Author's Note (IMPORTANT FOR ONCE!): (Updated racefic on July 27, 2008.) First off, I would like to apologize about Leg 7. The site's Document Manager wouldn't work with me at all. At first, when I tried uploading the chapter in its entirety, the page simply timed out after about a minute and gave me a blank screen. After successfully re-uploading previous shorter chapters, I assumed that the length was the problem—to my surprise, I was right. By cutting the actual document in half, the upload worked. But from there, I was forced to cut and paste smaller and smaller sections, or else I'd get the Error message about an exception error and the complimentary useless e-mail link. Somewhere in the hundred times I received that dreaded box, my wishes periodically came through. Eventually, however, it failed, and the previews and closing comments just would not go. I couldn't edit one sentence past "And then, it happened." without receiving that meaningless memorandum.
I don't think I'd ever been more frustrated in my life. The error message's link would not respond, and my several manual e-mail complaints to the website were apparently not going through due to a permanent error. Hoping that I could make some leeway when there were fewer U.S. users, I repeated that hopeless document edit sending process until late in the night (for me, past one is late; I usually go to bed like a good little boy following his curfew). I couldn't stand the thought of having to reedit anything in that leg, because I felt like I needed it all—voting information, storyline, character development…the whole enchilada. However, that document wouldn't even save when I removed things, and I most certainly wasn't willing to redo all my usual editing in another reload. Unlike what the site claims, it doesn't recognize page breaks from my Word 2007.
I tend to be a bit on the impatient side. In the end, I completely gave up on trying to force-feed the unwilling document. I was tired of hearing my mind shout uncharacteristic cuss words. I was tired of seeing that error message, over and over. I guess I should go spank myself now for making that leg over 34,000 words, but according to the submission guidelines, it was perfectly legitimate, and should have worked fine—it wasn't even close to that supposed nine megabyte limit. Therefore, I will stand firm on this statement:
I did not intentionally create a preview-less cliffhanger on Leg 7, and the incident is not my fault.
I don't intend to sound angry, but I just don't understand what's wrong. I felt like I made some decent progress in understanding 3-D characters and plot development in that chapter, and it made me float up to cloud nine. It was supposed to upload perfectly, just like it always has for me. But I guess not. Just like the people in the race, I guess I had my own Detours and Roadblocks impeding my way. Even now, Leg 7 refuses to accept its add-ons. There's not really anything I can do but accept that TTYD3's organization is going to be forever messed up.
My sincerest apologies for the long, useless rant aspect of that explanation, for looking so immature, for being so useless, and for failing to break through to the website on this bothersome manner. I've reposted the Leg 7 ending as food for thought below for anyone who missed it on my profile, even though it's probably inadequate in serving its original purpose. My sincerest apologies again—I better stop increasing the word count on this uselessly long Author's Note before I have a repeat nightmarish disaster on this chapter…
Review Answers: Thanks for the reviews and votes, everyone. Just so I can get in the habit of making this section a bit cleaner, I'll only be hitting large questions or interesting details here from now on.
- Kojo and Kory were, from the start, intended to be my little stereotype representative for The Amazing Race's typical "alpha male" teams ("alpha" is questionable at this point)—I have problems telling those men apart because they usually looked alike, talked alike, and had vanilla personalities compared to other teams. Other than being contenders, they never stood out to me at all. My apologies, Tom Nook, but for sake of avoiding too much "OC development" in this season, my attention is generally more on teams either in the heat or taken directly from the game with intact backgrounds. For this leg, I guarantee that they're fading into the background. If they survive, they may or may not be developed individually more in the future.
- The non-elimination penalty. Thanks for bringing it up, Tom Nook. I don't even know if I'm straight about it… I think I remember Miles taking belongings only until the end of the next leg (how cheap), so Team Glitz Pit should've gained possession back at the end of Leg 6. I usually even forgot about that penalty on the actual race (TAR7: "Wait… Where'd Uchenna and Joyce put their backpacks?!), and since I fail to make a big deal out of it anyway, it usually doesn't have too much of an effect (since I especially don't emphasize the lack of money part). For now, the penalty will remain the way it is (reference Leg 5 – Metal City), but I can assure readers for a fact that All-Stars will have it differently.
The following is a repost of Leg 7's complete original ending, including the Leg 8 previews, Leg 7 trivia, and author's closing comments. For information on why this is here, please read the "Author's Note" at the beginning of this chapter. Otherwise, feel free to skip it and move directly into Leg 8: Future Dream.
And then, it happened.
"Do it for us, guys… Do your best to outlast Grodus and Crump and Koopinator and Shellshock, okay?" Hannah whispered, pointing discretely at the two powerhouses. "I know that if anyone can do it, it's you two… Make us proud."
Kojo and Kory looked at each other in shock.
Hannah, the good-natured, timid nurse, had just delivered that encouragement with a little bit of ill will towards the alliance opposition.
Even Theata seemed a bit taken aback.
Talk about a "Whoa!" moment…
Next time, on the Amazing Race…
Hooktail's fears in completing a task prompt another outburst of anger from her brother.
Shaking her head vigorously, Hooktail planted her feet to avoid being pushed through a doorway by Gloomtail.
"Quit forcing me, you twit!"
"I will when you quit being such a loser! Dangit, what're you so darn afraid of?! GO THROUGH ALREADY, YOU USELESS CHICKEN!"
Grodus plots to take complete control of the competition.
"All of the teams who look at this as a one-leg-at-a-time game are going about it the entirely wrong way. I, however, am thinking about the long-term game; for this competition, that would be the Final Three. Unlike what most would think, individual teams do indeed have the power to sabotage others as long as they have the positioning and leverage to do so."
Throughout his confessional, Grodus' face remained serious.
"This is the eighth leg now. Three more eliminations—three more chances to create the ideal Final Three setting that I have the best chance at defeating. It is time to start intervening."
But he experiences an unfortunate malfunction.
"What… What is happening to me?! Crump! Crump! What is happening to me?!" Grodus yelled. "CRUMP!"
Then, the android suddenly fell silent and went limp. He unceremoniously crashed to the ground and lay still, unmoving.
"…Oh…crud…" Crump whispered.
Leg 7 Trivia:
- A decent portion of the leg was written while the author was vacationing in the Philippines.
- Originally, it was planned for Koopinator and Shellshock to Yield Kojo and Kory. This was changed for purposes of storyline and characterization.
- At first, the two routes were switched—red was blue, and vice versa. This was changed when Theata and Hannah joined the alliance on what was the red route—in order to add more suspense to the pit stop chase, Kojo and Kory's route needed to be shown first in the story order (which was what the author hoped most readers would take first).
About the Location: Pagoda Peak is a Chinese-themed one-way board from Mario Party 7. This ancient mountain above the clouds featured a very unique architecture and culture, as well as two remarkable landmarks, Kung Fu Falls and Burning Rock. Its customs and traditions offered a large array of opportunities for tasks, but the size of the board itself was troublesome to work with (hence its classification into a nonexistent region used for other ancient locales to increase time).
Author's Note: Perhaps this leg was a bit too dramatic—I know for a fact I overdid some things a bit. For one thing, it all happened too fast, and I had to work much too hard to put Theata and Hannah in the position I wanted them. I knew upon reading some of the predictions that very few would expect me to eliminate both female teams back-to-back, especially considering how I let the Mertwins and Traveling Sisters make the Final Three in past seasons. But this season, as shown by this leg, is quite different. Although I didn't consistently emphasize Theata and Hannah's intended inferiority like I was supposed to, it should've become clear from the past legs that I was trying to write them as one of the weaker teams. I'll work on establishing things like that much better in the future, no worries.
It really does disappoint me how late I'm actually setting things up, because the major ideal characterization I intended for some teams isn't even coming out until this leg (Gloomtail & Hooktail / Grodus & Crump / Koopinator & Shellshock / Lahla & Rocko). Hopefully some of the conflicts and such won't feel so rushed in the next chapter, because several things didn't feel right in their execution (such as Kojo's sudden outburst and fast cool down). I aim to please with further improvement in the future.
Get ready for Leg 8: Future Dream…
- milesyoshidino34
Leg 8 Starts Here
Loading the Memory Card… The save file in Slot A has been loaded!
…
Previously, on the Amazing Race…
Seven teams of two raced over 8,300 miles to the historical Ancient Valley. During the transfer process through Western Land, three teams almost made vital mistakes.
"De airport ticketing might not be open at dis hour…" mused Rocko. "We could just turn in for de night and get some rest…I dunno…find a hotel or someding…"
"Okay… I think I finally found something." Hannah said, highlighting something on the computer monitor. "It's Olden Wonders 1001. It leaves tomorrow morning at 8:00, arriving at about 2:00 P.M., local time."
"Cool…I guess all we gotta do now is settle down some place for the night." Kojo remarked.
Theata and Hannah's slip-up in almost forcing themselves and their allies into a guaranteed last-place flight instilled paranoia and doubt into the remaining members of the Koopa-Toad alliance. The Junctionleg, worries about time, and underlying fears of revenge were the three factors that gave Theata enough reckoning to make the one move that nobody saw coming.
"I choose to Yield Kojo and Kory," declared Theata as she stapled down the picture of the Petalburg Koopas.
"THOSE BACKSTABBERS!" yelled Kojo furiously. "Why'd they have to Yield US?!"
Throughout the leg, there was a notable deterioration of teamwork between the dragon siblings.
"We don't have time for your STUPID complaining! GET. ON." Gloomtail snarled dangerously, glaring at his sister and the tri-cart.
"…Seriously, Gloomtail, just grow up! Talk to me already! We can't run this race if you won't talk to me!" Hooktail ordered as she stood her ground next to Ascension Gates.
"DON'T TALK TO ME THAT WAY! I'm your older brother, so don't you DARE take that kind of tone with ME!" Gloomtail bellowed on the bottommost steps.
"You're the biggest immature jerk I've ever met! You're worse than Grodus and the mistress combined!" Hooktail retorted.
"You're fatter than I am!"
"Shut UP!" Hooktail screamed. "GOSH, YOU'RE SO ANNOYING!"
For once, Grodus and Crump's overall performance was strong throughout the leg. It netted them their second win.
"You're team number one!"
"Hooray!" Crump cheered excitedly, jumping up and down.
But on the other hand, Theata and Hannah met with constant mistakes and mishaps on their journey…
"Shoot! Missed again!" A discouraged Theata groaned after yet another dart missed the bamboo target.
"Urgh…" Theata and Hannah cleaned out their second cannon misfire.
"This…is really…difficult…" Hannah groaned, helping Theata lift the tri-cart as they carried it up the marble stairs.
"YOOW!" Theata yelped as she toppled off of the log, bokkoto in hand.
And in the end, the time all added up against them, resulting in a loss in a footrace against the Yielded Kojo and Kory.
"I'm sorry to tell you that you've both been eliminated from the race."
Sadly, Theata put her arm around Hannah's shoulder as they both took the news.
X-Nauts Blast to Top Again; Theata & Hannah Fizzled Out
Six teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?
This is Pagoda Peak, an ancient mountain of Chinese-influenced culture towering high above the other pikes of Ancient Valley. And at the very summit of this prehistoric landmass is Master Koopa's House. This peaceful cap above the clouds is where the famous martial artist spent countless years perfecting a variety of unique and powerful fighting techniques. It was also the seventh pit stop in a race around the world.
Teams checked in at the end of the last leg to take part in a mandatory pit stop that allows them to eat, sleep, and mingle with the other teams. The six teams waiting here have no idea where their next destination is, or what kinds of challenges await them. They must use a series of clues to make their way to the next pit stop.
After the reversal of placements beginning in Leg 6, will Grodus and Crump's alliance continue to dominate? Can the dragons overcome their petty sibling rivalry arguments to get their focus back where it matters? And can Kojo and Kory, the last standing survivors of the Petalburg-Rogueport alliance, escape from the dooming axe?
Grodus and Crump, who arrived at 11:23 A.M…
"Hooray!" Crump cheered excitedly, jumping up and down.
…will depart at 11:23 P.M.
Temperatures were almost always lower at higher altitudes. If one factored in that warmth dip with that the one that came from the lack of a sun, one would come to a very astounding conclusion. It was very, very cold at the top of a mountain during nighttime. In fact, the conditions of the nocturnal Kalimari Desert almost seemed like a chilly joke compared to the wintry nocturnal Pagoda Peak.
Due to the elevation of the peak being above most clouds, the view to the star-filled skies above was unimpeded, revealing the celestial objects in all their uncovered glory. Even with a relatively bright moon up above, though, paper lamps were required to provide a little bit more assistance to the teams.
Grodus & Crump: Charity Partners- 1st to Depart, 11:23 P.M. (Master Koopa's House)
No, Grodus still wasn't cold. He'd disabled those sensors and nerves, and he was ignoring it so well, he probably could've ignored freezing Antarctica. Again, his body felt strangely warm and fuzzy, but in a much more subdued manner than before. Sure, his entire alliance was still in one piece, and sure, the other one was now down to its last standing duo.
But in the last leg, one of the major threats in the game did not leave—the lesser of the two evils did.
That didn't really sit well with the former world dominator at all. Each elimination pit stop wasted prolonged the life of the strong teams in this game, giving them more time and more chances to outlast him. And with his disadvantage and all…
Maybe he should've stuck a foot out or something to trip a Koopa at the last second.
"Yes, yes, I scored first again. Does it really look like I care?" Grodus' robotic face remained cold. "All of the teams who look at this as a one-leg-at-a-time game are going about it the entirely wrong way. I, however, am thinking about the long-term game; for this competition, that would be the Final Three. Unlike what most would think, individual teams do indeed have the power to sabotage others as long as they have the positioning and leverage to do so. As it stands now, the two biggest threats to me are still here. I will not hesitate to do what it takes to get rid of them before the thirteenth leg commences."
But even though Grodus himself didn't feel cold, that wasn't to say that his actual body wasn't at risk. With more drastic conditions, he took precautions by sporting a form-fitting dark purple sweater and black pants under his usual evil genius cloak and cape. Also wary about the cold, Crump had added a black sweatshirt and coveralls to his attire.
When the correct time arrived, the android tore open the envelope and pulled out the Route Info. "'Drive yourselves back to Ancient Valley International Airport and sign up for a charter rocket that will take you to Future Dream. Once there, catch an air taxi that will take you to the Prospect Lab. Take a ride on the space shuttle carousel to grab your next clue.'"
Teams must now drive themselves back by cloud car 85 miles back to Ancient Valley International Airport. They will need to sign up for one of two charter rockets leaving thirty minutes apart, each with a carry limit of three teams, which will carry them 6,432 miles to the highest nocturnal vision-turned-real of Dream Depot—Future Dream. Once only existent in the limbo of the mind's reality, this dream, created by imaginative thoughts of the future and outer space, was brought alive through intense wishes granted by the extraordinary powers of the Star Spirits. Upon arrival, they will need to hire an air taxi to take them 2 miles through space to Prospect Lab, a set of three space stations used for testing experimental equipment. By riding the space shuttle carousel of Area 2, teams will have access to their next clue.
"'You have 186 Smash for this leg of the race.'" Grodus finished. He stepped off the mat as Crump deposited the money into their credit card.
"This is the eighth leg now. Three more eliminations—three more chances to create the ideal Final Three setting that I have the best chance at defeating. It is time to start striking now, regardless of non-elimination legs. I cannot simply wait and let things such as handicaps and team disadvantages take their toll anymore." Grodus shook his head urgently and held up a finger. "It is time to start intervening. And with a genius mind such as mine working to create discrete yet disruptive plans, they will not be aware of what is going on until a host executes them with, 'You have been eliminated from the race.' GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Koopinator & Shellshock: Sparring Partners- 2nd to Depart, 11:24 P.M. (Master Koopa's House)
Just like always, the Dark Koopatrol endured the temperature extremes without modifying his metal apparel. The sunglasses-wearing Shellshock needed more than a windbreaker this time—he was covered in his purple hooded jacket, with all other parts of his usual outfit intact.
"'…Ancient Valley International Airport," Shellshock read with boredom, having heard Grodus' voice a minute before, "'and sign up for a charter…'"
"Out of the remaining people here, Grodus is among one of the most competitive, even if he doesn't always show it. I'm pretty sure that the competitive drive was what drew him to allying with Shellshock and I back before the fifth leg. Grodus…he and I are heavily focused on this game. We think alike." Koopinator tapped the side of his helmet with a finger. "Yes, we think alike… And that's why I know that Grodus is regretting being so hasty earlier in the race, such as with the supposed allegiance to the mice that he quickly backed out on. Whether I like it or not, that man has a hidden agenda. He can play the role of perfect navigator all he wants, but every move he makes is for an ulterior motive now. It's important that Shellshock and I watch our own backs when he does this…"
"You seem overly confident…" Koopinator observed.
"Well, of course." Grodus grinned smarmily.
"Buh… Is it really a good idea to wait here for Pierre and Rana?" Crump inquired. "I know they're our allies and all, but…uh…don't Rocko and Lahla leave just a few minutes right after them?"
"It does sound kind of risky…" Shellshock muttered.
"What do you expect us to do, just turn tail and leave them?!" Grodus asked incredulously. "NO! We have to stick with them for the moment, or else they will suspect something!"
Crump and Shellshock exchanged dubious looks with each other, but said nothing. The group waited by their cloud cars until the archaeologists stepped up to leave, ten minutes later.
Pierre & Rana: Dating- 3rd to Depart, 11:36 P.M. (Master Koopa's House)
Even with their fur for protection, the mice were wearing their respective black leather and blue jean jackets again. For once, Pierre's head fur was flat without spikes, but Rana insisted on keeping the fashion accessory for her hair.
