Hi, hello, ciao. I'm back with another chapter today! Told y'all I would do my best to go back to my normal schedule!
So. Up the creek. I somehow completely forgot what the plot of it was, so I had some good laughs when I rewatched it. Granted, the 'curse' plot is going to be ignored, so I can say it'll be mostly similar! Though I do have to say, Izzy was very funny in this episode, including her elimination.
This episode is also filled with sacrifice LMAO. You'll understand as you read it. Oh, and I actually had to rewrite Phobia Factor before posting it to fit the theme going on here. Bonus points for anyone who catches what I mean!
As per usual, taking the time to respond to my lovely readers~
Gucci Mane LaFlare: In one of my first drafts, Scarlett would have built a whole new walkie-talkie, but then it came to me that: 1. She wouldn't need a whole one, it's not like she needs to respond. 2. Other campers would notice it, including Harold, so it'd be awkward that way. Earpiece it is!
Yeah... Harold was fun to write being an active "anti-hero" (as in, going against the antagonist), so I'm definitely gonna have fun with him later on~
Yup! Geoff's fear was changed because a control-remote hail cloud felt weird. I'm always trying to diminish the number of outlandish things mid-chapters, so took that one out!
Shawn is really fun to write because he's so wack he can bounce from being a good friend to being a total weirdo in just 5 lines!
Eggegg1234566: Nope! Terrorist!Scarlett is one of the many things I choose to ignore about TDPI! Rest assured, she'll still be villainous/antagonistic, but nothing that goes as far as to threaten the lives of the other campers. Even her (planned) actions will only go so far! Don't expect nice, but also don't expect 'Scarlett Fever' bullshit!
Thank you all who took the time to give this a chance and read it! You're all amazing! I won't hold this for much longer, so I hope you all enjoy it!
Episode 8: Up the Creek
The shot began with Chris standing by the dock, once again. The host then began to narrate the recap of the previous episode. "Last time on Total Drama Island, the campers were forced to conquer their deepest, darkest fears. Not all of them succeeded," A collection of several botched challenges appeared. Alejandro ripping off the costume, Sammy beating up the clown, Courtney descending the ladder and Scarlett's bomb going off was shown. "However, others surprised their groups and faced their fears head-on!" Tammy and Trent's musical duo was shown, as was Devin's blood donation, Brick pushing Amy off the cliff, Shawn beating up Scarlett, and Kitty being constricted by the snake.
"In a shocking twist, Harold and Crimson's plan to uncover Scarlett's antagonistic attitudes went off the rails," Scarlett then appeared listening in to the duo's conversation. "And when the Killer Bass lost the challenge, Scarlett had already gotten rid of the evidence against her, leading to Harold being voted off by their team for trying to "frame" her." Harold then docked the boat of losers and Scarlett goaded him for his failed plan. "Will Crimson be able to warn her teammates before it's too late? Will Shawn stop being such a nutjob? Will I receive yet another award for my performance? Find out now, on Total… Drama… Island!" Chris gestured as his catchphrase was proclaimed.
Introduction Song
The scene started with Sammy pacing back and forth inside the Gopher's cabin. The cheerleader held a grimace, and her restlessness began to worry her surfer friend.
"Hey, Sammy." She called once, but to no avail. Bridgette fondly rolled her eyes and said something that would for sure catch her attention. "Oh, hi Devin! Sammy is busy and she can't speak to you right now, come back later, OK?" Bridgette said with a smile on her face.
Almost immediately, Sammy turned around and went to stop her boyfriend (?) from leaving. "Wait, no-!" But as she saw no one was there, she looked at Bridgette again. "Hey, what gives?" Sammy asked with a pout, clearly wanting to see Devin.
The surfer then laughed from her bed bunk, getting up to talk face-to-face with the cheerleader. "You were totally spaced out, I figured saying something like that would break you out of the trance." Bridgette then stepped up. "Is something on your mind? You've been spacing out for a while."
Sammy sighed as she rubbed her face. "Yeah, it's just… It's Amy. Ever since the last challenge it's like she…" The twin then elaborated with her hands. "It's like she became worse! I think it's because I barked back at her, but I'm not sure…"
Bridgette rubbed Sammy's arm in a comforting way. "I'm sorry. I know Amy is the opposite of what a good sister is supposed to be, but the most we can do is try and vote her off when we lose…" Bridgette then hurriedly added. "Not that we want to lose now, we just lost two challenges back to back before the last one, haha."
"Yeah… You're right…" Sammy said and then smiled a little. "Imagine how crazy it'd be if I got revenge on her or anything, haha." Sammy laughed, but Bridgette pursed her lips.
"Sammy, I'm not trying to chide you or anything, but I think you'd be better off ignoring her when possible, rather than trying and get back to her. You don't need to stoop low." Bridgette then smiled at her friend. "And as I said, if push comes to shove, we could always vote her off. Hopefully."
Sammy - Confessional (13)
Sammy appeared while resting her head on her hands. "I wish Amy did something super bad in public, that way we could convince Brick and Shawn to vote with us…"
Sammy - Confessional - End (13)
Bridgette - Confessional (9)
Bridgette appeared with a slight frown. "I honestly believe Amy will be the next one to be voted off if we lose and no one else screws up badly." She then raised her hands. "Sammy, Kitty, Trent, and I are half of the votes of the team, and I don't think either Brick or Shawn would be too keen on keeping her. Alejandro is her only real ally, and even then." She raised her fingers with each name. "I just hope Sammy doesn't try anything to get her sister voted off…"
Bridgette - Confessional - End (9)
The next shot showed Courtney walking back into her cabin, but before she entered it, she heard Scarlett and Tammy inside, more specifically, both of them laughing. She was able to deduce a few words, but nothing definite. Before she could push the door and insert herself in the space, a hand touched her back, making the C.I.T. jump a bit.
"Woah!" She said, turning around and seeing the goth behind her. "Oh, Crimson. Can I help you?" She asked politely, despite not wanting anything to do with her. It was no secret Crimson wasn't fond of either her or the brainiac, given they voted her friend off.
The goth nodded. "I need to talk to you." Then, she gestured with her head. "Away from prying eyes, if possible." Courtney was about to ask what she meant, but the cabin door opened, Tammy and Scarlett, standing beside it.
"Oh, you two," Tammy said with a smile. "We heard something and came to see, but nothing serious happened, haha." The LARPer laughed and gestured to the two of them. "Are you guys coming?"
