Chapter six is loaded. As the longest one of this fic so far, it unsurprisingly took longer (13 days) than my previous chapters to create. You might be surprised by certain events that come up. First, let's reply to more reviews.
GlitchWarrior: Yes, our CIT is definitely being put to the test, though I clearly can't say at the moment how successful it'll be due to spoilers. Glad you like what I've done with Mal so far! Not sure how you felt the writers didn't use him to full potential, but it would be nice to know what you recommend doing to get closer to that.
Phenomenal Ultra Instinct: The difference in teams definitely hurt her here again. Duncan does know Mal is around, but can't let him know that now.
That British Guy: Glad you liked my take more!
ShadowJcreed: Thanks for the bit on Lindsay. I also thought it would be a nice twist to change who gets hit by the cannonball myself
animefan1009: Many thanks, and I also thought this story's concept is a nice idea.
danifan3000: I like Total Drama characters going back in time as well, and thought having Courtney would be a nice change of pace (no offense to Noah or Cody stories though and I do feel "Total Drama Redemption" by PurpleBandit3000 as well as CosmicWarrior's "Total Drama: Cody's Redemption" are among the best Total Drama fanfics made).
That1guyeveryonehates: Your comments do help. I've included more of Courtney's thoughts as she walks to and from places in this chapter. Do tell if it's an improvement over what I had before. The characters' personalities should also show more clearly now. I have mixed feelings on Jo, and can sense similarities to Eva, though definitely get distinct vibes from them (Eva is an angry hotheaded jock and Jo is largely a mean jock) and wouldn't call Jo "a snooze character". Happy to give the title of "In the Hall of the Mountain King" as it's one of those tracks many people know the sound of, but cannot identify by name. I'm also glad you like what I've got for Duncan and Mike/Mal so far. Keep reading for more on them! I also have something for Scott coming up. The CIT will do anything she can to keep good rapport with him as well as Gwen, and definitely is thinking ahead this time around.
Now enjoy what follows!
There's lots of rain when I wake up in the morning. It was bad enough staying in this cabin during regular weather and being here during rainy days are unsurprisingly worse. Luckily the roofs aren't leaking right now. Gwen and Heather are still asleep right now. May as well get dressed while I can. I silently get out from my bunk without waking either of them up and put my clothes on. This day was also my first challenge as a Vulture in the original timeline, so I'm less likely now to be blindsided by the team's mistakes than last challenge or the one before.
It's also the day I first interacted with Scott. I knew I needed an ally when on bad terms with everyone else on the team back then, so he was my only choice, but now of course I have him AND Gwen. Little did I know during my first run-through that it would eventually lead to us dating. Maybe he'll get more flirtatious today than before. In any case, I should keep him from eating too much gruel or making the challenge harder than it already was. What happens today? We must eat as much from a stack of giant pancakes as we can within a time limit and then go through an obstacle course without puking. Last time I thankfully didn't get sick, though hated being flung off course!
Next thing I know, Chef is at our door and tosses in a bag of powdered gruel. I scream in disgust when it bursts along with the other girls as I wasn't prepared for it to happen right then and there even though I knew he would be here this morning to do that. To keep Scott from taking mine, I hesitantly eat some from off my head, cringing at the gross taste. He then knocks at the door, so I walk over and open it.
"You gonna finish your gruel?" he asks with a bucket in one hand.
"Seeing to it that I have nothing else to eat, yes." I reluctantly admit.
"I told you these things weren't so bad" Scott playfully teases and nudges me with his elbow.
"Oh please" I giggle "I just don't feel like starving today, though also don't wanna overeat before the challenge."
"Fair point. I shouldn't hog all your meal anyway. See you then." The ginger tells me and closes my cabin door as he walks back to his own.
"You and the dirt boy?" Heather asks in disbelief. "Barf! I thought you were done trying to date guys on this show after the third season."
"We're just friends." I tell her. "He simply was joking around based on past talk of meals for the losing team."
"He clearly wants to be more than that, but whatever." she replies and goes to brush her hair.
I was telling the truth when I said Scott was only my friend, for now that is, but how did Heather get the idea I was dating him or even wanted to? Were Scott's affections really that obvious to her? Maybe she was just trying to mock me. Doesn't matter that much anyway when that bitch can't get in the way of what we have.
"Any sense of why Scott likes the taste of such things?" Gwen inquires with a mouthful of gruel.
"Hard to say" I shrug my shoulders. "All he really told me was that he got used to it back on his farm when nothing better to eat was around."
"He could probably rival Owen in a contest of eating gross food." the goth adds, and then we both crack up laughing at the thought of them facing one another in such a competition.
That laughter somehow lasts for at least ten minutes. It really feels great to have reconciled with her, especially sooner than my initial run-through. She doesn't have to cry in the confessional this time about wanting to make amends only for me to hate her more (or me not believing her upon overhearing it). No way am I fucking up our friendship again. The truth is I never made very many friends on this show (as I was largely a bitch), so I value what I can get these days.
Unless you count Duncan while I was dating him, the only real friend I had on Total Drama prior to Gwen or Scott was the surfer girl Bridgette, though we had a falling out in between the second and third seasons where she chastised me for becoming a total jerk during season 2. My response? Defiantly insist I simply was trying to be smart and play the game strategically. The two of us never really reconnected after that though were never hostile towards one another and could civilly interact.
