It was around midnight in Washington, D.C. The streets were less busy than usual. But they weren't empty…

"Woooooo!"

Kalino ran down the streets. He lead Weston, Vance, Jasper and an embarrassed Ignacio...streaking across the city.

"Midnight streaking!" Kalino cheered. "Do you feel that dudes?"

"The cold air?" Weston asked.

"No," Kalino replied. "The freedom! We ain't held to no rules mannnnn!"

"It is kind of fun," Jasper admitted.

"We've almost been out here for an hour," Ignacio stated. "How much longer?"

"As long as the night is young!" Kalino replied. "We're just getting started."

"I've been thinking," Jasper said. "Maybe we should start that guys' alliance. I mean, just so we could work together officially."

"That's what I'm talking about!" Vance stated. "What changed your mind?"

Jasper blushed and shrugged.

"I was really depressed that Lita left," Jasper admitted. "Maybe it wasn't smart, but I wanted us to go far in this game together. I trusted her a lot. But now I realize I'm kind of on my own. So maybe an alliance would help? Plus, it means I can hang out with more people. I'm 'one of the guys'. It's nice to be included and wanted."

"I'm still open to it if you guys are," Kalino stated. "I mean if we're the only ones in the hotel, we could just stop wearing clothes there!"

"Let's not be absurd," Ignacio replied.

"Come on Iggy," Kalino said. "You can't tell me your not having a little fun right now."

Ignacio blushed and forced a laugh. "I guess I'm having a little fun. It is nice to be this open with everyone. I appreciate you all doing this for me."

"Of course!" Weston replied. "We're here for you."

"Alright, let's try it," Ignacio said. "Let's make a guys' alliance."

The other guys cheered.

Kalino smirked. "It's like I said, with their crush gone those Firework boys are off their leash and ready to start playing the game! Getting Lita sent home was doing them a favor."

"Where to next?" Vance asked.

Kalino opened his mouth but was interrupted by the sound of sirens. "Uhh…"

Police cars started to swarm all of the guys. "Freeze!"

Weston shivered. "I already am!"

/

That morning, Melissa was humming a tune in the kitchen, as per usual. She was flipping eggs on the stove. However, her little cockroaches were scurrying around her. They were sweeping the floor, polishing the counter, and putting away glasses in the cabinets, all to the beat of Melissa's melody.

Riley yawned, strolling into the kitchen. Tessa raised an eyebrow. "Umm…"

"Good morning gals!" Melissa greeted. "Could we get you some breakfast?"

"Eggs and bakey please!" Riley replied.

Two cockroaches flew over a plate with Riley's order. The bro nodded at them and began eating.

"So we're just not going to talk about how cockroaches are cooking?" Tessa asked.

"Huh?" Riley said. "Ooh, yeah. It's cool your little bug buddies are helping you out Melissa."

"It is awfully sweet of them," Melissa replied. "I told them it wasn't necessary, but they insisted!"

"I guess they want to pay you back for saving and raising them," Riley said.

Tessa squirmed as the same pair of roaches dropped a plate in front of her. "Okay, I have to say it. This is disgusting."

"Cockroaches are actually very cleanly creatures," Melissa replied. "They're constantly cleaning themselves and are nature's recyclers."

"I'd still prefer they didn't serve my food," Tessa gagged.

"You won't have to worry too much longer," Melissa said. "I'm letting my babies go today."

"Really?" Riley asked.

Melissa nodded. "They don't need me to care for them anymore. Carlton, Camilla, Cornelius, Countess, Cackle, and Jay need to go and experience the world with the time they have. They need to meet friends and start families. They're not babies in a salad anymore."

"That's kind of sad," Riley admitted.

"I don't think so," Melissa replied. "It's just the nature of things. I'm rather proud of these sweet bugaboos and happy for their new life."

Tessa looked around the cafeteria. "So...Ness hasn't been up yet?"

Melissa sighed and shook her head. "I left her breakfast and she took it. I'm actually sharing the luxury suite with her since last night's unfortunate events. But she hasn't spoken much. Funny enough, I haven't seen any of the boys either…"

/

The male newcomers sat in a holding cell at a police station, still not wearing clothes.

"I don't know if I've ever been this embarrassed," Ignacio stated.

"You say that almost everyday," Kalino teased.

"I'm sure Carla is having a field day about this," Ignacio said. "Proof of how depraved I really am."

"My sister is probably going I told you so," Kalino stated. "Always said I'd go to jail one of these days."

Kalino and Ignacio shared a look, then started laughing.

"Screw them," Kalino stated. "Bunch of party poopers. Like the POPO here. Expressing yourself isn't illegal!"

"Public indecency is though," Ignacio replied.

"Do you think we'll be kicked off the show?" Jasper asked.

"Nah," Vance replied. "Rhonda wouldn't let us; it'd interfer with her schedule."

"I just hope going to jail doesn't show up on our record," Weston stated. "It'll be hard to be a trusty detective with a criminal record."

"Like a professional detective?" Vance asked.

"Yeah!" Weston replied. "Before I wasn't sure what I wanted to do in the future. But I've had a lot of fun being a detective recently."

"You're good at it too," Jasper added.

Weston blushed. "Thanks! I think I know what I want to do; I want to become a detective full time. If I win the show I'm going to open my own PI business, maybe over a nightclub. And get a talking car too to solve crimes with too!"

"Like Knight Rider?" Jasper asked.

"Who?" Weston asked. "I was thinking more of Speed Buggy. Anyway, I think maybe I'll just try to save some money by doing community college for criminal justice. Then became a sleuth!"

"That's sounds really cool," Jasper stated.

"And rather practical," Ignacio said. "At least the degree part."

"I'm just glad I know what I want to do," Weston admitted. "It's a relief to have a plan for my future."

Kalino sighed.

"I'm happy for Weston," Kalino said. "But his words kind of...stung. I mean I don't really have a plan. What kind of special skills have I learned here, other than to hurt and toss aside people? I guess there are jobs for that...but I don't want to be defined as that person. And I wonder if...when I win the show, will I just spend my days doing nothing? Is that okay? I know it's selfish, but it just bums me out to see Weston be so happy about his future when I'm...not."

"Hey nudies, you're free to go!"

Rhonda walked up to the cell as a police officer unlocked the door.

"You're welcome," Rhonda said.

"Why didn't you come last night when we dang called?" Vance asked.

"To teach you a lesson," Rhonda replied. "And because I was asleep! You're just lucky we were able to get this on film or it'd be bad."

"So are we gonna stand trial?" Weston asked.

"As if," Rhonda said, "I've worked it out with the police force. Some community service and you won't even have an arrest record."

"Yipee!" Weston cheered.

"You didn't happen to bring us any clothes, did you?" Ignacio asked.

"Not my problem," Rhonda replied. "Now go get in the bus before I leave you here."

The guys shrugged and followed Rhonda out, ignoring the police department's snickers or disapproving looks.

/

Outside of the Pentagram, Melissa held a bowl containing the cockroaches up to the sun. "I'm sorry my little critters, but it's time to say goodbye."

The cockroaches hissed but Melissa shushed them. "I'm sorry dearies, but it's not my place to keep you all the time. You were meant to do more than be coddled by me. This is just another moment of our lives. Maybe we'll meet again, but we'll always be together in our hearts."

Melissa handed each cockroach a small travel bundle. "A little snack for the road. Your favorite; caramel cockroach cannolis. Now go, be free!"

One by one, the cockroaches flew up into the sky and spread out across the city. Melissa waved as she watched them go.

"I know it seems silly to care about cockroaches," Melissa said, "But even a cockroach deserves love, doesn't it? They were put here for a reason. So why not be kind to them, or any animal? Mohammed taught after all, that 'a good deed done to an animal is like a good deed done to a human being...' "

The next morning, Ness sat on the roof of the Pentagram, staring out at the sky.

"Hey."

She turned to see Ignacio standing there. "Hey."

"Mind if I sit with you?" he asked.

Ness shook her head. "Don't you have to go do community service?"

Ignacio blushed. "So, you heard…"

"Yeah," Ness giggled a little. "I didn't believe at first; didn't sound like you."

"I've been trying new things," Ignacio admitted. "Are you okay? Nobody's seen you leave the room."

"Why I would I need to?" Ness replied. "I'm in the luxury suite; I don't need to leave to eat, or be entertained."

"It must be nice," Ignacio said.

"I'll have you spend the night the next time I win," Ness said. "If I ever win it again. It's so great I don't want to leave...and I really don't want to go back to my old room."

"Ness…"

"I just don't want to go back there and realize they're gone," Ness admitted. "To sit in that empty room without Lita or Seraphina. I didn't even realize last night I wouldn't see her anymore…"

Ignacio hugged Ness. "I miss her too. But we'll see everyone again. It's just goodbye for now."

Ness broke the embrace. "I don't know if I believe that."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean sure we all say we'll see each other again," Ness stated. "But we live miles apart from each other. Maybe we'll text and Facetime a lot at first, even visit each other a couple of times. But eventually we'll grow apart. We'll get distracted, forget, lose contact. We'll just be memories to each other."

"You can't believe that," Ignacio said.

Ness shrugged. "I don't want to! I don't want to lose my best friends, my only friends. But isn't that what happens? And with Lita gone...I don't have anymore time with her."

"You understand that's ridiculous, right?" Ignacio asked. "For starters, Lita won't lose contact with you. She will smother you everyday, calling at least twice a day. And more importantly, I think when you have an experience like this with other people...it bonds you. You only share it with them after all."

Ignacio grabbed Ness' hand and held it in his own. "I promise that I won't forget you. We'll stay friends for along time."

Ness couldn't help smiling. "Thanks Ignacio. I'm glad you're here with me."

The hunk returned her smile. He stood up, pulling the blonde to her feet and tugging her along with him. "Come on, let's go to the dining hall and get lunch before I have to go pick trash off the side of the road."

/

In Tessa's room, Riley and Tessa were having a pow-wow session, while enjoying some burritos.

"Why is it always burritos with you?" Tessa teased.

