Marinette had a wonderful time at the Tuck Shop with Lucy and the Screaming Gophers. Even though she and Lucy were busy chatting in the communal bathrooms, with their usual nightly routine, the Screaming Gophers' cabin had to air out before they could head back in there with the rest of the Gophers for the night. So Marinette then suggested they offer the Killer Bass some of the gelatin they brought back from the Tuck Shop along with the homemade macaroons she and Lucy made earlier. Most of the Screaming Gophers all agreed with the idea. When they headed over to the Killer Bass, who were all at the campsite, Courtney asked them what they wanted. "Come by to rub it in?" she asked, causing Lucy to glare at her, asking in a deadly tone, "Want another lecture?" "Never mind." Courtney gulped. Trent then changes the topic before Courtney can cross the line even further. "We got some extra dessert after our Tuck-Shop party, thought you might want some." "So what? You're just being nice?" Courtney asked, still trying hard not to cross Lucy's line. "Okay," Gwen said, giving in. "Owen stank up our cabin, while Lucy and Marinette were sharing skincare tips in the communal bathrooms, and we need some time to air out." "That, and we still thought you guys might like some," Marinette added as Beth held out the gelatin to Courtney, causing her to yelp out a no while flinching. "I mean, no, thanks. I'm good," she said calmly. "What? Are you on a diet or something?" Duncan asked. "No! I just don't like green jelly, okay?" Marinette and Lucy then walk over to Geoff and Bridgette, offering them some macaroons. "Thanks," "Man, Nette. Your macaroons rock." "Thanks," Marinette says with a giggle. That was until their attention was drawn to D.J. when he screamed out the word snake. They turned to see Cody picking up something in the gelatin. "Chill, dude," he said. "It's just a gummy worm." "Sorry for tripping," D.J. said. "Snakes just freak me out." "I feel you," Tyler said, understanding how D.J. feels. "Chickens give me the creeps, dude." "You're afraid of chickens?" Gwen asked while Duncan chuckled. "Wow, that's–that's really lame, man." Lucy then elbows him in the gut, causing him to wince and let out an ow. "Keep your words to yourself, Juvie," she growled.
CONFESSIONAL: GWEN
"So suddenly, everyone's having this big share-fest by the fire. Like Beth went on and on about how her mortal fear's being covered by bugs, Marinette admitted that used to be her fear too since school from a terrible prank by a mean jock in her said school until her maternal uncle helped her conquer it. Harold's afraid of ninjas. Even Heather admitted she's afraid of sumo wrestlers."
After a bit of telling their fears, Gwen was next. "I guess, being buried alive." "Walking through a minefield...in heels." "Flying, man. That's some crazy stuff." "I would never go up in a plane. Never." "I'm scared of hail. It's small but deadly, dude." "Being left alone in the woods." "Bad haircuts." "Oh, okay. I change mine. That's so much scarier than a minefield." "Having to defuse a time bomb under pressure." "I'm not really afraid of anything." "Baloney! Ow! Enough with the elbow!" Lucy glares at Duncan while crossing her arms, looking at him in the same way a mother would at a misbehaving child. "Alright, Juvie. What about you? What exactly is your phobia?" Courtney silently laughs when she and Lucy see the look on Duncan's face after Lucy asks him that question, along with everyone looking at him with full curiosity. Duncan then sighs in defeat and admits it, saying, "Uh, Ce–Celine Dion music-store standees." "Ex-squeeze me? I didn't quite get that," said Cody. "Dude, did you say "Celine Dion music-store standees?"" Trent asked. "Oh, I love Celine Dion," Lindsay said. "What's a standee?" "You know, that cardboard-cutout thing that stands in the music store." "Don't say it, dude." "Kind of like a life-size, but flat, Celine." "So if we had a cardboard standee right now–" "Shut it!" Lucy laughs, seeing Duncan feeling so humiliated. "Okay, all laughing aside, what about you guys?" she asked. "Okay, well, I hate mimes, like, a lot. All