Chapter 1: We're Back Baby!
The camera focuses on the iron gate and tall concrete fence encasing the abandoned film lot. Dirty and weathered letters that appear to have once been a shining gold tower above, yet what they spell out is unknown as several of them have fallen off and been long forgotten. Trash litters the black concrete and is unceremoniously tossed around by the occasional gust of wind. The only life evident in the shot is the cockroach crawling across the road. Somewhere inside the lot a devious host awaits, sitting in his golf cart anticipating the arrival of this season's fourteen contestants.
"Where the fuck are they?!" Chris shouts out in frustration. An hour has passed since filming was scheduled to begin, but the host was still waiting in the scorching summer heat for the bus to show up. The show doesn't have a large enough budget to cover the necessary expenses and his personal needs, let alone paying the film crew for working overtime.
Chef leans against the golf cart, glaring at his friend. "I told you it wasn't going to make it. Who in their right mind would think it's a good idea to rent a bus for ten bucks?" He lets out a grunt. "Those kids are goners."
"How was I supposed to refuse such a great offer? I can now add the transportation fund to my massage budget. It takes work to look this good." Chris retorts.
"You're not going to look so good if the cast ends up dead and you get sent to jail."
Fear engulfs his face. Chris couldn't care less about the contestants; their constant complaints and back-talking were infuriating to put up with. However, the producers made sure McLean read his contract and the guidelines he must follow after the multiple lawsuits the show faced from the previous season. In short, dead contestants means a lengthy prison sentence, and Chris is pretty sure jail would put an end to his run as a television personality. "Where are those kids!?"
"Oh my god! I so can't believe we get to come back for another season. This is so exciting!" Lindsay gushes. Her nose presses against the filth infested window as her eyes take in the empty fields and bright blue sky. The landscape hasn't changed much throughout the past half hour, but that doesn't seem to bother the loveable blonde too much.
Gwen turns around in her seat and rolls her eyes at the girl from between the crack. "Right. Because Chris's insane challenges are something to look forward to." She leans back in her seat and stares moodily through her own window. "I'm just shaking with excitement wondering what torture he'll put us through this year."
"At least we get to go through this together." A warm hand grasps onto hers with a comforting grip. Trent smiles at his girlfriend in adoration. The two began genuinely dating after the show premiered and easily became Total Drama's most beloved couple. They were wary at first due to living in different provinces, but they decided to try to keep their relationship alive. For the first few months they would Skype every Tuesday night, but that soon came to an end when they ran out of things to talk about and their digital dates felt like a chore. Trent, not ready to move on from their summer romance, is determined to use this season to prove to his girlfriend that their relationship is worth the struggle. He can't imagine caring about someone else the way he does for Gwen.
Lindsay seems unaware of the goth's sarcasm. "When I win the million, I'm going to Paris!" She claps her hands together excitedly as her eyes widen with an idea. "Oh my gosh, we should totally go together!" The blonde gasps in excitement. "You could be my new BFF! I can share my favourite pink lip gloss with you. That green colour totally washes you out."
"Thanks Lindsay, but I think I'll pass."
She only shrugs in response, but soon her eyes light up once again. "Maybe Tyler will be back this season! I can bring him to Paris!" After last season, Lindsay and Tyler were unable to reunite. This is partially due to the distance between them, but the main fault was Lindsay forgetting her phone number and giving her jock boyfriend the wrong one. The blonde, despite her trouble remembering the simplest of things, hasn't yet forgotten her former flame. Unfortunately, she is having trouble remembering what he looks like.
She stands up from her seat and walks into the aisle. "Tyler? Tyler? Where are you?" She stops in front of a seat near the back after noticing a teen with brown hair. "Are you Tyler?" She asks the boy. He looks up from his phone in confusion at the interruption.
"Uh, sorry, no. I didn't see him get on the bus. He may not be here." Cody answers the blonde politely with a smile. Ever since his early elimination in the previous season, he's been eager to come back and redeem himself as a competitor and a person. Going back to school after the show aired was brutal. Teenage boys can be horrible, and his newfound fame wasn't enough to save him from their bullying. Total Drama only seemed to aggravate the torment that he already received. The new season ahead of him is the perfect chance to leave an impression that will help his image.
Leshawna, who sits a few seats ahead of the geek, shakes her head at Lindsay in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me. This must be the fourth time you've come past us looking for him since getting on here." She looks over to the redheaded nerd beside her with wide eyes before turning back towards the blonde bombshell. "Tyler is not competing in this season, sweetie." Her words are slow and clear in an attempt to drive them through the blonde's pretty head. However, she seems to have no luck as Lindsay only looks at her in confusion before getting up and continuing to call out Tyler's name.
"That girl is starting to drive me crazy." She sighs in contempt. There is no way that this will be the last time she hears the jock's name come out of Lindsay's mouth.
"You know what drives me crazy?" Noah drones from the seat across from Harold. His monotone voice startles Leshawna, who was completely unaware that he was even there. The short bookworm removes his eyes from the novel he was engrossed in; probably for the first time over the three-hour long trip. Ever since Total Drama Island, he's come to resent the show. He just can't comprehend why he was voted off so early. Sure, he could have tried harder in that dodgeball challenge, but there had to be someone more worthy of being voted off. After all, he had Heather on his team. Noah's been dreading the day he'll return to the show. If it were up to him, he'd be at home.
"The hormone infested Barbie and Ken have been eating each other's faces since we got on the bus." The bookworm nods towards Geoff and Bridgette at the front of the bus, who are locked in a steamy make out session. "The sound of their spit is driving me insane."
"I think that's sweet. Sure, a little gross, but it's adorable how in love they are with each other." Leshawna says.
The CIT, who is sitting in a seat by herself in front of her, momentarily turns away from her own book to face the other contestants. "I think I have to agree with Noah. It's completely ignorant of them to put on these displays in such a compact vehicle where it's impossible to ignore them. They could've at least had the decency to wait until later when no one else is around to see them."
"You're one to talk." Leshawna grins knowingly at her. "You and that delinquent boyfriend of yours weren't exactly discrete from what I can remember."
