Survivor: Dewford Islands

by Gomamon

Sixteen castaways are about to begin an adventure of a lifetime. For thirty nine days, they will be stranded on the islands of Dewford with a minimal of protection and assistance against the harsh environment. Who will be the Sole Survivor?

3. Episode 3: Mean Girls

Survivor: Dewford Islands
By: Gomamon

Last Time on Survivor:

After Butch was voted off, Brock became the new leader of the Huntail tribe. He motivated his tribe's work ethics and inspired them to build a shelter in their lacklustre campsite. Their success continued when Drew won a motorboat in the reward challenge with ease. However, his cocky attitude upset his competitor Delia and the rest of her tribe.

A romance was speculated between Takuya and Zoe, which gave several people the desire to break up the pair of Frontiers. Rika was also a popular target, mostly because she had isolated herself from her tribe. But in the end, Cassidy decided that the disobedient Suzie was too difficult to control in her tyranny. And thus, Suzie was voted off in a nearly unanimous vote at tribal council. Fourteen remain, who will be voted off next?

Episode Three: Mean Girls

Gorebyss: CASEY - CASSIDY – DELIA – MIMI – RIKA – TAKUYA – ZOE

Huntail: BROCK – DREW – JAMES – JP – MAY – TAKATO – TK

- - -

DAY 7

Being the only man surrounded by beautiful women definitely had its quirks, as Takuya would kindly tell the cameras. But after spending an entire week with the ladies of Gorebyss, he learned that this was far from the paradise that he and many other men fantasized about. While Takuya loved the ladies and they tolerated his whacky antics for the most part, it was a completely different reality to actually live with six women. Suddenly, things that were considered as socially acceptable with a bunch of men were frowned upon by the women. If Takuya wanted to get along with Gorebyss, he will have to adapt and change his usual habits.

Takuya made sure he kept his hands to himself, so he wouldn't be mistaken as a pervert. He made sure he watched the words coming out of his mouth, so that he wouldn't accidentally say something offensive about women. He made sure that he gave the women their privacy and personal space, so he opted to sleep outside of the shelter while the women slept like queens. Even if this meant there were many sacrifices and compromises for Takuya, he made sure that the women felt totally comfortable with his presence in the tribe.

Fortunately enough, the ladies did notice his chivalrous gestures in the tribe, however subtle and minor they might be. While the alpha males found Takuya obnoxious because of his loud and dominant personality, the women were able to see him in a different light. Once they truly got to know Takuya, they thought of him as a charming and witty guy. Not only did his outgoing personality help him blend in with the women, but Takuya was also a hard worker in camp and a strong athlete in challenges. Although the goggle-head could get a bit brash and impulsive at times, his overall intentions obviously meant well. Despite his flaws, most of the women did genuinely like Takuya.

But as Takuya became more and more of a popular figure in his tribe, the goggle-head realized that he liked some of the women less and less. Because after living with just women for an entire week, Takuya had made an astounding observation about the ladies in his tribe: Women are catty.

And when a group of catty women are put together in a condensed environment, they could get very, very vicious.

Takuya: I'm not declaring myself as an expert on women, but these ladies could either be the best of friends or they could be the worst of enemies. There are some really mean girls on our tribe! They could get extremely catty, extremely conniving, and extremely jealous of each other. I mean, I thought guys were awful at getting along, but these women are almost like vultures. They gang up together and attack on the outcasts.

Takuya laughed nervously. He put a hand on his forehead.

Takuya: And the worst part is, they don't even confront each other about their issues. They've to do all of this bitching and fighting behind each other's backs. It's totally ridiculous. They could probably solve everything if they lay it out in the open, but these women are way too catty to do that.

The seventh morning in Gorebyss started out as dreary and slow. Rika was the only tribe member still sleeping in the shelter, although there wasn't much activeness elsewhere in the tribe today. Takuya had just woken up minutes earlier and he sat in front of the camp fire with a drowsy expression on his face. Zoe sat beside him on the sand, quietly staring at the pot of water that she was boiling. Other than the weak camp fire trickling, the only other noise was the soft humming from Mimi, who was preparing breakfast with Cassidy nearby. And after a while, Casey and Delia returned to camp with a piece of treemail for their reward challenge.

"We've got treemail!" Casey said cheerfully as she waved a scroll of paper around. She seemed unaffected by the gloomy atmosphere in the camp.

"It's the same as last time, we've to select one person to go to the reward challenge," said Delia.

"The good news is that since we no longer have a numerous advantage, the person who participates in the reward challenge will not sit out for the immunity challenge," added Casey.

"Just don't send me to compete again, because I don't want to lose another reward challenge for you girls." Delia smiled weakly.

"So…" Casey turned to look at everybody's faces. "Who's going to participate in this challenge?"

"I could go!" Zoe smiled confidently, getting up from her seat. "Whatever the reward is, I want to win it."

Cassidy's head suddenly perked up. She raised her hand as well.

"I'm going to participate in the reward challenge," said Cassidy.

"I haven't participated in a reward challenge yet," said Zoe, a little more forcefully.

"Neither have I."

"If you don't mind, I'd really like to compete in this reward challenge, Cassidy." Zoe flashed the Team Rocket member a stern glare.

"Like I said, I'm going." Cassidy smirked. "Just because you volunteered first, it doesn't mean you automatically get the job."

"You only volunteered when you saw that I wanted to go to the challenge!" Zoe shouted angrily.

"Get over yourself, Zoe! The whole world doesn't revolve around you!" Mimi rolled her eyes. "We don't make our decisions base on what you think. Stop being such a self-centered snob all the time!"

"Exactly," said Casey, nodding her head.

"Hey now, back off. There's no need to get personal!" Takuya suddenly interrupted, stepping in to defend his friend Zoe in the argument.

"Okay, let's take a vote." Cassidy turned to the rest of her tribe members. "Those in favour of Zoe going to the reward challenge?"

Takuya immediately shot his arm in the air and Zoe smiled gratefully at him. No matter how bad the women are on this tribe, there was always Takuya by her side. Even in the worst scenario, she could always count on Takuya to be supporting her.

"One vote…" Cassidy had a smug expression on her pointed face. "Those in favour of me going to the reward challenge?"

Mimi and Casey raised their hands as if there had never been any doubt in their minds.

"How about you, Delia?" Cassidy asked, turning towards the single mother from Pallet Town. "You've been awfully quiet."

Delia tried to look away, but she could feel Cassidy's intense stare scorching her skin. She felt uncomfortable standing in the middle of the confrontation, awkward to be put into a position like this one. Unlike the rest of the women, Delia actually liked Zoe. She didn't think the blonde was fake or argumentative. If any of them found out about this though, Delia's popularity would decline even quicker than her failing health. To go against Zoe's opinion would be what the majority of the women wanted. Had Delia been a stronger person mentally, she would have taken a stance against the peer pressure. She would have voted for what she believed for.

But she was weak.

And so, with no choice, Delia reluctantly raised her hand in the air.

"Good." Cassidy said smugly. Although Delia's third vote meant nothing, it always felt good to have an extra hand of support for her side. She had no difficulty flaunting her newfound power, especially in front of Zoe. "I guess that confirms what I've said earlier. I'm going to the reward challenge."

Closing her eyes in defeat, Zoe turned around and silently walked into the forest, without taking a glance at her tribe members. Takuya immediately chased after her. Soon, the Frontier couple disappeared behind the sea of trees. The remaining women all looked at each other, smirking confidently.

"What a sore loser…" Casey mumbled.

"She's used to getting everything go her way," added Mimi.

"In that case, I'm glad that we brought the prissy little tramp back into the real world." Cassidy laughed.

Takuya: I hate the way they're picking on Zoe. I hate it. I hate it. Cassidy is the ringleader behind this and all the women just follow her like blind sheep. Zoe had done nothing to upset them, but they all have a thing against her for some reason. Is it because she is too nice? Is it because she is blonde? Is it because she is a hottie? I wished I knew, but I'm just a guy…

Takuya sighed deeply.

Takuya: They don't see what I see. They don't see that although Zoe tries her best to be a tough chick, she is only human. She can only handle so many verbal attacks before breaking down. I hate seeing Zoe like this.

Suddenly, Takuya shot a fierce look at the cameras. Sheer determination could be seen in his hazel brown eyes.

Takuya: I'll never let anybody hurt Zoe like this ever again.

- - -

Of all the meals, JP Shibayama always preferred lunch; it was a mealtime that he always looked forward to. His tribe members often teased him because he was hungry all the time, but JP never minded their trivial and sometimes hurtful comments. It was true what they say about him anyway, JP loved to eat and he was proud of it. Food is one of the key elements to surviving on an island. Food gives them strength to win challenges. Food gives them the energy to conduct the rest of the day with energy and vigour. Food is marvellous and JP didn't have any problems consuming a lot of it.

JP: Brock is our resident chef on our tribe, and let me tell you, that dude can cook some delicious food! He can make that mushy, nasty corn goo taste like something from a five-star restaurant. Okay, heh heh…I'm exaggerating. But dude, he's an awesome chef. Anybody who can satisfy my stomach is a cool guy.

But today, JP was disappointed with what Brock has cooked for lunch. Around noon time, he and the rest of the tribe gathered around the fire for their meal. JP made a face when he saw what was inside his wooden bowl. The so-called food in his bowl looked pasty, watery, and it had a yellowish green colour – like fungi. If JP didn't know any better, he would've thought he was eating vomit.

"Yuck." JP muttered, just loud enough so that TK, who sat beside him, could hear.

"It doesn't smell good either," TK whispered back.

"Dude, what is it supposed to be anyway?" JP asked.

"Uh…my guess would be nasty, mashed corn goo…" TK smiled softly.

"Did you cook the corn properly, Brock?" James asked, being more direct with his opinion than TK and JP. "Umm…I only ask that because the food kind of looks pasty today."

Brock chuckled, waving his hand dismissively.

"No worries, guys! I didn't overcook or undercook the corn." He explained in a jovial manner. "It's just that May has a bit of a toothache and she couldn't eat the hard corn, so I decided to make it into mush."

"How considerate of you," said Drew in a tone that oozes with sarcasm. His bowl of food was on the ground, barely touched.

"Aww Brock, thanks!" May smiled sweetly, patting Brock on the shoulder. "I don't know why, but my tooth hurts all of a sudden. It's like…it's almost like I bit into a rock!"

"Ah, it happens." TK said, nodding his head. "We don't have toothbrushes or toothpaste to keep our teeth clean."

"How bad will our teeth be after leaving this island? Wouldn't it be funny if we've to spend all our winnings on dental treatment?" JP laughed.

"Or after winning the million dollars and we smile at the cameras, our teeth are all yellow." TK added with a mischievous grin.

