As you've probably figured out from the title, this is going to be a two part chapter. Sorry for the long wait, by the way. This took me a long time to get through. Thank you for your patience. As of writing this, I'm still not entirely finished with the second half, but there's not much left. I try to limit my chapters to being, at most, 12k words. Right now I'm at 13k and, like I said, I still have more to get through. Regardless, I hope you enjoy and leave a review.

404: Yeah, I figured you'd be surprised with the last chapter's elimination.

WhattheHeck23: Strange was kinda what I was aiming for. You may or may not get a few surprises leading to the finale.

Kirbystar: Sanders and Mike were easily my favorite characters to write, last chapter. I felt I could get away with a lot when writing their crazy characters.

Knifez: Thank you so much for all the reviews. I really appreciated them all. For everyone else, please go check out Total Drama Generations. It's an amazing series.

Matias: Interesting idea…

Deadakus: Thank you for your reviews too. I understand your dislike for Scott's elimination. It is a little forced, but it's what I already had planned. Again, you make a fair point.

The camera opened to a shot of Kichi Island. "Last time on Total Drama Island," Chris announced from the dock. "The final eight were introduced to the ultimate twist. From that point on, every challenge would be an automatic elimination, and the moment anyone lost, that would be it for them. So for the first auto elimination challenge, we decided to make things easy." He paused, before chuckling. "Just kidding. Honestly, what show do you think this is? The competitors took part in our method acting challenge, where they spent the entire day as different people. Honestly they did pretty good. Mike made a convincing mad scientist and Sanders…" There was an awkward pause. "...she did good too." He feebly mumbled. "Anyways, Gwen was the first to break, which meant it was curtains for her. But she didn't go down for just any reason. She helped Duncan finally open his eyes to his true love...Sanders."

The camera flashed to Chris standing on the dock, scratching the back of his head. "I still can't believe that's an actual thing. I mean, how is a cop allowed to date an ex-convict." He shook his head. "Whatever. I don't think it's gonna last anyway. What new challenge do we have in store for our final seven? Well, I can assure you that these competitors will be moving so much, you'll start seeing double. Get ready for another exciting episode of Total...Drama...Legends!"

Zoey, Duncan and Sanders were all sitting on the L couch in the McLean beach house. Since there were only seven competitors left, Chris has decided to let them use the place as a sleeping/hang out area. Zoey was sitting a few cushions away, while the Ex-Con and the Cadet sat next to each other. Notably, the two were holding hands.

Zoey noticed this, and looked at Duncan. "Is this why you were acting so moody during brunch?"

Duncan looked a little uncomfortable and rubbed the back of his head, with his free hand. "Uh...yeah, kinda. I'm sorry for that, by the way.."

Sanders wasn't really paying attention. She was staring at her and Duncan's interlocked hands, and smiling.

Confessional (Sanders): She still looked giddy. "So apparently holding hands is considered 'taking it slow.' If that's the case, I am not complaining in the slightest."

Static

Zoey waved her hand. "Don't worry about it. It's all good. Honestly, you guys make a cute couple..." Her smile fell to a frown after she said that.

Sanders and Duncan noticed this, and exchanged looks. "So, what are you gonna do about Mike?" Sanders finally said. "If you don't mind me asking."

Zoey gave a long sigh. "I'm not sure. I know he'd feel terrible if we broke up, but...I'm still kinda hurt over what he did."

Duncan raised an eyebrow. "Kinda? What does that mean?"

Sanders elbowed him, and gave him a disapproving shake of the head. She turned back to Zoey. "Zoey, I wish I knew what the right decision is, but...I don't know what to tell you. I just hope whatever you do, you'll have at least put some thought into it."

The Indie Chick didn't immediately answer, she just stared at the ground. Duncan and Sanders weren't sure what to say, and the whole situation felt a little awkward. Zoey suddenly snapped back and stood up. "I'm sorry." she said abruptly. "I don't mean to ruin the mood." She started to walk towards the door. "I'll leave you guys alone."

"No, that's fine." Sanders stood up, taking Duncan with her. "We'll just go for a walk. You can stay here if you want." They headed towards the door.

"Yeah…" Duncan mumbled, unsure. "We'll see you later."

Zoey gave a brave smile, as the couple walked out. Once they were out of sight, she sat down and cupped her hands under her chin, and thought to herself.

Meanwhile, Jo was jogging along the beach. She looked focused.

Confessional (Jo): "After the whole auto elimination thing was announced, I realized something." She paused, and put her hand to her head. "I'm pretty much by myself. Cop Lover and his girlfriend are now together, Little Miss Niceness and Zero Personality Mike are…ok, I'm not entirely sure what's going on with them, but they're probably gonna realize that their lives are twice as boring without each other." She cringed. "And then, of course, there's the Wonder Twins." She groaned, before putting on a stern face. "Before anything else, I want to get rid of those two." She pointed aggressively to the camera. ButI'm going to prove to all these weaklings, why I'm the best. If anyone thinks they can get in my way, I'm gonna mess them up so badly, they're gonna-" A fly suddenly flew into the Jockette's mouth. She hacked and coughed, as she clutched her throat. Eventually she was able to spit it out. It lay on the ground, covered in saliva. Jo glared down at it. "You little creep! How dare you interrupt my motivating speech!" She raised her arm and jumped, landing an elbow drop on the poor defenseless creature.

Static.

Just outside the Beach House, Mike was sitting on a stump. Or rather, he was in lotus position, eyes closed and meditating.

