Disclaimer: I own Fat Man, Larry, Lewis, and Vallowsmeir. Everything else is probs not mine.

Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: Sue me, I've been gone again! But here's the next chapter for TDASB! We're getting close to the last ten episodes, which is so sad, but also absolutely amazing! Just a few more eps and this story will be complete! However, I do have some news! I'm thinking about jumping over to TDFI and finish up the pre-merge for it really quick after this episode is completed. I'll let you know when the next chapter comes up, but just so you're aware! It won't take me too long, since I just have one pre-merge episode left in TDFI, but just saying! Until then, enjoy the chapter!

Surfs up!

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E24 P1: Building Allies

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It was a quiet night at Rehabilitation Labs. Fireflies sparkling in the night as the cameras began rolling. Standing amongst these creatures were two figures, one super happy and the other looking calculative. The happy one seemed to be asking the calculative one a question.

"So why is it you have all this land?" Pinkie asked. "And why are there so many different biomes? Are these natural or did you make them?"

"My patients used their abilities to create their dream home," Jumba said simply. "As for the land, I got the money through donations, mostly through Lewis. How does he get as much money as he does? I'm aware of his work, but I wouldn't expect one to pay that much for simple demon hunting jobs."

"You'd be pretty surprised," Pinkie giggled. "He doesn't charge that high a price, but some of the bigger jobs he tackles naturally pay more than others. He typically lets the petitioner decide the price, but if the problem is dire, they pay pretty high. I remember one time Lewis and I went down to Australia one time to take care of a Bunyip problem. Bunyip's aren't that much of a hassle, but when they have their babies, they're nasty! Lewis ended up getting paid double the original price, just because of how hard that job was."

"I see," Jumba nodded. "I was merely curious was all. We should probably begin with the recap, yes?"

"Sure thing!" Pinkie grinned, turning to the camera. "Welcome back to Total Drama All Stars! Last time, we had some pretty should plans going around! Tyler met up with Beth and seems to have made a truce with her while Bridgette accepted that she was being blackmailed. Meanwhile, Val and Scott both schemed for in game purposes and their own personal goals."

"I don't see why Lewis hasn't just disqualified Val yet," Jumba said simply. "He's obviously up to no good. Why wait when you know he's up to something?"

"Host rules. We're not allowed to interfere, whether it be in-game drama or personal drama," Pinkie shrugged. "I don't really agree with it, but hey, when life gives you cupcakes, eat them!"

"That phrase doesn't apply to this situation," Jumba said flatly.

"I know!" Pinkie giggled. "For the challenge, we had all the contestants go around the Labs looking for some of the patients. Tyler played the Teef Idol on Izzy, making her have to look for two. The fourteen contestants quickly made their way around the labs, searching for the person that would win them immunity!"

"Dakota won by a land slide, earning her a reward, which was to have dinner with the staff," Jumba said. "Speaking of which, we should get over to that soon."

"Almost done, then we'll eat," Pinkie winked.

"Right, right. Mike came in second place, still winning immunity. It looked like the final two spots were going to go to Bridgette and Katie, but right before Katie could cross the line, Noah showed up and used a gun that transported Bonnie and Clyde into the plaza. Isn't that technically cheating?" Jumba asked.

"No. He made a deal with one of the patients and asked for Bonnie and Clyde. He did everything by the rules," Pinkie shrugged. "The rest of the contestants returned, Dawn coming in last and having to suffer through a disadvantage: dealing with Mr. Stenchy, Mrs. Sickly, and Plute. Is the smell really that bad?"

"Yes," Jumba said flatly.

"Good enough for me! At the elimination, it looked like Izzy was going to go home, but Zeke managed to slide an idol into her pocket, making her immune. However, it was Zeke who was eliminated in the end, as the next most votes went to him."

"Poor guy. Seemed like he was doing well for once," Jumba said.

"Yeah, well, you only live once!"

"That phrase doesn't apply to this situation either."

"Whatever!" Pinkie giggled. "What will happen this time? Will Izzy be able to overcome the loss of her boyfriend? Can Dakota tell Izzy that she was one of the ones that voted for Zeke? Will Mal confront Bridgette about Mike's suspicions? And will Mr. Coconut be able to handle today's challenge, whatever it might be? Find out today on Total Drama All Stars!"

The camera cut, sending the show through the theme song. Pinkie sighed, her smile turning into a small frown. "Hosting without Lewis is hard," Pinkie sighed. "I know he's busy, but I'd rather do the intro with him than anyone else. Oh, sorry Jumba! No offence!"

"None taken," Jumba said. "I've never really understood the reason behind love. It requires more study. It seems to me that Lewis just seems preoccupied with more important things than you at the moment."

"Huh?" Pinkie said, turning suddenly. "No, that's not it! Lewis is busy is all. I don't think he sees things as more important than me. Sure, this job is important, but I still love Lewis more than the job."

"I'm just taking a neutral standpoint," Jumba said. "From my side, Lewis is never around, he hardly ever talks to you, and when he does, he leaves before the conversation is over. It just appears there's something more important to him then spending time with you."

TWITCH!

Pinkie flinched violently, gasping her eye. Jumba looked at Pinkie in concern, taking a step closer. Pinkie waved him away, trying to smile. It came off as more of a grimace. "It's nothing," Pinkie said, still grasping her eye. "Head on to dinner. I'll be right behind you."

Jumba still looked at Pinkie in concern, but did as he was told. Once he was gone Pinkie covered her eye. It looked normal enough, but Pinkie automatically knew something was wrong with it. She waved her hand in front of her eye and grimaced.

"I'm blind in my right eye," she said quietly. "I can't see anything out of it..."

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(Theme Song; I wanna be famous)

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(Hotel)

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Everything seemed to be quiet in the Hotel as the night began to wear on. Bridgette was resting on a bed inside one of the rooms in the hotel. She had decided that she didn't really want to go around and strategize. All she really wanted was to just be by herself. Bridgette let out a calm and relaxed sigh as she stared at the ceiling with bliss.

"You know, things might still be rough, but I think things are starting to finally turn around," Bridgette mused. "I mean, Katie's not trying to gun for me anymore, at least, I don't think so. Mal might still be blackmailing me, but... it doesn't really matter anymore, right? I've atoned for my mistakes. Maybe I should just come out myself and tell everyone what's wrong..."

Bridgette thought about this idea before letting out a sigh. "No, that won't work. I might have made up for most my sins, but the fact I'm still letting Mal get away with running the show for Mike... that's something I can't fix. If I give it away to Mike, Mal will do damage control at elimination. Even if I come out and tell everyone my mistakes, Mal would still be posing as Mike and people would believe Mike, someone who has only done a few minor things, compared to me, who made some big mistakes. I guess I'm just stuck, aren't I?"

Bridgette let out another sigh as she rested on the bed. After a few minutes of remaining silent and thinking to herself, someone walked in. Bridgette didn't even need to look to know who it was. Mal slipped over and stood above her, glaring at her intensely. Bridgette let out a nervous breath and looked at Mal in the eye.

"I've followed all of Scott's orders," Bridgette said. "I haven't given you away to anyone except for Larry, and even then I would vote him off if you needed me to. Is there something you want or were you just going to torture me some more?"

"The former. Consider yourself lucky," Mal said sternly. "Mike knows that you know something. He doesn't know exactly what he's looking for, but it's simple enough to get my attention. Keep your #$% trap shut and don't breath a word to him. The second he knows something's wrong he'll do something rash, and I can't afford him to complicate up my plans."

Bridgette sighed, shaking her head. "I understand," she said. "He can't know that you exist. I'll make sure he's thrown off the trail. Just follow through with your deal, and I won't blab."

"Sounds good. I honestly expected more of a struggle," Mal nodded. "Scott will inform you who to vote off next. We'll remain in touch. And trust me Bridgette. I hear everything and see everything you do through Mike. Don't think I'm not watching." Mal quickly left the room, leaving Bridgette alone.

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Confessional: Always watching.

Mike: (His hair is down, revealing Mal.) I don't care much for Bridgette. Votes are all I really need. Mike is pretty much all alone at this point, so I've almost succeeded in breaking him through loneliness. (He pauses.) Although, this alliance with Katie might be giving him too much reliance. I would suggest her for the vote, but it seems Scott has made her his new toy. Ugh, why do we always follow Scott's whims anyway? (He lets out a sigh.) Now to go take care of that problem Val told me about. I can't remember how we even became allies, but I highly doubt doing all this #$% is even worth it. (He lets out another sigh.) Doesn't help things that tomorrow is the summer solstice. I'm not telling the others, but I doubt I'll be able to reach my idol tomorrow before the elimination. I just hope things work out for me, because if they don't, that'd be #$%.

