Ep 5: The Z-Files
In HQ, Topher hurriedly rushed from office to office, delivering hefty folders filled with files on top of files. Typically, early mornings should not pertain to employees sprinting across the hallways, but for Topher's case, he had to fill in for a fellow assistant's absence during the night shift. Not exactly what he had in mind for being Hailee's new assistant, but a co-hosting possibility was all he could think of; the tedious tasks were no biggie.
Meanwhile, Hailee sat alone in an empty meeting room with her legs resting on the cold, table surface as she continuously wiggled her heels. Upon noticing Topher running past her office, an alarming thought popped in her mind: the episode introduction. She completely forgot. But how? Was Phil's constant tardiness finally rubbing off on her?
"CALVIN!" She yelled. Her echo quickly made its way towards her assistant, showing up to her office almost instantaneously. A cameraman also popped right behind him, ready to start filming the intro.
"Yes, Ms. Friarwood?" Calvin's body quivered. Indeed, the room was freezing cold, but her authoritarian presence was the primary contributor to his trembling.
"You're behind schedule." She sternly pointed to her wristwatch. "For abandoning your night shift for who-knows-what, you now have additional work on top of your past night shift tasks. Got it?"
"Yes, Ms. Friarwood." He looked down.
"And also, in addition, you are now my primary massager." She crossed her arms. "For now, shoulders need treatment, so get to it, assistant! STAT!"
"Yes, Ms. Friarwood." He rushed behind her back, gently rubbing her tired shoulders. Hailee looked towards the cameraman; he just stood there idly, waiting…
"Are we rolling? What's with the staring?" She lightly closed her eyes; her shoulders were finally recovering...
"It's… already rolling, miss…" As soon as she heard those words come out of the cameraman's mouth, she swiftly touched her hair, readjusting every single misplaced blonde hair. She wanted nothing out of place for the cameras. Absolutely nothing…
"So, on that awkward note, lets jump straight to the recap…" Hailee awkwardly smiled. "After Hunter's scheming behavior in the forest, he formed a pact with Arnold. An alliance, which I personally dubbed: The Pirates of the Bakuhatsu! Clever, right?" She grinned with pride. "Anyhow, a pirate-themed capture the flag took place; Team Eels were a dysfunctional family, with Soraya and Kiara constantly one-upping each other. Team Fish, on the other hand, finally synced harmoniously together, securing the victory. Long-lasting trusts were ripped to shreds, which resulted to the Kiara-Kayla duo broken, and the spoiled princess took a cold swim home, without her precious tiara. She blames Soraya, but is her blatant accusation true? Well then, I guess you will have to find out on today's episode of…
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.)
The sun hanged directly above the island. Right in the center. Puffy clusters of clouds drifted across the sky, often blocking out sunlight. While the blue sky remained tranquil, the rainforest itself was hushed and noiseless. Scarce amount of insect chirps or bird singing. Very reminiscent to last episode's nature silence. Ignoring the forest's quietness, Kayla and Daniela casually strolled together in the dense forest as they foraged for food…
"So… Daniela?" Kayla raised an eyebrow, inspecting a bush nearby as they continued walking. "You said you found, like, berries? It'd make sense if they were something, like, coconuts or watermelons, but berries?"
Daniela turned her head around, grinning at her newfound teammate. "Mira, my past teammate found them, not me. You don't wanna' look for you friend's tiara though?"
"Uh, that can wait." Kayla sighed. "Really, I'm trying to, like, focus on the game instead of worrying, like, all the time. Ya' know?"
"Look dude…" Daniela stood still. "Between you and I, wanna' admit what happened back there? Not tryna' be nosy or anything, but you voted for her, right?"
"Uhm…" Kayla froze, dumbfounded that her teammate put the pieces together rather quickly. "Where'd you get that from?"
Confessional:
Kayla: "Was it really that obvious?" She stared down the floor, sighing. "Kia, if you're, like, watching this, please understand that I voted you out for your own good. It was time you needed, like, a time-out. And don't worry about your tiara. I still believe Hunter has it hidden somewhere, so, like, if I notice anything fishy, Daniela and I are on the look-out. Okay?"
-static-
Daniela: "Figured she voted for her." She slouched on the toilet seat; legs crossed. "As much as Soraya's fat ego bugged me like crazy, Hunter always gave me grifter vibes. My phone might be on his snatchin' list, so better him kicked out than Soraya, ya' feel? I'm an advocate for personal space, thank you very much."
-static-
Daniela held onto Kayla's shoulder with one hand. "Mira, it's no biggie. If ya' wanna' keep a secret, I'm your dude. I don't spill. Promise. Cool?"
"It's just…" Kayla shuffled her blonde hair backwards. "She's been, like, acting so different lately, and she's gonna' be so pissed once she finds out I backstabbed her like that. Like, I thought timing her out would fix everything, but now, I feel awful."
"Maybe the silver lining is she's into having a knife stabbed on her back?" Daniela giggled, but completely tone-deaf over Kayla's emotions, who did not laugh one bit. "Look, what I meant was, maybe it was for the best. She needed a chill break, and you gave her that opportunity. Maybe look at it that way, ya' feel?"
"Yeah, yeah, I guess."
"Cool. By the way, your secret's safe with me, so don't sweat it." Daniela fist-bumped her. "I'll stick by. Ya' know? In case our good friend Soraya throws another hissy fit." She giggled.
"Oh, like, totally."
Confessional:
Kayla: "Maybe… giving Kiara the time-out wasn't such a bad idea." She smiled. "Dani is nice. A bit, like, boy-ish, but if anybody's gonna' help me stand up to Ms. Know-it-all, it's her."
-static-
Rashon rushed back inside the hallway and speed-walked towards Soraya's room. Her room was locked shut as he tried spinning the doorknob to no success.
"Soraya!" He shouted, calmly knocking on her door. "Julian brought us loser sandwiches. You comin'?"
She opened the door, revealing her bedhead, no-bun hair flowing messily onto her shoulders. Almost like a completely different person in appearance. "What is it, Rashon?" She sternly rubbed both her eyes.
"Did you oversleep?" Rashon rubbed his chin. "Unless you tripped and fell over. Or maybe that's your new hair? Or maybe-"
"Yes, I overslept." She flipped her hair back.
Confessional:
Soraya: "Was I really out for that long?" She scratched her head in confusion. "Must've been the fact that Kiara was gone. Or the fact that I broke down during the pirate challenge. I don't wanna' talk about it. Whatever, I need a clean slate. Hunter is still here. Headphones girl is still here. But at least the big bully is out of the competition. Bittersweet… just how I like it." She crossed her arms, with a mean stare towards the camera.
-static-
As they walked to the dining room, they stumbled upon a teammate, already sitting in the table, peacefully gobbling up his plain sandwich.
"Soraya… we meet again…" Oliver pushed back his rimless glasses to his face; its lenses shined dramatically.
"Um, what?" Soraya rested her fist on her chin. "Don't tell me we're having that for lunch…"
"So, you're diverting the subject." His glasses shined again, dramatic as ever. "Smart tactic, but it won't work for the Total Drama connoisseur. Now, give us what we want: the immunity map."
Confessional:
Oliver: "Oh man!" He gleefully clapped like a fanboy. "I would make a great antagonist! Step aside, Hunter. A new guy just entered the villain business." He gestured his signature finger-gun.
-static-
Soraya: "Why are my teammates still holding a grudge against me?" She crossed her arms in frustration. "Seems like they kept me in the game to punish me even further. Typical. All the hard work I've put on this team, and they spit straight on my face in return. I should've never let my emotions manifest me. I won't let that happen again. And I'll make sure my team gets the memo."
-static-
"And why should I hand over my only leverage?" She shifted her head to the left, arms crossed. "After you guys tried to vote me out? Yeah, okay. Doesn't make much sense if you ask me…"
Rashon timidly raised his hand. "Um… I voted for Hunter…"
"I was talking about Oliver."
"Oh, okay."
"That would be completely out-of-character if I voted for you." Oliver leaned back, resting his hands behind his head. "Plus, Kiara was doom from the start. She may have been the New Heather, but she received the Amy treatment. Ya' know? From Pahkitew Island? Amy had villain potential, but her IQ was too low to oversee her sister's gambit. Come to think of it, this also reminds me of-"
"Okay-okay. I get it." Soraya had enough of his trivia tangent. "Just this once… I'll be nice and share the map. Happy now?"
