Author's Note:

I'm actually going to save my comments for after this chapter ends. Let's just say that this was a pretty intense one! You'll understand why it's taken me so long to finish this "episode", so please enjoy!

Also, this is Part 3 out of 3. No more cliffhangers! Someone gets eliminated this episode!

CI: I've been told a couple times that this version of Dawn is by far the most "realistic" in terms of not making her a little puffball that could do no harm. And for that, I'm loving it! Dawn's always been one of my favorite characters (which is funny considering that I voice Kai from Disventure Camp) so getting her to be this little badass is great!

Yep, Dakota's definitely a hurdle in everyone's plans at the moment. I don't usually like returning characters since they usually don't do enough to justify their spot, but I hope Dakota's more than scratched that itch!

I'm actually working on the DC3 right now so that's a lot of fun. More comments in the coming months :) I'll save that for if I decide to continue Disventure Camp Rewritten (which I probably will once TD: TISB finishes)

Guest: Remember how I constantly state this fanfic was "daydreamed" in 2015? Basically, there was this one meme at the time in which people theorized that Scott's bad luck came from Dawn putting a spell on him during her elimination. I decided to make it canon here!

MERGE: Dakota, Dave, Dawn, Jo, Noah, Sammy, Scarlett, Scott

Episode 22 - Shame On You!

xxx

The episode continued with a shot of the talent show stage, right as it looked the sun was about to set on this absurdly lengthy day. The six contestants who failed to make the final round were all sitting in the audience. Zooming in, Jo and Noah were both seen facing one another intensely. The Insult War was minutes away from commencing.

"...and welcome back!" Topher grinned as he began posing for the cameras, "Sadly, McLean had to drop out leaving the one and only Topher to take care of the rest of the episode!" he smirked at Dakota, who proceeded to roll her eyes. "Aren't I blessed? A spin-off and an episode all to myself?"

"Oh get on with it, will you?" Scarlett complained, now wearing her normal attire. "And I thought Chris was irritating…"

Dakota stared at Scarlett, then onto Dave before holding her hands out. "Why aren't Dave and Scarlett wearing each other's clothes anymore? Didn't Chris force them to-"

"Who cares?" Topher cut her off. "Unlike you, I like to make sure my fellow contestants are as comfortable as possible. Since I'm in charge, I allowed them to wear their usual getups."

"So?" Dakota argued, "just because Chris isn't around doesn't mean you get to-"

" Audiences have an easier time remembering who's who, y'know?" the wannabe cut her off yet again. "I'm surprised Miss Reality TV didn't know about Ratings 101." Topher degraded with yet another smirk.

"Oh, for crying out loud, just start the challenge already!" Dave complained as he crossed his arms. Dawn and Scott both stared at him in disbelief over how angry he was.

"Sheesh! You're all a grumpy bunch, aren't you?" Topher chastised as he shuffled his cue cards, "Without further ado, I present the '1, 2, 3, 4, I declare an insult war' smackdown! Who'll be winning tonight's invincibility? Will it be Jo, the Czar of Zingers? Or will it be Noah, the Shaman of Snark? Both competitors will only have one verse each so make sure it counts!"

Jo huffed as she began stretching her arms to crack her fingers. "I'm not holding anything back, guy. My eyes are on the prize, bucko!"

Noah cringed as he slightly leaned back, looking as casual as ever. "So are mine, Jo. So are mine. Care to start us off?"

"With pleasure!" Jo nodded as she cracked her neck and gave an evil-looking grin.

~/~

[A hip hop-sounding rap beat began to play as Jo began bopping to the music. After the opening noises, she suddenly broke into freestyle]

(JO)

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Noah's Snark,

Like Dave to your forehead, you gotta leave a mark,

Your fanbase is huge, that I cannot deny,

But for what? The third boot back in TDI?

You say you're a pro, but that's just not true

When even Bubble Boy's won more shows than you!

While you're a smart fella, your boy's a fart smella,

Eating Happy Yum-Yums that give you salmonella!

Did you shed a tear? When you kissed a guy's ear?

How about that time your girl betrayed your rear?

I don't mean to be rude, I don't mean to be crass,

You may have been a Gopher, but I'm here to kick your Bass!

Your Daddy never liked you, always the runt of the litter,

Bud, you should get some coffee, cause you're always acting bitter,

I'm sick of your crap! Always "boohoo, woe is me!"

All because you weren't loved by mom and daddy.

No family, no friends, a loner's all that you are,

It's a miracle you ended up as a TV star,

With your nerdy sweater vest and you're odd-shaped face,

Think you have a shot against me? What a ridonculous race!

And when this season's done, what was your final role?

