In a broom closet, a makeshift bed made from covers was sprawled across the floor. Rhonda stood beside it, her clothes on hangers holding onto pipes. Papers were scattered here and there.
A mirror hung from one pipe. She looked at herself in the mirror, studying her face. A knock was heard at the door.
"Come in."
Toby entered. "Hey, you ready? Our guests have arrived."
"Good, good," Rhonda replied. She didn't look away from the mirror.
Toby stares at her. "Are you…never mind."
"Huh?"
"Are you okay?" Toby asked.
Rhonda smiled. "I'm better than okay. Didn't you hear the latest ratings? We've made a huge incline; we're stable. We're even doing better than Canada."
"You mean North Mexico?" Toby asked.
Rhonda nodded. "To think earlier this summer I was in Canada, co-hosting their latest season as a requirement to host the American reboot. Waiting hand and foot on that egotistical producer Zac…now my show is crushing his. Who doesn't know how to host now Zac?"
"Was it really that bad?" Toby asked.
"Well, this intern I worked with was cool," Rhonda stated. "Mana...I hope he's okay. And I guess…I didn't hate Zac at first. I thought we were friends…and maybe he was right about what it takes to be a host. But I'm not the ugly duckling he thinks I am."
"Who cares what he thinks," Toby stated.
"Yeah, you're right," Rhonda replied. "The point is, after all the hoops I had to jump through…after what I had to give up, I'm here. I made it. It was all worth it."
"I guess so," Toby said with a shrug.
"I mean don't get me wrong," Rhonda stated. "I couldn't have done it without you or Jenny. You guys were right here with me."
Toby turned away. "It's not like we had anything better to do."
Rhonda laughed. "That's true. Still, you have to feel good about this, right? We actually made the merge, on primetime, with good ratings!"
"I don't feel good," Toby replied. "I don't feel anything. This is just another reality show, and it's not turning out how we planned either."
"This isn't any old show," Rhonda stated. "Its Total Drama! The phenomenon! My favorite show from growing up. And we're actually doing it, we're hosting it."
"Is that why you did this?" Toby asked. "I mean after what happened with you and this show, I guess…"
"What?" Rhonda asked. "The Canadian season wasn't going to make me quit, although they did want me to continue co-hosting."
Toby shook his head. "No, I mean before that. With what happened then…why do it again? Why subject yourself to this humiliation. Why…"
Rhonda's mirror fell off the pipe and shattered on the ground.
"That doesn't count for seven years of bad luck, does it?" Rhonda asked.
"I'll sweep it," Toby stated. "Get out there; the newcomers should meet you at the stage in a few minutes."
Rhonda nodded. She walked out the doorway and stopped for a moment, before shaking her head and walking off. From the corner of his eye, Toby watched her.
/
At the theatre, the newcomers gathered on top of the stage. They noticed a group of wooden bleachers to the right, but worrying about a trap, stood to the side.
Weston tried to peek behind the curtain, but was swatted away by Jenny's hand.
Rhonda ran out, dressing in a yellow evening gown. It was fancier than what she usually wore, but the yellow was bright and gaudy, and looked tackier then she probably realized.
"Morning everyone!" Rhonda greeted. "Who's ready for the first challenge of the merge!"
"Woo!" Riley cheered. She was the only one to do so.
"Before we get to that," Rhonda said. "I have a surprise! It's the reward for the winner of this challenge!"
"You mean there's more besides the room and hot butler?" Ness asked, blushing as she realized what she said.
Rhonda nodded. "Much more. I figured with a challenge like this, we should have a live audience so-
"-you sold tickets for it like the other challenge?" Weston asked.
Rhonda facepalmed. "Crap, why didn't I think of that?"
"Before we die from suspense, from what I'm sure will totally not suck, could you explain what you have planned already?" Tessa asked.
"Like I said, we wanted a live audience," Rhonda stated. "But more than that…recently some of you had the chance to talk to your loved ones. That touched my heart… it touched all our hearts. Which is why, your friends, family and old acquaintances…are here."
"Wait…whattttt?" Kalino asked.
Melissa gasped. "Really? Truly and really Ms. Rhonda?"
Vance's eyes grew wide. "You don't mean…"
"Behind this curtain are you loved ones!" Rhonda announced. "After all this time, you have the chance to get a little love. Are you ready?"
The newcomers reacted with a mix of cheers and looks of horror.
"So who's first?" Rhonda asked.
Melissa jumped in place. "Ooh! Ooh! Me please! I mean, if everyone doesn't mind…"
Rhonda smirked. "Melissa's loved one…come on out!"
Melissa clapped while jumping at the same time. "I'm so excited to see my mom!"
"Well prepare to be disappointed…"
From behind stage a short teenage girl walked out. She seemed to resemble Melissa physically. At the same time, she wore black clothing, had teal streaks in her hair and wore heavy eyeliner. "It's your younger sister Beatrice!"
Melissa squealed, running up and glomping her sister. "Eeeee! This is just as good. I missed you Bea! How have you been?"
"Fine," Beatrice replied. "I still live in Washington; it's not like I won't see you again."
"You look wonderful!" Melissa stated, tightening her hug around her sister. "I love your new hair. You're rocking the goth look!"
"I'm not goth anymore," Beatrice stated. "That was like ages ago; I'm punk now."
"That's so cute Bea," Melissa replied.
Beatrice groaned. "Oh my godddddddd, you never understand me."
"My sister is really sweet," Melissa stated. "She can be a little...dramatic, but she is teenager just trying to fit in. I know I was weird as a teenager...or am. I'm just happy to see her! I'm sure the others feel the same about their family members too!"
"Lita, you're next," Rhonda stated. "You have two members who came to see you...your mom and your brother Roscoe!"
Lita gasped and started to tear up. From behind the curtain, a heavy set African American woman walked out. Her face showed a lot of age, as did her brown eyes. In front of her she pushed a young boy, about twelve years old, in a wheelchair.
Lita ran forward and hugged the boy. "Oh my god Roscoe! I can't believe you're here!"
"I'm here for you sis," Roscoe laughed. "You didn't think I was going to miss you kick butt, did you? You are gonna kick butt right?"
"Of course," Lita laughed. "Anything for my little brother."
"So...I insulted her mother," Tessa recalled. "And her brother, saying they're probably messed up. Her brother... who is in a wheelchair…"
Tessa beats her head against the wall.
"Next we have Xidorn…and Xidorn's dad!" Rhonda stated.
Xidorn raised an eyebrow. "My father?"
A middle aged Vietnamese man walked out from backstage. He was overweight and slightly balding. He wore glasses and had a dark beard. He smiled and waved a little at Xidorn.
"It's good to see you son," the man stated.
"Uh, good to see you dad," Xidorn replied. "How have you been?"
"Ooh, you know...good," Xidorn's father replied. "You?"
"Yeah...I've been good," Xidorn replied.
Xidorn's dad shuffled up to him. He stood there for a few moments, then went in for a hug with the unexpected Xidorn. After a confused moment, he hugged him back.
"It's not that I'm not happy to see my dad," Xidorn explained. "To be honest, I'm just shocked to see him here. Or giving hugs; he doesn't like to express feelings very much. We don't really have the best relationship. He doesn't really get me…"
"Not the heartwarming reunion I was going for," Rhonda stated, "but I'll take it. Now then who's next…"
"You should totally do Riley," a voice loudly whispered from backstage.
"Woah, is that my brother Pat?" Riley asked.
"No, no it isn't," Rhonda stated. "Pay no attention to the voice from behind the curtain…"
"Pat are you back there?" Riley asked.
"Uhh...no I'm not. My name is…Mat."
Rhonda facepalmed. "Just come on out Pat."
Running out from backstage looked like an older, male version of Riley; tall, dark skinned, half of his head shaved, lip, nose and ear piercings here and there and sleeve tattoos on both arms. He picked up Riley in his arms and squeezed her tight. "Riley! Oh I missed you sooooooo much man. I can't believe it! I swore you look so grown up and junk...did you grow any?"
Riley chuckled. "No Pat! I missed you too Scarlett Bro'hara. You got to meet my peeps! This is Loch Ness, Lightning Lita, Iggy Pop and Gris Bear…you can put me down now Pat."
Pat squeezed her tight. "Nope, not happening."
"Diamonique we have two special guests here for you," Rhonda stated. "Your mother and father!"
Out from backstage walked a man and woman in their mid-forties. They looked like typical upper-class suburban people, wearing designer white clothes. Both had light blonde hair, pale blue eyes and pale skin. The father wore a small cowboy hat.
"Those are Diamonique's parents?" Weston whispered. "Hmm...I can see it."
"You can?" Ness whispered.
"They all have blond hair," Weston replied. "Hair color is serendipity after all."
"You mean hereditary?" Ness asked.
"Ooh, cause of their hair," Weston said with a wink.
