Disclaimer: I own the 21 contestants that appear in this fic, along with Valley and the Black Chef. Zephyr was created by Cragmiteblaster, personalized with his permission for the purposes of this fic. Everything else is probs not mine.

Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: And here is the second chapter of the first episode! I hope you guys are getting into the new season as much as I am! As promised, however, I will be returning to TDASB until the final ten of that fic. Then, I'll move over to Fire Island until the final five. This fic might not be updated for a while, but I'll get back to it once I chip away at my other two fics! But enough of that. Enjoy!

Necks wrapped in lace!

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E1 P2: Necklace Hunting

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All the contestants had gathered back in the auditorium and surrounded Chris and Zephyr. Chris gave all of them a grin, folding his arms together. "Alright! You guys have a couple hours to search for the necklaces. Once both necklaces are found and are returned here, I'll call the challenge and I'll give you strategy time."

"Also," Zephyr said, "since this is a free for all challenge, feel free to search for the necklaces with the other team. This challenge is all about individual immunity. Do whatever you think it takes to find those necklaces as quickly as possible."

"Or don't and take long enough for us to catch all the juicy drama," Chris grinned. "Your choice! I also feel the need to reveal that, besides the reward clues, there ARE idol clues hidden around Camp Zero. Keep an eye open for those as well! Zephyr, want to call it off?"

"Sure," Zephyr shrugged. "Your challenge begins... now!" The contestants all scattered, quickly running in search of the necklaces. No one wanted to be the first people to be voted off their team, and they most certainly weren't going to sit around and let someone steal their chance at immunity.

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Confessional: Chance to be famous maybe?

Hugh: (His smile is wider for some reason.) The necklace is not something I desire. I don't think anyone would want me to go, at least not this early. I desire to make good with the other contestants and make some well needed first impressions. No doubt this will benefit me, but I truly desire to make allies rather than enemies in this contest. (His smile grows wider.) Except for maybe one person...

Angel: Hey, when your horny, you don't just sit around and wait for men to get in your pants! You go up to them and you make them get in your pants! Sure, I'm also using them to vote my way, but it's not like it's significant! A vote for a night of your life. Who wouldn't want that? And if a guy happens to find the pink necklace, if I promise some sugar, they'll certainly be willing to part with it.

Dusk: I was almost killed by the crowd! Why am I even here?! WHAT IS THIS SHOW EVEN FOR?! (He lets out a loud squeak of fear.) I just want my science panda to cuddle with... and even then, I'll be too scared because he'll know how to stab me! My panda knows WAY too much!

Bumble: (She's readjusting her collar, which is glowing yellow. A buzzing sound was being made.) This thing always seems to hurt when I'm not focusing. Oh well! I better find that necklace. I don't think I'm that annoying, but every little bit helps! (Bumble leaves the confessional. As she does so, the collar stops glowing yellow.)

Chuck: Alright, look #$%. It took me eight #$% years to become a serious dancer, and even now it's still a load of bird #$%! People don't understand what pure talent is! So, that necklace might spell out the difference between being taken seriously and being a #$% laughing stock. I need that necklace #$%it.

Blue: (She's musing to herself, looking around the confessional.) Don't you think the confessional might look better blue? I mean, sure, wood color is great and realistic, but wouldn't the back of the confessional colored blue just liven things up a bit? I don't know, I think it would look fantastic!

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The challenge had begun, and as such, the contestants began to break off from each other. There were only two necklaces out there, one for each team no less, and they had to get searching. Breaking off from the group of girls, Yi and Clover both went north into the forest, following a path that branched off from Camp Zero. Yi was in the least while Clover was cautiously following behind her.

"So..." Clover said, her fingers nervously fidgeting. "I'm Clover! Nice to meet you!"

"Yi," Yi said simply, glancing back with a warm smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well. Are you excited to be on this show?"

"Totally! I mean, I did have to sign like twenty waivers in order to get on the show," Clover admitted with a giggle. "I typically have a lot of bad luck, so the show didn't want any lawsuits in case I got hurt was all!"

Yi raised an eyebrow but chose not to say anything about this. "Luck is all in the mind you know," Yi pointed out. "If you expect bad things to happen, they will. It's the mentality of the concept."

"A piano fell on me earlier," Clover said flatly. "I wasn't expecting a piano to fall on me, in a forest of all places. It's not the kind of thing you expect."

Yi thought this over for a moment before giving Clover a nod. "I guess you're right about that," Yi said. "Well, here in this game, all sorts of bad luck become all of the contestants. You don't have to worry about standing out, trust me."

"Thanks! I was actually super nervous people might think my luck is contagious!" Clover giggled. As she was giggling, Clover suddenly tripped on a rock and fell on her face. Clover groaned, shaking her head and getting back to her feet, dusting the dirt off. "I have a feeling the rocks are stacked against me."

Yi raised a questioning eyebrow, but continued to make her way forward. "So, tell me about yourself," Yi said, looking around the trees carefully to keep an eye out for the necklace. "Any family?"

"Oh boy, don't even get me started," Clover giggled. "I have six brothers and six sisters, all older than me! I have a black cat named Ladder, since my parents own a ladder business! I also live with my g-ma, who turns sixty-six this year! My family's the best!"

Yi had to physically keep herself from face palming the entire time Clover talked.

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Confessional: All the stereotypes!

Yi: Clover seems like a very nice girl. Her constant need to perpetuate bad luck might get... grating at some point, if not already, but I don't think she intends to be annoying. I should be there for her as a friend and possible ally. (She pauses.) She has twelve siblings. Makes me wonder how she hasn't managed to injure them all with this 'bad luck' she insists she has.

Clover: I also have a cousin named Dee Vil that lives in California, but I don't talk about him much. He ended up getting me thrown in prison for thirteen days because I accidently forgot that ladders were flammable and burned someone's house down. I guess me being thrown in prison was my fault to start with, but he really sucks at being a lawyer! Kept telling me he wanted to be paid in souls. This is America! We pay in Eagles, not life forces!

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While some of the contestants wandered off to other buildings, Keith made it a point to quickly head over to the communal restrooms. As he entered inside, he promptly removed his mask, revealing a giant smile, which showed off his perfectly white teeth. Keith went straight to a mirror and gave the mirror an even bigger grin.

"Ah, teeth," Keith sighed, shaking his head with a smile. "It's the only true joy in life! Sure, immunity would be nice to, but teeth stay with you forever! Well, except when they fall out, but if taken care of, they can last a life time after that. Well, time for my daily afternoon brushing!"

Keith reached into his dentist coat and pulled out a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste. Keith carefully unscrewed the cap off the tube and squirted the perfect amount of toothpaste onto the brush. Keith opened his mouth and began to slowly and gently brush each of his teeth, making sure to make them as clean as possible.

After about three minutes of this, Keith finished brushing his teeth and rinsed, making sure there was no excess paste on anything. With a nod to himself, Keith turned around to look at the stalls. "Alright, now that I can rest knowing my teeth are clean, time to look for that necklace!"

Keith walked over to the first stall and slowly pushed it open. Much to his surprise, Dusk was hiding inside of it, curling up in the fetal position and rocking back and forth. When Keith opened the stall, Dusk let out a blood curdling shriek in terror, jumping up onto the toilet, grabbing a roll of toilet paper nearby.

"GAH! Take it!" Dusk screamed, tossing the toilet paper at Keith. Keith quickly dodged to the side, letting the roll fly past him and slamming into the wall. Keith glanced back at Dusk, who's mouth started to form a fearful pout. "That's all I had, I swear!"

"I don't want anything," Keith said. "Unless you don't mind if I snap a picture of your teeth?"

"GAH! DENTIST! THEY STEAL YOUR TEETH TO USE IN GUNS!" Dusk screamed, darting from off the toilet and sliding underneath the next stall. Keith blinked and slipped over to the next stall, opening it. Dusk was already squirming under the third stall, screaming, "I don't want to be shot with my own teeth!"

"That's not really how dentistry works," Keith said, opening the third stall. Dusk was already half way in, but upon seeing Keith again, he yelped and started to slide back the way he came. "I promise, I just repair teeth. I don't use them for mass destruction."

"GAH! I'M NOT A CANNIBAL!" Dusk screamed, bolting upright from the second stall and slamming the door, locking it. "The evil dentist can't get you, no, no... GAH! TOILET WATER!"

Keith could only stare blankly at the stall in front of him, clearly confused as to what exactly had just occurred. "Um... yeah, I'll just look for the necklace over here," Keith said, awkwardly walked away from the stall Dusk was occupying.

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Confessional: A shark tooth necklace?

Keith: I think maybe the only thing I value over teeth is clearing dentists' good name. A lot of people are afraid of dentists, and I can sort of understand why. But the whole fear is a misconception. The only reason the dentist has big scary equipment is because that's what he uses to keep teeth up to shape. I've always had to explain this to my friends, but for some reason, they always seem to look at dentists in fear, even after I explain it. (He sighs.) Hopefully Dusk understands soon enough that dentists only want to help.

Dusk: (He awkwardly looks behind him and sees a random picture of a tooth placed inside the confessional.) GAH! I didn't even go to the dentist this year! Just leave me alone! I'll get you dental floss, just don't steal my teeth!

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As everyone else went off to look for the necklaces, Audrey had walked over to two perfectly shaded trees and gave a relaxed smile. She quickly set up her hammock with shocking speed and slid inside of it. A small breeze began to blow, rocking Audrey back and forth as she slid her hands underneath her head.

"Ah, this is the life," she sighed with a smile. "No wildlife, no freak weather, no stress, nothing. Just me, the wind, and the carefree attitude of a lazy girl. I can't think of a better way to spend an all-expenses paid vacation for the next four weeks."

As Audrey rocked back and forth, Chris exited the auditorium and spotted her relaxing. Scowling ever so slightly, he walked over to her and towered above her for a few minutes. It took a while before Audrey opened one of her eyes and noticed Chris standing above her. Audrey let out a sigh, sitting up slightly and glaring at Chris.

"Did you need something?" Audrey asked. "Because let me level with you. Make someone else do it. Because there is no way you're getting my ass out of this hammock."

Chris rolled his eyes, looking somewhat impatient. "Aren't you even going to try, I don't know, attempting the challenge?" Chris asked. "I don't really give a #$% if you laze around on your ass all day, but it could hurt your chances if you don't do anything."

"And you cared about my game... when?" Audrey asked flatly.

"Never. I just want to see drama happen, and clearly, that's not happening from you," Chris grumbled.

Audrey rolled her eyes, muttering obscenities to herself. "Last I checked, I was causing drama," Audrey said. "I don't give a #$% about challenges or strategy. I'm on this show to sleep in my hammock and do absolutely nothing. It's a vacation that's 100% paid and last I checked, you physically can't make me do anything I'd rather not do."

Chris frowned, lifting his finger. However, he quickly put it down and his frown slid into a grin. "That's some pretty nice sass actually," Chris said. "I'll give you that one. But just a suggestion, you might want to try helping sometime. Not that I really care about helping others."

"Good. Now that you're done, I can finally get back to what I enjoy most," Audrey said, pulling her head phones up. She clicked a button on her IPod and music began playing. Audrey sighed with a smile as Chris left, looking up into the trees. "Absolutely nothing."

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Confessional: Nothing ever fun happens to me.

Audrey: (Her hammock is set up inside.) Look, I'm not here to socialize. Talking to Chris almost killed me. I just want to relax in peace and not do anything. If my teammates don't like it, then #$% them. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a nap to take. (Audrey shuts her eyes and soon enough she falls asleep.)

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Inside the forest, taking a different path than Yi and Clover, Flippard was being a bit more hands on with the searching of the boy's necklace. He wandered off the main path a few times and carefully looked under logs and tree roots that were uprooted. He was currently having zero luck, to which Flippard frowned.

"There has to be something of significance to the forest," Flippard muttered to himself. "I'm no stranger to getting my hands dirty, but this is what brute labor is for. There's a reason my family's company has lasted so long, and it's not because we do our own work."