Crimson shook her head and avoided looking at the redhead. "No, I was just telling Courtney she had something in her blouse." To prove her point, Crimson rubbed the backside of Courtney's blouse, pretending to remove some speck of dust. "Now, I need to go to the docks, I want to think for a while." Crimson hoped Courtney got the drift and turned her back before any of them could say anything. Scarlett squinted at her retreating form but otherwise made no comment. She smiled at Courtney and went back inside.
Scarlett - Confessional (17)
"After Harold and Crimson's little plan went off the rails, I've been keeping an eye on Crimson." Scarlett then cleared her glasses. "She has to go next, she poses far too much of a threat, and I need to make sure she doesn't convince anyone of the truth." The redhead said with a cold voice. "Threats must be eliminated."
Scarlett - Confessional - End (17)
Crimson Confessional (11)
Crimson appeared with a downcast look. "Truth be told, I'm running out of options. Scarlett has me beaten in the social game." She then looked up with a determined expression. "Still, I can't afford to let the others go unwarned."
Crimson - Confessional - End (11)
Luckily, Courtney picked up on what she meant, so she quickly excused herself and went in the opposite direction Crimson went. She knew whatever the goth had to tell her could not be heard by the redhead, so she did her best to avoid suspicion. Soon, she arrived at the docks and found Crimson near the end, with a small smile.
"I'm glad you weren't dense," Crimson said deadpan. "Let me get straight to the point, Scarlett is not trustworthy." Crimson declared with finality, making Courtney widen her eyes and take a step back.
"What, are you pulling a Harold or something?" Courtney asked as she leered at the goth. "Because let me tell you, Scarlett is my friend and I know I can trust her." Courtney's confidence then waned a little. "I know she's been acting a little different, but what Harold said was unfounded!"
"Was it really?" Crimson said. "Why would Harold publicly admit he had solid evidence that Scarlett was antagonizing us, yet show up with no "proof"? Think, Courtney." Crimson said, bringing back the events that led to Harold's elimination.
"Well, it was a little odd and out of the blue, but everyone knew Harold resented Scarlett a bit." Courtney reasoned. "Anyway, why should I trust you? Last I recall, you made sure to express how unhappy you were with Scarlett and me. Why the sudden change of heart?"
Courtney - Confessional (14)
"I have no idea what's going on." Courtney opened. "On one hand, I trust Scarlett. On the other hand, Cameron and I noticed Scarlett acting differently near Tammy, so what's really going on…" Courtney trailed off. "Not only that but about the Life Idol… I think it'd be a good idea to look for it… I don't wish to be blindsided." She said with a thoughtful yet hurt look. "It's a safety net at the end of the day, in case Scarlett really is plotting something..."
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Crimson sighed but reiterated. "Look, Scarlett has been plotting this whole time, and she managed to outwit us, but you gotta open your eyes before it's too late, Courtney. I'm trying to talk to Devin and Geoff, but you interact with Scarlett more than anyone else, or at least used to. Think about it, please." Crimson said while her head hung low. "Why else would I be going out of my way for this?"
Courtney stayed silent, marinating the goth's words. Before she could go on further, Chris' voice boomed across the camp. "Campers, meet me by the south end of the lake! Pronto!" The same audible static noise rang afterward. Courtney then looked at Crimson with newfound trust.
"Look, I promise I'll pay more attention." She then proceeded. "I'll head there first, so no one catches wind of this." And with that, the C.I.T. took off, not stopping for a second, lest her thoughts consumed her whole.
The next shot showed all sixteen campers side by side in their respective teams. Chris stepped in front of them, with a wide grin in his face. "Bass, Gophers, today's challenge is a true summer camp experience. A canoe trip." As Chris declared, the shot zoomed out, showing eight canoes in total, four painted red and four painted green, respectively Bass and Gopher's canoes, each with a pair of paddles by their sides. "You'll be paddling your canoes across the lake… to Boney Island…!" Chris attempted to make a sinister-sounding voice, but in reality, it just sounded like he was constipated.
Next to him, a map with a skull-shaped island stood in its center. "When you get there, your must portage your canoes to the other side of the island." Chris then smirked at the campers. "Which, as a side note, is about a two-hour hike through treacherous, dense jungle."
Geoff then asked. "We gotta pour what?" He rubbed the back of his head, unfamiliar with the vernacular used. Next to him, Scarlett slightly facepalmed, as Cameron chuckled.
"Portage, not pour-tage, Geoff." Scarlett explained. Geoff gave her a blank look, still not comprehending what she meant. "We have to carry the canoes above our heads." Scarlett deadpanned as it finally clicked for the blonde.
"Oooooh, I get it!" Geoff said with a happy expression, making Scarlett stare at the camera.
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Geoff appeared with a huge smile on his face. "Man, Scarlett is so smart!" Geoff declared with joy. "I'm so glad she's on our team. Imagine if she was on the Gopher's side?"
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Chris then carried on, this time with hopefully no interruptions. "When you arrive at the other end of the island, you'll build a rescue fire that will be judged by me." Despite his words, most of the campers seemed uncomfortable with trekking for so long to then build a fire. Nonetheless, Chris smiled and carried on. "The first team to paddle home and return their canoes to the beach is the winner of invincibility."
As the campers began to head toward the canoes, Chris shouted from behind them. "OH! One more thing I should mention!" All campers stopped in their tracks. "Legend has it, that if you take anything off the island, you'll be cursed forever~" Almost as if on cue, thundering was heard from above, despite the clear clouds. Some campers looked up and saw Chef tied to a tree, holding laminated papers. He grinned bashfully at the teens but otherwise kept making the noise.
"Yeah, we really need to hire SFX…" Chris muttered. The campers then took off to the canoes.
Noticing they were supposed to split into pairs, both teams began to discuss who was paired with who. Alejandro was about to approach Amy, but she stepped near her sister with a smile.
"Sammy, I want to pair up with you, if possible." Despite uttering a few words, most of their teammates gasped, not knowing how to react to the proper name being used by the older sister.
Sammy raised her eyebrow, clearly not trusting where this would end. "If you're planning on making me paddle all by myself, forget about it," Sammy said with finality, ready to turn away. However, Amy held her by her arm before she went too far.
"Wait, I'm being honest. I just… I want to talk to you." Not convinced, Sammy was ready to snap, but Amy's sudden words made her reconsider. "Please…?"
