Author's note: Man I'm so glad this chapter is over. I was wondering if I had to cut this chapter in two, but I wanted so much to be done with this chapter, I did my best to make everything was great. Now I want you guys to have fun and enjoy the scenes, now with the rules working after this chapter. Because from your reviews, it will determinates the point system of MVPA, so you guys be ready for what you are about to read. I think this will be the last time I will be writing a long chapter more than 30k without a good reason. Because I did my best to make all the development as possible.

Now to answer the reviews:

duskrider . I'm glad you liked for me to develop Greg, because for me it had been one amazing headcannon when they made a fanart of Greg Universe and Wirt, which made me think about using that as a good plot I'm glad to see you excited to see the reaction of the others, I hope you like this new chapter, and have fun

Mr. E Guest. Well from how old Chris was in accord to Wikipedia Chris has 24 years old when he started Total Drama Island… so that means one of the math doesn't match...But I think you will get the reference from where I took the idea from Jasmine's family, nah, I don't think so, it was a normal person from Canada who send the book by mail.

Thank you for liking the chapter.

Just Guessing.Well, it was more a reference actually, if you watched How I met your mother you would understand the reference I did. As for Miss Go, she couldn't change the name since the island belongs to Ezekiel, and she was doing the touches for herself to work as boat driver, hahahaha. Well, who knows if the twins will have more scenes to act with the cast, maybe they will meet Katie and have a long conversation about how crazy was Cody's decision to participate on the show. And about Godzilla vs Kong, I took from one of the most hilarious podcasts from Brazil, when they did battle of Crossovers, and they made the version of Chuttulu vs Kong and Godzilla, which when people debated about how Godzilla defeated Kong, the two host of the podcast outraged saying on how Kong with a hand of shit on the face of either Godzilla and Chuttullu would made it a moral victory, since nobody would like to get into a fight with a shit on the face.

Anyway, I hope you like this chapter.

Benny Farr. Yeah, Ezekiel training was really going to be difficult in the progress of becoming better, about the Kong vs Godzilla, I did based on the podcast animation from my country which was a funny joke about people telling about how a monkey poop would be a moral defeat to anyone who would get on the face, also there was a funny joke about Godzilla training on Chicken Robot, it's really fun. I hope you like this chapter.

HeavenlyMark . I'm glad you liked the chapter, and also, who knows? Maybe it will be some difference in the future, or maybe not, I hope you have fun XD.

Odd Guess. Well I'm glad you liked the idea of my headcannon of Steven Universe, while I would be glad to read a fanfic of that happening on the site, I'm not interested to write a whole fanfic of Steven Univer X Over the Garden Wall Crossover. I hope you like this chapter, and it answers all your questions XD

Just a wee guest . I'm glad you liked the chapter, and the ideas I placed over the fanfic. And to answer your question, you would see during these chapters, because on how things will go from now on. And about the Ben 10 volume, I don't think so, since it would requires a lot of time to write down a whole book, and maybe he would be done until someday, but I cannot guarantee. Anyway, have fun reading the new chapter.

Guesthouse. I'm glad you like you liked this chapter. Have fun reading this one...and about your optional request. No... just no...please stop.

Le Quack. Thank you for enjoying the chapter, yeah I thought about the possibility of the diversity twins being Cody's relatives because they have a lot in common, since from their voice actor in some countries and their quantity of allergies, I thought it was a good idea, also about Chris children, you will be interested into checking some math, I hope you have fun with the new chapter I plan now. Have fun.

Just Guest. Well I'm glad you liked the debate, I took it from a brazillian podcast who had a lot of funny momments, they even had an animated short on youtube called Nerdcast Stories Kong vs Godzilla but sadly there isn't subtitles but it's a very funny way to see the whole conversation being almost exactly how I wrote, Anyway, the chicken robot video also was very funny and showed a good point. And about Chris and Topher, I recommend you watch How I met your Mother, because there's an episode that I was inspired to do the same thing with Topher, anyway have fun. And enjoy the new chapter.

Hyper LOL Guest . Well he's going to be very busy during the challenges and the days, dealing with the training and with the books, and no. He will not write Generator Rex, since it's not the time to present him, heck I don't even plan to do that for period yet. He need to finish his own series and more books about it is not good for him. And about Sierra, well, she's crazy and she will be a troll like she always does, anyway I hope you have fun and enjoy the chapter.

Sleepy Guest. Thank you for enjoying the chapter. Sorry but nobody is interested to write a fanfic like that, I just created as my own Headcannon for Ezekiel to write, and I'm not going to go deep onto that, I hope you enjoy the new chapter today, and have fun.

Ghostly Guest. Yeah, Courtney being Jen's sister, I also forgot but I found hilarious as a way to describe on how Jen now had one Courtney who she admires and other Courtney which she gets annoyed because have rivalry with her. I hope you enjoy the new chapter I plan to show for today XD. Have fun.

Winter Metor . If you watch the series How I met your Mother, you will understand the reference, but I will develop Topher around that, so I hope you have good fun XD.

Djinn. I'm glad you liked it, I was actually inspired by how I met your mother, since I wanted to develop Topher in some way, I thought it was for the best to use one of the best characters of the series. XD. Have fun reading the new chapter.

Blagoj Pejov1. I'm glad you liked it. I hope you are ready to do the review since this chapter it will be crazy XD.

luis014. Fala meu chapa. Que bom ver um brasileiro aqui. Que bom que tu curtiu a fanfic, e cara, a forma que eu criei o Ezekiel para ser disastabilizado na segunda temporada, ele vai ser um dos caras que vai ser mais autodestrutivo consigo mesmo ao inves de machucar os outros, ou seja, ele vai ser o tipo de vilão com plot armor que sabe da sofrencia do ser humano, o tipo de antagonista que o pessoal vai torcer pq o que ele vai fazer vai deixar todo mundo maluco, e vai ser muito bom. E não imagino ele escrevendo sobre mangas e animes não. Mas espero que goste do capitulo de hoje, porque vai ser muito top. Se divirta cara.

Oberon1211. Thank you for your review, and I'm happy for you have enjoyed all the chapters. In regard of the questions.

Ezekiel meeting the team possible it may will be way longer than you expect, since firstly Ezekiel will need to start into a relationship with Izzy, however I won't be surprised if Shego already brought the team possible at Playa del losers at the time Ezekiel appears. Or even earlier. And about him telling about alternative versions of themselves, I don't believe he's ever going to tell them that. Thank God they don't read his aura like Dawn.

To be honest I thought about JudeXGwen before but differently than dramarama Jude kinda is screwed in a relationship on the 6teen since once he vomit in the face of his girlfriend which lead them to breakup. And I don't think Gwen would like a boyfriend disgusting and free spirit like Geoff, for Jude I had plans for who he could end up in the future. Gwen in other hand I was thinking between the boys who in the end would be with her. So I was thinking between Cameron or Wyatt. I don't know. Since CameronXScarlett had been in my mind because of a fanfic. But I also think about CameronXGwen, so who knows?

For the superhero challenge, the first phase they would lose to Wonder Woman anyway, so Ezekiel would make his own personal superhero for the challenge, one made for himself, while on the recordings for MVPA, it will be interesting because what Ezekiel plans to do for the recordings, is going to be awesome but also taking something from the DC movies.

And I'm glad you are thinking into doing a nicklelodeon version of it. Because I sometimes I wished to use way more classics of Nick to add more flair but I will focus on the cartoon network.
I'm curious about which character you would be using. Cody, Harold... I reccomend you use a character many wouldn't expect to be S.I. So maybe using Gwen, Courtney, Duncan and even Justin or heck Tyler also would be a great choice. I would love to read fanfics based on mine. Thank you so much for the review and I hope and I wait for more questions and ideas and suggestions.

jon9051. Thank you for your review. I'm so glad for you finding out the aecret behind Ezekiel going commando. Which not only is the stress built only by Izzy, Chef and his books. But also... There is also another factor that will make Ezekiel reach another level of stress in the future which would lead to where would we reach the breaking point.

And to answer your question in regard of why Ezekiel accepted Chef alliance, in the chapters before on Playa Del Losers, Izzy said they were in an alliance with Chef, and since Ezekiel felt guilty from what happened to Izzy on the last season, he didn't refuse. But to be honest the main focus of Ezekiel being in an alliance and playing fair at the same time is simple. He already won, so why not having fun on the season 2? Even if Ezekiel is not interested into winning all the challenges he will be using the challenges to have fun, as the same way convincing Izzy to do the same.
He doesn't want make anyone cheated, just enjoy their fame as they are in better conditions than the island.

While also he wants to help Chef to get promotion and become the reboot Chef, since it would be a great development for the cook. Even he doesn't win, he wants to make sure to have fun...
Well...until Leshawna screw up... And made Ezekiel simply stop caring anymore.

,Also, sorry about the usage of too much 6teen, I did that because I got review quests of people asking what the group of Jude's friends would react into seeing him at the show

And I cannot promise anything about Jude being more part of the challenges, because being honest it comes with the flow. Now Jude is with Bridgette and Geoff they are going to be a trio of friends.
But the focus isn't going to be much of him, depending on the flow and challenges.

KenWil2001. Welcome to the storm of the season 2 dude. XD

toonfan97. I'm glad you liked this chapter. I had some interesting ideas after having a conversation and suggestion I got from a few friends and a people who helped me to edit, and well, I hope you understand Topher has 14 years, Kristal 7to8 years old. Chris has 24... Some math isn't working, but you will see a good development around here. Also don't mind about it on who Jasmine's cousin would be, because the countries are big, and we have to met a lot of unknown people XD. And I'm glad you liked the diversity twins because I thought the headcanon of them having a lot of alergies like Cody, having the same voice actor in some countries. I thought it was a good idea to work with that. Anyway, have fun with the new chapter.

xXwolfsterXx644 . Well, I hope you are ready, because here it comes.

Have fun everyone.

(Craft Services Tent)

To say Ezekiel was exhausted would be an understatement. Not physically, though—Chef had forced him to drink something so vile it felt like it might peel the paint off a car. Yet, whatever secret concoction Chef used packed enough caffeine to keep Ezekiel wide-eyed and jittery.

It wasn't even Chef's original recipe. One of his former squadmates, Wade, had come up with the drink—a borderline illegal energy booster he'd apparently developed to pull all-nighters hacking systems during military missions. Ezekiel couldn't help but wonder if Wade had been channeling his inner "Kim Possible tech guy" when creating it. Either way, it worked.

Still, Ezekiel's body ached. Between Izzy gleefully pushing him past his limits and Eva pounding him into shape with martial arts training, he felt like he'd gone a round with one of those plasma-punching robots from Megas XLR. It was brutal but necessary. If he wanted to make the most of his second chance at life—and on this show—he couldn't hold back.

Today's meeting with Chef, however, had thrown him for a loop.

"The challenge today is all about zombie movies," Chef announced, his voice gruff but commanding.

Ezekiel and Izzy exchanged wide-eyed glances.

"Chris figured this would be perfect, what with 23 contestants still in the game. But there's a twist." Chef leaned in slightly, his smirk foreboding. "It's a double elimination. Two campers are going home today."

Izzy's jaw dropped. "Double elimination?! No way!"

Ezekiel's mind, meanwhile, raced. The challenge was supposed to revolve around alien movies. He could only assume Chris changed it to keep the contestants on edge. Typical. Not that Ezekiel blamed him—it made sense with so many players still around.

Chef folded his arms, addressing the two with a rare hint of seriousness. "Listen. I know you two want me to keep my distance so no one suspects our alliance, but I'm warning you now—this challenge is going to be chaos. Keep your eyes open and act natural."

The two nodded, but Ezekiel noticed the tension in Chef's stance. Something about this felt bigger than the usual Total Drama insanity.

Chef handed Ezekiel a folded piece of paper. "You're gonna need this."

Ezekiel unfolded it to find rows of dots and dashes.

"Morse code?" he asked, tilting his head.

Chef nodded. "Learn it. Fast. If things go sideways, this'll let us communicate without anyone else catching on."

Ezekiel frowned. "That's all well and good, but what about people watching the show? You never know if someone out there also knows Morse code. They could figure us out."

Chef raised an eyebrow. "What kind of person are you even talking about?"

"Are you referring to Sierra?" Izzy chimed in, her tone carrying both amusement and exasperation. Chef gave her a blank look, and Izzy took the cue to explain. "There's a girl who is clearly obsessed with one of the contestants, and from what me and Ezekiel gave a profile check, she is very obsessive into gathering information; didn't Uncle Wade tell you about her?"

"Wait, it was a girl who calls herself that crappy name Codylover something?" Chef raised his eyebrows as he recalled Wade cursing and complaining about one person calling the Canadian Military telephone, of whom he had no idea how she managed to gather that, and started asking about Izzy's case over RCMP and how Izzy's lawyer was going to win her immunity over them. "I had some laugh at seeing Wade annoyed, but I think this is starting to get creepy. Isn't that crazy girl obsessed with that skinny boy Cody?"

Izzy nodded. "That's her."

Chef's face twisted into a grimace. "So let me get this straight. Not only is this girl a stalker, but she's also obsessed with that scrawny kid Cody?"

"Yup," Ezekiel confirmed.

"Yes, she is," both Izzy and Ezekiel commented simultaneously, though Ezekiel—ever the thinker—continued.

"She's also someone who thinks of herself as Total Drama's number-one fan. And honestly? She might actually be," Ezekiel remarked, crossing his arms. "She's been gathering a lot of information about Chris McLean—his past, his connections, everything. The stuff she's dug up could probably blackmail him six ways to Sunday." He paused, glancing at Chef with a raised brow. "But trust me, Chef, she's not worth the headache. Just let her think she's the ultimate fan and steer clear of her mess."

Chef raised his eyebrows in mild surprise, clearly processing Ezekiel's insight. "She's been looking into Chris, huh? Didn't think anyone could get under that guy's skin, but maybe she's the one who'll finally manage it."

"Yup, she's that kind of person," Ezekiel said, his tone flat but tinged with concern.

Izzy nodded, her usual mischievous grin replaced by a rare flicker of seriousness.

"Yes, Chef, I think she's the type of person that she's going too overboard that someday... I think we need to... *clack* *clack*"Izzy said, unsure as she used to place it on her neck, and with a quick flick, she revealed that in case the crazy girl went overboard, she would trespass her limits, along with some military secrets. It was obvious on what was about to happen, especially in case anyone knew about Shego's location. They would hire Shego to make someone in silence... permanently.

Chef groaned, rubbing his temples in exasperation. "I'm surprised you two know so much about this girl and can just talk about it like it's nothing." He eyed Izzy for a moment—he was used to her chaotic nature, after all—but his gaze lingered on Ezekiel. The boy had been nothing but professional in their conversations. Not annoying, not overly chatty, and definitely sharp. Chef could see why Izzy trusted him; Ezekiel wasn't just another camper. He knew things, and more importantly, he seemed to understand how to avoid trouble.

The paranoia Ezekiel displayed about people like Sierra snooping too much wasn't baseless, and it made Chef pause. The kid was calculating, almost as if he already knew the potential fallout of any forbidden knowledge getting into the wrong hands.

"Anyway," Chef continued, shaking his head to refocus, "I hope you two are ready for today's challenge. It's going to be chaotic, and if either of you mess up, you might just find yourselves on the chopping block."

Izzy laughed, the light returning to her eyes as she threw an arm around Ezekiel's shoulders. "Hahaha! Oh, Chef, you worry way too much. Don't stress—we got this."

Then, to Ezekiel's surprise, Izzy's expression shifted. Her wild grin softened into something more serious—almost reassuring. She saluted Chef with a level of respect she didn't often display, her tone now firm and steady.

"We'll make you proud, Commander," she said with conviction.

Chef grunted, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You better." Despite himself, her words had eased some of the tension he hadn't realized he was carrying. If anyone could handle the madness of today's challenge, it was these two.

"Wow, Zeke, is that a Black Parade jacket?" Trent asked, snapping Ezekiel out of his thoughts. The boy blinked a few times, then smiled at the guitarist's question.

"Yep! I love My Chemical Romance. When I went shopping for clothes, me, Duncan, Courtney, Gwen, and Bridgette hit up a goth clothing store. We all gave our wardrobes a serious revamp." Ezekiel said, standing up to stretch. He glanced down at his empty plate, realizing he'd finished his breakfast without much thought.

It wasn't great—badly scrambled eggs and burned toast—but compared to the questionable meals from last season and his secret days of preparation? This was practically gourmet.

"I can't believe you actually finished Chef's food," Trent said as he moved forward in the breakfast line. He hadn't noticed that a few spots ahead, Gwen was chatting with Courtney and Duncan as they approached Chef Hatchet for their servings.

Ezekiel smirked knowingly. "You get used to it. Trust me, it's not the worst thing I've ever eaten. But if you keep saying stuff like that out loud, Chef's going to make your life hell."

Trent raised an eyebrow in confusion until Ezekiel subtly pointed toward the front. The guitarist followed his gaze and locked eyes with Chef Hatchet, who was glaring daggers at him from across the room.

"I think he has a sixth sense for anyone talking bad about his food," Ezekiel added with a chuckle.

"Dammit," Trent muttered, already imagining the wrath Chef would unleash on him during the next challenge. He tried to shake it off and shifted the conversation. "Anyway, I didn't know you liked rock music, Ezekiel."

"To be honest, I like all kinds of music," Ezekiel said, his tone casual but thoughtful. "You'd be surprised at how every genre has something unique to offer. Some songs really blow your mind. Music kind of runs in my family," he added, noticing Trent's curious expression.

"My pa's really good at playing the banjo, and my aunt—rest her soul—was a huge fan of Ola Belle Reed. She loved her music so much that my dad still has an old audio tape of her singing Undone in Sorrow."

Trent's expression softened; equal parts impressed and touched. "Wow. That must've been incredible to hear. I've never really listened to much banjo music, but I believe you when you say it's good."

"Oh, trust me," Ezekiel said, grinning. "If you saw my pa playing, you'd think differently about the banjo. I swear, if he had an electric banjo, he could've been a rockstar."

Trent laughed, though he couldn't hide his skepticism. "A rock song... on a banjo? That's hard to picture."

Ezekiel chuckled at the disbelief in Trent's voice. "Hey, don't knock it till you hear it. Depending on the country, any instrument can be essential to a genre."

"Yeah, the key-word is Brazil," a voice chimed in behind them, making both boys jump slightly. "Like how the triangle is iconic in some South American genres, especially in Brazil, who is very known in some musical genres."

They turned to see Harold, who had quietly joined their conversation.

"Wait, seriously?" Trent asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ezekiel nodded, clearly impressed. "Yeah, like Sertão, Xote, and Forró. I didn't expect you to know about that, Harold."

"I've done some research into world music." Harold gave a small grin as he wanted to be part of the conversation. "You'd be surprised how much the triangle, tambourine, or even an accordion can influence a genre."

"Harmonica also does a lot of wonders." Ezekiel smiled at the mention of those instruments, memories of songs from Brazil's Northeast filling his mind. "That's pretty cool. Honestly, some genres have some amazing rhythms. I used to love listening to them; that's why I'm always open-minded on the musical genres."

"Well, that makes a lot of sense, I think I will check it out later." Trent nodded his head in appreciation. While the trio continued their venture on the line of eating Chef's food.

At the front of the line, Gwen, Duncan, and Courtney were chatting casually as they waited for their turn.

Chef Hatchet was serving scrambled eggs to Heather and Lindsay when DJ stepped up with his usual bright smile.

"More eggs and bacon for me, Chef. Keep it comin'," DJ said enthusiastically.

Chef's expression darkened as he let out a low growl, a clear sign that DJ had overstayed his welcome. The gentle giant quickly got the hint and moved on, allowing the line to inch forward.

"Forgot how hungry I got last year eating on Chris's wrecked schedule," Duncan said, shrugging.

"Well, technically it's still this year since it's December now, but I get your point," Courtney chimed in, ever the perfectionist. She accepted her plate of scrambled eggs, along with what looked like an over-crisped piece of bacon and a slice of burnt toast.

"Waking up so early every day has been rough, though. Six a.m.? It's like torture," she added, taking her tray and stepping aside.

"I know, right?" Gwen agreed as she moved up in line. She smirked while eyeing the tray Chef was preparing for her. "At this point, I'd kill for Chef's disgusting food." She paused and glanced at him with a cheeky grin. "No offense, Chef."

Chef stopped mid-motion, glaring at her. "None taken," he said slowly, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Instead of placing the scrambled eggs on her tray, he dropped them onto the floor with a loud splat.

