Disclaimer: Total Drama characters belong to Fresh Tv. and their original creators. I only own my original characters.

~A/N~ It's merging time, everyone! I know that last chapter was somewhat 'meh' but this is where things should start getting interesting. You guys have been really supportive so far, so keep the reviews coming (and I think we might be able to hit 80 with this episode) and enjoy!

"Last time on Total Drama: Return Of the Underdogs..."

"I, your wonderful and almighty host, gave the merged nine a day of relaxation with Chef Hatchet as I took over the Total Drama Aftermath show. It was awesome! Justin and Anne Maria hooked up at last. Katie and Sadie sorted out their differences. Ethan admitted his huge crush on Samantha which will probably never happen. And Debbie even revealed herself to be an artist of the not-safe-for-work kind... ick. But now is now, and it's time to get the pain train rolling, here, on Total... Drama... Return of the Underdogs!"

(The theme song plays)

The final nine emerged from Chef's tent with bloodshot eyes and zombie-like expressions splattered across their faces.

"That was... not a good movie," Dawn said.

"Tell me about it," Noah responded. "As if a homemade documentary about that psycho cook would've been good."

"At least we got a bathroom break intermission," Tyler groaned. "My bladder wasn't built to hold it for eight hours straight."

Jordan yawned. "As soon as I get to those cabins, I'm hittin' the sack... hard!"

Dakota scoffed in disdain. "Yeah, of course you will."

"Jealous?" Samantha asked the former mutant, smiling a bit and rubbing her eyes.

"We don't get jealous, ma'am," Brick said. "But we do get even. And if that means crushing you in the next challenge, then so be it."

Samantha scoffed and walked off to the warm cabin with the rest of her team. However, Dawn was pulled aside by Staci.

"What?" the moonchild asked her friend in a tired voice.

"I need you to come see something," Staci yawned. "It's important."

Confessional

Staci: "All I have to do is show Dawn that hidden bunker thing and then everyone will know that I'm not a liar anymore. Yah, she's the only person I really know here. So sad, huh?"

Dawn: "The only reason that Staci is so desperate for everyone to accept the truth is that she hasn't entirely broken her lying habit yet. It's in her aura, but I think she can handle herself."

End Confessional

Staci dragged Dawn into a clearing where a giant, black boulder was resting by the side of a small outcrop. The larger girl ran up and tapped the boulder, looking for the entrance. After a few seconds of desperate tapping, she gasped. "It's here! I know it is! You believe me, right?"

Dawn sighed. "Of course I do, but this has to stop... your desperation, I mean. It's taking you over from the inside."

Staci began to tear up. "What are you saying?"

"I'm just saying that you're too desperate for friends and acceptance. Those things take time, Staci. It took me almost a decade to make good friends."

Staci wiped the tears from her face. "I know, but you're, like, the only person here who actually talks with me. Heck, you're the only one here who even likes me, if that's even true."

Dawn gasped. "Of course it is, but friendships don't grow on trees. No one truly hates you, but just because they don't talk with you every other minute doesn't mean they dislike you. They just have other friends."

Staci hugged Dawn. "I'm sorry," she sniffed. "I'm just stressed, I think. The merge is so huge for me."

"Me too," Dawn said, breaking the hug. "And who knows, maybe we'll go to the finale together. It could happen."

"Yah, that sounds awesome, but are you sure you'd take me over anyone else?"

Dawn thought for a minute as fear crept into Staci's mind. "Well, the only other person who I really like here is Noah, but we haven't had a good talk in a while."

"Noah? You like him? I think he's rude and snobby."

Dawn yawned and sat down on the grass. "Yes, but he needs me right now. He's had a tough life, even if he hasn't admitted to it."

"What kind of tough life?"

"Family issues, but he wouldn't want me talking about it."

"Oh, okay... So, uh, wanna hit the hay?"

"Sure," Dawn said, standing up and walking into the woods with her friend.

The sun finally rose above the treetops as the nine campers awoke to the sound of a jeep plowing through the brush. The Foxes emerged from the cabin and the Llamas jumped up from the wet ground as Chris and Chef Hatchet drove into the clearing, splattering mud on the Llamas of Loserdom.

"Morning, everyone!" Chris smiled, stepping out of the vehicle and waving. The rest of the campers yawned and groaned. "Hey, that's no way to welcome the host. I could send any of you home at any time if I wanted to, y'know."

