Apologies for the delay; I was hoping to get Chapter 11 posted sometime in July 2021, but offline obligations got in the way more than I expected plus there were ideas that I really wanted to implement. This chapter otherwise would've been incomplete and I didn't want to rush anything. As a result, I give you the fic's longest chapter to date.
Rockin' D-99: Nice to know you liked the spat between Leshawna and Max as well as how Trent helped Brick out with his fear of the dark. As for Dawn, while I totally understand wanting her to reach the merge (and there thankfully are multiple stories from other Total Drama fans where she does), it's too late to change that now.
amit avrashmi: Many thanks! Time will tell what follows for Leshawna and Mildred.
The story must go on!
A split screen showed Chris on one half and Chef on the other. Both were sleeping contently before their alarms went off in unison, waking them up. These men stretched out their arms before getting out of bed to use their showers. Half an hour later, the cook was shown serving bagels for breakfast. Players could choose between plain or cinnamon raison flavors. While they ate, DJ asked Trent "Why didn't you tell me right away how last night's vote wasn't based on something you came up with on your own?"
"Because I thought doing so might lead to some dispute that wouldn't lead anywhere productive." his ally confessed. "Quite frankly, I wish I hadn't done this to Dawn simply because of what Jo told me. Sorry for not being more upfront about that."
"She evidently forgives you, and so do I as long as you simply tell me about your plans without consulting opponents first. Leshawna also told me about your promises on how you wouldn't repeat that in the future, and I'm willing to take her word for it." the gentle giant assured him. "In fact, I even found a note near my room last night that you should probably take a look at."
Feeling more at ease upon hearing this, the musician replied with "That's good to know."
Sensing things weren't entirely back to normal, his friend was about to say more when their host could be heard instructing "You all have five minutes left until challenge time! Finish up breakfast and get outside ASAP."
"There's more I'd like to tell you, but that and reading the note will have to wait for now." said the gentle giant.
All Trent had time to say in response was "I look forward to both."
(Begin Confessional: DJ)
"Taking advice from opponents is far from the worst thing any contestant has done on this show. Hell, the last season alone had Sugar and Scarlett stooping to despicable levels. Nobody left in the game would dare replicate what either of them did."
(End Confessional)
Once everybody had gathered outdoors, McLean told them "Today will involve lots of running. We're taking you to an obstacle course where you'll dash towards one end and back as quickly as possible. You only get one try each, so try not to screw things up too badly. Whichever team gets the lowest cumulative time wins!"
"Don't expect this challenge to be easy." added the second-in-command. "Now let's head over to the challenge area."
As they walked along with the 11 players, some discomfort was still noticeable among a certain musician. He asked his ally "What was it you wanted to tell me before we were given a 5-minute notice to meet outdoors?"
The answer to that was "Oh right, I was about to add this: trust me when I say that I know what it's like to deal with a guilty conscience. It led to me quitting when I went against the rules, but you did no such thing by simply getting me in on your vote plans, so don't dwell too much over that when it's not like you had some petty or underhanded motives. Dave and Ella were willing to go along with our offer to join us since the vote also helped them stay in the contest together. By no means does it make you a traitor. They're not shunning you, and neither am I. As for Brick, he's probably still thankful for your help in calming him down while stuck in the dark."
"Affirmative! Your aid was most definitely appreciated, and I'm also glad that it wasn't me who went home. No hard feelings at all." the solider confirmed in gratitude upon overhearing their exchange.
"Hearing that definitely helps, so thank you both." replied Trent with a grin, now feeling somewhat better, but part of him still had some worries about what the note contained.
"Sure thing, now let's focus on what today's challenge has in store for us." replied the gentle giant. "I don't want you sidetracked during that."
Everyone eventually gathered at an obstacle course. Chris instructed "You'll start off by crossing a steel bridge to the four trampolines. After bouncing across those to reach the swinging rope, make your way across another bridge to the rock wall and climb your way to its other side. Up next will be a series of machines firing tennis balls at you. Unless you feel like getting pummeled, I suggest dodging those. Keep going until you find a flag with your team's logo on it. We have five silver flags for the Coyotes and six golden flags for the Leopards. Once you grab a flag, don't lose that or you'll be penalized! Bring your flag to Chef or me, and you'll be done. Also, try not to land in the mud below: it'll be a hassle to get back on track afterwards."
Hearing the mud part made Dave cringe in disgust and ask the host "Will any mud we get at least be washed off afterwards?"
"Yes indeed." affirmed Hatchet while holding up a hose. "One person will go at a time, and it'll alternate between which team has a member making their way through the course. Since the Coyotes won the last challenge, we'll cut them a bit of slack for now and start by having one of the Leopards go for a flag."
Hearing that prompted the germaphobe to sigh in relief. Blaineley inquired "Which one of them will go up first?"
"I'll let each team pick the order of members that run through it." McLean answered. "Just remember that it goes back and forth between a Leopard and a Coyote taking their turns."
After this, the teams formed their own huddles to discuss who would go up when. No outsiders could hear a thing they were saying. One minute passed before DJ confidently declared "We're kicking it off with me today." and walked up to the starting point while handing his guitar-playing friend a note.
"Be my guest. Just don't start running before you hear an airhorn." added Chef.
"You ready for this?" asked the host while pulling out his airhorn.
The gentle giant affirmed "I sure am!" and dashed off as soon as the horn went off.
(Begin Confessional: Chef)
"Seeing little to no worry from that guy was unusual, especially so early in a challenge. Maybe he's grown back the spine showed when defying my orders in season 2."
