Alternate Battle for Dream Island

ABFDI 7c: Mysteries that are Puzzling

"Hiya, pals!"

Leafy had assembled the rest of the Grapes for a little meeting before the Battle for Dream Island inevitably took all the free time they had, having felt a little bit inspired from watching the Cherries do the same. "So glad all you guys could come around so we can all spend time together." "Well, it is, like, pretty nice." Match remarked. "Yeah!" Ice Cube agreed. "But, like, what did you want all of us here for?" Match continued. "Well, I just thought we could all share our feelings and such!" Leafy replied. "You know, it's been a while since we've had a little peaceful moment like this; this whole competition has taken away so much from us so quickly, started having us turn against each other, made us do anything and everything we can to win..." She'd trail off; the leaf started to go red, trembling ever so slightly. After a few seconds, however, she'd shake her head and snap right out of it. "So I thought we just needed this, ya know? Take some time to cool off and tell someone how they feel!"

Leafy took a breath to photosynthesize before continuing. "Personally, I've been feeling kinda troubled because of all this fighting; being a team leader is pretty hard work, and though we've managed to stay afloat despite our ups and downs, it still stresses me out." She'd pause. "I mean, our losing streak at the start? Definitely wasn't a good sign." "Mhm." Match nodded in agreement. "That was, like, *totally* not good. I stayed up at night a lot thinking, like, I could get eliminated next." "Well, the great thing is that you didn't!" Leafy exclaimed. "And you get to keep on enjoying life with the rest of us! What's also great is the fact that I got to spend all this time with you guys; I was uncertain about everything at first, but now I can't possibly see myself with anyone else! You guys are the best team anyone could ever ask for!" Ice Cube couldn't help but smile in response.

"Hey, Match, since you were the last to speak up, why don't you go next?" Leafy asked. "Oh, uh..." Match scratched her head. "I mean, I don't really know what to, like, say. Everything's mostly been the same despite, like, everything." "Ah, c'mon!" Leafy replied. "Surely there's *something* you can talk about, right? Every day is a new adventure!" The matchstick sighed. "I suppose there *is*, like, something that bothers me." "Tell us!" Leafy grew more interested by the second. "I'm sure whatever it is, we can work past it!" Match sighed, frowning. "I don't, like, think so." She'd remark. "I think I told you about it before: me and Pence-Pence, we've been in, like, opposite teams for so long; in fact, I think we've been that way even before, like, this whole competition." She'd anxiously glance around, making sure she wasn't around. "I tried keeping those feelings to myself, thinking that, like, we could patch it up like we always did. But now we've been separated for so long that, like... I'm starting to think..." Leafy frowned. "I'm sure you guys can get over it." She replied. "From what I remember, you guys were falling out over you wanting to be friends with others, right? Well, now she's the leader of her own team; it's only inevitable that she'll realize what you meant. You two will get back together in no time!" Match thought about it. "Hm. Maybe you're, like, right."

"What about you, Icy?" Leafy pointed at the Ice Cube in question. "What's going on inside that cool little head of yours? Haven't really heard you talk much, so now's the perfect opportunity!" The block of ice grumbled for a moment. "I want revenge!" She'd exclaim. "Like, she's often like that." Match remarked. "She only ever speaks up when she, like, wants to." "Well, I mean, you can *totally* trust me!" Leafy turned back to Ice Cube. "We're teammates- no, more than that! We're friends! We're good friends that won't ever, ever, *ever* betray each other!" Match raised an eyebrow. "Why'd you have to, like, specify-" "Whatever it is, we'll help you!" Leafy continued on. After a bit more nudging, Ice Cube would finally answer. "I want to be listened to!" "Yeah." Match nodded in agreement. "She, like, talked about that to me; she thinks that because she has, like, no arms, that everyone else thinks of her as being, like, weaker. Or something." "Well, of course not!" Leafy approached to give Ice Cube a hug, only to immediately back out of that after feeling just how cold she was. "You're just as valuable of a member of the team as the rest of us, arms or not! After all, it doesn't matter what you have, it's how you're able to make use of it!" She'd give her a smile as genuine as she could make it. "Just tell us what's in your mind, and we'll listen, alright?" Ice Cube was still reluctant, however.

