Author's Note:
Hello, all! Time flies fast when you're having fun, eh? Sorry for the two month gap between this episode and the last. Let's just say that there are a lot of complicated nuances with the upcoming challenge and elimination that I needed to organize. The events of last episode were so impactful that I required this chapter to serve as an aftermath for everything that happened. It's definitely going to be a bumpy ride, so please enjoy this episode! Do note that this is once again a two-parter since there's just so much editing required for the challenge. I fully expect the next part to be absolutely massive in length. Perhaps this episode can even be a three-parter just so that you guys aren't left in suspense for so long!
Anyways, I apologize for anyone who's been eagerly awaiting what's in store for the certain returning contestant. Suffice to say, you'll be happy to see how they're able to traverse the game in this chapter!
WoollyLamb: Oh, definitely! I was aiming for a rather dark episode that really delved into the characters' psyche, so having it be in a usually innocuous aftermath episode was probably quite a shocker! Dakota was probably the character I felt had the most potential (remember, I wrote the first six chapters back in 2018!) So here I am, all these years later, ready to give her a second chance in the story.
Ray: Topher was the one villain who didn't really get a chance to shine, so I figured this was a natural way to continue his story!
Cold Thunder: Exactly! It's a dog-eat-dog world out there and everyone this season is so darn cut-throat. Hope you enjoy all the drama going on with this chapter!
CI: Was anyone expecting Dakota to return? I'm not gonna lie, I wasn't really able to gauge it. Regardless, I'm happy that you're happy about this! I love writing for her because it's fun to create such complexities and backstory for someone who's relatively underused in canon. Ah, well! I hope you're still able to leave reviews on these stories since you absolutely knock them out of the park!
Enjoy this chapter and please leave a review!
Sacred Squirrels: Jo, Scott, Courtney, Noah,
Outstanding Ocelots: Scarlett, Dawn, Sammy, Dave
Episode 16 - Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures
xxx
"Last time, on Total Drama: The Island Strikes Back!" the Host with the Most announced as footage of the previous episode began playing. "We returned to Pahkitew Island as a fearsome four-part fight to finish fully frustrated these fan-favorites!" the host alliterated as accompanying visuals were shown, such as Dawn pushing Scott off a cliff, Noah and Courtney rowing their canoe, Jo and Scarlett's race to the top, and Lightning tumbling down the mountain.
"In a surprising turn of events, Dave managed to pull off a sweet victory for the Ocelots!" he murmured as the footage shifted to show the germaphobe emerging past the finish line.
"Turns out, Scarlett & Lightning hatched a plan to throw the challenge, in an attempt to vote Jo out before the merge! Shame she managed to get solo Scott and neurotic Noah on her side!" Chris chuckled as the screen showed Scarlett and Lightning's devious meet-up, Jo and Scott agreeing on their plans, and the jockette's planting the seeds of doubt into the snarker's head.
"In the end, Lightning was sent home in a 3-2 vote, much to Courntney's dismay! Though, she didn't lay over and die. In fact, wanting Noah's head on a silver platter, she attempted to pit the gullible Dave against their long-time alliancemate as revenge!"
"What'll be next for the Courtney-Noah duo? Will Jo discover the truth behind Scarlett's scheme? Is Dawn ever going to drop her grudge against Scott? And for Larry's sake, will Chef finally get Amy off the show?" he finished as Chef rolled his eyes.
"Find out now, on Total! Drama! The Island Strikes Back!
xxx
(Theme Song Plays)
Dear Mom and Dad, I'm doin' fine;
[The camera flies through the short trees and shoots right up the iconic cliff, peering over to see various lifebuoys in the water.]
You guys are on my mind!
[The camera dives off the cliff and pans into an underwater shot; Dave is fully-clothed and drowning. Fang charges at him, headbutting him into the air]
Ya' asked me what I wanted to be,
[A cut to the surface, where Sky is in a canoe. Dave gets up and grumbles upon seeing the sky, immediately facing the other way. Sky looks concerned and tries to speak with him]
And now I think the answer is plain to see!
[But the camera pans over to the right to show that Courtney has just crashed into Sky's canoe. Sky glares at Courtney, who rolls her eyes in response and pulls out her pencil]
I wanna be… famous!
