TDNKCI: Episode 16: "Not Helping You Out Of Loyalty"
The Jury's Recap
"Last time on Total Drama Nui Kaua: The Cursed Island…" Kyle began before looking back towards Tori, who had joined the rest of Jury on their bench.
"Oooh, we get to do these?" Tori grinned widely. "Okay, okay, Last time...Barnard, Jaime, and I were all stuck on Weliweli and so I did what we've all recently been making a habit of doing and spied on my competition, where I learned of their plans to vote off Sherwood, but also of how distasteful Jaime found determining a target without the other two members of their supposed alliance present, the members that, of course, were actually able to go and socialize with the competition. The challenge itself was Nui Kaua Idol, and we all sang some amazing songs for you guys, the jury, who got to judge the challenge this time, and while I personally think every song was great, my favorite is when Jaime Rick rolled the lot of you! Still, a well placed prank was not enough to earn her immunity over Freya, who might really want to hold onto it if what Lucien said about her being the jury's current favor to win is true. Sherwood was in a really rough patch as well going into the elimination ceremony, but while I was distracted by the gambling curse that Chris had proposed to us, someone clearly enacted a brilliant plan to blindside me right out of the game. Whoever you are, I'm impressed."
"I think it might have been Azami, actually." Samuel mentioned. "She was whispering to some people while you were distracted."
"AZAMI?!" Tori's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She looked around at the other jurors who all seemed to agree that, yeah, Azami seemed like the player behind it.
Tori looked into the camera and smiled.
"Dang, Azami, guess you aren't as predictable as I'd thought. Be a doll and get rid of Barnard, that logic bot, next though, okay?" She cleared her throat before looking into a different camera.
"We're down to 7, and some are in much better positions than others, but it is still an-y-bo-dy's-game! Find out who can wrangle their immunity and who will find their chances lying face down in the mud, right here!" She waited for the rest of the jury to join in with her.
"On Total Drama Nui Kaua!...The Cursed!...Island!"
*Total Drama Theme Song Plays*
Location: Weliweli Island
Contestant(s): Freya
Freya grunted with each swing of a shabby stone hatchet she'd created and chopped down some more dead trees and carried the wood back towards the site of the shelter, which was starting to look like caveman's first attempt at a hut thanks to the constant rain hitting its already decaying roof and walls.
Confessional: Freya
"Final seven, I have immunity for now, but I don't know how long that's going to last. Being isolated here without anyone else doesn't help much either, especially with Lucien going around warning others about a jury vote. Barnard's almost definitely going to ask Azami about the vote the other night, and knowing her, she's going to jump on the opportunity to gloat and reveal everything. I'm in a great position in terms of maneuverability sure but...that's only if I can know I'm safe. Right now it's a matter of just...hoping, I guess. I have to hope something happens that allows me to slip by unnoticed, otherwise I'd better stay immune."
Postpone Confessional
Freya got to work on patching up the bits of the Weliweli shelter that needed the most patching.
As she patched away, she looked over all the mounds along the shores of the island.
Resume Confessional
"I'm not about to waste my energy looking for the Curse Tiki here, those mounds are either someone trying to distract me, or they're from someone's actual search. No, it's not here, which means there really isn't anything on this island except me, me and a crummy shelter that has yet to give me a night of sleep where I don't wake up because of rain leaking through the roof."
End Confessional
Location: Nahele Forest
Contestant(s): Daniel, Jaime
"It's gotta be somewhere here right?" Jaime mumbled to herself as she climbed up and down various small trees looking for the Curse Tiki.
Meanwhile, Daniel looked around in the undergrowth for the same hidden prize.
"Figures." He groaned as he lifted a suspicious stone to find nothing but a bunch of bugs and worms.
Jaime looked down from the tree she had most recently climbed and noticed Daniel.
She bit her lip and contemplated her situation before sliding down.
"Daniel." She nodded at him. "I assume you're searching for the same thing I am."
"You assume too much." Daniel rolled his eyes as he attempted to walk past her but she stopped him.
"Assumptions are all I have to go on after what happened at that last ceremony. You're going to tell me why Tori went home."
"Because she received enough votes." Daniel rose a brow. "Now leave me alone before I decide to get rid of you before Barnard instead of after."
Confessional: Jaime
"So...Final 7...that's neat I guess...but maaan am I not in a very fun position. I know Barnard voted for Sherwood, and I know that I voted for Sherwood. At the very least, one person from our alliance voted against the grain, which honestly, I'm fine with. What I'm not fine with is that they didn't include me in it! Yeah, you got rid of Tori guys, great job, she was obviously really well liked and definitely could have won if she got to the end, but...you know...at least let me vote her out with you! I'm not like Barnard you know, I can recognize the advantage in going for surprise plays like that!"
End Confessional
Confessional: Daniel
"Final 7, we're getting pretty close to the end now, but there are still some people to get rid of before I can start to feel safe. Barnard, Freya, and Sherwood mainly. Ideally in that order. Striking now while the Demon alliance is fractured would be the best way to get control of this game back. Then I'd like to flush out the returning contestants still present. Finally, I might want to get Lucien out of here too. I don't want The Curse Tiki to keep someone other than myself safe, I want it to keep me, and only me, safe from elimination. Now, if only I can find a way to ditch this girl so I can resume my search."
