Disclaimer: I don't own Total Drama, Pinkie Pie, Slender, or the book the challenge is based off of. I do own Bart, Fat Man, Larry, Lewis, and Val. If I missed something, I most likely don't own it.
Poll: Alright, as my poll has gone untouched since last I checked, I won't rein form you the stats. Just so you all know.
Warning: This chapter contains Until Dawn spoilers, sketchy scenes, unseen advances in plot, betrayal, a sped up plot that should have been dealt with better, Rainbow Road, scheming, a puppet man, and Scott. You have been warned.
Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: Yeah… when I said once per week, I kind of failed that. But, you have to admit, updating a month after my last major updating session is pretty impressive. I've been tied up in school and… personal matters. Nothing you guys should worry about, just keep in mind I'll be on the down low for a while. Something's come up and my account's being monitored again. But you don't want to hear that. Recently I've been into Until Dawn. I haven't played the thing dangit… but it's intriguing. One last thing… I've uploaded something on DeviantArt. If you get the chance, you might want to check that out. More will be revealed in the next chapter. Until then, enjoy the chapter!
There's a show on the go!
E12 P1: Decision of Fate
The moon shone brightly over Not-So-Silent Hill as someone walked out of the Restraints Hotel. He stood out front with an expressionless face and stared at the camera. This man was Bart, who didn't speak for quite a while. Finally, he spoke, "Last time on Total Drama All Stars, we had some choppy editing, a stupid challenge, and annoying scenes that didn't make sense."
"But enough about the crap my step-son pulled. The challenge was escaping an asylum. It wasn't easy, as predicted, but only for some. The people I hired never stayed loyal," he muttered.
He shook his head and continued, "But, over the course of countless drama you couldn't care less about, the Heroic Hamsters lost. I was praying that the #$% was going to go, but unfortunetly, the letter B went home. Not that he mattered much anyway."
"So, who will be stupid enough to win the challenge this time? Will unneeded drama happen? And will the #$% finally get what she deserves?" Bart asked himself. " #$% I hope so. Find out now on Total Drama All Stars, where brain cells are lost every second."
(Theme Song; I wanna be famous)
Confessional: Yep, here's one already!
Lewis: Ok, I'm done. I don't remember much from what happened the day before, but I do remember Bart was behind it. His trial run ends today, so Mr. Grills, if you see this, don't fire me! It's not a deperate plea to keep my job, but something about this is off. Plus, my uncle Slender was thrown out a window unconscious. He's fine, thanks to Fat Man, but Bart has gone too far! Even you have to admit that!
(Lewis' Private Suite Hall)
Bart had reentered the hotel and was passing by Lewis' suite. He sneered as he walked by and continued forward. Suddenly, Bart found himself shoved against a wall, his hands being held against it tightly. Bart growled as he saw Lewis was his attacker. "What do you want?" Bart snarled.
"You want the list?" Lewis muttered. "I want my gun back. And since it's under my name, if the authorities show up, you could get arrested."
Bart mumbled something as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the pink pistol. He handed it to Lewis, who took it and put it in his suit. "Now then," Lewis grumbled, "what in Hell did you do to my uncle Slender?"
"Nothing," Bart said truthfully. "Whatever happened in that building is a mystery to me. I know who was in the building and who confronted with who, but Slender was someone I didn't account for entering the building. Anything that happened to him was nothing I was expecting."
Lewis looked Bart hard in the eye for a moment before letting go. Bart rubbed his wrists and hissed. He stomped off to who knows where while Lewis watched after him. "If only I knew what you were planning," Lewis muttered.
"Sorry to interrupt," someone said. Lewis turned to see Larry coming out from the shadows. In his hand were the keys he grabbed from Bean earlier. "But I found these in your hands when you were unconscious. I figured you didn't want Bart to have them, so I grabbed them. I wanted to give them to you, since you might know what they're for."
Lewis nodded and grabbed the keys. He looked them over a moment before realization flashed in his eyes. "OMC," he muttered. He said louder, "Larry, thank you so much! You helped me more than you think! And no, this does not permit you free passage to the next round." With that, he rushed off.
"Darn it," Larry muttered.
Confessional: I think everything came together.
