The campers arrive and learn that instead of chilling in a gorgeous mansion, they'll be spending the next eight weeks at dingy old Camp Wawanakwa.
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"Riley," Chris said softly but received no response. "Riles," he tried again, nudging his daughter's shoulder. "I know you're awake. Breakfast is in ten minutes. If you're not in the kitchen you're not getting any." Riley couldn't help but groan as she pulled the blanket tighter around her. "I'm making cinnamon rolls. You can have the extra icing as long as you show up." He raised an eyebrow at her as she turned and squinted at him. He was opening the windows in her room as he walked away. Slowly, Riley dragged herself out of bed, putting on a Breaking Benjamin sweatshirt and jean shorts. "Are you cold?" Chris chuckled as he saw the sixteen year old with the hood pulled over her head and tightened.
"I'm always cold. You should know this by now."
"And I do but, it's summer. I don't need you having a heat stroke."
"That doesn't mean anything. What most people consider 'comfortable', I consider cold."
"Hm," was his only response.
"'Hm' what?" Riley asked, looking up from her icing.
"Nothing, nothing. Just hurry up and eat. We have to go do the introduction and meet the campers."
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"...I'm your host, Chris McLean. And this is my co-host: Riley." She gave a little wave to the camera as Chris paused to let her have her moment before moving on. "Dropping season one of the hottest new reality show on television right now!" They walked over to the dock and Chris continued. "Here's the deal. Twenty-two campers have signed up to spend eight weeks right here at this crummy old summer camp. They'll compete in challenges against each other, then have to face the judgement of their fellow campers. Every three days, one team will either win a reward or watch one of their team members walk down the Dock of Shame, take a ride on the Loser Boat, and leave Total Drama Island for good," he said with a laugh. He continued on, explaining the campfire ceremonies and the rewards of winning the show. "Every moment will be caught on one of the hundreds of cameras situated all over the camp. Who will crumble under the pressure? Find out here, right now, on Total Drama Island." The cameras stopped where the intro would be edited in to each episode, giving Chris and Riley only a couple minutes before the first boat would arrive with the first camper. "You didn't say much."
"I didn't know I was suppose to. I was just kinda letting you do your thing."
"I appreciate that," Chris smiled, placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder. The cameraman signaled that they would begin filming again so he put his hands on his hips. "Welcome back to Total Drama Island. Alright, it's time to meet our first eleven campers. We told them they'd all be staying at this five-star resort, so if they seem a little ticked off, that's probably why." The boat dropped off a short girl with glasses, braces, and brunette hair tied back in a ponytail. She dropped her bags and ran up to Chris, giving him a hug from the side. "Beth! What's up?"
"It's so incredulous to meet you. Wow. You're much shorter in real life." This caused Riley to laugh as she extended a hand to the little nerdy girl.
"Uh thanks."
"Hi, I'm Riley." After greeting her, Beth moved to the end of the dock when another boat arrived. A tall, dark skinned kid walked off wearing a green shirt with a 'D' on it.
"DJ!"
"Yo, Chris McLean. How's it going?" He asked, high-fiving the host. "Are you sure you got the right place here? Where's the hot tub at?" DJ seemed disappointed as he looked around the camp.
"This is it: Camp Wawanakwa." Angrily, the teen picked up his bags and joined Beth, pointing out that it looked a lot different on the application form. "Hey Gwen." Riley looked over to see a goth with blue and black hair getting off the boat.
"You mean we're staying here?"
"No, you're staying here. My crib is an airstream with ac that way."
"I did not sign up for this."
"Actually, you did." Chris held up the contract which Gwen took from him and ripped up, throwing it into the water. "The great thing about lawyers is they make lots of copies."
"I am not staying here."
"That's cool. I hope you can swim though, because your ride just left."
"Jerk."
"He is, but you get used to it," Riley finally added, offering a small smile.
Gwen returned it replying, "Nice sweatshirt," and walking over to the two other campers. The next camper was a blonde guy wearing a green cowboy hat. His pink shirt was left open and by the way he was acting on the boat, seemed like a bit of a partier. He flipped off the boat, sticking the landing.
