Ep 9: Calvin's Nine / Laser Love
Calvin timidly cleared his throat while standing stiff on the wooden dock. "P-p-previously on T-Total Drama: Bakuhatsu Island-"
"Cut!" The lead cameraman slid a lens cap onto his camera, cutting him off midway in frustration. "Hailee's a perfectionist, man. No stuttering allowed. Loosen up a bit. Quit trembling-"
"Hey!" Julian, standing right beside the cameraman, lightly shoved his shoulder. "I'm the temporarily-appointed director here. Not you, man."
"Uh, no you're not." The cameraman fired back, rolling his eyes as he adjusted his beanie. "You're just the pretty figurehead with zero knowledge on camerawork. Know your place, or else, Hailee will-"
"Hailee won't do crap. Why? 'Cause she personally appointed me," Julian crossed his arms, resulting in more eyerolls from the rather impudent cameraman. However, he was silent. No response, no comebacks. Just the way Julian liked it. "Now if you'll excuse me…" He moved his head upwards, staring down a nervous Calvin. "C'mon, man! Has Hailee not taught you a thing or two on public speaking, or have you just been staring at her panties? You're the host this episode! Start acting like one! Okay? Cool. Alright, new take!" He whistled harshly, prompting the cameraman to start rolling yet again.
"Okay, um…" Calvin took a quick breather before attempting the trademark introduction. "Previously, on Total Drama: Bakuhatsu Island…" He walked back towards the beach, legs slightly trembling as the camera zoomed outwards, revealing an early-morning, empty sky. "Before we begin the recap, I'd like to, um, make a quick announcement. So-um, Hailee still hasn't arrived from her business venture, I think. Julian has recently stepped down as host, and now, I've been given the temporary host position. My name is Calvin, and I've been Hailee's personal assistant for quite a bit. Um… yeah. So, onto the recap, the contestants woke up inside the caves, unwillingly. There was confusion, anger, sadness, and more confusion. They told each other weird stories that they witnessed throughout the course of this show. Spencer found the immunity idol and stumbled upon Zane. Kayla and Daniela discussed alliances. And shockingly, Topher interfered with the challenge, helping four contestants escape. Because of Topher's disruptions, he's now been assigned intern duties with no chance of hosting anytime soon. But-um… yeah. That's it, I think? Oh, and um… Oliver has been eliminated for being the very-last to escape."
"Don't forget your scheming, redhead girlfriend rubbin' it in on Spencer." Julian blurted out, lightly chuckling.
"Who? Emily?" Calvin stuffed his hands within his pockets. "No, I don't think she's actually like that. Maybe she's just… super excited to beat Spencer in a… friendly rivalry? Yeah, that sounds right. She's just… she's super nice to me. And she likes to cuddle… a lot." He blushed, looking down at the dock.
"Okay, Romeo. Just finish the recap already."
"Recap's finished, but…" Calvin continued, keeping his hands in his pockets. "What trouble will the remaining contestants face this episode? Find out right now, on Total! Drama! Bakuhatsu Island!" He glanced around, looking at both Julian and the cameraman. "Was… was that good?"
Julian shrugged, appearing careless. "Sure, why not."
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.)
7 AM. Sunny morning. Clear skies and a peaceful hour yet again. Not surprising at this point, given the serene landscape. Rain was the island's most substantial commodity, but no clouds were on sight for miles upon miles; however, a handful of palm trees swayed in one direction, blown by an unusual drift of wind. Windy morning, but no storm clouds? Odd, given the island's isolated surroundings.
"Ooo, so breezy today!" Emily peaked out the window in awe, scanning the rainforest with her usual smiling glee. "Nanci," she lowered her voice. "Nanci, come look!"
"Not feeling too well," Nanci muttered back, accidentally shaking her top bunk bed while readjusting her sleeping position, keeping her eyes shut. "Feeling nauseated. And dizzy. Think I caught a fever or something. Sorry."
"Oh. No need to apologize." As soon as Emily finished looking out the window, she gently climbed from her bottom bunk up to Nanci's top bunk, sitting on her knees while hovering her hand over to her friend's forehead. Once Nanci opened her eyes back up, noticing Emily's pale, child-like hand in front of her face, her pupils shrunk, feeling like she was just caught in a lie. "Hmm, your temperature feels normal. Could it just be dizziness?"
"Umm…" Nanci lifted her head off the pillow, sitting cross-legged while rubbing her eyes. The last thing she wanted was to wake up so early. "I'm… I'm fine. Sorry," she rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "I'm… I'm not actually sick. Aside from the occasional dizziness, I'm just… not feeling it lately…"
Confessional:
Nanci: "I may sound like a super-needy, over-possessive freak, but…" She rubbed her arm, looking down to the ground in confusion. "Okay, so, um… ever since the last challenge, Spence hasn't talked to me much lately, almost like he's… avoiding me? Have I done something wrong? Maybe he can't stand me anymore? Okay, I'd really appreciate if he… says something about it instead of bottling it up? Did something happen to him in the caves? Because I have no clue what's up with him lately and, truth be told, I'm just a bit… frustrated. Sorry, Spence."
-static-
"Is it… because of Spence?" Emily suggested, placing her hand on her friend's lap in an attempt to comfort her. "Sorry if I'm sounding nosey. I just can't help but to always look out for my good friend. Has he done something super-duper bad to you? I notice a bit of sadness in your eyes. Feel free to let me know if you'd like. No pressure." She flashed a friendly grin.
"It's just…" Nanci leaned her head down, looking down at her legs as she slowly rubbed her sleepy thighs. "Spence and I have been feeling a bit… distant lately. Ever since the whole cave challenge, it feels like Spence has been, um… what's-the-word? Avoiding me. Yeah. Could be that I'm just overexaggerating or that I'm just overthinking things, but… I sometimes wonder if something happened to him in the caves. You know, by any chance?"
"Umm, Nanci?" Emily leaned her chin on her knuckles, nervously rubbing her small thigh with her hand. "There's something I need to tell you…" Her concerning words alarmed Nanci, looking straight at her small friend with nothing but more confusion. "So… with Spencer… I think I know why he's been acting strange lately…"
"I'm listening…"
"I'm super-duper sorry that I haven't mentioned this earlier, but since you're my good friend, I feel obligated to tell you that… Spence has been really touchy with me lately. Giving me massages. Caressing my face. Touching my hair…" The more she continued listing Spencer's supposed affections, the more Nanci's face slowly turned gloom. "Just some friendly advice; set some crystal-clear boundaries with him. Maybe also let him know what you're truly feeling at this very moment?"
Nanci looked away, glaring down the wooden floor of the shed, rubbing her arm as she pondered deeply. "I'll… I'll think about it," she timidly rubbed a teardrop off her cheek. "Th-thank you for letting me know. I'll make sure to give him… the talk."
"Glad I could help out such a good friend!" Emily smiled, briefly hugging her distraught friend. "Heard Arnold's found some juicy berries in the wild. I'm gonna try scavenging. Want some?"
"Think I'll be heading back to sleep. Clear out my thoughts and all." Nanci faced the wall, leaning one side of her head back on the rugged pillow.
"Okie-dokie!" Emily gleefully shrugged, quietly leaping out of the bunk bed as she tip-toed out of the room, avoiding waking up her other two competitors: Daniela and Kayla. They both slept on separate bunk beds: Daniela on bottom and Kayla on top. While Daniela continued dreaming about who-knows-what, Kayla remained stiff. Too stiff. Once Emily creaked the door shut on her way out, Kayla's left eye… peaked open.
Confessional:
Kayla: "Just had, like, a nightmare that I was making out with my ex-boyfriend under those greasy cafeteria kitchen counters, with grease dripping, like, all over our sweaty bodies. Ew." She gritted her teeth, shivering in disgust. "So yeah, like, aside from that… what was I about to say?" She rubbed her head in confusion… until she finally remembered. "Oh yeah! I woke up from that, like… repulsive dream almost half an hour ago. Wind woke me up. Then, I couldn't help but eavesdrop Nanci and Emily's muttering. Heard Emily gossiping to a sniffy Nanci, something about Spencer's so-called 'out-of-control flirting'. Like, don't get me wrong, Spencer and Nanci are both super nice, but at the end of the day, like, we're on reality TV. So, I don't mind any of their in-between drama. This just means, Dani and I have, like, less competition to worry about. But what I am worried about… is Emily. Her whole story about Spencer sounded, like… almost fabricated? Trust me, I've chilled with enough divas back home. I know a fake when I see one…"
-static-
Upon aimlessly wandering around the wilderness, seeking for the supposed berries in countless bushes, Emily heard faint footsteps from afar. As she continued humming a song that belonged to a pop-friendly radio station, she continued her search, gently lifting twigs off a bush, leaning her head for a glimpse. The footsteps grew louder and louder, seemingly approaching closer to where she stood aloof. Once she felt a towering presence behind her back, she turned around, revealing a fellow competitor, stern and serious…
"Oh, hi Spencey!" She waved to a serious-faced Spencer. He stood there stiffly with his hands stuffed within his coat. "Would you like to join me on a cute little berry hunt?"
He had enough of her fake sincerity, almost stomping the ground in complete irritation. "You said to meet for a morning talk, so here I am. How 'bout you cut the act for once and tell me what's really going on?"
Emily continued glaring at an impatient Spencer, squinting. A short moment later, she flashed a flirtatious smirk, skipping and prancing away from him as Spencer walked behind her, puzzled by her rather carefree and childlike leaping.
"Sure. What would you like to know?" She answered back nonchalantly, dropping her girly-girl demeanor for a more naturally laid-back one, willing to spill her entire catalogue of secrets without a care in the world as she continued scanning the trees ahead of her.
"Hunter found the immunity idol before you, didn't he?" He fired back, sharply squinting. "You two formed some sort of secret alliance, and then, once you no longer needed him, you backstabbed him."
Emily laughed upon hearing Spencer's off-the-rails speculation. "Maybe you're not as observant as I previously thought…" She paused her skipping. This time, slowly strolling, but still smiling. "But, let me fill ya' in. No, I never formed an alliance with that prat. Nah-nah-nah, in fact, I ran circles around that clueless sucker. Should've seen the look on his face when he was all mushy losing his precious little idol." She giggled.
"I had a sneaking suspicion you were up to no good." Spencer raised an eyebrow, arms crossed.
"Uh-huh. Really. You kept insisting Arnold was up to no good, not me," She remarked, shrugging it off with a smirk. "Eh, doesn't bother me. In fact, it was kinda hilarious. Really. Flashin' a spotlight all over Arnold while keeping me in the shadows? Nice. Thanks for that, by the way." She winked playfully.
"Of course, it was you. How did I never notice?" He facepalmed.