"The better question is why shouldn't it be?" Riley retorted. "Burritos are the top of the Riley food pyramid, right above hot wings and pizza. Now, what were you going on about before lunch?"

"I'm just saying that with Lita gone the girl's are outnumbered," Tessa replied.

"How much you want to bet that's Kalino's doing?" Riley asked. "For a chill dude, he has no chill."

"Of course we have no way to prove he did it," Tessa said. "We can't even ask the Tides cast why. Is he just immune to votes like he is shaving?"

Riley rubbed her chin in thought. "You said you gave him that flashdrive?"

Tessa sighed. "Yeah but...you don't think he has it, do you? I mean it won't work without a golden flash drive. And that's if he hadn't used it."

Riley shrugged. "He may not have ever needed to. Especially if the losers who don't like him in sequester were eliminated by him like you think. He knew who was going home. And if Weston or Vance found a flashdrive…"

"...Then Kalino can use his!" Tessa exclaimed. "That's almost scary...except for the fact those two couldn't find their way out of a paper bag. With a hole in it."

Riley raised an eyebrow. "Sweet T-"

"-I know, I know, too mean," Tessa sighed.

"What we need to do is make sure Kalino doesn't find a flashdrive," Riley stated. "We need to start looking."

"I've been looking," Tessa replied. "Haven't you?"

Riley blushed. "Well...you know...I've had a full schedule."

"You think they wouldn't be so hidden," Tessa said. "I mean, wouldn't Rhonda want us to find it? She's all about twists and ratings."

Riley snapped her fingers. "You're a genius Sweet T. Rhonda does want us to find it! What did she say at the merge feast, when she went on about another flash drive?"

"That she was hiding another one since we hadn't used any," Tessa replied.

"But what else?" Riley asked. "Didn't she say something about finding it?"

"Yeah, to find out where it was hiding. Like to flush it...out…."

Tessa and Riley both shot each other a look. "You don't think…"

"The toilet in the lobby!" Riley yelled. "It's been clogged since the merge! What if…"

Both girls ran out the door, dashing down the stairs.

/

Moments later, Riley exited the lobby bathroom to a waiting Tessa.

"Well," Tessa said. "Did you find it?"

Riley shook her head. "It's unclogged."

"What?" Tessa asked. "Are you sure?"

Riley nodded. "If you want to check, you can. But that toilet has never looked so clean."

"No, I believe you," Tessa replied. "Also, I'd just rather not set foot in a public restroom. They're grody."

"There's a plunger in there that wasn't before," Riley explained. "Meaning someone already unclogged the toilet. If the flash drive was hidden in the clog, it's gone now."

Tessa scratched her head. "But then...who found it?"

"No clue," Riley replied. "But on the bright side, we now have another toilet we can use. Let's celebrate with more burritos!"

Tessa rolled her eyes, but smiled as she followed her friend.

/

The next afternoon, Rhonda gathered the newcomers into the dining hall. Cups of pencils and pens lined the table. Rhonda strolled in and waved. "So who's ready for today's challenge?"

"Actually I-"

"Good!" Rhonda shouted. "Because here it is!"

Rhonda dropped a giant stack of stapled together papers. Toby came out and placed more onto the table.

Weston pouted. "Homework in summer?"

"This is one of the most comprehensive personality tests ever," Rhonda stated. "It was created by a group of award winning psychologists with edited questions from several of the most thoughtful questionnaires, including the Myers Briggs test, Sixteen Personalities, and the 'Which Disney Princess Are You?' Buzzfeed quiz."

"Oh mannnnnnn," Kalino stated. "I thought I was a Rapunzel, but I was such an Ariel."

"Your job is to fill out this questionnaire honestly," Rhonda said.

"What for?" Ignacio asked.

"You'll find out in a couple of hours when we review the results," Rhonda replied. "Just know you can't compete in today's challenge if you don't fill it out. And the rewards today are worth it."

Rhonda left as the newcomers looked over their tests.

All the newcomers stayed in the dining hall as they started filling out the sheets.

"Hey Melissa," Vance said, "what did you get for question number 64?"

"Vance dear, it's whatever answer you want to put," Melissa replied.

"Well I want to put the right answer," Vance replied. "So please help a partner out?"

"There is no right answer," Ignacio stated.

"Wait...you mean it's not graded?" Vance asked. "Then who cares what we put!"

"I've already finished," Kalino replied. He held up his test, revealing he used the dots to make a smiling sun.

"That is one way to show your personality," Melissa said.

"I haven't taken a test in years," Vance admitted. "But why would I? I dropped out of school. Never went back when I joined the rodeo. I'm startin' to think that was a bad idea. I mean until recently I didn't know how to read. I wonder if it's too late to go back…"

Tessa scribbled away at the test. Her pencil snapped. "Hey Ness, could you pass me another pencil?"

Ness glared. She held out a pencil only to snap it in her hands. "Oops."

Tessa raised an eyebrow.

Ness glared. "I know Tessa got Lita eliminated. She tried to fool us all, but couldn't help going back to her true nature. I'm not going to let her slink by and hurt anymore of my friends! She's enemy number one. And she knows why."

"I have no idea what's up with Ness," Tessa said. "I thought we were cool before. Did I do something?"

Rhonda returned two hours later and took the results. She excused herself, encouraging the teens to go ahead and eat lunch. After lunch, Rhonda had the newcomers gather in the auditorium. They stood on stage as Rhonda came out, followed by Jenny and Toby pushing carts covered in tarps. Growls, screeches and other noises could be heard under them.

"Are you ready for another throwback challenge?" Rhonda asked. "Because this challenge harkens back to a fan-favorite from the early seasons. It's...the animal buddy challenge!"

The newcomers stared at her. Only Ness seemed excited.

"Which season was that?" Riley asked.

"Wasn't it that super lame final four challenge in season 2?" Weston said.

"I liked it," Rhonda said. "So we're doing the animal buddy challenge."

"How does this all pertain to that survey?" Ignacio asked.

"That test was a spirit animal quiz!" Rhonda replied. "We've analyzed all of those questions to find what animal is perfect to be your new best buddy! Are you ready to find out?"

"Me!" Ness squealed. "This is like my dream challenge!"

Rhonda pulled a list out her back pocket. "It may turn into a nightmare. Ness, your spirit animal is…"

Toby yanked away a cloth, revealing a large bird of prey with checkered underwings and a gleaming black head. It cawed and screamed.

"...the peregrine falcon!"

"He's gorgeous!" Ness awwed. "I think he. I know that most male birds of prey are smaller than females due to sexual dimorphism."

The falcon cried out again, pecking towards Ness.

Rhonda nodded. "Yup, he is! Falcon fact: The peregrine falcon is the world's fastest animal, capable of reaching a speed of over 320 kilometers!"

"And that's my spirit animal," Ness swooned.

Toby tossed Ness a leathery glove, the kind commonly used in falconry. Ness eagerly equipped it.

"Are you sure about this," Ignacio said. "I don't want to hurt your feelings, but you don't have the best luck with animals Ness. Especially birds."

Riley nodded. "Like those murders of crows."

"Or the chicken hawk," Melissa added.

"Or that bluebird," Ignacio stated. "Or pigeon."

"Didn't you almost choke on a chicken bone the other night?" Weston said.

"Okay, so maybe I haven't made a feathered friend," Ness stated. "But as a vet I want to work with animals. And this is my spirit animal! We're meant to be friends!"

Toby opened the birdcage and immediately hit the deck. The peregrine falcon cried out, soaring through the sky. It dived down and grabbed Ness by hair, dragging her away. "See, we're already bonding!"

"Who's next?" Rhonda asked.

Vance pushed Weston forward. "Go get 'em partner!"

"Any guesses on your spirit animal?" Rhonda asked.

"Um...a puppy?" Weston said. "Ooh, or a manticore!"

"So close," Rhonda said. "But it's actually…"

Jenny smirked as she revealed a long tank, containing a nearly seven foot long alligator with white skin and pink, almost red, eyes. It flashed a toothy grin.

"An albino alligator!" Rhonda stated.

"Wow!" Weston exclaimed. "It's a like ghost alligator!"

Jenny opened the cage, placing a collar around the white reptile and handing it to Weston. He whistled for it to come towards him, but it only snapped the leash in two. He stepped a few steps away as the alligator lied down and began snoozing.

"I'm so jelly!" Riley said. "Did y'all only have an albino one?"

"The test said his spirit animal was specifically an albino alligator," Rhonda answered. "Albino alligators are regular alligators, just with a different appearance due to having no melanin. It's eyesight is also very poor as a result."

"Aww," Weston sighed. "Wait...does this mean I can't see either?"

"I never thought of myself as an alligator person," Weston admitted. "But alligators are stars in some of my favorite horror movies! Usually they're some mutant sewer gator or dino crocodile, but I have a ghost gator! I wonder if I can pet it...or will my hand phase through it?"

"You're very knowledgeable about animals," Ness stated, as her falcon dragged her by.

"I should be," Rhonda stated. "This is a perfect challenge to educate our viewers on our new furry, feathered, fishy, scaly, creepy-crawling and or amphibious friends."

"Educate?" Tessa asked. "On Genesis? I wouldn't be surprised if you get dumber watching this show."

"We are technically a kid's show," Rhonda replied. "So we should have some educational content."

"Plus it's a tax write-off," Toby added.

"Since you're so full of sass, how about you next Tessa?" Rhonda asked.

Tessa sighed, but stepped forward. "Is it dangerous, humiliating, or both?"

"Whatever fits your personality best," Rhonda replied. "And it turns out that animal is…"

Toby lifted another tarp, revealing a hive of buzzing...

"Bees?"

"Well bee," Rhonda said. "But I mean we couldn't not use a whole bee hive."

"What do I have in common with a bee?" Tessa asked.

"You're bossy and mean," Kalino suggested.

"That's so rude," Ness said.

"Thank you," Tessa said.

"Bees are the one of the world's pollinators," Ness said. "They're innocent little gals, nothing like Tessa."

