Chris stood at the entrance of Drama City with a giddy grin on his face. A huge bus could be seen in the horizon, en route to the location of the latest season of Total Drama.
"Here they come," Chris said.
"You excited?" Topher asked as he and Lindsay joined up with Chris.
"Absolutely. It's been too long," Chris grinned.
"I'm excited, too!" Lindsay cheered.
"We've got a good lineup of returning players, and a big huge city for them to play to their heart's content," Chris said. "I wonder what's going through their heads right now."
"Probably how freaking psyched they are to be back on the best TV show in the world," Topher said.
"I'm expecting great things from these guys," Chris nodded. "From both teams."
"I can't wait to meet everyone!" Lindsay clapped. "Even the ones I have met, it's been so long."
The bus eventually arrived right in front of the city limits. The door to the bus opened, and twenty young adults made their way out of the vehicle.
"Welcome, contestants, to Total Drama Party with the Stars!" Chris announced.
The contestants clapped and cheered.
"If we may, not all of us have met formally," Topher began. "I'm Topher O'Neal. I was a contestant on Pahkitew Island, and was eventually recruited to host Explore Party and Virtual Party."
"'Recruited'? Is that was they call 'given a position to shut you up'?" Chris commented.
"I'm Lindsay Blaising!" Lindsay introduced. "I was a contestant, too! In a bunch of seasons! And I was also a cohost in Alpha Party to make sure Chris behaved."
"And, of course, I'm the host with the most: Chris McLean," Chris grinned. "After my experience as a reality TV contestant on ice dancing shows, I've hosted a majority of the seasons on this show. Those of you from Alpha Party and Shuffle Party should know me well."
"As for Chef Hatchet, the host of House Party, he is currently preparing today's lunch," Topher said. "But why not allow you guys to introduce yourselves, just so everyone's on the same page with one another?"
"Well, I guess I'll start," said a blonde woman to the far left of the group. "I'm Brittany Hardwick, and I was on Total Drama Explore Party. I placed pretty well if I do say so myself. As for life after the show, I'm still trying to figure out what direction I want to go in. Until then, I'm excited to be back!"
"Might as well go down the line, right?" figured a young man next to Brittany. "I'm Quentin Sandhu, and I played in Alpha Party. I didn't make it super far in the game, but I did manage to find all six hidden Chris statues at once by accident. That was pretty funny. Since then, I've actually taken up studying ornithology. I just think birds are neat."
"I guess that means I'm next," groaned the woman next to Quentin. "My name is Isidora Foshee, and I was also a contestant in Total Drama Alpha Party. I made it to the final five despite being anemic and not really liking people all that much, so I guess I've got that going for me. I also met my husband Cassius during the family visit episode, of all things. Go figure."
"I'm Cyan Blau!" introduced a tall woman whose hair, clothes, and makeup were all blue. "I was in Total Drama Virtual Party, and even though I didn't quite make it to the merge, I still played the best game I could have. I'm looking forward to painting this town blue, just like I do with a lot of things. Assuming things go well for me, that is." She giggled modestly.
"Harhar! I be the reason that Cyan here didn't quite make the merge. Hold your applause," boasted the man next to Cyan, who was dressed as a pirate. "Ye be standing in the presence of the Dread Pirate Irving Drake! I actually be but a humble lad who runs a successful media sharing website, which they still haven't been able to do anything about! Regardless, I shall enact me reign of terror over these seas once more!"
"Well, that's going to be a tough act to follow," scoffed the woman next to Irving sarcastically. "I'm Kiki Koizumi. I was in Total Drama House Party, and I also just barely missed the merge, thanks to the show feeling the need to bring four people back. I was a bit of a nervous wreck at the time, but I'm a new woman, and I won't let anyone walk all over me!"
"Neat," droned the man next to Kiki. "I'm, ya know, Ernie Henderson. I was kind of a big deal in Total Drama House Party. At least a big enough deal to, like, be asked to come back, I guess. I don't know. I napped through the entire bus ride up here, and I'm feeling kind of, ya know, groggy. Next person."
"...Je suis Jean-Marie Antoine," introduced an unkempt, tired-looking man. "I was known for claiming a lot of power in Total Drama Explore Party. Since then, well, life has not been so fortunate to me, but that is neither here nor there. I see this as an opportunity to turn over a new leaf."
"How pathetic," scoffed a woman in athletic gear. "I need no introduction. I am Shadya Aiyub, the genius athlete who has broken more records than anyone in my age range. Of course, I placed incredibly high in Total Drama Shuffle Party, cheated out of a win solely by the idiocy of others. I aim to rectify that and claim my rightful victory."
"Sounds pretty heavy, bro," chuckled a tall, muscular man. "Anyway, the name's Joseph Agolli. I was in Total Drama Virtual Party. I didn't do as well as I wish I did, but I'm back, and I'm ready to play some Total Drama! If you're ever in a bind, you can count on your bro Joseph to help you out."
"That's cute, I guess," sneered the young man by Joseph. "Anyway, you artards already know who I am. Hugh Kincaid: the big villain of Total Drama Alpha Party. The bad boy to end all bad boys. I'm back and ready to kick even more ass! And hey, ladies, if any of you are interested... too bad! I've got a girlfriend already!"
"Well, that's, um, impressive," remarked a smartly-dressed young man. "Anyway, hello, everyone. My name is Kun Jiang. I participated in Total Drama Shuffle Party. Much like Shadya before me, I was the first to fall victim to one of the season's famous shuffles. But this time will be, um, different. I will lead my team effectively, no two ways about it... Yeah."
The next man had a glimmer in his eye and a dark smirk on his face before he stepped up. "Hey, guys! My name is Barry Flynn, and I was on Total Drama House Party. It was a really fun experience, so I'm glad to be back for this one. I really feel like it's the Lord's will for me to be here."
"Alright! My turn!" grinned a stocky woman excitedly. "My name's Louise Juarez. I was on Shuffle Party, and I actually signed up for the same season as my husband - boyfriend at the time - Elmer without even realizing it. That was funny, but it did cost me the game, so I'm super psyched to be back for another go where it's just me! As for my personal life, I'm actually teaching PE at a local elementary school."
The woman next to Louise cleared her throat politely. "Hello, everybody. My name is Bailey Donnelly, and I last competed on Total Drama House Party. My time in that game was... certainly something, but it's something that I couldn't say no to returning to. I look forward to getting to know you all and to play a good game."
"If anyone knows anything about good games, it's me," smirked the young man next to Bailey. "I'm Nolan Gallagher, and I played in House Party as well. I had a whole shtick where I'd let the roll of the dice determine my gameplay, and that led to me voting myself out. Heh. Don't worry, I won't be as unreliable this time."
"Mweeheehee. I doubt that," giggled the young woman next to Nolan. "Aaaaaaaaanyway, I'm Lilith Acerola. I robbed the people from Virtual Party that fans actually wanted back out of a spot here. That fills me with such unrest~ I hope I can fill you all with unrest, too. You could all make for wonderful ghosts. Mweeheehee..."
The tall young woman next to Lilith gulped and took a few steps away from her. She sighed. "Well, I might as well get this over with. I'm Frita Dratch. I didn't last two rounds in Explore Party, and I only survived the first round because my team won the challenge, somehow. Don't feel bad if you want to vote me out early again. I get it."
"Man, what an absolute lamer!" laughed the man next to Frita. "Now, to tell you all that I'm Steve Jenkins would be an insult to your intelligence. You all know Steve Jenkins. Steve Jenkins is a way of life for everybody, especially now that I've got a super-successful vlog. You're all welcome for blessing you with my presence."