[The camera then focuses on an eagle, who picks up Courtney's pencil and flies to a different area. The eagle drops the pencil behind a tree. As it turns out, Scott is behind the tree, and he is knocked on the ground cold. Bridgette and Dawn are meditating nearby. Dawn opens one eye and sees the unconscious Scott and angrily stares at him, breaking her concentration]
I wanna live close to the sun!
[The camera zooms to another part of camp, showing Lindsay and Topher sitting on a raft about to go over a waterfall. The two of them scream as they go over the edge]
Well pack your bags 'cause I've already won!
[Alejandro is seen on a broken log underneath the waterfall. He manages to catch Lindsay in his arms and smiles at her whilst the blonde scratches her head in confusion]
Everythin' to prove, nothin' in my way;
[The camera pans to show Shawn swinging on a vine, colliding with both Alejandro and Lindsay, sending the three of them flying to the left. They eventually bump into the outhouse confessional, seconds before Noah is about to enter. He shoots all of them a menacing look before rolling his eyes and walking the opposite direction. The camera then focuses on a window, featuring a silhouette of Chef]
I'll get there one day.
[The camera moves to show a smirking chef, mixing white goo in a pot. Lightning is shown to the left, licking his lips at Chef's cooking. Scarlett is next to him in a straitjacket and facemask on a hand cart, she looks very annoyed]
'Cause I wanna be...famous!
[The camera pans to the left to show the eating area with no one in it. It then zooms out a window to show the edge of the docks. Jo and Brick are doing jumping jacks together, but it looks like Brick is pooped.
(Na-na nanananaa nanana-nanaa na-nananananaa)
[A pan to the docks shows Dakota posing for the camera and waving to the audience. Six random men show up and begin taking loads of pictures of her]
I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous! (Na-na nanananaa nanana-nanaa na-nananananaa)
[The photoshoot is cut short by an annoyed Chris with feral Ezekiel on a leash. He releases him, causing the scary teen to begin chasing after the paparazzi. The camera zooms in on Chris smiling cheekily at a very annoyed Dakota]
I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous! (Na-na nanananaa nanana-nanaa na-nananananaa)
[The reflection of Chris' smile becomes the stars in the night sky as the scene transitions and pans down to reveal Tyler and Sammy sitting by the campfire in front of a full moon. Sammy looks extremely nervous and Tyler smiles at her. The two lean in a little closer but are interrupted by Clucky Jr, causing Tyler to run off in fear. The shot zooms out to show the other campers also sitting around the fire, whistling the final notes of the theme song]
(Theme Song Ends)
xxx
It was the early morning on Pahkitew Island, just a few hours after Lightning's shocking elimination. Through the darkness of the burning forest snuck a devious silhouette, slowly crepeing across the artificial landscape. It was revealed to be none other than Scarlett with the whistle she stole from Jo worn on her neck. Every once in a while, she would blow the whistle in an attempt to trigger the island's high frequency vulnerabilities.
After a few moments, she managed to stumble upon a familiar looking rock she and her "sidekick" Max discovered one year prior. She smirked as she blew the whistle, causing it to reveal that it was actually a secret hatch leading into an underground tunnel all along. The brainiac jumped into the hole, exciting over the possibilities.
"Deja vu!" she grinned, oddly reminiscing over her previous experience down in the bunker. "Now to find the control room…"
It looked as though the mess of that infamous episode was in fact never cleaned up. The remains of various Chris-bots remained untouched. It was almost eerie how it almost like no one had entered the underground shelter since the six's fight for survival. Eventually, Scarlett walked straight into the control room as the door was held wide open.
In an attempt to recreate her finest hour, she began typing on the keyboard only to be greeted by the mischevous face of a recording of Chris McLean.
"Congratulations!" the host earnestly cheered. "You've discovered the location of the McLean Brand Chris Head!" out popped a panel containing a wooden statue with the McLean seal of approval. "Play these before the marshmallows are given out to ensure that no votes cast against you will count!"
"Drat!" Scarlett grunted, unimpressed over the totem despite it's strategic power. "Oh, well. I suppose I could make use of this. Thanks for nothing, McLean."
"Oh, and by the off-chance that Scarlett's seeing this message… nice try!" past Chris mocked. "We've disabled the mainframe of the island. Did you really think you'd get away with it again?"
"Really think there's a chance brainy girl makes it that far?" past Chef asked from the sidelines.
