Alright, before we begin, I owe an explanation to y'all. It's been over a month since my last chapter. I'll keep the explanation short, I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter and I don't know why. The challenge especially was hard to write. I kinda had to push myself a little to get this one done. This does not mean I plan on stopping the series though. I'm here now, so I hope everyone enjoys this chapter, and leaves a review. Those really help keep me going.

Gman: Thank you. Glad you liked the twist from last chapter

KirbyStar: Thanks for the praise. To anyone reading this, go check out KirbyStar's new series: Total Drama Voyage on this site.

DSX62415: Yes, let's find out. And thank you.

DramaBuddy: Great prediction. I'm glad you liked the last chapter

MatiasND aka 'a: Very interesting prediction. Also, since it was never known when Dawn finished, her placement is that she didn't come in last.

Big Bobby: Glad you like the cast.

Infinity Wizard: Yeah, I was a little worried that it would seem rushed. Glad you liked the other stuff though.

Knifez: *fanboy screaming* Thank you, that really means a lot. You're a huge inspiration for how I write this series

Sirstupidity: Great to hear from you again.

A map, with a moving picture of a plane appeared on screen. This time, it was Chef who did the recap. "Uh...last time on Total Drama Legends. Boy, was it a scorcher. The competitors tested their strength in the unbearable heat. The Tall Girl had to do most of the challenge with the one guy she hated, on her back, while the two meatheads and the cheerleader chick raced each other to win. In the end, the Skinny Cop came from behind to win the challenge, while…" He coughed. "Courtney got sent home, due to...failing to complete the challenge before everyone else. And finally, the Troublemaking, Green-Haired, Ex-Convict had a front row ticket to see his two ex-girlfriends smooching. Talk about a slap in the face."

Chef was revealed to be piloting the plane, while holding a card in his other hand . His eyes kept darting from focusing on piloting, to reading off the card. "And...in case anyone's wondering...Chris has decided...to take a...extended vacation to...allow...someone else to take over his hosting duties." He put the card down, and looked at the camera. "And who will that be? It ain't me, so find out who, on today's episode of...Total...Drama...Legends!"

The plane was steadily flying through the clouds. The camera quickly cut to inside the First Class section, where the winner of the last challenge, Sanders, was talking with the person she had decided to take with her.

"So...that must have been tough for you." Sanders said, sympathetically.

Duncan rested his arms on his knees. He cast a very annoyed, but confused, expression. "The only reason I came back…"

"Aside from the stuff in your contract…" Sanders quickly added, which resulted in a scowl from the Ex-Con. "Sorry...go on."

"The plan was simple: come back, win Gwen back and...well, I guess I didn't think that far...but...it was supposed to be a happy ending."

Sanders cupped her chin, thinking. "Well, you still kinda got your happy ending. I mean, you eliminated the bad blood between you and Courtney, and got on Gwen's good side, that's gotta mean something."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Whatever." Then a thought crossed his mind. "Maybe the kiss didn't mean anything." Sanders raised a confused eyebrow, but Duncan continued. "Maybe it was just like a...way of saying goodbye."

Sanders gave a pitiful look. "I...don't think that's what people do."

The Ex-Con scoffed. "And how would you know?" He watched Sanders open her mouth to say something, but she closed it. That's when Duncan realized something. "You knew?"

Now Sanders just looked guilty. "Y-Yeah...kinda."

Duncan went wide eyed and stood up. "And you didn't think to…" He trailed off, realizing something else. "Wait a minute, how did you know? Did they tell you?"

The Cadet couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "No. It was...super obvious. I'm honestly surprised you didn't already know."

Duncan couldn't believe it. He looked like something had snapped inside his head, and he had no idea how to process this. Sanders looked worried, partly regretting her choice of words. After a few seconds, Duncan sighed sadly. Sanders watched as the Ex-Con slumped down into his seat. He looked miserable.

Sanders watched in silence. She felt bad for him, but didn't know what to do about it.

In the dusty dank confines of Loser Class, most of the competitors were asleep. Samey was laying on the long wooden bench, on her side. Though it wasn't comfortable, the Twin was still sleeping peacefully.

That was, until a hand reached for her shoulder and gave her a light shake. Samey was slightly bothered by it, but didn't wake up. The hand shook her again. Same result. This time, the hand gave the Twin a few light pats on her cheek. Samey stuttered, and opened her eyes. She sat up and yamwned. As her vision started to clear, Samey finally saw who it was that woke her up. She gasped.

"Leshawna?"

Samey's eyes were not playing tricks on her. There was the Sistah, herself, standing directly in front of her. Leshawna could see how surprised her friend was, and chuckled. "What's up, Girl?"

Samey's surprise changed to delight, and she threw herself onto her newly returned friend, hugging her neck. Leshawna was thrown back a few steps, but laughed.

"Someone's glad to see me." She joked.

The excited noise from Samey startled some of the other competitors awake. Gwen, Amy and Jo were all sitting on the opposite side. Gwen and Amy quickly noticed the returning competitor. One looked very happy to see Leshawna, while the other gulped and went pale.

Confessional (Amy): She had a fearful expression as she rubbed her arm. "W-Wasn't Leshawna eliminated already? Like...a long time ago." She stood in silence. Realizing the trouble she was in, the Twin gulped.

Static.

Finally, Samey and Leshawna separated. "How are you back?" Samey asked, still not believing it.

Leshawna walked over to Gwen. "Thank the producers. Apparently, the reason I got eliminated was because that crazy girl, Sierra, interfered." She gave a small hug to her longtime friend.

Samey gave a curious look, and pondered. "But I thought Sierra interfered in more than one challenge. So they only decided to bring you back?" She suddenly realized what she just said. "...no offense."

Leshawna, finishing her embrace with Gwen, turned to Samey and smirked. "None taken. And you're right...but you're also wrong."

She winked. Samey had no idea what that meant. But she was about to find out.

Zoey was sitting a few feet away from Gwen. She was glad that her friend looked happy, but something was bothering her.

Confessional (Zoey): "Don't get me wrong, I'm really happy Gwen found someone she likes, but...I'm not sure Duncan's gonna be too happy…" She pondered for a second, when someone knocked on the door to the confessional. Zoey turned to it. "Occupied." She called, then looked back at the camera. "I mean...to see both of his ex-girlfriends kiss like that...I hope he's taking it well." The knock was heard again. Zoey looked back at it, more annoyed. "Someone's in here." She said, slightly louder. She was about to speak again, when the knock sounded again, harder. Zoey couldn't take it anymore. She reached for the handle. "Alright, fine. If you want the confessional so much, here-"

She had just opened the door, and froze in her tracks. She could see who had knocked on the confessional door. She stood in stunned silence, for a few seconds, before jumping towards the figure. A thud was heard shortly after exiting.

Static.

"What? What are you doing here?" Zoey exclaimed, in both shock and excitement.

The mystery person laughed. "Missed me, I'm guessing." Mike grinned.

Zoey tried to say something, but she was too overwhelmed to speak. "I can't believe this." She was still laying on top of him, and unleashed a barrage of kisses on his face.

