, but his grin rapidly turned back into a frown when he saw the two beasts stand up and growl not at each other, but at him. "Uh-oh," he gulped as the two predators resumed their chase.
xxx
"Y'know, I'd almost like to get chased by actual zombies for once," Shawn told the restroom camera. "At least then I'd know what to do! But a bear with a chainsaw is not what I've been training for, and that goat is just...just, seriously?"
xxx
"Okay, keep it steady Sierra," DJ told his teammate as the scene cut back to them keeping most of 'The Thinker' balanced.
"Look out!" the voice of their third member cried out, earning a gasp from Sierra and DJ and a return of the dramatic music as they looked to the side. The camera panned over to the golf cart, revealing that the bear and goat had somehow managed to get on board. Shawn was managing to suppress the goat with his right hand and hold back the bear with the other, but was balanced preciously on one foot as he tried to steer with the other. Swerving erratically back and forth, the shot cut back to Sierra and DJ as they two began to scream.
"Quick, catch!" Shawn shouted, leaning slightly to grab his statue pieces and in doing so allowing the goat to bite down on his arm. He managed to toss them out just as he whizzed past his teammates in the cart, the two watching with shocked and horrified expressions.
The camera panned over to Team Victory, who seemed to have fixed most of their statue's problems. All that was left was the head, which Tyler was currently about to slot into place.
Until the golf cart plowed into both him and the 'Venus di Milo', shattering the statue and crashing the cart.
"What the heck?!" Scott exclaimed in fury, gesturing to the remains of their statue.
"Sorry," Shawn said weakly from the wreckage, both bear and goat now unconscious in odd positions on the ground.
"Finally!" Sammy said in relief, a triumphant tune playing as the scene cut back to Team Universe and their completed 'Statue of David'.
"And Team Universe has it!" Chris announced as Scarlett and Sugar low-fived and Ella hugged Alejandro.
"Following in a closed second is Team Chris is Really Really Really Really Mean," he added over a shot of DJ holding up their 'The Thinker' while Sierra slotted the final piece into the base.
"And this week's losers are," the host said as the camera cut to him, "still somewhat ironically, Team Victory."
The shot cut to the four groaning boys. "Thanks a lot," Scott sneered at Geoff.
"Uhh, excuse me?" Geoff countered indignantly. "What do I have to do with anything? It's not my fault Shawn plowed through our statue."
"He's your friend," Scott said, "you should've tried to stop him!"
"How?!" Geoff asked, arms stretched out in front of him. "Dude was getting attacked! It's a miracle he even survived!"
The shot quick-panned to the wrecked golf cart where Shawn was lying face-first on the ground. "It wasn't that bad, actually," he said, weakly lifting his head. "Still, thanks for your concern. And again, I'm really sorry about what happened."
"No worries, dude!" Geoff said as the camera moved back to Team Victory. "We're friends, and friends forgive each other when they accidentally trash each other's stuff. Unlike some people," he gave a pointed glare towards Scott, "who can't accept that accidents happen."
"So what, you don't even care that we just lost?" Scott countered. "Some teammate you are."
"Oh, like you have any right to talk," Geoff scoffed. "Besides, we all know you're just trying to blame this on me so you don't get voted out tonight."
"I am not!" Scott protested. "For all we know this was a reward challenge!"
"Oh, it wasn't" Chris interrupted with a laugh as he walked over to the losing team. "Meaning I'll be seeing your butts at elimination in a little while. And I bet it's gonna be a fun one!" he said with a particular lean towards Scott. He started laughing again as he walked past, and Scott hung his head sadly.
/
The scene flashed to the jumbo jet back in the air, flying through the night sky. A mysterious tune began to play as the scene flashed once again to the cargo hold where DJ and Sammy were currently making out.
They broke their kiss and smiled at each other, and Sammy said "I'm so glad your team managed to finish the challenge."
"Me too," DJ replied. "It woulda bit big time having to vote someone off again. And...," his smile faded slightly, "there's somethin' I gotta tell you."
Sammy's face also fell a little as she replied "Really? What?"
