Hey guys! Welcome back! This episode is longer than the last one, as I wanted to introduce the rest of the cast and give you all a look at everyone's interactions together. There will be a bit of a longer wait between now and the next episode, though, as I have limited writing time, and also because I really want to make it shine! So, for now, enjoy this extra long part 2 to our introduction! Can't wait to hear what you guys think!
"Last time on Total Drama: Off the Rails!"
Courtney's voice echoed over shots of the Total Drama train station.
"You met the first half of our amazing new cast. Victoria-"
Victoria is shown beaming at the camera.
"Newark."
Newark turns around as if he forgot he was being filmed, and waves excitedly.
"Ally."
Ally covers herself in her cloak as if she were Batman.
"Kai."
Kai holds his backpack strap with one hand, and gives a peace sign with the other.
"Sloan."
Sloan has her arms crossed, her skateboard held with one foot, and a determined look on her face.
"Elijah."
Elijah has one hand in his pocket, and runs the other hand through his perfectly combed hair.
"Leaf."
Leaf is playing on their handheld gaming system, not even looking at the camera. Someone off screen seems to say something, and they look up, as if they had forgotten they were being filmed.
"Antonio."
Antonio looks at the camera with a serious expression.
"Grim."
Grim has his hands in his pockets, and a look on his face that just oozes with mischief.
"And Quinn."
Quinn makes double rock-and-roll hands, and sticks her tongue out at the camera.
Then, the scene shifts to Courtney at the train station, walking alongside the Total Drama train. She was wearing a tight-fitting, navy blue train conductor's outfit, and bore her signature dazzling smile as she spoke directly to the camera.
"Today, we get to meet the rest of our contestants. Then, we'll divide them up into two teams, and announce our very first challenge. You won't wanna miss it. That's all today, right now, on Total. Drama. Off the Rails!"
INTRO
(A Different Side of Me - All Star Weekend)
(GUITAR INTRO)
A train chugs down the tracks, blowing steam. We see Courtney at the helm, pulling the whistle and grinning at the camera. She's dressed like a fashionable conductor. Duncan comes up from fixing a control panel, covered in soot. He rolls his eyes. He's dressed like a punk engineer.
(I'd be livin' the dream)
Newark leans his head out the window, grinning as wind whips his hair. Victoria shoves him aside, pushes her hair over her shoulder, and smiles perfectly for the camera.
(If my life switched, with the football team)
Kodi and Ally are fighting with foam swords in the hallway car. Ally sticks her sword under Kodi's arm, and he pretends to die a dramatic death, falling to the ground.
(I'd be praised by my friends)
Rosalina flexes at the camera with a grin. Grim stands behind her, towering over her in height and trying to be scary. An even taller Bryce comes up behind Grim, and (confused) also flexes.
(If I was drivin', a Mercedes Benz)
Elijah and Ellie are arguing, as Ellie tries to convince him that Bigfoot is, in fact, real, using a corkboard. Maria breaks up the argument, and then lets out a small, satisfied sigh.
(What do I know?)
Leaf sits alone in a seating car, playing a handheld video game. They don't even look up as Sloan rockets past on her skateboard.
(What do I know- oh oh)
Sloan shoots past Claire and Kelvin, who pose for a selfie together, grinning ear to ear. Sloan shoots out to a train station, where a sound stage has been set up. Rave lights are flashing.
(I wanna be, a rockstar, a superhero)
Quinn holds her hand to her headphones and turns tables, pumping up the rest of the cast with her DJ skills. Erza and Kai dance like they're having a blast.
(Livin' the dream, doin' the things that, I always wanted)
Antonio and Kirito sit on the side, watching as the rest of the cast arrives to dance. They catch each other's eye and stare each other down like Anime rivals.
(I wanna see, my face on the TV)
As the cast gathers together, Jacob stands at the forefront, his arms crossed and a big, confident smile on his face.
(WIth my picture, on the cover)
Courtney and Duncan take the stage. Team Courtney comes in with the lights and cameras.
(For my friends to see, a different side of me)
Duncan produces a tray full of chunks of coal, and snickers. The camera pans up to the logo in the sky: Total Drama: Off the Rails!
(Music fades out)
"Welcome back!" Courtney said. "Now, it's time to meet the rest of our all-star cast! First up, we have Kelvin!"