"No way, dude!" past Chris chuckled. "The millisecond her team loses, she's a goner! And hey! Remember the deal the producers made with juvie? She'll be strapped to a dolly and in a straightjacket! No idiot would ever dream of getting her out of that!" he laughed once more as the screen shut off.
xxx
"I'd like to make it clear that I wasn't trying to repeat the events of last year." Scarlett explained in the confessional.
The camera continued rolling as it zoomed in on Scarlett's face.
Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "...I beg your pardon? That's the confessional. Shoo!"
/
The footage cut to show Jo with baggy eyes entering a makeshift hole. Once she entered, the sleeping bodies of both Courtney and Scott were seen huddled next to a pathetic fire. Everyone was still wearing their swimsuits from the previous challenge. The jockette gently tapped the farmer, quietly waking him up. She then proceeded to curl into a ball by the fire and fall into a deep sleep.
Scott yawned, grabbed a sharp stick, and proceeded to exit the hole. It was now his turn to keep watch of whatever creatures could pop up on the newly deserted Pahkitew Island. He shivered from the cold due to only wearing his orange swim trunks, but he muscled on, wishing to protect his teammates. From the sidelines, Noah walked into frame, munching on an apple.
"Why are you up so late?" the farmer asked the snarker. "Don't you city folk need, like… your beauty sleep or something?
"Can't. Feeling like an insomniac tonight" Noah admitted. "I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around that marshmallow ceremony."
"Eh, big deal. Brightning got what was coming to him. I just wish the guys weren't so down in numbers." Scott remorsed.
Noah bit his lip and nodded, also wary of a potential women's alliance. "That's not what I wanted to speak about. I'm referring to the fact that you and I worked together for once."
"Yeah? So? A broken watch is still right twice a day." Scott grumbled. "If you think this makes us friends, you have another thing coming, bud."
"Yet another astounding social play, eh Scotty Boy?" Noah deadpanned, unimpressed by Scott's open hostility. "But you know who orchestrated that vote-off?"
"Jo?" Scott replied.
"Bingo. If she can pull you and I to save her sorry behind, who knows what else she's capable of." Noah rationalized. "She's a massive threat and we need her gone as soon as possible."
"Of course I know we need to get Jo out soon. It's almost like I've been trying to cut her loose all game! Just… not right now. It doesn't help having someone who actually listens to you! I'm not an idiot, stupid. " Scott scowled.
"Debatable, but I needed to cover my bases." Noah snarked as he yawned and proceeded to enter the hole.
xxx
"Noah reminds me of Pappy's old tractor." Scott grunted in the confessional booth with his arms crossed. "Worked alright for a few months before it began acting out of line. Pappy wanted to get rid of it but never felt well enough to head to the market, so the tractor stayed with us much longer than it should've! Mark my words, Noah's going home in no time flat!"
xxx
Noah began scribbling in his notebook before staring at the camera. "Scott and I have downright incompatible motives in this game. He barely has any sophisticated game sense, he's horrible at any social aspects, and as for his strategies? Please! I'd be surprised if he had any to begin with!"
He then sighed. "I hate to admit it, but his idiocy might be exactly what I need in an ally. With the merge coming up soon, every number counts! Especially now that I have Courtney and her eternal grudges to look forward to…"
/
The scene shifted to reveal the eight remaining players all exit a helicopter, now back at Camp Wawanakwa. They all looked exhausted, dirty, and absolutely grumpy. It seemed that an uncomfortable night in Pahkitew Island with wet swimsuits and barely any food broke all of their spirits.
Courtney was the first to begin marching to the communal restrooms, before Chris popped out and shook his head.
"Ahem! Before we give you a few hours of freetime, we have an important announcement to make!" the Host gleamed as everyone else groaned.
"We need time to cool down, Chris." Sammy protested. "Last challenge broke something inside of me."
"Weren't you trapped in a broom closet the entire time?" Scarlett pointed out.
"After my sins from the last challenge, I can never ascend to the ethereal plane…" Dawn remorsed silently.
"Ignore these whiners, guy! I'm ready for anything!" Jo said as she began holding her fists out and boxing the air. "Bring it!"
"So our lawyers struck a deal with the copyrighting convicts! They'd be allowed to continue hosting their show, so long as they held a special second chance challenge under our conditions!" Chris chuckled, knowing full well what happened just a few hours ago. "So, one lucky player has been given another shot at the million dollar prize!"