Flippard continued to search under logs and trees, coming up empty as he thought to himself. "Out of all the contestants I've seen, most of them are pretty stupid," Flippard said to himself. "I'm sure a lot of them are too dumb to realize that they're being used. Good. The best workers are ones that blindly obey the leader. And I, of course, will establish myself as that leader."

As Flippard moved forward, occasionally ducking under trees, someone else approached him from behind. Flippard remained unaware of this as he moved forward, which was the intent. Suddenly, the person following Flippard screamed, "GET DOWN #$%!"

"Hmph?" Flippard said, not terrified in the slightest. He turned around and saw Karl was behind him, a perverted look on his face. However, upon seeing he had found a boy instead of a girl, Karl's face twisted into disappointment. "Did you want something?"

"The best way to get a girl to have sex is to scare her into doing it," Karl said simply. "I thought you were a girl."

Flippard's eye twitched but kept his nerve. "Common mistake," Flippard lied. "Do keep in mind, however, that I don't scare. I never scare. It's a common feeling that belongs to people who are too dumb to be considered civilized."

"Cool, I don't give a #$%," Karl said, looking bored. "This was a waste of time. See any girls? I'm itching for a nice #$%, but I can't seem to find any women to do the deed with."

Flippard was about to tell Karl to shove it, but considering that might just be a compliment, he held his tongue. Instead, Flippard said, "How about, instead, you aid me in the challenge? If we find the necklace, we can decide which of us can have it depending on my mood. I get a cheap ally and you get satisfaction. Is that a deal?"

Karl thought this deal over for a moment before a perverted smirk entered his face. "Sure, we have a deal," Karl said, reaching his hand out. Flippard winced, not having any idea where that hand has been, but reluctantly shook it, shivering in disgust. "But you better pull through on your end of the bargain."

"Sure, sure," Flippard said. "Satisfaction is easy to satisfy. Trust me. I should know."

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Confessional: Satisfy my satisfaction then!

Karl: (He has a perverted grin.) He totally meant sexual satisfaction. I'm getting laid tonight, that's for sure! Thank you top hat man! Maybe I'll let him have the necklace, especially if the lady he picks for me is #$% hot.

Flippard: Labor is pretty easy to come by, and Karl is probably a good example as to why. I used the word 'satisfaction' for a reason. Karl assumes I mean sexual satisfaction, which is something he wants. But workers don't deserve #$%. All they really need is satisfaction that they are doing something great for someone else and that's it. So, what that I get all the benefits? Does anyone really want Karl to be immune tonight? Yeah, didn't think so. After tonight, not only will I be immune, but Karl will get the satisfaction he deserves: being voted off first.

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In the Mess Hall, Bjork was resting at a table, smoking a cigarette. He was resting against a wall as he sat, silently puffing his cigarette every so often. As Bjork sat, the Black Chef eyed him from the kitchen door, washing his hands as he watched him. Bjork barely acknowledged him, just staring straight ahead and doing nothing.

"You know," the Black Chef grunted. "It might not really be my place to say this, but shouldn't you be putting more effort into the challenge? You do you and all, but I don't think sitting around will win you any points."

"I have a foolproof plan that will make people want to keep me," Bjork said simply, glancing slightly at the chef. "I have no need for challenges to keep me safe. It's only a matter of twisting words and thoughts to make people fear. That's how the human mind works."

"Fear is a good motivator, I'll give you that much," the Black Chef admitted. "However, relying only on fear will only get you so far. Not everyone will fall for fear. Might be best if you cover your bases."

"Shut your hole white man," Bjork muttered. "I don't have to #$% listen to you jabber. I'm being paid to be here. Might as well get my money's worth."

The Black Chef's eye twitched, his fists clenching. Bjork noticed this and smirked, puffing his cigarette again. "I know your trigger. It was obvious, but always nice to confirm," Bjork noted. "That's another way to influence people to #$% off. Anger. I prefer the fear method, but anger works almost just as well."

The Black Chef scowled, taking deep and calming breaths. "Whatever. I'm just warning you now before you come whining to me that you're screwed. I'll listen, but don't expect me to be giving any advice. I hardly ever do when you're whining."

The Black Chef retreated into kitchen, leaving Bjork alone. "He's going to be fun to mess with on my off hours," Bjork mused. "Well, if I'm getting paid, I might as well try to do my job. Next person to walk in, I'm going to mess with their head in any way that I know I can. You know, for a little pre-drama before the real drama begins."

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Confessional: Like I'm the pre-confessional for confessionals!

Bjork: The true weakness of man is what makes them tick. Fear and anger are two major factors in knowing what someone cherishes. That's how to screw them over. Once you know their weakness, then they're finished. That simple. (He shrugs.) People here might be set on winning challenges. Therefore, if I lose challenges, it ticks people off. It all depends on the person. And to figure out everyone's weakness, I have a lot of people to observe.

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While some people were looking in very hidden areas, Lyla thought that the idol was hidden in a place that was a little more obvious. She was currently making her way to the girl's dorm, moving as quickly as possible. Behind her was Blue and August, who really didn't have anything better to do. Currently August and Blue were talking to each other as Lyla listened.

"You really believe that aliens are responsible for elevators?" Blue asked, completely enthralled. "That's so cool! Can the aliens be blue? I know Martians are stereo-typically green, but blue aliens like Stitch would be so much better!"

"Aliens are like us. They have many colors," August said. "All of them are cool. Of course, it's just a working theory. I was pitched the idea by a fan of mine and I told my agent since it fascinated me. We're making a movie about it in a year or so."

"You do movies?" Lyla asked, getting into the conversation.

"Yep. I stared in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as a 'deformed' Oompa Loompa because some agent found me on the street," August mused. "That agent is my agent today. I was so cool that everyone absolutely adored me."

"That's so cool!" Blue giggled. "Have you ever had to play any parts with blue hair?"

"I starred in a YouTube series once," August mused. "I was playing a quiet guy who dyed his hair every day. The last episode was blue hair. I kept it for a while, but I decided to let my natural hair grow back in. Strawberry blonde is cool."

Lyla noticed they were getting closer to the girl's dorm and nodded. "Alright guys, keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary," Lyla told them. "The necklace might be hidden somewhere that doesn't make much sense."

"Like a vent painted red?" Blue asked

"Correction," Lyla said. "It might be hidden somewhere out of the ordinary to the average human."

"Oh. Because there's a big red vent on the side of the building that looks out of place against the perfect color ever," Blue said.

Lyla raised an eyebrow, unsure what Blue was talking about. She was close enough to the building to see the entirety of one side, and she couldn't see any big red spot. "Not on that side. The one to the right," Blue said. Lyla took a few steps to the right to see the other side. Sure enough, a red vent was hidden toward the bottom of the building, looking completely out of place compared to the rest of the building.

"How did you even see that from all the way over there?" Lyla asked.

"It wasn't blue," Blue shrugged.

"Cool," August said. The three contestants walked over to the vent, peering inside. A small glint was reflecting off the walls of the vent, showing that something was in there. August grabbed the covering of the vent and loosened it up enough to be able to pull it off. August glanced at the vent and shook his head. "I can't fit in there. Big is cool, but small is cooler in this situation."

"Or flexible," Lyla said. "Hang on a moment." Lyla crouched down and slowly began to slide into the vent, contorting her body to match her movements. After about a minute, Lyla managed to fit into the vent and started to move forward. "I'll be right back!"

"Cool," August nodded.

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Confessional: Winter is cool! *rim shot*

August: Too bad Blue and Lyla aren't on the boys team. Although, that would make them boys. But it's cool. They're cool. I'm cool. Everything is cool, so things will work out for the three of us. That's just how cool works. (He pauses for a moment.) I wonder what might be in the vent. Hopefully it's something pretty cool.

Blue: (She shrugs.) I'm not a fan of red or yellow. I have this natural sense to avoid it whenever I see it. Green and purple are at least half blue, which I can tolerate. But don't even get me started on orange. (She shivers.) I despise orange. I would have totally noticed the vent earlier if it were orange, because I would have felt woozy and eventually faint from getting too close.

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Rygoth, branching away from everyone else, was headed toward the center of Camp Zero. He had noticed something earlier on the tour that no one else did and he wanted to swing by to double check what he saw. After walking for a moment, Rygoth got a huge grin on his face when he realized his eyes weren't deceiving him.

In the center of the camp was a fire bowl of sorts. There was a fire pit in the center of the area and a few logs for seats around it. However, the thing that Rygoth saw earlier was a giant palm tree with coconuts hanging from the tree. Rygoth quickly walked up to the tree and marveled at it.

"This is a true sign of my battle plan," Rygoth laughed. "Clams are defensive, but coconuts are the best materials for armor. Plus, the best type of plan starts with a lay of the land. I'm not that heavy, so this tree should hold my weight."

Rygoth grabbed ahold of the tree and started to shimmy up. The tree shook a little bit, but it remained steady. He continued to shimmy upward, getting close to the top. However, before he could get to the top, a coconut flew from out of nowhere, smacking him in the face. Rygoth groaned, shaking his head in shock.

Looking up at the top of the tree, Rygoth saw something that he missed before. Standing on the tree was a monkey with dark black fur. It was a short monkey, but it easily juggled a stack of coconuts. The monkey was currently baring its teeth at Rygoth, obviously not happy he was climbing his tree.

"Looks like someone found Poppy the Demon Monkey!" came a sudden announcement over a series of speakers that were set up in Chris' voice. "Poppy has been an inhabitant of this facility since it was founded! Don't bother her and, trust me, she'll still bug you! Hahaha!"

The announcement ended and Rygoth's eyes went up to Poppy, who seemed to be smirking down at him. "So, monkey. You're here to hinder me," Rygoth said. "It's times like these that only one form of strategy can defeat an enemy of your caliber. Only one strong enough to overcome your coconuts. Only. One."

(Ten Seconds Later...)

"RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!" Rygoth yelled, having slid down the tree and was running as fast as he possibly could away from the tree. Poppy chased after him, pelting the battle strategist with coconuts as he ran. No matter how many coconuts she threw at him, she just seemed to have the same amount in her hands.

"How many coconuts can one monkey even hold?" Rygoth screamed, trying desperately to get away from the demon monkey.

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Confessional: Who knew monkeys were so deadly?

Rygoth: Running is a very useful strategy that people don't really understand. Some of the hardest battles can simply be solved by running away. I can think of a few games that involve a boss who will relentlessly attack you despite how hard you attack them back. The simplest way to deal with them is simply bolting for it and asking questions later. Poppy is one of those hard bosses I can't beat yet. But one day Poppy. One day.

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Not needing to participate in the challenge, Mr. Pineapple had separated himself from everyone by staying inside the auditorium. He was currently messing with a box like device with several buttons, switches, and knobs all across it. The pineapple seemed intent and doing something with it.

I know the English setting is on here somewhere, Mr. Pineapple thought to himself. Stupid coconut... how the heck did it screw this suit up this bad? Let's see... maybe this switch will do it?

Mr. Pineapple flipped another switch on the device. "Ni bula. Oqo na cakacaka ni cake ni misini se au na tagi," Mr. Pineapple said. The pineapple frowned at the failure, shaking his suit.

Mr. Pineapple decided to try a few more switches and buttons, each time coming out in a different language. Mr. Pineapple finally had enough and angrily slammed his fingers against a majority of the buttons.

" #$%!" Mr. Pineapple grumbled, pausing when he heard English. Quickly, the Pineapple began speaking, "Yes! I finally got this thing to work! Finally!"

Out of nowhere a coconut flew through the air and slammed into the device. The translator fizzled out, beeping. Worried, Mr. Pineapple said, "Sila... Sila... Sila..." After hearing the language he was speaking, Mr. Pineapple fell to his knees. "Het!"

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Confessional: All the languages!

Mr. Pineapple: (Looks upset.) Po tom všetkom fungovať... nič! Som na mysli, iste, ísť dopredu, náhodne hádzať kokosy z ničoho, ale nechcem zničiť, čo som strávil, navždy sa snaží opraviť! Čo to sakra je zle s ľuďmi?! Som len snaží hovoriť anglicky! Je to tak ťažké sa opýtať? nie! To nie je!