Bridgette: (Let's out a nervous sigh.) I've pretty much accepted the fact that I'm screwed either way. Mal won't need me forever, and he has that leverage he can use at elimination to get me out. The second I'm out of turn, he'll use it. The second he's done with me, he'll use it. The best thing I can do is keep playing and hope Larry can move around Mal's plans from the sidelines. That's the only hope I have right now.

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Katie decided to head back down to the spa and just relax. Lax was giving Katie a foot rub and Katie couldn't help but think fondly back to her childhood when Sadie used to give her foot massages. Lax's were better, the memory seemed to help Katie feel better. Katie let out a deep sigh, smiling at Lax.

"I seriously have no idea how you make me feel so calm," Katie said. "With all the drama of this contest, I was surprised I was able to relax as much as I did yesterday. Hopefully tomorrow will be a nice and calming day."

"It'll be a long one," Lax noted. "Summer solstice tomorrow. You'll have a longer day to enjoy, so make the most of it."

Katie smiled, laying back and sighing in bliss. The two were silent for a few moments before Katie sat back up a little. "Lax? What do you think of Scott?" Katie asked. "I know we're allies because I'm giving him a second chance and all, but... I don't think he's taking it seriously. What do you think I should do?"

SUFFERING Lax was quiet for a long moment. "I'm not really allowed to tell you how to play the contest," Lax said. "However, from my moral stand point, Scott has no light in his heart. He doesn't care who he hurts. He is not someone I would personally attach myself to, game or not. But, what you're trying to do for him is noble. I don't think it will work Katie, but the fact that you have the guts and patience to try is honorable."

Katie pondered over his words for a long while, smiling as she thought them over. "I guess you're right," she said with a sigh. She was silent for another moment before she continued, "If I... give up on Scott... would that make me a quitter? I want to keep having hope for him... but if he's not going to change, why bother?"

"Again, I can't say anything that would help affect your decisions in the contest," Lax said. "But it's your choice. And that wouldn't make you a quitter Katie. You've held on as long as you possibly could. Forcing yourself to move on longer is just torture to yourself. Don't cost yourself pleasure by forcing yourself through stress."

"Thanks, Lax. You totally didn't help me at all," Katie winked. "I have a lot to think about... after this footrub. Seriously, where did you learn to do this?"

"Born with the skills of a master masseuse. Pays the bills, that's for sure," Lax chuckled.

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Confessional: Rub those muscles!

Katie: I think relaxing at night is exactly what I need to calm down during the day. Hopefully I can keep my head up and not crumple from the stress. (She pauses, looking thoughtful.) You know, I have to say, I think it's time I found new allies. Tyler and Mr. Coconut might have an offer for me, since they did ask to be allies a few days ago. Maybe after and if I cut things with Scott, I can see if they have any plans in the votes. Might be worth my time honestly. Better than dealing with a known rapist who has no desire to change, right? (She shivers.)

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(Staff House)

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Dakota and Noah had both been dining with the staff. Everyone seemed all across the room, eating certain things and all acting cheerful. Jumba and Pinkie had walked in a few minutes late (Pinkie running into the door frame on her way in) and then everyone was there. Currently, Dakota was talking to Fat Man and Maud.

"So this thing Lewis wants me to go through," Dakota asked them. "How safe is the transfer exactly? Lewis made it seem easy, but since you're the doctor and all..."

"In theory, the procedure is 100% safe," Fat Man said. "There's a crystal here in reality that has the ability to transfer Bean from one host to another. Lewis planned on transferring Bean out right at his death bed, but desperate times call for desperate measures." Fat Man then leaned in close to Dakota's ear. "Between us though, I feel safer knowing Lewis can't switch to Bean on accident. Drama here on the staff."

"I get you," Dakota smiled. "Oh, hey, I almost forgot!" Dakota grabbed the files Izzy had given her earlier and handed them to Fat Man. "Izzy said that Discord found these. She wanted me to give them to you."

Fat Man nodded and flipped the file open. After reading into it a small bit, he frowned slightly. "Thank you. I'll need to read this over in more detail," Fat Man said. "Excuse me." Fat Man left, completely absorbed in the file. This left Dakota and Maud alone, which was slightly awkward.

"So..." Dakota said awkwardly. "What are you into?"

"Rocks."

"Anything else?"

"No."

"What's your favorite type of rock?"

"All rocks."

"Have a boyfriend?"

"I was dating this one rock..."

"Oh boy..."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Noah was grumbling to himself, hating the fact he was still in the contest and he was at the staff building of all places. Currently, Lewis, a half-blind Pinkie, and Foxy were all gathered around him, chatting. Noah found it all pointless, but found it rude to say so.

"And then tha lass ate tha whole snail live," Foxy said, bursting out into laughter with Lewis and Pinkie. "Aye, me girlfriend truly is a remarkable lass. Always doing random #$% that make my love for her swell like the rising tide."

"Speaking of, where is Sunset?" Lewis mused. "I know Fat Man said she stayed behind in Not-So-Silent Hill, but I never really got a reason. Does she have business over there to attend to and then she'll come back?"

"Er... yes, that's precisely what happened," Foxy lied, which Noah noticed. "Sunset be helpin' Bonnie adjust, savvy? Chica and Bonnie were mighty close and I mere'y thought that Sunset could be of service."

Lewis frowned slightly. "Really? Sunset hates Not-So-Silent Hill. She couldn't be eighteen and leave the nest fast enough. I get that she's a counselor and Bonnie needs help, but I could have just invited Bonnie to join in on the cast..."

"Hey Lewis," Noah said, interrupting the conversation. "You're a famous demon hunter, right? Why haven't you taken down Latus yet?"

Foxy gave Noah a nod of gratitude while Lewis merely grimaced. "Well... getting Latus was always on the to-do list," Lewis said awkwardly. "Thing is... anyone who goes near him will be hit by the flames. The only one who really has a chance of survival is Lea, but even then, that's a long shot. Another reason we haven't tracked him was because whenever we try, he seems to drop off the map. It's as if though he has just as much money as I have, and I have quite a bit of it stashed away."

"Fine, whatever," Noah shrugged. "Here's another question. What was the most bull #$% case you've ever hand? I've seen some pretty #$% up crap on the internet. Demons and such aren't my cup of tea, of course, but the fact that there are other things that aren't real, like genderbent crap and other weird things, that freak me out more than demons, that's kind of #$% up."

As Noah talked, Lewis had a slight smile on his face. However, when Noah mentioned genderbenders, he instantly scowled angrily. Without saying a word, he stood up and walked away, out of the room. A smashing of glass could be heard from the other room, which Noah raised an eyebrow to. Pinkie sighed, shaking her head.

"Sorry about that," Pinkie said. "Lewis is... very sensitive about genderbent people. Not transgender, legitimate genderbent people of others. He had to work a case a few years ago... and he wasn't really happy with how it ended."

Noah raised an eyebrow. "Not that I care, but what happened exactly?" Noah asked.

"Aye, I be rememberin' this on'," Foxy sighed. "Three years ago, Lewis, Pinkie, Stich, and I were tryin' to track down this here wraith. Our search led us to misty water's off the coast of Chile. We be findin' this island instead of our wraith, which wasn't on tha map."

"We docked at the island and Lewis went off to investigate," Pinkie sighed. "Long story short, Bart, his step-dad, was running illegal experiments on human DNA. He had collected DNA from his whole family plus some of his friends, and he was having scientists rewrite the genetic code for genders to be swapped."

"Lewis went mad," Foxy sighed. "Really mad. He destroyed tha facility singlehandedly. But tha part I think that really hurt him... he had ta kill Stich's counterpart. I don't think he wanted ta, but Bart's a very sick and twisted man. The female Stich wasn't Stich. She was followin' all of Bart's orders ta kill. So, in order to stop the female Stich..."

"Lewis had to shoot her," Noah guessed. "So he hates genderbender experiments because it's morally wrong and he had to kill his sort of sister."

"Yeah," Pinkie sighed. "But, he's moved on, mostly anyway. He just doesn't like being reminded of it when it's brought up. The facility and all its projects were destroyed. The island was man made, so with some well-placed shots from Stich to the core, it was obliterated. But the killing of female Stich is still a memory Lewis carries with him always."

Noah was silent for a moment. "Huh. I didn't know," Noah said. "Tell him... my condolences. I know this will make me look sappy and I care, which I don't, but I know what's it like, in a sense, to lose something. I lost time. He lost a little faith in himself. Tell him that I wish him the best, alright?"