Walking on screen was a somewhat lanky black boy of average height and build. His hair was styled into dreadlocks, pulled half up and half down to stay out of his face. He had expressive brown eyes, and a smile on his face. He wore a sports jersey, black and lime green, with the number's 04 emblazoned on the chest. He also wore grey sweatpants, lime colored tennis shoes, and a lime green sun visor was perched lopsidedly on his head. However, the detail that stood out most about Kelvin was his left arm. It was noticeably a prosthetic, with a robotic appearance and a blue and beige finish.
"What's up T.D.," Kelvin said.
"Welcome aboard!" Courtney said. "Tell me Kelvin, are you excited to be here?"
"Are you kidding?" Kelvin said, beaming. "I'm stoked! I can't wait to meet everyone, and to see what kind of challenges we get up to."
"Now, from what I understand, you're something of a tennis star, is that right?" Courtney prompted.
Kelvin shrugged modestly. "Yeah, I'm pretty good; but tennis isn't all I'm good at!"
"Well, let's hope nobody uderestimates you!" Courtney said. "Go ahead and stand over there, and we'll let the rest of the cast roll in!"
Kelvin walked off screen, and was shortly followed by another teen. She was an Indigenous girl a little above average height, with deep tan skin and bright, hazel eyes. Her hair, long and thick in texture, was dyed a deep, dark purple, and pulled back into a ponytail. Both of her ears sported multiple piercings, and she had a nose ring as well. She wore a dark blue and purple flannel over a white t-shirt and black skinny jeans, and on her feet she wore black and white Converse. On her arms, beneath her flannel, a multitude of colorful tattoos could be seen, in various interesting shapes. As she walked on camera, the girl looked around with a curious gaze and a gleeful smile.
"Next up we have Ellie!" Courtney said.
"Dude, this place looks like Harry Potter," Ellie said. Then, in an awful English accent, she added: "Platform Nine and Three Quarters, yeah?"
Courtney gave a cheery laugh. "Well, I'm glad you like the station! We'll be stopping at a few on our trip across the country."
"Sweet!" Ellie said. "Hey, so, quick question: where do we bunk?"
"We'll have a tour of the train before we get started, don't you worry," Courtney said, a hint of mirth in her tone. Ellie shrugged.
"Cool," she said, walking over to stand by Kelvin and looking him up and down.
"Hey," Kelvin said.
"Well, hello, tall, dark, and handsome," Ellie said casually, flashing a bit of a flirtatious smile. Kelvin blushed, but smiled broadly. "Hope you're on my team."
"Heh, yeah!" Kelvin said a little awkwardly.
KELVIN CONFESSIONAL
She's… woah. Talk about pretty. I was kind of a sheltered kid growing up, so usually I'm not the best at meeting new people.
"Me too you. Or, I mean, like, I also think that would be cool," Kelvin said. Ellie laughed, tossing her head back.
"Yeah?" She said, a bit of a teasing tone in her voice. However, her eyes sparkled playfully.
"Yeah," Kelvin said, now more confidently. "Definitely."
KELVIN CONFESSIONAL
But- I think I did alright there!
The next contestant was a somewhat pale boy, tall and with a skinny build. His hair, brown like a polished cello, was combed and gelled into place. He bore a self serious expression, as if he were arriving at a very prestigious ceremony. His eyes were a deep, dark black, that seemed to look through Courtney as much as they looked at her. His outfit consisted of a dark blue polo shirt, perfectly pressed khaki pants, a brown leather belt, and a pair of brown loafers, and from top to bottom he radiated an aura of cleanliness. As he spoke, his voice came out as if he chose every word very carefully.
"Jacob Ferdinand Nearson," he said. "An absolute pleasure to be here."
"And an absolute pleasure to have you!" Courtney said. "So courteous!"
"I am of the mind that if one does not hold oneself to a higher standard, one cannot achieve a higher standard," Jacob said with a smile and a bow of his head. "I thank you for your cordial reception."
"My my, what a wordsmith!" Courtney said, clearly appreciating the boy's vocabulary. "Well, Jacob, is there anything you want to say to the people back home who are watching?"
Jacob straighted his shirt and turned to the camera, clearing his throat and giving a confident smile. "Hello, my darling bandmates. I, as your democratically elected president, will be sure to do you all proud. For the good of all musicians, everywhere."
Jacob bowed his head once more and then made his way over to stand beside the others. As Ellie and Kelvin watched his entrance, they exchanged a glance, and Ellie had to physically restrain herself from laughing.
ELLIE CONFESSIONAL
(She's doubled over in the chair, holding her gut and laughing so much it hurts.)
Oh- hahahaha! Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sure he's a great guy it's just- He talks like he's 80!
