Most of the contestants were up at dawn, curiosity getting the better of them, but others had to be called up by staff.

"Welcome, contestants, to the second day of The Mole!", greeted Monty. "Today contains two challenges. Tomorrow? The first execution! I hope you have your suspects!"

"But what is the first challenge?", asked Lumalee.

But Monty Mole instead waddled out to the same black bus from before, and asked the contestants to get on. The trip was mostly in silence, except for some sharing their opinions on the mole of course. Toadette showed her drawings which she had scribbled onto her diary, whilst Lumalee rambled on about the last season's events (she being an avid follower of the show).

They were led to a giant maze.

"Oh, the navigation challenge! But isn't it meant to be done at night?", asked Lumalee.

"That's where you're wrong! It may be the same maze, but it is a different challenge altogether!"

"Oh." But she instantly perked up. "A new adventure, then!"

Monty Mole pointed to several paintball markers (also known as paintball guns) – there were ten each.

"Paintball", Luigi said dully.

"Yes, you are right! You ten are a team, and you will be facing off against three professional paintball players", explained Monty, pointing to a sledge bro, a pianta and a noki. They waved, and they all had paintball gear on. "You have to hit all of them. However", he continued, "you only have three paintballs. If you fire all of them, you are out. If you get hit by the opposition, you are also out. The only way to win is to get all the professionals and be left with at least a player. This challenge is worth 20,000 coins."

"Ten against three eh?", said Rawk Hawk, flexing his muscles again. "That doesn't seem too hard."

"Remember, those guys are professionals", reminded Diddy.

"Wait, I have a question", said Rosalina. "What if you hit your teammate?"

"Then your teammate is out. See, this gives the mole the opportunity to sabotage the game."

"How many paintballs do the professionals have?"

"An unlimited amount."

"Why must you make these challenges so hard!", complained Luigi.

"Because this is The Mole!", answered the host. Many laughed.

"Enough with this mole talk already! Lets head in!", said the impatient Rawk.

And so the contestants all headed into the maze. After they were all stationed, the professionals went in also.

Toadette and Toadbert decided to team up; Toadbert would try to hit the professionals, Toadette would act as backup.

Faint footsteps could be heard approaching the two toads. Toadbert was not sure whether it was a professional or contestant and peered out.

BANG.

Toadbert got hit.

"I'm hit! I'm hit!", screamed Toadbert, and a device on his clothes started fizzing out red smoke. A paratroopa instantly swooped in and carried him out of the maze.

Toadette let loose her first paintball. It was the pianta who had brought down Toadbert, but he realized that something was amiss and ducked, and so the paintball missed. She decided to remain stationary and see what would happen.

Rawk Hawk was by himself at the edge of the maze. Scanning the three paths which a professional could come from, he saw movement and fired…

…at Diddy Kong.

"YOU IDIOT!", screamed Diddy when he saw his attacker. His device also started to give smoke and the paratroopa came.

Unfortunately, the sledge bro attacker had crept up behind Rawk Hawk and took him out also. Three down.

Challenge Update (Brackets indicate number of paintballs)

In the maze: Luigi (3), Rosalina (3), Peach (3), Kylie (3), Lumalee (3), Toadette (2), Koops (3)

Out: Toadbert, Diddy, Rawk Hawk

All the professionals are still in the maze.

Peach, Lumalee and Rosalina kept guard together. They were at a junction where four paths crossed. They had tried to get a fourth person to guard the last path, but Kylie refused and they saw no-one else.

Suddenly, there was an onslaught of paintballs. Peach got hit, Lumalee and Rosalina fired back which sent the attacker (the noki) diving out of the way. They thought it was too risky to stay there and ran for it (both had only one paintball left).

Koops was right near the entrance of the maze. He knew there were already four out (since the paratroopa always swept past him) and knew he had to keep his guard. Suddenly, he saw movement both to his right and left.

An ambush!

He fired right at the sledge bro, who was too big a target and got hit instantly. But the pianta which had crept up behind shot Koops out as well.

Luigi was situated in a dead end, which he thought was the safest place to be, and so far he hadn't saw any of the professionals yet. Kylie had crept past but he had luckily not fired. Out of anxiety, his knees were wobbling and his marker trembled.

