A/N: I've been looking forward to writing this one for a while, now. Sorry if it's a bit shorter than usual, but hopefully you enjoy it.
"Last time on Total Drama House Party…" Yolonda sat in the shotgun seat of the Taxi of Shame for the recap. "Out contestants painted the town red… and yellow, and blue. The challenge was a game of paintball, and nobody came out without taking some hits. Sadly, there's not much else I can say, because Kiki's in the back seat, and I don't want her overhearing anything."
"Ernie I can kind of understand, but why David…?" Kiki muttered forlornly to herself.
"I was pretty surprised to see her get voted out," Yolonda told the camera. "And we'll be asking her some questions in today's episode. Not just her, but the eleven other contestants who didn't quite have what it took to make the merge. Spankety, Ziggy, Preston, Mac, Susan, Jilly, Tucker, Nolan, CJ, Bailey, Chappy, and Kiki will all be here for interviews, reflections, and we get to see how they're holding up since they left the game."
"This late at night?" Kiki asked.
"Actually, we'll be holding the interviews tomorrow," Yolonda said. "In order to give you some time to cool off."
"So why are you in the taxi with me right now?" Kiki asked.
"My uncle didn't want to waste gas," Yolonda shrugged. "'Money doesn't grow on trees!', he said."
"Whatever," Kiki remarked.
"So, how are these losers doing? What's changed since we last saw these twelve misfits? What's stayed the same? Find out today, on Total! Drama! House Party!"
After a brief transition of static, the camera cuts to Yolonda, standing in front of a motel.
"This is the Motel of Rejects!" Yolonda announced. "After someone is voted out of Total Drama House Party, they're sent here to stay. Other than their bedrooms, we've provided free food, a pool and hot tub, a room with a bunch of board games, and room service, courtesy of our hardworking unnamed interns."
Yolonda walked closer to the motel.
"Since we'll be doing things in order, why not start with interviewing Spankety?" she asked the camera. She approached a motel door with Spankety's name on it and knocked on it.
"Uh, actually, nobody's heard from Spankety since they got here," Ziggy commented. He sat at an outdoor table with Preston and Nolan as the three played cards. "I've been here almost as long as she has, and I don't think she's left her room since she arrived."
"Really?" Yolonda asked. "I guess being voted out first took more of a toll on her than we thought."
"From what I can tell, she wasn't playing that hard anyway," Preston scoffed. "Good riddance."
"Well, since you and Ziggy are here, Preston, we might as well interview you now and see if we can catch Spankety later," Yolonda suggested. "You can stick around if you want, Nolan."
"Much obliged," Nolan nodded.
"Now, Ziggy, you were voted out for being weak in challenges and aloof from your teammates," Yolonda said. "Any comments on that?"
"I guess I can't really help my physical strength much," Ziggy chuckled. "I've tried working out, but it just isn't for me. I get exhausted pretty easily."
"Do you regret not making social connections with your teammates in the game?" Yolonda inquired.
"Kinda," Ziggy said. "I mean, I've gotten to know most of them here, in a context where I don't have to worry about the game. But as far as the game goes, I guess someone has to leave early, so why not have it be me? Like Preston loves to remind me, I wasn't playing super-hard."
"It's true," Preston added.
"But hey, better to make friends and win no money than to make enemies in order to win the money," Ziggy decided.
"So, you seem pretty quiet overall," Yolonda noticed. "Does that affect your social life, inside the game or out?"
"I mean, it obviously played a part in the game, since I'm sitting here talking with you," Ziggy chuckled. "But I do have friends outside the game. Ulric, Washington, Allan…"
"That's great, but can we talk to me now?" Preston asked Yolonda. "I was the most robbed of everyone here, and I'm the one the fans want to see."
"You were voted out third," Nolan commented. "How are you more robbed than Spankety or Ziggy?"
"Because they weren't even trying," Preston answered smugly. "I had the perfect gameplan, only to get screwed over by some backstabber. Probably Judy."
"So, Preston…" Yolonda started.
"I already know what you're going to ask me," Preston said confidently. "I can see it in your body language. And to answer your questions in order: Yes. Yes. No. Yes. Maybe. Sometimes. Only on Tuesdays. No, why do you ask?"
"Alright then. Guess my interview with you is finished," Yolonda shrugged. "Now, where's Mac? It's his turn."
"Wait, I was joking!" Preston gasped.
"But you answered all my questions," Yolonda said with a wry grin. "No need to stretch this out."
"Come on! It's what the fans want!" Preston insisted.
"Just do it," Nolan sighed. "He won't leave you alone until you do."
"Wow. Rude," Preston commented.
"Alright then," Yolonda sighed. "But the second you answer a question before I ask it is the second this interview is over."
"Got it," Preston nodded.
"You mentioned that you think Judy backstabbed you," Yolonda brought up. "Why do you think it was her specifically?"