End Confessional
"Sorry, not gonna happen." Jaime refused to budge. "I'm only going to leave you alone when you tell me how you pulled off the Tori elimination."
"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm not behind it." Daniel shrugged. "Sorry to break it to you, but everyone left is selfish enough to be a suspect, not just me. For all I know, you're just trying to cover your own bases."
Confessional: Daniel
"All I was paying attention to was who Sherwood asked me to vote for, but I do know that no way did Tori vote herself off, so obviously at least one member of that Demon alliance switched their vote. Going by how Freya was acting earlier that same day, I don't think it was her, she seemed pretty intent on seeing Sherwood gone. The leaves Azami and Jaime because Barnard is too simple for a move like that."
End Confessional
Confessional: Jaime
"Well, I know Daniel isn't the bluffing kind of person so I guess I can at least take his word on not being the mastermind behind Tori's departure. Still though, I can't see Lucien voting for Tori, which-" Jaime stopped herself as the calculations clicked in her head. "Wait a minute...I didn't vote for her, Barnard sure as heck didn't. She didn't vote for herself obviously, and no way Lucien voted a Mummy off after all his talk about wanting them around. Looks like I've caught our alliance strays. All that remains now is deciding how to deal with them…hopefully before Barnard puts his foot in both our mouths."
End Confessional
Location: Nui Kaua Field
Contestant(s): Barnard, Daniel, Jaime
"Hey there." Barnard rose a hand in a greeting to Daniel as the latter exited the forest and rolled his eyes.
"Will you Demons ever stop following me around? I already told you I'm not behind the Tori vote."
"Ah…" Barnard put a hand behind his neck. "I see Jaime already came to you asking about the stuff I wanted to ask."
"Imagine that." Jaime emerged from the forest. "Glad I found you, Barnard, we need to have a chat in private. Let's leave Daniel alone to look for his Curse Tiki in peace."
"Finally." Daniel groaned.
"I...I guess, if it's an important conversation we have no choice." Barnard agreed.
Confessional: Barnard
"This was not the ideal way we would enter the final 7. I had hoped to get rid of Sherwood and have a nice 4-person majority alliance, but very clearly someone had too many ants in their pants and made the play against Tori just one round too early. Now we're divided and no one is really in control anymore. I'm most disappointed that this betrayal came right after I sang about how proud I was of the alliance we'd formed. Perhaps people I thought were my friends don't feel the same way towards me."
End Confessional
Location: Muliwai River
Contestant(s): Azami, Lucien
"Alright Azami, I know it was you." Lucien smiled as he walked up to Azami who was fishing along the river and sat beside her.
"Take THAT!" Azami laughed loudly. "I sent home your Mummy friend, because unlike these other LOSERS, I'm not afraid of you!"
"Yes, my song was fairly clear in explaining that I'm not someone to be afraid of." Lucien nodded.
"And MINE was clear that I was going to WIN!" Azami gloated back at him.
Confessional: Azami
"Final 7, but that's no reason to celebrate just yet! What IS a reason to celebrate is that I managed to blindside TORI! And I convinced the loser returning players and Daniel to do it with me! I'M. ON. FIRE. Now all I need to do is cut Sherwood loose after he loses this next immunity challenge and BAM! Azami skyrockets to the finals and takes the million for herself!"
End Confessional
Confessional: Lucien
"How I've managed to make it to the Final 7 after quite a few rounds have gone by without my whole idiot persona is beyond me but dang was I lucky that someone got rid of Tori before I was forced to. Now I can be justified in redirecting my votes back towards that Demon alliance. I know they weren't behind it, but I'd like to start with Barnard and Jaime, because they're the only two contestants left that seem like they're actual allies. Of course, I'm not about to let Azami know anything about that plan. Might as well act like she and Freya have my wrath and see where the chaos gets me."
End Confessional
"Of course, both of those were just songs for the benefit of the jury." Lucien snickered. "Obviously you aren't really going to win and you do need to fear me...because I'm coming for you and Freya next Azami. I don't like it when you mess with my Mummies."
"Then your MUMMIES shouldn't have been messing with US!" Azami responded before turning away and attempting to concentrate on fishing.
Confessional: Azami
"Whatever Lucien, I'm not scared of YOU. What can you even do right now anyways, who'd vote alongside you? The only way you're getting your way is if you somehow get your hands on The Curse Tiki again, and THAT'S never going to happen as long as Sherwood is still around….oh, maybe I should keep him a bit longer then, just until I'm sure he has the Curse Tiki, and then I'll flush it out of the game when I blindside HIM too!"
End Confessional
Confessional: Lucien
Lucien sighs in the confessional before looking at the camera. "I mean...I don't know what I was expecting…"
End Confessional
Location: Nui Kaua Beach
Contestant(s): Barnard, Jaime, Sherwood
"Wait, you mean Azami and Freya both voted Tori over Sherwood?" Barnard asked as Jaime whispered her suspicions to him.
"Quiet!" She hushed, looking around and noticing Sherwood himself down the beach. "What if he hears you? We can't let those four actively unify, it'd ruin us."
