Ep 6: What Swamps Beneath

"Previously, on Total Drama: Bakuhatsu Island…" Hailee sat on a black, leather office chair with her legs rested on the wooden desk, wiggling her heels. Her outfit appeared vastly different yet again; this time, she wore a white boho top with blue, high-waist denim shorts. More casual than her last wardrobe, no doubt, but keeping her purple lei around her neck. Topher stood behind her like a statue, attentive for any commands Hailee assigned him.

"We brought back a former competitor-turned-captive." She continued, smirking. "Initially, the goal was to force a confession out of Zane. To make the challenge more interesting, we had each team split up into groups of two, and wow- lemme' tell ya'; there were many, MANY quarrels. Mostly stemming from Soraya, but… you get the gist. Then, well… someone just had to set him free. Ahem-Arnold." She cleared her throat, rolling her eyes as she rolled backed Arnold's accident in her mind like a videotape. "At the end of the day, no worrying was necessary because our jobs as hosts are to improvise, and I believe I handled that situation professionally. Wouldn't you agree, Topher?"

"Oh-absolutely, Ms. Friarwood." He flashed a grin. "Way better than that old Chris hack. Oh, and by the way, I am loving your new outfit! Very casual, although maybe… a little too casual? You lost a touch of your former authoritarian presence, I'm afraid." He rubbed his chin. Hailee, however, rolled her eyes in response.

"Thank you, Topher, for your… flip-floppy input…" She gave a quick, peeved glare towards Topher, then faced back to the camera, awkwardly grinning. "Anyhow… while the Eels found and captured Zane, Arnold spilled the beans at the last minute, boldly claiming that my personal assistant Julian took part of Zane's mysterious schemes. Frankly, I had to temporarily suspend my belief there because, you know, I'm a reality TV host, mind you. Not some wannabe judge. But, just in case, we detained Julian for an interrogation… for the time being, of course…"

"Rumors has it, that Julian guy was super envious of your success." Topher interrupted. "Ya' know, maybe you should, I don't know… fire him?" He raised an eyebrow, with a smug face.

"I didn't ask you to speak." She hissed. "Moving on… ultimately, I gave the victory to the Floppy Fish. The Eels could whine all they want, but I invent the rules here. Regardless, Rashon took the Swim of Shame because he… um… I have no clue. He voted himself out to save Soraya from being 'in danger from elimination'. Yeah, I have no clue what he meant either. But… whatever. At the end of the day, Rashon was eliminated. But who else will take a cold swim home? It's currently nighttime. Pitch-black, mind you. A spooky challenge, perhaps? Maybe involving a certain… mechanical beast? Well then, don't miss 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.)


Two of Hailee's personal assistants laid their backs onto the outer wall of the main headquarters, unwinding outside during the night as they talked amongst themselves, like they were already best buds. The industrial lamps above them shined dim, yellow light upon them, but it was simply no match to the moonless sky's cast of darkness.

"Yo Tanner…" Trevon calmly sipped his lemonade with a straw. "That Julian dude is in big trouble, man. Ya' think he did it?"

"Naaah." Tanner shook his head. "I'm tellin' you: that pirate guy was up to somethin', dude. Julian was chill as ice. Trust me, bro."

"Say wha'?" Trevon laughed. "Dude, you seen what Julian pulled on me? I was chattin' the goods with Hailee the other day, then Mr. Smooth-wannabe called her attention and pulled her away from me. Now that's what I call… a snake!"

"Bro, I'm tellin' you…" Tanner facepalmed. "Hailee's a stuck up. She ain't worth your time. Plus, she's out of our league, man."

"Naah, dawg." Trevon retorted. "You just scared, man. I saw you runnin' away from that weird screech during the last challenge. Ya' haven't walked into that side of the forest since then."

"Me? Scared?" Tanner crossed his arms in disbelief. "Pfft. Nah, man! I'm a maverick. I'm never scared."

"Aight, then. Step into the forest."

"Nah." Tanner shook his head. "I'm allergic to darkness."

"Yeah, okay, Mr. I'm-allergic-to-darkness." He shoved Tanner away from the light, closer to the line of trees. Tanner proceeded to walk away from him, attempting to prove a point.

"Alright then, see?" Tanner shouted, casually walking into the forest, as he stood tall behind a low-laying bush. His own faint silhouette could be seen from Trevon's distance. "I don't fear the forest. The forest fears- AHHHHHH!"

Suddenly, a tentacle-like arm, casted in dark shadow, grabbed Tanner's right leg and fiercely dragged him into the forest as he let out screams of terror. The beast then roared back deafeningly. Its metallic-sounding, malfunctioning screech drowned Tanner's cry for help, leaving a panicked Trevon behind, as he vigorously covered his ears, attempting to drown out its thunderous roar.

The monster suddenly vanished out of sight, within seconds. Trevon's eyes widened. He had absolutely no clue what he just witnessed. No longer filled with confidence… but with fear.

"Yo, why did I sign up for this show again?" He asked a shaken camera crew member filming the incident, as he shrugged in response.

"Man, I got low standards." Trevon muttered.


The Electric Eels' cabin was immensely quiet. Made sense since it was the middle of the night. Every competitor was deep in their sleep. All except for one…

"Gah." Soraya loudly whispered. She stood wide-awake in the living room, glaring at a blank painting canvas as she lightly held her trusty paintbrush, twirling it with her slim, pale fingers on one hand. Her lost paintbrush was found, but frustration still lingered deep within her. Irked at the fact that there was absolutely nothing on the canvas. No glimpse of an artistic vision. Not even a single dash or stroke. Nothing…

"How ironic…" A sudden voice spooked behind her. As she turned around, flipping her long, messy hair from the swift head movement, the voice belonged to none other… than Oliver. "An artist struggling with art. What a twist."

"What do you want? Can't you see I'm in the zone?" Soraya retaliated, while keeping a low voice.

Confessional:

Soraya: "GAH! What's wrong with me? Think, Soraya. THINK!" She slapped her face frustratingly. "Why can't I paint anything? I'm the most superior artist I've ever known, yet I can't sketch a single piece? This must be a sign. A warning. Action must be taken to lift me from this hinderance. Which could only mean one thing: headphones girl. I must find a way to eliminate her. Expose her for the scheming fraud she is…"

-static-

"Alas, it seems like you need my high-IQ expertise." Oliver dramatically bumped his glasses back into his face, fully mimicking a stereotypical scene from an anime. "I could be of assistance."

Confessional:

Oliver: He adjusted his bowtie with a grin on his face. "Time to forgo my OOC villainy and switch back to quirky-supporting-character status. Was fun while it lasted, but now, I have a self-imposed mission: to take down the Duncan wannabe. He's hogging too much screen time, and he's not adding much to the team dynamic, if I do say so myself…"

-static-

"Yeah, okay." She whispered back, sarcastically. "After you voted out Rashon, you think I would trust you, traitor? Rashon was the only one that understood me, and you think his elimination was just a coincidence? Of course not. You and headphones girl teamed up just to spite me. It's obvious. Don't forget; as an artist, I'm quite observant."

"Umm, hellooo?" Oliver held his hands on his hips. "It's called, having a character derailment moment. Duh."

"A-what?" She scratched her head, dumbfoundedly peeved. "What are you trying to say? That no matter what you do, it's all fine and dandy because 'oh, it's just derailment, bro'. Really? Well, guess what? You're no longer a movie critic. You're a contestant. So, start acting like one!"

"Hmm, you got a point." He rubbed his chin. "And there's an obvious solution to this predicament: more screen time."

"More… what?"

"You heard me." He repeated, irritated at her inability to understand his so-called knowledge. "Hunter is hogging the spotlight. He thinks he's the big shot, but alas, he's just another Duncan. Which begs the question; why hasn't he been eliminated yet? Because whoopsie-doo: if he's another Duncan, that means… he has plot armor. But I believe we can change the script. Which means, we must work together with the power of friendship and do the impossible: to eliminate Hunter this episode."

"Yeah, no." Soraya had shut him down immediately. "Hunter is a slimy weasel, but we must pounce on headphones girl first. She's a scheming fraud. Believe me; I'm the artist. I can sense it from miles away."

"Yeah, no." Oliver retorted. "Sorry, missy. Daniela won't be eliminated this episode. Unless she makes the quintessential Total Drama oopsie before the dramatic ceremony, and that's IF we lose this episode, she's safe in my books."

"Gah! Forget it, then." Soraya faced back her canvas, frustrated over Oliver's shenanigans.

Confessional:

Soraya: "I am so done with that know-it-all. He thinks he's so smart, but guess what? He wishes he were me, and that's the truth. Looks like it's up to me to expose headphones girl's true colors, alone, like always." She crossed her arms. "Hopefully, Oliver walks back to his pathetic bedroom, and that no one else interrupts my artistic process…"

-static-

"Bingo…" She muttered to herself, grabbing her neatly placed painting palette situated on the couch. Upon holding the palette closer to her chest, she delicately applied paint onto her brush. Black paint, to be exact. The color of darkness.

As Soraya leaned onto her canvas to begin brushing a dash of paint, a sudden alarm viciously blasted across the entire compound, immediately waking up every contestant in the process, with its earthquake-intense sound waves rumbling through the cabin walls. But something felt off from the get-go: the alarm. It sounded unique. Too unique. Almost reminiscent to a tornado siren, but twisted and distorted.

Upon hearing the siren blasting through her ears, Soraya dropped her palette in panic. Paint splashed onto the floor. Her fingers now smudged in black. As the siren grew louder, each bedroom door slammed wide-open, with each of her teammates rushing out the main entrance of their cabin in irritated fear of what is to come.