"Because she's so wishy-washy," Preston answered. "I mean, she voted Chappy out, didn't she? I see no reason why she wouldn't do the same to me. Besides, Chappy needed me, so he wouldn't turn on me like that.
"You seemed awfully surprised to be voted out. Didn't you sense in anyone's body language that you'd be going home that night?" Yolonda asked.
"I wasn't paying attention, honestly," Preston confessed. "I figured I had Susan locked up to go home. I mean, why on Earth would anyone keep her over me, especially in the middle of a losing streak?"
"Well, it's nice to see your humbleness hasn't changed one bit," Nolan remarked.
"Shut up," Preston responded dryly.
"Who of the final eight do you think is playing the best game right now?" Yolonda asked.
"Well, it's hard to say considering they don't let us watch footage from past episodes in this motel," Preston remarked. "If I had to choose, I guess I'm the most surprised that Ernie hasn't gone home yet. He seemed pretty useless, and yet he's survived four elimination ceremonies, so he's probably doing something right."
"Here's an interesting one: How did you learn to read people so well?" Yolonda asked.
"It's not something to be learned, it's just a gift," Preston informed her. "I just happen to be very perceptive."
"Alright, well that should do it," Yolonda said. "Thank you, Ziggy and Preston. Nolan, I'll interview you later."
"Well, I'm not going anywhere," Nolan told her. "Not until I can beat Preston at poker."
"I'm telling you, it can't be done," Ziggy told Nolan.
Yolonda entered the dining area, where Mac and Chappy were in the middle of eating breakfast.
"Oh, hey, Yolonda got voted out!" Mac exclaimed. "Imagine that!"
"She's probably just here for interviews or something," Chappy told Mac. "Unless Franklin really is that much of a cheater that he can vote off the house chef."
"No, you were right the first time, Chappy," Yolonda said. "I'm conducting interviews in order of elimination, and it's Mac's turn."
"Whoa. Does that mean you got Spankety to come out of her room?" Mac asked. "Nobody's been able to get her to come out all summer."
"I haven't been able to reach her yet," Yolonda admitted. "But that's neither here nor there. Let's talk about you."
"Cool!" Mac grinned.
"So, Mac, do you know why you were eliminated?" Yolonda asked.
Mac's grin fell. "Yeah, I do. Nolan told me all about it when he got here," Mac answered. "He apologized and stuff, but I don't totally forgive him. I slugged him in the arm to make up for it."
"I see," Yolonda nodded. "Do you see your obsession with pain as a problem?"
"Naw, of course not," Mac said, his now-serious demeanor unchanging. "It's not like it's ever caused me any permanent harm."
"So, you mentioned having your eyes on a girl in the game," Yolonda said. "Care to say who it is?"
Mac gave a wide grin once again. "I'm gonna leave it up to the fans to guess. Heeheehahaha."
"That laugh always creeped me out," Chappy commented.
"Any hints as to who it is?" Yolonda asked.
"Might as well," Mac shrugged. "She's already been eliminated. So it's not Rachel, Lauren, Judy, or Erica."
"Cool. So you've been able to get to know her here at the motel?" Yolonda asked.
"Maaaaaaaaybe," Mac grinned.
"Alright, well that should be it for you, Mac," Yolonda said. "So that means Susan is up next."
"Heh. Good luck with that one," Chappy sneered.
Yolonda found Susan, Bailey, and Kiki in the board game room, playing Scrabble.
"Hey, gals," Yolonda greeted.
"Oh, hey, it's that one girl!" Susan exclaimed. "Hi, that one girl!"
"Yolonda's here to interview us," Kiki told her.
"That's right, and right now it's Susan's turn," Yolonda nodded.
"Coolio!" Susan grinned. "Hit me with your best shot!"
"Well, for starters, you seem to be in a much better mood than you were late into your stay in the game," Yolonda noted. "Why do you think that is?"
"Aw, I was afraid you'd ask about that," Susan sighed. "I have a bad habit of letting my emotions go totally overboard. So if I get mad, I get really mad. And the game was super stressful for me. I guess it's for the best that I went early. Who knows what would have happened if I'd stayed longer?"
"Now, it's no secret that Bailey cast the deciding vote for your elimination," Yolonda pointed out. "Are you angry at her?"
"No way. I was actually afraid she'd be angry at me!" Susan answered. "I was so mean to her! But after she got voted out, she came up to me and apologized for voting me out, and I apologized for losing my temper, and we hugged each other and cried for like seven hours…"
"Actually it was more like twenty minutes, but yes, all is forgiven," Bailey smiled.
"You certainly made your feelings for Franklin known," Yolonda said. "Are you afraid Franklin might be romantically involved with Judy, or perhaps another girl still in the game?"
"Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he was," Susan sighed. "He's so handsome and nice, and Judy's Miss Perfect. Why shouldn't they get together?"
"Well, you'll be happy to know that Franklin is still single," Yolonda said with a grin.
