Dodgeball.

A traditional game in Canadian schools everywhere, what elementary teachers who were good at everything except Phys. Ed. put their students through. Maybe because it was funny, maybe it's because kids have no standards.

Cody honestly couldn't say he was a fan of dodgeball anymore. When he first started the show, sure, but he'd had enough of balls getting thrown at his face for one lifetime. Or his groin, for that matter. Looking over at the nearly asleep Gwen, he hoped that she could take that one hit like a champ this time.

The teams were exactly as he had remembered them, and if everything goes well, another Bass would be sent packing, or at the very least someone that isn't Noah. He dared to look at the other boy, who had already taken his place next to Gwen, reading a book. Cody just sighed and made his way to the court.

He wasn't sure what drew him to Noah. Sure, the two hit it off when they were just bumming around the Aftermath show, but were the two friends?

'More like acquaintances. Maybe even slave and master.' The Noah in Cody's head replied, his dry tone ever present. It was true though, the two only really talked because who else was there? But, Cody couldn't just leave his fellow geek to get himself voted off, so he would do his best to make him enjoy physical activity!

Cody could already feel the sting of defeat.

"So, you think you wanna play?"

"No. I'm perfectly fine from the sidelines Cody, physical activities aren't more forte."

Cody wanted to scream in frustration.

"Come on man, just do one round. You're giving yourself a bad look, imagine if our team lost."

Noah just gave a bitter laugh. "If our team lost, they'd vote out the person who caused them to lose, not the guy who wouldn't have had any affect on the game whether they played or not."

Cody briefly considered that he did have a point there, but felt the need to remind Noah of something.

"Dude, Eva got kicked off because of anger issues. She would've creamed us in every physical activity. Never underestimate the power of spiteful teenagers!"

Noah briefly considered him as he said this, before smirking. Cody briefly got hopeful, but that was dashed when Noah… resumed reading his book.

Cody growled. He wasn't the type to do that, but this Noah was freakin' aggravating!

"We've just lost our first round man, you sure you don't want to join in."

"I am absolutely sure Cody. I have always been sure. I will never stop being sure about that. If I get voted off, then the overall IQ of this place is far lower than I anticipated."

Cody tried to ignore the angry stares this conversation was getting. This was going awful, at the very least he was distracting Noah from throwing out his unhelpful advice like last time, but Noah was still the weakest link right now.

"We're at the tie breaking game Noah. This is your last chance, and if I'm being honest, probably your last chance on this island."

Noah gave him a dismal look, and snapped his book shut. Cody got excited, getting a wide grin on his face, but it seems like Noah was just itching for that reaction, as he promptly re-opened his book with a smirk.

"Ever so predictable, Cody."

"You're such an asshole."

'There has to be some way to keep him in, right?'

Cody weighed up his options for who he could get eliminated instead of Noah. They lost the game, and all eyes were on him and Noah, though thankfully they were on him for being 'such a team player' and 'trying to get through to that obnoxious little bookworm'. He grimaced at those comments, even now.

Looking at his options, it was a pretty limited selection overall. Owen, Trent, LeShawna, and Izzy were out. Mainly because they were just chill guys to be around, and Izzy…

Cody rubbed his chin in thought. Izzy he mainly wanted to keep around for Owen's sake, the two were made for each other after all. Though she did get back into the game last time, perhaps it'd go the same way even if she got out early? That was besides the point anyways, as there was no way Izzy, the big team player who saved them from the pink duo, would get eliminated by the team.

'Gwen…' Cody had to admit that some of him was still into the girl who rejected him so many times over. Had chased two guys instead of him. It was absolutely pathetic. 'She can't go yet.' Even if he wanted to get rid of her though, she won the Awake-A-Thon, convincing everyone to get rid of her would be impossible (not to mention get on Trent's bad side).

Justin was good fodder for their next loss. He didn't talk much this season for some reason, guess a hundred thousand was easier for him than a million. It's not like he could get the guy eliminated anyways, that happened thanks to Heather's manipulation efforts.

