Author's Note: I'm almost finished with the next chapter of Ridonculous Race. There were a lot of things to work out, but I've got it settled. For now, we deal with the final pre-merge challenge of Danger Island. It's a bit of a doozy, and I don't recommend eating while reading. Just sayin'
TRIGGER WARNING: There's some references to physically abusive parents and some hinted at PTSD in this chapter. Reader discretion advised.
Disclaimer: I don't own Total Drama, the shuffled concept or the (most of) the characters.
And to answer some reviews:
Derick Lindsey: I hate that I backed myself into that particular corner, but yes Scott does feel guilty fro how he sent her home. Just now the fact that she was sent home. I really think you'll like what Topher does with the information on Scott and Olivia. Yeah, I kinda custom built this challenge to send Carly home and it didn't feel right to undo that. I was actually stuck with Scott's fear so that's why I brought in Fang. But that shark will always hate Ezekiel more than anyone else. I'll try and fit some other canon references if possible, but I don't know. Terrance would be more prone to helping anyone if he wasn't such a dick. But no, Carly is way too sweet to be stuck with him. As far as Contessa's in the closet plot. 'wait and see'.
Guest: Sorry to boot your one of your favorites. I can't say too much about Contessa's plot. Hey, I liked that coin toss. It was a classic Matthew moment. Y'know back when he was sane. I love writing Jasmine and Mitch, there's a reason they're the season's main couple.
Gucci Mane LaFlare: Eh, Carly is one-note, but I don't see that as a bad thing. Every season needs elimination fodder after all.
Tempokeep: Fear challenges are defiantly fun to read, and a challenge to write. Yep, there's another double elimination coming post merge. Sorry but Lindsay and Olivia's confrontation was meant to foreshadow her quick elimination. Another reason Carly was predictable, that was the same episode she got the toss in canon.
Critica7: That's pretty much where I was going with Scott's role in Lindsay's elimination. I gotta say, I don't take your opinions on the Danger Island group as a slight. I actually find it interesting, and a bit of a challenge to see if I can change your mind. We'll have to agree to disagree in Topher though, I just hope I can keep him entertaining for you.
That British Guy: Thanks, but it doesn't take much to make Leonard better than canon. Sorry I had to boot Carly though.
Remaining Campers:
Jade Dragons: Contessa, Mitch, Owen, Rebecca, Terrance
Ruby Warriors: Jasmine, Olivia, Scott, Topher
Today we ask the age old quesiton. Will? It? Make us sick?
Episode 07: Taste of Victory
"Last time on Total Drama Danger Island!" Footage of the previous episode began to play, briefly showing Chris announcing the challenge in the mess hall, Jasmine getting closed in the isolation room, Contessa in front of a microphone, and Rebecca shaking hands with a contortionist. "The campers were forced to conquer their deepest, darkest fears. Not all of them succeeded," Terrance was shown backing away from a tube man as was Scott handing Fang his tooth, "but others were able to face their fears head on," Mitch was shown riding an enraged bull through the camp.
"In an explosive twist," clips of a blindfolded Lindsay walking through a minefield, Chris watching numerous explosions, and the ditz lying in an infirmary bed, "Lindsay's failure meant she was too injured to compete. But she wasn't the only loser last time!" he added over a clip of Terrance and Rebecca discussing the vote. "As Carly was sent home after her ridiculous failure in the challenge," the girl was shown panicking while in the pen with an uninterested heard of sheep, then her being flung into the night.
"We're down to just nine players and after tonight's elimination it'll be eight." The camera cut to the host at the docks. "Who will enjoy the sweet taste of victory? And who will suffer the bitter taste of defeat? Find out today, on Total! Drama! Daaaaaaaaaaanger Island!"
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[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 episode began with a hollow sound playing over a pan across Wawnakwa's dead forest, then cut to the main lodge as Chris and Chef waited smugly at the entrance while the Dragons filed inside.
"Ah man!" Owen complained as he entered behind Rebecca and Terrance. "No breakfast?!"
"Don't worry Owen!" Chris told him. "You'll get plenty of food later on, so just sit tight." The cook began to snicker quietly, the host joining in as the rest of the Jade Dragons walked by.
