Ticket here! Welcome back to Second Chance. We are TEN days (in-universe) before finale night, and the time for the top eight to secure their winning paths, only lessens. There's maybe FIVE eliminations left on the board, and they need to make it count. Big things could be coming soon.

Also, I have to reveal another castaway for the sixth season. Say hello to Kitana, from the Mortal Kombat series. Despite being in the same series as the Black Dragon, and Cyber Lin Kuei, you will find her to be very different from them. From her hypothetical casting interview, she doesn't seem all that bad, but the game strips people down and answers the battle of Selfish vs Selfless. That's all I will say about that.

With that reveal out of the way, back to the show!

EPISODE ELEVEN: RETRIBUTION VERSUS RETALIATION

Players: Chun-Li, Cyrax, Diana, Gordon Ramsay, Princess Peach, Sektor, Slade, and T'Challa

Jury: Metal Sonic, Sackboy, and Little Mac

Eight are left. WHO will be voted out next?

Night 28

The castaways lucky enough to survive the show last night, live to lean their torches another day. Desperation tends to ramp up with this little of players left, but with returnees hungry to win on their next, and maybe last try, it's bound to bite someone.

Chun-Li wipes her forehead with some relief. "He piled on the stress."

Cyrax tilts his head. "You? Stressed? You are the most level headed person I know. Given what Mac did..I can see why you were—"

"Yes. He would have tried to drag me down with him. If he had more time.." She approaches Slade before he can sit down. "I didn't approve of what he was pitching. Like I said, it was to keep him quiet."

"That's a good hill to die on." Slade takes the seat anyway, unenthusiastic. "Whether you meant it, or you didn't, Mac is gone and we don't have to worry about him. He can go back to his bush-leagues."

Li leaves his side immediately. "That wasn't really necessary."

"He tried to eliminate me, let me have this."

"..if you say so." Li shrugs, letting Slade heal (or hurt) himself if he feels like. She's been granted a couple more days, and still has time to make something happen.

Chun-Li: I can feel happy. I can feel mad. I feel NOTHING. Every night I come back here, feels like the same, and maybe that's because I'm playing back to back. Maybe it's because one alliance has controlled the past few votes, and I am truly on the bottom. In my season, these alliances were on a rotation, but here: even when I survive with my allies, it feels like a loss. I CAN HANDLE THIS. I'll find a way to survive longer than I should. Finding out how just gets harder, but as Daisy taught me, for once: winning isn't easy.

As people cozy in (the best they can at least), for another sleep on that soft, comfy, fluffy bamboo..Gordon's staring into the fire like a psycho. He may not have the condition, but unfortunately for him, he may look like one. More facial hair's coming in too..

Cyrax, despite how much they've battled over the season, joins him there. "..and our cycle continues. How much longer can this go?"

Gordon snickers at his bluntness. "Been trying to get your ass out for WEEKS. You're like a cold that never goes away." He lightheartedly slaps Cyrax.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. I enjoy some satirical humor."

"That's—" Gordon almost cracks. "Have you ever heard of a rapscallion?"

"Hold." Cyrax stands still. "Rapscallion: A fun loving, comical, mischievous person, usually a man; and/or a heartbreaker." He reads. "That's strange. I don't consider myself a heartbreaker at all."

"You've broken mine a hundred times." Gordon says, patting him on his rusty shoulder. "But you're still funny in your own dry way."

"Ah. I suppose dry humor wins people over." Cyrax says, still not quite understanding the variety in humor can be these days.

"Was that brain your luxury item?"

"Many consider it one."

Gordon just nods along. "We'll bicker on thirty-nine if shit goes the way it does. Right when we think we have each other, someone comes in and wrecks it. We can't explain this at that final."

"This would be a debate of the ages."

"I will NOT have the energy to fight you there. You'll ramble about..this strategy, and then I'll just lose my mind over it." Gordon admits. "It's why I've gotta get rid of you. NO ONE'S out-debating you."