As the Eels stood outside the front porch under complete darkness while leaving behind a frustrated Soraya, they instantly noticed the entire enemy team: The Floppy Fish. They stood in front of their respective, albeit worn-out, wooden cabin, with the exact, exhausted but paranoid faces. Competitors from both teams covered their ears, attempting to drain out the unnerving noise.

"Yo!" Hunter yelled out. "Princess Hailee just LOVES blowing out that air horn! Instead… she should come over and blow-"

"Ugh!" Kayla shouted, also covering her ears. She was crowded alongside the rest of her teammates, minus Soraya. "It's, like, pitch black right now! Are we, like, really doing a challenge now? Under that hideous siren?"

"Agreed." Daniela vigorously rubbed her eyes. "This tops my brothers' annoyin' shouting matches in Call of Fruity. Whatevs, I'm gonna' crash back to bed. Peace."

As soon as Daniela began walking back towards the double doors, a red ATV zoomed towards the center of the camper's compound, right in between both teams. The driver was none other… than Hailee. Accompanied with her new casual outfit, of course. Upon her arrival, the siren halted instantly, leaving the competitors relieved, yet also irritated by Hailee's choice of alarm to wake them up with.

"ARGH!" Arnold shouted his usual catchphrase. "Do I spy with my pirate eyes, a new outfit?"

Upon almost opening the door, Daniela flipped back to face the host. "Oye, what gives? Was gonna' have the nap of my life. And what's with the short shorts?"

"Yo, tell me 'bout it." Hunter blurted out. "She was more hot wearing that dominating suit-"

"Ahem." Hailee interrupted with her arms crossed, peeved by their sudden talking. "Can the host get on with the show? Good. Now, before I commence, Eels? You're missing a teammate. Where's Soraya?"

Upon calling out her name, Soraya immediately slammed open the front doors, leaping out the front porch with fury boiling deep within her veins. She could not believe the audacity that Hailee would cut her precious artistry time short… for a challenge.

"Heard loud and clear, Hailee!" Soraya hissed. "You just HAD to ruin my artistic zone. Thanks to you, my canvas was left blank. BLANK! That's a crime in the art world, ya' know?"

Daniela tittered, almost letting out a burst of laughter. "What? You had a make-out dream with Picasso? What's with the stick up your butt?"

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SPEAK ANYMORE!" Soraya screamed out, viciously throwing her paintbrush towards Daniela's face. Every person near Soraya's vicinity, even Floppy Fish competitors, were stunned by her sudden antics. Daniela swiftly dodged the flying paintbrush by moving one step sideways, further mocking Soraya's outburst with just a simple face expression: a smirk.

Confessional:

Nanci: "Phew." She brushed droplets of sweat off her forehead. "A bit glad I'm no longer on Soraya's team. But sadly, I think the show's getting to her. She can be a bit intense, but I've never seen her this unhinged before…"

-static-

Kayla: "Ugh." She stuck her tongue out in disgust. "I've, like, had it with Soraya. She's whines and complains nonstop over everything. Like, what's her deal?"

-static-

Hunter: "Yo, this is hilarious!" He twirled his knife around his fingers. "Soraya and Daniela are takin' the spotlight, which means… I'm no longer target number one! See? They can try to squash this cockroach all they want." He pointed to himself arrogantly. "But guess what? THEY CAN'T! Throw me in the trash bin, and I'll crawl right back out the dumpster. No sweat, baby!"

-static-

"Hey girls…" Hailee interrupted Daniela's and Soraya's bickering, walking towards them in a calmly manner, right in between them. "Listen; I know you both want to rip each other's heads off. As a professional woman working alongside incompetent assistants, it's understandable. Nevertheless, could you two please… just this once… QUIT INTERRUPTING ME? I'm running a show here! Save the pathetic cat fights for the challenge, okay? Yeesh!" Hailee rolled her eyes, annoyed by their constant disruptions, especially Soraya's. "As I was saying…" She walked back to the center, in between the opposing teams. "We, the staff, have a bit of an… urgent situation on our hands that requires immediate attention."

"And let me guess…" Spencer blurted out, standing alongside his team. "You want the contestants to handle said situation. To boost TV ratings and make you more money."

"See? Now you guys are getting the hang of it." Hailee teased. "Anyhow, let's jump straight to the chase; one of our staff members, a.k.a. my personal assistant Tanner, was captured and taken hostage inside a cavern system located underneath Sector B. Now… you may be asking yourself, 'Sector B? What's that?' Well, to summarize, Bakuhatsu Island is split into four sectors." She pulled out a carpet-sized paper map from her back pocket, demonstrating and pointing to the island's almost-evenly sliced quadrants. The entire island on the map was sliced into four pieces like a pizza. "There's Sector A, B, C, and D. We are located on Sector C. Sector A is north from our current location, while D is located to our east. Simple enough. Nevertheless, my assistant is trapped within a cavern beneath a heavily dense swamp region on Sector B. Your objective? Find and rescue my assistant. Whichever team escorts him back to the camper's compound safely will be declared winners. Questions?" As soon as she finished, several hands were raised from both teams. A baffled bunch, indeed.

"First off?" Spencer asked. "Why is the island split into four sectors? Seems like there's more to the story that you're not willing to share with us…" He squinted.

"Indeed." Oliver echoed his sentiments, rubbing his chin. "Sounds almost… experimental. Conspiracy theory, perhaps?"

"Yeah!" Kayla blurted out. "I mean, like, you didn't even mention who captured your assistant. What gives?" She crossed her arms in frustrations.

"What gives…" Hailee tensely held her hands on her hips in a similar stance to an exasperated volleyball player. "Is that my assistant is in dire need of rescuing. That's all the essential info you require. The rest is classified.

"Hmm…" Emily pondered, glaring straight into Hailee's pupils. "I don't believe a single word you said… but… COUNT ME IN! YAAAAY!" She jumped in glee, unable to contain her excitement for the challenge as the rest of her teammates stared, baffled by her cheerfulness.

"That's what I like to hear…" Hailee smirked. "Competitors willing to face danger for our entertainment are my personal favorite. It lightens up my cold, black heart. Truly."

"Wait, DANGER?" Soraya yelled out. "Are you even gonna' tell us who captured your sorry excuse of an assistant?"

"About that…" Hailee said. "There's a certain… beast roaming amok. Best tread lightly when approaching the swampy region. Clear?"

"So, I was right…" Spencer whispered to Nanci; her head silently and worriedly shook in agreement.

Confessional:

Spencer: His pupils rapidly shifted left to right, paranoid by what awaits him. "I knew it. I just knew there was something strange about this island. And Hailee won't even spill. What-what is going on at this point?"

-static-

Kayla: "Oh-my-gosh…" She tensely shoved her hands inside her green jacket. "There was something, like, stalking us around the whole time and Hailee, like, never mentioned it at all until now? Great. Now I have, like, two things to worry about: Hunter and… whatever that thing is. Kiara must be, like, so relieved that she's no longer on this crazy show competing against crazy people, I bet."

-static-

"There's a… what now?" Soraya raised an eyebrow.

"You heard correct." Hailee reassured. "A beast. A swamp monster. Some hideous monstrosity roaming around without boundaries. That's all the info you'll be acquiring from me. For convenience sake, the beast will be referred to as 'Brad'."

"Heh, funny." Daniela chuckled. "My ex's name is Brad. How fittin'." She turned towards Kayla, who giggled alongside with her.

Confessional:

Soraya: "Pfft. Immature teens." She rolled her eyes. "Kayla making friends with the enemy, I see. Fine. Two can play at that game. Which means, it's time to demonstrate my authority. You'll see; that little miss goody-two-shoes chihuahua will soon regret it. Just you wait…"

-static-

Soraya called the host's attention. "Hailee, I need to use the restroom to wash my dirty hands. See?" She held her hands in display. Her slim, pale fingers were still splashed in black paint.

"Whatever." Hailee rolled her eyes, as Soraya dashed straight into the cabin, zooming past the living room like a roadrunner, and instead of heading towards the bathroom door, she sprinted into her own room. Upon opening her door, it was quite a mess. Daniela's shoes were still clumped in the center of the room, sticking out like a sore thumb. As she attempted to overlook Daniela's lack of attempt to organize, she kneeled in front of her drawer. Only one thing was in her mind at that moment: the immunity map.

She fiercely pulled her shelf open, shoving her entire arm inside as she continuously wiggled her hand in between cloth, unintentionally smudging and staining her spare clothes with black paint. As she continued searching further and further, something was off. Very off. No piece of paper could be felt. Even as she stuck her face inside while tossing her clothes onto the carpet, nothing. Almost like it vanished from a magic trick.

"This… can't be happening. GAH!" She muttered furiously, slamming the drawer back to its place. The slam impact echoed throughout the room. "But how?" She thought. "Who?"

Confessional:

Soraya: "Arnold might be right all along. Somebody else besides Hunter is playing mind games. But anyways, whoever stole my map must be someone hidden in plain sight…" And then, the realization had finally hit her. "Bingo. Of course. Why did it take me this long? Is my brain not working today? What's going on?" She instantly glared at her fingertips, still smudged in black. "I really need to wash this off by now…"

-static-

The double entrance doors slammed wide-open once more, as Soraya stepped out the front porch. However, the compound was completely empty. She continuously scanned the area, and not a single human could be seen from her vicinity. Just eerie emptiness shrouded in darkness. Both cabins were completely dark. No lightbulbs or lamps were lit inside. Once again, she was alone. Frightened. Her body quivered and panicked; she had no idea where everyone just vanished to.