"TD, you still wanna stay silent?" Leafy asked Teardrop, who'd respond with nothing but a thousand-yard stare; not even a light shake to signify no. "Alright. I won't mind; Pen, what about you?" "Uh..." The writing utensil had remained silent all this time, hoping he'd get skipped. But now that the spotlight was on him... he supposed that it couldn't hurt to ask. "You guys don't think I'm weird, do you?" "Huh?" Leafy seemed baffled by that query. "Of course not!" "Yeah, you're just as normal as, like, the rest of us." Match added. "I may have had, like, some worries since you were friends with Blocky and his pals, but now that you've, like, stuck around, I've started to see your worth." "Why'd you even ask that?" Leafy asked. "Well..." Pen grumbled. "It's just that I heard people say that I've changed, seemingly for the worse; first from the other teams, then Eraser..." Leafy sighed. "Yeah, I think I recall." She'd scoff. "What do they know, though? They haven't seen the real you; but we have!" "That's somewhat reassuring." Pen remarked. "But still, after hearing it for so long... I'm starting to think that they're right; maybe I *have* been stepping out of line." "Nonsense!" Leafy exclaimed. "You're doing just fine; who cares what anybody else thinks?" "Well..." Pen looked down on the ground. "Lately, whenever I've had time for myself..." He'd sigh. "I dunno if it *is* genuine, or if it's their talk getting to me, but-"

"People, gather around." The Announcer suddenly turned up. "It's time for the next contest." "Hey! Like, Speaker Thing?" Match quickly went up to him. "Where's our prizes? I just remember that you didn't, like, give us any last time." "What prizes?" The speaker box fired back. "You know, like, the bonus stuff we get for being first." Match answered. "I very much remember giving you all your Win Tokens." The box replied. "Now, the eighth contest is-" "I know, silly." The matchstick replied. "I meant, like, the additional stuff." "I don't recall." The Announcer played dumb. "Aw, c'mon!" Leafy intervened. "I'm sure you know; you're a pretty smart speaker box, aren't you?" "Alright, sheesh." The metal machine replied. "I'll give you a prize." Match and Ice Cube celebrated; Teardrop... not so much. "Your prize is in that room." The machine thingy then turned to the room in question, which had spontaneously appeared behind him. "Go inside; everyone else, go in as well."

With nothing else to do, the contestants went inside. As soon as everyone was fully within the premises, the door would suddenly slam itself shut. "Woah!" Firey exclaimed. "Did anybody else feel a breeze?" Pin would turn around and try to open the door, but to no avail. "It's stuck!" She'd shout. "Haha, I tricked you." The Announcer announced. "Now you are trapped in this room; there is no way out." "Oh noio!" Bubble exclaimed. "Does that mean we'll starve to death in here?" "We'll find out after the break."

The speaker box then suddenly disappears, causing everyone to start panicking and screaming. "I knew it!" Eraser shouted. "That speaker box is going to kill us all!" He'd run up to Pen. "Listen, bud; while I was in the TLC, I had some time to think about this whole competition thing. Realized it was *totally* not worth it, especially if what I went through is what happened to everyone that got the boot." Pen raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what *did* you go through, exactly?" Eraser kept on going, though; apparently erasers don't have ears, either. "So, me and the rest of the boys came up with a plan to get us all out of here, to take our lives back. Here's what we gotta do-"

"I'm back." The Announcer announced. "And stop talking about escaping; everyone, calm down. There is a way out of here." "Liar, liar, pants ablaze!" Pencil folded her arms. "No, Pence-Pence. It's true." The speaker box replied; he was then on the receiving end of a slap from Match. "Only *I* call her Pence-Pence." Pencil then looked at her, confused.

"Hey guys! Look!" Leafy exclaimed. "To pass the time, we could try to finish these jigsaw puzzles on the floor!" "That is exactly what the eighth contest is." The Announcer announced. "If your team completes your team's jigsaw puzzle, the doors will detect it and let you free; until then, you are trapped. The fastest team wins a Win Token. Now go." "Alright, *seriously*." Match interrupted. "Where's our, like, prize?" "Oh, you still remembered?" The speaker box asked. "I am genuinely surprised." Match then slapped him again. "Okay, fine. You get to keep one of the puzzles each after the contest is over. Now, seriously, go."

