Episode 10: All According to Cake-kaku
After so long, I've finally risen from the dead. I'd like to apologize for the wait. Life's been a bit crazy lately.
1602jaw: Yep, Lobo is an infamous hothead. Bowser is a good dad, at least in my headcanon. This is hopefully the start of things finally looking up for Bernie.
NondescriptNorbert: It really makes me happy that you picked up on the thematic resonance of what I was going for. Bernadetta is a character I really want to do justice, as Koei Tecmo and Intelligent Systems kinda did her dirty. Here, she's being utilized with more respect, and not just a cheap laugh at her expense.
That guy: Nobody likes Count Varley. We all wish we could just kick his ass. And if you thought what Erza said to Light hurt…you're in for one hell of an episode.
ThelastCyberKnight: Bowser was an absolute treat to write, despite only showing up for one episode. Really glad that Bernie and her arc has resonated with you. It's nice to know how much viewers are loving her.
Happiness studios: She said the same thing to Hubert, who people often compare to a vampire. I really wanted readers to figure out the theme themselves, rather than laying out in plain sight. Trust me, today Shermie will have something to say about including new members to their alliance.
Now then, let's get ready! Kick back, grab a snack, drink, bong, whatever. And enjoy the show.
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"Last time, on Total Drama Infinite: Bon Voyage, our crew brought out their inner gamer as they traversed Bowser's gauntlet to rescue their damsel in distress teammates. Thanks to Alucard, the Fairies took home another win. Draco and Light hatched a plan to make Lobo go off the rails and bring the house down. Literally, which cemented his elimination. Meanwhile, Ryu and Futaba try to figure out why Bernadetta won't fully open up to him, until it all blows up. She tells them of the horrible abuse she suffered at the hands of her father, all for a political marriage to his benefit. After this, they formed their own alliance, with Ryu in particular growing much closer to Bern in that moment. Now, over one third of our cast is gone, and it's only getting crazier from here. Find out what happens this time on Total Drama Infinite: Bon Voyage!"
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We open up on another peaceful morning out on the high seas. Our crew of bright eyed contestants were utterly worn out. Because two days ago, they returned from helping fight in a grand war with the fate of the world at stake. Once it was all said and done, the seemingly unbeatable empire of Gjira was utterly vanquished, all thanks to one young man and an orange blob of joy. Not to say these guys didn't contribute, as a few of them helped fight Gjira directly.
We see one of these individuals, Ryu, quietly exit a room that was surprisingly not his own. Carefully and quickly, he shuts the door, giving a sigh of relief.
"Okay, I think the coast is clear." He tells herself. "Now to just head back and-"
"Hold it right there!"
Ryu nearly jumps out of his own skin at this. Slowly, he turns around and sees she is being stared down by her teammate, Panty.
"Um….hi " He said awkwardly. "good morning. Do you need something?"
Panty simply gives the shaman a sly grin. "That's not your room. That's Bern's"
Oh shit! He was busted.
Gotta play this cool…
"Um…I know that!" he said quickly. "Of course I know that! I was just popping in for a quick visit. I was leaving, you see, and-"
"I know you're lying." Panty said coyly. "I saw you go in there last night, and you finally came out this morning."
"W-what were you doing last night?"
"I was coming back from the bathroom, duh-doy. Here's my big question: Did you two…do anything?
Ryu's cheeks turn red, understanding what his teammate was implying.
"N-no! It wasn't anything like that! I swear, it's not what it looked like!"
"Heh heh, you're kinda cute when you get flustered. Then what was it? Why were you in her room all night?"
"Uh…" Ryu stammered. "It was for a perfectly logical reason. One that wasn't anything dirty."
Panty shakes her head.
"Nuh-uh. Not a good enough answer. I'm gonna need more deets. Come with me."
"What-HEY!"
We see Panty dragging Ryu away by his ear
"AAAAAAAAH! DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO FORCEFUL?!"
"Heh, if I had a nickel for everytime a guy has said that to me…"
She drags Ryu all the way to the dining hall, which was surprisingly barren. They go to one of the empty tables and sit down.
"Geez, did you have to be so rough?!" Ryu complained. "You almost ripped my ear off! Just tell me what you want."
"I need you to tell me why you were in Bernadetta's room all night. If you two didn't bang, then what was going on?"
Ryu gave a sigh of defeat. She wasn't going to let up, it seemed.
"Alright, I'll tell you. But you better keep it between us, got it? And you better not judge."
"Fine. Now you've got me curious."
"Here's how it all happened…"
As he recounts the event, we are given a flashback of the previous night.
"I was in my own room, about to turn in for the night. By that point, it was getting pretty late."
"Uh-huh?" Panty said. "Then what happened?"
"I was just getting to that. Anyway…"
"I heard a knock at my door."
Ryu walks over to the door, and opens it, only to find Bernadetta outside. She appeared to be shaking a bit.
"Oh, Bernie. It's you. What can I do for you?"
"Um…" Bernadetta stuttered. "I, uh…have a favor to ask you. A rather…out of left field kinda favor."
"A favor? What is it? You hungry?
"Um, no. You see, I had another nightmare, and it was a really bad one this time."
"Aw, I'm so sorry to hear that-"
"Wait, she had a nightmare?!" Panty asked as she tried to hold back her laughing. "At her age?! How childish!"
Ryu shoots her a glare. "I thought you promised you wouldn't judge!"
With that Panty quickly changed her attitude and calmed down.
"You're right. Sorry about that. Continue."
"Thank you. Now, as I was saying…"
"I'm sorry you had a nightmare. Was it about 'you know who?'"
Bernadetta nods quietly.
"So, what do you need from me? Just say the word."
Bernadetta blushes nervously as she twiddles her fingers.
"I….would feel a lot more safe if I didn't have to sleep alone tonight. Would it…be okay if….you slept with me in my room?"
A bomb practically exploded inside the shaman's head. Of all the things she could've asked him, he wasn't expecting that.
"Is….that what you want?" Ryu asked awkwardly.
"Bernadetta could quickly tell how awkward he felt about this, and quickly corrected herself.
"I mean….I don't mean it like THAT! Just in the same room is all! We don't have to share a bed or anything! Oh….great going Bernie, now you blew it!"
"I…..I'd be fine with that." Ryu said.
"Huh?!"
"You just want to not feel alone, is that it? Then I'll fulfill your request. It doesn't have to go any further than that, okay? I'll gladly sleep on the floor and everything."
Bernadetta perked up a bit. "Wait, really? You're okay with this?"
"Of course." Ryu confidently assured. "But I'll have to warn you…my friends have told me I snore loudly sometimes."
"It's fine if you're a loud sleeper. I've been told I drool a lot myself when I'm sleeping. But thank you for doing this for me. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't trust you enough."
"You really trust me that much, huh?" Ryu laughed, trying to put on a brave and confident face. "That's good to know. It is getting late though, so how about we turn in for the night?"
"Um…yes, you're right."
"Huh, and I thought chivalry was dead." Panty said.
"I thought I asked you not to interrupt the story." Ryu sighed. "And I was almost finished."
"Oh yeah. Sorry about that. Go on."
"After that, it was a bit of a blur." Ryu narrates. "After a quick change, I wound up sleeping in her room, right on the floor next to her bed."
