Total Drama Endless

by NondescriptNorbert

Total Drama back again! This time there's new twists, a cast of twenty seven fictional characters, and most importantly; a new host. The story isn't over. Epilogue part 4/6. Wonderland is gone. The girl in the looking glass stares back.

23. Through the Wardrobe

Total Drama Endless, Episode Sixteen

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There's a great sense of relief amongst the remaining contestants when Peach remerges back in the forest, Beatrice slumped over her shoulder. The girl's still unconscious, her exposed skin flushed an angry red from the intense heat back in burning room of requirement. Peach on the other hand seems unharmed. She sets Beatrice down, and almost instantly feels Markus throw his arms around her.

"Peachy don't you ever ******* do that **** again! You had us so ******* worried."

Peach pats him back a little awkwardly and smiles. "There, there Markus. I'm alright. How's Beatrice?"

Bentley kneels down next to the girl and checks her pulse.

"She's alright!" He declares.

"That's a relief" Doof says. The tension further dissipates. A few of them begin talking at once about the new location. Only Indy seems to notice something's amiss.

"Peach? Where's Rick?"

Peach smiles a little awkwardly. "Oh. He'll be fine. He just lost his life to the fire."

The nine other conscious contestants' freeze.

"Rick's dead?" Doofenshmirtz repeats hollowly.

"Yes but and I'm sure he's already on a new life." Peach says with a giggle. "Poor Rick is likely back at Hogwarts now wondering what became of us."

The others glance at each uncomfortably. Peach laughs again.

"What are all these long faces for? Dying isn't anything to be embarrassed by. Why I have some very good friends who have died many times."

"Peach, outside your world when people die, they don't come back." Indy says blankly. Peach stops laughing.

"…But that's… No! That can't be true. I know people go away when they're very old and Rick wasn't quite… He…"

The Princess stampers looking at her comrades one by one in the fleeing hope one will reassure her. Each one of them looks back at her sadly.

"We though you knew…" Markus whispers.

Peach stares at him, still in shock.

"…But it can't be that way!"

"That's just how things are." Yao says quietly.

Peach shakes her head, still in stubborn disbelief.

"No. It can't be true. You're all really saying Rick's… gone?"

"Good Riddance!"

Beatrice picks herself off the ground and scowls at Peach.

"If you two we're so close you should have done me a favour and died with him."

She spins around to walk away when a blinding pain strikes her across her check, knocking her back down.

She looks behind her. Peach is standing there, single arm outstretched, glaring at her furiously. Even then It takes a moment for her to realise the Princess must have struck her. Angrily, Beatrice opens her mouth to reply but Amethyst cuts her off.

"YO GUYS! CHECK THIS OUT!" The gem calls from a little way off. The others wordlessly shuffle past Beatrice. As they do Roy gives her a playful wink, the rest glare at down at her in disgust.

They find Amethyst in a small clearing, staring up at something most usual. There in the middle of the very natural seeming forest, stands an old Victorian lamp-post. It's gaslight burning fiercely under a brightening dawn sky.

"Strange… What's that doing in the middle of a forest?" Doof asks. Beside him Letsplay Lenny chuckles softly.

"Should have known from the wardrobe." He says to himself.

"Do you believe you know where we are?" Athena asks him.

"Not a hundred percent yet, but if I was a betting man I'd say we're in-"

"Anyone hear horses?" Yao asks.

A moment later an entire hunting troop and their horses emerge from the woods and surround the contestants. The men wear brightly coloured medieval tunics and riding cloaks. The scene could have stepped right out of Arthurian Legend, if it wasn't for the lamp-post, and that the men were accompanied by talking beasts.

"Halt in the name of the king!"

Someone blows a bugle. A young boy rides to the front of the group. He's no older than sixteen at most but is handsome for his age, with chin length dirty blonde hair.

"State your business wanderers." He says gripping the reins of his snowy white stead tightly.

"Let me handle this…" Indy says quietly. He turns to the newcomers. "Your Majesty I apologise if we're on crown land. See this is just a misunderstanding and STUPEFY!"

He whips his wand out of hammerspace and points it at the boy king. Nothing happens, not even a spark. Indy grins awkwardly.

"That was working a second ago."

"Enough of this!" The boy says firmly. "Where do you hail from? Archenland? Calormen? Telmar?"

"Uh.. We're kinda ******** from everywhere." Markus says uncertainly.

"Though we've most recently come from Britain." Lenny says.

The boy looks surprised, the other men and talking beasts mummer behind him.

"Britain?" He asks. "Then your arrival is a most important one."

He hops down from his horse and to their great surprise bows to them.

"Come my esteemed guest! Let us return to my castle at Cair Paravel. You'll be received warmly there."

"Uh…That's great and everything but you mind telling us where we are first?" Amethyst asks. The boy laughs.

"Of course! I forgot myself in my excitement." He draws himself to full height. "I am King Caspian, Tenth to my name. Welcome friends to the Country of Narnia!"

"Natch…" Lenny says.

…

The hospitably of this new land became apparent almost immediately when most of Caspian's men dismounted their horses and offered them to the newcomers. They would enjoy the walk they argued to the gracious newcomers. Unfortunately, even then they were still short three horses. That problem solved itself when Amethyst transformed into a large flying creature and offered to carry Bentley and Yao.

The country of Narnia itself was just as pleasant as it's people. As they trotted along the great river, much of what they saw of it was hills and woods. The sun was above them was warm, and the breeze from the river they rode along was cool. Their horses keeping at a leisurely canter as they tell the young king of their many adventures.

"…That's quite the journey you've had." Caspian says when Athena and Indy (Who are riding along side him have finished recounting it) "Fantastic story though. I'd liked to have been there for it myself."

"Trust me your majesty, it's better to hear it second hand." Indy says tiredly. "What about you? What's someone your age doing as a king? Successionists crisis?"

Caspian nods. "My father Caspian the Ninth was usurped by my uncle Miraz, when I was very young. Then with the help of some very good friends three years ago I usurped Miraz, took my rightful place on the throne and liberated the native beasts and creatures of Narnia. All of whom had been nearly repressed out of existence since my Telmarine ancestors invaded from the west centuries ago." He smiles proudly. "Now Narnia is more peaceful and prosperous than it has been in millennium. I think you're all going to be very happy here."

"At least they'll be no more school work or Slytherins." Doof says, before frowning. "Or except for the ones we brought with us."

He and a great deal of the others (Markus included) look over their shoulders to cast a dirty look a Beatrice riding in the back with Roy. Roy chuckles.

"God, they all hate you. I'm impressed."

"Shut up." She scolds him.

"I mean it, I'm impressed." He says earnestly (Or as could to earnest as someone like him can be). "We're in a cutthroat game after all. Much as everyone would like to pretend otherwise theirs only going to be one person here at the end. If Peach hadn't done anything to help you, she'd be rid of two rival competitors' instead of one. It was an objectively stupid move on her part saving your life, and you had a right to call her on it."

"…At the cost of everyone hating me." Beatrice says bitterly.

"True." Roy says with a smile. "But that's a problem that can be solved easily enough can't it?"

"What do you mean?"

Before Roy responds they hear Caspian call out from the front.

"Ah here were are at last! Cair Paravel!"

…

Beatrice tosses and turns in her bed as she stares troubledly at the ceiling of her chamber.

At first, the Endless cast let out a sigh of weariness with the towers and turrets of the Narnian royal castle came into view. Having just come from a magical castle, they had hoped for a change in scenery and were disappointed at first. But their night at Cair Paravel had been very pleasant. The banquet hall may not have had an enchanted ceiling but at dinner there and been amongst Narnian lords, and they had a meal fit for the king. Soups, fish, venison, peacock, pies, and every manner of jellies, fruit and nuts. Trumpets and kettledrums run out at the start of every course, and everything was delicious. When everyone along the long banquet table (For there was only one in this hall) was done eating, a court minstrel arrived and regaled them with an ancient tale about how four English school children had arrived in Narnia thirteen hundred years before and had overthrown an evil witch and the enchanted winter she had cast over the land. Then afterward, Indy, and Athena had asked of an audience with the King while the others had been shown their chambers and when to bed.

The evening had in theory been one of the best she had in a long time. Had the entire cast not been giving her the cold shoulder the entire time.

She sighs, throws her clothes on and gets out of the bed, abandoning sleep for now.

The corridor is quiet as she slinks down the hall. A few doors down she sees a room with its door slightly ajar, and the light of a still glowing mantle apparent beyond it. She peers into it and sees the three former Flower Girls talking quietly, seeming happy to be reunited. At once she feels a slight annoyance, then a twinge of envy before they're both overshadowed by a twang of loneliness.

Pulling away and walking to the stairway she runs into Doofenshmirtz. Her face brightens.

"Hey Doof." She says in what she hopes is a friendly voice. The Doctor gives her a look, then turns his nose up at her. She sighs in frustration.

"What? You're judging me too now? I thought you were supposed to be evil."

"Evil has standards." Doof says turning around and scowling at her. "If your nemesis saves your life you're allowed to tease them light-heartedly about it. Not tell them they should have died!"

"So? I'm not even trying to be evil anyway!"

"You're right. You're not evil, you're hateful. And I wish you weren't." He sighs. "What happened to the Beatrice that was willing to help that Tomoko girl?"

"Rick happened."

"Yeah? Well I hate to break it to you but Rick's gone Beatrice. He's dead. I suggest you move on from him, before everyone else moves on from you."

He storms away then doubles back.

"By which I mean they're going to eliminate you …You know…If it wasn't clear?"

"Great thanks." Beatrice says, slinking up the stairs before he can add another addendum.

