[POST CHAPTER A/N: Okay maybe they will all be 9K words.]
As the sun rose over Camp Wawanakwa, campers slowly began to rise. One such camper was up bright and early, creeping out of the Rhino cabin as her cabinmates were just waking up. She didn't know her new teammates very well and she sure wasn't close with any of them, so she was eager to get out of their shared space for the day. She had just gotten down the steps when someone stopped her.
"Millie?" Emma yawned, peeking at her from behind the door. "It's like… 8:30. Where are you going?"
Millie tensed up, hardly expecting to be caught leaving. "Oh! Um…" She kicked at the ground, avoiding eye contact. Millie wasn't really one for socializing, but Emma was… kind of friendly. Unless you were Chase. But they were fine now, so Emma was nice! Yeah! "...I'm going to the beach." Millie told her, eyes focused somewhere over Emma's shoulder. "Priya's going to help me train! She says she'll start off easy this time! Well, easy for me."
"Priya?" Emma raised a brow as she stepped out of their shared cabin, and gently shut the door behind herself. "Not judging, but Priya's on the other team now, right? How come you're still training together? She always seemed, like, super competitive. Not that that's bad! She was awesome last season! Just that… you know…"
"No, I get it! Priya's super set on winning. She's so cool, but it's hard to keep up sometimes. We are on separate teams, but she's still my friend! You and Chase are on different teams too, right?"
Emma seemed to consider this. "Yeah, I guess so!" She agreed after a second. "You think she'd mind if I tagged along?"
"Huh?" Emma wanted to… come with her? Millie was dumbfounded for a couple seconds before pulling herself together. "Um… no! Well, no, yes, I meant no as in, like, she wouldn't mind, not, like, no as in you can't come!" Emma's giggling cut her off, and Millie looked up nervously. She flinched back when Emma hopped over the stairs and onto the ground with a smile.
"I know what you mean." The blonde reassured her. "English is so dumb sometimes, huh? All the different meanings… it stinks!"
"The English language is crucial and it's just fine the way it is!" Millie snapped, before instantly regretting it. Emma didn't look so much offended as she did surprised, but it was enough for Millie to feel terrible. "Oh, I'm sorry… I'm just really into writing, and you know… words. I-I don't think she'll mind! Here, I'll show you where we're meeting her. Um… sorry! We, um… let's go."
[CONFESSIONAL: EMMA]
"I'm still kinda… nervous around my team." Emma admitted with her hands folded on her lap. "But Millie always seemed super nice! And I totally get her. It always surprises people, but I'm SUPER awkward back home! I only really hung out with Chase and his buddies… but now that Bowie and me are done, I thought I could make a new friend!"
[CONFESSIONAL END]
Emma hopped down the steps, offering a reassuring smile to ease Millie's guilt. Millie led, and Emma followed behind her. They made some lighthearted conversations along the way, and Emma figured that was a good enough start. Making friends was tough, after all!
—-
By nine o'clock, most of the Jaguar cabin was up. The one exception was MK, who slept with her back to the rest of the team. Her beanie was pulled over her eyes for reasons no one was sure of, given her lack of helpful response when asked about it the night before.
"So, I've been thinking," Bowie began as he climbed down his ladder. All heads turned his way. "Is it really a good idea to leave MK here by herself? She could get hungry. Or hurt. Someone should watch her, right? Any volunteers?" The team mumbled amongst themselves. Not a single person made eye contact with Bowie. "Nobody?" Bowie feigned surprise, looking around the cabin at several faces of either guilt or apathy. "Oooh, cold!"
"She recorded our confessionals!" Chase argued, yanking his hoodie over his head, and pushing his arms through the sleeves. "'Course I don't like her! Massive stalker energy." A few people nodded.
"Technically, she watched our confessionals." Damien corrected. "The recordings already existed."
"I'm busy today," Priya added.
"Yikes. Chase I expected, but Damien and Priya? Harsh!" Bowie smirked as both scrambled to defend themselves. Damien just came up with frantic sputtering. Priya, on the other hand, successfully formed a sentence.
"I-I would, seriously! I just promised to help Millie train! I feel horrible now! Can someone tell MK I'm really sorry when she wakes up?"
"Not sorry enough to cancel training."
"Well… that's true… I'm really upset about the confessionals, I mean, Bowie, you did hijack them to mess with me and Millie!"
Crud. Bowie would have preferred it if she didn't say that so loudly. "Hmm… yeah, okay."
"She'll probably record us sleeping next!" Ripper declared with a scowl. Damien shuddered, and Chase nodded in agreement with an 'mhm'. Scary Girl briefly looked up, seeming suspiciously inspired before going back to crushing a beetle with a rock.
"Alright, alright!" Bowie raised his hands in mock surrender. "Why don't I stay here with MK, then?" He suggested. Raj opened his mouth to protest, but Bowie gently elbowed him with a wink. Luckily, Raj caught on and backed down.
[CONFESSIONAL: CHASE]
"Dude, my team is sweeeeeeet! Damien's so cool, Ripper's awesome, Priya won, and Bowie's a real bro! Staying with MK after the phone thingy? Mad respect!"
[CONFESSIONAL END]
[CONFESSIONAL: PRIYA]
"I am sort of mad about what MK did… but I really would have stayed with her! I just had plans!" Priya sighed, smiling weakly. "At least Bowie volunteered. Maybe he's alright after all! But he could be planning something… but maybe he isn't… but what if…? No, he wouldn't. But maybe…"
[CONFESSIONAL END]
"Really?" Damien asked, clapping Bowie on the shoulder with a relaxed smile. "Thanks, man! You need me to bring you anything, you lemme know!" The rest of the team agreed, with some muttering their thanks, and others smiling at him. The group filed out, leaving Bowie, Raj, and a sleeping MK.
"Yo, what should I do? You need company?" Raj shyly asked. Bowie cracked a smile. It was just adorable how much Raj wanted to help. But he didn't need that right now, and another person in the room would only disturb his goal. Oh, but he just hated having to send Raj off… but what can you do?
"You just go out and do… whatever you do for a teensy while, Raji-poo." Raj blushed at the nickname. He always did that, no matter how many times Bowie used it. "Why don't you go find Wayne? I bet the poor thing misses you."
Raj broke into a grin and nodded. "Yeah, for sure! We didn't even get to finish that eating contest!" Raj rushed out the door. Seconds later, he timidly peeked back in just to say "Later, Bowie!", and departed once again.