"Oh, trust me, I'm good." She smirked teasingly. "Gotta hand it to ya, you really know your metaphors. I mean, crocodile? Pshh, I've had many names, but I've never been compared to… a crocodile. That's a first for me. You're amusing," she chuckled, turning her head around, facing a squinted Spencer. "Why so glum?" She teased. "No need to blame yourself. Everyone else was equally oblivious. Trust me, I'm no bragger, but yeah… I'm that good."
Spencer gave a mean glare towards his newfound enemy. "The moment I saw you hand Soraya that fake confidence after we were chased by that swamp creature, I knew there was something fishy…"
"Ooo, you were spying on me? Did Oliver's little theory notebook clue you in? Wow. How dare you?" Emily fired back sarcastically, throwing jazz hands. "Did you also see me firing those arrows towards the Electric Eels? They so thought I was some lone island native. But hey, some fireworks, am I right?"
"I would've expected nothing less." He continued glaring.
"Look, how 'bout you take some notes…" Emily jabbed. "I'm just… playing the game, like all of us here. Soraya was mentally unstable, so I gotta take advantage of that. Give her a teeny-tiny push. Boost her delusions. At the end of the day, she couldn't contain herself and got herself eliminated. She lost, see? It happens. One's the little red riding hood, and the other's the wolf. One's bound to be eaten alive. The other sneaks away into the forest. That's the game. It is what it is." She shrugged carelessly, continuing to skip ahead as Spencer tried catching up.
"I heard rumors that Hunter's been stealing everyone's stuff. But it wasn't him. It was you, wasn't it?" He retorted, already pinpointing the true culprit before she even spoke.
"Yup!" She affirmed, smirking. "Been tryin' to pin the blame onto him, but that lucky fella kept dodging eliminations like a cockroach. But guess what? That wasn't even my coolest feat. Who knew tweaking Alexander's so-called 'magical' flute was as easy as picking a lock?"
Spencer rubbed his chin for a few seconds, then widened his eyes in realization. "The… the sleeping spell. You costed us the game that episode, not him!"
"Oh-of course." She shrugged, chuckling. "Took you long enough to realize. I mean, pshh, we can't have a master hypnotist running the competition. Like, could you imagine the chaos? I basically did you guys a favor."
Spencer deepened his glare, holding his hands on his hips. "So what? So, you could mess around with my relationship while you dominate the competition all on your own, under your sweet-and-innocent façade?"
"I already am," Emily retorted, playfully smirking. "Guess who wrote that corny Halloween message behind the shed to frame Zane? Guess who turned the team against Lily, who caught me snooping around early on? Guess who stole Kiara's crown and planted the evidence onto Hunter? And-"
"Lemme guess," Spencer interrupted in a deadpanned tone. "Who was Zane's secret accomplice? Is that what you were about to say next?"
"Nah." Emily fired back bluntly. "That guy's just weird. What can I say?"
"Well, I met Zane in the caves."
"Ooo," Emily teased. "What'd he say?"
"Beware of Red." Spencer crossed his arms. "Perhaps, he was referring to… you. I mean, clearly, he was referring to someone. And who else matches that profile other than… you. Like, c'mon, you're wearing a red sweater. You're a redhead. Surely, it can't all be just a coincidence."
"I gotta say," Emily softly bit her lower lip. "You're one, smart cookie. But nope. Far from it. I don't know the guy. Never once interacted with that freak. I'm not that type of redhead." She chuckled. "He's probably just some wannabe cosplayer with schizo. Who knows?" She glanced back at an unconvinced Spencer, who still squinted in disbelief. "Aww, c'mon, don't look at me like that. Not convinced? Well, ooookay then, I'm spilling all my intimate truths and secrets to you, but you don't have to believe me. I could care less." She shrugged, continuing to skip.
"And why are you so open to sharing all your little misdeeds over to me?" Spencer raised a mean eyebrow.
"Misdeeds? Funny choice of words. But let's just say…" Emily playfully poked his nose. "I'm keeping tabs. And a whole lotta dirt."
"Meaning?"
Emily giggled. "I'd rather keep that a surprise…" As she continued skipping around, she spotted an intriguing-looking bush. Hopefully, her hunt for the supposed berries would come to an end, approaching the bush in relief. "Oh-would you look at that? Berries! Seems like Arnold was right all along!" She expressed joyfully, contrasting Spencer's humorless mood.
"You do realize I could warn the other competitors of all your… underhanded tactics, right?" He blurted behind her back, but Emily continued harvesting her berries, calm and collected, delicately picking one-by-one while stuffing them in her sweater.
"Sure. Go right ahead." She flashed a hidden smirk, inspecting a singular berry between her two cunning fingers. "But… you won't. Why? 'Cause you're smarter than that. I can tell, without turning my back, that you're thinking, 'why is this chick not sweatin' in nerves? She's probably got some genius plan to back herself up.' And ya' know what? I'll let you draw your own conclusion on that one…"
A brash loudspeaker rumbled in noise, interrupting their hostility. They both stood still, peeking over to the source. "H-hello everyone! This is C-Calvin speaking." He spoke softly and timidly. "Today is challenge day. All competitors, p-p-please report to the compound. You will be guided by assistant Julian t-towards an undisclosed location. S-see you guys there!"
Emily turned around, delivering Spencer one last smirk before zooming away from the wild's heavy vegetation. "Looks like my little-wittle Calvin is callin' us over. How about we… put a pin on our little talk. Cool?" She asked. Spencer stood cold-faced and silent, answering back with a mean leer. "No words? Aww, oh well. I'll see ya later, cutie!" She winked before dashing away…
The remaining six competitors, clumped together in a closely packed herd, slowly strolled through the damp rainforest, following Julian towards the marked destination. Many remained silent, fatigued by restless nights, already subconsciously wanting the season to be over. Were weeks of torture worth the million bucks? An obtrusive question most contestants already pondered about…
"Argh! Ahoy! Arnold's strollin' down the sea! Arnold's strollin' down! He swung to the left! He swung to thy right! He swung his sword from SIDE TO SIDE!" Arnold sang joyfully, strutting confidently ahead from the rest of his competitors, visibly aggravating Spencer from a distance. Spencer's right eye twitched, unable to comprehend the pirate's jolliness given the higher stakes in the competition. "Argh! Ahoy!" The pirate repeated out loud. "Arnold's strollin' down the sea! Arnold's strollin' down! He swung to the left! He swung to thy right! He swung his sword from SIDE TO SIDE!"
Confessional:
Spencer: He held his arms crossed in disbelief, flabbergasted. "It's insane how Arnold's still in the game."
-static-
"You two aren't annoyed by Arnold singing at all? Must be nice." Spencer whispered monotonously to Daniela and Kayla. The trio were already walking closely together, directly ahead of Nanci and Emily, but behind a jolly Arnold.
"Pfft," Daniela rested her chin onto her fist, gazing in amazement at Spencer's constant solemnness, yet still finding humor behind his curtain of gray. "Arnold's just vibing, singin' us a lullaby. Lighten up, flaco." She teased, chuckling.
"I mean, hey, he's right, Arnold can be annoying sometimes…" Kayla jabbed.
Confessional:
Kayla: "I mean, like," she held her hands on her hips sassily. "No one is that happy, like, all the time. Unless if he was, then wow. I wish I had that confidence, like, like, you get me?" She briefly paused. "Wow, I do say 'like' a lot. Shocker how no one's pointed that out yet. I really need to change my habit, like… oh-ugh-there I go again!"
-static-
"Hey Nance! Get a load of Arnold being Arnold, am I right?" Spencer approached her, walking behind Daniela and Kayla. During their trek to the challenge spot, Nanci felt alone. Forgotten. Betrayed. Unsure on how to react, she instead looked down to the ground in brief, awkward silence.
"Oh-hey!" She looked back up, flashing an insincere grin. "Um, what's up?"
He immediately noticed something wrong. "Hey… you okay?"
"Sorry, what do you mean?"
"It's just that… you're acting different today. Something wrong?"
She sighed. "Oh, no-no, I'm fine. I'm just tired. That's all."
"Slept late last night?" Spencer delicately caressed her face with his slim fingers, but Nanci budged her head away.
"I… want to be alone. For now, at least. I just wanna get this challenge done and over with. Cool?" She smiled, rubbing the top of his head playfully. "No need to worry. I'm just tired today. Really."
Confessional:
Nanci: "Perhaps, Emily could be wrong?" She shrugged, gritting her teeth. "Maybe I've just been overly-clingy. Maybe this is what we both need? Some alone time?"
-static-
"Well, better get some rest then," Spencer paused, peeking behind Nanci, noticing Emily from a long distance as she waved a sinister hello back, smirking…
"Oh-yeah, Emily's just sightseeing, I guess…" Nanci remarked, albeit in a confused tone, noticing his stare-down with Emily.
"I wouldn't trust her, if I were you," he alarmed, whispering. "She's been acting… rather off lately. Her entire presence screams… duplicitous."
"Okay, um, she's my friend?" Nanci retorted, peeved, ready to blast into a mini rant. "What's gotten into you lately? Honestly. You said I've been acting differently? You've been so distant from me ever since we left the caves. At least with Emily, she's been upfront and honest. You've been so secretive with me lately, that… I-I don't even know who you are anymore…" As soon as she finished letting steam off, she gasped. "I-I'm sorry. Didn't mean to confront you like that…"
"No-no, you had every right to be frustrated." Spencer comforted, gently wrapping his arms around her. "Believe it or not, I'm on the same boat as you: tired. The game's been slowly draining my energy. Waking up in the caves… alone… it, um… it traumatized me a bit. I'm sorry. Should've said something about it, but this reality show, it's been slowly eating me alive, and I-"
"It's okay." Still hugging, Nanci intimately rubbed his back. "You're a big 'ol, reserved, quiet goof. But hey, I still love you though…"
"May I have everyone's attention?" Julian shouted, with everyone else already far ahead of the lovebirds. Suddenly interrupted, Nanci playfully shoved him away, jogging to the competition.
"Don't trip and fall, goof!" Nanci yelled, smiling.
"If I do," he shouted back, grinning. "You owe me a smooch!"
"So, we're here at last…" Daniela teased, her hands on her hips, glaring at a giant office building situated behind Calvin and Julian. "This your dudes' man-caves?"
"More like… a public high school." Kayla scoffed. "No offense, but… the exterior needs remodeling.
"Chill out, ladies," Julian jabbed, grinning, combing his slick-back hair. "Low budget season means… low budget everything."
Spencer rolled his eyes. "Low budget, but still managed to purchase an entire island."
"We lent it, actually." Julian snarked. "Island belongs to some private organization composed of top-secret scientists. Apparently, they're from Silicon Valley, which means… it's a whole lotta sweaty nerds with poor taste in cars. But I may be wrong. Don't quote me on that. I just work here." He shrugged, scanning the rest of the impatient contestants clumped together. "Anyways, Calvin? You ready to announce today's challenge?"