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Right outside the auditorium, Melody was circling around it, peering around rocks and beams of the building to try and find the necklace. Melody figured that the best place to hide the necklace was to be in plain sight and close to home. She continued to walk around the building, musing to herself as she did so.

"Dad always liked to hide the eggs in obvious places," Melody mused. "It's kind of a smart plan if you think about it. The one place you never look is the one place that you should look but are too stubborn to do. I remember the egg hunt of November 2004. I still don't know how I missed the one on the patio..."

As she walked, she noticed someone approaching her, looking somewhat annoyed. This person was Chuck, lightly dancing on his toes as he walked over to Melody. Melody smiled at him, which seemed to only annoy Chuck more. Once Chuck was close enough, he did a pirouette, mumbling to himself.

"I. Hate. People," Chuck muttered.

"Why? Dad always told me that people are what give the world life," Melody said. "I'm sure there are people in the world who ruin it, but there are just as many people here who want to make it a better place."

"Wow. Your positivity is #$% annoying," Chuck said flatly. "But I guess you're right, in a sense. At least you aren't one of those #$% idiots who #$% diss on dancing before you even #$% try it out!"

"I tried dance once," Melody muse. "I was pretty bad at it. My dad gave up trying to teach me it after I ended up in a pretzel shape from trying to jump. But I love watching others dance though."

"Eh, good enough for me," Chuck shrugged. "So, those necklaces. Any #$% idea where they might be?"

"Well, I was checking around here because the best things are hidden in the most obvious places," Melody mused. "Maybe the boy necklace could be hidden over here somewhere too. You could look with me if you want."

"Hmph. Better than dealing with some other #$% trash bags in this game. They just don't understand of the #$% power of ballet," Chuck grumbled. "Might as well get looking."

Before the two could move forward, however, a voice came out behind them. "Going off alone? I know what you guys are doing! Nasty! JK!" came a giggle. Chuck's eye twitched as he saw Bumble approach them, giggling to herself. "Need a third ally?"

"No. #$% off," Chuck muttered. "Only one person can have each necklace and we don't need you to #$% up our plans."

"Of having sex? You guys really were going to do the nasty!" Bumble gasped.

"No, you #$% #$%! I was going to dance while we looked for the #$% necklaces!" Chuck sneered.

"Oh. Well, why are you worried then? If anything, Melody should be worried, since only one of us can have the girl's necklace," Bumble pointed out. "If we find the boy necklace, you'll be as safe as a dead cow is from becoming meat!"

Melody calmly turned Chuck around as he looked like he was going to literally explode. "You can come with us Bumble," Melody said sweetly. "Just promise not to be too snarky around Chuck, ok?"

"I promise to not not to be unsarcastic around Chuck!" Bumble saluted.

"Someone #$% kill me," Chuck groaned.

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Confessional: If only I had arms to strangle you...

Melody: Bumble and Chuck both seem like ok people, even if Chuck uses words that my dad would wash my mouth out with soap for. Hopefully I can keep Chuck and Bumble at least civil with each other, at least for the challenge. My dad does say I'm pretty good at resolving conflicts, even if those conflicts are mostly just between me and mom. But a statement is still a statement.

Chuck: I came here for one #$% reason: to make a #$% statement that dancing is an underrated god. There, I said it, can I go home now? (Chuck sighs before his eye twitches again.) Bumble is all the reasons I've lost faith in humanity. #$% kill me...

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Clio had made her way to the nurse's office, which was labeled with the red cross sign. She was standing in the office staring at a mirror, breathing slowly to herself. "What would Hilda want?" Clio asked herself shakily. "Win immunity or don't so she could win? But Hilda isn't here... what does she want me to do?"

Clio sighed, starting to pace around the room. "On one hand, getting immunity would keep me in the game," Clio said. "On the other hand, Hilda would more than likely want me to give it to her, which I would do in a heartbeat. But she might also want me to find someone strong and try to make friends with them so they could be friends... but if I make a friend, they'll just be my friend, not Hilda's. What am I going to do?"

As Clio was pondering this inside the nurse's office, Hugh walked by the office, looking up at the sky with a giant smirk on his face. He paused for a moment when he heard Clio's voice and digested a few words she was saying. His smirk growing longer, Hugh grabbed the knob to the door and walked inside the nurse's office, startling Clio.

"Hello," Hugh said, his smile never leaving his face.

"Um... hi, I guess?" Clio asked timidly. "I don't really know what I'm supposed to do here..."

Hugh looked at Clio for a moment and smiled. He was, of course, already smiling, but this smile looked less sinister than his normal one. "It's alright. I was a lot like you once," Hugh mused. "Trust me, it gets better."

"Define better," Clio asked, before silently cursing herself for speaking out of turn.

"Desire has various branching paths, each with its own subset of desires," Hugh said. "Finding the subset you really want, the one that makes you really happy, that's what makes things better. I found mine, and if you truly desire it, you'll find yours."

Clio was quiet for a moment, thinking about Hugh's words. She looked up, about to say something, but Hugh was already starting to leave. Clio opted to not speak and watched him go, still wondering what he meant. She turned back to the mirror, not noticing the note lying on the ground of the nurse's office which was not there before.

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Confessional: Note spawn!

Clio: (She's quiet for a moment.) I'm not sure what Hugh meant. I mean, I don't desire anything right now. I'm just lost and unsure what to do. If Hilda were here it might make things better... but she's not. (Clio sighs.) I wish I knew what I was supposed to do in this contest... I should have listened to Hilda and not have done anything extreme while she was gone...

Hugh: (He shrugs.) I needed to be in there anyway. Might as well help guide desires forward while I'm here. (Hugh's grin went huge.) I'm quite looking forward to it.

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Sitting slightly outside of camp in a grassy area, Ripper was giggling to himself as he tied a noose from an old rope he found. Next to him not too far away was Angel, who was looking at Ripper in admiration, letting out sweet moans every once in a while. Ripper wasn't paying attention to these, which was slightly frustrating to Angel, but not a complete loss.

"Finally, the first noose of the season is tied!" Ripper laughed, standing up victoriously. "Now, to set this up. Better start small and work my way up. No hangings just yet... save that for the third episode!"

"Wow. Planning crime, are we?" Angel cooed, standing up and rubbing Ripper's shoulders. "I like a man who takes initiative... if you catch my drift."

"I know, I'm a pretty headstrong guy who likes committing crimes to bring glory to the Ripper name!" Ripper laughed. "Long live Jack the Ripper! You may have died in glory, but your ancestors continue to commit all sorts of dastardly crimes in your name!"

Angel paused for a moment, stopping her massaging. "Jack the Ripper?" Angel asked. "Wasn't he the guy in the London challenge in season three played by Zeke? I thought the real Ripper never got caught."

"Never did! Quite a sly one, that ancestor of mine!" Ripper chuckled. He walked over to a nearby tree and started to tie a few knots around the tree. "His last job was the underground king, the King of Dirt. If he had pulled it off, he would have been royalty and taken over all of London! Alas... The King of Dirt saw his ploy and murdered Jack before the old fool even saw it coming. One day I plan on finding the Dirt family and bring revenge to Jack!"

Angel was silent the entire time Ripper was saying this, digesting the information. "Um... ok, look, your hot and I seriously love the Ripper story, but how do you, um, know that you're an actual descendant of Jack the Ripper? He was never caught so no one really knows if he even had any kids to even carry a family line."

FAMILY Ripper stopped for a moment, glaring at Angel with an angry look in his eyes. "I am Jack the Ripper's descendant! My mother keeps a family line of all the living family members left! There's only five in this current generation, two of which have denounced the family name and the other one is an infant. It is up to me to satisfy the Ripper name! There is, of course, my filthy big headed brother, but he doesn't have what it takes!"

"Yeah, again, you're really hot and I really wouldn't mind working with you, but the whole 'Ripper name' thing is just a bit hard to believe," Angel admitted. "And isn't your last name Jackson? Wouldn't your first and last name technically be reversed?"

"Pfft, as if! What did you think Jack's real last name was, Fredrickson? Where do you think Jack the Ripper got his name?" Ripper said flatly. He had finished a few knots around the tree and was now tying one up on a branch. "People these days. So skeptical and naive..."

Ugh... this guy is amazingly hot and I would totally do him for a vote... but at the same time, I do have standards. This guy is a complete nut job, Angel thought to herself. Maybe I should just play this civil and work my way from there. "It's no big deal," Angel said, smiling at him. "I'm sorry if I sounded like I doubted you, sweetie!"

"Eh, apology accepted," Ripper grinned. "Oh, could you take like four steps to the left?"

Confused, Angel did what Ripper asked her to do. However, immediately upon the fourth step, the rope Ripper had set up (which had been a trap the whole time) whipped Angel up into the air and left her hanging from the tree. Angel yelped as she was flung upside-down, holding up her skirt for a moment, scowling.

"Really funny," Angel said flatly.

"Please, you really think I fall for the whole flirtatious #$%? I'm a Ripper. I only fall for criminals!" Ripper laughed, jumping from the tree and landing on the ground, straightening himself up. "Good try though! I actually would have totally had sex with you only to use it to humiliate you if it weren't for the fact you doubt my family heritage."

"I still doubt that what you've told me has an ounce of truth," Angel admitted.

"Ha, see? I knew I was right on that hunch I had like thirty seconds ago!" Ripper said with an evil grin. "Have fun hanging around the rest of the challenge! I'm not feeling very generous... mostly because the generous parts of my brain have been surgically removed by yours truly so I can be more evil. Toodles!"

Ripper jogged off, laughing evilly as he went. Angel frowned as she swung back and forth, shaking her head. "Not worth it," Angel sighed. " #$%. And I thought that conversation went rather well. I guess I have nine other boys I can try seducing... ten girls too, even though I'd much rather not. Hopefully Ripper leaves soon, because I can't work with someone unwilling to have sex with someone this hot and give his vote in exchange."

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Confessional: I'm only attracted to Dressing Rooms.

Ripper: First victim! (He lets out a very nasty evil laugh.) Sure, it wasn't a hanging, but all in good time. It's not like this show would actually let me flat out get away with straight up murder the first day. Maybe in a day or two. Then it might be a little more socially acceptable to get away with.

Angel: (She's pouting.) And here I thought boys would do anything to have sex with a smoking hot babe. Oh well, Ripper is one boy out of many I can seduce into voting my way. Not that it matters, since I'm on a team of all girls right now. But when the merge hits, having a bunch of mindless teenage boys following me for my body will most definitely help.

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Having backtracked to the beach the contestants had arrived on, Earth was walking along the side of the ocean. Her shoes were off and she was smiling as she looking around the sand for any necklaces. Her search was coming up empty, but she didn't seem to mind this fact. She was humming a little tune to herself as she walked, singing lightly at certain parts.

"All alone, by myself, walking on the lonesome sand," Earth hummed with a smile. "Not minding at all that I don't have a friendship band! No one can hurt me, because I'm all alone! THEY BETTER BE MY FRIEND OR THEY'LL BE IN THE DEAD ZONE!"

Earth smiled to herself after she finished her song. "I'm posting that one on YouTube! It's about friends, and people love songs about friends! WHY DON'T I HAVE ANY?! Maybe I should get a band together to play it! I could see this as a country song."

Earth continued to walk forward, humming to herself still. As she walked forward, she noticed a sand castle that had been built on the sand. Earth smiled and walked over to it. It was very detailed with a draw bridge and four separate towers. Earth admired the detail and work put into the castle, smiling wide.

"Aw! This is so cute!" Earth giggled. Her face suddenly distorted and, angrily, started to stomp on it, making it fall apart. "NO ONE SHOULD EVER STEAL ATTENTION FROM ME!" Earth's smile went back to normal, frowning slightly at the destroyed castle before shrugging and returning her smile to her face. "Oh well! It was cute while it lasted!"

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Confessional: Sand castles are adorable!

Earth: Too bad there wasn't an idol or necklace in that sand castle, but that's ok! It's not like I need immunity or anything. I NEED RESPECT FROM THESE LITTLE PIECES OF #$%! Hopefully someone deserving gets immunity so I can ally with them and be their friends! That would be the best thing ever!

