Here we are with Episode 3! I'm really enjoying writing this and all of your feedback has been great to read! Looks like everyone is enjoying, but I do appreciate the constructive criticism as well. One comment I saw was that it was a bit jarring doing the confessionals in present tense while the rest of the story isn't and I can totally see that. Admittedly, that was a stylistic choice done on purpose because I wanted the confessionals to feel more "in the moment" so I kept that style for this chapter, but I'm open to feedback there. If more people feel that is annoying than I will change it.
Now on with the chapter!
"Last time on Total Drama Revamp!" Chris McLean grinned, adjusting a bright blue bowtie around his neck. "Things got racy in our carnival themed obstacle course to kick this contest off! The Sponges crushed the challenge to earn themselves a nice trip to the spa, while the Foxes wound up getting the short end of the stick and having to vote someone off. In the end, we said a sad goodbye to AJ. Better luck next time, kid."
"This week we're getting classy by bringing an iconic game show to Total Drama," Chris winked, and his perfectly white teeth shone. "Whose mettle will be tested? Who's going to push someone over the edge? Can my teeth get any whiter? Find out here on Total Drama Revamp!"
~Theme Song~
The camera panned across the campground, noting foul scents wafting above the outhouse confessional and communal washrooms. Some of the campers were up early and hanging out by the dock, where the fin of a shark casually brushed under the shoddy wooden planks. No one seemed to notice.
Gnarly Narwhal Cabin: Girls
"Alright ladies breathe in deep," Claudia said with her eyes closed, sitting cross-legged on the cabin floor. Laura and Kayla both inhaled exaggeratedly.
"Hold," Claudia said calmly, opening one eye to see the other two struggling a little. "Now exhale."
Laura and Kayla exhaled far louder than necessary. Claudia smiled at the pair, "We'll get your bodies more used to meditation. It's just so calming, isn't it?"
"Eh, it isn't really my thing," Kayla admitted. "When are we going to, ah, paint the cabin wall?"
"We need the paint for a larger scale project than what I have in my kit. I'd ask Chris, but he'd probably just make some horrible paint monster challenge or something," Claudia said with a light laugh.
"That sounds kind of awesome to be honest. Plus, if the colors were all wrong, it's not like I'd be able to tell the difference," Laura shrugged and the other two laughed.
Claudia glanced over at one of the bunk beds, where she saw Olivia scribbling something in a journal. The girl looked lost in thought.
"Olivia? Would you like to join us?" Claudia asked kindly.
Olivia looked surprised someone spoke to her, "Oh, um, no thank you. Busy."
Claudia smiled but said nothing and turned back to her meditating lesson with Laura and Kayla. Olivia went back to writing what she'd been working on, unaware that there was a prying eye.
Confessional:
Wes: He smiles, looking entirely like a foul rat, "While the other boys on my team went down to the docks this morning, I finished my spy hole into the girls' cabin. This was a brilliant idea, if I do say so myself. I got a look at what Olivia was writing: poetry! Blech! Talk about lame and more importantly embarrassing. Now I just need to work on blackmailing her and thinking up a good angle. I have time on my side though, none of these idiots suspect a thing."
Olivia: She looks shyly at the camera, "I like to write poetry. I'm horrible at verbally expressing my emotions so I use writing as my outlet. The one I'm working on is about a scared, mouse of a girl forced to come out of her shell. Applicable, I know."
Claudia: She bites her lip, "I worry Olivia is too sequestered away from the team. I want to bond with her, but I don't want to force it. We must learn over time if we are two ends of a magnetic pole and come together or repel each other from being one and the same. Huh, weird analogy.
Laura: "I wasn't expecting to be so friendly with my team, but we do have a pretty sick squad. I'll admit what David did last night was very thoughtful. I think we can kick some ass in the next challenge and take the win!"
Kayla: "How does Claudia meditate so often? I find it a bit difficult to stay still. And if she doesn't want to find the paint we need, perhaps I will…"
~End Confessional~
Dock of Shame: David, Jay and Kamari
"No way dude! Your audition tape was a wrestling match?" David asked Kamari in awe. The three Narwhal boys were sitting with their legs dangling down from the dock of shame.
"Yeah, it was awesome!" Kamari grinned at his teammate. "I totally won by the way."
"Do you have like a stage name or anything?" Jay asked curiously while they fiddled away with some lanyard strings from a box they'd brought from home.
"My wrestler name is Quicksilver," Kamari told them proudly. "They say I'm quick as a viper. That's why I wear a viper mask when I fight."
"I wish I was half as cool. I'm just a summer camp counselor who works with kids," Jay said lightheartedly.
"Uh, Jay, you're a true superhero for that," David told them. "Kids are, like, super difficult to work with."
"They can be, but I find great enjoyment in it," Jay explained, finishing the lanyard which was an interesting mix between blue and green. "Would you like it? I was going to make all of our team one with the same color."
"I'd love it!" David exclaimed and happily accepted the gift.
"Could I have one in purple and silver?" Kamari asked and Jay nodded.
Confessional:
David: He has a genuine smile on his face, "How can anyone watch this show and not think we have the best team? Everyone seems so nice and friendly. I really hope we win the next challenge because I want everyone around me to get a sweet reward!
Jay: They hold up a few more lanyards, "It's a common arts-and-crafts activity we do with the kids at my camp. The little kids get incredibly frustrated sometimes, but kids are surprisingly susceptible to watching and learning how to make one. Kids can be full of happy surprises, they're not all like the horror stories you hear."
Kamari: "I really hope Chris lets us do a fighting challenge of some kind this season. There usually is something to that effect so I got my hopes up! I should've pulled out the mask for the last challenge, but I didn't want to intimidate people too early. Ha!
~End Confessional~
Sly Fox Cabin: Girls
The Fox girls had woken up early, but one emerged from the cabin before the rest. Hope had been quick to leave the cabin and head for an early shower, not saying a word to anybody.
"How do you think she's holding up?" Lin asked Abigail, who was doing some crunches.
"Hope?" Abigail grunted between reps. "She'll be fine. Close call last night, but someone had to go."
"I just hope she doesn't dwell on it and perform worse in today's challenge because of it," Lin pointed out.
"If she does, we'll just vote her off," Casey said so callously the other two looked at her. "What? If she fails today that will be two out of two failure performances. Who else would we vote at that point? At least everyone else tried last time."