After Jacob, the next contestant was quick to arrive on camera. She was a curvy Latina girl, with highly toned upper body muscles, like a boxer or tennis player. Her skin was almost bronze in hue, accented with dark lips and oval-shaped eyes a sharp shade of green. Her hair was long, black, and wavy, and pulled back into a simple ponytail. She wore a green shirt with a cartoon barbell and the words "Lift Squad" on the front, as well as slim-fitting, dark wash jeans, and a pair of black combat boots. A tattoo went down her right biceps, reading "Inconquistable" in black ink.
"Hey, hey," the girl said. "What's up?"
"Next up we have Rosalina! Welcome aboard!" Courtney said.
"Girl, you have no idea how ready I am to win this million bucks," Rosalina said, a confident fire in her eyes.
"Well, that's what we wanna hear!" Courtney said appreciatively. "What makes you think you have what it takes?"
Rosalina grinned. "I'll give you three reasons, Courtney."
The girl then flexed her well-toned muscles.
"Biceps," she said, shifting her arms. "Triceps… and drive. Nobody here is as motivated as me: and that's just a fact. But, actions speak louder than words, eh? Just keep your eyes on me."
Courtney made an impressed face as Rosalina walked off camera. The girl stood a couple of paces away from the other new contestants, crossing her arms and waiting patiently for instruction. Ellie gave a low whistle as she looked Rosalina over.
"Look at those guns! You must hit the gym hella often," Ellie said. "I mean, I'm pretty strong, but dang!"
Rosalina looked Ellie up and down, looking somewhat unimpressed. "You don't look that strong."
ROSALINA CONFESSIONAL
In hindsight, that might have been a little rude. I didn't mean to offend her, I was just telling the truth. She doesn't look that strong.
Ellie made a face that was somewhat taken aback. "Well, sheesh, OK. Whatever. I was just giving you a complement."
ROSALINA CONFESSIONAL
That doesn't mean that she isn't strong, just that she doesn't show it… If anything that's a complement! …Right?
Rosalina looked like she was going to say something, but by that point Ellie had turned back to Kelvin. Rosalina gave up, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. Jacob, who had watched the entire interaction, raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
JACOB CONFESSIONAL
Well. Needless to say we're already putting the "Drama" in "Total Drama."
The next contestant was, far and away, the tallest of the bunch. He was a huge boy, broad and muscular and built like a brick wall. Despite his enormous size and sharp jaw, his blue-grey eyes held a certain gentleness to them. His hair, a light brown color, was styled into a shaggy undercut. He wore a simple grey t-shirt, a pair of light wash jeans, and white sneakers. As he came on camera, he looked like he wasn't sure where to stand.
"And here we have Bryce!" Courtney said, having to somewhat crane her neck to look up at him. "Welcome aboard, big guy!"
"Thanks," Bryce said, a smile forming on his face as he became more comfortable standing in front of the camera. "Aw, man, this place is cool! I've never seen a train that wasn't covered in graffiti!"
Courtney laughed out loud, as if the very thought of someone spray-painting her precious Total Drama train was the best joke she had ever heard. However, the glint in her eyes told everyone watching that even considering such an act would probably get you killed by her sheer glare alone. Courtney had put a lot of time and money into that train. If Bryce had noticed that look, he didn't react to it.
"So, Bryce. We're going to be putting you all through some pretty intense challenges: think you're up for it?" Courtney asked, rolling right along. Bryce grinned.
"Oh, heck yeah!" He said. "I never back down from a challenge. This one time, I got dared to put some fireworks into the back of a cop car, right, and then I-"
"OK!" Courtney said with a chuckle. "For legal reasons, I'm going to do you a huge favor and cut you off before you can finish that sentence. You'll thank me later! Go ahead and stand with the other contestants."
"Sure thing," Bryce said goodnaturedly, making his way over to stand with the rest of the new group.
As Bryce made it to the others, Kelvin gave him a curious look. "So, what was all of that about fireworks and a police car?"
As Bryce went into excited detail about his past escapades, the next contestant made their way on screen. She was a white girl of average height and a slender build. Her hair was light brown, and kept in a neat fishtail braid, and her eyes were a calming green color. She was dressed in a black t-shirt with the letters "RWBY" in all red capitals across the chest, as well as basic blue jeans and a pair of red sneakers.
"Hey, Total Drama! It's your girl, ClaireBear827!" She said as she came forward, flashing cutesy peace signs at the camera and giving a winning smile.
"Welcome aboard, Claire," Courtney said. Claire turned her dazzling smile towards the host.