"He is?!" Susan gasped. "I mean, I probably don't deserve him. Do I? I kinda messed up… do you think he still wants to be my friend?"
"Hey, I'm asking the questions here," Yolonda chuckled. "So, why do you want a boyfriend so much anyway? That seemed to be one of the only things on your mind in the game."
"Well… to be honest… I've never had a boyfriend before. Shocking, right?" Susan said with a sad smile. "I'm 16 years old and I've still never even kissed a boy. How sad is that?"
"There's no shame in it. And I'm sure there's a guy out there for you. You may not know him yet, but he's out there," Yolonda told her. "Anyway, last question, if you ended up on a team without Chappy or Judy, do you think you wouldn't have been so stressed?"
"It's possible," Susan pondered. "Though, knowing my luck, I'd probably end up on Tucker's team instead, and that'd be no fun."
"But if you were on my team instead of Lauren, we'd probably both be in the merge right now," Kiki commented.
"But then I wouldn't be friends with my Bailey," Susan frowned. "She's my best friend and I love her."
"Um, thanks…?" Bailey said awkwardly, not knowing how to take the compliment.
"Well, that's enough for Susan," Yolonda said. "Bailey, Kiki, I'll speak with you two later."
"Jilly's next, right?" Bailey asked. "I think I saw her at the hot tub."
"Thanks. I'll head right there," Yolonda nodded.
Yolonda arrived at the pool and hot tub. Jilly, true to what Bailey said, was relaxing in the hot tub. She wore a blue swimsuit and had her hair down and her goggles off, revealing her dark green eyes. Tucker and Preston were nearby in the swimming pool.
"You sure you don't want to join us in here, Jilly?" Tucker offered with a sneaky grin. "The water's nice, but it'd be even nicer with you in it. Heheheh."
"Naw, dude, this hot tub is legit," Jilly sighed contentedly. "I could chill here all day."
"Jilly? Could I trouble you for an interview, sugar?" Yolonda asked.
"Oh, hey, Yolonda," Jilly grinned. "Yeah, that'd be sick! Let's do it!"
"Alright then," Yolonda chuckled. "You lost the game due to a tiebreaker. Do you feel like you were cheated out of the game?"
"Eh, kinda, especially considering who else was in the bottom two…" Jilly admitted.
"Tucker heard that!" Tucker shouted from the pool.
"But I mean, we all have to go sometime, and between you and me, as far as parties go, this one was kinda lame," Jilly continued. "More like 'Total Drama Strategy Party', am I right?"
"Strategy is important!" Preston insisted.
"Weren't you playing cards with Ziggy and Nolan a couple minutes ago?" Yolonda asked.
"I kept winning and got bored," Preston shrugged. "Besides, I need to make up for lost screentime."
"…You and Lauren started the game off as friends, but after she blindsided Spankety, you wanted nothing to do with her," Yolonda pointed out to Jilly. "Now that some time has passed, do you think you can be friends with her again?"
"I dunno, man," Jilly shrugged. "I mean, it seems like she really did a number on my girl Spankety. Then again, she did try to vote Tucker out the night I left, so who knows?"
"Actually, Lauren voted for you that night. David voted for Tucker," Yolonda informed her.
"For real?" Jilly asked excitedly. "Why do you think David did that? Does he dig me? I bet he digs me. …So does he?"
"Sorry, Jilly, David's got his eye on someone else," Yolonda said sympathetically. "And besides, do you really need a reason to vote for Tucker?"
"Tucker heard that!" Tucker shouted once again from the pool.
"Good point," Jilly grinned.
"So, knowing Lauren tried voting you out, I take it you're not likely to patch things up with her anytime soon?" Yolonda inquired.
"Hell naw," Jilly answered. "That girl is all kinds of crazy. She's probably only still in the game because people know she'd be a target."
"Actually, that's exactly why she's still in the game," Yolonda snickered.
"Aw, for real?" Jilly laughed. "That's great!"
"Alright, last question," Yolonda started. "Who do you think is going to win it all?"
"Well, I never talked much with the people from the other team, but that Barry kid seems alright," Jilly said. "I don't see him getting voted out anytime soon, so who knows? Maybe it'll be him."
"Alright. Thanks for your time and answers," Yolonda said. "Which means… it's Tucker's turn."
"You rang?" Tucker asked as he appeared behind Yolonda, wearing only a pair of red swim trunks.
"Let's just get this overwith," Yolonda sighed. "So, Tucker, where do you think you went wrong to get you voted out?"
"Evidently, Tucker's attempts to blindside Lauren screwed him over," Tucker admitted. "With the vote split, the girls had the perfect opportunity to take him out."
"But it was a 3-1-1 vote," Yolonda pointed out. "Meaning either David or Ernie also voted for you."
"Wait, really?" Tucker gasped. "Tucker assumed it was 2-1-1-1. Two for Tucker, one for Lauren, one for Kiki, one for… David?"
