Survivor: Konoha

by Gomamon

Sixteen castaways, all from different anime series, will embark on the adventure of a lifetime. For the next thirty nine days, they will have to survive the wilderness as well as each other. Who can outwit, outplay, outlast? Who will be the Sole Survivor?

14. Episode 13: Bittersweet Victory, Part 2

Survivor: Konoha
By: Gomamon

Last Time on Survivor:

Bulma quickly joined forces with the other women to take out Roy at the final four. However, her plan backfired when Kari suddenly forced a tie. Unwilling to face a tiebreaker, Mai changed her vote and Bulma was voted off as a result. On the next day, Roy broke his earlier promise by participating in the final immunity challenge. He then tried to negotiate a final two deal with Mai, leaving Kari in the dust. Before they agreed on the conditions, he fell off his pillar by accident and granted her the victory. As tensions sparked in tribal council, Mai declared that she never intended to honour her deal with Roy in the first place. He was promptly voted off and became the last member of the jury.

Two castaways remain. Who will be the Sole Survivor?

Episode Thirteen: Bittersweet Victory

Sarutobi Tribe : Kari (Digimon), Mai (Yu-gi-oh)

- - -

DAY 39

On the last day of Survivor: Konoha, the final two celebrated not with a feast, not with a song and dance, but with a quiet recollection of their experiences over the past thirty nine days. Mai took a stroll down the waterfall to gather her thoughts and prepare an opening speech for tonight. Meanwhile, Kari remained at camp and tended the fire. She was browsing through the photo album once again, smiling faintly at the familiar faces she recognized in the pictures. It wasn't a very exciting way to celebrate the end of their adventures, but neither woman was in a festive mood with the final tribal council looming ahead.

Mai Valentine did not know what to say in front of the jury. She struggled all morning to come up with a strong opening statement, but the best she could muster were a few incoherent sentences. While the blonde was normally an articulate speaker, the overwhelming pressure behind tonight's tribal council was getting the best of her. One wrong word could cost her a million dollars. This was especially worrying since diplomacy was not her strong suit. Mai had a bad habit of speaking whatever was on her mind, which won't translate well when pleading her case for a million dollars. She reminded herself over and over again not to lose her temper tonight, like she had done countless times in the past. She had to bite her tongue no matter how tempting it was to lash back.

"I won't be fake. I mean, I can't act like I'm sweet as pie. That's not who I am. The jury will see right through me." Mai explained to a nearby cameraperson. "But I have to be nice, or at least civil to everyone. Even the people who hate my guts. Even Faye. It's going to be tough, but I can't insult the people who might give me a million dollars, you know what I mean?"

This was more of a problem for Mai than it was for Kari. The young DigiDestined didn't have a single mean bone in her body, so she won't have to worry about offending anyone with her words. If the jury wanted to crown the most congenial winner, then she'd probably sweep all the votes with the notable exception of one. Contrary to what some players may believe, Mai didn't bring Kari to the final two because she was an easy opponent to beat. At the end of the day, most people would rather vote for a nice person to win. There was a likely possibility that Kari might receive the jury's sympathy.

While Kari was no pushover, she was still a better alternative over Roy Mustang. That guy was just trouble. In Mai's opinion, he would have been nearly impossible to beat in the final two. The smooth talker could have flirted his way to at least four jury votes, and the women weren't the only ones susceptible to his charm. Last night, Mai picked the lesser of two evils. She believed she had a better chance of winning against Kari as opposed to Roy.

Could she actually win the game? Even the normally confident Mai did not have a definite answer. She'd like to believe she had great odds even though she betrayed numerous people on the jury. In any case, she'll try her best at the final tribal council. She just won't start spending money like she already won the million dollars. Speaking of which, how she will use this money was a question that crossed her mind frequently. For someone who played the game so hardcore, Mai had no idea what she wanted to do with the grand prize. Then again, she never thought it was hers in the first place. She never thought she'd come this close to winning the game.

Now, she was only four jury votes away from a million dollars.

"No pressure, right?" She grinned at the cameras.

Mai: Winning the money will change my life for sure, but I just don't know how. Dude, I'm only twenty four! And I'm still a little aimless about what I want to do with my life. Too many guys think I'm a concept, or I complete them, or I'm going make them alive. They think I'm this…this self-assured woman who knows what she wants, but that's not the way I see myself. I'm just a lost girl looking for her peace of mind in this messed up world. If you give me a million dollars, I won't have a clue what to do with it.

The production crew wasn't convinced. Surely, she must have thought about what she wanted to do with the million dollars at least a few times. They prodded her for a more elaborate answer until she finally gave in.

Mai: Hmm, if I win the money, I guess I'll do a lot of travelling. I'd like to travel around the world some day. Living in Konoha really enlightened me, because now I want to go to all these places and experience the different cultures. Expand my horizons a little, so to speak. May be I'll go on a year-long vacation afterwards. Who knows? And if I get lucky, I could hook up with some hot guy and start a holiday fling! Ooh, that sounds kind of sexy!

She laughed, brushing a lock of blonde hair from her face. Like always, she never took her confessionals too seriously.

Mai: Ah, don't you worry. I won't say something this shallow in front of the jury. I know the answers they want to hear. Right now, I'm just trying to relax and put myself in a good mood. That's probably the best way to prepare for the final tribal council. Even though I'm actually shitting my pants right now, I have to act calm and composed. There's no time to fool around anymore. This is for a million bucks. I better bring out my A-game tonight!

- - -

A couple of hours later, after making little progress with her speech, Mai decided to give her brainstorming session a rest. No more rehearsing, no more panicking. She'd just have to wing it when the time came. Sometimes, the best and most sincere speeches came straight from the heart. So, the blonde headed back to camp where she engaged in some light chit-chat with Kari. The young DigiDestined was still scanning through the photo album.

"Hey, who's that guy? He looks familiar." Mai pointed at a picture that caught her interest. In the photo, a younger looking Kari stood in between two blonde males with a concert hall as the backdrop. One of those men wore a floppy fisher hat and a glowing white smile. He was quite a 'pretty looking thing' by Mai's standards.

"TK Takaishi. He's a very good friend of mine." Kari smiled warmly. "And that's his older brother Matt."

"He's pretty handsome. And TK isn't half bad either." Mai said, grinning. A few seconds later, her eyes drifted to another photo on the same page. Her grin grew wider when she recognized another blonde, but this guy had an even more familiar face. "Hahaha, there's Joey's stupid mug. When did I take a picture with that dummy?"

"Joey was so friendly! Make sure you say hi to him for me!" Kari exclaimed.

They still had several hours before the final tribal council. Before that happened, they must first complete the obligatory rite of passage, where they will reminisce and reflect about their fourteen fallen comrades. Since there was a long day ahead of them, Kari suggested they eat a fulfilling meal before departing camp. In fact, she even volunteered to cook their last supper in Konoha.

"And I promise I won't burn the rice this time." Kari smiled weakly.

"Hey, I'm no good at cooking either. I understand your pain." Mai laughed, putting an arm over the young girl's shoulders. "Don't worry. Just find a guy who's good in the kitchen and marry him. That's my plan for the future anyway."

"Or we can find a guy whose cooking is even worse, so ours will look good in comparison!" Kari giggled.

"That works too. You think deviously." Mai grinned.

"I do not!" Kari protested by sticking out her tongue.

"You devil girl." Mai teased her companion playfully. "Remember that nickname? Bulma used to call Asuka that behind her back."

"I think she said it to Asuka's face as well." Kari added.

Like two friends sharing an inside joke with each other, Mai and Kari burst into a fit of uncontrollable giggles. What they said wasn't that funny in retrospect, but it was a special moment between them that only they could understand. The two girls always referred to each other as figurative sisters ("My sister from another mister," joked Mai), and the comparison couldn't be more apt. This was why Kari almost felt a sad to leave Konoha tomorrow, because it meant she'll be separated from all the friends she made in the game.

"Hey Mai, we'll stay in touch after this, right?" Kari asked all of a sudden.

"Of course. Whoever wins this thing has to buy the other person dinner. It'll be one pricey meal." Mai chuckled.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

- - -

Kari was ready to say farewell to Konoha, a place she called home for the past thirty nine days. It wasn't always the most pleasant environment, especially when there was a storm every other day. Nonetheless, she was thankful and truly blessed that she had the opportunity to live on this beautiful land. She'll miss the forest, and the tiny critters it contained within. She'll miss the starry skies and the morning breeze. She'll even miss the insects…well, may be not so much the annoying bug bites, but she will still cherish these memories forever.

"May be ten years from now, I'll come back to Konoha." Kari would be in her twenties by then, which made her wonder if her perspective about the location might change at that age. "I'll visit again, this time as a tourist."

She gazed lovingly at her campsite. So many memories, so little time left. Her eyes drifted towards the shelter – or what remained of it after last week's storm. She then turned towards the campfire nearby. Kari made that fire today. Who would have thought a girl like her would be capable of constructing a shelter and starting campfires? On the first day of Survivor, she doubted she'd even get a spark with a full box of matches. Kari admitted she was rather ignorant about the survival aspects at first. Fortunately, she was taken under the wings of Guy and Holland, both of whom taught her valuable skills to survive in the wilderness. It took her a while to become comfortable in her surroundings, but she slowly learned and improved over time.

For Kari Kamiya, Survivor was more than just an epic adventure. This was her introduction to the adult world, whether it came with the good, the bad, or the downright ugly. She learned so many valuable life lessons every single day. No amount of money could replace this experience of a lifetime.

"Have you noticed a massive change in yourself since Holland was voted off?" Mai asked the petite DigiDestined.

"Yeah, I feel like he had a very…suffocating presence sometimes." Kari tried to remain as diplomatic as possible, even though the Gekko State leader was nowhere in sight. She just didn't feel comfortable talking behind people's backs. "It's a positive change. I couldn't be myself until he was gone."

It was on the final day of Survivor that Kari recognized the tremendous personal growth she experienced throughout the game. No longer was she the fragile girl who couldn't contribute anything to her tribe. No longer was she the weak link who was afraid of hindering her team. No longer was she the pushover who let the other players boss her around. This was a different Kari from the one who initially entered the game. She was stronger, smarter, and definitely happier. This was a new and improved Kari, toughened by the harsh conditions she endured.

She came into this game as a naïve little girl, but she will exit it as a mature young woman wiser about life.

"Whatever that means." Kari added with a tiny giggle.

Kari: I like the person I've become. It's strange because I feel weaker everyday, but I'm also a stronger person at the same time. This Survivor experience taught me a lot about life, not just in the survival department, but also how to become an emotionally and mentally stronger person. For one thing, I grew a thicker skin. I used to care a lot about what people think of me. Now, I'm comfortable in my own skin. I know who I am. And that's the most important lesson I can take away from Survivor.

She flashed a confident smile at the camera.

Kari: After playing this game, I have so much pride in myself, because I realized everything I achieved so far is due to my own capabilities. I never thought I could start a fire, or build a shelter, or actually survive by myself. But I've really grown as a person. Now, I've a mind of my own. I can make independent decisions, I can watch out for myself. So, you know, I think I exceeded people's expectations of me. If the jury doesn't see that tonight, I'll make them see it. I'll make them respect me.

Their bags were packed. The two finalists checked to make sure they didn't leave any important belongings behind. Once they set foot away from this campsite, they were never going to come back again. Kari smiled sadly as she scanned her eyes across the barren campsite. She'd like to think she wasn't leaving Konoha as much as she was bringing this amazing experience back to home.

"Are you ready to go?" Mai asked.

"Yeah." Kari nodded once.

"Alrighty then! It's goodbye, Konoha!" Mai gave a dismissive wave to the campsite. The blonde was not a very sentimental person. "Hey, I brought some mangos with me, just in case we get hungry during the walk."

Kari smiled. She was thankful to have such a thoughtful and considerate friend, and even more grateful that they were sitting next to each other in the final two. There were some people in the rite of passage who were her friends as well. Kari couldn't wait to see them again, or at least a symbolic representation of them. She can already tell that the walk will be a highly sentimental one. It was the last time for her to look back and thank all the people who made an impact on her journey. Whether good or bad, they each shaped the game as it was now. Without these fallen comrades, Survivor: Konoha wouldn't have been the same experience.

With that in mind, Kari slowly marched forward.

It was time to pay her respects.

- - -

Not long after they stepped into the forest, the two women encountered the first torch in the rite of passage. Perhaps this was a symbolic touch to show how little time Mina Aino spent in the game. The youthful teenager approached Survivor cheerfully, optimistically, and perhaps too naively. For a girl who was so full of enthusiasm, she had hoped to dazzle her tribe members with her vivacious personality. Instead, she ended up feeding her tribe poisonous berries on the first day. The rest of her game went downhill from there.

"Mina seemed like a really fun girl, but she dug her own grave. She made a big mistake that she shouldn't have." Mai observed.

"They look for any reasons to get rid of someone in the first few days," added Kari.

"Contrary to what most people think, the Minaberries weren't her downfall. At least we didn't vote her out because of that." Mai said with a stiff smile. In some ways, Mina reminded her of a much younger version of herself. Once upon a time, Mai had been a perky and wide-eyed teenager as well. "When she lied about having the hidden immunity idol, that's the moment she lost our trust forever. How can we keep somebody who was so deceitful right off the bet?"

Kari nodded her head in agreement. She didn't know Mina as a person, but she still felt a strange emotional connection with the blonde. Perhaps it was because they shared similar predicaments in their tribes. Kari couldn't help but feel this would have been her torch had Jiraiya lost the first immunity challenge. Thus, Mina may have unknowingly taken the fall for her instead. In any case, it couldn't have been fun to leave the game this early and miss out on an adventure of a lifetime. Nobody wanted to be the first person voted off.

