Chapter 19 – Before the Third Challenge
Chris stood on the dock, the wind rustling his hair as he smiled contentedly.
"Welcome back to Total Drama Island! Last episode, our campers went through ordeals that left more scars than happy memories," Chris said.
[Cuts to campers waking up to blaring alarms, screams of terror.]
"First, we woke them up the best way possible... with pure sound torture," Chris said.
[Cuts to exhausted campers running.]
"Next, we gave them an absurd marathon, because what better way to start the day than with oxygen deprivation?" Chris said.
[Cuts to the dining hall, Owen and Cody crying with happiness.]
"Then came the feast... which, surprise, was a trap. Because nothing good lasts for long around here," Chris said.
[Cuts to the start of the wake-a-thon.]
"And so began the wake-a-thon, where winning meant staying conscious longer than everyone else," Chris said.
[Footage of Cody singing his serenades.]
"Oh, and Cody had to pay for his sins with four serenades that, instead of humiliating, ended up being a hit," said Chris.
[Footage of Cody, Geoff, and DJ recreating Where the Blondes Are.]
"Because if you're going to make a fool of yourself, do it in style," said Chris.
[Footage of Heather, Lindsay, Beth, and Cody forming an alliance.]
"Meanwhile, new alliances emerged, with Cody – once again – at the center of it all," said Chris.
[Footage of Trent being jealous of Gwen.]
"And in the corner of romantic drama, Trent discovered that jealousy is not a good advisor," said Chris.
[Footage of Gwen, Cody, and Duncan fighting sleep.]
"In the end, the last ones standing were Gwen, Cody, and Duncan... until Cody decided that, before he fell, it was worth stealing a kiss," said Chris.
[Footage of the Bass losing and Eva being eliminated.]
"Meanwhile, the Bass did the only thing they know how to do: lose. And Eva paid the price with her elimination," Chris said.
Chris turns to the camera, smiling triumphantly.
"What's next? More betrayals, more chaos, more Cody surviving the hurricane of romance. Stay with us," Chris said.
Intro
Before Dawn. The forest is plunged into twilight, the air is crisp, and the sound of quick, controlled footsteps can be heard through the trees.
Cody trains intensely, his breathing steady, his body constantly in motion. Every blow against the makeshift heavy bag, every sprint between the logs, every push-up on the floor... it all reflects his dedication.
"If I want to stay strong here, I'll have to work twice as hard." Cody thought, adjusting his posture before continuing with another exercise.
The sky was beginning to turn orange, a sign that dawn was near. Cody finished his routine, taking a deep breath, feeling the sweat on his skin as he looked at the horizon.
"Time to recharge," Cody said with a light smile, starting on his way back.
The camp kitchen. Chef was sharpening his knife while checking the ingredients for breakfast.
Cody walked in with a saunter, wiping his forehead with his t-shirt.
"Good morning, Chef," Cody said with a smile.
Chef glanced at him, his expression serious as ever.
"Hm. You're up early. Training?" Chef said, returning to his work.
Cody leaned against the table, relaxed.
"If I don't, I'll get rusty," Cody said nonchalantly.
Chef nodded, then began preparing the ingredients.
"Are you going to stand there and watch, or are you going to help?" Chef said, without looking up.
Cody smiled, already expecting that question.
"I thought you'd never ask," Cody said, picking up a knife and approaching the table.
They both got to work cooking, working in sync as the fire crackled and the aroma of breakfast began to fill the kitchen.
As Cody precisely chopped some vegetables, Chef watched him with interest.
"About the last challenge..." Chef said, his tone more neutral than usual.
Cody looked up, waiting for the comment.
"I must admit, kid. You've got talent. Crazy too, but talent," Chef said, as he stirred the ingredients in the pan.
Cody smiled proudly.
"If you don't go a little crazy in here, you'll get crushed," Cody said, shrugging.
Chef nodded slightly, then changed the subject.
"The serenades were good. Good songs. I never thought something like this would work," Chef said, with a slight nod of approval.
Cody chuckled.
"I thought it would be a humiliation, but in the end, I even wanted to do an encore," Cody said, his tone relaxed.
Chef crossed his arms, watching him more closely.
"You're a good asset to this show, Cody. But tell me... which girl are you interested in?" Chef said, genuinely curious.
Cody gave him an amused look, then went back to focusing on his food.
"I'm not thinking about that yet. Right now I just want to relax and have a good time," Cody said, not really thinking much of it.
Chef nodded, but continued to watch him.
"And the kiss?" Chef said, sounding inquisitive.
Cody paused for a second, then gave a light laugh.
"I couldn't help it. Gwen is beautiful. And yes, I'm attracted to her," Cody said honestly.
Chef gave a small nod of approval, saying nothing.
"I mean... who doesn't love a goth like that?" Cody added, his tone relaxed.
