Episode 07

[Jeff Varner]

Hey Candice, congratulations on making the merge!

Tell me how you're feeling about making it this far, and what your plan is now that all of you are in one big tribe. How are you going to survive this next vote? How are you going to win the game?

In other words, size up your chances and size up your tribemates for us.

[Candice]

Tell me how you're feeling about making it this far, and what your plan is now that all of you are in one big tribe. How are you going to survive this next vote? How are you going to win the game?

In other words, size up your chances and size up your tribemates for us.

I’m totally thrilled to have made it this far. It’s been and up and down journey so far. Hestur was scary. The rest not so much. But it wasn’t idle time either. I worked relationships which I hope to use to the best of my ability now that we’ve merged.

How am I going to survive the next vote? By being cordial and subtly fueling the flames on existing conflicts. I seriously could go ahead and list a boot order that I’d love to see but that won’t happen so I’m going to be fluid like I mentioned last round and just try to get certain people through for 3 or 4 votes, then go to work. My only true loyalty is to Penner and Cass. My next level of loyalty now that we are one big tribe is Rebecca and CiCi (who everybody will realize is a walking mess.) But a damn bubbly and fun walking mess. I love her game enthusiasm. How can you not?

Then the others can float around and I’ll be more one on one with them as need be.

Concerns at the moment. Really this will focus on Cass. I’m not playing tribal lines but like I do not care for any of the other original members of Mykines 1.0. Stacy. No. Liliana. No. Rocky I’ve not written off because his PM is fun. But I’ve yet to reply to it. Overall, though, I see no use for him in my ultimate plans. Biggest surprise, and it’s not really, is I do really like Jessica. If you remember, I said she is the only threat I was concerned with. And I still am. But I do not want to target her. As long as she does not go on an immunity streak, she can stick for a while and I’ll really enjoy getting to know her and potentially working with her. But it’s a short-term working with.

Why the Cass concern? This has to be hard for her to swallow. It has to be. She is a smart cookie. She needs options and that means she needs an old Svinoy to go. And like I have no desire for that at all this round. And this will be a conflict for me and her. Not a conflict we can’t overcome. But a conflict nonetheless.

I want Lili to go. This is a vote lots of people can get behind. It can even be considered a mercy boot, right? Help her get medevac’d out of the game. But Cass has settled on Steph. I want the Steph/Jessica conflict to stay in the game. Cass thinks the Jessica/Lili conflict is actually what we should promote because Jessica is way more upset that Lili betrayed her. She might be right. I don’t really know yet. And at the end of the day, it really should not matter. But Steph leaving is just not good for my game right now. Lili leaving is not good for Cass’ game. Thus, what do we do? We will work it out. Maybe someone else will totally emerge as a boot option. I just don’t want it to be Jessica and I think that is what Steph and Flicka will push.

It’s early. I’ll keep you posted.

Tribe Ranking (with very little to go on with most these folks)
11. Stacy. Seriously NO.

10. Lili. What a letdown.

9. Rocky. His PM is very fun. But fun in the Adam/Mookie type way. I don’t do that type of fun.

8. Rebecca. Simply because I’ve not talked to her during the merge. But I’m totally down with working with her. She and I just are having a we’re-good-with-each-other-so-don’t-really-need-to-talk-this-round type of round. I’m going to work on this though. I’m reaching out to her individually just to try to get a read on her. Her placement is most likely going to change in a big way.

7. Nate. He is so freakin’ nice. Why can’t I carry on a long-running conversation with him? I think this one is a me problem. Not a Nate problem.

6. Flicka. Why do I still feel the need to mother hen her? I am getting on my own nerves over this. But I still do. There is something about her that I want to protect. I think she would ultimately be on my side over several people still in the game because most people do consider her just useless. I like her.

5. Stephannie. I still love talking to her. She and I immediately started talking last night. I think she ultimately too would be on my side over lots of players left in this game. But my gut also says she is holding back. I get that. But it concerns me. We’re good. But my spidey sense is also on alert with her.

4. Jessica. Calm, cool and collected. I feel the need to just be very honest and upfront with her. I want to play to her strengths and encourage her to own them. I want us to have a “real” relationship. But I also want her gone F7/6ish. (I know, I know. I’m way getting ahead of myself.)

3. CiCi. I actually love this hot mess. The main reason why is because she is just spur of the moment. She’s speaks w/o thinking. She bounces from one idea to the next. She is bubbly. She is the type player who is great for gaming. I’d cast her all day long because of all these traits. However, she is not the type player I typically succeed with. I was wayyyyyy overly harsh on her the other round. And I regret even saying some of those things. But because I am not a person who bounces from idea to idea. Not a spur of the moment player, she was really frustrating me. When push comes to shove, though, I’m on her side most of the time and against most players. Plus, poor thing, she really has set herself up as a leader and threat. She’s really not because she is so easily beaten strategically. But I think she will also be targeted pretty quickly unless Mykines 3.0 stays in totally control.