The night air is crisp and cool on the battlement when Beatrice reaches it. From her loftily vantage point she can see everything around the castle. The bright lights of the nearby port, the dark sea to the east, even the forest below, where to her surprise a lion is walking along the river bank. She stares at it. To her great surprise, it stares back.

"Lovely night isn't it?"

She gasps turns around. Roy's standing behind her gazing serenely up at the night sky.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" She scolds.

"I didn't. I was up here before you came up." He insists. She's not sure if she believes him.

Before she can think too hard about it Amethyst comes swooping down from the night sky, and lands in front of them, Bentley and Yao on her back.

"Woooo! Made it! Finnaly!" She says transforming back into her self. "Told you guys we'd get here."

"I hope we didn't miss dinner! I'm starving!" Yao moans.

"Terribly unfortunate, but yes, you did." Roy says. Yao cries out in disappointed. Roy smirks.

"You know I'm surprised it took you this long to arrive. You normally fly much faster than that don't you Amethyst?"

"Uh yeah, but we didn't come straight here." Amethyst says rolling her eyes. "I took the scenic route, scoped out the place you know? No big deal."

"Maybe for you!?" Yao yelps. "You're not the one that has to go hungry!"

"Hey I like food too dude."

"But you don't need it."

"Alright you two, calm down." Bentley urges. "Let's go find the King and we'll get settled for the night."

He ushers the two down the stairs. Amethyst and Yao looking unimpressed with each other. Roy chuckles.

"What was that about?" Beatrice asks.

"Just doing what I'm best at. Stirring discord." Roy says pleasantly.

"Why so they won't worry about us?"

"There's a clever girl." He scratches the left side of his face boredly. The one always covered by his wavy sand-coloured locks.

"You wouldn't know with your background but these tacky reality shows usually have some sort of induvial immunity during the merge. Unfortunately, since that doesn't seem to be in the cards for once. I've going to have to employ some strategy here. All our fellow contestants, they pretend they're friends, and that they can work together peacefully, but I know better. A couple innocent questions in the wrong places and they'll turn on each other like wolves. Meanwhile while their worrying about each other I'll slip into victory the same way I made it to the merge. Not calling attention to myself."

Beatrice nods. Truth be told it doesn't sound like a bad plan, but there's still one question she has about it.

"So.. Why do I get to hear about your secret plan?" She asks. Roy's smile broadens.

"Simple. I need a goat."

"A what?"

"It's an old reality show tactic. Someone plays strategically but not socially like me so they drag a weaker and more unlikable player to the final two with them so that they seem the lesser of two evils. Like a superstitious man carrying a goat up a mountain, so that he may sacrifice it to win favour with his god."

"Let me get this straight." Beatrice says eyeing him uncertainly. "You're offering an alliance where I'm guaranteed not to win and you expect me to say yes why exactly?"

"Because you have no other options." Roy grins nastily. "I'm the only one here not currently wishing death on you. Unless you agreed to help me, it's not much of a mystery how they'll be voting next elimination."

And he walks back down into the castle, leaving Beatrice deep in thought

Meanwhile back in the banquet hall, Bentley's reunited with his old studying partner Athena.

The two of them along with Indy and King Caspian are standing around a large map of Narnia and the surrounding kingdoms, contemplating it thoroughly.

"-Are you certain you must be going so soon?" Caspian asks. "You're welcome to stay here in my country as long as you wish."

"With all due respect your highness we spent too long in our last location. We're trying not to get overly attached." Indy says.

"Or overthink things." Athena admits. "King Caspian, our instructions we're to 'follow the story' can you think of any event or strife happening in this realm that would merit narrative importance?"

Caspian shakes his head. "As I said, you've come to Narnia in a time of great peace. I can think of nothing like you describe."

"Then how about a portal or something?" Bentley asks. "This is a fantasy land for crying out loud! There's gotta be something like a magical gateway lying around."

"Outside the one that occasionally appears in the lantern waste you arrived in my mind is empty. Such things have existed in the past by they we're always created by the Great Lion, Aslan."

"Where does he reside?" Athena asks.

"No one knows." Caspian says. "He's country is said to be in the far east, beyond the sea." The Boy King laughs slightly to himself. "Your arrival now of all times is fortuitous. In truth I've been planning to embark on a sea voyage to the unknown east for years now. When my uncle overthrew my father he banished seven lords loyal to him across the sea. Lord Octesian, Lord Mavramorn, Lord Bern, Lord Argoz, Lord Restimar, Lord Revilian and… Blast what was the other one? Lord Rhoop! That was it.

On my coronation I swore with Aslan's approval to sail east and find them. Now that Narnia's a peace I believes theirs no better time to embark."

"That's great your majesty but how long would it take to get all of that together?" Indy asks. "If you're really crossing an entire ocean, you'll need a good ship, captain provisions…"

"Already accounted for." Caspian says. "We're recruiting our crew currently. I believe we'll have enough able-bodied men to leave port in say a week's time."

The other three smile at one another.

"If suddenly came across eleven sailors would you be ready by tomorrow?" Athena asks.

…

They waste no time. By the crack of dawn the next day, Caspian and the contestants are already at the port, all around them men work to load supplies onto a splendid ship docked before them. It's square-rigged sail, mast and bow carved in the shape of a dragon's head brings to mind the image of a Viking longship, though Indy insists it more resembles a medieval cog in build. The sail itself is a deep royal purple, its dragon figurehead decorated with green and gold.

"The Dawn Treader." Caspian says proudly. "Beautiful, isn't she? She may not be the Splendor Hyaline, but she's finest ship built in this country in many centuries."

"Yeah. Great. Good for you and all that junk." Amethyst says impatiently. "How long is it gonna take us to sail to edge of the world?"

"I expect we'll be at sea many months." Caspian says. Half the contestant's groans.

"We just came from doing many months someplace." Yao grumbles.

"Settle down you lot. This will be different than Hogwarts." Athena says sternly. "Here we follow the story openly and with the blessings of it's native cast. We'll be making progress towards our adventure every moment we're at sea."

"That's the spirit madam! Adventure is a noble pursuit in it's own sake!" Cries a shrill voice from below them.

Peach let's out a girlish squeal. Standing there is a large fluffy mouse about two feet tall with dark fur and long whiskers. He carries a rapier in his hand and a scarlet feather behind his ear. At once the Princess scoops him up in her arms and cuttles him.

"Aren't you the most precious thing I've seen in our travels?" She coos.

"Your majesty! Release me at once! You do me a grave dishonour to my dignity as a knight!"

"Oh I'm terrible sorry!"

She sets him back down. Caspian laughs.

"I see you've meet Reepicheep, he is a good friend of mine. Ah, and here is our captain, Lord Drinian."

A dark-haired man nods to them. "Is it an honour to meet you all. May I have a word with them my King?"

"Certainly."

Drinian turns to the contestants. "His Majesty as told me much about you. I am honoured to have you aboard our ship. As a native Narnian, I'd be doing a disservice to my race if I didn't treat the guests of my king with the upmost hospitality. However, I must remind each one of you now that this will not be a pleasure cruise. The Dawn Treader is small and she'll need all hands-on deck to keep her sailing. If you're all joining us Narnians on our voyage you are to follow our Narnian customs, by which I mean you will obey myself and my king. If I need you to row when the winds are slow you will do so. If I need you to drop what you're doing and help with a task you will do so. And if you are assigned a task with one of your fellow travelers, you will do so. And you will do it cheerfully, regardless of any current or past grievances with them."

All eyes drift to Beatrice who sighs miserably.

"Captain I assure you, no one here's made it this far without being useful." Indy says, though even as he says it he's still looking towards Beatrice and Roy. Drinian's expression softens.

"I believe you sir. I'd simply prefer to cover ground rules before we set sail. Now…" His first mate hands him a wine sack and a several glasses. "Let us toast to our voyage. I have an excellent vintage here curtesy of Bacchus himself."

Athena makes a noise of surprise.

"Bacchus? You surely don't mean Dionysus, do you? The wine god?"

"Certainly." Says Drinian. "You know him?"

"Yes, he's a fellow Olympian." Athena says, deeply surprised. "Is his cult worshiped here?"

"He is one of the many nature gods of this land." Caspian explains. "All subservient to Aslan."

"As is all Narnians." Reepicheep says humbly, casting his black eyes eastward. "Now enough chatter, I feel the Great Lion calling to us from beyond the sea! Him and an unknowable adventure between us! "Load the ship and let us embark! For honour! For Glory! For Aslan!"

…

The first few weeks at sea prove Athena right. Being a sailor aboard the Dawn Treader is grueling work at times. There wands haven't worked since then passed through the wardrobe so they're back to working the old fashion, non magical way, but theirs' more gratification in cleaning the riggings than there was studying for Charms exams they knew they'd never take. The weather of the Eastern Ocean proves just as pleasant as in Narnia (though that may partially be because it's August instead of December like it was in Scotland) and they the crew enjoys many beautiful summer days as they race towards the rising sun.

The day after departing Narnia they reach the independent island Kingdom of Galma. There they partake feasting and jousting for a few days before Indy, Bentley and Athena politely reminds Caspian they've places to be.

"Let us stay the full week the very least." He replies with a boyish grin. "The King's promised to introduce me to his daughter.

The next morning Caspian's suddenly more than willing to leave.

"Couldn't go through with it." He says when they're back on the ship. "She's not my type. Too much freckles and too much squinting."

"Wouldn't want that." Beatrice quips, rolling her eyes.

In truth the girl's been largely silent to her fellow contestants. Not that they seem to mind. Princess Peach in particularly seems to trying her hardest to pretend the girl doesn't exists.

Leaving port in Galma they run into a calm in the wind, and spend the better part of two days rowing. Its around that time Doof discovers an accordion onboard, and commits himself to serenading the others to improve moral. Mysteriously that's also around the same time Lord Drinian stares developing hideous migraines.