"So I'm last, then? Just like in the Alpha Party," mentioned a fashionably-dressed young woman. "My name is Dalit Lumière. I didn't really get to play this game when I was there before, but I did meet my sister Bijou, and her family took me in. I am now a little famous on social media for being a model. But I am not here to make friends! I am here to defeat you all!"
"Wait, I'm not last?! Damn it, go back, we need to save the best for last!" Steve Jenkins panicked.
"If we let you guys decide which one of you was the best, half of you would claim it was yourself," Chris mentioned. "Instead, why don't we let the game decide that? Hehaha."
"The game is not an accurate measure of who is the best," Shadya claimed.
"That's debatable, but this is a season where we hand-picked the best of the best," Topher said. "Whoever wins this one has to at least be up there."
"Then why was I picked...?" Frita sighed.
"Come on, bro, chin up," Joseph urged her. "This'll be the opportunity of a lifetime."
"Isn't it time we got them to the hotel?" Lindsay wondered.
"That's true! Follow me, everyone!" Chris instructed.
The hosts led the contestants to the shoddy motel where they would be staying.
"And what have we here?" Irving asked.
"This, contestants, is where you'll be staying!" Topher announced.
"Seems kinda, like, a downgrade from the nice mansion from before," Ernie commented.
"Mansion? We got cabins that were maybe only slightly better than this," Isidora mentioned.
"We just had to sleep in a tent," Frita sighed.
"You guys got free shelter?!" Steve Jenkins gasped.
"Now, now. This won't be your permanent residence," Chris assured them. "Winning a challenge will give you temporary access to the Blaising Tower rooms, which are a lot nicer. I'll show you guys those once you've earned the right to live there. Feel free to take a few minutes to get yourselves settled in your rooms. You'll need these to enter your room."
Chris took a stack of card keys out of his pocket and handed half of them to Topher and the other half to Lindsay. The other two hosts distributed the card keys to their respective contestants.
"There are also cameras in your bathrooms - these are your confessionals," Chris continued. "Don't worry, the rooms are soundproof, and there's a lens cap you can use to cover the camera when you're not using the confessional, and a button to turn it on or off."
Confessional:
Nolan: Oh, of course, I brought my dice back. (He grins as he holds up a six-sided die.) Do you think I'd be caught dead coming back to Total Drama and not bringing the dice? The self-imposed challenge was half the fun. Who will the dice choose to be my allies? Who will the dice choose for me to vote against? I can hardly wait to find out.
Lilith: There are soooooo many people who seem really glad to be on Total Drama again. How boring. People like Frita and Hugh have the right idea: clearly insecure and taking it out on everyone else. I wonder if I can help them channel that. Wouldn't that just be lovely~? Mweeheehee.
Kun: Hm, just as I, um, figured: there are a lot of people here who seem likely to, um, try and take charge as the team leader. Well, um, that simply isn't going to do. I will assert myself, lest I just get thrown to the wolves again. ...Of course, I'd still prefer if I wasn't on a team with, um, Shadya.
Dalit: Do not be mistaken. Just because Bijou has helped to teach me about how to dress in fashion, doesn't mean I can't still put up some fight. I think she said I would be a "female fatal". I like the sounds of that!
Vladimir: (He chuckles) Well, well, my Barry disguise seems to be doing its job admirably. I put a lot of thought into who specifically I would pose as for this season. Obviously, I couldn't be Vladimir again, and I needed someone trustworthy, whom I could feasibly imitate, who I knew wasn't going to be here. The real Barry is on a mission trip in Zambia right now. Isn't Barry such a good person? Isn't he someone you just couldn't bring yourself to vote out?
The contestants finished setting up their rooms and met back outside.
"Excuse me, Chris?" Kiki raised her hand. "I couldn't help but notice that everyone who made it to the merge has their room on the second story, while everyone who didn't make it to their merge has their room on the first story. That's how classism is born, and it needs to stop."
"Chris! Are you being classist?!" Lindsay accused.
"What? No!" Chris told her. "Actually, the top and bottom floors are separated by team."
"I suspected as much," Brittany admitted.
"Those of you with a room on the second floor, please stand to my right," Chris ordered.
Bailey, Brittany, Ernie, Hugh, Irving, Isidora, Lilith, Shadya, Steve Jenkins, and Vladimir did as instructed.
"The ten of you did, indeed, make it to the merge in your original season," Chris prefaced. "You know the game of Total Drama well, and you've established yourselves as truly deserving of being called 'stars'. You showed that you have enough strength in challenges, in charming others, or in stabbing backs, that we wanted to see you all again! That is why you, as a team will be... the Grand Gryphons!"
"Should Bailey even count? She had to return to make it to the merge," Shadya said bluntly.
"Hey, she still made it to the merge," Vladimir defended.
"Chick fight! Chick fight!" Hugh chanted.
"While, yes, I voted for myself in a moment of weakness, this occurred a few rounds before the merge would have happened anyway, and during the time I did spend in the merge, I upped my social and strategic gameplay considerably," Bailey responded. "I hope that we can look past any disagreement and work together as teammates."
"Why, it almost brings a tear to me eye," Irving joked.
"Moving right along!" Topher piped up.
"Thank you, Topher," Chris nodded. "Would those of you with a room on the ground floor step to my left?"
Cyan, Dalit, Frita, Jean-Marie, Joseph, Kiki, Kun, Louise, Nolan, and Quentin did as they were told.
"The ten of you were not able to make it to the merge of your original season," Chris prefaced. "Of course, that didn't stop all of you from standing out in your own way. Through sheer force of personality, strong gameplay, or just getting screwed by a twist, we felt that you all were stars in the making who deserved to come back. That's why your team will be... the Fighting Wyverns!"
"Can our team color please be blue?" Cyan begged.
"Sorry. The Gryphons' color is an orangish-gold, and the Wyverns' color is a reddish-purple. Already decided," Chris told her.
"Can we switch it so we're the Gryphons and they're the Wyverns?" Quentin inquired. "Mostly because gryphons are cooler."
"Please tell me you two won't be hung up on this all season," Kiki said flatly.
"Wyverns' carnivorous teeth are more capable of tearing their prey to shreds than a beak is," Frita offered. "It's a sign of us having superior strength."
"While that's, um, fascinating and all, can we please keep talk of eating things alive to a minimum?" Kun requested queasily.
Frita sighed.
"You mentioned Hatchet was making lunch, right?" Ernie asked Chris.
"Yes! Let's head on over to the diner!" Chris decided.
Confessional:
Shadya: Once again, my team color is gold, because, once again, we will be taking first place in every challenge. Unless it's another luck-based challenge, in which case the loss cannot be blamed on the losing party. Either way, they know which color suits me best.
Frita: (She sighs.) Even when I try to sound optimistic, people don't want to hear it. I don't know why I said anything.
The contestants had arrived at Hatchet's Diner. The interior of the building looked exactly like a stereotypical retro diner, complete with a vinyl record jukebox playing the oldies. Hugh flipped through the songs.
"What are you looking for?" Quentin asked.
"What's New Pussycat," Hugh snickered.
"Oh. I don't know that one," Quentin admitted.
"You will. Oh, you will," Hugh chuckled darkly.
"Alright, ya snot-nosed snots!" Chef barked as he exited the kitchen and entered the main dining area. "Today's lunch is gonna be pancakes!"
"Is eating pancakes at lunch a normal thing? I have been enjoying them at breakfast only," Dalit asked Louise.
"Pancakes are for any time of the day!" Louise beamed.
"See, this guy gets it!" Chef appreciated.
"Guy?!" Louise snapped, insulted.
"Chef Hatchet is not a friendly person. That is something that you'll have to get used to," Bailey told her. "He made more than one remark about my weight back in House Party."
