Author's Note: I know I said the Race would be next, but I've got writer's block on that one and all sorts of ideas with this one. So rather than make you wait while I figured out what to do, I just decided to write this one. The competition is really starting to heat up now.
ANNOUNCEMENT: I'd like to add some YMMV Tropes to the series's trope page. So if you all would please recount the moments you thought were funniest, heartwarming, or tearjerking either in your reviews or via PM. I'll do what I can to get the pages added. And if other YMMV tropes could be done, please do them. Sorry if that sounds preachy...
Disclaimer: I don't own Total Drama, the shuffled concept or the (most of) the characters.
And to answer some reviews:
Phenomenal Ultra Instinct: A kiss from Lindsay? I'd say he's very lucky.
Critica7: Well both Scott and Olivia are contenders for the season's main villain. So it'd make sense they're already planning on backstabbing one another. I have to object to you objection of Topher. Watching Pahkitew Island, in my opinion, he came across as a narcissistic prick. So I'm just writing that. Also, that's why I liked his character so much. One more thing. He's called the junior Chris, so it'd make sense for him to act like Chris.
Tempokeep: The biggest surprise for me was that I was actually able to do something with Leonard. I wouldn't say Lindsay is smarter than canon, y'know if you excuse World Tour and All-Stars, just showing her smartness more often. I hate to say it, but the plot's not quite slowing down yet.
TheChrisanthemum: That's a good guess, but you'll have to wait and see if you're right.
Derick Lindsey: To be fair, Leonard thought he had the real idol too. I'm real excited for Dakota's plot as the season progresses. But yeah, she'll have to think real hard about how much she wants her spin-off later on. I'll admit. My version of Topher is an asshole. But look who his idol is. Terrance doesn't carry a knife, which is why he never thought of cutting the rope. Sorry the Jasmitch fight was anti-climatic, but it was a plot point.
Gucci Mane LaFlare: Thanks! Leonard's boot was interesting. Still can't believe I pulled that off. And to be fair, I did say there would be some crack pairings in the future. Leonard/Lindsay totally qualifies. I'm glad you like Scott's villainy and Topher's need for drama
Guest #1: Well even if he was less annoying than in canon, there's just not a lot of places a person can take Leonard if they don't want to tackle the wizard thing. And I wanted to keep that oblivious. Glad you like the Leonard/Lindsay pairing though. I don't know, Scott's kinda gull of himself. It'd be totally plausible for him to go home that soon, if I didn't need his villainy. Whether Olivia and Dakota's deal goes anywhere is all dependent on who you ask... Glad you like Contessa so much. She's my favorit eof all the OC's this season.
bruno14: Hey! Long time no see. I'll answer your review by the chapter. One: Owen was my favorite for the longest, so I'm excited to write him. But I was actually a little disapointed by the Shuffledverse Topher. He lost all that 'mini Chris'-ness that I loved from canon. I'm sure somewhere there's a writer who can do something with Max. I'm just not one of them. The Leonard/Lindsay dynamic was a but of a gambe, but one I think paid off. To be fair, I'm merely writing Lindsay the way she was in season one. Just with more emphasis on her intelligence. You know, a lot of people have said that about Carly. I'll admit there is something adorably sweet about her. There's no shame in crushing on characters. I still have one on Dawn. I'd disagree with your comparrison with Terrance and Scott. Scott's a weasel and Terrance is brutally honest. Oh, you'll see, there are some major differnes between Olivia and Dakota. Two: Mitch and Jasmine are too similar to not pair them together. It was interesting seeing Owen with a female little buddy. No comment on Dakota as an intern. It's obvious and the differences haven't made themselves apparent yet. Three: Good graps on Conbecca. I don't think anyone wants Terrance to go home. You love to hate him. Four: You're not the onlyone who forgot Beth. But she did overstay her welcome in canon. Olivia and Scott's alliance is kinda the focal point of this stage in the game. But yeah , it can be shocking. Five: I actually read a fic (can't remember the name) where he took fifth place, His relationship with Lindsay was surprisingly cute. In your defense, I made a slight mistake in where Loenard said he got the idol from. But that was in canon some people reavealed having it near the begining of he episode. Olivia will make an alliance with anyone if it furthers her goals. Whether or not she goes through with her end...
Remaining Campers:
Jade Dragons: Carly, Contessa, Mitch, Owen, Rebecca, Terrance
Ruby Warriors: Jasmine, Lindsay, Olivia, Scott, Topher
There's nothing to fear, except what you're afraid of
Episode 06: Fright or Flight
"Last time, on Total Drama Danger Island! Scott got suspicious when Olivia added my newest intern to her ever growing list of alliances," the host opened over a clip of the Scott and Dakota's dealings with the actress. "Topher and Contessa took to the skies, but only one landing ended as planned." The second set of clips showed the the fan shoving his opponent out of the plane, then hitting his target but then getting crushed. "Here's a hint, it wasn't that one," Chris laughed.
"Rebecca proved how tough she was by knocking out Scott in one go," the rebel and schemer's 'boxing match' was shown, "and Jasmine proved that even the best of us, can get distracted from time to time," her near-kiss with Mitch was interrupted by the announcement htat she won their wrestling match. "Scott blackmailed Leonard into throwing the challenge," the boys' conversation was followed by the wizard and Carly crossing the finish line, "which led to Leonard trying to outsmart Scott," the wizard was shown telling Lindsay about the idol, "only to realize that he'd been betting on a fake idol. Which meant that he shall not pass that elimination ceremony, but not with some surprise canoodling with Lindsay." The final scenes of the recap covered Scott revealing he crafted the false idol, the ditz kissing the wizard, and Leonard being flung into the night.
