Total Drama Endless, Episode Twelve
...
"Have you tripled checked doc?"
For the second morning in a row, there's someone pestering Doctor Doofenshmirtz over his Potion-Sortinator.
"No need. The Inator does it for me." He says, casting what in his mind is a reassuring glance up at Beatrice. The poor girl has been flying circles around him like a moth all morning. Desperate to be human again.
"Okay. How do I phrase this nicely? Are you absolutely sure your… thing-a-ma-whatsit didn't overlook something?" She asks.
"Young Lady, I'll have you know that when they're not being blown up by Perry the Platypus, I have a faultless track record with my inators." Doof says indignantly.
Beatrice sighs defeatedly. Doof's expression softens.
"Hey, If it makes you feel better, you've been very useful as a bluebird. Don't underestimated what you can do in the body of a small animal. I don't think you're in danger of being voted out."
"She doesn't need to worry about that." Indy says darkly. "I think everyone can agree we're getting rid of the traitor next."
He, Beatrice, Roy and Wednesday all turn and glare at Rick. The old scientist nods disinterestedly.
"I see how it is." He takes the flask from his front pocket and takes a swig. "Moment you people get the slightest chance to blame me for something you all jump on it like your backwards ass puritans lynching their neighbours."
"You got rid of Dipper!" Beatrice shouts. "I know it!"
"I was the only one that liked him!" Rick snaps. "Why the **** would I get rid of him?"
"You probably sold him off to the ants or something!"
Rick gives her a look. "Sold him to the ants? Jesus, do ever listen to yourself?"
"Whatever happened It wasn't an accident!" Beatrice insists. "Point is you did something to him because you thought It'd help you win you dirty rotten old-"
"That's enough!"
Beatrice turns to see Doof, glaring at her disapprovingly.
"No more." He says. "Rick wouldn't have done anything bad to Dipper alright? They were friends. And anyway, last I checked you we're the one that tired to sell two little boys into slavery, not Rick. Right?"
Beatrice's face turns as red as her breast feathers
"You know about that?"
"Everyone knows about that." Doof says. "You said it in the Rodney House remember? That squirrel had cameras on you the whole time you were in there."
Beatrice lands on her nightstand and tucks herself into a little ball, looking deeply embarrassed.
Doof folds his arms. "Anyone else got a problem with my pal Rick?" He looks at Indy. The archeologist doesn't meet his gaze. Doof nods. "That's what I thought."
"I mean I still hate him." Roy says. "Mind you. I hate everyone here that isn't me."
"That sounds like more a you thing." Doof says.
Rick smiles up at him.
"Thanks pal."
Doof beams back. "Anytime amigo." He pats Rick on the back. "Sorry about the kid. I know it wasn't your fault."
Rick laughs awkwardly.
"Ha! Ha! Yeah… course it wasn't"
…
In the time since we've last seen it The Shorty Squad have someone managed to make there room even messier. The five of them are gathered around Amethyst's bed, playing cards, when there's a knock on their door. A moment later in walks Peter Quill, a brown paper package in his arms.
"Uh guys, I know we don't normally do this, but I got a care package here for you."
"Fascinating." Bentley muses. "Who is it from?"
"It better not be from that demon guy that showed up here a while back." Says Yao darkly.
"Yao, I thought we all agreed to pretend that didn't happen." Peter says sternly.
Amethyst laughs. "Yeah. Because the other teams don't want us talking about how they got their butt whooped."
"Whatever. Point is, it's not from him. It's from Mrs Shrinks, from last episode." He hands Amethyst the package. "Apparently she meant to give these to you, but you left before she got the chance."
Amethyst tears open the package eagerly and pulls out her gift. Her eyes go wide. "Whoa."
She's holding a black leather biker jacket, much like the kind worn by fifties greasers. She flips it over, the word's Shorty Squad are lovingly embroidered on the back.
"No way." She breathes. "She made these for us?"
"Oh yeah." Peter says. "Made them tiny sized actually. Apparently, she make's all her son's clothes so she's quite experienced. I'll let you try them on." And he walks out.
Amethyst slips into her jacket. She rummages through the package and pulls out more of them, handing one off to each of her teammate. Tails throws his on.
"Wow! We look cooler than Shadow!" Tails says. "Like my Shadow, not the other one we met."
While the other four fawn over their new accessories. Tomoko quietly shuffles their deck of cards, trying not to feel left out.
"Yo, Tomoko! You trying yours on or what?"
She looks up at Amethyst surprised.
"You mean I have one too?"
"Uh. Yeah. Duh" Amethyst says. "They send five for a reason you doink."
"But I thought I wasn't part of your alliance?"
Yao shrugs. "I mean you weren't supposed to be."
"But you've kind of grown on us." Amethyst says rustling her hair. "And since we stopped losing after Winry left we're kind of stuck with you."
Tomoko stares at them all in amazement. "You mean I'm popular? For real this time?"
"Yup. You're officially part of the family kid."
Tomoko's eyes well up with tears. "I can't believe it. You actually like me."
"Don't cry." Amethyst says. "Seriously. Don't. I put up with enough of that back home."
Tomoko frantically wipes her eyes with her sleave, but her comically sincere smile stays plastered to her lips. Amethyst smirks and shakes her head.
…
A few hours later the teams have made their daily commute down to the transporter room. As always, there host is already there waiting for them.
"Well, If it isn't that time again?" Conner says smiling broadly. "Who's ready for another world to explore?"
"I am!" Peach raises her hand eagerly. "After that oh so fun filled adventure last time, I'm ready for anything!"
"Good, because today's definitely not going to be as fun as the Shrink's house. Though that says less about where we're going today and more about what a lovely family the Shrink's are. Speaking of which.
He pulls something out of his pocket and hands it to her.
"You're reward from last challenge. A map of today's world."
Peach opens it, expecting a map of town or country. Instead, she finds a series of meticulously drawn tunnels and burrows. "Strange." She says. Conner chuckles.
"That's one way to put it. This world your about to visit… well it's an interesting one."
"Like what? Tell us." Amethyst says. Conner flashes her a toothy grin.
"I'd much rather show you. JEREMY IF YOU SO PLEASE!"
…
"Jeremy?"
He peers looks over to the control console. Jeremy's flopped over onto it, unmoving. A clear viscous liquid oozing from his bubble gum like skin. Conner groans.
"Oh great. He's lost in the sauce again."
"Oh ****. What do we do when that happens?" Markus asks curiously.
"Don't worry. I come perfectly prepared for this."
Conner walks over to nearest wall. There's a red panel built into it. The words "In case of drunken assistant break glass" written on it in bold text. He does as instructed and pulls out a pool cue.
"Everyone stand back. I'm a professional."
He marches over to Jeremy and starts prodding at the poor beast.
"Come on big guy. We've got an adventure to go on."
Jeremy let's out an aggravated gurgle, then presses a button on his console, sending them away.
An instant later, they're somewhere about as far removed from the brightly lit transporter room as possible.
The group have arrived in a dark musky crossroad, in an underground tunnel. Signs of civilization are all around them but there's something off. Everything artificial in sight is looks worn and forgotten and even more perplexing, is made with a vague insect aesthetic.
"This.." Conner says spreading his arms out. "…is the once great insect kingdom of Hallownest."
Lenny's eye's light up with the mention of the name.
"Let me guess, another video game world Lenny?" Rick asks.
"Right as always Richard. Sound like we're in the world the 2017 Indie classic Hollow Knight. By darling Independent developer Team Cherry"
"Alright Lenny settle down." Conner warns. "I'm the one that's gets paid here to spout useless facts. But yes, we're in another video game world, and like last time we were in one, I got a friend of mine to guard the statues for me. Albeit more consensually this time."
A shrill cry draws their attention, a figure leaps down from the shadows. She's a nimble little thing, vaguely feminine with a black body largely hidden under a what looks like a red robe. Her face is a white expressionless void with two large horns and dark empty eyes. She chatters something at them then pulls a little sack out of her robe. She opens it, showing them the three Chris Mclean busts, then chatters again and dashes off.
