Author's Note: A new week, A new chapter. This episode took some heavy thinking, is lighter than the last one, but still kinda heavy in my opinion. Next chapter should be out Sunday.
Disclaimer: I don't own Total Drama, the shuffled concept or the (most of) the characters.
And now, the reviews!
Starheart Specials: They can salvage the relationship if Duncan can wise up, the question is will he?
That British Guy: Things aren't looking good for him. You're not the first to root for her, I'm starting to get used to people liking my OC's
mattafat:It's definitely interesting. It gets more so when you realize just how few of these teens can actually stand one another. If I do a love triangle, Duncsune won't be a part of it. Those two ave enough troubles on their own.
Derick Lindsey: I honestly didn't notice until you pointed that out, but I can give a couple of reasons now that I did. From my viewpoint, I just give the win to whoever let me accomplish what I planned to that episode. For example, the Gaffers won the beach challenge so I could set up the Heather/Shawn alliance. And from the player's viewpoint, Sky chose her team based on who would do well in challenges and Victor for the most part chose people who could work as a team. The two made for a pretty even match-up. Interesting prediction for this episode, only time will tell though.
Piecesxoxo: Yeah, that was a curve ball. Not much more I can say without handing out spoilers.
Current Castmates:
Screaming Gaffers: DJ, Duncan, Leshawna, Sammy
Killer Grips: Alejandro, Heather, Kitsune, Sugar
Now for the last elimination before the championship... or merge as most normal people call it.
Episode 15: Million Dollar Babies
"Last time on Total Drama Action," Chris said over a shot of the film lot, "Our caveman movie challenges made some people look good," clips of DJ, Alejandro, and Kitsune in their costumes were shown, "and others look better!" Chris was shown in his loincloth.
"Kitsune finally got to take off her medical boot," the goofball was shown unstrapping the boot, "then she had her biggest secret revealed," the Grips reaction to her birth mother was shown.
"And Duncan said some things he seriously regrets," the punk's comment during his battle with the fox lover was shown, as was his confessional afterward.
"As their reward," Chef was shown driving the ribs to the Grips, "the Grips won a massive rack of mastadon ribs," the team was shown walking to it. "Which due to an on-set accident," the cart was shown falling into the tar pit, "may be preserved for future paleontologists."
The recap ended and the camera flashed to a close up of two monitors in the monitor room. "Will the Gaffers ever get along?" The left monitor showed DJ, Leshawna, and Duncan in an argument while Sammy on the right monitor pinched the bridge of her nose. "Will Kitsune survive the machinations of her teammates?" The feed on the monitors switched to a nervous Kitsune on the left and the rest of the Grips smirking at her on the right. "And what will become of her and Duncan?" The feed swicthed again, this tome to a glaring Kitsune on the left and a contrite Duncan on the right.
The monitors cut to static and the camera panned out to show Chris sitting in the room. "Find out the answers right now, on Total Drama Action!"
XXXXX
[A stage light pops up in front of some fake buildings and turns on; a camera with a rat on top of it comes out of a manhole; another camera comes out of the hollow of a tree, along with some garbage and a very confused raccoon. A pair of hands claps a film slate in front of the camera, and the camera flies through the film lot; Chris drives a golf cart with Chef in the passenger side in the camera's path. The host grins and waves and the cook crosses his arms and scowls as the lyrics start]
Dear Mom and Dad I'm doing fine
[The camera passes through a tree and files down a road between the studio warehouses, dodging a farm backdrop and a sunset backdrop before flying through a costume rack]
You guys are on my mind
[The camera flies up the fake mountain and peeks over the edge to see a pool of water, then jumps in]
You asked me what I wanted to be
[As the camera lands in the pool, bubbles fill the screen and then disapate to show Sugar in her bikini with a large shark behind her. The pageant queen farts as the shark opens its mouth, then it chokes]
And I think the answer is plain to see
[The camera pans up to show Harold on a surfboard hooked up to some rigging. He tries to dodge seagulls that are shooting past him like bullets, only to take one to the face and be knocked in the water.]
I wanna be... famous
[The camera quick pans to the left, showing Duncan manning what can only be described as a seagull cannon with a sadistic grin on his face. The camera pans back to show Sky looking at the punk with contempt as he fires the rest of the gulls. The camera flies between them, then pauses in front of a large door as Sasquatchanawkwa runs across it in a pink dress and boa The door opens and the camera flies into a bright light.]
I wanna live close to the sun
[The light fades into a shot of the beach set where Leshawna sits on a pool chair. She is flanked with sharks in their own chairs The camera zooms in on Leshawna as she gives a huge smile.]
Well pack your bags 'cause I've already won
[The camera pans to the right and ending up on Noah in the confessional reading a book with a smug expression pn his face and his legs propped up on the table. He leans back and goes too far as he falls backwards.]
Everything to prove, nothing in my way
I'll get there one day
[The camera quick pans to the right again to show Heather and a bald and camo cap wearing Alejandro on rock pillars against a dark backdrop. The two have dueling sticks, Heather's is blue and Alejandro's is orange. Alejandro hits Heather a few times and she responds with a jab to his face, his cap falls off and the camera quick pans down to show the hat falling perfectly on DJ's head.]