"Oh my god! Don't scare me like that, you guys!" May gasped and then collapsed into fits of girlish giggles.

She took a spoonful of the tasteless mush corn and put it into her mouth. She made a face and quickly gulped the pasty substance down.

"I feel so bad that you all have to eat this," May sighed. She looked at her tribe members sincerely. "Please don't hate me! I didn't ask Brock to do this for me."

"I thought the men wouldn't mind eating one bad meal," said Brock, shrugging.

"Don't worry about it, May." Takato said, who was using a wooden spoon to play with his food. "It tastes like marshmallows if you close your eyes and imagine really hard."

"Wow, I wished I had your imagination, Takato." James chuckled softly.

The rest of the tribe laughed.

May: When I woke up this morning, a tooth at the back of my mouth suddenly hurts so much! At first, I thought I chipped it or something serious like that. May be I'm a worrier, but I actually thought it was going to literally fall out of my mouth. I was that scared!

May giggled. It was a girlish laugh, with just the right amount of femininity, playfulness and optimism.

May: I'm so thankful that all the guys on this tribe are such gentlemen. They're so nice and so understanding! When I first came here, I thought I wasn't going to fit in and it was totally going to be uncomfortable living with men. But after a week on Huntail, I actually learned a lot about men. They aren't pigs…well at least, most of them aren't!

Huntail continued the rest of their lunch through a light conversation. Slowly and surely, the tribe was bonding together like a family. On the surface, it looked as if everybody got along pleasantly. There weren't many conflicts, there weren't many disagreements, and there weren't many personality clashes. And while most of the tribe members enjoyed living in this harmony, one person was obviously upset about this type of blissful atmosphere.

Drew.

He quietly observed the Huntail tribe as they conversed, rarely adding his two cents here and there. They were laughing gleefully, almost like they weren't playing a game, almost like they didn't a single care in their world. Even with a million dollars on the line, they all looked so relaxed and friendly with each other. And that…that was what Drew didn't understand. In fact, this type of behaviour made him sick.

Even so, this type of non-committed attitude to playing the game didn't bother Drew the most. Only as he watched the tribe dynamics unfold, only as he watched how in every conversation, in every joke, in every gesture of kindness, one person was always in the center of attention. It was only then when Drew realized the problem that was bothering him the most.

May has unconsciously become the most popular member in this tribe.

For Drew, May had always been like a thorn by his side, even when outside of this game. They were both Pokemon Coordinators and they battled one another in Pokemon Contests before coming into this game. From Drew's perspective, May was always this incompetent and ditzy trainer who was way in over her head. If it wasn't for her famous gym leader father, Norman, she would probably be just another nobody lost in the crowd. But now, on this island…May was a very different person. Her easygoing and chipper personality shone through, easily making her one of the icons of this tribe.

Drew would never understand what these guys saw in her. She was nothing special. She might be pretty and cute for her age, but she hardly had the dazzling supermodel looks. He didn't hate her, but he certainly wasn't blown away by May.

Drew: It is disturbing how all the men are catering around May as if she is a little princess with a sparkly tiara on her head. When May says that she couldn't sleep comfortably on the sand, we have to build a damn shelter for her. When May complains that she has a stupid toothache, we have to give up our regular meals and eat crap. All of May's needs are tended to…just like the little princess she thinks she is.

Drew sat quietly on the log, leaning in forward to the ground. He had both of his hands over his mouth, indicating to everyone that he was not interested in chatting (and nobody bothered him). He glanced over at May and Brock sitting together. They were in the middle of a light conversation.

"Hey Brock…when are you going to compete in the reward challenge?" May asked.

"After lunch," answered Brock.

"Cool." May smiled. She put her empty bowl aside. "Could you help me wash the dishes before going to the challenge?"

"Anything for you, May," said Brock obediently. Drew rolled his eyes.

Drew: Most of you might think Brock is the official leader on this tribe, but I say that May is truly the one making all the decisions. She has a lot of power over everyone, even more so than Brock. Brock is just a spokesperson on how May feels. The whole tribe has to act depending on how May feels for the day. And like most girls, her mood changes as much as the weather does.

- - -

Professor Birch greeted the challenge participants on the island as they arrived for the reward challenge. As soon as Brock and Cassidy walked in, they were rather surprised to see that Professor Birch was standing in front of three ponds. The largest pond was placed in the center and there were two smaller ponds on either side. The pond wasn't very deep, but it was so clean and clear that they could see the bottom of the ponds.

"Welcome to the reward challenge, Brock and Cassidy." Professor Birch said. "How's everyone doing?"

"Never better, professor!" Brock said in a chipper voice.

"As you could see, there's a huge pond in front of us. Swimming inside are none other than fifty Magikarps, the harmless fish Pokemon." Professor Birch smiled lightly. "Your task here is to carry these fish from the central pond and drop it into the tribe's pond." He then gestured to the tiny two ponds on both sides. "You'll be getting in and out of the ponds for the next five minutes. After the time is up, the tribe with the most fish in their pond will win the reward!" He then looked up at Brock and Cassidy with a tempting smile. "Want to know what you're playing for?"

"Of course we do," said Cassidy.

"Since you're catching fish in this challenge, it's only natural for you to be catching fish in your tribe as well." Professor Birch said this with a wide grin. "Winner of this reward challenge will walk away with fishing equipment for their tribe. This includes a fishing pole, fishing bait, fishing lure, fishing line, fishing net, fishing hooks and much more."

"This is great! We could use the fishing gear in our tribe…we aren't have much luck with fishing." Brock nodded his head in satisfaction.

"On top of all that, I'll throw in three packs of batteries, just for fun." Professor Birch said. "Is this reward worth playing for?"

Cassidy grunted, although she wasn't paying any attention to the blabbering professor. Instead, her eyes, heart and mind were all focused on Brock, who had just taken his shirt off for the challenge. Known best for being flirtatious, Cassidy eyed over his tanned and muscular body with the utmost interest, almost staring at his shirtless body like an animal deliciously feasting on its prey. Mmm-mm…not bad, not bad at all….

"Get into your positions," said the professor. "Remember, you've five minutes to transport the Magikarps between ponds." The two castaways ran over to where their tribe's pond was. "Survivors ready? Go!"

Brock and Cassidy immediately dashed into the central pond. The water level rose just above their hips, forcing the two castaways to do an awkward combination of walking and swimming at the same time. Slow and plentiful, it was not difficult for them to catch the fish Pokemon with ease. Brock reached down and pulled out two Magikarps by their tails. The fishes flopped helplessly in the air as Brock climbed out of the water, and then ran over to the Huntail to drop his fishes in. Over at the Gorebyss tribe, Cassidy was going at a quick pace, although it was nowhere as fast as Brock. By the time Brock returned from his first trip, Cassidy was just climbing out of the central pond with her first Magikarp.

Using his large and muscular hands, Brock easily pulled out a plump Magikarp from the central pond. He hugged the fish closely to his chest and leapt out of the central pond, putting the Magikarp into the Huntail pond. For a while, Brock continued dominating this challenge, dragging the fish out of the water like a magician pulling a rabbit out of his top hat. He was a warrior, his performance unstoppable and his determination impenetrable.

Competing side to side with the athletic Pokemon Breeder, Cassidy was more than amazed at how Brock was performing. With a fit physique nicely purchased in a gym, she was definitely no slouch when it came to physical challenges. Over the last four minutes, she managed to put eight fishes into her pond, which was definitely not a meagre quantity. But Brock must have at least double, if not triple, the amount of fish for his tribe's pond. And no matter how hard Cassidy tried, she could never catch up to the strong Pokemon Breeder. He was jumping in and out of the ponds quicker than she could ever imagine, not making any slip-ups or mistakes whatsoever. If this continued on, it seemed like Cassidy was doomed to lose the reward challenge.

Unless…

Cassidy grinned maliciously. She dropped her ninth Magikarp into the Gorebyss pond and ran back. But instead of running to the central pond to pick up another fish, she ran past that. Brock didn't catch on what she was doing at first; he thought that she had given up on the challenge. It took him a few seconds before realizing that Cassidy was running directly to the Huntail pool. She jumped in and began taking a Magikarp out of his pond. She threw the fish out of the water and it flopped helplessly on the sand.

"Hey, you can't do that!" Brock yelled at Cassidy. He turned to Professor Birch immediately. "Professor! She's cheating!"

"Not necessarily, Brock. I didn't say that you can't do that in the rules," said Professor Birch, shrugging.

Brock dropped his mouth in shock as he watched Cassidy throw the Magikarps out of the water, one after another. In the last minute of the challenge, all of his work was being undone before his very eyes.

"This is so unfair!" Brock shouted.

"Pissed that you didn't think of it first, boy?" Cassidy laughed shrilly, tossing yet another Magikarp out of the Huntail pond.

Without saying anything, Brock raced over to the Gorebyss pond and dove in. Imitating Cassidy's strategy, he grabbed one of the Magikarps swimming in her pond and tossed it out. He managed to toss two of them away before Professor Birch finally blew the whistle. The time was up.

"The challenge is over, let's count how many fish each tribe has in their ponds." Professor Birch said, walking over to the Gorebyss pond that Brock was inside. "Remember, the tribe with the most fish in their ponds will win the reward challenge!"

As Brock slowly got out of the opposing tribe's pond, Professor Birch counted all the Magikarps inside the pool of water. There were two flopping Magikarps on the sand.

"Seven…Gorebyss has seven Magikarps," said the Professor.

He walked over to the other pond, careful not to step on any of the Magikarps that was on the ground. There must've been at least half a dozen of fish that Cassidy had thrown onto the sand. She did a great job ruining all of Brock's hard work in the very last minute of the challenge, but was it enough to secure a win?

"One, two, three, four, five, six…" Professor Birch began counting. Cassidy's heart began to sink as she heard the numbers go up. "Seven, eight, nine…and ten. Huntail has ten fishes in their pond! Huntail wins reward!"

And although Cassidy's endgame tactic was brilliant, it was too little too late. No matter what type of sabotage she tried to do in this challenge, Brock's efforts were just too great to overcome. He was too strong, too quick, and simply too dominant. Despite a sudden obstacle that he didn't expect, Brock had still won the challenge.

"Yeah baby!" Brock laughed. He couldn't wait to try out his reward back in camp.

"Brock, you get to bring back all of this fishing gear back to your tribe and some batteries as well!" Professor Birch said. "I'm sorry, Cassidy. Nice effort, but I've nothing for you. You can go back to camp."