right, Courtney. You're afraid of something. Spit it out." "Nope–nothing." "That's not what Lucy said last night." "Juvie, please. Did you ever consider that maybe I was just humoring you after your lame smartmouth roast?" "Sure, sure, princess. Whatever floats your boat." "Just be lucky I'm not in the mood to brutality you." "Well, what about you? You and Marinette hadn't said anything asides from the bug-prank debacle." Courtney said curiously. "Well...as much as I don't want to admit it..." Marinette starts to panic slightly at first, not wanting the others to know her fears when she was Ladybug, but then thinks of something that can convince them. "I'm actually afraid of getting Akumatized," "I'm sorry, what-a-tized?" "What's that?" Owen asks. "Well..." Marinette goes on and on about Hawkmoth and the akumatizations that had been going on in Paris. "And ever since then, I was really scared of getting attacked by one or two who get re-akumatized from time to time. I sometimes even worry for my friends, family, and everyone else from home, even if they ever encounter one." "Oh, yeah, she's right. Check it out." Cody said, holding his phone up for others to see all of the articles about Hawkmoth and the akumatizations in Paris. "This last one was also around when we were doing the talent show challenge." "So, you're scared about getting akumatized." "Exactly." It was then Lucy's turn to tell what her phobia is. "Me...well..." Lucy started. But she then sighs and mummers, "It's the mascot Slappy." "Who?" Lucy sighs again. "You guys probably never heard of him. He's a mascot somewhere in the early-50s and became a little too popular in the mid-60s to the late-80s. Not to mention he always makes special appearances for kids in the popular children's clothing store, Kids Choice Clothing. Along with a "Special Guest", his girl Susie. And who can forget his Ultimate Playhouse and his Fun Food Shack? That mascot was the talk of the town. From Willamette, Oregon, to Los Perdidos, California. I was never born at the time nor in any of those locations, but I do remember seeing him when I was shopping with Angie this one time, and when she stopped and turned to see something, I did the same and saw something that I wished I never wanted to see. The real-life human-sized mascot is Slappy himself. And I tell you, that guy was so terrifying that I felt like I was going to faint from both shock and fear. And if that wasn't bad enough, that psychopathic mascot was not a good guy either. Slappy had water guns in both hands. But the water guns really didn't have water. Instead, they had gasoline that made them look like flamethrowers in the shape of water guns. And back then, it used to be the "Toy of the Month" until Slappy used them as deadly weapons." Everyone was shocked as they listened to what Lucy witnessed. "So, you guys actually encountered a real-life psychopathic mascot?" "No, he was shown in an old, yet popular action film about a zombie apocalypse from the late 80s. I believe it was one of the original films of Death Arise before it became a video game. Anyway, because of that, it made Slappy's fame go all downhill. All rise and fall of Slappy's fame aside, every time I see old merchandise and see sudden cartoons of him when I hang out with my friends at my favorite vintage-retro-nostalgic combination mega-mall, I always keep getting horrified by the thought of seeing the psychopathic him in person. That's something I don't want to deal with. And I may be a fanatic on my choices of things that scream vintage, retro, and nostalgia, but even I have limits on what I like and dislike." "So, how did Slappy become a psychopath anyway?" Harold asked since he and the others were curious. "Well, from what I can remember from the film, apparently, Slappy lost his sanity when the zombies took the life of Susie. Right before those two can go on their date. Those were Slappy's words, by the way." "Yikes." "Yeah, I guess love can make a mascot like him do crazy things." "Better him than that former country idol." said Duncan. "Shut it. But, yeah, that part's actually kinda true." Lucy admits, agreeing with Duncan.
