The sunny skies of Santa Clara were as present as ever when a small black jet landed on a runway. It was a simple paved path, not part of any major airport complex. Once the plane had landed safely, a black SUV pulled in with some people inside. Meanwhile, the sidedoor of the jet eventually opened and a small mechanical stairway lowered. At first, a few men in suits came out before one of them then held his hand out to help the future Total Drama hostess down the steps gracefully.
Blaineley wore a more formal suit, the jacket scarlet in color while a white button-up laid beneath. She matched her top-half with a simple black dress skirt, long pantyhoses that stretched up to her mid-thigh and deep, sparkling red high-heels.
As she made it down to the pavement, the passenger door to the SUV opened and out stepped a Hispanic woman, about the same height as Blaineley. She wore a standard suit with black slacks and heels. The two formal women met up with one another, the Hispanic one holding her hand out. "Afternoon, Ms. O'Holloran," she greeted. "I'm the Moogle executive who discussed everything with you via emails. You can call me Elizabeth. It's a pleasure finally meeting you in person."
Blaineley smiled and shook her hand. "Likewise," she replied. "I'm thrilled to be given this opportunity."
Elizabeth nodded and pointed back at the SUV. "Let's take you right to the resort and discuss our plan while we're on the way," she suggested, leading the future hostess inside the big black vehicle. One of the men from the jet put Blaineley's belongings in the trunk for her, while she and Elizabeth entered inside the vehicle to meet up with two other men. One was the driver, who kindly greeted them as he navigated his way to the main roads. The other was a taller, bald man with a neatly trimmed circle beard. "This is my associate, Arthur."
Arthur and Blaineley shook hands as they all sat on the soft, comfortable seats together. Arthur took something out of his bag, a small card that he handed to Blaineley. "For your room," he said. "You will have one of our finest suites at the resort."
Blaineley couldn't help but smile as she stuffed the card in an inner jacket pocket. "That sounds lovely," she replied, flattening down a bit of her skirt.
"Arthur was the lead architect for the resort," Elizabeth explained as she pulled out a laptop from her bag. "He will tour you on everything you need to know of the place later. Meanwhile, we need to discuss casting. The show is scheduled to start its initial recordings on the 15th of March."
"Gee, really? That's, like, only about a month away," Blaineley pointed out.
"Right, so we have a lot of work to do," Elizabeth said, reaching into her bag to take out a small usb port. Once connected to her laptop, a window popped up. She handed the laptop over to Blaineley so she could further see. "That's the application. We will be opening up spots at 6:00 PM tonight."
"I see…" Blaineley said as she read through some of the questions on the app.
"The current goal is to have a total of twenty-four new competitors," Arthur added.
"That's a lot of kids to deal with," Blaineley said, looking a bit hesitant. "Not even the first season was that large."
"Oh, you won't be dealing with kids this season," Elizabeth corrected, pointing at the application. "Due to some of the graphic content present in some of the games we will be dealing with, it was highly advised to us to have everyone be at least eighteen years of age."
"The first ever adult-only season in the show's history, I see," Blaineley said, as she read the age section of the app. "Perhaps things could be even more dangerous than usual, as if that could be possible."
"Well, I'm sure you are aware of the capabilities of the VLS," Elizabeth said.
"The what?"
"The Virtual Landscape Simulator," Arthur answered. "That's the official name of the machine you'll be working with."
Blaineley nodded her head. "Pretty straightforward label," she remarked. "Although I worry the thing might be a bit too complicated for me to understand."
"All you need to know is how to turn it on and hook people up to it," Elizabeth assured. "It's real simple."
"But what about the video game worlds?" Blaineley asked. "How do I get them to work?"
"I believe one of your interns was assigned to deal with that," Elizabeth answered. "Meghan, was it?"
The name was enough to sour Blaineley's mood a little. "Oh yeah… her," she said. "Hopefully she doesn't screw anything up."
"Well she better not," Elizabeth replied, her demeanor getting more stern. "Her entire career working for us depends on this."
Blaineley placed a hand to her chin. "Hmmm…" she thought for a bit. "What about the other two?"
"They're here for other matters," Elizabeth explained, taking her laptop back from Blaineley. "But enough about them, we need you to focus on this casting process as of now."
"Understood," Blaineley replied, adjusting herself in her seat a little. "So, what exactly are you looking for as far as personalities?"
