Reply to Reviews

Worma-Sir

I actually accidentally spoiled the fact that Nosepass isn't the winner by saying he will return in Season 3 for one of my replies. Winners won't return. Yeah, your final four is unexpected as well.

Parousia45

Thanks for appreciating Nosepass' character. He is one of the contestants I spent the most time to create and develop so this is a relief for me. Thank you for reassuring me that taking inspiration is fine. I'm kind of crazy about originality so the line between ripping off and being inspired is pretty blurred for me.

Haha. I'm glad you like the revenge specials. This is one of my show's unique selling point. It allows for eliminated contestants to get development so, I don't need to force all the plot lines on them before their elimination.

Running Man is good. I recommend episode 74 and 130 to start things off. Don't worry about your review, it is great!

Fallenstreet01

Are you sure you are right? Only time will tell…

Honesty

I appreciate your honest criticism. However, I find it vague. In my opinion, the best criticism isn't the most brutally honest one but the most specific and detailed one. Your review seems rushed with spelling mistakes so I don't know how to actually feel.

I agree with your criticism about the redundancy. I will totally make changes about that. I will admit that sometimes I just want to be intentionally annoying by stating the obvious. Since no one complain about it for so long, I thought they might find it comedic.

About the dialogue, I know how Dark Amphithere and the others write theirs. However, I have no intention of copying them. I want to set my own unique identity and will strive forward with this style. I will just try my best to polish it. Please understand that this stems from the fact of how I was taught in school.

To me, my characters are never monotone. Their voices are very vivid and real with fluctuations all around. However, I get why you see them that way. This is because of the detail omissions. In Season 2, I will try to be more descriptive. Maybe I will even do a voice sample on Youtube.

Please don't take offense to the fact that I won't follow every of your suggestions. I can't base my story on a single person's views. I need to take into consideration what others think as well. That includes myself.


Episode 29: Ministers and Moles

The red carpet was rolled straight onto the dock. The fanfare started, trumpets flourishing. The extravagant cheers echoed with the help of sound effects. These three things were indicators of a monarch's visit.

Majestically, no one other than Skarmory graced the carpet himself. He wore a golden royal robe with silver Skarmory and Furret embroidered in a circle. Furret's stripes and Skarmory's feathers were bronze. The Furret wrapped herself around the Skarmory's neck. In addition, Skarmory wore a silver crown that fitted his crest perfectly. Diamonds were lodged around the crown.

"Welcome back, my loyal subjects. Last time, our ministers fought hard and valiantly against two rebels. Only Minister Farfetch'd successfully drove them back to Loser Island, out of our country. I bestowed immunity upon him as reward. On a different subject, Minister Drifblim manipulated Minister Nosepass to put the blame only on himself for the weapon supply sabotage scandal. In the end, Minister Nosepass got exiled for good. What kind of fortune will bless our land in this new age? May the historians record the events of today in the name of Total Skarmory Island!" Skarmory recapped royally.


Drifblim woke up with a wide smile on her face. She made it to the final four. Just a couple more marvelous moves and she would win this game for sure.

The thought of being crowned as the winner of Total Skarmory Island kept her antsy. She couldn't stay still or think still. While her arms fiddled around with her bed, her mind began to strategize.


Confessional

Drifblim: "I have three candidates to boot: Darmanitan, Farfetch'd and Aromatisse. If I eliminate Darmanitan, I'm removing a huge physical threat from this game. This will increase my chances of winning challenges. In addition, it isn't hard to convince everyone to vote him out. The next option is Farfetch'd. He is extremely volatile and unpredictable. Arguably the biggest threat in this game besides me." She smiled with self-satisfaction.

"It won't be that hard to eliminate Farfetch'd either, considering what he did in the past few days. Now, here comes the interesting choice. I can choose to eliminate Aromatisse instead of the boys. Everyone wants her in the end and this might spell disaster for me. However, orchestrating her elimination won't be easy. It is extremely risky and I'm not sure if I want to wager my entire game when I'm this close to the finale." She pinched her fore right arm to add extra emphasis.

"Then again…The viewers probably want an attractive appetizer before the finale course. I think I know who I'm going to desert in Loser Island now." Drifblim smiled mysteriously, her voice showing desires to impress the viewers.


Drifblim floated to check the Feckless Flygon boys' cabin. She peeked through the window. No one was inside. She headed to the Crazy Crawdaunt boys' cabin instead, looking pleased to see Darmanitan meditating all by himself.

Drifblim knocked on the door politely, hiding her excitement.

"Come in, homie." Darmanitan allowed, sounding friendly and inviting.

Twisting the doorknob opened, Drifblim entered casually with approachable eyes. She tried to make Darmanitan feel at ease, refraining from door infiltration and suspicious facial expressions.

"You look very chill today, Darmanitan." Drifblim started off with a nice, little compliment. Darmanitan grinned sheepishly.

"Thanks, homie. I'm always chill like a chill cone." Darmanitan felt flattered like a fawning, foreign frozen yogurt. "Like, you look chill too, homie." He returned, giving a thumb up.

"Here is the thing, Darmanitan…" Drifblim sat next to him, placing her right arm on his left shoulder. "Lucario will probably be disappointed to see you like this."

Darmanitan sighed. "Yeah." He furrowed his brows. "The homie is probably disappointed to see me so uncompetitive like this. I mean I try to be competitive but I can only do so much." He slammed his hands against his lap lightly.

"What's stopping you from doing more?" Drifblim enticed with her questioning look. "You can please him without being unchill and uncool."

"Really? How?" Darmanitan asked, scratching his head.

"Show him that you are a real thinker. Strategize. Instead of blindly bringing Aromatisse to the end in a pitiful attempt to please Lucario, don't. Aromatisse and Lucario aren't close. In fact, they are enemies. Lucario despise traitorous teammates like her." Drifblim reasoned.

Darmanitan frowned deeply upon hearing the words 'traitorous teammates'.

"I need some time to think, homie." Darmanitan replied with a brooding expression.

"Take your time, Darmanitan. Take your time…" Drifblim's tone was a bit sinister at the end.


Confessional

Drifblim: "Part one complete." She smirked.

Darmanitan: "Maybe the homie is right, maybe not. I know Lucario the best, don't I?" He sighed, "Maybe not."


After another search and rescue Mr. Stalk session, Aromatisse and Farfetch'd dropped down to rest under the giant tree.

Farfetch'd was muddied with sweat, panting. Aromatisse brushed some dirt off her hands before sitting down on the enormous root.

"Mr. Stalk, why the hell can't I find you?!" Farfetch'd pounded his fists against the ground out of frustration and impatience.

"I'm sure-" Aromatisse got cut off.

"It's all my fault! I'm just too dang incompetent to do anything!" Farfetch'd shouted in a harsh tone.

"That's not true. You won immunity yesterday." Aromatisse pointed out.

"All because of Ms. Stick." Farfetch'd added, averting his eyes. "I nearly lost her too because of my own stupidity. *beep* the cube brothers." He bared his teeth at the end.

"Yet, you saved her! Farfetch'd, Mr. Stalk or not, you should have faith, forgiveness, and a fabulous face for yourself." Aromatisse alliterated, eyeing him consolingly. "No one is faultless and most aren't friendless. You still have Swanna, Ms. Stick, and me."

"You don't u-understand. Mr. Stalk is more than just a father to me. He is an eternal, forever-lasting companion that always stay with me no matter what. This is the first time I have lost him…" Farfetch'd sobbed a bit before continuing.

"My mother has always been cold and distant toward me. All the kids I know think I'm some sort of delusional, crazy freak, which isn't true. I'm perfectly fine the way I am!"

"I guess." Aromatisse went along with it, nodding awkwardly.

"Mr. Stalk has always been my inspiration, my hero, my father figure and my only true friend!" Farfetch'd recalled passionately, words overwhelmed with feelings. "He taught me many professional skills that my teachers couldn't. He genuinely conversed with me unlike all the fake friends that tried to suck up to me for discount coupons. He kept me warm at night when I shivered because of my mother's frigid glare."

Aromatisse couldn't utter a word. She could only look at him sympathetically.

"Even if I have Swanna, Ms. Stick, you and Bisharp…" Aromatisse's left eye twitched as Farfetch'd mentioned Bisharp. "…Nothing will ever be the same without Mr. Stalk."

Farfetch'd got up and turned his back on Aromatisse. However, he turned his head back shortly.

"Thank you for spending so much time to search for Mr. Stalk. I really appreciate it, and I consider you a friend." Farfetch'd smiled gratefully before he left. Aromatisse had an incomplete smile on her face.


Confessional

Farfetch'd: "Ms. Stick, where could Nosepass have dropped Mr. Stalk? It couldn't have been far, right?" He shook her a little, "As I expected. We just need to endure this pain a bit longer, Ms. Stick. We will reunite with Mr. Stalk soon. I'm sure of it."

Aromatisse: "Even though we are competing for a million, I wish the best for Farfetch'd. Will I bring him to the finale? I'm not so sure." She positioned a claw on her left cheek, "I like everyone in the final four. Although, I did promise final two with Drifblim. I kind of like the thought of just us two girls in the finale."


"Ministers, report to the first intersection. I require your attendance." Skarmory spoke regally.

The contestants soon arrived, shocked by the royal sight. Interns knelt in reverence from both sides of the red carpet that led to the throne with daïs underneath.

Skarmory sat on a golden throne with silver seat. The footrest was bronze. Furret wrapped herself around his neck. She wore the same royal robe, just tailored to fit her body size. Instead of a crown, a small tiara fitted her head perfectly.

"My loyal ministers, kneel before the king and queen." Skarmory gave an absolute royal order.

Darmanitan didn't mind it, kneeling respectfully right away. Aromatisse saw their serious demeanors and did it as well. Farfetch'd consulted with Ms. Stick briefly before kneeling alongside her.