Some spineless weasel, who betrayed the chick with the pole!

You're just a nothing "yes man" for ol' Court's ideals,

So here's my final advice - beware of eels!

[Noah was seen, trying his best to contain his rage. His jaw clenched as he firmly held the microphone, ready for his verse.]

(NOAH)

"Heyo, Sue the Jester, why dress like a soccer mom?

Is it any surprise you didn't have a date to the prom?

Or how you were a failed sports captain, fully disrespected?

And in any social gathering, always completely rejected?

Yes, I did my research! As there's not much to say,

To a third-rate antagonist who never changed her way,

And you call me third boot, with your mediocre bars?

Tell me, where did you place when you played All-Stars?

Now let me grab the mic, cause this about to get grody.

She ain't a "jockette", her real name's Jodie!

You and me got more beef than your breakfast of steaks,

Cause your zingers are softer than those snack food cakes.

Even "Sharkbait" thinks your fashion is a pain to the eye,

Is it any wonder that you never kissed a guy?

Gray sweatpants? Please! What's with the homeless attire?

Burning our vision like it's your hot balloon's fire!

So you're the show's toughest fighter? I want my money back!

We all know your second-best to your friend, the brainiac.

Consider yourself blessed you found the red sociopath,

Since you're the poster child of Pride, Greed, Envy, and Wrath!

You think you rule this game with your cold iron fist?

You're delusional, guess it's time to revisit your therapist!

Without her, you'd be alone with no one to hear you groan,

As you drown your sorrows, completely alone.

Lightning's got the right idea and I'm not talking 'bout gender,

You're just a has-been who the fans won't even remember,

And yes, I'll end here, I'm out of both lyrics and cares

For this nobody who'll be forgotten once the finale airs.

[The beat came to an end as Jo stood there, mouth completely agape. She had no idea Noah had it in him to drop such killer disses. Noah crossed his arms and smirked arrogantly.]

~/~

"That…was… awesome!" Topher squealed in joy as he pumped his fists in the air. "It's a close call, but I think we have a winner!"

"...how the heck did you know that stuff about me?" Jo said as she finally snapped to her senses, finally processing Noah's lyrics.

"I didn't," Noah grinned, knowing full well that his words were getting under Jo's skin, "You read like an open book, pal."

Jo grit her teeth as she stared at the six contestants sitting in the audience. All of them were in absolute shock over how nasty it had gotten.

Topher cleared his throat. "That's enough stalling! Ladies and Gentleman, the winner of the Insult War is… Noah!" Suddenly, balloons and confetti fell from the ceiling as Noah stared in dull amusement. On the other hand, Jo looked as if she was ready to rip Topher's arm off. "Congratulations on a guaranteed spot in the Final 7!"

Noah shrugged, "I should've won last challenge, but I suppose this will have to do,"

"No fair!" the jockette complained furiously. "He got to go last! Getting the final word is a huge advantage!"

"Hey, who chose the order again? Oh, right! It was you, wasn't it, Jodie?" Topher mocked with a devilish grin. From the audience, Dakota couldn't help but grimace over how cringeworthy he was being.

"Forget this!" Jo said as she began storming off in rage, "That was my win, guy! My win!"

Topher continued to hog the spotlight. "Well, with Noah immune, that leaves you remaining 7 in danger of elimination! I'll be seeing you all in a few hours!"

xxx

Noah was seen with his legs propped up, looking very rested. "Really, I don't think I needed this immunity, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have it." he explained in a comfortable position.

"It's nice to have a bit of control in this merge for once. It's just a matter to go from here," he reasoned as he put his hands to his chin. "Do I stick with Jodie and her cult of personality? Or is it time to start weakening her army? Surely, she won't be too pleased with me going forward…"

After a brief moment of pondering, the snarker shrugged. "Meh. Either way, having this "bulletproof vest" means I'll be able to cause a bit of mischief tonight…"

/

The footage cut back to show the jockette and the brainiac, having yet another secret meeting by the tree stump; Jo still looking furious over her humiliation at the challenge.

"...who does this Topher guy even think he is?" Jo ranted in exasperation as Scarlett looked back reassuringly.

"He'll flame out soon enough. Beauty fades, but stupid is forever." Scarlett pointed out, to which Jo felt at least a little less annoyed. "Besides, so long as that blonde bimbo sticks around, we'll never truly be the biggest targets of his chaos."

"Eh, fair enough." Jo nodded as she scratched her head. "Speaking of the Lame Monger, what's with the necklace? Kinda looks like one of those Chris head things."

"That's precisely what it is," Scarlett called out with a smug grin. "I lent her the McLean-Brand Totem. Permanently, might I add."