"Ideally, we would want bigger and brighter personalities than the usual," Elizabeth explained, typing away some things on her laptop. "We're looking for characters no one has really seen before. Maybe a few that are familiar with video games but not all. I'm sure you'll be able to satisfy those needs."
Blaineley faked a confident smile. "Of course, I'm positive there will be no issue at all," she assured.
"Good," Elizabeth replied, focusing back on her laptop.
While Blaineley certainly understood her responsibilities well and true, it was something about Elizabeth's tone that made her feel just a tad uneasy. Not to dwell on it for long, she quickly sparked a conversation with Arthur. "So tell me, what kind of inspiration did it take to build this resort?" she questioned.
Arthur was quite pleased to be asked such and happily went on to explain everything to her. Meanwhile, the driver soon took an exit from the interstate, the big green highway sign clearly denoting that it was the way to Santa Clara. After a few more miles of driving, the sight of a large multi-storied building came into view.
The Palace of New Technological Advancements or what Arthur simply referred to as, the Palace, looked extravagant with its pure white brick walls and gold trim work. The whole resort curved inward a little with a big parking area in front. A large banner was presented over the main entrance of the resort and it read the following:
THE PALACE'S GRAND OPENING: JULY 15TH!
"It's amazing, isn't it?" Arthur said as the SUV pulled into the parking lot.
"I'll say," Blaineley remarked as the driver parked right in front of the entrance.
Arthur was the first to get out. "You should see the inside then," he said, assisting both Elizabeth and Blaineley by the hand.
The front entrance was quite large. The concrete ground below was livened up by a warm orange coat of paint. A wide red brick path split the concrete and led towards an immaculate fountain, one with three statues of orcas spewing water out from their spouts. Palm trees were evenly planted in a grass area parallel to the brick path. On the other side, there was a large statue of the Moogle logo. Shiny warm lights hung along the large white awning that shaded a set of big glass doors. They were embellished in gold trim and silver handles, securing the main entrance in high-end fashion.
Blaineley walked along the path, admiring the fountain and its artistry as she passed by. Meanwhile, Arthur pulled out another card and swiped it on a reader by the front doors. A clicking sound could be heard before the big doors slid to the side, allowing everyone to enter.
As Blaineley took her first steps inside the resort, her jaw dropped. The lobby was deceivingly enormous. White tiled floors with occasional gold tiles to break up the monotony. A large cobblestone counter area with giant flat screen TVs nailed to the walls behind it. Up above, a large glass chandelier illuminated with pride. Massive paintings placed in expensive frames covered the walls of an area that was furnished with brown leather lounge chairs. There was a column nearby where a dark pedestal rested. Atop of it was a display of what looked like a really advanced thrill ride.
Arthur, noticing that Blaineley was intrigued by the display, pointed at it. "That's actually a model replica of the VLS," he explained.
"Fascinating…" Blaineley admired before suddenly hearing an electronic ding of sorts. To the right, an elevator door opened and out stepped a familiar face. Blaineley's smile dropped pretty quickly. "What are you doing here?"
It was Chris, smirking as he approached the three. "I'm here for the resort, obviously," he explained. "Hey, just because I'm not hosting doesn't mean I don't want to see what my show is getting into."
Elizabeth and Arthur didn't seem to mind, the latter simply jutting his thumb somewhere. "Shall we tour the resort then?" he offered before leading the way with Elizabeth following close behind. Meanwhile, Blaineley glared a little at Chris, who responded by simply giving her a smug smile. Blaineley rolled her eyes and mumbled something to herself before the two quickly caught back up with the others.
A set of carpeted stairs with marble railings led up to a bigger lounge area with views of a large pool complex. Similar to the front entrance, a set of sliding doors opened when Arthur slid his card into the nearby reader. The complex had the same colored concrete as the entrance and similar looking palm trees scattered about. The main pool was quite large with the entire shallow end being accessed via a smooth gradual ramp. And as usual with in-ground pools, the deep end had a diving board as well as metal ladders perched on the sides.
There was another pool further back that was smaller, perhaps a kiddie pool of sorts. Across from that was a set of in-ground hot tubs, although the bubble jets were not active at the moment. Nearby the tubs was a roomy bar area with a pristine white countertop and metallica stools with gold cushions. Finally, there was a long row of beach chairs with elegant umbrellas to provide adequate shade.
