This Is Your Captain Crashing

Not So Amazing

The plane was surprisingly quiet as it flew to its next destination. There wasn't any tension that could be felt, probably because Leshawna was gone. Which must've been relieving for Heather, who was trying to cover up all the injuries the Sister With 'Tude left her with. While she could cover up most of it, the black eye and missing tooth were a whole other story.

As the Queen Bee sighed and closed her pocket mirror with a sigh, she was greeted with the smug look of Courtney.

"You look good", she said smugly. The Queen Bee scoffed and rolled her eyes, although caught Merida elbowing the Ex-CIT and shooting her a glare.

"Merida!" Courtney hissed as she rubbed the place she took the elbow. "I thought you hated Heather, what the heck?"

"Up to a point", the princess said in a somewhat distracted tone. "She's still on our team, and even I wouldn't go as far as Leshawna did." The redhead glanced at the other team across from her, now only three left and Leshawna gone. "I don't want Heather getting all high and mighty, but being beaten down like that is too far."

The other Amazons all gave the princess a look, while Heather had the very faintest grateful glint flash in her eyes. Merida grunted and crossed her arms.

"Plus", the princess continued. "The more we go at each other's throats, the more we'll lose. Team Chris has won four times because we're always scrambling and arguing. Need I remind you three that if it wasn't for me, Cody and Sierra, we would've lost in Japan."

Gwen looked down with a sigh. "I hate how much you're right. It's just hard. I've been stuck on a team with her", the Goth pointed at the Queen Bee, "For two other seasons. And no matter what we were butting heads."

"Which is why you both", Merida shot Heather a glare, "need to stop and just... compromise. My mum and some of my friends always say this, and right now, you two need to do that now."

"How am I any part of this?!" Heather complained. "I've been trying to help us win, and I'm the one being dragged down!"

"Considering you've whipped Courtney, complained endlessly in every challenge, and you've tried to claim team leader. All of that makes you such a target, and you don't even realise it."

Heather, for once, looked panicked as all the rest of the team nodded. She looked back up at Merida, who was now standing over her with arms crossed and a scowl on her face.

After a few moments of silence, the Queen Bee relented with a sigh, "Fine. I get it, I've been a bad teammate. I'll work with you losers and 'play fair' so we can win."

The princess nodded and sat back down, Courtney and Gwen giving her wide-eyed looks of shock.

"How did you do that?" The Ex-CIT asked.

Merida shrugged and adjusted her ponytail. "My mum is basically the one that calls the shots at home. My dad is a good leader, but he's pretty... I'll just say he's not too observant. But bloody 'ell, he'll take on anyone that threatens his family. He's actually the reason I'm into archery."

Gwen was silent for a moment before smiling. "That's pretty cute. He must be pretty good."

"He has to be." The princess crossed her legs and rested her hands behind her head. "Our home is a bit more... rural. So there's a lot of forests, and a lot of bears. When I was a wee tot, my family was having a day out just for fun. Suddenly, this massive bear lumbered out of the tree line as my dad showed me how to fire an arrow."

Team Victory was getting caught in the story. Lindsay gasped and Beth's eyes' widened. "What happened?" DJ looked terrified.

"What else but my dad taking the bear on with his bare hands." The princess leaned forward. "I remember mum getting as far away as possible, and soon my dad showed up while being carried by two... family friends." She sighed with a smile. "My dad lost his right leg, but that didn't stop him. The news around home spread fast, and my dad was heralded as a hero."