Amy - Confessional (11)
Amy appeared with a disgusted look on her face. "Oh… my… gag!" She then fake gagged. "I can't believe I'm doing this for the plan." Then, a malicious smirk appeared on her lips. "Oh, but it'll be worth it…"
Amy - Confessional - End (11)
Sammy sighed but gave in. "Fine…" As the two sisters trudged back to their canoe, Alejandro raised an eyebrow, but otherwise made no comment.
Alejandro - Confessional (15)
The casanova appeared with a questioning look on his face. "What is she planning…" Then, a grimace appeared on his face. "Amy is a bit brash when it comes to socializing, so for her to be acting sweet around Sammy…? She's definitely plotting something."
Alejandro - Confessional - End (15)
Back with the canoes, Geoff and Devin high-fived, while Courtney approached Scarlett. "Hey, Scarlett, wanna paddle together?" She asks with a smile. Scarlett debates a little inside her own head, but accepts the invitation, shooting Tammy an apologetic look.
"I don't mind. It's been a while since we've done something together." Scarlett said while pushing the canoe to the water. "Perhaps we need to discuss things a bit more." Despite her cryptic words, Courtney steeled her face and nodded.
"Perhaps."
On the Gopher's side, Kitty and Trent got together, both blushing a bit. "Can I consider this a date?" Kitty asked teasingly, as she took her phone and took a selfie, with Trent behind her pushing the canoe.
"Haha, sure. But just so you know, I'd consider candle-lit dinner my first choice." Trent said suavely.
Kitty - Confessional (12)
Kitty sighed with a blush on her face. "Trent is just so… dreamy…" She then clung her phone to her chest. "I never knew I could find someone like that in this runny old camp!"
Kitty - Confessional - End (12)
"And just so you know, I'd take either of those things, so long I still got a date with you." Kitty flirted back, sending him a wink. Both laughed at their antics.
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Trent appeared with a lovey-dovey face. "I'm so glad Kitty is on my team. We hit off so well, so easily." Then he frowned a bit. "I hope nothing gets between us. It takes a lot for a connection to truly flourish."
Trent - Confessional - End (11)
Suddenly, a chirping voice was heard from behind them. "Are you two lovebirds gonna behave alone?" Bridgette teased the couple, as Shawn was smiling from beside her, as they pushed the canoe together.
Kitty blushed as she shot them a playful glare.
As the pairs were made, there they stood: Alejandro and Brick, Amy and Sammy, Bridgette and Shawn, Kitty and Trent for the Gophers. Cameron and Sam, Courtney and Scarlett, Crimson and Tammy, and Devin and Geoff for the Bass. All teams were ready, waiting for Chris to announce the start of the challenge.
Soon, Chris blared the horn, with all teams running to paddle away. Some were happily chatting, while some were different.
Sam, however, looked downcast while he paddled, which prompted Cameron to ask him.
"Hey, Sam…" Cameron tentatively said. "Are you all right? You look sad." The scrawny teen asked his friend, who made no motion to raise his head but still replied.
"Yeah… I just… I feel bad for Harold." Cameron slightly grimaced at the name, due to the events that played a couple of nights ago but dared not to interrupt him. "He had mentioned wanting to get rid of Scarlett, but… To see him go as far as to try and frame her?" Sam then turned around to face Cameron. "That just doesn't make a lot of sense, you know?" As he sighed, he shifted back to watch the front.
Cameron thought for a moment but soon responded. "Well, if you don't think Harold lied, then what you're saying is… maybe he was right? And Scarlett somehow manipulated their proof in her favor?" Sam nodded but didn't verbally reply. "...As much as I like Scarlett, I can't say I didn't consider that hypothesis…" Cameron added the last bit weakly.
The gamer spoke from the front, not wanting to dabble too much into the topic. "I think it's for the best if we don't think too much of it though. We'd grow paranoid…" Sam stated weakly. Cameron hummed at that, and the two went on silently.
Sam - Confessional (9)
"I hate being like this," Sam said. "I don't feel like I contribute much to the team, and now I'm suddenly accusing someone of something? I can't be saying this kind of stuff…" The gamer finished with a frown. "I gotta stop that! Scarlett has helped us a lot!"
Sam - Confessional - End (9)
Cameron - Confessional (11)
Cameron looked deep into thought. "There's a chance Harold was telling the truth, but it's very minimal and involves several variables as of now… I need more time to research and reach a conclusion." Cameron then looked up, sporting a frown. "I just hope Sam isn't beating himself too hard for being the "catalyst" of Harold's elimination."
Cameron - Confessional - End (11)
As the teams headed for the island, small bickering was heard from one team in particular. Luckily, the teams were far apart that the contents didn't spill over to the other teams.
"Look, dude, I'm telling you!" Devin said with agitation. "There is no way he could beat Ace in the octagon!" Despite his tone, Geoff replied just as agitated.
"Dude, you don't know what you're talking about! Ace won the previous matches because of foul play!" Geoff said. "If he went against Duke in a fair match, he'd totally wipe out!"
"In your dreams!" Devin said while rowing. "Speaking of dreams…" Devin then shifted the conversation. "How goes it with Bridgette?"
Geoff playfully rolled his eyes. "Well, I ain't got much time to talk to her lately, but we're tight." Then he scratched his head. "I kinda regret only seeing her as a possible girlfriend early on though. She's pretty nice to talk to, and she's super chill."
"I'm glad you guys are doing fine then. I think it'd suck if there were heartbreaks mid-competition, haha." Despite his words, Devin grimaced internally at the thought of Sammy and he not making it. "I just hope Sammy isn't having too much of a hard time with Amy…" Devin pointed to the canoe to the far right, where both twins paddled. Surprisingly, neither seemed angry.
The camera then focused on them, letting the audience hear what they were talking about. "...Look, I don't get it." Sammy said. "No offense, but you were a jerk to me my whole life, why should I believe you wanna call a truce out of nowhere?"
Amy sighed quietly but responded promptly. "Last challenge made me realize how harshly I had been behaving. Revealing those things was so not cool of me. Also, Alejandro always reminded me not to treat family like that… I'm just giving a shot at this whole 'being nice' thing." Amy said with a smile. "I don't need you to accept it right off the bat or anything, just give it some thought, OK?" Sammy hummed but otherwise kept paddling.
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Sammy appeared troubled. "I swear I wanna believe in Amy, and that maybe, just maybe, she felt bad for the things she did," Sammy started. "but it just feels out of the blue! What if this is a trick?"
Sammy - Confessional - End (14)
After a few more minutes of pleasant conversation in the canoes, Shawn pointed out something to Bridgette. "Wait, is this fog?" The zombie aficionado asked. "When did this even appear?"
