Ok, guys! Time for the very first Aftermath! I know these weren't super popular in canon, but I think I have some great twists and bits planned that'll make them a fun read. I also don't plan for these to be as long as regular chapters. I'm guessing they'll be between 6-10k, not 11-14k like the other ones have been. This one will likely be longer than the others to come, as I'm giving mini introductions to the Peanut Gallery.
Speaking of, they will finally be revealed this episode! The results made me chuckle. I will reveal the poll results at the end of the chapter.
Also: I'd like to give two shoutouts to two badass Comp Fics. If you haven't read these already and you love well done Comp Fics, PLEASE go check them out.
Total Drama: Battle of the Generations - StayOuttaMyShed
Total Drama - Return to Wawanakwa - BlueIceRedFire
It's been far too long since we've had multiple good Comp Stories going on at the same time. Go give them the love they deserve, they are AWESOME!
Without further ado, let's get into it!
A worried looking stagehand ran by, frazzled. "Ten minutes till we're live, people!" Called another voice off-screen. The darkness faded to show the Aftermath Show set, currently empty sans a few crew members. The couches were all present, along with the large TV set that rested above the main couch.
"Where the hell are they?" The grumpy director barked. "They better not run late on us!"
"They'll be fine, Maurice." Someone replied off camera, though the grumpy director didn't look reassured.
The camera moved through the Aftermath set into the backstage area. It followed the narrow hallways and sharp corners until it arrived at a door with a gold star on it. The word "TALENT" was emblazoned on the gold star, and two people were sitting outside, banging on the door.
"C'mon, let us in!" Tyler demanded, thumping on the door.
The person behind him flipped her long raven hair over her shoulder, her usual look of annoyance plastered on her otherwise pretty face. Heather, the Queen of Mean, was much unchanged from her last appearance on Total Drama.
"His ego is too big," Heather told Tyler bitterly, "he won't do it."
"I'm not talking to him," Tyler told her, still banging on the door. "C'mon, Lindsay!" Tyler, on the other hand, had shed his tracksuit for a more modern look; a red button-up shirt with dark blue jeans and his normal court shoes. He still had the headband, though.
The camera slid through the door to show the contents of the locked room. It was plush and extravagant, with comfy couches, a snack table, and a TV set complete with video games. There was a small hallway on the other side of the room that led to a couple of bedrooms. The main focus of the room was a wall of mirrors, in which two chairs were set in front of it. These chairs were currently occupied by two individuals. A handful of makeup artists bustled around them, fine-tuning their faces and hair while gossiping mindlessly.
"Just ignore them," Alejandro told his compadre in the chair next to him. "They are just jealous of us." Alejandro, much like Heather, hadn't changed much physically. After all, his motto was 'do not fix which is perfect'.
The other person in the chair shifted uncomfortably, "I don't think Tyler's jealous of me," Lindsay frowned. "Maybe Heather is, though." The only thing that had changed about Lindsay was her outfit. She now sported a much classier dress, one that clad her from chest to mid thigh, light blue to match her eyes.
"C'mon, babe!" Tyler's voice pleaded through the door. "Why are you doing this to me?!"
At her boyfriend's plea, the already unwilling Lindsay's resolve crumbled, and she rose from her chair. She walked over to the door and unlocked it. Hearing the click, Heather shoved Tyler out of the way to grab the door handle and threw the door open, nearly braining Lindsay in the process.
Alejandro, still sat in his chair, sighed a little as he saw the seething Heather through the mirror. Tyler entered right behind her, though he was much pacified as his girlfriend embraced him.
"Sorry he was being such a jerk, Tyler," Lindsay told him, kissing him on the cheek.
Alejandro smirked, unbothered by Lindsay's words. "I was not being a jerk," he told them, "but the door does say 'TALENT'. You two, most unfortunately, don't fit that criteria."
"Which is a bunch of bull!" Heather vented, storming over to the sitting Latino and prodding him in the chest with a manicured finger.
Alejandro gently knocked Heather's hand away from him, "you know that wasn't my call," he said cooly, "Production wanted me and Lindsay as the hosts for the Aftermath."
"But why?!" Tyler complained, still hugging his smiling girlfriend. "I'd make a great host, too!"
"These kind of shows are different than you are used to, amigo," Alejandro shrugged, finally rising out of his chair in all his chiseled glory. His smirk returned, "perhaps Production wanted the two best looking people to host the show. You know how the vapid fans of trashy talk shows like this care about the beauty of the hosts."
Heather's eyes flashed dangerously. "And you think yourself and Lindsay are the two best looking people out of the Total Drama cast?"
"I believe my exact words were 'Production'," Alejandro evaded the question, "and it is merely an educated guess at that. What is fact is that Lindsay and I are the hosts. I cannot see why you two take such an issue with this."
"Well I'll tell you my issue!" Tyler exclaimed, "these so-called fans love shipping people together! When they see you and Lindsay up there together all the time, what if they start shipping you two?! And then you guys get caught up in it, and she leaves me behind!" He glared at Alejandro, "I haven't forgotten World Tour, you already tried once!"
Alejandro had the decency to look slightly guilty, and he quickly approached Tyler and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Fear not, my friend. I have no desire to steal Lindsay away from you…not that she could be swayed even if I did."
"Yeah, Tyler," Lindsay agreed, happily nuzzling his cheek with hers, "I love you! Not Alejandro."
"And I have no intention of betraying my darling Heather," Alejandro continued, "so worry not, chica." He cupped her cheek in his hand.
Heather smacked the hand away, a little pink in the face. "It's not about that crap," she growled out, "it's the principle of it all! Why would they want this dolt Lindsay hosting when they could have me?! You and I hosting is way more appealing to the fanbase!"
"Hey!" Lindsay said angrily, "I am not a dolt!" She paused, then looked to her boyfriend, "dolt means stupid person, right?"
"Yup," Tyler replied.
"I knew it!" She turned back to Heather, glaring at her ex-leader from years prior. "You know Heather, I think I just happen to have what you don't, and that bugs you!"
Heather rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "This oughta be good," she mocked, "tell me Lindsay, what do you have that I don't."
"I know how to be charming!" Lindsay replied hotly, "maybe the Producer-guy thinks you'd be too standoffish for a host job! You'd probably just glare at and insult all the contestants!"
"Yeah, so?" Heather scoffed, "That's good TV!"
Alejandro chuckled at that, and Heather turned her glare to him. "Something funny?" She snapped.
He was quick to raise his arms in surrender. "No. Nothing at all. But, chica, I think this is a battle you cannot win. Obviously, if I had it my way, you would be hosting with me. It is not our call," he nodded his head to include Lindsay. "I'm sure Lindsay would rather have Tyler than me, but that is just the way it is. You should be thankful you got any part in this at all. Most weren't invited back, and thus aren't getting paid for their time."
"The only reason Doofus and I have a part is because I put up such a stink about it!" Heather complained.
They were interrupted by the makeup artists. "Dude," one of them said, "5 minutes until go time. We gotta finish this up."
"You heard him," Lindsay said, staring cooly at Heather. "You have to go now."