"Chris McLean. Sup man. It's an honor to meet you man."
"The Geoffster. Welcome to the island man."
"Thanks man."
"If they say man one more time-"
"-I'm going to puke." Chris pretended not to hear his daughter and the goth, introducing the next camper.
"Everyone, this is Lindsay." A blonde with blue eyes and little clothing stood on the end of the dock. She looked and sounded like the 'dumb blonde' type. "Not too shabby."
"You're disgusting," Riley said quietly, rolling her eyes.
"Hiiii. Okay, you look so familiar."
"I'm Chris McLean. The host... of the show."
"Oh, that's where I know you from."
"Uh yeah." Definitely the dumb blonde type. A girl with long black hair and sunglasses stepped on to the dock. Just from looking at her, the younger McLean knew there would be drama surrounding her the entire time she was at the camp. "Heather..."
"Hi! Looks like we're your new friends for the next eight weeks!" Beth ran to greet her, but Heather pulled away, shooting her a look of disgust. The attention was taken away from them when music could be heard coming from the next boat. It was s song that Riley is familiar with and knew that the punk standing on the boat would be her new best friend, one way or another.
"Duncan, dude."
"I don't like surprises."
"Yeah your parole officer warned me about that, man. He also told me to give him a holler any time and have you return to juvie."
"Okay then." As he passed the young co-host he added, "I like your sweatshirt."
"And I like your taste in music." This earned her a quick glare from her father which she only shrugged at. This exchange went unnoticed due to Heather's outbreak.
"I'm calling my parents. You can't make me stay here." Chris pulled out another copy of the contract and smiled.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Tyler!" The teen in a red track suit was riding behind the boat on a pair of water skis. He lost his balance and flipped in the water, flew over the dock and landed in the pile of luggage. One suitcase was sent into the water, splashing Heather who complained about her shoes. Riley couldn't help but snicker at the girl who obviously deserved it. "Wicked wipeout man!" Tyler gave a thumbs up, signaling that he was okay. The eighth camper was a nerdy ginger who was breathing heavily in Chris's face. "Welcome to camp, Harold."
"So, you mean the show is at a yucky summer camp and not on some big stage or something?"
"You got it."
"Yes! That is so much more favorable to my skills." The host cringed as Harold walked away.
"Contestant number nine is Trent." He carried a guitar case in one hand and a duffle bag in the other.
"Hey, good to meet you man. Saw you on that figure skating show, nice work."
"You really don't need to feed his ego, it's already pretty big."
"Hey, thanks man. I knew I rocked that show." Chris completely ignored his daughter's comment again.
"I saw that. One of the guys dropped his partner on her head..." Harold and Lindsay added on to what Beth had said, both saying that they wanted to be dropped on their head.
"So this is it? Alrighty then." A surfer chick in a blue hoodie was next. For whatever reason, she had brought her board.
"Hey, what's up?"
"Alright. Our surfer chick, Bridgette, is here." She explained that she thought they'd be on a beach although Chris argued that they were. "That makes-" He was cut off when Bridgette hit him in the head with her board. Riley chuckled, earning yet another glare from her father. "-Ow. Darn it, that hurts." She continued to almost hit the guys as she introduced herself to Geoff and Beth. Duncan and Heather once again argued as another contestant was dropped off. "Our next camper is Noah."
"You got my memo about my life threatening allergies?"
"I'm sure someone did." As he walked past Chris, Riley offered her hand again and he took it, oddly enough.
"Riley."
"Noah." They held eye contact for longer than Riley deemed necessary, but also didn't mind it? She broke it first and dropped her hand down to her side. He walked away, asking "Is this where we're staying?"
"No, it's your mother's house, and we're throwing a party," Duncan said, cracking his knuckles.
"Cute. Nice piercings original. Do them yourself?"
"Yeah. You want one?" Duncan took a hold of Noah's lip, pulling out a needle.
"No thanks. Can I have my lip back please? Thanks."