"Nope. David ended up being the third vote for you," Yolonda said. "Do you regret blackmailing him knowing that he cast the deciding vote for you to go?"
"What choice did Tucker have?" Tucker asked. "If Tucker hadn't blackmailed David, David would have told the others about Tucker's… escapades. Heheheheh. And then Tucker probably would have left even earlier."
"But if you hadn't blackmailed David, you'd probably still have the majority, with Spankety and Jilly gone," Yolonda pointed out.
"Can we talk about something else now? Like, how would Tucker rank the girls in this game based on hotness. Tucker has a list, you know," Tucker said with a sly grin.
"Bottom line is, even if you had been caught, people would still hate you, but you'd still be in the game along with Ernie and David," Yolonda continued.
"Okay, okay, Tucker gets it!" Tucker snapped. "For the record, Tucker's list, from hottest to ugliest, is Rachel, Judy, Lauren, CJ…"
"I don't want to hear it," Yolonda said.
"Well, just for that, Tucker's moving you right below Erica," Tucker huffed.
"Wait, I'm on the list too?" Yolonda asked.
"Yep. Pity you'll never know where exactly you're ranked," Tucker said condescendingly. "For all you know, Erica could have been next right after CJ."
"She's not," Preston chimed in. "Erica is, well, was, second-to-last, just ahead of Spankety."
Yolonda glared at Tucker.
"What can Tucker say? If Erica showed a bit more skin, then maybe she'd have a chance," Tucker chuckled.
"Alright, let's change the subject," Yolonda said flatly. "Who do you want to win in the end?"
"Ideally, Tucker comes back and takes the game for himself," Tucker grinned. "But if nobody's coming back, then Tucker would choose Rachel. We need more hot girl winners. The only one we've had so far is Heather, and she's honestly only a 7. Rachel, Judy, and Lauren are all 9 or above. But Rachel's the hottest, so Tucker picks her."
"Gotcha…" Yolonda said, holding back anger. "Last question. Why do you always speak in third person?"
"It makes Tucker sound cool," Tucker grinned. "Think of some famous characters who speak like that. Duffman. Shermanator. Elmo. All lady-killing badasses. So, logically, doing the same helps Tucker's image as a lady-killing badass."
"Logically," Yolonda echoed facetiously. "Well, that's all the time I can muster to be around you. I'm moving on to Nolan."
"He and Ziggy are still at the poker table," Preston informed her. "I think Chappy joined them as I left."
Yolonda returned to the poker table, where, true enough, Nolan, Ziggy, and Chappy were playing cards.
"Two pairs," Ziggy said as he showed his hand.
"Three of a kind," Nolan revealed.
"Flush," Chappy revealed.
"Nice," Nolan complimented.
"You know, I could get into this gambling thing," Chappy chuckled. "Since I lost the grand prize, maybe I could pay a visit to a casino and make money that way."
"As a gambler myself, I wouldn't recommend it," Nolan said. "It's fun as a hobby, but if you put all your money into it, you risk losing everything."
"I've already lost everything," Chappy grunted.
"You still have a house to live in, do you not?" Nolan pointed out. "With food to eat and video games to play."
"…Crap, I see your point," Chappy grumbled.
"Hope I'm not interrupting anything," Yolonda said.
"Ah, I assume it's my turn to interview," Nolan said. "Considering you already spoke with Ziggy, and I was eliminated before Chappy."
"That's right," Yolonda nodded. "So, first question: you made it clear why you chose to play with your dice twist, but why did you keep it up, knowing it'd put you in danger?"
"Well, why not?" Nolan asked. "It certainly made things more interesting as far as I'm concerned. Besides, in a game like this, being good at strategy doesn't necessarily mean victory, so even if I did play normally, there's still a low chance of me winning. So if I'm going to lose, might as well make things a bit more chaotic, just for fun."
"The dice chose CJ for you as an ally early on," Yolonda pointed out. "Early on, you said you enjoyed her company, but it didn't take long for you to get fed up with her. Did she do something big to make you change your mind, or are you just fickle?"
"Little of column A, little of column B," Nolan admitted. "I mean, I'd be lying if I said I didn't think CJ was kind of cute, but she did nothing but complain and stalk me the entire time, and it got grating pretty quickly."
"How did you get into gambling in the first place?" Yolonda asked.
"Well, every Saturday, my dad would have his friends over to smoke cigars and play Texas Hold 'Em," Nolan said. "Once I was old enough to figure it out, he taught me how to play and I got to join them. I never minded the smell of the cigars, since I'd gotten so used to it over the years. But yeah, you have my dad to thank for me getting into gambling, and, by extension, the dice twist."
"Did your dad teach you how to dress too?" Chappy remarked.
"I don't think so. I was pretty young when… Hey, wait a minute!" Nolan realized.
"Socks and sandals were never cool, dude," Chappy chuckled. "Neither were baggy capri pants."
"Yeah, well I don't like Mountain Dew, but I don't knock you for liking it," Nolan retorted.
