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Day 1
"Genie," Aladdin queried, trying not to sound as annoyed as he was, "tell me again why you're leaving us here?"
"What I want to know is why we're stuck in this dumb boat at all," grumbled Akima, shifting in the tiny boat so she wasn't sitting on Shang's cape.
"I told you guys," the Genie said. He took on the persona of an annoyingly sunny game show host. "You're gonna spend ten days on this island getting to know each other. Why? ‘Cause your adoring fans love you!"
"If they love us, then why are they sticking us on a deserted island?" Elisa wanted to know. The Genie ignored her.
"They're all yours, Triton," he said, and vanished. The ten castaways looked around in confusion for a moment, and then King Triton rose to the surface.
"Your first task," he said, giving them no time to recover from the surprise of his appearance, "is to get to the island and establish yourselves. Tonight, one of you will be voted off. Good luck." And he was gone.
The castaways looked at each other. No one said anything for awhile. At last, Shang broke the silence. "Some of us are going to have to swim," he announced. He looked around and saw that he had everyone's attention—for the moment, anyway. "Tarzan," he said sharply, pointing. "You, Aladdin, him," he added, jerking his head stiffly in Shan Yu's direction, "and I will swim." He glanced at Miguel, who smiled innocently back, lute in hand. Shang smirked and lifted an eyebrow. "You swim, too, if you think you can make it. We'll let the women stay in the boat."
"Shang!" He turned to see Mulan looking at him in hurt surprise, and suddenly realized that all the women were scowling at him. Pocahontas didn't say a word, but met Shang's eyes defiantly, stood up, and dove into the water. A moment later, Mulan and San followed her.
A scoffing laugh made Shang turn. Shan Yu was smirking at him. "So much for your Chinese honor, little soldier," he grinned. "You can't even control your own woman. How do expect to get the rest of them to follow your orders?" The snide grin never left the Hun general's face as he spoke.
Shang glared at him but didn't say anything. "Come on," he said to Tarzan and Aladdin. He stripped off his cape and shirt, leaving them in the boat, and dove into the water. Tarzan looked at Aladdin, shrugged, and followed Shang.
The others blinked at each other in surprise. At last Akima let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, some of us have to stay with the boat. Half of us are already in the water. Anyone else wanna take a dip?" No one said anything. "Then let's row." She picked up two oars off the boat floor, shoved one Aladdin's hands, and took up the other one herself. Slowly, the boat started moving toward the island.
"Ooof! Some help would be nice," Akima snarled as she, and Aladdin struggled to haul the boat up to drier ground. Miguel set down his lute and walked over to them, trying—not very successfully—to lend a hand. Elisa watched uncertainly, trying to figure how to be of use. At last Shan Yu strode over and joined in, making the job much easier.
"There," Akima said decidedly as they settled the boat well out of the water's reach. "Now what?" She looked around at the others.
"I think we should try and find everyone else," Aladdin said. Akima and Elisa nodded. Shan Yu smirked, which Aladdin took to mean that he agreed, as well. Everyone looked at Miguel, who had picked up his lute again and begun to strum it.
"Are you coming, guitar-boy?"
Miguel glanced up in surprise at Akima. "Oh. Right. Right behind you." Miguel rejoined the group, still holding his lute.
Akima glanced at him with irritation but didn't say anything. "That'd make good firewood," Shan Yu murmured as he started to lead the others down the trail he'd picked out. Miguel either didn't hear him or pretended not to.
When they found the others, they were just beginning to set up camp along a stream that flowed through the forest clearing they'd chosen as a campsite. Pocahontas and Shang stood in the stream, looking tired but determined, attempting to catch fish. Mulan was helping Tarzan put together a small hut not far off. San was nowhere to be seen. They, too, looked wet, tired, and less-than-chipper.
"Where'd San go?" Aladdin asked as he joined Mulan and Tarzan.
Mulan shrugged. "She took off into the forest. I'm assuming explore, hopefully to look for food, too. I'm sure she can take care of herself."
Akima turned to Shan Yu. "Help me start a fire?" She made it a question, knowing better than to try and order him around. He gave a brisk nod and they moved to the outskirts of the clearing to collect wood. As she went, Akima threw an annoyed glance at Elisa and Miguel, who were surveying the scene, trying to figure out how to be helpful.
"San! Great, could you give us a hand?" Aladdin hailed the girl with a friendly wave as she emerged from the woods. He, Mulan, and Tarzan were finishing a second hut. San looked up sharply and stared at Aladdin for a moment, then narrowed her eyes in a hostile glare, spat, and walked away. The three hut-builders looked at each other, shrugged, and went back to work.
San approached Akima and Shan Yu, who were still struggling to build a fire. She pushed Akima out of the way and glanced up at Shan Yu. Her look clearly said, I think we understand each other. "Let me handle this," she muttered. Amazingly, Shan Yu yielded to her. In a few minutes, San had gotten a fire started.
It was late, and getting cold. As the flames grew and everyone finished up what they'd been doing, they gathered around the fire. Miguel started to play a relaxing Spanish melody, and as thy leaned back and rested for the first time that day, all of the castaways, even Akima, admitted to themselves that it was nice to have the soothing music. Shang and Pocahontas were the last to join the group, bringing the few fish they'd spent the afternoon trying to catch.