The wind picks back up soon after and four days out from Galma they reach the other island nation off of Narnia's coast, Terebinthia (No, not that one) less fortunately when they arrive a ship is sent out on the islands behalf urging them to stay away due to a sickness in the land.

"Shame we don't have anyone that could have flown ahead and warned us of that well ahead of time." Roy muses a little too innocently.

"What's your deal man?" Amethyst snaps at him.

"I mean he's got a point." Yao says.

"Yao shut up!" Amethyst shouts.

Roy smiles.

They round the cape and lay anchor at a creek far from any settlement to replenish their water stores. They stay there waiting for three days for favorable winds (There's a lot of that when you're aboard a sailing ship as it turns out) before heading out again. The Third day out they encounter a pirate ship but manage to scare them off with a hail of arrows and some harsh language from Yao, Markus and Reepicheep.

"You should have got out your accordion." Lenny says nudging Doof.

"Why would I do that?" The Scientist asks. "They'd probably want to come over and plunder the source of our beautiful music."

Behind him at the helm, Drinian sighs wearily.

Five days on and they're in sigh of Muil, westernmost of the Seven Isles. Sailing through the archipelago, they feast and restock one night in the town of Redhaven on the isle of Brenn. Six days later, and despite Doof's best efforts, moral is high, and they're making good speed towards the Lone Islands, a Narnian vassal and the last stop before uncharted waters.

"So what happens after the next place?" Amethyst asks. She, Athena, Bentley and Indy are siting in the stern cabin examining charts. Amethyst had recently been growing jealous of the leadership role the others had been taking in these sorts of meetings so she had started inviting herself to them, though she quickly found that she found them horribly boring.

"Provided our Governor in Narrowhaven is still loyal to the Narnian throne, we'll be well received and fully stocked with provisions, then we'll sail east as far as we can." Drinian says.

"And if we don't find land in that time?" Indy asks.

"We sail until we consumed half our water reserves, they if we find nothing we'd be forced to return to the Lone Islands." Caspian says, sounding disappointed at the idea.

"That's it?" Amethyst says faintly. "Just give it? I thought we we're supposed to be going to the edge of this world!"

"Amethyst I'd recommend we not sail with such hubris." Athena says sternly. "If it's all the same to you I'd like for this crew to avoid the same fate as that of Odysseus's."

"I second that." Indy says grimly. "But of course, it needs to be said if we can't make it past known waters, getting out of here's just gotten a hell of a lot harder."

"There now. Even if we can't make it to Aslan's Country I'm sure he'll find a way to send you home." Caspian says encouragingly. "Have faith in him."

"Yeah. Aslan's great. We get it. You people keeping telling us." Amethyst says rolling her eyes. "Just saying though it be nice if he lent us hand once in a while."

A great commotion outside in the deck draws their attention. The six of them exit the cabin to find most of the crew pointing and shouting at something off the starboard side of the ship.

"What's going on?" Bentley asks.

"Seems like someone's been spotted in the water." Lenny says conversationally.

"There!" Drinian cries. "I see them! By Aslan it's three children-YOUR MAJESTY!"

"PEACHY NO!" Markus yelps.

Before the captains even finished speaking, Caspian's dived off the side and into the churning waves. A second later Peach leaps after him, Yao and Doofenshmirtz right after her.

"Grab some rope, we'll pull 'em back in!" Indy shouts at once. There's a great deal of excitement as coils of rope are tossed over the side and seven waterlogged figures are hauled back on the to deck.

"Princess we must do something about this habit you have of throwing yourself into danger." Athena says once her allies safe again.

Peach laughs, wringing out the hem of her soaked gown. "I can't help myself. Back in the Mushroom Kingdom if we see someone in need of help we rescue them."

"My paternal instincts took over." Doof says with a shrug.

"I'm just a hero." Yao says looking proud.

While they've been talking most the Narnians have crowded around two of the children, A golden blond girl and boy about ten and twelve respectively.

"But who are your friends Caspian?" The boy asks in a distinctly English accent. (Though to be fair the Narnian also have one quite resembling it.)

"They're travellers from Earth like yourself your majesty."

"Are they now? By jove that's never happened before."

"Yo Caspian!" Amethyst interrupts. "You gonna introduce us or what?"

"Of course!" Caspian laughs. "Everyone this is sign from Aslan that our voyage is destine to succeed. I present to you Queen Lucy and Valiant and King Edmund the Just!"

"Wait I thought you were king?" Yao asks confused.

"He is." Edmund says. "Me, Lucy and our older siblings were all four of us made Kings and Queens of Narnia on our first visit, over a thousand years ago."

"Oh." Yao says impressed. "I uh… take it you have an elixir of immortality then?"

Lucy giggles. "No. Time flows faster here than on Earth is all. No elixir needed."

"That's too bad. Us Chinese have been kinda looking for one for a long time."

"Your Majesties." Reephicheep says bowing deeply to both Edmund and Lucy. "A beg of your forgiveness but who is this other discourteous person you've brought to us?"

The mouse nods to the other newcomer, a boy around the same age with brown hair standing in the corner and moping miserably.

"What are all you horrid, vulgar people staring at?" He demands. "And who do you think you are sailing about abducting people and dressing like you're at a costume party? I demand you realise me at once."

He sneezes, as to does Doof and Lucy.

"What a fool I am have us standing here in our wet things?" Caspian asks. "Come below! I'll have someone provoke warm clothes and spiced cinder."

He leads the new arrivals and their rescuers down below. Drinian shouts for the others to get back to work and the crew resumes what they were doing before the excitement.

"A legendary king and queen." Bentley says. "How's that for a sign from Aslan Amethyst?"

"Yeah. Perfect." She says annoyed. "He sent us three more mouths to feed. Just what we needed."

…

Just as Caspian had predicted, the next morning they were in sight of the Lone Islands. Where as expected the Governor seemed to be neglecting his duties to the Narnian Crown. Amethyst proposed that she and Lenny had enough gem power between them to openly overthrown him. Caspian however declined her offer, opting instead at Athena's urging to go with a plan crafted by Lord Bern (Whom they have discovered living peacefully in Narrowhaven.) that involved more strategy. With a little bluffing and boldness they were able to convince the local garrison that they're forty sailors were in fact the bulwark of a much larger landing force and were able to march up to the Governors mansion, and install Lord Bern as Duke of the Lone Islands, all without spilling a drop of blood.

A week of restocking and consolidating later and were finally ready to sail past the edge of the known world. The finally night of their stay Lord Bern hosted them at his homestead on Avra, the smallest and most eastern of the three isles. His estate was beautiful piece of land, set in the warm grassy slopes of the island and its Mediterranean climate. They feasted outdoors in the garden with nearly the amount of festivities that they'd received in Cair Paravel. Afterward musicians were brought from Narrowhaven and there was dancing and merrymaking well into the night.

Beatrice leaned against the garden wall, watching the others dance. She saw Doofenshmirtz dancing with Lucy like relatives from separate generations at a wedding. For all his claiming of villainy and piety scheming, the doctor really did seem to be good with children. Perhaps it was his childlike spirit she muses to herself.

Next to them, Peach was twirling by the firelight. She's traded her pink, poufy and occasionally cumbersome ballgown for a more practical Narnian dress. A simple medieval gown, reddish pink in colour with gold embroidered around the collar, long sleaves, and a hem at her shins. Together with a pair of brown seaboots and the deep red cloak she's worn since the Rodney House the Princess could've easily mistaken for just another Narnian. Though to be fair, she seemed almost at home anywhere they had gone.

Beatrice watches her miserably. She wasn't quite ready to regret her actions yet, but the cost of them were weighing on her. The past few weeks at sea a little voice in her head had started asking innocently whether she was as vindicated in her anger as she had originally thought. She kept trying to force it away but every time she did it would only return louder.

"Not a dancer then?"

Edmund's just walked over to join her. A diplomatically tone in his voice.

"It's not my thing." Beatrice says a little awkwardly. "I'm… not exactly a people person."

"Knowing how the others speak of you I'd say you're right." Edmund says. Beatrice sighs, unsurprised, but unhappy nonetheless that the others had been gossiping. Edmund laughs.

"Not to worry. I'm not in my place to judge. I made plenty of mistakes my first time in Narnia."

"Did you?" Beatrice asks, more to be polite.

"Yes, plenty. I was a proper traitor as a matter of fact." Edmund says. "Even betrayed by siblings. Course, when I realised what a fool I was particularly begging them to forgive me. But in the end that is what they did."

"That's family though." Beatrice says. "It's different with my group, they can just get rid of any who they don't like… Like me."

Edmunds nods. "Fair point. But if you ever change you're mind, Lucy, Myself and the Narnians are still willing give you a shot. Who knows? Maybe your lot sees us getting along they'll give you another go."

"Thanks I'll keep that in mind." Beatrice says indifferently. Edmund shrugs and walks off.

"He has a point you know."

Beatrice jumps. Roy's grinning at her from over the garden wall.

"Ah! Roy! Stop doing that!"

"I do what I please." Roy insists with a smirk. She glares at him.

"What were you even doing back there?"

"Coming back from stargazing." He says jerking his head behind him to where a dirt path wines it's way to the highest hills of Avra. "You should see them tonight. They're stunning." He looks up and smiles. "We don't have them in my world."

"Have what?"

"Stars." Roy says. "Where I come from, all that exists is just the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth. Nothing more. Our Universe is a tiny bubble of causality floating in the Feverium."

"The what?" Beatrice asks. Roy looks at her and smirks.

"Doesn't matter. Anyway the boy's right. You should be cozying up to the others right about now."

