This one took a little longer than the previous chapters. Honestly, I was struggling to find the motivation to write it. I had the outline done for a while, but it took some time for me to actually get it going.

Part of that might be because…I don't particularly think this episode is that good. Not awful, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the others, even the previous one. Prileb drama being the only plot and the challenge itself not being that interesting or fun. The MacArthur cameo was fine, but she isn't as good when she doesn't have a straight man to play off of her. The Raj goodbye scene was very good and probably one of the best scenes of that season, but I wouldn't say it saves this episode.

The other thing is that I was in a hot debate about some storylines and who to eliminate. I did end up making a major elimination swap that will make the remainder of the series play out differently than I originally planned.

Anyways, let's get to it!

"Last time on Total Drama Island," Chris narrated. "Our campers played a little memory game that involved Scary Girl-shaped wrecking balls, rabid Candian Geese, and lots of campers learning about the wonderful world of gravity (being brought up by the Drone and MK's stolen hairdryer punishment). Half of our competitors ended up dropping out for…" He groaned. "...sentimental reasons. Gross. Despite so many people being up for elimination, Priya did the unthinkable and quit before anyone could be voted off. Our last season's winner was down a million and out for the count."

"I mean, I know it was a major moment for her, but who cares about values and morals when the alternative is a million bucks? Well, too bad for her, because it's going to one of our five remaining contestants. Find out who it won't be on today's episode of…Total…Drama…Island!"

A tall intern with an afro had just stepped out of a trailer, holding a tray of crumpled-up paper, messy plates, and used silverware. He sighed as he walked towards a nearby trashcan.

"You alright, man?"

The intern turned to see MK walking towards him. The hacker gave a pitying look. "I've seen how Chris treats you guys. I honestly feel bad for you and I'm the one who has to deal with his psychotic challenges." She put a hand on his shoulder and offered a small smile. "You deserve better. Remember that."

The tall intern was surprised, but it was soon replaced by overwhelming joy. He suppressed himself from breaking out into tears by blinking repeatedly. He nodded thankfully at MK, then went back to the trash can.

MK turned around and headed towards the woods. She glanced back to check if anyone was watching her. She broke her soft act and grinned. She then pulled her hand up to reveal a wallet in her palm. "And that is how you steal from an unsuspecting sucker."

Nearby, Julia stepped out from behind a tree. She was in awe. "Wow. I didn't even see you go for the wallet."

"I'm like a magician." MK shrugged. "It's all about misdirection. Getting them looking at one thing, except what I'm doing."

Confessional (MK): "Alright, I still don't particularly like Julia, but I did owe it to her for what she did yesterday. Figured I could teach her how I steal stuff. It's fun…" She held up her stolen wallet. "...and very profitable." She opened it and her confidence immediately dissipated, as she revealed the wallet's contents were lacking. "Or at least it would be if Chris actually paid his interns."

Static

"Alright," Julia rubbed her hands together. "Let's see who else we can scam?" She walked forward.

MK rolled her eyes. "Cool your jets. You might be underhanded, but this is my expertise. You can't just…" She trailed off.

Something had fallen out of a tree and was careening towards the two of them.

Julia turned around. "I can't just what? You worried I'll-"

The thing landed in the bush just behind her.

The influencer heard the rustling of leaves and turned around. She hadn't seen what had fallen but quickly figured it came from the bush. She stepped towards it.

"Actually," MK suddenly pulled her back, so she was facing her. "I was wrong." She said hastily. "I think you might have what it takes." She then forcefully pushed Julia away, her feet dragging along the ground.

"MK, what are you-"

"You go find an intern and I'll…catch up. I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I'd hate to backseat steal."

"But-"

MK gave one last shove, sending Julia forward. "You'll be fine." She smiled nervously.

The influencer stared. MK felt a beat of sweat trickle down her face. She could only hope Julia didn't notice.

Much to her relief, Julia shrugged. She turned back around and left MK to her thoughts. Well, to her thoughts and whatever had just fallen into the bush. The hacker made sure Julia was out of sight, before peering inside the shrubbery. She pushed some foliage around and found it. She reached in.

And pulled out the immunity idol.

Confessional (MK): She was still holding the statue of Chris. "So, I found this thing a few days ago. It was literally just lying on the ground in the open. Whoever had it before me was an absolute idiot." She looked at her idol and grimaced. "Or had to deal with the squirrels. I left this thing in a tree and they must've chucked it. I might need to keep this close or someone might steal it from me without me knowing. And no way am I ruining my reputation like that."

Static

Nichelle and Raj were talking on the steps of the cabin.

Confessional (Raj): "This is so cool! I have a gay best friend and I'm the gay best friend! I mean, Wayne's my actual best friend, but he fits in a different category."

Static

A door opened behind them and both turned.

Nichelle stood up. "Damien." She said. "We wanted to talk to you!"

The neurotic contestant raised an eyebrow. "You do? What for?"

"With Julia still in this game, Raj and I think we should form a three-person alliance to get rid of her. With all of us together, we have enough votes to make it work."

"Yeah, bro," Raj added, also standing up. "We'll be like the Snow Owls, only one of our teammates will be a girl." He tapped his chin. "Hmmm…actually, we won't be a hockey team at all since there's three of us and we're not actually playing hockey."

Damien stared at him, before turning to Nichelle. "What if she wins?"

"Then we'll just vote off MK. Shouldn't be a problem."

The neurotic contestant pondered. He looked at Nichelle and narrowed his eyes.

Confessional (Damien): "So, the thing is, a three-person alliance is a great idea. Especially if it means we get rid of Julia." He grimaced. "But, I don't know. Someone still has the idol and I don't know who. I guess the fact that Nichelle wants to form an alliance is a good sign, but…I'm gonna keep my eye on her."

Static

"Sure thing." Damien forced himself to smile.

Nichelle perked up. "Alright! We're about to win this whole thing!"

"Yeah." Raj pumped his fist. "We just need a good team name though. Oh, how about The Three Ice-O'Fears."

"Oh, like The Three Musketeers?" Damien asked

Raj stared blankly. "The what?"

"Attention campers!" Chris' voice echoed over the speaker. "Get your butts moving because it's challenge time!"