(End Confessional)
As DJ headed for the trampolines, his teammates could be heard cheering for him. He bounced across them without much trouble, though had a bit of a struggle timing his jump to grab the rope without falling into mud. The gentle giant managed to grasp it after about twenty seconds of bouncing and nearly slipped on the second bridge before getting more stable footing. Once the guy was steady again, he had no problems making his way over to the rock wall. However, certain rocks were covered in grease. The showrunner laughed while watching DJ lose his grip and fall, taunting "That reminds me: I forgot to mention how easy it is to wipe out on your way up that!"
"You aren't fooling anyone after that platform swinging challenge." Jo added. "This was clearly another thing you knew all along and deliberately kept a secret until now."
"She's right: your tricks are easier to catch after their first use." said Chef.
(Begin Confessional: Chris)
"Note to self: come up with sneakier ideas for the future."
(End Confessional)
In the meantime, Trent had taken a breath of relief after discreetly reading all of Dawn's note and putting it into one pocket, which was enough to fully ease his conscience at last. He could now completely focus on the challenge without any lingering guilt and encouraged his ally with "You got this: just watch out for the slippery parts!"
Hearing those words gave the gentle giant more determination. Following a nod of gratitude, he did his best to remember which rocks slippery rocks had been touched so they could be avoided. The second attempt went more smoothly as a result.
(Begin Confessional: Trent)
"Today goes to show how much of a pal DJ is. I'm certainly glad to be on the same team as him! After what he did, the least I could do was return the favor of offering help when it was needed. As for what Dawn's note contained, let's just say that was very comforting and it specifically mentioned she was fine with me reading this."
(End Confessional)
After briefly losing his footing, DJ was able to improve his grip and make it over to the other side of the rock wall. He was wary of more grease potentially lurking, and only managed to make a few steps before slipping and landing flat on his ass. While that was painful, it did help him get to the end quicker.
(Begin Confessional: Chris)
"The only thing I found more amusing today than people falling was seeing them pelted by tennis balls."
(End Confessional)
The gentle giant took a few seconds to get back on his feet and continue onwards. Up next were the tennis ball-firing machines, which were already shooting balls. None of the contestants looked forward to going through that crossfire. To nobody's surprise, DJ got struck by many while running through them. However, they weren't enough to deter him from going to the end and grabbing a flag. Chef picked up his boss's megaphone and used it to declare "I have to admit it's impressive how you got through with less harm than we anticipated. Now you just need to go through this in reverse while trying to keep ahold of your flag. Step on it!"
Taking the megaphone back, McLean chastised "You don't get to use this without my permission, which I never gave today, and should know by now that instructions are supposed to come from me instead of you unless told otherwise!"
"Do you honestly expect him to listen to that?" Dakota inquired while DJ ran through the tennis balls again.
"He should in order to avoid consequences, like a reduced paycheck or losing his job." replied the host.
"That might prompt him to sue you for unfair termination." speculated Sam.
"Not gonna lie; I would be willing to do that upon getting fired." Hatchet remarked. "Would you really want another lawsuit on your plate?"
"I know for sure that I wouldn't! Losing even more money would be quite an inconvenience." a smirking Leshawna interjected before chuckling.
McLean scowled in irritation upon being reminded of his past legal issues and barked "You all can shut it already! The next person to bring up anything involving the law during this challenge will get no dinner at all tonight."
"OK fine; I have nothing else to add anyway." conceded the sassy one.
"Good, and I hope that goes for the others." said the showrunner, prompting the gamer, his girlfriend, and the cook to nod in silence.
(Begin Confessional: Leshawna)
"Seeing Chris get upset was amusing karma, but definitely not worth losing food over, so I had to zip it before it was too late."
(End Confessional)
(Begin Confessional: Chef)
"Cutting off meals? Our donor wouldn't like that, and even the threat of doing so is a risky move. It's a good thing Chris didn't actually deprive people of food today."
(End Confessional)
In the meantime, the gentle giant had gotten through the rock wall again and was about to grab a rope when the previously distracted people had refocused their attention on him. Hoping to delay progress, Jo tauntingly called out "Hey, did you ever think about landing in the mud and hurting some innocent creature? It would be quite a shame to repeat what happened with that curse during your last season on this show!"
"How dastardly of you. I love it!" complimented Max.
The trick didn't work. DJ managed to swing across and bounce his way through the trampolines without any problems. He didn't say anything before reaching the end of the bridge, not wanting to get sidetracked by talking. Once finished, his response was "You can't fool me: I know now that I was never truly cursed at all."
(Begin Confessional: Jo)
"Damn, this is going to be more difficult than I thought."
(End Confessional)
"All in all, you managed to finish in 175 seconds, which is a little under 3 minutes. Not a bad total." Chris announced. "Who's up next?"
"Let EVIL show you all how it's done." the wannabe villain proclaimed.
"Go right ahead. You'll probably be slower, though, not that I'm complaining." replied McLean.
"We'll see about that!" Max retorted while approaching the steel bridge.
"Just wait for me to get the timer ready." instructed Chef. "3, 2, 1, go!"
The aspiring evildoer wasted no time in getting started. He managed to cross the bridge just fine, though fell into the mud when trying to land on the first trampoline. Chris laughed before mocking him with "That's our first wipeout of today! Get back on the bridge and give it another try."
Max complied while pondering "Perhaps my mud traces will make it harder to others to go through.", chuckling mischievously at the end of that sentence, and managed to bounce across all the trampolines on his second attempt.
"Hey, that's actually a pretty good idea; you're showing more of an evil side now and I dig it!" the host complimented.
