I have a few things that I want to clarify. I will keep it simple so you can enjoy this chapter faster. There will be no Mega Evolutions. Shedinja can eat in my story and my profile will be filled with information about my future stories. However, I didn't update it yet. Lastly, I want to remind all of you that this set place in the same universe as my other story. There are no humans, Kanto to Alola. Nope, I create a new universe with Pokemon in it. I plan to make many stories relating to this universe. I will post information about this universe later in my profile. Don't worry about it, you can enjoy my story without understanding everything.
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Worma-Sir
I don't want to talk too much about Houndour because of spoilers. About Grovyle, you are right about him in some ways… Yes, I study business or else I can't use Meowth as a character. Nope, it is not French. The "adieu" was a reference to Kalos. The region where Skrelp belongs in. I will keep my first language a secret for now.
Episode 6: Babysit Brats
Another boat was visible from the dock. However, Skarmory didn't pay any attention to it. Rather, his eyes stared at his empty cup of coffee.
"Chef Drapion, refill." Skarmory ordered as he gave the cup to Chef Drapion.
"Why do I need to babysit you?" Chef Drapion grumbled. Since Skarmory didn't hear it, he started the opening.
"Welcome back, viewers. Previously, we saw Tyrunt acting like a crybaby. Snorunt played the role of a detective. Most memorably, Nosepass rebelled against Larvitar. In the challenge, the contestants engaged in a duel within three types of event. The lucky few like Jumpluff won twice against a certain 'great magician'. The unlucky few like Machoke and Bisharp received a mud bath and a humiliating defeat in the dodgeball challenge. The cowardly few like Aromatisse, Nosepass and especially Larvitar hid under their bed sheets. The Feckless Flygon dominated the entire game, ending the game early before we could see the final event. What will happen this time after Larvitar was eliminated? What's in the boat? Stay tuned for another exciting episode of Total Skarmory Island!"
Houndour waited in front of the entrance as usual. He hummed and tapped his feet to pass the time. Meowth finally arrived to the relief of the impatient canine. The cat stopped walking momentarily, something bothered him.
"Finally, I'm glad to see you. It is pretty lonely to stand here for ages." Houndour said. Meowth looked hesitant to say something after he heard this.
"Sorry, my valuable partner. I'm not going inside the cave with you today. I have private matters to attend. Therefore, I will be absent." Meowth told Houndour regardless.
"Oh, I understand. Don't worry about me, dude. Go and attend to your business." Houndour assured, masking his loneliness.
"I'm glad that you understand." Meowth said contently as he left.
"I should have arrived later." Houndour complained as he continued to wait.
Confessional
Meowth: "I can't have one supplier, can I? I need to form more connections."
Houndour: "Waiting is just plain boring, especially when you are alone. I'm not used to stand still and doing nothing. There isn't a second of time that I want to waste. However, I can't enter the cave all alone either." Houndour sighed.
Duosion met Houndour soon after. Houndour beamed at this.
"Great, we can finally enter this cave! Meowth won't be with us because he has private matters to attend to. Let's go." Houndour said eagerly as he stepped inside the cave. Duosion chuckled as she followed him.
"You act as if you waited for decades." Duosion commented.
"I already waited for one hour straight." Houndour stated.
"Early bird, learn to be a little late." Duosion retorted in a friendly manner. Houndour nodded at this as he traveled deeper into the cave.
It was a regular activity for them to enter the cave at this point. Obviously, they got familiar with the surroundings. They evaded all traps easily as they went down to the second floor.
"Even though it is tougher to find rare items without Meowth, it is refreshing for the two of us to enter this cave without him." Duosion said.
"Yeah, socializing with Meowth can be awkward sometimes but he isn't that bad. I still prefer him to be with us." Houndour replied as they finally reached the end of the second floor. The revolting smell rose up from the ladder. This slowed their breathing rate down.
"Want to go down?" Duosion asked. Houndour hesitated yet his curiosity got the best of him.
"It smells sickening and I want to avoid that. However, there are probably rare treasures down there. Why not? I like the thrill of finding treasures. We are here together. What is the worst that can possibly happen?" Houndour answered optimistically. Duosion smiled upon seeing his reaction.
"I like your attitude." Duosion approved.
"Without you, I might have a different answer." Houndour admitted as he laughed nervously. Eventually, he descended down the ladder. At the same time, he tried to use one of his paws to block the smell from reaching his nose.
"Houndour, do you ever wonder about the history behind this island? Before Skarmory bought it of course." Duosion asked. Houndour considered his answer for a while.
"Err… It is probably a normal island. I guess?" Houndour didn't sound confident.
"Are you sure? For starters, it must be isolated or for sale in order to be bought. This isn't a normal island." Duosion analyzed as they landed on the third floor. Houndour looked deep in thought.
"This island is quite unheard of until recently. Who was the former owner? What was the history behind it? Are there any natural inhabitants? These mysteries are the reasons that I signed up for this show. Is it… boring to you?" Duosion assumed that it was boring to him.
"No, it is very interesting. Why did you assume otherwise?" Houndour assured as he asked back.
"Well, it is quite a rarity to see someone that likes or even shows a remote interest in history or archaeology." Duosion stated from experience.
"History is pretty cool. I mean we get to learn about things like fossils of our ancestors. I personally enjoy that." Houndour showed his liking for history.
"Really? You aren't saying this just to make me feel better right? You can be too nice sometimes. I still remember the time when you shared noodles with everyone. Being friendly has it perks but eventually others will abuse your trust." Duosion alerted.
"I'm being genuine about liking history and archaeology. Don't worry about my game, I think I can survive pretty long." Houndour replied.
Apparently, the two didn't pay any attention to their surroundings. The third floor was a wasteland filled with garbage mountains. The sharp rocks on the ceilings even had garbage hanging from it. This floor reeked revoltingly with all the rotten and decayed garbage. There was an unstable garbage can on the top of one of the numerous mountains of garbage. It rocked back and forth before it started rolling toward Duosion. Ursaring snickered behind the garbage mountain quietly. It seemed like this was a trap planned by him.
Houndour heard the sound of the garbage can rolling. "Watch out!" Instantly, he warned Duosion as he pointed to her left. Duosion turned to her left to see it fast approaching her. Houndour knew that she couldn't dodge it fast enough. Therefore, Houndour tackled her out of its range.
