TDNKCI: Episode 7: "This Can Only End Badly"
"Last Time, on Total Drama Nui Kaua: The Cursed Island…
"Our former demons began to adjust to life on their new teams with...varying degrees of difficulty. Azami and original Mummy Lena immediately hated one another and only kept arguing as time went on. It was aw-haw-some! Barnard landed himself safely in the good graces of the original Vampires and still in the wake of Helen's outburst, told the world that his logical gameplay was logic that would benefit both himself and his friends as a whole. Hopefully it works out for you bro! On Weliweli Island, after a confused Aleister confronted Freya about her unnatural refusal to flirt with him, she came to a revelation about her feelings for Kyle, which seemed to have come at the worst possible time because for the week she was stuck on Weliweli, Kaden and Jaime, the former Demons she snatched up, were working on mending the rift that she'd caused between Kyle and Aubrey in the first place. This all came to a head right before the challenge, where, before anyone else could, Freya blew her own game up of her own free will.
During the bowling challenge, the teams got to have some one-on-one time with each volunteer inside the giant bubble balls, ultimately however, the Mummies found themselves on the losing end of the week, and maybe it was the new blood in the team, but everyone's votes were all over the place! In the end, Lucien and Tori's two votes for Jamal sent the wannabe rapper home, but not before Lucien gave credit for the second vote to Lena, upset at Tori for her attempts to look into him.
Now there are 17 players left. The twins, Aubrey and Molly, are stuck on Weliweli. Freya is at the bottom of the team she once controlled, the Mummies are less unified than ever before, and the rain is really picking up this week! Let's use it to make our players miserable! Who is about to sleep their last night on Nui Kaua? Find out right here, right now...on Total Drama Nui Kaua! The Cursed! Island!"
*Total Drama Theme Song Plays*
Location: Weliweli Island
Contestant(s): Aubrey, Molly
Despite it being midday, the dark skies only allowed the light of lightning bolts in the storm clouds to illuminate all of Lake Nui Kaua as the torrential downpour of rain carried by heavy winds refused to let up in even the slightest.
It was in this horrid weather that Aubrey and Molly found themselves stranded on Weliweli Island.
"This is all your fault, Aubrey!" Molly huffed as she huddled inside her fur coat, refusing every attempt of Aubrey's to snatch it away.
"I'm amazed you can even think to say that!" She retorted. "All of this, all of it, has been because of you! Why can't you ever just try to be nice to people?"
"Why can't you ever accept that we're fundamentally different than the 'normal' people you think more highly of than your own family!"
"That's not true and you know it!"
"Oh really? Then why did you sign me up for this dumb show with you?"
"To-..." Aubrey stopped herself.
"Yeah, that's right, you bitch, to teach me a lesson from atop your high horse! Well congratulations, no matter how much money you have, there will always be 'mean' people like me at the same class level. Up until you forced me to involve myself in this drama of yours, I haven't been caring about what you've been doing in the slightest!"
"Then why did you dress up like me to go kiss Nick, Molly?"
"Ohhhhmygosh you are such a dumbass…." Molly ran her fingers down her cheeks in exasperation.
"I didn't do that on purpose, you complete clown! All I wanted to do was steal Freya's boyfriend from her!"
"Then why didn't you just say it earlier?!" Aubrey shrieked as she redoubled her efforts to tear Molly's fur coat away, but was met with an equal increase in resistance.
"Back when we were all in that cabin that day, you made up all that bullshit throwing me under the bus!"
"Because if anyone is going to fuck over Freya in this game it's going to be me!" Molly growled back. "She thinks she can just wrap my own minion around her finger and I won't get upset about it? No way am I letting my inferior sister get the glory of stomping that queen bee when it's rightfully mine!"
Confessional: Aubrey: The Bloody Banshees
"I don't believe this, I don't freaking believe this! Molly what is wrong with you? Can't you see how much your actions are hurting everyone on my team, or do you really just not care? How in the world are we even related?"
End Confessional
Confessional: Molly: The Visceral Vampires
"When will that selfish, spoiled sister of mine realize that my existence has never, and will never revolve around her? I'm not just some 'evil twin' of yours, you dumb bitch! Not everything I do revolves around you!"
End Confessional
"Ahoy there!" Chris announced as Chef ferried him across the roaring waters to Weliweli Island. "How are our twins doing?"
"Terrible!" Both shouted back at him, prompting the host to laugh hysterically.
"This'll be great for ratings then, ahahahhh." He held out a scroll.
"Are you two ready for this week's curse?" He sneered almost giddily.
"Aubrey, go grab it!" Molly threw her sister off of her and continued to cocoon herself in her coat.
"FFF-" Aubrey raised a fist at her sister, but thought better of it. "Fine." She snapped as she stormed up to Chris.
"What's the curse, this time, McClean?" She forcefully took the scroll and squinted to read the lettering through the downpour.
"I like to call it…" Chris spread his arms out as the thunder and lightning picked up behind him. "The Curse Of Dual Destinies!"
The lightning struck as he named it aloud and Aubrey's hands started shaking as she read over the scroll in disbelief.
"Chris, come on, this can't be real, right?" Aubrey's eyes shrank in terror as she looked back between the scroll and Molly.
"Oh but it is!" Chris laughed.
"What is it?" Molly called from her coat cocoon. "It's not another stupid one like that feasting curse is it?"
"This is so wrong, Chris," Aubrey shook her head "haven't you been watching the footage of this show at all, how am I supposed to?"
"Hey, how you figure your way through this is part of what makes the show entertaining, Aubrey!" Chris grinned. "And you may want to strategize while you can, because the challenge starts tonight!"
"You mean you aren't here to take us back right now?!" Molly had caught the last bit of conversation. "We have to spend the whole day getting soaked and battered?!"
"No, you don't have to." Chris shrugged. "But neither of you look like shelter repairing types~" He hummed as he pointed a finger towards Lucien's completely ruined shelter thanks to the storm before he and Chef sailed off, cackling.
"Alright, spill it, what's the curse?" Molly called out towards Aubrey, who looked out at the rough waters of the lake, towards where she could faintly see the main island, and contemplated the situation, before shredding the scroll up and letting its pieces fall onto the wet sand of Weliweli.
"It's just that the eliminated person from the losing team will be decided randomly, not sure why he needed to come out here to tell us about it."
"Oh I get it, yeah it must suck to be you then since from what I can tell, Freya blew her game up at the last challenge, so a random elimination is actually her best shot at survival."
"Y-yeah…" Aubrey looked over at Lucien's ruined shelter and, not knowing at all how to fix it, just sort of crouched under the rubble to hide from the storm as much as she could, hiding a worried look on her face as she continued to glance at Molly, while the camera panned over to the shreds of the curse's scroll, revealing what it truly was.
The Curse Of Dual Destinies
-How are you two enjoying your time together on Weliweli? Are you closer than ever before? Well you are now! If either one of your teams loses tonight's challenge, you both will be joining them at Po'ino with your names on the chopping block, and if either of you are voted off, the other will be eliminated as well! But that's not all! If both your teams succeed, you will be allowed to return...to either your own team or the team of your Weliweli companion! Good luck out there you two, because you're gonna need it!-
Location: Muliwai River
Contestant(s): Daniel, Jaime, Lena, Samuel
As the rain poured down upon them without relent, Jaime, Lena, and Samuel were all fishing along various points of the riverbank, while Daniel kept his distance from all of them gathering berries from nearby bushes.
"Guess wall drew the fucking short straw huh," Lena grumbled to her fishing companions as she waited for a bite she doubted would come.
"I volunteered, actually," Jaime shared. "I might not have any idea what Freya's thinking blowing her own game up in front of everyone like that, but I know that I'm not about to let an opportunity to appear useful pass me by."
"And I have with me this trusty raincoat!" Samuel motioned to the yellow raincoat he was wearing as he twiddled his rain boot clad feet and waited patiently for a bite using a personal fishing rod he'd brought with him.
"No storm's about to stop me anytime soon!" He laughed a little. "Not while our resident spoiled princess is getting a nice heaping helping of Weliweli. Morale around the cabin has never been better!"