Confessional (Mike): "Sometime after my first season, Dawn suggested I take up meditation to keep my multiple personalities in check. It actually kinda helped, and...I still do it from time to time." He gave an uncomfortable look, and he scratched the back of his head. "I usually do it when I'm worried if my personalities might take over again. With the possibility of Zoey leaving me, I... " He sniffed. "I'm gonna have to work extra hard, in case they come back."

Static.

Amy and Samey were together in one of the doubles, in the beach house. Amy was relaxing on her bed, while her sister sat on the edge of her bed, staring out the window. She sighed.

Confessional (Samey): "Don't get me wrong, it's awesome that I finally have a nice sister again, but…" She rubbed her arm. "I'm still a little bummed that I never got to say goodbye to Gwen. I know we weren't close, but she was still nice to me…" She thought for a moment. "But, maybe Amy's right. We're so close to the finale...now's probably not the time to get sentimental."

Static.

Samey continued looking outside the window.

"You alright?"

Samey looked back, noticing her sister sitting up on the bed. She thought for a moment about telling Amy how she was feeling, but she also knew it probably wouldn't help anything.

"Do you still miss Gwen?" Amy asked.

Samey felt her mouth open, but nothing came out. She was still getting used to her sister acting like a...well, a sister. She regained her composure, and looked up. Judging by Amy's tone and her concerned expression, Samey figured she actually meant it. She thought for a few more seconds, before admitting how she felt.

Amy sighed, but gave a small smile. "I'm sorry you didn't get the chance. I didn't know you were close." She walked up and put a comforting arm on her sister's shoulder. "But if we don't focus on the challenges, we'll end up in the same place as Gwen. On the elimination list." Samey picked her head up, and the two sisters locked eyes. Amy went on. "We're gonna do this, and we're gonna do this together." She grinned.

Samey was still deep in thought, and she looked down. Eventually though she met her sister's gaze and smiled. "You're right. We need to look out for each other."

Amy stepped back, and held up her hand for a high five. Samey's doubts were quickly put aside, as she happily returned it.

Duncan and Sanders, still holding hands, had decided to take their walk along the beach. Since the Island was surrounded by sand, they had plenty of ground to cover. For the most part, it was quiet. Duncan was still thinking about Zoey, and Sanders knew it. As selfish as it seemed, she wanted to change the subject. She coughed into her fist, forcefully. That did the trick. Duncan snapped out of his trance and looked at his girlfriend.

"Sorry," He said. "Did you want to say something?"

Sanders smiled warmly. "Not really, I just wanted to bring you back to reality…" She pondered, before her face fell slightly. "Is that a mean thing to say? We can talk about Mike and Zoey, if you want."

Duncan thought for a moment. "No it's...it's fine. You're my girlfriend and...I shouldn't be all moopy around you."

Sanders' face lit up when he said this.

Confessional (Sanders): "Is it weird that, now that I have a boyfriend, I feel the sudden urge to squeal like an excited child?" She stared off camera for a few seconds, and shrugged. "Ah, what the heck." With that said, she balled up her fists, held them up and squee'd as if she was Katie and/or Sadie.

Static

"Ok, I got something. I wanted to ask this ever since I first met you," Duncan began. "How does some as...sane as you, end up working with someone like...what was her name?"

"Macarthur."

"Yeah, her. Why would you ever want to partner up with someone as crazy as that?"

Sanders chuckled, and looked forward. "I've always wondered that too. Macarthur's crazy, reckless and...a little psychotic when she wants to be." She paused, as Duncan sniggered lightly. "But at the academy, no matter where I went, I found her and...I never really questioned it. She's my best friend. Maybe I just like being with someone that I always have to keep an eye on."

Duncan thought about that for a moment. Then his eyes suddenly shot open. "That...explains a lot actually." The two shared a look, until laughing again.

"Alright," Sanders said, still giggling. "My turn." She calmed down, and looked at the Ex-Con. "You mentioned Macarthur. One of her favorite things in season one was the Bro Squad."

Duncan looked at her weirdly. "The...Bro Squad?"

"Yeah...that's what she called you, Geoff and DJ." She paused. "Whatever happened to that?"

The Ex-Con didn't answer immediately. In fact, he looked like he was lost in thought again. Eventually, a small smile crept onto his face. "Oh man. Those were good times…" His smile turned to a slight frown. "I haven't talked to either of them in a while..." He glanced over at Sanders, who gave him a sympathetic look. Suddenly, Duncan felt his mood change. He couldn't explain it, but having a girlfriend that listened to him (and vice versa) was an amazing feeling. He broke into a light chuckle. "Honestly, I kinda wonder what my parents think of me dating a cop. Probably a great improvement over my last two...endeavours." Both shared in the laughter for a bit, until Duncan looked at her. "What about your folks? What do they think of you going out with an ex-convict?"

"I don't think my Dad would care that much." Sanders shrugged. "He's never been very judgemental."

Duncan looked curious. "What about your mom?"

"Oh, I don't have a mom."

Duncan was about to respond, but was too caught off guard by what Sanders said. Especially with how casual she sounded. "So…" He said awkwardly. "Do you have a...second dad?"

Sanders shook her head. "Nope. It's just me and him. Never knew my Mom."

The Ex-Con's mouth still hung. Eventually he stammered a response. "Oh...I'm...I'm sorry to hear that."

Sanders suddenly realized just how uncomfortable Duncan looked. "Oh, sorry. I'm used to telling people about that and I...I sometimes forget about how it makes others feel."

Duncan was still a little weirded out, but nodded. "It's fine. I get it...kinda."