"Right." Barnard nodded. "We need to get rid of Freya immediately then."
"No." Jaime rolled her eyes. "We need to let Azami know that we support the decision the two of them made and that while the others start scrambling to try and break apart the alliance, we can pick them all off. If we try and discipline them, we can kiss any amount of control we might still have goodbye."
"But, they've proven to be untrustworthy-" Barnard began.
"No, we just never asked them about who to vote for." Jaime quickly countered. "Trust doesn't need to be gone right away Barnard."
"But it invites them to pull the same stunt again."
"Yes, that's the risk."
"I don't think the risk is worth it."
"You don't think any risk is worth it." Jaime rolled her eyes. "Anyways I'm going to go find Azami and let her know that I'm still with her and Freya, and I think you really ought to do the same, because we still all need each other right now. Stay alive in this game with us or end up eliminated because you couldn't concede defeat in this little debate of ours."
Confessional: Jaime
"A little harsh towards him, sure, but he needs this kind of tough love or he's just going to drag the rest of us down with him when he puts his foot in his mouth again."
End Confessional
Confessional: Barnard
"Look, maybe Jaime has a bit of a point, but there's nothing stopping me from teaming up with, say, Lucien, to get rid of Sherwood this round and then we'll be in control again. I can't in good faith appease Azami after her betrayal, and Freya, well I guess I'm not surprised Freya jumped ship, but it's not like I planned to get rid of her earlier than the final 4, so she still had a fighting chance and all. Why can't these people just let me play the game I want?"
End Confessional
As Jaime left Barnard in a fast walk, Sherwood meandered along the beach, breathing softly to himself.
Barnard decided to walk down and join him.
"Some sort of meditative breathing before a challenge?" He asked.
Sherwood nodded without saying anything.
"Can I join you?" Barnard asked.
Sherwood once again nodded without saying anything.
The two silently walked down the beach together, Barnard copying Sherwood's breathing pattern and movements.
Confessional: Sherwood
"Not quite sure what made Jaime leave so quickly from Barnard like that, but I guess he does have a tendency to rub others the wrong way with all that debate junk. That's why I wasn't about to say any words to him, I don't want some dumb argument taking up energy that I need to save for whatever challenge is next. We're in the Final 7, and ever since Zero Sum, the Finale has always started at the Final 3. We're getting close to the end. So very close to my goal. But that only means that I have to do whatever I can to stay afloat here. And it's not lost on me that every other contestant left probably feels the exact same way."
End Confessional
Location: Nahele Forest
Contestant(s): Daniel, Lucien
"Daaaan the maaaan!" Lucien called with a low chuckle as he walked through the forest. "I know you're out here looking for the Curse Tiki buddy, it's the one swath of the island that hasn't been covered exhaustively yet!"
Daniel, who had taken to Jaime's idea of climbing trees, didn't respond as he looked down and saw Lucien looking around.
"What does that idiot want?" He sighed to himself with a roll of his eyes.
"Just want to let you know that it's you and me to the end buddy, Mummies for liiife!"
Daniel's eyes slowly shifted towards the nearest camera as it zoomed in to get a close up of his face.
He was very clearly neither convinced nor amused.
Confessional: Daniel
"How that dumbass is the last Mummy left aside from myself is something I'll likely never get to the bottom of, but no way am I making anyone any promises about who gets to go to the end here."
End Confessional
Confessional: Lucien
"Well, hopefully he heard me. He's probably the one I'd have the easiest time defeating in a final jury vote anyways so sticking with him doesn't sound like the worst plan in the world, and the more I egg Azami on, the more she'll ruin her own reputation. Those are the two I'd want in my final three."
End Confessional
*BEEEEEEEEP*
"Attention Final 7!" Chris sang across the loudspeakers. "Time for you all to meet me on the southern shore of Kokoke Island! We've prepared kayaks for the lot of you! It's Curse and Challenge Time!"
"Figures." Daniel slid down the tree and Lucien laughed as he noticed the other player appear before him.
"Oh dang, you were right here! So you did hear my message! Alright buddy, let's go!"
"I'm not your buddy." Daniel groaned as he attempted to fast walk away from Lucien but failed as Lucien followed him at pace all the way to the docks.
Location: Kokoke Island (South Shore)
Contestant(s): All Remaining
"Howdy, Final 7." Chris announced in a southern accent as he greeted the contestants while they all gathered around him. He motioned to the rancher costume he had on. "Ain't these threads just a beaut?"
The contestants all exchanged nervous, off-put looks.
"Yeesh." Chris broke character with an eye-roll. "Just ruin a guy's day, why don't you?"
"Please tell me the curse doesn't involve talking like that." Freya sighed.
"Doesn't your boyfriend have that same accent?" Jaime snarked.
"That's why I don't want the curse to be talking like that, Jaime." Freya elaborated. "It's mean spirited and petty, even for Chris."
"I'm more surprised that it's too mean spirited and petty for you," Chris replied "but either way it's not the curse. We'll get to that in a bit, but first let me explain your challenge!"
He gestured towards the forests of the island.