In a predicament, Houndour's face was accidentally very close to Duosion's face. Both of them distanced themselves from each other as they blushed.
"I'm sorry. I have no choice. It was unintentional." Houndour apologized shamefully.
"I understand… Just be more careful next time." Duosion didn't take it as a big deal. The two then exited the cave after they had enough with the garbage floor.
Confessional
Houndour: "It was an accident, I swear! I would never do that. I hope things don't become awkward between us because of that incident." Houndour still blushed in the confessional.
Duosion: "I got too close to Houndour lately. I wonder if… I will fall in love with him. I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with a relationship in this show. They never last long in real life. There are many things in a relationship that a couple must consider. Do we live close to each other? What are our similarities and differences? Can we deal with staying with each other for the rest of our lives? It needs time."
Ursaring: "Another point for team Ursaring. See this statue next to me? It is mine. Do you know how much a bonus means to an intern? I will use every single trap and trick in the book to protect it."
Meowth walked over to Lucario, who was collecting mushrooms around the forest.
"I'm here to lend a hand." Meowth offered.
"I appreciate that." Lucario accepted his help.
Meowth and Lucario walked around the forest, looking up at tree branches. Looking down on the ground. Surveyed through bushes and rocks. Meowth dug up some dirt underneath a tree. There was a Sun Stone.
"Great job." Lucario praised Meowth for his hard work.
"You can't be lazy in business or else where will you earn your income?" Meowth told.
"Definitely, I can relate to that. You can't be lazy in practicing for the next Pokeathlon or else you will lose. We have a similar mentality." Lucario socialized and bonded with Meowth.
"I agree. Winning or losing means a lot in both business and sports. One wrong move and you can either be bankrupted or kicked out of the tournament. Therefore, I have a proposal. We keep each other safe at least until the final ten." Meowth proposed a truce.
"I see nothing wrong with that. You are a solid member of this team." Lucario accepted it.
Confessional
Meowth: "Another transaction closed. Another trading partner in the bag. Soon enough, I will establish a monopoly."
Lucario: "I have a very strong sense of team spirit. This is my strategy. We gather all of our strongest members for the merge so that we win every single challenge. Then, we vote all of the Crazy Crawdaunt out one by one."
Tyrunt entered the mess hall. Elekid was nowhere to be found. However, there was a note on the table. Tyrunt picked it up and read it.
"Tyrunt, I have a secret, special project to take care of. I'm sure you will love it. Will show you tomorrow. From your friend, Elekid." Tyrunt read it out loud as he thought about what kind of special project it will be.
"Could be anything." Tyrunt shrugged before he grabbed a plate of food.
Confessional
Tyrunt: "Elekid once told me that his parents sell robots for a living. I wonder if this has anything to do with that."
Meowstic sat on the ground. She was practicing her next trick. Pretty much, there was a top hat and inside was a plush of a Buneary. She tried to squeeze the plush in without anyone being able to notice it. However, the hat was a bit enlarged by the plush. Meowstic acted normal as she went to Ledyba.
"Hey, look at my next trick." Meowstic sought for her attention.
"Alright, what is it this time?" Ledyba kindly watched her magic show.
"Ta-da!" Meowstic said dramatically as she pulled a Buneary out of a hat. Ledyba clapped for her.
"Great show." Ledyba complimented.
"Thank you to all of my wonderful audience." Meowstic acted as if there was an audience except Ledyba.
Confessional
Meowstic: "It is my life-long dream to be the greatest magician alive. I will rise to popularity and fame someday. Then, others will want my autograph." Meowstic said with shining eyes.
Ledyba: "I mean I need to be encouraging. She already got a headache from Scolipede revealing her tricks every now and then."
Jumpluff tried to find someone to socialize with. She didn't want to talk to the other team as Skrelp and the others might find that as a reason to vote her off.
"Why did everyone don't want to talk to me? I'm not interesting? I feel like nobody cares about me sometimes. I tried to be a friend with Skrelp and she gave me the cold shoulder. I don't want to bother Bisharp, Tyrunt, Elekid and Dedenne. I feel uncomfortable talking with Grovyle and the other Crazy Crawdaunt members." Jumpluff mumbled to herself. She saw Aromatisse in the distance with Oddish. She wanted to talk to them but she felt scared.
Confessional
Jumpluff: "I have pretty great social awareness. That is my specialty. I know that Archeops, Skrelp and Heracross are probably trying to find a reason to vote me off. What a bunch of jerks."
"Oddish, what did you do in your free time?" Aromatisse asked out of boredom. There was no one else to talk to.
"I fly around, straight to space." Oddish said the dumbest things she came up with.
"I see that you have wings." Aromatisse mocked.
"Obviously, everyone knows that all grass types have wings." Oddish acted dumber.
"Aha." Aromatisse nodded as she polished her nails.
"I'm also a mathematics teacher. One plus one equals two. Oops, I mean eleven!" Oddish accidentally messed up. Aromatisse raised her eyes.
Confessional
Aromatisse: "She is faking it. Acting dumb for a strategy. That is very shallow and pathetic. Even I will not stoop that low."
Oddish: "My strategy is the most brilliant strategy ever. I hope that everyone will be inspired by my flawless gameplay."
Grovyle was fishing with Bisharp. They didn't talk about strategy in case someone notices them together.
"I live in a rural area. Nature, trees, ponds, rivers. I got everything back home. My school is pretty relaxing, not the most academic. More physical, you get what I mean?" Grovyle revealed some of his background.
"Yes, you are pretty athletic. Not the smartest but stronger than most of the contestants here." Bisharp replied.
"Yeah, but I can be smart too if I try. I think I can do anything if I put my mind into it. Like winning this show. Make great friends. I'm looking for the overall experience." Grovyle talked more about himself.
"You have a lot of self-confidence. That is a double-edge sword." Bisharp warned.
"You need to be confident and think that you are in the right sometimes. You know? Compliment yourself, have faith in yourself. That is why I perform pretty well in challenges. Sure, I use a few tricks but I feel like there is nothing wrong with that. All fun and games, there are Pokemon out there that are more villainous than both me and you. We are cool, nothing is wrong with our alliance. It isn't evil, just strategic." Grovyle accidentally slipped a piece of information. Bisharp glared at Grovyle, signaling his mistake. Grovyle left quickly. Bisharp was left fishing all alone.
