It was that time again: after nine years of waiting and pondering, Total Drama's spin-off series, The Ridonculous Race, had been given the green light for the production of a second season. Many of the fans saw it coming: after the success of the 2018 season of Total Drama, it was only a matter of time before The Ridonculous Race got picked up.

With the series greenlit, there was much work to be done: getting permits for twenty-six different cities, preparing separate cameras, microphones, and crews for each location, and most importantly, getting new teams of two ready to compete in a hardcore race around the world. Although, the last part wouldn't be hard: with the show's popularity, applications flowed in like water during a flood.

After months of preparation and cast selection, it was finally time to begin: right in the heart of downtown Niagara Falls, Canada. The cameras were set up in front of the Ripley's Museum; the set starting line for the race. And after getting his makeup & hair done to his standards, Don, the host of the show, walked up to the entrance of the museum, ready to narrate the show. All the available lights and cameras panned in on him as he began to speak.

"This is Niagara Falls, Canada; the Honeymoon Capital of the World. Where people come from all over the world to have fun and 'have fun'," Don noted, air quoting with his hands, "In front of this gorgeous sight; and I'm talking about me, twenty teams from across the country will arrive at this world-famous museum, where they will begin their race all over the world. I'm your host: Don, and this is the second season of: The Ridonculous Race!"

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With the title sequence completed, the cameras panned back on the Ripley's museum, where Don stood confidently, ready to get the season underway. He'd been waiting for this for a long time: after the success of the first season, he'd been hoping to get another opportunity to shine in the spotlight. And most importantly, he wanted to earn some more money.

"Welcome back to the season premiere of The Ridonculous Race," Don greeted, showing off his pearly white teeth, "In the next few minutes, the twenty teams will arrive, ready to head out on a race for adventure and not death. See? I got it right this time. Let's take a look at the twenty teams whom are eager to get to racing."

With that, the cameras cut to the inside of a coach bus, where ten teams were resting, ready to dig in their heels and begin racing. The first team that the camera panned in on was a boy-girl team playing Mario Kart on their Nintendo Switch. The man was twenty-five years-old, 5'9", with short, dirty blonde hair, a skinny figure, and wearing a white t-shirt, grey jacket, jeans, and black shoes. The woman was twenty-one years-old, 5'6", with brown hair in pigtails, a fit figure, and wearing a green t-shirt, blue shorts, brown sneakers, and green glasses. Had you not known that they were from different countries, you would've assumed that they were life-long friends like Devin & Carrie from last season.

"Nathan Pryce & Hailey Garcia: the Faraway Friends who came together for an adventure around the world," Don narrated.

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"Nathan and I met four years ago on a story-writing forum. We started peer-editing each other's stories, writing stories together, talking on Skype, and we met for the first time in person about four months ago. Needless to say, our friendship has stayed as good as it's always been."- Hailey

"I'm from Australia and she's from America, but we were lucky enough to get special clearance from the show and the government to be able to compete. Hopefully it'll all be worth it."- Nathan

"Of course it'll be worth it! We're gonna win this!"- Hailey

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The second team was a girl-girl team; one was listening to music on her iPod, and the other was reading a French-to-English dictionary. The girls were alike in many ways: they both had the same first name, were both sixteen years of age, brunettes, and 5'5" tall with a fit physique. They differed in personality: the girl listening to music was more conservative, sporting a long-sleeved, buttoned shirt with a rose pattern, black jeggings, beige flats, and brown glasses. The other girl was more outgoing, wearing a white cold-shoulder top, black jeggings, and tan flats. Even though they only knew each other for one year, they were still really close friends; almost as close as Nathan and Hailey.

"Cassie Veracourt and Cassie 'Ellie' Elliott: the Same Namers who aim to have fun together while traveling around the world," Don remarked as the camera focused on the two of them.

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"Cassie and I met on Total Drama last year, and we instantly became friends. Ever since the show ended, we've hung out at least twenty times, and I must say, we balance each other out well. I help her take risks, and she keeps me relax."- Ellie

"Once I heard that there was going to be a second season of The Ridonculous Race, I knew that I had to do it with Ellie. Luckily, we were able to get clearance from the show to be able to compete."- Cassie

"I hear that. Two sixteen year-olds running around the world may not sound like a good idea, but we're not gonna let this opportunity go to waste!"- Ellie

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The third team, like the last one, was a girl-girl team. One woman was thirty-nine years-old, 5'2", of Chinese heritage, with long, black hair and sporting a red hoodie, black jogging pants, grey shoes and brown glasses. The other woman was thirty-six years old, 5'5", of Italian heritage, with medium-length black hair and sporting a black hoodie, grey jogging pants, and black flats. Sitting calmly in their seats, they both had the same goal: to show their kids that perseverance and opportunities can take you far.