Lewis: I'm daft! I'm a freaking idiot! I should have seen this all along! Bart's after the item I'm transferring today. He timed it so he would be here precisely when it was moved. The animatronics were going to be his bodyguards when he stole the thing, the device from NAIL Industries would allow him to appear to be demonic to get past the failsafe, and the keys were to stand as a mold so he could forge keys to open the lock. How did I not see this before? UGH!
(Angel Wing)
Duncan and Gwen were both in the same room, cuddling with each other. Val and Scott were both gone, so they decided to play a horror game. Since this was up to date tech (and the author does care about release dates), they were playing Until Dawn. They were at a part where they accidently killed Matt via meat hook.
" #$%!" Duncan growled, ramming his controller down. "We had no way of #$% knowing he could have died!"
"I told you to give him the flare gun," Gwen tsked.
"Well, I didn't realize I could have been a #$% to Emily," Duncan grumbled. "She #$% deserved it."
"I did warn you," Gwen giggled. She then stopped and looked very deep into thought. Duncan noticed this and wrapped his arms around her tighter.
"You seemed liked you thought of something deep," Duncan said. "What's up?"
"Well, I got to thinking," Gwen said. "Slender is real, and he has a game after him. Same with the FNAF gang and the SCP doll. Sure, they were off a bit, but they documented real things. What if this game is real? Or, close to it, anyway."
Duncan thought about that for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't think so," he said. "Everything relating to a game lives in this town, or so we've seen. Until we see these characters, I doubt this has happened."
"Maybe," Gwen said skeptically. "But what if this is just a premonition of what will happen? It hasn't happened, but will in the future?"
"If it does, I hope Matt's a freaking #$% and lives," Duncan muttered. "You're paranoid. Don't worry about it." Gwen nodded, but didn't look so sure.
Confessional: This was more important than it seemed.
Gwen: It probably isn't anything to worry about. Just me thinking. But… if that were to happen… who would stop it? I mean, I know this game inside out. Any one of those guys could die at any point. I just think it's disturbing if this is going to happen and no one is going to prevent it. If it's even real, that is.
Alejandro, Dakota, and Noah were absent from Team Dakota's room. The remaining three were playing Mario Cart. Izzy had roped the other two in playing Rainbow Road. Again. As of the moment, Zeke was winning.
"Looks like this country boy can play games like normal teens, eh?" Zeke smirked as he crossed the finish line.
"NO!" Izzy yelled as she yet again fell off the track. "Why do I keep losing this thing?"
"Maybe it's because you keep choosing this track?" Geoff suggested as he crossed the finish line too. "You seriously have bad luck with this thing."
"But… back at home, this is the only track I can beat!" Izzy proclaimed.
"Maybe it's the town, eh," Zeke suggested. When Geoff and Izzy gave him weird looks, he clarified. "Well, this town is filled with insanity due to that asylum, eh. Maybe, since Izzy is insane herself, anything she does is reversed eh."
"That… actually makes a lot of sense dude," Geoff said, nodding. "At least I understood it. What do you think Izzy?"
"It's possible… but does that mean everything I do is reversed?" Izzy asked worriedly. "It's only that I have a crush on someone and I don't want that to go bad."
Zeke slightly deflated, but hid it before Izzy could see. "I don't think so, eh," Zeke reassured. "I think it's just natural abilities. Like this game. You can only beat Rainbow Road. Now you can't, but maybe you can beat every other track except this one, eh. Make sense?"
Izzy thought for a moment and grinned evilly. Geoff face palmed at the sight. "Great, now she's going to freaking dominate us," he groaned.
Confessional: Ideas. They destroy friendships.
Ezekiel: Shame Izzy already has a crush. I thought maybe I could ask her out sometime if she wanted, since she really is a cool girl, eh. She's probably my closest friend right now. But, if she likes someone else, I'll support her eh.
Izzy: If all my natural abilities are reversed in this town, which seems likely, then since I suck at being romantic… I now excel at being romantic? Ooo! I have to try this!
The last sub-team in the Angel Wing was settling down. Sadie and Trent were cuddling up on the couch while Mr. Coconut was plugging himself into the wall. Trent had started a movie. This time, it was Wreck It Ralph.
