Ep 3: Open for Interpretation
"Last time, on Total Drama: Bakuhatsu Island…" Hailee announced on the familiar dock. Only except; it was no longer familiar because a brand-new host had taken its spot. Complete with her latest attire: white dress shirt, black dress pants, black heals, and a Hawaiian Lei around her neck. No longer flashy, but stern and subtle. A new atmosphere had been set to stone.
"We had the competitors run through the forest and back, driving ATVs, and firing rocket launchers with flimsy arrows. Yeah, quite a mess of a challenge, but you could say it was… explosive." She chuckled. "Arnold cost his team the victory, attempting to sabotage the enemy, but instead, sabotaged himself by blowing up his own ATV. However, at the end of the day, Zane got the boot after tormenting his fellow teammates with his constant staring and unnerving silence, while also presumably behind Phil's… misfortunes. Look, I was not expecting an instant promotion after that awful incident, but maintaining professionalism is key to keep the show running as smoothly as can be. Luckily for Phil, he only suffered a few fractured bones. Plus, a private investigation has been launched regarding said subject matter, so no worrying necessary. Anyways, buckle up viewers. This is Hailee Friarwood… reporting today's episode for…" She cleared her throat.
"Total!...
Drama!...
Bakuhatsu Island!"
Opening Theme
(Multiple cameras popped out of the lush bushes and palm trees found within the island)
Dear Mom and Dad, I'm doin' fine,
(The camera did its signature zoom across the island, as it quickly flew by Hailee and Phil arguing on the camper's compound.)
You guys are on my mind.
(The camera then entered a deep pond found further inland covered in dark, dense vegetation.)
You asked me what I wanted to be
(A gleeful Arnold found a treasure chest deep within the pond, but it was quickly snatched by Hunter's fishing rod as he raised it onto the wooden boat. Arnold swam up onto the boat and threw his fake, plastic cutlass sword towards him, but Hunter deflected it and whipped it into the air, as it flew across the sky.)
And now I think the answer is plain to see,
(The cutlass falls and lands with the blade stuck on the ground, frightening both Kiara and Kayla, as they stood right next to it.)
I wanna be famous.
(A large, green snake with bright, red eyes slithered out a nearby bush and hissed at Kiara and Kayla, frightening them once more as the snake chased after them.)
I wanna live close to the sun,
(Spencer and Nanci were both on a motorboat, cruising through a river in a dense, swampy region. A couple of random crustaceans jumped onto the motor and pinched it, causing the motor to glitch. The boat then sped uncontrollably, zooming through the river. Spencer and Nanci were panicking.)
Go pack your bags, 'cause I've already won,
(The boat quickly passed by Alexander, as he continued playing his pipe flute.)
Everything to prove, nothing in my way
(The crustaceans that were on the motorboat jumped out the river and pinched on all over Alexander's body, as he then screamed in immense pain.)
I'll get there one day.
(Lily leaned onto the outhouse confessional and noticed Alexander's screams from a distance. She took photos of his inconvenience with her camera but was then startled by a sudden arrow piercing through the confessional door. It was revealed to be Emily carrying a bow and arrow, who then had an apologetic smile.)
Cause, I wanna be famous!
(At a region near the beach, Rashon tried to carry multiple coconuts at the same time, presumably for someone else, but clumsily tripped on a rock, dropping all the coconuts at once. Zane creepily stared at him from near a palm tree.)
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!
(Soraya and Daniela were seen arguing on the beach. Soraya was standing with her arms crossed, while Daniela sat on a black couch with her hand resting on her face.)
I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous!
(On the main dock, Oliver pulled out a line graph from the sky, seemingly out of thin air, as he pointed out the downwards slope in viewership and ratings for Total Drama.)
I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous!
(The dock exploded out of nowhere, dropping Oliver into the water. As he swam back up, it was revealed to be Phil. He stood on the leftover part of the dock, holding a remote control in his hand as he grinned menacingly.)
(Whistle)
(Spencer and Nanci smiled and looked straight into each other's eyes, but suddenly, Arnold popped right in between them, waving his sword in front of their faces. Nanci's face turned to confusion, while Spencer was completely annoyed. The camera then zoomed out of the campfire site, revealing all the contestants sitting in a circle.)
At seven in the morning, it was quite peaceful compared to the shocking night. No clouds in the sky, completely cleared. Quite unusual for such an isolated island. Some still slept in their cabins while others were wide awake. A few of them had even taken the time to jog around the compound as a warmup for the upcoming challenge.
"It's a pretty morning today, huh?" Daniela faced towards Emily; both panted as they slowly jogged around the camper's compound together.
"Compared to last night? Yes!" Emily said, with a brightest glee on her face. "I think today's gonna' be a beautiful day! I could feel it!"
"Oye," Daniela lowered her voice. "Between you and me, who are you crushing right now?" She asked Emily teasingly. "That intern for the other team is kinda' cute, not gonna' lie."
"Hmm, is it weird to say that I have a huge crush on Chris McLean?" She said, leaving Daniela with an open mouth. She was fazed by her answer, but then bit her lower lip in response.
"Ooo, Emily, I didn't know you were into older men." She chuckled.
"He's not that old. Isn't he in his thirties?"
As Daniela was about to speak, someone else sneaked up onto them, caught up towards their slow speed.
"So…" Soraya interrupted. Emily faced towards her, smiling, while Daniela switched to her pouting face. "How's it feel losing twice in a row? Must hurt knowing you have headphones girl on your team."
Confessional:
Soraya: She sat confidently stiff on the toilet seat. "Today's gonna' be a great day. You know why? Because all the shortcomings we had within our team are gone, thanks to me. And now, I can rub it in to the other team's face, especially to that short-haired, eyerolling brat."
-static-
Daniela: "Seriously, what's her problem?" Her face was more annoyed than upset. "Is it 'cause I gave her funny looks during the very first challenge? I don't really care, but it's kinda' annoying. Let me jog peacefully with Emmy, thank you very much."
-static-
Daniela had no energy to argue but continued anyways. "I find it more sad that you still have a grudge on me over a few jokes I made. Like, get over yourself, 'cause no one cares except for you."
"Excuse me?" Soraya retorted. "I'll let you know that I carried my team to victory AND I've squashed differences within my teammates…"
"Again, no one cares." Daniela rolled her eyes. "Also, you're killing the vibe, so how 'bout you leave me and my favorite redhead alone, okay? Cool, thanks!"
"Oh, there goes your eyeroll again. Ugh! So annoying. This is why I… AHH!" She tripped and fell face-flat onto the rough, dirt surface, as Daniela snorted with laughter. "HEY! YOU DID NOT JUST DO THAT?"
"What?" Daniela laughed. "You literally just tripped over a rock. I didn't do squat! How 'bout you go back to your cabin and chill, m'kay? Me and Emmy are gonna' take a break. Nice talkin' to ya!"
"See ya' later!" Emily said, as she stayed as neutral as possible. "It was nice meeting ya!"
"GAH!" Soraya screamed.
Inside the Electric Eels' suburban cabin, most members huddled inside the kitchen and dining area, passing time until the next meal package arrived.
"Yo!" Hunter opened every kitchen shelf, revealing emptiness within each one. "What's the point of a kitchen when we can't even cook our own food?"
Rashon, who stood right next to Hunter, had no issue with the kitchen's meaningless features. "At least we have fridge to store leftovers from the last package."
"Meh. Food gets soggy anyways." Hunter glanced around the house and noticed something odd at the wall right in front of him. "What the hell is that?" He stepped closer to it; a rectangular crack the size of a hand was visible. He gripped onto the crevices with his slim fingers and crack-opened the piece, revealing a music player within the wall.
"What's that?" Rashon said.
"You're about to find out…" Hunter shuffled through the playlist on the music player, and surprisingly found a song he enjoyed. As he pressed play, the song echoed inside the kitchen and dining room. A song sonically reminiscent of an East Coast hip hop classic.
