For my great readers, sorry for the long wait…..
Day 2
The Badak Tribe
A warm breeze off the water blew over the Badak tribe. Madison Taylor stirred in her sleep, her eye's fluttering open to a blast of brilliant sunlight. Carefully she sat up, pausing only a second to grab her camera before quietly walking out to the water's edge. In the early morning light the ocean seemed glow, sparkling with all it's might.
"It's day two and what a beautiful morning at Badak...", the girl whispered into the mic.
"Very beautiful indeed", a voice echoed. Surprised, Madison whirled around to see who was behind her.
"Eli", she smiled.
"Good morning", he smiled back, stepping beside her. For what felt like forever they watched the world pass in peace. Unfortunately forever wasn't long enough.
"AHHHH!", a shrill voice cried out, breaking the tranquil silence they had found themselves lost in. Madison and Eli exchanged a brief knowing look then took off for the shelter as the scream rang out again. Bursting in they found James, paper white, and on his chest a very large spider. The terrified man screeched again.
"Somebody do something!", Mihoshi cried, almost as pale as James. Through her camera Madison saw the rest of tribe huddled together at the opposite end of the shelter, most of them still looked sleepy.
"Huma...huma...huma", James stammered, looking panickedly at them all.
"Oh for crying out loud! It's just a stupid spider, hold still you idiot!", Jessie protested, making her way over to wack it with hair just was messy as James's.
"Je...Jess...Jessie...no!", James wailed in horror.
"Wait-", Eli interrupted and in that moment the spider began to glow purple, then flew off James's chest and straight out of the shelter.
"Oh yay...", Jessie cheered sarcastically and then moved outside. Everyone nodded in satisfaction and filed out as well. James emerged last from the shelter, rubbing the spot where the spider had sat as if it being there had caused considerable damage.
"Was it awful?", Mihoshi was asking him, looking every bit as shaken as he.
"I...I think I saw a light", he answered wearily.
"Ooooh I'm sure you did...", Mihoshi said in certain terror.
"Good work", Madison commented to Eli kindly.
"It was nothing", he replied modestly.
"Well", Zeniba began as soon as they were all assembled, "It's a beautiful morning, let us enjoy it by putting what happened behind us. Sound good?" Everyone nodded, though James was reluctant too. With a mutual agreement to move on the camp began to buzz with energy as everyone went about their business. Thirty minutes later though, the energy had burned off and Zeniba had one very hungry tribe on her hands.
"Could I try?", Lita asked when the topic of food was brought up.
"Sure, I don't see why not", the great old witch smiled.
"Wonderful", Lita smiled back, "Now, I'll need that pot over there, some coconuts from yesterday, some water, how about a banana or two?..." Quickly everyone gathered the things needed for what Lita promised to be a delicious island breakfast.
"See how I let that heat up? Now I'm going to rub this banana piece across it so my coconut doesn't stick...", Lita was explaining to Tommy and Cody as they crowded around her, peering interestedly at what she was doing.
"Mmmm, that smells good! Where did you learn to cook so well?", Zeniba wondered as she collected some bowls to hand out.
"Ummm, well...", Lita stammered embarrassedly.
"Please, don't be so modest", Mina interjected, "Lita is the best cook I know. Why she even taught Serena to make, slightly dry, slightly burnt, cookies, and if you knew Serena, that's nothing short of a miracle..." Near by Darien and Amy nodded sheepishly.
"Well then, I see no reason why you shouldn't be camp cook. That is if you'd like to dear", Zeniba proposed warmly. Lita's face lit up surprisedly, then changed to uncertainty, "But what about everyone else?..."
"Who supports me in making Lita camp cook?", the old witch declared, turning to the rest of Badak. There was of a moment of thought and a few looks exchanged. Amy, Darien, and Mina raised their hands first, soon followed by everyone except James.
"Yes?", Zeniba said, addressing in James in all fairness. Standing firmly with his arms crossed, James answered a bit offensively, "She's not the only one who can cook, you know. I've been told that I have an excellent instinct for the culinary arts." Jessie looked over at her partner with mixed confusion, amusement, and suspicion, "Really? Like who? And why don't remembering hearing it?..." Snapping around to glare at his partner James began rambling defensively, "You know, that person in that town..." Lita shifted uncomfortably, "Uhhh, I didn't want to start anything. I really don't mind if you want to be the cook..."
"Now, now, let's not be this way", the kind old witch reasoned, "Since you both want to cook, I'm sure we can reach an agreement. Why don't you switch off every other day, Lita today, James tomorrow, Lita the day after that, and James the day after that? Is that fine with you both?" Hesitantly Lita nodded. Everyone waited several minutes for James's answer, finally he grunted which was taken as a "Yes."
"Okay", Zeniba said moving on, "What the status on breakfast?"
"Breakfast is served", Lita announced with a small smile. Tommy and Cody eagerly handed out the steaming bowls of a dish Lita respectively called 'Island Banana Dreams'. All of them starving, the tribe inhaled it, all of them minus James that is, who found something to complain about every five minutes.
"How dry..."
"Burnt..."
"You call this 'Island Banana Dreams?' Is the dream a nightmare or something? Because this is a culinary nightmare..."
"Ack, ack, ack! Ahem, sorry got a chewy piece stuck in my throat..."
Jessie sent a sharp look over to her partner, what was he up to?...
