Chris's Recap
"Last time, on Total Drama Nialasach…
"Seemingly on the outs after her ally's blindside, Cherry enforced an alliance deal that Ellie and Watts had made earlier in the season, throwing her lot in with the Fudo boys while keeping the appearance of a free agent! Way to work the social game, Cherry! Our Final 7 got creative when they were forced to solve seemingly difficult challenges through the clever use of loopholes in their rules, courtesy of Rudo from Zero Sum! That wasn't the only twist to the challenge though! Completing even a single task earned a contestant immunity without taking them out of the challenge! Battles for immunities ensued, and thanks to some sly wording in a deal with Phooko, Monica helped Alison win two separate immunities, forcing the players to vote between only Phooko and Mirai for elimination! While it was a close call and Mirai was eliminated, placing 7th, the true shock of the elimination ceremony came in the form of Watts giving a public plea for everyone to target Alison for the Final 6, erupting the remaining players into chaos! Bold move to put everything out in the open like that, bro. But it looks like it got people more angry at you than your target! Now, it's the Final 6, and Alison has nearly half of the camp luxuries all to herself, Watts and Gabriel have the only public alliance, and Cherry found some hidden goodies during Rudo's challenge. As we approach the endgame, a well-rounded skill set and experience will be what is needed to succeed. Who will break into the Final 5 and who is simply about to break? Find out right here! On Total! Drama! Niiiiialasach!"
*Total Drama Theme Song Plays*
As the song starts, various cameras come out of the flora and fauna all around the island.
Dear Mom and Dad, I'm doing fine, you guys are on my mind
The camera zooms around all of Crios Cath before finally entering into the Nialasach Ruins.
You asked me what I wanted to be and now I think the answer is plain to see,
Aaron is on his skateboard, skating through the ruins, and as he moves forward, Claude can be seen following him, cleaning up the dust left by his skateboard tracks so that he can clear a path for Monica, who smiles at him, but ends up rolling her eyes, annoyed, when she's sure he isn't looking, and begins to pay attention to another part of the ruins, which the camera then shifts to.
I wanna be famous
Watts is looking over Erin's shoulder at an experiment she is working on, and she seems to be attempting to hide it from him, when the ruins wall explodes, causing Erin to fall back into Watts's arms before shoving herself out of them, the two then look over to see that the explosion was caused by Ash accidentally triggering a tripwire. She smiles and waves in an attempt to make the situation less embarrassing for her.
I want to live close to the sun
Camera switches to show Alison sitting on a beach chair and relaxing before waves come crashing in and ruin her clothes. She stands up with a huff and takes the beach chair further inland, but the same event happens, and she appears to let out a scream.
Well pack your bags, 'cause I've already won
Camera shifts up to reveal that Simon and Arnold both saw Alison's ordeal, and while Simon starts to snicker at it, Arnold begins to flamboyantly tell Simon off, and Simon plugs his ears and walks away with rolling eyes.
Everything to prove, nothing in my way, I'll get there one day
Camera shifts to Upper Ceol Fields, where Zaiyrin is seen showering Cherry with all manner of gifts and compliments, and Cherry somewhat scoffs at them before blushing with a smile once Zaiyrin leaves and heading over to Ellie to talk excitedly with her about it while Ellie is working on a costume.
'Cause I wanna be famous
Rashi and Phooko both see the events with Zaiyrin, Cherry, and Ellie, and quietly laugh to each other as they both tend to a small garden of growing plants, with Phooko's plants looking quite healthy, and Rashi's plants looking unnaturally perfect.
Na na nananana nanananana na nanananana
Camera shifts to the Glas Woods, where Raul and Vanessa are sketching each other with smiles. Camera first hovers over Raul's shoulder showing a brilliantly done sketch of Vanessa, then switches over to Vanessa's shoulder, where a sketch of Raul can be seen, but Vanessa needs to keep adding wolves to the sketch as they crowd around Raul like he's part of their pack.
I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous
Mark is playing music in Cailleach Bog, but immediately rolls out of the way of a falling tree, he looks over to see an almost seething Mirai, who turns to him and begins to smile sweetly as she begs him to play. Mark is a little nervous at first but as he begins to play, Mirai begins to cheer peacefully as the camera shifts to Lower Ceol Fields.
I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be famous
In Lower Ceol Fields, Donny and Gabriel are engaged in a rather heated argument, and Christa and Jenae both walk up to Donny and Gabriel respectively, Christa tries to comfort Donny, but he begins arguing with her instead. Meanwhile, Jenae begins to continue to argue with Gabriel, but he stops her when he notices she's moving her hand down his chest.
As the other contestants whistle the rest of the tune around the Tine Naofa Bonfire, Gran and Zaheen both attempt to make the fire grow larger. Upon Gran's attempt the fire blows up in his face, causing Zaheen to snicker as she pulls off the trick perfectly and the flames begin to form the season title: Total Drama Nialasach.
Location: Alison's Cabin
Contestant(s): Alison
"Ahh, that filled me up nicely, Chef, thank you for the breakfast." Alison sighed contentedly as Chef rolled his eyes and took an empty plate, bowl, and some silverware away.
Confessional: Alison
"The nerd's little outburst was aggravating, but as long as I have both my deal with the honest politician and a tenuous alliance with Monica, I don't fear going home. Perhaps I might end up in a tiebreaker, but I'm not about to lose anything as mundane as those. Besides, the more luxuries I get, the more prepared I am for whatever challenges are thrown my way. That's something none of them seemed to have realized yet."
End Confessional
"Now then…" Alison relaxed on a mattress. "Ugh, which one placed 6th back in that season of losers? Was it the orange haired one or the fat one? That entire alliance was all interchangeable to me."
Confessional: Alison
"Of course, I'd be lying if I wasn't a little concerned. A public plea like that…anyone who didn't think they were very safe might try to actively hinder my attempts at immunity, and we can't have that, so I need to get a jump ahead on divining whatever challenge is heading our direction."
End Confessional
Location: Chicken Coop
Contestant(s): Gabriel, Watts
"Are. You. Serious?!" Watts groaned. "You made a deal to not vote for her in exchange for food?"
"Okay, first off…" Gabriel countered. "She's a really good cook, and that nutrition is helpful for us! Secondly, I'm not going to just vote for whomever she wants, I'm simply not writing her name down. Thirdly, and most importantly, I wasn't expecting you to do that!" Gabriel gestured wildly to drive home how insane he thought Watts's plea was.
"I did that because you keep putting this giant target on your back!" Watts exclaimed.
"To protect you from the ramifications of stuff like that!" Gabriel exclaimed right back.
"Well…what do we do now?" Watts asked. "I'm not going to just let you push the target back onto you."
"There's only one thing we can do." Gabriel sighed. "Watts, you need to win immunity."
"Uh…" Watts shrunk a little. "Against those women?"
"Well, one of us is going to have to eventually." Gabriel reasoned.
"And you're definitely the more athletic one out of the two of us. Let's give you that necklace."
"Watts." Gabriel put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "If you already have a target on your back, let's make use of it. You can win immunity. You're not in this alone."
