With a thud, clank, and a crash, Chef Hatchet gradually tore apart the floats from the previous challenge. Chris McClean watched over his work without lifting a finger to help.
"That's it, beautiful, Chef," Chris encouraged.
"Chris, why we even doing this?" Chef scoffed. "Is it that important to salvage some parts from these hunks of junk?"
"Why, Chef, I thought you would have a little more respect for the three R's," Chris chided. "That would be Recycle, Reuse, and uh…Revolutionize!"
"The studio slashed the budget for the challenges again, didn't they?" Chef deduced.
"The studio slashed the budget for the challenges again," Chris sighed. "So we've got to make the most of what we have here and still put on the best damn show we can! Speaking of which…"
Chris spun around to face the camera.
"Welcome back to Total Drama Resort!" he greeted. "Last time on Total Drama Resort Misty decided to stir up some more drama and revealed Eden's alliance to Omber. Omber decided to take it upon himself to split up Natalia and Lex, and almost succeeded…but a serendipitous intervention from Eden got them to…well as close as you can expect to a functional relationship between those two. Unfortunately for Eden, while she could help others, she forgot to help herself and her own team took notice of her absence, sending her packing when they went to vote. Nine players remain, and the game is about to switch up on them so hold onto your hats and get ready for another episode of…Total Drama Resort!"
Theme Song Plays
(Seaside Suckers)
Confessional:
Kirby-Mmm (holds his cap in his hands) It is always a solemn day to have to cast a fair sea maiden off of our deck and into the great beyond. I will not lie, it does sting a little bit that she chose to cast a vote for me, but I've simply got to reel myself back in and remind myself that the decision could not be any easier for her than it was for me. I believe that between the two, Eden was more likely to jump ship if given the chance, so I cut the rope that I hoped would keep our voyage best on course.
Fabio and Kirby both emerged to the beach just as the sun was beginning to break over the horizon.
"Ah you see that? It's a new day today…and a new chapter for us!" Fabio exclaimed.
"You seem in high spirits today," Kirby noted.
"Maybe it's just nice to know we don't have to deal with Eden dragging down the mood anymore," Fabio remarked with a shrug.
"Fair enough, we have shed the perpetual raincloud that followed us thus far," Kirby said with a nod. "But there's more to come, much more. We are now plunging bow-first into the storm."
"I say bring it on!" Fabio exclaimed.
"You've clearly never had to navigate a sea storm before," Kirby noted. "Nor a metaphorical sea storm, which are just as brutal. Oh no, you would not be inviting it with such vigor if you had!"
"Hey man, can't we just enjoy the moment?" Fabio pouted.
"Very well, let us let this moment wash over us," Kirby agreed. "And I must thank you for not casting a vote against me last night."
"The thought never crossed my mind, I would not pass the chance to spare us all from Eden's grating voice," Fabio assured.
"All the same, I owe you my life in this game, and it is not a debt that I take lightly," Kirby said. "You can count on my undying loyalty if we are to merge today."
"If? Come on, man, there's no 'if' about it!" Fabio laughed.
"Mm, when you voyage off of familiar shores it is best to set yourself free of any old expectations," Kirby cautioned. "For the rules you've grown accustomed to mean nothing to the vast beyond waiting for us."
"Look," Fabio said, still unconvinced, "if we don't merge today I will eat my-"
The two were interrupted by a sudden shrill siren.
"What in the hell is that sound!?" Fabio groaned, covering his ears.
"It would seem as though we forgot to turn off the alarm," Kirby remarked.
"Alarm? This hut doesn't have an alarm!" Fabio pointed out.
"Evidently, it does," Kirby mused.
Confessional:
Fabio-We had better be merging after this, I am not even thinking of any other alternative. How would it even work if the Seaside Suckers lost again? Would I have to duel Kirby? Gah, like I said, not even entertaining that thought!
Kirby-I take my word very seriously. Last night I faced a brush with defeat, and it was Fabio's loyalty to me that kept me from capsizing. Whatever his reasons may have been, I owe him that loyalty in return. We are the last that remain of the Seaside Suckers crew and a man without a crew is nothing but a lost soul!
(Grotto Guardians)
Ander rubbed his eyes as he stepped up the stairs to the surface. He heard the sound of Misty giggling very loudly and deliberately. His already stern expression hardened.
"That can't be good," he groaned.
Ander spotted Misty leading someone else to the area of their quarters. Her companion was a young man, only wearing a pair of blue swimming trunks.
"Oh hi there, Ander," Misty cooed in her most sickeningly sweet baby voice. "Don't mind us. This guy just had to get me alone. You know how it is, sometimes there's just no escape from adoring eyes."
"Lady, you said they were giving away free jumbo pretzels here," the guy said in confusion while looking around.
"Oh you," Misty teased before explaining to Ander, "That's a euphemism."
"I don't believe he knows that," Ander replied echoing her flighty tone.
"I think someone may be a little jealous," Misty teased before explaining to the shirtless young man, "He's always had a little thing for me, you see."
"Look I'm just gonna uh…go," said the confused guy, already backing up.
"Bye bye then," Misty said as she gave a sultry wave. "Don't be a stranger."
"You know, I have no idea what you're even trying to prove anymore," Ander remarked, "but the lengths you're going are starting to get concerning."
"Oh Ander, don't be jealous," Misty replied while biting her finger. "He doesn't mean anything."
"If only I could be so lucky to share such a fate," Ander sighed.
The two were suddenly jolted by the piercing shriek of a siren.
'Corny!?" both of them gasped.
The two scurried down the stairs where the sound seemed to be coming from. Corny was panicking and running in circles in the middle of the room.
"What did you do!?" Ander demanded.
"Me!?" Corny exclaimed, grabbing his hair. "I didn't do anything!"
"Well I was with Misty and she set this off," Ander pointed out.
"And I was with Ander and he didn't set it off," Misty added. "The alarm, that is, his commanding presence may have set off my-"
"Please don't finish that thought," Ander sighed.
"I swear, I did not do anything stupid this time!" Corny promised. "Trust me, that was my first thought too but I can't think of a single thing I coulda done. It just went off and won't leave me alone aaaaaah!"
Confessional:
Misty- I think it's time to add a little spice to the dynamic around here. Ander is committed to his stoic tough guy act, but I've seen the way he looks at me. I think a little competition for him will really bring forth that animalistic energy.
Ander-I think we may all be feeling a little bit of cabin fever on this shrinking team, and it's coming out in uh…different ways for all of us. All I can say is that the best thing right now would be if we could see these teams dissolved and don't have to feel quite so stuck with one another.
(Hilltop Heroes)
Lex pulled themself out of bed just in time to see Natalia already striding out the door.
"Natalia," Lex called, suddenly tripping over their feet to try to catch up with her. "Wait up!"
Lex tried to follow after their friend, but by the time they reached the door, Natalia had already disappeared from sight. Lex sighed.
"Everything alright?" Omber asked from behind them.
"Well, you saw how things were yesterday," Lex simply said.
"I did," Omber replied. "You want to talk about it?"
"I would if I knew what to say," Lex said with a shrug. "I don't know what's going on with Natalia. She just lashed out last round, and if it weren't for Eden getting her to snap back, I'm not sure she would have ever simmered down. Now I just want to talk to her and she won't let me."
"You're not doing anything wrong," Omber assured, "but Natalia is showing signs that she's simply not ready to come out of her bubble. You can't help someone who doesn't want it."
"I know, I know," Lex sighed. "And I know you think it's a mistake for me to keep putting an effort in being there for her-"
"Hey, hey, don't get it twisted," Omber corrected. "I think what you're doing is great, it's a great strength in character to keep trying to stand by someone who makes it so difficult. My worry is just for you. Like I said, it looks far more likely right now that Natalia is going to drag you into her pit before you're able to pull her out."
"Maybe you're right," Lex said softly. "But I think I saw something in her yesterday. She's trying to hide it, but I do think her doom and gloom act is exactly that: An act, a persona, a defense mechanism. If I give up on her now it will just validate her negative attitude and give her reason to keep up this alienating behavior."
"You're committed, I'll give you that," Omber said with a brief bemused laugh.
"Truth be told, I don't really know what I'm doing," Lex admitted. "I mean, I don't really talk to anyone back home. I wouldn't be going out of my way to just meddle in anyone's business."
"Then why now?" Omber asked.
"She just seems lonely," Lex said. "I think that's what it all boils down to. I've been the same way, I mean look at me I'm not exactly what you'd call typical. I know what it's like to not fit in, to feel like the whole world wants you to change how you are to be accepted. I just want to show Natalia that she can count on me to be her friend."
"You're one of a kind," Omber noted with a wry smile.
The two were suddenly assaulted by the sound of a blaring alarm.