"What's so funny, Chris?" Topher asked, the first of the Warriors to arrive. "Find a new way to make us miserable?" His eagerness caused another fit of stifled laughter from the two adults, prompting the boy to purse his lips and go on his way. Jasmine came in on his tail, joined by Olivia and Scott to round out the Ruby Warriors.
"Campers. Welcome to your seventh day of competition," Chris announced, still holding back a few chuckles. "You've almost hit the halfway mark."
Scott snickered as Jasmine smiled at her teammates. "'Bout time," he remarked.
"Today we're reheating one of my favorite challenges," Chris explained with a dark look. "In fact we've done something like this every season so far!" Contessa frowned in confusion, and Topher smirked. "You've got two hours of free time before you have to meet me back here," the host said with a flash of excitement, "then I'll announce the challenge." Another bout of chuckling from the two staff members earned suspicious looks from both teams. "Now. Go away."
As the campers left off-screen, Chris and Chef shared another glance and snickered for a fourth time.
XXX
"I think I have a full-proof plan for some drama," Topher smoothly confessed. "Scott and Olivia are obviously villaining it up as an alliance. So I just need to turn them on each other, and watch the fireworks."
XXX
The camera focused in on the fan as the campers walked back to the cabins. He smirked as Scott and Olivia walked by, then purposefully bumped into the schemer.
"Does no one on this island watch where they're going?" Scott complained.
"Sorry man," Topher told the farmer. "I was looking for a way to talk to you alone. It's about Olivia."
Scott raised an eyebrow.
"I overheard her in the confessional planning to get Jasmine and me to vote you off next time we lost," he explained, causing Scott to scowl. "And since we've been losing a lot, I thought she might be throwing our challenges," the farmer smirked.
"How about we beat her at her own game?" Scott suggested with a devious tone. "Throw the challenge and send her packing?"
"I can work with that," Topher smirked. "Well gotta go, time for my daily hair care routine." The fan jogged away, leaving Scott to snicker to himself.
XXX
"McLean Junior caught on to my strategy," Scott confessed. "But the idiot thinks it's Olivia's fault!" he barked out a laugh and wiped a tear from his eye. "I swear, sometimes this game is just too easy."
XXX
The footage skipped ahead to Olivia searching a bunk in a cabin, presumably Scott's given she pulled a piece of mostly uncarved wood from the pillow. "Ugh," she griped as Topher entered the room. "Where is it?!"
"Where's what?" Topher asked, startling the actress and making her drop the wood. "You're not looking for Scott's immunity idol are you?" he asked conspiratorially.
Olivia narrowed her eyes. "And how'd you know he had it?"
"Not considering he was able to whittle such a convincing fake?" the fan replied. "I overheard one of his confessionals. Here's a tip. You might wanna find it if you wanna stay in the game. He's planning on throwing the challenge and blaming you."
"Ugh!" the actress groaned, storming out of the room and knocking Topher aside.
XXX
"Why that little!" Olivia complained. "If that dirt farmer wants to make an enemy Olivia Broadway, then I'll give him exactly what he's asking for."
XXX
"Who knows," Topher shrugged, "maybe what I told the others is true. All that matters is that I," he held up the immunity idol, "don't have to worry about going home tonight."
XXX
Terrance was shown walking across the common area, Owen and Contessa tossing a ball back and forth behind him. The basketballer lingered a few moments, then knocked on the girls' side of the Dragon cabin.
XXX
"Alright," Terrance told the outhouse. "Time to earn my keep with Rebecca. Doesn't matter if we win or lose. As long as I'm useful to her I'm safe. That does mean we may have to say goodbye to Mitch," he mused before shrugging. "But I don't care about that. Dude's too much of a threat to make it far anyway."
XXX
The camera cut to Rebecca opening the door to the cabin with a can of spray paint in her hand and a look of irritation on her face. "If you're not here to give me insight on the others," she warned, "I'd suggest getting out of my face."
"Just thought I should warn you if this is the last challenge before the merge to not trust anything Scott or Olivia say," Terrance said with irritation of his own. "But I'm so sorry to interrupt your precious vandalism time."
