…
Day 24
Same as Always
Camp
Men: Killua, Kyon
Women: Alice, Konata, Michiru
"Wow," is the first thing Killua says as the players come back to their camp.
"That was something," Kyon says.
Michiru says nothing, then immediately runs off into the woods.
"What's gotten into her?" Kyon asks.
"When you gotta go, you-" Konata begins to say.
"Stupid, she's upset about how things went tonight," Alice says. "But you know what, screw her. She put our lives at risk, so I don't feel bad at all about her hopeless situation."
Michiru bursts into tears as she reaches the woods.
"It's – it's – it's just not fair," she says, wiping away tears. "I know there has to be a winner, and there have to be losers, but it's just not fair – not fair. For my life, my alliance mate Jasmine's, and the entire game to rest on the color of a rock – it's just not fair, not fair at all. I know I'm going home next, and there's nothing I can do about it."
Alice chuckles back at camp.
"Too bad," she says. "If she had only played this game better. Look, you don't win this game without a few risks, and I was willing to take them. Now all I need to do is to vote her out, and Konata will be more than willing to do so."
That morning, Alice and Killua meet up at the fire, again up way before anyone else.
"Together again," Killua says.
Alice chuckles. "How're we doing?"
"Same as always."
"That bad, huh?"
"No, that good," Killua says. "Too good for our own good. You know I wanted Konata to draw that purple rock, don't you?"
"Oh, I know it!" Alice replies. "You would have spray-painted that rock purple if you could have. You don't want me to beat your &%$ in the Final Three, do you?"
"Yeah, yeah," Killua says. "Look, all I want is to survive a fire-making challenge."
"I thought you were good at that."
"I am! But would you want to risk your game on something like that?"
"I just did."
"Oh, sure, by Konata picking a rock for you."
"If I wanted to play it safe, I would have joined up with Michiru and Jasmine and voted out Konata."
"Riiiiiight."
"Look, Albino, there's only one thing stopping me from winning this game."
"Your ego?"
"No, the threat of you joining our tribe and then aligning yourself with Michiru to forge another two-two tie. I need Michiru gone ASAP. And that means throwing today's challenge."
"So you guys are going to throw a second straight challenge?"
"That's right. And there's nothing you can do about it."
"There's nothing that I want to do about it," Killua says. "You want to give me a spot in the Final Four, I'll take it."
"Good."
"I worry about Killua coming over to our tribe after having vanquished Kyon in fire," Alice says. "He'll see me as the only possible threat to win, so he will take sides with Michiru and forge another two-two tie… or worse, he'll bring Konata in and have her vote for me as well. So I've got to get that stopped as soon as possible. What's the only way to stop him from having that opportunity to make fire? Simple. Lose the challenge today. So, Konata and I are going to throw the challenge today. The question is, do I tell Konata, or do I do it on my own?"
Killua smirks and lets out a small chuckle.
"What is it?" Alice asks.
"Oh, it's nothing."
"Tell me!"
"It's nothing."
"Come on, tell me!"
Killua lets out another laugh. "I'm just laughing because you have no way of winning at the Final Three, especially against me."
"And why is that?"
"Because you haven't made enough BIG MOVES."
"I've made them! What the $*%# are you talking about?"
"Just wait till you end up at that Final Tribal Council next to Konata," Killua says. "She's going to claim every BIG MOVE you made was because of her."
"How can she do that?"
"Hey, you and she have had the same strategy the whole game. Now she can step up at the Final Three and say she was the brains behind all the moves."
"But she wasn't!"
"But how does the jury know that? The only ones who know are Haruhi, who's going to vote for Konata irregardless…"
"'Irregardless' isn't a word!"
"Regardless, then," Killua says. "Konata's got Haruhi's vote. You would think you've got Mine's vote, but Mine's a hard nut to crack."
"Then what do you suggest I do?"
