Episode 25: Oh you Indian Summer.
*Note this chapter will be similar to the India episode of the Ridonculous Race with the same challenges, but a few twists to this episode are guaranteed to catch you readers off guard. You might be surprised if the title is similar to another race series I may have seen before.
-PLEASE read Episode 24 before you read this chapter.
(Scenes from the previous race are played as there is another recap.)
Discord VO: Last time on The Amazing Crossover Race! The final five visited the desert plains in Kenya. Here the teams bonded with the wildlife, but more specifically, the Lions and the rhinos. A dumb mistake by Rainbow Dash costed her and Scootaloo a lot of time to avoid the Lion. The Mario Bros tried helping them out but they got sidetracked too. It was another close play at the end, but the Pen Pals easily won the leg with the Ex-Sisters bringing up the rear in second. While it was great the bottom two teams made it out alive, they both fell behind and it was the Mario Bros. edging out the Pegasisters in the last second leaving them in last place. Unfortunately, I made it a non-elimination round and spared them for another day.
(Discord appears)
Discord: But yes, that was our very last non-elimination, so from here on out, the rest of the legs will be elimination rounds. Let's get ready to start today's episode of... The Amazing Crossover Race!
(The intro begins again after a snap of fingers.)
(Intro over.)
Episode 25: Oh you Indian Summer.
(We are now seen back in Kenya.)
Discord: We're back in Kenya and it's still down to five. The winners of the last leg: Twilight and Sunset will be the first team departing from the starting line.
(Twilight and Sunset step up to the cloudbox and received the tip from the cloudbox.)
Sunset: Looks like we're going to Darjeeling India.
(A postcard of India is shown.)
Discord: Darjeeling India is a place with scorching hot temperatures and many different flavors of tea that I haven't known about. It also has a summer resort for the British Raj elite, which remains the terminus of the narrow-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, or "Toy Train," completed in 1881. One flight will be heading to this location and the teams will find the next cloudbox located at this tea farm.
(The rest of the teams follow suit and get their tips as well before heading off to the airport.)
Rainbow Dash: I can't believe we're starting out last place.
Scootaloo: At least it was a non-elimination round. We still have a chance.
Rainbow Dash: But that was the 'last' non-elimination round. If we lose again, we're guaranteed to go home. We can't afford to make any more mistakes.
Scootaloo: And we need to come in the top three at least. That's for sure.
Rainbow Dash: That too. Now let's go catch that flight! (They follow the other teams.)
(After a few minutes of running, the teams stop.)
Mario: Uhh, the airport is a little far from here. How do we get there?
Twilight: I'm sure something will pull up eventually.
(That's when a bus pulls up to them.)
Luigi: Well that was convenient
(All five teams hop on the bus and it drives off to the airport. A few minutes later, the bus stops at the airport and the teams get in line to board the flight to India.)
Rainbow Dash: Oh great! Now there's a long line!
Bowser Jr(impatient): WILL YOU GUYS MOVE?! WE HAVE PLACES TO BE AND RACES TO WIN!
(At the front of the line were the Ex-Sisters)
Luna: Oh, please don't mind that guy. He's been having a rough day and he and his partner are just worried they won't get their usual spots that are at the 'very' back of the plane. Quick question, could you be so kind as to save those seats for them, and can you put us close to front by the Pen Pals?
(The ticket guy gave them a thumbs up before giving them their tickets.)
Celestia: What is that for?
Luna: Let's just say, they'll be in for a rough ride!
Discord VO: We now have the final five on the same flight to India, but one team almost wished that they weren't.
(Cut to the back of the plane with the Bowsers, and they are NOT happy.)
Bowser: Sitting in the back of the plane again? I hate when this happens!
Bowser Jr: It was the alicorn princesses, they must have sweet talked the guy and stuck us on the worst seats of the flight.
Bowser: I don't believe this! How long is this flight?
Bowser Jr: Six hours and 23 minutes. Those alicorn sisters are so dead!
(Skip ahead to the plane landing in Darjeeling India. As soon as it touches down, the teams race to the taxi cabs and head off to the tea farm. Go to the Ex-Sisters in their cab.)
Celestia: Not the worst place we've been to.
Luna: For you or for me? You could ask me too.
(Just then, their cab jerked forward and it shows the Bowsers ramming their cab.)
Luna: Who was that?
Celestia: Take a guess! (Spots the Bowsers ramming their cab again leaving them getting a flat tire.)
Luna: Flat tire!
Bowser Jr: Eat our dust! (Zips right past them and arrives at the tea farm.)
Bowser: First pl-! SWEET BARS OF FIRE IT'S HOT OUT HERE! (They both collapse under the intense heat when another taxi pulls up.)
Twilight: We're here! SWEET CELESTIA! IT'S SO HOT!
(Unfortunately, the rest of the teams just made it and felt the heat get to them too.
Mario: Hey guys, why are on the- Oh man, it's hot out here!
Luigi: Why is it so hot?
Twilight: No clue, but I'm definitely feeling the humidity. (The humid air then made her mane frizzle up.)