"Ew." Kiara said in response. She sat in the same table with Kayla and Nanci in the dining room. "Who's, like, playing hip hop?"
Nanci was more confused at where the music was coming from. "Better question: how is anyone playing music? Is there like a home music system we don't know about?"
"Whatever." Kiara remarked, as Nanci pondered regrets over sitting in the same table as her. "Kayla, hand me the soap and gloves so that I could clean the toilet seat. This princess is gonna' use the bathroom."
"Okay, but, like, don't use too much. We are running out." Kayla said.
"I get to use however much I want, 'kay?" She stormed to the bathroom, leaving Nanci and Kayla to talk amongst themselves.
"Seriously." Nanci was fed up with Kiara's attitude. "How do you put up with her? You don't care if she bosses you around? No offense."
There was no offense in Kayla's face. Just understanding. "Oh, it's 'cause you don't, like, know her as well as I do. We've been taking classes together since middle school. But you should get to know her; she's not actually, like, as bad as you think she is."
"Ehh, no thanks." Nanci said, as they tried blocking off the distracting music in the background. "You're a much nicer person. I'd rather talk to you. She either just likes to boss us around or get upset when someone touches her crown. Also, why does she bring her tiara everywhere she goes? Couldn't she just leave it at home? Is she that entitled? No offense."
"No need to say, 'no offense'." She said, as she lowered her voice to where only Nanci could hear. "All I can say is… her crown has sentimental value to her. Something to do with her dad. But like, don't mention this to her or she'll flip."
"Oh." Nanci said. "I didn't know. But it doesn't give her the right to be rude to us."
As soon as Kayla was about to speak, Soraya stomped angrily towards the dining area. Something achingly aggravating was on her mind. "Nanci… a word? Please?"
Nanci nodded; Soraya walked back outside to the front yard, as Nanci followed. Rashon was already waiting outside, leaning onto the outer wall.
"So, what's going on?" Nanci was not expecting an alliance meeting.
"So…" Soraya said. "After I jogged alongside two Floppy Fish members earlier today, I checked my pockets and I noticed something was missing… MY PAINTBRUSH!"
"Oh." That was all Nanci said.
Confessional:
Nanci: "Seriously? That was what the meeting was for? I mean, why did she bring it with her in the first place? Gee, Soraya and Kiara are a lot more alike than I previously thought."
-static-
Rashon: "This remind me of a time I lost my lucky sandal. Only except, I was about four years old…" He smiled; not intended to be an insult.
-static-
"Did you call for this meeting to see if any of us had it?" Nanci asked. "And why is it so important?"
"Do you not understand?" Soraya retorted. "It's my most special, expensive paintbrush I've ever owned. It has Rock Moss's signature. I brought it in case there was a painting challenge. But that's beside the point; I bet that headphones girl on the other team has it. I'd say, let's storm their poor excuse of a cabin… together."
"I think…" Nanci interrupted. "You might've dropped it somewhere. Are you sure it didn't just fell under your bed?"
"Yes! I'm absolutely sure! I checked all over the cabin already! Perhaps-"
"Maybe…" Rashon interjected. He stood silent the whole conversation, waiting to finally offer an observation. "Maybe it wasn't headphones girl that stole it, but maybe someone on our own team."
"That's ridiculous!" Soraya exclaimed. "But who else could it-" And suddenly, it hit her. Of course, why did she not think of it before?
"Hunter."
As all three stormed back inside towards the kitchen, Hunter grossly stuffed his face onto a pile of pancakes from the fridge, gobbling up every piece. Soraya, with a stern look on her face, rammed Hunter's plate straight to his face, suffocating him with his own pancakes, as she fiercely grabbed his shirt, pushing him towards the wall.
"I'm only gonna' ask you once, you disgusting thief. Where… is… my paintbrush?" Soraya had let go of the pancakes to let Hunter speak.
"What?" He asked, baffled. "Why on Earth would I steal something as worthless as a paintbrush?"
"Because that's the kind of person you are: petty. I bet it's 'cause I exposed you as a little weasel last challenge, huh? HUH?"
"I'll say it again…" Hunter kept his cool. "Why would I steal somethin' that stupid?"
"BECAUSE IT HAS A SPECIAL SIGNATURE ON IT! Is that what you wanted to hear? Huh? Now… SPILL!" Soraya was desperate.
"Special signature, you say? Is that so?" Hunter smirked.
Soraya, on the verge of punching Hunter in the face, was interrupted by the loudspeaker outside.
"Good morning campers! This is Hailee Friarwood speaking. Please report to the meeting area right by the main beach sector. Immediately!"
Confessional:
Hunter: "Ya' know how much I could've made with that tiara had I gotten away with it? Thousands. That crown had real diamonds on it, yo. A thief like me could tell. Damn, I knew I shouldn't have carried it around. I was gonna' hide it somewhere else, yo! But Soraya just had to ruin my genius plan. Worst part is, everyone's already keeping a high alert on me, all thanks to Soraya." He rolled his eyes. "Yo, at this point, only an immunity idol could cheer me up now. Hmm… an immunity idol would be nice…" He pondered menacingly.
-static-
Soraya: "Great. Just great. That little weasel is getting on my nerves every time he makes that stupid smirk. But the worst part is, if there's a painting challenge in the future, I lost my chance at winning, thanks to him."
-static-
As every single contestant sat with their team on giant stone slabs right near the calm ocean waves, they waited for the host to arrive. Some were more impatient than others, unsurprisingly.
"Typical." Kiara scoffed. "Phil is, like, always late. Too bad my phone is at the ship. I need to update my Snapgram status."
"Yeah, agree." Kayla said, sitting right beside her. "I probably have, like, a couple hundred unread texts at this point."
"Most are probably from Caleb." Kiara chuckled.
"Ugh! You're probably right. He can be, like, so clingy sometimes."
"Hey! Enough with the girl talk!" Soraya interrupted, sitting on the same, giant slab. "We got a challenge to win. We should talk about strategy, instead of nonsense. Okay?"
"Hey! Wanna' know something sad?" Kiara retorted; the rest of their teammates clenched their teeth, expecting another fight between them. "You call yourself, like, a self-proclaimed artist, but not once have I seen you paint. Not once. 'Kay?"
Soraya gasped. "What's that supposed to mean? You call yourself a princess, but not once did I ever see you as one! Not once!"
"I could, like, care less about your stupid opinion." Kiara said. "At least I'm not a financially broke loser. Good luck not being homeless with that career choice!" Some of their teammates' eyes were wide opened; the exception was Hunter, who smirked at their bickering.
"Girls, can we please not fight again?" Nanci said out loud. "I could see Hailee walking out the forest."
The new host had arrived, just in time. Four people followed right behind her, as she approached the contestants, ready to make an announcement. Most of the contestants took note of her new outfit.
Confessional:
Soraya: "Meh. Her dress before was okay, but now, she looks like a lawyer devoid of any artistic expression. Barf." She stuck her tongue out.
-static-
Hunter: "I didn't think much of Hailee before, but now, that authoritative outfit… her gorgeous blonde hair… my goodness! How did I completely miss her beauty? I gotta' ask her out soon!"
-static-
"May I have everyone's close attention?" She said. "I have a couple of quick announcements to make before we proceed…"
"I have some questions…" Oliver raised his hand. "Where's our friendly neighborhood host? What was that loud explosion last night? And why are you wearing a different outfit?"
"Yeah, what's with the purple lei?" Daniela asked teasingly. "Is it already vacation time for you?"
"Well, if you let me finish…" Hailee pouted. "Since the Electric Eels were not aware of the incident, I'll make this straightforward; Phil is no longer the host for the show due to an unfortunate accident. No worries: he is okay. Just suffered some bone fractures. Currently in good hands. But in the meantime, I will take his place indefinitely."