Bridgette had a point then and I stupidly ignored it. Nothing I can do about that now, though, since she isn't competing this season and I have no way to contact her outside of the show. In case you're wondering about Harold or Justin given how I said sorry to both for going out of line, we overall stayed on neutral terms before I made my chart. They all surely hated me along with just about every other cast member afterwards. Still not as hated as Duncan or Ezekiel, though. As I said before, nobody on Total Drama ever liked the latter at all period.
Chris announces "OK, now that the weather's cleared up, get your waterlog butts to the beach for today's beatdown, I mean challenge." once the rain and my laughter both stop.
Time to get going. I exit my cabin with Gwen and Heather to join Scott and Alejandro, and the five of us head to meet Chris. While walking, I begin to think of the upcoming pancake feast. Without those booby traps, Chef did a damn fine job making those, and I gladly would've eaten more my first time around if I didn't set off a trap that splattered green jelly in my face. Maybe I can avoid that this time by changing the order my team eats, discreetly of course. This time Scott isn't munching on any gruel when walking over with us, and frankly is doing himself a favor, so I'm glad my comments earlier on overeating made another difference for the better.
My hand then feels another grab onto it. Is Scott trying to hold hands with me? I look next to me to find ginger smiling nervously and blushing a bit. He evidently wants to make a move on me but can't figure out how to do it without the others noticing. A private moment for us sounds just fine when not even the cameras show us walking over for this episode. He didn't do that when I first lived through the challenge and things between us seem to be happening sooner than before. Smiling back, I also take his hand in mine. It's a good thing we're behind the others or Heather would probably mock us. While Alejandro might as well, I'm not sure how Gwen would react. His hand is sweating a bit from anxiety, but I don't mind right now.
Teenagers are known to often get like that around their love interests (especially before they date), and the guy is 17 after all (his 18th birthday was one week before I made the wish to start over with him and got sent back in time). This reminds me of how I once got sweaty palms when holding hands with my first boyfriend Eric when I was 14. That was a classmate who like me wanted to be a lawyer and we got along just fine, but mutually decided to break up due to distance when his family moved far away, and we knew things wouldn't survive the distance. Things hadn't gotten very serious anyway after only a few months.
Another guy I dated at age 15 in between Eric and Duncan, whose name was Quinton, had a similar blush to what Scott has now when we first got together. We lasted for about the same time as my first relationship, though ended when things faded between us. I haven't seen or heard from either of those guys in quite some time. The two of us then release our hands when the Hamsters show up (minus Duncan who Chef is probably picking up from Boney Island if he hasn't already), not ready to let anybody know about our moment just yet.
Us two teams continue to walk towards our host. My opponents are lucky they got to spend the night in that hotel during today's rain rather than the shitty cabins. While walking, I have time to think. If we lose again today, then chances are I'll talk Gwen and Scott into voting off Heather tonight, which would make at least make the female cabin a more pleasant visit. I do hate Alejandro as well, but Scott so far seems to be getting along with him to some degree as he did in the original timeline (which surprises me) before the final six where Mike/Mal talked us into voting Burromuerto off (not sure which persona was in control talking to me then when both wanted him gone). Instinct tells me Scott didn't watch the third season, Total Drama World Tour, before joining the show. That would help explain his lack of immediate hatred for Al (as well as Duncan) when he liked me as soon as we met.
This time around, Duncan seems to have taken a quicker hatred and/or jealousy for Scott unlike my original run-through where they didn't have any issues when on the same team together. I guess seeing the ginger and I bond was what set him off in both timelines even before becoming a couple (and the first time I lived through this he also once incorrectly stated I was just using Scott to make him jealous). Anyway, once we arrive, Chris announces "Welcome contestants. Before we get started, let's bring back last night's exile, Duncan!" and then points to Chef in a helicopter carrying the delinquent with a claw.
The cook then has its claw release Duncan, who falls to the ground and lands flat on his face. Gwen and I secretly smirk for a moment at his pain. That prick deserved it. He groans and then lifts his head up. McLean then asks him "How was your night on the island last night?"
Mr. Delinquent tells him "Believe it or not, I've had worse" and gets up to join the other Hamsters.
"OK then." our host says and then smiles as he announces "Now it's challenge time! Chef didn't have time to cook team losers' breakfast this morning because he was busy making these, pancakes!" and shows us two piles of giant pancakes for each team, adding "That's right; it's eating contest time! Each team member gets one minute to scarf up as much pancake-y goodness as they can."
Better make this count. Like I stated earlier, Scott now shouldn't have as much trouble when he didn't eat as much gruel before the challenge. Chris then informs us "When a hero's eating time is up, they hear this" and a choir-like sound plays before he continues with "And the villains get this" which prompts a pig squealing noise.
Maybe I'll be a little piggy with these pancakes, today; oink, oink. The host still isn't done speaking, and he adds "Then you just have to race through a nausea-inducing obstacle course."
Sam then gulps with fear, asking "Obstacle course?" with a worried look on his face.
"It's a nod to the mad skills course from last season, the toughest parts anyway." Chris comments, and proceeds to instruct us with "First, you've gotta get past the bouncy butts. They're a real pain. Then it's on to the retching rolling pin and a swift kick from the grape crusher gets you back in line.", pointing to each part of the course as he names them.
Time to say something before Scott makes this harder for everybody. I ask the host "What if we get sick?" even though I already know the answer.
"If you puke, you're benched, leaving the other players on your team to eat up without your help." he replies and points towards a bench. "Keep from spewing to stay in the game and you get back in line after finishing. Once your pancake's toast, just complete the obstacle course one last time to win."
