After breaking up the rather unexpected altercation between Athena and Jayshawn, Caleb reapproached his team to see them going over their scripts behind the drapes on the right side of the stage. They were lit by stage lights high above their heads, as well as the overhead lights at the wide, looming ceiling of the auditorium.
"All right, team, here's what I'm thinking," Matcha started.
The shot faded in and out of the scene of Matcha addressing the Dropouts with the Grads making their own plan, the members grouped up together at the other end of the stage.
"I'll be the director," Bowie decided. "Any objections?"
"I want Queen involved with me in the directing process," Matcha affirmed. "You have an eye for art, and this is close enough."
"Why, don't I feel flattered?" she replied.
"Maybe we should do a tragedy, since Londyn and Stephen been moping around all day," Jayshawn jeered.
"You think that's gonna make me feel any better, jackass?" Londyn shot back.
"Iko," Matcha faced him, jolting his attention onto her. "You're a musician, right? Why don't you throw something musical together for us. If we have a soundtrack to our scene, I'll bet we'll have a hell of an advantage over the Grads."
"I'd love that," he replied, "but I don't wanna do it alone. Would it be okay if Jill was my assistant?"
She glanced at him and smiled. "Hey, that's not a bad idea." To Matcha, "Trust me, I won't be missed as an actress; it's not really my kind of thing."
"Best of luck to you, Jilly bean!" Athena chirped.
"Well, I'd say you too, but you won't need it," she replied somewhat awkwardly. "You're a fantastic actress after all."
"Let's do Return of the Jedi," Zee suggested, "but instead of the lightsabers making that vyym noise, it's my voice going 'Bring us your hamsters'."
Standing side by side with Matcha, Queen said, "I don't mind the original script, but it's clearly lacking flair."
"You have ideas for it?"
"Some are sprouting their way up, yes. Iko, I'll consult with you and Jill about musical ideas I have for you to implement in your process."
"Stephen, have you ever acted before?" Bowie asked, only to receive complete silence as an answer. "This would go a lot smoother if you'd actually, you know, talk to me."
"Hand Stevie a lightsaber and it seems like he's got the rest down," Fish taunted him.
"MK, why don't you be our designated techie?" Matcha suggested.
"Oh, uh, no, that's not gonna work."
"And why's that?"
"Because I've never handled any of this bullcrap in my life before."
"Did she really just say 'bullcrap'?" Damien asked. "We can still swear, right?"
"Why don't we do a scene of something that would appease Mercutio?" Cody suggested. "Like, uh, something Russian?"
"You speak Russian, smart guy?" Jayshawn argued.
"It doesn't have to be in Russian, it could just celebrate Russia, or something."
"You got anything better, Jayshawn?" Bowie argued.
Mischief glinted in his dark brown eyes. "How's about we sabotage the other team?"
"Now you're thinking like a real man," Fish replied, grinning.
"Hmm... tempting, but I don't think we have the time. Unless Stephen wants to do it?" Once more, silence. "Yeah, didn't think so."
Confessional - Bowie
"I thought there was at least a slim chance he'd take the bait. Anything to keep a little distance between us and him. He gives me worse heebie-jeebies than a good bargain at JCPenney. Why are your prices so low on the cute pants that I want? How little time will I have to wear them before they start rubbing out? Literally criminal the way clothes nowadays are made."
End of confessional
"Believe in yourself, MK," Matcha urged. "We're all a lot more capable than we ever think we are. That goes for all people. I never would've made it through law school without realizing the innate potential of humanity."
"I hate that shit," Holden retorted. "Yeah, everyone's got potential until you're face to face with a starving Indonesian child. Let's say he wants to play basketball; you're gonna tell me he's got the same potential as Shaq?"
"Hey, man, that's hurtful," Iko responded. "Indonesia's actually a really-"
"Indonesia doesn't have shit on Canada or the US, and that's just two out of an entire list. You come from a third world? Your opinion doesn't matter to me."
Matcha stomped right up in front of him. "You are on thin ice, buddy."
"And the whitest threat award goes to: Matcha. Don't worry, I'm gonna kick ass in this challenge, then you can cry about it in the dorm." [1]
Glaring him down, Matcha ignored him, then faced the rest of her teammates. "Iko and Jill, go get some work done in the library. Everyone else, let's get started."
"Let's just get started on something," Bowie urged. "Chop chop, people." As his teammates started moving, he sighed, pressing a hand in his face. "How did things swing so far out of balance around here?"
"Indonesia's not even a third world country," Iko protested.