By the next morning, everyone was happily enjoying a hearty breakfast Lucy and Marinette made with Chef's permission as he was asked to step out for something urgent. After a bit and enjoying the breakfast they made themselves, Chris whistles, getting everyone's attention. "Campers, your next challenge is a little game I like to call "Phobia Factor." Prepare to face your worst fears." "Worse than this?" Leshawna asked, holding up a fork with what seemed to be an old sausage that looked to be thirty or forty years old, looking at it in disgust. "We're in trouble," said Gwen. Chris then looks at some flashcards, calling out some of the campers' names. "Now for our first victims...Heather! Meet us all in the theater. It's sumo time." Hearing that from Chris mentioning sumos, caused Heather to spit out her coffee at Trent. "Gwen, you, me, the beach. A few tons of sand." Chris said, causing Gwen to gasp. "Wait. How did they know those were your worst fears?" Gwen facepalmed in shame and humiliation. "Because we told them." "At the campfire last night," Trent added as Lucy and Marinette patted Gwen's back in comfort. "Wait. They were listening to us?" "Looks that way," Lucy said with a slight shrug. "It's a reality show, Einstein. They're always listening to us." "That's like eavesdropping." "Chef Hatchet, didn't you have a special order for Tyler here today?" Chef nods and passes Tyler a deep-fried meal that is the shape of a chicken. As Tyler bites into it by the head in a bit of shaky fear, a real alive chicken's head pops out, causing Tyler to scream.
CONFESSIONAL: MARY-LOUKRITIA CORLEONE
"Normally, I should be worried about all of this, but since this is our challenge, which also means we have to win this or face elimination, I guess we're just gonna have to shove it down and conquer our fears. As a wise yet narcissistic teen actor, I think I remember being acquaintances with, once told me you can either be a champion or be a chicken. The choice is yours."
As Lucy was holding her fork, about to continue finishing her breakfast, Chris called out, "And don't forget, Lucy. When the rest are done, it will be your time to get Slap Happy." hearing that started to cause Lucy's left eye to twitch, her left hand break the fork she was holding in half, and cause the rest of the campers to look shocked at that and after Chris said the words that got her attention.
CONFESSIONAL: MARY-LOUKRITIA CORLEONE
"You know what, forget the champion part, J.C! I'd rather be a chicken than face the most terrifying mascot of all!" Lucy said, shaking in fear in her fetal position.
After a while, they start off the challenge with Beth with her fear. They all looked to see that it was a pool full of worms. They were all shocked and scared for her that Lucy held out a bucket for D.J., which, of course, he gratefully took and threw up, along with Owen fainting. All the while, Beth shrugged and went in. After a bit, Beth gets up with worms surrounding her, with a smile on her face. "And Beth sets the bar way up there!" Chris said, with every one of the Screaming Gophers cheering for her.
After a while of seeing Sadie and Lindsay wearing bad haircut wigs, Owen and Izzy on a plane, Leshawna facing a spider, which only turns out to be Chef in a spider costume, Heather facing a sumo wrestler, which earned the Screaming Gophers a point, and Bridgette is now being alone in the woods. "Bridgette began her six hours in solitude in the woods feeling pretty confident," Chris said in narration.
Then it was now Gwen's turn being buried alive in sand. As Chris was burying her in the sand, Lucy, Marinette, and Trent started talking to her, helping her conquer her fear. "There's enough air for an hour," Trent said, making Lucy nod. "You only need to do five minutes." "As long as we decide to dig you up," Chris said. "Not funny, Chris," said Gwen. "Sheesh! Take a pill." "We'll be listening the whole time," Marinette said, quickly handing Gwen a walkie-talkie that is connected to three other walkie-talkies she, Lucy, and Trent have. "Just yell to us if you panic and we'll dig you right up." "Goodbye, cruel world," said Gwen.