Bowie really had too much of a soft spot for the hockey player. But love did that to a person. And Bowie was never one to turn down what his heart desired.
—-
Nichelle yawned as she exited her cabin. She didn't quite get her 6 hours of beauty sleep, but that was to be expected on Total Drama. She leaned on the railing of the Rhino cabin's patio, sighing contentedly as she took in the summer sun. Somewhere near the corner of the building, the voice of someone counting got her attention.
"4,831…! 4,832…!"
Axel was performing sit-ups at an impressively rapid pace. She made eye contact with Nichelle, but quickly broke her gaze to focus on her exercise. So Nichelle stood there, arms resting on the railing as she leaned forward. This silence continued for another five minutes or so before Nichelle finally broke it. "You need a break. How long you been out here?" She asked. Axel finally stopped, her glare marking her clear displeasement.
"Three hours, forty-four minutes, and thirty-eight seconds."
Nichelle whistled, shock evident on her features. "Dang, girl! No wonder you carried yesterday's challenge!" Axel grunted in reply, barely acknowledging the praise at all. "Where'd you learn to train like that?"
"Grew up in the middle 'o nowhere." She answered shortly. "Folks signed me up for training so I could handle myself if I got lost."
"You learned all that from one camp?"
Axel scoffed. "No! Just kept training. Ran out of courses eventually, so I made up my own. Moved to the city when I was fourteen, but those big-city folk couldn't talk me down!" The brunette rose to her feet, stretching as she turned to Nichelle and placed her hands on her hips. "Why's it your business?"
Nichelle stepped back, only slightly intimidated. "Just askin'! Real talk, though? I'd kill for talent like yours! You're an absolute machine, girl!"
This earned Nichelle a smirk as the survivalist tossed her hair back with pride. "Yeah, that's what they all say. But no one's tough enough to be my protege!"
"No one?" Nichelle mimicked. "Why bother training with you if they already gotta be tough to do it? Defeats the point, if you ask me. And hey, the team could totally use your skills!"
"What's it to you? I tried whipping my team into shape, and you know what I got? An ungrateful team, and a drone ride home! I was the most valuable member of my team, I made breakfast!"
[CONFESSIONAL: NICHELLE]
"Waitwaitwait, hold up. She made breakfast? Those Trouts don't know how good they had it! No one on my team made breakfast…"
[CONFESSIONAL END]
"Dang, really? Underappreciated, girl. Don't you take that!"
From behind her, someone cleared their throat. Nichelle looked over her shoulder to find Caleb leaning against the doorway. "Sorry to interrupt, ladies. Axel, is there any chance I could borrow Nichelle for a minute?"
"Whatever!" Axel waved him off. "She was distracting me anyway."
"Nice. Nichelle, you mind? It'll just be a minute."
The actress pushed off the railings, and made her way toward her teammate. "Sure," she agreed. "Lead the way."
—-
Raj was never much good on his own.
He functioned best as a second-in-command, with someone else calling the shots. He hated being left to his own devices back home. He wasn't social and smart like Bowie, and he wasn't a confident leader like Wayne. In season one, he had just one rule; where Wayne went, Raj followed. Wayne was their captain, and one a heck of a team leader. Now, he'd gotten used to giving Bowie the same treatment. So when Bowie had asked to be left alone in the cabin, Raj was put in a bit of an awkward position. He totally got it, obviously! Bowie said something about MK and alliances, after all. But he still felt excluded.
And that led him to now, trudging toward the mess hall in search of breakfast. But when he opened the door, something grabbed his attention.
"Raj!" Wayne called. His best friend sat on the Rhino team's table, his feet resting on the bench below. "Over here, buddy!"
Raj cracked a smile and jogged over. He plopped down next to Wayne, and the two performed a horizontal high-five to the left, then to the right. They followed that up with another two high-fives, up and down, before exchanging a fist bump. He and Wayne made up their secret handshake forever ago, and they both knew it by heart.
"How's it going, man?" Wayne put his spoon down and pushed his bowl aside as Raj talked. "Like, how's the team, eh? Any good?"
"Not as good as ours!" The blond answered without hesitation, a grin spreading across his face. "These guys are okay, but ya can't beat the Snow Owls!"
"HOOT! HOOOOOT!" The hockey duo cheered in unison, and Raj's worries melted away as they shared a laugh. Raj had been so worried when he and Wayne were put on different teams. He almost thought it'd destroy their friendship entirely. But in hindsight, it was kinda stupid. Wayne wasn't the kind of guy to ditch someone over something like that. Still though, it gave Raj a small confidence boost to have a conversation like this. An awesome boyfriend, and the best buddy to ever buddy? Score!
"So, how 'bout you?" Wayne queried, regaining Raj's attention. "How's it goin' on your team?" He briefly paused, and his expression became a teasing smirk as he added; "How's it goin' with Bowie?"
As expected, Raj's face instantly heated up. "Aw, cut it out, man!" He chuckled, elbowing his friend in the ribs. This was followed by instant regret once Wayne had him in a headlock, giving him a brutal noogie in retaliation. "Okay, okay, quit it!" Raj relented with a grin. Wayne let him go, his expression undoubtedly smug. He looked past Raj and then around the mess hall, seemingly looking for something.
"Hold up… where is Bowie, anyway?"
And there was that sinking feeling again. Dang it!
"Heard a whole buncha people got pretty messed up in that challenge…" Wayne continued, brows furrowed with concern. "He ain't hurt, right?"
"Nah, he's fine." Raj reassured him. "He's watchin' MK. Something happened with her leg or something, so she's benched for today." An odd look crossed Wayne's face, and he suddenly averted his eyes.
"Oh, woah, MK? M-Man, crazy talk! How'd that happen, eh?" Raj squinted, taking immediate notice of Wayne's odd behavior.
[CONFESSIONAL: RAJ]
"Dude… I've only seen Wayners get that nervous before a huge game! Maybe he ate too much breakfast or something…"
[CONFESSIONAL END]
"You good, bro?"
"What?" His sort-of-teammate snapped out of whatever trance he was in to look Raj in the eyes. "For sure! Just, eh… worried 'bout MK! That was one wicked hit she musta took!"
[CONFESSIONAL: WAYNE]
"Man, I don't think I ever lied to Raj like that before! But what'd Raji think 'o me if I told him I lost because I helped the other team? When a guy looks up to you, ya can't just crush their spirit like that!"