The scene cut to a close-up of Chris, quickly zooming out to show him at the docks as per usual. "If you think we're giving our campers a break now, you've got another thing comin'. It's about to get terrifying right here on Total! Drama! Daaaaaaanger Island!"
XXXXX
[The sequence begins much as it did during the first season, with an open into letterbox format as the camera focuses on the tops of a few distant barren pine trees. A barnacle-covered stage light rotates up and turns on; then the shot changes to a seaweed-covered spotlight swinging down and turning on as well; then a small security camera popping out of a small water-filled hole; then another camera bursting out of a tree hollow, a small deluge of water flowing out with it; then a pair of fair-skinned arms clapping a film slate in front of the camera which switches to a shot of the island, then flying forward down the dock and past the run-down buildings, passing the host as he handed a roll of duct tape to the fat intern and pointed off to the left.]
Dear Mom and Dad, I'm doin' fine;
[The camera flies through the trees and up to the largest cliff, peeking over to see two rings of buoys laid out in the water.]
You guys are on my mind!
[The camera dives off the cliff and into an underwater shot; Owen is swimming through the water with a large grin as a fish swims by. He farts, and the gas bubbles kill the fish.]
Ya asked me what I wanted to be,
And now I think the answer is plain to see!
[A cut to the surface, where Olivia is in her swimsuit sunbathing on a pink inflatable raft. The fish surfaces, and she sits up with a look of pure disgust. A bird swoops down and picks up the fish, and the camera follows the bird as it flies away.]
I wanna be...famous!
[The scene lingers on the bird in front of the sun for a moment before it drops the fish. The camera pans down to Topher sitting on a stump and admiring his reflection in a mirror; the fish lands in his hair and he runs away screaming and wiping away his hair. The camera zooms out to show Scott watching the scene and laughing, and then again to show Terrance also laughing, the two boys slapping five as Scott wipes a tear from his eye.]
I wanna live close to the sun!
[The camera zooms to another part of camp, showing Leonard and Lindsay sitting in canoe and about to go over a waterfall. As he was too busy casting spells and she was too busy being impressed, they notice too late and scream as they go over the edge.]
Well pack your bags, 'cause I've already won!
[The shot pans down to the bottom of the waterfall, showing Rodney standing on a broken log suspended between two rocks with a blank look on his face. Though he does not see Leonard or the canoe falling behind him, he does see Lindsay and catches her. She smiles wide and hugs him, and he drops her with a lovestruck expression.]
Everythin' to prove, nothin' in my way;
[The camera rapidly pans to the right to the outhouse confessional, where Rebecca is spray painting something to the side. The camera pans out to show Jasmine leaving the confessional unaware as to what Rebecca is doing, then pans over to the Main Lodge – Chef's silhouette is visible in the window.]
I'll get there one day.
[The camera moves in past the window to show an irritated Chef, arm deep in a large pot of something sickly green. He looks behind him to where Max and Carly are sitting; the former with his arms raised and in the middle of an evil laugh, the latter trembling in fear next to him.]
'Cause I wanna be...famous!
[The camera pans left to Mitch sitting with his feet on the counter. He tips his hat to the camera, and it zooms out past another window to show the edge of the docks. Contessa notices the camera and gives a short and shy wave.]
(Na-na nanananaa, nanana-nanaa, na-nananananaa)
[Dakota moves the camera onto herself, and kisses the lens. She waves as the female intern quickly wipes away the smudge, then types something into her cellphone. Moments later, five other men appear on the docks with cameras, snapping pictures of a rapidly-posing Dakota.
I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous! (Na-na nanananaa, nanana-nanaa, na-nananananaa)
[The camera pans down the docks to show Beth giving a wide toothy grin and wave to the camera.]
I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous! (Na-na nanananaa, nanana-nanaa, na-nananananaa)
[Beth steps back and twirls a flaming baton while passing it back and forth between her hands, then tosses it in the air. The camera follows the baton as day becomes night. The camera lingers as the baton falls out of frame - a few embers still flying up - and pans down across the stars and dead trees and full moon to Mitch and Jasmine, sitting at a campfire together. They lean in for a kiss but are interrupted by Owen's sudden appearance between then, an arm around both of them and an oblivious smile. The shot zooms out to show the other campers also sitting around the fire and whistling the last few notes of the theme song - Max, Carly, Olivia, Rodney, Contessa, Rebecca, and Lindsay on Mitch's side; Beth, Scott, Leonard, Dakota, Terrance and Topher on Jasmine's side as Chris watches on Jasmine's side and Chef watches on Mitch's. The shot continued to zoom out until a signboard was shown marking the presumed entrance to the fire pit; it read 'TOTAL DRAMA DANGER ISLAND' in block letters, the third word being the largest and the last word relegated to a board tacked on at the end]
XXXXX
The scene opened with a pan down from the night sky to reveal Rebecca and Contessa sitting on the edge of the dock and leaning against each other. Contessa had a smile on her face while she read a pink book covered in red hearts and the rebel looked rather bored. Strangely enough, the Trebu-Shame was nowhere to be seen.
"Tessa, I gotta say," Rebecca mused, causing the hopeless romantic to stop reading and smile at her, "when you invited me out here, this isn't what I had in mind."
"Oh," Contessa said sadly, lowering her book. "I just thought. The two of us, enjoying each other's company under the stars. It'd be really," she tucked a stray hair behind her ear and ducked her head, "romantic you know? Je suis tellement idiot," she cursed under her breath.
