#wrote this in one big haze of semi-consciousness that's why it's probably nonsensical 👍

[total-drama-brainrot]

Total Drama Psycho Noah AU, how does Alejandro react to seeing Noah's true colors through the cameras?... How would Alejandro react to Chris + Chef not being surprised or shocked at all?... What if when Noah learns that everyone saw his true colors, Noah simply smirks and says: "...Whoops." 😏

Well, the cast as a whole are all sort-of introduced to Noah's 'true colours' through the screens in First Class, but I think a lot of them would struggle through the cognitive dissonance between what they 'know' about Noah (apathetic, lazy, almost pathetically harmless) and what they saw on the cameras (emotive/smiley, physically capable, decidedly not harmless), so the initial reaction would be a mixture of terror, confusion and disbelief, mostly.

When they notice that neither Chris nor Chef seem to find anything amiss with Noah's behaviour, that's when the confusion and disbelief morph into outrage (for the more confrontational contestants like Heather) because they knew? Chris and Chef were fully aware that they'd been in near-constant close proximity with the thing they just saw on the screen, and said nothing?!

Alejandro, being a composed person of more subtle displays of emotion (for the most part), masks his fear and anger behind a veneer of concern- for his castmates, for the Ripper, maybe even for Noah himself, because clearly something has happened to his dear teammate that's caused this bout of insanity, surely?

No? He's just like that? Oh. Oh.

Alejandro realises that he's spent the majority of his time on the jet playing nice* with someone who's fully capable of snapping both of his arms like toothpicks, who apparently has an affinity for sharp objects and the colour red. The one person on the jet he felt some semblance of genuine kinship with, as the 'most sane' member of Team Chris barring himself, has been an act this whole time? Has been that dangerous this whole time?!

Needless to say, Alejandro's concern quickly becomes genuine. And self-directed. He's terrified; Noah could've snapped at any moment, and Alejandro likely would've been caught in the crossfire of that thing's hysteria.

But the cast can't exactly air their displeasure with the situation, as two figures hover by the doorway to the First Class Cabin.

It's Courtney and Gwen, dragging a burlap sack behind them. A sigh of relief washes over the group; it's just those two, and not him.

-

When Noah and Owen skitter into First Class, Owen carrying the sack-captured Ripper in his arms (in a kind-hearted gesture to prevent any more damage befalling the Ripper's broken forearms), a trepid silence permeates through the cabin like fog.

Owen, ever the obtuse sort, pierces the veil of fearful anticipation with a victorious cry.

"Sweet! Everybody's okay!"

The others (barring Gwen and Courtney) hesitate to answer, their fear-blown eyes fixated on the nonchalant form of the cynic beside him. Until Heather works up enough courage to respond with her usual haughtiness- though her tone is off, embittered by the acrid taste of anxiety on her tongue.

"Yup! Everyone's fine, no worries here!" She ends her statement with a nervous giggle, ignoring the way her voice cracked mid-sentence, and her focus never drifts from the monster bookworm stood only a few meters away.

"Though it is reassuring to see everyone safe, no?" Alejandro adds sharply, peeling his attention away from Noah to send a pointed look towards the hosting duo.

"Safe? Duh, it's just a challenge. No one was ever gonna really get hurt, it'd be 'bad for ratings'."

A collective flinch tremors across the crowd as Noah speaks, his usual sardonic deadpan accompanied by finger quotes at the end of his sarcastic comment.

It's followed by an awkward pause, the others either too scared or too confused by the frigid atmosphere to talk, and Noah shoots an imploring look towards Chris- a nonverbal request for clarification. Chris wordlessly points towards the flat screen television that's hung on the wall behind the captured contestants, displaying a series of live-feed camera footage; the inside of the bus he and Owen had previously adventured through, bathed in cold moonlight but otherwise eerily gloomy, stares accusingly back at him.

That's interesting.

Owen follows his gaze, as do the rest of the competitors, and the Ripper-wrangling duo both quickly realise what's happened.

A laugh, something unnervingly shrill and breathless- more akin to the yowling of a feral cat than any human noise- rings humourlessly through the cabin, and all eyes snap back towards Noah.

Who's face has twisted into a mirthless grin, more similar to a snarl, that's far too wide for his face and bears unnaturally sharp teeth. His eyes have widened into owl-like near perfect circles, almost drowning the hickory brown of his irises in a sea of ivory sclera, making him look uncanny and deranged. Barely even human.

"Whoops."