The two continued walking, but in silence. However it was the Cadet that spoke first. "You know," She said. "For starting things small, that was...a pretty big step."

Duncan turned to her. Eventually, he shrugged and smiled. "Well...you're a pretty easy person to share things with."

Sanders blushed and was about to say something else, when she saw someon coming towards them. Duncan noticed it too and, immediately, his jovial mood was soured.

"What's up, Cop & Robber?!" Jo laughed, as she skidded to a stop, in front of them.

Duncan and Sanders rolled their eyes. "What do you want, Jo?" Duncan asked bluntly.

The Jockette began stretching. She was still heavily breathing from her jog, and sweating. "I had an idea...and I think it might guarantee we make into the final five." Jo's words definitely got their attention, so she continued. "If all three of us work together, we can gang up on the Twins. They're in an alliance now, and almost got me booted off during the method acting challenge."

Jo's mentioning of the Twins reminded Duncan of his hatred of Amy. He grimaced to himself, so Sanders spoke first. "I don't think that's a good idea, Jo. We can't vote anymore because of the auto eliminations."

"I know," Jo countered. "But we can still get them kicked off."

Duncan snapped back to reality, once he noticed an opportunity to tease. "Wow, Jo." He grinned. "I didn't think Blonde Cheerleaders would be your biggest weakness. Honestly, I thought it would take more to get you to sweat. I guess not."

Sanders guffawed with laughter, as did Duncan. Jo's confident smirk slowly fell to a dull glare. Confessional (Duncan): "As much as I would love to see Amy get kicked off this game, no way am I trusting Jo to help me do it. I'm the last original competitor here, and I'm gonna prove to everyone why I'm the best."

Static

Sanders and Duncan continued chuckling, until they all heard the sound of an intercom, followed by Chris' voice.

Amy and Samey had just exited the Beach House, when they heard the intercom.

"Attention, competitors," Chris' voice echoed. The Twins stopped and listened. "I would like everyone to head to the north side of the Island, on the beach. Once you get there, you'll see a finish line. Cross it, as soon as you can." He paused. "Last one to arrive...is out." The intercom cut off.

The Sisters went wide eyed and looked at each other. They were both thinking the same thing. Whoever comes in last...will be eliminated.

"Let's go." Amy ran past her sister. But before she could run off, Samey grabbed her wrist and stopped her. Amy felt the snag and turned around. "Why-"

"North is this way." Samey pointed in the opposite direction.

Amy stared blankly forward. Eventually though, she looked at Samey. "Alright, I trust you. Hopefully, we get there before Jo."

The two ran off, into the woods. As soon as they were out of sight, Mike appeared from behind one of the walls. He was about to head into the woods, when he heard a door open and close. A few seconds later, Zoey appeared from the other side of the house. She didn't see Mike, at first, until she turned her head. It was an awkward moment, as neither of them knew what to say.

Zoey eventually took a step towards him. "Mike…"

The Spikey Haired competitor gulped.

Confessional (Mike): "I need to give Zoey her space." He awkwardly stared at the camera. "Or, at least, that's what I keep telling myself. It's not like I'm trying to avoid her because she wants to break things off with me, and if I keep my distance from her, she'll never be able to say it and I'll convince myself that we're still to...gether…" He trailed off, realizing how crazy he was sounding.

Static.

Before Zoey could start, Mike suddenly bolted into the woods. Zoey was surprised and gave chase, still calling after him.

Duncan, Jo and Sanders were frantically running through the trees. They had all heard the announcement, and knew they had to hurry. Since Chris said that the finish line was on the north side, it took them a few minutes to realize what side of the island they were on. After some quick deductions from looking at the sun, they figured where the finish line was. It was on the other side of the island.

Sanders and Duncan were running side by side, while Jo was trailing behind by a few feet.

"So who's faster between you and Macarthur?" Duncan asked

"You might be surprised," Sanders responded. "With a little motivation, Macarthur can catch someone up to thirty feet away."

"What's her definition of motivation?"

"Usually if someone insults me or her. One time, a guy said she was lame, while he was in his car. She chased him down...while he was still driving." She chuckled. "That guy nearly got a heart attack when the cop he had called 'fat' appeared next to him, nearly four blocks away."

Duncan had to laugh at that, as did Sanders. Jo, on the other hand, was annoyed.

Confessional (Jo): "Are they...are they ignoring me? Nobody ignores me." She sulked to herself. "I should be the most feared competitor here. My only competition is two stickin' cheerleaders, a criminal that's gone soft, his girlfriend cop, a paranoid guy who's probably gonna be single soon and his soon to be ex-girlfriend, Pork Fried Nice! I will not let them ignore me."

Static.

Jo opened her mouth to speak, but she was cut off.

"So, if you're such a good cop, do you think you can outrun a criminal like me?" Duncan playfully grinned.

Sanders narrowed her eyes and looked forward. "Why don't we find out?"

Before Jo could say anything, Sanders and Duncan picked up their pace. Within moments, distance was being created between the couple and Jo. The Jockette panicked and started to run faster.

Amy and Samey saw a clearing among the trees and ran to it. They arrived on the beach and quickly looked around. Samey pointed. "There's the finish line."

Amy turned and could see that her sister was right. "Looks like we're the first ones here." She added. Samey smirked and the two high-fived. Since it was just them, they had slowed their pace down as they walked towards the finish line. Behind it, there was an elevated stage, with three tall poles at the front of it. There were also several wooden planks, in the shape of a square, on the sand.

Chris and Chef were waiting. "And it looks like The Wonder Twins are the first to arrive...and they're in no hurry to finish." He looked annoyed. "Come on, guys, pick up the pace!"