[CONFESSIONAL END]
[CONFESSIONAL: RAJ]
"Oooohhh!" Raj sighed, a chuckle escaping his lips. "That makes waaaaay more sense! Wayne's cool like that. MK's on my team, but he's still lookin' out for everyone! Maybe I can help him out!"
[CONFESSIONAL END]
"Oh yeah, totally brutal! Down to come to the cabin when you're done? You can hang with me and Bowie, and maybe MK'll be up! You could check up on her!"
[CONFESSIONAL: WAYNE]
"...Uh-oh."
[CONFESSIONAL END]
Wayne scrambled to answer at first. He'd start with one sentence, then change to another. When nothing seemed to work, he offered a thumbs up instead. "Uuuuuuhhhhhhhhh… yeah, bet!" He agreed, putting on his best non-suspicious smile. It wasn't very good, but anything could fool Raj.
"Sick, dude!" Raj looked around, finally settling on the door to the kitchen. "...You wanna see how much of Chef's food we can microwave all at once?"
Wayne perked right up, his eyes brighter than ever before. "Do I!?"
—-
When Priya finally made it to the beach, Millie was there waiting for her, as expected.
What she didn't expect was for Emma to be with her, waving enthusiastically at Priya as she approached. It wasn't unwelcome; Emma seemed really nice most of the time! Except for Chase. But Chase was kind of a jerk. And that turtle… but other than that, super nice! Priya waved back and made her way toward the unexpected duo.
Millie was the first to speak. She met Priya halfway, beckoning for Emma to follow. "Priya, hey! You remember Emma, right?" Priya nodded, smiling in Emma's direction
"Hey!" Emma twiddled her thumbs, shifting from one foot to the other and back again. "Um… I don't really like, know a lot of our team? Not super well. I wanted to make some new buddies! And can I say, you guys were so heartwarming last season! Totally adorable!"
Priya blushed, exchanging a fist bump with her best friend. "O-Oh, yeah! My parents said the same thing! The rating went nuts from what they told me. Not that it was for the ratings, Mills!" Millie giggled, gesturing for her to continue. "Right, um, anyway… Why do you wanna train with us? I don't mind, though! You're like, super great! Obviously we're totally cool with you training with us, I was just, um… you know!"
"I need to blow off some steam," Emma admitted, scratching the back of her neck. "I'm like, super mad at Julia."
"What'd Julia do?" Millie raised an eyebrow.
"What hasn't Julia done?" She snickered at her own joke. "But like, actually, we were hiding together, right?" Both girls nodded along. "Scary Girl shows up, and Julia just left me!" Emma kicked a stone, sending it flying several feet off the shore and into the ocean. "I totally shoulda expected it, but UGH!" She sent another stone flying in her mini-rampage. Millie flinched as the rock whizzed right past her face.
"Nice!" Priya clapped her hands, unaffected by Emma's aggression. "You better be ready to channel that anger! Now, match my stance! We'll start off with a few basic warm-ups…"
—-
Caleb led Nichelle toward the edge of the woods, where notably less campers spent time. He sat down on a fallen tree trunk and patted the spot next to him. Nichelle took a seat to his left and made herself comfortable, crossing her legs and leaning back, her hands folded on her lap. The trees and bushes swayed in the breeze, and the pair sat in silent tranquility for a short time.
"So," It was Caleb who broke the silence. He never looked directly at Nichelle, yet it felt like he was staring right at her. "Consider my offer at all?"
Nichelle figured it'd be about this, but…
She sighed. "I don't know, Caleb." Nichelle confessed. "MK's clever, I gotta give her credit. And Bowie? Bowie's good at everything from what I've been hearing. How can we match up to them?" She left a pause between sentences before continuing. "...How am I gonna match up? All I had to do was get a number!" Caleb nodded solemnly as she vented. "I can't do any of it! I can't strategize, I'm not athletic at all, and don't even get me started on all those fancy tactics! I'm not an action hero. Not even a hero. So what good am I? I can't do any of it. So why bother with me, huh!?" She took in a large gulp of air, a little shaky after her short crisis.
"Far as I'm concerned, you're Nichelle." Her companion answered, his tone unwavering. "Hero or not, you're still you. Was out early enough to watch the first couple episodes, y'know. Before Chris ruled it as cheating, anyway. I saw you out there, knowing you couldn't do it and still giving it your all. Supporting Emma after every missed shot. Questioning everything you thought about yourself, and then getting up to win it for your team anyway?" Nichelle started to object, but Caleb calmly raised a hand to silence her. "Doesn't matter if you didn't make it. You saw your team needed you, and you got back up. You're not tough, Nichelle. You're strong. And you are what I want to see in an ally. Not underhanded, not condescending. Just plain strong. And that, Nichelle, is you."
Nichelle's lip wobbled. "Well, I don't get that often." She laughed, a hint of sadness in her tone. "Peeps usually just look at Nichelle LaDonna, you know? They don't see who I am. What I am, yeah. But who I am? Never."
"I hear you," Caleb agreed. "Get it all the time. I don't like to brag, but I am good looking. And you know, I'm proud of it. I work out, practice self care, use all the best hair products… I'm happy to look good. But when you look good, people don't look past it. They see you for what you are at face value, and the rest of you is a second thought. I'm smart. I'm kind. I work hard every day, and I don't give up. But when you're just a pretty face, that doesn't matter. You know what I'm saying?"
She nodded. "Yeah, you can say that again. To most people, I only exist to be eye candy. Guess it's the same for you, huh?"
"That's why I auditioned." Caleb looked down, pulling on a loose thread on his sleeve. "To show everybody I'm more than how I look. Maybe even meet some people who want to know me. And that's what drew me to you, Nichelle. I could tell from the start you'd get it. Even when you first showed up on the docks."
"That long, huh…?" Nichele muttered thoughtfully. "You really are something. I… guess we shouldn't have generalized you that fast, huh? So what, you really think we can do it? Us versus them?"
"Us versus them." Caleb agreed with a nod and a smile. "We'll find our own crew, and then we'll take this whole competition by storm. Not just as allies. As friends."
"Friends," Nichelle repeated. The word sounded strange and unfamiliar. A smile grew on her face, and she slowly nodded. "Yeah. Friends."
—-
Almost half an hour passed since the cabin had emptied, and there was no sign of movement from MK. Bowie had to admit, he admired her dedication to the part. But he was starting to get bored. So Bowie climbed down from his bunk, his feet hitting the floor with a soft thump. "Feeling comfy over there?" He questioned with a smirk. Bowie leaned against the ladder, arms crossed smugly.
