Disclaimer: I own Fat Man, Larry, Lewis, and Vallowsmeir. Everything else is probs not mine.
Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: Sorry I delayed updating so long. I've been focusing on my EAH fanfics, a few of my secret projects, and TDFI. But, Merry Christmas loyal fans! This fic isn't anywhere near done, so it's time for my return! The second part of this episode will be finished before Christmas break is over, I promise. After that, I'm alternating between chapters of this fic and TDFI. I want to merge both fics at relatively the same time. With that said, enjoy the chapter!
Friendship is Magic!
E17 P1: Safe and Sound
There was a storm brewing over the town of Not-So-Silent Hill. Dark storm clouds had filled the sky and the rain was pouring down so thick one could barely see. However, despite the rain, two people stood outside, an umbrella hanging over the two of them. They were both smiling to the very wet camera crew.
"We be welcoming ye back ta Total Drama All Stars," Foxy said with a toothy grin. "Last time, we'd been seein' some strategy in action."
"Whoa, just jump straight into it, why don't you?" Sunset said, rolling her eyes.
Foxy gave her a chuckle. "Fine, I shall let ye host, Sunny," Foxy smirked. Sunset blushed, looking embarrassed.
"I thought we agree only to call me that when we're alone," Sunset mumbled.
"Aye, we did," he said. "And we technically are… with only thousands of people a watchin' us at the same time."
Sunset playfully punched Foxy in the shoulder. Foxy chuckled, and gestured for Sunset to continue. "We've had a calm down from previous episodes. Dawn and Alejandro bonded while Larry remained their vigilant bodyguard against dangers they don't even know about. On the villains team, Dakota and Noah grew closer while Tyler found an ally in Gwen."
"Ye can't really say it was a complete calm down," Foxy pointed out. "We had drama happen in da form of Val and Scott teamin' up with Mike's evil personality, Mal. We also had p'r Izzy have a mental breakdown."
"Speaking of Izzy, I couldn't spot her on any of the cameras," Sunset said, looking worried. "I saw Zeke with a note, but I didn't see what it said. I hope Izzy's ok."
"She will be lass. I almost guarantee it," Foxy said with a smile. "Now then, in our donut boxing challenge, it seem'd as though the Villainous Vultures might pull victorious with Tyler's hidden boxin' skills. As it turned out, Beth cheat'd, therefore removin' Tyler's box count and lettin' the Heroic Hamster's win!"
"Unfortunately for Tyler, because of the loss, his only ally on the Villainous Vultures, Gwen, was voted off," Sunset said. "Seriously, she's like the second girl in about ten eliminations. Sexism is real!"
Foxy raised an eyebrow. "It be the boys takin' a hit lass, not da women," Foxy pointed out.
"Oh yeah," Sunset giggled. "So, what'll happen this time? Will Izzy be found? Will Val have another diabolical plan within his plan? Can Dakota and Noah get any more adorable? What's going to happen with Bridgette with her secret now exposed? And who will be the next person voted off?"
"Ye'll be findin' out today on Total Drama All Stars!" Foxy said.
(Theme Song; I wanna be famous)
(Alleyway)
Slender had moved Chica over underneath a little lip of a roof inside the alley he was in. She was still out cold, and he figured it be better she woke up dry. Slender was sitting in the rain currently, occasionally glancing over at Chica.
"Ok, I have to know," Pink said, appearing under the roof. "Did you guys have a thing or something, because you keep looking at her weird?"
"No," Slender said. "I just know her, that's all. I'm friends with her boss, Freddy Fazbear. He and I both go way back. She dated one of my nephews a while back before he got married."
"That's it? I seriously expected more drama out of that," Pink deadpanned. They both sat in silence for a while, up until Chica started to stir. "Yo, your jump scare partner's waking up."
"I can clearly see that Pink," Slender muttered. Chica's eyes flashed open and she slowly got up. She looked around in fright until her eyes landed on Slender. She shivered before Slender gave her a nod. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said. "I'm Lewis' uncle Slender. I just came in this alley to hide. I didn't mean to scare you."
It took Chica a moment to nod. "S-S-Stich c-c-c-came b-b-b-by earlier today," Chica said. "L-l-l-looking for y-y-y-you."
"Look at that. Your cover's blown. Great job Slender, you're so good at hiding," Pink muttered.
Slender ignored her and continued to look at Chica. "If he comes by and asks you again, could you avoid telling him I'm hiding here?" Slender asked. "I'd appreciate cooperation."
Chica hesitated for a moment. "O-o-o-ok," she said. "B-b-b-but… he s-s-s-sounded worried about y-y-you,"
Slender nodded. "I bet he was. But he can't know I'm here. Alright?" Chica nodded again and Slender relaxed. Only briefly, though.