Jo's eyes looked as if they were about to fall out of her skull. "YOU WHAT!?" the jockette growled in frustration as Scarlett's grin grew wider and wider. "That stupid trinket was meant to bring us to the end!"

Scarlett squinted her eyes. "Tell me, Jodie," she mocked as the jockette rolled her eyes, "If you wanted to keep our charade going, why on Earth did you reveal the fact I had it last ceremony? That's just utterly illogical, is it not?"

Jo scowled at her, then scoffed, "Had to sell the act, man. Snarko and Blondie were onto me. If I didn't fake you out with the totem, they would've cut one of us next."

Scarlett adjusted her glasses and crossed her arms in confidence. "You understand we've gotten to know each other ridiculously well over these past few weeks, correct? And yet you still think I'm idiotic enough to fall for one of your lies," she pestered as Jo took a step back, blushing that her cover had been blown. "Tell the truth, Jo. What was your reason for trying to blow up my game?"

The jockette pursed her lips, trying her best to cover her blushing face. For some reason, it looked as if Scarlett's grin grew wider and wider the longer Jo refused to answer. Eventually, she responded.

"Fine! I'll spill the beans but you better not tell anyone." Jo huffed in frustration. She took a deep sigh as she began explaining herself. "Noah was onto something with his crappy insults. I've been feeling pretty… underwhelming compared to you. Yeah, my reputation's probably improving, but it just sucks when you're the most physically fit person here yet I can't win any stupid challenges! I figured that if I could… one-up you or something, we'd actually be considered equals. We're the greatest duo this show's ever seen, but I can't help but sense that I'm always in your shadow."

In a rare moment of empathy, Scarlett tilted her head. For once, she wasn't able to tell whether Jo was pulling her leg or not. "...is that all?" she eventually asked.

"Yeah, that's it." Jo grumbled, not able to look Scarlett in the eye anymore. "Go ahead, make fun of me." Jo retaliated with sarcasm, holding back from looking too affected. "Call me out for being an emotional wreck or something. Leave me like everyone else in my life!"

Scarlett, in an unexpected turn of events, moved in to hug the friend she had gotten to know over the last couple of weeks. Both women were fully aware that this was their first true embrace in years.

"We've been together for this long, Jo. Do you honestly believe I'm the type of person to throw my promises away?" Scarlett assured with a calm voice. "And besides; we are equals. Don't you realize that without your physical attributes and charisma, I would've been eliminated all those rounds ago? Neither one of us would've made it far without the other. Given our strengths and weaknesses, it's clear that we complete each other."

Jo quickly composed herself, embarrassed that she let her feelings get the better of her. She pulled out of the hug and stared back at Scarlett. "Looks like Scarface has a heart after all!"

In response, the brainiac once again rolled her eyes. "Enough stalling. I'd say it's about time we discuss our plans for tonight…"

/

The scene shifted to show the five members of the majority alliance from last elimination, Noah, Jo, Dawn, Scott, and Dakota, all sitting down in the cafeteria area.

"I still don't get why Little Witch didn't vote for Dirtboy last time, but you won't see me complaining!" Jo quipped as she looked at Scott and Dawn, neither of whom seemed to be looking in one another's direction.

"I know why…" Dakota said mysteriously, in another attempt to eat the scenery. Noah rolled his eyes in response.

"So, losers," Jo opened, "Which of the three is going home tonight? Scarface, Sparemy, or Crazy Dave?"

"We shouldn't go for Dave or Samsam," Dakota suggested as the camera cut to her. "Have you seen what's going down between those two? Drama for days!"

"So you're saying we vote for Scarlett?" Jo retorted. "New Girl, I know you aren't up to date with all this, but we're all using her as a meat shield. As long as she's in the game, she'll be-"

Noah cut her off. "A shield to everyone is a shield to no one," he deadpanned. "Moreover, it's not like Jo's willing to vote her off. Most obvious secret alliance ever."

Jo clearly wanted to give Noah a piece of her mind but managed to restrain herself as she knew that she'd most likely make her situation worse.

"Scarlett doesn't have the totem anymore," Scott added, "She's an obvious shield, but it's better to pick the little guys off first. Like what my Pappy used to always say, 'you gotta cut the wings before you cut the beak'.

"That's terrible!" Dawn groaned. "Oh, those poor wingless hens."

"Hens?" Scott raised an eyebrow, "Nonono, he was talking about peacocks! We used to have a-"

"Anyway," Dakota interrupted, "Who're you suggesting then?"

"Oh!" Scott snickered, "Why don't we go for Samey? Wouldn't it be great if Scarlett's only ally left is unstable Dave?"