"You're not in this alone either." Watts nodded. "As long as we have the dream of reaching that final 2 together, we're a team." He held out a hand.
Gabriel took it and the two shook, shared a bro hug, and left the cabin.
Location: Cailleach Bog (Merge Campsite)
Contestant(s): Cherry, Gabriel, Monica, Phooko, Watts
"No sign of the British Empire?" Watts asked.
"Hasn't left her cabin in a while." Monica responded.
"That's…odd." Gabriel scratched his head. "She's not one to avoid the spotlight."
"Regardless of how out of nowhere and ultimately ineffective it was…" Cherry sighed. "That plea of Watts has no doubt gotten into her head at least a little bit."
"So." Phooko turned to Watts. "Let's say, hypothetically, that we all want to get rid of Alison. What exactly are we in for with the Final 6 challenge?"
"Literally anything." Watts answered without missing a beat.
"What's this?" Monica rose a brow. "Our resident Zero Sum historian doesn't know what to expect?"
"No, I know exactly what to expect." Watts assured her. "Literally. Anything."
Confessional: Monica
"Literally anything he says like that is at all helpful! We're in the Final 6, Watkins! And if Alison was such a threat to you, why did she even make the merge in the first place? Ugh. No, I have my own plans for how this next elimination is going to go down, and it's not going to be the only shield I have in this game leaving. It'll be either you or your friend."
End Confessional
Confessional: Watts
"I really wish I could share more, but the 6th place contestant in Zero Sum was kind of famous for knowing how to do a whole bunch of stuff, and chances are that we'll have to be able to do a whole bunch of stuff to succeed in this upcoming challenge. And apparently Gabriel's plan is for me to just…win immunity. I mean, I sure would like to, and I'll definitely try to, but he's going to have to work hard to avoid becoming a backup vote. We've come too far in this game together to be torn apart now."
End Confessional
Confessional: Cherry
"I'm not sure where I currently stand on the subject of Alison's elimination. On ze one hand, she is a bitch, and not having to deal with her would be lovely. On ze other hand, she is the perfect spotlight seeking foe for that duo, and as they remain focused on her, they won't come up with any plans to get rid of me. Not that I think they normally would with Monica still around, but I'm not entirely sure I can outperform Phooko in terms of amicability with the wonder twins. Ah, it's vexing. All I know is that I'm in absolutely no danger currently, and that's all I need. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, the only person I don't want to see immune after this Final 6 challenge is myself. Stick to the shadows. My opportunity is approaching, but I need to be patient."
End Confessional
Confessional: Phooko
"Getting rid of Alison? Sure, I don't mind doing that, but I'll be honest. On one hand, I'd much rather get rid of Watts. He had an outburst that soured him to people in camp, and I feel like I might be able to coordinate a final 3 alliance between myself, Gabriel, and Cherry if Watts were to head home. On the other hand, Monica's probably looking to get rid of one of the wonder duo, and I don't want her to get much further than she already has. If it weren't for Fudo taking center stage, I'd want her gone right away."
End Confessional
Confessional: Gabriel
"I don't have many qualms about Alison leaving, but I want to do what is best for the health of my alliance. Right now, more than targeting any one person based on paranoia about the seasons that precede us, I need to focus on the people most likely to vote for either of us. I don't think Phooko would vote for me over most of the other players left, and as long as Alison thinks she has any control over me, I don't see her voting for me either. Finally, assuming Cherry has been truthful, and I see no reason to believe she hasn't, that makes Monica our alliance's truly biggest threat. Unfortunately, Watts won't stray from an Alison vote if he can help it, and I don't know if talking to Cherry and risking being seen strategizing with her is a good idea considering she's supposed to be our secret ally, and Monica won't vote for herself. Which is a shame because Phooko seems like he'd vote for Monica if I asked but that's not enough."
End Confessional
Location: Alison's Cabin
Contestant(s): Alison, Cherry
"Knock knock." Cherry announced as she slipped in through the open window.
"How the bloody hell did you get in through that window?!" Alison, who was in the middle of a physical exercise, asked, shocked.
"Jumped." Cherry shrugged. "Mind if I use this place for challenge prep too?"
"Of course I bloody mind it, I locked the front door for a reason!"
"Ah, would have been smart to lock the window too." Cherry nodded as she began to stretch.
"Leave?!" Alison forcefully asked as she motioned toward the door.
"Leaving." Cherry walked out through the front door of the cabin.
Confessional: Alison
"What was that all about? Was that little sneak just trying to distract me or something? Because she certainly did! Whatever, it's not going to change the outcome of the challenge, nor will I let it get under my skin! Back to exercise!"
End Confessional
Confessional: Cherry
"I wanted to see what she was doing, nothing more and nothing less. Though, I did take it upon myself to pay her back for her unkindness to my simple curiosity."
End Confessional
Location: Cailleach Bog (Merge Campsite)
Contestant(s): Cherry, Monica, Phooko
"Where did the wonder twins go?" Cherry asked.
"Woods." Monica and Phooko both responded at the same time and pointed toward the Glas Woods.
Confessional: Cherry
"Now, I'm not about to go after those two so soon after asking that question, but we do need to meet up at least once before every challenge. At least, I need to meet up with one of them. After the others go away, I'll sneak off."
End Confessional
"Silly idea to try practicing for an unpredictable challenge." Cherry shook her head. "Better to keep your energy and simply stay alert."
Confessional: Cherry
"It's not any better or worse, but something tells me one of the twins could use immunity to avoid being targeted, and if I can get these two to not be as prepared or practiced as my allies, I say that's a win."
End Confessional
"You know…" Monica noticed. "We're each the very last of our respective teams. I'm the last Hayaji, Phooko, you're the last Ebisu, and Cherry, you're the last Inari. Maybe we should focus on finally tearing down Fudo."
"I was wondering how long it would take for someone to have that proposal." Cherry smirked. "Who do you suggest first?"
"Watts would be easier to get rid of thanks to his plea at the last ceremony, but I personally want to see Gabriel gone first." Monica suggested. "I feel as though without him around both Alison and Watts will have their strategies become a bit more unhinged, weakening them further. Plus, they wouldn't ever be likely to work together, at least not this late into the game."
Confessional: Monica
"Look, my alliance with the biggest public enemy can only take me so far. If I can at least get the wonder twins out and make the final 4, then I'll be able to choose whether to keep her or lose her depending on how the challenges are going. Right now, it's important that the rest of us don't become footnotes in a story all about those OG Fudo."
End Confessional
Confessional: Cherry
"So, she's finally making a move. As I suspected, she has sound reasons for wanting Gabriel gone, but I don't think it's just a coincidence that her suggestion happens to be the person she failed to get rid of back at the Final 8. And while I pretend to be willing to collaborate…"
End Confessional
"I'm not on board with this." Phooko shook his head. "I already didn't trust you at the beginning of the final 7, but I absolutely don't trust you after the stunt you pulled in the last challenge."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Monica mocked. "I didn't lie to you or break any oath made. That's on you."
"Yeah, maybe it is on me." Phooko admitted. "But now that I know you operate that way, why would I ever risk working with you? There could be a million loopholes in any deals you come up with, and hell, if your early game is anything to go by, even if there aren't, you're liable to just betray me anyways if it works in your favor. So, uh, no, not on board."