- - -

Drinking water was a necessity for survival. The human body couldn't function without water. This was especially true for the thirsty castaways who have to be under the scorching sun every hour of the day. Luckily, the Huntail tribe was provided with an endless supply of water, in the form of a rapid river by their campsite. Once the water was boiled and decontaminated, the castaways could enjoy drinking their water, cups after cups of river water at any time of the day. And after a while, they became so accustomed to the unlimited supply of water in the camp that they don't even worry about it anymore. They don't question who actually does all the work of bringing the water from the river to the campsite. Water has become something that the castaways took granted for.

Every day, James carried a large black pot to where the river was located in his campsite – and it was quite a distance from where their shelter was, he might add! Once he was at the river, he had to lower the pot slowly and cautiously into the strong currents, careful to not drop the pot into the water by accident. After the pot was filled with river water, James had to carry the heavy pot of water back to the shelter. It was a lengthy and exhausting trip. The weight of the water was no laughing matter, so one ought to give James props for being able to carry this massive load over and over again.

But nobody in Huntail ever gave James credit for his work. They don't understand the level of difficulty of transporting water from the river into the shelter. James' work, like the rest of his accomplishments in this tribe, often went unnoticed.

James: I'm responsible for bringing the water to camp everyday, so Brock and May could boil it for everyone else to drink. Honestly, I think they've gotten the better end of the deal! Getting water from that river is a really demanding job. The water…it's really heavy to carry. And the worst part is, I can't just bring back ONE pot of water, so I've to make multiple trips back and forth, carrying a really heavy load in my arms. It must weigh like a ton or something. These people drink a LOT of water, so the work is endless. I sometimes have to make ten to twelve trips a day just to keep up with their needy demand. It's sooooo exhausting.

James narrowed his dull green eyes in the cameras.

James: TK sometimes help me with carrying the water, but most of the time I get like, virtually no help at all. I never get acknowledged for all the work that I do for this tribe. I do so much more work than just cooking and boiling the water, and the least they could do is be more appreciative. Brock gets praises for being a hard worker, but me? I don't even get a pat on the back. Hmph, I feel so unloved by my tribe.

This afternoon, the water supply was running low again. James sighed as he slowly got up from his seat. It was time for him to do another solo water run. He searched around the shelter for his black pot, but it wasn't at the place where it was normally kept. After looking around for a while, James finally found it by the campsite, where it was hanging above the camp fire. Brock, May and Takato were boiling water with the black pot.

"Hey, are you tw…" James quickly corrected himself with an unusually wide smile. "Are you boiling water right now? I want to make another trip to the river before sunset and I need the pot."

"We'll be done soon," said Brock, who answered without even looking up at James.

"So…what were we talking about again before the interruption?" May asked.

"I wanted to know how we're going to use the batteries," replied Takato.

"Batteries?" James asked, slightly confused. "What batteries are you talking about?"

"Remember the fishing gear and the batteries that Brock won as part of the reward challenge?" Takato asked. He flashed a genuine smile to the tanned Pokemon Breeder. "He did a great job winning so many supplies for us! You can't forget that!"

"Yeah, Brock is the man!" May giggled.

"I think we should use the batteries for the radio! I remember seeing a radio in our supplies." James suggested cheerfully. "It's soooo quiet out here and we could really use some music to liven up this place!"

Brock rubbed his chin thoughtfully, but slowly shook his head.

"Sorry James, but I don't know if that's wise. I was thinking that we should use our batteries for the flashlight instead," said Brock.

"Ah, that's such a waste of perfectly good batteries!" James screeched. "If we need a light to illuminate the darkness at night, we could always use our torches!"

"No, I think it's best if we save the batteries for the flashlight." Brock said. His tone of voice was firmer this time. "In case of an emergency, it's always best if we've a spare flashlight handy."

"We could take the batteries out of the radio and put it in the flashlight when we've to use it…" James suggested, although his voice was trailing off without confidence. "And we've so many batteries, I don't get why you're being so cheap about it."

"James, James, James…" Brock sighed, speaking to James as if he was a father lecturing his child. "If we use the batteries on a luxury item like the radio, we're going to use up all the power."

"Nothing urgent is going to happen though…" James argued.

"You never know what happens out here," said Takato.

"Besides James, Brock won us this reward. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't even have batteries." May said. "If he wanted to use them in the flashlight, it's the right decision. He can do anything he wants with the batteries that he won for us."

"I didn't know that Brock is suddenly in charge of how we use all the supplies. It's not his, it's ours." James said, frowning.

May: A few days have passed and the true personalities of several people are beginning to show. James might act like he's this nice guy for the first couple of days, but his acting skills must be weakening because his ugly qualities are starting to show. Sometimes, James could be a real pain in the butt. He just complains so much, all the time. All he does is whine in that screechy voice of his. It gets annoying after a while.

May groaned softly.

May: Even when there isn't a problem, he has to start something just to stir things up. That's because James is part of Team Rocket, and trouble is what Team Rocket does best. Go figure.

"James, I don't want to pick a fight with you, but you aren't making any sense at all." Brock burrowed his thick eyebrows at him. "I think we should just drop the subject while we can."

"No! You're being totally unfair, Brock!" James' voice was growing gradually snippier. "You think you're the hero after winning a reward challenge, but you aren't as great as think you are!"

"I never said anything about wanting to be a hero…" Brock mumbled angrily. "I was just doing my best in the challenge!"

"James…you're being an ass right now. Please stop," said May. Sitting beside her, Takato muttered "yeah" and nodded his head.

James glared at the trio with scornful disdain. He was clearly angry, but he also knew better than to express it in front of them. He mustered a forceful smile on his face, every single one of his acting classes was paying off.

"I'm sorry…I was being sooooo inappropriate there." James apologized in a weak voice. "I don't know what got into me, but I'm going to take the stick out of my ass now!"

In the air, James used his hands to make a brief motion of him drawing something out of his bum. It made Brock and Takato laughed. May glared at the Team Rocket member sceptically.

"It's alright, I forgive you." Brock smiled. "But I don't want you to think I'm trying to look heroic. I don't have an ulterior motive for all the things I'm doing in camp. I only do what's best for my tribe."

"Yep, you're soooo right." James said, attempting his best to sound sincere. "Sorry!"

James: I loathe Brock so much! He isn't a team player or a noble leader – he's just a twerp. May and Takato stroke his enormous ego too much, because Brock really believes that the whole tribe can't make a decision without him! He's so…so…overrated!

James sighed exasperatedly, trying his best to get the cameras to empathize with him as he vent.

James: He expects us to get down on our knees and worship him as if he's the supreme ruler of the universe. No, I refuse to submission! If he's going to continue to be a condescending ass, then somebody needs to take him down a notch!

If only Takuya was on the Huntail tribe, then he would know that it wasn't just women who were callous, ruthless and catty.

Some men could be too.

- - -

DAY 8

When Mimi woke up this morning, she could feel a gentle breeze brushing past her sleek, brown hair. Climbing out of the shelter, she could feel the warm sunlight beaming on her face. As she looked up, Mimi could see several creamy white clouds drifting sluggishly in the sky. An enthusiastic smile formed on her heart-shaped face. Mimi traveled to Hawaii and other exotic places before on her luxurious vacations, but the weather on these tropical islands of Dewford has been more enjoyable than she could ever imagine. It would be a waste to not spend these precious hours of sunlight wisely.

So she decided to go work on her tan.

Within minutes, Mimi changed into her swimsuit. She wore a delicate pink bikini that was plastered with magenta flower patterns. Although the tight swimsuit looked as if it might be two sizes too small for her, the skinny brunette filled the bikini beautifully in every part. She stretched her twig-like arms in the air, drawing emphasis on the piercing in her bellybutton. Mimi was disappointed that she had forgotten to bring her favourite pair of sunglasses with her to this island. Oh well, she sighed softly. At least she remembered to bring sun lotion!

She looked around the bleak camp with her big, vacant eyes. Mimi had difficult finding a desirable place to lie on the sand. The jungle was too muddy and the sandy beach was polluted by tiny insects. Where to go? Where to sunbathe? Mimi sighed again, sounding even more frustrated than before. Oh, these decisions were just so difficult to make!

Mimi: The best thing about being on Survivor is that some of us get to work on our tans. I used to fork over big bucks to get a fake tan in salons, but the island tan is free of all charges! Tropical tan is so natural and so sexy. I mean, I don't want to look like I'm crisped and baked in the sun though. Too much sun isn't good for my skin! I might not notice the effects now, but when I age…I'll get wrinkles! And that's why I've to use sunscreen. Besides mascara, it's another must-have item for island survival!

She flashed a toothy grin as she elaborated the details about her tan.

Mimi: Ooh, if I can make my skin have a golden bronze colour with a slight touch of creamy white, I'll leave this game a very satisfied woman!

After putting over a lot of consideration into her decision, Mimi finally settled down by the area just outside of the Gorebyss shelter. She spread her large beach towel on the sand, giggling as she lied on her back. Mimi grabbed her bottle of lotion and began to rub it gently on her flat stomach. As she did so, Cassidy was approaching her.

"Mind if I join you?" Cassidy asked with a jagged grin on her pointed face. She looked like a menacing shark.

"Sure thing, Cass!" Mimi giggled.

Cassidy strutted towards Mimi, proudly carrying her delicate body like a prized possession. After all, she did spend a lot of her hard-earned money to purchase this flawless physique, so she was going to flaunt her body every chance she had. There weren't many appreciative eyes to enjoy the spectacle, although some of the cameramen couldn't resist whistling as she passed by. The smile on Cassidy's face grew wider. She thrust her chest forward, with each of her strides appearing more confident.

The gorgeous Team Rocket member lied down on the sand beside Mimi. She was wearing a skimpy black bikini that showed a lot of skin. She shifted her body a few times on the sand and released a soft, uncomfortable moan. A few seconds later, Cassidy sat up and reached her arms over to her back. She was unhooking her black top.

"Cass!" Mimi gasped loudly. "Are you planning to go…nude?"

"I often like to take things all the way. Full throttle, baby!" Cassidy cackled.

Cassidy removed her bikini top, tossing the thin piece of cloth aside. She didn't seem to mind that Mimi's eyes were bulging out in awe. All Cassidy did was smirk smugly, flipped her reddish blonde hair over her shoulder, and lied down on the sand again.

"Oh wow! I…I totally admire your courage!" Mimi said, her eyes gazing up and down Cassidy's body. A look of envy twinkled in her naïve, brown eyes. It was difficult not to look at Cassidy. She was a spectacle.

"I don't see why you're being so damn modest, Mimi." Cassidy said. "Just take it off, already!"

"Me…? No way!" Mimi giggled, blushing. "You're the hottie, Cass. Not me."

"You need to showcase them, or they won't be at their money's worth," explained Cassidy.

"What?" Mimi laughed shakily.

"Fess up. What plastic surgeon did you see and when did you get yours?" Cassidy asked.