Drifblim giggled in amusement. "Kneeling before you two? Seriously, Skarmory? Who is this Furret next to you anyways? I find it unlikely for you to be married." She scoffed disrespectfully. Skarmory and Furret scowled, greatly offended.

"Insolence! Uncouth minister, do you want to be flogged for your gauche breach of etiquette? Furret threatened in a serious tone.

Drifblim gulped and apprehensively knelt before them. She was just joking. She didn't expect them to be this serious on such a weird occasion.

Skarmory smiled with satisfaction. Minister Drifblim finally learned her place.

"Ministers, I entrust our land and its Pokemon to your care. Rise and tell me your desire. Which land do you wish to rule in our stead? Beware, your choice will affect the responsibility you must bear. First to decide gets priority over the land." Skarmory instructed.

"Your Homily Highness, I wish to chill in the snowy area." Darmanitan picked with no hesitation. Both monarchs looked a bit irked as Darmanitan used 'Highness' instead of 'Majesty'.

"Your Fabulous Majesties, I wish to rule the beach area." Aromatisse said in a courtly manner, addressing both of them. Skarmory smiled slightly before returning to his solemn and dignified expression. Furret seemed to have taken a liking to her.

"Your Majesties, we prefer the desert area." Farfetch'd chose this option to expand his search vicinity for Mr. Stalk. Skarmory nodded while Furret started looking at the interns, thinking about which minister to assign them to.

"Haunted area for me." Drifblim didn't show any manners. Skarmory gave her a curt nod.

"Ministers, I shall appoint a title to each of you. Minister Darmanitan, you shall be known as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Minister Aromatisse will be granted the title of Minister for Transport. Minister Farfetch'd and your trusty weapon will rule the desert area as Minister for War." Skarmory spoke formally.

"Minister Drifblim…" Skarmory sighed. "You are the Minister for Education. Please raise the next generation well." He gave her the title reluctantly. Drifblim was about to make a snappy comeback, until she realized her powerless position and remained quiet. It didn't help that Ursaring was polishing a wooden paddle, staring at her intimidatingly.

"Ministers, I shall assign subordinates under your control. Rest assured, they will obey all of your commands." Furret showed badges that had the exact same designs as the circle of the royal robes. "These are royal badges. Possessing one of these gives you absolute authority over them. In addition, they will naturally be induced by the 12,500 P reward from your victory. I expect my cultured ministers to refrain from stealing them illegally. Take extreme care for it needs to be returned." She explained, beckoning the ministers to collect one.

Darmanitan bowed politely before accepting it. Aromatisse performed a curtsy, before handling the badge with delicate care. Upon observing the two, Farfetch'd groveled over to collect the badge in the most submissive manner as possible. Furret grinned, amused by his excessively courteous display. Drifblim just took it with no manners whatsoever. Skarmory and Furret gave her critical looks of censure. If history was anything to go by, Drifblim would sooner get flogged, water boarded and branded by hot iron.

"The following will be assigned to Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Snorlax, Lurantis and Wimpod." Furret started announcing.

Snorlax had a bone to pick with Darmanitan after what he did to those poor, innocent chili dogs. Lurantis made her way over to him, giving him weird looks. Wimpod skittered toward him, looking obsequious.

"The following will be assigned to Ministry of Transport: Ursaring, Abomasnow and Shiinotic." Furret continued.

Ursaring carried his paddle over and behind his shoulders, holding with both hands. Abomasnow walked calmly, greeting Aromatisse politely. Shiinotic folded her arms, feeling neutral about working for Aromatisse.

Aromatisse looked pretty pleased with the two masculine men. Shiinotic…Not so much.

"The following will be assigned to Ministry of War: Smeargle, Palossand and Drilbur." Furret kept her expressionless face and formality throughout.

Smeargle looked pretty excited. Palossand rushed over to squeeze Farfetch'd, to the duck's dismay. Drilbur shuffled his feet slowly and lazily over.

"The following will be assigned to Ministry of Education: Druddigon, Raticate and Chef Drapion." Furret finished.

"Oh, great and invincible monarchs, may I please ask why we can't choose our own interns?" Drifblim asked in a disingenuous manner to lighten up the dry mood.

"Minister for Education, I'm deeply disappointed in your ignorance despite your title. Please study the history of monarchy reign in Skarmory Island before you ask such inappropriate questions in front of your sovereigns." Skarmory reprimanded.

Ursaring smacked her left hand lightly with the paddle, silencing Drifblim for good.

Druddigon glowered at Raticate, crossing his arms. Raticate grumbled as he dragged his feet. Chef Drapion got a call and soon traveled to the intersection grumpily.

"Ministers, perform your tasks dutifully. The one who contributed the most to our country will be rewarded with immunity from exile for one night. All of you are now dis-" Skarmory paused abruptly as Advisor Alakazam teleported to them. He held a scroll in his right hand.

"Your Majesties, pardon me for the sudden entrance. I have discovered a shocking piece of information." Alakazam delivered the scroll to Furret and waited with a lowered head. She unfurled it for Skarmory to read.

"You may be dismissed, advisor." Skarmory ordered and Alakazam obeyed instantly.

"Ministers." Skarmory returned his attention back to them. "Among the three subordinates each of you have been given, one mole is hiding." He revealed.

Suspicions and distrust filled the atmosphere immediately. Many casted doubtful and distrusting looks at each other. Some like Drifblim started observing body language. Some were very nervous like Wimpod. Drilbur sweated as many eyed him accusingly.

"I swear I'm not the mole." Drilbur raised his hands defensively.

"That's a lie and you know it." Farfetch'd narrowed his eyes, pointing Ms. Stick at him.

"I didn't mean it that way. I mean a mole like a spy, a saboteur, not a literal one." Drilbur corrected.

"It is a widely known trope that the most obvious culprit is the true culprit." Smeargle stated.

"I will keep my eyes on you." Farfetch'd performed the first few dance moves of 'I see you, thief. I give you, grief.' Drilbur groaned, facepalming himself.

Stakes were high as the mole would receive 25,000 P if they manage to prevent their minister from winning and stealing their badge successfully.

The ministers each received a scroll detailing their duties and split off alongside their subordinates.


Confessional

Drifblim: "What's wrong with Skarmory today? I know he tries to fit his character and all but… The challenge explanation is colorless, boring and too uptight. I don't think the viewers will find it enjoyable. Also, awful of them to threaten to flog me. Just because I'm a ghost type doesn't mean I'm invulnerable. Moves like Odor Sleuth exist, duh."

Darmanitan: "I'm not too worried about this mole thing. Stay calm and I'm sure I can do my job well."

Aromatisse: "If either one of the boys is the mole face then I'm sure I'm in serious trouble. I need to apparently transport a special guest from here to Toucannon Island with a wooden raft. An ugly, unstylish wooden raft." She said with disgust.

Farfetch'd: "You better believe it, I'm watching you, Drilbur…" He danced.


Ministry of Foreign Affairs was obligated to take care of two foreign envoys. Feed them, entertain them, do whatever it takes to strengthen diplomatic relations were the things expected out of Darmanitan. He would be rigorously watched by Alakazam, who would judge and decide his score.

The minister had an easy time plowing through the snow with his big hands and radiating body heat. Snorlax rolled to move, his body fat kept him warm. The two faced no difficulty whatsoever.

On the contrary, Wimpod faltered and trembled. Darmanitan offered kindly to carry him, which he accepted. For some apparent reason though, Wimpod constantly avoided eye contact with the minister. He also glanced a few times at the badge. Perhaps, he had good intentions, watching out for the minister. However, the exact opposite was just as likely.

Lurantis shivered horribly, hugging herself. Understandably, she distanced herself from Darmanitan, seemingly uncomfortable and weirded out by his chill mentality.

Eventually, they arrived at the mansion. The envoys were already inside. Darmanitan opened the door, gaping in disbelief. He covered his mouth and widened his eyes, pleasantly surprised to see Infernape and Greninja.

"Yo, yo, yo, frozen yogurt, yogurt, yogurt, brotha." Infernape spoke in Yogurtese, the ancient foreign language. He seemed overly excited and outgoing, judging from his voice.

"Cone, cone, chill. Chill, chill, cone. Chill cone fella." Greninja spoke in Chilliconish, the legendary dialect only a few could comprehend. He looked thrilled.

"Zen, zen, homie, chill, chill, chilly." Darmanitan used similar chill terminology. He shared hugs and smiles with them.

"Hot, light, solar, hot, hot, sun!" Lurantis joined in. Upon hearing those profane words, the envoys and the minister gasped. They glared at her with appalling revulsion.

"Homie, don't swear in front of the envoys. Stop being a potty mouth." Darmanitan chided.

"What? I didn't swear! If anyone is swearing, you three are the ones." Lurantis felt attacked, degrading their language and culture in return. The three gasped again.

"Cone, cone, chill, chill, freeze!" Greninja shouted furiously.

"Brotha, yo, yo, gurt." Infernape pointed at Darmanitan's badge then at Lurantis in a hostile manner. Darmanitan nodded, turning to Lurantis with cold eyes.

"Homie, you must be the mole to insult the envoys so rudely. You will be punished in the name of chilliness." Darmanitan raised his badge up. "Get out."

Lurantis looked through the window, a snowstorm was cooking outside. This sent a shivering chill down her spine.

"What if I don't?" Lurantis folded her arms, refusing disobediently.

The camera transitioned to outside and immediately the door opened. Lurantis got kicked out, face planting on the snow. The door slammed shut.


Confessional

Darmanitan: "The sun homie is like really, really rude. She needs to chill out."

Lurantis: She shivered, snow collected all over her body. "I h-hate those c-chill guys. Brrr!"

Wimpod: "I'm s-so scared. Did you see what happened to Lurantis? Not c-cool, Darmanitan."

