Author's Note
Welcome back! This week has been both interesting and somewhat hectic, primarily due to the song for next week's chapter being the most difficult to work out in some time. Luckily, I was able to figure it out yesterday, and got enough done that there's no doubt in my mind that chapter 10 will be complete tomorrow. But that, as always, is something that won't matter until next week.
Also of import, tonight is the finale of The Ridonculous Race (in the US at least)! The Final Three teams will be competing, and although last night's episode took out my favorite team I do know who I'll be rooting for to win this series.
As mentioned last week: The TVTropes pages for this series could always use more love and work! I greatly appreciate anyone who's able to contribute to it, especially since I did check earlier and see some new entries! Thanks again to those working on it.
And that now brings us to the reviews.
Animation Adventures: Thanks, I'm glad! I knew pretty early on that I wanted Bridgette to last longer here than in canon, and also to get eliminated before Geoff, and it just happened to work out that the best time to eliminate her was in the Alps. I'm glad I was able to give her a good storyline and resolution despite her only lasting eight episodes, and not only stay true to her character but also set up some animosity between Geoff and Scott. You're right that Scott and Sugar definitely have some hard-headedness about them, particularly Sugar, but I think that's just another reason why they work so well together. And I'm glad you liked DJ's ending to last week's song, I wasn't certain how well it would go over.
Solarr-Eclipse: An apt summary of last week's events, I'd say. I'm happy you're looking forward to seeing who Sammy decides to align herself with; hopefully when the time comes her decision will make sense. And...now it's my turn to feel like a broken record, because I have indeed mentioned several times that I'll be doing Shuffled version of Revenge of the Island, All-Stars, and Pahkitew Island - their casts were determined in the initial shuffling I did before season one, though I haven't yet determined a lot of the plots and eliminations for the next three seasons.
TaitanoRules555: Thanks. And for the record, please don't post insubstantial reviews just to bump the count up to a significant number like 200. I'd really prefer the review count to go up naturally.
lordkalel: Honestly, I'm just not really that fond of the 'haha fat people eat a lot' kind of jokes. I get that Sugar is a big eater like Owen, but I just didn't want to force her to repeat a joke I don't like. As for Ridonculous Race cameos, don't count on it. The most that'll happen is Geoff possibly mentioning/alluding to Brody in passing, and similarly with Leonard and Tammy when our wizard friend makes his debut.
aloasa: Yeah, I was honestly never really keen on breaking them up. Causing strife between them is one thing, but I'm a sucker for sappy romances so Gidgette was always gonna be a thing that worked out, more or less. Regarding Alejandro, I'm glad you're liking his development and interactions with Ella; they've been a fun pair to work with recently. Glad you liked the song, and thanks for the review!
DSX62415: Haha, yeah. Perhaps not quite smart, since he wasn't specifically thinking of the electric grinder being useful in a future challenge when he decided to keep it, but yeah, it was fun writing out the consequences of his choice.
PizzaTheBomb: Well, I wouldn't really say that since they've only lost two members by now, same as Shuffled Team Victory. Poor Bridgette indeed, though, especially since had she not been eliminated she and Geoff would've been in the same seating class for the first time since Egypt.
ElizabethLifeStone: Ah, I see. Well, I hope you've caught up by now - every episode except the unaired 26 should be up somewhere on the web, with the finale popping up some time in like 4 or so hours after it's aired. And as I told PizzaTheBomb, this Team Chris is nowhere near as bad-off as canon Team Victory, having only lost two out of their original five instead of four of their original six by this point in the game. At any rate, it's way too early for the two smaller teams to group up even if I did decide to do that. Regarding Scott and Sugar as the new AleHeather...well, I don't think I'd go that far, but they are certainly the new villainous duo at least. Just more cooperative than adversarial like Alejandro and Heather were. Anyway, good luck with school and your new series!
Ddynamo: Yup. They're still doing better than Team Victory was in canon though.
acosta perez jose ramiro: Yup, my thoughts exactly. Bridgette's just too nice to blame others when she knows it was her fault they lost.
OMAC001: Well not the alliance, per say, just that Scott was up to no good. Sugar, on the other hand, wasn't connected to Scott messing with Geoff and Bridgette.
CVluvFoxy: I'm really happy you liked Bridgette's ending, even if it was kind of a shame she had to go. You're gonna find out how Geoff's handling things soon enough, and as for Sierra...well, even I'm kind of surprised at how much of a threat I've been able to make her.
turn forever you and me: Yup, the tension is certainly ramping up! I hope you enjoy what's to come.
Nickie Mudkip: Aha, well, I'm not really good at remembering people's favorites (much less changing the plot to suit them) so no guarantees on that. I'm glad you really liked last week's episode, the song included! I hope I can keep up the quality.
Zak Saturday: Thanks.
Knifez: Wow, thanks for the praise! Though I do hope I'll be able to top last week's episode before the end of the season. Regarding Tyler/Ella...well, who knows, maybe I'll be able to surprise you with something. I'm glad that at least you liked how Geoff/Bridgette ended up, and how Scott/Sugar are developing. As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on future developments.
FOWLKON: Oho, most definitely. Writing these recent development with Scott have been pretty fun. As for what Scarlett would say if she knew...who knows?
I. M. Poik: I'm glad you liked what I did with the electric meat grinder. And hey, there's nothing wrong with being picky about music, and I certainly know I can do better with the songs I write. I just hope I'm able to come up with one you really like before the end of the season.
ashDanLand: Ehh, I can see why you'd think Sierra would be going, but she still has stuff to do in the story. Bridgette, though, had her time and spent it well. I'm glad you liked the chapter though.
bruno14: Hey, no problem if you didn't review earlier. Glad you liked that scene with Alejandro and Ella; I figure even Alejandro would blush when he was sufficiently embarrassed like that. And yeah, DJ managed to maybe catch a glimpse of Dawn but in doing so almost lost the game. Regarding Bridgette's elimination, her being a former finalist didn't really matter when I was making the decision; it was more that the timing was right and I didn't want to eliminate someone else more. I'm glad to know who you're supporting for winning this season, as well as who you're expecting to debut next season, but as always you'll have to wait to see how things turn out.
The Prime Writer: Haha, yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking with the electric grinder. And as I told Knifez, perhaps I'll be able to surprise you with something I do with Ella and Tyler, who knows. As for what happens with Sugar and Scarlett's alliance, as well as the rest of Team Universe...well, you'll just have to read on and find out. And I'm glad you like my series so much, but honestly I don't think it would work nearly as well as the canon since some of the humor relies on what happened in the original canon to make sense.
Star Saber21: Glad you liked my version of Sierra's slap dance! And yeah, she does need to be careful, but then again Scott is in a pretty negative spotlight right now... And I'm happy you thought DJ's actions during the song last week made sense.
StayOuttaMyShed: I know you haven't gotten too far yet (you've only reviewed Ch. 1 as I write this), but I'm glad you're catching up. It sounds like there's gonna be a lot of things you like about this season, and I'm eager to read the rest of your reviews.