"This is ridiculous, and you're going to get eaten up by them." Monica warned.
"I don't know about that." Phooko shook his head. "I'm pretty well rounded so I think I stand a shot in, say, the Final 3."
Confessional: Phooko
"Besides, I've already sworn off working with Monica if I can help it. I'd personally rather take my chances with Alison. She's a spotlight hog, but she's far more likely to target the other Fudo members than me in a Final 5, even a Final 4 scenario."
End Confessional
Confessional: Cherry
"Oh, interesting thought process, Phooko…it's too bad someone else beat you to that position."
End Confessional
"Well, let it be known that I tried to offer you a way forward." Monica stood up. "But you've reminded me that I'm also not entirely out of options, so I hope it was worth following Mirai and placing 6th."
"If you think you can somehow get the votes for whatever you are planning, Monica, go for it." Phooko shrugged as he also stood up. "I'm going for a walk. I don't feel like hearing any more hollow threats."
"I could say the same." Monica crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. "Ceol Fields are that way."
Confessional: Monica
"That little-! He holds onto those grudges really tightly, doesn't he? He's really leaving Cherry and I to the wolves that are Fudo because of pettiness. Fine then. Two can play at his pettiness game."
End Confessional
Location: Alison's Cabin
Contestant(s): Alison, Monica
"WHY?!" Alison asked as Monica entered the cabin.
"The door was unlocked, you imbecile." Monica motioned to the door.
"That circus freak-!" Alison quickly muttered under her breath before taking the tame to regain her composure. "So? What question did you have for me?"
"Let's vote out Phooko next."
"That's not a question, Monica." Alison noted.
"No, it's not a question. I never said I had one." Monica groaned. "But Phooko is trying to make another big move, and you don't want that, do you?"
"No, I don't want that, but do you know what else I don't want?" Alison asked.
"What?"
"I don't want people barging into my cabin and telling me how to play my game!" Alison snapped. "You aren't special, Monica, and we aren't equal partners in this relationship. I have the power here, and you are mooching off of my success. I'm a whale, and you're a barnacle getting a free ride as long as I'm around."
"That is not a good tone to take with the only person willing to keep you in this game." Monica warned.
"You aren't the only person willing to keep me in this game, genius!" Alison revealed. "Now, get the bloody hell out of my cabin and lock the door."
Confessional: Monica
"Well! That could not have gone any worse! She is absolutely delusional, and I should probably get the hell away while I still have a chance."
End Confessional
Confessional: Alison
"Sometimes, people forget their place. I had a feeling it would only be a matter of time before the lower class girl started assuming she could come up with plans. Nono, the rich people come up with the ideas, and the people like her need to turn those ideas into a reality! I believe a lesson needs to be taught"
End Confessional
Location: Lower Ceol Fields
Contestant(s): Phooko
"The last Ebisu, huh?" Phooko wondered to himself as he lay on the grass and looked at the wide open sky, watching the clouds pass by.
"'The water favors me,' she said. I thought it meant an aquatic challenge or something but…I guess I was placed on the water team. If only it was the island of Crios Cath itself that favored me."
He turned towards a flock of sheep in the distance.
"What do ewe guys think?" He half joked to the flock. "Who should I go after? Alison? Monica? Watts? Gabriel?"
The sheep didn't respond. They just ate the grass.
"I'm short on allies, so maybe it would be best to just…get rid of Alison? Watts is already going to vote for her if he can help it, and it can't be too hard to just tack my vote onto his and Gabriel's, and it would get rid of Monica's last remaining shield but…"
Confessional: Phooko
"The big dilemma here is not so much whatever the next challenge is, but who I want to be up against. Watts seems to believe that Alison will win a Final 5 immunity if she makes it that far. None of us have any way to verify that. What I do know, however, is that Monica has consistently performed incredibly well in challenges and definitely better than me many times. I do not want to take away the like, one person keeping immunity out of her grasp! I feel like she's a bigger threat to any of us than Alison is. No one likes Alison, but Monica could definitely drum up support among the cast more sympathetic to her backstory in a finale challenge, even a finale vote, and she definitely has more plays than Alison as far as I can tell. I don't know. At this point the only person who seems safe from anyone's vote is Cherry, and if I had to pick between Gabriel and Watts, I'd like to keep Gabriel around. He and I have gotten along fairly well, and he isn't as knowledgeable about Zero Sum as the others. But by that token, I have an advantage over Monica too, and not anyone else. But do I want to risk that in a finale? There's just a lot of paths I can see myself taking and I'm not sure which one will get me to the end I want to see."
End Confessional
Location: Glas Woods
Contestant(s): Cherry, Gabriel, Watts
"Oh, thank the island god, gods, goddess, goddesses, all, selective, one, or none." Gabriel noticed Cherry appear in the tree tops. "She finally found the time to sneak away from everyone else."
"I'm not going to give you the time after a challenge when most people will be discussing voting strategies." Cherry warned. "That's the last time I want to risk getting caught here. Now then…"
She jumped down from the tree she was in, walked up to Watts, and slapped him across the face.
"OW!" He held his cheek in his hand.
"Make as big a target for yourself as you want, but do not publically ask anyone to vote for people! You're lucky the other women took as much offense to the request as they did because if you had put me in a spot to confirm or deny my plans publically, you'd be getting more than a slap right now!"
"Message received, geez!" Watts didn't move his hand from his cheek. "But please tell me you came here for more than just that!"
"I did." Cherry nodded. "The challenge, what exactly have you been doing to try and prepare for it?"
"Oh, y'know, various exercises, brainteasers, stuff like that." Gabriel replied.
"Well, start working on stuff you're bad at." Cherry suggested. "That means, you need to work on physical fitness." She pointed at Watts. "And you need to work on your mental fortitude." She pointed at Gabriel. "I'm going to go work on my swimming techniques."
Confessional: Watts
"Wow, swimming? She lucked out being on this island and not Nui Kaua where almost every other challenge involved water."
End Confessional
"Well?" Cherry asked. "Why are you both still here? Go on, split up and move out! We don't know how long we have until the next challenge is called!"
"Right!" Watts headed off towards the Cloc Mountain Range.
Gabriel stayed behind for a bit.
"What is it?" Cherry wondered.
"You're…hiding something…" He perceived. "Your speech is faster than normal, but not fast enough to sound in a hurry. Did you just want to end the conversation?"
"What the-?!" Cherry was taken aback. "If this lie detection thing of yours is some kind of hidden talent you might want to leverage it with our enemies."
"Are they our enemies, is what I'm wondering." Gabriel's eyes narrowed. "The reason I was so comfortable voting for Ellie was because she was consistently lying to me. I would prefer to avoid that with you."
"Fine." Cherry realized that there wasn't going to be a way out of this for her other than at least admitting part of the truth. "I found some helpful tools during Rudo's challenge, but I believe that our alliance's best path to success is if you and your friend don't know what they are or what they do. I want us all to play as though they don't exist, and frankly, you're going to find it was a lot easier to do that when you actually didn't know they existed."