'Cause I wanna be... famous
[The camera zooms out a bit to show DJ stirring a metal pot with a smile on his face. He pulls out a small orange bottle and sprinkles something in the pot, takes out a spoon and offers it to someone off-screen; the camera zooms out more to show he was offering it to Sammy, who giggles and kisses him on the cheek. The camera pans out to show Amy watching the scene on one of two monitors in another room with a look of disgust on her face. She angrily presses a button and is surprised when an explosion rocks the other screen.]
(Na nananana nanananana nananananana)
[The camera cuts to the explosion as it fades away revealing a slightly singed Shawn nervously looking around... only to scream and run away to the right past a zombie in familliar clothing. The zombie reveals itself to be Kitsune, who giggles to herself as he runs past. The camera follows him as he runs past the Lame-o-sine then stops at the vehicle.]
I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous (Na nananana nanananana nananananana)
I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous (Na nananana nanananana nananananana)
[The camera zooms in on the limousine's window, which rolls down to show a smiling Mike and Zoey. The window behind them rolls down to show Victor smiling at the couple. He opens the door with an formal bow. The camera flies past a series of flashes as if it were going down the red carpet and stops at Chris in a blue tux on the amphitheatre. The host grins and opens an evelope, then looks over at a scowling dress-wearing Chef as he holds a tray of Guilded Chris's. Chris purses his lips and gives a look to the camera. The camera zooms out to show the scene was being watched on a monitor, then pans down to Gwen and Trent, the latter strumming the last few notes of the theme on his guitar.
The camera zooms out to show the non competitors on the center couch of what looked to be the set of a talk show, flanked by two double tiered couches. On the top left: Noah, Sammy, DJ, and Tyler. On the bottom left: Zoey, Mike, Leshawna, Harold, Duncan, and Kitsune. On the top right: Staci, Malcolm, Victor, Sky, and Alejandro. And on the bottom right: Scarlett, Sugar, Shawn, Amy and Heather. The feed on the monitor fizzles out and changes to the Total Drama Action logo]
XXXXX
The episode began with a shot of the early morning sky. Snoring could be heard as the camera zoomed in on the boys' trailer then flashed inside. DJ was laying on a top bunk and snoring while he clutched a teddy bear. A trumpet was heard playing and the brickhouse shot up. "I'm awake Momma! Don't get the water!"
"DJ," Duncan said calmly from his top bunk, "if you added trumpets to your snoring, it's definitely time for you to die."
Across the room Alejandro sighed. "Another early morning then."
\
The camera flashed to the outside of the girls' trailer. Heather stormed out with a scowl. "She is so the next one off this film lot," she declared.
"Give me a break," Kitsune sighed as she stepped out. "I have the barbacue dream whenever I'm stressed." The rest of the girls walked outside and ignored the argument.
"Do you have to scream the whole time?" Heather asked rudely.
"You try being slow roasted over a fire and not scream!" The goofball shot back.
Another trumpet sounded and the camera cut to Chris playing a trombone for some reason. The camera zoomed out to show him in a stereotypical marching band hat, and a bass drum and cymbal on his back that would play whenever he took a step. "Morning sports fans!" He called happily as the camera cut to him walking up to the cast. "Who's ready to put up a good offense?"
"'Ghetti here!" a familiar voice called out from behind the host, the shot pulling back again as Chef walked up to the cast. "Get your pipin' hot spaghetti here!" He was dressed as a food vendor and serving balls of spaghetti topped with sauce. He smirked, then began pitching them at the cast; first Sammy, who was hit in the stomach as Heather and Leshawna leaned out of the way; then Kitsune who was struck in the chest but managed to catch it on the rebound; followed by Alejandro and Duncan who easily caught a couple each; and finally DJ, who was unable to dodge in time and was knocked down by a ball of noodles.
"Can I get some context here?" Kitsune asked the host.
"The context is breakfast," Chris told them all.
"We're actually having pasta for breakfast?" Sammy asked in disbelief as Leshawna shrugged and started slurping a noodle, Heather following suit shortly after.
"It's called carbo-loading, contestants," the host explained, leaning towards the girl. "Today, you're all going to give 200%," he turned to Kitsune and Sugar, "in our Sports Movie challenge!"
"Way to sound like a pro-sports reject turned high school coach," Heather commented, earning herself a noodle ball to the face.
"Suck that 'ghetti back you lovable underdogs, destined to come back from certain failure!" Chris told the cast as he began to walk away. "We've got a training run!" Sammy, Leshawna, and Heather shared a wary look as the host walked past.
\
The camera flashed to close ups of serveal pairs of shoes. The tired huffs of their owners could be heard. The camera panned out to show Sugar in the lead, followed by Sammy, Duncan, Alejandro, Heather, DJ, Kitsune, and Leshawn bringing up the rear.
"That all you got, sports fans?" Chris called to them before they were shown to have stopped, everyone trying to catch their breath. "Man up! It's time for more action!"
"Three cups of spaghetti followed by a 3k jog?" Leshawna asked. "The only thing I'm ready for is a nap." She collapes onto the ground and sat back up on surprise. "What os this? Plastic lawn?"
"Astro-turf," the host answered. "Hello? It's a set?" The camera pulled back to show a stadium seating and press box backdrop. "Today's competition is gonna require sweat, guts, heart, and sweat."
"But you said 'sweat' twice," Sugar pointed out in confusion.