"GUYS?" She desperately yelped.


"Hm. Funny." Daniela spoke out. "It's been real quiet after ditching Papaya." She continued strolling with the rest of her teammates through the dark rainforest. Each contestant carried their own flashlight, stiffly beaming light onto the prickly bushes ahead of them. The sky was still pitch-black with no moon to help lighten up the island's heavy vegetation.

"Totally." Kayla nodded her head, smiling, walking behind Daniela. "Ugh. She's such a nuisance. If she, like, caught up with us, there would've been another fight guaranteed, and I'm tired of our team arguing."

Daniela chuckled. "Hey, if you had brothers, you'd be used to it by now."

"Yikes." Kayla giggled. "I always wondered, like, what it'd be like to have brothers. I bet you grow tired hearing 'dude', and 'bro' thrown around your house every day."

"Meh." Daniela shrugged. "I'm the only girl, but it's whatevs. Although… when they stay up late night for their video game sesh? Yeah, that's annoyin'. Trust me."

"Oh, totally." Kayla nodded. "You a gamer?"

"Meh." She shrugged again. "Only when the bros' let me play."

Upon their continuous chatter, Hunter glanced back at them. His face hinted jealousy from the girls' casual chattering about their tranquil life back home.

Confessional:

Hunter: "Video games?" He crossed his arms, slightly frowning. "Damn. Wish I still got my console, yo. Too bad my dad smashed it in a fit of rage. Told me I'm 'too old for that crap'. Pfft. Shove me all ya' want, dad. But you ain't gettin' a share of my soon-to-have millions. 'Cause I'll be movin' out, yo! Mark my words."

-static-

"You girls up for a video game sesh after the competition?" Hunter winked towards them. Daniela remained unfazed, but Kayla stuck her tongue out in disgust.

"Yeah, no." Kayla crossed her arms. "Just because we were gossiping behind Soraya's back, doesn't mean you and I are on, like, good terms."

"Lighten up, blonde." Hunter grinned. There was obviously a hint of mischievous hidden beneath that grin. "I ain't gonna be stealin' no more. There's no need."

"Meaning…" Daniela chimed in. "You're gonna snatch my phone again? Couldn't get enough of my selfies, hmm?" She held both hands on her hips.

"Trust me, babe." He calmly retorted. "Your phone would've been missin' long ago. But it wasn't. Ya' know why? 'Cause I'm a gentleman."

"Ha!" Daniela almost had a burst in laughter. "Repeat that again. Didn't quite catch the 'gentleman' part, bro." She cupped her hand over her ear.

Confessional:

Daniela: "I don't know what's funnier: his lame one-liners, or his attempt to smooch with me. Like, bro. Nah." She awkwardly held her laughter.

-static-

"I'll have you know…" Hunter continued, as Kayla rolled her eyes, speeding up her pace and leaving behind him and Daniela to talk amongst themselves. "That I'm good with Latinas. Back home, I'm known as 'el rey'. Ya' know? Because of my impressive looks and sexy swagger." His inclusion of a lackluster attempt at Spanish caused Daniela to laugh.

"Wow. So hot. I'm totally blushin'."She teasingly rolled her eyes. "Lemme guess: they also call you 'el rey bajo las sabanas'?"

"Si se Espanol." Hunter, with his broken Spanish, replied confidently, completely misinterpreting her jab. "See, babe? We'd make a great couple."

"Pfft. Totally, bro." She sneered, already ignoring Hunter's presence as she scouted ahead, noticing Kayla and Oliver quietly working together to clear away the pesky bushes. "Yo, Kay! O! Where we goin'? What's that map say?"

"Oliver said he, like, 'senses an interesting shortcut'." Kayla replied with air quotes.

"Indeed, my Eel friends." Oliver bragged, carrying a paper map given to the team by Hailee, which highlighted a string of paths towards a designated location.

Confessional:

Oliver: "Ya' know, I got my own tricks up my sleeves as well." He bragged, finger-gunning the camera with a grin. "Yeah-yeah, I know, shocker. But here's the plan; I'm going to copy-paste Scott's strat from Revenge of the Island: to lose on purpose to pick off teammates. But instead, I plan on using his strat for heroic purposes and eliminate Hunter. That way, I flip the script, become the hero of this story AND, Hunter loses his plot armor. Genius idea, I know." He patted himself on the back while pointing to himself. "Greatest TD fan right here, ladies and gentlemen."

-static-

"Oh yeah?" Hunter retorted; his face peeved from just Oliver's continuing existence. "Ya' know what I'm sensin', yo? Someone deliberately leadin' us the wrong way. I could see that devious smile from a mile away. Ya' girls agree?" He nudged Daniela's shoulders.

"What?" Daniela stuck her lips out, annoyed. "Since you dudes be talkin' about senses, wanna know what I'm sensin'? A desperate cry for alliance."

"Totally." Kayla agreed, both girls nagging onto Hunter even further. "I'm also sensing deep insecurity and, like, a bad case of someone's dad going milk shopping."

Both Daniela and Kayla giggled like schoolgirls as they followed behind Oliver's path of uncertainty through the dark, treacherous rainforest. Hunter followed behind with an annoyed face.


"So, Spence?" Emily nudged onto Spencer's shoulders, calling his attention. The Floppy Fish exhaustedly strolled through the dark, tropical trees, following right behind Arnold and his trusty map that led towards the hidden, swampy caverns beneath the so-called Sector B.

"Yes, Em?" Spencer replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Sorry if I'm calling you out for it, but…" She timidly held both hands behind her back, smiling. "Are you wearing perfume? It smells familiar."

"Well, this is humiliating…" He blushed, embarrassed that two teammates took notice of his feminine scent. "Well, long story short, my older sister left a mess of her fragrances in my room, and I mistakenly packed them into my luggage."

"Oh, it's your sister's? Aww, share-sies! Cute!" Emily smiled with glee. Nanci, however, turned her head around in confusion, glaring down both Emily and Spencer behind her.

Confession:

Nanci: "I think I might be losing it, but…" She rubbed the back of her head, attempting to recollect a certain conversation. "But didn't Spence mention he has no sisters? Or am I just worrying too much? And, what's with Emily cozying up with Spence? I'm not, um, like, jealous or anything. But, um, yeah, what's going on? Was I being too mean? Did I step into his boundaries? Was I too personal?"

-static-

"Um…" Spencer muttered, wanting to divert the seemingly uncomfortable conversation. "So, Emily? During the interrogation challenge, did Zane actually confess that it was Julian, or was it all made up?"

"ARGH!" Arnold, leading the team all the way at the front, overheard their conversation. "Of course zany Zane confessed, matey! Why would thy captain lie?"

"Right." Spencer squinted. "And let's say I take your guys' word for it. Do you actually believe that Julian was his accomplice the whole time? He doesn't strike me as a criminal."

Confessional:

Spencer: "Frankly, I think Arnold is lying." He glared towards the camera in full-serious mode. "I mean, he did win us the challenge, but why? Does he actually want us to win, or maybe it's 'cause of something else? Yeah, I'm no longer buying into his pirate schtick, that's for sure. Something's just off with him, I can feel it…"

-static-

"Plus..." Spencer continued. "Let's not forget that another competitor has a criminal record, besides Hunter. You guys recall the 'Guess Who' challenge? Yeah, we still don't know who's the criminal. It can't be Zane, because he was already eliminated before the challenge. See what I'm sayin'? Our team has a potential, serious problem."

"May I voice my opinion?" Emily asked politely, slowly raising her hand. "I'm sorry if this sounds discouraging, but I think Lily might be right. You worry an itzy-bitzy too much."

"ME?" Spencer laid both hands onto his chest. "I'm just trying to keep my team in check. I'm worried, okay?"

"Well…" Nanci chimed in after staying silent during most of their conversation. "Maybe, um, Lily was the criminal?"

"No, I don't think so…" Spencer pondered, deeply glaring at the muddy ground while rubbing his chin. "Or maybe. But also… maybe not. She just doesn't strike me as one, if that makes sense. She was just… weird. And stalkerish."

"Daniela did warn me Lily was being super invasive with her phone." Emily added. "Which was why Dani demanded me to vote her off."

"Hmm…" Spencer could not help, but intensely glare Arnold's back as they continuously followed him into a treacherous trail without a clue what lies ahead. "Guys…" He lowered his voice, whispering towards Nanci and Emily. "Do you suppose that, maybe, Arnold could be leading us the wrong way?"

"ARGH! I heard that, matey!" Arnold yelled out. "Count thyself lucky, me got good news and bad news."

"Yeah, okay, just get to the point." Spencer retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Good news. From here, there lies a nifty shortcut towards thy caverns." Arnold continued staring at the large map. "Bad news: it's dangerous. We must traverse down a treacherous ravine. Argh."

"Let's just, um, take the safe route." Nanci insisted.

"I agree with Nanci." Spencer wrapped one arm around her shoulders; Nanci's face immediately blushed. "We need to keep an eye out for each other, and I don't know how much juice left out flashlight batteries have-"

"ARGH! Me got a better idea!" Arnold pointed out with enthusiasm. "Let's just split up, so we could cover more ground! Argh!"

"What?" Spencer retorted, dumbfounded by what he just heard.

"Oo! Oo!" Emily ran up to Spencer, wrapping her thin arms around his waist. "I'll go with Spencey!