"You gotta be kidding me! My chances went from one-in-eight to one-in-nine!" Dave complained as he held his head up high, devastated at the results. "And it better not be Sky! We don't need to repeat all that again."
"...or Brightning! Man was voted out yesterday!" Scott added.
"No one should ever come back after they've been eliminated." Courtney scoffed. "It just ruins immersion if anyone can come back, you know?"
"Right." Noah rolled his eyes. "It's just like joining the game mid-season. So unfair!"
The ex-CIT grit her teeth. "I get the joke, Pipsqueak. No need to be a jerk about it."
"Oh, it's more than that." Noah ranted. "Remember the time you and The Gwen Reaper kidnapped your ex back in London? Ol' Rulebender over there made my team lose even though we caught the other guy and won the challenge! And then what happened? Jailbreak re-entered the game despite quitting and I was kicked off instead!" Noah pouted. "So excuse me if I'm a little uneasy about a returning player!"
"Guys, guys! Would you all calm down? We're all here to have a good time after all!" Chris grinned menacingly as the eight campers. "Without further ado, it's time to introduce someone back into the game! Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for…"
As if on queue, the first person eliminated from the season, came crashing down in a screaming mess from the horizon. The shot panned quite far to the right to reveal Chef, still on Pahkitew Island, had shot her out of the Cannon of Shame for dramatic effect.
"DAKOTA MILTON!" Chris hollered as he began enthusiastically clapping. Balloons and confetti also began raining down from a non-descript location. "I was paid to do that by the way…"
Much to their surprise, none of the eight players seemed to react at all.
"That is all for now! The challenge will begin in a few hours." he noted as he began to leave.
"And what team is she on?" Scarlett asked, to no response. "Hello? Anyone?"
"...really? Another girl?" Scott chastised.
"And what's that supposed to mean, Ezekiel Wannabe?" Courtney interjected.
"Oh, will you cool it with the unnecessary outbursts?" Noah protested. "It doesn't take an idiot to realize that we're severely outnumbered 3 to 6."
"Oh, so you're saying that you three have no shot at winning because all women work together?" the ex-CIT argued. "Grow up!"
"Now you're just putting words in my mouth." the snarker deadpanned as he began to walk away.
"And where do you think you're going?" the ex-CIT said. "Don't you dare turn your back on me, Birdbrain!"
"Chris' announcement is over. I'm going to take a nap now. This childish debate isn't worth losing sleep over." he yawned in the distance.
"This isn't over, Noah!" Courtney growled as she began chasing after him.
"...yeah, I'm gonna call it a day. See you guys later." Jo shrugged as she began walking off. Dave, Scott, and Scarlett all stared at each other in silence before shrugging to enjoy their freetime.
Eventually, Dakota opened her eyes, stood up, and brushed her clothing. "That's right! Dakota Milton is back in action, like… a… fraction?" she stammered, trying her best to make an entrance. "Huh? Where did everyone go?" As it turned out, only Sammy and Dawn remained.
"Welcome back, Dakota." Dawn greeted in a monotone voice. "It's been awhile, hasn't it?"
Dakota's eyes widened as she immediately began to fangirl. She reached for the shorter girl, bringing her close in a tight embrace with a wide smile. "Oh, bestie! I've missed you soooo much!" Dawn tried her best to escape Dakota's grasp but her grip was simply too strong. Eventually, she was able to pull away.
"Your aura hasn't changed too much since our first few days here. I am unsure if that is positive or negative for your well-being." Dawn pondered.
"Oh, that's right! You had some protein yesterday! Gotta keep your clairvoyance up… right?" the fame monger bubbled much to Dawn's reluctance. "By the way, do you still write in your aura journal, even though your powers have been weaker lately?"
"Aura journal!?" Dawn replied in shock. "H-how? I haven't told a soul about that!"
"Ahh!" Sammy jolted from the back. "Don't you host the aftermath sho-?"
"Don't say that!" Dakota snapped, immediately covering Sammy's mouth before realizing what she was doing. "Sorry! Force of habit. We legally aren't allowed to call it the A-word!"
Sammy raised an eyebrow before continuing. "Anyway, you host that… show, right? You get to watch the cameras all over the island."