"I refuse!" Dawn protested, putting her hands on her chest. "It isn't her time to go! There's still so much she needs to learn before leaving this island."

"Real shocker!" Noah grumbled. "Do you understand why I was so quick to blindside Bridgette now? You girls were all thicker than thieves!"

Dawn squinted her eyes in his direction in annoyance. "While I am not pleased to once again be working with Noah or Scott, I'm only doing so for the interest of my game." she snarked. "If you want my vote, I recommend keeping the votes away from Sammy." Dawn said elegantly as she then looked at Scott. "Let me repeat that. Sammy. Her name is Sammy." Scott silently apologized with his hands in response.

Jo shrugged. "Fine by me! If it's not Scarface and it's not Twinception, then it's gotta be-"

"Absolutely not!" Noah objected as he stood up from his seat. "There's no universe where I'm writing Dave's name tonight."

"Aww, you do care about someone!" Jo scoffed, "Funny how it just so happens to be the guy that looks pretty much like you. Narcissistic, much?"

"Didn't he, like, beat you up a few days ago?" Dakota queried, trying to rile up some drama. "I thought that bridge got totally burnt! What's up with that?"

"That is absolutely none of your concern," Noah hissed. "As today's challenge winner, I think it's only fair that I decide who we're voting for."

"Who died and made you leader?" Jo asked in frustration as she also stood from her seat. "We aren't voting Scarface, end of story!"

Noah bit his lips, ready to throw a nasty remark at Jo. However, at the fear of being beaten up once again, he decided to hold it in. "Fine. Keep her in the game until the very end. See if I care!" he snapped as he began walking away.

"Where do you think you're going? Sit down!" the jockette commanded in anger.

"Where else? I'm off to the others!" the snarker monotoned in disbelief, "If you aren't willing to cooperate, then there's nothing that can be done. Don't you realize that you need me far more than I need you?" he said as he slammed the cafeteria door shut.

Jo locked her jaw in rage as she began to give the wall a quick punch.

"Thank gosh, can we be honest?" Scott joked to break the lingering tension. "If only he wasn't immune this round. Guy's been stirring the pot for so long now! He promised to ask Dawn about why she's so mad at me, but apparently he never even tried!"

"Oh, I agree, he's definitely a real piece of work" Jo nodded, "He's been going off, lying about how you've been gunning me since the beginning!"

Scott's eyes widened but chose not to say anything. Dakota gave a smug smile upon hearing this.

"So that's it then? We're voting for Dave?" Dakota yawned in boredom. "Hate to cut this new drama so soon, but I'm getting pretty tired of him this season."

"No kidding!" Jo replied quickly. "But now we need another person to hold the majority."

"I'll see if I can get Sammy to vote with us." Dawn piped up.

"That won't be necessary!" Dakota remarked fabulously with a smile. "I'll have a quick gossip sess with the island's resident librarian! I'm sure she'll be down to work with us!"

"Wouldn't it be better if Jo did the sweet talk?" Scott pondered.

Jo shook her head. "Nah, this works for me! Queen Dee's got this in the bag. Just make it quick, alright? Only an hour before the ceremony!" she commanded.

Dakota saluted as she stood up and began heading out the door, before Dawn asked a stinging question.

"Dakota, before you go, I must ask– if the situation calls for it, would you willingly play your totem, the one you've so publicly chose to wear on your neck, on any of us?" the moonchild interrogated in skepticism.

"Of course!" Dakota nodded in a rather reluctant tone. "The four of us to the end, right?"

/

The footage had now cut to the eight remaining campers walking to the elimination area. Specifically, the camera zoomed in on Scarlett and Jo walking together at the back of the pack.

"Everyone still onboard with our blindside Daviot plan?" Jo asked discreetly.

Scarlett smirked and gave a slight nod. "It's all part of the plan, Jo. You'll have to trust me on this."

xxx

"I'm not expecting anything too crazy tonight," Jo confessed in the outhouse. "Seems that everyone but the two string beans are going for Dave. We can't go for Noah, so think of it as his little punishment for robbing me in the challenge!"

xxx

The camera then moved away from the two women and onto Dakota and Sammy, both of whom were seen walking next to each other.

"Isn't this exciting?" the fame monger patronized the cheerleader, who simply looked annoyed, "We'll be sitting so pretty at the Final 7! And with Dave Delusional out of the game, things will be so much less irritating!"

Sammy the classic Total Drama fan pouted and clenched her fist. "Every single time he gets better, he always messes it up. When will he ever learn that his actions have consequences?"

xxx

"Tonight's going to be amazing!" Dakota gushed as she spread her arms out high, "Guess who's orchestrating the biggest blindside of the season? That's right! Me!"

