Previously on Total Drama Express Tour! We stayed in Qatar, all to support my beautiful wallet! I mean, immerse ourselves in the local culture. Team Friendship members enjoyed a lovely evening at Doha's most luxurious hotel, Levi and Harlan had a date hoping no one would see them, but Gretchen prevented that from happening. Contestants had an amazing race through all of Doha. And things got heated when Levi and Harlan were almost arrested and Mac was detained by local police, but the boys managed to get out of that. In the end, Team Alpha thought they had won, but their hopes were dashed when they discovered that the idol brought by Ryuuko and Lucy was a fake. Meaning that our favorite Japanese boy paid for it. Who will be the next to fall? Where will we go today? If you saw the title of the episode, you already know, forget it. So buckle up for more Total Drama Express Tour!
The camera enters the boys' compartment in Team Alpha's wagon. Inside, Lucy is sitting on one of the beds, with Barbara and Liam sitting on the bed opposite to her. In front of them, Mac and Jennifer stand facing a small corkboard with several photos on it.
"Um... Well, starting off thank you all for coming," Mac begins to explain, deftly avoiding making eye contact with anyone.
"I have a question, though. What is she doing here?" Jennifer asks, pointing at Barbara.
"I was just about to ask the same thing," Lucy says, crossing her arms.
"Oh? Her?" Liam looks at Barbara.
"Who else?" Jennifer asks, skeptically watching Barbara snack on a peanut from the bag of nuts in her hand.
"Oh, I shouldn't be here?" Barbara innocently asks.
"Well... No," Jennifer says with a cynical smile. "This is supposed to be a team meeting."
"Don't worry, guys! Barbie's just here to hang out. She won't spill anything to her team, right?" Liam says.
"Barbie?" Mac asks, looking a bit puzzled.
"I swear, guys! My mouth is a sarcophagus." Barbara pretends to zip her mouth shut.
"We can't trust her; she betrayed your trust once, remember?" Lucy reminds them.
"But this time's different! We made a pinky promise!" Liam quickly intertwines his pinky with Barbara's.
"Yeah, just like last time," Lucy says, rolling her eyes.
"No, Barbara would never break a pinky promise!" Liam defends, furrowing his brow.
"But she did last time."
"You broke a pinky promise?!" Liam looks horrified at Barbara.
"But it was only once!" Barbara says, feigning innocence.
"Did you hear that? It was only once!" Liam exclaims proudly, causing the other three teenagers in the room to facepalm.
"Anyway, if she's going to be here, then we can't discuss the Amazons team," Jennifer says, removing some pictures from the corkboard.
"Thank you so much for trusting me, guys! I promise not to let you down. I'll never betray Toto again." Barbara leans her head for a moment on Liam's shoulder as she says this in an overly sweet and chirpy voice.
"T-Toto?" Mac asks, even more concerned.
"We'd better get started before I start sprouting gray hairs," Jennifer massages the bridge of her nose, then points to the corkboard. "Mac and I worked out this plan for today. We're going to answer the most vital question: Why does Team Friendship never lose?"
"Well, it's not that they never lose; they won the last challenge by luck," Lucy points out.
"If you call what Ryuuko did luck, then sure," Barbara sticks out her tongue and looks away, pretending she didn't say anything.
"H-Hey, Ryuuko did nothing wrong. It was my fault, right?" Lucy puts her hand over her chest, taking the blame.
"W-Well, I did some research, and here's a recap of who was the mvp of Team Friendship each time they won... And I found a common point." Mac nervously points to the central point of the corkboard, a quite poorly drawn and childish-looking stick figure.
"A stickwoman?" Liam asks.
"N-No, it's Gretchen, but I guess I didn't draw her that well."
"Why Gretchen? That girl can't even walk without tripping," Lucy remarks.
"Well, it's not specifically Gretchen. I'd say it's more her luck; many times, she seems to defy all odds," Jennifer analyzes.
"Or she's secretly a mastermind!" Mac theorizes.
"That's just a theory," Jennifer shrugs.
"A Game Theory!" Mac shouts, making everyone look at him uncomfortably. "I'm sorry... Nerd joke."
"Anyway, the musical chairs challenge? She secured the win. The Netherlands challenge? She was there when we lost our sacks. The desert challenge? She got a gallon of oil by herself. She's a big key player in Harlan's scheme."
"So, what do you propose?" Liam asks, looking at them intently.
"W-Well, we thought we could distract Gretchen somehow. Prevent her from interfering in the challenge," Mac explains.
"And that's why we called on you, Lucy," Jennifer says, with a forced smile.
"M-Me?"
"Yes, you. Mac, explain," Jennifer prompts.
"Well, this is statistical, b-but contestants on reality shows who are, well, in a relationship tend to underperform at the game," Mac explains, trying his hardest to meet Lucy's eyes.
"So you're asking me to seduce Gretchen? I don't know. We don't even know if she's into girls, or if she's asexual," Lucy says, sounding unconvinced.
"I mean, we can all agree that you'd be attractive to anyone, right?" Liam looks at Jennifer and Mac.
"Well, from an objective standpoint, I suppose?" Jennifer seems slightly nervous, looking down.
"Well, your hands could be a bit more feminine, but yeah," Barbara criticizes.
"You flatter me, but... Are you sure?"
"Well, I think it could work. We lose nothing by trying," Mac says, nervously smiling.
"We lose nothing, just the challenge and one of our members," Jennifer sarcastically remarks.
"Alright, we've got today's plan! Let's go, guys!" Liam stands up but is stopped by Lucy grabbing his arm.
"You still owe us some explanations, Liam, or should I say... Toto?" Lucy says with a cynical smile.
"Hehe... That's a long story."
"Yesterday we were watching that old movie, 'My Neighbor Totoro' or something like that, and I just told Liam that he reminded me of Totoro, so now he's Totoro!" Barbara hugs Liam's arm and smiles brightly, while the Asian boy scratches his head, somewhat embarrassed.
"Yeah, it's... something like that."
"Although, to be honest, the movie was pretty bad."
"But you said we should watch it."
Lucy, Mac, and Jennifer share both mocking and skeptical smiles, but they end up letting him go.
Confessional
Liam - Since I was little, Mom always taught me how to treat girls right, so yeah... I try to be a good guy always. It just makes me really happy that things with Barbara are going well; maybe we could even date someday.
Barbara - Toto is super cute! He's so chivalrous! Going out with him is great because it'll help me climb up in the popularity ranking! But just so you know, it's not romantic at all, okay? I've already told you I have a boyfriend! (The last part, the girl says with a forced smile, not entirely convinced.)
Lucy - Honestly, I don't have any problem following Jennifer and Mac's plan; I've always been good at using my appearance to my advantage. I know it's bad, but I even planned to do it to help me find the damn Bermuda Triangle.
Mac - I-I really like the role Liam gave me in the team; it makes me feel a bit more secure that if we lose, it won't be me going home. That's the most important thing because I really need the prize.
"Hey, Jen!" As they leave the compartment, Barbara stops Jennifer by grabbing her arm. The girl with glasses startles and automatically pulls her arm away. "Relax, girl! Corey and I are going to have breakfast together, wanna come?"
"Why?" Jennifer elongates the question, looking around confusedly.
"Just as friends, nothing really important to the game." Barbara looks behind her before speaking, making sure no one overhears.
"Um... Are you sure?"
"Of course, come on! You'll get to go to the luxury wagon!" Barbara takes Jennifer's hand and walks with her to the luxury car, Jennifer's eyes widening as she can't resist. Finally, the two girls arrive at the common area of the luxury wagon, where Cordelia is waiting, sipping a cup of tea.