"What?" Tessa asked.

Rhonda cleared her throat. "To educate our viewers, these are Africanized bees. They're one of the most well-known invasive species, species not originally from a land that spread out and tend to cause harm to the surrounding environment.

"These bees are an accidental crossbreed between Western and African honeybees. They tend to swarm more and are more aggressive than Western bees. That's how they got their nickname; killer bees."

"Really?" Tessa asked. "You're giving me a hive of literal killer bees?"

"It is your spirit animal," Kalino teased as he walked up to the stage. Tessa sighed, not noticing Toby tossing a beekeeper hat right at her head.

"What have you got for me Rhonda?" Kalino asked.

"I'm glad you asked," Rhonda said. "Because you have…"

Jenny lifted a tarp to reveal a large, three-toed mammal dangling from a tree branch inside his cage. "A sloth!"

"Sweeeeeeet," Kalino sighed.

Kalino stared at the cage as the creature lifted in it's arm in slow motion just to eat another leaf.

"I feel a deep, transcending connection with this guy," Kalino stated.

"This sloth is a brown-throated sloth," Rhonda explained. "They sleep for fifteen to eighteen hours a day. They rarely go down from their tree branch, usually only every eight days to def-"

Rhonda frowned as she Kalino and the sloth snoring. She kicked them to the side.

"Next is Melissa," Rhonda stated. "What animal fits you Melissa?"

"I don't have a favorite animal," Melissa said. "I love all animals equally and infinitely! They're just so important to our planet after all."

"I think this show really agrees with that Melissa," Rhonda said.

"How many animals have you used in challenges so far?" Ignacio asked.

"I'll do you one better," Tessa said, "How many has Cynthia killed alone?"

"She's reached triple digits I think," Weston added.

Rhonda hushed them. "Now then, Melissa your animal buddy is…"

Toby pushed aside his cart. He walked backstage, then came back out pulling on a rope leash. He yanked, but the creature behind the curtain wouldn't budge. Finally, a trumpet like noise blasted Toby to the ground. Stomping out came…

"...An Asian elephant," Rhonda announced. "The largest land animal in Asia, with their African cousin being the largest land animal period. The Asian elephant may have up to 60,000 muscles in their trunk alone, which can-"

The tusked elephant trumpeted his trunk at Rhonda until she fell over.

"Oh, he is precious," Melissa stated. "Or she…"

Rhonda sighed, not moving from the ground. "He. Females can't grow as big tusks."

"He is rather large," Melissa admitted. "But that's just more to love!"

Melissa held out her hand. The elephant grabbed it by his trunk and shook her violently before slamming her against the ground. "And such a firm grip!

Jasper stepped forward. "I was hoping for an elephant; then he couldn't forget me. But I'm sure my animal will be just as cool...right?"

"Well Jasper," Rhonda said. "You animal buddy is…"

Jenny lifted a tarp off the cart, revealing a clear tank. It had a log and sun lamp, but no animal. Jenny dropped the empty tank in Jasper's arms.

"Huh?" Jasper asked.

Suddenly a fly buzzed by his head. Out of nowhere, a slimy, long tongue trapped and swallowed it. Inside the tank, a chameleon changed to a bright green color.

"...A chameleon!" Rhonda announced.

Jasper sighed. He opened the cage, where the chameleon crawled up to his shirt and camouflaged himself. "Ha, ha. I get it. Invisible Jasper gets the invisible animal. Real clever! Those tests were fake, weren't they?"

"Next up is Ignacio," Rhonda stated.

Ignacio shrugged stepping forward. "Anyone want to place their bets?"

"Maybe a peacock," Ness suggested. "Since they're so pretty."

Riley shivered. "Or a not terrifying animal. Like a lizard, since they use heat."

"Maybe it's locusts," Kalino suggested. "That'll eat your clothes."

The model shook his head and turned to Rhonda. "Well?"

Rhonda motioned to Toby. He grabbed a cage from the lower rack, carrying it a good distance apart. He dropped it in front of Ignacio, removing the cloth and stepping back to reveal…

"A skunk?" Ignacio asked.

Inside a small skunk uncurled herself and batted her eyes at Ignacio.

"Yup, a skunk," Rhonda stated. "This black and white mammal is somewhat infamous for their scent glands, using them to create a noxious smell that can ward off bears!"

"Any chance the glands have been removed?" Ignacio asked.

"Pet skunks often have their glands removed," Rhonda replied. "But your buddy is the whole package. Take care of her."

"I suppose it beats locusts," Ignacio said, hauling the cage away.

Riley stepped forward, almost jumping in place. "Alright, I'm ready. Tell me what my spirit animal is! I hope it's something rad, like a mantis shrimp."

Rhonda shrugged. Jenny giggled as she pushed out a large aquatic tank. A large fin moved around the top. It's black beady eyes glared as Riley pressed her face against the glass.

"Awwww yeah!" Riley whooped. "A shark! That's like the balliest spirit animal ever."

"A great white shark to be specific," Rhonda stated. "Also called the white death, because this species of shark causes the most shark attacks against humans. It can also live to be around seventy years old."

The great white shark smiled, revealing his missing tooth.

"All right sharky bro," Riley stated. "We got this!"

"All that leaves is Vance and his animal buddy," Rhonda said.

"I was planning on going at the end," Vance stated. "You save the best for last."

"It must be why he always gets last in challenges," Tessa whispered to Riley.

"I reckon sharks and elephants is cute and a white gator is 'fancy'," Vance stated. "But my spirit animal has to capture my cool manliness! Let's see it!"

Rhonda shook her head. "Get it from behind the curtain Toby."

From the curtain, Toby pulled another rope leash. Vance smirked, but his smirk dropped as Toby effortlessly dragged out a little lamb. The lamb tried to step forward on his feet and immediately tripped.

Kalino snorted. "Yup, that's your spirit animal man! Really captures your fuzziness."

"I think it's ideal," Melissa added. "It reflects how sweet Vance really is."

"You have to be yanking my chain," Vance said. "A sheep?"

"No," Rhonda replied. "A lamb."

"And what in tarnation is the difference?" Vance asked.

"A lamb is a baby sheep," Ness said.

"A baby animal for the biggest baby," Tessa whispered.

"I demand a recount!" Vane shouted.

"We ran these a few times already," Toby stated. "Your animal buddy is your spirit animal. No returns or refunds."

Vance rolled his eyes, picking on the lamb in his arms. It bleated, then started chewing on Vance's sleeve. "Rassa frassin, racka-frackin…"

"So let's review," Rhonda said, "We have Ness and a falcon, Weston and an albino alligator, Tessa and killer bees, Kalino and a sloth, Melissa and an Asian elephant, Jasper and a chameleon, Ignacio and a skunk, Riley and a great white shark, and finally Little Bo Vance and his lamb. Nice! I was hoping someone would get the whale or unicorn, but these all seem like amazing new friends!"

Rhonda looked up to see Ness still being dragged by her falcon, while Weston's gator chased him and Melissa's elephant kidnapped her in his trunk.

"So now what?" Vance asked, yanking his sleeve out of the lamb's mouth.

"You'll need to demonstrate your newfound friendship to our panel of judges," Rhonda answered. "Show how you've bonded or are similar. Like teaching them a trick or do something together."

"How do I bond with bees?" Tessa asked.

"Maybe they like jazz," Melissa suggested.

"We'll give you about three hours to figure it out," Rhonda replied. "More time for you and your buddies to bond. Meet back here then. And try to wow us. Trust me, we have some extra special surprises planned for you."

"I hope the surprise is no actual surprises," Jasper mumbled, looking for his chameleon.

/

In the lobby, Riley wheeled out her shark's tank. She panted and wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Alright, this seems like a good place as any. Let's start brainstorming what we should do. What about some rad water-skiing routine. You know, combining my skating and your...fishiness."

The shark glared at her.

"Aww, don't be like that Jabberjaw," Riley said. "We're in this together. Isn't there something you want us to do?"

The shark chuckled, flashing a grin with his missing tooth. He pulls out a bib with Riley's face on it and tied it around his neck.

"Uhh, that's not what-"

The shark emerged from the tank and tries to snap at her. Riley fell back. The shark jumped out of the tank, pulling out a knife and fork, and began chasing her. "Ahhhh! Wait...you could walk this whole time? Why did I have to push you up here?"

The shark chuckled as he followed after Riley.

/

Outside, Ness chased after her falcon. "Wait Falkner! I mean if you don't mind. It's not like I can fly after you...hmm…"

"Hey Ness."

Ness turned and frowned as Tessa approached. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to talk," Tessa answered. "I know things have been kind of crazy, and I know with Lita-"

"-Don't say her name," Ness yelled. "Don't talk about her like you're upset she went home."

"I am upset!" Tessa replied. "We were finally working out our differences. I thought I don't know...maybe we were even friends."

"You expect me to believe that?" Ness asked. "When Lita happened to go home yesterday?"

"Wait...you don't think I had anything to do with that, do you?" Tessa asked.

"You also voted for Lita before," Ness replied. "And now you finally had your chance."

"But Ness-"

"You know I really wanted to believe you could change," Ness stated. "But I always doubted it. Maybe people just can't change. They just are their nature, like an animal. Your just another bully."

Ness ran off. Tessa hung her head in shame.

/

In the cafeteria, the shark sniffed the air. It came into the kitchen. Sinking to the ground, it saw Riley hiding in a dumbwaiter. It smirked, charging forward...and running right into a reflection of Riley on a shiny cabinet. Riley popped out and threw a net over the shark.

"Alright Jabberjaw, what's the big deal?" Riley asked. "Aren't sharks not supposed to actually be mean or mean to eat humans?"

The shark crossed his arms and pouted.

"I mean what I did do you?" Riley asked.

The shark opened his mouth and pointed at his missing tooth.

Riley gasped. "Oh snap! You were that one shark from that one challenge! The one where Seraphina Silverman and I had to get that key...so I punched you in the snout and knocked out your teeth."

The shark glared at her.