"This isn't over," Heather warned, storming out of the room and slamming it behind her. Lindsay and Tyler shared a quick kiss before Tyler left as well, though he didn't slam the door.
Tyler and Heather walked back down the hallway towards the main stage, silent. Eventually, Heather couldn't take it anymore. "I can't let this happen!"
Tyler seemed to be a little more relaxed, "chill out, Heather. Al and Lindsay are right, they're not gonna get involved."
Heather stamped her foot like a small child wanting more candy, "that's not what I mean, Tyler!" The jock winced at her harsh tone, "the fact that Lindsay, that….idiot-"
In a movement surprisingly swift for someone as clumsy as Tyler, he closed the difference between them and gave her a cold stare. Heather flinched back, alarmed. The two stayed that way for a few seconds before Tyler uttered, "watch yourself," and backed off.
Heather blinked at his retreating form. "Listen here, dweeb," she called to him, "I have an idea. So get your mopey butt back here and listen to it. I think you'll like it."
Tyler stopped for a second, pondering her words. Eventually he sighed and turned around. "Spit it out."
Heather let out a victorious grin.
"Alright," Producerman barked. "Let's get this show on the road, people!"
Alejandro and Lindsay hurried to their main couch.
"Let us give them a show to remember, dear Lindsay," Alejandro told her smugly.
Lindsay clapped her hands excitedly. "Yay!"
"3…2…1…go!" The cameras flashed to life all around the stage.
"Welcome to the Generational Aftermath!" Lindsay and Alejandro cheered together. Alejandro took over the speaking. "We are you hosts, Alejandro," a suave latin tune played as the camera zoomed in on him, "and Lindsay!" The camera changed to a sweeter tune as it showed a bubbly Lindsay waving at the camera.
The audience erupted into cheers.
"Welcome to a whole new kind of Aftermath," Alejandro smirked, "we, of course, will be interviewing eliminated contestants…but there is more to this show than that!"
"That's right!" Lindsay chirped in, "but in order to proceed with any of that stuff, we have to introduce our Peanut Gallery!" The camera panned to the couches where the Peanut Galleries of Old had sat, but they were empty.
"We'll be calling them out one by one," Alejandro explained to the audiences confused reaction, "since this Peanut Gallery consists of old favorites voted by you, the fans!"
Lindsay giggled and clapped her hands, "Only 10 got to be chosen, so they're all pretty stoked to be here!"
A loud CRASH and some muffled shouting came from backstage, making both hosts jump. They kept their composure though.
Alejandro cleared his throat, "First up, it's a small man who was tough enough to endure a battle with me and Heather, although it did end in his eventual destruction…it's Cody!" He threw both his arms to the side to introduce the first member of the Peanut Gallery.
The man himself walked on stage, grinning. Noticeably, his adorkably gap-tooth grinned no longer existed, as he had gotten his teeth fixed in the years after Total Drama. That wasn't the only change, though. He had grown a few inches, and his hair and overall look was much more stylish. Slicked back hair and cool clothes, Cody looked every inch the ladies man he had once dreamed of becoming. The only thing that hadn't changed was his kind face, which was lit up in excitement as he walked past Alejandro and Lindsay to sit at the Peanut Gallery couch.
"Hi, Cody!" Lindsay greeted warmly. "How've you been?"
"Life's been good, Lindsay," Cody told her politely, his voice noticeably a bit deeper, "I'm finishing up my senior year in college and have been going out with a total babe for a couple of months!"
The audience erupted into cheers, and Alejandro let out a devilish chuckle. "So, mi amigo," he asked the ex-geek, "what of your stalk-uh, I mean, friend Sierra?"
Cody grimaced at her name. "Ugh, I don't know. Once the Ridonculous Race came out, she started pining after some poor sap on that show. One day she was texting me forty times a day, like usual. The next, no word. It's been that way for a while, now."
"Relieved?" Alejandro pressed on.
Cody shrugged, "In a way, I guess. I did value our friendship, but I always felt bad knowing I could never give her what she truly wanted."
"Aw, that's so sweet, Cody!" Lindsay told him. "But, and this is like a bummer, we can't spend too much time on all you guys, since we still have to introduce the rest of you guys, plus the peeps that were eliminated!"
"And don't forget the special twist," Alejandro added cryptically.
"That too!" Lindsay clapped. "Anyways, our next member of the Peanut Gallery is someone I like, totally look up to! She kicks butt! It's…LeShawna!"
The crowd cheered and cheered as LeShawna entered, her usually confident smirk on her face. The ghetto girl looked a lot less ghetto. She had lost some weight at no cost to her curves, and her weave was now in its natural afro state. She still wore her old clothes, though the sizers were smaller. She brushed by Alejandro without acknowledging him, but gave Lindsay a hug before sitting down next to Cody.
"It's good to see you, LeShawna!" Lindsay gushed, "how have you been?"
"Stuff's been good, girl," LeShawna said happily, "you know me, just doing my own thing, lovin' life!"
"Glad to hear it!" Alejandro said politely, "how does it feel to be back?"
"It feels weird," LeShawna admitted, "I can't decide if I like it, yet."
"At least we're getting paid," Cody joked, nudging LeShawna with his elbow playfully.
LeShawna let out a laugh, "True that, sugar. You're lookin' fly, by the way."
Cody grinned at her, "Why, thank you!"
"Next up we have heartthrob musician turned crazy boy, Trent!" Alejandro announced.
The applause was noticeably quieter than it had been for Cody and LeShawna, but Trent didn't seem bothered as he walked on stage. The musician walked on stage with his usual smile. The only notable difference to him was the handsome beard he now sported and his clothes. His shirt, which still had a black hand print on it, was now a dark green with black sleeves.
"You couldn't have sprung for a better intro?" Trent said jovially as he sat down next to Leshawna.
Alejandro chuckled at that, "Trent, it is good to see you."
"Likewise, to all you guys!" Trent said happily. "This was such an exciting time in my life, it feels surreal to come back and experience it again."
"So, fans are dying to know," Lindsay addressed him, "with Cody being in college, is it safe to assume the Drama Brothers are dead? We haven't had new music in years!"
"Unfortunately, yes," Trent said, an air of breeziness to his voice, "we left on good terms, but Cody wanted to go back to a normal life and Justin wanted to return to modeling. Harold and I are both still in the business, though we don't work together."
"And how has your music career been going, Trent?" Alejandro asked curiously.
Trent shrugged, "as well as to be expected, I suppose. I'm doing okay for myself."
"That's good to hear," Lindsay smiled, "next up, we have the strongest competitor ever to play the game…Eva!"
There was no applause as Eva stomped her way on stage. If anything, the crowd shuffled backwards as if they were one autonomous entity. This did not go unnoticed by Eva, but the buff girl just rolled her eyes. She looked very similar to how she had appeared in Total Drama. Same unibrow, same hulking muscles, same blue tracksuit. The only thing that was different was her hair, which was now in a pixie cut.
"Eva, love the new haircut!" Lindsay said.
"Thanks," Eva grunted, sitting next to an nervous Trent.
"So...Eva, how does it feel to be voted in as one of the few contestants to the Peanut Gallery, knowing that you tied in competing in less seasons than everyone from your generation?" Alejandro asked her, hoping to provoke a reaction.