Confessional: Samuel: The Visceral Vampires
"While I do kind of want to brag to the other two very clearly dysfunctional teams about how well mine is doing, there actually is a strategic element involved here, and it's all because of who is with me right now. Jaime's not about to pass up an opportunity to snark about her new team, and Lena hasn't exactly been secretive about her seething hatred of a person whose name rhymes with 'spaniel'. Or another whose name rhymes with 'kazami'."
End Confessional
"Whop-de-fucking-do for you then." Lena groaned. "My team's not even worth my time. We've got Daniel doing fuck all besides berry gathering, for himself only by the way. We've got Azami doing fuck all besides shouting. We've got Luci doing fuck all besides being an utter fucking moron, and we've got Tori doing fuck if I know, but I wouldn't put it past her to be fuck all."
"Not surprised you guys ditched Jamal though." Jaime sighed. "All he did was follow people around, had no thoughts of his own, and if he did, he sure didn't say them."
"Maybe not, but at least he tried in challenges. Fuck, at least all of your team actually fucking tries to win Jaime! I feel like I'm the only fucking one on the Mummies that actually understands goddamn teamwork."
"Then why work with the team?" Jaime shrugged.
"I haven't been." Lena shrugged back. "I live in my own campsite. I'm not relying on any of them for anything."
"Guess that explains why the votes never seem to go your way then."
Lena shot Jaime a glare, who, undisturbed, kept her stoic expression.
"Just like how you're at the base of the totem pole on your team, yeah?" Lena retorted.
"Never said I wasn't, but that's why I'm here fishing in this rain, to do at least something about it."
Confessional: Jaime: The Bloody Banshees
"With Aubrey gone to Weliweli for the time being, the only other person on the girl's side of our cabin is Freya, and I don't ever under any circumstance, want to be the only other person in a room with her. After what happened last challenge, I doubt Kaden's about to leave the boy's side of the cabin any time soon so it's not like she'll have many chances to right herself socially either, that makes this storm the perfect time to catch some fish."
End Confessional
Confessional: Daniel: The Macabre Mummies
"Yeah, I heard their entire conversation, but no I don't really care about any of it. Maybe the fact Kaden's hanging around Kyle like a prison guard a little bit, but other than that...nah, nothing useful. Except one thing. The state of the Vampires. Morale is up because Molly's on Weliweli. Trying to outperform the rest of them when they're nice and unified is a fool's errand. Instead, I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure the Banshees lose."
End Confessional
Location: Mt. Immolate Summit
Contestant(s): Freya, Kaden, Kyle, Tori, Twilight
"I assume you've followed the two of us up here because you don't trust me alone with anyone?" Freya asked Kaden who was kind enough to confirm her suspicion.
"Least of all this man here."
"Well, lucky for you, I'm not at all the kind of person you might think I am, and even if I was...well, we have company."
"Easy with the staring there guys, I'm here in peace." Twilight held up her hands in a surrendering position as she approached the banshee trio. "My business is with the slut, but I suppose having two witnesses wouldn't hurt."
"Brave of you to come give me attention after you've been corralling the rest of your little vampires away from me." Freya smiled coyly. "Unfortunately for you, I'm taken by that lovely boy there" She tilted her head towards Kyle. "So the two of us...we can never be…"
"Stop gunning for returns. For your own good." Twilight sighed.
Kyle and Kaden looked at Freya, and then at each other, and then at Twilight.
"You aren't going to win the next challenge. Every single Vampire save our useless one is at an all time high in terms of morale and physical ability. That means, when you lose, because let's face it as dysfunctional as the Mummies are, they have the advantage on you in terms of raw physical ability, you're going to gun for Sherwood. That's not a bad idea in theory, the merge is closer than any newbie thinks and you know this, but it's a bad idea for you specifically."
Freya's lips cracked into a grin as she cottoned onto what was happening.
"That's a pretty bold statement." She placed a hand on Kyle's shoulder, stood herself up, and walked slowly towards Twilight.
"How...exactly…" Her voice became softer with each step towards her fellow return. "Would it be bad for me, specifically?"
As she stood face to face with Twilight, she leaned in towards the vampire's ear.
"Why are you doing this?" She whispered. "You aren't making yourself any safer by asking me to stop, because I won't."
"I'm throwing a starving bitch a bone." Twilight whispered back. "Because as long as you're still in this game, my team has an enemy to rally against."
"I see…" Freya said aloud as she stepped back from Twilight, and noticed the attention both Kaden and Kyle were giving the two of them.
"Well you two…" She stopped short of what she was about to say and turned back to Twilight, shaking her head.
"Sorry Twilight, but I'm not about to take your bone. I blew up my own game for the expressed purpose of rebuilding it differently to how it was earlier. Your team's common enemy is gone."
Twilight rose a brow, wondering what on earth had come over Freya but decided she'd rather not stick around any longer than absolutely necessary and left the scene, leaving the three Banshees alone with each other.
"I don't buy it." Kaden didn't buy what he'd seen.
"Something about that entire scene felt scripted."
"Oh it was, up until the very end when I refused her help." Freya sighed. "I doubt you believe that bit was true, but it was. All I'm doing is accepting the punishment for snatching my boyfriend away from someone else."
"And you're really not going to break up with her, really?" Kaden asked Kyle.
"Really." Kyle responded. "Despite her methods, she really did help me out of a depression I'd rather not remember, so the very least I can do is allow her a chance to change."
"People don't change very easily in my experience…" Kaden's eyes narrowed.
"Oh that's right…" Freya sneered. "The whole Demon debacle that made Helen quit. You mean to tell me that you haven't changed because of that experience?"
"I-" Kaden's eyes widened. He had expected to hear some venom about how he had helped cause that whole problem in the first place, but instead, he'd heard that.
"I...suppose I have focused a bit more on the game at hand since then…" He admitted.
"Right, just like my time on Weliweli helped me to realize what, and who, I really wanted~" Freya crossed her arm around Kyle's, who blushed as he looked up towards the sky.
Confessional: Kyle: The Bloody Banshees
"So far...Freya's been a lot less...instigating around the campsite. It might be because some people like Jaime are actively avoiding her, but she also hasn't overtly done anything to cause drama all week."
Postpone Confessional
"Now let's get out of here before the rain gets any worse," Freya announced as she dragged Kyle up to his feet and Kaden followed suit "because I do not want any of us, but especially me, to get muddier than we already are."
Resume Confessional
"That's not to say that her vanity's let up in any way, of course. But hey, it's a start."
End Confessional
As Kaden was about to follow after his teammates, a whisper of his name caught his attention, and he noticed Tori across the summit.
He rose a brow and walked to meet her.
"You're...Tori right?" He asked. "You came over to our campsite not long after Helen quit."
"Glad you remember~" Tori hummed with a smile. "I just wanted to ask you, since you seemed like the best guy to ask..are you and Azami a thing?"
"Well I mean…" Kaden went red as he scratched the back of his head. "I certainly wouldn't mind it if we were but-"
"Hmmm…" Tori nodded her head back and forth as though she had expected that kind of answer.
"Then don't you think you owe it to her to come by for one of your pet competitions? She's been really lonely since your team split up and I bet hanging out with you again would do her some good."
"Oh…." Kaden's eyes widened. "I didn't realize. I don't mind coming down for a pet contest but-"
"What, those two? Who cares about those two?" Tori scoffed as she looked at Kyle and Freya heading down the mountain. "Or do you mean to tell me that you've somehow formed a polycule?"
"No! No nono, no!" Kaden quickly denied, laughing nervously. "I'll come down for a contest, I assume you're heading back to the campsite now? I can follow you."
Confessional: Tori: The Macabre Mummies
"OH THANK GOODNESS!" *phew*. "She's been shouting our ears off all day about how much we all 'suck' and need to get on her level and I just want a distraction for her, anything, anything at all to get her away from the rest of us at camp. Besides...Luci did a naughty thing last week, mixing my vote up with Lena's like that. So I need to make sure he's...appropriately reprimanded."
