Remember to leave a review for this chapter once you're done reading it.
Gman: Glad you liked it
DramaBuddy: Thanks. Much appreciated
Big Bobby: Interesting Prediction. Let's see if you're right.
Infinity Wizard: I am fully aware that I am spelling the name wrong. That's all I leave you with. Thanks and awesome review.
A: Very interesting prediction.
The McPlane is high in the sky, as Chris did his recap. "Previously, on Total Drama Legends. Eleven competitors took to the skies in a high flying, sky driving, wind riding challenge. Get it? Because it all happened on the McPlane itself. Everyone got to explore all the wonderful parts of my jumbo jet, in search of special briefcases that would bring them their reward. That's right. This was a reward challenge, so no one went home. But that doesn't mean nothing happened. Samey found a new friend in a certain psychic, Duncan talked to Gwen without accidentally maiming her for once and Noah tried to make amends with Jasmine yet again, but this time, it backfired like a...kick to the face." He chuckled. "In the end, Courtney gave the win her team, but it was a reward challenge, so no one went home."
The camera flashed to reveal Chris, walking through the halls of the first class section. He was rubbing sunscreen on his arms and was wearing a blue Hawian shirt and sunglasses. "Today's challenge will put the competitors to the test, and make some of them sweat. And trust me, we're really gonna crank up the temperature for this one. Find out who's gonna beat the heat and who'll face the agony of defeat, right now, on...Total...Drama...Legends!"
The Vengeful Bobcats were all asleep in their loser class accomodations. Since there were no beds, they could only use the long benches to sleep on. Needless to say, it was not comfortable. All six of them lay in uncomfortable positions, except for Dawn, who was laying flat on her back with her hands laying across her stomach. Duncan was sleeping next to her, and Zoey next to him. Zoey was laying on her side, while Duncan slept in a sitting up, with his back against the metal frame of the plane.
It was quiet until Chris' voice sounded loudly over the intercom. "TESTING TESTING. COMPETITORS THIS IS YOUR WAKE UP CALL! RISE AND SHINE!"
Most of the Bobcats were jolted awake, with Zoey rolling herself off the bench and onto the floor. Samey, Amy and Jo were also startled and looked around in surprise. Jo jumped up and, instinctively, took a fighting stance. After a few seconds, everyone started to calm down, but they were still tense.
Chris' voice laughed over the speaker. "Oh, man. That was hilarious." The Bobcats looked up at the intercom and glared at it. "Anyways...we'll be landing soon, so everyone be ready and prepared to bring your A-game. Trust me, you really don't wanna fall behind in today's challenge." The intercom shut off and the competitors groaned, both from their sleeping conditions and the wake up call.
Duncan rubbed his eyes. He still hadn't fully woken up. He didn't see Dawn slowly rising from her sleeping position. Duncan looked to his side, and jumped in fright, seeing the Moon Child now directly next to him. He heard Zoey laughing lightly at him.
The Ex-Con rolled his eyes and looked back at his red-headed friend. "I'm glad you think me almost getting a heart attack by that weirdo is funny to you." He said, mostly joking.
Zoey stood up, still chuckling. "Oh, come on. You like her." Duncan rolled his eyes and frowned, but was clearly trying to hold back his smile. Zoey figured she should change the topic. "So what's gonna happen with you and Gwen?"
Duncan gave an unsure look. "I don't know, honestly. She told me not to get my hopes up, but...maybe she'll change her mind once I talk to her. Hopefully." Zoey gave a comforting smile, but it faded after a bit. She looked back at the ground, somewhat sadly. Duncan was confused why she looked upset, but realized something. "Do you...do you still miss your boyfriend...Ma-" He stopped himself. "Mike?"
Zoey didn't say anything at first. After a few seconds of silence, she sighed. "Well yeah, of course. I mean it's not like I ever stopped missing him, I just...I wish he could still be here." An awkward silence fell. Duncan didn't know what to say. He looked behind him, in hopes that Dawn could help, but she had mysteriously disappeared. He looked back and scratched the back of his head, struggling to think of something to say. Luckily, he didn't have to. Zoey turned to him. "It's fine." She said, laughing slightly. "You don't have to say anything. I just…" She sighed again. "Honestly, I never thought I'd say this, but…" She started to smile. "Hanging out with you and Dawn has really helped me get through this. So...thanks."
Duncan didn't know how to respond. He liked hanging around Zoey too, but was too stubborn to say it. He looked awkwardly at her and gave her an even more awkward pat on her shoulder. Zoey laughed. Duncan couldn't help but smile at this. Neither had realized Dawn was back in her original seat. The Ex-Con looked behind him and saw her. She was grinning, cheekily, at him. Duncan rolled his eyes, while Zoey smiled.
On the other side, Amy watched the trio chat, giving most of the attention to Dawn. She didn't look happy.
Confessional (Amy): She rubbed her finger across her chin. "I don't want to use my invincibility statue right now, it's too early. I still need Jo to think I'm on her side." She thought for a moment and frowned. "Stupid Samey. Why did she have to stay this long into the game?"
Meanwhile, up in first class, Gwen and Noah were sitting across from each other. Both looked uncomfortable. But it had nothing to do with their seats.
"So, what are you gonna do now?" Gwen asked
Noah sighed. "I don't know. I thought I was getting close, but after yesterday, I'm pretty much back where I started with Jasmine." He looked down. Gwen gave him a sympathetic look. "So what are you gonna tell Duncan?"
Gwen squirmed at the mere mention of the Ex-Con. "I...I have an idea of what I'm gonna tell him...I just hope he doesn't flip out." She paused. Noah looked up at her, trying to read her face. "Honestly, I kinda hope he gets eliminated before we get a chance to talk. Heck, if it comes down to it, I'll take going home myself rather than having the talk."
Noah looked surprised at the Goth's response. "Wow, I didn't expect that kind of coldness from you." He thought for a sec, before snickering. "But yet again, you were a backstabbing boyfriend kisser, so I shouldn't be that surprised." He laughed, while Gwen stared at him, with an annoyed expression. The Brainiac noticed and, still laughing, held his hands out. "Sorry, sorry. I meant that as a joke. Gotta laugh at yourself sometimes."
Gwen still looked annoyed, but her mood faded. She couldn't help but chuckle too.
Confessional (Gwen): "I never thought I'd say this but…Noah's not the worst person I've ever talked with."
Static.
The two continued to laugh, but stopped when they heard a noise. It sounded like light thumps from something hollow. They both looked and saw what it was. Courtney was sitting on one of the bar stools, happily tapping away on her starred briefcase. She was making a little musical beat, as she hummed to herself. Gwen smiled, while looking at her. Noah looked back at Gwen, and noticed her expression. He smirked.
"Does Duncan know about that?"
Gwen broke from her trance and stared at the Brainiac. She looked confused at first, but when she realized what he meant, she went wide eyed. "How did you-"
Noah cut her off. "Please. I have a triple digit IQ, nothing gets past me." He said, still smirking. "...also the 'angel' thing, back on the Island. was also kind of a giveaway."
Gwen wasn't sure how to react. She felt slightly embarrassed, but also very nervous. She trusted Noah enough not to reveal anything without her permission, but he made a very good point. How would Duncan react?
On the other side of First Class, Jasmine and Sanders were sitting across from each other. Jasmine had her hand on her cheek and her elbow was resting against her leg. She was deep in thought, and looking bitter. The Cadet was holding her two prizes, from the last challenge, in both of her hands. Her mind raced over what she should do with them. Figuring she wasn't going to get anything out of staring at the keychains, she put them down. She looked up at the unhappy Aussie.