"Y'all will get two pancakes each! No more, no less!" Hatchet announced as he returned to the kitchen.
"Do we get any syrup?" Ernie asked.
"And is there blueberry syrup?" Cyan added.
"What you get is what you get!" Chef hammered in. He put two plates of pancakes at the bar.
Jean-Marie and Isidora, who were closest to the plates of pancakes, glanced at each other, each took a plate, and each chose a booth to sit at.
Confessional:
Louise: I guess Chef is keeping up that army persona where he feels like insulting everyone is supposed to motivate them. I've never agreed with that coaching philosophy, which I guess is part of why I teach elementary school kids.
Hugh: Damn it, they don't have What's New Pussycat! Aw, he totally knew what I was going to do, didn't he?
The twenty contestants all picked a booth to sit at. Kun had pulled Joseph, and Kiki aside to sit at the same booth as Jean-Marie.
"Damn, are we setting up alliances already?" Joseph asked.
"We can, um, discuss that later, but for now I have something important to, um, tell you all," Kun told them.
"People choosing to sit with certain other people can't be ignored, though," Kiki brought up. "It could very well be indicative of whom they'll want to work with."
"Mm, that is a concern, isn't it?" Kun thought aloud. "But, um, the main reason I asked you all to sit with me is that I recognize that all of you have taken leadership positions in your prior teams."
"You do not have to worry about me trying that again," Jean-Marie told him.
"Well, that's, um, good," Kun smiled. "Because, um, I will be taking the role of the team leader of the Fighting Wyverns. This is, um, non-negotiable." Kun swallowed a lump in his throat.
"Hey, whatever works for you, bro," Joseph grinned. "You won't catch me trying to overthrow a bro who wants to take charge."
"So long as you lead our team towards victory, then I also take little issue with this," Kiki said.
"Tenter de diriger cette équipe ne me ferait aucun bien de toute façon," Jean-Marie agreed.
"Of course, if all of you do want to form an alliance, that could, um, benefit us all going forward," Kun mentioned. "We're all, um, pretty capable members of this team. If we, um, want to keep the team strong, working together would, um, behoove us."
"Uh, yeah, sure, why not," Joseph accepted.
"This also works for me," Jean-Marie agreed.
"How could I say no?" Kiki added.
"Well, that's, um, great," Kun smiled. "I see a bright future for the four of us. What should we, um, name our alliance?"
"Un nom?" Jean-Marie asked.
"Well, um, of course," Kun said. "To establish that we are, um, unbreakable and powerful. It really, um, makes a difference, trust me."
"How about the Gorillaz?" Joseph joked. "Kun's 2-D, Jean-Marie's Murdoc, Kiki's Noodle, and I guess I'm Russel."
"Naming us after an animal known for being brutish and dumb doesn't really appeal to me," Kiki declined.
"I'm inclined to agree," Jean-Marie said.
"Damn," Joseph frowned.
Confessional:
Kun: My, um, biggest fear going into this season is that someone else would try, and succeed, to be the leader of my team. Thanks to some, um, quick thinking, I decided that having any potential leaders work for me would easily put me at the top of the team.
Joseph: I mean, I just kind of ended up as the team leader on the Pixel Peacocks, and I think that was mostly because I was good at the first challenge. So I'm definitely good with letting someone else take charge, and Kun seems like a bro.
Jean-Marie: Playing such a controlling game in Explore Party only really served to make me a threat in the eyes of my team, and it made me and my parents' company look bad on an international level. I will not be making such a mistake again if I want to win this game, and I very much do.
Kiki: Yeah, color me not impressed by this alliance at all. Kun is clearly in over his head and doesn't strike me as a capable leader in the slightest. Joseph's whole "bros before hoes" ideology really rubs me the wrong way. And Jean-Marie's just a proven misogynist. I wouldn't be surprised if I ended up voting one of them out as soon as our team is up for elimination.
Bailey, Brittany, and Vladimir all ended up sitting together.
"So, Barry, how are things with you and Rachel?" Bailey asked.
"We... broke up a few years ago, remember?" Vladimir told her.
"Aw, you did? I don't think I heard about that," Brittany frowned. "What happened, if you don't mind me asking?"
Vladimir sighed. "She insisted that she was firmly agnostic, even after going to church several times and reading the Bible a bunch. I felt... convicted, to say the least. I just can't see a future with a woman who doesn't follow Jesus. It sucked immensely for both of us..."
"I'm so sorry to hear that," Brittany consoled.
"I had forgotten about that. I'm sorry for bringing it up," Bailey apologized.
"That's alright," Vladimir smiled sadly. "You're still dating Franklin, right?"
"I am," Bailey confirmed. "Obviously, being in a relationship with someone who is in prison is not easy, but I love him enough that I'm willing to wait."
"That's so sweet," Brittany swooned with a hand over her heart. "You're so lucky, Bailey."
"I truly am," Bailey blushed.
"Love is patient. That's how 1 Corinthians 13:4 starts," Vladimir smiled. "I'm rooting for you guys."
"How's life been going for you, Brittany?" Vladimir asked.
"Oh, me?" Brittany asked. "Nothing of much note, you know. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. Which, you know, at 22 years old I wish I had figured out already."
"The Lord has His plans for all of us, and those plans happen when He wants them to," Vladimir assured her. "I guess, again, it all comes down to patience."
"Er, thanks," Brittany responded. "Well, whatever the case, I'm really glad to be back here!"
"I believe we can all agree on that," Bailey smiled.
Confessional:
Brittany: I'm the only previous winner in this cast, if I'm not mistaken. I guess it's a better thing to be noticed for than my looks alone, but I'm also worried it'll make me an easy target, especially early on. I'm just going to be as casual as I can with everyone starting out, and pick up the gameplay once it becomes absolutely necessary.
Bailey: I wonder if Brittany has noticed it, too. Both teams have one boy and one girl from each season, except for the Grand Gryphons having two boys from House Party and none from Explore Party. Now, it's very possible that none of the boys from Explore Party could or would make it since there were only three in that merge, but if you think about who one of the three is... I'm going to keep an eye on Barry and Ernie as best as I can.
Vladimir: Disguising yourself as someone means you need to know as much about them as you possibly can. Not only did I do extensive research into Barry's ideals and beliefs, but also his relationships with others. That story I told about why he and Rachel broke up is true, and not well-known, either. I'm not too worried about Ernie, Kiki, or Nolan trying to uncover me, but I might need to do something about Bailey. Discreetly, of course.
Cyan, Dalit, and Louise all sat at the same booth together.
"This feels like I am eating breakfast," Dalit commented.
"The lack of blueberry syrup is heartbreaking, but these are still not half bad, I guess," Cyan admitted.
"Mhm," Louise agreed half-heartedly.
"Aw, sweetie, you aren't letting what Chef said to you get to your head, are you?" Cyan frowned.
"I don't know. Every once in a while I get one of those moods where I feel like nobody but Elmer actually thinks I'm pretty," Louise admitted. "Then I wonder if he would even notice me if we didn't meet online first, and... Ah, you know."
"Why is your hair cut short like a man if you don't want people to think you're a man?" Dalit asked.
"Dalit!" Cyan scolded.
"I just think it suits me better than growing it long ever did," Louise said. "But I'd think at least that my curves would give it away."
"Hm, that is maybe true," Dalit conceded.
"Chef's just being mean," Cyan assured her. "Of course, maybe if you dyed your hair blue..."
Louise giggled. "I already get mistaken for being a lesbian enough without dying my hair an unnatural color. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but people getting surprised when I tell them I'm married to a man does get old."
"I wish my boyfriend would propose marriage to me already," Dalit huffed.
"What's stopping him?" Louise asked.