There were a couple sighs of relief in the crowd. No one truly missed Phil's limited time as the host.
"So wait…" Spencer interrupted. "You're not even gonna' explain what happened that night? Who fired the rocket? And are we in danger?" He worried.
"I wouldn't worry if I were you." Hailee assured. "I have private investigators examining the situation as we speak. But rest assure, the show will remain the same; challenges will sustain the same difficulty as before, only… a much younger and more professional host will run it all-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Kiara interrupted. "Can we, like, start already?"
"First things first…" Hailee rambled off. "Do not interrupt the host when the host is speaking. Or else, your team could potentially suffer consequences."
"Um, H-h-h-Hailee?" One of Hailee's assistants muttered quietly.
"Calvin." Hailee turned around. "Refer to me as Ms. Friarwood, not Hailee. Try again."
"Sorry Ms. Friarwood." He apologized nervously. "Just wanted to c-confirm that I led all the contestants to their respective team stone slabs, just like you asked."
"Thank you, assistant." She faced back towards the contestants.
"Wait…" Kayla was confused. "Why are those four people here? I think one of them is, like, our meal delivery guy?"
"Oh, don't mind them." Hailee assured. "These were former interns for the show, but now: my personal assistants. They will be following me whenever necessary." She faced back towards her new assistants and handed them paperwork. "I need these copy-pasted by noon. Return to HQ, immediately! Except you Calvin, you stay."
The other three assistants sprinted back to the rainforest as quickly as possible, as Hailee stood in a high-and-mighty pose, ready to finally announce the challenge.
"So… today's challenge is a two-parter. Both parts pose no extreme danger compared to the last challenge, so consider today a breather episode. The first part, which is what you will be doing right now, will be quite an interesting one…"
"Ya' know what would also be interesting?" Hunter smiled smugly. "Going on a dinner date with me."
"Ahem. Do not interrupt..." Hailee was irked. "Anyways, like I was saying, today's challenge is simple: a 'guess-who' challenge. It involves correctly guessing personal questions about your opposing team competitors by simply using observation and speculation. For example, I may ask a Floppy Fish member, 'which Electric Eels member weighs the most?' That Floppy Fish member could only ask up to two fellow teammates for help, and they must choose wisely. If you get it right, you get one point. If you get it wrong, your whole team suffers a consequence."
"What kind of consequence?" Lily grinned.
"Oh, glad you asked. Assistant, bring me the remote!" Hailee smirked, as Calvin reached for his pockets. "If you are on the Electric Eel's team and you give an incorrect response, the stone slab will electrocute you. We've hidden electric eels inside the slab, courtesy to your team name."
The team gasped, leaving the Floppy Fish wondering what their punishment could be.
"And what's it gonna' be for us?" Daniela asked.
"For the Floppy Fish…" Hailee continued. "If you offer an incorrect answer, your slab will emit a vomit-inducing stink. It will smell like rotten fish, but a lot worse. One stink spray would be enough for the odor to last the whole day. Unfortunately, your little shed does not have a shower, so I would suggest limiting the amount of incorrect answers. Now, my assistant will hand everybody stickers with your name already written on them to wear on your shirts."
Calvin rushed towards each contestant, handing out every name tag as quickly as possible.
"Ms. Friarwood, I completed my task." He said.
"Thank you, assistant. Now, is everybody clear on today's challenge? Whichever team reaches five points first, wins!"
"Hold on…" Spencer said. "We only have five people on our team. That means the other team is gonna' have an easier time guessing. A little unfair, don't you think?"
"That is not my problem." Hailee stood her ground. "Maybe if your team did not lose the past couple challenges, then perhaps, this issue would be irrelevant. But how about this; Spencer, you will answer the first question, a straightforward one for your team's sake."
"Okay?" He raised his eyebrow.
"So, as you observe each individual Electric Eel member, who do you think is the blindest? You may ask up to two of your teammates for help if you wish."
Spencer carefully observed each opposing competitor sitting on the other slab. Although, there was no need for that, because he knew straight away.
"Easy. Oliver. Only one wearing glasses." He smiled confidently.
"Correct. Floppy Fish, you now have one point." She announced.
Confessional:
Soraya: "What?" She said irritatingly, her arms crossed stiffly. "That question was such a freebee. Our team better get an easy one too."
-static-
Nanci: "Call me stupid, but I don't think I would have gotten that one right. I'm awful at observation."
-static-
"Now, a question for Nanci." Hailee said.
"Yes?"
"Which member of Floppy Fish… has a crush on you?" She smirked.
"A-what?" Nanci's face warmed up and blushed.
Confessional:
Spencer: "Well, this is awkward. I mean, how on Earth would Hailee even know that?"
-static-
Nanci: "Um, I don't know what route I should take without making it so awkward." She twisted and twirled her hair shyly. "I think I know who it is, but I mean, what if it's not him. Oh, I'm overthinking this, aren't I?"
-static-
"Oh, come on Nanci!" Soraya shouted in frustration. "This one's easy! That guy in the gray coat is obviously blushing."
"Okay, I'll answer this one." She said, her face still warmed inside. "Spencer?"
"Good job Nanci." Hailee smiled teasingly. "That's one point for the Eels. You two should just go on a date already!" She chuckled, leaving Spencer and Nanci looking away from each other, both equally blushed.
"Moving on…" Hailee continued.
Confessional:
Spencer: "Yeah, I don't want to play this game anymore. Hate being put in the spotlight. Thanks Hailee."
-static-
"Lily." Hailee called her attention. "The next question is… which Electric Eels member is secretly a gamer?"
"A secret gamer?" Lily pondered stiffly. "It's Kayla."
"Uhh…" Hailee was caught off-guard at her rapid response. "You are… correct! That is two points total for Floppy Fish."
Kayla was also caught off-guard; she did not expect anyone to guess that. Even some of the Floppy Fish members were stunned.
"Wow." Daniela said. "How'd you get that straight away?"
"Just a lucky hunch!" Lily smiled.
Confessional:
Kayla: "That was freaky. It was, like, she stared straight into my soul! The way she was staring at me was, like, so… weird. That team has the weirdest players."
-static-
"Woah Kayla, you're a gamer?" Nanci whispered, dumbfounded at the reveal. "That's really cool! My brother plays a lot of video games too. What about you?"
"Uhm…" Kayla froze uncomfortably. "I'm not, like, too much of a gamer. Like, I only play sometimes."
"Hey nerds!" Soraya interrupted. "How about let's talk strategy instead of video games; we need to derail the opposing team, and I think I have just the plan…"
Confessional:
Soraya: "Easy. Have one of my teammates pretend to slip up by revealing that it's them, and bait them; thereby, they lose the lead. See? A classic misdirection. This team would just not survive without me. That's the simple truth."
-static-
"Rashon!" Hailee said. "Your turn: which Floppy Fish member… peed their pants during a high school theatre rehearsal?"
"Um…" Rashon said. "I will summon two teammates, if I may."
"Uh, go ahead."
"Soraya… Nanci…" Rashon caught their attention. "What do you alliance girls think?"
Kiara, irritated at what she just heard, intervened. "Um, excuse me… alliance? Did my talk last challenge not, like, matter to you?"
"Oh, shut up." Soraya was irritated. "Rashon could make an alliance with whomever he likes. And apparently, he likes me more than you, so I think that makes you the loser."
"Eels!" Hailee interrupted. "Hurry up and decide. You're wasting precious time."
"Let's just ignore Kiara." Soraya whispered to her alliance. "I think it's Arnold. He seems like the type that would pee his pants. I mean, just look at him."
"Um." Nanci pondered. "It's a bit judge-y to assume that, but I'm bad at this game, so yeah, I guess I agree."
"Sounds good to me." Rashon said; he turned his head towards the host. "I think it's Arnold!"
"ARGH! That's nonsense! Pirates don't wet!" Arnold shouted, offended.