Beatrice frowns. "Isn't the whole reason you like me that I don't pretend to be people's friends?"

Roy shakes his head in a fatherly way. "Beatrice, Beatrice, Beatrice. How much you've still to learn. You don't need to make them love you. But I'll be the first to admit my plan's rather simpler if then don't hate you as much as they do currently."

He strokes her chin.

"You're a mildly attractive girl. If you just go up to them, give them the doe eyes and tell them how really sorry-"

"I'm not apologizing!" Beatrice says stubbornly. Swatting his hand away. Roy smiles dangerously at her.

"I didn't say be sincere did I? Go over there, tell them whatever they want to hear, and if you ever interrupt me again I'll see to it you're keelhauled. Understood?"

Beatrice scowls at him but nods. He pats her on the head condescendingly.

"There's a good goat."

She grumbles to herself then walks over to where some of the other contestants stand chatting ideally by the fire. As expected, know one acknowledges her presents.

"…Hi guys." She says awkwardly. "I've… been thinking."

"What is it Beatrice?" Indy says tersely. He's not looking at her though she notices Peach watching her out of the corner of her eye. She tries her best to avoid the princess's gaze.

"Yeah. Um. I've decided… that I should be doing more around the ship."

Peach looks away almost disappointedly.

"That's good. We've a job that needs doing, and you'd be perfect for it." Athena says.

"What job?" Beatrice asks surprised.

"Babysitting Edmund and Lucy's cousin."

…

Edmund and Lucy's cousin was the boy they had arrived with. His name was Eustace Clarence Scrubb and he almost deserved it. For, as Beatrice soon found out the boy had three main hobbies; groaning, griping and grumbling.

"Why did they make you followed me about? I know what they're up to the wretched sneaks. You're their spy aren't you?"

"Why yes, I am miserable! Nice of somebody to notice."

"I was in the middle of a perfectly good nap, and you had to just come barging in."

"Beatrice go up there and make that idiot Drinian stop rocking the boat back and forth!"

"Horrible ship this primitive little slave galley is isn't it? Wouldn't even call it a ship. Why in my time they have ocean liners so large you wouldn't know you were at sea if you were on one."

Eustace like his two cousins hailed from an Earth where it was currently the 1940's. For Lucy and Edmund that meant they made fast friends with Indiana Jones. For Eustace however it meant he liked to go strutting around with a sense of British superiority towards the Narnians and their medieval ways.

They were four day out of the Lone Islands. When they had pulled out of Avra's harbour they had said goodbye to Lord Bern and stocked both the Dawn Treader and everyone's hammerspace fit to burst with supplies and we're enjoying good weather on there voyage east. Eustace of course, choice to ignore any and all chances or opportunity for positivity and was standing about on deck loudly complaining about the ship. Going on and on about the how wonderfully superior the mid 20th century was for transport with its ocean liners and aeroplanes and submarines as he did often.

However on that particularly day Markus and Lenny (By supposed happenstance) decided to stand next to him and loudly strike up a conversation about Hyperloops and self driving cars and spaceplanes and the wonders of mid 21st century transportation. After which Eustace went red in the face and stomped back down below deck to sulk where he had stayed since.

"I really don't know why you expect me to care about this." Beatrice says exasperatedly after enduring a couple hours of his complaining.

"Because my dignity's being dishonored by those horrid future men and there check." Eustace says equally annoyed with her

"So?"

"So!? You're from the Regency Era aren't you? Didn't people care about things like that back then?"

"Kid. I keep telling you. I'm not from the 19th century. I'm from the Unknown. It's like here but, weirder."

"Great another silly fairy land for you people to demand I care about." Eustace says rolling his eyes, then before she can get a reply in, he groans loudly, as the cabins just began to sway.

"Oh my poor head. Must be another storm."

"Not that again Eustace." She groans "You know we've had good weather all trip!"

"Well this is I'm telling you it is a storm! Go warn that horrid captain of ours."

With a long exasperated sigh she could care less to hide Beatrice exits the tiny cabin, Eustace, Caspian and Edmund have been staying in and walks through the main crew quarters below deck.

"You're doing it for clout Beatrice." She mutters to herself. "Just play nice for now and it'll be worth it when you beat Roy and win the money."

"Interesting bit that last part."

She jumps back. Roy's materialised in front of her.

"Everytime!" She shouts angrily. "Why do you do that?"

"Well clearly I need to be keeping a close eye on you, or you'll be plotting to backstab me." He says with a cheerful wink. "Not that I disprove of such behavior, I'd do the same if I were in your shoes after all."

"Just move out of the way." She grumbles. "I have to go warn Drinian about a storm."

"Yes, he's already well aware of that."

"What?"

There a low rumble of thunder. She rushes past him and throws open the hatch to the upper deck, a spray of cold rain and seawater greets her. The calm weather they've so taken for granted is gone. It's place are churning waves and dark storm clouds.

"Beatrice! What are you standing there for! Tie something down!" Indy bellows over the roar of thunder.

The archeologist seems to be in the element. With a level head he dashes about on the slippery deck tying everything not already secure. The rest of the crew scurry around him, as Drinian and his first mate Rhince shout commands from the stern deck.

"All hands on deck lads!"

"Batten down the hatches!"

"Snuff out the galley fire!"

"The sail captain!" Indy shouts.

"Good eye Professor!" Drinian says. "Reef the sail!"

Several people struggle to bind their main sail so it's not torn to shreds by the wind. Indy and Athena among them.

"If you're trying to atone for Hogwarts, you're doing a fine job!" Athena calls to Indy.

"I have experience in situations like this." Indy replies, the both of them shouting though they're standing next to each other.

"You're a better adventurer than a professor Jones."

"How would you know? You dropped out of my class after a week. HANG ON TO SOMETHING, THIS IS GONNA GET ROUGH!"

The bow's dips and the sea's opened into a great valley, a wave rising taller than the ship on the side. It crashes down over the Dawn Treader, sweeping over the deck and everyone on it. The rain had already soaked them to the bone but the seawater's far worse. It's icy current trying as with all the might of the sea to drag them off their tiny vessel and into the murky depths.

"Any strategy would be greatly appreciated Goddess." Caspian shouts to Athena as he catches Lucy around the waist to keep her being washed overboard.

"There isn't much I can do against Poseidon's wrath." She admits. "For once I may be open to suggests of more brute force tactics."

"Is that your way of saying you finally want my help?" Amethyst asks.

"Yes!"

"Sweet! Took you long enough! Come on Lenny! We're bailing these dorks out again!"

"Right!"

The two of them leap into the water and disappear for a few minutes. Then, another wave comes crashing over the deck and the two gems are washed back aboard with it.

"What happened?" Bentley asks.

"Turned myself into a motor to get us out of here." Amethyst says spitting out a stream of water. "Didn't work. But it's fine, If we can't escape the storm we fight it! Lenny throw me at the clouds."

Lenny shrugs. "If you insist."

He hurls he skyward, there's a flash of lightning and Amethyst falls back down, ashen faced.

"Okay… That doesn't work either. I… uh… I'll figure out something else."

"Amethyst if you can't help stop trying!" Yao calls.

"SHUT UP YAO! I got this alright? I've gotta have something here." She starts pulling things out of her gem left and right.

"ANOTHER WAVE!" Drinian shouts. A moment later another hard wall of water slams into them. The here a sharp crack.

"Yo the mast!" Markus cries.

Their main mast splinters and comes tumbling down onto them. They hear Doof screaming as he falls from the crows nest. Lenny dives and catches him like a baseball player.

"Any time Amethyst." Athena says.

"I'm working on it!" The gem cries, panic creeping into her voice. She's littered the deck with her possessions, a game system, a pile of arcade tickets, junk food, old Hogwarts spell books.

"What's this?" Yao asks picking up a strange looking mask.

"Uh… I think it's our reward from Mara-mara what every it was. The underwater place"

"Didn't Conner say that was a powerful artifact?" Athena asks.

"I mean I might be, I haven't tried it out."

"THEN TRY IT NOW!" Indy yells.

"Right! Good idea." Amethyst says quickly.

She scrambles over to the stern, as another massive wave swells before them.

"Here goes nothing."

She slips it on the mask of life. First nothing happens, then she begins shaking. Suddenly, there's a flash of light as Amethyst. rises into the air and starts glowing.

"Oh no way dude!" She laughs, her voice suddenly deep and echoing. "Everyone hang on to something! This is gonna get wild!"

"You maybe we should have given that to some other-" Markus begins before elapsing into a prolonged scream. With a clap of her hands Amethyst sends the Dawn Treader rocketing forward like it was a speedboat. The others are thrown against the stern cabin as the race arounds the stormy sea at tremendous speed.

"By Aslan's name, I've experience anything like this!" Caspian bellows over the wind.

"Welcome to our freaky little world!" Yao shouts back. "AMETHYST! LOOK OUT!"

An island comes suddenly into view. Drinian (Still hanging to the helm for dear life) spin his wheel to and the Dawn Treader swerves to a halt violent halt. Now suddenly in a quiet bay surrounded by heavily forested cliffs and hills. The storm far behind them.

"Oh look, land." Says Rhince. Then he and his captain slump over and faint. The poor crew and contestant below them looking about ready to do the same. Amethyst is besides herself.

"NO WAY!" She howls, laughing hysterically. "HOW'S THAT FOR SAVING THE DAY NERDS!?"

"I was the one that pointed the mask out." Yao mutters to himself.

"Well, good job to both of you then." Athena says, shakily getting to her feet. "That mask is surely going to be more a of us then we thought and- Amethyst where'd it go?"

Amethyst smiles back at her barefaced. "No idea." She shrugs. "Fell off at some point while we were racing. It's totally gone forever now."

