There was never a quiet time at Fantastic Feast Faire. A grand indoor-and-outdoor mall, often called the biggest food court in Canada. Everywhere you looked, restaurants of all types bustled with activity. From opening to closing, seven days a week, those looking for good eats could find and enjoy them.

Two men - a tall, muscular bald man and an average-sized one with gelled hair and stubble - approached the entrance to the park.

"Are you ready?" the shorter man asked.

"Feh. I'm the one in charge this time, remember?" the muscular man scoffed. "I should be the one askin' you that."

"Chef, look," the shorter man said, narrowing his eyes. "I know that the network said for SOME reason that you're the one in charge this time, but I don't like your tone, dude."

"You're about ta' like my tone a lot less if you don't shut up!" Chef yelled. "Things are gonna be a lot different around here this time, Chris, whether you like it or not!"

Chris crossed his arms and looked away, pouting. Chef then then turned to face the camera.

"Alright folks, welcome to the newest season of Total Drama, coming live from the Fantastic Feast Faire! I'm your HOST, Chef Hatchet!" Chef raised his hands in the air, gesturing to the large park behind him. Chris noticeably winced at the mention of host. "Here, twenty new contestants are gonna be participating against each other for the million bucks! They'll have to face dangerous challenges, gross food, and most importantly: each other!"

Chef walked into the park, heading towards the main building, the distinct noise of indistinct chatter around.

"But why get ahead of ourselves?" Chris hyped up. "Why don't we meet our illustrious contestants?"

Chef positioned his arm in front of Chris before stepping in front of him. "I know y'all are excited to meet the fresh meat! N' I think I see one o' them on their way right now!"

A pretty blonde girl in comfortable clothes offered a pleasant smile and wave to the hosts.

"Alex!" Chef introduced.

Alex stood as makeup and hair artists touched her up in a green room. She tried to focus on looking over her script.

"I'm Alexandria Monday! Or at least, that's how some people know me."

We now see Alex going over her lines in a cafe set with some other young actors.

"When most people see my face, I'm Cherry Chamberlain, the perky best friend in their favorite sitcom."

At a real cafe, Alex accepted her coffee cup.

"But here on Total Drama, I'm just going to be plain old Alex. Some might say it's tough being an actress in competitions like this. Who wants to trust someone who pretends to be someone else for a living, right? Haha."

She sat at a seat in the corner.

"That's not the mindset I'm going into this with though. I can make friends just as easily as Cherry can. That part of me is 100% real! Every person is an opportunity, that's what I always say!"

She winked.

"Chris! Chef!" Alex bubbled. "I can't believe we finally get to meet in person."

Chef grunted as Alex shook Chris's hand, then his. "Let's just get one thing straight, a'ight? I'm the one leadin' the charge this time 'round."

"Ooh, fun!" Alex beamed. "Is there somewhere I should go, or am I the first one here, or...?"

"You're the first to arrive," Chris confirmed.

"The others shouldn't be too long. We gave y'all very specific times to show up," Chef mentioned.

Alex checked her watch. "Oop, my bad, I always show up early if I can help it. Maybe some of the others are like that, too?"

"Mm. Looks like Brynleigh is comin' on up," Chef confirmed. A short, smug looking girl wearing a crop top and jeans wandered towards them.

"Brynleigh?" Alex asked.

"I don' name 'em, I just cast 'em," Chef shrugged.

Brynleigh was seated in a large, pink chair. Surrounding her was an equally gaudy room adorned with numerous stuffed animals and posters of pop bands.

"Would I be a good fit for Total Drama?" Brynleigh pondered, tapping her chin. "Pfft, why is that even a question? Of COURSE I would be!"

Brynleigh abruptly stood up from her chair and walked towards the camera.

"I mean just look at me, I'm gorgeous, fun, smart, pretty much perfect in every way. I'm the whole package. Keheheheheh!"

Brynleigh continued cackling, covering her mouth with her hand.

"I bet that the idiots you guys will cast will just be putty in my hands so you may as well give me the million dollars now! Trust me, I don't even need to come in with some big strategy. I could probably just win all the challenges because they'll be SOOOOOO easy! It doesn't hurt that I'm so strong too!"

Brynleigh unsuccessfully tried flexing, revealing virtually no muscle mass whatsoever.

"Yeah check that out, pretty impressive right? I'm more than just a pretty face and an athletic powerhouse though! I'm also super duper smart. I mean I can solve a Rubik's Cube! How many people can say that! I only had to remove a couple of the pieces too. So take THAT!

Brynleigh checked her watch.

"Oops! Almost at the time limit! One more thing! I am really really hoping you guys cast me because—"

"Howdy losers!" Brynleigh waved to Chef, Alex, and Chris. "The winner of the season is standing right in front of you!"

Brynleigh began laughing obnoxiously as the sun caught a particular spot on her head and began reflecting sunlight into Chef's face.

"If you don't move along and stop getting that damn sun in my eyes I'll send you back where you came from!" Chef exclaimed.

"The sun?" Brynleigh asked. "It's not my fault your eyes suck and can't see through the sun or anything!"

Brynleigh walked over to Alex, who looked at the small girl.

"Hi! I'm Alex! Nice to meet you!" Alex said, extending her hand out to Brynleigh. "Brynleigh, was it? That's a very… unique name!"

"Yep, that's my name, don't wear it out!" Brynleigh slapped Alex's hand rather than shaking it. Alex retracted her hand. "Or do, since y'know, I'm so cool and all. I bet you'll want my attention a whole whole lot!"

Alex raised an eyebrow at Brynleigh and shrugged.

"Oh don't be like that!" Brynleigh exclaimed. "Look, I know it's hard being near someone so damn cool but I'll tell ya what. I bet later we'll have some time and I'll show you how to be cool just like me! Alright?"

"That sounds… great," Alex said.

Brynleigh put her hands on her hips triumphantly. She smugly smiled and began giggling to herself.

"See, that's not so bad now is it?" Brynleigh inquired.

"Um, am I here like, early maaaan?" A voice suddenly said from behind Chef and Chris.

Lazarus stood in a fairly busy record store, shirtless, his afro covering half of the screen. The reflection from his sunglasses showing the image of a camera. He throws up a peace sign.

"Greetings Total Drama!" Lazarus said. "I'm Lazarus, or Laz if you wanna man. I am auditioning to be a part of the Total Drama family, man!"

A skinny man with short hair and glasses then walked directly in front of Lazarus's shot.

"Oh hey, Dave!" Lazarus said. "I see you walked in my shot."

Dave's face suddenly went pale and he began backing up from Lazarus.

"Oh my god, so, so, sorry! I didn't mean to I–" Dave began stuttering out.

"Haha, it's no biggie, maaaan," Lazarus said, putting his hand on Dave's shoulder. "Just don't let it happen again man, got it?"

Lazarus's grip on Dave's shoulder noticeably tightened and he began smiling. Dave pulled himself out of his grip and quickly walked away.

"So yeah, uh… where was I?" Lazarus said, putting his hand on his chin. "Oh, yeah! I wanna join the newest season to spread love and joy to the world! Show the world some hippie magic, ya dig? Yeah! A million bucks won't hurt either. But yeah, pick me!"

Chef jumped slightly at this.

"L-Lazarus?" Chef questioned. "You weren't supposed to be here for five more minutes!"

Lazarus scratched the back of his head and laughed.

"Hey, my bad man," Lazarus chuckled. "Sometimes I just do that… y'know, show up early n' stuff. Not the best with like, time, man…"

"Huh," Chef grunted. "Whateva', just head over there with tha other kids. Welcome to the show I guess."

"Got it boss man," Lazarus shot finger guns at Chef and walked towards Alex and Brynleigh.

Alex peered up at the hippie as he walked over.

"I love your hair!" Alex exclaimed. "What's your routine?"

"Oh, uh, nice to meet ya!" Lazarus said. "I dunno, I just like, wash it and stuff."

"Huh, that's it?" Alex said. "I guess some people are just blessed with good genes."

Brynleigh popped up into their conversation.

"Yeah, like me!" She said, crossing her arms. "It's truly a curse sometimes being this cute and funny!"

"I bet," Lazarus said. He walked past Brynleigh and Alex and sat down on the ground, cross-legged.

"What are you doing?" Brynleigh said, poking his face.

"I'm just practicing some of my deep meditation, maaaan," Lazarus said, breathing in deeply. "It helps to calm me and realigns my chakra…"

"What's a chakra?" Brynleigh asked.

"If you have to ask, you'll never know..." Lazarus replied cryptically.

"Am I interrupting something?" a boy in drab clothes asked.

"What the-?! Who the hell are you?!" Brynleigh snapped.

Peter sat down on his living room couch. He took a deep breath, then let out a heavy sigh.

"I think reality TV is absolute brainless drivel," he opened. "It's exploitative, it's disposable, and there's no soul put into making it."

He idly stretched his arms.

"So you're probably wondering why I'm playing in this reality TV show, then," Peter continued. "Easy money. What other reason do you really need?"

Peter paused to think about what else to say.

"Well, hey, from what I hear, shows like this need people who have no idea what they're getting into, right?" he offered. "Maybe my attitude will annoy the audience, but I don't really care. I'm never going to meet them."

Peter stood up, letting out an exhausted grunt as he did so.

"...So yeah, I'm just going to get in, be not-annoying enough to avoid getting eliminated, win, and get out. How hard could that really be?"

"Peter! You know damn well you were interruptin' somethin'!" Chef called out.

"Yeah, but you told me I had to say something to let everyone know I was here," Peter stated. "Or maybe that was someone else. I dunno. Either way."

"Peter, right? I'm Alex; nice to meet you," Alex greeted warmly.