"You speak French?" Rebecca asked in curiosity. "Since when?"
"Since I was born..." the hopeless romantic replied in confusion. "I'm from Montreal. It's required. You didn't know that about me?"
The camera cut to Rebecca briefly looking panicked before she settled her face into something more placating. "We never really talked about life back home," she said. "And I didn't wanna ask after the truth challenge." She shrugged. "Seemed like a sore spot."
"Yeah," Contessa sighed sadly. "It is." She stood up. "I'm headed back to the cabin. Sorry for planning a bad date."
Rebecca sighed as well, then reached out and grabbed Contessa, "Wait," she said. "It's not your fault. Some people might have found this really sweet," she told her. "I'm just not one of them. But I'll try to be if that's what you want?"
Contessa smiled and kissed the rebel. "You're perfect the way you are," she said. "I just need to be more realistic. But still, it's late, and I should head back." She left after that, missing Rebecca's sigh of relief.
XXX
"Chris should be merging the teams any day now," Scott mused in the confessional. "And that means it's time to start working on the other team. Luckily," he snickered, "I've already got a foot in the door there."
XXX
The footage skipped ahead to Contessa walking past the washrooms with a blissful smile, only to be startled into a yelp when she heard someone harshly whisper her name.
"Oh no," she said to herself, "I've seen more than enough horror movies to know answering that never ends well."
The camera cut to Scott hiding behind the washrooms and palming his face, before groaning and leaving his cover with an exasperated "It's me."
"Hi Scott," Contessa said warily. "Is there any reason you wanted to talk to me?"
Scott smirked. "Just wondering how long you can keep up this secret of yours."
Contessa paled. "What secret?"
"Don't play me for some dumb hick," the schemer warned. "I know you and I play for the same team," he paused and chuckled. "So to speak."
She gulped. "How did you-"
"I just heard it from somewhere," Scott answered before the hopeless romantic could ask. "And if you don't want anyone else to hear, you'll do what I say when I say it. Clear?"
Contessa sighed, then hatefully glared at him as she spat out "Crystal."
Scott walked away with a smirk. "Pleasure doin' blackmail with ya!" he snickered. With eyes full of unshed tears, Contessa ran back to her cabin with barely audible sniffles.
XXX
"This wasn't supposed to happen!" she exclaimed. "I knew something was up when the coolest girl I ever met was okay with me being gay and actually liked me back. This place is just like back home!"
XXX
As the footage cut back to the washrooms, Olivia was shown to have met up with her ally.
"We have a problem," the actress announced, "Lindsay's on to us."
"Lindsay?" the schemer replied skeptically. "Unless it involves physics she's about as smart as that building," he gestured to the washrooms behind them.
Olivia rolled her eyes. "And did you expect Leonard to have planned his little trap last time?" she asked. "Rule one of mind games: don't underestimate people."
"Fine," Scott rolled his eyes. "We'll let her be the next target."
"Looks like you are good for something," the actress said with a huff. "I'm going back to the cabin, try and think something and make it good," she warned, bumping into her ally as she walked off.
XXX
"Oh I'll think o' somethin' alright," the schemer griped in the confessional. "Lindsay maybe going home next, but Olivia's next after that. Like I said earlier, the teams are merging soon and she's outlived her usefulness."
XXX
"We should be about halfway through this stupid game by now," Olivia huffed. "Which means it's the perfect time to dump that utterly ridiculous dirt farmer. Especially now that I have an intern as my new ally." She smirked. "She'll do anything to get her spin-off series which will make her my perfectly obedient lackey."
XXX
The camera briefly cut to Topher, who was listening at the door of the outhouse. He gasped in shock, then smirked.
XXX
"I was wondering who our devious camper was going to be this season," he mused to himself. "I'd warn the others about Scott and Oliva but why bother?" he shrugged. "They're not after me, and more importantly, I can use this information to my advantage."
He punched his open palm. "I've got to stay on this island a bit longer until I can find a way to take my spot as host!"
XXX
The static took the scene to Jasmine walking through the woods apparently by herself, until made it to the tree she and Mitch used as a sleeping spot. The cowboy was there and frowned after seeing her. "Ssooo," she opened, awkwardly rubbing her arm, "how've ya been? We haven't really spoken since the wrestling challenge..."
"Miss Jasmine," Mitch answered with a sigh as the shot cut in closer, "I apologize if my advances made you uncomfortable." He suddenly grew angry much to her shock. "But why in tarnation didn't you say anything?! My mama raised a gentleman, I'd'a backed off if I'd known."
The camera lingered on Jasmine, and she blinked. "Because I didn't know?" she said meekly.
"Huh," the cowboy said blankly in response. "Well that's the first time I've ever been accused a bein' too subtle."
"No no," the amazon replied with a hint of embarrassment. "You probably weren't subtle, it just never really occurred to me that you actually liked me."
"Well why wouldn't I carry a torch for ya?" Mitch replied, appearing to be insulted on her behalf. "Ain't nothing wrong with a strong and confident woman."
Jasmine gave a self-deprecating chuckle. "Mate, I'm over six and a half feet tall, and I once knocked a tree down by backhanding it. Most guys just are too intimidated by me to even attempt so I just stopped looking."
"Yeah, and I'm six-nine," the cowboy chuckled. Jasmine looked up at him, then ducked her head with a blush. "Plus, not to undermine your strengths, but ain't nothin' quite as intimidatin' in this world than my daddy if I hadn't done my chores back home on the ranch. But now that you know," he asked, "What do you say?"
