The following day, we head onto the 5th challenge of the season. Both teams arrived at the lake, all in their swimsuits as they saw a giant yellow inflatable playing field with two inflated rails on the ends in between two wooden platforms suspended above the water. The kids looked in awe at the structure.
"Woah." Orion said.
"That must have been a bitch for the interns to build." Griff commented.
"I don't see the appeal." Rose quipped.
Greg then announced to the campers, "I'm sure you guys are wondering what the floating field is for, well this is where you're gonna have your next immunity challenge. A spin on Classic TDI challenge, Ultimate Dodgeball Extreme!" Greg then explained the challenge.
"You guys will be playing 5 on 5 on this inflatable field, for those who have never played dodgeball. Get hit your out, catch a ball the thrower is out and you can bring back a teammate. You must stay on the bouncy field, touch either of the wooden platforms on either side you're out. We'll be playing best 3 out of 5, teams get into positions."
(flash)
Round 1
Grizzlies (Grace, Post, Griff, Uma, Linka) vs Panthers (Orion, Maybelle, Andrius, Deena, Brian)
(BZZT)
Ryo: Our team's first squad should get us an early lead. Andrius' small frame should make him the hardest to hit, Deena has a history of throwing stuff at people, and the twins' teamwork is something else.
(BZZT)
Once the team settled in, DJ sat atop an elevated chair overlooking the field. "Alright campers, I want a good clean match. Grizzlies you ready?"
"YES!"
"Panthers, you ready?"
"YES!/Sort of." Andrius gave a so-so gesture under all his teammates' cheers.
"Ready... set..."
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
At the sound of the whistle, the teams charged at the balls laying along the center line. The only ones to get a ball were Grace & Post for the Grizzlies, and Deena & the twins. The first throw was from Grace, aimed at Andrius who manages to dodge it with a front flip before he ducks a throw from Post. Brian grabs the two balls before they fall off the field.
Deena goes to throw her ball at Linka who prepares to dodge, before she changes targets and hits Griff in the face knocking him down.
"Griff is out!" Katie called.
Griff sighed before heading to the grey platform. Followed closely by Linka and Post, who were hit by the balls Deena was given by Brian. Orion and Maybelle stared down Uma, who looks at them both with her usual predatorial look. "You know, I don't remember the last time I ever did it with twins." her comment brought looks of disgust from the twins.
"Sorry, not interested." Orion lobs his ball up in the air, Uma looks at the throw thinking 'too easy' before she was drilled in the gut with a ball from Maybelle.
"Besides, Orion already has a girlfriend!" Maybelle added.
Orion blushed at that, "No I don't...I think." hearing this exchange Krystal looked away with uncertainty.
(BZZT)
Krystal: Oooooh I really want him... but... (sigh).
(BZZT)
Grace, the only remaining player from the Grizzlies for this round, tosses whatever balls she can get her hands on at her opponents. She also dodges two balls thrown at her, before she gets hit in the knee.
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
"Round 1 goes to the Panthers!" Katie announces, the Panthers of that round exchanged some high fives on a round well played.
Deena puts a hand on Andrius' shoulder, who tenses at the contact "Hey, those were some nice moves you did there kid."
"Um... thanks Deena. I've... played Ultimate... Dodgeball before." he lets out.
"Dude, we need to work on that confidence level of yours."
Brian then told the twins, "Dudes, nice trick to get out Uma."
Orion replied, "Most people always fall for the old Lob & Drill."
Over on the Grizzly side.
"Well, I'm just gonna say it. We suck, and not in the good way." Uma said.
"Should we decide on who to boot, cause I volunter-" Post offered.
"No!" Uma interrupted him, "That kind of thinking is what drove us to lose in the trivia challenge."
"But lets face it Uma, we're down a monstrous athlete like Roman and a strategist like Paige." Griff told her, "The odds of us winning is slim."
"Then we'll just have to get a little... unorthodox." Uma says.
"Whatever you're planning, don't." Grace told her.
"Alright, if you say so." Uma shrugged, "But if we lose this round, I'm doing my plan."
Greg then calls out "Alright, onto Round 2. Panthers, you must switch out 3 of your teammates for each round. Everyone must participate."
"Why can't we just us 3 stay out the whole game?" Rose asked, drawing eyes from most of her teammates. "Lets just say I don't do so well with bouncy surfaces."
"I figured as much, so that's why I worked out our rotation system. Deena and Andrius will stay in, just keep doing what you're doing and we should be fine." Ryo laid down the plan.