"Put a lid on that attitude," the rebel told him. "You wouldn't even be here if it weren't for me."
"And I owe you for that," the basketballer scoffed. "No need to jump down my throat when I'm helping you."
"Err, is there something wrong?" Contessa asked, drawing the others attention to her.
"Nah," Rebecca answered her lone female teammate immediately, "Terrance just bein' a jerk as usual. Come on in," she nodded her head toward the inside of the cabin, "I got somethin' I wanna show ya."
Contessa smiled shyly, and dashed past the basketballer into the cabin.
"Try to keep it PG in there," Terrance told the rebel before she could close the door. "This is a family show apparently."
"I hate you so much," the rebel growled.
"Guess what?" Terrance told her. "I don't care." With that he walked away, leaving Rebecca to sigh deeply and retreat into the cabin.
The camera cut to inside the room as Contessa immediately wrapped her into a hug. "Rebecca!" she squealed. "I love it! So much!"
The perspective briefly changed to show that the R+C had been spray-painted on the walls and surrounded by a heart.
Rebecca looked rather uncomfortable with the hug, but allowed it all the same. "Yeah well," she said with an audible shrug. "After I tanked the stargazing , I thought I should make it up to you. I still don't really do the romance thing but-"
"It's perfect," the hopeless romantic replied seriously. "You're perfect. I never thought. For so long I-" she started to stutter before sighing again. "I've never had a girlfriend before," she said. "And I-" she started to say before smiling softly. "I'm really glad you're my first."
"You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that," Rebecca smirked.
\
The footage cut to a brief shot of the dining hall, before showing the nine campers standing in front of a clipboard-holding Chris. "It's time," he announced as the viewpoint rotated to his front, showing Chef standing beside him, "for today's challenge!"
"Sweet Marie please tell us it's time for lunch!" Owen immediately interrupted.
The two grown men sighed to each other, earning annoyed looks from the other campers "Way to spoil the suspense Owen," Chris told the optimist. "today's challenge is...the eating challenge!" Dramatic music played as the camera zoomed in on the grinning host.
"There are seven rounds," he explained as the shot panned across four covered plates on each of the Warriors' tables. "Each member of each team must finish each dish." The Dragons looked at their companions with worry. "And unlike previous eating challenges, every dish served today will be something incredibly gross-tacular!" Chris milked the last word, both he and the cook reveling in what was to come. "Every. Single. Dish."
"As always," Chris continued, "the winning team gets immunity from tonight's vote, and the losing team gets one last thing to eat," he paused to chuckle, "marshmallows! But one unlucky loser gets to see what's it like to be flung from a trebuchet."
"An eating contest?" Terrance boasted while looking at Owen. "No way we can lose!"
He didn't notice Contessa shrinking in her seat.
XXX
"I have a weak stomach," she confessed nervously. "But I've lasted this long on Chef's cooking," she said with an attempt to be jovial. "How hard could it be?"
XXX
The static transitioned into a shot of all nine campers in their seats. "Don't fill up too much Dragons," Jasmine called, getting Mitch and the others to look over, "you'll need to save some space for your marshmallows!"
"Have ya seen your team?" Terrance countered with a scoff, "You should just save yourselves the trouble and give up now."
"Let's begin the challenge!" Chris said eagerly. "First, some breakfast!" He motioned forwards, and Chef lifted the covers off the plates in front of Owen and Contessa. Under each were small pancakes with a grayish-brown lumps of meat in the center, arranged in a circle.
"A pancake breakfast?!" the optimist squealed, picking one up and tossing it in his mouth. "This challenge is awesome!"
"They are pancakes," Chris told him, "But these, like everything you'll eat today, have a special ingredient."
The camera quick-panned over to Chef, who held up one with a smile. "Today's breakfast special, is guinea pig testicle pancakes."
With a hollow sound the camera cut to Owen, who looked suddenly alarmed at what he was holding.
"Testicles?!" Contessa said next to him, looking ready to vomit.
Olivia and Topher were shown looking disgusted at the first course as well, the camera pulling back to put the two in the background with Mitch and Rebecca in the foreground. "I grew up on mountain oysters," the cowboy said as he tossed a couple of pancakes into his mouth. "This ain't nothin'."