Yao blinks in confusion. "Uh… What's the catch?"
"There is none." Conner says. "She's got your statues, get her!"
The contestants all glance at each other, then stampede past Conner after the strange bug woman. He laughs.
"GIVE THEM HELL HORNET! Alright Jeremy bring me back!"
He waits expectantly for a moment but nothing happens.
"Alright Jeremy. Come on. I don't want to stay down here in the bug kingdom, beam me up."
Nothing happens. He glances around uncertainly. The dark, desolate, tunnel around him, doesn't offer much reassurance.
"Alright so he passed out again." Conner says to himself. "It's fine. Chewie or Jeffrey will be along shortly to beam back up. I feel it already, they're going to beam me up any second now…"
He chuckles awkwardly.
"Any second now…"
…
The Sixteen remaining contestants' barrel into the ruined kingdom, brushing past old structure made of coiled snail shells and crumbling stone. Everything around them is bathed in cool hue of lifelessness. The only exception being the glowing eyes of the local insect populace. Who silently observe the newcomers with an unfocused sense of hostility. None of these bothers their main adversary Hornet, who dashes across the labyrinthine passages as if it were second nature to her.
Indy chances a glance over his shoulder, getting himself divebombed by a vulture like fly in the process.
"Hurry up Rick!"
"I'll like to see you go this fast in a ****** wheelchair!" Rick shouts back at him. Indy grumbles.
"Lenny! Help him!"
"It would be my pleasure."
He slows down and scoops Rick up.
"Anyone else need a lift?"
"I think we've got other problems!" Doof says. He's right, the Flower Girls are gaining on them.
"Doof! Duck!" Indy shouts. Doofenshmirtz looks around wildly.
"Where? AAAAAAAH!"
A tall insect with wiry black limbs leaps from the shadows and pounces on the doctor.
"AAAAAAAAAGH! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!"
"Hold still!"
Wednesday with surprising ferocity for girl her age rips the writhing creature from the Doctor's face and hurls it back at there pursuers. It hits Peach square in the jaw and she shrieks and falls forward. Her three comrades pausing to help her. Wednesday dusts herself off.
"There. Two birds, one stone."
"Smart thinking kid but wouldn't it have been better to hit Athena?" Indy asks.
"Maybe." Wednesday grins nastily. "But I have a personal score to settle with Peachy."
Roy laughs. "Understandable. After yesterday I have a few scores to settle mysEAAAAAAAAH!"
An entire snail shell cart flies through the air and lands on Roy, splintering on the stone floor. The others yelp and dive out of the way. When the dust clears, they can hear the Shorty Squad laughing.
"Thanks for the idea guys!" Amethyst calls back to them.
Her team is fast on Hornet's heels, even Tomoko and Bentley keeping pace today. Suddenly they find themselves at the edge of a dark chasm burrowing further into the Earth. Without hesitating Hornet leaps down into it. Yao grumbles.
"Great! Now what!?"
"I'll fly after her." Tails offers.
Tomoko stops him. "No! Look!" She points down to Hornet ducking into a side tunnel only a little way down the chasm. Yao slaps her one the back.
"Nice going kid."
"Yeah. Yeah. Great work and all that junk. Now come on. We can celebrate when we win this thing!" Amethyst insists. And She bounds down a series of platforms after Hornet, The other chasing after her.
She ducks into the side tunnel, Tomoko follows. Soon as she does Amethyst puts a fist through the wall, collapsing the entrance. Tomoko yelps in alarm
"WHY DID YO-"
"Quiet!" Amethyst hisses.
They both go silent. Somewhere in the dark hazy cavern they've entered they can hear a sharp clinking noise.
"She's trapped in her with us." Amethyst says in a low voice. She reaches into her gemstone and pulls out a jewel encrusted whip.
"We know you're in here!" She calls into the darkness. "Come on bro, we caught you fair and square. Give us gold statue and know one gets hurt."
The clanging stops. A moment later they hear Hornet's shrill voice echo through the cave. Shouting something at them in her strange tongue.
"Yeah? Well, I don't have time for honour sis!"
"You understand her?" Tomoko asks.
"I'm a gem, I understand everyone." Amethyst says shortly.
Hornet chitters again.
"Big words for someone hiding the corner!" Amethyst shouts. "You want to fight so bad? Get out here and face me!"
Silence. Amethyst looks around suspiciously. Suddenly something rustles nearby by and she lunges at it.
A shrill cry, a flash of a blade and Tomoko gasps. Amethyst has fallen to her stubby knees. A long needle the size of a sword blade sticking out of her chest.
"Amethyst!" Tomoko cries.
Amethyst winces in pain and looks at her.
"Ah crud...I kinda meant to dodge that"
"What do we do?"
"Calm down. Everything's under control alright. I'm gonna be f-"
Amethyst explodes into a cloud of smoke. Her gemstone falling to the floor. Tomoko stares at the remains of her team leader in shock.
She laughs feebly. Then faints.
…
"Are you sure it's gone?"
"Positive." Markus says, dusting off Peach's cloak. The poor princess still seems startled.
"I can't believe that little girl could be so violent." She says. Lapis shrugs.
"She's a Fact Hunter. They're terrible and I hate every one of them, except for Lenny. Now come on, maybe we can still catch up."
Just then they hear something rushing towards them. Athena steps in front of the others.
"Stand back!"
"What is it?" Peach asks.
"Probably another hostile native."
She hurls her spear In the direction of the noise. They hear a familiar cry of alarm.
"HEY! Watch it! You could have killed me!"
Markus blinks in confusion. "Wait? Ay yo Conner what are you still doing here my ******?"
There host emerges from the mist, looking deeply relieved.
"Thank goodness it's you four. Jeremy's got me trapped down here with you people and I'm very scared."
"Would you like to come with us?" Peach offers.
"Peach sweetheart, I'd be more than happy to, but I can't. It'd be seen as interference and I could get sued for it post season. What'd I'd love from you ladies (and Markus) would be for you to point me in the direction of the nearest exit."
"Go back the way we came and there should be a route up to the surface." Athena says, inspecting their map.
Conner smiles gratefully.
"Much obliged ladies."
He dashes off, only to return a moment later.
"And Markus."
Conner dashes off again. Markus grins like a schoolboy.
"Never get tried of hearing that."
Peach smiles. "Very good Markus. Now..." She turns to Athena. "What about our situation?"
"If Amethyst hasn't caught up with that bug woman by now, she's lost her." Lapis says.
"Meaning we got to search this whole place for her?" Markus asks.
"Most likely."
Peach claps her hands together happily. "Oh but that will be fun won't it?"
Lapis looks up at the ceiling of congealed shells above them, An insect scuttles across it and hisses at them.
"Yeah… Sure. Lots of fun."
…
"Yao move that rock!"
"This one?"
"No, the other one!"
The pile of debris crumbles before them. The three Shorty Squad men are standing outside the cave Amethyst and Tomoko disappeared into.
Bentley rolls in and presses a button on his armrest his four mechanical arms extend out of his wheelchair. Each one of them holding a flash light.
"Ladies? Are you there?"
"Maybe they ran ahead?" Tails offers. Suddenly Yao trips on something. He gasps.
"Hey I found Tomoko!"
The other two rush over, crowding around Tomoko's unconscious body.
"What happened to her?" Tails asks.
"What happened to Amethyst?" Yao says looking around. "AMETHYST WHERE ARE YOU!?"
Tails glance back at Tomoko.
"Is she gonna be okay Bentley?"
"How should I know? I'm not a doctor."
Suddenly Tomoko wakes with a jolt. Panting, she glances around.
Bentley, Tails and the cave are no where to be found. Instead, she's lying on the floor of a middle school hallway.
"W-Where am I?"
"Relax you're just dreaming."
She looks up. There's a woman with wavy green hair standing over her.
Tomoko yelps in surprise and wakes again.
"AGH!"
"AHHHH!"
Her teammates jump back in alarm.
"Tomoko you're alright!" Tails cries. "What happened?"
"I fainted…" She says clutching her chest.
"Good for you." Yao says dismissively. "Now where'd Amethyst go?"