End Confessional
Location: Nui Kaua Beach
Contestant(s): Aleister, Antonio, Azami, Barnard, Kaden, Lucien, Samuel, Sherwood, Tori
"How's my favorite former demon doing?" Kaden asked as he followed Tori to where Azami was shouting Lucien's ear off about their performance during the previous challenge while the poor blonde boy attempted in vain to pretend he was sleeping.
"AHA!" She pointed at Kaden and rushed up to him as Lucien exhaled, relieved of his auditory burden. "KADEN! That was a fluke at the last challenge, only possible because of cruddy weather like this! We're going to BEAT you Banshees so bad this time!"
"And I suppose you'll be using your saliva to do it considering how much got on me from that declaration~" Tori smiled as she wiped her face.
As Azami began to stammer around looking for ways to make it seem like she wasn't very clearly excited to see Kaden, Tori moved back towards the shelter where Lucien lay.
"Consider the quiet and safety from her screeches as recompense for whatever it is I did to offend you into lying about my vote."
"Sorry, sorry," Lucien waved a hand. "I misread the situation, totally thought it was Lena voting with me."
"Like I said before, Luci, I'm not here to get in the way of your game plan. I kind of want to see how far it'll take you. However…"
She sat herself down next to him.
"If you pick a fight with me again, be prepared to go all-in on it. I never bet anything less than everything."
"You play like, poker and stuff then right?" Lucien smiled. "I never really liked games like poker. I'm a go-fish guy."
Confessional: Lucien: The Macabre Mummies
"Yeah, I'm not a fan of mind games, I don't like reading period, let alone reading another person's thoughts." He grins a little knowingly. "And that goes the other way around too."
End Confessional
Meanwhile, the boys of the Vampires were all huddled around the empty Po'ino Bonfire pit as Samuel brought them fresh sashimi prepared by the staff in their luxury cabin.
"Meal before the big night?" He offered as Aleister, Barnard, and Antonio each took their fill.
"Gotta say, as peaceful as it is without Molly here...hehehe…" Aleister chuckled. "I kind of miss how she'd cuddle up to me in an attempt to control me."
"What do you mean, attempt?" Antonio snickered.
Barnard covered his mouth as he laughed through his fish.
"Well, I mean, she's kind of hot…" Aleister defended himself.
"Yeah but she's such a grade-A bitch." Samuel reclined with a stretch. "Hopefully Weliweli will knock some sense into her, but with her sister there, I really doubt it."
"Meh, let's not worry about her too much." Barnard shrugged. "She's our easy vote if we ever lose, which hopefully we never will and it'll be smooth sailing once the merge hits."
"About that…" Aleister sat upright. "Can I offer you three some advice?"
Antonio, Barnard, and Samuel looked at each other quizzically and then back at Aleister.
"You're offering us advice?" Barnard asked. "Aleister, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the returns from your season the contestants voted out first from their respective teams? For a mercy, none of the rest of us fit that criteria so, don't take this the wrong way, but what advice could you possibly have for us?"
"The psychology of returning players." Aleister responded quite matter-of-factly. "Around now, Sherwood's going to want to start distancing himself from the Banshees, and speak of the devil here he comes."
"Talking about me were you?" Sherwood rose a brow as he sat down with the group. "I sure hope that means you guys like me enough to keep me around if the merge hits."
"O-of course…" Samuel nodded and motioned for the rest of them to follow suit, but no one actually did.
"You three wouldn't believe the nightmare I've been living in since being assigned to the Banshees." Sherwood sighed as he stared at the empty bonfire pit. "The sooner I can get away from the rest of them the better."
"Don't suppose you'd entertain the idea of throwing the next challenge?" Barnard joked.
"I'm not that desperate to get away unfortunately." Sherwood laughed. "But...I do have some information...if you'd care to info-swap."
"Stop." Aleister reached out a hand stopping Samuel from responding, and in a moment of confidence, stood up.
"Sherwood, look me in the eyes and tell me no other Banshee sent you here."
Confessional: Sherwood: The Bloody Banshees
"Hm...seems Aleister's been spending enough time around the smarter Vampires to know our banshee queen's MO. That's of no consequence though. All I need are the holders of those bloody tikis. I know Kyle has our team's...but what of the Vampires, the Mummies...and most importantly, what of the Demons?"
End Confessional
"Well, of course I was sent here by a Banshee, and I think we all know precisely who it was that sent me, but how am I supposed to deliver the wrong info if I give out correct information by mistake?"
"I'll bite." Barnard decided. "What information, exactly, are we talking about?"
"Tiki-holders. I know which Banshee has the Banshee tiki, and I can only assume at least one of you knows which Vampire has yours."
"Very well…" Samuel sighed. "It's me."
"Lie." Antonio yawned.
"H-hey, dude!" Samuel whispered back to him. "I'm trying to cover for us so we don't give him information!"
"He's going to be giving away information he thinks is false, what if he accidentally gives away the real tiki holder?"
"We don't know that!"
"While those two bicker, I'll answer the question truthfully." Aleister shrugged. "The tiki is with our resident rich bitch on Weliweli."
"And how do you know that?" Sherwood rose a brow.
"Because I was given the tiki, and I buried it on the island, but I wouldn't be surprised if this storm brought it right back to the surface again."
"So either no one has it, or Molly does." Sherwood nodded before turning to Barnard.
"Don't suppose you have any idea about the Demons?"
"If I had to guess…" Barnard pondered.
"Jaime. Kaden's too honest, Azami's too proud, and I haven't had much time to myself to look for any hidden tiki, especially with a lack of clues."
"So, you definitely don't have one?"
"Of course not, like I said, I've never had time to look. Search me and my things if you want."
"Nah, not in the mood for that kind of vetting right now, in this bloody weather." Sherwood motioned up to the torrential downpour.
"Then that only leaves the Mummies…"
"Hm...I think we won't need to worry about the Mummies." Samuel shrugged. "I feel like every one of them thinks it'll be them who is voted off if they lose. I'd bet my bottom dollar the Mummy Tiki is played next time they go to elimination."
"Right, well then, a deal is a deal." Sherwood looked around to make sure no other Banshees were nearby.
"Kyle has the Banshee Tiki, not sure what he's doing with it, since he never struck me as someone with free time to look for one what with the aforementioned nightmare that is our team kind of suffocating our attention."
"Well, like I said, mine was delivered to me." Aleister noted. "Maybe everyone got picked by interns or something."
"Whatever the case, I don't like it." Barnard shook his head. "In a season of this show called 'The Cursed Island', I don't think I'd entirely trust a tiki delivery out of the blue."
Confessional: Barnard: The Visceral Vampires
"Seriously, no matter who is behind the tiki deliveries, it reeks of malicious intent. If Molly ended up finding the Vampire one, she might be able to serve as a guinea pig, but as the newest member of our team, I'd rather avoid that scenario altogether."
End Confessional
Location: Nahele Forest
Contestant(s): Azami, Freya, Kaden, Kyle
"I don't know what I was expecting to see when you led me back out of the cabin…" Kyle said as he and Freya arrived at where Kaden and Azmi were hurriedly collecting fallen bananas into two separate piles. "But it definitely wasn't this."
"Yeah, this one's got me stumped too." Freya admitted. "I was just taking you to my team's old campsite from Zero Sum."
"PERFECT!" Azami announced. "THE TWO OF YOU WILL JUDGE US! WHO HAS MORE?"
"No, no way am I risking my nails in counting dirty bananas for some pet contest. Maybe if there was something useful in it for us."
"I mean, I can count, it's not like there's much else to do right now." Kyle suggested.
"But-!" Freya began but stopped when she saw the look she was getting. "Whatever, go count Kaden's. Azami, you just toss your pile one banana and a time and I'll count as they fly, no matter what, I refuse to touch them."
Kaden's Total: 60 Bananas
Azami's Total: 60 Bananas
"NO WAY!" Azami yelled. "I demand a recount!"
"What!?" Freya's eyes widened. "I counted every one of your stupid-"
"But you didn't touch ANY of them!" She continued to shout.
"Oh that does it!" Freya stood up, noticed Kyle and Kaden and stomped her heel down in the muddy ground before storming off. "I'm going back to the cabin to change before whatever the challenge is! You boys should come as soon as your done, and drag Sherwood and Jaime back too, if you notice them!"