"Are you ok?" The Cadet asked.
Jasmine noticed Sanders and, still looking mad, groaned. "Not really." She sat upright. "I'm just annoyed I didn't get anything from the last challenge."
Sanders wasn't entirely buying it. "That's it?"
Jasmine looked up, realizing that Sanders could see right through her. The Aussie gritted her teeth. "No. It's that little...worm. He just…" She breathed in through her nose, and calmed herself down. "I just wish he would go home already."
Sanders didn't say anything at first. She looked curiously at Jasmine. "I don't know if he actually meant to kick you in the face."
Like Sanders, Jasmine didn't say anything at first. "Whether he meant to or not, it doesn't matter. I'm not about to forgive him for all the crap he put me through." She paused, letting the bitterness take over. "He's done nothing to earn my forgiveness."
Sanders watched on, unsure. Though she never saw what happened, she didn't believe Noah actually meant to physically hurt Jasmine. Or at least, she hoped that wasn't the case. But she also figured Jasmine wasn't going to be convinced, so decided to not continue. Instead, she looked back down at her keychains and continued to think about what she should do next.
While the rest of her team had dispersed to do their own things, Samey sat comfortably in her seat. She was in a very good mood.
Confessional (Samey): She had a huge smile on her face. "I don't know when but I know we're getting closer to the merge." She put her hand into fists and excitedly held them together under her chin. "That means I finally get to see Jasmine again." Suddenly, a thought crossed her. "Maybe I can introduce Dawn to her." Her expression then faltered. "Or would that be too soon." Then panic struck her. "Oh god, what if they don't like each other?"
Confessional (Dawn): "Sammy's aura is certainly interesting. I mean, it's far nicer than that…" She shuttered. "...witch, known as Heather." She quickly calmed herself down. "It's filled with uncertainty, but behind it, is the soul of a mighty warrior."
Confessional (Samey): She was now sitting, with her arms cupped around her knees, shaking back and forth. She looked paranoid. "...but what if Jasmine thinks the whole aura reading is too weird. Well, I mean she's already dating Shawn, so maybe she won't think that much of it." She continued to rock. "Oh, now that just sounds really insensitive. I should apologize to Jasmine the next time I see her...and probably Shawn...and just to be safe, also Dawn."
Static
Samey looked up from her seat, and saw Dawn walking past her. She got up and walked up to her. "Hey, Dawn." The Moon Child turned and smiled at her friend. Once she had gotten close enough, Samey started to feel very nervous. She held her arm, trying to find the right words. "I was...I was wondering if you...wanted...to form…" She chuckled, awkwardly. "...an...alliance with me...and my friend...if she says yes...that is?"
"Jasmine?" Dawn asked.
Samey smiled, relieved. "Yes her-" She stopped. "How did you know?" She chuckled. "You probably read my aura, right?"
Dawn gave a blank expression. "No. You talked about her all day, yesterday.."
Samey's jovial mood quickly changed to shame and disappointment. She grabbed her arm again, her face going red. "Oh...sorry" She said, worried Dawn would be upset.
But, thankfully, Dawn smiled. "It's ok, Sammy. I would love to be in an alliance with both of you. I think it would be very beneficial for all of us."
Samey perked up at this, and sighed in relief. The two shared a happy glance, until they were interrupted by the sound of Chris' voice over the intercom.
"Competitors, please strap in because we are moments away from our destination. I'll need everyone to meet at the exit hatch once the plane has landed. The challenge will begin shortly after that. And I hope everyone likes the sun because you're about to get very acquainted with it." He cackled as the intercom went off, leaving the Bobcats and Cowboys to wonder what would be in store for them.
The McPlane was making its descent onto a desert landscape. There were cacti spread out the land, and a few small mountains. The plane touched down, causing dust to fly everywhere.
Soon, all the competitors were off the plane. Considering they were in a desert, the competitors were not having fun dealing with the heat. Everyone was dripping with sweat and panting. But Dawn, despite still wearing her sweater, showed no sign of being bothered by the heat.
Duncan stared at her, confused by . "You are so weird."
Dawn shrugged, while Duncan rolled his eyes. Tired of the heat, he took off his shirt, to reveal his black tank top, and he tied his shirt around his waist. No one took notice of this. Almost no one. Despite several competitors standing between them, Sanders couldn't help but try and catch a glimpse at the half-shirtless Ex-Con. She tried to look away, but was finding it very difficult. Jo was also looking at Duncan, but for completely different reasons.
Confessional (Jo): "That weakling Dunce-can has really gone soft." She started flexing. "The only way to be an absolute machine is to expose your body to the most intense conditions." She stopped flexing and put her hands to her hips, grinning. "Any attempt to make things easier is just a sign of weakness."
Static.
Even though she would never admit it, Jo was building up a lot of sweat and looking very uncomfortable in her black sweatpants and sweatshirt.
Chris walked out. Or rather, he was lying on a long beach chair being carried by two tired interns. Chef followed closely behind. The host was wearing a white tank top and an umbrella hat.
"Salutations, competitors. And welcome to…the Mojave Desert!" The competitors were either too hot, or just really didn't care enough, to act like they were mesmerized, but Chris went on. "Welcome to Arizona. Known for its massive canyons, one might even say 'grand' and one of the hottest, biggest and driest, desert's in North America."
"And this is where today's challenge is gonna happen?" Gwen asked, unimpressed.
Chris shot a finger her way. "Correctomundo, Gwen." The competitors groaned, much to the delight of the host. "Today's challenge is very simple." He raised his hand and pointed in the direction opposite of where he was facing. "Trek across the desert and be the first to cross the waiting finish line."
The competitors were annoyed, but were glad the challenge was simple enough. But one was not so happy.
"Chris, I must interject." Courtney, who was carrying her star case, spoke up. "This challenge is far too dangerous, not without the proper equipment. Not to mention the lack of safety precautions. This desert is one of the largest…" As the CIT went on, Chris couldn't help but groan. He looked at Chef and the two shared a similar look of annoyance. "...and you seriously want us to trek all the way across the entire desert? This is in no way on my contract. Furthermore-"
"Courtney! Shut it! GAH! You are so annoying!" Chris shouted.
Courtney was taken aback. Gwen stepped forward, looking angry. "You don't get to talk to her like that." She declared, pointing at the host.
Chris didn't care and pinched his nose. "Fine, whatever." Gwen looked back at Courtney and the two shared a smile. Duncan watched this. "Anyways," Chris went on, clapping his hand together. "I did not skimp out this time because you guys are soooo boring. Honestly after so many seasons, I'd think you guys could handle a little more than-" He stopped, taking a deep breath. "We placed markers across the pathway. It's just a straight shot across and as long as you guys keep going north, you'll have little, to no, issues. And you won't be going across the entire desert. You'll only need to travel a few miles." Chef walked up, carrying a small cooler. "And I'm about to give each of you the necessary equipment to make this journey a little easier. He opened the container and picked something out. He turned and tossed what he was carrying towards Amy.
The cheerleader flinched and covered her face. Jo reached out her hand and caught it before it hit the Twin's face . She opened her hand to find...a fist sized bottle of water.
Jo scoffed. "This is it? This is puny."
"Relax. We had a few interns test the challenge and they all made it across, with little damage." The competitors seemed content with this, but Chris wasn't finished. "Unless you count massive amounts of sunburn and severe exhaustion as little damage. But I think I know you guys can handle that." He laughed to himself, while the competitors looked at each other, unsure.