"What is up with our Disney Movie Fest?" Mr. Coconut grumbled.
"Oh come on," Sadie moaned. "You can't possibly tell us you hate Wreck It Ralph."
"I don't. But I can most definitely complain about it if you want," Mr. Coconut said. "I was only saying that the fact this is our second Disney Movie kind of makes it seem like we're having a Disney Fest."
Trent shrugged. "I personally am a fan of Disney," Trent said. "I took what you said to heart though and I picked a decent one."
"One of the few I don't hate," Mr. Coconut agreed. "I can't help but relate to Ralph. He feels unwanted and he has no place in his game. I feel similar about this game. I feel as if I'm more of a burden to those I am trying to help."
"No, you're more like the commando lady," Sadie giggled. "You don't care, you just want to get through this game without any major losses."
"Oh yeah? Then you're Felix," Trent teased.
"And then Trent can be the medal," Mr. Coconut chimed in. Trent looked at Trent confused. "Sadie needed to get a reward, right?" Trent blushed and Sadie giggled.
Confessional: Disney metaphors!
Sadie: Oh Mr. Coconut. Why weren't you this fun back in season one? You would have totally killed it.
Trent: I'm a medal now? Not how I thought my future would go.
(Demon Wing)
Bridgette was off doing something, so that left Cody and Harold alone in their room. Harold was grumbling on one side of the room, trying to get comfortable on the hard floor. He shot glares to Cody every so often. Cody was leaning against the wall on the other side of the room, thinking. After a while, he sighed.
"What?" he asked Harold.
Harold put on mock surprise. "I don't need anything," he lied.
"Yes, you obviously do. You've been shooting glares at me for the past ten minutes," Cody said.
Harold thought for a moment before speaking. "I was just thinking about the vote," he responded. "I can't believe you would turn on B like that. He didn't really deserve it."
Cody's eyes went wide and he scowled. "Why on earth would you think I voted B? In case you haven't noticed, I almost went home. I used my idol mostly because I had to. I can't go home without playing the thing, so why the heck not?"
"That's just it. You never mentioned the idol to me or Bridgette. I wouldn't be surprised if you never told B either," Harold said. "You basically doomed him because of your deception."
"Drop it. Bridgette told me after the vote what you did," Cody said. "I don't know what I ever did to make you mad, but what you're doing is being a sore loser. Heck, you haven't technically lost yet, so you're acting more like a sore winner. Keep this up and I see an elimination with your name on it."
Harold laughed. "What? You think people would target me? You have a target on your back for getting so far in season three. Granted you had a disturbing stalker on your side, but you got far none the less. This time, you have no stalker. You really think you have a shot?"
Silence.
"Yeah, thought so. See you tomorrow. The last tomorrow of this show you'll ever see," Harold said and closed his eyes to fall asleep.
Confessional: How about a last yesterday?
Harold: I find it funny Cody thinks he still has a shot. That idol was a fluke. I doubt he has any more. I think now is a brilliant time to rid o the guy once and for all.
Cody: I may not have a stalker… but I have friends. Bridgette might be willing to target Harold if we lose, and I can always rely on Tyler. We'll see where the cards fall and see if I even need a fallback strategy.
DJ, Katie, Tyler, and Lindsey were sitting in a circle. Beth had taken off, so it was just the four of them alone. Currently, they were playing two truths and a lie. It was Lindsey's turn. "Um… oh! My favorite color is yellow, I have a boyfriend named Tyler, and my best friend is Beth!" Lindsey declared.
"Er…" Tyler said. "Linds, you're supposed to tell two truths and a lie. All of those are true."
"But I was always taught to be truthful," Lindsey said, confused.
"Yeah, but… oh, just go DJ. No point in convincing her," Tyler said with a light chuckled.
"Ok, let's see," DJ pondered. "I've had a fear of snakes since I was little, my dad left my Momma before I was born, and I accidently set fire to a barn once."
Katie thought for a moment. "Was it the barn?" she asked.
"Nope. My dad never left my Momma," DJ said. "I just don't mention him that much because I was always a Momma's boy."