"Azami, Freya's in a bit of a...tough spot." Kyle tried to phrase it as delicately as he could. "If you want I can re-count the bananas in both piles."
"UGH FINALLY." Azami groaned loudly as Kyle set about recounting.
"Dude…" He whispered to Kaden. "You like her? Haha, you are in no position to criticize anyone else's relationship, like, ever."
Kaden's Recounted Total: 60 Bananas
Azami's Recounted Total: 60 Bananas
"UGH, YOU'RE JUST AS BLIND AS YOUR GIRLFRIEND!" Azami shouted. "I CLEARLY HAVE 61!"
Kyle refused to respond to Azami and turned to Kaden.
"You should be pretty proud of Freya right now for not making a giant scene because let me tell you, even I'm tempted to just let her have it right now."
"I'll be proud when she lets the rest of us vote her off for all the shit she's been pulling." Kaden shrugged.
"Then hopefully you won't be surprised when that same fate befalls your own girl. Kind of disheartening to see her acting like, well like a brat, after Helen allegedly gave up a spot in the game for her."
Confessional: Kaden: The Bloody Banshees
"I mean...I guess he has a point. Alright Kaden, time to get your butt in gear and help Azami be less of an annoying bitch!"
End Confessional
"It just means we need to have a rematch soon, Azami!" Kaden grinned. "Like tomorrow, after the challenge and elimination are over and done with! And we can have a Vampire or something act as an unbiased counter."
"HEY YEAH!" Azami smiled and Kaden found himself blushing up until the next words to leave her mouth. "BOTH THE COUNTERS WERE BANSHEES, AND TOTALLY FAVORED YOU! THAT MAKES THIS MY VICTORY! WOO!"
"No, that's not what I meant!" He called after her as she ran off.
He turned back to see Kyle with a shit-eating grin on his face.
"Oh shut it."
"I didn't say anything." Kyle couldn't stop smiling.
*BEEEEEEP*
"Did someone say challenge?" Chris asked over the loudspeaker. "Everyone report to the Nui Kaua Docks on the double!"
Location: Nui Kaua Docks
Contestant(s): All Remaining
"Welcome welcome welcome!" Chris cackled as the campers of Weliweli gathered around him, standing next to a cage containing three very angry panthers, prowling around its perimeter. "To the very first, great, Panther Prowl! The rules of this challenge are simple...These three panthers are going to be let loose among Nui Kaua and your job is to corral the panther with your team's tag, White for Mummies, Red for Banshees, and Yellow For Vampires, back into this cage before sun-up!"
"How the hell are we supposed to know when it's sun-up?" Jaime asked as she gestured to the colorless sky of clouds.
"Ah, right, I guess I should say that you only have twelve hours. But before that...it's time to bring in the twins from their time on Weliweli!"
As Chef pulled up the dock in a ferry, the other contestants gasped in horror at the state of both sisters.
Molly's coat was in complete tatters, barely even qualifying as a coat anymore, and her heels, both of them broken, were held in her hands while she wore sandals that were undoubtedly bought off of Chef.
Aubrey meanwhile was covered in small gashes and bruises, bits of foliage and rubble stuck throughout her hair and burrs along the joints of her clothing.
Neither sister seemed at all happy to be back on the island.
"They were supposed to spend this challenge back on Weliweli" Chris announced "But corporate wouldn't let us film them kill each other so we've brought them back to help their teams compete! Don't worry, they already know the drill."
"Yeah but are they okay?" Freya asked.
"Shut up." Aubrey snapped. "Not like you really care anyways."
"I care! If one of our teammates is-" She stopped herself. "Nevermind, I'll shut up, sorry."
Confessional: Aubrey: The Bloody Banshees
"What the heck? Where was that kind of self-awareness and sympathy when I wasn't on Weliweli with the one person who's a bigger pain in the ass than she is?"
End Confessional
Confessional: Molly: The Visceral Vampires
"That fucking crazy bitch that I have for a sister wouldn't share that shitty shelter with me to keep us safe from the storm, and then had the audacity to rip up my favorite fur coat! I'm glad I pushed her into that burr bush! She totally deserved it! Hopefully when her team loses she and Freya can leave together!"
End Confessional
"Any questions?" Chris asked.
"Yeah, how is this legal, in like, any way?" Twilight asked.
"No?" Chris grinned. "Alright then, I suggest you all get out of the way, these guys are all fairly angry at being trapped inside this cage for as long as they have been! Annnnd...we're off hahahahh!" He laughed as he let the cage door fly open and the panthers lunged past doding contestants and into the forests of the island. "Now, find your panthers, everyone!"
Challenge: Panther Prowl
The three teams must find and corral their team's tagged panther back to the cage on the docks.
The last team to do so faces Po'ino.
Curse's Twist: Aubrey and Molly have a shared destiny. If either the Vampires or Banshees lose, both twins attend the elimination ceremony as votable members of the losing team, and if both teams win, the twins can opt to switch over to their partner's team or remain (this doesn't have to be mutual). Currently, only Aubrey is aware of this curse.
Location: Nui Kaua Docks
Contestant(s): Azami, Daniel, Lena, Lucien, Tori
"Alright listen up, LOSERS!" Azami shouted amongst her team. "We've got a panther out there that we need to catch! One with a WHITE tag! Not a red, not a yello, but a WHITE tag around its ear! HERE'S how this is going to go! I'M going alone because the rest of you will just hold me back. Lena, you and Lucien go together since you both suck so much!"
"You fucking cu-"
"Of course, of course!" Lucien covered Lena's mouth as he smiled up at Azami.
"And Tori, you go with Daniel!" Azami finished delegating. "I'll head through the forest since it requires the most athletic person among us. Daniel and Tori, you two take the river. Lucien and Lena, just...stay in the field and don't get in anyone's way! BREAK!"
"Wooo!" Lucien cheered alone.
Confessional: Azami: The Macabre Mummies
"HA! TAKE THAT OTHER TEAMS, NOW I"M IN CHARGE AND WE'RE GONNA KICK BUTT!"
End Confessional
Confessional: Lena: The Macabre Mummies
"Alright, I'd say that *BLEEP* has been getting on my last nerve but she's pretty much stomped it into the ground at this point. Whatever, not like Lucien's smart enough to listen to her anyways so I guess it's free reign for us to do whatever, like maybe actually win the challenge."
End Confessional
Confessional: Daniel: The Macabre Mummies
"So, I either ditch Tori to work on Banshee sabotage, or I involve her in it. Well, putting up with both Lena and Azami is annoying so ideally I'd kick out my little nemesis, but right now, making sure I don't die to a hungry panther comes first."
End Confessional
Location: Banshee Cabin
Contestant(s): Aubrey, Freya, Jaime, Kaden, Kyle, Sherwood
"There, that's the last of the burrs off of you." Freya announced as she put her tweezers away in her dresser drawer, though she got no response from Aubrey.
"We need a plan of attack." The twin announced seriously. "Anyone have any experience hunting and trapping?"
Everyone's eyes looked at Kyle.
"Well...A little but…"
"Right…" Freya nodded. "The gun thing…"
"What about the Demons, any tricks either of you have up your sleeves?"
"It's a giant cat right?" Jaime shrugged. "Probably hungry too. If you were a giant cat, and craving a tasty treat, what would you hunt?"
"A giant bird." Kaden decided.
"A giant mouse." Aubrey decided simultaneously.
"A giant fish." Sherwood gave his own answer with the others.
"We don't know if there are rodents or birds that are large enough for panthers on this island" Jaime shrugged. "So Kaden, you and Aubrey can take to the Nahele and look for Red there. Sherwood and I will head up the Muliwai."
"You." She pointed at Freya. "Aren't allowed to help either pair unless we ask you to."
"You." She pointed at Kyle. "Make sure she doesn't cause any trouble since this week's been pretty quiet since she came back and I can only assume you've started wearing the pants in whatever the hell is going on between the two of you."
"Something like that." Kyle responded.
"Good. Then keep the rest of us safe from any of her bullshit and we'll be good to go."
"Great plan, Jaime." Kaden nodded.