The other competitors watched and laughed. Gwen smiled for her friend, but she looked away and frowned. Zoey gave a quick glance up and noticed. Thinking of her friend's feelings, she got up. Mike followed suit, looking confused. Then he saw his girlfriend looking at Gwen.

"Is she alright?" He whispered.

"Courtney got eliminated, last challenge." Zoey whispered. Then she thought of something, and she looked back at Mike. "Did you not watch anything after you left?"

Mike shook his head. "Wasn't allowed to. Neither was Leshawna." He then looked at the rest of the competitors, and noticed something. "Was...Duncan eliminated?"

"No." Zoey said casually. "He's just up in first class."

Mike nodded, but couldn't help but look worried.

Confessional (Mike): He scratched his arm, uneasily. "Ok. I'm super happy to see Zoey again but…" He paused, and then sighed. "...I kinda wish Duncan was also gone. I trust my girlfriend, but I'm still not sure about Duncan."

Static

Noah watched all the excitement, from a distance. Samey was in the process of introducing Jasmine to Leshawna. The four were getting along well. Noah could hear them whispering, and giggling. He frowned.

Confessional (Noah): "I can only say 'sorry,' so many times before it just gets annoying...if it hasn't already." He put a finger to his chin, and pondered. "But maybe, hearing it from someone else might help."

Static.

Noah watched as Samey walked away from the trio. She was about to walk by the Brainiac, when he reached out and grabbed her wrist. Samey was surprised at being pulled away, and didn't have time to react. Noah quickly spoke first.

"I need your help." He said quietly, and glanced over to make sure Jasmine wasn't looking at him. Thankfully, she wasn't, so he went on. "I'm trying to make things up for Jasmine. I was wondering if you could talk to her."

Samey's face changed from surprise to bitterness. She glared at the Brainiac. "I don't think you deserve an apology." She said bluntly. Noah was taken aback. "I remember what you did to Jasmine. You threw her DVD into the fire, and made her cry."

Noah cringed. "I didn't mean to." He mumbled, under his breath. "But...yeah...I was a jerk back then." He paused, releasing his grip on the Twin's wrist. "But I really want to make things up to her. I know you guys are friends, and I...I feel bad for what I did." He looked down and sighed sadly.

Samey still looked bitter, but it softened. She noticed the unhappy look in the Brainaic's eyes. She took a deep breath and let it out. "Fine." She sounded somewhat annoyed. "I'll talk to her." Noah looked up at her, and gave a small smile. But Samey pointed at him before he could speak. "But I'm only doing this for Jasmine."

Noah was surprised by Samey's declaration. He watched her turn and walk away from him. Once the shock wore off, he let himself give a small, hopeful smile.

Back in first class, an uncomfortable looking Sanders was sitting on one of the recliner chairs.

Confessional (Sanders): She had her arms folded. "I'm….not jealous or anything...about Duncan still having an interest with Gwen, but...I still feel bad for him." She stood in silence for a few seconds before looking defensively at the camera. "I swear I'm not jealous."

Static

Sanders watched as Duncan miserably drank his soda, from the bar area. Suddenly, a thought struck her. She reached into her pocket and walked up.

"Hey, Duncan."

The Ex-Con barely gave a glance to the Cadet. But when he saw she was walking towards him, he groaned and sat upright.

"What do you want?" He didn't bother facing her.

Sanders was annoyed, but smirked. "I just wanted to give you this." She held out a closed fist.

Duncan rolled his eyes, and turned around. He looked down, dully, at the Cadet's balled fist. Slowly, she opened it. When Duncan saw what it was, his eyes opened up.

In Sanders' palm, was a keychain. More specifically, a keychain with an angry Bobcat on it. He looked back up at the smiling Cadet. She held up her Shark Cowboy Keychain.

"I won these, during the Airline challenge." She explained. "I was gonna give one to my partner, but I figured it would make more sense to give it to you...ya know?...You were a Bobcat, and I was a Shark Cowboy." She gave a light chuckle, followed by an awkward cough.

Duncan looked back down at the keychain. Sanders couldn't tell, but he looked like he was processing what to do next. To her surprise, Duncan took the keychain from her. They briefly touched hands, and Sanders found herself blushing a little. He held it up to his face for a few seconds, before putting it down at his side. He looked up at the Cadet.

"Thanks." He said dully, but with a small smile.

Sanders returned it, before walking back to her seat. When he thought Sanders couldn't see him, Duncan pulled out his new keychain and gave a slightly bigger smile. Sanders smirked, knowing exactly what was going on.

Suddenly, the intercom went off. Chef's voice followed shortly. "Competitors. We will be landing in a few minutes. Everyone sit your butts down, and get ready. Once we land, a few announcements will be made."

The intercom cut off, and Sanders and Duncan looked at eachother, both wondering what was in store for them.

The plane began descending. The area they were landing near, had a large field of grass, a few small hills and some stone walls. The camera quickly cut, and all the competitors were standing together in a grassy field. Duncan was the last to join them, squeezing in between Zoey and Leshawna. He glanced to his left, where Leshawna was, but didn't think much of it. He looked back forward before it suddenly clicked. He suspiciously glanced back at Leshawna, and leaned towards Zoey.

"Wasn't Leshawna eliminated already?" He whispered.

"Yeah." Zoey whispered back. "But the producers decided to bring her back."

Duncan nodded. "Oh yeah, that makes sense. Chris loves doing that. I'm surprised he only brought back one, though."

Zoey wasn't listening, and neither she nor Duncan had bothered to look at Mike, standing on Zoey's other side, giving a confused glare at the Ex-Con.

Chef walked up to the front of the competitors, with two interns in tow. Next to Chef was a tall purple present, nearly reaching Chef's height. He cleared his throat and read off a flashcard.

"Good...afternoon, competitors." His gaze kept switching between the competitors and the card. "Before we begin today's challenge...I would like to make a few announcements. First, you might have noticed that our host, Chris McLean, is not here today."

"Yeah, like any of us want to see that jerk." Gwen fumed.

Chef continued. "As of today, Chris will be taking…" He paused, and sniffled a little. "...an indefinite leave of absence." The competitors responded to this news with happy smiles. Chef looked at them, and grumbled to himself, before looking back at his note. "So...as they say, the show must go on, so we found someone" The two interns grabbed the ribbons attached to the side of the present. The competitors were curious. "So," Chef announced, putting the card away. "I present to you the new TEMP-O-RARY host," He raised a hand to the present. At that moment, the interns pulled on the ribbons, and the sides of the box fell over. As it fell apart, it was revealed to have a well dressed man. He was wearing a green overshirt, with a white undershirt to boot. He was also wearing dark blue jeans, and brown dress shoes. He also had light brown combed hair. Most of the competitors gave confused looks, but Noah and Sanders immediately recognized who it was. "Don!" Chef finally announced.

There was a short, awkward moment of silence. Another lone intern pulled on a small confetti cannon, sending a burst of confetti flying through the air. It did not change the mood, in the slightest.