"Not much food," Shan Yu observed, glancing at Shang. The Chinese soldier ignored the provoke.
"There's only enough food for nine of us to eat comfortably," he said, looking around seriously. "I think we should take a vote as to who leaves the island before we eat."
The others nodded in agreement, but everyone looked at everyone else, waiting for someone to figure out how to go about the voting process. Suddenly the Genie appeared again.
"Okay, great! You guys got through your first day. Time to vote!"
To tired for his antics, all ten castaways looked up at him with irritation.
Using his magic, the Genie produced a small voting booth. "Okay, who's first?" he asked as he pointed the way with great flourish. Shang looked around at the others, pulled himself to his feet, and went in. When he came out, Shan Yu went in to vote, then Aladdin. Akima voted next, followed by Mulan, Pocahontas, and Elisa. Then Miguel voted, and Tarzan after him. At last, casting one more suspicious glance all around, San went into the voting booth.
The Genie waved his hands again and the booth vanished. He held the ballots in his hands. He held them up one by one for everyone to see. When it was finished, Elisa got to her feet, looking disappointed but a little relieved, and the Genie escorted her down the path to where Triton and his people waited to take her off the island.
As Elisa and the Genie vanished into the forest, everyone looked at each other a long moment in silence. Shan Yu broke it. "Well, that's that. Let's eat."
His words broke the mood, and they settled in for their first evening on the island.Day 2 "Morning!"
"Mmpf." Mulan rolled over and found herself looking at Miguel, who wore a cheery smile. "You are way to perky for as early as it has to be," she informed him groggily. On the other side of her, Shang sat up.
"Come on," he said, giving her an affectionate shove. "Time to get up." He got up and went out of the hut, followed by Miguel.
Mulan stretched, got to her feet, and started after Shang and Miguel. "Oof!"
"Oops." She glanced down. "Sorry, Tarzan. Come on, though, it's time to get up, anyway." She went out, and Tarzan followed her a few minutes later.
Akima and Shan Yu were cooking breakfast—more fish—over a small fire. "Where'd these come from?" Shang wanted to know.
Shan Yu looked at him. "We caught them. You're not the only one who can fish, little soldier."
Shang lifted an eyebrow, but only shrugged. "Fine. Great. Let's eat."
Akima looked from Shan Yu to Shang and back again, then met Mulan's eye questioningly. Mulan shrugged and made a helpless gesture. Her meaning was clear. Men. Akima gave an understanding half-smile.
Aladdin emerged from the forest carrying more firewood. "Good morning!"
"Morning!" Tarzan returned cheerfully. Miguel smiled and moved to help Aladdin with his load of wood. No one else said anything, although Mulan and Shang both shot Aladdin appreciative glances.
Suddenly Pocahontas and San emerged from the forest, each rolling a large boulder in front of her. "What are those for?" Akima asked.
"Seats," Pocahontas told her. "Tables. Whatever."
"You people need to learn how to make use of the forest without destroying it," San put in. Everyone looked at her in surprise. It was the first time most of them had heard her speak.
"Fish is done," Akima announced. "Eat up, everyone. I don't think we'll be able to fit in lunch. Next meal is dinner."
No one argued. They ate quickly with little conversation.
Tarzan was the first to stand up when the meal was finished. "I'm going for more food," he told them as he strode into the woods.
A few minutes later, San took a different path into the woods, not saying where she was going. A few eyebrows went up as the others' eyes followed her.
Shan Yu shrugged. "At least she helps out," he said, getting up. "I'm going for food, too." A moment later, he was gone, as well.
Mulan stood up and looked at Shang. "Come on," she said. "We can gather firewood."
Akima got to her feet. "I'll come, too," she said, and the three of them set out.
The remaining three castaways sat in silence awhile longer. "I'm going for a swim," Pocahontas said at last. "Come find me if you need anything." She got up and headed downstream and out of sight.
Miguel and Aladdin looked at each other. Aladdin sighed. "Well, if anyone needs anything, they know where to find us." He looked over at the two shelters. "I guess we could work on those some more…"
Miguel stood up. "You can if you want to. I'd rather look around. You know, explore. Be adventurous." He went into one of the huts and came out with his lute. "Hasta luego."
Once Miguel was gone, Aladdin heaved a sigh and set to work making minor repairs and additions to the shelters. The day was off to a start, anyway.
Mulan, Akima, and Shang gathered firewood until around noon, accumulating a pile that would hopefully last another eight-and-a-half days. As he dumped one last armful onto the pile, Shang glanced up at Aladdin, who was struggling to tie down a couple of beams. He tried all morning, but hadn't made much progress on the huts. "What some help?" Shang offered.
Aladdin glanced at him and nodded gratefully. Shang strode over and helped him tie down the branches. Akima and Mulan looked at each other and smiled. "Let's see if we can get the fire started again," Mulan said amiably. She jerked her head toward the fire circle, where the fire from that morning was all but dead. Akima nodded, and they set to work.
Tarzan and San came back together about an hour later. Each of them carried a handmade spear and dragged a hand-woven basket fully of wild fruit behind them. Pocahontas returned from her swim sometime after that. She'd been productive as well, and carried five fish with her.