"Whatever," Peter dismissed as he walked past the others. "I'll worry about meet and greets once I know who's on my team. This show has teams, right?"

"Ooooh, look at Mr. Tall-Dark-and-NOT-Handsome over here!" Brynleigh mocked. "He's so cool, acting like he doesn't care and stuff. I bet he's swimming in it back home."

Peter didn't respond, simply choosing to look around the surrounding area.

"Hey! Don't ignore me! I'm making fun of you!" Brynleigh shouted.

"I heard you," Peter responded. "Make fun of someone who cares, kid."

"Uggggh!" Brynleigh stomped her foot in frustration.

"To achieve such zen in the face of such unfamiliarity... Right on, man," Lazarus commented.

"Well, I guess not everyone's going to open up right away, but that's fine," Alex smiled. "There are plenty more new faces to meet, right hosts?"

"Yeah, if they'll show up on time!" Chef seethed as he glanced at his watch.

"Hosting a show isn't so easy, huh?" Chris commented.

"Quiet, you! I do not control the speed at which these losers show up!" Chef retaliated.

"No, but you know what you CAN control?" a tubby boy holding a notepad beamed. "The severity of your arthritis! They're working on a nanoparticle technology that's worked on rats, you know!"

"Urrrggghhh... Thank you, Toby," Chef grunted.

Toby sat in a big swiveling office chair in his school's newspaper club room.

"The world's so full of negativity these days," Toby claimed. "It's like, everywhere you turn, you hear about some kind of awful tragedy, or a beloved celebrity dying, or just some jerk online who wants to make the world worse off."

He tipped his hat and flashed a big grin. "But not me! As a journalist, it's my duty to make sure the world gets the whole story! So I'm balancing it all out by only sharing good news with the world! Did you know that at least five people have gone on record as being cured of HIV? See, we're always making progress, no matter what you might hear!"

We now see Toby outside the school, trying to hand out copies of his newspaper.

"Extra, extra! A project in Scotland is seeing the reintroduction of an endangered wildcat species into nature!" he called out.

Most of his classmates ignore him. One girl takes a paper with a look of pity on her face.

"I guess some people have told me my constant positivity can be a little bit much," Toby admitted. "But hey, if so many people are allowed to bring the mood down when they hear bad news, then I won't apologize for doing the world some good!"

He put his hands on his hips proudly.

"Someone's got to keep things from getting too heavy, and I'm willing to take on that role!" Toby declared.

"Wait, they've really got a cure for arthritis?" Chris asked curiously. "Er, because my uh... My grandma. She really suffers from that stuff. Totally messes her up at inopportune moments... my grandma's arthritis does."

"Well, they're working on it. I hope your grandma gets to use that cure firsthand!" Toby encouraged.

"Oh yeah? I hope it gets WORSE!" Brynleigh laughed.

"Why would you say something like that?" Alex winced.

Brynleigh simply stuck her tongue out at Alex.

Toby walked up to Alex. "Hey, I'm sure you get this a lot, but-"

"I am the real Alexandria Monday, yeah," Alex admitted. "I don't want to make a big deal of it, though."

"How could it not be a big deal?!" Toby geeked out. "Your show is living proof that the three-camera sitcom can still warm hearts and make people laugh the world over! I've never missed an episode!"

"Wait, you're on TV?" Lazarus asked.

"We're all on TV right now, she's hardly special," Brynleigh scoffed.

"Exactly," Alex agreed. She put a hand on Toby's shoulder. "Your enthusiasm is flattering, but I'm here as a contestant, just like everyone else. I'd rather not have anyone treat me differently, you know?"

"I'll try my best! If anyone supports equality for all people, it's this guy!" Toby saluted.

"That kinda optimism isn't gonna work in the real world, kid," A redheaded girl in a suit and tie said, walking up to the others.

"Ah, Sawyer, here so soon?" Chris crossed his arms. "A little early, maybe, but y'know. What do I know?"

"Oh can it Chris!" Chef rebutted. "It ain't my fault these damn kids keep showin' up early!"

"Punctuality is key," Sawyer said, adjusting her tie. "Never arrive anywhere without it."

Sawyer sat down in a cafe. Coffee in hand, she sets down a comical number of cell phones, all of which begin ringing. She picked one up and answered it.

"You got two seconds," Sawyer said, and not even a second later hung up. She picked up another phone.

"Reynolds, I don't care if you need Thanksgiving off to see your family," Sawyer scolded, taking a sip of her coffee. "Look, I'm in a meeting. We'll talk about this in your performance review."

Sawyer hung up another phone and sighed. Taking another sip of coffee, she addressed the camera.

"The business world is tough, you gotta be cutthroat to survive here," Sawyer said. "It's why I've won the Junior Business Executive Award three years running, because I have that killer edge–oh, hold on."

Sawyer grabbed one of her many phones and answered it, clearly irritated.

"Look, I don't CARE if you already bought tickets!" Sawyer growled. "You are shirking your work, and that makes us look bad. Do better! You not having enough time for your family is NOT my problem. If you don't like it, look elsewhere!"

Sawyer paused momentarily as the voice over the phone grew louder. She gripped her coffee a little too hard and poked a hole in the cup, sending coffee into her lap.

"Ack! Now look at what you made me do!" Sawyer yelled, standing up suddenly, causing other people in the cafe to look with concern. "I'll be sure to let my father know about your insubordination, Reynolds. You'll regret crossing me."

Sawyer hung up angrily, she then checked her watch.

"Shit, that's all the time I scheduled for my audition for Total Drama, and I'm booked for the next six months," Sawyer sighed. "Oh well, I'll make it in anyway."

"Hey, what do you mean optimism won't get me far?" Toby whined. "If I don't keep reporting the good news, then people will be all depressed! And nobody wants that!"

"Don't care," Sawyer rolled her eyes.

"Wow, you're so cool!" Brynleigh mocked. "I bet you are really fun and interesting and definitely not a total bummer and stuff!"

"Well Brynleigh, that's just not nice," Alex frowned. "I bet our new castmate here is actually quite friendly under all that!"

"You'll probably never find out," Sawyer said.

"And why's that?" Alex replied. "I know it's hard to let people in, but it's healthy to let people know the real you!"

"This is the real me," Sawyer droned. She flicked some hair out of her eyes. "And the real me has something you clearly don't: Experience. Expertise. Exceptionally enormous efficiency." She took a cell phone from her pocket and held it to her ear. "Yes? What is it?"

"Hey! We told ya no phones!" Chef berated.

"Relax, it's dead." Sawyer tossed the phone to Chris, who struggled to catch it. "Just a prop to prove a point. Always come prepared. What was I saying?"

"That the real you doesn't believe in optimism?" Lazarus suggested.

"Right, that," Sawyer said dismissively. "What's the point in deluding yourself into hoping good things might happen when you can go hands-on and make things happen? That's why I'm where I am in my life, and... you are where you are." She punctuated her last point with a pitying smile.

"Well, not everyone needs to fall under the same idea of success in order to be happy," Toby huffed.

"You keep telling yourself that, kiddo," Sawyer responded.

"Oh my gosh! Hi, Total Drama!"

The others turned to see a girl wearing a polka-dot blouse and go-go boots run up to them with a girly stride.

Dede sat at the bar in a retro soda shop, sipping from a milkshake.

"What's crackin', daddy-os?!" she waved excitedly. "I'm Dede! Some people might call me old-fashioned, but hey, old-school became a school for a reason! I'm just someone who appreciates the things people might have forgotten!"

She loudly slurped the last of her drink.

"Not everyone understands me, but hey, that just means that when I do find that person, it'll be even more amazing!" She swooned. "Can you imagine it? Going on Total Drama and finally meeting the love of your life? I'm so buggin' out!"

She clapped herself on the face.

"I've got to focus, though! I'm a romantic at heart, but Total Drama isn't all copacetic! It's a tough game where you need to navigate the do's and don'ts of it all." She took another sip of her milkshake. "I may be kind of a space cadet sometimes, but I'm not dumb. I know how to separate emotions from what's good in the game. It's just a matter of actually doing it, that's all."

"Are you almost finished?" the man behind the counter asked.

Dede blushed heavily and covered her mouth with her hands. "Yes sir! Almost done! Anything for you!"

"I'm so excited to be here!" Dede exclaimed. "Oh my gosh, Chris! And Chef! And… everyone else!"

"That's us, we're everyone else!" Toby smiled.

"You are!" Dede continued.

"Ladies n' gentlemen," Chef pointed at the new girl. "This is Dede. That's 'bout all I got."

Dede waved and grinned at the other contestants.

"Pleased to meet you, Dede!" Alex said as Dede joined the others. "I'm Alex!"

Dede began to turn slightly red as Alex talked to her.

"Nice to meet you!" Dede greeted, sticking her hand out. Alex returned the handshake. "Sorry, um, my hands are a little bit sweaty. It just happens!"

"Oh um, it's no problem," Alex assured, wiping her hand on her pants.

"Sweaty palms may be the sign of nervousness," Lazarus said. "Particularly around people one finds… exciting."

"Now what would give you THAT idea?" Dede said, as she began to laugh uncomfortably. "It's not like that at all!"

"I simply call it as the universe sees it," Lazarus shrugged.

"Oh don't listen to him, he's just full of crap!" Brynleigh yelled. "All he says is a bunch of crap!"

"Oh, is it?" Lazarus said. "Well that's too bad, sorry that you feel that way."

"Classic guilt tripping, putting the onus on the other person's feelings instead of your own inane bullshit you're talking about," Peter said. "I'd expect it from someone like you."

"Yeah it's uh, just a bunch of nothing!" Dede said. "It was just the excitement of being on Total Drama! This is super cool!"

"Yeah!" Toby cheered. "It's really good news for us! Makes you smile a little bit!"