And with that, we move onto the list of remaining contestants:
Team Victory - Ezekiel, Scott, Tyler, Geoff
Team Chris is Really Really Really Really Mean - Shawn, Sierra, DJ
Team Universe - Sammy, Alejandro, Ella, Sugar, Scarlett
I hope you're all hungry for seafood, because there's gonna be plenty by the time this episode is over. Enjoy!
- Fangren
Episode 9 – Newf Kids On The Rock
"Germany!" Chris said as the recap footage began, starting with a clip of him swooping and gliding down a mountainside and above the contestants. "Here our competitors encountered the glorious Alps, as fun to go up," Sammy smiled at DJ as she pulled him out of a snow drift was shown next, "as it is to come down," and followed by the song-induced avalanche. "They also learned why Germany is world-renowned for the care they put into their sausages!" Chris added over shots of Alejandro stomping raw meat into the sausage grinder, Scott trying to make use of the reward he'd won in New York, and Team Chris beginning their trip down the mountain on their fully-packed sausage.
"From this day on, however," the first round of the second challenge was shown briefly, showing the wins of Bridgette, Alejandro, Sierra, and Geoff, "Germany will only be known for two things: it's traditional dance, and for being a surprisingly romantic getaway." Geoff and Bridgette's make-up and make-out was shown, as well as the losses for both the surfer and Sierra that followed. "Too bad for Bridgette that it was cut short," Chris added over one final clip of the blonde standing up in resignation, saying goodbye to Geoff, and getting sucked out into the open air.
"There's an even dozen left," Chris said as the scene cut to him and Chef in the cockpit, "but not for long, on Total! Drama! Woooorrrrlllddd~ Tooouuurrrr~!"
xxx
(Fade to Opening Theme)
Dear Mom and Dad, I'm doin' fine;
You guys are on my mind!
Ya asked me what I wanted to be,
And now I think the answer is plain to see!
I wanna be...famous!
I wanna live close to the sun!
Well pack your bags, 'cause I've already won!
Everythin' to prove, nothin' in my way;
I'll get there one day.
'Cause I wanna be...famous!
(Na-na nanananaa, nanana-nanaa, na-nananananaa)
I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous! (Na-na nanananaa, nanana-nanaa, na-nananananaa)
I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous! (Na-na nanananaa, nanana-nanaa, na-nananananaa)
(Fade to Episode)
xxx
A dramatic tune played over the usual starting shot of the plane in flight, and the camera quickly cut inside to the first class seating area where Ella was happily reading a magazine. "I'm so happy we're in first class again after so long," she said happily. "There's so much more to do here than in economy class, don't you think Sugar?" She looked up from her reading material, and the camera pulled back just enough to show the pageant queen glowering in the seat opposite her.
"Oh, sure, there's tons of stuff to do," Sugar said with a mix of resentment and sarcasm. "Too bad for me you won't shut up about any of it. 'Ooh, this food is just delightful'," she said in a mocking tone that was clearly meant to be an imitation of Ella, "'and these seats are so comfortable!' Uggh, it's gettin' on my nerves!"
"Oh...," Ella said in a mix of shock and sadness.
xxx
"I've been getting the feeling lately that Sugar doesn't like me for some reason," Ella explained in the restroom confessional. "Hopefully I can fix whatever it is I'm doing wrong. But until then, I'm afraid it's just making everyone else uncomfortable. And between Scarlett's feud with Alejandro, Sammy and DJ still being heartbroken of Dawn's departure, Geoff being mad at Scott, and Bridgette not being around to help cheer everyone up, I think I'll have to start being more...proactive in my attempts to keep everybody in high spirits. Wish me luck!" she told the camera with a smile.
xxx
"I'm sorry for annoying you, Sugar," Ella told her teammate, who huffed in disbelief. "I'll stop."
"Don't bother trying to please her, Ella," Alejandro said, walking up from the right, "it's not worth the effort. She's just too determined to find fault in you, when in truth you have none."
A scoff from behind him gained his attention as Scarlett looked up from her seat in the next row over. "Please, I've already taken note of over a dozen of Ella's faults," she said, "the least of which is her attraction to your obnoxiously fake persona."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Alejandro sternly replied. "I have not been fake with Ella, or anyone this season!"
"Oh?" Scarlett replied with jovial skepticism, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. "Then why hasn't Sammy agreed to an alliance with you yet?" She pointed towards the camera, which shifted around to show the cheerleader sitting on the opposite side of the aisle, staring wistfully out a window.
"I've just been...giving her time," Alejandro answered. "She is still recovering from Dawn leaving the game, after all."
"Sure," Scarlett said, smirking as the charmer narrowed his eyes at her and Ella looked anxiously between them.
/
"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" Scott told Geoff as the camera cut to Team Victory back in economy class. The party-lover was sitting with his back to the farmer, and Tyler and Ezekiel were sitting between them looking rather uncomfortable. "I made a bad call thinking Bridgette was going behind your back with another guy. But I was just looking out for the team, and trying to get you to focus more on the game."
"Oh yeah, sure," Geoff said bitterly. "That's what you were doing, and not trying mess with me so I'd screw up in a challenge and you'd have a reason to vote me off. It's not like that's what you did last time or anything."
"Why would I try sabotaging my team again when that's what got me kicked off last time?!" Scott countered. "Dude, I swear, I wasn't trying anything!"
"Whatever," Geoff told him coldly, standing up. "You're totally bogus, and I'm not gonna put up with it anymore." He took a few steps away and the camera panned to follow, showing the three members of Team Chris watching silently on the left side of the plane. "Hey Shawn," he said to the survivalist, who perked up in surprise, "I know we're on different teams and all, but with Bridgette gone I figured I'd try to make things up to you for, y'know, wrongly accusing you and stuff."
"Oh, uh, thanks," Shawn told him. "But it's really no big deal."
"Naw bro, I gotta," Geoff countered. "Now I know you need another partner to help you check the plane for undead dudes, so I figured I'd offer you my services."
Shawn stared at him blankly for a moment, then smiled and said "Yeah, cool, thanks."
"Coolio," Geoff said. "You mind if we do it now? I kinda wanna get away from Scott right now," he asked with a thumb over his shoulder at his scowling teammate.
"Uhh, sure, I guess," Shawn said, standing up. "Come on, I'll show you the ropes." He motioned for Geoff to follow, and the two boys walked out of economy class with their teammates watching all the way.
"Well, I guess they're friends again," DJ said to Sierra. "Good thing, too, I was feelin' really bad for Geoff. I don't know what I would do if Sammy left too and I thought one of my friends betrayed me."
"Better not say that in front of Scott," Sierra whispered back, shielding her mouth with her hand but still pointing and looking in the devious farmer's direction so that he knew what she was talking about. "He might get ideas." DJ's eyes widened slightly, and he nodded.
Scott, meanwhile, snorted and rolled his eyes.
xxx
"Yeah, saying I'm in trouble right now would be an understatement," Scott said bitterly in the restroom confessional. "And the worst part of it is that with everyone suspicious of me, I've only been able to talk to Sugar once, and that wasn't even to figure out who to target next! I'm gonna have to lay low for a little while and hope she doesn't mess things up."