The others stare at her.

"What?" She asks.

…

When everyone's regained their barring's, the crew sets off to work examining the damage to the Dawn Treader. The little cog had faired decently well for itself not counting the broken mast. The hen house on the deck had been washed overboard but by some miracle they hadn't lost a single crew. Edmund and Beatrice check the one of the cabins to find Roy standing contently in the middle of the room.

"Oy, where were you when everyone was up on deck?" Edmund asks slightly annoyed.

"Helping secure your blood relative your majesty." Roy says proudly.

They crane their necks upwards to see Eustace, tightly bond to the ceiling with every rope Roy could have possible gotten his hands on. There's several gags over the boys mouth.

"As you can see I've made a marked improvement to him."

Once Eustace is unbound they drop anchor and the ships company goes to shore in two small boats. The island whose bay they've sailed into is lush with trees and ferns on the slopes of steep hills and cliffs. Markus and Indy compare it to the Pacific Northwest, the Brits in their company suggest a likeness to Norway.

Not to say anyone was that concerned with sightseeing. Rather, their day's a full one. They had arrived in the early hours of the morning and by the time the sun was rising the crew of Dawn Treader was busy with repairing and replenishing their ship and provisions. Yao and Roy went off to fell a tree for a new mast, Lenny, Lucy and Peach assisted the cook in determining what could be salvaged from the larder, and by the evening, Markus, Edmund, Athena and Indy came back to from their hunting party victorious, three freshly killed goats over their shoulders. They had them roasted on the fire and together with some spare provisions, freshly caught fish and a casket of wine they had a merrier feast than they had in any castle. So thankful we're they to have a good meal after the terror of the storm and the hard day's work that it takes until after everyone's second helping of goat for someone to realise what's wrong.

"Where's that blighter Eustace?" Edmund asks suddenly.

"Dunno." Amethyst says through a mouthful of food. "Ask Beatrice."

"Come to think of it I haven't seen her today either." Athena notes.

"Maybe he ran off and she went after him?" Doof suggests.

"Oh but that wouldn't be good at all." Lucy exclaims. "It could be frightfully dangerous out there, what if they get hurt? Or eaten by some savage beast."

"Good Riddance if they have." Mutters first mate Rhince.

"Master Rhince." Reepicheep cries indignantly. "You've never spoken a word that became you less. I have no fondness for either creature but the former is of the Queen's blood, and the later is an exalted guest-"

"There ain't nothing exalted about Beatrice my little *****." Markus interjects. "Fo' real though I'm with Rhince, I hope she's dead."

"Markus!" Peach cries scandalized.

"She deserved it after what did to yo-"

"NO!" The Peach shouts, standing up. "No one ever deserves to die!"

There's an awkward silence.

"I'm… gonna go look for them." Doof says after a minute slipping away from the fire.

Markus looks at his friend apologetically.

"I'm sorry Peachy. I'd forgot you were still dealing with… you know."

Peach sits back down.

"How do you live that way?" She asks them quietly. "Knowing you could be… gone like that at any moment?"

"Easy, we don't have a choice." Indy says simply.

"It's the way it is." Yao says morosely.

"It's what gives battle it's thrill." Reepicheep offers.

"You enjoy seeing things die?" Peach asks the mouse reproachfully.

"I enjoy protecting my kingdom, and serving my duty to my king." Reepicheep says proudly. "There are always scoundrels out there that must be vanquished.

"Couldn't you try talking to them?" Peach asks. "I'm sure instead of destroying one another maybe if we took the time to understand each others perspective."

"Peach you can't save everyone." Indy says firmly. "Sooner or later, you're going to find that there's people in the world you can't redeem."

"But-"

"What about this then?" He asks. "You think Beatrice can be redeemed after everything she put you through?"

Peach goes quiet for a moment.

"I don't know." She looks away. "But I believe Rick could have changed."

Athena gives her a reassuring smile. "He may still in Elysium."

"Elysium?"

"The Elysian fields specifically, or the Fortunate Isles." Athena says. "It the fate of mortals to go there after death If they proved themselves heroic in the eyes of the gods."

"You think Rick was heroic?" Bentley asks skeptically.

"I do." Athena says. "I have many faults with his personality but in the end, he was a man that albeit selfishly propelled his team to victory countless times and who's final act was to attempt to save a hated enemy. I would not call him a good man but he had goodness in him."

"I'll give you that." Indy says resignedly. He chuckles nostalgically. "Crazy old Rick. He was a bastard of a teammate, but he went out like a martyr. Your Majesty if you could have someone refill our cups."

"Of course." Caspian says.

They're each poured a goblet of wine. When the final cups been filled Indy raises his up in a toast.

"To Rick Sanchez." He says. "Intolerable in life, respected in death."

"To Rick!" The others repeat, and they drain their glasses. Lenny smiles to himself.

"Ah yes. Alcohol and appraisement. Feels like exactly how poor old Richard would want to be remembered. Doesn't it?"

…

Elsewhere on the island Doctor Doofenshmirtz patrols the darkening forest calling out for the two missing crew members.

"Beatrice! Edmund! Where are you!?" He calls then thinks to himself.

"No Edmund was the other one. Dang it what was is name?" He shrugs to himself. "Ah, I'm sure it'll come to me."

He counts on the climbing the silent slope of the islands many forested hills calling out all the while.

"Emerson!? Ezekiel? No... Edwin. No! Okay look. Beatrice and what ever the other one's called come on out! Everyone's starting to get worrieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee."

A rock slips out from under him and he goes tumbling head over heels down a hill until he lands with a crash at the bottom of a steep valley. He gets up groaning in pain.

"Ow… Okay, I'm definitely getting too old for physical comedy."

He hears a twig snap and looks up, his face lights up.

"Oh Beatrice! There you are! I was just looking fo-"

The girl shushes him urgently. She looks a mess, covered in dirt stains and with the hem of her dress torn to ribbons. Doof raises an eyebrow.

"What happened to-"

"Shhhhhh!" She says again then points to something. He follows her finger to a clearing just past them. There silhouetted in the moonlight is a hulking, reptilian form of a..

"DRAGON!" Doof cries.

"Doof!" Beatrice scolds.

But it's too late. The beast turns it their direction and tears apart the trees hiding them from it.

Doof and Beatrice cry out in terror and brace for the inevitable. But it never comes.

"Wait? What aren't we being eaten?" Doof asks.

"Who cares let's run for it." Beatrice urges.

"Wait…"

Doof takes another look at the beast. The dragon doesn't look ferocious. Rather it stands there blinking down at them with large sad eyes.

"Odd…" Doof says. "Hey uh? Mister Dragon?"

"Are you talking to it?" Beatrice asks flabbergasted.

"I talk to a lot of animals." Doof says. "Anyway Mister Dragon? Do you… not want to eat us?"

The dragon shakes its head.

"No huh? Okay uh… anything else you want from us? And while I have you, have you seen another kid around by any chance? Short, British and annoying.

The dragon nods and beats its scaly chest with a forearm. Doof gasps.

"You ate him! How could you? I mean I get he was obnoxious and all but.."

"Uh Doc? I don't think that's what he's trying to say." Beatrice says. Doof looks at her skeptically.

"How do you know it's a he-wait?" He looks at the dragon again in surprised. "Wait! Wait! Wait! Your not Ernesto are you?"

"Eustace." Beatrice corrects.

"Yeah. You're not him, are you?"

The Dragon nods violently then covers its head with it's arms and begins to sob. Beatrice walks past him and pears into a cave he was sitting in front of.

"Looks like a dragon lair." She notes. "You must have taken something and got cursed didn't you Eustace?"

Eustace nods sadly and holds out an arm. There's a tiny gold bangle on it, much to small for a dragon but just the right size for an English school boy to have slipped on. Beatrice sighs and pats him on the tail.

"I'm sorry big guy. It's not fun being cursed is it?"

"At least it's not you this time." Doof says. Beatrice frowns at him

"Stop doing that."

"Stop doing what?"

"Stop pitying me." Beatrice says.

"I'm not pitying you!"

"Yes you are." The girl insists snarling at him. "Why do you have pretend to like me? Just take Peach and Rick's side already like everyone else does."

"Beatrice I don't hate you." Doof says. "I'm sorry for what Rick did to you in Gotham. It wasn't right but neither was how you treated Peach in Hogwarts."

"She deserves it." Beatrice fumes.

"How?"

"She's spoiled."

"She saved you life!"

"She was just doing it to look good. Roy says that's the only reason anyone pretends to be nice."

"Roy?" Doof yelps. "Is that you who've been listening to?" Donnerwetter Beatrice! Roy's an idiot! Everyone know's that. Surely we taught you better than that young lady."

"Stop treating me like I'm your daughter!" Beatrice snaps. Doof looks wounded.

"I'm just trying to help." Doof insists. "You can't go through life getting piety revenge in innocent people, because of some past traumas."

"Why not? Isn't that what you do back home with your evil inventions or what ever they are?"

Doof goes silence for a moment.

"Well… yeah… But that's different."

Beatrice groans in frustration.

"Ugh. This is what I mean! I'm tired of you people trying to take the moral high ground. You want to help me? Leave me alone!"

And she storms off in a fury.

…

Up the hill, through the forest and down towards the sea Beatrice marches. Fed up with Doofenshmirtz, fed up with Total Drama, fed up with everything. As she's storming along her foot catches on sometime and she falls onto the gravel beach. Wincing in pain she looks up to see a bright light in her face. In her fall she's open the menu to her hammerspace.

She pulls out her old Slytherin scarf and stares at it for a moment before she scowls and rips in to pieces.