"Yeah, but I don't make you drink it, do I?" Chappy asked. "I don't care if you like socks and sandals, but you're still making me look at it."
"We're getting off-topic here," Yolonda said. "So, do you think you've made any social connections in the game, or has the dice twist prevented you from doing that?"
"I'm honestly not sure," Nolan said. "I mean, Ziggy and I get along pretty well, and I don't think there's anyone here that I actively dislike, but I'm not sure about long-lasting friendships. No offense, Ziggy."
"None taken," Ziggy responded.
"But hey, making it on the show at all is pretty much a dream come true, so I'm not complaining," Nolan continued. "I wonder if people are going to start writing fanfiction about this cast."
"Do people actually do that?" Chappy asked.
"You'd be surprised," Nolan smirked. "The internet has all sorts of things you wouldn't expect."
"Last question," Yolonda said. "If you were asked to come back for another season, would you still use your dice twist?"
"Depends on what the fans think of it, I guess," Nolan shrugged. "If they liked it, then sure, might as well. If they thought it was annoying, then I'll probably just scrap it and play with my own brain."
"Well, up next is CJ," Yolonda thought aloud. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen her all day. Do you guys know where she is?"
"Who?" Ziggy asked.
"Yeah, I've never heard of a CJ," Chappy added.
"Ignore them," Nolan said. "She's probably in her room. Unlike Spankety, though, she has been known to leave it from time to time, so you might be able to reach her."
"Who is this CJ anyway?" Ziggy asked.
"Maybe she's the mysterious thirteenth loser," Chappy said ominously. "Who haunts this very motel as revenge for being voted out."
"Spooky," Ziggy remarked.
"Alrighty then," Yolonda commented as she left for CJ's room.
Yolonda checked the bottom floor of motel rooms and found the door labeled with CJ's name on it. She knocked hesitantly on the door.
"CJ? I'm here for an interview," Yolonda said.
The door opened a crack, and CJ's voice spoke from the other side.
"You can see me?" CJ asked, sounding confused.
"Well, I can hear you at least," Yolonda said. "May I come in?"
"Please!" CJ shouted as she swung the door open. "Come in!" CJ's smile conveyed that she was actually happy to see Yolonda.
"So, I'm just going to ask you some questions…" Yolonda said.
"Oh, please do!" CJ said excitedly.
"Well, first of all, why are you so excited to see me?" Yolonda asked warily.
"I'm not entirely convinced I exist," CJ said.
"What?" Yolonda asked.
"I'm not sure I exist," CJ said. "What part of that is so hard to understand?"
"I understand what you're saying, I just want to know why you think so," Yolonda said.
"Well, nobody's even acknowledged my presence for days," CJ said. "The last time anyone paid any attention to me is when I first got here and Mac punched me in the gut. After that, nothing. I think he might have killed me. That's why nobody knows I'm here. I'm a ghost. So why can you see me?"
"Why would they do that?" Yolonda asked. "They can't see the footage from the game. It's not like they know what you did."
"Well, I might have bragged about it when I showed up," CJ confessed. "Don't blame me. I was so excited to finally be out of this retarded game!"
"I think the others are just ignoring you," Yolonda decided.
"How would you know they're just ignoring me?" CJ asked confrontationally.
"Because Nolan told me where you were," Yolonda said. "And it seems like he wants no part of this joke."
"So… you mean… I'm not dead…?" CJ asked. "I'm not… I'm not sure what to think of that."
"Speaking of the game, why didn't you just say 'I quit' and let yourself be pulled?" Yolonda asked.
"You can do that?!" CJ gasped. "Holy shit! I could have saved so much time, effort, and scorn!"
"Do you feel any regret for the way you acted and the things you did just to get voted out?" Yolonda asked.
"I guess…" CJ said. "I should probably feel worse than I do, and I do feel at least a little bad, but it's not really my problem anymore. It's all in the past."
"Rachel's arm is still broken, you know," Yolonda told her.
"And she's still in the game, so clearly it's not that big of an issue," CJ said.
"Why do you think Nolan didn't want to pretend like you didn't exist?" Yolonda asked.
"…I don't know," CJ admitted. "I'm just as confused as you are."
"What do you honestly think of Nolan?" Yolonda asked.
"I mean…" CJ trailed off. "Aw, why should I tell you?"
"I just helped you with your existential crisis," Yolonda said. "I figure you owe me at least this."
"Alright, fine…" CJ sighed. "Remember early on when I said there was only one reason to stick around. Well… Nolan was that reason. I… may have a small crush on him. I know I acted like I couldn't stand him, but that was only to annoy people to get them to vote me out. And if you tell anyone any of this, I'll kill you, I swear."
"Well, Nolan mentioned thinking you were kind of cute," Yolonda said. "Do you think that might be why he didn't go along with the prank?"
CJ made an anxious face and stayed silent.