Mina: I really wanted to play the game to the max, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. I just wished that I lasted a little longer, so I could enjoy the full Survivor experience. I bet I would've been a pretty crafty player in the long run…or may be not, considering where I am now.

- - -

Somewhere nearby, they found Keitaro's torch placed underneath a large almond tree. Neither of the women knew the significance behind the location, but it was at this place where Keitaro found the so-called hidden immunity idol. Or at least that was where the false rumours started. His tribe became so paranoid; they took a risk and tried to flush out an imaginary idol that he never possessed. They later found out it was a complete misunderstanding. Of course Keitaro didn't have the hidden immunity idol. He just had lots and lots of bad luck.

"I feel really bad that we voted Keitaro off." Kari smiled sadly. She never thought he had the idol, but she couldn't convince her tribe otherwise. This was back when Holland ran the Jiraiya tribe with an iron fist. "He was a really sweet and gentle guy. He should have lasted a lot longer."

"He wasn't that great in the challenges though." Mai noted. All she could remember about the four-eyes was how he almost lost the first immunity challenge for his tribe.

"Oh, that reminds me! Asuka used to call him 'puzzle boy' after the first challenge." Kari giggled a little. It had been so long ago that she was amazed she still remembered this mundane detail. "And then she called him 'miracle boy' after he made us a fire out of nowhere." She giggled again. "They were really good friends though. Asuka just wasn't the same since he was gone."

"He was friends with the devil girl?" Mai raised her eyebrows, looking astounded. She didn't think Asuka was capable of maintaining a positive relationship with anybody. "Man, that guy must have the patience of a saint!"

Kari giggled for a third time. She cannot wait to hear what Mai has to say when they reached Asuka's torch.

Keitaro: Luck wasn't on my side. I made my tribe a fire and they still voted me off! A guy like me just can't win sometimes, you know? But I didn't have a lot of game, so I probably wouldn't have lasted long anyway. When your main ally is Asuka of all people, that's when you know your days are numbered.

- - -

A bittersweet smile crossed Mai's face when they arrived at the next destination. The third torch belonged to none other than Kurz Weber, her Survivor boyfriend of nine days. She didn't think about him a lot after he was voted off, but she did miss him on some occasions. He was a lively spirit who always lightened the atmosphere around camp. Yes, he could be a bit lecherous at times, but he was harmless as long as nobody took him too seriously. It was under this mindset that almost got Mai voted off. She thought she could manipulate Kurz, but he almost pulled a wool over her eyes had a little birdie not warn her ahead of time. Thanks, Roy Mustang. She still owed him one.

"Kurz was good at cuddling. I'll give him that." Mai chuckled. Despite his tragic demise, she still enjoyed some of their intimate moments together. "And he could be a pretty romantic guy if he wasn't so…so silly all the time."

"He seemed like he was really outgoing. I remembered that he talked a lot." Kari vaguely recalled the chatty blonde pilot during the first few challenges.

"He talked too much for his own good." Mai added, shaking her head.

That led to his downfall in the end. Kurz said too much to the wrong people. He claimed he'd vote with the women when he did the exact opposite. Then, he told Roy some important information that could be used against him. The handsome pilot thought he was smooth enough to fool everyone with his flowery words. He was, however, bested by a rival he did not anticipate until it was too late.

Kurz: I've a larger than life personality, so it's hard for me to keep quiet and stay under the radar. I always feel like I've to be in the centre of attention or I'll miss out on something important. That's what kicked me in the butt. I drew too much unnecessary attention onto myself.

- - -

Neither Mai nor Kari was present at the tribal council Orihime got sent home, although they heard from gossip that it was a jaw-dropping event. Mai knew she was shocked as hell when her friend didn't show up at the challenge on the next day. By all means, Faye Valentine should have been voted off at that tribal council. If only she didn't play the hidden immunity idol. And if only Orihime didn't so generously give away the other idol to her allies. Some people always claimed she was too selfless and kind to do well in the game. After all, Survivor showed no mercy to martyrs like her.

"Everyone I talked to spoke highly of Orihime. I wonder why she got voted off." Kari pondered out loud. This was yet another tribe member she did not meet.

"You can blame one person for that." Mai muttered resentfully. She, of all people, should have felt sympathetic towards Faye's predicament. Yet, she still felt spiteful that the bounty huntress sent one of her best allies home. Why did it have to be Orihime? Why couldn't she have used the hidden immunity idol on one of the guys? Preferably Roy?

"I know you were really close with her," said Kari.

Mai sighed to herself. How could anyone not like Orihime? The bubbly redhead befriended so many people during her short stay, including the occasionally moody Meryl and the perpetually grumpy Shannon. She won over the rest of the tribe at the second immunity challenge, after she selflessly swallowed another poisonous Minaberry. It was a shame that Orihime left the game so soon. Mai didn't even have a chance to say goodbye.

Orihime: Expect the unexpected! That's the number one lesson I learned from Survivor. Even though my stay was short, I made a lot of new friends and still had loads of fun. I'll definitely cherish the experience for the rest of my life.

- - -

Kari wore a cautious expression as she approached Asuka's torch, which stood triumphantly on a small hill. These next two torches were going to ignite some uncomfortable emotions within her. Asuka had viewed Kari as a friend, possibly her only friend after Keitaro got voted off. Yet, the DigiDestined voted her off anyway, even though she had the power to alter the outcome. Worst of all, she put an enormous target on Guy's back and sent her other friend home as well. That week of Survivor might have been Kari's lowest moment in the game. She thought she'd never recover from such a critical mistake.

"Asuka was a big pain in the ass." Mai said bluntly. The blonde shared none of the sentiments that Kari felt at the moment. "That brat accused me of stealing the beers and made a big fuss over nothing." She smirked a little. Ironically enough, that wouldn't be the first time she got accused of committing a crime she didn't do. "She was rude and obnoxious to everyone. Voting her off was the most satisfying tribal council ever!"

"She wasn't that bad…" Kari mumbled in defence of her friend.

"No, she was horrible. Good riddance to bad rubbish!" Mai scoffed.

Looking back, Asuka never stood a chance in Survivor: Konoha. She made herself an immediate target on the first day with her abrasive personality and negative attitude. How she survived fifteen days was beyond anybody's guess. Even though she made amends with her archenemy Bulma, she was still the obvious outsider in Jiraiya. As soon as a window of opportunity opened, they voted her off with no hesitation.

Asuka: I came, I played, but I did not conquer. This game was stacked against me from the start. Not only was I stuck on a tribe with people I loathe from the bottom of my heart, very few of them gave me a chance to redeem myself. Every day I spent in Jiraiya was miserable, because I was just waiting for my time to come up.

- - -

Kari's heart sank when she saw the next torch. Might Guy was her first friend in the Jiraiya tribe. He taught her so many important survival skills, not to mention he entertained her endlessly with his extravagant words and over-the-top mannerisms. Yet, Kari was the one most responsible behind his ouster. Guy crafted the perfect plan to overthrow Holland's leadership and cease control over the tribe. He had Asuka's vote. He even had Bulma's vote. It was Kari, his dear friend Kari, who let him down in the end. Afterwards, he was just counting the days to his eventual doom. At the next tribal council, he was voted off in a unanimous vote. Kari didn't even offer him a pity vote.

"Guy was quite the character. He always made me laugh when I felt depressed." Kari was getting a bit teary-eyed as she spoke. She had to pause for a moment to regain her composure. "He was strong, hardworking, and an all-around good tribe member. I feel really guilty that he didn't make the merge."

"It's not your fault." Mai put an arm over Kari's shoulders, comforting the young girl. "Looking back, you made the right decision. He would have dominated the individual competitions."

"I hated the way he got voted off with a whimper instead of a bang." Kari muttered.

Kari was too emotional to realize it now, but Mai actually made a legitimate point regarding Guy. It would have been extremely foolish to go into a merge with such an enormous physical threat. There had been so many individual challenges tailored to his strengths. Just look at the last immunity challenge – it was practically designed for him to dominate! Mai didn't have the heart to tell Kari this, but the Konoha ninja's demise was an actual blessing in disguise. Kari might not be in the final two right now if Guy was still in the game.

Guy: A tribe without me is like a day without sunshine. I tried playing the game to the fullest extent, but my plan backfired on me majestically. It was a sad, sad day in Konoha as the flame on my torch got extinguished. May the springtime of youth avenge my death!

- - -

Their spirits lifted a bit when they arrived at the next destination. Both women felt oddly comfortable in the presence of Zolo's torch. It rested on the base of the mountain, which the final two had to climb in order to reach the final tribal council. Kari had nothing but praise to say about the man she knew for a few days. Even Mai admitted that her opinion of Zolo improved over time. He might be a bit rough around the edges at first, but he made a conscious attempt to adjust his personality so that he'll get along with others. Had the other swordsman not won the first individual immunity, Zolo might have lucked out and survive three more days, perhaps even more.

"Zolo was just cool." Kari said with a smile. She thought this one word described the pirate perfectly. He was a cool dude – damn cool. "He looked kind of scary, but I bet he could kick some serious butt in the challenges."

"Hmph. He was alright, I suppose." Mai tried to act nonchalant.

"He was a bit of a bad boy." Kari added.

Mai pursed her lips and said nothing more. She didn't want to admit that she found the torso baring, machete yielding, and testosterone packing bad boy to be somewhat attractive. And even if she found his persona appealing, she couldn't tolerate living with him for more than three days. He just wasn't a very sensitive guy no matter how much he tried to change. He acted too macho. He had too much testosterone. He was just too much of a guy.

Zolo: At the start, I thought Survivor was a physical competition and the strongest guy will win this damn thing. But that's not the case at all. This is a social game. I was screwed at the merge because I didn't have time to bond with my new tribe. I'm pissed that I didn't make it any further – and just when I'm getting hang of this dumbass game. Damn!

- - -

The walk from the seventh torch to the eighth marked the halfway point of the walk. It was during this phase the light-hearted atmosphere began to change. Sure, it seemed like fun and games when reminiscing over the first seven fallen comrades, most of whom they barely knew in the game. But the second half of the walk felt drastically different. These next seven torches once belonged to a member of the jury. A jury that will determine whom between Mai and Kari will win the million dollars. All of a sudden, this rite of passage lost its sentimental value for the final two. They now felt an overwhelming anxiety and perhaps a bit of helpless resignation. Kari found it disconcerting that she had to face these fallen comrades tonight, some of whom she voted off at one point or another. And if Kari was concerned, then Mai should feel downright petrified, because she was responsible for taking out almost every member of the jury.

"Let's hope they forgive and forget." Kari muttered nervously.

"Let's hope they forget about everything, period." Mai quipped.

A while later, the final two arrived at their next torch. Mery's torch. Mai smiled fondly in memory of her old friend. The insurance agent may have come in a small package, but she was a feisty firecracker much like the blonde herself. Perhaps this was the reason they clashed so much after the merge. If only they could have let go of their stubborn personalities and find a way to work together. Mai always felt bad for the way Meryl left the game so abruptly and so helplessly. Just when she was given a tiny glimmer of hope, it was stripped away from her at the last second. Poor Meryl Stryfe, the first blindsided member of the jury. She must have felt so humiliated on her last tribal council night.

"Even though she was dealt a bad hand for most of the game, Meryl was persistent and never gave up." Mai said, nodding her head approvingly as she spoke. That was another reason why she liked Meryl. The woman was a true fighter. "She wore her emotions on her sleeves, but that's what I appreciate most about her. More importantly, Meryl was a good friend. Even though I haven't always been the best friend to her."

"Well said." Kari nodded as well.

"Oh, and long live the Vixens!" Mai added, raising her arm triumphantly in the air. It was the first alliance that she joined and she was the last remaining member. May be, if the blonde was lucky, she could pull through a glorious victory for her alliance tonight.

Meryl: I was on the losing side from the beginning of the game. I lost challenges, I lost allies, and I even lost hope on some occasions. My Survivor experience was definitely rocky, but I became a stronger person because of it. A true survivor can persevere even at the face of adversity.

- - -

The next torch belonged to Holland. For some reason, Kari felt shivers down her spine as she approached it, which she thought was a silly reaction since it was just a stupid stick. It couldn't talk, it couldn't move, it couldn't yell at her. The young girl was more frightened about the man in possession of said torch. Everyone knew Holland Novak had a notorious bad temper. There were times when he lost his patience and snapped at people that he shouldn't have. Kari was one of them. Had he treated her more as an equal, she might have stuck by him at that tribal council. After all, she was an essentially loyal person. It was just that Holland abused her trust too many times before. After he voted off Asuka, after he voted off Guy, and after he questioned her allegiance to Jiraiya, Kari had no other choice. She needed to betray Holland in order to progress further in Survivor.

"Holland was a good leader." Kari said quietly.

"Not good enough, I'm afraid." Mai folded her arms across her chest. She was another person who betrayed Holland, but only because he betrayed her first. To this day, she still had not quite forgiven him for what he did. "I hate to say this, but Holland brought everything onto himself. If he didn't act like such an authority figure, he wouldn't have a big target on his back. And if he treated people with a little more respect, then may be they'd actually stay loyal to him."

"That's a bit harsh." Kari shot an uncomfortable glance at the blonde.

"It's the truth." Mai shrugged her shoulders.

Long after he was voted off, Holland still couldn't earn the respect of the woman whom he'd most likely vote to win the game. Worst of all, he didn't even know how she really felt about him. May be he just wasn't a good judge of character. May be that attributed to his downfall in the end.

Holland: There are some people you know you can't trust, but the most dangerous people are the ones you think you can trust. I definitely put my trust in the wrong places. Tonight, I want some honest answers from the final two. I want to know how they blindsided me, and why they did it.