DJ took a deep breath. "I saw Dawn again," he told her, causing Sammy's brow to shoot up. "In a hallway after my team split up. I don't know if I was just seein' things or not, but it did lead me to a piece of the statue."
"I...wow," Sammy said blankly. "I'm...not really sure what to make of that."
"Really? 'cause I think Dawn really is tryin' to look out for us," DJ told her.
"..maybe," Sammy conceded. "I want to believe it, but I still don't wanna get my hopes up for something that just seems...impossible."
DJ sighed. "Yeah, I guess I can't blame you. But I hope you don't mind if I do enough hopin' for the both of us, do you?"
Sammy smiled softly at him. "No, I don't mind," she said, kissing him on the cheek.
/
The music took a tenser and more ominous twist as the scene flashed to the dining area, empty except for three members of Team Victory sitting at a table together.
"Look," Scott hissed to Ezekiel and Tyler, the three leaned somewhat closely together, "I know I've done some questionable stuff in the past, but you gotta hear me out on this! We have to vote out Geoff, you saw how he was acting today!"
Tyler frowned and furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about? The guy was just a little bummed his girl wasn't there with him in the City of Love. I'm sure he'll be back in the game in a snap!"
"Yeah, until we go somewhere else that reminds him of her," Scott countered. "And then there's Shawn, him and Geoff have been acting all chummy all of a sudden. I think they made a deal to get back at me for trying to keep Geoff loyal to the team instead of his girl."
"Err, what kind of deal?" Ezekiel asked in confusion.
"Just think about it, okay!" Scott said. "First those two decide to go off 'zombie hunting' alone together, and then later zombie boy just so happens to crash into our statue and cause us to lose? Smells fishy if you ask me."
"So wait," Tyler said with his brow still furrowed, "you're saying that Geoff and Shawn planned to sabotage us so that we'd lose and vote you out?"
"Yeah," Scott answered with a smirk. "Maybe you guys can't see it, but if I were you I know I wouldn't trust anyone spending too much time with someone on another team."
"Dude, I can't believe this," Tyler said harshly, standing up in his seat. "Geoff's like the coolest dude in the world, there's no way he's trying to sabotage the team! I get that you don't wanna go home, but this is too much. I'm leaving." He walked away then and there, leaving Scott scowling and Ezekiel looking anxious.
xxx
"Okay, I know that what Scott said was kinda bogus," Ezekiel explained in the restroom confessional, "but I still just don't really think I can vote him out. Him an' me have been like best buds since season one, eh, and even though he can be a total knob some of the time...well, err, a lot of the time, Scott's still the only person that really hangs out with me. An' I'm pretty sure I'm the only person who hangs out with him, too, so I'd hate to just ditch him when he needs me, eh."
Ezekiel sighed and hung his head. "I feel kinda bad for Geoff, but Scott does have a point that he's not been at his best since Bridgette got booted. And I really do think Scott's just tryin' his best to look out for the team, even if he doesn't really know how."
xxx
A few dramatic beats played as the scene cut to the elimination room where Team Victory was already seated.
"Team Victory, I gotta say I'm a little disappointed in you," Chris told the four as the camera cut to him leaning against his podium with a tray of barf bags in his hand. "You'd think the team with the most wins this season would be the last to lose three of their members, not the first. But sadly, this just isn't the case." The four boys were shown hanging their heads in shame.
"I have peanut-filled barf bags for three of you," the host told them with a motion to the tray. "But one of you did not live up to the spirit of Team Victory, and will take the Drop of Shame. Tyler," the camera immediately cut to a close-up of the jock as he perked up nervously, "you are not that dude."
Tyler breathed a sigh of relief before catching the disgusting bag of peanuts with a grin.
"Ezekiel, same goes for you," Chris added as the shot panned to the right to show the homeschooler eagerly accepting his technically-edible trophy.
A deep note was struck as Geoff and Scott stiffened up, then sent a brief but sharp look at each other.
"And the person going home is..." Chris said with a devious smile, pausing for effect as both the background music and bottom two became tenser. "...not decided yet!" the host announced suddenly, throwing his arms up as if in celebration. "The vote was a tie!" Geoff and Scott's brows shot up in shock, and behind them Tyler and Ezekiel stiffened up.