Tomoko whimpers and holds up the gemstone. Yao gives her an unimpressed look.
"Very funny. Now seriously, where is she?"
"Um… this… is… her…"
Yao's eye's go wide.
"Oh. OH!"
He grabs the gem. "SHE'S DEAD!?"
"I DON'T KNOW!" Tomoko blurts out. "She got impaled by the bug lady and she just when poof!"
"Let's not panic now!" Bentley insists. "Perhaps this is a function of her alien biology."
"-To explode!" Tails shouts.
Bentley shrugs awkwardly. "It's not entirely outside the realm of possibility."
Yao starts to pace.
"Well great! Just great! What are we supposed to do without our leader!"
"I don't know!" Tails says. "I didn't think she was gonna die!" Tears swell in his eyes. "I- I didn't sign up for this. I WANT TO GO HOME TO MOBIUS!" He starts crying. Yao's eyes begin to water as well.
"I WANNA GO HOME TO!"
The two of them hug each other and start to wail.
"WE'RE DOOMED!"
"DONE FOR!"
"WERE GONNA DIE!"
"SHUT UP!"
They both stop crying and turn to look at Tomoko. The girl's staring at them both determinedly.
"Amethyst wouldn't want us to give up." She says, voice trembling. "She would want us to keep going. So we are."
"What are you the leader now?" Yao asks. Tomoko stammers.
"I-I-I I think- I mean yes!" She gets in his face. "And I say we're going to find bug lady and win this challenge."
"That's right!" Says Bentley. "Come on gentlemen we've got friend to avenge."
Yao wipes his nose on his sleave and smiles. "Yeah. Let's show this guy who's boss."
Tomoko smiles weakly back at him. "Good. I… I think I known the first place we should go."
…
Farther down in the tunnels of Hallownest the crammed passageways lead down to more fantastical scenery.
Follow the tunnels far enough and there's a vast cavern home to a great city of towering glass and metal. The roof of the cavern leaks enough to be mistaken for rain, and the waters beat down on the city below like tears, giving everything a somber mood.
The Fact Hunters stand behind a public fountain. A large carved effigy of some heroic figure looming over them.
"Remarkable architecture aside, you want to remind us why we fought our way down here Lenny?" Indy asks.
"This is one of the places in game where one has the chance to encounter Hornet." Lenny explains. "Meaning we've got a decent chance of catching her here."
"And if we don't?" Wednesday asks.
"We check the other places where she can be encountered, Greenpath, Kingdom's Edge and Deepnest."
Suddenly they hear a shrill voice in the distance.
"BEATRICEEEE!"
Lenny nods. "Or…That might her now. Apparently, Beatrice's managed to draw her ire."
Beatrice pokes her head out of Indy's satchel. "Why me?"
"BEATRICE!"
She flinches, suddenly realising something. "Oh phooey, I know that voice."
"BEATRICCCCEEEEEE HEEEEEEEELPPP!"
Tomoko's sprinting towards them, her team behind her, a lumbering city guard behind them.
Beatrice sighs and looks up at Indy. "Do me a favour and deal with that will you?"
Indy pulls his revolver from the bag and fires a shot between the guards' eyes. They stumble forward. Dead. Beatrice turns to her old friend.
"Tomoko what's gotten into you?"
"Beatrice you need to help me lead my team!"
"What? Tomoko no! First off, I've got my own issues, and secondly, what do you mean lead your team? What happened to Amethyst?"
With trembling hands, Tomoko pulls the gemstone from her pocket. The other members of the shorty squad look away painfully.
"Tomoko here says she was poofed." Yao croaks. Lenny chuckles.
"Is that all?"
The Shorty Squad all give him a look of deep offense.
"Amethyst explained this to me." Lenny explains. "When a gem's body takes to much damage, they retreat into their gemstone until they can regenerate."
"I told you this was a normal body function!" Bentley says.
"So… Amethyst's not dead." Yao says cautiously. Lenny smiles.
"Not at all."
"And uh… how long does it take for her to that regenerating thing?"
Lenny frowns.
"Uh… I'm not sure. She didn't say. Knowing how long we gems live on average it could be anywhere from a few moments to several centuries."
"We don't have several centuries!" Yao yelps hoarsely. "I'm trying to be the guy that wins this thing, not the ancestor of one!"
"Beatrice please, please, please!" Tomoko begs. "You have to help us! You have to! You owe it to me!"
"Yeah alright! Back the **** up!" Rick says suddenly, wheeling himself between the girls and looking at Beatrice suspiciously. "The **** does she mean owe her?"
"Nothing!" Beatrice says quickly.
"Beatrice!"
"Okay fine! I got Tomoko to help me when I first turned back into a bluebird okay?"
"That's where you were that day?!" Indy asks. "That whole time we were searching for you, you were just off with your little playmate?"
"Why her, instead of your team?" Doof asks.
"Because I don't trust you people alright? Is that what you wanted to hear?"
Doof looks slightly hurt. "Okay ouch."
"Kid were not all sociopaths!" Indy says. "Just some of us."
"Also, before the moment passes let me just point out…" Rick says turning to the Shorty Squad. "Kid's got a bad past, hates her whole team and leads a double life with you guys and yet she's the one that accuses me of being a traitor. Let that one sink in."
"Rick quiet!"
"Another convincing argument by the prosecution everybody!"
"Shut up!" Beatrice shouts, looking increasingly flustered. She suddenly flies out of Indy's bag and perches on Tomoko's shoulder.
"You know Tomoko I think I've changed my mind. I'd be delighted to help you find Hornet."
"Um… are you sure that won't make you team mad." Tomoko asks awkwardly, glancing at the other Fact Hunters.
"Who cares! They all hate me anyway."
"No one said that kid." Indy says.
"I mean I hate you." Roy admits. "But that's more…"
"…that you hate everyone that isn't you." Beatrice says. "Great. So I've already heard. Have fun finding the statues without me."
"You better hope we do or you'll be the one going home." Indy warns.
"Good!" She says mockingly. "At this point that'd be a relief. Come one Shorty Squad let's go."
Tomoko gives them another uncertain glance then walks off the rest of her team following.
"Uh… Nice running into you guys?" Tails says.
The Fact Hunters watch them leave solemnly.
"Teenagers..." Indy grumbles.
…
"And that's how Captain Toad with his big heart and good friends saved all the other little toads from the boos."
The Ladies (and Markus) have journeyed deep into a part of Hallownest that's overgrown with orange spores and blue fungi. A dozen of the sentient mushroom locals have gathered around Peach, listening to her stories. The other three watch her looking amused.
"That's the last one Peach." Athena smiles. "Come, we must carry on our search."
"Hey!"
The four turn to see the Shorty Squad (Now plus Beatrice) running towards them. A praying mantis on their heels. Athena throws her spear, taking its head clean off.
"Thanks." Tomoko pants.
"Make no mention of it Mortal." Athena says. "Now state your business."
"Yeah… what do you guys want?" Lapis asks. Her eyes shift to Beatrice. "And why's she with you?"
"I'm a turncoat." Beatrice says quickly. "Now let us barrow your map."
"Why?"
"We need to find Deepnest because we think it's one of the places Hornet could be." Tails says.
"No, I mean we're in last place. Why should we help you?" Lapis says.
"Because it's the right thing to do?" Peach offers.
"The right thing to do is look out for our own." Athena says turning to the Shorty Squad. "We'll allow you a glance at our map to seek what you find, in exchange for another lead on Hornet's whereabouts."
"Okay!" Tomoko says curtly. They shake hands. "Lenny said she's either in Deepnest, Greenpath or Kingdom's Edge."
Athena smiles. "That's what I wanted to hear." She hands them the map. Tomoko pulls a phone from her pocket and snaps a picture of it.
"Great! Thank you! Okagesama de tasukarimashita!
She and her friends dash off down another passageway.
"Greenpath huh?" Lapis asks turning to her team. "Sound's like we have a destination."
"So what are still doing here?" Markus says. "Let's roll! Come on Peachy."
"Coming Markus."
