The DreamStakes!
Merged: Toadsworth, Zess T., Boo, Noki, Birdo, Princess Shroob, Pauline, Wendy, Bowser
The next morning, those who made the merge were still in Noki Bay. Several eliminations had taken place here, but they weren't going to move just yet. They'd been to most of Delfino Isle already, but a few locations still lay untouched by the competition's reach.
"Man!" Bowser said with a sigh, "I sure would love to get out of this village and visit Sirena Beach! The auburn sands…sunset waters…plush hotel. Man, I'd love it!"
"I wanna go for the casino!" Wendy exclaimed, adjusting the large sunglasses on her face. The father and daughter were basking in the morning sun of the bay. "I'd love to gamble away my allowance!"
"If Kammy were here, she'd say something like 'Miss Wendy, don't spend your allowance all in one place!'" Bowser said, mimicking his aide's voice. "But guess what…" he said, eyeing Wendy.
"SHE'S NOT HERE!" They both shouted together, busting up laughing as they reflected upon their carefully executed plan to rid themselves of the haggish Magikoopa.
Bowser: Oh man! We sure got Kammy good! I know she's upset, but what do I care!? I'm the Koopa King, baby! I've got more muscle than brains, and I won't be afraid to pummel that purple prune if she so as much voices a single concern with how I played this game! Bwahaha!
As the two of them soaked up the sun, the other competitors began to wake up. At this point, there were obvious cliques. Bowser and Wendy kept to themselves while the tight group of five got breakfast together. Toadsworth, Zess T., Boo, Noki, and Birdo. They dominated the majority of the game, and there was simply no reason for them to turn on one another. That was something Princess Shroob knew all too well.
Princess Shroob: This is horrible! Terrible! Insufferable! Regrettable! Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong for Princess Shroob! Methinks I should zap all these slaves to oblivion with my ray gun, but I can't do that just yet. No, I must win this game and do so with my massive space cannon I'll use my winnings to fund! How can I destroy the Mushroom Kingdom if I've been backed into such a corner? What's that you say? You'll have me arrested! Well Mr. Camera Man…I guess that means *ZAP!* Hehehe…that took care of that…
Eyeing the group of five carefully, Princess Shroob's heart sank in her vile chest. She didn't know what to do. Bowser and Wendy wouldn't listen to reason, and there was no way the five would split. Just look at them.
"We're so very sorry, still," Noki said to Birdo, comforting the pink dinosaur. "Stan…er, Boshi, seemed like such a good guy. I can't believe he wanted the money so badly."
Birdo sniffled just a bit. "It's fine, Noki. I…I'm beginning to get over it. I mean truly, how could anyone ever love me?"
"Don't say such a thing, dear!" Zess T. cried. "We all love you. You've proven yourself to be a good and true person time and time again. You broke off from Princess Shroob and Pauline. You showed your true colors, and just colors they were."
Birdo smiled. "Thanks…Zess…"
Toadsworth concurred with a rap of his brown speckled cane. "Here, here! I concur with Zess! You're a true friend, Birdo. I know now, despite everything you've been through in this game, that you'd hold true to us. Why, even My Grandmother Gertrude, the kindest soul on Earth, pales to you! I don't say so lightly! You're a true soldier!"
"This is all so nice of everyone," Birdo said, smiling.
"Bah!" Princess Shroob said to herself where no one could hear her. "They make me sick! All gushing over big-mouthed Birdo like she's some saint! At the beginning of this game, she was mine! Mine I say! I had her ugly brain wrapped around my finger! Why oh why did she have to get a brain of her own? If only there was a way…" then she stopped midsentence. Yes, there was a way! She had been so stupid! How had she gotten Birdo to join rank with her in the first place?
Intimidation. Threats. Blackmail. All the horrible, scandalous stuff that Princess Shroob had excelled at in the first place. She would hearken Birdo home the very she had before. Princess Shroob could bury the hatchet with those foul koopas. She could work Birdo back to her side. But she would need the help of someone else for that. Sighing, Princess Shroob realized what she had to do.