For he heard a gunshot out in the road.
(Road)
Stich was heading back toward the Restraints Hotel. His visits around town hadn't turned up anything useful, so he figured he might as well head back before he froze to death. He trudged through the rain, hating the feel of it.
"I hate water," he muttered.
As he continued on his way, he couldn't help be hear another set of footsteps somewhere behind him. He figured it was just someone trying to get out of the rain too and didn't think anything of it. He continued to walk onward, shivering.
"As soon as I get out of this rain, I'm asking Lewis for his Holodeck so I can stay in the desert," Stich muttered.
"You aren't going to get that far," came a voice a distance behind him. Stich turned, only to freeze. A figure stood before him, their image blocked from the rain. However, he could make out the distinct purple hair and the pink gun pointed directly at him.
"Lewis?" he asked. He could have sworn an evil smile entered their face, but the image was obscured by the rain.
"You could say that," the figure said and fired their gun.
(Angel Wing)
Larry was alone in one of the rooms. He hadn't meant to get a room all to himself, but that was how the cookie crumbled. He was sitting alone, his suit plugged in, when the door opened. He seemed to beam when he saw it was Bridgette who came inside.
"Ah, hello," he said. "I see you kind of got lost too?"
"Yeah," Bridgette said uneasily. "I was looking for Katie and DJ's room, but I didn't know where they could possibly be, so I just went to the first room I saw."
"Well, I'm not Katie or DJ, but I do like to think that I can be a comforting guy. Anything I can do to help you?" he asked. Bridgette nodded and sat down next to him.
"I told DJ and Katie what I did in the early rounds," Bridgette said. "They took it mostly well… but I just wanted to be sure that we're good. I know what I did was wrong… but I don't want the guilt to keep eating at me."
Larry nodded his understanding. "I know how you feel," he said. "I messed up in the early rounds too. Granted, it was a different way, but I couldn't help but still feel guilty quite a while after I had initially done the actions. It's just the forgiving process though. Just keep showing that you've changed and try to keep from committing the same action again. Works like a charm."
Bridgette nodded after a moment and smiled. "Thanks," she said. "You know, it's funny. I wish I had met you in some of the earlier rounds. This entire situation could have been avoided if I had."
Larry shrugged. "I was kind of a jerk back then, so nothing might have changed," he said. "But I'm flattered you hold me in such a high regard."
They sat in silence for a moment before someone opened the door. Zoey walked in the room, shaking her head with a sigh. "There he goes again," she muttered before shrugging. "Maybe I should just give him some space. Maybe that's all he needs."
Bridgette tensed up, which Larry took notice of. He quickly turned to Zoey. "Looking for Mike again?" he asked.
"Yeah… but I think I'm done for tonight," she said, shaking her head. "I'll just let him do whatever during the night, since he obviously doesn't want to spend time with me. Mind if I crash here?"
"Sure, I don't mind," Larry said. "I was thinking of shutting myself off. You headed off to bed Bridgette?"
"Um… yeah," she said.
"See? Perfect timing. I'll see you girls in the morning," Larry said and shut off. This left Zoey and Bridgette alone. Zoey gave Bridgette a smile while Bridgette fidgeted.
"Um… I have to rest up for that challenge! You never know what tomorrow might bring!" Bridgette said quickly. "Good night!" Bridgette slammed her head to the floor with a thunk. Zoey blinked in surprise, but merely shrugged and went off to sleep in a separate room.
"I left that conversation up for you, you know," Larry muttered.
"DJ and Katie are one thing," Bridgette hissed. "But what happens when Zoey finds out that her boyfriend is possessed by an evil personality?"
Larry pondered this offer. "Touché," he said.
Confessional: Larry's French now?
Zoey: Since when did Larry and Bridgette become such close friends? (After a moment of thinking, she shrugged.) Eh, Larry's been doing a lot of things that don't make sense lately. I'll just roll with it and vote his way, like normal.
Larry: On one mechanical hand, I could easily tell Zoey about Mal and put a stop to this entire thing. On the other mechanical hand, Scott and Val might have already found out about Mal. Since those two clearly have some type of power in this game, I don't want Mal as an enemy right this second. The last thing we need is our number reduced.
Bridgette: I know I need to tell Zoey that I've slept with Mike… but I know she'll be so much worse than Katie and DJ were. I just need time to take a breather before I do anything rash.
DJ and Katie were both cuddling together in the same bed. They weren't doing anything inappropriate for children to see, as they both felt they should stay in the cuddle phase. They sat in silence for the longest while, just simply not saying anything to each other.