"Oh my stars," Diamonique's mother cheered, hugging her daughter. "Our little diamond. We missed you so much sweetie. Are you okay, we were so worried!"
"Psh, I'm fine," Diamonique replied.
"Are you sure?" Diamonique's father asked, joining in the hug. "They've been feeding you good, haven't they?"
Diamonique shrugged. "I mean, it's been alright…"
Diamonique's parents gasped, her father almost fainting in her mother's hands. They pulled their daughter in for another hug.
"Yeah," Diamonique stated in a close up, "My parents are a little smothering, but I like it. They own like…fifty fast food joints in my town, so we're basically loaded. Plus, I get all the free Mickey D's I want. They've been good to me ever since they adopted me. And I've been the perfect daughter to them."
The camera zoomed out, revealing Diamonique's parents still hugging her. "She sure is!"
"Now Weston," Rhonda stated. "Last time we talked to loved ones, you had to miss out."
"Yeah," Weston sighed. "Is that the case this time?"
"No," Rhonda stated. "No it is not."
Weston gasped. "You mean my mom or dad are here?"
"Not them…"
From behind the stage, Easton walked out. He crossed his arms.
"Easton!" Riley cheered.
"My man!" Griswold hollered.
Weston pouted. "Aww come on! I just got rid of him!"
"You didn't do anything," Easton replied. "If I recall, I beat you every time we faced each other in challenges."
"If I recall, you were still voted off by your team," Kalino stated. "Meaning Weston still placed better than you."
Weston smiled at Kalino, who replied with a finger pistol and wink.
"We were going to bring in your parents," Rhonda stated, "but this was cheaper."
"You wasted your time," Weston said. "I don't want to see him."
"And I didn't want to see you," Easton replied. "I'm just here to cheer on my bros...and watch you lose."
The two twins shot each other glares, before Easton took his seat in the audience.
"You know with time I thought it would get better," Griswold stated. "It actually got worse. Wow."
"Let's move on," Rhonda stated. "Tessa...there is actually someone here who wants to see you."
Walking out from backstage was a tall, Indian girl in a sparkling red dress. She forced a smile, but didn't look directly at Tessa.
"Eeeee!" Tessa squealed.
She ran forward to embrace her friend, but fell on her face as her friend stepped to the side.
"I'm so happy to see you Ashley," Tessa mumbled on the floor.
"Uh, yeah," Ashley replied.
"Ashley is my best friend," Tessa stated. "And I guess...she's my only friend. We met at the Olympics, she's an ice skater for the US. Super talented, definitely deserves better than that silver medal. That stupid judge and its crossed eyes didn't know jack squat."
"Ignacio," Rhonda stated. "Are you ready to see your loved one?"
Ignacio smiled and step forward. "Yes! Ooh, who is it? My mom? My dad? Both? My siblings?"
"Let's find out," Rhonda replied. "Come on out!"
Ignacio's smile immediately dropped. A beautiful Hispanic girl stepped out, strutting up in her high heels to the male model. She shot him a glare. "Surprise."
"Carla!" Ignacio yelped. "What are you...doing here?"
"Its nice to see you too Ignacio," she replied.
"Who is Carla?" Vance asked.
"I'm Ignacio's ex-girlfriend," Carla stated. "And I've been watching the show, seeing him form a new little harem just after we broke up. So not humiliating to hear you talk about me while flirting on national television."
"Hey," Ness said. "Ignacio isn't flirting-"
Carla shot a death glare at the jinx, who immediately gulped. "I mean, mud wrestling, flashing, stripping every second you get...I always knew you were a pervert Ignacio."
"Carla please," Ignacio stated. "I would never try to hurt you. I-"
"-I'm not hurt," Carla replied. "Just shamed. So thanks for that."
She stomped off stage to sit with the other loved ones in the audience, 'accidentally' stepping on Ignacio's foot in the process.
"Aww so sweet," Rhonda laughed. "So, who wants to go next?"
Griswold was the only one to raise his hand, while the other five stepped back.
"Am I going to regret this?" Griswold asked.
Rhonda shrugged. "Who knows? Who do you think is here?"
Griswold scratched his chin. "Well, you had me chat to my football team...so one of them? My football captain?"
"Uh, wrong!"
"Super wrong!"
Walking out from behind the curtain were identical twin girls, around ten years old. They wore matching pink dresses, and had their hair in pigtails with bows. They had brown hair, the same color as Griswold's.
"Haylee! Kaylee!" Griswold cheered, he scooped the two girls up into a big bear hug.
"Now who are these little angels?" Rhonda asked.
The two girls spit on Rhonda's face.
"Kaylee, Haylee, that wasn't very nice," Griswold stated.
"But Gris," Haylee said, "we just wanted to show you how far we can spit!"
"Yeah, we've been practicing!" Kaylee stated. "Don't you think we did good?"
Griswold sat them down and rustled their hair. "Aww, I can't stay mad at you two. Your spitting was amazing!"
Rhonda wiped her face on her arm. "Yeah, amazing. You two can sit down now."
The two girls gave Griswold a kiss on each cheek, then blew a raspberry to Rhonda before taking their seats.
"Now let's see," Rhonda said. "Our next lucky newcomer is...Ness."
"The best case scenario is its my older brother," Ness stated. "It probably wouldn't be though, cause he wouldn't want people to know we're related...like how he pretends he doesn't know me at school. It's best for his safety really…"
Coming out from stage left was a young Adonis of a man. Even his blonde hair was perfectly styled.
"It's your stepdad Markie!"
Ness blushed. "Well that's alright. It could-"
"Ness!"
"-And your dad, Richard."
Walking right behind Markie was an older man, in his mid-forties, with darker brown hair. He was in pretty good shape for his age. He had a long beard and mustache combo.
"Woah," Weston stated. "Ness' dad is a male cougar."
Markie ran up and crushed Ness into a headlock with one of his biceps. He gave her a noogie on her head. "How's my stepdaughter who is also my best friend?"
"Running...out of...air," Ness gasped.
Markie set her down, and she tried to breathe again.
"Hey Markie," Ness greeted in-between pants. "Good to see you too."
"Aww come on Ness," Markie laughed. "You can call me dad, or best friend, or best friend dad!"
Richard walked behind him and forced a smile. "Wow Ness...I'm so amazed you here."
Ness hugged her father. "Hey dad."
"I honestly thought you'd be the first boot," Richard admitted. "It might have been safer if you actually were."
"Thanks dad," Ness sighed. "But I really am fine. I've been...okay out here."
Richard shook his head. "Really?"
Markie shot Richard a look. "We're just worried. Remember the last time you spent the night away...besides overnight at the hospital."
"Please don't keep going," Ness begged.
"Oh it wasn't a big deal," Markie replied. "So you peed your pants at camp when you were eleven. You just missed home!"
Ness couldn't hide how red her face was in her hands.
"We're not trying to embarrass you dear," Richard said. "You just have a knack for...you know."
"We brought extra underoos for you," Markie stated.
"Well that ain't necessary," Lita stated. "Because she hasn't peed the bed. She has been killing it on this show."
"Literally?" Richard sighed. "Is another environmental rights group trying to sue you for the injuries animals get while attacking you?"
"I meant she's been doing amazing on the show," Lita said.
"Who are you?" Markie asked.
Lita stared Markie down. "I'm Ness' bestest best friend ever. And her roommate."
"Uh, sure you are…" Markie replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Please just go sit with the others," Ness stated. "We'll catch up later."
"But what about your extra underwear?" Markie asked. "We bought it special for you, along with some new rash ointments…"
"Later." Ness stated.
The two dads nodded and departed.
"Just say the word," Lita whispered. "And I'll punch Markie is in his stupid, perfectly sculpted jaw."
"It is perfect, isn't it?" Ignacio pondered.
"I think this is a torture far worse than the actual challenge," Ness admitted.
"It's not over yet," Rhonda stated. "We have one last special guest…"
Walking out from backstage, was a young woman, slightly older than the teens, dressed in a black sweater neatly tucked into her cargo pants, her black hair done up in a bun. She walked with her nose held in the air, adjusting her thick frames as she stared down her brother.
"Iolana," Kalino stated.
"Surprised to see me baby brother," Iolana stated.
"Hardly," Kalino replied. "Mom and dad are too busy, and it's just like you to stick your nose in here. Especially since they cast me for the show, instead of you."
"You and your sister auditioned for the show?" Xidorn asked.
"More like I auditioned and Kalino decided to copy me," Iolana said. "He's never had an original idea in his life."
Kalino shrugged. "They still cast me over you."
"Every show needs a heathen," Iolana stated. "You know, someone for the audience to laugh at their misfortune. For once you've actually done an amazing job; I've been watching."
Iolana sauntered off the stage with a satisfied smirk.
"Don't worry bud," Vance whispered. "She's obviously jealous."
"And crazy," Kalino growled.
"I feel you," Vance replied. "Older sisters suck."