There was sudden movement up ahead, and he let loose two of his paintballs. His attacker fled instantly. He ran out of his place to find somewhere else to hide, only to be ambushed and taken out by the Noki. But the Noki fell shortly afterwards, for Kylie Koopa was right behind him.

Challenge Update (Brackets indicate number of paintballs)

In the maze: Rosalina (1), Kylie (2), Lumalee (1), Toadette (2)

Out: Toadbert, Diddy, Rawk Hawk, Peach, Koops, Luigi

Professionals: Only the Pianta left.

Rosalina and Lumalee didn't know how many professionals were still standing in the maze, their only priority was to not get hit. They found a relatively isolated area at the end of the maze and decided to stand guard there.

Meanwhile, Kylie was still prowling for more professionals to shoot down. She didn't know whether there were two or one attackers left. She just wanted the challenge to succeed.

Toadette had already lost Toadbert, and so she did not have a partner. She was also on the move, trying to find someone else. She and Kylie bumped into each other, and managed to get each out in the process.

Outside the maze, the contestants were having a conversation when Kylie and Toadette were also brought before them.

"She shot me! She's the mole!", accused Toadette at Kylie Koopa.

"Me? The mole? For your information, it was I, Kylie Koopa, who managed to bring the noki down!"

"Peach! Do you remember how many paintballs Rosalina and Lumalee have left?", asked Luigi.

"Only one each", she said glumly.

Diddy Kong, Koops and Toadbert were also having a conversation.

"I think it is Rawk Hawk that is the mole", said Diddy, pointing to Rawk who was flexing his muscles in front of a disinterested Peach. "It was blatantly obvious that I was not a professional or potential attacker, and yet he shot me! Were you guys killed by him also?"

"Nope, I got ambushed by two professionals", said Koops. "I managed to get one out, though."

"I got shot by the Pianta", explained Toadbert. "Although I believe that Rawk Hawk to be a rather dodgy character as well."

"I don't think so."

Both Diddy and Toadbert looked at Koops, who blurted it out.

"And why not?", demanded Diddy.

"He just seems so like the mole that it just couldn't be true!"

Toadbert said thoughtfully, "You do have a point there. Maybe shooting down Diddy was just an accident. Who is on your suspect list, then?"

Koops flicked his diary. "I don't have any, I only wrote down what Diddy told me on the bus yesterday."

The pianta had managed to sneak up on Rosalina and Lumalee. As he moved out into the open, it was Lumalee who saw it first.

"Rosalina! Behind you!", the star child screamed, and stood up to run. Unfortunately, Lumalee got Rosalina out with her final paintball as a mistake.

"Oh my god! Rosalina, I'm so sorry!", said the luma, before getting taken out by the pianta as well. The paratroopa came and picked up the final two contestants from the maze.

Monty Mole saw what was happening and waddled up to the players. "You guys know what that means, right?", he asked.

"We don't get the coins", muttered Diddy and Luigi together.

"That's right. Although you were really pretty close on this one."

Team Pot

10,000 coins

+ 0 coins

= 10,000 coins

Possible: 30,000 coins

Exempted: Kylie Koopa

Lunch was a delicious feast served by Peach's royal cooks at her own castle. The contestants were all seated at a long table.

"I hope you all have your suspects list, for remember, the first execution is tomorrow!", reminded Monty, host and literal mole. "Before the second challenge starts, you have 1 hour which you can relax in your rooms at the Mushroom Hotel."

[Room 101: Diddy and Koops]

"Like I said before, Rawk Hawk is mostly definitely the mole for me."

"Is that what you're going to answer in the execution?", asked Koops, still writing in his diary. He had already written three entire pages.

"What are you writing, Koops?", asked the curious monkey.

"Oh, nothing. Just what happened today."

Diddy: Rawk Hawk is definitely mole-like to me. Lumalee also shot Rosalina, but that was an actual tense situation and I truly believe that to be an accident.

Koops: Mole? I still really don't know. I was shot by an actual professional, and all tried their best at yesterday's challenge. Sadly, my suspect list is still blank. I'm gonna bring my diary to record suspicious behavior this afternoon. Help me...