As he laid there on the ground, all he could do was toss and turn. Now it seemed like he was the one struggling to sleep. He looked at Bernadetta, who now slept peacefully like a baby. You could hardly tell she was in distress just minutes ago.
"Geez, she wasn't kidding about the drooling." Ryu thought. "But it's still adorable."
As he continued to toss and turn, his leg bumped something, with a semi loud THUMPbeing heard. Ryu bolts up, realizing that something fell off the desk. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a stack of papers in a binder. He picks it up, inspecting it further. Looking through a couple pages, it was made pretty clear that it was a novel someone was writing.
"Huh. This is interesting."
Tokageroh manifests himself right next to Ryu and looks at what he's holding.
"What is this, man?" Tokageroh asked. "Her diary or something?"
"Nope." Ryu answered. "It looks like she's writing a book."
"Well then, give it a read through. See if she's any good."
"Are you crazy?!" Ryu exclaimed in a hushed whisper. "That's like an invasion of her privacy! I have more respect than that!"
Tokageroh clearly didn't care. For his own amusement, he wanted to read the story
"Here, I'll get the ball rolling" the ghost said as he flipped to the first page. "Chapter one-"
"Alright, fine!" Ryu huffed. "I'll only read a single chapter. No more, no less."
"But as soon as I started reading it, I couldn't put it down." Ryu explained. "I'd spent all night reading what she had written so far, and enjoyed every second of it. Once I finished reading it, I left her a note right before I left the room and you confronted me."
"A note, huh?" Panty asked with curiosity. "What kind of note?"
"Just letting her know that I read it, I felt bad about it, but I had to tell her how much I loved her story.
Meanwhile, we see Bernadetta, already awake, and noticing the letter sticking out of her book.
"That wasn't there before." She said, "Where'd it come from?"
She grabs the letter out of her book and reads the message aloud.
"Dear author, I read your book on accident, and duly apologize. However, I also write this to inform you that I enjoyed your story tremendously. I laughed and cried as the heroine overcame her many obstacles, growing stronger with each step. Your writing style provides a unique perspective. I could sense you watching over the protagonist."
"Heh heh, wow." Bernadetta was positively flattered. Compared to last time, when she left it in the library, Robin stumbled upon it. "So many compliments. And so much attention to detail."
She kept reading.
"The hero's failures are as compelling as her triumphs. Since authors are told to write what they know, I believe your tale wouldn't have been so convincing were it not for your own experiences."
This confused Bern a little bit. "Um…what? My own experiences? That's a weird way to give praise. Who wrote this, anyway? Who would read my story so carefully and write this long letter to tell me about it? Whoever it is, they must be wonderful."
"I do hope my letter inspires you to keep writing. I'm not much of a writer myself. In fact, it took a lot of brain power just for me to find the right words for this letter. Looking forward to the next chapter. Your devoted fan, Ryunosuke."
"Wait, Ryu read it?!" Bernadetta groaned. "Oh god, that's embarrassing! He must think I'm a total loser-wait a minute." Her brain jumped to conclusions a bit too fast there. "He said he liked what I wrote. And he wanted to read more. That's not so bad, is it? Maybe he'd want to be my editor.
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"Robin, if you're watching this, I'm sorry for getting upset at you reading what I wrote." Bernadetta said. "Still a bit embarrassed by it, but that's no excuse for how I acted towards you."
She quietly squealed with delight.
"Still, it's so nice to know he loves it!" She beamed.
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"Gotta admit, it really was a nice story so far." Ryu reiterates. "Though I couldn't help but notice that quite a few of the characters reminded me of some people here. I especially like that dashing peasant knight character that falls in love with the protagonist. What's even cooler, he rides atop a giant lizard into battle. Wonder if he's based on anyone here."
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"So the bottom line is, you spent the whole night reading?" Panty summarizes.
"That'd be right." Ryu said. "She's got real talent. If only she could see that in herself."
"You two really are a couple of dorks, you know." Panty laughed.
"Excuse me?"
"Relax, I'm not saying it to make fun of you. You guys really bring out the best in each other, from what I observe. Since the last challenge, and especially since stopping Gjira, you guys seem to spend a lot of time together. I think I've seen her out of her room more now than when the show started "
"Never took you as an observant one." Ryu jokes.
"Hey, I'm more than just a hot piece of ass." Panty defends. "I pay a lot of attention to this team."
The two are caught by surprise as someone quickly walks past them. Turns out it was just Percy, making her way outside.
"Yo, Miss Percy!" Ryu called.
Percy turns to see Ryu waving at her. Judging by her face, it was clear she was running on a small amount of sleep.
"Oh, it's just you guys." Percy said. "I was in such a rush that I didn't realize anybody else was in here."
"You alright, chica?" Panty asked. "You're looking pretty worse for wear. Ever since South Town, you've been acting weird."
"It's nothing you need to be concerned about." Percy quickly assured. "Just have a lot on my mind, is all. Don't worry, I promise to not let it interfere with challenges."
"...Okay?"
With a bow, Percy heads outside, quietly watching the sun rise. She couldn't help but give a depressed sigh.
"Still feeling down, Perce?" A familiar voice asked.
She turns to see Ramsey standing beside her, watching the sunrise too.
"Ramsey?"
"Who else would it be, toots?" Ramsey told her. "It's been a while since we last chatted."
"I know. I figure your job as an intern has kept you busy. How's it been going?"
"Quite nice, actually." Ramsey told her. "That Don guy's real chill. Usually, if they have me doing something, it's grocery shopping or picking up fuel. Nothing too taxing or demanding, but it keeps a guy busy."
"I see…"
Ramsey could tell what was bothering her. "I miss the kid too, you know?"
"What?"
"It's Giovanni, isn't it?" Ramsey guessed. "The poor kid died fighting Gjira."
Percy knew he was right. She remembered the big battle they had mere days ago in South Town. She remembered his lifeless body brought to them. She remembered how he had died fighting like a hero, despite going on and on about how bad he is.
"Didn't expect you to see right through me." Percy said. "It's just that…"
"Just what?" Ramsey asked.
"How could someone who claimed to be evil perish in such a noble way? I thought I knew full well how to differentiate good and bad. He died on the side of good."
Ramsey was utterly baffled, but decided to give his two cents.
"Look Perce, justice isn't all black and white. For the brief time I knew Giovanni, the kid seemed too soft to really make it as a crime lord. He's loud and confident, I'll give him that. But deep down, he's a good kid, if a bit eccentric. He fought and died for those he deemed his friends."
"You…do make a fair point." Percy agrees.
And what about me?" Ramsey went on. "I've done awful things in the past, but we get along like chocolate and peanut butter. The point is, justice isn't about maintaining order and incarcerating evildoers. It's about doing what you feel is the right thing to do. Giovanni did what he felt was right, which was fighting for his friends. Even if…it cost him his very life. I heard he was given a chance for resurrection or something like that, but he refused."
"Perhaps I do need to rethink my sense of justice." Percy said.
"But…his death still hasn't been sitting well with me. If he were here now, I wish I could tell him…how wrong I was. How much I misjudged him."
"Well unfortunately, we can't change the past." Ramsey said. "But I think you're on the right track. You've accepted the loss, and the best course of action is to keep moving forward."
"I couldn't agree more." A voice said.
Light approaches them, giving a slow clap. "An excellent speech."
"Well I'm flattered, pretty boy." Ramsey said with a hint of skepticism. "Usually, people don't butter me up unless they want something."
