DISCLAIMER:
Hello, chapter 15 released, that means I have been publishing this story for 3 months, I hope you have been enjoying the travel.
Thanks as usual for your reviews, one of my favorite parts of writing is to answer your reviews, talking about that.
M: Yep, I use Devin's plot as inspiration, but I know heartbreak and what happened with Trent album is not the same, but I enjoyed writing sad Trent.
About injuries remember Trent is a pain magnet, in Total Drama he suffered a lot of hits, so is part of his character ;D, and like you, I hope that doesn't put them out of the competition.
Total Drama belongs to Fresh TV and his creators. I don't own anything from the properties used in this fic
Maori or Less
Last time on the Ridonculous race our bunny hunting bonanza saw the Ice Dancers bag, bully and backbite their way into first place, Drama Team drama continues with a zombie Trent that don't show emotions and a non-zombie Gwen that show too many emotions.
But the worst crash and burn belonged to the Step Brothers and the Rockers, both teams lost in our nasty, hehe and by nasty, I mean fantastic double elimination. With only nine teams remaining things are heating up who's about to get burned? Time to find out this is the Ridonculous Race.
Yesterday Chill Zone is today Starting Point, and our teams are in the way to start the new stage. Gwen and Trent are already waiting to start, being the 7th place of the remaining 9 teams, things don't look fine for them.
"Trent, are you all right?" Gwen asks, he was still depressed, but at least he ate his breakfast.
The cool guy was as yesterday, the corners of his mouth down-turned, empty eyes and staring at the floor, with a blank expression.
As they started, Gwen held Trent's hand and began to run toward the Don Box, they were in the bottom three, so she needed to double her efforts if she wants them to stay in the race.
Gwen pushed the button atop the machine and reads the travel tip "Go Go on the loco: You must climb the steep path to the train station, then take a historic ride through New Zealand's lush mountains to Decision Junction where your next tip is waiting."
She looks up, seeing the train station, where the first train was already departing. "This looks promising," she mumbled in a snarky tone.
She took Trent by the hand and began running, the road is steep so she can't run fast and pull the depressed former musician, the other teams take advantage of this and start passing them, in a moment they were the last team in the race and candidates to the next elimination.
When Gwen heard the second train departing, she decides to change their strategy, "Trent we need to improve our game or New Zealand will be our last stage," she then walks behind him and pushes him as fast as she could in the steep path, it was hard, so she put more and more strength into pushing him across the steep path until they crash into something with a loud CLANG.
They were at the train station, stopped by one of the metal columns in the platform, with Trent's face firmly against the metal beam. The former musician walks away from it with his face red by the hit.
"Sorry, Trent, are you alright?" asks Gwen. He makes a thumb up and begins to walk mechanically toward the third train, entering in the second car, Gwen just behind after him.
In the train car, Trent and Gwen were in the company of the Police Cadets, in the third car were The Sisters and the Reality TV Pros. Sanders, the younger of the cadets, seems concerned in contrast to MacArthur, the bulkiest, who seems relaxed.
"Is he all right?" asks Sanders to Gwen. "He seems pretty down."
Gwen didn't want to talk about it with some strangers, so she played safe "he is all right, just a little tired."
"He doesn't look just a little-" Sanders didn't finish the sentence, her eyes widen as she yells, "MacArthur, what are you doing!?"
The older of the Cadets was poking Trent's face, laughing as he didn't react "Hehehe look, it's like he is sleeping with the eyes open."
Gwen gaze daggers upon MacArthur, slowly stands up, taking Trent by the hand and walking with him toward the other side of the car while saying a cold, "Excuse us."
Sanders makes a disapproving gaze toward her partner.
"What?" asks MacArthur, "It was funnier than it looked."
Gwen sits in facing Trent, across the table, she was quite angry with MacArthur, but decide to ignore her instead of making a scene, she now wanted to relax a little, but as soon as she sits in her new place, the door in the car side opens.
"Hello guys," says Owen, walking inside the car with Kitty.
"Sorry we are late Gwen, Trent, we had to resolve some issues with my sister, but everything is ok now," said the younger of the sisters, as she sits next to Trent.
Gwen was not sure what she was talking about, and looks at the Asian girl raising an eyebrow, wanting to ask her what does she mean, but soon the goth understood what was all about.
"Man, I brought you some tandoori chicken wrap, they are like tacos, but from India, they are delicious, sorry because I was hungry and ate 3 of them, hehe," Owen sits beside Gwen, he was a little flustered and put in front of Trent a plate with 2 chicken wraps, Trent looks at them with his empty eyes and nodded.
"Trent, Owen told me what happened with your manager," says Kitty with her usual positive tone, "but don't worry, I am sure there are lots of record labels that would kill to get you, you will be fine."