Arthur then pointed at a set of oriental doors by the bar area. "Inside there is our Japanese-styled spa facility," he said before pointing at another set of doors, these ones being much more sleek and modern. "And inside there will be an arcade. This entire place will be accessible during filming. You may use it in any way you see fit for the show."
"I say, just keep it all to yourself," Chris suggested facetiously. "That's what I would do, after all." Blaineley, amused by such a suggestion, smiled a little.
Back at the lobby, Arthur led everyone into the elevator and pushed a button. "So the second floor is where you will be staying," he told Blaineley. "But we're heading to the floor above. That's where the contestants will be residing. This floor has our 'cheap rooms', you could say. Not so much like the massive suites but still quite accommodating."
"Of course, we're still talking about a couple hundred bucks per night," Elizabeth added as she gently swayed from side to side. "So 'cheap' is a little relative in this situation."
Once the elevator stopped and opened, Arthur made a right and then a left. "So this is the wing they'll be staying in," he explained, taking his card to open up one of the nearby rooms. While modest in size, it still was your standard hotel room with a cozy bathroom and two full-sized beds. Additionally, there was a mini-fridge that also acted as a nightstand and a flat-screen TV on the other side.
Chris stepped inside the room to look around some more. "Meh, this is way too nice for my standards," he complained. "I think we should just let the chumps sleep by the dumpsters out by the back instead."
"Ahem, this is my season of Total Drama to host, remember?" Blaineley reminded him with a sharp scowl. "I don't want any of your nonsense input on how I should run things, got it?"
Chris crossed his arms and frowned. "Alright fine," he grumbled. "Just don't be shocked when this season flops for being too safe and boring."
Blaineley grumbled to herself a little but stopped when Arthur cleared his throat. "Let's move on, shall we?" he suggested, scratching his bald head a little.
After being shown more of the resort, Chris and Elizabeth left Arthur to be with Blaineley alone. He took her to the second floor to finally show her where she'll be staying. The door to her suite was white with a gold star with a B on it. "Go ahead and use your key, ma'am," he said as he stepped aside to allow her access. "Your belongings are already inside waiting."
Blaineley thanked him and pulled out her card from her jacket to slide it into the reader. After hearing the satisfying click from the door unlocking, she stepped inside. "Oh my…" she remarked, taking it all in. Her suite was just as good as she imagined with a spacious living space that was fully furnished with high quality pieces. She noticed the stone fireplace and felt its warmth. The large velvet red sofa with an accompanying pearl glass coffee table standing beside it. The large theater sized TV that currently had a classical music channel playing. And it all seemed to be placed expertly together.
Blaineley explored the living room some more before coming across her bedroom. A king-sized bed with plush pillows and hand-sewn quilts greeted her first. Next to it were her belongings, untouched within their suitcase. A nightstand with a luxurious lamp and a mahogany dresser were there as well. There was a massive bathroom close by too, where inside a big tub was partnered up with a chrome touchless sink. The marble countertops of which were completely spotless.
Blaineley observed everything with a big grin on her face. Now this was more like it, she thought. She admired herself in the mirror but quickly noticed a set of french doors behind her in the bedroom. It was an entry to a balcony that observed the pool complex from above. Impressed, she leaned up against the railing and rested her head against her palm. She saw Chris by the bar and smirked as he watched the man down a few shots.
"So what do you think?" Arthur asked as he stepped onto the balcony with her.
Blaineley, a little startled, looked back and smiled. "Oh, this is just fantastic," she answered. "I may have to come back here when things open up for real."
"Great to hear," he said. "You'll have access to all the room service amenities too, if you like."
"Much appreciated," Blaineley replied, taking a peek back at Chris, who already looked a little drunk.
"That man sure is something else alright," Arthur remarked, rubbing his chin. "Oh yeah by the way, Elizabeth needs to see you in her office whenever you're able. It's located on the first floor behind the reception desk."
Blaineley nodded as she rested back up on the balcony. "Got it, I'll be there shortly," she replied, Arthur eventually leaving her to herself. She stood some more on the balcony, watching Chris attempt to stumble his way from his stool. It didn't go all that well as he accidentally fell face first into the pool. Safe to say, Blaineley couldn't keep her composure.