"Um, is everyone done now?", Lita asked looking to clean up and still uneasy from all of James's Not-So-Discreet comments. Everyone nodded.
"That was delicious", Tommy piped up with a smile, Cody sitting next to him gave a thumbs up.
"Yeah, I hope we can have this again", Kari agreed. A murmur of satisfaction was soon echoed from them all.
"Well if you ask me-", James began snidely, but he was interrupted by Jessie whacking him upside the head.
"What James was saying is that he loved it too", she smirked.
"Well, um, thanks", Lita replied awkwardly.
"That's not what he was going to say", Ash suddenly pointed out.
"It wasn't?...", Lita mumbled, now becoming thoroughly confused by the odd behavior she was getting from people.
"No it wasn't", Ash insisted. James nodded, his face clouded with confusion of his own, and opened his mouth to say so, but Jessie clamped his mouth shut.
"Yes is was! What do you know anyways? Your just a little twirp!", she protested, her face growing red. Lita helplessly looked from Ash, who was growing red himself, to James who seemed to be in deep thought, as if he couldn't remember if that's really what he wanted to say in the first place anymore, to Jessie who was practically showering everyone in spit in her attempt to win the heated debate, and back again.
"Ahem. Why doesn't someone go get tree mail?", Zeniba suggested into the tense air. There was finally a moment of silence.
"I'll do it", Rika spoke up. It was the first time she really had said anything at all that morning and because of that there was another silence. Recovering, Ash found himself a new target, "No, I'll do it. Leave it to a girl to mess things up."
"Excuse me?", Rika snapped looking over at Ash with venom.
"You heard me...", Ash sneered.
"Enough!", Zeniba suddenly cried. That part of the island was hushed. No one had ever heard Zeniba raise her voice that way... Drawing in a deep breath, the witch seemed to calm, "Now, there is only so much an old woman can take", she explained, "Generally I have very good patience, I got it from growing up with my twin sister Yubaba. I simply could not have survived if I hadn't learned almost saintly patience. But with all this bickering and arguing I can scarcely hear myself think, something that hasn't happened to me since my childhood with her. Something I never want to experience again. So I'm asking if we can all please put our differences aside for the time being and work in peace towards the reward challenge that I know we can win. Can we do that?" A stunned Badak tribe nodded slowly.
"Good", Zeniba smiled.
"Can we get tree mail?", Cody asked timidly, implying to himself and Tommy.
"Sure", the old woman agreed, calm and kind once more. Never the less the rest of the tribe did not protest this decision and off Cody and Tommy ran for the jungle. The time spent while the two boys were gone was stiff and uneasy, with everyone sending Zeniba an occasional strained smile. The old witch smirked to herself at the command she suddenly held over the usually chaotic Badak. Sometime later the boys returned ( much to everyone's relief ) and Tommy made quick to hand off the mail to Zeniba, who read out loud:
"Teams of one become two, let's see what each can do. Climb up, climb down, race to the finish, stand your ground. Finish first, not last, and receive a reward that's made to last." More silence.
"Well it states that we'll have to climb something, so I guess it will be pretty physical", Robin commented suddenly. Even more silence. Robin, like Rika, wasn't exactly social, so to hear him give some input was a bit surprising.
"Right", Sora nodded, "And how about the stand your ground part? Sounds like more physical stuff."
"Receive a reward that's made to last. Food I suspect", Ken chimed in thoughtfully.
"Well, um, I wouldn't be to sure about that, I mean it's always food...", Jessie protested, though carefully, as she had never really talked with Ken, and she didn't want to set off Zeniba.
"Please, it's food", Ash persisted as he couldn't help himself. Jessie, now being tested on her own patience, looked over to the black haired boy across from her, "I say it's not. In fact, I know it's not."
"Well, if your so sure then, bet me", Ash challenged. For a moment it Jessie seemed uncertain, but then nodded confidently, "Deal, what's the stakes?"
"Say if you win, I have to be your maid for the rest of the game, If I win your my maid", Ash proposed.
"Sounds good to me. Prepare to lose twirp", Jessie taunted.
"Not a chance", Ash scoffed.
"Well no one will know until we get there, let's go", Zeniba suggested before Jessie could come back with something else. The hotheaded future Pokemon Master and his archenemy grumbling all the way, Badak boarded their raft and paddled out to another far off beach.
"Psst, Madison...", Sora suddenly whispered. Madison, busy filming the tribe's stroking effort, hit pause on her camera and looked to the girl behind her.
"Uh-huh", she answered.
"Do you think you could do me a small favor?", Sora asked, still talking in a hushed tone.
"Um, sure", Madison shrugged, somewhat uncertain. With a brief glance across the raft at Kari, Sora continued, "Well you'll be taping the challenge right?"
"Of course", Madison nodded, growing curious of what she was being asked to do.
"Okay, good. I know she'll hate me for this, but it's too funny to pass up. There'll be two guys, one from each of the other tribes there and their both ga ga over Kari. It would be awesome if you got their reactions at seeing her for the first time in 24 hours", Sora grinned. Madison smiled back, but still felt a bit uncomfortable with it.
"Thanks", Sora said quickly as Kari herself came over to switch paddling with her friend.
"Hey Madison, great day for filming huh?", she greeted.
"The best", Madison agreed, and immediately returned to doing just that.