Sitting alone, feet dipped in the water, Pauline let out an audible sigh. What had become of her? In the beginning, she was so brash, so unopposed and supreme. Now…she was…what exactly? She'd fail in her mission for Mario's love, and even when he was of no further use to her, Pauline had refused to vote him out. What had happened to her? She'd gone soft, she thought. This competition, her undying affection for Mario, her refusal to move on accept his love lay elsewhere…all of it had broken her. Sighing, she laid down with her back against the ground, hoping to stare up into the clouds.
Instead she found herself staring into the face of Princess Shroob.
"Ah!" Pauline shrieked, bolting up and slamming her forehead against Princess Shroob's.
"Gah! You imbecile!" Princess Shroob cried, recoiling backwards and rubbing her forehead with one of her clawed hands. "That hurt! What were you thinking!?"
"What was I thinking!?" Pauline asked. "What were you thinking? Who sneaks up on people like that?"
"The magnificent Princess Shroob does!" Princess Shroob declared. "Now hush, peasant. Well, actually…that's why I've come. To explain to you why you have become such a peasant."
"Huh? What? You're just going to insult me now?" Pauline asked, narrowing her eyes. "So much for being a friend."
"I am your friend!" Princess Shroob hissed. "We've been in this together since the beginning!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Pauline spat. "That's why you made that alliance with the Don and Wendy without even consulting me?"
"Oh come on!" Princess Shroob spat back, venom equally toxic. "You didn't expect me to counsel a grief-stricken sociopath, did you?"
"Sociopath!" Pauline cried, taken aback. "You're the one who thinks everyone is a peasant! If anyone's a sociopath, it's you!"
Sighing, Princess Shroob realized she wasn't accomplishing what she had set out to do. "Look," the alien monarch said bluntly, "what happened to you? You were so fierce. That's why I admired you. I took one look at you and decided I must have you as an ally! We dominated the beginning of this game…but now we've been outsmarted by those klutzy koopas…all for what? So you can have Mario?"
Pauline swallowed the rock in her throat, not liking what she was hearing despite the truth in it.
"Listen to yourself, Pauline!" Princess Shroob continued on. "The Pauline I know wouldn't be so concerned with the affections of a bushy-lipped bigoted plumber! She's about sass, brass, and kicking ass! What happened to that Pauline, the one I so admired!?"
Pauline turned her head away, unable to speak back.
"Don't you realize he doesn't love you?"
"I…I guess I was blinded by my own rage," Pauline finally said after hearing such concrete words. "I was his original love, but our fire quickly fanned out when he noticed…riper fruit." She tried to use a euphemism to save the acidic words she had for Princess Peach.
"You let love control your heart," Princess Shroob said, "something a true woman should never do. Bending to the will of a man is so…plebeian."
Pauline laughed a little. That was something typical of Princess Shroob to say. "Have you ever loved anyone, Princess?" she asked the space princess.
"Bah! Of course not! You think I could have ascended to the throne of the Shroobs if I loved someone? I have no time for such peasant things! I have a much bigger agenda than love!" Princess Shroob replied with gusto.
"But don't you ever get lonely?" Pauline asked her.
She snorted. "How can one be lonely when you have the necks of every citizen for miles and miles bending to your will? With money and might, you're never alone!"
Pauline snickered. "I guess you're right. When I came into this game, I told myself I'd let nothing get in my way of the prize. But I was so stupid…I let Mario and the Princess and the goals of Bowser and his idiot daughter step into my path. I…I can't believe myself."
"Well now is your chance to prove you're still that same woman I admired at the beginning of this game," Princess Shroob told her.
"But how?" Pauline argued, growing flustered. "We've got nothing. Even if we could somehow convince Bowser and Wendy to vote with us…we wouldn't have enough votes."
Princess Shroob let out a shrill laugh. "Oh Pauline, my blissfully ignorant friend, now that your head is screwed on properly once again, I believe it's time we get the old team together."
Pauline blinked. "Wait…do you mean…?"