"Still," he added with a slight smirk, "if Geoff wants to leave me alone with Zeke and Tyler, then fine with me. After all, as far as they know I'm not the one going off alone with someone from another team. I just have to convince them that Geoff can't be trusted anymore, and that'll be easy. But more importantly I need to make sure Zeke and Tyler are on my side so I'll have allies later on."
xxx
The roar of the engines was heard over the season's world map, its plane icon making odd bouncing motions across the 'ocean' just off Canada's eastern coastline. The camera cut to Sammy looking out the first class window, wincing as the plane splashed down on water.
"Wait, why are we landing in the middle of the ocean?" she asked aloud, growing even more confused as the plane seemed to ascend again. "...we are landing, right?" she added, wincing yet again as the plane splashed down for a second time. "Right?"
"Oh...oh my," Ella said, stumbling forward as the plane shook again and falling onto her knees in front of Sugar. "This is...I hope this ends soon, I'm afraid it's making me feel a teensy bit...," the plane jolted again, "bad."
"You better not be thinkin' of barfin' all over my shoes," Sugar told her angrily, "or any of my other clothes, either!" Ella's only response was a whimper.
/
The scene cut to Chris and Chef laughing raucously in the cockpit, then outside as the jumbo jet finally slid to a stop on top of the water. "Attention all Total Drama passengers!" Chris announced over the plane's intercom. "In accordance with emergency landing procedures," the shot cut closer to the door on the tail of the jet, "you will now be shown the nearest exit."
The door immediately slammed open, a few long and deep notes began to play, and DJ was pushed out screaming. He was followed by Sierra, Shawn, Geoff, Scott, and Tyler one after the other before the shot cut inside to Chef pushing out Ezekiel, Scarlett, Sugar, Ella, and Alejandro all in a line as well. He looked back over his shoulder, then the footage cut to him walking up to Sammy in first class – she was clutching onto a seat cushion, and when Chef pulled her away she managed to pry it clear off the seat entirely.
She was sent flying out into the ocean, the cushion held under her butt causing her to skip as she screamed. Chef laughed at her from the open doorway.
The camera panned across the floating contestants, the sound of DJ's splashes and cries for help heard long before he was seen. "Don't worry DJ, I'll help you!' Sammy called out to him before tossing the seat cushion his way. It landed right in front of him just as he began to sink, and fortunately he was able to grab it and pull himself back up above water. Sammy quickly swam over to him, passing Alejandro who pursed his lips as she went by.
"Thanks," DJ told his girlfriend, still gasping for air.
"No problem," Sammy smiled. "I know you're not a good swimmer, so I figured I'd grab something that floats."
"Glad you were able to," DJ told her with a short laugh.
"As are we all," Alejandro said as he swam over. "Especially since Sammy has already had one person she cares about disappear mysteriously, it would be truly tragic if she were to lose you as well. I apologize for trying to make you focus on the team first, it was thoughtless of me."
DJ and Sammy shared a skeptical look, then Sammy said, "Oh, thanks, I guess."
xxx
"I've decided to change strategies with Sammy," Alejandro explained in the restroom confessional. "Instead of trying to divert her attention away from from her affections, I will instead work with them. I will admit that Scarlett thought of the idea first, but I doubt she will actually be able to follow through on it. That means it's only a matter of time before Sammy agrees to an alliance with me."
xxx
A small green fishing boat blew its horn as it drove up alongside the plane and in front of the contestants. "Hey dere, ya gowdy angishores," Chris greeted in some nigh-incomprehensible accent as a jaunty sea tune began to play, "ever been to sea?" He was standing on the deck of the boat, of course, and wearing an olive-colored oilskin and sou'wester.
"Uhh, come again?" Shawn asked in confusion before Sierra, treading water next to him, gasped in realization.
"It must be Newfoundland!" she exclaimed. "Chris is originally from 'Blow-Me-Down Highlands'," she explained to her teammate, crossing her eyes as she mimicked the accent.
"Aye, it's a bonney homecomin' for Buddy McLean," the host confirmed as he walked from the cabin to the bow of the ship, "Canada's beautiful east coast!"
"Ooh, I've always wanted to see where you grew up," Sierra said. "Well, not as much now, but still."
"Aww, thanks!" Chris told her in his usual accent. "It's just a hop, and a skip, thataway!" He pointed off to his right, the camera panning over to show...nothing but ocean, and a single goose flying towards the camera that suddenly had a heart attack and dropped from sheer exhaustion.
"First part of the challenge," Chris told the contestants as the camera cut back to them all, "swim over to your team's boat and start paddling." Three small, identical rowboats were shown floating together a little ways away. "The teams are little bit uneven, but since there's only two oars per boat anyway I don't think it'll make a difference here." Shawn, Sierra, and DJ shared a nervous look.
/
The scene changed focus to Team Universe as they regrouped in the water. "If we mimic the flight patterns of migratory waterfowl while swimming," Scarlett said immediately, "we'll be able to reduce water resistance and thus swim faster."
Alejandro snorted. "Can't you just say 'V formation' like a normal person? Honestly-"
To his surprise, he was interrupted by Ella putting a gloved hand over his mouth. "That's a lovely idea, Scarlett!" she told the brainiac. "We'll swim in a V like happy little geese. Doesn't that sound fun?"
"Well, funner that sitting around listening to Scarlett and Alejandro argue at least," Sammy told her with a smile. "Let's get moving!" She began to swim away, and Ella followed quickly and happily. Alejandro and Scarlett glared briefly at each other before joining as well, leaving a scowling Sugar to trail behind.
xxx
"Uggh, there goes Ella actin' like she's in charge," Sugar sulked in the main confessional. "Figured it was only a matter of time before she really started bossin' us around. First she acted all sweet and nice to butter everyone up, and now she's gonna try and take control of the team. Well I ain't gonna let her!" Sugar declared with her hands on her hips. "I just gotta work fast to get Samey into an alliance, then get Scott to sabotage us so we can get Ella gone!"
xxx
The focus remained on Team Universe as they and the other teams swam towards the off-screen boats. "Sammy, I think you should be the one to take point in our little V," Ella suggested. "I'm quite confident that leading us will help boost your spirits."
"Hey, that was gonna be my idea!" Sugar said angrily. "Don't be takin' it!"
"Of course it was," Alejandro told her with a hint of smug mockery. "But regardless, I agree that it's a good one. Sammy, if you'd be so kind as to lead the way?" He looked at the cheerleader, who looked mildly stunned.
"Oh, uh, sure!" she said with a smile.
/
"You okay, DJ?" Shawn asked his teammate, still clinging to the cushion his girlfriend had given him.
"Yeah, I got this," the brickhouse said with a nervous squeak. He was kicking his feet and moving forward, but not as fast as either of his teammates. "Just gotta go at my own pace."
