To The Toph

What a corny name, isn't it?

Karts Of Sugar Rush: Yeah, that's correct, Max and Dakota! It were very transparent clues weren't it?

Applause2014: Yeah, nothing against you, but I actually meant how his personality changes from a charming, slightly frustrated and a little self-centered man to an outright narcissist with a bitter temper and selfish goals. I probably should've mentioned that in the former chapter. But thanks anyway!

There's truly not much to say today. So without any further ado, here's the next chapter!

If you don't like tea, then you're going to have a problem because this chapter still bears the T rating. Fine, after that, here's the chapter!

Chapter 2: Too Great Expectations

I stepped out of the main terminal of Billy Bishop airport in Toronto and put down my suitcase to stare bewilderedly at the beautiful cityscape at sunset in the distance. After traveling for 14 hours straight, I was finally here. Toronto, heart of the national television, and in this place, I can become who I want to be!

I hailed a cab and got in. It smelled and it wasn't all that clean, but I couldn't care less right now, I was still in the buzz of finally being here. A few days before I left, I found a nice little apartment in the Rexdale neighborhood I could move into. The add promised 'Easy access' and that it was 'In the middle of the community', which may be pretty helpful for my career. The rent seemed okay and on top of that it was even furnished! They didn't mention much about the surrounding neighborhood, but an apartment is an apartment, I don't expect to be there much anyway, as long as I got a place to sleep that isn't a cardboard box in an alley, it'll do. I told the driver where to go and leaned back as he drove me to my new home.

As the taxi was driving on the highway, I glanced out of the window and spotted a billboard for a power ballad radio station called Emotion 89.5 out of the corner of my eye, bearing the head of a man suavely looking over the highway, holding a rose. This man was apparently a major DJ for the station. It wouldn't have interested me if there wasn't something about this guy, his big chin and orange hair reminded me of someone. Then I finally remember, it's Rodney! He apparently became a DJ for a power ballad radio, that makes sense I guess, he always had a thing for romance, he fell in love easily and got heartbroken even easier. I cross my arms and frown, Rodney's another contestant who surpassed me in life! It's like a cruel joke is played on me to remind me of the nobody I still am! But whoever laughs last laughs the longest isn't it? [1]

After 45 minutes of traffic jams and having to pick between unhealthy gasoline fumes from the taxi and the polluted air outside, the cab stopped in front of a 3-floor brownstone building that looked a little…decayed. The neighborhood itself wasn't exactly what I hoped it to be, it came over as dull and low-income. How is anyone supposed to find me in here? If I actually wanted to remain unnoticed, then I would've stayed in the desert! This isn't looking good, but where else can I go right now? It's almost dark and this doesn't look like a safe neighborhood. I took my suitcase and approached the front door. I rang the bell that was labeled 'landlord', and a dark skinned man peaked his head through the chink a moment later.

''The hell do you want?'' He gruffly grumbled.

''I replied to your add for the apartment!'' I told the landlord a little shakily, being a little intimidated by him.

''Ah.'' The landlord replied before he opened the door for me and disappeared into his own apartment. The hallway looked a little deteriorated, another sign that I perhaps shouldn't have come here. The landlord returned and handed me a key. ''Apartment 3C.'' He grumbled

''Alright, and where-'' I tried to ask before he abruptly closed the door into my face. The landlord doesn't seem to be a friendly type too, he didn't even tell me where it was! I scoff as I walk over to the stairwell, I look up the spiraling stairs and see that there're about 6 floors in this building, so perhaps apartment 3C is on the 3nd floor. I climbed the old stairs while I held onto the banister, which suddenly broke off after I leaned against it, almost making me fall down. I nervously checked if no one noticed before I quickly scurried away to make sure it stayed that way. I noticed that as I walked through the 3nd floor hallway that a lot of Latin music boomed through the walls, while I don't hate it, I just hope that the walls of my apartment are thick enough to shut it out. Finally I reached apartment 3C, I unlocked the door and breathed in deeply before opening it, what am I going to encounter in my home after all these bad signs? Stray animals? A crime scene? If I had to pick, I hope a crime scene, at least they don't bite or scratch you. I swung the door open and stepped into the apartment.