"Kokoke is full o' these dense forests." Chris readopted the southern accent. "An' our here livestock managed to go an' gettemselves lost up in dah! I need y'all tah each round up one of our cattle, hogs, and sheep, and bring 'em on back to dese 'ere pens witchur names onnum! But if it gets too dang dark out, we're headin' back no matter what we got, so you best get your three marks if you want that there immunity."
"So…" Jaime crossed her arms. "Would you care to repeat that for those of us who aren't in bed with southern guys?"
"We're letting some bulls, some pigs, and some rams roam free in the forest." Chris broke his accent again with a groan. "You need to get one of each into the pen with your name on it to score yourself an immunity. The challenge is over at sunset, or when everyone except one contestant has won immunity."
"So we're chasing animals again." Barnard noted.
"That's right." Chris nodded. "However, before we start the challenge officially, there's still the small matter of this week's curse!" He turned as Chef wheeled out a table with seven scrolls and seven lariats each laid out along it.
"Now, before I explain anything else, I want you all to know that any and all players have the ability to take this curse. So. Who wants it?"
Without any hesitation, every last player put their hand up.
Confessional: Azami
"I'm not about to let anyone take away the grip on the game I've created for myself!"
End Confessional
Confessional: Barnard
"If all else fails, I need this wildcard to save my already crumbling alliance."
End Confessional
Confessional: Daniel
"The death match has already been done, no way any curse is going to do something as bad as that one again. No reason to not take it."
End Confessional
Confessional: Freya
"I have no idea what's been going on back on the main island, I need this."
End Confessional
Confessional: Jaime
"No way am I letting the others here all benefit off of a curse and leaving me behind."
End Confessional
Confessional: Lucien
"Without Tori here to take them all, I think it's about time I actively took one myself."
End Confessional
Confessional: Sherwood
"Anything, anything to help further my survival in this game. Come on curse, come to Sherwood…"
End Confessional
"Alright then!" Chris exclaimed as he confirmed every player's willingness to take the curse.
"Today's curse is a very simple one. Choose your advantage! You can either choose to take a scroll, which has a very, very good clue leading you to the location of the Curse Tiki which I'm surprised none of you have found yet, or you can take a lariat, which will be very very helpful in wrangling livestock for this challenge. And to make this more interesting, I'm not going to give you any time to think about this. You need to make your decisions right now or you get diddly squat!"
The contestants all rushed up to the table.
Azami took a lariat.
Barnard took a clue.
Daniel took a clue.
Freya took a lariat.
Jaime took a clue.
Lucien took a clue.
Sherwood took a lariat.
"You've all made your decisions." Chris nodded. "And with that, we can finally start the challenge! Players ready….go!"
Challenge: Lost Little Livestock
Rules: Players must scour Kokoke Island for bulls, pigs, and rams, and bring one of each back to their designated pen before sundown in order to win immunity. The challenge will either end at sundown or if only one contestant has yet to earn immunity. The curse of the episode allowed players to choose between a clue towards the Curse Tiki and an advantage in the immediate challenge of having a lariat to lasso the animals with.
Azami, Freya, and Sherwood all have the lariat, while Barnard, Daniel, Jaime, and Lucien took clues for the Curse Tiki.
Location: Kokoke Island Southwest
Contestant(s): Azami
Azami slinked through the forest, following a hog as it sniffed along the undergrowth.
"There we are…" She snickered as she brought her lariat back and began to twirl her wrist.
"GOTCHA!" She shouted as she tossed the lasso towards her mark, missing its leg as it ran away from her loud noise.
"UGH." She rolled her eyes.
Confessional: Azami
"McLean, you better not have given me a defective lasso!"
End Confessional
Location: Kokoke Island West
Contestant(s): Daniel
When he was sure he had managed to give the slip to all the other contestants, Daniel opened the scroll containing the clue to the Curse Tiki.
"You saw me where I never was and where I could not be, and yet within that very place, my face you often see."
He thought to himself for a moment.
Confessional: Daniel
Daniel enters the confessional on Kokoke island and looks inside it, before noting the mirror on the wall nearby. He spends a few minutes looking around inside the confessional, before sitting down on the toilet and sighing.
"Figures. There's still two other ones to check too."
End Confessional
Location: Kokoke Island Cave
Contestant(s): Jaime, Sherwood
Jaime and Sherwood eyed each other down as they both chased the same pig into the mouth of Kokoke's cave.
As Jaime began to quietly make her way towards the cave and pig, Sherwood began to wind up his lariat, before swinging the rope and netting the swine for himself as it began to squeal.
"Hey!" Jaime ran after him. "That's my pig, I saw it first!"
"Yeah, well I caught it first." Sherwood retaliated as he began to haul the struggling swine towards the south shore where the pens were.
Confessional: Jaime
"As he was dragging that swine back to the pen though, I had a bit of a realization. He was leaving me alone with no one to see, so I took out the scroll with the clue and read the thing. Unfortunately, the Curse Tiki isn't in this confessional booth, but it just might be in one of the other two."
End Confessional
Location: Kokoke Island South
Contestant(s): Azami, Barnard, Lucien, Sherwood
"Gaah!" Azami shouted after the swine she was chasing as she rushed out of the forest, passed Barnard as he was struggling to get a ram to stop running while holding onto its horns for dear life.