Sierra laughed anxiously, pausing to watch her teammate's slow advance. "Well, hopefully your pace will be faster rowing," she said.
/
"Okay dudes," Geoff said as swam up to Team Victory's boat and hopped in with ease, "we just gotta keep ourselves together and we'll win this. Just as long as Scott doesn't try to sabotage us again!"
"He said he was sorry, eh," Ezekiel said as he pulled himself out of the water and flopped down on the boat. "An' I think he makes a good point, too, aboot not wantin' to sabotage his own team after it went so badly for him before."
"Maybe," Geoff said as he grabbed Tyler's hand and pulled the jock onboard, "but I'm still mad at him, and, I want him to know that!"
"No problem there, guy," Tyler told him, "just make sure you don't stay too mad at him or it'll distract you big time."
"No worries!" Geoff reassured him. "I may not be able to trust Scott ever again, but I'm still totally cool with Team Dude! Especially you two bros!" He put an arm around Ezekiel and Tyler's shoulders and drew them into a side-hug.
"Hey, would somebody give me a hand up?" Scott interrupted, the camera cutting to him floating just off the side of the boat. "Unless you want to leave me here and probably lose the challenge because of it."
"Fine," Geoff said, grudgingly offering him a hand and pulling him up.
/
The focus cut back to Team Universe, where Sammy was heading their V formation – Alejandro and Ella had formed the left wing, while Sugar and Scarlett were to her right.
"Well, here we are," Sammy said as she reached their boat and grabbed the back of it.
"Indeed," Alejandro said as he swam to the side and climbed up at the same time as Sammy, then turned around and pulled Ella up. "Minor though it may have been, you still did a good job leading the formation."
"Thanks," Sammy told him.
"Yeah, real good," Sugar added as she and Scarlett climbed on board the small boat. "In fact, I think Sammy should take the lead for the rest of the challenge!" The brows of her teammates rose and Sammy smiled.
"Seriously...?" Scarlett muttered under her breath, pinching the bridge of her nose as the camera cut in close to her.
/
"Almost there, DJ!" Sierra called out to her teammate, already sitting on the boat with Shawn. "You can do it!"
"I can do it! I can do it!" the gentle giant repeated, his eyes clenched shut as he kicked forward. The background music became triumphant as he finally reached the edge of the boat and was pulled up by Shawn and Sierra. "I made it!" DJ said in happy relief.
"Yeah, and not a moment too soon," Shawn said with a nervous look back at the ocean they'd just crossed; the camera quick-panned over to show the distinct dorsal fin of a killer whale breach the surface for a few brief seconds.
"Aye dere, contestants!" Chris greeted as the shot cut to him approaching the teams on his fishing boat, the background music shifting back into a more dramatic challenge tempo. "Ready to row, row, row yer boats? First two teams to get their dories to the shore," he said, switching back to his usual voice as the camera panned downward across Team Chris, Team Victory, and Team Universe, "will take part in the final challenge. Oh, and if you land some seafood along the way," he added, "you'll get a special reward. On your mark!" he raised his right hand high. "Get set!" he moved it onto the unseen helm of his own vessel. He finished with a short blow on his ship's horn. "Now go!" he declared, the teams and music both taking off in full force.
Team Chris and Team Victory got an early lead. The former had Sierra and DJ rowing while Shawn sat in back; meanwhile, the four boys had arranged themselves so that Tyler and Geoff were manning the oars, Ezekiel sat in back, and Scott took a seat in front. "Watch out for the killer whales!" Scott taunted Team Chris as his boat passed theirs.
"Don't worry," Shawn quickly told DJ as the larger boy cringed in fear, "I don't think they'll bother us but I'll keep an eye out anyway."
The focus quickly moved to the unmoving Team Universe as Sammy looked around nervously from her spot in the middle next to Sugar, with Ella at the bow and Alejandro and Scarlett at the stern. "Uhh, I guess me and Sugar are rowing?" she said hesitantly.
"Finally," the pageant queen said in a surprisingly good-natured fashion, "I thought you were never gonna decide!" She quickly grabbed an oar and started rowing, as did Sammy.
"Sorry, I just didn't realize we were waiting for me to give an order," Sammy explained. "I'm not really used to being in charge."
"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it," Alejandro told her as Scarlett tossed out a lobster trap with an annoyed expression. "And if you tire of rowing, just let me know and I'll swap places with you."
"Thanks," Sammy told him with a smile, "but I don't think I'll need it."
"And how about I act as the coxswain?" Ella suggested before immediately and cheerfully calling "Stroke! Stroke! Stroke!" at an even pace. Sugar was shown glaring, and the focus moved back to Team Victory.
"Whoa, I think I got something!" Ezekiel called out to his teammates as he frantically pulled up the rope hanging out of their boat, revealing a lobster trap with what looked like a single lobster in it. "Err, now what do I do with it?"
"I don't know, just dump it in the boat," Scott told him. "And make sure it doesn't fall out or pinch anyone."
"Really?" Geoff said accusingly. "I thought you woulda liked to see that happen." Scott just rolled his eyes.
The camera panned up to Team Chris, where Shawn was looking nervous at his own lobster trap. "I'm...not sure I wanna risk dredging up a sunken zombie head with this thing," he said before setting the trap down and picking up a fishing pole. "This should be better," he smiled.
The background music increased its dramatic tone as the three teams were shown rowing nearly side-by-side, with Team Victory in a slight lead and Team Universe slightly behind. "Who's gonna make it to the rock?" Chris narrated. "And who's going to the chopping block?" the camera cut to the host on his fishing boat as he switched back into his native accent. "Find out, after da break dere b'y."
(Fade to Commercial and Back)
As the episode resumed, Team Universe were shown to have closed the gap between themselves and the other teams. "Isn't this just so exciting?" Ella asked aloud. "The sky may be cloudy, but it sure does set the mood, doesn't it?"
"And what mood is that?" Scott asked from his boat with a skeptical smirk. "Cold, dreary, and seasick?"
"No, not that," Ella told him, "although it is a little chilly. What I mean is that although a lot of sad things have happened lately, that's no reason we can't enjoy ourselves right now! We get to be out on the beautiful north Atlantic, competing with each other and the noble creatures of the deep, and honoring Canada's finest fishermen! Isn't it just amazing?"
"Yeah!" Tyler answered, immediately and enthusiastically.
"Not really!" DJ said a moment after, clearly still apprehensive.
The three teams were interrupted by a sudden and familiar pair of dings, the accompanying musical note logo appearing in the corner of the screen."Yes!" Ella cheered. "Thank you Chris, a song is just what we need right now!"
"Glad you're getting into it, Ella!" Chris said as he drove his boat up alongside the three teams. "I'm expecting this to be a good one!"
"I won't let you down, Chris!" Ella called back eagerly. "Now start the song!"
~/~
[The music was opened by an accordion, playing jauntily over a close-up of Ella's pink slipper as it stomped down on the side of the boat to the beat – once, then again, then three times quickly. Drums joined in as the princess began to sing.]
"We're heading down to Newfoundland, that rocky eastern shore!"