"Hey don't blame me! You were the one trying to eat us in that challenge. Aren't those supposed to grow back?"

The shark shook his head, then shrugged. He sighed.

"Oh," Riley said. "I guess it didn't grow back, huh? I imagine it's hard being a shark that doesn't have a tooth. The other sharks probably aren't always nice about it…"

The shark nodded. He sniffled, wiping away a tear.

"Okay, okay," Riley said. "I'm sorry dude! Tell you what, I'll get you a new tooth. A replacement!"

The shark stared at her.

"No, really! I mean humans have fake teeth all the time, I'm sure we can find some dentist vet to fix yours. Heck if I win, I'll give you a really swanky tooth! Like a gold tooth...wait no, we'll replace your tooth with a diamond! Showing you're a fancy dude and making it unbreakable!"

The shark smiled and nodded his head rapidly. It throw off it's net and glomped Riley. "Don't mention it Jabberjaw; it's the least I can do."

The shark carried Riley out of the kitchen. "Wait, where are we going?"

/

Three hours later, most of the newcomers but two had gathered back into the theatre. On stage sat a judging table with three chairs.

"Alright folks," Rhonda said, walking out on stage. "Are you ready to show off your new animal buddies?"

The newcomers shrugged as their animals howled and growled.

"Maybe next season I should only cast animals," Rhonda admitted. "Now for our judges there will be me of course, Jenny and…"

Down from the corridor, a golden retriever in a sports jersey and sunglasses skateboarded across the stage. It backflipped off the board, landing in the final judge's chair.

"Beloved animal actor and athlete from the 'A Dog Plays…' movie series, Pal!" Rhonda announced.

"Ruff! Ruff!"

"Woah," Weston gasped. "They got a celebrity I actually know. And a famous one too!"

"Thanks for being here Pal," Rhonda stated. "I can't wait to watch your new movie coming out, A Dog Plays ESports. And your new series, Indiana Bones and the Raiders of the Lost Bark."

"Woof!"

Tessa rolled her eyes. "You think her forced shilling would sound natural by now."

"Where the heck is Toby?" Vance asked. "Why ain't he judgin?"

"Because he's my sidekick," Jenny replied.

"Because I know how to work the stage controls and Jenny doesn't," Toby yelled from backstage.

"YOUR MOM!"

"Your goal is to get the highest score," Rhonda continued. "The higher the score, the better. Anyone who does get a perfect score may have the chance to earn a game-changing advantage!"

The newcomers shared a look.

"Alright, first up is...Kalino and his sloth!"

After a mintue, Toby pushed Kalino and his sloth out on stage. Kalino lied face down on stage, Kalino's sloth clinging to his back.

"Well?" Rhonda asked.

The two sat there, finishing each other's snores.

Jenny pulled a rock out of her pocket and tossed it at Kalino's head. "Entertain me peon!"

Kalino stirred up and raised an eyebrow at the judges. "Huh?"

"What do you have to show us?" Jenny asked.

"Ooh," Kalino replied. "Uhh...me and Kalino Jr. here decided to take a nap while Rhonda was blabbing. Were we supposed to do something?"

"Well, I think this is an easy score," Rhonda said to the other judges, who nodded.

All three judges held up tens.

"What!?" Tessa screamed. "A perfect score! He didn't doing anything."

Ignacio chuckled and clapped. "How Kalino of him."

"It's clear you and your buddy have bonded," Rhonda stated. "You guys are on the same wavelength!"

"I also like how you insulted Rhonda," Jenny added.

"Ruff!"

"Sweeeeeetttt," Kalino replied. He and Kalino Jr. rolled off the stage.

"Next up we have...Weston and his albino alligator."

Weston appeared on stage in his swimsuit, pushing out a wide, swampy tank. "Let's get it Wally. Kick it!"

Elton John's Crocodile Rock started blasting in the amphitheater. Weston ran up and jumped into the tank, slashing the judges with swamp water. Weston submerged from the water...on the albino alligator's head.

But the biggest kick I ever got was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock.

Weston became mock surfing as Wally moved around the tank. A wave machine in the back created waves that the two 'surfed'. Weston did some dance moves on top of the albino gator's head, who banged his head along to the beat.

I never knew me a better time, and I guess I never will.

The tank burst, flooding the stage and soaking his fellow competitors in the front row as Weston 'surfed' out onto the stage just as the music ended. The judges clapped as Weston and Wally bowed their heads.

"That was a very fun performance," Rhonda said. "Almost worthy of a perfect score…"

"Woo!"

Rhonda and Pal held up a 9, while Jenny held up an 8.

"What?" Weston asked.

"Unfortunately it was a little off," Rhonda stated. "It shows a little lack of understanding of your animal buddy. I mean, you know crocodiles and alligators are separate animals right?"

Weston stared at the judges. "What?"

Weston sat across from Wally. "Did you know this Wally?"

The albino alligator nodded vigorously.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Weston asked.

The albino gator started chuckling, before falling over laughing.

"Next is Melissa and her elephant!"

Melissa waved as she walked on stage. "For our activity, Babar and I will be sharing a new recipe with you all."

Toby pushed out a makeshift curtain as Melissa tied an apron around her waist and Babar placed a chef's hat on it's head with his trunk. He trumpeted as Melissa clapped and the two got to work.

"First one and three fourths milk," Melissa explained. She held a bowl above her head. Babar nodded, drinking milk from a cup, then spraying it into the bowl. Melissa giggled as she wiped it off her face.

"Next some flour…"

Babar blew flour out it's trunk all over the kitchen. Similar to the way they cake themselves with mud, the elephant was now decorated with flour. "Perfect Babar. Now then…"

The two went over a simple to follow recipe; Babar used his trunk as a second appendage, from cracking eggs to mixing the bowl. It even helped crush peanuts, when it wasn't stealing them. Finally, Melissa put the mix in the oven.

"And when they're done," Melissa narrated, "all you have to do is decorate and you'll have…"

Babar presented a tray of elephant shaped pastries. "Ta-da! Peanut butter elephant eclair cake! A sweet dish inspired by this sweetheart."

Babar covered it's face with his ears as if blushing as Melissa giggled and petted his trunk.

The judges munched on the treats as they all held up tens.

"Wonderful presentation," Rhonda stated.

Jenny shoved two squares into her mouth at once. "Mmmm..bonus points for free food, num, num, num…"

"Next is supposed to be Ness, but since she's not-"

"Ca-caw!"

Everyone looked up. Ness' falcon circled the sky. A spotlight suddenly shined on the balcony seats. Stepping into the light was Ness in some of brown flight uniform, complete with bird like wings that extended like flaps from the suit, along with a pilot's hat and goggles.

"Falkner here is the fastest animal there is," Ness stated. "While I can't get up to those speeds, I decided the best way to get to know my animal buddy was to take to the skies!"

Ness winked at Ignacio, who blushed. Lowering her aviator goggles, she stepped back...then ran forward and jumped off the edge.

Everyone gasped...but Ness didn't fall. Flapping her wings, she glided through the air, circling the others from above. Hidden from their view, there were several large fans scattered throughout. Using there air currents, Ness glided with her suit, mimicking flight. Ness smirked as she and Falkner passed each other. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Kalino standing on the theatre catwalk.

Ness circled back around, heading for her perch. However, her falcon circled above her. Letting out a cry, the bird of prey dove down and tore her wings with his talons.

"Wait Falkner that'll, ahhhhh!"

Falkner began pecking her face aggressively as she stopped flapping. Ness' wing fell off. She looked down and gulped. "Uh oh...ahhhhhhhh... again!"

Ness screamed as she fell. She covered her eyes and braced for impact. But when she looked up, she discovered Ignacio had caught her in his arms.

"Ooh, thanks Iggy," Ness stated, blushing.

"Um...uh...um…"

Ignacio dropped Ness. He blushed and started helping her up. "S..sorry."

"Heh, you're fine. The flight suit you built worked great."

"I should have thought to add a parachute," Ignacio stated.

"Once again Ness' bad luck strikes," Jenny teased.

"If you consider Ignacio catching you bad luck," Rhonda sighed. "It is unfortunate because we can't give you a good score Ness. You demonstrated you and your buddy just aren't close yet."

Rhonda held up a five, Jenny held up a two, and Pal held up a six.

"I thought me and Falkner were getting along great before," Ness admitted.

Falkner screeched and left a dropping on Ness' head.

"Next is...Jasper and his chameleon."

Jasper awkwardly stood approached the stage. Behind him, Toby set up a projector and a small screen. Jasper opened the tank, pulling out the chameleon and setting it in front of the projector screen.

Jasper activated the projector. Creating a blue background. The chameleon matched it. The projector changed to dark red, light purple, pale yellow, dark gray and other colors while the chameleon matched them perfectly. It ended with a glowly rainbow display, with the chameleon perfectly matching all the colors.

The others clapped. Jasper held out his arm, his partner climbing up and disguising himself as his shirt. Jasper did an awkward bow. The judges held up their score; three fives.

"It was a cute idea," Rhonda said. "But it doesn't really show how you and your chameleon bonded or are similar. I mean you could have tried like hide and seek. Or maybe share a hobby or teach it your talent."

Jasper shrugged. "I was hoping the color display would be enough. I just didn't have any ideas. I mean teaching it my talent? I don't have a talent to teach it. I guess I could have tried to eat flies like it…"

"Next is Ignacio and his skunk!"

Modern pop music began playing in the background. The lights dimmed, as the stage lights grew brighter. Ignacio pushed back the curtain as he strutted out in 'model mode'. He was dressed in a modern suit, with a black and white design, complete with designer shades. Around his neck was some kind of black and white fur collar.

As Ignacio approached the judges table, the 'collar' moved, revealing itself to be his skunk partner. The skunk batted her eyelashes at the judges. She stood on Iggy's neck, swinging her tail back and forth and nuzzling the model's beard. Ignacio took off his black blazer, throwing it on his shoulder. He reached the end of the runway and both he and his skunk struck a pose. The lights returned to normal. The newcomers all clapped at the show as the judges held up three tens.