"Oh-ho, big swine man." Lucien chuckled from his pen where he had peacefully managed to lead a bull.
"HOW?" Azami motioned toward Lucien before quickly chasing after her pig again. "YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A LASSO!"
Confessional: Lucien
"Yeah, I don't have a lasso, but the grass is really easy to pick up off the ground here, and these animals are probably super hungry. Of course, it doesn't really help if I can't find the animals I need, and the bull was a nice, big, target, not like the pigs or sheep which will probably be much harder to come across."
End Confessional
"And Lucien and Sherwood are in the lead with one animal each!" Chris announced as Azami ran off after her pig. "Oh, but it seems Barnard has managed to ride his ram right into his pen! We still have plenty of time until sunset however, so this is truly anyone's game!"
Confessional: Barnard
Barnard is clearly out of breath and his clothes are in tatters. "Huhhhhh...Huhhhh….Never...Huhhhh….Never gonna….try that...ever again…"
End Confessional
Confessional: Sherwood
"I can't let Barnard win immunity. Azami might've blindsided Tori for me, but she's not about to help me out a second time. I need to actively be immune to avoid elimination, and the Demon she recently betrayed, that's who I'd like to see get the boot if at all possible. Sever that alliance completely, as it were."
End Confessional
Location: Kokoke Island North
Contestant(s): Daniel, Freya, Jaime
"Gyaaaah!" Freya squealed as the bull she'd lassoed attempted to buck her off of it. "Heeelp!"
Jaime noticed the cry and came over to where Freya was bull riding. "You called for help?" She asked.
"Yeah, if you haven't- Eeep!, noticed, I'm kind of stuck up on this deathtrap!"
"I can lead it back to the pen for you, we are in an alliance after all."
"Please, please, oh don't let it kick me off!"
Jaime rolled her eyes before she got the bull's attention and started running along the shoreline.
Confessional: Jaime
"Like I said, it's better for everyone if we actively try to mend whatever rift was formed last week with the Tori vote. Helping Freya out here is only just the first step."
End Confessional
As Freya and Jaime left his field of view, Daniel, who was holding a very young ram that seemed to enjoy being carried, came out from his hiding place.
He followed the women so that he could keep an eye on the two of them, and soon enough Freya was kicked from the bull.
He walked up to her as Jaime led the bull back to the pens.
"Need this?" He asked as he held out the ram. "It smells."
"I don't want to be indebted to you." Freya shook her head.
"You already are indebted to me." Daniel shrugged. "I don't think Tori would've left last ceremony if I hadn't voted along with you and Azami."
"If that's true, then that's just atonement for what you did to Kyle." Freya shrugged as she dusted herself off. "Now skip the bribe and say what you want."
"Your vote of course." Daniel sighed. "What else could I possibly be asking for?"
"Vote for who?" Freya crossed her arms, suspiciously.
"Barnard." Daniel replied without hesitation.
"And I assume that ram is payment for the vote?" Freya pointed.
"It was, but you don't want to be indebted to me so I guess I'll just keep it for myself."
"Now, now…" Freya gently patted Daniel's cheek with a smile. "If it's a transaction, that's perfectly fine."
It was Daniel's turn to be suspicious.
"You changed your tune too easily." He backed away. "Deal's off."
Confessional: Freya
"Welp, there goes getting immunity that way. Still. If our deal, short lived as it was, is off, then I think I know what I'll be doing before we go to Po'ino tonight."
End Confessional
Location: Kokoke Island East
Contestant(s): Barnard, Daniel, Freya, Jaime, Lucien
"There you go." Jaime panted as she handed Freya her lariat back. "One bull delivered to your pen."
"Perfect timing." Freya smiled as she took the lariat and motioned for Jaime to follow her to where Barnard was busy trying to chase a pig.
Freya twirled the lariat and lassoed the swine with ease.
Confessional: Freya
"No, I don't have any formal practice with a lasso but I have been told that I can move my wrists and hands really well…...geez, guys, it's from cheerleading and shaking pom poms, get your minds out of the gutter."
End Confessional
"Hey!" Barnard called over. "That swine is mine!"
"Uh...yeah." Freya nodded. "That's the point, brainiac. We can't let Daniel, Lucien, and Sherwood tie up the numbers now can we? And because you and Jaime here didn't take the obvious advantage, guess it's up to me to bail you guys out of this."
"I don't get it…" Barnard walked up to Jaime as Freya led the hog away. "Didn't she vote against us? How are you trusting her so easily?"
"Ohmygod" Jaime mumbled under her breath. "Because I've been on the same team as her, and also have shared the same bunk bed with her since the Demons were dissolved. I know how she works, she just wants to feel like an actual member of the alliance."
"Well, that doesn't quite explain why she voted alongside Azami last-"
"Ugh, would it kill you to ever shut up and just thank someone for doing a good thing for you?" Jaime rolled her eyes.
Confessional: Jaime
"Of course, I don't only mean Freya actively helping us with our challenges but also maybe thanking me for getting her in the headspace to do that! Seriously that boy is starting to get way too suspicious of his own alliance members for his own good. People are irrational, you dumbass. Logic isn't going to work all the time here."