Confessional
Bisharp: "Confidence, confidence. It is hard to be confident when you have a lot of pressure on you. I will take Grovyle's advice into consideration."
Grovyle: "I can't control my mouth sometimes. However, I still feel pretty safe. No one really hates me in my team."
Archeops paced back and forth in her cabin. Drifblim and Snorunt were also in the cabin. They looked at their leader with worry.
"What are you thinking about, Archeops? I'm willing to help so you can share it with me." Drifblim offered her help.
"I will also try to help if possible." Snorunt said with her usual shyness. Although, it significantly improved since her first day.
"I appreciate that. It is just that I'm a bit frustrated at our third consecutive defeat. I'm starting to doubt my leadership." Archeops showed her frustration.
"Well, last challenge favored the other team. Don't be harsh on yourself. Perhaps, things can be better today. I doubt that our professional host will put two athletic challenges in a row." Drifblim said optimistically.
"Professional host? This is weird coming from you." Archeops seemed surprised.
"Well, I don't really hate Skarmory. I have a few complaints but he is a decent host. Not bad for a newbie in this type of show." Drifblim evaluated.
"Yeah, other hosts are meaner." Snorunt agreed.
"I guess so. Both of you are right. I feel much better about our odds now." Archeops smiled.
Confessional
Drifblim: "The leadership position is a very demanding spot. All of your members will blame you for their defeat and they will praise you for their success. I'm in a very peculiar spot compare to her. Sure, I'm in her alliance and that does guarantee my safety for some time. While I'm not a threat, I did showcase my intelligence to other contestants. Therefore, I need to get that out of their mind. How? Criticizing Skarmory of course. That is the first thing that will pop up in their mind when they think of me. A funny fan that makes fun of the host."
Snorunt: "Drifblim is pretty nice. I don't feel lonely anymore with her on my side."
Archeops: "I don't need to doubt myself. Everything isn't my fault. Just like I did nothing wrong for Jumpluff to be so vindictive against me. She acted as if I insult her or call her annoying lately."
Machoke tried to lift the heavy dumbbell but he failed. He finally dropped it down to the ground and gave up. His body was a sweating mess. Machoke panted as he drank some water from a bottle.
The door to the gym opened and Darmanitan headed inside. He looked very concerned about Machoke.
"Homie, are you alright? Overworking yourself again?" Darmanitan asked as he hurriedly checked up on Machoke.
"Yeah, I'm such a failure since birth." Machoke insulted himself in a harsh tone.
"Since birth? Nobody is a failure since birth. You must have some sort of talent." Darmanitan cheered him up.
"Except me, the underweight baby. I'm born with the lowest Attack stat recorded in the history of all Machop. My other stats are also average at best. I'm as good as a disabled Pokemon. My parents never have faith in me. I tried to prove myself but I failed all the time. I'm neither smart, handsome or strong. I got nothing!" Machoke furiously scratched his head as he insulted himself further. In addition, his eyes were teary and filled with disappointment. Darmanitan understood the situation a bit more now. He placed his hand on Machoke's shoulder.
"Homie, I understand. You got the effort but your method is wrong. Skipping ahead to the final task isn't smart. Just like when you enter school, they don't teach you the most difficult subject first. They teach you the easiest subject first so that you can get the right footing on the ground. I understand why you rush to the toughest task and create so many techniques. You want to prove yourself right?" Darmanitan lectured Machoke, he nodded in reply.
"Then, I will enlighten you. I want you to meditate and concentrate so that you see your true self and what you are truly capable of." Darmanitan advised Machoke to practice zen meditation. Unlike Lucario, Machoke took the meditation seriously.
"Zen…" Both of them repeated the same word over and over.
One second turned into one minute.
One minute turned into one hour.
The party was about to start.
Machoke opened his eyes slowly. He observed himself a bit.
"Does anything change? I don't feel any stronger." Machoke asked Darmanitan, making him opened his eyes.
"Yes, you meditated for an hour. It shows that you are patient and calm. You have a lot of control over yourself. As always, your effort is excellent. You should be proud of yourself." Darmanitan pointed out all the positives. Machoke smiled as he realized it.
"Awesome!" Machoke jumped up and clapped his hands together joyfully.
Lucario entered to check the gym. He was a bit confused to see Machoke acting so zealous.
"Are you that excited for the party?" Lucario asked. Both of them turned their attention to the athlete.
"Yeah…" Machoke answered nervously. Darmanitan seemed worried about the situation.
Confessional
Machoke: "I'm not sure if I should tell Lucario yet. He trusted me with the position of a leader or co-leader I think. No, fourth in command. I don't want to disappoint him. He still believes that I'm pretty strong. I don't want to look weak. Someday, I will gather up the courage."
Darmanitan: "It is his call. If he feels like sharing the information with his team, he will do it. I don't want to cause any problems."
Nosepass and Rhyhorn stood next to the benches.
"So how am I going to be strong?" Nosepass asked, his left eye looked a lot better since yesterday.
"First, I think you should try to build your confidence. Be a bit braver." Rhyhorn suggested.
"How?" Nosepass asked.
"Why don't you go inside Skarmory Cave? Just the first floor." Rhyhorn suggested.
"S-Skarmory Cave?!" Nosepass trembled in fear.
Confessional
Rhyhorn: "Nosepass needs to face his fear unless he wants others to step on him."
Nosepass: "It is dark and scary. Oh no…"
Skarmory held up his megaphone with his right wing inserted through the handle.
"Attention, contestants! Today, we have a special deal. Apparently, Chef Drapion is tired of ungrateful Pokemon criticizing his food. Therefore, he will cook actual delicious food of your choice. However, he has the right to charge you as much as he wants. Through Skarmory tokens, of course. Head to the mess hall and order right away unless you want to eat his special delicacy." Skarmory announced this special event.
"Stop all unfair business practices! Stop all unfair business practices!" Dedenne protested as she held up a stop sign.
"What is it this time?" Skarmory looked annoyed.
"You can't let Chef Drapion charge anyone however he likes. What if he discriminates or favors some of us? The price can be very unfair." Dedenne complained.
"The owner is always right, remember? Chef Drapion can give discounts to his favorite contestant because it doesn't interfere with the challenge, the elimination and the secret advantage." Skarmory argued.
Dedenne looked unsatisfied as she left with her stop sign.