"Wait, really?" Geoff asked in disbelief, turning around and seeing Ezekiel avert his gaze in shame.
"Surprise surprise," Scott added, turning a light sneer towards Tyler who looked away with a more scornful expression.
"In other words," Chris continued in excitement without acknowledging the remarks, "we get to have a tiebreaker challenge!"
"Easy peasy," Geoff said confidently with another harsh look at his former teammate. "Whatever it is, I got it in the bag!"
"You wish," Scott shot back.
"In honor of the art-themed challenge your team just blew," Chris told them, "the two of you will have five minutes to paint a picture." The shot pulled back as Chef walked up and slammed two canvas-loaded easels down on the floor between the seats, the podium, and the door on the side of the plane. "Whoever paints the best picture as judged by moi gets to stay."
"No sweat," the party boy said as he and his opponent walked over to their easels. "I'm great at art!"
"Oh, and to make things a little more interesting," Chris added with a sly look, "you two will be painting the other person who voted for you: Tyler for Scott, and Zeke for Geoff." He motioned for the two remaining members of the team to come over, and they did – albeit reluctantly.
"You have five minutes," the host said with a finger raised and his eyes on his watch, "starting...now!"
A tune filled with intrigue and drama began to play as Scott and Geoff picked up the palettes and brushes that had been with the easels and set to work. The camera panned across various close-up shots in turn, starting with Geoff sticking his tongue out as he mixed some blue and green paint on his palette, then Scott frowning as he dabbed his brush in brown and started making strokes on his canvas, then Ezekiel trembling anxiously, then Tyler nervously striking a variety of poses. Geoff was shown again looking a little frazzled and with a olive-green smudge on his cheek; Scott was sweating, and somehow left behind a streak of red when he wiped his brow.
The montage picked up its pace along with the music, showing several brush-dabs and looks and gestures from all four boys before the tune finally ended on a dramatic note and the camera zoomed out to show the full room, the two paintings hidden from view.
"Time's up!" Chris announced, and the two competitors promptly stopped painting. He stepped down from his stage and walked over between Scott on the left and Geoff on the right, the boys moving aside to give the host room. Tyler and Ezekiel watched nervously from further out, and the camera cut in close to Chris' face as he considered the two paintings.
"Hmmm...," he murmured as he looked at Geoff as the party-lover grinned nervously. The first painting was finally shown, depicting a somewhat rough portrait that was still completely recognizable as Ezekiel grinning confidently and poorly attempting some sort of gang sign.
"Hmmmm...," Chris repeated, rubbing his chin as he turned his attention to Scott's painting. The viewpoint changed as the camera moved to get a look, and it was revealed to be little better than a stick figure rendition of the clumsy jock running in fear from what looked like an anvil, a sword, and a lightning bolt. Scott grinned confidently at the host, but faltered slightly when Chris gave him a narrow side-eyed look.
"Well then, it's obvious who the winner is," Chris said as he walked away from the two with his hands clasped behind his back. Geoff and Scott immediately locked narrowed eyes again, then looked back at the host expectantly. "The final barf bag goes to," the host said, the background music rising dramatically as he picked up the final trophy from his podium then turned around and smiled at the two boys, "Scott."
"Yes!" the devious farmer cheered as he caught his peanuts.
"What?!" Geoff exclaimed in confusion. "But my painting was, like, way better than his!"
"In some respects, yes," Chris admitted. "But unfortunately, you missed the point of me having you paint the person who just voted for you. Scott's painting, though cruder, better showed the anger and hate that tells me letting him stick around is gonna be fun."
"Aww man...," Geoff said, slumping down as the show's reverent elimination theme began to play.
"Aww, dude, I'm sorry it had to end like this," Tyler said, walking up and giving his now-former teammate a hug. "Eliminated because you weren't mean enough is totally bogus."
"Thanks, bro," Geoff told him, sniffing away a tear. "I'm sure gonna miss you and all my other buddies on the plane."