"Yes!" Ignacio cheered. "Wonderful work Potpourri."

The skunk licked his face.

"I admit to be concerned about having a skunk as a partner," Ignacio said. "Yet my animal buddy immediately took a shine to me. I'm not sure why, but I haven't smelt any offending odors, so I won't question it."

Potpourri jumped on Ignacio's shoulder, creating a heart around his neck with her tail. The model forced a smile as the heart tightened.

"Now we have Tessa and her killer bees!"

Ignacio and Potpourri immediately dashed off stage. Tessa exited from backstage, placing the hive in the middle of the stage very delicately. She was dressed in a gold leotard. Toby placed two spring green boxes to both sides of the stages. Tessa flipped her ponytail. "Cue the music!"

Tessa bowed as a familiar tune, Tchaikovsky's 'Waltz of the Flowers' from The Nutcracker Suite began to play.

Tessa flipped forward on to the stage. Toby pushed out a balance beam and Tessa leapt onto it. She did a few quick tumbles across and struck a pose, before hoping down. She cartwheeled over to the green spring box, opened it, and removed some of its contents; flowers.

She laid a vase out and took more in her hand, before backflipping back onto the balance beam and tiptoeing over to the hive. She sprinkled flowers as she went, then opened the hatch and released the bees. She performed a somersault over the hive, then flipped her way to other the box, unveiling more flowers.

The bees now flew from the hive and over to the flowers towards the left, drawn by the scent. As Tessa laid out roses, tulips and carnations to the right, bees followed. The pollinators collected their treasure and returned to the hive. Tessa performed a tumble, then sliding on the balance beam and tossing flowers everywhere, landed in front of the hive. She tossed open the entire lid, as buzzing rang through the air.

Bees are known to communicate through motion, often thought as though their dancing. From the now revealed hive, the dance they shared to their fellow worker bees could be seen, matching Tessa's movements. Tessa didn't wince as the stage soon became filled with bees. Instead she tiptoed around them, continuing her routine as if nothing mattered.

Everyone was silent and watched intensely. Part of it was fear of killer bees, but the other part was simply awe. They were seeing an Olympic level gymnastics routine. Tessa's movements were refined and some of her steps were trying to mimic her buzzing routine partners, who had their own little motions as they performed their own Waltz of the Flowers.

/

On the catwalk above the stage, Kalino gave a soft whistle. "I got to hand it to her, this is a pretty rad performance. She'd probably get all tens with that."

From behind his back, Kalino pulled out a bottle of olive oil. He screwed off the cap and held it over the railing. "Sorry Tess. It's really not personal."

"Hey Kalino."

Kalino nearly dropped the bottle, catching it on his foot and punting it off to the side. He turned to see Ness waving there.

"Ness? Haha...what'cha doing over here?"

I thought this would be a nice place to watch Tessa's performance," Ness answered. "It's something isn't it?"

"I was just thinking the same thing."

"What are you doing up here Kalino?"

Kalino shrugged. "I was looking for Kalino Jr. I figured sloths like high places so."

"You lost him?" Ness asked. "How did something so slow get away from you?"

"I'm kind of a slooooow dude too."

"Sounds like you weren't fast enough."

Ness smirked. "I think I saw Kalino Jr. in the seats. Why don't we go look for him together?"

"Sounds like a plan man," Kalino replied.

Ness grabbed Kalino's hand and pulled him with her.

/

On stage, the bees had finished their gathering and headed home to the hive. As the music came to an end and the last bee left, Tessa threw herself in the air. She struck a perfect landing. Closing the hive, Tessa take a bow as the Waltz of Flowers ended.

The judges leapt to their feet, or paws, as they clapped and howled in approval. The other newcomers did as well, Kalino, his sloth, and Ness now with them. The judges all held up three tens as Tessa took a second bow.

"An inspired performance," Rhonda added.

"YES!" Tessa cheered. "I admit it, I didn't think I had a shot in this challenge. I mean I had to work with killer bees! But I just had to play to my strengths. Once I decided on a gymnastics routine I just had to figure out how to incorporate the bees."

"I realized they may be deadly, but that's not their fault. They're still bees and they're important to the Earth. They have a softer side really. Guess I did kind of relate to them in the end…"

"Let's see if Vance can top that with his lamb."

"All right Lambchop," Vance stated. "Our time to shine!"

Vance walked out onto to stage, carrying his lamb. He placed it down on the opposite side. He tipped his hat at the judges and pulled out his lasso. He spun it around before tossing it around the lamb. The lamb bleated as Vance yanked it forward. He spun the lamb free from his rope.

Old time country music started to play as Vance started to square dance. He whistled at Lambchop, who approached and started to tap it's little hooves along. Vance and Lambchop spun around. Lambchop bleated and bit Vance's heels.

"Dang it Lambchop, not now!" Vance cried as his partner tried to eat his pants. Vance tried to shake lambchop lose, only to trip over the sheep and fall on his back.

"Baaaaaaa!"

Lambchop trotted over to Vance's face, spit on him, grabbed his hat in his mouth and ran off.

The judges looked unimpressed.

"Ruff!" Pal barked, showing a zero.

"Zero," Rhonda sighed.

"Negative one hundred!" Jenny yelled.

"Riley was last," Rhonda said. "But since she and her shark are a no show it looks like…"

The lights went out. Smoke billowed from behind the curtains and covered the stage. A platform from underneath the stage raised. It had a giant underwater tank. Inside was Jabberjaw with a guitar. Behind him sat Riley in a scuba suit at a set of drums.

"This killer is Jabberjaw and I'm the brodacious Riley," Riley announced into a mic in her scuba mask. "And we are SPLASH ZONE! Landlubbers and salty sea dogs, prepare to have your ****** rocked off! A one, a two, a one, two, three…"

Riley and Jabberjaw immediately went hard as they could and stated rocking. Jabberjaw shredded the guitar, even playing it with his teeth. Riley continued to beat the drums. Their music shattered their tank, causing the water to drain like a waterfall. At the same time, several water fountains sprung out of the ground.

The newcomers cheered. Wally the gator pulled out a lighter and waved it.

Jabberjaw finally finished with a guitar solo, then swallowed his guitar whole.

"Thank you!" Riley shouted. "And good night!"

The judges, and the rest of the newcomers, jumped and applauded the two. Each judge held up a ten.

"And we have another perfect score!" Rhonda announced.

/

Moments later, the stage was clean and the newcomers all sat down. Rhonda sat on the edge of the stage. "Overall, Ignacio, Kalino, Melissa, Tessa, and Riley have perfect scores! Then it's Weston, Jasper, Ness, and finally Vance."

"So what are these stupid scores about anyway?" Vance asked.

"And you mentioned something about a game changing advantage?" Ignacio said.

Rhonda nodded. "The winner of today's challenge will win invincibility and the luxury suite as per usual. But for this challenge, we're giving away some of the best rewards yet. You don't even have to win the challenge to earn one."

"For your second challenge, the higher you score the easier it'll be. And anyone who got a perfect score and completes the challenge in the time limit will win some kind of prize. Some of those prizes could be secret, game changing advantages!"

"So what is the second part?" Tessa asked.

"You'll find out when you wake up."

"Wait, w-"

Tessa was interrupted by a tranquilizer dart shot into her neck. "Ow, Rhonda I swear to...uhhhh…"

The newcomers all fell to the floor and into unconsciousness.

/

"Uhhhh…"

"It's not even doing anything!"

"Try throwing a peanut at it!"

Riley groaned, stirring as peanuts pelted her face. She looked up to see a bunch of teenagers above her.

"Dude, I crashed," Riley yawned. "But...where did I crash to?"

"Do something exciting!"

Riley flinched as more peanuts were thrown at her. She stood up and rubbed her eyes, noticing she was in some kind of pit enclosure. Vines all grew around the stone. A sign above her read, "Brois Radious".

A child tugged on his mother's dress and pointed at Riley. "What is that thing mommy?"

"It's one of the scariest beasts of all," the boy's mother replied. "A teenager."

"What is going on?" Riley asked.

"Wakey wakey newcomers!" Rhonda's voice rang on P.A. "You guys seemed to not feel at home at the Pentagram Hotel. So, we decided to relocate you to new habitats!"

The camera panned out to reveal a zoo full of busy people. Ness shivered as she found herself in some kind of icy tank. Weston meanwhile floated on top of a lake as seals swam by him. Kalino scratched his head as meerkats started burying him in the savannah sand.

"The last part of your challenge is...a zoo-break!" Rhonda stated. "Your goal is to escape your display, find your animal buddy and bust out! You have until the sun sets in a couple of hours. First person to make it to the exit wins! Anyone else who does breakout in the time limit and got a perfect score gets a reward."

Tessa screamed as a panda sat on top of her, chewing bamboo. Vance spit and kicked the bars around his enclosure. He hollered as he held his stubbed toe.

"Like I said, the higher score the easier this challenge would be for you," Rhonda explained. "So those of you who did better are closer to your animal buddies and an exit. Those of you who did poorly...sucks to be you."

"Hmm," Riley said. "Doesn't sound too incredibly hard."

"Did I mention that we have animal control patrolling the zoo?" Rhonda asked. "Because they're armed with tranq guns, nets, and other fun ways to capture you if you've escaped. So have at the zoo. There's lots of things to do!"

The PA cutout as Riley sighed, eating one of the peanuts thrown at her. "Don't worry Jabberjaw, I'm on my way."

/

"Hi-yah!"

Using a bamboo limb, Tessa pole vaulted out of her enclosure. She dusted off her hands. "Hmph, that wasn't hard."

She frowned as she read the sign next to her. "Shrilluis Olympicius? Who are they calling annoying? I'm just...vocal!"

"Did you hear something?"

"It sounded very shrill; we better check it out!"

Tessa's eyes grew wide. She sighed as she hid in the only place that was close; a trash can. The guards ran by her. "Phew, at least-"

A passing by kid tossed a snow cone in the can. "Ughhhh…"

The kid raised an eyebrow. "Did that trashcan just whine in a shrill voice?"