"He says that he is trying to save up for the perfect ring," Dalit explained. "When I win this game, I will buy the ring for him so he can hurry up!"
"A sapphire would look stunning on your finger, Dalit," Cyan suggested.
"Bijou says that I should try to stick closer to the warm side of the color spectrum," Dalit declined.
"Well, Bijou is wrong. Everyone should integrate more blue into their wardrobe. Including me!" Cyan insisted.
"Purple might look good on you," Dalit told her.
"Wrong!" Cyan maintained. "And don't start with the 'just think of it as reddish-blue' spiel! That's fake news!"
Confessional:
Louise: Yeah, Chef is just being indiscriminately mean and just happened to hit a nerve. I can't let it get to me. If Elmer were here, he'd tell me to ignore the insults of people who aren't worth your time. And he's right! At any rate, Cyan and Dalit are fun! I've got a good feeling about this team!
Dalit: Those girls already seem that they are more trustworthy than Genesis. I definitely know better than to try and boss people. I need to rely on making friends and not enemies. If I am friends with everyone, then they will not want to vote me out, and then I can win!
Cyan: You can't underestimate the power of good chemistry between people. I was a bit worried when I saw Irving and Lilith are also here, but they're on the other team, so they can't stop me from getting in good with my teammates. Maybe I can even align with Joseph, too, like we wanted to in Virtual Party!
Hugh had gathered Ernie, Irving, and Lilith to the same booth.
"Alright, artards, listen up," Hugh began.
"You have my undivided attention," Ernie droned.
"Look, the four of us were all big playmakers back in our original seasons," Hugh continued. "Some would even have the audacity to call us 'villains'."
"I sure as shellfish would! Gyarhar!" Irving laughed.
"And obviously that's going to make us all targets!" Hugh continued. "So I propose that we band together and keep each other safe. Like some kind of League of Villains."
"Hugh, everyone knows that you're just playing up the villain card so you can normalize to yourself and others the idea that nobody likes you because you're a horribly annoying person," Lilith told him.
"Gh!" Hugh reacted. "Well, regardless, I think it would benefit us all if we were able to keep each other safe. I'll see if I can rope in the guys from Shuffle Party, too. They're close enough to villains, and that'd give us a majority."
"Well, I can't argue with that," Irving nodded.
"And you think Shadya's going to, like, listen to what you have to say?" Ernie mentioned. "She seems like a very 'my way or the highway' kind of person, ya know?"
"If she doesn't want to be an easy target for being such a huge threat, she'll listen!" Hugh insisted. "I don't see the rest of you coming up with any better ideas!"
"You could slit your throat and save us all the trouble of voting you out," Lilith giggled.
"Listen, artard, if you want any sort of foothold in this game, you're going to go along with this!" Hugh snapped. "In case you've forgotten, nobody really likes you, either!"
"Oh, I know~" Lilith bit her lip.
"If she leaves a wet spot on the seat, I'm going to keelhaul ye," Irving remarked to Hugh.
"Gross," Ernie commented.
Confessional:
Hugh: Ugh, these absolute idiots! If we don't watch each other's backs, the so-called "good people" are going to take advantage of us not working together and pick us off one by one! We cannot let that happen!
Lilith: Hugh's so funny. Mweeheehee... He will absolutely make a wonderful ghost as it is, but I think I can use him to help spread unrest unto others as well. Like I said, everyone hates the both of us, so imagine what we can accomplish together~
Ernie: I mean, he isn't necessarily, like, wrong about how the targets could easily fall onto us, but if people like him and Lilith are going to be making big spectacles of themselves, then at least that'll buy me some time to, ya know, get a foothold in with the others, potentially. Of course, if this whole League of Villains thing somehow ends up taking off, I could just, like, ride that, too. Whatever works.
Irving: (He laughs with mirth.) Did Hugh even watch me season?! Ye can't keep the Dread Pirate Irving on a leash! I be the captain of me own ship, I do, and me ship this season be named the Grand Gryphons! I'll do whatever suits me best, the needs of the others be damned! Gyarharhar!
Nolan and Quentin had ended up sitting at the same booth.
"You're a gambler, right?" Quentin asked. "How much do you believe in luck?"
"Luck is what you praise when things go your way or blame when they don't," Nolan answered. "I don't think there's any consistency to it. Sometimes you have good luck, and sometimes you have bad luck. That's just life."
"Interesting," Quentin nodded. "I think it's all just your outlook. And that affects other people's perception of your luck."
"I guess," Nolan figured. "Honestly, I like the thrill of not knowing where luck will take you. It's all a part of gambling. Although I'm interested in what you mean by 'other people's perception of your luck'."
"You know, when people think you're an inherently lucky or unlucky person," Quentin explained. "People usually tell me I'm lucky and think that only good things happen to me, but that's because I just don't tend to let the bad parts of life get me down. I think it's all in people's heads."
"Oh, it absolutely is," Nolan agreed. He took notice of Frita sitting at the diner bar and eating alone. "Hey, do you want to witness my very first dice roll of the season?"
"Sounds pretty important," Quentin said.
Nolan rolled a six-sided die on the table. "Alright, guess I'm doing it. Hey, Frita, want to come sit with us?!"
Frita turned to look at the boys, sighed, and complied.
"You could have sat with us all along, you know. We've got room," Quentin told her.
"I guess," Frita responded.
"Besides, I don't think any of us know the other people from our season too well," Nolan figured. He rolled his die. "And I definitely do not want to be in any sort of alliance with you two."
"That figures," Frita sighed.
"I think he's saying that because the die told him to," Quentin told her. "...You are, right?"
Nolan just shrugged unhelpfully.
"Maybe we should stick together anyway," Quentin offered. "I can definitely vouch for strength in numbers being a good strategy."
"I can't stop you from considering me an ally," Nolan mentioned. "Non-professionally, of course, I could see us getting along."
"What do you think, Frita?" Quentin asked.
"I guess there's no point in stopping you, but don't expect me to be much help," Frita sighed.
Confessional:
Nolan: Of course I want to work with them - okay, with Quentin - but I'm not allowed to tell those two that. And by claiming that I didn't want to work with them, technically I hold no obligation to if the dice take me in a different direction. We'll see what happens.
Quentin: Even though I don't believe in luck, a lot of people still seem to. I guess it's an easy scapegoat, but whoever lived a better life by pointing blame at everything and not looking introspectively? Nolan seems to have the right idea, but Frita doesn't seem to agree. I guess if she votes with us, she's still helping us out.
Frita: Reese wanted to be my friend, too. Didn't stop me from getting voted out. Just because one or two people want to reach out to you, doesn't mean everyone else is going to suddenly like you. (She sighs.) I guess I'll stick with them for as long as I'm here. I don't get a lot of company in my normal life.
Isidora and Shadya wound up at the same booth.
"Having watched the previous seasons, I believe you to be the best suited to be an ally of mine," Shadya said.
"I am known for my athletic prowess. I just hope you can catch up," Isidora droned.
"You're willing to play a cutthroat game and smart enough to follow along with what I'm doing," Shadya explained.
"Those are both true statements," Isidora responded.
"I don't suppose you have any better ideas for allies in mind," Shadya scoffed. She glanced at the booth with Bailey, Brittany, and Vladimir. "They're all too weak-willed to make moves that will hurt people, and if they do, they'll complain about it." She then glanced at the booth with Ernie, Hugh, Irving, and Lilith. "And they're all proven backstabbers who can and will kick you to the curb if it would buy them just one extra round."
"What about Steve Jenkins?" Isidora jested.
"Did somebody use the Lord's name in vain?!" Steve Jenkins asked as he forced himself into the booth, knocking Isidora into the wall.
"She was just saying how much she wanted to be your ally," Shadya said.