Princess Shroob nodded. "That's exactly what I mean."
"B-but how!?"
"Oh, you'll see," said the princess, leaning in and whispering something into Pauline's ear. Upon hearing it, Pauline's eyes lit up and her face became eclipsed by a wicked grin. The fire in her eyes had been lit once again, and it was a fire that would blaze across the entire competition.
"So…it looks like we've done it guys," Boo said to his companions.
"Three cheers!" Toadsworth said with a grin. "With the five of us together, we can make it all the way to the end!"
Noki frowned despite the good news. "But once we get there…we'll have to turn on one another."
"Oh, it'll be good sport then," Zess said with a smile. "I wouldn't mind losing to any of you fine folk. Knowing someone deserving has won the game would really brighten my heart."
"So…after today's challenge, who do we get rid of?" Boo asked, getting down to brass tacks.
"I think it's high time Princess Shroob got the boot," Noki said, crossing her arms. "She's been so mean to everyone here!"
Both of the elderly Toads concurred. "If Princess Shroob doesn't manage to win the other immunity, I say we boot her! What say you, Birdo?" Toadsworth asked the pink dinosaur.
"O-oh!" Birdo said a bit loudly, having been distracted by her own thoughts. "Sorry, yeah, Princess Shroob sounds fine to me."
Nodding, Boo was pleased to know they were now in control of the game. "If Princess Shroob wins immunity, we just switch to Pauline." Everyone nodded, agreeing with the plan.
"Who's the most dangerous out of the five over there?" Princess Shroob asked Pauline, arching a questionable eyebrow.
"Boo?" Pauline guessed.
"Well, he's certainly crafty," Princess Shroob admitted, "but he's not who I'm talking. I'm talking about physical strength, someone who's capable of winning challenges. Despite her old age, Zess T. always comes close to winning challenges."
Pauline's eyes lit up, "So you want to get rid of the old chef, huh?"
"Exactly," Princess Shroob purred.
"So we just employ your little plan, win Birdo back, and out goes Zess," Pauline said with a snicker. "But won't we need Bowser and Wendy to vote with us?"
Princess Shroob nodded. "Yes, yes, so let's go speak with them now." The two women soon found themselves in the audience of King Bowser Koopa and his daughter, Wendy.
"Speak, knaves!" Wendy commanded.
"Excuse me? You little brat! I'll shish-kebab and serve you to Elder Shrooboid for dinner!" Princess Shroob spat.
"What was that?" Bowser growled.
"I'm sorry," Pauline sang, holding back Princess Shroob. "What the princess meant to say was she admired your strategic ploy the other night. But now, she's wondering how you're going to move forward."
"Huh?" Bowser and Wendy asked in unison, sharing a perplexed look. It seemed neither of the self-dubbed master strategists had considered how they'd move forward after blindsiding Kammy and Don Pianta.
"So I thought," Princess Shroob said with a laugh. "You understand those five 'heroes' are all going to be gunning for the four of us, right? Do the math. One by one, we'll all be voted out."
"Not me!" Bowser said with a laugh. "I'm just going to keep winning immunity!"
"But what about your daughter?" Pauline asked. Wendy looked at her Dad expectantly.
"Bah! She's fine! She'll fend for herself!" Bowser assured Pauline. Wendy flinched slightly, a flame of annoyance flickering in her eyes. However, it quickly went out.
"But what if you lose?" Princess Shroob continued. "They'd vote you out immediately…unless you had people supporting you."
"You'd like to support us, after we blindsided you like that?" Wendy asked Princess Shroob, hand on her hips.
"I understood the move," Princess Shroob said quickly. "It's not something I'm going to hold a stupid grudge about. Now do you want to accept our offer or not?"
Bowser and Wendy shared another look, their eyes doing the talking.
"Fine!" Bowser roared. "Fine, we'll accept your stupid deal. So now what? We don't have enough votes to do anything about our little situation!"
"Oh," Princess Shroob cackled. "Leave that to Pauline."