Courtney crosses her arms in protest. "He is not, and never was, my boyfriend. Also, the few times we did kiss were short and to the point. You can't even make a fair comparison." Several of the nearby teens snicker at her denial, but the brunette decides to bite her tongue to avoid starting an argument. Besides, she has no interest in saying anything more about her short-lived romance with Duncan. After their breakup following her betrayal during the Total Drama Island special, the two teens have yet to share a single word between each other. Now that they must face each other once again, the CIT wants to make it clear to the other contestants, as well as the viewers, that any relationship she had with the criminal was a childish mistake and meaningless. However, trying to push her past behind her is proving to be difficult as everyone else appears reluctant to forget it.
"WAHHHHHHH!"
Heather presses her hands against her ears in a vain attempt to block out the deafening cry that has been ringing through the bus since the teens boarded. "Can you shut the fuck up already?" The Queen B snaps impatiently. After having her head shaved and being kicked off right before the finale, it came as a surprise that Heather made no attempt to look back at her choices and try to change herself for the better. She is aware that she made some mistakes throughout her run on the show, but she doesn't regret how she played the game. Heather is as mean as ever.
"I miss Sadie!" The twin blubbers, her face covered in snot and tears. Chris and the producers decided to bring back one of the BFF's for another season. Heather suspects that she was only put into the cast to be cannon fodder, since every good elimination-based reality TV show must have a few throw away contestants. The people sitting near the sobbing Katie have come to wonder if bringing only the one was a plot by Chris to torture them.
The Queen B points a finger at the girl threateningly. "If I have to hear another second of your crying, I won't hesitate to throw you out of this bus."
"You wouldn't do that." Katie gulps in fear, her tears momentarily coming to a halt.
"Try me."
The lone twin slides down in her seat, mellowing her cries to a quiet whimper. Not quite what Heather wanted, but no one is ready to complain if it means the pounding in their heads can calm down a bit.
"I thought she'd never stop." The delinquent lets out a sigh of relief. "One more minute of that and I'd be throwing myself out of the window. No way the million is worth that torture." He looks around to find his cowboy hat wearing friend but stops when he realizes Geoff is still attached to his girlfriend. The two are currently taking up part of the aisle at the front of the bus, making it impossible to pass by.
"There's no stopping them." DJ says from beside the delinquent. "I needed to ask the driver to stop so I could take a leak, but they couldn't hear me when I asked them to move. It's like they're in their own world."
Duncan stands up, holding the seat in front of him for support so he doesn't fall from the bus's constant jolting. "No way am I going to sit through the rest of the ride listening to that." He stops for a second so the smacking of their lips can be heard. "I'm putting an end to this."
He slides past DJ and stands in the aisle. The delinquent moves slowly in an effort to remain upright. This bus is a deathtrap and with the reckless driving it's a surprise they haven't crashed into a ditch yet.
For a second, Duncan looks like he's about to fall, but he is steadied by Justin who quickly reaches out to catch him. "Thanks man." Duncan mutters under his breath, continuing towards the hormonal couple before the model can reply.
Duncan leans down and tears the teenagers apart, the smack from their lips separating so loud that even Cody at the very back could hear it. Geoff and Bridgette, both with a fair share of slobber on their chins, look up at the delinquent.
"What's up man?" Geoff asks while straightening up. Bridgette follows behind him, wiping her face with her sleeve while a red blush coats her cheeks.
"Dude, you two have been going at it for the past couple hours." Duncan states with a smirk. "I'm all for a hot make out session, but the sound of you guys eating each other's faces is driving everyone crazy."
Geoff flashes a lazy grin and drapes his arm over the surfer's shoulders. "You are all just jealous."
"If you say so." Duncan responds with an eyeroll.
"Wouldn't it be totally rad if we were all on the same team again?" The party animal asks his friends with a cheerful grin, acting as if he hadn't been ignoring the two Bass boys for the entirety of the ride.
The delinquent crosses his arms and offers a lazy shrug. "That depends. I thought your whining and griping last season after Bridgette was voted out was bad enough, but I'm starting to wonder if we're going to be in for something even worse."
"Come on!" Geoff says defensively. "The season hasn't even started yet. It's too early to make judgments like that."
"I don't think he's wrong." DJ admits sheepishly.
"Don't worry, guys. We are here to compete and win a million dollars. Once the show starts, we will be at the top of our game." The surfer reassures. Her eyes narrow at the look of disbelief on Duncan's face.
"I'll hold you two to that." The delinquent replies nonchalantly. Although he won't say it out loud, he is frustrated that the surfer girl has wormed her way into their alliance. She may be a strong competitor, but her abilities are nothing close to what he thinks he needs to win in the end. She will only be a distraction to Geoff, someone the delinquent is counting on this season. Hopefully he will be able to come up with a way to get her out of the picture without tearing his trio apart.
Duncan is the first to step off the bus and onto the black concrete. After spending the past few hours in the dimly lit vehicle with windows coated in grime, the glistening sun was blinding. The delinquent momentarily slows down to rub the spots from his eyes. A moment passes before a body collides against his back, causing him to stumble a few steps before regaining his balance.
"Hey, watch it." The delinquent growls under his breath and turns around to see who bumped into him. His eyes, now adjusted to the light, widen once he sees the culprit.
Courtney looks at him for a brief second, her eyes displaying frustration at their proximity, then walks away towards the entrance of the film lot. Her ex-boyfriend stares at her back in disbelief.
"Seriously?" He looks towards his friends who only offer puzzled shrugs in response. "You don't have anything to say to me?"
The CIT proceeds to ignore him and instead buries herself in her book. Duncan rolls his eyes at her obvious efforts to avoid him and moves out of the way of the teens who are trying to get around him.
Heather coolly drags her suitcase away from the rest of the cast and surveys the entrance to the film lot with a look of disgust. Her hands grasp for the dreadful wig resting atop her head and shifts it to sit comfortably on her scalp. The endless manipulation of the mess of hair has become an instinct for her since purchasing it upon the conclusion of Total Drama Island. Heather is a vain girl and the prospect of the viewing audience witnessing her with only the short stubble of her former raven locks horrifies her. Unfortunately, without a foolproof way to stabilize the accursed wig, her fear seems like a reality as every movement seems to move it askew.
Retreating down the creaking steps of the bus, the goth girl glares at her rival. "I can't believe we have to put up with Heather's wickedness again." She spins around to face Leshawna once her feet hit the stable ground. "What's the point of her coming back? We are all aware of her scheming and the things she's capable of, so it's not like she'll be able to sneak by us unnoticed. I can guarantee that she'll be one of the first people eliminated."