Amy and Samey ignored him and continued their lackadaisical walk. Chris grumbled, as Chef chuckled.

Just before she could cross, Samey stepped to the side and let her sister cross. Amy was surprised, but didn't argue. She was the first to cross the line. Her sister followed shortly.

Chris pointed to the side. "You two wait over there, until everyone else shows up."

The Twins grinned confidently as they walked off.

A few minutes later, Mike suddenly appeared out from the woods. He was panting from the amount of running he had to do. He saw the finish line and started to head towards it.

"Mike!" came a voice from somewhere behind him.

The Spikey Haired competitor went wide eyed, and immediately bolted towards the finish line. Zoey ran out of the forest, a second later. She saw Mike and sprinted after him. "Mike, wait."

Mike didn't slow down, and he went over the line. He was still running even after crossing.

Chef had to step in front, and put his hands up. "Woah, woah, woah." Mike suddenly realized what he was doing, and he tried to stop himself. He did, but only by tripping himself up. He fell, face first, into the sand.

"Mike, I need to-" Zoey had just ran up. She saw Mike laying face down in the sand, and gasped. "Mike, are you alright?"

Mike picked his head up and spat out some sand. He stood up and dusted himself off. Suddenly, he realized who was talking to him and froze. Zoey looked at him. He wasn't facing her and it didn't seem like he was about to turn around. Her face fell once she realized what he was doing. Still upset, she walked off without a word. Mike was thankful she couldn't see his face, but still felt awful.

Jo was still trailing behind Duncan and Sanders. The three were still in the forest but, with how much they had been running, they were getting closer towards the beach. The Jockette was worried. She remembered what Chris had said, Last one to arrive...is out. The words echoed in her head. She had already assumed that most of the other competitors had made it to the beach.

I can't come in last. She thought Otherwise, I'll be eliminated. She looked up at the bantering couple. How are these two lovebirds faster than me? I mean, she's a cop and he's a delinquent. They're probably used to running. She found herself laughing at this.

"What's so funny, Jo?" Duncan glanced back. "Finally realizing that your days here are numbered?"

"Or minutes?" Sanders added. Both laughed.

Jo grimaced. She looked down, seeing a fallen tree branch. A devilish grin materialized on her face. She had an idea. Still running, she leaned down and picked it up. Then she continued after the other two competitors.

The four waiting competitors were sitting in the wooden boxed area. Chris and Chef were standing on the stage. The Host tapped his foot impatiently.

"Where are those guys?" He turned to Chef. "You'd think a cop, an ex-convict and Jo would be here sooner."

Chef shrugged and the two waited in silence. After a few more minutes, they could hear the pounding of footsteps coming towards them. Duncan and Sanders appeared first, from between two trees. Jo showed up, a second later. She still had her branch in hand. The other competitors stood up, wanting to see what would happen.

Duncan and Sanders, still running, turned to each other. A playful grin appeared on Sanders' face as she ran faster. Duncan returned it and did the same. Jo was behind them, and was about to put her plan into action. She ran faster than she did before, enough where she was only a few feet away from Sanders. She held the branch in front of her, with both hands, and tossed it forward. It hit the back of one of Sanders' legs.

"What the-" Sanders felt the branch. The impact was sudden, and she didn't have time to stop herself. Her other leg kicked the branch, and it tripped her up. She fell forward and landed face first into the sand. Duncan heard her fall, and turned. When he saw his girlfriend face down on sand, he stopped and went to her. Jo, on the other hand, kept running towards the finish line.

"Oh, yeah! Who's the best!?" She shouted, as she crossed it. The other competitors rolled their eyes, or glared disapprovingly.

Duncan was more concerned with checking on Sanders' wellbeing. He knelt over and put a hand to her shoulder. "Are you ok?"

Sanders' head lifted up and she spat out some sand. "PTUI! I'm...PTUI...I'm fine." Duncan held out his hand, and she took it. Once she was up, Sanders dusted herself off, then looked up. "Now what?"

Duncan turned and noticed the finish line, which was two feet away from them. Then he saw the other competitors, watching them. He quickly counted all of them. Then he counted again to make sure he was right. After a third count, he couldn't deny it any longer. "We're the only ones who haven't crossed..."

"That means…" Sanders realized. "One of us is going home."

The two started at the finish line. Most of the competitors, with the exceptions of Amy and Jo, gave pitying looks. "Ok, lovebirds," Chris said, gesturing them to hurry up. "One of you cross and we can get things going."

Zoey shushed him. "Have a heart, Chris. This is a tough decision." Chris just looked at her, confused.

"You should be the one who crosses." Sanders said to her boyfriend.

Duncan blinked, and shook his head. "What? Why me?"

"After all you've been through, you deserve to keep going."

"Wouldn't your partner be mad at you if you voluntarily eliminated yourself?"

Surprisingly, Sanders chuckled at this. "Honestly, she'd probably be mad if I stopped you from winning. She's wanted a redemption arc from you for a while."

"Uh, guys?" Chris interrupted. "We kinda need to wrap things up here…"

"I already won a season." Duncan interrupted. "I don't need to win this one."

"I won the Ridonculous Race," Sanders pointed out. "And my win was more recent."
"Yeah, but-"

"Guys," Chris said, tapping his wrist. "We're on a time limit."

"Chris. Shut up!" Duncan snapped, turning his attention towards the host. "If you couldn't already tell, I'm trying to-" He suddenly felt something push against his back. The force caused him to step forward...and over the line. Duncan froze, realizing what just happened. He turned around and stared at his girlfriend. "Why...why did you do that?"