The fame monger giggled as she cracked her knuckles, "Allow me to explain! After our little meeting, I approached Dave and Noah and told them that I'm ready to shake things up! Majority alliances are sooo boring!"

Dakota then stood up and began posing for the cameras, "The boys took a while to come to an agreement, but eventually, Noah caved in, so now we're getting rid of Samey! Poor girl! You may be wondering, so, what? That's only three votes Samey! You need one more! Well, guess who got Scarlett to join us?! Sorry, Jo! Was I meant to get the votes on Dave? Oopsie daisy! Samey won't even know what hit her! You know what they always say, right? Nice girls finish last!"

/

After the standard opening shot for the camera ceremony, Topher was shown with a large crowd of paparazzi behind him.

"So, uh, where's Chris?" Dave asked.

"On a leave of absence, that's where! Probably off getting physical therapy for his hips or something!" Topher quipped with a chuckle. The paparazzi behind him also began chuckling as they began snapping photos like crazy.

"So, you're hosting the campfire ceremony? Laame!" Dakota groaned as she absent-mindedly began filing her nails.

"Can't wait to interview on the aftershow!" Topher laughed, "How does it feel, knowing your fame and fortune disappeared in less than a week?" Dakota bit her lip and slightly slumped her shoulders.

"That's a low blow, even from you!" Jo hissed from the back. "Leave Bismarck's family out of this!" Scarlett and Noah both raised an eyebrow at Jo's choice of nickname. "Look it up! I thought you two were the smarties of the group!"

"Now, now, it's time for the main event!" Topher grinned excitedly. "You've all cast your votes and in true dramatic fashion, I'll be reading the votes one at a time! Isn't that innovative? The old method isn't nearly as fun anymore!"

"What do you mean!" Sammy protested, "The old way was awesome! Every night, watching the show, I'd get chills over how intense everyth-"

"Oh, will you shut up?" Dave snapped, "We get it! You like this stupid TV show! Don't you have any other personality traits? Besides, being a two-timing, ungrateful, little heartbreaker!"

"How dare you speak to her that way!" a voice echoed from the back. To everyone's surprise, that voice ended up belonging to Dawn, of all people. "How many times must you learn that these women aren't entitled to y-"

"Dawn, it's okay. I'll explain later." Sammy replied in concern as she walked over to the moonchild and held her hands. Jo raised an eyebrow, unsure what was going on.

"Scarface, what's with the performance? Everything's still going according to plan, right?" Jo asked suspiciously. Scarlett gave a half-smile, yet it looked as if she was about to burst into laughter. Dakota and Scott both noticed this and exchanged confused shrugs.

"It's part of the plan!" Scarlett whispered back as she swayed her head in Dakota's direction. Jo didn't understand what this meant until the brainiac had to specifically stare directly at the immunity totem Dakota was wearing as a necklace.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you talking about?" Jo said in angry bewilderment. "Sister, use your words!"

"The… totem…" Scarlett murmured under her breath. "Use…it…"

Jo's eyes had now gone completely wide. "What do you mean? On, who?!"

"Let's just say I won't have the chance to explain myself tomorrow if that totem isn't used," Scarlett peered ominously. "It's all part of the plan, Jo. I needed a way to get suspicion off of us."

Jo's face tightened in anger, "You. Could've. Warned. Me."

"Are you deaf? We don't have time for this!" Scarlett whispered calmly.

"Are we done? Ready for votes?" Topher said in impatience.

"Blondie!" Jo commanded, now standing up and marching next to the Fame Monger. "Give me your totem. Now!"

"W-what? Why?" Dakota remarked, utterly baffled at the request. "We're fine!"

"They all voted for me," Jo explained in a hurry, "Scarface pulled a fast one again. It's just you and me. Let me survive and we're in good shape, that's an order."

"...I didn't hear anything about this!" Scott spouted in anxiousness. "Jo, I swear, I voted with you. I'm positive Dawn did too!"

Dakota, Jo, and Scott all stared directly at Dawn. The moonchild was awkwardly staring at the ground, idly shifting her legs back and forth in her seat.

"Are you kidding me!?" Scott complained as his eyes also began to widened "After all this whining about my betrayal, you have the nerve to-"

"Not important!" Jo said, shooting him a harsh look, "You're not going anywhere. Hash your drama tomorrow. As for Blondie–"

"Aren't you being hysterical?" Dakota told the jockette, "Clearly, this is some ridiculous power play by your bunk buddy, all to make me look like an idiot in front of the cameras."

"I doubt she cares that much!" Scott remarked from the side.

"Shut up!" Dakota shouted angrily as the stress began to pile on her. The thought that she may have been blindsided was starting to seem more and more like actuality.