"I can't really answer right now," Jasmine said. "I just haven't given it much thought..."
"Well," he said seriously before sitting on one side of the tree. "Just give me a holler when you've had some time. I'll be right here."
"I'll do that," Jasmine promised, sitting on the other side. A light fluttery tune played as without looking at each other, their hands reached out toward each other and they wrapped their fingers together. Both could be seen smiling as the camera panned up to the night sky.
\
With a flash, the footage skipped ahead to a shot of the island as the sun just peeked above the hills.
The camera zoomed in on the main lodge, and it cut to the inside as Chris whistled to gain the teens' attention. "Campers!" he announced, the point-of-view centered on his back. "Welcome to your sixth day of competition! Today we'll revisit a personal favorite of mine, facing your worse fears!"
"Look Carly, something you're actually good at," Terrance mocked, pointing to the frowning girl with a fork.
"Now, for our first victims!" Chris continued as the camera showed him standing next to the door. He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and scanned it quickly. "Contessa! Meet us all in the theater, you've got some deets to spill!"
The hopeless romantic's eyes went wide and she started to choke on a bit of food. As Owen moved to help her, the host turned his attention to another member of the Jade Dragons. "Mitch! You, me, a certain bull that goes by the name Widowmaker..."
The cowboy looked noticeably paler. "Not that..." he muttered. "Anything but that..."
"Wait a minute," Terrance said, "we didn't hand over our fears to you this time, so how'd you know them?" The footage flashed back to a silent clip of the season one campfire before a similar challenge.
Rebecca sighed. "I'll give you a hint. She's freakishly tall, has purple hair, and blew up a plane."
"Yo Chef!" the host called. "Is Scott's special order ready yet?" The cook grinned nastily as he worked the fryer, He thrust a frying basket at the boy with a single object in it – something battered and fried in the shape of a fish.
Rolling his eyes, Scott picked it up and brought it to his mouth. Just as he was about to take a bite, a blueish-grey hand tapped him on the shoulder.
The camera pulled back as Scott turned around and came face-to-face with Fang. He screamed, dropped the fried thing and ran away. Fang downed the fish in one gulp and gave chase to the farmer.
\
The scene cut ahead to Chris and Owen standing in front of the same plane from the previous episode with the campers gathered around it. The camera panned across the Warriors who looked at the plane in concern or apathy. The camera then panned over the Dragons, showing Contessa looked extremely worried before landing back on the host and optimist. "Now remember," Chris said as he shoved the large boy inside. "You have to spend the whole day in the air, and if you ask to be taken down for any reason you lose the point. We clear?"
The large boy nodded blankly and Chris slammed the door. The camera briefly cut inside to show that the pilot was none other than Scuba Bear, and then cut to the outside of the plane to show Own screaming in terror as the plane took off.
Topher was shown next, sitting on a stool in the cafeteria as a team of interns – Dakota included – went to work on him. "Yeah, we didn't have to do too much digging on this one," Chris admitted over several clips of Topher admiring his own reflection, and in a flash the make-up team had finished their work. They stepped away, and Topher was revealed to look like a gray-haired and wrinkly old man.
\
Carly was next. Cutting her challenge, the two redhead was shown standing in front of a rather muddy pen containing a number of sheep. "Alright Carly!" Chris told her. "You just need to stay in the pen for ten minutes!"
"But I'm terrified of these monsters!" the pantaphobe protested.
"And about three hundred other things," Terrance muttered under his breath, earning a glare from Mitch that was met with sheer apathy.
"Yeah," Chris laughed. "That's the idea. Now, in ya go!"
She looked at the thoroughly uninterested animals and gulped.
\
The next clip was of Contessa, trembling on stage in front of a microphone. The camera cut to show that every camper not already occupied by their personal challenge was watching her along with both Chef Hatchet and the host himself.
"All ya have to do is spill your biggest secret, we're all waiting!" Chris told her cheerfully. The hopeless romantic's eyes darted around, her breaths became shallower, and she started to sweat.
XXX
"I came out back home and have been bullied ever since," Contessa explained sadly to the outhouse. "I actually kinda like it out here and I don't want the same thing to happen. But," she added pitifully. "If I don't and we lose, then I'm sure I'm the one going home."
She sighed and gave the camera one more pitiful look. "What am I supposed to do?"
XXX
She did finally take a deep breath and looked toward Rebecca, who's face remained impassive. As soon as she opened her mouth a buzzer sounded. "Too bad!" the host said with a smile to match the young woman's face that was a mix of disappointment and relief, that turned to shame as soon as she caught Terrance disapproving glare.
\
"Topher was doing surprisingly well all things considered," Chris explained over footage of the fan rummaging through the dresser in the boys' side of the Warrior cabin.
"I'm sure it's fine," he told himself. "Lots of men age well! Maybe I'm one of them and make-up team knew that," He finally smiled and retrieved a hand mirror from the drawer, hen walked outside. He took one look at it, screamed, and threw it away from himself as hard as he could. It landed in the lake, and the camera panned up to show the other campers and Chris walking along the beach.
"Your turn, Jasmine!" the host announced cheerily as the group came upon a moderately-sized room set up next to the lake.
The tall young woman sent the room a nervous but fleeting look. "That looks really cramped!" she said, slowly backing away. "Like really really cramped!"
"I know," Chris answered with a smile. "It's an isolation chamber," he explained, "and a reaaaaaalllly small one at that," he chuckled.