"She tried too," Lin found herself surprisingly defending Hope. "If I recall correctly it was you who suggested she do the climbing wall and she didn't want to do it."
"Then she should've spoken up more," Casey retorted and shared a glare with Lin. "Whatever, I'm going for a shower."
Confessional:
Lin: She frowns, "You know I'm really not sure who pissed in Casey's cornflakes this morning but she's being a total bitch. I get it's a competition, but shouldn't we figure out a way to motivate Hope instead of planning her elimination already?"
Casey: She rolls her eyes, "Lin can go to bat for Hope if she wants, but it's a losing endeavor. Hope is obviously next in the firing line and if that street thug wants to join her, she'll be next."
Abigail: "Whoever fails the most in the challenge goes. It's really that simple and I don't know why people have a hard time understanding that. But that doesn't matter because we are winning this week!"
Hope: She sniffles and wipes the tears from her poufy eyes, "I didn't want them to see me but I was up all night. It was a lot harder than I expected to be in the bottom. Just knowing that any number of people around me could have voted for me is bound to make me a little paranoid, right?"
~End Confessional~
Sly Fox Cabin: Boys
Horace and Kahil sat together playing a basic card game at a side table. Hoodie was putting up more pictures he'd brought from home on the cabin wall.
Horace glanced at the empty bunk and sighed, "Alright I'll say it: it's weird that we're down a man."
"What? AJ? Puh-lease," Hoodie rolled his eyes, "that loser deserved to go home."
"Aren't you being a bit harsh?" Kahil asked, slyly winning the current round and taking the pot of chips.
"He was cosplaying as a ghost hunter. Someone like that isn't in it to win the million," Hoodie said simply.
"What and you are?" Horace raised an eyebrow. "Do you honestly think you're going to win?"
"Sure, go ahead and doubt me. Everyone always doubts me. Your words bounce right off," Hoodie sneered and made his leave of the cabin.
"Guy's kind of a prick," Kahil noted.
"Yeah, but it seems like there's more going on than meets the eye. Kind of like with you," Horace remarked as he won the next round.
"What do you mean?" Kahil asked, his face slowly turning red.
Horace seemed to realize the implication, "No, no not like that! Jeez, now I feel super awkward."
"Just shuffle the cards," Kahil said with a slight laugh.
Confessional:
Horace: He's shaking his head, "Yeah…not my finest moment. I meant that I can tell Kahil has a few things he's keeping a secret for some reason. I'm good at reading people, my best guess so far is it's related to his weird luck. I'll figure out what it is and help him if I can. Hoodie…well one task at a time."
Kahil: "Horace is a nice guy, if not prone to the oblivious comment from time to time. I'm really not one for strategy, but I wouldn't mind him and I making it far in the game together. Hoodie on the other hand…"
Hoodie: He puts the hood up on his hoodie, "Admittedly, I could have played that situation better, but those two get on my nerves. I'm also, unlike most of these cretins, not a moron. I can tell those two are going to be fast friends unless I can break them apart. This ought to be fun."
~End Confessional~
Self-Absorbed Sponge Cabin: Girls
"Bea, you have to tell me who you think is the hottest guy on the island!" Maddie practically squealed as she painted Bea's nails hot pink.
"I-I don't know Maddie. Besides, who said I was just into guys?" Bea pointed out.
"Hey that's fair, I certainly don't judge," Maddie smiled at her. "Who is it though?"
"Well that Ken guy is kind of cute, and fashionable which is a plus," Bea admitted.
"I wouldn't go there, personally, but maybe you'd be cute together! I just don't think he likes me much for some reason," Maddie said with a shrug.
"I can't imagine why," Saffron said with immense sarcasm. Maddie seemed to choose not to rise to the bait.
Jackie opened the door to the cabin from the outside, panting, "Just finished my warmup run and heard something about breakfast. Let's get a move on girls!"
"You know, you never answered who you thought was the most attractive," Bea pointed out to Maddie while the girls made their way out.
"All in due time," Maddie said with a glance Saffron's way, who looked like she was trying to eavesdrop.
Confessional:
Maddie: "I'm no fool. Information is power in a game like this. Knowing who Bea might be crushing on is both interesting gossip and possibly useful information. Revealing who I might like to her, especially openly in front of Jackie or Saffron, is a risk I'm not willing to take yet. It's all strategic."
Jackie: "I was out running with Maverick. Guy's got some serious skills. I'd be lying if I said I didn't admire him, and I really appreciated how he let me take charge in the last challenge. I've got natural leadership abilities and think it would be beneficial to generally lead the team each week. Worked like a charm last time!"
Bea: "Thought it was a bit strange Maddie didn't tell me who her 'crush' was. Not that I'm crushing on Ken, I just said the guy was hot. I don't think I've said more than two words to him."
Saffron: She is seen reading 'The Hunger Games' and not looking at the camera, "There, with the book now maybe people will realize who the main character is supposed to be. I feel more important already! And honestly would you rather follow someone like Maddie or Bea who are super basic, or someone like me that's…different."
~End Confessional~
Self-Absorbed Sponge Cabin: Boys
"TDR Entry 3-1: Need to do some investigating on that Kahil guy from the Fox team. His luck seems astronomical, which is in direct contrast to my own…" Declan recorded, not realizing Ken and Chuck were listening in.
"What do you mean?" Chuck asked him.
"Huh? Oh, I just tend to have bad things happen to me. The worst outcome imaginable is usually what happens," Declan explained.
"Come on man, we won last time. Don't put that bad juju on us," Ken groaned.
"Just being realistic. It is what it is," Declan shrugged.
"Just don't be a downer all the time. It won't help out the image I'm crafting for the team to get us more fans," Ken explained.
"Is that really worth our time?" Chuck asked.
"What did you just say?" Ken glowered at him and Chuck's face paled.
"I-I didn't m-mean to offend you! I just meant that…it seems that we could—"
Maverick opened the door at the moment to cut the awkward tension. He whistled, "That was a great run! Jackie kept me through my paces. Next time you boys should join us! Now come on, it's time for breakfast!"
Confessional:
Declan: "I actually wouldn't mind running with Maverick at all. The whole stretching thing we did as a team last week was kind of cringey, but it was cute too. I like the effort he's putting in for our team. Plus he was kind of our unsung hero for winning last challenge at the final stretch. Hmm…maybe I should do something nice for him?"