Don's smile changed to a look of annoyance. He turned to Chef. "Really? I was expecting something a little bigger than that. Where's the cheering crowds and the dramatic theme music? You didn't even bother mentioning that I hosted the Ridonculous Race which, might I add, saved the ratings bomb that was your last season. If they were going to replace a hasbeen like Chris, they could've gone the extra mile and got me a new assistant." He was looking directly at Chef, smirking. "But if it means that I finally get to host this show, like I should have, then you'll have to do, I guess."

Chef's face went red with fury, but he held his tongue. The rest of the competitors were shocked.

Confessional (Gwen): She had an impressed smile on her face. "I like this guy."

Confessional (Noah): "Don just called Chris a 'hasbeen.' " He paused, mouth agape. "I think this might be my favorite season."

Confessional (Jasmine): "I know a little bit about this guy. He's basically just Chris, but less crazy." She then shrugged. "So, I'm not complaining."

Static.

Don looked back at the competitors, and rubbed his hands together. "Now while some of you might not know me, I definitely know who you all are." He glanced at Noah and Sanders, and winked. "Some more than others." The Cadet and the Brainiac responded with a light chuckle. Don continued. "So as of today, I will be your host. So I hope everyone has fun and plays nice, or whatever. Now, before I introduce the challenge, I must make a few announcements." He cleared his throat. "Now, as some of you may have noticed, we brought back two previously eliminated competitors: Leshawna and...Mike."

Zoey looked up and smiled at her boyfriend, who returned it. Duncan was surprised, finally noticing Mike was next to him.

"After being eliminated because of Feral Sierra, we thought it would be fair that they get a second chance."

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "But wasn't Tyler also eliminated because of Sierra."

"Yup," Don responded. He remained silent for a few more seconds. Gwen suddenly realized how awkward the whole situation was, and she decided not to say anything. Don went on. "Now...it's about time we introduce the challenge." He suddenly made a sharp turn, and looked directly at the camera. "Welcome to Turkey. More specifically, Western Turkey. And even more specifically, the original City of Troy. Back in the way, way old days, the Greeks snuck into the City of Troy, by hiding in a giant wooden horse. The battle was very significant in that it…"

As he went on, the rest of the competitors watched with curiosity and confusion.

"So...is he just gonna...talk to the camera...instead of us?" Duncan quizzed.

Sanders shrugged. "It's what he usually does."

"Honestly, it's better than having Chris explain it to us." Jo added "I came here to win, not for a history lesson." The rest of the competitors nodded.

Once Don finished, he turned back to the competitors. He pointed to the right. They all turned to see a fairly large wooden castle. Don explained. "Today's challenge will be similar to how the Greeks won in that famous battle." He then pointed in the other direction. Two interns were struggling to push a statue of a wooden horse, on wheels. The statue was about the same size as them. "The goal of this challenge is for your team to get that horse into the other team's castle. The other team will defend from the confines of the castle. You'll be using water balloons as weapons to prevent the other team from advancing into your territory."

"Water Balloons?" Jasmine asked, slightly dumbfounded.

"Sort of. You'll see." Don responded, and pulled out a small remote control device. "Anyways, once the horse pushing team gets their horse inside the castle, they'll use this device and push the horse's detonation button. If it goes off in the castle, the round will be over. In the second round, the teams will switch roles and the new horse pushing team will have to do the same thing. However, they will have a time limit. If they can't complete the challenge within the same amount of time the first team took, they'll lose the game and will have to decide who gets sent home."

The competitors nodded, except for Noah. "Wait a minute. Did you say 'teams?' I thought this was the merge, why are we going back to teams?"

Don grinned and pointed at the Brainiac. "Well, my well dressed friend, today's challenge will be a little different. We are still in the merge, but we're splitting the competitors into two teams of six for this challenge. Whoever completes it with the best time, wins. The winning team will not factor into the elimination ceremony." The competitors nodded again. Don clapped his hands together. "Now, enough rules. If I call your name, take a step forward." He eyes the competitors. "Jasmine...Duncan...Mike...Amy...Gwen and...Dawn. Step forward, you'll be the defending team for the first round. You'll also be designated as the Blue Team."

Jasmine frowned, and looked back at Samey. Both were upset about being on opposite teams again. Mike and Zoey gave similar expressions, especially because they were just reunited. Duncan also looked uncomfortable. But not from being separated from anyone.

"You ready for this?" Gwen smirked. She held out a fist for Duncan to bump. The Ex-Con looked at her awkwardly, and hesitantly returned it.

Confessional (Duncan): He sighed. "I never thought I'd say this but...I don't think I want to be on a team with Gwen right now."

Static.

As the announced team headed towards the castle, Don looked at the remaining competitors. "As for the rest of you...Noah...Leshawna...Zoey...Samey...Jo and Sanders, you six will have first go with the horse and will be known as the Red Team." He tossed the device towards them. Sanders caught it in her open palm. Samey watched the other team, and frowned. But when she saw Leshawna looking at her, she smiled slightly.

Don faced the camera, one more time. "Alright, let's get this challenge going. Be prepared...for battle."

The Blue Team had just entered the castle. If you could call it that. There wasn't much on the inside, aside from the four walls, a raised platform for the competitors to launch the water balloons and two ladders leading up to said platform. Duncan and Gwen headed up to the top, while the rest of the competitors looked at their "weapons."

Amy was still feeling nervous about her situation. She looked over at Jasmine and Dawn, who were strategizing.

Confessional (Amy): She slammed her hands against the table. "I...can't lose this challenge. If those freaks gang up, I'll have no choice but to use the statue. Then, Jo's gonna kill me if that happens." She groaned, hoping for a miracle.

Static.

Up at the top, Duncan and Gwen were looking at the water balloons. They were in large, blue plastic buckets. Gwen squeezed one.

"How are we supposed to win this challenge, if the only thing we can use to defend ourselves is water?" She said, jokingly. She didn't receive a response though. Confusingly, she turned to face the Ex-Con. Duncan wasn't looking at her. In fact, he was taking a surprising interest in the water balloons. Gwen looked confused. "Duncan, are you alright?" The Ex-Con still wasn't looking at her.

Confessional (Duncan): He uncomfortably crossed his arms. "Gwen...is talking to me." He took a moment to process that. "Two episodes ago, I would've been happy, but now...I don't know. I just don't know."

Static.

The Ex-Con coughed nervously. "Everything's good. But…" He finally stood up and faced his ex-girlfriend. Gwen could see the unsure look on his face. "...I wanted to ask you a question."

Now it was Gwen who looked unsure. "I don't know if this is a good time, Duncan." She looked out. She could see the other team, huddled in a circle. She turned back to the Ex-Con. "How about after today's challenge, we'll have that talk I promised? And if you still want to ask that question, you can then."

Duncan's stomach churned. He desperately wanted to say no, but he knew that would make things worse. "Fine." he said, quietly. He turned back to the water balloons. Gwen frowned.

Confessional (Gwen): "Duncan's probably gonna ask about me and Courtney…" She sighed. "I really hope that's not the case."

Static.

"Alright team, here's what we're going to do?" Jo started.