Miguel was the next to return. He hadn't done much but wander, although he was able to answer Shang's sharp questions about the surrounding forest and give the more knowledgeable members of the group a better idea of the terrain.
Shan Yu came back just as the sun was setting and threw a dead boar down by the fire. San glanced up at him with incredulous disgust. He shrugged. "It's meat, isn't it?" San responded to that by glaring at him and spitting at his feet, but everyone else seemed happy about Shan Yu's success. Meat that wasn't fish!
All in all, it had been a successful day. As the group prepared dinner, Miguel played a cheerful tune that made everyone, even San, smile a little. A few quiet but pleasant conversations added to the tentatively comfortable atmosphere that had miraculously pervaded the campsite.
"Well," said Shang quietly as they finished preparing dinner, "should we vote before we eat?"
At a few wordless nods, the Genie appeared, just as he had the night before. "Ready, guys?"
The castaways nodded. The brief peacefulness was gone; the tension was tangible as they went into the voting booth one by one.
"Miguel," the Genie announced after the votes had been counted.
Miguel offered a faint smile and half-hearted wave all around and stood up. He picked up his lute and followed the Genie down the trail that led to the beach.
Dinner that evening was eaten in silence.Day 3 "Aaah!"
"Oh, for God's sake," Akima muttered as she sat up. The early morning light filtered through the roof of branches above her, and the commotion outside was growing more involved. "What is it now?" she grumbled as she crawled out of the hut to find out.
She saw immediately what it was, and scrambled to her feet in alarm. San was standing in the middle of the clearing, scowling at Shan Yu and Shang, who were both brandishing weapons. Behind her crouched a snarling black panther.
"What's going on here?" Akima demanded, but no one heard her. Shan Yu and Shang were both yelling at San to get out of the way, and Tarzan and Mulan were yelling at them to sit down and listen to San, who was angrily informing the two soldiers that they were barbarians.
"CALM DOWN!"
Everyone turned and blinked in surprise at Pocahontas, who was standing outside the second hut with her hands on her hips, glaring at the group in general. She strode over to Shang, grabbed the sword from his hands and threw it on the ground.
"Why don't you listen to what San has to say?" she suggested angrily, meeting Shang defiantly eye for eye.
Shang narrowed his eyes and scowled at her, but turned and walked over to sit next to Mulan. Akima sidled over to the group and took a seat near Aladdin. Shan Yu reluctantly lowered his sword as well and gave San a look that said he was trying very hard to be rational and listen to whatever it was she had to say.
San turned and crouched in front of the panther, who quit snarling and crept closer to her. After a few minutes the panther turned around and disappeared into the trees. San stood up and faced the others, scowling at them in disapproval and dislike.
"What…?" Shang was staring at San in awe. Most of the others looked equally surprised, save Pocahontas and Tarzan, who wore knowing half-smiles and looked on San with new respect.
San shrugged. "She has young nearby. She got worried when we arrived, so she came to see if we were dangerous." She glowered at Shang and Shan Yu. "I can't say that you two gave her a very good impression. But she's promised not to come back if we stay away from her den."
"But…" Shang started. Mulan stopped him with a hand on his arm.
"Leave it, Shang." She looked up at him reproachfully.
He sighed and shook his head, but didn't say anything else.
Later, Pocahontas sat on the ground next to a boulder, calmly cutting leftover meat from the night before into strips and laying them out on the rock to dry. Mulan and Akima were nearby in the stream, fishing. Shang sat a short distance off on a fallen log, looking into the distance thoughtfully.
"This really isn't so bad," Mulan said suddenly.
"No," Akima agreed. "I'm actually starting to get used to it. Not that I'd want to live like this forever," she added hastily.
They paused to share a quick smile, then got back to work as a comfortable silence resumed.
"Do you need some help?" Pocahontas asked a few minutes later as she wandered over. She jerked her head back toward where the meat lay spread out on the rocks. "I'm finished over there."
Akima glanced up with a smile and a quick nod. "Sure."
Pocahontas smiled back and knelt down to join them.
"Um, guys?" Aladdin, who had been watching the fire to make sure it didn't go out, was staring at a spot along the outskirts of the clearing. Everyone else glanced at him, then followed his eyes.
"What the…" Akima stared in shock at the shaggy black bear that had emerged from the bushes.
Pocahontas slowly rose where she was, watching the bear solemnly.
"It's okay!" They all started as Tarzan's voice came from somewhere beyond the bushes. A moment later he stepped into view, coming to stand beside the bear. He was smiling eagerly at them
"It's okay," Tarzan repeated. "He's curious. Like the panther was. San and I have been exploring. We thought we'd look for other animals and explain everything to them…"
"Before something ridiculous like this morning happened again," San finished, stepping out of the bushes as well. She had a large green snake around her neck and two wild dogs at her side.
Akima was the first to break the stunned silence, letting out an immensely relieved laugh. "Guys," she said, offering San and Tarzan a grin, "you're amazing. Insane, but amazing."
Laughter rippled tentatively through the group. Tarzan and San nodded to their animal friends, assuring them that everything was safe, and the creatures vanished into the forest.
Shan Yu came back at dusk carrying a rabbit. "Dinner," he informed everyone, tossing it down by the fire. Akima glanced up.