Ken: "I wasn't expecting Chuck of all people to start something with me, but I need to not let me anger get the better of me. My ultimate plan right now is to eliminate Maddie and be the only influencer left on the island. I can't turn the guys against me or that dream becomes impossible!"
Chuck: He cartoonishly shrinks into his scarf and only his eyes can be seen, "Why am I so bad at making friends now?"
Maverick: He's seen doing body twists while seated. He glances at the camera, "Builds core strength. Knowing Chris, he's only going to amp up the challenges as we progress. I have to stay in peak physical condition and get my team doing the same. At least Jackie seems with me on that so far."
~End Confessional~
The twenty-three remaining contestants had gathered in the mess hall for the first official breakfast of the competition. There were three tables, each with the teams' respective mascot flags flying over them.
At the Fox table, Hoodie was considering throwing his slop at Horace and Kahil, who were whispering mischievously about something. Lin was glowering at Casey, who periodically shot Hope triumphant sneers. Hope sat beside Abigail and tried her best to ignore her teammates for now.
At the Sponge table, Maddie was whispering something in Bea's ear and the fashionista's eyes widened. Ken had snatched Declan's journal and was furiously scribbling things down, shooting occasional glances at Maddie and even Chuck. Jackie and Maverick were engaged in a friendly arm-wrestling competition, with neither earning the upper hand. Saffron sat on the end of the table, reading her book.
At the Narwhal table, Jay was handing out lanyards to the joy of their team. Wes grumpily took his and shot Olivia a vicious smirk that she seemed oblivious to. Laura bravely took a bite of the food and immediately spit it out.
"Ugh! What is that?"
"If I had to guess, I'd wager Chef used a lawn mower to kill a mouse and then threw it in a pot roast," Kayla shuddered and pushed her bowl away.
"Yo Chef, would you mind if I got myself in that kitchen some time? I can make a killer breakfast," David said, offering Chef a kind smile.
Chef did not look amused, "You eat what I tell you to eat!"
"But dude, this stuff looks and tastes like crap," Horace pointed out.
All eyes turned towards him, shocked he would be willing to say such a thing. Chef slammed a hand against the counter and threw the remaining contents of his 'breakfast' at Horace. A freak gust of wind caused the food to swerve mid-air and land all over Kahil beside him.
"Yup, I knew my bad luck would come back at some point," Kahil remarked and then recoiled at the smell of the food. "Uh, do I have time for another shower?"
"No, Kahil, you do not! It's time for the next challenge!" Chris exclaimed dramatically as he entered.
Confessional:
Declan: "TDR Entry 3-2: Now Kahil has bad luck? This is more confusing of a puzzle than I thought…"
~End Confessional~
Through the magic of editing, the teens had all moved from the mess hall to the beach where Chris had set up three different seating areas in the water. The one on the far left had the Narwhal flag, the one in the center had the Fox, and the one on the right had the Sponge flag. There was also a giant television screen depicting a six by five grid with the following headings: TDI, TDA, TDWT, TDROTI, TDAS, and TDPI.
"Are we about to do what I think we are?" Olivia asked excitedly.
"It's time for Total Drama Jeopardy!" Chris exclaimed, now decked out in his formal suit and bowtie. "Everyone kindly take your seats and I'll explain how this is going to work."
Each seating section had two levels, with four seats on the upper and lower level. For the Narwhals from left to right on the top sat: Claudia, Jay, Wes, and Olivia. From left to right on the bottom sat Laura, David, Kamari, and Kayla.
For the Foxes from left to right on the top sat: Hoodie, Horace, and Kahil. On the bottom sat: Abigail, Hope, Lin, and Casey.
For the Sponges from left to right on the top sat: Declan, Maverick, Jackie, and Saffron. On the bottom sat Chuck, Ken, Bea, and Maddie.
"Alright campers, has everyone seen 'Jeopardy' before?" Chris asked. About half of them raised their hands and Chris looked flabbergasted.
"What? How can you all be so uncultured?"
"Jeopardy started in the 1960s. Sorry we weren't all around for its founding," Hoodie sneered and elicited a few laughs from the others.
"Thank you, Hoodie, for so kindly volunteering to demonstrate what happens if you get a question wrong," Chris' frown was replaced with an evil grin as he pressed a big red button on a remote. The entire section the Foxes were sitting in plunged underwater. The team struggled in their seats and after about fifteen seconds, Chris brought them back up. They all started in fits of coughing. Horace and Kahil gave Hoodie annoyed looks.
"How do we win this challenge, Chris?" Maverick asked.
"Here's how it'll work. As you can see, we have a board showing six categories and four options per category with dollar values. $100, $200, $300, and $400. The six categories are each of the six previous seasons of Total Drama. The questions in each category will pertain to that particular season. If you get the question correct, your team earns the money value attached to that question. If wrong, well, shall we demonstrate again?"
"No!" Twenty-three voices shouted in unison.
"We shall rotate through the teams. As the winners of last round, the Sponges will go first followed by the Narwhals and last the Foxes. Since there are twenty-three of you and twenty-four questions, each contestant will be responsible for answering one question. Then the final question will be the equivalent of 'final jeopardy' which I will explain when we get there to you uncultured swines."
"Hold on how is that fair? That means our team gets one less question!" Casey complained as she did the math.
"Maybe you shouldn't have lost the last challenge then," Chris retorted snootily.
"I agree with Chris, you shouldn't question his brilliant hosting," Wes said smugly and with genuine praise for Chris.
"Thank you, Wes. Now here's the two things that'll really get you guys' attention. Number one, the reward for this challenge is that the winning team will get to divvy up whatever money they win."
That certainly got some elated cheers from the campers. Chris grinned and continued, "And perhaps even more important than a few hundred bucks: if a camper gets their question correct, they are automatically immune from the vote tonight, regardless of if their team loses or not."
Everyone began babbling excitedly about that. Lin leaned down to whisper to Hope, "This is a great chance! Let's both get out question right, eh?"
"Yeah!" Hope gave her a genuine grin. "Redemption time!"
"Chris, will there be an opportunity to steal questions from other teams if they get it wrong?" Saffron asked.
"No, but glad to see someone else has watched the actual show."
"You've watched Jeopardy?" Jackie asked Saffron.
"Obviously. The rest of you haven't, I have. I'm pretty different from all of you after all," Saffron said flippantly.