Gwen blinked, realizing her mistake. "Right. Totally deserved that," she muttered under her breath.

"You had to open your mouth," Courtney teased, crossing her arms as she watched Gwen shift uncomfortably under Chef's glare.

Duncan chuckled and held out his tray toward Gwen. "You can have my burnt toast, big mouth."

Gwen smirked, her confidence bouncing back as she jabbed at him. "Judging by that gut, I thought you'd be all over the extra carbs."

Courtney raised an eyebrow at that, a sly smile creeping onto her face. "One of the reasons I like him so much. But seriously, stop inflating his ego and go find your boyfriend."

"Oh, please," Duncan said, putting on an exaggerated tone. "You just want me for my body." He held his tray dramatically in Gwen's direction. "And you—feed me. My ego needs sustenance!"

The three of them burst out laughing as Courtney decided to share a bit of her food with Gwen, and Duncan handed her the burnt toast. With their trays in hand, they headed over to sit near Ezekiel's laptop, where Noah was busy reading its content.

"What's up, nerd?" Duncan greeted casually, plopping down as Noah remained fixated on the screen.

Without even glancing up, Noah replied dryly, "Well, well, well, the two pillars and the extra Bass. Or whatever you're calling yourselves these days."

Duncan raised an eyebrow, but Noah's attention was still glued to the screen. Though Chef's cooking wasn't much to write home about, Noah quietly admitted to himself that it was one of the few things he didn't miss from being the first one eliminated in Season 1. Now, surrounded by contestants and chaos again, he resolved to stay sharp and avoid repeating his early mistake.

"Still editing one of Ezekiel's chapters?" Courtney asked, leaning over slightly to peer at the screen.

"Yep," Noah replied with a nod. "And I can't believe what I'm reading right now. Just curious—hypothetically speaking—who do you think wins in a coliseum deathmatch: a dog or a robot dog?"

Courtney and Gwen's eyes widened as they both leaned in closer, clearly intrigued.

"What?" they exclaimed in unison, trying to get a peek at the screen.

Noah immediately shut the laptop, holding it protectively. "No spoilers for anyone!" he declared firmly, glaring at the two girls as they glared right back. "It was just an honest question. Anyway, I'm still fixing Ezekiel's grammar."

"Wait, what did Courage do?" Gwen and Courtney both asked, suspicion creeping into their voices. It was obvious that the "dog" Noah referred to had something to do with Courage the Cowardly Dog—the newest story Ezekiel was working on.

Noah smirked knowingly but refused to give in. "I can't tell you. That would be spoilers," he said smugly before shrugging. "But anyway..."

Duncan rolled his eyes as he took a bite of his food. "You shouldn't have brought it up, smartass," he muttered.

Noah, unbothered, rolled his eyes back at Duncan. "And yet, here we are," he replied, returning his focus to the screen as the group settled into their meal.

"Anyway, what do you think the next book's going to be about?" Courtney asked, curious about what kind of nightmare fuel Ezekiel might conjure up next.

Before anyone could respond, a familiar voice chimed in, surprising the group.

"Oh, I'm more interested in making this volume packed with impactful messages—maybe even something to make people cry," Ezekiel said, approaching with a glass of water in hand. Trent and Harold followed, carrying their trays of food and sat down nearby. Ezekiel continued, "There'll still be some scares, of course, but I don't think I can top things like the Spirit of Harvest Moon, the Curse of King Ramses, or the Devil Mattress. But I'd like to aim for something as emotionally resonant as I did with Dr. Zalost."

"Oh, great," Noah groaned, already imagining the chaos. "I can already see my sisters crying for hours over that chapter. Thanks for that, Zeke."

"I'm not complaining," Duncan said with a grin. "Hey, Zeke, if you need some mythology or folklore info, I've had plenty of debates with my aunt and uncle. They're really into that stuff. They're even arguing over naming my cousin Jack or Kozmo—like Kozmotis Pitchiner."

"Pitch Black?" Ezekiel asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "Wait... are you telling me your relatives are also thinking about Jack Frost too?"

The smirk on Duncan's face and Courtney's exasperated expression confirmed it. Ezekiel laughed in understanding. "HAHAHAHAHAHA No way. Unbelievable."

"Yep," Duncan replied, clearly enjoying the moment. "They're hardcore into supernatural and sci-fi stuff."

Gwen blinked in surprise, while Courtney groaned. She vividly remembered being dragged to Niagara Falls with Duncan's family, where his relatives spent hours debating mythology. She had felt like a fish out of water the entire time, but Duncan had been completely at ease, telling her to just nod along and vibe. It had somehow made the experience bearable.

"I'm sorry, but... what are you guys talking about? Jack Frost? Pitch Black?" Trent asked, utterly lost.

The group turned to Harold, expecting an explanation, but he shrugged. "Don't look at me. First time I've got nothing to add."

Noah smirked. "Oh, look at that. Harold's finally run out of trivia? Somebody mark this day on a calendar."

Duncan chuckled, ignoring Noah's jab. "They're folklore, man. Some are based on real stories, but a lot of it is just myth and legend. Jack Frost is like Santa, the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy. Except he's the guy who brings ice and makes snow days for kids."

Ezekiel nodded, adding, "And Pitch Black? He's the Boogeyman. A creature of shadows. He takes on different forms to spread fear across the world."

The group stared at Duncan and Ezekiel as if they'd lost their minds.

Duncan chuckled at their expressions. "I think my aunt and uncle would love to have you over for a conversation, Zeke. They've been going on about your books for days."

Ezekiel beamed at the compliment. "Always nice to have more fans," he said cheerfully before glancing at the others. "What?"

The group remained silent, still processing the bizarre turn the conversation had taken. Duncan and Ezekiel exchanged a shrug before returning to their breakfast, leaving the others to wonder if the two were just messing with them—or if they were genuinely that deep into folklore.

"That is so wrong," Lindsay commented, her eyes wide in disbelief as she, Beth, and Heather watched Izzy pour ketchup over her stack of pancakes.

"So wrong," Beth echoed, shaking her head in a mixture of shock and confusion, while Heather just stared, her expression one of disgust.

"What's your problem with putting ketchup on them? It's just pancakes," Izzy said casually, taking her seat as she drizzled the red liquid over the pancakes.

Heather wrinkled her nose in distaste. "What's wrong with you? Ketchup on pancakes? That's… that's just wrong."

Izzy shrugged, unfazed. "Oh, chill out, girls. First off, I won't use maple syrup because the sap isn't from my company's brand. It'd be bad for business to use anything else. Second, butter and ketchup? It's actually pretty good combination. And lastly, when I was in the army, we put ketchup on everything. Seriously, it covers the taste of mortar."

The girls blinked, trying to process the last part. Izzy didn't seem bothered in the least as she walked off toward one of the tables.

Lindsay and Beth exchanged a look, still unsure if they had heard correctly. "Do you think they were really eating mortar?" Lindsay asked, half laughing, half horrified.

"I don't know," Beth replied, trying to shake off the image, "but that's kind of what it sounded like."

"Okay, I can understand about not using a different brand, but even I think she's exaggerating," Heather scoffed, still trying to get the taste of that conversation out of her head.

Lindsay's question hung in the air. "Do you think her parents had to deal with that kind of situation?"

At the mention of Izzy's family, Heather frozen, her face blanching. She trembled slightly, a chill running down her spine. Her thoughts immediately went to the black-haired spy woman she had encountered. The woman had been terrifying, and Heather still couldn't shake the memory of her cold demeanor. The only thing she had to show for it was a neat communicator with internet access, but the trauma still lingered.

"Heather? Heather?" Lindsay's voice broke through her thoughts. "Hello? Oh, my new nail polish is mortar. Isn't it hot?"

Heather blinked, snapping back to reality. "Grey is totally your color," Beth added quickly, trying to snap Heather out of her daze.

Lindsay, meanwhile, was distracted by showing off her own nail color, and the two shared a light giggle. Slowly, Heather shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts of Izzy's mother from her mind.

Before she knew it, the girls had started walking away from her, and Heather quickly caught up. "Hey, wait for me!" she called, picking up her pace as they continued down the hall. With a sigh, Heather shook off her lingering unease, ready to rejoin the group.

"Wow, you guys can't stop kissing," Jude commented, his laid-back tone cutting through the sweet moment as Bridgette and Geoff locked lips for what seemed like the millionth time.

The surfer and party boy pulled away briefly, grinning, until they noticed Katie and Sadie walking nearby with mischievous smirks, each holding a spray bottle.

*tsk tsk*

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Bridgette and Geoff screamed as their faces were suddenly doused in a painful mixture of hot sauce and water.

"Come on! Why does it feel even spicier than before?" Geoff whined, rubbing his face as Bridgette groaned beside him.

Katie smirked devilishly. "We added another brand of hot sauce. You two needed a break."

Sadie giggled as she held up her spray bottle. "Time was up! You can't just do that in the middle of the line."

The duo high-fived, clearly proud of their teamwork, as the couple muttered angrily and resumed waiting their turn.

Katie and Sadie walked off in different directions, splitting up as they each headed toward a table. Katie spotted Cody seated with a lively group, including Noah, Ezekiel, Gwen, Courtney, Duncan, Trent, and Harold. Sadie, meanwhile, wandered over to Justin's table, giving Katie a small wave goodbye.

At Cody's table, the conversation was already buzzing when Katie joined in.

"Wait, hold on, you've never played an instrument before?" Cody asked Ezekiel, his surprise evident.

"No way!" Courtney chimed in, blinking in disbelief. "Your songs are amazing. I mean, sure, I've never seen you play an instrument, but you've got such a natural talent for lyrics and humming melodies. How is that even possible?"

The table murmured in agreement, impressed and puzzled. After all, Ezekiel was the creator of the Steven Universe and Adventure Time books, and the songs he had written for them had been deeply moving and heartfelt. The idea that he had done all of that without knowing how to play a single instrument was almost unbelievable.

Ezekiel, who was quietly typing on his laptop, looked up with a small smile. "Yep, my Pa plays the banjo, but he never let me touch it. I get it, though... He doesn't want me to break it. I've never played any instrument, but I can clap, whistle, and imagine how songs should sound. I just try to replicate everything a cappella."

As if to prove his point, he puckered his lips and began whistling softly. The table grew quiet as he perfectly replicated the melody of Love Like You—the same song he had written for Courtney to sing during the talent show, which had won the Killer Bass challenge.

Courtney's eyes widened in surprise. The melody was beautiful, and Ezekiel whistled it effortlessly, his talent undeniable.

"Yeah, playing an instrument like a ukulele or drums would be neat, but I just don't have the time or patience right now. I've got so much going on—new chapters to write, more books, artwork to finish... Plus, there's martial arts training. Eva's been teaching me boxing, but she doesn't know much about Capoeira. Izzy might help me with that, though, since she knows a ton of martial arts." When he finished, he shrugged casually, returning to his laptop.

"It's just... a lot, you know? I barely have time to breathe, let alone learn how to play an instrument," Ezekiel said with a grimace, exhaustion creeping into his voice. "That's why I hired Wyatt to help develop the songs. I give him instructions on how the songs should sound and even write the lyrics for him."

Katie tilted her head, concern flickering across her face. "Ezekiel, as much as I want to say you're doing well... don't you think you're pushing yourself too hard?"

Some of the group nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, you're kind of doing the whole burning-the-candle-at-both-ends thing," Cody added, leaning back in his chair. "Trust me, man, I've been there with school projects. It's not pretty when you crash."

Noah smirked as he sipped his drink. "Cody, your version of 'crashing' is falling asleep during Twilight Zone reruns. Ezekiel here is running a marathon with flaming hurdles."

The group chuckled, and even Ezekiel let out a small laugh. "Yeah, I guess I'm pushing myself to my limit," he admitted. "But I'm glad Eva cut me some slack today. She told me to skip the heavy exercises this morning. All I did was some warm-ups and stretches before today's challenge. Honestly, after this, I'll probably sleep like a log. I just wanted to write down some ideas for the rest of this chapter before we head out for the challenge."

As Ezekiel typed rapidly on his laptop, Gwen, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up. "You know, I get it. When you're in the zone, it's hard to stop. I've been there with my paintings. But seriously, you've got to give yourself time to breathe. You're not a machine."

"Right? Even machines overheat!" Harold chimed in, noticing Ezekiel's continued focus on his laptop. "Trust me, I once left my video game on overnight, and it nearly fried itself."

"That's probably because you were playing some nerdy RPG for twelve hours straight," Duncan snorted.

"Actually, I was trying to beat the record on Pac-Man. It was a Saturday night, and I had nothing else to do." Harold shrugged, raising an eyebrow at Duncan.

"So, you spent the whole night playing Pac-Man?" Duncan whistled, half impressed. "Man, gotta hand it to you—you're committed."

Harold shrugged, leaning back casually. "I know there's a lot of great new consoles out, but I think the classics are still worth playing."

"True words have never been better spoken, Harold," Ezekiel muttered under his breath as he continued typing, the corners of his mouth twitching upward in agreement. For a brief moment, his mind wandered to the future, recalling how certain classics remained untouchable while others were ruined by greedy corporations. Ubisoft and EA, once loved in the past, became infamous for bad decisions. But Tetris? That stood the test of time, finding new ways to push its limits and create excitement.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when Trent lightly touched his shoulder. Ezekiel blinked and looked up at the boy, feeling a bit awkward. He didn't have much interaction with Trent before. and guilt from last season lingered in the back of his mind. Still, there was something about Trent's calm, understanding demeanor that made Ezekiel pause.

"Ezekiel, I know writing and creating is your thing, but don't forget to live in the moment too," Trent said, his voice gentle. "You're on this crazy show with all of us—we're literally living in chaos. Take some time to enjoy it, even if it's just for a minute."

Ezekiel stared at Trent for a moment, caught off guard by the advice. Around them, Gwen, Courtney, and Duncan exchanged glances but stayed quiet, their silence acknowledging the truth in Trent's words.

"I know," Ezekiel finally admitted, his voice softer. "Just a few more seconds, though—I'm almost done." He refocused on the screen, his fingers flying over the keyboard. But the way his free hand scratched at his messy hair—a clear sign of his nervousness—betrayed his growing stress. "I get it. Chaos is part of this whole experience, and honestly? It's kind of fun. A break from the usual grind. But you guys are right. I need to pace myself. I've burned out before. Once, I couldn't write or even think creatively for two months straight. It was… brutal."

The group's expressions shifted, their teasing tones replaced by subtle concern.

Ezekiel pressed on, as though trying to justify himself. "But come on, guys. Three new books are in development—two of which haven't been published before. I mean, the hype? It's unreal. The public's going to be dying to see what I'm cooking up, especially for stuff like Courage the Cowardly Dog. I'm on a roll right now."

"It's great to be ambitious, but you've got to prioritize," Courtney said, arms crossed, her tone firm but not unkind. "Burning yourself out won't help anyone—especially not you."

Ezekiel sighed deeply, the tension in his shoulders easing just slightly. "Fair point." He tapped the final few keys and saved his work before closing the laptop. "Done." He leaned back with visible relief. "And I get it. Really. I do. But knowing Chris? He could pop up at any second, spring some insane challenge on us, and then I'll have to stash all my stuff in the trailer anyway."

"Fair enough," Noah remarked, leaning back in his chair. He blinked suddenly, his gaze locking onto Ezekiel's outfit. "Wait a minute... since when are you into My Chemical Romance?"

Ezekiel raised an eyebrow, confused, until Cody chimed in,

"Yeah, I was wondering about that too. I thought I was the only one who noticed."Cody commented as he gestured at the black parade-style jacket Ezekiel was wearing.

"Always liked music, why?" Ezekiel commented as the group's attention shifted as they took in Courtney and Duncan's outfits as well. Courtney had opted for the edgy look she'd worn at Gwen's birthday party—a stark contrast to her usual preppy style. Duncan, however, was rocking a completely new ensemble: a purple shirt with a skull graphic on the front, a long black jacket, aquamarine pants, and a couple of skull rings. The letters tattooed on his knuckles still spelled out "K-I-L-L-E-R-B-A-S-S" when he clenched his fists, but the rest of his vibe screamed "rebel in transition."

"Okay, so… When did everyone decide to switch up their wardrobes?" Noah raised an eyebrow, gesturing vaguely at them.

"Hey, it's not our fault you didn't read the fine print on the contract," Gwen quipped with a smirk, though her comment made Trent raise his hand unexpectedly.

"I did," Trent said casually. "I brought some extra clothes, but I'm saving them for next week."

The group turned toward him, eyebrows collectively raised.

"I mean, I've got nine of the same shirt," Trent added nonchalantly. "I wear one, swap it out, then repeat."

Cody stared at him, incredulous. "Dude, I get that nine's your lucky number, but wearing the same type and color of shirt for nine days straight? That's... not cool."

Trent chuckled lightly, sensing Cody's judgment. "Oh, no, I change shirts two or three times a day depending on the situation. It's not that bad."

The clarification earned a few nods of relief, though Cody still looked skeptical. "I guess that's better, but man, you really love overcomplicating the simplest things, huh?"

The group laughed, the earlier tension melting away as they slipped back into their usual banter. Ezekiel leaned back, letting the conversation flow around him, silently grateful for the momentary reprieve from his self-imposed pressure.

While most of the contestants managed to enjoy their breakfast without much fuss, the line at Chef's counter was moving at a crawl. Owen stood at the front, his normally cheerful demeanor replaced with exhaustion and agony. Dark circles framed his eyes, and his disheveled appearance made it clear he hadn't slept well.

Behind him, Eva, Tyler, and Leshawna waited in line, chatting lightly. That is, until Owen's weary voice broke through the murmurs.

"Ugh. No eggs and bacon for me, Chef. I'll just have this... urgh," Owen muttered, his voice strained and raspy. Just as he leaned forward to point at his selection, he gagged slightly, his face twisting in discomfort. "A nice bowl of... prunes."

The room seemed to freeze. Chef raised an eyebrow, his mouth hanging open in surprise. Tyler turned toward Leshawna, his jaw dropping, while DJ choked on his drink. Heather blinked in disbelief, her fork clattering against her plate. Only Eva seemed unfazed, raising one eyebrow before giving a small nod of approval.

"What?" Owen asked, blinking at the group now staring at him as though he'd grown a second head. His voice carried an edge of defensiveness, though his exhaustion drained any real energy from it.

"Nothing," Eva finally said, her tone even and confident. "You just made the right choice. Prunes are great for fiber. You need it." She nodded firmly, arms crossed.

The group exchanged awkward glances, most too stunned to even laugh. The idea of Owen, a lover of junk food and everything deep-fried, voluntarily choosing prunes was unheard of. It was like witnessing a unicorn doing a kickflip. Rare. Impossible. Practically a myth.

Owen shrugged, oblivious to the gravity of his choice in the eyes of the others, and shuffled away with his bowl. The stunned silence lingered for a moment before Tyler whispered to Leshawna, "Did he just... pick prunes?" She nodded slowly, still processing the moment.

Confessional: Owen

The camera zoomed in on Owen, who was slumped in the wooden confessional chair. His hands fidgeted nervously as he avoided eye contact with the camera.

"My, uh, plumbing's been clogged ever since I ate all those fake food props during the last challenge." He winced, clearly embarrassed. His eyes darted left and right, as if he were checking to make sure no one could overhear him.

"Pressure buildup's been killing me! UGHHHH," he groaned, his voice strained as his stomach made an audible, gurgling protest. Owen gritted his teeth, clutching his side.

"Aw, c'mon, colon, don't fail me now!" he pleaded, leaning forward slightly in his chair. Suddenly, a faint fart escaped, breaking the tense silence. Owen perked up, his face lighting with cautious optimism.

"Oh, I hear bells!" he said excitedly, a small, hopeful grin creeping across his face.

After everyone had finally finished their breakfast, the campers gathered outside, now waiting for Chris to show up with news of their next challenge. Conversations dwindled as the familiar figure of their host approached, flanked by two security guards, cadets Sanders and MacArthur. Both were sporting sleek, updated uniforms with a bold Total Drama logo emblazoned on their black police vests, their presence giving a slightly more official—albeit absurd—air to the proceedings.

Chris strutted confidently toward the group, clearly relishing his dramatic entrance. His new outfit screamed movie director: he wore oversize sunglasses, a vibrant red beret, a whistle hanging from his neck, and a green backpack slung over one shoulder. To punctuate his arrival, he dramatically snapped a clapperboard in front of him.

"Welcome to day two of Total Drama Action!" Chris declared with exaggerated enthusiasm, his grin as wide as ever.