His expression faltered when MK didn't answer, but hardly for long.
"Oh, come on," He chuckled, shaking his head. "I've been to enough slumber parties to tell when someone's pretending to be asleep."
His words were again met with radio silence.
"Okay," Bowie conceded. "Since you're fast asleep, and no one else is here, I'll just talk to myself." He confidently strode across the room and sat on the edge of MK's bed, feeling it dip slightly under his weight. "The team was harsh on you earlier, hm? Totally ghosting you like that! Sounds rough." The steady rhythm of MK's breathing paused, and Bowie smirked. She was listening.
"Looks like your little plan last season got you into a bit of trouble! For real, sis, I get it. You know what Julia's like. Imagine being that petty, am I right? But she got you good! Like, half the team won't even come near you-"
"Dude, what are you getting at?" MK rolled to her other side and pushed her beanie back into place, finally looking Bowie in the eye. Jackpot.
"Oh, did that strike a nerve? My bad!" MK's gaze hardened. "No, really! I just really needed to talk to you in private, that's all."
"Because using an injury to get me alone is so much better than ignoring me."
Bowie chuckled. "Saw that coming. But no, I'm talking to you because I want to help you!"
"Help me." MK repeated, her voice a mix of deadpan and mild surprise.
"That's right! Help you! What Julia did to you wasn't right. I mean, everyone has a strategy, right? Why blame you? That phone really helped me out! But you already knew that, didn't you?"
MK sighed and sat up. "Get to the point."
"Yikes! Harsh, but fair. We can help each other-"
"Yup, there it is."
"Ignoring that. I need a strong group of reliable allies. You just need allies, period. So, an alliance; you, me, and Raj. You just lend us your skills, and we'll protect you. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me." MK's jaw dropped, and it was pretty clear that Bowie's words weren't what she expected them to be.
[CONFESSIONAL: MK]
"I dunno where I thought that conversation was going, but it wasn't that. It's not a terrible idea. But I gotta play my cards right if I'm gonna do this, 'cause let's face it;" She smirked amusedly. "I'd just replace Hockey Guy Number Two as the third wheel…" MK trailed off, thinking to herself. "Unrelated, wonder how much his necklace is worth…"
[CONFESSIONAL END]
"...Right. An alliance with me and you? Because that won't end badly at all. Besides, maybe you wanna prance around making friends," She uttered the last word with unmistakable contempt. "But I don't. I'm not here to gossip and giggle or whatever."
"You're here to win, aren't you?"
"Eh… guess so, yeah." MK agreed to that much with a nonchalant nod.
"Right. And after the merge, the alliance will just get stronger! You know Wayne and Raj are inseparable. An instant four person alliance after the merge doesn't sound half bad, huh?" Bowie continued. He almost missed the way MK's eyes widened.
[CONFESSIONAL: MK]
"Yeaaaah, that could be a problem… but man, a four person alliance… I'm not gonna get another chance like this."
[CONFESSIONAL END]
"Yeah, okay. But why me? Don't you have better options, or did I miss some crazy villain origin story?"
"Miss? Girly, didn't you kickstart a villain origin story?"
"Ha! Yeah, for real!" MK laughed, and Bowie laughed with her. She was letting her guard down, and that meant Bowie had a better shot of getting through to her. He just had to push it a little further…
"Well, not that I don't just love them, but Wayne and Raj are… well, they're just… let's call them the brawn of the operation! But you?" He pointed toward MK with a smirk. "You're like me. You got cocky, but you've got some smarts behind you. And I love it!" Bowie leaned forward as he extended a hand toward MK. "So? Can I count on a new ally?"
MK's reply wasn't immediate. For how well he read social cues, whatever was going through his teammate's mind at that moment was a total mystery. She studied the hand offered to her with a grimace. "The handshake's not happening." Bowie allowed his outstretched hand to drop back to his side. He raised an eyebrow, giving unspoken permission for MK to continue. "Okay, lemme tell ya, you are not my first choice." MK said with a chuckle. Bowie, half-expecting this, rolled his eyes. "But, and I hate to say it, you got a point. I'm in hot water here, and I need me a safety net. So, know what? I'm in."
A satisfied smirk spread across Bowie's face. He crossed his arms and nodded smugly. "Perfect. You vote with us and help us out, and you're safe. Deal?"
MK grinned. "Deal."
Bowie was going to say something else, but he lost his chance when the cabin's door was flung open and Raj stumbled in. The normally white and blue fabric that made up his jersey was singed black, and his hands were covered with burns. Bowie jumped to his feet with a horrified gasp, and even MK looked a little concerned. "What happened to you!?" The former asked worriedly.
"Turns out Chef's food blows up if you mix it all up and microwave it for an hour! Wild, eh?" Raj had started off smiling, but it dropped when both Bowie and MK stared at him like he'd grown three equally moronic heads.
"Why would you microwave anything for an hour!?" Bowie demanded incredulously. "And Chef's cooking barely counts as food, was- was no one with you?"
Raj laughed. "Nah, Wayners was there the whole time! We had it covered!"
Bowie sighed and placed his hands on his hips with a disapproving frown. "Now, you know I can't stay mad at you, but are you trying to get medically evacuated again?"
"Again?" MK echoed.
"Just after you left." Bowie clarified. "Wayne and Raj got hurt really badly, so Chris and Chef had them taken to a hospital."
"They got eliminated together, too? We sure these are two separate people?"
"Yes, MK, they're not the same… wait. Raj, if Wayne was with you, where is he now?" By the time Bowie finished his sentence, MK looked dead serious. She almost looked interested in Raj's response. Bowie never thought he'd see that happen.
"Oh, right!" Raj perked right back up, waving someone in. "C'mon, dude!" Bowie sighed, relieved that no one had been killed just yet. On the other hand, he swore he could hear a soft whisper of 'oh no.' from MK's bunk.
"Wazzuuuuuuuup!" Wayne staggered inside, equally messed up. His hat was partially aflame before Wayne patted it out, and his skin was also littered with burns. Bits and pieces of Chef's food covered his jersey, the original light colors almost completely unrecognizable.
"Wazzuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup!" Raj returned the greeting with finger guns.
"Wazzuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup!"
"Wazzuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup!"
"WAZZUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!"