Confessional:

Nanci: "I'm sorry…" She raised an eyebrow. "Did she just call him Spencey?"

-static-

"Um…" Spencer awkwardly detached Emily's arms away from him, while attempting to rub the blush away from his face.

"Oh, sorry." Emily looked down, awkwardly rubbing her upper arm.

"Like I was saying…" He continued. "That's a terrible idea."

Confessional:

Spencer: "Has Arnold not seen a single horror flick in his life?" He rolled his eyes. "We all know the story: the protagonists split up, then they're slowly picked off, one by one. Classic horror trope. See? Either he wants us to lose, or he's an idiot. I'm willing to bet both."

-static-

"Well," Nanci raised her voice, gently holding Spencer's hand on her shoulder. "We, um, we need to figure out our next move before, um, the Eels show up."

"Argh! We split up!" Arnold yelled out.

"No!" Spencer retorted. "Emily, can you back me up here?"

"I think we should take the shortcut." Emily skipped and galloped ahead of Arnold, beaming her flashlight around her until she stumbled upon the supposed ravine. "Teammates! I think I found it!" She yelled from a couple meters ahead. Her teammates shined their flashlights towards her direction; the heavy rainforest vegetation partially obscured her, but they managed to locate her with ease, catching up to her.

"Woah." Spencer tensely looked down the giant crack. Upon shining a light beneath the ground level, it seemed almost like a never-ending bottomless pit. "This looks steep. And dark. And very unsafe. I'd say we should stick to the long route-"

"You guys hear that?" Nanci ducked down, hiding behind a bush upon hearing a faint cry for help. But the yelping, echoing plea was so faint that only Nanci was able to pick it up. Everybody else ducked regardless, out of fear.

"ARGH! Hear what?" As Arnold compulsively yelled out, a mechanical roar echoed throughout the ravine; its continuous screech could be heard closer and closer, the echo slowly disappearing by the minute.

"GUYS?" Spencer stood up, freaked. "We gotta go… NOW!"

Once everyone stood up, a behemoth-sized ball of murky, sticky slime emerged from the edge of the ravine, right next to where they stood frozen. The green creature was completely unidentifiable. No face could be distinguished on any part of its body. A complete abomination. Metal parts, pieces, and gears of all size and magnitude stuck out of its slimy body like a spikey ball. Upon blaring its signature roar, the creature summoned slimy tentacles out of its gelatinous body, appearing like worms sprouting out of an apple.

Shifting their heads upwards to face the abomination, every Floppy Fish member immediately scattered away from the ravine, screaming on top of their lungs as they sprinted as fast as they could, away from the creature's thunderous screech.

"Can't believe I signed up for this crap!" Spencer shouted, sprinting alongside Nanci with absolute adrenaline pumping through both their exhausted bodies.


"Hey O!" Daniela called out, continuing to follow Oliver behind with the rest of her teammates. "Kinda seems like we've been goin' in circles, bro."

"Oh, don't worry." Oliver grinned, gazing onto the map without peeking where he was walking. "Just… believe in the plot armor."

"Yeah, I agree with Dani." Kayla countered, walking up towards Oliver. "Seems, like, we've been walking in circles."

"You see? He's sabotagin' us! Oliver, gimme' that!" Hunter shouted, stomping towards Oliver as he viciously snatched the map from behind. Upon staring at the map, confusion was the first thing that popped into his head. Then, the sudden realization had hit him…

"Is this… the immunity map?" Hunter gazed further into the map as Oliver swiftly snatched it right back.

"The… WHAT?" Kayla gently pulled the map away, briefly glimpsing on the layout. "You mean… you've been, like, leading us in circles just so you could snatch immunity?"

"Yeah, what she said." Daniela crossed her arms, surprisingly unfazed by the sudden revelation. "Shocking that Soraya even gave it up. But for real: where's the actual island map though?"

"Girls, don't worry." Oliver attempted to cool the team temperature down. "Remember: the key to surviving Total Drama is that we must first become one with the plot armor."

"Well, in that case…" Daniela teasingly snatched the map away from his hands, playfully smirking. "You wouldn't mind if I grab immunity."

"Uh, yes I would." Oliver snatched it back. "I'm the comic relief character. Which means… I'm in danger. If I'm not careful, I'll be replaced with… Arnold." He shivered upon saying his name.

"Look, guys?" Kayla pulled the map away from Oliver. "Let's just, like, focus on the challenge for now. Kay?"

Confessional:

Hunter: "Yo, at first, I was spooked, man." He rested both hands behind his head. "But as I took a longer peek at that map, I figured: that ain't the same map. Soraya must've given them a counterfeit. But why? Something's ain't makin' sense here. Had she noticed her real map missin'? Had she been playin' mind games wit' me the whole time? If so, damn, she's good. No wonder Arnold's mad crushin' on her. I could've warned my teammates, but… I'd much rather leave 'em chasin' their own tail. Let whatever Soraya's plannin' into motion. 'Cause hear me out: Hunter's always one step ahead. Just wait an' see…" He smirked menacingly.

-static-

"Actually, yo!" Hunter, once again, snatched the map. Instead of keeping it to himself, he gently handed the map to Oliver. Daniela and Kayla raised their eyebrows upon witnessing his sudden generosity. First time he had selflessly given up a possession under his own will. "On second thought, Oliver's got a point. Y'all got the immunity map. Why not take full advantage of it?"

"Uh, yeah, okay. Totally." Kayla retorted in a fully sarcastic tone; arms crossed. "You're not slick. Don't think you can, like, fool me with your 180. What makes you think we'll fall-"

Suddenly, a single arrow projectile, seemingly out of nowhere, flew right by her at a rapid speed, striking onto the muddy ground. The Eels were startled, especially Kayla.

"What was that?" Kayla hid behind Daniela.

"Yo…" Hunter pulled the arrow from the ground, caressing his fingertip onto the sharp arrowhead until it bled. "Yup. This is super sharp. We gotta-" Another arrow struck the ground. This time, it almost struck Hunter's boots. Just a few inches away from a bullseye.

"Guys, we need to run!" Kayla shouted, as everybody scattered around in response, dashing away from the source as an additional flock of arrows flew by their direction; each shot completely missing the running, terrified targets as they continued sprinting through darkness. The flashlight beams pointed by each Electric Eels member jittered and wiggled all around the trees, mirrored by their panicked adrenaline.

"Guys?" As soon as the arrows halted, Kayla pulled the brakes to rest on a clump of rocks, sweating exhaustingly, panting from all the sprinting. Upon wiping the sweat off her forehead, one of her teammates sat right beside her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders.

"What up, babe." Hunter grinned.

"I'm not your babe." Kayla shoved his arm away, rolling her eyes. "Can't you see we're, like, in danger right now? Also, don't forget you're on, like, thin ice."

"If that's so…" He crossed his arms, smirking. "Then why haven't I been eliminated yet? Oh, that's right. It's 'cause I'm smart as hell. Jus' sayin', you're gonna need me in an alliance. I got plenty to offer, hint-hint." He winked.

"Yeah, no." She stuck her tongue out. "You thought escaping last elimination was because of some, like, 'genius' moves, but it just so happens that Rashon voted for himself, and it also just so happens that, like, you voted him out specifically. So, count yourself extremely lucky. You don't, like, impress me, okay? My own bestie can outsmart you if she felt like it."

"Suit yourself." Hunter stood up from the rocks. "Back home, I'm known as the king of gambling, babe. Only the best of the best could earn such a title."

"Nope. Not impressed." She glared at her nails.

"We'll put a pin on the alliance… for now." He smirked. "But for right now, I gotta take a #1. Cover me?"

"Mhm." Kayla rested her chin on her hand, completely ignoring whatever Hunter spouted at that point. As soon as she combed her hair, two more shadows slowly popped behind her, slowly creeping up. Her eyes widened upon their presence, standing up to face whatever lied behind. The reveal gave her a sudden jump scare.

"Oh…" She quickly calmed down. "It's you guys."

"Yup." Daniela giggled, teasingly shoving Oliver's shoulders. "So, O? Glad we took this route, am I right? It's not like we ran into natives pointing arrows at us to look for immunity instead of, ya' know, completing the challenge, am I right?"

"Hey!" Oliver adjusted his bow tie. "I'm supposed to be the snarky sarcastic one! You're just a supporting character."

"Whatevs. I could live with that." Daniela shrugged. "Hey Kay, did Hunter go missin'?"

"Uh. No? Think he, like, went to take a leak." Kayla shifted her pupils to the left, noting the unusual duration of his so-called bathroom break. "Say, that's weird. Like, he should've been back by now."

"Well, now we're missin' Soraya and Hunter." Daniela crossed her arms. "Think we'll clutch the win, guys?" Kayla and Oliver both gave an unsure shrug.

"Well…" Kayla sat back on the rock. "I guess I'll be, like, the Soraya of the group." She giggled. "Oliver? You still got the challenge map?"


"Can't believe my stupid teammates." Soraya muttered, walking aimlessly alone in the middle of the dark woods, with absolutely no flashlight. "After all I've done for them, and this is my repayment? Abandonment?" She continued muttering to herself. "Oliver, Kayla, Hunter, and, especially headphones girl, will pay absolute retribution. My heart, now shrouded in darkness, will guide me towards victor-"

A bright, beam of light shined bright onto her pale self. Shielding the yellow beam with her right palm, she quickly caught sight of a crouching person. She was similarly pale, but rather short. Red hoodie. Red-orange hair. Very familiar indeed…

"Oh, it's you." Emily giggled, waving hello as she dropped onto the ground like a spider. "You scared me a little. Thought you were the monster. That thing chased me all the way to the trees."