Chef didn't respond immediately, but his expression indicated he understood.
The sun was already illuminating the dining hall, and the first campers were beginning to wake up.
Cody finished his part in the kitchen, surveying the work done.
"It came out alright," Cody said, wiping his hands.
Chef looked at him for a second, then nodded.
"Hm. You're not useless in the kitchen, kid," Chef said, his tone almost sounding like praise.
Cody smiled, knowing that, in Chef-speak, that was basically a major acknowledgment.
The day was just beginning, and there was still a lot to go through.
The dining hall is starting to fill up. Campers are trudging in, some still half asleep, others eager to eat.
The tables are filling up, conversations begin to emerge, and the energy of the camp is once again gaining strength.
From the kitchen, Cody walks calmly out, scanning the dining room before looking for a spot.
His gaze falls on Izzy, who's already seated, moving a fork like a combat dagger.
"Hmm... something interesting is being planned here," Cody thought, with a slight smile before heading over to her.
Cody sits next to Izzy, taking a plate of food and beginning to eat while watching his companion.
Izzy glances at him with a curious expression.
"Did you know that an M1 Abrams tank can withstand impacts from anti-tank missiles thanks to its composite armor?" Izzy asked, without any prior context.
Cody paused his eating for a second, processing the information. Then, without missing a beat, he answered with absolute calm.
"It depends on the impact, but yes. Although the Israeli Merkava has a structure that makes it even more efficient in urban combat," Cody said thoughtfully.
Izzy blinked, surprised by the answer. Then, a slow smile appeared on her face.
"Finally! Someone who understands guns like I do," Izzy said, excited.
The other campers nearby started to pay attention to the conversation, some in surprise, others in disbelief.
"What are you guys talking about?" Trent said, frowning.
"Guns, tanks, military strategy," Lindsay said, looking on in confusion.
"Why does Cody know about that?" Duncan said, narrowing his eyes.
"Why does Izzy know about that?" Geoff said, even more impressed.
Izzy ignored the comments and continued with her speech, now more animated.
"The Russian T90 has an active protection system that intercepts projectiles before they hit. It's almost like an energy shield, but without the cool visual effect," Izzy said enthusiastically.
Cody nodded, taking a sip of his drink.
"Yeah, but if you gave me a choice in combat, I'd take a Leopard 2. Greater maneuverability and firepower," Cody said without hesitation.
Izzy slammed the table in excitement.
"Yeah! Someone who gets it. It's like we're military soulmates!" Izzy said, laughing.
The others just stood in silence, staring at the conversation in disbelief.
Izzy's Confessional
Izzy in the confessional, with an excited look and a confident smile.
"I'm not going to lie, Cody has started to interest me more. Not only does he have rhythm, energy, and craziness, he also knows about combat tactics and armored vehicles. That's unusual for someone who's always singing serenades," Izzy said, looking amused. Izzy crossed her
arms, thoughtful.
"We should definitely go swimming in the woods soon. Few things are as good as mixing adventure, danger, and a possible fight with a territorial raccoon," Izzy said, no doubt in her voice.
Back in the mess hall, Izzy and Cody were still talking about weaponry as if it were an everyday topic.
The other campers were still confused, but they had already accepted that understanding Izzy's logic was impossible.
The day was just beginning, and new alliances—unexpected and chaotic—were taking shape.
The mess hall was already full of campers, conversations flowing as breakfast was served. Gwen ambled in, her body dragging due to extreme tiredness.
Her gaze was lost, her skin still marked by insomnia, and every movement seemed to require a monumental effort.
"Never again..." Gwen murmured, her voice trailing off.
Without even looking around, she sank into the seat next to Cody, resting her head on the table as if she had just survived an impossible battle.
Cody was already waiting for her, his plate half empty and a steaming mug in front of him.
Without a word, Cody moves a second mug toward Gwen, right within reach.
The intense aroma of coffee instantly hits Gwen, and her expression changes in an instant.
Her eyes sparkle, her energy seems to surge for a second, and without hesitation, she takes the mug in both hands, as if it were a newly discovered treasure.
"You're a hero, Cody," Gwen said, her voice thick with gratitude.
Cody smiled, taking another sip of his coffee.
"It's part of the service. I can't just let you die at the table before lunch," Cody said, his tone relaxed.
Gwen exhaled slowly, enjoying every sip of her drink before adjusting her posture.
Gwen and Cody began to chat, the other campers occasionally glancing in.
"That challenge... it was worse than I imagined," Gwen said, looking a mix of tiredness and resignation.
Cody nodded, leaning toward the table.
"Absolutely. I still don't understand how we're still alive," Cody said, laughing softly.
Gwen smiled slightly, taking another sip of coffee before continuing.
"The hardest part?" Gwen asked curiously.
Cody thought for a moment, then clicked his tongue.
