Okay. I am just going to ignore that there was ever an entire Summer gap of non-updates to this story. Two months and twenty days? Huh? What? When?
The train challenge continues, and this time, things get just a little hectic.
Episode 4 (part 4)
Blooper and Toadette walked around with puzzlement around the library. Hundreds and hundreds of novels piled the shelves, but only a single one held the answer to their game.
A story of selfishness, hate, and courage. When the creature mocks you, you only need to kill one with one stone.
"Obviously a book," Toadette said, "And it has a theme that probably relates to this clue. It's about selfishness, hate, and courage."
"I would have never guessed," Blooper told her sarcastically, sitting down on a stool on the carpet floor. "Oh, how smart you are. Come on, act smarter." He laughed.
"There's too many a books!" Luigi realized. "My brain, my brain." The libary of Town 1 looked no different than any of the others. All the libraries each had one floor and was barely filled with any customers, due to the fact that the library was kept off-limits by the producers of The Mole.
"It's just that we have the hardest clues to follow," Birdo reminded him. "The train arrives in our town at 10:45. We have over forty minutes left." She glanced over at the silver clock behind her.
"And if we miss it, the stop, we will lose the challenge," said Luigi. "I know. We can just hop onto the train. McHallyboo never said we needed the tickets, huh?" Birdo shook her head.
When readers want their own ways with stories, these series of books are just for them. Find the unlucky volume of a snowy mishap.
"If we want our way with stories," Birdo repeated, "then we find a book where a story doesn't really go in order. Yes, I got it."
"Got what?" Luigi looked at her with confusion.
"It's the Choose Your Own Adventure books."
"Let's ask the librarian to help us," Toadette said, going up a plump lady in a dress. She immediately looked at Toadette.
"Scuse'ems," the librarian said. "You part of the Mole?"
"I'm a player on the show," Toadette told her.
"Can't help you at all, hun," she replied. "I got them strict orders from McHallyboo."
"This challenge is so hard," Blooper said in exhaustion. "I'm so tired." Exhausted, he leaned back on his stool so far until the wooden block around his neck touched the ground.
Blooper: I want to take my stockade off. But then again, I would just add suspicion to myself and I don't want that. I don't feel like helping at all.
"One kill with one stone," Toadette repeated to herself. "If only I could remember where I've heard that before."
"It's a ten fifteen," Luigi said. "Oh no!" Luigi, one of the weakest players of the game so far, had been showing off a length of his worry in this specific challenge.
"Hopefully Peach and Lakitu have boarded the train," Birdo hoped.
"What if they missed it?" Luigi asked her. "Look at it like a this. We can be all laid-back and free and not have to do anything. We don't have to keep searching and straining our brains into pasta. So let us relax, no?"
"I like puzzles," Birdo said. "Now help me find the section of Choose Your Own Adventure books." Luigi rolled his eyes and followed her as Birdo asked the lady.
"Scuse'ems," the librarian said. "You part of the Mole?"
CHOO CHOO
It was 10:20 A.M. by the time Birdo and Luigi found the Choose Your Own Adventure stories. At that time Toadette and Blooper were contemplating their clue. Lakitu and Peach had finished their part of the challenge early and were relaxing on the Excess Express locomotive. Elevator music poured out from sections of the ceiling.
"Whoo," Peach said, looking at the passing scenery in the background. "I wish Daisy hadn't of been executed in the last execution."
"I couldn't care less of who still exists and who doesn't," Lakitu told her. "Truthfully. I only care about myself. And hey! I'm safe for this episode!"
"Words coming out from a person who has no worry for this episode," Peach said to him. "I want an exemption just for once."
Peach: I really hope I don't get executed for this episode. I think I know who the Mole is but I just need to be more confident on choosing him or her. This game has just been starting for me and everyone else.
Lakitu: Well, I guess ten thousand coins was worth an exemption. Do you know how much money is in the team pot right now? It's mad high! I'm really looking forward to winning this Train challenge, yet I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or bad thing.