Bowie crossed his arms, watching the back and forth with an amused smirk. The odd display reminded him of his sports teams back home. His basketball team especially was prone to moments like this. Fondness turned to hilarity when it hit Bowie that, as far as he knew, MK wasn't on any sports teams. Bowie broke into a large grin, and snuck a glance over his shoulder. He had to suppress the urge to double over laughing once he saw MK's look of pure confusion. He even detected a little fear. Not that he couldn't sympathize. Bowie liked to think of himself as dignified, but even he knew that sometimes athletes were like a completely different species.
The shouting finally died down, and the duo approached MK's (Priya's? Bowie had no idea whose it was right now.) bed. "Yo, MK! How's your leg?" While Raj spoke to MK, Wayne stood beside him with an awkward but friendly smile.
"Uh… functional, I guess. What's he doing here?"
"MK!" Bowie hissed. Wayne's smile faltered. Raj frowned, but gently urged Wayne forward.
"He said he was worried, so I brought him to visit! Look, man, see? She's A-OK!"
Wayne shook his head, regaining his usual gusto. "Sweet! You're lookin' better already! I told'ja medics aren't that-"
"Dude, what?" MK swiftly cut him off. "I haven't even talked to you since like, a week and a half ago."
"Wuh?" The hockey player, in turn, looked awfully puzzled. "But yesterday-"
"Um, my leg was hurt, remember? Wasn't exactly out socializing."
"Um… oh. Okay."
[CONFESSIONAL: WAYNE]
"Oh, man! That injury was way worse than I thought, bro… She's got amne… an… she's forgettin' stuff!"
[CONFESSIONAL END]
[CONFESSIONAL: MK]
"Kinda get the vibe that Bowie and Hockey Guy Number One might get kiiiiiinda upset if they found out about that whole dumpster fire. Think he took the hint, though, so I'm in the clear. I am not getting kicked out of the alliance twenty seconds after joining."
[CONFESSIONAL END]
What resulted was an awkward staring contest between Wayne and MK. Bowie and Raj looked at each other, confusion written all over their faces. The four of them were teammates last season, so Bowie was certain that this was new. Raj tried to speak, but Bowie quietly shushed him. He had to see where this was going!
That didn't happen. MK cracked first, and averted her eyes to stare at the blanket covering her instead. Whatever drama they were keeping hidden wasn't about to surface any time soon, and Bowie couldn't decide if he was pleased that their newfound alliance would stay stable, or disappointed by the lack of answers. Speaking of which, had Raj even mentioned the alliance to Wayne? It barely mattered, sure; Wayne would join them later even if Raj didn't ask. But it would have helped.
"So!" Bowie clapped his hands together, successfully getting the attention of the other three. "Moving on from whatever that was, are we gonna get the full story on what happened to you two?" He eyed the hockey bros up and down, trying (and maybe failing) to hold back his famous look of judgment.
Luckily for him, Wayne and Raj were Wayne and Raj, and didn't notice a thing. "Well, it started as a bit 'o friendly competition,' Wayne eagerly began. "But then we found this sick setting on the microwave…"
—-
Priya, Millie, and Emma trained late into the day, and into the evening. They started off with stretching, followed by a make-shift obstacle course courtesy of Priya, managed to fit a hike in, and were now standing back on the beach, ending how they started.
"Whew!" Emma panted. "I miss exercise like this!" She wiped some sweat off her forehead, smiling through her exhaustion.
Priya's head didn't move, but her eyes were on her and Millie's newest training partner. "Did you exercise a lot at home?"
"Oh, yeah! I'm on the cross-country team at school!"
Millie joined the conversation with a smile. "Seriously? I'm jealous! I try, but I'm not super athletic. I mean, I still do okay in basic stuff like gym class! But anything more than that always gets me." She giggled, nodding at Priya. "That's why I want to train more! I'd really like to join some kind of sports team, but I'm no good at any of them."
"I used to play tennis. You could start with that? It's still super exhausting, but the court is smaller, so there's less running around."
"Good suggestion!" Priya praised, earning a smile from Emma. "It's best to start with things you can handle, and then work your way up. Emma, are you into a lot of sports?"
"Me? No. Only like, three or four. I did play soccer in middle school, though!" She giggled. "That's how I met Chase." Priya internally cringed at the name. Millie did the same, but… less internally.
"Speaking of Chase," Millie tilted her head in Emma's direction. "I have a question." Oh boy. Priya did not see this going well.
"Hm?" Emma momentarily stopped stretching, before resuming with a smile. "Sure! What's up?"
"How did you and Chase end up getting back together? I don't know if I really followed the whole thing…" Priya tensed while the more oblivious of the two spoke with an innocent but way too clueless smile. Emma's cheeks turned pink.
"Don't you remember? It was when he sacrificed himself so I could win that pole challenge! He saw that I was struggling, and he saved me!" She bashfully twirled her ponytail around her fingers, swooning as she recounted the story. "I think that was the most romantic thing he's ever done!"
"What?" Millie giggled, and Priya felt a sense of dread come over her. "You mean when he knocked Julia and I off for that pizza?"
Emma's smile vanished, and the whole conversation abruptly paused. Millie chuckled nervously, glancing at Priya for help. As much as Priya loved Millie, she was kinda… socially inept. Priya was the same, but she'd learned a thing or two from binging Total Drama. Millie, on the other hand? Taking a hint wasn't her strongest trait.
"...What?" When Emma finally answered, her voice had turned timid and quiet. A drastic change from how cheerful she'd just been.
Millie quickly backtracked once she finally caught on that she'd said something wrong. "W-W-Well, I just thought- maybe something happened after that, right? You two are totally cute together, he probably did do it for you, and, um…"
"No, no, you said that for a reason!" Emma barked back. "He did it for pizza!? Are you SERIOUS!?" Millie shrunk back, only now seeming to realize the full severity of her mistake. "That is so… TYPICAL! Of course he did it for pizza! Of course!"
"Emma, look, I'm sorry-"
"NO! No." Emma deeply inhaled, then exhaled. "No, I needed to hear that. I just… I can't believe Chase! That's just like him!" Emma sighed. She held her head in her hands, all her enthusiasm suddenly gone. Priya and Millie looked at each other, then looked at the distraught girl next to them. Priya was the first to react, rubbing Emma's back in a way she hoped was soothing. Millie, on the other hand, just watched with an expression full of guilt.