"Cass! I think you've mistaken me. This is my body, one hundred percent natural," replied Mimi.

"Sure…" Cassidy smirked. She quickly scanned Mimi's body with her daunting eyes. "If you say so, princess."

Sitting inside the shelter, Rika watched the two ladies sunbathe from a distance. Her empty face didn't express what she was feeling, although it was apparent from her grumpy growls that she wasn't impressed. She nudged Zoe, who had been napping, and mumbled something to her that was inaudible to the cameras. Zoe nodded her head, and the two girls disappeared into the forest.

Rika: I find myself constantly at awe with some of the foolish actions these women partake in. I can't believe Cassidy and Mimi are actually sunbathing instead of doing productive work. Don't they see that there's food to be cooked and firewood to collect?

She scowled unpleasantly at the cameras, looking unimpressed.

Rika: These plastic women…their shallowness never ceases to amaze me!

In the dense forest, Rika was teaching her blonde companion on how to use a bow. Zoe clumsily holds the wooden bow in her hand, an arrow in the other. Rika stood in front of her with her arms crossed.

"You put the arrow here…" Rika said, demonstrating the location with her index finger. "Then you draw this string and pull."

"Ack!" Zoe yelped in fright. When she tried to pull the string, it snapped back at her.

"Don't yank it." Rika explained. "Don't put too much force on the string."

"O…k." Zoe said nervously.

She tried again. Zoe pulled the string on the bow with medium force, which she let go immediately. The arrow flew straight into the ground. It didn't even travel three inches from where she was standing.

"I'm not really good with this. Sorry." Zoe laughed.

"You'll get the hang of it," Rika muttered.

"Yeah, thanks for teaching me how to shoot an arrow, Rika." Zoe smiled genuinely at the Tamer. "I want to find a way to contribute to the tribe other than picking apples from the trees."

"Why doesn't that goggle-boy teach you?" Rika asked. She wasn't being nosy, she was just curious.

"We didn't want people to think we're spending too much time together, so we're chilling off…for now" said Zoe, shrugging her shoulders casually.

"I see."

"Besides, it's great getting to know you, Rika!" Zoe added with a chipper smile. "None of us really know that much about you, so this is an opportunity for us to bond."

"Bonding…ha." Rika almost wanted to laugh.

"I'm serious!" Zoe said. "I appreciate all the work you've done for this tribe, Rika. You're one of the hardest workers out here."

Rika didn't say anything. She cast her icy blue eyes downwards, finding an interesting place on the ground to stare at. As far as she was concerned, the best way to handle a compliment was through awkward silence. Even though Zoe sounded genuine enough with her remark, Rika never responded well to praise. In her opinion, flattery is only for the weak people who need their egos buttered up and stroked. And Rika definitely wasn't weak.

"Can you believe how lazy Cassidy and Mimi are? They're getting a tan out here, for crying out loud!" Zoe continued, making a face. "Are they even taking this game seriously like you and I are?"

Rika slowly looked up at Zoe. They exchanged knowing glances with each other.

And then, Rika smiled – a thin, barely visible smile.

It looked as if the two ladies have found something in common.

- - -

Today, JP Shibiyama was on a mission. Well actually, he was on two missions.

Normally not a big fan of the water, JP joined his tribe members TK and Brock on the motorboat as they ventured out to the sea and catch fish. One of the reasons why they came here was because Huntail wasn't satisfied with their current food situation. JP suggested that they should put their newly-won fishing gear into good use. Deep in the ocean was a habitat rich in marine life living and JP ate enough seafood to know that they were both nutritious and delicious! So today, he was determined to bring back to camp lots and lots of fish to eat.

But his secondary purpose for coming on this trip was a strategic one. JP knew that if he doesn't do something to improve his position on the tribe, he and his fellow outcast TK would be voted off soon. Very few people knew this, but JP was always thinking about his strategy in this game. He posed as a carefree, goofy and jovial tribe member that everybody would like and nobody would view as a threat. Some had already dismissed JP as a dumb broad who couldn't think for himself. But there was an analytical and shrewd side that JP hid very well from his tribe members. If they ever underestimated him in this game, they would be unpleasantly surprised.

JP: It doesn't take a rocket scientist dude to realize that both TK and I are royally screwed! It couldn't get any simpler than this…we aren't in a majority alliance and nobody will give two shits when they vote us off. Something must be done, man. This has got to stop. If I want to survive, I'll have to start campaigning for myself.

He rubbed his chin, signalling to the cameras that he was in thought.

JP: Right now, our tribe is run by a clique consisted of Brock, Takato and May. Those three hold all the power on this tribe and they make all the decisions around camp. Brock and May are the leaders, while Takato is like their little puppy on a leash. Personally, I'm not too crazy about the pretentious trio. Brock could say that he's a team player all he wants, but everybody knows that he isn't going to vote for either of them before TK or me.

JP grinned, flashing a peace sign to the cameras.

JP: Yeah, so the odds might be against me. But hey, I've gotta at least try. My friends call me the King of Persuasion, so let's see if I'll be able to persuade some votes to change!

TK leered down into the ocean, perhaps trying to see a fish that was swimming close to the surface. All was calm and peaceful.

"Fishing takes a lot of patience, young grasshopper." Brock grinned, patting TK on the shoulder.

"And we have all the time in the world," said JP, as he relaxes inside the small motorboat.

"Yeah, I just hope we catch something though…" TK said. He smiled. "I want to eat something other than rice and corn."

"They taste great, but this repetitive cycle of meals is tedious for my taste buds! It drives me nuuuuuts! No offense, Brock." JP said.

"None taken." Brock said casually. "But I'm just wondering, why is it always about food with you guys?"

"We're hungry," said TK and JP together. They looked at each other and laughed. Brock soon joined in the laughter.

"You guys are a hoot. Both of you add so much enthusiasm and cheerfulness to our team morale. It's great!" Brock grinned.

"Yeah, but…" said TK, but his voice was trailing off.

"But we're probably next on the chopping block anyway, so why bother?" JP let out a deep, inflated sigh.

Brock frowned in disapproval.

"Don't say that, nothing is set in stone yet." Brock said.

"We could take a hint when we see one," said JP. He held up five fingers on one hand and two fingers on another. "Five versus two, we get it, Brock."

"We're the outcasts." TK added.

"No!" Brock shouted. "I don't want either of you to think you're outcasts! We're a team and we're supposed to be united together! Nobody has talked about voting you off!"

"Who will you vote for if we lose the next immunity challenge then?" JP asked.

"Hmm…" Brock thought about this question for a moment. "What do you two propose?"

"James." JP quickly replied. "He's a liar and he stinks. We don't need him on our tribe."

"We can dispose him just like that," TK snapped his fingers in front of Brock's face.

TK: JP and I want James gone and we'll work at every angle on Brock to make it happen. After what James has done to us, we simply can't trust him and neither should Brock. I'm just warning him about the consequences of having a backstabber as an ally. We're probably grasping at straws, but it never hurts to try. Who knows, we might just be able to buy ourselves more time…

"James is a Team Rocket member and he can't be trusted! He's a backstabbing scumbag…trust us, we've been at the end of his sting – and it hurts, dude…it really hurts." JP said emotionally, pounding his chest twice.

"Well…" Brock sounded hesitant about the idea.

"Think about it, Brock! He has a negative aura around him when he speaks. James is a huuuuuge downer to tribe morale," said JP in an aggressive voice. TK was nodding his head to JP's every word.

"I do agree with you on that," said Brock.

"All he does around camp is carry the damn water…anybody could do that!" JP scoffed. "He doesn't do any other work besides water duty. Dude, that sounds pretty lazy to me."

"Yeah…" Brock agreed.

"Just help us out here, Brock! If you respect us, then don't let us be disgraced by letting James outlast both of us." JP said. "We're not asking for much – just vote James off before us."

Brock sighed. He hated seeing the desperate expressions on these boys' faces. They look so eager and genuine. It tugged at Brock's emotions, even though his logic wanted to defy against them.

"I can't guarantee you anything," said Brock, looking away.

"You can have time to think about it," said TK calmly.

"Okay." Brock nodded his head as he reeled in his empty fishing rod. "But in the meantime, it might be a good idea to keep winning those immunity challenges."

Brock: JP is a good kid with a heart of gold. He's funny and enthusiastic, which are both traits that I don't see in James. I like JP a lot. In fact, there's very little reason why James should get to stay over him. However, if JP and TK get their way this time, will they be able to persuade me to vote Drew off at the next tribal council? What will they do at the tribal council after that? Out there on the boat, JP was really working it. He's very talented at manipulating his words. That's what I'm most afraid of…

Brock sighed deeply. He hated hearing what he was saying in this confessional.

Brock: JP is a slick talker. He tells you the things that he thinks you'd like to hear. And because of that, he just doesn't seem sincere to me. He's making a lot of promises left and right, promises that I don't think he'll be able to keep. If I save him this time, he's just going to beg for a second time and a third time. No matter how much I might like JP, I can't allow him to stay on my tribe for long.

- - -

It was the third immunity challenge. Just like always, the Golden Pokeball was back up for grabs. Some of the castaways eyed the immunity idol with determination and desire. They were the outcasts who needed this immunity the most. With immunity, they were guaranteed safety. They couldn't be voted off in tribal council, no matter how badly their tribe members wanted to get rid of them.

On the Gorebyss tribe, Rika was feeling the pressure to win this immunity challenge today. The women have been keeping strategic matters hush-hush in front of her, but Rika was no dummy. She knew that she was on the chopping block. She defied and rebelled and restrained against the almighty Cassidy and her cult of minions. When Rika spoke and expressed her opinions openly, she was also putting herself in a lot of danger. She needed that immunity.

On the Huntail tribe, JP felt at risk as well. No matter how much or how hard he tried to preach to Brock, it didn't seem to be working. All JP did was join the wrong alliance in the first tribal council and now he was suddenly the outcast waiting to be voted off. If only he could have more time, he'd be able to persuade more people to have a change of heart, he just knew it. The immunity idol could buy JP three extra days that could make all the difference in his fate.

Seven Mareep were frolicking playfully inside a gigantic mud pen. Mud splattered on their sleet white cotton fur as they danced around. There was a tiny orb-like sphere at the end of their blue tails, which sometimes glowed in a dim light. Professor Birch stood outside, right beside a steel gate – the only entrance and exit through the pen. The castaways stared at the sheep curiously, wondering what they had to do in this challenge.

"This challenge will be divided into seven rounds. Every round, one member from each tribe will go inside this pen and try to successfully catch one of the Mareep and bring it outside of this pen." Professor Birch said, smiling fondly at the electrical sheep Pokemon. "The first person to carry a Mareep outside of the fences will win one point for their tribe. The first tribe to win four points will take home immunity and guarantee themselves three more days in this game."