"Very." Oliver continued with his lunch as Soraya walked back to her room. Once inside, she accidentally tripped over Daniela's clump of sneakers on the floor. Irritatingly, she grabbed all her shoes and threw them to Daniela's bed and walked towards her drawer. Instead of pulling out the map, she grabbed a clean piece of paper from inside her drawer and sketched a replica of the immunity map. Only except, with inaccurate directions.
Confessional:
Soraya: "Pfft." She crossed her arms. "Yeah, right. Like I would ever forfeit MY map. You would do the same if you were in my shoes. Admit it. In this game, I reign superior. I learned quite a bit from Hunter's tactics, and if he wants to play dirty, then so will I. Only difference is, I'm better at it. Like always."
-static-
In the quiet rainforest, Hunter walked sneakily to an unknown route inland. The island's vegetation dimmed darker and darker as he continuously traversed through thick bushes and towering trees. A few meters away, another fellow contestant stood by patiently in the dark, leaning onto rough tree bark with his arms in his jacket pockets.
"Ya' got the stuff?" Hunter whispered.
"Soraya's treasure map? Duh." Arnold pulled the map out of his jacket, waving it around ecstatically.
"Yo', hush!" He hissed. "We ain't tryna' call attention here, yo! Plus, we got a big o' problem. Sooner or later, Soraya's gonna' give up the map to the other suckers. She probably already knows it's missin'. So, we gotta' play it smart, ya' hear?"
"What are you suggesting?" Arnold rubbed his chin, pondering.
"We gotta' pull a diversion, yo." Hunter crossed his arms. "Hear me out; once she finds out it's missin', you gotta' back me up. Blame it on the chick with the headphones."
"You mean, Daniela?" Arnold raised an eyebrow.
"Exactly." He smirked. "Those two chicks hate each other's guts, so we gotta' take advantage of their beef. See what I mean? That's opportunity, yo! That's the pirate life!
Confessional:
Hunter: "And if that plan fails, then I'll just blame it on Arnold. Aye-yo, he's got it in his jacket, not me. Scapegoatin' 101…" He smirked menacingly.
-static-
Arnold: "Not so sure if I wanna' do this anymore." He spun his plastic sword on the tip of his finger like a CD. "Not only do I have to lie to Soraya, but also pin the blame on Daniela? Where is my benefit in this? Becoming a true pirate? I'm starting to think Hunter has no idea what being a pirate actually means."
-static-
"Ya' know?" Arnold shoved the map back into his jacket. "As someone who's actually dressed for the part, I've been doing my own pirate business, and alas, upon viewing through my spyglass minutes before your elimination ceremony, I saw you shaking Kiara's hand, exactly the same way you shook mines. Another deal, perhaps?" He rubbed his chin, squinting.
"None of your business." Hunter stood his ground, not wanting to spill anything. "She got eliminated before a plan was even settled. Now, let's get to the nitty-gritty, yo!"
Arnold squinted further. "Do you suppose that maybe… just maybe… there is another treasure chest among us? Like, a 'secret stash', perhaps?"
As soon as Hunter lifted his finger, ready to speak, he was interrupted by the loudspeaker.
"Attention! This is Hailee Friarwood. All contestants must report to the ATV compound region. Pronto!"
"Damn, even her voice is hot." Hunter grinned.
"Meh. Soraya's more my type." Arnold twirled his sword in the air, seamlessly.
"Wait, you for real?" Hunter contained his laughter. "Aye-yo, she definitely a feisty one. Tell ya' what; whoever scores a date first, keeps the treasure map tomorrow. Deal?" He extended his arm forward, confidently waiting for a handshake.
"Deal." Arnold shook his hand, confident that he will capture Soraya's heart.
Confessional:
Hunter: "Like he'll ever get that date. Dude's a dork!" He laughed, smacking his forehead with his palm. "I know what y'all about to say; if Hunter keeps the map, doesn't that defeat the purpose of using Arnold as a scapegoat? And to that, I say; it don't matter. Blaming Daniela will be enough, ya' hear? Sometimes, no precaution is necessary. This is one of those cases. Trust me." He arrogantly pointed to himself, smirking.
-static-
Both teams walked towards the designated region, cluttered around as they continued towards a clear, dirt path. The same path both teams cleared during the ATV retrieval challenge.
"Hey Dani, guess what?" Emily gleefully hopped towards her.
"New boyfriend?" Daniela joked, with both hands on her hips.
"Ohh, stop it." Emily blushed. "I asked Calvin for a favor that night and look what he got me!" She took a tiny, ripped piece of paper from her pockets, revealing a 10-digit number. "It's Chris Mclean's personal phone number! Eeeeee!"
"Ooooo, Emily! Lemme' see…" Daniela chuckled, snatching her paper as she held it in front of her face. "I brought my phone with me. Wanna' try callin' him?"
"Oo! Oo! Yes please!" Emily jumped ecstatically, as Daniela pulled out her phone, dialing up the digits. Once it rang, she tossed her phone to Emily, waiting for Chris to pick up. Much to her dismay, the phone went straight to voicemail after just one ring.
"Did he answer?" Daniela teased.
"Awww, it's voicemail." Emily quickly shifted her frown to a slight smile. "But it's okay. I still got Calvin's number!"
Confessional:
Daniela: "I mean, she's chill and all, but she's got odd taste in boys." She chuckled. "Chris McLean is just… too old. Come to think of it, I sometimes wonder what happened to him…"
-static-
"Hey, there's always a next time!" Daniela nudged her friend's shoulders. "Aye, who knows? McLean might come back to host sometime…"
"When that time comes, I'll welcome him with open arms! Welp, I gotta' catch up with the rest of my teammates. See ya' around!" She skipped ahead, as Daniela waved goodbye.
"Hey Daniela…" Kayla caught up to her from behind. "Heard you guys, like, crushing over Chris Mclean." She grinned awkwardly.
"Pfft!" Daniela almost had a burst in laughter. "Oh yeah! I'm totally crushing over a guy with a chin that looks like a butt. Totally." She looked straight ahead, casually observing Emily galloping towards Daniela's former teammates a few meters in front of her.
"Hello, best teammates in the world!" Emily expressively extended her arms out in joy. "Any guesses on Hailee's next swing she'll try to throw on us?"
"ARGH!" Arnold raised his sword in the air. "Thy Captain has a few tricks up 'em sleeves!" He winked at Emily.
"Argh indeed." Spencer repeated sneeringly. "We got a who-knows-what creature running amok in this strange rainforest and you're still pirate performing. Just great."
"I mean…" Nanci stuffed her hands in her pockets. "Spencer's not wrong. We heard weird roars that one night during our little walk. Not sure if, um, you guys heard it too?"
"Captain Arnold needs clarification, matey…" He squinted, placing his hands on his hips. "What were thee doin' that stormy night?"
"Why should you care?" Spencer squinted back.
"Guys, we need to keep moving, or else Hailee will show no mercy." Emily smiled, continuing to walk. Spencer and Nanci quickly followed behind, but Arnold loosely gripped onto Nanci's arm.
"Need something?" Nanci asked, confused. She had never seen his face express this much worry before.
"I, um, need to ask ye' somethin'…" He dropped his pirate talk, rubbing the back of his head anxiously. "Since you were on the Eels team, could ye' tell me a little bit about Soraya?"
"Um… why?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, um, just wonderin'. See, I'm tryin' to figure out what she likes. I'm thinking maybe she'll like flowers, right?"
"Oh…" She giggled. "Well, in that case, um, I must warn you though; she can be… a teeny bit snappy. But one thing I know about her is that she loves the arts. Maybe gift her something art-related? Like, maybe a sketch, or something?"
"Great idea!" Arnold grinned, pulling up his eyepatch to show his wink. "Thanks! You're a lot more useful than our last teammate!" He winked again. "Now, time for thee Captain to prepare his intro for his new love, matey!" He returned to pirate talk as he dashed ahead, leaving behind Nanci, awkwardly smiling.