"Fair enough." I add, wanting to keep Scott from talking for now.
"Ready, Set, Scarf!" Chris proclaims and then blows an air horn to begin the challenge.
No chance of getting flung off by a spinner this time! Before anyone can object, I go up first for the Vultures and start eating. Cameron kicks things off for the Hamsters and quickly brushes away the fish eyes that Sierra thought were blueberries when in this challenge. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about what could happen to me other than a splat of green jelly. What was the first booby trap in this pile again? I then hear a squeaking. Uh-oh! Two rats then jump out from the middle and attack my legs! As I yelp in pain and Cameron gets attacked by an angry racoon from his pancake pile, McLean notes from the side "Oh yeah, there might be some booby traps and feisty ingredients in those PAIN-cakes."
Shaking the rats off my legs, I continue eating without a problem as my team cheers for me until I hear that pig squeal and the choir to respectively end my time and the bubble boy's. He also has that racoon off him now. Better get through this without puking.
"Eating time's over for Courtney and Cameron, now it's beating time!" the host announces.
As we run over to the bouncy butts, I get a running start to make the right move, and Wilkins tries to make some calculation of how/when to jump. Looking behind me, he fails miserably and falls into mud down below, completely missing the first of four bouncy butts. I then continue to bounce across the mud without falling into it. Perhaps I got lucky here, but Cameron is now bouncing across as I reach the rolling pin. He apparently took a note from what I did. Trying to keep my balance, I run across the pin as quickly as possible, almost slipping at one point, and then successfully reach the kicking boot. Here we go! That boot kicks me before bubble boy can reach it, and I land on my feet at the end of the course without barfing, success!
I triumphantly raise both fists in the air as Chris proclaims that "Courtney scores one for the Vultures!" and my team cheers for me. No gross green jelly in my face, no throwing up, and no getting flung off course into a tree hole! It's now pretty much guaranteed I won't get eliminated tonight even if my team loses again. Alejandro then proceeds to eat from our pancake pile as I make my way back and see Cameron getting knocked into a tree by that boot and then make a painful fall down the branches, getting pecked by angry birds at one point and Chris laughs at his pain and says "Next!" while Gwen and Scott both give me high-fives when I reach them.
Our host can be heard telling the camera "Which team will finish their barf-tastic breakfast first? Find out after the break" to cue in a commercial break.
Once Mr. Wilkins gets back to his team, Mike goes up next, but Al has already got a head-start thanks to me getting back in line sooner. We all hear that pig squeal and Burromuerto goes off to the bouncy butts. Everyone on our team shouts different things at the same time, so I can't really make out what Heather, Scott, or Gwen are saying, but know that I personally told him "Don't spill your guts!" as he made his way through the course and the choir sounds off for the Hamsters right after Mike gets a mousetrap on stuck on his lips.
Making multiple flips, Al gets lodged into just the right place on one bouncy butt to flip again and go through the pin with ease as Chris announces to the camera "We're back with some very nice moves from Alejandro, and he continues to impress on the rolling pins!" and then he flips again towards the boot while Mike bounces across the mud to the pin.
Off to the side, I notice Heather cheer "Yes!" for him, and then stop with wide eyes for a moment when she realizes the implications of her remark. I grin and raise an eyebrow knowingly as she blushes a bit in embarrassment upon noticing she was heard, making her not-so-secret affections for Alejandro even more obvious. Burromuerto then gets hit by the boot with Mike making his way over, and he lands on his stomach as he completes the challenge. He then struggles to get up and walks over a bit before Mr. Multiple Personalities reaches the end.
Both guys make their way back to their teams, with Zoey going next for the Hamsters and Gwen going next for the Vultures. I notice before heading up to her pile that Ms. Pigtails was quietly chatting with Duncan, presumably about Mike/Mal concerns. The girls start to eat quickly, with Gwen getting up to eat first because Al returned here before Mike did. Sam doesn't offer to take her place with a tag-out this time, probably because they aren't the only two remaining players on their team to not eat any pancake or trying to finish off the pile.
Once our pig squeal is heard, the goth must make her way to the end while fighting off a couple crabs that clung onto her from the Vultures' pancake stack. Soon afterwards, Zoey hears her choir sound and screams as she gets blasted in the air by a dynamite booby trap within the Hamsters' pile! It sends her flying through the course all the way towards the end well ahead of Gwen. McLean can be heard telling our audience "The villains are two-thirds done and the heroes are about halfway through. Can they catch up?"
Our goth bounces across the bouncy butts with cheers from our team (even Heather) and we all cringe when she falls on her face when passing through them. I can hear her groaning with nausea, trying to keep from barfing while Zoey runs back towards her team. As she and Duncan continue conversing, Sam goes up to eat the pancakes while Gwen is on the rolling pin, telling himself "You can do this, Samuelson. One does not play the game; one lets the game play him!" before he starts to scarf whatever he can within a minute.
Since our gamer this time around didn't go to exile before today, I doubt he'll try to cheat like before by stuffing pancake into his pockets, though decide to keep an eye on him in case he does. "Hero Sam makes progress chowing and villain Gwen's head is turning a new shade of green." I then hear Chris state right before the goth pukes and then slips off the pin to fall into the mud, wincing at the sight while he continues "Oh, and Gwen gives the 'hurl of shame' new meaning! Hit the bench." and she grabs a bucket close by to vomit in while walking over to the benches.