Cyrax's laugh has less monotone. "In a weird way, this conversation is relieving. It always applies when we aren't hiding behind smoke and mirrors. We have clashed so many times, no smoke or mirror can cover us. We can guess the others endgames."

"You don't know my finale plans."

"You do not know MY finale plans. Hm. So we are still playing chess. If we can even call this that.."

"This isn't chess. We're smashing each other with the board till one of us gives out. No master plans." Gordon corrects, but in a more lighthearted way. Luckily, Cyrax was the cyborg to talk with him tonight. If it was Sektor..he might have thrown him in the fire.

Cyrax looks back at the rest of the field, and poses a question. "We are not snobby for boasting our rivalry, are we?"

"If we want to brag, we can. You don't do it enough."

In Cyrax's confessional, he's laying in the sand, just staring up.

Cyrax: This rivalry has been..surprisingly STIMULATING to me. I have to make decisions to counter what he is planning, and even if they don't go into action, they keep me invested in this game. I have to dive into the mind of someone who, by all means, could be a winner. He never lets them forget about my threatening run, and I don't let them forget about his. He's the perfect match for me, BECAUSE he seems to have my number, but I've had his too. He could have used Mac to make a move on me, but by telling Slade my intent, he knew he couldn't have the votes. Hopefully smaller moves like that can get me out of this.

Cut to Gordon, who's sitting in a tree, and laughing in confessional.

Gordon: Love that nerd, but I won't give a fuck about our rivalry until he's out. We can kiss on vacation, but I'm not letting ONE honest talk take me off the gas. His charm doesn't work on me. Pain in the ass to compete with though. He's going to be RELENTLESS at this next Tribal, but I'm gonna get relentless too.

Day 29

An assembly of helicopters fly over the island with some heavy equipment on transport. The humming of the boats are what really attract the attention of those on the shore. Peach, T'Challa, and Sektor. The first two are just having some friendly small talk, but Sektor just breaks that up.

"Hey."

"You did not have to cut her off." T'Challa says. "What is it we—"

Sektor points to the boats assembling. Peach goes in for a closer look. "Oh my. What are we going to be doing all the way out there?"

"Sumo at Sea." Sektor guesses. "We are overdue for more physical challenges. I want the chase to grind my enemies into the sea, and now may be my chance."

Peach shares a look with T'Challa. "He used to be better than this, I promise. We even had a fashion show.."

"You had fashion shows? I had to spar with him."

"T'Challa.." Sektor starts, getting into a fighting stance. "If this is the physical I think it is, there is no better way to warm up than another sparring session. We can show our inferiors who the real threats are. You may have beaten me last time, but—"

"No."

"No?" Sektor steps back. "Wakanda's ruler. The Black Panther. Turning down a showdown with me? This is unusual."

"We don't use 'ruler.' We are not a dictatorship. I'm only turning you down because I'm losing the energy to fight you." T'Challa sets a hand on Sektor's shoulder. "You don't have to fight everyone all the time."

Sektor steps back, stunned at the sudden therapy he's getting. "D-don't get sentimental with me, T'Challa. I can still compete with the best, and I will show you when I take that immunity necklace."

"Good for you. Maybe then, you won't feel the need to—"

"I will be fine. Even though I will get.."clowned on" as the kids say, I will prove that I'm still serious. Winners don't let that slide." Sektor admits, being rather open. Maybe a little too open. "Do you believe I can do it?"

"Do YOU believe you can do it?"

"I believe I can do it."

"Then I believe that you can do it."

Sektor's blue eyes spark up from T'Challa's praise. Finally, someone sees things from his point of view. Someone finally acknowledges how brutal he can be in competitions. It's crazy how someone who claims they don't care what people think, suddenly cares when his ego gets stroked.

In confessional, he's still staring off at the contest.

Sektor: This may be considered petty, but I want Cyrax's Survivor dream to die. There is no better way than to pay him back for all the humiliation he has handed me. He beat me in the tribal challenges. He's beaten me in individual immunity. Everyone listens to him over me. You have heard this all before, and yet it's like a never ending loop I can't escape!