"Thanks!" Claire said cheerfully. "This is all really exciting. I've never done anything like this before, but I'm gonna do my best!"
"So, Claire," Courtney said. "I understand that you have a pretty loyal following as a streamer, is that right?"
"You got it!" Claire said. Then, to the camera, she added. "Don't forget to subscribe! That's ClaireBear927 on Twitch dot-"
"Yes, about that," Courtney said. "If we can just have you refrain from plugging your channel while we're filming, that would be great. It's in your contract; no advertisement of other entertainment outlets?"
Claire looked a little crestfallen. "Oh."
"But-" Courtney said, trying to get her spirits back up. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself?"
"Oh, yeah, sure!" Claire said. "Well, I'm a total geek. I love video games and stuff; but I would say the most important thing to know is that I am, like, really competitive."
"Well, then you're in the right place!" Courtney said, "I'm sure your competitive spirit will serve you well. Go on ahead and wait with the others."
Claire gladly obliged, rushing over to the others and quickly introducing herself.
"Hey! I'm Claire," she said eagerly. "It's cool to meet you guys!"
"Likewise, dude," Ellie said with a genuine smile. Claire matched her smile.
"What's up," Bryce said cordially. "The name's Bryce."
"Oh, hey, Bryce!" Claire said, quickly shifting her attention to him. "Are you excited for the competition?"
"Totally," Bryce said with a nod. "I got a good feeling I could win that million bucks if I really try."
Claire giggled. "What made you want to try out?"
"Oh, some of my buddy's brought it up. They kinda convinced me, but I thought it would be pretty awesome anyway," Bryce said. Claire tilted her head.
"Interesting," she said.
CLAIRE CONFESSIONAL
I'm going to level with you. I'm not really here to make friends. I mean, sure, allies maybe… but I am here to win. This Bryce guy? He seems like one of those guys who will do anything you tell him to, if you convince him that it's his idea… I can use that.
JACOB CONFESSIONAL
Oh, Bryce. If I could give you some advice: openly admitting that you are the most easy to manipulate person here might not be in your best interests. Alas, what do I know.
BRYCE CONFESSIONAL
(he's in the middle of telling a story to the camera)
-nd they were these big, Roman candle style fireworks, right? Not like sparklers or anything. So, my buddies are hiding behind the dumpster, and I have this lighter in my pocket, but then I start to hear the cops coming back out from the gas station, and I'm like: "Oh, shi-"
Following Claire was a boy with a slightly peachy complexion, and a smattering of freckles splashed across his cheeks. He was somewhat scrawny, with long, lavender hair that hung just so that it covered one of his magenta eyes. He wore a short-sleeved, pullover hoodie that matched his eyes in its hue, but with eggplant colored hems and a longer sleeved grey shirt underneath. Below that, he sported khaki pants and a pair of brown boots. As he came forward, he brushed some of the hair out of his eyes, but it just seemed to flop right back into place.
"Next off the bus, we have… Is it pronounced Kodiawyn?" Courtney said.
"You can call me Kodi," the boy said.
"Sure thing, Kodi!" Courtney said. "Welcome aboard!"
"Thanks!" Kodi said. "Wow. This place is really nice! What a perfect place to start a journey."
"Tell me, Kodi," Courtney said. "What's your strategy coming into the competition?"
"Oh, man, uh," Kodi said, seeming to put some thought into it. "Well… I'm just gonna try my hardest! Hopefully there's a trivia challenge or two, cuz I'm pretty alright at that. Beyond that, I just intend to play an honorable game, and may the best contestant win!"
"Well said," Courtney said, gesturing for Kodi to go and stand with the others.
As Kodi went off camera, his cheerful expression faltered somewhat. From Rosalina's prickly exterior, Jacob's prestigious aura, and the seemingly tight connection already forming between Kelvin and Ellie, he felt a bit like the odd one out. However, as his smile faltered somewhat, a hand reached out towards him. Bryce was offering him a fist bump. Relieved, Kodi bumped his fist back.
"Uh, hey," Kodi said, suddenly realizing just how tall Bryce was.
"Well, hey there!" Claire said, beaming. "I like your hair!"
"Oh, thanks," Kodi said, hastily pushing some of the troublesome locks out of his eyes (to no avail.)
"You're so right- this is a great place to start a journey," Claire said. Bryce nodded.
"Something about train stations," he said. "You know?"
"I… think so? Yeah!" Kodi said.
"Are you excited? We're on Total Drama!" Claire said eagerly. This seemed to stir the excitement inside of Kodi as well.