Confessional:
Nanci: "Knowing Soraya, she might viciously rip his eyepatch off. Or I, um, maybe she'll show mercy? Hard to tell. She's hot-headed. A little crazy if I'm being honest." She shrugged. "But hey, she treated me better than, um, Kiara, so she's not too bad, right?"
-static-
Hailee and all her five assistants hanged out in the ATV compound region, waiting for the contestants to show up. There was a total of ten ATV vehicles lined up alongside the edge of the treeless region, firmly situated on muddy ground. But there was a new addition to the region; a large, featureless shack stationed in the center of the compound. No windows could be seen on its metallic walls. Just a heavy-duty security door. The entire exterior almost resembled a nuclear fallout shelter.
"Hey man, whatcha' doin' after the show?" One assistant asked the other, as they both leaned to the side of the cold shack.
"No clue, Trevon. No clue." The other assistant casually replied. Both were the opposite to Calvin in appearance; they were tall and brawny, reminiscent to muscular male models.
"Waitin' for your paycheck too, dawg?" Trevon crossed his dark-skinned arms, as his biceps casually peeked out. "Ya' know what else I'm waitin' for, Tanner?"
"Lemme' guess: a night-out with Hailee?" Tanner laughed, slapping his thigh with his pale arms. "Brooo, she's out of our league. I'm telling you; The Friarwoods are mad rich. Unless you're a trust fund kid, you ain't got no shot."
"Nah, dawg." He punched Tanner's shoulders jokingly. "With a sexy name like Trevon, why wouldn't she fall in love with me, hmm?" He flexed both arms.
"Yo, boys!" Another assistant joined in, walking right between them. He was the same assistant that brought food delivery to the Electric Eels' doorstep. With the same, combed, jet-black hair.
"Julian, my man. What's up?" Tanner replied.
"You dudes are on guard duties." Julian crossed his arms. "In case our captive inside tries to escape."
"No security today?" Trevon raised an eyebrow.
"Nah, Hailee's been lazy lately. So… get to it." Julian pointed to the shack, as both Tanner and Trevon shrugged and walked inside. Upon restfully laying on the shack wall, he noticed Topher and Hailee from a short distance, discussing amongst themselves, lingering around until the contestants arrived.
"So, Hailee…" Topher placed both arms on his hips. "You got personal assistants on staff. Well done. I would do the exact same. Unlike that old Chris McLean, you're a young natural."
"Thanks Topher." She was not paying full attention. Instead, her focus was strictly today's challenge, impatiently glaring at the forest; her heels tapped the ground each passing second.
"However, you're not quite pulling off the classic Total Drama host vibes just yet. Just a teeeeeeeeny bit off." He gritted his teeth, then flashed a smile.
"Hmm?" Hailee turned around, puzzled. "And what makes you say that?"
"Well…" He rubbed his chin, squinting directly at her outfit. "You appear so cold. And desolate. I'd mistaken you for a Wall Street businesswoman. Ever tried for a more… casual wardrobe?"
"Pfft." Hailee snickered. "Casual. My uncle gave me the exact same advice. My father will not approve, however."
"You should listen to your uncle." Topher flashed his signature grin. "No offence, but your father was never in the hosting business. He has no idea what it's like to be us…"
"I'll consider it." Hailee blew hair out of her face as she continued waiting. Luckily for her, the wait was cut short, as both teams suddenly popped out of the trees in their separate clutters. A few of the competitors glazed around, puzzled by the challenge location. All they could recall… were the constant bombardment of explosions and flying shards of tree bark. Not pleasant flashbacks…
"Oooo, we're back here again? Sweet!" Emily grinned, unfazed by the flashbacks.
"Sweet? More like pain." Spencer facepalmed. "Lemme' guess: this is a racing challenge?"
"ARGH! Me Captain loves speedin'!" Arnold cheered, forcing Spencer another facepalm.
"Arnold… you blew us up. Zip it."
"Oo! Oo!" Emily raised her hand ecstatically. "I witnessed that!"
"SHH!" Oliver shushed the other team. "You guys are stalling the episode. Please, Hailee. Continue…" He grinned, readjusting his bowtie.
"Ahem. May I speak now?" Hailee was peeved by their interruptions. "Good. Now, onto today's challenge…"
Hunter raised his hand. "You into seafood cuisine? 'Cause I got that whole menu right here, babe!" He pointed to himself, smirking. Hailee, however, was not amused. Not one bit…
"Ugh. Let's get on with the show, immediately." She rolled her eyes. Her face showcased a mean glare. "Like I was saying…"
Confessional:
Hunter: "She's totally into me, yo." He teased.
-static-
Daniela: "Pfft. You call that flirting?" She laughed.
-static-
"We have a very interesting… challenge for today. Floppy Fish, I'm sure you recognize this face before, right?" She pulled out a small portrait photo from her back pockets, revealing the enigma himself…
"ZANE?" Spencer gasped, with the rest of his teammates shocked to see his ski mask again. None of them expected to ever revisit that face. That mysterious, unrevealed face…
"Wait…" Kayla was the first to speak out from the Electric Eels, as the rest were puzzled. They were not familiar with Zane's presence apart from his creepy glares. Even Daniela was not fazed too much. "Wasn't that, like, that creepy, stare-y guy in a mask? Really short as well?"
"Indeed." Hailee stuffed the photo back into her pockets. "We got him captive in that metal shack. And today, your mission will be to interrogate him."
"WHAT?" The Floppy Fish shouted in unison.
"You heard right." Hailee smirked.
"And what makes you think we would get a word out of him?" Spencer crossed his arms worryingly. "He has never spoken a word. At all. Plus, isn't that the investigators' job?"
"Let's just say…" The host looked towards Spencer. "I want to maneuver this episode towards a more… interesting approach…"
"So, what are we interrogating him for?" Soraya wondered.
"So…" Hailee continued. "Our team figured that there was no way Zane could have pulled off the attack all on his own. Meaning, Zane had an accomplice…"
"What?" Soraya blurted out. "Are you accusing one of us? To be in an alliance with that weirdo nobody?"
"If you had nothing to do with it, then don't worry about it." Hailee stood her ground. "Regardless, I will split both teams in groups of two. Each duo will enter inside the interrogation room and attempt to uncover a motive. Figure out his secret accomplice. Whatever. Whichever team manages to make Zane spill first will reign victorious! Now, let's get to the pairing, shall we?"
"Oh, I hope I get paired with you…" Hunter grinned; Hailee's face was nothing but peeved at this point as she blew her blonde hair away from her face in frustration.
"Ahem. Moving past Hunter's… trouser antics…" She pulled out her notecards. "For the Electric Eels, the duos today will be… Rashon and Kayla, Hunter and Oliver, and Soraya and Daniela."
"WHAT?" Hunter and Soraya shouted in unison.
Confessional:
Soraya: "Oh, Hailee did this on purpose! That little-" She took a sudden, deep breather. "Relax, Soraya." She began muttering to herself, breathing in… and out. "Headphones girl is not my enemy. Headphones girl is not my enemy…"
-static-
Hunter: "Yo, I'm getting' paired with that know-it-all yahoo. What gives, Hailee baby?" He sat stiff on the toilet.
-static-
"Can we please zip the interruptions… forever?" Hailee retorted. "As I continue further, the pairings for the Floppy Fish will be… Nanci and Spencer… and Arnold and Emily."
Nanci blushed, relieved that she would be paired with no one else… but Spencer. "Oh, that's, um, nice!" She shuffled her feet.
"Seems like the island really want us to be together, huh?" Spencer chuckled.
"Aww!" Emily gushed. "You two are so cute together!"
"ARGH! THEE CAPTAIN APPROVES!"
"HEY! Shuuush!" Hailee commanded, slowly losing her patience. "What did I say? We need to get going. Remember, we are on a schedule here!" She finished fuming. "As I was saying, my assistant Julian is standing right by the doorway..." She pointed towards the shack, as Julian gave a casual wave back. "He will let you guys know which pair will enter in and out of the interrogation room. Every pair will take turns, and if no one makes Zane spill on the first try, then a rotational cycle is mandatory, Again, whichever pair manages to force a confession will secure a victory for their entire team. So… get into your pairs. Now!" She commanded, as each contestant formed into their assigned team duo, walking towards their designated waiting area. Everyone idly stood nearby the closed entrance. Everyone except for one…
"Hey Topher?" Hailee faced towards him. "The storage unit requires organization and restocking. Here's the inventory list. Now, get to it!" She pulled a document out from her pockets and slammed it onto Topher's hands, as he rushed back to HQ with one of the ATVs, driving straight out of the compound. She then pulled her tiny microphone on her shirt collar closer to her mouth. "Calvin! Hand me a reclining chair. Now!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Calvin zoomed fast, arrived straight to where she stood in a cartoony flash as he quickly finished setting up the beach chair to her liking.