"Can't I just give a compliment?" Light asked.
"What brings you here, Light?" Percy asked.
"I was just passing through, and I couldn't help but overhear your problem. I, too, have seen the good and bad of justice.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you are a detective and investigator yourself, right?" Percy inquired.
"You hit the nail on the head. I've taken the mantle of "L" after the previous one had…died." As he said this, Light appeared to look upset.
"Were you two close?"
"You could say that. We were allies, working together to hunt someone who was mysteriously killing criminals. Unfortunately, the killer got him. It changed my perception of what I was fighting for, for better or for worse."
"I see…" Percy said. "We are like kindred spirits, you and I. Though we are from different teams, I have the utmost respect for you."
"Good to hear." Light said as they shook hands. "If you ever need help, or need help with anything, I'd be glad to assist you."
Percy nods. "Thank you. And I will try to do the same for you, as we share a common goal."
"Good for you, Perce." Ramsey said. "Finding yourself a like minded individual."
For a brief moment, Light coldly glared at the con artist, though Ramsey didn't notice.
"Oh geez, I know that look." Ryuk groaned. "Completely slipped my mind that Rat Face over there is technically a criminal."
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"Quite reassuring to have that lady's trust." Light said. "In this show, a good social game is quite important. Since my whole team practically loves me, I thought it'd be best to start getting in good with the Bulls. Yes, Malfoy wants to eliminate them, but my wants come first. Next challenge, I plan to get rid of the bigger threats on our team. We've been on quite the hot streak lately, and I aim to change that."
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"It's been quite a tumultuous ride since joining this competition." Percy said. " But it's rather reassuring to have someone as like-minded as Light as a fellow friend."
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A few hours later, our contestants were all gathered together in the ship's auditorium and theater.
"Huh, wonder what they got planned for us this time." Tiff said as she took her seat.
"Hey, as long as I'm not getting locked up in a cage like a filthy animal again, I'm all for whatever it is." Pete, who sat nearby, said.
Meanwhile, Barry looked next to him, seeing Raven sitting there, currently focused on reading some book.
"So, uh…" Barry said awkwardly. "Got any idea what they got planned for us this time?"
The half-demon slowly turned her head to Barry, looking a bit irritated at being disturbed. Her death glare sent a chill through Barry's spine.
"Do you mind?" She coldly responds, the pure venom dripping from her voice. "In case you weren't paying attention, I was busy catching up on some reading."
"Okay! I'll just stop talking now!" Barry panicked and looked away from her.
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"Sheesh…" Barry groaned. "First time I talk to her, she nearly gives me a heart attack. So much for making friendly conversation."
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The chattering quiets down as Don walks on stage, microphone in hand.
"Is everyone here now? Good."
"C'mon, say something funny!" Bender complained, throwing a bottle on the stage. "This is the worst comedy gig I've ever watched!"
"This isn't a stand up comedy show!" Tiff, who sat next to Bender, scolds. "It may have to do with whatever our next challenge is!"
"Well excuuuuuse me, shorty!"
His rude comment infuriated Tiff. The little know-it-all's face turned red.
"Yeah I'm short, what about it?!" She snapped. "You know what else is short?! MY TEMPER!"
"Hey, settle down!" Don said angrily.
"S-sorry." Tiff said sheepishly.
Don clears his throat. "Anyway, now that I got everyone's attention, let's get into the meat of it. The challenge this time is going to be different than normal."
"How so?" Erza asked.
"For starters, you won't be on your regular teams for this."
"You saying we're finally done with teams?" Futaba asked. "Still feels a bit too soon to do that."
Don shakes his head. "That's not what I meant. Once the challenge today is over, you'll be back in your teams like you were before. Today, we're gonna break you all up into six teams of three each."
"Okay, I'm picking up what you're putting down, pal." Pete said. "What is the challenge anyway?"
"I'm glad you asked. It's a karaoke singing competition."
A few groans could be heard amongst the contestants.
"Sounds completely lame!" Bender complained. "Singing is for sissies."
"Frankly, I'm not complaining." Shermie said. "Music is more my forte, along with fashion. I'm actually part of a world famous band, you know."
"Sounds great, but nobody asked." Raven retorts with her dry sarcasm, which Shermie responds with a huff.
"In my defense, I don't decide the challenges most of the time." Don explained. "So like it or not, that's what we're doing today."
"Why do we need to be broken up into smaller teams for this if it's just singing?" Draco snorts.
"It's one thing when one person sings by themselves, but having more people to sing with you is much better than just a single person doing it, as we know not everyone is a talented singer. More people to help sing with you balances that out. Each trio will pick and practice singing a song of their choice. You will all have all morning and afternoon to practice with your fellow singers, for you'll all perform your songs for a panel of judges this evening."
"Any song we want?" Panty asked.
"Keep it appropriate. There are still a few children here, after all."
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"Really?! Singing?!" Yami groaned. "I wanted something that's more challenging! Would it kill them to up the difficulty a bit more? I'm used to situations where my life could be on the line. The last challenge was fine, but I felt it was lacking something that'd make me love it."
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"At least it's nothing life threatening this time." Bernadetta sighed with relief. "All I have to do is sing. In front of…other…people…oh no!"
She gives a squeaky and unintelligible groan.
"I think I'd actually take something life threatening this time!"
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"The group that scores the highest amongst our judges will have individual immunity the next time their team loses." Don continued to explain. "While the group with the lowest score will be on the chopping block for elimination tonight."
"Hmm, all the more reason for everyone to truly try their absolute hardest." Alucard points out. "As long as you're not the worst, it shouldn't be too hard."
"So do we get to pick our groups or what?" Pete asked, sounding quite bored.
"The groups of three are going to be decided at random." Don said. He then pulls out a bowl with little slips of paper in it. "We're gonna do this the old fashioned way to decide it. This will also decide the order in which the teams will perform. Everyone, listen closely for your names."
"The first group will be…" he said, drawing the first three names out, "Ryu, Kronk, and Shermie."
"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" Ryu exclaimed as he and Kronk high five. Until he realized something. "Wait, who was the third member?"
He feels a tap on his shoulder, giving him a familiar pit in his stomach.
"That would be me, garcon." Shermie said.
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"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ryu cried. "Why did it have to be her?! This lady almost fried me like tempura! She scares the hell out of me!"
"Me too!" Tokageroh adds. "I know I'm a ghost, but even she terrifies me. Anybody who hides their eyes like she does is bad news!"
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"Team number two will be…Futaba, Draco, and Bernadetta."
Malfoy merely rolls his eyes while Futaba and Bernie high five.
"Them three will be Barry, Pete, and Raven.
Pete smirks, meanwhile, Barry looks nervously at Raven.
"Team four is Panty, Bender, and Tiff."
"You better have a good singing voice." Tiff said sternly to Bender.
"I don't mean to brag, but I'm sixty percent talented singer, and seventy percent star performer!" Bender brags.
"But…that equals a hundred and thirty percent! That doesn't add up!"
"Hoo boy…" Panty groaned. "Looks like I'm in for a rough one with these two."
Don draws the next batch of names.
"Group five will be Yami, Alucard, and Peni."
The group here really had no complaints whatsoever.
"Which leaves the last group as Light, Percy, and Erza."
"Really glad we can continue to work together." Light told Erza, though this was complete bullshit.