The remaining five soon arrived at an open area of the woods. They were all standing on an orange circle.

Chris and Chef were waiting for them. "Good morning everyone." Chris greeted. "Quick question: who here likes puppies?"

Everyone's hands went up. Though, for Nichelle, she looked hesitant. In stark contrast, Raj was waving his arm frantically. "Oh, me. I love puppies. They're so small and cute and…cute and…I don't know, they're just really small and cute." He turned. "Right, Nichelle?"

The former Hollywood star was hesitant. "I…" She gave a pained smile. "They are small."

Confessional (Nichelle): She let out a sigh. "Alright, I'll be honest, I don't hate dogs, but I haven't had a good experience working with them. I've done two dog-related movies and, in the first one, the dog got top billing over me, and, the other time, it kept pooping in my shoes. And it was only my shoes. She had it out for me."

Static

"Great!" Chris continued. "Then you're going to love today's challenge. We call it Man's Best Frenemy." He gestured to his right. "And for this special challenge, we brought along a surprise guest. Marine Canine Unit leader, Valentina MacArthur."

A bulky woman wearing a police uniform marched towards them. She stood at attention once she was in front of the campers. "Who's ready to see some doggies?"

Raj flailed his arms. "Oh, me! Me!" He grabbed his friend's arm and raised it. "So is Nichelle!"

The former Hollywood star just nervously smiled.

"Let me introduce you to my babies." MacArthur whistled.

The sounds of growling, barking, and loud stomps could be heard throughout the forest. Birds flocked. The competitors listened as the noise grew louder. They knocked down trees and scared the other animals. They were even scaring the competitors.

Soon four vicious-looking dogs appeared, standing in a line in front of their master. MacArthur introduced them. "Please welcome…"

The first was a white dog with a scar along its neck. It also had a mass of black fur, covering its eyes. "Edward Scissormouth." As if for emphasis, Edward showed its sharper teeth.

The second was a Doberman, with a metal jaw attached to it. "Beartrap!"

The next was another Doberman, with a chain collar and a pink mohawk. "Chainsaw!"

The last in line had a red collar and clear red sunglasses. "Bloodhunter!"

"And…Booger!" MacArthur gestured to the right of Bloodhunter. A tiny, cross-eyed Chihuahua-sized dog scampered in next to the other dogs. Its body was shaking and it sneezed to emphasize how pathetic it was.

Chris took note of it. "Is Booger subbing in for a more threatening, vicious attack dog? I mean, if Chef needs to get him, we'll-"

"Oh, absolutely not!" Chef exclaimed.

MacArthur put a hand up. "Don't worry. Booger is exactly where she needs to be. Trust me."

Confessional (Julia): "I had a purse dog once. It got more likes than me, so I had to get rid of it."

Static

"You'll have a two-minute headstart before we release the hounds," Chef explained. He narrowed his eyes. "Where they'll hunt you down…" He said ominously.

"Um…" Damien was unnerved. "I assume you're not going to let them maul us to death, so what happens when they catch us?"

"They'll drag you back here," Chef said.

"Though we can't promise they won't bite, gnaw, or chomp to subdue you." Chris grinned.

"Ok, but have they had their rabies shot?" Damien asked.

"No need," MacArthur said. "Rabies are too scared to come across these dogs."

Chef then pulled out a ball of socks that radiated a disgusting stench. "These smelly socks we found on your cabin floor will be how they track you. We'll give one of these monsters-"

"My sweet babies." MacArthur corrected.

"-one of your socks and they'll connect the smell to its original owner. That being one of you five."

"Think of it like having your very own puppy," Chris added.

"Ok, you don't need to keep calling them that," Raj said. He was now starting to understand the seriousness of the challenge.

A TV monitor shot out of the ground next to the competitors. "Here are the rules." Said Chris. "If you get dragged back three times," An icon of a stick figure appeared on the screen, followed by three red boxes with X's in them, next to it. "You're out of the game. Last one remaining wins immunity."

Chef pulled out an air horn and blasted it.

The five campers quickly ran into the woods.

A few seconds passed before Chris looked at Chef. "Alright, time's up."

"What?" Chef exclaimed. "That wasn't even-"

"Release the hounds!" Chris said to MacArthur.

The cadet gave the signal for her dogs to charge into the woods. They gnashed their teeth and immediately took off.

Nichelle and Raj were sprinting, trying to create as much distance as they could with the headstart.

But they could already hear their dogs closing in on them.

"What are we going to do?" Raj asked.

"I don't know," Nichelle responded. "I don't like working with dogs. They never got along with me on a set."

"Really? I love dogs. My family had one growing up and he was so cute."

"Did you have any that were vicious hunters with razor-sharp teeth?"

"Umm…" Raj glanced back. He could see their dogs gaining on them. Their teeth were gnashed and he could hear their incessant growling. "...no." He finally responded.

Confessional (Raj): "I think the worst fight Snuffles got into was with his chew toy. And even then, the chew toy won."

Static

The two friends continued running. Suddenly, Bloodhunter and Edward Scissormouth jumped over them, blocking any forward momentum.

Nichelle was nervous, but Raj wasn't bothered. "It's okay. I did this on my dog all the time." He bent his knees slightly and put his hands slightly up. "He fakes left." He stepped to the side. "He weaves right." He jumped again. His dog was puzzled. Raj went left again. "And with one fell swoop, he- GAH!" Raj didn't get to finish. Bloodhunter pounced forward, lunging at Raj and attacking him.

Nichelle tried to intervene, but Edward Scissormouth was staring her down. He also went to attack. Nichelle thought quickly and jumped up. She grabbed a branch from a tree and pulled herself up, narrowly avoiding Edward's sharp canines.

The Hollywood star stood up and looked down. "Ha!" She said confidently. "Looks like not every dog has its-"

But instead of wallowing in defeat, Edward Scissormouth ran towards another nearby tree and jumped. He pushed his legs against it, shooting himself out toward Nichelle's tree. The dog opened his mouth and bit down on the base of the branch, instantly turning it to woodchips.

No longer attached to the tree, the branch fell, taking Nichelle with it. Edward Scissormouth made short work of her after that.