"We'll test ourselves against the sea for the win we're fighting for!"
[Alejandro added as a fiddle and tin whistle joined the music. He had somehow gotten hold of an accordion and was playing it in the boat, and the camera panned down during the lyrical intermission as he danced a few steps.]
"I can't get a thing to bite so we gotta get there fast!"
[Shawn sang, bobbing his head to the tune as the focus moved over to Team Chris; true to word his fishing line wasn't moving. He turned his gaze forward, and the camera panned to Sierra and DJ.]
"Oh Shawn we hear you loud and clear, 'cause we don't wanna come in last!"
[The fangirl and brickhouse sang together as they paddled quickly; Sierra followed up with a chant of "Go! Go! Go!" to the song's beat.]
"It's a sea shanty, and it's darn catchy!"
[Ella sang as the camera moved back to her, step-dancing a little before eagerly calling out "Okay Team Victory, it's your turn!" Still rowing, Sugar was glaring at her.]
"Sure it's kinda cold out, but at least Zeke's catching fish!"
[Tyler enthusiastically answered, looking back over his shoulder as his homeschooled friend hauled a fish up that was larger than he was, and with a startled "Whoa!" promptly got crushed by it.]
"Great job guy, don't be shy, 'cause your haul sure looks delish!"
[Geoff sang back to Ezekiel as the homeschooled fisherman pulled himself out from under the giant fish. The camera panned a short way over to Scott as he smirked and said "Looks like the reward's ours, boys!"]
"This trap is inefficient, to the net I will resort!"
[Scarlett sang next, the camera cutting over to her holding up a lobster trap with only a single lobster, then putting it down and picking up a large fishing net.]
"Wait, do I see? Could it be?"
[Sammy exclaimed suddenly, causing the camera to pan to her wide-eyed face as it filled with hope. She gasped.]
"Steer us hard to port!"
[Sammy finished as the scene cut to an approaching shot of a foggy outcropping of rock, with a familiar silhouette standing on top of it.]
"It's a sea shanty, and it's darn catchy!"
[Ella repeated as the camera cut back to her step-dancing at the ship's bow, Sugar and especially Sammy rowing hard with fierce determination on their faces. Ella looked happily expectant at Sugar, the only one yet to sing.]
"Won't make me happy, with a sea shanty!"
[Sugar sang without looking at the object of her hate.]
~/~
The jaunty rock music stopped there, getting quickly replaced with something hollow and sad as Ella's face fell. "Oh," she said, "I'm sorry to hear that, Sugar. I was really hoping to lift everyone's spirits with a song."
"Well my spirits are raised," Sammy interrupted, "so let's get going!" She pointed off to her left, then resumed paddling with Sugar.
/
"Wonder where they're goin'?" DJ asked, having stopped paddling to look in Team Universe's direction.
"No idea," Chris called out, gaining the whole team's attention. Another hollow note played as the perspective changed to show the camera moving away from him and his boat, and he added "Ya might wanna take a wee gander over dere, b'y!"
Team Chris were shown looking forward again, and the shot zoomed out to show they were drifting straight towards an iceberg. All three started to scream, and DJ and Sierra started to frantically paddle to the side. They managed to dodge it, but Shawn's eyes widened as he noticed another smaller hunk of ice float by between them and the camera.
"We're in an ice drift!" Sierra exclaimed, briefly stopping her rowing. "We have to make sure we don't hit anything!"
"What do you think I'm tryin' to do?" DJ replied as he frantically tried to move the boat by himself.
The background music became tense as the camera switched to an aerial view of the ice drift, showing Team Chris' boat as they tried to maneuver their way through the sea ice. Several times they screamed again as they neared one of the floes or bergs, but they managed to avoid them all just in time and maneuver their way through the drift and off-screen.
They let out a sigh of relief, and the scene changed to the beach they'd come ashore on. There were a few rocks lying around, as well as a mound of lobster traps, several upturned boats, and a lighthouse on a cliff far in the background.
"Oh em gee, we're alive!" Sierra said in amazement.
"Yeah!" DJ added.
"Great steering guys!" Shawn told his teammates. "You two really saved us!"
"Aww man," Scott's annoyed voice came in. "I knew we shouldn't have slowed down to land that cod!" Team Victory was shown approaching the shore, Ezekiel struggling with another large fish.
"Ooh, we even won!" Sierra said excitedly. "Go us!"
The dramatic music peaked as a strange high-pitched noise got Team Chris' attention, and they turned their heads just in time to see Chris, now wearing a jetpack over his raincoat, land in front of a nearby lobster shack. "In a surprise finish, Team I-Am-So-Wickedly-Cool is first!" he announced.
"Uhh, that's not technically our name," Sierra corrected.
"Meanwhile," Chris continued, ignoring the comment, "Team Victory gets second, and Team Universe is currently a no-show."
"Really?" DJ asked in concern. "Where are they?" As he put his hand to his brow and looked back out towards the sea, a few ominous chanting notes played...
/
The scene changed to a shot looking up at the mysterious silhouette on top of the rock formation, the sun shining bright behind it.
"For what reason did you take us so far off course during a race?" Scarlett asked angrily as the camera quick-panned down to Team Universe's boat floating at the base of the rock formation.
"Because," Sammy said as she climbed out onto the nearest rock, "I saw something that I can't just ignore, even if we end up losing because of it. And since you all decided to make me leader for this challenge, you're just gonna have to go along with it."
Alejandro sighed and stood up. "Fair enough," he told her. "I'm not happy about it, but since I think I know what you're feeling I won't argue. Still," he stood and grabbed onto the rock, "at least let me go with you. I'll admit I'm curious as to what's up there, and it's safer if we go together."
"Oh, uh, okay," Sammy told him.
"In that case, I'm comin' too!" Sugar declared forcefully.
"Perhaps I should come as well?" Ella offered uncertainly.
"No," Alejandro told them. "Somebody needs to stay here to keep Scarlett from leaving without us."
"That's...probably a good idea," Sammy admitted, causing the evil genius to purse her lips unamusedly.
"Fine," Sugar said, sitting back down and crossing her arms. "But only 'cause Sammy's the leader, like I decided."
Sammy and Alejandro smiled, and as they began to climb the scene flashed away.
/
"Okay everybody!" Chris addressed the two teams who had assembled before him at the beach's picnic table. "It's time for the next leg! Since Team Universe are the big losers, they're out." DJ gasped. "They'll have to clean the fish and the lobsters the other teams brought in. Aaaaand," he added as Chef quickly leaned forward and slammed a juicy bucket of clams down in front of him, "shuck all these giant clams!" A few of the clams had bounced out of the bucket when it was slammed down, and Chris caught one in his hand.
"Yo, I'm sure glad I'm not them, eh," Ezekiel said, "'cause I caught a lotta fish."
"Unfortunately, they're not here yet," Chris said. "And since I'm hosting a swanky beach shindig in a couple of hours, which I need some clean and beautiful Atlantic clams for, I'm not very happy right now." Still wearing his usual bland smile, he squeezed the clam in his hand hard enough that it spurted a large amount of fluid onto DJ.