Brick stepped forward. "So, uh, when's the challenge?"

"Oh, we'll get to that," Chris said, statistically rubbing his hands together. "But first, I must ask: How was your day off?"

"Eight... hours... of hell!" Noah sneered.

"Understatement of the millennium," Jordan rolled his eyes.

"Worst day of the season," Eva sighed angrily.

"Really?" Chris asked. "You hated your day off? Wow, you really are ungrateful little worms, huh? But enough of that. Like I said before at the previous elimination, the team's are officially merged. That means it's every camper for his or herself in the battle for one hundred thousand dollars, and no one is safe from anyone. So, who's ready to get on with the challenge?!"

Brick's hand shot up and everyone glared at him.

"Nice," Chris said. "Today's challenge is a little something I like to call... Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral... patent pending."

"Uh, that's from the game Twenty Questions," Noah said. "I'm pretty sure that's copyrighted."

"Dude, shut up," Chris groaned, shooting a glare of disgust at Noah before clearing his throat. "Ahem, now, about the challenge, it's a spin on a couple episodes from our long history. Today's challenge is... a scavenger hunt!"

Confessional

Noah: "(Bleep)!"

End Confessional

Noah growled as the other campers sighed at the idea of a simple challenge for once.

"The rules are simple," Chris explained, pulling a trash bag out from behind him. "In this bag are nine pieces of paper. On each one is the name of an item, animal, plant, or anything found on the island. You'll have six hours to find the item and bring it back to the clearing. Now, I know you were expecting individual immunity, but today, anyone who completes the challenge wins immunity and a very special reward: a one night stay at a five-star resort! However, if you don't get the item back in time, you're up for votes tonight where at least one of you will take the big boot home! So, without further stalling, Jordan, you get first pick!"

Jordan smiled and stuck his hand in the bag, pulling out a folded piece of paper. He opened it and laughed. "Yes! I got crabs! Eat it, fools!"

Noah snickered as the rest of the cast joined in. Jordan noticed and rolled his eyes. "You're just jealous that I got crabs and not a bear or something! See ya!" He took off through the woods, laughing at how easy his animal would be to find.

Dakota reached in next and pulled out her paper, reading it aloud. "Seagull? On it!"

Dawn pulled out her piece. "Glass bottle? Good, now I can clean up the island and win as well."

Staci read her paper and smiled. "A computer? I know where to go!"

Brick reached in and pulled out his paper. "Shark tooth?"

"Can of hairspray!" Samantha smiled. "Perfect!"

"Oak leaves? Easy peasy!" Tyler scoffed.

Eva read her's aloud and growled in anger. "A butterfly?!"

Noah was the last to pick and gasped when he read it. "A bag of chips?! Where am I to find a bag of chips on a deserted island?!"

Chris shrugged as Noah sighed, walking off and sitting beside the cabin.

Confessional

Noah: "I hate that man."

Jordan: "Yeah, crabs!"

Eva: "I hate butterflies. They're just so... dainty and pretty!"

End Confessional

Jordan stalked along the shoreline, keeping an eye out for movement on the sand. "Oh, crabs, where you at?" he chuckled to himself. "There's a seaweed wrap with my name on it."

Suddenly, a flash of brown scurried across the wet sand and Jordan narrowed his eyes and began to hum the theme to 'Mission Impossible' under his shallow breath. He crept forward and spied a hand-sized crab resting among the dead seaweed on the beach. The air-head slowly made his way to the patch of weed, crouching the entire way, until the crab was within arm's reach. He smiled and reached out, but the crab picked up his plan and dashed away, causing Jordan to reach out and fall into the smelly bunch of seaweed. He spit out a chunk of the plant and growled. "Not that kind of seaweed wrap I wanted, dude!"

Samantha ran straight into the cabin and tapped her chin, looking around for a can of hairspray. Then she gasped and checked under the bunk beds. Fortunately for her, under one of them was her item: one of Anne Maria's cans, still with a bit left in the canister. Samantha pumped her fist and ran outside, but smashed into Noah on her way out, knocking them both down.

"Hey, watch it!" he grunted.

"Sorry, buddy, but I just won immunity!" She shoved the can in his face and laughed.

"Cool, but any sign of a bag of chips in there?"

Samantha stood up and brushed the dirt off her pants. "Nope, and I ain't helpin' you."

"Good! I wouldn't want it!" Noah stood up and walked inside the cabin to start looking.

Samantha ran to Chris and handed her the can. "Done!"