The campers exchanged skeptical looks. While some rolled their eyes, others braced for whatever chaos Chris had in store.

"Are you gonna do that every time?" Duncan asked in a flat, bored tone, arms crossed as he gave Chris an unimpressed glare.

Chris's smirk didn't waver for a second. "Yes. Yes, I will." His nonchalant delivery only made the smugness in his voice more pronounced.

Duncan shrugged, not particularly surprised. "All right then," he muttered, deciding it wasn't worth the energy to push back. He knew Chris too well by now, if it irritated the campers even a little, Chris would double down just for the fun of it.

Chris clapped his hands together. "Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's get to today's movie genre!" His grin widened as he paused for dramatic effect. "Zombies!"

At the mention of zombies, the group's reactions were split. Duncan, Gwen, Trent, and Jude perked up immediately, their faces lighting with excitement. Meanwhile, others like DJ, Owen, and Sadie exchanged apprehensive glances, clearly dreading whatever horrors were about to unfold.

Chris ignored their unease, continuing with his over-the-top explanation. "Our unpaid interns have been working around the clock to figure out what makes a zombie movie successful! Chef?"

All heads turned as Chef, stationed nearby, stirred something ominous-looking in a massive pot. The smell wafting from it made several campers wince. Chef stepped forward, wiping his hands on a towel, and shot a stern look at the group.

"There are a few basic rules," Chef began, his gruff voice cutting through the quiet murmur of the campers. His arms were crossed, a grim look on his face as he stood next to a giant pot that suspiciously smelled like expired meat. "One: It starts with an outbreak. Could be a virus, an experiment gone wrong, or something nobody understands. All you need to know is—things go bad real fast."

The campers exchanged uneasy glances. Duncan smirked, but even he couldn't hide his apprehension.

"Two: Survival ain't just about zombies." Chef pointed his wooden spoon at the group like a weapon. "It's about the people with you. Trust the wrong ones, and they'll take you down faster than any flesh-eater."

Courtney nodded knowingly, while Heather rolled her eyes.

"And three," Chef growled, leaning in as if to make sure they were paying attention, "there's always an escape—or at least, you think there is. Whether you make it out depends on how smart, fast, and lucky you are. YO CHRIS! WHERE'S MY PAYCHECK AT?"

Chris flinched as he even stuttered into finding a way to answer Chef.

"Er...it's in the mail." Chris answer didn't make Chef any happy as he continued to prepare himself to continue explaining the challenge.

"Uh, does this mean, like, we're going to fight zombies for real?" Jude raised his hand.

"Not exactly," Chris said with a chuckle. "But close enough. Somewhere out there—"he gestured dramatically toward the sprawling set, now transformed into a ruined cityscape complete with fake blood splatters, abandoned vehicles, and eerie fog—"there's a vial containing the cure to the zombie apocalypse on the other side of the town far away from here mixed between the movie sets. Your mission? Survive the outbreak, find the cure, and bring it back here to the safety zone. Easy peasy."

"Not really, dude," Duncan muttered, crossing his arms.

Chris ignored him and continued, "Oh, and about the zombies. They'll be played by our wonderful unpaid interns, who are now roaming the set looking for fresh meat. If they bite you—it means you are tagged." Chef smirked and held up a bundle of bright red tags marked with the word Zombie. To place on their clothes. "Which means you become one of them, but also with a good production of makeup to make you more like zombies, and your new goal is to infect the rest of the survivors. Got it?"

The group collectively tensed at the rules. DJ gulped loudly.

"Sorry, losers, but no one knows zombie movies the way I do. The more obscure, the better." Duncan smirked confidently, leaning back in his chair. His girlfriend, Courtney, gave him a disapproving look before looking over at Ezekiel.

"I know zombie movies, but the scarier they are, the more I try to avoid watching them," Ezekiel admitted, glancing at the laptop he'd left behind. He knew Chef would confiscate it if caught, but he wasn't too worried. Chef always returned it the next day during training, assuming he didn't catch Chris doing something to push his buttons. Ezekiel smirked at the thought; Chris was in for it once Chef finally snapped.

"That's a pity," Courtney said, her tone half-dismissive. She looked at Gwen for backup, but Gwen just rolled her eyes.

"We need to stay rational and logical about this," Gwen said, catching Duncan by surprise.

"Wow, Dawn of the Dead? Classic." Duncan grinned, giving Gwen an approving thumbs up.

Gwen smiled smugly. "I love that movie. I've seen it at least 25 times."

"Not bad," Duncan said, leaning forward. "When there's no more room in Hell… the dead will walk the Earth." He finished the quote with a dramatic flourish. "Not my favorite zombie movie, but it's got solid moments. Still, Pet Sematary is the best."

"Okay, now you're playing dirty with Stephen King movies," Gwen retorted, crossing her arms.

Ezekiel raised an eyebrow. "Stephen King's not just a horror guy, though."

"Obviously," Duncan said with a scoff. "We all know The Shining."

"I like The Shawshank Redemption better," Ezekiel said casually, earning surprised stares from the group. "What?"

"Wait—Stephen King did The Shawshank Redemption?" Cody asked, his jaw practically hitting the floor.

Ezekiel nodded. "And The Green Mile, too."

"Oh my gosh, I love that movie!" Katie clapped her hands in excitement. "My mom and I cry every time we watch it!"

The rest of the group blinked, stunned, before murmuring among themselves.

"No way," Duncan muttered, sharing a glance with Gwen.

"That's wild," Trent whistled.

"Wait, wait, wait," Courtney cut in, still processing. "You're telling me the same guy who wrote The Shining also did The Green Mile? I thought that was someone else!"

"Yup," Ezekiel shrugged, a hint of pride in his voice. "He's more versatile than people think."

"Well, this is fascinating and all," Chris interrupted with a loud cough, "but HELLO? Challenge time!"

The campers exchanged sheepish glances as Chris cleared his throat dramatically.

"The two fastest campers to return the vial to the safety zone will win immunity for themselves and get to choose their team members for the season," Chris explained with a wide grin. "So, yeah, no pressure."

"Wait." Heather raised her hand, her arms crossed tightly. "So, if we get tagged, we have to work against everyone else?"

"Exactly!" Chris replied, grinning ear to ear. "Think of it as a… test of loyalty. Or lack thereof."

"Dude, this is twisted," Jude said, his lips twitching into a small grin despite himself.

"Twisted is kind of our thing," Chris replied smugly. "Anyway, you've got ten minutes to gear up and get to the starting point. Good luck, campers. You're gonna need it."

The group quickly scattered, either heading to their trailers or roaming the set in search of materials to help them survive the challenge. However, Ezekiel hung back, a mischievous glint in his eye as he approached Chris.

"Hey Chris, the zombie rules apply to everything, right?" Ezekiel asked, his voice laced with curiosity and just a hint of mischief.

Chris raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Yes, they do. Why? What's on your mind?"

Chef, standing nearby with his arms crossed, leaned in slightly, sensing something interesting was about to unfold.

"Where are the paintball guns?" Ezekiel asked, grinning like a kid about to raid the candy aisle.

Chris's smirk widened. "Ah, a genre-savvy player! You're thinking ahead—classic zombie movie logic. Guns and weapons are always the first priority. Chef?"

Chef smirked and reached under the counter, pulling out a paintball gun and slamming it onto the makeshift table with a satisfying thud. "The weapons are usually with the cops or the military in these situations. Looks like you're one of the smart ones, homeschool."

Ezekiel's grin grew as MacArthur and Sanders handed him paintball magazines. He loaded the gun with care, glancing at Chris. "I'll need something more. Do you have any other guns?"

Chris's smirk didn't falter. "Nerf guns. Darts covered in paint. They pack a punch without breaking the budget. Chef?"

Chef produced a small arsenal of nerf guns, including a shotgun and two pistols, which Ezekiel picked up without hesitation. He examined the weapons like a seasoned pro. "I'll take the shotgun and two pistols. Perfect balance of firepower and portability."

Chris leaned on the counter, impressed. "Not bad, Ezekiel. You really are playing the zombie movie rulebook, aren't you?"

"Always." Ezekiel smirked, his expression sharpening. "One more thing, do you have Ziploc bags?"

That question caught everyone off guard. Chris blinked in confusion while Chef raised an eyebrow. "Ziploc bags?"

"Yup. We're going to have plenty of problems in this challenge. Moisture shouldn't be one of them," Ezekiel quipped, quoting a survival line that felt oddly ahead of its time.

Chris's jaw dropped slightly before his grin returned, wider than ever. "Oh, now this is genius. You're planning to keep the paint darts fresh. I love it. Chef!"

Chef reached under the counter once more, pulling out three Ziploc bags. Ezekiel accepted them with a nod of thanks, immediately stuffing extra paint darts into them before loading his magazines.

Chris snapped his fingers at the cameras, signaling them to cut for a moment. "Okay, we're saving this part for a flashback mid-challenge. It's gonna blow everyone's minds when they see how prepared you are."

Chef chuckled, watching Ezekiel finish gearing up. "The kid's got guts. I'll give him that."

Ezekiel slung the paintball shotgun over his shoulder and tucked the pistols into his makeshift holsters. "A zombie apocalypse is all about two things when you hold a gun: you either aim or you shoot; that's one of the rules you should have for survival. Stick to the rules, and you'll be fine."

Chris gave Ezekiel a mock salute. "Well, good luck out there, Zeke. You're already making this challenge a whole lot more entertaining."

Ezekiel smirked as he adjusted his gear, ready to dive headfirst into the chaos ahead.

Confession - Duncan

Duncan leaned back in the confessional chair, his trademark smirk plastered across his face. "Horror movies are my element. Zombies? Come on, surviving them isn't that difficult," he said, rolling his eyes like it was obvious.

He cracked his knuckles as he leaned forward, the grin on his face widening. "Sure, it's nice to have a break from that terrible island, but signing up for another season of this crazy reality show? Not exactly on my bucket list." He let out a short laugh. "But hey, can't say no to a shot at a million dollars, right?"

Leaning back again, he crossed his arms confidently. "This season? It's gonna be my season. Watch and learn, people."

Confession - Owen

Owen burst into the confessional room, practically bouncing in his seat as he grinned ear to ear. "Can you believe this season? It's already so awesome!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms up in excitement. "The trailer was epic, and it's just so great to see all my friends again!"

But then his enthusiasm faltered slightly as his stomach let out a loud, ominous grumble. A small fart slipped out, making him wince awkwardly.

"Well… I'm glad this whole challenge thing is about to start soon," he said with a nervous grimace, patting his stomach. "Hopefully, my stomach will calm down. I just need to survive until then." He offered a hopeful smile, crossing his fingers for luck.

The boys' trailer was a whirlwind of frantic, creative chaos as each camper worked on their gear and strategies for the upcoming zombie challenge. Chris had been vague about the exact details, but one thing was certain: they needed to be ready for anything.

Duncan leaned against the far wall, a devilish grin on his face as he flicked open his trusty knife. "You all are overthinking this," he said, watching the others with mild amusement. "Simple, sharp, and effective. That's how you survive." He spun the knife in his hand with practiced ease before slipping it into his pocket.

Across the room, Harold was hard at work, fully immersed in his own world. His hoodie had been converted into makeshift battle armor, reinforced with duct tape and stuffed with thin metal sheets scavenged from around the set. He carefully slid two plastic lightsabers into his oversized pants pockets, adjusting them for easy access. His eyes gleamed with pride as he muttered to himself, "Strongest weapon against zombies. Let the fans figure it out."

"Dude, you are going to use the lightsabers you bought at the mall?" Duncan noticed and chuckled. "Seriously, Harold? What, you gonna Jedi-mind-trick the undead?"

"Mock all you want, Duncan, but when your knife can't cut it, you'll wish you had a lightsaber." Harold didn't look up as he smirked. "Even as this wasn't lethal like the original in the movies, it's still cut a lot of objects and make easy fires with it."

Tyler, sitting on the edge of a bunk, fumbled with a pair of hockey gloves and a wooden baseball bat he'd found outside the trailer. "It's all about grip and swing," he said, mostly to himself, as he mimicked batting stances. His strategy seemed less about practicality and more about sticking to what he knew. He even took a hockey stick he also bought for himself. The more and merrier.

At the small counter, Cody was taping magazines to his arms for protection. His pièce de résistance, however, was his helmet: an upside-down metal colander with slits cut into it for visibility. He adjusted it on his head and turned to the others. "Hey, laugh all you want, but this'll stop a zombie bite. Style and survival, people! Also, we just need to take the cure and return to the safety zone; less chances of being bitten means more chance of winning."

DJ, the gentle giant of the group, was more focused on defense than offense. He quietly reinforced his favorite hoodie with thick layers of duct tape, creating padding for his chest and arms. For a weapon, he opted for a broken table leg he'd found in the corner of the trailer. "I'm not trying to hurt anyone, man," he muttered as he wrapped the grip with cloth. "But if it's me or them, I gotta protect myself."

Near the door, Geoff rummaged through a box of props Chris had conveniently left behind. He pulled out a neon-green pool noodle, inspected it, and tossed it aside with a laugh. "Guess that's not going to help," he said, before settling on a sturdy broomstick. He whistled as he began to sand down one end to make it sharper. "Man, this feels like a party already."

Justin, ever the image-conscious one, wasn't so much preparing as he was admiring himself in a small handheld mirror. He adjusted his hair, making sure it stayed perfectly in place, even as the chaos around him continued. "It's all about looking good under pressure," he mused, ignoring the groans of frustration from the others.

On the floor, Jude sat cross-legged, working on his weapon of choice: a skateboard with nails hammered into the front. "This is so gnarly," he said, giving it a test swing. "Totally gonna shred those zombies, bro."

"I think Chris won't appreciate if we hurt too much the zombies; I mean, they are interns, guys; we cannot kill them." DJ said in a worry tone, which made the whole group pause and then realize what it meant.

"Oh yeah, I forgot it's just a challenge, and it wasn't an actual zombie apocalypse for a second." Duncan chuckled as he made sure to wrap the duct tape on the edges of the knife to make sure it wouldn't make the 'zombies' actually die, but they would shit their pants when they thought they would die.

Trent, ever the musician, had opted for a slightly unconventional approach. He held a spare guitar string in his hands, testing its tension. "Not the first thing you'd think of, but this baby's strong enough to slice through anything if I need it," he said quietly. His actual guitar was slung over his back, its case wrapped with duct tape for added durability. "Just explain this to the zombies, and that would make it good enough for them to start running away from me. Also, it can be used as traps."

Owen, predictably, was the least concerned about the specifics of survival. He was tying couch pillows to his chest and back with duct tape, creating a makeshift padded suit. "You guys are all thinking way too hard about this; zombies can't hurt you if they can't get through your layers!"

The group paused as they stared at Owen, who looked a bit nervous.

"What?" Owen asked, and the boys couldn't help but shake their heads because they knew about how Owen was screwed.

Noah, perched on the top bunk, was the only one not actively preparing. He watched the chaos below with a raised eyebrow, his usual sarcastic expression firmly in place. "You're all idiots," he said flatly, flipping through a book he'd picked up earlier. "Zombies are slow and stupid. Just keep moving, and you'll be fine."

As the boys finished their preparations, the room buzzed with a mix of nervous excitement and determination. The intercom crackled to life, and Chris's voice echoed through the trailer. "Campers, report to the starting zone! The zombie apocalypse awaits!"

DJ stood up from where he'd been adjusting his improvised armor, looking around the trailer. "Hey, does anyone see Ezekiel?"

Everyone paused for a second, scanning the room, but no one could spot him. Duncan raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked around. "Now that you mentioned it, I think he didn't come here. Probably off somewhere else." His gaze shifted, and his eyes widened. "Oh, that sneaky bastard."

"What, what's up?" Tyler asked, his curiosity piqued.

Duncan smirked, a plan forming in his head. "I bet he went over to the girl's trailers. They've got more resources than we do, and we all know Ezekiel's not above taking advantage of that." He chuckled darkly. "Well, in that case, I think he won't mind me borrowing his bow and arrows."

The room went quiet for a moment as the boys exchanged confused looks, disbelief written across their faces.

"You're going to take his bow and arrows?" Tyler asked incredulously, eyes wide.

Duncan shrugged nonchalantly, tapping his fingers against the side of his jeans. "Just the compound bow he bought at the mall. Not the one he made by hand. That one's too sentimental, and even I've got standards." He smirked, making a dismissive gesture. "I'm not a monster."

Harold raised an eyebrow. "Wait, so you're stealing his fancy bow but leaving the handcrafted one?"

"Yes, because that thing was a gift from a girl," Duncan explained with a sly grin. "And trust me, you don't mess with that. But the professional one? Totally fair game. It's just equipment, and I need something that'll get the job done."

"And how about the arrow tip?" Tyler asked as Duncan decided to use the duct tape, which made the jock more relieved but still scratched his head. "You're really gonna do that?"

"Hell yeah, I am," Duncan said, already heading for the exit, his voice laced with a hint of excitement. "Besides, if he's off gallivanting around the Girl's trailers, I don't think he's gonna mind." He shot one last glance at the others, a smug grin on his face. "Let's go. We've got a zombie apocalypse to survive."

The girls stood in awe as Izzy proudly displayed her extensive collection of survival gear, all neatly arranged in one corner of the trailer. Wooden spears, handmade bows and arrows, small axes perfect for cutting wood, and even artisanal smoke bombs were lined up like trophies from a survivalist's dream. Izzy grinned, clearly reveling in the attention.

Heather raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed as she surveyed the display with a mix of skepticism and intrigue. "E-scope, are you trying to start an actual zombie apocalypse or just survive one?" she asked, her tone laced with dry sarcasm. Still, there was no denying the practicality of Izzy's assortment.

Izzy's grin widened. "What can I say? You gotta be ready for anything! The zombies won't know what hit 'em." She pointed dramatically at her collection, explaining each item with the excitement of someone who'd clearly been preparing for this moment her entire life. "Spears for close combat, bows for long-range attacks, axes for utility—and, of course, my artisanal smoke bombs for distractions. Oh, and since it's a fake movie challenge, I even brought scenographic knives, axes, and a foam baseball bat with fake nails. Which isn't lethal, but *beeeep*, it can hurt a lot."

Izzy held up the foam bat with pride as Lindsay gasped, her eyes lighting up. "Oh my gosh, it's pink with sequins!" she squealed, rushing over to grab it. "This is perfect! It's cute and practical." She posed with the bat, twirling it around like a runway model, earning a few amused chuckles from Beth.

Heather rolled her eyes but smirked faintly. "Of course, you'd find a weapon that's basically an accessory."

"While I say, I love the colors." Lindsay blinked at the sheer quantity of weapons. "I... I think we might be overprepared? I think that's the right word." She laughed nervously, rubbing her head. While she looked at Heather, who nodded her head. "I mean, this is all impressive, but we're just going up against interns, right?"

Beth, still trying to grasp the gravity of the situation, picked up a small fake axe and tested its weight. "Yeah, I mean, there's no actual apocalypse happening, right? Just a bunch of interns in zombie costumes, right?"

Heather nodded, almost amused by the absurdity. "Exactly. But Kaleidoscope's right. Better safe than sorry." She turned to look at the rest of the group. "And if they have anything worth taking, we can use it. Just be smart about it."

While Izzy continued her preparations, making sure everything was in order, the other girls began to search for their own weapons and survival gear, picking out whatever was available. The trailer, with its luxury amenities, was stocked with food, water, and other resources that would come in handy for the challenge.

Lindsay grabbed a sturdy wooden plank, weighing it in her hands. "This also should do as a blunt weapon, right?"

Beth looked at her and nodded. "I'm with you. A good solid strike can always take someone down."

Izzy walked over to Heather, who was quietly fiddling with her Heathermmunicator. "What are you doing?" she asked, her tone shifting between curiosity and concern.

Heather glanced up, her finger still scrolling through her device. "Looking up some tips. You'd be surprised what you can learn in five minutes."

Izzy raised an eyebrow. "Tips for what? Zombies?"

"Zombies, survival tactics—basic stuff," Heather replied, still focused on her screen. "I thought I'd get a little bit of an edge in case the interns get tricky. You never know with Chris's games."

Beth laughed. "Is that even necessary? It's just a game, after all."

Heather shrugged, setting her Heathermmunicator down. "Better to be prepared than caught off guard." She scanned the trailer. "Alright, let's do this. Grab what you can, but don't go overboard. The main thing is to stick together and watch each other's backs."

As the girls armed themselves with improvised weapons—some opting for planks, others for small axes or shields—they took a moment to survey the trailer. Unlike the boys' side, which had minimal supplies and chaotic preparations, their trailer was more organized. There was food, water, and first aid kits scattered around, providing a strong foundation for their survival.