"I'd be surprised if she isn't the one going home today." Her friend says.
Gwen nods in agreement. "We'd be insane to keep her around."
The goth looks over to a small group idling in front of the gate. Trent is engaged in a conversation with Cody, his eyes wide with excitement. She is unsure if his happiness stems from the words leaving his mouth or because he's back to compete in another season of this sadistic reality show. Various times on the ride here he shared his enthusiasm at being able to see her in person once again after so many months apart. She could not help but feel slight discomfort at how much adoration he showed for her.
Leshawna laughs at the back of her teal hair. "Wow, you can't even keep your eyes off him. That year apart must've been tough on you guys."
"We managed." She responds with a shrug. "Skype is a pretty good alternative to the real thing."
"Sure it is." Leshawna remarks with a smile. She does not believe the words leaving her friend's lips. "Please promise me you two won't turn into Geoff and Bridgette." The two girls look at the couple who are back in a steamy embrace, their lips tightly locked together. "I am not carrying that deadweight through this game just for the sake of maintaining an alliance. I will gladly vote for you if it means staying sane."
"You don't have to worry about Trent and me." Gwen reassures with a look of disgust.
Leshawna nods. "I'll hold you to that."
The two former Gopher girls join the other teens where they wait for the host to arrive. Gwen stands beside her boyfriend and listens to Cody speak, trying to pick up on the conversation they were having prior to her arrival. Trent casually leans his head down towards hers and pecks her lightly on the cheek.
A golf cart pulls up in front of the contestants and releases a loud beep as Chris honks the horn to announce his arrival. His glowing smile seems less effective as the teen's stare at him in silence, impatiently waiting for the season to begin.
Chris glares at the contestants. "A little enthusiasm wouldn't kill you."
"Well, it's kind of hard to get excited after the Hell you put us through last summer." The Queen B retorts while several of the other contestant's nod in agreement.
He turns away from the teens, ignoring their remarks, and smiles at the camera in front of him. "I'm your host, Chris McLean, bringing you the highly anticipated second season of your favourite show Total Drama! This season on Total Drama Action, there'll be—"
"You can say all of that nonsense later. You've got an editing team for a reason. Let's just get the first challenge over with so I can lay down and relax." Leshawna interrupts.
Heather steps forward with a frown. "As much as I hate siding with her; really, I do, Leshawna is right."
"'Leshawna is right'? Did I mishear you or—"
Heather wrinkles her nose in disgust. "Oh, shut up. Chris, can we get this over with. I'd rather win the million before the year is over."
"Alright, just get in." Chris whines. "You guys never let me have fun."
The golf cart drives through the film lot, going past many diverse sets. Although some of them seem rather interesting, Chris feels no need to talk about them or why they are there in the first place.
"Woah." Harold's eyes widen in wonder. "Is that the set from Galaxy Wars?" He points at one of the backdrops. The space inspired set causes the nerds in the group to gawk in delight.
"No, it's from a cheap rip off version." Chris states. "None of these sets are from big name productions. We don't have the budget for that."
Trent nudges Gwen. "How much of the show's budget do you bet he's using for himself?"
"With how things are looking, I'm surprised the show actually has a budget." She replies with a chuckle.
Chris turns his head around to glare at the talking teens. "I'm giving a tour, so no talking!" He faces forward once more, his signature smile back on his face.
"Somehow, he's managed to become even more unlikeable than he was last season." Noah whispers to Cody in annoyance.
"Welcome to the set of Total Drama Action!" He raises his hands up to direct the camera's attention to the surroundings but must quickly dart them back to the steering wheel of the golf cart once it begins to veer off onto the plastic grass. "The highly anticipated second season of one of the highest grossing reality shows of the decade will be shot here on an abandoned film lot."
Courtney raises an eyebrow in disbelief. "Highest grossing? Did you see that deathtrap that brought us here?"
"You'll be spending the next six weeks here, competing against each other in challenges to escape elimination or for rewards. All for the chance to win the big cash prize!" Chris exclaims.
Leshawna smirks. "You can all leave now, 'cause I've come here to win."
"For the last time, SHUSH!" Chris glares at the cast. "Like last season, one team will win, and the other team will watch one of their own make their way down the dreaded Walk of Shame to the Lame-o-sine."
As he drives past the Lame-o-sine he rolls up the windows to his section of the vehicle, leaving the campers to choke on the clouds of exhaust. Coughs erupt from the teens as they try to rid the fumes from their lungs.
"Typical Chris." Heather growls, a coughing fit shaking through her body. "Where did he even get that? There's no way it's legal to drive that thing."
Chris ignores her comment, choosing to continue with is mandatory monologue. He has come to the realization that there's no shutting the teens up. "Now, since you don't have the outhouse to dump your deepest, darkest secrets in, you'll dish the dirt in our new makeup confessional!"
Confessional: Lindsay
She looks around the confessional with wide eyes. "A whole trailer full of makeup?!" A shrill screech emits from her small frame, the irritating noise topping the worst heard from Katie and Sadie.
Confessional: Noah
"I already hate it here." He drones with a straight face.
"To your left is the craft services tent, catered by Chef." Chris gestures towards the white tent but is soon interrupted by Chef running out like a madman waving a frying pan in the air as he chases after a raccoon.
"If you survive Chef, you'll have to make it through the dramatic awards ceremony!" They drive past a gilded stage, a statue of Chris presiding on either side.
"All but one loser will receive a gilded Chris award!" Chris enthuses, his eyes wide with wonder. "Damn, don't I look good in gold?"
The delinquent lets out a snort. "His ego can't get any bigger."
"I know, what a narcissist." The goth laughs.
Justin flashes one of his heart stopping smiles to the host. "I think it's great that someone is so confident in their self worth. If you've got it, flaunt it. Hey, Chris?" Katie clings to his side, nodding vigorously as she stares at his beautiful face.
Geoff groans in boredom. "Are we almost done here, dude? Most of us won't remember half of this by tomorrow." He casually slings his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders.
Chris brings the vehicle to a halt, his mouth opening to retort, but is cut off by a loud screech bellowing in the distance. Several of the contestants jump from their seats in fright at the sudden interruption. DJ and Katie scream loudly in terror. The friendly giant receives a scowl from the delinquent on his right while he covers his ringing ears.
