Ticket here, and I'm back with Episode 10A! Sorry for another wait, but schoolwork combined with breaks stop me from getting these out as quick as I used to..but I'm kind of stubborn and want to finish this. Anyways, here's a synopsis:
After Wade was slain last episode, we see the fallout of his elimination! Plus, future gameplans are put into place, AND a player begins to go nuts…
Find out what happens right now on Maldives Madness!
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Vara: Price, Snake, Ripley, Slade, Dante, T'Challa, Dylan, Peach, and Zelda
Jury: Skarlet and Wade
—
Vara Tribe: Night 18
Discussions happen quickly, as the once tight T and D have a talk on the sandy shore of the Maldives.
"Ok, so you care about Dante more than Wade." states Dylan, apathy on his face. "I don't mind that you DID it, but it hurts me too dude. It can hurt us, we're close and once those two are out, we're done." The Panther remains confident. "Price, Snake, Slade, and that trio are all big targets. We can stay on top with Dante..and since I'm good at challenges, I should be able to stop him from winning. Besides it would be harder to beat Price and Snake in the endgame,"
"What if he's stronger than you think?"
"Then that's the price I'll have to pay. There is no doubling down."
Dylan: He cheated on me, but I'm a sucker for toxic relationships because I'm running back to him. Look, we never PROMISED we'd vote together like we usually do, but we still need eachother.
Dylan licks his dry upper lip, before getting out a response. "Yeah there's no going back, but you made it harder for yourself. I could slide by but you put a target on you." he explains, but T has reasoning of his own. "It's harder to beat Price and Snake in challenges. Besides even if we went to the top five Wade would have helped split us. We would have no fighting chance, but now we do."
"Zelda can still win comps. We aren't out of the woods…"
"Yes, but that's why I'm keeping the door open with Price. Those two have nobody else right now, they will flock to us. That's four to take us back. If he AND Dante like us, neither of us will touch the parchment yet."
T'Challa: It's not heroic to stab someone in the back, but I'm not turning my back on them forever. Price and Snake need us..and I don't expect Slade to stay put forever. It's risky but I'm not exactly a clear headed king right now.
Dylan leans to the side, and catches Price eying them. T'Challa turns around as well, and Dylan speaks back up. "I still have your back, but you'll want to check up on him."
"I intend to."
—
Another fruit bat flies in the night, as Price and T'Challa stand under the tree it connects with. Wakanda's King isn't finished, as Price comes to him for answers and gets one.
"Even if we made it top five, you're a strong competitor." notes Price. "Now that Wade's gone, what next? Maracle Men are at a disadvantage." T'Challa doesn't break his stare. "All hope isn't lost for you yet. I only wanted Wade gone, not the two of you. If you were on the line, Wade would still be here, but Slade played it smart."
Price nods along.
Price: They sniffed out my plan. I could throw him out right now, but with all the big threats still around it's not that easy…so I'm going to take him back, and when the time is right, shiv him like I always intended to.
The Panther continues his explanation. "Dante also left us because he knew you wanted to drag Wade to the end. You three had time away from us, and he didn't seem like the friendliest around." he explains, and Price takes off his hat. "So Dante's a player too, eh? Thing is, I think you two jumped the gun. Dylan's calm approach could have worked better."
"We had five ready to come for you…they would not be happy if we stayed put."
"But getting in a hurry screwed you. Ripley, Zeld, and Peach will call the shots and you two will be a clear pair…" Price pauses, before offering a hand of all things. "BUT you did say you wanted us to stay. Four is better than two."
"I'm counting on a fifth."
"Let's hope we can get one."
"Who do you have in mind?"
Price scratches his beard. "Dante and Slade. Slade's losing it as the days go on..AND is a chaotic man. Maybe he thinks he could add this to a resume. And Dante…I don't think he's too far gone, but maybe he'll enjoy the power position. Head of the table." suggests Price. "No shot the women join us, they're smarter than that."
"We'll get with them tomorrow. If it works out then, we can determine how to run this game."
"Good plan, T."
T'Challa: With Wade out of the picture, I am willing to work with them again. I've rarely messed up my voting this season, but if this next vote goes wrong it will sting my game.
—
Vara Tribe: Day 19
By the well, Dante, Zelda, Ripley, Peach, and Slade gather up. This new alliance ready to knock out their next target.
"We DO beat them five to four. We can pick and choose." begins Ripley, and everyone nods in agreement. "I'll choose, how about Price?" suggests Dante, and everyone looks at the Sparda brother. He sets his hands in his pockets. "He's the big dog, and we should toss him before he rallies." Slade smirks under the mask. "I knew you had it in you."
"Thanks Dad. Anyways, this should be some sweet revenge for all of you…" he continues, looking at the trio of women. "We've been at their mercy the whole time so it's time they are under ours." points out Zelda, her allies silently agreeing.