"Oh, Jennifer! I didn't think you'd actually come." Corey seems pleasantly surprised, smiling gently.
"Um... Well... I did, why?" Jennifer runs her hand through her hair, tucking strands behind her ear.
"How are you doing?"
"Well... Hm..." Jennifer nods and sits next to the two girls. "Do you need something?"
"We just want to have breakfast as friends! No mystery!" Barbara teases, chuckling softly. The blonde girl places a plate of freshly cut fruit on the table.
"Really? Nothing to do with the game?" Jennifer asks, sitting up straight.
"It's just that I realized we've never really talked as friends, that's all." Corey says, taking a piece of watermelon and biting into it.
"Sure, sure..." Jennifer laughs nervously and finally takes a piece of fruit from the plate.
"So, Barbara, when are you going to make up your mind?" Corey asks.
"About what?" Barbara asks.
"You know, Harvey or Liam?" Corey presses.
"Ooooh, that." Barbara says, feigning surprise. "I mean, if it's just about looks, Liam wins hands down. But I don't know, they're both good guys, I don't want to choose."
"Liam seems like the whole package if you ask me." Corey clearly teases Barbara.
"I still don't know... You know, my boyfriend is back home. We shouldn't even be talking about this." Barbara rolls her eyes and tries to quickly change the subject. "And you, Jennifer? Haven't you seen anyone you're interested in?"
"M-Me? Um—" Jennifer seems to snap out of her thoughts, as her gaze was fixed on something else. "N-No, not at all. I'm totally focused on the game."
"Sure." Barbara says, and she seems to resume chatting with Cordelia. Jennifer starts dissociating, getting lost in her thoughts for a moment.
Confessional
Corey - I want to help Jennifer get out of her shell! It seems like she's had a pretty demanding childhood; no normal girl writes her post-grad essay while still in high school.
Jennifer - I've never really had time to think about having a partner... You know, I'm more concerned about having straight As, straight hair, a straight posture... i'm a straight girl.
"Miss Sophia?" Pedro peeks his head into the Amazonicos team's girls' compartment, where he finds Sophia writing in a notebook.
"Oh, hi Pedro. Come in," Sophia doesn't lift her head from the notebook.
"Are you okay? You didn't join us for dinner last night."
"Oh, don't worry! I was just busy preparing for today's team meeting; it's almost finished."
Pedro puts his hands on his hips, contemplating for a moment what he's about to say. Ultimately, he decides to be kind to Sophia and not voice his thoughts.
"Okay. Just so you know, Miss Cordelia informed me that she won't be attending today's meeting," Pedro informs her. "Would you like me to bring you anything? Water, pancakes? I could-"
"Oh, of course she's not coming, just like the last two times!" Sophia finally sets her notebook aside and stares directly at Pedro. The African boy just stands there with a poker face, afraid to speak. "She loves having others do the work for her, doesn't she? She's not an active player! Don't worry, the team plan I have will work without her."
"Team plan? Don't you think you're taking this a bit too seriously?"
"Not at all. We got our first victory yesterday, which proves I'm on the right track."
"That's true, but I can't help but think maybe you need to... relax a bit. It's the first time in a long while we've come to the luxury wagon, and it doesn't seem like you're enjoying it as you should," Pedro suggests.
"I can't let my guard down. There's a lot at stake, Pedro," Sophia gives Pedro her classic smile.
"Well, if that's what you choose, then I have no choice but to accept it," Pedro nods sadly, looking concerned for his captain. "I hope you'll consider my advice. And reconsider eliminating Cordelia."
That last comment doesn't seem to sit well with Sophia, who returns to focusing on her notebook, now with a furrowed brow.
Confessional
Pedro - I understand why Miss Sophia wants to keep Barbara in the game; with all due respect, Barbara has a simple mind. Her vote is easy to manipulate. It's a dirty decision, but I would be breaking my word by betraying her.
Sophia - I don't understand where Pedro's rebellious spirit is coming from. What should I do? (Sophia massages her temples, frustrated and stressed.)
At dining wagon, which is unusually empty compared to other days, Gretchen, Ashley, Levi, Harvey, and Harlan are seated eating the day's mediocre breakfast. Harlan and Gretchen are sitting across from each other, with Harlan looking at Gretchen suspiciously while she calmly eats her ham sandwich.
"I like the character design, but I'm not sold on the color palette..." Levi comments as he reviews what Harvey shows him in his notebook.
"This is the design for the main character; I want to give her a Magical Girl style but a bit more serious."
"Yeah, I can see that."
"You're doing great with it, Harvey!" Ashley chimes in, already on her second sandwich.
"You know what's funny?" Gretchen says.
"What's funny, Gretchen?" Harlan interjects quickly, looking expectantly at Gretchen.
"This is the second time this week Emma has made us ham sandwiches! Do you think it's her favorite breakfast?" Gretchen asks, with a curious smile.
"Oh, yeah, that's funny," Harlan seems to relax and leans back in his seat.
"Well, I'm going to take my tray, be right back!" Gretchen takes her empty plate and walks towards the kitchen.
"Oh, me too," says Harlan, getting up quickly.
"But you're not finished," Levi points out, to which Harlan hastily stuffs the remaining sandwich into his mouth and swallows it whole.
"Now I am!"
Harlan catches up to Gretchen as she sets her tray down, stands in front of her, and gives her a fake smile.
"Hey hey, Gretchen! How's it going!"
"Everything's going great, Harlan!"
"Good to hear. Hey, Gretchen, you're not going to tell Charlie... You know. Are you?"
"Tell Charlie what?"
"You know what I'm talking about," says Harlan, looking puzzled.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Nope," Gretchen looks at him innocently, but it doesn't quite convince him, testing his patience a bit more.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Gretchen, don't play dumb with me."
"Play? About what?"
"Look, I know you know what I'm talking about; there's no harm in you knowing. If Charlie finds out, then-"
"Oh! I know what you're talking about." After bringing her finger to her chin for a moment, Gretchen seems to remember. "Don't worry, I won't tell Charlie what I saw."
"Thanks, Gretchen. I hope you won't betray me." Harlan finally walks away.
Confessional
Harlan - Okay, I like Gretchen, but no one is that oblivious! It's not possible! So when she puts on this facade of being a 'lost innocent girl,' I can't help but stay on alert!
Gretchen - I don't know why Harlan insists so much that I don't tell Charlie that I saw her stealing Harvey's cake last night, but I guess I won't. Anything to help my captain!
"Look, Harvey. I don't want to be nosy, but..." Levi interrupts their conversation as he leans in towards Harvey. "Doesn't this girl look a lot like Barbara? It's okay to have a crush, man, but I thought this piece was yours."
"It's not a crush! Let me explain." Harvey corrects him, starting to sketch in his notebook as he narrates. "When I was in the desert, I passed out and then I saw Oda-Sensei, who told me i had already found the muse and that I needed to start working on my manga!"
Levi looks at Harvey with a mix of confusion, condescension, and disappointment.
"Look, I don't think something as personal as your series should be trivialized to something as specific as a 'muse.'" Levi makes air quotes with his hands.
"But if he feels confident with his work, he should continue!" Ashley chimes in.
"Hm... I came here thinking this train would give me enough inspiration, and I think I've finally found it. Doesn't that make sense?"
"Well, it makes sense but-"
The two boys are interrupted when Harlan quickly sits back down next to Levi.
"Hey, guys! What are we talking about?"
"Harlan, can we talk for a second... In private?" Levi asks, discreetly looking at Harvey and Ashley.