"Ew, I'd hate to slip on that." a grossed-out Lindsay comments from the side before Duncan cheers "Go Sam; you can do it!" and then tries to shrug it off with "I mean whatever. Pfft, do whatever, because I don't care." only for Mike to place one hand on his shoulder, assuring him "It's OK to be a team player" and the delinquent just rolls his eyes instead of commenting on a familiar voice (for obvious reasons).
The choir noise goes off and Sam starts running. My theory on whether he'd cheat proved correct here as this time I watched closely enough to see he didn't stuff anything into his pockets now, or I otherwise would've called him out for it. Our host then proclaims that "Sam makes his way across the bouncy butts!" while the gamer bounces off them to the other end, losing energy along the way.
Heather then goes up and starts eating. Scott is off to the side, evidently staring at me again with a smile. How long has he been doing that this challenge? I silently give him a hand gesture to focus his attention on the game. He blushes a bit before turning his eyes towards Heather and Sam on the course. As flattering as his gazes can be, now's not the time for that.
"Need power-up." a tired Sam says aloud, struggling to make his way past the rolling pin.
"You have no hope, game-child!" Alejandro taunts.
That was a big mistake on his part.
"It's not game-child; it's game-MAN!" a re-energized Sam snaps, then picking up speed and safely jumping off the pin.
Heather then yelps when activating the green jelly splatter booby trap (though this was nothing compared to my panic attack when I got splattered by that), and I feel so glad it's not me up there right now! The pig squeal can be heard once Sam reaches the boot and Heather wipes off all the jelly, then she sprints over to the bouncy butts, trying desperately to catch up with him. What nobody except me saw coming was that he'd land swiftly at the end and loudly belch. While somehow this time that started before he hit the ground and it doesn't last for as long (likely because he ate less than in the original timeline and somewhat slower here), it still was quite loud today and is enough to throw Heather off her focus when bouncing across the bouncy butts. The girl lands face-first in the mud as a result and rushes to get back on track while Sam runs to his team. I normally would laugh at Heather's misfortune, but this instance of her pain is hindering our team progress.
Once the gamer reaches his team again, Lindsay goes up to eat as my ex is still conversing with Zoey. At this point, I'm certain their discussion is about Mike/Mal even if I can't exactly hear any of their words (and Mr. Multiple Personalities evidently doesn't hear their words either or he would've said something to them by now). Like I said before, Duncan isn't entirely heartless even though he undoubtedly is an ass, and the guy did make it clear after the last challenge that he's worried for her safety, Gwen's, and mine. I foolishly dismissed his warnings during my first run-through when I knew nothing about Mal's nature, as did Gwen, though Zoey took his concerns seriously back then. That of course has changed since and I do hope Mike can stop his inner demon before it's too late.
Getting back to the game, I see Heather make her way across the last bouncy butt and struggle to get across the rolling pin without slipping off. Lindsay happens to come across a beehive as she continues to eat the pancakes. The bees then come out of their hive and start stinging her!
"Oh no, not the bees! Not the bees!" she screams in pain with a mouthful of pancake and tries to swat them away. "Oh, they're in my eyes! My eyes!"
This whole sight is brutal, and the blonde is lucky none of them sting her eyelids, though a couple get close to it. Imagine how the actor Nicolas Cage would feel. She even used the exact same words as his character from The Wicker Man did when getting tortured by having to wear a helmet with bees in them. Once Lindsay swats the last bee away, her choir sound is played, and she must get running. The blonde makes her way across those bouncy butts and lands on her boobs when reaching the end. Not sure if her large chest cushions the fall in any capacity, but it still is a painful fall and I cringe as she yelps a bit upon landing. Clutching her stomach, the girl looks like she could get sick as Heather tries to maintain her balance on the pin. Lindsay then trails her on the pin and pukes in Heather's face! Our blonde slips off the rolling pin much like Gwen did, and Heather also falls off as the vomit blinded her by getting into her eyes. It disgusts the girl so much that she also throws up.
"Double whammy; Heather AND Lindsay both hurl! They're benched. It's now down to Duncan for the heroes and Scott for the villains." Chris announces as both girls make their way to the benches, slouching in shame.
Scott has a worried look on his face. Hopefully the guy doesn't feel too pressured that it messes up his game. "Good luck!" I encourage him, and the ginger then smiles while flirtatiously pointing finger guns at me as he goes up to eat the remaining pancakes for our team, similar to what he did in the original timeline after I ordered him to start eating (though this time I'm not at all bitter towards Scott and I don't scold "stop smiling at me" like before).
Duncan angrily glares at Scott before going up to eat on behalf of the hamsters. Somebody clearly feels jealous and/or determined to beat his opponent in the race. They both promptly begin mowing down on their pancakes. At one point, a turtle walks out of the Hamsters' stack without harming anyone. If only we got that! It's neck-and-neck until some red fire ants appear from the Vultures' stack. Scott screams in fear upon seeing them, trying to stomp as many as he can while still eating. My ex laughs at him for a moment with his mouth full of pancake. Unfortunately, a bunch of the ants crawl up the ginger's legs, though he manages to shake his legs enough to get some onto the delinquent and he screams too. The two somehow finish their pancake stacks at the exact same time and try to get off the remaining fire ants as they make their ways to the bouncy butts.
"Run Scott, run like your life depends on it, which it does!" Alejandro calls from the sidelines.