"Except for the part where his own teammates have to deal with it." Jo retorted.
"This is a double-edged sword now that you point it out." Sam added.
"Way to screw us over, Max!" Dakota chastised.
(Begin Confessional: Blaineley)
"I've lately gotten a feeling that my team would want me gone during their next vote, so maybe that mud tracking will help take the target off my back."
(End Confessional)
The cameras cut to the aspiring evildoer about two-thirds up one the first side of the rock wall. He complained "This grease is a dastardly addition. While part of me likes the underhandedness, I don't like when it comes at my expense!"
"Just remember the safe spots and you should be fine." Chef reassured him while washing the mud off the trampolines.
His boss didn't like seeing those get cleaned and chastised "Don't help the contestants out like that!", only to get sprayed in the face by the cook's hose.
(Begin Confessional: Chris)
"Next time he soaks me or does anything else like that, I'm deducting his pay!"
(End Confessional)
After making his way down the rock wall, Max repeatedly got pelted while running through the onslaught of tennis balls. One knocked the guy flat onto his face. Upon trying to get back up, he realized that none could hit him while lying close to the surface and decided to simply belly crawl ahead as quickly as possible. Roughly a minute passed before the wannabe villain reached a flag.
(Begin Confessional: DJ)
"Crawling, huh? I wish I thought of that earlier, but with my height, I still probably would've gotten smacked in the head anyway."
(End Confessional)
Taking full advantage of being able to make it unscathed when laying low, Max crawled back through the ball onslaught while carrying a flag with his teeth.
"Not gonna lie; that's a pretty good way to keep ahold of your flag." complimented Blaineley.
"Maybe the guy can be useful after all." Jo muttered to herself.
Without releasing the flag from his mouth, the aspiring evildoer managed to climb past both sides of the rock wall with only a minor slip, though quickly regained stable footing. Having two free hands also made it easier for him to grab the swinging rope and land on the trampolines. Upon bouncing across all four of those and reaching the end of the steel bridge, he declared "A true villain is clever, and can't be defeated so easily!" before getting sprayed by the second-in-command's hose.
"Well, your time was 245 seconds, which is nowhere near as good as what DJ got." Chris informed him. "Anything can happen, though. It depends on how fast everybody else finishes."
"I'll be sure to complete it sooner than that." Leshawna confidently proclaimed as she headed towards the steel bridge.
"You of all people having a lower time wouldn't surprise me in the least." McLean replied.
"Once the horn goes off, that's when you'll start." his assistant instructed.
Her reply was "Bring it on!" followed by a dash across the bridge as soon as said horn went off.
Unlike the prior contestants, she didn't have any problems getting across trampolines towards the rope in time to grab it. As the sassy one headed for the rock wall, Blaineley decided to interfere by picking up a nearby stone and chucking it at her. It completely missed and got a response of "Cheap tricks like that are futile."
"Honestly, I was sure that would work." muttered the stone-thrower in disappointment as her target reached the wall, who never stopped running or looked away from it even when dodging or speaking.
After making it past the rock wall, Leshawna added "Yeah, no; you just wasted your energy."
"I hope you get knocked off course!" retorted Mildred, failing to deter her focus with continued commentary.
Taking a page out of Max's book, the day's third runner got down onto her stomach and crawled beneath the crossfire of tennis balls. She still got smacked in the face by some of those, though didn't slow down for any of those hits. Leshawna took about 45 seconds to get through these and place a flag between her teeth before reversing course, taking the same amount of time to crawl past the balls again. She didn't lose any momentum with subsequent balls striking her and had figured out which spots on the rock wall were safe by this point, making the climb easier. This contestant also managed to dodge another stone from the former co-host of Celebrity Manhunt while gripping onto the rope and swinging to the trampolines without stopping. Leshawna remained silent until bouncing across those and reaching the end of the steel bridge, finishing it off with "That's how a champion does it, and nobody can break my flow."
"It felt like something worth trying anyway." admitted Blaineley with a shoulder shrug.
"Nevertheless, her total time ended up being 160 seconds, so there's a new record to beat." Chef informed them.
"Ok, who's up next?" asked the host.
"Let a pro, aka me, handle that!" Jo answered.
"Wait for the horn and we'll see how it goes." instructed the second-in-command.
"Just press the damn thing already." she stated impatiently, eager to get going.
His response before complying was "Fine by me."
The jockette promptly dashed off. She bounced from trampoline to trampoline even faster than her predecessor did and grabbed the swinging rope without any struggle. A certain military boy's jaw dropped in shock upon witnessing this.
(Begin Confessional: Brick)
"I knew Jo was athletic, but even I didn't foresee how much that would help her today!"
(End Confessional)
Sam noticed that while watching the runner begin climbing the rock wall and commented "Dude, everybody here knows or minimally suspects you have the hots for her, but I'm not sure it warrants this reaction yet. At least wait until she finishes."
"I-I most certainly d-don't!" Mr. MacArthur bluffed nervously as his cheeks involuntarily turned red. "It's beyond me what gave you that idea."
This was answered with "For one, the fact that you just blushed when I brought up how you feel about Jo. Furthermore, I've seen you stare at one another, and there was that time where you accidentally-on-purpose let her win a thumb war back during season four. Need I go on?"
"That loss was me trying to be a gentleman." Brick unconvincingly insisted.
"Your denial isn't fooling anyone, bud. We're pals and you can be honest with me." the gamer replied before surmising "Had she been one of your teammates this time around, instinct tells me that you would've gotten together already, though may have initially tried to keep the relationship private."
