Chapter 26

Cody yawned as he sat from his chair and looked around the First Class. The rest of Team Amazon was sleeping like he had been before he had awoken. He spotted Gwen at window seat furthest from him with her friends close by. Now that Sierra was gone nothing was stopping him from getting close to her, at least that's what he thought until Duncan started hanging out with her more often. Gwen would often talk to him and laugh a bit which made Cody nervous.

He had been hoping for the chance ever since Gwen had broken up with Trent but had refrained from hitting on her when she arrived at Playa Des Losers, not wanting to make it look like he was taking advantage of her. The problem now was Duncan and Gwen for some reason had been distancing herself a little from everyone, preferring to hang out with her friends, Dawn and Elliot. Cody liked both of them, Dawn seemed a little strange but she was an environmentalist like Gwen and was almost as nice as DJ while Elliot was like a mini Izzy at times and acted cheerful almost all the time except when someone like Courtney bothered her. Cody could see Gwen enjoying their company and on a team with Heather and Courtney he didn't blame her for that.

He just wished he could hang out with her a bit.

"Spppssssttt!" Cody turned and saw Heather awake and trying to get his attention.

"Heather?" Cody whispered.

"I got a proposition for you."

"Huh?"

"Trust me; it'll be something you'll like."

Xxx

Confessional: Heather

"Right now Courtney believes I'll turn on Goth Girl just because I hate her but she's crazier than Izzy if she believes I'll go along with her idea. Gwen may have her friends on her side and Courtney may have a plan to get Duncan back but I still have one person I can count on and it's better for me if Cody's on Gwen side meaning he can help me." Heather smirked.

End Confessional

Xxx

Gwen was reading a book while Elliot was looking out the window and Dawn was meditating on the other side. Dawn had long since changed back into her regular clothes but she kept the dress Elliot had made for her because of how nice it looked. However the relaxation came to an end when Courtney walked up to them.

"Where is he?" Courtney asked, getting to the point.

"Hm..." Gwen looked up. "Who?"

"You know who! My traitorous ex-boyfriend! Where is he?!" Courtney growled.

"I don't know. I'm not his keeper." Gwen turned back to her book, not minding Courtney's growl.

"Duncan left after their last fight and probably spent the night in the Economy Class." Dawn opened her eyes.

Courtney turned to the door and stomped out.

"Aww, she wants Duncan back!" Elliot laughed.

"I am not taking him back! I am just eavesdropping back there because I know Duncan might try and flirt with someone or try and make an alliance."

Xxx

Confessional: Courtney

"I can't let Duncan think he can make an alliance with anyone or he'll help take me out. He's probably already got Gwen helping him out but with Heather making an alliance with Cody it'll be easy to get rid of him before we make it to the merge and then I'll beat Gwen, Heather, and take all the money for myself and leave Duncan NOTHING!"

End Confessional

Xxx

"Okay, Courtney, I think you might want to consider chilling out." Heather walked up. "Oh cares what Duncan's doing."

"Whatever." Courtney stomped into the Economy Class.

"She's really obsessed with him." Elliot commented.

"Only because she doesn't like it when she loses what she thinks belongs to her." Dawn replied.

"While we're on the subject I think it's time for either Courtney or Duncan to go." Heather spoke up. "Those two are their throats too much and it's only a matter of time before they drag us down with them."

"We're not going to lose just because we want them gone and while we're on the subject if you want Courtney gone then why has she been talking to you for the last few days?" Gwen narrowed her eyes.

"Well..." Heather was surprised when Gwen asked that question when she thought she was being discreet. "Courtney asked me for an alliance and then to try and get Cody to team up with us while she somehow got Duncan back and then vote you and your friends off."

Heather knew she had to tell the truth or Gwen might drop their alliance and get Duncan and Cody to join up with her and have them vote off either her or Courtney.

"And just how does Courtney plan to get Duncan back?" Gwen asked.