Eva growled at him, and Trent, LeShawna and Cody scooted as far away from her as possible. That seemed to be the extent of her aggression, though, as she merely crossed her arms. "It's fine," she spat, "but I'm just here to get my paycheck and get the heck out. Total Drama was a complete waste of my time. All I get is mocking remarks." A vein in her temple began to throb.
With this ominous warning sign, even the mischievous Alejandro decided against further provocation, and instead turned off-stage to welcome the next Peanut Gallery member. "He's a gentle man known most for his unfortunate eliminations in all of his seasons…it's DJ!"
DJ walked on stage to loud applause. The brick house was just as bulky as ever, though he was now clean shaven. He had shed his skull cap but otherwise sported the same clothes. His fade was on point, too.
"Eeei, DJ!" Lindsay squealed, excitedly clapping.
"Hey, Lindsay," DJ greeted her, taking the final seat on the bottom row of the Peanut Gallery couches. "How are y'all?"
"So good, man," Trent said, offering him a knuckle bump. "Long time, no see."
"Good to see you, brother," DJ accepted the fist bump and turned to Lindsay, suddenly looking awkward. "Uh, Lindsay, did I ever apologize for screwing you over in Paris? That still eats me up." He looked down in shame.
Lindsay and the crowd both let out an 'awww'.
"DJ," Lindsay giggled, "you only apologized like, a million times! And for the millionth time, I totally forgive you!"
DJ slumped over, a relieved sigh escaping his lips. "Phew!"
"Easy there," LeShawna smirked, "don't need you keelin' on us, Deej."
DJ chuckled and all turned their attention to the next guest, who was being introduced by Alejandro.
"And now, we have one of our most popular contestants of all time, though I confess I do not understand why…it's Harold!"
Harold walked on stage to initial extreme applause, but that was cut short and replaced by gasps. Even Alejandro, Lindsay, and the Peanut Gallery looked surprised. Well, everyone but Trent.
To say Harold had a glow-up would be an understatement. He had filled out considerably, and he wore a short sleeved shirt that showed his rather large biceps. His acne had cleared and his beard grew in, which was long and fashionably styled. His ginger hair was now cut short and faded. His clothes were flashy, and he wore several gold chains around his neck. The only thing that remained similar were his glasses, which still gave his eyes that greenish tint.
"Hey guys!" Harold said happily, his voice also unchanged.
"Harold," Alejandro gaped, "you look…good!"
Harold flushed as he joined the other members of the Peanut Gallery. LeShawna looked like she was about to faint. "Gee, thanks, Alejandro," he chuckled. "Guess my genetics finally decided to hand me a win once puberty was over, huh?"
"So, what've you been up to?" Lindsay asked him.
Harold shrugged, "Life's been good, honestly. I combined my mad rap and beatbox skills with my talent for playing the keyboard and have kind of took off in the music industry."
Trent cupped his hands around his mouth, "which means he makin' bannnnk."
Harold giggled awkwardly, "Hey Trent, good to see you, man."
"Sup, H-bomb," Trent grinned.
"But yeah, I also got my third bachelors degree in environmental sciences, so I've just been touring North America while doing school online." Harold finished.
"You're doing school?!" Lindsay gaped, "but, like, why?! School sucked!"
Harold clutched at his heart dramatically, "learning does not suck, Lindsay! Gosh!"
At his signature, 'gosh', the crowd went wild. It seemed that, despite his physical appearance, Harold was still very much Harold. The nerd took his seat on the top row of the couches.
"Four more guests to introduce," Alejandro told the audience, "and this guest is finally from a different generation! Known as one of the most underrated competitors in Total Drama history, she was one of many to have her run cut short in Total Drama: Revenge of the Island! It's Dawn!"
The crowd erupted into its loudest applause yet as the wispy little girl made her way on stage. The girl looked exactly the same as she had on Total Drama. So much that it was a little eerie.
"Welcome to the show, Dawn." Alejandro told her politely. "Excited to be here?"
"Very much so," Dawn said earnestly, "I always regretted being unable to forge long-lasting bonds with the people of Total Drama. Hopefully this is the chance I've been waiting for to remedy this!"
"Well we're stoked to have you, girl!" DJ said happily, making Dawn beam.
Alejandro was about to ask Dawn a question, but was cut off by another loud CRASH off screen. He and Lindsay exchanged a concerned look.
"Everything all good back there?" LeShawna asked, eyebrow raised.
"I…think so?" Alejandro guessed. Getting back on track, he shook his head to clear it and introduced the next guess. "Back to our original generation of campers, this young man found himself $500,000 richer when he won a different reality show: The Ridonculous Race! It's Geoff, everyone!"
The applause was almost as loud as Dawn's as the party boy danced his way on stage. The only notable change for him was that his button up was now actually buttoned up. Same cowboy hat, shorts, and sandals though.
"Whassap my peeps!" Geoff cheered, both to the crowd and his fellow ex-contestants. "So stoked to be here, man!"
He was greeted warmly by the others members of the Peanut Gallery. He took his seat and chuckled. "I gotta say…it's a little weird to be on this end of the Aftermath show!"
"That's right," Lindsay giggled, "after two seasons of hosting the show, its time to give someone else a turn!"
"I'll say," Geoff grinned, shooting the two of them finger guns.
"So, Geoff, how is it knowing you've cemented your name in Total Drama fame as a winner, even if you didn't technically win a season," Alejandro asked.
"Totally sweet, bro!" Geoff cheered, "after winning, me and my boy Brody decided to hit the books and we've been grinding out college ever since!"
"That's awesome!" Lindsay cheered, "what made you want to do that?"
Geoff pondered that a moment, and scratched his chin. "Well," he ventured, "when you come into some serious dough you're like 'wow, let's party!', right?"
Cody nodded, "naturally."
"But then my Mom and Pop were like, 'Geoff, if you play it smart, you can use this money to turn it into a foundation that will keep you and your loved ones secure for the rest of your lives!'" Geoff's eyes widened earnestly as he talked, "and that got me thinking….like, I want me and Bridge to live comfortable forever way more than one blowout party! But that requires being smart and stuff, which I've never been good at."
"No, really?" LeShawna said sarcastically.
Geoff chuckled good-naturedly and continued on with his story, "so Bridgette was like 'then get smart!' And I was like 'dope!' So, here we are."
"A thrilling tale," Alejandro said dryly. "Well, we're glad to have you. Now it is time to turn our attention to our penultimate Peanut. She is one of Total Drama's most notable competitors. Having competed in four seasons and cracking the top half in three out of her four attempts. It's…Courtney!"
There was a startling mix of cheers and boos as the old CIT walked onto the stage. She wore a fancy grey pantsuit and her hair was done up in a bun. She walked calmly to the couches and seated herself without a word.
"Courtney," Alejandro purred, sensing her discomfort, "how wonderful to have you back. How have you been?"
"No comment," Courtney said simply.
"Aw, don't be like that!" Lindsay pleaded, "c'mon, Courtney!"