"Hey Birdo, I found the books," Luigi told her. "Look, all the Choose your Adventurebooks." She hurried over to where he was and saw the entire series, reaching its way across the whole length of the shelf.
Find the unlucky volume of a snowy mishap.
"Search for one of the books about snow," Birdo told him. "Snowstorms, ice, avalanches, something with snow or cold."
"To kill two birds," Toadette remembered, looking at the clue, "You only need one stone."
"Really?" Blooper questioned.
"It's an idiom," she told him. "Something about the bird when it makes fun of you."
"Big Bird is funny," thought Blooper, still lying backwards on the small stool and paying no attention. "Try a sesame street book." It was 10:23 A.M, two minutes until the train would stop in their town.
"No, you are so wrong."
"Try to kill a bird," Blooper said, suddenly getting his head up to look at her. "Does that help?"
"Wow, what you just said really helped," said Toadette in realization. "To Kill a Mocking Bird! That's the correct title! You probably knew the answer the entire time." She got up from her seat as Blooper followed her across the rows of shelves.
"To Keen for You," Toadette read, looking at the various books in her final spot. "To Kiara My Love. I got the book! To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee." Blooper ran over to her and saw a slip of paper fall out as she opened the book, the word TICKET gleaming straight out as if it trying to talk to them and congratulate them. Blooper's dull eyes suddenly became large with excitement.
"Lets go!" he said. "We got it!" With the ticket in his hand he skipped towards the exit of the shop.
"What are you doing?" Toadette said in confusion.
"Were done!" Blooper told her. "We did it!" She still didn't follow him.
"We only have one ticket," Toadette pointed out. "I still need one. And we're running so out of time it isn't even funny."
"We only need one ticket!" Blooper reminded her. "Let's go now, before we miss the train!" He took another step closer to the exit, but then frowned when Toadette still remained unmoved.
"The host said that we had to find a ticket," said Blooper, "Not two."
"Then what does this mean?" Toadette held another piece of paper in her hand that she had found taped to the back of the book, and Blooper walked slowly back to her.
"Oh, I guess I'm wrong," he said sheepishly. "I thought we were finished already." Toadette sighed and looked at the clue.
Poetry at best by a pessimist. A symbol of death soars ahead.
"That's easy," Blooper told her. "I know it's Edgar Allen Poe." Toadette nodded and looked outside the window, only to drop her mouth open in disbelief. In the distance, behind the small houses of Town 2, a train had made it to the station.
CHOO CHOO! bellowed the vehicle as the driver stepped off from the vehicle. Blooper immediately went over to the Poetry section of the library and searched for the pessimist's name. He was also surprised.
"Damn, the train is here already?" Blooper realized. "This really means that we have five minutes now." Far away in the carriage of the train Toadette could see the faint figures of Lakitu and Peach. They had made it on.
"I got the second ticket!" Blooper shouted with victory, opening a book by Edgar Allen Poe called The Raven. Knowing that two tickets was their finish, he and Toadette headed out of the library and towards the station. Closer and closer they ran, until Peach was the first to notice the running duo approaching them.
"Oh, I see them!" she exclaimed. Lakitu turned around.
"Stop joking," he told her. He shifted his eyes out the window and eyed the two players approaching towards them, as he stood up in surprise and pressed his face against the glass window. The problem was, both partners were victims of torture tools from the previous day. Toadette looked fatigued when she entered the car, her face red and her hands holding the metal ball. Blooper entered seconds later, looking dead as he collapsed onto the cushioned seats with the stockade around his neck.
"Ooohhh, yeah!" said Toadette in a relieved tone. "Air conditioned heaven." Blooper seemed asleep from exhaustion, and Peach shook him playfully.
"You guys made it!" Peach told them. "How was your part of the game? I heard it was difficult."
"Now more than half our worries are gone," Lakitu told them. "Two more people are needed."
"It wasn't too hard," Blooper told them. "Was it for you?" Peach and Lakitu shook heir heads.
Toadette: When Blooper was trying to bring me to the station with only one ticket, I was confused. But my main concern is whether Luigi and Birdo would make it to the train or lose the money for us.