/
"I don't know about all of you," Rhonda started, "but my heart has been warmed. Unfortunately I have some bad news for you three. We-"
Jenny rushed out from behind the curtain. She whispered into Rhonda's ear, whose eyes grew huge. She gulped as Jenny darted away.
"Ooh dear lord...I mean good news," Rhonda stated. "We were actually able to find a loved one for you Cynthia...or they found us. So let's meet your...your...your…"
"My mother," Cynthia stated, as if she had been expecting this news.
A collective gasp quietly wheezed out of the contestants throats, the color running from their face. Despair hung over the entire room like an albatross around their neck. Fear had taken hold of everyone.
Except Melissa, who cheered. "Ooh! This is so exciting!"
"Oh no," Weston sighed. "Isn't it too early for me to meet her parents?"
"Don't worry Weston," Melissa stated. "I'm sure Cynthia's parents are just like her."
"That's why I'm afraid," Weston whispered.
The curtains rustled for a moment, being pushed back and forth. "Cynthia..."
"Hello mother."
A figure stepped out.
"Eeeeeee!" Cynthia's mother squealed, glomping her daughter in a big hug.
"Wait...what?" Rhonda asked.
Cynthia's mother had white hair, just like Cynthia's hair. She looked young, wearing a floral dress and a pink apron with kittens decorating it. She carried a heart shaped handbag with smiling, baby angels winking in the middle. The woman beamed a bright smile as she hugged Cynthia. She was like a 1950s sitcom mom.
"That's...that's your mom Cynthia?" Xidorn asked.
"Teehee," Cynthia's mom giggled. "The resemblance is uncanny, huh?"
"Uh...no," Xidorn stated. "Not at all."
"You do have a similar face structure," Ignacio admitted. "Minus the whole expressiveness of your face. Your hair is the same color as well…"
Cynthia's mom pouted. "I know! My poor Cynthy Winthy gets it from me. Our hair got white prematurely; runs in our family. I'm sure you kids already know that of course."
"I for sure didn't think it was because of blood magic," Vance stated.
Cynthia's mother pinched her daughter's cheek. "How is my frosted cupcake?"
"Fine," Cynthia replied.
"That's my little girl," Cynthia's mom stated. "Always such a trooper. Which reminds me, would you kids like any lemon squares?"
From her handbag, Cynthia's mother pulled out a china plate covered in tinfoil. She removed it, releasing the scent of fresh baked goods.
"I would love some," Melissa cheered. "I bake all the time actually, but can never get good lemon squares."
"There my specialty," Cynthia's mom replied. "But I try to bake everything, haha. Would the rest of you kids like some?"
"Uhh...what's in them?" Kalino asked.
"Oh," Cynthia's mother stated. "Well, there are lemons from the little lemon tree in my grove. Then lots of sugar, a wee bit of cinnamon, and my secret ingredient...love."
Kalino stared at this woman and her plate of lemon squares. "I'm still terrified of you."
"Huh?" Cynthia's mom asked.
"Mmmm," Melissa sighed. "These are scrumptiously amazing! You'll have to share the recipe with me; we use a lot of the same ingredients."
The two shared a laugh, that sounded almost the same.
"Cynthia, are you friends with this sweetheart?" her mother asked.
"We're actually BFFFLs!" Melissa replied.
"Awwww," Cynthia's mom sighed. "That's so adorable!"
"Thank you for coming woman who claims to be Cynthia's mom," Rhonda stated. "If you would, have a seat in the audience."
Yes mam," Cynthia's mom replied. She blew a kiss to Cynthia. "That's for good luck Cynthy Winthy! You don't need it, but I still want you to have it because I love you."
"She's somehow more scary then I could even imagine," Kalino stated.
/
Rhonda cleared her throat. "Now as I was saying, Johnson and Vance. Unfortunately, we couldn't get any loved ones to be here for you."
Jasper sighed, but Vance sighed in relief.
"My parents couldn't make it, could they?" Jasper asked.
Rhonda shook her head. "They said they already had plans today."
"Did they say anything else?" Jasper asked.
"No," Rhonda replied.
"I thought so," Jasper said.
"We tried to get your brother to attend," Rhonda said. "Really, really, bad. But despite all the effort, we couldn't find an opening in his schedule. His manager said he was very busy."
Jasper shrugged.
"As for you Vance," Rhonda stated. "We tried to find a loved one for you...but we couldn't get in contact with any of your family members. The rodeo has a show going on, so no one could come from there either."
"Yeah, we don't have telephones on the ranch," Vance explained. "So you probably couldn't get in touch with my folks. That's what happened."
Rhonda shakes her head. "Actually when we-"
"-That's what happened," Vance stated.
"Okay," Rhonda replied. "Well, then let's get started!"
Most of the audience clapped. The newcomers took their seats on the bleachers.
"Today's challenge will be a classic from the first season," Rhonda stated. "In fact, it's the first merge challenge in the history of the Total Drama franchise! This is a rite of passage for you all. The Wheel Of Misfortune!"
The newcomers cringed as a roulette wheel rose from under the stage. It was divided into several sections, each showing a symbol of some sort, from banana peels to pearl necklaces to mountains. They were all different, except for five sections that each depicted a pentagram star.
"Is this challenge bad?" Lita asked.
"If you consider a wheel of tortures bad," Xidorn stated, "then yes."
Lita frowned. "Is there someone who doesn't?"
"As you may recall," Rhonda said, "the rules for the Wheel of Misfortune are simple; a player spends the wheel and must endure or complete the torture they land on. If you succeed, you pass the round. If you fail, you're out of the challenge. Simple?"
The others nodded.
"Good," Rhonda stated. "Now there are a few differences with this version than the original. First, is a new rule; if you happen to spin the wheel and land on a torture you've already done, you can choose to skip your turn or spin again."
Tessa raised an eyebrow. "Why would you spin again?"
"If it comes down to it," Rhonda explained, "the newcomer that completes all the tortures first wins. I'll be honest that there are a lot of them, so we probably won't go that long. But just in case, we have that as a backup. A person who does skip their turn will have to go early next round."
"What order are we going in?" Griswold asked.
"I'll randomly pick who goes except for those exceptions," Rhonda admitted.
"I honestly hate to ask," Xidorn admitted, "but in the original version you could force someone else to complete a torture. Is that still true?"
"Sharp memory Xidorn," Rhonda stated. "That's true, and you can force someone else to do a torture. But the rules are a little different. You'll notice that like our hotel, this wheel has five stars. If you land on a star, you can force any other newcomer to do any torture. Your choice.
"If you chose someone who hasn't gone yet, they'll have to complete your torture, and another for this round. You can even choose someone who skipped. However, if they succeed in beating your torture, you're out. They'll also get their next spin towards the end of the next round."
Rhonda eyed the newcomers carefully. "Now let's see who's first. Eenie...meenie...minie...Ness."
/
Ness gulped as she took a step forward. She peered out into the audience, seeing her father Richard shaking his head. She approached the wheel and tried to spin it, but it only spun a little ways. She landed on an apple.
"Is that bad?" Ness asked.
"It's actually something easy to start us off with," Rhonda replied. "You'll be bobbing for apples!"
From an array of buttons installed on her podium, Rhonda pressed a red button. A large basin rose out of the stage, with green, red and yellow apples floating at the top.
"Using only your mouth, gather three apples in one minute," Rhonda explained.
"That's not a torture," Ness replied.
"It is if you hate applies," Rhonda countered.
Ness approached the basin. Taking a loose strand of hair, she dunked it in the water like a fishing pole...till a long creature ate it.
"Eek!" Ness screamed. "Is that another electric eel?"
"It's actually a slime eel," Rhonda replied. "More commonly known as the hagfish."
"Are they dangerous?" Ness asked.
"They usually only eat carrions," Ignacio said from the stands. "Dead things. Their main defense is the slime they secrete that-"
"Quiet from the peanut gallery," Rhonda yelled. "Ignacio is right, they usually tear chunks from corpses...but these little guys are hungrier for fresher meat. Your time starts now."
Ness gulped, grabbing her hair by its end before submerging her face into the water. She pulled out an apple then went back for another. From the stands, her stepdad covered his eyes.
"Thirty seconds left," Rhonda announced as Ness got a second apple. She dove for a third, but coughed out a hagfish. Slime covered her lips and chin. She tried for a third, but it slipped from the slime.
"Ten seconds!" Rhonda announced.
Ness dove back in and started to pull out a hagfish...
"And it looks like Ness has-"
...that was biting into an apple.
"-won the challenge?" the hostess asked.
"Yesss!" Lita cheered.
The audience clapped, as Markie and Richard shared a look.
"I did it!" Ness giggled. "Thanks little guy. Now let's get you back in here…"
The hagfish hissed, biting Ness' finger before diving back into the basin.
"I was hoping for an easy loss to start," Rhonda thought. "But these kids might making things interesting."
Lita and Ness high-fived as she took her seat. "I know you could do it girl."