"Do you think there's still a chance for you two?" Yolonda asked.
"Okay, now you're just prying into my private life. Stop it," CJ said sternly.
"I thought you wanted attention. You know, after not getting it for the past few days," Yolonda pointed out.
"Alright, fine!" CJ cried. "No, I don't think there's a chance with him. He probably can't stand me. That's why he hasn't talked to me since I got here. In fact, maybe he does think I don't exist. Maybe you're just a liar!"
"Well, you can feel free to ask him," Yolonda said. "If you don't exist, then you have nothing to lose. If you do exist, then you'll find out. Anyway, last question: What does CJ stand for?"
"That's it?" CJ asked. "Well, if you must know, it stands for Caroline Jane. But since Neil Diamond ruined my name forever, I go by CJ."
"Well, that's all I needed to know," Yolonda said. "Have fun figuring out whether or not you're really alive."
Yolonda returned to the board game room, where Bailey, Susan, and Preston were playing Monopoly.
"Bailey? It's your turn for an interview," Yolonda greeted.
"Oh, is it?" Bailey asked. She turned to the others. "Is it alright if I take this?"
"Yeah, go ahead," Susan nodded.
"It's not like you have much to say anyway," Preston remarked. Susan elbowed him in the side, causing him to yelp out in pain.
"So, Bailey, I can see you're already a lot more outgoing and social than you were at the start of the game," Yolonda pointed out. "Any comments on that?"
"Not much to say, really," Bailey said. "I guess I just learned not to be so afraid of other people judging me, and I began to open up. Franklin really helped out with that, as did Susan when I met back up with her after my elimination."
"Speaking of Franklin, you more or less quit the game for his sake. Do you regret your decision?" Yolonda asked.
"A little bit," Bailey confessed. "Sure, the game was fun, but Franklin needs to win more than I do, and besides, I still get to hang out and have fun out here. Overall, I'd say it's a win-win, despite the cost."
"Speak for yourself," Preston mumbled.
"Franklin's started playing a bit more cutthroat since you left," Yolonda mentioned. "What do you think of that?"
"I think he's doing what he has to do to win," Bailey said. "I think he respects my decision to quit for his sake and he's trying not to let it happen in vain."
"You think pretty highly of him, don't you?" Yolonda asked.
Bailey began to blush. "Well, he was my only friend for a good portion of my game. Not to mention he's very pleasant to be around, and… um… what were we talking about again?"
"Bailey's got a crush," Preston taunted.
"Oh, like you've never had a crush before," Susan retorted.
"No, I haven't," Preston said. "I'm asexual."
"Wait, you are?!" Susan gasped. "How did I not know that?!"
"You never asked," Preston nodded. He then turned to the camera. "And you, the audience, can learn even more fascinating facts about me if you sign the petition to bring me back into the game that's no doubt somewhere on the internet by now."
"You've mentioned dabbling in poetry before," Yolonda said to Bailey. "Have you written anything since you've arrive here?"
"No, I haven't," Bailey admitted. "I've been having too much fun with the others. It gets pretty tiring, to be honest. By the time people start turning in for the night, I'm too burned out to work on anything."
"Oh my gosh, I didn't know!" Susan gasped. "I'm so sorry!"
"It's alright," Bailey smiled. "I enjoy spending time with you guys."
"Last question," Yolonda said. "Do you think Franklin stands a chance in the merge, with Team Thunder only having two teammates left, and the other teams with three?"
"I think he can do it," Bailey smiled. "He's survived this long with the odds against him. I think he can go all the way."
"Well, thanks for your time," Yolonda said. "Next up is Chappy."
"Heh. Good luck with that one," Susan scoffed,
"Funny. That's exactly what he said when I was about to interview you," Yolonda told Susan.
Susan pouted at this news.
Chappy, Tucker, and Mac all sat in Chappy's room, playing on an Xbox. Yolonda knocked on the open door, signaling that she was there.
"Chappy? Your turn for an interview," Yolonda said.
"Just a sec," Chappy said. "Fifteen more seconds and the match is over."
"And Tucker's totally going to win," Tucker grinned.
"Not if I kick your ass first. Heeheehahaha!" Mac cackled.
"Aaaaaaand… game!" Chappy announced. "And I win by two kills."
"Tucker went easy on you," Tucker insisted.
"Tucker's always easy," Mac chuckled.
"Why you! Get over here!" Tucker threatened as he chased Mac outside of the room.
Yolonda shut the door. "For the sake of peace and quiet," she said.
"Good call," Chappy nodded.
"So, Chappy," Yolonda said. "How does it feel to lose so close to the merge?"
"It freakin' sucks!" Chappy snapped. "Judy stabbed me in the back, knowing full well about my situation! How do you think it feels?!"
"To be fair, you did throw Judy under the bus with the notebook incident," Yolonda pointed out.
"She doesn't need the money like I do," Chappy said. "If she wins, I figure she owes me at least a fourth of her prize money."