The surfer looked around their canoe, and lo and behold, they were surrounded by the dense fog, much like the other duos. "I got no clue…"
Chris' ominous foretelling appeared on the screen again. "You'll be paddling your canoes to Boney Island~" Said island appeared, showing a skull-shaped rock formation, most likely the cause of the moniker.
Then, several sharp rocky bits sprout from the water and appeared near the canoes, leaving the teenagers to maneuver around them, lest their canoes got hit.
"Careful, Courtney," Scarlett said from their canoe. "We need to tread carefully, or else we'll hit the rocks or other canoes." Courtney nodded at her friend.
"You're right. Let's just hope the other duos don't end up costing us the challenge or anything…" The C.I.T. declared, not able to contain her fears. "Truth be told, I'm not sure what to think of our team…" Scarlett made a noise for her to continue. "Well, we're all fragmented, so we don't know who could be going next elimination. Cameron, you and I wouldn't vote for each other, I don't think you'd like voting for Tammy, Geoff, and Devin are tight."
The redhead then completed for her friend. "So what you're saying is that you feel either Sam or Crimson is next?"
Courtney thought for a while, recalling the goth's words to her. "Perhaps so… Although, Sam may not be a target for the boys…"
Scarlett - Confessional (18)
"And here I was worried about Courtney and Crimson ganging up on me, ha!" Scarlett mocked. "Now, I need to make sure those two don't contaminate the rest of the team, so I'll see to their eliminations soon…" The brainiac declared with a cold smirk.
Scarlett - Confessional - End (18)
"Well… I wouldn't mind voting off Crimson." Scarlett declared, though quickly added to soften the blow. "Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against her, but she isn't the most useful during challenges, you know?" Scarlett then turned around to face Courtney, who sported a small frown. "But let's not think too much about the ceremony, we haven't lost yet."
Courtney shot her a small smile, glad they were able to talk it out. "You're right! We still managed to win quite a few challenges, we can't be throwing in the challenge!" With newfound zeal, Courtney began to paddle their canoe faster, putting themselves in front of the other duos.
"And if push comes to shove, we'll always have a safety net…" Scarlett declared under her breath. "And I have a mighty guess about where Chris is the Life Idol…"
Courtney then inquired about what she was mumbling about. "Is something the matter, Scar?" Scarlett's eyes twitched at the nickname but otherwise kept her posture.
"Nothing, don't worry, Court. Just thinking to myself…"
From behind, they heard Brick shout with enthusiasm. "Land ahoy!" And he was right, the dense fog was still rolling, but they could see the silhouette of what seemed to be Bony Island.
Alejandro laughed at his enthusiasm but responded in spades. "You're right, amigo! We'll soon be back on land." The casanova then looked to his right, noticing Sammy was now sporting a somewhat pleased expression, while Amy looked sweet. "...I just hope she knows what she's doing…" Alejandro muttered and paddled faster. "Come! We can't fall behind the other teams!"
Brick's shout of excitement seemed to urge all campers to paddle as much as possible, almost as if competing with each other for first come on the shore. Truly, this challenge was one of the funniest things they had to do, at least compared to facing fears and surviving the wilderness.
With ease, all canoes docked at the shore, prompting the campers to get out, undo their life jackets and carry them above their heads, ready to portage them through the hike. "I bet this is gonna be so fun!" Geoff declared excitedly while looking around.
Contrary to those words, a loud screeching noise was heard from within the island, leaving them all startled. Geoff quickly added. "Maybe not." And with that, all teams began to run through the trails the forest presented.
The next shot showed all campers running through the dense jungle, most of them scared at the spiked skulls decorating the path. It seemed like an almost foretelling of the possible fate that awaited them. Crimson, however, seemed delighted at the sights.
Crimson - Confessional (12)
Crimson seemed almost excited, but she kept her expression as neutral as possible. "This has got to be the best thing that has happened during my stay in this island." Crimson declared, and despite her expression, you could hear how joy. "This place is like… so goth."
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Her canoe partner, Tammy, was also shocked by the environment surrounding them. "This reminds me of a campaign I played back home. The settings are precisely the same!" Tammy said to the goth, who was still looking flabbergasted at the sights.
Tammy - Confessional (9)
"You know, when I first came to the island, I was sad about Leonard not being here," Tammy started with a small smile. "But being able to befriend so many different people is pretty good too! Sam, Scarlett, Crimson, they're all very nice people."
Tammy - Confessional - End (9)
Suddenly, as the teams ran as fast as possible, a large tree fell on the path, taking them all by surprise. Sammy had to push her heels on the ground before she slammed into the tree. "AH!" She shouted in fear. "What the heck?!"
Her sister who was right behind checked up on her. "O.M.G., Sammy, are you all right?" Her concern was only mildly surprised at this point, but Sammy managed to utter a shaky nod as she calmed herself.
"Holy crap!" Bridgette said from behind them. "How can a tree this big fall?!" Lo and behold, several pairs of bright yellow eyes watched them from the bushes, signifying there were dangerous animals abound.
The Bass, who were running beside them, were not too hot about them either. "What are these things even?" Scarlett asked as she tried to discern them from afar.
Devin heard her and urged them to move. "Whatever they may be, we shouldn't stick around! Let's move, team!" And just as before, all campers began to run again, mostly in fear of whatever awaited them in the woods.
Soon, a fork appeared on the road, making the teams have to decide which to follow. Courtney and Scarlett arrived first, looked between each path, and nodded. "Let's go right!" Courtney shouted just as their teammates were arriving. Without being able to discuss much, the Killer Bass began to follow the two girls, whereas the Screaming Gophers had just arrived.
"Which path?" Kitty asked her teammates. Trent then responded.
"The Bass took the right path, if we follow the left, maybe there's a shortcut!" The musician then added. "If we go after them, we'll always stay behind!" Given the sound reasoning, the Screaming Gophers all turned left, leading them deep into the jungle.
Suddenly, a loud growl noise came from behind them. An odd-looking bear-like creature stood in its hinder paws and looked right in their direction.
"What the hell?!" Shawn screamed as he turned around. "Let's go!" Due to the beast behind them, the Gophers ran as fast as possible to avoid certain death.
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"Zombies? I can deal with those. Whatever that was?" Shawn then pointed with his thumb and a skeptical look on his face. "I'm not even sure those things have been identified!"
Shawn - Confessional - End (10)
As the team ran from the wild beasts, their legs began to give in from the extensive running. "Does anyone know how to get rid of these things?!" Alejandro shouted from the group. "Anything to distract them with?" A few heads were shaken, but Kitty grimaced.