Rainbow Dash(laughing behind her): You look just like the way you did when I first met you. But someone please turn off the sun!
Twilight: Yeah, it's funny. I know.
(Despite the heat, Mario gets up ahead pressed the button on the cloudbox and got the tip.)
Mario: It's a duo challenge, tea for two?
Luna: Please tell me there's iced tea involved.
(The camera cuts to Discord keeping himself cool with a fan.)
Discord: That sure seems nice about now, but sadly, there isn't. For this duo challenge, teams will gather a basket full of tea leaves and fill it to the top. One for you, and one for your teammate. Once your basket is full and this local here approves (Pan to a lady behind a desk.) she'll give them their next tip. One more tip, anyone with can use it to pick off the leaves, but only one to three leaves at a time.
(All the teams slowly get their baskets because of the heat and start the challenge.)
Discord VO: Will these teams stand the heat and prevail? Or will it get the best of them? I'll 'leaf' it for them to decide as the race is to be continued. Man I'm killing it with these puns.
(Break.)
(Break time is over and all the teams are all working in separate sections and the heat is starting to get to all of them. We now go to the Pen Pals working.)
Twilight: I can't stand being in this heat!
Sunset: Me too. It's almost like being cooked in an oven. (Her mane is now frizzled up just like Twilight.) This humid air just frizzled my mane too.
Twilight: Yikes!
(The camera then goes over to the Ex-Sisters. Luna is on the ground because of the heat. Celestia extends a hoof to help her up.)
Celestia: You want some help?
Luna: I can do this on my own. (Tries getting up but falls back on the ground.)
(Interview: Celestia)
Celestia: Seems like Luna is having an issue asking for help these days. I know we had lots of arguing going on throughout this race, but I'm going to help her whether she wants it or not.
Luna: I can't go on. Finish this challenge for us.
Celestia: No, I won't leave you. You need some help with this challenge, and I don't want to leave you behind. Please let me help you.
(Luna sighed in defeat and grab Celestia's hoof which helped her off the ground and back on her hooves.)
Luna: Wow. Thank you!
Celestia: No problem, I manage to fill my basket halfway. Let's finish this.
(That is until the Bowsers come up to them.)
Luna: What are you two doing here?
Celestia: We have lots to deal with. Please leave us alone.
Bowser Jr: Oh please your highnesses, we just want to talk.
Luna: Well we don't want to. Leave now!
Celestia: You just want to get back at us for putting you in back of the plane.
Bowser: On the contrary princess, I just thought you could give your little student over there some assistance. (Points to the Pen Pals still working.) Besides, I thought you like helping her.
Luna: How do we know thou aren't messing with us?
Bowser Jr: Okay, then suit yourselves. We'll get out of your manes.
(As he said that, Bowser secretly unhooked their baskets and all the leaves Celestia collected fell to the ground as he snagged those and put them in his basket. They walk away leave the sisters behind. Celestia and Luna continue working until Celestia realized something.)
Celestia: Hold on, my basket feels lighter. (She took her basket off and saw her basket was empty and her leaves were gone.) *gasps* My leaves! They're gone!
(They spot the Bowsers leaving and laughing at them.)
Celestia: You cheaters!
Luna: Thou are going to pay for your insolence!
Bowser Jr: You snooze you lose, which is our way of payback. Oh and by the way, thank you for picking our seats on the flight here. That was soooo kind of you to do that!
Celestia: It's what you deserve and it's called karma: which you'll be getting a lot more of once this is over.
Luna: We're going to have to find somewhere else to work.
(Zoom over to the Pegasisters working.)
Rainbow Dash: I could seriously go for some water right now, or just a personal raincloud. You doing okay kid?
Scootaloo: Yes, but this heat is getting to me. I don't know if I can make it.
(Rainbow Dash picks her up and placed her on her back.)
Rainbow Dash: Is that better?
Scootaloo: A little bit.
Discord: Some teams are doing fine, but some not so much. There's no telling what teams will finish and which fall. Only time will tell and- (Paused as the Bowsers are right there with the baskets completely full.) Ugh, not you two again. I wish you were eliminated already.
Bowser Jr: As if that's going to happen.
Discord: Oh it will, and it's going to. It may happen, but you guys just won't know it.
(The local gives them the tip.)
Bowser(reading): Get sent reeling on Darjeeling.
Discord: For this challenge, teams will board this train and it will ride all the way to the location of the finish line which is right at Decision Junction. The last team to check in will be checking out. There's just one catch, teams will get in the car by the order they arrived in and each car separates between person, animal, and so on. The teams in cars two thru five will make their way to the front of the car.
(They board the train as the Mario Bros. arrive with their baskets filled and got their tip from the local. After they left, the Pegasisters came in got their next tip and boarded the train. That only leaves the Pen Pals and the Ex-Sisters.)
Luna: Seriously? What is with this heat!? I need something to drink, or some shade at least.
(Then something covers her from the sun. It shows Celestia using one of her wings to cool her off.)
Celestia: Does that feel better?
Luna: A little bit, but why are helping me after everything that happened?
Celestia: No matter what, I still want to help you. Tell me when you're done.