"Nice job, but there's like five and a half hours left," Chris said.

"Yeah, but I just wanted to make sure I won," Samantha smirked back.

"Well, since you have all this time left and nothing to do, I think there's a little job in store for you and my intern."

Samantha narrowed her eyes. "Go on..."

Confessional

Samantha and Harold: *Both are seen cleaning the toilet. She nearly gags*

End Confessional

Dawn slowly walked down the beach, letting her blonde hair flow in the sea breeze. She had seen plenty of broken glass bottles and put each one she found in her garbage bag along the way. She had enough to win hundreds of challenges, but she was more invested in cleaning the beach than winning a day at the spa.

Staci ran out of the woods and stopped her. "Dawn, how's the hunt?"

"Great," she said, holding up her black bag. "And you?"

"Well, I can't find the way into the bunker to find a computer, so I was wondering if you needed any help. Yah, I guess not, huh?"

"Staci, I know you want to help, but you need to watch your own back for now." The moonchild placed her hand on the friend's arm.

Staci sighed. "But I don't think I can win this one. I couldn't find the way back in and I'm not going into the caves again. Can you help?"

"I read auras," Dawn said. "I don't pick locks or whatever may be keeping you out. Try looking around the beach; there's a lot of interesting things in the sand. Maybe even a computer."

Staci nodded and followed behind Dawn as they picked up glass together.

Tyler crashed around the brush and sighed. "If only I knew what oak leaves looked like. They're the needle things, right?"

"Wrong," Eva said from behind him.

Tyler spun around and glared at her. "What? I live in the city; it's not my fault I don't know plants and stuff."

"Whatever. Seen any butterflies around?"

"Yeah," Tyler said. "But I'm not telling you about it. Jordan said you're the one to beat."

"Jordan? You listened to that guy?!" Eva curled her lips in disgust at the mention of his name.

"Of course! He's smart and good at sports and really cool to be around." Tyler glared at Eva. She had just insulted his friend and he wasn't taking it lightly.

"Maybe to you, but he's a class-A douche to everyone else." She turned away. "I can't believe we sent B home over him. Stupid team."

"Maybe he just doesn't like people that always get angry, y'know? I know I don't."

Eva snarled and waved her fist at Tyler. "I'm not always angry!" The ground seemed to shake under her voice as Tyler backed away into a tree. Eva regained her posture. "Sorry."

Confessional

Tyler: "Eva may be scary and able to kill me with just her pinkie, but I'm team Jordan all the way. She can't go around judging people on day one."

Eva: "How can he be so naive!? It makes me so mad to see Jordan with a friend that I might just... AGGGHHH!" *She punches a hole in the side of the confessional outhouse and gasps, pointing to the camera* "That... wasn't me, got it?"

End Confessional

Dakota peeked over the large boulder on the beach as the flock of gulls circled the sandbar in the surf. She ducked below and sighed to Brick. "This won't be easy and my shirt could get messy, so I volunteer you to do this."

"Dakota, ma'am, I'd love to serve you, but I remember that this every solider for themselves. I have a tooth to find, not a bird."

Dakota groaned. "If you catch a gull for me, I'll help you find your shark tooth. It's a promise."

Brick grew a serious look on his face. "You promise?"

"Brick, we've been in this alliance for over a week. You can trust me one hundred percent. Plus, just because everyone else is on their own doesn't mean that we have to be."

Brick smiled, but quickly pouted. "If I can trust you, then why do you get to hold the idol? I thought it was ours."

"It is, but I don't think we should even discuss it any more. If one of us goes home, then I can pull it out, okay?"

"Fine," Brick said. "But where is it now?"

"Here." Dakota reached into her pocket and pulled out the statue before putting it back in. Brick kept staring at her pocket, noticing the bulge. "Wow, that's... actually noticeable. Maybe we should hide it somewhere safe?"

"Like the woods?"

"No, it would be too hard to find again. Maybe the beach?"

"Or your bag?"

Dakota tapped her chin. "My bag? Oh, the duffel bag! Yeah, but what if someone goes snooping and finds it?"

"Then put it in my bag," Brick chuckled. "My clothes and boots are so sweaty that no one would dare open the thing. It was a trick my sargent taught me at boot camp to ward off the bandits in the troop."

"Gross... but effective. I'll think about it. As for now, get that bird, pretty please."