Soraya had let out a humph in response. "Well, if it isn't Emily. The same girl who's good o' friends with headphones girl, the biggest traitor on this show."

"Oh, you mean, Daniela?" Emily timidly grinned, remaining positive. "Are you and Daniela in bad terms?"

"You think?" Soraya rolled her eyes. "She's a manipulative schemer, I just know it. She stole my paintbrush and framed it on Hunter. She always makes fun of me for every little human thing I do. She pretends to be nice. I knew there was something wrong with her. I just knew it. But no one on my team ever listens to me, and I'm tired of it. I'm sick and tired of it." She shed a tiny drop of tear, but swiftly rubbed it away, smudging her upper cheek with black paint that she still kept on her fingertips.

"Oh, I see." Emily comforted. "I think I'm understanding. Well, she was always super-duper nice to me back when she was on my team. But… after you told me more about her, maybe… maybe you're right. Maybe she's pretending to be nice with me too." She looked down with a bit of a bummer face.

"See?" Soraya reassured. "Told ya'. You can't ignore these red color splashes."

"Well…" Emily sighed. "If Daniela's bothering you, you should stand up to yourself. Show your entire team who's boss. Make your presence known and don't let them hurt you ever again. That's the key to overcoming adversity. Just know that, I got your back! You got this! I believe in you." She smiled, comforting Soraya.

"Thank you." Soraya smiled back. "You are now officially on my nice list, right alongside Rashon."

"Look, I'll even help you find the exact location of the caverns." Emily shyly held her hands behind her back. "Arnold granted me a glimpse of the map. I can show you the way if that's okay with you."

"Wow. Okay. Yes, please!" Soraya smiled.

Confessional:

Soraya: "Wow." She crossed her arms. "Headphones girl must be fuming right now, knowing that her so-called friend just betrayed her to help me overcome the darkness that roams around headphones girl. Good riddance. And Emily? Thanks for joining the good side of history. You're one of the few that actually understands me."

-static-

"See where the moon sets?" Emily pointed towards the sky. The moon finally popped into vision. Turned out, dark clouds were engulfing its crescent presence, when the sky was seemingly moonless. "That's where the caverns are located. Make sure to lead your team towards that pathway. That'll show them your leadership capabilities." She smiled gleefully.

"Thank you." Soraya smiled once again. "And thank you for understanding me."

"You're welcome!" Emily clapped her hands enthusiastically, jumping up and down like a cheerleader. "I'm rooting for you! Show the Eels who's boss!"


"Oh, finally. You arrived, yo!" Hunter took a glimpse at his wristwatch. "You got lost or what? You're carryin' a map, for cryin' out loud!"

"Brad the monster chased us around." Arnold continued panting. "I see the Eels let you keep the map?" He stared at his jacket, noticing a rolled piece of paper sticking out.

"Nah, I snatched it from an off-guard Oliver. Surprise, surprise." Hunter remarked. Upon hearing people talking, he ducked down behind a bush, peeking through it. Arnold ducked alongside him. "Yo, see that?" Hunter covertly pointed. Turned out, they were both situated right beside the main entrance to the staff headquarters, with Hailee and Topher discussing amongst themselves near the entrance.

"That's Hailee and Topher." Arnold whispered.

"Yeah. No duh." Hunter rolled his eyes. "Look, hear me out: I got the keys to every door within HQ." He pulled out the keys from his jacket, wiggling it in front of Arnold's face. "This is gonna be your ultimate test to livin' the pirate life, yo. I'm gonna need you to sneak inside HQ and steal as much valuables as you can. Deal?"

"I don't know about this." Arnold doubted.

"Yo!" He whispered loudly. "You wanna be a movie star, or not? This is your ticket to stardom, yo. Your definin' moment. Your breakthrough. Without this, you're basically nothin'. Nada. If you don't do this, you're gonna be scrappin' pennies in the streets with cruel jerks spittin' and kickin' on you. Been there, done that, and you don't want that. Trust me. So, for the last time, you in?"

"Alright." Arnold nodded. "Let's do this, matey. Argh." As Arnold sneaked around the bushes, Topher and Hailee continued talking to each other, unaware of the pirate's spying.

"Ya' know?" Topher resumed. "I've always wanted my own reality TV show. If you think about it, the Topher man is reaching closer and closer to unimaginable power and influence. Wouldn't you agree?" He flashed a cocky grin.

"Yeah, don't get your hopes up." Hailee remarked, her face irked from his naivety. "You think being the host with the most will obtain untouchability, but that's far from the truth. Just look at Chris McLean. He thought he was untouchable. Irreplaceable. But look where he ended up: fired. Thrown out like trash. Turns out, he was expendable the whole time, just like the rest of us. He thought for sure he would never be replaced. His insane ego was his ultimate downfall. Note to self; always remain cautious on your surroundings." She crossed her arms.

"Yeah, but I'm no Chris McLean." Topher bragged. "I got something he doesn't: a young, brilliant mind."

"Pfft." Hailee scoffed. "A young, brilliant mind wouldn't desperately seek hosting positions. See, Chris thought he was top dog, but nevertheless, he was just an expendable figurehead. That's not true power. True power derives from the executives. Our higher ups. Frankly, that's who I envy the most…"

Hailee paused, noticing a person walking in between them. She knew exactly who it was before she even turned around to face him just by noticing his peculiar body odor. Truth be told, she was not looking forward to his visit.

"I see you've been makin' googly eyes, princess." Hunter grinned, shoving Topher out of the spotlight. "Hear me out; you and me, we go on a cruise date. You wear a black formal dress. I'll bring the love. Whatcha say, babe?" He winked.

"Haven't you learned from our previous encounter, kid?" Hailee rolled her eyes. "You have an ongoing challenge to complete. Get lost, or I'll publicly humiliate you once more."

"Yeah!" Topher stood in front of Hunter high and mighty. "You're in grown-up territory. I suggest you run off with your fellow little people."

"Yo," Hunter squinted towards him, then laughed. "Little? You realize you were a contestant last season, right? And a forgettable, lame one at that. So, don't come at me with 'little' again, or I'll rip that toupee-lookin' hair off your head." He pulled a fist in front of Topher's face in a flash, jump scaring him.

"Hey! Not the hair!" Topher briefly cowered, then stood up as all three of them disputed amongst themselves, giving Arnold just what he needed: distraction. Once no one paid any attention to the sliding doorways, Arnold zoomed past them, sprinting straight inside HQ, and bolted inside every room, dashing around like a montage sequence. He grabbed a giant, bamboo basket found in one of the lobby rooms, and began collecting every valuable-looking item he could find, from phones, to jewelry, to any other shiny-looking possession. If it seems expensive, he tossed it in his basket, while simultaneously avoiding roaming interns or security. Not even the security cameras caught up to his ninja-like swiftness.

The pirate-wannabe continued sneaking and crouching through hallways, opening, and closing doors that lead to nowhere but empty office occupations, leading him to more dead ends for Hunter's so-called valuables. Upon sneaking further in the same hallway, he stumbled upon a mysterious metal door that creaked open on its own. The door caught his attention, peeking inside with just his head. No one was inside. Nothing but metallic file cabinets labeled Classified Information in red ink on each drawer opening. "Argh." He muttered randomly, dashing inside, opening one drawer, revealing documents and files stacked within numerous folders. Curious, he pulled out a folder, revealing a cryptic header stamped on the very front.

"The Red Brainiac Project v1.04." Arnold read quietly, immediately uninterested. "Booooring." He tossed it in the trash bin situated in the very corner of the office room. As he searched deeper in the cabinet, he noticed a familiar name stamped on one of the documents sticking out of a folder. Upon pulling it out, it read:

"Page 01: The Zane Files. Inside this folder contains sensitive information pertaining to the identity of 'Zane'. Only Phil and top executives are permitted access to said collection of documents. Continue onto Page 02." As soon as Arnold finished reading the short document, he pondered. "Hmm… this seems like it has very important, jaw-dropping answers that would reveal every secret Zane is hiding beneath the surface…" Upon pondering further, he took what he thought was the best course of action…

"Argh!" Grabbing the entire folder, he tossed the whole thing… in the trash bin. "Yarr! Captain Arnold is too old for such zany nonsense!"


Hunter leaned his back onto tree bark, waiting impatiently for Arnold's arrival. And, sure enough, he heard footsteps. Finally, he thought…

"Ahem." Hunter heard a voice from behind. That voice did not sound like Arnold at all. A female voice, most definitely. Turning around, he instantly figured out the person that lied hidden underneath a silhouette. First clue that gave it away: her pale skin and towering height.

"Soraya." Hunter smirked. "I see you came for round two… again. Careful now; Hunter's got a few new tricks up his sleeves."

"I could care less," Soraya retorted. "After you guys left me alone in the woods, I no longer have sympathy for your misfortunes…"

"HA!" Hunter laughed. "Sympathy? After you tied me up in the woods? Don't make me laugh, yo!"

"It's called, taking precautions. A sad, miserable, simple-minded traitor like you wouldn't understand." Soraya squinted straight into his eyes.

"Tough break." Hunter clenched his teeth. "You got the sad, miserable part right, but simple-minded? That ain't me, sweetheart."

"Whatever." Soraya rolled her eyes. "We're getting sidetracked. Let me jump straight to the point. Our team has a serious problem on our hands that must be dealt with, immediately: headphones girl."