"I don't know, turn on Konata? That would be a BIG MOVE. And it might just get you the million dollars."
"It would also be foolhardy. I need to have someone who I can beat in fire."
"But look at Michiru. She's hysterical. She is too emotional to win at such a challenge."
"I suppose you've got a point. But that doesn't mean I'm following your advice!"
"Killua and I think the same way, and we bounce ideas off each other," Alice says. "But ultimately it's up to me to make the tough choices. I've got to figure out who's gonna be a bigger threat for me – Konata or Michiru."
A rainstorm comes in later that morning and wipes out the fire. The players huddle inside the shelter, desperately trying to get warm.
"This is so miserable," Michiru says. "I know that I'm on the chopping block here and that I'll be the next one to go home. Meanwhile, we're shivering and freezing our butts off. But I'm going to keep on playing this game as long as I can, no matter what that entails."
"So, guys, what do you think's gonna be the next immunity challenge?" Konata wonders.
"Probably some kind of Olympic sport," Killua says.
"Cricket?" Konata says.
"I'm not sure we have enough people left to play cricket," Killua says.
"Squash?"
"Enough with the stupid predictions," Alice says. "Let's talk about how things are going down here. Killua, if you and Kyon lose, you're making fire."
"Yep, I know."
"And knowing us, we probably will lose," Kyon interjects.
"As for us, we've got three, and we've got to each decide between two options," Alice says. "I have to choose between Michiru and Konata, Michiru's got to choose between myself and Konata, and Konata's got to pick between Michiru and me."
"But it's obvious who's voting for who," Konata says. "Alice and I are voting for Michiru, so she's going home. Plain and simple."
Michiru pauses. "Maybe it isn't that simple," she says.
"And how so?" Konata asks.
"Because we've got to decide who's better poised to win this game at the Final Three," Michiru says. "If Alice feels that you're a bigger threat than me, then she should vote you out instead. She could make a BIG MOVE."
"Nonsense!" Konata replies. "We're in an alliance together. I picked rocks for her last night; she should be willing to go to bat for me tonight."
"There's nothing to worry about," Alice says. "I'm going to stay loyal to you, and Michiru will go home. There's no reason to make a BIG MOVE at this point. We're almost at the end, after all."
"I don't want Konata to know that I'm secretly thinking about potentially blindsiding her," Alice says. "But at the same time, the plan is to get Michiru out. She's very likable and probably the bigger threat between Konata and her. I just have to make sure that Michiru doesn't go and turn Konata against myself."
A little later in the day, the rain has let up. Alice goes to make fire, before having a thought.
"Why don't I let Konata try to make fire, to see if she can do it?" she says. "If she can't, then she's the perfect candidate to keep around. But if she can, I've got to at least consider jettisoning her."
"Hey, Konata, come make fire!" Alice shouts.
"Nah, you can do it," Konata replies from inside the shelter.
"I'm asking for a favor!" Alice says.
"You go have fun," Konata says, rolling over.
Alice pouts, then angrily starts making fire.
"Now how am I supposed to know?" she says. "Did Konata do that because she can't make fire? Or did she do that because she can, and she doesn't want me to know that she can? Ugh, I'm so confused right now! Man, this sucks!"
Kyon, meanwhile, is completely out of the loop on everything. He tries talking to Killua about the situation.
"I know that if we lose, we're making fire," Kyon says. "But what is going on with the other three? Is it as simple as just two vs. one and Michiru going home?"
"Nah, it isn't that simple," Killua says. "Alice has to decide which one she'd like to bring to the end, Konata wants to too, and so does Michiru. Anything can happen. For the record, I've suggested to Alice that she needs to think about it, because it could not just affect her game, but ours as well."
"I see," Kyon says. "So, in other words, we could have a three-way tie, because all three players are thinking different ways at the same time?"