"That's 'cause it's not just your sweat you'll be dealing with," the host answered. "There's Chef's sweat too!" He gestured to the cook, who was doing jumping jacks while wearing an old-timey football jersey and helmet.
"You'll be pushing him the length of the field," Chris explained. "And, he just ate a huge jar of jalapeno peppers, so he ought ta be sprayin' like a gym class shower."
"So we gotta push spiced up Chef like some kinda dummy?" Duncan asked.
"Don't call me dummy," the cook warned.
"I am not swapping sweat with an oversized jalapeno!" Heather declared.
"This is a team challenge," Kitsune told her. "So if the team has to push a dummy, you have to push a dummy."
"What'd I say about the dummy thing?!" Chef yelled.
"You can do this one without me," Heather said simply.
"I agree with Kitsune," Alejandro said, much to the goofball's shock. "You're doing this."
XXX
"This is the second time Al's been nice to me," Kitsune told the confessional. "It's so weird!"
XXX
"While I'd never dare to compare our stories," the charmer said as he adjusted a camo cap on his head, "I know how it is when a family member makes your life miserable. Well there's that, and the fact that she'll be more inclined to agree to an alliance if I'm," he paused to shudder, "nicer to her."
XXX
Chris blew a whistle and the four Grips tried to push Chef, to no avail.
"That all ya got?" The cook taunted. "I can push better than that on my day off!"
"I am so not in the mood to deal with this!" Kitsune yelled and gave one hard push... that sent Chef all the way across the set with an off-screen crash.
"Sorry Chef," she said unapologeticly. "But you shouldn't made me mad. I can be unpleasant when I'm TO'd."
\
The camera flashed to a group of tires that had been set up at the other end of the field. The Gaffers ran towards them, with DJ in the lead followed by Duncan, Leshawna, and Sammy; they seemed to have no trouble, but the camera soon pulled back to show that each tire had gotten stuck around one of their feet.
"What's the deal with these tires?" DJ cried as he and his teammates tried to shake them off.
"Every time I get out of one," Leshawna said, "I get stuck in another one!"
"Aww, really? I'm sorry!" Chris told them mockingly as he walked up before telling the camera "Wait 'til they get a load of the mouse traps!" Moments later, a series of snaps came from inside the tires and the Gaffers cried in pain, or annoyance in Duncan's case, as they tried to jump away from the traps. "Snap to it, losers!" the host told them with a grin.
\
The footage skipped forward yet again, now showing Heather as she crawled through a mud pit, and nervous looking at the barbed wire strung above her. DJ and Leshawna followed after her, and Sammy and Kitsune after them. "I've never seen the football team back home do this at practice!" the cheerleader said alongside the grunts and groans of her fellow cast members.
"You're right," Chris told her as the camera cut out to show all eight crawling through the pit while the host watched from the other end. "But we had some mud and barbed wire left over from the war movie, and it just seemed fun to me!" He smiled as the camera came in for a close-up. "Is it?"
Everyone groaned in frustration or exhaustion.
\
"That truly bit," a mud splattered Duncan complained as the camera panned up over him. "It is over isn't it?"
"More importantly," said an equally muddy Alejandro. "Who won the challenge?"
"Considering that it wasn't a challenge," Chris told the contestants, "nobody!"
All eightcastmates gaped with shock, and yelled "Huh?!" simultaneously.
"It was just to establish who's playing who for the real contest to follow," Chris explained before motioning over to a large screen nearby that was divided into four section with each depicting a stick figure that was punching on yellow background; swinging a racket on blue; wrestling with another figure on red; and throwing a ball on green.
"We're running four sporto contests," the host continued, "with competitors seeded according to these results." The four-way split disappeared, replaced by two columns of contestants pictures divided into teams, which disappeared again and reappeared in the following order: Alejandro and DJ on top; Kitsune and Duncan second; Heather and Sammy third; and Sugar and Leshawna on the bottom.
"Aw man," Duncan complained. "I gotta fight her?"
Beside him, Kitsune glared at him.
XXX
"Normally, I have no problem goin' against Foxy in a challenge," the punk explained. "But given that she just tossed Chef like a rag doll, I'm a little wary."
XXX
The footage skipped ahead to a close-up of a hanging microphone which was promptly grabbed by the host, causing a small amount of feedback. He was revealed to be standing in the middle of a boxing ring wearing a referee's uniform as the camera panned down, and quickly began to speak.
"In the right corner-ner-ner-ner," he announced adding his own echo, "from the Killers Grips-ips-ips-ips! The Southern slammer, the pageant-winning pugilist, the American attacker, SUUUUUGAAAAAR!" The crowd went wild as the camera panned to the corner behind the host, where Sugar on a stool in the ring the ring with a rather disturbing smile on her face and rubbing her hands in anticipation. Heather was standing to the right outside the ropes with an half-scowl, while Alejandro and Kitsune pursed their lips behind her.
"And in the left corner-ner-ner-ner," Chris announced, pointing in front of him, "from the Screaming Gaffers-ers-ers-ers! The bodacious brawler, the hulking homegirl, the soulful sista!"
The camera cut to Leshawna and Sammy hanging on to the ropes on the left side. "Looks like I'm up," Leshawna told her teammate with a smile.
"LESHAAAAWNAAA!" the host finally announced, the crowd going wild again.