"Hey DJ?" Katie finally asked.
"Yeah?"
"When Bridgette said she used you… why weren't you as bothered by it as I was?" she asked. "I mean… she used your body without permission. Doesn't that sicken you just a little?"
DJ thought over the question for a moment. "Yes, it does," he said. "But… I think she really has changed. I don't think she'd ever do it again, and I think that's why I'm not too bothered. Plus, I have you with me right now, so it kind of cancels out what Bridgette did to me. Sort of. I'm still upset at her and all, I just forgive people easily."
Katie nodded, sighing. "I forgive her too… I just can't get it around my head," she said. "I mean, if she was pulling a fake façade… who else could be faking too? I mean, Bridgette was totes one of the good guys in the first few seasons. But all of the sudden she turned into using boys? Who else could have twisted for the worse?"
"Beth?" DJ suggested.
"Ok, just go ahead and prove my point," Katie muttered.
DJ simply shrugged. "Sometimes, people just change," DJ said. "Sometimes it's for the better, other times it's for the worst. You just have to learn to accept it how it goes and respect the choices other's make."
Katie sighed, but nodded. "I hate it when you outsmart me," she muttered. DJ chuckled and pecked her cheek. She blushed and covered her face. "But I do love it when you do that," she said.
Confessional: I love it when people confess in me!
Katie: So I know that I'm supposed to forgive everyone, but it's just super hard for me to just forgive Bridgette like that. I know that she's sorry, and I know she's changed, but I feel as though I can't forgive her just yet. Nothing against her… but I just don't trust her right now.
DJ: Seriously, is anyone weirded out by the fact Katie is upset by this and I'm not? I've already moved passed it. Why is it such a hard thing for her to get over?
In another room, Dawn sighed in bliss as she lay next to Alejandro, his arms wrapped around her. She sighed happily laid her head against his chest. "I'm so glad that we're friends," she sighed. "I doubt I'd still be here if it weren't for you."
Alejandro smiled down at her. "You're a strong girl. You just took on a foe too hard to defeat," he said. "Seriously… Scott?"
Dawn sighed. "He… he was so kind to me," she sighed. "I… I didn't know any better. He seemed fine after Revenge of the Island, so I thought that things would be better. But… I was wrong. Al, if I could go back and fix all my mistakes starting from the start of Revenge of the Island, I would. You have no idea how much I wish I could go back and change things…"
Alejandro held her tighter and sat in silence for a moment. "I don't think you should," he said. "I mean, look at the god things you got from this. You met Larry, you met me, and we know that Scott isn't someone we should keep around. Also, you have the baby. It might have been a complete accident… but you love the little thing inside of you. Do you really wish that it wasn't there?"
Dawn was silent. "No… I don't," she said. "I may not like who the father is… but I love this child. I won't give her up, even if I want to go back and non-violently punch Scott in the face." She blushed. "But… I do like the babies new father a lot better."
It took Alejandro a moment to register who she meant. "Wait… you mean me?" he said, his jaw dropping. "But… I'm a terrible father! I was raised being teased my entire life by my older brother! I was an evil jerk in World Tour! I'm hardly father material…"
Alejandro was silenced when Dawn kissed him. When she pulled back, she was smiling. "You're my boyfriend," she said. "And you've changed. I think you'd make a great father, Al. You may not be this baby's birth father… but I want it to love you as much as a dad."
"Well… for you," he said, smiling. "And, I guess… to fill the void in the baby's life Scott is leaving. But, serious question… boy or girl?"
Dawn giggled and wagged her finger. "Nope! Not until it's born!" she giggled. She giggled even harder when Alejandro gave her a pout.
Confessional: I would pout if I had lips.
Alejandro: Geez… I came back this season not expecting to redeem myself. Not only do I have friends… but I'm going to be a step-dad. That's… not something I expected to happen. (Thinks about it.) But I'm definitely not complaining about it either.
Dawn: (Sighs happily.) After such a terrible set of episodes, I'm so glad I can just calm down with Alejandro by my side. I'm so glad he's there for me… if he wasn't, I think I'd lose it faster than Lewis loses a bet with Pinkie in Go Fish.
In the last room, the three villains were resting. Val was sitting by the door and Scott and Mal sat on the couch. They sat in silence for the longest time before Mal spoke up. "So, from what Scott told me, you're an evil demon who needs to steal something from Lewis and you have a complicated plan in doing so?" he asked.
Val nodded. "That sums me up, basically," he said. "Scott's on a need to know basis as of right now. So are you, really."