"Shut up."
"No, seriously, like, it's a good plan."
"Oh...well...thank you. Let's get to work."
Confessional: Kyle: The Bloody Banshees
"So, seeing as how it was just the two of us when everyone else left, I figured I'd ask a question that'd been on my mind for a while, basically since Freya's big game self-destruct."
End Confessional
"Hey, Freya…" Kyle asked as Freya painted her toenails to pass the time by. "Why exactly do you like me, specifically?"
"You won't like the answer." Freya warned nonchalantly. "You'll probably think less of me for saying it."
"I promise you, I won't. Everyone's different, I've never let another person's likes or dislikes bother me, I judge on actions."
"I guess that's admirable about you too." Freya responded without looking up "But what I like about you the most...is that you can't multitask. You put all your effort and focus into what is immediately in front of you to the detriment of everything else."
"That's...kind of harsh."
"I told you you wouldn't like it!" Freya raised her voice before calming down. "But like I said, I like that about you. The reason you're like that is because your honest, hard-working, a very straight arrow kind of guy, so when you give me attention, it's not because I'm dressed fashionably or causing a scene, but because you're actively taking an interest in me and what I'm doing as a person. I mean, sure, it's not fun when the reasoning behind it to begin with was you seeming to hate my guts based off of three or four unflattering episodes of my previous Total Drama experience, but I could still recognize it for what it was, and that's why I put in all that effort to steal you away."
"I still don't quite get it, Nick paid attention almost exclusively to you as well, but you didn't really like him did you?"
"He was handsome but come on...the walls of this cabin aren't so thick. 'Just some bitchy hot chick' I believe was along the lines of what he said while you were warning him about me way back when yeah?"
"I'll be honest, I didn't think you'd go for straight arrow guys like me, especially after-"
"Let me tell you a story, Kyle…" Freya interrupted him, eager to not let him bring up what she rightfully believed he would.
"About a girl who was a straight A student, always a winner or runner up in popularity contests like homecoming queen, or most likely student to become a model. Then one day, she met a boy she thought was really nice, the two had fun playing together and, before she knew it...she was pregnant."
"You mean-"
"They named their child after the Norse goddess of fertility and love, because of course they did. After all, she wasn't planned, just born of a fertile womb from a single night of passion. Oh, they would dote on her in her younger years when she was learning how to exist in the world, but very, very quickly, they would start to grow tired of each other, their heated arguments overshadowing their daughter's achievements. Spelling bee championship? Not now honey, daddy needs a nicotine pouch before your mother comes home. Class representative? Not now honey, mommy's on a call with an old friend from high school discussing a time when daddy's not around so that he can come 'visit'. Then, when puberty took its course, their little girl started getting attention again from boys her age. If you were that little girl who was suddenly back in a world full of attention, what might you have done Kyle?"
"I guess I'd have been happy about it, and done my best to keep it." Kyle thought to himself. "That's what she thought to do too, isn't it?"
"And boy did she pay the price for it. The boys liked it when she kissed them and would shower her with praise and gifts, and she thought it was fine. Mommy and Daddy kissed other people all the time after all, but you and I both know that's not how the world really works. Rumors began to spread, scenarios started to be made up, and soon...phone calls began to come in, oh how proud she thought her parents would be of their little girl, but no…"
Freya sighed. "They decided then and there that they wanted nothing to do with her or each other anymore as all their own secrets came spilling out into the spotlight. She realized then that the attention she got due to her looks or her personality wasn't truly praise, it was something baser, like gluttony, and she knew she could weaponize it. And she did.
Then, one of her favorite shows announced it was semi-rebooting itself and looking for auditions. She sent hers in, and wouldn't you know it? She was accepted not because of any of her reasons for auditioning or plans for the game, but because the producers thought 'hey, she's cute, she'll get us good ratings from the male teen crowd.' and she was told as much too."
"So she sets about using her beauty and ability to command attention as a weapon only to find out very early on that this very weapon was deemed too powerful by her own ally." Kyle filled in the gap as quickly and painlessly as he could.
"And you know the rest of this story, Kyle. You've experienced it firsthand." Freya finished coating her toenails and smiled weakly across the room.
"She finds the kind of attention she missed and sets about stealing it, knowing full well it was never hers to take to begin with. I'm surprised you don't want nothing to do with me."
"You'd be right that I wouldn't want anything to do with you…" Kyle responded. "If you had kept all that a secret anyways, but there is a logical reason I didn't just end things and go back to Aubrey you know."
"I really don't." Freya shook her head. "I think almost anyone else would've left me to rot."
"It's because, as harsh as it was, when you looked Aubrey in the eye and acknowledged your fault in everything that's happened, you were brave enough to stand up and proclaim your feelings, even knowing it might lead to your elimination, because let's face it, I doubt the two of us can just vote Sherwood and things will work out, especially with Aubrey in a really bad mood. You know who didn't do that? Aubrey didn't do that. She helped you woo me because she was scared not of her elimination, granted, but of mine. She put circumstances before her own feelings, her sense of self. But you took a chance, you showed us the real you, and more than any outfit someone wears or hairstyle someone has, I find that kind of courage very attractive."
"Heh.." Freya began to lightly giggle as she rubbed her eyes. "Not sure whether I'm laughing or crying after that...Oh gosh, I've given the island gods too many death flags with that story."
"I wouldn't be quite so sure…" Kyle twisted his tiki around in his pocket. "It isn't over until the very last vote is read."
Location: Vampire Cottage
Contestant(s): Aleister, Antonio, Barnard, Molly, Samuel, Twilight
"Are we ready?" Twilight asked as everyone donned the hunting gear and tranquilizer guns that Samuel had conveniently brought with him, just in case.
"Yeah!" The Vampires all cheered in unison.
"Right, Samuel and I will take the front." Twilight announced. "Molly and Barnard in the middle as sharpshooters, and Antonio and Aleister keeping our rear protected. We move as a unit, understood?"
"Yeah!" The Vampires all cheered in unison.
Confessional: Molly: The Visceral Vampires
"Okay so, like, the curse is that the losing team randomly eliminates someone rather than votes so like, I don't really have to try all that hard this time and it'll be fine, no way I'm somehow the random vote out. Ideally though, we spill Banshee blood tonight."
End Confessional
Confessional: Samuel: The Visceral Vampires
"So I've graduated from 'Shortstuff' to my actual name officially now, and I'm not sure whether that means that Twilight likes me more or less than normal, but hopefully more…"
End Confessional
Confessional: Twilight: The Visceral Vampires
"Alright, I think I'm actually, fully confident in victory this time, Molly seems pumped up enough after a quick shower and clothes change, and thanks to Samuel we've got all the gear we could need. All that's left now is to bag us a panther, and come on, I saw Damon corral one once without any sort of tools at all so how hard can it be?"
End Confessional
Location: Muliwai River
Contestant(s): Aleister, Antonio, Barnard, Daniel, Jaime, Molly, Samuel, Sherwood, Tori, Twilight
"There!" Tori pointed as she repeatedly tapped Daniel in the chest to draw his attention in the direction of her finger, where all three panthers were busy drinking from the river or wading through the water looking for fish to swipe.
"Well, what do you expect the two of us to do about it?" Daniel asked, very legitimately concerned for his life. "Those are three hungry panthers, Tori, do you intend to just go up and ask the one tagged in white to come with us?"
"Wouldn't hurt to try!" Tori shrugged as she began to wade up the river towards the panthers.
"This can only end badly." Daniel sighed to the storming heavens. "Please let it not be for me."
The panthers turned to Tori and gave low rumbling roars as their tails began to whip back and forth.
"Hey, uh, you with the white tag, I don't suppose you want to head back to the cage on the dock?" She gave her honest entreaty to the panther, who, strangely enough, didn't seem to understand her on account of being, well, a panther.
"Guess I don't have animal control powers like some previous players…" Tori shrugged. "Can't say I'm not disappointed, but I guess it was a valuable learning experience, right Daniel?"
She turned around to see that Daniel had moved on without her, as she left to catch up with him, slowly making his way from bush to bush so as not to attract any panther's attention, Jaime and Sherwood appeared on the scene.