"Yes!" As he finished up reviewing his flashcards, he finally felt confident, boldly stepping up front to take charge, just like Hailee wanted her supposed golden boy to act. "Hi, everyone! I will be the host for today's episode-" He was suddenly interrupted by Daniela's laughter.
"Sorry," She stopped as everyone around her glared in confusion. "Please, continue."
Calvin visibly blushed, fixing his hair, shivering. "As, um, as I was saying, today's challenge is a treasure hunt!"
"Did somebody say… TREASURE?" Arnold raised his sword in glory. "Two pirate-themed challenges in one season? I'm gonna BLOOOOOOW!"
"Oh boy…" Spencer remarked tonelessly.
"Hi-ya-ka-POWEY!" Arnold bullishly swiped his plastic sword in front of an eye-rolling Spencer.
"Well-um, no," Calvin continued. "Not really a pirate challenge. It's actually spy-themed. Today's location is… the HQ itself!"
"Oh." The pirate frowned.
Confessional:
Arnold: "Aww, shoot!" He crossed his arms, frustrated. "I'm loud and rambunctious, not quiet and sneaky! Although…" he pondered. "I did sneak ninja-style inside HQ without gettin' caught once. I think I can do it again! Looks like thy captain's back in business! I've sailed away from heartbroken land, and now, it's time for ship repair! YARR!"
-static-
"You're doing great, cutie," Emily winked at a trembling Calvin as everyone around her either raised an eyebrow or mentally gagged. Spencer, however, rolled his eyes. "So, do we each receive a map of the interior?"
"So-sorry, but no maps this challenge," the shy host gritted his teeth, expecting disappointment from Emily, but of course, she remained cheerful…
"That's okay, baby!" Emily grinned.
"Okay, this is getting weird…" Julian interrupted, glancing at his wristwatch impatiently. "We're running out of time. Calvin, you gotta wrap this up, man."
"Yes, you're right." Calvin continued. "So, today's challenge will take place inside HQ. Your objective? Locate the metallic treasure box hidden inside one of the rooms and bring it over to us. Our team has boobytrapped the interior hallways with lasers. Some can burn through skin. Others are just sensors, ready to throw a trap upon activation."
"So, basically, a scavenger hunt?" Spencer blurted out. "Seems easy enough."
Daniela giggled upon hearing Spencer's assumptions. "You just had to say those three words. Thought you were smarter than that," she teased.
"What?" He raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "It does seem easy enough."
"But, yeah, that's not all…" Calvin interrupted.
"Oh, pfft, right," Spencer facepalmed.
Confessional:
Spencer: "Of course, there's always a catch. How did I not see that coming?" He facepalmed yet again. "Am I getting dumber every episode? Has the island fatigued me so much, my brain is mushing up? Or has Arnold's stupidity finally rubbed off on me? I'm leaning towards the latter."
-static-
"So…" Calvin continued. "Each contestant will receive a laser pointer," Julian grabbed six laser-pointing devices from a small metallic crate, tossing each one in the air to every contestant. Each laser pointer closely resembled a large pen that activated a red beam with a click of a button. "Each one of you will enter HQ at the exact same entrance, maneuvering through a maze of hallways. But with these laser pens, it adds an element of surprise and sabotage. By shining a beam onto one of your competitors, it will manually set off a weapon from the roof, aiming and shooting at wherever you point your personal lasers at."
"So that's where your entire budget went." Daniela jabbed, looking at an eye-rolling Julian.
"What do the weapons fire?" Kayla asked worryingly.
"Each weapon fires something different, depending on which lobby room you're in." Calvin comforted. "Don't worry, it's nothing too dangerous. Just know that only the hallways and lobby rooms will be open. The rest of the rooms are locked under heavy surveillance except for the treasure room. That will be the only room available with its door wide open."
"Argh! Enough exposition!" The pirate roared in excitement. "Thy captain is ready to conquer the competition!"
Spencer rolled his eyes at Arnold's nonstop charades for the millionth time. "Let's just… get on with the show please?"
Confessional:
Arnold: "I think Spencer really doesn't like me at this point," he rubbed his chin. "I'd really love to be friends, but every time I speak, he rolls his eyes, or grunts, or facepalms. Thy captain needs some respect too! But, alas, I permit his disproval. The ship's still sailin'! I'll continue to do me, no matter what Spencer thinks!"
-static-
Daniela: She chuckled over Spencer's remarks, leaning her back against the wall with her feet plunked on the seat. "Oye, I'm surprised those two aren't a married couple yet." She snorted with laughter. "Okay-okay, but seriously, to all my peeps and hermanitos back home, don't worry. From here on out, I'm takin' this game more seriously. I could smell the millions from here, so you'll no longer be watching me kickin' it back. Ya' heard that, Miguel? Quit callin' me perezosa! You're the one without a job!"
-static-
"Everyone ready?" Calvin continued, timidly eyeing the contestants' stern, competitive concentration; each runner locked and loaded, ready at a moment's notice. At this point, who would not be? It was the final six, after all. "Go! Go! Go!" He blared the airhorn, closing his ears as everyone dashed towards the double-door entrance, sprinting past the host; of course, unaware of the surprises that awaited them.
"Oh wow," Nanci exclaimed, running in between Kayla and Daniela while Spencer ran behind her, scanning the capacious hallway, noting the sheets of paper scattered across the cold tile floor. Setting aside the crowd of competitors, the vast headquarters was near empty. No interns on sight. Odd... "Their headquarters looked a lot smaller on the outside."
"I guess size doesn't matter after all," Daniela mumbled teasingly, but then unamused shortly after noticing Kayla's wedged lips. "What? Joke's a decade too old?"
Confessional:
Kayla: "Look, like, I've said this before…" she said, arms crossed. "I don't mind Dani's kick-back mood, but she needs to take the game more seriously if we, like, want a shot at the millions. You know what I woke up to this morning?" She rolled up her sleeves, flashing her elbow directly to the camera. "Bug bites! Like, ew-ew!" She rolled her sleeves back, shivering at the thought of those cheap, worn-out mattresses. "Like, it's no wonder I had that kitchen nightmare! Yeah, we need the Eels cabin. If Dani wins, she could invite me to her cabin. If I win, I'll invite her over, like… duh. But I need her 100%, or else we lower our chances."
-static-
"YARR!" Arnold leaps over the crowd of competitors like a spider monkey, instantly flashing a laser beam under their legs. Upon activation, a mechanical, futuristic Gatling gun sprung out of the shiny-white roof, immediately rapid-firing red paintballs towards the frightened contestants. A few, like Kayla, screamed out in fear, while the rest silently, but frighteningly scattered away from Arnold's laser-pointing. At least, for once, the pirate was feared. No longer looked down upon. Until…
"Hey! Gotcha legs!" Emily grinned gushingly, leaning teasingly on an office table while pointing her own laser underneath Arnold. Suddenly, an additional Gatling gun sprung out, firing its own round of paintballs towards the cocky pirate.
"Argh!" He hovered his arms over his head, attempting to shield himself from the pinching splashes of red. "This was supposed to be Arnold time! C'mon, Emily, quit it!" He desperately shouted, dashing around the table in looping circles, where she stood giggling, twirling her laser around back and forth like a magic wand.
"Okay, okay." Upon noticing Arnold was the sole player left in the lobby room, she freed her thumb from the trigger. "Sorry, but you were the one that started it."
"Hey! It was my time to shine, ya' know!" Arnold pouted, drawing his sword in an attempt to intimidate a smiling Emily.
"I mean, didn't you already scare everyone away? That's highlight-worthy." She giggled.
"Well, it's not enough," Arnold slid his sword back under his belt, frustrated. "If you haven't noticed, everyone here always revered you as a strong player, while I'm always looked down upon, never taken seriously. I've looked up to your coolness. Did you know that? Spencer always found you cool, while he grunts in anger at every step I take. Like, what am I doing wrong?"
Emily rested her chin on her knuckles, smiling nonchalantly; an opportunity immediately presented in front of her very eyes. "Oh? You don't like Spencer? Has he been disrespectful to you?"
Arnold nodded. "It's like he hates my entire existence, even when I drop my pirate act."
"To be fair, you rarely drop your pirate act," she giggled. "I don't blame you though. It shouldn't matter anyways. Everyone should be treated with respect, and Spencer never gave you that chance," she twirled her laser pen around her little fingers under swift calculations. "I mean, you shouldn't be treated with this much disrespect after how Hunter poorly treated you. And I'm super-duper sorry, but Spencer doesn't like you… at all. Just the truth," she shrugged.
"And what do you think I should do?" He sighed, holding his hands on his hips.
"Look, Arnold," she leaped out the table, leaning closer to the dubious pirate. "I know we haven't talked much, but I consider you more of a friend than that meanie Spence. You deserve better. I think you should stand up to that jerk-face just like how you stood up to Hunter! An eye for an eye…" she playfully poked his eyepatch. "So… what do ya' think, captain? Ya' ready to sail the seas?" With her pointy elbow, she nudged his shoulder cheerfully.
"You… you are right! Argh!" Arnold tightly hugged Emily, hovering her up in the air. "You've lifted my spirits up like no one else here had! Thy captain shall reward you with… an alliance proposal perhaps, m'lady?" He freed her out of his unforeseen hug.
"That's… exactly what I was thinking," she smirked teasingly. "See? You never needed Spencer's respect with that hidden brain power. That's movie-stardom material. Anyways, you got a deal," she smiled, reaching over for a handshake.
Confessional:
Arnold: "Emily's right!" He crossed his arms. His stern face now proved determination. "I'm still tryin' to please everyone. Even with that laser pointin', I still wanted them to think I was cool. It's time I change that wacko mindset once and for all. No longer attemptin' to gain everyone's respect and approval of me. No longer lettin' Spencer run me over with his facepalms. It's time I truly stand up to him once and for all! Face to face, with no one else around. Just like how I confronted Hunter: alone. It's the only pirate way. ARGH-YARR!"
-static-
Arnold held his hands on his hips victoriously. "With you and your archery expertise by my side, we'd be an unstoppable force! Welcome to my ship, m'lady! Argh!"
"YAY!" Emily clapped ecstatically. "If I may ask, captain? Shall we look for the treasure chest… together?"
Arnold held one hand over her shoulder. "As thy captain, I say… YES! YARR!"
"ARGH!" she giggled.
Confessional:
Arnold: "Wow! She even knows the pirate lingo!" he scratched his chin, squinting away from the camera. "Now that's a true lady! If I ever get that movie call, maybe I could bring Emily along with me for a spinoff series…"
-static-
Emily: "Arnold is so fierce!" she gushed, hands on her cheeks, gazing above. "Think I might be falling in love with a pirate! I feel bad for my boyfriend now. I'm super-duper sowwy, Calvin-baby…" Upon realizing the absurdity that was said, she lifted her legs over the wooden seating stool, sitting sideways with one knee up as she leaned her head back against the wall, attempting to hold her laughter. "That was one of the stupidest [BLEEP] I've ever said," she mumbled, ditching her exaggerated girly-girl voice. "Cut me a break. Being cute is a struggle," she glanced at the camera, sticking her tongue out teasingly. "Bleh, confessionals. Why am I here again? Such a waste of time. I could use a drink right about now."
