"Team D(2), ti for you to go warm up." A staff mber ca to get Ari’s team since they were the last ones sitting in the waiting room.
All the other teams had already perford, and many of them fild multiple takes to capture the best performances before leaving.
Since that had taken several hours, the entire D(2) team looked tired and a bit nervous because they had watched so incredible performances with teams that had added flashy props, lighting, and costus to make things look good.
Still, they followed the staff mber into a room leading to the stage and began removing their jackets, exposing the white T-shirts that had been decorated like sports jerseys.
Each t-shirt had a large black number painted with each participant’s na written in block letters on the front and back.
Their faces were painted with white or black stripes, and they all wore bandanas, hats, or combinations of the two, styled however they pleased, making them look like a sports team or dance unit.
Ari’s T-shirt had the number zero, and he wore a long-sleeve turtleneck and a black bandana tied around his neck.
Others had various colored bandanas tied around their heads, arms, and even their legs.
Every team mber wore black boots on their feet, and as everybody lightly perford the choreography to warm up, synchronized stomps could be heard, which brought a smile to Ari’s face.
The past couple of days of practice had clearly paid off since it sounded good even without the Monkey See, Monkey Do skill.
"1 minute till go ti!"
Another staff mber poked their head through the doorway, and Ari clapped his hands.
"Let’s gather up for our last team eting!"
Slowly, all 11 boys made a circle while staring at each other’s faces.
Because of the packed schedule, they had seen each other’s faces for over 18 hours each day, so at this point, they were tired of being with each other.
And yet, they had grown a little closer due to squabbling, working toward a common goal, and of course hating on the green masked devil who insisted on repeatedly torturing them in the na of perfection.
Soon, once they finished this performance, they would be free to do as they pleased.
Everyone, including Caleb, almost felt sad about it.
Almost.
Not knowing what they were thinking, Ari began speaking as he tried to figure out how to make pounding on his chest while screaming that he was the best seem like a natural part of the conversation.
"D(2) Team, we finally made it to the end. I’m sure you’re all sick of seeing my face, so I’ll keep this short."
"We’ve never actually seen your face, just that weird mask," Caleb muttered, and Ari just pretended not to hear it while clearing his throat.
"Ahem. Anyway, no team worked as hard as we did this week, so let’s go out there and prove it. Top 3. That’s our goal, and we’ll achieve it because we worked for it. I believe that our team is the best. Say it. I’m the best!"
"I’m the best!"
"Louder!"
"I’m the best!"
Seeing everyone get into the chant, Ari began to get excited as well as he threw his arms around the two people beside him.
Soon, everyone had done the sa, and they were all jumping in excitent and nerves.
"Team D(2), what are we?"
"The best!"
"What are we?"
"The best!"
Ari stuck his hand in the middle of the circle, and everybody squeezed close to each other to pile it on as the tense energy dispersed as they scread.
"On three! One, two, three!"
"I’m the best!"
A loud shout left all of them as they broke the circle.
"Team D(2), let’s go." The sa staff mber from earlier called out to them.
"Coming! Oh, guys, by the way, if the ground starts filling up with water mid-performance, just ignore it, okay? That’s our prop."
"What?"
"Huh??"
"Water??? Why?"
Shouts of confusion could be heard as Ari’s teammates realized that they had never once asked about the prop situation throughout the week.
As a matter of fact, everyone had been so tired that they went through the day with a foggy mind and didn’t really have a chance to chat with other people because Ari had them holed up in the practice room.
It had been a complete surprise seeing everyone’s performances co to life today.
"Why would you choose that????" Michael looked a bit betrayed as he stared at Ari.
"You left it to . It will look cool, trust . Vishal and I planned it perfectly."
Chuckling at everyone’s surprised faces, Ari and Vishal exchanged smirks, temporarily overcoming their awkwardness before Ari led them to the stage, where they were given in-ears and a headset microphone.
Seeing PD Emily sitting next to the cara pointed directly at the stage where he stood with his teammates, Ari gulped as slight nervousness filled his body once more.
He absolutely had to do well today.
For his face!