"I know, crazy," he said. "I mean, I never thought I would actually be on T.V! I just hope that there's nobody nasty like in some of the previous seasons."
"Totally agree," Claire said. "Fingers crossed for no Heathers!"
The three of them laughed.
KODI CONFESSIONAL
Claire and Bryce are pretty cool. I'm glad to see that everyone here is so easy to get along with.
CLAIRE CONFESSIONAL
My sub count reaches 2. Kodi clearly has some kind of code of honor, which is a total weakness. I think he'll make a great… shall we say, ally?
BRYCE CONFESSIONAL
-so at that point, the dog is barking like crazy, the police siren is going off, the old lady is chasing me with only one shoe on, and I still have like three fireworks left.
The next contestant was another girl, easily the shortest of the roster so far, with a hint of lean, compact muscle to her build. Her skin was ever-so-slightly sunkissed, and there was a dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Her curly red hair fell just above her shoulders, and was pulled back and low, with bouncy bangs that gently brushed the tops of her green eyes. She wore an oversized jean jacket over a black t-shirt, somewhat ratty jeans, and black work boots. Her ears were pierced with small, simple hoops, and she wore a silver necklace with a fox pendant around her neck. As she came forward, her brow was set in a sort of furrowed expression, giving the impression that she was either concentrating or upset about something.
"Maria! Welcome aboard!" Courtney said as the girl came into view of the camera. "Why the long face?"
Maria's eyebrows suddenly shifted and her expression became one of confusion, as if she hadn't noticed she had been making that face. "Huh?"
"Oh, nothing," Courtney said graciously. "Now tell me, Maria, what do you think is your best asset going forward in the competition?"
Maria had to think about it for a second, before she shrugged. "I guess I'm good with fixing stuff? Growing up with my brothers there was always something that needed to be put back together. So, I'm good with my hands. Oh, and I refuse to get pushed around; that's another thing brothers will do for you."
She added the last bit ruefully, but with a nostalgic grin on her face. The smile eventually faded back into that furrowed brow expression, that seemed to be the girl's default.
"Great to hear!" Courtney said. "I'm sure your brother's back home are rooting for you. Go ahead and wait with the others!"
As Maria made her way to the others, she was instantly greeted by Claire.
"Hey, bestie!" Claire said. "I love your necklace."
"... thanks?" Maria said.
"Why don't you come stand next to us?" Claire offered, gesturing to herself, Kodi, and Bryce.
Maria glanced over at them, and then looked down at where she was standing. "Eh, nah, I'm good."
"Oh- sure, OK!" Claire said, her face squeezing into her brightest smile yet.
CLAIRE CONFESSIONAL
I can see that Maria will be someone that is harder to convince.
Following Maria a tall, wide-shouldered, Afro-Japanese boy with a hint at some slender muscle beneath his clothes. He had darker skin, black eyes, and wavy black hair that was held in a low ponytail. His outfit was somewhat ostentatious: a lavender turtleneck sweater, with a cat on the chest, surrounded by cartoon hearts. He wore beige sweatpants and black gym shoes, and a pair of big, red, oval shaped glasses were mounted on his face. He sauntered onto the screen with a sort of smooth gait, one hand in his pocket and the other waving casually at the camera. He gave Courtney a humble smile as he approached.
"Courtney, hey," he said. "Huge fan."
"Well, hello there Kirito!" Courtney said, clearly happy with the praise. "Glad to have you on board! Are you excited to be here?"
"Absolutely," Kirito said, pushing up his glasses. "I can tell just by the set design and your energy that this is going to be a lot of fun."
"My energy, eh? That's right: you're a bit of a psychology prodigy, aren't you?" Courtney said.
"Oh, I wouldn't necessarily call myself a prodigy," Kirito said modestly, though it was clear the praise did make him blush a bit with pride.
"Do you think those skills will help you out in the competition?" Courtney asked. Kirito nodded seriously.
"Yes," he said. "I think that my greatest asset is my ability to understand people. I just hope that I can get along well with everyone."
"Well, we'll just have to wait and see! Welcome aboard!" Courtney said, ushering Kirito off to the rest of the pack.
As Kirito approached the others, he gave them the same casual, kindly wave that he had given Courtney, and was greeted warmly by the others as well. The boy pushed up his glasses and smiled.
"Pleasure to meet you all," he said.
As each of them greeted Kirito in turn, he nodded to them all, one after the other, and gave them all a bit of eye contact and a genuine smile. When he reached Claire, he seemed to pause.