"You call that a main event?" Duncan asked.
"It's not," the host replied calmly. "Leshawna and Sugar did the worst in the football drills. Loser vs. Loser." He looked over at the pageant queen, who scowled at him. "We're going to build to the top two players."
"Then I'm gonna need gloves," the sista replied proudly holding up her hands. A pair of large, white, rectangles were quickly placed on them, causing her to look at them in confusion. "Are these... marshmallows?"
"Props," Chris answered. "So you don't hurt those pretty actor faces of yours. Also," he held up a finger, "in true boxing movie tradition, you'll be fighting in," the camera zoomed in as he said with exaggerated slowness, "slllooowww moootttionnn."
Sugar gave her team a blank and confused look, while Leshawna simply stepped into the ring without a word.
The bell rang, Chris was pulled up and out of the ring by the hanging microphone, and the two girls approached and began to circle with a strange eagerness.
"Preeepare," Leshawna said slowly, "for a wooorld of huuurt." She gave a slow jab to Sugar's face, but the Grip just side stepped it.
"You ain't even tryin'!" The pageant queen said jovially as she punched Leshawna in the stomach. The sista slowly backed away with an exxaggerated grunt of pain.
"She's surprisingly good at that," DJ commented as the camera cut to the non competing Gaffers.
"As overdramatic as Harold is," Duncan commented, "I'm sure some of it rubbed off on her."
"Finish her!" Kitsune yelled as the camera cut to her and Alejandro.
"This is pointless,' the charmer said to himself as he pulled a PDA out of his pocket.
Duncan was heard giggling. "What?" The goofball spat.
The punk blushed. "You're uh... really pretty today."
"So I'm ugly every other day?!"
"What? No!"
The charmer ignored the exchange and tapped away at his device. "I know it's on here," he said to himself. His eyes widened in satisfaction and he said, "I found it!"
\
The bell rang again and the two fighters went back to their corners as Chris descended back into the ring. "Round Two-oo-oo-oo!" he announced as Chef walked across the ring holding a placard above his head with the number 2 on it while wearing a small purple bikini.
"Ew ew ew is more like it," Duncan said as he, DJ, and Sammy watched with varying degrees of disgust.
"Y'all are just jealous," Chef said simply as he strutted around.
Alejandro calmly put his devise back in his pocket and Sugar marched back to the center of the ring.
The fight started again. Leshawna took several more swings at Sugar in slow motion, but the pageant queen dodged them all.
"Stop dodging and hit her already!" Heather ordered.
Sugar scowled back at her ally, then swiftly struck Leshawna in the face. The suddeness of the hit caused her to fall down to the mat with a sound like an anvil being struck , and the host quickly appeared at her side.
"One!" he called out, holding up a single finger. "Two! Three!"
"Get up already!" Duncan yelled.
"Fourfivesixseveneightnine and ten!" the host counted off quickly before the fallen sista could recover. "And the winner is-is-is-is," he announced, "Leshawna, and the Screaming Gaffers!" He held up the fallen girl's right arm and the camera cut to the rest of the Gaffers cheering.
"But I knocked her out cold," Sugar complained.
"You did," Chris agreed. "But if you recall, I said to fight in slow motion," he explained. "Since Leshawna was the only one to do so, she wins."
"Nice going Sugar," Heather spat.
\
The camera flashed to a close-up of a racket which quickly zoomed out to show it in Kitsune hands as she gave it a few test swings. "What the heck kinda messed-up tennis racket is this?" she asked as the shot zoomed out again to show her and the other contestants standing on the sidelines of what looked like a tennis court with the net raised up off the ground.
"This is a badminton court Kitsune," Chris answered as he approached the teens.
"Yeah right," the fox lover scoffed. "Like anyone'd actually make a movie about badminton."
"There was a movie about badminton," the host retorted. "It was awesome and it starred yours truly."
The cast gave him blank looks.
"Thank you," he continued even though no one said anything. "I'd love to recreate my finest scene."
\
"I just want you to know," Chris began dramatically, swinging the racquet around to emphasize his words, "you guys are the best darn badminton players I've had the pleasure of coaching!" The camera panned across the castmates, every one looking bored and unimpressed.
"You're beacons of freedom!" the actor-turned-host continued as Chef walked up behind him with a sad look on his face. "Go show the Olympic Committee we deserve a shot! Show them, it's not badminton, it's goodminton! Heck, it's greatminton! Now get out there, and win one for the Flipper!"
The camera focused in on Chef as a tear came to his eye and his lips trembled.
XXX
"Why couldn't the Olympic Committee just give the Flipper a break?" Chef asked the confessional camera as he fought to hold his tears back. "It was his big dream!" He finished with a cry and a snort as he brought his hands up to his crying face.
XXX
Chris adjusted a cap he'd put on, then smiled at the camera. "Battling for supremacy in our second round," he announced as the shot pulled back to show the two contestants already on the court and their teammates in the stands behind him, "Heather and Samey!"
"Me against her?" Heather asked. "Piece of cake!"
The cheerleader gave an uncertain grimace from her side of the court. "Watch the birdie!" Chris called before tossing a small plush bird to Sammy.
"Feathers are about to fly," Heather bragged.
"You got this Sammy!" DJ cheered.