"Gaaah, what is that!?" Lex sobbed, covering their ears.
"More importantly, how do we get it to stop?" Omber groaned.
Nora suddenly kicked down the door.
"This beat is NOT jammin!" she said "Someone shut it the heck off!"
Nora began flipping over the beds and anything else she could to try to find the source of the sound. She suddenly pressed her hands against the walls and began feeling around.
"It's coming from INSIDE!" she declared.
She moved her palms in a sliding fashion like she was doing a jig until she came across a panel that folded open. Inside the hatch was a crude device held together by crisscrossing wires.
"It's a bomb!" Lex cried.
"Everyone get down!" Nora ordered.
Everyone ducked. However, rather than exploding, a flag emerged from the device. The white sheet was inscribed with a single message, 'Meet in Town Square ASAP.'
"Well that's one way to get our attention," Omber remarked.
Confessional:
Omber-Truth be told I am not happy with Lex, in fact I am pretty angry with them. Even after all this, they still continue to put Natalia before me. I've done my best to make myself a friend for them, and yet they won't even tell me about this alliance that I know exists. It's clear that I cannot give up on trying to break up their relationship with Natalia or it will only cause more problems for me.
Lex-It's not my intention to change Natalia, I just want to show her that she doesn't have to completely close herself off. Sometimes you just need to be patient with people and let them grow on their own.
(Town Square)
The three teams made their way to the central point of the resort where Chris stood upon a wooden podium.
"Ah, I see you all got your messages," Chris noted.
"Chris, I got some serious questions for ya," Corny groaned while rubbing his head." Like, what's the big idea!? And I didn't like that! Well the second one ain't much of a question, more of just the way I feel, but it's important to say all the same!"
"I just wanted to make sure you all got here posthaste!" Chris teased. "Because we have an important announcement to make…"
"MERGE BABY!" Fabio cheered.
"No!" Chris snapped. "You're dead wrong. It's actually uh…uh…okay fine it's the merge, but did you have to steal my moment like that?"
"I will steal anything I can get my hands on," Fabio retorted.
"Anyways, for these first five rounds you have competed in teams, but no more!" Chris continued. "This is now an individual game. You will compete for immunity as individuals, and every round you will all vote together to eliminate someone new. You can all stay in your same sleeping quarters, but as far as the game goes, the teams are no more!"
"Sing it loud and proud, we are at the M-E-R-G-E rooty fruits!" Nora cheered while sauntering victoriously around everyone.
Confessional:
Lex-The merge is exciting news but as I was looking around I noticed that Eden must have gotten voted off. That is a little disappointing, I was really hoping to be able to work with her when we made it here.
Omber-Personally, Eden leaving is good for my game. I may not have orchestrated it myself, but that doesn't mean I can't take some solace in it. She was meddling with my team, and that's one less problem for me to worry about now.
Fabio-I knew this was coming, yes baby! It was needed, things were getting very constrictive back at Seaside Suckers but now? Oh ho I am about to bust all out and explode over this game, so people better get ready for it!
Misty-Ooh, this is just what I need, more of an assortment of Cro-Magnons to wind up? They'll be under my thumb in no time. This will be fun!
(Later)
The group of nine had spread out among the resort and mingled with one another. Fabio and Kirby remained together though, simply conversing in a secluded alley. Kirby rested in a half fallen awning while Fabio paced in thought.
"So we've hit a new port," Kirby mused. "And yet we may be just as soon tossed back into the raging waves if we are not careful."
"You don't have to tell me twice," Fabio remarked. "We're down to two, so if people are looking for an easy way out they could just gang up on us."
"Mm. that would be unfortunate," Kirby agreed. "We shall need to cast our nets far and wide to reel in new relationships, strong enough to withstand the elements."
"And you're in luck because I know all about putting the charm on people," Fabio assured. "You just gotta lay it on real thick, let them drown in it. Come on, I'll show you how it's done!"
"I look forward to learning," Kirby said as he hopped down from his resting spot.
The two left the alley and made their way through the town square. They spotted Corny helping himself to a frogurt free sample and trying to fit as many toppings as possible as he could into his cup.
"Aha, we've found our mark," Fabio exclaimed. "Step back and take note, Kirb!"
Kirby pulled out a notepad and small pencil as he observed intently. Fabio walked up to Corny and gave him a firm pat on the back.
"Hey there, bud!" Fabio greeted.
"Oh hey hey hey!" Corny exclaimed as he twirled around.
The boy ended up shaking off a number of his peppermint sprinkles and chocolate covered peanuts.
"That's still good!" Corny assured himself as he tried to get it back in the cup. "Sugar prevents contamination."
"It sure does," Fabio agreed.
"Actually-" Kirby tried to interject.
"Remember what I told you," Fabio grunted to Kirby under his breath, "Keep the charm going."
"Ah," Kirby said, while scribbling down 'lying' in his book.
"Now then uh, Corny is it?" Fabio continued. "We may not have talked much before-"
"Nah, that may be on account of how last time I tried y'all accused me of bein' some beggar tryin' to guilt trip ya into quittin' with my 'sob story,'" Corny pointed out.
"Did I say that? It does seem in line with my values," Fabio mused.
"It does," Kirby agreed. "I have never once heard you express fondness for any sob stories. It's why I've refrained from sharing my many sailors' tales/ They almost indubitably end in drowning."
"Well uh, Corny, you know I was just joking around with all that, right?" Fabio remarked.
"Oh were ya? Ha, I guess I missed the punchline," Corny laughed, though he also seemed somewhat confused.
'Yeah, exactly," Fabio said. "But now that we're all here and merged, what do you say we just leave that all in the past and look to a fruitful future?"
"Well pal, that sounds like a dang darn blast of an idea!" Corny exclaimed. "Never had much use for holdin' onto grudges anyways. When it comes to my lifestyle if you're gonna hold onto somethin' it better be somethin' you need!"
"Exactly!" Fabio exclaimed with a broad grin before turning back to whisper to Kirby. "Can you believe he's still trying to sell the sob story?"
"Some fish may only swim in the water they've come to know," Kirby remarked.
"Well then, Corny my new best pal," Fabio said. "How's about we hit the town and I show you some of my money saving tricks. Beyond just trying to maximize free samples."
"Okay, but this is pretty sweet," Corny said as he tried to take a spoonful of candy and wafers and ended up spilling more to the ground.
Fabio slid back to Kirby and remarked, "See? Simple as that."
"Brilliant," Kirby said with a nod. "I'm not entirely clear on what exactly you did other than take advantage of someone's preexisting good nature, but all the same, an educational experience!"
Confessional:
Fabio-We're coming into this merge without a lot to work with on our side, but that just means we'll need to put in the mileage to change that. Every billionaire started out with nothing but their bootstraps, so if they can make a fortune out of that, then I can turn this disadvantage into a winning game!
Corny-Ya, I tried to get to know Fabio back when we were on teams and he wasn't havin' it. Now he's sayin' it was all just a big misunderstandin'. Well, heh, that's pretty funny cause I don't think that's what it was at all and he's just changin' the story now that we're at the merge. But I ain't lookin' to make enemies. If he wants to play the friendship game now then ain't no reason for me to not go down that road and see where it leads!
Lex followed after Natalia through the resort streets. Natalia tried to disappear into the crowd, though it proved difficult when her appearance was so striking.
"Natalia, wait up," Lex called.
Natalia just sighed and turned around with a stern look.
"What?" Natalia demanded.
"Look, I am not trying to annoy you," Lex promised.
"Then you are failing," Natalia retorted.
"But it's the merge now, and I think it's important that we hit this together," Lex said. "We're going to need to get people on our side. You can't do that if you're avoiding them."
"Hmph, I'd be just as likely to push them away face to face. Avoiding others may be the best thing for me," Natalia pointed out. "Go, worry about yourself. You are only making things harder for yourself by trying to carry my burden on top of your own."
"Can we talk about last round then?" Lex asked. "Clearly something spoke to you and convinced you that it was worth still trying."
"No, I simply tired of seeing you waste your time. I was doing you a kindness," Natalia replied. "One that you continue to reject as you shout into an abyss that will never give you what you want. The voices laugh at your hopeless endeavors, how you so blindly choose to ignore the truth in favor of your rose colored version of reality. They were right all along."
'You don't have to listen to the voices in your ear," Lex insisted. "Remember what Eden said-"
"Ah yes, and where is she now?" Natalia noted. "Gone. Pretty words and hope could not save your friend."
"She wasn't just my friend, she was our friend," Lex corrected. "And just because she's gone now doesn't mean we can't keep trying our best to carry on."
"I am growing wary of all this chatter," Natalia said, holding up her palm. "I have no interest in spending more time listening to the delusions of others. Leave me to be with my voices."