- - -

Harley's torch lied horizontally on the ground, which was a little different from all the other torches so far. Then again, the flamboyant Pokemon Coordinator had always been a little different from the average person. He loved to stand out. He loved being unique. But not this unique, Mai reasoned as she picked up his torch from the ground. Either the wind or a small animal must have knocked it off from its original position. The blonde respected her friend too much to let his torch lie around like a piece of log. So, she erected it in an upright position.

"There we go. Now it looks better." Mai smiled.

If Harley was here, he probably wouldn't have picked up his own torch. As a notorious slacker, the Pokemon Coordinator didn't lift a finger at camp except to wipe the sweat off his forehead. He changed his old ways somewhat when it was time for the merge, mostly due to the good influence of the dashing and mysterious Shannon Casull. The merge also brought out another side to Harley. He was actually quite good at plotting and scheming in Survivor when he wasn't too busy talking behind people's backs. Sociable and crafty, he could have been a real force to be reckoned with if Roy Mustang didn't have his number.

"Harley was good friends with a lot of people, but not with me for some reason. We never really clicked." Kari said, frowning a little.

"He was very colourful, and very easygoing once you get to know him," said Mai. She felt that wasn't enough to describe the Pokemon Coordinator, so she added a few more sentences. "He welcomed me with open arms when I first arrived at Jiraiya, so I feel indebted to him. Shame that he was friends with Faye. I won't say Harley was the nicest guy, but I don't think he's half bad!"

"He was a big character." Kari agreed.

Harley: Oh, I won't lie. I'm definitely bitter that I got voted off. I'm going to give those two girls a piece of my mind at tonight's tribal council. If Mai thinks she can act buddy-buddy with me, she can think again. And if Kari thinks I'll give her coattail riding ass a million dollars, she better get a reality check!

- - -

Neither Mai nor Kari had a lot to say about Faye. It wasn't because they were being mean-spirited. They just didn't know the bounty huntress very well, other than the fact that she had a cold and distant exterior. Faye never took the time to befriend Kari, and she held a long-lasting grudge against Mai that never got resolved. She just wasn't a very popular person with the final two. Actually, Mai had a few choice words to say about Faye once she remembered the ways Orihime and Meryl got blindsided. However, Kari wanted to keep the atmosphere pleasant, so she urged the blonde to take the high road. If they didn't have anything nice to say, then it was best to say nothing at all.

So, they literally said nothing about Faye Valentine.

Nada.

Zilch.

Zero words.

They didn't even waste their breath on her.

And after a brief moment of silence, they moved on to the next torch.

Faye: A lot of people don't understand me. They don't get my sense of humour and they don't see life the way I do. I had a difficult time bonding with people in Survivor. There were many times I felt alienated and almost like an alien in my tribe. I couldn't relate to these people. I was always alone in this game.

- - -

There was a lot more to say about Shannon Casull, who ironically was a man of few words. He had his faults, but both Mai and Kari appreciated his stellar work ethics. Camp life wouldn't be half as pleasant without Shannon cooking the meals, doing the laundry, collecting the firewood, among a long list of other activities that he contributed to the tribe. Not only was he a hard worker, but the swordsman was also a genuinely nice guy who tried to play an honourable game. He didn't go out of his way to deceive or betray anyone. Too bad that didn't work out for him in the long run. Thanks to Mai Valentine anyway.

"Shannon played a very passive game. He never talked about strategy unless somebody else initiated it." Mai didn't sound too impressed.

"I admire his integrity," said Kari.

"I don't." Mai deadpanned.

There was an awkward silence. It seemed like Shannon Casull was the one subject Kari and Mai could never agree on. They had differing opinions about the way he played the game. One of them thought he was a saint, and the other thought he was a stubborn mule. Kari liked how Shannon exited the game with his head held high and his dignity still intact, whereas Mai viewed him as just another loser who left with an empty wallet.

"For a guy who didn't talk much, he sure made a lot of friends, huh?" Mai laughed, trying to break the ice with a little joke. She had to compromise because she didn't want to argue with Kari again. Not on their final day together.

"I know!" Kari promptly joined in the laughter. "I thought he was a bit hard to approach at first, but he's really sensitive once he lets his guard down around you."

"He was a decent guy." Mai admitted.

Shannon: I was myself from day one. I never compromised my beliefs in order to progress further in this game. For me, it was difficult to live with the people who had no moral compass. It's one thing to win the game, but it's another to win with class and dignity. I much preferred to leave the game with a clean conscience than a million dollars.

- - -

The self-proclaimed dark horse of Survivor: Konoha was still playing the game two days ago. Now, only her torch remained. Nobody viewed Bulma Briefs seriously as an opponent at first. She was just the annoying old lady who argued with Asuka and occasionally sat out of challenges. But as she slipped under the radar, Bulma slowly and surely wormed her way to the top. She proved her worth in challenges by winning three consecutive immunities. She also climbed the tribe hierarchy from the obvious outsider to possibly the most powerful player in her tribe. Near the end, she fell short of her ultimate goal by a few tribal councils. That was not to say she failed as a player. In fact, both Mai and Kari acknowledged her game play and gave her the much deserved respect.

"I don't know about you, but I hope I can kick ass in Survivor like Bulma when I'm at her age," said Mai.

"She's a really smart and resourceful woman." Kari agreed with a nod.

"My problem with Bulma is…well, everything she does and says feels a bit calculated. Even her jokes sound rehearsed sometimes." Mai made an uncertain gesture with her hand. "I dunno, may be it's just me. I'm the type of person who says whatever's on my mind, so my relationship with Bulma was kind of strained. I don't think she likes me that much." She paused for a long moment. "But I'm sure I'm in the minority here. She was pretty friendly with other people."

"Except Asuka." Kari smiled.

"Devil girl!" Mai exclaimed without missing a beat.

The two of them exchanged giddy glances with each other before bursting into giggles once again.

Bulma: I look forward to tribal council tonight, because I haven't made up my mind yet. Neither of the final two impressed me with their strategies so far. Kari is too wishy-washy. And Mai is just an annoying bitch. So yeah, I'm kind of neutral right now. I'll give my vote to the person who dazzles me the most with their performance.

- - -

And finally, there was Roy Mustang. His torch was located at the entrance of tribal council. It was a strange place to end the rite of passage, but it also seemed appropriate considering Roy was literally and figuratively one step away from the final tribal council. So close, but no cigar. Early in the game, Mai had thought the colonel was a dead lock for the final two. He was intelligent, charismatic, and dominant enough to succeed in Survivor. Then, he got a little too involved with Faye for his own good. And may be he jumped the boat too early when the merge came. He also tried to play both sides, but failed at that miserably. Most of all, what really doomed Roy was a deadly opponent called Mai Valentine.

"I like Roy, even though I know I couldn't trust him," said Kari.

"He played the game too hard sometimes. He played the people, he played the alliances, and he ended up playing himself." Mai chuckled at the irony. She wasn't mocking him as much as she was pointing out where his game went wrong. Despite their rocky relationship during these past few days, she still held some respect for him as a competitor and a tribe member. "Nobody wanted to win the game more than Roy, except the two of us."

"I think we have to thank Roy that we're here right now, because without him…" Kari didn't finish her sentence, but her intent was obvious.

"Hey, I never said I was ungrateful to the guy." Mai smiled a little. Now she remembered how close to elimination she was at that tribal council, had Roy not warn her ahead of time what her alliance wanted to do. It was the second time he saved her in the game. Thanks again, Roy Mustang. She really owed him a beer after Survivor was over.

"But you're right, Mai. Nobody showed more passion for this game than him." Kari nodded her head.

Roy: Life is strange sometimes. Out of the sixteen players, I didn't think Mai or Kari would be in the final two. If we were taking bets, they'd have the longest odds. So, they really surprised me over these past few weeks. Both played a great game, but only one can be the Sole Survivor. Now, it's just a question of who was the better player?

- - -

Only two torches remained at the end of the passage.

Kari took one. Mai grabbed the other.

It was time.

Kari's heart was pounding as she stood at the entrance of tribal council. The host was waiting. The jury was waiting. The whole world was waiting for her. As soon as she stepped forward, this game will turn a lot more intense. These people on the jury will show her no mercy. They won't give away a million dollars to a girl who couldn't handle the pressure. They were going to press her for honest answers. They were going to grill her with brutal questions. Some of them might even attack her with harmful insults. Kari will have to take it all in stride and still present a worthy performance to the jury. It won't be easy. And she wasn't sure if she was ready.

"I'm kind of scared." Kari whispered to her final two partner.

"Don't worry. Relax. Yep, that's right. Just relax." Mai smiled faintly at her. She grabbed the young girl's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. Even though they will be opponents in tribal council, the blonde still felt protective over her friend. "Just remember that we've made it this far already. No matter what they say, we're stronger than all their words combined. So, don't let those bastards bring you down."

Kari didn't know how nervous she felt until the crucial moment finally arrived. Fortunately, the warmth of her friend's hand helped drain the anxiety away. She took a deep breath to calm herself. Okay, it wasn't that big of a deal. This wasn't a life or death issue. It was just a million dollars. No matter what happened tonight, they will both emerge as winners regardless.

"We can endure anything they throw at us. We're in this together." Mai grinned.

"Friends to the end." Kari nodded her head.

"Best friends."

"Good luck, Mai."

"You too."

The two women smiled at each other for one last time.

And they marched forward to the final tribal council.

- - -

There were no blaring trumpets, dramatic cues, or drastic shifts in the atmosphere as the final two quietly entered tribal council. Iruka nodded at them with acknowledgement, but said nothing at first. His silence almost felt daunting. Without being told what to do, Mai and Kari lit their torches in the fire pit and walked over to their assigned seats. The jury had not arrived yet, but soon the benches will be filled with seven potentially bitter people. Some of them will be nicer than others. A few will take the game more personally. And one or two of them will channel the great spirit of Sue Hawk and deliver a vicious speech from hell.

For now, however, the final two enjoyed the peace and quiet while they still can.

Because tonight's festivities were about to begin.

"Welcome to your final tribal council." Iruka said in a solemn voice. Even the normally friendly host sounded a bit sterner on this special occasion. "I'll now bring in the members of our jury."

A freshly shaven Holland Novak led the pack. He looked years younger without his stubble and beard, but he still carried a very authoritative and intimidating vibe. He was followed by Harley and Faye, who each gave the final two a cocksure smirk before joining Holland on the benches. Next came Shannon, who walked in quick strides and without making any eye contact. Meryl then sat down beside the swordsman, like she had done so in the past two tribal councils. She sported a white similar dress and still rocked that characteristic pixie cut. Bulma entered afterwards in a similar black dress. Finally, rounding out the jury was Roy Mustang, who made the most noteworthy fashion statement by far.

He had shaved his head into a fierce Mohawk.

Kari and Mai immediately giggled from their seats.

"Tonight, only two of you are left. Let me first congratulate you for making it this far." Iruka flashed a gentle smile at the finalists. "However, you're about to face your most difficult challenge ever. In a few moments, the power will shift to the seven members of the jury. They've observed and judged your every move in this game. They as a group will determine which of you wins the million dollars and the coveted title of Sole Survivor."

Iruka gestured his hand towards Mai and Kari.

"We shall begin with opening statements from the final two. This is your chance to convince the jury why you deserve to win. Kari, you'll speak first."

Kari cleared her throat. Her heart was pounding at what felt like a million beats per second. For a moment, she felt so nervous that she almost couldn't speak. So, she took a deep breath to regain her composure. The more time she stalled, the less impressed the jury appeared. Holland was already shaking his head with impatience. Harley was checking his nails for comedic effect. This wasn't good. Kari didn't feel ready. But she had to speak now.

"Um, hi." Kari smiled apprehensively at the seven jurors. Very few of them smiled back at her. "As we all know, I'm the youngest and smallest player in the game. On the first day, nobody predicted that I'll be in the final two. During these past thirty nine days, I constantly battled with expectations that I'm not strong enough, I'm not smart enough, or I'm not mature enough to play this game on my own. At first, you guys might be right. I wasn't the most capable person around camp. But I still worked hard, and I always tried to improve myself. As a result, I became a more confident person on Day 39. I'm more confident in my survival skills, I'm more confident in my strategic capabilities, and I'm more confident than ever that I deserve to be the Sole Survivor."

A few jurors raised their eyebrows at that bold statement. Oh, she was confident alright. They didn't expect she would say something so…uncharacteristic of her usual modest self.

"I'd like to clarify two issues that have been bothering me for a while." Kari's smile slowly faded away. It was replaced by a far more serious expression. "First of all, do you guys remember the tribal council when Asuka got voted off? That's the one where everybody thought I voted against Harley. On the contrary, I stayed loyal to my tribe, like I always said I would. Bulma, you're out of the game now, so I hope you tell everyone the truth. You cast that vote against Harley, not me. I got blamed for something I didn't do."

Kari glared at the older woman sitting across from her. The inventor just grinned and shrugged her shoulders.

"I tried to explain this to you guys, but nobody believed me. Why? Because you thought I was too young. You thought I was too stupid. You all thought I didn't know how to play the game!" Kari was actually getting angry at the moment. Thinking about this vote always infuriated her, because she ended up as the scapegoat in a big misunderstanding. "Ever since then, I knew I was on the bottom of the totem pole. Nobody in my alliance respected me. Nobody told me anything. So, I began to look for other options."

A spark of deviousness flickered across her eyes.

"This leads me to my second disclosure for the night. On Day 24, in the tribal council where Meryl got voted off, I did something nobody expected me to do. I didn't vote with the majority that night. I wrote down Roy's name instead. Yep, I was the mysterious third vote. I was the one that put doubt into the majority alliance and caused you guys to turn against each other. I was the hidden catalyst. I was the mastermind behind everything."