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(Valley)

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Valley had made her way out into the forest, glancing around the wildlife with a depressed expression on her face. She kept her eyes wide open for the meat shed, taking care to stay on the trail. She occasionally spotted some birds flying through the air, chirping sweetly as they passed by. Valley's facial featured seemed to relax slightly, but that was all.

"Earth itself is tolerable," she said to herself. "Sure, a few things Earth could do without, like humanity. Ugh. I hate those #$% humans... pfft, like I'm one to talk. Here I am, walking in the middle of a #$% forest talking to myself. I'm no better than the filth back at the camp. Ugh, why am I even here?"

Valley continued to make her way forward and almost immediately spotted the meat shed. Valley sighed and walked over to it, unlocking the few locks mounted on the door and pulled it open. Valley blanched at the sight of the meat, shaking her head in disgust. Not knowing exactly what the Black Chef wanted, she simply grabbed a package of meat and pulled out of the shed, locking it behind her.

"Another reason why humans suck #$%," Valley grumbled. "I swear humans invented hunting. It's a natural instinct in some animals, but mass slaughter for the thrill of getting meat? My ass that's instinct. And even I admit I have a nice ass, so that's a pretty bold statement."

Valley turned around and was about to make her way back to the Mess Hall when she immediately saw a bear. It looked at her curiously while Valley looked back. The two-stood staring at each other for what seemed to be hours. However, the bear was completely stunned when Valley fell to her knees.

"Mr. Bear, it would be my honor for you to end my eternal suffering on this #$% load of humanity!" Valley begged. "End the useless suffering and send me to the fiery inferno of Hell where I may rot for the sins of existing!" The bear awkwardly started to back up before making a mad dash into the forest, scared as heck. Valley let out a sigh, shaking her head. "Figures the world would make me suffer more. Thanks world. #$% you," Valley said flatly.

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Yi and Clover were deeper inside the forest and found themselves near the side of a cliff. Yi had suggested they search alongside of it, to which Clover agreed. However, Yi was beginning to regret the decision when she witnessed Clover get pummeled by falling rocks over and over. After each hit, Clover got up, perfectly fine, but was immediately pummeled again by the next set of falling rocks.

"Do we need to take a break?" Yi asked, breathing deeply. "I don't think moving on is doing us any good right now anyway."

"Nah, we can keep going!" Clover said, right as another rock bonked on her head. "Just bad luck! I'm sure we'll find something good along the way if we just keep going!"

Much to her reluctance, Yi agreed, pushing on. Clover was continually pummeled by rocks for the next five minutes of walking, merely humming to herself. Yi was increasingly growing worried and annoyed by all the rocks falling on Clover, mostly because it made absolutely zero sense.

"What did you do to deserve all this bad luck?" Yi mused. "I'm not really a believer in luck myself, more along the lines of karma. Although, this is still pretty extreme, even for karma kicking in."

Yi noticed that Clover got a little fidgety at the question. "Well," Clover said, biting her lip. "I wasn't really... born in Canada. My mom and dad are both citizens, but do to a very coincidental accident... I was born underneath a ladder right over the border to the U.S. It was a technicality, so it doesn't technically matter, but I guess I'm not really a Canadian citizen."

Yi paused for a moment, not really sure how to take that. "And that's why you have bad luck? Because you've been lying about being a Canadian citizen?" Yi asked.

"Pretty much," Clover shrugged. "My bad luck started the second I was born. It doesn't help that I haven't been the best girl since my birth, but I'm pretty sure that's the reason I have bad luck."

"I see," Yi said, giving Clover a kind smile. "Well, if you ever need anything, I'm here to help." Yi was about to say something else when she suddenly spotted a cave. Before she could say anything to Clover about it, Yi heard a very distinguished yelp of surprise from behind her.

Turning around, Yi noticed that Clover had completely disappeared. Yi walked over a step and found that a hole was where Clover was standing just a second ago. Yi rolled her eyes and called down, "Are you ok?"

"Peachy!" Clover called from down in her hole. "Literally! I found a peach down here! What luck!" Yi winced when she heard Clover take a bite out of it and the gagging that followed. "YUCK! This thing is rotten! Guess my luck is still against me."

"Hang on. I'll see if I can go get help to pull you out," Yi said, standing up.

"Don't rush! This hole is actually pretty cozy!" Clover said.

Yi nodded and stood up. However, instead of going back toward Camp Zero, Yi made her way toward the cave, being quiet as she did so. Once at the entrance, Yi glanced around the area carefully before sliding inside, leaving Clover alone inside the dirt hole.

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Confessional: How rude!

Yi: Clover is a nice girl, I understand that. I'm sure her life has been rough, even if this 'bad luck' thing is all in her head. Still, while I can respect her as a person, this is still a game. I'm willing to help her work through her problems, but if I see a game move, then I'm going to take it first. That's just how things are.

Clover: (She's covered head to toe in dirt with a smile on her face.) Yi seems pretty nice! She might be a little distant and shy, sure, but that's how a lot of people are. I wonder if she'd be willing to be allies. Maybe! Although, knowing my luck that might be a hope that's going to burn in Hell, but hey, better hope and cry later than not hope and regret something that never happened!

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As Lyla continued to squirm her way inside the vent, August decided to get a better lay of the land. He calmly walked around the main camp, glancing around at certain buildings to check their function. He had been walking for a few minutes when he spotted Audrey relaxing in her hammock. August gave a smile and walked over to it.

"Hello there," August said, standing above Audrey with a smile. "How are you doing on this very cool day?"

"Sucky, because my vacation's being interrupted," Audrey frowned, her eyes closed. "Do you need something? Because if you do, #$% off. I'm here to relax, not play this #$% game. Chris can go #$% himself."

August blinked, but shrugged. "That's cool," he said. "Actually, I was just looking around. I saw you hanging around and I thought it was cool that you weren't worried about the challenge. I thought I'd strike up a conversation with you since we both seem to not be doing anything."

Audrey raised an eyebrow, her eyes still shut. She reached into her pocket and clicked a button before opening one eye to glance at August. "I'll give you three minutes to chat with me before I get to relaxing again," Audrey said. "So, August, is it? I'm terrible at names."

"No worries," August shrugged. "You're correct, my name is indeed August. You might recognize me as..."

"Whoa, whoa," Audrey said, holding up her hand. "August Shaw? The boy who won the hottest guy of the year award over Justin? I thought you looked familiar, but I wasn't really paying attention. I was too focused on when to take my next nap."

"That's cool," August smiled. "Most people squee at me on sight. Fangirls are cool, but not when they blow your ears out. They're still cool as people though."

"Meh. If I were you, I wouldn't be able to stand fangirls," Audrey shrugged. "I like taking things from a relaxed standpoint. I don't worry about stress. I just lay down and nap my stress away. It does mean D level grades, but I think it's worth it."

"That's a pretty cool stand point," August mused. "I wouldn't say I'm always relaxed, but I do take things with a cool vibe. It's all cool to me. Confrontation is unneeded in society, so just take things with open arms and work past issues."

"Right?" Audrey said, sitting up in her hammock and looking August in the eye. "Why can't more people understand that life is simple? Just sit back and enjoy it. Arguing takes far too much effort to even be worth it."

"That was a cool and accurate statement," August nodded with a smile. "Cool."

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Confessional: Can wood be cool?

Audrey: (Her hammock is set up and she's swinging back and forth.) I ended up giving August ten minutes. It's not like we were talking about the game or anything. I might actually tolerate talking to him for a few minutes every other day. It's not that stressful or distracting from my all expenses paid vacation, so I'm not bothered by it.

August: Audrey is pretty cool. So are Blue and Lyla. My rankings of the girls this season? All very cool.

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Karl and Flippard were still looking for necklaces in a pretty dense part of the forest. Flippard had taken a step back in his search and had Karl do all the looking for him, promising Karl that he'd be completely satisfied if he found that necklace. Karl easily obeyed, not wanting to give up a cheap way of scoring a girl for the night.

This is almost too easy, Flippard thought to himself as he followed along behind Karl. Our team is of all men, so we don't have any 'fragile flowers' to worry about. If the rest of the team is this stupid, I'm sure I can easily win a few votes from them. After all, who's to deny the leader what he wants?

"I'm so bored!" Karl said, snapping Flippard out of his thoughts. "When am I going to get a sexy lady to bang? I have needs you know! I can't just function without sex forever!"

"Virgins seem to do it just fine," Flippard said flatly. "Although, virgins are typically poor scum who work at our company, so I retract my previous statement. You'll get your satisfaction soon enough. Just find me something worthwhile and I'll double my efforts in finding your perfect match."

"I don't need her to be perfect. I just need sex," Karl said hungrily.

Flippard shuddered, shaking his head to himself. The poor disgust me, Flippard thought to himself. Why can't more people be more civilized? Oh wait, if people are civilized, I have competition. And I can't have that, now can I? Still... ugh. Karl is a disgusting member of this civilization.

After walking a little way further, Flippard noticed that Karl was off the path a little bit, staring at something. It took Karl a second to call out, "Hey, girl delivery boy! I think I found something!"

Flippard took a step off the path and walked over to where Karl was standing. Flippard saw that before him was a giant storage locker that was rusted shut. The locker itself was covered in grime and the paint that was once on it had faded away. Flippard did notice an elevated symbol toward the bottom of the locker, which made Flippard smile.

"You have definitely paid your debts," Flippard said, pointing to the symbol. "That's the female symbol. Obviously, the female necklace is inside. We get the girls to fight over it and their vote will be a complete mess, leaving us in for a sure victory tomorrow."

"Or there's a girl in the locker!" Karl said, his lips suddenly getting wet.

"Why would that even be a possibility?"

"Girl sign means girl, right? That means there's a girl inside the locker," Karl said simply. "It makes a lot more sense than your stupid reason. Stand back, she's mine!" Karl grabbed the side of the locker and began to pull. The locker door didn't budge, but Karl seemed filled with determination. "I. Want. SEX!" Karl screamed.

The door suddenly sprang open, hitting the side of the locker with a CLANG. Karl fell face first into the ground, allowing Flippard to peer inside. As it turned out, both Flippard and Karl were wrong. A small bottle was resting inside the locker with what appeared to be a note wrapped inside of it. Before Karl could get to his feet, Flippard grabbed the bottle and hid it inside of his suit.

Karl, groaning, sprung to his feet, searching the locker for his prize. When he found that it was completely empty, he let out a depressed sigh. " #$%," Karl muttered. "And I was itching for a bang right here in the locker too."

"You do realize that there's rust all along the locker, right?" Flippard asked flatly. "You should probably get a tetanus shot if you can afford one."

"Pfft. I've had sex in nastier places," Karl chuckled, making Flippard gag. "Whatever. You still owe me a lady for finding something interesting. I expect her some time tonight in my room. She doesn't have to know what's involved in our meeting, just make her sexy."

"I'll... keep it in mind," Flippard grumbled.

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Confessional: Mind the keep!

Karl: I thought for sure there was going to be a girl in that locker. Is my logic off? I don't think so. The girl sign was on it, so obviously, that means a girl was inside. Unless... (Karl gasps.) She escaped the locker before I got the chance to use her! NOOOO!

Flippard: (Looks disgusted.) Honestly, what is with the natural human being today? You would think they wouldn't be so savage, and yet I think I found the perfect example of corruption. (He shivers before he smirks, holding up the bottle.) I guess I can't complain too much. I did get this, didn't I? And if my hunch is right... this leads right towards an idol. And having one of those would just reaffirm my power.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Mr. Pineapple was still sitting inside the auditorium, fiddling with his translator. He continued to fail pushing buttons and groaned, finally throwing it off to the side. His suit shook in annoyance of his failure, unable to keep himself from being frustrated by it.

Ugh. I just wanted to compete normally. That's all I want. Why must my translator hate me so much? Mr. Pineapple thought. I hate coconuts...