Confessional:
Jackie: "Oh that girl is different that's for sure…"
~End Confessional~
"Let's get started. While the team order is set, the individual order has been randomized. Up first for the Sponges: Jackie!"
"Um, I'll select TDPI for $300," Jackie said.
"Who comprised of the three teams of two in the episode 'Scarlett Fever' to try and navigate their way to the control room to stop the island from blowing up?"
"Let's see…there was Max and Scarlett, obviously. And the other pairs were…Shawn and Jasmine and Sky and Sugar," Jackie answered.
"That is correct! $300 has been added to the Sponge total and Jackie is automatically immune from any votes tonight."
Her team looked pleased with her. Maverick offered her a high-five and she couldn't help but grin as she returned it.
"Up next we have Kamari for the Narwhals!"
"Sorry guys, my memory is kind of awful. Kind of comes with the territory of getting punched in the head a lot. I'm going to have to pick a lower number and let the smarter teammates go for the higher values," Kamari said with a sigh. "I'll take TDROTI for $100."
"Who was the first to try and use an invincibility statue in the Total Drama franchise?"
"Uh, it was Scott, right?" Kamari said but based on the groans of most of his team, he knew he'd gotten it wrong.
"Nope! Dawn tried to use the fake ones that Scott carved!" Chris said happily as he pressed the button, and the Narwhals went under the water.
"This can't possibly be legal," Ken grumbled as he watched in horror at the Narwhals not resurfacing until twenty seconds had passed.
"While the Narwhals remember how to breathe, it's time for Casey and the Foxes!"
"Why not throw it back to the best? I'll take TDI for $200," Casey said confidently.
"For $200, can you tell me what the name of Duncan's dodgeball strategy was?"
"Rush the new guy," Casey said almost immediately and $200 was added to their team's tally.
Confessional:
Casey: She looked pleased with herself, "I'm a mimicry expert, remember? I make my living off of copying what other people do. Of course I knew what Duncan's strategy was. It worked after all. And that isn't the only strategy I'll be stealing from previous seasons. What do they always say? History makes the best teacher…"
~End Confessional~
Lin looked rather annoyed that Casey had won herself immunity, but Chris was turning his attention to his next victim: Declan.
"Um…I'll pick TDAS for $300."
"Why has no one gone for one of the $400 options yet?" Abigail muttered, confused.
"It isn't obvious? Get a lower valued question right, and you're automatically immune," Hoodie pointed out.
"Declan, in season 5 what is the vote breakdown in the sixth episode titled, 'No One Eggspects the Spanish Inquisition,'? Only hint you'll get is there were six total votes."
"Let's see…I'm assuming that involves Alejandro somehow. Is that the one where Alejandro goes home in that season?" Declan reasoned aloud.
"No one is allowed to help him or he forfeits the question," Chris was quick to say and Ken snapped his fingers in defeat.
"I'm going to guess Alejandro lost the vote 4-2 against Mal," Declan said.
"Not even close, my man," Chris laughed and the Sponges went plunging into the water. "That was the classic episode where Alejandro used the idol to blindside Heather."
"That was so out of character for Heather," Casey crossed her arms.
"Yeah it was almost like whoever wrote the script for that season didn't care whatsoever about character development or intelligence," Olivia murmured and received a few strange looks.
The Sponges finally resurfaced and all began cursing Chris, except for Saffron who returned to reading her book. Bea stared at her in surprise.
"How did your book not get ruined?"
"The books I read are just different," Saffron said, casually flipping to the next page. "I don't just go to any old average bookstore."
"Where do you go, the Atlantis Public Library?" Maddie asked and snorted in laughter with Bea.
Confessional:
Chuck: He blinks at the camera a few times before deadpanning, "I think Saffron might be a witch."
~End Confessional~
It was Claudia's turn now and she had selected TDA for $300.
"What were the matchups in season 2's sports challenge, and you must tell me what their athletic ranks were."
"Chris some of these questions seem way harder than others for the same $ value. How is that fair?" Jay complained.
"Shush, Chris knows what he's doing," Wes hissed from alongside them.
"You don't have to be such a suck-up to Chris. He's a psychopath, he's not going to hand you the million because of you kissing up," Jay pointed out and Wes silently fumed.
"In order from weakest matchup to strongest, it was Harold versus Lindsay, Heather versus Beth, LeShawna versus Justin and Duncan versus Courtney," Claudia answered after a moment.
"Ooh close but no cigar. You had it all correct except the order at the end. LeShawna and Justin was the top-rated matchup. Since you got pretty close, you get no money, but I won't force you underwater," Chris decided, much to the Narwhals' relief.
Abigail was next and she decided to use Hoodie's strategy, "I select TDPI for $100."
"How old was Scarlett's brother when she forced him into therapy?"
"How am I supposed to know that?" Abigail asked him angrily.
"Chris, some of these questions are definitely not fair for their number value," Kayla groaned.
"Since you're all whining so much, you all get a bath!" Chris pushed all three buttons and all contestants went into the water.
Chef, who was standing alongside Chris at the podium now, said, "Don't you think you're being a bit harsh on them with these questions?"
"It isn't my fault no one labeled them and we 'accidentally' mixed up the questions when we put them in a card shuffler," Chris huffed.
The two looked at each other for a minute before guffawing with laughter.
Confessional:
Wes: "That Jay is so arrogant! My strategy is simple. Kiss up to Chris and Chef to earn an advantage, while building my arsenal of blackmail on the other contestants. I need them to get off my case or I might just have to turn my attention towards them before Olivia!"
Abigail: She spits water from her mouth and a fish swims out. She looks down at it and then back at the camera, "I. Hate. Chris!"
~End Confessional~
"With Abigail forfeiting her question—"
"I did no such thing!" Abigail sputtered.
"As I was saying," Chris cut her off with a look that made even Abigail back down, though unhappily. "After 25% of the game is complete let's take a look at where we stand. Everyone is sucking so far but the Sponges hold the lead with $300. The Foxes are close behind with $200 and the Narwhals have an absolutely laughable $0."
Maverick was next up and he'd selected TDROTI for $200.
"List all of the contestants in season 4 who swapped teams."
"Brick, Jo…and Dakota?" Maverick guessed and was awarded $200. "Yes!"
"Nice going Maverick!" Jackie congratulated him and he looked proud of himself.