"Good news you say?" A booming voice called out.

"Yeah!" Toby reiterated. "Good new–OH CRAP!"

A large, buff man clad exclusively in pink and a large scar slashed across his eye walked towards the others.

"What?" The man said. "Ya never seen a man dressed in pink before? You got a problem with that?!"

"Well I fa' one thing pink is your color, Pavel," Chef addressed the large man. "Glad t' see ya made it and ON TIME."

"Well I sorta had to be!" Pavel laughed. "Since all the restrictions put on me make me have to be punctual, I'm just kinda used to it now!"

"What do you mean by 'restrictions'?" Sawyer said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh that's not relevant," Pavel said, waving his hand. "What IS important is that I'm here and ready to play!"

Pavel is seen leaning against a concrete wall lined with various graffiti. The loud hustle and bustle of cars and people alike all around him.

"Livin' life in the big city ain't easy, man," Pavel said. "It's unforgiving, ruthless, and unfair. I think that my time livin' out here in the streets is what shaped me into the man I am today."

Pavel nodded as a few guys in hoodies walked by and they returned the nod.

"Out here you're livin' one foot in the grave, and the other on a banana peel. Ya feel me?" Pavel continued. "But… I got out."

The camera cuts to Pavel standing in a small, pink room whose walls were completely covered in motivational posters.

"You know what's great about the past? It's already over! When the worst is behind you, all you can do is go up from there! And you'd better believe I'm goin' up!"

Pavel walked over and sat down on a weight bench, picking up the 50 lb weights next to it.

"Mistakes were made, but now I gotta make myself the best version of myself I gotta be," Pavel said, as he began to curl the weights. "There's no time like the present! It's what life is all about, man. And Total Drama seems like another challenge in my life that I can overcome! Pick me, and you'll see what true greatness I can aspire to be. Trust."

"How is that not relevant?" Sawyer inquired. "I for one wanna know the type of ilk we're playing with here."

"Why'd you phrase it like that?" Pavel's voice began to raise. "I think you and I are gonna have a problem if you don't watch yourself!"

"Guys, guys!" Lazarus pushed in between the two. "You're throwing the vibes off… that's gonna be no good for anybody."

"Pfft," Sawyer exhaled, unwrapping a lollipop and sticking it in her mouth. "Whatever. Just know that one misstep and your ass is as good as terminated."

"I ain't scared of some stiff suit," Pavel grunted. "I've seen scarier things at my family reunions."

"Oooh we got drama now…" Chris muttered to himself as he rubbed his hands together.

"Oh just ignore her," Dede said. "Someone like you shouldn't have to deal with weirdos like her… I think."

"I'm used to it," Pavel said flatly as he joined the others. He stood next to Toby, who was shaking slightly.

"Man, I bet that guy is really scary, he might KILL you!" Brynleigh whispered into Toby's ear.

"S-surely not!" Toby exclaimed. "They wouldn't let some killer on this show, right?"

Chef and Chris shrugged in unison. Toby gulped.

"Man, I ain't a freakin' killer!" Pavel yelled. "Where the hell would you get some dumbass idea like that?!"

"I uh, I um, I'm not sure," Toby stammered, shrinking.

Pavel blinked and stood upright.

"Crap," Pavel said suddenly. "Um, my bad. I didn't realize I was scarin' you so much! Trust me, my man. There's nothing to worry about from me. I swear."

Pavel put his hand on Toby's shoulder and smiled. Toby looked at Pavel's hand and smiled back, nervously. As this happened, a limo pulled up to the street which drew the attention of the entire cast. An old man in a butler's suit got out of the driver's door and opened up the door at the back of the limo. He then set down his coat on a puddle on the side of the road.

"Ms. Veronica," The butler said, gesturing.

"Oh, Mortimer, I told you that isn't necessary…" Veronica muttered as she got out of the limo. She shook her head as she stood on the butler's jacket. Mortimer then immediately took her hand to lead her along.

"Oh no, Ms. Veronica, I insist. Your parents were very specific in their orders for me," Mortimer explained. "Not a single inconvenience for their dearest princess."

Veronica sighed loudly and rolled her eyes.

Veronica is seen sitting in a vast ballroom area, ornately detailed and adorned with gaudy, old age decor. She sat in a large, fluffy chair.

"Hello, I am Veronica Adelheid Remi Gaspard. Heiress to the Gaspard Family fortune. A very, very prestigious title as I'm sure you're all aware. But like, it isn't all fun and games…"

Veronica stood up from the chair and began wandering around the ballroom aimlessly.

"For instance, the perception everyone has of me is that I'm some prissy, helpless princess that can't do anything for herself… and they're right! Hmph!"

Veronica stomped her foot angrily and crossed her arms.

"But no longer! I will go on Total Drama to prove to the world that I, Veronica Adelheid Remi Gaspard, AM a strong, independent woman!"

Veronica scratched her head, seemingly deep in thought.

"I guess the hardest part will be getting the hang of… "doing things myself". I'm not really used to being out on my own, but hopefully my team will be very understanding of my personal journey and simply exempt me from being booted early. That's a good idea to me!"

Suddenly, a butler barged into the room.

"Ms. Veronica," The butler began. "Your parents have gotten word of your little 'exploit' that you wish to partake in. They strictly forbid it."

"Watch me!" Veronica said, covering her mouth to laugh. "Ohohohoho! I have money and resources as well, and I will use them to get on the show and prove I am above using my money and resources to get everything I want!"

"Well, Ms. Veronica, I wish you the best of luck," The butler said. "Whatever you want, you should have. You are the heiress to the Gaspard Family fortune after all…"

"Yes, exactly!" Veronica said, before realizing her actions. "Huh, this is exactly what I'm trying to avoid isn't it… gosh, being independent is difficult! All this is making me thirsty."

"Would you like a refreshing beverage?" The butler said, suddenly holding a bottle of Perrier.

Veronica sighed and took the bottle.

"Wow, how does it feel knowing you didn't show up in the most out-of-place expensive outfit?" Brynleigh snickered to Sawyer.

"Don't care. A suit is practical for all situations," Sawyer claimed, taking her lollipop out of her mouth and holding it between her fingers. "This kid playing dress-up won't last long enough to be a factor. I'd stake money on it."

"Oh, and that's where you're wrong!" Veronica proclaimed, stumbling over her medium-heeled shoes as she marched up to the two. "My parents may want to keep me in a perfect sheltered bubble, but I say no! I'm going to make mistakes and learn from them if it's the last thing I do!"

"Is that why he's still lurking?" Peter pointed to Mortimer, failing to blend into the crowd.

"Oh my-! Mortimer! You can go now!" Veronica cried.

Mortimer backed away, never breaking eye contact with her until he disappeared in the sea of people.

"Hey now, I get that the grass is always greener, but that's no reason to get upset," Pavel said, clapping Veronica on the shoulder. "It's important to appreciate the people who truly care for you."

"Oh, my parents care for me alright. Like a collector cares for a fragile china doll, never letting it out of its display case!" Veronica huffed. "Well, I am no longer that china doll! Veronica Adelheid Remi Gaspard will make a name for herself, as a competitor in Total Drama!"

"Well, I believe in you," Alex encouraged.

"I believe in her, too," Brynleigh smiled sweetly. "I believe in her to FLOP and FAIL and EMBARRASS herself!"

"It wouldn't be Total Drama if you all didn't do that at least once," Chris offered.

"Clearly, you don't know me very well," Sawyer snorted.

"And with any luck, it'll stay that way," Brynleigh snickered.

"Hey, come on, let's move out of fightsville for a second," Dede suggested. "I think all of us are pretty nifty in our own ways."

"The fact that you call anything 'nifty' makes your opinion worthless," Brynleigh sneered.

"How come?" Dede asked.

"Because nobody has said that word in decades!" Brynleigh mocked.

"But... I just did?" Dede responded.

"You don't count," Brynleigh countered.

"Why not?" Dede frowned.

"Because... Because you just don't, okay?!" Brynleigh shouted.

...

"Well, THAT just happened!" Chris sneered. "Anyway, it's time for the nex–"

Chef shoved Chris to the side.

"How many time do I have ta' tell you, I'm in charge McLean!" Chef screamed.

"Owww! Chef!" Chris whined as he picked himself off the ground. "Why would you do that!"

"Our next contestant is here!" Chef continued, ignoring Chris. "Uh, it just says 'panic' on here, we sure that's right?"

"Aw dang, I don't like panicking," Toby sighed.

An extremely small goth wearing all black except for a purple and black plaid skirt walked out.

"Yeah, that's right," The goth said, crossing their arms. "It's Panic, like you'd understand. Just another part of the entertainment industry complex."

"Huh, yeah?" Chef said. "Wha' about it?"

"Well people like you are what's wrong with society," Panic grumbled.

Panic sat at a piano and pressed down on a key. They let the note linger as they gazed down upon the key.

"What is... humanity?" Panic asked nobody in particular. "Who decides what's 'normal'? What's 'ordinary'?"

They played a dramatic chord, gazing wistfully at the wall as they let it linger.

"We all blindly follow this abstract concept of what's expected. But why?!"

They punctuated their point with another dramatic chord.

"Are we going to allow our corporate overlords to force us into bland complacency?! I don't think so!"

They slam down their hands on the piano, making a hideous noise.

"We must rise up, everyone! Tell the man that we don't want lives of endless mediocrity! We desire MORE!" Panic yelled. "The only way we can make this happen is action!"

Panic hopped off the bench and began dramatically pacing back and forth.

"Now, you may be asking: Panic, why on earth are you deciding to degrade yourself by participating in some ghastly reality TV program? Well, the answer is simple, really. The reason I'm wanting to go on Total Drama is that the revolution isn't able to happen without some sort of funding."