End Confessional
Meanwhile, nearby, Daniel and Lucien were both busy attempting to wrestle a pig, but it kept squirming past them, getting them both dirtier and dirtier in the process.
"Figures…" Daniel sighed as the pig ran through a gap in Lucien's legs and left the two of them alone.
"Whew.." Lucien smiled goofily. "Man, if only we had a lasso or something too, this'd be so much easier."
"Don't remind me." Daniel groaned.
Confessional: Daniel
"That's just all the more reason that I need to get back to another confessional first and grab that Curse Tiki. I don't like the thought of Lucien also benefiting from it, but I'd rather he benefit from it than any of the other players in the competition obtain it."
End Confessional
Location: Kokoke Island South
Contestant(s): Azami, Barnard, Daniel, Freya
"And we're getting closer and closer to sunset, but this can still be anyone's game!" Chris announced.
"Azami's finally managed to get her pig, Barnard only needs a bull now, thanks to Freya leading that pig into his pen instead of hers."
"Wait...what?" Daniel rose a brow as he ushered the pig he and Lucien had been wrestling into his own pen.
"Daniel only needs a bull as well!" Chris continued as Daniel walked up towards Freya and Barnard.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Oh nothing." Freya smiled at Daniel. "I just figured I'd let my alliance friend Barnard here know that I'm still with him through my actions as well as my words." She draped a hand around Barnard's shoulder.
"Uhm-" Barnard looked up at her nervously. "Then what about-owwwwww…"
He buckled as Freya pinched where his neck met his shoulder. "I mean, thank you, Freya...ahhh...oww…"
"Yes, it must be something you aren't used to." Freya continued to smile at Daniel. "Allies working together, I mean."
Daniel stared at Freya in silence, before he left.
"Freya still needs a ram, but it looks like that's it thanks to the pig that Jaime just dumped into her pen, Jaime herself still needs every animal."
"Jaime, why did you do that?" Barnard asked as he quickly left Freya's side to avoid being pinched again.
"Thanks so much, Jaime!" Freya smiled. "Let's get you an animal though!"
"Oh, I wouldn't be too worried about that." Jaime pointed to the sky.
"It'll be sunset soon, and no way everyone is going to gather all their animals. Better to help those are closer to it get immunity."
"Azami's not about to agree to any of this though" Barnard turned towards Azami. "Right, Azami?"
"I'm not about to give up my own shot at immunity for any reason." Azami nodded. "But if you losers think you need to help each other more, I won't stop you from doing that."
"Lucien still needs a pig and a ram!" Chris continued announcing the standing.
"And Sherwood still needs his bull and ram!"
"Then let's see…" Freya, Barnard, and Jaime all stood in a circle as Azami went to search off for more animals on her own. "Barnard needs a bull, I need a ram...so here's how we'll approach this."
Confessional: Barnard
"Wow, her uh...habits aside." Barnard said as he rubbed his sore neck. "Freya's actually far more strategically inclined than I would have suspected a girl like her to be. That's...actually really threatening. I think Lucien might've been onto something with the jury seeing her as winner material. I understand where Jaime's coming from, but I think the best thing to do is nip this problem in the bud before it's too late. We'll be four strong in the final six if this next vote goes our way, and well, when you have four out of six, you really only need three out of five."
End Confessional
Location: Kokoke Island Southwest
Contestant(s): Daniel, Freya, Lucien, Sherwood
"Mine!" Freya shouted.
"Mine!" Sherwood shouted back as the two fought over a ram that they had both managed to lasso.
"Just split the ram in half." Lucien suggested with a grin as he once again attempted to wrestle a pig into the mud.
"Luci, we don't have time for your bullshit." Freya grunted.
"Lucien, I know you voted for me last time. I could use some help to make up for it." Sherwood tried to encourage Lucien to help him.
"Ah-ah-ah." Lucien shook his head. "All three of you are complicit in voting my favorite player off the game, not about to help any of you...err..intentionally anyways."
"Some departure from the Mummies for life you were spouting earlier today." Daniel said as he looked for bull tracks.
"Shh!" Lucien put a finger to his lips with a goofy smile. "Don't tell them that! We're gonna be a secret duo. Give me a few moments in the confessionals and I'll make us costumes out of toilet paper"
Daniel turned to look directly into the camera again.
"I've had to put up with this shit all season."
Location: Kokoke Island Cave
Contestant(s): Barnard, Freya
"Barnard!" Freya called out to Barnard as she led a ram behind her and tossed Barnard her lariat. "You might want that!"
"Uh...thanks…" Barnard caught the tool. "But why did you even vote Tori off if you were just going to stay loyal anyways?"
"Oh, Barnard…" Freya laughed. "I'm not helping you out of loyalty to you. I think it's pretty clear where I, as a returning contestant, stand in your mind."
Confessional: Freya
"Look, I'm sure Barnard thinks he's one of the 'good guys' right now, or at the very least, he thinks that he hasn't done much wrong, but it's not like I haven't been paying attention to what he's been saying since before he petitioned me to join his alliance. He's perhaps the most anti-returning contestant here next to, well, me. No, jumping ship is very clearly the better choice, but jumping ship doesn't have to mean eliminating him, at least not today. It's clear though that he's not about to take anyone else's suggestions for who to vote out, so sorry buddy, but I'm not about to be some lackey of yours. I won't end up like Sherwood."