XXX
"I mentioned once locking myself in a closet for a couple of hours when I was younger right?" Jasmine asked in a panic. "Let's just say I haven't been the best with tight spaces ever since."
XXX
"Your challenge is to spend two hours in this there!" Chris announced holding up a walkie-talkie. "To make things easier on you, you'll be allowed communication with only one person. So ya better make it count," He opened the door to show a white room, totally empty save a single light embedded in the ceiling and another radio on the seat. "The door won't be locked, of course, but if you so much as touch the handle then you can say goodbye to any point for your team."
"Mitch?" she asked the cowboy pitifully.
Mitch outstretched his hand and Chris tossed him the radio. "You can count on me ma'am," he said with a tip of his hat.
"Perfect!" Chris said as he shoved shoved the wide-eyed girl into the room and slammed the door behind her.
\
The footage cut to the next camper. Rebecca stood alone on the stage next to a small Asian woman in a blue skin-tight full body suit. The rebel looked at her hesitantly, and the woman laid on her stomach and put both feet on her shoulders. "Just give her a handshake," Chris said from off-screen, "and you're golden."
"You can do it, Rebecca!" Contessa said encouragingly from the stands. "She's just a performer! She won't hurt you!" Both females were looking at each other; the contortionist beckoned the rebel with her foot and held out her hand which caused Rebecca to recoil.
"That's just not right..." she shuddered.
"Just do it already!" Terrance exclaimed. "It's a circus freak for cryin' out loud!"
"No one will blame you if ya can't do it!" Mitch called out encouragingly.
"I will," Terrance replied.
Rebecca groaned and palmed her face, but she inched closer to the contortionist. Taking a deep breath, she stuck a hand at her off-camera. Her grimace deepened as the camera pulled back, showing the contortionist now had the backs of her knees on her shoulders and was balancing on one hand and was shaking hands with the rebel. The Dragons cheered and the scoreboard dinged 1-0.
\
The camera cut back to Carly and her not as ridiculous anymore fear. The pantaphobe had managed to get in the pen, but was keeping as much distance between herself and the wool-producing animals as possible. A sheep finally wandered in her direction, causing a bout of panic from the redhead. "Leave me alone!" Carly cried, turning around to run away from the animals. To her horror, she slipped and landed in the mud.
A few more sheep were shown looking in her direction. A few bleated, and Carly screamed.
"Okay, we've still got a few more minutes before Carly's finished," Chris said as the scene cut to him checking his watch. The host checked his list, then singled out one of the remaining campers behind him. "Let's see now...Lindsay, you're up!"
\
The camera cut to the blindfolded ditz standing alone in an part of the woods that was even more desolate than usual and wearing a highly impractical pair of high heels. The walkie-talkie in her hands crackled and the host's voice could be heard once more. "Okay Lindsay! All you have to do to get a point for your team is make it from one end of this minefield to the other," he chuckled darkly, "a minefield you can't see due to the blindfold. Good luck!"
The transmission crackled to an end, and the camera caught Scott sneaking away from the area. Thoroughly on-edge, Lindsay tried in vain to look around, and the camera inverted to her perspective to show clumps off dirt in all directions ahead of her. She gulped and nervously took a step.
\
The scene changed to a small cloud covering the sun. The plane Owen was in flew past with the boy's screams audible from inside. The plane did a couple of loops and a barrel roll, and the camera cut to the side window to show the optimist's terrified face then panned down to show Chris in a lawn chair, watching the feed with a device in his hands.
"Heheheh, looks pretty fun," Scott snickered nearby. "Are you controlling that?"
"Nah, just testing out the pilot feature of Scuba bear 4.0," the host grinned, pushing a button and turning off the camera feed. "By the way, here ya go."
He handed Scott a familiar white triangle and the schemer raised an eyebrow. A nearby growling got his attention. Slowly, he turned around.
Fang was behind him. He snarled, showing that the shark was sill missing a tooth. Scott looked at the triangle, then his eyes went wide in shock and horror, and he screamed and ran away.
XXX
"Okay, so maybe I have a phobia of sh-sh-sharks," Scott confessed while hugging his knees to his chest and rocking back and forth. "Can ya blame me? You've seen what they can do on this show!"
XXX
The camera cut back to Lindsay frozen with fear during her challenge. Ahead of her, a dead tree branch landed on a clump of dirt and set off an explosion that made her flinch.
"What am I doing?!" she exclaimed in horror. "This is crazy!" She took a deep breath and took one step... on to a patch of dirt that didn't quite look like the others which exploded and sent her flying.
Chris arrived but stopped immediately, the shot showing only the shock and occasional glow on his face as he watched Lindsay get launched from one land mine to the next off-screen.
"Oh man, that was awesome!" Chris said, stepping toward the crumpled ditz. "Unfortunately, you didn't get the point." Lindsay didn't say anything and Chris's smile faded. "Oh crap," he said seriously. "We need a medic over here!"
He looked toward the camera with his regular hosting demeanor. "We're halfway through our fright or flight challenge and so far, only one person has conquered their fear," he said as the capstone theme began to play. "Who's gonna be today's losers? Based on their fears, I'd say everybody! But find out who wins when we return on Total! Drama! Daaaaanger Island!"
\
(Commercial Break)
\
The camera cut back to Jasmine's isolation chamber, with Mitch sitting on the ground just outside "You only got another hour ta go," the cowboy said encouragingly.
Jasmine gulped over the radio, and her heavy breathing could be heard from the device. "I need a distraction!" she cried. "What's the story behind your fear? I thought you said you grew up on a ranch?"