Furiously she begins going through all her old Hogswarts supplies, tearing her spell books to pieces, ripping up her old uniform, snaping her quills and smashing her inkwells. She picks up the little pieces of glass and hurls them into the sea. She cuts her hands but she doesn't care. Her leftover galleons go next. They disappear beneath the waves. After that comes her caldron and potion supplies. But the time she's done she's nearly cleared out her hammerspace. She scrolls through it almost ferally, searching for something else to destroy. All that's left is her useless wand and a piece of paper she's never scene before. It's a letter. She pulls it out and examines it.

It's a goodwill message from home, likely left in everyone's hammerspace as a special surprise. She recognizes her mother's handwriting on the letter.

She crumples it into a ball and makes to throw it in the sea with the rest of her supplies but… she can't.

"Dammit…"

She sits back down and wipes the bitter tears from her eyes staring at the sea miserably.

"Don't worry, About a thing."

Beatrice looks up suddenly and stares at the sea. A mermaid's just appeared in the water singing.

"'Cause every little thing, gonna be all right"

She rolls her eyes in annoyance, the sights not surprisingly, as they had seen mermaids off the shores of Narnia as they departed that country. Still, she wished the thing would go away, though they was something vaguely familiar about it.

"Singin', don't worry, about a thing
'Cause every little thing, gonna be all right"

She submerges again, when she resurfaces a little squid like creature with a skirt and a veil over it's face is riding on her back.

"Rise up this mornin'
Smile with the risin' sun
Three little birds
Pitched by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs

Of melodies pure and true
Saying
This is my message to you-ou-ou"

"YERDEY!" Beatrice shouts.

"What's poppin' home slice?" The squid says. Pointing at her.

"What are you doing here?"

Yerdey chuckles. "Conner's got me and this one here keeping an eye on you." He Says patting his blue haired mermaid mount on the head. "Course I don't know why he needs us when he can see and hear everything you do and all times but we've been enjoying the assignment anyway haven't we Perky?"

"Wouldn't have missed for the world!" Perky sighs gazing up at the sky. "Yerdey! Look! I can see Planet Jumbotron from here!"

"Perky this isn't the Narnia from your world. How many times to I have to tell you that?"

"But you promised to take me back there." Perky pouts.

"Yes, I said the new version not the old one. If I ever show my face in that Unusual Nickelodeon style madhouse of a universe you originally spawned from again, Patrick Star will Supplex me into the next dimension. Anyway what we're we talking about? Right?"

He turns back to Beatrice.

"It's like Conner said kid, nothing happens in these games outside his control."

"Was Rick dying part of the plan?" Beatrice asks shortly.

"Admittedly we underestimated old Sanchez on that one." Yerdey admits. "Didn't think even he had it in him to go full sicko mode. But hey, did wonders for ratings. People love a good death, especially on reality TV. It's like that one series about the kids fighting to the death."

"Battle Royale?" Perky asks.

Yerdey snaps his tentacles and points at her.

"That's the spice. Just don't go to crazy on the dying thing okay? One once and a while spices up the show but you mammals have this thing where you get all traumatize when to people you know die horribly in front of you." Yerdey shrugs. "Or so I'm told. Personally, I don't get it."

"You'd be sad if I died right Yerdey?" Perky asks.

"Yeah… Maybe." Yerdey says noncommittally. "You're asking about a pretty alien concept though Perk. Death isn't really a thing out in the Feverium."

"Not that I care but would you quit using that term without explaining what it is?" Beatrice says annoyed. "Roy did the same thing a few days ago."

"What do you not like Feverium?" Yerdey asks. "First off; Rude. Secondly if you want to call the place something else be my guest! They call the Wood between the Worlds around here. What do you know it as kid? The Warp? The Bleed? The Rift? The Nightmare Realm? Todash Darkness? Limbo? Nowhere? Null? Oblivion? The Realm of Nonexistence? Where the Old Gods lie Dreaming? I'm serious kid pick your poison. They're all the same place.

"What place?"

"The Feverium! You know the space between universes?" Yerdey insists. "The lawless realm of chaos and energy that separates realties. That place. Lots of species call it The Void for some reason. Although that's normally a misnomer as there's a lot of things that call it home. Myself included." He gestures to himself. "But enough about me. I completely lost the trail of this conversation again. How'd we get on this topic?"

"We we're talking about Rick dying." Perky says helpfully.

Yerdey nods. "Gotcha."

"Anyway honey, what are you complaining about?" Perky asks turning back to Beatrice. "Your biggest enemies dead. Your life should be great now."

"Yeah. Things are great now. Everyone hates me and I've got no friends." Beatrice says sourly.

"What about him?" Perky asks. Beatrice turns around.

Eustace is standing there behind her, gazing down at her doefully.

"Him I'm stuck with." She says. "I promised I'd look after him or something."

"So what? Perky here promised me she'd win us Total Drama, and look how that turned out miss first elimination?" Yerdey says a little bitterly. Perky grins up at him sheepishly.

"It's hard to work without a bowl boss."

"Yeah… Right. Alright Perk, let's blow this joint. I want to see the merfolk of the last sea before we move on to the nice place."

"You got it boss!"

And Perky leaps into the air and she and Yerdey swim away.

"Singin', don't worry, about a thing
'Cause every little thing, gonna be all right"

Beatrice turns to Eustace.

"So what are you here? You come to yell at me more?"

Eustace whines like an enormous dog and gives her a pleading look.

"I know you're a dragon! Alright? What you want me to do about it?" She snaps. "Serves you right in my opinion, maybe if you weren't so selfish we wouldn't be in this mess?"

Eustace looks wounded.

"Don't give me that look, I'm tried of dealing with other peoples problems. It's not even my fault I'm here stuck with you, it's Rick's, and Doofenshmirtz's and Peach's and…"

She trails off. Something's standing behind her. Something with a low growl and hot breathe. Slowly she turns around.

A Lion, glowing in the darkness and larger than she's ever seen is starring at her. Teeth bared.

"I have no patience for such talk."

The words come from the Lion. Even with Reephicheep in among their crew and Bentley among their cast Beatrice would not have believed the beast had spoke, had she not seen its lips move.

Scarcely daring to breath Beatrice swallows and nods to the creature.

"I'm sorry…" She said in a barely audible voice. She paused then added "Sir."

To her immense relief the Lion stop snarling, but continues staring at her with a look of deep disproval. Then quickly its golden eyes flicker up to Eustace. The poor boy's rigid with fear. As if he'd forgotten he was now a dragon and much larger than the beast looking up at him.

"Can you fly?" The Lion asks.

Eustace nods obediently. The Lion gives a content growl.

"Then you will follow." He turns back to Beatrice. "Climb upon his back."

Beatrice doesn't dare to disobey. With a little difficulty she scrambles onto Eustace's scaly back. The boy spreads his leathery wings and swoops into the air. Soaring into the night sky.

…

The wind buffers Beatrice, every turn makes her stomach drop, and she can feel Eustace's troubled breathing behind her. Yet despite all her many terrors the flight is wonderful. The two of them glide through the moonlight island, following the lion. They see his light through the trees beneath them. Slowly leading them across the island. It finally stops atop one of the mountains, where instead of an icy peak, a flat garden grows. As if some diving force had cut the top off the mountain and planted it. Eustace lands near the edge of it, still trembling with fear as Beatrice slides off him. The Lion is there waiting for them near a large well in the centre of the garden. The two of them walk awkwardly over to it. Beatrice half wondering if she should take the hem of her ruined dress and curtsey to the beast. There is even to her rebellious spirit, something about the Lion that commands respect. They reach the well and gaze into it, finding it more a pool than well, with a bubbling spring and marble steps leading into it. Instinctually Eustace makes to dip a forearm into it. The Lion growls again.

"You must undress first."

Eustace blinks in confusion for a moment, then Beatrice sees realization dawn over his reptilian expressions and he begins scratching at himself. First loose scales begin to fall off him, then his claws sink deeper a whole later of skin peels off him like a snake. Unlike a skin however, Eustace looks exactly the same as he did before he shed. He grunts in confusion then tries again.

Beatrice watches him carry on like this for a while before the Lion beckons to her and she follows it awhile from Eustace and into the garden.

They walk through the moonlit garden under trees heavy with fruit. Apples, Figs and Peaches all looking just ready to pick.

"Do you know who I am Human Child?" The Lion asks.

Beatrice thinks on it a moment before the answer comes to her.

"You're Aslan." She says.

The Lion nods. Beatrice looks around.

"You know we've been looking for you. Is this your country?"

"You are still far from that place Human Child. But I am not bound to my own country. I can go wherever I please."

"Like Cair Paravel. That was you I saw that night wasn't it?"

The Lion nods again. "You are a wise girl." Aslan says. "And yet you've made so many unwise choices."

Beatrice groans in exasperation. "Seriously? That's what this is about?"

Aslan snarls at her.

"Go ahead! Growl all you want!" Beatrice snaps. "Who cares? Everyone hates me and I hate them."

"That hatred is only harming yourself child." Aslan warns.

"It's not my fault!"

"All your troubles are your own doings."

"My doing!? I didn't choose what Rick did to me!"

"But you choose to continue resent him after he's gone? Why child?"

"BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR!" Beatrice shouts. This time Aslan doesn't growl back at her. He simply stands there, gazing at her patiently as she seethes with rage.

"Life isn't always fair my child, I understand your pain."

"NO YOU DON'T!" The tears are back, she wipes them away furiously. She turns away from Aslan and starts pacing. "All Rick had to do was keep being a jerk until one of us was eliminated and I could have hated him forever in peace. But he just had to 'rescue' me from a problem he created and die doing it! Now everyone thinks he's perfect and I'm the bad guy, because I'm the only one that remembers he was willing to let an innocent girl die in Gotham. That and I don't find little miss perfect all that great. It's just…"

She snarls in hate and pulls at her hair.