Damien was also doing his best to avoid his dog. It hadn't taken much time before he heard thunderous footsteps and snarling. Chainsaw was narrowing the distance between its target. Damien realized there was no way he could outrun the dog. So instead, he took a deep breath, stopped, and turned around.

Confessional (Damien): "I don't know what it is. Maybe it's because Priya's gone and I can focus on winning, but I think I can take this dog on. Since I still don't have the idol, I need to do everything I can to win this challenge."

Static

"Come on!" Damien bellowed, gesturing his hand towards himself.

Chainsaw's eyes went wide. It jumped into the air, snarled its teeth, and dove towards Damien.

The neurotic contestant suddenly realized something.

Confessional (Damien): He was now covered in scratches and bites. Chainsaw was also in the outhouse, holding a rope attached to Damien's wrist. "Yeah, I was way out of my depth on this one." He admitted.

Static

Like Nichelle and Raj, MK and Julia had elected to stick together. They found a quiet rocky section next to the ocean.

Julia looked around. "I think we lost them."

"For now," MK added. "Chris and that crazy lady seemed pretty confident the dogs would be able to find us."

"Whatever, we'll worry about this later. Let's talk strategy."

MK shrugged but agreed. "Who are we voting off?"

"Damien probably." The influencer gritted her teeth. "After what he pulled last challenge, no way am I letting him get away with it."

"Oh, classic revenge story." MK rubbed her hands together. "I like it. We need three votes though. Where's the last vote coming from?"

Julia sighed. "I don't know. Raj doesn't like me and he and Nichelle are close. And since Damien doesn't like me either, he'll also be going for me. Our best bet is to convince Nichelle to vote for him. She's from Hollywood and they've all got a little bit of blood-sucking leech inside of them."

"Speaking from experience?" MK suggested. "I mean, even if you've never been to Hollywood, I wouldn't be surprised if I found a leech crawling inside you."

Julia laughed.

Confessional (Julia): "Having friends usually means sappiness and sharing your feelings, but MK is…" She trailed off. "Um, I mean…w-we're not friends, but…no, there's nothing else to say. We're not friends. Definitely not."

Static

Julia was about to say something when she heard a noise. She tilted her head to look behind Julia. "Um…we got company."

The influencer turned around. The scraggly little dog from the beginning of the challenge had caught up to them.

"Which one is it after?" Julia asked.

MK stepped away from her alliance member. Booger's head tilted slightly in her direction. "Guess it's me." MK shrugged. "Shouldn't be too much of an issue. I've had a few run-ins with a bear, so this tiny thing shouldn't-"

At that moment, Booger narrowed her eyes and gnashed her teeth. She suddenly jumped forward, onto MK. She screamed and stumbled back into the water. She emerged a second later but was being dragged and thrown around. "What?! How on earth is this thing so strong?" She tried dragging herself back to shore, but Booger's grip was too tight and she was pulled further away.

Julia watched.

Confessional (Julia): She laughed. "Ok, fine. I felt a little bad, but that was too funny. If only I was recording."

Static

Julia pulled out a phone from her pocket. "Yo, MK!" She called. "Come back here, I want to get this on video to-" She suddenly heard growling. Julia didn't need to look back to know that a Doberman with a metal jaw was directly behind her. "Ah, farts…" She grimaced.

Nichelle, Raj, and Damien were all being dragged across the ground, being pulled by their respective dogs. They all had cuts and scrapes along their bodies and clothes. Raj's jersey had even been pulled up over his head, so he couldn't see.

As soon as they were dragged into the orange circle, a red X appeared next to their icons on the monitor from earlier. "And in less than five minutes, three of our five competitors already have a strike. Two more of those and they're out!"

Raj got up and dusted himself off. "That wasn't much of a headstart." He complained.

"Don't worry, the second one will be much longer," Chris said.

The three competitors got up and quickly ran off.

"How much time did I give them last time?" Chris asked.

"About seven seconds…" MacArthur responded. She paused. "I think it's been more than seven."

"I agree," Chris said. "Send them loose!"

MacArthur signaled for her three dogs to go back into the woods.

No sooner had they left when Beartrap appeared, dragging Julia to the circle, followed closely by the tiny taps of Booger's legs hitting the ground as she was somehow dragging MK.

Confessional (MK): "Believe it or not, I think I might've preferred the bear."

Static

The two received their first X.

They got up, dusted themselves off, looked at the snarling dogs that were ready to pounce them again, and then turned to each other.

"Split up this time?" Julia suggested.

"Good call," MK said.

The two went back to the woods but in separate directions.

Damien was currently struggling to climb a tree. He pulled himself up to one of the branches and stood up. He looked down at Chainsaw, snarling in frustration.

Confessional (Damien): "Alright, I'm too high for him to jump up, so I should be safe for now."

Static

Damien quickly ended up eating his own words, as Chainsaw opened his mouth and, true to his name, bit down on the wood. With one chomp, a small section of the tree was obliterated. Damien gulped.

MacArthur was watching from a monitor. She grinned. "I didn't name him Chainsaw for nothing."

"Damien really should've expected that." Chef pointed.

"He really should've." Chris agreed.

Back at the tree, Chainsaw was making steady progress on the tree. His chomps were loud and aggressive.

Damien looked for a miracle. He saw one coming, in the form of Nichelle and Raj, who were running towards the tree. He gasped, thinking they were going to help. "Guys, up here!"

But, instead, they ran right by, not taking any notice of the stranded Damien. He was shocked.

Confessional (Damien): "Ok…they…they must've been running from their dogs. Makes sense, but…I don't know, they could've acknowledged me. Or maybe they didn't hear me because of Chainsaw…or…something else." He paused, contemplating any other possibilities.

Static

The neurotic contestant looked for a second miracle and found one. The tree branch he was on led to a rock structure that wasn't too far off the ground. Carefully, he inched his way across.

"Was that Damien?" Raj called to Nichelle.

Nichelle didn't answer. She was too focused on the dogs that were trailing them. "I was hoping that sticking together would throw their scent off, but I guess not."

Raj gasped. "I got it!" He stopped suddenly and quickly kicked his shoes off.