Mitch sighed. "I ain't scared of all bulls, just this one in particular," he explained.
"Why?" the amazon replied. "What happened?"
Mitch looked down. "It goes back ta when I was twelve," he explained. "My folks finally decided I was old enough ta enter my first rodeo."
Jasmine's breathing got noticeably lighter. "That's when people ride the bulls right? Did it throw you?" She asked.
Mitch chuckled ruefully. "Nah. Never even got on the thing," he admitted. "My uncle was a five time rodeo champ, and that was the day he was supposed to ride Widowmaker. I remember bein' so excited to watch my hero beat the meanest bull in the state."
"What happened to him?" Jasmine asked lowly.
"I don't wanna get into it," the cowboy told her. "Long story short, he spent the next six months eatin' out of a straw. I's so scared that'd happen to me I turned tail and ran. I wa'n't even s'pposed to ride Widowmaker anyway. 'T's been my own personal shame ever since."
At that, Chris walked over to the boy and tapped him on the shoulder. "Mitch," he said seriously. "It's time."
The cowboy sighed. "Ma'am. I regretfully have to leave you for the time bein'."
"Good luck," she replied.
"Thank you kindly," he said, muttering a quick "I'll need it," under his breath shortly after.
XXX
"I thought I'd have more trouble with my challenge after Mitch left," Jasmine confessed. "But I was so busy being scared for him I forgot to be scared for me."
XXX
The footage skipped ahead to Mitch standing apart from the other campers, and the camera cut to an old black bull that looked like it lived solely on pure hate. "Just last eight seconds!" Chris told the nervous-looking cowboy.
The bull glared at him, tapped its hoof, and snorted. Mitch cringed.
"Come on," Contessa told him, "you can do it! Even if it is kinda scary..."
Mitch looked at the bull and started trembling. He gulped nervously, then took a deep breath and clenched his fist. "Chris," he said with a tip of his hat. "I'm goin' in!"
\
Cutting back to Carly showed the redhead covered in mud and scrambling to get away from the sheep chasing her. Eventually, she managed to haul herself over the fence and to relative safety. An alarm went off, and Chris appeared.
"Tough break Carly! You only lasted nine and one hundred thousandth and a millionth-" he said as Terrance and Rebecca made their way to the pen. Chris looked from his stopwatch to the mud-covered young woman and shrugged. "Whatever, it's not ten! No point for the Dragons!"
"Are you kidding me?!" Terrance to leave growled. "You couldn't last around freakin' sheep! What's wrong with you?"
"Sorry..." the pantaphobe replied softly.
\
Topher and Scott were shown again, the latter still running and screaming away from his fear and the former yelling for Chris. Neither was watching where they were headed, and eventually they crashed into one another.
\
A flash transitioned the scene back to the pin where Mitch was to face his fear. The cowboy had already been seated on the animal and was nervously awaiting the start of the challenge.
"I spent the last four years bein' scared of you," he told his mount. "And I ain't about to live another day like that," he patted the bull on the head. "So give it all ya got!"
The bull took great offense to his remarks, his eyes going red and nostrils flaring. "Oh holy-" was all Chef could get out before the bull busted straight through the gate, leaving the large man reeling in the dirt.
"YEEEEEEE-HAAAAAAAAW!" Mitch cried, holding firmly to his mount's antlers as it furiously tried to get rid of him. They went back and forth around the clearing being used, and even barreled through the other campers. Most of them yelled in panic and ran out of the way; Contessa added a few rapid-fire curses in French while Rebecca shook her fist at the cowboy.
"My apologies!" Mitch called back, facing forwards again and giving the bull a quick pat on the head. "Looks like old age has tempered you a bit Widomaker" The bull gave another angry snort.
The hectic background music was temporarily broken by a light classical piece as Dakota was shown in the clearing Lindsay was at earlier, digging up the landmines that had been left undetonated. The mood was shattered by Mitch and the bull charging through and trampling the pile of girl. "Sorry!" Mitch said as the girl just laid groaning in the dirt.
"Ah, biscuits..." he muttered as he looked back ahaed of him. The scene cut back to the waiting campers, who quickly took notice of the boy's return and scattered once again.
"Looks like Mitch has tamed the savage beast," Chris said as he walked into the shot after the cowboy left, the scoreboard changing to 2-0 with a ding.
\
The camera cut to another clearing, this time the plane Owen was trapped in landed with a puff of smoke that preceded the whole vehicle falling to pieces. Scuba looked at the wreckage and wandered off with a snort and Owen just stood there with a blank expression. "And Owen's on cloud nine after completing his challenge!" Chris announced via voice-over as another ding signaled the score counter updating to 3-0. Owen promptly fell over into the ground.
XXX
"I'll be honest," Owen confessed jovially. "I was actually trying to get Scuba Bear to take me down the whole time, but I guess I was so terrified I never said real words." He shrugged and chuckled. "But hey, I won a point for the team. How awesome is that?! Woooo-Hoooo!" he cheered with both arms in the air.
XXX
The next scene change was Mitch letting Jasmine out of the isolation chamber, the amazon quickly wrapping the boy in a hug as soon as she was out, "Jasmine toughs out her cramped prison, finally putting the Warriors on the board." The counter changed to 3-1
\
"And Topher manages to laugh in his own hideously winkled face," A bruised Dakota was shown taking off the fan's old man make-up. He sighed in relief after being shown his usual youthful reflection and the score changed to 3-2
\
Scott was shown next, running from Fang while still carrying the shark's tooth. He finally skidded to a stop and tossed the mutant his missing canine. "Here take the stupid thing!" the schemer shouted. "It's not worth my life.