Natalia took a broad stride to leave Lex behind. Lex moved to follow, but they felt a hand on their shoulder. Lex glanced up to see Ander.
"A word of advice if I may," Ander offered. "It might be best to do as she asks for now."
"Oh I…" Lex remarked in slight confusion. "You're…"
"Yes, I know it's not exactly my business," Ander replied. "I'm not here to tell you what to do. I've dealt with your teammate before, I know that she tends to be a little bit…frightful."
"Well she's not that frightful," Lex countered. "I mean sometimes. Maybe…deep down? I hope."
"Here's what I can tell you though," Ander continued, "You can't truly know what's going on in her head or what she's been through, no more than I could say about you, or vice versa. I've dealt with many 'well meaning' conversations that offered nothing of value to me, from people who thought they understood what my life was like."
"Oh, well…I'm sorry," Lex replied.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Ander assured. "Like I said, just a word of advice."
Ander turned to leave. Lex however followed after him.
"Wait," They said. "What do you mean exactly? About not understanding your life?"
Ander gave a slight shrug before answering, "I've done things I'm not proud of, things that I knew were wrong. But I had my reasons for it. Sometimes it feels like your options are limited, sometimes it feels like you have to do something bad to avoid something worse. But all anyone on the outside sees is the bad."
"And you think that's what Natalia is going through?" Lex asked.
"Who's to say," Ander replied with another shrug. "My point is like I said, we're all existing within our own worlds."
"Hm," Lex pondered as they brushed their knuckles along their chin. "Well thanks for the words of wisdom."
Confessional:
Natalia-I tend to expect the worst in people, this is not a secret. And in most cases, I am proven right, because people as a whole are dismal and disappointing. Last round I faced the possibility that perhaps there was something genuine to Lex…and yet it only made me sad. Sad because their open hearted nature will be wasted on a world that will tear them apart for it, myself included. I can never be the friend they seek, and yet nothing I try will get them to see that.
Ander-I will not lie, my intention with being so open was far more strategic than altruistic. Something I've learned from my time on the Grotto Guardians, if I am to earn some trust then I may need to show some vulnerability, which is far from typical for me. That doesn't mean what I said was false, though. Teachers, cops, even the occasional social worker has tried to tell me what's right and what's wrong, as if it could be so simple. I do not know Natalia's story, but I know that sometimes offers to help can be just as exhausting as the struggle itself.
"Celebration, that is what I am talking about!" Nora cheered as she swung herself around a tree.
She launched herself and landed just in front of Omber.
"Hey there, Boogie Buddy!" Nora greeted. "You feel like tearin' up the town a little now that we've made it to this momentous day!?"
"I'd love to…but sadly the game keeps on ticking away and I think it may be best if we were to prepare a plan of attack first," Omber suggested. "I have some ideas…"
"Omber my Hombre, lay it all on me," Nora said.
Omber guided his friend to a small porch lined with benches and sat down.
"We need to be prepared, give people something they can latch onto so that this first vote doesn't turn to utter chaos," Omber began.
"Nothing wrong with a little chaos to keep things fun," Nora retorted while shimmying her shoulders.
"I would argue that there is something wrong with it, as I'd hate to see either one of us taken out in the crossfire of whatever calamity we may be walking into," Omber pointed out.
"Fair enough, Glam Fam," Nora said with a nod. "So what's on that big powerful mind of yours?"
"Last round was already headed a certain way for us," Omber explained. "Natalia and Lex hit a rough patch and a lot of people saw signs of that. I think it would be easy enough to just spread the story that they're still at odds with one another. It's an easy out for a lot of people and would give them a reason to target one or the other."
"Hold up," Nora said, her shimmying coming to a halt. "You're telling me you want one of our Hilltop Babies to be the first one gone at this merge?"
"Well, I wouldn't say I want it to happen," Omber replied. "But I think it may be happening inevitably, and if that's the case, I'd rather we take steps to keep it on one of those two rather than either of us."
"How you figure?" Nora asked.
"Simply look at the numbers," Omber pointed out with a broad sweep of his hand. "Right now it's 4, 3, 2 in terms of original teams…but 3 and 2 can become 5 if they feel worried about our team sticking together. And if we do then we'd just be inviting it upon ourselves, perhaps drawing lasting lines that keep us in a minority before we can even branch out."
"You're making some points," Nora said with a few steady nods, though she didn't seem entirely enthused. "I guess I just don't like to be so underhanded about it all, you know? We worked hard to get all four of us to this place, I don't want our first move to be to throw them under the bus."
"I admire your virtue," Omber praised. "But playing without a proper plan could end our games. We have to expect that everyone else is going to be gunning for that prize money and putting themselves above all else. If we don't do the same then we might not survive."
'Okay, okay, but think about this…" Nora posed. "What if they're not all playing that way and then we're basically the baddies for no reason."
"It's just a matter of consequences in worst case scenario," Omber explained calmly. "If we do things my way and I'm wrong then okay, I guess we're the baddies, that's our worst case. If we do things you're way, and you're wrong, well it's game over for us."
Nora was silent as she processed what Omber was saying.
"Look, I'll take care of the heavy lifting if you prefer to not get your hands dirty," Omber promised. "I just ask that if people bring it up, you stick to the story that Lex and Natalia have a rift between them."
Confessional:
Omber-I do think that this is the most practical way to play. It's true, I can only take an educated guess and what people will do, I can't know for sure. But the smartest thing for the Suckers and Guardians to do this round would be to make sure the Heroes can't hold a majority, so I say we give them that. Besides, I don't want to risk seeing Lex and Natalia make anymore allies that they can hold over me.
Nora-Well, I can't argue with the maths. Try as I might, Trigonometry and I could hurl some feisty blows if we went at it…but the maths are always gonna be the maths, and right now it says that Heroes are gonna be in trouble if we just all cluster together. I guess I'm not just a huge fan of this schemsy side of the game, I'd much rather just keep on moving through it to the rhythm of my heartbeat!
While trying to follow Corny and Fabio along their day, Kirby found himself separated from the group. The sailor paused and examined his surroundings. He raised a finger to the air to feel the wind.
"Hm," he pondered to himself. "It would seem as though I have been lain adrift, left without direction."
The boy pulled out a miniature telescope from his pocket which he used to scan the area.
"But aha! An island presents itself to me among these lonely waters!" Kirby exclaimed victoriously.
Kirby had in fact spotted a tropical island themed building. He made his way towards it and found himself stepping into a juice bar.
"A fine establishment it is," Kirby noted while taking in his discovery. "And I'm sure with nectar just as fine to match!"
"Well, well, well, look who it is," someone said from behind him. "My little sailor man!"
Kirby came face to face with Nora.
"Ah, what chance is this that the waves would bring us together once more?" Kirby exclaimed.
"Well, this resort ain't all that big, and I hear this place is the poppin'est joint to get something to drink, so it ain't too surprisin' a man of class would find his way here,"' Nora remarked."Care to join me for a drink?"
"Nothing could be sweeter, but I am afraid we face one slight problem," Kirby brought up. "Our pockets remain as empty as the day we arrived."
"Ain't no need to worry 'bout that," Nora assured as she leaned over to the worker at the counter. "Put it all Mr. Chris McClean's tab."
"You got it," replied the tender without question.
"Such wile!" Kirby exclaimed.
"Hey, we're keepin' his show livin' and jivin' ain't we?" Nora pointed out. "The cheap sucker owes us that much!"
The two received a pair of slender glasses which were filled with a tropical punch. Both lifted their drinks and clinked the glasses together.
"So," Nora remarked, "you come here often?"
"As a matter of fact," Kirby replied, "...I do not."
"Yeah, yeah, that makes sense," Nora said with a nod. "Me neither."
"There is a subtle joy in the experience of something new," Kirby noted.
'Ain't that the truth," Nora agreed as a disco song began to play from the jukebox in the corner. "Oooh and speakin' of, you fancy a dance?"
"As a matter of fact," Kirby replied before his voice dropped deeply. "I would."
Kirby took Nora's hand and the two slid to the center of the room to groove to the tune.
Confessional:
Nora-Omber can worry 'bout turnin' people 'gainst one another, but me? I'm gonna spend my time makin' sure I got friends…or maybe somethin' a little more sizzlin' than that, if you know what I mean? Hey hey hey, it's called Total Drama, ain't it? And no drama is complete without a hot servin' of romance!
Kirby-Life on the sea teaches you to appreciate the joys of the world when they present themselves. You never know when you may be alone, adrift, for what may feel like a lifetime. So if I may be so fortunate to share some time and a little more with this lively dancer, then who am I to deny such a treat?