On the other side of their table, Contessa grimaced as she brought one of the pancakes close to her face; Terrance hesitantly started eating one, and Rebecca pursed her lips. "Relax" Chris told the campers, "the testicles were boiled for safety."
XXX
"That wasn't really my concern Chris," Topher nervously told the outhouse. "But even with Owen on their team, I could tell the Dragons weren't finishing this challenge."
XXX
The footage cut back to Jasmine popping the testicles into her mouth like they were potato chips. "Hey," she said with a surprised look, "these aren't half bad! Y'know once you past the testicle part." She chuckled a bit, and continued eating.
"Yeah," Scott said next to her. "You city folk might not be used to it, but this is nothin' back on the farm. To be fair," he said as he started to chew another piece, "the guinea pig part's a little weird."
"Well," Topher said with a forced smile, "that's...good to know..." He winced as he took a bite.
Contessa and Rebecca whimpered and looked at their plates again. "Oh come on," Terrance told them, "are you just gonna let them win like this! Yeah, it's gross, but it's only gonna get worse from here!" The girls shared a look, and tentatively began to eat.
"Uh, Olivia," Jasmine said to the actress,who hadn't touched her plate. "Are you gonna eat anytime soon?"
"But this is disgusting!" the Olivia complained.
"That's the idea princess," Scott scoffed as he popped another pancake in his mouth. "Just eat the darn things!" Olivia narrowed her eyes at the schemer, who merely smirked back.
XXX
"Since when does Scott actually try to win?" she asked suspiciously. "I've got to find that idol before it's too late."
XXX
The shot cut back to Contessa as she swallowed something. She shuddered, took a deep breath, and groaned. "Done," she announced.
"Same here," Rebecca added, belching and groaning at the second tasting.
"Well," Chris announced, "looks like the Warriors lost this round! The first challenge goes to the Jade Dragons!" A scoreboard appeared at the top of the screen, the left box Dragon logo, and the right box having Warriors'. The Dragons' side dinged to 1, and the five cheered.
The camera cut to the Warriors as Scott turned to look at Olivia. "Way to cost us the round, princess," Scott said with a glare.
"How dare you speak to me like that?!" the actress complained. "And besides, it's not like Topher was eating anything."
"Don't bring me into this," the handsome boy nervously said, "I actually tried to get that stuff down."
"Seriously?!" Jasmine added in frustration. "All of you-"
He was cut off by a whistle from Chris. "All this arguing," he told them, "is cutting into precious time you could be upchucking! So put a sock in it!"
Scott crossed his arms, Topher looked down, Olivia huffed, and Jasmine sighed.
XXX
"I get the feeling there's more going on with the others than I can see right now," Jasmine confessed with narrow eyes.
XXX
"Score now stands at one for the Dragons, and zero for the Warriors," Chris announced. "And now, the next course!" He motioned to the side, and Chef wheeled out a cart with another covered plate. "You guys like tacos?" the host asked with a grin.
"That doesn't sound too bad..." Contessa told her team.
"Yeah," Terrance told both the hopeless romantic and the host, "tacos are pretty impossible to mess up."
"Are you sure about that?" Chris asked, rubbing his hands together. The view moved over to Chef as he slowly lifted the cover. "Today, you'll be eating... blood tacos!" the host said excitedly, the camera focusing on the dish. It was as the host said, it looked like your average taco. However, the shell was a saturated red and it was filled with reddish-brown cubes.
"You mean, blood blood?" Contessa whimpered, earning an unimpressed look from Terrance.
At the Warrior table, Jasmine merely shrugged and accepted the plate Chef handed to her. Olivia grimaced in disgust as she got her plate, and the camera cut back to the Dragons.
"Start eating, ladies," Terrance told his female teammates, "or do I need to make you?" he took a large bite out of his own shell, and quickly swallowed it.
"Yo Chris!" Rebecca beckoned towards the host, "which is the blood? The shell or this cube stuff?"
Chris smirked before answering. "Both. The shell has pig's blood infused in it and the cubes are just straight boiled cow's blood. There might also be some chicken's blood in there somewhere. We're not too sure."