"Land ho!", Mihoshi suddenly cried as they reached the reward challenge beach. Excited and slightly nervous the Badak tribe unloaded and marched up to their mat. Jeff nodded to them as they approached and they would have nodded back if they hadn't caught sight of the fifteen giant wooden walls behind him. When they all had finally finished gawking, they noticed they were not the only tribe there, Gajah also stood in awe of what both tribes hoped was not a part of their challenge. In what had to be only a moment later, the Kera tribe also filed in. With her camera as always, Madison aimed it over at Eli just in time to see him smile warmly over at Sakura. Smiling now herself, she waved to her friends on the opposing Gajah tribe. Many exchanges were being made between them all, some friendly, some not so. Reluctant, but true to her word, Madison scoped out the two boys she thought might like Kari. Needless to say it wasn't hard to find them.
"Kari!", they both shouted at the same time. Noticing this they both glared each other down and then returned their attention to the girl of their dreams. Madison's camera found a very red Kari among her tribe mates.
"My love-", one of them tried to start again.
"What makes you think she's yours?", the second boy questioned snappishly.
"Is that a challenge T.K? Bring it on!", the first boy hollered back. Suddenly, before anymore was said, two members of the first boy's tribe subdued him, seeming to be covering his mouth and pulling him back.
"Sorry about that sis...", one of them called, then struggled harder against the first boy's attempts to break free.
"And people call us crazy...", Jessie muttered to James out of the corner of her mouth. James nodded gravely. Looking back to Kari, Madison saw her face just about matched Jessie's hair, and felt a bit sorry for her. Standing near by, Sora was turning the same color, not from embarrassment, but from trying not to laugh. Cody next to Sora was almost purple.
"Ahem, well if that's it, shall we get to the challenge?", Jeff began into the embarrassed silence. Everyone nodded.
"Good. Now I'd like to introduce some new rules before I explain the reward challenge today. Because most of you posses magical abilities, a few things have been changed. You all will be able to use your strengths to help your team along, but what you will not be able to use them for is to harm the other teams in any way. If this should happen anytime whatsoever during the challenge your tribe will lose by default. It doesn't matter if you were just about to win, you lose, that's how it is. Do I make myself clear?" Slow nods came from all three tribes.
"Okay", Jeff continued, "I will also, at the start of each challenge, tell you what is magically permitted and what's not. Now, how about what you have to do today? As you can see there are fifteen, twenty-foot walls standing behind you. On my go you will break off into teams, ten going, ten staying. The ten staying will wait for the team of ten going to partner up and rush up to a wall and climb to the top where they will find a wooden board. Each team of two will return with a board and then help the others assemble them all together. Now there's a catch for the teams of two retrieving these boards, one will stand in front of the wall and one behind it, the only way to get to the top is to step on the boards your partner will slip through to you, communication is key to getting up quickly. Once all five boards are put together, the ten staying with take their newly built wall and hold it up. Only the two teams who build their wall the fastest will continue. The ten going will then race to an opposing wall and will have to get through it some how. There are two lines laid down on either side of the wall, you cannot step over the line or your team loses, you can not jump over the wall or your team loses, you can not crawl under the wall or your team loses. You can only push the opposing team over the line, push them out of the way, or use magic by force not harm. Once past it, be the first to touch your flag to win. Make sense? Wanna know what you're playing for?" Everyone cheered.
"How about your very own island food service? Once a week from now until the end of the game your tribe and the people in it will be able to select a food to be sent to your camp, that includes cake, pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, you name it. Sound good?" Everyone cheered again.
"Good, there will be no flying permitted in this challenge, all the rest is fair game, Survivors ready?...Go!" As if a fire had been lit under them, all tribes took off, ten people from each. With a fast beating heart Madison watched from the sidelines as the ten divided into two, Rika and Jessie, Ash and James, Kari and Sora, Tommy and Cody, Robin and Lin. At full speed, they tackled the walls. One, two, three, four, five...Tommy raced up the planks as Cody stuffed them through. Next to them Kari was meeting Tommy step for step with Sora pushing her own planks out to her. Anxiously Madison drifted to the next pair. Almost dropping her camera, she saw Robin already retrieving his wooden board from the top. Even more surprising was that she saw Lin had only shoved through a handful of planks for him to climb. How had he gotten up so quickly with hardly anything to help him up? She was answered as she saw him swiftly descend in a series of jumps and flips. Allowing herself a small proud smile, she moved on to the next team. Set up next to Robin and Lin's wall, was Jessie and Rika, though things couldn't have been any more different between the two. With each of them pointing and waving planks at each other threateningly and shouting so much they both had red flustered faces, the smile that had once graced Madison's face disappeared in a distressed instant. Glancing hurriedly over to the next wall, Madison's dread was increased. Ash and James were fighting too and though neither of them had planks in their hands ( thank goodness! ) they both looked as if they were refusing to work together. A sudden clatter shook Madison from her nervous thoughts. Panting Tommy and Cody, Robin and Lin, and Kari and Sora were back.
"Good work, you all did wonderful", Zeniba said offering them warm smiles. Just as Madison was sharing more thanks, a set of green eye's flashing across her camera screen caught her attention. Sakura was staring over at their plank pile with a worried expression. Glancing at Gajah's plank pile Madison realized the reason her friend looked so distraught. There was only one plank. Suddenly Ash and James burst into the scene, dropping Badak's much needed forth plank. They only needed one more. Gripping her camcorder tightly, she shot over to see how things were going with Rika and Jessie and was surprised to see that Rika was at the top of her wall. Filled with concern, her stomach in knots, she looked over to Kera. Thud. That was it. Madison had dropped her camera. Before Eli or Zeniba could question her three words rang through the air that silenced everything.