From behind him, Chris clapped his hands and walked off. "Alright, now we can move on."

Sanders sighed. "Look, it had to be one of us-"

"But I didn't want it to be you." Duncan retorted, sounding more hurt than angry. "I...we just got together."

Sanders put a comforting hand on Duncan's shoulder. "And I'll see you after you win." She paused, thinking of what to do next. Her cheek blushed, and she smiled. "But, if you want, we can make my departure a little more memorable... with a kiss goodbye."

Duncan froze, still processing Sanders' offer. The Cadet could tell he was trying his best to make up his mind. Maybe it was a little too much to ask. Then she saw him, breath in through the nose and exhale out the mouth. He leaned forward, eyes closed. His lips were starting to pucker. Sanders' heart started to race. Oh my god, this is actually happening. This is a-

"What are you guys doing?"

Duncan opened his eyes and looked. Sanders also turned, still looking flustered. Chris and Chef were both staring at them, with eyebrows raised. Both were standing on the stage. "Is now really a good time to do this?" Chris asked.

The Ex-Con growled. "Yeah. And you're kinda interrupting a big moment. She's gonna go home soon, anyway, so zip your mouth and quit interrupting!"

Chris just stared. "What?" He looked over at Chef, who was just as confused as the host. He turned back to the Ex-Con. "Duncan...Sanders isn't going home."

Duncan's anger immediately turned to surprise. Sanders was just as shocked. "But...but you said someone would be out if they came in last." She said.

"Yeah…" Chris replied. "Out...of the challenge. Well...sort of."

"What the hell does that mean?" Duncan sputtered.

Chris sighed. "Ok...I'll explain later, but first things first. Sanders, get up here, and Duncan, step in the box.."

The Cadet didn't immediately move. She was still thinking about the kiss that almost happened. After a few seconds, she headed towards the stage, giving an awkward look to her boyfriend. He had the same expression, as walked towards the rest of the competitors.

Once Sanders was on the stage, Chris faced the others. "Now that we got that out of the way. Allow me to explain. We're still doing the auto eliminations. Whoever breaks in this challenge, will be eliminated. Since Sanders is already out of the challenge, she's safe."

"Wait!" Jo objected. "She came in last. Why does she get a free pass?"

Chris shrugged. "We thought it would be more fun."

Jo narrowed her eyes.

Confessional (Jo): "I did all that work to make sure I didn't come in last...only to find out that last place would've saved me from elimination?" She paused for a few seconds, trying to process what she just said. Then she gnashed her teeth together and scowled. "I hate this show…"

Static.

"Anyways," Chris went on. "We'll be playing a game of Simon Says." He looked over at the Cadet and chuckled. "Or rather, Sanders Says." He and Chef sniggered, but quickly calmed down. "We'll be competing in a series of challenges. Sanders will give you each a command for each of them. If you don't follow it, then you're eliminated." He paused. "And...to make things interesting. You'll all be competing in pairs."

The competitors looked at each other. Samey suddenly gasped. "So...it's gonna be a double elimination?"

"Yup-perino." Chris nodded. "If one teammate fails, then both of them will be eliminated. As for the duos themselves, it'll be determined by your placements in the race. They are as follows. Amy and Samey. Mike and Zoey…" He stopped, realizing something. "Wow. Some people are definitely gonna think this show is scripted." He turned to the last duo. "...and Jo and Duncan."

Both the Jockette and the Ex-Con groaned. Mike and Zoey didn't look any better at the thought of being partners, especially after what happened earlier. Amy and Samey, on the other hand, grinned confidently. Chris had one last thing to say. He pointed at the wooden planks that surrounded them. "This is gonna be the gameplay area. And aside from failing in a challenge, the only other way to be eliminated is to step out of the box. One foot out, and it's off to the Boat of Losers." The competitors eyed each other, nervously. Chris quickly turned around and walked towards Sanders. "Now, let the games begin!"

While all the duos lined up, Sanders studied the stage she was on. She found three poles, at the front. Each of them had what looked like a square slot. Chris was also up there. He pointed at the poles.

"This is how you'll be giving the orders." He explained. Then he handed her three small tiles. "All you have to do is put them in the slot you want, and, depending on what the challenge is, you'll make it either harder, or easier, for the duo of your choice." He looked down at the six competitors, and smirked. "I suspect your new boyfriend will get special treatment." He looked back at the Cadet. "Still don't understand what you see in him."

Sandes just rolled her eyes, as Chris went down the stage. She turned her attention to the poles. On each square, there were two letters. Probably the initials for each duo she thought.

Chris had just finished explaining the rules, to the other competitors, and announced the first challenge. "We'll start things off easy. The first challenge will be...jumping jacks. Sanders will give you each a number, and that'll be the amount you and your partner will have to do."

Amy and Samey nodded to each other, while Mike and Zoey just looked down at the ground. Jo was pumping herself up, while Duncan stared dully.

Chris looked up at the Cadet. "Alright, Sanders. You may reveal the number of jumping jacks the duos have to do...o." He chuckled at his pun. Sanders had just put the last tile in place, and turned them around, one by one. The six competitors looked up. They're initials were also on the top of the poles, so they could see what they got.

Jo gaped at what she got. "Five?!" She spluttered. "I only have to do five stinkin' jumping jacks?!"

"What are you complaining about?" Duncan asked, already doing the challenge. "We got the easy one."

Jo just grumbled, as she started.