Marinette was then at the outdoor amphitheater with the rest of everyone else, watching D.J. face his fear of snakes. D.J. screams and backs up, flinching from the small snake as it blinks at him. "It blinked!" he screams. "It means she likes you," Sadie said. "It's the smallest snake ever, D.J.. Come on!" Courtney said. D.J. tries to protest until Marinette decides to help, as she now gets up and walks over to him. "Hey, D.J., it's okay. Here." Marinette helps him pick up the snake, which gets him to not be scared anymore and start bonding with it, and then earns the Killer Bass a point. "See? Fear is only in the mind." Courtney said. "Thanks, Marinette," D.J. said, looking grateful for Marinette as she nodded. "Of course. I'm always happy to help."
Meanwhile, back at the beach, Lucy and Trent were busy talking to Gwen via walkie-talkies. "Everything okay in there, Gwen? Only three more minutes to go." Lucy said. "And then you guys will dig me up, right?" Gwen asked. "Don't worry. We're not going anywhere. I promise." said Trent. "I need some kind of distraction. Tell me a story. Um, Trent, why do you hate mimes so much?" "You know, come to think of it, that's what I wanna know too," Lucy said, realizing that it was true why Trent hadn't said why he hated mimes. Trent sighs, "My mom took me to this carnival once when I was four so I could see the elephants." Trent began, "I was stoked. I was so busy watching them that I lost her for a minute. I called out, but when I turned, all I could see was this horrible white face with black lips pretending to be me." "Yikes," Lucy said. "I know. I screamed and tried to run, but every time I turned around, he was there, doing this creepy fake-run-and-scream routine." That was until Trent felt a tap on his shoulder. He turns his head as he and Lucy now see a real mime itself.
Trent then screams in fear and runs for his life, causing the mime to follow him. "And they're off," Lucy mumbles to herself. "Trent? Lucy, what happened?" Gwen asked in the walkie-talkie, "Um, apparently, the mime-y ghost of carnival's past just came back to haunt Trent for old-time's sake." Lucy said, feeling bad for Trent now facing his fear of mimes. "Man, Chris is sick to the head. But at least you and Marinette aren't facing your fears yet." "That's true. Not to worry, Gwen. I'm still here."
Meanwhile, back with the other campers, they watch as Trent is still being chased by the mime. "Just talk to him, bro, and ask him to go away," Chris said on the megaphone and then looked at his watch. "Okay, then, we've got two minutes before Gwen's done. Cody, you're up." Chris smirked as panic was written on Cody's face as he saw that he had to defuse a time bomb made out of garbage. "All right, Cody. This garbage bomb's going off in exactly ten minutes. Everything you need to know to defuse it is on these schematic blueprints." Chris said, holding a schematic blueprint. "What? No way! I can't do this." Cody said. "Then I suggest you find a safe place to hide, bro." Chris chuckled. "Later, dude." "Wait. You're not gonna watch?" "No way. That's a live bomb, dude!"
Back at the beach, Lucy talks to Gwen about the times she spent with her friends and family back from London as her timer of being buried alive is one minute and fourteen seconds and counting, while Trent is still dealing with his fear of mimes.
Meanwhile, with the rest of the campers, Marinette tries to help Duncan conquer his fear of a music standee of Celine Dion. "It's okay, Duncan. Just look at her. She's pretty, she's nice..." "Just one hug and you're done," Chris explained with a snap of his finger. "That--that looks really...real, man." "Dude, she's made of cardboard! Get in the game!" Tyler yelled. "Duncan, it's okay if you can't do it," Marinette said, holding Duncan's hand. "Fine, I'll try," said Duncan. "You can do this." "Okay. Okay." with that, Duncan ran and hugged the standee, causing the Killer Bass to cheer and earn them a point, along with Marinette happily cheering for him. "Duncan, you're awesome," she said.
Back at the beach, Trent quickly ran to the dock and immediately jumped into the water while the mime stopped in his tracks. Trent laughs triumphantly. "What's the matter, mime? Can't swim?" the mime then inhales deeply. "Stop! Your makeup will run." Saying that the mime finally left in defeat. "Take that, you makeup-wearing freak!" "Nicely done, Trent. Unfortunately, I don't think things are going quite so smoothly for our buddy Geoff." Chris said as he now controls a controlled hail cloud as it now hails on Geoff, causing him to scream in fear and run for his life. "Look. That cloud is following him." Lindsay said, pointing to the hail cloud as it is following Geoff's every move. "Aw, it's like his own baby cloud."