"Melanie Wang and Isabella Savvo: the Cheerful Moms who aim to use their time on the show to embarrass- I mean motivate their kids," Don revealed.

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"Sure, we might be some of the older competitors, but we've got young hearts. We're gonna go out and show everyone that we can run with the younger kids."- Melanie

"Hopefully our kids will see us and think of us as rolemodels for them to live by. I love you, Stephan! Be sure to hang your laundry as soon as your sister gives them to you!"-Isabella

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The fourth team; a boy-girl team, was calm as they carefully gazed at their surroundings. The man was eighteen years-old, 5'7", of Vietnamese heritage, had a thin figure with black hair in a scissor cut, and wore a stylish outfit of a collared blue t-shirt, black jeans, white sneakers, and black glasses. The girl was fifteen years-old, 5'6" with a thin figure, had long, black hair with dyed green streaks, and wore a green t-shirt, blue jean shorts, pink sneakers, and black glasses. In general, they were two different people: the boy was calmer and collected, and the girl was more wild and rebellious. But there was one thing that the two of them bonded over: trivia.

"Vincent Tran and Jessalynn Vitel: Trivia Teammates who aim to use their knowledge to outwit the competition," Don announced.

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"I cheered for the Geniuses during the first season, and I was really disappointed when they were eliminated early. I mean come on: smart people are better than that! We're here to prove that smart people can still run with the strongest and toughest competitors!"- Vincent

"If you say so. My parents wanted me to do this show so I could spend more time with him. They think that he's a good influence."- Jessalynn

"Because I am!"- Vincent

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The fifth team (another boy-girl team) kept to themselves while listening to music through their headphones. The man was twenty-four years-old, 5'10", with a muscular physique and a short, black, curly hairstyle, and wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers. The woman was nineteen years-old, 5'6", with a fit physique and long, curly hair, and wearing a black t-shirt, jean shorts, a white necklace, and black high tops. Their modern style matched their modern tastes: rap music and outlandish performances.

"'Za-Wink' and 'The Core': the Rappers with the goal of becoming world-famous," Don remarked.

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"In this world, experience is everything. If we're gonna be world-famous and tour all over the world someday, we might as well join something that forces us to go all around the world."- Za Wink

"I'm gonna give a shoutout to all our fans; we love you all, and we're gonna give you a little taste of what's in store for the future."- The Core

"By this time next year, we're gonna be the biggest thing since Dakota Milton. Yeah!" *High-fives The Core*- Za-Wink

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The sixth duo (another boy-girl duo) was seen fixing their hair and ensuring that they looked good for the camera. The man was eighteen years-old, 5'11", with a muscular physique & short, brown hair, and wearing a form-fitting green t-shirt, brown shorts, and brown boots. The woman was sixteen years-old, 5'6", with a skinny figure & long, black hair in a ponytail, and wearing a pink t-shirt, blue jeans, grey shoes, and a yellow necklace. They had two key qualities in common: they were models, and they participated on the last season of Total Drama.

"Tristan McLoughlin and Betty Baker: the Models with the goal of gaining fame and money," Don reported, "But they're still not as hot as me."

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"Total Drama Island: Return to Wawanakwa didn't turn out they way that we planned, but hopefully this is more up our alley."- Tristan

"I've always wanted to travel around the world, and I could definitely use the money. I just hope that the two of us can work together well enough."- Betty

"And for those wondering at home, we're not dating anymore. But we are still good friends. I care about her and she cares about me. This race will only bring us closer together."- Tristan

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Both members of the seventh team were out of their seats, but for different reasons. The twenty-two year-old man hung from the overhead lighting, showing off his 5'10" frame, his brown, quiff hairstyle, brown t-shirt, blue shorts, and brown sneakers. The other man was trying to ensure that the other man wouldn't hurt himself. Standing 5'9", nineteen years of age, with black & side-parted hair, a buttoned, green t-shirt, black jogging pants, black sneakers, and black glasses, he looked like the more mature of the two of them. But both had their flashes of wildness, especially when they perform flips and tricks through the air.

"Ariton Alla and Kailer Vierra, two freerunners looking to put their physical and mental skills to the test," Don noted.