"'…will take you to…'"
"Ever since the formation of our alliance with the X-Nauts and the fighters, we've been really unsure about where we stand with them. Sure, it's easy to understand that an alliance can't always stay together, especially in the heat of a leg, but… Some things just don't add up." Rana started counting off on her petite fingers. "Number one. In leg six, we were dragged along by the scruffs of our necks when Grodus and Crump didn't even stop to try and help us with our flat tire. Number two. The second half, Koopinator stuffs up when Pierre tries to talk about that incident, and then we're left behind again when Grodus and Crump completely desert us at the Detour, but help Shellshock with the Roadblock…not that I would've needed any at the Roadblock, though." Rana remained solemn as she continued. "And number three. During that taxi ride, Pierre telling me that we were possible Yield candidates was noooot what I wanted to hear, especially when it's by our own allies!" Finally losing it, she threw up her hands. "I just don't get it… One plus one plus one is making two. Those two teams…are they up to something?"
"Good evening, everyone." Pierre greeted. "Are we all ready to go?"
"All set." Koopinator affirmed. "We were just waiting for you two so we could head off to the airport."
"It's a good thing that you did, too…" Rana said thankfully. "It'd be kinda hard to find the way back ourselves, since we weren't the ones driving from there earlier today…"
Grodus rolled his eyes.
"What is the reason I'm talking about this subject all of a sudden, you ask?" Koopinator humored the camera with a faint grin. "Well…it's because…"
"I want to dispose of the Squeeks this leg!" Grodus declared boldly. "And I have masterminded the perfect plan to knock them clear out of the picture! GAHAHAHAHA—GAACK ACK ACK ACK ACK! Ow…"
Lahla & Rocko: Coworkers- 4th to Depart, 11:40 P.M. (Master Koopa's House)
Underneath her flashy hot pink windbreaker, Lahla was wearing a colorful Pianta Parlor long-sleeve that complimented her usual ear band and bowtie. Also not wanting to be caught off-guard by the cold temperature, Rocko had a similar sweatshirt that hung over his leaf skirt underneath his black leather jacket.
"'…Future Dream. Once there…'"
"Dings are not lookin' good in dis game right now. We are five legs away from de Final Dree decision, and my biggest fear has come true. Aldough the Petal-Rogue alliance had de smartest and fastest-runnin' teams, de remainin' alliance has de computerized team and anoder fast-runnin' team. And unlike de former, which is down to de last survivors, I might add, de latter is completely intact." Rocko emphasized just how bad the situation was as he massaged his forehead in frustration. "Grodus has his disadvantages, but I dink he's also de most powerful player in dis game. No one has really had many navigational problems recently, but wid him around, his alliance of power players is guaranteed to NEVER have dem." He paused again and glared into the camera. "Dey've also consecutively placed top dree in de last two legs. …Dere's a horrible implication behind dat. He has de potential power to take whoever he wants wid him to de finals. If he stays wid his alliance to de end, he'll lock de rest of us out completely! Dat'll negate de money aspect of dis journey…and I don't like dat. At all."
When their money was safe and secure, the coworkers hastened over to their cloud car.
"We're gonna have to hope that we can find some kinda visitor's station or somethin'…my memory ain't too great, and that taxi took us on a squiggly route this mornin'." Lahla sighed. "It'll be tough gettin' to the airport alone…but we gotta try and beat a least one o' the other teams ahead to get on that first rocket."
Nodding in comprehension, Rocko started up the cloud car.
"Let's stop down at Pagoda Town first, hon. Hopefully there'll be a visitor's center or somethin' open to the public twenty-four-seven for us to use."
"I hardly notice those weirdoes from West Rogueport. From my observations, Lahla and Rocko are not too bright…label them the typical blonde valley girl and jock bodybuilder types, if you know what I mean." Grodus smirked. "Of course, to make it this far, they must have done something right…but overall, they are one of the more harmless teams here, with only a few strengths and not much else in-between. Heck, Rocko is almost as slow of a runner as me—so what does that tell ya?"
Grodus & Crump / Koopinator & Shellshock / Pierre & Rana (Ancient Valley)
Regardless of how hard Lahla and Rocko tried to find a way, it was pretty much guaranteed that they would not be able to beat the alliance to the airport. They could thank Grodus for that. The computerized competitor had easily located the fastest route there; knowing this, his allies followed him without question and without need for communication.
"Wow… I didn't know that things in the Ancient Valley Culture Festival keep going at night!" Crump exclaimed in awe.
Indeed, the residents of the region were dedicated enough to keep the celebrations going, even late into the moonlight hours. Various towns continued to hold light displays, cultural shows and dances, and even improvisational silent fireworks. Although these things closed off the occasional street, there were no parades to hamper anyone's progress. As long as there were no unpredictable parades, Grodus was always able to improvise his course, and thus, they easily kept their lead.
Lahla & Rocko: Coworkers (Pagoda Mountain)
At the very least, however, since there was still activity going on at this late hour, the employees easily got their hands on reliable, straightforward directions. Unfortunately, they pretty much knew that there was no chance of making that all-important first rocket.
"Oh well." Lahla shrugged in front of the cameraman riding with them. "At least we can take it easy and enjoy this pretty nightlife, right? There's nothin' like this back at Rogueport—the guys never used the fireworks in this way."
Rocko whistled innocently.
"Even in just de eighth leg, dey were causing problems because deir dree-strong alliance blocked everyone else outta de first rocket." Rocko sighed. "One o' dem has gotta go, and if I had my way, I know exactly which one I'd wanna send off…"
Gloomtail & Hooktail: Siblings- 5th to Depart, 12:12 A.M. (Master Koopa's House)
Since it was necessary for the dragons to keep a steady body temperature, both were dressed in their jackets and beanies, as well scarves and as an assortment of foot, leg, and tail warmers. It was a wonder how they could even move up to the mat to leave…
"'…to the Prospect Lab. Take a…'"
"No one needs to tell us that we sucked to a whole new degree last leg. We didn't change placement at all, but that's not a good thing when there're only six teams left. And with all that stupid arguing we did…" Hooktail gave the camera an unimpressed frown. "I swear, if we don't get it together soon…"
Even though the heat from all of their arguing the previous day had long since worn off, there was still some obvious tension between the two quadrupeds. Both were much too prideful to apologize, making it hard for them to believe that they'd forgiven each other for some of their harmful insults. It was hard for them to even look each other in the eyes.
"I guess we should hurry our butts over to the airport now…" Hooktail proposed.
"Why bother? It's not like anyone else can make the first charter with Grodus' stupid alliance hogging it." Grodus shot the idea down pessimistically. Hooktail shot him an exasperated glare.
"The dragons, oh, do not even get me started on them… Their ridiculous bickering is even more heated than the serious squabbles of the Rogueport gang leaders! They argue over petty matters so much and so often, their awful lack of teamwork negates whatever 'skills' they might have. Hopeless cause for counseling." Grodus snorted haughtily. "Besides, I hate those two immature dogs after what they did to me at the pit stop of the second leg. It would make victory all the sweeter if they had to watch me taking the win, right in front of their ugly, snout-nosed faces!"
With Hooktail taking the wheel, the brother and sister drove off in silence without even discussing their plans about how to reach the airport.
Kojo & Kory: Childhood Friends- Last to Depart, 12:35 A.M. (Master Koopa's House)
The final leaving team was decked out in matching blue and gray heavy jackets and beanies on the outside of their shells. Sleeves from long-sleeve shirts were visible underneath their cuffs.
"'…space shuttle carousel…'"
"Yeah…we're the last ones remaining from our alliance now. Toce and Koopie Koo—gone. Theata and Hannah—gone. Kojo and Kory? Still here, but just barely." Kojo looked at the camera wryly. "It really makes me wonder if we're the ones going home next…" He shook his head rapidly to clear that thought out of his mind. "Ugh, forget what I just said. I'm sure we still have a chance at surviving. It's just dependent on how we rebound from these past few legs."
Once their money had been stored, the Petalburg guys took off in the last cloud car.
"It's time to get out of last place," declared Kojo. "I'm not looking forward to taking this same spot again when we arrive at the next pit stop."
"Neither am I. We're going to change it."
"That Koopa-Toad alliance is down to its last men standing…it is comprised of just Koopas now. But even though that is the case, no one should ignore Kojo and Kory just yet. Those two are high-performance athletes like Koopinator and Shellshock, and therefore, they pose an annoyingly large threat when it comes to 'racing.'" Grodus groaned. "As much as I want to see them as harmless, I know it cannot be so. They spent several legs hanging around their Petalburg girlfriends, so who knows what kind of skills they might have picked up on? And it is hard to judge what is going on with them…they have been everywhere on the leaderboard since the race started. Highly unpredictable. Highly worrisome."
Ancient Valley International Airport, an immense transport center somehow built from stone bricks, was one of the few near-inactive facilities in the region at this hour. It was decorated to give travelers at least a small taste of the Ancient Valley cultural experience, but unlike the rest of the region, it didn't hold the all-day, all-night celebration attitude for the festival. In fact, at this hour, there were hardly even any people around—all the ticket counters were closed.
Grodus & Crump / Koopinator & Shellshock / Pierre & Rana (Ancient Valley International Airport)
But fortunately enough, none of the teams needed ticket agents to accomplish their instructions—all it took was writing down their names on a clipboard. That was exactly what the alliance did as soon as they found the race flag—they signed up for the 6:00 A.M. charter flight.
(Grodus & Crump- 1st on Charter Rocket 1)
(Koopinator & Shellshock- 2nd on Charter Rocket 1)
(Pierre & Rana- Last on Charter Rocket 1)
"Sweet! Now all we gotta do for a few hours is kick back and get some more shuteye!" Shellshock grinned for a moment before his expression was broken by a loud yawn escaping his lips.
"Definitely… We're not running on very much sleep right now as it is…" Pierre let loose a yawn of his own.
About to insert words of agreement into the consensus, Crump was interrupted by the third consecutive yawn—his. "I guess yawning is contagious…"
"That is absolutely—" Grodus suddenly somehow yawned. "…What the…how did I…"
"Yeah… I think we're all tired…" Rana also yawned. "We don't know if we're going to get some kind of jet lag from whatever time change occurs, so we should go to sleep…"
After a few seconds, everyone, even Grodus, turned to Koopinator with an expectant look. When he noticed the anticipating gazes, he frowned and glared at them flatly.
"What? You honestly expect me to fall into a crowd behavior like that?" He scoffed. "That's almost as ridiculous as—"
"No, I don't have any idea how that cyborg managed to yawn…it just came out like some kind of freaky exhalation noise." Koopinator growled at the cameraman who'd prompted the subject. "Better yet, I don't even know how I yawned. I never yawn—in real life, I've always been too busy training to feel tired, and I can fall asleep on command." He paused thoughtfully. "Then again, people don't always attribute yawning to sleepiness or fatigue… There are those who relate it to superstition, such as that contagiousness bit…scientific or not. Perhaps the one that I find the most interesting is one that Bandy Andy of the minor leagues once advertised—yawning can be a premonition to potential danger."
Lahla & Rocko: Coworkers (Ancient Valley International Airport)
"Oh, how surprisin'…" noted Lahla sarcastically, "…all spots on the first charter are filled! Wow…how I wonder what kinda miracle orchestrated that?"
(Lahla & Rocko- 1st on Charter Rocket 2)
Not saying anything, Rocko just stared spitefully at the three sets of names hogging the lines on the first clipboard.
"Whatever…we're stuck with the other two outsider teams now, anyways…let's just hope for another miracle…" Lahla clasped her hands together. "Let's hope for a miracle that's on our side."
Kojo & Kory: Childhood Friends (Ancient Valley International Airport)
When they arrived, it was a bit of a shock to the Koopas for them to learn that they weren't the last ones signing up. But, they didn't really question it, as either way, it didn't really matter in the end.
(Kojo & Kory- 2nd on Charter Rocket 2)
"Sleep time, now… I wanna be awake for the rocket take-off."
"Same here. It'll be cool to see it for ourselves…"
Gloomtail & Hooktail: Siblings (Ancient Valley International Airport)
It'd taken a while for the dragons to even realize that they were driving aimlessly without directions—fortunately, when they'd realized it, both were actually too tired and stressed to argue with real energy.
"Maybe if we just sleep over this for a while, we'll be back on our game…" Gloomtail muttered halfheartedly. He didn't sound like he believed the idea.
(Gloomtail & Hooktail- Last on Charter Rocket 2)
"Maybe… I'm too sleepy to think about the game right now…" Hooktail admitted disdainfully. "I just wanna collapse and go to bed…"
"Nobody's stopping you, princess…" Gloomtail managed to get in one last cutting remark, but his sister just rolled her eyes and ignored him.
After the two of them yawned loudly, they settled down on a pair of adjacent stone benches to try and sleep for the night. For once, something was working in their favor—both being used to the feeling of a cold sleeping surface, they quickly fell asleep.
About thirty minutes before takeoff, the three teams taking the first shuttle had been transported to a nearby island where the actual launch site was located. From the expressions on the group's weary faces, it was clear that everyone, bar Grodus (who had a power-off command and internal automatic awakening timer) and Koopinator (who could rest by command, just as claimed), had had a difficult time trying to sleep, even on some of the airport's more comfortable bamboo and thatch seats.
So, everyone except for those two was pretty much dead while waiting for the rocket to initiate its sequence.
"Unlike season two when the teams went to outer space, there was only half an hour of time between the first and second rockets instead of the full sixty minutes." Pierre sighed. "We didn't have the same luxury for screwing around with a comedic series of errors like those guys did. With the exception of Grodus and Crump…of course…none of us had ever been to outer space before. We'd have to be fully alert so we could get adjusted to the new surroundings as quickly as possible…that meant we had to catch up on our sleeping schedules."
Of course, when it came, those four racers weren't exactly stoked at being kept awake for another extended period of time. However, they managed to relish the experience as they watched the morning sky steadily turn darker, as if their world was turning back into night again.
(Charter Rocket 1- Lifting Off at 6:00 A.M.)
This is the first charter rocket headed to Dream Depot's Future Dream, carrying charity partners Grodus and Crump, sparring partners Koopinator and Shellshock, and dating couple Pierre and Rana.
In a similar manner, the other three teams had been moved to the launch point early—in fact, they'd been transported on the same boat as the alliance. So, they were at the control building to watch their opposition take off in the first space vehicle before their rocket was moved into place.
Unlike the teams aboard the first missile, the second group was at a somewhat better degree of awareness, perhaps a condition brought about by the fight-or-flight reaction stemming from the last-place tie. However, it quickly wore off as the six watched the same scenic show as the other party on the way up. The view of colorful stars, planets, and intergalactic cities swiftly lulled them to sleep. Even the dragons, who had gotten the best nap of the assemblage, also fell asleep for the sake of more rest.
(Charter Rocket 2- Lifting Off at 6:30 A.M.)
This is the second charter rocket headed to Dream Depot's Future Dream, carrying siblings Gloomtail and Hooktail, childhood friends Kojo and Kory, and coworkers Lahla and Rocko.
Grodus & Crump / Koopinator & Shellshock / Pierre & Rana (Charter Rocket 1)
Upon exiting the atmosphere, the driver of the pilot activated the artificial gravity and started the journey towards Future Dream. After the initial amazement of seeing outer space wore off, the tired passengers fell asleep in their chairs. Only two contestants remained awake—none other than Grodus and Koopinator.
For a long while, nothing was exchanged between the two men. Both were fully aware that the other was awake, but somehow, words didn't seem appropriate. It almost felt like they were required to be asleep, as if they were in a strange science-fiction film and traveling through hyperspace.
But after an hour had passed, the Dark Koopatrol decided to do away with the awkward silence.
"You're really bent on doing away with them this leg, aren't you?" Koopinator didn't look directly at his ally as he asked the question.
"Yes." One word answer.
Even during the exciting blast-off, Grodus had not been distracted from his main directive. While everyone else was asleep, he would perfect his already perfected plan and adapt it to fit the upcoming destination. And that's what he'd done up to this point—his computerized mind was still operating at a million miles a minute, constantly adding, editing, and saving, adding, editing, and saving, over and over again.
If this was to be executed correctly, he had to cover every single possible possibility so that this would go PERFECTLY.
It just had to go off without a hitch.
It just had to be PERFECT.
"…If my hunch is correct, the central point of your plan is going to involve all of us being involved in a battle to avoid last place." Koopinator speculated. He turned to address the cloaked man. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"
"A life without taking risks is one that is unaccomplished, dull, and boring. You and I of all people should know that." Grodus responded mockingly, staring back at him. "Your occupation involves you risking your health in a painful battle to the finish in hopes of winning and achieving something you highly desire. Do you really think THAT is a good idea?"
"…As much of a comprehensive comparison that is, I don't find it applicable to this situation." Koopinator replied with a scowl.
All of a sudden, the mood changed. There was a surprising amount of disdain and contempt driving that one sentence. Knowing that he'd hit something, the android waited a while before speaking again.
"…You really should detach your emotions from playing this game, you know. It makes things…easier." Grodus advised conceitedly. "It is working for me."
Koopinator shot him an angry glare that was reinforced by his glowing red eyes. "MY strategy is not your concern, much less MY emotions." His voice was quiet enough not to wake anyone, yet it had this ferocious intensity about it. "I'll have you know right now… Your plans better work…"
"Admit it. You're just hungry for one of those stupid leg prizes, are you not?" Grodus sneered. "And here, I thought that you and I were on the same wavelength as the makeshift leaders of this team…could I have been wrong? Are you seriously willing to let your greed for such insignificant and trivial rewards destroy—"
"In the end, I'm no less greedier than you."
"Ah, touché. But still… Are you truly agreeable to letting one leg of brief glory…" Grodus lifted one mechanical finger, "…destroy your chances of creating your ideal Final Three?" He lifted two more to raise his finger count to three.
"…Who ever said that I have an ideal Final Three?" Koopinator demanded. "And besides… Why should Shellshock and I risk our game just to knock someone else out? We'd be in the worst position to start off the next leg."
