Puzzlefan 123: You are correct; as stated in the first chapter, I have tried to get this fic off the ground for quite some time. Hopefully, this'll be the last time.
Hyperpixel357: I can neither confirm nor deny that Heather will be eliminated sooner. ;)
The camera opens up on a shot of the mess hall, before zooming in through one of the windows.
Th campers are all seated around the tables, eating their daily breakfast of grey paste. Even though it has been three days since the exhausting Awake-a-Thon, the Killer Bass still look dog tired.
The door to the mess hall opens up, revealing Chris. He smirks at each of the campers, before settling his sights on Duncan, who is snoozing on the table.
"Duncan, you look like crap, man.", said Chris, causing all the Bass to edge away from the punk.
"Stick it.", grunted Duncan, going back to his nap.
"Harold kept us awake all night with his snoring.", explained Courtney.
The mess hall door opened yet again, revealing an until now absent Harold. Everyone starting snickering, as Duncan had written a mustache on Harold's upper lip with permanent marker.
Harold took his seat besides Ezekiel, and stared at the snickering. "OK, I bite, what is it?"
Geoff slid him a spoon. "Looks like someone messed with your face, dude."
Rather than being angry or sad, Harold looked at the mustache with some kind of admiration. "Awesome.", he said.
"Campers, your next challenge will be held on the beach.", said Chris. "Meet there in fifteen minutes."
He walked out, quickly followed by most of the other contestants. Heather, however, grabbed Lindsay and Beth's arms, holding them back in the mess hall.
"Hey, Lindsay, Beth, I've got something I want to ask you.", said Heather, putting on a false cheery front.
"What is it, Heather?", said Beth.
"I've been thinking ever since last challenge to start an alliance with two people, and bring them to the final three with me. And I've picked you two."
"Really? The Final Three!?", said Lindsay, in astonishment.
"Awesome!", said Beth.
Confessional (Beth): I can't believe I'm going to the final 3 with Heather! I wonder what will happen then.
The camera cuts to the beach, where a gymnasium, with walls completely made of glass, stands.
The contestants filed into the court, eyes wide with shock; this glass gymnasium certainly wasn't here a few days ago.
They all began muttering and chatting about the state of the art court, when a whistle shrilly blew.
Chef Hatchet, resplendent in a black and white referee's outfit, walked past the contestants, closely followed by Chris.
"Today's challenge will be the age-old game of... dodgeball!" He held up a bright, red dodgeball, as Chef upended a basket of other balls all over the court.
"The rules of the game are simple. If you get hit by a dodgeball, you are out."
"Throwing balls. Another mentally stimulating challenge.", snarked Noah to Cody, who snickered.
"I know, right?", said a serious Lindsay, causing the two nerds to glance at each other.
"Allow me to demonstrate.", continued Chris, before throwing the ball. "Lindsay, think fast!"
The ball predictably beaned Lindsay on the head, knocking her onto the ground and causing a big bruise to form.
"You were supposed to dodge.", said Chris.
"Right.", said Lindsay, after she was helped up by DJ.
The ball Chris had thrown had come to rest at the feet of Tyler. He glared at Chris. "Why don't you pick on someone you're own size!", he yelled out, throwing the ball at Chris.
Unfortunately, he tipped on his shoelaces, plummeting to the ground. The ball sailed right into Chris' hands.
"If you catch a ball, the thrower is out, and you get to bring one of your teammates back into the game."
Tyler, from his place on the ground, snapped his fingers, then trudged to the Bass' bleachers. Chris was about to say that the game hadn't even started yet, but then thought better of it.
"You can use your ball to block any other balls, but if your ball falls out of your hands while blocking, you are out. Now, the game will be best three out of five. Only five players out in the court at the beginning of each match. You have five minutes to decide who to send out."
At the Gopher's bleachers, the team was huddled together, as Heather had taken the lead.
"All right, so Justin, Cody, Leshawna, and Trent are going out first.", said Heather. "Now, who's our last player?"
Her eyes slid from Gwen (who was writing in her diary), Noah (who was reading a book), Lindsay (who was still nursing her bruise), and Beth.
"How about you, Noah?", said Heather. "Don't boys really like this stupid game?"
"Sport's aren't really my forte.", Noah dryly replied. "But I think Beth would like to."
Beth most certainly didn't look like she wanted to, but she sighed and got up nonetheless.
Over at the Bass' side, loud snoring could be heard, originating from Duncan, who was lying on one of the seats.
"Gosh, and you guys complained about my snoring?!", said Harold.
"Quiet, Harold.", said Courtney, snidely. "OK, we've got to decide who's going out first."