"This is going to be so much fun! So you're a psychologist? That's so cool!" Claire said.
"Thank you, thank you," Kirito said with a gentle smile, his glasses catching the light and obscuring his eyes. "You're too kind."
KIRITO CONFESSIONAL
I shall tell you what I have observed from our first interactions. Bryce: is an open book. Kodi is an empath; his emotions are greatly affected by those around him. Rosalina is frustrated- about what, I have yet to learn. Maria just wants to get started already- she doesn't like to wait. Ellie thinks Kelvin is cute, and the feeling is quite mutual.
(He pauses, as if waiting for the audience to catch up. He adjusts his glasses.)
As for Jacob and Claire? Well… They're both hiding something.
The last contestant to arrive was a slender white girl, with dirty blonde hair pulled into a french braid that hung over one shoulder. She had round, brown eyes, and a somewhat ditzy smile on her face. She wore a blue v-neck shirt, with a white undershirt, as well as white short-shorts. Her right ear was double pierced, and dangling on her wrist was a delicate, metal charm bracelet, with the letter's "EC" dangling from it. As she came forward, she twirled the end of her braid with a finger, and looked around like she was walking into a museum or a concert hall.
"Woah," she said. "Talk about fancy."
"Last but most certainly not least, we have Erza! Hey, there, Erza!" Courtney said with a smile, catching the girl's attention. Erza smiled right back, and waved as if she had just seen her.
"Ohmigosh! Hey Courtney!" Erza said. "I like, almost forgot you were hosting! I was like- where's that one guy? It's so totally cool to be here!"
"It's cool to have you," Courtney said, her eye somewhat twitching at the mention of 'that one guy.' "So, Erza. What are you looking forward to the most on this trip?"
"Oh, definitely shopping at all the cute gift shops and strip malls," Erza said. "And like, meeting all the cool people? Oh, and also I'm really excited to ride a train! I've like, never tried it. Do they go fast?"
"You might say that," Courtney said, a bit of a sly expression on her face. "Well, Erza, since you were our last contestant, why don't you go ahead and meet up with everyone at the boarding station? The rest of the cast should be intermingling by now!"
Erza eagerly ran off, and Courtney turned to the camera.
"The stage is set. All 20 of our teen contestants have arrived, and we're getting closer and closer to setting off on the trainride of a lifetime. More Drama awaits around every corner. When we get back, we'll be sorting the teens into teams! Stay tuned!"
Owen put down the camera and gave Courtney a thumb's up.
"That was totally awesome!" He said. "You know, I really think I'm getting the hang of the Courtney Cam."
"Yeah? Good," Courtney said, pleased, as she allowed some members of Team Courtney to reapply some of her makeup. "We've got Noah shooting the gossip at the boarding station, but in a few minutes we have to film the team ceremony. Sound good?"
Owen, who was already at the craft's service table, shovelling a donut into his mouth, gave Courtney another thumb's up. She shook her head, smiling despite herself. Nobody could resist DJ's catering, least of all Owen. Courtney checked her watch with a twinge of annoyance. She had barely any time before the next shot. With a sigh, she began to watk towards the boarding station opposite the contestants.
She had to wake up a certain slacking co-host.
Victoria was not happy. Erza had arrived, and immediately struck up a conversation with Quinn, Newark, Ellie, Kai, and Kelvin, all of whom seemed to find her entirely charming.
"Which season was your fav?" Erza asked cheerfully.
"Has to be the original for me," Kelvin said.
"Agreed," Ellie said.
"No way, me too!" Erza said giddily.
"I'm a bit of a World Tour fan myself," Quinn said.
"Me too!" Kai laughed. "For obvious reasons."
"Ooh, I like, loved the parts where they sing!" Erza agreed.
Victoria turned to one of the camera's and made a gagging motion with her finger.
VICTORIA CONFESSIONAL
Like, who does she think she is? There's only room for one supremely popular blonde on this set, and, newsflash? That's me.
"I personally liked Action," Victoria said, barging into the conversation. "I really liked the movie set motif, 'cuz like, I've always wanted to be on film, you know? I'm just a total natural on camera, don't you think?"
The others all looked around awkwardly, but Newark offered Victoria a smile.
"Yeah, totally, Victoria!" He said.
"So," Victoria continued, ignoring Newark's placating gesture. "Erza was it? It's like, so totally cool to meet you!"
"Oh, my gosh, like, you too!" Erza said. Both of them beamed at each other, though Victoria's smile never reached her eyes. Ellie and Kelvin swapped glances again. An awkward silence fell across the group, until Quinn broke it.