"Enough! Gajah, you're out!" Some on Badak looked surprised, Zeniba never looked happier.
"Ha ha! My sister lost!", the old witch grinned.
"I hate to interrupted but we still have a challenge to win", Rika reminded them as she tried to fit two planks together.
"Right! Let's do this, I know we can win!", Zeniba encouraged, picking up a plank herself. Quickly everyone worked together to fit the pieces of their wall together. Madison picked up her camera and dusted it off gently. She felt awful for Sakura, but there was no time to be sorry, she had to think of her tribe now.
"Come on guys!", she cheered as she watched three planks be snapped together. Cautiously aiming her camera at Kera again, Madison saw that they were nearly complete. Time was running short for them.
"No Ash, the other way around", she instructed looking back to him as she saw he was trying to force two of the wrong ends together.
"Done!", Robin shouted. Similar shouts were coming from Kera, but Madison didn't have time to look, the ten staying were now moving their wall to in front of the opposing team's flag, and she was apart of it.
"I'll hold your camera", James volunteered.
"James you can't hold my camera and try to push down Kera's wall", Madison argued hurriedly.
"But I'm not going to push down Kera's wall", James protested.
"What?", Eli spoke up.
"I have a splinter, I can't", he whined.
"But we need you to help push Kera's wall down", Madison cried in disbelief.
"Well sorry-", James was saying, but Eli interrupted, "It's fine Madison, I'll take his place, you go help the others." Without time to argue, Madison did as she was told and set down her camera before rushing off to joining everyone in holding up their own wall. With everything happening so fast, it seemed only a second later that Kera was charging towards them.
"Hold your ground!", Zeniba cried as they all leaned against the force of the Kera tribe. Grimacing in the effort Madison felt the weight gradually getting pushed back from them.
"Again!", a young woman on Kera with long brown hair countered in resistance to the fact that they were losing ground. Things went on like this for some time and with every second Madison wished she could what was going on with the Kera wall. Were they doing any better?
"That's enough...", another young woman from Kera said, stepping away from the wall. Kera was pushed back another few inches.
"What are you doing!", the first woman from Kera cried. The other woman did not answer her and instead she shouted,
"Mars Star Power!"
Suddenly a blinding light was cast over the entire beach. When both tribes finally regained sight again, the second woman from Kera looked nothing like she had. Dressed up in a short suite of some kind with red skirt and fiery high heels that dug into the sand, she looked to be a force to be reckoned with.
"Mars Celestial Fire Surround!", she cried. Everyone on Badak cried out in panic. Flying towards them were great rings of fire. With barely a second to spare Madison dived for the sand. There was suddenly the terrible whooshing sound of something going up in flames and then the unmistakable crackle of wood burning. Madison looked up to see their wall burnt to a crisp.
"And Kera wins reward!", Jeff announced.
"No!", Jessie protested, giving a great kick to the ground. Madison got to her feet. They had lost. What a waste of energy. Looking over to the rest of her tribe she could see they were equally frustrated.
"We did the best we could", Zeniba soothed. Some how this didn't help.
"Well done, and I think it's safe to say you deserve this", Jeff continued handing Kera their menu. There was more cheering as they all jumped up and down in a joyous embrace.
"We'll get them next time...", Rika muttered sending a dark look their way.
"That's the spirit", the old witch encouraged, "Now shall we head back?" Everyone nodded, too moody to say anything.
"Just let me grab my camera-", Madison called out, running over to pick it up. Slowly they climbed into their raft again, and began the doubly tiring trip back. Mihoshi sniffed and wiped her eye's and no one asked her to paddle and James still looked as if he hadn't caught the fact that they had lost and he wasn't asked to either. Looking to capture some more of her tribe mate's reactions, Madison turned on her camera and then dropped it a second time.
"What?", Eli questioned, noting the shocked look on her face.
"It's- It's gone! My tape! Some one stole my tape!", Madison cried.
"What?", everyone gasped.
"James, you were watching my camera, what happened?", Madison demanded to know.
"Well I certainly didn't steal it if that's what you're saying...", he protested.
"No", Madison persisted, becoming impatient, "You were there, did you notice anyone come by?"
"Now why would I notice that? I was too busy watching this really neat ant hill I found", James answered incredulously. The whole rafted moaned.
"What?", James exclaimed.
"Okay, let's not get anymore worked up. Whoever stole it can't possibly watch it, so were safe. No real damage done except that you've lost all your poor footage dear", Zeniba reasoned. Madison hung her head.
"Aww, you'll get it back", the old witch promised giving her shoulders a light squeeze. With a sigh Madison nodded and set her camera at her feet so she could help paddle. Eli said nothing and merely stared out at the water. Twenty minutes later they arrived once again at their camp, but it no longer felt hopeful as before.
"What are you smiling about?", Jessie grumbled at Ash.
"Oh no real reason really except that I just won a bet", he replied, his smiling grower wider. For a moment Jessie just went on, unfazed by the latest weird thing he's said to her, but then froze.
"You don't mean our bet do you?", she questioned, sending a forbidding look his way.