Mr. Pineapple continued to sulk by himself for a moment before he heard a door open. He turned and saw Hugh walk toward him, his creepy smile on his face. Hugh walked right pass the pineapple and picked up the translator. Looking it over, Hugh laughed, shaking his head. Mr. Pineapple looked at Hugh in confusion as Hugh walked over and began to reinstall the translator to the suit.

"Wanting to fix something often starts with how you broke it," Hugh mused. "For example, A dear acquaintance of mine, in a fit of rage, broke a bird house this little girl made. He's really a gentle soul, so he wanted to repair the house before the girl found out he broke it. But despite his efforts, he couldn't do it."

Hugh finished installing the translator and began to leave the auditorium. "It wasn't until he went back to the start, why he broke the house, did he understand what he needed to do. Perhaps you're over thinking things, maybe not. My point is simple in itself. I wish you luck." Hugh nodded to Mr. Pineapple and left the auditorium.

Mr. Pineapple said nothing for a moment, unsure of what Hugh was meaning. However, a thought came to him, which seemed to make his suit be filled with new life. Of course! He means I should fix the translator the same way I broke it! Genius! Mr. Pineapple thought and quickly ran off.

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Confessional: I had a board break once. How do I fix that?

Hugh: He broke it because he was frustrated. That happens with him a lot. Once he realized that he was frustrated, he knew he needed to tell the little girl and help her make a new one. You learn a lot about wanting to make things right when your friends with six other people like me. I know the desire to want forgiveness and acceptance far too well.

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Still being chased by Poppy and being pelted by coconuts, Rygoth was yelping as he tried to find safety. He managed to lose her twice, using stealth in the shadows to make her confused. However, Poppy went ballistic whenever she lost him, throwing coconuts in random directions. This ballista of coconuts always managed to hit Rygoth in the weak spot, giving away his position and led back to the chase.

"Come on! Hiding is a great strategy! Can't you just let me win this one?" Rygoth pleaded. Poppy shook her head as they ran, an evil smile on her face. "I guess I should always go back to rule number one of battle. Never piss off a hairy woman carrying coconuts. I knew that rule was specific for a reason."

Rygoth continued to run for his life when he came up to the communal restrooms. Seeing he was out of options, Rygoth dove into the bathroom, checking for hiding spots. He spotted Keith kicking his feet outside a garbage can, ruling that out as a hiding spot. A coconut pelted Rygoth in the head, signifying he didn't have that much time left. In a last-ditch effort, Rygoth jumped and slid underneath the first stall, quieting his breathing.

Almost immediately after Rygoth was hidden, Poppy burst into the room, twitching furiously. She sniffed the air and her eyes began to twitch. Rygoth braced himself for the pelting of coconuts, knowing full well what Poppy meant to do when she acted that way.

However, right before Poppy threw her first coconut, Keith, from out of nowhere, ran over and picked Poppy up. She hissed at him in annoyance but stopped when Keith forced his fingers into her mouth, peering into her mouth. Poppy bit down on his fingers, but Keith didn't seem fazed by it and continued to stare into Poppy's mouth.

"Amazing. Primate teeth really are close to that of a human's," Keith mused, rubbing his fingers over Poppy's fangs. Poppy continued to struggle from Keith's grip before managing to succeed, popping herself out of his hands and bolting out of the bathrooms. Keith shrugged, standing up and returning to the trash can. "It was fun while it lasted," he said to himself.

Meanwhile, over in the stall, Rygoth let out a sigh of relief. He stood up and dusted himself off. "That monkey is going to be a tough foe to beat. Better practice a few strategies before I face off against her again," Rygoth mused to himself. He was about to leave when he spotted Dusk, who was still cowering in the stall. "Oh hey, it's the jumpy guy from the boat."

"GAH! I FAKED MY ADMISSIONS INTO COLLEGE WHEN I WAS SIX!" Dusk said, whimpering in fear. "I still got accepted because they admired my ability to hack! Don't swirly me!"

"Uh... I wasn't planning on it?" Rygoth asked in confusion. "Battle might be a conflict of two parties, but we're on the same team. Treason is never an effective battle plan unless nothing big is at stake. Like a game of capture the flag. If it keeps me alive and I'm not playing for a prize, I'd willingly sell out my team just as a social experiment. But when a million bucks is at stake? No #$% way am I fudging up a plan of attack on purpose!"

"GAH! Fudge is like poison to me! Keep it away!" Dusk screamed in panic.

"Allergic to fudge, are we?" Rygoth mused before beaming. "Of course! Any good battle plan comes with a list of weaknesses! We're only as strong as our weakness member, so we must assess the weaknesses of the team in order to become stronger. Plus, it was raise our defenses if we knew who was weak against what! You, my friend, give me really good ideas."

"I don't mean to, honest!" Dusk screamed in fear. "There's a case under my bed full of homemade poison! You can have it, just forget I have good ideas!"

"You make poison yourself?" Rygoth asked.

"It was strictly for scientific reasons, I swear!" Dusk eeped.

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Confessional: The things we do for science.

Rygoth: This Dusk guy is actually a genius. I never would have thought about weaknesses if I hadn't run into him. Currently, it seems that our team needs to build up our defense and strengthen our weaker members. Dusk might be a logical place to start, but I should probably assess everyone else's skills, just to figure out how we should improve.

Keith: Monkey teeth are absolutely fascinating. If science proves true and we did indeed evolve from monkeys, I wouldn't mind studying more in depth monkey teeth and their similarities to ours. Too bad Poppy ran off before I could study her more, but I'm sure that there will be plenty more opportunities for me to try and study her.

Dusk: (Shivering in fear.) I want my bunny plushies...

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Back at the auditorium, Melody, Chuck, and Bumble had made their way all the way around the building with no luck in finding either of the necklaces. Melody was musing to herself while Chuck looked pissed. Why was Chuck pissed you ask? Because Bumble wouldn't stop talking.

"You want to know what makes dancers so cool?" Bumble asked. "Because they always seem to break something when they're on stage! I think it's kind of funny that they say they're graceful, but there's always some sort of injury at any performance I'm allowed to attend!"

Chuck tried to compose himself, not wanting to completely lose it in front of Bumble. Melody noticed Chuck was getting frustrated and turned to Bumble with a smile. "Hey, why don't we talk about something else," Melody said. "Like our parents. I know my dad is watching this right now and wishing me his best. What about you guys?"

"Oh, I don't have parents," Bumble said. Melody looked at Bumble in concern before Bumble burst out laughing. "Just kidding! My parents couldn't support me when I was little so they sent me to foster care. I kind of screwed the system and I ended up working in a mine with my current guardian, Mr. Tuck Tuck!"

"How the heck did you screw the system?" Chuck grumbled.

"Well, I kind of said I hated the whole government and then the foster care system just dumped me and the rest of the kids with Mr. Tuck Tuck. That was ten years ago," Bumble shrugged. "I don't remember much, but that's ok."

"That... doesn't sound right," Melody said, frowning a little.

"Whatever. At least you're happy or some #$% like that," Chuck grumbled. "My dad encourages that I should follow my dream of being the best #$% ballet dancing of all #$% time. My mom disapproves, but that #$% don't know #$% about suffering to achieve your goals. She had it #$% easy in her life because she was a #$% cheerleader."

"What's wrong with cheerleaders?" Melody asked.

"They have the #$% easy life!" Chuck said angrily. "And it's not even a sport! Dancing is a sport! That #$%? No #$% way! I still love my mom, don't get me wrong, but she could support my life decisions."

"Wow. I've heard of daddy issues, but mommy issues? Whole new ball game!" Bumble giggled.

The group fell silent for a bit as they checked around the area one last time. After coming up empty, Melody shrugged. "Maybe I was wrong about the necklaces being close to home," Melody said. Then she looked at the entrance of the auditorium and had a thought. "Maybe it's inside the building. Wait here guys, I'll go check."

Melody jogged into the building, leaving Chuck alone outside with Bumble. Chuck glanced over at the girl, just daring her to speak. Bumble said nothing for a moment, merely smiling innocently over at Chuck. They said nothing, just staring at each other for one long minute.

"Dancing is easy!" Bumble giggled.

"That's it!" Chuck growled. He ran to the side of the auditorium and, with skill, began to jump up the wall. His footing was precise, hitting the wall briefly before bouncing farther up the wall. He didn't stop until he danced his way to roof, standing and glaring down at Bumble. "Nothing is easy you little #$%!"

"I'm pretty easy if you flirt right," Bumble giggled. "Just kidding! I'm very picky! You're my type though."

Chuck shivered, terrified by this thought. He decided to walk away from Bumble and to the other side of the roof to jump down. As he walked to the other side, Chuck noticed something resting on the roof which made him grin. This was, of course, the blue immunity necklace.

"And people say dancing isn't strategic," Chuck chuckled.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional: Literally no one says that.

Melody: I couldn't find any necklaces in the auditorium, which was kind of a bummer. I came back outside, but Chuck was gone and Bumble was giggling to herself. She said Chuck danced his way to the roof... but I'm not sure if she's kidding. How can you dance up a roof? That just doesn't make sense to me.

Chuck: (He's wearing the blue immunity necklace.) Dancing can break the laws of physics. I've proved this a thousand #$% times and I'm willing to prove it another million times. It's paid off before and it's paid off today. #$% those who say dancing is a load of #$%.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

After about twenty minutes of struggling, Angel finally managed to get herself lose from the rope trap, groaning as she fell on her head. "Ugh... I don't understand the kink of being upside-down during sex. It #$% hurts," Angel grumbled. "To each their own I guess."

Angel stood up and pouted as she started moving to the Mess Hall. "I thought for sure I would be distracting enough," Angel mused. "I wonder what went wrong. Then again, Ripper is nuts, so it might just be that."

The seductive girl walked over to the Mess Hall, entering through the door. However, she immediately spotted Bjork, a grin spreading across her face. She seductively walked over to him and made a purring noise with her throat as she slid around him. "Well hello stranger," Angel cooed.

"If you want to talk, don't be a skank about it and just talk," Bjork said flatly. "It sickens me to watch people like you waste your lives away having sex for money or other things in exchange. Earn your living doing something noteworthy."

Angel frowned, stopping her act and sat across from Bjork. "For your information, I'm going into business," Angel said simply. "I just like having sex in my free time. If I want a vote in exchange, sue me. It's not manipulation if we're both getting pleasure out of it."

Bjork shrugged, his expression remaining neutral. "It's still a dirty way to go about living," Bjork said. "Me? I look for the thrill of my job. I have to work hard and earn my keep. I'm in this game for the money. I'm not going to sleep around like you to win. I'm going to earn it using pure methods proven by me and my parents."

"If you say so," Angel shrugged. "Shame. You're pretty hot too. Maybe just have shameless sex and call it good?"

"Were you not just listening to what I just said?" Bjork asked flatly. "Play the game how you want be leave me out of it." Bjork paused for a second, tensing up. "One second."

Out of nowhere, a rock flew into the Mess Hall, flying straight toward Bjork's head. Bjork immediately turned and grabbed the rock out of mid-air, sighing as he did so. Angel was stunned by this, but then looked past him and frowned when she saw Ripper standing in the doorway.

"And here I thought I was being sneaky," Ripper mused. "Oh well, I have time to practice." Ripper yelped when the rock came flying back, only barely dodging it. "Ta ta for now!" he said as he ran off.

"Mind voting him off tonight?" Angel asked.

"I'll keep it in mind. But do keep in mind I don't like you," Bjork said simply.

"Noted," Angel sighed.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional: I don't like termites!

Bjork: There are methods I simply don't exploit because, despite being a bounty hunter and neutral part, I have morals. Fear and anger are ok to exploit because it keeps the target in check, but doesn't violate them completely. Exploiting romance is going several steps to far, as it not only invades someone's privacy, but establishes a fake trust. That's below me and any true bounty hunter out there.

Angel: So, that's two guys who have flat out denied my approaches. Maybe I should try a different flirtatious approach to things. Might help build my game more if I don't always propose sex as the only option, right?

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Clio was still hanging out in the nurse's office, looking in the mirror. After Hugh had left, she was silently thinking about what he said. After a moment, she spoke aloud. "Every desire has a subset of desires," Clio said to herself. "Does that mean my desire to be with Hilda has a subset? I'm not sure..."