"Here you go, Ms. Friarwood!" Calvin smiled timidly.
"Thank you, assistant." She laid down, but then blurted out additional demands. "Remember, you have shoulder massage duties. Get to it, slacker!"
"Yes, Ms. Friarwood." Upon walking behind her, another person walked towards them, uninvited to say the least…
"Hunter… you got a challenge to complete. What do you want?" She wore her black aviators as she wondered into her daydream world. A world with no sudden interruptions…
"I was thinkin'…" Hunter flashed a grin with his arms crossed, standing directly in front of her as he observed Calvin's massages. "You into full body massages? 'Cause hear me out; I will fully deliver for half the price."
"Not happening, and I do not care." Hailee crossed her arms as well. "Now, run along, and get out of my sight!" She pointed away, as Hunter followed in command. Instead of walking back towards his team, he sneaked behind Hailee and drew a fist towards Calvin, silently frightening him away. Hunter then rested his hands onto her shoulders and began massaging, slowly rubbing his hands further down her body. Eventually, he reached towards her waist and lower stomach, alarming Hailee.
"How does this feel, babe?" He whispered to her ear seductively. As soon as she heard that scratchy voice, Hailee sternly gripped his left arm from behind and violently twisted it, leaving Hunter screeching in pain. "Ow. Ow." Hunter yelped helplessly as Hailee stood up from her chair. She then turned around to face him, twisting his arm even further to a submission hold.
"This is your final warning…" Hailee assured, leaning her mouth towards his ear, still vigorously grappling his arm. "You step out of line again, and I will make your life a breathing nightmare. Perhaps even an automatic disqualification. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal." He muttered in pain as Hailee gave one last twist to his arm, temporarily crippling it.
"Do not touch me again." She commanded in full authority.
Confessional:
Hailee: She sat stiff on the toilet seat. Her very first time in the confessional. "He's lucky I didn't put him in a choke hold and humiliate him on live TV. Luckily for him, I don't do grudges." She crossed her arms, smiling smugly. "Hear that, fellow TV hosts? Those are the perks of growing up alongside family members with martial arts training."
-static-
Hunter: "Damn…" He attempted to painfully massage his crippled arm, but to no avail. "She's a lot stronger than she looks, yo. But guess what? Bet y'all won't see this comin'…" He reached into his brown jacket to pull out… his new prized possession. "The keys to every door in HQ!" He dangled the ring of keys towards the confessional camera. "Hear me out; the hunt for valuables is not over yet. This is only just the beginning, yo. And I know just the guy who'll do my biddin'…" He smirked sinisterly.
-static-
Every competitor waited patiently for their call as the assistant Julian rushed back towards the doorway with flashcards in his hands.
"You took forever…" Daniela sluggishly leaned onto the wall. "Did skinny Johnny Bravo lose his little notepad?" She teased.
"Wrong. Hailee forgot the notecards." Julian grinned. "As a matter of fact, Daniela? You and your partner are first in line. So… I need you gals to step inside."
"Whatevs'." Daniela muttered, as her and Soraya walked inside the cold room. Stepping out of the sunlight, they were met by none other… than Zane himself. His hands rested on the steel table. Handcuffed and tied to a metal chair, he had no wiggle room to escape. The assistants, Tanner and Trevon, stood behind him, acting as security guards. Both surprisingly fitted the role due to their muscular physique.
"So… tell us!" Soraya slammed the table. The impact from her fist echoed throughout the room. "Who's your secret accomplice? Hmm? We know you have a little minion. We have you surrounded! So… spill!" She yelled, approaching closer to his face. Daniela, on the other hand, leaned onto the wall with her arms crossed, snickering at her failed attempt.
"Oh, please Soraya…" She teased. "If Zane never spoke before, then what will change this time? Nothin'. Quit embarrassing yourself."
"At least I'm putting in the work!" Soraya retaliated. "Unlike you, headphones girl, who's just in their own little lazy fantasyland. Don't forget, you also sided with Kiara, out of ALL people!"
"I don't know what's your problem." She fired back. "As a matter of fact, I don't even care dude. At least have the decency to call me by my real name instead of 'headphones girl'. Cool, Ms. Soraya Papaya?"
"Oh, THAT is IT!" Soraya shouted. "I am sick and tired of you making fun of me at every moment, every little thing I do, you bully!"
"Pfft. What?" Daniela laughed. "You kiddin' me? I'M the bully? Have you once ever looked at yourself in the mirror?"
"Speak for yourself, lazy. You left your clump of shoes in the middle of MY room. Are you trying to disrespect your leader? Because that's what bullies do!"
"I barely moved in! Are you kiddin' me!" Daniela and Soraya continued their shouting match, baffling the guards, including Zane. "You know what I think? You have some weird, obsessive hatred towards me. Did you have a rough childhood? Were your next-door neighbors Latinas? Hmm? Dime." Daniela placed both hands on her hips.
"There it is again! Your personal attacks against me. GAH!" Soraya screamed, viciously flipping the table. "We are done here, guards. TAKE US AWAY!"
Confessional:
Daniela: "Typical Soraya." She rolled her eyes. "I didn't really care. Honestly, I just found our 'argument' silly. She has a big stick up her butt, that's for sure. But seriously, what's her problem?"
-static-
Soraya: "Soraya, why did you explode like that? Stupid me!" She slapped herself in the face. "I gave her a chance but see? She's just the worst. Always laughing at me for no reason. What's her problem?"
-static-
As both Soraya and Daniela exited out the doorway, a new duo entered the room, prepared to tackle the primary objective. Or so they hoped…
"You want to, like, start Rashon?" Kayla awkwardly grinned. Both were standing adjacent to each other, facing the menacing mystery himself.
"Um, okay-dokie!" Rashon smiled back. "Hello Mr. Zane. My name's Rashon, and this is the beautiful blonde Kayla. Nice to meet you!" Rashon waved hello, while Kayla facepalmed.
Confessional:
Kayla: "Rashon is… um…" She rested her chin on her hand. "Yeah, this is, like, gonna' be a long day, isn't it? Kiara, why were we in an alliance with him again?"
-static-
Rashon: "I think I saw Kayla blush." He grinned. "Hopefully not out of embarrassment… I'll stay optimistic man and say it's because of my compliment."
-static-
"Zane, we will only ask you once…" Kayla laid both her hands on the table. "Tell us, like, who's your partner, or we will, like, uhh… punch you. Yeah!"
"Yes!" Rashon added. "Or else, we will… punch you. Hard. Very hard. Yeah."
Kayla joined in. "Yeah!"
"Yeah!"
"Yeah!"
"Yeah!"
"Okay Rashon. Let's stop yeah-ing. Wanna', like, punch him in the face?"
"Oh. I thought you were going to?" Rashon was baffled.
"Um, I don't know how to throw punches. You do it!" Kayla insisted.
"No, I can't." Rashon begged. "It is too mean for me."
"Guards?" Kayla looked towards them, specifically Tanner. "Can you guys, like, help us out with the physical pain stuff? Please?" They both shook their heads in silence. "Welp. This is gonna' be a long day…"
"And then, my friend Jimmy, out of nowhere, broke the entire cafeteria bench as he sat down!" Spencer finished his recounting, as both him and Nanci shared a laugh. They sat away from the rest of the competitors, both leaning their backs under the same tree as they wait for their turn.
"That's quite, um, quite the cheap school you got there." Nanci giggled. "You one of the popular kids?"
"If I'm honest…" Spencer pondered. "Nah. No, not really. I try not to involve too much with petty high school drama. I'm happy being more like a spectator, ya' know?"
"Yeah, me too." Nanci leaned her head onto Spencer's shoulders. "Even with the few friends I have, I have trouble making more. I just have struggle relating. Their music tastes, the things they like, the parties they throw; it's soooo different from what I enjoy."