The cheerleader threw the bird and severed it as it came down.. only to mess up her swing after being startled by it squeaking. "Oh emm gee! It's alive!" She cried.
"It's stuffed," Chris told her as he walked over and picked the birdie up. "With a squeaker?" he tossed it lightly in his hand, making it squeak again. "That okay, chicken little?" Sammy nodded, and Chris walked away. "Serve to Heather!"
\
Heather served the birdie and Sammy missed it by a considerable margin.
"Go Heather!" Sugar cheered.
Sammy narrowed her eyes, and returned Heather's next serve. The two hit the birdie between them for a few moments.
Sugar turned to her teammates and asked, "Shouldn't y'all be cheerin' for her?"
"What's the point?" Kitsune asked. "She doesn't listen to us."
"Besides," Alejandro added. "Samey has proven to be easily beatable on numerous occasions."
The cheerleader narrowed her eyes further and began returning Heather's strikes with more force.
"Just give up," Heather taunted. "Everyone here knows that you'll always be the lesser twin... Samey!"
Sammy let loose a feral growl and a montage of her returning shots was shown as she replied to the taunt; "My name," she effortlessly returned a powerful shot, "is not," she dove to keep the birdie from hitting the ground, "SAMEY!" The final clip was her hitting the birdie with so much force that it actually burned a hole in Heather's racket when she tried to return the shot, shocking the popular girl as she stared through the hole with wide eyes.
"We have a winner!" Chris announced as Leshawna, DJ, and Duncan began to cheer. "Now that's some greatminton!" Chris said as he watched Sammy walk up to her team with a grin on her face and the four celebrated.
"They are getting far too close for my liking," Alejandro muttered under his breath.
"Well they are a team," Kitsune retorted. "Those two things tend to go hand-in-hand."
"Not for long," the charmer said as he stood up and walked over to the Gaffers.
The camera cut to the Gaffers eyeing the charmer as he approached them. "What does a slimey backstabber like you doin' around here?" Leshawna asked.
"Interesting you would say that," he replied with a smirk. "I guess it does take one to know one."
"Ex-cuse me?"
"Have you forgotten already?" He asked tauntingly as he held up his PDA. "I could play this and remind you."
"Care to explain the cryptic comments there Baldy?" Duncan asked.
"It's on the Total Drama website," the charmer said, ignoring Duncan and causing Leshawna to look panicked. "Everything you said about the others on your little spa night."
The Gaffer boys gasped. "Ooooh," Chris said as he popped on screen. "The underdog's about to take a bite out of hisrival. This can't end well for Leshawna. Don't go away, because there's plenty of sports-themed backstabbing drama to come on Total Drama Action!"
\
(Commercial Break)
\
The episode returned to a shot of a nervous Leshawna surrounded by a smirking Alejandro and a glaring everybody else. "What do you want to keep you from showing that?" She asked Alejandro.
"It's too late for that sister," Duncan said. "I wanna know just how straight you've been with us."
"I agree with the criminal," Heather said. "Play the tape."
"If that's what my team wants," Alejandro said with a smirk as he pressed a button and everyone besides Leshawna gathered around him. "Just let me find it."
"There's nothing to see. You guys will be bored," Leshawna lamely called out in an attempt to save herself before slumping over in defeat.
"Mm, Heather," her voice said from the device, "Just mean for the sake of bein' mean. Sugar has half a brain cell max," the pageant queen gasped and glared at the screen, "and it's too busy eatin' to do anything."
"Shawn? That boy don't need a million, he needs a therapist. Always freakin' out 'cause 'the zombies are comin'. Victor and DJ? I got two words, sell-out brothas." DJ gasped.
"And Duncan likes to think he's a bad boy, but Kitsune drags him around by his eyebrow ring all the time." The punk glared at the screen. "Speaking of, can you believe how that girl dresses? It's like her closet never left Grade 5. Sammy looks just as bad with that ridiculous black hair dye, especially with that red streak." The two girls gasped.
"And Harold?" All the cast mates gasped at the mention of her boyfriend. "Darn fool's sweet on me, but you know I'd never seriously be a weird white boy like that." If Leshawna's cousin had a response, it was cut off as Alejandro turned off the PDA with a smirk. The other six contestants all turned and glared at her.
"You guys don't understand. That was outside the game," she said in defense. "I didn't know anybody'd see it."
"You say that like it makes everything ok," Kitsune spat.
"I can't believe you!" Sammy yelled. "I stood up for you and you talk about me behind my back? You're worse than Amy!"
"You mean you gave us all that crud about booting the dweeb and you've been using him the whole time?" Duncan asked in outrage.
"I was lying about Harold," she defended.
"But not about everyone else?" DJ asked. She started to open her mouth. "Don't answer that. Wouldn't want your street cred ruined by talkin' to a sell-out."
Leshawna could only hang her head in shame.
\
The camera flashed to a shot of the castmates sitting on wooden bleachers inside another studio, with everyone sitting a noticeable distance from Leshawna.
"I don't get what the big deal is," Heather said simply. "Leshawna told it like it is. I do it all the time."
"That's why nobody likes you," Kitsune replied.
"I can live with that," the queen bee said.
"Thanks for stickin' by me girl," Leshawna said.
"Talk to me if you make the merge," Heather replied.
