The Legend of Total Drama Island

A TDI reimagining from the author of Legacy.

I am now confident enough of the story coming to the wiki sooner or later that I am posting the Prologue now, to reserve the story title. Best guess is that the story proper will start in Spring 2011.

Prologue
Brett was playing a video game when his mother came home from work. Normally, they would have greeted each other simply; but today, Brett had news

“Guess what, mom?” he began excitedly. “I got accepted to that reality TV show I auditioned for!”

“Good for you!” his mother replied as cheerfully as she might. In truth, she had some reservations about what he might be getting himself into, but she didn’t want to seem a wet blanket. After all, she had once been young.

“So,” she prompted, “Have they told you anything more about the show?” When Brett had made his audition tape, three months before, the producers had revealed only that the show would be some type of elimination game, it would be produced the following summer, and all the contestants would be 16 years old or thereabouts. The producers hadn’t even revealed what the show would be called.

“Not much,” Brett admitted. “The acceptance letter did say that the show will be called ‘Total Drama Island: the Next Generation’—” his mother cocked her head at that name, but Brett did not notice, “—and that the host will be some chick named Christin McLean.”

“Christin McLean,” his mother repeated with a thoughtful look. “I wonder if she’s any relation to Chris McLean.”

“The letter mentioned that Chris McLean is Christin McLean’s uncle, and that he was the original host. I guess that’s where the ‘Next Generation’ part comes from.”

Brett’s mother nodded absently. She had heard that Total Drama Island was being revived after a seven-year run and a ten-year hiatus, but there were so many elimination game shows out there that she hadn’t made the connection to Brett’s audition.

“Lord, deliver us from the Chris McLeans of the world,” she intoned in mock prayer. Noticing her son’s quizzical expression, she explained, “He was so sadistic, you have no idea. It did boost ratings, though, I’ll give him that.”

“You watched the original?” Brett asked, noticing his mother’s apparent familiarity with the show. = = =“I didn’t just watch it,” she corrected. “I was there. In the very first season, when no one knew what to expect.” = = = =“Coolio,” Brett exclaimed slowly. Recovering from his surprise, he asked, “Did you win?” =

“No,” she admitted. “I did pretty well, but I didn’t win.”

“What was it like?” Brett asked. He was more than normally curious, for he saw that he now had an unlooked-for chance to gain an advantage on his future rivals. He doubted that any of the other contestants would have personal access to someone with first-hand knowledge of what they were likely to encounter.

“It’s a long story,” his mother warned. “A lot longer than I can tell you in one night.”

“Tell me,” Brett pleaded. “Tell me everything!”

Brett hadn’t been this excited to hear his mother tell stories since he was a toddler. It wasn’t just that he stood to gain a competitive advantage on the show, either. The other—the greater—reason was that, although mother and son had always been close, this was an aspect of her past that she had never told him about, nor even mentioned in his presence. Brett was not going to let her wriggle out of this.

As it turned out, his mother had no intention of wriggling out of it. True, she had never told her son about her experience at Camp Wawanakwa, but now the time seemed right.

“Go do your homework,” she told him, “and I’ll start after dinner.”

After they had dined and Brett had finished his homework, he reminded his mother of her promise. Brett sat on his favorite chair, and his mother sat on the sofa. She took a few moments to collect her thoughts, and then she began to speak.

Author's Notes (aka Trivia)

 * Brett is named after the author's closest friend.
 * Naming the revived show Total Drama Island:the Next Generation is a reference to the 1987 revival of Star Trek as Star Trek: the Next Generation.
 * Christin McLean was created by Sunshineandravioli. Used with permission.