Not the way to go about things, Al. It didn't work that well last time and I doubt it'll be any better now that our team is counting on him. The Hamsters cheer for Duncan, minus a nauseous Lindsay who's puking into Gwen's bucket over at the bench and doesn't like him anyway. Gwen and Heather also seem too ill to cheer right now. Scott unfortunately gets himself stuck in the first bouncy butt after Duncan got there slightly earlier and bounced off it without a problem. However, he slips on the second one and groans in pain once he falls in the mud on his back. "You have to do better than that, Chris!" Duncan calls out right before the bouncy butt crushes him, which prompts more painful groaning.
Once Mr. Delinquent recovers from the blow, he gets back up and heads for the bouncy butts again. Thankfully Scott has gotten himself unstuck by now and is bouncing across more easily. Duncan trails him as they reach the rolling pin. Our ginger seems to struggle with his balance unlike last time where his bloated stomach somehow stopped the thing enough for him to simply walk across. An idea then comes to mind.
"You can do it Scott!" I call out, trying to motivate him when I sense that Scott wants to do well for me.
It works! He gains enough confidence and speed to cross the pin without a problem. Looks like I was right in thinking he'd put in full effort for yours truly here. Duncan quickly catches up right as he heads for the boot. It kicks each of them towards the end at the same time. The first one to reach it is…
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Scott!
"And the villains win!" Chris announces from afar.
Alejandro and I cheer for our victorious ginger, heading over to give congratulations. Gwen and Heather smile and clap (still probably feeling too drained from nausea to be vocal) while the Hamsters sulk in defeat. Finally, we get to go back in the hotel instead of those damn cabins! Scott has a huge victorious grin on his face with both fists raised triumphantly in the air. I run towards him and give a congratulatory hug and applaud "Score one for the Scott-meister!", too joyful about our victory to care who sees it or what they think.
He warmly hugs me back for several seconds and then we end it for the moment. The two of us can obviously get more affectionate when alone. Maybe tonight's when we'll officially become a couple. It's getting hard to keep myself back from that more than I already have. He also made it quite clear earlier today with the hand-holding that he's at least getting closer to asking me out. Waiting for him to do that rather than me raising the question is probably for the best in this case as it'll be a clearer sign we aren't rushing into anything.
We make our way with the other Vultures towards the hotel, and I start thinking of how things started between us last time around. When I got stuck in that tree after getting flung off course, he showed the most concern for my well-being. What the cameras didn't show is that Gwen also was worried for me but at the same time lower on energy than normal due to puking (thus focusing much of her attention on that). A couple interns eventually got me out, though it still meant a lot how Scott wanted me safe and he was very relieved once I was freed.
I remember the ginger saying Chris should take better care of us contestants, and then reminding him that the host gets pleasure from our pain. It helped me see Scott in a more positive light. He had of course already flirted with me the first time around, and the exchange made me realize that he truly was into me, not just faking interest like Alejandro did. I wouldn't start reciprocating his affections just yet, but I suppose that partially led to it. That fiasco from the original timeline isn't something I have to worry about now because I'm out of the tree.
Heather, Alejandro, and Gwen head inside the hotel once we reach it. That just leaves Scott and me outside right now. Nobody else can be seen. From behind, I see him grab some loose string from a doorstep and fiddle with it as he walks into the hotel. He's also making inaudible mumbles. Is the ginger making me a ring with it and preparing to ask me out? If so, then it's better than a ring made from a shoelace that's probably filthy! Either way, I'll give him some privacy for now. I decide to go to the confessional outhouse, only realizing now I haven't used it since day one. Entering it, I tell the camera "Thank god we won this challenge! I don't think I could've managed three consecutive nights in those cabins. However, I need to secure myself some immunity while I have a chance, so no sleeping in the hotel tonight." and then exit.
That's right; I plan on volunteering for Boney Island tonight to find the invincibility idol. Unless Lindsay or Duncan found that already (which I doubt), I know exactly where to look, having repeatedly re-watched the episode where Heather found that and then stupidly put it aside unsupervised (erroneously thinking someone would see her with it). Alejandro took full advantage of that lapse in judgement, snatching it away and using it to eliminate her that night when the other Vultures including me voted for him. Not happening if I can get that first!
Entering the hotel, I need some supplies. A flashlight and some sort of lock pick would be ideal. Maybe a knife of some sort could also help. Having seen Duncan smuggle his own knife into many places without getting caught by anyone else, I over time picked up on how to do the same, though it'll be much harder if the blade can't retract. Since the kitchen has lots of knives, I look there first for one, and open a drawer. A switchblade is thankfully in there along with other non-retractable knives. Talk about lucky! I snatch that I then search for my bags because I know I packed a flashlight in there. Some interns have already brought those bags into the girls' bedroom, and I pull my flashlight out of a bag with ease, but where do I get a lock pick?
Wait a moment. I just remembered something crucial; there's a big wall separating "Fun Zone" (where Chris hid the idol) from the main part of Boney Island. No lock pick will do any good when its door is switch-activated. What I could really use is a long rope. Unfortunately, none can be found anywhere in this hotel, which means I must either hope Chef has some in his boat or grip onto each stone on the wall as hard as I can. Both scenarios will really test my climbing skills. Loading my pockets with the switchblade and the flashlight (which is thankfully small enough to fit), I then head outside.
Scott can be found sitting on the doorsteps. "Thanks again for scoring us the win today." I say and then sit next to him, adding "We really needed that."
"Of course, happy to do so!" he replies. "I'm also really glad neither of us are getting eliminated tonight."
I respond with "The feeling is mutual." and can't help but notice him beginning to look nervous.