The rebel frowned, and stared down at her taco. "I should not have asked." She took a deep breath, then took a bite. She shuddered and swallowed.
Terrance smirked, then looked over at the rest of his team. "Okay, who's next?"
XXX
"Beef, pork, and chicken," Owen told himself determinedly in the confessional. "I've eaten it all before. There can't be that much difference!"
XXX
He closed his eyes and took a small bite of the taco. His cheek bulged, but he swallowed it back down "Good work," Terrance told him, "now just Mitch and Contessa."
The shot cut over to the Warriors, showing Scott to have nearly finished his dish. "You know," he said after a swallow, "this really isn't that bad."
"Yeah," Jasmine agreed, "definitely better than the pancakes."
Back with the Dragons once more, Mitch was holding his taco close to his mouth, and looked thoroughly disgusted. "I ain't real big on rare meat," he said, "but I I've come this far, ain't no going back now!" He closed her eyes and took a quick bite.
Meanwhile, Topher were also doing the deed for his team. The handsome boy had opted to hold his taco upside-down so that the blood cubes were somewhat hidden from sight before tried to eat.
"Still pretty gross," he said, "but at least I'm doing it. Done."
"Just one left," Scott said with a look at Olivia. The camera zoomed in on the intact taco still on her plate, then quick-panned over to show a similar situation with Contessa.
"Well," Terrance told her, "are you gonna eat it, or am I gonna have to make you eat it?"
The hopeless romantic's eyes widened, and she shook her head frantically. "Sorry, I can't eat this! Mine's still bleeding!"
"Wrong answer!" the basketballer barked, jumping over the table and grabbing Contessa's plate. "Now hold still so I can feed this to you!" The small girl yelped and ducked away.
"Quick, grab her!" Topher cried after seeing the commotion on the other side of the room.
"Don't you even think about it!" Olivia threatened, glaring at the boys as Jasmine stood up. The actress noticed the amazon behind her, and tried to get away. She moved too late, Jasmine wrapped her arms around Olivia and lifed her off the ground.
"Scott! The taco!" Topher cried as Olivia wildly kicked her legs in a futile attempt to free herself. Swiftly, Scott balled up the final taco and forced it into Olivia's mouth.
"Just keep chewing, princess. It'll be over soon!" Scott snickered as tears began to form around the bound girl's eyes. Eventually, Olivia swallowed and was let go. "Sorry about that," the schemer told falsely, "but now ain't the time for weak stomachs.
Olivia coughed and sputtered while visibly trying to stop herself from crying. She glared at her team with a fierceness that unnerved them and let a few tears escape. "Never-" was all the actress got out before she had to close her mouth. Cheeks bulging, she ran out of the hall; the camera followed her to a cluster of dead bushes where she threw up and let out a shuddering cry.
XXX
"Mommy and Daddy used to hold me down and force feed me the most disgusting slop if I didn't pass an audition," a shaken, yet furious Olivia confessed. "They told me that the amount of effort they spent feeding me would be related to how much money I made." She let another tear escpae and glared at the camera. "I did not appreciate reliving that memory."
XXX
Back inside, Contessa was repeatedly evading Terrance's own attempts at force-feeding. The other three Dragons remained seated as their two teammates ran around the room, apparently unwilling to act. "No!" Contessa cried in protest. "You can't make me!"
"Oh yes I can!" Terrance shot back. The two continued to run for a few more seconds until Olivia walked back into the room, still looking shaken.
"Well then," Chris announced with a smile, "it looks like the winners of this round are the Warriors!" The scoreboard reappeared and updated, leading Terrance and Contessa to stop in their tracks. The former scowled and threw the taco on the floor, while the latter breathed a sigh of relief and walked back to the table. The other Warriors cheered, Jasmine even patting Olivia on the back as she sat back down with them.
"Hey, at least we won the round!" Jasmine told her with an apologetic smile. Olivia sent her a glare that had the amazon frown remorsefully.
"Two rounds in and the teams are tied," Chris told the camera as the capstone theme began to play. "Who else will throw up before the day's over. Find out when we return on Total! Drama! Danger Island!"