"Sure thing! Catch up later, guys!" Harlan gets up and walks with Levi to the corner of the carriage.
"What was that? Did you really go and threaten Gretchen?!" Levi questions in a hushed tone.
"It wasn't a threat! I just made her promise." Harlan tries to justify himself without raising his voice.
"And what makes you think she would tell it?"
"What makes you think she wouldn't?"
"Look, it's smart to be cautious, but there's a limit, don't you think? It's Gretchen! I'm pretty sure if she goes to an amusement park, they won't let her on the baby carousel!" Levi taps his temple, inviting his partner to reason.
"How can you be so sure? People lie all the time."
"Ok, even if that's true... Why do you care so much about them knowing? I'm starting to think it would be better to just come clean, don't you?"
"You don't understand!" Harlan quickly interjects, to which Levi stares at him intently.
"Okay, if you think it's best to keep it a secret... Then let's do that. But no more threatening people, okay?"
"Sure thing, love you, Lev." And with that, Harlan swiftly returns to the table with Harvey and Ashley.
Confessional
Levi - I'm trying to be understanding here, but... It really bothers me that Harlan doesn't want to make it public. Is he ashamed to be seen with me?
"Ladies and gentlemen! We are about to arrive at our destination! Gather in the luxury wagon. As a little tip, bring warm clothing. Chris out!"
"Warm clothing?! But just three days ago we were boiling! You can't do this to us!" Charlie exclaims.
"Oh yes, I can!" Chris's voice echoes from the speakers again, causing Charlie to jump in surprise. "Chris out!"
"Ugh, I curse you, McLean..." Charlotte starts rummaging through her large suitcase, trying to find winter clothes.
Confessional
Charlotte - I've been going through a rough patch lately. Don't get me wrong, I'm still fantastic, but the fact that Spencer stopped paying attention to me and now only has eyes for Corey's skinny self got to me: I need a new chosen one. Another guy I can easily manipulate, and I think I've found the perfect candidate.
"Good morning, guys! What's up? You all seem down." Chris and his sons are dressed in their winter jackets in front of the contestants, who, although more bundled up, are shivering.
"Well, you can't just subject us to such an extreme climate change. We could get sick," Levi complains.
"There's no scientific proof of that, it's just a myth created by moms worldwide," Emma shrugs.
"It's not that cold, guys," Spencer is the only one maintaining his usual attire as if nothing's happening, taking a sip from his Coca-Cola bottle.
"Are you kidding me?" Lucy says, looking at her teammate incredulously. "Are you telling me you're not cold?"
"Not enough to put on a coat."
Confessional
Mac — Spencer seems to have an extraordinary resistance to extreme temperatures and pain... Which means he either has a strange congenital condition... Or he's a reptilian.
"Cold or not, you have to face a challenge today, are you ready?" Chris asks, heading to the door of the car.
The contestants look at each other hesitantly. Chris opens the door, revealing a majestic snowy landscape, contrasting with large green mountains, a great line of smoke appearing behind them.
"Jennifer, this is a good challenge for you, can you tell us where we are?" Chris leans against the door frame.
"Well, we're on a glacier, so I'll assume we're in a Nordic country... Maybe Iceland?" Jennifer asks, not very sure.
"Well, we are in Iceland indeed, but that's not the specific location. You disappointed me, Jen, I thought you were smarter." Chris gives the girl a mocking look.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I think you're right." Jennifer forces a smile as best as she can.
Confessional
Jennifer — I hate rock music, soap operas, and roller coasters, but above all, I hate Chris McLean. Too bad it's a terrible idea to let him know that...
"We're in Vatnajökull National Park, the largest glacier in all of Europe and the second-largest in the world!" Chris steps out of the train, where some snowflakes fall on his clothes. "It's the only place in the world where fire and ice merge as one! We're right now on top of a giant frozen volcanic system, so today I bring you a challenge that will combine the best of both worlds."
"And by the best of both worlds, he means the most dangerous," Emma adds.
"I figured as much, don't worry," Levi says, looking down sadly.
"D-Did you know that in Iceland during the summer solstice, it's impossible for it to get dark? That's because-"
"Whatever! Get down already so we can start the challenge!" Pedro is interrupted by Chris, making him frown in frustration.
The fifteen contestants get off the train and can see that they are high up on a mountain, facing a very steep descent.
"Alright, let me explain the first part of the challenge." Chris walks towards three snowmobiles, each in the representative color of the teams. "The first part of our challenge will be simple. You'll have to descend the mountain to reach the place where the second part of the challenge will take place."
"Using the snowmobiles?! Awesome!" Ashley shouts, running towards the green snowmobile at full speed.
"No, genius, rolling," Levi says sarcastically.
"Guys... I don't think we'll all fit on that snowmobile," Gretchen points out.
"You should've thought of that before bringing so many undefeated challenges," Chris chuckles, watching as both Amazonicos and Alpha squeezed onto their seats.
"I'll drive, guys! We have to keep that winning streak going," Sophia says, taking the driver's seat.
"We're a bit cramped here!" Mac yells, having to sit on Spencer's lap to fit on the snowmobile.
"Don't worry, guys, we'll be there in a flash!" Liam shouts.
Meanwhile, the members of Team Friendship look confused at the snowmobile, trying several times to sit, but the six of them definitely couldn't fit. Then, Levi seems to have an idea and runs back to the train.
"Is that allowed? Going back into the train?" Lucy asks.
"Well, the train hasn't left yet, so I guess so," Chris Jr. explains.
"And it would be great if the train leaves with him inside," Chris adds.
Levi comes down from the train with one of the wooden crates from the Shame Wagon and a rope in his hands. Levi calmly and without saying a word ties the rope to the snowmobile and the other end to the crate. It can be seen that the crate is big enough for a small person to fit inside.
"That... That can't possibly be safe," Charlie criticizes.
"It's not entirely safe, but if we go slowly, we'll all arrive together... I think."
"I have faith in you, Lev!" Harlan gets off the snowmobile and tests the strength of the rope. "Quick, the smallest of us, get in."
Everyone looks at Gretchen, who looks at the crate with concern.
"Are you sure that will hold?"
"Don't worry, Gretchen, we'll make sure you don't fall," Levi assures her as he climbs onto the snowmobile driven by Harlan.
Confessional
Levi - If my invention works, we'll win the challenge, and if it doesn't work, I'll have Gretchen's death on my conscience for the rest of my life. Quid Pro Quo.
"And don't rush out just yet; this challenge wouldn't be so interesting without some extra difficulty, don't you think, guys?"
"No, we don't think so," Barbara replies.
"The snowmobile driver will be... blindfolded!" Chris takes out a few blindfolds from his pocket and tosses them to Sophia, Harlan, and Liam. "The rest of the team will have to guide them, you know: Left! Right!"
"So this is how I die, then," Gretchen says, curled up in her little box.
"Guys, mess this up, and I'll kill you... If we don't die first," Lucy warns.
The three captains reluctantly blindfold themselves and start the snowmobiles, with the Amazons speeding off closely followed by Team Alpha. On the other hand, Team Friendship is moving at minimum speed, slower than a lawnmower.
"Who are you? My grandpa?" Ashley yells at Harlan.
"True! We won't even get there in 3 days at this rate," Harvey complains.
"Seriously? Because I think this speed is perfect," Gretchen affirms.
"Guys... I'm scared! What if you don't tell me anything and I crash?" Harlan responds, starting to accelerate slowly.
"Trust." Gretchen shouts, with an unusual confidence for her.
"Why?!" Harlan shouts back, letting out a nervous chuckle.