/
"Next we'll have...Jonah Jameson," Rhonda stated.
Jasper sighed and spun the wheel. "At least she remembered I was a contestant…"
The wheel stopped and landed on a coal. A pathway of hot coals surfaced from under the stage. They crinkled and burned bright.
"You have a minute to walk this entire path of burning hot coals barefoot," Rhonda explained. "If you jump off even once, you fail."
Jasper nodded, tossing off his shoes. He reached the starting line and began crossing the coals at a slow pace. With a blank look and a steady pace, he walked across just before the timer ended.
"Ouch," Jasper said, rubbing his feet.
"Dude," Riley stated.
"How did he walk across that?" Kalino asked. "Also, who is that?"
"Didn't that hurt?" Rhonda asked.
"Yeah," Jasper replied. "That's why I said ouch."
Rhonda stared dumbfounded. "Well...you passed somehow. I guess we keep going…"
"Yeah, the coals hurt," Jasper said. "They were burning hot so...they burned. But honestly I was kinda distracted that so many people were watching me. The last time that many people noticed me was at the movies when someone finally realized I wasn't actually a chair."
Diamonique approached the wheel now. She gave it a hard spin, and it landed on a mountain.
"For your challenge Diamonique," Rhonda explained, "you'll have a minute to try and ring a bell at the top of a rock climbing wall."
An extremely tall rock climbing wall rose up from the ground. At the tip was a tiny bell. A harness was attached, along with a corresponding helmet.
"Oh, and be sure to watch out for any earthquakes when you-"
"Uhhh!" Diamonique screamed. She stepped back, then charged forward and knocked against the wall with all of her weight. She backed up again and threw herself against the wall again. The wall toppled over, almost hitting the other newcomers. Diamonique stomped over and kicked the bell at the end.
"Done," Diamonique replied with a hair flip.
"You didn't even climb the wall," Vance said.
"That wasn't a rule," Diamonique replied. "Just to ring the bell."
"I'll allow it," Rhonda stated. "But none of the rest of you can knock it down. Otherwise it won't last."
"That's our girl!" Diamonique's mom cheered from the audience.
"Diamonique isn't the brightest," her father admitted. "Sometimes she can be pretty clever, especially when it's finding ways to do less work."
"But we know she's talented," Diamonique's mother added. "We want everyone to see it. And we especially don't want Diamonique to believe she isn't talented because of the hardships she's had to face or how...unique she is."
Kalino approached the wheel next. He barely gave it a spin, actually slumping backwards and landing on red ropes.
"I'm excited for this one," Rhonda admitted. "For this one, you'll be running a gauntlet."
"One of those big punchy fist things?" Kalino asked.
"Hardly," Iolana shouted from the crowd. "A gauntlet is also a term for getting through a dangerous crowd. Historically, the military had a soldier run past two lines of men who would flog the runner with sticks."
"So I'm going to get flogged for this torture?" Kalino asked.
"No," Rhonda replied. "But you will have a minute to run past two lines of…"
Now appearing was a group of rabid, Total Drama fangirls. They were separated into two lines by red velvet ropes that could hardly contain them. They screamed and shouted, a few even fainting, as they saw the newcomers.
"...some our most 'excited fans'."
"I would have preferred the flogging," Iolana whispered.
"Eeee!" a fangirl squealed. "Kalino is coming! He's like my dream guy"
"Omg me too," another fangirl agreed. "I'm so attracted to guys who act bad because their damaged that I can try to fix."
"Uhh...I just meant cause he was cute and wears an open shirt," the other fangirl replied.
"Remember fans," Rhonda stated, "any clothes, personal objects or hair you snag, you get to keep! Kalino you have one minute."
Kalino tried to say something, but was drowned out by squealing. He started running, but soon found himself caught in the arms of the fans.
"Back off, I want his shirt," a fangirl growled.
"Over your dead body," another replied. "I'm going to wear his Hawaiian T-shirt before I sleep every night!"
Kalino laughed and slid out of his shirt. "Mannnnn, if you want my clothes, you can have them."
Iolana groaned and covered her face. "Please tell me he isn't going to-"
"Ahhhhh!"
Kalino tossed off the rest of his clothes into the crowd, who began dogpiling each other. In the nude again, he dashed forward...most of the fans too embarrassed or busy staring to grab for him.
"And in just the nick of time Kalino makes it," Rhonda announced. "Unfortunately, we don't have time for you to get a change of clothes. So you'll have to compete naked for the rest of the challenge."
Kalino gave a thumbs-up. "Sounds choice."
/
"Melissa, you're next," Rhonda announced.
Melissa approached the wheel cautiously, spinning it slowly. It landed on a salad bowl.
"Eep!" Melissa exclaimed, as she was suddenly sitting in a chair with a table in front of her.
Toby slumped out from backstage wearing a droopy chef's hat. He sat a covered silver platter in front of Melissa.
"You have one minute to eat today's special; chef salad al a cafard."
Toby lifted the tray, revealing a salad crawling with small cockroaches.
"A cockroach salad?" Melissa asked, already trying not to vomit.
"They're fresh top," Rhonda said. "Born less than a week ago."
Toby set a fork next to her. "You can kill it with the fork or swallow it raw. Either is passable."
Melissa stared at the salad. The tiniest cockroach looked up and her and almost waved its antennae.
"I don't think I can do it," Melissa admitted.
"Uggghhhh," Melissa's sister groaned. "Don't be such a wimp for once! They're just roaches."
"Roaches are living creatures too," Melissa replied.
"They only live for like a year or less," Beatrice said.
"So I should end it prematurely?" Melissa asked. "That doesn't seem right. Besides, as a Muslim we can't even eat roaches."
"Ignore that," Beatrice replied. "This is a million dollars we're talking about!"
"We know I don't have a strong stomach, so I'd probably fail," Melissa said. "No point in senselessly killing these little sweeties either."
Melissa grabbed the salad bowl and walked off. Beatrice rolled her eyes in the audience.
"What are you doing with the salad?" Xidorn asked.
"If I leave them, someone else will just eat these precious little garbage dumplings," Melissa replied.
"We finally have a loser," Rhonda announced. She pressed a button, causing Melissa to be be placed in wooden stocks.
"Just like in the original challenge, you'll be placed in stocks if you're out. Thankfully the hotel has plenty on hand for us to use. Up next is...Riley."
"Sweet!" Riley cheered. She spun the wheel. As it landed, Riley's eyes grew wide and her smile faded.
"I try to be cool about most things," Riley admitted. "I don't let a lot get to me; it's not worth it. But...I am afraid of one thing. Nobody but my brothers know because they were there. When I was seven, I decided to practice my ollies at the zoo. I accidentally fell into an exhibit and was attacked by...by...by…"
The wheel landed on a symbol of an exotic green feather. "Peacocks…"
A large birdcage rose from under the stage. Inside was a male peacock with only one eye. It cawed and raised its tails feathers.
Riley gulped and shook in place. "What do I...what do I have to do."
"You have a minute to get inside the cage and gather three feathers from this peacock," Rhonda stated. "If he'll let you…"
Riley nodded. Slowly, she shuffled to the cage. As she held out her hand, the peacock screeched. She pulled back her hand and shook in place. "I...I can't do it."
"Really?" Rhonda asked. "I kind of expected more from you in this challenge. Oh well then you-"
"Wait!" Griswold announced. "I'll do it instead."
Griswold stomped forward, staring down the peacock. "In the original challenge, someone was able to volunteer for someone else. So there should be no rule against me doing the same."
"I knew something was wrong with the way Riley was acting," Griswold explained. "She's cool with most everything, it's one of the many things that makes her so awesome. I don't know what's up with peacocks and her, but I just couldn't let her give up…"
Rhonda tapped her chin, weighing the idea for a moment. "Fine. If you succeed, Riley stays in. You'll still have to do another torture this round however. If you fail, Riley and you are out. That is, if Riley allows you to."
"Gris Bear you can't be serious," Riley stated. "Don't throw your chances just for me."
"Trust me," Griswold replied with a wink.
"Alright," Riley said, "go for it."
Griswold tiptoed to the cage, then threw open the door. He tackled the peacock, the started ripping out feathers. The peacock cried and started pecking his head. The timer buzzed and Griswold stumbled out, two feathers in hand.
"Hold on a second," Griswold stated. He reached into his pompadour and pulled out a final peacock feather.
"Congratulations," Rhonda replied. "You both passed...for now."
"Griswold really saved my bacon today," Riley admitted. "He was so amazing with the way he body slammed that foul fowl. Plus, the way he carried that feather out in his cute hairstyle."
Riley sighed and held her head in her hands. She frowned and her eyes grew wider and wider.
"Oh no...oh crap, crap, crap. I think...I actually might have feelings for Griswold? Stupid teenage hormones!"
"Up next, let's have Cynthia."
"You got this cupcake!" her mother cheered from the crowd.