Courtney leveled an irritated glare at the two hosts. "Look, I'll keep it simple. I don't want to be here. I look back at this part of my life with nothing but disdain. I've moved on. I'm about to graduate law school and the only reason I haven't sued to get out of my contract is because we're actually getting paid for this. So I'm just here to be here, but I have no interest in reminiscing. I'm sorry but that's just how I feel."
Eva nodded her head, "now that's an attitude I can respect." She rumbled.
Alejandro looked a little put out, but recovered quickly. "Have it your way, then. Our final member might surprise you the most. He's got every reason to hate the show, but nonetheless had no qualms about coming back. Recovered and rejuvenated…er, mostly…it's Ezekiel!"
The crowd was fairly quiet as the prairie boy walked on stage. To be fair, he didn't look too bad. He had on his signature toque, though the lack of hair peaking out from it confirmed he was indeed bald. His greenish complexion was gone, though he was exceptionally pale. He smiled shyly at the camera to reveal intense braces that were fixing what had once been mangled teeth. He walked with a slight limp and went over to the Peanut Gallery, where everyone was eyeing him warily.
"Hey there, everyone," he said, sounding soothingly normal. "I'm excited to be back, eh!"
Courtney, for all her claims about not participating, couldn't keep her mouth shut. "How can you be excited to be back? This show treated you horribly!"
"Yeah, dude. How can you be so chill?" DJ asked him, a lot more sympathetic than Courtney.
Ezekiel shrugged. "Life happens, eh. Besides, it's partially my own fault for letting the greed get the better of me y'know. I learned and grew from it, and I'm back to show people that I'm no longer a monster."
"That's surprisingly mature of you, Homeschool." LeShawna admitted.
Ezekiel looked puzzled. "Err, actually I go to community college, now."
"I still would have sued the pants off Total Drama for what they did to you," Courtney muttered.
"We were going to," Ezekiel told her, "but my therapy was so expensive that my parents just said if Total Drama paid for it all, we wouldn't come after them. They happily agreed."
"Well that's good to hear, amigo," Alejandro said, still looking a little wary of the prairie boy. "No…episodes, I take it?"
"Nah, that feral side of me is good and gone," Ezekiel assured him, "don't worry, I ain't like Hulkman or anything…I don't get all vicious when I'm mad." He chucked at his own joke.
"Um, actually he's called The Incredible Hulk," Harold corrected, "and that would be absurd because you were never exposed to Gamma Rays after tinkering with their particular effects."
Ezekiel nodded "Gesundheit."
Alejandro clapped his hands together, a smug smile on his face. "And there you have it, that's our Peanut Gallery!"
"It's not very 'generational'," Courtney couldn't help herself from pointing out. "There's nine of us from the original cast, and only one from the second generation."
"It's who the audience wanted to see," Alejandro shrugged.
"Yup," Lindsay agreed, "now, let's introduce our first eliminated contestant!"
CRASH.
"Okay, what the heck is that noise?" Alejandro exclaimed, sitting up from his chair with an annoyed look on his handsome face.
"I dunno, I'll go check it out," Lindsay said, standing up as well. "You just introduce the first guest, okay?"
Alejandro nodded as Lindsay walked off stage. "Our first guest was hoping to be a heavy hitter of this season, but it seemed she showed her hand too early and to the wrong people! It's…Anne Maria!"
The crowd cheered as Anne Maria walked onto the stage, smiling and blowing kisses at the crowd. She took the seat on the opposite side of the Peanut Gallery, to the left of the main couches.
"Hey, gorgeous," Anne Maria winked at Alejandro, "how's it hanging?"
"I'm doing well, thank you," Alejandro told her politely. "But I must ask you…"
"How does it feel to be eliminated first?" Came a new voice, making the crowd and Alejandro gasp. Heather walked on stage, smug and smiling as she sat down next to Alejandro.
"Heather!" Alejandro greeted, trying and failing to hide his surprise. "er…where is Lindsay?"
"She's preoccupied," Heather said simply, still sporting the smug smile. "So I'm taking over." She adressed everyone: The Peanut Gallery, the crowd, and Alejandro. "Anyone got a problem with that?"
The crowed erupted into enormous cheers, and Heather gave Alejandro an unbearably smug 'I told you so' look.
"Good! Now, Anne Maria…" Heather turned to the Jersey Girl. "I have to admit, I was initially impressed when it seemed like you were going to go all out this season…but then it totally fell to pieces! What happened?"
Anne Maria sighed, the memories of her elimination obviously still a little sore. "Welp, I guess I just underestimated the power of friendship the losers on my team had with one anotha'. All we had to do was take out Fatso and then she, Brick and I woulda had numbers on the two survival geeks." She shook her head, "but nooo, she had to get all 'he's my friend' on me and rat me out! Can ya believe it?"
The crowd roared its sympathies, and Anne Maria looked flattered.
"So how have you been coping?" Alejandro asked her.
Anne Maria shrugged. "It's fine. The Playa des Losers is hella nice, lemme tell ya. Really takes the sting off leaving that crap-sack of an island."
"Speak for yourself," Eva muttered.
"So, now that you're out, who are you rooting for?" Alejandro asked her.
"Well, none of the goobers on my old team, that's for sure," Anne Maria scoffed, "I guess I'd be rooting for any of the peeps from my generation. We've been having a rough time of it."
"Very true," Heather smirked, "the first three to go are all from your generation. Guess we know which one sucks the most."
The crowd jeered, and Anne Maria narrowed her eyes as she pulled out a can of hair spray. She shook it menacingly, "watch ya self, toots."
Heather rolled her eyes, but Alejandro eyed the can of chemicals with fear. "Easy now," he placated, "well, thank you for your time, Anne Maria. Will you join the Peanut Gallery?"
"I guess," Anne Maria shrugged.
"There is a different bench for those who have been eliminated," Alejandro informed her, "don't bother trying to squeeze yourself with the other ten."
Anne Maria sat down at the bench and crossed her legs, waiting expectantly for the next guess to be introduced. Unfortunately, Heather and Alejandro were too busy having a whisper argument.
"What did you do?" Alejandro whispered angrily. "If you get me fired, Heather, I swear…"
"Oh relax," Heather whispered back with a scowl, "like I said, she's just preoccupied!"
"I can't believe she tore the front of my dress off!" Lindsay exclaimed.
It was true. Lindsay's beautiful blue dress was in tatters, and her entire top half, from shoulder to belly button, was exposed. She had solved this issue by wrapping Tyler in a hug to shield herself from awkward crewmen that ran all around backstage.
"Yeah, what kind of monster strength does she have anyway?" Tyler asked, looking perfectly content.
"And now she's out there hosting," Lindsay continued to complain, "that's my job!" She looked pitifully up at Tyler, "you weren't in on this, were you Tyler?"
"Err…well I didn't know she was gonna tear out your dress." Tyler told her honestly. "But yeah, she said she had a plan to get you back here so she could host. But she promised she'd make it up to us!"
"And you believed her?" Lindsay exclaimed, "it's Heather! I would so smack my own forehead in disbelief if I wasn't topless right now!"
Tyler chuckled awkwardly, "alright, here we go. Let's get you some new clothes." He wrapped his own arms around Lindsay and scooped her up, trying not to get too distracted.