There's no reasonable doubt that he wants to make his move but doesn't seem sure how to go about it without screwing up. It's the same look he gave when asking me out during my first run-through of the season. Hiding my excitement is getting quite hard when I know what will sooner or later come up.
"Yes, it's nice not to lose three challenges in a row." A cheerful Alejandro adds from behind us before we can say anything else.
Dammit Al; you ruined our moment! Scott was probably ready right then and there to ask me to be his girlfriend, and I was about to accept, but you just HAD to interrupt things. If only I could yell at you for that without raising eyebrows. Hiding my disappointment and frustration, I ask "Think we can maybe WIN three in a row?"
"I like the sound of that!" Burromuerto replies with a grin and states "In the meantime, I'm getting another massage."
He subsequently turns back to go inside. Al must really like visiting that masseuse. Scott then walks off to the confessional with a disappointed look on his face. Come on! Best to let him have privacy now. We both wanted to start a relationship, but our interrupted moment seems to have discouraged him from popping the question. Now that I think about it, we need to talk about one another for matters outside of competing anyway, plus going to exile on our first night as a couple sounds awkward. Guess my excitement temporarily got in the way of thinking things through here.
I of course know lots about Scott from both living through this season already AND watching Revenge of the Island, but what does he know about me as a person other than that I take pride in victory, hate most of Chef's so-called meals, was once a counselor-in-training (CIT), have an interest in law (he definitely saw me reading that law book in both timelines on our way to Wawanakwa), and think strategically? Probably not that much when he doesn't seem to have watched much (if any) Total Drama before joining as a contestant. That obviously will have to change. It likely means I'll eventually have to tell him about my past with Duncan and maybe how Alejandro toyed with my heart.
Speaking of the delinquent, I sense he'll urge Zoey to vote Mike off tonight to get rid of Mal or already has done so, but I doubt the multi-personality teen is going home so soon regardless. Aside from how Mal is highly crafty, my ex is suspected of breaking Sam's game console plus lost the race for his team today while Lindsay barfed on the obstacle course. Both are much more likely than Mike to be tonight's loser. Duncan also acknowledged that he was the odd one out on team hero by asking McLean "Would YOU like to be stuck somewhere you knew you didn't belong?" on our first night.
Overall, I never really got along well with the blonde (especially not during season 2 when she and her best friend Beth got fed up of me being a cunt towards them and really wanted to vote me off), but I'd still prefer her staying over him. If we both reach the merge this time, then maybe I can find a time to make peace with her like I did with Harold, Justin, and Gwen, though that'll be rather difficult given our past conflict. It of course will have to wait either way.
In the meantime, I go up to my room and pull out that law book I read on my way over to camp. May as well pass the time before Chris wants us to come over and attend the elimination ceremony. I pick up the book and resuming reading. After what feels like an hour, my stomach rumbles. While I know we're about to get grilled pork chops tonight with rice and loved eating it during my first run-through, there's no way I can have a full meal when heading for Boney Island.
Chef takes exile volunteers over there before they can eat the winners' meal (except for the night challenge which comes up tomorrow after dinner). Knowing that my hunger will only get worse if ignored, I quietly sneak into the kitchen and grab a piece of the cooked pork (not all of it has been prepared yet). Thankfully there was a nearby plate, so I put my pork chop onto that and carry it over to a dark empty closet as I grab a fork. This pork is quite hot when fresh off the grill, so just holding that in my hands would be a bad idea. After turning on my flashlight, I use my fork and switchblade to cut bite-size pieces and enjoy eating all of chop. Whatever food Lindsay and her yeti may have gotten together on Boney Island, that alone probably wouldn't be enough for me tonight. I then turn off my flashlight, and clean both the fork and blade before returning that fork. It's a miracle nobody caught me or even suspected a thing!
Heading back into my room, I resume reading that book from earlier. Probably should enjoy this room and its beds while I can before going to exile. Scott knocks on my door after it gets dark, telling me "It's time to come down for the elimination ceremony."
I open the door and join him, then the two of us walk outside together. Maybe now he can get to know me better. "Tell me, Scott, what would you do if you won the money this season?" I ask him, which is something I never brought up during my original run-through.
"Use it to start my own business where I'd sell the food my family grows on our farm." he informs me. "My sister Albertha, who we call Al, has wanted to do the same ever since she finished college but could never quite afford it. I've wanted for a while to help my family out financially so that could happen someday. She taught me how to pluck our crops at the right time when our parents went out shopping. Because of her, if you ask anyone back home, I'm a great plucker! I figure she could also help run the business with me and teach anyone who wants to know how to pluck. What would you do?"
It makes sense that he'd do something for his family farm when he grew up there. Nice to also see more of his softer side. Maybe falling in love with me changed him even more than he already had after the end of season 4. Getting to his question, I reply with "Help pay for an apartment, my college tuition, and when I go to law school at some point. My parents are lawyers with their own firm, and my goal is to one day join them. It's a job that can pay quite well. Both of my brothers hope to as well. One of them, Stuart, is in law school now. Timothy, the other one, is currently in college. Once he graduates from there, he'll go to law school too. After seeing how upset my mom and dad were sometimes when they lost court cases, I guess one could say it motivated me to win as much as possible, so I don't feel the way they did. It admittedly has often gone over the top, and I'm trying to tone myself down there."
Did I seriously just reveal my motivation for victory to someone who's only known me for a few days? Can't take it back now. That's something only my parents and brothers knew before tonight. I really regret never listening to my family when they said I often went overboard with wanting to win. Thankfully they still love and accept me as a person despite how much of a bitch I often have been around others, and we're all quite close. I do of course know better than to take my issues out on Mom, Dad, Stuart, or Timothy. In the future, I must remember to take their advice more often.