Nichelle stopped too. "You have a-" Raj then took his socks off and shoved them in his mouth. The Hollywood Star gave a look of pure disgust. "Ew! Raj, what is wrong with you?!"

The Hockey Bro held up his finger, still chewing on the piece of cloth. He finally swallowed. "Ah! If the dogs find us by chasing our socks, then the best way to throw them off is to…" He rolled his wrist, gesturing for Nichelle to finish.

"...take off our socks?"

"That…" Raj trailed off, starting to realize something. "Oh, yeah. That makes way more sense than eating them."

Nichelle was about to speak when a rustle was heard from a nearby bush. In an instant, Edward Scissormouth and Bloodhunter jumped out of it, snarling and ready to drag them back.

Nichelle ran off. Edward Scissormouth gave chase, but Bloodhunter stayed where he was.

"Ha!" Raj exclaimed. "I was right, the dog isn't chasing me. I'm a-" He felt something gurgling in his stomach. "Uh oh." He suddenly burped loudly. The sock he ate flew out of his mouth and landed in front of the dog. Bloodhunter took one look at it, then back to Raj.

The hockey bro stepped back nervously, as the dog gnashed his teeth.

Confessional (Raj): Bloodhunter was now in the confessional with him, holding a piece of rope in his mouth. The other end was attached to Raj's wrist. "That's not the first time I've eaten my sock, but it is the first time it didn't end well for me."

Static

Nichelle was barely managing to avoid Edward Scissormouth. The dog was hot on her trail and showing no signs of slowing down.

Confessional (Nichelle): "I could either keep running and hope the dog gets tired before me, or…" She took a deep breath, looking more confident. "...I can put Axel's training to good use…and fight!"

Static

Nichelle dug her heels into the ground, stopping herself. She turned around and narrowed her eyes. Edward continued sprinting towards her.

"Looks like I'm sending you to the pound!" Nichelle brought her foot up suddenly, all the way up to her shoulder.

Edward dug his paws into the ground and stopped himself, surprised by Nichelle's sudden move.

With a swift motion, Nichelle brought her foot down towards Edward Scissormouth. The dog braced himself.

Nichelle's foot was about to hit when…

She stopped.

Inches away from Edward Scissormouth's face, Nichelle had paused her momentum completely and was standing in place. Both dog and human shared an awkward moment of uncertainty.

Confessional (Nichelle): Like with Raj, Nichelle's dog was holding her by a rope. "I know it's a vicious dog that could easily tear me, or anyone else, to shreds, but…it's a still dog that I would've kicked in the face. And that is a PR nightmare in the entertainment industry."

Static

A bear was trudging through the forest, alone.

He walked past a bush. It shifted slightly before MK poked her head out from it.

Confessional (MK): "Alright, so I had bad run-ins with bears and now I gotta deal with Booger. So what better way to deal with both problems than having them meet and cancel each other out? After all, two negatives make a positive…for me."

Static

Booger sniffed the ground. She was close to the bush and knew her target was close.

"Hey."

The tiny dog looked up to see MK staring down at her. "Looking for me?"

Booger snarled and ran towards the hacker. MK burst out of the other end of the bush. She sprinted in the direction she saw the bear go and quickly caught up.

"Yo!" She yelled and ran right past the animal. "Remember me? I think you got bigger competition to worry about." She pointed.

The bear was confused and turned. Booger popped out from the bush and was confused to find a significantly larger creature in front of her.

The bear stared and then let out a hearty chuckle.

MK watched from a distance.

Confessional (MK): "Look, I don't like the idea of that little maniac getting torn to shreds by that bear but, for once, I'm not the one getting attacked, so I think I deserve to enjoy this moment."

Static

The bear continued laughing at the pathetic dog in front of it. However, MK had completely underestimated Booger. The little dog's eyes suddenly straightened. Her teeth clenched and she assumed a pouncing stance. The bear was still laughing. Booger then jumped onto the significantly larger creature.

The onslaught that MK bore witness to was chilling. And it wasn't Booger who was torn apart. The bear's laughter was quickly silenced, replaced with whimpers and cries of pain. Booger worked quickly and painfully, biting and scratching all around the creature's body.

The bear had no defense because of Booger's quickness and small size.

MK was left in stunned silence as she saw the bear get absolutely walloped.

She was still stunned as Booger dragged her back to the starting point.

Confessional (Julia): "I need this win right now. Even with MK, I don't have the numbers advantage. Right now, my best shot would be to wait out the challenge in the water. The dogs can't get me there. I mean, it would mean my clothes would be soaked and I couldn't use my phone…" She trailed, contemplating if she actually wanted to go through with this. Eventually, she shook her head. "No! I need this win."

Static

Julia ran along the dock, with Beartrap hot on her tail. She made it to the end and jumped in. "Later, fleabag!" She taunted, before submerging.

Once she was under, Julia quickly thought of a plan of where to go.

She then turned around, only to find Beartrap staring her down.

Confessional (Julia): Beartrap now had a rope attached to her wrist. "Right…dogs can swim. Man, being on this show for two seasons has really made me dumber."

Static

"And it looks like Nichelle and Raj have earned their second strike," Chris announced as the two contestants were dragged back. "One more and they're both out."

"Alright," Raj got up. "I guess we're going into overtime, let's do this!" Raj ran off. But Nichelle didn't follow. The hockey bro stopped. "What's wrong?"

The Hollywood star looked at her friend. "Raj…I think we should split up. Both times we've been caught together. I think we might do better if we split up."

Raj looked downcast. "Oh…ok."

His friend put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. As this was happening, Julia was also being brought back, earning her second strike. "I'll you at the end, alright?"

Raj wasn't certain but managed a smile. He nodded and then ran into the woods.

Nichelle was about to do the same when she felt something tug her arm. "Hold on," Julia said. "I need to talk with you."

The Hollywood star pulled her arm away. "What? Looking to collab now that I'm about to be famous again?"

Julia stammered. "What? No. Look, I know you probably don't like me, but I think you should listen to what I have to say." Nichelle didn't say anything, so Julia continued. "I know you and Raj are close and you're probably trying to use him and Damien to vote me off. It's smart, honestly, I would've done the same."