Brick sighed and walked around the rocks as Dakota pulled a clip mirror out of her pocket and fiddled with her short, blonde hair.

Confessional

Dakota: "It's amazing to have my real hair back for once. And after this tail thing goes away, I might actually go back to the dating scene... without Sam. The thing is, once I lost my monster qualities, he just... lost interest. Well, at least he's safe and not lost in a balloon like some of the others, right?"

Brick: "I'm fine with taking orders, but I'm no slave. Without the team format, I'm not sure if Dakota is staying true."

End Confessional

Chris sat in his lawn chair as Samantha and Harold shielded him from the sun's rays with their bodies. The host took a sip from his glass of soda. "This is the life, huh, guys?"

"Yeah, totally," Harold sneered.

Samantha closed her eyes and groaned. "How long do we have to do this?"

"Until the challenge ends or I get hungry, now keep still; that is some bright sunlight."

The two teens shared a glare of anger.

Suddenly, Dawn and Staci approached the host and Dawn dropped the bag of glass beside his chair. "There," she said. "More glass than you could ever ask for."

Chris tapped the bag and listened to the rattling inside. "Got any whole bottles?"

Dawn opened the bag and revealed hundreds of bottles and shards, leaving Chris speechless. "Yep, that counts. You're goin' to the spa."

"But what about my computer?" Staci asked her friend. "We need to get down in that room."

Chris scoffed. "Really? You're still on that. Let it go already."

Dawn and Staci retreated, leaving the host in silence. "What, no remark?" He lifted his sunglasses to see that the two were gone. "Meh, more silence for me."

4:30 Hours Remain

Noah (Bag of Chips): -

Jordan (Crabs): -

Dawn (A Glass Bottle): Found

Eva (A Butterfly): -

Samantha (A Can Of Hairspray): Found

Tyler (Oak Leaves): -

Brick (Shark Tooth): -

Dakota (A Seagull): -

Staci (A Computer): -

4:30 Hours Remain

Dakota had dozed off when Brick returned, covered in feathers and bird droppings. "There," he said, dropping the knocked out gull into her lap, waking her up with a shock.

"Thanks," she gasped for breath. "Let's turn this in and get your tooth."

Brick sulked behind Dakota as they walked into the forest, leaving Jordan to enter the scene and stalk the shoreline for crabs.

"How hard is it to find a crab around here?" he whispered to himself. "Scratch that... How hard is it to catch one?" The ignoramus weeded through the loose weeds that were washing up on the wet sand and noticed a small bit of movement from within the clump. He reached down and pulled out a very small crab of about an inch in width. "Well, better than nothing. Resort and spa, here I come!"

Meanwhile, Noah was strolling through the woods when Tyler walked onto the path.

"Hey, dude," the jock smiled. "Any luck?"

"Yes, in fact, I had an entire herd of wild chips attack me from the tall grass earlier. Don't worry, I fought them off." Noah rolled his eyes after he finished him remark.

"Wow, that's awesome!" Tyler exclaimed. "I've been doin' good myself. I found my oak leaves in less than an hour, but I'm kinda lost."

Noah examined the leaves in Tyler's hand and bit his lip as he cringed. "Uh, dude, those aren't oak leaves."

"Really? My dad always called them that."

"Yeah, those are poison oak leaves. It's like sumac or poison ivy."

Tyler gasped and dropped the leaves, revealing his hand to be red and swollen. "Oh, God, that's bad! What do I do?!"

"I don't know," Noah shrugged. "Let it be and don't scratch? Hey, I'm no doctor."

Tyler began to fiercely rub his hand against his pants as he whined. "Noah, this isn't helping."

"I just told you not to scratch it, idiot." Noah walked by and waved. "You know what? I'm outta here. See ya' back at camp, itchy britches."

Tyler continued to scratch and whine as he walked down the forest path, right by many oak trees.

Confessional

Tyler: *He's scratching his hand* "This really sucks, but at least I learned not to touch strange plants, right?" *He leans his arm against the wall and touches a vine growing inside the outhouse. His hand immediately swells up* "Ahhhhhhh!"

End Confessional

Eva spotted a bright green butterfly resting on a log and sighed as she began to stalk it. She couldn't believe she was putting so much work into such a pointless activity. Eva didn't really want a spa day, but immunity was the only thing she wanted. Even if she had a huge alliance, people would definitely vote her off over someone like Noah or Tyler.