Mal shrugged. "So long as we're doing evil, I'm ok with that," he said. "So what do you have left to accomplish on your to do list?"
"Well, to open the lock, we need three different keys," Val said. "I've recruited a poltergeist to arrive when I commit the heist. She'll open up a special failsafe that only opens to a demon in a mortal body. As for the other two keys, we need a Chris Idol and a key Lewis has on his person. Izzy's getting me the key, so all I need is a Chris Idol."
Mal nodded in understanding. "You're in luck, I so happen to have the purple one," he said. "So long as I get it back, you can borrow it to open the lock."
"No worries, you can use it to save yourself in the game," Val said. "We just need you to hold onto it until we commit the heist. We almost have everything we need, I just need to figure out how to work the item once I have it. Not sure where I can get that information, but I have some back-up coming to distract Lewis in time for me to find said information."
Scott raised an eyebrow. "You didn't mention any back-up," Scott said.
"I mentioned it in the challenge. Being the king of demons has its perks. Plus, I figured out how to make the portal to the pocket dimension to reunite me with my brethren. But that will be clearer when the time comes. I have a distraction tonight that should be able to get eyes off me temporarily," Val explained.
Mal looked over at Scott. "Is he always this complicated?" he asked him.
"When he wants to be. I just let him go at it. When possible, I ask him questions about things I don't understand, and if he's not pissed off, he'll give it to me straight," Scott shrugged. "He's unpredictable, but he's a fun guy to watch at work," Scott explained.
"I thank you for the compliment," Val nodded, standing up. "Izzy said she'd meet me down in our usual spot. I'll go get it and come back shortly." Val left the room, leaving the two mortals alone.
"So… how much do you think of our leader?" Scott asked.
Mal shrugged. "Seems evil enough. Better be worth my while though," Mal muttered. "I just want Mike destroyed."
Scott smiled. "Trust me when I tell you this," he said. "Val keeps promises if it involved his best interests. I tormented Dawn a few days ago and Val let me get away with it. If it's destroying humans, He will come through."
"He better," Mal muttered.
Confessional: Only if you give him a penny.
Scott: Val, while evil, knows how to satisfy his customers. So long as we help him, he'll help us out. I know that he'll possibly ditch me when he gets the chance, but as I'm the strategist of our little club, so he needs me to get him past the early rounds. I'm not going anywhere for a long time, at least before the heist.
Mike: (His hair is down, revealing Mal.) I'm not sure how much I trust Val, but so long as he keeps me in the game while I'm 'Mike', then I'll live with it. I hate the fact I can't do anything during the day, so relying on my allies is my only hope. Ugh. I hate having to depend on others.
(Lewis' Suite)
"Go Fish!" Pinkie said with a smirk.
"I curse ye with yer min' powers!" Foxy grumbled as he grabbed a card from the giant deck. Currently, Pinkie, Fat Man, Foxy, and Sunset were all playing a game of Ultimate Go Fish. The cards were standard, but each deck was a different color. The goal was to match the same color and same type of card together.
"I just know how to play the game!" Pinkie said in a chipper voice. "Sunset, any green threes?"
Sunset, with an exasperated sigh, tossed Pinkie the card she had asked for. "Seriously, using your Pinkie Sense to win a game of Go Fish is beyond cheating," she grumbled.
"When you have a gift, use it!" Pinkie giggled. "So, Sunset, are you going off again? I know you love to travel and we'd hate to keep you here for too long."
Sunset shrugged. "I might stay here for a few days, go check out my old house," she said. "I'm fine with filling in for Lewis for a while, really. He is like a brother to me, after all."
"Most women think that," Fat Man said, eyeing his cards. "Foxy, I request the yellow six you have."
"Ye be cheatin', the lot of ye!" Foxy growled, tossing his card to Fat Man. "Speakin' o' Lewis, where he be off ta on this stormin' night?"
"Something about a phone call," Fat Man answered. "The Hill College called his cell, saying that an old friend of his had something that belonged to him that could prove useful in the future. You know Lewis. He's curious about everything."
"I see," Foxy said. "Sunset, me renewed girlfriend, ye be givin' this ol' sea dog the five of blue?"
Sunset blushed in embarrassment. "No, for two reasons. One, you keep calling me that. Two, I don't have it, so Go Fish."
"I fin' ye tellin' a pirate to fish is an insult," Foxy muttered, but did as he was asked. Suddenly, however, his ears started to twitch. "Someone be comin' inside. That be odd though. It's sounds like…"
The door to Lewis' suite burst open. It revealed Chica, with Stich on her back. The four playing the game saw that blood had soaked Chica's outfit. Chica looked at them, terrified. "Gunshot," she said, then collapsed on the ground.