Much to Julia's delight, Nichelle seemed to take the compliment.

"And…" She went on. "The idol still hasn't been played and he could have it. And there's only one way to find out."

Confessional (Julia): "I'm desperate. If I can't get this win, I can try to push the votes away from me."

Static

Nichelle chuckled. "I gotta say, desperation is not a good look for you. It causes wrinkles…" She slyly looked at Julia. "...or at least, more than you already had."

The influencer gasped and pulled out her phone to check her face.

Nichelle continued. "But as for everything else, I'm not worried. I have two guys on my side that guarantee us a trip to the finale. And right now, I don't have any room for a wannabe version of myself."

Julia gasped. She was about to reply when Chris suddenly coughed into his fist. "I love a good diss as much as the next person, but I would prefer to see you guys getting mauled by dogs, so get a move on."

Nichelle obliged, denying a comeback from Julia.

She grimaced but headed back into the woods.

Confessional (Julia): "Oh…she's not getting away with that." She glared directly into the camera.

Static

Bloodhunter was hot on Raj's tail. The hockey bro looked for a way to escape and found one. There was a shed nearby and sprinted towards it.

He ran past a bush. Damien popped his head out. He had gotten off his tree and had successfully avoided getting caught by his dog since then. He saw Raj go into the shed.

Confessional (Damien): "That's a pretty smart way for Raj to avoid his dog." He pondered. "I wonder if he…" He shook his head. "No, I'm thinking too hard about it. But maybe…"

Static

Bloodhunter was at the door, barking and clawing at it. If Raj didn't act quickly, the dog would catch him.

"Think, Rajie." He said. "If eating my socks didn't work, then-" He went wide-eyed. "I've got it!"

Damien watched as Bloodhunter tore down the door. He felt bad but knew he couldn't do anything. Finally, Bloodhunter broke the door completely off its hinges and ran inside. Damien heard loud barks. Then what sounded like clothes being ripped.

Damien then heard things being thrown around.

He was now in a panic. He couldn't see what was happening from his angle but figured it wasn't good. He grunted and ran out of his bush to the shed. He arrived at the entrance. He still couldn't make out what was happening with all the dust being kicked around but could hear Bloodhunter's snarls.

Damien looked down and gasped. He saw bits of Raj's jersey, all around the shed's floor.

Before he could scream, something flew out from the doorway. With a loud klang, it struck Damien in the head, knocking him on his back.

He rubbed his head. "Ow…what was-" He didn't get to finish.

Chainsaw was now standing over him, snarling.

MK had just earned her second strike after being brought back by Booger. She wasted no time and ran off.

She made it to the cabin and closed the door behind her. She turned around, only to find an unexpected guest.

"Would you get out of here?" Julia yelled. "I don't need your little demon chasing me too."

MK just chuckled. "What's the matter? Are you worried about getting eliminated? Since you have two outs already? Is that why your hair looks more grey than usual?"

"Wha-" Julia was about to get her phone to check when she realized MK was mocking her. "Ha. Ha." She said sardonically. "And what about you? You have the same outs as me."

The hacker scoffed. "Yeah, but if I lose, I won't have to worry about getting voted off."

"And if I win, you'll probably be eliminated because no one can go after me."

"Aww…" MK mockingly put her hand to her cheeks. "Are you saying you're going to miss me when I'm gone?"

"Yes!" Julia shouted.

This was not the response MK was expecting and her jaw fell open slightly.

"You're…you're, like, the only person on this island who isn't a total bore. If you got eliminated, I'd…I might actually think about wanting to see you again."

MK was left in stunned silence, unable to process what was just said to her.

Julia was about to say something when she heard scratching at the door. It was loud and violent, which could only mean one thing.

"The dogs are back!" MK yelled. "Let's go out the window!"

Julia nodded. "And let's continue this conversation…never."

"Agreed."

Both the hacker and the influencer opened the nearby window and jumped through it. Then they split up once they reached the woods.

Confessional (MK): "She'd…miss me?"

Static

Chainsaw was dragging Damien back to the circle, giving him his second strike. But he didn't seem too concerned about it.

Chris looked down at Damien, who was stuttering and hugging his knees. "Damien, you look like you've been traumatized…and that brings a smile to my face."

"R-Raj…" Damien whispered.

"Raj? What about him?"

"I think the dog mauled him to death. I tried calling for him, but he didn't answer. The dog just kept tearing into his clothes and…" He shivered, not wanting to finish the sentence. Bloodhunter appeared a second later. Damien scrambled to his feet and ducked behind MacArthur. "That dog! That dog mauled Raj and probably ate him too!"

Chris turned to the trainer. "What do you typically do if a dog eats someone?"

MacArthur shrugged. "It hasn't happened, but if it does, I have to make an apology video."

The host groaned. "I hate those. They're so non-profitable."

"Relax," Chef interjected. He pointed at the dog's mouth. It was holding a pair of pants in its mouth. "Raj isn't dead. He's just pantsless."

Damien, MacArthur, and Chris sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness he's still alive." Damien said.

"I don't have to make a video…" Chris said, at the same time.

The neurotic contestant decided not to wait any further and ran off.

MacArthur stepped forward and swiped the pants from Bloodhunter. She then put it up to his nose. "Boy…back in the pants! Boy! Pants! Get him in the pants!"

Bloodhunter snarled, grabbed the pants, and sprinted back into the woods.

Confessional (Damien): "Ok…so Raj is okay…I think. But if he is still alive, what did I see?"

Static

The neurotic contestant arrived back at the shed. The door was still on the floor and he peered in. He was met with Raj's jersey, which had been torn to shreds. He nervously glanced around, before realizing something. In addition to the jersey, Damien also found bits of yellow metal blocks and scrap. In the middle was a yellow head.

"Wait a minute," Damien finally realized what was going on. "Raj used a deceptive form of duplicity by putting his own clothes on this dummy to confuse his dog into attacking it, instead of him. Due to the dog's sensitive sense of smell, it had no choice but to attack the fraudulent Raj because its clothes were still giving off Raj's scent, allowing him to escape and avoid being attacked."

"I don't know about that, dude."

Damien looked up. Raj had just climbed back through the window to the shed. He only had his underwear on.