Birdo was alone in the shell cottage she had shared with Stanley, pouring over her things. Her hands rested over a small diary she had been keeping for the duration of the competition. Inside, she had written about Princess Shroob's gang in the beginning, and then about her affections for Stanley, well, Boshi. Now, she filled it with nothing but grievances for what had happened to her. Sighing, she closed the journal and left it on top of her bed. Deciding she could use a walk, she got up out of the cottage and strolled outside.
After a few moments had passed, a shadow swept into the room. Snickering, Pauline's eyes alighted on the book. Snatching it up, she rifled through the pages before a wicked grin set upon her face.
"Oh Birdo…you really are as stupid as you look."
Returning from her walk, Birdo heard quite the squabble coming from where everyone shared their meals together. The large seashell cottage was caught in a vicarious uproar. Dashing over to the room, Birdo entered the meal cottage to see four pairs of eyes harshly turn against her.
"There you are!" Boo spat.
"I can't believe you!" Zess T. cried, waving her frying pan in distress.
"W-what?" Birdo asked, fear climbing in her throat. "What'd I do?"
"You know what you did!" Noki shouted. "You wrote all these horrible things about us! Toadsworth was so offended he said something about you being ruder than his Great Aunt Judith and then passed out!"
Toadsworth was laying on the floor.
"What are you talking about?" Birdo asked, her voice coated in fear. She was afraid of losing her friends over something she didn't understand.
"Look!" Boo said, throwing the journal at her. Birdo recognized it as the diary she'd been keeping during the game. Eyes wide with horror, she scanned the page.
Boo is such a push-over! He thinks he's so strategic but he doesn't even know what he's doing! Plus, he's kissing a Noki? Grosssssss. Oh, and don't get me started on Noki! Boohoo, no one knows my name! Get over yourself, pipsqueak. And those two old Toads? Ugh, save it for the nursing home you gross fungi! No one wants to see you dote on one another like diseased ducks! Blargh, it makes me sick! Keeping up this front with them for Princess Shroob sure is hard work! But in the end, I'll win the game! I'm so smart and cool! XOXO – Birdo
"How can you believe I'd even write something like this!" Birdo cried, throwing the book on the floor.
"It's in your hand writing!" Noki shouted back. It was true. Pauline had taken the time to carefully emulate Birdo's handwriting, even using the same pink pen. Swallowing, Birdo realized how bad this looked.
"Just go back to Princess Shroob!" Zess T. hollered. "You were working with her in the beginning, and you've been working with her all along! No wonder you were so drawn to Boshi, you two are birds of the same feather!"
Eyes stinging, Birdo wanted to say something…but she couldn't muster the courage. The despair and helplessness that had engulfed her in the beginning crept back over her. All the growth she had endured washed away, and she was but the same shell of herself she was when she entered the game. Crying, she ran out of the cottage and into the daylight, bumping into Pauline.
"Y-you!" Birdo cried.
"Me!" Pauline said with a hideous laugh. "Yes, Birdo. It was me! But I'm sure you already knew that, because you obviously didn't write those things. But look how quickly they turned on you. You were fifth in that group, Birdo. They don't value you…you're just a vote. If they were truly your friends, they would have heard you out."
Birdo's eyes fluttered. "Y-you're…you're right. True friends would have at least done that."
"But you've got true friends," Pauline said. "See, Princess Shroob and I will protect you. Join us and we'll vote out all of those fake friends of yours. Then, we'll take out Bowser and Wendy. Don't you see Birdo, you're guaranteed at least third place. With us…you could win the whole game!"
Birdo's eyes drooped, but she met Pauline's anyway. "It's the only shot I have…isn't it? Stanley…my so-called friends…everyone's betrayed me. What do I have to lose?"
"Nothing," Pauline whispered. "So come on Birdo, it'll be like old times."
Old times didn't sound appealing to Birdo. She remembered the bullying and self-loathing that came with working with Princess Shroob. But it was the only option she had. She only had one reason to be here now…to win. And to do so, working with Princess Shroob and Pauline was the easiest way.