The interior didn't look like the add at all. Sure it was a 1-room apartment like the add said, but the wallpaper was pretty old, and the wooden floor creaked worse than mommy's scoliosis-riddled back. The furniture didn't look all that great either. I checked the small bathroom with a ominous feeling and it was like 1 of my worst nightmares. The mirror was damaged and the (Miraculously) off-white toilet contained a brown liquid I can't even describe what it looked like, and the smell wasn't any better! I flushed the toilet once but as it turned out, it was clogged. Out of anger, I kicked the bathroom door and stomped towards 1 of only 2 windows to look out to, after I opened the dirty windows and hung out of it, it turned out that the windows looked out on a blind wall on the other end of the alley, this was getting worse with the second! This wasn't the cityscape the advertisement promised! I sat down on the sleeper couch (Which actually sat pretty well) and growled in frustration until I smelled a putrid chemical fume coming from outside. I coughed as I walked back to the window again to see where the fume came from, it turned out to be coming from the apartment right below me. This was it, I stomped to the apartment of the landlord.

''Hey dude, open up!'' I angrily yelled, furiously knocking on his door.

''What?!'' He vexedly shouted while he opened the door.

''Do you think that you can mislead me with an apartment that isn't like the advertisement at all?!'' I angrily asked him. ''The room is in terrible shape, the bathroom is so filthy the tentacles are coming out of the bowl and whoever's in the room below me is making something that smells like it can kill off everything it touches!'' I told him, counting every single thing on my fingers.

''You're calling me a swindler? Come in, kid!'' He urged me. Before i could react he pulled me into his apartment, which was off course in a much better shape, and showed me the website. ''That add was about several apartments, each with their own photos and rental costs, and it clearly states here that not every apartment has the same amenities.'' The landlord explained. I have to admit, I didn't notice that, I thought every apartment was practically the same and I just went for the one with the lowest rent, which landed me in this craphole. So you see, wanting to save money isn't always a good thing.

''And what about being 'In the middle of the community'?'' I suspiciously asked.

''The community center is down the street.'' He quickly answered. Yes, being near the community center IS in the middle of the community, but not what I hope to be.

''And what about that-'' I tried to ask before the building began to shake lightly as a jet flew over at low altitude.

''Toronto Pearson is a few miles from here. That's your 'Easy Access'.'' The landlord flatly pointed out. Great, so every few hours a jet flies over. That works great with those thin apartment walls. Having an airport close by is good, but this close is overkill! What have I gotten myself into?

''And what about that chemist below me? What are you going to do about him huh?'' I asked him perhaps a little too ballsy.

''You're hammering on my door, disturb me during a tense soccer game, call me a swindler and still expect me to do something about him?! Go solve it yourself or scram!'' The landlord barked at me before he threw me out of his home (Landing with my head in the wall) and shut the door. I get up and rub the stucco out of my hair. Why are people so obsessed with soccer lately? What happened to the time that football and ice hockey ruled this country? Now I hate it even more!

I stomp towards the apartment below me and desperately try not to get knocked out by the even stronger fumes stinking up the hallways and knock on the door.

''Hey dude, are you cooking drugs in there or something?!'' I asked very frustrated.

''Am I in a RV? Of course not! Go away!'' A rather nasally sounding male voice called back from the other side of the door. The voice sounded familiar, so I stuck around. [2]

''You sound familiar, do I know you from something?'' I asked, pressing my ear against the door in the hopes of hearing it better.

''Leave me to be! That is an order!'' The guy on the other side ordered me. I'm sure I've heard that voice before and I have to know it! So I began kicking against the door and after a few firm kicks, it swung open and I stepped into the apartment, which looked a little better than mine but was filled with thick smoke, making it hard to see who it belonged to. From the other end of the room, I could hear bubbly noises.

''Are you insane? I'm calling the landlord!'' The guy shrieked before the bubbling noise stopped.

''Don't bother, I just tried too, and he's a little absorbed in his soccer game.'' I replied before a short man approached me through the smoke, which turned out to be another familiar face from Total Drama Pahkitew, Max. He hadn't changed much, except that he, instead of purple hair, now had blond hair, which was apparently his natural hair color. And after seeing this, I can understand why he dyed it purple.