"Will you be okay?" Priya spoke gently. "Sorry you had to hear about it like that. You really do deserve a good guy."
The blonde wiped at her watery eyes with her sleeve. "I'll… be okay. But I think I should go. I need to talk to Chase." Priya nodded, her face full of understanding as Emma half-heartedly waved, and made her way back to camp. Priya waited until she had disappeared from sight to say anything.
"Millie! Why would you bring that up?" Millie flinched back, rubbing her arm guiltily as Priya scolded her.
"I-I'm sorry! I thought there was an actual reason! I didn't mean to–! But it was kind of true, though…"
Priya started to argue back, but shut her mouth when no words came out. "Yeah…" She didn't want to agree, but it was true; what Chase and Emma had going on wasn't good for her. At all. Even after all those years of binging every season, Priya hadn't seen a relationship quite like theirs. "But maybe don't just say that, Mills. Or at least be, um… delicate?"
"Right… I'm sorry, Priya. I guess I still have a ton to learn about talking to people… and talking about people. And people." Millie forced a smile, but the corners of her mouth twitched. Priya returned the smile anyway. Millie already felt bad, and Priya wasn't going to make her feel worse.
"Hey, you did the right thing! Maybe not the right way, but the right thing!" Priya offered a hand. "C'mon. I bet some dinner will cheer you up." That last part was a bold-faced lie; Chef's food never really lifted anyone's spirits, and they both knew it. But Millie gratefully accepted the hand offered to her anyway, and the pair quietly returned to camp.
—-
Damien spent the day minding his business, for the most part. Priya left for training, and Bowie was taking care of the MK situation. He didn't have time before to socialize, and everyone already had their own little friend circles. So when Damien spent the day alone, no one bothered him. It was a little lonely, maybe, but Damien didn't find himself minding all that much.
He spent most of the day on the docks. He watched the seagulls soaring past, and sometimes even caught a glimpse of a fish beneath the waves. But when morning turned to noon, and noon turned to evening, Damien knew he had to leave eventually. It was simple; get dinner, stay out a little longer, then go back to the cabin. Damien didn't think much of it as he made his way to the mess hall. He almost enjoyed the walk. The birds sang from the trees, and the breeze was crisp and cool that day. The lack of company barely bothered him at all compared to the peace and quiet.
But like all good things, it didn't last.
Damien was about halfway there when he heard someone shouting his name. He looked to his left to find Chase standing on a tree stump and eagerly waving him over, while Ripper stood aside with a smirk. Damien could physically feel the peace drain from his body when Chase called again. He almost considered the idea of pretending he didn't hear them and continuing on his way, but would that make him a jerk? He thought so.
So Damien, the people-pleaser he was, sauntered on over to where the duo stood waiting for him. "Hey man, what's goin' on?" He raised a hand in casual greeting, a gesture that at least Chase returned. Ripper, on the other hand, watched with his arms crossed. Maybe he thought he was too good for a hello? Damien sure wouldn't have put it past him.
"Damien! Man, we got the greatest idea, dude!" Never a good thing to hear from Chase. "We're gonna mess with the other team, and we have been brainstorming all! day! And we think we finally got our golden idea, and we need you to help! So, first off-"
"Woah woah woah, hol' up. Why are you tryna mess with 'em in the first place?" Damien cut him off. "Man, Axel is on that team! You wanna die? Cause you gonna die if you mess with her."
Chase seemed to consider this, but Ripper scoffed. "Yeah, right! Oh noooo, I'm so scared! I already beat Axel before, you think I can't do it again!? Look at these guns!" He flexed his muscles, and even Chase cringed a little, albeit with a grin on his face. "I can take her!"
"Uh, no…? You made her mad and got kicked off the ship, so everyone voted her off."
"WHATEVER!" Ripper growled at Damien, getting far too close to his face. "What, you scared of getting beat up by a girl?" He mocked, his scowl turning to a grin.
"...Yes?"
"Ha!" Chase joined in the mockery, to a lesser extent. "Oh man, that's lame! C'mon dude, she's not even that scary!"
Before Damien could argue back, he heard someone yell from the direction of the beach.
"CHASE!" Emma's voice rang out, and all three of them tensed.
"Wuh-oh, trouble in paradise!" Ripper shoved Damien into a nearby bush, and jumped in after him. The latter yelped as he was effectively crushed, peeking out of the bushes to watch once Ripper finally got off of him. Emma stormed toward Chase, and Damien could almost envision smoke pouring out her ears. Chase grinned, but Damien could see the glimmer of sweat dripping down his forehead.
"Babe!" Chase approached her with his arms outstretched. Rather than meet his embrace, Emma slugged him in the stomach. Damien hissed through his teeth, and even Ripper winced. Chase wheezed as he recovered from the blow. "Emma! What the heck!?"
"Pizza!?" Emma shouted. "You threw that challenge for pizza!?"
Damien leaned toward Ripper, one brow raised. "Uh… what're they talkin' about?"
"I don't know! Couple junk! Now shut it, I'm tryna listen!"
"What? Like, that pole thing?" Emma nodded. "Uh, yeah! It's pizza, totally worth it!"
Emma looked taken aback by the confession. Her lip quivered, and she looked so, so hurt. "But… what?"
"What?" Chase barely looked sympathetic at all. Just confused. "You didn't know that?"
"No!" Emma cried. Chase flinched. "I-I thought… I thought you did it for me!"
Chase took a few seconds to process. Those seconds were quiet, with nothing to fill the silence but the wind and swaying trees. When someone finally made a sound, it was Chase. He started to laugh, and just laughed and laughed and laughed. Emma's face turned red with shame, and she clenched her fists.
"For- for you!? Ha! Oh man, that is too- why would I–!?" Ripper snickered as the confrontation escalated, and Damien nudged him with a disapproving glare.
Chase finally stopped laughing when Emma punched him right in the arm. Her eyes were watery, and Damien watched her suppress a sob. "I can't believe you!" She sniffled. "I was right! You don't change! You're selfish, and irresponsible, and- and… and you're an honest-to-god idiot! I just- I can't even do this right now!" Emma turned and, with one last glance over her shoulder, stormed off.
"So, like, we're still dating, right!?" Chase obliviously called after her. He didn't get an answer.
Ripper and Damien emerged from the bushes, both looking equally disgruntled. Chase turned to them, a mix of distraught and confused. "Dude, what was that all about? Ugh, why do girls have to be so… y'know! Ya never know what they want from you!"