"Sure," Pinkie smiled. "I'll also tell him that you care."

"Tell him that and I'll quit," Noah said flatly.

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Confessional: Quitting is for quitters!

Noah: (Pauses for a second.) I have a feeling people will start assuming that I care for things. Ugh, now I have to damage control on my fans. How the heck did I even get fans anyway? Is it because of pity? Great, the only thing worse than normal fans is pity fans. (Groans.) I really need to quit being soft on people...

Dakota: (She smiling, although seems distracted.) That was a nice dinner. I'm glad I could talk to some of the staff members. Although... Maud can really talk about rocks. (She giggles before letting out a sigh.) I hope Izzy isn't too mad about Zeke. I don't think she knows I voted for him, but she's my best friend. I'll try to tell if she's calm.

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(Motel)

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Inside a small room in the Motel, Tyler and Mr. Coconut were resting. Mr. Coconut, not wanting to risk failure in the challenge again, was charging his suit while Tyler was resting on one of the beds. Both seemed content enough, not too bothered by how the elimination had gone.

"I have to say, I wasn't expecting the vote to go the way it did, but I'm not complaining," Mr. Coconut mused. "Zeke could have easily been a physical threat. With him gone, Izzy's alliance is crippled and we have a better chance at winning immunity. All in all, a decent enough elimination."

"I agree," Tyler nodded. "Now, time to think about tomorrow. Look, I need immunity as much as the next guy, but if the votes were anything to go by, I think you need it more. If push comes to shove, I say we focus on getting you immunity over me. I can take a few votes if I need to, but you're my only real ally right now, and all my allies tend to be eliminated before I have a chance to do some real moves."

"Sounds good. Being safe is a priority," Mr. Coconut nodded. "Since we've pretty much declared being enemies with Val, I guess that means he and Scott are going to be after us. I'm aware Scott is a pretty big threat to safety, but I have a feeling Val is willing to sacrifice his spot in the game to save that guy. Plus, it's not like anyone hates Val right now, so that would be a bust of a vote."

Tyler gave a nod, completely agreeing with his words. However, a thought occurred to him, making Tyler smirk. "Why not target Mike?" Tyler asked. "He seems to vote with Val and Scott, so why not take him out sooner rather than later? He doesn't seem too valuable, but it might make a difference in the later rounds."

Mr. Coconut seemed to beam at this idea. "Of course! Swing votes are the most dangerous kind of votes," Mr. Coconut said. "Mike may not be a swing vote, but I think he's more freelance than he thinks he is. Taking him out now might be a pretty smart idea. I have to say Tyler, your edge in this game has really improved since Island."

"Someone took out the person I care about most," Tyler shrugged. "I had to do a lot of major growing up super fast. I guess the way I did it was through strategy."

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Confessional: Or you used super grow!

Tyler: Of course, the person who took out the girl I love is now like a neutral party who may or may not be my friend. Funny how things change so fast. (He shrugs.) Hopefully Beth is on board voting off Mike. When Mr. Coconut mentioned swing votes, my thoughts immediately went to Beth. If she's willing to at least consider what I have to say, then that's at least one vote I can use.

MUSIC Mr. Coconut: You know, another swing vote that comes to mind is Bridgette. She's very under the radar and seems to be all over the place. Perhaps, if Mike falls through, she might be someone noteworthy to consider. Plus, if Katie is still on for that alliance, she might be willing to take her out.

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Larry was alone in one of the rooms, charging his own suit. He had no one he needed to talk to, but that didn't keep his mind from racing. Larry was currently reading and rereading Shrub's letter. He seemed addicted to reading it over and over, pondering over his words. He finally managed to set the letter aside, letting out a sigh.

"Darkness is coming to the contest," Larry said aloud. "I'm assuming that someone here is planning something big. Obviously Scott and Mal come to mind. Ugh, if only Bridgette weren't being blackmailed. I'd be able to target one without receiving suspicion from the other. This is so difficult..."

Larry let out a sigh, shaking his suit. "No, don't bother with feeling stressed. Yes, this is hard, but so what? I can do this. Scott and Mal both directly affect Dawn and Bridgette, my two main allies. Obviously, I have to focus on each of them one at a time. Scott might be the easier of the two to tackle, since Mal might not be as suspicious if we take the party to him first. But obviously, Scott's well connected, otherwise he wouldn't have lasted this long. It'd be game suicide if I stumbled upon one of Scott's allies and took the vote to him."

Larry shook his suit again. "Then again, Bridgette's vote is limited so long as Mal is watching her," Larry said. "If I take him out, Bridgette can vote freely again... unless Scott really does intend to use her secret against her. There's no way I can win here. Scott and Mal both have a firm hold on Bridgette, and her vote isn't free no matter which way I swing my vote."

Larry was silent for a few moments, trying to think of a good solution to his problem. After thinking for a moment, a thought occurred to him, one that he had never ever considered before. He stood up and walked to the window, staring into the darkness. Something clicked in his head before he began to laugh.

"It's so obvious, isn't it?" Larry laughed. "It's not Mal or Scott I should worry about. If Scott's well connected, then there's only one true and solid way to get rid of him."

"And that's to get rid of all his connections."

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Confessional: Are we connected with power cables or something?

Larry: I didn't really see how obvious this was until just now. If Scott is deriving his power through other contestants, then those contestants are what's keeping him from leaving the contest. Scott and Mal are untouchable without hurting Bridgette emotionally, but the other pawns they have? That's easily the biggest weak point they have. I'll try to have Bridgette get me some form of information on Scott's allies, so I know who I should have Dawn flip her attention to when Scott's immune.

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(Medical Room)

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After the dinner party, Rueben had grabbed Stitch, Maud, Fat Man, and Foxy and walked them to the medical room. He had a plate of sandwiches in his hand as they all gathered around, Foxy instinctively sitting next to the lifeless Sunset on the table. Rueben picked up a turkey sandwich and bit into it, chewing it slowly.

"Who here can tell me about the life cycle of poltergeists?" Rueben asked.

"I know about the life cycle of rocks," Maud said in monotone.

"That won't help much. Just like my knowledge of sandwiches," Rueben said flatly, taking another bite. "Poltergeists are a tricky business. Heck, I only know about them because I had to deal with one once. The fact even Slender knew so little about them isn't a surprise either. They hardly show themselves, and even when they do, it's hard to tell that they ARE poltergeists in the first place."

"Which is why it took us so long to recognize Pinkemena was a poltergiest," Fat Man nodded. "So why then was Pinkie the main target?"

"Simple: she's emotionally unstable," Rueben said simply. "To be that positive, you have to have had an extreme negative. No one can be that happy without a reason. Maud, Pinkie had an issue in her past that made her never, ever want to be sad again, correct."

"She married Lewis. That's traumatic," Maud said. Rueben glared at her for a moment, making her roll her eyes. "Yes. She has. Several times on multiple occasions. I don't know the details. Only her twin knows them, but it's private. Don't go snooping in her private matters."

"Wait, Pinkie be havin' a twin?" Foxy asked in surprise.

"Yes. I met her on one occasion. Timid, but sweet enough," Fat Man shrugged. "So this trauma is what Pinkemena fed off of. Then what?"

"Well, that's the tricky bit," Rueben said. "If Pink was getting substantial food from just Pinkie, then there was no need to infect other hosts. She only needed just Pinkie. So, when she swapped over to Slender, she had no basis for food, as poltergeists can't feed off of demons. And she's can't infect Pinkie again because, if I understand the situation correctly, the jump wasn't done correctly. In fact, if the parasite in Slender's head was aware of it, she could easily transfer herself back to Pinkie at will, as the connection went from host to host, not back into Pink like it should have."

"Wait," Fat Man said, stopping him. "Pinkie is having medical problems because she has a gap in her head. If we find Slender and have the parasite switch back to Pinkie, that might be able to help her return to normal."

"It's likely," Rueben shrugged. "If, of course, the parasite doesn't starve. She acts just like her host. If the host switches parasites, it typically means she intends to let the one she was previously feeding off of to die off. If you want the parasite in Slender to go back to Pinkie, you have a limited window to do it in."

"Then that's what we be focusin' on," Foxy nodded. "Anything else we should be knowin' about poltergeists?"

"One other thing," Rueben nodded. "Each poltergeist has five parasites each. Once all five have died off, the poltergeist survives on reserve energy for as long as they can. Some can last a good millennia, others are still alive since the beginning of time just on reserves. From the energy Pink got from Pinkie, she might have quite a bit of energy stored up to last her a few years."