Kayla was up next and selected TDA for $200.
"Who won the superhero challenge in season 2 and what was their identity?"
"Lindsay won it as Wonder Woman, which was kind of dumb since she had no originality. Sucked up to the host," Kayla crossed her arms and didn't notice Wes' eye twitch behind her.
"That is correct! The Narwhals are finally on the board and Kayla has earned immunity. Kahil you're up next!"
Kahil was up next and selected TDA for $100.
"Who were the final four contestants left standing in the alien challenge?"
"Duncan, Gwen, Trent, and—" Kahil was about to say the final name when a shark leapt up out of the water and into the Sly Fox section. The other campers screamed as the shark menacingly chomped down towards Kahil, missing him by inches.
"Chris help!" Hope screamed.
Chris calmly watched the scene, silently cheering for the shark. Chef, taking pity on the kids, took the remote from Chris and pushed the button. The Foxes plummeted into the water, but Chef was able to shake the shark off of their section. They quickly reemerged; this time shark-free. Most of them were shaking.
"Well thanks to Kahil's luck, he forfeits the point," Chris waved a dismissive hand.
"Are you trying to make our team lose? Abigail and Kahil both didn't get a chance to answer!" Lin snarled at the host.
"Kahil didn't answer within the time limit. Shark or no shark, that isn't my fault," Chris said snootily.
"You're just making up the rules as you go!" Lin growled.
"And this surprises you because…?" Chris smirked as he trailed off. "Ken you're up!"
Confessional:
Lin: "If we lose today it's Chris' fault! And of course Casey already earned herself immunity so I can't even vote her off!"
Ken: "Admittedly, my mental intelligence isn't my strong suit. Who cares about that kind of thing when you can be a social butterfly and wicked fun at parties?"
~End Confessional~
Ken had chosen TDI for $100.
"Who was the second contestant to arrive on Total Drama Island?"
"Um, Lindsay?"
Chris shook his head and happily forced the Sponges into the water. When they came back up, the host decreed, "You guys shouldn't look so grumpy. A sponges' natural habitat is the water!"
"Weak," Declan spit some lake water from his mouth, "effort."
"That could be said about Chris' lame jokes and that pathetic answer," Saffron turned on Ken. "How did you get such an easy question wrong? It was DJ!"
"Well excuse me! I barely even remember DJ, he just didn't have star power," Ken harrumphed. Saffron rolled her eyes and went back to her book.
"Are you, like, a fan girl or something?" Maddie whispered to Saffron.
Saffron's eyes widened, "What? No!"
"You seem to know a lot about Jeopardy and Total Drama," Maddie pointed out.
"It's called preparing for the competition. Something it seems most of you did not bother to do," Saffron flipped the page in her book.
"You just went backwards a page," Maddie grinned.
Confessional:
Maddie: "Hot take but I actually kind of like Saffron. Sure she calls me horse girl or whatever, but I think she's actually a lot smarter than most of our team realizes. I just have a feeling she's got a few hidden uses that can help us out, but we'll see."
Saffron: "Okay, so I may have seen every episode of Jeopardy and Total Drama. Twice. That does not make me a creepy fan girl!"
~End Confessional~
David was up next and he'd selected TDWT for $100.
"Name the contestants who sing in Jamaica and what song they perform."
"That's easy! Owen and Gwen sing 'Oh My Izzy'!" David declared and earned money for his team.
"Nice going David," Jay smiled warmly at him.
"Thank you! That's probably my favorite song from the show," David beamed.
Lin was up and she'd chosen TDROTI for $300.
"Who were the two campers we buried alive for a challenge that Jo won single-handedly?"
"Sam and Gwen. Which was illegal by the way," Lin gave Chris an indignant stare.
"Save the judgment and take the $300," Chris grumbled and looked at the scoreboard. "We're now halfway through! Let's see where the teams stand. The Sponges and Foxes are tied for the lead with $500 while the Narwhals trail at $300. Not a single person has even attempted a $400 question yet! What gives guys?"
"We want the immunity, are you really that surprised?" Hoodie scoffed.
"Well maybe our next contestant will feel the need to prove himself and go big! Chuck, you're up!"
All eyes turned to Chuck, who stared at the screen. Those $400 options were all so tantalizing, and if he got it right would vault the Sponges into a big lead. But as the others all stared at him, the pressure mounted to the point where it was too much for him.
"I-I'll take TDAS for…$100."
"Way to not break your stereotypical cowardly behavior," Saffron said sarcastically.
"Hey!" Jackie growled at her. "Maybe we could show some support?"
"Chuck, for $100, your question is: how many personalities does Mal have?"
"Huh? I thought Mal was one of Mike's personalities?" Chuck asked, confused.
"Well that isn't how I asked the question, is it?" Chris said rudely.
"Oh, okay. Um…there's Chester, Manitoba, Svetlana, Mike apparently, and…" Chuck trailed off and was racking his brains to remember if there were any more.
Chuck opened his mouth to give his final answer when Chris said, "Ooh sorry but you are out of time!"
"There's not even a timer!" Jay protested. "How are we supposed to know when we run out of time?"
"Why do you care?" Wes hissed at them. "Chuck isn't even on our team!"
"Because the game should still be fair," Jay explained. "Winning by technicalities or cheating is a hollow victory."
"Speak for yourself," Wes mumbled, though no one heard him.
Laura was up next and she'd chosen TDROTI for $400.
"Woah, finally someone went for a $400 choice and it's the blind girl! Grow some balls campers, sheesh," Chris shamed them.
"Just ask me the stupid question, Chris," Laura said confidently.
"What was the first mutant to appear on season 4?"
"Chris McLean," Laura answered immediately with a smirk creeping its way onto her face. There was much laughter at that answer.
Chris pursed his lips a moment before speaking, "Cute. Well, too bad it was wrong!"
The Narwhals went plunging into the water, but the team didn't mind so much this time.
Confessional:
Laura: She has a smug smirk, "It was all a strategy. Let's be honest, the chances of me getting a question pertaining to watching a television show were not high, so I purposely swung for the fences. Sure I got the question wrong, but my team will remember I took the risk. Plus my choosing a $400 question takes it away from the other teams."
~End Confessional~
Hoodie was next and he looked annoyed at the remaining questions, "All the lower options have pretty much been selected!"