Panic walked up to a large mural of photos of punk and gothic bands and venues and looked dramatically at them. They then looked directly at the camera.

"Unfortunately in this capitalist hellscape we live in, nothing can be done for free, so I gotta find a way to kickstart this! My band and our fanbase need this, so I will do what needs to be done, and win. For all of us."

Panic smirked.

"Excuse me?" Chef said, putting his hands on his hips. "I ain' that bad!"

"Oh, ignore the contestants Chef," Chris put his hand on Chef's back. "The sooner you realize that their opinions on you are irrelevant, the easier it'll be to torture them!"

"Yeah!" Toby agreed, before realizing what Chris said. "Hey, wait a minute!"

"Unsurprising that our gracious hosts would treat us like lab rats," Panic said, rolling their eyes. "They do this to line the CEOs pockets with money so they can keep a job. We're the sacrificial lambs."

"Sounds like the CEOs are smart to me," Sawyer retorted. "It's not their fault you don't have the same drive to succeed that they do."

"Oh yeah?" Panic raised an eyebrow. "I have a strong desire to see the downfall of these scumbags that call themselves moguls! Down with big corpo!"

"You'll make it nowhere with that snotty attitude," Sawyer laughed. "That's loser behavior, frankly. If you were my employee you'd be gone by now. Yes, already."

"Jeez, everyone's so.. spiky!" Dede whispered to Alex.

"I know, right?" Alex sighed.

"The vibes are… off," Lazarus said loudly. "You two would do well to, as they say, take a chill pill."

Panic glared at Lazarus.

"I'll have time to be chill when the world is a better place!" Panic exclaimed. "So much needs to be done and in so little time!"

"Right on," Pavel agreed.

"I'm surprised someone like you would agree with me," Panic said. "You don't seem like the type to involve yourself in this type of stuff."

"Well I look at it like the best change in the world is what you can do on the inside!" Pavel smiled. "So in that sense, there is so much that needs done in so little time!"

"Ah, self help junkie," Panic disappointedly replied. "Should've figured."

"Well what's that supposed to mean?" Pavel replied, raising his voice slightly.

"I think it means that you SUCK and your ideals are dumb as hell!" Brynleigh laughed obnoxiously as Pavel's hands balled into fists.

"Oh my gosh, hi everyone!" A heavy set, short black girl wearing a neon pink shirt with hearts all over it screamed as she ran in the front gates towards the cast. "I'm so excited to be here with you all! It's Chris and Chef! I can't wait!"

"What I THINK you meant to say was Chef and Chris!" Chef exclaimed. "I'm running the show this year!"

"Oh that's cool!" The girl said. "A neat little role reversal! Anyway, HI GUYS! I'm Sunshine Love, real name by the way!"

"I knew that!" Chef said. "I just… didn't get the chance ta' say anything yet."

Sunshine stood in front of a row of lockers. One locker in particular was adorned in hearts and smiley faces. She clasped her hands together and began smiling.

"Hiiiii! I'm Sunshine Love and I'm auditioning for Total Drama!" She waved excitedly to the camera. "I always love the chance to do new things and meet new people, so this is right up my alley!"

Sunshine opened up her locker, which was similarly littered with hearts and smiley faces, as well as inspirational quotes. She grabbed her backpack from the locker and slung it on her shoulder. Sunshine began walking down the hallway, waving at every single person who came past her.

"Not to say that I'm the one everyone's rooting for, but I wanna be there to help make people's day better and have them enjoy their time there! In the end, we're all just there for the experience of a lifetime and who doesn't love that?"

Sunshine is then sitting in a cafeteria next to a few people who seem to be talking amongst themselves.

"If there's one thing I wanna gain out of this show, it's friends that can extend to outside the show. Who know, maybe I find my BFF on Total Drama?! How cool would that be? Right, guys?"

The various people sitting around Sunshine seemed to halfheartedly smile and go back to their own conversations.

"See? I can't wait! Anyway, this is going on too long probably but all I have to say is Total Drama, I am ready for the challenge!"

Sunshine smiled into the camera.

"Oh of course you did, Chef!" Sunshine said. "I believe you, I imagine hosting is a hard job so don't beat yourself up about making mistakes!"

"Well when ya put it like that…" Chef smiled. "Thanks, kid!"

"Going soft already?" Chris snickered. "You'll never last as host like thaaaat."

Chef cracked his knuckles. Chris reactively took a couple steps back.

"There's nothing wrong with making mistakes! I imagine you've made your fair share of yours too, Chris!" Sunshine put a hand on Chris's shoulder, which he immediately shrugged off.

"None that I'll admit to," Chris muttered. He adjusted his shirt and put on his hosting voice. "Anyway, go join your castmates or… whatever."

"Okay!" Sunshine skipped over to the cast. "Hiiii everyone! I'm so glad to be here with you guys, I hope we all can be good friends!"

"Oh barf," Panic said.

"I see we can agree on one thing at least," Sawyer said, massaging her temple.

Alex rolled her eyes at the two.

"Oh come on guys, would it kill ya to be a little positive?" Alex sighed.

"Maybe," Sawyer said flatly.

"It's fine!" Sunshine laughed. "'I'm used to people who act aloof and don't want to be friends with me! But don't worry, they'll come around. They always do. Always."

"Ah, the energies of a person who truly knows who they are," Lazarus said. "I respect it."

"Thanks, friend!" Sunshine said, giving him a hug. Lazarus's eyebrows go up as he exhales loudly.

"This… energy… is a bit much," Lazarus choked out. Sunshine put Lazarus down.

"Oh, sorry," Sunshine giggled. "I love hard, what can I say!"

"I can certainly tell that," Lazarus angrily replied, adjusting his sunglasses.

"What is this, the fourth or fifth weirdo obsessed with friendship and positivity?!" Brynleigh stomped her foot. "Is the casting team trying to make some shitty, uninspiring TV or something?

"Well I don't think that's true at all!" Sunshine said. "I mean who doesn't like seeing villains on TV open up their hearts?"

"That's just stupid bullshit," Peter interjected. "It's a reality tv show, there's no objective hero or villain. We're all here for money."

"Maybe some of us are here for other things," Sunshine furrowed her brow. "Even if you aren't."

Peter frowned and walked off.

"What's up with that guy?" Sunshine asked.

"Who knows, he's probably just some jerk," Dede replied, a little too fast.

Sunshine nodded her head in agreement. Dede blushed.

"Total Drama, I presume?" a distinct voice inquired.

"Huh? Oh yeah, this is... is..." Dede blushed even harder as she turned her attention to the latest to join the group.

Before everyone stood a tall, athletic man with long, well-kept hair, a short beard, and an expensive-looking sweater which bore an indecipherable logo on its breast. Dede, Alex, Veronica, and Sunshine all grew flustered as he approached. Even Brynleigh's cheeks turned pink, and she coughed loudly, trying to play it off.

"Ichabod! Here on the dot, I see," Chef remarked as he checked his watch.

"Don't brag on my behalf. My punctuality, among other things, speaks for itself," Ichabod brushed off.

Ichabod walked past a decorated trophy case in a living room decorated with mahogany furniture and large paintings.

"Anyone who claims that success is something that isn't fairly earned simply isn't trying hard enough," Ichabod claimed. "From birth, my parents have never given me anything for free. Since I was a young child, I had to do chores to earn my meals, among other examples. As I grow older, my increased oeuvre of abilities has only expanded my opportunities."

Ichabod tapped the glass of the trophy case, drawing attention to a particular plaque.

"As student council president, I have developed, honed, and put into practice the skills that will lead to a fruitful life," he continued. "Organization. Order. Never accepting excuses of any sort. Never showing weakness of any sort."

We now see Ichabod standing in front of a fancy private school, admiring the statue of its founder.

"I, too, will be someone worthy of having a statue erected in his honor someday," Ichabod proclaimed.

"I'll build you one!" a girl squealed.

"I'll build you two!" another girl interjected.

"Who needs a statue? You're already a Greek god!" a third girl drooled.

"My heritage does not come anywhere close to the Mediterranean," Ichabod corrected. He turned to the other two girls. "Provide me a prior example of your handiwork, as well as a ten-page essay on why you will be undertaking such a task as building a statue. Truly convince me."

Ichabod gazed into the sunrise.

"For my journey... is only just beginning," he said dramatically.

"Marry me!" the second girl pleaded.

"No," Ichabod declined coldly.

"Pfffft! Your parents unironically named you Icky-bod?!" Brynleigh laughed nervously. "And you're still going by that on purpose? Are you that ignorant, or just stupid?"

"H-Hey, he is very clearly neither!" Dede laughed nervously. "I'm Dede, by the way."

She offered a clammy hand for him to shake. Ichabod took one look at it and walked past her, towards Chef.

"When, precisely, will the game proper begin?" he inquired.

"When the rest of the players get here and we explain what's goin' on, ya impatient-ass punk!" Chef scolded.

"Impatient? I'd think not," Ichabod denied. "If I was impatient, I wouldn't have signed up for an exploitative reality show."

"So why did you sign up then, hotshot?" Sawyer teased.

"To better yourself by expanding your horizons?" Pavel guessed.

"Because the class treasurer I assigned embezzled school funds, and I'm taking responsibility by paying back her debts and then some," Ichabod explained.

"See? Money," Peter reiterated to Sunshine.

"Well, I, for one, appreciate the maturity in stepping in to fix someone else's mistake," Alex winked.

"Assigning the treasurer was my mistake," Ichabod claimed. "But that's beside the point. Whose team am I on?"

"Mine!" Dede blurted. "Uh, I mean, I hope you're on mine. B-Because you seem... you know... strong and... dependable... and strong..."

"We don't know who's on what team yet," Toby clarified.