"SILENCE!" Chris shouted in a dramatic voice, gaining the attention of the teens. He was dressed in nothing but a toga and a head wreath, standing in a chariot being pulled by a helmeted Chef Hatchet. "The score is two to nothing! And now, second-seat Kitsune will attempt to brrrreak the tie," he trilled his 'r's harshly as the chariot came to a halt in front of the bleachers, "by competing in Grrrreco-Rrrrroman wrrrrestling with," the camera panned to follow his handwave, revealing that they were in front of the same ring that had been used for the boxing match, "Duncan!" He completely dropped the voice to announce competing Gaffer.
The punk paled immediately.
XXX
"So I gotta get in the ring with a ticked off Foxy that's allowed to beat the crap outta me?" He asked the confessional. "This sucks."
XXX
"Beating Duncan in that caveman challenge wasn't nearly as satisfying as I thought it would be," Kitsune admitted, "but this?" She rubbed her hands together, "I'm more than ready."
XXX
The footage skipped ahead to Kitsune stretching in her swimsuit in the left corner of the ring, flashing a disturbingly eager smile to her opponent. The camera panned over to Duncan, also in his swimming trunks but poorly attempting to hide his apprehension.
"Just compete," he whispered to himself repeatedly before the shot panned over to Chris, who smiled impishly and pulled a rope that was hanging next to him.
The camera zoomed out as a high-walled glass box filled with colorful plastic balls was dropped into the ring on top of the contestants, a few balls scattering on the floor with the impact. The castmates on the stands looked shocked and surprised, and Duncan popped back up completely confused, spitting one of the balls out of his mouth.
"W-w-w-wait a second. I have to wrestle Foxy in a kiddie ball pit?" he asked with disbelief after wiping his mouth with the back of his arm.
"Gross!," Kitsune cried, surfacing nearby. "when was the last time you washed these things anyway?"
"Never," the host answered with a smile. "We got'em from a local carnival. A really cheep skeevy one at that," he added with a smug look sent her way. He picked up a large curved brass horn and blew a few notes to signal the start of the match.
Kitsune struck first, tackling Duncan and causing the two to fall under the balls. They resurfaced with Kitsune on his back as he tried to shake her off.
"Come on," Duncan groaned. "I don't wanna hurt you."
"That makes one of us!" The goofball replied as the two dove under the ball pit again. Several punches were heard landing and the two resurfaced with her having him in a headlock. He broke it and stared her down.
"No more Mr. Nice Guy," he said in a dark tone.
"Here I thought you were never a nice guy," she replied before tackling him under the balls again. "I only exist because my birth mom wanted a get out of jail free card!" They resurfaced and fight went back under the pit. "I have a grand total of three friends out of the competition, and two of those are my dad and step-mom!" They went under again. "I'm banned from any big family gathering all because of my birth mother! And you threw it in my face!" She tackled him again, this time without going back under and punching him repeatedly as she spoke. "So trust me when I say, I know you're not a nice guy!" He managed to break the grapple and stand up, only to be kicked in the kiwis.
"Uncle," Duncan whispered as he doubled over in pain.
"And we have a winner!" Chris announced. The Grips cheered at their first win of the day. With a short laugh, the furious look on Kitsune's face turned into a pleased smile.
XXX
"I admittedly... may have been a bit rough with Duncan," the goofball confessed sheepishly. "But that was building up for a while, and well.. I just couldn't hold it anymore. I do feel a lot better though. I should tell him I'm willing to give him another chance."
XXX
The camera cut to a close-up of a smiling Chris walking across the football field used earlier in the episode. "So, as we head to the fourth and final leg of the Total Drams sports tournie, the Gaffers are ahead two to one." The aforementioned team was shown. Duncan was still doubled over, Leshawna looking dejected, and DJ and Sammy smiling at each other.
"The final face-off?" the host said as the shot pulled out, revealing that a small basketball court, net, and slanted trampoline had been set up. "A slam dunk competition, with points going to the most creative dunk. Let's play it for the camera! It's..." he said, passing a basketball across the court to the charmer, who caught it and gave his opponent a cocky smirk that was returned with an uncertain grimace, "DJ and Alejandro!"
None of the Grips cheered on their teammate, but this didn't phase the charmer as he spun the basketball on one finger and looked confident. The shot panned over to DJ, looking noticeably less confident. Among the Gaffers, Sammy was by far the most cheerful while both Duncan and Leshawna seemed subdued by their own issues.
"Go DJ go!" Sammy cheered on.
XXX
"Could they have given me an easier challenge?" Alejandro gloated. "We Burromuertos are very creative. DJ doesn't stand a chance."
XXX
The camera cut back to the court, DJ standing at the left side of the center circle facing the trampoline and basket on the right, with Alejandro and Chris standing in the front right corner and the other six contestants along the far side of the court.
"Hey Chris," the brickhouse said. "Pass the ball to me when I'm in the air." He passed the ball to the host, who accepted with a shug.
"I call this, The Corkscrew," DJ announced as he ran to the trampoline. He jumped on it and spun around in the air, catching the ball with one hand and then dunking it into the hoop. He landed with a smile as Sammy, and a seemingly recovered Duncan and Leshawna cheered.
"Impressive," Alejandro said sincerely. "But you will still lose."
\
It was the charmer's turn at the center circle, already dribbling with a dark smile on his face. "A great dunk needs no name," he said cockily. DJ pursed his lips from the same corner Alejandro had been standing in previously, but the charmer didn't seem to notice or care.