"What the hell is that?" The Queen B's wide eyes anxiously search the film lot for the source of the strange noise.
Another roar thunders through the air, this time sounding much closer. A large green mass shoves aside a clutter of cardboard sets and stomps its giant foot down on one of the fake trees. The monster towers over the teens as they watch it approach from the safety of the golf cart.
"A few months ago, this lot was home to a high budget monster movie. The star was having some… uhh… difficulties, so they stopped production. Lucky for us, they left the animatronic monster behind."
Duncan chuckles in amusement. "This is awesome."
"I was thinking about letting you guys settle in and catch up before the first challenge, but I figured you guys should get your feet wet before tonight's elimination." The host exclaims vibrantly.
"So…" Gwen raises an eyebrow. "This isn't for immunity? Does that mean we don't have to do whatever this is?" She wrinkles her nose at the green monster watching them.
He shakes his head. "I think you'll want to take part in this." The teens look at him skeptically, offering their differing retorts. Chris waits for their mumblings to silence before continuing. "Somewhere in the film lot is the key to this box." He holds up a brown wooden box to the cast. In the front is a silver keyhole. "You must search the set for this key while our state-of-the-art monster prevents your every move. Chef is off in the control room operating it, and believe me, he's feeling blood thirsty today. You'll want to avoid him." A metallic sound emits from the giant green mass as it rubs its clawed hands together menacingly. "If the monster catches you and drops you into that bouncy castle," the host points a stubby finger towards the red and orange inflated house, "you'll be out for the remainder of the challenge. Who ever finds the key must race back to me, who will be waiting here, and unlock the box. Inside is a clue for the immunity idol that is hidden somewhere on the lot."
"Is there any hint for where the key will be?" DJ questions.
The host shakes his head. "No. If no one finds the key I'll award the clue to whoever was closest. Are you guys ready?" Everyone nods. "Alright. The challenge starts… now!"
Hastily, the contestants jump from their seats and climb out of the golf cart. The animatronic monster is back in motion at Chris's call and reaches into the crowd. Many of the teens manage to run away in small groups or as individuals, but one teen is unlucky as she becomes the challenge's first casualty. Katie is tightly grasped in the monster's paws and lifted high into the air. The girl looks down at the ground far below her. The green monster stomps off towards the bouncy castle and quickly drops her inside. She doesn't even hit the bottom by the time it turns around and chases after its next victims.
DJ, Geoff, and Duncan easily evade the monster's swipe and duck behind a cardboard cut-out of a Western saloon.
"We need to find the control room." DJ huffs in exhaustion. "If we can control the monster, we can get rid of everyone else and buy time until one of us find it."
Duncan nods at the friendly giant with a grin. "That is a good idea. Do either of you have any idea where that may be?" He looks between the two boys who shake their heads.
"It can't be too hard to find." The party animal reassures.
The delinquent nods in agreement. "It's worth a shot. Even if someone else finds it first, we can probably find a way to use it to our advantage."
"Stop following me!" The Queen B sneers. Closely behind her trail Gwen and Trent who grin mischievously at each other.
"Why would we do that?" The goth girl asks, feigning innocence. "You seemed to have had such luck last year with getting immunity, so it only makes sense that you would be the person to happen upon the key for the clue."
Trent nods in agreement. "We won't stand a chance without you."
"I don't know what you two are up to, but you better cut it out." Heather yells out. She hastens her pace, but the couple manage keep up. Unbeknownst to her, the goth and musician have no intentions of winning this mini challenge. In reality, they are using the opportunity to sabotage the Queen B's chances of winning the clue for herself. As long as their most formidable enemy can not snake her way through any eliminations, they will be content.
"Hey, Trent. Wouldn't it be a real tragedy if Chef happened to stumble upon us so early into the challenge? We wouldn't stand a chance at winning the clue, even if everyone else also gets eliminated." The goth girl's voice is loud and booming, projecting itself so everyone in the general vicinity can hear.
Her boyfriend nods enthusiastically. "That would be a real bummer. Some of us could really use that immunity right about now."
"I totally get what you mean." Gwen's voice is now almost a yell. "Especially conniving psychopaths who stir shit up with everyone they cross." The couple grin cheekily at the back of the Queen B's head.
"Shut it!" Heather furiously spins around to face the pair and jabs her pointy finger close to the goth's smirking face. "This season has barely started and you're already trying to sabotage me!"
"You're one to talk." The musician cuts in. "You made everyone's lives miserable last year. It's about time you learn how it feels."
"Do you think I got out of the show scot-free?" The Queen B points both hands dramatically to the mullet that is desperately clinging to her scalp. "Sure, I was a bitch to you guys last season. It's time that you move on with your lives and get over it."
Gwen rolls her eyes. "Let it go just so you can pull the same stuff all over again? Unless you suddenly become a whole new person, no one in their right mind will just forget the Hell you put everyone through."
"You're more annoying than I remembered." Heather complains.
She tunes out her rival's retort and hastily spins to her left towards the communal bathroom, hoping that by feigning the need to use it the couple will eventually back off and leave her to search for the key in peace. By paying no regard to what is ahead of her in such a rush, she walks into something hard that lets out a metallic clang as her skull connects with it. While she rubs her throbbing head she hears the two teens laugh at her expense.
After Heather stumbles back a few steps she looks up to see what is blocking her path. Towering high above, the animatronic monster grins at her fiendishly. In a quick swoop its stout arm swings down and snatches the three teens from the ground. The wind rushes against their confined bodies as he raises its fist just as quickly. If it were not for her one free arm, The Queen B's wig would've flown off.
"I hate you." Heather yells at the teal-haired girl, voice dripping with malice. Her threatening tone does nothing to the goth, only invoking a short chortle of laughter. She has been reduced to someone who is mocked and snickered at. Her intimidation has only become a joke.
Lindsay and Leshawna slowly creep around from behind the makeup confessional where they'd been hiding. In the distance the animatronic monster roars, likely having found someone new to chase after.
"I think we're safe for now." Leshawna sighs in relief.
The blonde bombshell grimaces in pain as she massages her sore feet through the leather material of her boots. "I would've worn a comfier pair of heels if I knew we would be running so much."
"This challenge is a waste of our time." Leshawna complains. Her eyes trail over to Lindsay who solemnly nods. "It's not like we're even getting immunity. All this work is just for a stupid clue."