"Maybe she'll flirt with Alejandro and try to make him jealous." Elliot giggled. "They have been pretty friendly the last few days."

"What?! Of all the..." Heather reached up and opened the air vent.

"What are you doing? Have you taken over Izzy's job of looking for elves?" Gwen asked.

"Heather's totally jealous!" Elliot snickered.

"Ew! Elliot, that's like the Grinch having a crush on somebody!" Gwen giggled at the mere thought of it.

"Everyone is capable of love." Dawn pointed out.

"OW!" They snickered at the sound of Heather banging her head and then sticking it out of the vent. "I am not in love! I am thinking about our team. I am trying to sneak back into loser class and eavesdrop. With Duncan and Courtney with him Alejandro has free reign to make an alliance."

Xxx

Confessional: Heather

"That Alejandro probably knew this would happen! Duncan gets mad at Courtney and he offers an alliance to get rid of her while Courtney gets mad and he offers an alliance to try and throw our team off balance! With him acting as the puppet master they'll tear my team apart to get rid of each other! But there's still time because Alejandro has forgotten one crucial element, Team Victory."

Xxx

"Why did we have to win in dumb Paris?" Heather grumbled as she vanished back into the vent.

"Sorry we can quit trying if you want." Gwen sarcastically replied as she went back to her book.

"Ew! Gross!" Heather came back holding a tooth brush. "What is this doing up here?"

"Oh! I've been looking for that! I forgot where I put that!" Cody reached up and grabbed it. "When Sierra started touching all my stuff I started buying extra supplies like socks, underwear, and toothbrushes and hid them all over the plane. This is my ninth and last one."

"Okay, Heather I really think you should consider chilling out." Elliot said.

"Whatever." Heather vanished back into the vent.

"What is going on here? Heather likes Alejandro, Duncan and Courtney are fighting, it's like one of those boring drama shows my mom watches back home." Elliot groaned as she leaned back in her chair.

"Get used to it, Elliot. We're in for a long ride." Gwen sighed.

The plane started shaking again only this time everyone could hear splashing sounds. Elliot looked out the window to see what was going on. "Uh oh."

"That's never a good thing." Gwen put on her seat belt.

"Guys, we're skidding across the ocean!" Elliot exclaimed.

The plane came to a stop a moment later and Chris's annoying voice came over the speaker. "Attention all passengers, in accordance with the emergency landing procedures you will now be shoved out the nearest exit."

"Oh boy."

A second later everyone was shoved out of the plane by Chef. Heather was the last to be tossed out, skidding across the water on a cushion.

"What, no cushions for the rest of us?" Elliot mock scowled.

DJ had a little trouble keeping his head above the water but luckily he had Bridgette and Ezekiel to help him stay up.

"Oh! This water is going to ruin my hair and makeup!" Lindsay whined.

"I think it still looks great Linds." Tyler swam up to her.

"Oh! You are nice Tyler!" Linsday grabbed Tyler so hard they both started sinking.

'That wish really came through.' Gwen thought as they made it back up to the surface, gasping for air.

A boat stopped in front of the floating contestants and Chris walked out dressed in a sailor suit. "Hey there, ya landlubbers! Ready to get your sea legs?"

"Oh god, someone drown me. It's not enough to have a mop for a head but he's actually butchering the English language." Elliot gagged.

Most of the cast laughed at her joke, even Heather laughed as Chris looked annoyed.

"Trying out for pirate of the year Chris? I think anyone here would be happy to poke out one eye so you can wear a patch!" Gwen called out. "Why are you talking like that anyway?"

"We must be near Newfoundland, Chris's homeland." Dawn replied.

"How do you know?" Courtney asked.

"Sierra was happy to share her knowledge of Total Drama and its host when she wasn't helping herself to Cody's floss." Dawn replied.

Cody gagged and lowered his mouth into the water, spitting it out several times.

"Aye, it's gonna be a homecoming for the great Mclean at Canada's beautiful east coast. It's just a hop and skip...that way!"