Speaking of… he could tell everyone about Heather's alliance and corner her. But, that'd drastically change the game. No Heather alliance means no more big antagonist for the show really. Hell, it could mean the nicer (somewhat) Heather from World Tour just wouldn't exist, the desperation to win wouldn't be there.

But… Cody chewed his lip. There were no good options. Noah was set up to take the fall from day one here. Anyone else getting eliminated would only push back the inevitable, because the guy couldn't handle one challenge.

Cody angrily scratched at his head. He time traveled all the way back here, and he could do nothing to help even one of his friends? Why was that?

'Because you're afraid.'

Cody glumly brought his knees to his chest as he sat against his bunk. That was why. He was terrified about what would happen if he lost his foreknowledge. Here was the Codester , deathly terrified of being unable to cheat his way to victory. The one season where someone wasn't literally and figuratively carrying him did result in his crippling, so he really couldn't blame himself for not wanting to change too much.

He was terrified. Terrified at how people would change because of this- or how they wouldn't. Heather and Noah remaining the same would be… awful. Heather remains the pathetic parasite she is today, instead of the proactive Total Drama Queen with no dignity left to desecrate. Noah remains the audience's least favorite, just an annoying fly buzzing around the Island until someone swats him down.

'He should've been the one to time travel instead of me.'

A World Tour Noah would have conquered this game, Cody knew that. But, a World Tour Cody? How was that any different from the perverted kid on the Island from two years ago? 'Maybe he's a bit more pathetic.' Cody hated how he truly believed that. Genuinely, who had changed the least outside of him? Or rather, why was he the only one who changed for the worst . Everyone, even Harold, got intimate with someone else, or they changed for the better. Even Owen, who got rejected by Izzy, was a better person after three seasons, but Cody was still Cody. A wannabe, a pervert, someone who could never make it to the end of these games on their own.

'Huh.' Cody tried to ignore the slight blurring of his vision, or the warmness of his nose and cheeks. 'Guess I really just wanted someone to help me.'

That's what it always was. Even now. Sure, goths had been his fetish, but he just wanted a friend in Gwen. Two social rejects, battling it out together, and he allowed himself to become ignorant of people like Noah. His perversions mixed with his social status led to disappointment.

Here he was again. Alone. He was always alone. When he got mauled by the bear, when he was on the Aftermath show, and even when everyone was supporting him in World Tour, he always felt alone. Sure, Sierra was there, but that was someone just like him, huh? Probably went after him the same reason he went after Gwen, out of some warped kinship.

"Dude, you okay?" That was Trent. Cody just gave a toothy grin, ignoring how bad he must look right now. If someone had his back, Trent had his back, in Island and in the Drama Brothers.

"Yeah Trent."

'You're pathetic.'

"And the final marshmallow goes to… Justin." Chris threw the last marshmallow at the boy, who shakily grabbed it. Being nearly put on the chopping block did something to him at least. "Noah, should've been more of a team player. The dock of shame awaits."

Noah gave the same speech as before, though it was noticeably more strained this time. The knowledge that Cody had tried to get through to him, that Cody knew this would happen, put a weight on him. Made him know exactly why he was leaving.

"Noah." Cody said, approaching him just before Noah got on the boat of losers. He'd already gone back to his usual dismissive stares in the short time it took to register Cody. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" Noah dropped his shiteating grin and gave Cody a smirk that said it all. Cody could only watch as the other boy got on the boat, departing from the island.

'I'm awful.'

CONFESSIONAL

Gwen

"As annoying as everyone on this island is, I can't stand those two dorks the most. Noah is the same reason as everyone else, the guy is obnoxious. But, Cody's just so… artificial. I've always been able to see fakes, and Cody is as fake as they come. Everything he says or does seems incredibly strained or calculated… I can't trust him.

"But, despite everything, at least there's one worthwhile guy here."