-static-
Within the wide, long-winded hallways, Nanci, Spencer, Daniela, and Kayla sprinted together aimlessly in one cluttered pack, dodging the constant barrage of bright-red lasers firing each second, bouncing against the walls like ping-pong.
"Oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh!" Kayla shrieked, hovering her arms in front of her face, panting. "A laser beam almost, like, blasted through my nose!"
"Yo," Daniela lifted her foot, hopping forward while revealing a black spot on her white shoe. "It's only mild burns. But yeah, these were new sneakers, man," she placed her foot down, running closer to Kayla and further away from the couple.
"This feels like a stereotypical spy movie. Am I right, guys?" Nanci awkwardly grinned, glancing at an already-exhausted Daniela and Kayla; both too focused and fatigued to stay attentive at Nanci's observations. "Hopping over these lasers feels like playing Dance Dance Revolution with my antique-collecting cousin," she turned her head over to Spencer, chuckling.
"Great. Now I'm getting flashbacks of the time I competed at a Dance Dance Revolution contest with my sister," he shivered, gritting his teeth.
"Pfft," she giggled at the thought of Spencer dancing. Both immediately braked from running, standing underneath a large, protruding metal wedge that bounced each beam away. "Were they… good memories? Oo! What place did you get? First place, no doubt."
"Ha-ha, funny," he smiled. "But no. Even worse. I was disqualified for being 'too old to participate'. They thought I was in early 30's because I 'dressed funny'. I only wore a turtleneck sweater, a scarf, jeans, and some boots. I thought I dressed well…"
"Oh-you totally weren't dressing like you were in the 90's," she giggled.
"Oh-you sarcastic little Nanci…" Spencer leaned closer to her face, giving a peck on the lips. Nanci grinned, visibly blushing.
"Hey, um, you hardly mentioned much about your sister. What's she like? Is she one of those… always-begging-for-cookies-but-never-shares-anything type of sibling?" She gently caressed his hair, gazing deep inside his dark-brown eyes.
"Um… oh-right, yeah. My sister…" Spencer rubbed the back of his head. "I meant to say… one of my friends. Not sister. Sorry. Slip of the tongue."
She raised an eyebrow, noticing his shaky eyes. "Are… are you lying to me?"
"I'm not. I'm not," he held her hands. "Trust me. Why would I lie about something so trivial?"
"Spence… a few times, you mentioned that you had a sister. And now, you're acting like she doesn't exist? So, which is it? Why have you been acting weird around me lately, again and again?"
He continued gripping her hands. "They were just simple mistakes. Trust me, I wouldn't lie about something like that."
"If…if you say so…" she let go of his tight grip, rubbing her arm while eyeing the floor in a slight frown. "Like, I don't know, it feels like you're hiding something from me…"
Upon continuously eyeing the floor, she noticed a red laser beam aimed underneath her legs. As soon as she heard an activated machine gun, her eyes widened open, frozen in place.
"Spence, we gotta run… now!" She shook his shoulders, holding his hand as they both stepped out of the protected region. Instead of red paintballs, they dodged a bombardment of rapid-firing purple leeches.
"Oh-they brought THOSE BACK?" Spencer shouted frantically, shielding his head with his arms. "Classic Hailee."
Once they ran past a hallway intersection straight ahead, Daniela and Kayla slowly peaked their heads out of a window, hiding within a darkly lit office room. As soon as the couple ran out of their sight, Kayla slid open the window, crawling out while clumsily tripping over the ledge, face-planting the floor.
"Ow." Kayla muttered in pain.
"Aye, nice one." Daniela laughed, mounting out the window with ease. "If this were track-and-field, you wouldn't even make it past practice."
"Ha-ha. Very funny." Kayla stood up, dusting off her jacket. "You should've, like, let me do the laser-pointing. You kept aiming under Nanci. We needed them both away. Not just Nanci."
"Oye, it still worked, dude," she teasingly shrugged. "But hey, like you said, inseparable lovebirds."
"Ugh," she glared at her roughed-up fingernails. "I'm gonna need, like, a high-end manicure once we're done with this show. You live nearby? You should, like, come visit sometime. My friend owns an elegant nail salon. Soooo gorgeous. It's, like, one of the best. She can glow you up. Trust me."
"Meh, salons are overrated," she shrugged, prompting a faint gasp from her friend. "But… hey! Who's to say I can't be girly sometimes? I'm down, dude. Say less."
"Yay!" Kayla quietly cheered, modestly pumping both fists in the air. "Okay, so like, you said you saw Arnold and Emily sneaking together? Where?"
Daniela walked towards the center of the corridor intersection, pointing to her left. "That way. I heard two 'arghs'. Definitely Emily and pirate patch."
"We should probably follow them. Maybe they have a better clue where this so-called 'obvious to spot' room is at. Let's go!" Kayla ran forward, signaling Daniela to sneak right behind her.
Confessional:
Kayla: "If what Dani said is true, then, like, that means they must be teaming up," she rubbed her chin. "That spells trouble. If they win, then we'd run the risk of being picked off. Both could team up with the lovebirds. Especially Emily. But then I realized… Emily is athletic, shockingly. She could spell some trouble for us soon. So, here's what I'm thinking… if we win, we either eliminate Emily, or any of the lovebirds." She scratched her hair, attempting to recollect a memory. "What did my Russian economics teacher always lecture us about? Something-something… opportunity cost? Like, Kiara would know. Her dad's a hedge fund manager, or whatever."
-static-
Daniela: "Arnold and Emily? Didn't know the redhead was into pirates," she laughed. "I mean, not my type. Thought she was dating that dorky assistant. Maybe they broke up. Who knows? Em's full of mystery, dude..."
-static-
"Argh! Is this our entire journey? Dodging a constant barrage of lasers?" Arnold, running alongside Emily through the treacherous corridors, flapped his arms over his head.
"Seems like the laser density is getting heavier and heavier," Emily noted, scanning the other side of the hallway with her hand over her forehead. "Luckily, you have me by your side!"
"Argh, matey! Let's charge!" Arnold extended his sword forward like a general giving commands, both bolting towards the lasers while hopping synchronically over rapid-firing beams. Everything went according to plan… until Arnold tripped over his own boots, falling into the sensors, face flat.
Predictable, given his clumsiness.
"You okay?" Emily braked, turning her head back worryingly.
"Continue without me, m'lady!" Arnold shouted as a dozen machine guns sprung out the roof upon activation, surrounding the pirate in overwhelming numbers, locked and loaded. "Thy captain shall sink with the ship! Argh-AHHH!" He was suddenly interrupted by high-speed paintballs, splashing red all over his pirate outfit, completely drenching it.
"I'll help find the treasure for us! Don't worry!" Emily shouted back while dashing away from the out-of-control paintball guns. "I'll share the challenge prize once we win! I got this!"
"Think we're out of sight…" Spencer freed Nanci's hand upon both entering an unlatched, dimly lit office room. Peeking out the window, Spencer saw… nothing. No weapons on sight. No competitors wandering about. Nothing. After glancing back and forth, his head propped back inside the office; both crouched underneath the glassy window.
"What should we do now?" Nanci delicately held both of Spencer's hands, gazing blankly at her exhausted lover. "Think Arnold was behind drifting us away? What if he's still around, stalking us?"
He shook his head worryingly. "I don't think it was him…"
Confessional:
Spencer: "I know what Emily's trying to do…" He stared the camera down, arms crossed. "Pointing the laser at Nanci so she could split us up, weakening our chances of winning. She's playing games with us, and I won't let that happen."
-static-
"Hey, Nance, listen to me," he gently held her chin. "We need to keep a lookout on Emily. She's not what she seems. She's been attempting to break us up, and-and…" Upon hearing Spencer's warning, she gently slapped his hand away from her chin, walking towards the office exit door, grunting. "Wait… wait-wait-wait, where are you going?"
"You know what, Spencer?" She snapped. "Emily's told me all about your little flings with her, recounting all your uncontrollable touching. I really don't want to believe her, but you know what? You leave me no choice. You've been ghosting me lately. Not giving me the same amount of affection as you do with your… redhead girlfriend. Why is that? Hmm? Do you not love me anymore? Is that why? I want to trust you. Really, I do. But Spence… you make it so hard."
"The… uncontrollable touching?" Spencer's jaw opened slightly, dumbfounded by the accusations.
"Yes, she confessed everything." Nanci retorted. "Spence, I saw you massaging Emily last challenge. Don't lie to me."
Spencer immediately shook his head in disbelief. "No-no-no, it's not what you think it is. You must trust me. Whatever Emily's been telling you… is an utter lie. I would never… ever touch a girl inappropriately. What she's trying to do… is to split us up. Picking us off one by one while she hides beneath the shadows. That's her game plan. Every favor she's offered, every camaraderie she's formed… it was all an act. Everything. Even her girly-girl niceness is a front to hide her inner deceptions."
"Oh really?" Nanci raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "And why are you telling me this now? Did you know about this all along and never told me? How can I know you're telling the truth?"
"Look, I'm so, so sorry I've been really distant and quiet lately," he shamefully rubbed his arm. "If you don't want to believe me, that's okay. But please… reconsider who your friends truly are. Emily's not one of them…"
Nanci, blank-faced, had no response. Just a silent, gloomy glare at a desperate, crouching Spencer, uncertain on what to say back. First thing that popped into her mind; should I believe him?
Unsuspectingly, a bright laser peeped into the window, reflecting a red glimmer throughout the office room. As they both glared the beam between them, their wide eyes quickly realized…
Danger was imminent.
"Spence! LOOK OUT!" Nanci vigorously signaled Spencer to crawl forward underneath the window, swiftly dodging the sudden blast of ammunition shattering the glass. Hiding near the doorway, she noticed a swarm of leeches flying through the office room. A few managed to stick on Spencer's face, wiggling around his frantic movement as Spencer freaked out, leaving Nanci to stare in disgust.
"GET OFF ME!" He continued waving his hands around to no effect. As soon as Nanci approached him to calm him down, the laser beam returned. This time, aiming at her instead, ready to fire at a moment's notice.
For her, survival instincts kicked in, forcing her to run out of site. Without much thought, she hid away, behind a massive file cabinet. From her angle, she has eyes over the entire spacious office room, waiting until no more leeches flew through.