"Rashon, you are correct!" Hailee said. "Two points total for the Eels! The Fish are also at two points, and so far, no one has gotten a question wrong. Bummer."
"ARGH! This challenge rigged! I will avenge me team!"
"Speaking of which…" Hailee said. "Arnold, you will get your chance for revenge once you answer this next question correctly; which Eels member do you think has seen more than a thousand episodes worth of reality TV?"
"Argh. Give Captain Arnold some thinking time…"
Confessional:
Spencer: "This one's easy." He facepalmed. "I've heard Oliver constantly yap about TV ratings. It's obviously him. I do hope he doesn't get this freebee wrong…"
-static-
"Hey Rashon." Soraya whispered. "Do the act… now."
"Oh, okay!" Rashon rehearsed his lines in his head. "Oh Soraya!" He raised his voice, enough for Floppy Fish to listen in. "I just remembered the time I finished the binging-watch for Total Drama Action for the 1000th time! That green jungle girl was my favorite! What about yours?"
Most of his teammates gave strange and baffled looks towards his unconvincing acting, while Soraya facepalmed.
Confessional:
Soraya: "Should've let Nanci do the acting. That was awful. No way will pirate doofus fall for that…"
-static-
"ARGH! Captain Arnold overheard everything you guys said! It's Rashon!" Arnold shouted his answer in confidence.
"Arnold, you idiot!" Spencer said, irritatingly. Most of his teammates looked towards him in disappointment.
-static-
Confessional:
Soraya: "I am shocked that actually worked. That team is full of morons."
-static-
Spencer: "Sometimes I wonder; why on Earth did we keep him this long in the game? Should've just voted him off instead of Alexander. At least his hypnotism could've come into play. But it's almost as if Arnold was trying to make us lose at every chance he got."
-static-
"Arnold… you are incorrect!" Hailee affirmed. She reached for her pockets, grabbing the remote and activating the trap on a simple push of a button. As the odor from within the slab released itself into the air, the Floppy Fish contestants braced themselves by closing their noses, but it was no match for the rapid stink, as it quickly reached into their nostrils. Some of the Electric Eel members even gritted their teeth.
"Oh jeez!" Spencer yelped. "That smells atrocious. And now… I smell atrocious!"
"Yeah…" Daniela tried speaking with her fingers closing her nose. "This reminds me of a time my brothers had a farting contest in my room. Only except, this is a lot worse."
Lily was not expecting the stink to be this bad. "I'm gonna' walk out of this rock-"
"If you leave…" Hailee interrupted. She could smell the odor from where she stood. "Or if any of you avoid the punishment, your team loses by default. I would suggest limiting the amount of incorrect answers. Otherwise, it will not get pretty."
Confessional:
Lily: "Well, this is a first." She spoke faintly. "Never knew bad smell alone could bring me to the verge of vomiting. Must be the fish smell. I always hated seafood. Especially fish. Fish is the worst." She opened the toilet seat, vomiting inside it. "Pardon my unprofessionalism."
-static-
"Kiara, your turn." Hailee faced towards the Eels. "If you get this question right, you will be in the lead. Which Floppy Fish member is a fan of every music genre?"
"Kayla, Nanci, I need, like, both your help." She whispered. Luckily, she already sat in between both.
"Oh, but I'm not very good at this game…" Nanci said, worriedly.
"No worries." Kiara smiled. "I trust that you'll help make the right decision."
Confessional:
Kiara: "Look, I was gonna' ask Rashon for help, but he's already loyal to me. I am trying to, like, play nice to Nanci so that I can be on her good side. Which means… if we end up losing, then it's bye-bye Soraya. Or maybe Hunter, I can't, like, decide." She smirked.
-static-
"Um, okay…" Nanci was not used to Kiara's pandering. "If it's about music, then could it be Daniela, since she has those headphones on her?"
"Yeah." Kayla agreed. "That makes total sense!"
"See sis?" Kiara nodded. "Told ya' you could do it." She turned towards the host. "It's Daniela!"
"Correct!" Hailee announced.
Daniela sat with her arms crossed, unamused. "Should've just left my headphones back at the cabin." She muttered.
"Daniela." Hailee called her attention. "Electric Eels are in the lead, three to two. Make sure you do not get this question wrong, or your team will fall behind by two points." She smirked. "So, your question is: which Eels member is a fan of famous popstar singer, Lady Rara?"
"I'm gonna' ask Emily and Lily for help." Daniela said.
"Go ahead." The host insisted. Daniela, Lily, and Emily faced each other.
"So, whatcha' guys think?" Daniela asked, with no idea on who it could be. "I'm thinking either Kiara or Soraya, but it could also be a trick question. Quien sabe…"
"It's Hunter. Trust me." Lily answered without doubt, as she smiled confidently.
"How are you that sure?" Daniela perceived something off about her; Lily's quick, confident, laid-back answers raised alarms in her head.
"Are you psychic?" Emily asked, staggered by her hidden knowledge.
"Nope. Not psychic. I have my sources…" Lily smiled, while still maintaining a laid-back posture.
Confessional:
Daniela: "So, Spence could be right." She pondered. "She gives off creepy vibes. I remember I saw her wondering around the confessional during the morning. Just standing around it. Very weird. Probably a stalker, not gonna' lie. But for real, she better not be sniffin' through my stuff, or we're gonna' have a problem."
-static-
Emily: She walked inside the confessional and pulled down her shorts as she sat on the toilet seat. "I hope Lily isn't spying on me while I use the bathroom." She wondered. "But I'm not mad. If she wants to look, I mean, she's free to look. I won't stop her." She grinned shamelessly.
-static-
"What kind of games are you playin'?" Daniela squinted her eyes.
"I'm surprised you're worried." Lily said. "Thought you were an aimless underachiever who didn't care about anything. Fortunately, my assumption was wrong."
"Huh." Daniela raised her eyebrow. She looked towards the host to finally give an answer. "So, we've decided it's Hunter."
"Correct." Hailee said. Hunter's face blushed pink, but quickly let go of his embarrassment.
"Didn't know we had a Rara fan in here." Kayla chuckled.
"Hey!" Hunter shouted, defending his music taste. "Say whatcha' want, but she sings like an angel. Plus, she's hot."
"Eels!" The host called their attention. "Next question goes to Oliver. Which Fish competitor recently made out with four different people on the same day?"
"That's quite spicy." Oliver remarked. "If I were to use 2% of my brainpower, mix in 1,000 IQ, and give my brain a glow-up, then I could safely conclude that it's… Daniela!"
"Quite a bold statement." Hailee said. "Nonetheless, you are correct. That's four points total for the Eels, and three for the Fish." After finishing her statement, some of the Floppy Fish gave funny, eyebrow-raising faces towards Daniela.
"Dudes, it was just a dare. Chill." Daniela pouted, resting her hand on her chin as she tried ignoring the stares.
"Oh wow." Rashon turned his head to face Oliver. "You have big brain. Me impressed!"
"Like I've said, I only used 2% of my power." Oliver winked directly at the camera, imagining a laugh track used in classic, American sitcoms.
Confessional:
Oliver: "Wanna' know the secret recipe to my guess? Easy. Two words: plot device." He finger-gunned the camera with a grin.
-static-
"Floppy Fish." Hailee turned around. "This question will determine whether or not your team has a chance to win the first part of the challenge. Ready?"
Confessional:
Lily: "Seems like this will be another freebee. If I'm called for help, of course." She smirked.
-static-
Spencer: "At this point, we might end up eliminating someone tonight for the third time. But I actually don't mind, because I want Arnold gone. The sooner, the better. Also, I need to keep an eye out on Lily. I fear she knows something I don't."
-static-
"Spencer." Hailee said. "Which Eels contestant… has the most expensive clothing?"