"To the Talent room, noble steed!" Lindsay decreed playfully, "just don't trip!"
At Alejandro's persistent steely look, Heather crossed her arms. "Y'know," she whispered fiercely, "you'd think you'd be a little happier to have you girlfriend host the show than some bimbo!"
"Uh, y'know we can hear you guys, right?" LeShawna asked.
The two arch-villains glanced at each other. Both of their faces read the same message: this isn't over. However, they returned to the business at hand.
"Our next competitor seemed to be in the early stages of setting his game up, when one phone call changed everything," Heather announced, "because apparently going to some lame-o fashion school is better than winning a million bucks. It's Brick!"
The crowd cheered as Brick walked on stage, waving happily. The cadet had a laptop tucked under his arm, which he put on the couch next to him as he sat. "Brick McArthur, reporting for duty," he said happily.
"Brick, ignore my co-host," Alejandro advised him, "I believe what you did was noble and smart. Throwing away a chance at money to follow your dreams? That takes guts."
"Sure doesn't take any brains," Heather sneered.
Brick just smiled at them. "Thank you, Alejandro," he said politely, "I knew what had to be done. I'm just sorry to leave my team the way I did. Especially Bridgette. I hope she isn't too mad at me."
"Nah, don't worry, dude!" Geoff hollered from the Peanut Gallery, "I'm sure she understands!"
Brick looked comforted by his kind words.
"So," Alejandro continued, "I trust that laptop there is for your work?"
"Affirmative. They've been keeping me busy as a soldier ant," Brick nodded, "but it'll be worth it when I get to go to Paris in the fall!"
"Paris? Very nice indeed," Alejandro smiled, "thank you for your time, Brick."
Brick smiled and nodded as the crowd cheered again. He walked over to sit next to Anne Maria and opened his laptop, beginning to type rapidly on his computer.
"Whatcha working on?" The girl asked, peering over his shoulder.
"An essay on why cashmere doesn't go with denim," Brick told her, tilting the screen a little so she could see, "but I'm kind of stuck on the pants-ascot clause."
"Didja mention that fiasco back in the seventies?" Anne Maria offered.
Brick snapped his fingers. "I didn't! Good call, soldier!" His typing became even more rapid.
Heather turned to face the audience, "our third guest had a shot at overtaking Zoey's formidable 'best average placements of all time' title, but was blindsided and found himself an early boot. It's the big-time doofus, ex-schemer, Scott!"
Crowd reception was surprisingly positive as Scott walked onto the stage. Even he looked a little alarmed as he made his way to the couch and sat down.
"So, Scott…" Heather remarked, "surprised to be here?"
"A little," Scott admitted. "I thought things were going pretty well, all things considered."
"You did seem to be bonding with some members of your team," Alejandro agreed, "where did it all go wrong?"
"That stupid Post-Challenge-Prize screwed me over," Scott sneered, crossing his arms, "if it hadn't been for that, Gwen wouldn't have begged for Duncan's forgiveness, which would've led to her, me and Sammy voting for him, and I woulda crushed him in the tiebreaker!"
"It is unfortunate," Heather admitted, "which also makes it hilarious. Seeing you sitting there like an idiot after being blindsided was extremely satisfying."
A vein throbbed in Scott's temple, "I dunno if I'd be taunting other people's blindsides, Missy," he snapped, "All-Stars ring any bells?"
The crowd let out a loud "ooooh" as Heather flushed in anger while Alejandro choked down a laugh. Heather noticed and glared at him, and Alejandro tried unsuccessfully to turn his laugh into a cough.
"Swiftly moving on," the charmer continued, ignoring his seething co-host, "let's talk about Sammy."
"Pfft, what about her?" Scott asked, leaning back in the couch.
"How do you really feel about her? You two had a surprising friendship, to say the least," Alejandro told him, "is it going to blossom into anything more?"
The dirt farmer rolled his eyes. "Doubt it," he told them, and the two co-hosts raised their eyebrows in surprise. "I mean, she's pretty, sure…and smart. Delicious devious streak, too." His tone got a little longing and eyes got suspiciously moony, "with hair like corn silk…"
The crowd jeered and laughed, and Scott shook himself out of his stupor. A little pink in the face, he glared out at the crowd. "But no! I learned my lesson with Courtney. Relationships on this show just don't work…unless you're Geoff and Bridgette."
"Ayyy-ohh!" Geoff cheered from the Peanut Gallery.
"That's interesting," Heather said devilishly, ready to get her comeback from his All-Stars jape, "Alejandro, why don't we play the tape?"
"An excellent idea, mi amor," Alejandro responded with a grin to match hers. "This should be enlightening for you, Scott."
(Flashback Clip : Rest Night #1.)
"Ok, Sammy! Truth or dare!" Gwen told Sammy.
"Err…I'm gonna go with truth on this one," Sammy said, her cheeks flushed from the alcohol. She was the only one not to select dare yet.
"Haha, you're about to learn that some truths are more painful than dares," Gwen grinned, "…who's the cutest boy here?"
Sammy turned a vibrant shade of pink. Everyone leaned in expectantly and the shy girl covered her face in embarrassment.
"She's gonna take a shot," Jo said dismissively, "she won't say."
"Nah, she's tipsy enough," Jasmine told Jo, her dark eyes twinkling, "though I reckon I know who it is, eh Sammy?"
"Ugh, fine," Sammy said, uncovering her face and looking determined. It didn't help that she was still pink in the face though, but there was a defiant note in her voice as she crossed her arms and mumbled, "I guess I'd have to say…Scott."
Bedlam.
(End Flashback Clip: Rest Night #1.)
The bedlam from the clip was mirrored in the audience and Peanut Gallery.
"There's no way that innocent little girl likes weasley old you!" LeShawna guffawed, slapping her thighs with her hands.
"Damn, I've still got a lot to learn about wooing the ladies," Cody muttered, "I should just be a stupid jerk!"
The crowd was laughing, applauding, and booing. Scott was bright red as he desperately tried to formulate some kind of response.
Alejandro and Heather both looked very pleased with themselves for putting Scott in such an uncomfortable position. Once the bedlam had died down a little bit, Heather moved in for the kill.
"So, after seeing that, what do you think, Scott?"
Scott huffed and threw his arms up in exasperation, "what do you mean? Plenty of gals think I'm cute. It doesn't mean anything!"
"But surely it warrants a talk with her, no?" Alejandro chimed in, "Sammy would likely make a very fun girlfriend. Especially since she's so out of your league."
"She is not outta my league!" Scott whined.
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that," Heather smirked.
"Whatever, am I done now?" Scott grumbled, "let's get this stupid show over with so I can go back to fancy living at the Playa."
"Sure, go take a seat with the other big-time Losers," Heather told him, "and for the record, I never did as badly as third boot."
Scott just let out a disgusted grunt as he sat next to Brick on the top bench of the Peanut Gallery.
"This next guest ought to be entertaining," Alejandro dressed the cameras.
"Yeah, if by entertaining you mean whiny and obnoxious," Heather added.