The cadet's next words were "Since that didn't happen, we can't say for certain, so let's just focus on the obstacle course and our upcoming runs for now.", trying change the subject and not give away what his heart truly desired.
"That sounds about right to me." added Trent in agreement, having overheard their exchange.
"Sooner or later, the truth is bound to come out of their lips." Sam said with confidence.
"It's just a question of when." the guitarist stated before asking his teammate "You've noticed how Jo obviously likes you, right? I just hope it doesn't interfere with your performances in challenges."
The jockette was thrown for a loop upon hearing that comment and slipped from the rock wall right after crossing over the top, landing flat on her face. She got up to interject with "Mr. Guitar player is lying; I see you as a rival and that's it!" while running towards the tennis ball onslaught and using her sweatshirt's hood both as a head guard and a way to conceal blushing cheeks, not fooling the video game enthusiast or Trent with that blatant lie.
Brick gave an answer of "Rivals is the best way to describe our standing. Now we should see how fast she can go."
(Begin Confessional: Sam)
"Cracking these two is definitely going to be harder than getting Dave to admit his attraction to Ella. While this dude also initially tried to deny how he felt before they got together, I had a hunch the germ hater liked her as more than a friend ever since briefly seeing them share a smiling moment during the mountain climb while getting back on track following a slip-up and an arm catching. Dakota noticed it as well and somehow got him to later confess the truth. The thing with Brick and Jo, particularly the latter, is that they're quite prideful and are often striving to outperform one another. Being on opposing teams only amplifies this, and it reminds me of the way Heather and Alejandro tried to use some sort of competitive rivalry to mask their mutual desires for one another in the third season."
(End Confessional)
The cameras cut to the runner grabbing a flag and holding it with her teeth. She retreated while still hearing her hoodie to reduce the pain from tennis ball impact, opting to run straight through those instead of slowing down for a crawl. Jo reached the rock wall about 25 seconds later and began climbing. In the middle of her climb, Chef admitted "I have to say I find it clever to use one's hoodie to their advantage like that."
She gave a quick "Thank you for that!" upon reaching the bottom without stopping and ran for the rope, swinging across that and bouncing across the trampolines with ease. Jo reached the end of the bridge and inquired "Was that the fastest time so far?"
"It indeed was: 140 seconds!" Chris affirmed, prompting her to smile proudly.
"Perhaps I can top that." a certain solider stated, not only eager to get his team ahead and practice skills developed from military school days, but also secretly wanting to both impress Jo.
"Knock yourself out." replied the host.
Once Brick got into position, Chef could be heard stating "Ready, set, go!" before blowing his airhorn.
This contestant didn't hesitate in the slightest to sprint off right away. He bounced across the trampolines roughly as fast as his love interest did and had no troubles with the rope either. Mr. MacArthur also used the rope to swing ahead further towards the rock wall and leaned forward to extend a jump towards that, never slowing down in the process. "You have this, man!" DJ cheered from a distance, making him smile in gratitude.
(Begin Confessional: Dakota)
"I knew Brick would be fast in athletic challenges, but it kind of seemed like he was showing off today, maybe hoping it would woo over Jo? That wouldn't be surprising at all. If those two were teammates now, then I have no doubt she'd be the one cheering most enthusiastically for him today. Maybe they also would be more open about liking one another. Leshawna wasn't kidding yesterday when saying that being on opposing sides gets in the way of admitting their true feelings. I also overheard his chat with Sam and Trent earlier, and those guys have of course caught onto the painfully obvious."
(End Confessional)
The cameras cut to the fifth runner as he reached the end of the rock wall and dashed off towards the balls. Brick's head was covered by his arms while running through them. In the middle of this, he managed to kick some away, inadvertently giving Blaineley a nosebleed when one hit her face. "Serves you right for those stones tossed!" Leshawna remarked gleefully with a chuckle.
Mildred bitterly spatted "Shut up and give me some tissues!"
That was met with a dismissive reply of "You can get them yourself."
"Whoever gets those for me: I promise not to vote you off at the next elimination ceremony." said the one with a bleeding nose.
Before any other contestant could respond, Chef pulled a few out from his pocket and told her "Just keep these in your nostrils for half an hour and you should be fine."
Right after she complied with those instructions and gave a thumbs up to thank the cook, Brick got ahold of a flag and dashed back while using his arms as cover once again. He didn't bother using any teeth to hold that until getting through the crossfire and reaching the rock wall. Upon approaching that, the cadet placed the flag in his mouth to free up both hands and could climb both sides without much difficulty. Jo wanted to cheer him on, though knew that would give away her feelings for him and remained silent. She did however like his performance and discreetly smiled in admiration.
Mr. MacArthur ran as fast as he could to the swinging rope, using it with ease to reach the trampolines and bounced across those without losing any momentum. Right after crossing the bridge again, the cadet released the flag from his mouth and proudly declared "That right there is an example of military training at its finest."
"You aren't wrong: that's 135 seconds flat." Chris noted.
A bitter Blaineley snapped at him "Piss your pants and pull them over your head!", still angry over how he gave her a nosebleed, getting stares from everyone else.
"What the fuck!?" questioned a certain germaphobe in disgust, looking like he was about to get sick. "That has to be one of the most disgusting things I've ever heard!"
(Begin Confessional: Ella)
"I'm now very glad I chose an athletic teammate for my side."
(End Confessional)
(Begin Confessional: Dave)
"As impressive as it is to see people on my side get low times, the means used to obtain them is irksome. Why would anybody like to put something dirty in their mouths?" the germaphobe pondered before realizing how sexual his comment sounded and added "Wait, I should've phrased that better, but the point still stands. On another note, the old lady also nearly made me vomit with that revolting jab towards Brick."
