DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Total Drama Revenge of the Island season, or any of its characters.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Welcome to my first TD season story! I am, in fact, finished with this season as of May, so this note has been edited into this chapter. Most of the chapters, mainly the older ones, have been edited for smoother writing, though you still may see a slight difference in quality between the early and late chapters, due to the experience I gained throughout writing this story.
An important aspect of my story that I should point out is that it's fairly close to canon, writing and challenge-wise. Especially at the beginning, you'll find that much of the dialogue and events are the same as or similar to canon. That's not to say that I didn't write my fair share of deviations from the original, but my aim was to polish the canon season, not completely change it. That means the largest changes occur as character plots grow out of canon constraints that I found to limit their potential, which is a gradual (but not snail-paced, don't worry!) process. What I didn't consider flawed in canon, I didn't change. Conversely, I put some heavy-duty changes on certain challenges, developments, even a few tweaks on certain characters' behavior to make them more complex and realistic. Therefore, I hope you won't be looking for a completely different version of TDROTI so much as a better one, as I believe them to be two different things in essence.
A slight heads-up: if you're looking for a radically different elimination order, you will NOT find it here... at least, not in the beginning. Although I personally think the elimination order is different enough from canon, I focused more on interactions and development throughout my writing and changed the canon eliminations accordingly, which is why the order reaches its climax of differentiation from canon in the merge. Therefore, if you're mainly looking for more exploration of canon plots and characters as well as some new interactions and development, this story should fit your interests. If your main wishes are all of this and a greatly contrasting elimination order... well, the choice is yours. But if you do read this, I hope you'll enjoy. :-)
P.S. In case you noticed, yes, the episodes are in a somewhat-different order from canon. x) That was intentional, and I changed up the order because I thought certain episodes should've come earlier or later, should've switched with this or that episode, etc. to better-fit plots or occasions.
A camera looks out into outer space. From its view, an astronaut is shown floating near Earth. The astronaut taps a satellite beside him with his wrench; it flashes green and whirs to life- only to turn back red and fall apart into pieces.
A man's voice speaks; it holds the upbeat, easygoing tone of a person experienced in speaking on television. "We've been to the movies. We've been around the world. And this season, we're going right back to where it all began- at Camp Wawanakwa."
The view switches to a dock on which a dark-haired man is standing near a sign that says "WAWANAKWA" in bold red script. His grin catches the sunlight, reflecting it brighter than anyone's teeth can without cosmetic treatment.
He begins walking along the wooden dock, which squeaks under his feet. "I'm Chris McLean, and as you can see, things have changed since we've been away." An intern shows up at a distance, holding up a platter with a coconut drink on it. As Chris stops next to the intern, the Wawanakwa sign tilts down on one end and crashes through the dock.
"And by 'changed'," Chris says, "I meant gotten really, really dangerous." Right on cue, a gigantic octopus leg rises from the water and swings down on the intern, dragging him and a good chunk of the dock with it.
Chris chuckles. "Good stuff. But the rules of the game remain the same: A handful of unsuspecting sixteen-year-old teens will bunk with complete strangers, air their dirty laundry in an outhouse confessional, complete life-threatening challenges all over the island...and risk being voted off. Last one standing wins: ONE, MILLION, DOL-LARS! Speaking of our cast, here they come now!"
A red and white cruise ship speedily approaches, carrying the cast from the past: Lindsay and Tyler sit on the railing edge while locking lips; Eva crosses her arms and stares down the water; Owen and Geoff pump their fists to the party music playing.
Their ship zips right past the dock. "NOOOooooo!" Owen screams in the distance.
"Heheh. No, not them," the host says, "this season we've got all new players fighting for the million! And here they come now- for real!"
The new boat is plain white, and rides much slower than the last one.
"Meet, Jo." A girl in dark sweats and a sweatshirt has her arms crossed. Her eyes are a proud and intense indigo, looking like they are constantly inviting a challenge. "I have this competition in the bag, trust me."
"Scott." A stocky guy in a tank top passes off a smirk to Jo that seems worn-in. His hair resembles a flame, sticking up in sideways spikes. "Yeah, sure, honey. Dream it up all you want."