Campers continued to arrive. First was Leshawna, then Katie and Sadie, Ezekiel, Cody, Eva, Owen, Courtney, and then Justin. As he stepped off the boat, everyone stared in aw at how gorgeous the teen was, except for Riley, who didn't find him all that attractive. Owen went as far as awkwardly complimenting him on his pants and Sadie even fainted. He stopped to look at the co-host, introducing himself. He was shocked and concerned when she replied like a normal human being. Izzy was the next to arrive, falling and hitting her chin on the dock. She was the last one to arrive. Owen started to say something about lunch when Chris interrupted him.
"First things first, we have to take a group photo on the dock for the promos. Everyone on the end of the dock." Riley went to join her father on the boat when he stopped her. "You should be in the picture."
"So should you."
"I'm taking it."
"There's plenty of other people around who are more than capable of taking it. I think it makes sense to have the host in the picture."
"And that's why you're going to be in it."
"No I'm not. If you're not in it, I'm not in it." Chris mauled it over in his head and took in to consideration his daughter's slight fear of deep water and finally agreed to let her on the boat. It was the first day of eight weeks together, he couldn't harm her that early on in the show. "Okay...one...two...three...oops. Okay, forgot the lens cap. Okay, hold that pose. One...two...no wait. Cards full, hang on."
"Come on man, my face is starting to freeze."
"Got it. Okay, everyone say 'Wawanakwa'." As they did, the dock collapsed, forcing everyone into the water. "Okay guys, dry off and meet me at the campfire pit in ten."
"I hate you," Riley grumbled as she and Chris got off the boat.
"I let you on the boat, didn't I?"
"Reluctantly. You were really going to let that happen to me!"
"Nothing would have happened to you."
"You know how I feel about water where I can't see the bottom..."
"Yes I do, and that's why I let you on the boat."
"But that's not the point. The point is if I had believed you had pure intentions, I would have ended up in the deep water with everyone else. And you would have let it happen!"
"You wouldn't have been in any real danger."
"That's not how I see it. All these bad things could have happened and you would have just let it happen."
"Your brain is putting all these unrealistic scenarios in your-"
"-They're not unrealistic. Fear of deep water is a rational fear with many real dangers."
"Okay, I'm sorry."
"No you're not."
"Yes I am."
"No you're-" Riley was cut off as the first campers started arriving. "Just forget it," she whispered.
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"This is Camp Wawanakwa, your home for the next eight weeks. The campers sitting around you will be your cabin mates, your competition, and maybe even your friends. The camper who manages to stay on Total Drama Island the longest, without getting voted off, will win $100,000."
"Excuse me? What will the sleeping arrangements be? Because I'd like to request a bunk under her," Duncan said, pointing to Heather.
"They're not co-ed, are they?"
"No. Girls get one side of each cabin and dudes get the other."
"Excuse me, Kyle? Can I have a cabin with a lake view since I'm the prettiest?"
"Okay, you're not. But that's not really how it works here. And, it's Chris."
"I have to live with Sadie or I'll die-"
"-and I'll break out in hives. It's true."
"This can not be happening."
"Come on guys, it'll be fun. It's like a big sleepover."
"At least you don't have to sleep next to him."
"Here's the deal. We're going to split you in to two teams. When I call your name, go stand over there: Gwen, Trent, Heather, Cody, Lindsay, Beth, Katie, Owen, LeShawna, Justin, and Noah. From this moment on, you are officially known as... The Screaming Gophers."
"Yeah! I'm a gopher."
"Wait, what about Sadie?"
"The rest of you over here: Geoff, Bridgette, DJ, Tyler, Sadie, Izzy, Courtney, Ezekiel, Duncan, Eva, and Harold. Move!"
Sadie began complaining about Katie being a gopher while Courtney attempted to comfort her. "You guys will officially be known as... The Killer Bass."
"Awesome. It's like, amazing."
"Alright campers, you and your team will be on camera in all public areas in this competition. You will also be able to share your innermost thoughts on tape with video diaries any time you want. Let the audience at home know what you're really thinking. Or, just get something off your chest."