"I'M NOT SHRILL!"

"Ahhhhhh!" the kid ran screaming. "Mommy! Mommy!"

"Crap," Tessa sighed. She kicked over the trashcan and started rolling away...

/

Riley tied one of the surrounding vines around her waist. She then lassoed it to the sign. Once it clipped, she pulled on it and began to hoist herself out of the hole. "Alright, Jabberjaw has to be somewhere with water and tanks. So all I need to do...is find a map! Zoos have maps posted everywhere. I got this!"

The vine snapped, sending Riley plummeting back into the pit. "Eventually…"

"I woke up in a butterfly house," Ignacio explained. "I was able to convince a guard to help me escape after...removing my shirt. Besides the terrible shame I felt, I was on a pretty good track…"

Ignacio, with his hood up, walked down the sidewalk. He stared at different cages. "Here Potpourri. Where could she…"

Ignacio sniffed the air and started speed walking to the right. He passed by crowds of people heading the opposite direction. Holding his nose, he ran to a corner where Potpourri cage was. The skunk immediately perked up as she saw Iggy approach.

Ignacio tapped his chin as he started messing with the lock. "I'm going to need a tool to pick this with…it's times like this I regret not wearing hairpins."

"Stop right there!"

Ignacio turned to see a platoon of animal control guards aimed at him. "Uh oh."

"Put your hands and paws where I can see them!"

Ignacio raised his hands. "Wait, don't! You'll scare her and-"

"Move in!"

Potpourri lifted he her tail and sprayed a ginormous stink cloud.

"My eyes! My eyes!"

The guards ran away screaming as Ignacio began coughing violently. "Still...beats locusts…"

/

In an aquarium exhibit, Jabberjaw sighed as he swam back in forth in a small tank. A large lock was on the tank lid.

A little boy was repeatedly tapping the glass, right under a 'do not tap the glass' sign.

"Stop that!"

A guard ran up to the boy and pointed at the sign. "Since you can't read; DO. NO. TAP. THE. GLASS! Got it?"

"Got this!?"

The guard turned around as Riley ran up and clocked him in the nose. "Punch in the snout for dominance!"

The guard fall to the floor. Riley turned to the glass and started tapping it at fast as she could. "Ah, ah, ah, ah! Ooh, finger cramp!"

Riley shook her hand. She started walking backwards, before running straight at the tank… "Get ready Jabberjaw!"

...and faceplanting against the glass.

Jabberjaw shook his head in his tank.

Riley scratched her chin. "Alright bud, we need something stronger to break this tank…"

Riley scoured the aquarium looking for a clue. As she looked up, she noticed a giant whale skeleton hanging over the area. "Ah yeah…"

The bro climbed on top of Jabberjaw's tank, jumping and just grabbing the bone fin. Riley tried to pull herself up, but the display started swinging back and forth, back and forth, back and forth…

"Come on skeleton, just throw me a bone here," Riley sighed.

Snap.

The entire whale skeleton came crashing down, along with part of the ceiling. From the rubble, Riley's hand raised with a femur bone.

She got up and tossed the bone at the tank...which bounced off and did nothing.

"Really?" Riley asked.

She looked around, then grabbed a sharp piece of ceiling and hurled it into the glass. The tank shattered into pieces, and Jabberjaw surfed out. He flipped and Riley caught him in her arms. The shark nuzzled her cheek. "I told you I wouldn't let you down fin friend. Now let's blow this joint!"

Riley ran off as the earlier boy stared and watched her leave. Seconds later, a guard ran up and glared at him. "Were you tapping the glass?"

/

"Ow."

Ness groaned. Her back hit the ice, making a few more cracks. She stood up, gaining her balance and glaring above her. A latch was just above her, but too high for the shortest contestant.

"If I could just jump high enough to grab it…"

"Not trying to escape, are you?"

Ness was so startled she fall backwards on the ice again. She groaned and looked up to see two guards watching her.

"Uhh...no. I was just stretching. It's a little cramped being locked in here."

"Good; we wouldn't want to have to tranq you," the guard replied. He motioned to his belt.

"Why are you even doing this?" Ness asked. "I doubt a zoo would need to, or want to, hire you."

"We're Washington's Animal Control," the other guard replied. "We're only doing this for some good publicity."

"Publicity?" Ness asked.

"Ever since that **** horse-"

"-Don't mention it!" the other guard shouted. "If you say it's name then it'll appear."

The first guard crossed his arm. "I'm not scared! I just want to teach that hoofed horror a lesson. It's made of mockery of our job."

"And destroyed the city," the guard said. "It lit a school on fire! It's a menace! A vessel for the devil to punish Washington! I just wish I knew who...who is the fool who cured us by unleashing it onto the city? Who? Who?"

/

On the other side of the zoo, Vance started to naw on the bars of his cage.

/

"WHO?"

Ness forced a laugh. "No clue. But instead of wasting animal control resources here, shouldn't you focus on the horse?"

"And face that thing? God forbid!"

"I'm not afraid," the first guard stated.

"...Neighhhhh…."

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" the first guard screamed, waving his hands in the air as the other passed out.

A trashcan spilled over. Tessa crawled out on her hands and knees, throwing cotton candy out of her hair. "I can't believe that actually worked…"

"Tessa?" Ness asked.

Tessa started climbed up Ness' enclosure. "I know you want nothing to do with me. And I know that helping you won't make a difference. But I overheard those chumps harassing you...and I couldn't just sit by."

"Tes-"

"I get it, I was an awful person. I'm not denying it. I can't change that. I'm still probably an awful person. But I want to change that. And maybe doing the right thing I can change that."

"But-"

"Yeah, I get you think I voted off Lita. And I did try when we were Fireworks. But I swear that wasn't me. I was framed! I understand that sounds crazy…"

"I believe you!"

"...but I really wanted to bury the hatchet. I still feel like...wait, what?" Tessa asked.

"I think Kalino framed you," Ness stated.

Tessa lifted the hatch of the exhibit. She pulled Ness up and helped the jinx of her prison. "You do?"

Ness nodded. "When I was flying I saw him on the catwalk. I caught him getting ready to sabotage your performance. Then I realized, if you really were evil you would've let me and Andre be sabotaged during the snow race."

"You know about Damien's sled switch?" Tessa asked.

"Lita's partner told her about," Ness replied. "She told me...I think she did believe you changed."

Tessa blushed. "Really?"

"Absolutely...I'm sorry I didn't," Ness admitted. "I've just been betrayed in this game before. And...maybe I sort of associated you with some creeps from my school. So I let myself be convinced. Again, sorry."

Tessa shook her head. "Please. You just gave a textbook example of Stupid Things Tessa Did 101. I appreciate it Ness."

"Of course!" Ness replied. "Now let's go out and win this thing. Then let's give Kalino a little payback by voting him off tonight. For Lita."

"For Lita!" Tessa cheered.

/

Rhonda yawned. She looked up at the sky; the sun was starting to set. She tapped her foot near the exit gate. "Where could they be?"

As if on cue, a running noise was heard. Off in the distance, the newcomers raced to her. Tessa took the lead, riding a cart with her beehive on it. Ignacio's stink was so strong he could be seen behind her, Potpourri on his neck. Ness and Falkner, Weston and Wally, and Jasper and his chameleon followed. Melissa sat on Babar, waving as he trumpeted the charge.

Kalino was the caboose in this race, streaking at a slow pace. Kalino Jr held onto him with one arm, using the other to hold a leaf above Kalino's...lower region.

"We've got a stampede!" Rhonda cried. "It's anyone's race."

"Not for long!"

Jenny giggled as she approached the newcomers in a safari jeep being driven by Toby. The roof down, she stood out, pointing at them. She and her sidekick were dressed like stereotypical big game hunters.

"Those animal control morons were losers," Jenny stated. "If you want something done right, you better do it yourself!"

"Then why am I driving?" Toby asked.

"Because," Jenny replied, "I need my hands free for...this."

From the backseat, Jenny pulls out a giant tranquilizer gun. "My tranq bazooka! Nighty-night!"

Jenny began firing multiple tranq darts at once.

Kalino dropped to the ground and rolled under the elephant, leaving it's rear prime for target...

"Oh no!" Melissa cried. "Babar! Stay with me Babar!"

Babar let out a cry as several tranq darts hit him. He started swinging back and forth, knocking Jasper down as he fell with a thud. Melissa grabbed his trunk, petting it as she held him dear.

"What's going on?" Weston asked. "And why do I feel so...sle…"

Weston face planted against the ground as he past out, a tranq dart sticking out of his rear end.

"Split up!" Ignacio yelled. "She can't aim at all of us."

"Oh you wanna bet Le Pew?" Jenny asked. "After all, I have my own animal buddy."

"Cawwwwww!"

Everyone looked up to see a vulture circling the newcomers with a piercing glare.

Rhonda gasped. "It's Elaine, the vulture that Jenny and Toby adopted as a pet in the fashion challenge. And hasn't been seen for like...nine chapters, besides unnamed cameos! I guess the author actually remembered she existed."

"Finally," Jenny sighed. "Now attack Elaine! Destroy them my pet, muawhahahaha!"

Elaine let out a piercing cry. As if in response, Ness' falcon also cried, spreading his wings.

"Wait, Falkner, we're almost at the-"

Falkner took off, dragging Ness along with him. "Ahhhh!"

Elaine swooped at the newcomers, her talons out. They ducked, but she circled around and came at them again.

"Get away you ugly buzzard!" Tessa screamed.

"She's a vulture you dodo!" Jenny called. "Elaine, rip her ponytail out her skull with your talons!"

Elaine rushed at Tessa, feigning left. The Olympian tried to dodge, but Elaine went right and knocked over the beehive. It shattered and the killer bees rose into the sky. Elaine seemed to smirk as perched herself on the jeep and let out a cry.

Tessa fell to the ground and braced for impact as the bees started to swarm.

However as the bees were about to strike, the froze in the air...as Ignacio ran forward. The smell was so strong, they all started to fly off and retreated into their shattered hive.