"Maybe we should just let that monster catch us." Lindsay suggests.
"No way." The other girl responds. "I will not be able to get the rest I need if I have to sit in that bouncy house worrying about having someone dropped on my head. I'm going to go check if one of those trailers we passed by earlier is unlocked." Leshawna's eyes momentarily dart towards the green giant who is hovering over the craft services tent before embarking towards her destination.
"Hey, wait for me!" The blonde calls out and hastily follows after her.
"Hey, Harold. Any luck yet?" Leshawna calls out. The nerd looks up from where he is crouched under one of the trailers to see the beauty approaching him.
Harold hits his head on the cool steel as he tries to straighten up. The girls softly titter at his clumsiness but make no comment. "Not yet. I'm starting to wonder if there is even a key in the first place."
"Wouldn't surprise me if there isn't. He probably needs to give us something to do to kill some time before the first challenge." Leshawna says with an eyeroll.
"Do you want to come hang out with us?" The blonde bombshell offers to the awkward teen. "We are going to hide in the trailers until the challenge is over."
He raises an eyebrow questioningly. "Is that even allowed?"
"I don't see why not." Leshawna answers with a shrug.
"I think I'll pass." The redhead nerd decides. As much as he'd love to spend some time in a cramped trailer with two beautiful women, the chance at earning immunity was too much to pass up. "Duncan and Courtney are bound to be gunning for me so I'll need all the help I can get."
Leshawna nods with a smile. "We understand. I hope you find it."
The two girls wave goodbye to the nerd as they ascend the stairs to the nearest trailer. Luckily, Chris had left the door unlocked so they were successfully able to enter and take their well needed rest. Harold stares woefully at the door as it clicks shut behind them.
"This sucks." Harold lowers himself back to the ground prepared to continue his search under the trailer. However, he is startled by the sound of a raspy cough coming from behind him. "Whaa—"
Before the word can fully pass through his chapped lips, a large hand with dagger-like nails wraps around his frail frame. The wind burns his eyes as he is hastily raised up in the air.
"Dang it!" Harold cries out in frustration. The animatronic monster takes a couple steps before dropping him down into the bouncy castle with the ither eliminated contestants.
Confessional: Harold
He lets out a long, raspy sigh.
"So, how does it work if everyone teams up and the key to the clue is found? There's only one immunity idol, so it's not like sharing it is really an option." Cody speaks up after countless minutes of walking in silence. Along him are Bridgette, Noah, and Justin who are scouring a set of a beach for the hidden key. After watching everyone depart after the unleashing of Chef's monster, the four teens wordlessly grouped up to search together.
"That's not exactly true." The surfer interjects. She is kneeling on the synthetic sand, digging around in hope of finding the glimmering metal they seek. "If I found the idol, I'd probably share it with Geoff. Maybe even Gwen and Leshawna since they are my friends and like to keep them in the game."
"How valiant of you." The bookworm says mockingly. "That sure is a winning attitude."
"What do you mean? I don't see what is wrong with what I said." Bridgette raises her eyebrows questioningly.
He scoffs in return. "We are here for a million dollars. I hate to break it to you but putting yourself at risk to appease everyone else is going to bite you in the ass in the end. No one is going to bat an eye sending you home even after you help them. There's too much money on the line for childish relationships that won't live past the next five years."
Bridgette shakes her head, denying the words leaving his lips. "You're just being pessimistic. I made it to the merge last season because of the strong bond I had with everyone. You were the third person voted out!"
Noah shrugs. "Sure, I was the third person eliminated. It is not like barely scraping past the merge is much of an accomplishment, though. You got voted out once the majority of those who were left; the people who you call your friends, decided you no longer were useful to them."
The surfer girl glowers at him, her face reddening with a mixture of anger and embarrassment, but she does not continue to argue. Noah smirks slightly in triumph.
"Okay…" The brunette geek, now regretting starting the conversation in the first place, grasps for something to say to cut the tension. "Any signs of the key yet?"
Justin quirks an eyebrow from the ground where he just finished digging a slight hole in the sand. "I'm sure if one of us found it we would've said something, or at least taken off to Chris to unlock the box."
Cody runs his hand through his short hair sheepishly. "I guess you're right."
The four teens continue to dutifully search, turning over every prosthetic stone or shell they pass. Unlike everyone else, who were quick in their search to cover as much ground as possible, this group opts for the slower but more perceptive approach.
The model's limbs are beginning to cramp from being crouched over for such a long period of time. He stretches out his back, feeling the relief as his tightened muscles begin to relax. Justin then proceeds to crawl to his feet to walk out the sleepiness that is overwhelming his legs. Only a few seconds after he is fully upright does he hear a thunderous growl; much closer than the bellows they've heard before.
"Oh crap." Noah, who was standing a few feet away, groans as he turns around to see the green monster swiftly stomping towards them.
The geek whips his head around anxiously, taking in their vacant surroundings. He is kneeled on the ground beside the blonde surfer. Disappointment fills his chest as he realizes how hopeless their escape is. "There's no where to hide! What are we supposed to do?"
"What do you think? Run!" Bridgette cries out. She tries to get to her feet, but her clumsy tendencies work against her. Instead, she trips over the toe of her sandal and lands on top of Cody's scrawny frame, rendering them both merciless to the metallic monster's claws.
Confessional: Cody
"Sure, Bridgette is a pretty girl, and under normal circumstances I would be stoked to have a beauty like her laying on top of me." He looks at the camera slyly with a toothy grin. "Losing out on the chance at winning the clue to immunity kind of blows, though. My standing in this game is pretty rocky."
Noah and Justin do not even wait for Chef's monster to grab the other teens before they take off in a random direction, hoping that they'll be able to evade the monster who will momentarily be trailing after them.
"My. Lungs. Are. Going. To. Burst." The bookworm complains. He can't remember the last time he's had to do something as strenuous as running, so only a few seconds of it leaves him completely breathless.
Justin does not even spare him a glance. "You'll be fine. Whatever you do, don't stop running."
"I'm really considering it." Noah croaks.
The model roughly grabs the bookworm's vest to keep him from slowing down. "I need your eyes if I want any chance at finding that key. At least hold on for a little bit longer."
Noah gripes incomprehensibly but continues at their current pace.