"But no matter whose team I'm on, I just know we're going to be the best of friends!" Sunshine clapped.

"Hey, I'm happy to spread the love wherever it may lead me," Lazarus claimed.

"Don't worry. If I'm on a team with either of them, I'll vote them off," Panic murmured to Ichabod.

"I'm sure you will," Ichabod dismissed.

A lanky individual, seemingly appearing from nowhere, clapped their hands together and bowed their head. "Syo drec zuinhao pa vniedvim, so cdnikkmac pa vaf, yht druca E saad ymuhk dra fyo kad ymuhk fedr uha yhudran."

"I beg your pardon?" Veronica reacted.

"Oh, that's a prayer of prosperity in Gallereaux," the other person explained. "Just to help me ease my nerves. I'm Flick, by the way. They/them."

In the middle of a forest, Flick hung upside-down from a sturdy branch by their legs.

"What does it take to succeed in this world?" Flick pondered rhetorically. "Money? Power? Sheer gumption?"

Flick fell from the branch, landed on their hands, and cartwheeled onto their feet.

"It's hard to say. But I've been to another world, and I know what it took there," Flick continued.

Pictures of Flick lying on a hospital bed appear in succession.

"When I was ten years old, I was hit by a truck and rendered comatose," Flick explained. "While my earthly body remained in a state of flux, my very soul was taken to the fantastical world of Gallereaux. With nowhere to go and nobody on my side, I had to adapt and pick up whatever skills it took. So sure, I can beat someone in a fight, or pass an obstacle course with no issue. But the most important skill is people skills."

Flick stretched their arms, cracking their joints.

"I defended the capital of Hutchardson from the fell demon king Moslov, and married the Duke Hutchardson. Lovely person, but their family had so much beef with other noble families. Not to mention the territories outside the countryship of Burloyd. Don't even get me started." Flick shook their head. "The point is, I've got the brawn and the social smarts to kick butt out there. Nobody will see it coming, but this wizard of Gallereaux can work their magic on this season.

"Wait, you guys actually cast more than one nonbinary person?" Panic disbelievingly asked Chef and Chris.

"We here on Total Drama are equal-opportunity torture enthusiasts, brah," Chris responded.

"Ah, a fellow soul who rebukes the yoke of gender identity," Flick smiled, shaking Panic's hands. "It's lovely to meet you, dear..." They trailed off, hoping for a name.

"Panic," they introduced. "And it's not that I'm denying gender altogether. It's that mine doesn't fit the conventional mold. Don't get it mixed up."

"This is great!" Toby enthused. "Little by little, every day the world is becoming a more open, accepting place for people of all creeds!"

"So, wait, where did you say you were from? Galleria?" Dede asked.

"Oh, well, I'm from Saskatchewan. But I've spent many years in Gallereaux," Flick clarified.

"What's it like there?" Alex wondered.

"Oh, it's a magical place. Quite literally," Flick waxed. "But I won't bore you with the details. At least not right out of the gate."

"Good, because anyone who acts like traveling makes them an interesting or complex person is clearly compensating for something," Brynleigh snickered.

"Can you let one person introduce themselves without making some kind of snide comment?" Pavel glowered.

"Maybe if someone shows up who's worth it," Brynleigh shrugged. "But sure, let your fragile masculinity drive you to feel intimidated by a small, harmless girl. That'll definitely make you look cool."

"Excuse me?!" Pavel seethed.

"Whoa, whoa, what does the Tome of Awageam say about causing unnecessary conflict?" Flick asked, stepping between them.

"The What of What?" Pavel asked.

"Sounds NERDY and DUMB!" Brynleigh accused.

"...Right, they don't have that here," Flick remembered. "The, uh, my point I was trying to make was, uh... don't. Don't do that."

"Uh, hi there," A nerdy looking guy with a sweater vest and a bow-tie walked up and waved awkwardly to the cast.

"Ah, it's Orson," Chef said, shuffling through cue cards. "He is… a guy, I guess!"

"That's all you guys have?" Orson looked at the ground, disappointedly.

Orson was seen sitting at a desk in a rather average looking bedroom.

"Hi, I'm Orson," he said, smiling at the camera. "I'm applying to be on Total Drama for the following reasons."

Orson paused and scratched his chin, ponderously.

"I think that Total Drama is the perfect test to truly get to be able to break out of my shell!" Orson continued. "I know you guys are always looking for big personalities, but maybe a work in progress like myself can be a unique type of character out there!"

His smile faded and he sighed.

"Y'know, it's just that in my day to day life, I'm kind of a nothing!" Orson exclaimed. "Just your average joe, nothing special about me. I wanna find my true self out there on Total Drama! I've thought about this for a long time, since the show was airing initially actually!"

Orson stood up from his chair suddenly.

"They say that you show who you truly are in times of stress, so I think it's time I leave my comfortable life and show the world who the real Orson Rogers is!"

"Yep, sorry to tell ya Orson!" Chris laughed. "Guess our interns just didn't think you were interesting enough!"

"Dang," Orson sighed.

"Aw, don't worry!" Sunshine said, putting a hand on Orson's shoulder. "I'm sure you've got plenty of interesting things about you that those guys don't even know!"

"Yeah, I guess so," Orson said. "I could always tell you guys about my rock collection or my postage stamp collection!"

Sunshine nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, rocks and stamps, very exciting topics," Peter crossed his arms.

"I'm sure some people find it interesting somewhere!" Sunshine defended.

"Sounds like you think it's boring as shit too!" Brynleigh laughed.

"I didn't say that!" Sunshine stammered. "I-I just said that there's probably people out there that are fans of that… is all!"

"Gee, thanks," Orson said.

Orson walked off towards the ground, standing next to Sawyer and Lazarus.

"You seem a bit perturbed," Lazarus looked at Orson. "Are you perhaps… a bit anxious?"

"Yeah, you could say that," Orson said. "I'm not used to being around so much excitement at once."

"Well kid, you're gonna have to adjust fast," Sawyer unwrapped another lollipop and stuck it in her mouth. "Because you'll be fodder if you don't."

"That's not very reassuring at all," Orson replied. "Do I really give off the 'early boot' vibes?"

"I'm not here to be reassuring," Sawyer droned. "I'm just calling it as I see it. Points for being the only person here to show up even remotely well dressed, though. Bowties are inferior to neckties, but still."

"Well my mom always told me to make a good first impression you needed to dress to impress," Orson smiled. "So I like to pride myself on my sharp dressing style."

"Smart," Sawyer nodded.

"Um, is nobody going to dispute that I am also well-dressed?!" Veronica seethed.

"I thought you were here to become more proactive," Alex said apologetically.

"Oh, right," Veronica remembered. "In that case-"

"Hello, Total Drama!" a deep, scratchy voice shouted boisterously. "Who's ready to play?!"

A boy with dyed-blond dreads, a red pleather vest, and combat boots pumped his fist as he approached the group.

A garage band stood ready to start playing. The aforementioned boy, on drums, clacked his sticks together in time.

"One two three four!" Remi shouted.

"Dear Mom and Dad I'm doing fine/You guys are on my mind!" the singer began as the band played along with him.

As the music plays on in the background, the tape cuts to Remi sitting on a camp chair in the garage, one arm over one knee.

"I'm Remi," he introduced. "And when it comes to the things I love, it's all or nothing, baby! And I'm fresh outta nothing."

The tape briefly cuts to Remi performing an exorbitant drum solo, then back to him on the chair.

"When people come to see my band, The Crotch Episode, everyone always assumes I'm the vocalist until I get behind my drum set," Remi boasted. "Hey, if the rest of the band doesn't want to go all-in on their rock n' roll fashion, then that's their prerogative. People call me extra, call me over-the-top. Damn right, I am! Wouldn't have it any other way!"

The tape cuts briefly to Remi tossing water bottles to his bandmates after practice.

"But here's the thing: keeping rock alive isn't my only passion in this world."

The tape now cuts to Remi on his couch, watching Total Drama.

"I'm a massive fan of this show. Seen every season half a dozen times or more," Remi claimed. "And I do think that's gonna help me out. Nowadays, everyone expects you to be smart, be on top of all the strategy. I've never been a straight-A kid, but I at least know what I'm doing more than people are gonna think. I'll keep it on the down low, at least until it's too late and I've already made my moves, baby."

The tape finally cuts to Remi screaming "Yeahhhhhhhh!" before slamming his head into his crash cymbal.

"I-I'm ready to play!" Orson answered.

"That's what I like to hear, dawg!" Remi whooped as he squeezed his arm around Orson's neck, choking him slightly.

"I have never attended an event for which I was not ready," Ichabod claimed. "Barring the events which turned out to be girls asking me out while pretending to invite me to a fundraising affair."

"How does something like that even happen?" Veronica questioned.

"I must take more care to discern signs of deceit," Ichabod murmured, seemingly ignoring her.

"Can't... breathe..." Orson wheezed.

"Shoot, my bad!" Remi apologized. He let go of Orson, leaving the latter in a slump on the floor. "Anyway, I'm Remi! Nice to meet y'all!"

"Likewise." Veronica offered a handshake. "Veronica Adelheid Remi Gaspard."

"Wait, did you say your middle name was Remi? Sweet!" Remi beamed.

"With an I, not a Y," Veronica clarified.

"Yo, me too!" Remi laughed. "That's crazy. I've never met another Remi before!"

"My name is Veronica, and I'd urge you to call me as such," Veronica huffed.

"He seems nice," Flick said to Panic. "He reminds me of a person I met in a tavern back in Tadnued. I never got that person's name, but their zest for life and stylish hair always stuck with me. I hope they're living their best life."

"Yeah, well, to me he looks like a tryhardy sellout who thinks that dressing like a stereotype legitimizes his likely cursory interest in music," Panic scoffed.