Blooper: Peach seems really tense yesterday and today. I'm still really looking at the two humans left: Peach and Luigi. It's them who are suspicious.
Birdo and Luigi were still looking at the book titles of the Choose Your Own Adventure series. As it approached 10:30, Luigi got more suspicions of his partner.
Luigi: Hmm, I don't know, but Birdo wants us to look for a book about snow. She is searching through books like Invader From Within and the Fire Dragons. Is she doing this on purpose, or is she just forgetful?
"Any luck?" Luigi asked her. Birdo shook her head and glanced again at the clock on the wall.
"I can't find any ticket anywhere. Oh dear."
"We're looking for snow," reminded Luigi. Birdo's eyes suddenly lit up as she went out to grab a book, number thirteen. It's title was The Abominable Snowman, and as she flipped it open the ticket immediately fell out to the floor.
"I should have known," she said. "Thirteen. An unlucky volume." Luigi grabbed the ticket excitedly and spotted another piece of paper right besides it.
"Haha!" he said. "Clue two! Clue two!" He handed it to Birdo.
TOOREN TEETHOWZ ENLEEG SUNDERTH ASEE
"Noo!" shouted Luigi. "I give up!" He removed his cap to reveal his neatly-shaved haircut from yesterday's challenge. This morning, he had asked the producers and McHallyboo if he was allowed to go out and buy a wig from a local store, but they refused to let him leave.
"Please," begged Birdo. "We're in a library." She brought Luigi to a table and sat down.
"Think of something," Birdo told him. "We have fifteen minutes and that's lot of time. See any words?" Luigi shook his head and looked away.
Birdo: Sometimes I think that Luigi could be the Mole. But I think that's impossible, because he doesn't seem a person who could handle all the stress and undercover stuff for the role.
"I see the word 'under'," Luigi pointed out. "Is that helpful?"
"Hmm, maybe this is an anagrammed sentence," thought Birdo. She went to grab for a pen and paper.
"The Mole," Lakitu told the other three aboard the train, "Is probably trying to act calm and fit in with the others. The Mole is also attempting hidden ways of sabotage. And that person who fits both descriptions is none other than Toadette!" Peach and Toadette gasped at the same time.
"Hey, I suppose Lakitu could be right," Blooper realized. "I never really looked at Toadette. Maybe she could be the Mole after all. In fact, I'll suspect her a lot from now on!"
"Keep looking, scaredy cats," Toadette said, grinning. "And you can suspect me all you want and be the Mole's next victim on the quiz." Blooper looked out the window.
Toadette: I have a confession to make: I think this game is going pretty well. If people think that I'm the Mole, this leaves more chances for me to survive. It's all about survival here and from now on.
"Peach, Birdo, and I will make it to the end." Peach then stuck her hand out for a high-five, but when Toadette went to slap her hand back, Peach withdrew her hand and used it to straighten out the ruffles in her hair. Lakitu got the joke gesture and laughed, leaving Blooper and Toadette utterly confused. Then Toadette laughed suddenly, creating a ripple of laughter among the four.
"I love this game," Blooper said. Peach stared at him in amusement.
"You know, maybe Birdo could be the Mole," Toadette started. She was then given three simultaneous stares of disbelief.
"My unexisting feet she is," Lakitu replied.
TOOREN TEETHOWZ ENLEEG SUNDERTH ASEE
Back in Town 1, Birdo and Luigi attempted to solve the hardest book title riddle of the entire challenge. With seven minutes passed only minute success had actually been achieved.
"What do you have so far?" Luigi asked his partner. Birdo showed him her paper of words:
Wheeze Tone No Tort Needle Rugs Ate She
"Those are the letters made out of the phrase," she told him. "All those words are an anagram for the jumble of letters." Luigi's eyes widened with disbelief.
"Wow, that was fast," he said. "But I don't a think the book is about a girl eating rugs. And what does 'tort' mean?" He stared at the clue even more, trying to see if he could notice anything else. He did.
"Hey," he said, pointing to the last letter jumbles. "Look what it says towards the end. 'Underthasee'. It sounds like 'under the seat'."