"I think I can do something, hang on!" As she let Trent portage their canoe by himself, she struggled to reach for her pocket as she ran. Once she retrieved her phone, she sighed and reached for one of the apps in it. "I'm sorry, Emma…" She once again tapped into the phone, this time a catchy pop song blared out from its speakers, scaring her teammates.
"Kitty, not to be like that, but I think now is hardly the time to be listening to music, you know?!" Brick shouted from the front. "I think this is only gonna attract more of these things!"
Kitty sighed and with great remorse, threw her phone at the very back of the jungle, behind them. With the flying phone, so went the beasts that were chasing them, their thundering footsteps growing distant as the distance between both groups enlargened.
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Kitty appeared with a frown. "You know, when I lost my phone, I was pretty desperate about all of the things I held dear in it…" She then smiled a little. "But I'm glad it was useful for something… I hope Emma isn't too sad about getting rid of it to save our lives, haha…" She trailed off.
Kitty - Confessional - End (13)
"Wait, Kitty, did you just use your phone as bait?" Trent asked his girlfriend, who went back to helping portage the canoe.
Kitty nodded but quickly added when she realized he wouldn't be able to see. "Yeah… It probably wasn't my best idea, but at least it bought us some time, right?" She spoke tentatively.
"I'm very proud of you, Kitty," Brick said from the front. "I'm sorry for screaming at you, it was just the adrenaline speaking." He then added. "It was very noble of you to get rid of it."
Kitty blushed from the praise but otherwise said nothing else. "I agree, Kitty, that was awesome!" The musician said, earning a few giggles from the girl. "Remind me of whenever we get back home to buy you a new one, all right?"
"Does that mean that we'll still be a thing by then?" Kitty asked with a hopeful tone, yet teasing all the same. Trent laughed and nodded. Some of their teammates whistled at the cheesy display, earning even more laughter.
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"Man, Kitty is… Kitty is great." Trent said with a dreamy look. "If I have anything to say about it, is that I'll do anything to stay with her."
Trent - Confessional - End (12)
Alejandro, however, had a cryptic look on his face.
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Alejandro was seated at the outhouse, with a hand on his chin. "Kitty and Trent remaining a couple until the eventual merge and even the following challenges may pose an issue…" He then smirked. "Maybe there's something to be done about it."
Alejandro - Confessional - End (16)
On the Bass side, they were lucky no strange animals had begun to chase them, but they weren't faring all too well either. "Watch the branches!" Scarlett shouted as the low-hanging branches almost hit her in the face. "Make sure you-" Before she could finish, a thud sound rang across, making them stop in their heels. "Make sure you dodge…" Scarlett muttered the last bit as she turned around.
Sam was on the ground, holding his face and whimpering. "Ow…" Cameron, his partner, had luckily been able to avoid and held the canoe before it fell on the gamer. "Sorry… I didn't see this one…" Sam said as he groaned again.
"Sam, are you able to keep going?" Scarlett asked from beside him. "If so, let's get a move on. We may be falling behind the Gophers." Sam nodded as he sat up.
Sam - Confessional (10)
"Ow…" Sam groaned as he held his head between his hands. "I hope this didn't cost our team the lead or anything…" Sam then quickly realized something. "Wait! If I find the Life Idol, I won't have to worry about costing the team the victory all the time! I'll have a look around when we stop running!" Sam spoke with newfound enthusiasm but held his head once again due to the throbbing pain. "Ow…"
Sam - Confessional - End (10)
"Maybe a little melody will soothe you?" Tammy asked as she reached for her instrument. Scarlett was about to protest but decided to remain quiet.
Courtney coughed before she could begin playing. "Sorry, we definitely don't have time for a song right now. Let's focus on the challenge and then healing." Tammy frowned at that but pocketed her ocarina again.
Tammy - Confessional (10)
Tammy sported a frown. "I get that we didn't have a lot of time, but Courtney could really chill with her impatience." Tammy then looked down. "I guess it's just as Scarlett said… Courtney really is trying to break out group apart… Maybe she should be the one to go next…" Tammy finished while looking downcast.
Tammy - Confessional - End (10)
"I agree. I've been hearing some strange noises, and I can't identify to whom they may belong. So unless we wish to fall prey to Chris' predators and become quarry, I suggest we move. And fast." Just as Scarlett had said, several growls were heard from nearby.
Sam got up and held the canoe with Cameron again, as the Bass began to run once again toward their safety.
Both teams appeared running on separate sides of the screen. Unfortunately, due to being in the same location, neither path seemed friendly at all. The left was filled with dead shrubbery and mud, whereas the right had several branching trees and skulls sitting idly.
Suddenly, Bridgette began to sink into the ground, making her teammates stop dead in their tracks. "Oh no!" She exclaimed as she looked around. "Why is there quicksand in the middle of a jungle?!"
Bridgette - Confessional (10)
Bridgette appeared angry, with her bottom half completely covered in sand. "Chris, if you're watching this, you're not funny." She said with a sneer.
Bridgette - Confessional - End (10)
Chris - Confessional (5)
Chris appeared laughing his ass off, barely containing tears. "Man, hahaha! Can you believe that? Someone really fell for the quicksand! That is so funny!" And Chris went back to losing his mind over his dirty trick.
Chris - Confessional - End (5)
"Quick, someone grab something!" Alejandro shouted as he looked for anything to leverage the surfer. "A branch or something, before Bridgette sinks too much!"
As the campers scrambled to look for something to help, the casanova turned to look at the blonde. "Bridgette, don't move, or else you'll speed up the process." Bridgette nodded and tried to calm herself down as much as possible.
"All right, yeah, I… I can do that." She breathed in and slowly let it out. The lack of movement on her part severely slowed down the sinking feeling. "Thank you, Alejandro." She shot the casanova a smile, despite still not wanting to interact with him for too long.
A shout from Brick came, as he returned with a large branch. "I found something sturdy enough to pull her!" Both Alejandro and Brick positioned themselves as Bridgette latched onto the branch, letting them pull her slowly from the sand.
Once Bridgette was out, she began to dust herself. "I'm sorry, you guys. I should have paid more attention." The surfer said as she finally took hold of her canoe again.
"Don't worry about that, Bridgette, we're a team after all." Alejandro shot her a smile as they began to run again. However, Bridgette frowned a bit.