"Yo, nice shirt!" Remi complimented Panic, pointing to the band logo on their top. "What's your favorite album?"

"Not the one you're thinking of," Panic grimaced dismissively.

"Right on," Remi nodded.

Chris noted Chef gazing at his watch.

"You think she's going to show up?" Chris taunted.

"Everyone else showed up early! Why's this one chick gotta be runnin' so late?!" Chef ranted.

"Someone famous?" Remi asked.

"Nah, just someone who was supposed ta be here fifteen minutes ago!" Chef complained.

"A wizard is never late, nor is she early. She arrives precisely when she means to," a new voice claimed.

Attention turned to this girl, who wore glasses and mismatched clothing. She greeted everyone with a vulcan salute.

"I wasn't talkin' 'bout you, Jacqueline," Chef responded. "But you're two minutes late, too!"

Outside of a large venue stood Jacqueline, she clutched a bag that read "GEEKCON" in big bold letters on it.

"Salutations, Total Drama!" Jacqueline smiled brightly at the camera. "I'm here to audition for the show and what better place to do so than in my own perfect environment!"

Jacqueline gestured behind her towards the large venue behind her.

"In here lies all sorts of dorky people who love to wave their freak flag high, just like myself!" She snorted as she laughed. "Come hither, let me show you the environment I thrive in!"

Jacqueline walked into the venue, all around were people in cosplays of various fictional characters talking amongst themselves, buying memorabilia from vendors, and taking pictures.

"I'm excited to join Total Drama because it's important to show the world that nerds can do it too," Jacqueline continued as she walked around. "For instance, Cameron showed that the nerdy guys got it in them, but what about the nerdy girls? Heh. Well, that's where I come in!"

Jacqueline stopped in front of a large display of various characters from Star Trek.

"In my life, I always wanted to show the world that nerds aren't just meant to be picked on, we can be destined for greatness too!" Jacqueline recited. "As the great captain Jean Luc Picard once said, the sky's the limit! So yeah, um, please pick me!"

Jacqueline waved with both hands.

"Apologies, Chef!" Jacqueline exclaimed. "I was just so wrapped up in this excellent book I was reading, I just couldn't help myself. I lost track of time."

"Oh, well, what book was it?" Toby inquired.

"It's this book called Ready Player One!" Jacqueline beamed with excitement. "It's about this guy who is in a massive worldwide multiplayer online game and they sling spells and fight giant robots and there's explosions and drama and a love story and–"

"Dang man, breathe!" Pavel interrupted. "Sounds like you're aboutta run out of breath over there."

"You know it's rude to interrupt, right?" Jacqueline replied. "I am just so passionate about this book I just had to say all this stuff! I'm sure there's… something you're passionate about, yeah?"

"Well, yeah I…" Pavel said. "Wait, was I being rude?"

"Yes," Ichabod replied.

"Ah I remember my days of casting spells in the plains of Gallereaux," Flick wistfully said. "Those were the days…"

"You casted spells?!" Jacqueline gasped. "Like, for real for real?"

"Yes, in fact I had many adventures in my day defending kings and slaying demons," Flick said, chuckling. "Those days have been long past, but I look on them fondly… at times."

"I love playing role playing games too!" Jacqueline squealed. "I usually play wizards and clerics because I looooove casting spells, I'm glad you are also a fellow spellslinger too!"

"Role playing games?" Flick raised an eyebrow. "I hate to say this to you but my adventures were quite–"

"I find it highly unlikely that you actually casted spells," Ichabod crossed his arms in disapproval.

"Well, believe what you wish to," Flick rolled their eyes.

Sunshine opened her mouth to say something, before turning her attention to the tall, muscular young man in sunglasses and casual-yet-expensive clothes standing next to her.

"Oh, hi, I don't think I've introduced myself to you yet!" Sunshine greeted.

"I'm someone who needs no introduction," he stated.

"Well, I'm Sunshine! What's your name?"

No response.

"Oh, that's just Aoi," Chef answered.

"Aoi? Is that Japanese?" Jacqueline asked.

"I'm Canadian," Aoi half-answered.

...

...

Several photographs of Aoi in fashionable clothing display themselves.

A table and a single chair sat in the middle of a nondescript room. Aoi walked up to the chair, sat in it, and put his feet on the table.

Without even looking into the camera, he said. "I'm winning."

The video lingered for a second before cutting off.

"Wait, when did he get here?!" Chris reacted.

"Today," Aoi responded.

"Shucks, it doesn't matter when someone shows up, it's just a good thing that he's here now," Dede offered, giggling.

"Well, is he fashionable enough for you?" Veronica asked Sawyer.

"I don't care about fashion, I care about presenting yourself professionally," Sawyer debated. "And I only see two of us who even bothered to come with a tie." She pointed her thumb in Orson's direction.

"I did not realize it was an event which required a tie. My apologies," Ichabod hummed.

"Even in Total Drama, capitalist dogmas like 'professionalism' and 'falling in line with how you dress' still plagues us," Panic gagged. "I really shouldn't be surprised."

"Hey, go wherever the wind takes you, man," Lazarus consoled. "What are they going to do, vote you out for not conforming?"

"That's literally the point of the game, Janky Hendrix," Brynleigh jeered.

"I should hope not. I think everyone deserves a chance at greatness, no matter who they are," Jacqueline said, holding her fists up with determination. "If the world brands you an underdog, you should wear that title with pride! Just like Naruto, Deku, and Katniss!"

"I've heard of those people, so it must be true!" Remi added.

"Yeah, the real world doesn't exactly work like that, sweetheart," Panic sneered. "The fact of the matter is, those in power will do disgusting things to stay in power. No amount of self-aggrandizing or delusional labels will do anything to fix that."

"You're like a constant downer, huh?" Brynleigh taunted.

"Don't listen to them. You CAN turn things in your favor!" Pavel encouraged Jacqueline.

"Even when things seem bleak, there's always a bright side!" Toby agreed.

"If everyone's suffocating my point of view, does that make me the underdog?" Panic muttered sarcastically to Aoi.

"Don't care," Aoi responded.

"Good, I feel gross even calling myself that as a joke," Panic said.

As they said this, a broad-chested man wearing a blue tank top and a black cap walked slowly up to the group.

"You're not supposed to be here yet," Chris smugly smiled. "Chef, you really need to get a handle on when these kids are showing up. Not very host-like, ya feel?"

"Oh will ya give it a rest already?!" Chef glowered at Chris. "Anyway, Charlie, welcome to tha show!"

"Thanks for having me," Charlie smiled slightly as he nodded towards the two hosts.

Charlie was seen sitting in what appeared to be his bedroom. Lining the walls were sports jerseys and memorabilia, including a small trophy case with a few trophies with rugby balls on them. He reclined back in his chair and sighed.

"Hey," Charlie remarked. "I'm Charlie and I'm auditioning for Total Drama."

Charlie sat up slightly and faced the camera.

"I feel like Total Drama for me is a chance I've been waiting for for a while," Charlie said. "Y'see, I used to be on the fast track to being a pro rugby player. The glory, the cheers, the excitement… I loved it. That is, until the day."

Charlie grabbed a cane that was off screen and stood up slowly.

"It was the big day, a game we needed to win to make it into the playoffs. Things were going well and then all of a sudden, before I even knew it, crack!" Charlie cringed slightly. "My leg, busted to hell. We lost that game and I lost a lot more than I could've ever imagined."

The tape then cut to Charlie laying back in a long chair, in what appeared to be a therapist's room.

"Ever since then I haven't been able to compete at all in anything," Charlie continued. "The coaches all say that my condition makes me completely ineligible for any type of sports. But I've still got that itch to compete! So that's why I'm auditioning. My therapist even agrees that it might be good for me to have that kind of competitive aspect in my life again, and I look up to that woman. She's done more for me than most people ever have."

Charlie smiled at the camera.

"So yeah, Total Drama," Charlie stated. "Please do consider me, give me a chance to show I still got it. Thank you."

As Charlie hobbled over towards the others, Veronica turned towards Chef and Chris with a worried look.

"He appears injured," Veronica said. "Are you sure he does not require a medic?"

"Nah," Chris laughed. "He isn't dead, so it's no problem!"

"Such lack of care for safety," Ichabod huffed.

"Don't worry about it guys," Charlie laughed. "My leg is just kinda like that. Been like that for a couple years by now…"

"So you're alright?" Veronica asked. "Aside from the leg thing, at least."

Charlie nodded and smiled.

"Don't worry, I'm still capable," Charlie assured. "It wasn't that way for a while, but thanks to my wonderful therapists I'm able to say that with at least a little confidence."

"Ah the joys of therapy," Toby smiled. "It's such a wonderful thing to be able to talk to a trusted individual about your problems and get feedback from an unbiased source."

"What's you being a basket case got to do with your leg?" Peter sneered.

"Well therapy comes in both physical and mental varieties," Charlie explained. "Granted, I do both. But I don't really appreciate you calling me a 'basket case'. Therapy is a good thing, you should try it sometime."

Peter rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"I for one respect your determination to find yourself after… whatever happened to your leg," Orson said. "I'm sure that was tough."

Brynleigh inhaled loudly but Pavel quickly covered her mouth and picked her up.

"Oh no, you're not gonna mess up another nice moment with your bullshit!" Pavel exclaimed. "I refuse to allow it!"

Brynleigh struggled against Pavel and screamed angrily into his hand.

"You do realize you are currently 'ruining the moment', right?" Sawyer asked. "I don't know about you, but I've tuned out the annoying runt a long while ago."

Pavel blinked and suddenly dropped Brynleigh. He then walked off, head hanging down.

"Wow, what an asshole!" Brynleigh exclaimed.