"Exactly! Look at you! Who knew you were such a superfan?" Dakota gleamed.
"It's a little unfair, don't you think?" Sammy asked Dawn. "She's seen all the episodes so far! She has more information than any of us do! Like, she knows all about my crush on Tyler!"
"Hon, literally everyone knows about that. Except Tyler himself, weirdly enough." Dakota interrupted.
"An advantage, yes. However, she'll need to improve her social game to ensure she isn't eliminated right away again." Dawn pointed out, completely ignoring Dakota's comment. "And I can guarantee that based on her aura, that will be quite the uphill battle."
"Hurtful!" Dakota squeaked. "But that's completely fine! Nothing beats some friendly banter with my ol' pal Dawn! Did you know we go way back? We were roomies on our first season together! Just us two on a team full of boys."
"Okay, one: that's not true. Staci was there for like, a day, remember?" the cheerleader superfan began rattling off. "Two: you were also eliminated pretty quickly. You probably had about two or three days to get to know each other, tops. And three: if I recall correctly, you hated Dawn and her animal buddies during your time together. Not enough beauty sleep, remember?"
Dakota's left eye slightly twitched, a bit unnerved with being called out. Still, she managed to maintain her composure.
"...it's my time to leave. I'm still having trouble processing yesterday's events. Take care, you two." Dawn muttered awkwardly, refusing to give eye contact with the two girls.
The two blondes stared at each other. Dakota looked giddy whilst Sammy looked as if she'd rather be somewhere else. "So I'm guessing you know what happened yesterday, right?" the cheerleader asked. "She doesn't want to tell me what happened."
"Duh! Your sister made her eat a fish! That stuff really haunts people like Dawn, y'know!" Dakota recapped whilst giggling. She slapped her knee and kept on laughing for some reason.
"...yes. I know she ate a fish. But that's not what I'm talking about. Something happened before then. Courtney and Noah swear they didn't see anything and Scott keeps on running away whenever I bring it up." Sammy deduced while putting her finger to her chin. "I need to get to the bottom of this."
"Ohhhh!" Dakota gleamed, suddenly remembering the incident that had happened. "That's what you're talking about! Duh! The whole fanbase went nuts the second the episode aired."
xxx
"Obviously, it was the Dawn x Scott moment! Hello? Canada's #1 trending topic last night?" Dakota chuckled with her eyes widened. "It was kinda cute, wasn't it? All season long, all she wanted was to cut his head off, yet here she is, saving his life! I love it when opposites attract! Maybe that's why Sam and I get along so well?" she thought out loud to the confessional camera.
"But it gets even better! I know for a fact that Samey's, like, one of the biggest Total Drama nerds out there. I can use the fact that I know all the juicy deets to get close to her! Samey wouldn't want to turn out some fan gossip, would she? Finally! I can make a friend for once!" Dakota cheered before pausing in shock, realizing what she had just admitted.
"...not that it matters, of course. I have way too many friends out there. It never hurts to have more, right?" she gulped, anxiously trying to recover from her slip-up.
xxx
"You have to tell me, Dakota! Spill the tea!" Sammy chirped as her eyes widened. She leaned closer to the taller girl, eagerly wanting to hear the latest gossip.
"...no can do, Samey!" Dakota boasted as Sammy's face immediately dropped upon hearing the painful nickname. "I'm not the kind of girl who'd betray the trust of one bestie for the truth of another."
"...were we even besties to begin with?" the cheerleader analyzed, trying her best not to sound too mean. "I mean, I really don't think we ever even talked when you were on the island."
Dakota put her hand on her chest, scoffed, and turned away. "Ruuude! Are you sure you aren't the "mean twin"?" she retorted as Sammy bit her lip in sadness. "I'm gonna freshen up. Talk to you when you aren't feeling like a total jerk."
"Freshen up? But you just got here!" the cheerleader observed. "And I didn't see any luggage!"
xxx
"Dakota's definitely an acquired taste." Sammy shrugged as she let loose a sigh of exhaustion. "Growing up, she was always one of my favorites, but now that I've gotten to know her a bit… I'm not sure if I still agree with that."