"Alright dudes, my turn!" Tyler said. "My favorite color is red, soccer is my best sport, and I had blonde hair at one point."
"Ooo! I know, chose me!" Lindsey said. When Tyler nodded his consent, Lindsey said, "Soccer!"
Tyler looked hurt. "No. I was never blonde. Why would you think soccer?" he asked.
"Oh. I thought we were looking for the truth," Lindsey giggled. Tyler's smile returned and the group of four laughed.
Confessional: Double date!
Lindsey: Tyler's fun. I wish he and I could never be separated ever!
Katie: Tyler and Lindsey are so cute. DJ and I are great too, but those two both lack high grades, so I find it cute that they work off each other so well. It's totally my OTP!
In the last Demon Wing room, Zoey and Larry sat alone. Mike was off elsewhere and Dawn said she had arrangements to sleep somewhere else. Larry had hid a smirk (mostly since he couldn't change his facial expression) but said nothing. Currently, Zoey was thinking to herself.
"I don't get it," she said after a while.
When she didn't say anything after that, Larry asked, "Get what?"
"Why Mike is never around when we fall asleep," Zoey explained. "Dawn's typically here, you're typically here, I'm always here, but Mike is never around when we settle in. Doesn't that strike you as weird?"
Larry thought this over for a few moments before nodding. "It is kind of suspicious," he admitted. "But I'm sure he has good reasons."
"Like?" Zoey prompted.
"Like… maybe he's off idol hunting for the group?" Larry suggested. "We should probably go and do that too. Idols are handy, after all."
Zoey looked at Larry carefully. "You really think that's all Mike is doing?" she asked.
"What else could he be doing? He already has a girlfriend, and she's right here," Larry said. "And Mike isn't one to cheat. I'm sure it's nothing."
"Yeah… sure," Zoey muttered.
Confessional: Mike cheated that math exam five years ago! How about that?
Zoey: I don't know. Mike's been off a lot lately, without telling anyone what he's doing. I think there's something fishy going on, and I'm going to ask Mike tomorrow a few things.
Larry: I thought it best not to reveal I have the Leroy Idol. It'll be a failsafe, just in case I feel one of us is threatened. Currently the target's been on Cody, so I should be fine for now. We'll just have to wait and see where the cards fall.
(Lobby)
As per usual, Beth, Bridgette, and Mike/Mal was down in the lobby talking strategy. Currently, Mal was talking about the success of the elimination. "Clearly we did well today," Mal said with an evil grin. "When Mike wakes up, he'll be reeling at who was voted off, and I'll enjoy his pain. Next, we should target someone in this subgroup. Perhaps Dawn. She seems to know a bit too much."
"Actually Mal, maybe we can vote Harold?" Bridgette suggested. "He's been a major annoyance on our sub team and he seems to be targeting anyone who's drawing attention. He could be an ally… but I wouldn't put it past him to target one of us."
"Pfft. I leave that group and all Hell breaks loose," Beth muttered.
Mal thought this over for a moment. "Alright, for the time being, we target Harold," Mal relented. "But if you guys win sub-team immunity, we all target Dawn. Agreed?"
"Yeah, yeah. Can I go now? I'm sure you guys want to snog, and I really hate being here," Beth said. Mal waved her away as he took his shirt off. Beth grumbled something rude as she walked away.
Confessional: I read a FanFic about Harold and Mal once. Only it was more Harold yelling to Zoey about Mal.
Beth: Ugh. I don't know how I snuck my way into that crappy alliance, but it's really annoying I can't get out of it. Oh well. Maybe I'll try to get rid of Mal. Then I can take over this alliance and take out the one on my sub-group. Oh I wish it were that simple.
Bridgette: You know… I'm starting to feel wrong about using Vito. I mean… I don't enjoy it anymore. It feels just… wrong. I wonder what Cody thinks. Maybe he can give me some advice?
(Somewhere in the Demon Wing)
Scott and Val had met up back in the Demon Wing. Scott had brought a barrel for him to relax on while Val leaned against the wall. Currently, Val was explaining something to Scott. "Alright, so according to Lewis' journal, today's the day the object will be relocated," Val explained.
"I'm assuming you can't steal it while it's being moved," Scot guessed.