"WHY!?" Why, why, why, why, why? Why!? Did he save me? He would have let that little girl die! He backstabbed Dipper, which I called by the way and got stink from the others for saying so! He even started the fire that killed him by trying to kill Draco and his friends!

Rick spent the whole game throwing people under the bus and treating me specifically like dirt. He hated me! But I'm the one he grows a consciousness for at the end. I… I mean what else am I supposed to say. I don't get it."

Aslan stern expression has soften and he walks towards her until there nearly touching. They exchange a look then, impulsively she buries her face in his mane.

"Humans are complex my child." Aslan says gentility. "Good men do bad and Bad men do good. Then of course they are those that are neither Scoundrel or Saint. You yourself are not immune from this my Child."

"I know." Beatrice says, anger starting to break. "I know I've done bad things but I don't do them without a good reason. I'm trying to be a good person, but I have to look out for myself. It's hard."

"So long as you strive to be better, there is hope for you." Aslan says. Beatrice let's out a long tired sigh.

"This is all pointless anyway. Even I'd if wanted to change I don't have the time. I'm the next one going home. No one's been shy about saying so. I'm guaranteed to be eliminated once we find Aslan and here you are."

The Lion let out a low growl, one that almost sounds like a laugh. "I believe I was the one to come to you. Was I not? Your party must yet sail to the Island of Coriakin the Magician. It lays not at the End of The World as my Country does. But it will be still a fortnight of sailing east. Only then will your journey in this world reach it's end."

"Not much time to make a case for myself." Beatrice says miserably.

"Redemption comes not in talk, but in action." Aslan says. "To which I say the sooner the better. You can start with Eustace."

She turns her attention back to the dragon boy, still madly tearing off layer after layer of skin without making progress.

"Take the sword in your hands."

"Which sword?"

Though soon as she asked it she sees it, there's a sword stuck through the trunk of one of the peach trees. With some difficulty she pulls it out, and walks over to Eustace. He sees the blade in her hands and yelps in alarm.

"Relax I'm not going to hurt you."

"Yes you are." Aslan says calmly.

Beatrice gives the lion an alarmed look.

"You must cut through every skin at once. Cut him as deep as your blade allows. It will free him off his curse but I cannot promise it will be painless."

Eustace whimpers. Beatrice doesn't seem to thrilled with the idea either. "This doesn't seem like a great plan. Maybe you should do it instead."

"No." Aslan says firmly. "This is the only way. By letting you free him, the boy must put his trust in you, and you both must your trust in me, a stranger, that I have your best interest at heart."

Beatrice gives Aslan a long searching look then turns back to Eustace and draws a deep breath.

"Okay big guy, guess we're doing this."

Eustace nods and braces himself. Beatrice hesitates a moment then with all her might plunges the sword into his scaly back. The Dragon howls with pain but she ignores him, continuing to cut down the centre of his back. Hacking away at his dragon features like a sculpture working a block of marble. When she's finished the Eustace's dragon form's been reduced to mounts of dark skin and a hideous pale creature slightly larger than a man that resembles an oversized axolotl.

"Now what do I do?" She asks alarmed. Aslan gives another laugh like growl.

"My Child I shouldn't need to tell you everything should I?"

She sighs, but understands well enough. She throws down the sword and grabs Eustace around the neck and plunges into the pool with him.

By the time she's climbed back out, she feels better than she had in mouths.

…

It's nearly dawn when Doof returns to camp, tired and dejected. Athena, who as always didn't sleep was waiting for him when he arrived.

"No luck then?"

Doof sighs. "Apparently they'd rather be alone right now."

A stirring at the edge of the woods draw there attention. Athena draws her spear. She can just make out the silhouettes of two figures in the dim light.

"You there! State your business."

"Put that away! It's us!"

"Us who?"

"Eustace and Beatrice."

Athena frowns. "I see you've finally decided to return. You missed all of yesterday's work You realise?"

"We know and we're sorry." Beatrice says. "That doesn't matter know. I spoke with Aslan. He told me how to get to the next challenge."

…

The Morning after that and after a good deal of discussion they were ready to leave what Caspian would later name Dragon Island. It'd be nice to say, there was a new Beatrice and Eustace on the Dawn Treader after that, but it'd be oversimplifying things a bit too much. Eustace was still inexperience and occasionally moody, and Beatrice still wasn't much of a perky girl. But once they left Dragon Island and the Dawn Treader turned her sails back to the east, they both made a conscious effort to improve themselves. Eustace was kind to his cousins and respectful to the Narnians, and Beatrice was respectful to her fellow contestants.

She didn't apologize. She couldn't. Not yet. She had too many feelings to still sort out. But she wasn't hostile to the others anymore, and it was a change that was noticed.

Letsplay Lenny had always been something of a noble gas when it came to social interactions so she didn't see much of a difference in how he treated her. But Doof, Amethyst and the Narnians welcomed her change in tone with open arms and both Bentley and Indy seemed receptive. Roy meanwhile continued smirking at her whenever he could, thinking she was just going along with his plan for her. Yao, Athena and especially Markus on the other hand were still very frosty with her.

Then of course, there was the one person on board she dreaded talking to.

They were three days out from Dragon Island when Beatrice finally had to courage to confront her. The sun had set and the deck was quiet. Beatrice stares up at the Crow's nest atop the mast. Markus, who'd been packing away supplies for the night, pauses and looks at Beatrice.

"Think she'd be ready to forgive me?" Beatrice asks.

"I wouldn't." Markus says with uncharacteristic coldness. "But you can try."

He ducks below deck to retire for the night, leaving her alone. Beatrice sighs and slowly climbs the riggings.

The night is cool for late Summer and the sea's become an endless expanse of fog. Beatrice finds Princess Peach staring off into it emotionlessly, she doesn't acknowledge Beatrice as the girl lowers herself into the Crow's nest beside her.

"Hey, uh… nice view you have here." Beatrice smiles. Trying hard as she can not to be awkward and failing horribly. "You can really see everything." She continues when the Princess doesn't respond. "Seems like a good place to think…but I figured you could use some company."

Silence.

"Please talk to me Peach."

"What for?" Peach asks finally. Her voice a cold tone that didn't suit her at all. "Are you here to make fun of me again? Mock me for my appearance? Fool me into eating one of those terrible joke sweets from the Joke shop at Hogsmeade again? Ton-Tongue Toffee I think it was called."

"You still remember that huh?" Beatrice asks.

"Of course." Peach says bitterly. "I'm not the stupid little damsel everyone thinks I am."

"I don't think you're stupid." Beatrice mumbles.

"Then why did you to torment me?" Peach demands, finally looking at Beatrice.

"I don't know! I'm a teen. We're impulsive like that. I have a problem taking my problems out on other people. Like you, or Wirt and Greg."

"Who are they?"

"Long story, I have a history of doing this kind of thing okay? Don't take it so personally."

"What about that Tomoko girl?" Peach asks suspiciously. "Did you take advantage of her?"

"No! no… We were friends! Promise."

"What made her different then?"

"Someone had to help her stand up for herself. Amethyst and her gang didn't respect her. She…" Beatrice looks away. "She reminded me of how things were with my team."

Peach gives her a skeptical look. Beatrice sighs miserably.

"Things were rough under the Fact Hunters, under Rick. And Slytherin wasn't much better. You don't know what that's like. Everyone you get grouped in with is nice and friendly."

"That's only because I'm nice and friendly to them." Peach explains impatiently. Beatrice considers this then shakes her head.

"You wouldn't say that if you were in Slytherin. Even back home I bet the Unknown's a lot harder to live in than that namby pampy baby kingdom you're from."

Peach glares at her. Beatrice blushes in embarrassment.

"I'm not helping my case I'm I?" She sighs again. "This was a dumb idea. I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone forever now."

She turns to leave.

"Wait." Peach says, now the one looking uncomfortable. "I'm sorry about what happened between you and Rick."

Beatrice nods. "Thank you. I'm… not sorry Rick died. I don't think I'll ever be. But I'm sorry you had to watch it happen."

"It's alright." Peach says quietly. "Athena told me he's moved on to Elysium."

"What's that?"

"One of her people's afterlives. Back in the Mushroom Kingdom when people grow old to respawn, we believe the good go up to live in the Sky Lands. And those few who are bad and wicked to down beneath the Earth to the Under Lands." She sighs. "But Rick was a bit of both. I hope he's not trapped in someplace between them."

"Hopefully not." Beatrice says, though personally she had always found the idea of a purgatory rather silly. "Rick was a complicated man."

Peach nods. And there's a moment of silence between to two. The fog's not as thick as it was earlier now, as the winds begin to pick up. Peach notices Beatrice shiver.

"Are you cold?" She asks. Beatrice shakes her head.

"I'm fine. I've got this cloak Caspian gave me."

She pulls at her outfit. Her blue dress is similar to her old gown, though it's hemmed at the her knees instead of her ankles. Her sea cloak is a lighter shade of blue and fastened over her right shoulder Celtic style. She's been given matching brown gloves and sea boots as well, and she's put her curly hair in a ponytail, instead of the bun she use to wear it in.

"We kind of match now."

For the first time that night the ghost of a smile creeps onto Peach's lips. "We do don't we?" Then just as quickly as it appeared it fades and the Princess stares off into the night again.

"I wish we had been friends Beatrice."

"Me too."

The wind blows their fog of cover away and the stars of the Narnian sky shines down on their lonely ship once more. The two of them stay there like that for a good while. Stargazing silently.