She gets up and they start walking westward. Markus looks over his shoulder and grins at Peach. She raises an eyebrow.
"Yes Markus?"
"Yeah sorry. I'm not trying to stare; I like your posse."
He points behind her. A parade of Mushroom people are bouncing along at her heels. She giggles.
"I hadn't realised I still had an audience." She sighs and looks around longingly. "How this place reminds me of my home, and all my little toads waiting for me when I return. Much as enjoy our adventuring sometimes I miss my subjects terribly."
"Yo, you should get them something if win. Built them like a nice park or some **** with the money."
"What a lovely suggestion Markus."
"Thanks I'm full of them."
"Markus what would you do with the money?" Lapis asks.
"**** I got a ton of passion project I could put it towards." He pauses. "**** that's a good question. I'd uh… invest it in my music festival Camp Wocket Pocket or some ****"
Lapis nods. "That's respectable, I guess. If I won I'd buy my own summer camp and move Peridot and the Barn there. We could grow vegetables and pretend we were in Camp Pining Hearts."
"Yo!" Markus says suddenly smiling. "You and me, get this right. You want a summer camp, I want a summer camp, Lapis you and me get to the finals we should split that **** and buy the OG Camp Wawanakwa. That'd be ****** fire my ******!"
"I thought they sunk Wawanak-"
"NO, I knew were gonna say that ****! No way they actually sink that whole island!" Markus insists. "That **** was faked. The Real one's out there just rotting away. We absolutely got to buy that **** and combine our plans! Have like a music fest where everyone's eating veggies."
"Let's not lose ourselves in daydreaming Markus." Athena warns. "We must focus on the here and now."
"Athena what would you do with the money?" Peach asks. Athena chuckles.
"My dear Princess, I'm an Olympian. We have no need for mortal currency, so should I win I'll be donating my earnings to the city that bears my name; Athens!"
"Yo that's good, I hear they could use a handout." Markus says.
"But…" Athena continues. "my point is none of use have won that money yet. There's still a game to win and strategy to discus."
She starts to talk of battle plans and alliance's but by this point the others are hardly listening. Are of three of them glaze off wistfully, picturing themselves standing victoriously at the final episode
…
Far above them at the entrance of the nest stands a fading town. A dreary collection of huts and shops wasting away in the wind and the dark. Conner sits waiting on a black iron bench under one of the town's few street lamps, he takes in his surroundings anxiously.
"This isn't so bad." He lies to himself. "Just like doing a remote and Clueless Gamer shoot at once. Get to see the sights, meet the locals." He turns to an old insect nearby and waves. "Hey there. Conner O'Gleeson. Nice to meet you."
The insect gazes at him disinterestedly then mutters something and draws his cloak.
"Yeah… not really suit weather is it?" Conner asks. "I should have worn causal again." He turns away from the bug and scans the area. The only other sign of life is two insects huddled in a group a whispering to each other.
"Hey there!" He shouts. The two insects look up. "Name's Conner. I'm new here. Say tell me… is there anything interesting to do here in Hallownest. Or I don't know? Less creepy? I'll take anything really."
The two insects' glance at each other, snicker, then nod at Conner.
"Oh there is? Wow. Gonna be honest I'm very surprised. Anyway, I've got some time to kill while a friend sleeps off a hangover. You gentlemen mind pointing me towards the excitement."
The chuckle darkly and begin walking towards him. They mummer something sinister in their unintelligible tongue.
"Yeah, no. Still can't understand what you're saying." Three more insects emerge from the shadow. "And I see you've got friends." He gets up. "So, uh… my "I've lived in Los Angeles" sense is triggering so I'll just be on my merry way and leave you gentlemen to your parcheesi"
He makes to run but the nearly insect shouts something to the others, four lasso flies through the air and wrap around his legs. He falls to the ground.
"Please gentlemen, I'm a late-night talk show host, you don't want me! I'm useless at everything but telling bad jokes." He looks up at the misty sky. "Jeremy! Chewie! Yerdey! Show's over! Help you host!"
…
Meanwhile back on the bridge. Conner's crew watch him get dragged off on the live video feed.
"So.. uh…" Peter says. "Old Man Conner really looks he's in trouble this time?"
"Yup." Yerdey says.
"Should we like… rescue him or something?"
"You mean like how we rescue you when you were taken hostage."
Peter pauses.
"You know what?" He asks. "I'm sure he'll be fine. Anyone else up for a day long coffee break?"
The others all mummer in agreement.
…
Three great regal mantises bow to the Shorty Squad from their high thrones. The Shorty Squad bow back respectfully. They look tired but satisfied.
"We thank you for the challenge." Bentley says to the monarchs. "Now that we've bested you in combat we respectfully ask you grant us passage into Deepnest.
The mantises nod and a great gateway opens to their left. Tails grins. "Great! Look's like your plan of fighting these guys worked Tomoko!" He looks around. "Tomoko?"
Something groans from beneath him. Tomoko's laying on the floor, bruised and beaten.
"Of course it would work." She grunts. "It always does in the Shonen series."
She groans again and coughs. Beatrice flies over and pecks at her head. "You okay kid?"
"Never better." She says weakly. She gets up. One of her eyes is swollen shut. "Come friends! Into the tunnel! For Amethyst!"
"Yeah! For revenge!" Yao shouts running through the gateway. Bentley and Tails quickly follow with the girls taking up the rear. Tomoko winces and cultches her mid section.
"Tomoko are you sure your cut out for this? Beatrice asks, giving her friend an uncertain look. "This whole leadership thing?"
Tomoko frowns "Beatrice I don't understand. Why do you always do this?"
"Do what?"
"You told me to talk to my team and I did. You told me to stand up for myself and earn their respect I did. Now I'm the leader of my team, I'm more popular and confident that I've ever been and you're still not happy with me."
"That's because you don't seem happy."
"I am." Tomoko says, slightly hurt. "Are you unhappy?"
"Yes!" Beatrice shouts, causing Tomoko to flinch. "Yes I'm very unhappy! Rick has everyone convinced he didn't get rid of Dipper when he obliviously did."
"Why do think he'd do something like that?"
"Because he's Rick! That's what he's like! He's the one doesn't care about any of us any yet I'm always the bad guy."
Tomoko looks away awkwardly. "Um… Beatrice? I thought you didn't care your team either."
"I don't." Beatrice says annoyed. "At less not most of them. There's always a couple that alright at any given time, Perry, Doofulberg, Professor Jones. It's just…" She sighs. "This is gonna sound pathetic but it's kind of rough that I don't have any real friends of my team."
"You don't?"
"No." Beatrice looks embarrassed. "Not really. It's like I'm always the outsider. You know what I mean Tomoko?"
…
"Tomoko?"
Tomoko's stopped in her tracks. Beatrice turns and sees what Tomoko has.
They've stopped next to the rest of the team, all of whom are staring at something to their right. A massive pile of dead soldiers is amassed before them, completely overwhelmed by the bodies of a large silverfish like creatures that've streamed out of a crack in the wall.
"Whoa…" Beatrice whispers.
"That's the second biggest field of corpses I've ever seen." Yao mutters. Bentley gives him a look.
"Second biggest?"
"You don't know the things I saw during the war." Yao says darkly.
"Tomoko are you sure we should have checked Deepnest first?" Tails asks.
Tomoko whimpers. "Um… Yes, very much. Let's keep walking now."
The others give her a cautious look then continue on walking.
"What was that you were shouting about earlier Beatrice?" Bentley asks, wheeling over to the girls in his chair.
"Oh… that was nothing. Just you know, kinda bummed how my team's turning out." She says dismissively.
"Ah, don't worry about them." Bentley says with a wave of his hand. "Just hold on until the merge."
"That's what Dipper keep saying to himself." Beatrice says. "And I don't know if you noticed, but he never made to that far."
Bentley laughs. "I have confidence in you. Good things come to those who wait."
Beatrice frowns. "Yeah. Well. If that's the case I wish they'd hurry up because I'm getting tired of waiting."
Suddenly Yao stops again. "Every one shut up!" He barks,
Tomoko looks around. "What is it!?"