"I look forward to it." Erza responds. I may not have much experience in singing, but I'll try my best."
"Neither do I, but I promise to put forth an effort." Percy said.
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"Perhaps if it were Gajeel who was here instead of me, this is a challenge I'm sure he'd be really excited for."
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"I'd say this couldn't have worked out any more perfectly." Light said. "The show's not until this evening, so I got plenty of time to enact my plan. By the end of the day, I'll have gotten another strong player sent home."
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"Is it possible to switch teammates?!" Both Barry and Ryu pleaded.
"Sorry, but all groups are final." Don said. "If you don't like your partners, then you'll just have to find a way to get along. I've said all I've needed to. The show starts at six, so get to practicing. You're all dismissed."
Everyone leaves the auditorium, already grouping up with their partners for the challenge. Real quickly, Light pulls Bender aside for a moment.
"I'm gonna need to ask you for a favor." Light said.
"If it's money you want, the answer is no!" Bender states. He then pulls out a wallet. "I "found" this wallet earlier, and I'm not sharing."
Light sighs. "No, I don't want money. I need alcohol."
"Ah, I see what you're getting at." Bender said all sly. "You think this challenge is stupid too, and you can't get through practice without a bit of the special sauce, am I right?"
"Um…yes." Light lied. "That's right."
"Okay, I'll help you out. How strong do you need it to be?"
"Really strong. And preferably something more on the sweet side."
"Ah, you want some of this!" Bender opens up his chest compartment and pulls out a large bottle of tequila. "You know, I never really took you for a drinker."
Light gladly takes the bottle. "Well, you know what they say, looks can be deceiving. Thanks again."
"Anytime, pal."
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"Hmph, "pal", he says." Light scoffed. "He's nothing but an alcoholic kleptomaniac to me. For the new world I seek to create, someone like him would never be needed. He thinks we're friends, but that couldn't be further from the truth."
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Everyone had split up,heading to different areas across the ship to practice. We first focus on group one, consisting of Ryu, Kronk, and Shermie. Ryu finds Kronk in the dining area, talking to a currently disguised Yzma in hushed whispers.
"Well well, do my eyes deceive me, or do I see my friend with a striking young lady." Ryu said to Yzma.
This caught both the villain and her sidekick off guard.
"Uh, no, it's not like that at all." Kronk explained. "Ms. Teri and I were just chatting, that's all."
"I see. My mistake. But I must say, you are quite the beauty, ma'am." He grabs a hold of her hand and kisses it like a gentleman. "Enchante, miss. If my heart wasn't already set on someone else, you'd probably be my next choice."
"Well, uh…that's very flattering." Yzma said awkwardly. "What brings you here, young man?"
"Kronk and I are working together for the challenge."
"Is that so? Because I'm going to be one of the judges for the challenge, actually."
"Oh, well, that's pretty cool."
"And I plan to show some bias when scoring your group, Kronk." Yzma quietly whispered in Kronk's ear. "But not too much bias. Don't wanna let the others get suspicious."
"What are you telling him?" Ryu asked.
"Oh, she was just telling me this really funny joke." Kronk quickly lies. "I'll tell you about it later."
"Well, I'd better let you boys get right to it." Yzma said, walking away. "See you all tonight."
"She seems nice." Ryu said. "Anyway, I got a song picked out for us." He pulls out a piece of paper and shows it to him. "It's a personal favorite of mine."
"I'm fine with that." Kronk said, looking at his song choice. "But shouldn't we wait to ask Shermie if she agrees with it."
"You're right. Matter of fact…where is she?"
"I'm right here." Shermie said, standing behind Ryu.
"AIEEEEEEEEEEE!" Ryu falls on his butt and scoots all the way to the wall. "WOULD YOU QUIT DOING THAT?!"
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Shermie giggles. "He's so cute when he's scared. All I want is to get him to join our alliance. I'm a bit upset that the others invited Light and that Robot into our group without talking to me about it, but c'est la vie. Who's to say I can't do the same. If I can seduce him, then he'll join us. Time to put on the ol' charm."
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"I'm so sorry for scaring you!" Shermie said.
"Spare me your lies, lady!" Ryu growled. "You almost killed me!"
"And I really apologize for that." Shermie sweetly told him. "I just got a little excited in that fight, that's all."
"How do we know you're not lying?" Ryu asked, still skeptical.
"I deeply regret how badly I've hurt you, honest." Shermie said. "I really want us to start over again. You know, on a clean slate. And besides, I'm perfectly fine with your song choice."
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"I'm still skeptical of giving her a second chance." Ryu said.
"True." Tokageroh adds. "But remember how we used to be bad dudes before we met Yoh?"
Ryu ponders that for a moment.
"You know Tokageroh, you're right. If the Chief was willing to give us a chance, then we'll do the same for her."
"Keh keh keh!" Tokageroh laughs. "See what happens when you take my advice? First Bernie's book, and now this. I've got 600 years worth of wisdom on you."
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Ryu gets up and dusts himself off. "Alright, then. I'll give you another chance."
Shermie practically jumped for joy. "Oh, I'm so delighted! Thank you so much!"
"Now that I think about it, where have you been?" Kronk asked.
"I was busy making these!" Shermie pulls out some black suits, all sparkly and glittery. "I think it'll be cooler if we go out there dressed the same! Besides, I think we'll look dazzling out there!"
"This is really impressive." Ryu admits as he looks at the suits. "You made these in the span of a half hour?"
"Of course. I'm also a world renowned fashion designer. So, what do you say we get to practicing?"
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Cutting over to Malfoy's room, where he, Bernadetta and Futaba were practicing their singing.
"Alright, CUT!" Draco interrupts.
"Something wrong?" Futaba huffed.
"Can you guys stand to speak up more?!" Draco moaned. "You're mumbling your words." He pointed at Bernadetta. "Especially you."
"I'm very sorry!" Bernadetta cried. "This is hard for me! The thought of singing in front of other people is so nerve wracking I can hardly stand as it is!"
"We're trying our best!" Futaba clapped back. "This is hard for both of us. The least you could do is try to show some empathy and support and not be such a bully! I've had to put up with that when I was a kid, but I'm not standing for it here!"
Draco was quite taken aback, but he had to admit, that took guys to talk down to him like that.
"So, finally showing some backbone, eh? I'll admit, I'm impressed."
"Um…thanks?" Futaba said. "Sorry, I'm not used to raising my voice like that."
"So then I'll let you take the reins on this one. What do you suppose we could improve on?"
"It's simple." Futaba looks over at Bernadetta. "I know you're having a hard time with this, but I have an idea for how you can not focus on those watching you."
"Which is?" Bernadetta asked.
"When we go out there, focus on something else in the room."
"Okay. Maybe that might work. If I can manage to focus my attention on something else. And if that doesn't work?"
"If you feel that doesn't work, you could wear a blindfold. If you're not seeing anything at all, problem solved."
Bernadetta wasn't entirely sure about that last idea. In the past, she was sometimes blindfolded when her father tied her to a chair, so that's a no go. "Umm…let's try that first one. I think I prefer that idea better.
"You two are quite more competent than I thought." Draco points out. "Honestly, everyone here is more off the walls than those guys from Endless. But you two seem to know what you're doing."