"Didn't realize you were our next guest, Heather!" Eva heckled, earning some laughs from the audience.
Heather glared at the fitness buff before returning her focus to the cameras. "Our next guest might've found love on the show, but she also found out how much people love to destroy couples! It's Sky!"
The crowd cheered as Sky walked on stage. Though she definitely looked grumpy at first, her annoyance faded slightly when she saw the positive reception she was getting. She offered a small wave to the crowd as she took her seat across from Heather and Alejandro.
"Hey guys," Sky offered politely, "how are you?"
"We'll be asking the questions here," Heather said sharply, making Sky flinch.
"I am well, thank you," Alejandro said, giving Heather a pointed look.
"Uhh…okay then," Sky shrugged, "fire away."
"Well first is the stupid romance question which some fans want to know about," Heather said impatiently, "do you think your relationship with Lightning can continue outside of the game?"
Sky gave the two a confident nod, "Absolutely! If anything, our relationship was hindered by the game, not created by the game."
"Unlike our wonderful co-hosts!" Eva heckled again.
"Zip it, Eva!" Heather barked.
"Heh, this whole Peanut Gallery thing might not be so bad," Eva grinned. Trent, who was next to her, chuckled.
"Continue, Sky," Alejandro told the short girl.
Sky nodded, "I think our new relationship will flourish outside of the game. He's really special to me."
"Ugh, how anyone could like that brainless bonehead is beyond me, but whatever floats your boat I guess," Heather told her, earning a frown from Sky. "Anyways, let's get into the real meat of why you're here. Your elimination! Still sore about it?"
The scowl returned to Sky's face full-force. "You bet I am!" She said angrily, "I'll never forgive Noah for lying to me."
"So you do think it was Noah?" Heather asked, surprised.
Sky faltered a bit, "well…yeah? Wasn't it?"
"It was, I'm just surprised you were smart enough to figure it out," Heather smirked. "And it seems Noah now has your boy-toy wrapped around his little finger."
"That slimy little garbage-stain," Sky growled, "when I finally get my hands on him…" she throttled an imaginary neck, making the audience 'ooh' and 'aah'.
"Yes, it's quite shocking," Alejandro smirked, "Zoey was going to have the rest of the team eliminate Lightning, but it was Noah, and Noah alone, that convinced her to switch to you. I must admit, I'm impressed with the little man. Who knew he had such a talent for manipulation?"
"Well, the nerds original stereotype was 'The Schemer', but the studio changed it after he got booted so early in Island because they were embarrassed at making him seem like a main player," Heather scoffed. "But yeah, you got rolled and smoked by Noah, Sky. Big time."
Sky looked on the verge of a freak-out, and was taking deep, loud breaths to try and remain calm. "I'm. Aware." She panted.
"Uh, guys?" Harold asked the devious couple, "I think she's gonna blow…"
Alejandro and Heather exchanged a look. Which would be the better option? They could choose to slowly deflate the swelling balloon of anger in front of them with soothing words…or perhaps they should pop and explode it with one final jibe? They nodded at each other, on the same page.
"As an aspiring Olympian, how shameful to be bested by a scrawny bookworm," Alejandro tutted.
"Must be soul crushing," Heather chimed in.
"It's just not FAIR!" Sky screamed, jumping to her feet and kicking over the couch. "Lightning and I were supposed to go far together, kicking butt! But Noah ruined it!"
Security guards rushed on stage to contain Sky, an grabbed her arms.
"Let go of me!" Sky shouted, kicking and squirming, "okay, fine! Fine! I'll calm down, okay? Jeez!"
Alejandro nodded at the security guards and they walked over to the couch, depositing Sky next to Scott.
"Thank you for the entertainment," Alejandro told her graciously.
"You two think you can just sit there and mock me?" Sky spat, "you two better watch your backs."
"Ooh, I'm terrified," Heather said sarcastically. "Let's get onto our final guest, shall we? This big doofus is…well he's just a doofus that got placed on a team full of better players…it's Rodney!"
Polite applause rang out as the huge Rodney entered via stage left. He clumped over to Heather and Alejandro. "Hey guys," he greeted with a smile. He noticed the couch being overturned and bent down, easily flipping it back to its rightful position with just one meaty paw.
"Such strength," Alejandro complimented as Rodney took a seat, "surely your team will be missing that now that you're gone?"
Rodney chuckled, "you'd think, eh? But naw, they got Lightning and Zoey, so they won't miss me much. I know I'll miss them, though. I liked all my teammates," his smile faded a bit, "except for Noah…"
"Noah does seem to be an unpopular figure with his teammates," Heather agreed, "or, at least the ones that he's betrayed."
"So it was him?" Rodney asked, still not completely sure of the circumstances surrounding his elimination.
"Yes, it was," Alejandro confirmed, "in a startling good maneuver, once he discovered you had went against the previous plan and voted for him instead of Sky…"
"Wait, Rodney didn't vote for me?" Sky asked from the Loser Bench.
Rodney blushed, "Uh..naw, I couldn't do it. I just thought you didn't deserve to go home, so I changed at the last second." His blush faded and he looked confused instead, "wait, how did Noah find out I bailed on the plan?"
"When you let slip to Izzy and Zoey about it, Izzy ran right along and let slip to Noah." Heather explained, enjoying the way Rodney's face fell.
"Izzy!" He proclaimed, shocked, "I thought I could trust her!"
"I bet you could, normally," Alejandro offered, "but since Noah's main target was Zoey, someone who Izzy is friends with, she jumped at the opportunity to shift the target onto you. It worked, as Noah considered your unpredictability too much of a threat to keep around."
"Heh, well look at the bright side," Rodney said optimistically, "at least I was eliminated for being a threat."
"If being a blabby-mouthed idiot is the same as being a threat, then I guess," Heather said dryly, "like seriously, if you had kept your mouth shut, we'd be interviewing Zoey right now."
Rodney smacked his forehead. "Me and my big mouth," he lamented. "At least I got 5000 bucks out of it!"
"That you did," Alejandro agreed, "and your team will have to suffer the consequences because of it."
Rodney shrugged, "It's the least they deserve for falling for all of Noah's schemes. I knew I couldn't trust that guy!"
"Hindsight is 20/20 indeed," Alejandro mocked. "Thank you for your time, Rodney."
Rodney smiled and stood up, waving at the applauding crowd as he went and took the final seat of the top row of the Loser Bench.
"Now, before we wrap up," Alejandro told the audience, "it's time to reveal the big twist about the Peanut Gallery!"
"Oh, nuh-uh!" Courtney said instantly, standing up indignantly, "I am not participating in any twist! Big or otherwise!"
"Just sit down, girl," LeShawna muttered, "y'all know we don't got a choice in any of this."
"LeShawna, for once, is right," Heather smirked. "Now, while we set up the event, let's take a look at some hilarious clips of the losers on the island getting all messed up. It's time for…That's Gonna Leave a Mark!"
The audience cheered wildly as the familiar jingle began to play, showcasing a series of clips never-before seen on the show.
(That's Gonna Leave a Mark Ep #1.)
The clip opened with a familiar cheery tune, a stark contrast to the footage being shown.