/
The scene changed to show Noah entering the sole male's area in the Ocelots' cabin. Dave was busy packing his clothes while the snarker attempted to pose in order to look relaxed. Dave didn't notice him for a few seconds, frustrating the older boy. After a few obvious grunts, Dave finally turned around to spot his supposed mentor. The germaphobe's face then dropped as he began to grumble.
"Why the long face, Davey-boy? You smoked the last challenge out of the water. Not many people can say they bested Lighting in a competition." Noah sucked up, trying his best to compliment the other boy.
"Stop wasting my time." Dave warned as his fist started to tremble. "We're on different teams. Don't talk to me until we merge."
"Hey, hey, bud. No need to get all competitive here." Noah said smoothly as he gestured with his hands, looking as if he was tending a smoldering fire. "I know you and Lightning had an unlikely friendship. I just want you to understand that getting rid of him early was the best move for my game. I'm sticking with you and Courtney until the very end. You have my word, Dave." he offered while smirking.
Dave turned his back on Noah, unable to look his old friend in the eye. "I get that, Noah. Voting someone out of Total Drama is part of the process. I'm not upset over it. Who do you think I am? Dawn?" Dave quipped, now beginning to move away from the snarker. "That's not why I'm mad at you though."
"And why, pray tell, are you mad at me?" Noah requested slyly, trying his best to sound compassionate. "Tell me what I did wrong and I'll do my best to make it up to you."
"You're the smartest person I've ever met, so quit acting like a total doofus. You know exactly what you did." Dave snapped as he took a deep sigh. "What's done is done." he muttered as he exited the cabin and slammed the door behind him. Noah raised both eyebrows as his eyes widened, completely oblivious to why Dave was acting so aggressive.
xxx
"News flash! I am not some puppet you can manipulate, bro!" Dave grumbled to the outhouse camera. "I thought he was my friend. Someone I could trust. Someone I could rely on. But no! Last night, Courtney revealed that Noah threatened her! And for what? To fool me into thinking Lightning was some abusive creep! All this to get under my skin!"
Dave began inhaling angrily, almost as if he was having a panic attack. Out of sheer rage, he punched a hole in the outhouse confessional before slowly calming down. "Courtney's all I have now. She's the only person left in the game I can trust with my life. She'd never lie to me unlike that squareheaded vest-wearing scumbag! Noah's a snake, a rat, and an insecure loser all in one! Watch your back, bro! Once I get my hands on you, you're going down!"
/
The shot changed to show the cafeteria. Dakota was seen sitting alone, trying her best to make Sam's face in some brown mush Chef had served her. Courtney peeked from the corner, took one look at the fame monger, then took a deep sigh of reluctance.
xxx
"We're down a man so I've needed to make a few more charts." Courtney explained, revealing a vast network of the nine remaining campers' names alongside the relationship dynamics with one another. "Noah took a dip in reliability so Dave and I need to find a replacement."
She then took another deep sigh and pinched the space between her forehead. "Desperate times call for desperate measures…"
xxx
"Hello, new friend! Nice to meet you! Everything okay?" Courtney burst in an obvious fake-friendly voice.
"That might have worked in Season 1, but I'm not an idiot, okay? I know you only want to get close for my vote." Dakota grunted as she grabbed her tray and moved across the table. Unbeknownst to her, she had shifted right into Scarlett's face.
"...so how was your day?" Scarlett inclined in a slightly more realistic sounding "friendly" voice. "Are you finding your living accommodations acceptable?"
Dakota rolled her eyes, picked up her tray, and began walking elsewhere.
xxx
"Yeah, I'm not desperate enough to seek Dakota's loyalty" Scarlett specified. "I needed a way to undermine Courtney's pathetic recruitment attempt. Make her look worse by comparison and all that."
/
The scene changed to show moments after Scarlett's confession. She was seen leaving the outhouse, before being approached by an adamant Jo. The two women squared each other up, trying their best to remain cautious, fully aware of what the other was truly capable of.
"I got my eye on you, Four Eyes. Don't assume I'm not on your level, just because I'm a jock." Jo protested with a heavy heart.
"How many more times must we have the same conversation?" Scarlett yawned, looking extremely bored.
"Don't play that game, sister. I saw your face after Brightning got the boot. You looked like you were about to blow a fuse. Something tells me it was supposed to be me sent through the cannon." Jo objected, looking rather solemn at her old friend. "Why, Scarlett? Why do you want me gone so bad?"