"Well, it wouldn't kill you to just talk with people, rather than judging and criticizing everyone." Futaba tells him. "It takes more than being skilled or gifted to win this show. Being friendly to others and having social game really goes a long way. Of course, I'm one to talk…"
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Now, we move outside by the pool, where the team of Barry, Pete, and Raven were practicing. Or lack thereof, in this case.
"C'mon, I'm the only one taking this whole thing seriously!" Barry complained.
As we see, Raven was quietly memorizing the song lyrics, while Pete relaxed in a lawn chair rather than practice.
"Singing's for chumps, kiddo." Pete yawned. "What isn't for chumps is getting a tan. That means I'm talking about you, pasty."
Raven shoots the cat a glare before going back to looking at the lyrics.
"C'mon, we gotta practice together you guys!" Barry reminds them. "If you don't get serious, I'm gonna have to fine you!"
"Fine me?!" Pete snorts. "Aren't you a laugh riot! Remind me of that once I claim my prize money."
"You know, if we fail this, we're voting you off."
The reality of what Barry said shook Pete. He'd been so comfortable with winning challenges, he forgot that there's a real chance he could get eliminated. He bolts up and is ready to actually try.
"Say no more, kid! Let's get to singin'!"
"Awesome!" Barry pounds his fist to the sky. "You just needed the proper motivation, that's all! Raven, what about you?"
Quietly, she sets the lyrics down, and takes a deep breath.
"Fine. I think I've got it all down now."
"Umm…..great." Barry said nervously.
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"Would it kill her to show a lot more emotion?!" Barry said. "What's the big deal with her anyway? What could go wrong with her showing some enthusiasm?"
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"That guy needs to dial it back and not take everything so seriously." Raven deadpanned. "Too much energy. Seems like he's always got something to prove."
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"Gotta admit, you two are a lot better than I thought." Panty said, clearly out of breath, and for a different reason than normal.
"You're the real talent." Tiff said humbly. "You sing a lot better than me."
"Being an angel, it's fitting I have a singing voice befitting one."
"Wait, you're an angel?!" Bender exclaimed.
"Have you really not been keeping track of things around here, numbnut?" Panty asked in disbelief.
"Hey, in my defense, I focus on stuff pertaining to me and me alone."
"How about you stop thinking of just yourself, and think of others for a change?!" Tiff huffed. "Honestly, I'm surprised someone like you has lasted this long!"
"Hey! Bite my shiny metal ass!"
Panty gets the both of them to pipe down by bonking their heads together, Three Stooges style.
"Listen up, you two!" Panty warns. "I don't wanna hear any more bitching from either of you! I actually want us to win, so now's not the time to get petty. From here on out, we're doing what I say, got it?!"
Both nod quickly.
"Good. Now, let's give this a few more gos, and I think we'll be set."
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Hours pass, with many of the groups either still practicing, or already finished and preparing for this evening.
We see Light, currently busy in the kitchen. Several used bowls and pans were scattered around the room, and there was batter everywhere.
"Just perfect." He said as he took what he was baking out of the oven.
"Light?" A voice said. "What are you doing in here?"
He turns to see that the one who spoke to him was Erza.
"Ah, Erza. Perfect timing."
"What have you been doing in here? And is that…cake?" She couldn't help but notice the cake he was holding. And it just so happened to be strawberry, her favorite flavor.
"Oh, you've noticed my handiwork." Light said proudly. "After we finished practice, I wanted to make something for the whole team. I hope this turned out well, as this is my first time trying my hand at baking."
"I see…" Erza said, her eyes still focused on the cake. "And you made that for all of us?"
"Bingo!" Light thought to himself. "Hook, line and sinker."
"I did." He answered. "Do you want to try the first piece?"
"Really?! I mean….if you're offering, I suppose I won't refuse."
"Great. Just don't be too critical of it. This was my first try, after all."
He swiftly cuts her a fairly big piece of the cake, and hands it to her.
"Well, what do you think?"
As Erza tastes it, she couldn't believe how incredibly sweet and soft it was.
"This is incredible!" She exclaimed with almost childlike excitement as she ate faster. "This is probably the best cake I've ever had! You could probably open a bakery with sweets this good!"
"I think I'll just stick to investigating, thanks." Light said. "Just wanted to do something nice for the team is all.
"You've been a big help on this team. I knew it was a good move to put a lot of trust in you. And…I just wanted to thank you for all you've done."
"SHOWTIME'S IN FIFTEEN MINUTES, EVERYONE!" Don announced over the speakers. "MEET IN THE AUDITORIUM IMMEDIATELY!"
"Well, looks like it's go time." Light said. "Let's go out there and blow the roof off this place.
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All the groups are waiting backstage. Some are excited, while others are nervous.
"I hope I got this." Ryu said nervously to his group. "Earlier, I didn't think my voice sounded right. I knew it had to be something wrong when they banned me from those karaoke clubs. And we're the first ones up."
"You need to relax your throat is all." Shermie tells him. She hands him a glass filled with an odd orange liquid.
"What is this?" Ryu asked. "It smells rank."
"It'll soothe and ease your throat." Shermie explained. "Made it myself. It's got honey, ginger, and Jell-O in it. Figured it would help you."
Ryu shrugs and chugs the whole thing down.
"Blech! This is gross!"
"It's not supposed to be. That's how you know it works, just like medicine."
"Hey….I think I can feel it working. My throat feels like…it could lift a mountain or something! Thanks for that!"
"Oh, you…just come to me anytime you need anything."
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"I think I've made a good start." Shermie said. "First time trying to woo someone like this, but it's a start. A bit more effort, and he'll become a trusted ally."
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"I hope you're all ready, as it's now time to let your voices be heard!" Don announced. "Tonight, these eighteen bright eyed contestants will be singing their hearts out, to decide who's the star of the show! Which will be determined by our panel of judges!"
The camera pans to the Judges' table. The judges were Molly, Monoma, and a still disguised Yzma. All three of them wave to the camera.
"Each of them will judge the singers on a scale of one to ten. The highest scoring group wins it all, with the lowest scoring group on the chopping block! Judges, are you ready?!"
"You know it!" Molly pumps her fist in the air. "I always love a good song!"
"Can't wait to see how these guys do." Monoma casually responds. "Hope they don't make too big of a fool of themselves."
"May the best singers win." Yzma said.
"Then without further Ado, let's bring out the first team!" Don said. "Ryu, Shermie, Kronk, get on out here!"
The trio get out on stage, and they all can't help but marvel at their matching outfits. Even the other contestants, who watched from the sidelines.
"Ooh, your outfits are really flashy!" Molly compliments.
"You shine more than that one kid in Class 1-A." Monoma said. "So you're already off to a good start. Unfortunately, we don't judge on looks, otherwise you'd win right off the bat."
"Thank you. I made them myself." Shermie said proudly.
"So…what have you decided to sing?" Yzma asked.
Ryu takes a microphone, and clears his throat. "This song is one of my personal favorites. And I'd like to dedicate it to one little lady here. Someone who I'd live nothing more than to dance to this with."
"Aww…how romantic." Molly gushed.
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"Could he perhaps be talking about moi?" Shermie wondered. "Don't tell me this plan is already working that fast. There's no way."
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The other contestants didn't really pay much mind to what he said…except for one. Bernadetta, upon hearing this, was blushing so much her whole face was as red as a tomato.
"You don't think he's…talking about me, is he?" She quietly asked Futaba.