"And what do you enjoy?" Spencer asked.
"Ohhh, like, with music? I'm into alternative rock bands. Also, techno. And ambience. That sorta thing." She twirled Spencer's hair.
"I do love ambience!" He quietly blurted out. "It's always the simple, minimalistic melodies that do the job for me. My younger sister, however, hates it with a passion."
"Oh, you have two sisters?" She teased, smiling. "So, who's more annoying? The younger one or the older one?"
"I don't have an older sister."
"Oh." She answered back. "I must've totally mixed it up, then. Sorry." She giggled, as she stared into his dark-brown eyes. There were a few seconds of just silence. No birds chirping. No distractions. Just the two of them gazing into each other's eyes…
"ARGH!" Arnold shouted, walking closer towards them, interrupting their intimate moment. "It's yer turn to crack Zane open like an egg! Argh!"
"Well, after you?" Spencer awkwardly smiled.
"Oh, so this is a Disney movie now?" She giggled.
"I suppose… it is now. Heh." Spencer smiled as he stood up from the ground, holding her hand.
"What's the chance we will force a confession?" Nanci shoved shoulders playfully.
"Knowing Zane?" He pondered. "Slim to none."
"Hey, um…" Kayla tapped Daniela shoulders. Like everyone else, they waited outside the entrance until Julian signaled their turn, while Nanci and Spencer were inside the interrogation room. "How'd you guys, like, do?"
"I think you could put the pieces together…" Daniela chuckled.
"Lemme guess… Soraya? Ugh." Kayla rolled her eyes.
"Yup. Soraya being Soraya." She leaned onto the wall. "Chick has issues, but no clue as to why."
"Still won't forget the time she publicly called me a dog…" Kayla glimpsed behind her, noticing a frustrated Soraya, separate and alone from the team clutter. As soon as Soraya caught her peeking, Kayla looked away.
"Hey, between you and me…" Daniela loudly whispered. "Would you date that assistant guy?" She sneakily pointed to Julian.
"I mean, I like his hair." She pondered, as she continued peeking. "He's a little, I don't know, like, too skinny?"
"Oh, so you wouldn't be into Hunter either. Gotcha." She giggled.
"Eww, no." Kayla denied, playfully. "Hunter's a street kid. No offense, but he's just not my type."
"Is it weird to say…" Daniela continued. "That I want to date both? I don't know 'bout you, but I find skinny guys cute."
"That's, like, up to you." They both shared giggles.
Confessional:
Kayla: "Ya' know? It's about time I made, like, a new friend on this show." She stretched both her legs. "It's exhausting having to open convos with Nanci. She's, like, nice and all, but we just don't share the same energy. Dani, however, is a lot more relatable."
-static-
"So, Dani?" Kayla nudged her shoulders. "You wanna', like, finally confess your secret love for Mr. McLean?"
"Pfft. Shut up." They both giggled.
Once Nanci and Spencer finished their failed attempt, they swapped with Hunter and Oliver. Both were determined. Ready to interrogate Zane. Or so they thought…
"Hey, little boy. Guess what?" Hunter pulled out a knife from his jacket and dangled it directly in front of his face. "Ya' see this? Yeah, that's right. It's your trusty blade. I own it now! You want it back? Start confessin'!" Hunter continued hovering the knife in front of Zane's cold eyes. Nothing. Absolutely no reaction. Just a menacing glare towards Hunter.
"That's not going to work, New Duncan." Oliver shook his head.
"Shut it, geek!" Hunter hissed at him, then glared back towards Zane. "How 'bout we take off that hideous mask of yours!" He grabbed the ski mask from the top and attempted to pull it off. However, he struggled to uncover the mask off his face. "Yo! You super-glued this to your head, didn't you? You kiddin' me!" He shouted in frustration.
As minutes gone by, the Floppy Fish grouped together, separated from the enemy team. The final pair from that team awaited their turn, waiting for Hunter and Oliver's seemingly unsuccessful attempts as they heard arguing and a couple of off-tangent remarks inside the room.
"I wonder if they're having any luck in there?" Emily wondered.
"Knowing Oliver?" Spencer rubbed his chin. "He's probably giving Zane insight on his favorite reality TV show."
Nanci chuckled at his remark. "He, um, he sure loves his reality TV. He told me once he recently watched reruns of The Ridonculous Race."
"ARGH!" Arnold blurted out, leaning on the shack wall with a bored expression. "I just want to start interrogatin' already!"
Confessional:
Arnold: He sat confidently on the toilet seat. "Maybe this is my chance to showcase my redemption!" He waved his sword around.
-static-
Spencer: "At this point… Arnold needs to change his vocabulary." He rolled his eyes. "He's lucky we haven't lost, or else he would've been voted off by now."
-static-
"Speaking of the interrogation…" Emily turned towards Spencer and Nanci, smiling. "How'd you guys do with Zane?"
"Just Zane being creepy." Spencer stuffed his hands in his pockets. "He stood dead silent the whole time…"
"Yeah, I wonder who's his secret accomplice? Could it really be one of us?" Nanci wondered, as her teammates shrugged in response.
Confessional:
Nanci: "Usually, I'm not too nosey with other people's business, but seriously, I'm starting to have trust issues." She worried. "I mean, Hailee can't be serious. This is, um, just a scripted mystery, right? Right?"
-static-
"Arnold? Emily?" Julian announced. "It's your guys' turn. Step inside immediately."
"Okie dokie!" Emily grinned, excited to begin. Once the disappointed Hunter and Oliver exited the shack, Emily and Arnold zoomed straight through the doorway, facing Zane's freezing-cold glare. There was no fear in his shadowy eyes, except for peril, as the two assistants behind him tiredly stood still.
"Argh, former teammate! It's time to face yer doom!" Arnold shouted, attempting to hammer the blade of his sword onto the steel table. Unfortunately for him, his attempt at coolness faded away once his plastic blade severely dented from the impact.
"Let me take a crack at it." Emily stepped in front of Arnold, staring down Zane as she tried figuring out any weakness. "So…" She smiled. "You know why we're here. You have a secret accomplice. No biggie. But before you were eliminated, I really wanted to befriend you. I love being friends with everyone. So, can you help me get to know you? Pretty please?" She squatted down, extending her right hand onto his chest as she seductively caressed it with a touch of a finger. Zane, however, still refused to show any emotion.
"Argh! This challenge impossible! Zane never speaks!" Arnold shouted. "C'mon, Emily! Let's complain to Hailee, m'lady!"
On a sudden moment, Zane glared at Arnold, coldly analyzing his demeanor. Arnold quickly noticed his out-of-nowhere mood shift. Zane continued staring him down alarmingly. A subtle, yet spine-chilling change of events. Emily froze her attempted seduction, looking towards Zane, then Arnold, then back to Zane.
"ARGH!" Arnold blurted out. "What are ye' starin' at, matey?" He flung his sword towards Zane as his last attempt to provoke a reaction. Instead, the plastic blade shockingly sliced through the rope that restrained Zane's stomach, completely freeing him from imprisonment. "Oops." Arnold shamefully muttered, as Zane leaped onto the table, evading the assistant's failed grabs, and dashed straight out the doorway with his hands still handcuffed.
"Hey man!" Tanner shoved the other assistant. "You let him run off, dude! You call yourself the king of speed, but what the hell was that?"
"Yo! Not my problem." Trevon shrugged. "That rope was cheap, what can I say? Besides, let security deal with this, man. One of the contestants freed him, not me."
"Doesn't matter." Tanner facepalmed. "We gotta' report this to Hailee-"
"Report what, exactly?" Both assistants were suddenly interrupted by the host herself, walking inside the interrogation room in frustration. Emily and Arnold awkwardly stepped aside, strolling back towards the wall.
"We didn't do it, Hailee! The pirate guy freed him!" Trevon frantically pointed to Arnold.
"Great. Just great." The host facepalmed. "Arnold. Emily. Meet us outside."
"Electric Eels! Floppy Fish!" Hailee called their attention, still peeved by the incident. "So, as you might've heard, we have an unfortunate situation on our hands..."