Marinette is now next to Lucy, and they look to see Geoff being chased by a hail cloud. "Huh, looks like Geoff was next." Lucy said to Gwen in the walkie-talkie. "There's hail up there?" Gwen asked, surprised. "No, it's just a small cloud and it's following his every move." Marinette explained. "Oh. I wonder how long Chris is going to have it follow him." "Who knows?" Chris and Trent watched as the hail cloud still followed Geoff. "Can you make the cloud go lower and pelt him harder?" Trent suggested. "You are one sick dude...but yeah." as Chris did, the hail pelts Geoff harder. "That's awesome." Trent then thinks of something. "Hey, do you ever feel like you've forgotten something?" he asked. "Sometimes. I usually ignore it and the feeling goes away." Chris said and then chuckled. "Watch this. I'm gonna bury him in hail." that was until it finally hit Trent. "Bury? Oh, no! Gwen! Lucy!" Trent then runs.
When he does, he sees Lucy and Marinette already digging Gwen up. "What took you so long?" Lucy asked, grabbing a shovel and tossing it to him. "Come on, Guitar Hero. Start digging, you dig?" as the three continue digging Gwen up, they all hear an explosion. "What was that?" Marinette asked. "If I had to guess," Chris said. "I'd say Cody just blew himself up." "Jeez, Cody really should've got his encouragement together. Which of course, he should've a while ago." Lucy said, unamused yet still digging. "You said it, sister." Chris agreed. After digging, Lucy and Marinette helped her up. "Gwen, you did it." Trent said. "Yeah, and a good thing you conquered yours too." she said as she gets up. "She's all right." Chris said. From the score, it is now Screaming Gophers 4 and Killer Bass 2. As for Owen and Izzy, they survived the plane flight and made it safely, earning them points, now making it Screaming Gophers 6 and Killer Bass 2.
CONFESSIONAL: BRIDGETTE
"Actually, I'd like to thank the producers for making me face my fear. I'm proud of myself. There's really nothing to be afraid of."
After Lindsay and Sadie made it through the whole day with the bad haircut mullets, they finally removed them, now making the points 7-3.
After that, they were all getting ready to watch Tyler face his fear. "All right, gang, we're in the ninth inning," Chris said. "Tyler, for your challenge, you need to get into this pen for three minutes with these chickens." There, Chris reveals a small box with a mother hen with two baby chicks. Lucy turns her head, holding her face. Marinette noticed. "Lucy, are you okay?" she asked. "I'm fine." Lucy says. "It's just that I'm a sucker for adorableness. I gotta turn away before I let my temptation get the best of me." Marinette understood and decided to help her by going on her phone and finding the perfect nostalgic video and series for Lucy to watch, HuntingxHunting. "Here. Maybe this will help." Lucy sighs in relief. "Thanks, Nettie." "Of course."
Marinette then turns to see Tyler still scared of chickens. "I'm not sure we're getting anywhere on this one," said Chris. "Tyler, this is the last challenge." Courtney said to Tyler. "Quit being such a coward. You have to do this, or we're going to lose." "Actually, if you do the math, you can't possibly win." Cody said. "The score's seven to three." "Not necessarily." Chris said. "We've got one more challenge set up." "Who? It can't be me." Courtney said. "But I didn't." "You didn't have to." Chris said, crossing his arms. "We're always watching you and your reactions." "Well, that is true. Sometimes your fears being revealed can't be from saying it, it can also be from reacting to somethings and or someone." Lucy said, confirming it, with Marinette nodding in agreement.