[Confessional: Gwen]
"Um, okay. So far, this stinks."
[Riley]
"I don't know how I feel about this. I don't know if I necessarily have the right to say it sucks, but it kinda does."
[End Confessional]
"Alright, any questions? Cool. Let's find your cabins." Chris and Riley lead the campers back towards the dock. "Are you just going to let me do all the talking?"
"I don't know what I'm suppose to say. I've never done this before."
"You'll get used to it, eventually."
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"Gophers, you're in the east cabin. Bass, you're in the west." The campers were left to get situated while the two hosts stood by, watching them. "Are you still mad?"
"I told you to forget about it."
"When have I ever done something I was told to do?"
"Fair enough."
"So?"
"I don't think I-" She was interrupted when Cody was thrown out of the girls cabin.
"Where are the outlets? I have to plug in my straightening iron."
"There are some in the communal bathrooms, just across the way."
"Communal bathrooms? But I'm not catholic."
"Not communion. Communal."
"It means you shower together," Riley told her as Gwen called her an idiot. She started complaining loudly, drawing everyone's attention. Owen said something to the guys that Riley couldn't hear, nor did she care to hear.
"Excuse me, Chris? Is there a chaperone of any kind in this facility?"
"You're all sixteen years old, as old as a counselor in training at a regular summer camp. So, other than myself, you'll be unsupervised-"
"-but the cameras are always watching."
"You have half an hour to unpack and meet me back at the main lodge. Starting now." The father-daughter duo walked to the dining hall to wait for the campers and talk to Chef as he prepares lunch. "So?"
"So what?"
"You didn't finish what you were saying earlier."
"I don't remember what I was-" Once again, Riley was cut off, but this time by a high pitched scream coming from the cabins. "I think Lindsay just found out what 'nature' is." They chuckled, entering the dining hall.
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"Listen up. I serve it three times a day and you will eat it three times a day. Grab your tray, get your food, and sit your butts down now."
"Excuse me, will we be getting all the major food groups?"
"I get hypoglycemia real bad if I don't get enough sugar." Chef Hatchet continued to serve the slop to all the campers until it was Riley's turn. He smiled when he saw her, handing her a grilled cheese.
"Thank you Chef." She returned the smile and sat between Gwen and Noah after asking if it was okay.
"Why do you get actual food?" Cody asked, practically drooling over it.
"I'm not a contestant. I would go to craft and services for food, but I don't feel like walking that far. Plus, I'd rather spend time with people my own age." As if on que, Chris walked in to the dining hall.
"Welcome to the main lodge."
"Yo, my man, can we order a pizza?" This caused Chef to throw a knife at Geoff's head, barely missing it. "Woah it's cool. Brown slop is cool. Right guys?" The campers nervously laughed, nodding their heads in agreement.
"Your first challenge begins in one hour." Chris turned to leave but looked over his shoulder to see if Riley was going to follow him, which she did.
"What do you think they'll make us do?" The campers could be heard from inside, causing Chris to snicker.
"It's our first challenge, how hard could it be?" At this, Chris began laughing.
"What? What's their first challenge?" He placed an arm around his daughter's shoulder and with his other arm, pointed up at the cliff. "You are not..."
"I am. It's going to be great."
"They could get hurt."
"We tested it out, well, Chef tested it out. It's safe enough, with emphasis on enough. Now if you're thinking of participating, although I don't recommend it because I don't need my child dying on national television, you'll need to change in to your bathing suit."
"Okay. I'll see you up there."
"Wait, really?"
"Yeah, why not? It might be fun."
"It's not suppose to be fun!"
"Oh well."
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An hour later, Riley appeared on the top of the cliff alongside the campers. "Oh shit." No one had realized just how high up the cliff was or how rocky the way down was or even how small the safe zone was.
*Author's note: I actually want to write this story but this chapter took me like four hours of stopping and pausing the episode at like 4 in the morning. And school is starting soon and it's going to be difficult. I was also considering waiting to post this chapter until I wrote a majority of the story but I changed my mind. Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed it and I want to thank you all for reading 😘