"Um…" Spencer gave a long thought. "Lily, I need your assistance." He whispered, facing towards her. "I can't decide whether it's either Kiara or Kayla. Or maybe possibly Hunter."
"Oh, Spency. Even you know this one." Lily grinned, her eyes squinted.
"What?" He was confused. "What does that even mean?"
"Trust me." She said. "No need to second guess. You already know who it is. I've taken note of your observational abilities…"
"Um, okay. Great. Thanks for the help." He replied sarcastically, as he faced back towards the host. "I think it's… Kiara?"
"Correct! That is four points for both teams!" She announced. "Now, time to spice things up a bit for the final round. I will select one member from each team to answer the same question simultaneously. The selected competitors will be given a buzzer to press whenever they think they know the answer. The rest of you will stay silent. Winner of the round gains an advantage for the second part. Loser receives their signature punishment. So…" She looked at each team, thinking on who to pick. "Kiara and Emily… step right up. You two will be the guessers."
Hailee's assistant tossed each buzzer to both, as they walked to the front-center. Both Emily and Kiara faced each other awkwardly.
"So…" Kiara said, as she pompously glared at her nails. "Can we, like, get this over with?"
"The final question is… which one of your opposing competitors from the other team… has a criminal record?"
Both Kiara and Emily looked towards their opposing team, wondering who the alleged individuals could be. However, it did not take long until one of them pressed the buzzer. The round only lasted a few seconds.
"I have an answer!" Emily shouted. "I think it's Hunter!"
"You are… correct!" As Hailee declared their victory, she pressed the remote, activating the trap for the Electric Eels. The whole stone slab electrocuted each contestant with a couple painful zaps. Once the zaps were finished, smoke flew out of their toasted bodies.
"Hey, no fair!" Soraya complained. "None of the Floppy Fish look like they were ever convicted. What gives?"
"Don't care. Not my problem." Hailee retorted. "Floppy Fish, you managed to pull through, so congrats on you victory. But it is not over yet."
Confessional:
Soraya: "Not sure if I should be angrier at the inexperienced, biased host, or incompetent princess-wannabe. Or Hunter with that stupid smirk he had on the whole game. He's up to something. I know it."
-static-
Hunter: "Meh. Could care less if we lose. 'Cause hear me out; I overheard an alliance with Kiara, her bestie, that green-shirt dude, and that awkward hipster chick. I sway 'em to my side and have 'em vote off Soraya. Ya' hear? I'd say that's a win for me." He smirked.
-static-
"What's the second part about?" Nanci asked.
"Yeah." Daniela said, as she laid upside down on the stone slab. "I'm tired, and I wanna' nap already."
"Well, I'm glad you ask." Hailee glanced at each team. "This next part is extremely simple. Hidden inside these huge stone slabs are your team mascot critters, trapped within an inner pocket of water. Your objective is to save all these aquatic creatures, and free them into the ocean. Floppy Fish, as the winner, you get a pickaxe. Calvin?" As she called upon her assistant, he instantly tossed them their prize upon demand, as Arnold grabbed it midair.
"Ms. Friarwood, the task is complete."
"Thank you, assistant."
Soraya rolled her eyes. "Is he really gonna' say that for every little task he completes?"
"If he so desires." Hailee said, as she casually glossed over the odd workplace relationship with her assistant. "Anyways…"
"What about us?" Kayla complained. "Do we get at least anything to break the stone?"
"As the losers, you get nothing." Hailee retorted. "Thought that was crystal clear. Regardless, time is running out, so I'd suggest everyone to commence the breakdown… now!"
As soon as Hailee signaled the go, the Floppy Fish began mining the rock immediately. Both teams stood away from their giant stones, with one team filled with courage and determination, while the other had no idea on what to do.
"Argh!" Arnold shouted while swinging the pickaxe. "It's time for me Captain Arnold's redemption! Argh!"
"Arnold, just shut up and keep mining." Spencer was irritated. His eyes displayed the constant-pirate-nonsense torture he had to endure since the first day they set foot on the island.
"Should we help him?" Emily asked, standing right behind him.
"I think we good." Daniela said. "He's almost there."
"Argh! What music girl said!" Arnold said, as Daniela pouted in response.
"Hey!" Soraya shouted at her team. Things were not looking too bright for the Eels. Uncertainty was at an all-time high for them. "We gotta' do something quick. Rashon, go grab us some fat rocks. We're just gonna' smack through the stone ourselves…"
"Actually…" Hunter interrupted, with a huge smug on his face. "We don't need to do anything."
"Oh really?" Soraya turned around, annoyed. "And why is that? So that we could finally eliminate you once and for all?"
"How about you watch and learn." Hunter reached towards his back pockets and raised a mysterious remote in front of his chest for the rest of his teammates to see. As he pressed a small, red button, their stone slab slammed opened to one side like a hatch. The rest of his teammates were left confused and relieved at the same time.
Confessional:
Hunter: "Now this… this is the art of thievery." He bragged with his arms crossed. "As soon as Hailee's assistant let his guard down, I knew it was my time to strike. I'm like a New York racoon. See? Everyone wanna' get rid of me. But I'm always hidden under the place no goody-two-shoes would wanna' inspect: the trash bin."
-static-
Soraya: "I admit, he's an impressive slimy greaseball. And yeah, he saved us from elimination, but I still don't trust him, and now, I truly believe he has my paintbrush hidden somewhere."
-static-
Soraya rushed towards the opened stone slab, and reached her hand underneath, grabbing the electric eel found in a small pocket of water. Upon first touching the eel, she felt an immense shock all over her body, but she tried resisting the zaps and walked towards the shoreline, with each slow step zapping her more and more.
"Soraya, just throw it into the water!" Kayla yelled; her teeth clenched from the pain Soraya was taking in.
"No way… I won't… mistreat this… beautiful creature…I'm almost… there." As soon as she slowly reached the water, Arnold was running towards the beach carrying a smelly, flopping fish with both hands. It had become a race to the finish. And the team that reigned victorious was…
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"Electric Eels! Congrats! You've secured the victory for today."
"Aww man, seriously?" Spencer snapped. Losing three times in a row was like a swarm of bee stings on his chest: painful.
"Sorry, Team Fish, looks like you've lost… yet again. I'll be seeing your team for elimination. In fact, I want both teams to attend the ceremony tonight." She stood firmly on the ground, her arms crossed, almost feeling pity for the team. Almost. "As for Team Eels, here's your prize that was promised last episode. Calvin?"
Her assistant hurriedly reached for his pockets to toss a rolled piece of paper towards the team as Soraya caught it midair; a map with an approximate location of the McLean-Brand Chris Head.
"Wait a sec…" Soraya squinted on the map, revealing a huge circle on poorly drawn trees. "This map sucks! Where on Earth is this even supposed to be?"
"Don't care, not my problem. Figure it out. Anyhow, I'll be seeing you all at the elimination ceremony tonight. Dismiss."
During the late afternoon, many of the contestants were huddled inside their own cabins. One team filled with joy, while the other in unprecedented disappointment. The atmospheric mood was mellow, quite strange to imagine the island at this state, considering the dense rainforest that engulfed a massive chunk of the land. Most would expect a mutated creature roaming amok, but alas, just peace and quiet.
"Thanks for the girls room invite." Spencer sat stiffly on the rough wooden floor, leaning his shoulders onto the wall. "I'll try not to be awkward."
"Relax dude, we don't bite." Daniela teased, laying upside down on the bottom bunk bed while texting on her phone.
"I'm never relaxed."
"Why not Spencer?" Emily looked down to Spencer from the top bunk, with her signature smile.
"Because first off, we lost a challenge for the third time. Secondly, there was no explanation for what happened during the Phil incident. Did Zane do that? Who knows. Thirdly, while at least we got rid of creepy Zane, I still share a room with Arnold. Fourthly, where on Earth is Lily? I almost never see her around the compound." He took a sudden, but brief breather. "You guys don't find any of this weird? It's like you guys don't take this seriously."