"Everyone in position? You only have one take!" PD Emily shouted out, and Ari suddenly rembered that he hadn’t activated the Monkey See, Monkey Do skill.
Out of nowhere, he suddenly pounded his chest three tis before shouting, "I am the best!"
[Monkey See, Monkey Do Activated]
[Choose your target.]
As his teammates turned to look at him, Ari pretended that everything was okay and shouted, "Team D(2), what are we?"
"The best!"
"What are we?"
"The best!"
[Team D(2) selected.]
[Ti remaining: 4:59]
"...are you done screaming?"
PD Emily asked with a bemused expression.
"Yes," Ari replied quietly, once again glad that his face was painted with thick white paint so his blushing was not visible.
"Then let’s get started. You’re the last group of the day, and we need to get out of here. There’s a surprise waiting for you all when we get back."
******
"Achoo!"
"Chooo!"
"Ahh ahh ahh choooo!"
As the chain reaction of sneezes and coughs rang through the bus, Ari sniffled while blowing his nose, and the bus’s air conditioner blew freezing cold air on his thoroughly soaked body.
Truly, he couldn’t believe that the staff wouldn’t even have towels for them to use after preparing a water stage for them, and also didn’t have any hot drinks since they had been taken back to the dorm location.
It was as if they wanted his team to suffer for creating extra work for them.
The mont Ari got down from the bus, he planned on imdiately taking a steaming hot shower, but unfortunately, as he stepped down, the staff guided him and his teammates to join the others in the large space in the dance studio that had been set up with 100 foldable chairs.
PD Emily stood alone at the front, and the projector screen was down.
As soon as they took a seat in the back, she began talking.
"Did you guys have fun filming your performances?"
- Yes!!!
- No!!!
- Ugh!!!!
- Achooo!!!
Hearing the mixed responses, PD Emily laughed before speaking, "Good, good. Now, it might have been a while ago, but rember how I never confird how elimination would work? And when you would learn the signal song after your performances?"
- Yesss.
The tone of the response imdiately beca subdued at the ntion of elimination.
Of course, PD Emily ignored them and continued saying what she wanted to say.
"Well, it’s now ti to learn the signal song! It’s currently 9 pm, so you have about 13 hours to learn the signal song and choreography, which will be shown to you tonight. Starting at 10 am sharp, the judges will have you perform the signal song and rank you from 1 to 100, and simultaneously, your team performance videos will all be posted on the program’s WeTube Channel. After your performance, you can leave as you have a break for exactly one week. When you return, we’ll record the signal song video, watch the first episode together, assign new ranks, new rooms, new teams, new missions, and of course, have the elimination ceremony. Any questions?"
"What’s the criterion for elimination?" sobody seated near the front asked in a shaky voice.
"Those who end up ranked between 92-100 are up for elimination. I suggest you practice hard."
Loud gulps could be heard throughout the room before sobody else asked another question.
"What’s the prize for the team that gets the most views and punishnt for the team that gets the least?"
"Great question. The top team gets to split $1000 in prize money, room exchange tickets, and immunity from being eliminated despite their rank. The losing team gets to sleep together in one of the F rooms. Fun, right?"
No! Absolutely not!
Ari looked at the PD in complete horror, not even thinking about the prize money that had finally appeared.
How did she expect them to learn a song and dance within 13 hours when they had just spent a whole week practicing another song?
That was basically impossible.
And if they didn’t do well, they would be eliminated?
This production team was insane!
Ari was completely exhausted after pushing himself hard the whole week.
His throat was sore, his body was tired, and his nose was stuffy becauase he was still soaking wet from his performance.
All he wanted was a hot shower and to sleep, but now, he had to stay up all night to practice a song that he would present in front of the judges so that he wouldn’t get eliminated.
Temporarily forgetting about the recording cara’s, Ari shot a glare at PD Emily, who looked unfazed at the angry looks pointed in her direction.
PD Emily smiled cheerfully while pressing a remote toward the projector screen behind her.
"Instead of wasting ti talking, let’s watch and listen to the signal song so you guys can go and start practicing."
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