Again, Grodus sneered. "You do not honestly believe that, do you?" His tone became even smugger. "Such fabulous racers as yourselves would surely be able to catch up in a race brimming with so many neutralizing bunch-up points…"
Eyes narrowed, teeth gritted, and fists clenched tightly, Koopinator angrily turned away. He didn't want to keep arguing to the point where he might do something he would later regret…
"In any alliance, there is always a touchy subject or object of tension that can cause problems. From the very start, Grodus was bound to be a touchy, subjective object of tension because of his strategy and personality. Although he and I were able to bond well in what was effectively a joint leadership, it's clear that we have different ideas on how to play this game. Now that the numbers are cut, such strategies will be crucial in determining who stays and who goes. We've done fine working in harmony up to this point, but now that he's rocking the boat with his whole 'anti-Squeek' campaign, the tension between us is finally surfacing. And, put bluntly in Shellshock terms, it's freakin' nasty." The armor-wearing turtle shook his head, obviously exasperated with the topic. "Yes, Grodus and I have like minds. But that does not mean that our minds are exactly the same."
"One thing's for sure… Shellshock isn't the only one pissed about not yet winning a leg now…" Koopinator whispered bitterly under his breath. "I am, too…"
The real-life Dream Depot was topped off by Future Dream, a combined research facility and living quarters for a massive array of researchers, scientists, inventors, electricians, and other technological majors. Steel-walled buildings functioning off solar power were generally either open-air or covered by a retractable roof, sitting on hovering platforms or just floating listlessly in space.
Consisting of several buildings attached by an artificial gravity was the Futuristic Airfield. Various outer space vehicles were littered about its edifices and conveyor belts. A first rocket navigated its way onto one such conveyor belt, where it was transferred over to a vacant suitable disembarking area.
(Charter Rocket 1- Landing at 7:30 A.M.)
Grodus & Crump / Koopinator & Shellshock / Pierre & Rana (Futuristic Airfield)
As he hurried along with his alliance, Crump was in highly good spirits. His entire party was well-rested and refreshed, there was a three-team cushion lagging behind half an hour, and even his partner, Grodus, seemed to radiate an enthusiastic energy for once. The plump charity worker couldn't have asked for anything more to continue what was guaranteed to be an awesome leg.
"Hey, buddy…" Shellshock whispered. "You seem like a big ball of happiness this morning."
"Buh… Did you have to use the word 'big' to describe me?" Crump jested.
Moving along at the back of the pack a few steps ahead of Grodus, the "sidekicks" to the two teams leading the alliance were able to talk to each other quietly without being overheard. Koopinator, Pierre, and Rana were up ahead, en route to the air taxi exit.
"I'm kinda surprised that you're able to wear that smile on your face." Shellshock remarked.
"Huh?" Crump cast his friend a confused glance.
"…Don't tell me you forgot already…" Shellshock looked at him disappointedly. "Remember what Grodus and Koopinator told us at the pit stop? This is the leg that—"
"We try to bump off Pierre and Rana…" Crump realized. His expression plummeted.
"I… I… Buh… Don't...get me wrong, but… I want to win this race as much as anyone. Grodus and I need that money to turn our lives around and get out of the poverty pit that we're living in. Erm…it's kinda ironic, I guess…we're charity workers, but we badly need a lot of the same charity that we've been dealing out. It gets really tiresome after awhile, and I know that being so nice just works on Grodus' nerves…" Crump sighed miserably. "You'd think that we'd be so much alike. After all, I was his former second-in-command. But we're not entirely the same. I didn't wanna bump off Pierre and Rana. We…weren't we allies? I mean, come on… Bad guy or not, I don't like backstabbing…especially with such nice people as the target. It's not me. I don't care what anyone has to say about that—I've turned over my new leaf, and no wind is gonna change it." Crump looked fiercely at the camera. "Ever. No."
Upon reaching the closest marked doors, the three stragglers found that there were only two taxis reserved, one of them a van big enough to hold two teams. In an effort to not seem suspicious by isolating the team of the hour, Grodus allowed the mice and fighters to ride together, insisting that his team's credit card could easily handle the pathetically short distance.
As the two of them boarded their cab, it finally dawned on Crump why Grodus appeared so eerily spirited.
That so-called reason didn't sit well with him at all.
A perfect re-embodiment of the original Future Dream, the Prospect Lab was located in the exact heart of the entire real-world outer space city. It consisted of three disconnected facilities, each of which contained various types of research equipment that apparently focused on different aspects of space travel. Of the trio of platforms, teams would be most interested in Area 2, a station made up of four attached octagons. Its highest terrace held the interesting prototype space shuttle carousel, but there was no sign of any clue envelopes.
Grodus & Crump / Koopinator & Shellshock / Pierre & Rana (Prospect Lab)
The teams paid their drivers and instructed them to stay before rendezvousing at the entrance to the research center on Area 1.
"That's odd… I see two other stations over there…" observed Rana, "…but there doesn't seem to be any way to get over to either of them."
"If you would recall season two's ninth leg, I am sure that you would remember that we have to utilize the teleportation systems," Grodus informed sanctimoniously. "Come along, it is this way…"
"Know-it-all..." Pierre rolled his eyes as the android led the way to the hexagonal device on the left side.
"At least he mentioned it before we wasted time asking around." Rana shrugged it off as best as she could. "But he didn't have to do it so conceitedly…"
Once on the bluish-green warp pads, the six found their worlds enveloped by glowing rings. Before they could react, they had been transported over to the corresponding transporter of Area 2.
"Sweet… I bet if they installed these things at the Glitz Pit, we'd be able to make flashier entrances." Shellshock commented.
From the perspective of the teleporting apparatus on the bottommost level, the group was able to see the rocket-shaped prototype above, located on the highest stage. One by one, the racers climbed the ladder rungs up to the penultimate ledge, where it was easy just to take the step up to the access point for the amusement ride. Noticing their arrival, a robot on a wheeled stand came out and took its spot beside its post.
"I assume that you all are here for The Amazing Race," the machine inferred in its monotonous voice. The three teams nodded. "Very well. Only four people may ride at a time, however, two in each rocket. At some point during your ride, the envelopes will appear for you to grab."
"You four can go ahead and go first." Grodus automatically insisted. Koopinator and Shellshock immediately glared at him. Noticing, he quickly passed his eyes over their faces. They wouldn't have squealed about his plans during that taxi ride, would they?
He began to feel a bit uncomfortable.
"No, no, Grodus, it's okay. We know you might need time to catch up with your disability," Rana offered. Grodus instantaneously searched her face. She appeared innocent enough. It was just honest concern over his inconvenience…right?
Before she or anyone else had a chance to add anything, he knew he had to intervene. It was now or nothing.
Time to begin.
"I maintain that I would like you four to take this first ride." Grodus interrupted, just as Rana was about to speak again. Seeing his opening, he ushered the dating couple towards a rocket ship as the robot lowered it to the ground. "Besides, this is a Dumbo-type ride… I would prefer to hold off going on something so childish until I have to."
Somehow, the excuse was convincing enough (or maybe it was the prospect of a romantic spinning ride) to make the Squeeks take the first rocket ship. Once that cabin was occupied, the turbine rotated, moving them out of sight as the second one came down.
Grodus gave the fighters an expression oddly reminiscent of a cheesy grin. They just continued to glare at him.
"Don't you dare do anything stupid…" Koopinator muttered coldly.
Hesitantly, the sparring partners climbed into the other vehicle, not taking their eyes off of him until their rocket lifted into the air. Then, the ride initiated. The mechanisms inside of the machine started moving the rockets and corresponding UFO models in a clockwise circle. Both teams quickly found out that the lone levers in front of them could move their vehicles up and down, similar to the steady ascent and descent of the UFOs. It was easy for them to deduce that they'd have to do this to grab the clue when it popped out.
"This should be the spot…"
Back at the ground, the robot was busy manning the controls, making sure everything worked smoothly—especially the eventual timing for the appearance of the clue envelopes. It was concentrating so hard, in fact, that it was unable to supervise the other team. The X-Nauts had disappeared to one of its blind sides, behind a piece of equipment attached to the prototype, where Crump was dismantling a part of the outer plating to reveal the inner workings.
"Buh…okay." Crump lifted the metal cover, making sure not to lose the tiny attachments scattered around his feet. "…It's…ready for you. Are you sure that you wanna do this, though?"
"Of course. This is the most ample opportunity to sabotage without being suspicious or outright breaking the rules. I have already analyzed all the possible outcomes of this, and no matter how one looks at it, the result will be that our alliance will end up in last. From there—"
"I get the idea." Crump interrupted flatly.
Stepping up to the panel, Grodus suddenly produced a bunch of wires and tools from somewhere underneath his cloak.
"With just the right adjustments and electrical surge, this machine will momentarily power out for just the right period of time in order to let the other three teams catch up. This is only the first step in my plan—something else will be followed up in the next route marker to get us further behind, because we will obviously be at the front of the line when it comes back on…" Grodus snickered as he looked into the camera. "Would you call this cheating?" Whoever the cameraperson was, he or she gave a nonverbal response. "Keep it strictly hush, hush, now… Gahahahahahaha!"
With that, the android plunged the electronic cables and metal instruments into the open circuits.
Over the next few seconds, time seemed to slow down for Crump. Even though he saw the universe in a sluggish blur, he still couldn't have described what had happened because of the overwhelming shock.
One moment, Grodus was just fine, his circuitry intertwined with that of the machine as he patiently did his dirty work.
The next moment…
Crump thanked whatever benevolent being led him to wear his safety goggles as a daily fashion accessory.
Several waves of crackling blue electricity coursed through the cyborg's body, highlighting his interior circuitry like a skeleton. The noise was deafening—a highly-energized current's howl with the anguished cry of a robotic soul in the background, fighting to make itself heard.
Even though his goggles provided eye protection, the technician was still momentarily rendered blind as an intense cobalt radiance rapidly covered the area.
And then…
It all disappeared.
All of a sudden, the wires and tools were ejected from the machinery, as if brutally shoved out by a malevolent spirit. They retracted back into the robot so fast, Crump's eyes couldn't even catch their whizzing retreat. But he wouldn't have cared. He was more concerned about the android himself, who was still twitching and hissing with occasional spurts of cerulean energy.
"S-Sir G-Grodus?!" Crump stuttered. "I-Is… Is th-that you? A-Are you a-alright?"
In a daze, the blackened and blue X-Naut leader slowly turned to look at his companion, azure occasionally rippling over random body parts. It was hard to tell if there was any form of concentrated gaze behind those glasses.
"What…happened…" Grodus questioned. His voice cracked unsteadily. "What…did…"
"A-Are you o-okay, sir?" Crump repeated.
"Huh… I cannot… I do not…" Abruptly, the apparent confusion turned into distress. Crump sensed Grodus tense up. "What… What is happening to me?! Crump!" The android searched around blindly, yelling in pain as he clutched his forehead tightly. "Crump! What is happening to me?!" He finally focused in on his partner. "CRUMP?! CRUMP?!"
Grodus suddenly fell silent. His body went limp—his hands released their holds and his legs crumpled. He unceremoniously crashed to the ground, one final wave of blue electricity passing over his form.
All was still.
"…Oh…crud…" Crump whispered, horrified. "…S-Sir Grodus…"
Thunderstruck, the mechanic fell to his knees beside the unmoving corpse of his former superior. He was vaguely aware of the sound of bodies hitting the ground and footsteps behind him sprinting to his location.
"Oh my gosh! Crump, are you okay?!" Rana gasped. "What's wrong?! What happened?!"
Those exclamations were the thoughts shared by the two teams and the robot as they arrived on the scene. The speechless Crump was unresponsive to their voices.
"What in the world happened here…" Shellshock was agape.
"Grodus…" Pierre whispered.
For several moments, the five new arrivals were too flabbergasted to even speak, rather attempting to make heads or tails of the scene in front of them. Crump was kneeling before the body of a motionless Grodus… Grodus was lying immobile in front of a machine… The machine was attached to the overall workings of the space shuttle carousel… This machine's wires were partially exposed on the open floor…
"I… I cannot believe it…" All eyes turned to the robot worker. "I… I knew this old prototype was a hazard… I knew that I should have insisted those mechanics fixed it before something like this happened!" The once-monotonous voice was now irate. Appalled. Regretful. "I… I was not aware that there were open circuits… I should have made my inspection before you all came… I should have protested about having this as part of your course! Why?!"
Two and two finally equated in Crump's mind. He managed to grasp what had just happened.
Slowly, the others also put together the details being fed to them. While Koopinator and Shellshock's answer was four, Pierre and Rana ended up with twenty-two.
"…I will go and grab some help. My sensors tell me that your friend is alive in what would be considered an unconscious or comatose mode of sorts…" Carefully, the robot moved the hazardous wires out of the way. "Please do not cause harm to yourselves…take care of him."
The robot urgently sped off, leaving the three teams alone.
For a while, it was silent. None of the four really knew what to say in this situation to Crump—for different reasons. But in the end, that was okay. Because Crump knew that he had to set things right. He had to do what Grodus would NEVER have the face to do.
"Pierre… Rana…" Both heads shot up, surprised to hear the faint voice of the former X-Naut second-in-command. "I… I have a confession to make… Buh… The scene you see before you… It's the result of Grodus trying to sabotage the alliance's performance in an effort to get you two out of the race."
(Charter Rocket 2- Landing at 8:00 A.M.)
Gloomtail & Hooktail / Kojo & Kory / Lahla & Rocko (Futuristic Airfield)
Without any stops hampering their progress in the outer space airport, the three trailing teams were able to go full speed to the closest taxi exit. This meant that they leapt into cabs in order of their running pace—the Koopas, the dragons, and lastly, the coworkers.
"I sure hope that the alliance screwed up somewhere up there…" Kojo's wish effectively summed up a similar thought in everyone's minds as their drivers took off.
Grodus & Crump / Koopinator & Shellshock / Pierre & Rana (Prospect Lab)
Rana wanted to cry.
This new information was too much just to simply digest and accept—definitely far from it. She didn't know whether to call the X-Naut leader highly dedicated or just plain stupid. There he was, lying on the ground, essentially out cold as a result of the stunt he'd just tried to pull.
On one hand, she was angry—who wouldn't be? That thug had just tried to pull off a dangerous sabotage for the purpose of ousting her and her boyfriend from the journey of a lifetime, and a million-coin journey at that. Heck, he'd virtually put everyone's lives at risk by doing what he just did. He had enough nerve to do something so precarious just for a game?
But on the other hand, there was a feeling of sympathy bubbling up inside her. That former criminal was desperate enough in his real life to have to pull out all the stops in this mere game. He was willing to take risks and take chances, daringly approaching the edge of the cliff, just to win the money. She was sure of that; even as power-hungry as the man was sometimes, it was obvious that earning the prize was his main objective.
Rana was overwhelmed by all these equivalents to four; her initial twenty-two had been short of all these assumptions. It seemed the only other solution she had so as to keep her brain from bursting was to cry and let everything flow out through her eyes.
"Just…wow…" Pierre muttered. "So for the longest time, we've just been here to take the fall…"
Koopinator and Shellshock had their gazes fixed on some interesting spots on the ground. Both of them were equally as guilty for the crime because they hadn't informed the Squeeks about the alliance's truth, either. For that, they were deeply ashamed.
"…Well…" Pierre sighed before he turned to his travel companion. "Rana…do you want to go on ahead?"
At this sudden question, the female mouse looked up in surprise. Although equally caught off-guard, the other three remained quiet. As far as they were concerned, they had no say in this part of the conversation.
"…I hate to say this, but… I'm not feeling much remorse for this guy." Pierre gave Grodus' unmoving body a transitory glance. "From the beginning, we were the outsiders… And even up to now, we still are. Grodus just tried to dump us into last place for an inner-job elimination. I don't really think that that's fair at all. Do you want to quit whatever's left of this pseudo-alliance and just go on by ourselves?"
Suddenly, the realization dawned on Rana.
This scenario was similar to the tire fiasco back in the first half of leg six, only with the sides doing a switcheroo.
Back then, Grodus and Crump abandoned them in a dire time of need, effectively estranging them from the alliance and straining the relationship between the two teams. If her team left without doing anything, they would be stooping down to the level of the ex-villains. If her team stayed…well…
Pierre was leaving the decision in her hands, although it was clear what he wanted to do.
In the end, Rana also wanted to win just as much as Grodus.
In the end, the negativity of human nature got the best of her.
"…I guess there really isn't anything else we could do since we don't exactly know what's wrong… Crump…good luck…" Rana murmured softly. She nodded at the fighters, signaling to them the same.
It was an eye for an eye.
Pierre & Rana: Dating- Currently in 1st (Prospect Lab)
Crump raised a weary hand to bid the archaeologists farewell. It was the first time he noticed the clue envelopes in both of the teams' possession.
"'Make your way by taxi to the Future Dream Travel Center to locate your next clue…'"
Teams must now travel by taxi 7 miles to the Future Dream Travel Center, the local tourist informational building, and a major intersection hub for the various transportation methods of the region. At the front entrance, teams will locate their next clue.
"Really, everyone. Good luck." Pierre echoed his partner's sentiments. He inserted the blue folder back into the envelope, taking note of the green file directly under it. "Okay, babe, let's jet."
Without looking back, the Squeeks left their former allies behind as they made a run for the teleportation pad. The blue-green rings enveloped them, and a second later, they were gone.
All of a sudden, the second tear of a clue envelope was heard. A shocked Shellshock glanced questioningly at his partner, who had taken out the Route Info and ignored the Fast Forward.
"Wh-What?! 'Nator, you can't be serious! A-Are we going, too?!"
"Like Rana said, we can't really do anything for him. Grodus wouldn't want us to fall behind by sitting here, just offering useless emotional support." Koopinator explained. In a lower voice, he added, "Besides…we're not the team he was targeting for last."
Halfheartedly, Shellshock nodded. He bit his lip as he gave Crump an apologetic glance.
Koopinator & Shellshock: Sparring Partners- Currently in 2nd (Prospect Lab)
"Shellshock… Let's go." Koopinator ordered.
"Yeah…"
With one last penitent look at his friend, Shellshock turned and followed the Razor Blade Brigadier to the warp area, where they disappeared out of sight.