2. Penner. I wish his activity had not waned but I totally dig him. I think I always will. And better than most, I think we came out of that middle part of the game really still intact and not bitter or untrustworthy unlike other players who now are in the midst of personal conflicts. I think that speaks to the maturity level of both of us and I have no intention of playing against him … unless I have to very late game because I think he might beat me.

1. Cass. Hands down the best player in the game. She’s extremely smart and articulate. I said yesterday I consider her an equal. But I don’t. She’s better than me. I know this but am totally OK with it. I love everything about working with her.

[Candice]

How's this for strange. I'm really hoping for a Jessica immunity tonight. It will just make it easier with Rebecca if Jessica is immune.

But it will still be hard having the Steph vs. Lil discussion. I can't imagine CiCi or Nate wanting to vote out Steph. But I said in one of my PMs, and Penner basically said the same thing, we do not want to go to the end with Steph so at some point we have to vote her off. Give all credit for the Steph boot if it happens to Cass. She has worked her ass off today to ensure that it goes that way.

I really don't care. I will hurt for Steph but in the end she does have to go. I'd have just preferred Lil and Stacy to go first. But damn that does come across self-centered if you look at it from Cass' perspective.

And self-centered does not a good ally make...

[Candice]

Poor CiCi is at it again. This is all Cici trying to save Steph and how she approached that with both Jess and Cass. And I read this and double over laughing. OK some of it might be true but still I laugh.

Why does she do this to herself?

After asking Jessica if she'd had any luck finding the idol yet,

Haven't found it yet, but I have found another gem.

Jess, you're not the only person that wants Steph out. But please I need you to trust me here. Steph will be down to our plan and she'll bring Rebecca as well and then we can get rid of them. I need Liliana and Flicka gone first so our plan can work please, I need you to spill the beans and talk as much crap as you can about them. You need to bring your lying game here :(

Please trust me, obviously I've had a decent relationship with Steph, and she feels pretty desperate. We need to save her for a couple of vote. We get control, we get the numbaHs. If we vote Steph out then believe me Cassandra and Penner will blindside both of us with the help of Rocky and Liliana, who are clueless as fuck.

PLEASE TRUST ME. We need Steph. She feels threatened. I promise you you'll have your revenge later on but please.

My response:

What the hell? She fucking asked who I wanted to vote for and this is all I told her.

I think Steph is most threatening right now actually. She's clearly the best at challenges (Rocky quit halfway in and the other two didn't even compete). She's the biggest threat to win the whole thing; the other three aren't as universally likable. And the other three have all said they're going to try to dissociate from that alliance of four. Steph hasn't said that. I know that you like Steph and you have ties to her and everything, but you're definitely not the only one. Every single person I've talked to besides Jessica not only likes Steph, but completely trusts her. And I'm just going to say right now that relative to the rest of our alliance of seven, you're a pretty decent threat. If Steph wanted to win the game, which she does, you'd be one of the first she'd target. Everyone seems to be crazy about Steph but no one is taking it as a sign that she needs to go as soon as possible. Every round we don't get rid of her she ends up in a better position.

Does she WANT Steph to blindside her or something???
Look at this shit.

Um, since we've been talking to bring them to our side just to annihilate Svinoy 2.0 it's ok for now... none of the three will win but Flicka had the idol. UGH

Flicka already found the idol also, I don't want her to get her hands in those clues either.

Yeah, Flicka found the old idol and I personally can't stand her much so she'd be my pick.

Three messages in a row. She has one argument.

Jessica's response:

I don't understand how Stephannie will provide anything. What exactly is the plan here? How can we actually trust Stephannie? Every other time that she has been "in trouble" she's found a way to be safe and then betray me.

I can't blindly trust her, because she's there for you and not me. Explain the plan a little better and I will consider it. I will try to persuade people to vote Lil instead, but I need a solid reason for doing that beyond a doubt.

I really don't think she'd lie to me and less in the precarious position she's in. I know when she's telling the thruth and she tells me the thruth because I'm actually the person she's bonded the most since day 1. It's *almost* like you and me. She felt she'd be in trouble had she flipped to your side. I just want to believe she'd help us because she doesn't trust anyone more than me. And even if we don't use her and she ends up in outside of the plan, we can't get Cassandra get Lil and Rocky and blindside us. Because I know, I sense she wants us. She's going against the threats already so who's gonna be next? You and me. We can't let her.

The plan is getting to final 10. Mykines 4 plus Steph and Rebecca and we control the whole game. I know how to control Steph, believe me. It's such an easy plan and everyone will be down with it. Besides, if we won't make this plan work I assure you they won't boot the lone person from the Mean Girls. They'll make a move, either you, me or Steph will go home and if Steph is gone at that point, we're screwed, handing power to them. So that's why Steph can't go home now.