"Why hasn't she tapped into that stored up energy now?" Fat Man asked. "That would make a lot of sense if you ask me."

"Poltergeists tend to save that energy for real emergencies," Rueben said. "If Pink has more parasites left, and I believe she does, then she has no reason to use the energy. Easier to dump the current parasite and start a new one then sheer off years of her life after all her parasites are dead."

"That might explain Pink's role in keeping us away from Slender, but what about Lewis?" Stich asked. "Obviously he shot the people who got close to Slender or identifying Lewis at one of the shootings. Why is Slender so important to be kept hidden from us?"

"I am uncertain, but I do have new evidence," Fat Man said, holding up the file Dakota had given him. "It's Lewis' finances. We're all aware that Lewis is quite rich, with an immeasurable sum of money. However, according to his accounts, all of his assets are either frozen or liquidated into cash. Lewis is flat out broke, despite still having cash on him."

"Let me see," Rueben said. Fat Man handed over the file and Rueben glanced over it, taking another bite of his sandwich as he did so. "Huh. According to this, all of the banks were drained a week or two ago. Roughly around the time Stich got shot," he mused. "Was Lewis accounted for around the time Stich was shot?"

"No. Any time that anyone was shot no one was present that could ID him," Fat Man said.

"Hmm…" Rueben mused. "Well, this document might mean something to someone, but most of it is just gibberish to me. Can anyone here accurately read accounting files?"

"I could only read what I told you," Fat Man shrugged.

"I be a sailor at heart. Math is beyond me," Foxy shrugged.

"I like rocks," Maud said in monotone.

"I'm average at pretty much everything, so I'm not much help," Stich shrugged, then paused. "Although… Baljeet is Lewis' accountant, at least sometimes. He might be able to not only read the document, but might tell us why Lewis drained his accounts. It's worth a shot to try to get him next."

Before anyone could say anything else, there was a white flash in the room. Everyone's eyes blinked before seeing Discord float in the room. And he looked pissed. "Where is she?!" he hissed, glaring at each person in the room with evil intent. "Where's Fluttershy?!"

"Discord, calm down," Stich said. "What about Fluttershy? Is she missing?"

"DON'T PLAY GAMES!" Discord snapped, disappearing and reappearing right in front of Stich. "I know Lewis took her! He thinks I want to play this #$% game of his. Oh, but I don't. If he just asked, sure. But he had to take the only thing in this world I care about!"

"Lewis? How do you know it was him?" Rueben asked curiously. Discord scowled and snapped his fingers. Bullets from Fluttershy's cottage appeared in front of Rueben. "Oh. That's how," Rueben nodded. "Anything else?"

Discord snapped his fingers again and the note from her cottage appeared in Stich's hand. "Found it amongst the bullets," he grumbled. "Lewis' handwriting in purple pen. It's his. He stole Fluttershy and he's holding her hostage unless I follow his instructions in six days."

Stich read over the note curiously. "Something's off about this handwriting. It's Lewis', no doubt. But it's in cursive and almost… nicer. Still his handwriting though," Stich sighed. "And he was missing for a good chunk of the day according to the cameras…"

"Discord," Rueben said, getting the attention of the upset boy. "I assure you that this is not our doing. We'll return Fluttershy to your care as soon as we're able to find her. Until then, play along. We'll get Fluttershy back and then we'll allow you to torture the perpetrators as you see fit. And we'll all sit down and enjoy a nice PB&J. How does that sound?"

Discord frowned, still very upset. "Very well," he relented. "I'll be on the outskirts of the Labs over the next few days. Send me word if you need anything from me to help find her. As your making Lea patrol every night, send him to keep me company. Someone has to fill in for Flutters until we get her back."

Discord snapped his fingers and disappeared, a small portrait of Discord and Fluttershy appearing in his place. Stich sighed, shaking his head. "Hopefully Lea can handle a distraught Discord. Because trust me, he's not fun. At all," Stich grumbled.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

(Time-Out Corner)

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Val had been sent to Time-Out Corner for the round and found that he was paired with Beth. He was currently resting in the corner of the cell, shooting annoyed glances at Beth every so often. Beth seemed not to notice and paced back and forth across the cell, saying absolutely nothing. After this had occurred for quite a few minutes, Val decided to end the annoying pacing.

"What are you thinking about?" Val grumbled reluctantly.

"Debating if I should screw you over or not with your whole evil twist," Beth shrugged. Val scowled, but Beth held up a hand. "Cool it puppet. I'm not a #$% idiot. I saw you and Scott yesterday and overheard everything. I voted for Zeke last night with you so you weren't #$% alone. Turns out my hunch was a good idea."

Val raised an eyebrow at this. "You're cool that I want to exterminate humanity and align myself with a self-proclaimed rapist?" Val asked flatly. "Wow. I knew humans were #$% idiots, but that's #$% absurd. Nonetheless, you have my attention. What do you want?"

"I want to be under your protection," Beth said with a smirk. "For now, at least. I have no allies. All I need is a temporary support network until you're a #$% useless lot. Then I'll branch off and you can #$% over whoever. None of my business. Just avoid eliminating me and we're set."

Val thought this over for a moment. "Why not? More allies for us I guess," Val shrugged. "Keeping Scott in the game is our main priority, so don't expect we're going to save you over him. But so long as you keep your #$% mouth shut and follow our lead, then I see no quarrel with not voting for you. Understand?"

"Sure, whatever. I don't give a #$% about the politics. Just give me the plan before the elimination and we'll move on. Now, if you don't #$% mind, I'm going to pace some more," Beth said simply. "Nice talk Val."

"Indeed. This was a very… enlightening talk. Watch your back Beth. You might be more of a threat than you think," Val said with a curt nod. Beth mumbled to herself and flipped him off, returning to pacing back and forth. Val sat back, musing to himself about the convo that had just occurred.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional: I don't think Beth ever answered the question of her approving of the evil going down.

Beth: (Looks at the camera with a smirk on her face.) I've been playing the #$% villain the entire #$% show. Val's vulnerable because not only did I #$% find him out, but also because he doesn't have that many #$% allies. After all, he doesn't seem to even be playing for his own #$% self. He flat out said Scott's the priority. Well, #$% that. I only need temporary protection anyway. Once we're down a few other players, then I'll backstab them in the #$% neck.

Vallowsmeir: (Seems to be considering something to himself.) Beth said that she was out in the open needing an alliance for protection, correct? Why is it that her wording made her sound like a swing vote? Scott's the strategist between us, but even I know how risky swing votes are. Beth might not even be worth the trouble of managing, but I might change my mind. I'm feeling merciful today. (A clock tower rings midnight in the distance, making Val smirk.) Oh, look at that, it's tomorrow already!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Scott was in a cell over from Val, watching in amusement from the back of his cell. Izzy was pacing the cell hyperactively, her head twitching left and right as she spoke to herself. Scott was currently eating his popcorn from elimination as he watched, almost tempted to laugh as he watched. "No one would vote for Zeke… why would they do that? He's awesome, level headed, and wouldn't hurt a fly!" Izzy said, her voice hitching on crazy. "Who would be dumb enough to provoke my wrath, huh?"

"Villains maybe?" Scott suggested, eating a handful of popcorn. "I mean, I guess you can be considered a hero, despite being on the villain's team. Villains don't like heroes, so maybe they wanted to #$% you over? Which is a smart move, because you do look like a decent catch."

"Right! Villains! The nastiest scum of all!" Izzy laughed. Her eyes then went to Scott, shining with evil intent. "You're a villain. You raped my sister. Did you screw my boyfriend?"

SOPHISTICATION "Wow. Never thought that was going to be asked to me before," Scott chuckled evilly. "No, I don't do guys. So all you people shipping me with Val, no. But, in a less literal sense, I didn't vote for Zeke. Heck, I'll be honest. I was gunning for you. Too bad too. This was probably the only real opportunity to get rid of you for a while, but I guess it worked out anyway. Zeke leaving was not effected by me."

Izzy was silent for a second before shaking her head. "No, that can't be," Izzy said. "Why would you vote different than everyone else?"

"I'm not an idiot. I don't go making dumbass promises," Scott said simply. "I don't need to follow certain rules the others have to follow. I voted differently because those rules now prevent plotting against you. It's a shame that #$% boyfriend of yours saved your ass. Otherwise you'd be #$% right now. Only not literally because I wouldn't be there to do it."

Izzy was silent. "No, you're lying," Izzy said.

"Unfortunately," came a voice, "he's not. I've been standing here the whole time Izzy." Izzy turned and saw Fibber was standing behind her, giving her a sad smile. "Every word he said to you was honest."