"Don't know." Futaba answered. "It's not impossible. Do you… want it to be you?"
Bernadetta simply looks away, trying to hide her blushing face.
"Ready to rock out, you guys?!" Ryu asked. "Hit it!"
(Let's Groove, by Earth, Wind and Fire)
We can boogie down, down, upon down
The boogie down, down, upon down
The boogie down, down, upon down
The boogie down, down, ...
Let's groove tonight
Share the spice of life
Baby slice it right
We're gonna groove tonight
Let this groove, get you to move,
It's alright, alright, alright
Let this groove, set in your shoes,
So stand up, alright, alright
Gonna tell ya what you can do,
With my love, alright
Let you know girl you're looking good
You're outta sight, alright
Just move yourself and glide like a 747
And lose yourself in the sky among the clouds in the heaven cause
Let this groove, light up your fuse, its alright, alright, alright, oo oh oh
Let this groove, set in your shoes so stand up alright, alright
Let me tell ya what you can do
With my love, alright
Gotta let you know girl you're looking good
You're outta sight, alright
Just tell the DJ
To play your fav'rite tune
Then you know it's okay
What you found is happening now, oh
Let this groove, light up your fuse, its alright, alright, alright
Let this groove, set in your shoes, so stand up, stand up, alright
Let this groove, get you to move, its alright, alright, alright, yeah
Let this groove set in your shoes, so stand up, alright, alright
You will find peace of mind on the floor
Take a little time, come and see, you and me
Give a little sign, I'll be there after a while
If you want my love
We can boogie on down, down
Boogie on down, down
We boogie on down, down
We boogie on down, on down (boogie!)
Let's groove tonight
Share the spice of life
Baby slice it right
We're gonna groove tonight
Let this groove, [hey hey!] light up your fuse, its alright, alright, alright, oh oh
Let this groove set in your shoes, so stand up, alright, alright
[We're gonna groove tonight]
Let this groove, get you to move, its alright, alright, alright, oo oh oh
[Share the spice of life]
[Baby slice it right]
Let this groove set in your shoes, so stand up, alright, alright
[Just gonna groove tonight]
You just move yourself, move yourself
You just move yourself, mmmmmm
Groove tonight, huh
Share the spice of life
Baby slice it right
We gonna groove tonight, oh yeah
You just move yourself, mmmmmm
You just move yourself
Just move, yeah
Hey, alright
Let this groove, light up your fuse, its alright, alright, alright
Let this groove, set in your shoes, so stand up, stand up, alright
[Let's groove, let's groove, let's groove, let's groove, let's groove tonight
Let's groove, let's groove, let's groove tonight, let's groove tonight!
Their performance was followed with a huge applause.
"Gotta admit, that was a really good start." Don said. "Judges, what do you think?"
"Really good!" Molly praised. "I agree, you guys totally nailed it. I give it an eight out ten!"
"I think I'll give it the same score." Monoma said. "You really did good. That's two thumbs up from me."
"Absolutely perfect." Yzma said. "A perfect ten from me!"
"That gives you guys a score of 28 out of a possible 30." Don said. "You guys set the bar high. That's gonna be hard to top."
The three performers take a bow, and join the others backstage.
"You guys, that was awesome!" Peni exclaimed. "Really stole the show."
"But…we're the only ones who went so far." Kronk said.
"I don't mind signing autographs later." Ryu jokes. He's then handed a binder.
"Can you sign this?"
"Oh sure."
He pulls out a pen and signs it on the back. Suddenly, it hits him what he was writing on.
"That was…really incredible out there." Bernadetta told him. She held her head down to hide her completely red face. "I thought I'd let you sign my book. I got your note earlier. And I'd love to let you read more."
Now it was Ryu's turn to blush hard. "Really glad you were fine with it. And I'm glad you liked our song."
"Get it together, muggle." Draco tells Bernadetta. "We're up next."
"Well, uh… gotta go! Wish us luck!" Bernadetta said quickly.
"Someone's got a biggest fan, eh?" Kronk said teasingly.
"Dude, shut up." Ryu laughs. "It was just an autograph."
"We now present team two, consisting of Draco, Bernadetta, and Futaba!"
The next group takes their place onstage.
"You ready for this, Bern?" Futaba asked.
"Bernadetta nods. "I'm in a really good mood right now, so I'm gonna ride that high for as long as possible! Let's do this!"
"Cue the music!"
(Virtual Insanity, by Jamiroquai)
Ooh, hey hey, oh
World we're living in
Let me tell ya
And it's a wonder man can eat at all
When things are big that should be small
Who can tell what magic spells we'll be doing for us?
And I'm giving all my love to this world
Only to be told
I can't see, I can't breathe
No more will we be
And nothing's gonna change the way we live
'Cause we can always take but never give
And now that things are changing for the worse, see
Whoa, it's a crazy world we're living in
And I just can't see that half of us immersed in sin
Is all we have to give these
Futures made of virtual insanity
Now always seem to be governed by this love we have
For useless, twisting, other new technology
Oh, now there is no sound for we all live underground
And I'm thinking what a mess we're in
Hard to know where to begin
If I could slip the sickly ties of earth that man has made
And now every mother can choose a color
Of her child
That's not nature's way
Well that's what they said yesterday
There's nothing left to do but pray
I think it's time I found a new religion
Whoa, it's so insane
To synthesize another strain
There's something in these futures that we have to be told
Futures made of virtual insanity
Now always seem to be governed by this love we have
For useless, twisting, our new technology
Oh, now there is no sound for we all live underground, whoa
Now there is no sound
If we all live underground
And now it's virtual insanity
Forget your virtual reality
Oh, there's nothing so bad (happiness)
Oh yeah
I know, yeah
(Ooh)
Futures made of virtual insanity
Now always seem to be governed by this love we have
For useless, twisting, our new technology
Oh, now there is no sound for we all live underground, oh
(Livin' in, virtual insanity) Now this lie that we're living
It's all going wrong, it's out the window
(Livin' in, virtual insanity) You know that there is nothing worse than
(Livin' in, virtual insanity) A manly man, there is nothing worse than
(Livin' in, virtual insanity) A foolish man, yeah
Virtual insanity this world we're living in
Yeah, the world is all I have
As they finished the last few notes, they got quite the applause from the judges. Draco felt confident about their performance, Futaba was clearly out of breath, and Bernadetta was hiding her face with her hands out of sheer embarrassment.
"That's a good sign, right?" Bernadetta asked. "I'm not used to being applauded. And they stopped clapping…and here returns the anxiety."
"Well, I think we can say we did exemplary!" Malfoy said.
"Really great! I could tell you guys put a lot of hard work into that." Molly said. "That's a nine from me."
"Mostly fine, all things considered." Monoma said. "Though I saw the blonde one kind of falter a bit part way through. I give it a seven."
"Hey, my voice cracked there!" Malfoy said defensively. "I didn't plan for that! Give me a break!"
"That's a six from me." Yzma said quickly. "Gotta agree with the boy on that one. That voice crack took me out of it."
"Which leaves your all's score at 22." Don said. "Not bad, but team one is still ahead."
"Stupid muggle wouldn't know talent if it hit him in the face." Draco mumbled as he walked offstage.
"I still think we did good." Futaba said.
The next group takes their spot on stage, being Barry, Raven, and Pete.