"You killed it, you clean it," she informed him. "And then, if you ask me nicely, I might cook it."
Shan Yu snorted, but he picked up the rabbit and his knife and walked over to the stream to clean it.
It was dark by the time they were ready to eat. "Well?" Shan Yu said as they gathered around the fire. "Do we vote first or eat first?"
"Vote, of course!" boomed the Genie enthusiastically from above them, where he had materialized a second earlier.
"Ugh," muttered Akima, rolling her eyes in annoyance. Everyone else looked similarly irritated by the Genie's energetic antics.
Once the voting was finished, the Genie looked up from the ballots in surprise. "Al, buddy," he said, "you're up."
Aladdin gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, got up and went with the Genie. After a brief silence, Akima sighed. "Let's eat, then." She dished out the fish and rabbit meat and everyone dug in, eating in comfortable quiet by firelight.Day 4 "Mmm? What was that?" Mulan rolled over, squinting into the darkness. In the hut around her, Shang, Pocahontas, and Tarzan were sitting up, their mouths set in grim lines.
"Thunder," Shang answered, glancing down at her.
"Oof. Great." She sat up.
Tarzan jumped to his feet. "Come on." He hurried out of the hut, followed by the others.
Outside, Shan Yu and San were standing in front of their hut, looking up at the sky in the pre-dawn light. The air was heavy with moisture and promised rain. Thunder rumbled again, closer than it had been before.
"Fantastic," muttered Akima, emerging from the hut behind Shan Yu and San. "Just what we need."
Shan Yu gave her smirk that was partly amused, partly annoyed.
"What's Tarzan doing?" Mulan asked suddenly, realizing that he was rushing around gathering an armful of leaves and vines. San and Pocahontas both shot her irritated looks and moved to help Tarzan.
Once they realized what the other three were doing, Mulan, Shang, Akima, and Shan Yu joined in. They worked quickly, hoping to finish before the storm set in. Shang, Mulan, and Akima worked together to reinforce the bases and roofs of the huts so they wouldn't be blown away by strong winds. Pocahontas smeared mud from the stream into the cracks in the walls while Tarzan sealed up the interiors with large, broad leaves. Shan Yu and San got the bundle of leftover dried meat, fish, and fruit down from the tree they'd tied it in for safekeeping brought it into the larger of the two huts.
They finished by what would have been dawn, had the sky not been darkened by stormclouds. The winds were high and rain was already starting to fall. Everyone gathered in the larger hut, which was still rather crowded for seven.
"This isn't going to be pleasant," Shang observed as the crowded castaways shifted and stepped on each other, trying to get comfortable.
"No kidding," Akima muttered under her breath. Shang glowered at her from his corner.
"Argh!" Akima was jolted out of a nap later that day by a sharp elbow in the ribs from San. The rain was pounding outside now, and the crashes of thunder came loudly, one right on top of the other. The wind whistled menacingly through the trees and around the hut. "Geez, sorry," Akima muttered, rubbing her side and returning San's glare as she shifted to lean in a different direction. As San turned away, Akima shot a dirty look at her back.
Across the floor, Mulan, who was leaning comfortably against Shang, lifted her head to speak quietly in his ear. He glanced down at her with a half-grin and uttered a soft reply.
"You two look nice and cozy over there," Shan Yu sneered from his side. They both jumped and looked at him in surprise.
Shang narrowed his eyes and scowled at the Hun. "Mind your own business." His voice had a hard edge to it.
Shan Yu's amused smirk had touch of menace in it. "Don't try to order me around, little soldier. What makes you think I'd listen to a man who relies on his woman to save him?"
Mulan clenched her fists and set her jaw, glaring at Shan Yu. Shang leapt to his feet. "Say that again!" he snarled.
Shan Yu got up and took as much of a step forward as the crowded floor allowed. "I think you heard me, o great Captain."
Shang started forward with an angry yell, but Mulan and Tarzan were at his side, holding him back. "Sit down, Shang," Mulan hissed in his ear. "This is the last thing anyone needs." He listened to her, but still glared at Shan Yu, who was still on his feet, smirking triumphantly.
"You sit, too," San said sharply, narrowing her eyes at Shan Yu. He chuckled softly at the command, but did as she said.
"This storm better let up soon," Akima muttered. "We stay in here much longer and someone's going to get hurt." She glared at the group. "Most likely by me."
No one responded, and a tense silence fell, punctuated by the occasional clap of thunder. Eventually, the exhaustion that had brought on their short tempers took over, and one by one the castaways drifted off to sleep.
"WAKE UP CALL!"
Everyone jumped awake and glanced around in alarm before realizing what was going on.
"Everyone's favorite blue idiot," Akima muttered, shooting the Genie a withering look. From the answering grumbles, it was apparent that everyone else seemed to agree with her.
"Let's get this over with," Shan Yu said gruffly. The voting was completed quickly and quietly, and when it was over the Genie whisked Akima off the island.
As the storm continued to rage outside, the remaining five castaways settled in for a less-than-comfortable night in the crowded hut.Day 5 "Is it still raining?" Mulan asked sleepily as she shifted awake next to Shang and stretched stiffly.