"So we have to look under the seat?" Birdo wondered. She shrugged and looked under her seat, then looked under Luigi's seat. Nothing was there.
"There are hundreds and hundreds of chairs in this library," Birdo reminded him. "No, I don't think we have to look under a seat. That would be impossible" Birdo contemplated the clue even more, and Luigi did too.
"Okay," he said, "How about 'toorenteethowzenleeg'? It sounds like, umm, 'Tour in the town and leave'." For some reason, Birdo laughed and shook her head.
But being too focused on the puzzle, neither of the two players had had checked the clock recently to realize how close the train was to reaching its penultimate destination. The game was coming closer to the end, whether they would win or not.
"Oh no," Birdo suddenly said, looking at the silver clock behind her. "It's 10:38 already." Luigi stood up and looked out the window nervously. Birdo went back to the clue right away, but was interrupted by a dreadful sound that echoed the outside air.
CHOO CHOO!
"What?" she stammered. "Huh? Already? What?" She was caught completely off guard. Luigi let out a groan when the train pulled its way into view, stopping in front of the small station of Town 1.
"The clock must have been a slow," Luigi realized. "Oh...a my god!" He was panicking heavily, as Birdo took her eyes off from the window and faced back to the piece of paper:
"This is impossible," Luigi said with sigh. "Let's give up."
"Are you crazy?" Birdo told him. "We don't just give up in the middle of the challenge. We have five minutes to do this."
"Let me go," Luigi said suddenly. "Let me go to the train."
"No," she said, "I need you here."
"I can't help you at all! What use can I do here?" he told her. "I'll ask everyone on the train if they know this riddle, then I'll come back here if someone figures it out." Luigi was already heading to the exit of the library.
"Go quickly," Birdo said. Luigi darted off in an instant, and Birdo buried her head in her arms. The game depended on her.
The train was exactly on schedule, and the conductor was ready to get off for his five minute break of fuel.
"The penultimate destination: Town 1," Lakitu announced to the others, thought it was completely unnecessary. The town had a fountain that went directly down the line in the distance, and buildings galore. But overall, all three towns the train had stopped in so far looked exactly the same, all except for the upcoming Rogueport.
"I don't think it's a good sign that they're not here," said Peach. The platform was completely empty, and the conductor stepped off the train. Blooper groaned as the conductor then went down the steps of the station and entered into the town.
"He left!" Peach told them. "The conductor left for gas!"
"Is that the library?" Toadette wondered, looking out behind the fountain to see a dome-shaped structure.
"They better be coming," said Blooper. "If they lose the game for us, I'll be so angry."
"I'll just blame them and make them feel bad," Lakitu told the others. Peach glared at him.
"I think they'll make it," said Toadette optimistically. "If two teams have made it so far...oh my gosh, is that Luigi?" They all looked outside; Luigi was indeed running, passing besides the fountain and heading towards them. They waited without a word but with anxious faces as Luigi disappeared from their sight, only to arrive at the top of the long stair of steps. They noticed two things wrong with Luigi, however.
"Luigi!" yelled Lakitu, opening the window of the train so his face was exposed. "You have the tickets, right? All right!"
"Where the hell's Birdo?" Blooper said.
"I'll explain a later!" Luigi said back. He ran up to the window, making it easy for any of the players on board to grab his hat. Peach did exactly that, exposing Luigi's fashionable hair.
"If you don't board, you'll suffer the humiliation," she teased.
"Wait, where's Birdo?" Toadette asked him.
"She's still in the library-"
"What?"
"She needs help with a riddle," Luigi said, his feet dancing nervously around. "Uh...oh crap. Oh crap! I'm such an idiot." A problem had been encountered: Luigi had completely forgotten to remember the riddle. A minute of conversing had taken place right then, mostly filled with anger and confusion.
"Idiot!" Blooper shouted. "Birdo's going to die by herself! Why did you forget the riddle?"
"Shut up," said Toadette, then went to face Luigi. Only one face at a time could fit through the window, so they took turns talking to him.