Scott is someone I know I can trust after all the time we spent together in the original timeline as well as in this one. It of course is quite clear he can also trust me at this point given all our interactions (unlike the time after my chart where he refused to trust or forgive me no matter how much I tried to say sorry). If nothing else, I feel grateful for how my family and Scott love me for who I am. Having Gwen as a friend again is also quite nice. Maybe I could also befriend others here from this season before it ends. Anyway, Scott and I are now approaching the ceremony. We join the other Vultures in the winners' seats, where I sit beside Gwen and Scott takes the other spot next to me. All six of the remaining Hamsters have already arrived, which will soon become five.
Chris opens the ceremony with "The villains win for a change tonight thanks to the triumph of villain Scott and loss of hero Duncan."
"I'm NOT a hero no matter what team you put me on; I'm a villain!" an irritated Duncan interjects.
"It doesn't matter what you think right now so shut up!" our host bitterly retorts. "Anyway, after reviewing today's footage and laughing a lot, I'd like to thank you all for the entertainment. Now, time to vote someone out, heroes."
Each of the Hamsters then proceeds to vote. As they do so, I notice Heather and Alejandro are chatting behind me, probably about who they think will get axed tonight. Without paying attention to who goes up to vote when, I subtly put my hands into my pockets to ensure my switchblade and mini flashlight are still there, and both are in fact in place. Everything is set for Boney Island once I head off! Just need to speak up before anyone else can once our team is asked for a volunteer.
After everyone finishes voting, Chris tells them "With the votes cast, time to send a hero home! Tonight, it's not going to be Sam, Cameron, Zoey, or Mike." and then gives marshmallows to each of them as he calls their names.
Another change-up in the eliminations! No surprise that Sam stays in the game when he doesn't cheat this time or lose for his team. As I expected, Lindsay and Duncan are in the bottom two following their failures in today's challenge. For some reason, the editors cut out footage of the night's first four marshmallow distributions and then never showed any other times the safe contestants got those for the rest of the season's elimination ceremonies. The challenges after this instead just had Chris declare a contestant eliminated while on camera and everyone else then gets marshmallows off-screen.
"We're down to the final two contestants." McLean then announces after a pause as the delinquent and the blonde both have worried looks on their faces. "Who will get the final marshmallow? Will it be Duncan the race loser, or Lindsay the pancake hurler? The last marshmallow goes to…
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Lindsay!"
The blonde grins as our host gives her the last marshmallow and tells my frowning ex "Makes sense when you cost your team the challenge. Duncan, you're done. I also saw you destroy Sam's game system yesterday when reviewing hotel footage earlier tonight and was planning to keep this a secret until you left the competition since it would help build drama and suspense. Now that you've been voted off, it was time for the reveal."
FUCK YES! So glad that prick is out early this time as I would've hated for him to reach the merge again. I silently give a fist-bump to Gwen, who smiles and is clearly also glad to see the jackass ousted. He obviously doesn't have the invincibility idol or already would've said so by now and used it to save himself.
"OK fine yes; I wrecked it. Just denied that at first so they wouldn't vote me off so early in the game, but it doesn't look like that matters now." Duncan confesses and then points to Sam as he notes "Chances are the gaming nut would otherwise repeatedly keep me up at night with that thing. If I'm headed home, then I may as well go out with a bang."
"I beg your pardon?" our confused host inquires.
Duncan then gives a malicious grin as he pulls out some switch from his pocket and states "Say hello to my little friend from Boney Island!" before pressing it.
Like everyone except the delinquent, I turn to the side of noise when hearing a massive explosion! Some smoke can be seen in the distance.
"What the heck was that!?" Zoey questions in shock.
Chris gets some binoculars to look at it, gasping in horror at the sight and crying "My cottage!" with despair.
Is this for real!? We all know his "cottage" is a god damn MANSION. I pretend not to know what he's talking about this time as I go to grab the binoculars for a closer look, retorting "A cottage? That was a mansion!" as I examine the remains.
Our delinquent is doing some little victory dance while sadistically laughing and remarks "Oh yeah! Woo-hoo! Now who's gone soft?" before throwing the switch at Scott's face out of spite and continuing to laugh.
The ginger yelps in pain and reprimands "So not cool!" while rubbing the spot he got hit as every remaining contestant (including me) glares at my ex.
"Yes, dirt boy, it is." Duncan insists and then taunts Chris with "Told you I was a villain, McLean. Suck it!"
I should've guessed the delinquent of all people would find something explosive in exile and smuggle it onto the main island undetected. Looks like he attached that bomb to the mansion in between today's challenge and the elimination ceremony. Meanwhile, our host is still saddened by the explosion and complains "So many pictures of me, gone! All, all gone!"
Trying to console his depressed friend, Chef places one hand on his shoulder and offers "We'll build you another cottage."
"It was a MANSION, not a cottage!" I remind him with some irritation.
"Whatever. I need to go make a call." the cook dismisses as he walks away.
"Do you know how many statues of me were lost in that explosion? Five!" a now angry McLean adds. "Duncan Ebert, you officially are BANNED from competing on this show ever again for spitefully destroying my property like that in front of me AND rubbing it in my face!"
"Eh, worth it for your pain." Duncan shrugs nonchalantly.