"Forget her!" Ripper jeered with an eyeroll. "That's just women. They like to whine and complain over every little thing until they get what they want! You can't give in, man! You gotta teach 'em that you're the one in charge!"
[CONFESSIONAL: DAMIEN]
"WHAT!?"
[CONFESSIONAL END]
"Or," Damien interjected. "Maybe you should try listenin' to her? She's got her own thoughts and feelings, y'know. And if they're important to her then, I dunno, maybe they should be important to you? She is your girlfriend, man."
"Dude, it's fine! Doesn't even matter."
"If it doesn't matter, why did Emma get so upset?"
Chase chuckled. "Who knows why girls do anything, man? Total wildcards."
"But-" Damien tried. Ripper slapped a hand over his mouth.
"Quit bein' a simp, dude! Simp! Simp!"
"Ha! Yeah, you're seriously simping, man!" Chase cackled. Damien let out a resigned sigh, and Ripper removed his hand.
"Chase! Bet I can eat more helpings without hurling!" Ripper smirked, pointing at the teen in question.
"Ohohoho, there is no dare the Chaseter backs down from! Challenge accepted!"
[CONFESSIONAL: DAMIEN]
"Man, I dunno who's worse! Chase is, like, insanely ignorant, but Ripper? Man's a bad influence! Someone should talk some sense into…" Damien trailed off, suddenly inspired. "An influence, huh… I might just have an idea!"
[CONFESSIONAL END]
The cogs began to turn in Damien's head as Chase and Ripper jogged toward the mess hall. He briefly looked off in the direction Emma had left in, before reluctantly following the duo to dinner.
—-
The initial encounter had been awkward at best, but things had lightened up as Bowie and his newfound alliance made their way to the mess hall. Bowie strode along the path, satisfied with what he'd accomplished that day. Wayne and Raj walked alongside him, both snickering and poking fun at MK, who looked very uncomfortable as Bowie carried her on his back.
MK protested the idea from the start, insisting she could walk on her own, or at least with minimal help from Raj. When they asked her why she wanted Raj's help specifically, she clarified that she since couldn't reach Bowie's shoulders, it'd be hard to use him for support, and Bowie figured that was fair enough. She didn't actually tell them why she was so against Wayne helping her, but no one pressed the issue. In the end, though, Bowie had had enough of the bickering back and forth, and eventually MK had to give in. Now, she was receiving a piggy-back ride courtesy of Bowie, but boy she did not look happy.
"She's like a backpack!" Raj chortled, Wayne nodding with a grin. MK glared at the hockey players, but this only fueled their laughter further.
"Thanks, guys, this definitely wasn't humiliating enough already."
[CONFESSIONAL: MK]
"I don't like being touched, big deal. Why is that funny? There's way better reasons to make fun of me, they're not even being creative!" MK chuckled. "Joke, joke. But seriously, these guys suck."
[CONFESSIONAL END]
This routine went on for a couple minutes. Bowie tuned the three of them out as they exchanged snide remarks and several jabs back and forth. All fire ceased when a tearful Emma bumped right into Bowie, the latter stumbling back before catching himself.
"Wow." MK snickered, looking the disheveled girl up and down. "Thought we'd get a crier way later!" Wayne glared at her, and MK immediately shut up. Bowie seriously had to look into whatever those two had going on. But for now, he was focused on Emma. So was Raj, apparently, since he was the first to say anything.
"Yikes…" He muttered with visible concern. "What happened, eh? If it's the microwave, it wasn't us!"
"What? No, it's… it's Chase! He's so… stupid! He's an ignorant little jerk-"
"Plot twist." MK deadpanned.
"-and I can't BELIEVE I got back with him!"
Bowie couldn't help the scoff he let out at Emma's words, and her head whipped in his direction. "Wow, if only someone told you that! But no, he's the on-again-off-again love of your life!" He spoke with false cheer. He regretted his words right after they left his mouth, really. But only for a few seconds.
"Are you kidding!?" Emma snapped. "Bowie, I am not in the mood for this! Like, you don't even get it, okay!? What would you know about relationships!?"
"Um, hello?" He wrapped an arm around Raj's shoulders, protectively pulling him closer. "Boyfriend, remember?"
Emma forced a laugh. "Yeah, sure! I bet you'll just ditch him as soon as he does something you don't like!" Wayne and MK gasped, and Raj made a noise of offense.
"Girl, I know you did not just go there!" Bowie jabbed a finger into her chest, the two wearing equally menacing glares. "Raj and I will be fine! You know why you and me are done? You know why, Emma!?"
"Oh, I know why! It's because-"
"Um, no, you do not! It's because you're a whiny little brat, Emma, and all your stupid decisions are eeeeeeveryone's fault but YOURS! That's why!" Emma gasped, wiping away a new influx of tears.
"Look, man, you need a sec? Me an' Raji'll take MK, and-"
"I'm staying!" Raj countered. "Bowie? You okay, man?"
"Oh, me? I'm just great! You know why? I have a half-decent boyfriend! And girl, you do not disrespect my man like that! Not when yours is some manchild you keep crawling back to! And with your personality? I totally see why he's the only guy that likes you!"
"Actually gonna side with whats-his-face on this one," MK cut in. Wayne looked almost hurt. "Like, for real, can we go? Because man, I want no part in whatever catfight this is turning into."
Bowie seethed. "It's fine. You three just stay here. I'll just be a minute."
"I blame my mistakes on everybody else!? You got mad when I didn't do what you thought I should, so you ditched me, and now you're acting like it's my fault!? You're such an egomaniac, it's actually sad! You think I was making such a bad choice, Bowie!? Huh!? Well you could've been supportive anyway! Maybe you're used to being treated like a king, but sometimes people don't want to, okay!? Getting back with Chase was my decision, and you didn't like it! That's literally all this is about! You're arrogant, and you're petty, and you're just mad you can't have a lasting relationship!"
"Hey!" Raj lurched forward, shouting before Bowie got the chance to argue. "Watch how you talk to him! You wanna see how messy this can get!?"
"Raji, it's okay-" Wayne hooked his arm's under Raj's armpits, holding the latter back as he struggled.
"It's not okay, man! It's not okay! You can't just- just go, and- Bowie knows what he's doing, you psycho! Bowie's a good friend, and he's a good boyfriend, and- and–!"
"Raj-"
"I know, dude, I know!"