And suddenly, the firing halted, one second later. Upon staring at a distraught Spencer who hesitantly pulled out the slimy leeches on his own, a shadow emerged from the shattered window, mounting over the ledge to help comfort Spencer. Moments later, the lighting properly shined, revealing to be none other than…
"Emily." Spencer leered while sitting down, grunting over the harsh, painful impacts of the leeches, with a side-effect of slight dizziness. "How 'bout you leave us alone?"
As soon as Emily sat on her knees, she scanned her surroundings, immediately spotting half of Nanci's face, who ducked back behind the cabinet in a split second. Perfect, she thought.
"Hey, Spencey, let me help you out," Emily grinned, pulling out a pocketknife from her skirt, using it to cautiously slice off the leeches with bullseye precision. In just a few seconds, all the leeches fell to the ground. "Feeling any better?"
"No..." Spencer muttered, sitting knees up, still regretful over his failing relationship. "Thanks a lot, Emily. For taking Nanci away from me. Y-you happy now?" He could not help, but stutter as he attempted to recoup his slightly off-balance vision due to the impact from the rapid-firing leeches.
"Hey, hey now. I'm just… playing the game. Didn't mean to disrupt your relationship with Nanci…" Emily held Spencer's chin delicately, gazing into his eyes. "So, I thought about what you whispered in my ear earlier today. And you know what?" She smiled. "Yes, I love you too."
Spencer froze, baffled by what she just said. "What? Wha-what are you talking about?"
"Look, Spencey," Emily's face leaned closer. "It's okay. If you don't love Nanci anymore, you can always… make us official. Finally, we no longer have to keep our love a secret. I just want to say that… I love you too…"
As soon as she muttered her final words, she caressed the back of his head, closing her eyes while swiftly pushing his face closer to hers. In just a short moment later, their lips touched. Limiting Spencer's uncomfortable squirming, she gripped onto the back of his head, vigorously making out with him until she felt it was no longer necessary.
Nanci, peeking out from the cabinet, had seen enough. She could not believe it. She could not believe what she just witnessed. Her wide-opened eyes slowly watered, with tears rippling down her face. Once she finished peeking, she went into a fetal position, sobbing as quietly as possible. She felt betrayed, backstabbed to the ultimate extreme. How could they? She thought. How could they backstab me like that?
Moments after their kissing, Spencer froze. His jaw dropped, unable to comprehend what just occurred. He felt confused, ashamed. Emily, on the other hand, simply flashed a teasing smirk, quickly noticed Nanci's legs limp on the ground, peeping out the cabinets. She then stared right back at him, leaning over to his ear…
"You're a good kisser, but you just kissed the millions goodbye…" Emily whispered, standing up triumphantly as she walked out the doorway, leaving behind a teary-eyed Spencer. Devastated, he got onto his knees and repeatedly slammed the floor with his fists, knowing full well that Nanci stood hidden somewhere inside the room, observing the mess that just occurred.
"No…" He mumbled. At that moment, Spencer knew…
It was over.
Confessional:
Spencer: "How could everything be so painful all at once?" He lamented, looking down at the floor. "How did I not see that coming? I've been played… again. At this point, I don't deserve Nanci. I'm a massive screw-up." He held both hands on his face, quietly sobbing.
-static-
"Great, we lost 'em." Daniela blurted out, resting her back onto a wall, arms crossed, as Kayla followed pursuit, placing her hands on her hips. "Nice sense of directions. Did your boyfriend taught you that?" She playfully teased.
"First off, I'm single," Kayla retorted, chuckling. "But sure, feel free to, like, blame my sense of directions on my ex. He deserves it."
"Ooo, was he one of those… bad boys?"
"Nah. He's what I consider, 'Laser Love'."
"Um, what?" Daniela giggled. "Laser Love? Never heard of that."
"It's just, like, what one of my friends used to call my ex and I." Kayla giggled alongside with her. "Stupid, I know. She got it off some sitcom or whatever. It means, like, love on thin ice. Or, 'laser-thin love', or I-don't-know, whatever. My friend was joking, but oh, my ex did not like that one bit. It was, like, super funny though."
Daniela's back remained on the wall; arms crossed, playfully smirking. "I think what your friend meant was, your relationship was too spontaneous, like a laser beam. But hey, that's just my take. Whatevs," she softly rubbed her own chin, reminiscing. "I can relate to that though. Had a lot of flings that I'd consider laser love. Not ideal, super-lame nowadays, trust me dude…"
Overhearing a faint grunt ahead, Kayla immediately sneaked forward through the corridor on high alert. "Speaking of laser beams, I can, like, see a whole lot of them straight ahead of us," she placed her hand on her forehead, squinting. "I could see Arnold's hat from here. Could that be where the treasure room be?"
"Let's roll?" Daniela caught up to her, stretching her stern legs to prepare a sprint to victory.
Confessional:
Daniela: She smiled, crossing her arms, eyeing the camera with more determination than ever before. "For once, think I got this in the bag. If Em's not with Arnold, we could probably take out the dork. So, ya' know what? Yeah, bring it! I'll cool down the chillin'. I'd be one step closer to the millions," she rubbed her chin, pondering. "Yeesh, with a million dollars, I could buy myself a house. Preferably in the woods. Wanna escape that rowdy city life, ya' feel? Like my mom always says, 'if you don't like it here, vete con un novio!' Oh yeah, will do…" She laughed.
-static-
Continuing to swiftly dodge each security laser bouncing off the walls, Kayla and Daniela finally reached to one of the central lobby rooms, scanning the spacious area in awe. Only one door was open: the storage room. No other place for the treasure chest, but there. Meanwhile, Arnold remained stern, standing across the other side of the lobby, prepared for battle.
"Remind me again…" Kayla jabbed. "Where did the Total Drama producers pump all their money from? Wasn't, like, their last season a failure in ratings, or whatever?"
Daniela relaxed her shoulders, smiling. "Bro, didn't you listen to Julian? Most of their budget went towards HQ. Figures. Couldn't even invest in a dining lodge. Yo, a girl's gotta' eat…"
"Ooo, like, I could use some Italian food right about now!"
"Or Chinese take-out…"
"Ahem, ladies!" Arnold interrupted, clearing his throat. "We're supposed to have a battle of epic proportions! Yarr!"
Turning around, Daniela chuckled, arms crossed while facing her opponent. "Oooo, I'm sooo scared! Shiver me timbers!" She playfully teased, her hands placed on her knees, ready to play. "Well, bring it then, dorky!"
"Argh!" He whipped out his laser pen, pointing it towards Kayla and Daniela in a dramatic fashion. "Thy captain shall blast thee with my ultimate attack… BLOOD SPLASHER! YA-KA-POW!" He pressed the trigger, activating a gun barrel from the roof, immediately firing rounds of paintballs.
"Kayla!" Daniela shook her shoulders hurriedly. "You run inside the treasure room while I fool around with Arnold!"
Kayla nodded, sprinting as fast as she could while avoiding the constant rapid-firing paintballs. Staying behind, Daniela pointed a laser of her own at Arnold's chest; an additional weapon to join the chaos upon activation. Arnold glared at the rotating barrel, wide-eyed.
"Heeeeey, Arrrrrnold…" Daniela yelled out, sliding behind an office counter for cover, still pointing her laser with one arm extended upwards. "Don't leave your new girlfriend on seen!"
"Wha-what!" Arnold defended his head with his arms, dashing around in circles like a wacky cartoon character. "Emily's not my girlfriend! She's my partner! Yarr!"
"Same thing!" She shouted back, peeping her eye out to the side, looking straight ahead to the treasure room. Shockingly, the room… was empty. Kayla was nowhere to be seen, prompting an eyebrow raise from Daniela. "Huh. Right…" She muttered, baffled. "Hey Arnold! Guess who'll be takin' a nice, warm shower tonight? Me, dude!" She stood up, sprinting towards the treasure room while Arnold quickly followed pursuit. Upon both entering the room, they eyed down the treasure chest, neatly placed onto a metallic stand, ready to be snatched. Daniela and Arnold both glared at each other, waiting…
"Arm wrestle? Or laser battle?" Daniela teased, resting her chin on her fist.
"Yarr! Arm wrestle! Like ye' good old pirate days!" Arnold slammed his elbow onto the cold marble table right between them. Daniela followed along, slamming her elbow onto the table, playfully smirking.
"Aye, bring it, skinny patch!" Her soft palms gripped onto Arnold's rather frail hand. They immediately began, with both arms already trembling. No intense sways over their rather unnecessary arm wrestle in between a highly staked competition.
After almost half a minute attempting to slam each other's hand, Daniela glared at Arnold, pouting her lips, realizing the amount of time wasted. "Alright, um… what are we doing? Let's just say, you couldn't beat a girl at arms wrestle. Laser battle next. Cool?"
"Now you're talkin'. ARGH!" Arnold swiftly pointed his laser first; paintballs immediately fired into the storage. Daniela fled away, sliding behind the treasure stand for cover, ready to snatch it once the paintballs stopped firing. In retaliation, she fired a laser of her own, activating another artillery of paintballs heading towards Arnold's way. Both of their bodies were drenched in red paint, almost resembling blood.
"Ew! Ew! Like, whoever's pointing that, like, PLEASE STOP!" Kayla shouted in terror, dashing away from a swarm of flying leeches, not knowing the one behind the laser-pointing, playing her around like a puppet. A devious lurker hidden within a darkly lit office room, she thought.
Suddenly, after a few more seconds of running through the hallways, the laser underneath her vanished. No longer were leeches gliding through the air, ready to pounce on her skin. However, loads that were already launched remained scattered across the hallway floor, wiggling their slimy tail around. Each sticky, slimy movement from the leeches forced Kayla to gag. Her body shivered and tingled, gritting her teeth.
"Ew-ew-ew-ew-ew!" She waved her hands around, but still determined to cross through the puddle of leeches, right back to the central lobby.
Confessional:
Kayla: "Either Nanci, Spencer, or Emily hurdled me away from the treasure room…" she pondered. "Great. Now, I'm lost. Like, I don't even remember the way back. Dani, please win this for us! Like, I really, really want those comfy beds back! But I just, like, I can't with these leeches!" She winced.
-static-
"EW!" A leech jumped a few inches high, almost sucking onto her leg, forcing her to sprint back. "Nope! No-no-no! I'm taking a detour," she muttered to herself, walking away.
On a lonely hallway, Nanci wandered aimlessly by herself, continuously wiping off her stream of tears. She carried around her shattered heart, wanting to burst into tears yet again, but she remained vigilant over any potential laser traps. Her hand steadily hovered over her face, attempting to hide her watery eyes from national television. In her mind, however, she knew deep down, her breakdown was already televised.
As she continued walking towards an intersection, she stumbled upon another wandering competitor, bumping into each other while falling backwards as a result, landing on their bottoms.