Daniela gently tossed her phone on her bed, unamused. "No offense, but you need to chill. Me and Emily are probably gonna' be voting out either Arnold or Lily. We got this taken care of, alright dude?"
Confessional:
Daniela: "Should've not invited Spencer inside. Dude's such a downer. Anyways, me and Emily are tight, so whoever we'd vote off, it'll be a guaranteed elimination for them. So, um… yeah."
-static-
Spencer: "No one is taking me seriously. Daniela and Emily are both cool, but one is careless while the other is naïve. But at least they aren't as bad as Arnold. I'm gonna' have to keep an eye out for Lily though. She's up to no good. Jeez… so much to worry about! And no time for sarcastic remarks."
-static-
"Hey Daniela?" Emily swung her head upside down from her bunk to face Daniela. "Wanna' ask the Eels if they would let us borrow their bathroom shower?" The trio had almost forgotten the stink spray. The smell fell into the background, but as soon as Emily brought it up, the awful odor kicked right back in.
"Yep, I need that shower. No way this is gonna' wash off in the river. Wanna' come with us Spence?" Daniela quickly got out of her bed and walked towards the doorway as Emily followed behind.
"Sure."
"Are there not any pancakes leftover?" Soraya opened the fridge, revealing a scarce amount of food. Nanci walked to the kitchen, confused on what she just heard.
"Very weird." She said. "Even if the delivery guy hadn't arrived for a while, the fridge should've still been stocked."
"Ahh great." Soraya slammed the fridge shut. "Guess someone's hoarding food."
"Could it be Hunter?"
"Wouldn't doubt it." Soraya leaned outwards, observing an empty living room. "By the way, where did he go? Wasn't he sitting on the couch a few minutes ago?"
"Taking a leak, maybe?" Nanci shrugged.
Confessional:
Soraya: "That poor excuse of a human is almost never found anywhere near the cabins! Little weasel is up to no good. My painter senses are tingling."
-static-
Nanci: "Although he's never really stole my stuff, he still sketches me out… a lot. Um, if we lost the challenge, I think he would've been a goner by now."
-static-
As they both walked towards the front doors, they heard a couple of abrupt knocks. Nanci opened the door, thinking it would be Hunter, but instead…
"Hello Team Eels!" Emily flashed a huge grin. Spencer was behind with his hands in his pockets, while Daniela casually leaned on the wooden fence. "Mind if you could let us use the shower? We stink and we really need clean water, pretty please?"
Nanci covered her noise; their odor roamed around them like ghosts. "Um, okay, yeah. Come right in."
"Wait a sec!" Soraya shoved Nanci out to the side, covering the door frame with both arms extended sideways. "We can't just let strangers into our living quarters. Especially losers. Pretty sure it's against the rules anyways."
"Um, I don't think Hailee ever mentioned that." Nanci interrupted.
Confessional:
Soraya: "Of course she never said that. Duh. But no way am I sharing a cabin with losers. Especially with that headphones girl. Inviting them inside would surround the house with loser aura, and trust me, I'm an artist. That loser aura can easily take a toll on our spirits, and no way will I allow that." She humphed.
-static-
"Okay, fine. Come on in." Soraya scorned. "Just… don't go inside the bedrooms. Especially mines. They're off-limits."
"Um, actually?" Nanci said. "It's my bedroom too. Not just yours. But alright."
"Whatever, I need to refuel my artistic magniloquence, with some sleep. Peace." Soraya headed straight to her bedroom.
"Uh, does she even know what that word means?" Spencer raised an eyebrow.
"I have no idea." Nanci chuckled. "But come inside. No one's using the bathroom, so, um, you guys could use it, if you'd like."
"Dibs!" Daniela called out, bolting straight to the bathroom as the other two calmly stepped forward.
"Oh, and Spencer?" Nanci said. "If you want, you and Emilia could sit on the, um, couch."
"My name's Emily." She smiled. "And thank you for the invite! Surprised you forgot my name. Met at the ship, remember?"
"Yeah." Nanci smiled back. "I still owe you one when you shoo-ed Don away. That camera got too close to my face. So uncomfortable."
"Oh yeah!" Emily giggled. "But you don't need to owe me. It's okay."
"No no. You were very nice. If you need a favor, I gotchu'."
Confessional:
Nanci: "She's such a sweet person. I would feel bad if I left her hanging like that. Plus, I need new girl friends. I'm starting to distance myself from Soraya, and Kiara is out of the question. Kayla's okay, but all she ever talks about are high school gossip stories and high-end fashion. Seems like I could only get along well with boys, even on a tropical island away from school…" She heavily sighed.
-static-
Nanci, Spencer, and Emily sat on a couch inside the vacant living room, as Nanci heard another knock on the door.
"Lemme get that." Nanci got up and opened the door, revealing yet another Floppy Fish member.
"Greetings!" Lily shook Nanci's hand unexpectedly, almost as if they were in a job interview. "My name's Lily. Glad to meet you, fellow competitor. So, I just observed my teammates entering inside your living quarters, presumably to utilize your bathroom showers. Mind if I join them?
"Uh, sure. Come in." Nanci timidly led her inside. "Oh, Spencer and Emily are here, and your other teammate is using the shower."
"Neat."
Spencer quickly turned his head around, facing Lily. "Hey, where were you?"
"Oh Spence…" Lily smirked. A smirk typical at this point. "You're quite the observer! I'm astonished that you don't ever join me on morning nature walks. As a fellow observer, I thought you'd love the sightseeing." She casually sipped her coffee.
"Yeah… no thanks. But thanks for the invite…"
Confessional:
Spencer: "Mental note: keep a high alert when around Lily."
-static-
The sky was further shrouded by darkness by each passing minute, the bathroom was met by different people entering and exiting as time quickly passed by. Spencer, the last Floppy Fish left to take a shower, stalled a line of three people outside the door, waiting to use the bathroom.
"Gah!" Soraya scorned. "This Spencer guy takes forever."
"Is other bathroom occupied?" Rashon stood right behind her, holding his bladder with both hands. "I need to go really bad."
"It's Kiara. She calls it her 'beauty hour'. Ugh!" Soraya stuck her tongue out, repulsed by Kiara's entitlement.
"Intriguing…" Oliver pondered, right behind Rashon. "Not only do we have a New Duncan on our team, but we also have a New Heather."
"What?" Soraya turned around.
"Oh, haven't you noticed?" Oliver grinned, pulling out a tiny notepad from his pocket, as he flipped pages of scribbled writing. "Some of our teammates align pretty well with cast members from past seasons. Kiara, for instance, is like this season's new 'Heather'. Crazy right?"
"So?" Soraya rudely replied. "And why on Earth does that matter? All I see is an entitled, leader-wannabe brat who wishes she were me because I'm better than her. Truth hurts, unfortunately."
Confessional:
Oliver: "I've been keeping this little journal ever since the cruise, and I'm glad I did. I still got plenty of character analysis pieces to write. Sadly, Soraya refuses to expand her IQ and see the genius in my amazing, better-than-Sierra-from-World-Tour work." He pointed to himself with pride.
-static-
As they continued to wait in line, they heard a loud, high-pitched scream from one of the bedrooms.
"What was that?" Rashon was startled.
"I'll go check it out. Think it came from Kiara's room…" Soraya immediately left the line and dashed straight to the source. Upon opening the bedroom door, she noticed Kiara on her knees, frantically searching for something under her bed. "What is it Kiara? This better be important…"
"Isn't it obvious?" Kiara pointed to her head; only her blonde hair was there. No tiara…
"Really?" She rolled her eyes. "Are we gonna' go through this again? With your pathetic princess royalties?"
Kiara gasped. "You did not just say that? It's a lot more pathetic that, like, after Hunter stole it, you have the nerves to steal it right back!" She sternly pointed to Soraya. "YOU!"