"Shut the fuck up, Iko," Holden retorted.
Feeling frustration beginning to build within himself, Iko was halted from saying anything back when Jill placed a hand on his shoulder. Taller than him, the girl looked down at him and gently told him, "Don't feed the troll. I'll meet you in the library, okay?"
He nodded, then headed offstage with Holden taunting him as he went.
"What's the matter, Iko? Did I remind you that you probably haven't seen much more than a US dollar in your whole life?"
"Holden, enough!" Matcha snapped, but it was faint, as Iko had already stomped his way further into the backstage labyrinth of drapes and technical supplies.
He cursed to himself, muttering angry responses until eventually he came across an unexpected sight. Bundled up in drapes several feet away from the backstage exit to the auditorium was Brook, sobbing with her face in her knees. She did the best she could to keep herself contained in the drapes, keeping her crying quiet, but it was enough for Iko to spot her. At once, the anger he felt towards Holden burned away, and he took a few gentle steps towards the former intern.
"Uh... hi."
Noticing him, she did what she could to silence herself, pushing the drapes up over her face. Her body jerked without her being able to control the shuddery sobs that still made their way through. Legs like jelly, Iko approached a little closer and crouched beside her.
"I... Hey, are you- are you okay?" Pause. "Is there anything I can do for you? Or I can leave you alone, too."
Once more, silence. Iko positioned down to sit cross-legged.
"Sometimes I feel like crying, too," he admitted. "Sometimes I do, but I haven't done it on this show yet. Life is really tough sometimes. Sorry if you're going through something right now. I get that."
A few moments of Iko sitting and reflecting on his own life went by, then Brook said something, muffled by the drapes around her face.
"I'm sorry, could you please repeat that?" Iko asked.
Showing just her mouth, Brook repeated, "I'm really- overwhelmed, and I... I wanna go home."
Iko hesitated. "Oh. Oh, like... like, quit the show, like, go home? Like that kind of go home?"
Brook started to whimper and cry again, retreating back under the drapes.
"Hey, it's okay. Everything's all right. Just take some deep breaths. Just breathe. Can you do that? Just breathe a little. Like this." He demonstrated, taking a few breaths, helping the girl to ease her shuddery breaths. "This is a really wild show to be a part of; don't feel bad if you feel that pressure sometimes."
With her breathing seeming to calm with each passing moment, Iko sat for a while longer before staggering up to his feet and murmuring, "I'll give you some privacy."
In another section of the backstage labyrinth, MK stood on a ladder and fiddled with a stage light up near the ceiling, her tongue between her teeth as she jammed a screwdriver against its side, struggling to wedge it into the necessary slot. Athena walked by the ladder just as MK's stolen phone buzzed, alerting her to another confessional.
"Oh, who's got something to say now?" she grumbled under her breath. "Better be important."
Confessional - Zee
"So, imagine this: you take a pig, slather it in cheese, then glaze it in chocolate, stuff it inside a turkey, wrap it in a pizza, bake the whole thing in an oven at four hundred fifty degrees, then... wait, then baste it in oil, then... right, then you- erm, no- wait, yeah, you wrap it in a turkey- er, stuff it in another pig? No, that's not right. Lemme start over. You take a hamster, lather it up in butter, stick it in a pillowcase, then stuff the pillowcase inside a turkey-"
End of confessional
"That phone of yours is really blowing up," Athena peeped, startling MK into yelping and collapsing from the ladder. The orangey-blonde retained her smiley demeanor even in spite of MK's fall.
The klepto staggered up to her feet. "What the hell? I nearly broke my neck thanks to you!"
"I was just wondering, how come you're able to have your phone, but the rest of us can't have ours?"
MK sighed. "Sure, ignore the bit where I nearly became a vegetable. You want a secret? I'm not like the rest of these contestants. I work outside the lines, I do what people before me never thought to do. So, I snuck in my phone."
"That's barely original, silly!" Athena chirped. "It just hasn't been done successfully. So, I guess that's where my curiosity comes from."
"You know, this really isn't any of your business. Why don't you go wander your way back to Caleb, you sweet summer airhead?"
"Don't you think Mercutio would be really angry if he found out you have a phone? Like, if someone were to tell him?"
MK eyed her with disapproval, squinting her eyes. "You're threatening me."
Athena's eyes widened. "What? No, of course not! I wouldn't do that! I just wanted to see if I could go on your phone? Pretty please? I'm literally dying to check my TikTok."
"The answer's no. See you later," she muttered, trekking off in the other direction. However, the next thing Athena said made MK stop in her tracks.
