I don't own anything related to the Total Drama Series or the songs mentioned, only anything the Hex does to the plot.

Waiting in a separate room on the cruise ship, Amelia "Call me Hex" sighed, the Weeknd's "Earned It" thrumming through her ears as she waited for her turn to leave the boat. All the other contestants were also on the boat, presumably in other rooms or on deck.

Another sigh. 'Gwen owes me so much for this shit.'

Gwen, her cousin, had gotten in a car accident, breaking not just her left leg and foot, but also her right arm and clavicle, completely preventing her from doing anything. After the family called up the production crew for the show, they agreed to let Hex take Gwen's spot despite her not having an audition video. It was just a matter of switching out names and going over contracts (shockingly, she was fine with the fine print of having another season).

A knock sounded at the door and Hex straightened, walking and opening the door. "My turn?"

The intern gave a nod and she calmly walked past him towards the staircase leading up to the deck and moved to stop beside the railing; her luggage was already on deck and she merely dragged it along behind her, a rather dashing black plaid luggage set of three bags, the smallest on her back, the largest in her right hand and the middle sized one in her left. Freeing and tugging her Upod out with her left, she lifted it up and snapped a picture of the surprisingly picturesque sight of the docks.

Disembarking, she squinted up towards what she thought were cabins. "Summer camp?" Hex asked.

"Yep! By the way, you want Hex or Amelia?"

"Hex." He snickered at her prompt response. "You have washing machines, right?"

"We do," he reassured her, knowing it was in her contract and included all of the campers (neither them nor the producers wanted a bloodbath caused by angry teens).

She eyed him, her dark eyes intense and she sighed. "This is such a drag," Hex grumbled, gliding past him on combat booted feet. Her head tilted in silent acknowledgement to the two already there and dropped her stuff by theirs. Tugging long royal blue tinted black hair up into a messy bun, Hex settled against a pole, swiftly putting her Upod and headphones into her bag, and watched curiously as more were arriving.

First was a rowdy blond boy, Geoff, most likely party boy judging by his rather open outfit and cowboy hat. A lovely blonde girl, Lindsay, followed a black haired girl, Heather, with a disgusted face as the girl in a girl scout like uniform came up to her. Hex bravely held back a laugh, watching as a punk, Duncan, arrived and leered at Heather earning another disgusted look. She wordlessly grabbed the black male that had arrived before her and Geoff, forcing them down as a male brunet went flying over them and landed in the luggage. Hex thought Chris called him Tyler.

"Ugh, my shoes!" Heather cried, soaked as the luggage splashed into the lake. Letting out a soft whistle, Hex tossed the girl her grey cotton infinity scarf, earning a surprised look that she merely shrugged to. Hex did step sharply between Geoff's legs, a silent threat when he looked over her Gothic halter top corset. He blanched and smiled nervously, which went ignored.

Hex looked to see a rather (read, very) nerdy new guy, Harold, and raised a brow at his words. She looked over the guitarist, Trent, as he arrived. He was okay looking, but she still fought the urge to kick him when his eyes went over her (she wanted her scarf back…), instead copying what she did to Geoff. Her lips twitched as the newest blonde, Bridgette, accidentally bopped Chris on the head, nodding to her as she stepped closer. Hex grabbed the surfboard before anyone else could be taken out.

"Don't knock out the competition so soon, Demeter," Hex said dryly and the blonde blushed.

"Oh, sorry, guys." Fixing her grip, Bridgette hurried past to put her stuff down.

"Demeter?" Harold asked and Hex shrugged.

"Artemis is portrayed with either pure dark hair or pure white hair. Aphrodite doesn't fit, either." They wordlessly looked at Lindsay and shared silent knowing looks.

Hearing Heather snap, "Get bent," at Duncan, Hex couldn't help muttering, "Kinky."

The boys looked at her in shock.

"That was never said," she said coolly, pinching the bridge of her nose and Geoff snorted along with Duncan, both squawking in surprise as she shoved them into the lake, both flailing. "Currish, milk-livered scuts."

"Nice Shakespearean insults, sweetheart," a voice drawled and she looked at new guy, Noah, with a flat brow. "But I think spongy might've worked better."

Glancing at the pouty Geoff and miffed Duncan, she shrugged. "Don't call me sweetheart, honeybunch."

He made a face as he stepped beside her, both silently watching as Leshawna, a busty black girl turned on Harold and Hex silently saluted him, earning a dry look. They collectively twitched as the two new girls, Sadie and Katie, squealed. Hex frowned at the odd new kid, Ezekiel, listening to Chris.