As she pulled herself up to the log, she raised her hand and snapped the butterfly up. She sighed and opened her hand a little. The wings of the insect beat rapidly as it tried to escape. Eva didn't give a crap.

A couple of hours passed and Eva, Dakota, and Jordan had turned in their items. Brick was assisted by Dakota in his search for a shark tooth. Staci and Dawn were trying to find anything that could be classified as a computer, even though Staci wanted to find a way into the bunker. Tyler was failing horrendously as he crashed through the brush in search of oak leaves, which were ironically scattered on the forest floor all around him. Last of all, Noah, was out of ideas. Bags of chips weren't common occurrences in the woods after all, so he decided to look around camp.

2:30 Hours Remain

Noah (Bag of Chips): -

Jordan (Crabs): Found

Dawn (A Glass Bottle): Found

Eva (A Butterfly): Found

Samantha (A Can Of Hairspray): Found

Tyler (Oak Leaves): -

Brick (Shark Tooth): -

Dakota (A Seagull): Found

Staci (A Computer): -

2:30 Hours Remain

In the meantime, Dakota and Brick had stumbled across the corpse of a dead salmon and tied it to a long stretch of rope. They tossed it a few meters from shore and continued to watch it for as long it took for something to take the bait.

"Dakota?" Brick asked with uncertainty in his voice. "You do realize we need a hook, right?"

Dakota lowered for mirror. "Yeah, but not if you can jump on the shark and drag it up on the beach."

Brick gasped. "Ma'am, that's insane! Why do I have to risk my life?"

"You want to win, right?"

Brick nodded sadly and turned back to the surf.

Chris and his two unfortunate assistants were still doing their things when Tyler approached Chris from behind, covered in dirt and leaves.

"Lookin' good, dude," the host told him. "Got anything yet?"

"Do any of these count?" Tyler asked, pointing to the assortment of dead leaves on his clothes and in his hair.

Chris closely looked over the jock and picked out a single lead with a shape like a violin. "This one? It counts. You're in!"

Tyler smiled then frowned. "Great, but, uh, ya' got anything for this?" He held up his hand and the entire group cringed.

"Is that poison oak?" Samantha asked, laughing. "You didn't mistake it for real oak, right?" Tyler nervously looked to his left, sweating bullets. "Ok, that's pretty great right there."

"But how do I get rid of it?!" Tyler whined, biting his lower lip in pain to avoid scratching.

"It'll go away on it's own, but you have to wash all your clothes that came in contact with the plant," Harold said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Got it!" Tyler screamed, running off to the river, leaving the three others to laugh, even Harold.

Confessional

Chris: "I love this place."

Samantha: "Ok, this is so messed up, but I could laugh all day. Don't get me wrong, I was horrible to laugh when Tyler got hurt before, but this is legitimately funny."

End Confessional

Staci was starting to get worried. There was only an hour and a half left, and she was no where close to finding her item. Dawn comforted her, but she wasn't easily calmed.

"The only way to get a computer is in the bunker," Staci said. "But we can't get in, so what do we do?! The beach was a bust!"

"I don't know," Dawn said. "Maybe we should start thinking outside the box with this one. Just think about what classifies as a computer."

"Anything that computes?"

"Right!" Dawn gasped happily. "So even a phone or a calculator would count!"

"You're right," Staci said. "We have to keep looking!" She took off down the beach at a slow jog as Dawn sighed.

Confessional

Dawn: "Staci is a nice girl and she's come so far, but she really doesn't need my help anymore. If I go home before she does, her poor soul will be destroyed and lost in a game like this. I wish there was some way to loosen our ties, but it wouldn't be easy." *She sighs* "It's hard. Noah and many others need my help now, but Staci takes all my attention. It's odd, but I never thought of my desire to help those in need as such a problem before."

End Confessional

Dawn turned to Staci. "Hey, I'm going to search elsewhere, ok?"

Staci whined. "Why?"

"We can cover more ground that way," Dawn said, even if it was a bit of stretch. She wasn't really trying to help Staci as much as she was trying to separate herself from her for a few minutes.

"Ok," she sighed with despair. "Good luck..."

Dawn waved goodbye and walked back to camp where she found Noah sitting by the tree line.

"Need any help?" Dawn asked him.

Noah looked up and sighed. "Unless you can make a bag of chips appear in midair, no."

"Well, can I sit with you then?"

"Fine," Noah sighed, closing his eyes.

Dawn took her seat and sighed as well. "Can ask you something?"