''Topher?'' Max asked a little surprised as the smoke cleared, revealing the apartment to be indeed in better shape, but to be littered with broken electronic devices.

''Me and what's left of me in all my glory.'' I dully answered.

''What an odd way to meet again with you kicking yourself a way into my home.'' Max formally said, folding his arms behind his back. I wonder if he's still into being evil.

''What are you doing here?'' I wondered.

''No one expects an EVIL lair here!'' Max contently wheezed while he shut the door. Yup, he's still into being evil, great, time to get out of here as fast as I can. ''Also, I have massive student loans.'' He meekly added, walking over to 2 degrees hanging on the wall and presenting them to me. 1 degree was for medical chemistry and another for advanced technology. Both certificates were signed as Maximillian D. De Bruyne.

''And what brings you here?'' Max curiously asked me.

''You know, the ambition to make something of myself.'' I casually answered. I spotted a chemistry set in the corner of the room and approached it with a frown. ''What are you doing here?'' I sternly asked him.

''I'm currently trying to create medicines that influence human behavior!'' Max proudly announced. So he IS making drugs, just not the kind I expected.

''And then I have to think about…What?'' I uninterestedly asked.

''You know, evoking emotions like anger, lust and the likes!'' Max explained, flicking against a beaker.

''And you're allowed to do that here?'' I bitterly asked.

''Yes, well…I don't know, I never got complaints.'' Max unsurely answered.

''Well, consider this the first!'' I told him before i began searching his kitchen cupboards for a plunger and toilet cleaner.

''But I-''

''You're illegally making drugs, that no one called the cops yet!'' I interrupted him, peaking my head out of the cupboard to voice my surprise.

''That's probably because they'll get in trouble themselves when they call them.'' He meekly suggested. Fine, the apartment sucks and I'm probably surrounded by crooks, that Max is still alive in here may be a small miracle from above.

''But I won't! So if you don't give me your toilet cleaner, I'll have to rat on you.'' I calmly threatened him. He dove towards a bottle that stood on the same table as his beakers and handed it to me.

''Can I get it back? I need it for my own bathroom tomorrow.'' He requested.

''Sure.'' I begrudgingly answered before I went back to my own apartment.

Several hours later around midnight, I managed to clean the bathroom so that it was usable without contracting deadly diseases and I bought myself takeout food from a nearby Los Pollos Hermanas. Fried chicken gives me nasty zits, but it's the only thing I could get at this hour. It has been some evening, it looked so bright when I got here, but that quickly turned awry. The neighborhood sucks, the apartment sucks, and the landlord is a tyrant. You've learned a wise lesson today Topher, don't blindly trust the internet.[3]

A few days later I had found a job at the Los Pollos Hermanas I went earlier. It's purely that there isn't anything else available close by, otherwise I wouldn't busy myself hanging over disgusting fryers and serving people their processed chicken ass. I tried applying for a job at the nearby Bean Counter, where at least decent people come (Aside from the hipsters), even if it's wholly overpriced, but if they needed anyone, I wouldn't be standing here right now. [4]

''Topher, bring this shake to table 5!'' My boss ordered me, handing me a shake and shooing me away from the fryer.

''Yes Daniel.'' I replied before a bitter sigh. I wonder what's in this shake, probably whatever remains of the chicken they can't put in their meals, chicken feet must be tasty when they're blended.

I almost dropped the shake when I figured who was sitting at table 5. Dakota Milton, idly tapping on her telephone. I think she was on the 4th season of Total Drama, where she became a mutant that was close to slaying Chris. Back then, I was in shock and hated her with every pore in my body, but in hindsight, she had my blessing. Extensive medical treatment returned her to her normal self, but I've heard rumors that she might change again if she becomes incredibly angry. She hadn't changed much either since the last time I saw something of her, but she looked more representative in her white business suit. I wonder what she's been up to, she wanted to be famous, but it has remained eerily quiet around her the past years for someone with that ambition. Nonetheless, she could help me in my own rise to fame. I approached, her a little excited by the ideas of how she could help me.