Jasmine, on the other hand, was thinking of something else. "Wait a minute. Chris?" The host looked at her. "You said that the first one to cross the finish line would be the winner. Does that mean that…"
Chris smirked. "Good ears, Jazz." He turned to face the others. "Competitors, as of today, the teams will be disbanded, dismembered and dis...whatever. Point is, the merge has officially begun."
The competitors gasped. Some were happy about this, while others were a little nervous.
Confessional (Noah): He couldn't help but smile. "Wow. I can't believe I finally made the merge. Maybe being a big jerk did help." He immediately regretted his choice of words. "P-please don't tell Jasmine I said that."
Confessional (Amy): She looked like a bomb was about to explode in her head. "Now what? Nothing's gonna stop Samey from ganging up to eliminate me." Her eyes went wide. "And I forgot about that freak Australian." She groaned and grabbed her hair in frustration, ripping a few strands out in the process. "I don't want to use the statue this early."
Static
Speaking of, Jasmine was still processing what was going on. Suddenly, she felt something hit her on the side and latch onto her. Jasmine was surprised and looked down. But her expression quickly changed to smile. Samey had her locked in a tight waist hug. She looked very happy over this. Finally, she got to be with her friend after all this time. Both had faced close calls when it came to being eliminated, but both had gotten through them and could now enjoy each other's company. Jasmine happily returned the hug with one of her arms. Amy cringed at the sight.
But Chris was not done with explaining the challenge. "Alright you two, back away. I think you're gonna want to hear this." Jasmine and Samey separated and everyone looked at the host. "Since we've now entered the merge, I've decided to make the challenge...a little interesting." He paused, allowing the competitors curiosity to build. "Today's challenge will not involve an elimination ceremony…"
The competitors raised their eyebrows. "So you're doing two non-elimination episodes in a row?" Noah asked.
Chris shook his head. "Not exactly. For today's desert trek challenge, the competitor that comes in last...will be eliminated." The competitors gasped, but Chris silenced them. "And to make things perfectly clear, this is not going to be another Lindsay situation. There are eleven of you, and once ten competitors have crossed the finish line, we'll determine who's going home, got it?" The competitors nodded, though a tad worried. Chris smirked again. "Alright, now I have one more announcement to make." He pointed at the CIT. "Courtney, I believe you have something."
Courtney was confused at first, but quickly realized what the Host meant. She looked down at her case and held it up. Chris gave a thumbs up. The CIT smiled and walked up to him.
"You made the right call in keeping the case." Chris said, as he took the briefcase out of her hands. "Now because of it, you'll be given a major advantage in this challenge."
Courtney smirked and looked back at her opponents. She noticed Jo, looking very bitter. She also saw Gwen who was smiling. She turned back at Chris.
"So while everyone else will start the challenge at the same time, you, Courtney, will be given a 15 minute head start." The CIT was very happy about this.
Soon after, Courtney got in place to begin. Chris started a countdown. As he did, Courtney cast a look of uncertainty. She turned back around, and looked at Gwen, who gave her a reassuring smile. She followed with a nod. Courtney's mood immediately changed for the better and she looked confidently back across the desert, as Chris was nearly finished with his countdown.
"...3...2...1...Courtney, your head start has officially begun."
Courtney sprinted forward, picking up dust as she ran. Within seconds, she was several feet away from the competitors. She jumped down a small cliff, and disappeared out of sight. Gwen watched her leave her sight, and sighed, frowning in the process. Duncan walked next to her.
"So…" He said, innocently. Gwen looked up at him. "...can we...have that talk now?"
Gwen grunted and pushed him away. "Duncan, I will tell you when I'm ready. And right now, I'm not." She started to walk away. "So just...leave me alone."
The Ex-Con was disappointed, but didn't think it was a good idea to keep pushing her. He decided to pass the time some other way. He looked at the other competitors. Since there was still time, most of the competitors had dispersed and were either mingling with each other or getting ready for the next challenge. Samey and Dawn were talking with Jasmine, Jo was stretching and Sanders was...just standing by himself. Still feeling like talking to someone, Duncan walked up to her.
"Hey."
Sanders turned, caught off guard by the Ex-Con's sudden appearance. She still had the two keychains in her hands, so she hid them behind her back. "Hey." She said, somewhat defensively.
Duncan raised an eyebrow. "You alright?" Sanders nodded her head, aggressively, with a nervous smile. Duncan was curious, but didn't want to keep asking. "So...how are ya holding on…" Sanders forgot to be nervous for a second. "...ya know? Without your partner?"
Now the Cadet was completely caught off guard. She hadn't expected that blunt of a response from Duncan. She had already been surprised by some of the things Duncan had said to her, but this one took the case. But once the shock wore off, she actually thought about the question. She would've answered the question, except…
Duncan felt an arm wrap around his shoulders. "Talkin' to your new girlfriend, eh Cop Lover?" Jo laughed.
Duncan was startled by Jo's sudden appearance, but his mood quickly changed to pissed off. He pushed her hand off and grabbed Jo's by the collar of her sweatshirt. "You're just lucky there's witnesses here, otherwise, I would mess you up so badly." He said, through gritted teeth.
Jo just scoffed. "Maybe the old you would be more intimidating, but lately, I've seen how you've changed, Jail Breath." She pushed him away and walked towards the starting line. "So I expect this to be a really easy challenge for me." She returned to her stretching.
Duncan glared at her, but then remembered his talk with Sanders. He turned to her. He couldn't read her expression, and Duncan assumed she didn't want to talk anymore. He sighed and walked away, next to Jo. The two shared a glare as they readied themselves for the race.
Sanders watched him. She wanted to say something to him, but wasn't sure what. She moved her arms out from her back and opened her palms. She looked at her two keychains, still unsure what to do with them.
Amy watched as Jo prepared for the challenge, and frowned.
Confessional (Amy): She sighed, annoyed. "Maybe I should be glad that today's challenge won't have any voting in it. I could try and make Samey lose, but…" Her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms "...like I'm gonna do that myself."
Static.
Samey was also watching Jo and Duncan. She was still talking with Jasmine and Dawn. The two had gotten along well enough. Jasmine knew a little about Dawn since she watched her season. Samey was relieved about this, but was distracted by the two rivals.
Jasmine noticed this. "Ya good, Sam?"
She looked up at Jasmine, and gave an unsure look. She wanted to spend as much time as she could with her two friends, but now that the merge was here, she knew she had to step up her game. She also didn't want to risk her friends getting eliminated by holding them back. Making her decision, she sighed.
"I'm fine, Jasmine. But…" She took a deep breath. "I want to try and win this challenge. On my own. I really really want to spend as much time as possible with you guys, but…"
Jasmine smirked and gave a playful punch to Samey's shoulder. "What makes you think you're gonna win this challenge that easily? Just because we're friends, doesn't mean I'm not gonna take it easy on you."
Samey rubbed her shoulder, but noticed Jasmine's expression. She returned it with a more determined nod.
Noah had been watching the two. Ever since they landed, he was thinking of ways to make it up for Jasmine. He was also dreading the challenge itself. Both the heat and the fact that he would be running for a great distance was really bothering him. But he also remembered how eating the disgusting food back on the island had created a small sense of improvement between the two. He noticed the hot sun, blaring down on all of them. He knew that pretty much every competitor could outrun him and his best chance of winning (or at least not coming in last) meant he would actually have to try. He looked back at Jasmine and sighed, having an idea of what he was going to do.
Soon, the 15 minutes were about to be up. Chris stood to the side of the competitors.
"Alright, everyone, the challenge will start in the next ten seconds, so get ready!" he announced.
Immediately, the competitors did just that as Chris started.
"10...9...8…"
Jo and Duncan readied themselves. They glared at each other intensely. They were so focused on each other, that they didn't notice Samey positioned herself next to Duncan.