"Maybe you shouldn't have touted your strategy so much and let others run with it! I told you turn order was random," Chris pointed out.
"TDI for $300 please," Hoodie spat.
"What was the name of Trent's favorite song?"
Hoodie thought about it for a moment before answering, "She Would Be Loved."
"That is…correct! Surprised you got that one if I'm honest," Chris said with a shrug.
"Doesn't seem like your style of music," Horace whispered to Hoodie.
"I can admire a love song or two," Hoodie dramatically teared up at the thought but said nothing further.
"Belladonna you're next!" Chris announced and Bea selected TDWT for $300.
"What were the two outfits Tyler and Gwen had to model during the first ever tie breaker vote in the show's history between Lindsay and DJ?"
"Oh that's right up my wheelhouse!" Bea grinned. "Tyler worn water lilies, hideous by the way."
Chris nodded in agreement as she continued, "And Gwen wore DJ's shirt. Some say that shouldn't have won, but you say what Lindsay dressed Tyler up in. A deserved win in my book."
"Couldn't agree with you more and, since you got it right, that's another $300 for the Sponges!"
Jay was next to go and they selected TDPI for $200.
"What was the entire incantation Leonard the LARPer uttered during his elimination scene to try to prevent from being kicked off?"
"You want me to recite a…a 'spell'? That made no sense?" Jay asked, clearly unimpressed.
"Oh come on, that wizard kid was priceless! Fireball!" Chris threw his hands out in some ridiculous movements. He and Chef started laughing while Jay, sadly, was unable to even come close to an answer.
Hope was up next and she looked a little nervous. Beside her, Lin leaned down to whisper in her ear, "You got this!"
Hope perked up a bit and chose TDWT for $200.
"What was Noah's now iconic line in the first song of the season?"
"Come fly with us! Come die with us!" Hope sang out and giggled as Chris awarded the Foxes the point.
Confessional:
Hope: She looks ecstatic, "I did it, I did it, I did it! I got my question right and won automatic immunity! I hope that went a long way with my team to redeem myself from the last challenge. And I have to thank Lin, she's been a great motivator today!"
~End Confessional~
"We're now 75% of the way through with only six questions remaining. Maddie, Saffron, Wes, Olivia and Horace are the only ones who have yet to answer before we do final jeopardy. Let's relook at the scoreboard. The Foxes have taken the lead with a nice $1000!"
The Fox team celebrated that, some exchanging fist bumps or even excited hugs. Chris continued, "The Sponges are close behind with $800 and the Narwhals…have $300. Guys, seriously? That is lame."
"Not everyone is suited to your brilliant game Mr. McLean," Wes tried to butter up the host with a not-so-subtle glare at Jay.
"With five out of the six remaining options all $400, it's still anyone's game! Up next is going to be Maddie for the Sponges!"
"Chris, I'm going to take the last non-$400 option. I'll take TDAS for $200," Maddie decided, giving a wink to the camera – presumably to her fans. Ken watched in irrational anger from a few seats away.
"Maddie for your question you must list the exact order the Heroic Hamsters went in during the pancake eating challenge. For your convenience, the contestants that participated in alphabetical order were Cameron, Duncan, Mal, Sam, Sierra and Zoey."
"Oh that's kind of a tough one. Let me try and remember…" Maddie considered for a moment. "Sierra went first and threw up, then Cameron went next…then was it Mal, Duncan, Zoey and Sam?"
"Very close, but you mixed up Mal and Duncan. No points for you!" Chris declared. "Olivia you're up! And only $400 options remain now!"
"Olivia, we really need some points but we believe in you," Claudia told her kindly. "Take a deep breath and don't let the nerves get you."
"Don't think my body received the message there. I didn't join you guys for meditation this morning and I'm kind of freaking out," Olivia said, not at all relishing the pressure of the situation.
"It's okay, just take a breath. Find your center," Claudia encouraged, "find something internally to focus on and everything else will disappear."
Olivia decided to take Claudia's advice and she found herself slowly relaxing.
"This is all very touching, but it's time for you to make your selection or forfeit your turn!" Chris snapped impatiently.
Olivia selected TDAS for $500.
"List all of the campers who realized Mike was Mal."
"Duncan went to juvie with him," Olivia recalled, "Alejandro figured it out eventually too. Zoey did too after it was thrown in her face many times. But there's more…Heather knew in the finale, and I guess Cameron and Gwen did too. And that leaves…Izzy!"
"Izzy wasn't a contestant that season—"
"But she was a camper and she figured it out!" Olivia said proudly.
"That is…correct!" Chris declared and the Narwhals cheered. Olivia glanced over at Claudia, who had a pleased smile touch her warm face. Olivia couldn't help but return it.
Horace was the last to go for the Foxes and he selected TDWT for $400.
"List everyone that Alejandro had a hand in their elimination, as well as explain how."
"That's a long list, Chris," Horace chuckled. "Let's see, first he convinced Harold to vote himself off. Then he got Bridgette stuck to a pole. He pushed LeShawna to an unnecessary conflict with Heather, which got her booted. He turned on DJ when it became clear that alliance was too much work. He voted Noah off after Noah became suspicious of him. I guess he voted for Tyler even though they were allies? Not sure on that one, didn't make sense at the time to me. I'd say he was involved in Gwen's elimination since he was playing mind games with Courtney and Heather. He of course orchestrated Owen's elimination, as well as helped vote Blaineley out. And he teamed up with Heather to vote Duncan off. He also defeated Cody in the final three showdown to compete against Heather in what is undeniably the most interesting finale the show ever had."
"It might've just been easier to ask him who Alejandro didn't eliminate," Casey laughed and the Foxes were awarded the points.
Confessional:
Horace: He shrugs, "Maybe I shouldn't admit it, but Alejandro is my favorite contestant from the previous seasons. He's not a great person, but you have to admire the moves he made. Plus he had familial ties to hypnotism and…so do I. That's pretty cool if you ask me."
~End Confessional~
"Just three questions left. Saffron, you're up for the Sponges."
Saffron closed her book with a dramatic sigh, "I'll take TDA for $400, Chris."
"What were Beth's boyfriend's name and measurements that she read off the back of his model card?"
Saffron took a deep breath and said, "What is Brady, 6 feet tall, light brown hair, blue eyes, size 10 shoe, 32 pant with a 34 inch in-seam."