Chris pointed in a direction where the cast could...a goose falling into the sea from sheer exhaustion.

"Before we start the challenge each team must swim to a boat and get ready to paddle. So hurry up or I'll start the challenge with you guys still in the water."

With that said the teams started swimming as fast as they could to the boats.

"Listen up, Amazons! If we swim in a V-Formation like geese, we'll swim faster."

"Fine, let's just do it!" Said the last person anyone expected to agree with Courtney.

"Courtney's bossing us around and you're okay with it?" Duncan asked.

"I don't care so as long as we win the challenge. Let's go people!" Heather started swimming with everyone behind her.

Xxx

Confessional: Gwen

"Heather's way too rattled, must be because everyone suspects that obvious crush on Alejandro. I'm actually not going to bother her much about this because I know how much a relationship can mess a person up on this show, especially after what happened to me and Trent last season."

End Confessional

Xxx

Unfortunately the team would be interrupted by another argument.

"I'll take point!" Courtney spoke up.

"Okay," Heather grabbed Courtney. "Let's not get too crazy here. I've got point."

"Look, I'm an experienced swimmer, I was a synchro captain. I coach minnows, I am a CIT!"

"More like a BITC..."

"JUST GO!" Gwen shouted.

Team Amazon was the last to reach their boat and Heather started shouting instructions as they climbed in.

"Courtney you navigate, Duncan you and me are rowing first, Gwen you and the rest sit back and take over if we get tired. Let's do this team!"

'Heather's really determined here.' Gwen commented.

'It's because of Alejandro, Courtney, and even you. You've all got alliances or close friends and she's only just holding on because of her deal with you.'

When Chris saw all the contestants were on their boats he started explaining the challenge. "All righty, contestants, are you ready to row, row, row, row your boats? The first two teams to reach the shore will advance to compete for first class while last team is out of the challenge. Also if you manage to catch some seafood you'll be getting a special reward later on!"

"All right, you guys focus on catching some fist. That reward will be ours!"

"Now go!" Chris sounded a horn.

The boats shot off with the teams moving as fast as they could but Chris stopped them. "Oh, I almost forgot."

A familiar chime rang and the contestants groaned.

"Remember kiddies, if you don't sing you're out of the competition!" Chris laughed as music started playing.

Alejandro: We're heading down to Newfoundland, that rocky eastern shore!

Owen: I'll have the shrimp, mussels, cod, and the lobster thermidor!

Gwen: I can't get a thing to bite, so we better get there first!

Courtney: Row harder, faster, both of you. For the win, work up a thirst! Stroke, stroke, stroke!

Elliot: What a pain! We're trying our best and still you hound us with your cries!

Duncan: It's not like it's going to win the prize!

Owen: Oh Izzy, my little Izzy! I wish you were here, because I know how much you love to catch fish!

Noah: She'd probably make claim that she was trained by a sergeant who was Irish!

Lindsay: This song is really catchy!

Bridgette: It's called a sea shanty!

Ezekiel: And it's really catchy!

DJ simply sat down, not saying anything at all which made Bridgette and Ezekiel a little worried. Elliot started pulling her fishing rod as she felt something tug it.

Elliot: Guys do you see?

Cody: Could it be?

Duncan and Elliot: It's our ticket to the prize!

Everyone: It's a sea shanty and it's darn catchy!

'Someone cut to the commercial break.' Gwen sighed as she went back to finding fish.

"Stroke! Stroke! Stroke! Faster, come on is that the best you can do?!" Courtney started yelling.

"Love for you to try this yourself!" Duncan replied.

"Just move faster!" Courtney yelled back.

Cody felt something pulling his line and he jumped up in excitement. "Hey guys I got some...THIIIIIIIINNNNNNNGGGGGG!"

He was suddenly pulled forward off the boat and would have fallen into the water if Gwen and Elliot hadn't grabbed his feet.