Bridgette - Confessional (11)
"I know Alejandro wasn't the nicest guy ever since he hooked up with Amy, but maybe I misjudged him?" Bridgette asked tentatively. "I mean, I guess I was rash by trying to ignore him or anything… At the very least he doesn't seem to condone Amy's actions…"
Bridgette - Confessional - End (11)
As they went back to the challenge, the dense jungle and thick ambiance started to settle down, given sunlight had begun to reach them again. As they stepped out of the trail, a clearing stood empty, with two separate spots. However, what surprised the Gophers was the lack of any Killer Bass, given they had faced so many obstacles while traversing.
"Wait, where is the other team?" Shawn asked as they approached their spot. Some of his teammates shrugged.
Alejandro then stepped up. "We don't know, but this means we're in the lead, so let's not blow it!" He then turned. "Let's look for some flint and twigs, we need to start the fire!"
Alejandro - Confessional (17)
Alejandro appeared with a cocky expression. "Well, of course, I, wouldn't go looking for those things," A smirk then appeared on his face. "However, I bet Chris must have hidden that Life Idol on this island if anything, so I'll make sure I don't waste my chances."
Alejandro - Confessional - End (17)
"You know, this is kinda fun," Amy commented as she and Sammy went around collecting dry wood for the fire. "I kinda missed hanging out…" She smiled bashfully.
The younger twin felt a bit uncomfortable, still not used to having Amy being so nice to her. "Yeah… It is…" She then bent forward to pick up a few stray twigs. "Amy, be honest, what are you trying to achieve with this?" Sammy asked as she turned and stared at her nonchalant sister.
Amy then looked at her almost as if she had grown a second head. "Sammy… Look, I know this sounds out of the blue, but I really do want you to believe in me." She then put her hand in front of her heart. "What do you want me to do to prove to you I've changed for good?"
Sammy took a step back, still processing that her sister had changed this much so quickly. "Well, gee, it's kind of hard to decide on something, anything, you know?" She then rubbed her arm nervously. "You've always treated me like trash and now you want me to believe you've changed for good? Fine… Stay away from me, Amy." Sammy spoke lowly. "That's the one good thing you can do that will prove you mean business…" With her final words, Sammy stepped away, returning to the clearing by herself.
The older sister stood in silence, breathing in, and out, slowly. Calmly, she turned around and put a smile on her face. She'd have to have a lot of patience for now.
While the Screaming Gophers were busy attempting to start a fire, the Killer Bass finally manage to arrive at the clearing, completely out of breath. Some of the Gophers smirked at them, knowing they had a huge lead in comparison. "What took you so long?" Trent asked as deposited some more twigs beside the fire.
As they were breathless, it took a while for them to respond. "We… We thought the path was clear…" Tammy said between breaths. "Turns out we ended up in the nest of some sort of hippogriffs!" Due to the odd nature of her words, some of her teammates rolled their eyes, while the Gophers stared at her weirdly.
Cameron who was still out of breath offered. "She means vultures." As he doubled over, he finally regained his breath. "We were chased around by some vultures. We had to loop back to avoid them."
Tammy - Confessional (11)
Tammy seemed distraught. "OK, maybe that wasn't the best time to talk LARP…" She then sighed. "I need to make sure they don't see me as a liability because of that."
Tammy - Confessional - End (11)
Chris from his chopper pulled his megaphone. "Campers! Less chatting and more building fires!"
Devin then turned to his group. "How about we split chores again?" Courtney nodded and brought Cameron with her.
"Cameron and I can start the fire, you guys can go look for dry wood and flint." As they walked toward the fire, Cameron looked up at her and lowered his voice.
"Courtney, I have some doubts about Scarlett, you know?" He spoke tentatively. "It doesn't make a lot of sense for Harold to lie… He never liked her, but didn't that seem far-fetched?"
Courtney sighed before responding. "Scarlett is a bit unorthodox, I know… But she's been our friend since day one." Courtney then added. "And besides, how about we focus on ourselves for now? We barely got some time to chat, since you were hanging out with Sam." Courtney shot him a smile as they began to prepare the fire.
Cameron smiled. "Yeah, you're right. I didn't mean to bring down the mood." He then removed his glasses. "Good thing today's a very hot day, when they bring the dry wood I can easily use my glasses as magnifying lenses!"
Courtney smiled as she finished setting up the base of the firepit. "Great idea, Cam!"
Cameron - Confessional (12)
Cameron appeared with a smile. "I'm really glad I got to meet Courtney, she has been a big help for me to come out of my shell." He then adjusted his glasses. "I say the same to Sam, he may not portray himself as confident, but he's a really nice guy to have around."
Cameron - Confessional - End (12)
As Alejandro looked for the Idol, he saw Scarlett stepping close. "Oh, Scarlett. I take it your team finally arrived?" He mocked her a little.
She rolled her eyes but didn't quip back. "Yes, but while they're looking for dry wood, I'm looking for something more valuable." As she said that, she began to look around. "I gather we don't need to get into specifics, lest someone hears us." Alejandro nodded at her, knowing they both were after the same item.
"Say, how goes the team?" He asked lowly as the two entered a closer area, without any prying ears to listen in. "You planning anything?"
Scarlett hummed but wasn't sure she should share her plans.
"Look, we agreed to give each other intel. It's only fair." He said a bit impatient. "If you want proof from me, that's fine. I'll go first." He then turned and listened in to see if there was anyone nearby. "Kitty and Trent are becoming a problem, they have their little core at our group and I'm thinking of ways to break them apart."
With that said, Scarlett finally looked up. "Interesting." She then scouted the area as he did. "In my case, I'm trying to get rid of a growing threat, nip it in the bud, per sé."
"And who that is? Devin?" He tried to make her elaborate, but a shout from the clearing broke their conversation apart. "Mierda! We need to go back."
Both took separate paths that brought them to the clearing, but both were also empty-handed, weirdly enough.
Chris once again from his chopper bellowed out. "The Screaming Gophers have managed to start their fire! The Killer Bass are falling behind, but the gap isn't too big! Pick up the pace, campers!"
Lo and behold, Brick and Shawn high-fived as their fire had grown in a small amount of time.
"Good job, soldier!" Brick declared proudly and saluted. "Now we need to make it big enough for Chris' approval!" The two began to drop the dry wood collected by his teammates before they shouted at their team.
"We need more dry wood! Quick before the Bass catch up!" Shawn hurriedly added. "Try and look for something sturdy! It helps grow the fire size!" Kitty and Bridgette then went running back into the jungle.