"Quiet, child," Ichabod sternly said.

"Is everyone always like this?" Charlie asked Orson.

Orson looked at the others, then nodded.

"Well, I'm sure they all have their issues they need to work through," Charlie sighed. "Everyone does, though most of us just don't want to admit it."

"Hey, the show wouldn't be as fun without the in-your-face types, am I right?!" Remi whooped.

"And with the last three to show up being relatively normal, I shudder to imagine who might show up next," Panic commented.

"Eh, it's not like anyone can be any more annoying than some of the people we've already got," Sawyer shrugged.

As if on cue, everyone noticed someone wheeling in a giant vertical screen which had a 3D character displayed on it. The character looked to be a petite girl in an oversized sweater, with bangs that covered her eyes and mushrooms growing on her head.

"...and then I said, 'Girl, I don't think your body is going to host any colony with that attitude'," the character ranted.

"Fascinating..." the intern forced.

"Okay, what the fuck is this?" Sawyer asked.

"Mushi muuuuuushi, everyone!" the onscreen character waved. "I'm Kiko, everyone's favorite fungus!"

"Are you a VTuber?! That's adorable!" Jacqueline squeed.

Footage from one of Kiko's video game livestreams began to play. She played a life simulation game while a torrent of comments came in on the side of the display.

"But yeah, I remember Total Drama! I used to watch it all the time when I was just a little mycelium!" Kiko recalled. "I wanted to be on that show sooooo bad. I'm glad I didn't, though. If I was already famous, I don't think I could be Kiko in the end! And I'd miss my Fun Guys and Fun Gals so much!"

She clicked fervently on two characters in the video game.

"Come on, get down and dirty, you two! Not all of us reproduce by releasing spores! Kikikiki" Kiko laughed. She looked at the chat comments. "Wait, they brought it back?! Really?! How come nobody told me! I mean, I guess you just told me, but how did I not know that?!"

She watched one of the video game characters trip the other on purpose.

"Huh?! I look away for five seconds and THIS is what you do to me?!" Kiko gasped at the character. "I blame you, chat! You distracted me!" She clicked on the characters some more and looked back at the chat. "I know I gave him the Evil trait! I thought it'd be funny!"

She sighed dramatically as the characters went their separate ways.

"We WILL get them back together, I promise!" Kiko insisted. She looked at the chat again. "Audition for Total Drama?! No waaaaaay! Even if I sent one, I'm just a humble little mushroom colony! They don't let those on Total Drama!"

One comment said 'Just go as Kiko, how hard can that be in current year?'

"What, you want me to just roll up on a giant screen or something? Kikiki!" Kiko laughed. "Okay, if I could do that, then maybe I'd consider auditioning. Maybe! No promises!"

The Evil character pushed the other one into a swimming pool.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK! No! Don't do that!" Kiko squealed.

"Argh, Kiko was s'posed'a be the LAST one ta show up!" Chef complained.

"I can leave and come back later if you want!" Kiko offered.

"Just stay here," Chef told her.

"Youuuuu got it!" Kiko complied. "I'm saluting in real life, but, uh, I can't make Kiko do that yet."

"Does this mean to imply that this cartoon mascot before us is a contestant, just as the rest of us are?" Ichabod inquired.

"I sure am!" Kiko confirmed. The big screen wheeled closer to Ichabod. "I can move myself around, no problem! It's just like a video game!"

"How... quaint," Ichabod said as politely as he could.

"She reminds me of the Porcitake people of Vihkic," Flick mused. "How very nostalgic of one October in particular."

"They have regular months in your fantasy world?" Dede asked.

"Weirdly, yes," Flick answered.

"How is she meant to compete like this?" Veronica huffed. "If she couldn't even show up in person, then I see no way she can compete!"

"What do you mean? I am here in person," Kiko said. "Or, I guess I'm here in mushroom. Not to say that mushrooms can't be people too! Just look at me! Kikikikiki!"

"Was that... a laugh?" Alex asked.

"'WaS tHaT a LaUgH?'" Kiko mocked. "Can we get some keys in the chat?" She paused. "Right, there is no chat. That's something I'll have to get used to."

"Well I, for one, welcome our fun new friend!" Sunshine chirped. She wrapped her arms around the big screen.

"Hey, careful now!" Kiko warned. "This thing was expensive! Or at least that's what the Fun Guy who bought it said. My fans are so generous!"

Chris checked his watch. "I don't think she's showing up, Chef. I told you not to cast that shy girl. They're always too shy to show up!"

Chef checked his own watch. "Shoot, we gotta get this movin'. We can do this with only nineteen of these kids, right?"

"Prime numbers? Maybe if you're an amateur," Chris snickered.

"What about Revenge of the-" Remi started.

"That's only because a shy girl dropped at the last second!" Chris ranted.

Chef noticed a girl in a fast food uniform trudging up to the entrance.

"Call me in on my day off... Give me a break," the girl grumbled.

"Hey! You!" Chef called out.

"What do you want?" she snarled. She cleared her throat. "Er, I mean, how may I help you today?"

"Are you a teenager, by any chance?" Chef asked.

"Who wants to know?" the girl winced.

"We're short one player in our game show! Ya wanna play?" Chef offered. "You could win a million bucks."

The girl thought about it for a second. "Sure, why the hell not? Beats dealing with customers."

Chef shook her hand. "Good ta have ya on board, er..." He read her name tag. "Jenna."

Jenna sat in a small break room as a man slid her some papers.

"This is the contract and legal information you'll need to know," he told her. "Normally, you'd have gone over all this before your acceptance onto the show, but, well, extenuating circumstances and all. Can you read it for me?"

"Did you just ask me if I can read?" Jenna asked.

"Hey, a sassy one, you'll fit in with this show yet," the man laughed nervously. "Just skim these papers real quick, I'll go get us some coffee, and in the meantime, tell the camera about yourself."

He slipped out of the room. Jenna tried looking over the documents, but immediately lost interest.

"Yeah, I doubt it's going to be that huge a deal," Jenna decided. She stared at a corner of the room, sitting casually in her chair. "Anyway, I'm Jenna Davenport. I work at Tito's Pizza here in the Fantastic Feast Faire. From what I've gathered, this is one of those silly reality competition shows? Being on TV would be kinda cool, I guess. Don't they pay you every time an episode you're in gets aired? Or do they even air episodes of this? Is it just a streaming thing?"

Jenna looked at the papers for answers, but none came.

"Eh, whatever. This can't possibly be any worse than-" She cleared her throat and put on a smile. "...Than the disappointment of knowing I won't get to serve Tito's loyal customers with the quality they deserve!"

After a couple seconds, she let out an exhausted sigh.

"So we're just... adding her into the cast at the last minute?" Chris asked.

"Why not? Wouldn't be the first time! Remember World Tour?" Chef argued, leering at Chris as if challenging him to retort further.

Chris groaned. "Welcome aboard, Jenny."

"Jenna, but thanks," Jenna responded. She turned to the other players. "What's up."

"You just joined the greatest show on earth, that's what's up!" Remi cheered. "Hope you're ready to rock the house, 'cuz I sure am!"

"...Cool, if you say so," Jenna said before walking away from Remi.

"It's one of those shows where you do challenges to win safety, and vote each other out until only one person's left," Alex explained.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but I believe you," Jenna responded, half paying attention. "He said the top prize is a million dollars, right?"

"Can we truly put a price on our pride? Our dignity? The dreams of others?" Lazarus mused. "Something to think about, maaaaan."

"Of course people can put a price on that. It's called minimum wage," Panic claimed.

"Preach, sister," Jenna smiled.

"Not a girl, but you know what, you're the first person to take me seriously all day. I'll let it slide," Panic conceded.

"I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to get to know y'all later," Jenna figured. "I wasn't expecting to do this until about five minutes ago."

"Don't worry too much about it. I'm sure the rest of us will be happy to help you out if you have any questions or concerns," Charlie assured her.

"He barely knows the rest of us, and it shows," Brynleigh commented.

"I guess the main question is 'When do we start?'" Jenna asked.

"Glad ya asked, Jenna!" Chef nodded. "Now that everyone's here, follow me, and we can get this game goin'!"

The hosts and players gathered in front of a large fountain, upon which a huge statue of an old-timey burger mascot stood.

"Before we begin properly, we gotta give y'all a small tour first," Chef began.

"Quite efficient," Ichabod nodded.

"Quite boring," Brynleigh groaned.

"This here's the plaza," Chef continued. "Get acquainted with it, 'cuz this is where we'll be holdin' eliminations! After closin' time, o' course."

"We're going to be staying here after closing time?" Dede asked. "Is that allowed?"

"Didja think ya were just gonna get ta go home between rounds?!" Chef reacted. "Y'all're gonna be stayin' here at Fantastic Feast Faire 'til the game's over!"

"That's okay! It just gives us more time to bond with each other!" Sunshine cheered.

"Joy," Peter grunted.

"This is also the only other spot that'll be available before openin' time, so y'all will have this spot to get fresh air n' stuff if ya need it," Chef added. "Don't say we never did nothin' for you night owls."

"Oh thank gleba. Mushrooms are practically nocturnal, you know," Kiko said.

"Yes, thank goodness Kiko has her needs accounted for," Sawyer scoffed.

"I assume-slash-hope this isn't also where we're sleeping... right?" Alex wondered.

"We considered it. We really did," Chris smiled.

"Nah, we got that covered, too," Chef said. "Maybe other hosts wouldn't be so generous, but this is MY game now! Come on."

He gestured for the others to follow him again.

Chef turned on the lights inside a small building which looked like it hadn't had someone inside it in years. Cots, a kitchenette, and a small bathroom were all anyone could see.