"Uhmm... Because we're friends?"
After Gretchen reaffirms, Harlan lets out a deep sigh and accelerates the snowmobile fully. Harvey almost vomits one of his lungs from the shock as the snowmobile starts bouncing due to the speed they reach on the steep descent, but luckily, Harlan is following the orders from both Charlotte and Levi as well as occasionally from Ashley and Harvey.
"Third time I hit a branch, but we're doing great!" Gretchen shouts positively from the back.
The members of Team Friendship are approaching at such speed that they are about to catch up with Team Alpha, Mac quickly turns and sees them speeding past.
"There go the Friendship."
"Did they just pass us?!" Liam shouts. It's clear how he accelerates the snowmobile even more, to the point that Mac almost flies off if it weren't for Spencer holding him.
"Thanks!"
"No problem, just go right!"
Team Alpha passes through a series of dense bushes, and some end up with scratches all over their bodies, but their mistake turns out to be productive as they climb back in the race and even overtake Team Amazons.
"They caught up! Pick up the pace, Miss Sophia!" Pedro shouts, pointing at Team Alpha.
"Right, just go right," Corey instructs, furrowing his brow.
"We're first, Liam! We're first!" Spencer cheers, letting go of the snowmobile's handles to celebrate, nearly falling off in the process.
"Finally, Harlan's going down," Mac says happily until behind both snowmobiles, they hear Gretchen scream in the shrillest voice they had heard in a long time.
"Shortcut to the right!"
Team Friendship's snowmobile shoots up a snow ramp, flying over the other two teams and blocking out the chilling sun of Iceland. The snowmobile lands right in front of the others, reaching the finish line first, with Team Alpha coming in second and finally Team Amazons reaching the finish line in last place.
"We won!" Charlotte shouts excitedly, getting off the snowmobile, and all the captains remove their blindfolds as they've already arrived.
"Again?" Liam shouts, dropping his blindfold to the ground.
"Well done, Team Friendship, but aren't you missing someone?" Chris points out, and all the members of Team Amistad look around.
"What happened to Gretchen?" Ashley asks, concerned as she notices that the other end of the rope is no longer tied to anything.
Confessional
Levi - Yup, i'm not sleeping peacefully anytime soon
The girl with black hair emerges from one of the bushes, covered in snow with several twigs and leaves tangled in her hair and clothes.
"That was fun, although I'm a bit dizzy..."
"Gretchen! I thought Levi had killed you!" Ashley dramatically rushes to hug her friend.
"But I-" Levi tries to object, then gives up.
"Alright, that means Team Alpha arrived first, but technically, they'll get their reward later." After a brief celebration from Team Alpha, Chris walks towards the location for the second part of the challenge, the entrance to a large crystal cave where rays of light filter in, creating a green reflection on the floor. "We're at the entrance to the Crystal Ice Cave, one of the largest glacial caves in the world. In this part of the challenge, you'll have to find a specific offering for your team inside the cave."
"How do we know what offering we need?" Mac asks.
"Easy, there will be markings to help you: blue paint for Team Alpha, green for Friendship, and red for Amazonicos. The first team to reach the end of the cave with the object wins. Go!"
All the contestants rush at full speed towards the cave, but as soon as they enter, several of them slip due to the slippery floor.
"It looks like we'll have to be careful, guys! Let's all line up and hold hands!" Sophia orders, grabbing Pedro and Barbara's hands.
"This cave is so beautiful!" Barbara exclaims, admiring the crystal ceiling.
"Too bad it's so cold..." Corey hugs herself, shivering.
Meanwhile, both Team Friendship and Team Alpha end up dispersing into different paths in the cave.
"I-Isn't this challenge a bit unfair? The blue paint doesn't show well against the ice." Mac comments as Team Alpha members follow the markings.
"Less whining, more action," Jennifer says.
"Beware, guys!" Liam puts his hands in front of his teammates to stop them, seeing a large gap forming in front of them.
"Man, that's a huge drop!" Spencer points, looking down the gap. "It's like... twenty meters, no, more, 20 centimeters!"
Jennifer looks worriedly at the cap-wearing boy.
"Relax, guys, we can jump across! Follow me!" Liam starts jumping on small ledges in the cave to bypass the gap.
"If you say so." Jennifer, much clumsier, starts jumping after Liam. Spencer and Mac do the same, but Mac ends up slipping on the last jump and falling into the void.
"Oh my god!" Jennifer shouts.
"Help!" After a big splash, Mac's voice is heard again.
"I'll save you, man!" Spencer shouts, takes down his shirt and jumps straight into the water to follow Mac.
"Wait- Damn it."
Another splash is heard; Spencer lands and finds himself in a kind of frozen lake.
"H-Help!" Mac is kicking, hugging himself to endure the cold. Spencer grabs his arm, and they swim to the nearest shore of the lake.
"D-Damn, it w-was so cold," Mackenzie says, shivering.
"Really? It felt tepid to me." Spencer lies down on the snowy floor of the cave as if nothing happened.
"S-Spence, look!" Mac stands up and points ahead, where a small feathered animal marked with blue paint is lying down.
"Awesoooome dude, we found our object!" Spencer cheers, raising his hands in the air.
"Guys, are you okay?!" Jennifer's voice can be heard from above the cliffs. "We found a ladder! I think you can climb out!"
"We're fine, Jen!" Spencer shouts, giving a thumbs-up. "The drop wasn't twenty centimeters, just twenty meters!"
Meanwhile, the Amazons advances carefully through the cave, following the red markings. Pedro lent his jacket to Corey to protect her from the cold, something the girl admitted to hate. The silence they were in was broken when they came across a fork in the road, both paths marked with red paint.
"Well, I think we need to decide," says Sophia, letting go of Barbara's hand and placing it on her hip.
"Or... Splitting up could also be an option," suggests Pedro.
"No, I don't think so. It's better if we stick together," responds Sophia, turning to Pedro and staring at him intently.
"I would suggest splitting up. We cover more ground in less time."
"And we risk getting lost and delaying our way out."
"It's just a suggestion."
"Well, I suggest you follow your captain's orders."
Sophia and Pedro are getting closer and start raising their voices, so Corey quickly steps in between them.
"I agree with Pedro, I think it's better to split up," Corey says, trying to speak with the utmost tact while looking at her captain.
"Fine. Barbara, let's go!" Sophia orders, the blonde girl looks worriedly at Corey and Pedro before following Sophia, not very convinced.
"Who do they think they are? I'm supposed to be the captain! I don't stay up late every day making plans for them not to listen to me! Don't you think that's unfair?"
Barbara looks terrified at Sophia, not really knowing what to say.
"It... It's a bit unfair, yes." Barbara nods with a forced smile.
"At least you remember today's lecture well, don't you, Barbara?" Barbara's eyes widen at Sophia's words.
"Y-Yes, of course." Barbara plays with her hair. "You know, maybe they would be more willing to follow you if... You tried a little less."
"I-I'm sorry?"
"Yes, I think you might be trying a little bit too hard."
"It's never too hard!" Just as Sophia says that, she slips on the ice. The two girls hadn't noticed, but they were going down an increasingly steep slope, turning into an ice slide.
"Watch out Soph- Ah!" Barbara also falls.
Confessional
Barbara — Sophia is the type of person you don't want to be in class with; she's the one who says, 'Teacher, we had homework today!' and it's always the day I didn't do my homework! Normally I don't do my homework, but that's an unrelated topic.
Sophia — Do you think I'm trying too hard? Dad always told me I should give my best.
On the other hand, Pedro and Corey had reached a much more comfortable area, some gentle natural stairs leading to the bottom of the cave.