"Um, excuse me?" Leshawna interrupted. "Who died and made you leader?"

Jo scoffed. "The only chance we're gonna have to win is with my leadership." Jo got right in her face. "So do yourself a favor and listen to me, and you might last longer than you did when you were first eliminated."

Leshawna did not back down, and glared back at the Jockette. "That was not my fault, you loud mouth numb skull. I came back to win and ain't nobody going to tell me what I can and can't do."

Jo shoved the Sistah back. "If you want our team to lose, go right ahead. We'll send you, and your big butt, right out of this game, again."

Leshawna gasped. "Big butt?! Nuh-uh." She started raising the sleeve of her shirt.

A fight was about to break out between the two, but Samey, Zoey and Sanders held them back. Noah watched his team, and thought to himself.

Confessional (Noah): He cupped his hand under his chin. "Now that Jasmine and I are on opposite teams, maybe I can actually focus on the challenge this time." He grinned slightly. "I know it sounds bad, but...I still kinda like having teammates that aren't as smart as me."

Static.

"Alright everyone, shut it!" Noah yelled, stepping in front of the wooden horse. Jo, Leshawna and the rest of the team stopped what they were doing, and looked at the Brainiac. "We're not gonna get anywhere if we're at each other's throats. We don't have to like each other, but I know we all want to win, right?" Jo and Leshawna eyed each other and eased up. "So listen to me, because I'm about to bring our team to victory."

While everyone else seemed to agree, Samey glared at Noah.

Confessional (Samey): "I still don't trust Noah. Or like him." She looked annoyed for a few seconds, before letting out a sigh. "But maybe that isn't fair. He did say he wanted to make things up to Jasmine. But, either way, I guess it's a good idea to listen to him."

Static.

Noah went on. "There's six of us, so if we split up into groups, we'll have a better chance of both pushing forward and defending ourselves."

The rest of his team looked at each other, and nodded. They then turned back at the now grinning Brainiac. It was time to set the plan in motion.

Don stood in between the two teams. He looked from left to right. The Red Team was in formation. Don had supplied them with a few large shields. Noah was at the side of his wooden horse, with an arm over its big neck to stay upright. His teammates stood around him, ready for the challenge to begin. Jo and Leshawna were at the sides of the horse, ready to push it forward. Zoey, Sanders and Samey stood in front, carrying small shields around their arms.

On the castle side, Jasmine, Amy and Zoey stood at the front entrance, while Dawn, Duncan and Gwen were at the top. All six had water balloons ready.

The new host grinned. "Alright, everyone." He ran to a safe viewing point, next to Chef. "The challenge starts in 3...2...1...Go!" The Red team pushed the horse forward, while some members of the Blue team ran towards them.

"Chris does it better…" Chef mumbled.

Don turned, looked at his co-host, and gave him a curious look. "I think we need to up things a little for the next round." He pointed at Chef. "Go find a horn. I'm sure someone in the production truck has one." Chef's mouth went agape. He was about to say something, when Don gave him a stern glare and clapped his hands twice. "Chop, chop. Time is money."

All Chef was left to do was grumble and walk away.

The challenge began in hectic fashion. The Blue defending team went straight to tossing balloons from their castle. Noah watched the oncoming projectiles and warned his shield carriers to defend. The trio held the shield over themselves, and the balloons exploded on impact. Leshawna and Jo pushed forward, from the rear of the horse.

Jasmine frowned, and tossed another balloon. It went high. Noah watched it, but he didn't realize that the sun was in the way.

"Heads up." He called, ducking next to the horse. He heard the splash and felt the liquid hit his hands. Not wasting anytime, he stood back up. "Alright, now let's-" He stopped, realizing something. He looked at his hand. "I'm stuck."

The rest of his team looked at him. He was trying to remove his hand from the same spot he had put it earlier, and failing to do so.

Sanders stepped back, and tried to pry Noah's stuck hand. It wouldn't budge.

"The water balloons aren't actually water balloons. It's some sticky liquid." Sanders quickly put together.

"Yeah, thanks Einstein." Noah quipped, leading to quick glare from the Cadet. "Look...just keep moving, and don't worry about me. I'll get out of this." He then realized something and pointed at the ground. "Protect the wheels. If they realize what the balloons do, they're gonna try to slow us down."

Sanders nodded, and moved back to the front. She, Samey and Zoey all lowered their stances and blocked the wheels from the balloons.

Jasmine saw what they were doing. She had seen enough and ran to the middle of the castle. "Everyone. We need to get out there and stop them." She announced. "We're not gonna get anywhere if we stay here."

"What are we supposed to do?" Gwen called from above. "We only have water balloons to protect us."

Jasmine quickly explained what she found out about the balloons.

"Fine." Duncan jumped down. "Let's go." He had a dull, but stern, look on his face. He and Jasmine grabbed a handful of balloons and ran out. Mike watched them leave.

Confessional (Mike): He was scratching the back of his head. "So I'm...totally not skeptical, or anything, about Duncan and Zoey," The tone of his voice begged to differ. "I just wanted to help my teammates, and...make sure everything...is 100%...okay." He gave a nervous, unconvincing smile.

Static.

Mike shortly followed the two, taking a few balloons.

With the water balloon barrage suddenly slowing down, Noah quickly figured out why. He had also just gotten his hand detached from the horse.

"Heads up." He called, pointing. The rest of his team saw Duncan and Jasmine heading towards them. Quickly Sanders and Samey held up their shields, but Zoey struggled to pick hers up. Jasmine and Duncan tossed their balloons over them. Noah ducked, just avoiding one of them. They landed behind Jo and Leshawna, who watched them fly by. This distraction allowed Duncan and Jasmine to roll out of the way of the shielders and toss their balloons.

Duncan's balloon hit the horse and it splashed onto Leshawna's hands. She tried to pull them off, but now she was stuck. Jo laughed at her misfortune, until her forearm ended up getting stuck to the horse too.

Jasmine and Duncan quickly turned to the shield carriers. Jasmine tossed a balloon at Sanders. It exploded on the shield. Some liquid landed on Jasmine's vest, but did not affect her. Zoey had finally picked up her shield, but in the process of picking it up, the straps broke off. It landed on the ground, and Zoey was without any defense.

She looked up to see Duncan raising a balloon over his head. Instinctively, she covered herself with her hands. When she didn't feel anything, she looked up. Duncan still had the balloon over his head. But he was hesitating and had a nervous look. Unbeknownst to either of them, Mike had just arrived.

At that moment, Jo noticed an unpopped balloon, on the ground, by her feet. Seeing the stalled Ex-Con, she picked it up with her unstuck arm.

"Eat this, Jail Breath!" She threw it.

At that moment, Jasmine showed up behind Duncan and saw what was going on. "What are you-" She was cut off by Duncan getting smacked in the chest with Jo's balloon. The sudden impact caused Duncan to step back into the Aussie.

"Gah." He cried, dropping his other balloon in the process. But then he realized something else. His hand was now stuck to Jasmine's vest.

"Get off of me!" The Aussie shouted.