"Wow." She shared bemused looks with Harold and Noah.

They quietly snickered at her as she slunk silently behind DJ (she overheard him introduce himself to Geoff and Duncan), eyeing the newly arrived Cody. The nerdy duo fell silent, goggling Eva as she calmly dropped her dumbbells on Cody's feet. All of them eyed the large, large blond.

"Awesome?" She offered, peeking from behind a startled DJ at Owen.

"Yeah. Awesome! Oh, are you gonna be on my team?"

"Be that as it may, still may it be as it may be," she suggested and sighed as he cheerfully went to stand beside Ezekiel. "Wasted mystery."

The nerdy duo grunted when she elbowed them at their snickers and watched as Courtney stepped from the boat with Chris's help and blinked at the rather formal way she spoke. Her brows went up as Justin arrived, blinking slowly.

"Hawaiian Ken Doll?"

Noah coughed to hide a laugh. Hex covered her face as Owen began babbling. She pressed her lips together hard as she watched Izzy arrive. Hex slowly followed her fellow contestants, standing beside Heather, who silently passed back her scarf, which she quickly put back on. Hex offered a crooked smile at the camera, brow slowly starting to twitch as Chris stalled.

She fumed silently after the dock broke, feeling like a drowned rat.

Grateful the hair dye wasn't easy to come out, she settled on a stump, making sure her fishnet stockings didn't cling to the wood along with her high-waisted shorts. Resting her elbows on her knees, she looked at Chris as he spoke, explaining the rules and whatever else. He did add the thing about the laundry, which was a relief.

"At least you won't have to share with him," Tyler mumbled, eyeing Duncan after Sadie and Katie spoke.

Eyeing the punk, she muttered, "I'd risk it if I could keep my hearing."

They straightened at hearing Chris call her name, the girl standing and heading off to the side. Trent and Heather followed her, along with Cody, Lindsay, and Beth. Katie, Owen, Leshawna, Justin, and Noah finished off the team.

"Screaming… gophers…" Hex blinked. Her and Noah silently slipped to the back as Katie complained, loudly.

Hex eyed the Killer Bass banner.

So damn weird…

Hex looked between a cheerful Chris and the fly infested outhouse, shrugging as she moved into it first. Closing the door, she squinted suspiciously at the seat before slowly sitting.

She stared at the camera for a moment. "Cousin, you owe me."

Lifting her suitcases up the few steps, she made her way into the cabin and glanced at the bunks. "Such summer campness," she sighed and smirked as Heather grimaced. "Extra bed we can put the bigger cases on. Spare sheets for curtains."

Heather hummed, eyeing the bunks carefully.

"You're so smart," a masculine voice said and she put her stuff down, eyeing Cody as he pressed a hand to his chest. "I feel that."

"Have you ever wanted to fly?" She asked him, head tilting innocently as he blinked at her in confusion.

One exorcised boy later, Hex stretched slightly and adjusted her scarf as she stepped onto the porch to get out of the way, Lindsay behind her.

"Where are the outlets?" The blonde asked. "I didn't see any outlets."

"There are some in the communal bathrooms across the way," Chris said, grinning.

"Communal? But I'm not Catholic," Lindsay said.

Hex crawled onto the porch roof for a better view of the new surroundings, letting her legs dangle as she perched on the edge. "It isn't communion, it's communal. Showering together." Her eyes closed in an attempt to block out Lindsay's whine. It didn't work.

She snickered as Owen bumbled his words.

Her eyes landed on Geoff as he spoke with Chris, a sly look on his face. A scream startled her and she flailed before landing in a startled Tyler's arms. They locked wide startled eyes before he dropped her carefully and they looked into the cabin, others joining. The duo watched silently as the others lost their shit and she moved, raising a boot and slamming down on the bug.

"Y'all good?" She said flatly, squinting at a sheepish DJ. "You better fix that bed."

He nodded.

Hex trailed after Lindsay in line, eyeing the food. "At least it isn't hospital food." Picking up the tray, she headed to sit across from Trent, ignoring his looks.

She carefully got herself in a lucid daydream, methodically eating the food until it was gone and Chris arrived, making her snap out of it as he announced a challenge.

"It's our first challenge, how hard can it be?"

"And then the wolves came," she mumbled.

Now dressed in a sunset orange one piece swimsuit, with boy shorts of course, and tan ankle strap sandal, Hex drew her hair up in a tight messy bun as she listened to Chris.

"Killer Bass, you're up first."

The team dithered until Owen offered encouragement.

A metal clang was heard after Tyler went.

A bellow from Eva.

DJ forfeited.