"Exactly," Killua says. "As stupid as that sounds, they may all put themselves at risk because they don't know what each other are thinking. Remember, Konata never was all that close with Alice; she just got the orders from Alice and ran with them. And Michiru isn't close with either of them. This could become a complete fiasco of a Tribal Council… that is, if they lose. But I have good reason to believe they will lose."
"And why is that?" Kyon asks.
"Because Alice told me she's throwing the challenge."
"Wow."
"Wow is right," Killua says. "It may be the stupidest move in Survivor history, but she might do it anyway. And I'm not fighting against her, and neither should you. We should both just take the victory if she gives it to us."
"Hey, I've got no complaints," Kyon says. "I just have a hard time believing anyone would throw a challenge at this point of the game."
"Just watch and see."
"Killua tells me that Alice is throwing today's challenge," Kyon says. "I don't believe him, but at the same time, what advantage does he have in lying to me? We can't vote each other out no matter what. So, he must be telling the truth, or maybe my head is just spinning right now from all the possibilities being tossed around. This might be the single most unpredictable day in Survivor history, or it may be even more predictable than the plain and obvious ending to Survivor 45! I don't know which it will be."
Immunity Challenge
"Come on in, guys!"
The five remaining players walk into the immunity challenge area. Killua holds the Ranma immunity idol high as he makes his way in.
"Shall we get to today's immunity challenge?"
"Yeah!" Konata shouts.
"First things first, I will take back the immunity idol."
Killua reluctantly hands back the immunity idol to Jet. "See you soon," he says.
"'See you soon,' he says," Jet says. "We'll soon see about that. For today's challenge, you will be competing in a game of doubles badminton. In ordinary badminton, they play to 21. Today, however, you will only play to 11. First tribe to score 11 points, wins immunity, safe from the vote, guaranteed a one-in-four shot at winning this game. Losers, Tribal Council, where someone will come up just two days short of the finale. Alice, Konata, you two sat out last immunity challenge, so you both must play in this one."
"Understood," Alice says.
"Michiru, take a spot on the bench. As for the rest of you, I'll give you a minute to strategize, then we'll get it on!"
The players pick up their rackets and the shuttlecock, then go over to the makeshift badminton court.
"For immunity! Survivors ready? Go on and serve, Killua!"
Killua serves, and Konata hits it back. Kyon hits it, then Konata jumps to return it, and Killua makes a good play on it. Konata jumps in the way of Alice to hit it back, and she scores a point for the Women.
"1-0, Women!"
Alice looks a bit frustrated at Konata as Konata goes to serve. Killua puts it back over, and Konata jumps in to return this one as well. Kyon mishandles the return, and the Women score again.
"2-0, Women!"
"Are you going to let me play this game?" Alice angrily shouts at Konata.
"Why does it matter?" Konata replies. "We're winning!"
Alice shakes her head, as she serves this one right into the net.
"That's a point for the Men! 2-1!"
Kyon takes this serve, and he puts it in a good position for Alice to return. Alice slaps it right into the net, however.
"2-2!"
"What the heck are you doing?" Konata yells. "You're screwing things up!"
"Mind your own business!" Alice replies.
Killua serves, and Konata jumps in front of this one to make a good play. She sends it over, and Kyon whiffs on the return.
"3-2, Women!"
Konata takes the shuttlecock and serves it over, starting a rally between her and Killua. Finally, as Alice tries to cut in, Konata hits a winner.
"4-2, Women! Konata turning into a badminton star here!"
"Yeah, but she's hogging up the court!" Alice shouts.
"Who cares?" Konata says. "We have the lead!"
Alice takes the next serve and puts it right into the net.
"4-3!"
Kyon serves the next one over, and this one goes over in Alice's direction. She slaps at it, and it pathetically falls to the ground.
"Terrible effort by Alice there, and we're tied, 4-4!"
"Get it together!" Konata calls.
Michiru looks on worriedly from the bench. "You can do it, guys!" she calls.