"I...," Ezekiel nervously spoke up from behind Tyler, catching the attention of both hugging boys. "I'm-"
"Naw, dude, don't worry about it," Geoff told him amicably. "I'm sure you had your reasons for voting me out, and I'm not gonna hold it against you. Just watch your back around Scott, 'kay?"
Ezekiel said nothing, only looking down and away. Behind him, Scott rolled his eyes.
"Good luck with Ella, dude," Geoff told Tyler, slapping him on the arm. "I'm sure you'll figure out how to get her attention. And good luck with the game, too."
"Thanks, dude," Tyler said.
"Umm, hello?" Chris interrupted indignantly, forcefully inserting himself between Geoff and Tyler then shoving a parachute pack into Geoff's arms. "This is a half-hour show, so get jumping already!"
"Chill, dude, I'm going," Geoff replied with a frown, slipping the pack on and walking towards the open door on the side of the plane. "Later dudes!" he waved to his former teammates with a happy grin. "I hope you get everything you deserve!"
Scott was briefly shown snorting in contempt before the camera cut back to Geoff. With a whoop of excitement he jumped backwards into the open air, his final shout of "Geronimo!" heard by all five men standing in the elimination chamber with their eyes locked on the door.
/
"That's one more teen off the plane," Chris said as the shot cut to him and Chef in the cockpit as the series' capstone theme began to play. "Will next week be this insane?" he asked his assistant who only looked at him. "Find out next time, on Total! Drama! Woooorrrrlllddd~ Tooouuurrrr~!" The full moon was behind the plane as the camera zoomed out from the windshield, and a shooting star passed by overhead.
(Fade to Credits)
/
/
/
[Bonus Clip]
"I gotta say, I'm a little disappointed I got booted like that," Geoff said as he slowly descended through the night sky. "I mean, I figured I'd go all the way to the end 'cause that's what Bridgette did after I got booted in season one. Oh well," he shrugged nonchalantly, "maybe I'll win the competish some other time."
"And speaking of Bridgette," he said with a rapidly-widening smile, "at least now I'll totally get to see her again! And nobody is gonna get in our way."
He stopped talking when he noticed the radio antenna rising up behind him. "Whoa," he said absentmindedly, looking down as the shot zoomed out to show him floating down towards the Eiffel Tower. The camera cut in to the edge of what looked like an open-air restaurant area where two handsome-looking men, one white and one brown-skinned, appeared to be enjoying a romantic dinner together. They were interrupted by Geoff floating down in front of them, his parachute getting caught on the guardrail while they looked on in horror.
"Sorry for droppin' in on you, dudes!" Geoff called to them. "Mind giving me a hand, though? I'm kinda stuck here." He kind of wiggled and struggled with his parachute pack, and the couple shared a wide-eyed look.
Author's Note - Post Script
And here we have Geoff's elimination. It was sad to see him go, but unfortunately necessary for the direction I want the plot to take. He had pretty a good run - had some great times, made up with his girlfriend, got a new buddy in Tyler. I hope everyone is okay, at least, with his method of elimination - without a two person team I couldn't justify the walk-off fashion show used in canon, meaning I needed a different tiebreaker. The painting challenge seemed like it would work pretty well, so that's what I went for. And for the record, the background music that played during it was the same used for the bank heist and (I think) the submarine escape challenges from last season.
Speaking of music, I actually based the melody of this week's musical number (entitled "The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me") off an existing piece of music - 'Sentimental Tango' by Andre Loppe, which you can find on Youtube. It's a mixture of traditional French bal-musette and tango, which I found appropriate given the location, theme of the song, and primary singers (though I do believe Alejandro is Peruvian or perhaps Bolivian rather than Argentinian). I hope you enjoyed the song!
The only other thing I'd like to note right now is that I decided to use change the baby seal to the baby goat because the seal never actually appeared in the Shuffled trip to the Yukon.
All that aside, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to next week! It's gonna be the end of the second quarter, meaning you can expect something big.
Until next time!
- Fangren
Appendix: TSWT Eliminated Contestants
Staci - (17th Place)
Beardo - (16th Place)
Lightning - (15th Place)
Dawn - (14th Place? | Quit Unofficially)
Bridgette - (13th Place)
Geoff - (12th Place)