"Correct. We may have Slenderstine and Pink on our side, but I still have some precautions I need to take. First, I need to know where they are actually going to store the object. Then, I need to know of any locks other than the failsafe I need to bypass. I also need that WiFi password. I can't find the name of Lewis' purple gun anywhere in his journal."
Scott sat silently for a few moments. "Could Izzy know?" he asked. "Dawn doesn't, or says she doesn't, so maybe the other sister knows more?"
"Maybe, although I'm not sure if she'd tell without something in return," Val said. "Even if I had the WiFi password, I'd still need access to something else Lewis has. It's a record on the object and how to use it. I need it as a sort of guide so I can use it correctly."
"I can help you there," Scot smirked. "Back when I dated her, Dawn mentioned a Records Room her uncle has. Every case he takes or every phenomenon he comes across, he files it away in the room. I don't know where it is, but it has to be nearby."
Val nodded, smirking. "Looks like we'll need her services again," Val said. "Only I'd like to speak to her. I can tell if she's lying or not about the password. You can interrogate her, if you want, but I need to be present."
Scott smirked devilishly. "Perfect. I need some 'fun time'," Scott said. "I suggest you lure her here tonight. I've noticed her and Al have been pretty close. Maybe you can say he wants to talk to her down here and we can spring on her then."
"Sounds doable," Val nodded. "Until then, I think that's all for now. I suggest you head to sleep. We need to try to win the challenge tomorrow."
"Agreed," Scott nodded and both walked back off to their room.
Confessional: Evils unite!
Scott: I think the audience needs a little… spice. I'll demonstrate some of my moves to satisfy my needs. And I guess maybe I'll slip a… certain secret. It might bend her more to my will.
Vallowsmeir: Is it wrong that I don't want to brutally murder Scott? It feels so weird I don't want to kill the human. I must really want him to be a demon.
(Outside Team Dakota's Room)
It was quiet. Dakota and Noah were just outside the door to their room. Dakota leaned on the wall the door was on while Noah leaned on the other. Neither one tried to speak first. Finally, Dakota decided to end the silence.
"What was Latus talking about?" she asked.
Noah stared at Dakota for a long time before answering. "He's an insane #$% who sets fire to any threat to his future," Noah said, keeping his voice away from emotion. "My parents were wealthy. They also specialized in fighting evil. Kind of like Lewis does, only they focused less on supernatural. Latus had someone read the future, my parents prevented him from achieving his goals, and he killed them. Not much else to it."
"But he said he was burned into a skeleton because of you. And what did he mean you didn't have much time left?" Dakota asked, confused.
Noah sighed, shaking his head. "The fire he burned in was his own," Noah said. "I just happened to be there. I escaped the fire, he didn't. He blames me even though he caused it."
"So… you weren't trying to kill him for revenge?"
"On the contrary, I was trying to get him legally arrested to get revenge."
Dakota looked at Noah skeptically before nodding slowly. "Ok. So, Latus is someone from you're past who you wanted revenge on for killing you're parents. You didn't get it, but he suffered by burning in his own fire. But that still doesn't explain why you don't have a lot of time left. What did he mean?"
Noah looked Dakota in the eye. "I think you know exactly what it means," he said coldly. "Before the last fire, right after my elimination in World Tour, I got severe burns from some sort of organic fire that Latus was experimenting with. The physical burns were treatable, but the burns themselves tied into my tissues and didn't heal. The organic fire is still slowly burning away my tissues."
Dakota blinked a few times. She couldn't process what Noah was saying. She didn't want to believe it. "Do you mean… that… you're dying?" she asked quietly.
"Slowly," he shrugged. "It's a whatever, though. Not like I care. I don't belong to this universe. No one cares about me anymore. What's the point of me anyway?"
Suddenly, without notice, Noah felt someone hug him tightly. Dakota squeezed him hard. Noah was shocked, unable to do anything. "You're not uncared for," she said, tears pouring from her eyes. "I care. You may seem like a jerk… but you're just as miserable as me, or anyone else with problems. I'm sorry I can't help you with your problem… but I'm here for you. Ok?"