"The one and only", he answered, now positively beaming in evil delight. Jessie shifted uncomfortable, but then regained composure,
"Well I don't know what part of that makes you happy, because I'm not doing it."
"What do you mean? You agreed to it!", Ash exclaimed, his smile finally fading.
"Since when do you trust anything I say? ", Jessie sneered, happy to have found a way out of a sticky situation. Ash fumed.
"Please, not now", Zeniba begged, "How about some lunch?" Lita smiled, "Lunch it is. I was thinking fish would be good, but..."
"You'd probably over cook it?", James finished for her.
"Oh James, ha ha ha, such a joker!", Jessie suddenly cried out, slapping him on the back hard.
"Ouch! Hey whatcha do that for!", he protested irritatedly.
"Ha ha ha", Jessie rambled on.
"Anyways...", Lita went on uncertainly, "I was wondering if anyone knew how to catch fish without nets or fishing hooks?" There was a thoughtful pause then, "I know a way", Robin spoke up. The tribe was pleasantly surprised.
"Well that's wonderful, let's see it", Zeniba encouraged brightly. Feeling a bit put on the spot, Robin nodded and walked out to the water's edge before wading in a few feet.
"The deal's back on, I say he chokes", Jessie whispered to Ash. Ash looked over at her suspiciously, but then resolved and agreed, "Deal." Back out in the water, Robin unclipped something silver and shiny from his belt. It was a ball and skillfully he tossed it into the air. With a splash! and a pop!, it hit the water. Many moments past and nothing happened. Ash and Jessie exchanged looks. More time past. Now a few others were looking to each other a bit wonderingly. Finally Robin moved again and reached out to pick up his ball. With a great heave he lugged it back with him, attached was a great net full of fish. The beach filled with applause, Ash clapping the loudest, a new smirk on his face.
"Aw, don't be too pleased, I'm not being your maid...", Jessie grumbled, going to join the others in seeing his catch. Ash fumed again.
"Wow! There's enough here for everyone to have seconds!", Lita cried. Robin shrugged bashfully, "It's nothing really..."
"Nothing! My dear boy this is just the protein we need to win! Where did you get this ball? It's a lifesaver!", Zeniba praised.
"I made it. It's one of the things I bring to my team, I create gadgets to fight crime. When I found out I'd be going on Survivor, I decided to make a few for the occasion", he explained, still looking a bit embarrassed by all the attention.
"Well it's wonderful! I would love for you to be the our camp fishermen", the great old witch smiled.
"Um, sure", Robin agreed, blushing now.
"Um, James? Do you have a moment?", Lita began apprehensively. James, who had also walked over to see what the masked boy had brought in, looked over to Lita suspiciously, "Yes..."
"Um, well I was wondering if maybe you, uh...", Lita faltered at the stare he was giving her and then hurried in saying the rest, "Well I wanted to know if you wanted to help me cook the fish since there's so many. I could make another fire you could use, it would cut the cooking time in half."
"I could use the other fire? Why not you? Am I not good enough or something?", James questioned with his arms crossed. Standing near by Jessie shifted uncomfortably, wanting to interrupt, but was fresh out of things to exclaim.
"Well I guess I could use the other fire, I didn't really think about it...", Lita stammered, feeling confused again, and now slightly annoyed.
"Well obviously not", James scoffed.
"Look", Lita countered, "I was just asking if you wanted to help. By the way your acting I don't think you do, so fine. It was just an offer."
"Are you taking a tone with me?", James wondered in mock disbelief. That was it. Jessie lunged at James, grabbing him by the ear, and then preceded to drag him away down the beach. A silence fell over the camp.
"Well I guess I'll get down to it...", Lita finally said, implying to fixing up their lunch.
"We'll help!", Cody and Tommy cried brightly. Lita smiled, "Okay roll up those sleeves boys, let's get to work!" Robin helped divide the fish and Ash hesitantly called out Charizard to start the fire. Mean while Jessie and James were still nowhere to be seen, but nobody was complaining...
"Mmmm, I just love fish", Lin sighed as she watched the first of the fish sizzle.
"Me too", Zeniba agreed. Madison who sat near by sighed. She had been examining her camera all afternoon in thought of who could have possibly stolen her tape.
"Still upset about your camera dear?", the old witch asked sympathetically. Madison nodded, "It just frustrates me. I mean, why would anyone steal my tape? I wish I hadn't been so careless with it..."
"Don't be so hard on yourself, you were in the middle of a challenge, you had no reason to suspect anyone would take it", Eli reasoned. He been quiet since they had got back and in finally talking he received a good deal of attention.
"I've been thinking though", he went on, "Realistically it could have only been someone from Gajah, I mean they weren't competing. They had the whole end of the game to take it." Everyone nodded thoughtfully, but before anymore could be said a distant humming filled the air. Out on the water was a black speck that was growing as it came towards them. Everyone exchanged confused looks.
"It's a bird!", Tommy guessed.
"It's a plane!", Mihoshi cried.
"No it's...Jeff!", Mina exclaimed, pointing out at the boat the host just pulled up in. Quickly everyone gathered at the waters edge to meet him. As the driver slowed to a stop Badak realized that Jeff was not alone. Sitting next to him was a tall and elegant looking woman dressed in what had to be royal attire.