"Tell me something I don't know," Steve Jenkins boasted. "Of course, Shady, the offer to work together is back on the table now that it's a #NewGameNewMe."
"What about you has changed?" Shadya asked flatly.
"Tch. Implying you haven't seen every episode of my vlog at least seventeen times," Steve Jenkins.
"Sorry, I only had time for fourteen each before I could make it out here," Isidora deadpanned.
"No excuses, Whoever-you-are." Steve Jenkins shook his head disappointedly.
"Regardless, you aren't even close to being my top choice of an ally," Shadya said bluntly.
"...So, I'm so far above everyone else that I somehow loop around to the other side of the list," Steve Jenkins decided.
"Okay, now you're just reaching," Shadya sighed.
Confessional:
Isidora: I mean, Steve Jenkins wouldn't be the first time I worked with a blond man with delusions of grandeur and bad facial hair. And Warwick is still one of my best friends to this day. I'm not expecting lightning to strike twice, though. Shadya... eh, Shadya might work, but I do want to play my own game out here, and I'm not sure she'd let me.
Shadya: I do have trouble deciding who else on this team is worth joining my alliance. Ernie, Brittany, or Bailey are potential ideas, but I'm not sure how thoroughly I can trust them. I suppose I'll have plenty of time until my first vote to figure it out because we will not be losing any challenges. I'll make sure of it.
Steve Jenkins: I mean, hey, Isidora and Shady both seem like smart enough people. I don't see why they wouldn't be avid members of the Steve Jenkins cause if I invited them to be. Shady may have turned me down before, but out here, we're the person that each other knows the most. It's basic math.
After the contestants finished lunch, the hosts led them on an on-foot tour of the rest of the city.
"Our next stop is the O'Neal Barcade!" Topher announced proudly.
"Like a bar and an arcade?!" Nolan asked excitedly.
"Is introducing alcohol to the game really the best idea?" Vladimir fretted.
"We here at Total Drama care a lot about the safety of our contestants," Chris claimed. "We would never force you to do something that would harm you... unless the harm is minor enough and it's still really funny."
Lindsay felt through her pocket for her shock collar remote, only to realize it wasn't there.
"Relax, Linds, I'm mostly joking," Chris chuckled.
"I guess having your legs broken is still funny as long as it's only in the virtual world," Cyan commented to Joseph.
"These hoes will never know the struggle," Joseph tsked.
"I can be sure that I have struggled lots more than either of the both of you," Dalit objected.
"By the way, what was that big fenced enclosure we passed earlier?" Quentin asked.
"Oh, that? That's for you guys to worry about later," Chris dismissed.
"Just know that it's going to be a hell of a factor in this game," Topher enticed.
"I bet they're bringing the exile twist back from the previous All-Stars season," Isidora deduced.
"Imagine the pain of your fellow teammates deciding that you should be exiled from them," Lilith grinned.
"If it's anything like the previous usage of that twist, there's probably a hidden statue of some sort hidden in there," Shadya hypothesized.
"Sounds like it's just going to, like, put more of a target on your back, if anything," Ernie figured.
"Is that possible?" Frita asked.
"If even the chance exists of someone having a statue, that'll make them a huge threat," Kiki thought aloud.
"But if someone has a statue, then they get to survive an entire majority vote," Hugh mentioned. "So it's not like you can just vote out someone who has it if you don't have a plan."
"Don't, um, worry, everyone. I will come up with a good plan," Kun told his team.
"I'm sure he will," Irving snickered quietly.
Confessional:
Irving: If anyone knows the power that one free Invincibility can grant ye, it'd be me! Of course, I'd rather not be exiled from me team so soon. I'm going to need them to trust me first because they'd be dumb not to take me out at their earliest convenience! Sounds like quite the balancing act.
Jean-Marie: Hm, in my season, the hidden statue tripled the value of your vote. I wonder if they'll be bringing back iterations of these statues from all the seasons. I also wonder if I ought to seek at least one out. Or would that be too cutthroat? Oh, maudis ce jeu tordu!
The hosts led the contestants right past O'Neal Barcade.
"So, are we going to, like, stop by there, or...?" Ernie asked.
"Oh, no, only the winning team gets access to the barcade," Topher told them. "Until the merge, of course, at which point, everyone will have access to it."
"They say all the best things in life are free, so give all your beer and your rum to me!" Irving sang.
"Sorry, bro, but the Fighting Wyverns won't be seeing a day without having a drink with the boys." Joseph returned.
"Pfft. Sexist pig," Kiki scoffed under her breath.
"Aw, I'm sure we're invited, too," Louise assured her. "You know how guys are."
"All too well, I'm afraid," Kiki said.
"Where are we headed now?" Brittany inquired.
"Our next stop is McLean Park," Chris explained. "This will be the location where we'll meet up for challenges."
"And if you forget where everything is like I do, everybody has a map in their hotel room!" Lindsay added.
"Yeah, but you only get the one, so don't lose it," Chris warned.
"I will have it committed to memory," Shadya claimed.
"You haven't already? Slacking, are we?" Nolan teased.
"I have never slacked for a second of my waking existence," Shadya claimed.
"You have non-waking existence? Sounds like slacking to me," Quentin added.
"I will laugh when the two of you are inevitably eliminated within the next few days," Shadya told them.
"I get that a lot," Frita sighed.
"I wasn't talking to you," Shadya told her.
"Oh... yeah, I guess you said 'the two of you'..." Frita sighed.
Confessional:
Quentin: I think Shadya's living proof that skill matters way more than luck. She's definitely pretty scary, too. Part of me wishes we were on the same team so I could vote her out, but, actually, she probably could succeed in voting me out, so I think I'm glad things worked out as they did.
Kiki: I hate to be that girl, but I'm going to need to put together another all-girls alliance because I know Joseph's going to make an all-boys alliance, and I know he's going to be going after me first because I've said in the past that I've had bad experiences with men that led to androphobia. I need to strike before he can strike first.
The group stopped at McLean Park to take a breather before the tour continued. Several of the contestants ended up grouping up with each other. Kiki gathered Cyan, Dalit, Frita, and Louise over by a shrubbery.
"Is this the 'No Boys Allowed Club'?" Louise joked.
"More of a 'Women's Solidarity Movement'," Kiki claimed. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't feel safe with men like Jean-Marie and Joseph on this team, men who think of women as pawns, or 'hoes' as Joseph would so eloquently put it."
"Joseph isn't as bad as you're making him sound," Cyan claimed.
"Jean-Marie definitely is, though," Frita said. "I remember back at the Castle in the Clouds, he would always try to get me to open up, only to cringe and recoil every time I talked about something I was interested in."
"Doesn't that usually happen with a lot of people?" Dalit mentioned.
Frita looked morosely at the ground.
"Ladies! That is not women's solidarity!" Kiki interjected.
"Isn't it a bit too early to be throwing people under the bus, anyway?" Louise asked. "We've only been here for about an hour.
"Chris did not say that we won't have to be voting for someone soon," Dalit mentioned. "I wasn't even in Alpha Party for a full day before I was eliminated out."
"Very well-put, Dalit," Kiki agreed.
"I'm with Louise, here," Cyan said. "There's no sense in drawing lines in the sand before we're sure we even have to vote. The Fighting Wyverns are a team, and we should be acting like it."
"That's right! If teammates fight, they're going to lose. That's what I always tell my students," Louise agreed.
"Well, Frita? Whose side are you on?" Kiki asked expectantly.
"Don't pressure her!" Cyan objected.
"No matter which side I pick, I'll upset someone," Frita sighed. "And yet, picking neither side with upset everyone."
"You don't have to pick a side," Louise assured her.
Frita walked over by Dalit and Kiki.