"Listen to yourself. These wild accusations could destroy both of our games." Scarlett said calmly as she crossed her arms. "Take a deep breath and calm dow-"
"Enough already!" the jockette pleaded, raising both her hands in the air. "I am the only person left in the entire world that knows you aren't a bad person, yet you keep on going against me! Are you trying to make everyone hate you? Why, Scarlett? Answer me!"
For once in her life, the brainiac didn't know what to say. She was simply at a loss for words. She adjusted her glasses before staring deeply into the jockette's eyes. "...I-I'm sorry." Scarlett muttered under her breath, not trying to show any signs of weakness.
"Louder." Jo grunted. "I want the cameras to hear you."
"...I'm sorry" Scarlett mumbled again.
Jo wasn't having any of this. "LOUDER!"
"I'M SORRY, OKAY? For goodness sakes, Jodie, what more do you want from me?" Scarlett uttered in a rare showing of vulnerability. "What good will my confession do? Don't you realize that by eliminating Lightning, that leaves us out in the open like sitting ducks? For heaven's sake, woman! I fail to see why you don't have my level of foresight!"
"It was either him or me." Jo grumbled, also not too proud with eliminating Lightning. Whether or not she wanted to admit it, Jo didn't think the overachieving jock was anywhere near as obnoxious as Courtney or Noah. "It was the only move I had."
"And with Dakota now in the game, what choice do we have? Both of us are now one person further from the ultimate goal," Scarlett calculated in silence, fist clenched, and jaw tightened. "Surely, you and I will be the next two eliminated from this game. If you have any brilliant ideas, speak now. For once, I am utterly stumped."
"We can stage a war." Jo immediately replied, to which Scarlett blinked in awe.
"Excuse me?" the brainiac retorted. "Explain yourself."
"We can weaponize our reputations against everyone else." Jo answered as Scarlett leaned back, impressed at the jockette's strategic mind. "There's enough proof to show that you and I are at each other's throats. What if both of us form two sides and rip them both apart from the inside?"
"How do you suppose we do that?" Scarlett conceded, for once willing to go with another person's plans.
"Meat shield strategy, fake idols, rumors… the sky's the limit!" the jockette said in an arrogant manner. "They think I'm anti-Scarlett and you're anti-Jo. If we can herd the cattle to pick off the others, eventually we'll be sitting in the finals! No one would see it coming!"
"That would be extremely difficult to pull off," Scarlett deadpanned, "however, I believe this cast is stupid enough to buy into our lies." she admitted as she began to write in her notebook. "Count me in."
"And how do I know I can trust you?" Jo responded with a bit of skepticism. "How do I know this isn't one big double-cross? It wouldn't be the first time…"
A reluctant Scarlett sighed as she reached into her pockets and pulled out a whistle; the same one she had taken from Jo just the day before. She adjusted the whistle onto Jo's neck. The jockette smiled and blew into it.
"Affirmative, soldier! I knew you had some good in you!" the jockette smirked as she went in for a warm embrace. Scarlett, being completely disconnected from such forms of friendliness, was initially taken aback before accepting the hug.
The camera then focused on Jo's face, revealing a menacing glare that didn't exactly express genuinity.
xxx
The camera cut to show the outhouse confessional. Jo was seen mimicking the act of fake-vomiting whilst pointing to her mouth.
"Yuck! Who knew that pretending to be all soft and mushy would disgust me this much?!" she croaked, not feeling too well. "Anywho, last night, I put two-and-two together. To me, Scarface reads like an open book. I didn't know the whole plan, but I know exactly how to push her buttons."
Jo then adjusted herself, staring directly at the camera lens. "Whether she wants to admit it or not, she has some kind of… feelings… for me. I'm not saying anything lovey-dovey or whatever, but she clearly cares about me a little more than you'd expect. If I can take advantage of her one soft spot, I'll be able to use her all the way to the podium!"
The jockette then proceeded to hype herself up by punching the air. "She was my ride-or-die final two for the longest time, but she crossed a line last night. I'm gonna need to keep her around for now, but I'm keeping Evil Red in check from now on. Next time, don't manipulate the master manipulator, sister!"
/
Once again, the scene shifted to reveal Dave taking a stroll down the woods. He was seen staring up into space, trying to contemplate his position in the game and everything that had happened. It has been a long and tiring game for Dave, and something was telling him that it was nowhere near over.