"Badak!", Jeff greeted as he helped the woman from the boat, "I bring someone new to the ranks, meet your new tribe mate." Standing on the beach the woman gave them all a small smile and a nod.
"This is Princess Ayeka of Jurai. She was late getting here due to problems with her ship, but everything has been worked out and she is now your final member of Badak", Jeff explained.
"Thank you for the introduction", Ayeka said politely.
"You're welcome. Well if that's it, I think I'll leave you all to get acquainted", and with that and a brief nod of his own he ducked back into the boat and sped off. Quietly the woman watched it until it disappeared over the horizon and then turned to face her tribe. Just then in a blur of blonde, Mihoshi bolted from the crowd and charged at their new guest with all her might, nearly knocking the composed woman down. The woman cried out in protest, but then relaxed upon seeing her assailants face.
"Oh, it's only you Mihoshi", she said with a slight smile. Mihoshi released the woman and stared up at her tearfully, "Oh I am so happy to see you! You do not know how- how- hard it is to be on tribe without anybody you know! Though, it's not that our tribe is mean, it's just, I have no one. But not anymore, now I have you!", the blonde cried in joy and engulfed the woman in another hug. The woman strained to keep a smile on, "Yes, yes. I'm happy to see you too."
"This isn't a trick right?", Mihoshi said suddenly, letting go of the poor woman again, "Jeff isn't going to pull up any moment and take you away, right?"
"Um, no. I think I'm here to stay", Ayeka answered as Mihoshi face's broke into a smile and she went to hug the woman once more, "But- oh! I just remembered! I have a surprise for you...", the princess continued, successfully diverting the blonde's attention away from choking her with another hug.
"Oh, oh! What is it?", Mihoshi cried, bouncing on her feet excitedly.
"Well...", Ayeka went on, reaching behind one of her elegant robes and pulling out something small and black, "It's the reason I had some ship problems."
"AWWWWW!", the blonde girl shrieked, nearly taking off the princess's hands in her mad attempt to snatch up her prize, "It's you Ryo-Ohki! Oh it's really you!" A stunned Badak watched as the black thing in her arms actually moved ( they had believed it be an inanimate object or else dead with the way Mihoshi was squeezing it so tight...) slowly a long and fuzzy ear popped out, and then a second, followed by the appearance of a cute pink nose. With a great shake of it's head, the creature shook it's self awake and then looked about confusedly at it's new surroundings.
"You're awake! You're awake!", Mihoshi cried, bouncing again.
"What is that?", Jessie asked. Everyone minus Mihoshi ( "Oh I will love you forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and-..." ) and Ayeka turned around surprisedly.
"Bummer. I almost forgot they existed...", Lin muttered to Zeniba out of the corner of her mouth, the great old witch nodded gravely.
"Maybe it's something Lita burn't-", James guessed, but then received a sharp elbow in the side, "Ow! Don't do that!" Jessie gave her partner a forbidding look and then changed the subject, "Or I guess a better question would be who are you?" Everyone looked back to Ayeka. Straightening her dress and standing up taller, the princess nodded towards them and then introduced herself, "I am Ayeka, first Princess to the planet Jurai."
"Well, I suppose we should introduce ourselves too...", Jessie began, sending a sideways look at James. Ash's eyes grew wide in horror.
"To protect the world from devastation..."
"To unit all peoples within our nation..."
"To announce the evils of truth and love..."
"To extend our reach to the stars above..."
"Not again...", Ash grumbled, hanging his head in embarrassment.
"Jessie..."
"James..."
"Team rocket blasts off at the speed of light..."
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
There was a pause. Stiffly Jessie gave James another look. At first James looked uncertain, but then got on his hands and knees and cried, "Meowth! That's right!" Ash fell over.
"Yeah! Clap Ryo-Ohki, that's what your supposed to do when people perform, even when it's not that good...", Mihoshi said as she pressed the black creatures paws together in appreciation. Ayeka blinked and then look to her tribe stunnedly. They all shrugged and made the crazy sign.
"Ahem", Jessie began again as she was starting to get the picture that there would be no more clapping except from Mihoshi and her piece of fluff, "So, what are you doing here Princess?"
"Well, I'm apart of this tribe now. You see, I would have been here sooner, but my poor ship had a cold, and wasn't running to the best of it's abilities, so I got here late. But I am now ready to give one-hundred and ten percent to this tribe and the immunity challenge tomorrow", Ayeka answered respectively, despite the way she was talked to.
"Hmmm, well you know, I was a princess once too-", Jessie began smugly, but was cut off by a cloud of black smoke that was engulfing her and soon the rest of her tribe.
"What's going on!", she protested, coughing up a storm.
"Oh no! The fish!", Lita cried, dashing through the blinding black to reach the fire. Quickly she began tossing sand on the flames, effectively smothering them out. With a hiss the second fire was doused by Ash.
"Good job Totadile", he praised as his Pokemon ran around in circles in excitement. Through the clearing smoke, Lita frowned at the six fish on each fire, burnt to a crisp.
"Awww...", she sighed, "How could I have forgot about them?"
"Is that really a question?...", James muttered as Jessie stompt on his foot.
"Hey-", he tried to exclaim, but his partner then clamped down on his mouth.