"I can't, genius. I'm stuck." Duncan grunted

Jasmine tried to throw her other balloon, but Duncan moved slightly, causing her to trip and drop the balloon, splashing herself again and making the two even more stuck. Now their shins were stuck together and they struggled to move.

"We're gonna have to go back." Jasmine said.

"Fine." Duncan agreed, annoyed. "Let's-"

The two had just taken a step back...right into Mike. Jasmine and Duncan immediately lost balance, and toppled forward, bringing Mike with them. As Mike fell, he dropped the two balloons he was carrying and it splashed onto the three.

Now all three of them were stuck to each other and on the ground. "Ma...Mike!? What are you doing here!?" Duncan shouted.

Mike stammered. "I was...following you guys. Wanted to see if you needed any help."

"Some help this is." Jasmine grumbled.

Noah and the rest of his team had recovered and pushed their way past the two. Noah cast an uncomfortable look as he saw Jasmine. Zoey did the same.

Confessional (Zoey): She had a guilty expression, and rubbed the back of her head. "I know it's a challenge, but I felt bad for leaving Duncan like that." She paused, before realizing something. "A-And Mike." She sighed. "I'm still not used to him being back."

Static.

Amy, Gwen and Dawn watched what was going on. Now half of their team was, at the moment, out of the game. And the Trojan Horse was nearing their castle.

Amy couldn't help but quietly chuckle at what was going on. Gwen realized the issue they were facing. The horse was no about thirty feet from the castle. It wasn't moving too fast, but they were closing in. She quickly came up with a plan.

"Our best chance is to aim for the wheels. We can slow them down, until the rest of our team shows up. But we need to take out the shields first." She immediately went and grabbed one of the remaining balloons from the bucket. She looked at Amy. "You ready?"

Amy took a few moments to answer, but nodded. Gwen looked back at Dawn. "What about you?"

But Dawn didn't look as ready. In fact, she looked defiant. "I will not participate in this barbaric representation of animal cruelty."

Gwen was gobsmacked. "What? It's a horse made of wood."

"It's still a creature. Whether it's made of wood or not, it still has the face of a loving and peaceful creature. Therefore, I can not find it in myself to attack it."

Gwen was completely dumbfounded by Dawn's logic, but knew she didn't have time to think about it. She and Amy both worked to stop the oncoming Red Team.

Jo and Leshawna were still pushing their horse. Because they had been doing it for a while, it was starting to get strenuous. Suddenly, as they were still pushing, they bumped into something. The two looked up and saw Samey, blocking their path.

"Get out of the way, Blondie!" Jo shouted.

"What's up, Hun?" Leshawna asked, much more caring.

Samey looked back. "My feet are stuck. They threw the balloons on the ground and I walked onto them."

Noah frowned. Zoey still had a broken shield, and Sanders wasn't going to do enough on her own. To top it off, they would waste significant time trying to get around Samey. He had to think quickly.

"Sanders," he called. The cadet turned around slightly, still trying to dodge the balloons at the same time. "Protect Samey. Once she gets unstuck, we can get moving again."

"But won't they just do the same thing again?" Jo called.

"Leave that to me." Noah grinned.

Sanders crouched in front of the Twin, blocking her feet from the balloons. After about another minute, Samey felt her feet become unglued. Now it was time for Noah to set his plan into motion.

"Zoey, give me your shield." He pointed at the Indie Chick, who handed him the strapless shield. Then he turned his attention to Sanders and Samey. "Spread out and block any balloons, but also watch out for the ones that land on the ground." The two nodded, as Noah looked back at Jo and Leshawna. "You two, push forward, and whatever you do, don't stop."

"And what exactly are you gonna do?" Jo asked, skeptical.

Noah then ducked and shimmied his way onto the board, underneath the horse, that was attached to the wheels. "I'm gonna protect the wheels."

Jo and Leshawna weren't sure, but they agreed. They both nodded to each other and pushed as hard as they could

Gwen could see what was going on and realized that they were in trouble. Not only was Dawn refusing to play, but Amy was a terrible shot with her balloons. Duncan, Jasmine and Mike were still stuck. And even if they weren't, they had no balloons with them.

Noah was still holding his shield over the front wheels, meaning she couldn't directly hit them. She tried throwing another balloon at the ground in front of him, but either Sanders or Samey would show up and block the balloons before they hit the ground. With Amy also still being no help, Gwen was running out of options. She could see Mike, Jasmine and Duncan heading back, but they wouldn't make it in time.

She looked down at her dismal amount of balloons and sighed. She knew they were about to lose.

With a few strenuous pushes, Jo and Leshawna reached the entrance to the castle and pushed the horse in. As it went inside, they ran back the other way. Sanders caught up and pulled out the trigger device.

Duncan, Mike and Jasmine arrived, just in time to see what would happen. The Cadet grinned and pushed the button. Seconds later, a thought struck her. "Wait, did we forget something?" She looked back at the horse, and gulped.

Noah, who was still under the horse, heard a click. He looked up and saw the horse's wooden pieces falling off, revealing a metal interior, encasing a bomb shaped object. It had a timer on it, which was counting down.

5...4...3…

Noah's eyes went wide and his irises shrunk, as he realized the trouble he was in. Thinking quickly, he used his shield to cover the back of his head.

2...1…

From faraway, a GIANT explosion of pink shot high into the sky was seen. It could be seen for miles, and the noise was deafening, even from so far away. Gwen, Dawn and Amy, had to hold onto the castle walls so they wouldn't be swept away. Their other teammates and the enemy team also struggled to stand up straight against the explosion's winds.

After about a minute, the dust settled. The castle was revealed to still be standing, but the inside was covered in pink paint. Some parts of the outside had blobs of pink too.

Don, who had been watching from a safe distance, had a wide grin plastered on his face. "That...was...awesome!" He laughed, while Chef stared at the explosion. Jo, Zoey, Samey and Leshawna had recovered enough to share a celebratory high five. Sanders watched on, looking unsurely at the castle. Don walked up to them. "Congratulations, Red Team. You played hard and you ended the challenge with an impressive time." He looked over to Jasmine, Mike and Duncan. "Your team is gonna have to try and beat the Red Team's time of twenty-one minutes and thirty seconds." The three looked unsure, but Jasmine spoke up.

"We've got this." She said confidently. Mike and Duncan didn't share her enthusiasm.

At that moment, a groaning sound was heard from the castle. Don and the rest of the competitors turned towards it. Noah was just walking out of the entrance, albeit, very dazed and with Gwen by his side, helping him stand up right. His hair was in a mess and his entire backside, from neck to heel was covered in bright pink paint.

Don cringed at the sight. "You alright, Noah?"

"Well," Noah started, shouting. "Aside from the ringing in my ears, and the fact that I'm covered in paint, I'm good."

"Go get him cleaned up. We'll need some time to set everything up again." Don pointed to a mobile trailer. He then turned to a chubby intern. "Get me a cut of that explosion from the studio. Just tell the editor to cut off a clip of it, I'm sure we can use it in a promo for something."