Snorlax: "I'm going to do some cooking for them. Unlike Lurantis, I know my way around those chill guys. Gotta cook up something cold like frozen packaged meat."


Ministry of Transport needed to carry the guest safely and swiftly over to Toucannon Island. Speed and safety were two major criteria in deciding the score.

Aromatisse and company soon reached the beach area. Upon seeing the guest, the transport minister widened her eyes and smiled.

"Feebas, it's fabulous to see you return, girl!" Aromatisse exclaimed, waving at her to gain her attention.

"Aromatisse, you are the transport minister? Such great luck. You are my first pick to win this game." Feebas said openly.

"Thanks for cheering on for me. Anyways, how did you get here?" Aromatisse asked curiously.

"Well-" Feebas got interrupted.

"Excuse me, minister. We got a challenge to win here. Please be considerate to your interns that need the bonus." Shiinotic cut the reunion conversation short. Aromatisse frowned at her while Feebas looked down on the ground.

"We haven't seen each other for a while. Can't we just have a short conversation? No need to be so competitive and serious." Aromatisse argued.

"Well, talk on the raft. Raft first then, talk." Shiinotic retorted. Aromatisse was about to speak her mind until Feebas held her back with her fins.

"Aromatisse, she is right. We can talk later." Feebas assured, smiling softly. She didn't want to be a distraction to interns' bonuses and Aromatisse's victory.

"Girls, hop on!" Ursaring called from the raft, beckoning. The raft was made out of wooden logs, tied together tightly for safety. A sail settled in the middle. Abomasnow already got on, holding multiple leafy fans in his arms. They resembled Shiftry's hands.

Aromatisse smiled at the boys' productivity. "Shiinotic, instead of rudely cutting off someone else's conversation, you could start helping straight away like Ursaring. You look like the mole the most to me." She reproached.

Shiinotic rolled her eyes. "So much gratitude for helping to get your head back in the game." She muttered sarcastically.

Aromatisse walked to the edge of the dock with Feebas. Ursaring reached out a helpful hand and helped both girls to get on the boat safely. Abomasnow then handed the minister a Shiftry fan.

"Thank you, boys. What is this? Don't we usually use paddles and oars to raft? How can a leaf get us anywhere?" Aromatisse queried, raising her left eye.

"You never raft before, don't you? Paddles and oars are old-fashioned. These Shifty fans are simpler to use and much more effective." Ursaring explained. Aromatisse nodded slowly with a skeptical look on her face. The bear chuckled inwardly at her inexperience.

"Ursaring is right. He has a lot of experience in rafting so you can trust him, Minister Aromatisse and Miss Feebas." Abomasnow reinforced reassuringly. Shiinotic boarded the raft just now, gaining the others' attention.

"I see. Glad to have you boys on our team. Shiinotic, can you actually do something useful?" Aromatisse questioned in an attacking manner.

"For your information, I can read the map. What about you? Other than ogling my ex-boyfriend obsessively, I seriously doubt you can do much. He isn't even that attractive to begin with." Shiinotic degraded, shaking her head huffishly.

"Take that back right now!" Aromatisse yelled, face heating up.

"Why? It is the truth. I can find better guys than him easily." Shiinotic said nonchalantly.

Abomasnow put his right hand forward to intervene only to pull it back quickly.

Feebas took a step back, frowning at Shiinotic in disapproval.

Ursaring leaned back against the mast and watched expressionlessly. He folded his arms, gripping the fan energetically and tightly.

"Take this, ugly mole face!" Aromatisse snapped, grabbing the paddle and thrusted it against Shiinotic's face, sending her off the raft.

"Ow!" Shiinotic closed her eyes in pain, sinking under the shallow sea.

"Ditch her now!" Aromatisse commanded demandingly at the boys.

"Yes, ma'am!" Ursaring saluted and fanned forward in an instant, moving the boat at a high speed, leaving Skarmory Island for good. Abomasnow didn't say much of anything, he simply obeyed the order given to him. As a guest, Feebas wasn't allowed to help Aromatisse.

Feebas nudged her friend. "Aromatisse, are you sure that what you are doing is right?" She asked worriedly.

"Even if she isn't the mole, she got what was coming for her." Aromatisse didn't sound regretful or guilty one bit.

"Okay." Feebas gave a faint reply.


Confessional

Shiinotic: She was soaking wet, holding an ice pack near her left eye. "*beep* Aromatisse."

Abomasnow: "Losing a member certainly isn't good unless Miss Shiinotic is the mole. One thing I know for sure, I'm not the mole." He stressed at the end, looking serious.

Ursaring: "Meh, who needs Shiinotic anyways? I remember the whole way to Toucannon Island. As long as Aboma doesn't sabotage, we will be there in no time." He looked confident.


The Ministry of War was tasked with finding ten missing weapons across the desert area. Time and smart searching methodology would successfully wage the war.

"Smeargle and Palossand, you two can search independently. I will stalk this mole 24/7, no breaks, no snacks." Farfetch'd made it clear who he trusted and who he distrusted.

"Minister for Privacy Perversion and Stalking Supervision, that's fine and all but I'm digging underground. It will just be a waste of your time trying to catch up to me. Trust me and we all win." Drilbur pleaded his case.

"You have lied again. You said we all win. However, the mole doesn't win. Ha, you got caught!" Farfetch'd pointed with Ms. Stick accusingly straight at his face. The literal mole facepalmed.

"You are a bad actor, Drilbur. Seriously, you are making this too obvious for the viewers." Smeargle criticized.

"I don't give hugs to a mole. Go away, shoo." Palossand gestured.

"See? My trustworthy teammates agree." Farfetch'd nodded in satisfaction.

"Ugh, fine. Do whatever you want. When you lose, I will laugh in your face and say that I told you so." Drilbur threw his arms up, giving up on trying to reason with the fault-finding Farfetch'd.

Smeargle and Palossand headed out on their own while Drilbur got stuck with a stalking Farfetch'd, who hummed his hit single.

"If anyone is the mole, it's probably Farfetch'd." Drilbur muttered to himself before entering Chef Drapion Grill.

The supposed mole searched under all the tables first. Nothing was under any of them. Getting his head out of the last table, Drilbur got spooked by Farfetch'd's psychopathic stalker look.

"Ah! What the- Are you seriously still stalking me? Ugh, fine." Drilbur sighed. "I suppose I need to prove my innocence, right?"

"Yes, but can you really do it? I don't think so." Farfetch'd scoffed.

"Well, I have a plan." Drilbur grinned conspicuously, rubbing his hands together. Farfetch'd raised his eyes in wonder.


Confessional

Drilbur: "We are going to bait the mole out and catch that sucker."

Farfetch'd: "Hah, as if his plan is going to work. I'm pretty sure he just wants to waste my time. Whatever, I will entertain his little ploy."


The Ministry of Education must teach a group of college ghost students for a day. The creativity of the curriculum and usefulness of the content would grade Drifblim's worthiness of being awarded immunity.

Drifblim and the other three eventually arrived at the haunted house, where three ghosts were waiting: Haunter, Gengar and Dusclops.

"Ho, good morning, afternoon, evening and night to you teachers. What are we going to learn today?" Haunter greeted enthusiastically.

"Heh. Schools are only for dweebs and nerds. I quit school the first chance I got unlike you losers." Dusclops mocked.

"Dude is that why you are a janitor? Must be great to get paid minimum wage." Gengar teased sarcastically. "I hate to be you, man. Have fun cleaning those smelly toilets, smell ya later!" He fanned his nose before laughing with Haunter. Dusclops muttered a few inappropriate words to himself, hissing.

"Attention, class!" Drifblim shouted, emphasizing authority in her voice. "As the education minister, I take pride in promoting the education of the next generation." She paced around. Dusclops yawned.

"I expect everyone to conduct themselves properly and obey my rules, no questions asked. First, never interrupt me when I'm talking." Drifblim faced them directly with a strict look.

"Boring." Dusclops drawled. His eye grew drowsy. Drifblim shushed him.

"Second, follow the instructions given in class at all times." Drifblim continued.

Haunter and Gengar nodded while Dusclops fell asleep, snoring. This ticked Drifblim off.

"You, wake up! What's your name?" Drifblim snapped him awake. Dusclops rubbed his eyes and groaned.

"Want my name? Fine. It's Drifblim is stupid! Hahaha…" Dusclops disrespected and laughed. Drifblim fumed.

"He has done it now…" Gengar whispered to Haunter, who nodded with a fearful expression.

"I have given you enough chances… Time for you to learn the last rule the hard way. Don't disrespect me or else you will be punished! Haunter, Gengar, beat him up and I will give both of you A grades." Drifblim bribed demandingly.

"As if those- Argh!" Dusclops got hit by a Shadow Ball to the face.

"Ho, ho, ho. Christmas is early this year. Halloween can wait." Haunter grinned, chuckling darkly. He spammed Shadow alongside Gengar, punishing Dusclops whole-heartedly.

Druddigon enjoyed the show, pointing and laughing at Dusclops with occasional snorts.

Raticate and Chef Drapion showed complete disinterest and detachment from the show.

Drifblim listened to his screams, cries, whimpers like music. Eventually, she motioned for the two to stop shooting. She floated over to Dusclops and lifted his tattered face up, whispering soft but superior words inside his ears.

Dusclops was dazed for a second before he trembled.

"I s-swear I will listen to you from now on. Don't h-hurt me please." Dusclops submitted apprehensively to Drifblim's deadly eyes. Gengar grinned and Haunter cackled. Drifblim left in the direction of the entrance door, looking satisfied.

"Students, your classes won't take place in this kindergarten. All of you are big boys now. I know a much more suitable place for you all." Drifblim smirked.

"Is it the ruined hotel? Do we get to play in the arcade?!" Gengar asked excitedly with high expectations.

"No, that's primary school." Drifblim shook her head. "We are going to middle school."

