“Last time,” Pinkie Pie screamed into the atmosphere, “On Withstander: Corvidae Islands! The puzzle challenge happened, and Twilight won it for CMTR. Jambalaya were forced to vote somepony off, but it was an easy decision, with Butterscotch being kicked out of the game never to be seen again. Only nine are left! Who will be deemed unnecessary this two days on Withstander: Corvidae Islands?!”

“So I have smarts...” Twilight said.

“Yes,” Rainbow said.

“You have speed/strength-type stuff...”

“Uh-huh.”

“Apple Bloom has been good with camp stuff recently...”

“Yeah?”

“And Rarity is...”

“Yeah?”

“Prepared to... um... well, she really has no special skills that are useful when you’re stranded on an island.”

“Well, easy vote if we lose.”

“Yep.”

“Everything’s been much quieter since we lost Butterscotch,” Lyra said.

“Quite,” Octavia said. “I’ll admit, I like it better without her.”

“That’s not something you have to ‘admit’.”

“Well, Butterscotch has emotions just like the rest of us.”

“Why do you have to be so respectful of everypony? Faust.”

“Everything’s been much less annoying since we lost Butterscotch,” Big Mac said.

“Yup,” Applejack said. “Ah lahke the place better without ‘er.”

“Eeyup.”

Camerapony #3 laid down in the attempt at a shelter.

“foreveralone.jpg,” she said.

“Welcome, withstanders,” Pinkie said, “To the mandatory eating disgusting food challenge! How it works is, each member of your team will be presented with food, and if even one of your team members eats it, you get a run! First to three wins! Jambalaya, who are you sitting out?”

Jambalaya huddled.

“Camerapony #3,” Applejack said.

“Okay! We’ll ‘draw’ for spots, then we’ll get started!”

It wasn’t actually random, of course.

“Unlid your dishes!” Pinkie said. The contestants all took whatever silver service lids are called off their plates.

“First item!” Pinkie said. “Brussels sprouts!”

Applejack and Big Mac turned to Octavia and Lyra.

“We never eat these,” Octavia said.

“Do I have to touch it with my hooves?” Rarity said.

“No,” Apple Bloom said. “Ya got magic.”

“Right....” Rarity magicked the brussels sprout into her mouth and ate it.

“CMTR get the first run!”

“Unlid your dishes!”

They did.

“Soy sausage! It’s completely vegetarian, but still somewhat unsettling for herbivores!”

Apple Bloom and Applejack were looked at by the rest of their respective teams.

“Ahkay,” Applejack said. “Ah can do this.” She picked up the sausage and ate it successfully.

“Jambalaya get the second run!”

“Unlid your dishes!”

They did, then “eww”s ensued.

“Plain milk!” Pinkie said.

“This is objectionable!” Rarity said.

“This ain’t raht,” Apple Bloom said.

Twilight and Rainbow looked :/ly at the glasses of milk.

“Octavia?” Lyra said. “Why are you smiling? What’s wrong?”

Octavia took the milk in one sip and put the glass down shot glass-style.

“Ja—did you just down that entire glass in one drinking?” Pinkie said.

“Yes,” Octavia said. “I happen to like plain milk.”

“What kinda sicko are you?”

“Is it wrong to like plain milk?”

Pinkie looked at the other contestants. “Is this just me?”

They shook their heads.

“That’s what I thought. Jambalaya win the run, so it’s them at two and CMTR at one.”

“Unlid your dishes!”

The drill, then interjections of disgust.

“Two litres of aerosol cheese!”

Octavia put a hoof over her mouth.

“Are you okay, Octavia?” Lyra said. Octavia looked at her and nodded, keeping the hoof on her mouth.

“Well...” Apple Bloom said, “It ain’t much worse than the food at school.” She breathed in and slowly ate, using her hooves, all two litres of the cheese whilst all the contestants and Pinkie watched in horror.

“Wow, Apple Bloom,” Pinkie said. “It’s two–two now. Down to the final round!”

“You’ve done this four times before, you understand what to do now.”

Indeed they did.

“The brown chips from Chex Mix!”

“We ain’t Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom said.

“Can you do this, Rainbow?” Twilight said.

“I wish I could,” Rainbow said, shaking her head slightly.

“I’m not a fan,” Lyra said.

“I’m sorry,” Octavia said, “But I can’t do this.”

Applejack looked at Big Mac.

“It’s all on you, buddy,” Applejack said. She patted his back a couple times.

Big Mac shrugged, took the bowl in his hooves, and drank the chips down.

“Jambalaya win rice, water, and invulnerability!” Pinkie said. Jambalaya generically cheered.

Apple Bloom was watching some rice when Rarity walked up to her.

“Hello, Apple Bloom.”

“Hey, Rarity.”

“I’ve noticed that Twilight and Rainbow Dash have been scheming together a lot....”

“Yeah. So?”

“So they obviously have some sort of alliance. And we were the only ones who helped in that challenge. If we teamed together, we could at least tie them.”

“Well, who should we vote off?”

“I’m not sure... I’m thinking Twilight will be more useful, seeing as she’s smarter and better with camp-related things. Of course, Rainbow Dash has physical skills, so they would both be a threat in challenges, but I would ponially keep Twilight for the camp work she actually does....”

“So we’re votin’ off Rainbow, then.”

“That’s my initial instinct, yes....”

“Then Ah’ll do that. Come back ta me if you change your mahnd.”

“I will.”

“Welcome to Teamal Council,” Pinkie said. “There are only four of you left. And only three of you will leave here with your lives. Twilight, what do you think is the most important thing for a pony to have for their team?”

“Definitely intelligence is the most important trait,” Twilight said.

“I see. Rainbow, what’s your opinion?”

“I think speed and precision and sportsy stuff is most important.”

“Apple Bloom?”

“Ah think it’s important ta have a little ah everythin’. Ponies should be judged bah their worst trait, not their best.”

“And Rarity?”

“I agree with Twilight, being intelligent is the most important thing.”

“I see. Well, it’s time to vote. Apple Bloom, you’re first.”

Voting ensued, and Twilight came back from Voting Path to the main part of Teamal Council.

“I’ll tally the votes,” Pinkie claimed. She retrieved the votes and brought them back. “The pony with the most votes gets kicked out. If there’s a tie, whoever can light the other’s mane on fire first gets to stay.” She took the lid off the vote container.

“First vote: Rarity.”

“Obviously Rainbow Dash’s vote,” Rarity thought.

“Second vote: Rainbow.”

“Rarity,” Rainbow thought, unworried.

“Third vote: Rarity.”

“Okay,” Rarity thought, “That was Twilight. I still have Apple Bloom.”

“That’s two votes Rarity, one vote Rainbow.”

“We can count,” Rainbow said.

“Sure you can,” Pinkie said. “Fourth pony voted off Withstander: Corvidae Islands—”

“What?!” Rarity stood up.

“—Rarity.”

“Apple Bloom?” Rarity said with great disbelief, looking down at Apple Bloom.

“Rarity, come over here,” Pinkie said. She did. “Rarity, all your friends hate you.”

She took a look back at Apple Bloom and left for Sequestria.

“Well, it took three Teamal Councils,” Pinkie said, “But you finally voted off Rarity. Good night.”

“Okay, I didn’t expect to have Twilight’s vote, but I honestly thought I had Apple Bloom’s. She seemed so on board with the plan. And how does she expect to win now? I explicitly explained to her that they have an alliance. It was her only reasonable option if she wanted a chance at victory. I really have no idea where her logic was coming from, but that’s what happens when you pick the wrong allies, I guess.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 131: 2012-08-08 Estimated time remaining: 9 Hours, 5 Minutes