Confessional (Jo): She gave the camera an annoyed glare. "How am I supposed to prove that I'm the best, if I only get the easy ones?" She scoffed. "Stupid Dunce-can. Why did he have to be on my team?"

Static

Amy and Samey had gotten the highest number, twenty, and were simultaneously counting as they did them. Mike and Zoey only had to do ten, and didn't say anything. They weren't even facing each other. Duncan noticed this, and frowned.

Once the challenge was done, Chris walked up to Sanders. He handed her a second set of tiles. The Cadet noticed that each tile had a single letter on it. Chris explained, facing the other competitors. "For this challenge, each team must work together to create the shape of a letter with both of your bodies." He quickly glanced at the Cadet, who was putting the tiles in. "Sanders will choose the letter for you."

Amy and Samey smirked at each other. "Too easy." Amy said confidently.

Samey nodded, and the two high fived.

Sanders had just finished, and she turned over each pole. Jo and Duncan had gotten "T", Amy and Samey got "A" and Mike and Zoey were given "M."

"Are you kidding me?" Jo grunted. "We got 'T?' That's like the easiest letter."

Duncan ignored her. He was watching Mike and Zoey. The Twins were already forming their letter, but neither Mike nor Zoey had bothered starting. In fact, they still weren't looking at each other. Duncan watched them with uncertainty, until he suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist. "What the-" He was then lifted a few feet off the ground. He looked down at Jo, who was holding him up, by hugging his waist. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Spread 'em."

Duncan was caught off guard. "E-Excuse me?"

"Spread your arms out, you pervert. I don't want to lose this challenge."

The Ex-Con quickly turned. Mike and Zoey still hadn't started forming their letter, but the Twins had, and were already done. They were holding their right arms up, and touching palms. They were also using their left arms to hold each other's elbows, creating the bridge of their letter. Chris approved of it.

Duncan sighed, and put his arms out. Chris gave them a thumbs up, then turned to the remaining duo. "Mike and Zoey, if you don't form your letter soon, you'll be eliminated."

Zoey realized the situation she was in, and finally looked over at Mike. He still wasn't meeting her gaze. The Indie Chick considered her options. Mike wasn't listening, so it was up to her. She quickly came up with a plan. She reached out and grabbed Mike's hand. Before Mike could react to it, Zoey had pulled his arm out slightly. With both of their hands together, and their arms at a downward angle, they had formed their letter...somewhat. Mike was surprised, and couldn't stop staring at their interlocked fingers. Chris shrugged and decided it was good enough. Then he went to give Sanders the next tiles. After a few awkward seconds, Zoey slowly released her grip and both of their hands fell back to their sides. Mike's initial surprise changed to disappointment, as he looked in the other direction. Zoey awkwardly rubbed her arm, also glancing away. The two had gotten right back to pretending they weren't there.

The competitors waited for their next challenge. Chris didn't say anything, much to the confusion of the others.

"What's the challenge?" Jo called.

Chris looked down at her, and smirked. "I'm not gonna tell you that just yet. Sanders, first, has to do her thing." He turned to the Cadet.

Sanders gave a curious look. First at Chris, then at the tiles. One had a 45 printed on it, another with a 30 and the last with a 90.

Confessional (Sanders): "So if I know this show well enough, Chris might be trying to trick me. Last time, the lower number was a good thing, and the higher number was bad." She smirked. "Macarthur would be proud of me."

Static

Sanders put each tile in place, and flipped them over. He had given Jo and Duncan the 90 tile, Mike and Zoey the 45 and Amy and Samey the 30. Chris chuckled, and he looked at the competitors. Chef walked past him, with a few interns walking behind him. All of them were carrying medium size boxes. "So for this challenge," Chris explained. "You'll each be carrying two dumbbells." Chef took some of the weights out of the boxes and started handing them out.

"Are you saying we have to carry ninety pound dumbbells?" Duncan asked

Chris shook his head. "The number you got will determine who many seconds you have to hold it for."

"Doesn't seem too bad," Jo grinned "I've handled worse."

Duncan looked down, already noticing Jo's shaky hands "Right…" He said, unconvinced.

"And in case anyone's wondering," Chris continued. "If either you or your teammate drop your weights...that'll be it for both of you and you'll be eliminated, as will your partner." He turned to Sanders. "Not a good thing for your boyfriend, eh?"

Sanders gulped, realizing the position she just put Duncan in.

Confessional (Sanders): She looked guilty. "Ok...maybe I don't know this show as well as I thought."

Static

The challenge soon began. All the competitors were holding their weights at waist level. Though, at times, they struggled not to drop them, all of them held on. Duncan looked over at the other duos, then back at Jo. He took note of the Jockette's pained expression. "How are you gonna hold onto those for another minute?"

Jo just scoffed. "Don't...worry, Jailbait. I'm not gonna...be...the reason...we lose." Despite her defiance, she was clearly struggling.

Duncan rolled his eyes. He looked back at the times, noticing Amy and Samey putting their weights down. Since Chris didn't say anything, he figured they had just finished their portion. I don't know if I can keep holding onto these for another minute. He thought And Jo looks like she's about to cave at any moment. Suddenly, he had an idea. He grinned and turned to his partner. "You're totally gonna drop those, aren't you?"

Jo's face turned to disgust as she looked at the Ex-Con. "What did you just say? I'm not dropping these things. If anything, you're the one who's gonna fail us."

Duncan's smirk just widened. "You really think so? Last I checked, I wasn't the one who got captured by a bunch of scrawny interns."

The Jockette gnashed her teeth. "First off, Dumb-Can, they had leech guns pointed at me. Second, I wanted to punch all of those brats, but I never got the chance."