Cynthia spun the wheel in one fast motion. It slowed down and with a creak, landed on the image of a pearl necklace. The ground under Cynthia shook.
A trench of swampy water opened underneath Cynthia, reaching her knees. It was too cloudy to see through.
"Eww," Tessa sighed, pinching her nose. "Why does it reek?"
"You sure you're not smelling yourself?" Lita grumbled.
"You have two minutes to find the pearl necklace in this sewage water imported from New York," Rhonda said. "Good luck."
Cynthia slowly started wading through the water with her hands. She yanked, pulling up the pearl necklace...that was wrapped around the tooth of a giant, mutated sewer gator.
"Did I forget to mention we also got that from New York?" Rhonda asked.
The ginormous gator growled. Cynthia didn't flinch. Slowly she stepped towards it. It growled again, but Cynthia kept moving. From her pocket she brandished a small knife. The gator's eyes grew wide as it realized it was too late; it was at Cynthia's mercy. And Cynthia had no mercy.
Thirty seconds later, Cynthia was dragging its decapitated head out of the water and behind her. She tossed the necklace to Rhonda, and gifts to Weston, Melissa and her mother.
"I used the leftover alligator skin from flaying it alive to make you these gifts," Cynthia stated. "Weston, a gator skin belt. Mom, a gator skin purse. And Melissa, a gator skin apron."
"Awww, thanks Cynthia," Melissa replied. "You're just too thoughtful."
"My Cynty Winthy is the sweetest, isn't she?" Cynthia's mom asked. "Making a gift for me and her friends! When she was just two she'd make me all sorts of things out of the stuff she maimed. Really takes me back. I use to play this song for her as a kid too.
Cynthia's mom began dancing to the music in her head. "Shake it, shake it, you're so fantastic. Just don't break it, you're only made of plastic. Cynthia, she's a really cool dancer. Cynthia, boogie to the groove now. It's where I got her name from actually. I never did understand why that tape was found in that fire…"
"It's amazing PETA hasn't sued us yet, huh?" Rhonda asked.
"I think they're too afraid of Cynthia to try," Toby replied. "Can't say I blame them."
"Well at least we got that two for one deal on giant, sewer gators," Rhonda added. "Now then, on to the next torture!"
/
A montage began in the final episode of other tortures from the Wheel Of Misfortune.
The wheel spun, landing on a banana peel…
...Tessa skated across the stage on top of two banana peels while blindfolded. She spun in place three times, before performing a split.
The wheel spun, landing on an acorn…
...Vance gulped as Rhonda poured a bucket of acorns down his pants. Jenny laughed as she passed a cage to the hostess. Rhonda then dumped three squirrels from the cage into his pants. A one minute timer began. Vance cringed as biting was heard…
The wheel spun, landing on a fossil...
...An animatronic triceratops brayed. Lita sat on top of it, grabbing it by the horns and is began bucking and trying to throw her off.
The wheel spun, landing on a bathtub...
...Griswold held a scrub brush and grimaced. A blue bottom baboon jumped inside a bathtub, howling and screaming. Griswold ducked as the ape threw...mud?
The wheel spun, landing on a mouse…
...A cage of mice was shown on a table. Xidorn had his hands tied behind his back. He grabbed a mouse by his teeth...and moved over to a rattlesnake cage.
The wheel spun, landing on a milk bottle…
...Weston stood holding an empty pale in his hand.
"So the cow has to fill up this whole bucket?" Weston asked. "Will it have enough milk?"
From the stage rose an annoyed looking caribou.
"Trust me," Rhonda replied. "She has enough milk."
The wheel spun, landing on an ice cube…
...Ignacio blushed slightly as he stripped down to his underwear. Carla stared him down, while most everyone else just plain stared. He said in an washtub filled with ice cubes, already beginning to shiver.
/
Eventually, the montage ended. By now seven newcomers were in stocks.
"After five rounds," Rhonda stated. "We're down to almost half of our competition. Congrats Cynthia, Diamonique, Ignacio, Kalino, Ness, and Riley."
"Um, I'm also in this challenge," Jacqui... Jasper stated.
"Oh yeah," Rhonda remembered. "And Judaculla is too. Why don't you spin the wheel first this turn Jakku?"
His eyes lit up and he immediately dashed up to the wheel. "I'm rarely first in anything."
"Hey, that's not true," Jenny replied. "You were first voted off your team, remember Jughead?"
J'onn J'onzz... Jasper frowned and spun the wheel. It went about halfway, before landing on a picture of honey.
"For your torture you'll coat your entire hand in honey," Rhonda explained. "Then you'll have to hold it in a fire ant hill for an entire minute. Good luck."
Jenny giggled as she passed Jasper a jar of honey. He gulped. He started to smear his hand as the anthill rose out of the stage.
"How does almost everything fit under the stage?" Xidorn whispered to Vance. Vance shrugged.
"Here goes nothing," Jasper said as he stuck his hand into the mound. He closed his eyes and braced himself...then opened them. He frowned and actually started moving his hand around the anthill. The timer dinged and he pulled up his hand, completely untouched.
"What the heck?" Jenny asked. "Why didn't the stupid ants do their job?"
She ran up to the hill and kicked it...causing an army of ants to emerge and chase after her. "I REGRET NOTHING!"
/
"Juniper makes it to round six," Rhonda announced. "You can keep the honey. Next up we'll have Diamonique."
Diamonique spun the wheel with gusto; it landed on a star.
Rhonda clapped. "You got the star, so you get to pick the torture and the tortured. Now who-"
"Ignacio and the gauntlet torture," Diamonique immediately stated.
"What?" Ignacio asked. "Really?"
"Pretty clever strategy honestly," Kalino admitted.
"Yes," Diamonique stated. "This was purely a strategic choice with no ulterior motives."
Ignacio sighed as the gauntlet was summoned.
"I don't know if I can do this," Ignacio admitted.
"Just go ahead and strip like I did," Kalino suggested. "It makes it super easy and comfortable!"
"Please do," Toby whispered.
"I'm sure he'd love to," Carla said. "He'll look for any excuse to."
Ignacio sighed. "Alright, let's try it."
"And go!" Rhonda shouted.
Ignacio sprinted as fast as he could, but he was was grabbed by hands.
"Let me have a piece of his shirt!"
"I want body hair for my collection!"
"I just want to take his clothes off!"
"Oh god," Ignacio sighed, as pieces of his clothes were torn apart. He tried to struggle, but was soon overwhelmed. In seconds, his clothes were torn off completely. This caused most of the fans to faint. Ignacio tried to cover himself as he headed to the finish line. Before he crossed it, the timer went off.
"I'm afraid you've failed Ignacio," Rhonda stated. "Meaning Diamonique is still in, and you're out."
Ignacio sighed. "Can I get a change of clothes then?"
"Nope," Rhonda replied. "Now then, you're next Ness."
Ness patted Ignacio on the back as he passed, then spun the wheel. It landed on the icon of the basketball.
"Oh god," her father mumbled. "I can't watch her humiliate herself like this."
"It won't be that bad...probably," Markie replied.
"If she is in a five mile radius of a sporting event she gets injured," Richard replied. "Even at chess tournaments."
/
...Ness held a basketball and stood in a court, a timer going down. On to the court ran seven basketball players, who all kinda looked like famous basketball player Larry Bird.
"I still don't understand how this challenge works," Griswold admitted from the stocks. "How did they get seven Larry Birds?"
Ness face was repeatedly pelted by basketballs. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"
She tossed the ball while falling to the floor, which miraculously made into the net as the buzzer sounded.
"And Ness scores!" Rhonda announced.
"What?" Richard and Markie asked in unison.
/
"Next up, we have Kalino."
Kalino spun the wheel very slightly, getting it just land on a star.
"Alright Kalino," Rhonda said. "Who will be your victim?"
Kalino scratched his soul patch. "I choose Riley...and the peacock cage."
Riley gulped. "I don't have to do it...right?"
"Yeah," Rhonda said, "you do."
"That's not fair," Griswold shouted. "She technically completed that one. You said so yourself!"
"There's no rule that I can't force someone to do a torture again," Kalino stated. "Nothing personal."
The peacock cage rose again. The peacock glared with his one good eye at Griswold in the stocks. Even slower than before, Riley approached the cage. She grabbed the door, but let go.
Rhonda shook her head. "It looks like-"
"Yah!" Riley cried out. She flung open the door and jumped at the bird. It pecked her furiously, but she grabbed it in a headlock.
"You punch it in the snout to establish dominance!" Riley shouted. She smacked it in the beak, before ripping three feathers and rolling out of the cage. She kicked the door behind her as the buzzer went off.
"Riley succeeds!" Rhonda cheered. "Kalino, you're out."
Kalino shrugged. "Congrats Riley."
"Thanks bud," Riley replied. She winked at Griswold, who blushed and winked back.
/
"Alright," Rhonda stated. "Cynthia is next."