"Think we're ready?" Lindsay asked, clutching her wooden plank tightly.

Heather gave her a confident smile. "We're more than ready. We've got everything we need. Now, let's get out there and show these zombies how it's done."

Izzy's wild grin widened. "Heck yeah! Let's get 'em!" She practically bounced with excitement, twirling one of her smoke bombs in her hand.

As the commotion in the trailer continued, a few of the other girls stood frozen in disbelief, watching Izzy's over-the-top display of survival gear. Gwen, Courtney, Eva, Katie, Sadie, Bridgette, and Leshawna were all standing there, mouths agape, as Izzy went to town collecting weapons—wooden spears, smoke bombs, and everything in between.

Courtney, hands on her hips and clearly not impressed, massaged her temples as the chaos unfolded before her. "How does Ezekiel keep up with this?" she muttered under her breath, side-eyeing Izzy as she spun in circles with excitement, waving around a wooden spear. "Is she actually crazy, or does she just act crazy?"

Eva shot her a look. "She's probably a bit of both. You know, like a walking disaster with a side of genius."

Courtney gave a small grunt in agreement but kept her eyes trained on Izzy. "I swear, if she breaks something else…"

Meanwhile, Gwen was quietly observing, her arms crossed as she looked over the room full of makeshift weaponry. Her eyes narrowed, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "I mean, come on. I'm not going to let E-scope outdo me, not this time," she muttered to herself. Reaching over, she grabbed a long metal pipe from the corner of the trailer and started testing its weight. "Zombie movies have nothing on me."

While the chaos unfolded, Katie and Sadie exchanged glances, unsure of how to react. Sadie—who had just finished her training with Eva—was still in awe of Izzy's elaborate setup but decided to go for something a little more practical for herself. She spotted a small hammer near the corner of the trailer and grabbed it, feeling a small sense of security at the familiar weight in her hand. "I'll just... smash some zombies with this," she mumbled, although she didn't sound entirely convinced.

Katie, on the other hand, wasn't about to let Sadie have all the fun. She scanned the room for something a little more stylish, eventually finding a long, sturdy broomstick. She grinned, swinging it in the air like a sword. "Perfect! I'll be like a broom-wielding warrior. Who needs a spear when I can have a whole new look?" She twirled the broom with a flourish, clearly more focused on her 'aesthetic' than the challenge itself.

Bridgette, ever the calm and composed one, had already grabbed a long piece of rope and was using it to tie together several smaller objects she found. "A grappling hook might come in handy," she said to herself. "Or at least I can use it to trip the zombies up if needed." She worked efficiently, combining items she knew could come in handy without causing any unnecessary commotion.

Leshawna, never one to be left out of any survival plans, quickly snatched a thick pipe from the corner and raised it with confidence. "They want a challenge? I'll show 'em how it's done." With a grin, she began swinging the pipe around, getting a feel for the weight. "Better not mess with me. Zombies, beware!" she shouted with a dramatic pose.

As for Eva, she was quick to grab a large, heavy chair leg and gripped it with both hands. "No fancy weapons here," she said bluntly. "Just good old-fashioned muscle." She swung the chair leg around with ease, clearly confident in her physical strength.

Meanwhile, Courtney, still rubbing her temples, looked to the others for advice. "What about you, Gwen? You've seen every zombie movie known to man. Got any tips for us?" She asked, her voice laced with a hint of sarcasm.

Gwen rolled her eyes but then straightened up. "I don't need tips. I've got this," she replied confidently, grabbing a large crowbar from a corner of the trailer. "The best way to take down a zombie is with something solid, something reliable. And a crowbar never lets you down."

Izzy, hearing the conversation, came bouncing over, practically vibrating with energy. "You guys are going to love my smoke bombs! We'll throw them and—"

"Great," Courtney cut her off, "but can you not blow anything up this time?"

"Oh Courtney…" Izzy gave her a wink. As she giggled from her naivety, especially on the show. "I make no promises. Oh… Also, I think Heather wants to talk with you."

"Me?" Courtney blinked, as she looked unsure, but since the challenge was about to happen. She simply thought about the idea of making an alliance. "Okay, girls, I will be with Heather, and then we can focus on being together. Since possibly working together as a team will be easier for us."

"Easier for you to say, since the first 2 who would find the cure vial and return on the safe zone would win the challenge and choose the teams." Eva commented as she rolled her eyes, but didn't complain much. "Go; we will wait for you to return."

.

.

.

Heather stood outside the trailer, her posture relaxed but her gaze sharp, as though she could sense the unease radiating from Lindsay and Beth. They exchanged worried glances, the weight of what was coming pressing down on them. It was clear they didn't know what Heather had planned, but one thing was certain: it wasn't going to end well.

Courtney stepped out, the sound of the trailer door closing behind her echoing in the tense silence. She crossed her arms, staring at Heather, her face expressionless. "Okay, Heather, what do you want?"

Heather didn't even look up at first; her eyes focused on her perfectly manicured nails. She exhaled dramatically before finally glancing at Courtney, the corners of her lips curling into a cold, deliberate smile. "I want you to cash in that favor you owe me."

Courtney's heart sink. The tone in Heather's voice—so precise, so calculating—sent a chill down her spine. There was no mistaking it: this was a power move. The kind that would make or break alliances, twist friendships, and be talked about in future seasons. A move that would be remembered.

Confession - Heather

"Last season, I racked up quite a few favors. In the words of Ezekiel and Izzy, I was playing chess while the game itself was played, as checkers. It didn't take long for me to realize how simple the game really was. All I had to do was take down the strongest players from the other team and make my own team stronger. The hardest part last season? Defeating Killer Bass. But that's easy when you know how to take out one of their pillars."

Heather chuckled to herself, feeling satisfied with her genius. "I saved Courtney from elimination last season. Now, it's her choice. Her or Duncan. She's got to make the call. Because I can't do anything to Ezekiel—he's got three favors over me. But I can sure as hell mess with their morale."

"It's all about strategy. The one million dollars is mine now, no doubt. I've got the moves, and I'm going to play this game like I never have before. Aggressive. Calculated. Smart."

Heather glanced at her Heathermmunicator, her fingers swiping across the screen. "Sure, I might take a hit on my reputation, but let's be honest—this move? Genius. Write whatever you want in the forums, but you can't deny it. I'm winning this."

She snapped her fingers, and the static of the confession booth overtook her smile.

Confession - Courtney

"I can't believe she's forcing me to make the decision between Duncan and me. This is… this is *beep*." Courtney could hardly hold back her frustration as she gripped the chair she was sitting on. The panic, the anger, the anxiety—it was all bubbling up inside her. Her head swirled with thoughts of betrayal, fear, and desperation. How could Heather even ask her this?

"I want to lie. I want to tell her no, just flat-out refuse. But if I do that... What's she going to do? What kind of retaliation will she come up with?"

Courtney's hands trembled, her thoughts racing. "This is insane... But I can't back down now. I have to make a decision... for both of us."

She looked at the camera, biting her lip. "UGH, WHY NOW?!" Her voice cracked as she looked away, trying to steady her emotions. "I can't believe Heather would ask me this kind of favor... Right now... I just hope Duncan forgives me for what I'm about to do."

The intercom crackled to life, and Chris's voice boomed over the loudspeaker with his signature enthusiasm. "Alright, boys and girls! Report to the starting zone! The zombie apocalypse is about to begin!"

The contestants hurriedly finished their preparations, their adrenaline pumping. But as they reached the starting zone, a strange realization began to settle over them: Chris was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Chef, Ezekiel, the cadets, or any of the usual crew. It was as though they had vanished without a trace.

Instead, what awaited them was a massive map, positioned in the center of the zone. The map detailed the layout of the area, complete with all the marked zones, obstacles, and—most importantly—the location of the cure vial. The contestants crowded around, studying the map intently, each group taking a few moments to memorize the key points.

"Okay," Jude said, tilting his head as he traced the map with his finger. "I think that's Studio 24. If we turn left at Movie Set 17, we can get there super quick, dude." He glanced at the others on his side, waiting for their reactions.

Heather, who was standing nearby, arched an eyebrow at the blonde skateboarder. "What are you doing?" she asked, her tone dripping with condescension.

"Telling everyone where the cure is," Jude replied innocently, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

Heather rolled her eyes so hard it was a miracle she didn't strain them. "You shouldn't share too much information, doofus. The whole point of the challenge is to win and get immunity, not hand the victory to everyone else." Without waiting for a response, she gestured sharply to Beth, Lindsay, and Izzy. The quartet immediately left the tents, disappearing into the maze-like area.

"Did I say something wrong?" Jude asked, turning to Courtney, his tone genuinely curious.

Courtney sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Jude, remember that you're part of a competition now? With a million-dollar prize on the line?"

"Oh, right," Jude said with a sheepish grin, running a hand through his messy blonde hair. "I forgot about that."

Courtney facepalmed, muttering something under her breath about having to babysit another quirky teammate. But as she lowered her hand, she looked at him with the resigned fondness she usually reserved for her more eccentric friends. "Alright, let's just... focus, okay?"

"Want to team up, Princess?" Duncan asked, his voice low and teasing as he stepped up beside her.

Courtney stiffened slightly, her nerves getting the better of her. Her mind flashed back to the favor Heather had asked of her: sabotage Duncan to strip him of immunity. It would give her a massive advantage in the game... but the thought of betraying him left a pit in her stomach.

"I think I'm going on my own this time," Courtney said carefully, trying to keep her voice steady.

Duncan raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised by her response. "Suit yourself," he said with a shrug, though there was a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. "But, just so you know, it's easier to survive when you're with people you trust. Being alone has its perks, but it also makes it a lot easier to get paranoid." He leaned in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek, making her heart flutter with a mix of happiness and guilt.

Courtney smiled faintly as she watched him walk off, his words lingering in her mind. She knew he was right—trust was a key part of survival in a situation like this. But with Heather's favor hanging over her like a dark cloud, she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that her choices in this challenge might come back to haunt her.

Which now was the time for them to leave. And as soon as everyone left the Craft Service Tent, the challenge had already started.

As the contestants reluctantly agreed to participate in the zombie apocalypse challenge, they traveled toward the set—a labyrinthine maze Chris had forced the interns to rebuild as punishment for their earlier screw-ups. The maze was a sprawling, intricate monstrosity, packed with traps, surprises, and plenty of "Chris-caliber" chaos.

The interns, who had once again landed themselves in Chris's bad books, worked tirelessly to reconstruct the maze under grueling conditions. Now, Chris was taking it one step further—making them part of the challenge itself. "Humiliation and pain," Chris mused with glee, "the perfect payback for anyone who lets new contestants sneak onto my show."

Meanwhile, in one of the maze's hidden buildings, Chris lounged in a control room brimming with buttons, switches, and levers that controlled the challenge. Around him, dozens of screens displayed live footage from every camera in the maze. The mechanical layout gave him complete control over every twist and turn, ensuring maximum chaos for the participants.

"This challenge is going to be good," Chris chuckled, cracking his knuckles as he examined the screens. His attention was soon drawn to one in particular, showing Ezekiel armed to the teeth, his focus sharp, and his posture determined.

But before Chris could spice things up, Ezekiel appeared to be monologuing. Chris leaned forward, intrigued. "A monologue? Oh, this ought to be good. Let's see what you've got, prairie genre-savvy boy."

On-screen, Ezekiel stood in a shadowy corridor, gripping a Nerf shotgun like it was his lifeline. His voice was calm, almost philosophical. "In a challenge focused on surviving an apocalyptic world, why am I still alive when everyone else has turned to meat?" he began, pacing slightly as though addressing an invisible audience. "It's because, in situations like this, there's one thing you need to remember: a list of rules."

Chris raised a brow, clearly amused. "Oh? Do tell," he murmured, pressing a button to activate the next phase of chaos. On another screen, a pack of zombified interns groaned to life and began shambling toward the contestants. Chris grinned wickedly. "Go get 'em, boys."

The chaos unfolded almost instantly. On one feed, Owen, Noah, and Cody, who had decided to stick together, wandered into an open plaza of the maze. The trio froze as the sound of guttural moans echoed around them.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Their screams filled the control room as they took off running in different directions. Cody and Noah sprinted ahead, leaving Owen behind as he frantically shouted their names.

"Wait! Guys, don't leave me! My pillows will protect me—"

But before Owen could finish his sentence, the zombies pounced on him, tearing through his makeshift armor of pillows with gleeful abandon.

Chris laughed loudly at the spectacle while Ezekiel, shown on another screen, simply shook his head in disappointment. Ezekiel continued his monologue, unfazed by the chaos.

"Rule number one for surviving a zombie apocalypse? Cardio," Ezekiel declared, breaking into a sprint in the opposite direction of the undead. His voice was calm yet biting as he added, "When the virus struck, the first ones to go? For obvious reasons, the fatties."

On-screen, he glanced back toward the area where Owen had been overtaken. His eyes softened momentarily, and he muttered with faint pity, "Poor fat bastard."

Chris laughed from seeing such a scene on the screen; he knew it would be another good way to make sure to add on the MVPA in the way they were editing the episodes. It's going to be a very good way to entertain the audience. Maybe he could use that dialogue as well and make him say what they did wrong.

Cody sprinted down the maze's narrow, twisting streets, his breaths coming in short, panicked gasps. The fog swirling around them felt suffocating, and the eerie groans of distant zombies only made it worse. "Oh no, oh no, oh no! We left Owen behind!" he cried, darting a glance over his shoulder. His face twisted with guilt and terror. "What if they get him? What if he's—he's already—"

"Gone?" Noah finished, barely breaking a sweat as he jogged beside Cody. His tone was flat, his expression unbothered. Adjusting his glasses with one hand, he shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, that'd suck for him. But let's be real—what were we supposed to do? Carry him? You saw the size of those zombies. We would've been next."

Cody slowed just enough to glare at him, his face a mixture of disbelief and frustration. "How can you say that so casually? That's our teammate! Owen's our friend!"

Noah shot him a sidelong glance, one eyebrow raised. "Friend or not, rule number one in survival: don't trip over dead weight. You can't run? You get caught. Pretty simple." He adjusted his grip on the plastic wrench he'd picked up earlier, his fingers tightening slightly. "Besides, even if Owen gets tagged, he's too heavy to move fast as a zombie. Worst case, he'll shuffle off to the nearest kitchen or bathroom like he always does."

"That's... that's cold, man," Cody muttered, shaking his head as they kept running.

Before Noah could deliver another snarky retort, the tense silence was shattered by a sharp, rhythmic sound: thud-thud-thud, the unmistakable noise of feet hitting concrete. Cody froze mid-step, his heart hammering in his chest. His voice dropped to a terrified whisper. "What was that?"

Noah sighed, his tone laced with annoyance. "What do you think it is? A mariachi band? It's probably just more zombies dressed as interns." He waved a hand dismissively, though his grip on the wrench betrayed his nerves.

The sound grew louder. A shadow emerged around the corner ahead, flickering and twisting in the dim, flickering lights of the maze. Cody's breath hitched, and both boys instinctively tensed, their muscles coiling like springs ready to snap.

The figure stumbled closer, its movements jerky and unnatural. Torn clothes hung from its frame, and glowing yellow eyes pierced the fog. Its mouth opened, emitting a guttural, bone-chilling groan as it locked onto them.

"Do we run?" Cody hissed, clutching Noah's arm like a lifeline.

Noah tilted his head, his voice as dry as ever. "Depends. You wanna ask it for directions first?"

Before Cody could respond, the figure lurched forward with a sudden burst of speed, its outstretched arms clawing at the air.

"RUN!" Cody screamed, yanking Noah backward as they bolted the way they'd come. Their footsteps echoed through the maze, the pounding of their hearts almost louder than the groans chasing after them.

The fog thickened around them, swallowing their path and making every turn feel like a dead end. Cody's breath came in ragged gasps as he glanced over his shoulder, his grip still tight on Noah's arm. "I hate this! Why did I sign up for this?!"

Noah, despite the situation, still managed to shoot him a deadpan look. "Because you're wanted to hook women girls, and you sucky at peer pressure."

"Not helping!" Cody shouted as they disappeared into the maze, the shadowy figure's groans fading into the distance behind them—for now.

Confession - Noah

"Alright, that's why I prefer mental challenges over such crazy physical, dangerous madness. But after being eliminated on the first episode of the last season, here comes my question. DID WE REALLY HAD ANY INTELECTUAL CHALLENGE HERE?" Noah showed his outrage as now he understood why the show sucked, but couldn't help but wonder why the hell he decided to sign the contract in the first place.

As the interns finally approached Ezekiel, he knew he had been recorded on the cameras; he was holding his shotgun in his hands. But after counting how many bullets he has, he decided to use the pistols, which had a better way to deal with the challenge.

"You gotta get a gun, and learn how to use it." Ezekiel said those words, as a little part of himself grimaced from saying those words, since it was an American thing people would say. And that lead to tragedies on what happened in both his past life and the painful remark of the death of his aunt. But he didn't care; they aren't the real deal; they are nerf guns. Especially from seeing the zombie interns running after him. "Which leads to my second rule. The Double Tap."

Ezekiel shot with his duo pistols, and at that instant both interns stopped for a few seconds, standing up. Ezekiel didn't hesitate and shot again with the pistols, but this time to their heads. The interns simply remained still and then crouched on the floor. As a way to symbolize they are dead.

"Those moments when you are not sure the undead are really dead dead? Don't get all stingy with your bullets, I mean... One more clean shot to the head." Ezekiel explained as he walked away from the duo of interns who remained on the place, while the camera went after the boy.

"He got it right." One of the interns who was still lying on the floor commented, while the other groaned in agreement.

"Yeah, he got the zombie movies right. Now we will have our paycheck while all we have to do is remain on this place for the rest of the day." The other intern said with a happy tone, until he heard a nervous chuckle from the other.

"Actually, Chris told us that in case we are dead on this challenge, we will not get our payment." The other intern commented, and in the end, both boys groaned, now unable to do anything for the rest of the day.

"SHIT." The interns said they were glad no one was recording them.

"CODY! CODY!" Katie wandered through the maze, her voice echoing through the winding streets. Her tone was tinged with worry, though determination kept her moving forward. Looking for no one other than her boyfriend. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

Behind her, Sadie jogged to keep up, nervously glancing over her shoulder. "Uh, Katie? Are you sure calling his name is a good idea? I mean... isn't making noise, like, the number one don't in zombie movies?"

Katie barely turned, waving her hand dismissively. "Cody's out there somewhere, and he could be in trouble! I'm not just going to stay quiet!"

Sadie frowned but didn't press further. Before she could say anything else, Justin, who had been striding confidently alongside them, added with a smirk, "Besides, Sadie, we look too good to get caught. Zombies don't stand a chance against us."

Sadie gave him a nervous look. "I don't think they care about looks, Justin. They're more into brains than beauty. I think?"

Before either Katie or Justin could respond, a guttural groan echoed down the hall, making all three freeze in their tracks. A shadow emerged from a side street, followed by another, and then another.

Sadie's face paled. "Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no..."

Katie's heart raced as the interns-dressed-zombies shambled closer, their outstretched arms and glowing eyes sending chills down her spine. Her panic kicked in, and without thinking, she grabbed the broomstick she had been holding and swung it wildly.

"Get away! GET AWAY!" she screamed, her broomstick smacking one of the interns square in the chest.

Sadie let out a panicked yelp but quickly found herself swinging her hammer. She struck one of the interns in the stomach, doubling them over with a surprisingly loud groan and shouts of pain. "Why are we doing this?! This is terrifying!"

Justin, meanwhile, took a step back, grimacing as he tried to avoid getting too close to the chaos. "Katie, Sadie, let's just run!"

But the group of zombies wasn't letting up, and the trio had no choice but to make a break for it. Katie led the way, Sadie close behind her, and Justin bringing up the rear.

They raced through the maze, adrenaline pumping, until Katie suddenly stumbled. The sound of her shoe snapping made her freeze in horror. "Oh no! My heel!" she cried, looking down at her broken shoe.

Sadie skidded to a stop, eyes wide. "Katie, come on! We have to keep going!"

"I can't!" Katie wailed, tears welling up in her eyes as she saw the zombies closing in.

Sadie's breathing quickened as she looked between Katie and the oncoming horde. Without a second thought, she made her decision. "Go. Just go!" she yelled, shoving Justin forward as she turned back toward the zombies.

"What are you doing?!" Katie screamed, reaching out for her best friend.