"Well, there they are…" Jaime handed Sherwood a fish from her haul earlier in the day. "You're up fast man."
"Every bloody second of this is agony." Sherwood began to wave the fish around, wafting its scent over to where the panthers were, gaining their attention.
"We have more than one locked onto us now...but I suppose delivering the others isn't that big a deal as long as the Red one goes in the cage first."
"Guess I'll start leading them down the river…"
Sherwood continued keeping the attention of the big cats as he moved along the Muliwai, each panther slinking after him, getting ready to lunge if he decided to run, and perhaps even if he didn't. Then, all of a sudden, a pebble skipped by him and the panthers began to pick up pace as he turned to run with all his might.
Confessional: Daniel: The Macabre Mummies
"Look, I said it earlier, I need to make sure the Banshees lose. No way are we outperforming the Vampires this challenge, they are far too in sync."
End Confessional
"There they are!" Samuel shouted as the entirety of the Vampires arrived on the scene to see Sherwood running towards them and full speed followed by all three panthers.
"Barnard, Molly!" Twilight barked as she aimed a tranq gun. "On my mark...Fire!"
Shots went through the air and all three panthers slowed down and crawled onto the bank of the river before falling into a deep slumber.
"Hurry, get the yellow one!" Aleister announced as the entire team worked together to lift their large cat.
"Following the river…" Antonio nodded. "That will bring us...straight to the cage…"
"Let's go already!" Molly pleaded. "This thing is so much stinkier than I thought it would be!"
"And heavier." Barnard was having trouble. "No standing around for us!"
"Right, Immunity here our team comes!"
"Sherwood!" Jaime called. "Can we drag our panther back?"
"Hrm…" Sherwood went to gauge the weight of the Banshee's panther, and immediately fell to the ground.
"Sherwood!" Jaime rushed up to him and noticed the tranquilizer that had been lodged in his shoulder. She looked back to see who could have fired it, and noticed Daniel standing along the river bank, holding what appeared to be the same model gun as the Vampires were just using.
"This changes things a bit." He sighed. "Figures."
Confessional: Daniel: The Macabre Mummies
"Molly dropped her tranq gun, but I'm sure most of you could probably have guessed that."
End Confessional
"Come on Chris, player on player tranq action has got to be against the rules!" Jaime shouted to cameras.
"If I were you, I'd run, and not tell any of your teammates about the sleeping panthers." Daniel suggested, his eyes unblinking, his expressionless face, unmoving.
Jaime quickly took Daniel's advice, hoisting an unconscious Sherwood over her shoulder and hightailing it out of there as quickly as she could.
At around that time, Tori finally caught up with him.
"Daniel, there you...WHOA!" She noticed the two panthers. "Nice shots, dude! We only need the one with the white tag though. You stay here and guard them, I'll go get the others!"
"I-, wait what?" Daniel asked, mortified but Tori had already run off.
"Figures…" He sighed as he sat on a rock and kept his new tranq gun pointed at both sleeping panthers.
Location: Nui Kaua Docks
Contestant(s): Aleister, Antonio, Barnard, Molly, Samuel, Twilight
"And it looks like the totally decked out Visceral Vampires have done it!" Chris announced with a smile as the team gently let their panther down into the cage. "And none of you are even hurt a little bit! Bonus points!"
"Alright, everyone hand me the tranq guns back." Samuel held out his hand for the weaponry.
"I thought we could just drop them so mine's back at the river." Molly shrugged.
"Ugh...fine, I'll get it." Twilight rolled her eyes. "The rest of you stay here and just, I dunno, celebrate victory."
"Oh I'm sure they all will!" Chris snickered as Twilight jogged back up the river. "At least...all except Molly, she still has the Banshees to worry about after all!"
"I...I do?" Molly rose a brow.
"I gave you that curse didn't I?" Chris laughed to himself. "If either you or Aubrey loses, you're both on the chopping block at elimination!"
"You mean-!" Molly gasped.
"Indeed…" Barnard straightened his posture. "In order for you to be completely safe, the Mummies have to go to elimination. Otherwise, you might find yourself sitting amidst a bunch of Banshees as an easy target."
"Well then come on!" She tugged at Barnard and began dragging him off with her. "We're going to go make sure my sister doesn't cause that team to lose!"
Location: Muliwai River
Contestant(s): Aubrey, Azami, Barnard, Daniel, Jamie, Kaden, Lena, Lucien, Molly, Sherwood, Tori, Twilight
As everyone gathered around the panthers, it became clear to Daniel that drastic measures would have to be taken.
He pointed the tranq gun at the Banshees. "If any of you so much as move towards your panther, I will let it fire. You let Lena and Azami carry ours out first, and no one needs to get knocked out further…"
"Ah…" Twilight reached her destination. "So you're the one with the missing dart gun, huh?" She walked forwards, and Daniel made good on his threat, shooting her in the chest with a tranquilizer dart.
Twilight took it out of her padded vest and looked at Daniel unamused.
Calmly, without showing any emotion, Daniel laid the gun out on the ground, and wandered off into the woods away from the river.
Twilight turned around to assess if everyone was okay but found that both the remaining Mummies and what was left of the Banshees were hurriedly carrying their panthers down the river towards the docks.
"Grr...out of the way!" Kaden shouted at the Mummies who had the slight lead on them, since only three Banshees were cognizant. Sherwood was now slumped over Kaden's shoulder, still very much incapacitated.
"There they are!" Molly announced as she and Barnard appeared on the scene. "Come on Banshees, get a move on, I'm not about to go home because of your poor performance!"
"I thought you didn't care about this show." Aubrey jabbed.
"I don't, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you bullshit me off of it!"
"Ugh...we do need help…" Jaime grunted. "If we're going to catch up to the Mummies...We need Kyle and Freya to carry and lead respectively."
"And someone needs to take this guy back to the cabin too…"
"I'll handle Sherwood." Twilight offered. "Molly, Barnard, you guys go to the Banshee Cabin! As unbelievably unbearable as you are Molly, I don't want to lose you unless we're voting you off! Now hurry!"
"But-" Molly began to protest but now it was Barnard's turn to drag her towards a new destination.
Location: Bloody Banshees Cabin
Contestant(s): Barnard, Freya, Kyle, Molly, Sherwood, Twilight
"What the-" Freya jumped with a start from Kyle's lap as Twilight kicked the door of the cabin in and quickly laid Sherwood out upon the bed.
"Tranq dart hit him, Mummies did it." She hurriedly explained as she found a first aid kit and set to work.
"We don't have much time to explain, but we need your help, you guys." Barnard panted through the doorway as Molly followed suit.
"You need my help?" Freya's eyes widened as she looked at Molly in disbelief. "And why should I help you?"
"Because if you don't your team is going to lose and probably vote me off!"
"Oh hey, that's better than voting me off." She shrugged.
"Aubrey'll be eliminated too, then you'll be out of enemies."
"That's fine, I'm trying to improve myself anyways."
"MMMM" Molly's hands smacked against her head. "Why are you being so difficult?"
"Uh, probably because all I see are a bunch of Vampires carrying in my unconscious teammate, now demanding I help them and I'm overwhelmed and incredibly suspicious."
"It's the curse for this week." Barnard explained. "Aubrey and Molly share a fate, so if either team loses, both could be eliminated but...well…"
Barnard crossed his fingers and whispered in Freya's ear.
Freya's eyes widened.
"Kyle, come on, we have to go help our team!" she quickly decided.
"But, none of our team can even-" Kyle was still a little suspicious of the entire situation.
"Do it…" Sherwood grumbled. "Help…"
The pair looked at each and nodded.
"Well, there's an endorsement from someone trustworthy at least, let's go."
Location: Nui Kaua Docks
Contestant(s): All Remaining
"It's neck and neck!" Chris announced as the Mummies followed very closely by the Banshees came storming up the sands of the beaches towards the dockyard of Nui Kaua.
Freya and Kyle quickly rejoined the Banshees as they sprinted from their cabin, while Molly and Barnard followed close behind, and Twilight helped Sherwood walk along the sand as he regained feeling in his muscles.