…

Aslan's true to his word. Fourteen days after they leave Dragon Island they spot the island. It's not the first they've found. There've been others along the way, but from the moment the Dawn Treader anchors at to this island with its green lawns and neatly planted trees along a central pathway, they can tell it's different.

"Mates, you'll never believe it but there's an old English manor house just up the way." Lenny says pleasantly after returning from a scouting mission with Doof.

"It's more than that." Doof pants. "That things got secret lair vibes. If there's not some kind of magician or alchemist walled in there, I'll eat my lab coat. No joke."

"This has to be it then." Beatrice says.

"Guess it's goodbye then." Eustace says, offering her a handshake. "Thanks for looking after me."

She smiles then pulls him into hug.

"So long you big jerk. Promise me you'll stay out of trouble from on alright?"

Eustace laughs "Will do."

Indy nods to him and his cousins.

"Good luck finding your way home kids."

"Thanks." Edmund says shaking his hand. "Same to your lot."

Drinian bows respectfully to the entire group.

"You're odd group of adventurers. But it's been an honour having you as my crew."

Athena smiles and nods back (Being a Goddess she was expected not to bend a knee to a mortal.)

"You honoured us with your hospitality Lord Drinian." She turns to Caspian. "I wish you fair skies and great success on the rest of your voyage. May you reach the very end of the world."

"We will I promise you that on my honour as a knight." Reepicheep says earnestly. "The Dawn Treader shall sail as far east as she can. When she fails us we'll paddle east in a row boat, if that fails we shall swim. And when our arms can carry us no longer, we brave Narnians, should we not reached Aslan's Country or shot over the edge of the world will sink with our noses held towards the sunrise. Proud to have drawn nearer to it than any one before or after.

The Narnians nods, though both Eustace and Lord Rhince mutter something about it hopefully not coming to that.

"Whatever fate awaits us I hope you'll return some day." King Caspian says. "Be it tomorrow or in a thousand years you'll always be welcome back to Narnia."

In due time their friends are back aboard the Dawn Treader. The Narnians fly all her flags and hung out her shields to honour their departures. Then slowly they watch that brave little ship they'd called home for a mouth row away from shore, and sail over the horizon.

"Yo we got a back up plan if this ain't the right island right?" Markus asks uncertainly.

"We'll get Amethyst to chase them back down if we're wrong about this." Indy says. Roy smirks.

"Are you sure she'd be up to the responsibility?"

Amethyst rolls her eyes.

"Let's just get out of here."

Then walk silently up the path lined with trees. Soon enough they reach the house Doof and Lenny had mentioned. It's a low building, two stories high and made of beautiful mellow stone, many-windowed and partially covered with ivy. Before it's a paved courtyard. Before that, standing within the iron arches of the houses gateway is something that makes them stop in their tracks.

Several people gasp. All of them stare.

The Great Lion, stares back.

After a moment passes like this Athena clears her throat and steps forward.

"You are the one the Narnians worship. The great beast they call Aslan. Are you not?"

"I am, that I am." Aslan says in a firm but not unfriendly voice. "You have journeyed far to reach me, and at last here I am."

"And you can send us to our next destination, right?" Indy props. Aslan nods.

"Come with me.

He leads them into the house, up a flight of stairs, and down a hall that runs the length of the second floor. Even to Beatrice it's a strange sight to see the Lion striding through the hallway as naturally as if he was on the savannah. Finally when they reach the end of the hall. He ushers them to an open door.

Beyond it is a library, beautiful beyond words. In it's centre there's a single lecture. In front of it stands an old man, barefoot and wearing a scarlett robe. A wreath of oak leaves frames his white hair, and he supports his weight on an elegantly carved staff.

"The guests you were waiting on, as promised Coriakin." Aslan says. The old magician smiles.

"I see you couldn't resist escorting them in person Aslan, even if you assigned me the task of sending them away."

Aslan makes the same growl Beatrice her him make on the mountain. The one that sounds like a laugh.

"I will see our guest off Coriakin. What you were tasked with guarding is something they'll need after they arrive."

Coriakin nods and strolls over to his bookshelf, and seemingly draws a book from it at random. He pulls several shiny flat objects from it.

"What are those?" Yao asks.

Coriakin smiles. "I'll show you."

He lets them all take a good long look at one. It looks like a gold sheet of paper the size of an envelop. The words GOLDEN TICKET printed on it in bold black text.

Lenny and Markus's faces light up.

"I was entrusted to give these to you when you arrived." The Magician explains. "Unfortunately, there seems to be ten of them and eleven of you."

"You needn't worry about that Coriakin." Aslan says. "I will send one of you home instead of onward. You may decide amongst yourself you that will be."

"I guess back to voting people off then." Bentley says with a shrug.

"Yeah…" Indy says uncertainly. "But now we have to say our picks out in the open."

"You say that like it's a bad thing Professor." Roy laughs. He marches over to Bentley and folds his arms smugly.

"Well my reptilian friend, since you brought it up, why don't you go first. I know the choice of whom to get rid of will be hard, but it's better to rip the band-aid off now as they say."

Bentley looks at him funny. "What are you talking about. It's not a hard decision at all. I know darn well who I'm voting to eliminate. You."

Roy chuckles politely. "Are you sure there isn't someone else that's worthy of the dishonour. Someone that's earned all our ire."

"What? Did you expected him to vote me out?" Amethyst asks surprised.

"Just because we're going through a rough patch doesn't mean we're about to turn on each other stupid." Yao smirks, putting an arm on Amethyst's shoulder. Roy purses his lips.

"Charming, but I'm afraid you're jumping to assumptions. It was Beatrice I was more refiring too."

"What!?" The girl yelps alarmed.

"Listen love, someone it's worth it to drag a goat up a mountain, other times the damn things bleating to much so you slaughter it then and there." Roy whisper to her. He turns to the others and puffs out his chest like a proper prosecutor.

"This girl here, was a useless load on the Fact Hunters the entire time we were together. And now that we've merged, not only has she mercilessly tormented the poor innocent Princess Peach, but it was her recklessness that got our dear Richard killed. Beatrice is a menace! I vote we get rid of her before she gets another one of us killed! I say get rid of her for the our own safety! For the good of all of us. For-"

"Aright already!" Yao says cutting him off. "I was already gonna vote for her anyway. Now shut up before I change my mind."

"My vote is for Beatrice as well." Athena says. Markus nods and gives Beatrice a dark look. She shrinks back and looks to the others for salvation, Doof returns her gaze.

"I'd say Beatrice deserves another chance. She's only a girl for Evil's sake. You on the other hand." Doof says pointing at Roy. "You've done nothing but be unhelpful and make fun of everyone since we got here. And not in a cool or evil way. Like a jerk way. Like a real jerk way. I mean you're what? 29? 39?"

"Somewhere around that." Roy says.

"And yet you act the way you do." Doof says unimpressed. "You would have never got this far if Rick hadn't been so good at winning challenges. I say it's high time you hit the road buster!"

"Couldn't agree more doc." Indy says.

"Yo, let's ditch this loser already." Amethyst says smirking at Roy. "You with me on this Lenny?"

"Sorry Amethyst, but I don't think I can sell out the only other Brit in the cast." Lenny says apologetically. "My vote's for Beatrice."

"And I'm voting for you obviously." Beatrice says glaring at Roy.

"Likewise." he says, returning the look with a sneer.

"That's ten votes counted." Coriakin says. "We just need one more."

All eyes turn to Peach. The princess nods.

"I understand."

She turns to Beatrice.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Beatrice shakes her head.

"Like they said it's your choice. I'll accept whatever you decide."

The two of them stare at each other for a moment before Peach closes her eyes. She takes a deep breath, then opens them again.

"Beatrice, I can't excuse what you've done. And much as I want to, I can't forgive you for how you've treated me."

Beatrice looks down ashamed. Peach smiles.

"…I can't forgive you, without more time. And I need you here for that."

Beatrice stares at her in shock, as do several people.

"Peachy you sure about this?"

"I am Markus." She turns to Roy. "I'm sorry Roy, my vote is with you."

"That's Six to Five." Indy says definitively. "Looks like you're out Brown."

"Looks like I am." Roy says, looking around and what were a second ago his fellow contestants. He hasn't dropped his smug demeaner.

"Well, everyone. Congratulations. That was a test, and I'm sorry to say you failed. You just got rid of the smartest, strongest, and all in all greatest player this franchise, or any other, has ever seen."

"If that's true why didn't you win?" Yao quips.

"I could have had I wanted too." Roy insists. "Could have easily won. But putting effort into this game was beneath me. I would have been happy to stay and assist you but…" He shrugs. "I guess you were to stupid to allow such a thing."

He bows to the others.

"Everyone. I'd say it's been an honour but I'd be lying. I wish each and everyone of you a slow and violent death. I hope with all my heart we never meet again."

"The Feelings mutual pal." Doof says. Roy gives him one final smirk.

"Happy to hear it."

And he turns to back down the hallway.

"Sir! Where are you going? Isn't Aslan sending you home?" Coriakin asks.

"I've decided to explore your house first." Roy calls back. "Tell the hairy beast I'll be back whenever I please."

"But-"

"Let him go Coriakin." Aslan says with something resembling an assumed to look. "I'll deal with him in due time. Now to business."

Coriakin nods and hands the remaining contestants a Golden Ticket

"Peachy I got a feeling you're really gonna like this next place." Markus laughs. Peach grins.

"I hope so. Is everyone ready then?"

"Ready to start over." Beatrice says, smiling more than she has all game. Peach smiles back.

"Me too."

The ten remaining contestants turn to Aslan. One moment they're gazing into his golden eyes, the next, he, Coriakin, and Narnia itself have vanished. And they're standing somewhere else entirely.

Somewhere where the air is thick with the smell of chocolate.