"Um, I'm in col-" Gengar suddenly shut up after Haunter threw him a disapproving look, reminding him that they must not question the minister's decision.

"Anything else to say?" Drifblim fiddled threateningly with her badge. The other ghosts replied with silence.

"Good, because we are going to the prison." Drifblim revealed. Gengar and Haunter glanced at each other worriedly. This couldn't be a good sign.


Confessional

Drifblim: "Today is going to be a fun day… for me."

Dusclops: "*beep* school, teachers and especially the education minister!"


Aromatisse multi-tasked, chatting with Feebas and fanning the raft forward. However, she couldn't properly focus on both. Also, it was revealed that Feebas returned because of random draw, similarly to Magikarp. To the ugly fish, it was a sign that god himself endorsed their love.

"Really?! You and Magikarp are an item now? I'm happy for you, girl. I still have a lot to work on." Aromatisse congratulated with slight envy. She stopped fanning for a moment.

"I'm sure you will get your man soon, Aromatisse. If an ugly fish like me can, anyone can." Feebas said with low self-esteem.

"Feebas, I know that your species usually got looked down upon and all but to me, you are more beautiful than someone like… Skrelp. I really mean it. Milotic or not." Aromatisse cheered her up, seeming a bit concerned.

"Thanks, Aromatisse. However, evolving into Milotic alone won't undo the humiliation of getting the first boot." Feebas looked down on the raft, anger and disappointment clearly visible. "Magikarp and me got a lot to prove." She clenched her fins lightly.

"I'm sure you two can." Aromatisse nodded. She soon widened her eyes in sudden realization.

"Oh no, agh! I got so distracted that I forgot to raft. Sorry boys, I know the bonus means a lot to you two." Aromatisse apologized, frustrated with herself. She tried to make up for it by shaking the fan up and down as fast as she possibly could.

"I honestly don't mind, minister. Feel free to talk with Miss Feebas." Abomasnow allowed formally in a polite tone.

"Nah, it doesn't matter. No offense but, you aren't helping much anyways." Ursaring spoke bluntly.

It was a well-known fact that any monetary rewards meant a lot to interns. Both of them seemed strangely forgiving, lenient and careless. Could one of them be the mole instead of Shiinotic?

"None taken, Ursaring. Still, I want to help even if it doesn't mean much. This is still my challenge after all." Aromatisse replied, resolved.

"I will just stay quiet so none of you will be distracted." Feebas told, feeling like a burden.

"Miss, you can talk. What kind of transportation business limits your free will like that?" Abomasnow assured.

"Yeah, you two can talk. Aromatisse, just make sure you keep your eyes ahead and sailing while speaking like us." Ursaring advised.

"Great advice, Ursaring. Fitting that you are the ace of the interns." Abomasnow complimented, thinking highly of him.

"Ace of the interns? I'm flattered. How come you call me that? Have I gotten a secret admirer that I don't know about?" Ursaring questioned, grinning.

"Ursaring, all the interns know that you are one of our best. Skarmory selected you to guard the advantage after all. You failed but I'm sure many of us would have done worse in your situation. Unlike Druddigon who was a vengeful brute, you got more than your brawns. Besides, how many interns can say they beat Lucario?" Abomasnow held the ace in high regard. Ursaring's grin grew, nodding complacently.

"I agree with Abomasnow, Ursaring. Except I find the title face of the interns to suit you better. You are the first intern we saw, the public image of Skarmory's staff. You don't even look bad yourself. Handsome, grizzly style." Aromatisse complimented. Ursaring looked shocked, never expecting to be showered by praises. He tightened his grip on the fan determinedly.

"Hrmph! So motivated right now. I will fan until I break both of my arms for my fans!" Ursaring exaggerated, fanning at an extremely fast speed.

The raft moved so quickly that the others barely managed to hold on. Water splashed torrentially all over. The incoming rush of water tilted the raft off-balance.

"Slow down, Ursaring! Otherwise, we will all drown!" Abomasnow appealed, holding Aromatisse with his right hand. The other hand held the mast securely.

"I can swim but still, please slow down!" Feebas pleaded, hugging the mast with her fins.

"Just hang on. At this rate, we will reach Toucannon Island in no time." Ursaring refused stubbornly.

"Speed alone won't make us win, Ursaring! Safety matters as well!" Aromatisse reminded exigently.

"Aish! Just trust me, I know what I'm doing!" Ursaring scowled, frustrated by their lack of faith.

"I can't hang on anymore… Aromatisse, do something." Feebas strained her fins.

"Ursaring, this is an order." Aromatisse showed her badge, sounding very serious.

"Fine!" Ursaring snarled, dropping the Shiftry's fan down. "I could have won you the immunity and us the bonuses." He shook his head in disapproval.

"Or you could have won all of us a trip to the hospital." Abomasnow added an alternative.

"Sure. A little water is going to kill us all. Swimming apparently doesn't exist." Ursaring retorted sarcastically.

"Boys, stop arguing. What's done is done. Can we just move on?" Aromatisse asked, discouraging them with the badge. The two glared at each other for a moment before settling their differences temporarily. Aromatisse smiled in satisfaction.

Moments later, Abomasnow pulled Aromatisse closer to him. "Ursaring is the mole." He whispered. The minister had a look of doubt.


Confessional

Abomasnow: "Because I personally know that I'm not the mole, it's either Ursaring and Shiinotic. After what Ursaring did, I'm inclined to believe he is the mole."

Ursaring: "Those weak-arms better not come and cry to me when they lose."

Aromatisse: "To me, actions speak louder than words. While Ursaring works really hard, he is reckless. On the other hand, Abomasnow is very careful. However, he is also suspicious. I really want to believe Shiinotic is the mole. I really want to."


Lurantis limped lonelily to the Delibird Workshop for warmth as the three chill guys sat on the dining table. Snorlax was cooking up something in the kitchen. He soon walked out, carrying a tray of food. Wimpod gave everyone napkins, that was all he did.

"Food, food, foodie, food, yum, tasty, taste, delicacy." Snorlax came up with his own language to fit in. The three chill guys all looked baffled. In particular, Darmanitan scratched his head.

Snorlax smiled, perceiving their confusion as a good sign. They were intrigued by his language. He could already imagine the amount of Pokemon paying expensive tuition fees to learn his language.

"Foody food, yum, cold, yum." Snorlax served frozen meat to each of them, making an eating gesture. He then gave them a smile and thumbs up.

"Stop talking gibberish homie, stick with Unown. Like I don't understand a thing you said." Darmanitan requested, perplexed.

"You call my language gibberish?" Snorlax sounded offended. "Your language is gibberish as well."

The three all gasped. Darmanitan frowned, raising his badge up.

The camera instantly transitioned to outside, showing the three chill guys trying to force Snorlax out of the door. The big guy spread his arms and legs out to the four edges of the door.

"Choke, food, choking, no chill, no chill!" Snorlax cursed, resisting successfully… for now.

The three chill guys glanced at each other, nodding. They took several steps backward before tackling Snorlax all at once, forcing him out successfully.

Wimpod looked completely terrified after he witnessed how merciless they were.


Confessional

Wimpod: I will admit it now. I'm the mole. However, how am I supposed to do my job when those guys are so freaking scary?" He trembled, looking hopeless.


Upon entering the prison, Gengar and Haunter floated excitedly over to the jacuzzi tub and Monopoly board game respectively.

"Can we use the jacuzzi tub, minister?" Gengar asked, trying to make an irresistible face.

"Oh, we can study business through Monopoly, minister." Haunter suggested.

"No, no fun allowed." Drifblim disallowed, shaking her head. Both ghosts frowned and Dusclops snickered.

"Instead, all of you will go through rigorous training. It will be hard, tough and exhausting." Drifblim clenched her arms. "Before we start our first challenge, can anyone tell me why we are in prison?" She glanced around at the three ghosts.

"Because you want to lock us up?" Haunter answered apprehensively.

"Because we did something wrong?" Gengar answered with uncertainty.

"No, you are both wrong. You see… this is a rebel school." Drifblim revealed with a rebellious smile.

"R-rebellion school?" Haunter stuttered.

"Are we learning how to be rebels?" Gengar dreaded, anxiety written all over his face.

"Yes, here is your first lesson. I will just teach you one word and we will move on. It is a very important word. I hope you keep it inside your heart. Regicide means the action of killing a king." Drifblim taught, expanding their evil vocabulary.

"I guess knowing that is… useful." Haunter commented with hesitation.

"Woo, a new word! Rebel school is awesome." Gengar faked enthusiasm.

Dusclops was disturbed by Drifblim. She was a crazy, sadistic lunatic in his eyes.

"Good, I'm glad you like the word. Up next, you will learn how to poison the king. Chef Drapion will pretend to be a royal chef. You need to sneak poison inside his food without getting caught. Understood?" Drifblim explained, looking around for any questions.

Haunter raised his hand. "How do we poison Skarmory? He is a steel type."

"Easy. We use Salazzle's corrosive poison. It penetrates through steel types' poison immunity in case you don't know." Drifblim clarified.

Since there were no more questions, the three ghosts began their rebellion practice.

Haunter and Gengar waited patiently, allowing Dusclops to tread the dangerous territory first. The dusty janitor turned invisible and crawled on the ground, avoiding detection. He soon hid under the table, looking for the right opportunity.

As a dark type, Chef Drapion could easily detect invisible ghosts. With a frying pan equipped, he was ready to give those ghost types hell.

Suddenly, Gengar blasted a Shadow Ball against Dusclops, sabotaging a fellow rebel.

"Argh! You jerk!" Dusclops yelled angrily. He soon gulped as a dark shadow consumed him. Chef Drapion hammered his head with the frying pan, grinning darkly.