"Are you aware of Franklin's situation?" Yolonda asked.
"Whatever it is, it can't be worse than what I'm going through," Chappy grumbled.
"He grew up with abusive parents," Yolonda said. "He doesn't live with them anymore, though he did hint yesterday that they might both be dead, so who knows?"
"You sure you should be telling me this?" Chappy asked. "Franklin's home life isn't your business or mine."
"…Shoot, you're right," Yolonda said. "I've had some pretty loose lips today. Thanks for calling me out on that."
"Whatever," Chappy grunted.
"So, if you had made the merge, how do you think you would have played?" Yolonda asked.
"It's like I said. I'd let the bigger threats like Judy keep the target off my back, while I mastermind the votes and put the target on the backs of threats who are against me," Chappy explained.
"You know, judging by how Kiki left last night, there might be someone in the game who's already taken that role," Yolonda pointed out.
"Tch. Rip-off," Chappy remarked. "Find your own ideas, why don't you?!"
"Alright, last question," Yolonda said. "Who are you rooting for to win it all?"
"I dunno. Whoever's using my merge idea, I guess," Chappy grumbled.
"Well, thanks for your time," Yolonda said.
"I don't suppose I've been considered for any all-stars seasons?" Chappy asked.
"We haven't considered anyone for an all-stars season," Yolonda answered. "Especially after the last one bombed so badly."
"Heh. Good point," Chappy snickered.
Yolonda found Kiki and Jilly knocking on Spankety's door.
"Yo, Spanx!" Jilly shouted. "Kiki's here! You wanna talk to her?"
"Spankety, are you alright?" Kiki asked.
"Still no luck?" Yolonda asked as she approached.
"Nothing," Jilly answered.
"That's too bad. I still haven't been able to interview her," Yolonda frowned. "But while we're both here, Kiki, you want to do your interview?"
"Might as well," Kiki shrugged.
"So, now that you've had a day to calm down, are you still angry at Ernie and David?" Yolonda asked.
"Yeah, kind of," Kiki admitted. "I really trusted them, but they just proved that I was right: guys aren't to be trusted."
"On the topic, why are you afraid of guys?" Yolonda asked.
"Ugh, I knew you were going to ask that," Kiki sighed. "Let's just say an ex-boyfriend of mine, who I thought was really sweet and respectable, got a bit too touchy-feely for my liking, and…" Tears began streaming down Kiki's face. "It was awful. I'll never forget it."
"Whoa," Jilly simply said. "I didn't know that."
"I don't like talking about it," Kiki sniffled. "And I was saving myself for marriage, too…"
"That's okay, let it out," Yolonda said with a soft smile.
The camera cut to a bit later. Kiki wiped some tears out of her eyes with a tissue. There was a trash can nearby that was full of tissues.
"Do you think you're ready to answer more questions?" Yolonda asked.
Kiki sniffled and nodded. "Yeah. Thanks for letting me have that. It's been so long since my last good cry."
"No problem, girl," Yolonda smiled. "Now, are you disappointed to go right before the merge?"
"I'm disappointed to have gone at all," Kiki admitted. "I really thought I could win the whole thing."
"Why do you think Ernie and David voted against you?" Yolonda asked.
"I want to say she probably did 'favors' for them, but that doesn't seem like David," Kiki said. "Maybe they thought I was a threat or something. Or maybe they're just sociopaths who like to make vulnerable girls think they're trustworthy, only to stab them in the back."
"It was the second one," Yolonda said.
"Oh," Kiki said. "I guess I feel a bit better knowing that, but not much."
"Why not?" Yolonda asked.
"I mean, they still led me on," Kiki explained. "I don't think they even really liked me all that much."
"Actually, David felt pretty bad about it, and even Ernie admitted to considering you a friend," Yolonda said. "Wow, Chappy's right, I really am bad with keeping personal information, well, personal."
"Really?" Kiki asked. "That helps too. I think. I still need some time to let this sit in my head."
"What do you think of everyone's chances of the people who are left in the game?" Yolonda asked.
"I don't see Lauren winning, like, at all," Kiki said. "She might be able to squeak by as someone's goat, but she can't win. Erica has no social connections from what I can tell, so she doesn't seem likely either. Franklin, Judy, Barry, and David are all challenge threats, so I can't see them making it far, because if one win immunity, one of the others will probably get voted out. That just leaves Ernie and Rachel. Two sneaky players. I think the winner will be one of them."
"Interesting," Yolonda said.
"Dang, this girl knows what's up," Jilly remarked.
"And yet we're here while Lauren is still in the game," Kiki smirked. "Sad, isn't it?"
"Last question," Yolonda said. "Have you ever had romantic feelings for Ernie?"
Kiki blushed heavily.
"I guess that answers that question," Yolonda snickered.
"Called it!" Jilly shouted.
"Well, that should do it," Yolonda said. She turned to the camera. "But this episode's not over yet."