Gabriel's eyes narrowed.
"I'm not going to tell you what they are." Cherry stood her ground. "Because if I told you what they were, if I told anyone what they were, I risk the others finding out about them, and I want to keep them in the dark too. Right now, the only people who know I have any sort of tools are you and me. You're going to have to trust me to keep the rest of that secret to everyone for now."
"Fine." Gabriel held out a hand with a smile. "I already like you more than your old partner."
Cherry shook Gabriel's hand. "I'm glad that we have an understanding. Now off with you! Practice covering your weak points already! I'm heading towards an oasis in Ionad. I don't want any of us seeing each other again until the challenge."
Confessional: Gabriel
"So she has tools, huh? Well, as long as they're tools that will help us, I'll trust her. Watts trusts her, and she's at least come clean about the secret she was trying to keep to me. I just hope this trust isn't being misplaced."
End Confessional
Confessional: Cherry
"I believe I understand now why the nerd was so adamant about the politician joining the merging alliance. Gabriel is an incredibly fierce ally. If I had been on a team with him, I probably also would have courted an alliance with the guy. That makes him not knowing what these tools are all the more important, because he'd absolutely pressure me into using at least one if he did."
End Confessional
Location: Nialasach Ruins
Contestant(s): All Remaining
"Welcome, Final 6!" Chris exclaimed as he, Chef, Rudo, and a boy with messy ginger curls greeted them near the entrance to the Nialasach Ruins' underground maze. "To today's immunity challenge! Here to explain the rules is Zero Sum's 6th placer…Conlan!"
"Yo." The ginger boy rose a hand in greeting. "It takes a lot of skill and a lot of luck to make it as far as the Final 6 in a game with 24 players." He noted. "So, before anything I want to congratulate you guys. Especially in a game where there hasn't ever been a double elimination. That's something to be proud of."
"Well, some of us are just that talented." Alison gloated. "Others might find out they've just been floating today."
"Regardless of how true anyone feels that is…" Conlan continued. "One of you will be eliminated at the next Tine Naofa ceremony. And if you want to avoid that person being you, I suggest paying attention to what I'm about to say. Unlike last challenge, there is only one immunity ever up for grabs from here on out."
"I assume the challenge necessitates judges of some kind?" Monica asked in the form of a question. "I fail to see why Rudo would still be here otherwise."
"Ah, perceptive! Yes, that's correct." Conlan noted. "But it wouldn't be entirely out of the question for my own girlfriend to cheer me on. In any case, today's challenge will be…a talent show!"
"A…talent show?" Phooko seemed disappointed. "I mean…I guess we haven't done one but…I dunno, that feels like it's usually a beginning challenge in these games."
"Well, I placed 6th so your talent show is going to be the Final 6 challenge." Conlan shrugged.
"I'm going to give all of you a couple hours to practice, and we'll meet up back here for a scored competition. Chris, Chef, and Rudo will be judging. In the event of a tied score for first place, I will act as a tiebreaker judge. Very simple rules. I want you to show me exactly what skills you have that led you to make it this far in the competition."
"That's…not as bad as I think most of us were expecting." Watts noted.
"Maybe so, but the stakes are high, as far as I can tell." Conlan reasoned. "I think…hm, around 3, maybe 4 of you, are feeling an urgent need to claim immunity tonight."
"Well, if there isn't anything else, I'm about to go practice my routine." Cherry decided.
"Oh, there is one more thing." Conlan noted. "But I'm afraid I can only tell you once we all gather back here after the stage is set up properly. And if there are no more questions…"
There were not any more questions.
"Your time starts…now!"
Challenge: Trade Talent Show
Rules: Contestants are given time to practice whatever they believe their greatest talents to be and will convene after a few hours to perform their talents in front of the judges: Chris, Chef, and Rudo. Each judge will score a contestant out of 20, for a total score out of 60 points. Conlan will judge in the case of a tiebreaker.
*Extra Information: The contestants will practice their talents while unaware that the roles of the talent show will be shuffled around, and each contestant will be responsible for performing another contestant's talent rather than their own. The highest score at the end of the talent show wins immunity, making them safe from elimination and earning them the luxuries of whichever player is voted out at the next Tine Naofa Bonfire Elimination Ceremony.
Contestants' Talents:
Alison: An Expert Level Dance Routine
Cherry: Contortion & Acrobatics Routine
Gabriel: Delivering an Inspirational Monologue
Monica: Basketball Standing 3-Point Swish
Phooko: Freeform Mountain Climbing
Watts: Rock Performance
Contestants' "Talents" For the Challenge:
Alison: Contortion & Acrobatics Routine
Cherry: Delivering an Inspirational Monologue
Gabriel: Basketball Standing 3-Point Swish
Monica: Rock Performance
Phooko: Expert Level Dance Routine
Watts: Freeform Mountain Climbing
Location: Nialasach Ruins (Talent Show Stage)
Contestant(s): All Remaining
After a brief montage of the contestants all in their own areas, practicing their talents…Conlan called them all back to explain the next part of the challenge.
"Each others' talents?" Monica asked with a grin. "Ha! Hey, I'm game for it! No way anyone can complete mine!"
"Of course!" Conlan grinned. "After all, a regular talent show isn't very challenging, is it? And remember that you don't have to be better or even as good as the person who chose their talent, all you have to do is be better than the competition is at their switched talents. You all know the old saying. Jack of all trades n' all that."
"The old saying is 'Jack of all trades is a master of none.'" Alison crossed her arms.
"Not quite." Cherry was quick to correct her. "There's a second half, and that's the basis behind the challenge."
"Second half?" Gabriel asked.
"Oftentimes better than a master of one." Watts finished. "We just spent like 3 hours on our talents, and now we're being tasked with adapting to other talents on the fly."
"See? I know you guys would get it!" Conlan grinned. "So with that, let's get this show started! First up…Alison!"
"Starting with the best are we?" Alison laughed.
"Alison, your talent was an expert level dance routine, but instead of that we'll have you perform Cherry's contortion and acrobatics routine!"
"C-contortion?!" Alison's eyes went wide. "Listen, I can handle acrobatics, but I'm not a freak of nature!"
"Shame really." Cherry snarked. "You'd fit right in with all the other freaks in the circus."
"You!"
"Hey, don't be mad at me. I thought I was going to be doing my own routine until recently."
"We don't got all day!" Chef yelled from the judges' bench. "Get on up there and do the routine or get zeros from all o' us!"
"Fine." Alison stomped up onto the stage.
Alison began with the acrobatics and moved with grace and precision. Despite Cherry's earlier snark, it was clear that Alison really would make for a good trapeze artist if she decided to devote time to the craft. Her balance was also incredible. Walking the tightrope seemed not to phase her. It was, by all accounts, a marvelous showing.
However, Cherry's routine wasn't only about acrobatics.
Next came contortion.
Alison wasn't sure how she'd be able to get into the small open box set on the stage before her.
The judges' initial expressions of excitement turned to curiosity with a hint of worry from Rudo.
Alison took a breath and attempted to squeeze her way into the open space.
It was a tight fit. It was too tight a fit.