"Fine," Birdo sighed. "Fine, I'll join you."
Pauline lightly clapped her hands. "Good, good! Now it's almost time for the immunity challenge! You better get to work making sure none of those cads win! Try to throw it to me or the princess, why don't you?"
Birdo nodded. "Oh…ok," she said weakly.
Patting Birdo on the head, Pauline blew her a kiss and abandoned her for the company of Princess Shroob, Bowser, and Wendy by the bay. All alone, Birdo let out a sniffle and looked between those by the bay and the meal cottage. Neither side truly cared about her, but at least with one, she might walk away rich for her troubles.
"Welcome! Welcome!" Brighton said, waving to everyone as he and Twila approached the players. All of them were lined up along the bay. "I'm so glad everyone came out for today's wonderfully calm and not difficult challenge."
"Really?" Noki asked, having hope.
"Of course not!" Twila roared, throwing a turnip at Noki. "This challenge is gonna suck for you! Allow me to explain how horrible it is! See that floating island over there?" she asked, pointing to a clump of land drifting amidst the bay.
Everyone nodded nervously.
"Well, all of you will swim out to it, get situated on top of it…and then try and stay on!"
"How could that be so terrible?" Boo asked, folding his arms and giving Twila a bored look.
"Because we'll be throwing bob-ombs at you the whole time!" Brighton replied, patting a large wooden crate behind himself and his sister that no one had happened to notice until now.
"That's insane!" Noki wailed in despair.
"Who cares?" Twila asked. "It'll be a boon for ratings, so shut your trap and swim out!" Begrudgingly, the eight remaining players with the exception of Bowser swam out to the small piece of land where they awaited further instruction.
"You can also kick, punch, and shove anyone you please off of the island in order to be the last one standing!" Brighton shouted through a megaphone from the shore. "Anything goes in this game!"
"Hehehehe," Princess Shroob and Zess T. laughed in unison, unsheathing their ray gun and frying pan respectively.
"Let's get started!" Brighton shouted through the megaphone. Beside him, Twila opened the crate and grabbed a bob-omb. With an evil grin, she tossed the bob-omb at the island. Everyone jumped out of the way, dodging the explosion, but at the same time, realizing that the two hosts really meant what they had said.
"This shall be a synch!" Princess Shroob declared, pointing her ray gun at Boo. "Eat laser, peasant!" She fired off three pink laser shots, but Boo simply turned invisible, letting the shots phase through him. They pelted Wendy in the face, causing the koopaling to fall backwards into the water.
"W-what the hell, Shroob!?" Wendy cried, surfacing in the bay.
"Whoopsies," Princess Shroob mumbled to herself.
"Incoming!" Zess T. shouted, deflecting a bob-omb with her frying pan. It sailed across the island and hit Birdo straight in the back, exploding on impact and sending the pink dinosaur careening into the bay.
"Serves ya right!" the chef said with a mean glare. Coming up out of the water, Birdo just sighed and swam to shore.
"Hey," Bowser said on the sidelines, "I'm sure glad I don't have to compete in this one!"
"Would you care to throw a bob-omb?" Brighton asked, offering the Koopa King one of the black explosives.
"Bwahaha! You bet I would!" Bowser cried, snatching the bomb, winding up the back, and tossing it at the island.
"Marmalade and biscuits!" Toadsworth hollered, jumping out of the way of the bomb. It landed near Pauline and Noki.
"Save me, little creature!" Pauline shouted, picking up Noki and using her as a shield to protect herself.
"What!? Put me…!" Noki exclaimed, but was cut off as the explosion sent her tumbling into the bay.
"Hey!" Boo cried, dashing over to Pauline. "That was so rude! You'll pay for that, wench!"
"Wench!?" Pauline shrieked. "You're one to talk you pasty phantom!"
"Pasty!?" Boo retorted. "Grrrr…you're not even worth my time, Pauline!"
"Then why do you keep talking to me!" Pauline snapped back.