Misty sat perched at a table among a pristine boulevard. She clutched a newspaper in her hands, which she occasionally casually peered at without really reading much before turning her gaze outward once more. Ander walked along the white stone path and spotted her. He sat down on the other side of the table.
"Ah, so this is where you've been spending your time," Ander noted. "I've-"'
"Shh, shh, shh!" Misty urged. "Can't you see that I am in the process of laying a delicate web?"
Misty gestured to Omber who was slowly sipping a glass of water at a separate table.
"He's bound to notice me any second now and it will be an oh so sweet little coincidence for us to run into each other," Misty explained. "Omber and I have been sharing a connection lately, you see. No need to be jealous of course, there's just a certain intellectual parallel between the two of us."
"I think that's more insulting than you realize," Ander remarked.
"Soo if you could just shuffle right along," Misty urged. "I want to make sure this meet cute goes off seamlessly."
"Why don't you just go over there and talk to him?" Ander asked.
"Oh pleeeease," Misty scoffed. "Where's the finesse in that? Let's keep the ball in his court, that's how it works."
"Fine, if you're too shy then I'll let him know," Ander said as he got up.
"Wait, hold up," Misty tried to get Ander to stop, but he was already leaving her behind.
Ander approached Omber.
"Hello there," Ander greeted. "I believe my uh…friend over there would like to get your attention."
"Oh yeah, I'm aware," Omber replied.
'Oh?" Ander said.
"I mean, she's been sitting there for 15 minutes, looking my way, needlessly flipping her hair, and biting her lip," Omber explained. "I was just waiting to see how long it would take for her to be a little more forward."
"Ah yes, I see," Ander said. "The two of you may have a lot in common."
"I'm glad to get the chance to talk to you though," Omber said. "We haven't really shared much time together before this."
"We each had our own teams," Ander remarked. "Though if you've been talking to Misty well…I do worry what sort of impression you may have."
"She hasn't said much about you, but to be fair I think in her own world she believes everyone to be obsessed with her," Omber remarked. "Though the two of you must have formed some sort of relationship if you both survived two eliminations together."
"I suppose you could say that," Ander replied. "Though that may be more of a testament to the other two and their ability to get themselves eliminated. But Misty she is….fine."
Misty was actually in the process of slinking her way over to the two boys. She came up behind Ander and tapped him on the shoulder while offering him the newspaper.
"Ander, sweetie, I think you forgot this," Misty said before glancing up to bat her eyes at Omber. "Well look at this! What a coincidence! I was just coming to drop this off, who'd have thought I'd run into you too?"
"Who indeed," Omber remarked.
Misty slid into a chair between the two boys and laid her hands on the table.
"I hope this guy hasn't been giving you too much of a hard time," Misty said to Omber. "He can be a little bit territorial. It's quite adorable actually."
"Well, we're all friends here, right?" Omber said.
"In the loosest of terms," Ander replied.
"Soo, what are you gentlemen talking about?" Misty asked.
"Ander was just describing how disastrous some of the rest of your team was," Omber answered.
"They certainly had some…fiery passion to them," Misty remarked. "Sometimes I wish more men would just let their actions speak for them the way Josiah did."
"If that's what you call it then his actions were saying 'I am a violent jerk,'" Ander said.
"Well I'm sure every team had their own share of drama," Omber said. "Mine certainly wasn't excluded."
"That's-" Ander tried to say but was cut off by Misty.
"Oooh, drama!? Do spill," Misty urged.
"I guess Lex and Natalia aren't as close as you maybe thought they were," Omber said. "They had a pretty bad blowout last round. Natalia was throwing a scene, just digging into Lex. It wasn't pretty."
"She sounds unstable and insecure," Misty remarked. "As some girls just tend to be."
"I think if we hadn't been so lucky to win the challenge, one of those two would have definitely gone," Omber said.
"Mm, yes I did run into them this morning," Ander added. "I'm not sure if that's something that will be repaired within the constraints of this game."
"Such a shame," Misty remarked coyly while tracing her finger on the tabletop.
Confessional:
Ander-Omber and Misty really aren't too different. Perhaps he has a little more composure than her, but I can see the gears turning in his head that he wants to just play the puppetmaster here. If both him and Misty want to try to use the other though, then that may work out fine for me.
Omber-It's clear that between the two of them, Ander is the one who will actually pose a threat. That being said though, if I can get on his good side, it may keep things secure for me. It's not like Misty is spending her energy anywhere else.
Lex had given up on trying to follow Natalia and now found themselves in a small circular park. They sat on a bench and simply glanced up at the sky pensively.
"Okay, just give space," they said to themself. "But what am I supposed to do now?"
Across the way, Corny and Fabio had stopped at a fruit stand.
"Now the key is confidence," Fabio explained. "If you want to get away with it, you don't want to be seen as sneaky, you want to be seen as the center of attention."
"I hear what you're saying, but man it's raisin' some questions for me," Corny remarked. "If you ain't sneakin' then ain't you just askin' to get caught."
"Not if I'm not doing anything wrong," Fabio said with a wink.
Fabio walked up and began an overexaggerated study of all the fruits displayed.
"Hm, yes, yes," he mused very deliberately while picking up two different pears and weighing them in his hands.
The shop owner approached and asked, "Can I-"
"Ah, good good" Fabio suddenly exclaimed. "They sent me down this morning, I came as soon as I could. You know how hard it is to find an express motorboat to this island? But it would seem as though I'm not too late."
"I'm sorry, who sent you?" asked the shopkeeper.
"I'm sure you got the news already, fruit supplies not up to standard," Fabio continued. "Could be a horrible PR crisis if we don't get a handle on it. I'll just be taking, this, this, this-"
"Now wait just a minute," the shopkeeper said sternly. "I'm going to have to-"
"Center of attention," Corny whispered as he flicked over a barrel of plums. "Oops."
The wave of fruits rolled down the path with a thunderous sound. The shopkeeper panicked as they tried to stop the plums from escaping. Fabio tiptoed away with his ill-gotten prizes in hand.
"What did I tell ya, easy peasy?" Fabio exclaimed.
"Y'know when you said you have some money savin' tricks, I didn't realize you just meant stealin'," Corny replied.
"Eh, it's all about branding," Fabio said with a shrug. "Stealing makes it sound so very criminal. I am saving money, it just so happens that I have no money to save at the moment!"
The commotion had caught Lex's attention and they were now peering over to investigate. Corny caught sight of them and offered a wave and a smile.
"Heya!" Corny greeted. "How ya doin' friend? Want an orange?"
Corny tossed an orange to Lex's hands.
"Oh uh..thank you?" Lex remarked.
"Might not be high cuisine, but it sure beats Chef's cooking," Fabio laughed,
"And look, if I may say," Corny turned to Lex. "We heard 'bout all the trouble you were goin' through on your team. Now I know we may not be close friends at the moment, but if anyone's givin' you a hard time now, you just tell your buddy, Corny, and I'll give'em one stern talkin' to!"
"Trouble?" Lex asked in confusion. "I'm not exactly sure what you're referring to."
'You know, how that absolute psycho Natalia has been tormenting you," Fabio remarked. "I'm just glad she wasn't on my team, I get chills down my spine every time she looks at me."
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen her round much today," Corny noted.
"And I'm fine to keep it that way," Fabio said.
"You guys have the wrong idea," Lex chimed in. "I'm not exactly sure what you heard or who said it, but Natalia isn't a 'psycho,' she's a nice person…well that's a bit generous, but-"
"Look, look, say what you want, but the way it seems to me, she's pretty scary," Fabio remarked. "I think we might all be better to just shove her out tonight."
"Oh no," Lex gasped. "Wait, just…wait, Natalia doesn't deserve that."
"Whatever you say," Fabio replied before whispering to Corny. "Man is the Stockholm Syndrome strong in this one or what?"
"I've never been to Sweden, but I'd love to visit once," Corny whispered back.
Fabio just nodded slowly, unsure of how to respond to that.
Confessional:
Lex-Oh no this isn't good! Seems like people are already exaggerating the story and painting Natalia out to be the villain. The problem is, she hasn't really been making an active effort to change people's minds today, so I'm going to have my work cut out for me to turn this around.
Corny-Aw heck, this is gettin' confusin' already (scratches head.) I heard it said that Natalia and Lex were pretty toxic for one another, but now Lex is sayin' she ain't all that bad. What am I supposed to believe? Ain't gonna lie, a part of me was a little relieved to hear there was someone we might be able to just agree to cut out, but I shoulda known it wouldn't be so simple.
Chef-If I hear one more of these ungrateful little punks diss my cooking, it's gonna get ugly! Because I will cry.
(Later)
The final nine were gathered up along the edge of the resort. Chris and Chef stood before them.