"It's not?" Jilly asked.
"Nope. Because tonight, we're going to do something to change up the game," Yolonda said, still facing the camera.
"Bringing people back?" Kiki asked hopefully.
"You'll see," Yolonda said with a savvy grin.
The sun was setting, and the eleven losers, minus Spankety, all sat at some tables outdoors, such as the poker table.
"I'm sure you're wondering why I've called you all here," Yolonda said
"I seriously am! The suspension is killing me!" Susan cried.
"You mean 'suspense'?" Preston corrected.
"That too!"
"Well, if you haven't figured it out already, we'll be letting four, count 'em four, of you back into the game," Yolonda said.
"Nice," Ziggy grinned.
"That's, like, a third of us!" Kiki exclaimed happily. "That means a 33% chance of getting picked."
"I seriously hope I don't come back…" CJ thought aloud.
"What would happen if she picked the mysterious thirteenth loser, CJ?" Tucker asked.
"Okay, guys, it was funny for like a day, but it's gotten old," Nolan said.
"Nolan…" CJ said quietly.
"Alright, I have a hat with all twelve of your names written on little cards," Yolonda said. "I also have your motel room keys. If I toss you your key, that means that you were not chosen and are still out of the game."
…
…
…
"Ziggy, you are still out of the game," Yolonda said as she tossed the boy his key.
"Aw, man," Ziggy frowned.
…
…
…
"CJ, you're still out," Yolonda said.
"Ugh. Thank God," CJ exhaled.
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"Jilly, you're out."
"Aw, dang it," Jilly said disappointedly.
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"As is Susan."
"I guess that's for the best," Susan decided.
"That's half of the people who won't be returning," Yolonda said.
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…
"Kiki, you're still out," Yolonda said.
"Figures," Kiki said with a sigh.
…
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"And Chappy, sorry."
"God dammit," Chappy griped.
"Only two more losers," Yolonda said. "And they are…"
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"Nolan,"
"I guess luck just wasn't on my side in this game," Nolan shrugged.
"And…"
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"…Preston. You are still out."
"What?!" Preston snapped. "That was cruel!"
"That's what you get for trying to insert yourself in every other interview," Yolonda said. "Which means that the four who are returning are…" Yolonda looked through the hat.
"Mac!"
"Nice!" Mac cheered.
"Tucker!"
"Yes. Tucker is back in action," Tucker sneered.
"Bailey!"
"Wait, really?" Bailey gasped. "Awesome."
"And… Spankety…"
"Well that's awkward," Jilly said.
"Does this mean we get a re-draw?" Preston asked.
"Oh, get over yourself," Chappy grunted. "You lost. Get over it."
"Heh. You of all people should be the last one telling me that," Preston smirked.
"Is it true…?" A voice said from behind the losers. They turned their heads to see a girl standing behind them.
The girl had dark skin and black hair that went down to her mid-back. She wore very dark blue makeup over her dark brown eyes. She also wore a black hoodie with holes at the end of the sleeves for her thumbs, as well as baggy blue jeans and black sneakers with white soles.
"Is it true…?" she asked again. "Am I really back in the game…?"
"…Spankety?" Mac asked, confused.
"Spankety is but a memory of my past self…" the girl said. "Spankety no longer exists…"
"But you are the girl who was voted off first?" Bailey asked.
"I am…" 'Spankety' said. "But I heard that I might be coming back to the game? Is that true, or is it just another cold, heartless joke that is inevitable in life…?"
"Heh. Tucker likes this new Spankety," Tucker chuckled.
"Please don't call me by that foolish and juvenile name…" 'Spankety' requested. "It makes my ears cry in agony to remind me that I was once such an ignorant child…"
"Well, we never did learn your real name," Yolonda said. "What do you want us to call you?"
"My real name… is Sonamjit…" Sonamjit said.
"She was right. That doesn't sound very clownish," Mac muttered.
"Well, the four who are back in the game, follow me. The rest of you, I'm sorry, but you'll have to stay here until the finale," Yolonda said.
"Drag," Kiki frowned.
"Good luck, Bailey!" Susan cheered.
"Come on, Span- er, Sonamjit," Mac coaxed as he, Bailey, and Tucker began to follow Yolonda. "That means you, too."
"Excellent…" Sonamjit said coldly. "Perhaps I can have my vengeance after all…"
"Uh, sure," Mac chuckled awkwardly.
The five of them arrived at the Taxi of Shame.
"Well, it's been a fun day of interviews," Yolonda said to the camera. "We got to see how the losers have fared since being voted off. We even learned some new things about them. And in the end, four of them are coming back. Bailey, Tucker, Mac, and Sonamjit. Can one of them win it all? Find out, next time, on Total! Drama! House Party!"
A/N: Yup, that's four returnees. I've honestly planned for these four to come back from the beginning, and each have their own role to play in the merge. What are those plans, you may ask? Well, you'll have to read on and find out.