"I heard a sound."
He squints, the tunnel as been getting darker with every step they've taken.
"Is it Hornet?" Tomoko asks.
A loud rumbling noise shakes the whole tunnel. The Shorty Squad draws in and clings to each other out of fear.
"That didn't sound like Hornet." Tails croaks.
There's another noise, this time a shrill shriek and a silver insect burrows out of ceiling and falls onto Yao. He screams and punches it off him, it twitches and dies.
Then hear another shriek, and another, another, as now dozens of the creatures began burrowing out of the ground behind them.
"We're being surrounded!" Tails cries. An insect lunges at Beatrice. Tomoko grabs her.
"RUN!" She screams. The other don't need to be told twice, they spirit further into the nest, a wave of burrowers gathering behind them. Their silver chitin glinting in the dim light.
"Maybe it wasn't the betss idea coming here." Tails pants.
"Yeah. Thanks for suggesting it leader." Yao growls at Tomoko. "We're gonna die because of you."
"I'm sorry! Here! Quick! Go!"
She points at branch in the tunnel, they run through and immediately find it's a dead end.
"Oh, my mistake. This is much worse!" Yao shouts. Tomoko whimpers something like an apology.
"Calm down Yao!" Says Bentley. "They're may still be a way out."
"LIKE WHAT!?"
Over the din of the approaching swarm, they hear a crack. A second later the ground beneath them collapsed into a vast chasm, sending everyone but Tails careening into the abyss.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa….."
Down they fall towards their doom, but it doesn't come. Instead, just at the tunnel grows pitch black a light suddenly illuminates it and they plunge into a glowing hot spring with a mighty splash.
Beatrice resurfaces gasping for breath. "Well, that was horrible. Tomoko I like you but next time your falling to your apparent death, you mind letting me go so I can fly away?"
Tomoko remerges next to her, sopping wet and sobbing.
"I WAS THAT CLOSE TO GETTING US KILLED!" She howls. "WHY DID I THINK I COULD LEAD YOU GUYS!?"
"Hey calm down I didn't mean it." Beatrice says.
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!"
"Quiet."
"I DON'T DESERVE FRIENDS!"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!"
Tomoko stops crying and looks at her. Her jaw drops.
"What?" Beatrice asks.
Tomoko blinks twice. "Uh… do this." She wiggles her fingers in front of her. Beatrice glares at her.
"Very funny Tomoko. How am I suppose do that with my wi-"
She makes to hold her right wing out but the limb that appears in her field of vision isn't a bluebird's wing. Or avian in any matter at all.
"Oh…" She whispers.
Scarcely daring to hope for what see's about see she looks down at her reflection in the glowing water. A familiar face blinks back.
"I'm me again." She say staring at herself. "I'm me."
A smile creeps across her face.
"No more bluebird!"
She laughs and dances around the spring happily. Yao (having resurfaced a moment ago.) watches quizzically.
"Weren't you only a bird for a day or two?" He asks.
"She had been one before." Tomoko says, wiping her eyes. Yao looks at her in surprised.
"Hey! Your eye healed."
Tomoko feels her face. "It did."
"That's not all that healed."
The three of them turn to see Bentley standing next to them. Standing.
"Liked I said, good things come to those who wait."
Cut to Greenpath.
Far above, near to the surface the Fact Hunter's traverse a far more pleasant place than the dark horrors of Deepnest. By sharp contrast to the earthen tunnels Greenpath is lush and vibrant. It's antiquated architecture overgrowth with moss. To another group of people this place may have seemed beautiful. To the Fact Hunters however, all Greenpath is, is a trivial backdrop to their stormy mood.
"We're really just going to let Beatrice run off with another team?" Indy asks, not for the first time.
"It's the middle of the season Jones." Roy says. "We can't be responsible to keeping everyone afloat anymore. She wants to sink her game let her."
"Yeah. But I mean she's just a little girl." Doof says. "We should be at least a little protective of her right?"
"I have been." Indy insists. "And what do I get in return? She pushes me away."
"That's a teenager alright." Doof smiles.
"Roy's right, let her do whatever the **** she wants." Rick says. "Just so long as she doesn't spill our secrets, we'll be fine.
"Would that be a bad thing? It would be nice to see someone else go down the path of evil no?" Doof says with a grin.
"Is that all you ever thing about doc?"
"It's most of it."
Rick sighs and smirks.
"Sorry I've been such a hardass lately, I think the cripple Rick life's starting to wear me down if you know what I'm saying?"
"Don't mention it." Doof says dismissably "We'll science you a way out of that soon enough pal."
Suddenly a patch of foliage rustles nearby. The six of them stop and turn to each other.
"What do you make of it Lenny?" Rick says in a low voice.
"It sounds like first place Richard." Lenny says.
"Alright, get ready everyone. Let's show this bug how we roll." The others nod, and prepare themselves for a fight.
Suddenly four figures pounce through the moss, knocking Rick to the ground. Indy fires its pistol and it bounces harmlessly of the helmet of the lead figure. It's Athena and her Flower Girls.
The two teams stare at each other for a moment.
"The Flower Girls!" Doofenshmirtz cries. "What are you doing here?"
"That's none of your concern." Athena says briskly. "Why are you here?"
"The **** does it matter to you?" Rick snaps, staggering back into his chair. "We were here first, so piss off!"
"Calm down Mortal, there's no need to be so defensive of this place in particular, unless of course you found something." She raises an eyebrow. "Or someone?"
Rick's eyes narrow before going wide with revelation. "Beatrice you bitch! Are you ***** kidding me!?"
"Rick!" Doof cries.
"She leaked our ******* Lenny knowledge to the other team Doof! God dammit I was right!"
"Okay! Yes… That's not good, but for evils sake she's a teenaged girl! There's no need for the rude name calling."
"Fine! But you got to admit doc. This proves I'm not the real villain."
"Hey who we're hating doesn't matter to me." Roy says cheerfully. "So long as we all have a shared enemy to gang up on and bully relentlessly, I'm happy."
"Your whole team's the shared enemy." Lapis says.
"Honey, we've barely even won a round in weeks." Indy complains.
"Oh poor you. That must be hard" Lapis gestures to her comrades. "My team's down to four people. Cut us some slack!"
"Uh, yeah homies. No offense but we need to find this bug chick like a **** ton more than you do." Markus adds.
Something chitters above them. They look up to see Hornet staring down at them from the ledge of a ruined archway.
"YOU!" Athena and Rick shout at once. Athena hurls her spear at the creature. She seamlessly dodges it and disappears into the foliage, reappearing on another ledge behind them, chattering indignantly.
"What do you mean you're not here to fight?" Lapis asks her. "Get down here and give us our statue."
"Lapis? Can you speak her language?" Peach asks.
"We gems can understand everyone Peach. How do you think we're comminating?"
Hornet speaks again, Lapis looks surprised.
"What is she talking about?"
"What is it?" Athena asks.
"She's wondering if she's going to be paid?"
"She's getting paid for this?" Indy asks.
"Well she thought so at least." Lapis calls up to her. "Why are you worried about this?"
Hornet replies curtly. Lapis groans.
"She says Conner's been kidnapped by locals."
"What!?" Her team cries. Rick begins cackling.
"Serves that piece of **** right. Glad to hear he's the one that has to put up with this **** for once?"
"But… we're going to rescue him aren't we?" Peach asks.
"What for?" Rick asks bluntly.
"Because he's our host." Peach insists. "And without him we're all stranded here."
"Also if he dies their probably won't be any prize money in the cards." Roy coughs.
Rick swivels around in his chair.
"Alright get your **** together everyone and put your differences aside. We got a host to save!"
Hornet says something then dashes off.
"She says to follow her." Lapis says.
"You heard the bug then. What are you people standing around for?" Rick barks. "God damn don't any of you people care about Conner?"
He wheels after Hornet. The others glance at each other in disbelief.
"He seems fun." Markus comments.
"Ah, you learn to love him." Doof says.
The other Fact Hunters shake their heads.
Cut to the Shorty Squad.