Because Chef Drapion was busy beating Dusclops up, Gengar and Haunter easily added the poison inside. Drifblim nodded, pleased with their performances. They would receive high marks. Unlike them, Dusclops failed this class.

Afterwards, Druddigon took over the combat training class in the work station. The ghost students got handed a shovel each. They must match Druddigon's moves.

Druddigon thrusted the shovel forward with a grunt and the ghost students followed. The weapon instructor then performed a vertical slice. The ghosts imitated with no problem.

After a series of basic moves…

"Sand Attack!" Druddigon shouted out the shovel's specialty. He flicked sand at the wall as a blinding projectile.

Gengar got a playful grin and decided to prank Dusclops by flicking sand at his face.

"Ah, my eye." Dusclops rubbed his eye. "You are going to regret it!" He started chasing Gengar, who smirked mischievously.

Gengar lured Dusclops over to Drifblim and fell through the floor in a ghostly manner. The janitor ended up flicking sand at the minister, directly hitting her eyes.

"Ah!" Drifblim's eyes watered. She immediately left to wash her eyes in the restroom without rubbing it foolishly like Dusclops.

"Oops, sorry. I thought flying types are immune to all ground type attacks. H-ha, ha…" Dusclops apologized and laughed nervously to himself. Drifblim didn't hear any of this.

Once Drifblim returned, her eyes flared with anger and irritation.

"Hey, don't look at me like that. Only little kiddies play with sand. It was Gengar's fault." Dusclops blamed, raising his hands defensively.

"Excuses! Druddigon, send him into solitary confinement!" Drifblim commanded with the royal badge.

"Yes, minister!" Druddigon carried out the command immediately, dragging Dusclops away.

"Hey, I said it was Gengar's fault! Why don't you listen to me? You know what? *beep* you! You will regret this! You hear me?! You will regret this! Rahhh!" Dusclops roared in rage before being thrown inside solitary confinement.

Chef Drapion eyed the situation with interest.


Confessional

Gengar: "Man, pranking Dusclops is fun. The dude got what's coming for him."

Haunter: "Don't look at me like that. Completely Gengar's idea. He got a sick sense of humor. First the toilet water trick against Nosepass and now this."


Drilbur placed the pocketknife they found in the kitchen just outside of Chef Drapion Grill and hid with Farfetch'd under a table. It was pretty much a bait for the mole.

"Are you sure this is going to work? Seems like a waste of time to me and Ms. Stick." Farfetch'd seemed skeptical.

"It will sure work. I have seen it in movies. The good guys place a valuable object and then the bad guy fall for the trap." Drilbur sounded confident. Farfetch'd suddenly smacked his head with Ms. Stick.

"Ow, what's that for?" Drilbur held his head in pain.

"Just to make sure you aren't Smeargle in disguise. You don't seem to be the type to watch movies." Farfetch'd explained.

"Hey, just because I'm not a Pokestar studio trainee doesn't mean I don't watch any movies. By your logic, anyone that isn't a chef can't cook food." Drilbur pointed out. Farfetch'd smacked his head again.

"How dare you make that kind of assumption? Stop twisting my words and logic around. I didn't say anything about only chefs can cook." Farfetch'd felt unfairly accused.

"Aish, you just don't understand a damn thing." Drilbur looked really frustrated. Farfetch'd was about to smack him in the head until he heard sounds of… sand moving.

Palossand emerged out from underground to pick up the pocketknife. He immediately panicked once he saw Drilbur.

"Mole, go away! Don't steal my item again." Palossand fled quickly, sinking down into the sand.

"Yes, figurative mole, run! The literal mole is here to take back what you steal." Drilbur dived under the sand, digging rapidly.

"Ms. Stick, should we follow them?" Farfetch'd asked, unsure. Suddenly, Drilbur popped out of the ground and snatched the badge away from Farfetch'd.

Farfetch'd gaped. That was… unexpected.


Confessional

Farfetch'd: "I know I shouldn't have trusted that mole!"


Darmanitan brushed his hands clean after another successful eviction. In the corner of his left eye, he noticed Wimpod shaking in frigid fear.

"Homie, are you okay?" Darmanitan went to check on the little guy. However, Wimpod scurried away for his life.

Darmanitan lowered his head. The others came to check on him.

"Fella, freeze, cone, chill?" Greninja asked in concern.

"Brotha, yogurt, chilly? Infernape said roughly the same thing as Greninja.

"Zen, chill, yogurt, cone, slush." Darmanitan basically replied saying that he was okay but he needed to go to the restroom.

"Fella, freeze, chilly cone." Greninja hoped to eat with Darmanitan soon. Darmanitan smiled at them before heading to the restroom.

Once inside there, Darmanitan turned on the faucet so that cold water would flow out. He washed his hands, enjoying the cold sensation. It only lasted for a short while…

Somehow, his hands heated up regardless of the cold water. Darmanitan turned the tap water off swiftly, startled by this strange occurrence.

"What's going on?" Darmanitan gawked at both of his hands before rubbing them together. The burning sensation soon faded away to his pleasure.

Looking up at the mirror…

Darmanitan couldn't believe what he just saw. His reflection transformed into a specific Lucario. Staring into the devilish red eyes of his so-called role model, guilt struck faster than the legendary express.

"What have I done?" Darmanitan regretted. He felt ashamed to kick Lurantis out into the cold just because of their language barrier. He felt disgusted with himself to force Snorlax out when he cooked for the three of them.

What happened? How did it come to this? He became… competitive. He did those horrible things to Snorlax and Lurantis just to please the envoys so that he would win the challenge.

Darmanitan actually had no reason to win this game. He came here to chill out, have fun and make a few friends. Until… Lucario left. His departure was so emotional that it gave Darmanitan a reason to win the game, a reason to be competitive.

He would win for Lucario. He would make the homie that he idolized for so long proud. However, how could he like someone who contrasted so much with his chill mentality in the first place? Was he secretly violent and ruthless all along?

Darmanitan got possessed by Lucario's competitive spirit now. He felt conflicted about this. Should he give in to his fanboy desires and be just like Lucario during the final few challenges? Or would he quit, fearing that he might violate his zen principles and chill identity?


Confessional

Darmanitan: "Am I more of being the Lucario fanboy or the chilly zen practitioner?"


The Ministry of Transport faced their final obstacle. There was a whirlpool in front of them.

"I suggest we just challenge the whirlpool head on. With enough speed, we should be able to get across safely." Ursaring prioritized speed.

"I beg to differ. We should take the long way around. If the whirlpool damages our raft, we are done for." Abomasnow prioritized safety. "What is your decision, Minister Aromatisse?"

The two interns anticipated Aromatisse's decision. The minister considered both sides, each had valid points.

"I will go with Abomasnow's suggestion. We have sailed fast enough already. Time to take a step back and play it safe." Aromatisse made her final call.

"Fine." Ursaring accepted her decision unwillingly. He navigated the raft around the whirlpool, blowing wind sharply to the right.

Aromatisse could feel the tension between both interns as Toucannon Island was in sight, alongside countless other boats and water Pokemon transportation services.

Ursaring and Abomasnow showed distrust toward each other in their eyes. They seemed close at first, especially when Abomasnow placed Ursaring on a pedestalize. However, that all changed suddenly. Aromatisse wondered why.

She eventually realized it. The answer was as simple as the clear sky.

Money changed them. At first sight, Ursaring seemed pretty unfriendly and brutish. However, that was because money was on the line. During instances where no financial incentives were on the table, the interns were actually nice and easy going. Well, most of them.

This raised a very important question in her mind. Was she simply being too nice? Sure, she didn't reach Houndour's level of niceness. But, she was simply not being strategic and cutthroat enough. This late in the game, she needed to give it her all for the million. If these interns worked their butts off for 12,500 or 25,000 P then she had no excuse to not work her face off for 1,000,000 P.

After queuing up behind other boats, their little raft reached Toucannon Beak. Some stall owners and visitors sneaked giggles and looks of derision at their pitiful excuse for a boat. The Ministry of Transport didn't mind it though. Those fools probably never raft a day in their lives.

"Aromatisse, thank you very much for bringing me over here safely. I say you got a decent chance of winning. See you, girl!" Feebas waved, smiling gratefully.

"See you and stay fabulous, girl!" Aromatisse waved back before departing.

During the returning trip, everyone looked much calmer and more at ease. If was as if burdening weights got lifted from all of their shoulders. At some point, they even took a break.

Abomasnow placed a hand on Ursaring's shoulder and looked at him with reconciling eyes.

"Sorry for distrusting you, Ursaring. After thinking about it, your actions speak really loudly about how much you want to win this challenge for all of us. I should have more faith in our ace." Abomasnow apologized, offering a hand.

"Sorry for not really listening to you, Abomasnow. Should have known that you always thought of the best for others. A nice guy like you can't be the mole. You are the coffee prince, always politely brewing coffee for cranky interns early in the morning." Ursaring apologized, shaking his hand.

"Aw, touching." Aromatisse commented, beaming. "How fabulous to see you guys making up maturely like this. I'm pretty sure Shiinotic is the mole at this point."

"Yeah, she is for sure." Ursaring agreed.

"I agree. Wait, look at that!" Abomasnow pointed at the approaching pirate ship in the sky. It headed for Toucannon Island. The three of them were amazed to coincidentally find Trumbeak.

"Trumbeak, Trumbeak…!" The three shouted in unison, waving up. It was hard to tell whether Trumbeak noticed them or not. However, judging by the fact that the ship blasted fireworks off, chances were likely.

"Starting to miss him now. We aren't close but we share a few drinks, man. We also play table tennis and sword fight in the sport facility together." Ursaring recalled. Aromatisse listened attentively.

"He is a nice fellow but, he has a hard time fitting in with the rest of the interns though." Abomasnow remarked.

"Yeah, but at least we like him more than a filthy rat like Raticate." Ursaring pointed out.