Killua takes the next serve, and this one goes toward Konata, who hits it back well. Kyon and her being a rally, which Konata eventually wins.
"5-4, Women back in the lead!"
Konata takes the next serve and puts it toward Killua, who strikes it well to score a point for the Men.
"5-5!"
Kyon serves, and Alice hits the return out of bounds.
"For the first time, the Men hold the lead, 6-5!"
Killua makes a serve toward Konata, and she starts another rally. This one goes to ten, before the shuttlecock comes to Alice, who whiffs on it and lets it fall to the ground.
"7-5, Men!"
"You're stinking it up!" Konata complains. "Let's get this going!"
Kyon hits this one over to Alice, and this time Alice makes a good play on it. Alice starts a rally with Killua, which she eventually wins.
"A point for the Women! 7-6!"
Alice gets the next serve and hits it very hard, so hard that it goes out of bounds behind Killua.
"Men get one back, and they're up 8-6!"
Kyon makes the next serve, but he hits it into the net, giving the Women a point.
"Women close back to 8-7!"
Konata serves, and another rally begins. The rally gets finished off by Killua, who makes a great play to hit it toward Alice, who hits it hard, but into the net.
"Men up 9-7! They can taste it now!"
Killua serves next, and Alice hits it back over. After a rally between Killua and Alice, Alice ends up winning, making a good shot to score a point.
"Women back to within 9-8!"
Alice smirks, then serves her next one right into the net.
"10-8! It's match point for the Men!"
Kyon serves, and Konata returns it well. Killua begins a rally, which goes for 11 shots, until it reaches Alice, who lets it drop behind her.
"The shuttlecock landed…"
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"In bounds! And that's it! Men… win immunity!"
"Why didn't you return that?" Konata yells angrily.
"I thought it was going out of bounds," Alice replies.
Michiru buries her head in her hands, while Konata shakes her head.
"Come on over here, Men."
Killua and Kyon walk over and take the Ranma immunity idol from Jet.
"Congratulations. You two are safe from being voted out tonight. As for the Women, after 24 hard, long, grueling days, one of you will finish two days short of making it to the end. Killua and Kyon, it will not be you. Head on out, I'll see you tonight for Tribal."
Killua and Kyon pump their fists as they walk on out, while Konata walks off angrily.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think Alice threw that challenge today," Konata says. "But for what reason? There's no reason to throw a challenge at this juncture of the game. I don't understand what she was thinking. Maybe it's just that she sucks at badminton."
Camp
Men: Killua, Kyon
Women: Alice, Konata, Michiru
The five remaining players arrive back at the beach to see their fire put out.
"What happened here?" Kyon asks.
"Looks like some sort of rainstorm came through while we were away," Michiru says.
"But we just played outdoors!" Konata exclaims.
"Pop-up thunderstorms," Killua says. "Plus the fact that the storm must have come while we were travelling to the challenge."
"You mean we don't walk all the way from our beach to the challenge area and back again?" Konata says.
"Apparently we don't," Kyon says. "But don't tell anyone."
"Well, let's get to work on making the fire," Alice says. She then pauses for a second. "Konata, you make the fire for us."
"Me?"
"Yes, you. Now go do it while the rest of us go to the bathroom."
Kyon, Michiru, and Killua head off into the woods to go to the bathroom, while Alice also goes toward the woods, but hides behind a rock as she watches Konata try to make fire. Konata fails miserably, barely able to even get a spark.
"I knew it!" Alice says. "I knew it. She doesn't know how to make fire. There's no reason for me to risk anything by keeping Michiru around. I'm keeping Konata with me to the end, so that if we have to make fire, I go up against her."
Alice tiptoes back toward camp, and Konata sees her as she is heading over. "Hey, I can't seem to get this to work," Konata says.
"Oh, really?" Alice replies, acting surprised. "Don't you know how to make fire?"
"No, I don't," Konata replies. "How about you?"