[Room 102: Luigi and Peach]

"So Princess, whose on your list? We seem to be the innocents here. No-one doubts us, but we aren't doubting anyone – or at least we don't tell anyone who we doubt. Your thoughts?"

"This is really very puzzling. Rawk Hawk seems mole-ish, I'm sure everyone thinks that. I'm sure no-one has said this before, but what if Kylie got the exemption to stop 'actual' contestants from getting it?"

"But then…why did she shoot a professional today?"

"It may be because she was avoid suspicion, but there is also another likely possibility – remember Koops was also in the area. Maybe she was aiming for Koops, but got the noki instead!"

"I've never thought of it that way! I'm most definitely writing it in my diary!"

Luigi: Peach's point of view is really very intelligent. I'll keep an eye on Kylie, Rawk and also Lumalee, who shot Rosalina today.

Peach: Is Kylie the mole? Maybe, maybe not. I'm really scared of that execution…

[Room 103: Rosalina and Lumalee]

"Once again Rosalina, I'm really sorry. I was aiming for the pianta, I swear!"

"I know, Lumalee", replied the star princess, rubbing the star child's head. "You're not on my suspect list, anyway."

"Then who is? Mine is mainly composed of Rawk Hawk."

"That is what everyone thinks, doesn't it? He tried to get the exemption, in order to stop the contestants, but Kylie eventually overcame him. He also shot Diddy."

"That is what everyone thinks, isn't it?", said Rosalina. "This is hard!"

Rosalina: As I said, Rawk Hawk is my main suspect, for those reasons. Or maybe it was Kylie? Luigi hasn't done anything – is he about to strike?

Lumalee: I'm really lost here. Maybe I'll go with Rosalina; Rawk Hawk.

[Room 104: Toadette and Toadbert]

"So, Toadette", began the blue-capped Toad, "Who do you think is the Mole?"

"Being one of the people who made it to the top of the first challenge, I needed a bit of convincing but, as you can remember, soon I was going steadily. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, and yet some failed. I know you are not the mole, and for Lumalee it is practically impossible for her. No, my suspects are Rosalina, Diddy and Koops."

"Interesting."

Toadbert: Everyone has suspects except me! Dammit, I am hopeless!

Toadette: I believe the mole is doing a very good job of hiding himself or herself. My suspicions are only really vague.

[Room 105: Kylie and Rawk Hawk]

Kylie sat on the opposite side to Rawk Hawk. On the day before, she had called Rawk a 'loudmouth' and said that she hated him. Rawk still looked down on the other contestants, and had not shared much of his thoughts or formed any coalitions yet.

Kylie: Why oh why am I stuck with him! At least I have an exemption…I shouldn't complain…

Rawk Hawk: Heh, I'm making it to the final no matter what! And everyone would feel the RAWWWWWWWK! The mole? Oh…umm…maybe Diddy? He's awfully angry at me…

And so after one hour the contestants met at the front of the hotel. Monty was not there, but a note was:

This is not an official challenge. I have hidden myself in this hotel, and it is your job to find me. Don't want to? Well, I have an exemption…

"Another exemption!", said Toadette. "But this building is pretty big! Where to look, where to look…." And with that, she scrambled off.

Luigi immediately started opening storeroom closets, to no avail. The literal mole was no-where to be found. The green plumber groaned and went up to the next floor.

Peach had the idea of asking the hotel's occupants to see whether they had seen him. Most were freaked with the princess coming to visit, causing her to lose valuable time.

Toadette searched the kitchen and the garden outside the building. Monty was not there.

Toadbert looked around a storage area Luigi hasn't been to yet, and saw a dumbwaiter that had been partly opened. Peeking inside, he was surprised to see his host.

"Congratulations! You found me!", greeted Monty Mole warmly. "And that means…

"…I got an exemption!"

"That is correct! Here it is! Now, off to our next challenge!"

Monty and the other contestants soon all gathered at the front of the hotel. Their method of transportation was once again the black bus.

Exempted: Kylie Koopa, Toadbert Kinopio

Who do you think is the mole? Reviews, please!