"This should be easy!" Tennis Ball exclaimed. "Only nine pieces? This'll be a piece of cake!" "A piece of Cake at Stake, am I right?" Firey joked. "Hyuk hyuk!"

"Alright, guys!" Leafy gathered all the Grapes together again. "Let's get to solving it!" She'd then pick up a piece, becoming thoroughly confused. "Huh? These pieces are all brown!" "That, like, can't be right." Match remarked. "But I guess that's for the sake of, like, added difficulty. Let's just start joining them together randomly; there's only so many ways they can, like, be arranged, after all."

"Alright, you guys!" Coiny shouted to try and get everyone else's attention. "As *the* team leader, I'll demonstrate my position by solving the puzzle on my own; you guys can have a break, as a show of my generosity." "You? The team leader?" Pencil scoffed. "I'm pretty sure *I* was the one that won our little challenge." "Like I said, it doesn't count!" Coiny shouted. "You caught me completely off-guard! It's not fair!" Pencil folded her arms. "And how *will* it be fair? Once you've won?" She'd sigh and pick up one of the pieces. "Stop bothering us, and just get to solving it." "I was *just* getting to that!" Coiny swiped the puzzle piece from her. "Hey!" Pencil took it back immediately afterwards. "That's my piece; get your own!" "*Our* piece, you mean." Coiny exclaimed. "We're on the same team!" "You wish!" Pencil and the coin creature then started a game of tug-of-war over the piece, repeatedly pulling on it until it can no longer take the strain, causing it to rip in half. "Uh oh!" They'd both shout at the same time. "Thanks a lot, you guys!" Flower sarcastically remarked. "You guys are *really* great team leaders!" "Let's see *you* do it, then." Pencil remarked.

With Tennis Ball's brains, the Squishy Cherries were able to easily solve their puzzles, regardless of whether or not they got brown pieces. They'd quickly make their way over to the exit, where they'd be given exactly *one* Win Token. "Just one?" Pin raised an eyebrow. "I thought we'd all get one each. No matter; since I'm the team leader, I'll obviously be getting this one." Tennis Ball cleared his throat. "I, uh, didn't I solve the puzzle for us? I should get it." "You already have one." Pin explained. "So do you!" Tennis Ball replied; Pin sighed. "Alright, alright. Let's give it to Firey; he's a good member of our team, and he doesn't have one yet." "Hmph!" Spongy tried to protest, but it almost fell on deaf ears. Almost. "We're giving it to Spongy." Tennis Ball would take the Win Token from Pin and hand it over to the big sponge. "He's been through a lot, he deserves it." Pin shook her head. "Fine." "Yay!" Spongy exclaimed; with that, they'd finally leave the room.

"I'm taking that!" Match would quickly make her way over to the completed puzzle of the Cherries. "And would you look at that; it's, like, already completed!" She'd make her way over to the exit, which would remain open for her. "Hey, hey!" She'd then turn to the rest of her team. "Guys, look! The door's, like, open for us to go through; Icy, TD, go get your puzzles and let's, like, get out of here!" "Yeah!" Ice Cube cheered. "Wow, how convenient!" Leafy remarked. "Let's go, everyone!" "Hang on! But..." Pen tried to get their attention, having spent the past while looking at *both* sides of a puzzle piece, but eventually joined them in their escape.

"Huh?" Coiny briefly looked up from the Namer's petty squabbles. "You guys! While we were out here complaining, the other teams already completed their puzzles!" "Indeed, they have." The Announcer appeared. "That means that one of you will be eliminated. "That can't be right!" Pencil exclaimed. "I was keeping an eye on the Grapes; they hadn't even gotten two pieces together?" "*WHAT*?" Eraser was shocked. "What *GIVES*?" "Oh, oops." The speaker box interjected. "I completely forgot that I gave them the puzzles as a prize; that means they technically have completed their puzzle." "And *why* did you do that?" Pencil asked. "Oh well. It's too late now." The machine concluded.