"Uhh, maybe they'll be here soon?" the gentle giant said with a squeak in his voice.
"They better hope so," Chris said, waving the clam around and scattering a few more drops of fluid. "Otherwise, I'm gonna have to have Chef supervise them while they work. And by 'supervise', I mean 'throw things at them so they work faster while I watch and laugh'."
"So, uh, didn't you say the team who brings in the most seafood gets a special reward?" Scott asked cautiously.
"You do," Chris said, still smiling blandly. "You get to watch Scarlett, Alejandro, and the rest of their team shuck clams and clean fish when they get here. How's that for a special reward?"
Scott rubbed his chin in thought for a moment, then smiled and nodded. "Cool, I'll look forward to it." The rest of the contestants were shown looking slightly uneasy, with DJ being the most noticeable.
xxx
"Okay, if it was just Scarlett and Alejandro doin' the work," DJ confessed, "I probably wouldn't mind watchin' that much. But I don't wanna have to see my girlfriend cleaning fish, especially if Chef's there throwin' stuff at her. Plus, she might have to face elimination tonight!" He paused, then added "Then again, I doubt she'd be the one voted off. Unless she was the reason they're so late gettin' here? But I don't see how that could happen."
xxx
"Dawn!" Sammy called out as the scene cut back to her and Alejandro climbing up the rocks. "I'm sorry if you don't wanna see me right now, but please, just tell me why you left! DJ and I have been worried sick!"
The camera looked up at the mysterious silhouette again, a few wisps of light fog surrounding it. It gave no response, but as the shot moved back to Sammy she didn't falter. "Dawn, please!" she repeated as the perspective moved up to the top of the outcropping, focused on its edge as Sammy's hands reached up to it. "Just-" Sammy pulled herself up to face the camera, then froze in mid-sentence with eyes wide and mouth agape. Alejandro pulled himself up besides her, and his eyes immediately went wide as well.
The shot zoomed out from them, revealing that the top of the rocky outcropping was barren, with nothing that even remotely resembled Dawn.
"I...but...she was here, I-I saw her!" Sammy stuttered as she frantically scrambled up top and frantically looked around. "Did she jump off into the ocean or something?"
"I'm sure we would have heard the splash," Alejandro said calmly as he pulled himself up as well and walked over to her. "I fear she may not have been here to begin with," he told her as she continued to crawl around and look over the edges in a panic. "The fog plays tricks on the best of us, I'm afraid."
Sammy sat up on her knees and turned a desperate look to her teammate. "I wasn't seeing things, I swear! Dawn was up here, just like she was in the sewers in New York! Just like DJ saw her in the Alps!"
"So what, you think she's following us in secret to keep an eye on you two?" Alejandro asked skeptically. "Because as much as I'd like that to be true, for your sake, I just don't see how Dawn could possibly keep up with the plane, even with her...gifts."
"Then...then what have I been seeing?" Sammy asked herself, looking down despairingly. "What did DJ see?"
"You saw what you wanted to see," Alejandro told her, walking up and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's obvious that you two care a lot about Dawn, and with the way she left us it's natural for you to want resolution. But you have to accept that she's gone now, and that you need to focus on what remains."
"DJ...," Sammy murmured. She sighed, then stood up. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I do need to move on from Dawn leaving and focus on my relationship with DJ."
"I'm glad you've realized that," Alejandro told her with a smile that quickly turned into a more anxious look, "but you should probably also focus on the competition."
Sammy's eyes went wide. "Oh crap, the challenge! We gotta get back to the boat!"
/
The scene flashed down to Ella, Sugar, and Scarlett in the boat below, the singer looking distinctly uncomfortable. The three were startled when Sammy and Alejandro suddenly dove into the water nearby, splashing all three of the boat-bound girls.
"You're back!" Ella said excitedly. "How did it go, did you find Dawn?"
"Not so much, sorry," Sammy said sadly as she and Alejandro quickly swam over and boarded the boat.
"Well, now that your snipe hunt has concluded we can finally go to our fates," Scarlett said as Sugar and Alejandro took up the oars and began paddling.
/
The scene flashed away again, taking the focus back to the other two teams. They were now seated on opposite sides of a long table inside the lobster shack; various seafood paraphernalia dotted the back wall and a few traps lay on the right. Also on the right was an open screen door, while on the left a Dutch door remained close.
"Welcome to my traditional Newfoundland kitchen party," Chris greeted from the head of the table along the back wall. "In this part of the competition it's Team Victory," he motioned towards Scott, Tyler, Ezekiel, and Geoff on the left, "versus Team Chris is Really Really Mean," he waved an arm towards Shawn, Sierra, and DJ on the right, "in a 'Screeching In' relay!"
A jaunty tin whistle tune played as he turned around and opened a cupboard set into the wall behind him, revealing a few jugs. "'Screeching In' is a ceremony performed by the locals to welcome newcomers. First, ya have to swig a whole lot of apple cider," he said as he put three jugs down on the table.
"Hey, not too bad," Tyler said with a small smile.
"Correction," Chris said, "that was supposed to be apple cider vinegar. It'll put hair on your chest." Scott and Tyler shared an odd look. "Scott, Tyler, and Shawn each have to finish a whole bottle," the host continued over a shot of the survivalist raising an eyebrow.
"Soon as you do, you will tag Ezekiel and Sierra," the two contestants were each sown watching blankly, "who will then have to decipher a local Newfoundland saying, spoken by my cousin," with a smile he motioned over to the Dutch door and announced, "Jeeerrrrd McLean!"
Another jaunty tin whistle tune played as the bottom half of the Dutch door was swung open by a short man in a yellow raincoat similar to Chris'; despite his bushy red beard the man's face looked distinctly similar to the host's. He walked across the room quickly, put his arms around the shoulders of Tyler and Ezekiel, and said "How's i' gotten dere b'y?" The two boys shared a bewildered look.
"Then Zeke tags Geoff," Chris said as the camera zoomed out to show him standing behind the homeschooler and party-lover, "and Sierra tags DJ," the opposite pair were shown glancing at one another, "and they will have to kiss a cod. Like they mean it." Geoff's brow shot up in shock.
"First team to finish all three legs wins the challenge," Chris said before a loud and sudden crash from outside got his attention. "Huh, probably Team Universe," he said with a blank frown. "You all stay here while I take care of this." A few deep notes played as he walked towards the open door, and the two teams shared a nervous look.
/
"Maybe we were rowing too fast," Ella groaned as the scene moved to the members of Team Universe lying scattered under and around an upturned boat on the beach.
"Aww, shut it," Sugar grumbled, pulling herself out from under the boat.
"Hello, ladies," Chris said, the camera pulling back as the approached the five. "And Al. Glad you finally decided to show up."
"Are we in last?" Sammy asked anxiously, propping herself up on one arm and rubbing her head.