Confessional
Dedenne: "Where is fairness in this show? I don't like it. Total Drama needs to change!"
Lucario entered the mess hall with a large bag of Skarmory tokens. The other contestants were shocked at this. Lucario dropped the bag down in front of Chef Drapion. Some of the coins scattered out of the bag.
"There are one hundred Skarmory tokens in this bag. I want seven plates of pizza with lots and lots of vegetables and fruits as toppings. It must be very healthy to eat. In addition, I want fourteen cups of berry juice as well." Lucario ordered the food for the party.
"Seems fair enough." Chef Drapion counted the tokens. It was one hundred like Lucario said. The purchase was successful.
Confessional
Lucario: "I got some sponsors and financiers to thank for the Skarmory tokens. Mainly, Meowth."
Tyrunt: "I want all that food. Can't I be in the other team?"
Archeops: "Our morale is low. Now, it is even lower. I need a way to cheer up my team."
Grovyle: Grovyle held a cup of noodle. "It is nice to be rich. Err… I think I'm supposed to say middle income class. Who cares? Close enough to me."
Lucario wheeled all the items over to the gym once again with the help of Darmanitan and Machoke.
The door opened and the Feckless Flygon members all celebrated.
"Yay, freebies." Shedinja said unenthusiastically.
"I need all that nutrition for the challenge." Miltank said.
"It looks unhealthy and fat." Oddish acted stupid. The other members gave her weird looks.
"Are you talking about yourself?" Shedinja twisted her words in his deadpan manner. The others laughed a bit, which made Oddish mad.
Confessional
Oddish: "I'm starting to regret acting stupid. I feel like other Pokemon are making fun of me. At least, I got the million in the bag, right?"
Cryogonal: "Shedinja got a sense of humor. I like that."
Everyone enjoyed their food and drinks. They all looked satisfied and refreshed. Tyrunt peeked through the window of the gym. He looked jealous. Seemingly, Ledyba noticed this.
"Lucario, can we share with the other team?" Ledyba asked.
"Share? Share? Are you kidding me?! They are our enemies. We need to keep their morale down so that our chances of winning are higher." Lucario scolded Ledyba, the latter look enraged at his behavior. The other Feckless Flygon members spectated from a distance. Some looked like they want to intervene.
"Homie, maybe we can give them the leftovers. They are our fellow contestants. Just throw them a bone." Darmanitan persuaded.
"We already defeated them three times. We can do it again even if we feed them a decent meal. This is just a common decency. Just be a bit generous, Lucario." Houndour persuaded as well.
"Who do you think you are to dictate us? This is just sharing for god's sake!" Cryogonal was more aggressive than the others.
Ledyba tried to calm down. On the other hand, Lucario looked frustrated with his team. As a result, he stormed out of the gym.
Before he exited, he shouted at his teammates. "Do whatever the hell you want!" He then slammed the door. Nobody was in the mood to enjoy the party anymore.
Tyrunt looked scared outside. He was shaking in fear because of Lucario. Houndour saw this and consoled him with a slice of pizza.
Confessional
Lucario: "Apparently, nobody cares about winning at all in my team! The Crazy Crawdaunt are our enemies. We are supposed to crush them!"
Scolipede: "Ledyba… She stood up against Lucario. I don't think this is an act anymore…"
Meowth: "Even though I'm a businessman, I do attend charity events. When you are an heir of a multibillion company, distributing a few care packages for poor Pokemon isn't a big deal. The million means nothing to me, I got a business empire to run. Rather, I want to win the title of champion instead. A personal achievement."
Darmanitan: "Lucario gave me a headache. I should already expect this to be honest. He never really shows sportsmanship to his competitors. Only to his fans and yeah, he can be ungenerous sometimes.
Cryogonal: "Lucario is such a sore winner and a sore loser. How insufferable."
Ledyba: "Great, I got scolded for trying to be nice. First, Scolipede. Now, Lucario. This world is really messed up."
Houndour: "Poor Tyrunt, he came to the wrong place at the wrong time."
Skarmory finally announced the challenge. "Contestants, please come to the beach area." Skarmory ordered everyone to follow him.
The Crazy Crawdaunt seem demotivated and hopeless. They walked slowly over to the beach as they dreaded another loss.
"Team! We need to try our best. If we don't, we are going to elimination ceremony again." Archeops tried to cheer her team up.
"I already know that." Nosepass said without any signs of hope. Archeops saw this and came up with a different idea.
"If we win, I will give everyone five Skarmory tokens each." Archeops lured her team with a reward. Everyone widened their eyes.
"Really?! Oh my gosh, free tokens." Jumpluff was excited immediately.
"Looks promising. I expect immediate payment." Skrelp seemed satisfied.
Archeops looked a bit nervous.
Confessional
Archeops: "I don't have enough tokens. Will anyone let me borrow?"
Next to Skarmory was a boat. There were two special guests inside, Eevee and Pancham. Pancham crossed his arms. Furthermore, there was a twig inside his mouth. Eevee wore pink ribbons on both of her ears. She seemed unsatisfied with the accommodation of the boat.
"Contestants, prepare to babysit two of the brattiest twelve years-old that I found." Skarmory explained the challenge.
"A babysitting challenge. Did their parents pay you for this?" Drifblim accused.
"Hahaha… That is very funny. Of course not." Skarmory laughed nervously.
"Let me explain the details. All of you will receive a score based on two things. First, the brat will give you a score out of one hundred. That is up to them. I have no control. Second, their parents gave me a list of the things that you need to accomplish. They can earn you extra points up to ninety at maximum. Before we get ahead of ourselves, I will let the winners pick the brat of their choice." Skarmory finished his explanation as the Feckless Flygon observed the two kids.
"Pick me if you want to have a bad time." Pancham threatened.
"I don't have time to waste all day. I demand you servants to serve me immediately." Eevee degraded the contestants.
Lucario looked back and forth. He still didn't recover from how the party went down just yet.
"Any ideas?" Lucario asked his team, his voice was quieter and colder than usual. His eyes pierced through his team.
"How about the Eevee? She seems more fashionable." Aromatisse commented.
"Hey!" Pancham shouted from the boat.
The Feckless Flygon chose Eevee as both of the kids seemed equally bratty.
The Crazy Crawdaunt got Pancham. The reception was mixed.
Skarmory handed them the list and the challenge began.