Fat Man, not sparing a moment's hesitation, jumped from his seat and ran to Stich. "SUNSET! You have a degree in nursing, right?"
"Um… yeah," Sunset said, dazed by what was going on.
"Good! Foxy, look after Chica. Give her water and make sure she's alright! Pinkie, stay with Foxy and don't do anything to overwork yourself. Sunset, I need to probably remove the bullet, I need backup," Fat Man said, picking Stich up carefully and rushing toward the medical room. Sunset nodded and quickly made her way after him.
(Demon Wing)
Dakota and Noah were alone in their room. Zeke and Izzy were nowhere to be found, so Dakota was pacing around the room with a worried expression on her face. Noah was reading a book while simultaneously rolling his eyes.
"You shouldn't worry," Noah grumbled. "Izzy's a tough person who drives me completely nuts. I think she'll pull through this. Besides, Zeke's probably off going to help her as we speak. Quit worrying, it's making me age faster."
Dakota pouted at her 'boyfriend'. "You really don't have a kind bone in your body, do you?" she asked.
"Nope. Nor do I care to. I'm going to die, so what's the point of caring for other people?" Noah muttered. "Unless it's you, who, for some reason, I can't stop caring for."
Dakota rolled her eyes. "Don't you care for your friends?" Dakota asked. "You care for me, but that's obvious. Why don't you show any kindness to Izzy and Zeke? They're our friends too. We're all in this together. So why do you just throw those two under the bus?"
Noah sighed, setting his book down. "I'll be surprised if I manage to finish that book by the time I'm eliminated," Noah grumbled. "Look, I told you before. I can't feel kindness. Generally, I don't care about people… but I guess I tolerate some people more than others."
Dakota rolled her eyes. "So, basically, you let Zeke and Izzy exist?" she said.
"Pretty much," he said. "You're getting good at reading me."
Dakota sighed, laying down next to him. "Why, of all people, did I have to fall in love with you?" she muttered.
"Not because I look good. That's Justin's area, and he's an old foe," Noah said with a roll of his eyes.
Confessional: What did Justin even do?
Dakota: Noah's… different. Yeah, he's going to die… but I don't like to dwell on him dying. I'm secretly hoping Fat Man will find a cure before Noah's due date. Maybe…
Noah: Dakota's not one to give up. And while I do typically admire that trait… she should seriously give up on me. Not that I want her to… but it'll hurt her more when I do eventually keel over and die. (He stiffens.) Not that I care about her. I don't care about anything.
In a third room, a duo was talking it out. By duo, I mean Beth and Harold, and by talking, I mean full blown arguing. "You lost us that last challenge," Harold said to Beth. "And then you lied to me that I was the one heading home. You think you're oh so smart, don't you?"
"I am pretty smart," Beth sneered.
"Sure you are. I totally didn't outrank you in TDI," Harold scoffed.
"Who out ranked who in TDA… and almost won?" Beth scoffed back. "You think you're this big head honcho, but you aren't. You're a twisted #$% who doesn't know up from down!"
A look of disgust crept onto Harold's face. "It seems as though this alliance is at an end," he said. "You can't tolerate me, and I really can't tolerate you."
Beth smirked. "I've been wanted to shove that smug face of yours into the ground," she said, a little too happily. "Would you like it shoved in dirt or #$%? You equal the use of both, so I'm not sure which sounds better."
Harold scowled. "We'll see who will take who down," he said. "But, I guarantee… I'm not going to be the one flying away on the Rockets of Shame."
"Funny," Beth said, "I was thinking the same thing."
Confessional: Yeah, we all knew that wasn't going to last long.
Beth: (Grumbles incoherently.) Stupid #$%. He really thinks he has power in this game. Last I checked, any ally he had was on the other team, and even then, I don't think Bridgette was much of a solid ally since she was allied with me and Mal. Harold has no idea how powerless he actually is, and it's kind of funny once you think about it.
Harold: Beth is such a #$%. No one likes her, and Tyler obviously wants revenge on her. All I do is talk Tyler into voting Beth, Tyler will get the votes for me, and boom, one Beth gone. I like to think I've covered all my bases for this upcoming elimination. No way am I losing.
In the final room, Trent, Sadie, and Mr. Coconut all sat. Sadie was cuddling up next to Trent while Mr. Coconut sat alone. However, unlike before, they seemed to be closer. "So, now that this alliance is back together again," Mr. Coconut said, "who do you think looks like the best scapegoat for us to use?"
"We haven't lost yet. Do we have to strategize now?" Sadie asked.
