SDMN Oneshots

Let The Challenge Begin - minizerk

Back when he was 10, Simon had applied to participate on a TV show. He didn't really care which, he just kind of wanted the opportunity to be on one.

He wasn't expecting to be propositioned with the offer of being one of the first contestants on a new game show that had been granted its first series on CBBC - Raven.

Unsurprisingly, he'd agreed, and found out that he was among the 'second week' of competitors, of which there were 6. He'd arrived, gotten settled into the hotel room him and his mum would be in for the next night, and then they'd gone downstairs to the reception, ready to meet the other contestants.

He's skipping over a lot of details, but then again, he was 10. It was 15 years ago, and the beforehand wasn't that important. It's what happened after that was.

Anyway, his mum gestured him in the direction of the group of kids huddled together, waiting to be given directions or information.

Simon walked over, smiling gently at the boy who moved aside to let him into the little cluster.

"Hello, I'm Simon!" He said, excitable in tone yet quiet in pitch. Simon didn't want to annoy anyone today, didn't want anyone to get a bad first impression. Mum always said those mattered.

"Hey, I'm Tobi. This is my friend Josh, and that's Ethan, that's Sarah, and that's Freya." Tobi pointed at everyone in the circle, as they all smiled politely or waved when their name was mentioned.

A man who introduces himself as Colin comes over and beckons another man with black hair and a beard in their direction.

"Okay guys, this is James. He's going to be Raven. Remember, he's a nice guy, even if he's pretending to be a big scary Scottish man on camera. He's playing a role, okay?" James smiles lightly at them. It's clear he's not the most comfortable around kids, but he's willing to try.

After everything has been fully explained, they head out into the forest to start filming. They start off with 7 lives each, and know that only 2 will progress to the final, against the 4 from the other groups who have also progressed.

Ethan was the first to go, losing his final life to a riddle-based task. He attempted the Way of the Warrior, but failed to make it through, eliminating him from the competition at the end of the first episode.

Sarah was next, failing to hit Freya enough times with sacks of flour. The challenges on that show were weird sometimes, Simon muses. She didn't make it through the Way of the Warrior either.

Freya is the next to go, not having the speed to complete a particular challenge. Despite the mud coating her face, she left gracefully, as gracefully as a 9 year old can.

By this time, all the children had really bonded. They didn't need the same amount of time adults do to build up a network of trust, the currently eliminated cheering quietly off-camera.

On the fourth episode, they'd reached the leap of faith, where they had to climb up the side of a tree (on a ladder, then up by blocks the rest of the way) onto a platform, and then jump to grab a suspended golden ring.

That was when Simon really got to know Josh, because Tobi couldn't do it.

He stood at the top of the platform, his legs shaking and tears present in his eyes. Looking down, he sees Josh, Simon and James stood together watching. His voice wobbled.

"Josh, I, I can't do it."

"Yes you can, Tobi! Stop looking down and just listen to me, okay? You can do it. Just look at that ring, reach out and jump. Even if you miss, you've still done it. That's something, right?"