"OK, you heard them, let's look for anything like that," Bridgette said as they approached the bushes.
As Courtney and Cameron were growing a small fire, Devin approached. "Damn, we're behind… If only there was anything that is flammable with us!" Sam perked up at that.
"Wait, I know where to get something like that!" He ran toward the canoes and brought Crimson over, who was collecting some dry wood. "Crimson, quick! You have some makeup with you, right?" Crimson was confused but nodded. "Any nail polish?"
Crimson began to rummage through her pockets, looking for the flask. Once she found it, she quickly grabbed it and showed Sam. A pitch-black flask of nail polish was in her hands. "Here."
Sam thanked her as he warned his teammate. "Everyone, stand back! I saw this on my video games once!" As the campers stood away from the fire, Sam chucked the nail polish container on the growing fire.
As soon as the flask hit the flames, the acetone inside of it began to heat up, making the flames grow bigger due to the heat produced. A small pop sound was heard from within the fire, signaling the flask had busted open and the contents began to pour into the fire, increasing the size due to the combustibility of the chemical reagent.
On the Gopher's side, some more dry wood had been added, but their fire wasn't growing as fast as the Killer Bass' fire. Kitty and Bridgette finally ran back, carrying a small tiki-like statue that was made of wood.
"Here, toss it in the fire!" Trent shouted as they appeared. Bridgette chucked the object into the fire, and as it landed in the fire, an ominous sound came out from it apparently. Nevertheless, their fire also grew big.
Trent - Confessional (13)
Trent appeared wide-eyed. "Is it just me, or did the tiki doll just… screech or something?!" Trent then stared at the camera. "What the hell kind of island has mutant bears, quicksand, vultures, cursed tiki dolls, and skulls on spikes?! We didn't desecrate holy ground, did we?!" Trent asked bewildered.
Trent - Confessional - End (13)
As the host maneuvered around with the chopper, he pulled out his megaphone. "And the Screaming Gophers lose the lead, the Killer Bass' fire is ready to go!"
After Chris said that, all Bass hauled ass onto their respective canoes. "Quick, let's go!" Geoff shouted as they began to push their canoes into the lake. Before they finished it, Chris' booming voice was heard again.
"Screaming Gophers, your fire is good enough! Go, go, go!" And thundering footsteps were heard from behind them, propelling the Bass to push faster and paddle as soon as possible.
"We can't afford to lose!" Courtney shouted as they began to paddle fast, only able to create a small gap between them and the Screaming Gophers.
"C'mon, team! I know we got it in ourselves!" Brick was heard shouting from their group. Amazingly, Brick's pep talk was actually making them paddle faster, giving them a confidence boost. "Paddle, paddle, paddle!" Due to their synchrony, the Screaming Gophers began to gain ground on the Killer Bass.
Brick - Confessional (11)
Brick stood proud in the outhouse. "I'm actually proud of myself, giving pep talks during exercises is something that I'm normally chided for during army training." He then smiled at the camera. "Doing something that I would get scolded for feels so thrilling!"
Brick - Confessional - End (11)
Both teams were paddling as fast as possible, it was hard to distinguish who took the lead, given they were constantly switching placements. The race was at full speed, with both teams giving their whole in order to win.
Frenzied screams came from both teams, adrenaline pumped through their veins as they began to paddle faster and stronger than ever, not willing to give up the chance at winning.
The shot zoomed in, showing all canoes competing for first place, which was incredibly surprising considering their physical prowess varied quite a bit from canoe to canoe.
Every canoe went up and claimed first place, but it was soon replaced by its adjacent canoe, giving the effect of synchronization into play. As all canoes seemed to approach the starting point, Chris stood in the distance with a referee flag, ready to judge the winner.
Devin - Confessional (11)
Devin appeared with a huge smile. "Dude, that challenge was awesome!" As he spoke, he raised his arms in excitement. "We were all paddling so hard, and no one knew who'd win and who'd lose, and then we saw Chris and we began to paddle faster! I'm pretty sure Geoff sprained his wrist with how fast he was going, haha!" His words then dawned on him. "Wait, I'm not laughing at his injury, I swear!" He seemed bewildered as he denied it.
Devin - Confessional - End (11)
Suddenly, one canoe pulled ahead of the others, making them all gasp. Before anyone could process it, the canoe took ahead and docked at the lake bank, surprise shouts coming from it. "We did it! We've come first!"
As Chris stepped closer, Alejandro and Brick stood together, both with their shirts tied around their heads and dripping sweat due to the physical effort. "And the Screaming Gophers win the challenge!" He declared as all of the other canoes docked shortly after.
Cheers and shouts were heard from their Screaming Gophers side, as they celebrated not having to send someone home tonight.
"O.M.G.!" Amy and Sammy shouted in unison as they hugged their teammates in a big circle.
"No…" Courtney drawled out as she fell to her knees. "We worked so hard… No…" She slammed her fist against the ground, as her teammates stood circling her, all with saddened looks.
"Courtney, c'mon… Let's go, please." Scarlett said with a low voice. The C.I.T. looked up, noticing her teammates all standing around her. "Let's just… Let's just go back."
Geoff nodded as it dawned on them. "We did all we could… Let's just be happy we tried, I guess?"
Sam then added shortly after. "I'm sorry, you guys… If I hadn't run into the branch then maybe we wouldn't have lost the lead…"
The LARPer then stepped up. "Sam, it wasn't your fault… We just ran into a lot of troubles, and you also helped with the fire, remember?" Despite her words, Sam still looked downcast.
"I just… I really feel like I could have done more…" Sam added. Devin and Geoff patted his back, giving him some pep words.
"No one's at fault, Sam…" Devin said with a sad smile. "Why don't we go back and hit the showers?" The gamer sighed as they all went back to their cabin.
"That's OK, I just wanna ask one thing of you guys…" Before it could be heard, the camera panned to show the Screaming Gophers had finally stopped cheering but were all content.
Sam - Confessional (11)
Sam appeared with a sad smile on his face. "I'm doing what must be done." He then looked downcast again. "I just hope this helps our team in the long run…"
Sam - Confessional - End (11)
"Brick, you did amazing!" Bridgette said as she went to hug him. "You and Alejandro, really." She then reluctantly shot the casanova a smile, who reciprocated.
Brick blushed at the attention he was given. "Well, it was an honor to help this team." He then turned to look at Alejandro. "And I couldn't have done without my friends," The soldier then enveloped both Shawn and Alejandro in side hugs. "These two have been motivating ever since what happened to Mickey, so I'm glad we've pulled this victory."