"That thing you said-about working outside the lines? I think someone else might be doing that, too. I-I noticed that the confessional camera has this weird new logo on screen."
MK, several feet ahead, didn't turn to face her, choosing to hide her growing nervousness. "W-weird new logo, huh?"
"Yeah. Darndest thing. It made me wonder if someone was, like, messing with it somehow. I guess if that's the case, then someone else on this team is working outside the lines, too." She chuckled and said, "Must be a pretty popular new strategy, huh?"
"Y-yeah," MK replied, then hurried off on her way.
"Nice talking to you!" Athena waved to her as she left, then Caleb appeared from behind her.
"How we doing over here?"
"Oh, Caleb, MK was bullying me!"
"Seriously?"
She nodded with exaggerated sorrow, tucking herself close to Caleb's chest. "Yeah. I think she's headed to the library, is there any way you could talk to her for me? I'm just so nervous about confronting people."
"Of course." Caleb propped Athena's chin up with a finger to face him. "You know I'm here for you."
Athena smiled, booping him on the nose. "Of course you are."
Bowie paced around backstage, doing the best he could to block out Damien and Kobe laughing about something on the other end of the backstage row leading across the furthest back end of the auditorium. Bowie repeated lines to himself, then let his gaze wander up from a homemade script he'd made to focus on Kobe as he talked to Damien.
Kobe had a relaxed smile on his face. He held himself with a posture that suggested he was gonna be alright no matter what happened to him. Bowie let his eyes travel around Kobe's attractive features: his height, his face, his lean shape.
"Oh, god," Bowie whispered. "What if he's not gay?"
"Hey, Bowie?"
"Jesus rice krispies," he jolted, turning to see Cody approaching from a staircase leading to a doorway out. "Cody."
"Hey, man, I wanted to talk to you about something."
"Oh, before you even say it-yes, I know I'm the director. I was just taking a minute to, uh, rest my eyes. The fine print on the scripts we made wears my eyes out. Sure, Kobe and Damien were in the way of my line of visi-"
"Dude, I'm not sure what you're talking about," Cody interrupted. "I wanna talk about Noah. And Stephen. And Mercutio."
"Oh. Oh, what about?"
"To put it simply, Mercutio tried to- I, erm, caught Mercutio doing a questionable thing."
"Was he reading Trump: The Art of the Deal?" Bowie asked.
"I-I wish it was that comical."
"Well, spit it out, short stuff, what was it?"
Fidgety and nervous as all hell, Cody replied, "I can't tell you, but what I can tell you is that Noah found out about what it was, and it sort of involved Stephen. Then Noah tried to get answers out of Stephen, then that same night, Stephen stabbed him. If you're catching my drift, I'm more than a little freaked about what that means."
Bowie stared at him with confusion, but a hint of intrigue. "Slow down. You mean to say that Stephen stabbed Noah on purpose because of something to do with Mercutio?"
Blue eyes wide, Cody shushed Bowie while frantically peering around in both directions.
"You sound like a teenaged conspiracy theorist."
"Total Drama Island was years ago; I'm twenty now. But I'm serious. I've even got an investigation going on with Izzy."
"She got eliminated."
"She's still in the academy. Lurking. Hiding. Like Zino from season four-only less feral. Or the same amount. I'm really not too sure."
"Oof," Bowie winced. "That makes me uncomfy."
"Thing is, Bowie, Noah's gone, so I could use a new partner that's, well, in the game. Will you help me out?"
The sound of Londyn groaning paused Cody and Bowie's conversation, then they glanced aside to see her tossing a prop sword against the ground.
"What's up, buttercup?" Bowie asked.
"It's Fish. He's completely blanking me."
"Here we go again."
"I'm serious, Bowie. We had a moment this morning that made me, well, feel some emotions, and now he won't talk to me whenever I try to talk to him. Literally acts like I'm not even there. I can't deal with this anymore."
"Then will you leave this guy in the past where he rightfully belongs?" Bowie urged. "He's a douchebag, sweetheart. Let him go. Treat him like a real fish and drop him back into the ocean."
She sighed. "Maybe I'm gonna have to. It's just, after I took my bra off and he-"
"W-w-w-w-w-wait a minute," Cody interjected. "There was you with your bra off at some point in history?"
"Cody, ever the wordsmith," Bowie murmured. "Londyn, what are you on about?"
"I asked Fish to help me do a photoshoot for my OnlyFans. Nothing too lewd, just a little bitty bit of spice, you know? Just a sprinkle. But he said it'd be better if I took my bra off, and so I did, and then he left. Now he won't talk to me."