"Who died and put you in charge?", said Eva, suddenly hostile.
"Um, I'm a trained CIT. I'm the only one here with any real camping experience."
Eva narrowed her eyes at the CIT.
"OK, so this is what we'll do; we'll send only our strongest players into the fray, then we'll cream the Gophers for the third time in a row.", said Courtney. "I'm thinking DJ, Geoff, Eva, and Bridgette. Katie, you said you were an expert at dodgeball, right?"
Katie nodded her head, and grinned.
"I wish I could join you guys for the first game. I'd totally dominate!", said Tyler, causing Courtney to facepalm.
"Dude, you realize the game hasn't even started yet, right?", said DJ, trying to hold back a snicker.
Tyler stars forward blankly for a good three seconds, before grinning. "Then put me out in the game. I can totally win this challenge single-handedly!"
"All right, fine!", said Courtney. "Katie, you're on the bench this round."
The camera cut to the five Gophers and five bass all standing at opposite ends of the court.
Chef blew his whistle, and the game was started! The competitors all raced forward to get balls from the center of the court.
Eva, who had three balls to herself, immediately took out Justin, Leshawna, and Beth in one fell swoop. The three were knocked to the ground from the impact of the hits.
On the sidelines, the Bass all cheered, eager for a third win.
Eva picked up another ball, but it was snatched out of her hands by Tyler
"Don't worry, Eva. I got this one!", he yelled, indicating Trent. He threw the ball hard... and missed Trent by a country mile. The ball hit the opposing glass wall, ricochets off it, then hit Tyler, Bridgette, and Geoff in rapid succession.
Chef blew his whistle, indicating that the three needed to go to the sidelines.
"Oh, c'mon, ref! That was friendly fire.", yelled Courtney.
Trent and Cody kept throwing and dodging balls, until the former was taken out by DJ. Cody stood alone against Eva and DJ.
"Easy out, guys, easy out.", said Courtney, encouragingly.
Cody narrowed his eyes, then picked up a dodgeball. He carefully aimed it, then threw it.
It missed the two Bass. "Is that the best you got?", snickered DJ.
The ball that was thrown turned in mid-air, like a boomerang, and hit DJ right in the buns.
Now, the Gophers were cheering.
Cody then rubbed another ball on his shirt, creating static electricity. He threw it at Eva, who dodged it narrowly.
"Ha, missed!", she said, but no sooner had her words left her mouth then the same ball beaned her on the back of the head.
It seemed that Cody's static ball would zoom in on the nearest target.
As Cody walked back to the Gopher sidelines, exchanging high fives with everyone, he glanced back at Eva.
The jockette, from the floor, glared up at the dweeb with fierce anger. Cody waved nervously.
At the Bass' side, Eva is pacing up and down in front of the stands. "That little twerp got lucky!", said Eva. "Send me back in the game, and I'll wipe that smug look off his face."
"We're obviously going to do that, Eva.", said Courtney, rolling her eyes. "I think if we send the same people, plus Katie, out there, we'll win the next round."
Katie stood up hopefully, only for Tyler to speak up yet again. "Last game was a fluke; if you send me out now, I can use my special move on them."
"You must be joking.", snarked Courtney.
"My special dodgeball twist will knock them all dead. Just trust me."
Courtney rolled her eyes, but said, "Fine."
Nearby, Eva's eye twitched.
(Eva): Why is Courtney making all the decisions for us. I'm an excellent leader; it should be me leading us to victory.
Ezekiel spoke up, "How about me and Harold? Don't we deserve a shot, eh?"
Eva suddenly appeared beside him, and twisted him up by his collar. "What, you think us girls can't handle ourselves out there?"
"Um... no?", said Ezekiel, carefully.
Eva drew back her fist. The camera cut to the Gophers just as the punch landed.
"All right, Noah.", sad Heather. "You're up."
"You know what, you guys did such an awesome job out there, that I don't want to mess up your mojo.", said Noah, causing Heather to raise her eyebrows.
Soon, the Gophers (Heather, Cody, Lindsay, Gwen and Beth) were out on the court, followed by the Bass (Eva, Geoff, DJ, Bridgette, and Tyler).
The Gophers all stood with Cody in front, while the Bass with Tyler.
Chef blew his whistle. Tyler immediately jumped forward, and grabbed three balls. He then began to twirl in place, eventually throwing each ball into the air.
One almost hit Chris, who ducked right at the last minute. "Hey, watch the face, man!"
One hit Ezekiel, who was holding a steak to his bad eye, right in his one good eye.