Sektor clenches his fist..very, VERY dramatically.

Sektor: I am not going to leave as Sektor: the Loser, I will leave as Sektor: the Champion. It's time these players recognize the threat that I am, and immunity is the perfect place to start.

We'll see if it holds any ground.

Meanwhile, Cyrax is roasting some fish with his island bestie Chun-Li. Usually there's game talk that drones on when they are around, but they are just enjoying each other's company. He throws some more fish onto her plate.

"Has your second chance been what you wanted?" Li asks.

Cyrax has to let a huff out. "These players won't let me out of their sight. Can't take a break for sand angels without that target sticking to my back. The pressure has been on thanks to a celebrity chef of all people. I can't say that I'm complaining, but.."

"You're complaining." Li chuckles. "That's ok though. If I was in your spot, I'd be annoyed too. You really haven't had a break."

"It doesn't feel right being annoyed at Gordon for the work he has done..against me." Cyrax admits. "However, he, combined with Diana's immunity run, has put barriers ahead of me. The sportsman in me says that it's well played, but the more..emotional part is a little bitter."

"Bitterness is ok too. Confident it won't cloud your judgement." Li assures. "To be honest: I was bitter the night of my elimination. I never felt that betrayed in a long time."

Cyrax nods along. "Daisy's betrayal was unexpected."

"In hindsight, I'm proud of her, but after I filmed my final words…it was not a fun night. The psychologist told me that it was ok to be bitter at first, because we spend all this time isolated from what we know, for no reward. He even said it would affect my vote." Li explains.

"I..had no idea you felt that way about Daisy. I didn't even know you considered being a bitter juror." Cyrax admits.

"Well when you see who Daisy sat with.."

"OH. Yes. A sociopath and an alligator. That made it quite easy."

"Mhmm." Li bites into her fish. "I think we'll see some vote based on emotion alone. We still don't know who's sitting at the end."

"If Sektor wasn't gunning for me so hard, I would consider sitting next to him. But this game doesn't work like that." Cyrax says, handing Li the machete.

"I hope we sit next to the right people. I'll campaign for you, if you campaign for me."

"You don't even have to campaign for your campaign." Cyrax says, shaking hands.

Before Cyrax gets a confessional, Chun-Li's back with her own.

Chun-Li: Every time a season ends, there's controversy. They'll say one finalist did more than the other. If I learned anything from my time rewatching: it is not about how much you do, it's about how much your competition likes you. It's always been a popularity contest, and if you're more popular than the people you sit next to, you win. Daisy won with this mindset, AND her last second moves. I'm going to repeat history.

They aren't in a hurry to leave though. Peach returns from the shore with T'Challa. She just looks confused at the situation she just saw. "They're setting up a challenge out there. In the water."

"Really?" (Chun-Li)

"Sektor thinks it's a Sea one. What did he call it, T'Challa?"

"Sumo at Sea."

"Yes. We don't know how they are doing it, but it..HAS to be one on one, right?" Peach asks. "They haven't changed that before."

"I think they will. It would fit with the new tiebreakers, and general chaos that we've been through. Another twist in their hat of tricks." Cyrax says, looking at it through a producer's point of view.

In confessional, he's chilling in a tree again.

Cyrax: I don't need to tell you what I'm thinking, because you KNOW what I'm thinking. It is time to lock in and thrash the competition. Yes, it's barbaric, but I will get barbaric in these challenges to earn safety. Then, I will apologize after.

The tree shakes from the gusts.

Cyrax: For now, I'm getting off before I fall to my death.

The vast journey across the island doesn't end for Peach and T'Challa. Peach actually takes the initiative to bring him elsewhere. He can wonder all he wants, but he won't true know if this Peach is honest with him. She doesn't have a reason to be, and he knows it.

"So, assuming that Cyrax is out…you know WE still get along. I would have loved to play with you more, but we can never see eye to eye." Peach admits, compacting an explanation.