"It's still raining," he told her unenthusiastically. "But the thunder and lightning have let up." He glanced around at the others, who were all awake or nearly so, then cast a glance at the dwindling food supply. "Some of us should go for food."
San was the first to her feet and out the door. Shang lifted an eyebrow as he watched her go, but Mulan cast him a reproachful half-grin. "I don't blame her for wanting to get out of here." He glanced at her curiously, then looked away, smiling wryly and shaking his head.
A moment later, Shan Yu got up and strode out of the hut without a word. Then Shang started to get up.
"You're staying here," Pocahontas and Mulan informed him at the same time. He glanced from one to the other in bafflement. Both women wore identical expressions that warned against argument.
"Fine." He sat back down.
"I'll go," Tarzan said, but he sounded and looked as if he was waiting for permission. After a surprised moment Shang gave him a brief nod, and Tarzan was up and gone.
After a few minutes of silence, Mulan crawled over to the door and poked her head out. The pounding rain of the day before was now a gentle sprinkle, and few tentative sunbeams were cutting through. "It's not bad," she called to Shang and Pocahontas as she stepped outside. A moment later they joined her.
"We're not going to be able to start a fire," Shang said grimly. "Even if it stops raining, we'll have to wait for everything to dry."
"Tomorrow." Pocahontas nodded in agreement.
Mulan looked off into the forest. "I hope no one brings back meat, then," she said. "It'll spoil before then."
"Tarzan and San have enough sense not bring back anything we'd need to cook," Shang said.
"Shang…" Mulan gave him a look.
"What?"
"Can't you at least pretend to get along with him?" They both knew who she meant.
He looked at her incredulously. "You're joking."
"This isn't China, Shang. It's one campsite on a tiny island. The two of you at each other's throats isn't going to help things."
"She's right," Pocahontas threw over her shoulder before striding downstream and out of sight.
Shang gaped after her for a moment, then looked back at Mulan, his expression unchanged.
"I know, I know. He's…Shan Yu," she said. "But we've only got a few days left on this island. Put up with him."
Shang stared at her for a long minute before replying. "I'll try." He turned his back on her and went into the hut. Mulan sighed and watched him go, shaking her head with fond concern.
Shan Yu was mildly surprised at the fact that after two hours in the forest, San was still working with him. Not that he'd thought she wouldn't be able to keep up with him, but he'd taken her—correctly—for a loner in every sense of the word.
They were mostly silent, speaking only when pointing out a path or a bush that looked promising. Shan Yu wasn't as skilled as San in knowing what was edible and what wasn't, and once or twice she threw him an exasperated glance when he pointed out berries that she clearly knew to be poisonous.
At last they came across a cluster of bushes bearing edible fruit and set to work filling the food satchels they carried with them. San broke the silence after a few minutes of picking.
"You shouldn't provoke the Chinese soldier like you did last night."
He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, then smirked to hide his surprise. "Why not?"
She shrugged. "It's a small island. Fighting makes it smaller."
He leered at her. "Well, I'll try and behave myself, then."
She pretended to ignore his mocking tone. "Good." And that ended the conversation.
Mulan allowed herself a smile. It was early afternoon, the clouds were mostly gone, and the sun had gone to work drying things out. She sat along the streambed in a patch of warm sunlight, drinking in the peaceful quiet. It was such a contrast to the day before…
"Eek! Pocahontas!" Mulan spluttered in surprise as a splash of water hit her in the face. She looked up to see Pocahontas grinning at her mischievously from the middle of the stream.
The Powhatan woman laughed. "Gotcha."
"Oh, really?" Mulan replied, barely suppressing a grin herself as she tried to look threatening. "We'll see about that!" She leapt at Pocahontas and in minutes the two of them were splashing about in the stream like children at play, laughing merrily and not caring that they were soaking wet.
Someone cleared his throat. The two women froze mid-splash and looked up to see Shang standing on the bank. He was clearly fighting laughter, but managed to look dignified and in control as he looked at them, a questioning eyebrow raised. For a moment no one spoke, and then Pocahontas and Mulan exchanged a meaningful glance. The next instant, they lunged at Shang simultaneously and dragged him into the water with them.
Soon the laughter of all three had restored the friendly, comfortable atmosphere that had been absent for the last few days.
San and Shan Yu returned to camp an hour so later, and Tarzan came back not long after them. Enough fruit had been gathered for the six of them to eat comfortably, and they settled into a couple smaller groups for dinner, since there was no fire they needed to gather around.
The Genie, to everyone mild surprise, didn't arrive until after they'd eaten. After the votes had been counted, Shan Yu offered the group one final, trademark smirk before he left with the Genie.
A peaceful quiet returned with the Genie and Shan Yu's departure, and the remaining five castaways settled in for the evening.Day 6 When Shang came out of the hut the next morning, everyone else was already up and about. Pocahontas and San knelt together by the fire circle, trying to get a new fire started now that the ground and wood had dried out some. Mulan was downstream a ways, trying to catch fish. Tarzan was nowhere to be seen; Shang assumed he was off looking for more food. He hoped they'd be able to cook meat tonight; fruit alone wouldn't be very filling two days in a row.
"Good morning!" Pocahontas offered a friendly wave and a smile.
"Good morning," Shang returned with a smile of his own. He glanced at San. "Morning, San."