"It's okay dear, there's plenty more fish where that came from thanks to Robin. Cody, Tommy, why don't you grab twelve more from the net, Ash would you be a dear and start two more fires? And me and Lin will take these burnt ones away", Zeniba reasoned. Obediently Cody and Tommy picked out some new fish, Ash started two new fires, and Zeniba and Lin took the bad ones to throw away. Just then Ryo-Ohki began to squirm.
"Hey, Ryo-Ohki- What's wrong?", Mihoshi questioned, fighting to squeeze it even tighter ( if that's possible...) Skillfully the small creature wriggled out her the blonde's arms and hopped after Lin and Zeniba.
"Oh, well hello there", Zeniba greeted. With a great hop Ryo-Ohki leaped up and bit a fish.
"Well I'll be, you want these fish? They sure are burnt, I bet you could have some good ones later...", Zeniba suggested, but the creature didn't mind as it munched away.
"Ewww", Lin grimaced at the sight. Zeniba laughed good-naturedly.
"No Ryo-Ohki!", Mihoshi said as she bounded over and scooped her prize before it could finish taking it's next bite, "Ayeka said you had a cold! Poor babies with colds shouldn't eat junk food! Come on, let's go find you some nice leafs...", Mihoshi offered brightly as she walked away, Ryo-Ohki hanging over her arms looking defeated. The next of the fish cooked well under the watchful eye of Lita and soon lunch was called to order.
"Mmmm, the best fish I've ever had", Lin sighed, as she devoured what was given to her. Lita smiled, "I'm glad."
"Bone...scale...fin...another bone...", James sat and grumbled loudly as he pretended to pick out bits Lita had over looked. Jessie made to stomp on his foot again, but James leaned over to spit something out at that moment.
"So", Robin spoke up, "What planet did you say you come from again?" Ayeka patted her lips with a handkerchief she had in her pocket and answered, "I'm the first Princess to the planet Jurai."
"Hmmm", Robin said thoughtfully, "I've never heard of that planet. I have a friend who comes from the planet Tamaran though, maybe she has."
"Tamaran...Tamaran...you know that one isn't ringing a bell for me either", Ayeka replied, pondering the star systems she knew in her head.
"Okay, okay, so your from what planet?", Ash interrupted.
"Jurai", Ayeka said patiently.
"Ger-eye", Ash repeated, as to confirm.
"Jurai", Ayeka corrected.
"Yeah, Ger-eye", Ash persisted.
"No Jurai."
"Uh-huh, Ger-eye"
"Jurai."
"Ger-eye."
"Jurai."
"Ger-eye."
"Jurai."
"Ger-eye."
"Germ-Pie?", James cut in.
"No! It's Jurai!", Ayeka exclaimed. Everyone was hushed.
"Ahem, yes my home planet is Jurai", she went on, now blushing.
"Ah-ha! Found it!", Amy cried out suddenly. The whole tribe turned their attention to her.
"Is this your Jurai?", Amy wondered, handing over a mini-computer she had just whipped out. Ayeka looked at the screen and smiled, "Yes."
"It's very beautiful", Amy commented as she took her computer back.
"Thank you, I hope to rule it someday", the princess said wistfully.
"Hump, not even a real princess...", Jessie murmured to James. James nodded, "She's not even a real person, she's an alien..."
"So", Ayeka began again, looking to change the subject off her, "How was the challenge today?" Everyone frowned.
"We lost", Zeniba answered, "But we'll win immunity for sure", she added brightly. Ayeka nodded, "I'm sure we will, especially now that I can help."
"Say-", Rika piped up, "That girl who burned up our wall, she wouldn't happen to be a Sailor Scout would she?" Darien, Mina, Lita, and Amy shifted in their seats.
"Yes actually, Sailor Mars", Mina answered.
"Well then why did you just burn down Kera's wall?", Rika persisted.
"Maybe cause she can't, ever think of that?", Ash cut in, taking his chance to get after Rika.
"Was I asking you... Ash?", Rika questioned snidely.
"Hey what are you implying?", Ash asked, growing red in the face.
"Um, to answer", Mina said, attempting to take control of the conversation again, "I guess I could have done something to the wall, for some reason I didn't really think about it." Amy, Darien, and Lita nodded.
"Well what can you do?", Rika challenged. The four exchanged looks and then stood up.
"Mercury Star Power!"
"Venus Star Power!"
"Jupiter Star Power!"
And in a similar burst of blinding light, Amy, Mina, and Lita, repapered dressed much the same as Sailor Mars had only in, yellow, green, and blue. Moments later Darien joined them in a flourish of rose petals, sporting a full tux and even a top hat.
"Well don't you all look nice", Zeniba smiled, admiring her tribe mate's new attire.
"Snazzy", Tommy commented.
"The outfits are great, but even I could go throw on a dress and call myself powerful, what can you do?", Rika persisted.
"I agree. In addition to being a princess I'm also a master of disguise and those get ups are a poor excuse for power", Jessie interjected. Rika sent Jessie a sour look, the thought of even being on her side was sickening.
"So you wanna know what I can do...", Mina said thoughtfully as she scanned the area for something to test her abilities on, "Bingo", she smiled.
"Venus Love Chain Encircle!" In another flash of brilliant light, a heart linked chain shot through the air and tightly wrapped it's self around a near by coconut tree. With firm yank the tree was up rooted and all it's coconuts were free for the taking. Satisfied with herself Mina turned around to face her tribe and was met with impressed applause.
"Thanks", she smiled and stood back so Amy could give it a go.