"Unbelievable!" She retorted back with rage. "After what I did, after I exposed that weasel, after putting up with your ungratefulness, you have the audacity to accuse me of stealing your stupid crown?"
"So what? You're saying it's Hunter again? Can't be him, because… HE'S NOT EVEN HERE!"
"I'm sorry, are you braindead?" Soraya pointed to the window nearby Kayla's bed. "Can you not see your window wide open? Obviously, Hunter sneaked inside and snatched it right back. It's obviously him!"
"You're forgetting one detail… IT WAS IN MY BATHROOM!" After hearing Kiara's shouting, four more people barged inside.
"What's going on here?" Kayla asked.
"Soraya stole my crown!" Kiara shouted, pointing towards her.
"Oh, not this again…" Nanci facepalmed. "It's not her. She was literally taking a nap."
"See? Not me." Soraya had her arms crossed. "Plus, how would I even manage to steal it if your bathroom door was locked? Hmm? Probably dropped under the shelf…"
"Actually…" Rashon pondered. "I remember Hunter told me a quick story about him stealing high school computers with friends. He said he broke into classrooms by lock picking…"
Soraya and Kiara glared back at each other, finally in agreement with something. "It's Hunter." They both spoke in unison.
"I'm a little shocked you didn't, like, hear the door open sis." Kayla said.
"That weasel must've opened it, like, incredibly quiet, for such a squeaky door." Kiara wanted no time to waste. She stood up, determined to search for him in the woods. "I'm gonna' confront him."
"I'm a little shock on how little they trust each other." Nanci whispered to Oliver.
"I'm more shocked on the lack of explosions this season has so far." Oliver pointed out. "Bakuhatsu is literally Japanese for 'explosion', but alas, no explosions. The Total Drama creative department clearly missed the mark on that one-"
As soon as Oliver finished his rant, an abrupt explosion was heard. But not just any ordinary explosion. An explosion so enormous, the shockwave zoomed through the compound, violently vibrating the walls within their cabin, closely resembling an earthquake. Everyone inside the room was confused, startled; some were on the floor with their hands firmly over their ears.
"What on Earth was that?" Soraya zoomed to the window, sticking her head outside, squinting all around the rainforest.
"Could it be the volcano?" Kayla asked worriedly.
"I don't see any ash flying around. Or anything really." Soraya propped her head back inside and closed the window shut. "But let's put a pin on this for now. I want to go find Hunter first. Kiara, let's go!"
Kiara nodded. For once, she was in full agreement with Soraya. Both rushed outside to the living room, slammed open the doors, and sprinted outside. Another teammate decided to join their search hunt.
"Need help?" Rashon was at the front porch. "I'm very good at finding!"
"The more the merrier!" Soraya shouted. "Now, hurry up then! You're wasting time just standing there!"
Confessional:
Rashon: "After helping out Kiara and her friend with the coconuts, I want to show my really good searching skills again, but this time, with the pretty Soraya!"
-static-
Soraya: "If you could hear me Hunter, just know, once I find you, I will show no mercy. For stealing her tiara, I'm now fully confident that you have my precious paintbrush hidden inside that ugly jacket."
-static-
Kiara: She calmly combed her hair with pride. "Now, just because me and Soraya are, like, working together, doesn't mean we're friends. Once Hunter gives up my crown, Soraya will go right back to my eww list, where she rightfully belongs."
-static-
Nanci: "Is it just me, or is this place becoming more unnerving? First, the host replacement, then that random earthquake out of nowhere? I mean, what's going on at this point?"
-static-
Twenty minutes later, after searching further within the forest, the trio had no luck. No signs of Hunter. Nothing. Darkness was emerging faster and faster, but the evening sun still managed to light up the vegetation, albeit dimly.
"Ugh." Kiara whined. "Why am I not surprised that, like, Hunter is a wilderness type? His outfit screams homeless too."
"Funny how even though I want to punch your face really badly, we have something in common: a mutual hatred for Hunter." Soraya smirked.
"Oh agree." Kiara nodded. "I also want to, like, forcibly pull your hair bun. But I'd much rather put Hunter in his place." For the first time, Soraya and Kiara were having a civil conversation. No arguing. No hair-grabbing. Just calmness.
"Girls! I see him!" Rashon pointed to a tall figure a couple meters ahead of them. They zoomed to the figure, and indeed, it was Hunter, carrying a lengthy brown rope around his shoulders. Soraya, with absolutely no hesitation, tackled him down, completely startling him.
"Aye, yo!" Hunter shouted, struggling to lift himself from the ground. "What the hell is this? I knew you were in love with me, but I didn't know you wanted a make-out sesh this badly!"
"This will be the final time I'm asking. Where… is… our… stuff?" Soraya held her knee close to his neck, preventing any attempt to escape.
"What stuff?"
"Oh please!" Kiara retorted. She stood high-and-mighty, with her heels right next to his face. "Don't play stupid with me. We all know you stole my tiara, again. Desperate much?"
"What?" He laughed. "I've already been caught. Why would I steal it a second time? Makes no sense if you ask me."
"Shut up." She held her knee much tighter. "You're in the woods for a reason. Just tell us where you hid it. It's that simple."
"Obviously, you're bluffing." Kiara said.
"Okay, okay, okay!" Hunter was struggling to breath. "I'll tell you once you let go, aight?"
"I don't think I will, until you admit your thievery." She squeezed him tighter. "You have my paintbrush as well, don't lie weasel face!"
"Yo! I don't [BLEEP] have any of your stupid stuff, and that's [BLEEP] final, aight?" His tone became angrier. "How 'bout you lift your damn leg out of my neck, will ya?"
"Soraya, you're choking him." Rashon tried pulling her arms away from him. "Let go. I don't think he has them."
"Fine." Soraya lifted herself up, letting Hunter gasp for air.
"Oh, yeah, finally…" Hunter heavily panted. "You lovely ladies had come to your senses. How 'bout, we go on a date? To the woods tomorrow? Bet you two would love that." He smirked. Kiara gave a simple irritated humph, but Soraya was fueled with rage. "Now, let me continue to be one with the rainforest, yeah? I was enjoying myself until y'all showed up."
"Yes!" Rashon smiled. "Go right ahead. Sorry about that."
As Hunter stepped forward to an unknown path further into the trees, Soraya saw a small log on the ground. Once Hunter turned his back towards her, she rapidly grabbed the log, positioned herself like a baseball player, and violently swung it towards the back of his head, clubbing him to the ground. Completely passed out.
"Soraya!" Kiara yelled out; both her and Rashon were shocked at what she just witnessed. "You are such a psycho." The trio silently stared at his body for a few seconds. "What are we gonna' do with him now?"
Soraya pulled his unconscious body towards a nearby tree and used the rope he carried to tightly tie his waist to the tree, giving him no room to escape. She ripped off part of her sleeve and tied it at the uppermost part of the tree. Its bight-white color would serve very well as a marker, visible from meters away.
"For now…" Soraya dusted her hands. "We will leave him tied up to teach him a valuable lesson. I will come back tomorrow, first thing in the morning, alone. Hopefully, by then, he'll spill."
"Whatever you say, psycho girl." Kiara began walking away from their little incident, already exhausted. "As long as I get my tiara back, and that you stay as far away from me, then we're golden."
Half an hour later, Kiara and Rashon were already back in the cabins, with Soraya fallen behind. As she finally stepped foot on the camper's compound, Nanci stood right by the outer edge, the first person to greet her return.
"So, I heard you guys left Hunter tied in the woods?" Nanci's face was nothing short of worry. "Don't you think a creature could snatch him up? What if you lose his location?"
"Don't worry about it." Soraya tried assuring. "First off, he deserves it. Plus, there's a really noticeable marker on the tree. I know exactly where he is."