Though his hearing hadn't fully returned, Noah suddenly stopped, catching Gwen off guard. The Brainiac then turned to the new host. "Wait. We have an editing studio here? With, like, footage from the past episodes?"

Don nodded. "We've got a whole setup on the plane. Makes it a lot easier to edit everything together."

Noah didn't respond, but something was definitely going on inside his head. He and Gwen turned and walked away.

Duncan was lamenting his pitiful performance.

Confessional (Duncan): He gave a heavy sigh. "I don't know what's wrong with me." He paused, thinking over his words, before sighing again. "Ok, I do know what's wrong, and it's...it's gotten in my head."

Static.

The Ex-Con stood by himself, until Zoey walked up to him. "How ya feeling?" She asked, carefully.

Duncan didn't answer at first, before groaning. "I've been better. The whole thing with Gwen has really gotten me stressed out."

Zoey gave a look of pity, before changing it to a sad smile. "Well...in any case...good luck in the next round."

Duncan eyed her, but didn't say anything. He just nodded and walked away. Zoey watched him leave, unaware of someone standing behind her.

"Hey...Zoey?"

The Indie Chick turned, then smiled. "Hey, Mike."

Her boyfriend gave a smile, but a very nervous one. "So...what have you been doing...since I left?"

Zoey shrugged. "Not much. I won a few times, lost a few. Thankfully, no one's tried to eliminate me. Oh, and I've been hanging out with Dawn and Duncan."

Mike's face cringed at that last part. "You and...Duncan?"

"And Dawn." Zoey finished, unaware of Mike's discomfort. An awkward silence fell between the two. Zoey finally noticed Mike's expression and frowned. "Mike, are you alright?"

Immediately, Mike started awkwardly coughing. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Really glad to be back. Good luck in the next part of the challenge" He looked up and walked away to his team. Zoey watched him, concerned how he was acting.

Confessional (Mike): He looked uncomfortable as he faced the camera. "Am I going crazy, again? I must be. No way those two are…" He trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence. He sighed. "Now I know how Zoey felt when I was Vito." He blinked, realizing what he just said. "Not that...I think Duncan's...Vito."

Static.

After another ten minutes, the second was about to start. Jasmine and her team were ready with the horse, while Noah, who had gotten himself clean of the paint, and his team waited in the castle. Don looked between the two teams, then looked at Chef.

"You got the horn?" He asked, with a sly smile. Chef rolled his eyes, but held up a long stadium horn. Don then stepped forward and looked at the Blue Team . "Remember," he announced. "You have twenty-one minutes and thirty seconds to get your horse in the castle and blow it up."

The team nodded, though some didn't look very excited. Don stepped back next to Chef. "The challenge will begin when Chef blows the horn. Which will happen in 5...4...3...2...1..."

Chef raised his horn and blew into it.

Confessional (Chef): "I can't believe they replaced Chris with some new chump that isn't even half as good as him." He crossed his arms and looked away from the camera, and sniffed.

Static.

The Blue Team didn't have as much of a plan, but did the best they could. Duncan, Jasmine and Mike were at the back, pushing the horse, while Dawn, Amy and Gwen were at the front lines with the shields. They slowly start pushing forward.

"How are we doing?" Jasmine called.

"They're...not doing anything." Came Gwen's voice.

Jasmine stopped and looked up. Gwen was right. The Red Team was all standing at the top level of the castle. They didn't have any water balloons in hand. Jasmine's eyes landed on Noah, and she narrowed them.

"Alright," She started pushing the horse harder. "If they want to give us the win, let's take it." Duncan and Mike weren't sure if that was a good idea, but didn't say anything. They kept pushing along, skeptical of the lack of any defense on the Red Team's part.

But after a few more feet, Noah gave a thumbs up. Jasmine saw and, before she had time to register what it meant, they were met with a shower of balloons. None of them landed on them, instead they splashed in the pathway leading to the castle.

Gwen and Dawn stood in front of the horse, so they didn't get hit by the backsplash. Amy was more focused on avoiding the sticky liquid herself. Jasmine saw this.

"Amy, focus on defending the rest of us." She shouted.

The Twin looked at Jasmine, with a look of disgust. "Do you really think I'm worried about that?" She stopped and pointed upward. "If any of those balloons hit me, I'll-" At that moment, a balloon splash over Amy's head, showering her with the clear liquid. Amy's eyes went wide, and she froze. Her team watched, surprised she wasn't freaking out. After a few seconds, Amy let out a blood curdling scream. She looked up to her sister, laughing at her. She watched her high-five Leshawna, who had a wide grin. Amy's look of disgust turned to an angry glare.

Confessional (Amy): She looked coldly at the camera. "Alright. No way is my lame excuse for a sister getting away with that." She put her hand up to her chain and her expression relaxed. "She's gonna learn what I'm capable of."

Static

"We need a way to get through the balloons." Jasmine declared

"Why don't we just do the same thing the other team did?" Mike noted. "Have someone protect the wheels, while the rest of us push?"

Jasmine wasn't sure. The balloons were still coming down, though not as much as earlier. But even if the liquid dried up, there wouldn't be much time left. She then looked up at the other team. She could see Noah, standing in the middle of his team. Her face soured and she looked back. "They'll be expecting that. We need to do something different."

"Well if you got any bright ideas, now's the time." Duncan grunted

Jasmine still wasn't sure what to do. But then a thought struck her. She looked back up at Noah, and the oncoming balloons. She gave a thoughtful expression, then made her decision. Without a word, she walked away from Mike and Duncan. The two eyed her.

"What are you…" Duncan started, but trailed off.

Gwen was still working to protect the team from any backsplash. Jasmine walked up next to her. "Go help the guys. I have an idea." She said plainly.

Gwen was confused, but didn't say anything. As she walked back, she kept looking back at the Aussie. Jasmine took a deep breath and stepped in front of the horse.

Noah had been watching what was happening, curious what Jasmine was planning. But as soon as she stepped in front of the horse, Noah figured it out. He stretched his hand out. "Stop." He called to his team.

Leshawna, Sanders, Samey and Zoey all stopped suddenly, curious what was going on. But Jo was still focused on the challenge. She chucked a balloon at Jasmine. It splashed by her foot, but didn't directly hit her. Noah quickly walked up to her. "Hey." He raised his voice. "I said to stop."

Jo looked at him, confused. "Why?"

Noah looked back down at Jasmine, then back to Jo. "We're trying to stop them from advancing. Hitting Jasmine head on does nothing for us."

Jo just scoffed, and raised her arm, with a balloon in hand. "Yeah right. Let's test that theory." She was about to throw the balloon, but Noah got to it first. He slapped the balloon...a little too hard. The impact caused the balloon to explode in Jo's hand. And with Noah's hand also coming in contact with the liquid and Jo's hand, it only meant one thing. Their hands were stuck

"You idiot." Jo shouted. "You're gonna make us lose."

"You didn't need to throw it at her." Noah said, defiant.

Jo just looked at the Brainiac, with a look of both surprise and annoyance. "Fine," she declared. "But if this costs us the game…" She pointed at him, with her free hand. "...you're going home."