Clio took a deep breath and stared at the mirror. "What do I really want?" she asked herself. "I want to help Hilda and do what she wants me to do. That's what I really want. But when she's not here... what do I want then? Do I even have anything else I want to do? I can't think of anything."

As Clio was talking to herself, Earth happened to pass by the office. Upon seeing Clio inside, Earth grinned and walked inside. Clio yelped in surprise, glancing curiously at Earth as she approached Clio with a grin, holding out her hand.

"Hi, I'm Earth!" Earth smiled. "I'm one of your teammates! LOVE ME! Did you find any necklaces in here? You can have it if you did, I was just wondering because I couldn't find one on the beach."

"Um... there wasn't anything in here," Clio said.

"Shame. Oh well," Earth shrugged, before smiling bigger. "Hey, have you made any friends you? You seemed pretty lonely in here so I'd thought I should come check on you. BE MY FRIEND! Pretty please? That would make us both happy!"

Clio nervously played with her fingers, unsure of what she should do. This could be my chance to have another friend, Clio thought. But what would Hilda say? Um... well, maybe Earth can be Hilda's friend after the contest. Maybe? I don't know...

"I guess I can be your friend," Clio said nervously. "But, um, you have to promise to be friends with my other friend at home too, ok?"

"Sounds good to me! EVERYONE WILL LOVE ME! The more friends the better!" Earth said. "Come on! Let's go see if we can find that necklace bestie!" Earth grabbed Clio's hand and began to drag her out of the nurse's office. However, Clio had paled at the word 'bestie', unsure of what she had just done.

After Clio and Earth were both gone, Zephyr entered the nurse's office. Subtlety, he bent down and grabbed the note lying on the floor and quickly read it. 'Confirm that you are the challenger. -Hugh' Zephyr smirked and quickly left the nurse's office without a word.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional: Love of everyone is the hatred of the one who hates people who are overly loved!

Earth: Yes! I have one friend in this contest, so that's something, right? Now all I need is a few more friends and then I can be popular! Maybe I'll even be a fan favorite. I'm not sure if fame is for me, since I like being off to the side, but friends are nice to have. GIVE ME MORE FRIENDS! Isn't life great?

Clio: (Looks even more nervous than before.) Hopefully this wasn't a bad decision... Hilda normally makes my choices for me, so this is new to me... please let this not bite me in the butt.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Outside the girl's dorms, Blue was patiently waiting for Lyla to emerge from the vent. She had begun to count the number of blue things in the area to pass the time, slightly upset that not everything was covered in blue. She was just finishing up her little game as she saw Lyla's head poke out of the vent.

"Hey, did you find anything in there?" Blue asked, walking over to the vent. Lyla nodded and managed to get her hands out. In her hand was a bottle with a scrap of paper in it. "Here, let me help you out."

Blue grabbed Lyla's hands and started to pull. Lyla managed to slide out a lot easier than Blue though, making Lyla crash into Blue. Both girls fell to the ground, groaning a little. Lyla glanced up and blushed furiously when she accidently caught sight of Blue's blue panties. Lyla quickly straightened herself, clearing her mind of what she just saw.

"Thanks," Lyla said, composing herself. Lyla held up the bottle and grabbed the slip of paper, pulling it out. "I found this in the back of the vent. Any ideas on what it could be?"

"Maybe it leads to the kingdom painted blue? That's my favorite fairy tale," Blue giggled.

Lyla rolled her eyes playfully and unrolled the scrap of paper. It had a line written on it, which Lyla chose to read aloud. "'Shipping is the greatest treasure'. What the heck does that mean?" Lyla asked.

"Shipping as in relationships? Maybe we're supposed to find the perfect guy and we get a reward from it?" Blue asked. "Hmm... I'd have to go with the purple haired guy. He's as close to blue as I'm going to get. What about you? Any guys you like at first glance?"

"I don't think it's that kind of shipping," Lyla said, avoiding the question. "This note is obviously important for something. I'll hold onto it, just in case. Mind keeping this between us, at least until I figure it out?"

"Sure!" Blue saluted.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional: Secrets are quiet.

Lyla: My main guess is that the note is a clue to an idol. It wouldn't really surprise me if it was, since the clue was hidden so well. But the clue doesn't really make sense to me, so maybe it's just something I don't understand yet. I'll still look around and try to figure things out, but until then, the less people who know about it, the better.

Blue: (She seems to be thinking deeply about something.) Maybe the other girls have an opinion on who the hottest guy is! I'm sure we'll get to know them better as the contest goes along, but basing upon appearances first might help us be shocked down the road. Plus, who knows? Maybe one of them has the favorite color of blue.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

(Ella)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Ella was inside the girl's dorm, looking around for the sauce the Black Chef needed. She was currently smiling and happily bouncing down the hall. Rooms were on either side of the hall and Ella occasionally glanced inside, seeing a few beds in each room and luggage for the contestants.

"This is going to be super fun," Ella said with a giggle. "All the contestants seem really nice and the season seems full of great memories to be had! Maybe Chris will let me sing a few songs too!"

"Not on your life," Chris said over the intercom.

"I still have the whole season to convince you!" Ella giggled. At the end of the hallway she spotted a table and smiled when she saw the sauce the Black Chef had mentioned. Ella grabbed it and smiled wider. "Perfect! Hopefully this helps the Black Chef makes his meals amazing!"

Ella started to walk back down the hallway and began to muse with herself. "The Chef seems nice enough, so long as I don't call him white," Ella mused. "I wonder why he's so sensitive about it. Guess I'll figure out if he tells me."

"Zephyr... he looks like a nice guy," Ella said to herself. "I'm not really too sure. I only met him once and that was when he hired me for the job and asked me to find the Black Chef and Valley. Maybe I'll get to know him more down the road."

"And then Valley," Ella giggled. "She's like the exact opposite of me. No song in her, hardly any life. Maybe it's my responsibility to make her smile. I guess all I can do it be myself and sing life into those who need it!"

"Sing and your fired," Chris said over the intercom.

"Chris will come around," Ella giggled.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Ripper had decided to leave the main camp and had set up another rope trap in the forest. The descendant of Jack was chilling in the woods with a sadistic grin on his face as he silently waited for his next victim. He figured someone was bound to walk into the forest eventually, since the forest was a good hiding place.

"Come on. Just one more victim for the day and my goal will be complete," Ripper giggled to himself.

It didn't take long for someone to pass by, making Ripper grin like mad. The person walked straight into the trap, sending the person into the air upside down. Ripper laughed, revealing himself and walking to the tree where the person was trapped. "And my quota is met! Tomorrow I'll go up to injury," Ripper chuckled.

"Glad to be of service," Hugh saluted from the trap. He then reached into his shoe and pulled out a small glove. He slipped it on and grabbed the rope. It immediately snapped when Hugh clenched his fist around it. Hugh fell to the ground and quickly brought himself to his feet, dusting the dirt off of himself. He took the glove off and slid it into his shoe.

"No fair! You should have stayed there forever and died there to bring glory to my name!" Ripper pouted.

"We both know your desire isn't to kill," Hugh said to him. "You want recognition and establishment of attention. It's a tough desire, but murder won't fulfill your current desire. It will just steer you down a different branch of want and thereby send you to your own demise. Be cautioned when trying to fulfill your lust with blood. It doesn't have the rewards you think it does."

Hugh simply walked off after speaking, saying nothing else. Ripper watched him walk off, pausing ever so slightly. However, Ripper soon frowned, shaking his head. "What does he know? Probably hasn't attempted to fulfill his family name in the slightest. At least I have a legacy to uphold."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional: I wish I had a family.

Ripper: People might argue that we have a choice in following our family traditions and customs. We don't people! Honor your family name and do what you were born to do! My family is a bunch of criminals. I promise to follow my legacy and become the greatest criminal since Jack the Ripper himself!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Mr. Pineapple had left the auditorium and was currently making his way up a tree not too far from the building. The tree shook under his weight, but it seemed to hold him up well enough. Once Mr. Pineapple was quite a way off the ground, he looked down, making a whistling sound from seeing how high he was.

This should be about the right height, Mr. Pineapple thought to himself. If I remember right, my translator was broken when that blasted coconut dropped it from a balcony. If I jump from the balcony and hit it just right, it should technically fix itself and I'll be able to speak English normally again.

Mr. Pineapple began to prep himself, bouncing up and down on the branch he was currently standing on. With one giant intake of breath, the pineapple jumped, screaming as he fell through the sky. It wasn't long before a very loud THUD was heard throughout the camp as Mr. Pineapple hit the floor.

"Merde. Si jétais un homme, qui aurait pu blesser," Mr. Pineapple muttered, and then let out a loud groan. "Non! Jai pensé que cela fonctionne à coup sûr ! Vous maudissent, maudits arbre!"

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional: Those dang trees!

Mr. Pineapple: Tutto quello che volevo era risolvere il mio traduttore! È chiedere troppo? Non direi, ma non posso, ora posso? Che schifo, e qui ho pensato che questo concorso sarebbe divertente...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

After Chuck had disappeared off the roof and Melody went to do one last sweep of the auditorium, Bumble found herself alone. Feeling bored, Bumble had decided to take a nice walk in the forest, humming to herself happily as she walked. Her collar seemed to glow yellow as she walked and Bumble occasionally scratched her neck, frowning slightly.

"Always bugging me when I'm not paying attention," Bumble mused to herself. "I must have neckitis. It must get inflamed from all the bull #$% I have to deal with! And since I'm the epidemy of bull #$%, no wonder it itches so much!"

Bumble giggled to herself, continuing on her walk into the forest. After a while the color went back to its normal color and Bumble stopped scratching her neck. Right then, Yi appeared in Bumble's vision, quickly running back toward Camp Zero. She appeared to have something in her hands, but Bumble couldn't quite make out what it was.

"Hiya!" Bumble said with a grin. "What'cha up to?"

"Nothing," Yi said, rushing past Bumble. "Oh, go a little way ahead. There's a hole there. Can you try and get Clover out? She fell in there a while ago. I left a rope nearby, but I didn't have time to help her! Thanks"

"Ok!" Bumble called after her. She turned around and continued to make her way forward. "Wonder why she's in such a big hurry. Maybe she really has to go to the bathroom. I've been there sister. I only get three potty breaks a day! It's tough #$%it!"

After another minute of walking, Bumble found the hole Yi told her about. Bumble heard a distinct humming from the hole, which Bumble assumed was Clover. Bumble spotted the rope and took both ends. She threw one end in and heard a distinct BONK from somewhere below.

"Ow!" Clover said from the hole. "Oh, hey, a rope!" Bumble felt a tugging from the other end and Bumble started to pull her out. It didn't take too long to pull Clover out, as Clover herself was pretty light. Clover was completely covered in dirt, but she seemed ok with it as she was smiling. "Oh hey, I've been saved! Thanks Bumble!"

"I do what I'm told!" Bumble giggled. "Yi told me to come get you so I obeyed. That's just how I'm taught!"

"Huh. I thought she was going to come get me herself. She's been gone for like twenty minutes," Clover mused. "Oh well. She must have run into trouble or had an emergency or something. I don't blame her!"

Before Bumble could respond, the intercom crackled to life all across the camp and forest. "Attention campers! Both necklaces have been found and have been returned to the start! Please return to the auditorium for the elimination ceremonies!" Chris announced. "Oh, and Mr. Pineapple! Seeing as you are immune for the next two days, feel free to do what you want until tomorrow. That's all."

"Darn. I thought for sure my luck would change mid-challenge," Clover pouted. "Oh well! I'm ready for the vote anyway. What about you? Any ideas?"

"Nope! My head is completely empty!" Bumble giggled. Her collar started to glow yellow again and Bumble turned around to run toward the auditorium. "Race you!"

"Alright!" Clover said, promptly tripping on a rock. "Ow!"

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional: I don't have a head.