She squints her eyes at him and scowls, achieving an intimidating appearance that would make most people back away. "Are you mocking me, redneck?"
He gazes upward. "Yup, never heard that one before. Highly original, it is."
"Don't make me punch you on worldwide television."
Scott finally meets her challenge with an aloof stare. "I don't care if you do."
The resolve fades away from Jo's expression. She turns back to the water, but keeps one eye on him. "I'll stay out of your way if you stay out of mine."
"Deal. I'm guessing you want a handshake with that?"
"You guessed wrong."
"Zoey." A girl with intense red hair, much darker than Scott's, blinks with a blank expression. She has a doe-eyed look, and her hair is gathered into pigtails. "Oh, am I supposed to say something? Uh, hi, everyone!"
"Mike." The teen next to her stands nearly a head taller; the front of his hair adds to his height by standing straight up. His eyes are an unusually warm brown, a more intense expression of his skin tone. He gives an offhand wave, an unconcerned smile, and looks away, though his expression tells a different story about how he is feeling.
"Lightning." A male with shoulders like a football player and skin that matches bark in tone points two finger guns at the camera. "Lightning's gonna win the whole sha-bang! Root for Lightning, TV viewers!"
"Brick." A built teen with a crew cut salutes, sporting a thick unibrow. "Morning, everyone. I hope you're all doing well."
"B." The biggest person of the group wears a hoodie and a jacket that only add to his wide frame. His eyes are as calm and still as a lake, and a cap sits on his head.
"And, Dawn." A girl with a curtain of white-blonde locks pays no attention to the camera. She appears to be meditating while sitting on the boat railing.
She opens her eyes and smiles, laying a hand on B's shoulder. "Your aura is exceptionally purplish-green," she says to B, who forms a puzzled expression. "Oh, but it suits you though!" His mouth curls up at that.
"Dakota." The only person with orange-tinted shades and sunshine-yellow locks twiddles her fingers at the camera. "Hey there! Dakota here! And I'm going to win thi-"
"Anne Maria." The epitome of "hourglass figure" purses her lips as she strikes a pose. Several layers of fake tan blend with her naturally bronze skin, turning it copper.
Dakota shoves the girl out of camera view. "Whoa! Who said you could pan away from me?"
Anne Maria rams Dakota to the ground. "Don't push me, Blondie!" She pulls out hairspray from her back pocket and proceeds to spray Dakota in a cloud of chemicals.
"Staci." A girl, round as a beach ball and wearing a ribbon in her hair, takes note of Anne Maria's skin color. "My great aunt Millie invented suntan," she says in a high, bubbly voice. "Ja, before her, people smeared themselves with clay." Anne Maria shoots her with hairspray until she falls down like Dakota.
Anne Maria raises her eyebrows at the spray can in her hand. "This ain't a bad weapon if I say so myself."
"Cameron." A deep-skinned boy with circular glasses who looks to be ten years old stands alone near the railing, on the second level of the boat. He takes a deep sniff as seagulls fly across the sky ahead. "Ah, fresh air... We meet at last."
"Sam." Back in first level, another much larger and wider guy with glasses seems to be absorbed in his game device.
"Oh yeah! Grenade launcher upgrade!" he says to no one in particular.
The view switches back to Chris at the dock. "Yup," he says, "it's our roughest, toughest, most explosive season ever!" He pulls out a single-button remote from his pocket and presses the red button with his thumb.
KABOOM! The cruise ship explodes into light, becoming nonexistent in an instant. Every contestant screams as they free-fall into the water.
"Oh, there's more where that came from," Chris says, chuckling. "Right here, on Total. Drama. Revenge of the Island!"
The contestants are seen up close as they dive into the lake. Cameron crashes torso-first on a protruding boulder, shuddering from the impact. "Oof!"
Anne Maria is swimming to keep her head above water. "Chris is so getting the beat down for this!"
Cameron clings on to his boulder. "Help!" he cries out, staring at the waves beneath him.
"Wimp." Scott swims his way past.
"I'll save you, little girl!" Lightning says as he reaches the boulder. He climbs onto it, then scoops up Cameron and tucks him under his arm. He prepares to jump off.