Bowie stared at her incredulously. Cody didn't say a word.
"I'll talk to you guys later," she mumbled, trodding away into another backstage area.
"So, will you help me?" Cody urged once she was gone.
He scoffed. "No, Cody, I'm not interested."
"Come on, Bowie. Don't make me have to ask Fish or Jayshawn. Londyn's so hot, I wouldn't be able to focus on the mission at hand working with her, and Zee's not, well, does he strike you as a detective?"
"Did you even just hear what Londyn said?" Bowie retorted. "Fish literally tricked her into seeing her-"
"Tatas," Cody finished.
"Y-yeah. Tell you what: I'm at my wit's end with Fish's shit. Help me help Londyn and I'll consider helping you out."
"Why do you wanna help Londyn?" Cody countered.
"Okay, look, she did get face tats and make an OnlyFans at age eighteen, but shitty guys are at the top of my shit list. They're the shittiest of the shitty. Literal manure is more glamorous than these boys. Too many boys and girls around the world have to deal with fuckboys, so whenever I have the chance to put one in their place, I'm gonna do it. Do we have a deal?"
Cody nodded, holding a hand for Bowie to shake. "Deal."
MK made her way into the library, holding a hand out to let the door close softly behind her. She saw Iko and Jill working on the musical accompaniment for the Dropouts' scene on the far end of the library opposite the confessional table-straight where MK made a beeline for.
Confessional - MK
With her round face close to the camera, MK wrestled around with the camera's wiring in its back, configuring its settings. Being on a high-budget, international television series, the confessional camera was large and long, much bigger than any indie videographer's camera.
"You wanna hear a real confession, viewing world?" MK grumbled, her focus completely on the wiring. "It pisses me off that no one wants to come in here and say anything that helps me. Iko is just about the only motherfucker with anything valuable to me. Cody's all sussed about Mercutio," she grunted, tugging at a pair of green and yellow wires, "but I couldn't care less; I'm just trying to win a million dollars."
Further away, the door to the library opened up to Caleb, then MK muttered, "Shit," and turned herself to block the view of the camera she messed with. "Dammit, how do I turn the damn 'FEEDING' logo off?"
"MK?" came Caleb's voice.
"Goddammit." She spun around to face him, keeping herself in front of the camera. Thanks to her miniscule height and Caleb's hulking size, she didn't make for a worthy obstacle.
"Now you're doing something to the camera, too?"
"What do you mean now I am, too?" MK retorted.
"Athena told me you were giving her trouble, and wanted me to talk to you."
MK let out an annoyed scoff. "Giving her trouble, huh? She's the one who spooked me into falling off a ladder."
"Wait, what?"
"Caleb, was Athena messing with this camera at any point?"
"I'm more interested in finding out why you are right now," he countered.
"I'm the Dropout techie; it's my job to learn about mechanical shit, isn't it?"
Caleb crossed his arms, unphased by the obvious lie.
"Yeah, I'll admit, that one was pretty bad," MK mentioned. "Stay out of this, and stay away from Athena, too. I don't like her."
"Everyone keeps saying that!" Caleb snapped. "What is it with you people? She's a nice girl! Why can't she catch a break?"
MK cracked a grin, seemingly entertained by his sudden outburst. She stepped a little closer to stare way up high to meet Caleb's eyes. "Mmm, that triggered a little something for you, huh? Know who's a nice girl? Jill. Brook, probably. But Athena's nosy. She's... weird, and now she's messing with the camera, too. What could all that mean, Caleb? Think about it."
The much tinier klepto made her way out of the library, then Caleb came to take a seat at the confessional table.
Confessional - Caleb
"All right, now that's Holden, Jayshawn, and MK who all feel the same way about Athena. I know I can't trust any of them, but..."
Caleb peered in close at the camera, noticing the nearly imperceptible logo reading "FEEDING" at the corner of the screen. He sighed.
"But popular opinions are usually popular for a reason..."
End of confessionals
Later on, with not much time left until the scenes were due for viewing, Londyn stood onstage with the curtains closed, Fish standing in front of her. Unbeknownst to him, Cody and Bowie lurked in the shadows, each of them flashing thumbs up to each other as Fish addressed Londyn. Bowie hid to the left of Londyn, and Cody to the right.
"I just don't understand," Londyn whined.
"I can make it clear for you, all right? Listen, we're all a lot happier when I'm actually talking to you, right?"
"Right," she nodded. "It hurts me when you leave me on read. Physically, that is."