Noah was still stunned by this. He didn't know what to say or do. So, he went with his instincts. He hugged Dakota back and said, "Thank you. But I'll deny this if you tell anyone."
"My lips are sealed," Dakota said with a sad smile.
Confessional: That… was deep.
Dakota: (She's crying.) Oh Noah… I don't know how much longer you have, but I promise, I'll be with you no matter what. No one should go through this alone. And if I can help you win the prize money to help research a cure, I will. I'm sorry I was harsh on you before.
Noah: If the audience must know, Fat Man says I have three years to live, give or take. It may seem like a long time, but knowing when I'm going to die… let's face it. That's why I'm like this. I know I'm going to die… so why bother being positive when I know the outcome is negative.
(Next Morning: Medical Room)
In a round room with a blue hue and counters along the sides and a bed in the middle, Slender was sitting up. Fat Man and Pinkie stood near him, looking concerned. Slender rubbed his head. "Tip. Never ever go into an asylum alone," he groaned.
"Whatever attacked you did a number on you, brother," Fat Man said. "You have a serious concussion. I advise not teleporting for at least a few days. I'll check you out again after I check on Dawn. Her health is starting to get serious, and I need to do something soon, or they'll be massive consequences."
"Um… Bart's still here. He didn't leave like we thought," Pinkie said nervously. "How are you going to help Dawn if he won't let you?"
Fat Man thought carefully. "Alejandro helped her find a hidden Angel Wing room last night, right?" Fat Man asked. Pinkie nodded. "Perfect. Looking over the footage, Alejandro is aware Dawn has medical issues, he just isn't sure what. I'll go down there and perform the surgery in the room and have Alejandro stand guard. Keep an eye on Slender and keep track if he gets woozy. This should only take me a half hour."
"Righty o!" Pinkie said with a salute. Fat Man walked out of the room, leaving Pinkie and Slender alone. Pinkie looked nervous while Slender looked at her blankly. It made sense, since Slender didn't have a face.
"Something on your mind?" Slender asked after a while.
Pinkie didn't say anything at first. Then, she said, "Before you blacked out, you said you figured out Pinkamena and what she was. Do you remember what you were going to tell me?"
Slender's face crinkled, which looked really weird without a face. After a moment, he said, "I don't remember anything from the asylum. I know I went in, I know why I went in, but I don't remember anything in-between."
"Oh," Pinkie said sadly. "You were so sure too. You went on to talk about Poltergeists and then you blacked out…"
Before Pinkie could finish, Slender reached and grabbed her arm with a hard grip. "Poltergeists? I mentioned poltergeists? Pinkie, if I mentioned those, then everything about Pinkamena makes sense. Give me a few hours and I can round up my files, and I'll give you a detailed report with Fat Man."
"Ok… Does it help to mention Pinkamena hasn't bothered me since before you left yesterday? She normally bugs me constantly but… she's been gone for a long time," Pinkie said.
"Interesting… gather Fat Man. While Lewis goes off on business, I'll explain everything to both of you. Good thing I mentioned that, or I would still be clueless," Slender said. Pinkie nodded.
Confessional: Holster the guise!
Pinkie: Pinkamena hasn't bothered me for hours. She yells in my head every hour or so, or I feel her walking in my head. She hasn't done that since Slender and Lewis left… Hopefully Slender will be able to explain this, or I think I'll go insane.
Slender: Holy #$%. Pinkamena is worse than we thought…
(Hidden Angel Wing Room)
Dawn woke up with a yawn. She sighed happily as she got out of the bed Alejandro had set up for her the night before. As she stood, Alejandro walked into the room with a small smile. "Sleep well?" he asked.
"Wonderfully. Thank you so much. I hated to bother you, but something… hasn't been feeling right and I didn't want to risk sleeping in such a bad environment," Dawn explained.
"Hey, it was no trouble. Anything for my best friend," Alejandro shrugged.
Dawn's eyes widened. "I'm… your best friend? How did I do that?"
"Well… that morning, when you came to say hi to me. You didn't need to, but you did," Alejandro explained. "You showed an act of kindness that you didn't need to express. And I've been… trying harder to be who I need to be. And it's thanks to you. So, you are now dubbed best friend."