Clover: Well, there goes my chances at immunity, but I'm pretty sure I'm safe! Why vote for me really? Sure, my luck is #$%, but it's not like it's contagious! I'm sure someone has a good idea on who should go home, and I'll just help them tonight!

Bumble: Clover's luck is funny. She tripped at least a hundred times getting to camp. Plus, a random raccoon decided to attack her. Maybe she'll be someone fun to watch play this game, because everything bad happens to her! (She giggles.)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

(Auditorium)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The twenty human contestants had gathered back in the auditorium. Chris and Zephyr stood in front of everyone, the former with a sadistic grin and the latter with a neutral expression. "Welcome back to the auditorium," Chris grinned. "Tonight, two of you will be out. But, we can safely say that Chuck and Yi are not going to be those people!"

Sure enough, Chuck and Yi were standing behind Chris and Zephyr, both wearing their respective team's necklace. Clover seemed happy that her friend was safe while no one particularly cared that Chuck was safe.

"As promised, both will receive clues to the locations of the Male and Female idol respectively," Zephyr said, producing two bottles with notes in them, one colored blue the other colored pink. Zephyr handed the blue one to Chuck and the pink one to Yi. "Whether they share this information or not, that's up to them."

"But you guys have more pressing matters than clues to idols," Chris grinned. "You will all have ten minutes to strategize for the vote. We'll lower a curtain down when it's time for the eliminations, so get strategizing!"

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

(Masculine Clams)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The boys had all gathered together in a small group, separating themselves from the girls. A few of the boys were off to the side, but the majority had come together to listen to what one particular boy had to say. And this particular boy so happened to be Ripper.

"That guy!" Ripper said, pointing a little way over to Bjork, who was out of the group and seemed to be carving something in a piece of wood. "He looks pretty dastardly! Let's vote for him!"

"Didn't you say you wanted to kill everyone earlier?" Keith asked. "Doesn't that make you a bad guy too? Why vote for Bjork, who might be good, over you, who's obviously evil?"

"Because I'm a throw away villain! I'm one of those guys you can vote off whenever the #$% you want!" Ripper grinned. "Besides, a little torture never killed anyone! Come on, where's your sense of adventure?"

"Home! And Oreos! I binge eat! DON'T JUDGE ME!" Dusk screamed in fear.

"Eating Oreos is pretty cool," August shrugged. "And voting whoever is pretty cool. Are we all cool with this Bjork guy going then?"

"Meh. He's not a girl, so it's not a missed opportunity," Karl shrugged. "I'm still waiting for that favor the top hat guy owes me. I'm desperately needing a #$%."

"Again, Karl seems more evil than Bjork," Keith pointed out. He sighed when he found no one was listening to him. "Why do I even speak if it's not about teeth?"

Over a little way from the big group, Flippard was talking to a group of his own. This group happened to be Chuck, Hugh, and Rygoth. "Ok guys, here's the plan," Flippard said. "Each of you will vote for Karl. I worked with him in the challenge, and while he's a decent worker, he's sort of gross. A man like myself has standards, and I would like to assume you guys have standards too."

"Yeah. My standards are simple Don't #$% with people who #$% with the power of DANCE!" Chuck grumbled. "I don't really give #$% right now. I'm immune, so I'll go practice my jumps. #$% ya later."

Chuck began to twirl away, leaving the group down to three. Flippard was face palming while Rygoth seemed to be contemplating the vote. "Karl is a hard worker huh?" Rygoth asked. "Then that means he more of an offensive player. We should focus on a better defense. We need to unify the group and be great at challenges. We can get rid of Karl if he doesn't have good defensive capabilities."

"Sexual desire is one I try to avoid," Hugh shrugged. "Lust is already misconstrued because of a particular abomination known as Twilight. I have no desire to help Karl, so he can be plucked from the contest."

"Perfect," Flippard smirked.

Meanwhile, Bjork was sitting by himself, glancing at the two different groups. He let out a hefty sigh, shaking his head. "These guys are going to be so easy to manipulate, it's not even funny," he grunted. "Might as well start the drama early. Better safe than sorry."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Confessional: But being sorry is important!

Rygoth: The way I see it, there are three types of players. The offensive players focus on sabotaging or attacking the other team. The defensive players focus on finishing challenges and try working well with the other members of the team. The strategic players, like myself, focus on keeping alliances well-structured and making deals in keeping team moral up. If the signs have indeed pointed to a Defensive team, then we have little need for offensive players. It's that simple really.

Dusk: (Looks even more nervous than normal.) So... that teeth guy is terrifying. Maybe he's planning on ripping our teeth out? (Dusk screams at the thought.) GAH! I'M STILL SCARED OF THE TOOTH FAIRY! I DON'T NEED ANOTHER TOOTH MONSTER!

Bjork: This elimination... is going to be sad. I'm actually looking forward to watching the fireworks go off. And very rarely do I enjoy things. Watch closely, because this is going to be #$% awesome.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

(Feminine Butterflies)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The girls, unlike the boys, seemed to be more scattered about into smaller groups. Over in one of the corners, Lyla and Blue seemed to be thinking about the bottle from earlier instead of the vote. "Maybe there's some sort of romantic spot in camp?" Blue suggested. "It could be possible!"

"Again, I don't think the clue had anything to do with shipping," Lyla said simply. "Maybe an actual ship, like on the ocean?"

"But we're on land. How are we supposed to find a ship in the ocean?"

Before Lyla could admit that Blue had a point, Melody approached them with a smile. "Hey guys," Melody said. "I've been walking around and I'm trying to figure out who to vote for. Do you guys have any ideas?"

"Not really," Lyla shrugged. "What about you?"

"Well, Bumble was kind of getting under Chuck's skin earlier in the challenge," Melody said. "I don't think she was doing it on purpose, but Chuck was pretty bothered by it. Maybe we should vote her off, just because she's annoying."

Blue gave a shrug. "Doesn't matter to me," Blue said. "Bumble doesn't wear the color blue, so it's not like it really matters to me."

"Bumble it is then," Lyla shrugged. "I would have liked to have more time to get know some of the others so this vote would count, but I guess I should appreciate what I have."

"That's what my dad always says," Melody giggled. "It's always important to cherish what you have while it matters before it's gone. I think he was talking about me when he said it, but it still applies to this situation."

Off to the side of them, Clio was nervously trying to figure out who she was going to vote for. She wasn't thinking long when Earth approached her, a grin on her face. "We should both vote for Lyla," Earth said. "SHE'S TOO POPULAR FOR HER OWN GOOD! We should eliminate her while we can."

Clio fidgeted a little bit. "Um, well, I'm just not all too sure about that..." Clio said nervously.

"VOTE FOR LYLA! Friends help friends, right?" Earth smiled. "I won't hold it against you if you disagree. BUT DON'T DISAPPOINT ME! See you later!" Earth walked off, leaving Clover more confused than she was before.

A few feet away stood Yi, Bumble, and Clover. Clover had brought Bumble over to Yi because Clover thought Yi might have an idea. And, from the look on Yi's face, she did have an idea. "Audrey," she said after a minute of thinking, pointing over to the girl in the hammock. "She looks like she hasn't done anything a day in her life."

"Sounds good!" Clover saluted... before a random piano fell out of the sky and landed on her. "Why me?!"

Bumble giggled darkly before looking concerned. "Is she going to be ok?" Bumble asked. "I can't really tell. And that's not because I can't see her body underneath the giant piano that came out of nowhere."

"Trust me. She's fine," Yi said with a shrug. "I need to do something. I'll talk to you guys later." Yi walked off, leaving Bumble to wonder how on earth she was going to get Clover out from underneath of the piano.

Finally, Audrey was relaxing in her hammock, casually listening to her music. Angel was near her, but she hadn't gotten a chance to talk to the girl due to Audrey not listening. The two were both silent, one awkwardly and the other in bliss. Angel finally said, "Yeah, this is a great use of strategy time."

"Your fault for trying to talk to me," Audrey shrugged.

"Wait, you can hear me?"

"Of course I can hear. I just chose not to acknowledge your presence because you'll talk to me about the vote," Audrey shrugged. "I'll vote for the next name I hear. That's all that matters because I honestly don't care."

"Then listen closely," someone said. Audrey and Angel glanced over and saw Yi standing near them. "Because I'm pretty sure I know how to make all of us happy."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

(Masculine Clam's Elimination Ceremony)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The partition was lowered, signifying it was time for the vote. The boys had gathered in some of the seats as Zephyr stood in front of them at a podium. He seemed to have a plain expression on his face. "Alright boys, I'm sure you know the drill, but I'm going to recap, just in case you don't," Zephyr said.

"Cool," August nodded.

"I'm going to ask a few of you guys come questions. After that, each of you will walk over to the confessional over there and vote. I'll leave to tally the votes. When I come back, I'll have nine chocolate bars. The person who does not receive a bar of chocolate has the most number of votes and is out. Simple enough?"

"Get on with it already," Chuck grumbled.

"Then we'll start with you," Zephyr said, making Chuck scowl. "Chuck, you won immunity today through the power of dance. If you didn't have immunity, do you think you'd be safe?"

" #$% yeah I'd be #$% safe," Chuck said flatly. "Ballet is a powerful tool. I would easily convince these #$% into not voting for me. But that's not what happened, so I'm not even #$%."

"Makes sense," Zephyr shrugged. "Rygoth, when your team name was revealed, you said you were going to build your defense. Do you mind elaborating on what you mean by that?"

"Sure," Rygoth nodded enthusiastically. "A good defense basically means we need to focus harder on challenges rather than sabotaging or attacking the other team. It helps us work better as a whole. It basically means we don't need offensive players that much."

"Good strategy," Zephyr nodded. "August. On a scale from one to ten on the coolness scale, how cool was today's challenge?"

"I rate it a solid six on the cool scale," August shrugged. "It was a little boring, but if that's just working things up to bigger and cooler challenges, then it's all cool."

"Ok," Zephyr nodded. "Let's see, who's quiet... how about you Bjork? You seem awfully quiet and you seem to know something the rest of us don't. What do you have on your mind?"

"I'm glad you asked," Bjork nodded. He then stood up and looked at his fellow contestants. "I've heard wind that you guys were planning on voting me off," Bjork said simply. "Well, good job. But, there's something you should know before you do." Bjork took a breath, hiding a smirk. "I was paid to be here," he said simply.

There were gasps and grumbled from the other contestants. "How is that even legal?" Flippard muttered. "Even I had to go the peasant route to get in this show."

"That's so scandalous," Ripper giggled.

"Let me finish!" Bjork snapped, shutting everyone else in the room up. "I was paid to be here because I'm a bounty hunter. Someone here is an alleged illegal criminal. I don't have all the details, but they are wanted in seventeen different countries for several separate crimes. I was hired by the Canadian government to find and eliminate this contestant so he or she can be handed over to the authorities."

There was a stunned silence. No one said anything, all nervously glancing at each other. Th most nervous about this news was Dusk, who let out a loud girlish scream. "I'm not a killer, honest! It was an accident! I didn't mean to flush the goldfish down the toilet!" Dusk screamed, cowering in fear.

There was another long silence.

"Well, with that now out of the way," Zephyr said, "it's time for the vote. Ripper, why don't you start us off."

"It'd be my pleasure," Ripper smirked, walking off to the confessional to cast his vote.

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After Hugh had cast the last vote, Zephyr had left to go tally them up. He was gone for a few minutes before coming back with a trey of nine chocolate bars. "Alright, as I've said, I have nine chocolates," Zephyr said. "The person who doesn't receive a chocolate bar will come stand up here with me until the girls are done voting."

There was a slight pause.

"The first one safe tonight is the winner of the immunity challenge, Chuck," Zephyr said, tossing Chuck the chocolate bar, which he happily caught. "Next one safe is... Dusk."

"Flippard."

"August"

"Rygoth."

"Hugh."

"Ripper."

"Keith."

Bjork and Karl both sat without a chocolate bar. Karl didn't really seem to be paying attention while Bjork just stared emotionlessly ahead. "Bjork, Karl, this is the last chocolate bar," Zephyr said. "The person who will remain in the contest is...

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Bjork," he said, tossing Bjork the final chocolate bar.