"Unfortunately, Scott wasn't quite able to beat his fear."
\
"And Lindsay may be in a bit more of a serious condition than we originally thought," Chris finished as the unconscious ditz was shown lying on a bed in the infirmary. Chef, dressed as a nurse, looked at some charts and turned to the right. The camera pulled back to show Chris was in the room with them. The cook grunted and shook his head and Chris pursed his lips.
\
The scene cut to Terrance, the other campers except for Lindsay, and Chris in the common area. The camera panned over to show Terrance cringing and face to face with one of the inflatable dancing tube things mostly seen at used car lots.
"Just one touch is all you need," Chris told the basketballer.
"It's not even alive!" Rebecca added. "Anyone can face this thing!"
Terrance shot her a harsh look. "Oh shut up! This things are seriously creepy!" He paused and took a deep breath. "But you're right. I'm one of the toughest people here, and unlike some of you, I can actually face my fear!" Carly and Contessa looked down in shame.
The basketballer faced the tube man and steeled himself. He stared at his inflatable foe, and charged. The camera cut to the tube man waving around, and back to Terrance.
He stopped just in front of it. "Nope," he said, shuddering and backing away. "Can't do it. That thing is way to creepy!"
Chris shook his head and tsked. "Well well well!" he announced. "Looks like the Dragons are stagnant at three points!" The Ruby Warriors present except Scott celebrated. "We've only got Olivia left!"
"So it's a tie," Terrance said, put some noticeable distance between himself and the tube man. "Even if she faces her fear, it won't be enough to beat us!"
"Yeah, about that..." Chris countered. "Since Lindsay has been so horribly injured, we decided to go ahead and give her the point." The scoreboard updated to 3-3. "That means the Ruby Warriors only need one point to win, meaning it all comes down to Olivia!"
The actress raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"Well then, if we do lose," Rebecca pondered aloud, looking straight at Terrance. "I wonder who we'll be voting off?"
Terrance looked nervous for a moment, then glared right back at her.
\
The footage skipped ahead to the final part of the challenge. Olivia stood frowning at a pile of CDs, video tapes, and other assorted merchandise stamped with her own face. Chef whistled as he doused the pile with gasoline.
"Olivia," Chris said with a hand on the girl's shoulder, "all you have to do is watch a bunch of reminders of your time as a famous actress burn to ashes without trying to save any of it. Do you understand?"
Olivia nodded, and so did the host. Chef lit a match, and started the bonfire.
An oddly touching tune was played over several shots of Olivia watching the memorabilia get destroyed, the flames reflected in her increasingly sad eyes and trembling lips. Scott was shown about to say something, but Topher quickly covered his mouth.
The camera focused in on the case of burning video tape, the area around the younger woman's smiling face slowly being consumed.
"NO!" a voice cried out, reaching into the flames and rescuing the tape.
It was Chris himself. "My limited edition McLean Brand Chris McLean Bobble-head," he cried as he pulled more and more things out of the fire trying to rescue the toy, "How did that even get in there?!"
"Am I getting the point or not?" Olivia asked.
"Yes!" Chris exclaimed. "Just help me with this, will ya?"
She rolled her eyes and smirked at someone off-camera, and the camera panned past the Ruby Warriors cheering heavily as the scoreboard announced their victory and onto Dakota who smiled brightly before looking down in mild shame.
XXX
"Darn it, I was doing so good, too!" Scott complained, leaning against the wall of the confessional and whittling a piece of wood. "I think Olivia might have undone my sabotage..." His grimace turned into a wicked smile. "Well, I guess she'll just have to be next, then?" He cackled as his confessional came to an end.
XXX
The static took the scene to the stairs leading up to the main lodge, the camera again focused on Terrance. He sighed, then looked up with a smirk as he came across Rebecca, who was spray painting a an anarchy symbol on the wall.
"Ready for your time in the trebuchet?" the rebel asked mockingly.
"Not gonna happen," Terrance replied smoothly.
"And why's that?" Rebecca asked as she turned to look at him. "You do realize everyone here hates you right? You're the obvious choice to go home."
"Are you really gonna take that chance without being sure?" the basketballer asked. "Even knowing Contesaa also failed her challenge?" Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "What kind of girlfriend are you?"
Rebecca grabbed the collar of his jersey and slammed him against the wall. "If you ruin this for me-" she warned while raising a fist.
"Would you calm down?" Terrance scoffed. "I'm not here to out you. I'm here to help you."
"Help me?" Rebecca asked, lowering her fist skeptically.
"I'm a lot better at reading people than you might think," Terrance told her. "I could give you a lot of insight into the others. But I'd have to make it past this elimination first," he told her.
A deep note played as the shot cut to Rebecca's close-up as she stared at Terrance, then smirked. "That's...not a bad idea," she admitted. "But who do you want me to vote for instead?"
"Carly," Terrance answered without hesitation.
"Yeah okay," Rebecca shrugged as she released her new ally. "But I'm warning you. If you double-cross me-"
"Relax," Terrance waved her off. "I'm a jerk. But I don't lie and I don't back-stab." He rolled his eyes. "I see enough of that back home."
XXX
"Mom's a lawyer," Terrance explained. "Dad's in Parliament. I've seen more politicking in the past few years than most see their whole lives. I hate politics and double-dealing. Swore I'd never do it." He shrugged. "I'm serious about helping Rebecca. Odds are when the teams merge, she'll be the major threat. Which means siding with her is the way to go."