She gave him a brief look that communicated irritation and distrust, then turned back to her work.
Shang shrugged it off and strode downstream to find Mulan.
"There," Pocahontas said happily a few minutes later as a few tentative flames licked from the pile of kindling.
San sighed and sat back, but didn't say anything. Pocahontas glanced at her curiously. "San…" she started.
The girl looked up, but the expression she turned on Pocahontas was more hostile than friendly. Pocahontas sighed. "Never mind," she said quietly.
"Ugh," Mulan brushed a sticky strand of hair out her eyes and squinted in the bright noon sunlight. "If it's not pouring, it's hot and humid. This is not fun."
Shang gave her sidelong look and lifted an eyebrow. "It's not supposed to be," he told her before swooping an arm into the water and coming up with another fish. He tossed it into the basket on the shore. "That's three," he said. "Good enough, I think."
Mulan nodded. "If Tarzan brings back anything, we'll eat well tonight."
Shang picked up the basket and they walked back to camp together.
When they got back, Tarzan had already returned with two rabbits. Pocahontas was cleaning one and setting the meat on the rock to dry, while Tarzan skinned the other one to be cooked. Shang set down the basket of fish. To his surprise, San gave him an approving glance.
Pocahontas finished with rabbit and stood up. "It's hot," she announced. "I'm going for a swim. Anyone else?" She looked around at the others.
Shang shot Pocahontas a wry smile, and Mulan burst into laughter. "Oh, come on, Shang. It'll be refreshing. And we promise not to try and drown you this time. Right, Pocahontas?" She glanced at the other woman, who merely smiled innocently and shrugged her shoulders.
Shang chuckled. "All right, I give up." He looked at Tarzan. "Want to make it a fair fight?"
Tarzan looked a little confused, but he stood up. "I'll come," he said tentatively.
"Great!" Mulan beamed and glanced at Pocahontas. "Race you!" The next minute, the two women were sprinting down the trail. San watched them go with a slightly puzzled, slightly annoyed expression. Shang glanced at her, then looked at Tarzan and sighed.
"I think we've lost already," he said. "But come on, let's go." And the two of them started down the trail.
The four swimmers returned to camp in the early evening, soaking wet but refreshed and happy. As the air cooled, they gathered around the fire to warm up, dry off, and eat. Pocahontas helped San finish cooking the rabbit while everyone else snacked on the jerky she'd made earlier and the rest of the fruit from the day before.
They were just about to eat when the Genie showed up. The relaxed, friendly atmosphere tensed again as the five castaways placed their votes.
Shang stood up once the votes were counted and cast a faint, friendly smile around the group one last time. Then he followed the Genie away from the campsite and a restful quiet settled over the campsite once again.Day 7 There wasn't much that needed to be done the next day, so the remaining four castaways slept later than they had been for the last week. Mulan, the last one to get up, emerged from the hut around mid-morning. Looking around, she saw that San, once again, was gone. Tarzan was sitting on a rock by the stream, sharpening his spear. Not far from him, Pocahontas lounged in a sunny spot on the grass. Mulan smiled and started over to join her.
Suddenly Pocahontas' eyes flew wide open and she leapt to her feet, staring in horror at the sloping hill behind the campsite. Mulan and Tarzan whirled to follow her gaze and saw a gigantic mudslide racing downhill.
Tarzan was the first to recover. "Run!" He grabbed Mulan and Pocahontas by the arms and pulled them across the stream with him. They snapped quickly out of their shock and shook him off, running on their own. Several hundred yards into the forest they stopped and looked back. The mudslide had stopped just after it reached the stream, but their campsite was wiped out.
Mulan folded her arms and looked grimly at the scene. "Not good."
"No," Pocahontas agreed bleakly. "Not at all."
Tarzan sighed and turned down a partially hidden trail. "Come on," he called back to them over his shoulder. Mulan and Pocahontas glanced at each other, shrugged, and started after him.
Tarzan's skills at communicating with the wildlife helped the trio find San by mid-afternoon. Like Tarzan, she seemed less upset by the loss of shelter and fire than Mulan and Pocahontas were.
"We'll find another site," she said with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders.
They trekked through the woods for several hours before finding anything, however.
"There," Pocahontas said suddenly, pointing. Through the trees, a small clearing could be made out. Tarzan nodded approvingly, and Mulan threw Pocahontas a tired but relieved smile that was returned in kind. They turned off the path and headed for the clearing.
The sun was beginning to set, and San worked on her own to get a fire started while the other three quickly put together a shelter. It was even more rudimentary than the destroyed huts had been, but it would only need to shelter three, at most, and it would only need to last a couple of days.
As soon as the shelter was up and the fire started, Mulan, Tarzan, and San wandered off to look for something the four of them could eat, while Pocahontas remained behind to ensure that the fire didn't go out.
Dinner that evening—wild berries and mushrooms that Tarzan had deemed safe to eat—was later than usual. To the mild surprise of the group, the Genie didn't show up until they had already eaten and the sun had completely set.
"Hey, you guys look wiped out!" the Genie observed brightly as he materialized above the fire. "No pun intended of course."
Mulan glared at him; no one else bothered to respond at all. The silence of that evening's vote was born more of fatigue than of the usual tension and unease.