"I saw Zane sprint past towards us!" Spencer blurted out anxiously. Both teams stood outside worryingly, facing towards Hailee, who stood directly in front of the interrogation entrance. The giant clump of clouds above them shifted to a darker shade of gray. A rainstorm was imminent…
"Indeed." The host crossed her arms. "Thanks to a certain… competitor, Zane is now at large. Which means… you guys are now tasked to capture him and escort him back for detainment. Hunt him down as quickly as possible. You all have until midnight-"
"Don't you professionals have a search team?" Soraya interrupted, rolling her eyes. "You're making us do the dirty work, aren't you?"
"Well, thanks to Zane escaping detainment, we don't have enough interesting footage to compile for an entire episode!" The host retorted. "The competitors, i.e., you guys, searching for Zane in the wilderness will have to suffice for additional footage. Now, get to it!" She pointed away in a bossy fashion. Both teams followed pursuit, as they all dashed into the damp forest. A few even tripped and fell due to both teams cramped so near each other. This was a complete, unexpected detour indeed…
"Yo, Kay-Kay!" Hunter shouted, catching up to Kayla as he fell behind from the rest of the Electric Eels. The sky faintly drizzled, ramping up the humidity even further as they all traversed through thick, prickly bushes in sweaty and sticky clothing.
"Pfft. Please don't call me that." Kayla almost laughed, but then quickly realized it was Hunter. "So… you, like, need something? Or you here to…"
Hunter stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets; they both continued walking. "Just wanna' know what's up? How you doin'?"
"I'm, like, dripping in sweat. Hint-hint, I'm exhausted. And I wanna' finish this challenge already…" She replied in an exhausted tone.
"Oh yeah, me too." Hunter noticed she was wearing a bronze, rose necklace. "That's a cute, little necklace you got there. What's it mean?"
Kayla gasped, suddenly shielding her accessory with both hands. "You are NOT taking my necklace away from me. Are you, like, trying to befriend me to keep me off-guard? Is that, like, one of your end goals? Like, with Kiara and her crown? You enjoy this lifestyle, don't you?"
"Relax, Kayla…" Hunter winked, wrapping an arm around her. "That rose around your slim neck would've been missin' long ago, sweetheart. Instead, I got a proposition to offer…"
She glared at him in disbelief. "Ugh, you mean, like, that secret alliance you offered to my bestie? Yeah, I heard everything. And no, I will not be your toy doll. So, forget it."
Confessional:
Kayla: She brushed sweat off her forehead. "Phew. Never thought I'd, like, be able to stand up for myself without Kiara. Wow, that felt good!" She smiled. "Oh, and Hunter… nice try, but you won't, like, get away this time. I will be keeping an eye out on you, at all times."
-static-
Hunter: He crossed his arms, frustrated. "Damn it! Kayla knew. I needed to befriend her so that I could get info on Kiara's secret stash, yo! I refuse to pass the opportunity of rags to riches! That skinny little [CENSORED]!" He irritatingly punched the wall, but quickly cooled down. "But… at least I still got the map. And the keys. Shockingly, Soraya hadn't nagged me one bit today 'bout her precious map, but hey, a win's a win, dawg. Matter of fact… forget Kiara's stash. I got the key, or rather, keys…" He pulled out the ring of keys from his jacket and smugly dangled it again.
-static-
"Rashon, lead the way…" Soraya held onto his shoulders with one hand. Both were in front of the group. "I need a quick breather. B.R.B.!" She detached from the group and wondered off, sitting on a ragged stone as she reflected alone while drying off her white shirt from all the sweat.
"Hey!" A sudden, young-sounding voice popped out of nowhere, startling her. She turned her head back and quickly pinpointed that familiar voice…
"Oh, it's you… pirate doofus…" Soraya scorned, quickly facing away from him. "What do you want? Are you hear to rub it in my face when your team won the pirate challenge?"
"No, no, no! Quite the opposite, in fact." Arnold corrected, shuffling his feet. "Um, here! I drew you a sketch!" He pulled out a piece of paper from his jacket, handing it to her. "I was really inspired and captivated by your performance as the captain of last challenge, so I drew you in your pirate outfit. What do you think?" The sketch showed a pirate Soraya on the ship deck, wielding her sword out to the sky in glory. It was completely drawn in pencil, almost reminiscent to a professional sketch. Soraya was nothing but impressed.
"Wow." She murmured. At first, she felt a tad-bit jealous knowing a competitor matched her artistic capabilities, but she decided not to showcase her jealous side. After all, she wanted to change for the better…
"You like?" Arnold's cheeks blushed pink. He could not help, but notice her flowing, black hair. No longer in a bun. Seems like a permanent change.
"This is… amazing." Soraya admired his talent. "You really think I'm that special?"
"Yeah, of course!" He exclaimed. "You are the greatest leader I've ever met! I knew that since the moment I met you. You make a great pirate captain." He smiled.
"Really?" Soraya twirled her hair. "Thank you. My own teammates wanted to tumble me down. And that got me thinking… maybe… just maybe… they were right. Maybe I'm not as special as I thought I was. Maybe deep down, I'm nothing but a sore, hideous loser…"
"You are not a loser." Arnold reassured. "And I promise you… you are very special. And dazzling. Right now, you are on a reality show. And that, my friend, is movie star material! You are a movie star, and I can promise you that."
"Thank you." Soraya smiled. "You made me feel a lot better. I really mean that."
Confessional:
Soraya: "Never thought in a million years I'd say this, but…" She twirled her hair. "Arnold is beginning to captivate me. He's the only one who understands my artistic aura. He made me feel special again."
-static-
"I was thinking…" Arnold took a brief breather. "We have leftover breakfast in our new mini-fridge that Calvin gifted us. You interested in a small breakfast date? You and me? After today's challenge. I promise I'll drop the pirate act for you."
"Oh, um…" Soraya was caught off-guard. "Yeah, let's do it. Thank you." She grinned.
Confessional:
Arnold: "Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes! Mission accomplished!" He grinned in relief and triumph, tossing his sword in the air. "I did it! I actually did it! Sorry, Hunter. Looks like I'll be keepin' this treasure map. Argh!"
-static-
"Wait a sec…" Spencer halted his team in the middle of the rainforest. Walking in a complete-opposite direction from the Electric Eels, an exhausted Spencer quickly noticed that only Emily and Nanci were present, but no Arnold… "Where did he go? He was just with us a few minutes ago…"
"Pee break, maybe?" Emily shrugged. The dark clouds showered heavier drops of rain, no longer the calm drizzle.
"It's starting to pour." Nanci worried, squeezing her dripping-wet hair. "I hope he's okay."
"Yeah…" Spencer pondered.
Confessional:
Spencer: "After spending excruciating time with Arnold, you start to wonder…" He crossed his arms. "Could his pirate schtick all be an act? Did he suddenly go missing to scheme behind our backs? Call me paranoid, but the more I think about it, the more suspicious I grow."
-static-
"I'm sure he's fine." Spencer assured. "Let's just keep hunting for Zane."
"Um, Spence?" Nanci calmly interrupted. "I know he hasn't been the most helpful teammate, and I know we're trying to win, but we should wait 'till he gets back." She awkwardly smiled. "Pee breaks shouldn't take-"
Nanci was suddenly interrupted by strange whispers. Weeping animal whispers. The same ones that haunted Spencer's and Nanci's nature date…
"Argh! A happy captain is back!" Arnold finally returned from his "pee break", casually strolling towards his frightened teammates while not instantly noticing the unsettling noises. "Argh. Captain Arnold is hearin' voices again. Y'all hearin' it too?"
"Spence, it's those whispers again…" Nanci muttered, terrified.
"I hear them too." Emily shifted her eyes from left and right.
"We need to run, NOW!" As soon as Spencer shouted, a shrieking roar could be heard from a distance. The roar sounded like half-creature, half-robot. The distorted noise of terror followed up the whispers exactly like when Spencer and Nanci ran into them prior. But none of the Floppy Fish members gave any further thoughts. Just pure adrenaline rush as they all sprinted away from the source; the who-knows-what continued distortedly roaring nonstop, louder, and louder…
"I THINK IT'S CATCHING UP!" Nanci yelled out in fear. Her scream was overshadowed by the glitchy, gargling roar.
"JUST KEEP RUNNING!" Spencer screamed.