Professor Birch then took out two pairs of pink rubber gloves.

"In addition, please wear these rubber gloves so you don't get electrocuted by the Mareeps."

Some people looked stunned at this sudden revelation. Electrocuted…what?

"What do you mean…electrocuted?" Mimi shrieked in panic. Although the fluffy Mareep looked cute in its woolly appearance, Mimi had no idea about its hidden nature…to shoot random jolts from their tails.

"Pairs have been randomly drawn…" Professor Birch ignored the panicking voices. "Takuya and James, you're the first pair up!"

Takuya and James slowly filed inside the gate. The Mareep stopped moving around at their presence and their beady black eyes narrowed down at the sudden intruders. Their lights on their tails seemed to be glowing more brightly now.

"Ooh, I used to wear Mareep wool hat when I was a child," James smiled to himself. "Seeing this pokemon brings back fond memories!"

"Survivors ready…go!"

Takuya immediately dashed forward, leaping towards one of the Mareep. The alert Mareep jumped away and Takato ended up with a face-plant into the mud. The Mareep were baaing loudly, almost as if they were mock laughing at his pitiful attempts. Despite having a big fluff of wool on their bodies, the sheep were moving at a shockingly agile speed. Takuya snarled and quickly got back up on his feet, with half of his body covered in mud.

James took a more cautious method to catch these sheep Pokemon. He tiptoed in the mud as he approached closer and closer to one Mareep, until James managed to force it into a corner. And then, in one swift motion, he bent down and swiped it in his arms. Success! The petite Mareep tried to fight to release itself from James' arms, but the athletic Team Rocket member hurried back to the gate entrance and rushed out. Takuya growled, frustrated that he couldn't even approach one Mareep without scaring it away.

"James catches a Pokemon!" Professor Birch declared. "Huntail is ahead with one point!"

"If only I'm this successful with stealing Pokemon!" James said as he gently put the muddy Mareep down on the ground. TK patted him on the back.

"Next up, Zoe versus JP!" Professor Birch said.

The pair of Frontiers smiled at each other as they entered the arena. Zoe scanned her emerald green eyes across the muddy field. She already spotted a Mareep daydreaming at the corner with its guard down. That was the sheep she wanted to catch and bring back.

"Begin!"

Following James' effective strategy, the Frontiers were slow and steady when they approached the sheep. Some of the smarter sheep leered at them suspiciously and backed off, knowing that something wasn't right with the two intruders. But others weren't suspecting a thing, even as Zoe sneaked up behind one and grabbed it with her hands. The Mareep shrieked in pain, but Zoe didn't give up as she dragged the sheep by its tail. Suddenly, the Mareep wiggled its tail and released a small jolt of electricity. Although Zoe was wearing rubber gloves, she could feel a slight sting in her hands. She released the sheep's tail by surprise due to the pain. The Mareep was able to break free and ran away instantly. Zoe cursed at herself for the silly mistake.

On the other side of the muddy field, JP had a few kernels of corn in his hand. The tempted Mareep looked at the food delightedly, but they were too intimidated to come close because of JP's large built. Just as one Mareep walked closer towards him, JP withdrew his hand and grabbed the sheep with his large hands. Using his massive upper body strength, he carried the sheep outside of the gate with ease.

"Huntail has another catch! They're leading with two points…Gorebyss is still struggling with getting on the scoreboard."

The next pair to enter into the mud pen was Drew and Rika. Using swift and quick footing, Drew was able to capture a Mareep within seconds. But as he ran back to the gate entrance, another Mareep butted its head into Drew's legs, knocking the green-haired Pokemon Coordinator into the mud. The Mareep that he was holding dropped to the ground as well. Rika used this opportunity wisely, snatching the Mareep (that looked as if it was either paralyzed or confused) into her arms. She ran towards the exit and scored a point for her tribe.

"Rika brings the tribe a Mareep!" Professor Birch announced. "Gorebyss has one point, but still trailing behind by Huntail!"

Cassidy and May participated in the fourth round of the challenge. As soon as Cassidy ran inside the pen, she looked like she knew exactly what she was doing. Her eyes targeted on a Mareep and with her athletic body, she easily caught it with her huge hands. Meanwhile, May looked so helpless and lost in the challenge, turning her head around in different directions as Mareep ran around her. She had no idea which Mareep to catch at all. Her hesitation was costly and the agile Cassidy effortlessly won this round for Gorebyss.

"Gorebyss and Huntail are now tied with two points!"

The fifth round was a face-off between Casey and Brock. It didn't seem like the petite Casey ever stood a chance against Brock. Proving why he was labelled as the 'challenge powerhouse', Brock caught a Mareep seconds into the challenge. The stubborn sheep fought back by shooting harmless electrical jolts at Brock, but he held on nevertheless. He dragged the sheep outside of the gate in a record time, quicker than anybody else accomplished in the challenge thus far. Casey sighed as she stared at her clean hands. She didn't even have a chance to put all of her effort in the challenge yet, but Brock has already finished.

"Huntail is now leading with three points." Professor Birch said, "The next match up is between Delia and Takato. If Huntail catches another sheep, they'll be able to win immunity for the second time in a row!"

Takato enters the mud pen with a shaky smile. This was his time to be the hero. If only he could catch one of the Mareep (there were two left) and bring it out of the mud pen before Delia, Takato could redeem his past failures in front of his tribe members. This was a huge moment for him.

"This is for immunity…survivors ready? Go!"

Only two Mareep remained in the mud pen. With less sheep crammed in the confined area, it was easier for the sheep to dodge the contestants' grasp. Takato ran around aimlessly, like an active toddler in a playpen. Delia took a calmer and slower approach, but only because she was struggling to move around in the mud. Her long legs were sinking into the mud deeper than she had anticipated. A few times, her feet would get stuck in the mud and wouldn't budge. Her tribe members yelled encouragingly at her, but Delia could do nothing. There was no way she could move her feet at all! They were stuck!

Delia's difficulty to travel in the mud was a huge disadvantage to her tribe. Takato relaxed in his environment over time, beginning to grow more comfortable around the sheep and the mud. When he was close enough to one of the Mareeps, he literally jumped on the sheep, tackling his entire body on the poor defenceless Mareep. It was a daring move, but it moved off. Takato was finally able to stop the Mareeps from running and put it safely in his hands. Although the Mareep tried to send a weak shock to Takato's hands, the goggle-boy didn't flinch to any of the shocks. He bravely ran through the gate exit, where his tribe members were cheering him on.

"Huntail wins immunity!" Professor Birch announced, raising his hands in the air.

Takato's petite body might be cloaked with mud from head to toe, but that didn't stop his tribe members from running towards him and embraced the little boy. Even TK was getting dirt plastered on his face, and he didn't even get to compete in the challenge. But nobody seemed to mind. Takato won them the immunity challenge and that was all it mattered.

"Nicely done, Takato." Professor Birch handed the goggle-boy the golden Pokemon. "Your tribe will be safe three more days."

Takato was beaming with joy. Brock patted him on the shoulder vigorously.

"I'm sorry, Gorebyss…but it looks like another trip to tribal council for your tribe." Professor Birch said, shrugging with indifference. "One of you will be voted off tomorrow night."

Rika angrily kicked her feet in the mud. Some of the tribe members shot dirty glances at her, but Rika didn't care what they thought of her at that moment. She never cared about their worthless opinions. The only thing that mattered was that she lost this crucial immunity challenge – no, even though Rika won her round fairly and respectively, it was her tribe members who failed to do the same. They had let her down…they were the ones who lost the challenge for her. Gorebyss didn't win immunity. They had to go tribal council. Somebody was about to be voted off.

It all felt like these were the final pages leading towards an anticlimactic conclusion.

Rika knew she was doomed.

- - -

It was night time. After the second immunity loss, most of the women were too depressed to sleep. Rika lied inside the shelter with her eye open, staring angrily at the ceiling. She was still fuming inside – either at herself or her tribe members, nobody knows. Delia was also awake, although it was more because she was too occupied with coughing and sneezing like a sick dog. The only person who could sleep through all of this noise was Cassidy, who spread her long arms across the shelter like an eagle with its open wings. This was the pose of somebody confident, somebody secure, somebody who knew they wouldn't be voted off tomorrow night. That was why Cassidy could sleep so peacefully at night.

As for Mimi and Casey, the duo didn't want to spend the rest of their night inside the shelter, listening to Rika's angry grumbles, Delia's ailing coughs, or Cassidy's loud snores. The two girls decided to go on a little journey in the dark. They sneaked out of the shelter together in their tiptoes, giggling softly as they made their runaway. Nobody noticed or cared about their absence.

"I wonder where Takuya and Zoe are," whispered Casey.

"They haven't been sleeping in the shelter for the last few days," murmured Mimi.

"I know!" Casey said suspiciously. "It's so shady!"

"Takuya and Zoe are shady people." Mimi said as she clicked her tongue.

Casey: Lately, Takuya and Zoe spend their nights together in the forest. They don't even sleep in the shelter anymore…they must be sleeping under a tree or something. It's really none of my business if those two want to snuggle next to each other, but they're becoming the unofficial love birds of Gorebyss. Ever heard of the legendary Rob and Amber? Romantic couples are as bad as hitting a foul ball in baseball…they mess everything up and we need to avoid them.

Casey shrugged her shoulders. She tilted her Electabuzz team baseball cap with her left hand.

Casey: No matter what they're doing with each other, the power duo of Takuya and Zoe must be broken up. Even if they're not a couple, they're just too strong for a twosome. If they want to look for love, they should try dating each other outside – when they're NOT playing a game for one million bucks.

"Should we really be spying on them, Mimi?" Casey asked nervously.

"Of course! We need to know what those two are up to every time they're in the forest!" Mimi whispered loudly.

Casey and Mimi were standing behind some bushes, conducting a conversation in soft and barely audible whispers.

"I think I see them…" Casey whispered, pointing. It was a dark night, especially since there were no luminous stars in the cloudy sky tonight.

"Oh my god! Where?" Mimi asked obliviously. She couldn't see where Casey's finger was pointing at.

"By that tree…they're sitting under it." Casey said.

"Yeah, I see them now." Mimi slowly nodded. She lowered her whisper into a barely inaudible mumble. "Let's move closer to them so we can hear what they're saying."

Mimi and Casey shifted their feet in tiny steps as they crept towards the couple, who were sitting under an apple tree. Takuya and Zoe didn't hear or see about the spies' presence, even though Mimi and Casey were standing very closely behind the two. On closer look, Mimi could see that Zoe had her head restfully on Takuya's shoulder.