"Boys, sorry to interrupt but I'm curious. Where do you even live? I have always imagined that Skarmory put you inside some rathole in this dirty island." Aromatisse assumed, showing interest. She expected to be wrong, however, she didn't expect the two interns to laugh at her uncontrollably.

"Did she say rathole, seriously? Hohohohoho…" Ursaring made it sound ridiculous. Abomasnow patted Ursaring's back and stopped laughing before him.

"Sorry, Minister Aromatisse, what makes you think that? Mister Skarmory provides top notch accommodations for all interns. We-" Abomasnow paused as if he nearly slipped something out. "Ursaring, are we allowed to talk about that area?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. The contestants are only two days away from the finale. Skarmory won't mind." Ursaring assured. "Just don't spoil the challenge or talk too much."

Abomasnow nodded, turning back to Aromatisse. "Alright, minister. We live in a place called Skarmory Area, at the end of the island. There are many recreational facilities for sports and entertainment. You can never get bored there." He informed.

"Yeah, it isn't all work for us. Sometimes, we play games, have fun, talk, do whatever we want. Skarmory is like the best boss ever. Much respect for him. He isn't just a host looking for money and ratings, you know? He genuinely likes his job. I'm pretty sure that even if the show explodes in popularity, he is probably still making a loss at the end of the day." Ursaring said admiringly.

"Mister Skarmory isn't required by law to pay us interns but he does so anyways." Abomasnow added. When mentioning Skarmory, you could sense that Abomasnow didn't use mere formality. It was filled with gratitude instead.

"Except for Raticate." Ursaring reminded, raising a lone finger up. Abomasnow chuckled.

"Wow, I didn't know Skarmory was this fabulous." Aromatisse was taken by surprise, widening her eyes.

"You need to be an intern to see it all… to see it all." Ursaring repeated inaudibly.

The Ministry of Transport finished their break and returned to Skarmory Island safely.


Confessional

Aromatisse: "It is fabulous talking to the interns. It feels much different than a normal conversation between contestants. No need to worry about strategy, your social game or anything. You can just relax and free your mind."


The Ministry of Education had a small break as well. The next class would involve Raticate taking the ghost students (excluding Dusclops) down into the sewer for a tour. There were many routes the rebels could use down there to infiltrate the castle and assassinate the king.

Thinking about Raticate, Druddigon's blood boiled. The reason for his hatred against the rat wasn't just pure envy. It was partially his attitude as well. Always calling others 'ugly kids', even those older than him. Always trying to steal others' stuff like the filthy thief he was. Always secretly smoking and polluting the environment.

Druddigon had seen it all. If he had any gripe with Skarmory, it would be the fact that the host didn't kick the rat out yet. Skarmory didn't even hire the sewer intern, Chef Drapion did in reality.

Druddigon knew very well that he wasn't the mole. Either Chef Drapion or Raticate was. This really made him feel demotivated, knowing that even if he wins, one of them would get a slice of that bonus pie.

Druddigon lifted his head up once Drifblim entered the work station, lying down next to him.

"Druddigon, I trust you the most out of everyone here. I have a feeling that the mole will attack me when I'm down in the sewer. Can you guard me?" Drifblim requested, pleading with her worried eyes.

"Are you sure that I'm not the mole? And, why should I?" I don't want the chef or Raticate to get the money. I lose and one of them get more but still, I won't do it." Druddigon denied, turning his face away.

"If you are the mole, you wouldn't reject my offer. Rather, you would take it and backstab me later. If you don't want Raticate or Chef Drapion to win then I can help you with that…" Drifblim smirked, raising her badge. Druddigon widened his eyes.

"You can use the badge to give me the win alone?" Druddigon said with disbelief.

"I can try, can't I?" Drifblim wagged the badge temptingly. Druddigon's eyes followed it.

"Deal." Druddigon grinned.

On the other side, Chef Drapion offered a tempting deal to Raticate in the boys' restroom.

"Raticate, I'm the mole. If you help me win, I will split the money with you. I'm sure you rather win with me than Druddigon." Chef Drapion said with confidence.

"I will smoke those ugly kids for you, chef!" Raticate shouted, motivation lighting up in his eyes again.

Chef Drapion wasn't done yet. He unlocked the solitary confinement room. Dusclops sat in a corner lonelily, staring into emptiness. He slowly lifted his gaze at Chef Drapion.

"Want your revenge?" Chef Drapion offered. Dusclops rubbed his hands together and smirked.


Confessional

Drifblim: "The mole is going down. I want my first immunity win. It is in my checklist of things to do here."

Chef Drapion: "Stupid blimp, prepare to suffer. This isn't dart throw anymore. This is a real fight."


Palossand resurfaced near the oasis. Drilbur popped up soon after him.

"Mole, prepare to- Argh!" Drilbur screamed in pain as Palossand squeezed his body mercilessly.

"Mole, give the sword that you have stolen from me back!" Palossand demanded, hugging him harder.

Drilbur expressed pain and confusion. He didn't steal any sword… Oh no…

Farfetch'd chased after Smeargle, who used Transform to change her appearance. He couldn't catch up as she traveled underground at a high speed with Dig.

Farfetch'd panted before collapsing due to exhaustion. He wouldn't win immunity today for sure.


Confessional

Farfetch'd: "I will make that mole pay."


Darmanitan returned to the dining table, enjoying his chill conversation.

The viewers might not know this but the chill language was real. However, only true chilly geniuses could comprehend the sophistication and complexity of it.

Unfortunately, Wimpod wasn't a chilly genius and couldn't understand a thing. He relied on Darmanitan to translate for him. The longer he stayed with these crazy chillers, the crazier Wimpod felt. He gave up on his mole mission. It wasn't worth going insane for it.

Wimpod exited the kitchen and crawled dejectedly toward the door. Darmanitan saw this and excused himself to check on him.

"Wimpod, where are you going?" Darmanitan blocked the door.

"I'm the m-mole and I'm leaving. You three guys are crazily s-scary. I'm not staying her anymore!" Wimpod vented.

"Homie, I'm not scary." Darmanitan scowled.

"Then why did you k-kick Lurantis and Snorlax out?" Wimpod asked, mentally preparing himself to flee any second. Guilt burned through Darmanitan, making him question himself.

"I-I… am so sorry. Please take this as an apology, homie." Darmanitan reluctantly handed the badge to Wimpod with a flustered face. The cowardly intern looked astonished.

"Why?" Wimpod asked, baffled by his move.

"Just go before I take it back. J-just… go!" Darmanitan yelled, his eyebrows flaring up. Wimpod immediately fled for his life.

Darmanitan dropped down to the ground, covering his face. Nobody knew whether he cried or not.


Confessional

Darmanitan: "One moment I feel hot, the other moment I feel cold. One moment I feel competitive, the other I feel chill. I'm so confused. What's wrong with this homie boy?"


Shiinotic tapped her feet impatiently, glaring at the three that ditched her.

"What do we have here? A bunch of backstabbers." Shiinotic said bitterly.

"Ursaring, blow her away." Aromatisse ordered and Ursaring immediately obeyed with pleasure.

"Ah!" Shiinotic screamed as the wind blasted her off the dock. Aromatisse giggled. Served her right.

Ursaring landed on the dock first before offering a hand for the minister. Aromatisse accepted the hand…

Unexpectedly, Ursaring seized the royal badge and pushed her back to the raft at Abomasnow. The ace whipped a gust at the raft, sending it backward so they couldn't catch him.

"Haha, the money is mine!" Ursaring shouted victoriously as he ran away successfully.


Confessional

Aromatisse: "I can't believe the face of the interns is so greedy, manipulative and selfish. I hope moles grow on his face." She crossed her arms.

Abomasnow: "Props to the ace. He played us all excellently. Very wise of him to prioritize speed. Since the mole needs to get back safely with the badge, no one would suspect him to be the mole."


Raticate led Haunter, Gengar, Drifblim and Druddigon down the sewers. The rat beckoned Haunter to come closer.

"Hoho, what is it, teacher? Anything I can help with?" Haunter asked with a smile.

"There is one thing that you can do… Get smoked, ugly kid!" Raticate suddenly used Crunch on Haunter, biting his student like a savage.

"Ah, help me!" Haunter tried to shake Raticate off him to no avail.

"Filthy rat, stop infecting others with your disease!" Druddigon charged Dragon Claw and targeted Raticate. The rat positioned Haunter like a meat shield, putting Druddigon in a difficult situation.

"So, you are the mole." Drifblim assumed, preparing an offensive stance.

"Nope, that's me!" Chef Drapion jumped down the sewer and slapped the vulnerable Drifblim to the ground with Knock Off, unequipping her badge.

"Augh!" Drifblim extended her arms toward the badge but Dusclops dropped down from the ceiling and stole it with a gratified grin.

"Dusclops? Give that back!" Drifblim sounded shocked and furious, hiding hints of exhilaration in her voice.

"Only dumb and gullible teachers expect their students to return stuff to lost and found. Oh wait, I'm the janitor. I sweep stuff away to the trash." Dusclops hurled the badge to where no one could get it.

Drifblim clenched her fists, getting up slowly due to the major damage she received.

This turn of events created three separate battles. Raticate vs Druddigon and Haunter. Chef Drapion vs Gengar. Drifblim vs Dusclops.

Chef Drapion landed the first hit, a nasty Night Slash.

"Ouch." Gengar yelped. Chef Drapion swung another Night Slash at him. Gengar parried it with Lick. However, he was overwhelmed by Chef Drapion's superior strength.

"Ah, my taste buds. Your pincers taste as bad as your food." Gengar insulted, holding his long tongue. Chef Drapion seethed.

The angry chef gripped the ghost's neck with his right pincer and slammed him down before finishing him off with consecutive uses of Night Slash.