The wheel spun, landing on a lightning bolt.
Toby walked forward as Cynthia stood still. He held up a taser and fired at Cynthia. She was electrocuted, but she didn't react in the slightest.
Toby raised an eyebrow and slowly backed up.
"WOO!" Cynthia's mother cheered from the disturbed audience.
"That's a win," Rhonda said. "And since Riley was dared, she gets to go a second time this round."
"Oh yeah," Riley remembered. She spun the wheel, landing on a traffic cone. From the ground rose a course divided with traffic cones and a unicycle.
"You have one minute to unicycle through this course," Rhonda explained. "The torture part comes in if you hit a cone which triggers an explos-"
Boom.
Riley coughed up smoke as the unicycle turned to ash under her.
"-ion." Rhonda finished. "Which results in you failing the torture. So, you're out."
"Bummer," Riley sighed as she took her place in the stocks. "Sorry I messed up the chance you gave me Gris."
"Nah," Griswold chuckled. "You did amazing. You even went out with a bang."
/
"Round seven," Rhonda announced. "Diamonique, you'll spin first."
Diamonique turned the wheel, which landed on a garbage can. Rising from the ground was a garbage can...with a clock and several different colored wires attached to it.
"This garbage can has been converted into a stink bomb," Rhonda explained. "You have a minute to try and diffuse the bomb before it explodes. If it explodes before then, you're also out."
Diamonique raised an eyebrow and approached the can. She poked it, and the clock began counting down from one minute.
"Do I get wire cutters?" Diamonique asked.
"Sorry," Rhonda replied, "wasn't in the budget."
Diamonique shrugged and knelt closer. She grabbed and the red wire, and started biting into it. She tore it off with her teeth and the clock stopped.
Diamonique smirked. "That it?"
The clock turned on and started counting down at twice the speed.
"The red wire ending it?" Jenny asked. "That's way too obvious!"
Diamonique gulped, then flopped to the ground and rolled away. The countdown reached zero...and the can split over.
"Really?" Diamonique asked.
"I told you it wasn't ready yet," Toby stated.
Rhonda shrugged. "We'll at least we got a free trial out of them. Regardless, Diamonique is out."
Diamonique pouted as she was locked into the stocks.
"Great try sweetie!" Diamonique's dad shouted.
/
"Up next is Ness," Rhonda stated, as the jinx cautiously approached the wheel. She spun the wheel, landing on an image of an egg.
"Am I going to get egged?" Ness asked.
"Not this challenge," Rhonda replied. "Instead, you'll have a minute to secure an egg…"
From the ground rose two towers connected with a highwire. Below it was a net. The tower on the left held some kind of nest.
"...From a chicken hawk's nest," Rhonda finished. "You must cross the highwire and balance across to the nest. You then have to bring it back across. Think you can handle it?"
"Okay," Ness admitted. "I struggled with the highwire in the first challenge. But this iss a chance to redeem myself! ...Right?"
Now on the right tower, Ness stepped out onto the highwire. She gulped, but tried to gain her balance and avoid looking down.
"You got this Ness!" Lita cheered.
Ness smiled and inched forward faster. She approached the nest…but stopped as she heard a cry. Rising from the nest was a hawk with red tail feathers. It screeched at Ness.
"Just jump off Ness," her father yelled. "It's for the best."
Ness glared at her father, then turned to the hawk. "No. I'm not jumping. I'm not quitting. I'm going to beat this bird."
The chicken hawk screeched.
"Let's dance you eagle knockoff," Ness stated. "Or you too scared? Must be why they call you a chicken hawk."
"Ahhhhh!" the hawk cried.
Ness faked going forward as the hawk dodged, but ducked. The hawk soared over her, and she dove into the nest. She held up an egg in her hands.
"She did it," Markie gasped.
"Yeah, but the chicken hawk can comeback around," Richard replied.
Ness gulped as she saw the hawk swerve in the air and head for her. "Uh oh. Wait...anyone want to do me a favor?"
"You know I'm here for you," Lita replied. "Though slightly indisposed…"
"Start clucking please!" Ness said.
Lita shrugged and started making chicken noises. The hawk stopped in mid-air and turned away.
"Who says you can get help?" Rhonda asked.
"You didn't say we couldn't talk during the challenge," Ignacio replied. "So...cluck, cluck, cluck."
Soon, the other Fireworks started making chicken noises, then Melissa and Xidorn joined, till all the others in stocks started clucking. Ness tiptoed across the highwire with the egg above her head, almost at the tower.
"Peep!"
Ness froze as egg shells landed on her hand. Above her, the hawk chick was born.
"Hey little fellow," Ness said with nervous laughter. "Heh, heh, aren't you a cutie?"
The hawk chick looked down at her...furiously started pecking Ness' face.
"Ahhhh!" Ness screamed as she lost balance and plummeted to the net. The chicken hawk swooped up her baby just before she fell.
"Close," Rhonda said, "but with that, Ness is officially out."
Ness frowned as she was placed in the stocks. "So much for that."
"Woo Ness!" Melissa cheered.
"Way to go Loch Ness!" Riley celebrated.
Ness smiled slightly.
/
"We're down to our final two," Rhonda explained. "Cynthia and Juke. Here's how it'll work. To win, your opponent must fail a torture. Then you must succeed in a torture. Other rules are the same. First to do so wins. Since Jetson previously went first, Cynthia will start us off."
Cynthia stepped up to the wheel and spun it hard. It spun over and over till landing decisively on a star.
"Wow," Rhonda stated. "Well then Cynthia, what torture shall Jacobo do?"
Cynthia turned to Jasper. "Retrieving the pearl necklace."
Jasper gulped. He looked down to see he was already knee deep in the trench of sewer water.
"Like I said," Rhonda stated, "good thing we did that two for one deal…"
Another giant, mutated sewer gator rose from the water, perhaps even bigger than the last. Around its tooth was the necklace.
"Maybe it won't see me," Jasper whispered.
Slowly he approached the gator, reaching it without the creature seeming to detect him. He grabbed on to the tooth…
"Raaaaaaaaaaa!" the gator screamed.
"Oh crap," Jasper said. "Uh...see you later alligator?"
The gator grabbed Jasper by his shirt, threw him in the air and opened his jaws. Jasper fell and slid down his tongue like a slide. He was swallowed in one gulp.
"Oh ****," Toby stated.
"Well," Rhonda stated. "Uh…maybe he'll come out the other en-"
"-Ack, ack."
The gator began coughing violently, before spitting up Jasper. He slid across the water before surfacing on the land. He raised his arm, holding up the pearl necklace.
"I'll be a monkey's uncle," Jenny stated. "He actually did it. Which means he beat Cynthia's torture and she's eliminated."
Jasper stood up and tried to wipe the spit of himself. He looked down at the necklace. "What does that mean?"
There was a short moment of silence, before Rhonda stepped forward.
"Congratulations," Rhonda announced. "This means that you Jack...no, Jasper are the winner. Let's give hand to the winner of our first merge challenge, Jasper!"
The newcomers were freed of their stocks and began clapping, the audience joining in. Jasper blushed and almost lost his balance.
"I did it," Jasper said. "I actually...did it! I won a challenge! WOOOOOOOOOO!"
"As winner," Rhonda said, "you'll have invincibility at tonight's elimination ceremony. Your previously awarded immunity will be saved for the next ceremony you're vulnerable. You'll also get the luxury suite for you and one fellow competitor of your choosing."
"Oh," Jasper said. "Huh, never thought I'd have to pick that…"
"To make things more interesting," the hostess continued, "there's also the matter of the family reward. Since your family couldn't join us, you can choose who gets to spend time with their loved one."
Jasper scratched the back of his head. "Geez...well I guess um...I...I pick Lita to get to spend time with her loved ones."
Lita gasped. "For real?"
Jasper smiled and nodded. "Um, and to share the suite with me, Diamonique if she's interested."
"Oh yeah!" Diamonique cheered. "How can I pass up hot guys serving me food in a hot tub?"
"Congrats," Rhonda stated. "Lita, your mother and your brother Roscoe will spend the next two days here at the Pentagram! Tomorrow you'll also all get a free tour of Washington and the Smithsonian Museum together!"
"That's so cool!" Roscoe cheered.
"I'll give everyone a chance to say goodbye to their loved ones," Rhonda said. "We'll meet an hour later for elimination. Ta ta for now."
/
The newcomers and their loved ones gathered in the lobby for their goodbyes. Lita chatted with her brother and mother in the corner, telling them all about Washington. Diamonique's parents hugged her and fretted over their daughter. Riley and her brother hugged goodbye.
"Dummy!"
"Jerk!"
Riley and Pat turned to see Weston and Easton staring each other down and insulting each other.
"Alright," Riley said, "I've had enough of this. You two are making up right now. Or else."
Weston shook his head. "I'm not going to, ouch!"