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"I saw the first season, and I just knew that this was the show for us. After all, we just came off a victory on Jump City: Los Angeles. If we won then, I don't see a reason why we can't win now!"- Ariton

"I can think of one: freerunning is mostly physical; the challenges in the race are guaranteed to be both physical and mental. We need to be at the top of our game."- Kailer

"Yeah, but you're the smartest dude I know! You graduated from highschool at 16! We've got nothing to worry about."- Ariton

"I can think of one guy we know who's smarter than me. Anyways, I'm not gonna raise my expectations too high."- Kailer

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The eighth team (boy-girl) sat together, laughing at the Nigahiga video that they were watching. The woman was twenty-five years-old, 5'6" with long, black hair & an average physique, and wore a teal shirt with blue jeans, black sneakers, and black glasses. The man was nineteen years-old, 5'8" with side-parted black hair & an average physique, and wore a light green, buttoned shirt, black jeans, black high-tops, and black glasses. Looking at their chemistry, they were practically each other's best friend, and that was fine with them.

"Ariana & Aiden Sympale: the Siblings who want to use their youth to explore all that the world has to offer," Don revealed.

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"I've been waiting for a chance to travel the world and put my skills as a languages teacher to the test. And I couldn't imagine doing this with anyone else except my little brother."- Ariana

"It took a while to convince our mom to let me come along, but I'm in the loving hands of my sister; I'm in no danger."- Aiden

"Don't worry mama! The two of us will come home safe and sound! Hopefully a million dollars richer too."- Ariana

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The ninth duo (boy-boy) were also siblings, but were known in England and online as the Dollard Brothers. The older brother was twenty-five years-old, 5'8" with an average physique & light brown hair, and wore a grey t-shirt, black jeans, red shoes and a jean jacket. The younger brother was twenty-three years-old, 5'6" with a fit physique and brown hair, and wore a blue shirt, blue jeans, and black high-tops. Their main focus: vlogging for their YouTube channel.

"Joesph and Reynold Dollard: the YouTuber Brothers who want to take their viewers on a trip around the world," Don remarked.

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"We're here to represent the millennials! We're gonna go out, race hard, play hard and win!"- Reynold

"Yes, and for our fans, we're gonna be vlogging the whole thing! Of course, we can't exactly upload it until the season actually premieres, but we'll take y'all along for the ride. Don't worry."- Joesph

"Yeah!"- Reynold

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The tenth team sat patiently as they watched the Dollard Brothers' YouTube videos on their laptop. The two girls were fairly similar: they were both twenty-three years of age, 5'8" with a fit figure & long hair, and wore buttoned shirts, jeans, and black boots. Much like the last team, these girls were also YouTubers, but they weren't siblings, although they referred to themselves as such.

"Olivia Speller and Lilliana Jacobson: the YouTuber Sisters who want to strengthen their sisterly bond by traveling around the world together," Don revealed.

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"If it weren't for our different hair colours and Olivia wearing glasses, people would mistake us for sisters more often."- Lilliana

"Well, you can keep your blonde hair; brown is fine for me. Anyways, we just want to have some fun, and this seemed like an opportunity that we couldn't pass up."- Olivia

"I mean, how often do you get to travel around the world for free? And we can even win a million dollars from it! It's like heaven on Earth."- Lilliana

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The cameras then turned their attention back to the Ripley's museum, where the remaining teams would arrive separately. The eleventh team exited their cab happily, with the man helping the woman out of the car. The man was thirty years-old, standing 5'10" with an average figure and black hair, and wearing a buttoned black shirt with blue jeans and black shoes. The woman was twenty-five years-old, standing 5'5" with a fit figure and long, brown hair, and wearing a buttoned dark blue shirt, black pants, and grey shoes. Both were dressed somewhat classy, fitting for their jobs as restaurant workers.

"Johhny Carter and Morgan Parker: the Chef Co-Workers who want to spread the word about their restaurant," Don stated.

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"I'm the owner of a restaurant called 'Thyme for Dinner', and Morgan is my executive chef. I want to use my share of the prize money to invest in my restaurant."- Johnny

"I'm just glad for the opportunity; I know that there's gonna be some sort of eating challenge during the race, so I get to see how different cultures view food. It's a win-win for me."- Morgan

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The twelfth team walked out of their cab with earbuds in their ears; the male was beatboxing and the woman was humming a simple tune. They seemed dressed for a performance: the male was wearing a red, buttoned shirt with black jeans, black shoes, and red glasses, while the female wore the same outfit except she wore jeggings instead of jeans, her glasses were green, and she also had a black jacket. This, complete with the fact that they both had black hair, were relatively fit, and were Asian, made many assume that they were siblings. In actuality, they were boyfriend and girlfriend, with the man being Japanese and the woman being Chinese.

"Kaden Suzuki and Maddie Sui: the Acapella-ists with the goal of traveling worldwide to experience different styles of music," Don noted, "So I guess they're singers."