"ARGH! I WETTED MY… trousers?" Arnold yelled out in shame.
"You guys hear somethin'?" Daniela raised an eyebrow, turning around to face their other end. Her team, however, just kept marching forward. No time for distractions, they thought. "Oye, listen… it sounds like screamin'…"
"Ya' know what that sounds like?" Oliver rubbed his chin. "Sounds like they're receiving more screen time. Which means, theoretically, we're the subplot." He sighed.
"Doesn't matter." Soraya rolled her eyes. "Better them than us. Why? They're distracted. That means… we're at an advantage."
"Wow. You very smart." Rashon smiled, standing right beside her.
"Wait, guys…" Daniela walked towards a giant clump of dirt to her right, sticking out like a sore thumb. "I think I just spotted somethin'." Everyone turned around as they casually observed her curiosity. However, Soraya was silently fuming within. Peeved that her nemesis completely halted the search.
"Make it quick, lazy!" Soraya rolled her eyes. Hunter, however, squinted as he suddenly struck déjà vu; he had traversed this region before. And suddenly, upon further inspection of the clump of dirt, he went straight to panic mode…
"YO, WAIT!" He shouted, rushing towards Daniela as he extended his arms sideways, attempting to stop her from digging it up. "This is my stash, yo! Meaning… it's off-limits! Now, screw off!"
"Ugh, lemme' guess?" Kayla scoffed, crossing her arms. "It's your 'finder's keepers'? Yeah, I don't think so."
The rest of Hunter's team surrounded him in a circle. No room to slither away. Each one with disapproval in their faces. Especially Soraya's.
"We are sick and tired of slithering weasels." Soraya walked towards him as he stayed crouched, unwilling to move a muscle out of his dig site. "Get out of my way, or face my fury…"
"Yes!" Rashon raised his voice. "You've been big jerk to us the whole season. It's payback time!"
"Agreed." Oliver grinned. "Let's put knock-off Duncan to his place…"
"Hah!" Hunter stood up, fiercely grabbing Oliver's dress shirt by the collar. "You think you scare me, lil boy? In fact, y'all think I'm scared of any of you? Ya' think? Huh? Huh? C'mon! Do your worst. That's right, you wo-"
Before finishing his rant, Soraya punched him straight to the face as he lost balance and coordination by her mighty force. After falling a few feet away from the dig site, Daniela immediately crouched down to scavenge, digging out the dirt with her bare hands. Removing the final clump of mud finally revealed what lied beneath. It had… everything. A giant clump of everything, from newspapers, to inappropriate magazines, to personal belongings, to cash, all stacked on top of each other…"
"Oh-my-gosh, is that my phone?" Kayla gasped. "And… Kiara's? Wait a sec, YOU had our phones the WHOLE time?"
"Dudes!" Daniela squinted, reaching within the hole with her right hand to grab something. "Hunter's got my phone too!"
Soraya gasped upon further peeking what lied inside. "MY PAINTBRUSH!" She shoved Daniela and Kayla aside to grab her belonging.
"Oh, would you look at that?" Oliver spotted a familiar item, as he calmly walked over to grab it. "My special, vinyl cover. It was so amazing, you had to steal it twice. Impressive."
"Wait… is that? No…" Kayla noticed a sparkle underneath all the magazines. She emptied out the hole, slowly revealing the valuable item her friend had been long searching… "I knew you had her tiara! It was only, like, a matter of time…" She angrily faced towards Hunter, who laid on the ground, still massaging his own head from Soraya's punch.
"Um, what?" Hunter kept massaging, baffled by the few items his teammates uncovered.
Confessional:
Hunter: "Damn, I know I stole a whole damn lot, but her tiara? Either I ain't rememberin', or Soraya really did a number to my brain." He vigorously rubbed his head, easing the pain. "Yo, what's with women beatin' me up lately? But hey? I ain't complainin' though." He smirked.
-static-
"Yo, hear me out." Hunter attempted to explained, facing all his distrusting teammates at once. "There's a simple explanation to everythin'… I'm bein' framed!"
"Pfft. Yeah, right." Daniela shook her head. "When you start invadin' my personal space, we got a problem. No way will I be trustin' you-"
"Hey guys! I see someone!" Rashon suddenly interrupted, pointing to a person in black clothing glued to a tree in large, green goo. That person was only a few meters away. "It's Zane!" He cheered. Everyone suddenly dropped the feud and dashed straight to him. Zane, with his expressionless face and his handcuffed wrists, was absolutely stuck with zero wiggle room. The mysterious gooey substance prevented him from moving a single muscle.
"Ewwww, what is this stuff?" Kayla revolted.
"I don't know…" Soraya pondered. "No clue how he ended up like this. But… it doesn't matter. We need to let Hailee know we found him-"
"That won't be necessary." Everyone was suddenly interrupted by the speakerphone, followed by Hailee and her two tall assistants arriving in their own ATVs. "We will take it from here. Electric Eels… meet us back in the challenge region for an announcement. Tanner? Trevon? Escort Zane back to detainment immediately."
Both the Electric Eels and the Floppy Fish waited outside the interrogation shack, while Hailee stood in front of them. Luckily for them, the early evening sky began clearing itself out. One team felt relief for capturing Zane, while the other team, still distraught by the mysterious creature roaming about, dreaded the fact they will return to the elimination ceremony once again.
"Hey Hailee!" Spencer raised his hand anxiously. "There's some weird who-knows-what chasing us within the forest. What's going on?"
"ARGH! Arnold agrees! We demand explanations, now!"
"Um, no clue what you two are talking about…" Hailee insisted. "Regardless, since it's getting late, and not a single pair managed to force a confession, the Electric Eels secured the victory by default!"
"YES!" Rashon blurted out, as the Eels cheered with relief. Kayla, however, coldly stared at a smirking Hunter, then gazed down to her friend's tiara. She held it with both hands, unwilling to lose sight of it again, knowing full-well behind the crown's personal meaning and value to Kiara.
Confessional:
Kayla: "So Kiara, I found your crown." She smiled with relief. "Oh, and our phones. Turns out, we never left it back at the cargo ship. Funny how, like, the universe toys with us sometimes."
-static-
"Hailee! Me captain got a confession to make!" Arnold blurted out.
"Umm… yes, Arnold?" The host rolled her eyes.
"You made a mistake!" Arnold shouted. "Ya' see? Zane actually did confess to me and Emily."
"What?" Spencer raised an eyebrow.
"It's true! Captain Arnold don't lie!" He retorted. "He told us that his secret accomplice was, in fact… your personal assistant Julian! ARGH!"
Mostly everyone gasped upon hearing Arnold's reveal, shocked by the sudden revelation.
"I don't believe you…" Spencer squinted. "Why did you never mention this to us before?"
"Captain Arnold was confused too! It was too shocking for me to believe!" He countered. "Right, Emily?"
"Uhh, yeah!" Emily grinned. "I couldn't believe it either. Julian was such a sweet person, and I just couldn't-"
"Okay, that's enough!" Hailee concluded their talk. "In that case, a confession's a confession. The Floppy Fish are declared the winners for today's challenge!"
"WHAT?" Every Eels member shouted in disarray, infuriated by the host's sudden switcheroo.
"You can't do this to us! We won fair and square!" Soraya stomped her foot. "You're biased against me, aren't you, Hailee?"
"The rules were clearly stated…" Hailee stood in an authoritative stance. "Whichever team uncovers Zane's secret are declared winners. Not once did I mention a victory statement for those that captured Zane. That wasn't even in the original script. Sorry. Rules are rules."
"NO WAY!" Soraya shouted. "I refuse to accept these results! Arnold never even provided proof!"
"Well, too bad." Hailee asserted. "I'm the host. I make the rules. Regardless, Electric Eels, I will be expecting you guys for elimination tonight."
Confessional:
Hunter: "Yo, did Arnold just throw me under the bus?" He twirled his knife in disbelief. "I'm gonna' need a word from him. Or else, I'm gonna' be elimination bait tonight! Stupid Daniela discovering my stolen stash!"
-static-
Kayla: "Besides the loser sandwiches, I'm not, like, too upset. Because it's about time we boot off Hunter. Good riddance."