Kitty then went to reach for her phone, but quickly realized she got rid of it for them to run. "Oh…"
Trent, who was beside her, praised her. "We couldn't have done this without you either, Kitty." She blushed a little as she diverted her eyes.
"It's true! You were awesome when you got us out of the trouble!" Sammy said from beside her. "It was very brave to get rid of your own phone, you know?"
"We are so awesome as a team!" Amy said happily. Alejandro grinned as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Indeed we are, mi amor." He kissed her on the cheek, as they all trudged back into the campgrounds.
Amy - Confessional (12)
Amy appeared blushing. "Alejandro sure is… dreamy. Wow." She said with a dreamy expression on her face. "Maybe he was right…"
Amy - Confessional - End (12)
The next shot showed all Killer Bass sitting on stumps during the campfire ceremony. Most of them bore heavy expressions, while some were unhappy with the situation, like Devin and Geoff.
Chris appeared with seven marshmallows on the plate, but rather than carrying his signature mock expression, he sported a neutral yet downcast look.
"Campers… Normally I'd be more than happy to give the same spiel about casting your votes, and say why some of you may deserve to go home. "Chris started as he stared at all of the campers. "But after checking the votes, I've noticed there are only votes for a single person…" He sighed and began to toss the marshmallows.
"Scarlett, Cameron, Devin, Geoff, Tammy, Crimson, Courtney, you're all safe for today…" Each of them either caught or let the marshmallow land near them. "Today was a very emotional day it seems, so I'll let you campers bid goodbye to Sam… As you imagined, you're the one going home." He stepped back as he let them say their goodbyes.
"Well… Hehe, seems like it's game over for me." Sam laughed at his own joke, but then added. "Thank you for respecting my wishes, you guys." He smiled as he looked at the ground.
"Why?" Devin asked while his head hung low. "Why, Sam? Why would you ask for everyone to vote for you?!" Devin suddenly burst as he stared at his friend. "You could have stayed longer, you know?" Geoff nodded and added.
"It's true, you were a real one. It was really hard to vote for you." Geoff tipped his hat, and he almost shed a few tears. "I'm not sure why you made this call… But I trust you…"
Tammy then began to sniffle. "Sam…" Scarlett put her hand on Tammy's back as she began to hiccup. "You were always nice, why would you want that?"
Sam sighed as he turned his back, shedding a few tears. "I just felt like I wasn't helping a lot, you know? And besides, I trust you guys can win the competition, I'm just happy I managed to get this far and make friends." He then turned once again, staring at them as he silently cried.
Geoff - Confessional (10)
Geoff appeared crying his eyes out. "That was the coolest thing anyone could have done…" He then cleaned his eyes with the back of his hand. "Sam, whenever you get to watch this, know you were an awesome friend."
Geoff - Confessional - End (10)
Scarlett - Confessional (19)
Scarlett appeared with a rather uncertain look. "I would have voted for Sam regardless of what he asked, but… I don't know, I just feel kinda bad for putting him as the most expandable in my list, I guess…" She then looked down. "I suppose I developed a new sense of respect toward him."
Scarlett - Confessional - End (19)
Cameron without a word went forward and hugged him. "I'm gonna miss you…" With all of the sentimentality in the air, they all came forward and hugged Sam.
"You guys…" Sam cried as they shared this last moment before the boat arrived. Chef then stepped from the boat, and gestured for Sam to come. Sam stopped hugging and waved at them.
Once he came near Chef, the burly man stopped him and gave him his handheld console. "You deserve it, soldier." Sam held his console as he stepped into the boat. "Now let's get you out of here…" Chef silently spoke as he went to steer the boat.
Sam took this last opportunity to bid his teammates good luck. "Good luck, you guys! Win as many challenges as possible!" They all waved, as a few sniffs were heard from the group.
Chris then stepped in front of the scene, ready to call the curtain. "Seems like tonight was a tearjerker campfire ceremony. Seven down, fourteen more to go! Who'll be the next one to walk the dock of shame and board the boat of losers? Find out next time on Total… Drama… Island!" The shot zoomed out, showing the moonlight basking on the island, fitting for the melodramatic tone it left off.
Cue the ending scenes.
Votes for the ceremony:
Cameron: "This hurts. I vote for Sam… God, this doesn't feel right…"
Courtney: "That was unexpected but… I would vote for Sam either way."
Crimson: "I would rather vote for someone else, but I'll respect his wishes. I vote for Sam."
Devin: "What the hell… Why, Sam!? …I vote for Sam, but I don't like this, not one bit."
Geoff: "This is a bummer… I guess I vote for Sam, but only because he asked us…"
Sam: "I had a good run, but all good things must come to an end… I just hope the others vote for me, too."
Scarlett: "I vote for Sam. No hard feelings."
Tammy: "I wouldn't vote for you, my friend. I'm sorry, Sam…"
Sam (8): Cameron, Courtney, Crimson, Devin, Geoff, Sam, Scarlett, and Tammy
Contestants:
Screaming Gophers: Alejandro, Amy, Brick, Bridgette, Kitty, Sammy, Shawn, and Trent (8/11)
Killer Bass: Cameron, Courtney, Crimson, Devin, Geoff, Scarlett, and Tammy (7/11)
Rank of Elimination:
16th: Sam - The Gamer
17th: Harold - The Dweeb
18th: Mickey - The Unlucky One
19th: LeShawna - The Sister with 'Tude
20th: Dawn - The Moonchild
21st: Owen - The Funniest Guy Around
22nd: Beth - The Wannabe
Originally, another character was planned to be sent home. This chapter was entirely different when I first wrote the skeleton. Being entirely honest, I'm glad the chapter went this way at the end. It did what I wanted to do, as in, introducing some more plot points and going forward with pre-existing ones.
I hope Sam's sacrifice wasn't out of nowhere. From the past few chapters, I've been hinting he wasn't ever that hopeful of making it to the merge or anything, so a 'Heroic Sacrifice' felt fitting, even more so considering last chapter. Canon Sam was wasted on All Stars and became the one thing I absolutely hate about Total Drama, so it was sad to see one of the best ROTI characters being ruined like that. Then again, All Stars ruined a lot of the things it touched, so whatever.
Next up: Paintball Deer Hunt! Great chapter for some conflict perspective, but canon practically ignored the challenge in favor of the Gopher's feud. Also, Gwen and Trent had basically no lines, funny. It's already written, so it won't take long to be posted either :)
I bid you all adieu, ciao!