And more importantly…
The box was dirty.
"I…I can't…" She backed out of the box, dusting herself off and making sure her hair was okay.
"Acrobatics was great, contortion sucked." Chef sighed.
Chris and Rudo seemed to agree, as each gave Alison 10 points, for a total of 30.
Confessional: Alison
"Well, this is not how I wished this challenge to go at all. That's fine though. As long as the nerd doesn't win immunity, I think we can drum up enough anti wonder-duo support to send him home and drive Gabriel right back into my arms."
End Confessional
"Cherry, you're up next!" Conlan noted. "Now, you were going to perform the routine we all just witnessed Alison ace and then fail spectacularly at, but instead we'll have you…deliver Gabriel's Inspirational Monologue!"
"Tch." Cherry rolled her eyes. "Do I sound like I have an inspiring tone?"
"Well, I thought I was going to give it." Gabriel shrugged. "Sorry…"
"Don't be." Cherry sighed. "I should count myself lucky. All I have to do is give some kind of speech."
"Well, we're ready when you are, Cherry." Chris grinned. He nudged Rudo. "This is gonna be good!"
Cherry cleared her throat and stepped up to a microphone.
She looked at the judges and at the other contestants watching her.
And she spoke into the mic.
"Sixteen years. I've lived another girl's life for sixteen years. I wasn't swapped with birth, and I am Cherise Blanchet, but none of that has ever, ever, mattered until I was cast onto this show. Sixteen years since my birth parents left me with my uncle, sixteen years since I was given a role in Cirque Plume, his most successful money-making scheme, sixteen years since I could just be myself. You've seen what sixteen years of endless smiling, endless flipping, endless flexing, endless service can do to a person. Hell, look at him!" Cherry pointed out Chris. "Is that where I'll stand if I continue on the path laid out before me? The ringleader of my own circus built on the exploitation of those too naive to know better? Well, then I say no! I refuse to perform anymore! No more will I exist solely to entertain. No more will I exist solely in the background of someone else's story! And no more should the rest of you do the same!"
She turned to the remaining Final 6 members.
"Alison, stop talking yourself up and seize your chances, stop worrying about placements. Why sell out your own values just to get farther for a little bit of money in a competition for us clowns? Gabriel, speak up and speak out more often! Hide not behind your morality. Let your deeds shout what your lips fight to keep at bay! Monica, worry not about 'right' and 'wrong'. Accept that there are many ways to win and that your way hasn't failed you yet. Accept that you cannot please everyone and by embracing that reality, render it irrelevant! Phooko, judge not the actions of your fellow players, but accept and react to them! You could blindside Ellie easily enough, so I know you have it in you to play big. Worry about repercussions of those actions when you dealt them. Become not a slave to your own inaction! And Watts! Oh, but you still need to embrace the second half of the lesson you've already learned. While you've stopped trying to recreate the games of former players, this 'Zero Sum' season still has a hold on you. It is human nature to find connections and patterns even when there are none. History makes for a poor guide on roads untraveled, so blaze a path to call your own. Do not compare yourself to history, create it!"
She stopped addressing everyone individually, and addressed the Final 6 as a whole.
"Why should we exist in their shadows?" She pointed towards Conlan and Rudo. "If they be giants, then it is we who shall climb upon their shoulders and reach greater heights! Who is with me?!"
The rest of the Final 6 cheered.
"Holy shit, Cherry, where did that come from?!" Watts wondered.
"I'll say!" Phooko agreed. "Like, damn, that was amazing for something on the fly."
"I don't think even I would have delivered something that good." Gabriel sheepishly admitted.
Confessional: Cherry
"Yeah, yeah, sob-story, inspiring speech, rose with thorns or whatever, I really don't care. I was given a challenge and I completed it, okay? So what if it happens to be true and feel cathartic to finally shout out? I made sure to insult the host-man, so I can at least avoid a breakout immunity. For the record though, I could have totally owned that challenge even harder if I wanted to. Sixteen years of entertainment experience is a pretty big advantage when it comes to talent shows."
End Confessional
"Yeah, not a fan of that comparison." Chris frowned, as Cherry had predicted. He held up a '1'.
"Not a wartime speech, so points off for that." Chef held up a 12.
"I liked it a lot, but I mean, it was mostly just inspirational to you six." Rudo reasoned. "So uh, 3 points off. 17."
"And Cherry with a solid 30 points!" Chris noted. "If immunity comes down to between the two of them, Conlan will judge who wins!"
"Bloody hell." Alison sighed. "There goes my immunity. Upstaged by the circus freak."
Confessional: Cherry
"Rudo, I appreciate the high score but could you not? Oh, hopefully the Fudo boys do well enough to take attention off of me. Peut-être…"
End Confessional
"Gabriel." Conlan brought Gabriel up next. "You…will be performing Monica's talent."
"Oh, uh, reading to impoverished youth?" Gabriel asked hopefully.
"Do you see any kids on this island?" Monica asked.
"Helen brought some."
"She also took them back with her, thank goodness." Chris wiped his brow.
"Monica's talent…" Conlan revealed. "Is being able to throw a basketball from a 3-point line and get nothing but net."
"Standing 3-point swish, Gabriel." Monica smiled. "Can you do it?"
"Can you?" Gabriel expressed doubt.
"Uh, it's my talent." Monica laughed.
Confessional: Monica
"Nah, I can't do that. I'm not a professional. Heck, I'm not sure even most professionals could do that. But I mean come on, it was obvious that it wasn't going to be as simple as a straightforward talent show. I figured out the twist and played along because why would I reveal my talents to these people?"
End Confessional
"Well…" Gabriel grabbed a basketball and looked at a set up hoop from a 3-point line. "Here goes nothing…"
To Gabriel's credit, he did manage to make one of the five shots he was allowed, but it along with two others hit the backboard of the net and his one successful shot circled the rim for a bit before finally dropping.
Still, a standing 3-pointer was impressive, and Gabriel was awarded points accordingly. Above-average all around, leading to his total of 34 points.
"And Gabriel pulls into the lead!" Conlan announced. "Now 34 is the score to beat!"
Confessional: Gabriel
"Uh…sorry Watts? I didn't mean to make it harder for you to get immunity…but uh…well, hey, maybe you still can!"
End Confessional
"Monica." Conlan called Monica up next. "We'll have you perform Watts' rock song."
"Singing? Again?" Monica looked at Watts.
"Hey, I am a good singer." Watts stood his ground. "And remember…it has to be rock. Not some ballad."
Monica clicked her tongue.
Confessional: Monica
"Yeah, I'm not that much of a rock'n'roll kind of person. But hey, the only talents left are Alison's and Phooko's. I expect they'll both be physical in nature. No way the nerd has immunity. I'll just take him out tonight, especially if no one beats Gabriel. Besides, I do know a couple of rock songs.
End Confessional
Monica began to play the guitar on stage as she stood before the microphone. It didn't necessarily sound bad, but it was clear she was going off memory from the semi-frequent wrong note as she began to play the tune to "Move Along" by All American Rejects. The lyrics she sang, however, were altered by her own design.