A few people on the jury looked stunned with her sudden revelation. Barring an unfazed Shannon, none of them had been aware that Kari cast the mysterious third vote against Roy. Even Mai seemed shocked at the news, although she didn't allow it to show in her expression. Kari voted against the majority? Really? She was gutsy enough to do it? Suddenly, the jury saw her in a new light. Suddenly, they looked at the young DigiDestined with some newfound respect.

Harley, however, just rolled his eyes. He almost wanted to laugh when she referred to herself as a 'mastermind'. Of course, he knew she was the dirty traitor from the start, but she was no mastermind behind anything. She was just a rat who turned against her alliance when it was convenient to do so.

"What happened afterwards? I made a new alliance, I had a more secure position in the tribe, and I'm now sitting here in the final two. This is not a series of lucky coincidences. I planned ahead and made this happen with my one vote. The motto I follow in life is good things happen to people who work hard to make good things happen. And that's exactly what I did in Survivor. I made a lot of things happen behind the scenes. You just weren't aware of my efforts until now."

She scanned the jury for their reactions, but she couldn't interpret their vague expressions. At least they didn't look bored now. She hoped she wasn't rambling too much.

"I played a quiet game on purpose. My name never came up before tribal council, because nobody thought I was a serious threat. Nobody suspected my game until I pointed it out. You thought I didn't have any game, so I turned this weakness into my advantage. You underestimated me, but I exceeded beyond your expectations. For these reasons, I deserve to be the Sole Survivor. I hope you consider me for your vote tonight." Her conclusion felt a little awkward, so she added another sentence to wrap things up neatly. "Thanks for listening to me, everyone."

Kari didn't know how the jury would respond to her opening speech, but she was pleasantly surprised to see some of them smiling by the time she was finished. Meryl, who looked very giddy all of a sudden, whispered something into Shannon's ear. Several other jurors were chatting among themselves as well. The young DigiDestined had delivered a thought provoking speech beyond what they expected from her. She was right in many ways – they really did underestimate her tonight. They thought she wouldn't be able to stammer out a coherent sentence under the pressure. Instead, she wowed them with revelations they never expected. Needless to say, the jury was very impressed.

Mai also felt impressed, and may be a little awestruck too. The final two was supposed to give an opening statement, but Kari seemingly recited what could be a soliloquy in a Shakespearean play. That was an insightful and well-planned speech, whereas Mai only thought of a few short sentences for this occasion. Just because she didn't practise enough did not mean Kari was on the same boat. The young DigiDestined clearly prepared a winning argument ahead of time. Perhaps she even rehearsed it everyday. Mai never realized how unready she was until she saw her final two partner in game mode. Her friend almost appeared to be a completely different person.

She cast a vote against Asuka? She cast a vote against Roy?

Where did this Kari come from?

- - -

"Mai, you're next." Iruka instructed.

The blonde gulped.

Time for an emergency turnaround. Time for Plan B. Time to improvise.

"I, Mai Valentine, deserve to be the Sole Survivor because I played the best game, hands down. And best of all, you all knew about it. I didn't sneak up on you like Kari did!" Mai chuckled a little, while a few people on the jury were smiling as well. "Now, I see some of you reacting to what I said like it was a joke, but it's true. I was always a prominent player in the game. I never flew below the radar. No offence to Kari, but she didn't play with a winning strategy. She hid behind other people and rode on their coattails. I, on the other hand, took many risks, made myself a target sometimes, and directly influenced what happened in tribal councils. In fact, most of you are sitting in that jury because of me!"

Several people groaned. They didn't like to be reminded why they were on the other side.

"If good things happen to people who work hard, then I believed I worked harder than Kari to make things happen. I wasn't afraid of making big moves, getting my hands dirty, or even putting a target on my back. I was a very dominant player. My first kickass moment happened on Day 9, when Kurz Weber ratted me out to his sausage fest alliance. As soon as I found out about it, I used the hidden immunity idol and sent his ass home."

She paused for a brief moment to collect her thoughts. There was no rehearsed speech in her head. Mai was just making up these arguments on the spot.

"Two days later, I got screwed over by the twist. I was switched to the other tribe like a lamb to the slaughter. Yet, I didn't receive a single vote in the next two tribal councils. So, even when I wasn't in a position of power, I still managed to survive." Mai raised her head, proudly and triumphantly. "Even when Holland and Roy tried to vote me out later on, I still survived each time. I was on the verge of danger numerous times, but I always survived due to my wits, perseverance, and resourcefulness. I was always surviving in this game. My journey defined the very essence of survival."

Mai's grin grew a little tenser.

"Things got uglier after the merge, because that's when I had to vote out my friends and allies. I know I backstabbed a lot of you, but I did it out of necessity ninety nine percent of the time. You can't blame a girl for playing the game the way it was intended to be played." Mai paused. She thought her words might be more effective if she addressed each juror individually. "Meryl, I tried to save you. I really did. Plans changed at the last second and I didn't have the numbers. Harley, same reason. If I had the votes to save you, I would've done it. Sometimes, the game was out of my control. I didn't go out of my way to backstab people, I swear."

Harley nodded once in acknowledgement, whereas Meryl turned her head away. She refused to meet eyes with the blonde.

"Holland, you were going to betray me first. I found out about it. You got caught. It was the worst kept secret around camp. So, I can't feel too guilty about what happened to you. Consider it as a payback of sorts." Mai grinned defiantly. She just couldn't sugar-coat her answers even if she tried. It wasn't in her nature to give pageant-like answers. But Holland didn't mind the blunt feedback anyway. He even seemed a bit amused by her words. "Roy, I explained myself yesterday. You were a huge threat to win the game. There was no way I could let you in the final two. Shannon, exactly the same reason. You may not realize it yourself, but you were a popular guy! Both of you should take it as a compliment that I targeted you because you played the game too well. At the same time, you should recognize that I played an even better game, since I'm responsible for where you're sitting right now."

Neither man reacted to her statement, so she moved on. She didn't have a lot to say about Faye, who could possibly be the only juror she didn't betray. That left only Bulma, who sort of knew what explanation she would receive from Mai anyway.

"And Bulma, you of all people should know why I didn't face the tiebreaker." Mai smiled a little. "I may take risks, but I didn't take stupid risks. I don't think it affected me that much in the long run. I accomplished what I set out to do on day one – I made it to the final night."

Mai was running out of things to say, so she decided to wrap up her speech before she lost steam. She wanted to leave a favourable impression with the jurors while she still can.

"You may have noticed that I didn't apologize to any of you. That's because I don't feel guilty about what I've done. I might not like betraying some of you, but I don't regret it for a second. Everything that I've done in the game has gotten me to where I am now: in the final two. I do apologize if I've hurt your feelings and I do apologize if I've put our friendship in jeopardy. But I'm not sorry for the way I played the game. Survivor – that's the name of the game, and that's the way I played it to the fullest extent. I played to survive, whether it meant betraying a close ally or a dear friend. You should vote for me to win this game because I was not only the best player, but I also played the gutsiest game. I didn't hide behind other people, I didn't ride on coattails, and I definitely didn't conceal my strategy from everyone. I played a damn consistent game and I hope you'll reward me rightfully." She grinned. "That's it. Thanks!"

Mai was just relieved that she was finished with her opening statement. She didn't crash and burn like she thought she would, which was a good sign. The jury may not have given her a standing ovation, but most of them looked pensive, so they clearly took her words into careful consideration. Mai knew her speech felt a little unpolished, especially compared to Kari's, but she thought she came up with a pretty decent counterargument in the allotted time. May be she could have added a few more details here and there, but she was satisfied nonetheless. Besides, the night was far from over. There was plenty of time for Mai to clarify her strategy to the jury. Starting from now. Starting with Meryl, to be precise.

Iruka thanked the finalists for voicing their opinions.

Now, it was the jury's turn.

"In a few moments, the jury will have a chance to address the two finalists with a comment or a question. Take your time and collect your thoughts." Iruka turned to face the seven of them. He focused on the petite insurance agent in particular. "When you're ready, Meryl, we'll begin with you."

- - -

Tonight, Meryl wore a silky white dress that accentuated her curves and did wonders to her petite figure. She wasn't used to wearing something so feminine, but Harley picked his outfit for her and she was too polite to decline his offer. She ended up loving what she wore. Her clothes were simplistic yet classy, just like Meryl herself. Besides, even Shannon gave her body a second glance before they left for tribal council. So, she thought she was in a pretty good mood tonight. Until she heard Mai's opening statement.

All that crap about not apologizing for what she did in the game? The remark really riled up Meryl more than it should have. It reopened some old wounds that had previously mended over time. Why did the blonde have to mention about backstabbing all those people for no apparent reason? Why did she have to base her entire speech on one of the most despicable aspects of her game? Why was she so proud of betraying people's trust? Meryl just couldn't understand why.

She wasn't a vengeful person. She had over two weeks to forgive Mai after her friend blindsided her in the worst possible way. Meryl was reasonably angry at first, but her feelings simmered over time. She knew it was just a game. And she understood her friend was forced to go along with the bandwagon. In fact, she secretly wished Mai was the one who cast that mysterious third vote against Roy. Meryl liked to see herself as an understanding person, so she didn't expect much from Mai tonight other than a simple and sincere apology. That was it. That was all she needed to say in order to win over Meryl's vote.

Instead, she gave this…this crap about playing the best game because she betrayed the most people, or whatever the hell Mai meant.

Suffice to say, Meryl was not a very happy camper at the moment.

"Mai, don't you see a serious problem that you betrayed six out of seven people on the jury?" Meryl asked, glaring at the blonde directly in her eyes. She didn't wait for a reply. "Because I do. It shows me that you're a very dishonest and insincere person. I observed you from the jury for a while now, and I noticed that you never feel guilty about voting out your friends. And that really scares me a little, because I considered you a very good friend of mine and you…you betrayed me like a cold-hearted assassin."

"I'm sorry you feel that way." Mai interjected.

That was the apology Meryl had been looking for, but now it wasn't enough. She wanted something more sincere from the blonde, because the word 'sorry' obviously carried no significance according to her infamous opening statement.

"No, Mai. You just said you weren't sorry about anything you did." Meryl shook her head. "See, here's the problem. How can I trust what you say now when I couldn't trust a word you said in the game? On the night I was voted off, you told me I was safe. Actually, you didn't tell me anything. I was blindsided, thanks for that by the way. You didn't even respect me enough to tell me I was going home." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "So, I want you to answer this, Mai. Please tell me how I can trust you with a million dollars when nobody could ever trust you in the game?"

Mai thought she had her friend's vote in the bag for a while now, but she began to have some second thoughts tonight. She knew Meryl long enough to understand that the petite insurance agent could be a very emotional person. Here was a woman whose sea of emotions came and passed away on a sudden whim. Meryl was in one of her funky moods at the moment, which wasn't a good sign. Mai needed to be on friendly terms with Meryl before she cast the final vote, or there may be trouble.

"First of all, I love your dress." Meryl tried to keep the atmosphere light-hearted at first.

"That's not what I asked you to tell me." Meryl shook her head again. She wasn't looking for a meaningless compliment. That trick won't work on her right now.

"Okay, that's cool too." Mai plastered a small pleasant smile on her face. She reminded herself not to snap at Meryl no matter how tempting it was to do so. "I think your request is phrased a little weirdly, because I personally see the game and the money as separate entities. They're not related at all. I can't believe I have to explain this, but I don't lie and betray people in my everyday life. This is different. Survivor is just a game. Backstabbing people is what we're supposed to do, you know?" She laughed out loud. "Outside of the game, I'm a very different person. If you give me a million dollars, I won't do something…immoral with it, if that's what you're trying to imply. So, you can definitely trust me with the money."

Meryl had to think about the answer for a while, but she didn't seem convinced.

"You just said you're a different person outside of the game. Then, who is the Mai Valentine I knew in the game?" Meryl asked.

"The Mai Valentine in the game is a great player, a long term strategist, and a proud Vixen," replied Mai.

"Is she a loyal friend?" Meryl narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah, she is loyal to a certain extent." Mai nodded her head.

Meryl turned her head away and glanced at the other jury members. Some of them were smiling, while others were shaking their heads. The insurance agent didn't know which side she agreed with.

"Where do you draw the line, Mai? How many friends are you willing to betray in order to win a million dollars? Which is more important to you?" Meryl asked.

"Both are important, but winning the game is what I set out to do when I signed up for Survivor." Mai smiled sadly. She can tell this wasn't quite the answer Meryl was looking for, but it was the truth.

"You admit that you're willing to play an immoral game if that's what it takes to win?" Meryl gave her friend one last chance to clarify.

"Yes, I play Survivor to win." Mai held her stance regardless.

Meryl sighed to herself. She thought the decision tonight would have been pretty straightforward. Her opinion of Mai faltered a bit, but it still wasn't enough to actually cause the blonde to lose a jury vote. However, there was another complication. To Meryl's surprise, there was a pleasant revelation at tribal council. Kari said something that had caught everybody's interest. It was something about casting a vote for Roy. The vote that everyone thought Mai cast, but it turned out to be her final two partner instead. Curiosity got the best of Meryl Stryfe. She didn't have a question planned for Kari at first; however, there was something she needed to know.

"Kari, I don't know you that well, but you seem like a nice and honest girl. Can you explain again why you voted for Roy on…uh, Day 24? I'm not sure I understand." Meryl had an intrigued look on her face.

"I voted for Roy because I wasn't happy about where I stood with my alliance. I knew that if things continued as they were at the moment, I wouldn't make it very far. Nobody would respect me. Nobody would vote for me to win." Kari replied earnestly, "My vote for Roy created some paranoia within the tribe. After you left, a lot of people started doubting each other's allegiances and, uh, they started to turn against each other. At the next tribal council, the game was turned upside down. And then, I was able to find a more comfortable position in my tribe."