A horrible sound came after Harold went.

She ignored the fuss from the Besties, nodding in silent greeting at Izzy.

"We will beat them or die trying," Hex answered Chris, eyes gleaming as she looked at her teammates. "Capische? Capische."

"Are you kidding? I can't get my hair on National TV," Heather scoffed.

"Wet hair is sexy, both on males and females," Hex easily retorted. "Just need to let your hair loose a little. Unless you want to be the Hephaestus to my Hera?"

Heather frowned in confusion.

"Hera threw Hephaestus off Mount Olympus," Noah offered and eyed Hex. "I think she'll make sure it really hurts, though."

"Only a couple hours, yet you know me so well," she murmured before smiling sweetly, wickedly at a startled Heather. "Your choice, Heather."

The girl stared at Hex warily before letting out a hmph, tugging the hair band off and onto her wrist, smoothing her hair back as she sashayed towards the cliff before jumping.

Hex moved and looked to make sure Heather was out of the way before neatly cartwheeling off the cliff, curling into a ball and landing into the safe zone. Popping up, she winked at Heather. "We good?"

"Good, for now." They swam over to get on the boat.

"Lindsay, Beth," Hex called and the girls looked over the edge. "Jump together!"

A beat then dual shrieks sounded. Hex smiled slightly as the two popped their heads up out of the safe zone.

"Nice job, girls! Let's bring on the hot tub!"

Leshawna, Cody, and Izzy soon followed into the safe zone. Justin didn't but the sharks… surprisingly helped him out. Hex studiously ignored the way the sharks appeared to be blushing. 'So not going there. Nope.'

Noah and Trent followed Justin and landed in the safe zone. Owen was last.

"Let's get 'em all!" Leshawna bellowed, raising a fist.

"Uh…" Hex glanced at Chef in the captain's place. "Chef, maybe we should back off a bit?"

"What?" He snapped, glowering at her. "Why should I do that when I have to get him?"

Hex looked up and paled further, silently pointing up. Those on the boat collectively blanched.

"Drive, drive!" Cody squawked.

One second, her eyes were on Owen, the next, the pure blue sky.

Lolling her head, she blinked at the sight of the others also on the beach, including the boat.

"Chef."

"I'll listen next time."

"Okay."

They studiously ignored Owen losing his trunks, staring at the sky.

Changed, they swiftly arrived at the campgrounds and Hex carefully looped her scarf around a rope, using it to help protect her teeth and tongue against the rope. Poor Izzy suffered tongue rope burn.

"I think Chef can spare some ice," Hex said and the redhead nodded before bounding away. "We got the heater thing and the pipe!"

"Wood here," Owen said cheerfully and she bit back the possible innuendo.

"Tools," Trent voiced. "And a pool liner."

"Hey, Noah, Cody, you two any good with blueprints?" They were already looking them over. "Nevermind."

"Woah, girl!" Leshawna exclaimed and Hex blanched at the sight of Courtney's eye. "What happened?"

The brunette made an excuse, fluttering quickly back to her team and Hex shared a look with Leshawna, both shrugging before heeding their nerdy duo's orders.

It was clear who won, but Chris dragged it out for the ratings.

Her eyes were quick to move away from a gleeful, naked Owen.

"Don't need to see that," she grumbled.

After another lucid daydreaming meal and a pit stop to the confessional, Hex lounged on the roof, slowly sketching out the campgrounds. The hot tub was featured, her teammates included. AJR's "I'm Ready" played in her ears, her humming softly to it as she carefully drew out Justin's jawline.

Her team, she noticed after peeking over the sketchbook, were leaving the mess hall. Hex shifted so her feet weren't dangling and potentially hitting her cabin mates. Double checking Leshawna's hair, she shaded the homegirl's hair. Hex wanted to get everyone's sketch so as to keep them in her mind's eye of who to beat, even if they become friends in the future.

She was rather relieved she had taken her shower earlier, seeing Cody reappear and leering slightly at Heather and Lindsay.

The next morning came through with a scream from the Bass cabin.

Hex dropped from her bunk and groggily headed over to get dressed, ignoring the grumbles of her cabin mates. Quickly dressed and socks on, she carried her boots, a sketchbook and pencils, Upod, Upod solar charger, and scarf to the door, closing it behind her quickly.

Yelling came from the male side of the Bass cabin and she watched curiously as Izzy burst out of the cabin, giggling maniacally. Shaking her head as Geoff appeared briefly, scolding Izzy, Hex slid her boots on and pulled the zipper up, then did the buckles. Sliding her Upod into her scarf pocket with the charger, she made her way to the mess hall.