Crump looked at Grodus sadly and started mumbling something inaudible under his breath.
"I am back with help. Please allow us to assist you and repair the machinery."
Gloomtail & Hooktail / Kojo & Kory / Lahla & Rocko (Prospect Lab)
Arriving to the testing site within close proximity of each other, the three teams raced into the open-air laboratory. Although the lack of a marked flag caused some initial confusion, a helpful shove in the right direction from a worker allowed Lahla and Rocko to locate the warp pad first. Noticing this, the other two pairs quickly followed.
Upon reaching the space shuttle carousel, however, the confusion returned when the group found the site blocked off by yellow "CAUTION" tapes. The robot that normally manned the contraption spotted them and wheeled itself over.
"I am terribly sorry. I know that your clue instructs you to take a ride on the flying rocket ships, but due to technical difficulties and the most unfortunate circumstances, you will have to bypass that small task. Your next clue is right here."
"Did something bad happen involving one of the other teams?" Kory inquired anxiously. Everyone listened intently for the reply.
"…I am afraid that I cannot disclose that information to you at this moment, because I am also unsure of the situation. Please continue your race, and I apologize for the inconvenience."
The curiosity about the mysterious incident wore off as the six eagerly tore into their envelopes.
Gloomtail & Hooktail / Kojo & Kory / Lahla & Rocko- Currently in 3rd (Prospect Lab)
"We need to get back to our taxi and get to the Future Dream Travel Center!" Hooktail told her sibling. "Let's go! We gotta make up the time from—"
"I know, I know, that other rocket!" Gloomtail responded. "Quit yapping and just move your tail so we have a chance!"
"Sure hope we ain't gonna stay in last place for long…" Lahla mused.
While the other two teams zipped back to the teleportation pad after reading the short Route Info message, the Koopas were reading the details of the Fast Forward folder.
"'Make your way to the Celestial Observatory. Research the locations of two galaxy names given to you, and mark them on a map. Then, use a telescope to locate the real things and photograph them. Highlight the galaxies once again to receive the Fast Forward.'"
The Fast Forward is an award located on almost all legs of the race. Any team that uses a Fast Forward will be able to skip all tasks for the leg and head directly to the pit stop. However, each team is only able to use its Fast Forward once, so it must be decided when it is most advantageous to use it.
To earn this leg's Fast Forward, teams will have to travel 3 miles by taxi to the Celestial Observatory, a well-renowned astronomical observation institution. Upon arrival, they will be given the names of two faraway galaxies located somewhere in outer space. Using the various resources available to them in the building, such as the encyclopedias, travel logs, and computers, they will most likely need to figure out the locations of those galaxies as a precursor to the two checkable parts of the Fast Forward. First, they will need to correctly assign markers to the locations on a portion of a map. Then, with the aide of a telescope, they will need to take snapshots of both galaxies and bring them out against the background. Once both portions of the task are completed, a team will be awarded with the Fast Forward.
"Doesn't sound too hard of a thing to do." Kojo presumed. "If we have the materials available to us, it should be easy."
"I guess it won't harm us that we passed up those optional astronomy electives back in high school and college." Kory remarked.
"The only thing that would harm us would be if someone else has already gone for it…"
"Sure, I guess we sort of went for the Fast Forward at an awkward time, since there was a strong possibility that we'd be able to make up that half hour. But Kory and I had had enough of being in the bottom half—it wasn't fun, especially when we had to watch our allies be eliminated on consecutive legs. What can you do?" Kojo shrugged. "We didn't exactly want to take any chances, and we most definitely didn't want to succumb to some kind of curse or anything by completing the cycle and becoming the seventh team eliminated from the race. Heck no!"
After making the decision concrete that they at least wanted to check out the status of the Fast Forward, the Koopas escaped Area 2 and hurried back to the main entrance. Just as it had promised, the taxi driver was still waiting for them, although the vehicles of the dragons and coworkers were nowhere in sight. Neither guy fretted about it too much.
"Celestial Observatory, please!"
Grodus & Crump: Charity Partners (Prospect Lab)
All alone.
How ironic. Master mechanic and tubby technician Crump, who had been sitting securely in the strongest alliance in the game merely hours ago. All alone.
His alliance. His friends. His partner. For that last one—more importantly, his icon.
Technically, Grodus was right in front of him. But also technically, Grodus wasn't himself; the brainy leader was probably drifting somewhere in some limbo. Therefore, Grodus wasn't there.
All alone…
It had all been too much to bear. First Grodus was electrocuted and indefinitely disabled. Then Crump was forced to watch as his alliance for three legs dissolved into nothingness and as those heartless so-called friends deserted him. He was surprised he hadn't broken down and cried yet—the emotional strain was crushing his mind, driving him insane.
He was unsure where to start pointing fingers. It was Grodus' fault in the first place for setting off the chain reaction… Or was it Pierre and Rana's accidental fault for being just that much of a threat? His alleged allies had ditched him in a hopeless situation, transforming into pitiless scumbags before his eyes… But didn't they have the right to be angry because of such hazardous sabotage?
In the end, Crump was too lost, dazed, and confused amongst his thoughts to feel any strong negative feelings toward any of them. His eyes remained fixed on the stationary body of Grodus, which was being tended to by two of the trained robotic staff of the facility.
"This is a really confusing scenario… I am quite surprised we were even able to diagnose this…"
The portly X-Naut just barely perceived the image of one of the automatons coming in his direction.
"Mr. Crump?" The machine gradually caught sight of his face. "I have some news for you. Mr. Grodus will be okay. His systems reacted adversely after being subjected to such a tremendous shock wave. It will only be a matter of time until he wakes up, though. No one can tell for certain how his strength and energy will be at that time, so your racing future…"
"It's… It's alright…" Crump mumbled, offering his messenger a weak smile. "As… As long as he'll be okay, I will, too… All that matters is that he'll be fine."
"Our staff and part of the production crew will be staying with you until then. Meanwhile, our mechanics will be fixing up that panel over yonder. One of the producers told me that outside of this race, you are a fine machinist."
"Really?" Crump looked pensive for a moment. He sighed. "I guess I might as well occupy myself instead of just sitting here, doing nothing…"
"Buh… If it isn't obvious, I'm really loyal to Grodus. When the Secret Society of the X-Nauts was still intact, my inferiors used to joke that I must've pledged some kind of undying eternal love to him or something…not so." Crump rolled his eyes at the thought. "I had a really bad past before that stage of my life, full of hardship and suffering…and… Buh… Grodus was the light at the end of my tunnel. I don't know about eternal love, but I am eternally grateful. That's why I've stuck with him and all his faults through all this time…and that'll never change."
As he assisted the repair-robots in fixing the very machine that he himself had helped to damage (he wasn't all too keen on asking anyone if they were aware of the real story), Crump allowed himself one last look at his partner before he became too involved with his work.
In just a matter of time, he wouldn't be alone anymore.
The Future Dream Travel Center was a tourist information spot located somewhere in the relative center of the spread out district. Its outside appearance was that of a really flat, stubby cylinder. With its unique design, sliding curved doors, and see-through walls (except for the restrooms, of course), it certainly set itself apart from most tourist centers on the Mushroom World.
One taxi arrived on its lonesome. Its passengers gave a payment, but also quickly gave a few instructions for the driver to wait again. The robot apparently complied as the team exited without its bags and ran over to the clue box outside the doors, which automatically opened at their approach.
Pierre & Rana: Dating- Currently in 1st (Future Dream Travel Center)
Tearing open an envelope, the two were pleasantly surprised to find a yellow folder.
"Detour," announced Pierre. "'Blink of an Eye' or 'Light on the Underside.' 'Where will your light shine?'"
A Detour is a choice between two tasks, each with its own pros and cons. In this Detour between "Blink of an Eye" and "Light on the Underside," teams will have a choice between two popular and well-tested transportation methods highly utilized in Future Dream. However, in teams' clues, the names of the locations they need to go to are not given—before moving on, they will have to search the several pamphlet stands of the tourist center for brochures marked with race flags, which signal that the enclosed location is part of the Detour.
In "Blink of an Eye," teams will have to travel 10 miles to Flash 'n' Teleport Playground, a recreational ten-story building housing a complex series of teleportation tiles. Although teams will be provided with a map upon entry, it only details the floor plans, not the manner in which the teleportation tiles link to each other. At the top floor, the obvious finishing spot, teams will need to allow a harmless laser machine to zap their eyes, enabling them to read hidden Route Info from the wall.
In "Light on the Underside," teams will have to travel 5 miles to UFO Raceway, a unique 2-mile long racetrack specially designed for the usage and mastery of the CYL-BACIL300 UFO model. After taking a brief instructional course on how to use the UFO, teams will be allowed to enter the course at the starting line. They will have to make their way through the numerous obstacles in their way to complete a full lap. At a wall placed in front of the lap marker, they will need to figure out a way how to shine the lights on the bottom of the UFO onto the surface, and read off the Route Info.
"This sounds like a toughie for a decision." Rana commented. "I vaguely remember how hard the UFOs were to drive…think having two people will make it easier?"
"Not sure. Two miles is an awfully long distance with plenty of chances to screw up on." Pierre noted.
"Right. Point taken. But then again, the clue also says that the teleportation place is farther away." Rana paused. "And unlike the archaeological dig Roadblock, I don't look forward to the prospect of something that sounds so heavily based on luck."
"…Let's just stick with what we know, then. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to step on a warp pad. The shorter distance to the place with the UFOs will probably just be negated by instruction time, anyway."
"Good call."
Well aware of the added twist to their Detour pace, the dating couple entered the tourist center, where a receptionist exuding a warm aura gave them a wave. Five stands full of brochures stood between them and moving on, so the mice quickly started searching through the leaflets for the all-familiar flag.
Koopinator & Shellshock: Sparring Partners- Currently in 2nd (Future Dream Travel Center)
"Here's the Detour," declared Koopinator. "'Blink of an Eye' or 'Light on the Underside.' 'Where will your light shine?'" He quickly skimmed over the details, frowning at the fact that they had to scavenge for the name of whatever destination they chose. "Shellshock."
"…I'm listening…"
"Either we wander around in a maze of teleportation devices or we learn how to drive a UFO," explained Koopinator. "Which one do you want?"
Evidently, Shellshock was surprised that his partner was letting him select the Detour again. Before, it had usually always been either a unanimous decision or a choice made solely by Koopinator.
"…Who, me?" The Shady Koopa had a confused look. "…'Nator, why are you asking me?"
"I'm not too keen on either of these. Rather than let me debate about it by myself all day, why don't you play the tiebreaker?"
"It's not easy abandoning a friend. At the Glitz Pit, it ain't over until all three of the Turtles of Hurtle are down and out—my homies and I are really tight. In that environment, there's no question about it. We stand as a group and either win or end up getting our tails kicked." Shellshock laughed dryly. "…Crump and I bonded really well over the past few days. It was really hard to focus on the race knowing that we'd just left him there, wallowing in depression at the side of his genius teammate. I have a feeling that 'Nator let me choose the Detour option just so I could get my head back in the game." He supplied the camera with a tiny grin. "Guess it worked."
"Well…we've already experienced the teleportation stuff back at where we just came from." Shellshock nodded to himself a few times. "I think it'll be cool to ride around in a UFO. Yeah, let's do that!"
"'Light on the Underside,' it is, then. Before we can do that, though, we have to figure out where we're going."
"It doesn't say in—?"
"Quite frankly, no. We have to search the brochures for one that's marked with a race flag, and hopefully it'll be the one for where we're going."
"Ah, okay. Gotcha."
Eager to try out the UFO, Shellshock zoomed into the building, followed by his teammate. They wordlessly joined the Squeeks on the hunt, but only seconds after their entrance, Pierre located a Flash 'n' Teleport Playground booklet.
"This is the one," he stated, holding it up to show his girlfriend.
"Great job!"
Ecstatic, the dating couple fled the scene in first place, speeding off to "Blink of an Eye." Not even a minute passed before Shellshock found what he was looking for—a marked pamphlet about UFO Raceway.
"Interesting…so they didn't put them all in the same place." Koopinator observed, checking in the spot where his partner found the brochure. "Good. If they're all spread out in those stuffed spaces, that might make it a bit harder for anyone else trying to follow."
With their newfound information in hand, the fighters ran back to their taxi and gave the driver new instructions.
The heated race for first was definitely on.
The Celestial Observatory sat in a spacey open area that was free of obstruction from other structures of Future Dream. Unlike the constant gravity anchor of many of the other buildings and their platforms, the space-based observatory was able to change its location (within a reasonable distance) to obtain the best location for viewing various faraway objects. Its outer appearance as a simple gray dome was quite dull, but as any of its appreciative workers would attest, the interior's remarkable view of a selected part of outer space was more than enough to provide an ample counterbalance.
Speaking of the race for first, the Petalburg duo added its own chips with a quick arrival to the Fast Forward site.
Kojo & Kory: Childhood Friends (Celestial Observatory)
Since their present location was relatively out of the way, the boys stressed the importance of having a taxi waiting to their driver before dashing inside.
"You must be here for the Fast Forward," assumed a Snifit lingering around the entrance. "I'm only going to tell you the name of your two galaxies once, so listen up. You two need to complete the qualifications for the Freezeflame Galaxy and the Sweet Sweet Galaxy. Get to it!"
Luckily, the men were prepared with a pencil and their clue, and were able to catch the names without trouble. Next order of business: deciding how to take note of the galaxies' locations.
"Looks like we have plenty of options here in terms of resources," remarked Kojo. "Think we should just stick with computer surfing?"
"I was actually thinking about the encyclopedias over there, but the Internet will probably be more specific." Kory detailed. "So, yeah, I'm up for it."
Having come to a quick and simple agreement, the Koopas occupied two vacancies over at the curved desk of computers sitting against one section of the wall. They powered on the CPUs and entered the World Wide Web. A few minutes and one reliable search engine later, they easily located the complex information they needed. With it all written down, they headed over to the gigantic table, which had a map on it that was just as enormous. Upon seeing it, the two's jaws dropped.
"Whoa, crap…" Kory gawked. "How… How big is this thing?"
"It's the latest version! They print a new one out about every three months!" exclaimed a nearby Goomba who overheard the shocked inquiry. "This one is, in feet, seventeen-by-seventeen! Cool, huh?"
"Sure…" Kojo muttered. "I bet if you were in our situation, you'd be thinking a bit differently…"
Just by looking at the size of the massive map and the small size of the galaxies and stars, it was obvious that this part of the task wasn't going to be so easy (especially compared to a similar Roadblock on season one, where the objective was to find constellations on a much easier map). Even finding the reference points mentioned in their notes would be difficult for the turtles.
"Here are our markers…" Kory picked up the small stand labeled "Sweet Sweet Galaxy." "Now's not the time to back down. Let's get this done."
Gloomtail & Hooktail: Siblings- Currently in 3rd (Future Dream Travel Center)
"'Where will your light shine?'" read Gloomtail. "Corny saying…lame. Sounds like by default we have to take 'Blink of an Eye.'"
"That's what it sounds like…" Hooktail agreed. "That UFO stuff sounds retarded anyway."
"Those are the things that aliens supposedly travel in, aren't they?"
"Like I would know…don't exactly care."
Right before the dragons stepped back into their taxi, they realized they didn't know where to go. Re-reading the Detour's instructions resulted in their hightailing into the information center just as a second cab arrived.
Lahla & Rocko: Coworkers- Currently in 4th (Future Dream Travel Center)
"Man, they got here before us. Wonder why they're still stickin' around." Lahla murmured before she read the Detour aloud. "I sure am glad this sounds more tame than what Peeka had to do on her space leg…"
"If you call driving a UFO 'tame,' den, yeah…" Rocko mumbled.
"Oh! You wanna do the UFO, hon? That's what I was thinkin' about, too! Cool!" Before Rocko could give his response, she added, "I think it'd be easy enough to learn how to drive somethin' that floats. After all, I float all the time!"
It was hard to tell due to his sunglasses blocking his eyes, but it was clear that Rocko didn't exactly feel the explanation was legitimate enough to garner reasoning for choosing "Light on the Underside." But, after all, he did trust her…so…he nodded in consent.
"It says here before we go that we have to actually figure out where the destination is," she added. "Need to find a brochure or somethin' that tells us where we can drive UFOs at."
The Pianta Parlor duo joined the luckless siblings inside. Much to everyone's surprise, only a few seconds passed before Lahla spotted a marked UFO Racetrack pamphlet.
"Yeah-hah! Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Let's go, hon! I got it!"
Recovering from his initial shock, Rocko jogged back out with his partner, and the noise of their air taxi zooming off met the dragons' ears.
"Okay. That irritates me." Hooktail growled. "She pulls it outta her sleeve like a card trick or something!"
"Quit yapping your trap and keep looking!" Gloomtail ordered. Although his sister shot him a glare for the impoliteness, she complied noiselessly.
Several minutes passed before Hooktail finally found an elusive Flash 'n' Teleport Playground brochure. Needless to say, the pair left the tourist center in a huff at their misfortune.
Kojo & Kory: Childhood Friends (Celestial Observatory)
By an extreme amount of luck, Kory was able to place the Freezeflame Galaxy marker on what he was sure to be the right location; after double-checking it, Kojo had agreed. But when it came to locating the Sweet Sweet Galaxy on the map, the two were definitely not having a sweet time. Their second reference point was still hidden, yet ironically in plain sight.
"This thing is becoming a real headache to locate," Kojo told his partner. "I sure hope that neither of them are this annoying when we look for the real things out in space."
"Agreed. But…let's focus on this part first before we think negatively about the next."
"…Right."
The UFO Raceway was a hectic track built within the spacious interior of a large, ovular, open-air stadium. Virtually every single inch of its being was either devoted to the metallic course itself or an obstacle meant to pose problems to drivers. Its starting line was situated on a straightaway that led into a long, tilted curve that navigated almost all the way around the entire oval. Just short of the lap marker, the course made a u-turn before transforming into a series of consecutive dramatic swerves. From there, it led into a remarkable aquarium-like space of focused water particles, made possible by the power of concentrated gravity. The next part of the circuit was a giant loop-de-loop that then emptied out into a field filled with bulky aerial obstacles. Narrowing, the path went through a dirt tunnel and then an extremely tight corkscrew before experiencing several more wild curves. One more covered tunnel led back to the starting line, which, for The Amazing Race, had its back blocked by a tall, impenetrable wall.