Confessional
Heracross: "Pancham seems cool. Better than that whiny princess over there."
Nosepass: "Pancham reminds me of Larvitar. Help!"
Lucario started to read the list. "We have five tasks to complete for extra points. First, cook food for ten points. Second, make Eevee laugh and smile for ten points. Third, make Eevee say wonderful things about each of you for twenty points. Fourth, perform a play of her choice for thirty points. Finally, make our wonderful Eevee look fabulous for twenty points. Is that clear?" Lucario asked. Suddenly, a voice from the boat interrupted him. Lucario groaned at this.
"I demand a red carpet! Fill the red carpet with flowers as well. I will not walk on this filthy ground." Eevee complained impudently.
"Excuse me princess, we aren't your slaves. We are babysitters. Respect your elders." Miltank pointed out.
"Five points deducted." Eevee smirked. Miltank looked angry.
"Eevee, there is no red carpet. Are there any possible alternatives?" Duosion tried to reason with her.
"Carry me then." Eevee ordered as she folded her paws and lifted her neck. Nobody wanted to step up to the task. Houndour sighed.
"I will do it. I got experience with carrying Tyrunt." Houndour volunteered.
Confessional
Meowth: "There are two types of rich Pokemon. The first type is filled with spoiled, pampered and unemployed rejects. The second type is for the successful and talented that can multiply their net worth."
Aromatisse: "Perfect, I will make sure that Eevee look fabulous. Free twenty points."
On the other hand, Pancham walked on his own over to the camp. He ignored his babysitters as they were discussing about the extra tasks. Noticeably, Grovyle followed him.
"Hey, where are you going, kid?" Grovyle said as he ran over to block Pancham.
"I don't need any of you losers to babysit me. I'm a grown-up man." Pancham refused to be treated as a kid.
"Then, can you survive on your own?" Grovyle questioned.
"Yeah, I don't care about your stupid challenge. I will give you zero points at the end of the day." Pancham didn't give a damn about any of his babysitters. Grovyle allowed Pancham to pass with a grin.
Confessional
Grovyle: "Any minute now, he will scream for help. And… Good Guy Grovyle will save the day. Pancham will thank me and we will earn one hundred points. This is my foolproof plan. It always works. Fake a dangerous situation and solve it. Man, I'm such a genius."
"I will repeat the tasks. First, teach Pancham basic mathematics for twenty points. Second, make sure Pancham takes a bath for thirty points. Third, remove the twig from his mouth for forty points. That is all." Archeops listed all of the extra tasks. "Now, we should divide each of our responsibilities." Archeops was about to do so until Heracross hurriedly nudged her.
"What?" Archeops asked.
"Grovyle and Pancham are both gone!" Heracross showed that both of them were nowhere to be found.
"How the hell did this happen? He was here a minute ago!" Archeops wondered as she franticly looked around.
"We are screwed. Quickly find him!" Jumpluff panicked. Everyone started to spread out.
"Calm down everyone. We need to stay calm to find Pancham." Archeops tried to calm her team down. However, she failed. The Crazy Crawdaunt all scrambled to find Pancham.
Confessional
Archeops: "Thanks Jumpluff, for panicking. If this costs us the challenge... Wait, that means I don't need to pay. A win-win situation for me."
Bisharp: "I think I noticed Grovyle following Pancham. Perhaps, he has a plan."
Houndour sweated a little from carrying Eevee. His sweat accidentally touched her fur.
"Eww… Disgusting! What a pitiful male. I'm light as a feather and you dare sweat on my beautiful body?" Eevee insulted Houndour and smacked his head as a punishment. Houndour took it without a word for the sake of the challenge.
"How dare you?!" However, Duosion didn't tolerate her actions.
"I can do whatever I want. I have more power than any of you bottom-class servants. Ten points deducted." Eevee penalized.
Houndour gave Duosion a reassuring look as he continued to carry Eevee. Duosion sighed as she didn't argue further.
Ledyba looked with sympathy at Houndour. She flew next to him.
"Do you want me to carry her instead?" Ledyba whispered.
"It's okay." Houndour assured.
"If you wish…" Ledyba said worriedly. Scolipede spectated this from a distance.
They finally reached the camp. Lucario turned around and faced his teammates.
"I want to keep this simple. We will divide into five groups. Each group will take care of each specific task. First, cooking. Any volunteers?" Lucario looked around for any potential cooks.
"How about, we give her the pizza instead?" Duosion suggested as nobody seemed confident in their cooking skills.
"Smart idea." Lucario agreed.
"Pizza? That is a low-class food. I demand you to give me a proper feast." Eevee complained. The Feckless Flygon looked exhausted with Eevee.
Duosion whispered something into Lucario's ears. Both of them smirked.
Confessional
Aromatisse: "I'm starting to regret picking her."
Lucario: "The task didn't specify that we must feed her good food... I have a secret plan that I will tell everyone."
Machoke: "Lucario told me to find Chef Drapion. I wonder why?" Machoke scratched his head.
Grovyle dug up a pitfall. Afterwards, he covered it with leaves. Pancham got closer and closer. Grovyle quickly hid behind a tree. Carelessly, Pancham walked into the pitfall.
"Ouch!" Pancham yelled in pain as he rubbed his bottom. He was stuck in the pitfall.
"I don't need those losers." Pancham tried to climb up but he slid down to the same spot every time.
Ten minutes passed. "Help! I'm hungry." Pancham shouted for help as his stomach roared. Grovyle waited for the boy to be more desperate.
Suddenly, Grovyle got an idea.
"Sshh" Grovyle hissed like an Ekans. This trick worked as Pancham looked terrified.
"I just want to be independent. I didn't mean to bully my babysitters. It is just that they treated me like a kid, mum. You don't need to send me here as a punishment." Pancham started to sob. Grovyle continued to hiss.
"I learn my lesson now! I will do my homework. I will take a bath. I will do anything. Please, get me out of this scary island. Wah…" Pancham cried.
"Get out of here, you stupid Ekans!" Grovyle shouted as he punched a tree to create sound effects of a fight. Then, he jumped down into the pitfall. Pancham wiped his tears away and sighed.
"Don't cry, Good Guy Grovyle is here to save you." Grovyle consoled.
"I didn't cry. Something just got in my eyes." Pancham made an excuse.