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"Kaden and I have known each other since we were five, when we attended the same voice lessons class. And over the past few years, we've accomplished so much."- Maddie

"We've competed in singing competitions, performed all over the country, and we've had fun while doing it. This is just another event in our lives, and I hope that it can last for as long as possible." *kisses Maddie*- Kaden

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The thirteenth team arrived soon after, fresh from the casino. They were dressed similarly: black boots, black pants, black jackets, and coloured shirts; blue for the male, pink for the female. Otherwise, they were different: the male was Japanese, 5'10", with short, black hair, and the female was Russian, 5'7", with long, pink hair. Walking in sync with each other, everyone knew that they were serious about the competition, and they were ready to take whatever risks they had to in order to win.

"Hitoshi Urushihara and Sasha Zyuzyakin: the Poker Players who plan to use their analysis and gambling skills to soar to victory," Don announced.

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"If you recognize us, it's probably from the Big One For One Drop tournament in 2015: we were the youngest players to go heads-up in a million-dollar buy-in tournament. She was twenty-one, and I was twenty-two."- Hitoshi

"I won ten million dollars and he won a bit under five million in that tournament; we have a history of winning when it matters most. If we can succeed with that much money on the line, a million dollars should be no problem."- Sasha

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The fourteenth team arrived calmly, looking around at the light-studded buildings. For these two men, this was the first time in years that they got to have a break from their everyday jobs as twenty-nine year-old grocers for competing stores. As friendly rivals, they decided to enter the race and try to solidify a bridge of friendship. To show this, they dressed similarly: beige khakis, black shoes, and coloured shirts.

"Jason Tatsuaki and Robin Sharma: the Asian Grocers who want to use the race as an opportunity to bond," Don revealed, "Nothin' like good ol' man & man bonding."

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"After a few years of working 9 to 5 almost everyday, getting a vacation sounds pretty good to us, especially when there's a million dollar prize at the end of it."- Robin

"And we might not be in our prime anymore, but we're still pretty healthy. I'm sure that we can keep up with all the young guns around here."- Jason

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The fifteenth team happily jumped out of the car, eager to begin the race. They were a mother-daughter team; easily known by the similarities in their looks. They were skinny, had tan skin and medium-length brown hair. They were also both dressed with their wishes. The thirty-six year-old mom wanted something loose and easy to move in, which prompted her to wear blue jeans, a yellow, polyester shirt, and podiatrist-recommended teal shoes. As for the eleven year-old daughter, she wore a grey sweater, a white shirt, olive-coloured pants, and black shoes, in the spirit of remembering her idol.

"Vanessa and Courtney Peryera: the Family Fans who want to pursue their long-time dream of being reality television participants," Don revealed.

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"My daughter and I have been fans of Total Drama for such a long time. I was pregnant when I watched the first and second seasons; I loved it so much that when she was born, I named her after my favourite camper."- Vanessa

"I've been waiting for this for soooooo long! It sucks that I'm not old enough to compete on Total Drama yet, but this is just as good!"- Courtney

"Don't worry, honey; once you turn fourteen, we'll send in the application. I'm sure you'll get in."- Vanessa

"I hope so!" *giggling*- Courtney

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The sixteenth team walked calmly into the area, amazed at the hustle & bustle surrounding them. Unlike the other teams, they came from the rural plains of Saskatchewan. They were dressed modestly: the forty-five year-old man wore a white shirt, jeans, and brown boots, and the forty-four year-old woman wore a pink shirt, beige shorts, and black boots. In their minds, they had both experience and wisdom on their side, making them confident on their odds of winning.

"Randy & Sarah Mueller: the Married Farmers with the goal of using the prize to buy new tools for their farm," Don reported.

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"We may be the oldest ones in the competition, but that doesn't mean we're at a disadvantage. These young kids haven't faced the hardship and conflicts like we have over the past decades."- Randy

"We actually have to grow, pick, and plant our own food, slaughter our own animals, and learn to deal without some of the luxuries that many of these kids have. That should give us a leg up on the competition."- Sarah

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The seventeenth team ran to the museum, electing to get their adrenaline pumped before the race began. It was natural to them; being hockey players, they knew how to deal with the physical demands of the sport. Or, considering that they were young men, you could argue that they just wanted to impress the girls around them. But their looks: hoodies, jeans, dark shoes, and blonde hair were nothing special.

"Aaron Hannigan and Darren Sandin: the Hockey Teammates who just want to compete," Don revealed before tapping into his earpiece, "Where did you get these dopes?"