Directly outside the main entrance to the popular attraction was the instructional area. A first taxi pulled up right outside.
Koopinator & Shellshock: Sparring Partners (UFO Raceway)
"Stay put, ro-bro! We should be back in a few minutes, and we're leaving our backpacks in the trunk!" notified Shellshock has he dropped a few Smash on the passenger's seat.
"…How can I argue with such persuasive tactics…" the robot muttered sarcastically.
With only the required travel pack on them, the fighters dashed over to the entrance, where six CYL-BACIL300 UFOs were waiting, along with a Koopa wearing a stylish space helmet and uniform.
"Hey, guys! Here for learning how to drive one of these babies, am I right?" The Koopa grinned knowingly to the predictable nods. "Awesome. Okay…" From out of nowhere, he produced an instruction manual that he handed to them. Upon seeing their questioning looks, he laughed. "No, no, don't worry—that's just your reference while I explain. It gives a visual aid."
"Are we allowed to keep this with us while we attack the course?" Koopinator queried.
"As a matter of fact, yeah. It'll be helpful, since I'm just giving a quick rundown. There are some helpful hints and tricks in there you might wanna check out on the fly. Okay... Most important thing, of course, is safety…turn to page five, if you will…"
The Flash 'n' Teleport Playground appeared just like a regular ten-story work building on the outside. On the inside, for its bottom nine floors, the description might have been apt. Each one was filled with what appeared to be like cubicles, only in jigsaw puzzle form and enlarged by a few feet. Unusual-looking teleportation tiles inside of every compartment offset that comparison. Unlike the levels before it in the recreational center, which were full of the tiles, there were only two warp pads within the large floor. Additionally, there was a curious-looking machine in the very middle of the second room…
Back outside, the first taxi had arrived.
Pierre & Rana: Dating (Flash 'n' Teleport Playground)
Again giving their driver directions to stay put, the two ditched their baggage as they ran for the entrance. Before going inside, they picked up what was certain to be a valuable tool: a blueprint version of the floor plan.
"Oh yeah. This'll be our best friend from now on," joked Rana.
Even from the get-go, the tricky journey was not going to be easy. The main entrance, which the two judged to be the only regular rectangular cubicle in the entire building, had two teleportation tiles as opposed to just one. Interestingly, the duo also noted a visible plaque with "LEVEL 1" on a wall.
"Let's see if these things are really as fast as the blink of an eye." Pierre suggested.
Randomly choosing the left tile, the dating couple stepped on. A quick flash of blue and green interrupted their vision, introducing them to the extent of the process. It seemed they hadn't gone anywhere, but upon further investigation of their surroundings, the Squeeks discovered that they were in a different cubicle on "LEVEL 3."
"Looks like this'll just be one big guess-and-check." Pierre muttered.
"I think we better figure out a strategy right now," said Rana. She pulled out a pencil and wrote a few things on the blueprint. "I'll start marking this so we'll have an idea of which tiles we've already taken, and where they lead. Maybe if we keep on going, we'll eventually get lucky and find the right one, but until then…"
"Good plan. In that case, let's keep going."
In that room, there were a total of three tiles. Again choosing a random one, they found themselves on "LEVEL 7." Taking note of it, they moved on.
Koopinator & Shellshock: Sparring Partners (UFO Raceway)
After clearing the basics with their instructor, Team Glitz Pit was instructed to maneuver its flying object through the wide front entrance and onto the course. Immediately upon seeing the actual track, Shellshock's jaw dropped in amazement.
"Whoa… Wario Stadium déjà vu, anyone?" joked Shellshock in reference to leg five's immense racecourse. "Except…this place looks a lot more difficult coupled with this baby we're riding in…"
"Then it's a good thing we're technically not under the pressure of time," stated Koopinator. "This vehicle is very different from the run-of-the-mill car spin-off…if there was a time limit here, we'd have to make multiple rounds just to get the hang of this."
Both men would admit that what they were sitting in would not be their first impression of a flying saucer. That was because the model they were using was a vertical cylinder-shaped capsule, meant for style over speed or efficiency. Its green bottom held the entrance, as well as the unseen various mechanics that allowed the UFO itself to tick.
On the top was the driving area whose outer surface was composed of a hard, glasslike substance. Koopinator and Shellshock were situated in front of a widespread manual dashboard in movable chairs. If it hadn't been for the brief lesson and provided manual, it would seem that no one would have been able to figure out how to work the contraption with its numerous buttons and levers.
"Just as he said, this screen right here displays a map of the course." Koopinator sifted through the available display options available. "We actually have a chance to get a hang of the steering for a while; the first part of the course runs almost all the way around this stadium."
"Cool! I call main driver's spot!" claimed Shellshock.
Seeing as there wasn't really much he could do to stop his partner, Koopinator sat back and watched as Shellshock turned the primary directional lever forward. Their UFO tilted in that direction as it moved, and they were off.
Lahla & Rocko: Coworkers (UFO Raceway)
Due to all the time the fighters had lost having to complete the rocket ship carousel ride and dealing with their downed allies, Lahla and Rocko unknowingly arrived at the track just as the team ahead of them was getting started around. Lahla did giddily notice that there was another taxi waiting just like theirs, which could be interpreted as a good sign that they were catching up.
"We get to drive a UFO, hon! This is so excitin'!" Lahla exclaimed eagerly.
Since he was free from Koopinator and Shellshock, the helmet-wearing Koopa was also able to take the Pianta Parlor team under his wing.
"Good morning, you two! Here to learn how to drive the UFO, right?" As soon as he got the affirmative answer from the coworkers, he dove into his assigned routine.
Kojo & Kory: Childhood Friends (Celestial Observatory)
It'd taken a long while, but the Petalburg men had finally found the Sweet Sweet Galaxy on the map, completing that part of their Fast Forward task. Confident that their answers were already correct, they used their markers as reference points for the second part in locating the actual galaxies out in space.
"I don't think that this part should be too hard, since we actually already have them both marked." Kory commented. "We shouldn't even need the telescope, since the close-up would just make it harder."
"Maybe… But I also think it makes for a pretty sweet view right now," said Kojo, smirking. "From where it was set, I only turned it a bit…and bam! I spy the Sweet Sweet Galaxy."
"No kidding?" Kory almost wanted to laugh at how lucky that was. "Here, lemme take a look really fast." He peeked into the telescope. "…Yeah…that looks like it, alright. Awesome! Snap it!"
After making the necessary adjustments with the viewfinder, Kojo took a picture of the area with a provided automatic camera. Seconds later, the photograph came out, fully developed. He made a large, shining circle around the Sweet Sweet Galaxy with a permanent marker.
"One down, one to go," he said with a grin as he held up the picture. "For this one, though, I think we'll have to search space with our own eyes."
Gloomtail & Hooktail: Siblings (Flash 'n' Teleport Playground)
Another taxi already waiting outside the tall building was interpreted as a bad sign by the quadrupeds because it meant they were still behind. They wanted to leave before that other taxi could.
"I wonder who the heck that belongs to…" Gloomtail muttered.
"Prob'ly those bratty X-Naut losers." Hooktail made a displeased expression. "I hate the fact that we have to join them on this nerdy boat, but we've got no other choice!" She practically barked in the driver's face, "Stay here or else!"
The brother and sister completely ignored the waiting maps, just as they'd agreed during the taxi ride over. True to form, they were going to attack this head on the ruthless way; in their opinion, waiting to utilize the mouth-occupying map would just be troublesome and slow them down.
As soon as they entered the public testing site, they jumped onto the first transportation tile that they found. Then the next. And the next.
"We just better not end up going around in circles…" Hooktail said warningly to the following camera. "This place is driving me nuts already! Everything looks practically the same!"
Pierre & Rana: Dating (Flash 'n' Teleport Playground)
"That one over there. We haven't gone to that one yet."
Reappearing in "LEVEL 5," the mice consulted their map again. It was already riddled with many pencil markings and notes. Thankfully, where this task failed to be linear, it made up for it by eliminating possibilities if performed with the appropriate methods. Pierre and Rana speedily discovered that. The more tiles they tried, the fewer candidates for that all-important tenth floor. And if it came down to only having one tile left, it would just be a matter of finding the route back to it, and they would be finished.
They looked forward to that moment.
"As interesting as this place is, it's really getting tiring…" murmured Rana. "I swear that there are over two hundred tiles in here or something…"
"You're probably not that far off." Pierre snorted cynically.
"Okay, that one to the right."
Koopinator & Shellshock: Sparring Partners (UFO Raceway)
"I could've sworn that UFOs were able to travel through anything." Shellshock remarked. "If they can do space, why can't they do water?"
"They can. It's just that the high density of these water particles is slowing down our movement." Koopinator replied. "Just keep our directions steady and on-course. We'll be fine."
Up to this point, Shellshock's attentive listening and natural kart driving skills had proven very useful in maneuvering the UFO. He hadn't met any problems until the concentration of water, but even then, there was no guarantee that he would be held back. It was only a matter of time until he got the capsule to break free from the floating liquid.
"Okay. I'm going to switch the anti-gravity setting to ignoring all surfaces. Bypass the loop and head straight for the other part of the road," commanded Koopinator. "Be careful, though, because our manual says that steering will become more sensitive until the setting is switched back."
From the look on the Shady Koopa's face, avoiding a fun rollercoaster-like maneuver wasn't something high on his list of priorities. But, he knew that every second mattered, and evading the large loop-de-loop would shave off a decent amount of time. So he complied to the order and went straight for the next part of the course, which led to a space chock full of floating obstacles reminiscent of pinball bumpers.
"Not too much further now. You're doing great," encouraged Koopinator. "We only have so far to go before we'll finish."
"You think Jolene would let us keep one of these babies in the Glitz Pit garage? This thing would be way better than that stupid-looking blimp that—"
"I don't think so."
Lahla & Rocko: Coworkers (UFO Raceway)
When they were done listening to the instructor, the Kitty Boo and Pianta steered their UFO onto the course. Even though Lahla was the one taking care of the actual driving, Rocko was still feeling uneasy about taking a spin around another racecourse, especially because the vehicle was so much different from a car or variant. It wasn't that he and Lahla had fared badly on the Metal City Detour; on the contrary, as they'd performed quite well compared to some of the other racers. Even though this Detour was not restricted by a time limit to qualify, he wasn't sure about how well he and his partner could adapt.
He knew Lahla, and the quirky receptionist wasn't exactly the type to stay still in one place and listen to instructions. He didn't truly know if she'd been listening to that Koopa…
"Okay, hon! Are you buckled in?" questioned Lahla.
"Uh…yeah."
"Cause here we go!"
Rocko didn't even have time to yelp before his partner set the UFO hurtling full speed ahead. He did manage to let out a gasp when Lahla accidentally ricocheted off the wall upon the first curve, though.
Kojo & Kory: Childhood Friends- Currently in 1st (Celestial Observatory)
"I must say, very nice job!" congratulated the Snifit who'd given out the galaxy names. "You guys must've had some really good luck. I had a similar trial to that in college as a beginner for basics, and I just barely made the grade."
Smiling at the praises being showered upon them, the Koopas thanked the scientist before they opened the envelope.
"'Congratulations on winning the Fast Forward award,'" read Kojo, "'You may now make your way to the next pit stop at Future Dream Emblem.'"
Having won the Fast Forward, Kojo and Kory may now skip all tasks and proceed to Future Dream Emblem, the pit stop for this leg of the race.
"As long as we've 'cheated,' we might as well get a first place out of it," joked Kory. "Come on, let's hurry over!"
"No arguments there, man!" Kojo concurred.
Keen on seeing the pit stop without having as much sweat as usual, the Petalburg gatekeepers enthusiastically dashed outside. Seeing as their taxi was still waiting outside, the guys gave the driver their thanks before telling it their last destination with his cab.
"To Future Dream Emblem!"
Pierre & Rana: Dating- Currently in 2nd (Flash 'n' Teleport Playground)
Thanks to their methods of deduction and elimination, the Squeeks managed to locate the correct teleportation tile with plenty of unmarked areas still on their map. Upon stepping through the doorway into the second part of the floor, they pulled their Detour instructions back out to reread them.
"Um…alrighty, then. So…we have to let that weirdo laser machine hit our eyes, I guess?" Rana said dubiously. "I wonder if it's going to hurt… I've never had laser eye surgery before."
"Neither have I." Pierre chuckled. "It says that it's a harmless beam…so we should be safe." He paused. "I hope."
"You first, babe. Oh, and don't think about any of that 'ladies first' stuff, either." Rana urged in a hurried voice.
Snapping his fingers, Pierre walked up to the machine. With his back to the camera, he took off the mask before putting his face in front of the eyepiece area. When he pushed a nearby button, Rana thought she noticed a red glow appear for a few seconds. But it disappeared before she could question it. Replacing his eyewear, the male Squeek stepped back.
"Like I said, it's harmless," he said conclusively. "The clue doesn't really mention it anywhere, but I'm pretty sure we both have to do it to avoid being penalized."
What was thought to be motivation caused Rana to pout. "Er… Can you see the writing on the wall, though?"
"Yup. It's in pretty large writing, too. But, like I said, I think—"
"I know, I know," interrupted Rana. "I'll do it. But don't blame me if I have to redo it a couple of times because I close my eyes…"
Doing the same thing as her boyfriend, she removed her mask without letting the camera get a look at her uncovered face. With an audible gulp, she put her face in front and pushed the button. Although she yelped in reaction to the laser, she didn't pull away until it was finished.
"Creepiest feeling ever," she groaned, putting her glasses back on. "I hope there aren't any side effects…"
Putting aside her displeasure for such an obscene task requirement, Rana joined Pierre in reading the Route Info hidden on the wall, making sure to write it down.
"'Make your way to the Robo-Condominiums and locate the main office, where your next clue waits.'"
Teams must now make their way by taxi 7 miles from each Detour point to the main housing complex for the robotic species of Future Dream, the Robo-Condominiums. The main operations building of these 3,000 apartments is where the next clue waits.
"And that must be the exit tile." Pierre assumed, eyeing the pad right in front of the back wall.
"Thank goodness, we won't have to try tracing a route back…" Rana remarked thankfully.
Holding hands, the couple stepped on. In the blink of an eye, they found themselves back outside, right next to the entrance doors.
"…Weird…" thought Rana on the deposit. "It reminds me of that strange ghost house we were in a while back in the early legs." Pierre definitely agreed.
Brought back to the reality of the competition by the other waiting taxi, the mice hurried back to their own cab and gave the driver their new instructions. Processing the new information, it saluted before driving off.
Gloomtail & Hooktail: Siblings (Flash 'n' Teleport Playground)
Meanwhile, the quadrupeds were having a complicated time with their straightforward approach, although both were too hardheaded and stubborn to admit it. Both of them were secretly thinking that their worst fears were coming true—were they going around in circles?
"I swear that we've passed that floor sign multiple times already…" Hooktail muttered in frustration. "Argh!"
"It's just your imagination!" snapped Gloomtail. "Just shut up and keep moving! We're gonna find it!"
"This is driving me INSANE!"
Koopinator & Shellshock: Sparring Partners- Currently in 3rd (UFO Raceway)
By following the Razor Blade Brigadier's hasty shortcuts and warnings, Shellshock was able to maneuver around the track quickly and efficiently. They arrived at the end of the two-mile course with a decent time. Upon reaching the wall, however, there was just one more obstacle separating them from being able to move on with the race. The invisible Route Info.
"Shellshock, get out of the UFO."
When he heard those words, the sunglasses-wearing turtle momentarily thought his partner had gone crazy. A second later, he crossed out that possibility. There was always a good reason for everything. Besides, Koopinator was one of the more level-headed ones left in this game…
"Make sure you take a writing utensil and something to write on," instructed Koopinator. "I'm going to shift the UFO so that our light beam will be on the wall. Since I'll most likely be at a bad angle, you need to be outside to copy the words down. Don't worry about the separation rule, either; they've made an exception that's in fine print on the Detour page."
"Alright. Just don't flip until I'm out," Shellshock joked, although there was much seriousness in his request.
About half a minute later, the Shady Koopa found himself regretting not being the one in control of the UFO; he would've loved to hang sideways for a prolonged period of time. That thought was hurriedly pushed out of mind as he jotted down the Route Info, which was rendered visible by the tractor beam-like illumination emanating from the saucer's bottom.
"'Make…your way…to the…Robo-Condominiums…and locate…the main office…where your next clue waits…'" Shellshock said aloud as the words appeared on his paper. "Okay."
Shellshock signaled to his teammate that his job was completed. Before he could get back into the UFO, however, Koopinator responded back with several gestures that Shellshock had a hard time interpreting.
"Stay out… You'll park the UFO back outside… You'll meet me there… Get the taxi ready," Shellshock repeated as the motions came. "Got it!"
Holding out a thumbs up, the Shady Koopa dashed through the other half of the main entrance, where he spotted the two taxis. By the time Koopinator joined him, they were ready to go.
"Robo-Condominiums!"
Lahla & Rocko: Coworkers (UFO Raceway)
Unlike Team Glitz Pit's decent performance, the employees were having a much more difficult time navigating the course. Apparently, Lahla had been listening to the teacher well enough, because she had the gist of how to work the UFO. But her natural instinct in manipulating what she knew wasn't as good as the more vehicle-savvy Shellshock. Her gut's wildness was at least making them go fast, which was a good thing.
But sometimes, fast just didn't cut it. Especially not when the driver didn't completely have the steering skills necessary to make good use of the speed.
"Whoops! I sure hope they have some kind of insurance for this thang!" Lahla exclaimed warningly, recovering from yet another bump into the wall. "I claim no responsibility for any dents on this here UFO!"