"I just dressed that thing up to look like me."

Damien narrowed his eyes.

Confessional (Damien): "That was…pretty smart of Raj. Maybe he was the one who- wait a minute…"

Static

"Raj, if you were able to escape, why did you come back?"

The hockey bro was about to reply when he realized…he didn't actually have an answer. "That's…a good question. Why did I come back?" He shrugged. "Well, it should be fine. My dog already went back, so it doubt-"

At that moment, growling could be heard. Raj and Damien turned to see Bloodhunter and Chainsaw at the door.

"Yeah, coming back was probably not the best move," Raj admitted.

Both dogs lunged at them.

Damien, thinking quickly, ran to the window that Raj had climbed into. Chainsaw went to bite him, but he had just missed.

Raj tried to do the same, but Bloodhunter grabbed him by his underwear before he could make it out.

Damien looked back, as he heard the sounds of snarling and Raj's screams. He winced but kept running.

Confessional (Damien): "I felt bad for leaving Raj behind, but I can't trust him right now. Or anyone else." He sighed. "I don't know, would Raj get himself eliminated to try and take me down with him? If he has the idol, he doesn't have to worry about getting eliminated. Or…maybe I'm overthinking it." He paused, considering his words. "Or…am I underthinking it? Or am I underthinking about overthinking about it?" He was starting to get more neurotic. "Which would mean I'm perfectly reasonable for thinking this. Or am I overthinking that too? Or maybe-"

Static

An intern was holding a bag of garbage. She walked next to a dumpster and tossed it in, before leaving. Beartrap appeared a moment later, sniffing the air.

The garbage inside moved slightly. Julia's head suddenly popped out from the dumpster. She shuddered, then noticed the dog. Beartrap heard the noise and looked up. He sprinted towards her. Suddenly, the dog stopped in his tracks. Cautiously, he sniffed at her. The dog then winced, whined, and ran back the way he came. Julia sighed, before immediately gagging.

Confessional (Julia): She was laced with garbage and some gross green stains on her skin and clothes. Moldy fruit was also sitting on her head. She gagged again. "Before you ask, it was purely to help me win. You saw it, the dog doesn't like my scent, so it'll stay away from me. I have one strike left, so I can't afford to be dragged back. I might be gross, but the immunity will be worth it." She suppressed the horrendous smell and smirked. "Now that I don't have to worry about Beartrap, I can have some fun of my own." She reached down and pulled up a bucket of brown liquid. "And what's more fun than a bucket full of bacon grease? Especially one that gets dumped on Damien."

Static

Julia was hiding behind a tree when she saw Damien sprinting. He didn't notice her and stopped in front of the mess hall to catch his breath. The influencer grinned and was about to toss the bucket when something on the roof of the mess hall caught her eye. She looked back at Damien and got an idea.

Nichelle had seen Edward Scissormouth pass by a few times. But thankfully, he hadn't caught the scent of his victim. The roof had turned out to be a great spot.

Unfortunately, it was also great for Julia. She had snuck into the building without being spotted. She had then climbed up the chimney with her bucket. She poked her head out. Nichelle hadn't suspected a thing.

Suddenly, a stream of brown liquid was dropped onto her.

"What the-" She shuddered. Feeling the liquid on her skin, she quickly realized what it was. But before she could say anything, she felt herself slipping off the roof. She tried grabbing something, but her greasy fingers made it impossible. She had no way of stopping herself from sliding down the roof.

Damien heard a sound and looked up. He was then met with Nichelle, who crashed onto him, coating him in some of the bacon grease.

The neurotic contestant groaned. "Nichelle?" Both contestants quickly picked themselves up. "What are you doing here? And why are you covered in…" He sniffed his jacket. "...bacon grease?"

"I don't know," Nichelle answered. "Someone-" She caught her breath.

Damien turned to see Edward Scissormouth, snarling. He then noticed Chainsaw, not too far behind, sprinting towards them.

He ran off, without a word.

Nichelle was about to do the same. "Call me a tail because you ain't catchin' me!" She went to run but slipped on the puddle of grease that she and Damien had created. She fell on her back and grunted. She then looked up to see Edward sniffing her. "I don't suppose we can do another take?" She asked nervously.

Edward's response was a low growl before he lunged at her.

Confessional (Damien): He looked like he was having a nervous breakdown. "Ok…" He chuckled nervously. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but…why did Nichelle do that? I mean, she wouldn't dump grease on herself to sabotage me, right? It would've been easier to just…" He trailed off, then gasped. "What if was trying to throw it on me and then slipped? I mean…we're supposed to be in alliance, but…someone has the idol and, all I know is…it's not me."

Static

MK was relaxing in a canoe with her arms resting behind her head.

Confessional (MK): "The dog might be terrifying, but she can't swim very far in those tiny legs. All I gotta do is hang out until the end of the challenge. And even if the dog somehow catches up, it'll take her all day to actually reach me."

Static

MK's relaxation was soon interrupted when she heard the sound of a motor. She picked her head up and looked towards the source of the noise. Then she gasped.

Booger was not swimming towards her. The small dog was on a jet ski, somehow driving it. And her eyes were filled with rage.

MK scrambled to pick up a canoe and quickly tried to paddle away. However, Booger and her jet ski were too fast. She rammed her vehicle into the canoe, breaking it apart almost instantly.

It wasn't long before Booger had caught MK and started pulling her back to land.

Confessional (MK): "I…hate this challenge."

Static

Nichelle and Raj were both brought back to the circle, meaning they were both eliminated. "Raj, where are your pants?" Chris asked, noting that Raj was still in underwear. "This is a family show."

"Bloodhunter…" MacArthur pointed.

The dog meekly looked at her, then hacked up Raj's pants.

"Oh…" Chris looked up. "And it looks like you're not the only ones out."

Booger had appeared, dragging MK by the collar of her jacket. As soon as she was brought into the circle, a third X appeared on the screen.

"It's now down to Damien and Julia."

MK looked out into the woods.

Confessional (MK): "I really hope Damien gets brought back first. I should be safe, but if Julia doesn't win immunity, I might have to use my idol on her." She paused. "N-Not that I would."