It seemed to the Shorty Squad that it was surprisingly much easier to leave Deepnest than it was to enter it.
After Tails had flown down the shaft and reunited with them and the jubilation over Bentley's healed legs had worn down the group had managed to find a tram way of all things out of Deepnest in a relatively short time. From there in had only been a quick journey through the waterways until they had remerged in the City of Tears. Now paying extra mind to avoid the guards that had troubled them earlier.
Bentley does a little jig.
"Ah! To feel the earth beneath my own to feet! You've no Idea how much I missed this."
"We're really happy for you Bentley." Tails says. He turns to Beatrice. "Hey! We should tell Rick about this. He'll be amble to cure himself to."
"Actually I think we should keep this to ourselves." Beatrice says quickly. Tails looks surprised.
"Why?"
"Well. Let's just say he's a lot easier to keep track of in a wheelchair." She says hesitantly. "Last time he had use of his legs he went on a rampage."
"That's true." Tails says uncertainly. "He did kind of out do Eggman, which is really saying something."
"Yeah but we're not gonna seriously deny an old man a cure for his aliments?" Yao asks. "I mean, I might not be a nice guy but that's the kind of stuff that gives you bad luck."
"I think we should be more concern to what Rick would do to us if we ever finds out." Bentley warns.
"Don't worry about it." Beatrice insists. "We're going to keep this to ourselves okay? Rick's not going to find out."
"HHHHHHHHHHIIIIIII"
The sharp call draws them their attention. A moment later Hornet whizzes past them.
"HEY! That's her! Where does she think she's going?" Yao shouts.
A horde of their fellow contestants' stampedes pass them chasing after Hornet.
"The same place they're all going!" Tomoko says. "After them!"
They sprint after the other two teams. Hornet leads them eastward through Hallownest, passing out of the city and across a string of platforms over a deep abyss until they reach the entrance to what looks to be an arena and Hornet halts so quickly her pursuers slam into one another, falling to the floor in a heap.
"Yo long how were these ******* back there?" Markus asks, swiveling around and glancing at the Shorty Squad.
"Everyone shut up and look at this" Rick shouts.
The contestants get to there feet and follow Rick in the stands of the arena. There's about a hundred insects waiting for them there, all cheering excited from the stands surrounding a stone pit lit by lanterns. Directly across from them is a great throne on which the carcass of some once great insect king is slumped over, though no one present seems to care. Above him, bound in chains hanging upside down over throne is…
"Conner!" Tails shouts. "You're okay!?"
"Guys!" There host cries, voice cracking in relief. "Thank god you came unlike SOME PEOPLE!" He shouts to the heavens. "WHEN I GET BACK UP THERE, THERE'S GONNA BE TROUBLE! YOU HEAR ME YOU FIVE!?"
The Insects roar in fury and Conner flinches in fear. "Please tell me one of you people know what they're saying when they chitter like that?"
"Working on it!" Lapis says. She frowns. "They're upset with you Conner. Something about volunteering for combat then trying to back out."
"I just asked if there was anything interesting to do in this place!" Conner yells exasperatedly.
"That might have been lost in translation." Lenny muses.
"Then ask what I need to do to get them to let me go!"
The crowd jeers again ominously.
"They say the Fool King demands entertainment." Lapis says.
"The Fool King's dead!" Conner roars. "I keep trying to tell them!"
"In order to release the coward, the newcomers must…" Lapis hesitates. "Must send three of their own in the Colosseum of Fools in his place."
"So he wants some of us to fight?" Yao asks, smirking darkly "Great! Who's the unlucky bug we gotta squash?"
The crowd mummers. Lapis raises an eyebrow. "They say the princess?"
"Me?" Peach asks confused. Lenny laughs.
"Actually, I think they mean the princess of Hallownest."
Hornet nods, Peach looks surprised then smiles at her.
"I had no idea I was in the presence of another royal daughter." She says. "You have my respect."
She bows to Hornet, the princess of Hallownest returns the gesture.
"Alright you two! Enough with the formalities!" Conner snaps impatiently. "New challenge time! I need one person from each team to go down there and win my freedom! Anyone that does wins their team immunity!"
"So if we all win no one goes home?" Markus asks.
"YES! Just get me down from here!"
Lenny cracks his knuckles. "Well, I'm always happy for a chance to explore my powers."
"I'll second that Lenny." Lapis says. "Let's make this a gem thing."
"But we don't have Amethyst." Tails says.
"I'll go in her place." Yao volunteers.
"No! I'll do it!" Tomoko cries.
"What!?" Yao and Beatrice yelp.
"Kid, seriously you'll hurt yourself!" Yao says, sounding concerned.
Tomoko takes a shaky breath. "I volunteered to be leader now that Amethyst's gone. This is my fight."
"More like your funeral." Yao mutters. Tails gives him a hard nudge in the rib. "Ow! I mean knock 'em dead kid. But seriously, let those other two do the work okay?"
Tomoko nods and hops down from the stands into the arena and stands next to Lapis and Lenny.
Hornet leaps into the other side of the arena gracefully then bows to them, they bow back.
"Sure you know what you're doing kid?" Lapis asks Tomoko.
Tomoko smiles weakly. "No."
Hornet shouts again and the crowd cheers in delight, someone begins pounding on a drum. Then suddenly she leaps into the air and lunges at Tomoko. The girl squeal as Hornet's foot collides with her face, she's knocked backwards into the wall of the arena and goes limp.
The crowd cheers. The Shorty Squad groan, Lapis and Lenny glance resignedly at one another and the fight is one.
Hornet bounds around the edge of the arena, leaping in the air to strike down at her enemies with her needle. Lapis pursues her, nearly matching her agility. Lenny however remains rooted to one spot, doing his best to dodge Hornet's blade with varying success.
"This would be easier with good charm or two." He says.
"Whatever those are we don't need them." Lapis says. "Cover for me for a sec."
She ducks behind him and tenses up. A moment later the sound of rushing water creeps in from outside, first distance then closer, closer, until a ragging wall of water rushes harmlessly past the other contestants, down into the pit and right into hornet, washing her off the feet. Lapis pulls a stream from the dissipating wave and hovers it around her like a ring of energy. Lenny whistles.
"So, I should be able to do something like that?"
"Well. Maybe. If you're lucky. Again, you may just be a solider."
"What do they do?"
"Simple; you punch hard."
Lenny grins. "Well why didn't you say do.?"
Hornet's back up again, she hurls her needle at Lenny. He catches it, she cries in indignantly and attempts to pull it back with the silk thread attached to its end. Lenny pulls on the thread from the other side and drags her off her feet. With his mighty strength he plucks her of ground and twirls her like a lasso, then smashes her into the side of the arena.
Hornet gets up and lunges at him, Lapis hits her with another blast of water and freezes her right an inch in front of Lenny's face. He flashes her a toothy grin, swings his arm back, then punts her back the arena wall so hard a section of it collapses. The crowd cheers.
"THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT Lenny!" Rick hollers excitedly. "I KNEW I GAVE YOU THOSE POWERS FOR A REASON!"
Lenny waves to him then smiles to Lapis. "I think we might have found a tactic."
Hornet staggers to her feet, she looks furious.
"I think you made her mad." Lapis comments.
She leaps into the air and lunges at them again, striking fast and furiously at them. Lenny dives out of the way to avoid her blade,
"HORNET FOR THE LOVE OF GOD I'LL PAY YOU MORE TO THROW THE MATCH!" Conner pleads from his bindings.
Hornet indignantly shrieks something up at him.
"Apparently some thing's are worth more than money." Lapis pants.
"NO THERE'S NOT! WHAT KIND OF HIPPY CRAP IS THAT!?"
"You're the one that hired her!" Lapis growls. Hornet has her playing defense. Every wall of water she raises to protect herself her foe quickly strikes down with her blade.
Lenny in an attempt to take advantage of Hornet's direction lunges at her from behind. She leaps over him nimble as a ballerina and he crashes into Lapis by accident.
"HEY! Watch where your going." She shouts angrily. "Your supposed to hit her! Not me!"
He grins sheepishly at her. "In my defense you weren't much better in the fight against that demon character."