"Aren't you being a bit harsh on Sophie? Thanks to her, we've gone a couple of challenges without eliminating anyone," Corey says to Pedro.
"I'm a staunch advocate of fairness. If Miss Sophia crosses the line into authoritarianism, I'll be there to remind her, as I just did. Although I should have been a bit more diplomatic, that's true," Pedro admits, walking through the snow.
"But you still stand for fair play, right?"
"Absolutely. I hate all kinds of tricks and traps. Secret alliances especially, people who are experts at stabbing others in the back."
"And what do you gain in return?"
"The satisfaction of having done the right thing, knowing that I live in a better world."
"Public recognition as well, right?"
"That's secondary."
"Don't lie, that's the best part of acting 'right.'" Corey makes air quotes with her fingers, shivering from the cold.
"Look, the marks end here." Pedro quickly changes the subject.
"Look, there!" Corey points to a red metal pot sitting on a wooden table.
"Our offering is food? Pretty fitting."
Pedro approaches the pot and notices a post-it note stuck on it. He takes the note and reads it aloud.
"'To get through the cold nights in Iceland, there's nothing better than a hot lobster soup.'" Pedro tosses the note aside and prepares to take the pot, but he recoils instantly.
"Ouch! It's quite hot. Help me, Miss Cordelia."
"Well, I prefer a boiling pot to this cold."
The two of them grab the pot by each of its handles and start walking towards the exit. Then, both Sophia and Barbara fall from the ceiling, hitting the ground at high speed.
"Help me! I broke my leg! My leg! I'm going to die!" Barbara overdramatizes, rolling in pain in the snow.
"Well, I guess there was no need to sepa-" When Sophia gets up, the four of them feel the ground start to shake, and they notice several rocks and pieces of ice falling from the ceiling.
"It's collapsing!" Corey shouts.
"I think we need to run!" Pedro shouts, grabbing the pot himself and running at full speed up the stairs.
"What? Oh my God!" Barbara stops pretending to be in pain and gets up quickly without any issues.
A little earlier, the members of Team Friendship, except for Gretchen, who had stayed behind at Charlie's request. They all followed the green markings without much trouble until they found their offering: a bouquet of white flowers wrapped in green paper. However, there was a small problem: the flowers were crushed under a large mammal sleeping on them.
"W-What is that?" Charlie asks, terrified.
"It's just a bison, although I don't know what it's doing sleeping in a cave like this," Levi says, rubbing his chin.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Someone grab the flowers," Charlie orders.
"Why don't you do it? Don't tell me Charlotte is afraid of a simple bison," Levi mocks the girl.
"That thing is like twice my size, I don't blame you, Charlie," Harvey says.
"I-I'm not afraid! It's just that I think someone else should do it."
Confessional
Charlotte — I'm a city girl! I'm friends with diamonds, not... dirty cows!
"Ok, ok, I'll do it," says Harlan, adjusting his beanie and walking towards the bison. The boy carefully removes the flowers from under the animal. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how it's done."
Harlan bows elegantly.
"That's right dude! You're amazing!" Ashley starts shouting and jumping while celebrating, which horrifies everyone else. Amidst the noise, the bison wakes up and stares directly at Harlan and the flowers.
"Hehe, if you want... you know, I can give it back to you?" Harlan says nervously, but before he could throw the flowers, the bison charges at him. Harlan narrowly avoids it, and the bison crashes into one of the cave walls. "That was so damn close!"
The bison's impact cracks the wall and causes parts of it to start crumbling, gradually leading to the cave collapsing.
"Run!" Ashley shouts.
Confessional
Ashley — Okay, maybe I shouldn't have done that... But my buddy Harlan deserved that celebration!
Everyone gathers at the cave's exit, where Gretchen is waiting calmly.
"Guys? What's happening?" Gretchen asks.
"This place is collapsing! Run!" Liam shouts, arriving with Spencer and Mac, both soaked and holding a bird in their hands.
"I can't die crushed! I have to look pretty at my funeral!"
Everyone manages to escape the cave and gathers outside with Chris, who is waiting near a large lake.
"You all made it, congratulations!" Chris applauds and looks intently at his contestants. "The next part of the challenge is going to be very intense for only one of you, you'll see. Everyone will have to go to the lake behind me and fish, while only one member per team will have to take the offering to the nearest volcano, don't worry, my assistants will guide you. In the end, the team that catches the most weight in fish will win, understood?"
"How do we fish? With our hands?" Levi asks.
"Do you always have to ask?" Chris raises an eyebrow, to which Levi simply shrugs. "When you reach the lake, there will be three boxes of equipment; the quality of your gear depends on your ranking in the snowmobile race. There will also be a motorboat and a canoe for you to venture into the lake; the canoe is for the Amazonics, and the motorboat will be shared between Team Friendship and the Alpha team. That's all."
"Guys! Let me take the bird!" Liam carefully takes the bird from Spencer's hands. "Do a good job, guys!"
"Okay, Liam," Jennifer approves of the decision, and Liam rushes off to speak with Chris Jr. for instructions.
"I'm going to make up for my mistake in the previous part, don't worry, guys!" Sophia snatches the soup from Pedro and starts running after Liam.
"Oh, Sophie..." Corey laments, watching the girl sprint away.
Confessional
Corey — Sophia seems like she's constantly trying to overcompensate for something, but... why?
Team Friendship chose Ashley as the one in charge of taking the white flowers. Barbara, Corey, Pedro, Harlan, Levi, Harvey, Gretchen, Charlie, Mac, Spencer, Jennifer, and Lucy arrive at the lake partially frozen.
In Team Friendship's box, they find top-quality fishing rods and a fishing net. Team Alpha gets only common-quality rods, and the Amazons receives what appear to be sticks with a string attached and a small hook for bait.
"The canoe is too small, I'm not sure if we all fit here," says Barbara, looking at the half-broken canoe that Chris had left them.
"Don't worry, ladies, use it yourselves, I'll stay here."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. That's what a gentleman should do."
Meanwhile, Teams Friendship and Alpha gather to discuss who should use the motorboat.
"We can fit about six people there," Levi points out. "Three and three, that's fair."
Confessional
Lucy — Well, I think it's time to set Jennifer and Mac's plan in motion.
Charlie — It's the perfect time to put my plan into action!
"I want to go; are you coming with me, Gretchen?" Lucy puts a charming smile on her face and approaches Gretchen.
"Sure!" Gretchen flashes an innocent smile and boards the motorboat with Lucy.
"I think I'm also going! And I think someone from Team Alpha should come with me, um... Mac!"
Charlie takes Mackenzie's hand, carefully intertwining their fingers, and leads him to the motorboat.
"Uh... Uh, y-yes, n-no problem, yes, yes."
In the end, Spencer and Harvey were the last to board the motorboat. Harlan and Levi decided to go fishing together, and Jennifer stayed alone on the shore.
"The national animal of Iceland, the Gyrfalcon, the national flower, the Mountain Avens, the national dish, the Lobster Soup. Those are the offerings you must take to the top of the volcano; the first to do so will be rewarded by the gods with a great catch of fish," Emma reads carefully.
"T-The volcano is over there," Junior points behind him.
"On your marks, get set... Go!" Emma signals the start.
"See you later!" Ashley shouts, running at full speed toward the volcano.
Liam follows closely behind, while Sophia takes much longer since if she were to run, the soup would spill.
Confessional
Sophia — One might say this challenge is unfair for me, but complaining won't solve anything! Sophia Villanueva doesn't make excuses!