"We all cry sometimes, Pancham. See, this is why you need a babysitter. Having one doesn't mean that you aren't tough or you are a baby. Your parents can't be with you all the time. You need someone to take care of you. I hope that you will become an obedient son from now on. Let's go. Get on my back." Grovyle carried Pancham on his back as he jumped out of the pitfall.
"Thank you." Pancham whispered quietly.
Confessional
Grovyle: "I know that it isn't cool giving the kid a scare. However, you need to do the wrong things for the right reasons sometimes. I turned Pancham into a better Pokemon. I know that I did the right thing. I bet that I look really cool on television. Pancham will understand once he watches the episode. Other than that, I pretty much guarantee our victory."
Chef Drapion walked over to the Feckless Flygon.
"You better have a good reason for calling me over here." Chef Drapion grumbled.
"Eevee, this is our six-stars chef, Drapion. He can cook the tastiest food within three minutes. Right, chef?" Lucario flattered and exaggerated. Chef Drapion was surprised but he smiled at the flattery nonetheless.
"Obviously, I'm the best chef in this island." Chef Drapion bragged. Eevee had a look of interest.
"Now, this is what I'm looking for. A ser-chef worthy of cooking my food." Eevee said with satisfaction.
"I recommend you to order his special delicacy." Shedinja drawled. The plan proceeded smoothly.
"Great recommendation, servant. One order of this special delicacy." Eevee ordered.
"It will be done in two minutes." Chef Drapion informed as he left to the kitchen.
"Perfect, faster than I thought. Great customer service." Eevee complimented.
"It is free of charge as well, milady." Meowth reinforced.
"Exceptional." Eevee commented as Houndour carried her to a chair in the mess hall. She sat on it as Ledyba placed the spoon and plate.
"It might taste a bit weird at first but many critics gave it a perfect rating." Duosion assured.
"Understandable." Eevee looked excited to taste the food. The Feckless Flygon nearly couldn't control their laughter.
Chef Drapion arrived with the plate of purple sludge.
"The presentation is in the style of simplicity." Cryogonal said. Eevee nodded.
"I can taste the food for you to prove that it is delicious." Scolipede offered to taste the food and Eevee accepted it. Scolipede used a different spoon to eat a mouthful of sludge. As he was a poison type, the sludge wasn't a big deal to him.
"Delicious." Scolipede exaggerated as he faked a smile.
All of their words and actions created an illusion in Eevee's eyes. The plate of sludge looked like a six-stars dish. Eevee ate it and she felt strange.
"I need water. Make it snappy!" Eevee demanded as Lucario handed her a glass of water. She drank the entire cup and sighed with relief.
"The dish certainly is unique. From my experience, I will give it a ten out of ten." Eevee rated the dish foolishly. The Feckless Flygon members laughed quietly except for…
Oddish looked with disbelief at all of this.
Confessional
Oddish: "It was all an act. I don't believe that anyone can be this stupid without acting. I will uncover her mask. There can only be one Pokemon in this island that act stupid."
"Are you in the restrooms, Pancham?" Tyrunt asked from outside.
"Are you in our cabins?" Nosepass searched around the cabins.
"Where the hell are you?!" Heracross searched around the gym area.
"He is here!" Grovyle shouted from the intersection. Pancham was there next to him.
"Oh my goodness. Where had you been, Pancham?" Jumpluff asked with relief.
"I'm sorry for heading off on my own." Pancham apologized. He was too traumatized from the experience to revert back to his former self.
"Did you say… sorry? That is very mature of you." Dedenne complimented.
"Really?" Pancham asked with disbelief. Dedenne nodded in reply.
Archeops saw Pancham and flew down. She smiled kindly at him before she looked at Grovyle suspiciously.
"Where are you the entire time?" Archeops asked.
"Does it matter? He's here now." Grovyle dodged the question. Archeops allowed that to pass as they started to complete the extra tasks.
Pancham obediently took a bath and studied mathematics with Skrelp. He even took his twig off. The Crazy Crawdaunt already gained a huge lead of ninety points.
Confessional
Archeops: "If Grovyle noticed Pancham missing, he should have told us. This is very suspicious."
Grovyle: "I hope no one doubts me. I need to keep up my reputation and image."
The Feckless Flygon decided to perform the play next. Eevee handed them a script as she continued to sit on Houndour's back. His face had a red slap mark on his right cheek but he didn't complain. Duosion looked at him from a distance.
"Poor Houndour…" Duosion sympathized. Meowth placed his hand on her back to console her.
"I got the location for our show. It is the auditorium in front of the haunted area. I cover the rent cost for it. We will proceed as planned, are you sure that you can handle this?" Meowth asked. Duosion nodded, she looked determined.
"Good, head over to the backstage for our rehearsal." Meowth brought her over to the auditorium.
Confessional
Duosion: 'That brat will pay… This will teach her a lesson that she will never forget."
Lucario summarized the script and roles to his teammates for the second time so that they understand clearly.
"This ridiculous play is called 'Master and Servants'. It is a very sadistic tale of a group of servants that are abused by their master for no good reason. Worst of all, the servants smile through it, they accept their cruel fate. We will keep everything the same except for the ending. As we have already discussed beforehand, Meowth will play the role of the master and the rest of us will be a servant. Except for Duosion, Meowstic, Cryogonal and Houndour. Obviously, Eevee sit on Houndour as if he is a chair. Meowstic is the narrator. Cryogonal will take care of the special effects. Duosion, you already know the role that you will be playing. We will start the rehearsal now." Lucario led his team through the challenge. Despite the party incident, he knew that everything has its time and place.
Oddish walked over to Lucario as he experimented the special effects with Cryogonal. Lucario noticed Oddish and turned his attention to her.
"What is it?" Lucario asked.
"I think Eevee will not fall for it. She is seriously acting dumb." Oddish told him about her concern.
"Like you?" Lucario's words shocked Oddish. She was really dumbfounded this time.
"Everybody knows it, Oddish." Cryogonal revealed that everyone knew it all along.
"D-duh, I don't understand anything." Oddish tried to keep her act as she walked around klutzily. Lucario and Cryogonal shook their head.
Confessional
Lucario: "Eevee isn't acting. I know that for sure. Oddish, if you persist on with that act, I will eliminate you."
The Crazy Crawdaunt celebrated their success with a game of football. Pancham passed the ball to Grovyle. Elekid tried to steal it but failed. Grovyle then passed the ball to Heracross, who was near the goal. The goalie was Tyrunt, who was peer pressured to join the game by Elekid.