"Daniela?" Hunter smirked further. "You two still beefin'? I'm listening, though. Continue."

"Ahem." Soraya squinted, staring a shadowy figure that stood behind Hunter. She quickly put the pieces together upon noticing the distinct pirate outfit. "Huh. My, oh my. I wonder why this doesn't surprise me?" She scoffed, quietly observing Arnold dragging a basket full of valuable belongings.

"Oh, greetings Soraya." Arnold awkwardly waved hello. His face blushed a little from her sudden presence.

"Hello, doofus." Soraya crossed her arms, displeasingly sticking her lips out. "What's next on your guys' agenda? To vote me out the show? Is that what your little alliance is for?"

"Oh, never!" Arnold reassured. "I would never-"

"Yo! Let me do the talkin'." Hunter interrupted. "Listen, Soraya, I might find you really annoyin' and a huge pain in the buns but hear me out: you and I are more alike than you think."

"Gah!" Soraya mocked. "In what way? Hmm? Please, enlighten me."

"You like to play dirty. Just like me. Don't lie." Hunter smirked. "Look, we all know the story; Daniela has been secretly stealin' from you. She's been messin' with you the entire time. I've noticed it. Arnold has noticed it. Isn't that right, Arnold?" He glared straight into his eyes.

"Yes." Arnold replied. "I'm very sorry to say this, but… what Hunter's been sayin' is true. Daniela has been playin' mind games with you."

"Look, let's be real…" Hunter resumed. "You won't let this slide. No-you'll refuse to let this slide. I know for a fact I wouldn't. But hear me out; if we lose today's challenge, I'll help eliminate Daniela under one condition… you join our alliance."

Soraya pondered, heavily considering the idea as the only thing in her mind was… vengeance. Absolute vengeance.

Confessional:

Hunter: "Yo, it's workin'." He smirked, tossing his knife around in the air. "Why stay enemies when you could reel 'em in on your good side. Gaslightin' our so-called 'team leader' to do our biddin'? Keeping her under our payroll? I don't know 'bout you, but I call that… genius work."

-static-

Soraya: "Hunter does make a good point." She rubbed her chin. "Emily was right; it is time that I take complete action. Show everyone that I'm in charge here. That'll strike fear onto headphone girl's eyes."

-static-

Arnold: "It feels… wrong feedin' Soraya lies." He slouched on the toilet, sighing. "If Daniela was behind it all, then I wouldn't feel too bad. Or… maybe she really was. Who knows. But… maybe I'm not fit for the pirate life after all…"

-static-

Soraya finally had an answer. "Okay. I'm in."

"Let's make it official." Hunter extended his hand forward. "Shake my hand."

"There." Soraya fiercely shook his hand, officially adding a new member to his alliance.

"Perfect." Hunter smirked yet again. "Let's put a pin on this convo. If ya' find our team, lead 'em with this. It'll take ya' straight to the caverns, underneath the swamp." He tossed her the rolled-up island map. "I gotta take a #1. Be back in a sec." Hunter ran off into the forest of darkness, leaving behind Soraya and Arnold.

"So…" Arnold broke off their brief, awkward silence. "You excited joinin' our alliance?"

"Only because it'll help bring justice." Soraya said, as she continued standing stiff and still.

"Well, I was wondering…" He shuffled his feet, looking down to the ground. "Are you open to another date? I promise I won't backstab you again."

"A date?" Soraya adjusted her hair. "I-I don't know. I haven't been feeling myself lately."

"Look." Arnold calmly walked up to her, gently holding her hand. "You are very special. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. From the moment I saw you, I knew. You are the fiercest, bravest, dazzling leader I know and I'm so glad that I've met you. You're a true role model. A shining star. Believe me."

"Oh. Wow." Soraya gave a happy smile. "Um. Thank you. Wow. No one's ever flattered me like that before. Ever. I mean it." She leaned towards him, giving him a peck on his right cheek. Arnold instantly blushed from the kiss, leaving him frozen in place. "Thank you, again." She smiled.

Confessional:

Soraya: "I know, I know. Came out of nowhere. It just felt… instinctively right." She crossed her arms, her pale face flushed. "At first, I found Arnold's outfit completely ridiculous, but… there's just something artistically captivating about its gruffness and imperfection. Can't put my finger around it…" She twirled her hair.

-static-

Arnold: "I did it! Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes!" He celebrated, gently caressing his right cheek. "Thy Captain will forever cherish this kiss."

-static-

As they continued gazing into each other's eyes, loud footsteps were suddenly heard a few meters behind them. Upon turning around, Soraya immediately made out who it was: her entire team. Including Hunter. As they approached closer, pointing numerous beams of light towards Soraya, she leaned into Arnold's left ear.

"Hide!" She loudly mumbled, as Arnold dived into a nearby bush, hiding in plain sight. The Electric Eels witnessed no pirate. He was gone in a flash. Just like that…

Soraya gave her entire team a death glare, her hands on her hips, intense like no other night full of darkness. "Well, well, well. If it isn't? A team full of traitors? Thanks for abandoning me in the cabins. REAL appreciative." She glared directly towards Daniela.

"Oye," Daniela replied, teasingly grinning. "I hate wakin' up in the middle of the night, but you don't see me all cranky and wrinkly-"

"GAH! IT'S TIME YOU MEET YOUR DOOM!" Soraya stomped towards Daniela, facing down to her, dead in the eye. Her eyes of darkness were charged with anger, while Daniela's were relaxed and unfazed, seemingly like… she just does not care.

"Girls! Girls!" Kayla stepped in between them, pushing them apart with both hands. "We're a team. Not enemies. We need to, like, start acting like one. We can't just, like, go at each other's throat for every challenge and end up sabotaging our wins. Our team needs to, like, pull our heads out of the sand, soon, or else we'll end up like Floppy Fish: a losing streak. Kay?"

Confessional:

Kayla: "Wow!" She smiled giddily. "Never knew, like, I had it in me. Back home, I usually just, like, keep to myself and follow the trend. But, oh-my-gosh, is this what setting your own trend feels like? If so, I'd love to be a trend-setter one day! Maybe, like, run my own upscale clothing brand if I win!"

-static-

"Yo, ladies! Ladies!" Hunter intercepted, already irritating Kayla upon opening his mouth. "Kayla's right. If we gonna' sabotage, then sabotage the Fish team, not our own. Soraya? Lead the way." He smirked.

"Not so fast." Oliver walked in between them. "Hunter, why don't you give up the cavern map first? The one you stole, ya' know?" He grinned, stretching his bowtie out, proud that he caught Hunter red-handed.

Confessional:

Oliver: "Predictable." He snarked, crossing his arms. "Map went missing upon searching my back pocket. Of course, let the guy with plot armor steal from me! Great! Is this what you want, Total Drama producers? More formulaic plot points?"

-static-

"Of course." Kayla rolled her eyes. "Already, like, sabotaged our team. Classic Hunter."

"Relax, babe." Hunter slouched his back on a tree. His posture showcased pure arrogance. "I gave Soraya the map, yo. She's our team leader." He turned his head to face Soraya.

"Pfft." Daniela teased. "Almost like nothin' changed. So, where we headin', Captain Papaya?"

Soraya gave a brief, menacing glare towards Daniela, then zoned out of her anger to face her team. "Luckily for us, I'm an artist. We don't need the map, because I will lead our team to glory under the guidance of the moon. This is how our team will achieve absolute greatness, all thanks to me!" She pointed to herself. Absolute arrogance was on full display.

"Yep. She lost it." Daniela lightly chuckled, holding onto Kayla's left shoulder.

"Yo," Hunter leaned towards Soraya, whispering to her. "You got the map. Why you tryin' to make it harder on yourself?"

Soraya simply shoved him away, completely ignoring his pointers. "Not to worry. I've already viewed the map. I know exactly where we must traverse."

"Aight then." Hunter shrugged. "Yo, just in case, let's split boys and ladies. We gotta cover more ground. I'll go with Oliver. You chicks follow Ms. Tall and Pale."

"Good plan, for once." Soraya remarked. "Let's get to it, team! We are still in this!"

Confessional:

Hunter: "Yo, I don't know what game Soraya is playin', but just in case, I gotta' reel in Oliver. That's why I'm goin' with him alone. Gotta' convince him to vote off Daniela. Like my boys back home always say: why have enemies, when you could turn 'em into your puppets." He stared down the confessional camera, slowly, but maniacally rubbing his hands.

-static-


"Well, this is fantastic." Spencer remarked, walking aimlessly in the woods, alone with Nanci as they continued beaming their flashlights, their light dimming by the second. "No map. Swamp beast Brad still on our tails. Chances of winning today are… slim." He kicked a pebble into a bush.

"Yeah." She giggled it off. "Ready to celebrate our next loss? Hey, um, you could add that to your resume, under your 'Greatest Achievements' category."

"Ha-ha. Funny." He chuckled. "Might as well confess my L's in job interviews."

Continuing to walk aimlessly, Nanci tripped over a sturdy rock, completely losing balance, and falling on top of Spencer as his back smacked onto the muddy ground. Full of blushing and awkward smiling, Nanci and Spencer gazed into each other's eyes, not expecting such a mishap.

"I'm so, so sorry." She looked towards his back; the mud almost utterly engulfed his grey coat. "I, um, I tripped."