Upon reaching a familiar spot in the woods, he sat down, attempting to meditate in a similar fashion to Dawn. He closed his eyes and began to hum, until he was rudely interrupted by the fame monger.
"Hey, Dave!" Dakota gleamed with her teeth clenched. "How's it hanging?" she bubbled, putting her hands on his shoulder
"...good afternoon, Dakota!" the germaphobe grit his teeth as he swatted the girl's hands away from him.
"Take it easy!" she whined as she began inspecting her fingernails. "Do you know how much it costs to style these?"
"Hey, so not trying to be mean here, but can you leave me alone? I need some time for myself." Dave calmly notified.
"Is everything okay?" Dakota asked in a concerned voice. "Is this about Sky? Or Courtney? Or maybe Lightning?"
"I just don't want to talk to you right now. Can you give me some space?" Dave replied.
"Hey, I was told that if we don't have any Davekota moments, the fans are going to lose it! They've wanted us to interact for years!" she explained.
"Can you respect that I don't want to talk to you right now? That's all I'm asking." Dave once again rejected. "Can you just, go hang out with someone else? Maybe we'll talk later."
Dakota wasn't taking no for an answer "I just want to give you some screenti-"
"NO, NO!" Dave barked, growing more and more annoyed. "Look, look, look. I'm not saying I don't want to talk to you. I'm just saying I'm upset right now, so please give me a sec to breathe."
"Yes, I know, I know. I'm just saying that before you breathe, we should-"
"No, Dakota! Please, just give me a sec. Just give me a sec." Dave mumbled. "It's been a rough few weeks and I need some time to-"
"Okay, fine! Just make a confessional about how I'm the worst person ever!" she pouted, ready to leave.
"I'm not saying that!" Dave replied, trying his best not to raise his voice. "I just don't want to talk to you right now!"
"I know that! I know that!" Dakota interjected. "That's just how everyone's been treating me ever since I got here!"
Dave was slowly losing his mind. "Don't play the victim right now!"
"I'm not! I'm not the victim here!" Dakota responded. "My therapist told me that I should be a bit more self-aware."
"Then leave me alone!" Dave responded. "You know what? Fine! Fine! If it makes you so happy, what do you want to talk about?"
"Uhh… I don't… remember…" Dakota admitted, looking ashamed. "Why don't you talk about me! What did you think of me returning to the game?"
Dave bit his lip, tried his hardest not to scream, but chose to remain composed. "I don't really know anything about you. Sorry!"
"Oh, come on! There must be something to talk about!" Dakota pleaded, desperate for even the slightest bit of attention.
"...okay, yeah. Sure." Dave pondered for a moment. "So… how's your boyfriend? I've been listening to his podcast lately. I love Showdown with Samuel-San; the greatest fighting game review show I've ever seen! #1 gaming podcast of all time, right?"
"You're the worst, David!" Dakota grumbled as she ran off crying.
xxx
The confessional opened with Dakota crying. Her hands were covering her eyes as the tears began to flow.
"Why is everyone so mean to me?!" she moaned. "Hold that thought, one second!" she said as her tears immediately stopped. She then began to open a makeup mirror, stare at herself with her lips pouted, cleared her throat, then continued to cry. "Why does no one want to be my friend!?"
/
"Woah there!" Chris interjected as the camera cut to show him and Chef in the recording booth. "What awaits these nine nimble nincompoops? What's in store for the iconic Jo-Scarlett duo? Will Noah get to the bottom of Courtney's schemes? And will Dakota stop being such a human disaster? Find out when we return on Total! Drama! The Island Strikes Back!"
(Cut and Fade to Commercial)
Author's Note:
I don't really have anything to say other than I hope you enjoyed this episode, even after such a long wait! These things take quite a while to write but they are so worth it just for the love and reviews alone 3
Also, the cast pictures and names of the new contestants were recently revealed so that's awesome! New Total Drama content in 2022? Feels almost surreal!
Elimination Table:
Dakota - (19th Place) (Returned)
Shawn - (18th Place)
Topher - (17th Place)
Bridgette - (16th Place)
Sky - (15th Place)
Brick - (14th Place)
Alejandro - (13th Place)
Tyler - (12th Place)
Lindsay - (11th Place)
Lightning - (10th Place)