"Yep. You never know who might be going, so we have to be prepared," Mr. Coconut said. "Plus, there's that solo immunity. It's best if we have two plans here."
Trent thought about it for a moment. "Why don't we wait before we discuss it?" Trent asked. "Let's see who the top contenders for elimination are. That way, we can chose based on an mutual decision with more than just one option."
"I must admit, I like that plan," Mr. Coconut nodded. "Alright, so we figure out the two top contenders before or during the challenge tomorrow. If we lose again, which I hope we don't, we'll come together in another strategy meeting and discuss it."
"Sounds good to me. Can I go to sleep now? All this strategy makes me tired," Sadie said. To prove her point, she yawned.
Mr. Coconut shrugged. "I don't need sleep, so I guess you can," he said. Sadie and Trent both nodded and fell asleep quickly. After about an hour of sitting, Mr. Coconut stood up and left the room.
Confessional: I don't need to sleep either!
Sadie: It's not that I hate strategy, I just don't like talking about it late at night when I'm tired and I want to sleep. Mr. Coconut understands that humans have physical needs that can't be ignored. So, with that said, sleep!
Mr. Coconut: I quite understand that humans need to sleep. I don't, so I figured I'd take a walk around and get a head start on figuring out who's a target. I may be trying to be less aggressive, but I still need to strategize. It's in my blood. Er… milk.
(Somewhere in the Demon Wing)
Izzy took a breath as she paced around Val's spot. She knew what she was about to do, and it terrified her. But… it was better off. No one loved her. Not even her own uncle. It was Dawn's fault. Always that #$% of a sister of hers. But her plan was better than killing Dawn. Dawn didn't deserve it. She never deserved any torment she got. Izzy did though.
"You seem to be thinking hard about something," came a familiar voice. Izzy spun around to see it was Val, leaning against a wall.
"Just… making arrangements for something," Izzy said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a key. "I… got this for you." She tossed it to the puppet, who caught it.
"Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me," he said, smirking.
Izzy nodded and stood there in silence. Finally, after a few minutes, Izzy walked up to Val and through herself on him in a hug. The puppet looked confused and somewhat enraged, but didn't do anything to show Izzy as such. Finally, the redhead let go of him.
"I just… thanks for being the only one who cared Val," Izzy said, a few tears in her eyes. "I… might not be seeing you for a while… but know that you truly are my best friend."
Val stayed silent for a moment. "Anytime. I value you highly myself," he said. Izzy gave him a sad smile before walking off.
Confessional: I'm not high, I can't take drugs!
Vallowsmeir: (Looks enraged.) THAT #$% #$% TOUCHED ME! I FEEL SO #$% VIOLATED, THAT #$%! (Takes a breath to calm down.) The bright side is that I have this. (He holds up the key.) Now, we literally have everything to unlock the item I seek. Slender's out of the way, Pinkie, if Pink's hypothesis is correct, is broken, and Lewis is probably working overtime to solve both problems and run this show. I think everything is going according to plan.
Izzy: (Takes a breath.) This is probably my last moment on camera… I want to say good-bye. I love all of you who… cared for me at all. Good-bye Aunt Sunset. Good-bye Val. Good-bye… Zeke. But this is it.
(Hallway)
Tyler was strolling around by himself, without a care in the world. The vote didn't go his way, but in the end, he didn't feel too bad. He whistled for a while until he came across Mr. Coconut. "Ah, Tyler. Hello," Mr. Coconut said, bowing. "How are you tonight?"
"Eh, I can't complain too much," he said with a shrug. "My only ally is gone, so it's not like I'm in the most solid spot in this game, but you never know if another opportunity is going to fall out of the sky. Here's a hoping."
Mr. Coconut nodded, but then paused. "Say… Tyler, if you chose anyone to eliminate, who would you chose?" he asked.
"Beth, duh. She took out Lindsey for no good reason. I think, out of everyone, she should go," Tyler said. "I just don't understand why no one sees her as a threat right now."
Mr. Coconut shrugged. "She's more talk than anything," Mr. Coconut said. "But, I'll keep her in mind as a possible person for the elimination, if it makes you feel better."
Tyler sighed in relief. "Here I was thinking I had no allies," he said. "Thanks Mr. Coconut, you just made my night! Maybe I could join your alliance so I can fell even safer?"
Mr. Coconut chuckled. "We'll have to see, but we have an opening. I'll consider it," he said. Tyler nodded happily and went on his way. Mr. Coconut waited a few moments before continuing on his way.
Confessional: Brief interlude.