The last one his Lindsay, knocking her to the ground.
"No!!!", yelled out Tyler, as Courtney said, "Finally!"
Tyler was soon at Lindsay's side, helping her to her feet.
"Oh, Tyler, how does my face look?", said Lindsay, unaware of her massively swollen face.
Tyler winced for a second, then forced a smile. "It looks really... good."
The duo then stared at each other's eyes for a second... right before Beth walked up nonchalantly, and lightly tossed her ball at Tyler's sternum.
"Hey, since we're both out, you want to go on a walk or something.", said Tyler.
"Sure!", said Lindsay, as the duo walked past a bitter Heather.
"Aw, forget this!", yelled out Eva, who proceeded to grab as many balls as she could carry. Soon, the air was filled with flying red balls, striking out Heather, Gwen, and Beth. Cody looked about in shock at his sudden lack of team members, when a ball slammed into his torso, sending him flying back to the glass wall.
The Bass all cheered, as Eva growled in triumph.
At the Bass' side, Courtney brings the group int a huddle. "OK, so our permanent strategy is to give all the balls to Eva, got it?"
Meanwhile, at the Gophers, Cody was walking back to the stands, clutching his stomach.
"OK, since Cody is the only one on this team with any dodgeball experience, I say we give all the balls to him, got it?", said Heather.
The episode then goes into a montage of the succeeding three games. Balls fly every which way, Eva growls in triumph, Cody aims a ball, the Bass and Gophers all cheer, etc.
Eventually, the final round was drawing to a close. Eva was currently throwing balls with all her might, while Cody was using various gymnastics moves to escape the balls.
On the Bass' side, Eva's teammates were cheering her on.
"C'mon, Eva! Kick their butts again!", yelled out Courtney.
Seeing this, Heather called out, "C'mon, Cody!" Most of the other Gophers cheered him on as well.
The cheering, however, was undercut by Noah's dry, sardonic cheering. "Woo-hoo! Go, team, go! Throw those murder balls.", he said, oblivious to all the glares he was receiving.
Eva threw a ball with deadly force. Cody, however, ducked just as it would have hit his face. In slow motion, Cody watched the ball sail past, then gained a thoughtful expression.
As soon as the ball was clear, Cody went boneless on the ground.
"Yes!", said Eva, pumping her fist. The Bass all cheered.
However...
"I don't... I don't think he was hit.", said Chris, narrowing his eyes at Cody.
"What?", said Eva, in a flat tone. She turned to find Cody no longer on the ground, but now standing up, aiming a ball at Eva.
Before she could react, the ball beaned her in the face.
"The Gophers win!", said Chris. Cody was immediately hoisted up by the Gophers.
Chris walked up to Cody. "Nice work, dude.", and gave Cody a rarely genuine high five.
"All right, we did it!", said Noah, trying to squeeze into the crowd, only to receive hateful glares.
"What?", he said, as everyone walked away from him. "What?! We won didn't we?"
Meanwhile, as the Gophers carried Cody out of the gymnasium in triumph for their first win, the Bass all stared at each other in abject defeat.
A yawn interrupted their awkwardness. Duncan got up off his seat, stretched, then said, "So, what'd I miss?"
"That's the last time I'll lose to that... that... that dweeb!", growled Eva.
Later that night, only three Bass had not yet received a marshmallow at the campfire ceremony: Duncan, Tyler, and Ezekiel.
"All of you received votes against you tonight.", said Chris, proffering his plate of two marshmallows. "Duncan, you slept through the entire game. Tyler, you were quite possibly the worst player imaginable. Ezekiel, you said some pretty hurtful things about women las episode. The next marshmallow goes to... Ezekiel!"
Ezekiel pumped his fist, then went up to receive his marshmallow, trying to avoid Eva's glare.
"And the final marshmallow goes to...
... Duncan!" Duncan yawned and went up to receive his treat, while Tyler slumped in his seat. He then got up, trudged across the pit, and disappeared into the night.
(Heather): I'm glad that that jock goof is gone. Now Lindsay can focus on more important matters... like helping carry me to the finale!
Teams
Screaming Gophers: Beth, Gwen, Lindsay, Heather, Trent, Noah, Leshawna, Cody, and Justin
Killer Bass: DJ, Geoff, Duncan, Harold, Bridgette, Katie, Sadie, Ezekiel, Eva, and Courtney
Eliminated: Owen, Izzy, and Tyler
Votes
Tyler (9)
Duncan (1)
Ezekiel (1)
So, we just had a super storm in my neck of the woods of Virginia. The power even went out at my place of work!
Anyway, be sure to review like mad!