"Thanks!" Cody sighed in relief.

"Let go of the rod!" Gwen said.

"Don't you dare let go!" Courtney stepped up. "If he loses that fish we lose the prize!"

"Tell that to the fish!" Elliot retorted as she and Gwen kept on trying to pull Cody back onto the boat.

As they tried to pull Cody back in with the fish Team C passed by Team Amazon's boat with Alejandro waving. "I shall see you on the land, my beautiful and fierce opponents."

Heather growled as tried rowing faster. "Someone give us a hand! That fish is slowing us down!"

"Just pull him and that fish in!" Courtney shouted at Gwen and Elliot who still were trying to pull Cody onto the boat.

"Cody let go of the fishing rod!" Gwen called out.

"No! Pull it in!" Courtney argued.

"My hands are slipping!" Cody cried as the fishing rod started to slip out of his grip. "Pull me in!"

"Keep your grip on that rod and...OOF!" Having enough of Courtney's shouting Elliot knocked Courtney off the boat.

"Quick, let go now!" Elliot shouted.

Cody let go of the fishing rod and it vanished into the water while he was safely back on the boat as it kept on rowing towards the land. Chris and Chef were already on land and watched as the boats reached shore with Team C first, Team Amazon second, and Team Victory in last.

"Well, in an impressive display Team Chris is first followed by Team Victory!" Chris announced.

"Hey! What about us?!" Heather shouted.

"Yeah, you're missing someone." Chris pointed at the water.

Everyone turned around and watched as Courtney swam onto the shore looking soaked and angry.

"Since you were missing Courtney when you came in you are automatically in last place and out of the challenge." Chris explained.

Courtney growled as she glared at Gwen and Elliot. "You two are going down!"

"Bite me Coo-Coo In Training!" Elliot stomped up and looked Courtney in the eye. "We would have still come in last place because you screeching so shut up!"

"Well, in celebration for my homeland today's challenge is both a reward and a penalty so no eliminations." Chris smiled.

"What penalty, another hosen?" Elliot smirked at the look on Duncan's face.

"Nah, it's not that bad. You'll just be cleaning the fish and lobsters the other team brought in and providing a delicious clam and fish dinner for the winners." Chris grinned.

"I look forward to seeing what you make." Alejandro grinned at Team Amazon. "I am sure it will be delicious."

"Yes, because I once cooked the perfect turkey dinner." Courtney smiled at Alejandro.

Heather however glared.

Xxx

Confessional: Duncan

"Is it just me or is Courtney hitting on the new guy?"

Xxx

Confessional: Heather

"That's sneak is trying to mess with me by hitting on Courtney! And if he wants a seafood meal he'll get one he won't forget!"

Xxx

Confessional: Dawn

"Duncan and Heather's aura have turned a horribly envious green while Courtney's has turned a slight pink color meaning she may be developing a small crush on Alejandro."

End Confessional

Xxx

Gwen and Team Amazon didn't see any more action on Total Drama for the rest of the day but she saw Heather put a sock in one of the soups and knew it was meant for Alejandro. Courtney had been happy to serve Alejandro and she could have sworn she saw Duncan watching out of the corner of his eyes.

'Those two have a lot of issues to work out.' Andromeda commented.

'Tell me about it.' Gwen sighed. 'Not to mention the alliances and deals they are making behind everyone's backs.'

"Well, Team Amazon, what a mess you guys have made today." Chris said to the team that had been outside.

"Whatever Chris, just go away, the show's over." Heather turned around to walk back to the plane.

"Not even if there's chance to win a bonus?" Chris asked, earning their attention.

"Isn't the show over for the day?" Gwen asked.

"Yes but I am in a good mood and if you guys say yes I guarantee it will be an easy task and you'll get an advantage in the next episode." Chris replied.

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Duncan asked.

"Follow me." Chris beckoned and led Team Amazon down the beach and stopped to point at a small island. "See that island?

"What about it?" Heather asked.

