[Round #4]

[Gabriel]

Good Lord, where do I begin?

So much to talk about. Things are really starting to heat up around here, and I'm finding myself in interesting positions. Lemme go back to a few days ago first.

Reese left. There was a fight. I got no heat despite lying to his face all day. Fun.

I made an alliance with Thiago. An official alliance. Finally. This was the start of many, many interesting developments.

I had already talked to Zac about working together. We both brought up names and agreed that us two, Thiago, and Mark would be a great group. When Thiago and I made an alliance, we decided on Mark and Zac as well. Good, great. Things were working out well. This is where the fun stuff came in.

I mentioned earlier that I had suspicions of other groups forming during the earlier days, which is natural and all and it doesn't take a genius to have assumed that. But at the time, I wasn't in any, and I didn't know about any, which was a bit concerning obviously

Thiago and I made our pact and then he confirmed my suspicions.

Thiago (4:55:36 PM): ready for this?
Gabriel (4:55:41 PM): for sure
Thiago (4:56:03 PM): so around the first vote, julian/starr/bree offered me an alliance
Thiago (4:56:16 PM): and i accepted because no one else was, but after some time i really feel like it's not the group i want to be in
Gabriel (4:56:23 PM): oh woww
Gabriel (4:56:33 PM): i don't associate those three with each other at all
Thiago (4:56:37 PM): i think starr is a really smart player and looks out for #1, and i think she trusts me completely
Thiago (4:56:50 PM): and the way she speaks with me, it really alarms me, she's cut-throat
Thiago (4:57:06 PM): so i know that's not a relationship i want to stay with because i can't be with someone i can't trust
Gabriel (4:57:11 PM): right
Gabriel (4:57:12 PM): totally
Thiago (4:57:16 PM): starr is very close to bree and julian
Thiago (4:57:21 PM): so i know i'm on the bottom there
Gabriel (4:57:25 PM): i wouldn't have guessed that at all


Alliance #1 consists of Julian/Starr/Bree and Thiago. I was surprised. Not that there was this hidden group, just at how random the members are. Those other three hid their connections to each other well. Until now (more on that later).

Then this:

Thiago (4:57:26 PM): but here's the kicker
Thiago (4:57:31 PM): julian decided to make another alliance
Thiago (4:57:33 PM): with dion and mark
Thiago (4:57:44 PM): and starr also, so they would be the pinacle of two alliances of 4
Thiago (4:57:49 PM): with 2 overlaps, so 6 of us total
Gabriel (4:57:51 PM): wow haha
Gabriel (4:58:04 PM): very glad you're telling me all this
Thiago (4:58:06 PM): julian's intention was to bring the 6 together at some point, but of course him and starr are in the best spot because they're in the middle of the group
Gabriel (4:58:09 PM): very very glad
Thiago (4:58:13 PM): but here's my problem
Thiago (4:58:20 PM): the people i get along with most (you, zac)
Thiago (4:58:24 PM): are not included
Gabriel (4:58:27 PM): right
Thiago (4:58:47 PM): i think dion is a bit of an anxious player and a wildcar, bree it's impossible to talk to, julian i find nervous of, starr i already explained


Alliance #2 consists of Julian/Dion/Mark and Thiago

Alliance #3 consists of Julian/Starr/Bree/Dion/Mark/Thiago by association. That leaves myself, Knox, and Zac on the outside.

I've had a feeling that something like this was the case, but I haven't been flipping out or overly worried about it. Yes, it can be crucial to jump into an alliance at those early stages of the game, but I didn't feel like I'd be a target early on, and as far as I know I haven't been anyone's really, despite being on the outside.

I explained to Thiago how I felt about these alliance. I feel like they were just a ragtag group of people thrown together based on who was online around that time, and not based on trust or connections at all, which is unhealthy. This alliance had no way of lasting at all.