"Kyle, I want you and Kaden in the front and back," Freya announced. "Lift with your legs, keep the whole body above your heads, this isn't a panther it's a canoe. Aubrey, Jaime, make sure the sides don't droop down like that, I'll keep hold in the middle since Sherwood is- fuck! Don't turn to look, I just broke a nail, keep going, keep going, faster! One, two, one two!"
"Holy shit they're actually catching up to us!" Tori warned from the Mummies' panther hauling group.
"No, I refuse to be on a team of LOSERS!" Azami shouted. "Everyone, charge!"
"Now, get ahead and cut them off!" Freya ordered.
Both teams rushed forwards with all their might.
"Mummies, Banshees, Mummies, Banshees!" Chris announced as the teams swapped who was in the lead as though it were a hot potato.
"And…
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The…
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Winner…
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By, literally the tail of their panther… The Macabre Mummies take it!" Chris announced among cheers from Azami and nothing short of commotion from everyone else.
"Banshees, it was an amazing effort." He congratulated the team. "But, I will see you, and Molly at the Po'ino Bonfire Elimination Ceremony in ten minutes!"
Confessional: Molly: The Visceral Vampires
"Agh, NO! No no no no NO! I actually asked Freya for help and I STILL have to put up with this bullshit curse? They're totally all going to vote for me! I'm about to be sent off this island because of my sister's stupid grudge!"
End Confessional
Confessional: Aubrey: The Bloody Banshees
"Well...we lost...but that's okay. Because the way I see it, either Molly teams up with me, Jaime, and Kaden, and we finally knock Freya down a peg in a union between the rich and the working class, proving that we can all be at least united on one front...Or she dooms us both to lose because she's a stuck up nightmare bitch of a sister that I should never have invited with me onto this show. Either she learns the right lesson, or I take her down with me!"
End Confessional
Location: Po'ino Bonfire Elimination Ceremony
Contestant(s): Aubrey, Freya, Jaime, Kaden, Kyle, Molly, Sherwood
"So…" Kyle whispered to Freya. "You're sticking with what you promised last challenge, right?"
"Of course." Freya nodded.
"And...do you have any kind of plan in place to protect people from voting for you."
"I'm...taking a bit of a gamble to be honest, but I have one…"
"It doesn't involve throwing someone under the bus does it?"
"No one is involved but myself, and frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't work. Maybe it's because both twins are here, but I'm sensing quite a lot of animosity in my general direction."
"You know whose fault that is."
"Yeah yeah, I get I deserve it, doesn't mean I can't complain about the unpleasantness."
Confessional: Freya: The Bloody Banshees
"Normally, I would never, never, try this desperate a bit to stay in the game, but I'm out of any other options aside from dying quietly which doesn't count. So for just this very once. I'll emulate his process."
End Confessional
"Been a while, Banshees, how have you been?" Chris snickered. "Liking your cabin? I'm sure Molly here will tell you it's nothing special compared to the Vampire's place."
"Chris, come on, you're not here to talk about cabins." Aubrey shook her head.
"Quite right you are, Aubrey!" His grin grew wide. "Let's talk about your reunion during that last challenge. The one where Freya announced to everyone she stole Kyle."
Chris looked over at Freya expectantly.
She bent one leg over the other and folded her arms. "I've said all I needed to say on the matter when I announced it."
"You aren't even going to apologize?" Chris asked.
"Well I don't really like the meek, holier than thou attitude she's got going so I won't. But even so, I'm not going to vote for her tonight, so if she thinks she can eliminate me, she's very free to try."
"Someone's confident…" Jaime's eyes narrowed at Freya. "You really think that you even have a snowball's chance in hell at making it out of this one?"
"I think I have pretty high odds as a matter of fact, especially if you focus your votes on me. Oh but that reminds me, Chris, I have a question."
"What question?"
"I get that Aubrey and Molly both get to vote and that a vote for one is also a vote for the other, but what does it mean for Immunity Tikis?"
"Considering the name of the season and spirit of the curse, unless both the Banshee and Vampire tikis are played on Aubrey and Molly respectively, neither twin will be fully immune."
"That's a shame then, I was hoping to use my tiki to keep Aubrey safe as we voted her sister out, but I guess I'll have to use it for me after all."
Sherwood and Kyle move looked at Freya quizzically, while Jaime crossed her arms.
"You mean to tell me on top of all the slumming around you've been doing, you've been tiki hunting on top of that? Freaking despicable."
"Yes, yes, what a horrible person I am and all that. But, and this is important, you can't say that I don't give it my all in challenges. In fact, if the Mummies hadn't tranquilized Sherwood, I bet bringing me and Kyle out would have netted us an easy victory over them."
"Credit where it's due, she really does give it her all in these things." Kaden shrugged.
"Oh, don't tell me she's got you wrapped around her finger now too, Kaden!" Aubrey groaned.
"Hardly!" Kaden gasped, offended. "But, empirically, she tries to help the team win. It might be her only good quality amongst a sea of awful ones but, you know, it does exist."
"I'm intrigued by her claim about having the Banshee Tiki." Aubrey didn't seem convinced. "She just suddenly says she has it, right before a ceremony where it's entirely likely she'll be eliminated?"
"Oh are you really so worried your sister will vote for you and not me that you're trying to work over, who, exactly? Kyle? He's pretty much the only one that seems to still want me around and is uh, cognizant enough to contribute to conversation." Freya looked back at a still recovering Sherwood.
"Are you really that insecure, Aubrey?" Molly took the opportunity to jump on the high horse.
"Are you really that petty?" Aubrey mimicked.
"Well it's really time to vote!" Chris mocked the two of them. "Remember, everyone, that a vote for Aubrey is also a vote for Molly, and a vote for Molly is also a vote for Aubrey, because this is the Curse of Dual Destinies, where these two share the same fate. Anyways, Sherwood, before you pass out, you're up first."
Sherwood got up to vote, managed to scrawl a name down, and came back to his seat.
Kaden was next.
Confessional: Kaden: The Bloody Banshees
"Look, it's too little too late as far as I'm concerned, a-buh-bye."
End Confessional
After Kaden returned, Chris sent Freya up to vote.
Confessional: Freya: The Bloody Banshees
"I'm keeping my promise, because I do respect deals and promises. I just hope it doesn't cost me. Ick, I feel so dirty acting like that scumbag, touting a tiki around."
End Confessional
Freya came back to her seat and gave Kyle a nod before Chris called Aubrey up.
Confessional: Aubrey: The Bloody Banshees
"Alright Freya...you and I both know that tiki is a load of island dung. Calling the bluff."
End Confessional
As Aubrey came back, Molly was sent up.
Confessional: Molly: The Visceral Vampires.
"This, is to teach you a fucking lesson: Do not ever mess with me!"
End Confessional
Then Jaime was called up to the voting stand.
Confessional: Jaime: The Bloody Banshees
"This one's actually a tad tougher than- pffft. No. No, it's really not."
End Confessional
Finally, it was Kyle's time to vote.
Confessional: Kyle: The Bloody Banshees
Kyle breathes in slowly, and then out slowly. "I know you're hoping for a miracle Freya, but rather than give you one…" He fiddles with the tiki before returning it to his pocket. "Rather than give you one, You'll have to earn it from the island gods, if my math is correct anyways."
End Confessional
"I'll go tally the votes... " Chris announced when Kyle returned.
"Alright Freya, time to play that tiki." Aubrey jabbed.
"I'll play it when I know I need it." Freya lied back through her teeth. "And you know what? I don't think I need it."
Confessional: Freya: The Bloody Banshees
"Mainly because what, it would buy me one more challenge? At this point I wouldn't be surprised if they threw it just to get rid of me."
End Confessional
"I've tallied the votes." Chris announced as he returned with five crystal balls on a plate.
"Before you complain, Molly" Chris immediately noticed Molly's open mouth. "Know that since you and Aubrey are bound by the Dual Destinies curse, you make up one entity tonight. Therefore, one crystal ball to share between the two of you should you be safe. Now then, if I call your name, come up and get a crystal ball for yourself and any players that might happen to be joined to you by the current curse! The player who does not receive a crystal ball, along with any players that might be bound to share their fate, must seal themselves away in the Coffin of Shame and ride the Horror Hearse off of the island, and give up hope of ever winning this season of Total Drama. Now then...if anyone has a hidden immunity tiki and would like to play it, now would be the time to do so."