Meanwhile, Ashley and Liam continue running side by side, with Ashley looking back for a second.
"Watch out, Ashley!" Liam warns her, and the Gyrfalcon in his hands starts flapping nervously.
"Huh?" Ashley turns back and sees a series of rocks rolling down the volcano's slope. "Oh, damn it!"
"The rocks are coming loose!" Now, the two have to dodge the rocks while running, making it much more difficult.
But the most affected by this was Sophia, who was hit by several small rocks while trying to climb with the soup.
Back in the frozen lake, the atmosphere is quite awkward. Charlie and Mac are in a corner of the motorboat, while Lucy and Gretchen are on the other one. Spencer and Harvey are on the middle, they are the only ones trying to really fish something.
"And... Mackenzie. It's a curious name for a guy, isn't it?" Charlotte is staring intently at Mac, who is stiff with nerves, unable to move his fishing rod.
"Y-Yeah, it's curious, indeed."
"But it's pretty cute, don't get me wrong. Does it have any meaning?" Charlotte smiles at him, but Mac can't meet her eyes.
"W-Well, my mom gave it to me."
Charlie's expression changes slightly to one of mild frustration before returning to a smile.
"Hey, I'm really tired, can I lean on your shoulder?" Charlie asks, looking straight at Mac, who becomes paler with nerves.
"Oh, let me make space for you to sit." Mackenzie moves to the side of the boat, but every time he moves, Charlie follows him. Eventually, she rests her head on his shoulder.
"And tell me, have you gone out with any girls?"
"G-Gone out? Well, my mom takes me shopping sometimes."
"Not in that sense, dummy!" Charlie chuckles awkwardly and gives him a gentle punch on the shoulder. "I mean, like dating."
"D-dating? Well, once, but it didn't go very well."
"But you're super cool! Surely that girl didn't know how to appreciate you; otherwise, I can't explain it!"
Confessional
Charlie - I can explain it. Spencer was clueless, but Mac... it seems, like, it's the first time he's ever talked to a human being.
Harvey and Spencer are the only two people fishing on the boat. The guy with the cap is helping the otaku pull in a pretty large fish he just caught.
"You're going to reel it in on three!" Spencer shouts.
"I don't think I can!"
"Yes, you can, man! Don't give up! Don't give up!" Spencer shouts at the top of his lungs.
At the other end of the boat, Gretchen and Lucy are chatting cheerfully.
"It's getting pretty cold, isn't it?" Lucy hugs herself.
"Yeah, but it could be worse."
"You're lucky; cold keeps sweeties preserved better." Lucy gives her best seductive smile, leaning closer to Gretchen.
"Oh, I didn't bring any sweets, but good to know." The compliment flies over Gretchen's head, so Lucy has to be more direct.
"I think it's because we don't talk often, but I just noticed you have really beautiful hair."
"Thank you! Yours looks great too!"
"I know, right? But it would look even better with your hands in it," Lucy says.
"Oh... Are you asking me to brush your hair? I didn't bring a brush, to be honest."
Lucy looks at the camera, disappointed.
Confessional
Lucy — Well, not all of us are great at picking up hints.
Gretchen — I've never really talked to Lucy! She's quite pretty, isn't she? Although I'm not sure she'd pay attention to someone like me.
Corey and Barbara's canoe is floating peacefully while the two girls fish, or well, while Barbara fishes and Corey tries without much success.
"How do you do it? You've caught quite a few already," Corey asks.
"I don't know, I guess I just have the knack for it," Barbara says, pulling another sardine from the lake. "Hey, Corey. What are we going to do if we end up losing? You're like my Bestie, and I wouldn't want to risk that."
"Don't worry, I don't think either of us will leave if we lose," Corey shrugs. "And if we do lose, Chris will probably disband the team, so we might get split up."
"Are you sure?"
"I have a feeling." Then, Corey feels a strong tug on her fishing rod. "Uh, I got one!"
"You got it girl!" Barbara runs at full speed to help her friend, the girls pull and pull until they finally reel in a rather large fish. The fish falls onto the canoe and breaks it, causing water to start seeping in slowly. "Oh my god!"
"Okay, okay..." Corey, nervous, lets go of her fishing rod and tries to walk towards the corner of the boat, which doesn't work as the boat quickly fills with water. "Oh god it's cold... Uh... Okay Barbie, just stay calm."
"P-Pedro! Help us!" Barbara shouts at the top of her lungs.
"Oh my god."
"I'm on my way!" Pedro shouts, running at full speed towards the girls.
On the mountain, Liam and Ashley are about to reach the summit, while Sophia has managed to pick up the pace but still can't catch up to her two opponents. The two boys in the lead hear the sound of helicopter blades waiting for them at the summit.
"I'm sorry, William, but today you lose!" Ashley shouts as she starts sprinting to overtake Liam, but then the ground begins to shake. A giant boulder starts rolling towards them in true Indiana Jones style.
"Boulder!" Ashley yells, jumping out of the boulder's path, causing her flowers to scatter on the ground.
"Damn..." Liam watches as the boulder quickly approaches him, realizing that if he jumps, the boulder would hit Sophia directly behind him, who is trying to lift the pot of soup. "This is going to hurt..."
Liam prepares to receive the boulder and sets down his gyrfalcon on the ground for a second, puts his right leg back, and holds the boulder with his hands. For a moment, the boulder slides him backward, but he manages to resist enough to slow it down. Once stopped, he delivers a strong punch and sends it to the side, diverting it from its path.
"Geez, that was bananas!" Liam shouts, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He checks his right wrist, which he used to push the boulder.
"Bananas?! You just stopped a fucking boulder four times your ass and you say 'geez, that was bananas'?" Ashley shouts, still on the ground in disbelief.
"T-Thank you, Liam!" Sophia shouts, confused but relieved.
Confessional
Ashley — I thought Liam was just a ripped Asian Dude, but turns out he's Goku right away! And who the fuck says "That was bananas."? Bro has to quit watching Discovery kids.
Once Ashley composed herself and picked up her flowers again, she ran at full speed and reached the summit just a few seconds before Liam. Unfortunately, Sophia fell slightly behind, but she's not far from reaching them.
"Welcome, guys!" Chris McLean shouts, who was waiting for them seated at the summit, fanned by an assistant. "It's quite hot, isn't it? Ready to deliver the offerings?"
"Sure thing," Liam says, approaching the mouth of the volcano.
Ashley tosses the bouquet of flowers directly into the lava. Liam does the same, but as soon as he lets go of the gyrfalcon, it flies away.
"Well, that was anti-climactic. Anyway, let's say you did it. Take these." Chris offers the two boys a couple of baskets.
"What are these for?" Ashley asks.
"For your reward. Release them!" Chris shouts, causing the hatch on the helicopter above them to open, releasing a ton of fish. Ashley and Liam start catching them in their baskets, and even Sophia manages to catch some that fall to her using her pot.
"Everyone listen up!" Emma shouts, appearing alongside her brother at the lake. "The bearers of the offering have delivered it! Everyone stop right now!"
"Don't worry, we s-stopped a while ago," Barbara stammers, sitting next to Cordelia. They are wrapped in thermal blankets and drinking hot chocolate brought to them by Pedro and Chris Jr.
"I-It was so c-cold..." Corey mutters.
"Bro, you lowkey did an amazing job!" Spencer tells Harvey as they both step off the motorboat with a huge fish between them.
"You did all the work, Spence, you should keep it," says Harvey.
"Nah dude, prolly Liam won that challenge over there so... Let's just split this fish in half," Spencer says, offering a handshake to Harvey, who gladly accepts.