"So, what kind of music do you guys listen to?" She asked.
Meanwhile, Kodi had produced a fantasy novel from his luggage, and was casually reading on a bench while they waited for Courtney to return. As he read, there was a sudden burst of smoke, causing the boy to jump in surprise, dropping the book to the ground. As the smoke cleared, Ally appeared, brandishing her cloak and waggling her finger.
"Greetings, Sir!" She said. "My mage's intuition (and the casting directory) informs me that you are the one called "Kodiawyn." Is that so?"
Kodi grinned as he stooped to pick up his book. Ally's entrance was so theatrical that he wasn't even upset about having dropped it. Engaging in the play, Kodi donned a more serious voice as well.
"Why, yes, that is I," he said. "You may call me Sir Kodi."
"Ah, be you a knight, Sir Kodi?" Ally asked eagerly, eyes sparkling at the excitement of meeting someone interested in her roleplay.
"A knight aspiring, I would say," Kodi said. "I abide by the code of chivalry and honor. And you? You are known as Ally, right?"
"I am the great mage Ally!" Ally said, brandishing her cloak wildly around her. "Well met, Sir Kodi!"
"Likewise, kindly mage," Kodi said, grinning from ear to ear. Then, he dropped character. "Are you excited for the competition?"
Ally nodded sagely. "Indeed. I look forward to it with great pleasure, for I know that at the end of our toils, for one of us, a grand treasure awaits. I seek to claim those spoils."
Ally then seemed to notice the book that Kodi had been reading, and her eyebrows shot up.
"Say! Is that the book of the Hobbit?" She asked.
"Yeah! You read Tolkein?" He asked. Ally scoffed, as if it were a foolish question.
"Do I read Tolkein? What do you take me for!" She said, no unable to hide her own grin. She giggled and sat beside him. "What chapter are ye on?"
Nearby, Grim was hiding behind one of the brick pillars. In his hand, he held what appeared to be a pack of gum. A wide grin was plastered onto his face. As he was preparing to walk back out to the rest of the group, he was instantly stopped in his tracks by Sloan.
"Watcha doin'?" Sloan said, an amused expression on her face.
"Ah, there you are," Grim said casually. "Gum?"
Grim held out the pack of gum casually, and Sloan just looked at it, one eyebrow raised. Then, she scoffed, and looked up at Grim.
"You'll have to try a little harder than that, buddy," she said. "Fake gum package? Seen it before."
Grim shrugged, smiling coolly and pocketing the item. "Just testing the waters."
"I'm offended, frankly," Sloan said, though she still looked quite amused.
"Oh, I hate to offend," Grim said, also looking enterained by the interaction. "I'll get you, though."
"Doubt it," Sloan said.
"You just keep up that confidence," Grim said. "That's how I'll get you."
"Actions peak louder than words, big guy," she said, turning and skating away.
Leaf, meanwhile, was standing a bit off to the side of the group, gaming away on their handheld device. As Bryce and Claire came walking past, Maria a few paces behind them, still with that furrowed look on her face. Claire was talking animatedly about the kinds of games that she plays for her streaming channel to Bryce.
"And I don't have a huge audience but-" As she said the word "huge", Claire flung her arms out wide, accidentally bumping into Leaf and sending their game system crashing to the ground. "Oh- oops! Excuse me!"
Leaf looked down at the now somewhat broken device, and then to Claire. They shrugged. "It's OK."
"Clumsy me!" Claire giggled. Then, she and Bryce kept on walking, and she continued her story. "So, anyway…"
As they left, Leaf looked down at their game, disappointment now showing clearly on their face as they held the now two distinct parts in their hands. They frowned, trying to figure out exactly how to replace the part where it was meant to go.
"Hey," Maria said, coming up next to them and brushing a loose red curl behind her ear. "Need a hand?"
Leaf turned to look at Maria, and for a moment they seemed to freeze. Their cheeks went slightly pink. Maria didn't seem to notice, but instead pointed to the broken game system.
"With your thing," she said. "Want me to help you fix it?"
Leaf blinked. "Um. Can you?"
"Sure," Maria said with a shrug. "How hard can it be?"
She came forward and held out her hands to take the broken device from Leaf. Leaf obliged, and watched as she began to fiddle with the various pieces of the game device. Maria stuck her tongue out in concentration as she worked, and it soon became clear that she was starting to take the device even more apart than it had been before.
"I'm Maria, by the way," Maria said, as she continued the task.
"Leaf," Leaf said.