"Thank you," Kiki said proudly.
Confessional:
Dalit: This game has proven itself to be full of twists and unexpectedness. It can't hurt us to have a target in mind just in case we do need to vote for someone soon. That can make it easier to vote him out.
Cyan: Kiki's playing really aggressively. I guess that's how she was in House Party, too, although she's definitely a lot more self-confident now. All I know is that sowing distrust between teammates is not how I want this team to turn out! That's how people like Irving take control of the game!
Frita: It sounded like Cyan and Louise wouldn't be disappointed in me if I didn't side with them, so if I side with Dalit and Kiki, I'll be disappointing nobody. (She sighs.) I'm probably still going to disappoint all four of them somehow.
Ernie lied down on a bench, and Bailey stood next to the bench.
"It's been a while, huh?" Bailey asked. "How have things been for you since House Party?"
"Things have been, I guess," Ernie said. "I'm just trying to get through school and move out of my parents' place already."
"What are you studying?" Bailey asked.
"Law," Ernie answered.
"Really?" Bailey asked, taken aback.
"Yep. Law school's, ya know, a pain in the ass, but, like, that trial in House Party really spoke to me," Ernie said. "I really felt like that was something I could keep doing, ya know?"
"...How does it feel playing this season with your ex?" Bailey asked.
"My ex?" Ernie asked. "Oh, Kiki? We were never, like, a thing. After the game ended and we all got back home, it was pretty clear that our admiration for each other was really only just in regards to the game. We don't really have much else in common."
"That's too bad," Bailey frowned.
"Eh. It is what it is," Ernie said.
"You two," Shadya addressed as she and Brittany approached Bailey and Ernie. "I have a proposal for you both."
"This is so sudden. I haven't even met your parents," Ernie deadpanned.
"Yes, you've got the whole team in stitches," Shadya quipped.
Brittany did her best to hold back a chuckle. "Anyway, Shadya and I have been talking, and we think you two would actually make for good allies."
"Isidora is also onboard. We can get Barry as a temporary sixth," Shadya added. "Once all the tryhards have been dealt with, we can lose him."
"You want to get voted out before Barry?" Ernie remarked.
"I thought you weren't expecting our team to lose before the merge," Bailey pointed out.
"Of course not. I'm on this team, after all," Shadya said. "But this game is not always an objective barometer of capability, and being prepared can only benefit us."
"A strong alliance can take you far. But I guess I don't need to tell you two that," Brittany agreed.
"Works for me," Ernie agreed. "I'd definitely rather see us go far than, like, Hugh or Irving or Lilith."
"You were sitting with them at the diner," Shadya pointed out.
"Hugh made me. Something about, ya know, a League of Villains or something," Ernie said. "I don't foresee it bearing any fruit."
"Nevermind the fact that Irving and Lilith can't stand each other," Brittany added.
"I'd be interested in joining this alliance," Bailey said.
"Count me in, too," Ernie agreed.
"Excellent," Shadya acknowledged.
Confessional:
Ernie: Hm. That's quite a lot of allies for someone who's, ya know, not trying to make any. This might be a lot easier than I expected it to be. I mean, I did sell out Hugh's dumb alliance, but, like I said and Brittany agreed, that isn't going anywhere. This alliance actually, like, could.
Shadya: Things are progressing smoothly, as expected. I knew that those three would be reasonable and understand that I am and will always be their most valuable potential ally. Now, on the off chance that things go awry during a challenge, I will be incredibly well-insured.
Joseph and Nolan had been playing a quick game of war with a deck of cards Nolan had brought. Kun stood nearby.
"I'm not sure I like how Kiki has all the girls together like that," Kun fretted to Joseph.
"You think she's trying to get a girls' alliance together?" Joseph guessed.
"I certainly wouldn't put it past her," Kun said. "You've known her for longer than the rest of us, Nolan, what do you think?"
"I mean, she did do exactly that right when our last season started," Nolan recalled. "Of course, being so hasty meant that she picked Lauren to work with her, someone she ultimately couldn't trust. I wonder if the same might happen here."
"They do look like they're having some sort of, um, argument," Kun deduced as he squinted at them a bit.
"Cyan's cool. I doubt she's the type to just go along with a girls' alliance for the sake of having one," Joseph figured. "Eh, then again, that's kind of what happened on the Peacocks. Then again again, I think it mostly happened like that because Cosette drew some hard lines in the sand. Maybe we should be worried about Kiki."
"It probably wouldn't hurt to talk to all of the girls ourselves to see where they're at," Nolan said. He rolled his die four times. "And I'm only allowed to reach out to Dalit. Interesting."
"So you're just... never allowed to talk to the other girls for the whole game, bro?" Joseph asked.
"Haha, no, it's not that restrictive," Nolan assured him. "It's only in regards to what I just proposed."
"He does, um, make a good point about keeping in touch with everyone," Kun agreed. "Yes, as the, um, leader of this team, I shall make it my mission to know and befriend each and every member of my team! That way I can, um, lead us to greater heights!"
"That's the spirit, bro!" Joseph encouraged.
"Why don't you play me in the next game?" Nolan offered.
"Next game? Oh, of cards," Kun realized.
"The bro code states that, when rotating players in and out of games, the winner steps down and lets the next person go," Joseph said sagely. "So I guess you will be going against Nolan, Kun."
"We'll see about that," Nolan challenged.
Confessional:
Kun: I know what they say about when you assume, so I don't want to make any plans against Kiki right away without, um, confronting her about this first. Making a call without, um, knowing all the details is not something a good leader does.
Joseph: I do kind of get Cosette vibes from Kiki, but I never had anything against Cosette. I just think she played too hard too quickly. I'm just going to enjoy the game during these early rounds before it gets to the point where you really need to start making moves and stuff.
Nolan: I don't have much of an impression of Dalit. I watched Alpha Party, and I followed her on Instagram once she started her modeling account on there, but that's about the extent of it. I guess the dice work in mysterious ways.
Hugh approached Isidora as she sat by herself at a bench.
"Well, it looks like our rivalry is back on," Hugh grinned.
"Hugh, what are you doing here?" Isidora asked.
"What, I can't banter with my teammate?" Hugh responded.
"I meant what are you doing here in this season," Isidora clarified. "Of all the men from Alpha Party they could have brought back who were any sort of strategic threat. Vardaman, Phoenix, even Zarardo."
"Get over yourself, artard. I was one of the first to start playing hardball," Hugh insisted.
"It's not about who does it first, it's about who does it best," Isidora said. "And you were certainly not the best."
"Well, what you think of me no longer matters. I'm a taken man," Hugh claimed.
"Right, I was hoping to avoid that topic, mostly due to my vehement apathy towards it," Isidora said.
"Her name's Kaylin, and she's way cooler than you'll ever be," Hugh boasted.
"Neat," Isidora said uncaringly.
'Oh, Huuuuuuuuugh~" Lilith singsonged as she approached the two. "Why are you projecting your insecurities onto Isidora when you could be projecting them onto me?"
"Of all the artards in the world..." Hugh grumbled.
"Come on, sweetie. You're a big boy now. You can say 'retards' if you want," Lilith encouraged. "Unless it reminds you of how often you were called that as a child."
"Adjfajdg! Who told you about that?!" Hugh snapped.
"Noooooooobody. You're just that easy to figure out," Lilith giggled. "Surely the big bad villain of this game shouldn't be so easy to read. How unfortunate."
"Here, let me hand you a list of everyone who asked!" Hugh reached into his pocket and handed Lilith a blank sticky note.
"...You have sticky notes in your pocket?" Lilith asked. "Do you just carry those around all the time?"