"I know a thing or two," Alice responds. "Watch me work."
Alice shows Konata how to make fire, as the other three come back to camp.
"I come back, and I see Alice making fire," Michiru says. "Which means that she's going to win any sort of fire-making challenge. I need to convince Konata of this, so she votes off Alice instead of me. It's my only hope of survival."
So, later in the evening, Michiru draws aside Konata.
"Did you see how well Alice made that fire?" she asks her.
"Yeah, yeah, I couldn't do it," Konata says. "Sorry."
"No, that's not my point," Michiru says. "My point is…"
"You should call your son."
"No, no! My point is that you should take me to the end with you instead of Alice, because if you lose the next challenge, she's going to easily beat you in fire."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll think about it," Konata says.
"Come on, this isn't the time to be stubborn!"
"Actually, it is."
"My chances of convincing Konata of turning on me are slim to none," Michiru says. "But I have to try. If I don't get her to do so, I'm the next one going home."
"I've stayed loyal to Alice this far, I might as well go to the bitter end with her," Konata says. "We have the numbers anyway, why risk it? I just have to hope that Alice and Michiru don't team up with each other."
Right before the players go to Tribal Council, Kyon meets with Konata and Killua meets with Alice.
"Stick to your guns," Kyon tells Konata.
"You betcha," Konata replies.
"I'm serious," Kyon says. "If you want to make Haruhi proud, don't change the path you're on now."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Konata says.
Killua's message to Alice is similar.
"Don't waver from your convictions," he tells her. "If you think it makes sense to vote out Michiru, vote her out. If it's Konata, then vote her out. Just don't second-guess yourself. Don't make a stupid move like Katurah did in Survivor 45 when she flipped her vote to Julie for no good reason at all."
"That seemed so contrived it almost seemed like the producers told her to do that," Alice replies. "But Probst would never!"
"Trust your instincts," Killua says. "Oh, and I'll be rooting for everyone to blindside you the whole way."
"I wouldn't expect anything less!" Alice responds.
She and Killua fist-bump, then the five players begin on their way to Tribal Council.
Tribal Council
(Women)
Alice, Konata, and Michiru enter the Tribal Council area with their torches. They place them in their proper spots, then sit down on their stumps. Alice waves to Killua and Kyon, watching from the peanut gallery.
"We now bring in the members of our jury," Jet states. "Ami, Mine, Spike, Misty, Haruhi, Kirito, Joe, and eliminated last Tribal Council, Jasmine."
The eight jury members walk in and take their seats.
"All right," Jet says, as he sits down. "Today's immunity challenge was quite peculiar. Konata, who has been one of the worst players in Survivor history when it comes to challenges, played very well at the badminton game today."
"Thank you!" Konata says.
"But Alice was like Survivor: Gabon's Kenny, virtually useless in this challenge," Jet says. "She couldn't come through when it mattered most."
"Yeah, sometimes it goes that way," Alice says. "Occasionally there's a challenge that isn't someone's forte. That's what this one was for me."
Jet pauses. "I see you sweating," he says. "Don't tell me you're lying."
Alice chuckles. "Fine, you got me," she says. "I did what Jasmine did last challenge: I threw the challenge."
Konata gasps, while Michiru buries her head in her hands.
"So, with a spot in the Final Four guaranteed if you won, you just decided to let the Men have that spot instead of yourself?" Jet asks.
"Of course!" Alice replies. "It was all strategic. I know what I'm doing out here. I didn't want either Killua or Kyon coming over to our three-person tribe and messing up what I have set up here."
"But you're putting yourself at risk."
"So what?" Alice says. "Konata put herself at risk last Tribal Council. It's part of the game. Some people might say there's never a reason to give up immunity. But in some cases, it makes perfect sense, and this was one of them."
"Michiru, how does that make you feel, that Alice threw this challenge today?"