"Because you're such a bi…!" Boo's insult was cut off as a bob-omb detonated at their feet, sending he and Pauline sailing into the sky and crashing down into the water below.
"So it's just me and the two wrinkled fungi, huh?" Princess Shroob asked no one in particular. "This'll be easy!" She pointed her ray gun at Zess T. and fired away. The old chef deflected each shot with her frying pan, sending them back at Princess Shroob.
"Blast!" the princess cursed, evading the reflection shots and firing once more. She soon realized she wouldn't be able to fire at Zess T. if the chef still had her frying pan. A bob-omb sailed towards them, but Princess Shroob shot it halfway in the air with ray gun, causing a midair explosion that harmed no one. This time, she aimed at Toadsworth.
"Toodletoes!" Zess T. shrieked, diving in the way of the lasers to protect Toadsworth.
"Zess, noooo!" Toadsworth bellowed, realizing what was about to happen. Zess T. took the shots, crying out and sliding into the water. Smirking, Princess Shroob stalked to the other side of the island and punted Toadsworth into the bay.
"Princess Shroob wins immunity!" Brighton declared through his megaphone.
"Hehehehe," the alien princess laughed. "That was so gallant, Zess. Seems like you've showed where your priorities lie. If you'd protect a friend if it meant giving up immunity, I'm sure you'd give up your game as well."
"Can it you haggish old space freak!" Zess T. spat from the water. "We'll see who's laughing at the elimination ceremony tonight!"
"Oh," Princess Shroob laughed. "We shall."
With the challenge over, everyone relaxed in the bay for the remainder of the day. Eventually night fell, and the nine players made their way to the seaside elimination arena they had all visited several times now. Their stay at Noki Bay would soon be over, but before that could happen, one more of them needed to leave.
"So, very soon, nine will become eight," Brighton told them. "Remember, both Bowser and Princess Shroob have immunity, so you can't vote for either of them."
"Bwahaha! I'm the best!" Bowser roared, breathing a stream of fire into the night.
"Daddy!" Wendy protested. "You always tell me that I'm the best!"
"You're my best daughter," Bowser pointed out.
"I'm you're only daughter!"
"That's why you're the best!" Bowser argued. Wendy didn't seem satisfied with that reply, rolling her eyes and folding her arms.
"Can we just get to it?" Boo asked, annoyance dripping from his tone.
"Why?" Birdo asked. "So you can vote out one of your friends?"
"Oh shut up, Birdo," Boo said, growing tired of pretty much everyone here. "We all know you wrote those things in your diary."
Twila and Brighton shared an interested look, leaning in to get some juicy gossip.
"Actually," Birdo snapped, her blood about to boil, "I didn't!"
"Oh yeah, like we'd really…"
"How about you shut up, Boo!?" Birdo snapped, standing up and turning to face the ghost. "You think you're soooooo much smarter than everyone here, but if you were as smart as you think you are, you'd know I'd never, ever, in a million years say such terrible things about my closest friends! But noooo, you just buy into some slick move Pauline played and cut the cord on our friendship just like that! You know what Stanley taught me? Even though he wasn't really Stanley, the times that he spent with me taught me to stand up for myself! I came into this game a weak little crybaby, and I might still be a bit of that person, but there's a new side to me. A side that stands up for what I believe in! I would NEVER say such things about you, you know why? BECAUSE I'M YOUR FRIEND!"
"Birdo…" Boo began, but he was cut off once more.
"Save it, Boo. All four of you can save it, because if you were REALLY my friends, you wouldn't have believed any of that stuff the moment you read it! None of you actually care about me! I'm just a vote to you! Well guess what? The reign of the so-called 'heroes' ends tonight! I don't know what you thought you'd accomplish by running me out, but all four of you just lost the game!"
"W-wait!" Boo exclaimed. "Birdo, I'm sure…"
"I SAID SHUT UP!" Birdo screamed. "You're nothing but an egocentric know-it-all who thinks he's too good for this game! I don't even know what Noki sees in you."