The camera cut to Druddigon and Raticate circling around each other. The dragon tried to find any opportunity to get a clean hit on Raticate only. Unfortunately, Haunter got stuck inside the rat's mouth.

"Please brush your teeth." Haunter was about to faint because of the smell. Raticate bit deeper out of anger.

"Haunter, are you okay if I take you down with Raticate?" Druddigon asked, running out of options.

"Really? You have no other way around? You should learn new moves. Ow, ow, ow…" Haunter advised, agonized.

Druddigon facepalmed as he realized what he could have done ages ago. Use a fighting type move.

"I should use my brains more often…" Druddigon mumbled before glowing red with energy, rushing at Raticate.

Raticate looked horrified as Druddigon obliterated him with Superpower. The attack was so effective that Raticate fainted in one hit.

Haunter gave Druddigon a thumb up, slowly recovering. Unprepared, Chef Drapion leached his energy from behind with Fell Stinger, boosting his attack sharply.

"Chef, that's dirty." Druddigon glared with disapproval.

"If that's dirty then this is poisonous." Chef Drapion jumped up and slashed with an X motion using Cross Poison.

Druddigon took massive damage. Fortunately, Chef Drapion also received some damage from Rough Skin. The dragon still had a fighting chance.

The two traded blows using Dragon Claw and Cross Poison. Chef Drapion was in much better shape than Druddigon, who got cut marks all over. The two eventually pushed each other's limbs with their own.

"Hargh!" Druddigon grunted, giving it his all. Despite his tremendous effort, Chef Drapion slowly pushed him back before sneakily striking Druddigon with his stinger.

"Ugh… my energy." Druddigon felt weakened as Chef Drapion sucked his energy with Fell Stinger, powering up himself even more.

Chef Drapion discarded Druddigon's body after he fainted. Only Drifblim remained…

"Ha, I will mop you on the floor if this is all you got." Dusclops dodged Drifblim's Shadow Ball easily and vanished.

Drifblim looked around, trying to detect his presence to no success. Dusclops reappeared from her shadow and punched her with an unavoidable Shadow Punch.

"Ah!" Drifblim fell down to the ground. The writing was already on the wall since Chef Drapion destroyed her with that insanely powerful Knock Off. Fighting was no longer an option for her.

"Dusclops, please listen to me. Helping Chef Drapion to win has no benefit for you. You will get nothing." Drifblim tried convincing him instead.

"No, there is a benefit. Revenge." Dusclops slammed his fists together, stepping intimidatingly to her.

Chef Drapion appeared and pinned Drifblim in place with his right pincer. "Finish her off." He gave the honor to Dusclops.

Drifblim was in big trouble, anxiety and distress written all over her face. What could she do? Was it possible to do anything at this point? Drifblim felt… hopeless. However, there was one thing she knew for sure.

She wouldn't give up.

Just like the Nosepass situation, there must be a way. Manipulating and persuading others had always been her strong suit. She excelled in analyzing others and finding ways to move them into action. She had proven herself time and time again and she would do it again with Dusclops.

"Drifblim, you are a crazy psychopath in my eyes. I still remember clearly the words you whispered. Sorry, suck it up for the viewers." Dusclops mimicked with resentment, charging up Ice Punch.

"I really am sorry, Dusclops." Drifblim said in an apologetic tone, avoiding eye contact.

Dusclops chuckled. "Saying sorry isn't going to work. You see me as a joke, don't you? A toy, existing only for the viewers' entertainment. You don't know how I feel!" He snapped in rage.

"I know how you feel! You have always been looked down upon by others because of your occupation. You are constantly stereotyped as a dirty, uneducated man that can only clean toilets. That's why you begin to develop a stereotypical mindset." Drifblim paused, arranging her next few sentences.

Dusclops widened his eyes. Drifblim's description was pretty accurate. But that wouldn't change anything…

"Even though you hate your occupation, you got no other choice. Change your job and chances are you will get a worse one. You feel like the world has destined a path for you. A path filled with nothing but indignation and shame. However, you don't understand one thing, Dusclops. This path that the world has given to you isn't all bad." Drifblim continued.

"Why isn't it all bad? Who the hell wants to live a shitty life like me?!" Dusclops yelled, baffled.

"That's why! You said it. No one wants to live like you. It makes you special. No one wants to be like me or you. No one wants to clean toilets and antagonize others. Everyone wants to be a prince or princess in their own perfect fairy tale! However, they and you don't realize the beauty of our struggles…" Drifblim conveyed her message with a much more passionate and emotional voice.

"Beauty, what *beep* beauty?!" Dusclops pulled his fist back, close to punching Drifblim.

"What makes us stand out is the fact that we aren't just mere villains. Dusclops, you know this very well. You are bullied and pranked by others. You are the victim here. You become who you are due to the effects of this crappy society and the flawed education system. It isn't entirely your fault that you have ended up like this." Drifblim voiced sympathetically.

"Even if you understand me, you can't help me change a dang thing!" Dusclops clenched his icy fists.

"I can't but you can! Here is your chance to change your fate. The viewers, they won't remember Gengar and Haunter for long, but right now… The entire world got their eyes on you! Show them that you aren't just a vengeful janitor. Show them that you aren't just Chef Drapion's minion. Show them that you can seize your own destiny!" Drifblim used the last of her strength and voice, praying that her persuasion would work once again. The superfan shut her eyes tightly, imagining the worst-case scenario in her mind.

"Enough!" Dusclops sent his fist flying at Drifblim's face… only to stop a mere inch away. The words she spoke… were terrifying true. He was amazed that she could get an accurate read of him in such a short amount of time.

After listening to their goddamn long conversation, Chef Drapion ran out of patience. He hadn't said anything for so long out of respect to Dusclops. However, this was no longer the case.

"Dusclops, I see that Drifblim has completely manipulated you. Let me break this *beep* witch's spell!" Chef Drapion charged up a Night Slash. He could already taste his victory until…

Dusclops activated Destiny Bond and took the blow for her. Chef Drapion froze as an ominous energy knocked him out.

Drifblim opened her eyes, sighing in relief. She did it once again. That was close.

Too soon to say it…

"You will be punished, rebel!" Ursaring shouted, teleported to the sewer alongside Smeargle. Drifblim was completely stunned by this.

Smeargle used Odor Sleuth on Drifblim and Ursaring flogged the rebel minister with a paddle until she fainted.


Confessional

Skarmory: "How dare the education minister nurture my people into rebels? She shall be severely punished so no one dares to follow her example."

Drifblim: She looked really messed up and in pain. "That literally came out of nowhere. Ow… Skarmory, since when did you promote unnecessary violence?"


Smeargle, Ursaring, Druddigon and Wimpod knelt before the king and queen in order. Drifblim and the other rebels got tied up behind them. Alakazam stood on the side, holding a large scroll. The other contestants were presented behind the advisor, watching the rebels awkwardly.

"The king and queen were greatly pleased with all of your performances. As a result, they have decided to bestow each of you a gift of 25,000 P." Alakazam announced.

"We are eternally grateful, your majesties. Long live the king! Long live the queen! Long live…" The four chanted and bowed endlessly.

"Goddamn Skarmory." Chef Drapion muttered, stinging the rope in a futile attempt to escape. The ropes were extremely resistant and restrictive. Raticate failed, despite gnawing persistently. The ghosts had no luck either.

"Now, onto the next matter. The rebels will be punished harshly. They will be flogged, tortured and exiled." Alakazam read, closing the scroll.

"What?! No *beep* way!" Drifblim shouted, shocked beyond words. Would she be eliminated out of nowhere like this… for real? How unfair!

"My royal word is law and this is final! Your inability to understand the grave consequences of setting up a rebellion is what dooms you in the end." Skarmory explained his verdict.

"Not *beep* fair! This isn't an automatic elimination challenge!" Drifblim refused to accept her fate, crying continuously. The three contestants spectated with sympathy and relief. Having Drifblim eliminated would increase their chances of winning.

"Since when did I say this isn't an automatic elimination challenge?!" Skarmory said adamantly. It appeared that he wouldn't change his mind. Drifblim felt hopeless once she saw how extremely serious he looked.

"R-really? I'm o-out of the s-show n-now?" Drifblim sniffled, completely broken. Even the interns looked at her with sympathy, except for Raticate. Chef Drapion didn't care either.

Skarmory walked over to Drifblim slowly with indifferent eyes and lifted her face up with his right wing, scrutinizing her agonized face. Furret followed behind.

"I'm s-sorry for my insolence. I d-didn't know that I'm s-supposed to treat you two like royalties literally." Drifblim apologized miserably. The tears flowed out like a stream of rapid water.

"Now you know." Skarmory said, grinning. Drifblim nodded depressingly.

"Secret…" Skarmory paused to build suspense.

"W-what?" Drifblim sounded confused.

"Revenge…" Skarmory continued. Drifblim looked dumbfounded.

"Special… Success!" Skarmory revealed the ultimate surprise. Drifblim was still processing what's going on.

"Foolish minister, do you seriously believe my just husband would automatically eliminate you for no good reason?" Furret giggled.

"So… I got tricked? I'm not eliminated, right?" Drifblim asked for confirmation, still unsure.

"Obviously! I can't believe you out of all Pokemon fell for it. My wife, I did it! I got my revenge!" Skarmory celebrated, throwing Furret into the air. She squealed, landing safely in his embrace.

Instead of feeling anger, Drifblim laughed and cried cathartically in joy instead. Most of the interns and contestants were happy for her. They knew how much this show meant to her. The powerful atmosphere of serendipitous felicity was shared throughout contagiously.

Darmanitan clapped slowly and intensely. The palm of his hands burned as an unsettling feeling lurked inside his heart.


Confessional

Drifblim: "Thank you, Skarmory. Thank you, Furret. Thank you… everyone." She was still crying.

Dusclops: "Huh, never believe that I'm happy to get manipulated by her. The education minister is something special." He blushed. Once he realized this, he quickly vanished.