End Confessional
Location: Kokoke Island South
Contestant(s): All Remaining
"And the contestants are all here!" Chris announced as Freya brought her ram straight into her pen. "And Freya is our first lucky immunity winner, with only a couple minutes left before the challenge is declared officially over!"
"Gah!" Barnard and Jaime did their best to push a stubborn bull towards Barnard's pen.
"Get. IN. THE. PEN!" Azami was busy tussling with her own bull.
Sherwood sighed as he tugged at a ram of his own.
Lucien happily brought a pig into the pen before he collapsed into the sand and start to rub the mud off his clothes.
"I did it guys…" He rose a fist into the air. "I beat the piggy at his own wrestling game."
"Thirty seconds!" Chris announced as Daniel emerged from the forest, having realized there was no way he'd get a bull back in time.
"Freya…" Jaime grunted from where she and Barnard were busy pushing his bull. "A little...help...please…"
"You're wasting your time with that." Sherwood rolled his eyes before dropping his jaw as Freya went to go push at the bovine.
Confessional: Sherwood
"Wow, that kind of assistance would have been really welcome over here with your fellow Banshee, Freya."
End Confessional
"Twenty seconds!" Chris announced.
"It's not...enough...power…" Barnard lamented.
"Less whining, more shoving!" Freya ordered.
"Ten seconds!" Chris announced. "Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five!"
A pair of hands pressed against the bull.
"Looks like fun, can I join?" Lucien smiled.
"Four!" Chris continued. "Three! Two!"
Finally, with Lucien's added strength, the bull was pushed fully into Barnard's pen.
"One! Zero!" Chris announced.
"DAMMIT!" Azami threw her lariat in the sand from where her own bull was only halfway down the beach towards her pen. "Chris, you gave me a defective lariat, I know you did!"
"Freya and Barnard win immunity!" Chris ignored Azami. "As for the rest of you...any of you could be going home tonight! Let's all head to the Po'ino Bonfire!"
Confessional: Barnard
"Okay...what was Lucien helping all about?"
End Confessional
Confessional: Lucien
"Whew, okay...that should be enough to confuse him enough into voting alongside me at the next ceremony….assuming I make it through this one, that is."
End Confessional
Location: Po'ino Bonfire Elimination Ceremony
Contestant(s): Azami, Barnard, Daniel, Freya, Jaime, Lucien, Sherwood
Jury Present: Kyle, Antonio, Kaden, Samuel, Lena, Twilight, Aleister, Tori
"Final 7, soon to be minus the 7th." Chris announced as the players all sat down at their seats near the bonfire. "You've all been busy running around today even before the challenge." He turned to Freya. "Except you, but carpentry is exhausting work too in this weather, right?"
"I'm just glad to be immune again." Freya crossed one leg over the other with a smile. "The second I show vulnerability, I'm just done here, I don't think any of these guys would resist an opportunity to just flush me out right now and be done with me."
"I feel a similar way about my own position." Barnard raised a hand. "Glad to see that I still have some allies to help me out and let me stick around."
"It does certainly split the anti-Demon alliance vote." Sherwood nodded. "But I think it's fairly obvious who the person to vote for is."
Daniel raised his hand. "Chris, mind if I go use the confessional really quickly?"
"Just grab a nearby intern and use the Po'ino confessional system like everyone else." Jaime rolled her eyes.
"You'll have plenty of time to make a confessional entry after the elimination ceremony, Daniel." Chris beamed. "Speaking of...Azami. Tonight's vote. Is it going to be anything like last night's vote? Think someone might be blindsided?"
"I think tonight's vote…" Azami began. "Is going to either prove that everyone is only out for themselves, or offer hope that some alliances can weather even these harsh storms."
"Alright then." Chris smiled. "If there is nothing else to get to...Lucien, why don't you vote first?"
"It would be my pleasure." Lucien smiled.
He gulped as he turned towards the voting confessional camera.
Confessional: Lucien
"No, actually I really don't like voting first, I can't gauge any of this at all. Are we voting off Azami? Jaime? Sherwood? Daniel? Me?! I have no clue right now. The best I can do is take my shot in the dark. So, here goes I guess."
End Confessional
After Lucien, Sherwood was sent up next.
Confessional: Sherwood
"This...feels like the right call right now, I just hope it actually is the right call."
End Confessional
Azami followed him to vote.
Confessional: Azami
"I DON'T like you and you're a LOSER. That's about all I got."
End Confessional
When Azami came back, Barnard was sent up.
Confessional: Barnard
"This time, this time we'll all be voting as one unit, right? Right?"
End Confessional
After he'd finished up, it was Freya's turn.
Confessional: Freya
"This vote is probably the hardest one I had to make all season, even if I don't like you that much, but I can't keep delaying it any longer."
End Confessional
As she returned, Jaime went up to vote.
Confessional: Jaime
"Alright." Jaime cracks her knuckles. "Time to tie the sexes up again."
End Confessional
Finally, Daniel went up to vote.