"So, it was a strategic decision? Not because you didn't like Roy or anything?" Meryl asked with uncertainty.

"I really liked Roy, but that vote was based on strategy. If I didn't cast that vote, Holland would still be in power and I would've been number six or seven in the alliance," said Kari.

"Was it your best move in the game?"

"I believe so."

Meryl seemed satisfied enough with that answer. She wished the two finalists good luck and returned to the jury bench with a whole lot on her mind.

- - -

Holland didn't dress up for the occasion. He only wore a plain white t-shirt and a pair of diesel jeans, but he managed to pull off the 'casual' look quite successfully. Even though he had a very laid-back appearance, Holland's attitude resembled anything but that. One look into his piercing blue eyes and it was obvious he had some intense questions he wanted to ask the two finalists. Once again, he began the questioning with Mai.

"Mai, how much ass did you kick in Survivor?" Holland began with a relatively simple question.

"Yeah, I kicked a lot of asses!" Mai laughed out loud.

Okay, may be his questions weren't that intense. Then again, he tended to play favourites. It was pretty much an open secret among everybody that he preferred one finalist over the other, and the difficulty of questions will indicate this trend.

"I know you made a lot of good moves in this game, so tell me about your three most defining moments. Which three moves defined you as a player?" Holland asked.

"My best move must be the time I made an impromptu alliance and saved myself at the ninth tribal council. That move really shows off my finesse as a player, because I was able to think on the spot and react under pressure." Mai held out three fingers on her hand, and closed each one as she was listing out the points. "I'm also proud of the fact that I single-handedly orchestrated Shannon's ouster. He was the largest threat to win the game at that point, but I managed to turn the tides against him with or without Kari's help."

The blonde glanced at the young DigiDestined, who had her head down and wore a seemingly reflective expression on her face. While apologizing to her friend in her head, Mai answered the final part of Holland's question.

"Last of all, I made a great move when I took Kari to the final two with me. When you compare our strategies, I definitely have the upper hand. I didn't hide in the shadows, nor did I ride on people's coattails." Mai flashed another apologetic glance at the girl beside her. "I was never carried to the final two. I earn my spot here tonight."

Holland nodded his head in approval. That had been the answer her was looking for. It also provided a suitable segue to the next part of his questioning, which was mainly aimed at Kari.

"Kari, you rode on coattails for the past thirty nine days. First, you aligned yourself with Guy, but you voted him out when it was convenient to do so. Then, you were with me, but once again you got antsy and you jumped boat. Finally, you latched onto Mai under the belief that she'll take you to the final two. Do you think this is an accurate summary of how you played the game?" Holland asked.

"I did a little more than that, but yes…I'd say it is." Kari nodded her head cautiously.

"Then, answer this. Why the hell should I vote for someone who just leeched off the success of others?" Holland folded his arms across his chest. He carried a stern and intimidating posture. "You're only in the final two because someone carried you here. You didn't earn your right to be in this tribal council, sitting across from us. Mai did a great job overcoming all those obstacles along her way. You, on the other hand, did nothing."

He didn't raise his voice or say anything particularly nasty, but there was the way he conducted himself that made Holland Novak seem more unpleasant than he actually was. May be it was that patronising tone, or perhaps it was the harsh context behind his words. Some people just did not generate a friendly vibe when they spoke.

"I definitely feel like I earned my position in the final two." Kari frowned, although she looked somewhat unsure with herself. "Um, I didn't just leech off the success of other players. I accomplished a lot on my own. And I don't think…"

"Name one thing you've accomplished that you didn't rely on other people." Holland cut her off.

"I voted for Roy." Kari replied immediately.

"That's not an accomplishment. That's just a vote in tribal council. Try again," said Holland.

"But I think it's worth mentioning what the vote accomplished in the long run. It gave me a new alliance, it took out a huge threat, and it secured my position in the game." Kari looked up at the Gekko State leader with a defiant expression. "It was like a domino effect, and it all started with my one vote. My accomplishments may be subtle, but they still existed."

"Okay, fair enough." Holland was a reasonable enough person. If she made a legitimate point, then he will listen and give credit where it was due. "I'd like you to answer my previous question. Why should I vote for someone who just rode on coattails throughout the entire game?"

Kari took a moment to collect her thoughts. She couldn't help but feel that Holland already made up his mind about each finalist beforehand, and this questioning period was just an opportunity to reaffirm his beliefs. If she didn't give the answers he wanted, he'll find another way to put words into her mouth. Take his previous question, for example. Kari already reiterated that she didn't just ride on coattails. It didn't matter to him. He even included 'throughout the entire game' in his sentence for additional emphasis. Holland might as well write on his forehead that he thought Kari played a horrible game. It would save them both a whole lot of time.

"If you were in my shoes, riding on coattails was the only way I could survive. Standing out in my tribe would make me an easy target. I didn't have a lot of options." Kari shrugged.

"Are you telling me that I shouldn't vote for you?" Holland raised an eyebrow.

"No, I did not say that." Kari corrected him immediately. "You should vote for me because I knew whose coattails to ride. It's no coincidence that I aligned myself with the strongest player each time. I knew who would protect me in my tribe, and I knew when to switch sides if that person can't protect anymore. It sounds easy, but not everybody can do it well."

She paused for a moment and scanned the jury. If she had to give an example…

"Like, Harley wasn't the strongest guy either, and he kind of rode on Faye's coattails for a while, which I think led to his downfall." Kari shrugged her shoulders again. "Not every coattail rider can make it to the final two. It takes a certain amount of skill and observation to play this strategy well."

Amused with her response, Holland turned around and glanced at Harley. The Coordinator just rolled his eyes and muttered some expletives under his breath. He couldn't wait until it was his turn to deliver his speech. He almost wished Holland would shut up already. That man had his moment. Now, it was Harley's turn to hog the spotlight.

"What were your three best moves in the game?" Holland shifted his attention back onto the young girl.

"On top of what I've answered for Meryl's question, my three best moves were aligning with you, Guy, and Mai…" Kari wanted to elaborate more on her answers, but the Jiraiya leader just held up his hand and signalled her to stop there. He had heard enough.

Holland was finished with the questions. He can't say he was truly satisfied with the responses he got, but it wouldn't have made a difference in his final decision anyway. He was always going to vote for Mai Valentine, the woman he wronged the most. She played a more formidable game no matter which way Holland looked at it. As for Kari's strategy, he couldn't care less. Never did respect her, never will respect her. She was a pleasant enough girl, but she will never be a winner in his eyes.

After a nod of acknowledgment to the two finalists, Holland returned to his seat.

Harley was next.

- - -

If Kari thought the last juror might have been slightly biased, then she expected even less impartiality from the next person. Harley became friends with Mai from the moment they first met each other, whereas he and Kari got off on the wrong foot since day one. She tried countless times to befriend him, like she tried with everybody she knew, but he never opened up due to his personal vendetta against her. For a while, Kari didn't understand how much animosity he harboured against her until Bulma gossiped about it. Now, the young DigiDestined anticipated the worst part of tonight's tribal council. If she could endure his scathing insults, she thought she could survive anything.

Harley was by far the most overdressed juror of the night, covering his body with fancy accessories from head to toe. He wore sunglasses, necklaces, bracelets, and may be a little make-up because it never hurt to look good in front of the cameras. After roughing it for thirty days, he thought he deserved to pamper himself with style. Harley was also the fashion consultant for other jurors, who came to him for advice on their outfits. In some cases, the advice was given even if it was unwanted. He and Meryl pretty much forced Shannon to dress up tonight, and the swordsman reluctantly agreed to wear a suit to the final tribal council, but he drew the bottom line at the bowtie. The Pokemon Coordinator had a terrific time socializing with everyone at the jury lodge, so much that he almost didn't want to come to the final tribal council.

But here he was, standing in front of the final two, and he had a few choice words for each of them.

"Mai Valentine, you're a conniving woman." Harley was smiling as he said this, so the blondes knew there was no malice behind his words. "You voted me out after you promised I was safe at tribal council. I'm still pretty pissed off about it. I don't understand why you made these promises when you had zero intentions of honouring them. May be you like to hurt people's feelings for fun, who knows?"

She wanted to defend herself, but Harley held out his hand and signalled her to wait until he was finished talking.

"My biggest gripe is you had no reason to blindside me that night. I was already outnumbered. I knew I could be going home. Fine, whatever. Just vote me out." Harley's expression darkened somewhat. "Instead, you made that stupid promise. And of course I believed you. I didn't see any reason why you'd lie to me and bring up my hopes, right?" He shook his head and laughed. "Cue tribal council. I'm sitting there, with my jaw dropped wide open, as I watched my name come up again and again. I turned to you for an explanation, but you smiled at me like it wasn't your fault. At that moment, I almost wanted to bitchslap that smile off your face. You could be really annoying sometimes, you know."

Mai shrugged her shoulders. That was his opinion. She begged to differ.

"In another time, against another final two, I would've ripped you a new one. But considering who's seated next to you, I realize you're the lesser of two evils." Harley wagged his index finger at her. "So, I'm going to be the bigger person. I'll give you a second chance. If we can go back in time to that tribal council, with the knowledge of everything that happened so far, would you still have written my name down?"

"Yes, I would have written your name down. But no, I wouldn't do it with a smile on my face. I really didn't want to vote you out that night, but Roy basically threatened me unless I gave into his demands. What other choice did I have?" Mai sighed to herself. "I wouldn't have made that promise with you if I thought I was going to break it."

Harley nodded his head a few times. It wasn't the answer he had hoped for, but it felt close enough. Plus, she managed to stay true to her convictions, which was an admirable trait. Then again, it didn't take much for Harley to feel impressed. He was lenient with her because they were friends. Yes, she might have backstabbed him, but he understood her predicament. Besides, even if he didn't forgive her, he would have a difficult time voting for the other girl to win.

Don't even get him started on Kari Kamiya.

He had looked forward to the tribal council when the annoying little girl received her comeuppance, but that time never came. So, Harley decided to unleash his frustrations tonight. He was going to make a scene. He didn't care if he came across as bitter or petty as long as he got a few things off his chest.

"Kari, Kari, Kari. Where do I even begin with you?" Harley rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "You were the useless little coattail rider who didn't start playing the game until Day 24. Hmm, does that sound familiar? Neleh Dennis called. She wants her character back."

There were a few snickers from the jury, which felt very enabling. Harley broke into an enormous grin as he continued to bash Kari some more.

"Since you're bringing up a lot of past incidents, do you remember time at tribal council when you said you had as much willpower as anyone?" Harley waited until the young girl slowly and cautiously nodded her head. "Now, do you remember your performance at the last immunity challenge? How long did you stand under that waterfall?"

"Fifteen minutes." Kari muttered, lowering her head. She knew where this question was going.

"Fifteen minutes!? My goodness, it took me at least half an hour to pick my outfit tonight! You couldn't even stand under the waterfall long enough for a million dollars. Wow." Harley scoffed. Again, there were a few people snickering on the jury. He grew even more confident. "How can you even say that you have the most willpower?"

It felt like a rhetorical question, so Kari didn't reply back at first. She thought she will get through the questions by keeping her head down and not saying much. However, Harley was waiting for an answer. He wanted her to answer this stupid question. Sighing a little, Kari tried to come up with a diplomatic response.

"I didn't know the limitations of my body." Kari mumbled.

"Fine, you're weak. I won't hold that against you. You used to sit out all the challenges for Jiraiya, so may be you're not used to competing in these things. It must have been so tiring to freeload on other people's victories. You've my deepest sympathies." Harley said sarcastically, while placing a hand over his chest to show mock concern. He quickly laughed it off. "Let's move on to another remark. Tonight, you called yourself a mastermind. I repeat, a mastermind. Kari Kamiya, a brilliant strategist and true puppetmaster of Survivor: Konoha. Oh, why didn't anyone ever stop her!?"

"I pulled myself out of a bad position in the game. I believe I was a mastermind behind that vote," said Kari.

"So, you genuinely believe you were the best player here?" Harley asked, making a face.

"That's not up to me to decide." Kari squirmed. It was getting more and more difficult to answer these questions diplomatically.

"Even though you pretty much sucked in all of the challenges?"

"I won immunity once."

"Even though you rode coattails all the way to the final two?"

"I already said I did more than that."

"Even though you're possibly the most annoying person on the planet?"

And then, Kari finally lost it.

Even if she had the tolerance of a saint, she could only be a human punching bag for so long.

"Harley, I don't know what problem you have with me. From my knowledge, I've done nothing to upset you this much! Whatever I did, please forgive me. I'm sorry, okay?" Kari spoke in a tense voice. There was also an ugly grimace on her face. She acted a lot differently from her usual gentle and pleasant demeanour. "If you can't forgive me, then get over it! Leave me alone!"

"Excuse me?" Harley almost did a double take.

"Get over it and leave me fucking alone!" Kari shouted angrily.

If somebody was to pinpoint the part where Kari lost Survivor: Konoha, it could be traced back to this moment. The moment when she lost her patience and snapped at a juror at tribal council. It was probably the biggest no-no in the rulebook, but she couldn't care less at this point. She was so fed up with all these insults directed at her tonight. First Holland, and now Harley. She wouldn't mind so much if they gave her constructive criticisms, but these men only wanted to bring her down with their negative energy. The latter probably wanted to see her break down and cry. She won't give him the satisfaction. Forget Harley. He didn't matter anymore in her eyes.

There was a long period of awkward silence when nobody knew what to do. Most of them were just surprised beyond belief. They never heard Kari swear before. They never even heard her so much as to raise her voice at another person, so this came out of the left field. For the second time tonight, Kari gave these people a complete shocker at the final tribal council, albeit it wasn't the best kind. Nonetheless, the jury saw her in a brand new light. They really had to re-evaluate their perceptions of the girl they thought they knew so well.