"Alright, lets do this." Brian high fived Ryo, tagging him in.
Maybelle went up to Rose, tagging her shoulder "Good luck Rose." Rose carefully stepped onto the inflata-field, nearly tripping before she recovered her balance. She slowly made her way to the center of the field, Ryo making sure she doesn't walk off accidently.
(BZZT)
Rose: When a surface is soft or bouncy, its hard for me to feel any vibrations. Last time I was on a trampoline, I ended up crashing onto what I heard was a kid's birthday cake. Sorry again Dylan Wilkens.
(BZZT)
"Alright everyone ready and..." DJ called before signaling the start of round 2.
Round 2
Grizzlies vs Panthers (Deena, Andrius, Rose, Ryo, Krystal)
The round starts off with Linka and Griff getting sent over the railings and into the lake, the rest of the Grizzlies all threw their balls at Andrius, who was bouncing and flipping to avoid being hit.
Grace and Post dodged balls from Ryo and Deena, they then tossed their balls at a sitting duck in Rose. But Andrius makes the safe by catching both balls.
Katie announced, "Grace and Post are out!"
Uma growled before dodged 3 balls, sending one that hit Ryo, knocking him off threw the rails and into the water. As Uma tried to keep her team alive, Ryo swam underneath the field.
(Flashback)
Ryo hid underneath the dock, after finding the old camp photo he noticed Orion and Krystal having a talk so he waited for them to finish before showing Orion his findings. He then noticed taped the underside of the dock was a picture of a giant inflatable field, with an arrow pointing underneath it.
(Flashback ends)
Ryo swam towards the center, finding a small pack taped. He pulled it off before swimming back, after getting out from underneath the inflata-field he gapsed for air. He swam towards the ladder, where he stopped and looked inside the bag her found. Ryo smiles at his finding.
(BZZT)
Ryo: (With a hidden immunity idol, which looked like an Egyptian pendant) Boom.
(BZZT)
He places the idol in his trunks before climbing up the ladder to his team's platform. By then Uma was just hit with a dodgeball.
"GAH! RIGHT IN THE BOOB!" she yelped.
"Round 2 Panthers!" Katie called out. "One more and they continue their winning streak."
Uma and the Grizzlies convened on their platform, "So..."
Grace sighed to her, "Fine, we'll go with your plan." causing Uma to smirk.
"What do you have in mind?" Post asks her.
Uma snickers before looking to the Panthers. "Just collet all the balls, and when I give the signal... let them have it."
"I'm almost afraid to ask, what's your signal?" Linka asks hesitantly.
Uma smirks, "You'll see."
Round 3
Grizzlies vs Panthers (Orion, Brian, Ryo, Andrius, Maybelle)
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
The Panthers quickly grabbed the balls, tossing them at each member of the Grizzlies. Luckily they were able to dodge, once her teammates were in possession of all the balls Uma looked to the Panthers before stepping forward till she was near the line.
The Panthers all looked at this with confusion, before Ryo saw her look. "Uh oh."
"What?" Andrius looked to him.
(Any children watching, avert your eyes)
And before you can say 'censor bar' Uma lifts up her bikni top, causing all the boys on the Panthers to gasp with wide eyes, massive blushes, and some even got nosebleeds. DJ's face paled, Ryo looked away, Maybelle shielded her brother's eyes. Krystal and Grace all looked at Uma godsmacked for what she's doing.
"What's going on? Why's everyone so silent?" Rose questioned, not knowing what's going on in this situation.
"Is... this the signal?" Griff questioned.
"I don't know but throw your ball anyway." Linka told him before tossing her ball at Andrius, who was too distracted by Uma to dodge, causing him to fall backwards.
Post frowns, feeling so ashamed for doing this before he tossed his ball at Ryo. Griff throws two balls at the twins, Grace faces her boyfriend, who was shielding his eyes from Uma before he saw Grace. "Sorry." she whispered before she threw her ball right at him.
"Uhhhh... Round 3... Grizzlies." Katie said, still shocked by how this round played out.
Uma snickers before she pulls down her top.
(BZZT)
Grace: GAAAAH! Damn it Uma!
Krystal: HOW DARE THAT SLUT FLASH MY FUTURE HUSBAND!... (slightly teary eyed) And they're... bigger than mine.
Andrius:... I need an adult.
Post: (holds his head down) Why?
(BZZT)
In between rounds, her team demanded answers from Uma. Who shrugged, "Hey, it got us a win. Didn't it? Just two more times and we're golden."