"...7...6...5…"
Noah looked nervously as he took his place, behind Jasmine. He hoped his plan would work.
"...4...3…"
Sanders just looked down at her keychains again, still unsure on what to do.
"...2...1...Go!"
Several of the competitors ran past the Host. Jo and Duncan took the lead quickly, with Samey trying to keep up with them. Jasmine followed, as did Gwen and Zoey. Noah had also started running, though he wasn't comfortable doing it. Everyone else had given chase too. Except for one. Chris watched the competitors move further and further away. He turned and was about to head back to the McPlane, when he stopped. He saw that one of the competitors hadn't bothered to move at all. Sanders just stood there, watching everyone take off into the distance. She looked down at her balled fists and wondered what her next decision should be. This was her chance to go home and see Macarthur again. She wanted to be with her partner again but...something didn't feel right.
Chris simply shrugged, and walked past her. Chef followed, leaving Sanders alone with her thoughts.
Jo and Duncan were in an intense fight to stay in first. Even though the race had just started, neither were giving anything less than their all. When it seemed like one had taken the lead, the other took it right back. Although she didn't have the same intensity as the two, Samey was still able to follow behind them.
Jasmine was keeping a steady pace. She knew that wasting her energy in the early part of the race wasn't a good idea. She watched Samey, Duncan and Jo move further away. She wanted to win, but also knew that the important thing was that she didn't come in last. She heard footsteps close behind her. She looked back, slightly confused. There was Noah, struggling to keep behind her. He had a pained expression and his breaths were already becoming heavy. Jasmine tried to ignore him and tried to pick up the pace. Much to her annoyance, Noah did the same and stayed right behind her. The Aussie groaned, realizing that he wasn't going to get away that easy.
Way up ahead, Courtney was still keeping a good pace. She figured the competitors had started, so knew she had to keep going. She was feeling a little tired, but wasn't about to let up. She looked ahead. She saw a small gap in the ground. It wasn't too deep, and it wasn't that large either. If she wanted to, she could jump over it and land on the other side. In fact, that's what she was going to do. Picking up speed, she sprinted towards the gap. Once she was in position, she jumped.
Jo and Duncan had not let up for a second. But they were feeling the effects of the heat. Jo was sweating in her black sweatshirt, while Duncan took a sip of his water bottle. The desert landscape had mostly been flat, with the exception of some small hills and gaps. They ran past an arrow that pointed towards a hill. It was small, but with all the running they were doing, Jo and Duncan found it slightly difficult. They struggled and faltered a little. Realizing it was going to be harder to get over, the two rivals slowed their pace down. They wouldn't admit it, but they were happy to catch their breath.
But it didn't last long. Both heard what sounded like feet running behind them. They were about to look around, when Samey appeared out of nowhere. She climbed the hill on her hands and feet and quickly passed the two. Jo and Duncan took a few moments to process what was happening. By the time they came to their senses, Samey was already at the top. More determined than ever, the Jockette and the Ex-Con climbed the hill. Once they got to the top, they could see that Samey wasn't too far and they sprinted after her.
Confessional (Jo): She slammed her fist down. "Who does that lame-brain cheerleader think she is? She is not better than me." She crossed her arms and darted her eyes back and forth, somewhat doubting what she was saying. "That was just...me...feeling sorry...for her...or whatever."
Confessional (Duncan): He also had his arms crossed, but wasn't mad. He was more annoyed than anything. "I know that no matter how hard I try to win this thing...somehow...Dawn is going to get there before anyone else does."
Static
Zoey had been running a steady pace. She wasn't in first, but she was more focused on not coming in last. As she continued, she noticed Jasmine up ahead. But she also noticed Noah, feebly running behind the Aussie. Zoey gave a confused look at this, and ran up next to the Brainiac. She could see the exhausted look on his face.
"Are you ok?" she asked, worriedly.
Noah looked at her and, still panting, nodded. "Oh...yeah. I'm...good."
Zoey wasn't buying it. "Are you sure?"
Noah laughed, through his painting. "No. Not...not in the slightest."
The Indie Chick gave a sympathetic look, but she was still confused. "Then...why don't you take a break? You're not in last, so you might still have a chance."
Noah didn't answer at first. Instead, he looked up at the Aussie, who was still running ahead of him. "I made a promise that I would...make amends...with Jasmine." He looked back at Zoey. "If...that means...torturing myself...then so be it." He pulled out his water bottle and took a sip of it. There was now very little left in it. Zoey felt a little bad for what Noah was putting himself through, but realized he wasn't going to be convinced. She decided not to bother anymore and ran ahead. Jasmine watched her pass by. She looked annoyed, but couldn't help but look back at Noah and just how hard he was struggling.
Back at the starting position, Sanders still hadn't moved. Chris and Chef were both gone, as was the McPlane. She kept looking at her two keychains. She wasn't personally attached to them or anything, but something bothered her about it. Macarthur would've loved one as a souvenir, but maybe not if Sanders got herself eliminated.
The Cadet sighed and looked again at the Bobcat one. She kept staring at it, holding up to her face. After a few more seconds, she put it in her pocket and gave a determined look. She put the other keychain in her pocket, as well. She then cracked her neck and readied herself.
She could hear Macarthur in her head. Come on, Sanders. You're not about to go home this early. I will never let you live this down if you do. Now tighten your glutes, bend your knees and make this race your b-
Sanders took off at an incredible pace. She was not going to go home that easily.
Later,
Amy hadn't seen many competitors on her run. Most of them had gone ahead, and the Twin hadn't seen anyone else in a while. She was slightly nervous because she knew she wasn't anywhere near first place. She also didn't know if the McLean invincibility statue would help her, since it was an automatic elimination challenge. Even if it did, she didn't want to use it when she had such a big target on her back. She was so deep in thought, she didn't hear someone running behind her. By the time she did, a flash of blue bolted past her. Amy barely had time to register what just happened. And by the time she did, the blue flash was gone. The Twin gulped.
Jasmine tried her best to concentrate on the challenge, but it was hard with all the heavy breathing going on behind her. She looked slightly back. The Brainiac was still running, but was absolutely drenched in sweat. He was slightly further behind than he was before, but didn't look like he was about to give in. Jasmine remembered what he said to Zoey. Though she was still mad at what the guy had done to her, she couldn't help but feel pity for what he was doing. She tried shaking it off, but to no avail.
She looked back at Noah and noticed something. "Hey, how is your bottle full again?"
Noah looked at his water bottle. Jasmine was right. The bottle was now filled to brim, despite it being almost empty a little while ago. He couldn't help but give a cheeky grin. "If I had to guess…" he panted. "...it's all the sweat coming off my body."
Jasmine cringed at the mention and looked away. "That is disgusting." She thought about saying more, but couldn't. She was still mad, but she felt conflicted. She knew that putting him through this pain wasn't the right thing to do, even if she wasn't responsible for it. She gave a heavy sigh. She stopped and turned around.
But when she turned around, she was surprised. Noah was no longer running. Instead, he was facedown in the sand, having dropped his sweat filled bottle. He was still breathing, but was far too exhausted to do anything else. Jasmine watched him, not sure what to do. She started to turn around, but stopped, then looked back at the passed out Brainiac.
Samey was holding her lead against Jo and Duncan. Despite their effort, the two rivals couldn't outrun the cheerleader. They were coming across two large rocks, with a small gap in between. There were two signs with arrows on them, pointing towards the gap. Samey slowed herself down once she got to the gap. It was a tight fit, but she was able to start maneuvering through. Duncan and Jo noticed the gap, as well and realized that only one of them could get into it. Reluctantly, Duncan eased back. Jo wasted no time and got to the gap before him. She turned to her side, and started shimmying through. Duncan followed close behind. They struggled at points, but were quickly able to get through. But when they reached the end, they stopped and gasped, as had Samey.