"Yeah, right. You may act tough, but this entire game has made you soft."

Jo laughed. "You're one to talk. Last season, you couldn't even punch a bird."

"And I still lasted longer than you."

"At least I didn't get arrested."

As the two traded insults, the rest of the competitors, and Chris, watched on. Zoey and Mike had finished their challenge and were also witnesses to Jo and Duncan's bickering. The Indie Chick turned to Chris. "Chris?" She asked. "I'm pretty sure it's been ninety seconds."

Chris waved her off. "Oh, I know. But this is too fun to watch."

Zoey frowned. "Well...I don't think so. If they're done, you shouldn't be letting them go on any longer."

The Host groaned, and looked at Zoey. "Fine…" He said, overly dramatic. He walked towards the duo. "Jo and Duncan you can put the weights down. You completed the challenge, and no one is eliminated."

With a relieved sigh, the two dropped their weights to the ground and massaged their wrists.

Confessional (Jo): "Chris thinks he's soooo funny." she scoffed. "I could've carried those weights for another ninety seconds...heck, minutes! I shouldn't have to share my victories with some wannabe punk. He better not get in my way in the next challenge."

Chris held up a single tile. This one had a X on it. He looked down at the waiting competitors. "This tile I have in my hand," He explained. "Is the pass tile." He paused. "When I hand this to Sanders, she'll insert it in one of the team's poles. Whichever team gets it, will not have to participate in the next challenge. Which, by the way, could lead to an elimination."

Most of the competitors gulped, but Duncan didn't look too worried. Chris did as he had said and, with little hesitation, gave the pass to Duncan and Jo.

Confessional (Sanders): "I mean, I almost got him eliminated in the last challenge, so...I owed him one." She thought to herself. "Is that gonna be the tagline for our relationship?...I hope not."

Confessional (Duncan): "Normally I'd be against someone giving me the advantage all the time...especially if it's my...girlfriend." He looked awkwardly away, before sniggering. "But, honestly, seeing Jo get mad all the time totally makes up for it. She's probably furious right now."

Confessional (Jo): She had her arms crossed, and a large scowl on her face. She sat in silence for a few seconds, before sighing. "Alright...I'll admit it. I was kinda glad we got the pass." She rolled her shoulder. "My arms still kinda hurt from the weights." She eyed the camera again, and her eyes narrowed. "It's not weakness. It's me not being an idiot."

Static

"That's completely unfair." Amy complained. "They're getting special treatment." Samey nodded in agreement.

Chris gave a teasing smile. "Well, next time, get a girlfriend and maybe you can have all these advantages, how about that?" Amy rolled her eyes, as did her sister.

Duncan and Jo walked to a special boxed area, just outside the main area. Chris reached into his pocket, and pulled two things out. He handed one of them to Chef. "For this challenge…I want all four of you to close your eyes." He looked back at the other duo. "You guys as well."

Jo and Duncan were confused, but complied. The other four did the same. Chris and Chef opened their palms, revealing two bronze coins. They flicked them into the air. As soon as they hit the ground, they disappeared. Chris told the competitors to open their eyes. "For this challenge, you'll have to find one of two pennies that we put in the sand. If any of you find the first, you and your partner will be safe. If the other duo fails to find the other penny in time, that'll be it for them."

Mike and Zoey both gulped, while Amy and Samey shared confident grins.

The challenge began and the competitors frantically looked through the sand. Amy and Samey already had a plan, and had split up to cover more ground. Mike and Zoey, on the other hand, had no game plan. They started looking in the area they were already at. They almost ran into each other, leading to an awkward meeting. But instead of moving away, they backtracked where they just were.

Duncan cringed. "What are they doing?" He whispered. "It's like they're more focused on avoiding each other, than actually looking for the stupid coin."

Jo...was more interested in her fingernails.

Amy and Samey, meanwhile, had already covered nearly half of the box. They had been swaying their hands around the sand, hoping to reveal the coin. Mike and Zoey had barely moved from their two corners. They still seemed to be more concerned about running into each other. After a few seconds, Samey saw something shiny, a few inches away. She reached over, and picked it up.

"Got it!" She exclaimed.

Chris walked over, and nodded once he saw it was the coin. Amy came over and gave her sister a pat on the shoulder. As they both walked to the viewers box, Chris turned to the remaining duo. "Mike and Zoey, you have thirty seconds to find the last coin. If you don't...well, you know.." Chris' announcement must've fallen on deaf ears, because neither Mike nor Zoey picked up the pace or strayed away from their corners.

Duncan watched them, confused. He couldn't take it anymore. "Hey!" He shouted. The two glanced up at the Ex-Con, as did everyone else. "Stop looking in the same area! You'll cover more ground if you split up and search the other end!"

Mike and Zoey didn't respond, but Duncan's yelling seemed to work. Mike stayed behind, while Zoey went to the other end, frantically searching for the coin.

Duncan let out a relieved sigh, as Jo eyed him. "What's gotten into you? You just helped the other team."

The Ex-Con ignored her, and watched the challenge.

"Fifteen seconds left." Chris announced.

Zoey's flailed around the ground, sending sand everywhere. If she wasn't careful she might-

At that moment, Zoey's hand hit something. It went flying. Zoey knew it was the coin, and also knew it was heading towards the edge of the box. If it went outside, that would be it for them. The coin was just about to go over, when Mike suddenly reached over and grabbed it. Zoey sighed, as did Mike. He revealed the coin to Chris, who simply nodded. Duncan also let out a sigh that he didn't know he was holding on to. The two looked at each other and, surprisingly, they both smiled. But, rather quickly, their faces fell and they turned away.