-static-
Daniela: She laid her back to the left wall, stretching both her legs on the deck. "It didn't seem like Arnold was tellin' the truth, but well played, dork. Well played."
-static-
Arnold walked up to the front porch of the Electric Eels' cabin during a late-evening sky. About less than an hour before the elimination ceremony. Upon knocking on their door, one of the competitors immediately answered.
"Need something?" Kayla yawned.
"Is Soraya there?" Arnold peeked inside the house. "I need to speak to her."
"Oh, she's, like, not in the mood right now." She rested her elbow onto the door frame. "But sure, I'll call her. SORAYA!" She yelled inside. Upon hearing her scream, Soraya immediately showed up behind her, as Kayla trudged back to her bedroom.
"So…" Soraya stared him down. "The traitor decides to rub it in my face one last time. Look… I didn't show up to our little 'date' that I, for something reason, agreed in the first place. Keep your pity party to yourself."
"Wait!" Arnold stopped her from walking back to her room. "I'm sorry. But before you go, I have somethin' to tell you. Hunter may seem like the bad guy, but he had nothin' to do with your paintbrush. You must trust me on this one! Please!"
"Wait, how do you know my stuff went missing?" Soraya squinted. "And why should I trust you, after you snatched the victory from me?"
"Because… Nanci told me about your paintbrush!" Arnold blurted out.
"Oh, typical Nanci. Too nice for her own good."
"But that's not all." He added. "Before she switched teams, she told me she found somethin' under your bed pillow that Nanci knew didn't belong to you: a tiny So-Blainerific Perfume bottle."
"Ugh." She stuck her tongue out in disgust. "But okay? What's your point?"
"Nanci told me you keep your special belongings under your pillow. Someone must've accidentally dropped the perfume bottle under there. Meaning, whoever stole it couldn't be Hunter. He never carries around perfume..."
"I think I have a clear suspicion on who it could be…"
Confessional:
Soraya: "Fine, I'll forgive Arnold for backstabbing me in the back. Just this once." She retorted. "Finally, it's all starting to make sense now. Hunter may be off the hook, but I'm still keeping an eye out for him. Because now, I have a new target locked."
-static-
"Electric Eels? Welcome to your second elimination ceremony in a row!" Hailee declared. Each Eels member were already seated on the logs, awaiting the suspense that would reign upon them.
"Ahem, Hailee?" Topher whispered in her ear. "No need to state the obvious. They already know that."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Topher." She rolled her eyes. "Anyways, let's jump straight to the marshmallows, shall we?"
Confessional:
Oliver: "This time, I'm going out-of-character and vote off Rashon. Why? Because… character derailment?" He awkwardly grinned.
-static-
Kayla: "It's time for, like, Hunter to go back to the streets. Wait, is that, like, a messed-up thing to say? I don't mean in a literal sense. I meant, like, eliminated. Going rock-bottom. Wait, no. That's not right either. Umm…"
-static-
"Soraya, Oliver, and Kayla! Catch!" Hailee announced, as Topher tossed three marshmallows in the air.
"Hailee, I spotted a missed opportunity…" Oliver interrupted, as he chewed his white treat. "Since this season is called 'Bakuhatsu Island', you could've made exploding marshmallows for the losers. Kinda like the Toxic Marshmallow of Loserdom from Revenge of the Island, you know?"
"Um… no." Hailee ignored his suggestion. "Next contestant safe from a cold swim… Daniela!" She grabbed a marshmallow and tossed it to the contestant. "Now… Rashon and Hunter. Rashon… you're on the chopping block for… being Rashon. And Hunter…"
"Look, princess…" Hunter had a stern, determined look on his face. "Just… cut the crap and tell us who goes home."
"In that case…" Hailee was tired of Hunter's presence. "Our next Swim of Shame loser is…
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"Rashon!"
"No way, like, WHAT?" Kayla blurted out, stunned by the results.
"Yup. I'm as shocked as you, dude." Daniela pouted in irritation.
"HA! Get dunked, suckers!" Hunter laughed. "Call me a weasel all y'all want, but guess what? We thieves are like racoons. Y'all wanna' get rid of me, but… ya can't!"
Confessional:
Hunter: "Call me cocky, I don't care. I secured the bag, baby!" Hunter pulled out Hailee's keys. "My team may have found my stash, but the hunt still goes on! Improv runs in our blood. You best believe!"
-static-
Kayla: "I'm, like, in disbelief. I may be terrible in math, but, like, even I know that doesn't add up. Something's not making sense here…"
-static-
"It's okay, guys. No need to be mad." Rashon assured. "I deserved elimination after my not-good performance. Soraya? Good luck for the season! You're an amazing leader, and I'm glad I saved you from being eliminated." He walked over and hugged a baffled Soraya.
"Um… thanks Rashon." She hugged him back. "You, um, definitely saved me from elimination today."
"Wow. No kidding." Kayla muttered sarcastically.
"Well. This was fun, guys. Goodbye!" Rashon waved, as Topher escorted him to the dock, immediately pushing him into the water.
"Would you look at that?" Topher faced the camera to perform the outro. "Another person just bit the dust! Who is next to-"
"Ahem." Hailee interrupted, shoving Topher out of the spotlight. "Would you look at that? Another person just bit the dust! Who is next to fall in line, you may ask? And will we ever uncover what lies beneath Zane's enigma? Well, stay tune for more popcorn-worthy drama right here! On Total! Drama! Bakuhatsu Island!"
"Yo Arnold." Hunter loudly whispered as Arnold swiftly walked towards him under the midnight moon. It was complete darkness. Accompanied with silence as they stood behind the Eels' cabin.
"I did it, didn't I?" Arnold flashed a cocky grin.
"You came in clutch. Legit saved me from elimination, dawg." Hunter was impressed, relieved that he dodged the boot. "I don' know how you did it, but Rashon ate fat dirt today. I think he eliminated himself." He tried containing his laughter.
"Well, I convinced Soraya not to vote for you. Mixed in some half-truths as well…"
"Yeah, sounds about right. At first, you screwed me over with that team victory switcheroo. But you pulled a miracle, yo. In fact, I'll let ya' keep that immunity map. Find yourself the totem."
"Wait…" Arnold pulled out the map from his jacket. "This wasn't just a treasure map, but the actual immunity map?"
"C'mon. Don't play dumb with me." Hunter retorted. "Yeah, I lied about Soraya having two separate maps. But that's besides the point. I don't need immunity no more because together… we are unstoppable." He smirked. "We keep this alliance goin' strong an' steady, and no one could stop us. Do we have a deal?"
"So… I keep immunity to myself? Interesting. You got a deal." Arnold shook his hand.
Confessional:
Hunter: "Now, this is getting' interestin'!" He rubbed his hands together. "Hear me out: letting Arnold keep the immunity map gives him a false sense of security. Once I don't need him no more, that's when the backstab begins. And he won't even see it comin' 'cause the confusing map will keep him off-guard. See? Back home, I'm known as the conniv-erous snake. Lure 'em with treats, then strike my prey when they least expect it…"
-static-
The Votes:
Daniela: (Hunter)
Oliver: (Rashon)
Kayla: (Hunter)
Hunter: (Rashon)
Soraya: (Daniela)
Rashon: (Rashon)
Elimination Table:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. Rashon
11. Kiara
12. Lily
13. Zane
14. Alexander
Remaining Contestants:
Electric Eels: Kayla, Hunter, Soraya, Oliver, Daniela
Floppy Fish: Nanci, Arnold, Emily, Spencer
A new chapter, and another character eliminated! This one took me much longer than previously anticipated, almost a whole month, as a matter of fact. Admittedly, I struggled with consistency on this one, as it took me a few, minor, recent adjustments to the original script before writing out the chapter.
So, Rashon was just eliminated. Fun fact: on my original script, I had him go much farther in the game (even after the merge), but after some revisions during the making of my first chapter, I had to cut his journey short in favor for another character. I had an entirely different arc planned out for Rashon, but in the end, it just did not work for me.
So… your overall thoughts? What are your opinions on the current/possible alliances? Do you think Hunter really stole each one of his teammates' personal belongings? And any additional theories?
A huge shoutout to all my fellow readers and reviewers! You guys are awesome! I am looking forward to finally updating again, so stay tuned for the following chapter!