In front of them was a large field of cacti. The three competitors could not see past them. They looked to the side and noticed an arrow, pointing forwards. They realized the only way to get past this challenge was to keep moving forward, through the cacti.
Wanting to keep her lead, Samey got on her hands and knees and started crawling under the prickly plants. Jo and Duncan jumped at this, and did the same. For a bit, all three were able to avoid the pointy pins. But it wasn't to last. Jo ended up running up against some and causing her sweatshirt to tear slightly. She groaned, but kept moving. The same thing happened to Samey with her cheerleading outfit. She was annoyed, but kept moving on. Duncan wasn't as bothered by the needles, cutting into his tank top, so was able to move ahead. Soon, he took the lead and reached the end. He got up, dusted himself off and looked back. Jo and Samey were close, but not out of the cactus field yet. The Ex-Con smirked and started running again. Soon, the other two got out of the field and stood up. They saw Duncan gaining distance between them and gave chase. They had no way of knowing that another competitor had just arrived at the entrance to the challenge, and was already making their way through the cacti.
Gwen could see the two big rocks with the arrows on them. But her mind wasn't on the challenge. She was still thinking about Courtney and how the two were forced to separate. She figured she had already finished the challenge, or was at least, close to.
"Hey, Gwen."
The Goth broke out of her trance and turned. Zoey ran up next to her, keeping a pace. Gwen couldn't help but smile. "Hey, Zoey."
The Indie Chick returned the smile. "You ready to get this challenge over with?"
Gwen laughed. "Absolutely. Honestly, Loser Class is far better than running in the sun, like this." The two chuckled. But Zoey's faded and she looked unsure. Gwen noticed this. "What's up? Everything alright?"
Zoey wasn't sure how to respond, but she wasn't sure what else to say. Reluctantly, she looked at her friend. "Gwen...ummmm...I wanted to ask something…"
The two slowed their pace. "Ok...what's up?" Gwen asked curiously.
Again, Zoey took a few moments to think of what to say. "What...What do you think about...Duncan?"
Gwen went wide eyed. She wasn't expecting that kind of response. But her face changed to annoyance. That worried Zoey. Finally, Gwen sighed. "Look...Zoey. I have no idea why you want to know about me and Duncan and I don't really want to talk about him." She paused, looking the other way. "...and I don't really wanna talk to him either." She mumbled this, but Zoey still heard what she said. She gulped.
Confessional (Zoey): "That is not a good sign..." She said, worried.
Static
Jo and Samey were still trailing behind Duncan. They were able to catch up to him, but it wasn't enough. Duncan looked back at the two and grinned. But when he looked back forward, he thought he saw something. He squinted his eyes, but when he realized what it was, he went wide eyed. Like a car screeching his brakes, he desperately tried to stop himself. Jo and Samey noticed the same thing and slowed down. Duncan was getting closer and closer. But finally, he ended up falling onto his back, inches away from what he was trying to stop himself from.
A long, sandy, downward incline. Had Duncan not stopped himself in time, he would've fallen and rolled all the way down, crashing into the hard rocks at the bottom.
Jo and Samey didn't have as much of an issue stopping, but weren't sure what to do next. Duncan stood up and dusted himself off again. "Now what?"
Jo and Samey were catching their breath again. The Jockette was too tired to say anything and took a sip of her water bottle. Samey did the same. Although she wouldn't admit it, she was happy for the rest.
Confessional (Samey): She had a proud smile on her face. "I honestly can't believe how well I've done in this challenge so far. Especially going against Jo and Duncan." She thought to herself. "Maybe I am pretty good at this game."
Static.
Anyone of them might've thought of a way to get down the incline, when they heard something. It sounded like someone was panting, and running towards them. It got closer and closer. The three looked behind them and almost missed the flash of blue race past them. They looked forward, just in time, to see Sanders jump, high in the air. The other race watched in amazement, as she looked like she was about to take off, flying. But Sanders, of course, didn't and came back down, landing on the top part of the incline. She rolled forward when she hit the ground, and used her feet to slide down. Jo, Samey and Duncan were shocked, but the Ex-Con couldn't help but grin. Once Sanders reached the bottom, she jumped over the rocks and stopped. She caught her breath, almost surprised by what she just did. Smirking, she looked up at three she just passed, who were all still flabbergasted. She gave a playful salute and took off running.
Jo, Duncan and Samey were still frozen in surprise. Eventually though, Jo broke out of it and walked back.
"Well, if she can do it, so can I." she said, confidently. Duncan and Samey turned and watched Jo run towards the incline. She took a jump, just at the edge. Problem was, she jumped at a bad angle, and, despite her efforts, wasn't able to land at a good angle. Her feet weren't in a good landing position and she ended up, falling forward. This was followed by the Jockette rolling down. Duncan and Samey cringed, as Jo went all the way down, tossing sand everywhere. Luckily, when she reached the bottom, she had just missed the rocks and came to a complete stop, battered and groaning in pain.
Duncan and Samey looked at Jo, then at each other. After seeing what just happened, they figured it was a better idea to scale down the mountain, slowly and carefully. So they did just that.
Jasmine had just gotten back to moving, but she didn't look happy. It wasn't because of the heat and it wasn't because she was tired from running. She could still do the trek, but now had a...addition. She was carrying an exhausted Noah on her shoulders, in a fireman's carry.
Confessional (Jasmine): She crossed her arms, looking annoyed. "Well...I wasn't about to leave the guy in the middle of the desert. I'm not a monster." She didn't say anything and just sat in awkward silence, trying not to look at the camera.
Static.
She was able to get through the rock wall gap, but came across the next obstacle: The Cactus Field. She tried to look over it and could make out something moving on the other side. It was Gwen and Zoey, both of whom had just finished making it through. Jasmine sighed in annoyance and tried to think of a way to get through the cacti. With her carrying Noah, it was going to be a lot harder to get through. She thought about using the Brainiac as a shield to protect her from the needles, but quickly put the thought away. Then she got an idea and gently put Noah down to the ground, on his back. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small rope. She took a knee and tied her left ankle with Noah's left ankle. Now she could crawl under the pointy plants, while carrying Noah with her. She got onto her stomach and inched her way through, dragging the unconscious Brainiac behind her.
Chris and Chef were getting their tan on at the finish line. Two, very hot and very exhausted, interns were fanning the host. Chef was reading a magazine, when a black haired intern came up to him, with a glass of lemonade. Without breaking contact from his page, Chef grabbed the drink and took a sip.
Chris was feeling very relaxed in his setting, when he felt a hand poke him on the shoulder. Annoyed, he sat up and looked at the interrupting intern. The blonde haired boy pointed in another direction, and Chris looked. He was surprised by what he saw.
There was Sanders running at an incredible pace towards the finish line. Chris immediately realized what that meant and shoved the intern to the ground and ran towards the line.
"And the winner is…" He announced. Sanders pushed herself even harder. Even though no one was even close to her, she didn't slow down. "...Sanders!"
The Cadet slowed down once she crossed the finish line. She finally stopped, catching her breath. Chris walked up to her.
"I honestly didn't think you would finish this. Much less, come in first." He started, but then shrugged. "But, it doesn't really matter. Congrats, Sanders, you win the first merge challenge." The Cadet smiled, still breathing heavily. "That means you're traveling first class to our next destination...and you'll be allowed one guest to join you." Sanders thought about this, as Chris turned. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have so much needed tanning to get back to."