"Well, you finally dropped the nice girl act. It must've been tough to keep up that charade for thirty nine days." Harley spoke up at last, after he recovered from the initial shock. He regained his earlier bravado and blew her an air kiss. "Say goodbye to your vote right there. Peace out!"

"I was never going to get your vote anyway." Kari muttered.

Harley just laughed. That was the first and last time he would think on the same wavelength as Kari Kamiya.

- - -

That was a tough act for Faye to follow. Everybody expected the angriest tirade to come from her, but she just wasn't in a vindictive mood right now. Not that she like the two finalists, nor did she want to give either of them a million dollars. She just lacked the energy to care about these people after the game was over. If she didn't win the game, then she didn't really care who did. Her apparent apathy was demonstrated through her attire for the final tribal council. Dressed in black from top to bottom, including her very noticeable black nail polish, Faye looked as if she was attending a funeral, which she argued wouldn't be that far from the truth.

"These people are dead to me anyway." Faye explained in a confessional before tribal council. She said this completely without humour.

The bounty huntress already made up her mind about who to vote for tonight, so asking questions was just part of the formalities. The Survivor producers didn't let her stand up and sit back down again, like she had originally suggested. Faye was forced to ask the finalists a question that didn't carry any impact to her final decision.

So, why not have a little fun with it?

Of course, her idea of fun was a bit more twisted than the average person. For example, she thought Harley's rant tonight was hilarious as hell. He clearly meant no harm with his words. He was playing up to the cameras in hopes of ruffling some feathers, so it was even funnier that Kari took the bait and responded seriously. This was why Faye and Harley were best friends in the game. They both shared a very bizarre sense of humour that nobody understood.

"I'm thinking of a number between one and ten."

Iruka gave the bounty huntress a stern glance, but she didn't care. That was her question whether he liked it or not. She earned her place in the jury, so she had every liberty to make her decision based on whatever rationale. If she wanted to turn her vote into a joke, then she can do so for her own entertainment.

"My vote tonight is based on whoever picks my number, or whoever's the closest to it." Faye explained. The two finalists nodded to indicate they understood their instructions. They took this tribal council very seriously. "Kari, since I like you a little better, you can pick first. Choose a number between one and ten."

"Five." Kari said, after a moment of contemplation.

"Six." Mai declared afterwards, shrugging her shoulders. She sort of knew Faye asked this question as a joke, but she might as well maximize her chances with the guess. She could hope for a fifty-fifty chance, right?

"Oh shoot, my number was five and a half!" Faye joked. There was a spark of mischief flickering in her eyes. "Hmm, I wonder if I should round up or down…"

Grinning from ear to ear, and fully satisfied with the confused expressions on the finalists' faces, Faye Valentine returned to her seat.

- - -

Shannon Casull looked very dashing in a dark blazer and a navy blue dress shirt underneath. He didn't feel comfortable in these clothes, but everybody told him it was a drastic improvement from the way he normally dressed. He looked his age for once, and not like "somebody's great-grandfather" as Bulma had joked. Shannon admitted that he didn't put a lot of thought into his clothing choices before, mostly preferring sleeveless tees, hand-knitted sweaters, and the occasional turtleback. So, this was a refreshing change to his usual wardrobe. The swordsman had become more open-minded under the influence of his friends on the jury, although there were still many traditional values they couldn't get him to adjust.

He may have changed the clothes on his back, but Shannon did not change his beliefs on how one should play Survivor. Honestly and honourably, he claimed, and he also stressed the importance of staying loyal to one's commitments. It came as no surprise that he clashed with Mai's cutthroat strategy. He always knew she was an untrustworthy ally, but he never thought she would be vicious enough to backstab him in the final five. She didn't even give him a chance to win immunity. It was as if she took every measure to ensure he was sent home.

"This question is for both of you." Shannon paused, adjusting the collar on his shirt. It was the first time he wore a fancy dress shirt like this. He didn't feel comfortable leaving a few buttons undone, as his friend had insisted, exposing his bare chest to Mai's prying eyes. "Tell me about a time you stayed loyal to your alliance. Kari, you can start first."

A few people on the jury laughed. This was the type of question that only Shannon would ask. It was funny because the swordsman spoke in such a deadpan, humourless manner. It was even funnier because Mai was already squirming in her seat.

"Hi Shannon." Kari smiled. She felt a lot more comfortable around his brotherly presence. "My example would be the tribal council you got voted off. You know the situation better than I do, but that's a time I stayed loyal to you even though we didn't have the numbers."

"May I ask why?" Shannon interjected.

"We had an alliance. I didn't want to break it." Kari let her answer speak for itself.

Shannon then turned towards Mai, who had hoped for a bit more time to think about her answer. As the swordsman intended with this question, she had trouble coming up with an adequate example. She glanced up, smiling nervously. He looked patient as he waited, but the jury was already talking among themselves. There was something to be said about a finalist who couldn't answer something like this.

"I was loyal to Jiraiya at the merge. I made a commitment that I'll vote with them, which I did at the expense of betraying my former tribe." Mai replied at last.

"Why were you loyal to the Jiraiya tribe and not Tsunade?" Shannon asked.

"At that time, I felt more comfortable in their alliance than I did with you guys. Uh, in other words, I got along with them better. I had more allies there." Mai said, hoping that she could strengthen her answer with more words. "Plus, I didn't really have an alliance during my time in Tsunade. I had one with Meryl, but not with the men. So, I wouldn't even say I betrayed you guys. It's more like I favoured the other tribe more."

"But you betrayed them anyway." Shannon noted. He folded his arms across his chest. "Why?"

"Because I made another alliance at that point," said Mai.

"And you betrayed that alliance as well. Why?"

Mai laughed. She thought the questions were getting more and more ridiculous. Shannon had not changed at all. He was still such a stubborn man.

"I betrayed you and Roy because I knew I couldn't win against you guys!" Mai said, throwing her arms up in the air. She thought she had already addressed this in her opening statement. Why did he have to beat a dead horse? "Look, I don't know where you're going with these questions, but here's the bottom line. I was loyal to all my alliances at one point, and I betrayed them when the time was necessary. That's all I did. I don't see anything drastically wrong with the picture. It's a game! It's called strategy!"

"We aren't pieces on a chessboard, Mai. These are people with real feelings and emotions." Shannon stared at Mai with a very serious expression. "What you're doing is not just strategy. It's…inconsiderate behaviour. You never considered anybody's feelings when you told a lie or broke a promise. Playing the game isn't wrong, but I've a problem with the way you played it. If you were a little more considerate in this game, you wouldn't have a jury full of people you betrayed."

She shook her head, not because she was disagreeing with him, but she had to remind herself to not lose her temper, not snap at the juror, and not tell him how she really felt. This was getting increasingly difficult as Shannon continued to preach. She almost wished he acted like before, back when he was less wordy and annoying.

"You may not think much about what I've said to you, but sooner or later, karma is going to catch up." Shannon warned.

"Thanks for your concern." Mai smiled tensely.

Shannon walked back to the jury bench. He was finished with his questioning. Mai felt relieved, yet a bit frustrated at the same time. May be she was her own toughest critic, but she didn't feel very satisfied with her jury performance thus far. She thought the problem rested with the jurors rather than her ability to answer the questions. They were all so bitter. No, not bitter. But they were too damn narrow-minded. Too many of them punished her for telling lies and betraying alliances. Why couldn't these people see it was just a game? Mai didn't know how many times she had to repeat this cliché tonight until they finally understood her motivations. If only they weren't stubborn, they'd see that she played the best game out of everyone.

Fortunately, the next juror was a lot more tolerant about betraying people. Bulma, a well-known mercenary in the game, knew what it was like to play dirty. And unlike many jurors, she was prepared and more than willing to vote for the person who played the dirtiest game.

- - -

Most of the jurors had predetermined notions about the two finalists before going into the final tribal council. Bulma was no exception, but she told herself to keep an open mind. Just because she thought Kari had a bad strategy and Mai had a bad personality, she didn't condemn the two women without giving them an opportunity to redeem themselves. After all, everybody deserved a second chance. Bulma wouldn't be in the final four had she not been given another chance after a disastrous start. So, she decided to listen to what each finalist say first before she made her final judgment. She thought this was the fairest way to give a million dollars.

Bulma didn't care too much about awarding the best player or even the most deserving person. She will cast her vote for the finalist who impressed her the most. When the Survivor producers asked her to clarify, she simplified the answer to a gut feeling. She will follow her gut as she wrote down a name tonight. It was a very vague winning requirement, but Bulma sort of enjoyed this air of mystery. She loved to keep people guessing.

"Congratulations for making it this far in the game." Bulma greeted the two finalists with a friendly smile. "Kari, I would like you to answer my question first. In your opening statement, you said you were underestimated by a lot of people. That made me curious. Can you give me a few examples about how you were underestimated, and what you did in order to overcome this problem?"

This wasn't a question that Kari anticipated, so it took her a while to come up with a potential answer.

"An obvious example happened tonight. You heard some of the questions Holland and Harley asked me. That's the kind of attitude I had to cope with every single day out here." Kari cast an uncomfortable glance at the two men on the jury. "Even now, after I explained my strategy and accomplishments, they still don't think I'm worthy enough to be in the final two. No matter what I do, it never seems to be good enough for some people."

"I'd like to hear one more example please," said Bulma.

"I'm also underestimated in the challenges. This was brought up at tonight's tribal council as well. I would like to do well in the challenges, but it's easier said than done. I'm the smallest and the youngest person here. Even when I'm trying my best, I still can't compete with some of you at your worst. I came into this game with a huge physical disadvantage and I had to fight that everyday." Kari drummed her hands on her knees. She paused and looked up at the inventor. "Would you like another example?"

"No, it's fine." Bulma shook her head. "Now, tell me how you overcame these low expectations of you."

"Um, I turned this disadvantage into a strength. I let people underestimate me on purpose, so they'll keep me longer in the game. That's why you guys voted Guy out over me. It's also why you didn't suspect that I voted for Roy, because none of you thought I was capable of playing a deceitful game." Kari smiled sheepishly. "As for the challenges, I won my first immunity a few days ago. When a challenge is suited to my strengths, such as observing and listening to people, I can do well. More importantly, I never gave up in these challenges no matter horrible I was. I always gave it my best shot. I always worked hard to make good things happen."

Bulma asked such a question because she related to Kari on a certain level, since they were both underestimated players. As the oldest castaway, she also sat out of many challenges and came across as strategically harmless. It wasn't until much later that players began to respect her as a serious competitor. Some of Kari's answers were similar to what the inventor would have said in the same position. Bulma surprisingly saw a lot of herself in the young DigiDestined. They may have been underestimated, but they overcame this hardship by playing quietly and sometimes deceptively. All things considered, Bulma was pretty satisfied with the response. Like Kari's jury performance thus far, it was a solid answer.

"Mai, I hear a lot about your strategy, but I don't feel like I know you that much as a person. Here's your chance to change my mind about you." Bulma put her hands on her hips. "If you win the million dollars, what will you do with the money? How will your life change with such a large sum of cash?"

"First and foremost, I would take my mom on a vacation." Mai replied, which immediately made the inventor smile. Bulma was a mother to two children, so she was pleased to hear such a sweet answer. She only hoped Trunks would have given the same reply. "My mom and I didn't always get along in the past twenty four years, but I really want to do something special for her if I have the money."

"You know the kind of answer a mother wants to hear." Bulma laughed.

"I would also go back to school, because this Survivor experience made me a little ashamed that I don't have a college education." Mai reflected introspectively. "Hmm, may be I'll donate some money to charity. And whatever's left, I'll invest it in a few stocks or something, so that I'd be even richer!"

"Good plan. And for the second part of the question?"

"I live on my own and I travel a lot, so this money will make a big impact in my life." Mai put her hands together and placed them over her mouth. She appeared to be thinking about her answer. "I think I'll grow into a more mature person if I have a million dollars, because that's obviously a huge responsibility. You met me at a very strange time in my life. I felt a bit lost about what I wanted to do with my future, but this money could be the answer."

"The only thing better than a million dollars is knowing what you can do with the million." Bulma grinned. Okay, what she said wasn't exactly true, but it sounded motivational enough. "I must admit, Mai. I wasn't the biggest fan of yours at the start. I thought you were a little stuck-up at first, but I apologize for judging you like that. You seem like a very lovely woman now."

"All is forgiven." Mai grinned back.

Overall, Bulma was impressed with the blonde's answers. She never held a high opinion of the woman, but this notion was starting to change. Mai sounded very mature and honest, which was different from how she often came across during the game. The million dollars could change her life for the better, although the same can be said about Kari as well.

When Bulma first came into this tribal council, she didn't want to vote for either of the finalists. She thought they didn't play a good enough game, or they didn't deserve to win the million dollars over a few other people. However, after these remarkable answers, Bulma now faced the opposite problem. She wanted to vote for both finalists, but she can only award her vote to one of them. The inventor still had not made up her mind yet about whom to vote for. She probably won't make her final decision until she arrived in front of the voting shrine. May be she should flip a coin at the last second. May be she should have made them choose numbers like Faye did.

Whatever decision she made tonight, Bulma only hoped it was the right one.

- - -

Finally, there was Roy Mustang. For some bizarre reason, he shaved his head into a Mohawk this morning. He told everyone he just wanted to see what he looked like with one. The entire jury burst into laughter when they first saw his appearance. Although he thought he looked pretty darn cool with his new hairdo, the other jurors didn't necessarily agree. Roy had contemplated asking Mai and Kari a silly question about his hair tonight, but ultimately decided against this idea. Not only would it clash with the serious atmosphere of tribal council, but he didn't want to make the million dollar decision based on a light-hearted joke. This final vote was no laughing matter. The jury of seven was deciding the victor, the best player, and the eventual Sole Survivor. It was a duty they must take seriously.