Gwen notices something on Trent, he reacted to those words, his eyes brighten a little. In that instant she feels like a fool, she was so fixated in cheer him up before talking about his problems, that didn't think in talking about the problem before cheering him up, the goth couldn't see the forest for the trees, but now Gwen knew what she must do.
"Yeah, Trent," Gwen added now full of confidence "and we can also win the race so you can self-release your debut album," she takes his hand over the table "nothing is over."
"Gwen is right, it's like a buffet, if you win the race you can eat all the albums you want!" Owen tried to tell an analogy with food, failing miserably, "but if you lose and we win, don't worry, I will pay for your buffet."
Trent's lips tremble a little, and then he speaks in a soft, cracking voice, sounding as if it took all his strength only to say those words, "do you truly believe my music is good enough?" more than a question, it sounded like a plea.
"Of course, it is, your music is wonderful, and this is coming for your very first fan," Gwen smiled and held his hand tighter.
"What are you talking about?" asks Kitty taking an on-ear headphone out of her pocket, and putting it on his ear "Of course you are good, just hear this," she then put one of his songs with the Drama Brothers 'Let it be awesome' one of his best guitar solos.
"Of course, your music is awesome, man," added Owen with enthusiasm "I have all your albums and not just for Justin," he says smiling.
Tears begin flowing from Trent's eyes. He ignores the tears and with a simple smile, says, "Thanks, words cannot express how grateful I am to all of you."
Kitty hugs him by the shoulders, and Gwen takes his hand with both of her hands, as Owen says nervous, "Sorry, Trent, did we say something bad?"
"No, Owen, you said what I need to hear," Trent said smiling and crying at the same time, "and sorry I make you worried, especially you Gwen."
"And you should be sorry, you know how stressful it was to watch over you the last challenges? I hope you at least carry me all the way in this one," she nags joking, the four of them laugh at the tongue-in-cheek answer.
They talk for some time, joking and talking about themselves, Kitty wants to know stories about the Drama brothers and Total Drama, and Trent and Gwen wanted to hear about Kitty and what happened between Emma and Noah. Owen knowing of the two subjects talks all the time.
"Well, Owen, we need to go back before Emma starts talking about the wedding reception," says Kitty to the party guy.
"See you after the challenge," says Owen waving as he and Kitty walked to the other car.
Gwen was happy because Trent has recovered, but also angry for all that happened, so she didn't know what to say when they were alone, but Trent breaks the silence.
"I was a fool, Gwen, you are right, this is not over, let's win the race," he made a simple and honest smile, this was just enough to dissipate any worry still on the goth's mind.
The train arrives at Decision junction, the four teams inside it go down as fast as they could, the race to not be last had begun.
Trent is the first to reach the Don Box and press the button, reading the travel tip "Either/Or jump down or jump around your team must either bungee jump down off the Kawarau bridge and catch a local Bowery fish with your bare hands or jump around to perform a traditional Maori haka, a warrior's challenge dance designed to terrify anyone subjected to watching it once, your team successfully complete this either-or it's a footrace to today's Chill Zone. Which one do you want to do?".
"Jump around," says Gwen narrowing her eyes, "the last time I did a bungee jump was in Australia, catching a cactus and believe me, it didn't end well."
"Ok, jump around it is, let's go to the dancing area, smartass," says Trent, before winking and running with her.
The dancing area was a stage where the two local judges where evaluating the challenges, they were both men with a strong build, one was of darker complexion, black hair and tattooed in traditional Maori ta moko, the other one was of fairer skin, red hair, and a soul patch beard, both wear the national rugby uniform.
Gwen and Trent began to dance, at first, they couldn't do it right, but as they practice, they get better at it, but not enough.
"We lack something," says Gwen with a slight frown, Trent was also thinking, rubbing his chin.
Trent then takes off his shirt "I have an idea, why not try to get angry? let's dance convinced we want to terrorize the judges."
The goth smile, she really missed Trent antics, "It sounds good, but why did you take off your shirt?"
"Mindset, I think I could dance better without it," then both take their positions.
They start clapping on their hips, and moving their arms in rhythm, screaming "Uh" and "Ha" as the judges teach them, Gwen was glaring, with the mouth straight, and her gaze stern and sharp as if she could kill with it. Trent's expression was scarier, his eyes bulging, his face red and baring his teeth clenched, he also claps on his bare chest, which makes the sound stronger and fiercer than hitting the shirt. The judges smile and give them the approval to end the challenge.
Suddenly Trent carries Gwen over his shoulder and starts running to the Chill Zone, the surprised goth began to yell at him.
"What the heck are you doing?" She said in a mix of surprise and annoyment, "Put me down this instant Trent!" she blushed as other teams watch them.