After the Genie had escorted San away from the campsite and through the woods, Mulan, Pocahontas, and Tarzan settled in for the night in silence and fell immediately into an exhausted sleep.Day 8 "Oof." Mulan sat up sleepily, blinking in the bright morning sunlight. Outside the lean-to, Tarzan crouched in front of the fire, cooking fish for breakfast. Mulan wondered briefly where he'd gotten them, since they were no longer camped on the stream, but decided after a moment that it didn't matter. If Tarzan wanted to get up at the crack of dawn to catch their breakfast, it was fine with her.
"Morning!" Pocahontas greeted her brightly, appearing at the trailhead. Mulan gave her a sleepy smile.
"Good morning," she replied, sitting down to join the other two for breakfast.
"Good morning everyone!" All three of them jumped and looked up in confusion as the Genie appeared.
"What are you doing here?" Mulan asked, frowning.
"You guys have to come with me," the Genie said with a bright smile. The three castaways exchanged a wary glance, but followed the Genie into the forest.
He led them to the beach, where King Triton was waiting for them.
"We have a new challenge for you," the Sea King told the trio. "The boat that you will use to get off this island has been hidden somewhere in the forest."
"By yours truly," the Genie put in.
"You must find it," Triton continued, "or wait until it's convenient for me to come get you." He offered them a wry smile. "And ruling the oceans doesn't leave me much free time."
Mulan glanced at Pocahontas and Tarzan, their eyes meeting with concern.
"Oh, one more thing," Triton added, catching their attention again.
"You guys work together just a little too well," the Genie told them. "So we're separating you. Have fun!" He snapped his fingers.
Suddenly Pocahontas found herself at their previous campsite, standing in the middle of the wreckage the mudslide had left behind. She heaved a sigh and started into the forest.
It wasn't easy going. The section of forest she wandered through had not been as well-traversed as some others had been over the last week, and what trails did exist were uneven and overgrown. But Pocahontas was used to wandering hidden trails and made good time as she explored the island in search of the boat.
Mulan was left on the beach, alone, for both Triton and the Genie had vanished when Pocahontas and Tarzan did. She looked around for a confused moment, then shrugged and started into the surrounding woods. It wasn't the first time she'd been left on her own to deal with the elements.
The Genie had transported Tarzan to the top of a hill at the center of the island. Like Pocahontas, he found it relatively easy to make his way through previously unexplored terrain, mostly by moving among tree branches and vines, as he had done for most of his life anyway.
The sun was setting when Mulan stumbled, exhausted, upon the new campsite. Pocahontas arrived moments later, coming from the opposite direction.
"You look as tired as I feel," Mulan observed with a weak attempt at a smile.
Pocahontas returned the look in kind. "I am," she said. "Did you find the boat?"
Mulan shook her head. "I take it you didn't either."
"No." Pocahontas cast a quick glance around the campsite, then looked back at Mulan. "Let's hope Tarzan did."
Mulan nodded, then glanced at the fire circle. "We should try and get the fire started again. We'll need it when it gets dark."
Pocahontas nodded, and wordlessly the two of them set to work.
"I wonder where Tarzan is?" Mulan said with some concern an hour or so later, as it started to get darker and colder.
Pocahontas shook her head. "No idea. But I'm sure he can take care of himself."
Mulan was nodding in agreement when a rustling in the bushes made both of them look up in surprise. A moment later, Tarzan appeared, dragging the small rowboat with him.
"You found it!" Mulan exclaimed as both women jumped up to help him. Tarzan nodded briefly. The three of them lugged the boat to the side of the lean-to and left it there as they gathered around the fire to eat the rest of Pocahontas' dried meat—no one had had time to do much hunting that day.
Once they were done eating, the Genie appeared again. Annoyed as they were by his constant energy and antics, the three were too tired to do much but vote in silence.
Before the Genie whisked Mulan off the island, he told Pocahontas and Tarzan, "I'll be back tomorrow with everyone else. They'll decide which of you is the lucky winner. See you tomorrow!" And he vanished, taking Mulan with him.Day 9 Pocahontas came out of the lean-to at mid-morning the next day. Tarzan was gone, but that didn't surprise her. "Hmm…" She looked around, trying to decide what needed to be done. The fire was burning low, and she knew it would probably be more likely to burn out than ignite the campsite if left unattended.
"Tarzan's probably hunting," she said to the silence. "I think I'll go look for fruit." She headed down the trail that led to the stream.
Tarzan returned to camp not long after Pocahontas had left. With him, he carried another rabbit. Seeing that Pocahontas was gone, he sat down on a stump and started to clean his kill.
Suddenly a conversational chatter made him look up. A small brown monkey wearing a fez and red vest was sitting in front of him. Tarzan blinked in surprise. "Who are you?"
His look changed from a confused frown to an amused smile as he listened to the monkey's reply. "Abu?…Oh, I see. Well, welcome." He offered a faint smile before getting back to his work.
Abu alerted Tarzan to Pocahontas' return a few hours later. She looked at Abu in surprise. "Who's your friend?" she asked conversationally.
Abu jumped onto Pocahontas' shoulder, chattering indignantly. She gave a surprised but amused laugh. "All right, sorry!" She glanced at Tarzan for a translation.