Mr. Coconut: Did I mean what I said? Partially. Tyler's more of a lose canon. He's on whatever side that could possibly bring him victory. I'm not sure if he himself knows that, but I do. I think, if anyone, Tyler should be the target for elimination. The problem? No one hates Tyler. He did well in the last challenge, so it'd be hard to even get votes on him. Beth would be easier to get votes for, and she did ruin the last challenge. I might take Tyler up on that one time offer.
Tyler: (Sighs.) This is exactly the break I needed. Now I have a solid alliance and I can take out Beth. It's a win-win all around. Now all I can do is sit back, relax, and wait for us to lose a challenge. I doubt it'll happen, seeing we have me on the team, but whatever the challenge, bring it on!
(Deep in the Demon Wing)
Izzy took a breath. She had gotten away from Val so he didn't have to see her do this. This was it. She held her pills in front of her, tears in her eyes. One too many and she'd be done fore. She took one more breath and nodded. She went to tip the bottle…
… only to have it snatched out of her hands. Izzy blinked in complete surprise as Zeke slid in front of her and sighed. "That was too #$% close, eh," he muttered, looking at Izzy worriedly. "What the #$% were you thinking?"
"Zeke… please just let me die," Izzy said, tears starting to stream from her eyes. "I don't deserve to live. Please… just let me go... no one loves me…"
"Izz… I told you yesterday. I care about you. Dakota and Noah are back in one of the rooms worried about you too, eh. Please… just take the right amount and we can help you work through this, eh," Zeke said.
Izzy sighed. "But… how can I even face them?" she asked.
Zeke offered her a small smile. He walked over to her and gave her a hug. "They're your friends, eh," he said. "They'll forgive you as much as I have. I promise eh." Zeke slid the correct amount of pills out, and handed them to Izzy, still hugging her. With a sigh, Izzy popped them in her mouth, crying the whole time.
Confessional: That was anti-climactic.
Zeke: (Sighs in relief.) That was a close one, eh. I thought for sure I'd be too late… but I wasn't. Izzy should go back to her mostly chipper self soon, but I think this might leave a scar in her emotions, eh. I'll have to be close to her so she doesn't over react again.
Izzy: …
(Next Morning: Medical Bay)
Dawn, being summoned by Pinkie, had made her way down to the Medical Bay. She walked inside and looked around. "Aunt Pinkie? Great-uncle Fat Man? Is something wrong?" Dawn called out. She noticed her family plus Foxy, Chica, and Sunset sitting around the room. Fat Man was monitoring a screen next to a medical bed. Lastly, she saw Stich lying on the bed unconscious.
"Oh, Dawn," Pinkie said, going to go hug her. "I thought I let you know. Stich… he was shot last night."
Dawn's eyes widened. "What?" she said. "But… Not-So-Silent Hill is a sanctuary! No one's been attacked for years!"
"Apparently, someone in this here town be attackin' those who be stickin' their noses where they shouldn' be," Foxy said. All eyes went to the pirate. "It be obvious. Chica said somethin' about Stich lookin' for his Uncle Slender. Obviously, someone doesn't wan' Slender to be found."
"That doesn't make any sense," Sunset muttered. "Why would someone want Slender away? The whole point Pinkemena took over his mind was because…"
"Wait… Pinkemena's in Slender's head?" Dawn asked in confusion. "What's going on?"
Pinkie sent a look Sunset's way. Sunset raised her hands defensively. "Sorry, I thought she knew!" Sunset said. "Anyway, that's besides the point. Who would in their right mind shoot Stich?"
"L-L-Lewis shot him," Chica stuttered. All eyes slowly made their ways to the chicken. "I s-s-s-saw a person with… p-p-p-purple hair run away after… I saw Stich in the r-r-r-road."
Dawn and Pinkie's eyes bulged. "Lewis? But… Lewis loves Stich! Lewis doesn't even have a violent bone in his body unless he's provoked! Why would he shoot Stich?!" Pinkie exclaimed.
"Pinkie, calm down," Fat Man growled, sending everyone in complete silence. "You know you can't be exposed to emotions you can't control. Why don't you, Dawn, and Sunset go give the challenge? I don't have time to give you a look over for anything broken."
Pinkie pouted angrily, but did as she was told and left. Dawn, confused, followed. Sunset simply shrugged and did as the doctor ordered. Once those three were gone, Foxy gave Fat Man a look. "Ye didn't wan' to tell them something the ye found, did ye?" Foxy asked.
Fat Man sighed. "I removed the bullet from Stich's wound and examined it," he said. "It's the same type of ammo shot from Lewis' pink gun."
Foxy stared at Fat Man closely. "Are ye sayin'… that ye think that yer own nephew shot his brother?" Foxy asked.