Everyone looked at her in shock as Chris proclaimed, "That is…correct? How the heck did you know that?"
"I'm just different," Saffron smiled knowingly. "I also hope you appreciated that I'm the only person who answered the question in the correct fashion."
"Literally no one cares Saffron. Wes, you're up!" Chris exclaimed.
"I'd like TDPI for $400 please Mr. McLean," Wes said while the others around him grew a little uncomfortable.
"How many scares did Rodney get in the Truth or Scare challenge?"
Most of the team relaxed as they thought that was an easy question. However, Wes froze in place as he realized he didn't know the answer.
"Um…uh…" Wes inwardly cursed himself before taking a guess. "Two?"
"That is incorrect! Time for final jeopardy but first let's take a quick glance at the scoreboard. The Foxes, despite getting one less question than the other teams, have the lead at $1400! The Sponges are close behind in second with $1200 and with Wes unable to close the gap, the Narwhals are at a measly $700. It'll take a miracle to get out of last place now. Luckily for them, that's the whole point of final jeopardy!"
"Come on guys, we can do this!" David encouraged and shared a fist bump with Kamari.
"The final question on the board is TDI for $400 and the whole team gets to participate in answering," Chris was explaining. "Before I reveal the question, each team will decide amongst themselves how much money they would like to 'bet' on the question. You can put as little as $0 or go all-in and bet however much money your team has accrued. Now remember, the winning team gets to split the money so think about that when deciding what to bet. I'll give each team a minute to strategize. Good luck!"
Gnarly Narwhals:
"We're in last place, it seems obvious to me. We go all-in," Laura told the rest of her team.
"Way too risky. If someone else goes all-in and loses, they go to $0. We don't want to do the same thing," Wes pointed out.
"But what if someone else is thinking someone's thinking that so that someone decides to be the someone who doesn't do it? No wait, that makes no sense. I mean—" Kayla struggled to figure out how to say it.
"We should go somewhere in the middle," Claudia suggested. "Something that can get us ahead of the Sponges but not something that will reduce us to $0."
"I really think we need to go all-in. What do we have to lose?" Laura asked, annoyed the others didn't seem with her on this.
"I think we've made a decision," Kamari said after the team discussed another minute. He wrote a number down on a paper and put it face down in front of him.
Sly Foxes:
"We got this one in the bag," Horace grinned at his teammates.
"Even if we don't, we're all immune except Abigail and Kahil so the vote will be simple enough," Hoodie pointed out, earning uncomfortable looks from the two he mentioned.
"Well we aren't coming in last today. I know exactly what we should bet to ensure our victory," Casey said deviously and wrote down a number before anyone else could stop her.
Self-Absorbed Sponges:
"Well I can tell you what I would do," Maddie was addressing the team. "We got to go all-in!"
"What? No! We're almost in the lead," Jackie pointed out.
"Yeah, what a terrible idea," Ken said, not bothering to volunteer that he was going to suggest the same thing to gain more fans for being a 'dare-devil'.
"There is merit to the idea. We need to ensure our dominance over the other teams," Maverick pointed out. "Competition is just as much about mental fortitude than physical strength."
"Duh, this challenge has nothing to do with strength," Declan pointed out.
"All your arguing is pointless. I already know the perfect strategy to give us the win," Saffron said and began writing on the paper.
"Wait! Don't you think we should discuss this as a team more?" Bea asked, alarmed.
"Let her," Maddie said, "I trust her on this one."
Confessional:
Maddie: "And if Saffron blows it, we know who to vote off in the near future. What? Just cause I said I liked her earlier doesn't mean she wouldn't be a great scapegoat. Besides, this is her chance to prove that I'm right about her and she's not useless."
~End Confessional~
All teams had finalized how much many they were betting. Chris grinned and said, "Final question: list the order of eliminations in Total Drama Island."
There was much discussion and scurrying around while the teams frantically began writing out the list and having some uncertainties.
"Was Noah really the third person eliminated?" Olivia was asking her team.
"Does anyone actually remember the difference between Katie and Sadie?" Kahil asked, and Horace shrugged.
"I'm pretty sure Izzy came back like four times," Ken was telling Saffron, who was writing the list.
A few minutes passed and the teams had finalized their answers. Chris looked expectantly between teams before he started with the Narwhals.
Jay read aloud, "Ezekiel, Eva, Noah, Justin, Katie, Tyler, Izzy, Cody, Beth, Sadie, Courtney, Harold, Eva, Trent, Bridgette, Lindsay, DJ, Izzy, Geoff, LeShawna, Duncan, Heather, Gwen and Owen was the winner."
"The Narwhals get the question right! Please reveal how much you guys bet," Chris prompted.
Kamari flipped over the paper they wrote their bet on. They'd gambled $600.
"That puts the Narwhals final total at $1300! That has temporarily moved the Sponges to last at $1200 and the Foxes hold the slight lead at $1400. Foxes, you're up next!"
Hope happily read out an identical list to the Narwhals to earn the point.
Casey smugly revealed the bet their team had made. $0.
"By taking absolutely no risk to earn a potentially higher reward, the Foxes remain ahead of the Narwhals with $1400. That means the Foxes will not be eliminating someone twice in a row. Alright Sponges, it's all up to you now."
Ken held the paper nervously for a second, building in dramatic effect, before giving a victorious grin and revealing the same answers as the other teams.
"Wow! Really didn't think every team was going to get the question right," Chris remarked.
"That's what happens with teamwork, right guys?" Claudia beamed at her friends.
"Saffron, please reveal what you and the Sponges gambled. This will determine who wins and who is sending someone home tonight," Chris said dramatically.
The Sponges all looked to Saffron, who hadn't revealed to anyone what she gambled. She gave everyone a bored expression before flipping over the paper: $400.
"With a new total of $1600 the Self-Absorbed Sponges win again!" Chris announced and the team erupted into cheers. Maddie gave Saffron a hug, much to the latter's chagrin.
"The Foxes strategy of resting on their laurels netted them a strong second place, and the Narwhals have officially lost. Sorry guys, you were close but not close enough. You'll be voting someone off tonight! Sponges, as the winners you each get $200 of the $1600 you won. Congrats!"