"I'm a boy!" says Cameron. He lets out a scream as Lightning leaps, which becomes gurgled as they hit the water.
Dakota dog-paddling when she spies a boat with photographers approaching. She stops and turns around. "Hi fellas! However did you find me?"
Camera shots go off. "Uh, we got your text?" one man says.
Chris is watching this unfold from an outdoor TV screen as he sits in a lawn chair. "For crying out loud!" he says, throwing down his fruit punch. He takes out a walkie talkie and speaks into it. "Chef, it's your cue."
Chef is overseeing the contestants from above in a helicopter. "Copy that." He retrieves dynamite from the supply area in the back, then drops it onto the end of the photographers' boat.
BOOM! The photographers fly off to who-knows-where.
"That was SO uncalled for!" Dakota yells to Chef above.
The most athletic of the contestants are close to the shore. Water sprays everywhere as Jo inches ahead of Brick and Lightning. She is the first to touch sand. Brick sprawls onto the shore beside her, and Lightning releases Cameron from his hold.
"Whoo hoo! First place!" Jo says.
"Aw, man! Lightning would've beat you if he hadn't saved this little girl here," Lightning says, pointing at Cameron as he kneels and coughs up water.
Jo spots someone sitting on a rock and blinks several times. "What the- how did you- you're not even wet!"
The girl on the rock is Dawn, examining a starfish while holding it up. She lowers her arm and looks over at the others. "Hm? Oh! I used a shortcut."
Brick bends on one knee and stands up. "Good work, both of you," he says. Jo gives him a look as though she is wishing death upon him, and he steps back. "Whoa, um... Did I say something wrong, ma'am?"
"Don't call me ma'am."
He gulps. "Understood."
Just then, Mike and Zoey walk onto the sand, carrying Staci between them; Scott arrives as well. "Good thing our luggage wasn't on that ship," Mike comments to the people on the beach; several of them nod.
Anne Maria and B swim over after some time. Dakota and Sam join the group last, with Sam checking his GameGuy device for water damage. The campers split up- Mike, Zoey, and Cameron walk over to Dawn by the rocks, while Brick, Lightning, and Jo all stand some distance from one another. Everyone else wanders around on the lake shore.
"Hello," Dawn says as the campers sit on their own separate boulders. "What made you three decide to come join me?"
"Well, it looked like a good sitting spot," Cameron says.
"What he said," Mike says.
"I was just following you guys," Zoey says, grinning at them both. "I'm sooo stoked to be here. I've been watching Total Drama forever!"
Dawn watches her intently. "Yes, you stayed home a lot, watching Total Drama and other shows by yourself."
Zoey sits up straighter, her dark eyes wide. "Huh? Who told you that?"
"Your soul reads like an open book! You had a lonely childhood." Dawn takes Zoey's hand in hers. "It must have been difficult."
Pulling her hand back, Zoey crosses her arms. Mike suddenly gets up, having three pairs of eyes follow him as he leaves. After a moment, Zoey too stands up and walks away.
Cameron glances from them to Dawn. "They must've not liked your soul-reading for some reason."
Dawn sighs and looks at her hands. "It happens. Both of them hold insecurities they'd rather not face."
"Why did you talk about Zoey's, then?"
"I have trouble keeping quiet about other people's problems," she says, furtively pushing her hair back. "It's been a habit of mine ever since I learned how to read souls."
"Can you read mine?" Cameron asks, his expression more curious than afraid.
She smiles. "Sure! It's rare someone actually wants me to. You have lived in a bubble for most of your life, due to your mother worrying about your weak immune system and physical underdevelopment. Because you are used to being sheltered, you feel acute excitement and anxiety about being out here right now."
His eyes spark with new light. "Everything you just said is true! Wow. That's incredible."
"You're very kind," Dawn says, smiling wider. Just then, Chris's voice bellows out of a loudspeaker tied to a nearby tree.
"ATTENTION, FRESH MEAT! SEE THE TRAIL LEADING INTO THE FOREST?" Everyone's eyes go over to a light dirt path off the shore. "RACE TO THE END OF THE TRAIL, AND DO NOT DISTURB THE WILDLIFE. THAT WOULD BE BAD."