Alejandro dribbled hard a few times then ran down the court. He jumped and shot the ball downwards, the ball on the right half as it bounced sharply off the floor. Meanwhile, Alejandro fell back down, landed on the trampoline and bounced again, doing three somersaults as his ball shot up and he met it halfway to the hoop. He managed to catch it between his ankles as he flew up to the net, then slammed the ball down with his feet.
He landed into a handstand, and the ball bounced off the court as he smirked to the others. "Point to Alejandro and the Grips!" Chris declared as both sidelined teams stood in stunned silence. "Prepare," the host said swiftly, "for the Ultimate Extreme Sports Tiebreaker!"
All eight teens looked wary at the announcement.
\
The scene flashed over to a jumbo screen set up by some fake buildings, the host appearing on it immediately. "Get ready for the battle of battles," he announced, "the grudge match the world has been waiting for!" He slid off the screen to the right, only to slide back in from the left a moment later. "A competition so intense," he slid back to the left and reappeared from above, "so grueling," he slid back up, then popped in closer to the screen, "so..."
"So what is it already?" Leshawna asked as Duncan rolled his eyes.
Chris blinked on the screen, which soon cut to static. The viewpoint shifted to a distance shot of the football field, now without any additional courts on it, as the host drove up in a golf cart holding several things of a distinctly pink color.
"Are those pompoms?" Alejandro asked in disbelief.
"Oh em gee! Is this a cheerleading competition?" Sammy asked excitedly.
"Why yes it is Samey," Chris told her with his trademark grin, "Each team's gotta dig deep, and create a cheer for someone they think deserves cheering."
The scene flashed again, showing the Grips in a huddle with Alejandro and Kitsune doing most of the talking. The camera panned over to the Gaffers in a similar situation, and cut to a viewpoint looking up at them from inside their circle.
"So what's the plan?" Duncan asked DJ.
"Sammy's the cheerleader," DJ replied. "Let her decide."
Sammy gave an eager grin. "Here's what we should do..."
\
The view flashed back outside the Grips' huddle just as Chris stepped towards them. "Time!" he called, getting their attention and breaking their huddle with a shake of his pompoms. "Gaffers up!"
Sammy took a deep breath and stepped forward. Taking the pompoms out of Chris's hands while a marching band drumline began in the background.
"Gaffers, Gaffers we're the best! Why the Grips showed up is anyone's guess!" she chanted while gesturing to her team with her pompoms
"Chosen to win right from the start! Not a thing can be done to tear us apart!" She threw her pompoms in the air and did a backflip, catching them mid-flip.
"DJ! DJ! He's in charge! He's a brickhouse and his heart is large!" She stood next to DJ while she cheered, then kissed his cheek after finishing that part of the chant. A pink-and-purple heart shape took over the screen, but it soon disappeared.
"Duncan is tough and kinda grim, but he makes sure you can always count on him!" She hooked an arm around him and another around Kitsune, and eyed her while chanting that verse.
"Then there's Leshawna, she's a lot of fun! No matter what she'll always be my chum!" She leaned next to the sista as she chanted.
"Finally Sammy, she's really sweet!" Leshawna cheered with a smile. She struck a pose and gestured to her right
"Put us all together and we can't be beat!" Duncan and DJ finished while the punk gestured to his left and DJ stood in the middle with one hand raised.
"GO TEAM!" Sammy cheered one last time as she did a handspring into a backflip. She landed perfectly on DJ's raised hand on one leg and the four teens were shown against a yellow sunburst background as the drumline ended.
"Nice job," Chris told them. "Really sells the 'always be a team' aspect in cheerleading movies."
Leshawna chuckled. "I'd like to see the Grips beat that."
"Chris Chris Chris Chris!" Kitsune chanted to the tune of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.
"Chris. Chris. Chris. CHRIS!" The rest of the Grips responded.
"Chris is the best," Kitsune continued as the camera focused on her.
"He is the best. He is the best," The camera cut to the rest of the Grips.
"The very best," Kitsune said as the camera cut to an absolutely giddy Chris.
"The very best. The very best," the rest of the Grips finished.
"Chris Chris Chris Chris!" They all chanted as once still in tune, but slightly syncopated.
"Amazing!" Chris gushed as he was set down on the field, eyes wide and hands clasped with absolute glee. "The rhythm, the artistry, the incredible kissing up!" he told the Grips. "We have the winners! And as for the losers," his face fell into a disappointed frown, "I'll see you in the theater!" He gestured over his shoulder with his thumb, then left the Grips to cheer and high-five one another.
The camera cut to the Gaffers as DJ consoled an upset Sammy, Duncan growled and stomped his foot, and Leshawna sighed in defeat.
"Get my bed ready Lashaniqua," she said to herself. "Your trash talkin' cousin's comin' home."
\
[A grand theme played as the camera zoomed in on the amphitheatre. Several film strips of the host highlights from the previous season flew past the screen, then the camera panne dout from a solid gold screen to show a Guilded Chris.]
\
The host and assistant were already on stage when the introduction ended, with Chef in his formal pink dress. "So, the Gaffers lose it again!" Chris said as the shot cut the four teens casting their votes, Leshawna seated in the front row somewhat apart from the rest of her team. "Must be tough, especially with your own teammate dissing you on the World Wide Web!"