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"Training isn't cheap: if we can get our hands on this prize, we can get the right trainers and equipment to better prepare ourselves for the NHL."- Aaron

"Yeah, maybe like a thicker blue hoodie to make you look bigger." *laughs*- Darren

"Hey, just because I'm five inches shorter than you doesn't make me a worse player. And don't think that wearing a mahogany hoodie makes you look taller. You're still 6'0" with and without it."- Aaron

"Are we actually debating what kind of hoodies make us look taller?" *facepalms*- Darren

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The eighteenth team made their way down the sidewalk, smiling at everyone that they passed. By looking at them, you could tell that they weren't your everyday nineteen year-old, 5'8" competitors. The man with an auburn shirt, blue jeans, dark shoes, glasses, and brown hair also had cochlear implants. And the man with a blue t-shirt, jeans, dark sneakers, blue sunglasses, and dirty blond hair was in a wheelchair. But to underestimate them would be a mistake; they were a lot stronger than they looked, and they wanted to define themselves with something other than their unique traits: their love for videogames.

"Travis West and Matthew Carboni: the Gamers who want to prove that they can compete just as hard as anyone else," Don reported before tapping into his earpiece again, "Nice catch, producers!"

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"Ever since I appeared on Total Drama, I've been asked to give motivational speeches all over my city, and sometimes in different cities around the country. And hopefully with Travis alongside me, we can inspire more people like us to make a difference in the world."- Matthew

"I'm glad to be here with my best friend, and I hope that we can go far in this show and continue spreading positive messages."- Travis

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The nineteenth team walked slowly down the sidewalk in front the museum, doing their best to not disturb anyone. It seemed that neither one of them were really interested in being there: their outfits didn't indicate much care into preparing for a race. Both girls' outfits: jeans, dark shoes, and a coloured t-shirt just seemed to be a choice to look presentable for the camera. Otherwise, both girls appeared to be the same: around 5'7", average physique, medium-length brown hair, and with an admiration for writing stories and posting them online.

"Julianna Allano and Emmie Caron: the Online Writers who are here to....." Don began before staring at the com card, "Wait, they didn't actually write down why they're here."

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"Our parents told us to apply for this so we can get out of the house more. I mean, I can't blame them; we've spent so much time posting stories to Wattpad that we barely get out of the house anymore. Except for school, of course."- *adjusts glasses*- Emmie

"I just hope that we can make it to the halfway point. That way we can say that we had some success."- Julianna

"I wanna go all the way; if we're gonna be in a race for a million bucks, we better race our as*es off. A million dollars can do a lot for us, and I'm not looking to get eliminated early."- Emmie

"Whatever you say." *continues reading book*- Julianna

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The twentieth and final team walked down the sidewalk hand-in-hand, visibly showing their love for each other. At this point, if you were a fan of Total Drama, you knew who they were. After finishing their season, they continued their romantic relationship, and it had only gotten stronger over time. With the ability to compete with each other on this show instead of against each other, they eagerly jumped at the chance to join the race.

"Daniel Trieu and Amalia Rahela-Filipescu: the Total Drama Lovers who want to add another accolade to their resumé," Don reported.

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"Sure, I've already won a million dollars, but when life throws you an opportunity to travel around the world with your boyfriend, and there's no one around to stop you, you've got to take the shot."- Amalia

"I'm liking our odds with regards to winning this competition. If our previous results are of any indication, we should place in the top three at least. Hopefully."- Daniel

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With the introductions done with, the twenty teams filed in at the front of the Ripley's Museum, just behind the starting line on the street. They all took a look around them: even though they may have wanted to make friends and be nice to each other, the reality was that it was a competition, and they would have to beat each other if they wanted to win.

"Welcome contestants! This is the starting line for your many-part race around the world. Each part ends at a Chill Zone. Get there fast, because the last team to stand on the Carpet of Completion may be cut from the competition. But the first team to reach our last Chill Zone will win one million dollars!" Don declared, causing a rouse of cheers from the forty contestants, "Just like last season, you must find 'Don Boxes', and once you find one and press the red button, it will give you a 'Travel Tip' that will dictate where you must go next and what you must do. Ready teams?"

"Yeah!" the teams replied simultaneously as they got into a running stance.

"Alright then," Don remarked as he raised his hand, "Ready, set....go!"

With that, the twenty teams took off down the road, some faster than others. As Don watched them head into the distance, he was reminded about the rush of being the host of a star show. With many different contestants and brand new challenges to see, he knew that it was bound to be a good season, which meant that he was about to look much better in the eyes of the public.

"Boy, it's good to be back," Don muttered to himself before turning to face the main camera, "With the race finally underway, come back after the break to see how the contestants handle their first challenge. We're back better than ever, with everyone's favourite: The Ridonculous Race."