"I knew it," Lindsay said. "Didn't I tell you, you guys, they were eavesdropping?" "Who cares?" Courtney said. "It's not going to make a difference." "Let's make this interesting then. I'll give you triple points if you can complete it." With that, they all see that it was actually a pool filled with green gelatin, along with a high-diving board. "Well, with all due respect, and in all honesty, I'm not surprised what Courtney's fear really is this whole time," Lucy said nonchalantly, with Marinette nodding in agreement and crossing her arms. Duncan snickers. "You're afraid of jelly?" "Shut it! Only the green kind." Courtney finally admits. "It's like sugary, jiggly snot." "You can face your fear and dive straight into this pool of jelly or let your team lose yet another challenge," Chris explains to Courtney. Courtney looked scared until she thought of something. "But wait, what about those two?" she asked, pointing to Lucy and Marinette.
"Well, we were going to do them for last, but since we can't find an Akuma and take it from Paris, France to Muskoka, and find a psychopathic mascot from any other location he's semi-popular at, Lucy and Marinette are given automatic points." hearing that made Lucy sigh in relief while Marinette and the Screaming Gophers cheered since they have two points added in their score.
CONFESSIONAL: MARY-LOUKRITIA CORLEONE
"I'm glad that I don't have to face a Psycho Slappy in person. Sure, that may sound wrong and selfish, but in all honesty, I don't mind or care at all. I never even planned to face a real life psychopathic Slappy in person. And since I don't have to face one in person, I'm happy and intended to keep it that way." Lucy then smiles proudly and triumphantly at the camera. "I guess you were right, J.C. I am a champion after all."
After learning that the two are given automatic points since they can't get the two girls' fears, Courtney sighs in defeat and starts walking. "This is insane," she said. "I could seriously die doing this." Courtney then started climbing up the ladder. "Oh, that is just cruel," Gwen commented. "It's probably warm by now. Warm green jelly." "That could be possible. Besides, come to think of it, the temperature out here did go pretty high today." Marinette said, pulling the collar of her jacket. "I think I'm gonna change. This hoodie is already becoming a steam fest." Lucy said, walking off to the cabins. "I'm coming with you, Lucy." with that, Lucy and Marinette headed off to change clothes while the others continued to watch Courtney try to face her fear. "Do what you gotta do, you two. We'll let you know if Courtney makes it or not." Chris said, while watching Gwen still talk about how the green gelatin might be warm by now. "You're not going to make me quit." Courtney said to Gwen. "That's it. Keep climbing, C.I.T. Wannabe!" "She's just trying to psych you out!" as Courtney makes it to the top, she looks down, still looking in fear. "Like the princess and the hot-stuff said, Courtney, it's okay if you can't do it."
Duncan called out. "It is? But we'll lose," said Bridgette. "Yeah, but it's still true what Lucy and Marinette said. There's nothing to be ashamed of like not doing so." D.J. said. "Besides, they would've done the same if they faced their big fears." "Well, yeah, you're right about that," Bridgette said, knowing how the MetaBeta duo would be if they faced an Akuma and Slappy. Courtney then announced that she was now coming down, and the Killer Bass had their heads down, and the Screaming Gophers cheered triumphantly for their victory. "Then, there you have it," Chris announced. "The Gophers win invincibility this week...again."
It was now the evening, and the Killer Bass were now at the elimination ceremony, ready to see who was going to be voted off from the show. "There are only two marshmallows left on this plate," Chris says to Bridgette, Courtney, and Tyler. "The three of you did not complete your challenges today. One of you is going home tonight and cannot return...ever. The next name I'm gonna call...is...Bridgette. The final marshmallow of the night goes to...Courtney." "You'll get that chicken next time, dude." Duncan said to Tyler. "Looks like a new "Pecking Order" has been established here." Chris said. "It's not like he can cry foul." said Duncan. "Time for Tyler to "Fly the Coop."" Geoff added. "He won't be "flying high" tonight." Bridgette added. "Okay. That's enough." Courtney says.
Edited in: Sunday, April 14, 2024