"I'm saying we can't rule anything out," Fat Man said. "Don't let Pinkie know about this. When Lewis gets back, we'll ask him if he has an alibi and see what Stich has to say when he wakes up. Until then, keep this to yourselves, alright?" Both Foxy and Chica nodded, although Foxy did so reluctantly.
(Hallway)
Trent was walking down the hallway, just trying to wake up. Sadie and Mr. Coconut went to go eat their breakfast while Trent decided to simply let fate guide him. He yawned, still somewhat tired, and ended up running into Dakota.
"Oops, sorry about that," Trent said, yawning again. "I should really pay attention to where I'm going."
"You probably should," Dakota giggled. "I just have to say, you and Sadie are really cute together. I ship it, OTP."
Trent blushed a little. "Thanks. I ship you and Noah myself, even though it doesn't make the most sense in the world," he said. "So, you guys think too hard about the upcoming vote?"
"Not really. We don't really decide until the last minute," Dakota admitted. "I think I might bring up Harold next time we lose. I mean, he's kind of annoying and he doesn't really offer a whole ton to the team except strategy, which we already have in several different players as it is."
Trent nodded. "You make a good point," he said. "Maybe we'll join you in the next elimination, assuming we lose before the merge."
Dakota shrugged. "I guess we'll never know until after the challenge," she said.
Confessional: Unless you're the author, then he knows everything.
Dakota: That was a nice chat. You know, I find it kind of funny that Team Mr. Coconut and Team Dakota are still mostly intact alliance wise. Maybe we should all just team up and take out all of the Heroic Hamster swaps? I know that sounds mean… but at least we wouldn't have to worry about elimination for a while.
Trent: It was nice to talk to someone new for a change. Harold seems like a good target, so I'll bring him up as a possible target when we lose. But, since I'm going to bring my A game to the challenge, I doubt we'll even be close to losing this challenge.
(Lobby)
Zoey sat alone, grumbling to herself in despair. Mike was still nowhere to be seen, so she was a little moody. However, an arm wrapped around her shoulder, making her sigh. "You always know how to make me happy even when I'm mad," she said.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I tried, I really did… but I just suddenly woke up in the hallway," he said. "Look Zo, I still love you, and I know this is tough. Maybe we should just… take a small break? Not permanent, just until I figure out what's wrong with me?"
Zoey sighed, but nodded. "I think that's all I can handle right now," she said. "I do love you… but I don't think I can love you to the best of my ability right now."
Mike nodded and gave her a kiss. "When you can love me again, let me know," he said. "I'll be waiting for you."
Zoey nodded, sighing. "When you figure out what's wrong… you let me know too, ok?" she asked. Mike nodded, and the now ex-couple shared one last hug.
Confessional: Because the author feels like a jerk.
Zoey: Don't get me wrong. Mike is the best guy I've ever met, and I love him to death. But… the game is getting intense and he's too much of a distraction. Plus, I don't seem to be his center focus right now. After the game, maybe he'll return to the Mike I know and love… but until then, we just need to go our separate ways.
Mike: This'll be rough without Zoey… but really, we are still allies. Maybe things will turn out for the better in the end? Maybe? Hopefully? (Sighs.) I just wish I knew what was going on inside my head…
A little while later, Pinkie and Sunset walked into the room in front of the contestants, both wearing a smile. "Hey guys! It's been a while since I saw you!" Pinkie said.
"Where's Lewis? Isn't this his job?" Beth muttered.
"Yes, but he has business to attend to," Sunset said. "Now, Pinkie, tell the contestants the challenge for the day."
Pinkie saluted with a smile. "Today, we're sending tribute to my friends from my childhood," Pinkie said. "Today, each of you will compete in a challenge based off of one of my friends. The pairs will be randomly selected via my brain! The team who wins the most challenges win! We have a tie-breaker in case of a tie!"
"Sounds simple enough," Larry said.
"It really is that simple actually," Sunset said. "We'll take a few minutes to set up each challenge, so you're free to mingle until the first one is set up!" The contestants nodded and began to discuss amongst themselves. Pinkie smiled at the camera.
"So, who's going to slam this challenge in the butt?" Pinkie asked. "What drama could we juice out of it? And who will be voted out? Find out after the break!"
BN: We're getting in the heat of things! Plots are starting to wind down while other plots seem to be starting! Until the next chapter, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and I hope you have a great New Year!
Like? Hate? Meh? Let me know via review!
Next Time: Pinkie randomly selects the pairs and ten challenges are held. One team wins, the other loses, Lewis talks to an old college, and someone is voted off. But that's not even the tip of the drama that's about to happen…