Dawn had a tear in her eye. "Al… thanks. You have no idea what that means to me. Thank you… I would like to think that you mean a lot to me too."
Alejandro smiled and was about to say something else when he heard a knock on the door. He frowned, looking confused. "No one knows we're here except us," he said. He left for a moment to answer the door. After a couple of moments, Fat Man entered the room and shut the door. Dawn's eyes widened.
"Bad?" she asked.
"Nothing I can't fix, but I have to do it now," Fat Man urged. "I'm having Alejandro watch the door. Don't worry, I didn't tell him. He knows something's up though."
"I figured that," Dawn said. "Will it hurt?"
"Not at all," Fat Man assured. "I just need to shift the position. Do you mind if I shut off the cameras? The world doesn't need to see me working."
"Not at all," Dawn said.
Confessional: At least I still work.
Dawn: See why I love my Great-Uncle Fat Man? He risks getting harped on by Bart to make sure no complications of my health arise. Between him, Lewis, and Al, I think I'll be just fine in the long run.
(Lobby)
Cody was eating breakfast alone. Harold had walked off in a rage, so Cody figured he was alone for the moment. After a bit, Bridgette walked over and sat down next to him. Cody smiled at her, in which she returned.
"Hey Cody. You seemed alone and upset, so I came to cheer you up," she said.
Cody shrugged. "I'm confused about a certain situation," he admitted. "Harold's been getting annoying and especially the fact he's gunning for me. And he voted for B for no reason."
"Yeah," Bridgette chuckled nervously, hiding the fact she voted for B as well. "Well, I guess I can suggest voting for Harold. He offers very little to the team anyway, so why not?"
Cody smirked. "I'm down with that," he said. He then squirmed for a moment. "Um, so… Bridgette. Since you're single and everything… and I'm single… and I don't have a crush on Gwen anymore… you want to go out sometime after the game? I don't want to distract you or anything, but you're a pretty cool chick, and I've been wondering."
Bridgette gave Cody a smile. "Maybe," she said slyly. "Tell you what? If Harold goes tonight, I'll let you take me on one date. Deal?"
"Deal," Cody said with a wide smile.
Confessional: Yeah, I never could find a ship name for them.
Cody: (Smirks.) Yeah, I still got it. And where I failed with Gwen, I might succeed with Bridgette. I just hope I can find a way to eliminate Harold.
Bridgette: If Harold goes or not, I'll probably say yes. Cody's adorable and… I feel comfortable around him. Yeah, Mal and Vito make me feel good physically… but Cody's different. When I'm with him, I don't feel the need to be physical. I wonder… maybe I should go out with Cody. He seems to be a good influence on me.
Soon, Lewis and Bart entered the room. Lewis was limping, which earned him some concerned look from the contestants. Lewis grimaced but he tried to change it into a smile. "I'm fine," he said, then winced as he took another step.
"Enough of Lewis," Bart growled. "It's time for your next challenge. You must follow me…"
"Hold on," came a voice from behind the contestants. Everyone turned to see a middle-aged man with brunette hair. He had a scruffy full face beard. He was wearing a pinstriped green suit and a yellow tie. He was carrying a briefcase with him.
"You the #$% are you?" Bart snarled. "I own this show, so as far as I'm concerned, you're trespassing!"
"Um… Bart?" Lewis asked, a smirk growing on his face.
"Not now!" he snapped. "Look, I have permission to shoot you. Granted my #$% step-son took the only gun I had, but I will kill the #$% out of you if you don't leave in three seconds!"
"Bart," Lewis said in a singsong voice.
"Shut the #$% up!" Bart snarled. "This isn't you're show, it's not this #$% show, it's my show! YOU #$% KEEP GETTING IN MY #$% WAY! I DEMAND YOU LEAVE!" he shouted at the man.
"Hey Bart," Lewis whispered in his ear. "Meet my boss: Mr. Grills."
It took a moment for everything to register. Bart slowly paled, staring at the man. The man, however, was glaring at Bart. "I see you are nastier in person than on the screen," Mr. Grills said in a deep voice. "Lewis, good to see you again."
"Likewise, Mr. Grills," Lewis saluted. "I see you got my memo about arriving in person?"