Dante: It has to smell like $#|t under someone's boot, but I'm not smelling boots. If I can lead us to snipe Price, then I'll be smelling the millions.
Slade looks on at the group conversation, having two cents of his own.
In Slade's confessional, he seems a little..disheveled.
Slade: The lack of nutrients is killing me, but I don't have time when every vote is a big one for me. I'm loyal to no one. It doesn't matter if it's Dante's side, or if it's Price's side, I will go with what side takes me ahead. Wade's out of the picture, so now my door to the other side is wide open…
He huffs.
Slade: Besides, this new alliance seems to have trust issues with me. I'm the fifth wheel. I understand that Price is a big threat but maybe he'll be open to working with me again.
—
While the new majority discusses the vote, T'Challa is standing on a tree branch and swiping leaves away. There is nothing in his view.
T'Challa: I could not help myself.
The Wakandan King jumps down, and approaches a bush, but after a search through that…still nothing.
T'Challa: Dante or even Slade jumping to us would be a game changer, but this idol is the key to the kingdom. Cut one head off and another grows.
He spots a patch of moss above a fallen log. There is a unusually beige color there, and T'Challa jumps at the chance! He digs into the moss, and pulls out the paper, with what feels like a solid object inside! He starts to smile.
He opens the paper, and pulls out an idol…
..or so it seems. He looks the idol up and down, but pockets it soon after. That smile begins to fade.
In his confession, T is reading the paper, his eyes frozen in place.
T'Challa: "Congratulations, you have found one half of a hidden immunity idol. In order for this to activate you need another castaway to find the other half. When you are at Tribal Council, you can link this idol together and play it on another castaway."
He looks back up to the camera, and just shrugs.
T'Challa: Let's have faith that the wrong people just leave the other half alone.
—
The three heads of new Vulsa in Dante, T'Challa, and Dylan swim in the waters, practically soaked as they've been in there a while.
"Sick idea…after the strategy is done, we should jump off that rock." says Dylan, and the other two men turn..the camera zooms out to see a tall, jagged, and sharp rock on one end. "Whoever does a flip gets extra supper." jokes Dante, and given how there's been a lack of laughter, T and D chuckle.
Dante: I'd grab pizza with them, a nice drink on the side, and we'd have a blast. One small issue, I'm not with them. I can't beat any of them at the end, except for Dylan. That's why.
The laughter has already died down, and T'Challa pitches to the lighthearted Sparda brother his plan.
"We may not have all been on the same team last time, but we can come together again." starts T'Challa, which makes Dante tilt his head to the left just a bit. "We stung them, are they really playing ball again?" he questions. "They have no choice. They need us…and to be honest, I'm leaning towards them."
"..Why?"
"The tables turned. We can take them out sooner and have a better chance at the endgame." he explains. "Bring one of the women along and we can make sure they are taken out for good." Dante half heartedly chuckles, but keeps a serious tone on. "So you want to be loyal and throw them under the bus.."
"They know why we did it…but we are their best options. Even if this talk did get out, they wouldn't have anywhere to turn because Price is open. A big target." explains T'Challa. "Wade is out and we have the advantage, losing the chance to strike now will get us in trouble. I don't expect the women to let any of us near the end. Slade either. They may be convieniant but it doesn't mean they'll stick with you until the end." Hearing that point, Dante kicks back in the water, hair getting soaked even more now. His head drifts in the direction to Dylan.
"Are you going with this?"
"I didn't want to jump in the first place."
Dante puts on a smirk and looks T directly in the eyes. "If we do get to three, we've hit the jackpot." T'Challa responds with a warm smile. "And two million along with it."
T'Challa: If Dante has a killer instinct he will leave us to die. If that happens, Slade is our last resort, and he is…unpredictable.
—
The last half of the Maracle Men fetch water with Slade, but while they take the trail there, alliances come up.
"Any chance we can get a hand?" asks Price, who dips the bucket in. "If the pitch satisfies ME." replies Slade, who gets a dose of sideye from Snake. "We have more history with you than they do. Those women are solid as a stonewall, and our side? Not so much." resumes Price.
"It's fractured."
"Of course it's fractured, but we don't have anywhere else to go. Nobody from your side's going to THINK about giving us a hand, except for you."
Price: I'm not an $$kisser, but I'm puckering my lips just to get his vote..know I wanted him out a while ago but if Dante's a goner then.
Slade moves in closer. "We did have the Wesker fiasco..but I'll need more convincing." Snake turns to Price, almost like this was prepared. "Let's talk the endgame, yeah? The women trust Dante more. You lose one challenge and then you're out. If you come with us..then you have a better shot because we aren't as close anymore." That thought does register with Deathstroke.
"Are you planning to cut them soon?"
"We don't want to chance it that late. Getting ruined by a tie vote would also just leave a sour taste."