"Well when I was growing up my parents told me that no one ever goes to that island because of an old story." Chris had them lean in and whispered. "On the island lived a witch...The Departed Witch."

"Departed Witch?"

"Indeed! The story goes that this woman had the power to see everyone's memories and pasts. And she used this to conjure images and noises in the night. People would see their dead loved ones calling out for them, or hear them in shouting from all directions...and even feel them creeping into camp at night." Chris nodded. "The woman was banished to that island after being tried for witchcraft, where she presumably died when the winter rolled in. But during the following spring, many of her earlier victims, those who saw her illusions and lived on this very beach disappeared. Fearing a curse, they moved elsewhere and vowed to never utter the name..."

He leaned in again and whispered. "Elizabeth Darke...ever again."

"Wait...so how would you know if they never talked about it?" Gwen asked.

"Oh, people came to that island over the years many times! And sometimes at night they thought they saw her, or images of people they once knew who had passed on. But also...okay the following can be proven by historical documents along with the fact that one Elizabeth Darke did live in this area: over 72 people over the years have vanished in the vicinity of that island. One child was even found on that island after vanishing from this beach, and the first search party to go after her presumably drowned even though their bodies were never found. It was later found however that the girl they had gone in search of had been drowned...and tied to an anchor over half a mile off shore."

"Eep!" Cody squeaked.

"Dang," Duncan raised an eyebrow.

"How awful!" Dawn said in a concerned voice.

"So why are you sending us over there?" Courtney demanded.

"Simple really. I have this old camera here," Chris held up the camera. "And I figured 'why not send some losers over there to document 'The Departed Witch'. You'd only have to spend a day or two over there, and then answer a bunch of questions when you get back. You just have to get me some Elizabeth sightings."

"Gee, joy...we're not going without some actual camping gear and food though." Gwen said firmly.

"Relax! It's all set up! Like I said, I'm in a good mood today!" Chris nodded. "We have basic camping equipment and food to last you all twice as long as you'll be staying, so don't be afraid to fill up! And we also have a boat ready for you which will be left on the shore until you're scheduled to come back. If anything goes wrong you can just call up Chef on the radio that comes with your gear, and any whiners can come back and wear the Hat of Cowardness!" He held up a cap which said 'Chicken butt!'

"...alright, sounds like a good deal." Elliot shrugged. "Let's go!"

"Gee, don't sound too nervous Elliot." Gwen raised one eyebrow at her friend.

"Oh come on Gwen, this'll be fun! And we get away from Chris for a few days too!"

"Well when you put it that way-"

"I call shotgun!" Duncan, Cody and Elliot were already rushing away to grab their supply packs.

"...Let's just go." Gwen shook her head and walked with the rest of the team.

Xxx

The Dimension Seal Method had been cast as Team Amazon was loading their supplies into the boat while the three Avatars stood at the end of the dock, watching the island.

"Gwen, this exploration could turn out to be dangerous." Andromeda said as she manifested her specter form.

"You know something about this island?" Gwen asked.

"Rumors of woman being accused as witches and then turned into vengeful spirits when they die was common back in the sixties." Luna's specter form hovered around Dawn. "The Departed Witch's sightings had been recorded by Avatars who investigated this area back then but they never found anything."

"But we know that spirits that are created out of anger and the need for revenge sometimes go dormant and awaken when people trespass on their territory. Perhaps Elizabeth was indeed like an Onyro and becomes dormant after a small amount of victims that trespass on her territory, the island." Lancelot spoke up. "If so then this challenge could endanger this team."

"And us." Gwen frowned. "Any idea on what to do?"

"If this spirit hides from Avatars it's possible she is not strong enough to face one, let alone three. Still, a danger must never be underestimated even if you are being too cautious." Andromeda replied. "If Elizabeth Darke is real and becomes active during your stay on the island you must be careful and also remember to protect the rest of your team."

"I know." Gwen nodded, looking at the island.