Still, even with a million dollars on the line, both Mai and Kari were giggling when they got a closer look at Roy's haircut.

He looked like a total dork.

"The new look suits you." Mai managed to say this with a straight face, amazingly enough. Meanwhile, Kari just covered a hand over her mouth and tried not to laugh…too much.

"Thank you." Roy also had to ignore the giggling behind his back, which came from his fellow jury members. Even people like Holland and Shannon were laughing at him. "Anyway, you two played a marvellous game. I believe you both deserve to be here on the final night. Give yourself a pat on the back if you haven't done so already."

Mai and Kari exchanged smiles with each other. This had been such an intense tribal council so far; they almost forgot how to relax. They were grateful that Roy was their last juror, because at least he will end the questioning on a positive note.

"Kari, do you believe you played a better game than Mai?" Roy asked.

"I think we both played great games." Kari replied diplomatically, as expected.

"No, you have to really answer it. Don't avoid my questions like you do with Iruka's. I want honest answers from you tonight." Roy cast an apologetic glance to the host, who looked somewhat hurt. "Did you play a better game than Mai? It's a yes or no question."

After a moment of contemplation, Kari slowly nodded her head to indicate yes.

Roy then asked her to explain this answer.

"Mai has a very strong personality, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, I think she drew a lot of negative attention onto herself. That's why she was a target so many times. That's why she was always on the verge of danger, like she said in her opening statement. It worked out for her in the end, but I don't think that's a smart strategy. Nine times out of ten, a player like Mai wouldn't be in the final two." Kari pressed her lips together to form a thin smile. "I was a better player because I played a more discreet game. My name was never brought up before tribal council. I only received one vote throughout my entire stay." She held up an index finger. "Compare this to uh…Mai's record, I think the numbers lean towards my favour."

Mai was given an opportunity to defend herself.

"Receiving so many votes indicate that I made an impact in the game. People voted for me not because I had a strong personality, but because they wanted to get rid of a huge strategic threat. I actually took those votes as a compliment. And if we're comparing numbers, doesn't it mean that Kari was almost irrelevant in tribal council, since she received only one vote?" Mai shrugged her shoulders. "As for her unscientific nine times out of ten statistics, that means I overcame nearly impossible odds to make it to the final two. Of course it worked out for me in the end, because I was nothing like the other players. I had a unique strategy, unlike Kari. Anybody can ride coattails to the final two. I mean, who couldn't?"

Kari was also allowed to make a rebuttal.

"Luck played a major role in Mai's game. The fact that she faced two ties and received the most votes in another tribal council shows she isn't as good of a player as she claims. Had one person switched her vote at any time, Mai wouldn't be sitting in the final two right now." Kari paused as she nodded to herself. "I think Mai was extremely lucky to make it this far in the game."

"Likewise, Kari wouldn't be here if Jiraiya didn't win so many challenges in the beginning. She were really lucky that Guy was on her tribe." Mai said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"I wouldn't have been voted off because I was aligned with the two strongest people in my tribe," argued Kari.

"All I'm saying is if Guy was on Tsunade instead of Jiraiya from the beginning, I'm positive that Kari wouldn't have made it this far in the game." Mai shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't think it should be held against me that Guy was on my tribe!" Kari protested, "Besides, Tsunade had a lot of strong athletes as well!"

"Kari was the weakest player in the game, and she really lucked out that her tribe won so many challenges, most of which she didn't participate in." Mai said frankly.

"There we go. It's the same old argument again. See what I mean when I say people are constantly underestimating me?" Kari threw her arms up in the air.

Roy, quite unknowingly, engaged the two women in a heated debate with his simple question. He didn't anticipate this to happen at first, but the colonel was thoroughly entertained by how much they were arguing in circles. However, under Iruka's guidance, Roy stepped in and led the finalists back on track.

"I was the better player because I didn't rely on luck as much as Mai did. I never made myself a target before tribal council, and I was never one vote away from being voted off." Kari concluded, "It might be a safe and boring strategy, but I had a way better chance of making it to the final two than Mai ever did."

"Let's face it. Luck is an important element in Survivor. I might have gotten lucky every now and then, but there were plenty of other times when luck wasn't on my side. I was on the losing tribe from the start. And I was the one who got screwed over by the twist." Mai turned her attention to the jury. "In the end, the most important thing is knowing how to make the best out of your situation. That's what I did throughout the whole game. And that's why I deserve to be the Sole Survivor."

There wasn't really anything Roy could add to that statement. The dramatic remark spoke for itself.

"No matter what happens, you both played a great game." Roy congratulated them once more before he reunited with the jury again. "Good luck, Mai and Kari. And may the best woman win tonight!"

Mai and Kari silently exchanged glances with each other. As much as they were the best of friends in Survivor, they could never decide among themselves who was the better player.

- - -

Iruka spoke up once all seven jurors were finished with their questioning. This had been an extremely long and tiring tribal council, so he didn't want to prolong it any further. He wanted to put the two finalists out of their misery. Enough chit-chat. Let's get to the final vote already.

"Finalists, you have one last chance to give a closing statement." Iruka gestured his hand towards the final two. "Mai, please give yours first."

"Do you guys know the story about Helen of Troy? Of course you do, because I was the Helen of Konoha." Mai began her speech with a small light-hearted joke. "I certainly felt that way when the merge came, and I was caught in the middle between two tribes. Not only that, but I was responsible for the collapse of both tribes. I destroyed Tsunade and Jiraiya with a single stroke of my hand. Neither tribe was intact anymore due to my actions. You can definitely say I was a powerful player in the game. Everywhere I go, destruction follows. That pretty much describes my strategy. I played very destructively."

The blonde smiled a little.

"A lot of players feared me, naturally, and I was in the centre of many epic tribal councils. What makes me such a dominant force in the game is because I emerged from each battle victoriously. I was a winner every time." Mai grinned. "So, I don't just deserve to be the Sole Survivor. I am the Sole Survivor."

"Kari?"

"I was the ultimate underdog from day one. Nobody expected me to win anything, let alone this whole game! So, try putting yourselves in my shoes. Imagine how you'd feel if you were made to believe that you couldn't achieve anything in this game. That's the attitude I had to cope with every single day in Survivor. Even tonight, I still cannot earn any respect from my peers, despite surviving thirty nine long and miserable days." Kari shook her head. "I think I really proved myself during my stay. I just hope the other people will see the same thing."

She glanced up at the jurors with a tiny smile.

"Tonight, I ask the jury to put aside their biases. I ask that they stop looking down on me like they've done for the past thirty nine days. I'm not a clueless little girl who doesn't know how to play Survivor. Please respect me as a competitor and award me for the excellent game I played," said Kari.

And that was it.

Lights off and curtains drawn, the final tribal council was almost over.

Starting from this moment, the game was now completely out of Mai and Kari's control. They no longer had any power or influence over the outcome. The final two can only watch and pray as each jury member arrived at the voting shrine. Everything that was supposed to happen will happen, naturally.

Iruka reminded the jury to take their responsibilities with serious consideration. Unlike other tribal councils in the past, they were voting for the person whom they want to win a million dollars the most. So, these three or four letters they wrote down could essentially change somebody's life forever.

Without any further ado, the voting process commenced.

- - -

Meryl was the first to vote. The petite insurance agent crossed the rope bridge and marched forward to the voting shrine. She picked up the ink marker, but hesitated to write down a name. She thought she made up her mind tonight, but she had some serious second thoughts as she faced the pen and parchment. Sometimes, she favoured one finalist in particular. At other times, the second candidate triumphed. In the end, Meryl just followed her heart.

Slowly, she wrote down each letter one by one. Once she was finished with the name, she held her vote in front of the camera.

The four letters spelled out Kari's name.

"Kari, you seem like a really sweet girl who defeated the odds and proved everybody wrong. I was rooting for you to win on the jury." Meryl smiled faintly. "Plus, I could relate to your ethical struggle about staying honest to yourself in the game. You backstabbed some people when it was necessary, but you didn't…relish in the fact. So, congratulations. I know you'll use the money well."

Feeling guilty, Meryl felt an obligation to address the other finalist to the camera.

"Mai, you were once my friend." Meryl's smile vanished from her face. She spoke in a very stern whisper. "But not anymore."

The harsh remark came as a surprise even to Meryl herself. She always thought she would be able to forgive the blonde and vote for her to win a million dollars. All Mai had to do was apologize, and this vote would have been signed, sealed, and delivered to her bank account. Instead, the exact opposite scenario occurred tonight. Mai not only refused to apologize, but she practically boasted about her countless betrayals every time the subject was mentioned. She clearly showed no remorse over her despicable actions. Meryl had lost interest after the first few times the blonde said it was 'just a game' and she had to betray people 'in order to survive'.

"There're a lot of ways to go to the final two in Survivor. You don't have to backstab every jury member to do well in this game. It's a faulty explanation you tell yourself so you won't feel guilty about betraying your friends." Meryl continued to speak directly to the camera, and indirectly to the woman she once called her a friend. "Kari managed to play an honest game and she made it to the final two. What's your excuse, Mai?"

What swayed her opinion was Kari's surprising revelation in her opening speech. She didn't just vote against Roy, but she voted with Meryl at that same tribal council. Unknowingly, yes, but the petite insurance agent had been so grateful to receive a third vote at the time. She thought she had a hidden ally on her side. So, when Meryl wrote down the young girl's name on the parchment, she felt as if she was just returning the favour.

What truly cemented her decision were Kari's actions after she cast that mysterious vote. She helped Shannon survive for three tribal councils, and even tried to save him a fourth time had somebody not gotten in the way. Somebody named Mai Valentine. Of course it had to be her. Who else could it be?

Kari was the guardian angel to Shannon, who was Meryl's best friend in the game. Meanwhile, Mai tried to vote out both of them. She was practically like the devil.

As soon as this comparison was made, the answer became crystal clear to Meryl. There was really no other choice.

As for Mai Valentine, she may win the million dollars in the end, but she won't win back any of the friendships she destroyed.

- - -

Holland was never one to waste a lot of time contemplating. The decisive man marched straight to the voting shrine and wrote down a name. There were no doubts in his mind as to which finalist played the best game, which finalist he liked better, and which finalist deserved this victory the most. They were all the same person. Mai was about to receive her first of many jury votes tonight.

"This vote is for Mai to win as much as it is for Kari to lose." Holland explained to the cameras.

It would take all day to list out all the reasons why Mai should win the game over Kari, so the Jiraiya leader narrowed down his explanations to the three 'D's: direction, determination, and domination.

"Mai entered Survivor with a plan. She never lost sight of the victory. She persevered against hardships and adversaries. What followed was total domination." Holland wore one of his few rare smiles as he spoke. Come to think it, this was one of the few times he actually complimented somebody. He treated compliments the same way he treated money. He was stingy as hell, but he knew how to use them well. "People tried to get rid of her countless times, but she always prevailed in the end. Mai should win Survivor: Konoha because she proved she was a true force to be reckoned with."

He folded his vote in half and dropped it into the urn.

"I like a woman who knows when to take charge. You stayed in the shadows when it was necessary, but you weren't afraid to make moves and take risks. The million dollars rightfully belongs to you, Mai. You played a hardcore game."

Holland also had some final words for the other competitor, who never stood a chance of winning his vote in the first place.

"Kari, you don't deserve to win. I admit, you did surprise me a few times tonight. But who are you trying to fool? You weren't a mastermind. You weren't a survivor. You were just a lucky girl who made it to the final two due to the kindness and stupidity of others. Consider yourself blessed to make it this far in the game. You seemed to have learnt a lot about yourself over these past thirty nine days, so good for you."

He gave a casual shrug to the camera.

"But it's not good enough to win you a million dollars, I'm afraid."

- - -

The next person to cast a vote was Harley. Like the man before him, he wrote down a three lettered name on the parchment. He even included an exclamation mark at the end for additional emphasis. The Pokemon Coordinator then proudly showed off his vote for Mai Valentine.

"You played a ferocious game, sister. You kicked everybody's asses and I love how you never felt guilty about it. And girl, you shouldn't have! I would've respected you less if you backed down from your stance, because that wouldn't be the Mai I know!" Harley flashed the camera a thumbs-up.

Mai tried to tone down her outspokenness for tonight, but old habits sometimes die hard. She will take comfort in the fact that at least one juror enjoyed her candid answers.

"You're one of the strongest, sassiest, and most independent people I've ever met in my life. Thanks for being a good friend, you fabulous bitch!" Harley grinned cheekily. "I know the million dollars will give you a lot of stability in your life, so here you go. Enjoy! Don't forget to buy me a drink afterwards!"

There wasn't much Harley wanted to say about Kari that hadn't been said already. He wasn't shy about letting his feelings known tonight. He really didn't hold back. In her defence, Kari voiced a few strong opinions of her own, even dropping an unexpected f-bomb that nobody saw coming. Harley, however, had another similar word in his mind.

"You shouldn't have called me fat on the first day." Harley's smile turned into a vengeful one. "Oh, and by the way, I've an F word for you too."

He made the thumbs down gesture with his right hand.

"Failure!"

And that one word perfectly summarized why he thought Kari Kamiya shouldn't win the game.

- - -

Tonight's tribal council reached a conclusion as the last juror stepped up to the voting shrine and wrote down a name. Faye, Shannon, and Bulma had previously cast their votes without much fanfare. Now, only Roy's decision remained in the balance of fate. He felt like the most powerful person on the jury, even though all seven votes technically carried the same amount of importance. As Roy stared at a blank piece of parchment, he knew whose name he wanted to write down tonight. He wasn't too impressed with this person's jury performance, but actions do speak louder than words. There was no denying she deserved to be the Sole Survivor under every definition of the term.