Fish cupped Londyn's chin. "I don't mean to hurt you, doll. I just want you to see that I'm a busy guy, and I've got big plans for this contest. After all, I am gonna win this whole thing. Sometimes I need to take off, or I don't have time to talk to you, but it's only because I'm trying to set myself up for success."
"But why can't I be a part of that?"
"Well, it's easier for me to do it myself. If you're there to distract me with your sexy, little body, then how can I assure your safety and mine going forward?"
As Fish spoke, Bowie whispered, "Londyn! Start stepping backwards!"
As planned, Londyn took the tiniest steps backward, with Fish unconsciously following along to keep himself in close quarters with the model.
"I'm not exactly in the best standing with the others on this team," Fish explained, "so I really need to be sure you understand, okay, beautiful?"
"But I do understand, I think-you need to be able to spend time making strategic-type moves and stuff, but it makes me miss you. It doesn't make me feel good inside."
"Don't worry, baby, you and I are going all the way to the finals together. Maybe if you play your cards right, we'll go all the way in another way."
Londyn tried to resist his gaze, but couldn't. "Kiss me."
Fish leaned in to oblige her, only for Bowie to tug a rope, sending a rope hidden by darkness at Fish's feet to swing him upside down and into the air, screaming the whole way. Meanwhile, Londyn had her eyes closed and her lips puckered, only opening her eyes once he screamed.
"What the fuck?" he snapped.
Next, Cody pulled a rope, sending a propelled pineapple swinging in from further off backstage. Expertly placed, the pineapple soared in like a mach one projectile right into Fish's groin. He squeaked in agony, swinging back and forth with his hands covering his crotch.
Bowie burst into laughter. "Oh, my Cheez-Its, Londyn, you played him like a fiddle!"
"Y-yeah, I did," she murmured halfheartedly.
"Why?" Fish peeped in a twelve-year-old girl's voice, utter disaster having wrecked his nethers.
Bowie and Cody came out from their hiding spots, with Bowie placing his hands on his hips and saying, "Yeah, bitch, we did that. So, what are you gonna do from now on?"
Lip quivering as he floated around, Fish began to cry.
"Hey," Bowie snapped his fingers in his face as Fish drifted back and forth like someone was using him as a hypnosis tool. "Crying like a pissbaby later, listening now. You're gonna stop being such a B-I-T-C-H to Londyn, alright? You get it?"
"Okay," he peeped in a higher octave than he may ever achieve again.
"Hopefully that pineapple prevents you from ever having a kid. Am I right, Cody?"
But the geek's attention was on Londyn, who still seemed pretty upset regardless of the payback.
"You... okay?" he murmured.
"Mmhmm," she mumbled back, heading off in the other direction.
Cody watched her go in less of a perverted way than usual while Bowie scoffed.
"I literally just got Fishface out of her tatted mug and this is the thanks I get? Sis owes me."
"Maybe I could... you think she'd wanna, you know, date me?" Cody offered. "I'd treat her great, hold open doors and everything."
Bowie let out another burst of laughter. "No, oh, no, no, my friend. God, no. That ship has sunk before it ever got to leave the harbor. No, you are shit out of luck on that front. Oh, my god. Cody, you are funny!"
He slouched, frowning, while Fish continued hovering above their heads.
"Will one of you please let me down?" he squeaked.
Confessional - Londyn
"I know I'm not supposed to like him-I know that. I'm not an idiot. But I can't help it!" she whined. "Why am I so helplessly attracted to these kinds of guys? I'm like a beagle that loves chocolate cake."
[1] - Second place in the white-threats olympic category goes to: "Newsflash, pal"
Dropouts: Caleb, Damien, MK, Athena, Holden, Iko, Jill, Kobe, Matcha, Queen, Brook
Grads: Cody, Bowie, Zee, Fish, Jayshawn, Londyn, Stephen
Some quick OC descriptions:
Athena: orangey-blonde, orange contacts, black and white dress
Holden: long, scraggly hair, heavyset, short, leather jacket
Iko: slim-fat, short, stylish overcoat and vest
Jill: athletic build, red hair, tan skin, emerald green eyes
Kobe: tall, big afro
Matcha: brunette, business casual
Queen: purple hair
Fish: typical influencer look
Jayshawn: fit, muscular, dreads, gym tank/shorts
Londyn: brunette, face tattoos, gorgeous features
Stephen: early 2000s emo look
Mercutio: chiseled face, suit, wide-framed
Tracy: slim, suspenders/bowler hat
Brook: silver hair, oversized cardigan