"But… but… who voted for Zeke then?" Izzy said.

"What do I care?" Scott shrugged simply. "A threat is gone. Yeah, sure, you're still here and your advantage will make you a legitimate threat. But that's a minor problem. You're kind of a #$% eyesore. Sure, you're not as much an eyesore as Beth, but not one of the most attractive ladies I've seen."

"At least I'm in a stable relationship," Izzy said, sticking her tongue out. "And for your information, I had Swirly hypnotize me. During challenges, I lose my memories about my friends here in the Labs. So you can forget about me making this hard for you!"

Scott digested the information for a second before bursting out into laughter. "Wow. Dumb and not too attractive. At least your sister has one good quality you don't," he chuckled. "Thanks for #$% yourself over for me. I might throw you a bone later, if I feel generous to help a dog like you."

Izzy sneered at Scott angrily. "Mark my words Scott," Izzy said. "I might hate my sister…" BLARG! "…shut up Fibber. My sister might annoy me… but she did not deserve you. With all my soul, I swear that I will end you. Whether that be through explosion or drowning, you will beg for me to end your suffering."

"Yeah, I don't believe that," Scott shrugged. When Fibber didn't beep, Izzy took a step back. "Fibber didn't beep, so you might have not lied. But you're too weak to come after me. Come see me when you have allies who actually follow you."

"What do you mean follow me?" Izzy asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Scott chuckled, turning around, done speaking to Izzy for the night.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional: We would like to know, even though we already do.

Scott: (Chuckles.) Why lie when she has a lie detector? Val filled me in enough to know that Izzy has a few guns up her sleeve. Sure, we took out her boyfriend, but knowing the locals and being able to know if we're telling the truth at all times? Might not work in challenges, but that's not the issue, now is it? (Thinks about it for a second before shaking his head.) But we can't do much about it, now can we? Not unless Val can break his promise, but I doubt it.

Izzy: (Looks puzzled.) Friends? That's what Scott was thinking due to his brain waves. They smelled mischievous… but it's not like his thoughts are true. Fibber only beeps when a vocal lie is spoken. But why would he be thinking about Dakota and Noah? They wouldn't vote off Zeke… well, Noah might, but Dakota? Why would she even consider doing that?

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Dawn was trying her hardest not to retch. She was sitting in a room with stink fumes floating around the whole room. Sitting in the room was a boy with pink hair with a little dollop in the front and big eyes, wearing a pink shirt and blue jeans, a girl with green hair in ponytails wearing a green shirt and jeans, and another boy with green horns and crab claws for hands, wearing a dirty blue shirt and dirty jeans. They were all on one side of the room, not allowed to say anything to Dawn due to rules set in place.

"I don't deserve friends," Dawn sighed to herself, swallowing a bit of vomit that was rising up in her throat. "This… this is what I deserve. Mother Nature might be my place in the world… but how am I even worthy to serve her if I'm only a smudge in the world?"

Dawn sighed, rubbing her stomach. "I love my child," she said, a tear running down her cheek. "Al loves the baby too. But I made a mistake… and people hate me for it. Maybe not that it happened… but because Lewis cares too much. I never asked him to… but… I can't stop him from loving me. And I don't think he realizes how far he's taking this…"

Dawn shook her head, keeping herself from throwing up again. "If Richter wants me to realize the errors of my ways… so be it. I deserve no less. At least… I have a chance to move forward after this suffering finally ends," Dawn sighed, shivering in sadness. "I miss Al…"

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional: Al and AI look really similar, don't they?

Dawn: (Lets out a sigh.) I bet Richter isn't the only one who's going to try making me lose. And honestly? I don't blame them. I don't have anything left in the contest anymore except my uncle, and he's part of the issue. I think… that this is it. I'll stay in this contest until people vote me off. I refuse to win immunity once… because I don't deserve it. And I'm sure everyone at home agrees…

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

(Medical Office)

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The main group inside the medical office had left, leaving the unconscious patients alone. Foxy stayed behind, not leaving Sunset's side for a second. He gave a crooked, sad smile as he grabbed Sunset's hand, sniffling a little. "Funny," Foxy chuckled humorlessly, squeezing her hand tight. "Ye be me renewed girlfriend… and then ye go get shot. You're a remarkable girl lass… but I miss ye."

Foxy sighed, smiling at Sunset with an even sadder smile. "I remember when ye graduated High School," Foxy chuckled. "We had been datin'… oh, two years? It was a rough ride, but it was a good one. Like tha smell of the salty sea after a wicked storm. I would have given up the sea to have ye be with me ferever. But… ye left fer college… and ye never looked back, did ye?"

"Ye were gone fer a long time. Not a day went by that I didn't think of ye. I didn't expect ya ta visit. Ya hated Not-So-Silent Hill. But… it was just as lonely as this. At least ya came back ta me after all those years. But… will ye come back ta me now?" Foxy asked. Sunset laid there, silent. Foxy gripped her hand harder, a tear escaping his eye. "I believe in ya lass. I miss ye."

Foxy bent over and kiss Sunset on the head, holding her hands fast. Foxy… Foxy stood straight up, scanning the room. No one was present, which he found weird. He could have sworn he had heard a voice just then. Once he made sure the room was clear, he sighed, sitting back down and holding Sunset's hand lovingly.

"What about a Golem?" came a monotone voice. Foxy glanced back and saw Maud enter the room, holding a phone to her ear. "No. What about an igneous rock? No. Ok. Who do you have?"

"Maud, what ye be doin' at this hour?" Foxy asked, an eyebrow raised.

Maud ignored him, listening to the person on the phone. Her lips twitched, which was what Foxy guessed was the closest thing she had to a smile. "That's almost better than a gift of moon rocks my sister gave me a few years ago," Maud said. "Yes. Lewis Ellimist. Rehibillitation Labs, near Not-So-Silent Hill. Yes. Thanks. I'll pay you in rocks."

Maud hung up the phone, looking at Foxy. "Lewis needs to realize I don't like him," she said. "I called an agency that sells the services of assistants. I called Mr. Grills and he gave me some options. I found one that will make me so happy."

"Ye seem ta be burstin' with happiness," Foxy said flatly. "Who did ye exactly be getting'?"

"Oh," Maud said, her lips almost curling into a very scary smile. "I got MIO."

Foxy's eyes widened and his smile formed into one that was almost adorable. "Ye be gettin' MIO?!" he said in an almost fangirl shriek. He then had a look of dread on his face. "Oh no… ye be gettin' MIO… and lass, Lewis might be hatin' ye, but MIO…"

"I know," Maud sighed. "Doesn't it make you so happy? I know it makes me feel happy. I could almost sing with happiness right now. But I'll wait. I don't want people thinking that I'm a popstar when I'm just a geologist."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

(Lab Border)

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Mal was grumbling to himself as he neared the border of the Labs. Scott had informed him of Val's orders, and, much to reluctance of Mal himself, had to go try and bargain with Latus. He was muttering to himself as he neared the wall of the outer edge. "Stupid Val… how the heck did I even team up with this guy?" Mal grumbled to himself. "Ugh… the others better catch on quick, because I'm getting sick of following this guy."

Mal soon reached the boundary of the Labs and grumbled to himself. He peered around the wall and slid his hands in his pockets. "Latus? You around?" Mal grumbled. "I need to #$% make a deal with you for Val. He's a little locked up because he's a #$% joke of a demon, but I'm here to speak for him or whatever."

There was a steady silence following his remarks, making Mal shrug. Mal turned to leave but found, not Latus, but Lea standing behind him. He twirled his chakram in his fingers, looking at Mal carefully. He promptly made his weapon vanish in a sea of flame before facing Mal with his arms folded, looking almost cross.

"Well, well, well," Lea chuckled. "I definitely have you memorized. Mike, the MPD guy. Or should I say Mal, since it is after all night time."

"What the #$% do you want?" Mal asked flatly.

"I do monitor the cameras when Lewis doesn't have me out here patrolling around," Lea said. "Val wants you to find Latus and negotiate letting Pink in, right? Not going to happen. Mostly because Pink left and Latus fell off the map again, but I can't really let anything in that isn't already allowed in. You got that memorized Mally boy?"

"Don't call me that," Mal said flatly, glaring at Lea. "I don't really give a #$% about you, but since I have nothing #$% better to do, I'll just leave you be. No need to pick a fight I can't even win. Besides, I need to be in good condition. Or Mike does anyway."

"Summer solstice. Too bad this contest doesn't take place in winter, huh?" Lea chuckled. Mal frowned and started to walk off. "Hey Mal," Lea called to him, making him paused. "Mike will be receiving a letter after his elimination or after the contest, whichever comes first. Once he's out of the contract, you're little secret comes out. Got it memorized?"