"Welcome, my wonderful free labor-I mean contestants!" Chris exclaimed. "It's time for your first challenge as individuals!"
"Bring it on, Chris," Omber exclaimed.
"As you may know, guests are asked to stay within the safety of the resort," Chris explained. "The rest of the island still has many of its dangerous traps from the previous seasons. Unfortunately, it seems like our head of security has been slacking and letting some people slip by."
Chris gave a disappointed shake of his head to Chef.
"Oh gimme a break, Chris!" Chef scoffed. "I'm head chef, your co-host, head of security, head of-"
"Excuses, excuses," Chris chided. "But this just means that we have another perfect challenge for the nine of you. Right now a group of guests has gotten lost in the wilds of Wawanakwa, perhaps fearing for their lives…while I'm fearing for a lawsuit. So your challenge is to find them and send out a flare signal. Chef will then bring the rescue copter around and if you've successfully located our missing tourists, you will be granted individual immunity tonight!"
"Well get to it! Every second counts!" Chef barked.
The group of nine took off sprinting into the forest. Corny jogged up next to Ander and shot him a friendly smile.
"Hey buddy, looks like we're back at it!" Corny exclaimed.
"Yoohoo!" Misty cooed as she squeezed between the two boys. "What luck I'm in, two strong men to help little old me through this challenge."
"You two seem to be missing the key word in 'individual challenge,'" Ander pointed out.
"Aw come on, Andy, that ain't the spirit of cooperation," Corny remarked. "Three heads are better than one, dontcha know?"
"Not when there's only one prize at the end," Ander retorted.
"Oh please, I'm sure you can find it in your muscular heart to share some of your strength," Misty implored with doe eyes.
"Just try to keep up," Ander sighed.
Meanwhile Kirby charged through the overgrowth with vigorous determination.
"Hold on, lost souls, your lifeboat is coming!" Kirby exclaimed.
"Oooh Sugar," Nora said as she danced backwards side by side with him. "The way you speak with such conviction has got me feelin' all fired up and ready for action."
Fabio tried to keep up with the two of them, though he found that he was not nearly as fast and continually got his legs caught on brambles or twisted roots.
"Yeah, great work guys, really putting in that legwork," Fabio tried to call after them.
The boy ended up tripping over some uneven ground and falling on his face. Glancing up he could see Kirby and Nora disappearing from view.
"Okay, how about you guys scout ahead and I'll just uh…bring up the rear?" Fabio suggested.
Lex meanwhile scurried to keep up with Natalia.
"There you are!" Lex called. "We really need to talk."
"It's always talk with you," Natalia noted. "Talk, talk, talk, but will that get us any closer to winning this challenge?"
"We need to worry about what comes after that!" Lex insisted. "Look, there seems to be a uh..skewed idea of what happened on our team, and it doesn't exactly paint you in a good light."
"That is unsurprising," Natalia replied coldly. "There is no good light for me to be in, which is why I stay in the shadows. Everyone always just wants to burn me away under their beating rays."
"Okay, okay, but we have to do something about it!" Lex insisted.
"And what is there to do? What can be changed?" Natalia asked. "People will always have their own ideas, unwilling to change anything that does not fit their view of the world."
"We can change it, but you have to try first!" Lex urged.
"You still waste your breath and your time," Natalia sighed dismissively.
Confessional:
Ander-My team does not seem to fully grasp the concept of the merge. Perhaps there may still be room for us to work together, but I have no intention of letting them hold me back.
Misty-I don't really care about winning the challenge, let the sweaty men do what they do best. I just want to make sure I keep my eye on them and they keep their eyes on me. I still haven't forgotten cold-hearted Corny pushing me aside for another dame, but I've been whittling away at his defenses ever since.
Natalia-There was always going to be some reason or another to be the target on me this round. Even outside of the game, I make for an easy target. People hate to see their own darkness reflected to them so clearly, but that's why I dress like this. To remind them.
(Corny, Ander, and Misty)
The group of three made their way up and down the hilly terrain.
"Keep an eye out, everyone!" Corny exclaimed. "Let's look for any sign that might've been left behind."
"I'll try but oooh, it's so hard to take my eyes off the beautiful view before me," Misty sighed while she examined Ander up and down.
"Chris also said that there were traps left behind from the previous seasons," Ander reminded. "So also be aware of that."
"Whatever you say, sir," Misty flirted.
She then shot a glance to Corny to gauge his reaction. Corny seemed unbothered and simply continued to search the terrain. Misty bit her lip and pinched a strand of her hair.
Corny disappeared over a dip but then called out, "Hey guys, whattaya make of this!? Seems like a pretty good place to fall into, huh?"
Ander and Misty followed after and found a deep trench running through the ground.
"Well, that doesn't look natural," Ander remarked.
"HELLLOOOO! Missing tourists!? If y'all're down there, give a shout!" Corny bellowed into the crack. "Huh, maybe they can't hear us…let's get a closer look."
"I don't think that's," Ander said but Corny had already jumped into the trench, "wise."
"Well, well, just the two of us now," Misty remarked while twirling her hair.
Ander blinked then jumped after Corny.
"Fine. fine, be that way," Misty sighed as she climbed in after them.
The three reached the dank bottom of the trench and began to trudge through.
"Still no sign of anyone," Ander noted.
"Well there wouldn't be any sign if they got eaten by flesh-eatin' wild boars," Corny proposed. "Or if they fell into a sinkhole. OR were pulled into a sinkhole by the Mole People…and then fed to flesh-eatin' boars!"
"How frightful!" Misty gasped as she clutched onto Ander. "You'll keep me safe, right?"
"There's no flesh-eating boars," Ander assured.
"You don't know that for sure!" Corny protested.
"Wait..what is that sound?" Ander suddenly paused and asked.
The other two also listened as they heard a low roar that was growing quickly.
"Oh dear," Ander remarked as he saw a rush of water coursing towards them. "I think we found one of those traps."
"Yikes!" Corny gasped as he leapt into the air and began to scale the rocky sides of the trench.
Ander followed after him, moving with swift urgency. Misty tried to follow but slipped on a loose rock and fell to the ground. She cried out. Corny glanced down and realized she was not going to make it as the rush of water neared closer.
"Hang on, I'm a-comin'!" Corny promised.
"Don't do it," Ander warned. "There's nothing you can do."
"A gentleman always helps a lady in need!" Corny retorted as he dived down anyways.
Both him and Misty were then instantly swept up in the wave. Ander sighed and pulled himself back up to the surface.
Confessional:
Ander-Well, looks like I'm doing this challenge solo after all.
Corny-Sure maybe I didn't think that all the way through, but I'll tell ya there's one thought runnin' through my head, and that's that if ya see a lady in danger, ya don't got time to think, you just act!
(Nora and Kirby)
As the two traversed the woods, Kirby pulled out a compass and held it up with precise intent. He examined the wavering arrow, then pulled out his miniature telescope and examined their surroundings.
"Oooh that's some nice funky gizmos you got there!" Nora exclaimed, "So they gonna tell us where to look for these people in need."
Sadly no," Kirby replied. "But a good sailor always minds his direction so as to not get lost."
"Oh gotcha, groovy," Nora said with a nod ."Last thing we want is to get lost out here in this breezy crazy world!"
"This way," Kirby decided as he pointed north.
"Whatever you say, El Capitan!" Nora exclaimed. "So. hate to put the fix on the mood here, but now that we're alone here may we ought to talk 'bout what happens at the v-"
"Shhh sh sh sh!: Kirby urged as he suddenly stopped.
"Hey Sugar Beans, I don't love it anymore than you do but-" Nora tried to explain.
"Wait," Kirby said. "Something is lurking upon us…you hear that?"
The two went silent and heard something rustling around them. A small furry creature tentatively trudged out of the bushes.
"Aw, it's an adorable little marmot!" Nora cooed.
The marmot suddenly bared a set of massive razor sharp teeth.
"Mutant marmot! Not cute, not cute!" Nora gasped, suddenly pulling back.
"I think it's time to flee," Kirby deduced as several more mutant marmots emerged angrily from the bushes.
"Don't have to tell me twice!" Nora exclaimed, already sprinting in the opposite direction.
Kirby ran at her side while the stampede of small furry beasts gave hot pursuit.
"We've got to ditch these little bitey beasts!" Nora said.
"This will require evasive action," Kirby agreed.
Kirby changed his direction and headed to a cliff's end.
"You absolutely sure about this, Sailor Sundae?" Nora asked.
'Sometimes you just have to trust in the winds to get you where you need to be," Kirby replied.
Kirby leapt over the edge and managed to grab onto a tree branch and pull himself to the ground safely. Nora nervously glanced behind to see the herd of marmots nearing closer. She returned to the cliff and tossed herself over.