Sadie clenched her jaw, gripping her hammer tightly. "I'm not letting them get you, Katie! Go!" And with that, she charged at the group of zombies, her hammer swinging wildly. She slammed into them with her full weight, knocking several back as they swarmed her.

Katie screamed, tears streaming down her face as she watched Sadie get overwhelmed. "SADIE!"

Justin grabbed Katie by the arm, his expression grim. "We have to go. Now."

"But—"

"She wanted you to survive!" Justin snapped, his voice breaking. "Don't waste it!"

Katie sobbed as Justin dragged her away, the sound of Sadie's cries fading behind them. The last thing they saw before turning a corner was Sadie pushing against the group of zombies with everything she had, her bravery shining even as she was tagged and eliminated.

As they ran deeper into the maze, Katie's cries echoed through the streets. Justin's jaw was clenched tight, his own guilt etched across his face. Neither of them spoke, the weight of Sadie's sacrifice hanging heavy over them.

"BRAVO, BRAVO, THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" Chris exclaimed, clapping enthusiastically as the monitors displayed Katie fleeing the scene after witnessing Sadie's heroic sacrifice. "This is the drama I signed up for—tears, betrayal, selfless sacrifice. Oh man, this season is going to be awesome!"

Chris leaned back in his chair, his grin practically splitting his face. He swiveled around to another set of monitors, but as he did, he froze. Three figures loomed behind him, dressed head-to-toe in tattered, bloodstained zombie attire.

"Now," Chris said with a sly smirk, regaining his composure, "you all know your roles. Make things harder for everyone. No mercy."

Two of the zombies saluted, their arms stiff and mechanical, perfectly in character. The third figure, however, let out a menacing growl.

"You better pray my paycheck comes through on time," Chef grumbled, his voice dripping with irritation. He was dressed as the largest, most horrifying zombie of them all, complete with fake rotting flesh, jagged teeth, and glowing red eyes. The ensemble was so convincing that even Chris took an instinctive step back.

Chris paled momentarily but quickly recovered, offering a nervous laugh. "Chef, buddy! You're gonna be the MVP of this episode. Trust me, the viewers are gonna love this."

Chef's glare didn't waver, but he lumbered off with the other two "elite zombies," ready to unleash chaos. Chris watched them go with a sly grin. "And now for the pièce de résistance... let's see what we've got here."

He turned his attention back to the monitors, where Tyler, DJ, and Geoff were cautiously making their way through the maze. "Well, well, well. It looks like our boys are on a bathroom break. Smart... but oh, what's this?" Chris zoomed in on another screen where Ezekiel appeared, walking toward the same area.

Ezekiel stopped in his tracks, shook his head, and muttered something under his breath before turning and walking in the opposite direction.

Chris squinted at the screen, intrigued. "What's on your mind, Ezekiel? You always keep things interesting."

His grin widened as an idea struck. Reaching over to the control panel, Chris pressed that would lead to talking to his crew.

"Attention, crew," Chris announced in a mock-serious tone. "Bring Owen and Sadie to the bathrooms. I've got a feeling this is gonna be gold."

"Cue the Ice Cream," With a tap of another button, he activated a pre-programmed cue. Somewhere deep in the maze, the sound of an ice cream truck jingle echoed eerily through the halls.

"Oh, this is perfect," Chris cackled, rubbing his hands together. "Let's see who keeps their cool and who loses their minds."

Tyler and DJ cautiously crept through the maze-like streets, weaving between sets that mimicked abandoned buildings and alleys. The production team had gone all out to heighten the zombie theme—adding fog machines for a dramatic effect and eerie, flickering lights that made every shadow seem alive. Their eyes darted nervously at each sound or flicker of movement, the tension thick in the air.

Eventually, they stumbled upon a dingy bathroom. Inside, Geoff was slouched against the tiled wall, arms crossed and lips curled into a pout.

"Dude, what's up with you?" Tyler asked, tilting his head.

Geoff let out an exaggerated sigh, throwing his hands up dramatically. "Why am I even here, bros? Bridgette and I should be out there, dominating this challenge together. Instead, we're separated, and I'm stuck in this gross bathroom. It's lame." Both boys looked at Geoff, raising their eyebrows in disbelief. Making Geoff uncomfortable. "What?"

"You and Bridgette, dominating the challenge? You both pass most of the time kissing while we count the time to spray you both to stop." DJ commented as he looked not amused by what his friend had said.

Tyler rolled his eyes, leaning casually against one of the sinks. "Also, Geoff, not everything has to be about you and Bridgette. Seriously, you guys kiss, like, all the time. It's basically your hobby."

DJ chuckled nervously, his large frame making the small space feel even more cramped. He glanced at the bathroom stalls with unease. "Yeah, man. Besides, this is the perfect chance for us Killer Bass guys to actually hang out and work together. When was the last time we teamed up for anything?"

"True," Tyler said, pointing at Geoff with a playful grin. "We gotta bring back the team spirit, bro!"

Geoff still didn't look convinced, but after a moment of sulking, he shrugged. "Fine. But the second this challenge is over, I'm finding Bridgette, and we're gonna kiss for hours."

"Fifteen minutes, max," Tyler and DJ said in unison, sharing a knowing look.

Geoff rolled his eyes. "You guys are the worst."

DJ groaned, nervously wiping his sweaty palms on his pants. "Can we not talk about kissing right now? This whole zombie thing is seriously freaking me out."

"You're scared of zombies?" Tyler teased, smirking. "I thought you got over that after reading about Tarantella."

DJ shook his head, his expression serious. "It'd be easier if there was quicksand around. But still, that guy gives me the creeps—especially his brother. Cannibals who became zombies after they died? That's nightmare fuel. Sometimes I don't even know what's worse—zombies or cannibals."

Tyler and Geoff exchanged uneasy glances before nodding in agreement, both swallowing hard at the thought.

Geoff tried to lighten the mood, giving DJ a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry, man. I've got your back. No zombies are getting anywhere near us. If I see anything, I'll scream my lungs out. That's your signal to run, okay?"

DJ nodded fervently, some of his anxiety easing. "Yeah, okay. Just scream, and we're out of here. Thanks, Geoff."

"Trust me," Geoff said confidently, slinging an arm over DJ's shoulder. "I won't let anything happen to you guys."

Reassured by his words, DJ and Tyler turned their attention to the bathroom, cautiously opening the stalls one by one, bracing for any surprises.

Meanwhile, the faint sound of an ice cream truck jingle began playing somewhere in the distance. Geoff froze, his ears perking up at the familiar tune.

"Wait... is that...?" Geoff muttered, tilting his head and listening intently.

The music grew louder, and Geoff's expression shifted from confusion to sheer excitement. His eyes lit up like a child on Christmas morning.

"Ice cream? No way!" he exclaimed, completely forgetting about the challenge—or the fact that he was supposed to be on zombie alert.

.

.

.

DJ and Tyler stayed in their respective stalls, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. The silence between them was broken only by the occasional creak of the old pipes and faint sounds of the ice cream truck music growing louder in the background.

As DJ adjusted himself nervously, he glanced at the gap beneath the stall walls and noticed Tyler's feet. But what caught his attention was the edge of a magazine resting on Tyler's lap.

"Wait... Tyler," DJ called out hesitantly. "Are you seriously reading right now?"

Tyler chuckled sheepishly from the next stall. "What? It's just a sports catalog. Gotta keep up with the latest gear, man. Check this out—there's this sweet pair of cleats that'll make me unstoppable on the field. They've got traction for days!"

DJ stared in disbelief, shaking his head. "Man, how can you be so relaxed in a zombie challenge? You're just sitting there... reading?"

"Hey, a guy's got to multitask!" Tyler replied, flipping a page. "Besides, I've got my head in the game. Zombies aren't getting the jump on me!"

DJ rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath, "Unbelievable."

Just then, the faint sound of footsteps echoed through the bathroom. Heavy and deliberate, the steps seemed to grow closer. DJ tensed up immediately, his eyes darting toward the stall door.

"Uh, Tyler?" DJ whispered. "Do you hear that?"

Tyler paused mid-flip of his catalog, the silence between them growing thick with tension. "Yeah... I hear it. Geoff? Is that you, man?"

The footsteps stopped for a moment, and then came a loud BANG! The door to the bathroom rattled as if something—or someone—had hit it with tremendous force.

"Geoff?" Tyler called out nervously. "You good out there, bro?"

No response.

Before they could process what was happening, the door to Tyler's stall exploded inward with a deafening CRASH! Tyler screamed at the top of his lungs—a high-pitched, girlish shriek that echoed through the bathroom.

Standing before him was Sadie, her face painted with grotesque zombie makeup and her shirt bearing a red tag that read Zombie. Her fist was still raised, remnants of the stall door splinters clinging to her knuckles.

"Hey, guys!" Sadie chirped with surprising cheerfulness, completely oblivious to the chaos she had just caused.

"AHHH! ZOMBIE!" Tyler screeched, scrambling backward so quickly that he almost toppled off the toilet.

Meanwhile, DJ froze in shock, his heart pounding as his eyes darted toward the gap beneath his stall door. Suddenly, a familiar face popped into view.

It was Owen, crouching awkwardly to peer under the door. "Hey, DJ! I really, really gotta go, man. Can you hurry up? All those prunes are hitting me hard! And I think everything will be off."

DJ's jaw dropped as he stared at Owen's face, barely inches from the floor. "Owen?! What the—"

Before he could finish, the panic of the situation overwhelmed him. DJ's eyes rolled back, and with a thud, he fainted right where he sat.

"Uh... DJ?" Owen called out, his head still tilted under the door. "Buddy? You okay in there?"

Sadie stepped into the center of the bathroom, dusting her hands off from the destruction she had caused. "Uh, Owen, I think you might've scared him. Oh my gosh, are you serious? Did I actually just break a door? Eva is going to love this!"

Tyler, meanwhile, was still pressed against the far corner of his stall, trembling as he pointed at Sadie. "You- You're not a real zombie, right? Right?!"

Sadie raised an eyebrow and tapped the Zombie tag on her shirt. "Seriously, Tyler? It's makeup. Chris said I had to dress up for this challenge after we got caught!"

Tyler blinked, his breathing finally starting to slow. "Oh... right. Makeup. Of course. Totally knew that."

"Sure you did," Sadie said with a smirk, tossing a piece of the broken stall door onto the floor. "Now, your tag... also, I think DJ as well."

Owen, still crouching and looking at DJ's unconscious form, sighed. "Guess I'll wait for the next bathroom, huh? Oh oh… guys, I really need to use the bathroom now *fart* RIGHT NOW. *fart*"

It was the sign for Sadie and Tyler to take DJ's body and quickly get out of the bathrooms, which Owen was going to relieve himself after eating fibers.

Confession - Owen

"Oh man, I'm so glad I was eliminated early, because these bowels always shows the time I needed to go quickly at the bathroom, they never let me down. I'm so glad of… Ops *Fart* I think I need to do more. COMING THROUGH!" Owen showed up dressed as a zombie, but he was happy the prunes had been helping him to eliminate a good part of the foam and plastic inside of him. But showing there was still more to do, he quickly left the make-up confessional, where a hand showed a fragrance air spray to try to clean up the air from Owen's farts.

"It didn't take long for the zombies to start getting clever. They can smell when you're at your most vulnerable," Ezekiel murmured to himself, perched behind the safety of a row of lockers as he peered toward the restrooms. His face was etched with a mix of concern and focus as he imagined the chaos about to unfold. There was nothing he could do to help DJ or Tyler now.

The distant sound of the ice cream truck music echoed through the area, cutting through the eerie silence. Ezekiel winced. "Of course Geoff got baited," he muttered under his breath. "That guy's sweet tooth is going to get him eaten... again." He let out a sigh, gripping his paintball gun tighter. "Don't ever let them catch you with your pants down... Rule number three: Beware of bathrooms."

Ezekiel shifted his attention back to his objective. Winning this challenge was his priority, but not at the cost of making things too obvious. If he picked a side too early, it would ruin the balance. And his friends wouldn't stand a chance. Instead, he focused on making memorable scenes for himself—something Chris would eat up for those precious MVP points.

Navigating through the abandoned areas, Ezekiel moved carefully, keeping his profile low. As he rounded a corner, his sharp eyes caught movement. Someone else was out here, holding their ground.

It was Courtney.

She was fiercely determined, gripping an improvised wooden shield and wielding a jagged plank as a makeshift sword. The sight almost made Ezekiel chuckle—almost. Keeping his footsteps deliberate but not threatening, he approached her.

"Courtney, it's me. Don't yell," Ezekiel called softly, his voice calm and even.

Courtney immediately spun around, her plank raised, ready to strike. When her eyes locked onto him, she froze.

"Ezekiel?" she said in disbelief, lowering her weapon slightly.

Ezekiel smirked, gesturing toward her shield and plank. "I get it, you're resourceful, but really? Improvised sword and shield? You've been reading too many of my blog posts."

Courtney blinked at him, both startled and annoyed. "Ezekiel... where the heck did you get those?" She pointed to the collection of paintball and Nerf guns strapped to his chest and belt.

"These?" Ezekiel replied, patting one of the Nerf rifles. "Paintball and Nerf guns. While everyone else ran to the trailers or raided props, I went straight to Chris and Chef. Asked for something more effective. They handed me this arsenal. Simple, eh?"

Courtney's jaw dropped slightly. "Wait… they gave you all that?"

Ezekiel shrugged, his expression nonchalant. "Gotta follow the rules of a good zombie movie. You want real guns, you raid the military. But for this challenge? This is all you need." He unstrapped a bright orange Nerf pistol from his belt and handed it to her.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" she asked, skepticism heavy in her tone as she turned the toy over in her hand.

"Shoot a zombie, and they'll freeze for a few seconds. Good for escaping or regrouping," Ezekiel explained. "Just to be safe, double-tap. Aim for the head, and they'll 'die.' They'll pretend to be dead and stop chasing you."

Courtney raised an eyebrow, glancing between the Nerf gun and Ezekiel. "You're telling me this is the strategy you're using?"

"Yup," Ezekiel said confidently, shifting his paintball gun into a ready position. "You want to survive, right? Trust me on this one."

Courtney hesitated, then sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Fine, but if this doesn't work, I'm coming after you next."

Ezekiel smirked. "Fair enough. Just keep your shield up and your aim steady. Oh, and remember rule number three."

"Rule number three?" she echoed, her curiosity piqued.

"I've got a few survival rules I came up with in case of a zombie apocalypse," Ezekiel explained matter-of-factly. "Rule one: Cardio. You better be ready to run a lot. Rule two: Double-tap—always give one more shot to the head, just to be sure. Rule three: Beware of bathrooms. Trust me, DJ and Tyler learned that the hard way."

Courtney frowned, half in disbelief, as Ezekiel handed her a Ziploc bag filled with paint-covered bullets and a spare magazine.

"Ziploc bags? Seriously?" She asked, holding it up for emphasis.

Ezekiel nodded, his tone completely serious. "We've already got enough problems. Moisture shouldn't be one of them."

Courtney couldn't help but crack a small smile at his logic. The two continued walking until they stumbled upon a dusty buggy parked in an open clearing. Ezekiel grinned at the sight.

"Hey, you know how to drive, right?" He asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Yeah…" Courtney replied cautiously, eying the buggy. The keys were still in the ignition. "Did they just leave this here on purpose?"

"Happens all the time in movies. Let's go," Ezekiel said as he immediately aimed his gun at the back of the buggy, double-checking for any surprises. Satisfied, he climbed into the passenger seat.

"What was that for?" Courtney asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Rule number four and thirty-one: Fasten your seatbelt, and always check the backseat before getting into a car," Ezekiel explained. "This is gonna be a bumpy ride, and any distractions could cost us the challenge."

Courtney blinked, taken aback. "Wow, you're really an expert at this. And you told me zombie movies aren't your thing?"

Ezekiel scoffed lightly. "Not a fan of zombies in horror, no. I'm more into the action stuff. That's why the first chapter of my Adventure Time book is about Finn distracting the candy people from a horror scenario—any kind of fear makes them explode. It's a fun way to mix action and survival," he said with a proud grin.

Courtney nodded, impressed despite herself. "Alright, Mr. Writer." She giggled as she slid into the driver's seat and buckled her seatbelt. The atmosphere felt unexpectedly light, like an older sister and younger brother diving into some chaotic adventure together.

"Seatbelt checked. Let's do this," she said. "I hope you know how to shoot."

Ezekiel adjusted his grip on his gun, grinning. "Courtney, in war or a zombie apocalypse, there's no room for hesitation. You either aim or you shoot. Let's go."

With a smirk, Courtney turned the ignition and pressed the gas pedal. The buggy lurched forward, and they were off, speeding into the chaos of the challenge ahead.

The deserted movie set stretched out like a maze of looming facades and abandoned props, its once-glamorous aura now cloaked in eerie silence. Gwen led the group with a determined look, her black goth boots crunching against the gravel of the street. As she was holding two crowbars as her main blundge weapon. Behind her, Bridgette clutched her makeshift weapon—a sturdy prop oar she'd picked up on the way—while Leshawna and Eva jogged close, and Jude trailed, his typical chill demeanor replaced with nervous energy.

The weapons most of them took from their trailers and made themselves broke after using a few times against some interns who managed to take the hit; they were probably on the infirmary but still managed to take down some of theirs, which they took a lot of hurry to make.

"We need to keep moving," Gwen urged, her voice low but firm as she glanced over her shoulder. "Stick together and stay quiet. We're almost through."

"Easy for you to say," Bridgette muttered, adjusting her grip on the oar. "My arms feel like noodles after jumping those walls."

"You'll feel worse if we get caught," Eva said, as she didn't want her friends to complain. "Move it!"

Leshawna huffed but shot Bridgette an encouraging glance. "You got this, girl. Just don't trip on anything."

The group maneuvered through the streets across the movie sets, ducking behind fake storefronts and overturned carts. The sound of their breathing was the only thing cutting through the heavy, suspenseful quiet. That was, until a faint shuffle echoed behind them.

"Someone's coming," Jude whispered, his eyes darting nervously.

Gwen didn't hesitate. "Run."

They bolted.

The interns appeared like a swarm of zombies, their footsteps pounding against the ground, relentless in their pursuit. These weren't slow, shambling creatures—they were unnervingly fast, their blank expressions and robotic movements making them even more unsettling.

"This way!" Gwen shouted, leading the group through a tight alley of fake saloon buildings. Leshawna shoved over a prop barrel to slow the interns, while Eva knocked over a stack of crates with a single punch.

Bridgette's heart pounded in her chest as she sprinted behind them, sweat dripping down her forehead. But as she rounded a corner, her foot caught on a prop staircase left leaning against a wall. It crashed to the ground with a deafening clang.

The sound reverberated through the set like a gunshot.

"Crap," Bridgette whispered, wide-eyed, as the car parked nearby suddenly blared its alarm.

"Run!" Gwen screamed, but it was too late. The noise had drawn the interns like moths to a flame.

Bridgette scrambled to her feet, her panic rising as she tried to keep up, but the interns were on her in seconds. One of them grabbed her ankle, yanking her backward with terrifying strength.

"Bridgette!" Leshawna yelled, skidding to a stop, but Eva grabbed her arm.

"We can't go back!" Eva barked, her voice strained. "They'll catch us too!"

Bridgette clawed at the ground, trying to kick free, but the interns were relentless. They dragged her away, her terrified screams echoing through the set.

"Help me!" She cried, reaching out desperately as Gwen hesitated, torn between running and turning back. "No no Noooooooooooooooo..."

"They're too fast," Eva growled, her fists clenched but powerless. The sheer speed of the interns was overwhelming, and the group was outnumbered.

"Bridgette!" Gwen's voice cracked, but Leshawna grabbed her shoulder and pulled her forward.

"We can't save her if we're caught too!" Leshawna snapped, her voice heavy with guilt. "It's too late."

Gwen's hands trembled as she turned and ran, the group following her lead. Bridgette's screams faded into the distance, replaced by the pounding of their feet and the persistent wail of the car alarm.

They didn't stop until they were far from the commotion, their lungs burning and hearts pounding. Gwen leaned against a fake lamppost, her breath ragged.

"She's gone," she murmured, guilt sinking into her chest like a weight.

"Now she's going to return with a tag of zombie; we cannot let her approach us now." Eva said, as she was resolute, she hated to see one of her friends being caught like that. But she wanted to win the round. And they have been running nonstop, and they fought a lot of interns. "I have no idea how Chris did it, but these interns were numbered like cockroaches. How did he manage to have 10 times the number of interns in comparison to the last season? Nobody knows."