Confessional: Daniel
"Last to vote, couldn't go to the actual confessional can to grab the Curse Tiki. Figures. Really wish I could strip Freya's immunity away to punish her for actively helping Barnard win an immunity, but I guess this will do just as well. The game is all about playing off of everyone's nature after all."
End Confessional
Chris came back after the votes had been tallied.
"I have with me a platter containing six crystal balls." He announced. "If I call your name, come up and get a crystal ball. If you do not receive a crystal ball, you must immediately get inside the Coffin of Shame and ride the Horror Hearse off of the island, before becoming the next member of our jury." Chris motioned over to the jury, who all waved with varying degrees of affection or disdain at the remaining players.
"But before I do, if any of you have the Curse Tiki and would like to play it...now would be the time to do so."
No one made any moves, instead staring at their competitors.
"In that case." Chris continued. "Barnard, Freya, you two are immune so come on up and grab those crystal balls."
Barnard and Freya both stood up and received crystal balls from Chris before they clinked them together in a silent cheer.
"Daniel." Chris held out a crystal ball.
Daniel sighed and walked up to receive it.
Azami, Jaime, Lucien, and Sherwood all looked at each other nervously.
"Lucien." Chris smiled.
"Ohhh thank the island gods." He held a hand to his heart as he walked up. "Totally in the dark this vote, let me tell you."
The jury began to silently converse with each other as Chris held up the second last crystal ball.
"Azami." He nodded.
"WOO!" Azami cheered before beginning to cackle as she grabbed the crystal ball from Chris. "Azami Hyung, all the way to the TOP of this game!"
"Final 6, Azami, calm down just a bit." Barnard offered.
"Jaime, Sherwood." Chris smiled. "This is the final crystal ball of the evening."
Jaime and Sherwood looked at each other.
"And it goes tooo…" Chris dragged his last word out as he moved his finger between the two players.
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"... … … … … … … … … … … Jaime."
Jaime stood up and took the final crystal ball of the night.
Chris turned to Sherwood.
"Sorry man, but if it's any consolation you had one amaaaaazing run!"
"Well." Sherwood sighed as he stood up. "I actually got to play my game this time so that's something to be proud of."
He looked over the competition that was left, gave each of them a nod, and then walked to the Coffin of Shame.
"And we are down to our Final 6!" Chris looked into the camera as the players dispersed.
Confessional: Daniel
Daniel walks into the confessional can, confirms it has a mirror, and then rummages around until he finds a small, wooden, skull-shaped tiki hiding under the counter that the camera is mounted on. He holds it up to the viewers before leaving the confessional can.
End Confessional
"But this game could still go in any direction!" Chris continued. "How will the Curse Tiki be used this time, or will it at all? Can Freya stay afloat as the final returning player? Will Barnard ever learn the lesson that Jaime is trying to drill into his head? Find out all these and more next time!
On Total Drama Nui Kaua!
The Cursed!
Island!"
*Sherwood's Final Confessional:
"Well, that happened...again. But this time it wasn't as though I didn't see this outcome coming. I don't have the slightest clue who I'll be rooting for from here on out, but right now I'm stuck between Banshee pride or seeing how well Daniel can do since he seems to be a pretty standalone player much like myself. Hopefully with this performance I can secure my place in future seasons like an All Stars one or something, I don't really know. What I do know though, is that it's nice to finally have some peace and quiet from the rest of those guys."
End Confessional*
The Votes for those who are curious
Azami voted for…Sherwood
Barnard voted for…Sherwood
Daniel voted for…Sherwood
Freya voted for…Sherwood
Jaime voted for…Sherwood
Lucien voted for…Jaime
Sherwood voted for...Jaime
AN:
Sherwood.
Our final Nui Kaua representative, and man does his Ka Malu O manage to shine through in this story.
I was a little hesitant in deciding to bring back the first eliminated member of every Nui Kaua team as the returnees for this season, but even if I had complete control over everything, I think I still would have invite Sherwood back as a returning player, because his original elimination really was a bit...on the 'why?' side.
Here, Sherwood has the opportunity he missed on his debut season, and he managed to run with it. Placing 7th is actually really good for a character that tries to avoid interacting with others in a social game, so it really goes to show how sometimes your starting team, and allies, really can make or break your strategy.
Having studied his actions throughout the season, Sherwood receives the status of: Neutral
One could also argue for an under the radar villain, but for me, I think despite the slightly negative edit, Sherwood himself didn't do enough villainous things to really earn that label. He's sort of like a mirror version of Twilight. She tried to lead her team, he tried to hide in his, but they both focused mainly on simple survival in the game over any epic battles or struggles. That's why Sherwood here gets that nice Neutral rating.
Sherwood's best moment is kind of hard to pinpoint, but I personally enjoy his tug-of-war match with Lena right when the merge happened. He was just so genuinely happy to have made it to the merge this time and on top of that all he got to win the first individual immunity.
Of course, this is all just my opinion. What do you guys think?
Daniel has the Curse Tiki now, but will he play it? And if so, when?
The Demons might have voted together this round, but are they truly unified, and is Barnard truly on the top?
What do you think the next curse will be?
And as always, thank you for reading!
AN2: Discord link on profile for those of you who want to see a whole bunch of total drama memes using characters from the Nui Kaua trilogy! Come join if that sounds like fun!