(End Confessional)
"Since someone still needs time for their nose to heal, I guess I'll go up next." Dakota announced.
"I have no objections, just wait for the horn." Chef told her and didn't activate said horn until saying "On your marks, get set, go!"
Ms. Milton wasn't nearly as fast as her predecessor, though kept a steady focus when bouncing from trampoline to trampoline upon reaching them. She only had a minor struggle with grabbing the rope in time. Sam cheered for his girlfriend with "I know you have what it takes to do well, so keep going!"
Hearing these words helped motivate her. Dakota slipped a bit when climbing the rock wall, but never lost determination and was able to get over to the other side without wasting too much time. She slid hands first to duck underneath the firing tennis balls, getting hit by several in the process anyway. While somewhat slowed down by this, the former mutant kept going until reaching the flags and snatched one of them.
She dreaded having to go through it all again but knew that was unavoidable and simply muttered "Here goes nothing" before reversing course, not bothering to duck when going through the ball onslaught once more.
"You're pathetic compared to the last two, but still not as bad as I expected." McLean taunted.
Hearing prompted a growl of resentment from her boyfriend, who tried to punch him in retaliation. The host managed to dodge the swing in time and warned "Try anything like that again and I'll automatically declare it a loss for your team."
"As honorable as it is to stick up for the one you love, trust me when I say this isn't an ideal way to go about it because you don't want to push his limits and she wouldn't want you to forfeit a challenge." Chef advised the gamer.
Sam sighed before relenting "Fair point right there. I do hope to win as often as possible."
Dakota witnessed the exchange while climbing and was grateful for the defense. Going through it a second time wasn't as difficult after getting accustomed to that and watching others climb earlier. Even when failing to match the speeds of Jo or Brick, she went as fast as her legs could carry her. Ms. Milton lost her grip from the rope when using it again, though luckily landed on one of the trampolines and simply bounced across that as well as the others. She never stopped until reaching the end of the steel bridge and asked the cook "How quickly did I go?" upon finishing.
His answer was "All in all, it was 220 seconds. Don't beat yourself up too much over that."
Trent stepped up to the bridge and questioned "When will you blow the airhorn?"
"In just a moment." Hatchet replied before activating the horn.
Upon hearing it, the guitarist took off and used observations of the previous runners to his advantage, timing the trampoline bounces just right to reach the rope as soon as possible. Climbing up the walls was a bit of a struggle for him, though he managed to get past that without slipping and falling into mud. DJ encouraged his ally in the middle of the climb with "After watching myself and others go, I'm sure you have a good sense of what to do!"
While Trent appreciated this, he wanted to stay focused on the course ahead without stopping to say anything and used Brick's idea of arm protection to minimize face hits with the tennis balls. It ended up working in his favor, as did just grabbing the flag, and not gripping it with any teeth until getting through that onslaught again. The guitar player had an easier time climbing the rock walls when heading back, though still wasn't as fast as the military boy. He wasn't as lucky when going for the rope again, but still averted any wipeouts with that and the trampolines before crossing the bridge. Reaching its end prompted Trent to state "I am so glad that's over!"
"200 seconds total. Not the best or the worst." McLean informed him.
"My turn, and I'll keep that in mind as a goal." declared Sam while walking over to the bridge.
"Hope you're ready for some difficulty." the cook cautioned.
"Let's just get it over with." replied the gaming nut, who took off immediately after hearing the airhorn.
Wanting to return a favor from earlier, Dakota encouraged her boyfriend with "Don't let the obstacles get you down; if I can make my way past them, then so can you!" as she watched him bounce across the trampolines and use the rope.
These words boosted his confidence. He gained speed upon landing from the swing and quickly regained footing after a couple minor slips on the rock wall. Wanting to avoid nosebleeds and broken glasses, the gamer pulled his shirt over his head before running straight through the crossfire of tennis balls. Sam didn't even pull the shirt back down when taking a flag, only doing so after he got passed the balls again. That was when the flag got transferred to his mouth for free hand use, enabling him to climb more easily. Sam just slipped once, and only a little bit, during the second climbing. The gaming nut steadily gripped the swinging rope until reaching a trampoline and lost no speed while bouncing across those or using the bridge. He inquired "Did I do any better?" right afterwards.
"Not quite: your time was 210 seconds." Chef responded.
Sensing her boyfriend wanted to avoid the filth, Ella opted to follow with "I'll hopefully get a better total." and approached the bridge.
"Get running." Chris instructed right before his aid blew the horn.
The princess wasn't as fast as those who had previously gone through the course and ended up falling into the mud after two trampoline bounces. Nevertheless, Dave offered support with "It's something you can conquer!" in the middle of her second attempt to cross them.
Hearing that was all the motivation she needed. It made Ella grin while swinging with the rope and running faster towards the rock wall. To the surprise of others, the lookalike of Snow White didn't slip at all, and was able to dodge some tennis balls before getting hit on the stomach with two. She grabbed a flag and ducked while running back. Feeling determined enough to climb without using any teeth to hold the flag, Ella simply went back up and down the wall upon reaching it. Grabbing the rope was no struggle this time, and neither was using the trampolines. She reached the bridge's end and was promptly cleaned off with the hose before hugging the germ-hater and thanking him with "Your words are very much appreciated, my prince."
"Of course." He replied. "By the way, how well did she do?"
"To my shock, 190 seconds." answered Chef.