"Hmmm...", the smart girl wondered, "What to do..." Then it came to her.
"Mercury Ice Storm Blast!" A cool rush of wind broke across the island and to Badak's amazement, an icy surface had formed ten feet out over the warm water. The applause started immediately. Amy offered a small embarrassed smile and then joined Mina who gave her a proud thumbs up. Now it was Darien's turn. Steadily he walked up to one of the thickest coconut trees around, took aim and then, in one skillful motion, struck it with his cane and shot about twenty roses in it, which stuck like darts. There was a pause. Darien turned around and walked back to join his tribe, behind him the great tree toppled over with a crash. A new burst of applause erupted.
"That was wonderful", Amy complimented kindly. Mina and Lita nodded. Darien thanked them modestly.
"Now me", Lita said, determined to do something extra special, as she felt she had a bit more to prove. Looking around she caught sight of the pile of wood that had been gathered. Without a word she retrieved Robin's net with the last of the fish and laid them out across the wood. When she finished she stepped back and cried, "Jupiter Thunderclap Zap!" In mere seconds Lita had sent a ball of white light zooming for the pile and upon impact ignited in a fiery explosion. With great agility and strength, Lita scooped up a large amount of sand and tossed it over the flames. Just like that they winked out and sitting atop the charred wood was the last of the fish, cooked to perfection. The loudest applause yet sounded from the island.
"Go Jupiter!", Mina cried. Lita blushed and waved the applause away, "It was nothing...", she mumbled.
"Well done", Zeniba clapped. Everyone agreed.
"Next time, remember to do that", Rika insisted, seeming mildly impressed. Just then a new glow lit the beach, the sunset. Everyone paused at moment to watch the different hues of red, pink, orange, and yellow fill and then empty the sky.
"Awww, wasn't that soo sweet Ryo-Ohki?", Mihoshi cooed, cuddling the creature even more. Madison sighed, "It would have been wonderful it get both the sunrise and sunset..." Eli stepped beside her.
"You'll get your tape back", he assured, his eye's focused on the last of the sunlight. Madison looked over at him a nodded gratefully.
"Well", Lita said, back to normal, "We had kinda a late lunch, but we can always snack on the fish I just made as instead of eating a whole dinner which I know I can't do..."
"Good idea dear and why don't we do something while we snack?", the old witch suggested. Everyone pondered the thought.
"Oh, oh! We can play ponies and butterflies", Mihoshi chimed in. Everyone sweat dropped.
"Good suggestion, we'll keep that in mind...", Zeniba said kindly, though she knew very well that she would never play something called ponies and butterflies, at least not of her own free will...
"How about truth or dare?", Sora spoke up. There was a thoughtful pause.
"And we can all drink the milk out of these coconuts Mina got down for us while we play", Cody added brightly. Sora smiled over at the boy for supporting her.
"Hmmm, well I suppose that's a good idea, all in favor raise their hands", Zeniba said, calling for a vote. Everyone but, Ayeka and Mihoshi raised their hands.
"Oh so sorry Princess, I know you're not used to not getting your way, but majority rules and were playing", Jessie announced smugly with James nodding beside her.
"Now, now, we have to respect what others think", Zeniba reprimanded.
Oh right, let the princess have her way...Jessie grumbled.
"It's not that I don't want to play, it's just I do hold some secrets I simply cannot reveal", Ayeka protested, justifying her choice. Zeniba nodded understandingly. Jessie huffed, Oh gee, 'I hold soo many secrets , I simply cannot tell them to you lesser people...
"I wouldn't worry dear, this isn't going to be a prying game, merely a fun get to know you game", the old witch assured while giving the rest of her tribe a, Am I Right? look. Everyone nodded reluctantly.
"What's the point of playing truth or dare if you're not going to pry?...", Ash persisted grumpily.
"We'll get the coconuts", Tommy and Cody volunteered.
"And I'll get the fish", Lita added. Moments later everyone was gathered around a warm fire, eating bits of delicious fish and sipping sweet coconut milk.
"So...", Sora began uncertainly, "Who wants to start?" Everyone looked around.
"I will", James spoke up. Everyone shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't exactly what they were looking for...
"Ayeka", he went on, ignoring his fellow tribe mates looks ( or he simply didn't notice them...) "What is your real reason for being here? What kind of world domination do you plan when you win the million by rigging it", he accused.
"What?", Ayeka questioned shockedly.
"You plan to take over the world?", Mihoshi gasped, staring at her friend horrifiedly.
"No, no, no", Ayeka insisted, giving James a sharp look, "I don't know where in the world he got that."
"James this is not how your play truth or dare, you didn't even give her a choice", Zeniba scolded.
"Answer the question, your an Alien, what do you plan to do to us tonight?", James rambled on fiercely, over looking Zeniba's objections. Ayeka opened her mouth in disbelief, wanting to say something in her defense, but was too insulted to form words.
"Why, you, I-", she stammered.
"And what do you know of Aliens?", Robin protested, staring James down, "I live with one and there's not a mean bone in her body." It was James's turn to open and close his mouth.
"Well", Zeniba said suddenly, rushing to put out the fire, "It's been a long day, why don't we call it a night?" James and Robin remained eye locked, but then, the blue haired man wavered and nodded. Stiffly everyone ate the last of their fish, drank their milk, and crawled off to bed, Ayeka on one side, James on the other.