"Jeronimo!" she called out while flailing her arms through the air.
Kirby managed to catch her, though the two collided and ended up hitting the ground together.
"Well uh…hello there," Nora remarked as she found herself face down against Kirby's face.
"That wasn't so bad," Kirby said.
Confessional:
Nora-Now that Kirby and I are starting to get a little sizzle and steam between us (shimmies her shoulders) it might make sense to try to make sure we're on the same page for the vote. Not sure if I want to go full in on Omber's plan to tank our own team, but it would be nice to get some ideas poppin' between us.
Kirby-Dangers at every corner. A good sailor knows that there are some fights worth fighting, and sometimes when it's better to just run away as fast as possible!
(Lex and Natalia)
The two walked through a part of the forest that appeared as though it had gone through some sort of disaster. Many areas appeared barren among the patches of grass. The trees were scattered and many seemed damaged or grown in misshapen forms.
"Natalia, wait up, we need to take this seriously," Lex urged their friend while trying to keep up.
"I am taking it as seriously as it ought to be," Natalia replied. "It is you who is treating this like a fantasy, where unbridled optimism can fix any and every problem."
"We can fix this though," Lex insisted. "Look, let's just talk to Omber and let him know what's happening. I'm sure between all of us we can pull in some votes and shift the way things are going."
"Not likely," Natalia retorted. "There's so very much you do not understand. You clearly have a narrow little scope, looking through those tinted glasses of yours to see the best that you ignore all the vast despair surrounding it."
"What are you talking about?" Lex asked.
"What I am talking about," Natalia answered, "is-"
Suddenly Natalia sank from view. With a loud clunk she hit something metallic. Lex stopped just in time to not fall after her. They looked down to see a hidden hatch leading into some sort of rusty bunker. Natalia gave a low groan as she pulled herself up.
"Hang on, I'm coming to help," Lex promised.
Natalia just laughed a bitter laugh. Lex paused in confusion.
"What's so funny?" Lex asked.
"You're still so blind, naive, and helpless," Natalia sneered. "How are you going to help? There's no way to climb out of here, you'd only be trapping yourself in here with me. Would you really throw yourself into the shadows with nothing but 'hope?' You'll be as lost as me anyways."
"Well I'm not going to leave you here!" Lex assured.
Natalia continued to laugh.
"The voices cackle in my ears as you throw away your chances, but I just find it pathetic," Natalia said. "This is what I am saying. You're throwing away your chances to help someone who cannot be helped."
Confessional:
Natalia-My anger stems from disappointment. There are so many others that Lex could no doubt help if they are truly so committed, not least of all themself. And yet they continue to gaze into the black cloud that surrounds me.
Lex-I'm not worried about immunity right now, the important thing is making sure that Natalia talks to people and we can shake off some of the stigma working against her.
(Misty and Corny)
After being washed through the raging water, Corny was able to cling to a spire of rock. He saw Misty also being swept his way and managed to grab her by the collar.
"Hold on tight," he managed to work out while his head bobbed up and down.
Corny pulled both of them up to mouth in the rocky ridges surrounding them. The alcove turned out to be quite spacious and allowed room for both of them to rest and catch their breath.
"My oh my," Misty said once she was able to stand up again. "How lucky I am to have a true hero come to my rescue."
"Aw shucks," Corny replied while blushing slightly. "It ain't nothin'. Any gentleman would have done the same."
"Oh I don't know about that," Misty said, pulling herself in closer so that she could gaze directly into Corny's eyes. "There's something truly…special about you."
"Oh well er…gosh…thanks for sayin' that I guess," Corny stuttered as his face turned a deeper shade of red. "I suppose we should uh…get back to the challenge, and tryin' to find all them missin' people. They're dependin' on us, after all."
"I don't know," Misty sighed dramatically as she fell backwards. "I'm feeling positively drained after all that. I don't know if I'd have the strength to carry on."
"Ah no, right of course!" Corny exclaimed. "Don't you worry none bout that."
"Would you…keep me company?" Misty asked softly while batting her eyes repeatedly.
"Of course," Corny promised. "It wouldn't do to just leave ya behind!"
"Such a pure-hearted little treasure you are," Misty murmured while cupping Corny's face in her hands. "Maybe this is actually a lucky break for us both, to finally just get to enjoy each other's company. Who knows what might…happen…"
Misty leaned in closer when all of a sudden the two were blinded by an explosive light filling the chamber.
"I'm here to save you!" someone boomed from the end of the cave. "Oh I should not have fired that flare in here. Bad idea, bad idea!"
"What in the…" Corny groaned while shielding his eyes.
The blinding light finally faded to reveal Fabio, dripping wet, standing proudly at the opening. His look of triumph promptly vanished as he spotted the other two though.
"Hey, you're not the missing tourists!" he realized.
"No, we're not," Misty groaned.
"Well guess I'm out of the running then," Fabio sighed as he sat down next to the two. "So what's going on here? We having a party?'
"Uh, sure…it is now!" Corny exclaimed.
Confessional:
Misty-If nothing else, I am finally prying away those cold steel walls around Corny's heart. I think that it's taken longer because he's probably late to puberty, I mean look at him, he's a tiny little sprout.
Corny-(sweating) Oh gosh, I was not expecting Miss Misty to…uh well (wipes brow) Let's just say I have some very UN-gentlemanly thoughts just there, and it might be best we got an unexpected interruption there.
(Ander)
Ander pushed aside shrubs and vines in his way as he continued his stride through the forest. He sighed to himself, however, as he continued to find no indication of where he was meant to go.
"How am I supposed to do this?" he posed to no one. "They could be anywhere."
He rubbed his temples slightly as he tried to focus and prepared to continue. He then heard the sound of something snapping behind him and froze. Very slowly the boy reached down. Then incredibly quickly he grabbed a large fallen branch and swung it behind him. He stopped just in time to avoid smacking Omber in the face.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, it's just me!" Omber exclaimed.
"Ah, I see now," Ander said with a nod. "Perhaps you ought to announce yourself when approaching someone. Lest you be mistaken as one of the many dangers in this untamed land."
"Oh believe me, I'm familiar with those dangers," Omber said as he lifted his arm to show several spikes stuck in his sleeve. "Had a run in with some projectile porcupines."
"That does sound unpleasant," Ander said with a nod.
"But hey, I'm glad we ran into each other," Omber said. "This could give us a chance to work together properly."
Omber noticed that Ander's expression did not seem entirely enthused.
"Now what's that face for?" Omber asked.
"It's just a little strange to me," Ander replied. "Does no one understand the concept of an individual game with individual challenges?"
"Ah, but the game can never truly be individual...at least not till the very end," Omber retorted. "After all, we're going to need each other to make the votes work. There's no getting around that. Going full lone wolf isn't going to do you any favors."
"Fair enough, I suppose," Ander said with a shrug.
"Promise, you'll hardly even notice me," Omber said.
The two continued to push through the forest.
"So you think the rest of you team would be willing to vote together tonight?" Omber asked.
"I don't see why not," Ander answered. "They would be happy to land on a name to agree on and to move on through."
"That's what I'm all about," Omber agreed. "Moving on through. And I think both of us can have a part to play in building that future."
"Wait, what's this?" Ander said as he pointed to a muddy patch in the ground.
The two boys inspected it and saw what looked like some tracks still formed in the soft soil.
"I think we may have finally found a clue to put us in the right direction," Ander said.
Confessional:
Omber-Right away I can tell that Ander has a bit of a different approach from the rest of his team, and I think that can work for me. He;s a pragmatist, like me, which means that if I can keep on offering him sound reasons, he should be compelled to keep me around.
Ander-(shrugs) It's true that working together is an important part of the game, but let's not forget that sooner or later everyone has to betray everyone if they want to win.
(Natalia and Lex)
Lex had constructed a long pole by tying loose branches together using vines.
"Okay, try to grab onto this," Lex suggested as they lowered it down.
Natalia reached out and grabbed the bark, only for it to suddenly snap off.
"Brilliant," she remarked.
"Ugh," Lex sighed.
Natalia closed her eyes and tapped her fingers along the metal floor pensively.
"I'll figure something out," Lex promised, though the shake in their voice did not reveal much confidence.
"What do you think will happen?" Natalia asked.
"What?" Lex called back.
"What do you think will happen?" Natalia repeated. "You being my friend, despite it all, despite all the darkness and hatred sprouting from my very soul. Do you expect some sort of reward? Some sort of karmic retribution?'
"Of course not," Lex denied.
"Do you think there's some tragic backstory waiting for you to uncover?" Natalia asked. "Do you think if you just remain patient, this will all just wash away and I'll let you in on my deep dark secret? Because there isn't one. There's nothing for you to save me from, because there's no single burden for you to uncover, yet infinite little ones that I see all around me from the world itself."