Duncan and Scott were playing a vicious round of ping pong in the Rec Center. The camera zoomed in on Duncan's eyes as the ball zoomed in towards him, and he hit the ball back with all his might. The ball flew right into Scott's crotch, and the boy collapsed in agony. Duncan laughed, but instantly ate the paddle that had flown from Scott's hand in his pain. Both boys rolled around the floor screaming.
Gwen opened the door to the Confessional. Inside was the chubby intern with the glasses. He jumped in surprise at being interrupted. Gwen karate kicked him in the face and closed the door, dusting off her hands.
The shot cut forward to Rodney opening the Confessional. The previously unconscious intern woke due to the noise. Rodney frowned at him, picked him up with one hand, and yeeted him over the horizon. He dusted off his hands and entered the Confessional.
Jo was running along the forest, minding her own business, when out of nowhere the chubby glasses intern came screaming out of the sky and crashed right into her. Jo skidded on the ground, the tubby boy on top of her. She threw him off, picking dirt out of her mouth, and kicked the chubby intern in the kiwis. The intern curled up and cried as Jo stormed off. Then a bird dookied into the interns open, sobbing mouth.
Sky and Lightning were snuggling on Lightning's bed, relaxing after a challenge. Off screen, a boom mic fell and nailed Sky in the eye. Lightning got up to protest this, but accidentally deep throated the mic as he got up too quickly. He began to choke and collapsed on Sky, pinning the girl under his weight. The camera moved to show two cameramen laughing at them.
Noah opened the door to the boys trailer and took in a deep breath. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and a warm breeze flew through the air. He took one step and twisted his ankle, bashing his face into the dirt.
Beardo walked to the bathroom in his PJs, whistling happy as he walked. His eyes widened as something bull rushed him from off screen. That thing turned out to be a wrecking ball, and it smashed into the beatboxer and sent him flying off screen.
"That always was my favorite segment," Heather said fondly.
"It always does elicit a chuckle or two," Alejandro agreed.
Some stuff had changed on the Aftermath set. The guest couch used to interview the eliminated contestants was gone, replaced with a large table. On said table were 10 cans of soda. Each had a smiling face of Chris McLean on it.
"And now it's time to reveal to our audience the special twist," Alejandro announced mischievously. "When the merge of Total Drama Generations takes place…" he swept a hand out to the Peanut Gallery bench, "one of these fine people will be joining the remaining contestants!"
Gasps erupted throughout the crowd and the Peanut Gallery. Some, like Cody, LeShawna and Dawn, looked pretty excited about the prospect of returning. Other's like DJ, Courtney and Eva, looked less enthused.
"So here's how it works," Heather explained, "five of these cans of soda are rigged with small explosives, which will explode hilariously all over you losers. The other five are filled with golden soda. If your can doesn't explode, you will have a chance to be voted into the game by the fans!"
"Seriously?" Cody said excitedly, knowing how popular he was, "that's awesome!"
"Awesome indeed," Alejandro agreed, "one by one I shall call your names. Go stand next to a can, but do not open it until we say so."
One by one, Heather called the names of the Peanut Gallery. They all chose a can, peering nervously down at it.
"Figures I get last pick," Eva scoffed, standing at the last can.
"Eva, you have the honor of opening the first can," Alejandro told her, "will you be shunned a chance of competing once again, or finally be able to try?"
"At this point, I could give a crap," Eva grunted, popping the top of the soda. The audience waited with baited breath. After a few seconds, the can swelled up and burst, drenching the fitness buff in sticky brown cola. The can's life was shortly ended after Eva crumpled it into a ball and hurled it into the crowd. "Good!" She roared, "I don't care anyways!"
Next up was Harold. The nerd apprehensively sniffed the can, as if that would tell him what lay in wait for him. "Well here goes nothing," he muttered, gingerly popping the top and expecting the worse. After a few seconds of waiting, however, it appeared that the can was not going to explode. Harold carefully poured a little soda out and it was a bright golden color.
"And Harold is the first person to get a chance to make it back into the game," Heather rolled her eyes as the crowd erupted into cheers, "hasn't the dweeb tortured you viewers enough with his nonsense?"
"My knowledge is not nonsense," Harold protested, "maybe if you were a little more receptive to learning!"
"Well, here goes nothing," Trent shrugged, "I'm kinda hoping this doesn't explode all over me." The can responded by exploding all over him. Trent pushed his sticky, sopping hair out of his eyes with his usual easy smile. "Well, guess that's that." The crowed let out a collective 'aww'.
"No luck for Trent," Alejandro noted, "who will be the next camper to get themselves a potential route back into the game?"
"Here goes nothin', dudes!" Geoff cheered, happily popping the top and waiting with a goofy smile. BANG. The can exploded, drenching the whooping party boy. The crowd was noticeably upset by this, but Geoff gave them a placating hand gesture. "It's all good, everyone! It would've been tough for me to take time off school anyways!"
DJ held his can as far away from his body as possible, looking terrified at the prospect of it exploding all over him. "Are you sure this is safe?" He whimpered before he pulled the tab.
Heather shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"
"That makes me feel so much better," DJ rolled his eyes, finally popping the top. He let out a little squeal, but to his relief nothing happened. To confirm, he poured out some golden soda.
"And DJ takes spot number two!" Alejandro exclaimed as the crowd cheered.
Cody crossed his fingers on one hand as he popped the top of his can, still on the table. Unfortunately for the geek, the can exploded all over him, staining his fancy clothes. The crowd started to boo, as if the can not containing golden soda was somehow Alejandro and Heather's fault.
"Damn! I really wanted a shot at going back, too!" Cody pouted, "what a mess…"
LeShawna let out a cheer as she poured her golden soda onto the floor. "That's what I'm talking about, baby!" She looked out over the cheering crowd, "LeShawna is gonna bring it, y'all!"
"Ugh, of course," Heather grumbled, looking like she just swallowed sandpaper, "LeShawna takes spot number three."
There were only three people that had yet to open their cans: Courtney, Dawn and Ezekiel.
"Pretty good odds, eh?" Ezekiel offered, "two of us get in."
Dawn nodded, her blond locks fluttering around her face, "Indeed," she said solemnly. She cracked the top of her soda, not looking alarmed. "It seems the universe has deemed me worthy to receive a chance at redemption! I shall try to make the most of it." To prove her point, the can miraculously tipped over, spilling its golden ichor to the ground.
"And Dawn makes it as well! Just one spot left," Alejandro announced, "Who will get in? Ezekiel, or Courtney?"
The two ex-campers looked down at their cans. "Good luck, eh," Ezekiel picked up his can.
"Yeah, whatever," Courtney scoffed, picking up a can of her own. She paused, peering intently at the can, and put it back down. "Switch cans with me, Ezekiel."
Ezekiel paused, just about to open his own can. "Eh? Why?"
"Just do it!" Courtney said impatiently, sliding her can down the table towards Ezekiel.
"Can she do that?" Heather whispered to Alejandro. He just shrugged in response.
"C'mon, slide me yours! Any day, now!" Courtney barked.
A nervous Ezekiel looked a little overwhelmed by the situation, and clumsily slid his can down towards the classy girl.