"Huh?" Karl asked in confusion. "Wait, wait, wait! I thought I was going to get a lady out of this vote! What the heck guys?"

"You kind of sicken me," Bjork shrugged.

"You're a worker whose services I no longer need," Flippard shrugged.

"I changed my mind," Ripper giggled, much to the surprise of those he told to vote Bjork. "I can't pass up a rival, now can I? Karl seemed like an appropriate second choice."

"Karl, please stand up here with me," Zephyr said. Karl grumbled to himself and walked up next to Zephyr. "You are officially off the Masculine Calms and out of the contest with them. Wait here with me until the girls are done."

"Hmph. Whatever," Karl grumbled.

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(Feminine Butterfly's Elimination Ceremony)

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The ten girls had gathered together and were sitting in front of Chris, who was standing behind a podium. Chris was grinning a wide smile. "Welcome to your first elimination Feminine Butterfly's," Chris said. "Here's a brief run down. I'm going to ask you all a few questions about the challenge and your strategy. Then, you'll each vote for who you think should be off the team. After that I'll tally the votes and I'll explain more from there."

There was a pause.

"Let's start off with Audrey," Chris smirked. He then frowned. "Wait, where is Audrey?"

"Behind you." Chris turned and saw Audrey was indeed behind him, her hammock set up on two nails on the wall. "Do I have to answer your questions? I'm trying to relax here."

"You are legally bound to answer any questions asked to you during elimination," Chris said flatly.

"Alright. My answer to all of them is #$% you. Am I done now?" Audrey asked flatly.

"Ugh, fine," Chris muttered, rolling his eyes. "Melody. You're playing this game for your father. Do you think he would approve of your performance in the challenge today?"

"Well, it depends," Melody mused. "I did try my best, and to him, that's all that really counts. Besides, the place I was looking had the boys necklace anyway, right? I was right in a sense, just not about the necklace I needed."

"Fair point," Chris nodded. "Earth. Did you make any friends today?"

"Yep! Clio and I are BFFFLs! AS IT SHOULD BE! No way is anyone going to vote me off because the only really power you need at elimination is friends!" Earth said. As she spoke, Clio slowly slid down in her chair, mumbling to herself.

"Hopefully that works out for you," Chris nodded. "Yi. You won immunity today. Do you think you needed to win it?"

"Not really," Yi said simply. "But I did need to be where I needed to be today." Yi took in a deep breath. "Clover is not technically a Canadian citizen." Everyone gasped while Clover fidgeted, frowning slightly. "She was born over the border and wasn't technically born in Canada. She has massive bad luck as well and might hinder us as a team. No offense Clover. I just wanted to make sure people knew their options."

"But I thought we were allies," Clover pouted.

"We are. I'm just helping the rest of the team too. That's how surviving in this game works," Yi shrugged before smiling lightly. "I'm still your friend though. I'm still voting for Audrey because she's lazy. You guys do what you want."

"This is probably the best elimination ceremony ever," Chris laughed. "Yi, why don't you start the vote? You've earned it."

"Sure," Yi nodded, walking to the confessional, giving Clover a smile while Clover suddenly looked nervous.

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After Blue cast the final vote, Chris had walked off to tally them. After a few minutes, Chris returned with a tray of nine chocolates. He set them on his podium and grinned. "Here I have nine chocolates," Chris said. "I'll pass them out to each of you who are safe. The person who does not receive a chocolate bar is out of the contest. Make sense?"

"Of course, Chris," Angel winked flirtatiously.

"Good! First person safe is... Yi, for being immune," Chris said, tossing her a chocolate bar. "Next person safe is... Blue."

"Lyla."

"Clio."

"Earth"

"Melody."

"Angel."

"Bumble."

Clover and Audrey both sat without a chocolate bar. Clover looked extremely nervous while Audrey didn't seem to care. "Clover, Audrey, both of you received votes tonight," Chris said. "However, the person who received less votes is...

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Audrey," Chris said, tossing the final chocolate bar into her hammock.

"No..." Clover whispered, shaking her head. "I didn't want to be voted out first. I know my luck is bad and all, but... I'm trying to control it. It's not contagious at all, I promise! It only affects me, no one else! You have to believe me!"

"It's a little late for that," Chris said. "Clover, you're off the team. Please come stand up here with me." Clover hung her head and started to walk up to Chris. However, she promptly tripped and fell on the ground, tumbling forward until she was at Chris' feet, groaning. "That works I guess," Chris shrugged. "Ella, lift the curtain please!"

The curtain lifted, revealing the boy's side of the auditorium. Zephyr and Chris walked to the middle and the latter grinned. "So, you both deemed which member of your team was the most useless to you," Chris said. "And from the looks of it, you picked some interesting choices."

"Here's the twist though," Zephyr said with a smirk. "This round... is NON-ELIMINATION! No one is out of the contest today!"

Everyone gasped, some campers obviously upset by this. Before they could speak, Chris held up a hand. "The point of today's ceremonies was to give each team a reward," Chris said simply. "The two eliminated contestants will now be joining the opposite team. Hopefully you picked the right choices to send over."

"Wow. Good call Yi," Blue whispered to her. "Now the boys will have bad luck. Oh, and I love your clothes!"

"Thank you," Yi smiled.

"Wait... did I just send the pervert to the girl's team?" Flippard groaned. "Worst executive decision I have ever made..."

"Thanks, top hat man!" Karl grinned, his perverted grin now even bigger. "Hello sexy ladies!"

"Now then," Zephyr said. "With the swap in place, you are all free to go to your dorms. Do keep in mind that tomorrow there is an elimination challenge, a real one. After tomorrow, Mr. Pineapple will officially join the contest on the losing team. Just something to think about. You can go."

The twenty contestants all began to leave, some upset, others quite happy about the night's events. However, right as Hugh was about to leave, Zephyr slipped a note into his hand. Hugh smirked and continued walking, as if nothing ever happened.

"Well, this episode was intense!" Chris grinned, turning to the camera. "I sense a lot of drama from these guys, that's for sure! What's going to happen next? Will Karl and Clover get used to their new teams? Will Bjork's shocking revelation keep him in the game? Will Yi reveal why she's a sneaky little #$%? And will Blue obsess over any color that isn't Blue? Find out next time on Total Drama Gender Battle!"

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(Boy's Votes)

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Voting Confessional: Here the votes are!

August: Bjork is a bounty hunter? That's pretty cool. I did promise Ripper I'd vote for him though. And honesty in agreements is pretty cool if you ask me. So, I vote for Bjork. Cool? Cool.

Bjork: I wasn't really hired to find a criminal. But Chris is paying me for drama, so why not shake things up early? I'll just make up some #$% and keep everyone fearful. That way, they don't vote for me, and everyone is mistrusting of each other. How's that for drama? As for the vote, I vote for Karl. He reminds me far too much of that Angel chick.

Chuck: I'm immune. Why the #$% should I care about who to vote for? I guess I'll vote for Karl. It's not like anyone else has any #$% idea on who the vote for!

Dusk: (Looks extremely nervous.) GAH! I HATE LIFE CHOICES! Um... teeth guy! Get rid of teeth guy! He scares me!

Flippard: This is an obvious executive decision. Bjork's comment means very little to me. Karl is a disgusting worker and has no place on this team. I run a tight ship and I just don't think things will work out with us. Good bye Karl.

Hugh: (His perverted smile is still there.) Oh desire. It's a fickle thing, lust. You want something so much and then it's just yanked away from you. Ripper, I'm going to just pull the strings of your lust until I'm no longer amused. So, thus, I vote for Bjork. What? Ripper changed his mind. I could tell.

Karl: (He shrugs.) None of these guys are girls. I don't really even care who goes. Bjork I guess.

Keith: See, I knew Bjork might be good. Why don't people listen to me? Maybe because I love teeth. Eh, maybe. I vote for Ripper, because he's flat out said he's evil. Why wouldn't I vote for him?

Ripper: People expect me to vote for Bjork because I suggested it. But why be in this game when you don't have a rival to combat you? This will be my greatest escapade of all time! Karl, your time is up! Good bye useless waste, hello rival!

Rygoth: Strategy is very important. I want a defensive team, so I need to build up defensive players. Karl, from what I hear, is more of an offensive player. We don't need a strong offense, so I vote for Karl.

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Vote Tallies

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Karl: 5 Votes

Bjork: 3 Votes

Ripper: 1 Vote

Keith: 1 Vote

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(Girl's Votes)

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Voting Confessional: And here's the other one!

Angel: Yi made a very compelling argument. I can get behind that. (Smirks.) But hopefully she realizes a bold move like this on the first episode makes people aware she's a strong player. Either way, I vote for Clover.

Audrey: (In her hammock, listening to music.) Hm? Oh, Clover I guess. Yi said so, and I don't give a #$%, so there. Leave me alone. (She shuts her eyes, apparently falling asleep.)

Blue: Well, bad luck on our team would be very, very bad. But I don't know if Lyla is going to change her mind at all. Oh... this is so hard! (She thinks for a little bit.) Ok, I'm going to vote for Clover. I know it wasn't a part of the plan, but it might help the team better, and I'd rather the team be happy instead of blue! Even though blue is great! (She giggles.)

Bumble: (Seems to be shaking her head back and forth with a smile on her face.) I would vote for Yi's ass to get the Hell out of here, but she's immune! Oh well, that's a #$% shame! I'll stick with the plan and vote off Audrey.

Clio: Um... #$%, what do I do! Hilda isn't here, Earth isn't here... oh, oh, oh! I don't know! Um... Audrey! There, I just vote for Audrey! I just hope this isn't a bad choice...

Clover: (Seems confused and upset.) Why would Yi tell everyone? I mean, I didn't tell her not to tell anyone, but I thought that was an unspoken agreement. It was personal stuff. I already made amends with the fact I'm not legally a citizen. Why tell everyone and make it a big issue? (She sighs.) I vote for Audrey... even though that sounds like a long shot.

Earth: Maybe Yi is willing to be my friend. SHE WOULD TOTALLY WRECK ALL THESE LITTLE #$%! I guess since she said Clover might be bad for the team, I'll go with Clover! Always best to trust someone who looks pretty trustworthy.

Lyla: (Looks a little baffled.) Yi still wants to be Clover's friend after what she just did? How does that even work? I can't vote for Yi, but I don't really have it in me to vote for Clover. I'll vote for Audrey, just because I want to figure out what is going on here.

Melody: Huh. I have a feeling no one is going to vote for Bumble tonight. (Shrugs.) Oh well. I guess I'll vote for Clover. If her bad luck is that bad, I might as well. I hate to assume things though, so hopefully this isn't a bad choice.

Yi: I meant what I said. I'm still willing to help and aid Clover. It was just best we address the fact she might be a danger in challenges for us. Better to get the obvious out of the way. If she stays in the game, great. We can expand our friendship. If not, it's for the best for the team. But, I promised I would vote Audrey, and I'm a girl of my word. So, I vote for Audrey.

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Vote Tallies

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Clover: 5 Votes

Audrey: 4 Votes

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Teams

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Feminine Butterflies: Angel, Audrey, Blue, Bumble, Clio, Earth, Karl, Lyla, Melody, Yi

Masculine Clams: August, Bjork, Chuck, Clover, Dusk, Flippard, Hugh, Keith, Ripper, Rygoth

Immune: Mr. Pineapple

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Eliminated: None

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BN: And there you go! The first episode for Gender Battle is done and already a bunch of drama has been caused! I'm aware some of you were expecting an elimination, a double boot at that, but this helps move the story along, trust me. This episode was mostly just to establish the characters, and I think I did that. Hopefully you enjoyed the chapter, and feel free to tell me what you though in a review. Stay tuned for the next chapter and I'll see ya later!

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Sneak Peek: Drama is thick on the teams already as they attempt to get to know one another. Clover and Karl adjust on their new teams, one better than the other, while Hugh goes for a walk. Ella and Valley are given their daily chores while the Black Chef slaves in the kitchen. The challenge is revealed to be a TDI classic: a talent show. Which gender is more talented? Stay tuned!