"It's horrible," Michiru responds. "All my chances of winning this game went up in flames at the last Tribal Council. Now I'm in an even worse spot than I thought I was."
"But can't you just team up with Konata and take Alice out?"
"Objection!" Alice shouts. "Leading the witness!"
"Objection overruled," Jet says. "This is basic Survivor here. You can choose at any time to team up with whoever you'd like. If you're on the wrong side of the numbers, you look for a crack in the other alliance."
"Maybe," Michiru says. "But there are no cracks with those two."
"Is that true, Konata?"
"I'd like it to be true!" Konata responds. "I'm not sure exactly how much Alice is on board with me, just as she's not sure exactly how much on board I am with her. But that's part of Survivor; you never know when one of those relationships is going to fall apart."
"Alice, is this vote as simple as the numbers, or is it more nuanced?"
"It's more complex than you'd think," Alice says. "I'm here calculating the risks of bringing Konata with me to the end, or what would happen if I were to save Michiru tonight. Fire is a big factor."
"You mean, the fire-making challenge that one of the tribes is guaranteed to take place in next Tribal Council?"
"Exactly. I want someone who I can beat at fire."
"Konata, can you make fire?"
Konata laughs. "Give me a can of gasoline and I might."
Everyone on the jury laughs, as do Kyon and Killua.
"Michiru, how about you? I know you're good with water, how about fire?"
Michiru shakes her head. "I can't make fire either," she says. "I'm a much better person for Alice to take to the end than Konata."
"Of course, this is a situation where you want people to think you can't make fire, but you also want to be able to actually make it," Jet says.
"Exactly," Michiru says. "But I'm being honest, I can't make it."
"And everyone could see that I couldn't, either," Konata says.
"Well, one of you's gonna be making fire, like it or not, should you survive tonight and lose the next immunity challenge. With that, it is… time to vote. Alice, you're up first."
The Tribal Council theme "Tally the Vote" plays as the players go to vote.
Alice goes to vote.
"It hurts for me to write your name down tonight," Alice says.
Konata goes to vote.
Michiru goes to vote.
"I'll go tally the votes."
Jet walks over and grabs the voting urn, then returns to his podium. Michiru buries her head in her hands.
"Once the votes are read, the decision is final, and the person voted out will be asked to leave the Tribal Council area immediately. I'll read the votes."
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"First vote… Michiru."
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"Konata. We're tied, one vote Michiru, one vote Konata, one vote left."
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"Sixteenth person eliminated from Survivor: Crazy Game Changers, and the ninth member of our jury…"
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"Konata."
Konata looks up in absolute shock. "Wha – huh – what?"
Michiru also looks up, trying to hold back tears. "You mean, really?"
"Konata, you need to bring me your torch," Jet states.
"Alice, how could you?" Konata snaps at Alice.
"Sorry, Konata, it's a game," Alice replies.
Konata shakes her head, then marches over to grab her torch.
"I'll remember this," she tells Alice, looking her squarely in the eye. She then brings her torch over to Jet.
"Konata, the tribe has spoken," Jet states, snuffing out her torch. "It's time for you to go."
Konata shakes her head again as she heads on out.
"Clearly, this Tribal Council came down to one thing – trust," Jet says. "Grab your torches, head back to camp, good night."
Michiru and Alice get up and take their torches back to camp.
"I can't believe it!" Konata says. "Why in the world did Alice vote me out? What on earth was she thinking? This makes no sense at all. I don't know why she would vote for me! Was there a mistake somewhere? This just doesn't make any sense. I'm at a loss for words. That was probably as stupid a move as Katurah voting out Julie at the Final Five of Survivor 45. She's gonna pay!"
Who voted for whom:
Alice – Konata
Konata – Michiru
Michiru – Konata
Scenes from our next episode:
It's all about fire-making back at camp… Michiru tries to learn to make fire… Kyon gets frustrated about fire… and Alice and Killua go head-to-head in the final immunity challenge.