\
(Commercial Break)
\
"Alright!" Chris said happily as the episode resumed. "Who's ready for the third course?" The point-of-view shifted so it was level with Topher's plate as Chef lifted the cover off of it. "Macaroni and cheese!" the host announced, but what laid on the plate was frighteningly similar to the popular dish. As Topher grimaced at their next meal, Chris continued his explanation. "Of course, cockroaches have been infused into the noodles and pureed cockroach was used as the base for the sauce."
"I don't know how much more of this I can take..." Topher said, voice rising as he began to panic.
"Do we gotta hold you down and force you like Olivia?" Scott asked him, leaning forward and pointing from the fan to the actress. Olivia's eyes narrowed at the reminder of what had happened.
"No...no, I can do this...," Topher replied, "just...just give me a minute."
At the Warriors' table, Terrance sniffed a forkful of noodles then stuck out his tongue in disgust. "Uggh...I assume Contessa isn't gonna eat this pathetic excuse for mac?" Contessa shook her head. Terrance scowled. "In that case, no point in any of us eating if we're just going to lose anyway. But you'd better eat everything else, got it?"
"I'll do my best," Contessa promised.
The Warriors were shown again, having donned blindfolds and clothespins over their noses to assist in their eating. "We're done over here!" Jasmine called, raising her plate – and the plate of Olivia, sitting next to her and trembling.
"Well, since the Dragons have chickened out," Chris announced with a tinge of annoyance, "the Warriors are the winners!" The cheers of three teens could be heard as the scoreboard updated once again to show their 2-1 lead.
"You guys need to toughen up," Terrance said. "We're all gonna be eating this, so I don't wanna hear any complaints!"
"Yeah," Owen added in an enthusiastic and optimistic tone. "We can do this!"
"Alright, everybody!" Chris called, gaining the Dragons' attention. "Time for course number four! No multi-course meal would be complete without soup," he said as the shot switched to Chef lifting another pair of covers off the plates of Terrance and Mitch.
"Today's special is," the host explained over a close-up of one bowl; the bubbling broth was black, and had several bits pink and brown floating at the surface. "Shrimp and kangaroo soup, in a Vegemite broth."
XXX
"Should I be offended by that?" Jasmine asked the outhouse.
XXX
The Dragons were shown looking at the soup with dread, before Rebecca caught Mitch's eye. "Hey, you thinking what I'm thinking?" the rebel asked.
"That we may not need our tongues for this'un?" the cowboy responded with a slight smirk. "You bet your beanie I am."
Topher, Olivia, and even Scott were briefly shown struggling to get even the first spoonful down while Jasmine easily slurped hers down before the scene cut back to the Dragons. Mitch tossed a plastic funnel to Terrance, who smirked and put it in his mouth. Mitch poured the basketballer's soup down the funnel quickly and without issue.
"Didn't even taste it!" Terrance bragged, removing the object from his mouth.
"The Dragons win again!" Chris announced after the footage skipped ahead, pointing a finger in their direction as the scoreboard updated and the five teens began to cheer. "The score is now tied up at 2!"
XXX
"Now that I've done my part," Scott snickered. "It's time to send the this team back to the campfire where we belong."
XXX
"Only three more courses left!" Chris announced, donning an attempted French accent for the next phrase. "Bon appetit!" A montage of the next two courses was shown.
\
"Plague-els!" Chris announced as Chef brought out the next dish, two black bagels. One was covered in something red, the other something white, and both had specks of brown sprinkled on them. Mitch was shown taking a bite then leaning over to vomit while Jasmine at hers as quickly as possible. Her cheeks bulged, but she swallowed the bile.
\
"Spider Smores!" the host said as Olivia was shown shuddering at a normal looking smore. Normal looking if you ignored that two giant tarantulas had replaced the graham cracker and smaller spiders could be seen within the marshmallow. Olivia ran out with bulging cheeks before she even touched her dish, and Owen was show tossing a smore into Contessa's mouth. She shuddered, but got it down all the same.
\
As the montage ended, the camera panned across the two teams. As a whole, they looked thoroughly drained of all energy, and several groans could be heard as Chris began to speak. "Wow! It's still tied up! We're down to the last course in the challenge! Desert!"