Believe it or no, Steph is our salvation right now, Jess.

Ever since you mentioned her language barrier I have noticed it waaaay more. I'm not sure at all what she is trying to say besides "Steph and I are close and I want an ally I can trust so that I can make it to the end"

And then later:

Jess, we're getting blindsided by Cassandra, Penner and Candice if we keep Liliana and Rocky. Hestur wants you out. Even if they don't do anything crazy they'll vote you out at final 10 or 9. That was the plan and I'm not lying in this. They consider you a huge threat. Candice has her eyes on you since back at Mykines 3.0 because everyone loved you in your old tribe. And as you're a challenge threat, they're gunning for you even more. Steph isn't gunning for you now, I will discipline her.

Please trust me in this. Steph will just be a dead number because she's getting voted out too if she doesn't vote our way. I swear we'll pull in Rocky or whoever is left from Svinoy 2.0 after that. But Steph can't go now or you and me are screwed by Hestur. Steph won't vote Hestur's way because she knows they want her out too. We'll use her. :(
I'm begging you. You're my closest person here and I want to go far with you and Nate and Stace. I don't want those three from Hestur to control everything, they're psychological bullies too. I don't want them to put a bitter end to this little journey.

She'll be a one vote ally. I'll scare her telling her it's her. She WILL believe me. Then she's out next vote or the one after that. Either way, it's four our benefit.

We're in an horrible position Jess. We're at the bottom. Or at least you and Stacy are 100%.

Steph and Rebecca are our only hope.

Now Rebecca is added into the equation out of nowhere!

Even if I believed her ideas that I'll be taken out in a few rounds, I won't let that affect us. We're friends and allies. Fuck her insanity.

[Candice]

OK I have talked to everybody and this is going to be Steph for sure unless she rallies hard today. Jess/Cass are very good and very dangerous. For the first time in the game, I did not feel good about the course of events this round.

I actually see this round being very bad for me and I think next round is shaping up to be very bad for me too. There was a big loss of power and/or placement for me IMO. "Power" is maybe too powerful of a word. I do not want or need to be in power this round. I even said, I don't particularly care where the numbers line up this round as long as a few of the people I need to make it through will make it through.

What I'm concerned about, and it's just typicaly game paranoia, is that maybe there would be a another group of people that could come together and overtake what I've loosely just held in the balance until it is firmly time to make it all come together.

I don't know. I've really not enjoyed this merge round.

[Candice]

I would so love to be able to compare this URL to the one Flicka played on S3.0. Like I seriously wish I could.

[Candice]

I hope y'all are reading PMs because I am seriously sitting at my computer laughing. What a hot freakin' mess. I literally do not know what story I am supposed to say to whom at this point.

[Vitinho]

vytas would have to get through hundreds of pm's to find the ones you're talking about, could you give him a tl;dr?

[Candice]

Just that I've tried to play this very differently from Cass. Cass has literally lied her ass of to Rebecca and Lil. And to Steph. ANd she send me all her lies so I can try to back her story.

BUT, I do not really want to be THAT much of a liar. I'm trying to tell everybody w/o completely selling Cass out that the Steph boot is CASS's agenda. You know why? It fuckin' is. This is CASS's agenda and anybody else who lays claim to it is kidding themselves.

I'd rather be "I'd love to keep Steph" but there is not the numbers. Really, it just needs to be Steph this time and then there is room to negotiate new relationships next round. I say every time that Cass really is not sold on a Stacy boot and I thnk she is voting Steph. Every time I say there is not the numbers, someone says to me there is -- Cass is voting Stacy. It takes all I can do to say, you are fuckin' retarded. She is NOT going to do that and why do you think she is.

So I'm trying to say, oh, OK, maybe I misread her. 'Cause again I do not want to sell her out completely. So I have to change my story or hedge or whatever and I have to do that a different way to every player.

This is either going to end bad for Cass because she is going to come across badly to some people. Or it will end really good for Cass because she brilliantly has snowed about 1/2 the cast this weekend.

And I'm hoping my non-agressive behavior will work out nicely for me. I've been really worried I've had a very weak round. ANd I still think that. But maybe in the end, it won't be a weak as I had feared.


I do think coming out of this weekend, there are some solid targets lined up. Jessica for sure. Stacy for sure. Stacy's side wants Lil gone. Everybody has to know CiCi is a hot mess and an easy boot target. Again, even if I have had what I think is a weak round in regard to relationship building, I am hoping there are other really good things that have come from the weekend that helps my position for at least the next few rounds.

[Candice]

CiCi at this tribal. Did she just throw shade at Liliana out of the fucking blue?

[Vitinho]

[Candice]

this is truly a glorious TC, I swear it is.

[Vitinho]

thank you cochran