Lightning snickers. "Yeah. We wouldn't want to upset the bunnies!"
"THE TINIEST SOUND CAN SET THEM OFF. LIKE, THIS!" A horn blares through the loudspeaker, making people clap their hands over their ears. Creature growls rise up from the distant forest, and trees start to topple. The campers commence running toward the path for their lives.
CONFESSIONAL: SAM (The Gamer Guy)
Sam looks up from his GameGuy in his lap and chuckles, putting it away. "Gotta have those gaming breaks in between, right folks? I'm already getting a killer workout here on the island! I knew I should've bought that sweet fitness workout game." He scratches his head. "Huh. I just hope I don't actually get killed. I mean, the way Chris blew up our ship was pretty dangerous. And I'm not that good a swimmer, or athlete in general." With a shrug, he pulls out his GameGuy and resumes playing.
Sam is huffing and puffing by the time he comes to the forest. He slows to a stop once he sees Dakota sitting under a tree, texting. "Hey! Dakota, is it? We're supposed to be running, you know."
Dakota looks up at him, then back to her phone. He steps over to her, holding a hand out for her to grab. "It'll be fine once we get to the finish line. Come on, you can do it."
"Chris isn't making me run after swimming," she says. "He blew up the paparazzi to outer space!"
"When did they show up?" he says in a wondering tone.
He seats himself next to her, and she looks at him for a second before looking back at her phone. "Right after Chris blew up our boat. He's so messed-up, I swear."
Sam shrugs. "I can't argue with that, based on the evidence so far. I can't imagine what he did to the campers in last seasons."
She stares at him, seeming to forget her phone momentarily. "You've never watched the past seasons? Boy, are you in for a treat. Honestly, I want to avoid as much torture as I can during my time here... if that's even possible. I'm not here for that stuff anyway, I'm just here to show off my looks."
"Not for the money?"
"Psht. Daddy has way more than enough."
"If you say so," Sam says, standing up. "I gotta get going. Feel free to join if you want to." He runs back onto the path, huffing in and out. Dakota sees him off before returning her attention to texting.
Jo, Brick, and Lightning race once more on the trail. A squirrel squeals and scampers out of their way. Lightning runs as he would to tackle someone in football, sprinting ahead of the other two.
"Sha-BAM!" He skids across the finish line. "And Lightning wins the Super Bowl!"
Jo comes up behind him. "Whatever, Football Star Wannabe."
"Hey! I am a football star! Back home, I'm captain of my t-"
"I don't care to know, actually."
He sniffs. "You're just jealous I won."
"Am not!"
"Are too!" They begin to yell in each other's faces, filling the air with their shouts.
"GUYS!" Brick separates them, holding his hands out. "Guys, let's not fight. It won't accomplish anything."
"Stay out of this, Crew Cut," Jo snaps.
"You guys done here?" Chris says, sitting on a red ATV several yards away. "Good. Brick, take two steps left. You're on Team A. Jo and Lightning, you're on Team B." Jo and Lightning stare each other down as Brick slides away from them.
CONFESSIONAL: JO (The Take-No-Prisoners Jockette)
Jo has one leg stretched across the toilet. "I was just trying to set the record straight with Lightning. Make sure he doesn't get any ideas in his head. I want to ensure that I'm team leader, and if Lightning's some sort of team football captain back home, he's a threat to my leadership. I have to keep his confidence down so he does whatever I say."
Anne Maria reaches the finish line next, panting. "What show are we on, The Biggest Loser?"
"No, you're on Total Drama Season Four," Chris says. "You're also on Team A, over there."
She mumbles insults as she walks to where Brick is standing. Mike arrives at the finish then, breathing hard and slowing down on his run. Dawn crosses a moment later, Zoey and a limping Cameron coming up behind her.
"Mike, you're on Team B. Dawn is Team A, Zoey is Team B, and Cameron is Team A," Chris says. The four teens split their separate ways.
"Tripped on a tree branch?" Dawn asks Cameron, as they stand in their places.
"Yeah, just a moment ago. I also smudged my glasses." Cameron proceeds to wipe his glasses lens on his sweatshirt.