"This buildin' was put here in case any employees needed to spend the night here," Chef explained as everyone shuffled inside. "But somethin' about union laws or some such nonsense said none of the restaurants here could actually let their employees stay the night. So now I think it's just where the janitors go to smoke."

"I refuse to believe a custodian has ever set foot here," Veronica shuddered as she inspected a stain on the wall.

"Have you seen how big this whole place is?" a man asked as he walked in from another room. "We spend so much time cleaning up after customers, why the hell would we spend our break cleaning, too?"

"Get lost! This ain't about you!" Chef shouted.

"...Damn it, I forgot this game was starting today," the janitor complained. "Nobody touch my cigar box."

He disdainfully left the room. Chris inspected the room the janitor had been in.

"Ah, but what a wonderful segue, eh Chef?" Chris insinuated.

"Uh, yeah. This is actually where you'll be recordin' your confessionals," Chef explained as he gestured to the room: a janitor's closet. "It's soundproof, obviously, so ain't nobody gonna hear ya when you're bitchin' about each other."

Alex: "Wow, so this is the confessional booth, huh?" Alex looked around the booth. "It's… smaller than I expected. That's fine though, it's cool just to be here! My time in the showbiz industry has prepared me for this, time to see if it paid off!"

Aoi: "This will be easy." He raised an eyebrow and smirked.

Brynleigh: "Man you guys really outdid yourselves this year… on everything SUCKING! The location, the theme, the PEOPLE! All lame as fuck! I guess I pretty much owe it to y'all to win this just so you don't have some shitass winner again!"

Charlie: "Man, I sure hope that my injury doesn't get in my way this time. I just have to remember what my therapist said about assuming the worst out of situations… it helps nobody. So just keep cool, get to know people, and move on from there."

Dede: "Oh. My. Gosh! There are so many beautiful people here…" Dede swooned and cupped her head in her hands. "I just don't know who's the one for me, it's so hard! I hope that I don't screw this up immediately like I usually do…"

Flick: "I am receiving many memories of my past. I simply must wonder if this faire of foods is somehow tied to the place I once called my home. Much to ponder. So little time. Maybe I will ponder my Orb of Pondering to help expedite the process."

Ichabod: "These conditions cannot possibly be up to code." Ichabod crossed his arms. "The floors creak, the roof leaks, there's a terrible draft! Abysmal in all respects. The things I do to pay a debt. Hmph."

Jacqueline: "So many people here look so fun and quirky! I knew you guys would pull together a good one this year! Now it's time to show people how nerds can really do it. I'm so excited!"

Jenna: "This is certainly not how I was expecting to be spendin' my day. I mean shit, beats workin'. I'm not too familiar with these kinds of shows but I know that a million bucks is a lot of cheddar!" Jenna blinked. "Crap, still thinking in stupid pizza terms. Gotta work on that."

Kiko: "Kikikikiki!" Kiko covered her face in her sleeves on the screen. "This is so exciting! A new stage where no vtuber has gone before! One small step for man, one giant leap for Mush-kind! I'm doing this all for my Fun Guys and Fun Gals! I love you all!"

Lazarus: "This cast seems very… down with the vibes. I guess for now, things should probably go well. Hope that the energy stays good and the ship keeps sailing smoothly. Radical." Lazarus held up a peace sign.

Orson: "Man, I feel even more like a face in the crowd with this group than usual. It feels like it'll be even harder than high school to stand out here! But I guess I did come here to push myself, so that's what I'll do."

Panic: "This exploitative experiment with our lives disgusts me, and the dreary accommodations we have here illustrate perfectly my points as to why this system cannot be trusted! Hopefully once I win the million dollars, I can prove that to the world."

Pavel: "I feel like I'm already getting off on the wrong foot with people here, which is exactly what I wanted to avoid! What is it I'm doing wrong? Is it the pink shirt? Is it too tacky or something?" Pavel sighed frustratedly. "Whatever it is, I'm gonna have to fix it."

Peter: "Y'know. My already very, very low expectations have somehow already managed to be crushed. I gotta say, this place is somehow even more depressing than I could've ever imagined. Both in the gaudy reality tv way and the working your life away way."

Remi: "This is so surreal! After years, and I mean YEARS, of waiting for this moment. I am FINALLY in the Total Drama Confession Cam!" Remi mimicked playing the air drums. "I can't wait to rock this competition!"

Sawyer: "Purely statistically speaking, it's clear just from the demeanor of the others that I am the most qualified individual here to win this money. I have it all, brains, brawn, and the cutthroat killer edge that winners need. I'm already winning every day, what's one more?"

Sunshine: "Wow! Everyone so far seems so nice! Well, not everyone… but not everyone has to come out of their shells immediately! Some people are harder to crack into and that makes it all the sweeter when you finally do and they become your friend! Yay! Isn't making friends great?"

Toby: "This is all so overwhelming! I'm so excited to be here and to show to the world that sometimes, optimism is truly the way! Showing the world the true meaning of people cooperating together towards a common goal. It's beautiful."

Veronica: "Oh my heavens this place is dirty, my dress is getting… dirt on it!" Veronica feverishly wiped at her dress to no avail. "I know that I came here to change, but could it kill you guys to make the place a little bit nicer? Where's Mortimer when I need him?"

After everyone left their first confessionals, they gathered in front of a massive theme park just on the other side of the plaza. The contestants looked around in awe - save for Jenna, who cracked her neck with an indifferent look on her face.

"This here's the main attraction at Fantastic Feast Faire: the park!" Chef introduced.

"I knew they had a park, but I didn't think it was this big!" Sunshine gawked. "How fun!"

"Y'all'll be able ta hang out n' stuff here, too, whenever it's open," Chef explained. "Could be a good place ta strategize in private, who knows?"

"How private can it really be with all these people around?" Panic questioned.

"Oh, don't you worry. We made sure everyone knows not to mess with the sanctity of the game," Chris assured everyone. "You think I made it this far without some gnarly lawyers?"

"Always thinking ahead. I expect no less," Ichabod nodded.

"More importantly, this is where we're gonna hold... your first challenge!" Chef revealed.

"Why do I get the feeling that statement is more present-tense than he's letting on?" Jacqueline commented.

"We haven't even been separated into teams yet," Remi disputed.

"Nah, shorty's right," Chef said. "Your first challenge is gonna be... in a couple minutes!"

Kiko gasped. "A couple minutes?! That's... more than one minute! And less than several! I don't know if I'm ready!"

"If ya ain't ready, then get prepared ta be left behind!" Chef shouted. "Now, out here in the park, we've hid a bunch of Pizza Slices. You'll know 'em when ya see em: plastic slices of pizza, distinctively colored, a bit bigger than a real slice. Your first challenge is to find one of these Pizza Slices."

"That's all? How delightfully straightforward!" Veronica laughed.

"Nothing's ever that simple, hon," Charlie denied.

"Nah, this one really is that simple," Chris snickered.

"Quiet, you," Chef scolded. "You can only carry one Pizza Slice at a time, so don't try n' get cute by hidin' a buncha them in your coat pocket or somethin'!"

"I guess that makes sense," Orson figured.

"Whenever all the Pizza Slices are found, we'll send an announcement tellin' ya to meet back up at the plaza," Chef continued.

"How many of them are there?" Dede asked.

"And what do we get if we win?" Lazarus wondered.

"Be patient! You'll find out eventually!" Chef chastised. "Hmph. Kids these days really don't have no attention spans, I don't care what they say."

"Those seem like important details," Toby frowned.

"Well, you'll find out after the challenge is over!" Chef maintained. "Find a Pizza Slice. Hold onto it. How hard is that?"

"Probably harder than he's letting on," Pavel hummed.

"Good. I like it better that way," Sawyer swaggered.

"Yeah, yeah, we're all sooo tough and smart, whatever," Brynleigh dismissed. "When's the challenge start?"

"Now!" Chef declared.

Nobody moved for a second, as they all took a beat to register what Chef had said. When the signal to begin settled in, the players all dashed into the park, hoping to emerge victorious.

Chef and Chris turned to face the nearest camera.

"Who will-"

"Chris! That's my job now, remember?" Chef interrupted.

Chris groaned, and gestured for Chef to carry on.

"Who will prove themselves valuable? Who will fall below expectations? And who will turn out to be the most unlucky of all?" Chef posed. "You're gonna hafta find out! Next time! On Total! Drama! Pizza Party!"

Total Drama Pizza Party:

Alex - The Friendly Actress

Aoi - The Complacent Model

Brynleigh - The Brat

Charlie - The Aspiring Therapist

Dede - The Retro Romantic

Flick - The Isekai Survivor

Ichabod - The Terse Perfectionist

Jacqueline - The Proud Nerd

Jenna - The Last-Second Recruit

Kiko - The Mushroom VTuber

Lazarus - The Offbeat Hippie

Orson - The Ordinary Dude

Panic - The Disillusioned Punk

Pavel - The Reformed Gangster

Peter - The Surly Cynic

Remi - The Superfan Drummer

Sawyer - The Businesswoman

Sunshine - The Lover of All

Toby - The Optimistic Reporter

Veronica - The Sheltered Heiress

A/N:

Asujoll: I know Party with the Stars isn't quite finished, and I apologize for dragging my feet on that. I am working on it every day, even if that means just a sentence, I promise I'm still working on it. But I wanted to try and get some of my spark back, so I'm doing what I've always had a tendency to do when running out of steam: start something else. And this time, I'm accompanied by a co-writer: my longtime friend and fellow reality TV enthusiast Max. We've had this project in the works for a while, so we hope you like it!

Max: Thank you for reading chapter one, I hope you guys have enjoyed reading it as much as we've enjoyed writing it. I'm glad to have the opportunity to write this story with my friend Asujoll here and we have plenty of fun twists and turns ahead. Stay tuned!