"Go ahead, say I'll waste my days while thinking
When I fall, everyone stands
Another day, man I've had my fill of sinking
With the lives held in my
Hands are shaking cold.
My hands are meant to hold…
Please hear me!
When all I've got to keep is strong, I'll
Play along, play along
Do what I have to.
And if this is a villain's song, I'll
Play along, play along
Just to make it through,
Play along.
Play along.
I know I'll never lose myself completely.
Even if hope reaches it's end.
It's this will that has led me to deceiving
All the pain held in my
Hands are shaking cold
But I refuse to fold!
Now hear me!
If all I've got to keep is strong, I'll
Play along, play along
Because I have to
And then you say 'Monica's wrong', and
Play along, play along
But you all play too.
Play along.
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
And if my game is wrong,
then play along
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
If it's a villain's song,
I'll play along
Along, along, along, along
When I'll I've got to keep is strong, I'll
Play along, play along,
All 'cause you'll play too.
And no matter if hope is gone, I'll
Play along, play along
Just to make it through!
Now I'll I've got's to sing this song, I'll
Sing along, sing along
And I'll make it through!
And if they say "Monica's wrong", and
Play along, play along,
I'll play them all too!
Now all I've got to keep is strong, I'll
Play along, play along,
But it's not for you!
For my town this is a hopeful song!
They'll sing along, sing along,
And we'll make it through!
(Go on, Go on, Go on, Go on!)
Don't matter what is wrong
We'll move along!
(Go on, Go on, Go on, Go on!)
Don't matter what is wrong
We'll move along!"
As Monica finished up, she noticed that the judges had assigned her a combined score of 36 points.
"Excellent lyrics, great genre awareness." Chris noted. "Horrible musical performance really brought it down."
"Whatever." Monica huffed. "I'm in the lead anyways."
"But can she stay in the lead?" Conlan wondered aloud. "Phooko is up next, and he will perform for us, Alison's dance routine!"
"Oh? Uh…" Phooko looked around as he stood up onstage and the music played.
Confessional: Phooko
"Well…uh…I lost this challenge."
End Confessional
Phooko moved around the stage in what he believed were appropriate dance moves, but he found his hopes quickly dashed as Alison laughed loudly at every attempt he made in his 'routine'.
"It's like music, you nitwit!" She chastised. "Monica might've had bad guitar skills, but she at least understood the concept of a chorus!"
Confessional: Phooko
"I mean…whatever, right? Sorry I don't dance professionally. And for the record, I do understand the concept of a chorus. I just wasn't aware that dances involved them!"
End Confessional
"That's looking to be a 15 for Phooko…" Conlan noted the 5s from every judge. "The points for effort don't get him any closer to immunity, however, which means it all comes down to Watts, who will be performing Phooko's talent of…Freeform Mountain Climbing!"
"Shit." Watts sighed. "At least I did get some physical exercise in."
"You…physically exercised for your rock performance?" Monica asked incredulously.
"No, before the challenge." Watts clarified. "Just in case."
Confessional: Watts
"Is it enough to freeform up a fuckin' mountain?! I don't know, but I guess we're all about to find out because if I don't win immunity, there's a very very real chance that I'm toast!"
End Confessional
Confessional: Cherry
"Can the nerd climb the mountain? Frankly, I don't care. I'm more concerned with making sure the camp remains divided on the vote. The last thing I need is for anyone else to worm their way into my snug little trio, so it's time for some behind the scenes work."
End Confessional
Watts looked at the small mountain behind the stage, marking the border into the Cloc Mountain Range.
"Alright, Watts." Chris grinned. "With no equipment other than your own hands and feet, climb that mountain!"
"Too bad he couldn't read any Zero Sum strategies on freeform mountain climbing." Alison taunted.
"Don't let her get to you." Watts muttered to himself under his breath as he steadily began his ascent. He carefully chose each hand and foothold and made slow, but steady progress.
He climbed higher and the mountain became more difficult to traverse.
There was an outcropping that nearly caused him to lose his footing, and the rock of the mountain eroded to where it was not as stable as it was at the base.
Watts continued.
He paused and assessed where best to put his foot next, which rock can support a tight grip from his hand. He found himself channeling no one from the stories he'd watch on his tv, but instead his thoughts turned to Erin for stoicism, to Mirai for endurance, and to Gabriel for the courage to continue upwards.
The mountain was steeper now.
Any taunting voices had either died down or were too far away to hear.
Watts decided it was better not to check.
He reached a particularly difficult point.
The ledge he must have used to keep himself steady was extremely narrow.
One, single, slip-up, would be all it would take.
There would not need to be a ceremony. He would be medically evacuated if he fell from whatever height he was at.
He didn't need to look down to know that much. The wind blowing through the highlands was enough of a hint.
At the base of the mountain, everyone truly did look on in silence. Some eager, some fearful, but all with their rapt attention firmly on James Watkins.
Until…
With one final, risky, push off that dangerously narrow ledge,…
Watts…
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"And Watts has reached the summit!" Conlan announced excitedly. "And the scores are coming in…15 from Chris…13 from Chef…and…another 15 from Rudo! That's a whopping 43 points which means that Watts WINS individual immunity!"
Confessional: Watts
"I…I did it?! I freakin' did it! Let's fucking go! Next stop, eliminating the shit out of Alison!"
End Confessional
Confessional: Monica
"My immunity was stolen away from me by him? Hmph. Fine. Very well, perhaps some desperate measures might need to be taken tonight."
End Confessional
Confessional: Alison
"The nerve of him to suggest voting me off to everyone only to go and win immunity like a coward! Oh, he's so lucky there are still big fish to fry."
End Confessional
Confessional: Gabriel
"Now…I am happy that Watts won immunity but…uh… I don't feel safe? I don't trust Alison to not vote me out if Monica and Phooko both independently decide I'm the best target. However, I don't want to go to Cherry because if whatever she has is really that important to be kept secret from everyone, even Watts, then I don't want to…waste it? And then there's whether I want Alison to go home over Monica to begin with! There's…a lot to think about here."
End Confessional
Confessional: Phooko
"I…I think I might be okay tonight. The big names that I've been hearing have been the three Fudo members and Monica. Since Watts is immune, that narrows down the voting pool."
End Confessional
Confessional: Cherry
"Now then, time to craft my ideal elimination ceremony with the players on the board. *Sigh*. You know, z'is would be more fun if either my own nerds were here to geek out about it. Hopefully, Ellie and Zaiyrin will come see me often after this is all over."
End Confessional
Location: Tine Naofa Bonfire Elimination Ceremony
Contestant(s): All Remaining
"Final 6." Chris grinned as Alison, Cherry, Gabriel, Monica, Phooko, and Watts all sat down at the bonfire. "In just one vote, you will truly be in the endgame. Each challenge up through the Final 2 will become more and more important. So, let's start with the elephant in the room. Watts, you're immune tonight."
"And thank goodness for that because my plea was not as well received as I'd hoped." Watts nodded.
"But now that you're immune, is it safe to say that people will vote for Alison?" Chris wondered.
"It would be nice to stop all that arguing." Cherry offered a perspective.