Riley grabbed both twins by their ear lobe. "I said makeup. You can't really tell me you want to hate each other forever, can you?"
"Do you guys really wish to never see each other again?" Pat asked. "That the bond you have and the good times you shared mean nothing?"
"You don't understand," Easton replied.
"Maybe not," Pat replied. "But I have been disconnected from my siblings before. I once left home for five months because I thought I didn't want to be around them. I didn't need them. And when I was sad and alone, they welcomed me back with open arms."
Easton sighed. "I...I don't hate you Weston. I really do care about you. I just...I wanted to know who I was without you. That's why I joined this show...and I lashed out at you for coming. I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too," Weston replied. "I kinda knew you wanted to do this show alone, but I joined anyway. I didn't know what I'd be like without you...and I didn't want to lose you either. But we lost each other anyway. I guess I kind of discovered what you did anyway. So thank you for doing this show."
"Awww," Riley and Pat sighed in unison. "Now hug!"
Weston and Easton looked at each other awkwardly, then hugged.
"My dad and I didn't say much," Xidorn admitted. "But he handed me this letter. He wanted me to read it sometime, he said when I felt like it was a good time. How am I supposed to know when that is?"
"Wonderful job miscalculating on the challenge today," Iolana congratulated her brother.
"Good seeing you too sis," Kalino stated. "Don't leave mad, just leave."
"That's it?" Iolana asked. "All you have to say?"
"What more do I need to say?" Kalino replied. "I'm on the show, you're not. Even if you don't think I can succeed, I'm going to try anyway. It's no different than usual."
Iolana shook her head. "Glad to hear you'll continue embarrassing the family. Guess it isn't any different than usual. You're still the same failure you've always been."
"I've been doing great for myself," Kalino replied. "I've just been doing it my own way. You can't see that."
"I can see all you've done," Iolana replied. "I can see the way your little crush rejected you, the way you lost the challenge, the way you continue to drift by. It's just like the family expected; failure."
Kalino started to walk away, but Iolana grabbed his arm. "You know, dad thinks there's still a chance you'll make something out of yourself. But I know better."
With that, Iolana left.
/
Melissa hugged her sister tightly. "I'll miss you Bea. But I'll see you soon."
"Yeah I know," Beatrice replied. "Probably real soon."
"What do you mean?" Melissa asked.
"You bombed the challenge," Beatrice replied. "Someday I hope you understand that you can't be so idealistic and kind; it'll only cause failure."
"I love you little sister," Melissa replied. "But I'm not going to apologize for choosing to be kind."
/
"Sorry I didn't win today," Tessa stated. "I would have loved to catch up."
"It's fine," Ashley replied. "I probably wouldn't have stayed."
"What?"
Ashley darted her eyes back and forth. "Listen Tessa...I like you. I don't think you're the worst like everyone else. But...you have bad publicity. I can't have that."
"Are you serious?" Tessa asked.
"I have the chance to have my face on a box of wheat cereal," Ashley replied. "I can't throw that away for you!"
Tessa glared at her. "Then why are you even here?"
"To tell you we can't be friends anymore...and to promote my new cereal."
"Really?" Tessa asked. "Really?"
Ashley smiled in the confessional, holding up a box of shredded wheat cereal. "Sweet Wheat! If you can't beat it, wheat it!"
"Going to leave me without telling me goodbye?"
Ignacio turned to see Carla crossing her arms and glaring. "I was looking for you actually. I thought you might have left."
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Carla asked.
"Carla," Ignacio said. "I'm truly sorry if I hurt your feelings. I've never tried to...for along time I cared about you. You were very real with me, not the way other people treat me…"
"And how do you thank me?" Carla asked.
"Alright, I have had it up to here with the lip on you."
Lita stomped over, with Riley and Ness following behind her.
"No one asked you," Carla stated.
"No one asked you to be so mean, but that hasn't stopped you," Ness added.
Carla glared at the jinx, but this time the jinx returned it.
"Ignacio has not hit on us or tried to flirt with us," Riley stated. "He's just been a nice, sweet guy."
"I feel bad," Lita admitted. "At the start I assumed Ignacio was some serial flirter and egomaniac like you. But I know that isn't true."
"Do you know he's admitted to liking a girl here?" Carla asked.
"I didn't say they were from here," Ignacio added. "Um, not that I said I like anyone…"
"All I care about is that you apologize to Ignacio," Ness replied. "He's done nothing, and you've made it all about yourself."
Carla turned her shoulder. "I wouldn't expect his lovestruck harem to understand. You're just a bunch of pathetic girls throwing yourselves at him. He's a dog, plain and simple."
Carla walked away. "Wait Carla…"
Carla turned to Ignacio. "What?"
"I am glad that you came," Ignacio stated. "Seeing you treat my friends so poorly has made me realize how thankful I am. Thankful to not be dating such a terrible person."
"Excuse me!" Carla screamed. "You cannot talk to me-"
"-I think you've done enough talking," Ignacio stated. "I thought you were someone who could see past my looks, but you still judged me. I thought maybe I was a bad person for feeling attraction, and I could be, but I'm not. So I'm not going to punish myself for it. Do me a favor and never insult my friends again."
For once Carla had nothing to say, and left.
"Wooo!" Riley cheered. "Tell her Iggy."
"That was amazing," Ness agreed.
Lita nodded. "Mhmm. I'm glad you got that off your shoulders."
"Thanks for standing up for me," Ignacio replied. "And um, I really have no idea what she was talking about there with the liking stuff."
"Don't sweat it," Lita replied. "If she wasn't lying then it was probably Rhonda just editing the footage."
Ness' fathers walked over.
"Oh no," Ness whispered.
"We're headed out," Markie stated. "I'm sorry we couldn't stay and hang out Ness. I know you would have loved it."
"It's fine," Ness said. "Really."
"I didn't have high exceptions anyway," Richard admitted. "But, everything turned out okay. Just don't try to hurt yourself like that again."
"I know," Ness sighed. "I lost. I failed."
"Aww sweetie," Markie said, "It's no big deal. We didn't think you'd do that well anyway."
"Try to be careful," Richard said. "I mean, don't you think it'd be better if you, you know…"
"What?" Ness asked.
"Just...quit," Richard said. "You wouldn't be getting as hurt or embarrassing yourself. Then things would be okay."
Ness rubbed her arm. "But I...well I…"
"Are you serious?" Lita asked. "Were you even paying attention? She got third out there!"
"Loch Ness beat all of us," Riley stated.
"She was killing the final challenge too," Griswold added.
"She was an important member of the Fireworks as well," Ignacio said.
"I just want my daughter to be okay," Richard stated.
"No."
"What?" Richard asked.
"Things wouldn't be okay," Ness stated. "How could things be okay? Things have never been okay!"
"What about me?" Markie asked. "Things are okay with me, right?"
"You married my dad!" Ness yelled. "That's awkward and embarrassing! How can you not realize that? You can't be my dad and best friend...and you aren't either!"
"Ness please reconsider," Richard said. "I just want what's best for you."
"What's best for me?" Ness asked. "You mean with you? Dad, today you came out here and you didn't cheer me on. I tried so hard today, for someone who didn't act like he wanted to see me. Not once did you say you were proud of me. But here...I have my friends, people who are proud of me. Here, I'm okay. So I'm not giving up. Bye dad. Bye Markie. I'll see you at home, when the show is over."
The two nodded.
/
Only one loved one remained at that point.
"Ooh," Cynthia's mom sighed as she hugged her daughter. "I'll miss you Cynthy Winthy. But I'm so glad I got to see you and all your little friends! And that cute guy you found too. I could just eat him up."
"Aww thanks Ms. Cynthia's mom," Weston replied.
"It was a pleasure to meet you," Melissa said.
"Bye mother," Cynthia replied.
Cynthia walked off as Cynthia's mother waved.
"Guess it's back to town and the crows for me," Cynthia's mother stated.
"Crows?" Weston asked.
"Oh yes," Cynthia's mother replied. "Our town is covered in crows. You'll see when you come there. Every telephone line, tree or building has a murder of them."
"Cynthia never mentioned that…" Weston stated.
"You know it's funny," Cynthia's mother recalled while smiling. "I remember when they first migrated to town; it was the day Cynthia was born. They descended from the skies and over the town like a black plague. Since then, crows have always been there. Always watching, always screaming. Always present. Never to leave."
The others shuddered.
"Why...why did they come?" Xidorn asked. "Where did they come from?"
Cynthia's mother smiled. "If life's taught me anything, its that sometimes you don't ask questions. You don't always want the answers. Anywho, goodbye children. I'm sure I'll see some of you again someday."
Cynthia's mother departed.
"I'm honestly even more frightened by Cynthia then I thought was remotely possible," Kalino stated.
/
In the kitchen, Diamonique was making the seventh layer of a decker sandwich. Someone stood outside the door. "That challenge really worked up my appetite. You too?"
"I was looking for you," Griswold admitted.