The jockette grabbed the fame monger by the shoulders and stared at her directly in the eyes. "I'm being dead serious right now. You promised to use your totem at a time like this. In my world, your word is your bond."

"Not everyone thinks the same way you do, okay?!" Dakota shouted at the top of her lungs, "It's a dog-eat-dog world out there! If you don't claw your way to the top, you'll be kicked to the curb and forgotten. I don't owe you anything, Jo! And besides! Scarlett's obviously trying to trick you! The votes are on Samey, not you-"

At that moment, Dakota sat there looking dumbfounded, accidentally leaking what had truly been going on.

"You! You voted for me?!" Sammy said with hurt in her voice, "I knew you were playing your friendliness up for the cameras, but I didn't know you were that two-faced!"

Dakota ignored this, obviously putting more of her focus on Jo.

Jo stood there in silence as her face calmed down. "I thought you were different this time. I figured you'd be a team player. I guess sometimes, there's nothing wrong with judging a book by its cover. Some people really are trash, huh?" the jockette said in the coldest tone possible.

Dakota's eyes began to tear up, "I'm sorry, Jo. It's just, with all the cameras always on me, I need to fight for myself."

"I don't want to hear your excuses," Jo nodded as she silently accepted her fate. "Never talk to me again."

"Same here," Scott added.

For a few moments, the silence from the entire campground was absolutely deafening. No one dared to even make the slightest sound. Not the campers, not Topher, and not even the paparazzi involved. Only Noah, with his sizable immunity necklace, seemed to be looking confident about the whole ordeal.

Topher coughed, signaling the end of this awkward period. "I take it that Dakota isn't playing her totem on anyone then?"

Dakota sighed and nodded. "I need this to get further in the game. I'm sorry."

"No more wasting time, then. Let's get to the votes!" Topher grinned as he brought forward an urn containing eight sheets of paper. Suddenly, intense music began to play as the crowd of photographers began snapping photos.

"First vote– Sammy." Topher announced as he revealed a parchment with her name on it.

Jo's eyes squinted as she stared at Scarlett in confusion. To her surprise, Scarlett also seemed uncertain.

"Second vote– Dave."

Scott nodded glumly, recognizing his handwriting immediately.

"Third vote– Dave."

Jo's eyes were now looking back and forth from Scarlett and Noah, not entirely sure what exactly was going down.

"Fourth vote– Dakota."

Dakota raised an eyebrow, not even expecting a single vote to her name.

"Fifth vote– Dakota."

Dakota tightened her focus at Topher, as she now started to feel a depressingly sinking feeling.

"Sixth vote– Dakota."

"WHAT?!" Dakota screamed as her reflexes jolted up. She stared back at Scarlett, Sammy, and the others sitting in the back.

"And the twelfth person voted off Total Drama: The Island Strikes Back… Dakota!" Topher announced with the seventh parchment. "Four votes is enough, no need to read the last one."

Jo took a deep breath and finally relaxed for a bit. She then stuck her pointer finger out at Scarlett. "You have a lot of explaining to do, missy!"

Meanwhile, Dakota was flabbergasted as she stood by herself, mouth completely agape. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Sammy and Dave sharing a high-five.

"OWNED!" Dave celebrated, "Don't ever try framing me, or anyone else, ever again!"

"W-w-whaa?" the fame monger spat out, barely even able to make a coherent sentence.

Sammy walked over to her. "Come on, Dakota! Unlike what my sister might say, I'm not that gullible! Don't you think Dave and I would, you know, talk about the letters you wrote for us?"

"It hurts that you view me as some stubborn, worthless, idiot who can't separate facts from obvious lies," Dave added, to which Noah rolled his eyes in the background. "Really, Dakota? Fake notes? What is this, kindergarten?"

Dakota began to form sentences again. "S-s-so wait… all that in the cafeteria? W-what-"

"That was acting, Dakota!" Sammy explained, "Dave and I were in on it! We were only 90% sure you were the culprit, but your actions absolutely confirmed it."

"It helps when even Scarlett & Noah offered to help us out," Dave nodded. "You dug your own grave, man. You could've floated all the way till the end, but you decided to cause drama for no reason."

"And to top it all off, you tried getting people onto me! And for what?" Sammy concluded. "We could've been friends. I looked up to you for years!"

"I wanted to be the most adorable face on the island." Dakota quietly mewled. Sammy squinted her eyes. "It's not fair! After years of looking like a monster, I just wanted to relive my glory days again…"

"People! Are we gonna ignore the fact that Dawn flipped on us?" Scott began complaining, "I mean, isn't that kind of a-"

"Save it for next episode, we're running out of time! Wrap it up!" Topher grunted as he commanded the paparazzi to take more pictures of Dakota's horrified face. Upon realizing what was going on, she attempted to shield herself from the cameras in shame.