"It's okay. It's okay." Spencer calmed her down, deeply looking up towards Nanci's brown eyes. Both his hands were already holding Nanci's during the fall. Letting go her left hand, his slim fingers hovered over one side of her gentle face, gently caressing her warm cheek, and playing with her feathery hair. She smiled back, and just like that, she leaned her face forward, her soft lips touching his. Straight for a kiss. They remained where they tripped and fell, with Nanci right on top of him. Both kept their eyes tenderly closed, with their legs teasingly rubbing against each other. This was their night. Their intimate night. Almost as if the island itself had set up their very moment…

"Spencey! Nanci! I found you guys! Hooray!" Emily hopped towards them, noticing Spencer and Nanci awkwardly standing up, flustered over the fact that someone peeked through their intimate window with no invitation.

"Oh, um, hey Emily!" Nanci delicately blew her hair away from her face.

"I'd love to chit-chat, but… the Eels are gaining on us!" Emily flashed a sudden grin. "Not to worry! I know the exact location! We head towards the moonrise." She pointed to the sky. Spencer instantly knew exactly what she meant.

"Smart." He complimented her, leaving Emily blushed. "Lead the way, Emily."


After walking around Sector B with no sense of direction, Oliver and Hunter stumbled upon a ravine. The same exact one the Floppy Fish found earlier. Once they both stuck their heads forward to witness the steep drop, they both pondered deeply.

"Yo, you finally gonna' stop yappin', or will you plunge down?" Hunter rolled his eyes.

"Still in pain after I rejected your offer?" Oliver bragged. "Am I sensing villain decay? Having trouble formulating a new plan besides the 'convince Oliver to vote off Daniela' strat? Trust me, it's not gonna' happen. Next time we lose, I'm voting you off, and that's final. Final like dinner."

Confessional:

Hunter: "Yo, I've HAD it with his stupid unpredictability." He punched the confessional wall. "New plan…"

-static-

"Dinner, you say?" Hunter eyeballed him, already frustrated by his presence. "Well then, how's THIS TASTE?" He fiercely pushed him off the ledge, falling into the abyss as Hunter stood still and watch.

"Hunter-you-cliché-unoriginal-son-of-a-ahhhhhhh!" Oliver yelled out, still falling. Fortunately, upon plunging into the stone ground, he fell on something… soft. Turned out, as he stood up, someone else helped break his fall. Someone familiar indeed…

"Ahh, c'mon!" Spencer yelped in pain, leaping out of the cartoony human-outlined crater that Oliver smashed his broken bones into. Surprisingly, both Spencer and Oliver were completely fine. An absolute anomaly, indeed. Totally not because of wacky cartoon physics…

"Oh look! A main character!" Oliver patted his back, but Spencer still had spinning birdies floating around his head. "And, man, who are those two chicks behind you? I spy with my little eyes: his love interest and… another love interest? Spencer, is this a love triangle?"

"What? No!" Spencer blurted out, rather insulted by his assumptions. He walked away from him, approaching both his teammates as he wrapped one arm around Nanci's waist. Both looked into each other's eyes, blushing…

"Guys! Look what I just found!" Emily ran further into the ravine, pointing her flashlight forward as the darkness engulfed her; the gorge slowly turning into a large cave the further in. All four of them were already rock-bottom in the pitch-black, narrow gorge. Meters away from her teammates, she pointed her flashlight towards the craggy roof of the spacious cavern, uncovering something… disturbing. First noticeable feature: goo. Lots and lots of green goo. In fact, the entire cavern roof was splashed in strange, sticky, gelatinous slime. A few scattered drops slowly dripped down the roof like saliva. Engulfed underneath the see-through slime are wild animals of all variety. From deer, to grizzly bears, to even smaller critters like squirrels and birds, trapped within the goo as they wiggled and whimper in hopelessness. A distressing discovery.

"Oh, my goodness," was all Emily could say. Wide-eyed, she ran back towards her teammates until being interrupted seconds later.

"H-h-h-help m-meeee." A faint, defeated voice from above was heard. Emily tilted her head upwards, immediately spotting their key to victory: Hailee's assistant, Tanner. Wrapped around in goo. Glued to the roof.

"Teammates!" She shouted. "I found Tanner! And he looks super-duper ill!" Nanci and Spencer ran to Emily as fast as possible. Oliver followed behind, not interfering with their advancements at all.

Confessional:

Oliver: "I'm still sticking with the Scott gambit." He winked to the camera. "I am so close to changing the script, you have no idea. Trust me; I'm about to make Total Drama history with this totally-not-stolen plan…"

-static-

"OLIVER!" Hunter angrily shouted from afar. Landing on his two feet upon leaping from a narrow ditch intersecting the gorge, he joined up with Oliver, who stood apart from the Arnold-less Floppy Fish.

Confessional:

Oliver: "Aaaaaand, there goes my genius plan." He facepalmed. "Of course, gotta' give Hunter that extra screen time. Thanks, Total Drama producers!"

-static-

Suddenly, the mechanical roar echoed through the gorge. At this point, the entire Floppy Fish knew exactly what they were up against. As Brad, the swamp monster, crawled its way through the dark caverns with its green tentacles wiggling around, Nanci and Spencer gripped their hands tightly in fear while Emily stood in a battle stance, pulling out a slingshot from her pockets, seemingly out of nowhere.

Confessional:

Emily: "Like it? I've built it from wood scraps and Calvin's rubber band gift." She wielded it in front of the camera, smiling ecstatically. "I used to build these little toys as a child. Back when I attended middle school, I would torment my older brother's bully with my slingshots after that jerk wouldn't stop picking on him. Fun, right?"

-static-

Hunter, upon cautiously observing the abomination, took out his trusty knife and stared down the faceless creature. "Yo Fish?" He turned towards his enemy team, fully confident on what he planned to do. "Ya' got a pitiful slingshot, but I got an actual weapon. SEE YA!" He ran away from the creature, climbing upwards to one edge of the cavern and carefully aimed his knife towards the captured Tanner, attempting to slice the goo in a single throw. Meanwhile, the Floppy Fish tilted their heads in confusion. Oliver sat on the sidelines, hoping for Hunter's failure.

"Hu-ah!" Hunter threw his knife like a football. It missed. The creature crawled its way to the source of the humiliating throw, situated menacingly in front of Hunter. "This won't end well." He muttered, as the creature wrapped a tentacle around his waist, hurling him to the other end of the cavern. His back painfully slammed onto stone upon impact.

"Ouch." Spencer clenched his teeth, feeling Hunter's pain. He turned to face his team. "We don't wanna end up like that guy. You guys got ideas?"

"No need, because I have my slingshot!" Emily rushed to an angle that would guarantee an easier aim to free Tanner while avoiding the creature on the other side. Pulling sharp shards of stone from her pockets, she inserted a pair into her rubber band as ammo, stretching it back and aiming towards her designated target. All it took for her was… a single shot. Bullseye.

The flying shards sliced through the goo, freeing Tanner out of the slime prison as he plunged to the ground, face flat. He seemed too fragile to stand on his own two feet, unable to push himself out of the drop.

"Nanci! Spencey!" Emily called their attention. "May you two help prop him up? Pretty-please? I'm too short to carry him around." She insisted, giving them the puppy-eyes look.

"Um, sure." Nanci nodded in agreement; both her and Spencer walked towards a frail Tanner, wrapping one arm around her shoulder's and the other on Spencer's.

"Let's make a run for it before Hunter wakes up." Spencer suggested.

"I mean, Oliver's still here…" Nanci and Spencer turned around, facing a careless Oliver.

"I'm in my own self-sustaining storyline." Oliver grinned. "No worries, I won't stop ya."

Confessional:

Oliver: "Bullseye!" Oliver fist-bumped the air. "As long as Hunter's unconscious, the Scott gambit will thrive! Watching and analyzing every Total Drama season repeatedly has its perks."

-static-

The creature, roaring again, viciously zoomed towards Emily, extending its tentacles outwards.

"Don't worry about me, team!" Emily shouted while Nanci and Spencer slowly walked away in fear. Tanner's arms were still wrapped around their shoulders. Still able to walk, but with frailty. "You guys escort him out! I'll distract the beast!"


Spencer and Nanci, already exhausted for the night, continued dragging Tanner through the constant line of bushes, approaching the compound closer and closer…

"We're… almost… there..." Nanci mumbled, panting.

"For once… we could've used Arnold's help." Spencer replied. "By the way, where did he even go?"

As they approached victory, they overheard footsteps, growing louder and louder.

"NO!" A loud, female voice was heard. As soon as both Nanci and Spencer turned around to face the raucous, an overcompetitive, pale contestant flung towards them, ferociously pulling Tanner away from them.

"S-Soraya?" Nanci stuttered, frightened by her unhinged behavior.

"Move it, artsy!" Spencer pulled back, engaging in tug-of-war.

"NO!" She shouted back. "VICTORY IS OURS FOR THE TAKING! GAH!" She screamed like a warrior lunging herself head-first into battle.


"You got my lemonade?" Hailee rested on a reclining beach chair. Her shoulders delicately rubbed and massage by a yawning Calvin. Movie lamps utilized in movie sets shined bright, white lights onto where they stood, in between the camper's compound, waiting for the team that would claim victory.

"Affirmative." Topher strolled up to her, handing her drink.

"Thanks." She sipped, taking a glimpse at her watch. A lot of time had passed since her announcement of the challenge. "They're seriously taking this long to retrieve Tanner?"

Moments later, voices could be heard behind the bushes that bordered the compound. Including slow footsteps. Hailee squinted towards the source and observed. A single person was dragging Tanner's body. And that contestant was…

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"Finally! We got a winner!" Hailee declared, standing up with her arms crossed. A hint of sleepiness displayed on her face, no doubt. "Congratulations Nanci! Wow. Impressive on avoiding Brad without a scratch. Regardless, you secured victory for the Floppy Fish!"