"Indeed. And I see that it was for the best, as this will probably be more satisfactory," Mr. Grills said, walking past the contestants and up to Bart. "Bartholomew Dirt…
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You're fired," he said.
To describe Bart's face would be something an author would dream to write. He was aghast, annoyed, angry, and appalled. "I… you… but…" he stammered.
"Honestly, I was reluctant to even let you have the three days," Mr. Grills said. "I was appalled by your changes and I wanted to fire you three days ago. However, Lewis insisted you stay for personal reasons. I was hesitant, but I allowed it."
"And I know what you're after!" Lewis said musically. "Took me a while, but you left far too many clues to let me set it up."
Bart's jaw fell open. He shut it then dropped it open again then shut it. He glared at his step-son and Mr. Grills. Finally, he spat at the ground. " #$% you," he growled.
"Mature," Mr. Grills said sarcastically. "I will allow you to remain here for a single day, but you are to leave before the episode closes. Lewis, I will host today's challenge as I am here and you have business."
Lewis nodded his understanding and limped off. Bart's mouth fell open yet again, but he ran off quickly. Mr. Grills turned to the contestants with a smile. "Sorry about that," Mr. Grills said to the contestants. "I am Lewis' boss, Mr. Grills. If you would walk out of the hotel, we shall walk to the challenge site. We will be inspecting the resident area of the town today."
Confessional: He's literally the boss.
Mr. Grills: Between Chris and Bart, Chris was a kid's mini slide. Bart? He's a terror slide, meant to scare the #$% out of you. Lewis has done everything correctly and I would like to think he has this job for a good long while. I'm hoping Bart lets it go, otherwise I'll be dealing with a lawsuit. Granted, he can't sue me since he signed a contract, but still.
Lindsey: Wait… when did Lewis get so old? And what happened to his purple hair?
Vallowsmeir: Interesting. Bart was after the same item I am. Question is, why didn't he ally with me? Sure, I would have killed him when I got the thing, but it would be a more efficient way of doing things.
Izzy: The residential area? Let's see… ooo! We must be visiting the Rhyme House! All of those guys crack me up! This challenge is totally in the bag!
(The Rhyme House)
Mr. Grills had led the contestants over a few blocks to an area that had a lot of big houses. As they walked down the street, everyone took notice of a slightly bigger house than the rest at the end of the street. It was a small mashion with a white fence surrounding the perimeter. Mr. Grills stopped outside the gate.
"This is the Rhyme House," Mr. Grills explained. "Lewis spent many days here as a kid, growing to love the creatures that live here. Dr. Seuss famously recorded these creatures in A Wocket in my Pocket. And today, you will be meeting them as well."
"Each team will be required to find a specific creature," Mr. Grills continued. "For the Heroic Hamsters, Team Beth, you will find the Noothgrush. Team Cody, you will find the Woset. And lastly, Team Larry will find the Eller family. As for the Villainous Vultures, Team Dakota, you will find the Bofa. Team Mr. Coconut, you will find the Nupboards. Lastly, Team Scott will find the Zlock. Any questions?"
"Yeah. How the heck will we know where any of these guys are?" Tyler asked.
Mr. Grills raised an eyebrow, but Beth was the one to respond. "Really?" she asked. "How stupid are you?"
"With that being said, I think it's time to start the challenge. You may go on my mark," he said. As the teams got ready, he raised his hand. "Three… two… one… go!" he called, lowering the hand. The contestants bolted into the house. "Who will win the challenge today? What drama will occur? Find out after the break," Mr. Grills announced.
BN: Well guys, that wraps this chapter up. Before I go, let me just say, you guys have been a lasting influence on me. I love you guys, even if you don't review. To see you guys come back to read this story… it means a lot to me. Expect more from me. I may update sporadically… but I will finish this story in two years, hopefully less. Even if it's the death of me, I will finish this story. Thanks for all you're support.
Next Time: The contestants search for the creatures while Lewis retrieves the mysterious object and has a final showdown with Bart. Slender explained Pinkamena and Fat Man works on research. Also, an appalling scene occurs, driving one contestant to the brink of super-depression. Someone else takes the Rockets of Shame to The Orange.