As he finished dotting the final 'i' in her name, Roy felt a sudden melancholy feeling that lingered within his conscience. He was upset because he didn't vote for a winner tonight. Don't get him wrong, he wanted this person to be crowned the winner very much. However, judging by how the other jurors reacted to her tonight, he knew that she won't win even though she played a stellar game. Some of the jurors were too stubborn and bitter to acknowledge her strategy, which was nothing but a shame in his opinion.

For somebody who came this far in the game, whilst exceeding everybody's expectations of her, she had to lose to a less deserving player. It just didn't seem fair.

With a sigh, Roy held up his vote and addressed each finalist to the camera.

"Kari, you don't deserve the flak you got tonight. You captured the situation perfectly. A few jurors weren't going to vote for you even if you played the best possible game for a person your age and size. For a thirteen-years-old girl to survive this long in the wilderness, you have to be so proud of yourself. Not to mention you sure surprised the heck out of some people! It's just that you stayed under the radar a little too much. You didn't expose your strategy to anyone until tonight, but by then they already made up their minds about you. You should have played more aggressively. You should have made people respect you as a competitor."

He took a deep sigh.

"Mai, you were also a great player. You made the best possible moves for yourself at all the right times, and you weren't afraid to get your hands dirty in the process. Unfortunately, your biggest downfall is how you dealt with your relationships. You could've prevented this jury backlash if you thought about the consequences before making a deal or alliance. There's no meaning behind those words if you were never going to honour them. I think Shannon made a good point tonight. You're dealing with people who have real feelings and emotions. Yes, it's just a game, but you can't betray this many people and expect all of them to be understanding. You never took that into consideration."

Roy folded his vote neatly and then dropped into the voting urn. And with that, the final outcome was determined. There was an official winner in Survivor: Konoha, although that person won't find out about her destiny until the live finale show a few months from now.

"It is with great regret that I say this as my final words, but the best player did not win tonight." Roy flashed a sad smile to the camera. "Even though she played one hell of a game, not everybody on the jury recognizes her prowess. She lost to an arguably less deserving player, even though that person played to the best of her capabilities as well. So, I'm neither happy nor sad about the outcome. I just feel a bit…apathetic at the moment."

Roy slowly walked away from the voting shrine and returned to the jury bench. He exchanged a nervous smile with the two finalists. Iruka left to tally the votes for one last time, but he won't be revealing the results tonight. Because tribal council was over. Their collective journey in Konoha was over. This game was officially over. The players can return home at last, where they will be reunited with their friends and families again. Some people may leave a little richer than the others, but all of them were equally enriched by this experience of a lifetime.

As Roy gave farewells to his fellow competitors in the game, most people noticed that he wore a sad smile throughout the night. He joked it was because he will miss them all so much, but the more observant players knew he was upset for a different reason. They won't find out why until several months from now, after the castaways were reunited for the live vote revelation on finale night.

Until then, Roy will be waiting patiently for the official outcome of Survivor: Konoha.

What he was certain would be a very bittersweet victory.

- - -

FINALE NIGHT

Thousands of Survivor fans erupted in cheers as Iruka arrived at the television studio at last. The host greeted the fans with an energetic wave. He was met with an even more enthusiastic response from the audience. The atmosphere tonight was absolutely electrifying. There were legions of Mai and Kari fans scattered all across the crowd. Two prominent figures in the front row were Joey and Serenity Wheeler, proudly representing the pro-Mai portion of the audience. Sitting nearby was Tai Kamiya and his parents, along with Kari's dearest friends, who all chanted her name and were soon joined by the people around them. Naturally, the Mai fans tried to drown out these voices with their own chants, but their volume was significantly weaker. That couldn't be helped. A large majority of the audience simply preferred Kari to take home the victory tonight.

"In a few moments, we'll crown the official champion of Survivor: Konoha!" Iruka exclaimed.

The audience cheered thunderously.

On the stage, Mai and Kari were both humbled by the overwhelming support from the crowd. Mai, especially, never imagined she would have as many fans as she did tonight. The blonde thought for certain that she would be perceived as the villainess against a sweetheart like Kari. But for every detractor there was, she had twice the number of supporters, who all admired the intelligent and cutthroat game that she played. Even the final two in the previous series, Survivor: Dewford Islands, had openly voiced their support in favour of Mai. Both former finalists endorsed her as the rightful and most deserving Sole Survivor.

Kari was the audience's favourite.

Mai was the previous winner's favourite.

But who was the jury's favourite?

"Are you ready!?" Iruka turned his head towards the crowd. A unanimous cheer echoed across the studio. "Before I reveal the results, I'd like to remind everyone these are all votes to win. So, you definitely want to see your name here tonight!" The crowd was going crazy at this point. The suspense almost seemed painful. "Okay, for the last time ever, I'll read the votes!"

The two finalists, who were holding hands, giggled in anticipation. They felt nervous and excited at the same time. How could they not be? One of them was about to become a millionaire!

Without further ado, the host inserted his hand in the voting urn and drew out the first ballot.

"First vote…"

Kari took a deep breath.

Mai also took a deep breath.

Iruka flipped over the vote.

"Kari."

The audience burst into jubilant cheers. Kari just laughed and covered her face in embarrassment. She couldn't believe it. She got a vote! One vote! And that vote came from Meryl Stryfe, of all people. Even though the two women lived with each other for less than a week, the petite insurance agent still awarded Kari with this jury vote. Because Meryl, who had always been a moralistic person, believed the winner should be an honest competitor rather than a conniving backstabber. So, she followed her heart and voted for the more ethical player. Besides, Kari was an underdog in this game much like Meryl herself ("And us underdogs have to stick together!" Meryl added jokingly, when asked to explain this decision). If good things do happen to people who worked hard, then Meryl wanted these good things to happen to Kari in particular.

Kari felt extremely thankful for her first vote, and what could possibly be her only vote for the evening.

But when Iruka revealed the second ballot, it displayed the same four letters.

"Kari."

That was Shannon's vote. As expected, he voted for his guardian angel to win. How could he not return the favour, after everything she had done for him in this game? She was the one who cast the mysterious third vote. She was the one who initiated an alliance with him after the merge. And she was the one who remained loyal to him until the bitter end.

She was Kari Kamiya, who now led the race with two votes.

Kari quickly mouthed the words "thank you" to the swordsman. This second vote had been a pleasant surprise, but she didn't expect her name to show up again for the rest of tonight.

"Third vote…"

Iruka paused for a dramatic effect before he revealed the vote.

There was a different name this time.

"Mai."

Just when the outcome was looking one-sided, the blonde pulled through with her first, and certainly not last, vote for the evening. Those Mai fans in the audience remained quiet thus far, but when they do celebrate, they go all out. Releasing all their pent-up energy in one go, a large portion of the crowd roared in a rambunctious manner. Finally!

Mai first exchanged grins with Holland. Then, she turned towards his wife with an even wider grin. Talho, who was pregnant with her second baby, grinned back at the blonde. After the game was over, the two women immediately cleared any misunderstandings between them. Nothing had happened on the infamous reward trip – and they decided to leave it at that. They let bygones be bygones. There was no need to dig up the past. But in a surprising turn of events, Talho and Mai clicked almost immediately. They saw so many similarities in each other that they became instant best friends. As a result, Holland's wife became one of the loudest pro-Mai fans in the crowd tonight. Who would have thought?

Iruka read out the fourth vote next.

"Mai."

The next ballot was easily distinguished by a tiny exclamation mark at the end of Mai's name. It was, of course, Harley's signature vote. The flamboyant Pokemon Coordinator gave his friend a mischievous wink, which she returned with an exaggerated air kiss. Muah, muah!

There was now a tie at two votes apiece.

"Three votes left." Iruka clarified before he pulled out another ballot from the urn. "Fifth vote…"

He flipped over the vote.

"Kari."

The DigiDestined was beyond shocked to see her name come up for a third time. Once was satisfying enough. Twice was quite a pleasant surprise. But a third time just seemed absolutely mind-blowing. Kari never expected to receive three votes tonight. She'd be lucky to get just one. She thought she was destined to exit this game as a gracious runner-up. Now, quite unexpectedly, the young girl was one vote away from winning a million dollars.

Kari scanned across the jury for the right person to thank, but she won't find out until the game was over that Faye Valentine had cast the third vote in her favour. The bounty huntress made her decision based on a simple albeit shallow reason: she just liked Kari better. For a woman who took the game so personally all the time, it came as no surprise that Faye harboured a long-lasting grudge against Mai, which never got resolved. Had the blonde made even the slightest effort to reconcile, like Kari had done, then there might have been a different outcome tonight. Mai may have been a more deserving player, and she may have played with an overall better strategy, but Faye refused to vote for somebody who didn't earn her respect as a human being.

"If the next vote is for Kari…" Iruka wasn't able to finish his sentence before he was drowned out by anxious cheers from the crowd.

Because if the next vote had Kari's name written on it, then she will have officially won the game.

Sitting in the audience, TK Takaishi could only cross his fingers and hope for the best.

Iruka pulled out the sixth ballot from the urn.

He slowly unfolded the vote.

And he turned it over.

Three capital letters were displayed to the world.

"Mai."

The situation now escalated to a three-versus-three tie.

The two finalists exchanged giddy glances with each other. They couldn't believe how close the results were. And it all came down to one deciding vote in the end.

Kari tightened her grip on the blonde's hand.

While Mai whispered good luck to her best friend.

The entire audience was pumped with excitement. Even the jury members were waiting anxiously on the edge of their seats.

Meanwhile, Roy flashed a bittersweet smile when he recognized his handwriting on the ballot. Right then and there, he knew the outcome before the final vote was revealed.

Because all along, he predicted that the best player won't necessarily win this game.

His prophecy came true at last.

Which meant…

"The winner of Survivor: Konoha is…"

Iruka retrieved the seventh and final vote from the urn.

As soon as he turned it over, the audience screamed in joy.

"Kari!"

Shocked beyond her wildest imagination, Kari almost toppled over in her seat when she heard the official announcement. The whole world seemed to be spinning rapidly around her. What just happened still did not register in her brain even as Mai gave her an affectionate hug, followed by a clearly emotional Tai, and the rest of her family. It wasn't until the other players, including the exuberant pair of Asuka and Guy, emerged on stage and crowded around her before the truth sank in. Kari Kamiya, the youngest winner of Survivor ever, had just become a millionaire.

As she hugged and thanked each person one by one, Kari made sure she thanked Bulma especially for casting the deciding vote. What won the inventor over was a solid jury performance – shocking revelations, gutsy admissions about her strategy, f-bombs and all – from the one girl whom she had always underestimated. Plus, the underdog shtick resonated with Bulma immensely, since she saw so much of her own strategy mirrored in Kari's game. Both of them were devious, crafty, and perhaps a little underhanded as well. But more importantly, Kari lasted thirty nine days without ever compromising her friendly personality. At the end of the day, Bulma didn't care so much about who played the best game, or who deserved the money more. She just wanted to vote for the most likable person to win.

Poor Mai Valentine, who came so close to the million dollars, but she ultimately lost due to a jury that could not appreciate her ruthless strategy. Had she not betrayed almost every juror, or had she not broken so many promises with everybody, or even had she been slightly more diplomatic when voting people out, this victory might have been hers. But karma eventually caught up to a player who backstabbed too many people without batting an eye. Mai didn't lose the game because of Bulma's vote. Or Faye's vote. Or even Shannon's vote. It was Meryl's vote – the one that was supposedly secure in her pocket – which cost her near the end. Mai had not supported her friends when they needed her the most, just like how Meryl did not come through for Mai during her most crucial moment. It was an ironic, and very expensive, payback of sorts.

"You deserve it. You really deserve to win." Mai gave her friend another hug. Not only was she a commendable runner-up, but she was also a very gracious loser. If she couldn't win this game, then she couldn't think of a better person who should. "Good things do happen to people who worked hard to make good things happen!"

"Thanks. You were great too." Kari remained polite and modest as always. She smiled triumphantly at everybody, while wiping a tear of joy from her eye. "I can't believe I did it. I actually won Survivor…"

Kari repeated the phrase to herself, this time with a more confident laugh.

"I actually won Survivor!"

Just hearing those words come out of her mouth was worth a million dollars. At the beginning, Kari never thought it was possible for her to win the game. How could a naïve little girl who didn't know anything about survival possibly defeat fifteen other individuals? She would have been happy if she simply learned something important about herself before she left. Thus, every single day in her Survivor journey had been a valuable learning experience. And it was tonight when she learned one of the most important lessons in her life. Anything was possible in this world. All she had to do was try.

Survivor: Konoha ended in a way few people expected. Among many notorious backstabbers and schemers, the winner was a young girl who played a relatively honest game, who seldom got into an argument, and who always stayed true to herself. She wasn't the strongest or the smartest player, but she had the warmest personality out of everybody, and that was what won her the grand prize in the end. Kari Kamiya, the youngest winner ever, will be remembered as a devoted friend, a benevolent competitor, a persevering underdog, and of course, a sole survivor.

- - -

Author's Notes: After almost two years and over two hundred fifty thousand words, the story is finally finished! Thank you so much for your insightful reviews and unconditional support! There were times I doubted if I could finish this story, but reading all of your helpful comments motivated me to continue. So, thank you, thank you, thank you! I couldn't say it enough!

For the last time, please take the survey available in my profile and website. And don't forget to review! I would love to hear your thoughts on the ending, the winner, or just the overall story. In case you're wondering, there will be another instalment. I'm going to take a short break first, but I'll be back! Thanks again for your support!