"Do you even hear yourself Uma?" Grace questioned.
"What, upset it wasn't your tees Brian bleed over?" she retorted.
"Don't bring him into this!" Grace threatened. "I swear if you try to steal him from me-"
"Oh perish the thought Gracie, I'm not trying to steal yours or anyone's boyfriend at all." Uma held up her hands defensively, "I'm a lot of things, but a homewrecker isn't one of them."
"Then why did you-"
"Because we were one loss away from our 4th elimination ceremony, do you really want us to go the way of Team Victory?" she challenged.
"No." Linka answered.
"Not really." Griff figured.
"I guess not." Post sighed.
Grace frowned, "Losing has sucked."
"Glad you all see it my way." Uma smirked. "And don't worry girls, just leave the 'distractions' to me."
Over on the Panthers side.
The team decided to send Andrius, Brian, and Orion out. Those three still reeling from Uma's stunt, Orion noticed Krystal had a slight green aura around her as he tagged her in.
Round 4
Grizzlies vs Panthers (Deena, Rose, Ryo, Maybelle, Krystal)
"Before we start round 4, Uma, pull another fast one like that and your entire team is disqualified!" DJ warned her.
She scoffed, "Prude."
DJ sighed, "Just begin."
REEEEEEEE
At some point it came down to Uma and Post vs Deena and Krystal, during which Grace and Brian looked to each other. The former with embarrassment and the latter with concern. The girl sighed before pointing to the water, they both nodded before they leaped off their respective teams' platforms.
They both met on behind the Panther's side, Grace sighed "Sorry about last round, trust me I had nothing to do with Uma's actions."
"I figured." Brian rubbed the back of his head. "That girl definitely works on a different wavelength."
"So...we still..."
"Of course, I'm not gonna leave an amazingly cool girl for some cheap pair of boobs." Brian told her. "Especially not when their attached to the girl that clearly has more STDs than my town's health clinic."
Grace chuckled before sighed, "Well that's a relief."
"Round 4, Grizzlies!" they heard Katie call out.
"Lets get back to our teams." Grace said.
"Totally." Brian nodded before the two shared a kiss and swam back to their platforms. When Grace climbed her team's ladder, she was met with a smirking Uma.
"Where have you been?"
"None of your business Uma." Grace walked past her.
"You were with your boyfriend weren't you?"
"So?" Grace turned to her.
"What did you do? Tell me... everything." Uma wrapped an arm around the chillaxer, who looked less and less chillaxed by the minute. Grace pushed her off her and went over to her teammates "Geez, I never had this problem back home."
Round 5
Grizzlies vs Panthers (Andrius, Brian, Orion, Deena, and Maybelle)
Before DJ whistled for the final round to start, Orion told his teammates "Guys, if we lose and send someone home tonight. I just want to say it was an honor to work with all you guys." he was then hugged from behind by his sister.
"Thanks, Bro. Couldn't have asked for a better team." Brian told him as he fist bumped him.
Andrius gave a small smile, feeling like he really grew with his teammates. He saw Deena give a small wave to him as she mouthed 'Mad respect dude', which he softly returned with a little wave of his own.
"Campers, this last round's for the win... and..."
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
The final round started off hot, with members from both teams throwing and dodging balls. Andrius using his small frame and immense speed to dodge, Orion and Maybelle using whatever team maneuvers they had, and Post pulling off some break dancing to dodge.
The first to get hit was Linka.
The next to fall were Brian and Grace, who got each other out simultaneously.
Orion and Maybelle went for their Lob & Drill attack on Uma again, but this time she ignored the high toss and ducked the female twin's ball with a split. "Sorry, can't get me a second time." she said as the ball Orion tossed up bounced off her cleavage and into her arms.
REE
Orion groaned as Linka went back in thanks to the catch. Maybelle then dodged a throw to her leg by Uma, but got hit with a ball from Griff that knocked her down. He cackled before he was hit in both the face and crotch, "DOH! MY BALLS!" he kneeled over before he crawled over to his team's platform.
Post throws a ball at Andrius, who catches the ball, eliminating the rapper and bringing in Ryo.
After many other highlights of dodges, hits, and catches, it was down to Uma and Krystal. The former of which was angrily throwing balls at the former, who dodged with not so subtle poses.
"I could do this for days." Uma said as her dodged got more and more seductive, sending a few air kisses to all the boys.
"Oh yeah, well dodge this you sk#%!" Krystal then sent a whirlwind of balls towards Uma, does that James Bond scene where he bends backwards while balls fly over her. A scene reenacted as much as the 'Here's Johnny' scene from the Shining.