Once more, Chef lifted the covers off of Contessa and Rebecca's plates, showing what looked like a regular pie with a whole octopus sitting on top. "Iiiit's octo-pie!" the host punned as Topher and Olivia also had their dishes revealed. "Get it? It's a pie made out of octopus!"
The two teens gagged over a sound clip of a dolphin's cry. "Octopus?!" Topher protested in horror.
"Too far McLean!" Olivia added.
"This again?!" Scott yelled. "If you two don't hurry up and eat, then we're gonna lose!" Unseen by all, he smirked.
"You don't understand," Topher whined, "I hate seafood!"
"Just eat it already!" the schemer demanded.
"No!" Olivia said as she stood up and glared. "I'm not going to let you treat me this way!"
XXX
"Time to strike," Scott snickered.
XXX
The footage returned to Scott standing up and glaring at his ally. "So you want us to lose then?" the two campers locked eyes with a glare from the actress and a smirk from the schemer, "I bet you've been purposefully losing all our challenges since we got here!"
Olivia gasped, then narrowed her eyes further. "Don't try and pin your strategy on me you disgusting dirt farmer!" she yelled. "You're the one who's been throwing challenges all season!"
Topher eagerly rubbed his hands together while Jasmine glared at the two villains. "And the two big dogs take bites out of their rivals!" he narrated. "One question remains. Who, if either one, is telling the truth?"
Jasmine turned her glare to the fan. "Are you seriously enjoying this?!" she asked incredulously. "One of these two's been throwing challenges!"
"I know," Topher grinned. "And we have to decide who it is, one wrong move and we let a big threat make it to the halfway point. They'll be begging us to take the Gemmies for this episode."
"I know you were lying about having a thing for Rodney," Scott told his ally-turned rival. "And you wanted to throw the fear challenge to get rid of Lindsay because she was on to you."
"Then why did I handle my fear stupid?" Olivia huffed. "Unlike you! In fact, I bet you were the one who took out Lindsay! Not to mention blackmailing Leonard into throwing the waterski challenge!"
"Wait," Jasmine interrupted. "You put Lindsay in intensive care on purpose?" she asked, glaring at the two."
"If I may interrupt," Chris said in an unamused tone, causing the four to turn to him, "your arguing left the Dragons plenty of time to finish the last course. They win four to three." The camera cut to the five cheering teens as the scoreboard udpated.
The four Warriors all turned their glares on each other once again. "That means," the host continued with a grin as he walked over to their table, "that the Ruby Warriors will be sending someone home. Again."
\
A few deep notes played after the scene flashed back to the Warrior cabin, the camera soon zooming in and cutting inside to show Topher and Scott mid conversation.
"So," Topher clapped his hands together with a smile. "Who do you think we should vote for tonight?"
Scott raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding me right?" he asked the fan. "I should vote for you after that stunt you pulled today!"
"Whoa wait a minute," Topher waved his hands in a placating manner. "I only did that to help expose Olivia. I'm on your side I swear."
"So you say," Scott huffed. "But I'm not convinced. Anyway, as long as you vote for Olivia I might forgive it."
"You can count on me," Topher said with a smile and a finger point.
"Glad to hear it," Scott said leaving the cabin. Once he was out of sight, the camera panned back to Topher, who smirked as an ominous riff played.
XXX
"Oh, I am so good," he said while admiring his reflection in a hand mirror.
XXX
The scene moved to Olivia approaching Jasmine and Mitch's tree. "Let me guess," Jasmine began as the actress folded her arms and tapped her foot, "You want me to vote for Scott tonight."
"Yes," Olivia said bluntly. "You may not like me, or trust me," she told the amazon, "but you owe me after what you did to me during the challenge."
"I owe you?!" Jasmine asked in outrage.
Olivia narrowed her eyes. "Yes." she said seriously. "Holding me down like that crossed a line. I get enough of that back home."
Jasmine's eyes widened at the implications, then she awkwardly rubbed her arm. "Right," she said lowly. "I'll vote with you tonight."
Olivia huffed and walked away.
XXX
"That was a card I didn't want to play," Olivia huffed with folded arms. "People are supposed to adore me not pity me."