Sammy and Dave exchanged glances and pitied the fame monger, who was very obviously holding her tears back. Even though she had done some pretty villainous things, they couldn't deny that Topher wasn't making things any better. Still, emotions were too high for them to truly say kind words to her.

"Ready to head home?" Topher provoked.

"What's the point?" Dakota relied weakly. "Everything's gone, Daddy's fortune, my studio, my spin-off, my dignity, my friends, heck, I wouldn't put it against him if Sam left me after all the trouble I've caused. I don't have anything left."

Topher smirked as he scratched his chin. "Funny you mention that! Let's just say, now that I own your show, I also own your likeness. Copyright sucks, doesn't it?"

Dakota didn't even bother to respond.

"So," Topher grinned, "Unless you want to pay a massive fee, you're not allowed to be seen in that pink get-up anymore."

"That's too far, man." Sammy protested. "What, you're literally taking the clothes off her back too? Embarrass her in front of all these people by stripping her naked?"

"What am I, Amy? I'm not a sadist! Of course, she'll have something to wear!" Topher snickered to himself.

/

The scene transitioned to show Dakota, now wearing a "bankruptcy barrel" instead of her usual clothing. However, instead of the usual barrel, it looked closer to a trash can instead. For some reason, she still opted to wear the defunct McLean-Brand Chris Head too.

"It suits her, doesn't it? Make sure to take lots of pics, boys!" Topher gleamed to the remaining seven players. Even Jo, who was furious at her just minutes ago, felt awful over everything Dakota was going through.

Suddenly, a mechanic went up to Topher and whispered something in his ear. "By the way," the ex-wannabe explained, "We couldn't find the Sub of Shame, but we managed to find McLean's old Flush of Shame from a few seasons back. Pretty great, right?"

/

The scene cut once more to show Dakota, still wearing nothing but a trash can and the useless totem, inside the old Flush of Shame.

"Any last words, Princess?" Topher taunted.

Dakota began to speak. "Before I go, I just want to tell you all that I'm truly sor-"

But without letting her finish, the toilet abruptly began to swirl. Dakota screamed in disgust as she slowly began descending down the drain.

"Oopsie daisy! Butterfingers!" Topher grinned as he stared back at the Final 7. No matter how they all felt about Dakota, something just didn't sit right with them at all.

"And with that," Topher told the camera as he walked up to frame, "we're back to the seven players that actually deserve their spot in the game. With so much drama brewing, I don't even know what's gonna happen! Tune in next time for another exciting episode of Total! Drama! The Island Strikes Back!"

(Fade to Black)

/

Once again, the episode surprisingly continued despite fading to black. Topher and the paparazzi had cleared out of the area, leaving just the seven campers on the dock.

"...and now that the totem is out of the game, surely things will be much simpler, yes?" Scarlett notified the rest as she began walking away.

"Why is it always the two of us at the bottom?" Jo asked Scott as the two also began walking away.

"Good riddance!" Noah waved, he too walking away. "Returning midway into the game never sat well with me."

Dawn looked at the ground somberly. "It was better this way. She would've suffered greatly had she stayed on this island any longer."

"Like Tyler, right?" Sammy responded. While she didn't intend to sound passive-aggressive, she did come across a bit angsty.

"Didn't you make a deal with her? She'd tell some production secret if you kept her around?" Dave asked.

"We did," Dawn answered, "However, the risks outweighs the reward. Surely, Chris wouldn't mind telling me what transpired all those years ago for the sake of drama."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'd rather have him over Topher." Dave rationalized as he sat down, legs hanging off the dock.

"Hey, Dawn? Is it okay if Dave and I have a quick chat?" Sammy asked, to which Dawn nodded and vanished into the night. The cheerleader then sat herself next to Dave, as the two teenagers watched the moon.

"You're in the Final 7 again! Isn't that great?" Sammy cheered to which Dave blushed.

"Can't believe I made it this far. After being on Team Macho, I didn't think I'd get out alive!" the germaphobe explained, "And what about you? You've outlived all these legends now. Doesn't that feel awesome?"

"It's been one heck of a long journey," Sammy sniffed, recounting all the people that had come and gone, "Can't believe it'll all be over soon."

The germaphobe nodded in agreement. "True, but at least we have each other. I'm sorry that I'm not Tyler or anything, but we're getting to the Final 2 no matter what!"

Sammy blushed, remembering Tyler. Even though it hadn't been that long, it truly felt like years since he was last on the island.