"I hope you're all ready!" Barry said proudly. "We put a lot of hard work into this one!"
(I'm Still Standing, by Elton John)
You could never know what it's like
Your blood like winter freezes just like ice
And there's a cold lonely light that shines from you
You'll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use
And did you think this fool could never win?
Well, look at me, I'm a-coming back again
I got a taste of love in a simple way
And if you need to know while I'm still standing you just fade away
Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did?
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
And I'm still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
I'm still standing. Yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm still standing. Yeah, yeah, yeah
Once I never could've hoped to win
You're starting down the road leaving me again
The threats you made were meant to cut me down
And if our love was just a circus you'd be a clown by now
You know I'm still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I'm still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
I'm still standing. Yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm still standing. Yeah, yeah, yeah
Don't you know that I'm still standing better than I ever did?
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
And I'm still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
I'm still standing. Yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm still standing. Yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm still standing. Yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm still standing. Yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm still standing. Yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm still standing. Yeah, yeah, yeah
"So…" Barry said, clearly out of breath. "What do you think?"
"Probably my favorite one so far!" Molly said. "That's a perfect ten from me!"
"Hmm….I give it an eight." Monoma said. "Pretty solid all around."
"I'm going to give it a seven." Yzma said.
"Aw, what?!" Pete complained. "What did we do wrong?!"
"My reasons are my own, tubby!" Yzma snapped, much to the other judges' shock. "I mean, I feel it could have been better. Could've used some more enthusiasm. Especially from the one in the cloak."
"That's not really my forte." Raven deadpanned.
"At least we're not at risk tonight." Barry said. "Adding our score, that's 25, so we're not getting last place at least."
"What a relief." Pete sighed.
"Let's keep this train going by bringing out the next group." Don said. "Panty, Tiff, Bender, you're up!"
"Get ready to be wowed, everyone!" Panty said. "You wouldn't believe how much work it took just to get this right!"
"It's true." Tiff sighed. "I lost count around take thirty."
"Let's blow the lid off this joint, meatbags!" Bender said. "Let's give them what they want!"
(Country Roads, by John Denver)
Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees, younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze
Country roads, take me home to the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mamma, take me home, country roads
All my memories gather round her, miner's lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky, misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye
Country roads, take me home to the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mamma, take me home, country roads
I hear her voice in the morning hour, she calls me, the radio reminds me of my home far away
And driving down the road I get a feeling that I should have been home yesterday, yesterday
Country roads, take me home to the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mamma, take me home, country roads
Country roads, take me home to the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mamma, take me home, country roads
Take me home, down country roads
Take me home, down country roads
"That was beautiful!" Molly said, wiping a tear away. "I'm gonna give it a nine."
"Such a beautiful melody." Monoma praised. "Especially for a song I've never heard before. That's getting a ten from this guy."
"I'm going to go and say…a seven." Yzma said. "I've seen better sing this song before, but not bad."
"Geez, you're fucking hard to please, aren't ya?" Panty said. "And that is what he said."
"Let's just leave it there, okay?" Tiff said. "Don't wanna say anything to get our score lowered."
"Ugh…you're right."
"Adding up that score, they earned 26 points." Don said. "Still not in the lead, but a really good performance. With only two teams left, anything is still possible! Next group, come on out!"
Yami, Peni, and Alucard go out on stage now.
"I picked the song myself." Peni said.
"And upon hearing it, I was quite taken aback by how good it was." Alucard adds.
"I got no comment on it whatsoever." Yami said. "But the kid wanted to perform it, so I said why not."
"Well, don't leave us in the dark." Yzma said. "On with the song!"
(Bohemian Rhapsody, by Queen)
Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide
No escape from reality
Open your eyes
Look up to the skies and see
I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy
Because I'm easy come, easy go
Little high, little low
Any way the wind blows
Doesn't really matter to me, to me
Mama, just killed a man
Put a gun against his head
Pulled my trigger, now he's dead
Mama, life had just begun
But now I've gone and thrown it all away
Mama, ooh
Didn't mean to make you cry
If I'm not back again this time tomorrow
Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters
Too late, my time has come
Sends shivers down my spine
Body's aching all the time
Goodbye, everybody, I've got to go
Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth
Mama, ooh (Any way the wind blows)
I don't wanna die
I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all
I see a little silhouetto of a man
Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?
Thunderbolt and lightning very, very frightening me
(Galileo) Galileo
(Galileo) Galileo
Galileo Figaro
Magnifico-o-o-o-o
I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
He's just a poor boy from a poor family
Spare him his life from this monstrosity
Easy come, easy go, will you let me go?
Bismillah! No, we will not let you go (Let him go!)
Bismillah! We will not let you go (Let him go!)
Bismillah! We will not let you go (Let me go!)
Will not let you go (Let me go!)
Never let you go (Never, never, never, never let me go)
Oh oh oh oh
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
Oh, mamma mia, mamma mia (Mamma mia, let me go)
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me
So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye?
So you think you can love me and leave me to die?
Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby
Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here
Ooh, ooh yeah, ooh yeah
Nothing really matters
Anyone can see
Nothing really matters
Nothing really matters to me
Any way the wind blows
"Now matter how many times I hear that song, I never get tired of it. I actually grew up listening to Queen." Don said. "Judges, your thoughts?"
"I thought that was amazing." Molly said. "The only criticism is Yami."
"Oh yeah?" Yami asked. "Where'd I go wrong?"
"When you were singing, it sounded off, and…didn't perfectly mesh well with your partners. I give it an seven."
"Is that so? Well, singing isn't something I usually do. Not even when I'm busy on the crapper."
"Have you ever heard of TMI?!" Monoma exclaimed. "That's a seven from me as well, for the same reason as she said."
"Same here." Yzma adds.
"Unfortunately, that gives you three the lowest score of the night at 21 points." Don said. "The final team will have to perform worse than you guys if you want to avoid elimination."
Peni looked absolutely bummed, but Yami cheers her up.
"Don't beat yourself up about it, kid. It was my fault. You sang the best out of the three of us."
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"Quite the inspiring leader." Alucard remarks. "Yes, he's brash and crass, but he really shows how much he values his allies. People could really take a lead out of his book."
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As the final group is about to go on, Percy notices something is wrong.
"Erza, are you alright? Your face is as red as your hair."
"I'm…fine." Erza said, clearly slurring her words. "I'm perfectly peachy."
"You don't look like it."
"Shut up! I'm fine, alright?!"
Everyone around them was appalled at how she was acting.
"Hey, you need to calm down." Pete tells her. "She's just concerned about ya is a-"
Erza grabs Pete by his arm and body slams him to the ground.
"What was that for?" Ryu complained. "He didn't do anything wrong! And is that booze I smell on your breath?!"
Erza turns towards him, glaring daggers into the shaman. Ryu could feel the anger, and she could smell the fear. She takes his wooden sword and starts beating him upside the head.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH! SOMEBODY GET HER OFF OF ME! SHE'S GONNA KILL ME! MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!"
"Get away from him!" Barry yelled.
The others try and restrain Erza, but she's far too strong them. Meanwhile, Light was off to the side, trying to hold back his laughter.
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"This couldn't have gone any more perfect." Light laughs. "Getting her intoxicated was my plan, but I didn't know what kind of drunk she'd turn out to be. So violent and angry. And I've already tossed all evidence of the cake overboard. All of my tracks are covered."