Courtney easily scooped it up, turned towards the crowd, and pulled the top of the can just like one would pull the pin in a grenade. The can soared overheard for a few seconds before exploding into a spray of brown soda. The crowd cheered and gasped as some of the front row members got drenched.
Courtney breathed a silent sigh of relief and turned back to Ezekiel. "Good luck," she told him simply, walking back over to the Peanut Gallery couches.
A surprised Ezekiel popped the top of his soda can to reveal the golden soda.
"And that solidifies it," Heather confirmed, "the five people that you, the audience, get to vote back into the completion are: Dawn, DJ, LeShawna, Ezekiel, and Harold!"
The five waved sheepishly to the crowd as everyone roared their approval.
"Too bad for the rest of you," Heather continued, shooting a mocking glance towards the wet Eva, Cody, Trent and Geoff. "At least Courtney had the good sense to avoid getting soaked, even if she did throw away her chance at getting into the game."
"Please," Courtney scoffed, "this is exactly the way I wanted it to be. At least while I'm on the Aftermath I can focus on work when we're not filming."
The rest of the Peanut Gallery joined her on the couches.
"That looked like a lot of fun," Rodney noted, "too bad we can't do cool stuff like that."
"All in good time," Alejandro said cryptically, "now, we are almost out of time, but we have one more little tease to give you guys before we're done."
Heather gave the camera a smirk, "That's right. There's going to be a big twist come the merge, and we're here to give you just the tiniest hint of what it might be. Is everyone ready?"
The crowd roared its approval.
"Okay, listen carefully, cause it's an audio cue and will only be played once," Alejandro warned them. "Here we go…"
The entire area fell completely silent. The people on the Loser Bench and Peanut Gallery leaned in, straining their ears. Everyone in the crowd waited with baited breaths.
Suddenly, a horrifically loud noise filled the venue. A cacophony of incompressible sound filled the area from floor to ceiling. It was unintelligible and undefinable. All everyone knew is that it was just loud as hell. This continued for about ten seconds before it stopped abruptly, leaving everyone in shock. Even Alejandro and Heather looked frazzled.
"Uh, I think your PA system might be toast," Cody chuckled.
Alejandro put a hand up to his ear piece, "no, I'm being told that was the correct audio cue," he said, looking a little annoyed, "they could've at least warned us about it," he muttered.
"That was just a bunch of noise!" Eva said angrily. "What kind of lame hint is that?!"
"It's the hint! Deal with it." Heather told everyone. "What does it mean? No clue! I guess we'll have to wait until the merge to figure it out!"
Alejandro nodded in agreement, "and with that, we are out of time, everyone!" The crowd let out a bunch of sad, pathetic noises. "I know, I'm sad too…but never fear! Next time you see us, we'll have five more losers to talk to, and it will be revealed which Peanut Gallery member will be returning to the game!"
"Until next time, I'm your host, Heather!" Heather began the sign off.
"And I'm your host, Alejandro," Alejandro raised an eyebrow at his girlfriend. "We'll catch you guys next time, on…"
The two said it together, "Generational Aftermath!"
The cameras cut, and the grumpy director yelled "that's a wrap! Good job, everyone!"
"See, told you I could host," Heather smirked at Alejandro as crewmen began to flood the stage.
Alejandro nodded, "I never doubted your ability, chica. Hopefully you have impressed the powers-that-be. Speaking of which, how did you get Tyler to approve of your plan, assuming he was in on it? I doubt he would take too kindly to you just openly stealing Lindsay's limelight."
"I had to make a deal with him," Heather told him as the two got up from the couch and began walking backstage.
Alejandro looked intrigued, "oh? What deal was this?"
"That he and Lindsay host the next Aftermath together."
"WHAT?!"
"Easy, easy," Heather soothed him, "like that's actually gonna happen. The producers will tell us that we were the best and to stick with us. If they don't…well we'll just have to figure out some way of double crossing those idiots. Shouldn't be too hard."
"I do love it when you talk dirty," Alejandro sighed, wrapping his arm around her as they headed for the Talent Room.
Heather leaned into his embrace with a haughty smirk, opting to say nothing at all. The arrived at the Talent Room and entered without knocking.
"Eep!" They were met with Lindsay and Tyler kissing on the couch,. The former of which was now wearing Tyler's shirt. Wearing was a strong term, though, as it was not buttoned up at all. Tyler was now bare chested and Lindsay quickly buttoned up her shirt, both pink in the face.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Heather cried, covering her eyes in disgust.
"Hey, this is the Talent Room," Tyler told her, "we're all Talent now, so get used to it!"
"Eei, we're gonna be sharing this room like, all the time!" Lindsay cheered, running over to the annoyed couple. "We should get sleeping bags and do a slumber party!"
Alejandro and Heather eyed each other in horror. They had gotten what they wanted…but at what cost?
And thus concludes the first Aftermath! What did you guys think? I cranked this out in two days lol, it came so easy to me for some reason! Personally, I think it's pretty solid. I hope I kept it interesting with the Peanut Gallery, the losers, then the little twist with the returnee!
That's right, YOU GUYS will pick which of the five come back at the merge! There's also going to be TWO previously eliminated contestants returning as well, for a total of THREE-PERSON MERGE RETURN! However, I will be choosing the two to come back from the cast. I had to narrow down the 10 chosen a little bit, but you get to choose which of DJ, Dawn, Harold, Ezekiel and LeShawna will return. THE POLL IS ON MY PROFILE! GET VOTING! You have until the next Aftermath chapter gets posted!
What did you guys think of the hint? Any guesses as to what it might be?
Here are the results of the Peanut Gallery Poll:
1st: Dawn - 47 votes.
2nd: Courtney - 41 votes.
3rd: Geoff - 39 votes.
4th: LeShawna - 38 votes.
5th: Harold - 37 votes.
6th/7th: Eva - 34 votes.
6th/7th: Trent - 34 votes.
8th: Cody - 32 votes.
9th/10th: DJ - 31 votes.
9th/10th: Ezekiel - 31 votes.
11th: Topher - 28 votes.
12th/13th: Dave - 27 votes.
12th/13th: Dakota - 27 votes.
14th/15th: Amy - 22 votes.
14th/15th: Scarlett - 22 votes.
16th: Sierra - 20 votes.
17th/18th/19th: Katie - 18 votes.
17th/18th/19th: Mike - 18 votes.
17th/18th/19th: Ella - 18 votes.
20th/21st: Cameron - 17 votes.
20th/21st: Max - 17 votes.
22nd: Justin - 15 votes.
23rd/24th: B - 13 votes.
23rd/24th: Sam - 13 votes.
25th: Sadie - 11 votes.
26th/27th: Beth - 8 votes.
26th/27th: Leonard - 8 votes.
28th: Sugar - 7 votes.
29th: Staci - 6 votes.
I can't believe NONE of the TDPI characters were voted in and that 9/10 were OG's. LOL. But hey, you guys make the call. Just like you make the call for who returns. So, did you like the Aftermath? Anything you'd like to see tweaked a bit? Let me know! Thanks again for all the support, you guys are the best!
Ciao!