/
"You needed to see me?" Blaineley asked after she knocked on the door to her boss's office. Elizabeth was currently skimming through some papers on her desk. She silently pointed at the chair placed across from it, ordering Blaineley to take a seat. Elizabeth walked around towards a nearby filing cabinet and sifted through it for a few seconds.
"Ah, here it is," she said, pulling out a paper booklet and handing it over to Blaineley. "That is a list of all of the game companies we'll be partnering up with as well as each individual virtual landscape we will be utilizing with their IPs. Read through it when you can. It'll help explain a lot of what your contestants will be doing."
Blaineley stared blankly at the booklet, flipping through a few pages. "Good thing I have Sam," she said to herself.
"Speaking of contestants…" Elizabeth continued as she browsed through her computer. "The application process has officially begun. It'll be up to you on how you wanna approach things. You'll need to have your fully finalized cast by the 1st of March so we have at least two weeks to get everything ready."
"That seems to be pushing it a little, don't you think?" Blaineley replied nervously.
Elizabeth didn't seem concerned, she just furrowed her eyebrows at her. "It is what it is," she stated, glancing down at some papers. "I expect you to have a full cast decided by the 1st, no exceptions. If you don't think you can do it, I could always find someone else who can."
Blaineley felt a small lump in her throat. "Oh, that won't be necessary," she replied, trying her best to look determined. "I can promise you that I'll have a full cast of unique characters selected by the 1st of March."
Elizabeth pointed at the booklet. "Don't forget to have that all memorized too," she demanded.
"Yes, of course," Blaineley said, nodding a little nervously.
Elizabeth could sense a bit of Blaineley's worry and it caused her to double down. "We're counting on you, Ms. O'Holloran," she said softly while still locking eyes with her. "We've put a lot of money into this and we do not want it to go to waste. So please, do not disappoint us."
Despite the respectful approach, it was really Elizabeth's stare that made Blaineley feel uneasy again. Regardless, she managed to keep her composure and firmly nodded. "This season will be the most successful season of Total Drama yet," she reassured. "You have my word."
Elizabeth grunted as she turned off her computer. "I certainly expect such," she said, now heading over towards a coat rack. "Last thing I would want is to stifle the career of someone because she couldn't live up to expectations."
Blaineley gulped as she watched her boss put on her jacket. "I see…" she said.
Elizabeth simply opened up her office door and gestured to Blaineley to leave. "Your interns will be here tomorrow to help you out," she informed her. "They'll be staying in rooms on this floor. Right next to where your new office will be."
Blaineley got up from her chair and walked out of Elizabeth's office. "I understand," she said, faking a smile. "I suppose I should get some rest. I have a lot of work to start tomorrow."
"Yep," Elizabeth said pretty stoically as she closed the office door behind them and locked it. "Have a good rest of your evening, Ms. O'Holloran. And remember… do not disappoint us."
Before Blaineley could respond, Elizabeth already made her exit, leaving the woman to stand by the reception desk and think over some things. The gravity of the situation seemed to finally hit her a little. However, her little moment was soon interrupted by the sounds of something falling down the stairs. Blaineley went to go check on it, only to find out it was just a drunk Chris.
"Heeeyy there, Blaine- hrrrrp," the intoxicated man greeted as he laid on the floor dazed. "My, my… don't you look like a Total Drama snack right now. Mmm mmm mmm."
Chris then let out a long belch, much to Blaineley's disgust. "Oh yeah, Missy Holler Man or whatever," he continued to babble. "Can you call me a, uh- hick, like a cab or something… I'm a liiiittle bitty drunk as you can seeeee…"
Blaineley stared down at him with pure disdain. "You really are a complete joke these days," she scolded, swiftly turning around to head back to her suite.
Chris watched her leave while simultaneously trying to pull himself up with the nearby stair railing. "Sheesh, tough crowd," he mumbled, taking a few steps before immediately stumbling down again. "Ow…"
This is the second of three set-up chapters planned. In this one, it's all about showing what goes behind the scenes for a season like this. And as you can guess, the next chapter will be the full cast reveal. To elaborate, this will be a cast of twenty-four OCs from various users of this sight. Once I have apps for all of them, I'll make the final set-up chapter. After that, it's showtime.
Anyways, thanks for reading, stay hydrated and have a good day!