Uma cackled, "Oh poor little Krystal. Sad that all the money in the world can never get the one thing ever wanted." she cooed.
"Shut up!" Krystal exclaimed before she threw another ball at Uma, which bounced off the rail and back onto her side.
"Where I draw my people in with all this," she traced her perfect hourglass figure "you have to resort to money for people to hang out with you. Even then, none of them are actual friends. And the two you had you tossed aside."
"I SAID SHUT UP!" Krystal shouted as she threw two more balls half-hazardly.
Off on the side, Orion and Maybelle looked down knowing that Uma referred to them.
Uma snickered as she kicked up a ball behind her into her hand, "Everyone at this camp knows that underneath all that cash is a shallow biproduct of a toxic high class life that no one cares about, who's a real carpenter's dream. Flat as a board and needs a screw!"
Everyone gasped at this.
Krystal shook with rage at her words, but before she can rip the girl's head off she was drilled in the face with a ball. Uma stood tall, proud of her victory. Her teammates all stared at her with utter shock.
"Uh, Grizzlies... win." Katie said lowly.
(BZZT)
Grace: Well, we won. I guess...
Post: We finally get a challenge win, but it wasn't how I pictured.
(BZZT)
At the campfire ceremony, the Panthers all sat down. Each with a deep frown on their face, not wanting to send any of their teammates home. Krystal was even more downcasted, Uma's words at the final round shook her to her core as she was close to crying.
Seeing this Ryo motioned for Orion to comfort her, who slowly nodded before he wrapped an arm around the sobbing rich girl. Who tensed before leaning into his side hug.
Greg scanned the team, none of them were exactly happy. "You know, with how your team has faired I thought you all would make the merge. But sadly its time to send one of you home." all the panthers sighed, "Now normally I'd start handing marshmallows to those who are safe, however looking at the votes" he scrolled through all the votes, "I assume you all just voted for yourselves."
They nodded.
"Figures. So for this elimination, we're gonna have a little mini challenge." Greg snapped his fingers, and an intern brought out a large tray of canned ships. "Out of 20 chip cans, there are 7 regular ones. The rest are prank cans with fake snakes, whoever doesn't get a regular... will be heading home. Andrius you're up first."
The small boy slowly stood up, passing by Maybelle who told him "Good luck." to which he nodded appreciatively. Also Deena, who gave him a quick hug before sitting back down.
"Don't get any ideas." she told him, he walked away not seeing her light blush.
Andrius picked one of the cans, looking away as he slowly pulled the cap off.
...
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... and nothing.
"Andrius, is safe." Greg stated, the boy sighed as he stood next to Katie. Taking a little bite out of a chip as he waited to see who will join him.
"Brian, you're up."
Brian went over to the tray, taking one and pulling the cap off... and getting hit with a rubber snake. Next was Deena's turn, who got a trick can as well.
"Krystal, you're up next."
She wiped her eyes before leaving Orion's side, he gave her a comforting look before she nodded and went over to pick her can. She roamed her hand over all the cans, choosing one before gulping. Slowly moving the cap, she was relieved to find it had no snake.
It was down to two, Deena and Brian with 2 cans left. Both with a 50/50 shot at staying in the game, the Panthers looked on with bated breath.
"Deena, this is your final pick. You get a snake, you're out. You don't, you're still in." Greg told her.
Deena sighed before going to the two cans, shifting from one to the other. "Eenie, meenie, miny..." she then closed her eyes and blindly picked one, pulling off the cap...
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... And gets hit with a fake snake."
Deena sighs, Brian patted her on the back.
"Deena, I'm sorry. Its time for you to leave." Greg told her.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm on it." Deena went over to the girl's cabin to get her things, but not before she was caught in a big Panther group hug. "Okay, okay too much affection." she pushed them away, "But thanks anyway." she then continued on her way.
"Shame, we never really got to know her character." Ryo said.
"Almost forgot." Deena came back, and surprised everyone when she dipped Andrius and kissed him square on the lips. She then dropped, "Good luck in the game." she then walked away.
(BZZT)
Andrius: (beat red) Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh~
(BZZT)
Soon Deena was driven down the familiar dark road, before she was dropped off at a dark path. "Uh rude!" she exclaimed as the driver drove off. She then saw an illuminated path, "Alright, time to see what this leads too." she followed the lanterns as the credits rolled.
16th place: Johnny
One the bubble: Roman, Paige, and Deena.