"Oh, you need help now?"

"Somewhat, but what would you do if your friend was taking the relationship too far and never gave you any free time?"

Noah smiled. "Staci's a clinger, huh?"

"Yeah," Dawn admitted. "She's nice, but her idea of personal space is very limited."

"Well, I never had many friends like her, but I'd just do whatever I could to get her away from me for a while. It sounds to me like she's just desperate and doesn't want to lose her only real friend."

"That's... right," she replied. "How did you know?"

"Hey, I might not be the most active player here, but I'm the most observational for sure, not to mention the smartest."

Dawn giggled. "You're correct about that."

"Thanks. I take pride in my skills."

Dawn smiled and tapped his shoulder. "It's great to see you happy and cheerful, seeing as how your home life is rather stressful."

Noah's eyes snapped open. "I thought I told you to drop that."

"I know, but I think I can help you get over it."

"I decline. The only thing I can do is fix it myself by winning the loot."

"Well, the challenges will only get more difficult from here on out, so you better get ready to push yourself."

Noah shrugged. "I just want the money. Nothing more. And I want it without having to do much work."

"That's the problem: you don't like work. Is it because of your parents?"

"Yeah, but please drop it," Noah groaned.

"You went through trauma as a child. That must've turned you into what you are today: a cynical, lazy, pessimist."

Noah sighed. "Well, yeah, but I remember telling you to drop it multiple times."

"But you have to admit your problems if you want healing." Dawn touched his arm and he pulled away. "Right?"

"I need money, not a psychology lesson, sister!"

"But I just want to help..."

"I... I'm sorry, but I just want to win. Once I have the money, all my problems will go away."

"Money can't buy you love, Noah."

"Well, it can buy you respect!" He stood up and sighed. "I'm done here. If you need me, I'll be venting in the confessional."

Confessional

Noah: "I really don't get it. Dawn's a great person, but I don't need her help. Once I win the dough, I'll be done with my parents and their annoying blathering for good." *He switches into his high-pitches mockery voice* "Oh, Noah, you're so lazy and weak. If only you could be like Joanna or Rajesh. At least they make us money so we can buy our Ferraris and five-star dinners!"

Dawn: "Yep, he definitely needs my help. Sorry, Staci, but you'll have to wait."

End Confessional

Dakota and Brick returned to camp with thirty minutes left and a shark tooth in the cadet's hand. He handed it to Chris and collapsed.

Chris fiddled with it. "Yep, that's a shark tooth if I ever saw one. Mind me asking how you got it?"

Brick sat up. "I fought... a shark... with my hands."

"Really?" Chris asked in disbelief.

Brick and Dakota nodded.

Brick and Dakota were sitting on the sand when the rope was ripped out of the boy's hands. He tried to grab it, but he was too late.

"Crap!" Dakota exclaimed, slamming her hand into the ground and getting poked by something sharp. She pulled her hand up to see a palm sized shark tooth embedded into her hand.

"Well, it's a tooth, so you're immune, dude!" Chris told the cadet. He high-fived Dakota and walked off with her.

"Well, there's only twenty minutes or so left, and Noah and Staci are on the chopping block," the host said to the camera. "Can either of these underdogs make it in time, or will have a surprise automatic elimination? Stay tuned!"

Two minutes remained and the seven immune campers were waiting in the clearing for the results to be finalized. If neither camper made it back with their item, it would go to a vote, but Jordan had a plan in mind.

Confessional

Jordan: "If Staci finds her item, then Noah goes home without a vote. But how am I going to find a computer in less than half an hour."

End Confessional

Samantha overheard Jordan talking to himself about the plan in the group and shoved her elbow into his side. "Stop drawing attention to us!" she whispered harshly. "Do you want to go home?!"

Jordan shrugged.

As the minutes shrunk into a mere one, Chris yawned. "Well, it's safe to assume neither Noah or Staci is going to-"

"Wait!" Dakota shouted. "Noah's back!"

The campers turned to see Noah walking towards them with nothing in his hands.

"Anything?" Chris asked.

Noah shook his head and joined the other campers.

Chris looked down at his watch. "Well, there are only thirty seconds left. Unless she's magical, Staci's lost this one too."

Dawn sighed. "Just end it. She's not winning this. I can feel it."

"Well, if you insist," Chris said, turning to the rest of the group. "This challenge is over. Once Staci gets back, we'll get this elimination mess sorted out."

The sun began to set as the campers met in the clearing.