Upon hearing the host announce the prospect of winning a hint to Total Drama's first ever immunity idol, the CIT was confident that she had it in the bag. One of the first things Courtney noticed during the tour of the set was the hill that towered over the golf cart, making the interns dutifully performing their jobs seem like ants in comparison. Her stomach ached with shame at the reminder at the cowardness she displayed when facing the shark infested waters a year prior on the edge of the cliff it's reminiscent of. Ultimately, that guilt is turning out to be a miracle because the CIT is now certain where the key is located.
With a determined smirk Courtney begins the long trek from the bottom of the enormous hill. The higher she climbs the better view she has of everything going on below her. Far away in the distance she can make out the outlines of Noah and Justin scouring the bleachers by the stage where the Gilded Chris ceremonies are going to be held. On the other end of the film lot the three Bass boys emerge from a building with shaking heads.
The brunette is beginning to feel the muscles in her legs quietly plead for the uphill hike to come to an end when she finally sees the ground even out a few feet ahead. Her hands knead the back of her legs as she surveys the synthetic grass surrounding her, praying for something out of the ordinary to catch her eye. Much to her dismay, there's no key in sight.
"You've got to be kidding me!" She shouts in exasperation. The tiny rubber crumbs imitating dirt collects between her toes after she kicks her foot against the ground. "Don't tell me I wasted my time climbing up here for nothing!"
She spins around in hope that somehow something missed her attentive eyes. Coming to a stop, her focus lingers questioningly at the steep drop a short distance away.
"Chris would be sick enough to hide it there." The CIT contemplates. "He wouldn't get his kicks if we weren't constantly risking our lives."
Courtney timidly sits at the edge of the cliff, her breathing nervously laboured as she looks down at the long fall awaiting her if she is to make a false move. She looks up at the blue sky with a frown before turning back to the ledge. The brunette slowly lies down so the plastic grass brushes against her cheeks. She inches her body further and further until the empty air hits the top of her shoulders and sends a faint chill through her blood. Courtney's left hand clutches the cool metal of the cliff's frame, ensuring her stability, while the right blindly reaches around the base. Her fingertips tentatively feel around the sturdy bars.
"Come on… Where is it?" She is desperate now, reaching around the ledge with more force until she stubs her finger harshly against the frame. Courtney swears in aggravation and looks up for what is meant to be a brief second until she can continue to focus on the task at hand when something draws her attention. The giant green monster looms above a bouncy castle and extends its clenched fist above it. The blonde surfer and brunette geek drop down to where the other eliminated teens await the end of the challenge. However, it's not the other contestants or the bouncy house that she watches. The CIT's eyes follow the animatronic monster while it wanders back in the opposite direction. Something glimmers in the light cast from the sun at the back of its neck.
"No one else stands a chance." Courtney smirks. She stands up and shakily retreats from the ledge and begins to run down the hill, determined to get the key before anyone else has a chance to spot it.
"I think we need to come up with a new plan." The party animal complains as Duncan slams the door to what feels to be the hundredth building they've entered.
Although exhausted of the endless search, Duncan shakes his head. "There are only so many buildings. We're bound to find the control room eventually, and once we do, this challenge will be a piece of cake."
"If you say so." The friendly giant grumbles. Sure, the idea to find the control room was his, but DJ was not expecting the high volume of empty buildings.
The delinquent shoves past the defeated Bass boys and stands confidently in front of a door covered in cracking grey paint. "This has to be it. I can feel it."
Duncan's stubby fingers wrap around the silver doorknob and quickly twists it. The door hinges screech in pain as he pushes it open. They crowd into the small building expectantly, eyes desperately seeking out the big burly Chef. Unfortunately, the room they've stumbled into is yet again empty.
"This blows." The party animal complains.
Duncan rubs his forehead in frustration. "Maybe it's time to call it a day." The other Bass boys trudge out of the room, prepared to finally start searching for the key the conventional way. They've lost a lot of time, as unlike everyone else, they have yet to eliminate much else than the countless empty rooms as a hiding spot.
Just as the boys head off to who knows where, the hear a gruff yell from one of the buildings a short distance away.
"How the fuck does that little twerp run so fast?"
The delinquent grins slyly at the Bass boys. "I think we're found our good pal Chef."
In a mad dash, the trio run over to the building where Chef's voice came from. With hushed chuckles, they swing the door open and step inside. Their eyes light up when they see the surprised cook in a motion capture suit standing in front of a giant screen.
"What the Hell are you guys doing here? You're supposed to be looking for the key like everyone else." Chef barks at them.
"My pal DJ had a better idea." The delinquent shrugs. In a matter of seconds, Geoff and Duncan launch themselves at him in an attempt to gain control of the animatronic monster. In the screen the monster's foot can be seen crashing violently down on the ground, nearly landing on Justin as he quickly leaps out of the way. DJ stands at the sidelines watching the tussle her initiated. In his head he is pleading for the cook's forgiveness.
Confessional: DJ
"I did not tell them to attack Chef. I, in no way, wanted to evoke such violence." He looks at the camera with fear. "I really hope he doesn't hold this against me."
Confessional: Duncan
"Woohoo!" The delinquent howls. "Giving that old man a beatdown will probably be the highlight of my time here on this show. The look on his face when we walked in was priceless!"
Chef's elbow slams into the party animal's jaw and sends him sprawling onto the concrete ground. However, he is unable to get the upper hand over the delinquent as the teen crashes down on his back.
"Umm, maybe if we asked a little more nicely, Chef would help us." The friendly giant whimpers as he watches the cook get a good handful of Duncan's green mohawk.
"What are you on about?" Geoff questions as he rises to his feet with a groan. He rubs his cheek that is already beginning to swell. "This was your idea."
"I mean, yeah…" DJ mutters. "But I thought we'd go about it in a more peaceful way!"
Chef, with beads of sweat running down his face, flips the delinquent off of him and slams him onto the ground. Duncan lets out a moan of pain.
"You guys are a bunch of idiots." The cook sneers as he straightens out. His legs begin moving and he imitates walking without moving an inch.
"Thanks for the help, DJ." Duncan glares at his friend from the floor.
DJ crosses his arms in response.
The ground shakes violently around them and a roar pierces the air. Chef smirks devilishly as a large green paw shoves its way through the half open door. With no where to go, the Bass trio are unable to evade capture and are snatched into the animatronic's tight grasp.