Sitting right next to her, Rocko was grabbing onto the armrests for dear life. He recoiled as she again failed to make the tight curve, instead turning too hard and banging into the divider.
"Um…do you want me to drive?" he asked, finally finding his voice. "Dis is…gettin' kinda crazy…"
"No, no, it's fine… We'll be there in no time. Really!"
Positioned relatively close to Prospect Lab, the Future Dream Emblem was Future Dream's answer to the line of shared landmarks signifying its inclusion to the real-world Dream Depot. Standing on its lonesome in the middle of a circular platform, the remarkable statue showcased both its region's individuality and dependence by displaying several technological wonders scattered amongst sculptures of the Star Spirits.
In front of the plaque engraved "Future Dream: A Futuristic Reality" were the pit stop mat and route marker. A stone-faced Blaise stood behind them, a generic-looking robot at his side.
Kojo & Kory: Childhood Friends (Future Dream Emblem)
The Fast Forward recipients said good-bye to their taxi driver with a payment and retrieved their backpacks. With chipper smiles on their lively faces, they jogged onto the mat.
"Welcome to Future Dream," the robot welcomed in its computer-like voice.
"Thanks, man!"
"Kojo and Kory." Blaise didn't bother humoring them with a dramatic pause. "You are team number one."
Kojo & Kory: Childhood Friends- 1st Place, 9:47 A.M.
"Yeah! Back at the top!" Kojo celebrated ecstatically. "It feels like so long since our last win!"
"Fast Forward power, man!" Kory laughed, slapping his buddy a high-five.
"There's more. As the winners of this eighth leg of the race, you've won two all-terrain hovercraft for land, sea, or sky," Blaise's droning voice was interrupted by a loud cheer from the two Koopas, "…which are customizable to your liking for designs and colors. You can enjoy those after the race."
"Suh-weet!"
"Awsome!"
"Call me simple-minded, but I've already forgotten about our strategic pitfall in using the Fast Forward. When I heard Blaise say the word 'hovercraft,' I all but freaked out!" Kojo laughed. "If it isn't obvious, Kory and I pretty much have the interests of adolescent males…haha!"
"You know, Blaise, I almost couldn't tell you apart from the greeter for a moment." Kory commented. "Your voices sounded so…"
Blaise's disapproving and intimidating stare cut him off from whatever he was about to say.
Gloomtail & Hooktail: Siblings (Flash 'n' Teleport Playground)
"Insane, insane, insane, insane! Insane, insane, insane, insane…"
"Girl, you are going to drive me insane if you don't shut up and just keep moving!"
"I can't help it if this place is insane! It's like a horrible asylum that makes mental people get worse!"
Judging from their snappy dialogue and aggravated tones of voice, the dragons were becoming really discouraged about the task. They'd thought that it would've been easy enough without a systematic approach—just run around, try any tile in sight, and eventually, they'd reach the tenth floor. But as time passed, their confidence in such a hasty maneuver was starting to deteriorate.
"Ugh! I swear, we are so lost!" Hooktail screamed. "This place is driving me insane!"
"How many times do I have to tell you to shut your jaws?!" Gloomtail bellowed. "Geez, you're so annoying!"
"Unlike you, I didn't spend eternity cooped up in a claustrophobic, dank dungeon, and this place has resemblance to one!" Hooktail thought for a minute. "Just with annoying teleportation tiles!"
"That made no sense at all what-so-ever. JUST MOVE!" Gloomtail shouted irritably, pushing Hooktail onto another tile.
With the blink of an eye, the quadrupeds reappeared in a room on the seventh floor. Hooktail only had one thing to say about this situation.
"THIS IS DRIVING ME INSAAAAAANE!"
Lahla & Rocko: Coworkers (UFO Raceway)
It was official. Rocko despised this UFO-driving task. He could've sworn UFOs defied the laws of gravity. If that was the case, why did they have to follow the trail of a gigantic loop-de-loop?
"…" He felt nauseous; he could feel all the blood still trying to rush back down to his body.
"Hey, hon! We're getting close to the end!" Lahla notified.
"…Dank goodness…" Rocko mumbled under his breath.
"But first, I think we're passing through a corkscrew. It's coming up in just a minute."
"…A corkscrew?!" The Pianta's head shot up in alarm. "…Oh no… Why, oh why, didn't I ask for motion sickness bags…dis is bad…"
The Robo-Condominiums were comprised of row after row of sophisticated-appearing tenements, each building similar to the others in terms of exterior, save for a number on the front of each one. Contrary to what the plain white outsides portrayed, the inhabiting robots all had very nice individual living quarters much like those available in five-star hotels. A main office of operations was located at the front of the lines, with a tall Future Dream flagpole marking its front lawn of synthetic grass. Right next to the dowel's base was the clue box.
Taxi number one arrived at the main building, and its occupants stepped out.
Pierre & Rana: Dating- Currently in 2nd (Robo-Condominiums)
"I'm afraid what it's going to tell us to do here at these apartments…" admitted Rana. "We've already gone through one annoying search-and-find task already…"
Pulling his hand out of the envelope, Pierre was surprised to find a blue Route Info folder inside. "'Before continuing, go to the condominium marked with the number of this leg and pick up a team flag. Keep it with you until otherwise instructed.'" A brief thought flashed through his mind. "Huh. Interesting. 'Then, make your way by taxi to Simulation Testing Site 2.0 to find your next clue.'"
Prior to moving through the race route, teams must make their way to Condominium Number 8, where six team flags are waiting; these will be vital for completion of the next task. Then, teams must travel by taxi 4 miles to Simulation Testing Site 2.0, a notable laboratory used for trial runs of simulative electrodes. There, teams will find their next clue.
"This is leg…eight. So we need to go over to the eighth condominium before going to the testing site," concluded Rana.
The Squeeks made a swift signal to their taxi driver to follow. They ran down the first line to Condominium 8, where, near the edge of the sidewalk, there was a stand with six tall flags planted in it. Taking the one with their image emblazoned on it, the mice leapt back into their cab. In order to make the tall banner fit, they had to let it stick out one of the windows and cross over their bodies.
"Next up—Simulation Testing Site 2.0!" Pierre requested.
Koopinator & Shellshock: Sparring Partners- Currently in 3rd (Robo-Condominiums)
Only a matter of seconds after the dating couple's taxi left the area, the fighters arrived at the clue box.
"'Before continuing, go to the condominium marked with the number of this leg and pick up a team flag. Keep it with you until otherwise instructed,'" read Koopinator. "'Then, make your way by taxi to Simulation Testing Site 2.0 to find your next clue.'"
"So…we have to go to the eighth one." Shellshock presumed.
Doing the same as the mice, the major leaguers told their taxi to follow as they sprinted full-speed to Condominium 8, where there were five flags waiting.
That's when Shellshock saw it.
"Up to that point of the leg, my mind was pretty occupied…especially with that mad rush at the Detour, driving the UFO." Shellshock's eyes were averting the camera as he gave this confessional. "But…when we arrived at the condos, and I got a look at those flags… Dang…"
He couldn't take his eyes off of it—the flag of the X-Nauts, Grodus and Crump. Whereas the other remaining pennants were straight and suspended in the air due to the lack of gravity, theirs seemed to almost be symbolically drooping…
"Come on, Shellshock. We shouldn't waste any time." Koopinator urged. "The Roadblock should be coming up pretty soon."
Unwillingly, the Shady Koopa pulled his eyes away from the weakly-flying flag. Realizing that Koopinator had already pulled their own banner from the stand, he joined him in the taxi before the driver sped off.
Lahla & Rocko: Coworkers- Currently in 4th (UFO Raceway)
"Well, we're finally here…now we just need to figure out how to see the Route Info…" mused Lahla as she flipped through the pages of the manual. "…Ah! Here we go!"
Already, the crazy ride had convinced Rocko that he wouldn't be joining a UFO Grand Prix anytime soon. He'd never tackled any of the wilder Roadblocks up to this point for the reason that he wasn't a big fan of roller coasters or substitutes. UFO Raceway most certainly constituted as one of the above, and he was definitely feeling the effects, especially after that closing corkscrew that had sent his head spinning.
And Lahla's unexpectedly tilting the vehicle to the side did not help. Not. One. Bit.
"I'm gonna be right back, hon, 'kay?" Lahla called out as she hovered to the access, heedless of the surfaces around her. "I just need to go and copy the Route Info really fast!"
Rocko envied that Kitty Boo's anti-gravity ability so much. He was already starting to question that unconditional trust he'd gained after the near-miss airplane situation of the previous leg. Backing his sentiments was the fact that his stomach was highly unsettled and he felt incredibly dizzy. But he really didn't want to mention it to his partner…his nausea could hamper their showing in the race.
Thankfully, Lahla came back in record time and righted the saucer before taking it back outside. The two disembarked and hurried back to their taxi, the only one still remaining outside the racecourse.
"Hey, Rocko? You look a bit…greener than your normal skin tone. Is everythin' okay?" Lahla gasped as a possible reason popped into her head. "My drivin' didn't make you sick, did it?!"
"Uh…" He really didn't want to mention his nausea to his partner. Being the worrywart she was, it was just better off for her not to know, otherwise risk losing time in the race, he reasoned. "No, no…of course not. It's… Probably just de weird reflection of the starlight playin' tricks on youse eyes."
It was easy to see that Lahla was mostly unconvinced. Nevertheless, she turned to the driver and gave it the new destination.
Gloomtail & Hooktail: Siblings (Flash 'n' Teleport Playground)
"Where the heck is that darned tile that leads to the tenth floor already?" grunted Gloomtail. "This is getting on my last nerve. This, and you, because unlike this building, you are able to complain!"
"Insane… Insane… Insane…" One really had to question Hooktail's sanity at this point. "I hate this…"
"Grah! Dangit, we should've grabbed a map or something!"
Tile to tile, over and over again. The two were starting to think that they would be stuck in the absurd puzzle for the rest of their lives.
The Simulation Testing Site 2.0 building was a laboratory covered in metallic blue solar panels. Like many of the other similar-looking Future Dream facilities, it would've been hard to discern its purpose from looks alone unless a person referenced either the sign or the appearance on the inside. But then again, since a vast majority of the rooms were actually bleach white, maybe it could've been passed off as a technologically-superior crazy house.
An air taxi with a pole hanging out one of the windows parked at the platform.
Pierre & Rana: Dating- Currently in 2nd (Simulation Testing Site 2.0)
"I remember something about last season, where they had to carry a flag to one of the pit stops," remarked Pierre as he carried his team's banner over to the clue box waiting outside the automatic doors. "I wonder if this is similar, but we haven't done our Roadblock yet."
"No more waiting, babe." Rana revealed the red folder. "This is the Roadblock. 'Who wants to follow in the footsteps of Mario?'"
A Roadblock is a task that only one team member may perform, and no one team member may perform any more than eight Roadblocks on the entire race.
In this Roadblock, team members will pseudo follow in the footsteps of Mario Mario, esteemed hero of the Mushroom Kingdom and world savior on several accounts. The first step is to enter into one of the marked rooms, which will automatically trigger a simulation. While carrying their flags, they will have to proceed through a fantasy of a grassy trail leading away from Princess Peach's castle, affectionately dubbed by outside sources as World 1-1. After fending off rogue Goombas and Koopas in the way, they will arrive at the end of the course, where they will need to plant their flags in a block. Upon doing so, a key will pop out, and the simulation will vanish. The key will be used to open the lock to a real door, behind which is the next clue.
"Whoa. Seriously? As in, the Mario who stopped the Shadow Queen?" Pierre asked in disbelief. "That sounds pretty awesome! I don't care what I've gotta do—I called it!"
"Okay, okay! Calm down, Mr. Fanboy!" teased Rana. "Here."
Upon reading the information, the male Squeek grinned. "So I was right about the flag being involved with something… This sounds pretty cool, too. I've never been to wherever the simulation is going to take place."
Enthused about the challenge, Pierre dashed inside with his flag in hand. He didn't have to run far down the main hall to find the section holding the doors with marked flags on them. Right after he closed the door behind him, the simulation began, and he found himself surrounded by a grassy plain with the scent of flowers.
"Wow! This is awesome…" He whacked a nearby solid block. "Everything feels real, too! Neat-o!"
Koopinator & Shellshock: Sparring Partners- Currently in 3rd (Simulation Testing Site 2.0)
Virtually right after her boyfriend left, Rana was joined by Team Glitz Pit. The turtles stormed the clue box and retrieved the Roadblock profile.
"Odd description." Shellshock commented. "'Who wants to follow in the footsteps of…Mario?' Really? That guy even has influence out here? Hey, 'Nator. Are you up for this one?"
"No thanks. You can have it." Koopinator shook his head. "I appreciate the man for saving the world and all, but I'm my own person. Come to think of it…I never did get a rematch with him in which I won…"
Shrugging amiably, Shellshock looked at the details and instantly, a grin appeared on his beak. Without saying another word, he hurried inside.
"So this is what his hometown is like…" He mulled the thought over as the simulation started. "Weird. I would've expected something a bit less peaceful…and a bit more…macho. I wonder how he got so powerful if he lives in such a calm…"
Catching sight of a nonspeaking Goomba charging him, Shellshock simply vaulted over it using his flag's pole. Remembering that there was no time for idle reflections, he started running through the meadow.
Gloomtail & Hooktail: Siblings (Flash 'n' Teleport Playground)
Needless to say, the dragons were getting downright sick about searching for that all-important tenth floor tile. Although she apparently seemed to still be in her right mind despite her word repetition, Hooktail's eyes seemed to be somewhat glazed over as she mindlessly followed her older brother like a zombie.
"This is becoming a complete nuisance!" complained Gloomtail. "Where the heck is it?!"
"Insane…" Hooktail grumbled. "I swear this place is driving me insane… Insane…"
In order not to let himself be driven insane, Gloomtail had stopped trying to force his sister to be quiet and was just ignoring her at this point.
Lahla & Rocko: Coworkers- Currently in 4th (Robo-Condominiums)
Just as instructed, the employees' driver stopped right in front of the main building. Lahla and Rocko got out and took a clue from the box.
"'Before continuin', go to the condominium marked with the number of this leg and pick up a team flag. Keep it with you until otherwise instructed,'" read Lahla. "'Then, make your way by taxi to Simulation Testing Site 2.0 to find your next clue.' We're on leg…eight, right?"
Rocko gave a barely audible "Yeah."
"So that means we gotta head over to Condominium 8, then."
Unlike the two teams before them, the coworkers opted to let their taxi driver take them to Condominium Number 8. When they spotted the flag stand, they also obviously encountered their newest great mystery: Why was Grodus and Crump's flag still there if their allies' flags weren't?
"They must've fallen behind somewhere along the line," assumed Lahla. "So this means that we're now in third! Yeah!"
"…Strange…" Rocko muttered, eyeing the X-Nauts' flag suspiciously. He picked up the flag with his team's picture and carried it back to the cab. "…It ain't like dem to fall behind…oh well."
"Sorry, hon, but we're still in your hair! Simulation Testing Site 2.0, please!"
Shellshock (Simulation Testing Site 2.0)
Naturally, the fighter was easily able to adapt playing the game. To save time, he preferred "flight" over "fight" in regards to the cyber-baddies (although he most definitely would've fared just as well by shell spinning into them, due to the Shady Koopa's natural power-up ability).
He built up speed as he came to a large staircase of blocks before firmly planting the pole's bottom against the ground. Hands still gripped tightly around the flagpole, he vaulted cleanly over the structure and landed next to a stumpy stand shaped like the top of a castle tower.
"Well, it's been fun!" Shellshock exclaimed to no one in particular. He glanced at the lush, hilly surroundings for a moment before he stuck the flag into its place. "But it's time for me to go!"
Without warning, a small key popped out of a slot on the backside of the flag stand. Then, all of a sudden, everything but said key vanished—flagpole included. Shellshock realized with amazement that in spite of the journey he'd made in the simulation, he was only standing in the middle of the square room.
"Um…best not to question any of that," he chuckled, appearing slightly disturbed. He turned his attention to the doorway on the other side of the white room. "So that's the place over there…"
Pierre (Simulation Testing Site 2.0)
Unbeknownst to Pierre, he'd actually been passed by his competitor in the other room. Unlike Shellshock, Pierre had chosen to clear the enemies out of his way, using the flagpole like a kendo stick. Luckily, he hadn't lost too much time, because like his fellow racer, he was also fast on his feet.
"Wow…" Pierre gasped, watching as the simulation faded away. "And just like that, it's gone…weird. Even the flagpole disappeared…"
Shaking his head to avoid letting himself trail off to an unnecessary digression, Pierre picked up the petite gold-colored key and brought it over to the other door. He unlocked it and retrieved the clue envelope from the tiny room on the other side. Then, he bolted out and dashed back down the halls.
"Pierre! Pierre! Hurry, babe!" came a female voice from outside.
Once back out through the automatic doors, the former thief quickly scanned the area. Much to his horror, all he saw were Rana and one waiting taxi.
"Where're Koopinator and Shellshock?!" he asked, fearing he already knew the answer.
"Don't panic, babe, but they already left!" Rana responded, trying to keep her voice as calm and steady as possible. "Here, let's see the clue!"
Koopinator & Shellshock: Sparring Partners- Currently in 2nd (Future Dream)
Both fighters sighed in relief as they sped away from the testing center, leaving Pierre and Rana behind.
"Good job with that Roadblock," Koopinator lauded. "Whatever you did, it got you past Pierre and saved us some time."
"Haha, thanks!" Shellshock eagerly responded to the high-five prompt that his partner offered. "It was a pretty fun one, too, if you like being in a storybook setting." He leaned back and relaxed into the chair. "And to top it all off, we'll finally get to win a leg for once!"
"Considering only if the Squeeks don't overtake us on the way there," reminded Koopinator. "…But we shouldn't sit easy just yet. In the long-term, we're in a bit of trouble."
"Wuh?" Shellshock instantly tensed up in alarm, gazing at his partner demandingly. "Whaddya mean by that, 'Nator?"