"The moment where the lights flickered and my brain started hearing songs that didn't exist," Cody said with absolute sincerity.
Gwen chuckled, resting her cheek on her hand.
"Tiredness creates some weird side effects. I felt like the dock was talking to me at one point," Gwen said casually.
Gwen remained silent for a second, her mind flashing back to Cody's unexpected gesture at the end of the challenge.
Without realizing it, her cheeks tinged a light shade of red.
Cody didn't mention the kiss, keeping the conversation flowing without changing his tone.
Gwen went back to drinking her coffee, focusing on the warmth of the beverage, as if trying to distract herself from the mental image of the moment.
Cody noticed the change in her expression, but didn't say anything. She just took a last sip of her coffee and turned her head slightly to another part of the dining room.
Gwen exhaled slowly, finishing the cup more calmly.
Despite everything, the coffee did its job, and Gwen no longer looked so close to collapse.
The day was just beginning... and the interactions at camp would continue to grow.
The dining room is full of campers enjoying breakfast. Heather calls Lindsay over, and Beth and Cody sit together to talk about their alliance.
Heather rests her elbows on the table, observing the others with a calculating air.
"Okay, before this gets too casual, it's time to lay down the rules," Heather said firmly.
Cody continued eating leisurely, calmly watching her.
Heather raised a hand and began her list of rules.
"Rule number one: We're allowed to use each other's things if we have to," Heather said, giving no room for debate.
Beth frowned, looking at Cody and Lindsay.
"Does that mean we can use your things too?" Beth asked doubtfully.
Heather shook her head before answering nonchalantly.
"Rule number two: My things are off-limits," Heather said, as if it were a completely logical thing to do.
Cody leaned in slightly,smiling with amusement.
"Like a good business deal?" Cody said, his tone ironic.
Heather ignored his comment and continued with her list.
"Rule number three: No relationships within the alliance. I don't want anyone distracted by unnecessary feelings," Heather said, her tone authoritative.
Lindsay looked at Heather in confusion, then at Cody.
"But... what if we like someone?" Lindsay asked doubtfully.
Heather crossed her arms.
"Just ignore him. This isn't some cheap romance show," Heather said, leaving no room for argument.
Cody exhaled slowly, resting his arms on the table before speaking.
"Heather, I understand you want to win, but you can't control everything like we're your employees. An alliance is about working together, not imposing ridiculous rules," Cody said, his tone relaxed but firm.
Heather looked at him coldly, her expression unchanged.
"If you want an alliance without structure, then this won't work," Heather said defiantly.
Cody took a sip of his coffee, unintimidated.
"I'm not saying there shouldn't be structure, I'm saying it should be fair. If we use other people's things, you share too. And the romance thing... what does it matter if someone has feelings? As long as it doesn't affect the strategy, it's not a problem," Cody said confidently.
They didn't notice, but it made Lindsay smile a little
. Beth nodded, looking at Heather warily.
"I think Cody's right," Beth said with a small smile.
Heather clenched her jaw but eventually relented.
"Fine. Middle ground. We share things within reason, but the romance thing... keep it minimal. I don't want anyone to get too distracted," Heather said with a resigned tone.
Cody smiled slightly, satisfied with the outcome.
"Seems more logical to me," Cody said, returning to his breakfast.
The alliance was formed with tight rules, ensuring that Heather wasn't in absolute control.
After the meeting, Heather decides to go bother the Bass. She approaches their table with a mocking air.
Heather stops next to Courtney, crossing her arms.
"It must be frustrating to lose over and over again. Maybe you should change your strategy... or just accept that your management is a mess," Heather said with a venomous smile.
Courtney exhaled sharply, trying to ignore her.
"I don't need advice from someone who only knows how to manipulate others," Courtney said, looking annoyed.
Heather shrugged, clearly enjoying the provocation.
"Sure, keep denying it. But everyone here knows your leadership is... mediocre, at best," Heather said mockingly.
Courtney took a piece of food without thinking twice.
"Here's your mediocre strategy," Courtney said, before accurately throwing the food.
Heather moved quickly, dodging the attack with ease.
Cody, who had just finished his breakfast, took a direct hit in the face.
The cafeteria fell silent for a second, everyone processing what had just happened.
Cody stood still, food still stuck to his face.
"...This wasn't on the menu," Cody said, calmly.
Courtney's eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh no!" Courtney said, worried.
Heather burst out laughing, enjoying every second of the disaster.
Heather's Confessional
"Honestly, this was perfect. I proved that Courtney has no control over even her own anger, and in the process, Cody ended up covered in food. How can you not love this show?" Heather said, laughing.
Courtney's Confessional
"I didn't mean to hit Cody. Honestly. But Heather really got on my nerves. And if she keeps this up, this is only going to get worse," Courtney said, frustrated.