XXX
The footage cut ahead to nighttime, the moon high above the island. The opening of the elimination theme was cut short as the camera cut to the campfire area, the Dragons' logo appearing in the corner. Unusually, four of the Ruby Warriors were there as well; taking the back row of seats while the Dragons all assembled in the front. "I have an announcement to make," Chris opened. "I have been informed by the show's doctor that while Lindsay will make a full recovery, she will not do so by the time the competition is over and has recommended she be sent home." The campers all gasped or looked surprised, and Scott even looked a little ashamed.
XXX
"Ah man," he groaned. "I just wanted to pin the blame on her for us losing. I didn't wanna actually hurt her." He looked around a steeled himself. "But I ain't about to look a gift horse in the mouth either."
XXX
"Now time to see which of the Dragons will be joining her," Chris continued. "It won't be Mitch or Owen," the shot cut to the boys sitting on a log to the far left and happily catching the marshmallows tossed their way. "Nor will it be Rebecca," a close-up showed the rebel catching her prize, "or Contessa." The shot cut next to Contessa and Carly sitting in between Rebecca and Terrance, the hopeless romantic accepting her prize. The pantaphobe smiled at her, then froze and frowned in sudden realization as the dramatic music began to build.
"Terrance, you could be going home because your embarrassing failure in today's challenge," the host explained from off-screen, Terrance scowled at the off-screen host, "and, you're just not that popular with your teammates."
"Carly," the shot cut to a close-up of the girl frowning in concern, "you could also be going home for your failure in today's challenge," Chris's tone became much mocking, "and also for being an extreme liability due to your fear of everything."
Carly sighed.
"Terrance," Chris said with a bright smile, "you survive another challenge. Carly's goin' home!" The shot cut back to Carly, her eyes widening as she gasped in shock. She looked to the side, and Terrance smirked at her as he caught the final marshmallow in his open palms.
"But I thought-" she started to say before Rebecca cut her off.
"Look, don't take it personal," she told her former teammate. "But between you and him," she nodded to the basketballer. "We got a better shot of winning with him."
"Don't think it's because we don't like you," Contessa said. "And don't think you failed at overcoming your fears either. You still lasted halfway through the game. That's impressive."
Carly turned to Owen, who's lip trembled before he grabbed her off the ground and hugged her. "We'll miss you!" he bawled. "Bye!"
\
The scene flashed to the Dock of Shame, Carly already in the trebuchet's sling with Chris, and her former teammates standing nearby.
"Any final words Carly?" the host asked the pantaphobe."
"Actually," Carly spoke up. "Is there another way I could leave the island?" she asked nervously. "It's just. I have this terrible fear of HEEEEEIIIIIGGGGGHHHHTTTTSSSS!"
Chris sighed happily. "I love doing that," he commented before clapping his hands in satisfaction and turning around. "Two losers for the price of one!" he declared as the capstone theme began to play. "Wanna know who's next for the Trebu-Shame? You'll have to come back and find out, right here on Total! Drama! Daaaaaaaaanger Island!"
(Roll the Credits)
Author's Note Post Script: And there you have it, folks, the first double elimination of the season - and for both teams. Carly's was probably obvious, but Lindsay's was...less so. Well, I did know I wanted to eliminate them both here since it would do the perfect job of setting up the next elimination which would then set up the whole post-merge game.
Regarding Carly. Like in canon she was taken out by a villain working behind the scenes after her failing to beat her fear of sheep. But to understand why Carly, we hove to get into the mind of Terrance. Like he said earlier, he's the son of a lawyer and a politician which means he's seen more than his fair share of lies but also means he can read other people really well. So he figured out that despite Mitch being the de facto leader of the Dragons, the real power was with Rebecca. So his best bet was to use his knowledge of her and Contessa's relationship to get her attention then offer himself up as an alliance member. Rebecca takes the bait and (off-screen) convinces Contessa to vote for Carly and then Contessa asked Owen to vote with her. She was the team's weak link, so it wasn't to particularly shocking. Sorry to her fans, but plot is plot.
Lindsay on the other hand. I really loved writing her and exploring her character as someone who's highly intelligent but lacking in common sense. Like her season one and two self was if you looked hard enough. Anyway, I can't get too much into why she had to leave now, but I can explain why she left the way she did. Basically I realized a few things. One, this was where the double elimination would take place. Two, the Dragons would lose so I could boot Carly. Three, the Warriors could not go to a vote since it would take an extreme amount of finagling to work around Lindsay going home. And four, even if I could swing a traditional elimination for her, I'd still need to find a way where she could both be flung from a trebuchet and not mention that Olivia and Scott couldn't be trusted.
The solution to all the above problems? Elimination due to injury. And I even had a canon justification! Remember, before she switched to bad haircuts, Lindsay's fear was walking through a minefield in heels. So I made that her challenge. And since Scott knew that she knew what he and Olivia were doing, he just moved a landmine in her path so she wouldn't win the point and they could vote her off when they lost. What he wasn't counting on was Olivia using her alliance with Dakota to bend the rules of her challenge. Anyway it all came together and Carly and Lindsay are gone.
By the way, don't forget that a TVTropes page exists for this series and could always use some love from fans like you.
And as always I'm sure I'm forgetting to mention something.
I hope you all enjoyed the episode, or some part of it.
With that I'm signing off
-TotalDramaFan14
RDDI ELIMINATION TABLE:
16th Place: Max
15th Place: Dakota
14th Place: Rodney
13th Place: Beth
12th Place: Leonard
11th Place: Lindsay/Carly
10th Place: Carly/Lindsay