XXX
A deep, sharp note opened the ceremonial music as the scene cut to the usual moonlit shot of the island. "You know the drill by now," Chris said, the Ruby Warriors' icon appearing in the corner of the screen as the scene moved to the fire pit. "The following players are safe," he continued as the shot cut in close and he picked up the first of three marshmallows from the tray that the host was holding. "Topher," the camera quick-panned over to the backrow to show the boy in question happily catching his prize, "and Jamsine." A pan to the side showed the amazon holding her hands out with no eagerness whatsoever.
"Olivia and Scott," Chris said with his usual calm expression. The shot immediately cut to the front row as the two shot glares at each other. "Both of you are on the chopping block for possibly sabotaging your own team."
"And that's why both of you have two votes each," Chris said matter-of-factly as Jasmine gasped, Topher smiled, Olivia glared harder, and Scott smirked. "That means we gotta break a tie!"
Scott stood up and dug into his pocket. "No we don't," he said smugly, producing the Chris Head, "because I ain't goin' nowhere."
The camera cut to Chris as he sighed and rolled his eyes. "We've been over this dude," the host said tiredly. "Without the seal of authenticity, that thing's worthless."
"What do you mean?" Scott asked. "The seal's right-" he turned the statue over, and the scene shifted to his perspective; the base of the statue was completely blank. "What?!" he asked in shock and confusion. "That's not possible. "I had it in my pocket the whole time! Ever since Boney Island!"
"Oh Scoo~oott?" Olivia sang mockingly as she pulled another Chris head from her jeans. "Looking for this?" she turned her statue over to show it had been stamped with the smiling image of the host's face as a deep tense note was struck. The other three Warriors gasped and Topher checked his own statue only to see the base was blank.
XXX
"Oh," the fan said in awe. "She's good."
XXX
"The real invincibility statue!" Chris said in amazement as yet another a deep note was struck. "Nice! That means, Olivia is safe." Another deep note. "Which also means that Scott is taking a ride on the Trebu-Shame!'" A light trill, followed by another set of deep notes.
"WHAT?!" the schemer exclaimed as the series' sombre farewell theme immediately began to play. "That's not possible! That can't be possible!"
"And yet, it is," Chris said gleefully, drawing the attention back to him. "The trebuchet awaits."
\
The screen flipped around, transitioning the scene to the Trebu-Shame with Scott already loaded in. "No, no, no!" he said as the sombre farewell theme played. "This was my season! I did all the work! You all need to watch out for Olivia, she's a total scammer!" he said.
"Not the most dignified final words," Chris said simply as the shot cut to him pressing the pulling the siege equipment's lever. Scott was flung into the night, and the shot cut to his former teammates watching him leave from the dock.
"Well, that's one more teen off my island," Chris said smugly as the shot cut back to him, shrugging as the opening beats of the capstone theme played. "That totally dramatic elimination means were down to our final eight. Who's next to flung into the night? Find out next time, on Total! Drama! Daaaaaaaaaaaanger Island!"
\
(Roll the Credits)
Author's Note Post Script: Only one person predicted it, but it was Scott who took the Trebu-Shame home. Why him? I have plans for Topher that are better done with him in the merge. I hope everyone likes all the things that made it possible. Like the fact that it was Topher of all people who feinted the season's two biggest villains into revealing themselves before the merge. Did anyone expect that out of the McLean wannabe? But hey, at leas Contessa's not getting blackmailed anymore.
Speking of villains, I think it's time to announce that I lied to everyone when I said Scott would be the main villain. I was planning on it being Olivia from day one. It may seem odd, considering she was a first boot in canon. But had I gotten to Redemption before dropping the extended canonverse, Olivia would have been that season's villain with pretty much the same manipulativeness you see here. And we see yet some more into her home life. It... it's not pretty and it gives a rather interesting take on her plot I think.
And we see some more of the inner workings of Terrance and Conbecca. Those are plots I'm really excited to get on as the season progresses. But for now I'm tight-lipped.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with this as a merge. I really think there's a lot of potential for the second half of this season to excite and amaze with this assortment.
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 I'm sure I'm forgetting 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
9th Place: Scott