Lex remained silent, Natalia sighed again.
"This whole dark, afflicted girl persona…it's all just an act," Natalia admitted. "But you knew that already?"
Lex nodded.
"I suppose it's no secret then," Natalia continued. "The question, however, is what I would be without it. Just a girl who's sad and angry all the time, for no real reason why. No reason that anyone cares to understand at least. And that's not who I want to be, but I don't know how to change without changing the world around me. This dark unhappy place. Ironically, people understand me better when I shroud myself in mystery, when I speak of the shadows, the doom, the voices…they understand that they do not understand, and leave me alone."
Lex opened their mouth slightly but was unsure of what to say.
"But not you," Natalia continued. "For some reason, you're still here."
"I know what it's like to be misunderstood," Lex explained. "You're right, I might not know what's in your mind, what you've been through, or even how to help you. But I know that there's nothing worse than being alone with all of that."
"If you want to do something kind for me," Natalia said. "Don't give up on yourself. I'm already a lost cause, but you shouldn't lose out because of that. You've already wasted so much time, you'll likely be at risk if you continue to try to help me. I don't want to be the reason you miss this opportunity for yourself."
"But-" Lex tried to protest.
"Please, one thing I ask," Natalia urged. "If nothing else. Don't let me be the reason your chance is cut short."
Confessional:
Natalia-(glares at camera)
Lex-Natalia clearly has been through a lot. Maybe not in the typical sense, but she's clearly experienced a lot of sadness in life to have such a painful outlook. I think the fact is, she's not going to get over that in a couple days, or even weeks. Sadly that may be something that extends far beyond the limits of this island.
(Nora and Kirby)
Having escaped the ravenous herd of marmots, the two continued to search for their destination.
"Well, Barnacle Brains, you picking up any sense of where to go next?" Nora asked.
"Hmm…hmmm…" Kirby hummed as he scanned with his telescope. "Avast! Thar she blows!"
Kirby exclaimed, spotting a crowd of people held captive in a cage atop a hill a short distance away.
"Then let's boogie on down there and grab us some sweet, sweet victory," Nora crooned as she dashed between the trees.
Kirby stayed at her side, the two keeping an even pace as they sprinted forward. Before the two could reach it though, they suddenly found another cage crashing down around them. Nora ran straight into the bars and fell to the ground.
"Oooh, what the?" she groaned, rubbing her head.
"A trap!?" Kirby gasped. "Most devious!"
"Yeah, I'll say," Nora remarked. "The vibes in this cage are cramping my groove to the extreme!"
"Ho, what's this!?" Kirby exclaimed as someone new seemed to approach. "Our salvation may yet be at hand?"
Omber and Ander came upon the duo trapped in the cage.
"Whoa, what happened to you two?" Omber asked.
"Chris and his Losericious traps," Nora sighed. "We spotted the missing tourists when whammo! Stuck in this rut."
"You say you found them?" Omber gasped. "So they must be close by then?"
"Ah yes, I think I see them," Ander said, pointing in the distance. "Right over there."
Omber turned to peer in the direction.
"Actually," Kirby said, "it was over-"
Ander suddenly kicked Omber from behind, knocking him down to the ground. He then took off running towards the trapped guests.
"Lookie, lookie, we're saved!" cheered a little girl.
"Took'em long enough," grumbled an older man. "Back in my day the search and rescue parties got things done efficiently! Why with the time it took to get here, they could have saved two lost puppies, a trapped coal miner, AND an errand hot air balloon!"
Ander made his way to the cage and then raised his flare gun to the air, firing off the bright beacon.
"Looks like we have a winner!" Chris's voice bellowed across the land. "Ander is immune tonight and cannot be voted out!"
Confessional:
Ander-Like I said, cooperation only gets you so far before you need to play for yourself, and if you don't…well, you wind up with nothing to show for it.
Kirby-So close and yet…so far. A familiar feeling, it would seem.
Misty-Is that challenge over already? (bites finger) and here I was just starting to get warmed up with my little boytoys.
(Later)
Lex shuffled through a crowd to find Omber and sit down across from him.
"You look like you've got something on your mind," Omber noted.
"I do," Lex said. "I'm very worried that our team could be in the crosshairs here tonight, and if we don't act fast it may be too late to change that."
"Oh?" Omber inquired.
"A lot of people have this idea that Natalia has been terrorizing me," Lex said. "And I don't want that to be the reason she goes. I think we need to put something new out before the vote settles."
"Well," Omber replied, "the way I see it-"
"There you are!" Natalia suddenly exploded as she marched through the crowd and punched her fist on the table.
Lex jumped in fright.
"I've got just one thing to say to you!" Natalia fumed. "I'm tired of your voice, I'm tired of your friendship, and I am tired of you! The voices have told me what I need to do, oh yes! I must cast away this mite of the light and return to the shadows! So without further ado I will be voting you out!"
Lex just gave a shocked squeak. Natalia then marched away once more.
"Well," Omber sighed, "I think our hands may be tied on this matter."
"I guess if that's how Natalia wants it to be," Lex sighed in defeat.
Lex got up and followed after Natalia however. The two wound up in a darker alley.
"What was that all about!?" Lex demanded.
"Shush! We need to be smart about this," Natalia ordered.
"How was that smart?" Lex asked.
"There's something you need to know," Natalia said. "Something I should have told you earlier. Last round, Omber was the one who came to me, and made sure to stoke my fears. Who knew exactly what would get under my skin."
"I don't understand," Lex said. "What fears? What did he say to you?"
"My fears that I would drag someone else into my dark shade, someone who did not deserve it," Natalia said. "I see now what he was doing though, it's all so very clear, but I let the voices, my own insecurity, blind me. He wants us to be torn apart, he wants us to vote for each other, no doubt he's been making sure that's the case ever since we merged."
"Omber? What…no, no, he wouldn't do that," Lex murmured. "We're friends."
"Your naive optimism tends to lead you astray," Natalia said. "Perhaps that's what frustrates him though. That your loyalty could not be bent to his liking."
"I don't know about this," Lex sighed. "But if it's true, we have to fight back, we have to do something!"
"I told you, I don't want to see you miss your chance because of me," Natalia said. "No one's going to fight for me, and I've given them no reason to. The best thing I can do right now is make you the victim, rather than the coconspirator."
"No…" Lex said softly.
"Face it, I'm not going to have much of a chance anyways," Natalia remarked. "You might."
Confessional:
Natalia-I wish I had seen this all sooner, but I let my dark pride and fragile ego get the better of me. I stayed in the shadows I knew and tried to push away my friend rather than simply tell them the truth. Now, all I can do is make sure they are not dragged down with me.
Lex-Could Omber really be playing me? It hurts just to consider, and yet…I can't shake the feeling that there's a truth to it. Who else would get a jump on shaping the story of our team as soon as the merge began?
Fabio walked down the boardwalk until he spotted Kirby.
"Hey Kirb, buddy!" Fabio called.
As Fabio approached, he noticed that Nora was also with Kirby, The two seemed to be laughing and generally having a good time.
"So, I said to him, 'Look at me, I am the Captain now,'" Kirby recanted.
"Ha, Sweet Stuff, I have to admit, I have no idea what in the who-ha-howdayado you're talking about," Nora laughed, "but you tell it just right."
"As is the way it tends to be when you sail the seas," Kirby said with a solemn look.
"Hey hey hey, what's up?" Fabio said as he squeezed between the two.
"First Mate Fabio, glad to see you!" Kirby exclaimed.
"First Mate? I thought I was captain!" Fabio remarked.
'Look at me, I am the Captain now," Kirby declared.
"Oooh, now that I see it in action, I get it," Nora exclaimed.
"Okay, we're gonna reevaluate roles later," Fabio said. "Right now, though, we've got a vote to work out."
"Ooh and do we ever," Nora sighed. "I'm getting a pinch in my neck just thinking about it."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, only having to vote once must have been real nice for you," Fabio remarked. "Welcome to the game, sister."
"Hm, alas we must find a name to settle upon," Kirby said. "Might I suggest…Natalia."
"Mmmm, I knew that was comin'," Nora said with a nod. "Tell ya what, I do jam with that girl, but most the time I'm doin' all the jam workin' and she's just sittin' there glowerin', so can't say I'm too surprised that her name is out there."
"She sounds like a real mean piece of work," Fabio added. "If it can be a done deal, then let's get it done."
"Let's get it on like Dixie Kong!" Nora exclaimed.
"Like the firm and fatal firing of the harpoon," Kirby agreed.