"I wish I never play." Tyrunt said fearfully as Heracross kicked the ball toward him at full speed. Accidentally, it collided with his stomach.
"Ouch!" Tyrunt yelled in pain as he dropped down to the ground. The others rushed to him.
"Are you alright? I didn't mean it." Heracross checked up on him.
Tyrunt groaned in pain as he rolled on the ground.
"This guy is pretty weak." Pancham insulted him. Elekid heard this and defended his friend.
"He isn't weak. You should look at yourself first before saying that." Elekid scolded him.
"Calm down. I'm just stating a fact. The insult was unintentional. You are clearing saying that because you are his friend." Pancham said, trying to be more mature. This infuriated Elekid.
"Where did you learn to speak like this?' Elekid questioned.
"Teacher Skrelp. She is extremely intelligent. She also taught me so many new things. I'm pretty much her fan now." Pancham supported Skrelp.
Grovyle got between both Elekid and Pancham before anything worse could happen.
"Stop being a baby." Heracross added insult to injury upon poor Tyrunt.
"It hurts." Tyrunt continued to roll on the ground. Tears started to fall from his eyes. Archeops saw this and flew over to check him.
"Heracross, I will deal with this. Are you alright, Tyrunt? Do you need help? I can carry you to the infirmary." Archeops offered to help.
"That will be great." Tyrunt accepted the help.
Confessional
Tyrunt: "Archeops is actually nice despite what Jumpluff told me. She is better than that inconsiderate Heracross."
Archeops: "I need to take care of my team, no matter who it is. It is my responsibility as the leader."
Skrelp: "Pancham is actually a fast learner if he is willing to learn. He can memorize things quickly. Basically, I taught him things like complex vocabulary and much more as optional courses."
Nosepass: "I'm happy that Tyrunt look weak like me. I don't feel lonely anymore."
Houndour carried Eevee to the auditorium over the mountain area, eventually passing the second intersection. He finally arrived in the haunted area. The trees were wilted and dead. There was a fog in the distance as the ground was black colored naturally. Eevee looked scared of the surroundings.
"Enter now, Slowpoke!" Eevee shouted as she smacked Houndour in the face again.
"For the team." Houndour whispered under his breath. Houndour entered the auditorium with his last remaining strength. He then collapsed.
"Stupid servant. Fine, I will walk on my own." Eevee had enough with Houndour. She walked over and sat on the front row seat. There was a bag of popcorn next to her. It was prepared by Meowth, ordered through Chef Drapion.
"I want someone to feed me or else I will penalize all of you by fifty points." Eevee threatened. Houndour dragged his lifeless body over to her. Darmanitan saw this from the backstage and rushed in to help. He carried Houndour over next to Eevee.
Houndour eyes were half-closed as he hand-fed Eevee the popcorn.
"Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the one and only show. The show of master and servants alike. I present all of you to our likable cast of characters. Let's start, shall we?" Meowstic finished the opening as she moved to the backstage. She narrated the story through a microphone in the backstage.
"Once upon a time, there were one master and many servants in a magical kingdom filled with magic." Meowstic read the script except for the last part that she added herself. Eevee couldn't tell the difference. However, Lucario still gave Meowstic a glare from backstage. She stopped messing around after this.
"The master was named Meowth. He was rich and powerful. His wealth could even make Pokemon kill each other. A wonderful privilege for the powerful. Obviously, he had many servants to serve him." Meowstic narrated the first part as Meowth walked in front of the stage with jewelry around his body. They were all fake props. Specifically, he wore a diamond necklace, a golden crown, a ruby ring and a shoe made of emerald. He was as majestic as a king.
The first servant entered, it was Machoke. He wore ragged clothes.
"Master, I'm late for one millisecond. I deserve to be severely punished. However, I have a family to feed. Please spare this poor, old fool." Machoke begged for mercy.
"You are blocking my sunlight. Look, contemptible fool." Meowth pointed to a fake sun on top of the stage. Machoke hurriedly got out of the way. He shuffled his feet in nervousness.
"For your unforgivable act. I will lock you in a dungeon. Servants!" Meowth passed his judgement. Machoke trembled.
"I guess I deserve it." Machoke cried fake tears as Scolipede and Darmanitan dragged him away. Eevee laughed and smiled as Houndour fed her popcorn.
The next servant entered, it was Ledyba. She held a normal cup of water.
"Master, I got the rarest of the rarest mineral water for you." Ledyba offered Meowth the drink. Meowth sipped it then spat it out against Ledyba.
"It is not rare enough! Find me a better drink." Meowth said cruelly as he threw the cup at Ledyba without any consideration toward her efforts and feelings.
"I will definitely find you a better drink…" Ledyba said apprehensively as she left.
Miltank entered next. Like everyone else, she wore ragged clothes.
"Master, I have worked tirelessly for years upon years. I wish to retire and live a happy life with my family. I can no longer build statues of your magnificent self anymore." Miltank said in her old voice.
"Who says you can retire! Get back to work!" Meowth snapped as he stomped on the ground. Miltank fled immediately.
Aromatisse entered next. She looked anxious as she approached Meowth.
"Master, Miltank collapsed while she was carrying a statue. I think she is dead. What are we going to do?" Aromatisse panicked as she ran around the stage.
"Show my condolences to her family. I will not compensate in any other way." Meowth said heartlessly. Aromatisse nodded and fled the stage. Eevee nodded in approval as well. Houndour stared at her with strong contempt.
Shedinja floated slowly to Meowth.
"Master, what can I do for you?" Shedinja drawled.
"I want you to serve my dinner."
"Okay." Shedinja said simply as he floated to the backstage.
One minute passed and Meowth tapped his feet impatiently. Shedinja didn't finish yet.
"Servants, send Shedinja to the dungeon." Meowth ordered. There was a sound effect of a jail door getting locked, courtesy of Cryogonal.
Lucario walked to the stage next.
"Muscle man, carry me." Meowth demanded. Lucario carried him. Suddenly, Meowth slapped him in the face. Eevee laughed with satisfaction.
"Be more careful, you nearly touch my jewelry." Meowth warned. Lucario carried Meowth for a while. He looked very annoyed at his master but he remained silent. Meowth finally allowed Lucario to leave.