"Don't you think I got enough problems right now?" Leshawna asked the host.
"DJ, maybe if you'd done better in the slam dunk challenge, we wouldn't be here right now."
"Dude dunked with his feet," DJ defended. "No way could I've beaten that."
"Then there's Duncan," the host continued, "who lost to a girl... in wrestling!"
"I'd like to see you in the ring with a ticked off Foxy," the punk replied matter-of-factly.
"And finally, Samey. How you of all people managed to lose a cheerleading challenge is beyond me."
"Because," the nice twin said irately, "the Grips-"
"Don't wanna hear it," Chris interrupted. "You're safe." He tossed her a statue and she caught it with a brief surprised look. "Corkscrew," another statue landed in DJ's hand, "you're safe too."
The focus moved over to the podium as Chris turned a solemn look over to Chef, who had one award left in his hands. The bottom two Gaffers were shown giving the camera stoic looks.
"Well this is interesting," Chris commented.
The two leaned forward in their seats with nervous expressions.
"What is?" Sammy asked with a voice matching her teammates' faces.
"It seems we have a..." Duncan and Leshawna leaned forward even more. "Unanimous vote! Here ya go!" The camera followed the award as it sailed through the air and landed in Duncan's hand. "Duncan gets to play another day."
"You voted yourself off?" Duncan asked, clearly stunned.
XXX
"I meant what I said in the cheer," Sammy confessed. "I'll always see Leshawna as a friend, but I just couldn't keep her in the game after the whole trash talk thing."
XXX
"Sorry girl," DJ said with a small shrug. "But you burned too many bridges with me."
XXX
"I gotta admit," Duncan confessed, "I thought for sure I'd be the one packing. I only voted for her on the off chance DJ and Sammy split theirs."
XXX
Chef Hatchet escorted Leshawna to the Walk of Shame. She stopped just before the red carpet, then turned back to look at her former teammates pointed to show that Kitsune had been watching. As she left to be driven away from the film lot, Duncan walked over to the fox lover.
"Look, Kitsune," he started while rubbing the back of his neck. "I-"
"Foxy," she said suddenly.
"What?" He asked in confusion.
"You call me Foxy."
"But-"
"Look, you've been acting like a Grade A jerk, and what you said was messed up, but I'm not gonna break up with you."
"And I'm not gonna tick you off anymore," he said seriously. "You pack a mean left hook... and right hook."
She smiled softly, then suddenly grabbed his shirt collar and dragged him close to her. "But if you ever compare me to that woman again, I'll make you wish I was like her. Understood?" He nodded with panicked look. "Good."
She walked off and he stared in her direction. "Man, I love that woman," he said to himself.
\
"Wow! Leshawna voted herself off!" Chris laughed as the scene cut to him in the boxing/wrestling ring as he raised his boxing glove clad fists. "How's that for a dramatic sucker punch?" He threw a few test jabs in the direction of Chef, who was back in his normal clothes and wearing a pair of dark pink boxing gloves.
"Will DJ and Samey remain untouchable? Will Kitsune and Duncan stay made up for long?" he asked while continuing to punch the air as he worked his way around an unimpressed Chef. "Am I gonna knock big ol' Chef out with my killer uppercut?"
He started to throw a punch at his assistant, but it was swiftly answered by a hammering fist that knocked the pretty boy host off his feet. "Find out next time," he said as he got back to his feet and Chef walked away, "here, on Total! Drama! Action!"
(Roll the credits)
\
\
(Bonus Clip)
"I know y'all are thinkin' I'm crazy," The Sista With A 'Tude said in the Lame-osine. "Here's the thing; I need to make things right with Harold, and I can only do that if I'm not int the game. And Duncan needs to make thing right with Kitsune, which he can only do if he's in the game."
"Hopefully I can play up the whole givin' up a million thing to get him to forgive me," she said thoughtfully. "It took him so long to believe that I actually liked him. I never shoulda let Lashaniqua pressure me like that."
Her face fell into a fearful expression. "I know I gotta deal with Scarlett too." She shuddered. "That girl gives me the creeps."
Author's Note Post Script: As predicted by a number of reviewers, Leshawna has been eliminated. Sorry to her fans, especially for not giving her that last minute reprieve she had in canon. All I can say is it sets up a plotline for next season, which was the real reason I kept her close to her canon self here.
Regarding the video. I had plans for it to just be straight Harold bashing and a whole thing where she only went along with it to avoid losing the respect of her family, but I realized that made her too sympathetic and would work against my future plans for her. So she dissed everyone, including those that were voted off between here and the doctor challenge.
This challenge was awkward to write, considering just how bad the team dynamics are. I also feel like I could have done better in the reveal of Leshawna's trash-talking. Oh well.
As always there's probably more that I'm forgetting right now and will answer in reviews. By the way, the remaining seven are the merge. Thoughts? Predictions? Just hit that little yellow box.
I'm honestly not sure about this chapter.
With that I'm signing off
-TotalDramaFan14
RDA ELIMINATION TABLE:
16th Place: Mike/Zoey
15th Place: Zoey/Mike
14th Place: Amy
13th Place: Noah
12th Place: Sky
11th Place: Harold
10th Place: Shawn
9th Place: Victor
8th Place: Leshawna