"See that man?" Toadette said, pointing to the conductor who had already walked far enough to reach the fountain in the distance. "If he comes back with the gas fuel, and Birdo doesn't come with the two tickets, we're going to lose the challenge. Let's just hope that Birdo is smart enough to know where that last ticket is."
"I have to be honest, really," Peach said, "But I don't think she'll quite make it. She has three minutes." Blooper sighed, sitting down heavily with the torture device still strapped around him. Lakitu sat down on the cushioned seat, not caring anymore on whether they would win the 20,000 coins or not.
Lakitu: I think our team isn't playing so well, obviously. So far, we have 95,00 coins in our team pot, and I'd be happy to hell if I were to get that much! Are you kidding me?
Blooper: How could you be such an ass and come to the train station, all to deliver a riddle, and forget to remember it? I mean, I think Luigi is acting really stupid this morning.
Luigi: I want the team to relax. Come on, I'm a probably the weakest player in this game right now.
Back at the library, Birdo had immediately turned on her thinking skills and headed straight for the answer. It was 10:42.
Birdo: It all seemed supernatural at that instant. I remembered reading this book a long time ago that had a riddle, and there was this little hint that said, "Sometimes the answers are so simple and right in front of you". I tried doing that.
TOOREN TEETHOWZ ENLEEG SUNDERTH ASEE
"Tooren tee," she repeated, her mind focusing with all her strength. "Toorenty. Twenty...oh my gosh." She gasped, her hand going up to her mouth.
"Twenty thowzend...twenty thousand..." Birdo heart was thumping with excitement as the read the following of the riddle to herself. She had never felt so victorious in her life ever before until this very moment.
"The best of writer Jules Verne," she whispered, standing up from her chair to find the famous novel. The clock struck 10: 43.
10: 44.
"One minute," Blooper said. "One fricken' minute." Lakitu looked up.
"We have ninety five grand in the team pot, right?"
"Exactly," confirmed Toadette.
Team Pot
95,000c
"My fingers are trembling like never before!" Peach said. "Will Birdo make it and save the challenge?" Luigi stayed silent, leaning along the side of the train. He jumped up and pointed in front of him in an instant.
"BIRDO!" he screamed. "BIRDO!"
"- you!" shouted Lakitu. "You scared the living hell out of me!"
"Yes!" Toadette shouted in delight. "It's her! I knew she was smart!"
"She owned your butt!" Peach told Luigi in excitement. Then, all five players gasped. From one of the buildings with a triangular-shaped roof nearest to the train station platform, a figure emerged from the glass doors. It was like the devil was taking his role in the challenge as the train conductor came into view.
"Shiiiiiiiit," Blooper moaned. The tables were turning
"Birdo!" cried Toadette, waving her hand out the window. "Run!"
"Yeah!" said Peach. "Run, Birdo! Run, Birdo, run!"
"Stop referencing Forrest Gump on public television!" Lakitu snapped. It was true, but nobody was listening to him. All eyes were focused on the running Birdo, who was feet behind where the conductor was currently walking.
"Come one, Birdo!" Luigi shouted. "You can be the hero!"
"Heroine!" corrected Lakitu. All eyes were on the two characters rushing towards their destination.
"Just make it!"
"Run, Birdo, run!"
Both female players were going along with the chant as Birdo came closer into the view. She knew everything; as soon as she saw the man dressed in train-managing attire, Birdo knew her time was running out. She needed to run.
"But who exactly reached the doors of the train first? Could the Board the Train challenge have been a failure, with worked up joy over a reward-less prize? Or did Birdo somehow manage to run up the stairs and beat the conductor to his own game? Ha! That's for you to think about. I, McHallyboo, am still waiting in Rogueport for the chilling results. By the way have you ever tried a Shroom Steak before? It's a fungi R.L. heaven meal."
Including the execution in this chapter would have been too much. Err, I hoped you enjoyed! So what is the outcome of the Train challenge? And who really is the Mole?
Watch for the hidden clues throughout! Check my profile for more stuff.
Polls are in beta. Once they're done, they would be perfect, hahaha.