Scott soon saunters across the finish line. "I'm just saving my energy for the upcoming challenge."
"That's smart," Mike says, bringing a hand to his neck.
"Thank you!" Scott says pleasantly, smiling for good measure.
"Scott, you are on Team B," Chris says. Scott steps over to Mike, Zoey, Jo, and Lightning; he sizes them up, maintaining a poker face all the while.
Staci arrives, followed by B and then Sam. "Staci, Team A. B, Team B, heheh. Sam, Team A." The three separate into their teams, with B frowning at Chris.
Brick shields his eyes and looks around. "I think that's everyone."
"Someone's missing," Chris says, rubbing his stubble. "Annoying blonde with paparazzi following her... oh, yeah. Dakota."
"I'm coming!" Dakota shouts, running over to the group. She steps carefully around the mud puddles.
"HURRY UP ALREADY!" Jo says.
She gives Jo an annoyed look, her green eyes flashing for a second. "Sheesh! I just said I'm coming!"
"You're on Team A, Dakota," Chris says.
"Okay!" She heads over to her team. Sam gives her a smile of welcome as she walks past.
CONFESSIONAL: CAMERON (The Wide-Eyed Bubble Boy)
"Maybe I was hallucinating, but I think I saw Dawn levitating to the finish line earlier," Cameron says. "When I fell on the branch, my eyes were at ground level, and I saw her feet floating..." He shakes his head quickly. "Nope. Definitely hallucinating."
"Alright, campers!" Chris says from his ATV. "Now, this season of Total Drama will b-"
"What the heck were those animals in the forest?" Scott says.
"You'll find out eventually..." Chris lets out a low laugh that creates chills all around. "Never interrupt me by the way. As I was saying, this season will be a little bit different in several aspects. For example, in every episode, someone will be eliminated."
A gasp erupts from the group. "It's never been that hard before!" Zoey says.
"I know, I'm good! But since you're all first-timers, I'm going to cut you a break and hide this genu-ine McLean brand Chris head! Your free ticket back into the game, even if your teammates vote you off. Whoever finds it will become THE most powerful player in Total Drama history!" Chris fingers his chin. "Is the cleft on my chin really that big?"
Scott smirks. "Yup. And it looks like a butt."
Chris sends a threatening look his way. "Moving on! Time for team names."
"Team Lightning!" Lightning throws his arms up and points at the sky. "No, Lightning SQUAD!"
"Great suggestions, Lightning. But, names have already been chosen by moi. Team A, you shall henceforth be known as- the Toxic Rats. And Team B, you are hereby dubbed, the Mutant Maggots."
"Uh, what's with all the references to chemical waste?" Mike says.
"Let's just say I rented the island out to a company, and the company's product had a little effect on the flora and fauna," Chris says, grinning widely as ever. "Now, before we start our very first challenge, let's give out some rewards. Lightning, 'cause you made it up here before anyone else, your team gets a trampoline! And the Rats get a hacksaw."
Chef is bouncing on the trampoline with the hacksaw, but bounces too far and falls off. Anne Maria laughs and receives a hacksaw in the face. Lightning catches the trampoline thrown at him. "Sha-sweet!"
Chris pulls out a bomb engraved with his face. "What do these items have to do with this bomb? Find out when we come back, on Total. Drama. Revenge of the Island!"
CONFESSIONAL: MIKE (The Drama Geek) [1]
Mike runs a hand through his hair, and it springs back up. "Alright, my first confessional! I guess I should've expected the amount of exercise we're doing, having watched the show a thousand times before, heh. I've always been pretty bad at remembering stuff. It's a little awkward being with the other contestants right now, since none of us know each other, but Cameron and Zoey seem cool so far. Dawn, I'm actually a little bit... scared of? No, just wary. I mean, how was she able to see into Zoey's life like that? It's just- surreal. Not that I should be talking." A light, fast chuckle escapes from him.
NOTE: Progress reports about the next chapter are always on my profile. Also, reviews and feedback are most appreciated. :-)
Annotations:
[1]- I firmly don't believe MPD is a stereotype, so I changed his label completely. He still has MPD. I got the new label from Mike acting as though his different personalities were intentional in the canon season.