Sanders just stood, by herself, celebrating her big win. But then she remembered something. She reached into her pocket and pulled out something. She opened her palm and revealed it to be one of her keychains. More specifically, it was her Bobcat keychain.
Zoey and Gwen were now picking up the pace. Neither had said a word since Zoey mentioned the Goth's ex-boyfriend. The Indie Chick couldn't help but feel a little awkward because of it. Realizing that she made the mistake, she thought it was best to say something.
"Hey, Gwen?" She said awkwardly. Her Goth friend turned her head. To Zoey, she didn't look annoyed, so maybe it was a good sign. "I just wanted to ask, since I never got the chance,...how did you and Courtney… , y'know, become friends after the whole...list thing, back in All-Stars?"
Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Friends?" Then her eyes shot open. "Oh, yeah. Friends. We are friends." She chuckled nervously, much to Zoey's confusion. She might've asked about, but Gwen sighed. "She...She actually came to me about that. She apologized and we became...friends, again." She almost doubted what she was saying.
Zoey wanted to ask about it, but felt like that would be too much. They continued their running, without another word.
Confessional (Gwen): She sighed sadly. "I feel bad for leaving Zoey out of the loop like this, but...I'm not ready to tell anyone about...that yet."
Static
Back at the finish line, Sanders was still basking in her win. But, in the distance, she could see a cloud of dust coming towards her. She put her hand above her eyes and looked out. She almost thought it was a dust storm, but quickly realized it wasn't.
Duncan, Samey and, the recently recovered, Jo were all sprinting towards the finish line. No one wanted to let up. When it seemed like one was about to pass, the other two quickly caught up. Jo tried pushing Samey down, while Duncan tried ramming into the Jockette. When all three saw the finish line, they picked up the pace even more. Sanders moved out of the way to avoid getting trampled. As the three racers came nearer and nearer, the shoving and pushing increased, but no one was backing down. Once they were a foot away from the finish, they reached out to it. Samey was pushed down, with her hand crossing the line. At the same time, Duncan and Jo crossed. The Jockette immediately started jumping up and down, with her arms raised.
"First place, baby!" She cheered.
Duncan, out of breath, grabbed her shoulder and pulled her to face him. "What...are you...talking about?"
Jo smirked. "I totally crossed the finish line before either of you." She poked the Ex-Con's chest. "I'm the winner, which means you came in second. Or, in other words, the first loser."
The two were about to break out into an angry argument, but Chris spoke up. "Would you guys shut up?! I'm trying to get my tan going on here."
Duncan shoved Jo aside and walked up to Chris. "Who came in first?"
"Obviously, it was me." Jo bragged, following him.
"Actually it was neither of you."
The Jockette and the Ex-Con went wide eyed. "WHAT?!" They said at the same time.
Chris pointed at the winner, and the two turned. There was Sanders, with a wide grin on her face. She waved at the two. Jo looked gobsmacked, but Duncan was in shock. A small smile formed over his face. Jo looked back at the host. "Then, who came in second?"
Chris just shrugged. "I don't know. Wasn't really paying attention. Doesn't matter either way because all three of you are safe from elimination." He went back to tanning.
Jo was just left to wallow in her anger. Samey watched the whole thing, having picked herself up. While she was a little disappointed she didn't know the result, she was proud of herself for going head to head with both Jo and Duncan and almost beating them. She smiled to herself, but then realized something. She looked at Sanders, then to the rest of competitors.
"Where's Courtney?" She asked. Duncan, Jo and Sanders heard this, and looked around. None of them had seen Courtney the entire race. But if she wasn't at the finish...where was she?
Jasmine was able to get through the cactus field with little issues. She was back to carrying Noah over her shoulders. The Brainiac had been slowly regaining consciousness, but could do nothing but mumble, much to the Aussie's annoyance.
She arrived at the downward incline, and stopped at the edge. She sighed, not sure what she should do next.
"I...got this."
Suddenly, Jasmine felt Noah squirming off her shoulders. He got down and stood up, still dazed from the heat.
"What?" She asked him. "What are you talking about?"
Noah smirked at her, though he did not look like he was fully...there. "You've been helping me through this whole thing...and I…" He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "That's not how it's supposed to work. I...am the one who's trying to fix things between us. So I will do this next part...by myself." He started walking forward.
Jasmine looked at him, dumbfounded. "I don't think that's a good idea."
Like a drunk idiot, Noah scoffed. "I already made a promise, and I said that I would keep it. No matter whaaaaaa-" Had Noah been paying attention, or just not have absorbed so much sun rays, he would've noticed that he was walking right towards the hill. He had stepped right over the edge and started tumbling down it. Jasmine winced as the Braiciac, similar to Jo, started tossing up dust with each roll. He slammed his face against the sand several times. Miraculously, he found the gap between the rocks and came to a stop. He lay flat on his back, groaning in pain. Jasmine couldn't believe what she just saw and sighed. Carefully, she made her way down.
At the finish line, Zoey and Gwen had just made it. Both were happy enough, seeing they weren't the last people to show up. But Gwen noticed something. She looked around the other competitors, with a worried expression.
"Hey...Gwen?"
The Goth turned and came face to face with the last person she wanted to see. "What do you want, Duncan?" As soon as she made eye contact, she went back to looking around.
"I wanted...to see...if we could talk now?" The Ex-Con asked, nervously.
Gwen walked right past him. "I already said, I would tell you when I'm ready."
Duncan rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah...I know. Just...I want to know when you'll be ready."
Gwen grimaced and finally looked at her Ex. "Where's Courtney?"
Duncan was caught off guard by this. He struggled to find his voice. "I-I don't know. She wasn't here when I got here."
Gwen sighed in annoyance and walked away. Duncan was about to follow her, but Zoey put a hand on his shoulder and shook her head.
"I don't think now's a good time." She said, solemnly.
The Ex-Con wanted to protest, but realized it wouldn't do anything. He sighed, accepting it.
Noah was unceremoniously dropped onto the ground. A stream of water was poured over his face. He sputtered as he felt it. He opened his eyes and sat up. He looked up and saw Jasmine, with a now empty bottle of water in her hand. Then the Brainiac looked around, realizing he was at the finish area. He turned back and looked up at Jasmine. His memory was a little hazy, but he didn't think he had made it to the finish under his own power. When the Aussie started walking away, he got up and went to her.
"Hey, wait." He called.
Jasmine sighed and turned around. She looked annoyed.
"Why did you do that?" Noah asked, once he had reached her. "I thought you still hated me."
Jasmine crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "I do still hate you. But I wasn't about to stoop to your level and leave you behind. Don't think for a moment that this means anything." And she walked away.
Noah turned and watched her. He didn't think he was still done with Jasmine, but didn't entirely believe her.
Confessional (Noah): "She saved me…" He said as if he couldn't believe what he was saying. "She saved...me. That's gotta mean...something, right?"
Static.
As Noah thought to himself, Amy came sprinting across the finish line. She was exhausted. She had cactus pins in her hair, and rips in her cheerleading outfit. When Samey saw her, she couldn't help but laugh. Amy glared, but looked at the rest of the competitors.
"Wait...did I come in last?" She eyed everyone, who were also noticing how many people had finished. But the Twin noticed something else. "Wait...that weird girl isn't here." She grinned. "Ha, I'm not last."
"Actually" Chris spoke up and pointed. Some of the competitors dispersed, revealing Dawn to be sitting, in lotus position, on a rock.
Confessional (Duncan): He sat back, smirking. "Called it."
Static
Amy's face fell. "But…" Chris interjected again. "You are not last, and therefore not going home."