"I don't want to be mean, but…" Nanci pondered for the correct wording. "Being left there, all alone, with who-knows-what. He could get very hurt. Or worse. Can't we just tie him closer to the compound, at least?"
Confessional:
Soraya: "Okay, she has a point. I might've overreacted, letting my anger get the best of me… again." She heavily sighed. "But no way will I set him free. Plus, with Nanci avoiding me, I need to get on her good side. I need her vote. And I definitely need the weasel out of my sight. ASAP."
-static-
Soraya rushed back to the forest, in search for Hunter. The elimination ceremony approached closer and closer, and the last thing she wanted was late attendance. As she followed the trajectory the trio had gone, sweat heavily dripped from her forehead. Once she arrived closer to her destination, she realized… something was not right. She could see the marker from afar… but no Hunter. The marked tree had no Hunter, no rope. Nothing. Completely vanished into thin air.
"Uh oh." She muttered worriedly. She frantically looked around the woods. No footprints in sight. Searched every nearby tree. Glared at the leaves above. Nothing. Complete silence. A strange sensation roamed around her; she can't unsee the eeriness no more. Something very sinister was lurking about, and she wanted nothing to do with it.
Confessional:
Soraya: "Great. Now this is gonna' look so suspicious on my part." She looked around the confessional, her eyes wide-opened from paranoia. For the first time on the show, she felt regret. Frightened for what she was becoming. "Hunter, if you're watching this, I'm so sorry that I left you deep in the woods. All by yourself. Alone. But you just left me no choice. Understand this; I meant no harm, but when push comes to shove, the rage within me will strike mercilessly."
-static-
It was nighttime once more, marking the third elimination ceremony of the season. It also marked the third loss for Floppy Fish; each of the five contestants were already seated around the campfire, prepared for elimination and humiliation. Hailee stood right in the middle, with marshmallows on a wooden bowl carried around by her assistant Calvin. Everything else was almost familiar to the losing team. One noticeable difference: no metal crate on the wooden dock. Another difference: Electric Eels sat and watched on bleachers as audience members, right near the campfire.
"Welcome to the third elimination ceremony!" Hailee announced. "Unfortunately, for you, Floppy Fish, this is the third time in a row you'll be booting someone off the island. Like my uncle Phil once said: talk about humiliation!" She tried imitating his voice, but it was nowhere near her uncle's gruff-sounding tone.
"Aww, cute voice impression!" Emily smiled in glee.
"Ahem, moving on…" The host cleared her throat, visibly embarrassed by her voice acting. "You guys already know the rules by now, so I will make this a speedy process. First things first, you might have noticed our audience members for tonight." She pointed to the Electric Eels. "Your opposing team will be spectating tonight, just the add some extra humiliation." She noticed a missing seat in one of the audience rows. "Eels! You're missing Hunter. Where is he?"
"He's missing." Soraya said out loud. "We have no idea where he went."
Nanci raised an eyebrow. "You're not gonna' admit the part where you tied him up deep in the woods?" She whispered, but Soraya simply shook her head worriedly.
"Well, in that case…" The host continued. "He must return by the next episode before the challenge commences. If he fails to report, then he will be automatically disqualified. No exceptions."
Confessional:
Kayla: "Kiara told me that Soraya had beaten him up with a log. Also tied him up. So, what happened to him then? Honestly, a little worried. This island is just so, like, freaky."
-static-
"Anyhow, onto those that are safe for the night…" She glared at each contestant. "Daniela and Emily… you two are safe." She grabbed two marshmallows from Calvin's bowl and tossed them their snack. "Another contestant safe from elimination… Spencer." Another marshmallow was tossed in the air, leaving both Arnold and Lily empty-handed.
"ARGH!" Arnold shouted. "Why is Arnold on chopping block for the THIRD time? I demand a recount, m'lady! ARGH! ARGH! ARGH! ARGH!"
"Are you finished? Do not interrupt me again." Hailee glared at him in utter annoyance. "As I was saying, the contestant packing their bags tonight is…"
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"Lily!"
"Wait, what?" Spencer turned around, facing his teammates, then turned back. He was shocked by the results.
Confessional:
Spencer: "So, let me get this straight; my teammates decided to keep Arnold over Lily? I know she was up to no good, but I'd rather have her than another excruciating episode with Arnold. Plus, I even told them that I would keep a look-out on her. I think I even saw her scrolling through Daniela's phone once. But whatever. That's just… fantastic. More Arnold, I guess. Woohoo." His face turned expressionless.
-static-
"Ehh." Lily shrugged; almost seemingly like she did not care. "My elimination was somewhat premature, but this amount of screen time will suffice." She casually got up the campfire and walked towards the empty dock. "So Hailee, where is the Missile of Shame?"
"Lucky for you…" Hailee continued. "All of our elimination missiles blew up simultaneously in our warehouse. The incident is currently under investigation. Could be an accident. Could be an act of sabotage by something, or someone. Nevertheless, improvisation will be needed. Instead of the Missile of Shame, it is now: The Swim of Shame!"
"Before I go swimming off, I have a quick announcement to make." Lily smirked, facing all her competitors, including the Eels. "If you've seen me around, you might've assumed I was that weird, nosey stalker girl that digs into people's business. Rest assure, it's nothing personal. But my findings would make great gossip headlines. After some eavesdropping, I've dug up a profile for each contestant on this island. An impeccable feat if I do say so myself…"
"Just get to the point." Hailee eyerolled, her heels tapping the wooden dock each passing second.
"In conclusion…" Lily continued. "I'll say this: keep an eye out on your fellow teammates and competitors. Because one of them… is not what they seem…"
Almost every contestant was caught off guard by her finishing speech. She steered the atmosphere towards an eerier path, as some of them stared at each other in unnerving distrust. Oliver scribbled intensely in his notepad, while Kiara glared at her nails, unaware on the surrounding wariness.
"If what you claim is true…" Spencer squinted tensely. "Why don't you just admit who the person you're referring to?"
"I would… but I'd rather keep it suspenseful out here." Lily smirked. "I'll leave it open for interpretation. Let you guys figure it out yourselves. Know what I'm sayin'? Anyhow, time for me to go. It was nice meeting you all!" As soon as she propped herself into a diving position, Hailee pushed her into the water.
"Say goodbye to the nosey journalist! Will the Floppy Fish lose yet again? Will Hunter return just in time before the disqualification? And who was Lily referring to, exactly? Or was her speech just nonsense rambling? I am personally going with the latter, but regardless, stay tuned! All your questions could be answered in the future! Right here! On Total! Drama! Bakuhatsu Island!"
In HQ, Hailee sat down in a dimly lit meeting room, with another person seated across the table, engulfed in the shadow.
"I'll sum this up…" Hailee continued the conversation. "I'm short of a personal assistant. One of them was unfortunately injured in an incident, so a replacement was necessary. As I'm skimming through your application, you're also interested in a co-hosting position? I can work with that. Provide an outstanding performance, and I can guarantee such position."
"Glad we could work this out." A mysterious, male voice was heard.
The Votes:
Emily: (Lily)
Spencer: (Arnold)
Daniela: (Lily)
Arnold: (Lily)
Lily: (Arnold)
Elimination Table:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12. Lily
13. Zane
14. Alexander
Remaining Contestants:
Electric Eels: Rashon, Kiara, Oliver, Kayla, Hunter, Soraya, Nanci
Floppy Fish: Daniela, Arnold, Emily, Spencer
A new chapter, and another contestant voted off! A shocking elimination, perhaps? I bet ya' thought it would be Arnold. But nope. He is not done yet…
I managed to finish this chapter a lot quicker than expected. Which is great! It means more chapters available at a faster pace!
So, what are your overall thoughts? Any theories/speculations behind the reoccurring strange events? Who was the mysterious person that Hailee was speaking with? (Hint: it was a canon character from either the second or third generation).
Thank you and stay tuned for the next chapter!