"And just so you know, you're not the only one who's got a cute new friend on your arm," Fabio said to Kirby. "I happen to have a great pal too who I spent the day with. He's around here somewhere-"
"Here I am!" Corny exclaimed as he leapt out of a barrel.
"Aiee!" Fabio gasped while leaping in the air. "What the…what were you doing in there?"
"Truth be told, I was hopin' they might store me away with the rest of the food at the end of the night," Corny admitted. "But hearin' you call me your great pal, well I just had to pop on out and say hello."
"See? Isn't he the best?" Fabio exclaimed to Kirby, but the sailor was once again rapt in his conversation with Nora.
Confessional:
Fabio-So Kirby is a little bit fancy on his new friend, eh? Well that's good for us if he can get her vote on our side, but I just hope he doesn't let himself get too distracted by the hearts in his eyes. You can choose love, or you can choose money, but rare is the man who can have both, and I already know which one I'm set on!
Nora-As expected, Natalia is fast already becomin' the main target, and I gotta bite my tongue and keep myself from pressin' Hilltop Pride too strong too fast. Right now it ain't gonna do a lot of good, and come to think of it, Nat ain't exactly doin' herself no favors either.
"My oh my, I'm still just dripping wet from that little soak," Misty purred as she tried to slink up behind Ander. "My shirt is practically clinging to my skin. You ever see anything like it?"
"Yes, that tends to be what happens," Ander sighed, uninterested. "It looks like it's drying up nicely though, you'll be fine."
Misty pouted, then scurried away for a moment. The girl snatched a water bottle off a stand and began to squirt its contents over her chest.
"I don't know about that, I feel like I've been run through a waterfall," Misty remarked. "Maybe I ought to get changed. No peeking though."
"I wouldn't dream of it," Ander promised.
"Oh shoot, I forgot to grab a spare shirt," Misty continued. "I wonder if anyone will mind if-"
"Gotcha covered!" Corny suddenly exclaimed, tossing a robe over Misty, while covering his own eyes. "No women are havin' their pride defiled so long as I have something to say 'bout it."
"Oh…hooray," Misty sighed in disappointment.
"Perhaps we should move to business at hand," Ander said. "The vote tonight…"
"Right, right, well word round town seems to be that it's all set for Natalia to go," Corny announced.
"Good riddance, I say," Misty remarked. "Total hateful shrew."
"We could do that, easily enough," Ander said with a nod. "I have to wonder though…if Natalia can go so easily tonight, then she would also be an easy boot for tomorrow. Maybe it's not the most proactive choice for us to take the easy way out just yet."
"Oooh I love to hear you talk like that," Misty suddenly purred with renewed passion. "So…devious, I like it. I like it a lot."
"If we get a jump on it, we could remove Lex altogether," Ander brought up.
"That does sound like a delicious move," Misty squealed.
"I dunno, guys," Corny said uncomfortably while scratching at his head. "Do we have to play so brutal like that? Lex is a nice person."
"It's exactly that reluctance that worries me a bit though," Ander said. "Natalia has very few people in her corner, but once this blows over, Lex may fall right back into a protected position and we could miss our shot."
"It just seems a little harsh, is all," Corny replied. "Are we sure we wanna play with gunpowder like that?"
Confessional:
Misty-The game is afoot and I am going to have so so much fun twisting things up in a neat little mess. I knew that these boys were a couple of animals just waiting to draw blood. Ander can barely contain himself in wanting to show off his guns, and who am I to try to hold him back?
Corny-Y'all can call me a wet blanket if ya want, but I don't feel the most comfortable tryin' to make a ruckus so soon. Lex ain't done nothin' wrong as far as I can tell, so why are we makin' this more complicated than it needs to be? Just sounds like a headache.
(Dock of Shame)
The merged nine contestants sat along the dock, the most that there had ever been attending at one night. Chef and Chris stood before them.
"The nine of you have made it far enough into this game to merge," Chris said to the group. "But now that it's a whole new game afoot, can you survive what's to come?'
"Well Chris, I dunno…but I like to think that we can!" Corny exclaimed.
"Some of you won't," Chef pointed out. "Don't forget that!"
"Well uh…true, true, you have a point there," Corny said with a nod. "It's just tough when everyone here seems so cool and unique, I feel like I'm still just gettin' to know so many new friends."
"I am not your friend," Natalia stated coldly.
"I think we all need to just accept that we're playing the game," Omber remarked. "And that's going to mean different things at different times. It will mean working together, sometimes with people you wouldn't expect, and it means hurting feelings as the options get thinner."
"Very introspective," Chris said with a nod. "And how are your old teams playing into things?"
"I love my team, and I ain't too shy to say it!" Corny exclaimed. "We all went through a lot, I think it's to be expected that we're all gonna want to work with the people we got here with."
"Amen to that, Jelly Donut!" Nora exclaimed. "The vibes from the Hilltop of been high, high fever, but like Mr. Omber In Charge said we're all playin' the game, and we gotta accept that we're all just pieces in one big beautiful puzzle that has got to fit together somehow."
"Also very profound, and colorful," Chef said to Nora.
"Hmph," Natalia sneered.
"You got something to add, girl?" Chef asked.
"I do not," Natalia stated.
"Well then might as well move it along!" Chris said. "We have nine votes here, you do not want to see your name come up. The player with the most votes will be eliminated!"
"First vote," Chef read, "...Lex!"
"Second vote," Chris announced, "Natalia!"
"Third vote," Chef continued, "Natalia!"
"Fourth vote….Natalia!"
"Fifth vote….
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"Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth," Chef finished, "Natalia!"
"Darkness looms above all of us," Natalia stated as she stood up promptly. "And you all will fine it in your hearts, consuming you all. There is no escape!"
"Natalia, time to go," Chris said.
Natalia gracefully floated along the dock. Before getting into the Boat of Losers though, she turned around and glared at the final eight. Specifically locking eyes with Lex.
"Prove me wrong," she said, before departing.
"Well, it might just be me, but it feels like the island suddenly got a little warmer," Chris remarked as the boat disappeared from sight. "To the rest of you…congratulations, you've survived your first elimination as individuals. You're going to need to keep on doing that till you reach the end, though, so don't get comfortable!"
Votes:
Natalia-Lex, I cast this vote so that there's no blame for you to do what you must do. Break loose and prove that maybe hope can linger after all.
Lex-Natalia, I am doing what you asked. Sorry I could not do more.
Omber-Natalia, you must fall so that I can continue to reign. Thanks for playing your part.
Corny-Natalia, I dunno what the full story is here, but right now out of the names we've got, you're the one I feel most okay with sayin' farewell to.
Kirby-Natalia, may the seas treat you kindly.
Nora-Natalia, girl we've had some laughs…eh, some smiles…there were a few good vibes, a few I know it. But it's time for you to go.
Fabio-Natalia, thanks for sucking and making this round easier on me!
Misty-Natalia, you're not even worth my time.
Ander-Right now it seems like there's a clear majority, so I will keep it simple and vote for Natalia.
(Later)
The group of eight returned to the town after the elimination. The streets were empty and silent now, only lit by the strings of dim lights lining the buildings.
"Man, I am doggoned drained after that," Corny remarked, sagging his body. "One more of us gone."
"Hm, I barely even noticed she existed in the first place," Misty said with a shrug. "Doesn't seem like too much of a difference."
"Maybe not, but we gotta be doin' that every night now?" Corny remark. "It's gonna get messy, I'll tell ya that!"
Lex lingered behind somewhat, attending to their own inner workings. Omber slowed down to join them.
"You feeling alright?" Omber asked. "I know you really did want things to work out with Natalia, and you tried your best. I hope you're not taking this all too hard."
"No, no," Lex said softly. "You were right. Sometimes we want to see the best in people, and it blinds us to the truth."
"There's nothing wrong with wanting to give people the benefit of the doubt," Omber replied. "But Natalia…well she didn't leave much room for doubt."
"She's gone now, so we can move on to a new day," Lex promised.
"Sounds good to me," Omber said. "We'll have a lot of work to do."
Lex just nodded as Omber walked ahead.
Confessional:
Lex-Natalia basically fell on her sword to keep me from trying to save her and tanking my own game. Though she warned me about Omber before she left, said that he's the one who was trying to push her against me. I can't stop thinking about it. The pieces are there. I don't know what's true right now, but I need to take Natalia's advice. I need to start putting myself first.
(Conclusion)
"The first round of the merge is over and done, but a whole new game is just waiting to play out," Chris said from the dock. "Natalia is gone, and what does that spell for the rest of our players? Will Lex bounce back, or will their wide-eyed optimism be the death of them? Will Misty force us to up the viewer discretion level of our next episode? And who will be the next to take the long hike down a short dock and leave this game? Find out when we return with more…Total Drama…Resort!"