"NO… WAY!" Soraya ran towards them, upset, and defeated, as Spencer calmly walked behind her. "Where is the rest of my miserable group?"

"Hey, Soraya!" Kayla shouted behind the bushes, walking into the compound with a peeved Daniela tagging along. "You lost us back there! What gives!"

"Yeah!" Daniela crossed her arms. "Nice moon directions. Definitely didn't cost us the challenge or anything…"

"HOW DARE YOU! YOU TWO DIDN'T HELP ME TACKLE THE TWO LOVERS! ESPECIALLY YOU, HEADPHONES GIRL! GAAAAAH!" Soraya exploded in a fit of rage, tackling Daniela to the ground, pulling her black hair, and slapping her face back and forth, bruising her entire face as a result.

"ENOUGH!" Hailee grabbed Soraya in a choke hold, pulling her as far away from a beaten-up Daniela as possible. "Save the drama for your third ceremony. We're running out of time." She released Soraya, dropping her to the ground as she gasped for air. Spencer, Nanci, and Kayla witnessed the beating in shock, including Topher and Calvin.

Confessional:

Nanci: "Yeesh, Soraya is starting to scare me. But, um, wow. I carried my team to victory. That's a first." She smiled awkwardly. "Spence pulled her away from Tanner, which helped me sneak inside the compound. Thank you." She twirled her hair, blushing.

-static-

Kayla: "Oh-my-gosh, poor Dani." She gasped, covering her mouth in terror. "We seriously, like, need to do something about Soraya. She poses, like, serious, serious danger."

-static-

Spencer: "Wow. Nanci's right. She's frightening. I'm surprised she didn't punch me in the face after distracting her from Tanner. But wow. All I'm thinking right now… is Nanci. We-we kissed." He stuttered. "Won't forget that night."

-static-

Daniela: "It's whatevs'." She mumbled, unable to properly speak, rubbing her bruised mouth with an ice bag. "She's, for sure, the hardest slapper I know, but I've been beaten up before. No biggie-ow!" She flinched from sudden pain.

-static-


Every Electric Eels member left in the game sat around the campfire… for the third time in a row. Rubbing their eyes, they waited patiently for Hailee's announcement, who stood beside the fire as usual. It was nighttime. The usual. The moon hanged directly above the island, no longer engulfed by the clouds of darkness.

"Third loss in a row?" Oliver rested his chin on both hands. "We just went from Team Amazon, to Team Victory."

Kayla overheard Oliver's mumbling defeat, then turned to her left, facing a bruised Daniela. "Dani, you okay?" She worried.

"Don't worry 'bout me." Daniela played it off, but deep down, she was not feeling fine. "Mom's not gonna like this new look, but I'll be fine..."

"Attention, Eels!" Hailee clapped once. Topher stood in position, holding a bowl of marshmallows, awaiting the host's commands. "Let's begin, shall we? No time for nonsense. This host needs sleep, and oh, she needs it more than any of you combined. Clear? Clear. Now let's commence…"

Confessional:

Oliver: "Scott gambit time!" He winked.

-static-

Kayla: "I'm, like, completely undecided between two people." She pondered. "Like, I… I don't know who to vote!"

-static-

Soraya: "You already know who I'm voting…" She glared menacingly.

-static-

Hunter: "Yo, this ain't lookin' good…" He worried. "Too much uncertainty. I'm sensin' a two-way tie. Which means; I'm in danger. Which also means… I gotta start improvisin'. Rework the formula. No biggie. I'm a master improvisor. Trust me; I still got tricks up my sleeves. Observe…"

-static-

"Oliver and Kayla… you two are safe." Hailee grabbed a pair of marshmallows and tossed both their treats. "Which leaves… Hunter, Soraya, and Daniela."

"Yo, really?" Hunter complained.

"Don't ruin the suspense." Hailee rolled her eyes. "Now… the contestant taking the Swim of Shame tonight will be…"

Daniela, Soraya, and Hunter squinted tensely at each other, leaving everyone unease at the soon-to-be-revealed results…

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"Soraya." Hailee declared.

"GAH! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!" Soraya's pale face fumed red, stomping towards Daniela, planning to inflict more pain upon her. "It was you… YOU! YOU stole my paintbrush! YOU stole my immunity map! And now… YOU MUST PAY RETRUBUTION FOR MY SUFFERING!"

Hailee and Topher swiftly dashed behind her, grabbing both her arms, dragging her away from Daniela, straight to the docks.

"Soraya, that's enough!" Hailee dropped her onto the rough wooden planks. "You're done. Finished. End of story. Any last words before we push you into the ocean, or will you require a straitjacket?"

"Fine. Whatever." Soraya stood up, ready to accept defeat. Until…

"Soraya!" A familiar contestant ran up to the docks. Wore a pirate hat. Pirate outfit. Yup. A familiar contestant indeed. "I was viewing the ceremony from afar. I'm so, so sorry you have to go now!"

"Arnold, I see you came to rub it in." Soraya looked the other way, exasperated. "You're sorry, huh. I'm guessing it's because you backstabbed me. Not surprised. All you said about me back in the wilderness meant nothing. You were just using me…"

"No! It's not that! I mean it!" Arnold went down on one knee, pulling out a special gift from inside his jacket: a red rose. "This-this is for you. You are the most special girl I've ever met, and I just want to say: I love you. I meant every word back at the forest. Truly. I would love to take you out on a special date outside the show. Will you accept my proposal?"

Confessional:

Hailee: "O-kay?" She rested her chin on one hand. "Odd couple, but I'll take it, for TV rating purposes. Not like they're wasting my time or anything…"

-static-

"Will you two speed this up?" Hailee nagged.

Soraya grabbed Arnold's rose, smelling it up close. Shockingly, her fingertips were still smudged in black paint from her blank canvas incident. Rubbing onto the delicate rose pedals, black paint slowly manifested the pedals. The rose had no defense against the color of darkness. A lonesome flower left hopeless, succumbed by the uninvited shadow…

"Soraya? You there?" Arnold looked up, nervous, still on one knee.

"Arnold…" Soraya gave one, last, final look towards the rose, then hurled it across the dock, landing on the sandy beach. Arnold… was heartbroken. Teary-eyed. She rejected him. Just like that. The Electric Eels, silently watching it all unfold, observed the sinking ship. Not surprised, given Soraya's nature. "We're done here. Finished. I don't want to see your traitor face ever again." She dived into the water, swimming rapidly, away from the island as fast as possible.

"No…" Arnold repeatedly slammed the dock with both fists. "NO-NO-NO-NO-NO!" He sobbed, rubbing flowing tears off his face as he slammed his forehead on the wooden dock. "I-I'm sorry, Soraya. I'm so, so s-s-s-sorry…"

Confessional:

Hunter: "Yo, Arnold's gotta' pull himself together." He rolled his eyes. "I had to change my vote to Soraya. Couldn't risk it, yo! What if Kayla voted for me? See what I mean? Had to weigh in my options. Better her than me, ya' hear? It's called opportunity cost…"

-static-

Oliver: "My Scott gambit just… failed." He crossed his arms. "This is truly the sad ending."

-static-

"Music department!" Hailee interrupted Arnold's sobbing. "Cut off the sappy soundtrack already!" She gave a bossy glare towards the staff. Her authoritarian attitude is slowly resurfacing in full form. "Anyways, looks like that's a wrap! A sad, gloomy one at that! Who else will meet their crushing end? Whos' hearts will be crushed? And will Tanner snap out of his crushed state before the following episode? So many crushing questions! You want them answered? Well, stay tuned for more jaw-dropping moments right here! On Total! Drama! Bakuhatsu Island!"


The Votes:

Daniela: (Soraya)

Hunter: (Soraya)

Soraya: (Daniela)

Oliver: (Hunter)

Kayla: (Soraya)


Elimination Table:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9. Soraya

10. Rashon

11. Kiara

12. Lily

13. Zane

14. Alexander


Remaining Contestants:

Electric Eels: Kayla, Hunter, Daniela, Oliver

Floppy Fish: Nanci, Arnold, Emily, Spencer


A new finished chapter, and almost halfway finished with the story! Woah. I really need to start pumping these chapters out sooner. But this one, so far, was the toughest chapter to work on, surprisingly. Also, the lengthiest chapter to date! Also, woah. I honestly was not expecting a lengthy chapter. A bit dialogue heavy as well. Tried a tiny bit "experimenting" with regards to utilizing symbolism within the narrative for this chapter. Also played around with some foreshadowing in this chapter (including the title!).

So, Soraya just got eliminated. Another shocking elimination? What I will say is: her elimination placement was planned from the start. I had a lot of fun writing her character, but I always intended to have her eliminated pre-merge. Although, one thing that was not pre-planned was her short-lived romance with Arnold. For starters, I only planned for a one-sided relationship (which, at this point, it technically is). But the more I thought about it, the more intrigued I was in exploring such an odd pairing (at least, in my opinion).

So, what are your overall thoughts? Since the teams will be merging soon, any predictions on who will make the final two (or final three, final four, etc.)? Thoughts on the remaining eight contestants so far? And did Arnold make a huge mistake for throwing away the Zane Files?

Next Chapter Title: Call of Fruity: Pear War

Any guesses/predictions for the following chapter?

Big thanks to all my fellow readers and reviewers! As usual, you guys are awesome! Stay tuned for the following chapter!