"Chef," she called lightly, seeing him behind the counter in the kitchen.

"What?"

"The three days in between are used for recuperating and relaxing, right?" He turned away from the stove, a scowl lightly adorning his face as he nodded. "We free to explore, too?"

"Yeah. Just stay away from where the production sites and crews are."

"Let me guess," a voice drawled from the door as she leaned onto the counter. It was Noah. "No maps."

"None."

"Can we make our own?" Hex asked.

Chef paused in stirring… something. "Don't know."

"Don't risk it," Noah advised, dropping a book on the Gopher's table. "Who knows if Chris'll change things around."

"True," Hex murmured.

"Breakfast will be done in ten."

"Okay," they chorused, settling to occupy themselves until then.

Noah stared blankly at the girl dreamily eating the sticky, gross gruel, the other Gophers doing the same.

"Weird goth girl," Heather called, earning curious looks from the Bass. Hex didn't seem to hear her.

He lightly kicked her foot. Nothing.

Justin squished her cheeks with a hand. Nada.

Dipping her hand in the chemically treated lake water, Leshawna slowly drew her hand down the side of the goth girl's face and water trailed her fingers' paths. Zilch.

"What the hell?" Duncan muttered from the Bass table and Noah glanced over to see them all staring in bemusement.

Hex's spoon clinked against the empty bowl and she stilled before blinking rapidly into focus. Shaking her head slightly, Hex grabbed the bowl and spoon, moving to drop them on the counter. Turning around, she stopped. Her dark eyes flicked over them. "What?"

"You just ate all of Chef's food without gagging," Geoff said.

"Yeah…" She drew out, frowning in mild confusion.

"How?" The Besties chorused.

"Magic," Hex said flatly, grabbing her stuff and heading out. "Ta."

They stared after her.

A line slowly changed into a vine, twisting and curving as a a honeysuckle crown trailed into Bridgette's hair. The blonde was being drawn accepting a bouquet of roses from Geoff, who was Dionysus. She knew some stories had Dionysus being the son of Zeus and Persephone, but privately preferred the stories of him being born to Semele instead. Less weirdness.

Shifting in the shade of the trees, Hex blinked as a squirrel hopped from a tree and started a staring contest between them.

Slowly putting her pencil in the sketchbook bind, Hex held out her fingers, unblinking. Her lips curled as it bounced closer. Now blinking, she slowly reached out and lightly poked its nose. It reeled back in surprise, chattering before darting off. Hex chuckled before continuing to draw.

She was doing it again.

Heather eyed the weird goth girl as she dreamily ate the slop that was their lunch. "Hey," she said, poking Noah. "Do you know what she is doing? And, you know, not gagging?"

"Not at all. Self-hypnosis, maybe?"

Eyeing Hex again, Heather muttered, "Creepy." Raising her fork reluctantly, she choked on a scream as a cockroach crawled along the utensil and dropped it onto the tray.

Noah silently grabbed her tray and placed it onto the end.

"How are you doing that?!" Courtney erupted, having spent the last 30 minutes picking at the weird slop on her tray with her teammates and just noticing Hex had once more finished her tray.

"Magic," was all the goth girl said and Courtney made strangling motions at her, Katie and Eva silently keeping her in her seat.

Hex glanced up as someone nudged her ankle and pulled her headphones off at seeing Noah. "Yeah?"

"How come you aren't explaining your food trick?" He asked, settling on the dock across from her, boo on his lap as he leaned against the pole.

"Because if we have any eating challenges, I want to win," she deadpanned.

He conceded to her point, opening his book and beginning to read. Seeing he had no further questions, Hex turned back to her GameGuy she had fought to keep via contract. It had no access to the outside world, after all.

The second free day started in a similar way, only this time the scream from the male Gopher side.

Hex squealed herself as she rolled off the top bunk in an attempt to get away. Face smooshed to the ground, she groaned.

"You okay, girl?" Leshawna asked, peering over the bottom bunk edge to look at Hex.

"I think I need help." A laugh left Heather when she spotted how tangled the girl was. "Please?"

After another lucid daydream during breakfast, Hex decided to explore the nearby woods, staying in sight of the campgrounds and beach. There wasn't much really, but she did note some hiding spots in case they had hiding games along with the Mclean Shoppe.

The third day contained no screams as Hex had had words with Izzy about the cabins and so she was curled up in her bed, happily dozing in preparation for the second challenge. Everyone else could get up to something, but Hex would happily stay in bed until she had to get out.

She didn't really expect the rude awakening.

Guess who got back into Total Drama! That's right, this writer! ... dammit