"Nanci?" Kayla rubbed her forehead, swiftly standing back up while lending a hand to a heartbroken Nanci. "Hey, you okay? You look…"
"Like a mess? Yeah." Nanci grabbed her hand, standing back up. She could not help but rub her own arm, looking down to the ground. "I, um… a few moments ago, as I was running away from the laser shooters, I… I, um… I saw Spencer and Emily kiss. Making out. In secret. Yeah…"
"Oh." Kayla mumbled, holding her shoulder to comfort her. "I'm so sorry."
Confessional:
Kayla: "Well, this is awkward," she laid her chin over her palm. "Just earlier, we were, like, pointing lasers under her feet. And now, I feel awful," she then snapped out of her brief sadness, regaining her determination to win. "But… it's either her, or the million dollars. Sticking to that motto. But, like, I don't want to kick her while she's down."
-static-
"Nance, hear me out…" Kayla stared at her face, attempting to share her pain. "I can't imagine how you're feeling now. But look… you still got an opportunity to win a million dollars. If you win today's challenge, Dani and I can team up and vote off either the cheater, or the traitor. Your choice. We'll follow along," she said softly, although Nanci looked away, on the verge of tears.
"I-I don't know if I can continue onwards…" she instinctively leaned her face over to Kayla's chest, weeping and sobbing. Kayla gently wrapped her arms around her, sharing her sorrow.
"It's okay, it's okay. You'll get through this…"
Confessional:
Nanci: "This is so embarrassing…" She brushed teardrops off her cheek. "I don't like to cry publicly, especially live on TV, but here I am, sobbing in Kayla's arms. I've never felt this weak… or… or this pathetic before. But thanks to those… backstabbers, especially Spencer, I don't think I can continue any longer…" She shook her head vigorously. "No-no, Nanci, what are you thinking? Kayla's right! I've gone this far. The million dollars is still within my reach. I need to move on. Get my head back in the game. No more love nonsense. No more Spencer. No more dependency on others. It's time I show the world… I'm not just an awkward mess…" She glared straight ahead, with newfound willpower in her eyes, clenching her fists.
-static-
"You know what?" Nanci freed herself from her arms, glaring at her. "You're right. Winning is still within my grasp. I'll… I'll let you know my decision once the challenge is over…" She walked away awkwardly, hands in her pockets, wandering back where she came from.
Until…
"Wait, Nanci?" Kayla blurted out. "Were you with Spencer when it all happened?"
Nanci turned around, puzzled. "Yeah, until we were attacked inside an office room by leeches. I hid away out of range. Spencer hid beneath the window. Then, out of nowhere, Emily showed up, talking about their… secret flirting…" She briefly looked down to the floor, then back at Kayla. "Why you ask?"
"Nanci?" Kayla cautioned. "Sorry for being nosey, but just earlier today, I overheard you two talking about Spencer's… love for Emily. I wouldn't trust Emily if I were you. She just doesn't seem… sincere. Just make sure to look out for yourself…"
"Um… I don't know what to say…" She raised an eyebrow. "Is there, um… is there something that I don't know about?"
"I know this is gonna, like, sound crazy, but maybe you should talk to Spencer again. Get something official out of him…"
"It was official the moment him and Emily made out…" she crossed her arms, looking away in sorrow.
"If there's one thing that I know about you two… you both loved each other dearly," Kayla comforted. "Stood side-by-side, trusting each other. When Spencer and I paired up on the Call of Fruity challenge, like, I knew for a fact he thought deeply about you. He wouldn't stop talking about you, even on opposing teams. For the short amount of time that I spent time with him, he just didn't seem like the cheating type. He just, like, never gave me that vibe, like, ever. This might sound bananas, but maybe… you should give Spencer… a second chance? Like, what if Emily was lying? What if she forced a make-out with him as a setup?"
"I… I don't know…" Nanci rubbed her arm. "You're… you're not the first person to call out Emily's supposed fakeness. Spencer did as well."
Kayla walked over to her. "Just… trust your gut feeling on this one." She gently placed her hand on Nanci's shoulder, smiling. "If you need a friend, or just, like, someone to talk to, feel free to come say hi, whenever you'd like."
Nanci smiled back. "Thanks. Never knew I'd say this, but… you are the most genuine, reasonable person on this island. I'm surprised you're even besties with Kiara. Um, no offense."
"None taken. I get that a lot." Kayla giggled. "Now, how 'bout we stop being lost for once and find our way outta here! Yeah?"
Calvin and Julian stood outside the HQ exit, patiently, or rather, impatiently awaiting the winner's arrival. Julian glanced over at his wristwatch, marking noon. Accurate, given the sun's direct hover over the Earth, no clouds blocking the view. Already visibly sweating, Julian leaned his back on the outer walls right beside the exit, arms crossed, staring at an awkward Calvin.
"So… got any plans after the show's over? Travel destinations? I could use some Hawaii boozin'."
Calvin shuffled his feet while pondering. "Um… there's this video game convention I got reserves for, after the show's over, of course."
"Oh, right-right, you're a gamer. Gotcha," Julian flashed a finger gun. "Think Hailee's into that? Will you be inviting her over to your gaming sesh?"
"I-um-I…" Calvin blushed. "I have a girlfriend now-"
"With a contestant. Right-right…" Julian leered sternly, albeit unfazed by the meddling. Looking to his left, he noticed grey clouds of smoke puffing out of the exit doorways. "Think a victor's 'bout to roll out. Get to your hosting position."
Upon glaring the smoke, Calving pulled out the flashcards, reviewing every key detail in preparation. As he flipped through the cards, the double-doors slammed wide open, revealing a sweaty contestant stroll out with the treasure chest, drenched in red paint and leeches.
"We… we h-have a winner!" Calvin timidly cheered, revealing the contestant to be…
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"Daniela! C-congratulations!"
As Daniela walked over to him, she handed him the treasure chest while playfully patting his head like a puppy. Calvin immediately blushed upon being touched, rubbing his arms while looking down to the ground.
Confessional:
Daniela: She chuckled. "For once, Calvin's starting to grow on me. He's like a dorky, little brother. Already way better than my real brothers back home." She mounted both feet onto the toilet stool, getting comfortable. "Oh yeah, and I won the challenge. My first ever solo win. Arnold tripped himself over his own leeches. Pretty funny, but aye, I was just chillin', and won. Take that, Soraya!"
-static-
"Well, there's our winner…" Julian declared. "Calvin, sound the alarm. Gather the rest of the losers up ahead," he pointed towards a small, empty patch of dirt surrounded by trees, just to the side of the building. "We will make our… grand announcement there…" He flashed an unexpected smirk…
Calvin, Julian, and the competitors were all gathered in between a swirl of rainforest, all ready to open whatever was stored within the treasure chest. Still noon, and still humid. Sweat continued to drip from everyone's foreheads, even as they stood still. Every contestant calmly awaited the supposed announcement. Nanci and Spencer, however, awkwardly looked away from each other, already wanting to leave the compound.
"Argh! Why thee must be gathered here?" Arnold shouted, irritated. "We already know who won. Why must we know again?"
Spencer rolled his eyes. "Could you drop the pirate accent already?"
Confessional:
Spencer: "I… I don't know what my next course of action should be…" he gently kicked the floor. "I've been avoiding looking at Nanci. She probably hates me by now. After keeping a lot of things to myself, I don't think she can forgive me. I…I'm just too scared to face her now. To explain things. How can I explain it? Should I even say anything? Should I move on? I don't know. I just don't know…"
-static-
"Shall thee be quiet?" Daniela laughed at her own attempt at a pirate accent.
"Oo! Oo! My turn!" Emily hopped, raising her hand. "Argh! Shiver me timbers! Where m'lady at?" Emily spontaneously giggled, sharing a laugh with Daniela.
"Ladies, ladies…" Calvin raised his voice. "Sorry for interrupting, but it's time that we announce Daniela's prize, if that's okay with you ladies?"
Kayla raised an eyebrow. "And why does it have to be announced publicly?"
Julian grew impatient by Calvin's passiveness. "Let's speed things up. We're runnin' out of time. Gimme that…" He snatched the treasure chest away from the host. "I'll volunteer to crack open the chest, if I may?"
Calvin nodded, baffled. "Okay."
"Quit bickering and open up my goodies already." Daniela teased.
"Alrighty then," Julian pulled a key out of his pocket, inserting it into the keyhole, opening it. "Your prize is…" He reached one hand inside the chest, pulling out a small, metallic crate with a visible name on it, written in white. Upon noticing the familiarity, Calvin eyes wide-opened by the revelation.
"Wait, stop!" Calvin waved his arms around. "That's my personal chest. H-how did it end up in there?"
"Yarr!" Arnold stomped. "That's not prize material!"
"Well, in that case, there must be a reason why it's inside the treasure," Julian insisted, smiling. "You don't mind if we… take a really-quick peak inside the crate, just in case?"
"Okay…" Calvin answered back hesitantly.
"Good, let's take a look…" Julian propped open the crate. Upon inspection, he reached his hand inside, pulling out… a black bra. "What do we have here?"
"Wait, w-w-what?" Calvin blushed bright red, looking down to the ground, humiliated by the reveal as everyone around him stared. Some raised their eyebrows in confusion, while others giggled. Nevertheless, no flattering reactions. "I-I didn't p-p-put those t-there!"
"Woah, there's nine bras inside this crate! Calvin's nine bras!" Julian pulled out the rest so that everyone could witness Calvin's utter shame. "No wonder I once saw Calvin wandering around Hailee's personal closet. You were sniffing around for her bras, weren't you? Ya' know what they call that in the workplace? Harassment. Congrats, you are now awarded: certified creep. Which means… you out of the hosting gig. Sorry, man. Rules are rules…"
Confessional:
Julian: He sat upright; arms crossed, his first time using the outhouse confessional. "Pfft. Gullible…" He smirked. "As Calvin ever had the courage to even touch Hailee's front office. I mean… what better way to retrieve my hosting gig than to frame Calvin? Who else would've had the master keys?" He pulled out a ring of keys, casually dangling them with a smile on his face. "Not Calvin, that's for sure…"
-static-
"Not so fast…" A familiar, male voice was heard from inside the building, strolling out the already-opened doorway. Joining the rest of the crowd, he stood tall and arrogant, hands placed on his hips, ready to make an announcement of his own.
"Oh-give-me-a-damn-break…" Julian turned away, facepalming. "Don't you have intern duties to shuffle through… Topher?"
He laughed flamboyantly. "You might want to reconsider calling me an 'intern' from here on out…" He reached behind his back, pulling out a tablet as he displayed the screen so everyone could peek at a surveillance footage left on pause. "Just had a run-in with one of the producers, hinting at 'something fishy' transpiring beneath the surface. So, I grabbed my magnifying glass, switched on Topher mode, and scrolled through camera footage. And would you look at that? I saw Julian sneaking around Hailee's room, snatching nine bras, and left without even disabling surveillance. Rookie mistake." He shook his head, pressing play on the touchpad. "See for yourself!"