Instead of answering his partner directly, the metal-clad warrior leaned in towards the driver. Shellshock noticed that Koopinator was fingering the team credit card, and his face had turned serious. He really hoped this didn't mean that…
"Excuse me. Deepest apologies for bothering you, but we have a dire matter on our hands," Koopinator informed the robot. "Judging from what we have left in our limited traveling account, we might not have enough fare to pay for the ride when we arrive…all this travel has drained our funds. I know this is a horrible thing to ask, but is it okay if we're a little short?"
"…How much do you have remaining in your…limited traveling account?"
"…Not much," repeated Koopinator. "We're down to…approximately 20 Smash."
"…The two of you and your crew have provided me with a decent amount of business today…" The robot thought aloud. "I suppose that since I have grown so attached to you, I can let it slide…"
"Our first time to have money problems in the entire race, but it's still not a good sign at all, considering we still have a ways to go and the production tends to be cheap at the very last minute…a.k.a., the final leg." Koopinator remarked dryly. "Hopefully, now that we have no more allegiances except to ourselves, that problem can be repaired, and we can build our funds back up again." He paused for a moment. "When everyone arrived at the pit stop, almost all of them gave some sort of indication that they were also running on empty or close to it at the conclusion of the leg. I guess the only good thing to come out of the constant traveling today is that we aren't alone in being broke. It'll test who has the street smarts and people skills to survive on the roughest of budgets: zero."
Shellshock laughed at the automaton's sarcasm. Right now, it didn't matter to him that they were going to be guaranteed broke upon arrival at the pit stop
They were FINALLY going to win a leg!
Pierre & Rana: Dating- Currently in 3rd (Simulation Testing Site 2.0)
"'Make your way by taxi to the next pit stop at Dream Future Emblem.'"
Teams must now make their way by taxi 5 miles to the next pit stop, at Future Dream Emblem. This special statue is Future Dream's rendition of the showcasing landmarks shared by all members of Dream Depot, and sits close to the origination point of its particular fantasy region. It is also the pit stop for this leg of the race, and the last team to check in may be eliminated.
"'Warning: the last team to check in may be eliminated!'" Pierre sped-read. "Pit stop time! We need to try and beat them—since we were the first two teams to claim flags back at the condos, it means we're tied for first!"
"Let's make it so that we're the only ones in first!" Rana urged, pulling her boyfriend. "This could be our second win ever since the first leg!"
Just as hungry to claim first place, the mice clambered into their taxi and appealed to their driver for a fast traveling speed. It was going to come down to a taxi race, and they wanted every advantage they could get to pass up their former allies.
Gloomtail & Hooktail: Siblings- Currently in 5th (Flash 'n' Teleport Playground)
At long last and through sheer luck (Gloomtail called it a late gut feeling), the quadrupeds finally located the correct teleportation tile and arrived at the tenth floor. However, just when they thought their troubles were over…they encountered another obstacle.
"FINALLY!" Gloomtail shouted joyously. "We finally made it! YES! Now all we need to do is get our eyes zapped by that laser, read some Route Info on the wall, and we can kiss this joint goodbye for good!"
"WHAT?!"
Apparently, something the black dragon had said caused Hooktail to snap out her daze and back into reality. Fully alert, she was furiously shaking her head and staring ahead at the machine in alarm—she'd forgotten all about this part of the task.
"There is absolutely NO way I'm gonna let my face get zapped by some laser! Who knows what kind of damage that could do to my eyes?!"
Gloomtail's jaw dropped. He could not believe what he was hearing.
"You have got to be kidding me! We come all this way, waste all this time, and it's now that you decide to have a hissy fit about a stupid laser?!" yelled Gloomtial in disbelief. He looked like he wanted to tear her apart, limb from limb. "I am NOT letting you wiggle outta this one, hear me?! You are going to do it!"
Without prior indication, Gloomtail practically teleported behind his sister and brutally shoved her forward. Surprised, Hooktail managed to react in time by sticking her feet out, causing her to block the doorway in the only inner wall in the entire level. Sensing the resistance she was giving, Gloomtail turned around and tried using his full body by pushing his back against her, but somehow, she stayed rooted to the spot.
"Quit forcing me, you twit!" Hooktail ordered. "Stop it!"
"I will when you quit being such a loser! Dangit, what're you so afraid of?!" Gloomtail roared, continuing to drive forward. "GO THROUGH ALREADY, YOU USELESS CHICKEN!"
"NO!"
"DO YOU WANT TO LOSE THIS RACE?!"
"NO!"
"THEN GO THROUGH!"
"NO!"
Soon, the screaming argument evolved into an all-out war of shattering shrieks. It came to the point where the voices were indistinguishable from each other, save for the gender tone. Words clashed and blended, creating an ear-splitting din. After about a minute passed, it seemed that the two were screaming just for the sake of screaming at each other and not giving in.
From the start, Gloomtail knew that there was no way he could out-scream his sibling. When it came to an older brother's voice against a little sister's voice, it was always the higher-pitched one that prevailed. Hooktail was too used to throwing temper tantrums, anyway—that's why her vocal chords were so much stronger. He was doomed to fail.
His voice inevitably tired out, and his throat gained an uncomfortable scratchy texture.
He couldn't keep up with the ruckus that her voice box and big mouth was capable of making.
In time, his voice began to die, and Hooktail's began to take over.
But that was when he heard it.
She wasn't screaming anymore.
She was crying.
Lahla & Rocko: Coworkers- Currently in 4th (Simulation Testing Site 2.0)
"Roadblock! 'Who wants to follow in the footsteps of Mario?'" read Lahla. "Oh my gosh, really?! Mario?! Rocko, I hope you don't mind, but I'd really like to take care of this one!"
For a second, Rocko looked like he wanted to object. She already had five Roadblocks under her belt; he only had three. But he had to weigh the circumstances.
For the second time in a row, he was coming up to another Roadblock station with a physical limit that could potentially inhibit his progress—first it was regular leg exhaustion, now it was nausea. He had the utmost respect for the red-wearing plumber, but if Mario was able to take down foes over three times his size, he had a feeling that one would have to be in tiptop shape, especially if it was at a place that dealt with simulations.
So, he let her go.
"Thanks, hon! We won't regret this about time; I'll get it done in a snap!" Lahla read the in-depth details of the task. "Oh, and by the way, I'll be needin' that flag!"
Enthusiastic about playing in a simulation, Lahla animatedly flew down the hall and into one of the untouched marked rooms. When she entered the simulation, she immediately shrieked at the beauty of World 1-1.
"Oh, my! This ain't anythin' like dull, bland ol' Rogueport!" She clapped perkily. "…Well, in terms of appearance, I guess…the goons are still here!"
Readying herself, Lahla took a battle stance as a Goomba charged at her.
Team ? (Future Dream Emblem)
Blaise and the robot watched as a taxi came in for a sudden landing in front of the statue. Grabbing their backpacks when the trunk flew open, two racers bid adieu to the driver that had carted them around since Futuristic Airfield before running over to the pit stop mat.
"Welcome to Future Dream," the robot greeted.
"Thanks!"
"Koopinator and Shellshock…" Blaise paused. Their anticipating eyes were waiting, locked on his face. "…You are team number…two."
Koopinator & Shellshock: Sparring Partners- 2nd Place, 10:52 A.M.
While a prepared Koopinator kept his composure, Shellshock practically fell apart after being poised to celebrate. If it weren't for the sincere disappointment and shock behind it, his expression would've been quite hilarious.
"Let me guess…Fast Forward." Koopinator muttered.
When Blaise earnestly nodded, Shellshock let out a long groan of displeasure and frustration.
"Dang! Just when it looked like we had our first first-place finish, too! Some other team just had to feel threatened and stole it away by swooping in out of nowhere with the Fast Forward!" Shellshock whined. "Generally, I'm okay with just counting my blessings. In fact, in everyday life, it's just a blessing that all my bones are intact after fighting, and I definitely recognize that every night. But seriously—after having to abandon Crump, losing Pierre and Rana as allies, and running a strong, fast leg despite our early issues, we deserved to win first! ARGH!"
Team ? (Future Dream Emblem)
Team Glitz Pit didn't even have a chance to step off the mat when another taxi flew in. The occupants apparently emptied out their credit card as payment before they made their way over to the mat with their luggage in tow.
"Welcome to Future Dream."
"Thank you."
"Looks like you guys beat us…" Pierre said good-naturedly to the bystander fighters. "Good job."
"It was close." Koopinator waved it off. Shellshock just nodded dumbly.
"Pierre and Rana," stated Blaise, "You are team number three."
Pierre & Rana: Dating- 3rd Place, 10:53 A.M.
Ill-equipped to hear any number but two, the mice were quite surprised at the words that came out of the Yoshi's mouth. Before either of them had a chance to utter a word, Koopinator provided the easiest explanation possible.
"Fast Forward."
It all made sense.
"Up to this point, we've mostly been working with Koopinator and Shellshock instead of against them. It was enough to make us forget just how threatening they are when they're going full-power. I don't know if we were just exhausted from running around in the teleportation place while they sat on their butts in a UFO, but they somehow caught up to us and got rid of our lead." Even though Pierre was analyzing his former allies, there was no spite in his voice or face. "I considered this leg a bit of a wakeup call. They managed to clinch this round just ahead of us, regardless of if they placed first or not…in the final leg, the Fast Forward won't be available to anyone. If we're up against them at that time, we might be in a whole lot of trouble…"
Gloomtail & Hooktail: Siblings (Flash 'n' Teleport Playground)
For several minutes, Gloomtail's voice had literally been taken away from him. He'd just sat there, slumped on the floor, watching and waiting until his sister bawled out every drop of moisture in her body. And yet, it'd still taken so much time for the thought to register in his brain—even though the evidence was right in front of him, making so much noise—Hooktail was crying.
Gloomtail was completely surprised. Never before in the one thousand plus years of his life had he ever known his sister to cry. Sure, she was his little sister, but she wasn't the weak and harmless type that needed protection. Coincidentally, he and Bonetail had been ready to adopt the "big brother" roles upon her conception, but they'd never really had to implement those personas.
Hooktail, the rough-and-tough girl who had a devious personality and gruff exterior.
Hooktail, the once-gargantuan menace who had terrified an entire village with her appetite.
Hooktail, the arrogant, stubborn, argumentative, physically and mentally strong dragon.
Hooktail, the woman who was all of those things that would have suggested otherwise.
Hooktail was crying.
"…Sis…" Gloomtail whispered, his voice coming to him at last. "…Sis…what…what's wrong with you?" He obviously didn't have experience cheering other people up when the only practice recipient for a thousand years had been himself. "…Why…what's with the tears?"
"…You…you know…how I've told you…that story of how…I…I got food poisoning from…those…things…before…" sniffed Hooktail, the tears still streaming down her snouted face. "…R-Right?"
"…The crickets?" Gloomtail queried, trying hard to recall the tale that he'd mocked his careless sibling for those years before.
She winced at the word. "…Well…there was…there was another thing that happened…something that…that I consider…far, far worse…but I've…never told anyone…before…it was just…that bad…"
Leaning in, Hooktail began to whisper the memory into Gloomtail's ear. He winced upon feeling the coldness of her scaly, tear-stained face. Then, he grimaced when he heard the climax point—the clincher. The dreaded thing that had haunted his sister for so long, exponentially increasing her fear and hatred of those blasted crickets.
"…Whoa." Gloomtail's jaw dropped. "…Whoa," he repeated. "It…it did that to you?"
"…Yes…I…I was so…I was so scared…I thought…maybe that…I would…never see…through that…eye again…" Hooktail sobbed. "…From then on…I always wanted…to close my eyes…one…one of my biggest fears…in life…is being blind…I…I don't want…to be blind…"
It all made sense. Gloomtail finally understood. This time, he didn't dare laugh. He didn't dare make fun of her. She'd justified her fear quite well. If he took the implications that came from her personality, he easily figured several other justifications for it.
She wouldn't want to be dependent on others.
She wouldn't want to seem to be a liability.
She wouldn't want to appear weak.
All because of those stupid crickets.
Gloomtail knew he had to do something. He had to abandon his own tough guy character and momentarily adopt that forgotten older brother role from that long millennium ago. He had to calm down his baby sister.
"…Um…uh… There, there, Hookie… We…we don't want to lose the race now, do we?"
Wrong approach. She glared at him through her tears.
"Erm…what…what I meant to say was…it…it's okay. Everything will be okay…yeah, that's it." Gloomtail put on the most genuine smile that he could as he tried to gather his confidence. "I promise you… That laser is quick and harmless. There's going to be nothing to it."
He knew that she would be skeptical. After all, he was describing something he'd never done before. He had to go first.
Everyone was always at least somewhat apprehensive about the unknown. It was a natural fear. Gloomtail didn't know what to expect from the laser; even he admitted to himself that he was a little frightened about letting it strike his valuable eyeballs, especially after hearing Hooktail's awkward yet awful story. He gulped down his fear and put his face in front of it anyways. Then, he pushed the button.
A few seconds later, he pulled back with a weak grin.
"See? I'm fine. You and I share the same DNA. What it does to me, it should do to you just the same." Gloomtail said boldly. "I can see the words on the wall fine right now, but I'm pretty sure that you're supposed to do it, too."
Hooktail gulped deeply before she did her best to wipe her face on her jacket. Enough wasting time—she had to put aside her fear for the good of the race. Much to Gloomtail's amazement, it didn't take anymore prodding, and she went up to the machine.
"…Take your time."
That statement was unnecessary. She got it done, and she got it done fast. When Gloomtail blinked, her paw was already off the button.
"Whew…I…I wanted to close my eyes so badly…" admitted Hooktail once it was over. "…That wasn't so bad."
"Well…it's difficult to write this stupid clue down…we just have to memorize it." Gloomtail muttered. "That's another reason why I needed you to do it…to help me remember."
"Right…" Hooktail nodded understandingly, even though she knew it wasn't true. "…Thank you, brother…"
Apparently, after its riders had spent so much time in the Flash 'n' Teleport Playground, the driver had gotten tired of waiting. The siblings teleported down to the outside of the building, only to find their backpacks dumped on the ground and no taxi in sight. But that was okay—a ready-to-race Hooktail instantly got to work trying to get the attention of another cab.
As he stood there, watching his sister, Gloomtail felt a fond smile sneak onto his face.
He felt like he finally understood another part of the enigma known as his younger sister.
Even the toughest chick cried now and then.
Just like how he, the toughest dude, had cried before, in those years of maddening desolation locked away in the Palace of Shadows…
Lahla & Rocko: Coworkers- Currently in 4th (Simulation Testing Site 2.0)
"See? What'd I tell ya? Piece of cake!"
Alerted to the sound of his partner's cheerful voice, Rocko looked up to find the Kitty Boo floating towards him, clue in hand, flagpole nowhere to be seen.
"Dat's good. What's it say?"
"…We're headin' to the next pit stop!" announced Lahla. "It's at the Future Dream Emblem, and the last team to check in may be eliminated! Come on, let's go!"
Jumping back into their taxi, the coworkers gave their driver the new directions for the Future Dream attraction.
Team ? (Future Dream Emblem)
Luckily, the next team had just enough money to pay for the fare of the taxi ride. After wiping their credit card clean of its cash, the riders of the newest cab grabbed their bags and hurried over to the pit stop mat.
"Welcome to Future Dream."
"Danks."
"Thanks, hon!"
"Lahla and Rocko," said Blaise, "you are team number four."
Lahla & Rocko: Coworkers- 4th Place, 11:18 A.M.
"What? Four?" Lahla repeated. "But… I thought that there were three teams behind us…"
"Fast Forward." Blaise quickly explained.
"…Oh. Well, that's just great…and we still have ours in reserve…" Lahla sighed. "What is this, though…ain't it like, our fourth time to get fourth place?"
"Yeah." Rocko replied dully.
"…Ooookay…" She crossed her arms. "It's consistent…but that's not what we need. Oh well, maybe next leg…"
Gloomtail & Hooktail: Siblings- Currently in 5th (Robo-Condominiums)
"'Before continuing, go to the condominium marked with the number of this leg and pick up a team flag. Keep it with you until otherwise instructed,'" read Hooktail. "'Then, make your way by taxi to Simulation Testing Site 2.0 to find your next clue.' So we're off to the eighth one."
Not feeling like running after a long and stressful journey through the teleportation "playground," the quadrupeds got their taxi driver to take them the short distance to the flag stands, where they found an unusual surprise.
"Are you freakin' serious?!" Gloomtail exclaimed incredulously. "The flags of those Koopas and the X-Nauts are still here?! Wow! Too good to be true!"
"Exactly…" Hooktail rationalized.
"Hmm… Yeah, maybe you're right. I bet the android and the fatty found some way around this leg with the Fast Forward or something…" Gloomtail presumed. "…Maybe the Petalburg guys got screwed over at the UFO task or something. All we know is that we're ahead of someone, even after all that time we lost wandering around that stupid maze! We're ahead of someone!"
"Always a good sign." Hooktail grinned.
Taking their team flag with them, the dragons jumped back into their taxi and ordered their driver to take them to the next location. They still had hope of staying in a safe position in the race. If that was the case, they wouldn't let it be wrestled away from them without a fight.
Gloomtail & Hooktail: Siblings- Currently in 5th (Simulation Testing Site 2.0)
"Roadblock. 'Who wants to follow in the footsteps of…Mario?'" Hooktail glared at the clue disbelievingly. "Okay, what the heck? Who'd wanna be like that wannabe hero anyway?"
"Not us. That slob was way too fat, too cocky, too overconfident…"
"Too ugly." Hooktail snickered. "I remember him and his facial hair. His moustache was disgusting!"
"…Well, one of us has gotta do it…follow in the footsteps of the very jerk who destroyed our lives and stature…idiot…" Gloomtail reasoned, more or less. "What'll it be? Rock, paper, scissors?"