"We'll see who has the last laugh when I sue the lot of you for #$% with me," Mal sneered, walking off in Mike's body.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional: Can you sue a confessional?

Mike: (His hair is down, revealing Mal.) Can I really sue? Probably not. But my goal is to make Mike doubt himself and hate his actions. He doesn't deserve to be in this body. I do. Happiness? That just keeps me from coming out. Once Mike is no longer happy, then there's no #$% need for me to wait in coming out at night. I'll have complete access day and night. I'll finally win this constant war for control.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

(Time-Out Corner)

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Tyler left the motel and walked over to the 'prison', humming to himself as he walked. He slid inside and casually walked over to Beth's cell. He spotted her still pacing around and Val asleep in the back of the cell. Beth rolled her eyes as she noticed Tyler approach her, cursing under her breath. "What the #$% do you want?" Beth grumbled.

"You could try to be nicer now that I know the whole 'you like me' thing," Tyler chuckled. "Look, I know we're kind of more neutral than friends, but despite the fact you took out Linds, I would like to try to be civil."

"What do you think we've been doing? Give me time. I'll get less negative the closer I get to winning," Beth mummbled. "So did you just want to be a #$% sap and make friends or do you have something else you want to say?"

"There is," Tyler assured. "I know we aren't allies, but in case you need more, we're going to try for Mike tomorrow. Figured I'd let you know in case you're undecided. I wouldn't want to leave a possible friend out to dry."

"You're sucking up to me. I hate #$% suck ups," Beth chuckled. "Fine, I'll see if I can pull some #$% strings. Don't think we're friends yet though. I have some #$% redemption to do… and I hate #$% redemption. Just keep me posted about how you're voting and we'll see if my attitude changes."

"If that's as close as I'm going to get, then I'll take it," Tyler chuckled. "See you later Beth." Tyler exited the prison, making Beth sigh. She went over to lay down, turning in for the night. After she was on the floor and resting, Val stirred in the back of the cell, a smirk prominent on his face.

"You #$% #$%," Val chuckled. "I'll show you what happens to those who turn their backs on Vallowsmeir the Schemer."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional:

Beth: What? I'm not changing my #$% attitude right away. I have to ease back into being happy and friendly again. Like #$% I'm going to just be friends with my crush immediately after it's been revealed. I have to have an inward desire to change, and I'm not #$% ready for that #$% yet. Just saying.

Tyler: (He chuckles.) I expected no less, but hey, if she really does take the information to heart, then I might as well keep her informed. She seems to be well off, but hey, I'm not a jerk. If Beth needs back up, I'm here to help her out. Mr. Coconut just seems to be along for the ride, but hey, he likes numbers. If Beth eventually joins us, he'll just be happy to have a number.

Vallowsmeir: So, Beth gets her decisions from Tyler. I had a feeling she was just joining us for numbers. Well, let's see how loyal we can make her. I'm sure Scott can easily break Beth into this alliance with just a few well-placed votes. He's done it before, and I have no doubt that he can do it again.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

(Check Point #2)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The time had come to move the book again. Leroy and Slender both took a side of the casing holding it and brought it toward the next checkpoint. It didn't take them too long, coming to a black shack near what appeared to be an abandoned pool. Slender opened the shack and Leroy placed the book inside, shutting the shack with a grunt.

"One more #$% checkpoint after this, then we can enter into the Labyrinth," Leroy muttered. "I know a short cut to get the book where it needs to be, but everyone else will have to take the long way. Since your family and all, I'll show you the short cut."

"No," Slender said to him, making Leroy raise an eyebrow. "There's a reason I left Lewis. I have eyes on me at all times. If I know the short cut, so does Val. I'll take the long way through the… Labyrinth, was it?"

"Your loss," Leroy shrugged. "The Labyrinth is the hall that divides Time-Out Corner and the Hall of Frozen Patients. Jumba, Rueben, Lewis, and now I are the only ones who know how to bypass the Labyrinth. It keeps intruders out and the patients in. It was designed by the Anachronator before his own imprisonment."

"This Anachronator seems to be very against getting released," Magenta noted, appearing next to Slender. "I mean, he can foresee the future, sure. But why not help people move forward? Couldn't he, I don't know, win this battle between you guys and Val?"

"In theory," Slender answered. "However, the Anachronator is very against choosing a side. He believes in a perfect balance between all sides. It's why Leroy is almost forced to hand over the Holophoner if he wants the Anachronator released. Leroy would be too overpowered with both."

"Hmph. I never #$% understood neutrality or that #$%," Leroy grumbled. "Heck, I'd rather keep the Holophoner if I could play the #$% thing. The Anachronator is very limiting to what he shares and what he keeps to himself, even to his allies at the time. He only wants a balance between light and darkness, which is a load of #$%. I'd rather trade the Holophoner for something that would actually be of use to me."

"Like what?" Slender asked.

"The name of your ex-wife's prison for example would do," Leroy smirked. "In fact… why not? The Holophoner is stashed near the Anachronator. If you gave me the name of the prison, not only would you have all three objects at once, but you'd be rid of a burden. What do you say?"

Magenta glanced up at Slender, expecting him to go for it. However, Slender's fists clenched together, seemingly staring at Leroy angrily. "No deal. The Anachronator is yours when the time comes," Slender said.

"Not that I totally support your cause or some #$% like that," Magenta chimed in, "but wouldn't that be good for you? Just make the trade! Sure, Val will steal the book soon anyway, but this way you have a win-win."

"It's not a win for me," Slender said, still glaring at Leroy. "He knows where she is, he'll go release her. And the world does not want Justine loosed out in the world. She turned me into a demon. I am what I am because of her. My daughter is what she is because of her. I'm not even entertaining the idea of giving her a chance to be released. No deal."

Magenta was about to argue but let out a gasp. She gripped her stomach and her vision blurred. Slender let out a gasp as well, gripping his head. Slender glanced over at Magenta, who was letting out gasping breaths. Before he could ask, Magenta clipped in her fingers together, telling him to be quiet. "I'm fine," she grumbled. "Just hungry."

"Hungry?" Slender asked in confusion.

"Not a big deal," Magenta grumbled. "Look, I get that you have it rough with your wife. But she can't be that bad that you would risk Leroy having the Anachronator on his side."

"She's worse," Slender grumbled. "I'm not letting my wife loose. End of discussion."

"I didn't even #$% say anything," Leroy muttered. "Whatever. I don't give a #$%. Rest up. Tomorrow we'll be briefly checking in at the check point and then we'll be in the Labyrinth. Don't expect it to be that easy though. You are, after all, taking the #$% hard way."

"Yay us," Magenta cheered sarcastically.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

(Next Morning)

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The night had passed and the contestants had shuffled their way over to the courtyard. Dawn was sitting on the ground in the lotus position, sighing to herself. A light smile appeared on her face as she felt Larry approach, opening her eyes to see her friend walking up to her. "Greetings, Larry," Dawn said.

"Greetings in return," Larry nodded to her. "I do have to apologize for your loss yesterday. I don't have a sense of smell, so I can't sympathize, but I'm sure you did not have any fun. Are you doing alright without Al?"

"I'm coping Larry. That's all I can do right now," Dawn sighed. "I deserve this. I don't deserve to win this contest because my uncle really has been helping me along. I don't want to win the contest anymore. I just want to give Scott what he deserves before I get eliminated."

"And that is definitely on the to do list," Larry nodded. "However, Scott is very well protected. We might need to whittle his allies down in order to truly get him eliminated. Mind targeting a few different people when I figure out who's aligned with him?"

Dawn sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know Larry," Dawn said. "Al was the only person who truly understood my desire to get rid of Scott. That's all I want anymore. I just want Scott to lose. He doesn't deserve the money. And neither do I…"

Larry, seeing that he wasn't going to get the response he wanted, nodded. "I completely respect your outlook right now," Larry said. "I know that this contest is rough on you. Once it's over, you can raise your child and live with your uncle in peace. Just keep going. I need you just as much as you need help to take down Scott."

Dawn nodded, although not very enthusiastically. "I'll try Larry," she said. "But if Scott doesn't get immunity, he gets my vote. I'm sorry if that's not very strategic of me… but it's how I'm voting. If he doesn't have immunity, I'll be willing to help you out in any way you want me to."

"Sounds good enough," Larry nodded. He walked over and squeezed Dawn's hand with a metaphoric smile. "I'm here for you. Just call if you need me." With that, Larry headed off, his suit making mechanical noises as he went.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional: Call me maybe!