Confessional:
Saffron: She tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiles, "I think I accomplished my goal of proving who the real main character here is. Now here's my strategy to win the million. I'm going to—"
Hoodie: "I knew as long as we played it safe, we were going to win. Sure we could've tried for the win, but after losing the first challenge we really couldn't afford to lose again. Even if I was immune. I need to start forging alliances within my own team and breaking the Horace/Kahil duo apart. I have a few ideas cooking…"
Kamari: "I'm bummed we lost, man. Our team is full of awesome people and I really don't want to have to say goodbye to anybody yet."
~End Confessional~
Gnarly Narwhal Cabin: Girls
"Congratulations on your immunity Kayla and Olivia, you earned it," Claudia praised her cabinmates. "I'm afraid Laura and I were not so lucky so we're both possible targets."
"David was the only guy that got his question right so Jay, Wes and Kamari are all targets as well," Laura pointed out.
"That Wes guy is kind of annoying. I wouldn't mind voting him off to be honest," Kayla suggested.
"He might just be a bit awkward. Some people have a harder time than others," Olivia suggested.
"Yeah but he's probably the least cohesive part of our team," Kayla shrugged. "Wait, Olivia, what's that behind you in the wall?"
"Huh?" Olivia turned and realized there was a small little peephole drilled in from the boys' side of the cabin.
"Oh hell no. No no no!" Kayla roared. "When I find out who drilled that…"
Kayla flung the door open and saw Wes about to walk into the boys' cabin. She grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall.
"What is your problem?" Wes snarled.
"Whose bed is against the wall in the girls' side? Just answer the question!" Kayla fumed.
"Oh, that would be Jay," Wes lied smoothly. "He spends a lot of time in the cabin alone. Who knows what he gets up to."
Kayla released him and was boiling with rage. Wes entered the boys' side of the cabin with a hidden grin.
Bonfire Ceremony:
The eight members of the Gnarly Narwhals took their places on the stumps by the roaring bonfire. Chris stood before them, a silver plate with seven marshmallows awaiting the safe contestants.
"Narwhals, I'm going to be honest I'm disappointed. I really wanted to see the looks on the Foxes faces if they lost twice in a row to become the new Team Victory! But you had to ruin that for me didn't you?"
"Just get on with it!" Kayla snapped; her face very angry.
"Congratulations to our three immunity winners from the challenge: David, Olivia and Kayla!"
Five more campers, four marshmallows remaining.
"Laura!"
"Kamari!"
"Claudia!"
Chris narrowed his eyes at the remaining campers. Jay looked somewhat surprised to be in the bottom and they looked questioningly over at Wes, who was giving Chris his undivided attention.
"Well campers, this is the final marshmallow of the evening. Wes, you're on the bottom because you seem a bit more interested in proving to me why you're the best camper ever. Great job on that, by the way. Jay, you're on the bottom because you've been spying on the girls and making everybody very uncomfortable."
"What?" Jay stood abruptly. "I didn't do that!"
"Oh shut up, we all know the truth. You probably spy on the kids at your camp too," Wes sneered at them.
Jay looked appalled at the mere suggestion and began to cry, "You guys don't think I'd ever…"
"Shush!" Chris silenced them and held up the last marshmallow. "The final marshmallow goes to…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…Jay!"
Jay blinked away tears while Chris threw the marshmallow at them. Wes stood up in rage.
"Why did you guys vote me off?"
"Because we know you lied!" Kayla stormed right up in his face. "Did you really think we wouldn't ask one of the other boys to confirm?"
David and Kamari grinned sheepishly at Wes. Wes sputtered his frustrations, but no coherent sentences came out.
"We doubted you anyway. Jay is such a kind soul and gave all of us lanyards to represent their kinship with us. You just sucked up to Chris," Claudia pointed out, giving Jay a consoling hug.
"While this is all great, it's time for Wes to take a walk on the dock of shame!" Chris said, sounding a little disappointed.
Confessional:
Claudia: "David and Kamari told us who really had the bed closest to our wall. I happily vote for Wes and I'm sure the others will be joining me. Jay is far too kind of a human being to do such a thing."
David: "I vote for Wes, dude. I can't believe he'd try and throw Jay under the bus like that. Jay is awesome!"
Jay: "There's a really weird atmosphere in the air tonight. I was down at the docks before the elimination cause I didn't want to sway anyone's opinion one way or the other. I vote for Wes because he's generally the most unpleasant person in the cabin."
Kamari: "Wes, no question. Dude's a jerk."
Kayla: "Wes is lucky I'm not allowed to attack him. If he was an adult he'd be locked up!"
Laura: "Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I don't know what a peephole is for. Wes is gone."
Olivia: "I wasn't originally going to vote for Wes, but once we learned the truth from the boys it was a no brainer decision."
Wes: He grins and looks more rat-like than ever, "I was hoping the peephole would take longer to be discovered, but no matter. I've convinced the girls it was Jay which means I should have five votes to take them out. I'll gun for Olivia next time, or whoever I feel needs to be taken out."
~End Confessional~
"And there you have it!" Chris said from the dock of shame, with Chef alongside him and Wes disappearing on the boat into the distance.
"Why do you look annoyed?" Chef asked him.
"Because Chef, that Wes kid was the best! He was the only one who consistently listened to me!"
"He openly admitted in his confessionals that he was trying to manipulate you," Chef pointed out. "Nobody likes a suck-up."
Chris turned back to the camera, "With Wes gone, will anyone suck up to me again? Will Jay be able to recover from some emotional blackmail that turned out to be false? Will anyone be able to defeat the Sponges? Find out next time on Total Drama Revamp!"
And that's a wrap on our second elimination chapter! I really liked Wes as a character from the application, but when I divvied up the teams he was kind of the odd man out on the Narwhals. I wanted to spice up the elimination by making it look like he's successfully manipulated the team to vote off Jay, but in the end Wes was the elimination that made the most sense to me. Also wanted to prove that just because we have several potential villains does not mean they'll all succeed in their plans. Let me know what you think about Wes and that whole plot!
Looking forward to the next one!
Gnarly Narwhals (7): Claudia, David, Jay, Kamari, Kayla, Laura & Olivia
Sly Foxes (7): Abigail, Casey, Hoodie, Hope, Horace, Kahil & Lin
Self-Absorbed Sponges (8): Belladonna, Chuck, Declan, Jackie, Ken, Maddison, Maverick & Saffron
Rankings:
24th: AJ - "The Cowardly Ghost Hunter"
23rd: Wes - "The Rat Fink"