Maria chuckled at their short response. "You don't talk much, do you?"
Leaf shrugged.
"Why's that?" Marai asked.
At that moment, the train's whistle blew, and the other contestants started to move towards the boarding station, as Courtney had arrived to make the next announcement. Maria grimaced, glancing down at the now gutted machine in her hands.
"Listen, this is gonna take a little while," she said. "How 'bout I just bring it back to you when I'm done with it?"
Leaf was quiet, but nodded their approval. Then, a little hastily, they added: "Thank you."
"No problem," Maria said.
From there, the contestants starting making their way over to stand in front of Courtney. Jacob and Rosalina were at the head of the pack, arms crossed, eager to hear what was to come next. Bringing up the rear of the entire pack were Antonio and Kirito.
The two of them had been quietly observing while everybody else interacted, and now that the crowd was moving, they each finally seemed to notice the other. There was a brief staredown. Antonio, hands in his pockets, looked at Kirito with a blank expression on his face. Kirito, meanwhile, offered something of a warm smile, pushing up his glasses so that they were reflecting the sunlight. They stood there for some time, sizing each other up, and the tension between them was electric.
ANTONIO CONFESSIONAL
I don't know how to explain it-
KIRITO CONFESSIONAL
There's no logical reason just yet, but-
ANTONIO CONFESSIONAL
I think that Kirito is the biggest threat in the game right now.
KIRITO CONFESSIONAL
I think that Antonio is the biggest threat in the game right now.
"Are we finally getting started?" Rosalina asked what everyone was thinking.
Courtney gave them all a wide smile.
"That's right, everyone! I'm about to announce your teams. These are the teams you'll participate in for the very first challenge, and for the first portion of the competition!"
There was an eager stir amongst the entire cast.
"OK, listen up! For our first team: Bryce, Maria, Elijah, Ellie, Kodi, Antonio, Claire, Jacob, Sloan, and Ally! You 10 will be known as the Steam Machines!"
Kodi and Ally grinned at each other. Claire looked as if she were having a field day. Jacob gave a pleasant smile to his teammates. Sloan gave a peace sign to Grim, and went over to stand with the rest. Antonio began to size up the remaining contestants on the enemy team.
"As for the rest of you: Erza, Victoria, Kirito, Leaf, Kai, Quinn, Grim, Rosalina, Newark, and Kelvin. You 10 will be the Rail Spikes!"
Quinn gave out a loud, whooping cheer, that was echoed by Grim and Kai. Victoria seemed enraged that Erza's name had been called ahead of hers. Leaf looked a little lost, seeing that Ally and Maria, their only two acquaintances, were now on the enemy team. Rosalina just shrugged and went to stand with her team, and Newark immediately began introducing himself to everyone.
"Now," Courtney said, a bit of a glimmer in her eye. "I know you're all eager to take a tour of the Total Drama train and to learn what your first challenge will be-"
The whole cast cheered, and Courtney waited for the crowd to die down before she continued.
"However, there's one last thing I want to show you all before we begin," she said. "And it's a big surprise."
NEWARK CONFESSIONAL
We're all thinking "what could it be?" And I'm like… there's no way its puppies and ice cream, right? Like… that's just silly… unless?
VICTORIA CONFESSIONAL
I wanted her to be, like, "surprise, one of you is going home right now, oh my gosh, it's Erza!"
(She sighs.)
But no. Nothing good ever happens for pretty people.
KAI CONFESSIONAL
I was honestly expecting it to be something buck wild. Like, a tame gorilla. I don't know.
QUINN CONFESSIONAL
TRAIN RAVE?
BRYCE CONFESSIONAL
Honestly, I didn't know what to expect.
ELIJAH CONFESSIONAL
(Leaning into the camera)
Can I be totally honest..? I called it.
"It's a new season of Total Drama, and we're upping the ante," Courtney said. The door behind her opened. Steam began to pour out onto the train station. "You didn't think I'd be the only host now, did you?"
A few contestants gasped. Then, stepping out of the steam, a man emerged. He was well muscled, with a coarse goatee, and he was dressed like a train engineer had went through a Hot Topic.
"No. Way." Erza said.
"Alright, you chumps," Duncan said, as he came forward, sneering at the contestants. "This is where the games really begin."
The scene cuts away to Courtney standing at the train station.
"You've met our cast. You've met our crew. And now, finally, you've met your hosts. What will their first challenge be? Who will come out ahead of the pack? What sort of sweet, spicy drama will unfold? The only way to find out is to come back. Next time: On Total. Drama. Off the Rails!"