I'm going to be going with "Mike and Zoey on a new season of Total Drama" for a few more prompts, and I feel the need to elaborate on something that I wasn't sure how to work into the narrative - this little plot line isn't supposed to take place during All Stars. That's why I've mentioned players who were already confirmed not to appear this year and why the merge seems early for a season with only fourteen players - this fictional season would be a full 26-episode one, leaving more room for Chris to get scheme-y during the post-merge. I hope that clears up any confusion!

Team-up

"Good morning, final eight!" Chris greeted the remaining competitors. No one but Chris seemed to be having a particularly good morning. The sun hadn't even risen yet; could this even count as morning?

"For today's first challenge, I thought we'd go back to teams for the day. The team that wins the first challenge will move on to the second and compete for invincibility," he announced. The contestants immediately moved toward their teammates from the beginning of the game. "Ah, ah, ah! I'll be choosing the teams. Now, let's see here... Cody, stand to my left. Sierra, to my right." The pair took their places, but not before Sierra made an anguished wail.

As Chris spoke, Mike slowly inched his way over to Zoey. "Don't split us, don't split us..." he mumbled under his breath.

"Courtney, left! Brick, right!"

"Don't split us..."

"Mike, left! Zoey, right!"

"No!" Zoey yelled. "Chris, Mike and I haven't been able to team up once since the merge!"

"I know," Chris said, smirking. "Mike, left! Zoey, right!"

"I'm sorry," Mike said quietly in Zoey's ear before they went to join their new teams. Mike tried to shake off his disappointment from being separated from Zoey. After all, they did promise to not go easy on each other the night before. Instead of worrying about competing with her, he focused his thoughts on trying his best to win the challenge.

Another resident of Mike's head had the same thought.

We're gonna win this today, right, Mike? the new voice asked.

I'm gonna try my best to, Mike replied, not sure who he was talking to.

Even if she gets in the way? the alter continued. This gave Mike enough of a hint as to who he was dealing with; that nameless one with a vendetta against Zoey.

You stay away from her! Don't you dare come out! Mike hissed inside his head. The unnamed alter kept talking, but Mike tuned him out in favor of listening to Chris describing the challenge.

Mike had to stay himself until the season was over. He had to try his damnedest to. The consequences if he didn't were far too great.

But with the way Chris had smirked when he split him from Zoey again, Mike wondered if the host was banking on his failure.