Oddish entered last. She stared suspiciously at Eevee for a moment before she walked over to Meowth.
"Master, it is time to go to bed." Oddish guided Meowth to his grandmaster bedroom. Unexpectedly, the lights were all turned off. There was a red, glowing light in the middle of the stage instead. Eevee looked horrified.
"Servant?" Eevee looked around. Houndour was gone. The sole light in the middle of the stage was turned on. Eevee saw the glowing red right more clearly now. To her, it looked like a red demon with horns. This was due to the red blanket and a few special effects. In reality, it was Duosion floating in midair.
"What are you?" Eevee spoke with fear.
"I'm your worst nightmare. The devil that will bring you to hell." Duosion spoke, it was not her natural voice. Her voice was modified by a program controlled by Cryogonal. The voice sounded devilish.
"Why? What did I do wrong?" Eevee was oblivious to her mistakes.
"What did you do wrong? Do you even realize your insufferable mistakes? You are a senseless brat! You are heartless against your so called 'servants' and other Pokemon in general. Therefore, you shall be stripped of everything." Duosion threatened her.
"No, please don't. That's not true. I take care of my servants well. Right, Houndour?" Eevee was desperate at this point. She continued to deny the whole situation.
"Silence! Your words are filthier than a Trubbish. See this 'servant' over here? He is dead." Duosion floated sideways to reveal Houndour faking his death. A tomato sauce was used as blood.
"I… I kill him?" Eevee asked in disbelief.
"Yes, you never feed him or take care of him. You are so vindictive and cruel. A simple mistake means that you have the right to hit him?" Duosion continued to attack Eevee.
"I'm sorry." Eevee started to cry. This was the biggest scare of her life.
"Being sorry won't bring him back to life. You shall suffer from the same fate as him. Your punishment will be a role reversal. In your next life, you will be born as a servant and Houndour will be born as your master." Duosion released the verdict.
"Please don't. I will do anything. Wah!" Eevee cried and cried. Duosion lifted her up with Psychic. Eevee cried even louder.
"I will give you a second chance because I feel merciful today. You must say nice things about all of your servants." Duosion tricked Eevee into completing the mission for them.
"I will! I definitely will! Lucario and Miltank both of you are very strong. Machoke and Darmanitan also look strong. Ledyba seems nice. Aromatisse looks beautiful. Shedinja, Oddish and Cryogonal are talented in their own ways. Scolipede is a great food critic. Meowth will probably have a successful future. Meowstic is a great narrator. Duosion is smart and… Houndour, you are the best servant I ever had. You never complain despite what I did to you. I wish that everything will… will…" Eevee was about to finish until a certain grass type decided to commit a deadly mistake.
"Stop acting stupid! This is all a staged act. The devil is Duosion and Houndour isn't dead." Lucario covered Oddish mouth before she could cause any more damage.
Eevee realized just then that she was humiliated, manipulated and ridiculed.
"*beep*!" Eevee swore as she reverted back to her former self. She was so close to changing into a better Pokemon like Pancham.
Confessional
Lucario: "Oddish, you *beep*! Because of you Eevee, the *beep* will give us a zero. *beep*!
Oddish: "Oh no…"
Cryogonal: "All of that for nothing. I guess she is really stupid."
Darmanitan: "Now, Lucario is going to throw a temper tantrum. Oddish, why?"
Duosion: "My plan ended in vain because of Oddish."
Houndour: "I endure all of that for nothing?"
Skarmory collected all the results. He was about to present the score to both teams.
"With a score of 70 to 190, the Crazy Crawdaunt win." Skarmory revealed that the Crazy Crawdaunt received a perfect score. They all cheered happily, while the Feckless Flygon looked down on the ground.
Confessional
Drifblim: "How is Archeops going to pay? This is interesting."
Grovyle: "You better pay Archeops. I didn't do all of that for nothing. If you can't…"
Tyrunt: "I don't really care about the tokens anymore. Archeops did it for the team. We should just appreciate that.
"Everything good must come to an end like your win streak. This is normal. Well, receive a Leppa Berry and you stay. Simple enough as it is." Skarmory started the bonfire ceremony.
"Duosion and Houndour." The couple got their berries first.
"Machoke, Darmanitan and Miltank."
"Scolipede"
"Meowth"
"Ledyba"
"Shedinja"
"Cryogonal"
"Aromatisse"
"Meowstic"
"Lucario, your competitiveness often rubs others in the wrong way. On the other hand, Oddish, you acted stupid and messed up in the challenge very, very badly. The eliminated contestant is…" Skarmory built up the suspense as usual.
…
…
…
"Oddish"
Elimination Confessional
My strategy failed. I'm very mad about that. I look ridiculous on television and I lost my chance at the million. Perhaps, I should find a new strategy next time. Maybe, I will act smart. I want Aromatisse to win. I guess it is because she is the only one that spent time with me. I don't want Lucario to win. He is such a ruthless jerk sometimes.
Oddish departed on her Lapras. Aromatisse waved at her.
"Take care." Aromatisse felt sympathy for her so she came to see her off.
"Be smart." Oddish said her parting words.
Skarmory landed on the dock after Aromatisse left. He ended his episode in a similar fashion.
"Wow, this episode. It is amazing. My personal favorite so far. The personality and the development. It is very intense until the very end. That plot twist of Oddish ruining everything. I already saw it coming by a mile. I will put some foreshadowing edits on that. Anyways, the infirmary streak continues. This is ridiculous. Chef Drapion is starting to get annoyed by this. What will happen next time? What will be the challenge? Find out in the next intense episode of Total Skarmory Island!"
Elimination Votes
Lucario: Oddish
Duosion: Oddish
Houndour: Oddish
Meowth: Oddish
Darmanitan: Oddish
Miltank: Oddish
Cryogonal: Oddish
Machoke: Oddish
Ledyba: Oddish
Meowstic: Oddish
Oddish: Lucario
Scolipede: Oddish
Shedinja: Oddish
Aromatisse: Oddish
Oddish: 13 (eliminated)
Lucario: 1
This episode is slightly shorter but quality over quantity, right? The next episode will feature a different area. Is it the desert or the snow area? I will leave all of you to guess. The challenge will be based on the environment.
Oddish is a pretty funny character. She wasn't meant to make it far. Will she return? Probably not. Have a nice day and review if you want.