"Well, that plan was a bust." The party animal sighs as they are carried through the air towards the red and orange inflated house.
The delinquent nods in agreement. "DJ is never allowed to come up with a plan again. From now on we'll leave the decision making up to me."
"That sounds like something Courtney would say." The friendly giant mutters. He ignores his friend's icy stare.
"Not again." The bookworm drones. Noah and Justin had just departed the craft services tent, empty handed after unsuccessfully rummaging through it. Luck does not seem to be on their side, as the animatronic monster was waiting outside for them.
Justin sighs in defeat. "I think it's about time we give up. If we were going to find that key, we would've done so already."
The two boys put their hands up in surrender as the animatronic monster stomps over to them. Its green paw wraps around them and pulls them up several stories above the ground. Looking down at the dusty pavement, it's clear as day that a fall from that height would be lethal.
Their ride to the bouncy castle for eliminated teens was initially peaceful; the chill air refreshing after the amount of running they've had to endure. That calm turns out to be short-lived as it the monster isn't able to make it to the inflated house before a battle cry is heard from down below.
At its feet, looking like an ant to the two teens who are clutched high above, is a determined CIT clutching a splintered slab of wood.
"What the—" The model looks down at her in a mixture of fascination and fear.
Courtney jumps on the monster and buries the piece of wood into the monster's thick fabric covering. She dangles a few feet above the girl, swinging around like a ragdoll as the animatronic tries to shake her off. An angry cry emits from Chef's monster as its free hand reaches down to try and detach her from its leg.
Confessional: Courtney
She looks at the camera smugly. "Now that I think of it, it's pretty obvious Chris would hide the key on the monster. He would not put the expenses towards operating the animatronic if its only purpose is to chase us around the film lot for a couple hours."
"What do you think you're doing?" The bookworm calls out. "Wait until he puts us down! Are you trying to kill us?"
The brunette ignores the boy's shout and continues to climb her way up the monster's body. Fabric tears and crumples away as she uses the jagged piece of wood to keep herself from falling off. No matter how much the animatronic spins around and tries to swat her away, she refuses to drop down. The boys in its grasp begin to get nauseated from the constant swinging through the air.
Confessional: Heather
"That chick is a complete nutjob."
Courtney scales the last bit of the creature's torso before she can finally reach the spot at its neck where she saw the glimmering earlier on the hill. As she gets closer to that spot, her confidence drains away and her blood runs cold. What she saw earlier was not the glistening of the silver key, but a rip in its exterior prior to her attack that is pulled away enough to reveal a bit of the metallic skeleton underneath.
She curses colourfully at the sight. Now that she has come to a stop and is distracted, the monster is able to get the upper hand. It lets out one final shake, finally loosening the CIT and sending her plummeting to the ground. Fortunately, the animatronic was able to make it to the bouncy house despite the struggle, so rather than hitting the ground and meeting her untimely death, she lands in the safety of the nylon. Or rather, she lands on the unsuspecting musician who was too preoccupied with his conversation with Gwen to get out of the way while.
"Are you alright?" The goth asks in concern, brushing past the CIT who rolls off of him with a grumble.
Trent winces in pain. "I think she cracked a rib or something."
Courtney's elimination in soon followed by the queasy Noah and Justin, who nearly land on Trent as well if it weren't for the nearby teens who were able to haul him to safety.
"I'm so over this. You'd think someone would've found the darn key already." Leshawna grumbles. The two girls trudge out of the trailer, stretching out their lethargic limbs.
"Maybe the challenge did end, and we didn't hear any announcement? I did fall asleep a couple times." The blonde's cheeks bashfully glow pink.
The other girl tilts her head in contemplation. "Maybe we should go check in with Chris. They could be waiting for us."
The two girls venture from the safety of the trailer to where they'd left the host and the golf cart at the beginning of the challenge. As they passed by the bouncy house, they saw the green animatronic monster laying lifelessly on the ground and Chef in a skin-tight black fabric adorned with white balls shouting at someone through the mesh. They payed no heed to the captured contestants, unaware that everyone else was inside the bouncy castle.
Eventually, they found Chris impatiently standing alone in his gold cart glaring down at his ticking watch. It appears that he's just as ready to end the challenge as they are.
"Thank God!" The host cries out in relief as he sees the teens approach. "Bring that key over here and unlock the box so we can move on already."
"The key?" Leshawna asks in confusion. She looks over at Lindsay, who looks equally puzzled. "I never found one, and I'm confident I never saw Lindsay pick one up either."
Chris narrows his eyes at them. "Then why the Hell are you here? Are you sure Lindsay didn't find the key and just forgot what it was for?"
"I'm not that stupid." The blonde bombshell says, offended. Sure, she may forget people's names and mix up her words, but she would've known what they key was for had she found it. Besides, with Leshawna's constant moaning about this pointless challenge, she had no excuse to forget.
"Well, if you're empty handed, go away and keep looking. This challenge isn't over until the key is found or everyone is eliminated."
"The monster is out of commission! At this rate, this challenge will never end." Leshawna yells in exasperation.
"Not my problem." The host snaps back.
"Is it not?" The blonde asks in confusion. "I thought you wanted us to do another challenge today. Won't we run out of time?"
He crosses his arms defiantly. "I don't know what to tell you girls. Either find the key or throw yourselves into the bouncy house with everyone else." Not wanting to continue the conversation, the host childishly spins around so his back faces them. Something glimmers in his back pocket as the sun's rays cast down on him.
"Is that…?" Lindsay turns her head towards the other girl with wide eyes.
"No way." Leshawna yells out. "Are you telling me that you had it on you the entire time?"
Chris looks over his shoulder at the teens dumbly before patting his hands against his back pockets. His grin is sheepish as he pulls the silver key out of the pocket. "That makes more sense. I was wondering where I hid it. I guess I forgot to hide it in the first place."
Leshawna steps forward and snatches it out of the host's stumpy fingers. She waves it in his face impatiently. "Well? Where's the box with the clue. We won, didn't we?"
"I guess you did." He responds with a nod.
The host picks up the wooden box from its resting place on the passanger seat and extends it out towards Leshawna. With a triumphant grin she inserts the key and turns it. The box hardly had a chance to utter a small click before she swung it open. Her fingers grasp a small piece of paper and quickly unfolds it for her and Lindsay to see. To their dismay, it only depicts an image of Chris's grinning face.