I told Thiago that a group of us four (me, him, Mark, Zac) was built more on trust and on the fact that we all enjoy each other and are always on the same page, which are all huge. He agreed completely. He also told me that Mark is in a similar uneasy position within their big Julian/Starr lead alliance, and that they're both good to basically bail while playing up the fact that they're still with them. The three of us are now all on the same page with all of this, but we talked about keeping the Julian/Starr side alliances a secret from Zac, because some were worried he'd get nervous or whatever. So Zac still has no idea at this point I guess, but it's done for his own good.

Thiago and I then had a loong convo after making our alliance official. He wanted me as his number one within our four because he felt that Mark and Zac may be a bit close. He's been wanting to tell me about these side alliances for awhile, but he was nervous that I'd have connections with the wrong person and rat him out. Apparently absolutely no one has been able to figure out who I have connections with, which is either really good for me or really bad for me.

I trust Thiago as much as I can at this point because I'm pretty sure he really trusts me. If he's playin' me, hats off to him, hell of a job. I just don't see that as the case though. I think we're real solid, as is our group of four.

Thiago went on to talk a bit of trash about Julian and Starr. He says Julian's been real cocky these days, and that Starr is super aggressive and has been spreading shit about Dion, her ally by association. Uh..bad idea Starr. Prolly shouldn't shit talk alliance members to your other alliance members. Makes you seem like a bad ally. Thiago said that Starr told him she planned on planting seeds in all our minds about Dion being in charge during all of these votes in order to turn us against her when she wanted. Pretty hilarious, since I picked up on that and said in my confessional earlier that I was gonna use it as ammo when/if I wanted Dion to vote Starr with me.

SO ANYWAY. That was it for the other night basically. I knew at that point I needed to get in closer with Julian and Starr because of how hard they're apparently playing, and I wanted them to trust me so I can be on that inner circle before destroying it however I could.

I also knew that a very key tribemate would be Knox, and that he was gonna find himself into some interesting positions coming up, because we need him (kind of).

I'll talk about what I'm doin' with all this new info and the current vote next

[Gabriel]

Slightly more recent events. The challenge came and went. We lose. Rinse, wash, repeat.

The comeback was a huge cocktease. I really wish I got to do the puzzle instead of Chad doing it because I love puzzles, but everyone kept telling me if I got to 7 minutes to challenge. Sure enough, Chad is last and completes it. Sucks that my heat was the one that lost it order wise, but I'm not worried about it. It wasn't in my hands at all really. Whatevah. Sick to death of losing though, that's for damn sure.

Results go up, Judgement goes up, and everything gets mad awkward. No one at that point wanted to bring up a name. Naomi, Pilar, and Reese were easy as cake compared to this. No one had any qualms bringing their names up, but this was different. It SHOULD be Bree. I like her, but she's not as social and doesn't do as much in challenges as everyone else. But Bree's connected now, so that's a big problem.

Then the Reese vote starts comin' up in convos. Someone else besides Reese voted for Bree last round, and Bree and her allies went on a manhunt to find out who it was. It was Dion, the person that Starr and Bree had been wanting to take out already anyway

Dion came to me all nervous about that second Bree vote. She pretended that she wasn't the one who cast it, and I pretended not to know. I told her I didn't see why it was a big deal at all and that I didn't think anything would come of it.

I don't think it's a big deal at all, but I do think a lot will come from it.

Dion is being used as a scapegoat by Starr now, and has been all along really. Very similar to Reese being close-ish with Pilar and then getting the boot the next round. Starr wishes to see the same thing happen to Dion now, and probably Knox next round (more on that later). Dion also told me that she wanted to vote Bree, which is what I expected and hoped.

Julian's in an interesting position. He has his alliance with Starr and Bree, but also another with Dion. His alliance wanted to target his other alliance member. That only left myself, Zac, Mark or Knox for the person we figured Julian would want to see leave this round. Sure enough, he started trying to turn people on Mark to try to save both Bree and Dion.

Then some more fun stuff tonight. Julian/Starr/Bree all argued about who to bring into the fold on the Dion vote. They were all talking (with Thiago) about how they should only tell one of either myself, Mark, Zac, or Knox to vote for Dion.