"Yeah, who's easy to read now, bitch?!" Hugh boasted. He looked to the bench to see that Isidora had snuck off during his confrontation.
"Mweeheeheehee..." Lilith laughed.
Confessional:
Hugh: Some ally Lilith is! It's like she's going out of her way to get under my skin! I guess beggars can't be choosers. Oh, wait, yes I can! I'm the best backstabber this game's ever known! I've just got to find a suitable replacement, and all will be well with the world.
Lilith: Hugh is soooooooooo funny. I think I want to take him to the final two. Then he'll be soooo close to winning, only to get second to the fat loser that he hates so much! He might end up in so much unrest that he'd even kill himself right then and there~! (She quivers in excitement.)
Isidora: God, I can't wait to vote those two out.
Jean-Marie leaned up against the statue of Chris by himself when Quentin approached him.
"Hey. How's it going, JM?" Quentin asked.
"I am doing well," Jean-Marie told him.
"Did you want to be by yourself, or...?" Quentin asked.
"I suppose it would not hurt to have some company," Jean-Marie conceded.
"Not unless that company is a serial killer or something," Quentin joked. "Then again, aren't a lot of serial killers actually really charismatic? So, if they aren't killing you, then it could still benefit you to be in their company. Unless that makes you an accessory to murder. That could hurt your reputation."
"Are you saying I look like a serial killer?" Jean-Marie frowned.
"Nah, I'm just rambling. It happens," Quentin chuckled, embarrassed.
"May I ask you a question?" Jean-Marie inquired.
"You just did," Quentin chuckled. "Nah, what's up?"
"How did you make it so far in the game without scheming or making alliances?" Jean-Marie asked.
"Kelsey and Vardaman mostly had it covered for me, I guess," Quentin thought aloud. "And to be fair, I didn't make it that far. I'm still on the team for people who couldn't make it to the merge."
"I wonder if you're onto something," Jean-Marie said. "Winners like David and Dunstan only had a small hand in scheming, while they had allies who did the heavier lifting in that regard."
"Whoa. Did you just figure out this entire game? Nice!" Quentin complimented.
"Non, non, I am simply wondering how someone can win this game without playing in a way that others may deem morally wrong," Jean-Marie explained.
"That's an interesting topic, but not one that I'm so sure I can follow," Quentin admitted. "I've always had trouble keeping up with things like that. I like birds, though. Birds don't care who they're bothering, they're just living carefree lives, where they can sing and fly to their heart's content."
"That sounds like an enviable life," Jean-Marie admitted.
"Tell me about it," Quentin grinned.
Confessional:
Jean-Marie: I suppose I should come right out and say it: I am homeless. My parents were aghast when they saw how I was portrayed in Explore Party. No... how I acted in Explore Party. Having me so obviously tied to Antoine Bijoutiers, that is to say, my family's jewelry company, was not good for business. I was eighteen years old by the time the season aired, so they held no obligation to let me continue living with them. That is why I need to win this game, and I need to do so in a righteous way. I just wish I knew how...
Quentin: I can tell Jean-Marie isn't in as good of a place in his life as he was when Explore Party happened. I don't think I'm qualified to be any kind of counselor or anything like that, but I could at least be his friend. That isn't so hard. I've done it a bunch of times.
Steve Jenkins marched up to Irving.
"Hey, Captain Jack! I hear you think you're some sort of badass mastermind at this game," Steve Jenkins accused.
"Calling me Captain Jack certainly won't deflate me ego any," Irving snickered.
"Well I'm just here to tell you that there's a new sheriff in town, and his name is Steve Jenkins," Steve Jenkins informed.
"So, ye fancy yourself a cowboy, do ye? I have to say, a battle between a pirate and a cowboy does tickle me fancy," Irving said.
"What? No, I'm not a cowboy! I'm Steve Jenkins!" Steve Jenkins insisted.
"I don't know who Steve Jenkins is meant to be, but I doubt he's cooler than any given cowboy," Irving claimed.
"Oh, now that's just taking things way too far!" Steve Jenkins snapped.
"Guys, guys!" Vladimir stepped in. "What's going on?"
"Seems like we've got a battle of the minds on our hands," Irving joked.
"This may be All-Stars, but only one star will shine the brightest, and his name is Steve Jenkins. Don't forget it," Steve Jenkins proclaimed.
"The stars that shine the brightest fade the fastest, they say," Irving chuckled.
"Alright, guys, there's no need for senseless arguing, especially when the game's only barely started," Vladimir frowned. "I'm not going to make you guys apologize to each other, but at least try to get along, for the sake of the team."
"I won't make any promises I can't keep," Irving said.
"I bet that's not even true," Steve Jenkins scoffed.
"Heh. I guess ye really do know how cunning I truly be. Maybe I ought to be scared of ye after all," Irving said casually.
"Irving, there's really nothing gained in teasing him like that," Vladimir chastised.
"That's where ye be wrong, Barry, old chum," Irving said. "It be hilarious! Gyarharhar!"
"People like to punch up because they're just jealous," Steve Jenkins bemoaned. "Oh to live in a world where I can just like my life of perfection without being harassed for it. But people fear that which is different from them." He put the back of his hand on his forehead dramatically.
Confessional:
Irving: Heh, so much for not pissing people off. But can ye blame me? That Steve Jenkins lad has his head so far up his ass that he be swimming in his own stomach. I can't imagine the lad will last too long on a team like ours, with people who actually know what they be doing. What do I have to lose by having some fun with him, aye?
Steve Jenkins: This game is really testing my patience, intentionally putting me on a team with a bunch of people who think they're the best! I guess I'm just going to have to prove myself to everyone, so they can all get off my back!
Vladimir: Haha. Obviously, having those two at each other's throats is going to benefit me more than anything. By meekly telling them to stop, not only did I seem more in-character, but it gave them the drive to surpass my attempt at authority and prove that they were above me, and each other.
The hosts led the contestants further through the city.
"Our last stop before we dismiss you is the Elimination Station!" Lindsay announced.
"Spooky," Nolan commented.
"Oh, Nolan, you haven't even begun to see spooky~" Lilith cooed.
"And I hope I never have to," Nolan winced.
"Do you hear that, Frita? Nolan's really put off by morbid things," Lilith pointed out.
"Most people are," Frita said. "I usually assume people are."
"Doesn't it fill you with such unrest, knowing that nobody will ever be able to relate to you?" Lilith asked.
"Yes," Frita answered.
"Atta girl," Lilith giggled.
"What will elimination entail?" Bailey asked. "Do you have any big twists to impart onto us in light of this being not only the first season in years but a season full of experienced players?"
"Where would the fun be in spoiling the surprise?" Topher responded.
"It'd only be a surprise for the first time someone goes. After that, I imagine everyone will know what the twist is," Isidora mentioned. "Word of mouth travels fast."
"Okay, then you can be patient for until then, Miss Smarty Pants," Chris snipped.
"How will I be able to bear the wait?" Ernie asked flatly.
"I know it's eating me up inside," Isidora agreed.
"I, for one, have learned not to, like, mess with Chris now," Ernie smirked.
"Get a room," Hugh remarked.
"Come on, bros! Aren't you excited to be back?" Joseph asked enthusiastically.
"Ah, Isidora's just got a dry sense of humor," Quentin told him. "I'm sure she's as excited as the rest of us."
"You couldn't hear it in my tone of voice?" Isidora droned.
"I guess I've still got a lot to learn," Joseph chuckled.
Confessional:
Isidora: I mean, yeah, of course, I'm excited to be back, but I'm not going to expend energy expressing it in the same way that someone like Joseph would. I wouldn't have gone out of my way to come back if I didn't genuinely love this game. (She smirks.) Me winning ought to prove that without a shadow of a doubt.