Gwen swallowed hard, nodding. She straightened and looked at the group, determination flickering back into her eyes.

"Let's find somewhere safe to regroup," she said, her voice steadier now. "We're not losing anyone else."

An hour had passed since the chaos with the zombies, but it felt like an eternity. Cody stumbled through the maze, his breath ragged and his nerves on edge as he clutched the wrench Noah had handed him earlier. His heart skipped a beat when he heard faint voices ahead, growing louder with each step.

"Katie? Justin?" Cody called out, his voice echoing through the maze. He turned a corner and frozen when he saw them sitting against a cracked wall. Katie was curled into herself, clutching her broken heel, while Justin sat beside her, staring at the ground, his hands clasped tightly together. They both looked defeated, drained.

Katie's head shot up at the sound of Cody's voice. "Cody!" she cried, scrambling to her feet and running straight into his arms. She buried her face in his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. "Sadie, she's gone. She saved me, Cody. She's gone because of me!"

Cody's arms wrapped around her, his heart breaking as he felt her tremble. "Katie, no, it's not your fault. None of this is your fault," he said softly, his voice shaking. "Sadie wouldn't want you to blame yourself. She wanted you to be safe."

Justin stood silently, his usual air of confidence completely absent. His shoulders were slumped, and his jaw was tight. Noah, who had trailed behind Cody, noticed Justin's expression and arched an eyebrow. "Huh," he said flatly. "So the pretty boy does have feelings."

Justin shot Noah a glare but didn't respond. He rubbed the back of his neck, his voice quiet and uncharacteristically vulnerable. "She was brave, okay? Braver than I've ever been. And I... I didn't even realize how much I cared about her until it was too late." His voice cracked, and he turned away, his fists clenched.

Katie looked up from Cody's chest, her tear-streaked face etched with a mix of sorrow and realization. Cody tightened his hold on her, glancing at Justin with sympathy. "We're all feeling it," he said softly. "But we'll get through this. Together."

Before anyone could say more, a low mechanical whirring sound broke through the silence. Noah stiffened, narrowing his eyes at the end of the corridor. "Uh, does anyone else hear that, or is this where I lose my mind?"

Cody pulled Katie closer as two hulking figures emerged from the shadows. These weren't the shambling interns they had faced earlier. These zombies were different—taller, clad in makeshift armor pieced together with duct tape and scrap metal. Each held a heavy, ominous-looking slime gun that dripped with a glowing green substance.

"What the—" Justin started, but before he could finish, one of the zombies raised its weapon and fired. A thick stream of slime shot out with a wet, sloshing sound, splattering across Justin's chest. He was thrown backward with a grunt, the slime pinning him to the ground as he struggled against its sticky hold.

"JUSTIN!" Katie screamed, panic surging in her voice.

"Run!" Noah barked, grabbing Cody's arm and yanking him back. "We can't take these things head-on!"

Cody hesitated, his eyes darting between Katie and Justin. "We can't just leave him!"

"Dammit, this will be bad for my skin." Justin struggled as soon as he saw zombies starting at him; he saw the group bringing the tag of zombie. Which made him sigh. "Okay, you got me."

One of the zombies took him over the arms, while the other walked in the group direction. With the slime gun, which probably would indicate the obvious, it was a slime gun that would infect the others and make them zombies as well. And Justin lost, just like Sadie.

"RUN." Noah said as Cody gritted his teeth, and with all his strength, he carried Katie even if it was with difficulty. And started to run away from the zombie, going slowly after them.

And with that. 6 were captured and became zombies. Leaving 17 remaining.

The buggy rattled and swerved as Courtney sped through the labyrinthine streets, her face tense with both concentration and the weight of her earlier confession. Ezekiel sat beside her, his paintball gun resting in his lap, still reeling from what she'd shared. The air between them was thick, a mixture of anxiety and the faint smell of burning rubber as the buggy's tires screeched against the cracked pavement.

Ezekiel scratched his head, glancing sideways at Courtney, whose grip on the steering wheel was white-knuckled. "Are you serious?" he finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes, Ezekiel," Courtney sighed, her voice edged with frustration but mostly resignation. "Heather asked me to choose between myself and Duncan. If I betray him, he's going to be furious. But if I don't..." Her words trailed off as she bit her lip, glancing at Ezekiel out of the corner of her eye. "He'll probably feel betrayed anyway."

Ezekiel leaned back in his seat, letting out a low whistle as he mulled it over. He scratched his head again, his thoughts racing. Heather did a power move that clearly showed how much she grew from the last season. "I don't blame her, though; if I was in a situation where I needed to defeat the strongest team, I would have done the same, but not directly like that. Hmm... would I ever use a favor to force someone to give up the show? That's a very hard question," he thought, his gaze dropping to the paintball gun in his hands.

His mind wandered to the game's dynamics, piecing together how everything might play out. From canon, Geoff and Bridgette, with their non-stop kissing, made them the first people to be eliminated on the Total Drama Action. And after them? The chain of events would only spiral further into chaos. Geoff became a jerk on... Ezekiel's eyes widened as a realization hit him like a freight train, but he quickly masked it, keeping his expression neutral as the camera mounted on the buggy turned to face them.

Still, the realization simmered beneath the surface. "This could be better. Better for Courtney. Better for Duncan. Better for Geoff and Bridgette. Heck, better for everyone." For the first time in the chaos of the competition, Ezekiel smiled to himself, a small flicker of hope warming his thoughts. This world's version of them was already different from their counterparts. And this could avoid 2 terrible outcomes into disastrous events in the future. This would be the path that would prevent the fiasco of World Tour and All Star for my friends...

"Courtney," Ezekiel said after a long pause, his voice calm but steady. "I know this sounds a bit crazy, but hear me out. The best thing you can do is be honest with Duncan. Lay it all out—tell him what Heather asked you to do and ask him straight up whether he wants to be eliminated or if he'd rather you go instead."

Courtney blinked, her head snapping toward him. "What?" she asked, the surprise in her voice palpable. "You… you think I should just tell him everything? That's—"

"The right thing to do," Ezekiel interrupted, his tone softening. "Heather's smart—she played her cards perfectly, and you owe her for the challenge; she used her immunity to save your butt. But if you want to keep things good between you and Duncan, honesty's your best bet. You and Duncan've done some awesome stuff already, and trust me, there'll be fans out there who'll support you no matter what happens. Just talk to him."

Courtney stared at him, her surprise slowly melting into something softer. A weak but genuine smile tugged at her lips. "Only you, Zeke," she murmured. "You always know the right thing to say at the right time."

"I try," Ezekiel grinned, his usual laid-back demeanor shining through. "What can I say? I'm still the pillar of Killer Bass, just like you and Duncan. If you both ever need help, you can count on me."

The moment of camaraderie was cut short as the sound of groaning filled the air. Both of them turned their attention forward just in time to see a group of interns dressed as zombies staggering onto the road, their movements exaggerated for the cameras.

Courtney cursed under her breath, gripping the wheel tighter. "Seriously? These guys again?"

Ezekiel didn't waste a second. He lifted the paintball gun, his smug grin returning. "Don't worry. I got this." Without even aiming, he fired off a quick series of shots. The paintballs hit their marks, splattering the "zombies" with colorful splotches and eliciting yelps of pain as the interns stumbled back out of the buggy's path.

Courtney rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a small laugh. "In a zombie movie, you either aim or shoot; okay, okay, I got the message; let's go." She pressed the gas pedal, and the buggy roared forward, leaving the groaning interns behind.

As they sped through the maze, Ezekiel leaned back, a smug look still plastered across his face. Despite the chaos around them, for just a moment, it felt like they had the upper hand.

"Why are we doing this again?" Beth asked, her voice edged with panic as she swung her spear at a few approaching interns dressed as zombies. In her haste, she accidentally used the blunt end of the weapon, jabbing one in the eye. The intern let out a startled yelp and staggered back, clutching their face before running off. Beth gasped. "SORRY!" she called after them, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Around her, the battle was in full swing. Izzy spun her fake axes in rapid, almost acrobatic movements, landing solid hits on the interns' heads as she laughed wildly. Lindsay, wielding a bright pink foam baseball bat, swung with surprising force, her attacks striking directly into the heads and faces of their costumed attackers. Heather, ever composed, gripped a fake staff, efficiently striking down the interns with precise, calculated blows. The thudding sounds of their weapons mixed with the groans and exaggerated reactions of the interns playing the role of the undead.

Heather barely paused as she gave orders, her voice sharp and focused. "Our objective is to get close to the lab. When the time is right, we strike. The moment one of those idiots grabs the cure vial, we ambush them, take it, and head straight for the safety zone."

Izzy, still twirling her axes, raised an eyebrow. "We also can't take more than one vial. If we grab two, the ones holding them get to lead and pick their own teams." She shot Heather a knowing look. "And let's be real, it's a great chance to remind Courtney about that favor she owes you. Maybe even force her into a decision that could get her—or Duncan—eliminated tonight."

Beth hesitated, shifting her grip on the spear. "Isn't that a bit cruel?" She wasn't sure how to feel about it. Courtney and Duncan had been great together, and forcing them to choose between each other felt like crossing a line.

Heather sighed but didn't waver. "Sometimes, Beth. But this season is different. We know who the strongest players are, and we have a better idea of what to expect in the challenges ahead." She kept her gaze forward, but Beth could sense the slight discomfort in her voice. "We can't ignore the fact that Courtney and Duncan are a threat—especially now that Ezekiel is part of their trio. If we want to stay ahead, we need to separate them."

"Which is going to be really hard." Izzy spun her axe again, drawing the group's attention. "Ezekiel always prioritizes what's best for Courtney and Duncan. That's both a blessing and a curse."

Lindsay tilted her head, resting her bat over her shoulder. "Why do you say that?"

Izzy smirked. "Because if Courtney or Duncan talks to him about this, he'll just tell them to accept the elimination." The entire group stared at her in surprise. "Ezekiel values his friendship with the Killer Bass more than anything. If their alliance is about to break, he'll do whatever it takes to fix it—like nothing even happened. That's why trying to force Duncan and Courtney apart won't work. Not with Ezekiel watching."

Heather groaned, rubbing her temple. "Ugh, don't remind me. It's like he has a sixth sense for seeing right through me. And now I owe him three favors. Are you absolutely sure he won't use one of them to save those two?"

Izzy simply shook her head. "I'm positive. He's not wasting his favors on something like that. But if you end up on his team, or anywhere near most of the Killer Bass, you'll be their main target."

Heather exhaled sharply, gripping her staff tighter. "Then the best move is to make sure the vial ends up in our hands. That way, we pick the strongest team and guarantee our survival until the merge."

Izzy grinned wickedly. "Exactly."

"Which I kind of doubt, since everyone's going to be targeting my back." Heather rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything else, Lindsay suddenly perked up, picking up on something important.

"Aren't they going to be more focused on winning a million dollars than just trying to eliminate you whenever they can by failing challenges on purpose?" Lindsay asked, tilting her head.

The group fell silent. She had a point—an annoyingly good one.

Beth, curiosity piqued, shifted her grip on her spear. "If we do get to choose a team, what kind of players would help us win the most challenges?"

Lindsay and Heather both pondered the question for a few seconds, but before they could answer, something unexpected happened.

A loud screech of tires cut through the chaos, causing the quartet to snap their heads toward the noise. A small dune buggy came into view, kicking up dust as it sped through the battlefield. At the wheel was Courtney, her expression fierce and determined as she skillfully maneuvered the vehicle. Riding shotgun, Ezekiel clutched a paintball gun, firing non-stop at the approaching interns dressed as zombies. His shots were precise, hitting their targets in rapid succession, sending the interns stumbling back. After a few relentless bursts of paint, Ezekiel took a brief pause to reload, and just like that, the duo sped off, disappearing down the wrong path.

The four girls stood frozen, their mouths hanging open as they processed what they had just witnessed.

"Okay… since when do they get a car and a paintball gun?" Izzy and Heather blurted out at the same time, both staring in disbelief at the scene unfolding before them.

Beth squinted in their direction, watching the buggy vanish in the distance. "They went the wrong way."

Izzy took a moment to observe, then simply shrugged. "Well, I think what I said about Ezekiel talking to Courtney was right." She motioned toward the fallen interns, who were groaning and slowly picking themselves back up. "Also… that must've been painful."

Heather, however, was already moving. "Not our problem. Lindsay, Beth—let's go."

With that, the quartet took off in the right direction, leaving the interns behind to groan and resume their zombie act, stumbling forward as if nothing had happened.

"I'm telling you right now, these lightsabers can cut wood and even a few metals. Are you sure you want to risk that coming at you?" Harold asked, his voice full of confidence as he dual-wielded two glowing red lightsabers. The interns closest to him, fully aware of Harold's tendency to take things way too far, took quick steps back, clearing the way.

"Awesome. Too easy," Harold muttered, adjusting his grip on the makeshift weapons.

Duncan stood a few feet away, leaning casually on his blunt practice bow. He chuckled and said, "Gotta say, totally worth every penny you blew at the mall. Let's get going, Darth Nerdus."

Harold rolled his eyes, used to Duncan's ribbing by now. "Why do you hate Star Wars so much?"

Duncan shrugged, drawing back his bowstring as he aimed at one of the remaining interns dressed as a zombie. "Never my thing. I prefer something more violent—with more blood." The arrow launched, smacking the intern square in the forehead. They groaned dramatically before collapsing to the ground, playing along with the rules of the game.

"Like this. Now, come on," Duncan said, nodding toward a dark alley ahead. "I think I see the spot where they marked the antidotes."

"Right behind you," Harold replied.

The two friends continued down the foggy maze of streets set up for the challenge, their weaponry giving them a clear edge. The fog, thick and eerie, made it easy to get turned around, but they managed to stay on track. Every so often, a costumed participant would jump out at them, groaning like the undead, only to be swiftly "taken out" with a swing of Harold's lightsabers or one of Duncan's arrows.

It didn't take them long to notice the pattern—aiming for the head, like in every zombie movie ever, seemed to do the trick. Harold's lightsabers were especially intimidating; even though they were designed to be non-lethal replicas, no one wanted to risk their costumes—or their limbs—getting singed.

Despite their differences, Harold and Duncan made a solid team. Harold's quick thinking and nerdy obsession with detail complemented Duncan's brute force and devil-may-care attitude. They weren't the type of guys you'd peg as friends, but somehow, they made it work. If anyone had told them a year ago they'd be teaming up like this, both would've laughed them off. Yet here they were, navigating a fake zombie apocalypse like seasoned pros.

After a few more twists and turns through the maze, they arrived at Studio 24, the supposed location of the antidote. The large, weathered building loomed ahead, its façade styled like a run-down laboratory straight out of a horror film. Faint green light flickered from cracked windows, and the faint sound of moaning played through hidden speakers, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

Inside, the studio was a perfect set for a zombie apocalypse film. Broken glass and overturned lab tables littered the space. Shelves lined the walls, covered with dusty beakers and mysterious props that looked like they hadn't been touched in decades. A few sparking wires hung from the ceiling, giving off faint electric buzzes. At the center of the chaos was a table lined with glowing green vials, the so-called antidotes.

Duncan smirked as they approached, slinging his bow over his shoulder. "Finally. That wasn't so bad."

Harold nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Yeah, all part of the plan. Let's grab these and get out of here before they send more of those zombie wannabes after us."

As Harold reached for the first vial, a faint shadow shifted across the cracked window behind him. Duncan didn't notice. Neither did Harold.

The fog outside grew thicker, and the distant sound of slow, heavy footsteps echoed faintly in the maze. As the scene settled, a faint creak echoed from the shadows of the lab set. None of them noticed the silhouette lurking just behind the fake tables, his movements deliberate yet silent. Trent watched the duo walk away while he reamined still. Knowing about what could possibly happen next. He held his breath as he walked from one of the doors. A large figure lingered in the shadows, their silhouette obscured by the green glow spilling from the building.

"It must be Chef…" Trent whispered as he recalled one important rule of the zombie movies. Whoever was the first to take the cure vial would be the target of big zombies and even against humanity.

Trent immediately went to take one of the vials and did his best to continue in stealth as he went from the backdoors, and being sure the camera wouldn't find him, it was for the best to use all he could do to make sure he would be the first to reach the safety zone.

"Man, I've been looking for the ice cream truck for a whole hour, and until now, I couldn't find it," Geoff muttered as he wandered aimlessly across the sprawling movie sets, his ears tuned to the distant jingle of ice cream truck music. Unbeknownst to him, it was a well-orchestrated bait to lead him away from his team.

After what felt like ages of walking around in circles, Geoff finally noticed something strange. He paused, looking around, only to realize he'd stumbled into a set designed to look like a beach. To his surprise—and instant delight—his girlfriend Bridgette stood there, just a few feet away.

"HEY BRIDGE! I'm so glad to see you here!" Geoff called out, waving as he jogged toward her.

Bridgette froze and trembled, her body stiffening as soon as Geoff got closer. The party boy immediately slowed down, concern washing over him.

"Bridgette, are you okay? It's just a challenge. Everything is going to be fiNEEEEEEEEE—" Geoff's words trailed into a shriek as Bridgette lunged at him with a growl, revealing her zombie makeup and snarling face.

"Oh no, no, no, that's a low blow, Bridg—"

"Look who's talking," came a voice from behind, making Geoff freeze mid-sentence. He slowly turned around to see DJ and Tyler glaring at him, both decked out in zombie makeup and tags.

"NOT COOL, BRO," Tyler said, his voice sharp with annoyance.

"Not cool at all," DJ added, folding his arms as Geoff sheepishly smiled at them.

"Hey guys, uh, oops? Would you believe me if I told you there was an ice cream truck?" Geoff stammered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Before he could say anything else, he suddenly yelled as Bridgette bit into his neck—not too hard, but enough to tag him out.

Bridgette stepped back with a victorious smirk. "And with that, you're out. Welcome to the zombie side."

"Aww, man." Geoff pouted, but his frown quickly melted into a grin as he looked at Bridgette. "I can't even be mad at you. Come on, give me a kiss."

But before Bridgette could respond, a chorus of *tsk tsk tsk* sounds filled the air. Geoff barely had time to process it before he was sprayed in the face with water mixed with hot sauce, making him yell and stumble back.

"COME ON, WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT?!" Geoff shouted, trying to shield his face from the stinging spray.

DJ and Tyler stood there, each holding a spray bottle and glaring at him. "After what you just pulled? Not a chance," Tyler said flatly, emptying the rest of his bottle onto Geoff's face.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Geoff screamed as he ran off, his face burning from the spicy water.

The group turned their attention to Tyler, who looked unrepentant. "What? He deserved it," Tyler deadpanned, glancing at Bridgette. "And by the way, we'll be watching you both from now on."

Bridgette smiled sheepishly, trying to keep her cool.

The group sprinted through the winding paths of the massive movie set, dodging overturned props and barely avoiding the swarm of interns chasing them. Their footsteps echoed between the hollow facades, their breaths ragged as exhaustion clawed at their muscles.

"Movie Set 17 should be up ahead!" Gwen called, gripping her crowbars tightly as her voice strained to rise above the commotion. "Jude, where's Studio 24?"

"Left! Just past there!" Jude shouted, panting as he kept pace with the others. "That's where the cure's supposed to be!"

Veering sharply, the group skidded into the open space of Set 17—an eerily realistic recreation of a small-town square. The bright studio lights overhead flickered, casting long, shifting shadows that gave the empty set a haunting ambiance.

"Finally, some brea—" Eva's words cut off as a blur shot out from the shadows.

*BAM!*

Eva was slammed to the ground, a guttural yell tearing from her throat. The rest of the group froze, stunned, as Eva wrestled with the figure pinning her. A chilling sound—the sharp pinch of teeth against skin—made their stomachs drop.

"AGH! What the hell?!" Eva thrashed wildly, her muscles straining as she tried to shake the attacker off. Her face twisted in shock as the "zombie" finally looked up.

"Hey, guys!" Sadie grinned, her face caked in expertly applied zombie makeup, complete with fake blood smeared around her mouth. She waved enthusiastically, seemingly unaware of Eva's murderous glare. "Did I scare you? Be honest!"

Confessional – Eva
"...So this is what pride feels like?" Eva folded her arms with a reluctant smirk. "I'm proud of her... but if she thinks I won't triple her training after this, she's dead wrong. Sweat and tears, Sadie. Sweat and tears." Her grin turned mischievous, equal parts vengeance and pride.

The group gawked in disbelief as Sadie stood up, brushing herself off like nothing had happened.

"Sadie?!" Leshawna gasped, staring in utter confusion.