"We shouldn't really isolate ourselves from the rest of the tribe," laughed Takuya. "They'll get suspicious."

"I don't care." Zoe said defiantly.

"Those women are awful to you, Zoe. They keep picking on you as if you don't have any feelings." Takuya sighed. "All the gossip and cattiness…I can understand if you don't want to live with them."

"They think I don't know about they're talking behind my back, but I do." Zoe mumbled.

"Yeah…"

"I feel really lonely here, Takuya." Zoe's voice became more fragile and shattered. "I'm used to having so many friends, but nobody likes me here. The women all hate me."

"That's not true…I think Rika doesn't hate you." Takuya chuckled. "And believe me…that's a huge compliment coming from someone like Rika. That chick hates almost everyone."

"Takuya, I'm being serious." Zoe said weakly. "This tribe…this game isn't fun anymore. I don't want to live in a tyranny where it's either Cassidy's way or there's no way!"

Takuya sighed, but he didn't say anything. He used his fingers to stroke Zoe's blonde hair as she spoke. It wasn't the right time for him to give an explanation or an advice, although he had plenty of it in his head. Sometimes, it was just good for Takuya to be the crying shoulder and listen to Zoe vent.

Mimi: At first, I thought I'd really like Zoe because she seems like such a cool chick. I always heard that blondes have the most fun out of everyone, so I tried my best to get to know her. But I couldn't be more wrong. Zoe is the most self-absorbed person I've ever met! She always has to be in the center of attention of everything. It's always me, me, me!

Mimi frowned as she twirled with a strand of her long, brown hair.

Mimi: She is just a bottle blonde who wallows in self-pity because nobody can tolerate her snobby attitude. Zoe, you're not Miss Universe and you're not Miss Congeniality. Just get over yourself already!

"They're all so fake…so phony…so shallow." Zoe complained, dropping her head. "You're the only one I have, Takuya. You're the only person who I know I can trust."

"Yeah…"

"Hey Takuya, let's vote Cassidy off next tribal council." Zoe mumbled.

"Yeah…"

Mimi tapped Casey lightly on the shoulder, indicating that they have heard enough. The two women tiptoed out of the bushes and started to return to camp.

And then, they woke Cassidy up and told her everything.

- - -

DAY 9

A sheet of dark clouds lingered gloomily in the morning sky. Not a shred of sunlight shone in the miserable Gorebyss campsite today. Although noon was soon approaching, the sky still had a brooding appearance, like a bad omen foreshadowing the events that will happen at the upcoming tribal council that Gorebyss has to attend.

Cassidy looked up at the sky and sighed deeply. The depressing atmosphere of the camp was not what upsets her, but rather it was the disappointment of knowing that she couldn't work on her tan under this weather. Thus, Cassidy and Mimi were forced to find another outlet for entertainment instead. Luckily, they didn't have to look far from their shelter before they saw the perfect alternative activity for both of them to do during their pastime: cooking.

The women carried two black pots into their tiny shelter. Inside the pots were a modest amount of ripe apples that Zoe and Suzie picked from trees a few days before. Mimi took out an apple and began to slice it into six even pieces with her pocket knife. She handed one of the apple slices to Cassidy, which she greedily accepted and plopped in her mouth.

"I wish there was a way to make these apples taste better," said Cassidy.

"Don't worry, Cass! We've plenty of apples to experiment with." Mimi grinned energetically, "We'll figure a way to make them taste better."

"What do you propose, missy?" Cassidy asked with an arched eyebrow.

"We could try boiling the apples over the fire," suggested Mimi. Cassidy responded to that suggestion with an amused expression on her face.

"You can't be serious…" Cassidy laughed.

"Hey, if it works out…I'll start my own Survivor cookbook – and these "Burnt Apples" would be the first recipe in the book." Mimi giggled.

Cassidy: Out of everyone here, I'm kind of surprised that I bonded the most with Mimi. That girl has a good fashion sense and a sharp tongue, just like me. The best part about her is that we think and act so alike. We've so much in common that we're almost like sisters, as scary as that might sound. Oh…except that I'm better looking than Mimi, that's for sure. And okay, she's physically weak and completely useless in challenges. She's a princess, a diva, a spoiled little city brat.

Cassidy smirked smugly. She crossed her muscular arms, holding them tightly across her bosom.

Cassidy: But guess what, I like Mimi. So as far as I'm concerned, that girl isn't going anywhere until I don't need her vote anymore.

Mimi and Cassidy continued their light conversations in the shelter for a while. Then suddenly, Mimi elbowed Cassidy's arm. The Team Rocket member responded with a sharp grunt.

"Check it out," said Mimi, gesturing her finger at where the forest was.

"Oh." Cassidy smiled impishly. "The skank has returned."

Zoe was marching confidently towards the shelter. Although there was no sunshine, her sleek blonde hair still glowed radiantly even from a distance away. Every step she took, her hair would flow in the direction that the gentle breeze was blowing. There was a faint, almost dreamy smile on her round face. Her red Survivor buff was wrapped around her skinny body, modestly covering most of her body except for her abs. No matter what direction one looked at Zoe Orimoto, she looked gorgeous. She looked like one of the mystical goddess that frequented in ancient mythologies.

"Is she…approaching us?" Mimi asked, lowering her voice in a whisper.

"Yeeeow!" Cassidy grinned widely, exposing her shark-like teeth. "That takes guts, I'll give her that."

"I'm not in the mood to talk with Zoe today." Mimi rolled her eyes, turning her back away from the blonde. "I don't want to listen to her babble on about herself again."

"Delia is with her. They're chatting," said Cassidy.

"Huh?" Mimi turned around, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "Oh yeah…hey, why is Delia with her?"

The single mother from Pallet Town was walking behind the blonde, limping a bit in her steps due to her weak knees. From time to time, Zoe would turn around and say something to Delia. She would respond with a pleasant smile and then, the two women would exchange a quick and hearty laugh together.

"I'm interested in finding out what they're saying," said Cassidy.

"Zoe is probably acting like a martyr again," Mimi scoffed. "It's what she does best."

Zoe: I'd like to believe that I'm a nice person. I…I'm not mean-spirited and I never intend to cause anybody harm. Right now, my relationship with the women is hostile. I don't like the feeling that we've to be at each other's throats all the time. Takuya was right, this is so catty and childish. We're above this type of immature behaviour. Can't we just get along?

The blonde nodded her head, smiling confidently to the cameras.

Zoe: I had enough of the arguing and bitching behind each other's backs. It's time for us to bury the hatchet and start over again. I don't want any of us to leave here with ill feelings towards each other. And that's why I think Cassidy and I should attempt at reconciliation.

Zoe stopped walking when she arrived at the shelter. Delia stood behind her, still wearing a faint and pleasant smile on her face. Cassidy and Mimi stared at the women suspiciously, neither of them speaking. A nervous grin appeared on Zoe's face, but she finally broke the tension by speaking up first.

"Hey! What's up, girls?" Zoe said cheerfully.

"What do you want?" Cassidy grunted. From her tone of voice, it was obvious that she was indicating she had no time for Zoe.

"I know we aren't on the best of terms right now, but I really want to patch things up between us," said Zoe.

"Really?" Mimi asked doubtfully. She turned around and glanced at Cassidy for reassurance.

"Yeah, I don't want any of us to leave here hating each other. Why should we be enemies when we can be friends?" Zoe said earnestly.

"So, are you going to apologize?" Cassidy asked.

"Uh…" Zoe looked like she was taken back by this question. Her vivid green eyes shifted uncomfortably as she fished for a response in her hand. "Why? I didn't do anything wrong."

"Why are you talking to us then?" Cassidy snapped.

"Because I know you aren't satisfied with me. I want to make up with you!" Zoe replied.

"Oh." Cassidy said in a sarcastic tone. "You're so sweet, Zoe. You almost make me want to puke honeycombs and buttercups."

Cassidy: Last night, Mimi and Casey did a little spying on the lovebirds and they found out about Zoe's plans to vote me out. She was complaining to that dumbass Takuya about how selfish and classless and tyrannous I was. Ha! Who does that bitch think she is? Trust me, there's a whole different side to my nastiness that I haven't exposed yet. I'm a tough chick and I'm not going down without a fight. If Zoe thinks she can vote me out that easily, then she better think again!

"Cassidy!" Zoe said this in a stern tone. "I'm trying my best to resolve this in a mature here! Please cooperate with me!"

"Here we go again..." Mimi muttered in a voice packed with disdain. She silently mouthed the word 'me' a few times to Cassidy, who smirked.

"If any of you have a problem with me, then you should just say it to my face." Zoe said, her voice growing more aggressive by the minute.

"Okay. Here is what's wrong with you, Miss Orimoto." Cassidy snapped, happily complying with Zoe's orders for the first time. "I think you're a self-centered snob who thinks the whole universe revolves around your narcissistic self. Most of us don't even give a crap about you, but you act like you're entitled to everything that happens in this tribe."

"What?" Zoe gasped in shock.

"And you're also a sleazy bitch. We've all seen you act like you're this sweet, genuine girl-next-door who just wants to get along with everybody on the tribe. It's an act. We all know it." Cassidy continued her angry tirade. "Honey, don't even try to deny it. You're as transparent as scotch tape."

"That's not true! How can you think that?" The blonde retorted.

"Oh, by the way…you're a snotty little harlot for sleeping with Takuya every night in the forest." Cassidy concluded with a smug smirk on her face. "I don't know why you flaunt your scrawny body all over him like a stripper working a pole, because from what I could see…" She scanned her eyes quickly over Zoe's body, looking unimpressed. "You're not all that."

"You…" Zoe shot her finger inches in front of Cassidy's face. It was shaking angrily as she shouted. "You're unbelievable!"

"Cassidy!" Delia couldn't restrain herself from silence any longer. "Zoe was just trying to make amends with you!"

"Cue the tears, drama queen." Cassidy rolled her eyes.

And just as tears swelled up in Zoe's eyes, Zoe wiped her eyes angrily with her fist. No, tears are for the weak and useless. She will not give Cassidy the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Zoe opened her mouth to argue back, but no words came out except a tiny, desperate squeak. And then, the blonde turned around and dashed into the forest.

"Did you think that was appropriate, Cassidy?" Delia scolded harshly.

"Yes. I can dish it and I could take it. Tell that bitch to bring it on!" Cassidy cackled.

Delia: I'm abhorred by Cassidy's behaviour today. Poor Zoe was trying to make up with Cassidy after their little dispute a few days ago, but Cassidy mercilessly attacked her on a very personal level that was totally out of line! I just saw a very ugly side to my alliance and it made me very sceptical about the people I'm associating myself with. This isn't how graceful, virtuous people behave!

She clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

Delia: I don't belong here. I'm not part of this rotten sportsmanship and appalling behaviour. I think…I think I don't want to be in Cassidy's alliance any longer.

- - -

Survivor is a very challenging game, both on a physical level and a mental level. Some people come into this game, thinking that they were fully prepared for the worst that could happen. As long as they were athletic in challenges and they were swift in strategizing, these people thought they'd have no problem going far in the game. But nine days have passed and a harsh reality struck upon their simplistic thinking. Some of them didn't realize how emotionally draining it was to play the social game.

Zoe Orimoto entered the game as a young, vivacious lady with a competitive spirit matched by no other. She was determined to conquer all the challenges, win against the men, and dodge against any obstacles thrown at her. She thought she had the willpower and endurance to go through this game for thirty nine days, no sweat and no problem. Her desire to win was strong and ferocious, like a bonfire that lit the way for her path to victory.

But the game could take a tow on even the strongest and most prepared player. Soon, this fire of hers was dying out. The light grew dimmer and the harsh reality became darker. Her flicker of light, her flicker of hope, her flicker of strength all seemed to have vanished into midair, somewhere beyond her reach. She no longer felt any emotions other than a miserable sense of dread and loneliness. She could try to pretend and ignore that Cassidy's personal attacks don't affect her, but it did.

It really hurts.

Zoe: I tried to improve my relationship with the women on my tribe, because…I thought that was the right thing to do. I was foolish and naïve enough to believe that there was kindness inside everyone's hearts. All I had to do was be genuine with my emotions and dig really deep to see the positive traits that lie inside all of us.

Her voice sounded unusually bitter and cold as she gave this confessional. Zoe looked away from the cameras.

Zoe: Well, today…I learned that I was wrong. Some people just don't have a heart.

Zoe didn't believe in crying over spilt milk. If these women didn't want to accept her kindness, then she wasn't going to waste her tears and time on them – those hollow, callous women. She didn't need their sympathy. And luckily, Zoe was a very flexible girl. When things were heading towards the wrong direction, she knew it was time to change her tactics.

Cassidy came, Cassidy saw, and Cassidy conquered. She stayed in her corrupt power for too long on the Gorebyss tribe. Her tribe members were too afraid to stand up against the intimidating dictator. At first, Zoe didn't want to stir the pot and make a huge commotion. She wanted to avoid unnecessary confrontations in order to play nice with everybody. But sometimes, passiveness just wouldn't do. It was time for Zoe to put a sudden thwart on Cassidy's tyranny.

And when she succeeded, Zoe knew it would be one of the sweetest accomplishments in the game.

"So far, we've three votes against Cassidy." Zoe whispered to Takuya. The pair of Frontiers was inside the secluded forest (again), cautiously discussing their plans before tribal council. "You, me and Rika."

"We need one more vote," said Takuya, stating the obvious.

"One more vote and we could take Cassidy down tonight." Zoe said with a smile, "She wouldn't see it coming at all."

"Awesome!" Takuya grinned. He put his hand casually on Zoe's shoulder. "So, whose vote are we going to pull in? Mimi? She's someone from the Digimon series. She could be loyal to us."

"No. Mimi and Cassidy are really close." Zoe shook her head. She was very observant about the dynamics of her tribe. "There's no way we'll be able to persuade Mimi to change her vote for us…" She paused and then added, "For me. In case you havne't noticed, Mimi hates me."

"She's just jealous of you." Takuya shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"We need to sway Casey's vote." Zoe said. She turned to Takuya for confirmation. "Do you think she'll understand?"

"I was thinking Delia instead. She's more naïve and easier to convince than Casey." Takuya scratched his head. "Casey is very stubborn and inflexible."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Zoe nodded. "We should go talk to Delia right now."

Zoe: Survivor isn't a nice game and Gorebyss definitely isn't a nice tribe. Those girls can insult me, can mock me, and can basically make my life a miserable hell all they want. But I rest in comfort knowing that even though there are some really mean girls on our tribe, there's also a very nice guy to counterbalance all the negativity.

Takuya began to march out of the forest when he felt a tug on his shirt sleeve. Surprised, the goggle-boy turned around and saw Zoe's fragile hand pulling onto his blue shirt. The gorgeous blonde smiled sweetly at him – a smile that was so sweet, so pretty, so angelic…

"Oh Takuya, you're always by my side even through the hardest times…" Zoe whispered.

She tiptoed a few steps closer to him.

"Even when I'm down, you always find a way to cheer me up…"

Zoe leant forward, drawing her face closer to Takuya.

"Even when I thought I had nobody by my side, you always keep me company…"

Takuya could feel Zoe breathing on his blushing cheek. Her pink lips were so close, so attractive, so desirable…

"Even when I lose hope, you always bring the optimism back into my eyes…"

Zoe stopped talking. Her face was only inches away from Takuya's mouth. Their eyes met and their gazes locked with each other.

"Thank you for everything."

And then, Zoe pulled her face away from Takuya. She turned around, hiding a mischievous smile from Takuya.

"C'mon! Let's go see Delia!" Zoe giggled as she started to walk away.

"Uh…o-okay…" Takuya replied breathlessly. He felt as if his heart stopped beating for several seconds.

Takuya gazed lovingly at Zoe for a few seconds, with a lopsided grin forming on his face. As Zoe walked, her slender hips shifted from left to right at a rhythmic pace. Takuya was hypnotised by her magnificence and her perfection. Her radiant blonde locks, her emerald green eyes, her cutely petite nose, her cherry pink lips, her athletic legs, her confident strides, her seductive poise, her charming personality – she was so lovely, oh so lovely.

- - -

Evening crept upon Delia sooner than she had expected. The dark, murky sky indicated that it was almost time for tribal council. For the last several hours, Delia sat inside the shelter and pondered about her options. Earlier, Zoe and Takuya promised her a deal that seemed too good to be true. They wanted her to betray Cassidy to vote against her. One more vote was all it took. Write seven letters down and Cassidy would be voted off.

Delia sighed. If only it was as easy as that.

Right now, she had a moral dilemma. Should she vote for Cassidy? No, it wasn't a matter of should or should not. It was more of a question if Delia could have the guts to vote out Cassidy. After all, the Team Rocket leader was the person who saved her from being voted off last tribal council. Delia firmly believed that if it wasn't for Cassidy's say, she would've been the easy scapegoat disposed at the last vote. Cassidy is the reason why she was still here. How could Delia return the kind favour by voting out her saviour at the next tribal council?

But Delia had always been a righteous woman. She was a simple mother from Pallet Town. She had strong beliefs about what was right and wrong, and she didn't agree with the way Cassidy conducted herself in this game. Like a merciless tyrant, she was a heartless, ruthless and classless. She lost all respect for that woman after seeing how she treated poor Zoe. What the shrewd Team Rocket leader said and did was wrong and unacceptable. After seeing all of that, how could Delia associate herself with somebody like Cassidy?

To make matters worse, one person was there to give Delia a major guilt trip about her difficult decision.

"Hey Delia! How are you holding up?" Casey said cheerfully as she sat down beside Delia in the shelter uninvited.

"The usual…" Delia said ambiguously.

"That's good to hear." Casey nodded her head and smiled. "Okay, so plans have changed for tonight. We decided not to vote for Rika at tribal council. There's a bigger fish to fry."

"Oh really?" Delia asked.

"You know about Takuya and Zoe…" Cassidy said. She hooked her two index fingers together to indicate the pair of Frontiers. "Well, we think it's about time to…" Casey pulled her fingers away quickly. "…terminate their relationship."

"So, we're voting Zoe off now…" Delia mumbled.

"I'm not a huge fan of hers." Casey said, grinning. "It's time for Zoe to strike out and get off the field!"

Delia sighed softly, an action that she immediately regretted doing in front of the observant Casey. The baseball fanatic caught her careless display of emotions.

"Delia, you're okay with our decision, right?" Casey asked.

Delia sighed, clutching to her trembling knees weakly.

Casey: Delia always acts wishy-washy before the vote…it's very shady to me. At every tribal council, I never know if her loyalty lies on our team or if she would double cross us to join the other side. Delia isn't the strongest person when it comes to willpower. She could easily be swayed and manipulated if Takuya or Zoe did a little sweet talking with her. She's starting to have second thoughts about the vote.

The blue-haired girl tilted her baseball cap. She wore a serious expression on her face.

Casey: Sometimes, I'm scared about her indecisiveness. Delia needs to step up to the plate and tell us which team she's loyal to. If she isn't careful enough, her vulnerability might just cost her the game.

"Delia…you aren't thinking of switching your vote, are you?" Casey asked, raising her vote to a more aggressive tone.

"No." Delia finally replied. She shook her head. "I'm not."

"I hope I can trust you, Delia." Casey said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "Remember that we voted Suzie off in order to save you in last tribal council. The least you can do is to show us a little loyalty."

"But Casey…I don't really think Zoe deserves to be voted off." Delia quivered.

Casey looked shocked that such treacherous ideas could even exist in Delia's head, let alone coming out of Delia's mouth.

"Don't take it the wrong way!" Delia quickly retracted her daring statement. "But is it really right for us to vote Zoe off? She did nothing wrong!"

"She hangs out with Takuya too much. They're too dangerous together," argued Casey.

"May be, but the way Cassidy treats Zoe is horrible…" Delia bit her lips.

"Cassidy is blunt." Casey said stubbornly. "She's a little rough around the edges, so what?"

"Her honesty is brutal," said Delia.

"Sometimes, the truth hurts." Casey shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess so." Delia said, climbing out of the shelter. She stood up and searched for her bag. "We should start making our way to tribal council."

"Okay. But Delia, just remember that we've been loyal and faithful to you the entire time. We will never betray you." Casey said earnestly. "We took care of you when you were sick. We saved you from the vote when you were in danger."

She took a dramatic and lengthy pause.

"We're your real friends, Delia…"

Delia: I'm so confused about what to do. On one hand, I don't want to vote Zoe off because I feel she was treated horribly by some of my tribe members. On the other hand, I should keep my loyalty to Cassidy because she helped me out a lot back when I was ill.

Delia sighed profoundly to the cameras.

Delia: I still haven't made up my mind yet. But whatever decision I make, I hope it's the right one.

- - -

The Gorebyss tribe quietly marched into the tribal council set, lit their torches and took a seat on the wooden benches. Professor Birch stood in front of them, with his hands inside the pockets of his white laboratory coat. He silently observed the uncomfortable expressions and stiff postures of the tribe members. Behind him was the magnificent sculpture of the Dewford Dewgong, its hollow eyes glaring icily at the tribe of seven.

"I can cut the tension here with a knife!" Professor Birch joked, which brought several cynical smiles on a few people's faces. He turned to face Rika and asked, "Rika…what do you think about the status of Gorebyss?"