Larry: (Let's out a sigh.) Dawn is my friend. I can't use her as a vote when she doesn't want to be used that way. I can't target Scott right now though because Mal might follow it back to Bridgette, even if she didn't participate in it or not. But, if that's how Dawn feels, I can't make her change her mind. She's a friend first, a vote second. The only issue with that is I don't have any other allies that I can work with in a normal sense. (Sighs.) Having allies being blackmailed and emotionally drained isn't the best position to find yourself in, is it?

Dawn: I know Larry needs me to help him vote… but how can I? How can I just take the freebies? I can't do that anymore. (She sighs sadly.) I should still try to push through though. Just until… well, someone votes me off. But I'm not going to forcibly steal immunity from someone. That just doesn't seem right to me.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Scott was at his usual table, looking up at the clouds with a smirk on his face. It didn't take long for Val to find him and walk over, Beth trailing behind him. Scott noticed Beth and scowled lightly before grinning wickedly at his ally. "Did you bring me someone to torture? Aw, Val, you shouldn't have!" Scott chuckled.

"Wish it were just that," Val said to him. "Beth wanted to join our tight knit alliance. I see no harm in the matter, as allies are a rare find these days. For you, anyway."

"Can't say you're wrong about that one," Scott chuckled. "Alright, sure, whatever. Don't expect me to bang you though. I don't do #$% nerds."

"Pfft, #$% off," Beth grumbled.

There was an awkward tension between the three, which Val actually seemed to enjoy. After a few moments of silence, Val coughed. "Let's talk about elimination really fast before I get into business matters," Val said. "Beth, do you happen to have any suggestions? You have a different view on the contest than we do, so your input would be a nice thing to have."

"Thanks for giving a #$%," Beth said, rolling her eyes. "Maybe Mike. Not a lot of people know this, but at night he turns into this Mal guy. Kind of a #$% jerk. I used to be allied with him, but I don't really give a #$% about his motives or #$%. He might be a threat to your plans, whatever the #$% they are."

"I always thought Mike had a dark side," Scott laughed. "One problem with that. Mike isn't a major threat. Sure, Mal might become an issue, but that solely relies on Mike winning immunity. Mike isn't too strong in challenges, so Mal isn't a worry. Tyler on the other hand might start to become bothersome."

Beth scowled at the mention of Tyler, shaking her head. "No. Tyler could be an asset," Beth argued. "Why not Mr. Coconut? He's allied with Tyler. You cut the nut, you get Tyler to add to your allies. Plus, I might have heard some #$% about Mr. Coconut having a vendetta against Val."

"Unfortunately, Beth makes a good point about that. I might have pissed him off in yesterday's challenge," Val chuckled. "Alright, a compromise. We'll eliminate Mr. Coconut at the next elimination. However, if Mr. Coconut somehow receives immunity, Tyler will be the one we cut. Sound like a deal?"

"Whatever," Beth muttered. "I'll see you #$% later. Don't #$% with me in the challenge."

Beth walked off, leaving the demon and Scott alone. "She won't last another day if she keeps forming attachments," Scott laughed. "So, onto actual business matters. The heist. Mal stopped by and reported that Latus no longer seems to be in the area. That would be good news if it weren't for the fact that Pink seems to have vanished as well."

"Yes, her presence seems to have vanished," Val noted. "My powers, or at least what's left of them, seem to be back to normal. Pink must have left in order to regain strength. No matter. We can stay in the game long enough for her to return. Until then, we just need to focus on keeping me in the game."

"I'm on it. I seem to be somewhat in the clear for now, so you can try to nab immunity today over me," Scott nodded. "Also, if Mr. Coconut really does have a vendetta against you, then he might be a smart idea for elimination. I can see what I can…"

"No. Focus your fire on Tyler," Val said firmly. "Beth is getting her info from him. We target Tyler, not only is Mr. Coconut crippled, but Beth as well. Loyal allies are more solid than allies that turn on you later. Can you get the votes for Tyler instead?"

"Sure thing," Scott shrugged. "Whatever floats your boat."

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Confessional: I could make a good boat.

Scott: Hey, I might be my own man, but Val's the leader here. Sure, I want the money, but Val doesn't. We can both win in our own way, so it's more beneficial to just play things his way. Besides, not like I have any better ideas right now. I'm just thinking about ways I can make Dawn suffer even more. (He laughs.) Maybe I should swing by and talk to her later today. Might make things interesting.

Beth: (Grumbles to herself.) If they target Tyler, then this might be more of a hindrance than a benefit. I rather not get #$% attached, but I can't #$% ignore that I still have feelings for Tyler. Maybe… if I can get Tyler immunity and Mike available to vote, then Val and Scott might listen to #$% reason. I care nothing for Mr. Coconut, but he's Tyler's ally. I'm not a #$% idiot. I'm not robbing Tyler of more allies.

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Mike was walking around the courtyard, looking around for a particular someone. After walking around for a moment, he spotted Bridgette smelling some flowers, sighing to herself. Mike took a breath and walked up to her with a smile. "Hey Bridgette," Mike said awkwardly. "I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute."

Bridgette tensed, letting out a nervous breath. "Sure Mike," she said nervously, turning around and giving him a fake smile. "What can I help you with?"

"Well, there's this guy I met yesterday," Mike said awkwardly. "He's a nosy guy and picked up some information about the show when we were in Not-So-Silent Hill. He didn't give me all the details, but he did say that you might know something about why I can't remember what goes on at night. It's kind of a long shot, but do you know anything?"

Bridgette took in a deep breath and quickly shook her head. "I have no idea what he might be talking about," Bridgette said simply. "Sorry. You have been acting a little off for quite a while, but I'm not sure what's wrong. Sorry I couldn't be more help."

Mike sighed, shaking his head. "Thanks anyway. Larry said something similar the other… day," Mike said, pausing. "Hey, random question. Are you and Larry allies?"

"Yeah, we are," Bridgette nodded.

"How'd you two become friends?"

Bridgette bit her lip nervously. "He, um… helped me with something I was dealing with during the dating challenge," Bridgette said awkwardly. "I'd rather not get into it though. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. Must be my imagination," Mike said. Bridgette noticed that he still seemed to be suspicious and thinking about something, which made her nervous. "I'll see you around. Good luck in the challenge today."

"Yeah. You too Ma… Mike! Mike," Bridgette said.

Before Mike could ask, Bridgette quickly rushed off, breathing deeply. "What was she going to call me?" Mike asked himself. "What does she know that she's not telling me?"

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Confessional: I know, you know!

Mike: (Rubs his chin in confusion.) Bridgette and Larry both said they didn't know anything, but Noah and Nosy both told me that they would know something. Why would two different people try to mislead me? Bridgette knows something, and my money is on Larry knowing it too. But the real question is… why the heck would they not tell me?

Bridgette: (Nervously biting her nails.) Crap that was so close! Mike is probably not going to trust me until I tell him what's going on, but Mal has me on the ropes! I can't risk it! (Sighs nervously before taking deep, calming breaths.) Everything will be ok Bridgette. Just do what Scott and Mal tell you to do and move on. We're just a few days away until the final ten. I can make it… I can make it.

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Dakota wasn't even sure how she ended in this situation. One second she was with Noah and the next she was on the ground being pinned down by Izzy. Izzy seemed like her normal self, but Dakota noticed a glint in her eye that made her demeanor different. Dakota tried to get out from under Izzy, but Izzy refused to let her move, smiling creepily down at Dakota.

"Hiya bestie!" Izzy said, her smile wide. "Been a while since we had a one on one chat without boys! So how have you been doing?"

"I've been fine," Dakota said nervously. "Why do you ask? Are you ok?"

"Oh, I'm just peachy!" Izzy laughed. "My boyfriend got voted off, my sister is suffering, and my best friend betrayed me! Why wouldn't I be absolutely happy about the situation? This is just great, now isn't it?!"

Izzy continued to laugh, her face contorting. Dakota didn't know what to say, so she just let Izzy laugh uncontrollably. After Izzy seemingly calmed down for a moment, Dakota decided to explain herself. "Yes, Izzy. I voted for Zeke," Dakota said shakily. "But, it's not because we wanted you to suffer. We didn't have a choice…"

"What is that even supposed to mean?" Izzy asked, her creepy smile never wavering. "You don't have a choice. You always have a choice! You just chose to betray me! What kind of choice is that Dakota? I thought we were besties!"

"We are!" Dakota said, her breath shaking. "But I didn't want to stress myself out with dilemmas! I figured it was easier to hurt you now than get angry and frustrated later!"