Joseph: I don't know, bro, I'm just psyched to be back! I always felt like I got dealt a bad hand the first time around, with not much I could really do about it, so this is like my big second chance. Honestly, I'm just trying to make the merge at the very least. And, of course, to have a hell of a time doing it!
Everyone arrived at the small building which led underground to the Elimination Station.
"We're here!" Chris announced.
"Is the big surprise that you did not remember to have a place ready for when it's time to vote out someone?" Dalit asked skeptically.
"Hehaha. You'll just have to lose Invincibility and find out, brah," Chris told her.
"Just know that we do, in fact, have something neat planned for when the time comes," Topher assured everyone. "Come on, you don't think we don't know what we're doing, do you?"
"Don't answer that!" Chris quickly added. "But anyway, yes, this is the last big location you'll need to know about. We'll escort you back to the motel, and then you'll be free to do as you wish until the first challenge later today. There's a big city-wide PA system, so we'll let you know when you should start heading over to McLean Park."
"I just hope we get enough time to rest our feet," Kiki mentioned.
"If your feet are already tired, then I see a bright future full of victory for the Grand Gryphons," Shadya scoffed, amused.
"We've been walking for two hours!" Kiki insisted.
"You make that sound like a long time to be walking," Shadya chuckled. She turned to Kun. "Keep her around. She's funny."
"I think you'll find that, um, my team will vote based on more, um, pragmatic reasons than what you find humorous," Kun stammered.
"No. You won't," Shadya glared.
Kun gulped.
"Oh, leave him alone," Brittany told Shadya.
Kun blushed as he stepped away from the two.
"Well, the sooner we get back, the sooner the game can really begin!" Irving declared. "Let us set sail back to the motel!"
"Aye aye!" Lindsay complied.
"Lindsay, you're a host, don't treat the contestants like they're in charge of you," Chris sighed.
"Oop. Sorry," Lindsay giggled.
Confessional:
Brittany: Oh, darn, I hope Kun doesn't read too deeply into me stepping in for him back there. Either way, he and I are on different teams, so I can't put any sort of focus on him. I need to make sure that me and my allies get the momentum on our team. And make sure we keep it, for that matter.
Kiki: Eugh, I can see why Shadya's closest allies stabbed her in the back in Shuffle Party. I'd vote her out, too, if I could. If the other team isn't wise enough to do so before the merge, then I'll be happy to be the one to throw her name out there once we do. In time, of course. Right now, I have my own targets to work on.
The hosts led the contestants back towards the motel.
"Before we make it back, are there any questions?" Chris inquired.
"Are there designated times where we have to eat at the diner?" Louise asked.
"No, but if you bug Chef too often, I can't promise he won't do anything spiteful," Chris mentioned. "The diner is only open... whenever Chef decides, I guess. You'll have to ask him for more information."
"Is there anywhere that's strictly off-limits?" Vladimir asked.
"Anywhere you shouldn't be able to access will be locked off," Chris said. "You can use your card key to get into places where you do have permission, like your room, or somewhere like the barcade that you've earned access to, but if you're not allowed in, your card key won't let you in."
"What if, say, someone who does have the right permissions lets me into somewhere I don't have permission to enter?" Irving grinned.
"We've got a three-strike system for that," Topher told him. "I don't think I have to explain what getting three strikes entails."
"You really can't overestimate how smart the contestants on this show can be," Chris muttered. "They'll surprise you."
"Unlike you, I have faith in my good friends, here," Topher said.
"So don't try to get into places you're not allowed. Got it," Cyan nodded.
"And don't let other people into places they're not allowed," Vladimir added.
"Both the person who let someone without permission in, and the person without permission will get a strike," Topher clarified. "So you're both right about that."
"Oh, and the first two strikes will result in penalty votes against you, so don't push your luck," Chris added. "You can let other people into your room if you really want, but that's it."
"Je comprends," Jean-Marie confirmed.
"Come on, when have I ever pushed my luck?" Hugh snickered.
"You push your luck so often, it's filed a restraining order," Isidora commented.
"I, for one, think pushing your luck is what makes life interesting," Nolan claimed.
"Please, um, don't break the rules," Kun told him.
The group returned to the motel.
"Alright, that's the brief tour!" Chris said. "Meet back at McLean Park in a few hours for our first challenge!"
"Understood," Bailey said.
Confessional:
Cyan: I guess some places need to be closed off until they're going to be used for a challenge or something. Either way, this place is so much bigger than the VR testing facility. So it's still a lot less claustrophobic.
Bailey: Hm, it seems as though they are discouraging interaction between people on opposite teams with this rule about not letting people into the barcade if you've won access to it. I wonder if that extends to Blaising Tower since he mentioned it's okay to let people into your room. It didn't occur to me to ask earlier.
The hosts entered a meeting room within Blaising Tower which had a view over the city. Nelson was present, and he stood by the window, overlooking everything. Some contestants opted to stay in their rooms, others returned to the diner, others went back to McLean Park, and still others headed to Elimination Station.
"The game is afoot, everyone," Nelson smiled.
"It's good to be back, Mr. Nelson!" Topher grinned excitedly.
"I can already see cliques beginning to form. And more importantly, rivalries," Chris mentioned.
"Who do you guys think is going to win?" Lindsay asked.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm pulling for a Fighting Wyvern to win," Topher said. "I can relate to them wanting their big break after not even making it to the merge the first time. It'd be a hell of a satisfying win, no matter which of them takes it."
"Even if it was Frita?" Nelson asked. "She's only here because Kristin couldn't make it and Sorrell just flat refused."
"If Frita of all people manages to beat this entire cast, I'd say she's earned it," Topher claimed.
"That's idealistic and cute and all, but I'd be surprised if a Grand Gryphon didn't take it," Chris said. "They've already proven themselves, and I doubt any of them are going to let a team of people who couldn't make it that far beat them. Even people like Lilith or Steve Jenkins could be sleeper threats like they were in the past."
"I do wonder if Brittany will be able to make it far since everyone knows she's already won," Nelson mentioned.
"That never stopped Duncan from making it to the merge every season he was in," Lindsay said.
"But does Brittany have the killer instinct Duncan has?" Chris asked.
"If relationship drama counts as a killer instinct, then I'm starting to wonder if this show was ever any good," Topher lamented.
"This show has always been good," Nelson said firmly. "And we will continue to make it so this season. I, for one, am ready to see what happens tonight."
"I can agree with that!" Chris grinned. "Let's make this the season that reminds people why they watched this show in the first place!"
"Amen!" Topher concurred.
"Amen? I'm not Catholic," Lindsay mentioned.
The others all gave Lindsay an odd look.
Grand Gryphons:
Bailey - The Pragmatic Poet
Brittany - The Loyal Bombshell
Ernie - The Lazy Law Student
Hugh - The Head Villain
Irving - The Chaotic Pirate
Isidora - The Asocial Bookworm
Lilith - The Harbinger of Unrest
Shadya - The Genius Athlete
Steve Jenkins - The Vlog Icon
Vladimir - The Untrustworthy Impostor
Fighting Wyverns:
Cyan - The Sweet Madame Blue
Dalit - The Social Media Model
Frita - The Morbid Artist
Jean-Marie - The Homeless Frenchman
Joseph - The True Bro
Kiki - The Strategic Hipster
Kun - The Awkward Team Leader
Louise - The Friendly PE Teacher
Nolan - The Wildcard Gambler
Quentin - The Lucky Ornithologist
A/N: And so it begins! Did you manage to predict who's playing this season? Now that our contestants have made it to Drama City and have gotten the lay of the land, the game can finally kick off! Who do you think is going to make it far? Who do you think is going to flop? And who do you think is going to go home first?