"I THOUGHT WE AGREED TO NEVER MENTION ALASTOR!" Conner bellows.
Back below him, while the other two were arguing Hornet's been standing in an almost mediative stance. Then at once, she leaps into the air again. Threads of silk charged with energy begin pulsing around her like a shield. The other two watch her in dismay.
"Another power of hers?" Lapis asks.
"Oh yes, she's got a couple she hasn't used yet."
Lapis sighs. "This would have been easier we three people."
They get to their feet and brace themselves as Hornet charges again.
…
Tomoko wakes, clutching her chest.
"What happened!?"
She looks around wildly finding her self in the school again.
"Oh." She says, looing crestfallen. "I'm unconscious again."
"And about time too. I was getting tired of waiting."
The woman with wavy green hair steps out of the shadows. She wears a purple dress, a star hairclip, and her hair is definitely shorter than the last time Tomoko saw her, but there's no forgetting her face.
"Ramona!" Tomoko yelps.
"Hey Tomoko."
Her former teammate strolls over to her.
"But-but how?" Tomoko stammers. "How are you here!?"
"I told you, didn't I? You've got a big sub-space passage way through your mind. It's really easy to slip in and out of."
"I-what?"
"Do people not use the subspace in Japan?" Ramona asks.
Tomoko stares at her blankly. Ramona taps her chin.
"Hmm. Maybe it's just an American thing. When I moved to Toronto nobody knew it either." She shrugs. "Doesn't matter. Anyway sorry for popping in unannounced. I saw your mind was open wanted to see how post Total Drama life has been treating you."
"Post Total Drama?" Tomoko repeats.
"Yeah, how's your life been since the contest?"
"Um… I'm still competing." Tomoko says awkwardly.
Ramona looks at her in surprise. "Really? Damn. Good for you kiddo! No offense Tomoko but I thought you were doomed the moment they sent me home."
"Yeah…" Tomoko scratches her chest awkwardly. Ramona beams at her.
"So? Don't leave me hanging. How have thing's been since I've been gone."
"How thing's have been?"
"Yes! Tell me everything."
Tomoko's lip trembles then, all of a sudden it all comes pouring out of her. She tells Ramona about everything that's happened since her elimination, Amethyst revealing her alliance, the Rodney House, her friendship with Beatrice. All of it comes out of her in perhaps far too much detail. All the while Ramona listens patiently. Finally, when she's reached the present and gotten a chance to catch her breath, Ramona let's out a slow whistle.
"So you really got them to trust you enough to be their leader?" She nods. "I'm impressed Tomoko, you've really come far."
"Yes." Tomoko breaths. "Thank you! I'm so happy I've finally popular."
"Well now that you've gotten everything you always wanted; how do you feel?"
"Wonderful!" Tomoko lies, Ramona raises an eyebrow. Tomoko sighs.
"No I'm not." She admits. "I'm miserable. I'm a terrible leader, the stress is agony and I can't make good choices under pressure. I'd give anything to have Amethyst back."
Ramona taps her chin again. "You said she retreated into her gem right? That'd be like what? Her species brain or something wouldn't it?"
"Maybe." Tomoko says confused.
Ramona seems to mull something over in her own mind.
"The hell with it." She says after a moment. "This might be a stretch but we're doing it." She grabs Tomoko's hand. "Come on. Let's go."
"Go?" Tomoko asks, now more confused than ever. "Go where?"
But even as she's asking the question, she notices the door that's suddenly apparently in the dark void of her mind.
…
The moment they pass through the doorway, the two women leave the black void of Tomoko's mind and enter a bright white space just as empty. The only thing in sight being a dozen large piles of garbage on the top of which sits Amethyst. Curled up in a ball and hugging her knees.
"Amethyst!" Tomoko cries.
The gem looks up, and spots them she yelps and falls off her trash pile.
"Amethyst!"
Tomoko comes running over to help how.
"Stay back!" Amethyst shouts, crawling away from her. "What are you? Some kind of guilt monsters?"
"Amethyst, it's me Tomoko."
"Kid what are you doing in my gem!?"
"She had a little help." Ramona says coldly.
Amethyst looks up at her sheepishly.
"Heeeey you. Long time no see. No hard feelings about getting you voted out right?" She laughs awkwardly. "Please don't beat me up."
"Trust me I'd love to, but it's not in the cards." Ramona says glaring at her. "Right now, your team needs you in one piece."
"Amethyst please." Tomoko begs. "Tell us when you're going to be ready to come out! I know it probably takes a while but you need to hurry up."
"Well… uh… funny thing. I could come out anytime.
"What!?"
Amethyst chuckles. "Uh yeah. I'm not Pearl. I can regenerate pretty quickly if I want too."
Ramona raises an eyebrow. "So what's taking so long?" Amethyst looks away.
"It's stupid." She murmurs. "You wouldn't understand."
"What?" Tomoko asks.
"I'm… embarrassed Hornet kicked my butt." Amethyst admits. "I was kind of hoping you guys could manage the challenge yourselves today while I stayed in here and sulked."
"Amethyst, you can't abandon your team like that!" Tomoko scolds.
"Why not? You guys can manage."
"No we can't!" Tomoko insists. "Without you, they left me in charge and there's must be something wrong with me because I don't want to be a leader. I'm terrible at it!"
Ramona laughs. "Tomoko not everyone want's to be leader. That's like saying everyone wants to be popular."
Tomoko cackles shrilly. "That's ridiculous! Who doesn't want to be popular?"
"I don't." Ramona says. "Never did, not even in school. I like keeping people at arm's length. Less people get hurt that way."
Tomoko looks at her uncertainly. "Yes. But… You're not a loser like I was when I was unpopular." She insists. "You're the cool kind of unpopular."
"Yeah? And who says you couldn't be?" Ramona asks. "You at you with that long silky black hair and those dark eyes. You could absolutely be a cool anime loner type."
"Like a samurai or something." Amethyst adds.
"Exactly." Ramona says.
Tomoko stares at them in surprise. "You really think I could be cool without having lots of friends?"
"Sure." Ramona and Amethyst say.
Tomoko looks hopefully for a moment then she sighs again.
"But I've wanted to be popular ever since I started middle school. It's been my dream."
"Tomoko no one know what they want out of life." Ramona says. "Especially not by the time they're in middle school." She smiles. "I wasn't even sure I was straight until I got out of collage."
Tomoko blushes. Amethyst slaps her on the back.
"We're all figuring out this whole life junk. You can be whatever you want to be! That's what makes being on Earth so great. That and junk food."
"Speaking of, you need to figure out a way to get out of your head and back in the game." Ramona says sternly. "Apparently there's some bug woman kicking everyone's ass you need to deal with."
"That's exactly why I can't go back right now!" Amethyst says. "I already got my butt whooped once, I don't want it to happen again."
"Hey, it's not like I care." Ramona says. "But if your team loses because of this they'll vote you out and you'll have to suffer the fate of post-elimination like I did."
Amethyst gulps. "What do they do to you? Stick you on a resort."
"Do they put you on a talk show?" Tomoko asks.
"Actually our contracts are pretty weak." Ramona admits. "Once your out of the game you just get to go back home."
"Oh." The other two say in unison.
"So there's no consequences for leaving." Amethyst says.
Ramona shrugs. "Yeah no, run from your problem. It's always worked for me." She starts walking away. "Only catch is there will be one place you can never hide from them."
"Where that?" Amethyst asks. Ramona spreads her arms out.
"Right here."
She fades into the distance.
Tomoko looks at Amethyst. "So, um… What's your choice?
Amethyst grumbles, then walks over to the junk pile. She picks up a mirror and stares at herself a while. Finally, she smirks.
"Kid do me a favour a get out of my gem." She says. "I've got some business to take care off.
…
It's been ten minutes since Lapis and Lenny had made anything remotely resembling an offensive strike. On and on Hornet bombards them with her withering attacks, her thin figure yet to show any sign of fatigue, her fury yet to relent.
"Lenny, I'll be honest, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up!" Lapis says as hornet's needle effortlessly shatters another of her ice walls.