"Can I tell you something?" Sammy suggested, to which Dave nodded, "For a second there, I really did think you sent me those awful letters. Could you imagine how awkward that could've been? For a little while, I thought you actually had a crush on me!" she confessed as she leaned her head on Dave's shoulders.

Dave froze in spot as his eyes widened. To his horror, Sammy continued speaking: "We're much better off as friends, you know?"

Dave cherished a few more moments of Sammy on his shoulder before standing up. "...I have to rest now. Barely slept these last few days."

"Can't you stay for just a few more minutes?" the cheerleader encouraged, "Isn't this nice? Just two friends, staring off into the distance?"

"Sorry, Sammy. I really have to go. Talk to you tomorrow, I promise." he claimed as he began running off to the cabin.

In complete isolation, Sammy laid her head down at the dock, staring at the deep blue ocean surrounding her. She then stared at her watch, the time being 11:58PM.

"...Happy Birthday, Samantha." she sobbed as tears began running down her face, "You've made it this far but you're an adult now. Start acting like it."

/

Author's Note:

And there we go! I'm going to be honest, this episode was very difficult to write because I felt awful for Dakota. However, for the sake of the narrative, she did have to face a massive "humiliation conga". I promise that things won't be anywhere near as harsh for her going forward, but this does bring an end to the "mini Dakota arc" that's been going on for the past 3 episodes (8 chapters!) We'll eventually have a "Topher Has a Broadcast" episode, to which we'll catch up on her.

For now, the focus is back on the seven remaining players. It's kinda interesting since this means we're back to the status quo, but things are definitely getting spicier and spicier!

Isn't it funny how Scott, someone who was very important during the previous elimination, was basically the background character this time around? Ah, the joy of writing so many important characters. I like to think that I've written a fic in which there are many many possible Final 2 combinations. Hopefully, you'll all be guessing until the end!

Personally, I've felt as though Sammy and Dave have been somewhat in the background for the time being. With all the Jo-Scarlett, Scott-Dawn, and Noah being Noah antics, is it any wonder that they haven't been nearly as present? That's completely intentional, mind you! I figured that it'd be pretty great if Dave and Sammy were actually the brains behind Dakota's elimination. Putting the two "quieter" characters in the spotlight will definitely raise the stakes for everyone else going forward.

Also, if you're having trouble remembering the Jo-Scarlett friends/rivals/lovers rollercoaster (it has been a few years after all), let me briefly recap you:

Scarlett tried to cut Jo before the merge. She recruited Lightning to throw a challenge.

Jo managed to persuade Noah and Scott to keep her around, keeping Lightning instead

With both women at the merge, Jo found out about this and came up with a plan.

Jo "exposed" their shared totem to knock Scarlett down a peg

In retaliation, Scarlett decided to completely give up the totem to catch Jo off-guard.

There's a lot of plans, lying, backstabbing, and secrets going on, so I figure it's best to give a bit of a rundown of what's going on moving forward!

I'm also a little worried that Dave and Sammy's plan might've been a little too complicated so let me explain:

Dave and Sammy both got fake letters. The two collaborated and figured it was probably Dakota

They faked reactions to bait Dakota, thus deducing that it truly was her.

Off-screen, they gathered Scarlett, Noah, and Dawn to vote for Dakota.

In a turn of events, Dakota approached Dave, Noah, and Scarlett to vote for Sammy as well, further solidifying the Dakota blindside.

So, yes! If you're wondering why so many moments were off-screen (a practice that I tend to avoid, coughs in Disventure Camp Season 2) I did require it for this episode to keep the surprise of Dakota's elimination. There wasn't any scene of Dakota offering to vote for Sammy as I deemed it unnecessary. As for why I couldn't include a scene of Dave and Sammy's plan, well, I wanted to completely put you all in the dark. We'll be seeing a lot more of Dave, Sammy, and Scarlett in the next chapter(s) so I'm sure you'll all be satisfied then.

This is probably the longest Author's Note I've written (other than the Werewolf Game), but I guess it makes sense. This has been one hell of a complicated chapter, and I hope you're all theorizing on what lies ahead of the remaining 7 players.

As always, take it easy!

Jpeg

Voting Chart:

Dakota - Dave, Dawn, Noah, Sammy, Scarlett

Dave - Jo, Scott

Sammy - Dakota

Elimination Table:

Dakota - (19th Place) (Returned)

Shawn - (18th Place)

Topher - (17th Place)

Bridgette - (16th Place)

Sky - (15th Place)

Brick - (14th Place)

Alejandro - (13th Place)

Tyler - (12th Place)

Lindsay - (11th Place)

Lightning - (10th Place)

Courtney - (9th Place)
Dakota - (8th Place)