Topher had let the footage play through, prompting gasps from most of the contestants. All but Daniela and Spencer, who seemed like they cared not one bit and remaining unfazed throughout. Julian, on the other hand, had his eyes wide-opened. His body froze in place, hands in his pockets. For once, he had no way of sliding and slipping out. He was caught, red-handed.
Once the video wrapped up, Topher tossed the touchpad to Calvin, who had his jaw opened, unable to comprehend what just occurred. "Julian, your dirty, dirty doggy. Time to pack your bags, wannabe-me! I've already sent the video to Hailee in advance. She wants to reinstate me as host of the show. Which means… I AM NOW IN CHARGE AGAIN! ME! Calvin, you're with me now. Julian, you're fired!" Topher pointed away, while Julian remained stiff, arms crossed, not budging one bit.
"I'd have to officially hear Hailee's announcement in her own words before I listen to whatever buffoonery you spout…" Julian retorted.
"You won't have to wait for my announcement much longer…" A female voice was just heard from within headquarters, walking out with her signature glare and uptight demeanor. Her presence alone shook the entire crowd, prompting a few gasps and jaw drops.
"HAILEE?" Most of the crowd, including the staff, blurted out in unison.
"Yes, yes, why are you all acting surprised?" She remarked, frowning. "I'm the frontrunner here. Don't forget that. Speaking of frontrunning… Topher? You're scheduled for assistant duties. Chop-chop!" She demanded, pointing away, much to Topher's frustration.
"Yes, Ms. Friarwood…" Topher sighed, walking away.
"As for you, Julian?" She turned towards him, eyeing him down. "You're fired. Pack your bags. Goodbye."
"But, but-"
"NOW!" She yelled, pointing away yet again. Julian kept his mouth shut afterwards, walking away stern and serious.
Confessional:
Hailee: "After realizing that my own assistants usurped one another without accountability, I had to intervene. Professionalism is key whenever under the spotlight, and my own assistants outright ignored crucial protocol. Luckily, I'm quite poise. A professional powerhouse with the brains and brawns." She pointed to herself, smiling, standing uptight. "Don't mistake that for petty haughtiness. In show biz, we call that… pragmatic confidence."
-static-
Daniela: "Oh, great…" She rolled her eyes. "Back to the usual, 'shut up, I'm wearing high heels' routine. Can't believe I'm sayin' this, but somehow, I miss Phil. Pfft, at least he was funny. And chill. Somewhat chill… actually, I take that back…"
-static-
"As for the rest of you…" Hailee continued, glaring at the contestants. Calvin awkwardly stood behind her, quietly observing in awe. "It should come to no surprise with anyone that I'm back. Here to stay for good. Now, moving on from this fiasco…"
"AHEM!" A mysterious, gruff voice echoed out of the building, leaving out of the doorway in a wheelchair. However, once it was revealed who he was, it caught the entire crowd by surprise, including Hailee. After being absent from half the entire season, he finally made his grand return…
"PHIL?" Everyone shouted in unison.
"Well, well, well…" Phil smirked sinisterly, twirling his thick mustache. "Guess who's finally back to hosting duties? Yours truly… PHIL FRIARWOOD! Hailee, hand me the megaphone. You're on assistant duties now."
Confessional:
Arnold: "YES!" He cheered, lifting his sword in the air. "I think I'm the only one that adored that menacing menace. If he were a pirate, I might have to kiss him…" He dropped his hands, confused by what he just spouted. "Forget I ever said that."
-static-
Emily: "Is it wrong I have a crush on Phil?" Emily giggled. "Sorry, older men are just so… wow."
-static-
Kayla: "Ya know what? I'm actually fine with this change," she said, smiling. "At least we no longer have to deal with that uppity know-it-all. Seriously, she's not that old. Like, I can see right through her foundation. Pfft, making herself look like your typical Wall Street investor. She's in her early 20's, at most."
-static-
"Phil!" Hailee faked an awkward smile. "I'm so glad for your speedy recovery. You know that. However, you've been absent for a vast majority of the show. How about you let me run things from here on out while you rest on the bleachers and-"
"No buts! I'm the host of the show!" Phil waved her off, not wanting to hear her frustrations.
"Look, I won't subject to an assistant position, so unless you hand me a co-hosting spot, it's a no-deal. Simple as that." Hailee scoffed.
"Alright-alright! You've grown up so fast, niece! You're a co-host now, happy?" Phil retorted.
"Very."
"Now," the returning host continued. "Let's get all you chumps marchin' back to camp while I stroll through the forest on a wheelchair! Hup! Two! Three! Four!"
As everyone walked back to the camper's compound, fighting through the steamy humidity flowing through the rainforest, Emily hopped and skipped with glee, catching up to Spencer, who walked significantly farther apart from the rest of his competitors ahead.
"It's pretty disheartening that Julian won't be joining us anymore," Emily looked to the ground. "Shocking how much of a schemer he was. I had a bit of a crush on him…"
"Don't talk to me." Spencer looked away, hands in his pockets, not wanting to hear whatever Emily had to say. Emily, however, flashed a smirk.
"Oh, I think you might want to hear this. Listen up…" She remarked, hands behind her back. "You remember Lily? That nosey journalist with glasses bigger than her forehead? Yeah, I once caught her snooping around HQ, shaking hands with Julian. They had a deal under the rug, shocker, shocker. Julian handed her revealing documents that contained private, documented interview questions that every contestant, including us, answered before being accepted onto the show. In return, she promised to share her hit piece magazine profit. Basically, your privacy has been invaded. Not just once, but twice…" She kept her hands behind her back, waiting for a pondering Spencer to piece the puzzle.
And then, it hit him.
"So, that's how you managed to slide out of harm's way, every time," Spencer looked to the ground, fists clenched, wanting to lash out his frustrations so badly, but he remained stiff, not wanting to cause a scene. "You knew. You stole those documents from Lily, thus giving you the edge against us every time, on every move."
"Almost struck the bullseye, but not quite…" Emily pointed out, smiling. She knew how much anger Spencer stored within him, but she wanted to rub it in further. "I never stole her documents. I was simply… inspired. Why do you think I was making lovey-dovey eyes to Calvin? Because he, like Julian, had access to those secret documents. I simply persuaded him, asking him a favor. He said he'd do it for free, no compensation." She snickered. "Ohhhh, Spencer, I already knew your little secrets. But not only that; Calvin went the extra mile and handed me documents detailing every upcoming challenge for each episode. So, tell me: why do you think I'm always ahead of the curve? Because I know… everything."
Confessional:
Spencer: His hands were in his pockets, hiding his clenched fists. "You don't know how badly I want to warn my competitors. As much as I want to, I can't. I know how it would turn. I've seen enough Total Drama to know I'd look like a crazy person causing a scene while Emily hides in the shadow, giggling on my every misstep. I need to remain low and play it smart."
-static-
Emily left Spencer behind, skipping ahead to the next contestant following the crowd: Nanci.
"Hey, friend! You okay?"
Nanci looked away; her eyes covered in sorrow. "I'm… not in the mood," she crossed her arms.
"Oh…" Emily stared at the ground. "I heard you and Spencer had a falling-out. I'm so sorry to hear that."
"We did. Sorta."
"I'm just reminded of the time your ex cheated on you. It saddens me you had to repeat the same cycle again…"
Nanci turned around, highly alert. "I, um… how'd you know that?"
"Oh-I-um…" Emily stuttered, awkwardly grinning. "Not sure if you remember, but you recounted a story about your cheating ex, remember?"
"Um…"
Confessional:
Nanci: "Did I? She crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.
-static-
"Listen…" Nanci continued, leering suspiciously. "I'm just… not in the mood. Sorry."
"That's okay. I understand. I'll see ya' soon!" Emily hopped away, approaching Daniela and Kayla, walking ahead together.
"Emi!" Daniela casually waved hello. "What's up?"
"Hi girls!" Emily flashed a huge grin. "I just finished helping reconcile Nanci's and Spencer's relationship. Miraculously, they're together again! Well, sorta, but it's a work in progress."
"Spencer has a heart. Good to now." Daniela teased, forcing a smile. Meanwhile, Kayla remained silent, leering over her calculated claims.
"But it's bad news for you guys. They both want to vote you out, Kayla." Emily pointed out. "I'd say we vote out Spencer. If they continue competing together, they could pick us off by just their synchronizing votes alone. You two with me?"
"I'm down." Daniela shrugged. "Kayla, you in?"
Kayla sped up her walking pace, drifting away from them. She turned around to face the duo before racing back to her cabin. "I'll think about it. I'm, like, really beat right now, so I'll catch up with you later."
"Peace." Daniela waved; her eyes relaxed but not exhausted yet.
"Dani?" Emily called her attention. "I think you're having doubts wanting to vote off Spencer. Is that true? Just curious, is all."
"Yeah…" Daniela crossed her arms. "I'd miss him. He seems like a… cool dude that I'd never get to hang out with if he leaves tonight."
"Oh…" Emily smiled, her hands behind her back. "Then you'll like what I'll have to say next. There's just one teensy favor I'd like you to do…"
"Sure," she shrugged. "I'm listening…"
The final six gathered around the campfire, late-midnight, awaiting the returning host's arrival. They all stayed quiet, not wanting to speak to each other until the dramatic ceremony concludes. A few just stared at the fire, a continuous strain of flames that never seemed to go out. Always burning, never stopping…
"I'm here! I'm here!" Phil yelled out in his usual, gruff wrestler voice, rolling down the stairs on his wheelchair, still under a crippled state as an eyerolling Hailee closely followed behind, holding a basket of marshmallow on her hands. Her face painted a picture of frustration after being reduced to de-facto assistant once again. "Sorry I'm late, but we'll just have to speed the ceremony up!"
"Argh!" Arnold cheered, sitting in between Emily and Spencer. "I await the dramatic elimination, new captain!" He saluted, prompting confusion from a few of the contestants over his upbeat attitude.
Confessional:
Arnold: "Like I've said, I promise to do me from here on out! Argh!" He swiped his sword. "Even if I lost today, I'm still keepin' my spirits high! Ship's still afloat! Didn't confront Spencer like I wanted but that don't matter! Because I'm votin' him off tonight! YARR!" He made out with his plastic sword. "Wow, I love acting like a pirate! Bryce, the cutlass? Will you marry me?" His eyes morphed into hearts after gazing at his plastic sword.
-static-
Kayla: "As much as Emily gives off bad vibes, I'm voting for Spencer. When it comes to voting, two are stronger than Emily. We can't, like, have a couple together on the same show. I'm trusting my gut on this one…"
-static-
Nanci: "As angry as Spencer made me, I'm just not sure who to vote for…" She rubbed her arm. "Should I just trust my gut instinct?"