Good riddance! Nobody has any issues with that ban, especially not Gwen or me. Any respect the Total Drama cast may have had for him is unquestionably gone because of that explosion, just like it vanished after he blew up the mansion when I first lived through the season. Maybe now he won't be brought back to get stuffed in the balloons along with every other eliminated contestant for the finale like in the original timeline where the finalists must free two at random who help them in the challenge.
"I should've known you overall were more of a destructive jerk than anything else!" an angry Zoey chastises Duncan, no longer sensing any good within him like she did here or in the original timeline even when he tried to insist he was bad.
Now that I think about it, the pigtailed girl was probably his closest thing to a friend among the contestants this season after Gwen dumped him during my initial run-through. Zoey can be naïve at times and misplace her trust, though isn't outright gullible. She undoubtedly got smarter throughout her time on season 4. The only person who could really trick her this season (in both timelines) is probably Mal unless you count me for hiding my time travel this time around. In all fairness, Mal is quite capable of deceiving everyone as he can easily imitate Mike's mannerisms, so I can't blame her for thinking her boyfriend was in control at certain times when he wasn't. I made that mistake more than once with him and could easily continue to do so.
"Told you guys it was better to get rid of Duncan sooner than later." Lindsay remarks. "Thanks for listening to me."
"Sure thing. Part of me also somehow knew he hurt my Game Guy, and then I had even more reason to vote him off after he cost us the challenge." Sam tells her.
"Wait, you all conspired to give me the boot?" Duncan asks.
"Not exactly a conspiracy, but Lindsay did warn us during your time in exile that you were a threat." Cameron admits.
Lindsay, I must give you props for that. I do remember in season 2 how you and Beth more than once unsuccessfully tried to vote him off to spite me when I had immunity, so it makes sense you'd try to do so here. You now officially have my respect for getting the delinquent out when I hate his guts these days. I also like seeing more of your smarter side.
"Can't blame her for wanting you gone after all that happened today." Mike comments.
"Well played, Linds; you're smarter than I thought." Duncan relents.
Two police officers then appear behind him. It looks like Chef called them over. One of cops tells him "You're under arrest for the destruction of a private cottage" as he put his hand on Duncan's shoulder.
The delinquent now looks very nervous, realizing he went too far and fucked up big time. Seeing him get his comeuppance is of course very satisfying, but the cops really think that thing was a cottage!? "It was a fucking MANSION!" I yell in frustration.
"Way to go, bad boy; I hope looking cool is worth getting locked up again." Gwen mocks him just like in the original timeline, alluding to how he was once in juvie.
It doesn't look like he cares here that the goth is of course being sarcastic and happily replies with "It is; I'm gonna RULE juvie!"
"Juvie?" our host inquires, "Um, you destroyed a MAJOR piece of property. It's a big boy jail for you, bro, and it's gonna be a REAL slammer!" before laughing at the delinquent.
Going to jail instead of juvie also makes sense when he's 18 and thus no longer a minor.
"Uh, wait. It was an accident." Duncan tries to bullshit his way out of jail with a nervous voice while being escorted away. "Come on guys, have a heart! I-I-I didn't know you weren't supposed to put a toaster in the microwave!"
"Cut the crap and I hope you rot in hell" I snap as I give him the middle finger, and he growls "Dah, snuggle muffins!"
While they leave, a satisfied Chris says "Ah, justice" and then "Thanks Chef for calling the cops in on short notice" as Hatchet returns to the scene.
"Of course. We all know he needed that." the cook responds.
"While flushing Duncan would've been quite nice, him getting arrested instead is totally worth it." McLean remarks. "Now, getting back to business, which winner is gonna be a LOSER tonight on Boney Island?"
Before anybody else can volunteer, I tell him "It's my turn. I need to find that idol."
Chef then escorts me into his boat and we go to Boney Island. As the boat takes off, I look around for anything that could help. Just my luck! A long rope is tucked under one of the benches. Best not to take it or anything else until I arrive at the island, though. I also see a bigger flashlight than my own. That of course could be useful in case the batteries in mine run out. Within five minutes, Hatchet and I reach the island. I grab the rope and flashlight as I get off at the docks. Chef then tells me "Best of luck with your search!" and drives off, and surprisingly doesn't seem to care that I took the rope or flashlight. Time to get hunting. This should be one hell of a night.
Next chapter, our time-traveler will do whatever she can to find that idol! I'm bound to have fun writing that. Stay tuned to find out what the CIT does to get it. Duncan's arrest for blowing up the mansion was also too iconic for me to leave out even though I didn't have him use a dynamite like in canon.
Reason for elimination: Since Sierra was already eliminated on day one, I had to change up the pancake eating order for the Hamsters when she went first for them in canon. I figured Duncan would likely try to talk with Zoey as much as possible about Mal before he goes up to eat following his early discovery of Mike's evil persona, thus being last to eat put him on the chopping block for losing the challenge. Lindsay also knows how well Duncan did in previous seasons and that he was a threat in this game, so given how she and Beth made multiple plans to get rid of the delinquent in Total Drama Action, it made sense to me that she would do so again in this season when on the same team as him, doesn't like the guy to begin with, and had the chance to vote him off pre-merge.
Elimination Order:
Sierra (14th place), Lightning (13th place), Jo (12th place), Duncan (11th place)
Remaining Players:
Heroic Hamsters: Cameron, Lindsay, Mike, Sam, Zoey
Villainous Vultures: Alejandro, Courtney, Gwen, Heather, Scott
Chapter posted: September 9, 2018.