"Yup," Chris said bluntly. "The other teams got here awhile ago and are about to get started on their next challenge" he added with a thumb pointed back over his shoulder. "What you kids have to do now is clean and shuck all the seafood you and the other teams brought in. And believe me," he chuckled, "Zeke caught a lot of fish."
"If we finish processing the catch before the other teams complete their challenge, will we have to go to elimination?" Scarlett asked as she stood up and brushed some sand off her clothes.
"Nope," Chris said with a mischievous smile.
"Then there's no reason for us to delay," Scarlett said before walking towards the table nearby. "Let's get started, team." Sugar followed her with an annoyed look, with a nervous Sammy, happy Ella, and disinterested Alejandro joining moments later.
/
"Well then, now that that's taken care of," Chris said, now back in the lobster shack with his cousin and the other two teams, "it looks like it's time for Team Dude and Team Me to go head-to-head." Scott and Tyler shared an anxious look, and Shawn gave a similar look at the jug in front of him. "Let the Screeching In," Chris said as he and Jerd raised their fingers simultaneously, "begin!" The two McLeans pointed at the contestants, and a deep and tense piece of music began.
All three boys were shown raising their jugs of vinegar and beginning to chug – first Scott, then Tyler, then Shawn. Jerd was shown grinning and pounding his fists against the air excitedly, then the camera moved back to the farmer. To a triumphant tune he finished his jug and set it down, coughed dryly, then grinned. "Please, that was nothing!" he said cockily. "I've drank worse things I've found in Pappy's shed."
Shawn finished next, his face already scrunched up as he put the jug down. "Okay," he said with a dry wheeze, "that was almost difficult." He wiped his mouth on his sleeve, then grinned.
The tense music returned as the focus was put on Tyler, who was still chugging. "Come on, man!" Scott told him. "It's just vinegar!"
Tyler made no sign of hearing him, instead grabbing the jug with both hands and tilting it higher as he himself leaned back. The music became triumphant again as he quickly swallowed, and eventually he pulled the jug off his lips with a 'pop', weakly wheezed "Done!", and in one swift motion dropped the jug on the table and fell over backwards.
"Awesome," Chris said with a grin. "Both teams move on to the interpretation part of the challenge!" He raised his arms, then said "Ready? Take it away, Jerd!"
The camera panned down to the shorter man as he happily said something akin to "Ring da bell at da pumphouse."
"Uhh...what?" Sierra asked in blank confusion.
"That's...kinda hard, eh," Ezekiel added.
"Dese kids are as smart as a bag o' rocks, b'y," Jerd told his cousin.
"Oh," Chris laughed, "I know."
"Hey, it's not that I don't know what he said," Ezekiel spoke up, taking offense, "I just don't know what he means, okay?"
"Oh really?" Chris asked, sharing a skeptical look with his cousin. "What makes you think it's not just what you think he said?"
"Because that would be too easy, eh!" Ezekiel answered, mildly exasperated. "It wouldn't be a challenge if his sayin' was straightforward, so it's gotta be, like, a euphemism or somethin'."
The McLean cousins shared a look of mild surprise, and Sierra was shown thoughtfully muttering "Euphemism, huh?"
"Aggh, Zeke!" Scott said, slapping his face then leaning towards his teammate and gesturing towards his opponent. "Why'd you have to tell her that?"
"Sorry, homie," Ezekiel said sheepishly. "But at least I got an idea of what it is, eh."
"Would you care to take a guess?" Chris asked with a hint of impatience.
"Err," the homeschooler looked thoughtful for a second, then hesitantly said "Can I use the bathroom?"
Jerd snapped his fingers and smiled. "Correctamundo!" Chris said, causing Team Victory to cheer and group high-five. "Jerd asked to use the washroom like a true Maritimer! Surprising display of smarts, Zeke."
"It ain't that surprisin', eh," Ezekiel replied, slightly offended again.
"And with that, Team Victory is in the lead," Chris said. "They can now move on to the third and final part." Geoff was shown raising his eyebrows in surprise and dread. "Yo, Chef!" he called out, and the camera moved to the wide-open Dutch door as the music became tenser.
"Keep your shirt on, I'm comin'!" the hulking man said shortly before walking into the room with a clothespin on his nose and a bucket in his hands. He reached into it, pulled out a fish of decent size, and casually tossed it on the table in front of Geoff.
"All you gotta do is smooch the cod for the win," Chris told the taken-aback party boy. "And remember, dude," he added as the shot cut to him winking and his cousin making kissy faces while a harp played, "like you mean it!" Geoff shuddered.
"Chris is Really Really Really Really Mean, you better get a move on!" the host told the team of three, Sierra in particular watching blankly. "Jerd, another saying if you would please?"
He motioned to his cousin, who smiled and said "Tha worst thing ye can have in yer head is a na'r tooth!"
Sierra's eyes went wide, and she said "...huh. Is this another euphemism?"
"Not really," Chris answered plainly. "Any guesses?"
The fangirl frowned thoughtfully, then hesitantly answered "The worst thing you can have in your head is...no teeth?"
Jerd nodded as a mild tune of triumph played. "Bingo!" Chris said. "And how true. DJ!" Chef thrust another cod into DJ's hands. "It's time to pucker up!"
"I don't know if I can do this," the brickhouse said, not taking his eyes off the cod in his hands. "I don't wanna hurt the poor thing."
"Me neither," Geoff chimed in, nervously looking at his own fish. "I don't think Bridgette would like me kissin' a fish."
Chris and Jerd just rolled their eyes.
/
The scene flashed to another, deader-looking cod getting slammed down on a table, but the camera quickly zoomed out to show that it was on the table outside. It had been slammed down on the table by Sammy, who was wearing gloves and holding a knife over the deaf fish. All five member of Team Universe looked like they had been splattered with various fluids.
"Okay, this is worse than the clams," Sammy said, wincing as the camera panned up from the fish she was now cleaning.
"Too bad," Scarlett said as she slammed one of the large fish Ezekiel had caught down on the table. "We have to process all of it, regardless of how disgusting it is."
"Oh, certainly," Alejandro said as he grabbed another clam out of a cooler on the table. "We wouldn't want to invoke the wrath of our host after all. Of course," he chuckled lightly, "some of us have more to worry about than others."
"Haha," Scarlett said sarcastically. "Making an obvious reference to both my unwanted accessory," she rapped on her collar with her knuckles, "and the fact that I'm the most likely to be eliminated. Hilarious."
"Stop yappin'," Sugar scolded as she casually tossed a cleaned fish over her shoulder. "Ain't none of us is goin' home so long as we focus on the fish."
"Quite right, Sugar!" Ella said happily, to which the pageant queen glared at her.
"I'm just...glad that none of you are mad at me for making us lose," Sammy told her team with a smile as she dropped her cleaned fish into a bucket and grabbed another one from a cooler on the table.
xxx
"I'm pretty sure the only reason my teammates aren't openly talking about voting me off is because they still want me in their alliances," Sammy told the restroom camera. "Which I gotta say is almost nice!" she added with a smile that quickly faltered. "Almost."
xxx
The scene cut back to Geoff and DJ anxiously holding up their cods. "Just tell yourself," Sierra whispered to her teammate, "Dawn would want you to show that cute little fish some affection!"