Already knowing she was up anyway, Blaineley went to the bridge and told him "I just want this to be done with. Blow the horn already!"
He complied and the former co-host of Celebrity Manhunt ran off. This contestant was slower than everybody else with the bounces, falling in the mud twice due to being somewhat sidetracked by the nosebleed, which made Leshawna laugh. However, she had no problems using the rope or climbing the walls even when at a reduced speed. Ms. O'Halloran was not at all looking forward to the tennis balls, guarding her nose while running through those. Mildred snatched a flag and resumed covering the bleeding nose when heading back. Once past those, she placed the flag in her mouth and climbed the walls at a somewhat slow but steady pace. Upon swinging with the rope, using the trampolines, and crossing the bridge, Blaineley dropped the flag and took a breath before asking "Did I do any better than Snow White?"
"Not exactly: your total was 225 seconds." Chris replied. "With your run complete, the Coyotes cumulatively took 1,040 seconds today. The Leopards are currently at 860 seconds, so Dave must finish the course in under 180 to win it all. If a tiebreaker is needed, then one member of each team will be randomly selected to run through it again simultaneously, and whoever finishes that first will score their side a victory."
(Begin Confessional: Blaineley)
"Nobody makes me bleed my own blood, nobody! I'll make the military boy pay sooner or later after he slowed down my run by hitting me in the face."
(End Confessional)
The final runner of the day was feeling anxious not only from the pressure of potentially losing, but also the thought of falling into mud. He nervously gulped and admitted "To be honest, I don't know how quick I can go."
That was when a certain princess grabbed his shoulders. She turned him around, stating "There's no doubt in my mind you have what it takes to win." prior to giving the guy a motivational kiss on the lips and handing him an extra pair of her gloves to keep his hands cleaner, adding "Consider these a good luck charm. They'll reduce your filth."
Even when feeling more confident now, the germaphobe still had some lingering skepticism and inquired "You truly believe I'll finish in time?" while putting on the gloves.
"Wholeheartedly, yes, now don't let anything stop you from proving me right!" Ella affirmed, which encouraged him enough to prompt a smile.
After smooching his girlfriend back in gratitude and enthusiastically telling her "You got it!", he went to the steel bridge informed the second-in-command "I'm now set, so feel free to press the horn."
Chef did just that, and Dave was off! The germ-hating 17-year-old surpassed many expectations by easily bouncing across the trampolines (with the lookalike of Snow White being the only contestant who wasn't surprised at all given her confidence in him). While the rock wall still wasn't something he looked forward to, having gloved hands helped him climb it more comfortably. After getting past that, he covered his nose when heading for the firing tennis balls, not wanting to get a nosebleed. The plan worked, though after grabbing a flag, Dave knew that even using teeth to hold that would get in the way of blocking his nose in the same way as before.
Just as he began to turn around, a stone hit him in the nose, making it bleed! The final runner winced in pain without dropping the flag, using one hand to hinder the blood flow while running through the ball onslaught as the cameras shifted towards Leshawna turning to tell Blaineley "You just couldn't let yourself be the only one with a nosebleed, could you? Give the cheap shots a rest already!"
"While having this does suck, it actually wasn't me who threw that stone." Mildred truthfully replied. "I'm too focused on my own pain to do that now."
Her accuser wasn't convinced and scoffed "Making excuses won't help here. I have my eye on you."
Ella chastised "That toss was indeed a very cruel thing to do!"
Jo noticed the exchange and discreetly smirked. All she could do was hope nobody noticed.
(Begin Confessional: Jo)
"I had to find some way to slow down the clean freak, so yeah that was me who broke his nose. The most important part was making sure none of the others saw so they'd instead place the blame on that old lady by default after her failures to do what I pulled off. Having a target on my back isn't something I can afford now. Luckily there's a good chance he was too focused on his own blood to observe who the thrower was."
(End Confessional)
(Begin Confessional: Max)
"Am I the only one who noticed it wasn't Blaineley who threw that last stone? Well played Jo. While I love how EVIL you got, this is something I can use as blackmail to my advantage!"
(End Confessional)
The cameras cut towards Dave approaching the top of the rock wall. Even with blood on them, he felt grateful to have gloves on during the climb. Going down the wall was easier for him. Conversely, using that rope had the guy worried when neither of his hands could block any blood from dripping onto the trampolines. Seeing no way around this, he sighed in frustration before complaining "I hate making a mess here" and taking a swing.
Upon seeing the princess hold some tissues at the end, the germaphobe started bouncing faster on the trampolines and dashed towards her right after landing on the bridge. He gave a quick "Many thanks!" and stuffed some up his nostrils.
Wanting to know the end results, she asked on his behalf "Was that less than 3 minutes?"
Chef replied "He got a grand total of…
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178 seconds, so by a narrow margin, the Leopards win! Luckily for the Coyotes, this is a non-elimination challenge, so they won't have to vote anybody off tonight."
Hearing that prompted the victorious team to cheer in delight as the losing side took sighs that consisted of half relief and half disappointment.
Ella gave her beloved a congratulatory hug and could be heard telling him "I knew you had it in you, my prince!" as they shared smiles.
He thanked the princess with "Your good luck charm definitely helped, and I'm very grateful for that as well as the tissues."
Correctly sensing he wanted to wait until the nosebleed had ended before they shared any more kisses, she simply replied with "It was my pleasure."
(Begin Confessional: Brick)
"That last run showed true determination. Dave deserves props for sticking through with it after getting a bloody nose. He's lucky to not have been part of my military training squad since our instructor would never let anybody stop their practices for injuries unless they needed immediate medical attention, like a broken arm or leg."