"You've got to be kidding me. This is the clue?" Leshawna's face is baffled. She was expecting a riddle of some sort, or even a map.
Lindsay runs her head in confusion. "Do you have the immunity idol on you as well?"
Chris raises his hands up in the air in surrender as the two girls inch closer to him. "It's not on me. That, I can promise. I actually know where the idol is."
"And this clue will actually help us find it?" Leshawna crosses her arms.
"Yes. If you give it some time and use those small brains of yours, I'm sure you'll figure it out." Chris says. Having nothing else to say, the teens look at him expectantly. In seconds Chris's face loses the glimmer of irritation and his pearly white grin forms.
"Winners and losers, it's time to get back on the cart and finish the tour." The host calls out as the eliminated teens struggle their way out of the deflating bouncy castle. A resounding groan of exhaustion is heard from the cast.
"Now," Chris announces, the golf cart coming to a stop before two trailers. "This season you'll be sleeping with the enemy. Girls will be in the trailer on the left, boys on the right. You'll be getting nice and cozy, since these trailers are less than half the size of the cabins from last year."
Chris continues his monologue. "Once again, there'll be two teams, competing in dangerous challenges to win immunity from elimination. Unpack your bags, get settled, and meet at the mess hall, because we'll be starting our first challenge for immunity in ten." He points to his watch as the cast climb down from the vehicle. Once the last person steps off, he drives away in a hurry.
"Seriously?" The delinquent groans. "Another challenge?"
The goth girl frustratedly rubs her temple. "If this becomes a normal thing just vote me off now and save me from this torment."
DJ, Geoff, and Duncan are first through the door and set their bags on the bunks at the far end of the trailer and begin unpacking. Many of the contestants are wary of getting comfortable so soon when there's a chance they could be going home by the end of the day, but the Bass trio aren't concerned. Even if they are not all on the same team, they are confident about making the merge with all the pre-existing friendships and alliances coming into the game.
"This is our season, man! Final three here we come!" Geoff cheers while pumping his fists in the air.
DJ, who is refolding his clothes and resting them in his designated drawer, shakes his head in amusement. "Don't be too cocky. You'll end up giving everyone a reason to vote us out."
"He has every reason to be cocky." Duncan counters as he flops down on the bunk under Geoff's. "We are the strongest guys in this game. They'd be idiots to try getting rid of us."
"I guess your right." The friendly giant admits. "It's just… Momma's always told me that nothing good ever comes for the arrogant."
Duncan snorts. "Maybe you should listen to your 'Momma' a little less and start listening to someone like me."
The girls crowd into the small trailer, eyes taking in the minimal furnishings in the room. Heather shoves her way past Lindsay and Katie who excitedly exchange words amongst each other and drops her heavy bag on one of the bunks. She pays the other contestants no mind as she absentmindedly files her nails.
"Alright, so I guess Heather has already decided where she's sleeping. How should the rest of us divide ourselves?" The CIT asks the group of teens.
Gwen shrugs nonchalantly. "As long as I am not near Heather, I don't really care. It's just a bed."
Courtney nods. "Alright. Does anyone else have a preference?" She looks at the rest of the girls, but they all shake their heads in indifference. "Well, if no one cares, then Bridgette and I will be taking one of the bunks at the back of the trailer. Gwen and Leshawna, as the most bearable of the girls here, you can have the bunk next to us. Lindsay and Katie can share the bunk on the other end of the trailer by Heather. Everyone happy?"
With a couple eyerolls, the teens nod their heads in agreement and move their things towards the beds the CIT assigned them. The goth girl slides up beside Bridgette and lets out a quiet scoff. "She's going to be a nightmare to live with."
"I mean, she has good intentions…" The blonde surfer girl darts her head towards Courtney, but she seems quite distracted by the contents of her suitcase. It seems that the CIT is confident of making it through the Gilded Chris ceremony. "But yeah. She has a tendency to be a little bossy and overbearing."
"'A little bossy'? That's an understatement." Gwen grins. Before the surfer can speak, she walks away and joins Leshawna at the back of the trailer.
Bridgette looks between the two former Gophers and the CIT and exhales wearily. She is about to move over to her bed and begin unpacking when she hears a loud commotion coming from Katie and Lindsay's bunk.
Katie dumps her suitcase out onto her bed. Some of the contents miss the bed entirely and crash harshly against the ground. Various photos of herself and Sadie to flutter to the floor. The surfer, wanting to be helpful in cleaning up the mess before they need to report for their first immunity challenge, leans down and picks up one of the many shots. She swears she could hear their screeching through the image.
"You must really miss Sadie, don't you?" Bridgette asks, trying to be comforting while she retrieves a few of the fallen pictures and places them on the girl's bed.
Katie sighs in discontent and halts from taping the glossy papers to the wall beside her bed. "Yeah. I wish she was here with me. How was she so strong staying in the game last year when I got voted out? I would've been a total mess."
"Katie, Sadie wasn't—" The blonde cuts herself off, deciding it's better not finishing that sentence. "It feels awesome getting a second shot at the million, huh?"
"It'd be better if I were here with Sadie."
Bridgette rolls her eyes in annoyance. She can't believe how single-minded this girl is. "Is Sadie the only thing you talk about?"
Katie stares at her thoughtfully before perking up with a grin. "Sadie and I talk about Justin all the time! He's so hot, isn't he?" Her excitement, as bright as it is, dims very quickly and turns into a sad frown. "I don't think he knows I exist. He hasn't spoken to me even once!"
"I highly doubt he doesn't know who you are." Bridgette offers awkwardly. She feels rather uncomfortable discussing boys with someone like Katie, who she unfortunately can't force herself to like. "After all, you've been attached to his side ever since we got off the bus. He's probably just a quiet guy. Give him some time to warm up to you."
The surfer's words appear to cheer her up. "You're, like, so smart Bridgette! I feel so such better knowing I have a friend like you that I can talk to!"
"Yeah, a friend like me." The blonde chuckles uncomfortably, mentally cursing herself for her kindness.
I hope this first chapter was enjoyable! The hunt for the clue to the immunity idol was a last-minute inclusion, so I'm not sure how well it fits with everything else that's going on throughout the chapter. Some parts in general may feel a bit choppy since a lot of this chapter is composed of bits and pieces from a bunch of different drafts. Please leave a review with your feedback!