He seemed to be trying not to laugh. "He's a friend of Aladdin's and the Genie's. Sent to chaperone us."
Pocahontas looked at Abu and lifted an eyebrow. "Oh?" She grinned at Tarzan. "Seems someone doesn't trust us."
Tarzan shrugged and smiled, but didn't say anything. Pocahontas shook her head with a resigned smile as Abu jumped onto a nearby branch, still scolding. She looked at him, laughing. "You're taking your job a little too seriously, if you ask me," she told him with a playful smile. She turned to Tarzan.
"I didn't find any edible fruit, but if you don't have anything for tonight, I'll go look again."
Tarzan shook his head and gestured to the meat wrapped in the rabbit skin. "We'll eat," he told her.
Pocahontas nodded with a relieved smile. No need to spend the last afternoon on this island getting exhausted.
The Genie showed up late that evening, after Tarzan and Pocahontas had finished eating and were dissembling the lean-to, since they wouldn't need it anymore. "All right, guys," the Genie said as he appeared at the campsite. "You ready?"
The two glanced from each other to the Genie and nodded. The Genie snapped his fingers and suddenly the other eight castaways were in the clearing with them. "Okay, guys," the Genie told them brightly. "Let's hear who wins."
Elisa stood up first. She hesitated for a brief moment, then said, "Tarzan," and sat back down.
Miguel was next. "Tarzan," he said decidedly before sitting again.
"Tarzan," Aladdin agreed quickly as he rose.
Akima, the next to rise, nodded. "Tarzan," she said.
Shan Yu was next. "Tarzan," he said, without seeming to think about it.
Shang, for once, was quick to agree with Shan Yu. "Tarzan."
"Tarzan," San agreed with a brief nod as she stood up and sat back down.
Mulan was the last to stand up. She looked from Tarzan to Pocahontas for a long moment, biting her lip anxiously. "Tarzan," she said at last, very quietly, before sitting down.
"It's unanimous then!" the Genie declared! "Tarzan is the Animated Lust Survivor!"
He winked at the group. "Now, you guys, let's party!"Day 10 The day after Tarzan is voted the winner of Animated Lust Survivor, the ten former castaways gather to share their insights gained through their island ordeal.
Elisa Maza
I'm still not clear on exactly why we had to do this whole thing in the first place, but what's done is done, I guess. Being on the island, even for just one day, was a real eye-opener.
Some people might accuse me of not being very helpful. Maybe they'd even be justified. [shrugs] After all, I was the first person voted off the island. There must have been something I was doing wrong, or not doing. But I just want to set the record straight that I tried to help out and do my part. Someone had to be first, and I guess it just wasn't my lucky day.
Miguel
I didn't go into this wanting to win; I went into it for the adventure and the experience. If you ask me it was really worth it to spend two days exploring a desert island, living off the land, getting a real taste of adventure.
[Picks up lute and looks at it] I'd have liked to see my music a little more appreciated. It was my way of helping out. You know, trying to lighten the atmosphere and ease tension. [shrugs] It didn't seem to go as planned, but that's okay, I guess. To each his own! [Starts to play a song]
Aladdin
I wasn't too sure about this whole idea, but it turned out okay. I'm used to having to fight for survival, although not exactly like this. I've always thought that things are easier if you cooperate, so that's what I tried to do. [shrugs] I guess it wasn't the best strategy for winning, though.
[Smiles appreciatively at Abu, who is on his shoulder chattering encouragingly] Thanks, buddy.
Akima
[Heaves a rather disgusted sigh] This whole thing was kinda ridiculous if you ask me. There were a few people who shouldn't have been on that island in the first place. [Throws an annoyed glance at Miguel, who is still strumming his lute] But there were some other people who were really good survivors and should have gotten further than they did. [Shrugs] I guess you can't have everything, though.
Shan Yu
[Sits back wearing his trademark grin] It was an intriguing challenge, I'll say that. Amusing at times. [Chuckles coolly to himself, then grows serious] I have to say that I think San deserved to win. But we don't always get what we deserve, do we now?
Li Shang
It seemed like one person needed to take charge, I and I thought I was the person to do it. I still think that, actually. I mean, I don't regret doing what I did. [Pauses thoughtfully] Some parts of this were a lot of fun, too, in spite of the work of trying to get a couple of soft novices to do their share. The thing with Shan Yu…[shrugs] it's over now. We can go back to hating each other from a distance.
San
[Glares hostily at the camera] I was on a deserted island with nine idiotic humans. How do you think I liked it?
Mulan
I thought it was fun! I mean, it was work, too, but it was fun getting to know other people. Pocahontas is really great; we have a lot in common and we had a good time. I just didn't vote for her to win because, well…it just seemed like Tarzan deserved it more somehow. He and Pocahontas both did more than their share, but there were times when Tarzan really went above and beyond.
Pocahontas
This wasn't as bad for me as I think it was for some other people. I had a lot of fun. I really liked getting to know everyone, especially Mulan. [Shakes her head with a smile] No, I'm not mad at her for voting for Tarzan. He deserved to win just as much as I did; maybe even a little bit more. I don't hold grudges, anyway.
Tarzan
[Shrugs his shoulders with an innocent smile] It was fun, but not anything new. I won, though, that made it interesting. [Grins]