-static-
"Let's get on with the votes!" Phil spoke in a hurry. "Daniela and Arnold! You two are safe!" Hailee tossed two marshmallows simultaneously, as each safe contestant grabbed them in relief. "That leaves… Nanci, Emily, Kayla, and Spencer!" Upon hearing their names, Nanci's and Spencer's hearts raced, both still determined to win as they glared at each other worryingly. Kayla also remained alert, worried. Meanwhile, Emily smirked, not caring at all that her name is thrown in the bottom four.
Phil shuffled through his flashcards. "And the contestant going home tonight is…"
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"Spencer! Pack your bags! You're going… flying?"
Hailee facepalmed. "Missiles have been disposed. Haven't you been keeping up with the news?"
"Hey! I was in the hospital!" Phil retorted, about to engage in an argument, until…
"Guys!" Spencer blurted out, standing up while stuffing one hand in his packet as everyone watched in silence. "I have… immunity."
Most of the competitors gasped, not expecting Spencer, out of all people, to possess the most powerful Total Drama artifact. Lifting it on display for the entire world to see, Spencer awaited the second most-voted competitor. Nanci, Emily, and Kayla were left on the chopping block, tensions risen.
"Neato!" Phil slowly clapped, catching the tossed idol in the air. "Seal of approval? Check. Congrats, Spencer! You're safe!" He shouted. "Now, the second most-voted contestant tonight is…"
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"Nanci!"
"What?" Spencer mumbled to himself, caught off-guard, yet not surprised by the results.
Confessional:
Emily: "Wanna know what I told Daniela?" She spun around the toilet stool, carefree. "That Spencer had immunity. Since, ya' know… I let him keep it," she giggled. "False sense of security. Count your cards, and you'll have a higher chance of scoring a twenty-one. Dani knows that, so I asked for a favor: to vote off Nanci and in return, I'll help Dani out with… not sure yet. She didn't specify. But I'll figure it out." She glared at her fingernails. "'Momma never raised no lame' is what I'd use to say."
-static-
"Get packing, Ms. Awkward." Phil demanded. Nanci, initially looking down to the ground, quietly stood up, walking away in defeat while suppressing her tears. She regretted the vote she casted, but it did not matter; she was voted off regardless. She refused to turn her back to glance at her competitors one last time. Spending time on this island was one of her worst experiences of her life, and she refused to look back out of embarrassment.
"Wait, Nanci!" Spencer ran towards her on the dock, holding her hand. "Before you leave, I just want to say… you're going to be missed. You were the only person that had brightened my day. The only person that I could relate to. Spending time with you was the best time of my life, and I'll never forget the memories we made, even if they were cut short. I'm sorry that I distanced myself away. I was just… so ashamed of admitting my many… many insecurities that I buried deep beneath the Earth's core. If you don't want to forgive me, that's totally okay. I should've been more transparent from the start. But if you ever need a friend, I'll be-" And before Spencer could finish, Nanci wrapped her arms around him tightly, leaning her chin onto his shoulder.
"I forgive you." Nanci whispered, shedding a tear. "I know what happened between you and Emily. It wasn't your fault." Upon hearing those words, Spencer's jaw slightly opened. Without explaining what truly happened, she figured it out. "I'll be rooting for you back home." She gave one last tender kiss on the cheek before walking away to the end of the dock.
"I'm gonna miss you, friend!" Emily blurted out, waving goodbye. In response, Nanci scowled while facing the ocean, rubbing her arm uncomfortably as she dived into the vast ocean, swimming away.
"Oh, before we wrap it up…" Hailee interrupted. "One last thing: Daniela? As the winner of today's challenge, who will you be sharing your victory cabin with?"
"So, that's my prize? Dang, should've just laid on my couch today." Daniela remarked. "But, aye, I like sleepovers, whatever. So, the person I have in mind is…" she nibbled her finger, glancing at her competitors. Kayla, awaiting her name to be called, stood confidently, arms crossed, smiling…
"Spencer." Daniela answered, causing a ripple of confusion from her competitors, especially from both Spencer and Kayla.
"What?" Kayla jabbed.
Confessional:
Kayla: "Seriously, Dani?" She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I get it. It's not, like, a big deal if I sleep back in those crummy bunk beds, oh wait… yes, it is!" She crossed her arms, pouting. "Like, what's even her game plan here? To make Nanci jealous? She's already eliminated! If she were Kiara, she would've, ya know, lend me a hand? Not, like, throw me under the bus. Might as well throw me back at those disgusting bug-ridden beds, why don't you?"
-static-
"Seriously, Dani, what the hell?" Kayla whispered in her ear.
"Sorry, girl…" Daniela muttered back, already feeling guilt-ridden by her decision. "I'll make up for it, dude. Promise."
"Well, there goes… whatever the hell that was." The camera focused back on Phil, shrugging while confused on all the current drama. "Anyways, Phil is back, baby! Ready to bring the PAIN! The DRAMA! The TEARS! The RATINGS! I may have been gone for a… majority of the season. I may be stuck on a wheelchair with not much mobility. But… doesn't matter! I still have my sexy hunk of a voice!"
Hailee looked away, rolling her eyes in her usual, stern, arms-crossed stance. "Just get on with it."
"Shush! You're ruining the immersion." Phil retorted. "Like I was saying… stay tuned for more juicy drama! Right here! On… Total… Drama… BAKUHATSU ISLAND!"
It was 2 AM. Too late to stay awake on such a chaotic show like Total Drama. But Spencer did not care, given that he was still competing. Hungry, he scouted for midnight snacks, scavenging inside the fridge. All he could find were… pancakes, yet again. Instead, he filled his glass with water and walked towards the living room, lights out as he turned on the TV with the remote. Unsurprisingly, he only had access to one channel: Total Drama re-runs.
Sitting on the leathery couch, he decided to watch an episode out of curiosity. Few minutes into it, he recognized it instantly: World Tour. The London episode. One of his least favorite.
"Wow. Watch TV without inviting me over, why don't you?" Daniela teased, walking with a glass of water in her hand, tiredly gazing at a confused Spencer. The TV screen was the only light emitting the living room. "Kidding. Whatcha watchin'?"
"TD re-runs." Spencer remarked, already wanting to fall asleep. "This episode's about to finish anyways. Started beyond midway."
"Pfft. Didn't take you as an avid TD fan." Daniela chuckled, playfully shoving him away from the center of the small couch. "Scoot over, dude. You're acting like some kind of sumo wrestler sittin' with your legs open like that. Make some room for your bro."
"I was going to spend some alone time, but I guess privacy doesn't run in your family." Spencer joked, albeit in an accidental, rude tone.
"Why alone? You don't like me?" Daniela sat sideways, feet on the couch, continuously sipping her water while she rested her cheek on her fist.
"No-no, you're cool. You're of the only sane people on this… crazy island." Spencer corrected. "Sorry, that was rude of me."
"Oye, don't worry 'bout it!" She playfully punched Spencer's shoulder. "You can't offend me, no matter how hard you try." She turned her head, facing the TV. "I know this is World Tour, but I don't recognize this episode."
"I See London, I think? Could be the midseason episode. Don't remember," he shrugged.
"Oh, the one where Duncan kissed Gwen?"
"Think it was the other way around." Spencer pondered; they were at the part where Noah hopped off the plane after warning Owen of Mr. Eels. "Yeah, this episode was… quite a robbery."
"Oh, look…" Daniela pointed at the screen: the bathroom scene, where Duncan would pop out any minute now. "See? I remember. Sorta…" She planted her feet on the floor, scooting closer to Spencer, bumping shoulders. "This is the part where Duncan kisses Gwen. Other way around, dorky." She teasingly bumped his head with her fist.
"And then Tyler, out of nowhere, pops in. Love triangles. Never a good idea."
"Pfft. Yeah… laser love."
"What?" Spencer muttered, baffled.
"Just some goofy zinger that Kayla brought up," Daniela explained. "She thinks it means 'love on thin ice'. Sounds more like spontaneous love. Honestly, spontaneous doesn't sound too bad. Feels like true freedom if you ask me. Sounds exciting, really? Look." She pointed at the screen. "Gwen seemed happy there, don't ya' think?"
"Sounds more like… lack of responsibility if you ask me. That, to me, sounds like laser love." Spencer remarked.
"Laser love… yeah…" Daniela muttered, running through his hair with her hand, startling him by her sudden touch. Their eyes locked, gazing at each other as the credits on the TV screen rolled in the background. Suddenly, she leaned her face closer to his. Gently holding his hand, they continued looking into each other's eyes. And suddenly, just like that…
Their lips touched.
Tenderly locking lips, she wrapped her arms around his thin neck, wanting to keep going for as long as possible. Spencer timidly held his arms stiff, frozen in place. Both had their eyes closed, ignoring the static background on the screen.
Once she had let her lips free, she gazed at his sleepy eyes, running through his soft hair one last time, smiling with a slight hint of sorrow.
"Goodnight, Spence," she whispered, standing up to walk back to her bedroom. Spencer, on the other hand, remained frozen. Confused. He was not sure how to feel. It all felt so sudden. So spontaneous. He stared at the static TV screen in front of him, attempting to comprehend the kiss. The gazing. The tenderly love.
What just happened? He thought…
The Votes:
Spencer: (Emily)
Kayla: (Spencer)
Daniela: (Nanci)
Nanci: (Spencer)
Emily: (Nanci)
Arnold: (Spencer)
Elimination Table:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Nanci
7. Oliver
8. Hunter
9. Soraya
10. Rashon
11. Kiara
12. Lily
13. Zane
14. Alexander
Remaining Contestants:
Daniela, Spencer, Kayla, Arnold, Emily
And… another chapter has just been completed! One thing is for certain; this chapter will be stirring some pots today! Plot-wise, this chapter was a bit of a risk taker for me. The final scene marked quite a directional shift, as I felt like the story needed some momentum onwards. Also, I was definitely not expecting this new chapter to be my longest chapter to date! Also, one of my most plot-heavy, in my opinion. Not sure how I felt about it at first, but once I finished the few final scenes, I felt like, in my opinion, some of these scenes are too important for me to toss away, just to conform to my preestablished outline. Nevertheless, I had fun writing this chapter. My apologies for taking quite a while to update. Had it on hold for a bit, but no worries. This story will be completed. Just four more chapters to go!
My few thoughts about Nanci. I had fun writing her character, but this chapter was her time to go. She was originally supposed to be eliminated before this episode, on my earliest drafts. After a few adjustments, I knew this chapter would mark the end of their story arc.
Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room:
What are your thoughts on the final scene? Any thoughts on the staff drama and Phil's return? Who do you think will be eliminated next? Any closing/overall thoughts?
I'm so excited to start updating again! Thank you all once again to my fellow readers and reviewers! Next chapter is drama-heavy, so be prepared!