"Excuse me?!" Alison huffed. "Are you all forgetting the vast amount of luxuries I have in my possession?"
"What about them?" Phooko rolled his eyes. "You won't have them if we vote you off."
"That's the point, you bloody idiot!" Alison snapped. "Do you really want to give all those luxuries over to the dynamic duo to share? You'll give them better shelter, better food, and the fastest method of transportation on the island, and I wouldn't want to power up that alliance going into the endgame. Would any of you?"
"The thing about that is," Cherry spoke up. "They're going to get stronger no matter who goes home, and frankly they've been easier to beat in challenges than you have so far. Also, the constant arguing is annoying. But that actually makes this vote rather difficult for me because Monica's also been fairly adept at making enemies and fumbling any reconciliations."
"I can't help it if people are grandstanding on morals in their reality show game." Monica crossed her arms. "Especially then they refuse to recognize the validity of my own ends."
"Yeah, but the ends justifying the means is actually an extremely terrifying world view." Phooko piped up. "That philosophy is most commonly use to excuse genocide and human rights violations."
"Okay, but I haven't committed genocide or human rights violations." Monica pointed out. "I've been playing ruthlessly in a game for a million dollars."
"Yeah, but you're also complaining that we aren't working with you despite the fact that you've been playing ruthlessly." Gabriel was quick to answer. "Generally speaking, people don't like it when others engage in betrayals or blindsides or dick moves or just general rudeness."
"But why should I be the one forced to course correct?" Monica uncrossed her arms. "It's not like Phooko hasn't made plenty of his own enemies, and Watts might be immune, but the Final 7 was not the first time he's shot himself in the foot. From what I can gather, Cherry spent the first half of the game insulting everyone not immediately considered her ally."
"Untrue." Cherry claimed. "I insulted Gran extremely often and even wanted to vote him out when he was still technically an alliance member."
"And you." Monica turned to Gabriel. "You want to be a leader but all you've managed to do was make a friend whose sole job is to advise you on what action to take."
"Now that's ridiculous." Watts laughed. "After all, it was Gabriel who was advising me on what to do going forward this morning, and on how to complete the challenge back at the Final 7. He was also, without question, the team leader on OG Fudo. Man knows who is strong where and how to delegate roles effectively. So what if I advise him? He recognized that I had knowledge he was lacking and found a way to make it work to both our benefits! Sling mud at my game all you want! I'll be the first to admit I've probably made more mistakes than any big brain plays, but Gabriel is a leader and I will not suffer you, someone who has never been on a team with him, to claim otherwise."
"To be fair…" Alison opened her mouth. "The biggest brained play on the original Fudo came from my gorgeous head, and Gabriel was completely in the dark about it. You remember, James. You were part of keeping it a secret from him. So maybe I'm the better leader!"
"Sure." Watts shrugged. "All the more reason to vote you off, then."
Confessional: Watts
"Considering that I want to get rid of her and I want to take Gabriel to the final 2, I'm going to trust my gut here that Gabriel is the better leader. He doesn't cause as much resentment in the people that choose to align with him, and a leader needs diplomatic skills as well as delegation."
End Confessional
Confessional: Gabriel
"Watts, I'm very touched, thank you, but please just let those two drag me. The more hidden our targets are, the more likely we can actually make the finale."
End Confessional
Confessional: Alison
"That little nerd used my own words against me! Ugh, it was so much easier to deal with him when he wanted to play like his heroes!"
End Confessional
"If there is nothing else…" Chris looked around. "It is time to vote. Phooko, we'll start with you."
Confessional: Phooko
"Ah geez…this is a tough one…"
End Confessional
Phooko returned, and Watts walked up.
Confessional: Watts
"Surprising nobody, my vote goes straight to Alison in the desperate hopes that we can be rid of her before the next challenge rolls around. The last thing I want is to let her decide who goes home, and I'm upwards of 60% sure that's going to be a twist visited upon us in the Final 5."
End Confessional
After Watts sat down, it was Gabriel's turn.
Confessional: Gabriel
"Regardless of who goes home, after tonight, I'm ending my deal with Alison. Tonight, however, my vote goes to Monica, because if I can't vote for the person Watts wants to get rid of, I can at least vote for the other breakout villain."
End Confessional
Gabriel came back, and Alison waltzed up to the voting podium.
Confessional: Alison
"Oh, you must have seen this coming."
End Confessional
Once Alison finished, Monica was called up.
Confessional: Monica
"This wasn't my plan going into the final 6, but needs must when the Devil drives."
End Confessional
And finally, Cherry was the last of the contestants to cast their vote.
Confessional: Cherry
"The name I write down on this paper doesn't matter as much as the outcome I want to occur. So I'm going to write down this name, believing that the others will vote in the way I predict they will."
End Confessional
After a few minutes, Chris returned from tallying votes.
"I've tallied the votes." He announced as he held up a platter with five medals on it.
"If anyone has any advantage of any sort and wants to play it, now would be the time to do so."
Confessional: Cherry
"He's talking about what I found during Rudo's challenge. But the thing is, I'm keeping those as close to my chest as possible. If all goes well, you'll see why later, but not tonight."
End Confessional
Everyone, including Cherry, looked around with confusion on their faces.
After Chris had his fill of waiting, he continued. "Alright then. If I call your name, Watts," He tossed Watts a medal. "Come up and receive your medal. The person who does not receive a medal must enter the Tomb of Shame with the rest of the losers, and will have to settle for 6th place this season. Now then, without further ado…"
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"Cherry."
Cherry smiled as she walked up and took a medal, standing near Watts.
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"Phooko."
Phooko nodded. He walked up and grabbed a medal.
"3 contestants left at the pit." Chris announced. "But only 2 medals left to give out, and the next one goes to…."
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"Gabriel."
"Oh thank goodness." Gabriel let out a breath that he'd been holding since the medal giveaway began.
"Ladies." Chris turned to Alison and Monica.
"This is the final medal of the night. And it goes to…"
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Chris grinned.
"The winner of a tiebreaker challenge."
"A tie?!" Monica's eyes went wide. "But I went through the trouble of-."
She turned to Alison. "You!"
Alison grinned. "What can I say? You're hogging my spotlight."
"You would sabotage your own ally over a reason as stupidly petty as attention?" Monica was in disbelief. "At least my reason was rooted in self-preservation, but you…do you even care, at all, about the competition here?"
"I mean, calling it a competition is a little generous." Alison laughed. "But I'm rich already. What do I care about…how much money was it? 10 million?"
"1 million." Chris corrected.
"Ah, a pittance then." Alison nodded to the correction. "No, I'm solely here for the attention of the world, especially those who happen to exist in the upper echelons of society. Perhaps someone of appropriate social caste with a hot son will see my beauty and skills, and I can be betrothed and set for life. Who cares about the plight of the poor when I don't have to see them from my palace? Far, far and away less hassle than worrying about an entire town like you are. I mean, how stupid can you get? Honestly!"
"Chris, what's the tiebreaker?" Monica asked, angrily. "Is it kickboxing? Because I'd love to kick this girl's teeth in!"
"It's not kickboxing." Chris said as he motioned for Chef to make a note about the kickboxing idea.