Snake: Slade has an appetite for arrogance. He needs this offer to look bright so he can look like a winner.
Snake cuts in next. "Wade isn't hear to tear you down..but Dante? He betrayed your trust once. We took out Skarlet just to keep you here when OTHERS didn't…" with that emphasis, it clicks with Slade. "The same three people you jumped into an alliance with." Slade faces Snake next, a response in his head. "I did it to get rid of Wade. He would veto any chance we have at working together..but now that he's gone business has picked up."
"We have more."
"More?"
"It's about your position. A swing vote at final five will be important, and YOU have power. With how far you've gone, and what you could do, that would impress the jury." explains Snake. Price raises the bucket, now full of water behind Slade. "He's not wrong. You could pull it off too. Good talker, plenty of strength, you could just win out and reap the rewards."
Slade continues to take in this info.
Slade: Wiping Price out is a big part of taking control for good…but he and Snake have called out my biggest problem with the group: being the bottom rung. I'm an outsider…however, going to the end with them gives me a better chance of winning out. T'Challa, Price, Snake, all more than capable in challenges. Instead of worrying about three I'll have to worry about one: Zelda.
He pauses in the confession, the sunlight reaching his background. "But is it worth the risk? Having a backup plan for losing a challenge is vital, yet the jury votes are a different story…I could still get credit, but at what cost?
—
Vara Tribe: Day 20
The captain and the mercenary sit in the sand. Price's legs are kicked out, while Snake has both kneecaps up.
"It was an honor bossing you around for 3 weeks." starts Price, and Snake continues to look ahead. "You've been one hell of a partner."
"Thought you would have said right hand man."
"Hell no, we've held down the fort since we started. Now it's coming apart."
Price: When I had time to think, I found out I still miss my old mates. Snake is like a reminder of that, he's not as outgoing as them but he's damn well as smart.
Snake adds on to the topic. "T'Challa made the mistake of jumping back…but a win is a win and we really need another right now." Price nods, silent. The gap takes a minute to be filled, but Snake turns to Price to fill it. "I never asked..what were you looking to spend the money on?"
"Cigars, healthy or not. What about you, mate?"
"Recovery programs. We both know that being a vet isn't easy."
"Violence is just a casual Tuesday."
Snake: Price isn't the only one who uses cigars to cope with pain. We were told we would be heroes, but when we come back we aren't treated like them. Where I come from, talking about these topics is looked down on. Price doesn't care. He's a patriot but he's accepted what comes with war. He didn't shut me down when I went to talk about it.
Snake goes on. "Not fun and games. It's a miracle we didn't scream over bamboo." Price chuckles, his sense of humor deteriorating. "Bamboo are small potatoes, my troops had to fight mechs. Hell we might as well fight aliens on a daily basis." Snake raises a brow. "Aliens?" The COD protagonist sideyes him. "Everything's normal in our world. What did you face?"
"Robots, super humans, science experiments, a variety."
"Your doctors lost their heads."
"Which one's don't these days?"
Price: If I can't be there, I'm giving Snake the money. Better I say it here than nuke his spot.
—
Meanwhile, Peach jogs through the plains, holding a square package in her hand. Cut to her confessional, and we can tell what it is..
The princess has the other half of the idol in hand, as well as the passage to go along with it!
Peach: These twists and turns are weird! I have to work with someone else to get this idol?..Hmph. If someone else does find it, the girls are my best choice!
—
Later on, Peach shares this information by the well with Ripley and Zelda. "Neither of us have the other half." admits Ripley, carrying a bucket in hand. "If any one of the guys get it, we need to bet on Dante." Zelda speaks up after that. "The four of us could hold a search party."
"Three."
Peach tilts her head. "Why not Dante?" she asks, and Ripley looks at her deadpan. "We don't have good odds at beating Dante, especially since he can take credit for outing Price. Besides, everyone likes him and nobody's came for him. If two of us have that half idol, we can stop him down the line."
Peach: Ripley has been antsy about the guys in our group, but we need to focus on Price! And Snake! They've been ontop forever and it's time we knock them down!
Zelda: I would love to have the other half. Dante and Ripley may have better chances at winning, so we could use this power to take them down at the end, and sit there together!
Peach cuts in after that. "We can search later, but what about now? Price is gathering up his allies. Slade is never a certainty. We should focus on keeping him here first!" she explains, and the Alien Protag doesn't take long to reply. "We'll keep him here. Our best move is to kiss up to his ego and remind him which side the bigger threats are on."
Ripley: I'm on alert twenty four hours a day, seven days each week. If they Dante and Slade, that leaves me and Zelda vulnerable, and I'm not letting either of us leave. Not now.
—
Well then! It seems have changed their minds and others are using theirs more! We also have one castaway starting to "lose it," but will they make a winning choice at the next Tribal Council! Find out in 10B!