Soon, all the contestants returned with the results of their fishing, gathering on the shore.
"So, let's say I really like this person, right?" Lucy asks, speaking with Gretchen away from the crowd, with only Levi and Harlan nearby listening attentively. "How could I tell them that I'm interested?"
"Hmm... I'm not sure, I'm not very good at these things. I guess I would say something like 'I know we don't know each other well, but you seemed very interesting to me. Would you like to go out for ice cream sometime?'" Gretchen says, nodding cheerfully.
"Okay, Gretchen, I know we don't know each other well, but you seemed very interesting to me. Would you like to go out for ice cream sometime?" Lucy says.
The smaller girl seems to stay silent for a second, tilting her head to the side.
"Exactly! That's what you have to say! Now go and tell them!"
Upon hearing this, Harlan can't help but start laughing uncontrollably, almost falling over from laughter.
Confessional
Lucy — Yup, sorry Mac, sorry Jennifer. I did my best, but trying to flirt with Gretchen is a lost cause.
Harlan — Tell me they recorded that! Now I feel so stupid! How could I distrust Gretchen? How can someone so oblivious figure out my secret?
Gretchen — I love helping a friend! I hope Lucy can go out with the person she likes.
"Hey Mac, dude! How's it going?" Liam, after leaving the fish basket in front of the scale where Chris Jr. and Emma are weighing, walks over to his friend, who is with Charlie, the girl holding onto his arm.
"Oh, Liam!" Mac lets go of Charlotte, who looks at him quite angrily. "How did it go?"
"Phew, it was a tough challenge but I did well!" Liam says, shrugging.
"Dang, what happened to your hand? It's swollen and pale." Mac takes Liam's hand, examining it closely.
"Oh, maybe I hurt it when I pushed the boulder, I need to get it checked out." Liam says calmly.
"Oh, sure. Wait, when you did what?"
Confessional
Charlotte — Well, it didn't work. Maybe that idiot doesn't like girls or felt intimidated by my beauty, those are the only valid excuses for not falling for me. Turns out it's not so easy to find a new Spencer.
Mac — I like girls but... I've never had such a pretty girl so close, and I-I didn't know how to react. Do you think she was flirting with me? I don't know. That was the scariest thing that has happened to me in this show... Well, the second, I had forgotten I almost died.
"All right, the weighing has been done!" McLean shouts. "Junior, it's your turn to announce today's losers!" The host pats his son on the back, while looking somewhat regretful at his daughter. "I know you wanted to do it, but the boy needs confidence."
"U-Uh... Okay... Um... The team that is safe from elimination today is... Team Friendship! A-Again! Ashley was the one who got the most fish!"
"Go Ashley!" Harlan celebrates by hugging the girl, who cheers effusively again.
"Who's unbeaten?! We are unbeaten!" The girl sings, with Harvey, Harlan, and Gretchen joining in.
"Thank you for the big fish, Spence!" Harvey shouts, high-fiving Spencer.
"Don't worry, dude, I love helping."
"The other team?" Jennifer asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh... Shit! I let Ryuuko Sensei down again!"
"Ahem! Moving on!" Emma shouts to redirect the contestants' attention to Chris Jr.
"All right... The team that got the most fish and today's winner is... Team Alpha! Liam was the one who got the most fish!"
Team Alpha starts cheering with excitement, even Lucy raises her fist in the air to celebrate.
"Jen! Mac-Man! Your plan worked!" Liam shouts.
"Well, sort of..." Lucy mutters quietly, trying not to dampen her team's joy.
"That means once again, the Amazons team will face the elimination ceremony. Don't blame yourselves, guys, two episodes was a good streak."
"T-The person who collected the most fish was Barbara," Chris Jr. points out.
"All right, Miss President, who are your nominees?"
Sophia looks hesitantly at her team members.
"Corey and... Uhm... Corey and... Pedro! Pedro."
The African boy seems surprised but not offended.
"All right, if that's your decision..."
"Well, you can go discuss the vote. Corey, Barbara, I recommend a shower." Chris holds his hand over his nose and walks straight to the McLean Express.
As everyone walks back to the train, Harvey approaches Barbara to talk, but is interrupted when he sees Liam approaching first.
"Hey, Barbie! You won't believe it, but today I charged a giant rock!"
"Really?!"
"Yeah, it was awesome! The rock was like 'Take this!' and I said 'No, you take this you butthead!'" The boy mimics throwing a punch in the air and then an explosion sound effect.
"That must have been amazing, Toto! I wish I'd been there."
Barbara laughs sweetly, while Harvey stays behind, scratching his head.
Confessional
Harvey — She even has an Studio Ghibli nickname for him?! This is a hard battle...
"Hello Barbara, how are you?" Sophia greets cheerfully, sitting on her bed.
"Pretty good! Thanks for not nominating me today, for a second there I thought I was going to get eliminated!" Barbara crosses her arms.
"Good, I'm here to ask for your help today to vote for Cordelia. I know she's your friend and-"
"What?! No way! I'm not voting for Corey! She and I are like, besties." Barbara responds aggressively.
"Okay okay, but lower your voice!" Sophia orders, hoping no one heard Barbara shout.
"Sorry Sophia, but I wouldn't be able to."
Sophia, not very satisfied, leaves the room. As she arrives in the common area of the wagon, she finds Pedro sitting with a cup of tea.
"Miss Sophia, I wanted to talk to you." Pedro says. The Latina girl sighs and sits next to him.
"I know what you're going to say, I'm sorry for nominating you! It's just that you heard Junior, Barbara was the best of us in this challenge and it seemed unfair to nominate her."
"I understand, in that case my vote today will have to change." Pedro stands up and leaves Sophia alone on the couch, looking distressed.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Gather in the Shame Wagon, attendance is mandatory for everyone today! Chris out."
The contestants gather in the Shame Wagon, tension palpable among all the members of Team Amazons.
"Goddamn, I knew they lost a lot, but it's the first time I notice they're so few." Levi says, looking at the four members of Amazons sitting on the straw bales.
"I guess they didn't live up to their name." Harvey points out.
"T-They were big shoes to fill but... Yeah, they're a flop." Mac admits, shrugging.
"Shut up already!" Barbara shouts.
"Well, Amazons, despite winning the last challenge and seeming to start a comeback, for various reasons you're back to failure. Now, even though you all stink, only one of you will go home. The only one not nominated is Barbara, congratulations."
Chris tosses a marshmallow to the girl, who catches it and happily eats it.
"Now you're free to vote, good luck."
Confessional
Barbara - I'm not nominated! I'm not nominated! (The girl sings cheerfully).
Pedro - Miss Sophia's excuse for not nominating Barbara wasn't very good, but i got to respect the decision even if it seems very subjective to me.
Corey - I'm not nervous about the vote, I know Sophia wants me out, but she simply doesn't have the votes.
Sophia - Barbara isn't going to vote for Corey, Pedro isn't going to vote for Corey! I don't have the votes to survive today so... I think I'm going to have to use it.
"Alright, the votes have been counted. But first, does anyone want to use an advantage they have in the game? Something like a McLean-Brand Chris Head?" Chris asks, with a cynical smile.
"I... I'm going to use the mine!" Sophia takes the McLean-Brand Chris Headout of her pocket and holds it up high. All the contestants let out a sigh.
"You had it, but I thought that..." Pedro looks at Sophia strangely, who doesn't dare to look back at him.
"Oh, the double vote statuette. Sophia's vote will count double for this elimination." Chris announces.
"But that's unfair!" Barbara exclaims.