"ME!" Molly stood up right away as she grabbed a wooden tiki from her bag. "Aleister, the big dumb idiot, left this on Weliweli, so it's a Vampire one, I can play it for myself right?"
"Well yes but…" Chris began.
"Then I play it for myself!"
"This is the Vampire Tiki." Chris announced. "Any votes for Molly via writing her name down will not count. Meanwhile, any votes for Aubrey will still count towards Molly's elimination."
Chris paused.
"Is there anyone else who would like to play a hidden immunity tiki? Going once...going twice…"
No one made any movements.
"Alright, let's start the ceremony!" Chris smiled. "Kaden, Kyle, you two are alright!"
Kaden and Kyle both walked up to Chris, took a crystal ball, and smiled at each other.
"Jaime, you too." Chris beckoned Jaime up.
He paused.
He looked over the remaining contestants.
"...Sherwood! You awake enough to come up and get one, buddy?"
Sherwood nodded slowly as he lumbered forward to grab his own crystal ball.
"Twins, Freya...this is the final crystal ball of the evening...er night...er early morning...whatever time it's supposed to be behind those clouds."
Aubrey and Molly stared at each other, and then at Freya, who met both their gazes with the same nervous, but determined expression.
"The final crystal ball..." Chris began
"Goes to…
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… … … … Freya."
"Wait, what?!" Jaime and Kaden both looked confused and turned to Aubrey and Molly.
"Yeaaaah…" Chris announced as Freya took the crystal ball. "This one's kind of exactly what I was trying to warn you guys about all ceremony. Technically, Freya here received three votes, that's more than anyone else, and normally she'd be eliminated but, well...Molly voted herself out."
"OH. MY. FUCKING. GOD." Aubrey's eyes shot wide with complete disbelief.
"I didn't vote myself out, I used a tiki and voted for Aubrey so-"
"See, that's the thing...voting for one of you, that's the same thing as voting for the other, so if, say, you voted for your partner…"
"It's the same thing as voting yourself off." Jaime facepalmed. "Molly, you absolute sea cucumber."
"I can't believe you were so petty, you were so insufferably obtuse that you couldn't just swallow your pride for a single second to maybe vote our common enemy off the island!"
Freya looked over her figure in disbelief.
"The gamble didn't even work...and I'm still here…" She mumbled to herself.
"Holy shit…" Kyle kept one hand on his heart while the other rested in his pocket. "Didn't think I'd be present for one of these kinds of ceremonies...oh my heart's beating so fast."
"Tired." Sherwood yawned. "Cabin, bed…"
"I guess we do have to say goodbye." Aubrey shrugged, more disappointed than anything else at this point.
She gave each of her teammates a hug goodbye, and whispered to Kyle.
"I wish things played out differently for us…"
"You know they could have…" Kyle whispered back.
"Yeah, I know...just...needed to get it off my chest."
"Sorry you had to go out this way. For what it's worth, the only vote you received was the one from your sister. Kaden and Jaime voted with you, and Sherwood and I went for Jaime, Freya voted for Sherwood to keep good on a promise she made me."
"So, really, Molly could have picked anyone other than me, and we'd have one…"
"That's the unfortunate truth of it."
"You're too good for her, you know."
"I…" Kyle shook his head. "No one is 'too good' for anyone else. All that matters is trust and compromise."
"Aubrey…" Freya was the last one Aubrey visited. "I imagine you don't want a hug from me."
"I'll settle for a handshake." Aubrey stood strong and unafraid. "I know I'm leaving on the hearse, but don't you for a second forget that if it were any other name my sister wrote down, you'd be there."
"Oh, that's actually it. I wanted to congratulate you, you and I both know you won this battle, I'm just lucky enough to be the one who survived it. So here." Freya undid her sapphire heart-shaped earrings and placed them in Aubrey's hand.
"I highly doubt such expensive earrings are your style as a 'normal girl' but consider them dog tags. You stood your own against a veteran, and, albeit only technically, you won."
"This doesn't make us friends, I don't think I'll ever forgive you for as long as I live."
"I'm not asking you to."
Molly meanwhile, was ready to get out of dodge.
"Ugh, let's finally leave this dingy island and go back to the mansion."
"And that's a wrap on the epic battle of the twins and Freya!" Chris announces into the camera as Chef drives away on the Horror Hearse.
"How will the dynamic of the Banshees play out from here! What will the Vampire's reaction be to losing one of their own? Will either team get their revenge on the Mummies, and who in the world is holding the Demon Tiki? Find out...maybe one or two of these...next time!
On Total Drama Nui Kaua…
The Cursed…
Island!"
*Aubrey and Molly's Final Confessional:
"Well, it was…" Aubrey began
"This whole thing was a giant waste of my time, Aubrey!" Molly huffed.
"How on earth can you say that when you're the one that got us eliminated because of you being a stupid selfish bitch?"
"YOU'RE a stupid selfish bitch, I'm a sexy smart bitch who got duped into a curse you refused to let me in on from the beginning!"
"This is why we're in the hearse right now, this fucking attitude of yours!"
"Stop getting so close to me, those tacky earrings keep swinging I think one will hit me in the eye."
"Fucking good! They're trophies that I won for being a better all around human being than you!"
The two continue to bicker over each other in this fashion for some time.
End Confessional*
The Votes for those who are curious
Aubrey voted for…Freya
Freya voted for…Sherwood
Jaime voted for…Freya
Kaden voted for…Freya
Kyle voted for…Jaime
Molly voted for...Aubrey (Thanks to the curse, this is equivalent to a self-vote, negating all other votes)
Sherwood voted for...Jaime
AN:
Whew...okay...um...hi guys, I hope you're all still here and kicking, and practicing social distancing. Sorry this has spent such a long time coming but, hey, it was nice and long right? Anyways…
Aubrey and Molly.
This was always, always how these two were going to end. Tumbling off the precipice together in mutually assured destruction. Sure the form of it varied as I wrote and rewrote the outline of this season over and over again, but the end was always the same, an erosion of trust between the two until finally, one pulls that doomed trigger on the both of them.
Of course, I very much enjoyed writing both their characters, super awesome personalities in their application pms gave me a lot of material for both, and to be perfectly honest, if I ever did a blood vs water type thing, I'd totally want these two back, like, first, before even any of my own characters, because if they could just go at each other in a vacuum without any hangups of team alliances or relationship issues, oh, they would shine so well.
Having studied their actions throughout the season, Aubrey receives the status of: Hero, while Molly receives the status of: Villain
Aubrey has had to do double duty in terms of heroes, contesting not only against her very clearly selfish and villainous sister, who seemed to screw her over whenever she had free time, but also against freaking Freya making almost every other moment of Aubrey's game a living nightmare, and while she certainly started shy and timid, with some prodding, she grew into someone unafraid to stand up to either, and very very nearly succeeded in taking out one of the biggest names in the season so far, only falling short because of her narrow-sighted sister's petty nature.
Molly never, ever, ever, needed to do any of the absolutely horrible things she did, but she did them anyway. Never needed to kiss Nick, never needed to pretend to be her sister, never needed to throw her sister under the bus, never needed to write Aubrey's name down on a piece of paper, but the one fundamental truth about Molly was that if she was burned, she would burn back, without exception, and often at a greater intensity, which is precisely what earns her a minor villain title.
Now, in my opinion, the twins share a single best moment. Their Weliweli scene at the beginning of this chapter. It sets up pretty nicely exactly how far from simple bickering they've gotten while stranded on the titular cursed island, pretty much sets up the driving conflict between the two for this entire episode (which is way longer than the average one by the way holy crap I spent like an extra day writing this one).
But of course, that's all just my opinion, what do you guys think?
Any predictions for the team dynamic of the Banshees or Vampires going forward?
Who do you guys think has the Demon Tiki?
Any thoughts/hopes on what the next episode's curse will be?
And, as always, thanks for reading!