Noah stayed headstrong, but when he looked back down at Jasmine, he looked very uncomfortable. The rest of his team watched on, unsure what to do.

Jasmine was still looking up. She had seen everything that had just happened.

Confessional (Jasmine): She stood slack jawed in the confessional. "I...I-I was not expecting that to actually work." She paused, deep in thought. "Maybe...maybe I was wrong…" Immediately she shook her head. "No...no I wasn't wrong at all. No way he would do that, unless he had an ulterior motive." Despite her statement, she still sounded like she was doubting herself.

Static.

Jasmine looked back at her team. "Alright, let's move on." Her voice didn't sound very confident. She started walking forward.

Mike and Duncan looked at each other and shrugged. They started to push the horse forward, but Gwen stood in place, mouth agape.

"What?!" She shrieked at Jasmine. "This is how you want to win this?" The Aussie Native glanced back, now looking more guilty. Gwen's face soured and she grunted. "Whatever, but I'm NOT happy about this." She helped the guys push, still angry.

Jasmine looked back, trying to repress her guilt. Amy and Dawn walked next to the horse, equally confused what was going on. Jasmine tilted her head up, and saw Noah. He had a very uncomfortable expression on his face. Jasmine thought again for a few moments. She looked at the castle entrance. They were only about twenty feet away from it, and since no one was firing down at them, it could be an easy victory. But seeing Noah's face made Jasmine's stomach churn. Why? She thought. He had done nothing but ridicule her, since the game began. She deserved this, if anything. But...he was trying to be a better person...wasn't he?

Jasmine looked up one more time. Guilt had been creeping up on her, as she walked. Finally it was becoming too much and she stopped. Mike, Duncan and Gwen all saw her, and they too stopped the horse. Noah and his team watched on too. Noah was especially taking interest.

With her head down, Jasmine turned and walked to the end of the horse. "Go back to defending," She said to Gwen, still not looking up. "I'll take care of this."

Gwen was surprised, but did as she said. Though she was still angry. Jasmine sighed and looked at Mike and Duncan. "I might have an idea, but I'm not sure how well it will work."

After a few minutes Jasmine had her plan set up. She, as well as Mike, Duncan and Gwen all had picked up the wooden horse from the bottom and were carrying it like a couch. Amy and Dawn, with their shields, stood by their side.

"Remember," Jasmine said to the two. "If one of us gets stuck, one of you needs to take over and keep us moving." She nodded at Dawn, then glared at Amy. The Twin didn't think it was a good plan, but didn't want to lose, so didn't say anything. Jasmine looked back at her carriers. "Alright, let's do this."

The four started moving forward. The horse was heavy, but with all four of them, it wasn't as bulky. Noah, who had just come unstuck from Jo, told his team to throw the balloons again. He was planning on hitting the ground again to stop them from advancing. But this time, the Blue team watched carefully. If a balloon was coming towards them, Dawn or Amy (mostly Dawn) would run in front and block the balloon. At one point, Mike's foot got stuck from a balloon and they were forced to stop. .

"Dawn," Jasmine called. "Take over for Mike." The MoonChild nodded and helped carry the horse. It was heavy for her, but she still managed. They left Mike behind, with Dawn's shield. Amy was left to defend from the balloons by herself. She was barely managing, but was able to block a few of them.

Noah watched the Blue Team get closer and closer. He didn't know how much time was left. Jo watched, next to him.

"What are we supposed to do?" She grumbled. "We only have so many balloons left."

Noah thought for a second. Then an idea struck him. "It doesn't matter if they get the horse in the castle. As long as they don't hit the detonation button."

Jo grinned at the idea. Noah went over to tell the rest of his team.

Jasmine and her team had picked up the pace and were getting closer. Mike had just gotten unstuck, and had taken over carrying the horse again. They were nearly there, when Jasmine realized something. "Why aren't they throwing any balloons?"

Her teammates saw this too. Their opponents were still visible, but no one was doing anything. Jasmine looked concerned, but Duncan cut her off.

"Who cares? Let's get this thing inside."

Jasmine still wasn't sure, but decided to go with it. They sped up towards the castle. Jo stood, waiting with a balloon in hand. Once they reached the entrance, the Blue Team dropped the horse and gave it one final push into it. They then took off in the other direction. Jo aimed her balloon. Once they were a few feet away, Jasmine reached into her pocket and pulled out the detonation button. She flipped over the cover, and was just about to push the button when a balloon knocked the device out of her hand and exploded. Thankfully, the button didn't activate when it hit the ground. Jasmine looked back to see Zoey, Sanders, Samey and Leshawna, heading their way, all with balloons. They started tossing them at the other team. Jasmine tried hitting the button, but it wouldn't budge. Dawn noticed this and blocked the balloons with her shield. Duncan noticed the same thing, and yanked the other shield out of Amy's hands. The Red Team kept moving forward, while the Ex-Con and the Moon Child blocked the projectiles.

Jasmine tried pushing the button again, but it was still stuck. She decided it was best to wait for a few seconds and try again. Duncan and Dawn were doing a good job protecting her, but she didn't know if it was enough.

"Push the button already." Amy called to her. But the Aussie ignored her. A balloon got past Duncan and Dawn and nearly hit Jasmine. She tried again to push the button. This time she felt less resistance. With a deep breath, she raised her fist and slammed it on the button.

Noah and Jo watched from their castle, when they heard a click. The two looked back and saw the horse's wooden frame coming apart. They immediately figured out what was going to happen, and gulped. Jo grabbed Noah and put him in front of her. The Brainac tried to get out of her grasp, but knew it was pointless. He could see the timer going down.

"Not again," He cried, shutting his eyes.

Similar to last time, there was a giant earth shattering explosion. The only difference, this time, was that the explosion was blue. All of the other competitors tried to keep themselves upright from the winds. But after a while, everything calmed down. No one knew what to say, until Don walked up.

"And with that, the challenge is finished." He paused for dramatic effect, letting the competitors wait for his next announcement. "And the winning team is…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

...The Blue Team!"

Jasmine and the rest of her team cheered. They all high-fived each other, while the Red Team members watched on, slightly disappointed. Zoey gave a thumbs-up, though. Mike noticed it, and smiled. Duncan also saw it, and gave a thumbs-up himself. Mike looked at him, and frowned slightly.

Don wasn't finished talking though. He raised his hand, silencing the cheers. "Yes, the Blue Team wins the challenge...if the challenge had ended four seconds ago." He turned to the aforementioned Blue Team. "You guys just missed the deadline and because of that...The Red Team wins the challenge."

The four members of the Red Team cheered. Samey and Leshawna high-fived and hugged, while Zoey smiled at the two. Sanders also smiled and high-fived Leshawna.

The Blue Team was left in shock. Don walked up to them. "Blue team, sorry for your loss. But you know what this means?" He pointed at them. "I'll see all six of you at tonight's elimination ceremony." With that, he turned and strode away.

While the team disappointingly walked away, Amy waited behind. She knew Jasmine and Dawn were going to vote for her. Then she would have to use the statue, which she didn't want to do just yet. She had to think of something.