"It's part of my apology, you ask me to carry you during the challenge, and I am carrying you," he said while smiling.
"I didn't mean literally, I mean as you win the challenge while I sleep or something like that," she says, as they get close to the Chill Zone, the challenge turned in a foot race between them, the Police Cadets and the Goths.
Don was already waiting on the carpet of completion, and announce the finish order, "Trent and Gwen, you are second, lady cops welcome to third, Goths you are forth," they won the foot race, but as the teams arrive a familiar (and unpleasant) French accent welcomes them.
"Yoo-hoo, sweaty people," greets Josee in a melodic and arrogant voice "we were wondering when you'd arrive. We have been waiting for hours," the Canadian ice-skating team was relaxing on two lounge chairs while enjoying some drinks.
Trent put Gwen on the floor, she was still flustered for all that happened, but that wasn't enough to ignore the Ice Dancers provocation.
"Don't mind them, Trent, it's so rare they win first place in anything that they need to show off when they do," she says in a low voice, but high enough to be 'overheard' by them, Josee and Jacques look daggers at them from their chairs.
Group Confessional: Angry Haka dance
(Trent is sitting on the left side, his arms resting on his knees and with a small smile in his face, at his side is Gwen folding her arms as usual and a serious expression.)
"Gwen you were amazing in the dance, what did you think that make you that angry?" asks Trent, leaning his body toward her.
"Easy Trent, instead of imagining the judges as vegetables, I imagine them as Chris McLean, so I was not angry, I only hate them," she then asks, "and you, what did you think to get mad like that? I was afraid that you will punch them or something," she makes wide eyes and smiles a little, throwing a gaze full of curiosity at him.
"Hehehe, what a coincidence, I also imagine them as someone else, but instead of Chris, I imagine Phil, my ex-manager," Trent straighten up in his chair, a shadow obscuring his eyes "I will never forgive him, I don't wish him any harm, but I am sure karma will catch him someday, and it will not be pretty," Gwen chuckled, not perturbed by the display of negative energy coming from the now again musician.
"Now that Trent has come back, we have a real chance to win this!" she then looks at the camera with a smile and half-closed eyes.
Group Confessional: Chance of winning
(Jacques is sitting in the left side, smiling and resting his arms at the side of his body, Josee is in the right side, facing him, with her arms in the same position)
"That Drama Team has no chance of winning this," says Josee, waving her hand back and forth, smiling.
"We have added them to our enemies list," replies Jacques, and then he whistles, "this list is getting loooong."
Gwen and Trent go to the resting area, talking about today's challenge, Trent still a little awkward about his breakdown, when Owen enters carrying Noah, the little buddy eyes were wide and empty, he was frowning with sadness and his lower lip quivering.
"Owen, what happened?" asks Trent, worried.
"Yes, he looks like something died inside him," added Gwen.
"His girlfriend broke up with him." says Owen with sadness in his voice, "I never saw him like this before."
"Oh Noah, I'm so sorry," Trent hugs him, he really wasn't that close to Noah, but he knew how hard is a breakup.
"Wait a minute, his girlfriend was Kitty's sister, right? Doesn't they start dating like 3 days ago?" asks Gwen incredulously, seeing Noah so depressed over a short relation like that.
"Yes, I try to help him move on, but he is so depressed and sad, I don't know what to do," replies Owen, his eyes filling with tears.
"Don't worry, man, Noah you need to eat something, at first it's hard, but before you realize it you will be fine," says Trent walking with him toward a cafe in the rest zone.
"How long he has been like this?" asked Gwen, trying to be as worried as them.
"Since Emma broke with him," muttered Owen with a broken voice and sobbing "about 20 minutes ago," he then burst into tears.
"Oh, come on, 20 minutes?" Gwen was annoyed but went with them anyway.
They pass the next hours trying to comfort Noah, but he was depressed all the dinner, Trent and Owen talk to him and bring him food. Gwen also tries to cheer him, she was still surprised by all the situation, Noah looked like a dead man for a girl he dated for 3 days.
Then they parted ways, the 4 of them went to their rooms, Gwen enter hers and took her sketchbook, she was happy because Trent was better, but she still couldn't draw anything, something was stuck on her hearth, probably the stress of the day, so she decided to go to bed and lay some time before falling asleep, the goth still had an artist block, but at least tonight she will have a full night of good sleep.
New Zeland is over and Trent's back, and with him the chance to win the race.
As I was writing this chapter, I decided to drop Devin's plot, it didn't work with Trent as his personality and Devin's are different, so the story took a different direction, I hope you liked it.
Teams eliminated: the Larpers, Tennis rivals, Geniuses, Vegetarians, fashion bloggers, Mother and daughter, Adversity twins, Step Brothers, Rockers.
As always thanks for reading and I hope you like it,