SIDENOTE: Way to run this tribe into the ground! The way they're attempting to lead these votes would force the tribe right down the middle. Very unhealthy!

Anyway, Julian told Thiago that he didn't want me in on the Dion vote. He figured I'd tell Dion and she would get an apple. I'm not surprised or mad. Him and I are friendly and I like him quite a bit, but we're not on that level of strategy talk yet and he has zero idea where I stand.

Thiago (11:14:20 PM): starr wants to bring you in on the dion vote
Thiago (11:14:24 PM): they only want to bring 1 person in on it
Thiago (11:14:38 PM): starr wants you, bree wants mark, julian wants knox
Gabriel (11:14:43 PM): this must be my lucky day!
Thiago (11:14:48 PM): none of them want zac knowing

I'm in the cool kid club now! Later on, they decided to tell both myself and Mark about the Dion vote. This part was hilarious. After I was inducted into the club and didn't have to sit at the kid's table anymore, the three all came to me at the same time to talk about the Dion vote. Each one came to me and all of a sudden tried to subtly hint at wanting to vote Dion out. I pretended to act surprised, and even surmised myself that Dion was maybe the one who voted for Reese last round. Apparently they all three loved this and were so happy to hear be willingly bring that up. They could now easily get me to vote for her in their eyes. The image of them all gloating in their confessionals about this stuff is hilarious

I started a group chat with Thiago and Mark:

[Thiago, Gabriel and more] (11:29:00 PM): gabe they are all so happy you decided to vote dion on your own
[Thiago, Gabriel and more] (11:29:13 PM): you are getting mad kudos
[Thiago, Gabriel and more] (11:29:39 PM): 5 minutes ago gabe was sketchy and unknown
[Thiago, Gabriel and more] (11:29:43 PM): and now he's a "good man"


The three of us talked a bit longer and decided on some stuff. Surprisingly, I think we're actually gonna go ahead and vote out Dion. While I would LOVE to use all of this new information to turn the tables on these three (which I think we very easily could and it would be an amazing blindside), I don't think it's the right move this round.

Julian/Bree/Starr are leaving Knox/Zac and obviously Dion out of this vote. It would be SUPER easy to tell those three about what's really happening around here. They would vote with myself, Thiago, and Mark, and we could take out a top dog like Julian or Starr right now if we wanted. BUT, I think next round is better for that

- If we do it this round, it causes problems. The tribe is fairly split after that, and if we can't win with all unified votes so far, it'll only be harder after we have no cohesiveness at all.

- If we don't swap next round, Knox will be pissed that he was left out of this Dion vote, since he'll likely be the only one who doesn't vote that way. We can grab him then, tell him what's up, and get him to vote for one of the three if we lose again. Should be simple

- If we DO swap, then voting one of those three over Dion is a bad move. The remaining two would be pissed. I seriously doubt they would work with if we swap. We'll go into a swap intact if we don't pull this move right now, and if the numbers don't fall my way I can tell the favorites that I end up with about those three having the most power, and take one of them out. Or I still have the option of working with any of the three since I didn't blindside them.

It's difficult. There's a lot of what if's and a lot depends on a swap. A big Starr or Julian blindside WOULD really be great this round though. Everything inside of me is screaming to pull the trigger on it, but I gotta play it cool.

Voting Dion out kinda sucks. I like her a lot. But whatever. My hands are stained with blood and dirt as it is. Might as well keep it up.

[Gabriel]

"Matched by a common history"

I have zero idea what this could mean

[Gabriel]

Oh and apparently Dion and Bree found out each other's aliases and that's a huge spark of controversy or some shit. Has to do with why they hate each other or something? I wasn't really paying attention

[john]

Loving your confessions, my friend.

You have my backing

[a hot fucking mess]

Apr 23, 2013 5:57:18 GMT -5 john said:

Loving your confessions, my friend.

You have my backing

it's because he's black

[john]

[Gabriel]

Ayyy thanks chocolate thundah!