"We did go through a mess together. One moment we want someone out, but then we change our minds." T'Challa says, pinching his little goatee. "There is no better place to continue then here. We are getting very close to—"

"We are, and I know, that you know, that I refuse to be a tagalong for the whole game. You would be disappointed if that's all they saw us as. We would not get any votes just sticking to our alliances. If if we like them.." Peach explains.

"You have read my mind, princess. Let me offer more.." he leans in, and doesn't kiss her like the dirty minded expect. Maybe in a different genre. Instead, he whispers some game-changing suspicions to her. Her eyes light up at the news.

"I had no idea.."

"Whenever the time comes to make our move, I'll find you."

Peach shakes her head. "I'm finding YOU first!

Peach gets a brand new confessional inside the cave.

Princess Peach: Diana has an idol?!

Cut to T'Challa's confessional, where he looks more comfortable than ever.

T'Challa: I sold her out. There is only room for three at the end, and Diana won't be one of them. All that's left to do is the riskiest plan I've ever put together. In the dead of night. I need to let someone else in on this, and we will be good to go.

He and Peach go on another expedition. They peak behind a tree, seeing Slade whistle along the trail. It seems like slow day, so naturally, they are going to speed his brain up with all the info-dump he's about to get.

"SLADE!"

The Slade in question nearly falls hearing Peach's yell. He has to brush himself off and come back to reality. His reality is that ROYALTY is coming for him. "You caught me off guard. What did you want yelling at me like that?"

Peach giggles at the little dirt on his clothes. "Well I was going to, but you fell on your face."

"Ha-ha-ha." Slade says, with a lighter tone. "But seriously. What's going on?"

"You won't tell everyone?"

"Only if it hurts me."

"It doesn't." Peach assures, whispering about Diana's potential (but also real) idol. "What do you think?

He just nods.

"That doesn't tell me very much."

"I'm in. Isn't that just wonderful?" Slade asks, with very unsubtle sarcasm.

Peach pierces him with her eyes, so T'Challa steps closer. "Before we come to blows, I'll tell you what we do about it. Tomorrow night, when everyone is asleep: we make our move. I can preach about her idol all I want, but we can't do anything without proof."

Slade's eyes light up at his explanation. Finally. Some real action. "Are you saying we—"

"WON'T steal her idol."

"Oh." Slade's tone falls flat. "Why not steal it? Production will let us get away with it if we're entertaining enough.'

"It may be tempting for you, but WE don't need to steal. Peach said she's out if we try that." T'Challa affirms.

"If we do, that's one less thr—"

"We know where you're coming from." Peach says, raising a finger. "But we're leaving the blackmail in the past."

"Lame.." Slade mutters.

"It may be lame but it's the only way we'll work together." Peach lectures.

"I'll do it. No need for a lecture."

Peach just turns her back on him. "Okay. You never lost your attitude though."

"Never had to."

In Slade's confessional, he's cleaning some dirt out of his mask. That "silver fox" look is still there, but the fox in question seems..disappointed.

Slade: I can't find the balls they left at home. Peach used to call people out no matter the cost. T'Challa used to be a menace. Nobody else has blackmailed people with idols until he showed up. Can't say I'm happy they are "just peeking", but I can't resist these little missions. Keeps my mind occupied so i don't lose it like last time.

With the plan set in stone, Slade leaves those two behind as he continues his trip. Peach leads the way to shore. "Not surprised."

"About what?"

"Calling us 'lame'. We don't need to cheat all the time." Peach vents.

"That's how he is. We won't have to deal with him much longer, so let's ride it out." T'Challa says, looking to be the peacekeeper.

"I still don't trust him.."

"Me neither, but we have bigger problems."

Cut to Peach's next confessional.

Peach: It's not bad if we're just looking. Stealing idols, and Stars forbid BURNING them, was always wrong to me. When I rewatched Maldives with Mario, he wondered how that was even legal. It's better we don't call ourselves into question too.