"Ah well, don't worry to much about it." Lenny says, his optimism yet to be broken. "We've lasted longer than most players do another her second form. And besides, we haven't lost yet!"
He charges at Hornet desperately. Letting out his best war cry. The insect whips around and hurls her needle in his direction, it wraps around a pillar behind him and with a pull from it's master sends it crashing down, trapping him under it."
"Lenny!"
Lapis attempts to rush to his aid. Hornet launches a spool of silk at her, it binds Lapis's legs and she falls out from under, crashing down onto the stone floor next to Lenny. Hornet stands triumphantly over them.
"This may not be the most opportune time to ask but having your physical body destroyed doesn't hurt does it?" Lenny asks. Lapis gulps.
Hornet laughs and prepares a suddenly strike, when a noise behind her catches her attention, she turns around in time to see Tomoko jolting awake. A second later Amethyst's gemstone rises into the air, a white light envelops it until it solidifies into a familiar stout little lavender body, complete with ankle length white hair, black leather jacket, and handlebar moustache.
"YOU!" Amethyst shouts.
Hornet makes a noise of recognition.
"That's right! You and I have got unfinished business nerd!"
"AMETHYST!" Her team cries from the stands.
"Guys, help Tomoko up." She says to them. "I've got a bug that needs squishing!
She and Hornet run at each other. The others pull Tomoko into the stands.
"Tomoko what were you thinking!?" Beatrice scolds her. "You nearly got yourself killed. Again."
Tomoko smiles guiltily. "Ah.. you know. Same reason I do anything." Beatrice smiles back.
"You and your stupid popularity complex. I am glad everything worked out thought."
"Yeah doesn't look like she's the ***** only one!"
Beatrice swivels around. Rick's staring at her accusingly.
"You want to tell me how you got your little bird problem fixed?" He asks. "Or is that a secret between you and the other teams?"
"Oh that!" Beatrice says quickly. "Yeah… Turns out it did wear off on its own after all."
"On its own?" Yao asks. "What about the-"
Beatrice, Bentley and Tails all cover his mouth.
"Yes! Wore off completely on its own." Bentley says with a smile.
Rick's eyes narrowed. "Of course, my mistake. She obviously got better on her own, you know just like your legs?"
Bentley laughs awkwardly.
Back in the arena Amethyst cuts Lapis free from her binds.
"What took you so long?" Lapis asks.
Amethyst shrugs. "Ah, you know. The unusual."
"Self-doubt?"
"Yup."
"Cool. I've been there."
"I know."
"Is this another gem power I'm unfamiliar with?" Lenny asks.
"Kinda." Lapis says. "Now hold still."
She summons her spilt water from between the cracks of the stone floor it pools around the stone pillar and lifts it from Lenny's shoulder.
"Brilliant! Now what's the plan to defeating Hornet?"
"Keep her in the centre." Amethyst says. "Then when I give the word Lapis you bring the roof down."
"As in?"
"As in literally!"
Lapis smiles. "That I can do."
Sure enough a moment later Hornet's upon them. They three of them dodge her latest volley and retreat to walls of the arena and circle around like sharks while she strikes at them.
"You're a pretty good fighter bug." Amethyst taunts. "Probably best I've fought in a while."
Hornet hurls her needle at her. Amethyst dodges. "Missed me that time!"
Hornet yells something at her angrily. Amethyst grins.
"No, you're totally right! You could still probably beat me one to one."
Hornet hurls her needle at her again. Another miss.
"But I've got something you don't!"
Hornet launches a spool of silk at her. Amethyst ducks under it and smirks at her. "I've got friends! And you what they're good for?"
Hornet chitter at her.
"That's right, distracting people! Now guys!"
Lenny tackles Hornet to the ground from behind, tying her with her own thread.
"Lapis!" Amethyst shouts.
Lapis spills a wave of water in five and freezes it. Sending her icy missiles into the ceiling. The rock above them cracks for a moment, then gives way, sending tons of rock down directly onto the Hornet, and knocking Conner loose in the process.
"AGH! GOD! MY BACK!"
"They did it!" Tomoko shouts happily.
"Wait!" Beatrice says..
Hornet pulls herself from the rubble and gets to her feet unharmed. The three gems raise there fists, Hornet looks at each them. Then bows to them.
The insect crowd and their fellow contestants go wild.
Hornet throws the sack full of statues at there feet, bows again, then dashes off.
"Nice work you two." Amethyst says.
"Thanks." Lapis says. "Nice to have you back."
"Always happy to participate in some gladiatorial combat with you ladies." Lenny says.
"Yes." Conner says pleasantly. "Now speaking of antiquity, if we don't all get teleporting out of here in the five seconds MY CREW'S GOING TO BE CRUCIFIED!"
Four seconds later all of them disappear, leaving the denizens of the colosseum of fools to the drunkenness that comes after watching a good fight.
…
The group rematerializes in the transporter room, all five staff members present and waiting for them.
"Oh, thank god!" Peter says doing a convincing job of sounding relieved. "Conner you'll never believe it but we just got the transporter working again. We were slaving away all day trying to rescue you.
"Less loyal crew's would have fainted at the efforts we when to!" Yerdey proclaims. "Our dedication to cause is a historic testament to the very idea of companionship."
"Yup! Totally."
They both laugh heartedly. Conner gives them a withering look.
"It would happen again boss." Peter says more sincerely.
Conner grumbles. "Good. Or else I'll have to give you boy a first-hand lesson on how Chris Mclean used to treat his intern."
"That won't be necessary." Assures Jeffrey.
"Then get these chains off me."
"Got it." Peter nods to Chewbacca. "Chewie, do your thing
Chewbacca growls affirmably then begins tearing the metal chains off of Conner.
While the staff are busy with that, Tails pulls his team into a hug.
"I'm really glad we're all together again!" He says happily. "I thought we we're gonna lose you girls today."
"Yes." Tomoko says a little nervously. "Um that reminds me. I need to ask you guys something."
She pulls them into a huddle and whispers something.
Conner gets to his feet, and dusts himself off.
"Well that was terrible." He says causally, trying to get his hair in order. "I suppose if theirs any positive to this, it'd be that I learned today that I'd sooner die than be a contestant on this show. But yes, congratulations everyone. As promised you all win immunity, meaning they'll be no elimination ceremony tonight. Also-"
"Mr O'Gleeson!" Tomoko says, raising her hand. Conner sighs.
"Tomoko I hope this is important."
"It is." She says. "I've decided I want to go home."
…
"Are you sure we can't change you mind?"
Tomoko stands on one of the elimination cushions, her team gathered around her, looking melancholy.
"I'm sure." Tomoko says. She seems more sure of herself than she ever has. "I've learned so much about myself here. I want to go back home and try out the new me there." She smiles to herself. "I'll be so cool with my mysterious backstory and loner persona."
"I never thought I'd say this I'm really gonna miss you Tomoko." Amethyst says.
"Me too." Tomoko looks past her to the one other person beside Conner present that's not on her team. "Good bye Beatrice! I hope you learn to get along with your team too one day."
"Thanks" Beatrice says, looking miserable. "I'm sure that'll happen any day now."
"Alright Tomoko, I got a date with a bottle of aspirin." Conner says. "Last chance to change your mind and keep playing for the money."
"Who needs money?" Tomoko says dismissively. "I already won the real prise here; self esteem."
"Tomoko, that's great but you remember the prise money's like ten million dollars, right?" Amethyst asks.
Tomoko's eye's go wide. "WHAT?!"
"Alright! I'm tired of waiting! Goodbye!" Conner shouts and he presses a button, sending Tomoko out of sight and out of the game.
"And hello to a new era." He says suddenly turning to the camera and beaming. "Because after that bombastic round things are due for a shake up around here. Will the Shorty Squad manage without Tomoko? Will The growing rifts in the Fact Hunters tear the team apart? And how will Beatrice manage knowing she no longer has any friends in the game? Tune in next time to find out! Right here on Total. Drama. Endless!"
"You know it's insulting when you do that in front of us right?"
"Quiet Beatrice."