"Excuse me? I warned you all about this several days ago. About being careful with your votes?" Chris' words make Corey gulp nervously. "Alright, Emma, it's your turn."
"Sophia, your strategy today wasn't the right one, Corey, it seems like someone doesn't like you very much, Pedro, I don't know why you're here."
"Alright, the first marshmallow goes to..."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Corey!"
"What?!" All the nominees except Sophia exclaim in unison.
"The last marshmallow goes to..."
"B-But how?" Corey asks.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Sophia! I'm sorry, Pedro, it's the end of the road for you."
The captain finally seems to relax, while Pedro simply tightens his lips and takes a deep breath.
"Miss Sophia, did you..."
"I did what I had to do to stay in the game, I'm sorry Pedro."
"I thought we had an agreement to vote for Miss Cordelia." Saying this, reality hits Sophia like a bucket of cold water.
"But... I thought you weren't going to vote for her! I thought you were going to vote for me!"
"Excuse me? I'm allied with you, did you seriously think I would betray you?" Sophia looks down, quite regretful.
"I thought... You had voted for me."
"I voted for Cordelia. I can't believe you've eliminated me based on pure... jealousy and suspicion. I would never betray an alliance of mine, specially one i did since the start of the game, i swear to not play dirty, but i didn't realize you could play dirty on me. You have a lot to improve Miss Sophia, i'd like to recomend a therapist." Pedro stands up, disappointed but containing his anger, and walks towards Chris, who offers the boy a helmet and kneepads.
"Pedro, I..."
"See you later, Pedro, I'm really sorry!" Barbara shouts.
"I wish you the best, Pedro," Cordelia says.
Sophia frowns and watches as Pedro jumps off the train.
Confessional
Sophia — I might have... Misused the idol but I'm still in the game! Yes! (The girl says this more to convince herself than because she believes it.).
"Alright, Sophia, Cordelia, and Barbara, it's just you three left in the Amazons, last team amazons only had three members in episode twenty but who am i to judge? " Chris says, walking to the center of the room and gesturing for Harlan and Liam to stand up with a wave of his hand. "It would be pretty unfair for you to be alone, right? That's why I've decided that the Amazons are over! Caput!"
"So... You're going to eliminate them?" Charlotte asks, smiling excitedly.
"Not at all. Liam, Harlan, you'll choose one of them to join your team. Liam, you go first since your team has one less member." Chris pats Liam on the back, and Liam puts his hand to his chin in thought.
"Hm... I guess I'll choose Barbie!" Liam points to the blonde girl, who quickly joins the Alpha team members.
"New team! Awesome!"
"I suppose I'll choose... Sophia." Harlan decides, pointing to the captain.
"I promise you won't regret it!" Sophia stands up and walks over to Harlan, shaking his hand cheerfully. Everyone on the team greets her happily, except for Charlotte.
"And now, Cordelia, you're a member of Team Alpha!" Chris announces.
"OMG! We're together again!" Barbara screams with excitement and rushes to hug Corey. "I missed you so much."
"We've been apart for 10 seconds," Corey mutters under her breath.
"That's it, girls. Go organize yourselves in your new compartments while I do the outro. Shush, shush," Chris ushers everyone out of the Shame Wagon. "Now there are only fourteen left! It's seven against seven! Who will win? Team Alpha? Or Team Friendship? That and much more in the next episode of Total Drama... Express Tour!"
In the middle of the night, someone sneaks in to use the confessional.
Confessional
Charlotte - Okay, this is a great moment for me, so I have to share with you all that I finally got the collectible item I've been wanting for weeks. Drumroll, please... My very own... Personalized and signed letter from the Bermuda Triangle! (Charlie exclaims with excitement, showing in front of the camera a pink envelope with her name written in magazine cutouts, and below it, the iconic signature 'BT'). Those brainless folks think they can play with me, they have no idea they just gave me a VIP pass to their alliance. This is going to be so much fun!
CONTESTANTS
Team Friendship – Harlan (C), Levi, Harvey, Gretchen, Ashley, Charlie, Sophia.
Team Alpha- Liam (C), Mac, Spencer, Jennifer, Lucy, Barbara, Corey.
Eliminated - Kira, the flamenco dancer (Seoul) - AJ, the cowardly ghost hunter (NYC) - Kevin, the sexist jerk (London) - Sam, the boyish girl (London) - Celia, the moody rebel (Zaanstad) - Ryuuko, the calculated conflict (Doha) - Pedro, the gentleman (Vatnajökull)
McLEAN EXPRESS
Wagon 1 — Engine
Wagon 2 – Chris' Chambers
Wagon 3 – Luxury Wagon (today: Alpha)
Wagon 4 – Amazon Team dorms
Wagon 5– Friendship Team dorms
Wagon 6 – Alpha Team dorms
Wagon 7 – Common room confessional
Wagon 8 — Wagon of Shame
Uuuuhhh, a cliffhanger! I'm learning to do episode endings now XD. I apologize for the delay of this chapter, but I had some issues with this one, several rewrites since I wasn't completely convinced by the challenge and the elimination (Not to mention i wrote this one on fanfiction mobile app since i don't have my PC now, worst mistake of my life). I hope it's the rewrites are not too noticeable and that it ends up being a solid chapter. Iceland was a place with so many possibilities, so ideas got tangled up for me. This chapter was a bit calmer than the previous one, but since that one was a two-parter, I think it's understandable. I needed time to let the characters breathe before the arc's finale.
This chapter marks Pedro's end, and first, I have to thank Kito Orlando for letting me write this wonderful character. He's so unique and fun, especially with the rest of the cast. I felt that his elimination was going to be one of the most difficult to execute from the start. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm quite a fan of dramatic eliminations, which sometimes makes them seem more complex than they are. So with Pedro, I tried to hint and set it up to work the way I wanted.
And with Pedro's exit, the Amazonians team comes to an end. Firstly, I don't like being biased, but they've always been my favorite to write. I think it's because of how dysfunctional they've been no matter who their captain is. However, I think it's better to move to the two-team system, even though seeing Sophia, Corey, and Barbara as a chaotic trio would have been great. There will be many more dynamics now, as most characters hadn't interacted with anyone outside their own teams.
Now, let's address some of your lovely reviews.
Nobody245 - With the Second chance challenge and all of this, next Aftermath is going to be charged, i know. It's awesome how you always guess Bermuda Triangle's next move, i gotta start checking if you aren't spying on my planner. I hope the challenge lived up to your expectations and it didn't ended up just being a boring fishing challenge. Thanks for reviewing! See you next chapter. (Btw, Harlan and Levi started 'formally dating' behind the cameras beetween Netherland and Doha after their date)
DaringDF - I'm glad to hear all your Bermuda theories! As things start to develop we are close to a big reveal about the BT, so i hope you look forward to it. I also hope that you've enjoyed Sophia this chapter, this was a difficult one to write for her since i wanted to give her the right tone specially in the elimination.
Space Zodiac - First of all, thank you so much for another amazing review, it feels so good having your work as deeply analyzed as you do. It looks like your brain did better than your heart, but you'd a lot of Gretchen this chapter to compensate. I always wanted to write Pedro as he would be a cryptic character, he's a good guy, but a diplomatic one, not a brave-hearted hero but more of a silent one and that is what i love about him. Ash has been falling in the background recent chapters as you say because she doesn't have a strong storyline (wich is going to change soon), but she'll never butler Charlie, she's more than aware that she's an awful person, it's only that she doesn't want to create drama... for now. Also thank you for letting me use Ryuuko again, i will surely do so. Thank you again and have a good day/evening.
That's all for today, keep tuned for next episode: "Sons of Cronus".