Amy blinked, almost not believing it. "I'm not?"
Chris smirked. "You are not." He turned to the rest of the competitors. "The winner of the first merge challenge is...Sanders." The Cadet was met with a few surprised looks and some smiles. Chris continued. "And unfortunately...the unlucky loser is...Courtney, for not showing up before everyone else. Or at all, for that matter."
The competitors looked around and realized that Chris was right. The CIT, despite having an advantage, was not there. Gwen looked around, more worried than she was before. "Where is she?" She panicked.
Chris just shrugged. "Don't know." He paused for a few seconds, then clapped his hands together. "Well everyone, time to get on the plane."
"What?!" Gwen walked up to the host, with a look of absolute shock and anger. "What are you talking about?" She pointed out into the desert. "Courtney's still out there. We need to go find her." She pointed at the host. "You're responsible for whatever happens to her."
Chris pushed her hand down. "Actually, I'm not." He snapped his fingers and a nearby intern handed him a stack of papers. Chris picked them up and started reading them. "The contract that you all agreed to states that I am not responsible for any competitors once they are eliminated." He handed the contract back to the intern and grinned at the Goth, then turned and walked away.
Gwen was seeing red. "No. This isn't right."
Duncan walked up behind her. "Gwen I-"
"I'm going after her." She shouted at Chris.
"Do that, and you'll be in violation of your contract." The Host shouted back. "But if it makes you feel any better, I'll call a rescue team to look for her once we're in the air."
Duncan took a step closer. "Gwen, I really want to-"
"Not now." Gwen waved him off. She was very upset. "They might not find her. We need to look for her now." She shouted, but Chris was out of earshot.
"Gwen, this isn't-"
The Goth turned around, eyes red and holding back tears. "Duncan! Shut it! This isn't about you. It's about Courtney. I said I would talk to you, when I'm ready." She wiped her eyes. "But you know what? I've made up my mind. There will never be an 'us' ever again, for as long as you and I live. So stop thinking about yourself for one GODDAMN second, and get the hell away from me." She angrily turned away, and, reluctantly, headed towards the plane. Duncan was left alone with his thoughts. Soon, he walked towards the plane as well.
Jasmine had just gotten back onto the plane, and took her seat on the loser class bench. She looked up to see Noah, who had taken the seat across from her. He had a bigger bottle of water in his hands, from having to deal with the heat. They shared a long awkward silence.
"I just wanted to say...thanks…" Noah finally broke the silence. "...Y'know...for saving me. I...I probably didn't deserve it, so...thanks, again." He gave a small smile.
Jasmine just scoffed and turned her head. Noah sighed, and took a seat. He noticed Jasmine was trying hard not to look at him, which made him think that she might not be as mad as she was before, but was too stubborn to admit it. This made him feel a little better.
Once Chris was certain all of the competitors were on the plane. He walked into the McPlane's cockpit. "Alright Chef." He said as he entered. "Let's get going. I got a call I need to make."
Chef gave a thumbs up and hit a few switches. The plane started making noises, and the engines started going. Suddenly, Chef noticed a red light going off, on one of the screens. This was followed by a loud sputtering sound. Chef opened the window and looked at the engine. One of them had jammed and was smoking. Chef was confused and sighed.
"What's going on? Why haven't we gone yet?" Chris reentered the cockpit.
Chef reached under, and pulled out a toolbox. "Something's wrong with one of the engines. I'll go take a look."
"Well make it quick." Chris ordered.
Chef scowled. "Don't tell me what to do."
The host glared at his co-host as left, then sighed and pressed a button to the intercom. "Alright, competitors." Said into it. "I need everyone to exit the plane. We've come across some...technical difficulties and won't be able to start."
The competitors were all sitting outside the plane, on some rocks. Zoey had been trying to comfort Gwen, who was still miserable. It was going to get dark soon, and everyone was hoping they could get back on the plane shortly. Chef had a ladder and his toolbox and was inspecting the busted engine.
But Sanders was the first to notice something. "Hey," she called to the rest of the competitors, who all turned to her, except Gwen. "Where's Duncan?"
The competitors looked around. Sanders was right. Duncan was nowhere to be seen.
"Maybe he's still on the plane." Samey pointed.
"I'm not sure," Zoey said. "I never saw him get back on." Then she thought of something. "Or off...for that matter."
Sanders thought about this, and looked out into the desert.
Courtney was miserable. It was finally revealed that she was in the same gap she tried to jump over. It wasn't very deep, but when the CIT tried to pull herself off, she winced in pain. She had successfully made the jump, but when she had landed, her ankle twisted and she fell back into the pit, hitting the back of her head, and knocking herself unconscious. Her ankle hurt a lot and she couldn't put pressure on it, without it hurting severely.
But her misery wasn't just from the pain. It was also from knowing she had lost the challenge, and she would probably be eliminated. Even if that wasn't the case, she probably wouldn't be able to compete in any other challenges.
They have to come back for me. She had said to herself, hours ago. She was now starting to doubt it.
She started to cry, realizing the fate she was left to. But her sniffling subsided once she heard footsteps. She wiped away her tears and sat up a little. "Hello?! I'm down here! I can't move my leg. I need medical attention!" The footsteps stopped for a second, before moving again. They sounded like they were getting closer. Courtney reverted back to her old self. "Well, it's about time. I have been waiting for hours. You really need to learn how to take care of your stars Chriiii…" She trailed off once she realized who had shown up. "Oh." she sounded disappointed.
"Happy to see you too, Princess." Duncan quipped, but he didn't laugh.
Courtney pouted and looked away. "What are you doing here? Come to rub it in?"
The Ex-Con jumped down into the gap, next to the injured Courtney. "Not today, Court." He bent over and reached his hands underneath her legs and back.
"What are you doing?" She shrieked. "Is this some sort of sick joke?"
Duncan groaned. "I have to get you out one way or another." He looked her dead in eye (which wasn't hard because they were face-to-face. "So do you want my help or not?"
Courtney looked surprised, but didn't say anything.
Duncan couldn't help but smirk. "Good." He started to pick her up and out of the gap. "I brought you something to read, to keep you entertained."
Courtney raised an eyebrow.
"That...Jerk Wad!"
"It's Chris, what did you expect?"
It was later, and Duncan and Courtney were heading back to the McPlane. To make things easier, Duncan carried her piggyback style. The Ex-Con had given her a copy of the contract that he had stolen before setting out.
"He said, in the contract, that he wasn't responsible for any eliminated competitors. I figured you could find a loophole, since you're so good at that."
Courtney looked excited. "Oh, you bet I am…" But then she paused and realized what she was doing. She was talking to Duncan. Not arguing. Not yelling. But, actually talking to him. She pouted again and mumbled. "Don't think this means anything."
Duncan sighed. "I thought you'd say that."
Courtney continued. "I still don't feel anything for you, so please don't bother trying."
"Gotcha." Came the quick response.
"Good." Courtney declared.
There was another long silence between the two. But, after a while, Duncan heard a sniff. He tried to look back, but knew what it was from. "I-I just never understood why you didn't even talk to me about breaking up…" Courtney choked. She sounded like she was about to cry.
Duncan gave a guilty look. "Yeah...that was kind of a jerk move." He took a deep breath and began. "I...just...after Action, I really started to think about the two of us. And I thought...Did I really want to spend most of my life with someone who wanted to change who I was. The clothes I wore, the way I talked...I just...I didn't want a contract to control our relationship." He paused. "But I guess I should've said something about it, instead of cheating on you."