Confessional (Zoey): "I...I can't forgive, Mike." She seemed unsure of what she was saying. "I don't think so, at least."

Confessional (Mike): He sighed. "If Zoey doesn't want to talk to me...she doesn't have to." He sniffed, and rubbed his eye.

Static

"Alright, competitors." Chris announced. "I have good news. We're taking a short lunch break." This was met with sighs of relief from everyone, but Chris silenced them. "But, let me remind you that you are not allowed to leave the square, unless you and your teammate want to get eliminated." He chuckled darkly. The competitors watched him, slightly worried.

Their nervousness was immediately put aside, once Chef brought out a small grill. He got to work, cooking hotdogs and hamburgers for the competitors. They lined up and got their share of grub. Soon they were all sitting in the square talking with one another. Sanders at her lunch, on the stage. Zoey took a bite of her hamburgers and chewed it slowly. She was clearly lost in thought, and Duncan noticed.

"You alright?" He asked, concerned

Zoey put her food back on the plate, and sighed. "I...I really don't know…"

"Is it about Mike?"

She frowned. "Well...yeah. I mean, what he did was terrible. He thought I was cheating on him, with you...no offense."

"None taken." There was an awkward pause, before Duncan spoke again. "I feel as though there's a 'but' coming."

"But," Zoey pointed. "I'm not that mad at him anymore...I don't think."

Duncan blinked. "So why don't you just forgive him?"

Zoey shook her head. "It's not that easy."

"Why not?"

The Indie Chick didn't immediately answer, before looking back up at the Ex-Con. "We've never done anything like this before. I guess I'm just not sure exactly what the right thing to do is." Duncan frowned, and was about to say something, but Zoey put up her hand. "You don't have to help me with this, Duncan. You don't owe me anything." She tried giving a comforting smile, but the Ex-Con wasn't buying it.

Confessional (Duncan): "Zoey's wrong." He crossed his arms. "I do owe her something. After all she's done for me, getting her back with Mike is the least I could do." He suddenly realized what he just said, and turned away. "Don't...don't tell her I said that."

Static

Jo chowed down on her cheeseburger. She was sitting by herself. The only one closest to her was Mike, who had his back to the other competitors.

One of these guys is probably gonna break soon, she thought. I can probably exploit their weaknesses and get them eliminated. Maybe I can start with- Her thoughts were cut off by the sound of obnoxious giggling. The Jockette groaned and turned around.

"You're right, Sis'." Amy said, loud enough for Jo to hear. "Duncan is totally carrying his team. He's probably getting tired from having to deal with that loud mouth." Jo's eye twitched, but she held her tongue.

"Yeah," Samey said, "She...she's….she's a…" She tried her best to think of an insult. "She's...She smells...bad."

Amy laughed. "Nice one, Samey."

"Hey," Jo snapped. "Twedele dumb and Twedele dumber, keep it down!"

The sisters looked at each other and shared a grin. "What's that, Jo?" Amy said, mockingly putting her hand to her ear. "I couldn't hear you over the sound of your massive ego." She playfully elbowed her sister. "And that's not the only that's big on her, right?"

Samey laughed, but very nervously. "Yeah...she...she has a big...chin. A really big chin."

As the sisters howled in laughter, Jo felt her blood boil. She put her plate down, stood up and marched towards the still laughing duo. "Listen here, I-"

"Cool it!"

Jo snapped back, as Duncan stepped in front of her, holding his arms out. Jo immediately went back to scowling. "Move it or lose it, Unibrow."

Duncan held firm. "No. You listen. They're trying to get in your head."

"They disrespected me. I'm gonna go teach them a lesson"

"That's what they want you to do.."

Jo crossed her arms. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the fact that, if you get eliminated, so do I."

Jo raised an eyebrow. "I'm not gonna get eliminated during the break."

"Yeah," Duncan said, pointing towards the twins. "But if you step out of the box, you will."

Jo looked over. She noticed Amy and Samey were sitting near one of the corners of the box. They outnumbered Jo and, if she did fight, one of them could easily get behind her, and push her out of bounds. She didn't want to admit it, but Duncan was right.

With a loud scoff, and a quick turn, she walked away. "Whatever…"

Amy and Samey turned to each other, bummed their plan didn't work. Sanders, meanwhile, was watching from the stage. She had seen everything.

Confessional (Sanders): She sighed happily. "That was really cool what Duncan did." Her smile fell after she said this. "I really hope Jo doesn't screw this up for them. She's good, but she's also...really hot-headed." She thought to herself, before smirking. "Reminds me of Macarthur…"

Static.

When the camera cut back, it showed a darkly lit room, with Chris standing in front of it. Behind him were several TVs, being looked at by Chef. Chris pointed at the camera. "Things are getting interesting. Will Jo screw up for her team? Will Mike and Zoey fall behind, like their relationship? And will Amy and Samey...well...they've been doing pretty good, so far. I don't know, they might be the best duo here. In any case, the action continues...after the break."

The screen fades to black.

Like I said before, this would've been a long chapter if I posted both parts together. The good news is, I only have a few more sections to write for, in the next part. I'll probably upload part II next Friday. Which duo do you think is going? Do you guys like the odd pairing of Duncan and Sanders? I'm honestly surprised that I made it work. I deserve a reward for that, gosh darn it!

Remember to leave a review. They keep me motivated to continue working.

Anyways, I'll see you all next week, for part II.

Ciao!