(End Confessional)
Later that day, the five remaining female contestants could be seen playing poker. By this point, Mildred's nose had stopped bleeding. As they laid out their cards, she stated "A royal flush beats everything else, and speaking of flushing, I need the bathroom. Be right back." before leaving to do that.
Jo waited until Blaineley was out of hearing range to inquire "Assuming we all reach the merge, would any of you object to voting her off ASAP?"
"Not that I want the hag around, but who's to say we shouldn't get rid of you first?" Leshawna retorted.
The jockette wasn't at all prepared to hear that or Ella following it up with "Give us one good reason why we should trust you after Dawn said you were responsible for her elimination and had more tricks up your sleeve. She's always right when it comes to reading others."
Her answer was "Because I have no plans of wiping out Mr. Clean or anybody else you've befriended. Furthermore, I can convince enough people to vote off the old lady, who already is a misfit here to begin with. She's a 30-something-year-old nuisance while the rest of us are under 20."
"Nice to know I'm safe for now." Ms. Milton stated with relief.
"You are indeed." Jo affirmed. "While I'm glad we don't have to vote anybody off after this challenge, she otherwise would've been the one I'd send home tonight."
"Let's say you did end up casting votes today and someone else went home. Who would your second choice be?" asked the princess.
"Easy: Max for his stalling with the pebbles." replied the lady jock.
"A fair choice." The sassy one conceded. "Still, I have my reservations about joining forces with opponents when the teams are still intact."
(Begin Confessional: Dakota)
"To be honest, I wouldn't mind seeing Blaineley get booted. She frankly isn't worth anything of value. As for Jo's post-merge proposal, it seems a bit soon to do that today right after pulling off an elimination scheme. I also wish Dawn didn't have to go out so soon because she's a person I befriended during some off-camera time in season four when I was an intern. Her aura readings can be invasive, yes, but I've come to realize that girl wouldn't hurt a fly and always meant well. Leshawna and Ella being hesitant to join the offer is therefore understandable. The lattermost is someone I've also gotten to know better after we recovered from puking our guts out during the eating challenge. Is she a saint? Absolutely. Could one call her the head-in-the-clouds type of naïve teenager that the last season may have suggested? Not at all; Ella's undoubtedly gotten wiser since first competing. I wish we were on the same team, but at least I could do her and Dave a favor by assuring him it was worth pursuing a romance when it was clear as day how those two liked each other. He later thanked me for this and otherwise might still be agonizing over whether to make any moves."
(End Confessional)
The cameras cut to the six remaining male contestants playing Uno. Dave still had tissues up his nose when the bleeding hadn't yet stopped. Max bragged "Prepare for an EVIL play!" as he laid down a Draw Four card and called out "The color is now red, like the devil's skin."
Since DJ was sitting next to him, he had to forfeit his turn and pick up four cards, prompting a sigh of irritation. The gentle giant commented "You don't have to keep emphasizing your villainous mentality."
"Glad another person said it." added Sam while putting down a card. "Gentlemen, do you have any idea what it's like listening to him go on and on about some schemes that'll probably end up failing?"
"Even though we were only on the same team for one challenge last year, I got a taste of that in between episodes." Dave replied before playing a card of his own. "It was all bark and no bite."
"OK so you know what I'm talking about. He needs to give it a rest as his boasts don't really fool anybody in the contest." stated the gaming enthusiast.
"Hey, I resent that; don't underestimate my capabilities!" snapped the aspiring evildoer.
Rolling his eyes at that, the one with a nosebleed followed it up with "Aside from the pebble throwing and betraying Justin by getting him out of the game, nothing you've done this season has been particularly malicious."
"All I can say for now is that more shall come." snickered Max.
Brick, whose turn was up next, put down a Draw Two card as he recommended "Perhaps you could focus such thoughts on something more productive, like how to win challenges."
The wannabe villain insisted "Believe me, that's part of my plan."
As Trent had to forfeit his turn to pick up two cards, he advised "Don't get too cocky; it very well could lead to your downfall."
Max arrogantly scoffed at this with "There's no way you could send me home before the teams dissolve anyway, so I need not worry about your words." and played another card.
"Just because he's not on our team doesn't mean his words are wrong." Sam remarked. "At this rate, it'll most likely be you or Blaineley who next gets voted off should we lose any other elimination challenges prior to the merge."
"On opposing sides or not, that's a valid point." Dave added in agreement.
The aspiring evildoer's response was "If it comes down to that, then I do hope you get rid of that her instead of me."
Brick recommended "You can increase your chances of survival by putting more dedication and effort into challenges."
(Begin Confessional: Sam)
"While Max isn't the worst person to have on my side, I will say it was a nice change of pace to hang out with the other dudes today when none of us were going home, and I'd prefer being teammates with literally any of them instead of him. They overall are easier for me to get along with. Had I been able to pick people for my team, I would minimally take Brick when we were already acquainted during the fourth season and he's a respectable guy. Perhaps we'll get more time together once the merge arrives."
(End Confessional)
During dinner that night, everybody could be seen in the cafeteria eating some macaroni and cheese. Much to Dave's relief, his nose was no longer bleeding at this point. After swallowing a mouthful of food, he turned towards Ella and told her "Thanks again for not only the gloves earlier, but also those tissues. Those were life-savers!"
She replied with "Of course, my prince. I knew they'd help us win by benefitting you."