Courtney didn't say anything. She actually thought about what Duncan had said. The more she thought about it, she realized that she was very controlling in the relationship. She was young and stubborn, and wanted things her way. But she now knew that it wasn't fair for others to just go with what she wanted.
She took a deep breath and sighed. "Duncan...I...I forgive you." The Ex-Con went wide eyed. He was not expecting this. He stopped in his tracks. Courtney went on. "I've been carrying this anger towards you for so long, and I'm sick of it. So...I'm no longer mad at you."
Duncan didn't move, and didn't say anything for a while. "How do you feel now?" He finally asked.
Courtney thought about it. "I guess...like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders." She smiled, satisfied.
Duncan didn't say anything again, but started walking again. Finally, he gave a cheeky grin. "Really? Cause it feels like a huge is on me. More specifically, my back." He cackled.
Courtney went wide eyed, and frowned, slapping him the back of the head. "That isn't funny, Duncan." But the Ex-Con kept laughing. But Courtney couldn't be mad for long. She eventually smiled and joined in the laughter.
Back at the McPlane, Chef had just found out the problem with the engine.
"What do you mean you found a rock in it? How does a rock get in the engine and mess everything up?" Chris complained. Chef just shrugged and tossed the rock to the side. Chris walked to the competitors. "Alright everyone, let's get this show back on the road...or the sky, rather."
The competitors started heading towards the plane, except Sanders.
"Wait a minute. You can't leave yet, Duncan's not back." She said.
Chris groaned. "Really? Fine. I'll give him five minutes. Then we're leaving."
Sanders looked worried, but Jasmine tapped her on the arm. "I don't think he'll need that much time." She said, pointing.
Sanders and Chris looked to where the Aussie was signaling, and their jaws dropped.
There was Duncan...carrying Courtney on his back. The rest of the competitors looked at it, and were equally shocked. But none were more shocked, and happy, than Gwen.
Duncan crossed the finish line, and looked at Chris.
"Found her," he said, bluntly.
Chris crossed his arms and shrugged. "Ok. Good for you. She's still eliminated. She can't get back on the plane."
Duncan grinned, and let Courtney take over. The CIT cleared her throat and began. "Chris. You are correct. The contract does state that, since I am eliminated, you are no longer responsible for my well-being." Chris stared smugly at her, but Courtney wasn't phased. "However, there is something on page 39, subsection D, that states, and I quote, 'If any competitor is injured physically, during the challenge, that competitor is automatically owed a trip to the nearest medical facility. Even if the competitor has been eliminated, as long as the injury happened before the elimination took place, the rule still applies." She turned the contract around, so Chris could read it.
The Host now looked worried and realized that Courtney was right. He looked back up at the two smug competitors, staring back at him.
Quickly, Chris dropped the contract and ran to Chef. "Chef, what are you waiting for? Call a hospital. Call an ambulance. Call something." The two ran off into the plane to do just that.
Courtney and Duncan laughed. The Ex-Con walked her to a nearby rock, so she could sit down. Jasmine and Sanders helped her off his back.
Once she was off, Duncan turned around and smiled at Courtney. She returned it, and gave him a 'thank you' hug. Once they released, Duncan stepped back. Gwen immediately pounced in, tears in her eyes, asking Courtney as many questions as she could. The Ex-Con watched from a distance. Though he would never say it out loud, he was happy with what he did. He suddenly felt something bump into him, from behind his back. He looked down and realized a pair of arms were hugging him. He instantly knew who it was.
"I am so proud of you." Zoey squealed. Duncan rolled his eyes, still with a smile. He then looked up and noticed Sanders looking at him. She was also smiling at him, and gave him a thumbs up. Duncan returned it with a nod. Zoey released and the two looked at each other.
"Yeah…" The Ex-Con rubbed the back of his head. "It felt nice…" He wasn't sure what else to say, but didn't have to. Duncan felt another pair of hands wrap around him in a hug.
This time...it was Gwen.
"Thank you...so much." She said, overwhelmed. Duncan was surprised, but quickly realized how great this felt. He looked over at Zoey, and silently, and excitedly, nodded for her to notice what was going on. The Indie Chick smirked. Gwen released him, wiped her eyes and looked at him. "I'm...sorry for what I said earlier. We made a deal that I would talk to you...and I will. I promise you it will be soon." She smiled and walked away, leaving Duncan, absolutely shocked. But in a good way.
Later, an ambulance had arrived, waiting to take Courtney to a hospital. Chris looked very worried as she was being put on the gurney. The competitors lined up to say their goodbyes.
"We'll miss you, Courtney." Zoey said
"Now the rest of us will actually have a chance at winning," Jasmine joked, winking.
"I'm pretty sure Macarthur is screaming at the TV, right about now." Sanders chuckled. Courtney, and everyone else, did the same.
Duncan watched from a distance. He was really happy with what he did.
At that moment, doctors were about to load the CIT into the vehicle. The Ex-Con watched as everyone dispersed from her. Except Gwen. She had one final goodbye.
Duncan smirked. All the big mistakes he made with trying to talk with Gwen were practically gone. Now he was owed a talk, and he knew he was going to-
At that moment, all the joy and hope was wiped away from Duncan, replaced with absolute shock and surprise.
There was Gwen, saying her final goodbye. With a kiss...on the lips...of Courtney.
Duncan looked on, mouth agape, as the doctors took the gurney away. Gwen and Courtney were holding hands, slowly releasing them, as Courtney was put into the ambulance, and driven away. That could only mean one thing. Gwen was already in a relationship...and it was with Courtney.
The Ex-Con...couldn't believe it.
Chris looked at him, and laughed. "Well...talk about a shocking ending. Will Duncan ever get over the fact that his two exes are smooching buddies? Find out on the-" At that moment, his phone started ringing. The Host picked it up and answered. "Yeah?...I'm kind of in the middle of a show...Wait, slow down." He started to look worried. "What do you mean: her lawyers contacted the studio?" He grabbed his hair. "Well...what should we do about it?" As the voice on the other end spoke, Chris' expression changed to disbelief. "Leave of Absence?!...I don't care if it's temporary, you're not replacing me, I'm irreplaceable." The next words made Chris snap. "No. NO! Not him, anyone but him. You are not replacing me with anyone, especially that two-bit has-been...I don't care, this is not up for debate, no one wants to see him instead of me…"
Chris walked off camera, still ranting over the phone. The camera turned over to the worried looking Chef. It took him a few moments to realize he was on. He stammered a response, and gave a nervous smile. "S-See you next time, on a brand new episode, which will definitely still feature Chris, of...Total...Drama...Legends!"
Eh...I'm a little mixed with how this whole chapter turned out. The first half, with everything before the challenge was great, but the second half, I'm not sure about. The challenge itself was fun to write, but I'm not certain how people will feel about how I handled Duncan and Courtney burying the hatchet. Speaking of, what did everyone think of the reveal with Gwen and Courtney? I know at least one person was able to figure it out, but I don't know who else did. The next chapter should have few surprises in it, so watch out. Let me know what you thought and as always: Peace be with ya.
Merge: Amy, Dawn, Duncan, Gwen, Jasmine, Jo, Noah, Samey, Sanders and Zoey
Placement:
22nd: Sierra
21st: Lightning
20th: Tyler
19th: Leshawna
18th: Mike
17th: Cody
16th: Heather
15th: Alejandro
14th: Owen
13th: Macarthur
12th: Scott
11th: Courtney
Placement:
1st: Sanders
Unofficially Tied for 2nd: Jo, Duncan and Samey
3rd: Gwen
4th: Zoey
5th: Jasmine
6th: Noah
7th: Amy
(?)th: Dawn
Last: Courtney