"Careful, you guys!" Sadie chirped, pointing back toward the shadows. "Cadet MacArthur's got a slime gun, and she—"

Before Sadie could finish, a loud, pressurized hiss cut through the air.

*THWAP! THWAP!*

Bright green slime exploded across the set, splattering the ground in thick, sticky globs. Both Leshawna and Jude barely had time to react before the goo splashed over them, dragging them down as its weight clung to their bodies.

"GAH—!" Leshawna yelped, struggling to free her arms. "What is this mess?!"

"Dude, not cool!" Jude groaned as his legs gave out beneath him, sending him face-first into the goo.

Gwen's pulse quickened as she whipped around toward the direction of the shots.

Emerging from the shadows like a walking tank was Cadet MacArthur, decked out in a makeshift riot suit that looked like it had been cobbled together from scrap metal. Her face was streaked with zombie makeup, giving her an intimidating, undead warrior look. In her hands rested the slime gun, still steaming from its recent shots.

"Target acquired: two zombies for the price of one." MacArthur smirked, pumping her weapon for another round. "Goth girl, you're next."

Panic surged through Gwen like a bolt of electricity.

"RUN!" she screamed, bolting toward Studio 24 without a second thought.

Eva scrambled after her, shooting Sadie a deadly glare as she passed.

Sadie, however, remained standing, beaming proudly at MacArthur. "Mac, that was so cool!"

"Thanks, rookie." MacArthur grinned, her voice dripping with smug satisfaction. She reloaded her slime gun with deliberate flair. "Now, let's bag the goth before she finds the cure."

"You three are zombified now," MacArthur added, gesturing at Leshawna, Jude, and Eva. "Go get your makeup touched up and help me catch the survivors."

Sadie gave an eager thumbs-up while Leshawna groaned in frustration, still stuck in the goo. Jude also was twitching and Eva scoffed with her eyes narrowing.

But Gwen didn't stop running. Her boots pounded against the pavement, her breath coming in short gasps as she darted through the maze of fake buildings toward the direction Jude had pointed out.

Confessional – Gwen
"For anyone out there who thinks zombie movies are just good fun—where panic and betrayal lead to some twisted sense of camaraderie and survival... let me just say, you're wrong. Totally and completely wrong." Gwen threw her hands up in exasperation. "To the jerks who thought this challenge up... nice job, guys. Seriously. I'm impressed." She smiled at the camera. Once again, getting on how sometimes the show really surprises her.

Courtney and Ezekiel slowed to a stop, both staring at the sprawling studio before them. This wasn't the sleek, high-tech lab or the apocalyptic wasteland they had expected—it was something completely different. The set resembled an old Wild West ghost town, complete with dusty saloons, creaky wooden storefronts, and even a tumbleweed rolling by, courtesy of a hidden fan.

Ezekiel raised an eyebrow, glancing around with a mix of confusion and intrigue. "Uh, Courtney? Pretty sure this isn't Studio 24."

Courtney crossed her arms defensively, the tips of her ears turning pink. "Okay, I thought I took the right when I was supposed to take the left!" she snapped, clearly embarrassed. "But we're too far away now, and I am not wasting time running back!" She sighed heavily, planting her hands on her hips. "Great. Just great."

Ezekiel shrugged, a crooked grin spreading across his face. "Well, that sucks, but it's not the end of the world... no pun intended." He gestured at the set around them. "Honestly? I think this is kind of cool. Ever thought about a showdown between cowboys and zombies?"

Courtney shot him a flat look. "And why would I ever think about that?"

Ezekiel chuckled. "Come on, Courtney. Just because you're debating between you and Duncan for elimination doesn't mean you can't have fun. If this is your last challenge, wouldn't you want to go out with a bang?" He spread his arms, motioning to their surroundings. "Even if you're about to be eliminated, you've got fans who are watching. You might as well give them something unforgettable and make your name even bigger."

Courtney raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. Despite herself, she looked intrigued. "And what exactly do you suggest?"

Ezekiel grinned. "Do something so crazy no one will ever forget it. Something you can tell your kids one day, and they'll sit there in awe, laughing at the whole thing." His eyes gleamed with excitement. "That's what I want to do this season—have fun, make the most of it, and enjoy the ride."

Courtney scoffed but gave a small, reluctant smile. "Yeah, I'm sure you would." Then her expression faltered. "I just… I don't know. I'm still not sure how to tell Duncan that I want him to vote me off. He got robbed of his shot last season because of me."

"Thank God for that," Ezekiel said without missing a beat.

Courtney blinked in surprise. "What?"

"There's no way Duncan would've been happy if he had to do the I Triple Dog Dare You challenge."

The mere mention of the episode's name sent a shiver down Courtney's spine. Memories of the messed-up dares the Killer Bass had thrown at the final three flashed through her mind.

"Yeah… I doubt he'll stay calm when I explain it to him," she muttered, sadness creeping into her voice.

Ezekiel snapped his fingers in front of her face, bringing her back to reality. "Hey, quit stressing. You never know—when one door closes, another might open to something even better. And sometimes, the next choice you make ends up being the best decision of your life." He rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You and Duncan? You guys are great together, and the fans love you. Just... appreciate the little things, you know?"

Courtney chuckled. "Another one of your rules?"

Ezekiel nodded. "Rule 32: Enjoy the little things. Have fun. Enjoy the chaos. Our lives have changed so much since last season—why not roll with it?"

"Yeah… you're right." Courtney smiled, following Ezekiel as he led the way.

The moment they opened the door, however, Ezekiel's expression shifted. Something felt off.

"This door only opens from the outside," he muttered, eyeing a small wooden box sitting near the entrance.

Courtney barely paid attention as she stepped past him, but Ezekiel quickly grabbed the box and wedged it in the doorway to keep it from shutting. "Rule 22: When in doubt, know your way out."

Courtney raised an eyebrow, glancing back at him with amusement. "Okay, I have a question—are you planning on writing an entire zombie survival guide? Because at this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if you're working on a whole chapter."

Ezekiel grinned, pleased that she was playing along. "Actually, I was thinking of adding three or four chapters about zombies in Adventure Time."

"Of course you are." Courtney rolled her eyes with a smirk. "It will be Slumber Party Panic 2?"

"Electric Boogaloo." Ezekiel joked as both laughed. The duo ventured deeper into the dimly lit movie set, the eerie silence around them hinting that things were about to get interesting.

As Courtney and Ezekiel stepped deeper into the dimly lit set, a sudden blur of pink and brown launched at them from the shadows.

"COURTNEYYY!"

Before Courtney could react, she was nearly tackled to the ground as Katie flung her arms around her in a tight hug.

"AH—!" Courtney yelped, stumbling back as she instinctively raised her Nerf pistol. Ezekiel, just as startled, leveled his paintball gun at the sudden intruder.

Katie froze in place, her eyes darting between the two weapons now aimed directly at her. "Uh… surprise?" she squeaked.

Courtney let out an exasperated breath, lowering her gun. "Katie! What are you doing?! You scared the life out of me!"

Ezekiel sighed, lowering his paintball gun as well. "Yeah, we almost blasted you into next week."

Before Katie could explain, footsteps echoed from behind her. Moments later, Cody and Noah emerged from the shadows, looking relieved to see them.

"Oh man, and I am glad to see you two." Cody said, catching his breath.

Courtney gave him a skeptical look. "Okay, what the heck is going on? Why are you guys even here?"

Noah pushed up his glasses with a tired sigh. "Long story short? We ran into one of the entrances to this area, the door locked behind us, and—shockingly—none of the exits work."

"Wait, so you're trapped in here?" Ezekiel asked.

"Pretty much," Noah replied, deadpan.

Courtney exchanged a glance with Ezekiel, both now realizing that their wrong turn might have just led them into something bigger than they expected.

"And that's not even the worst part," Cody added. "Sadie and Justin... they got captured."

"Which means both of them were eliminated." Ezekiel's voice was quiet, and he seemed lost in thought for a moment, but then his gaze turned to Katie, who was wiping away a tear.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently.

"Well, Sadie… she just did the ultimate sacrifice for Katie to escape," Noah explained, his voice softening.

"Huh, a good classic scene." Ezekiel nodded, impressed by the gesture. "Man, this challenge feels like an eternity."

"Tell me about it. Does anyone have a cure vial for when we end this challenge and can finally be free from all this chaos?" Courtney asked, sounding more than a little desperate.

"Sure, the answer is 4," Ezekiel said, grinning.

"…I will take that as a no, and you're a dumbass for quoting your book right now," Noah deadpanned, eyeing Ezekiel with a raised eyebrow.

"Come on, Noah, imagine it: It's a slumber party, we've got zombies, everyone's scared out of their minds, and there's a couple who could be doing the 7 minutes in paradise," Ezekiel joked, clearly having fun with the idea.

"Har har har," Noah replied, rolling his eyes.

"Well, you guys could just hide in the safety zone until the challenge ends," Ezekiel added casually, then noticed the looks of disbelief from everyone around him. "What?"

"…," Nobody answered, but they all silently started walking away.

"Where are you guys going?" Ezekiel called after them, a little confused. Katie was the first to respond.

"I'm going to the girls' trailer. I need to relax after all this beep," Katie muttered, heading in the direction that Ezekiel and Courtney had just come from.

But suddenly, from across the movie set, a heavy metal door began creaking open slowly, the sound echoing ominously across the studio.

"RUN!" Cody shouted, breaking into a sprint as Courtney, Noah, and Katie followed suit. But just as the group was about to flee, Cody paused, his gaze locked on Ezekiel, who stood completely still.

"EZEKIEL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Cody called out, panic rising in his voice.

Ezekiel turned toward them with a dark smirk. "What if I didn't run? What if I'm not a coward? What if I want them to kill me?" His voice took on a deeper, almost theatrical tone. He raised his paintball gun in one hand, a Nerf shotgun in the other. "WHAT IF I WANT THEM TO TRY?"

"Ezekiel, what the hell?" Courtney called out, her voice laced with concern. Then she saw the paintball gun trained on her. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Leave it to me," Ezekiel said with a calm assurance, his eyes unwavering as the door creaked wider. "Now go."

"NOW!" he commanded, his tone sharp.

With no time to argue, the others turned and fled, running faster than they ever had, their feet pounding against the floor. Ezekiel remained standing at the entrance, his arms ready, his gaze fixed on the door. Whatever was coming through that threshold, he was ready to face it.

Duncan hated surprises. He really did—especially when they made him feel like an idiot. And right now? He felt like the biggest idiot for forgetting one of the most basic horror movie rules: never pick up anything important. Because if you do, the monsters will come running—especially the biggest one.

"Seriously, Chef holding a slime gun? Isn't that overkill?" Duncan muttered, still catching his breath.

He had been lucky—well, sort of—that Harold's first instinct had been to try and destroy the weapon with his toy lightsaber. The best the plastic blade could do was burn part of Chef's makeup, but that small fire was enough to make the man roar and sprint away in panic.

Unfortunately for Harold, the victory was short-lived. The moment Chef realized the flames weren't real, he turned back—without mercy. Duncan could only watch as Harold took a brutal punch to the stomach, strong enough to make the poor nerd vomit up his entire breakfast. But Chef wasn't done. Oh no. He went full overkill, unleashing a blast of slime at full pressure, completely burying Harold under the neon-green goop. Duncan swore to himself that if he made it out of this, he'd salute Harold for his noble sacrifice.

After what felt like ages of running, Duncan finally saw the safety zone ahead. Relief flooded through him—until something suddenly smashed against his head. He staggered, eyes widening in panic, as he immediately reached up, expecting blood. But when he looked down, it was an axe.

A fake one.

"Boom, you're dead, Duncan."

That voice—he knew that voice.

Blinking, Duncan turned to see Izzy grinning wildly, gripping another fake axe like she was ready to throw it again. Beside her stood Heather, Lindsay, and Beth, each armed with weapons of their own: spears, a pink baseball bat, and… metal cans?

Duncan frowned. "Who even said that? And where the hell did you find those cans?"

Heather casually examined her nails. "Found them around." She smirked before locking eyes with him. "Sorry, but not sorry. In every zombie movie, there's always a group that ambushes others to get what they need. And guess what? They always win."

Duncan chuckled, reaching into his jacket. "Yeah? Well, I came prepared." He pulled out a compound bow, raising it in challenge.

Izzy raised an eyebrow. "Did Ezekiel let you borrow that?"

"I will return to him; come on, it's for survival; he would do the same in my case." Duncan scoffed. Before he could react, Izzy launched her fake axe straight at him. "HEY!"

"It's fake. Why are you whining?" Heather rolled her eyes.

Duncan barely had a second to recover before Lindsay charged at him, swinging the foam bat.

"Well, good," Duncan smirked, gripping the bow tightly, "because I won't feel bad when I do this."

With a swift motion, he swung the compound bow at the incoming bat. The foam weapon didn't stand a chance—Duncan's bow smashed right through it, and the momentum carried through, slamming into Lindsay's face.

The impact sent her sprawling onto the ground.

Duncan winced. That wasn't supposed to happen. Especially since, when he looked down, he noticed a small crack on the bow itself.

"Okay… slight remorse now."

"LINDSAY!" Beth gasped, rushing to help her friend.

Duncan didn't stick around—he turned to run. But before he could take a single step, a spear shot past his face, slicing off a few strands of his hair.

He froze.

"Ohhh, you're gonna pay for that." Izzy growled, tightening her grip on another spear.

Duncan glanced at Heather, whose expression darkened as she cracked her knuckles.

"You're dead." Her voice was low, seething with the promise of pain.

Duncan scoffed, feigning confidence. "Yeah? I'd love to see you t—"

He never finished the sentence.

Because, in a blur of motion, a high heel struck him right where it hurt the most.

Duncan's eyes bulged. He let out a strangled sound, staggering as he hunched over. "… Why is it always the jewels?"

Heather, Beth, and Izzy turned to see Lindsay standing back up, her cheek swollen but her eyes burning with fury.

"That was uncalled for." Her voice was calm—too calm—as she cracked her knuckles, regaining her composure.

Confession – Lindsay

"Oh, he's so out of the show. That hurt a lot." Lindsay pressed an ice pack against her cheek, wincing slightly. "I thought Heather asking Courtney to either vote herself off or choose her boyfriend would have been cruel. I change my mind. I hope she picks this jerk instead."

Back in the game, Heather snatched the vial straight from Duncan's pocket without hesitation. "And I will be taking this."

Lindsay, still fuming, grabbed a weapon and handed it to Heather. "Pink bat's broken, but here's a wooden staff. Beat him with all your strength."

Duncan gulped as the two girls turned their furious glares on him. He had faced off against some of the toughest competitors in Total Drama, but this? This was an execution squad.

Beth, ever the peacemaker, raised her hands. "Girls, please, Duncan already apologized."

Heather and Lindsay whipped their heads toward her, speaking in perfect unison. "No, he didn't."

Beth blinked, then turned back to Duncan expectantly. "But he's gonna, right?" She raised her eyebrows, giving him a hopeful smile.

Duncan sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Ye-yeah… Sorry for beating you with the bow. I thought your baseball bat was made of wood or metal."

A tense silence followed as all three girls simply stared at him, their eyes narrowing slightly—especially Lindsay, who, for some reason, seemed to be mentally aiming for his nuts. Duncan swallowed hard.

Then, suddenly, Lindsay's expression brightened. "Okay! Apology accepted." She paused before adding, "I'm still voting you out."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Ugh… that's fair."

Heather scoffed. "Alright, let's get to the safety zone before—"

She didn't even finish her sentence before a sudden blast of slime struck her square in the back, knocking her off balance.

"HEATHER!" Lindsay and Beth shrieked as they jumped back in shock. The vial tumbled from Heather's grip and hit the floor, rolling slightly before coming to a stop.

The group quickly turned in the direction of the attack, their eyes widening as Chef Hatchet emerged, approaching menacingly. His entire body was covered in smeared zombie makeup, adding to the already imposing aura he radiated.

Right beside him, Harold stood in a ripped shirt, his own face slathered in poorly applied zombie paint. Unlike Chef, though, he had a different kind of weapon—a lightsaber.

Izzy squinted. "…A lightsaber? Of course, the best weapon for a zombie apocalypse." She smacked her forehead, realizing she hadn't thought of it herself.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted movement. Duncan, still dazed from the earlier attack, reached down, swiped the vial off the ground, and took off.

"GIRLS, HE'S ESCAPING! DON'T LET HIM GET TO THE SAFETY ZONE!" Izzy bellowed.

"Oh, right!" Beth and Lindsay snapped into action, immediately giving chase. Duncan, still feeling the sting of earlier attacks, wasn't running at full speed, and the girls quickly began closing in on him.

That left Izzy alone with Chef and Harold. She cracked her neck, rolling her shoulders as she locked eyes with Harold. "Now it's just you and me."

Harold hesitated, pushing his glasses up his nose. "…Izzy, listen, I don't think—"

"Don't get involved, Harold," she warned, her grin widening. "Or you're going to break your glasses."

Chef shot Harold a glare, as if silently commanding him to stand down. Without another word, the nerd backed off slightly, gripping his lightsaber but refraining from charging in.

Chef, however, did no such thing. He leveled his massive slime gun at Izzy, his expression unreadable under all the makeup.

Izzy tilted her head. "One of us isn't getting out of here clean."

With a dramatic flourish, she reached behind her back and pulled out what appeared to be a small paintball gun.

Chef scoffed. "You call that a paintball gun? Do you really think you can take me down with that? LOOK AT THIS SLIME GUN!"

With a battle cry, Chef leapt forward, his giant slime gun ready to unleash another blast.

Izzy let out a maniacal laugh. In one swift motion, she tossed aside her tiny paintball gun—and pulled out a paintball cannon instead.

Heather, still wiping slime off herself, groaned. "Since when did you have that?"

Izzy grinned, hoisting the cannon onto her shoulder. "Found it after passing Movie Set 17. And after Ezekiel and Courtney showed us it's possible to have guns, I figured it was best if I had one just in case." She turned back to Chef, eyes gleaming. "If I can handle hand-to-paw combat with a polar bear, I can handle a bald, emotionally withdrawn cook in a Halloween costume."

Chef's eye twitched at that. This girl—this absolute menace—had the audacity to talk like that to him?

"The audacity." Chef thought as his eyes narrowed on how one of his allies and squads he taught when she was a child, even as she was the daughter of his friends, he wouldn't show mercy for what she said. "WHO YOU CALLIN' A COOK?!" he roared.

And just like that, the battle began.

The first shot from Izzy's paintball cannon struck Harold square in the chest, sending him flying backward with a yelp.

Heather shut her eyes tightly, muttering under her breath. "Not getting slimed again…"

Meanwhile, Chef and Izzy fired at each other simultaneously. Slime and paintballs exploded into the air, colliding mid-shot and splattering in every direction.

For Izzy, this was pure bliss.

Izzy leaped back, dodging a barrage of slime shots as they narrowly missed her. She landed gracefully, smirking as she immediately retaliated with her paintball cannon. Chef, in response, launched himself into the air in slow motion, making for a dramatic action sequence. Even the usually unshakable military girl found herself gaping in awe at the spectacle.

With precise aim, Chef fired back relentlessly. Izzy dodged with impressive agility, weaving through the blasts—until one struck her directly in the chest.

Time seemed to slow. The impact sent her flying, and as she hit the ground, a small but distinct slime mark was left on her chest. Her still body, eyes closed, hand over her heart, long ginger hair splayed across the floor—it was an all-too-familiar sight.

Chef's breath hitched. His eyes widened in horror.

"Oh oh…" For a split second, he wasn't seeing Izzy—he was seeing her. The same lifeless posture, but instead of green slime, it was red. The same eerie stillness. A nearby pistol. The messy hair of Kim..."Not again."

Until Izzy opened one of her eyes and jumped to surprise him. And chuckled uncontrollably.

She gave him PTSD, and he wasn't even mad; he was happy the worst didn't happen.

"I thought you were dead." Chef said relieved, as Izzy smirked at him.

"Yeah, we get that a lot." Izzy waved her hand, as Chef noticed Izzy said we, as the good way he recalled the times his squad, himself, Ron, Kim, and Shego had times each of them thought they were dead in a few combats. And indeed, that was what made Chef more relieved—for not having hurt his squad once again.

"What was that?! Where's the guts? The gore?!" Chris groaned in frustration, throwing his hands in the air. He had expected Chef to go completely overkill! Instead, he got… sentiment?

Disappointed, he slumped in his chair. "Whatever. Let's just check—WHAT THE HECK?!"

His eyes bulged as he stared at one of the monitors.