Brick noticed their exchange from a table across and felt somewhat jealous that they could be open about their love for each other without it raising eyebrows while he couldn't since Jo was on the opposing team. The military boy didn't want anybody to make accusations of him throwing challenges for her. What Mr. MacArthur didn't know is how she shared the same hesitations when it came to acting on their feelings, even when just about everyone already had at least an inkling they were attracted to one another. Leshawna sensed this predicament and inquired "Wishing you could have something like they have, huh?"
"If you're talking about a companion I could rely on, then I already am friends with Dawn, who agreed to vote with me until at least the merge. Too bad she was kicked off last night as I knew I could trust her." answered the cadet.
"Come on, we both know I wasn't talking about a platonic form of companionship." his teammate replied.
"I b-beg your pardon?" asked Brick, feeling somewhat startled.
The sassy one followed that up with "It's no secret that you and Jo have the hots for one another, no matter how much either of you try to deny this. I'm not sure what you see in her, but to each their own, I guess. Just take caution around that girl after she got your pal out of the game." before getting up for another helping of dinner.
(Begin Confessional: Leshawna)
"To be honest, part of me hopes the athletic rivals won't get together, or at least not before this season ends. Something tells me she might take advantage of his chivalrous nature to advance herself further in the contest. That would be cruel and suck big time. On the other hand, the will-they-or-won't-they ordeal would end sooner, and I could have a teammate who is more focused challenges without worrying about what others know or suspect. In any case, I had to give him some warning even when both are still in denial about the obvious."
(End Confessional)
After the meal had finished, Mr. MacArthur could be seen entering his room and noticing an envelope under the bed. He grabbed that and opened it. Inside was a letter that the military boy read aloud to himself: "Dear Brick, in case I don't survive this next elimination ceremony, I'd like to wish you luck in the contest. If you get to the finals without me, then I'll undoubtedly root for you to win! Regardless, thank you for our time together and letting me be your ally. I know I can count on you for votes and you're a loyal friend for sure. While I'm not yet certain whether Jo will become your girlfriend, I need to tell you this: be careful around her and don't let yourself get exploited! An aura reading tells me she's got various tricks up her sleeve and is determined to win no matter what. Not even having a boyfriend as a fellow finalist could possibly interfere with that. I've figured out that Jo wants me gone when I can sense truth in others and expose schemes. Without me in the contest, feel free to join forces with anybody left on our team. They're not willing to backstab you for personal gain. All the best, Dawn." Before taking a moment to digest it and pondering "I don't know why I failed to see this thing last night."
(Begin Confessional: Brick)
"Leaving a goodbye note for me? Can't say I expected that, though it was very thoughtful."
(End Confessional)
Over in another bedroom, Ms. Milton found another envelope near her dresser. She wasn't expecting this at all and couldn't figure out why it previously went unnoticed. The girl also read hers aloud: "Dear Dakota, I'm sorry we couldn't spend much time with one another this season when on opposite teams. Nevertheless, I would like to say I'm proud of you for your personal growth since initially entering the show. You've come a long way from being some attention-hungry teen desperate for fame and found what you desired all along: someone who genuinely loves you for who you are, namely Sam. I know he's been very dedicated from the start of your relationship and that it helped both of you blossom. You're welcome for the assurance on how he had pure intentions and wouldn't ever hurt or take advantage of you. Since there's a chance that I could get voted off tonight, I'm taking the opportunity to warn you both about Jo, and you're free to show Sam this as well: she may have made a deal to vote alongside you two, but don't count on that lasting after the teams are dissolved. Yes, I picked up on that from reading all three of your auras. I strongly recommending voting her off at first opportunity before you can get used. It's for your own good! She cares more about winning this season than maintaining any alliance. Best wishes, Dawn. P.S. I could tell how feeling some sympathy for Dave after both of you had massive trauma when first competing on the show at age 16 played a part in you convincing him to profess his love for Ella. Like you, I know he initially was hesitant to pursue romance after previous attempts went poorly and feels grateful to have a loving partner who isn't too irked by past events. They might be willing to join forces with you post-merge as a way of thanking you."
Chef could subsequently be heard knocking on her door and advising from the other side "Aura-reader makes some good points. I'd listen to them. Don't worry; the other bedrooms are too far away for anybody else to hear us."
(Begin Confessional: Chef)
"Normally I don't get too involved with what choices contestants make outside of challenges and meals, but I've realized that when Dawn senses something, it's best to not ignore her."
(End Confessional)
The cameras cut to Chris, who was standing outside the hotels and signed off the episode with "What effect will Dawn's notes have on future challenges? Who shall get the next boot? Both questions will be answered soon enough right here on Total. Drama. Generation Showdown!"
Surprised nobody got eliminated here? After the Coyotes won a non-elimination challenge, I figured it would be fair for the Leopards to win one as well, plus it helps keep the chapters more diverse. In the meantime, Trent has no lingering guilt left, and up next is the second aftermath. It'll feature interviews with Eva, Beardo, and Dawn. If you have any questions that you'd like Lightning and Cameron to ask them, then those should be listed in your review for this chapter or sent to me in a PM. The deadline for Chapter 12 question submissions is August 23, 2021. I'll implement any inquiries for these contestants you give on that day or earlier. Do I already know which player gets eliminated next? Yes, and you'll find out once Chapter 13 is posted.
Elimination Order:
Sugar (18th place), Justin (17th place), Rodney (16th place), Anne Maria (15th place), Eva (14th place), Beardo (13th place), Dawn (12th place)
Remaining Players:
Howling Coyotes: Blaineley, Dakota, Jo, Max, Sam
Roaring Leopards: Brick, Dave, DJ, Ella, Leshawna, Trent
Chapter posted: August 13, 2021.