"Nah. I might as well take care of this one…keep our counts even." Hooktail volunteered. Seeing her brother's shocked gaze, she looked at him defiantly. "What? I don't want to follow in his footsteps like some crazed fangirl. I just wanna take care of this Roadblock so we can check in at the pit stop!"
Relenting to that practical argument, Gloomtail let his sister read the Roadblock details. She smirked and swiped the flagpole before making her charge inside the building.
"I guess all I gotta do now is wait…" He said to the cameraman waiting with him.
Fortunately, Hooktail finished the simulation with a decent time. Several minutes later, she ran back out grinning, the clue clenched tightly in her jaws. The flag she'd carried in was nowhere to be seen.
"Well, that was pretty fast…" Gloomtail remarked, impressed. "What took ya so long?"
"That scenery looked too much like Petalburg Meadow…urgh." Hooktail shuddered. "For some reason or another, those simulation Goombas and Koopas were afraid of me, too…couldn't guess why…" She opened her mouth to reveal her giant teeth before she laughed in mockery at the nonexistent creatures back in the simulation.
"I dunno." Gloomtail snorted. "Okay, Miss Monster. Where're we going?"
"Pit stop!" Hooktail responded excitedly. "Future Dream Emblem! 'Warning: the last team to check in may be eliminated!' We're confident that isn't us, but we're hurrying, just in case!"
"You know it. Yo, driver!" Gloomtail climbed back into the cab. "Future Dream Emblem, pronto!"
Team ? (Future Dream Emblem)
Like the other duos before them, the next arriving team found its credit card drained empty upon arrival at the pit stop. The two team members didn't pay it too much mind, however. As long as they were still in, they could deal with such a problem later on when it would become threatening to their racing futures.
"Welcome to Future Dream."
"Gloomtail and Hooktail." A sadistic grin crossed Blaise's face as he forced them to wait for several seconds. They weren't very excruciating, however, since the dragons were confident that they were still in. "You…are team number…five."
Gloomtail & Hooktail: Siblings- 5th Place, 11:53 A.M.
"Nice try, Blaise, but we knew we were still in." Hooktail scorned sassily.
"Better yet, we knew that there were still some suckers behind us." Gloomtail added.
"So. Who is it, Blaise? Is it Kojo and Kory?"
"Or Grodus and Crump?"
Blaise didn't give them an answer at all. He just chose to respond with a slimy smile and a sarcastic shrug.
Grodus & Crump: Charity Partners- Currently in Last (Prospect Lab)
Waiting…
Waiting…
Waiting.
Crump didn't know how long he'd been waiting for his partner to wake up. All he knew was that it'd been a very long time. By this point, he inferred that everyone else was sitting pretty at the pit stop. Unless a team had ran into some really big, time-consuming problems, he and Grodus were guaranteed a spot in last.
That fact would also only be true if the cloak-wearing android was allowed to continue the race via judgment from the production. But from what the medical claimed, his overall condition wouldn't be a major worry. Knowing not to question other robots on such a confident diagnosis, Crump didn't let that bother him. After coming this far in the race, he knew that his former boss wouldn't just sit down and quit, throwing away days of hard work for nothing. No—Grodus would want to continue on until the hosts ordered otherwise.
But that was where Crump had the biggest dilemma playing on his mind. Grodus had pretty much tampered with the local surroundings just to get an advantage, and in doing so, he'd potentially put his fellow racers in serious danger. Was that where the race production would draw the line? Were they going to be disqualified for their actions?
Crump desperately hoped the answer was "no." He enjoyed the race, and although he didn't show it behind his game face, he knew that Grodus secretly did, too. It would be just awful if they went out by disqualification. No one really wanted to have the title of "First team ever to be disqualified." Sure, they would be disqualified while playing the game hard, but a disqualification was a disqualification.
A disqualification was embarrassing.
"Honestly, my partner and I aren't exactly sure what to make of Grodus and Crump, even this late in the game. Hard to believe, but as far as we're concerned, those two are a whole world away from us." Kory shrugged as if the matter was out of his hands. "I guess it'd be because of our allegiance to the Petalburg-Rogueport alliance. They rarely ever talk to us. But as they say, 'Actions speak louder than words.' Up to this point, they've been extremely game-oriented. I don't think I remember one time where I've seen Grodus without that pensive look on his face. However, look where they are, and look where we are. It says something about those who try to have fun and aren't so serious all the time."
"…Gragh…my head…"
Instantly, all eyes in the area shifted to stare at the grounded android. He was slowly coming to. It seemed Crump was just as dumbstruck as when Grodus had first been knocked out—his mouth opened, but no words would come out. But when the robot managed to push himself up to a sitting position, actions spoke louder than words.
"…Crump…what are you doing?"
"Buh buh huh huh huh! I'm so glad you're okay!" yelled Crump as he embraced his teammate tightly.
"…Crump. I will repeat myself. What are you—"
"Just shut up and let me hug you."
That bizarre order achieved the desired effect. Grodus reluctantly gave up on the current subject and idly sat by, letting Crump cuddle him like a teddy bear. However, it seemed that there was an imaginary vein popping out of the automaton's head when Crump wouldn't let go.
"…I have a feeling I already know the answer to this, but…what place are we in?"
"Dead last," said Crump without hesitation before he pulled away. "The three teams from the other rocket…they passed through here hours ago."
"Shoot…" Grodus hissed. "By the way, my memory saver was working on overdrive. You have no need to fill me in on the events that transpired…" He lowered his voice so that only Crump could hear. "…Lest we accidentally spill the beans to them."
"It's not like the cameras didn't see." Crump challenged.
"…Er…yeah." Grodus didn't look too pleased to be corrected by someone whom he considered as an inferior. "…Let us just go."
"Are you sure? Can you?" asked Crump anxiously.
"Why? Is someone restraining me from going? If you are worried about my health, forget about it! I feel fine!" Grodus barked. "Come on!"
At long last, the charity partners attained the clue envelope. Crump whispered a quick "Thank you" to the rocket ship ride worker before he turned around and ripped it open. When they were done reading it, he gave the crew one last wave before he followed his teammate out to the teleportation tile.
Since they'd spent an unreal amount of time in Prospect Lab, Grodus and Crump were without a taxi. Production had intervened a long time prior and retrieved their backpacks for them before letting the impatient driver leave. Still, it didn't take too long for them to locate another usable cab.
"Future Dream Travel Center!"
Grodus & Crump: Charity Partners- Currently in Last (Future Dream Travel Center)
"Detour. 'Blink of an Eye' or 'Light on the Underside,'" read Grodus. "'Where will your light shine?' This is a no-brainer. We could do both of these."
"Yup! Driving UFOs is fun!" Crump said brightly.
"…I guess. But we should do 'Blink of an Eye' to take advantage of one of my programs, which can mark off the tiles as long as I see the map."
Albeit reluctantly, Crump agreed to taking the teleportation task. Even though Grodus already had a guess on the location, they were still required to locate the brochure regardless. So, the X-Nauts entered the tourist center.
"Yes, Grodus and I have like minds." Koopinator repeated. His red eyes steadily closed. "That's why I finally managed to see through his ploy…although it was too late. Unlike what I told Shellshock back at Area 2, he and I were targets for last. Grodus wasn't targeting just Pierre and Rana. He was more aiming for us instead. No one in their right mind wants to go up against us in the end—everyone views us as threats. It wasn't until I was staring at the grounded Grodus that I saw the bigger picture. He formed that alliance back in Leg 5 so he would be able to have an inside hand in eliminating some of the bigger threats to his game. And he could have succeeded today." He opened his eyes again. "There is one major separation between him and I in this game. As evidenced by his efforts to put us in a compromising position, he desires the path of least resistance. I, on the other hand, will take what I get. I prefer the challenge. He fears it."
It didn't take very long at all until Grodus unearthed the pamphlet his team needed. After alerting his partner, they went back out to their taxi.
"Flash 'n' Teleport Playground!"
Grodus & Crump: Charity Partners- Currently in Last (Flash 'n' Teleport Playground)
Upon arriving at the recreational building, the first thing Grodus went for was the map holder on the outside. He didn't even have to take it inside; a quick scan, and he'd replaced it. From the following montage of scenes, it seemed that he had a good idea of how to tackle the hunt, too. There were no guessing movements as he confidently strode from one teleportation pad to the next, Crump simply tagging along for the ride.
"I can't exactly blame Grodus and Crump for being such hardcore racers. Other than the Yield, there aren't very many obvious options in this race to get rid of the teams you don't like. But still, I think that what they did was a little bit over the top…" Pierre divulged. "Bad guys never win. Karma always comes back to bite you in the butt. Heh, I've been restraining myself from doing anything bad in fear of falling to such theories. This time, they're the ones who are the victims. Hate to say it, but they deserved it. Dirty play simply left them stuck in the mud, and they couldn't drag themselves out in time to be saved."
Since the camera was facing their backs, no one really knew how the two let the laser past their glasses. Maybe in Grodus' case, it wouldn't have even been necessary with all of his various programs—there might've been a viewfinder in there somewhere. Nevertheless, they both did it. Ten seconds later, and they were seen rushing back into their taxi, the Route Info memorized and put to good use.
"Robo-Condominiums!"
Grodus & Crump: Charity Partners- Currently in Last (Robo-Condominiums)
When they read the next Route Info's instructions, both men were equally appalled at having to make a brief, yet distant, stop before moving on by taxi. They ordered their driver to take them to Condominium Number 8 instead of going on foot (which, judging by their weary conditions from speeding through "Blink of an Eye," would've taken quite a while).
"I don't normally believe in miracles, but since one just flew up in front of us today, I can make an exception. I got no idea how it happened, but Grodus and Crump were knocked out from deir sacred lookout point at de front of de pack! And plus, dere's a rumor circulatin' dat deir alliance has broken up for foul play!" The normally composed Rocko seemed a bit too pleased as he explained his perspective. "If dat's true, den dings are lookin' up. Dat blockade for de Final Dree is gone. Dis is back to bein' anybody's game. Only de future will tell if dere are any improvements in dose teams' games from dat alliance time, but I'm feelin' pretty confident about our chances right now. No more fourth places for us—me and Lahla are movin' up!"
The sight of Kojo and Kory's flag still on the stand seemed pretty iffy as proof of safety. Both Grodus and Crump mentally considered the possibility of the Petalburg team taking the Fast Forward (which they'd ignored) as they took their own flag.
"Simulation Testing Site 2.0!"
Grodus & Crump: Charity Partners- Currently in Last (Simulation Testing Site 2.0)
"Roadblock. 'Who wants to follow in the footsteps of…Mario?!'"
If it was even possible, the X-Nauts shot the hint a dirtier look than what Gloomtail and Hooktail had done. Even though the plumber had saved the world from the backstabbing woman that Grodus and Crump had worked so hard to conjure, neither of them exactly had any fond recollections of the man with the famous moustache.
"Look. I have a feeling that this is a physical task—in order for that fatso to get lucky and beat us up, he had to be in pretty good shape." Grodus reasoned. "Sure, I did a rock climbing Roadblock in the past, but…"
"I get it, I get it…" Crump grumbled.
Again, the technician showed a bit of reluctance when Grodus made the task decision, but he obeyed, anyway. Scowling at the fact that he was about to act like one of his most disliked former enemies, Crump held his team's flag high as he hurried into the facility.
"Ugh, Grodus and Crump? Puh-lease do not get me started on how much I hate them! It's been six legs now, and we still haven't gotten our chance to carry out additional revenge on them for Yielding us! Between you and me, ripping their clothes at that pit stop wasn't enough…" Hooktail said, lowering her voice's volume. "Screw them for being such lucky racers! If it weren't for that bumbling bot having a computer for a brain, they would be the weakest links in this race, hands down! Bye-bye, losers!" She sarcastically waved at the camera with a sadistic grin on her face. "Tch. Whatever. The good thing is that they screwed themselves over this leg. Good riddance! Too bad we couldn't do it ourselves, though."
Unlike the other athletic participants, Crump hadn't blown through the simulation so easily. His trademark body slam was a decent offensive weapon, sure, but to use it over and over, just to destroy the foe and land flat on his belly? Not fun.
"'Make your way by taxi to the next pit stop at Dream Future Emblem,'" he read. "'Warning: the last team to check in may be eliminated.'"
"Future Dream Emblem! Step on it!"
Grodus & Crump: Charity Partners (Future Dream Emblem)
This was Grodus' biggest nightmare.
This was not first place.
This was not the Finish Line.
This was not the moment where Miles and Blaise would grant them the million Smash.
Here they were, at the eighth pit stop, drained of cash, drained of energy, drained of power, and drained of placement. Broke, tired, unallied, and in last place. There was no one cheering them on to the humongous world map as there should've been—the image he'd so looked forward to for the thirteenth leg of the race.
Dangit.
Maybe he'd gone a bit too overboard with that distraction at Prospect Lab…
Sadly, there was nothing he could do now but live with that regret.
"Welcome to Future Dream," the robot greeted in its one-pitched voice.
"Thanks…"
"Grodus and Crump." Blaise glared at the two, arms crossed and a foot tapping the ground. For some reason, his actions were oddly intimidating. "As you're fully aware, you're followed by filming crew at all times. Don't think for any reason that we won't have any idea what moves you make, because we freakin' know when you breathe." Odd comparison. "I'm well informed about that stunt you pulled back at Prospect Lab, Grodus, and let me tell you this—if it weren't for Crump being such a well-rounded mechanic, the money for repairs would've been coming out of your own pockets, and the race would've just left you there to rot!"
Despite the powerful figure in front of him, Grodus was starting to get highly annoyed by this pointless speech. "Quit beating around the bush and just cut to the chase, will you? Get off your high chair and stop with the sickening suspense already! Sometimes you hosts disgust me!"
Blaise's glare grew unnaturally hotter. Crump could've sworn he saw a burst of flame spew out of the Yoshi's mouth.
"I've discussed this with production. Due to no one getting hurt and the machine being repaired, they're letting you off—but let me tell you, it was a very fine line, and a very split decision," the host hissed hotly. "You two are the last team to arrive."
Grodus & Crump: Charity Partners- Last Place, 6:35 P.M.
"But this leg was scheduled to be non-elimination. So we're letting you stay in. However, we're putting the crackdown on the penalty this time," Blaise continued. "We're taking all of your money again, as well as your belongings. Unlike what we did with Koopinator and Shellshock, though, you're not getting yours back. You'll have to try and go all the way without them. But, if you asked me personally, I'd say you won't have a chance past surviving next leg to be able to—"
"If we wanted your opinion, we would have asked for it!" Grodus spat angrily. "For your information, it will actually be helpful to us, not having to always worry about our backpacks at every turn! Thanks for volunteering to babysit our bags for us!"
Crump watched in a mixture of confusion and fear as sparks flew between the two hotheaded characters.
"Old habits die hard. I admit, I am a control freak. I cannot feel comfortable unless I have everything taken care of, and the solutions all possible variables ready in the palm of my hand. Just like my previous exploits with the X-Naut organization, I was not content with being the second most-powerful; I had to be number one. In both cases, that one and this one, it has failed so far. However, it is not over yet." Grodus smirked. "There is still a chance to reclaim my throne and prove Blaise wrong!"
"I'm just glad to still be in. That's all I can say." Crump told the camera. "You don't know what the feeling is like until you've felt it. I feel resurrected, rejuvenated, and ready to fight back!"
Eventually, Crump tired of watching the visible tension between Grodus and Blaise.
Instead, he turned his head up to the sky and thanked the lucky stars that he was being given a second chance in this game.
Next time, on the Amazing Race…
Gloomtail and Hooktail literally cash in on the X-Nauts' misfortune.
"Y'know, I honestly don't think that they need these donations…" Hooktail mentioned mischievously. "They're already virtually out as it is."
"I agree. I think that this cash will be better suited to a team that can actually make use of it." Gloomtail reasoned deviously.
No signs of remorse were on the dragons' faces as they sucked out all the coins from the box of teams' contributions.
A late rivalry between Koopa teams develops.
"It's only natural that the two most athletic teams would find some type of enmity in each other." Koopinator smirked craftily.
"Oh, it's on!" Kojo shouted challengingly. "We're gonna enjoy kicking your tails!"
"I'd like to see ya try, chumps!" Shellshock leered at the two eagerly. "You guys haven't got a chance!"
And teams go to an entirely new experience not before given by the race.
"Ready, hon?" Lahla questioned eagerly.
"I guess so…" Rocko shrugged.
Then, the two coworkers plunged into the sea.
Leg 8 Trivia
- The Roadblock for the eighth leg of the race was partially designed by a friend of the author, and modified to fit the destination. Sort of.
About the Location: Future Dream is the obligatory outer space party board of Mario Party 5. TTYD2 gave it a brief visit before moving on to Mario Party 6's Astro Avenue; that season introduced the concept of the actual game board being just a small part of the actual region. Just like with Mario Party 7's Pagoda Peak, one game board by itself was much too small to serve as a race location. Therefore, it had to be expanded to make things such as travel across a town feasible.
Author's Note: Yeesh. Not even any dramatic buildup to the disbanding of the alliance. I guess that's what I get for focusing so much on the Koopa-Toad union instead; when I read over their story arc again, the development practically bashed my face in with a bag of bricks. How subtle. Hopefully conflicts like those will be much better in TTYD4. But then again, I almost felt obliged to skimp on dialogue after the Leg 7 fiasco. Please, do not even consider asking me to break my legs in half (haha!), as I will politely refuse. As I stated in those e-mails that failed to go through to anyone, I do not wish to "cheat" or "trick" my readers into thinking that the story is longer than it actually is (since my splits are technically the superleg and, unfairly, the introduction). Additionally, it's near impossible for this story to provide a good halfway point for such a thing (besides early bunch-ups like transportation), so it would disrupt readers, especially if I started only updating the halves at separate times.
Oops. Looks like I lied about the non-elimination penalty not changing. Heheh.
Hopefully I'll be back in the swing of producing normal quality legs soon. I look forward to presenting Leg 9: Bloocheep Sea in the future.
- milesyoshidino34