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Don and the other judges hear all of the commotion in the back, and grow worried.
"Hey, what's going on back there?!"
Percy quickly steps out on stage, to set the record straight.
"Apologies, but my teammate is appearing to be…under the influence right now. Everyone's trying to calm her down, but that's not going so well. I don't think we're gonna be able to perform."
"If that's the case, then your group forfeits." Don said. "You, Light, and Erza are up for elimination tonight."
"I understand."
Erza runs past Percy, knocking her over, and running out of her room.
"After her!" Bender said, the other contestants running across the stage to chase her.
"I'd better make some coffee." Percy said, getting up and dusting herself off. "That'll help sober her up. Hopefully, they can get a hold of her, while still remaining in one piece."
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"After that, it was quite awful from what I heard." Percy said. "She was running all over the ship, just ranting and breaking stuff. And when they thought they had a hold of her, she requipped out of her attire to slip from their grasp. Now she was running around completely naked. Be grateful you didn't have to see such indecency. Apparently, all it took was someone hitting her in the head with a toaster to knock her out. Truly, a devastating evening."
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"If I had a nickel for every time a woman here has nearly killed me, I'd have two nickels." Ryu said. "Which isn't a lot, but it's weird how it happened twice."
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"I'm honestly not surprised to see this happen." Pete said. "She was always kinda upright. Her way of keeping order is a little too forceful for my taste."
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"Chick just needs to loosen up and have some fun." Bender said. "Such a shame it took her this long to do so."
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After the challenge and chaos had subsided, we see Ryu, Futaba, and Bernadetta chilling in the dining hall, eating some dinner he'd prepared for them.
"Eat up, guys! This one's on me! In honor of my victory!" Ryu said proudly. "Though you girls did great, too!"
"Aw, thanks." Futaba said. "Frankly, I thought I did a lousy job."
As they eat, Ryu notices Shermie walking past them.
"Hey, Sherm! Care to join us?!" Ryu asked.
Shermie was a bit taken aback by his offer. "Really? You want to invite me to eat with you guys?"
"Heck yeah! Couldn't have won without your help! I mean, if that's okay with you guys!"
"Sure." Futaba said.
"I-I guess..." Bernadetta muttered, her usual anxiety getting to her a little bit.
With some reluctance, Shermie sits down with them.
"You know, I had you all wrong." Ryu admits. "I thought you were this scary lady that nearly sent me to hell again, but you're alright."
She was also taken aback by his kindness. "R-really?"
"Of course. Beneath all that beauty and charisma is a kind soul that just wants to be heard."
Shermie blushes at his remarks. "Thank you. Not a lot of people would say that about me. They'd also find me off-putting, among other things."
"Don't feel afraid to be yourself. That's the first step to find your Best Place."
Shermie giggles. "And you're an odd one. I'm intrigued. Tell me more."
"I need another helping of curry first." Futaba said.
The quartet laughs as they continue to eat and chat. Shermie really felt something she hadn't felt in so long. Friends, enjoyment, fulfillment. It made her almost forget about the mission she had.
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"That was probably the most fun night I had here." Shermie said. "Those guys really seemed to vibe with each other. Like my band. They really...filled a hole I feel like I've been missing for a while. I'm usually not keen on talking about my feelings like this, but...it feels nice to, you know?"
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All of the contestants were at the elimination area later that evening, some still keeping their distance from Erza. As for her, she groans as she holds an ice pack on her head, and was luckily now fully clothed again.
"I don't know what came over me." She said, "I'm sorry."
"Honestly, I expected more from you." Barry said. "You've always been our cool, tough as nails leader. Tonight, you were really flying off the handle."
"I know." She said solemnly. "And I feel awful about it."
"And…I'm really sorry about the toaster." Bernadetta said nervously. "Please don't kill me for that!"
"It's fine. I had it coming anyway."
She looks over at Light, who say right next to her.
"I just know I'm the one getting voted off, so I have a favor to ask of you."
"What is it?" Light asked.
"I'm leaving the team to you. Can you promise me you'll try to be a better leader than I was? I wouldn't ask you this if I didn't trust you enough."
"You have my word." Light swears.
After this, Don approaches the podium.
"Can't say I'm surprised with these votes. It was pretty much unanimous. Erza, you're going home."
The mage nods, having resigned herself to this outcome.
"I see. I'll be going now. Everyone, this is goodbye. Again, I apologize for what I did. Though I don't know how it happened, I still feel awful."
"It's fine." Tiff tells her. "Just get home and get some rest.
"Really gonna miss you." Panty adds.
"Don't worry, I promise the team will be in good hands." Light tells her.
As Erza leaves, Alucard sat there, looking quite confused.
"Something wrong?" Peni asked him.
"Something doesn't feel quite right about this." Alucard quietly tells her. "Something's not adding up. How did she get intoxicated? There has to be more reason behind this. I don't know about you, but…I smell a traitor afoot."
"That's being a bit dramatic, but okay."
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It looked as though Light was crying. But that sobbing turned into uncontrollable laughter. Ryuk could only watch in shock as his partner laughed like someone fresh out of an insane asylum.
"And now, a powerful threat is gone!" Light said triumphantly. His eyes now appeared to be red. "And everyone else still believes in me! It's only a matter of time before I dispose of every last one of them! Today, I was just going easy on them."
He stands up, now. "THE FUN IS ONLY JUST BEGINNING, RYUK! ANOTHER PERFECT VICTORY FOR A GOD LIKE ME! ONE BY ONE, THEY'LL DROP LIKE FLIES, UNTIL ONLY I REMAIN! WINNING THIS SHOW IS THE STEPPING STONE TO MY TRUE DREAM! AND I'VE COME MUCH CLOSER TO THAT AFTER TODAY! THE NEXT PHASE OF MY PLAN IS UPON IS, AND NO ONE WILL SEE IT COMING!"
As he continues laughing maniacally, Ryuk could only stand there and watch. The shinigami himself was quite shook from this. If this was him being nice, who knows what he planned to do next.
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Ain't Light just a stinker?
Phew…after so long, I finally got this one finished. This is most definitely my ngest gap in between updates and chapters. I do apologize for keeping you guys waiting so long. A lot of stuff just kept getting thrown at me in real life. I planned to have this out a few days ago, but the hill I live on suffered a blackout, so them's the breaks. At least now, I can put this one behind me.
At least we got to see almost everyone put on their inner singer tonight. In story, this is coming right after Gjira was dealt with, so they needed something more simple. Though a couple of them still desire a true challenge. We got to see some bonding z and unlikely team ups here. I told myself that unlike Infinite 2, this story would focus more on the characters themselves than the stuff that's going on around them.
And now, we say goodbye to Erza. Despite being cool, level headed, and a badass, she's not invincible. She is canonically known to get violent and angry when drunk. Light just didn't expect his plan to work so perfectly. But now because of good ol' Al, another teammate who trusted and respected Erza, Light may not just be in the clear yet. What will this "god" do to fix this loose end? Only time will tell.
Here's what's in store for next time. Don is away, and the network decides to temporarily hire someone to take over hosting duties for the day. Who did they get? A YouTuber and influencer who's gonna put them through stuff that even Chris himself wouldn't do. And it seems like the internet star has his own vendetta against Total Drama…
Until then, don't forget to read and review, as per usual. Until next time, this is MemeKing, signing off.