"I guess this stink is good for something," Ignacio sighed.

"Not everything!" Jenny cried. "I brought nose plugs! Elaine, finish them!"

Jenny reloaded her bazooka. Elaine spread her wings and let out a caw, but it was interrupted by a cry of…

"Cowabunga!"

From the right, a giant tidal wave washed towards the exit. And surfing on top of it was Riley...riding on Jabberjaw.

"How?" Rhonda asked.

"We needed to play to my bro's shark strength," Riley explained. "So I stopped up a ton of toilets and sinks till they all exploded into a superwave! It was a lot easier than I thought it would be."

Jenny tried to fire her bazooka, but Jabberjaw dodged all the bullets. "Crap! Do something Elaine!"

Elaine nodded...and flew off in the opposite direction.

"I didn't mean that!" Jenny cried, before the wave knocked her away. The jeep, the other newcomers and their animal buddies were washed away.

"Sup Toby," Riley greeted as she surfed by the sinking jeep.

Toby waved. "Hey Riley."

Rhonda stepped back as the wave died out right in front of the exit. Riley and Jabberjaw slid right through and struck a pose.

"And we have our winners!" Rhonda cried. "Congratulations Riley and Jabberjaw!"

Ignacio and Potpourri washed up across the finish line. Then Kalino and Kalino Jr. floated to it on a trash can lid used as a makeshift boat just as the sun set.

"And Kalino and Ignacio also finished!" Rhonda said. "All three of them will have a chance to win another reward...and ugh, you also win a free tomato bath Ignacio."

Rhonda, Riley, Kalino, and their animal buddies pinched their noses and stepped away from the hunk. Potpourri cuddled his neck.

"Thank you," Ignacio groaned.

"We'll give those out when we get back to the Pentagram," Rhonda stated. "Everyone else get your buddies ready and head to the bus. I think we're headed out."

"Think?" Riley asked.

"Yeah," Rhonda replied. "It's just...I feel like we're forgetting something…"

/

Vance groaned. He sat on the floor of his cage and pouted. Just on the outside, his lamb chewed on the seat of his pants.

/

After the challenge, Rhonda stood outside of the Pentagram with Pal. They seemed to be on some kind of graveyard set. Out of the door, Riley and Kalino came out with their animal buddies.

A minute later, Ignacio was pushed outside. He was dripping with tomato juice as he tried to hold a towel to his waist. Potpourri skipped on all fours after him.

"Do we have to do this now?" Ignacio asked.

"Come on, where's your sense of adventure Iggy Pop?" Riley asked.

"Back in my bathroom," Ignacio replied. "Along with the rest of my clothes."

"Come on bud, we've been working on keeping that mellow," Kalino said. "Do you want me to get naked too?"

"I can too," Riley teased. "If that's what you want…"

Ignacio blushed deep red. "Please don't…"

"You're redder than your tomato baths," Riley laughed with Jabberjaw.

Rhonda coughed. "If we could pay attention please? For passing both parts, you'll have the chance to get an advantage."

"I'm guessing we gotta do something for it?" Kalino asked.

Rhonda nodded. "Exactly. Pal, if you would explain."

"Bark, bark, bark! Ruff, ruff! Woooooooof!"

"Eloquently put," Rhonda replied.

The three newcomers started at her.

"Well?" Rhonda said. "Get to it!"

"Um...could you repeat that?" Riley asked. "I think I missed...all of it."

Rhonda rolled her eyes. "To save Pal's vocals I'll summarize; under each headstone in this pet cemetery is a treasure chest with some kind of reward. You have to choose one and dig it out."

"That's what I thought he said," Kalino said. "Where are the shovels?"

"Pal didn't need shovels to bury them, so you don't need shovels to dig them up. You've got paws!"

Riley tapped her chin, then turned to her shark. "What'cha think Jabberjaw? Which headstone seems like a reward to you?"

Jabberjaw sank to the ground and began sniffing the ground. He circled through the graveyard until stopping at a gravestone marked, 'Miss Puffycheeks.' Riley held a thumbs up and began digging into the dirt.

Ignacio stops at a tombstone that said 'Scruffy'. "Potpourri, could you help me and…"

Potpourri dove into the dirt and started digging.

Kalino looked towards Kalino Jr. "Alright pal, now your animal six sense to tell me where to dig!"

Kalino Jr. fall over and began to nap. Kalino shrugged and walked over to the nearest headstone, reading 'Bruiser'.

Seconds later, Potpourri threw up a large treasure chest with a bone design on it. The treasure chest was about three times her size.

"Let me guess," Ignacio stated. "These chests are tie-ins to Pal's new movie?"

"They're based off the Bark of the Covenant," Rhonda stated. "And just like in the movie, these chests also contain a secret surprise! But What kind of secrets does Indiana Bones find in the real Bark of the Covenant? Find out in a theatre near you!"

"Ruff, ruff!"

Ignacio rolls his eyes as he and the others opened their treasure chests.

Kalino winked. "This challenge was toooooooo easy! Sure I didn't win invincibility, but that just makes you a bigger target. I won something more important."

From his back pocket, Kalino pulled out a black floppy disc. "This little cutie here can be used to steal the vote of anyone at any elimination. And the best part is they won't even know. I'm starting to lose control of how many magic doodads I've found…"

Ignacio sighed. "Today's challenge was rather stressful. I was hoping if I at least didn't get invincibility, I'd win some kind of advantage. But instead I got a children's toy."

Ignacio revealed a box labeled 'X-Ray Glasses; Spy On Your Friends!' Ignacio pulled out dark blue specs with green, swirly lens. "I suppose Rhonda did say a chance for an advantage...but it would have been nice to at least win something useful. I'm at least glad no one can use these on me...if they even work."

"So," Riley said. "My treasure chest just had a little paper in it. And it said, come to the theatre later. Alone…"

Riley walked out onto the stage. All the lights were off. No one was there.

"Hello?" Riley called. "Any dudes or dudettes here? I'm here when you told me to come. I'm not going to be dropped down a trap door...right?"

The stage began to move. Riley jumped, but instead of going down the trap door something rose up onto the stage.

It was a large, gold podium. On it were several mini treasure chests like the previous challenge. At the center was a medium sized chest. It had a note attached to it, only saying 'Open'.

"I feel like I'm about to open Pandora's box," Riley admitted. "Who knows what horrors I'll find…"

Riley stared at it before immediately throwing the lid open. "Oh well!"

She peeked inside and pulled out...a golden immunity flashdrive. She kissed it. "Oh yeahhh! Thank you Jabberjaw."

She fist pumped the air, accidentally knocking over the middle box and releasing a note. "Huh?"

Picking it up, Riley read aloud, "Congratulations, you've found a golden hidden immunity flash drive. However, this flash drive was misused before and has no power...for now. But thanks to Pal and Indiana Bones: The Bark of the Covenant, you have the chance to restore its power…"

"What?" Riley asked. "There always has to be a catch. '...There are fourteen mini chests here. Half of them contain a Goldendoodle Idol, while the other half contains a cursed Cat Skull. For every idol you find, your flash drive will work for the next elimination ceremony. But if you not find a cursed skull, you lose your vote. Will you risk it?"

"This reward has 'Danger Zone' written all over it," Riley explained. "I could lose a crucial vote, just for a flash drive that maybe works. But fortunately, I love Kenny Loggins! Sure it's risky, but I gotta take that risk! I mean my spirit animal is a shark; I'm the big kahuna of the sea. So I'm playing this extremely forced, cheesy tie-in! And there's one sure fire method to solving this…"

"Eenie, meanie, minine...moe!"

Riley pointed at a mini-chest in the bottom left corner. She flipped it to reveal...an idol!

"Aww sweet!" Riley cheered. "So I can use this thing tonight. Alright, now let's pick...the other corner!"

Riley opened the chest in the bottom right corner...revealing another idol. "Aww yeah, two for two. Now let's go three for three."

Riley opened up the upper right corner...and found another idol. "Yes! I am killing it! Alright, last corner piece?"

Riley raised her hand over it, but stopped. "Well…I don't want to get ahead of myself. I mean three strikes you're out, right? I have invincibility, so I really can only use it for the next two ceremonies...but maybe that's enough."

Riley stepped back and nodded. She turned away, hiding the flash drive in her hat. The stage began to shake again and the podium sank back into the ground. Riley turned to watch it. The chest in the upper left corner opened itself...revealing it would have been a cat skull. Riley smirked and strutted on out.

/

In the lobby, everyone and their animal buddies gathered together.

"I'm afraid it's time to say goodbye to our special new friends," Rhonda said.

Melissa held Babar's trunk tightly. "But, where will they go?"

"Back to the zoos or farms or aquariums they came from," Rhonda replied. "Back to their homes and families."

"I'm sure they miss home," Melissa stated. "But I'll miss you Babar."

Babar sniffled, then snotted from his trunk all over Melissa. Melissa shrugged and hugged him.

"See you later alligator," Weston stated.

He held out his hand to pet Wally but the gator snapped at him, knocking Weston on his back. Wally walked off.

Vance placed his hat over his lamb's head. "Here partner, my spare hat. To remember me by."

Lambchop nodded...then knocked off the hat and started eating it.

"Well Falkner," Ness said. "Today has really-"

"-Cawwww!"

Falkner flew off. Ness sighed and walked over to Ignacio, who was petting Potpourri. "I guess this really wasn't my challenge."

"You did well," Ignacio stated. "Besides the whole animal buddy part I mean."

Ness giggled. "Thanks for trying. You and your sweet little skunk were fantastic. I had no idea you had such a bond with animals. It's so cool Iggy."

Ignacio blushed. "Well you know...I've always loved animals. I do want to be a science teacher after all. Biology is one of my favorite subjects..."

Potpourri growled.

"We should you know, visit a zoo something," Ignacio said. "You know, together. A real zoo instead of this challenge."

"That would be so much fun!" Ness stated. "I would love that! How about you join us Potpourri?"