"I...that actually kinda makes sense!" DJ whispered back with a growing smile, causing his cod to look nervously at the camera.
"Yo, just ignore the fact that it's a cod, eh," Ezekiel whispered to Geoff. "Just think about kissing Bridgette instead."
Geoff gulped. "I'll try, dude." He closed his eyes, and a touching tune began to play as the fish was overlain with an image of Bridgette puckering up to him, a heart in the background. "Oh, Bridge," Geoff moaned as he kissed his 'girlfriend', "I really miss you."
"Oh, fishy...," DJ murmured in a similar tone as he was shown kissing his rather bewildered-looking cod.
First Sierra and Shawn, then Ezekiel, Tyler, and Scott were shown all watching uncomfortably over sounds of repeated kissing. The shot cut back to Geoff and DJ, now sitting back-to-back on the table but still kissing their fish.
"Okay," Chris said as the music turned sharper, "we've seen enough!" Geoff's cod broke the kiss and slapped him. "It's a tie!" the host declared as the camera moved to him waving his arms and Jerd covering his eyes. "A draw!"
Just then, Team Universe came running in through the open screen door on the right. "We're done cleaning the fish!" Alejandro announced at the front of the group. "Did we finish in time?"
"Nope!" Chris said with a wide grin. "Team Universe, you are today's full-on, big-time, can't-get-any-bigger, losers!"
"Aww, no!" Alejandro groaned with his teammates. "I thought for sure we had finished before one of the other teams!"
"Well, I suppose it had to happen sooner or later," Ella said sadly.
Scarlett sighed. "Well, I suppose we'd better prepare ourselves for a vote," she said in an annoyed but defeated tone.
"Except that," Chris interrupted, "in celebration of my home and native land, this is a reward challenge only! No eliminations!"
"But you told us we'd only avoid elimination if we finished cleaning the fish before the other teams finished their challenge!" Alejandro said in shock.
"No," Chris corrected, "I said that if you finished before the other teams you wouldn't have to vote someone off. Not once did I say what would happen if you didn't finish cleaning before the challenge ended."
"Then...why did you lie to us?" Sammy asked.
"'Cause I figured you'd work faster if you thought it would save your butts, duh," Chris answered with a laugh before turning his attention back to the other teams. "Anyway, Teams Chris is Really Really Really Mean and Victory are tied for a reward," he told them, Geoff and DJ still sitting on the table holding their cods. "A delicious clam and fish chowder supper!" The seven teens immediately cheered.
/
The footage skipped forward to Tyler drinking a bowl of chowder, then setting the bowl down on the table and wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "Man, that sure hits the spot after all that vinegar!" he told his teammates, the camera pulling back to show both them and Team Chris enjoying their meal at the same table.
"It got the taste of fish outta my mouth too!" Geoff said happily.
"Wouldn't the chowder only increase the taste of fish?" Sierra asked.
"Whoa," Geoff said, stunned by the revelation. "I didn't even think of that!" The others laughed at him in a mostly good-natured fashion.
"Y'know," Scott mused between slurps, "we never did get to watch Team Universe clean the fish."
"I doubt we missed very much, eh," Ezekiel told him. "Just them gettin' some fish guts on 'em."
"Still wanted to see it," Scott said.
The camera panned back over to Team Chris as DJ stood up. "Hey, I'm gonna go find Sammy, okay?" he told his teammates.
"Go right ahead," Shawn told him as Sierra nodded. "Just watch out for maritime undead."
DJ chuckled. "Right."
xxx
"Me and Sammy haven't seen each other all day," DJ told the restroom camera, "and with her team, I bet she really needs someone to talk to right now. Plus," he looked around and blushed happily, "it's kinda been a while since we were really alone together, y'know?"
xxx
The scene cut to Sammy sitting sadly on a rock at the edge of the beach, a light but ominous tune playing in the background. She sighed forlornly, then looked up and around at the sound of footsteps. The camera zoomed out, but it was not DJ who was approaching but rather Alejandro.
"Still thinking about Dawn?" he asked her.
"Yeah," Sammy said sadly. "I've been trying not to, but..."
"No need to explain," Alejandro told her with a curt handwave, "it's only natural to struggle with those feelings."
Sammy sighed again, and looked up at him. "Look, I know you're only trying to make me feel better so I'll join your alliance, but...," she looked down again and smiled halfheartedly, "surprisingly, I don't really mind that much."
"And...?" Alejandro said, eyebrow raised intriguingly and smile half-formed on his face.
She sighed a third time, but this one was much shorter. "I'll join the alliance with you and Ella," she told him, extending her hand. He reached out to shake it, but then she abruptly pulled it back a ways and sternly told him "But only until the merge." She re-extended her hand and smiled.
"Fair enough," Alejandro said, grinning as he shook her hand. "Welcome to the alliance, Sammy."
A few deep, chanting notes played as the camera cut to DJ standing in the doorway of the lobster shack, gasping at what he saw. The shot pulled back to show Sammy and Alejandro shaking hands in the foreground, then pulled back even more and panned left to show Chris watching the scene from afar.
"Wow, that's gotta be a shocker," the host turned around and told the camera as the series' usual capstone music began to play. "Not every day you see your girlfriend making a deal with one of the biggest villains on the show, after all. What will become of this new development? Find out here, on Total! Drama! World Tour!" Though the grand and blaring music did not play, the camera still pulled back three times to show the whole beach, Sammy and Alejandro still shaking hands in the background but now looking straight at DJ.
(Fade to Credits)
Author's Note - Post Script
As was probably predicted as soon as most of you saw the title, this episode was another reward challenge. Honestly, the entire challenge was set up to be one, so I saw no point in changing it. The tie either, for that matter, since it's gonna play out a little bit differently than in canon since DJ's not a team of one.
And, of course, Sammy maybe-saw Dawn again as I'm sure you were all expecting. But unlike in canon, what she saw wasn't just a Dawn-shaped rock. Oh, and for the record, the Duncan-shaped rock does totally exist in the Shuffledverse, but nobody had a reason to notice or care about it.
The song, of course, is a Shuffled version of 'Sea Shanty Mix' that I've taken to calling 'Sea Shanty Shuffled Mix' just because. I hope I got the right feel to the lyrics; as stated in-story Ella was hoping to raise people's spirits with an upbeat and jaunty sea tune.
Overall, this episode played out a lot differently without a one-person team in it, while still retaining what I feel is a comfortable level of same-ness with the canon episode. I hope you all enjoyed it!
One last thing - I did my best transliterating the Newfoundland English, but I'm not certain on some of it (particularly Jerd's lines) so if you're a native speaker of the dialect I apologize for any mistakes I made.
- Fangren
Appendix: TSWT Eliminated Contestants
Staci - (17th Place)
Beardo - (16th Place)
Lightning - (15th Place)
Dawn - (14th Place? | Quit Unofficially)
Bridgette - (13th Place)