"Alison, Monica, the two of you are tasked with…fire making."
Tiebreaker challenge: Fire making
Rules: The tied contestants must create a fire large enough to snap a rope suspended above it, which will raise their flag and signify their continued safety in the game.
"Alright ladies." Chris announced as Alison and Monica took their seats near a red and gray flag respectively. "Your challenge starts….now!"
Both Alison and Monica worked incredibly swiftly in setting up their fires, neither one giving the other even a picosecond's rest.
They used their flint at the same time as well, and their flames sparked one right after the other.
Thanks to the wind, as their fires grew, so too did they shrink, keeping the race as neck and neck as it could possibly be.
The rest of the soon to be Final 5 was staring intently at the competition, their eyes wide at the surprising skill displayed by both contestants.
Fires rose and fell and rose again, dancing between first and second place.
Both ropes caught on fire at roughly the same opportunity.
It would all come down to whose flames burned hotter.
And those flames belonged to…
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"Alison's flag is up first!" Chris announced even as Monica's flag quickly rose up behind it. "Giving her the final medal of the night!"
"Sorry, not sorry~!" Alison twiddled her fingers towards Monica as she left the pit to grab the final medal.
Confessional: Alison
"Hah! For all his talk of getting me out, looks like the nerd is stuck with me in the Final 5 anyways! Smooth sailing for me from here on out, that's for sure."
End Confessional
Confessional: Watts
"Okay, this is not what I wanted to happen, but uh…I dunno, Chris mentioned advantages so maybe there's something somewhere that can help me."
End Confessional
Confessional: Cherry
"Ah, perfect! Well, not perfect. I personally would have very much liked to mooch off of the many luxuries that would have come with Alison's departure, but what is perfect is this: There was a tied vote, 3 vs 3, and it's going to sour Watts' opinion of Phooko. After all, I was the third Alison vote, and I want at least one of the wonder duo to prefer me as their final 3 choice over that last Ebisu member."
End Confessional
"And with that, Monica…Team Hayaji is finally no more. It's time for you to leave."
"I hope they're right about people being willing to help out my town." Monica sighed. "That's all the hope I have left at this point."
"Hey." Gabriel put a hand on her shoulder. "I happen to have some political connections, so I'll see what I can do on my own end. But in return, If there's ever a next time, let's try and play together, alright? I think we'd both have more fun that way." He smiled warmly.
Monica, no longer in the competition, and feeling the weight and pressure of everything she had gone through finally catching up to her as her adrenaline wore off, felt her eyes well up and wrapped her arms around Gabriel in a farewell hug. "I hope we'll be able to keep that promise." She laughed as her voice cracked. "A-anyways, it's time for me to get going. None of you let Alison win!"
And Monica, making sure to save her tears until she was out of sight from everyone, including the cameras, walked towards the Tomb of Shame with her dignity.
"And we're down to five!" Chris announced. "Alison, Cherry, Gabriel, Phooko, and Watts! What is in store for The Final 5 as they enter their endgame? Will Watts's premonitions about Alison come true? What tricks does Cherry have up her sleeve? And how will the contestants react to the host of the next challenge, a name that has been appearing throughout the season? Find out all this and more…next time!
On Total!
Drama!
Niiiiialasach!"
*Monica's Final Confessional
"I will freely admit I played a villainous game. I felt the need to, and you know what? It got me to the final 6. That's pretty far, I'd say. Heck, if I was only a second faster it would've gotten me to the final 5. Something you guys might not know is that there are runner up prizes awarded for not placing in first. Obviously with diminishing returns based on placement, but I'm still walking away from this with like, ten thousand bucks that I would not have to spend on my town if I hadn't played at all. It's not that much in terms of economic development, but it's a start. Hopefully I can come back, preferably being remembered as the better of the breakout villains this season because at least I actively stand for something, and I'm not some brat just looking for some sort of shallow bizzarro world prince charming. I might not have played the greatest rock song during the challenge, but I'm glad I was able to finally get through to at least Gabriel. Everything I've done was for the good of my town, and everything I will do shall be for the same. I'm content as a villain in the eyes of Total Drama if it means I can be a hero to the kids in my town. Their opinions matter more to me than anyone else's."
End Confessional
The Votes for those who are curious
Alison voted for…Monica
Cherry voted for…Alison
Gabriel voted for…Monica
Monica voted for…Alison
Phooko voted for…Monica
Watts voted for…Alison
AN: I know. I'm sad too. I loved writing Monica so much, but this was where her game came to its end. As such, I wanted to make sure she got plenty of content in the episodes leading up to this moment. I really like the idea of a TD villain being basically clearly the protagonist of most other stories but clearly a villain in terms of the game itself because it really shines a light on how nuanced and blurred the lines of morality can potentially get when placed into games like Total Drama. She took risks that paid off and she took risks that ended up hurting her, but no one can deny she played one hell of a game and has absolutely left a lasting impression in the annals of Total Drama Renaissance history.
For those wondering, Monica's alignment was: Lawful Evil (LE)
Having studied her actions throughout the season, Monica receives the title of: Villain
This probably doesn't need much explanation, what with all the backstabbing and stealing of the force medal and tending to taunt people who opposed her actions, it's pretty clear she was always going to get the villain title. Frankly though, that's what makes Monica so interesting a character, because her end-goal despite the villainy is a moral good, that is the economic development of her impoverished town to help the luckless orphaned children she often plays with survive and thrive.
Monica's Best Moment: For me, there are plenty of moments in recent memory that I could use, but I want to pick her reaction to Christa's elimination. It did such a great job of setting up her character. She was the reason that Christa was eliminated in the first place, but she hadn't yet managed to put her emotional guard fully up yet, and showed everyone just how much the game she was playing was truly affecting her inside. I feel like because that moment exists, it makes one of her final moments, with Gabriel, feel even better as payoff for her character.
But that's all just my opinion, what do you guys think?
Monica will be back for the finale! Will she be able to align her heart and her mind during the events of the final challenge?
Oswald's challenge is up next! What do you think it will be?
AN2: We have a discord! The link is on my profile page!
EN: Monica had been one of my favorite characters since the start, and it's really hard to let them go, but we must. Monica's story is a very interesting one, and I really love to see the lines of morality becoming blurred in games like these. It makes the game feel complex and human. I also love a backstabbing, betraying, stealing queen. Drama and suffering is fun, and just, Monica has been one of my faves. So yes, and I also agree with Doobop for the best moment too. It truly does show the side of Monica that we really didn't get to see. I will say, because pettiness is real, that it may not have seemed like I liked Monica all too much if you know me in the aforementioned server, but I will admit that it was because she took out my girl, so yeah. And yes, I loved it when she took out my girl too.
Oswald's challenge… I got this… it's pin the pink onto the polo shirt. I can also think of something similar to Freya's challenge, but that already happened. I also don't think it will be a beekeeping challenge because Oswald probably wouldn't want to be around bees. That's why I landed on pin the pink on the polo shirt. Or it could be an acting challenge, but not like Liu-Ten. Nah, I'm sticking with pin the pink on the polo shirt.
AN3: And as always, thanks for reading!