[CONFESSIONAL: RAJ]
"I get… kinda overemotional with some stuff. 'Specially this kinda thing. Set the record for penalties on my hockey team. I know it's bad, but I can't control it! When I see a dirty hit, I gotta do something about it! And that was a dirty hit."
[CONFESSIONAL END]
"Raji, c'mon, snap out of it, man! It's okay, he's okay!"
"DUDE! Did you hear what she said!? She- how can she–!?"
"I know, brah, just let it go!"
Bowie felt conflicted as he looked between his furiously struggling partner, and his once best friend. Did he want to defend himself, or stop for Raj? Part of Bowie enjoyed the confrontation; it made him feel good to put Emma down, to tell her every little thing he'd been thinking until then. But Emma was once his friend, and Bowie missed that friendship, for one. He simultaneously savored and regretted each word. But that side of guilt and regret won out, and Bowie couldn't just watch Raj like that anymore.
"You know what? It's fine." Bowie spat, venom dripping from his voice. "Just fine! Whatever, Emma, I don't even care! You are so petty, it's literally unbelievable. Wayne, Raj, let's go."
Bowie pushed past his former friend as he continued to the mess hall. Raj, still close at Bowie's side, sniffled as he glared at the grass beneath his feet. Wayne kept a hand on his trembling shoulder, and even MK had no snide remarks in store. The four made the rest of the trip in silence.
—-
Almost everyone was already in the mess hall when Millie and Priya got there. They passed Scary Girl on their way in, and Axel and Emma were both missing when they got a general view of the large room.
At the Rhino table, Nichelle and Caleb calmly spoke about some thing or another. Julia took several photos of her meal, standing on the bench as she tried out different angles. Wayne picked at his food, looking unusually down for his usual bravado. And at the Jaguar table, Chase ranted to Ripper, who occasionally nodded and said something back. Damien looked to be in on the discussion as well, but the other two were clearly ignoring him. Raj leaned on Bowie while they ate, both looking troubled. MK watched the two of them with an unreadable expression until she was distracted by something Ripper said in response to Chase's spiel. Whatever it was, she looked pretty disturbed.
Once they had what some people might be willing to call a meal, Priya and Millie made their way to Priya's table together. Priya took the spot next to Damien, and Millie stood awkwardly behind her. A 'psst!' managed to get Damien's attention, and he leaned over.
"What's happening?" She asked in a hushed tone, wincing when Ripper punched the table.
"I'm tellin' you, man, she's acting out because she doesn't respect you! Show her she's your chick, and you're in charge!"
MK cringed, stuffing a spoonful of mashed potato into her mouth. "Never interact with a woman." She grumbled, and that was a sentiment Priya could agree with.
"Emma and Chase had some kinda fight. Something 'bout pizza?" Millie sucked in a breath. "It was crazy! And Ripper's been on about this since then." He explained. He nodded in Bowie and Raj's direction before adding; "Dunno about those two, though. They just kinda showed up like that."
"Um…" Millie looked over her shoulder, then back at Priya. "I think I'm… going to go eat with my team now." She muttered, her tone quiet and subdued. Priya nodded. She couldn't blame Millie for wanting to leave. Priya knew she would have felt the same way. She forced a smile onto her face and waved. To her relief, Millie smiled back, if weakly. Priya watched her retreat before she turned back to her conversation with Damien.
"I think it might be related, though…" He theorized. "Emma ain't here, and I think she and Bowie were pretty tight, huh? I binged every season before we came back, and boy does this put the 'drama' in Total Drama… I don't wanna assume, but… it's possible, maybe! Ain't a bad theory, right?"
"It does make sense," Priya agreed. "I think they stopped being friends last season, though…" Damien wilted. "O-Oh, but it could still be true!"
"Nah, it ain't that…" Damien shook his head. He sighed while he adjusted his hat. "Just sucks that friendships are bein' broken so quick, y'know? I respect you an' Millie. Got a real 'ride-or-die' type of thing goin' on. I can appreciate that."
"Oh!" Priya bashfully giggled. "Well, she is totally my best friend forever, so yeah! I guess we do! Do you have any friends back home?"
"Oh yeah," Damien chuckled. "My crew dared me to audition in the first place. Didn't tell me about the life-threatening danger, though. So thanks, guys. But they're alright. Three of us are in Chem Club together. Not to brag, but we basically run it!"
"Wait, you're here on a dare?" Priya gawked. Damien bowed his head in a nod. "That's crazy! Some friends!"
"Heh, yeah. They're the worst. Once they made me ride my skateboard down a waterslide while the park was closed."
"No." Priya gaped.
"Oh, yeah. Man, it was crazy! Never went to another waterpark after that."
Damien and Priya shared stories for the rest of the night. A few of their teammates even got in on it, namely Chase, Ripper, and once he'd brightened up a bit, Raj. The mood was still tense, and not many people spoke, but things had lightened up a bit, and Priya was grateful for that much.
—-
The sun had gone down, and campers finished their meals one by one. Few were in the mood to talk, but two lingering in the back spoke quietly together about their plans.
It was Caleb who first brought up the issue of more allies. "I think we could do it alone. But we could do it better with a couple friends to back us up."
"Yeah… oh! How about Priya? Girl's got some skills!"
Caleb shook his head. "Too much of a threat down the line. Emma seems like a nice girl. What if we went with her?"
This time, it was Nichelle's turn to shoot the idea down. "Nah, girl gets distracted. I love her, I do! But I dunno if she can stay focused." She lowered her voice before adding "She couldn't last time. Oh, but maybe Axel? She's tough, but her social game ain't great. I think she's okay, though. I'm a little curious about her, actually."
Her ally considered the proposition. "Well… if her social skills are lacking, she's not too much of a threat. I don't know anything about her, to tell you the truth." He admitted. "But if you say she's a good pick, then I'll believe it. Axel it is."
Nichelle lit up, patting him on the arm. "Right. I'll talk to her tomorrow morning before the challenge." Caleb softly smiled, but his eyes were determined.
"Let's crush this competition."
—-
[A/N: Hey there! Thanks for reading this far! I'd like to take a little time to get some feedback on the story so far. I'm a little nervous, since this is the first fanfiction I've ever written, and I'm worried I'll get it wrong. So, to any readers who might want to help an author out; How is the story so far? How is the pacing? Am I doing well with how I write each individual character, or is there something I could work on? These are some basic questions for feedback, but I appreciate any criticism my readers want to give! Thanks again, and have an awesome week!]