Dakota, Brick, and Eva were talking about whether to vote for Noah or Staci. Eva argued that Noah was useful as a vote against Jordan and Samantha, but Brick called him out as lazy and useless.

Jordan was convincing Tyler to vote for Noah, but the jock was torn on the issue.

Staci walked up to Dawn and sighed. "Well, I guess this is it, huh? The votes will be close."

Dawn nodded. "But, uh, keep your hopes up. You're liked well enough."

"So you're voting for Noah with me, right?" Staci smiled and looked Dawn in the eyes.

Dawn reluctantly nodded. "I guess."

Staci hugged her friend. "Thanks."

Dawn felt a tear drip down her cheek. She had to make a decision, and one of her friends was taking the dive.

The nine campers met at the site of the Kick of Shame after placing their votes in a wooden box, seeing as how the confessional had a giant hole in the side and needed repairs thanks to Eva.

"Well, this is it!" Chris exclaimed. "Nine shall become eight shortly. Noah, Staci, one of you has spent your last day on Total Drama: Return of the Underdogs. Now, I'll read the votes."

Noah stood, yawning with little concern while Staci trembled in her shoes.

"Noah!" Chris announced. The bookworm shrugged as Jordan smiled maliciously.

"Noah! That's two votes for Noah!"

"..."

"..."

"Staci! That's two votes for Noah; one for Staci."

"Staci! Two votes Noah; two votes Staci."

Noah and Staci looked at each other and Staci was still trembling as Noah shrugged.

"Staci! That's two for Noah and three for Staci."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Noah! It's three to three."

Dawn bit her lip as Chris read the votes.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

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"..."

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"Staci! That's three votes Noah; four for Staci!"

"..."

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"Noah! It's four votes each with one vote left!" Chris pulled out the last piece of paper. "And the person going home is..."

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"Staci! Sorry, you're done!"

Staci gasped and looked at Dawn with a desperate look on her face. "How?" she mouthed.

Dawn closed her eyes and looked away, leaving Staci to cry a few tears and take her place in the target painted on the ground.

"Just do it," she sighed in despair. "I had a good run, I guess. I made a friend, or at least I think I did. Bye, everyone!"

The entire group, except for Jordan and Dawn waved a solemn goodbye wave as Chris pushed his button, sending Staci flying into the sunset. "And that's another loser gone!" Chris smirked. "Now, it's down to eight and the game is heating up. Stay tuned until next time for unfolding drama, here, on Total... Drama... Return of the Underdogs!" He turned to everyone else. "Y'know the boat is waiting for everyone but Noah, right? Stop hogging the screen and go get your stupid reward already!"

The campers dashed off happily, except for Noah. "I guess I sleep outside again, huh?"

Chris nodded.

"Perfect," the cynic sighed sarcastically, walking down the hill.

"I really love ruining his day," Chris said, wiping a happy tear from his eye.

The Votes

Dawn: Staci

Brick: Noah

Dakota: Staci

Noah: Staci

Staci: Noah

Tyler: Staci

Jordan: Noah

Samantha: Noah

Eva: Staci

End Voting

The Results

Staci: 5 votes

Noah: 4 Votes

Eliminated: Debbie, Justin, Tyler (1), Anne Maria, B, Sadie, Katie, Ethan, Staci

Remaining Players: Samantha, Dawn, Jordan, Noah, Eva, Brick, Dakota, Tyler

Kick of Shame: Staci

Staci was sitting on floating log and crying. "I don't get it," she whined. "How did five people vote for me? I know Noah did, but did Dawn do it?"

Chef pulled up beside her in the boat of losers and pulled her on. She didn't even say anything or move, but sat on the deck, depressed. "Maybe I shouldn't trust her any more. You don't just vote off your friends, right?"

"You we're pretty clingy," Chef pointed out.

Staci perked up. "Does 'clingy' mean ' fun?"

End Kick of Shame: Staci

~A/N~ Wow, that was probably hard for quite a few of you guys, but at least Staci made it relatively far this time. Heck, the original elimination order had her out in the fifth episode or so, so she had a much more expanded role in the final story. Now that we're at the finale eight, I can announce that this story will have about 25 chapters total, so it's coming to an end soon.

acosta perez jose ramiro: Thanks. I had to read that explanation a couple times, but hey, epic, complicated names with backstories are the best!

And that's the chapter. Review if you can and have a great day! Foreseer out!