"If it's for a date, no can do hunky chunk," Diamonique replied. "I'm not a homewrecker, so go back to your girlfriend."
"Me and Lita aren't dating anymore," Griswold said.
Diamonique rolled her eyes. "People think I'm stupid."
"Listen, I want to know how you're voting tonight," Griswold admitted. "You know, see if you'd be interesting in voting the same person…"
Diamonique raised an eyebrow. "Who you thinking?"
"Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Kalino leave," Griswold admitted. "But I'm not set on it. Any suggestions?"
Diamonique shook her head. "Save it. I know you and the other Fireworks will vote together. Why would I want to join y'all and be number six or seven in an alliance?"
"Rather than seven or eight with the Eagles?" Griswold asked. "Listen, you don't always have to vote with us. But if we work together for this vote, we'll send home whoever you want. You call the shot, and we'll knockout whichever Eagle betrayed you before."
Diamonique stroked her chin. "It's a tempting offer...but I can't. The other Eagles will turn against me for it. Plus, I think I've got a few options with them. Sorry cutie."
Diamonique turned down the hall, but stopped and turned around. "Although, I am open to working with you or the other Fireworks down the road."
Griswold glared. "You mean when we have no other options and you need the numbers?"
Diamonique flipped her hair as she walked out. "We can pick you all off entirely if you prefer."
/
At the same time, Xidorn, Vance, Weston and Kalino met in Kalino's room, all playing his Gamecube.
"One last match together dudes," Kalino stated. "It could be our last together."
"Why do you say that?" Weston asked. "We came in with the numbers over the Fireworks, didn't we?"
"Yeah," Vance replied. "Then Rhonda's dumb twist with the returnees ruined it. It was poorer than a hummingbird on a string for a nickel. Now we're even."
"But the Fireworks won't work with Tessa," Weston stated. "So we still have more votes...right?"
"If all of the Eagles vote together," Kalino replied. "But I don't know mannnnn, Diamonique might be holding a grudge."
"She was super strong in the challenge today," Weston admitted. "Why did we vote her off again?"
"Uhh...can't remember," Kalino 'admitted'. "Point is, there's a chance she could flip."
"Tessa could still be voting for an Eagle too," Xidorn said. "She has that weird vendetta against you Kalino."
Kalino shivered. "Don't remind me. If she votes me and the Fireworks get wind of it...then they could all vote me."
"I doubt the Fireworks would willingly work with Tessa," Xidorn stated. "She treated them like garbage...I mean she treated everyone like that, but especially them."
"But she has a vote," Kalino replied. "If it is for one of us, the Fireworks may just agree to do the same to ensure one of their own doesn't go."
"I tried asking the little lassie who she was voting," Vance admitted. "Melissa did too. She wouldn't say."
"Maybe that Joshua guy will vote with us," Xidorn suggested. "He could flip just as easily."
"Who are we even voting for anyway?" Vance asked.
Kalino smirked as he scratched his chin. "I think I've got a plan…"
/
On the top floor, Jasper exited the elevator. He took a deep breath.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Jasper felt himself suddenly glomped by Lita in a tight hug.
"Oh," Jasper said, "hey Lita. Yeah, yeah...no problem. I'm sorry I didn't give you the room too, I just felt like Diamoniq-"
"-I don't care about that," Lita replied. "But that chance to see my family, that means so much to me. And the trip? My brother and mother would never get to experience something like that in their life!"
"Really?" Jasper asked.
Lita blushed. "The truth is...we're not that well off. We can't afford a lot of things, let alone a trip. I think this is the closest they've ever gotten to having a vacation. So, thank you for giving them that."
Jasper smiled. "I'm happy to. I hope you have fun together."
Lita nodded and Jasper was about to walk off, but stopped. "Hey...who are you voting for tonight?"
"I told you that you didn't have to vote with us," Lita said.
"I know," Jasper said, rubbing the back of his head. "But let's just talk hypothetical. If you could have anyone go home tonight, who would it be?"
/
Soon, The fourteen newcomers sat in silence in the Haunted Internet Cafe.
"It's time for the first official merge vote," Rhonda announced. "Just to recap, everyone is voting and one of you will be going home. Since Jasper won invincibility, he's safe for this vote and the next. Tessa and Diamonique also have immunity. The rest of you are fair game. So, let's vote."
Tessa cast her vote. "I don't know if this is actually going to work, but it's worth a shot...it's the only shot I've got."
Ness gulped as she cast her vote. "Please, please, please let this work…"
Kalino clicked his vote. He ran his fingers over his shirt pocket. "Hmm…"
Ignacio counted numbers with his fingers. "Alright, what are the statistical odds this actually pans out?"
Diamonique cast her vote, then blew a kiss at the camera. "Adieu chérie. That's Spanish for adios."
Weston drummed his fingers against the side of the confessional. "Wait...who were we voting again? Uhhhhh...oh yeah! No wait, that's me…"
Toby walked out carrying a tray of thirteen coffee cups.
"Our coffee pot is currently broken," Rhonda stated, "so these are actually just filled with tap water and some coffee grinds we scrounged up. Still, they represent safety. There are no more chances for returning. Tonight, someone loses the game at the halfway point. The first cup goes to Jarec…"
"I'll take it," Junior... Jasper sighed, catching his cup as Melissa patted his back.
"The next cups go to Diamonique and Tessa," Rhonda stated, tossing the cups. "Now for someone we weren't sure if they were safe...Vance."
Vance nodded and caught his cup.
"Ignacio, Ness, Melissa," Rhonda announced.
Ignacio and Ness shared a smile and clinked cups.
"Xidorn," Rhonda continued. The honest soul smiled a little and nodded at his cowboy friend.
"Weston, Lita."
"Thank goodness," Lita whispered to herself, wiping the sweat off her forehead.
"Riley...and Kalino." Neither looked chill as they usually did, but sighed heavily upon catching their cups.
Everyone stared as Rhonda raised the final cup. "And finally…"
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"...Griswold. I'm sorry Cynthia; it's time."
Griswold was too relieved to try and catch his cup, which landed in his pompadour.
"Thank goodness," Riley cheered, tackling Griswold into a bear hug.
"Wait, how can this be possible?" Weston asked. "The votes, there should have been a tiebreaker at least…"
Cynthia stood up. "Someone flipped."
"No," Weston said. "That's not possible...is it?"
"It was clever to get rid of me while you can," Cynthia stated. "And whoever flipped, let's hope you don't live to regret it."
Almost everyone gulped.
"This still doesn't make any sense!" Weston shouted. "I mean...who flipped? Who switched? It's not supposed to be this way…"
Cynthia pulled Weston in for a kiss. "Don't be upset for what isn't, but be glad for what we had. What we will have after the show. I'm not done with you yet…"
Weston forced a smile and nodded.
Melissa stood up and embraced Cynthia. "I couldn't have asked for a better roommate...or a better best friend."
"I couldn't either," Cynthia replied.
"Even though I will sleep very sound tonight," Rhonda said, "I think I'm actually going to miss you Cynthia. I think a lot of us will...oh my god where did she go?"
Everyone looked to see that Cynthia had disappeared. In her place was a frowning face made of broken glass shards.
"She must have left through the Revolving Doors of Shame...right?" Lita asked.
"Did anyone actually see her leave?" Xidorn questioned.
Everyone shook their heads...
Author's Note
Our first official merge challenge is done and we have to say goodbye to one of my favorites. Cynthia is a weird character, but fun to write. She's also relatively popular. Maybe not everyone's favorite, but tends to be up well-liked or in reader's top five. It was hard to eliminate her. I tried to find a reason someone else could go, but story-wise it just made sense.
Why Cynthia and who betrayed her? It'll become clear in the future, but I'm sure a lot of you already might've guessed it.
The challenge was fun. It's nice to do a classic challenge and I liked some of the tortures I came up with. Shout-out again to Gideon who writes The Legend of Total Drama Island. I let readers on the wiki submit ideas for a torture. He was the only one who gave an idea, running the gauntlet. The loved ones were also a fun addition. I know I did the video call prior, so I tried to do mostly different loved ones than from those calls.
I'm going to try and upload two chapters a week hopefully. I want to share more of Genesis and it's in-progress sequel here. I also forgot to mention this before, but I have a poll on my profile for your favorite newcomer. Let me know, I'm super curious to see who readers are loving.
Thanks for reading! Next time, it's off to the races.
Appendix: Elimination History
Bethany (Eagles)- 22nd
Diamonique (Eagles)- RETURNED
Casper (Fireworks)- RETURNED
Tessa (Fireworks)- RETURNED
Zipporah (Fireworks)- 21st
Hayden (Eagles)- 20th
Frannie (Eagles)- 19th
Aiden (Eagles)- 18th
Pascal (Fireworks)- 17th
Easton (Fireworks)- 16th
Seraphina (Fireworks)- 15th
MERGE
Cynthia- 14th