Rika Nonaka wore a sombre expression on her face tonight, a sight that most of Gorebyss had gotten used to seeing in the past few days. It was tribal council time and nothing has changed in this tribe. Cassidy was still in power and Rika was still the next targeted to go. Although Takuya and Zoe have promised to vote with her at this tribal council, Rika knew the numbers weren't in her favour. She didn't want to get her hopes up only to have it crushed again. Her pessimism was a defence mechanism that Rika adopted in order to protect her ego.

"We're weak." Rika said, "Gorebyss is weak-willed and weak-minded. There are some tribe members who aren't very productive to camp, but they're getting a free ride in this game because they're safe in the big alliance."

"Who're you talking about?" Professor Birch baited.

"Delia and Mimi are the laziest in this tribe. They are the two people who drag our tribe down the most." Rika answered immediately, while the two women shot dirty glances at her. "At least Delia has an excuse because she's sick, but Mimi is just useless when it comes to working."

"Excuse me! But I do cook all of the meals on this island!" Mimi angrily shouted.

"And that's all you do," said Rika with her arms folded.

"Cook food." Takuya clapped his hands together, smiling sarcastically. "Bravo, Mimi! Somebody should get this girl an award for such achievement and contribution!"

Mimi lowered her eyes on the floor, bitterly mumbling something under her breath.

"Takuya, I remembered you had some wonderful things to say about Mimi at the last tribal council." Professor Birch rubbed his bearded chin thoughtfully. "Why is there suddenly a drastic change in your attitude?"

"Professor, I guess I'm just pissed off because we're skirting around the main issue in Gorebyss." Takuya said. "Cassidy is a bitch and none of us have any balls to confront her."

"Wow." Professor Birch looked slightly taken back. He turned over to the Team Rocket member for her response. "Takuya trashed you pretty badly there, what do you have to say?"

"Thanks for the compliment, kid," said Cassidy. She smiled thinly at the professor. "I didn't know he was so capable of using vocabulary that has more than one syllable in it."

"I'm surprised Cassidy would even know what a compliment is. I mean, after all, I never hear her give a compliment or encouragement out to anybody." Takuya retorted.

"Aww, is Takuya-poo crabby because he didn't receive his daily dose of compliments today?" Cassidy reached her arm out over to where Takuya was standing. "Here, have an imaginary lollipop and suck your whiny mouth on it."

Takuya and Cassidy locked their intense eyes at each other, forcing Professor Birch to change the subject at hand. He turned over to Delia, who has been keeping quiet throughout this uncomfortable situation.

"Delia…" Professor Birch smiled shyly. "What is your take on this tribe?"

"Professor, I think some of our behaviour is very immature." Delia said, her motherly instincts kicking in. "We're not children on a playground anymore. We need to cut back on the juvenile remarks and harmful insults. Nobody gains anything from them except even more ill feelings towards each other."

"I agree with Delia." Zoe slowly raised her hand in the air.

"Me too," echoed Casey.

"You sound like the voice of reason." Professor Birch nodded his head to her every word. Nobody else said anything. The professor finally realized that he wouldn't get many wordy answers tonight from the anxious group. "Okay, let's vote. Rika, you're up first."

Crossing the bridge to reach the voting booth, Rika wasted no time as she wrote down 'Cassidy' on the piece of parchment. Rika's handwriting was thin, sharp and jagged.

"You sealed my fate tonight and I've accepted the outcome that I'll most likely go home." Rika said as she held up her parchment in front of the cameras. "Let this vote be a warning. Sooner or later, one of your mindless minions will wake up and recognize the power-hungry bitch that you are…"

Rika remained expressionless as she dumped her vote into the urn.

"Just remember, karma is a bitch."

Zoe held her parchment up, revealing a second vote against Cassidy tonight. The blonde gave an impish wink to the cameras; her cheerful attitude was the result of knowing that Cassidy's horrifying reign as tribe tyrant would end once and for all. Cassidy had no idea that it was coming, no idea that she would be blindsided, no idea that she was about to be beaten at her own twisted mind games.

"Cassidy is finito!" Zoe whispered.

Takuya cast his vote next. He wrote down Cassidy's name on the parchment to nobody's surprise.

"Cassidy, you're arrogant and delusional – and that's the best compliment I could ever give to a wrinkly hag like you."

Fourth to arrive at the voting booth was Mimi. The tall brunette scrawled a self-made nickname 'Zo-MEE' on the piece of parchment. She smiled sweetly to the cameras when she held up her vote.

"Oh Zoe…the island really brought out the worst in you. Most of the time, you weren't any fun to be around with!" Mimi shrugged casually. "I don't appreciate how you're always trying to steal Cassidy's spotlight. It felt like you're competing against her just for the sake of being annoying."

Casey was the next to vote. The polite little girl smiled apologetically as she wrote down three letters on the parchment.

"I don't know what your relationship with Takuya is, but I sense a romantic connection between you two, which we need to break up. It was supposed to be Rika tonight, but you brought all of this upon yourself. You hardly talked to me at camp, so I don't feel bad doing this at all. Perhaps you shouldn't have spent so much time and energy flirting with Takuya when you could've…uh…try to know some of us a little better."

Predictably, Cassidy cast the third vote against her blonde rival that night. She smirked smugly as she held up her vote.

"No need to elaborate. All the words that I wanted to tell you I've said to your face. I hope you remembered to say goodbye to your scumbag of a boyfriend, sweetheart."

And then, it was Delia's turn.

She hesitated as she glanced down at her empty parchment, with two names racing back and forth in her head. Delia guessed correctly that she was the swing vote for this tribal council, but she didn't anticipate how difficult the decision would actually be. Either way, she was going to upset somebody with her vote tonight.

Good or evil?

Right or wrong?

Zoe or Cassidy?

Finally, Delia wrote a name down.

- - -

"Once the votes have been read, the person voted off will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately." Professor Birch said.

He pulled out the first vote from the voting urn and turned it over.

"Cassidy."

The Team Rocket member remained unfazed, even as her name was called out by the professor. Her allies, Mimi and Casey, both looked concerned and flustered at the vote.

If their cult leader, Cassidy, was gone, what will her powerless followers do?

"The second vote…" Professor Birch said as he drew another parchment out of the urn. "Zoe."

"The third vote…" He continued. "Cassidy."

"The fourth vote…Zoe."

"The fifth vote…Cassidy."

"The sixth vote…Zoe."

Zoe sighed as she read the nickname 'Zo-MEE' scrawled on the sixth piece of parchment. Takuya frowned disapprovingly at what he thought was a malicious vote and then he reached over to grab on to Zoe's delicate hand. She smiled nervously at him.

"So far, that's three votes for Cassidy and three votes for Zoe." Professor Birch recapped. "And now, I'll read the final vote."

Cassidy.

A faint smile crept across Zoe's face. She wished that was the name that appeared on the parchment.

The blonde turned over to glance at the single mother from Pallet Town, hoping to find a reassuring answer from her expression. In order for Zoe to triumphantly take Cassidy out of the game, she needed a fourth vote, Delia's vote. When Zoe made a desperate pitch to the weak-willed Delia, she wouldn't give a direct answer to anybody who asked. But surely, she must've made up her mind by now. Zoe had no idea what was going through Delia's head. Her eyes were cast down to the floor, with strands of her raven brown hair covering a pair of evasive eyes. Delia wasn't looking at anybody in particular. She wasn't even looking at Professor Birch as he drew out the final vote.

"The third person voted out of Survivor: Dewford Islands…" Professor Birch began.

Zoe took a deep breath. Takuya's grip on her hand tightened.

The professor revealed the last vote.

"Zoe."

And just like that, the world came crashing down. Takuya and Zoe instantly looked at each other as soon as her name was announced. They both knew it was over.

Cassidy gloated in silent pride, grinning smugly as Zoe rose from her seat after the defeat of a long and difficult battle. When Zoe looked at Cassidy, all she could see was a pair of menacing fangs that drained every last bit of competitive spirit from her. After sighing softly under her breath, Zoe walked to the professor with her torch.

"Zoe, the tribe has spoken." Professor Birch said, diminishing the strongly lit flame on the blonde's torch.

She lingered her gaze on Takuya for a final time. A few seconds later, she turned around and walked away, eventually fading in with the rest of the dark and dense forest.

"Did you get rid of the tension tonight or is it still roaming freely in your tribe?" Professor Birch asked. "We'll find out tomorrow morning…"

Delia buried her face into her hands, looking very distressed. Casey, who was sitting beside the single mother, patted her shoulder aphetically. There was a slight grin on her cheery face.

As the castaways got up to retrieve their torches, Takuya walked right into Delia, intentionally shoving his shoulder into her left arm. Delia could feel that all of his justified rage was directed at her. It was her vote that the pair of Frontiers depended on. And it was her who had let them down.

She stayed faithful to Cassidy and voted off Zoe Orimoto…

"I hope you sleep better at night knowing what you did to Zoe." Takuya muttered bitterly. "You're next."

But despite the rare sound of tranquil silence in the Gorebyss campsite, Delia couldn't sleep that night.

All she could hear was the echo of Takuya's ominous words.

- - -

Zoe's Final Words

That's it, huh? I was mentally fit and physically in shape, so I really thought I'd last longer than nine days on this island. But this game was a lot more challenging than I've anticipated. I learned that no matter how hard I tried to get along with everybody on my tribe, there'll always be a few people you don't mesh well with. That's what happens when strong personalities clash and collide.

Oh well, I'm very proud of the way I went out of this game. Despite all the harsh conditions and obstacles, I never once gave up. I might be a competitor and I might not like to use…but winning isn't everything. Sometimes, it's just as good to bow out and accept my loss like a gracious loser.

- - -

Next Time on Survivor –

Takuya takes a stab at revenge on his tribe members…
Professor Birch: What are you doing, Takuya?
(Takuya shrugs his shoulders casually.)
Takuya: Yeah, I don't care anymore.

An unexpected attack leaves one castaway badly injured…
(Takato gasps. May looks like she is wincing in pain.)
May: Oh my god!
(She and Takato run towards somebody.)
May: You're bleeding!

And somebody leaves a personal message for Brock…
(TK runs his fingers over a few scratches on the motorboat.)
TK: Who did this?
(He removes his fingers, revealing the words "BROCK SUCKS" on it.)

All of this and more on – Episode 4: A Lonely Feast

Author's Notes: Once again, here's a huge thanks to everyone who reviewed and took my survey. Don't be shy to post a few comments by reviewing this story, because it strokes my ego and helps me see that I've support behind this project, haha! Anyway, the results for the past survey is posted on my website and don't forget to take the survey for this episode as well!