Izzy paused, her smile flickering downward. "Angry and frustrated?" Izzy asked, and then her eyes widened. "Oh no… please, don't tell me you have him…"

"No. Not… yet, anyway," Dakota sighed. "Lewis needs to get rid of him and I'm the only one who can hold him. I'm sorry about Zeke, but… there's someone here who has it out for you. I didn't want to, but that was the only way. I get him tonight after elimination… and I just need to try and not freak out over little things."

OBJECT Izzy got off her best friend, looking at her in concern. "I understand. Sorry if I was rude," Izzy said, rubbing her arm. "But are you sure? Bean isn't going to be that easy to hold. It takes everything Lewis has to keep him at bay… and the first few days he had Bean in his head sucked according to Sunset."

"I know. But it's ok. I have Noah working votes for me. Just have my back, ok?" Dakota smiled, holding her arms out. Izzy smiled and hugged her, the two girls sighing. "And don't stress me out too much."

"Done and done!"

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Confessional: That was resolved quickly.

Izzy: (Sighs, giggling.) Sometimes I get a little too intense. I now know that Dakota didn't want me to suffer. She's still my bestie! (She giggles again and then stops.) Wait, who made her vote for Zeke? And who has it out for me? I know Scott mentioned about taking me out, but it didn't sound like he was the one who wanted to take me out. Who exactly is it that Dakota doesn't want to tell me?

Dakota: (Sighs in relief and gives a smile.) I expected that to go worse than it did. I'm so glad she took it well. (She takes in another deep breath.) I didn't tell her about Val because I don't want her going against him. She still thinks he's her friend! I think that, just maybe, I'll keep that to myself until I have Bean under control. Or I can get Noah to tell her. (She laughs hysterically, shaking her head.) Get Noah to do something. That's hilarious!

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Tyler was searching the courtyard, keeping an eye out for a certain friend of is. After thinking a moment, he realized he was looking in the wrong place and jogged off to the Hotel. Sure enough, he promptly found Katie relaxing in the spa, a smile on her face and her eyes closed. "There you are. You could have been somewhere more obvious," Tyler chuckled, catching his breath.

"Oh, hey Tyler. Sorry. I just wanted to bask in relaxation for as long as possible before the challenge," Katie smiled. "What's up? Want to make good on that alliance thing?"

"Yes, actually," Tyler chuckled. "Mr. Coconut pretty much declared war on Val, who we assumed was an ally, so we're kind of treading water right now. We could use all the help we could possibly get at this point. You in?"

"Duh! I've been waiting for you to come talk to me," Katie giggled. "Actually, I'm kind of in a pickle right now. I've sort of been voting with Scott, and I realized that it wasn't necessarily the best idea. Maybe you could help me vote him off? I would really appreciate it."

"Well, we're actually thinking more on Mike for the next round," Tyler said awkwardly. "We're trying to eliminate swing votes, and Mike is a huge swing vote. But Scott's on the list, trust me. We're just trying to clear a path, if you know what I mean."

Katie flinched at the mention of Mike. "Um… sure, why not?" Katie said, faking a smile. "Let's see how the challenge goes and then we can work our way from there. Thanks for letting me know though! I appreciate it a lot."

"Sure. See around," Tyler nodded and jogged off.

Once he was gone, Katie let out a sigh. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes again, taking in deep, calming breaths. "It'll be fine. Mike's been in the bottom before. He'll be fine. I know he will be. Just keep on relaxing and come to that bridge when I come to it."

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Confessional: Beware of dancing trolls.

Tyler: Well, at least Katie's still on our side. Seriously, it's like the remaining members of Team DJ are back together again. And that's extremely odd, considering the ones left are me, Katie, and Beth. (Chuckles.) Well, I guess we have Mr. Coconut on the side if we need someone to tear us apart. But I don't think that'll happen to much. We got this.

Katie: (Nervously smiles.) I guess something had to throw a wrench into my need to relax. I can handle this though. I've had worse trials in this contest. I just have to keep going and hope Mike can pull himself through to the next round.

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(Water Front)

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The thirteen contestants were gathered and brought over to a giant lake on the property. As they approached, they noticed a few surf boards sitting on the side of the lake. Foxy and Pinkie were standing on the side of the lake, smiling at the contestants as they approached. Once they were all lined up, Pinkie began to speak.

"Hiya guys! We're here to introduce your next challenge!" Pinkie giggled. "Unfortunately, Lewis is going to be absent today! Something about getting a call from Mr. Grills about an assistant he's not a fan of. MIO, I think?"

"MIO?!" Mr. Coconut said in a fangirl voice. Everyone looked at him with a surprised look, making the nut compose himself. "What? She's a very popular and attractive super star. Everyone loves her. I just so happen to join her fan club at #89, which is actually quite impressive if you think about it."

"Really? I'm #90!" Izzy giggled.

"I be #22," Foxy smirked, showing the contestants a card with a girl with pink ponytails on it sleeping. "But that be nothing. Fat Man be #9! I'm not fer sure how he got it, but it be a mighty fine trophey for him, savvy?"

"Moving on!" Pinkie giggled. "Today's a simple challenge. All of you get the concept of surfing, correct? Well, here it'll be a little different! Each of you will surf at the same time in pairs of two. One of our patients, Cannonball, will create waves for you to surf. While you surf, a few of our patients, Yin, Richter, and Sinker, will be trying to knock you off. The person who stays on moves onto the next round and the loser is out of the running!"

"There be three rounds in total," Foxy continued. "Three people be winnin' immunity today. In the last round, ye will be competin' for who sleeps where. Tha winner will chose four others to join them in tha hotel, four in the motel, and four in Time Out Corner. Now, there be one more thing…"

"Wait," Larry said, standing up. He pulled out the Bart Idol and tossed it over to Foxy, who caught it. "I want to play that on Mr. Coconut. Lewis mentioned my new suit is water proof. Just a good gesture toward a fellow person in a suit."

Foxy glanced over the idol and nodded. "Aye, this indeed be the Bart Idol. The rules of tha Bart Idol state that the contestant will not be allowed to compete in tha challenge and be barred from votin'. And immune, savvy? However, he be sleepin' wherever the winner be feelin' like."

"Hm. Thanks Larry. That's actually quite a bold move," Mr. Coconut mused.

"Ah #$%," Beth grumbled, noticing Scott waggle his eyebrows at her.

"That be takin' care of the by we be willin' to give out," Foxy chuckled. "Now then, we'll be startin' the challenge shortly. We'll be randomly choosing who goes against who, so be prepared for anything savvy?"

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Confessional: Savvy!

Dawn: (She lightly smiles.) Mr. Coconut is a nice guy. That was kind of sweet of Larry to save him from competing a challenge that would ruin his suit. (She lets out a sigh.) Sounds like Richter is going to be in this challenge too. I know he'll be trying to get me off that board as quickly as possible… and I'll let him. Why argue when what he told me makes perfect sense?

Beth: Ugh! The one #$% time I think I have a #$% out, Larry has to go and #$% me over! I guess the only thing I have left is to make sure Mike #$% loses! That's all I can do! Ugh… I hate my #$% life right now!

Bridgette: (She has a huge smile on her face, actually looking excited.) Surfing is my life! I LOVE to surf! It's been so long I've felt the wind in my hair and the joy of surfing the wave. I think this challenge is mine to conquer. I'm not letting anyone manipulating me out of this one. This challenge is going to be mine and no one else's! It's time to show myself that I can really enjoy this challenge.

Mr. Coconut: Well, that leaves Tyler down a vote, but at least we achieved our goal in getting me immunity. Now we can focus on getting him immunity. And even if he doesn't, I'm sure the vote will go smoothly. I heard he talked to Katie about it, so things should, hopefully, go our way this time, immunity or no immunity.

Noah: (He's reading a book, grumbling to himself.) It's times like these where I even #$% wonder where these people came up with the challenges. I feel like I should just publish things I hate most and force them to read through the list. Because every single challenge is just trying to get me to quit this stupid game.

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BN: Well, there you have it! Another chapter out of the way and one step closer to the end! We're working our slow way to the finale, so the challenges are just going more intense! Hopefully you guys enjoyed the chapter and the things this story still has to offer. Keep reading future installments for even more of the story!

Like? Hate? Meh? Let me know via review!

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Sneak Peek: The contestants get ready to surf, but find it's a lot harder to do when patients with demonic powers try to knock them off their boards. Lewis confronts Maud angrily and Rueben has a little chat with Fat Man. Three contestants on top of Mr. Coconut win immunity, strategy happens, and someone else is voted off.