Static

Julia had found her way into a cave, where she encountered a familiar face.

"Oh, good…" She said with false enthusiasm. "You're still here."

The raptor stirred and got up from its sleeping position.

Julia continued. "Look, what happened between us is so last season. You want to be friends with me. It's ok, everyone does." The raptor was unimpressed. "So why don't you be a good friend and let me hang out here? If a dog comes by, you can scare it away. I'm sure you like doing that kind of stuff-"

She was cut off when the raptor roared in her face. Julia closed her eyes, as she felt saliva hit her in the face. The intensity of the roar knocked the garbage off of her.

Finally, the raptor stopped. Julia was dazed, but only for a moment. "Ok, fair enough. Now, can I-"

Growling could then be heard.

She looked back to see Beartrap behind her.

Suddenly, Julia realized the perilous situation she was in: trapped between the dog trying to catch her and the raptor that hated her.

"Ah, farts." She said.

Her screams echoed all around the cave as both creatures attacked.

Damien had managed to avoid Chainsaw. He was still partly covered in the grease, which seemingly gave the dog enough motivation to keep his pace. Damien was growing more paranoid.

Confessional (Damien): "I don't know what to do. If I get brought back, I'm out. I might still be safe with Raj and Nichelle, but…I don't know if I can trust them. Nichelle wouldn't cover herself in bacon grease to sabotage me…or maybe she slipped and…" He then glanced down at his jacket. "Wait…bacon grease…that's it!"

Static

Damien shimmied his jacket off. He then tossed it behind him. It landed directly in the path of Chainsaw. The neurotic contestant could only hope that his plan worked.

Chainsaw saw the jacket and came to a stop in front of it. He sniffed it. To Damien's delight, he started licking the grease, taking his attention completely off of his target.

"Yes!" He shouted.

Unfortunately, since Damien was looking back, he wasn't paying where he was running. Suddenly, he slipped and fell on his back. "Ow!" He grunted. His back felt damp and greasy. "Wait…" Damien checked his surroundings. He was lying directly next to the mess hall. It didn't take long to realize he had slipped on the leftover grease from when Nichelle landed on him. He was about to sit up when he felt a shadow cross over him.

Chainsaw was standing directly over him, snarling.

Confessional (Damien): He was still covered in grease, as Chainsaw licked him over. "I mean…there's no way Nichelle would've known I would run to that exact spot again, right?" He looked over at his dog. "What do you think?"

Chainsaw growled in response, prompting Damien to not say anything.

Static

Julia was currently being dragged by Beartrap towards the circle. The other competitors watched on, eager for the result. MK looked nervous though.

"And it looks like Julia's time is just about…" Chris suddenly gasped. "Wait!"

Damien suddenly appeared, also being dragged by his dog. However, Julia still had a lead on him.

"Whoever hits the circle first loses. Damien's gaining, but it might not be enough to get there before Julia."

The influencer realized her chance and gritted her teeth.

Confessional (Julia): "When in doubt, fake nails are the answers to all of life's problems."

Static

Julia flexed her fingers and brought them down to the dir. Her nails dug into the ground, slowing her momentum. Beartrap kept pulling, but Julia was not going fast enough.

Damien watched as he was suddenly dragged past his opponent. "Wait! Hold on! Come on, that's not fair. My nails are fake!"

He tried to pull himself free, but Chainsaw had already reached the circle. A third X appeared next to Damien's icon.

"Julia wins!" Chris announced.

"Yes!" She jumped up and celebrated.

Nichelle and Raj sighed, disappointed. MK tried to hide a smirk. Damien looked between his two friends.

Confessional (Damien): "I had considered that Julia stole the idol, but…she tried so hard to win, now I don't know. And now that she won, I might be toast."

Confessional (Julia): "Damien is toast…is what I would've said before I had another idea."

Static

Later that evening, Damien was in the mess hall kitchen, rubbing a white powder over his stained jacket.

Confessional (Damien): "Baking soda is very absorbent when it comes to kitchen grease. It breaks down the stain in the fabrics and neutralizes the acids." He paused, staring at the camera. "I don't know…" He finally sighed. "Listing off facts helps calm my nerves. Especially since…I don't know who I can trust right now."

Static

Damien continued trying to get the kitchen grease out of his clothes. He was so invested in it that he didn't see Julia walk into the room. "Hey, Damien." She said.

The neurotic contestant let out a yelp, throwing white powder into the air. He coughed as the room quickly became enveloped in a large cloud.

Damien and Julia frantically looked for the exit and burst out of the door, still choking on the baking soda.

"W-Why…did you…do that?!" Damien yelped, trying to clear his throat.

"I wasn't trying…to scare you." Julia coughed. "I…wanted to talk to you."

Finally able to find his bearings, Damien glared. "And why should I trust you? After yesterday's challenge, I didn't think you'd want anything to do with me."

Julia's lip tilted upwards. "Damien, let me cut to the chase. I know you found the idol and lost it."

Damien gasped. "Wha…how did you…who said I…" He stammered, trying to think of a response. "You…how…"

Julia grunted, annoyed by the repetition. "Stop! I know you don't have it because you've been way more on edge recently. And with only five of us remaining, it's not hard to figure it out."

"Well…" Damien finally found his voice. "How do I know you don't have it?"

Julia shrugged. "Fair enough, but you can't vote for me right now. I'm safe even if I don't have it. But you aren't. Especially with Nichelle and Raj still around."

"But I-" Damien stopped himself, not wanting to give away his alliance.

Julia continued pressing him. "Sure, you could just vote MK, but then what? If I win the next challenge- and I've already won two- Raj and Nichelle will just vote for you since they're so tight. But, I know how to make that issue go away." She paused.

Damien wanted to say something, but Julia could tell he was hanging on her every word.

She put her hand on Damien's shoulder. "Vote with me tonight and you'll have one less thing to worry about. Unless she has the idol. But there's only one way to figure that out. Either way, you'll have nothing to lose."

She turned and walked off, leaving Damien to simmer with his thoughts. He thought back to Nichelle landing on her when and coating him in grease and his mind played even more scenarios.

Confessional (Damien): He sighed. "I know it's Julia, but…she's kinda right."