Darmanitan: He breathed heavily with unstable eyes. "What's wrong with me?"


Drifblim won immunity so only three contestants were up for elimination. The superfan locked her sights on someone. She would execute her master plan shortly.

Drifblim invited Darmanitan and Farfetch'd inside the Crazy Crawdaunt girls' cabin.

Surprisingly, it was extremely easy to convince Darmanitan. It seemed like the homie boy already had Aromatisse up for elimination in mind.

Farfetch'd, on the other hand…

"Drifblim, I won't eliminate Aromatisse after all the things she has done for me! I thought she is your friend." Farfetch'd refused, slicing Ms. Stick horizontally.

Drifblim flinched. "Farfetch'd, think about this carefully. Everybody will bring Aromatisse to the end. If you don't eliminate her, you will be eliminated instead." She warned.

"I don't see why I will be eliminated." Farfetch'd folded his wings definitely.

"Farfetch'd, Darmanitan will vote for you and I will also vote for you after all the drama you created regarding Mr. Stalk. You will be rolled over as Aromatisse will vote for you too as an easy out. She isn't that close to you, you know?" Drifblim made it sound more like a warning than a threat.

"I will leave." Farfetch'd wanted to hear nothing else, turning to the door.

"Think about this carefully, Farfetch'd. You are this close to the finale." Drifblim emphasized, her fore right hand pinched. Farfetch'd stopped momentarily before exiting the cabin.


Confessional

Drifblim: "My plan is going smoothly." She smirked.

Farfetch'd: He sighed. "I hope this ends well for us, Ms. Stick."


The elimination ceremony started and everything returned to usual… sort of.

Skarmory removed his royal robe and reverted back to being an actual host. However, he held a large scroll in his wings.

"Demoted by your wife to the advisor position?" Drifblim teased.

"Haha." Skarmory laughed sarcastically, amused. "You still never learn your lesson, don't you?" His eyes turned threatening.

"It won't be as fun if I learn my lesson, don't you think?" Drifblim tilted her head slightly.

"True." Skarmory admitted. He stopped trying to look threatening and started the explanation. "Anyways, things will work differently this time. There will be no berries. If I say that you are exiled, you are eliminated. I won't narrow it down to the final two either."

Skarmory fixed his eyes on the scroll's content.

"Minister for Foreign Affairs, you have always been the odd one out. Even though you are strong, you aren't really accepted into the macho club consisting of Lucario, Heracross and Miltank. The likes of Duosion and Scolipede aren't fond of you either. As a result, you are like a lonely foreigner in a distant land. With no one that could speak your language, you rely on your chill convictions to survive each scorching day." Skarmory spread the scroll out a bit more.

Darmanitan looked confident. His skin enjoyed the cold wind of the night. In contrast, his heart beat blazingly, dreading something that resided deep in.

"Minister for War, you are half of who you once were. Without your legendary weapon, you are only a war minister by name. Reduced to use an ordinary weapon like everyone else, you are humbled and exasperated. Threatening and accusing those you believed to be the thief falsely, you ended up causing a lot of troubles. Will the long-awaited reunion come before your exile? Or vice versa?" Skarmory summarized the recent nature of his game.

Farfetch'd gripped Ms. Stick in a steadfast manner, glancing around at the other contestants before focusing on his trusty partner.

"Minister for Transport, you have listened to your passengers well, always satisfying their demands to the best of your ability. Never once did anyone vote for you after your fabulous return. However, you lack control of others. Not many will listen to you if any at all. You rather listen to them instead. In the end, you might find yourself blown away by a sneaky ace." Skarmory lifted his eyes from the scroll, scanning their reactions.

Aromatisse rolled her eyes at what Skarmory said. Sure, she got betrayed by Ursaring but that didn't mean the other contestants will, right?

"The minister that will be exiled is…" Skarmory paused to build suspense.

"Minister for Foreign Affairs, you are exiled." Skarmory snapped the scroll closed stylishly.

Darmanitan widened his eyes in shock as Drifblim and Aromatisse glanced at each other, both with a smile on their faces.

Flashback

Drifblim approached Aromatisse after the challenge.

"Girl, have you made up your mind yet? Will it be Darmanitan or Farfetch'd?" Drifblim asked, waiting for her response.

"Um, er… I don't know." Aromatisse was very indecisive.

"Well, if you can't decide, how about this? I will invite both of them into the Crazy Crawdaunt girls' cabin while you hide secretly in the back. I will throw your name out and see if they take the bait." Drifblim suggested.

"That is ingenious girl." Aromatisse was impressed.


Confessional

Aromatisse: "I'm sure I will be in the finale no matter what. Everyone wants me there because they think they can beat me. When they all least expect it, I will take them down fabulously."

Drifblim: "All according to the plan, my true target is Darmanitan. This is why I planted a seed inside his head and set him up in the morning. My curious viewers, do you want to know why I have targeted him? First, it gives me Aromatisse's full trust. I'm pretty sure she will bring me to the finale in case I don't win immunity tomorrow. But here's the most important reason, I want all of you viewers on my side, cheering for me in the end. I'm now the only non-returner left. Even if you don't like me, do you really want contestants that already got eliminated to win? I deserve the victory much more than them honestly."


Elimination Confessional

Well, I heard everything from those two homies. Serves me right for being a no-chill sport today. I let Lucario's beliefs invade through my chilly heart. Because I'm so clingy and fanboyish, I have made my worst fear into reality. I have lost control of myself. Time for me to chill out in Loser Island and hopefully the burning pain go away.


Darmanitan walked with a bittersweet feeling to the dock, his skin was irritated by the burning sensation even though his heart and mind cooled down.

Chillily, Greninja placed a chill cone in his right hand and Infernape placed a frozen yogurt cup inside his left hand. The power of the chilliness conquered the competitive spirit, curing Darmanitan's burning sensation completely.

"Fella, freeze, chill cone, cold. Cone-na-cone, chill?" Greninja said that there would be a cruise with a karaoke machine picking them up soon. He hoped that the homie boy would sing with them.

"Too-cold, ice land, chilly night?" Infernape said that the boat would visit Toucannon Island. He wanted Darmanitan to stay with them for a night. "Yogurt, free-chill." There would be free frozen yogurt there.

"Chill, zen, homies!" Darmanitan accepted both offers with the biggest smile he ever had in the entirety of the show.

Skarmory landed on the dock for the closing part as the three chill guys departed, draping their arms over each others' shoulders.

"After Minister for Foreign Affairs got exiled, only three ministers are left. Who will win? Will it be the brainy Drifblim, the beautiful Aromatisse or the brawny Farfetch'd? More importantly for the present, which two will enter the finale? Find out in the penultimate episode of Total Skarmory Island!"


The show wasn't over yet. The screen transitioned to a dark deep corner somewhere in Skarmory Area. The camera zoomed and focused on Raticate, who was pitching bottle caps glumly. The stickler for no spoiler camera blurred the surroundings out.

"Stupid Druddigon, getting the money all alone even though he isn't the mole. Stupid Skarmory…" Raticate grumbled and complained incessantly to himself.

"Hey." Chef Drapion greeted, raising his pincer up slightly to gain Raticate's attention.

"What's smoking, chef? Are we going to quit now?" Raticate stopped pitching coins, looking inquisitively at the chef's malicious eyes.

"No, I have a better idea in mind. We will-" Chef Drapion paused abruptly, noticing the security camera. He scowled before breaking it with Knock Off.

Alakazam was alerted once one of the many screens in the control room showed static. He played back the footage and got anxious. What could Raticate and Chef Drapion be up to? The psychic rubbed his chin.

Truth to be told, Alakazam wasn't a mere intern. Frankly, he was a professional Skarmory hired to provide essential functions and convenience to the show. Without him, the show would flop from the start.

Alakazam was about to contact Skarmory until he experienced a strong dark disruptive interference.

"Argh." Alakazam fell from the chair, suffering from a major headache. The door to the control room opened, showing Chef Drapion holding some sort of dark energy gun. It was shaped like a megaphone.

"Good night." Chef Drapion grinned darkly, finishing Alakazam off with Night Slash. Raticate soon entered with a trash bag. The rat threw the psychic inside and tied it tightly.

"You are a genius, chef. Without Alakazam, the show is ruined. Skarmory will pay us a huge ransom for sure. How about ten million P, chef?" Raticate threw the number out there greedily.

"Sounds good. Although, you need to make sure we get the battery in order to escape." Chef Drapion reminded.

"No problem, chef. I can do it easily. I have stolen a lot of smoking stuff before." Raticate assured smugly.

Chef Drapion nodded. Before the two exited the control room, the chef turned to the camera with a creepy, hate-inducing smile. It was as if he was watching the viewers instead of the other way around.

The chef slapped the camera with Knock Off and the credits rolled.


Votes

Drifblim: Darmanitan

Aromatisse: Darmanitan

Farfetch'd: Darmanitan

Darmanitan: Aromatisse

Darmanitan: 3 (exiled)

Aromatisse: 1 (safe)


Everyone, I have an announcement. After I finish TSI, I can't promise to post Season 2 or any of my other stories soon. I will just tell you the simplified version. I'm tired… Writing takes a toll on my health, social life, family and a lot of things. I feel like I'm digging myself into a hole by promising Season 2 or Season 3 even though they are far off into the future. Don't worry, the finale will still come out before Odyssey. This is a promise I intend to keep.

This chapter actually got a deleted scene. Originally, I plan for Chef Drapion and Raticate to get publicly flogged to give them more of a motive to ruin the show. However, I don't think it fits Skarmory's character to do that for no good reason, especially after the Bisharp cardboard gag and the implications it had with Bisharp's parents. The scene is very awkward anyways so I think it is good to remove it.

The last two episodes will be amazing. I hope you look forward to them.