Ezekiel was perched atop a mountain—a literal mountain—of fallen zombies. Not just the interns, but also Owen and even Cadet Sanders.

Chris blinked. "Wh… what was that?"

He fumbled for the controls, already making a mental note to review the footage later. Because whatever had just happened, it was insane.

Duncan sprinted through the chaotic battlefield, dodging stray paintball shots and zombie interns left and right. But Beth and Lindsay were relentless, hot on his heels with determined expressions.

"Get back here, Duncan!" Beth shouted, her glasses slightly askew as she lunged forward.

"Yeah! And give us that... um, thingy!" Lindsay, still somewhat confused but determined to help, added,

"Not a chance!" Duncan growled in frustration, gripping the vial tighter. But just as he turned a corner, his boot landed on a puddle of slime. "Whoa—!"

Duncan's balance betrayed him, and he stumbled forward, arms flailing wildly. The vial slipped from his grasp, bouncing once on the floor before rolling a few feet away. All three froze.

The vial came to a slow stop at someone's feet. Gwen's feet.

She stood there, eyes wide, gripping her own vial tightly in one hand. The trio—Duncan, Beth, and Lindsay—locked eyes with her in shock.

For a split second, there was only silence.

Then Gwen's instincts kicked in.

"Nope, not dealing with this—" she muttered before turning on her heel and bolting.

"HEY!" Duncan, Beth, and Lindsay shouted at the same time.

But before they could chase her, they remembered the other vial still on the ground. Duncan dove for it. Beth lunged after him. Lindsay shrieked and tried to grab it too.

What followed was a ridiculous, three-way tug-of-war, each of them desperately trying to snatch the vial from the others. Duncan, lying on his stomach, pulled with everything he had. Beth had her arms wrapped around his torso, yanking the vial in the opposite direction. And Lindsay? She had somehow ended up clinging to Beth, trying to help her pry the vial from Duncan's hands.

The vial slipped, spun, and flipped between their fingers like a bar of soap in a shower.

They weren't even sure who had it anymore.

Meanwhile, Gwen kept running, the sounds of their struggle fading behind her. She exhaled sharply, clutching her own vial close.

"Yeah, they're definitely gonna regret that." Gwen said as she continued to go forward in the safety zone. Which, thankfully, she returned on the Craft Services Tent. "Finally."

But then, as she got inside the Craft Services Tent, she was surprised to see Sadie, Justin, Leshawna, Jude, Bridgette, Geoff, DJ, and Tyler all dressed as zombies. While Noah, Courtney, Katie, and Cody were looking normally but exhausted after everything happened.

"Oh, it seems Gwen grabbed the vial." Cody pointed it out, which made the whole group of contestants see Gwen finally appearing.

"Thank God it's finally over." Courtney said as it made Gwen blink in surprise. "Can someone call Chris? Gwen finally brought the last one."

"Last one?" Gwen asked. As suddenly Chris appeared with a smirk on his face.

"Don't need to call me; I heard it. I gotta say I expected something more climatic for the end of the challenge, but it had so many amazing scenes that I don't need to complain anyway. I will leave that job for the editors. Gwen, as the second fastest survivor with the vial cure, congratulations; you now can be the one choosing for your future team." Chris said with a smirk and already with his walkie-talkie on hands. "ALRIGHT EVERYONE, THE TWO LAST SURVIVORS OF THE CHALLENGES REACHED THE SAFETY ZONE, WHICH MEANS THE CHALLENGE IS OVER. I WANT YOU ALL TO WALK TOWARD THE TRAILERS NOW."

"So who was the other who got here with the vial?" Gwen asked curiously, as the group pointed at the remaining contestant, who nobody every thought had been working with anyone else. Trent, who was just placing his guitar cords back on his guitar again. "Trent?"

"Yeah, he passed the whole challenge of being in the shadows and going stealthy while following Duncan and Harold. And when Chef went ahead to fight them, Trent simply took the vial and stealthily returned here." Chris said as he looked at them both. "I'm surprised that you both didn't have much of a conflict, especially. I was eager to see him using those guitar cords, but I got disappointed. Also, you guys had some good ideas, but terrible execution."

"Yeah, yeah, cry me a river, Chris." Courtney said, as she was also annoyed and bored with how things ended that way. But now everyone needs to accept the challenge is over, and what will happen from now on will be very chaotic.

.

.

.

At the time the groups met themselves on the trailers, some of them looked still covered in slime; others seemed to look completely fine but also exhausted after dealing with the whole day.

"We have our two winners! Gwen and Trent!" Chris gave the presentation as some of the campers cheered for the victory of some of the duo, while the others cheered for the challenge finally being over. "As our winners, Gwen and Trent will now be able to pick their teams, which means they'll be competing against each other this season."

Both Trent and Gwen remained quiet, not knowing if they should be happy or sad if all their effort was worth it, but it was better than nothing.

"And now for the interesting part. Tonight we will vote off two cast members in the most thrilling Gilded Chris ceremony yet." Chris then gave the bomb, which made the whole group of castaways gasp.

"Dude." Jude said as he didn't expect such a plot twist.

"A double elimination. On the second challenge?" Sadie commented loudly as she held Katie's hand in fear.

"Yes, you heard me. I said two. I'm liking the twos today. Must be Tuesday."Chris commented as he tried to make a joke of it, but the group remained quiet while rolling their eyes, as the crickets were the answer a person like Chris deserved to receive at that moment. "Yeah, I don't get paid to write this show."

And with that, everyone got in panic, trying to decide on who they should be voting for.

"You gotta be kidding me," Duncan muttered, crossing his arms as he glared at Courtney. His frustration was evident, but she kept her head down, avoiding his gaze. "Are you seriously gonna let Heather play you like that?"

Courtney bit her lip, clearly struggling with the weight of her decision. She knew Duncan had a point, but before she could respond, another voice chimed in.

"Let her be, Duncan," Ezekiel interjected, stepping forward with an air of quiet authority. After surviving the entire challenge and proving himself as one of the Killer Bass's key players, he had earned the right to speak his mind. "We should've expected Heather to pull something like this when she saved Courtney from elimination. Now, Courtney owes her for that, and Heather's using it to take out one of the strongest players we have."

Courtney blinked in surprise before offering Ezekiel a small, appreciative smile. Despite the situation, it felt good to hear someone acknowledge her strength.

Chris had played this elimination smart. To prevent alliances from swaying the vote too much, he had separated the contestants into small groups, limiting their discussions to only two people at a time. This ensured that the outcome would be unpredictable and—more importantly for Chris—completely shocking.

"We should all vote Heather out," Duncan declared, stating what should have been the obvious solution. But Ezekiel merely rolled his eyes.

"Duncan, I get that you're mad about her using you to manipulate Courtney," Ezekiel said, folding his arms, "but it's not that simple. She already has Lindsay, Beth, and E-Scope in her corner. And thanks to you smashing my bow to beat Lindsay—by the way, I'm still mad about that—she's probably gonna convince Tyler, Leshawna, and Justin to vote for you. The Screaming Gophers are already ticked off, so they'd jump at the chance to take you out."

Duncan clenched his fists, cursing under his breath. He hadn't even realized how deep a hole he'd dug for himself.

"If it was just one person getting eliminated, Courtney might've had a shot at making the right call," Ezekiel continued. "But now? I'm not even sure if it's going to be you or Geoff."

"Geoff?" Courtney repeated, looking between the two boys.

Duncan and Ezekiel both nodded.

"Kissing Bridgette nonstop, ticking off Tyler and DJ during the challenge—yeah, they're mad at him," Ezekiel explained.

Duncan rubbed his chin, a sly look forming on his face. "Maybe we can use that to our advantage."

Ezekiel shook his head. "I don't think so. If the whole team was together, yeah, maybe. But with Chris's setup, we don't know where the votes are landing. He's boxed us in."

Courtney looked hurt by the realization, and Duncan scowled, still fuming. Ezekiel, however, simply smirked.

"But hey, if these are your last hours on the show, why not go out with a bang?"

Both Duncan and Courtney blinked at him.

Ezekiel's smirk widened. "Why don't you two enjoy yourselves—just like in Chef's Challenge last season? One last shot at being wicked."

Duncan and Courtney exchanged a glance before identical grins spread across their faces.

Ezekiel chuckled, placing his hands behind his back as he turned to walk away. "Have fun, you two."

(Dramatic Awards Cerimony.)

As soon as the camera showed the lights going for the stage, the stage lights moved as scenes of Chris's best moments of Total Drama Island, Chris smiling, having his best poses, and closes until his images faded as it showed the master prize of the moment, the Gilded Chris. With special effects of fireworks happening, which would impress anyone watching the television.

And with that, Chris walked towards on the stage, dressed on his elegant light blue suit and red bow-tie, as all the cast contestants were sitting on the stands in front of the stage. Some are anxious about whats about to happen since nobody ever had a chance to vote before. Until Chris came to explain the rules.

"It's time for your votes. However, there's a little surprise that I want you all to see." Chris smirked as the group looked at each other unsure, since Chris surprises never were a good sign. "I want you all to meet our new system of points. Something inspired by the last season. May I present you the MVPA. The Most Valuable Player Acting."

At the time Chris said that many blinked, with the exception of Izzy and Ezekiel, who remained stoic since both knew about the system points in secret.

"What's that?" Cody asked, but then Chris glared at him.

"Don't interrupt. Anyway, the MVPA is a system to show not only reward the best contestants of the challenge, but the best actors of dealing in challenges." Chris said as he touched a control button which on the screen lowering down on the stage, and on the moment the screen appeared, it showed the momment were Owen went to eat the full food made of foam, plastic just for the sake of finding a key he didn't know it happened, next showed both Ezekiel and Izzy shooting arrows on the monster animatronic which Chef got electrified, another scene of Ezekiel doing a dramatic speech just for later both him and Izzy ran away from the monster. A scene of Eva and Sadie taking down a bear, and Eva threatens the animal. "All these scenes were shown on the last episode, and they were judged not just by me and by Chef; most of the fans on the forum of Total Drama Island gave their opinions on which scene was the best by giving personal scores. Which now we have system of score times 100. Which means the scenes given score by the fans will be made an average of their scores times 100, while me and Chef will have our personal scores, which is also going to give times 100 as well."

"Don't take that bad, Chris, but what's the point of these points anyway?" Duncan said as he rolled his eyes, to which some of the contestants nodded their heads, while some had curiosity on what the points would be used for.

"Ah, I was going to do that. Anyway, these points are essential for anyone who wants to use them. Because in each voting time, because under your seats you will find a voting device." Chris said as everyone looked on their seats, and they found a device that, from Ezekiel's perspective, was a touch-screen cellphone, but with the faces of all the campers scrolling down. But in the corner of the devices. There was an icon of a gift box. "On these devices for the contestants who got their MVPA points, they will see the quantity of points they have on the corner. And by clicking on the icon of a gift box... There's something wonderful, awesome, terrifying, chaotic, and evil at the same time. Which the best part is... you all must figure out what it does."

"What?" The group asked as Chris smirked widely.

"There's a list of gift boxes where it shows only the values of how much they cost... And you will only know what they can do in case you buy it. However, in case you reveal what they does to the others, you will be eliminated automatically. You guys must figure out on your own." Chris said as the groups looked more nervous than before. "These boxes can be your savior or your doom if you don't know how to use the points and them properly, and the only way to do it is by trial and error. And secrets HAHAHAHAAHA."

"Which means things will be way more chaotic than before." Heather said as she glanced to everyone, as they are unsure on what even to say since the challenge would come to not only they need to deal with the challenges, but now they must act as well?

"Hahahaha, that's right. Now. For your safety, I think it's for the best to not reveal how many points you guys have, unless you want people go after you as main targets or even use . now that I think about it, maybe you guys should tell; it's going to be more fun anyway." Chris was about to be against the idea, but since it would cause even more chaos around, he suggested for them to do it.

"I will pass." Ezekiel said as he got the glances of some of the cast. "I'm not going to use this time anyway."

"YEAH BABY. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT." Then suddenly a shout made everyone jump and see Owen looking at their friends with a happy smile. "This gift is awesome with 1200 points you can…" Chris cleared his throat. Which made Owen stops, and realize that he couldn't say it. "Ops, sorry guys, I cannot tell what it does, but man, I think 1200 points will be my main gift box."

"Anyway, let's continue. From your voting devices, you press the button on the person you want to be voted off. And oh, no peeking, or it will be Aha Na na na na na na Goodbye~" Chris explained as DJ wanted to see who Harold was picking but then was interrupted when Chris said the message and Harold covered himself to not show he was going to vote, and DJ looked sheepishly. Chris laughed as he waited, everyone pressing the buttons a few times. And when everyone looked as they were done, he was now for the main event. "The votes had been cast."

And with that, Chef appeared, as the contestants were surprised to see him once again wearing his social shirt, a black tie, and social pants. While behind him, much to the anger and shame of the cadets, each cadet was now walking towards the stage dressed as a ceremony girls. With fancy pink dresses and heels.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA," A few contestants laughed at seeing the angry face of MacArthur while even her cadet cap was in color pink, which she glared angrily at most of the campers. Cadet Sanders was shaking her head, while both girls were holding all the gilded Chris prizes for the elimination route.

"If you get the Gilded Chris, it means your safe," Chris explained the rules, as Chef Hatchet had no idea why, but he was glad it wasn't him into dealing with those annoying kids who had been laughing at the cadets like that. "And now… the Gilded Chris goes tooo… Trent, Gwen…"

Both Goth and the guitarist received their gilded prizes on their hands.

"Ezekiel, Izzy…" Chris said as he launched the gilded Chris to both of them.

"E-Scope," Izzy shouted as a way of correcting the host.

"Fine." Chris said in a not amused tone as Izzy was happy to receive her Gilded Chris. "E-scope"

"Eva, Lindsay, Tyler, Justin," Chris said as he was giving more and more names and was launching the Gilded Chris at the contestants who were also happy to be there and be safe for another day. "Sadie, Cody, Katie, DJ, Harold. You're also safe."

"Jude, the new boy, you're also safe." Chris said as Jude got the Gilded Chris with his two hands and cheered for being able to continue on the game. "Noah, Leshawna, Beth, Owen, you're guys are too much to say in one episode; I'm glad there will be a team split on the next episode."

Chris was sweating a bit, but the more and more names appeared, the more tension happened around. Heather, Bridgette, Geoff, Courtney, and Duncan looked at each other; something was very wrong.

"Next, surprisingly Heather, Bridgette, and last but not least." Heather got relieved from getting her golden statue, but now she could see both couples staring at the situation, not liking it at all. Chris then decided to give the final verdict. "Geoff."

"WHAT?" Most of the cast shouted as nobody believed on what just happened.

"Wohooo," Geoff shouted happily, with Bridgette hugging him, but then Duncan and Courtney couldn't believe what happened.

"What do you mean we are both out?." Duncan said in disbelief, as he looked all the other cast members who were also outraged. "They don't seem to be the ones who have been voting on us."

"Sorry Duncan… But... this is a change of outcome... since there was... a gift being used." Chris said the keywords, which immediately made both Courtney and Duncan stare at the situation… someone used the MVPA points to eliminate them both; how and why, They have no idea. "Well, any final words?"

Duncan looked at Courtney, who also looked hurt, but they knew something like that would happen, but at least he was going to give the final laugh.

"Yeah, you should check out the trailer where you produce yourself, Chris. I love the new color." Duncan said, which immediately made Chris' eyes go wide open.

"What do you mean by that?" Chris said, but both could hear Courtney. While she was hurt, she couldn't contain herself, so she started to laugh. Uncontrollably. Which made the host even more worried.

"See you later, losers," Duncan said as both he and Courtney had their final laugh, as both showed the middle finger to Chris and walked over the Lame-O-Sine. As even gave a good kiss together, not looking back at the worried host.

"GUYS, WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY TRAILER?" Chris shouted as immediately the cadets closed the door and waved at the 2 eliminated contestants.

Confession – Heather.

"Two pillars down in the price of one? It's my luck day." Heather said as she was happy for the outcome, she had no idea who made the delinquent boy and the annoying C.I.T. eliminated, but it was the best outcome she would have.

Confession – Iz- E-Scope

"That gift box is cruel and expensive. Such a powerful box is really what would destroy votes like nothing happened." Izzy commented, as a part of her showed guilt, and it was rare to see Izzy being sincere about something. "It's a great box in case someone wants to vote me out, but in case I don't use it right, it would be a waste of points.

(Flashback)

Izzy staring at the gift box—the one who was written 5500 points. At the time she pressed... there was the subtitle explaining... (Choose 2 people to swap votes.)

And Izzy being logical, she knew on who her friends would vote for, but Heather managed to convince everyone to vote on Courtney because she owned Heather a favor and she was going to accept the elimination. Duncan apologized to Lindsay, so that's why nobody insisted on vote Duncan out… But since she controlled the decision of who to vote out,. It was indeed a lot pressure.

But since Heather needed some protection, Izzy decided to give another helping hand for the queen bee. By eliminating the second Pillar Herself.

(Dramatic Awards Cerimony.)

"Well, at least we have a golden prize with us." Gwen said she was happy to think about what to do with it. "I'm thinking about melting it and getting more money with it."

"Ah ah ah? You think I didn't think of that? Actually, just for the sake of us doing mass production of it. We did something more simple and yet elegant. A golden foiled chocolate." Chris presented as the group had their eyes wide open.

Until suddenly.

*Trrrr ttrrr trrrr trrrr*

Ezekiel made a telephone sound.

"Can someone pick up the phone?" Ezekiel said as everyone blinked in confusion. On why he was making telephone sounds. "Because I *beeeeeee* CALLED IT."

Everyone who knew Ezekiel started to chuckle at how dumbfolded Chris was and how good a comeback Ezekiel came on being right on such trivial things. Owen licked his lips.

"I'm so glad Chef helped me better than the prunes; I will enjoy eating this before having some lunch." Owen said as he took the golden foil and started to eat the chocolate. The others also decided to do the same. And enjoy their dessert.

"Anyway. Who Gwen and Trent will pick up for their team? Will Izzy ever answer to her actual name? Will Owen finally get some lunch?" Chris commented as each of them rolled their eyes, while Owen shouted his thanks for the host. "Tuning next time to another excitement episode of TOTAL DRAMA ACTION."

Chris said as the camera gave space for showing the view of Chef Hatchet remaining on his position. With a resolute and fancy suit, while the cadets preferred to not be recorded in such a way.

And with that, the second episode was over…

Ezekiel sighed, knowing that from that point forward, things would be different. Without Courtney for becoming a villain on Total Drama Action, or even Duncan being too much time with Gwen for them to develop the romance on World Tour... This was the ripple that defined a new future that he isn't sure on what's going to happen from now on. The Zombie Genre Challenge was just made to prove the point; he's living on his own canon now.

He prayed for whoever was listening to him to just let both Duncan and Courtney find their happiness after dealing with such a bullshit day. But he was glad to see that in the final moments of this episode, they managed to make something that would forever make Chris with headaches.

"MY TRAILER. WHY, WHY DID THEY DO THAT?" Chris shouted as it was shown the trailer all messed up with graphite painting and even words as Chris' old and bald. Which clearly would hit Chris on where it hurts most. The ego.

Ezekiel decided to give some walk, as now being the last Killer Bass pillar remaining, on the next few days it will be the time for him to be in a new team; if he's going to be the leader of the same team or not, he doesn't care. All he is going to do is remain in the alliance with Chef and have some fun playing the challenges. And try to get the best of this season... And by glancing on the corner, he noticed something strange... A duck sitting on the corner. A duck? But that duck was holding a slight bag, and by staring at the boy, the duck slowly flew and dropped the bag. Before flying away.

"Is that?" Ezekiel recognized a duck when he saw one, especially when one was staring at him. As he looked around, he grabbed the paper bag and opened it just to see a small paper and a large quantity of leaves that he was seeing for the first time on his life. Slowly taking the paper, he read just a few lines and couldn't help but be happy.

"Here's my father's recipe, Ezekiel; may Mother Nature bless you on these challenges. And Father told me that drinking these and meditating will help you; however, it requires from you a strong will, so be patient and don't give up. You're friend… the moonlight child.

Dawn..."

"Well, this is going to be a good way to help me to write better and have all my memories." Ezekiel mumbled, but he also felt a bit of stress and a headache forming from the challenge he would need for case he would be using patience. Maybe it was to try to find enlightenment. Something like that would need time and patience. "Well, it's 42 days of show. I think I will manage in time. I just need to not rush it. It will be easy."

A fool could dream, couldn't he?