"So we need your help voting for Amy. So can you vote with us tonight?"

Back on the Loser Class, Jasmine had just finished explaining her plan to Duncan. She needed the other vote to make sure Amy was going home.

Duncan didn't seem that interested, but shrugged. "Sure, whatever."

The Aussie smiled and turned to walk away. But when she did, she came face-to-face with Noah. Like last time, his entire front was covered in paint. He didn't look very comfortable. He hadn't even noticed Jasmine as he walked by. The Aussie watched him, still feeling guilty over what she did. Once Noah had entered the first class section, Jasmine turned and walked the other way. Duncan was now by himself.

But not for long.

"Hey…"

The Ex-Con turned to see Gwen coming up to him. He knew what was coming, and cringed at the thought. The Goth Chick walked right up to him.

"So...I figured you wanted to have that talk now." She sighed. "So whatever you want to say-"

"How long have you and Courtney been dating?" Came the blunt reply.

Gwen was caught off guard by the sudden question. Duncan hadn't wasted a single moment to ask. She sighed again, and sat down. "A few months after All-Stars, Courtney wanted to apologize for...betraying me. We met up and…" She paused, giving a small smile. Duncan noticed and sat down, turning his head away from her. Gwen went on. "Well, one thing led to another and...we started dating, and...I've been really happy."

"I'm glad." Duncan responded, though quietly.

Gwen noticed the expression on her Ex-Boyfriend's face and frowned. "Is...Is that all you wanted to say?"

A long silence followed. Finally Duncan gave his answer. "Yeah." He responded.

Gwen was surprised by how quickly the whole talk lasted. She stood up, but still faced him. "Duncan, I know this probably isn't how you wanted to see me again, but I don't want to sugar coat anything for you. Courtney and I didn't want to associate ourselves with any boys, considering what happened to us in the last seasons...so I can't really talk to you for the rest of the game." she paused, taking note of Duncan's downcast expression. "I'm sorry."

Duncan still hadn't looked at Gwen. He just kept staring at the metal floor. "It's fine." He mumbled.

Gwen wasn't sure what else to say, or do. So she decided to leave. Once she was out of sight, The Ex-Con leaned back, and cupped his face with his hands, and let out a long heavy sigh. He didn't know what to do. But his mope session was quickly interrupted.

"Hey, Duncan."

The Ex-Con looked to see Mike standing by his side, with an awkward smile. "I-I wanted to talk to you about something."

Duncan turned his head back. "I'm not in the mood."

Mike was surprised, but stood firm. "No, I really need to talk to you about this.

Duncan leaned upright and looked at his teammate, with a cold stare. Mike was taken aback. Duncan might've said something, but both of them were interrupted by the presence of someone else.

"I think you're gonna want to hear what I have to say."

Mike and Duncan turned to see Amy, who had a smug grin plastered on her face. The Ex-Con didn't look impressed. "And could that possibly be?"

Amy didn't say anything at first, she just kept grinning. "I have an offer to make."

Later, it was time for the elimination ceremony. The six Blue Team members all sat on the bleachers. No one looked too happy, especially Duncan and Mike, the former of whom looked very guilty. Jasmine grinned at the Twin. Amy was not phased though. Don stood in front, with a plate of barf bags. He looked excited.

"Alright, first elimination ceremony. Gotta make this good." He noticed all the faces in front of him, and frowned. "You guys could at least try to look happy for me." He quickly went back to jovial. "You're are all familiar with the rules, so I won't bother. Let's see who's going home." He picked up a barf bag with one hand and tossed them to the first competitors. "Duncan, Mike, Gwen. All three of you are safe." Gwen and Mike easily caught their bags, but Duncan just let his fall to the floor. He hadn't even bothered to pick his head up. Don continued, looking at the remaining competitors. "Jasmine, Dawn and Amy. You three all received at least one vote. One of you is going home."

The Aussie was surprised that someone voted for her, and looked back. She noticed the bitter expression from Gwen that was coming her way and immediately turned away. Don pointed at her. "Jasmine, I see you looking worried, and advice that you don't...because you're safe." He tossed the bag over to her. Jasmine caught it, and though she was relieved to be safe, she still felt guilty. Don turned to the remaining two: Dawn and Amy. Amy's unphased stare had turned into a look of slight discomfort, while Dawn kept her usual blank stare.

"With only one bag remaining," Don announced. "The person going home today is…"

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…Dawn."

This announcement was met with immediate shock from Jasmine and the MoonChild. They both watched as Amy caught the bag, her smug grin having returned.

The Aussie looked at the host. "How is this possible?" She asked.

Don shrugged. "Hey, the votes don't lie."

Dawn was still surprised over the announcement. She looked back at Duncan and Mike. The latter looked very guilty, but Dawn noticed Duncan looking at her. As soon as the two made eye contact, the Ex-Con quickly glanced back down at the ground. Despite her shock, Dawn didn't look angry. She did however glare at Amy, who was proudly eating her reward.

Without another word, Dawn stood up, grabbed her parachute, walked to the exit, gave one last look at her ex-teammates and jumped out the waiting door. The awkward silence that followed, once Don closed the door, was deafening. No one knew what to say.

Finally, Don cleared his throat and looked at the camera. "Well...talk about drama. We've got two returning competitors, as well as a plethora of others, all fighting for the opportunity at five million dollars. Everyone's putting on their game faces. Don't blink or you might miss the action. But it all goes on," The camera quickly zoomed in on Don's face. "With me." He flashed his traditional smile, before the camera zoomed back out. "We'll see you next time on a brand new episode of...Total...Drama...Legends...Nailed it!"

Later, Don was heading towards his private room, which was originally meant for Chris. The mere thought of that, made Don giddy. But his walk was interrupted.

"Don!"

The new host turned to see Noah coming up to him.

"Noah" Don greeted. "What can I do for you?"

The Brainiac didn't give an answer at first, like he was processing what to say next. Finally he took a deep breath. "I know this might seem a little weird to do but...I wanted to ask you for a favor."

Oh, boy. I stayed up 'till 4am to get this chapter done and I hope that doesn't show. I'm happy with how this chapter turned out, but I'm also really tired. Oh and some people were right about Dawn going next. She doesn't have much else going on, unlike everyone else. Speaking of, who do you think is going next? Also, let me know what you think about Leshawna and Mike being back. That's all I got for now.

Peace be with ya.

Merge: Amy, Duncan, Gwen, Jasmine, Jo, Leshawna, Mike, Noah, Samey, Sanders and Zoey

Blue Team: Jasmine, Duncan, Gwen, Mike, Amy and Dawn

Red Team: Samey, Leshawna, Noah, Zoey, Jo and Sanders

Placement:

22nd: Sierra

21st: Lightning

20th: Tyler

19th: Cody

18th: Heather

17th: Alejandro

16th: Owen

15th: Macarthur

14th: Scott

13th: Courtney

12th: Dawn

Votes:

Dawn: Duncan, Mike, Amy

Amy: Dawn, Jasmine

Jasmine: Gwen