Ness bent down to pet Potpourri, who hissed at her.

Ignacio rubbed the back of his head. "You know we could go just the two of us. Maybe as a-"

Potpourri snapped and bit Ness' leg.

"Owww!"

"Potpourri, what are you doing?" Ignacio yelled.

"It's fine," Ness replied. "I think she's just playing with me, right?"

Potpourri revealed her claws and began scratching Ness up. "Awww, I think she like me!"

Ignacio tried to pull Potpourri off. She snarled and replied by skunking him. "Ugh! Again, really? Really?"

At the front desk, Jabberjaw wiped away a tear. Riley patted his head. "Aww come on bud. This isn't goodbye forever. I made a promise I'd help you fix your tooth, whether I win or not. So we'll see each other again. In the meantime, keep on shreddin the guitar. Understand?"

Jabberjaw nodded. Riley and her animal buddy pounded fists.

Toby blew a whistle. None of the humans reacted, but the animals all grabbed their ears or shook their heads. They started to follow Toby out the front door.

"This really was such a cool challenge," Ness said. "Just getting to be with these animals was amazing!"

"And we did form a bond with them," Melissa said. "Maybe we taught them a few things."

"And maybe," Riley said, "Just maybe we learned something from them too. Who's say to who was domesticating who?"

Riley belched and patted her stomach as the others laughed. From the door, the animals rolled their eyes.

Jabberjaw and the other animal buddies sat in the confessional. Babar only peaked his trunk inside.

"Why can't man be more civilized like animals?" Jabberjaw asked in a British accent. The other animals nodded in agreement.

"Alright," Rhonda said. "This nature lesson is over! You've got a few hours to decide which one of you will be going extinct next! Have fun."

/

Melissa, Tessa, Ness and Riley gathered together in the luxury suite.

"So it's decided," Melissa finished. "We'll all vote for him. He doesn't seem like he has a flash drive, so he's the best choice. Are we all together sisters?"

Melissa held her hand out. Ness placed her hand on top, with Tessa and Riley following.

"I just hope this works," Tessa admitted.

/

But in the sauna, Kalino, Jasper, Weston, Ignacio and Vance had gathered together…

"So it's decided," Kalino finished. "Understand?"

"Of course!" Vance replied. "But uh...you should repeat for everyone else, just in case…"

"It's not a hard plan," Ignacio said. "We all just write down the same girl's name. But are you sure it has to be her?"

"She's our best bet," Kalino replied. "We all vote for her. Five beats four, badda-bing, badda boom. Then the guys' alliance starts running the game!"

"But-"

"It's us or them," Kalino stated. "You're with us, right?"

"Yeah!" Weston cheered. "One for all and all for one!"

"I'm with you guys," Jasper said. "All the way."

"Sorry ladies," Vance stated. "But it's us or them now!"

Ignacio sighed and nodded.

Vance pulled them together for a group hug, Ignacio blushing bright red.

/

At the Haunted Internet Cafe...

"Today has been wild, hasn't it?" Rhonda joked.

None of the newcomers reacted, Tessa visibly cringing.

"Fine, it's time for the finale," Rhonda said. "The finale for one of you! This tray has eight iced pineapple expressos. There are nine of you. Need I elaborate?"

Weston counted his fingers. "Wait...repeat that?"

Rhonda groaned. "Just cast your votes!"

Kalino cast his vote. "Not my first pick to go home, but it really doesn't matter. With that, the girls' alliance is officially dead."

Melissa cast her vote. "This wasn't easy, but it's our safest choice. I hope you can understand."

Ignacio stared at the screen, moving the mouse back and forth.

Toby handed Rhonda a card. The hostess nodded. "The results are in! Let's start with today's winner, Riley!"

Riley caught her drink and gave a cheers.

"Also safe is...Kalino and Melissa."

The two easily caught their drinks.

"Then we have...Vance and Jasper."

Vance slapped Jasper's back, almost knocking the drink out of Jasper's hands.

"And Ignacio."

Ignacio didn't really react.

Rhonda picked up the second to last cup. "Surprisingly, this goes to one of our usual suspects. Congrats Tessa."

Tessa raised an eyebrow, but caught her drink.

Weston and Ness turned to each other, both of their eyes widening.

"Welcome to the bottom two Ness and Weston. This cup can only go to one of you."

Rhonda held up her finger, moving between the two. Ness was biting her nails and Weston shivered. Both followed the finger as it moved back and forth.

"And that is…"

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Rhonda rested her finger between the two of them. She shrugged. "...well that depends."

"Huh?"

"We have a tie."

"What?"

Kalino raised an eyebrow. "Wait a minute, then that means…"

Ignacio sank into his seat.

"Once again, I've caused another tie," Ignacio sighed. "Why do I keep doing this? I wanted to go with the guys and this alliance but...I couldn't vote for Ness. I refuse to I just...I care about her. And I couldn't convince them to vote for another girl. Kalino insisted on her. He believed she was least likely to have a flash drive."

Ignacio rubbed the back of the head. "So I tried to take an in-between option; I didn't vote for Ness, but I didn't vote against the guys. I voted for Tessa..."

"What happens now?" Weston asked.

"A revote?" Ness guessed.

Rhonda shook her hand. "Nope! For this tie, our tiebreaker elimination method is...a challenge."

Everyone gasped.

"It's simple; whoever wins gets the last cup of coffee and competes again. The loser leaves. For one of you, this is your last chance."

Weston and Ness gulped.

/

For the last time today, the newcomers gathered in the auditorium. Ness and Weston shared a look as they stood on stage, wearing Tarzan-like outfits. In front of them was a giant jungle gym, emphasis on jungle. It was dirty, like it had been covered in mud. The entrance was two sets monkey bars, each over a quicksand pit. It was overgrown with vines and other plants and bushes, that obscured what was inside.

Weston scratched his chin. "I think this may have something to do with the tiebreaker challenge."

"To match our animal themed challenge," Rhonda explained, "your tiebreaker will be a trip to a jungle...or at least a jungle gym. Your goal is to find this!"

From behind her back, Rhonda pulled out a golden monkey statue. "Whoever can bring me this monkey statue hidden somewhere in the jungle gym, will win the tiebreaker and safety. Just watch out in there."

A roar like a jaguar echoed from the playground.

This is for all the marbles; are you ready?"

"Well I-"

"Go!"

Ness and Weston raced forward as the newcomers cheered them on.

"Cream her Wes!" Vance shouted.

"You can do it Ness!" Melissa encouraged.

Weston finished the monkey bars just a few seconds before Ness, sliding off the end and into the playset. "Weeeeeee!"

Ness panted as she finished and ran in after.

"Ahh!"

Weston jumped out of a bush. A large anaconda slithered out after him. He dove into a ball pit...only to find a hippo underneath him.

"Sorry sir," Weston said. "I'll be leaving now."

Weston skipped across a row of hippo heads back into the jungle gym.

"I think I found something! Wait…"

"Ooh, ooh, ooh!"

"Please put me down!"

Ness was swung out an exit by a troop of howler monkeys. She landed in a quicksand pit. It wasn't deep however, and she slowly she pulled herself out of the sand and became to climb back into the pit.

"Come on, come on," Kalino whispered.

"Any minute now," Riley said.

Suddenly, a clunking noise was heard. Falling down a slide was the golden monkey statue, landing in a pit of mud.

"There it is, there it is!" Tessa cried.

"But..who found it?" Jasper asked.

"Ahhhhhh!"

From inside the slide, someone screamed and tumbled down it…

"And the winner is…"

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

"...Ness!"

Ness face planted in the mud. She held up the golden statue. "I did it...I did it!"

Weston fell out of the slide seconds later, landing on top of Ness.

"Aww man," Weston sighed. "I knew I should have checked the slide…"

Rhonda tossed the last cup of coffee at Ness' head. "Congratulations Ness. And sorry Weston. You're out."

Weston nodded.

/

Back at the Haunted Internet Cafe, Ness and Weston shook hands.

"Sorry it turned out this way," Ness replied.

Weston shrugged. "I'd say the same thing if it was the other way. Kind of funny though. You were in a tie with me and Easton and you out survived us both."

Ness blushed. "I guess I got lucky."

Weston shook his head. "Nah, my detective intuition says it's not luck."

Ness raised an eyebrow while Weston nodded at her.

Weston sighed as he grabbed his bags, staring at the Revolving Doors of Shame.

Vance grasped his shoulder. "Don't be sorry buddy. You did amazing here."

"Yeah," Kalino added. "I mean you avenged Cynthia, you defeated your twin brother, and you tried really hard."

Weston smiled a little. "Yeah, I guess I did better than I thought I would. Better than a lot of people thought probably. I'm pretty proud. I just hate that I have to go. I had a lot of fun! I don't want it to end."

"No one says this is the end deputy," Vance stated. "Heck, know you'll see Xi and Cynthia again. And when it's all over, we'll have lots of fun. We can all go streaking again."

Weston laughed. "I guess you're right. Bye dudes! Bye everybody! Keep having fun!"

Weston waved, then packed up his bags and ran out the door, almost tripping as he did.

The others waved as another friend said goodbye and left.

Author's Note

I hope you enjoyed the chapter everyone. The challenge was one I was playing for awhile, given Jabberjaw has been foreshadowed since the last team challenge. I think the animal buddies challenge was an interesting concept, but the canon challenge doesn't stick out a lot in my mind and it doesn't seem to be many people's favorite. I tried to spice it up. I hope you had fun with it.

Sadly, this was as far as Weston could go. He really grew on me and a couple original readers really enjoyed him. He was originally going to go home sooner, but wanting to expand his role and figuring other people needed to leave first gave him a longer stay. He was fun to write and I'm glad he got some more character development.

Next chapter is also a shout-out to another canon challenge. Any guesses?

Appendix: Elimination History

Bethany (Eagles)- 22nd

Diamonique (Eagles)- RETURNED

Jasper (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

Griswold- 13th

Xidorn- 12th

Diamonique- 11th

Lita- 10th

Weston- 9th