''Here's your drink Dakota!'' I politely told her, putting the shake in front of her.

''Yeah than-'' Dakota shrugged off, pausing midsentence, probably realizing that I called her by her name. ''Hold on, how do you know my name?'' She suspiciously asked me, turning her body to face me.

''Because I remember you from Total Drama!'' I gleefully answered.

''Ssh! I don't want this whole place to know!'' She venomously whispered at me, firmly grabbing my arm. ''I'm over that time! Everyone is!'' She assured me. Total Drama ended some 6 years ago, after a contestant got seriously wounded during a magic show challenge, I guess real magicians don't actually saw their assistant in half. I never quite figured how that never happened to us. It ruined the show, the viewers finally realized that watching torture is only fun and games until someone loses a limb. The ratings plunged so deeply that the executives stopped broadcasting halfway through the season. Since then, it hasn't been aired and it's only hardly talked about these days, but I heard rumors that the show may be rebooted someday.

''You wanted to be famous!'' I stated while I followed Dakota, who walked to the exit, probably trying to get away from me.

''Yeah, I wanted to, but I couldn't because Total Drama turned me into a mutant! Thank god that it could be reversed!'' She lamented after we had walked outside. I froze up for a second in disbelief, does this mean that she can't help me? ''So instead, I became a manager to make other people famous!'' She continued. ''You definitely heard of Angus Von Trapp!''

''The Muncher Of Munich? That action star who's running for governor of Manitoba?'' I guessed with a raised eyebrow. I don't like him, his movies are of the kind 'sharks caught in a tornado' over the top action movies. [5]

''That's 1 of my clients!'' She proudly informed me.

''Would you care if I became a client of yours?'' I humbly asked, rubbing my palms together.

''What do you want to be?''

''The biggest TV show host in Canadian history!'' I told her, my ambition being very evident.

She hesitantly looked around for a few seconds. ''I don't think I can do something with that, my expertise mainly lays in the film industry, good luck with it though.'' Dakota deniably answered before she wanted to leave.

''But I have qualifications! I attended poise classes, I've hosted shows on a regional channel and I've been on Total Drama! Doesn't that mean anything?'' I almost begged her. She looked at me for a few seconds, maybe she wouldn't look that freaked out if I didn't come so close to her.

''Look, I mostly work with folks that already have made a name for themselves.'' She explained. I've made a name for myself too! It just faded into obscurity! ''So once you're big enough, contact me.'' She advised me, handing me a business card before she hailed a cab.

''But when am I big enough?'' I confusedly asked.

''When Canada has a faint idea of who you are!'' She shouted at me before entering a taxi and driving off. I frown at the cab as it disappeared into the traffic flow, she probably tried to get rid of me, but she gave me her card, and that's very good! I may be stuck here right now, but when the day comes closer that I become a major network's big man, I'll have a solid connection! Now I should probably get back, I've already had 1 official warning for my blunt remarks to customers and at this point, I can't afford to lose my job already, no matter how bad it is.

Ah, business cards, they make such good plot elements!

[1] Emotion 89.5 is a not so subtle reference to GTA Vice City's Emotion 98.3, which is also a power ballad station.

[2] A reference to Breaking Bad.

[3] A parody of Los Pollos Hermanos (The Chicken Brothers), a chain of fried chicken restaurants (Also) from Breaking Bad.

[4] The Bean Counter is referencing several coffee chains you definitely heard of.

[5] Angus Von Trapp is a combination of a lot of things. Firstly, Angela Merkel's (The current chancellor of Germany) first name along with the surname of The Sound Of Music's Von Trapp family along with Jean Claude Van Damme's nickname 'Muscles Of Brussels' and Arnold Schwarzenegger's governorship of California.

For those who care, some other 1st generation contestants will make an appearance too.

Next chapter, Topher gets his first real shot at glory!

Remember when I said that I didn't have much to say this chapter? It still applies, so that means that I just saved you about 14 seconds of time that you can spend reading other stories on this site! Go have a blast!

Tot de volgende update!

:D,

L.W.