Static

Julia turned a corner to the back of the mess hall, so now could see her.

"It's done." She grinned.

MK popped out of a nearby bush. She had heard everything and looked very excited. "So…" She leaned.

"I'm pretty sure you're safe from elimination."

MK rolled her hand, urging Julia to continue.

The influencer rolled her eyes, reached into her back pocket, and revealed a wallet. "And you're a pretty good teacher."

Confessional (Julia): "Sure, I could've convinced Nichelle to vote off Damien for trying to mess with me, but I find the best types of revenge where you actually get to witness their misery. Now Nichelle will know not to trash-talk me and Damien gets to squirm a little more."

Static

The final five were soon brought in for the elimination ceremony.

"After all that running, you all must be dog tired." Chris winked. His joke was met with a chorus of groans. The host turned to Chef. "Do you think that got it? I don't think they got it."

"They got it," Chef reassured, unamused. "That's why they aren't laughing."

Chris glared. "Whatever, just…do your thing. The recap thing that isn't funny at all."

His co-host obliged. "Nichelle, you couldn't kick a dog. Not that we want to see it, but it kinda hurt your performance in this challenge."

"Fine. You deal with my PR team." Nichelle huffed.

"Damien, you thought Raj was getting torn apart by a dog when it was actually a dummy. You might need to take a class on human anatomy."

"I couldn't see what was going on!" Damien defended. He glanced over at Julia, who winked at him.

"And finally, MK. You thought you could take on a tiny dog and lost…badly."

"It literally took down a bear!"

"You've all cast your votes and made your decision," Chris announced. "If I call your name that means you're safe. If you don't, then I'm afraid your time as a competitor in this game will be…rover." He paused and stretched his arms out, hoping someone would laugh.

He was met with confused stares and silence. Raj coughed into his sleeve, but no one actually said anything.

Chris sighed, dejected. "The following players are safe…Julia…Raj…Damien…"

The three players each received a marshmallow. While the first two were happy, Damien couldn't help but look worried. Raj soon felt the same when he noticed Nichelle hadn't received anything either.

MK was also nervous.

"One marshmallow remains," Chris said, holding it up. "Is MK logging off, or is this Nichelle's curtain call? And the final marshmallow goes to…"

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"…MK!"

The hacker gladly took her treat.

Nichelle was surprised and looked towards Damien and Raj. The hockey bro was just as shocked as her, but Damien was trying his best to not look conspicuous.

"Nichelle, your time is up. Follow me." Chris said.

The Hollywood star got up and started making her way towards the dock. She didn't see MK or Julia watching her with smug delight.

"Hold on!" Raj stood up suddenly. He scratched his head. "It doesn't make sense…"

Confessional (Raj): "I…I'm not that good at math, but I think I can figure this out. There are five of us, so Nichelle needs…three votes to leave. Julia probably voted for her and MK didn't vote for herself. I know I didn't vote for Nichelle and she-" He suddenly gasped.

Static

Raj shot a finger. "Damien! You voted for Nichelle!"

Confessional (Julia): "Wow, I was not expecting Raj to figure it out."

Confessional (Damien): "I was kinda banking on Raj not figuring it out." He sighed. "And now I'm toast."

Static

"Raj, I…" But Damien couldn't bring himself to speak.

Confessional (Damien): "I messed up bad…"

Static

The hockey bro felt a hand touch his shoulder. He turned around to see Nichelle standing up. "Hey, do you want to walk me to the dock?" She said quietly.

Raj allowed himself to calm down and nodded. The two headed off, leaving behind a proud MK and Julia, as well as a completely dejected Damien.

"A part of me isn't too upset about leaving," Nichelle admitted, as they went down the dock. "Now I get to see my girlfriend and go back to Hollywood. Oh, maybe I can bring her on set with me."

Raj wasn't listening. He was too upset and still trying to process what just happened.

He was broken from his trance when two hands pushed against his shoulder. He looked up to see Nichelle staring him, square in the face. "Hey." She said firmly. "You've got this. You're going to win this whole thing and beat everyone here. That includes Damien. Got it?"

Raj considered what she was saying. He stared back at his friend, gave a confident smile, and nodded.

The soon-to-be returning Hollywood star grinned. She let him go, just in time for the Drone of Despair to grab her and take her off the island.

Confessional (Raj): He looked more serious than he ever did before. "I didn't get to say goodbye to my best friend then I had to watch my own boyfriend get eliminated and then the same thing happened with Emma, and now I had to say goodbye to Nichelle." He took a deep breath and pointed at the camera. "Well, you know what? I'm done. No more friends. I'm through saying goodbye. Julia, MK…Damien. I'm taking them all on. This time, it's Raj…against the world!"

Static

"Wow!" Chris was standing at the dock. "With Nichelle gone, Raj seems more focused than ever. I can't wait to see what he has planned. Be sure to stay tuned for a revenge-filled episode when we return, here…on Total…Drama…Island!"

Nichelle was not originally going to be eliminated here. I didn't want to do that because I didn't like the idea of eliminating so many female characters in a row. But then I remembered that the first season kinda did that with its male contestants, so I eventually gave in. And I think this is the right call for what I have planned.

As for the eliminated contestant, let's talk about her. She's one of two contestants to never make the merge, which is a shame. Remember how I said Caleb is my least favorite character of the seasons? Well, Nichelle is the worst-written character. Season one is fine with setting her up for a potential arc in the next, but then season two has her development happen off-screen. She peaked in episode one with the reveal, but then they had absolutely nothing for her. Like with Emma breaking things off with Chase, we should've been able to see this development.

Two more chapters left. One more elimination. Who is not making the cut? Unlike this one, I know exactly who's going next. Hopefully, it gives me enough motivation to get this out sooner. But even then, a month isn't too bad. See you when I see you.

Ciao

Merge: Damien, MK, Raj, Julia

Nichelle: Julia, MK, Damien

MK: Raj, Nichelle

Elimination order:

16th: Ripper

15th: Chase

14th: Scary Girl

13th: Zee

12th: Wayne

11th: Millie

10th: Bowie

9th: Caleb

8th: Emma

7th: Axel

6th: Priya

5th: Nichelle