"MY NAME ISN'T NOKI!" Noki screamed. "IT'S…"
"NOKI!" Boo screeched, "NOW IS NOT THE TIME! Noki sees the good in me because she's a good person, Birdo!"
"Something I'm not?" Birdo retorted. "Oh, you sure are slick, Boo. You make me sick, I SO wish it was you who was going home tonight."
"Oh my!" Brighton cried, interrupting the argument. "What juicy drama! I just can't wait to see how the voting pans out!"
"Let's get to it!" Twila said. "Birdo, since you're so passionate tonight, why don't you go first?"
"With pleasure," Birdo said. Princess Shroob and Pauline shared an evil smile, knowing their plan had succeeded.
One by one, the players voted. Animosity, confusion, and anger controlled the night, and with nine votes in hand, Twila opened the voting box.
"Alright, I'll read the votes," Twila explained.
"FIRST VOTE…PAULINE."
"What?" Pauline asked. "I've been so irrelevant tonight! Why'd I get a vote?"
"SECOND VOTE…ZESS T."
"Oh dear…" Zess T. said with a frown. She and Toadsworth shared a forlorn look.
"THIRD VOTE…PAULINE."
Pauline gritted her teeth.
"FOURTH VOTE…ZESS T."
Toadsworth and Zess T. clasped their wrinkly hands together.
"FIFTH VOTE…PAULINE."
Pauline and Princess Shroob shared a mixed look, wondering if they had truly prevailed.
"SIXTH VOTE…ZESS T."
The chef and Toadsworth tightened their grip on one another's hands.
"SEVENTH VOTE…PAULINE."
Pauline hoped that had been the last slip of paper with her name on it.
"EIGHTH VOTE…ZESS T."
The two Toads shared a sad look with Boo and Noki, realizing this may be it for all of them. Zess T.'s elimination would put all of them in the minority.
"Twelfth person voted out of the DreamStakes….ZESS T."
The cook shook her head sadly, rising from her seat. Boo and Noki took turns hugging her, bidding the old woman goodbye.
"Well, I'm happy with the kind of game I played," Zess T. remarked. "I wouldn't have changed a single thing."
"Really?" Birdo asked. "You wouldn't have changed the fact that you spat on a friendship and ruined your chance at the million coins?"
Zess T. chose not to respond to that. She gave Toadsworth a long hug and a kiss. "Oh Toodletoes, looks like our adventure together is over."
"Oh Zess," Toadsworth said, tearing up. "How can I play this game without you? I've no princess, no cute little chef…what am I to do?"
"Win," she said to him. "Win for Peach, win for Mario, and win for me. But most of all, win for you. All your life you've been worried about the safety of others, so now it's time to worry about Toadsworth."
He gave her a long hug, but soon it was over.
"Good luck to all!" Zess T. said with a smile. She shouldered her bag and blew everyone a big kiss, waddling down to the seaside with Twila where a boat picked her up. The speedboat cruised off into the night, the mushroom-capped shadow of Zess T. disappearing after a while.
"My oh my," Brighton said with a grin. "Tonight was very dramatic, but what will happen from here. Back your bags, because tomorrow we ship out to somewhere new!" He left the remaining competitors with that. They rose from their seats and returned to their cottages, pondering who they could trust, where they were going, and how each of them could win this game.
What a spicy chapter *kisses fingers*. A lot happened here! Birdo FINALLY stood up for herself, but did that ruin her chances at winning the game? Plus now that Pauline is focused on winning once again, what kind of havoc will she and Princess Shroob wreak together? Will Bowser and Wendy continue to glide through the game together, or did Bowser get a little too used to being mean to his daughter? How will Boo and Noki's relationship progress after what went down at the elimination ceremony? And finally, will Toadsworth seize his chance to live life for himself by the horns, or will he succumb to his own grief? Find out all of this and more, next time on The DreamStakes!
Voting Results
Zess T. (5): Birdo, Princess Shroob, Pauline, Bowser, Wendy
Pauline (4): Zess T., Toadsworth, Boo, Noki
~AdmiralBobbery