(From a distance, Twilight saw this and smiled.)
Twilight: I'm glad they're helping each other out again.
Sunset: Twilight, come on! We can go now!
(Both of them head off and boarded the train. Shortly after a while, the Ex-Sisters finally finished the challenge and leave.)
Luna: Do you want some help cooling off?
Celestia: I'm fine. Let's go and board the train and we'll cool off there.
(They hand the baskets to the local and got their next tip which allowed them to board the train.)
Discord VO: Now that all the teams are onboard, they will now make their way to the front. So far, the teams are seated in the order they finished the challenge beginning to end: The Bowsers, Mario Bros., Pegasisters, Pen Pals, and Ex-Sisters. Now it becomes a race for anything other than last.
(Go to the interior of the train as the loudspeaker turns on.)
Discord: Attention teams that are on cars two thru five, now that the train has moved, start making your way to the front of the train... now!
After the loudspeaker turns off, this angers the Bowsers.
Bowser: So we're just supposed to sit here and let the other teams catch us?
Bowser Jr: Not exactly. We could unhook the train between ourselves and the cars behind us.
Bowser: Ah, they can't get to us if the train is separated.
(They go back to where the coupling was and try to take it off.)
Bowser Jr: It's easy. We pull this off and it's adios to those losers. (He attempts to pull it off but it doesn't come off.)
(Mario and Luigi are seen on car 2 as they make their way to the front.)
Luigi: What's behind here?
(Opened the door and it was a mad henhouse as they closed the door.)
Mario: Hey! Want to try an alternate path?
Luigi: Where?
(Pointed upwards.)
Luigi: Oh there.
(Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo have the same idea and are hopping over the cars instead of going through them. Cut to the fourth car with Twilight and Sunset.)
Twilight: I have a lot of reading to do. It will be a while when we get to the Junction.
Sunset: Yeah, and I can take a nap till we get there.
(They do those things to keep themselves occupied as the Ex-Sisters enter their car and rush pass them. They stop when they made it to the third car.)
Luna: Each animal car was worst than the last.
Celestia: I know, bats, birds those things were flying!
Luna: But it did help us cool down a bit.
Celestia: Yes. It did.
(Both of them avoided looking at each other; except they were not mad this time.)
(At the front of the train, Bowser Jr is still trying to take out the coupling between the two cars.)
Bowser Jr(straining): Why... Won't... Dumb... Thing... Come off? (Stops pulling after that.)
(Bowser notices something beside him.)
Bowser: Oh this might be the thing to release it.
Bowser Jr: Why couldn't they just label it before I wore myself out pulling that thing. (Pulled the lever and unhooked the coupling between the train.) *laughs* They can't beat us if they are far behind. (They close the door.)
(That's when the Mario Bros. and Pegasisters reach the end of car 2 and saw the wide gap between them.)
Rainbow Dash: Sweet Celestia! The cars are separating!
Mario: Oh boy, we're going to have to jump for it!
Scootaloo: I can't jump that far. I'm just a filly. I might fall off and get hurt.
Rainbow Dash: Then hold on and don't let go! (She takes a few steps back and ran up to the edge then jumped the gap which safely landed them on the other side.)
Mario: Wait for us! (He jumps the gap and made it across too.) You turn Luigi!
(Luigi was hesitant to jump but he did anyway and missed as he got close allowing him to fall on the train tracks. Mario and Rainbow Dash cringed after seeing this. Scootaloo just looked away.)
(Interview: Pegasisters)
Rainbow Dash: Yikes! That looked painful on so many levels.
Scootaloo: I hope he's okay.
Rainbow Dash: I'm sure he is. I hope so.
(Luigi tries opening the door.)
Luigi: It's locked, I can't get in.
Mario: Take my hand! We'll ride on top the rest of the way.
(He grabbed his hand and pulled him up to the top of the train. Celestia and Luna come out of the second car and saw the wide gap between them.)
Celestia: The train! Those guys unhooked it!
Luigi: What? No we didn't.
Rainbow Dash: Believe me. It wasn't them.
(They couldn't hear them from that far distance.)
Luna: Thou have made a big mistake!
Celestia: You two now have a new enemy, or enemies since it's a team race.
(As the back of the train stops, they hop off and continue following the train tracks. Skip ahead five minutes.)
Mario: Well, now we had a team that we're rivals with and now one hates us. Can this get any worse?
(Just then, there was a slight bump on the tracks and Scootaloo fell off.)
Rainbow Dash: Scootaloo, NO!
Mario: Why did I jinx it?
Rainbow Dash: I'm coming kid! (Hops off the train and goes back for her.)
(Cut all the way to the fourth car as the Pen Pals continue keeping themselves occupied. Unknown to them, they didn't notice the train stopped moving.)
Twilight: Wow! That took a lot of time than I thought it did.
Sunset(waking up): Oh yeah, I needed a nap. That should do good for a mare. (Looks out the window.) Hey Twilight, are we even moving?
Twilight: I kinda got distracted and didn't even notice. (Looks out the window too.) Now that I think about it, it does seem odd. Are we even here yet?
Sunset: No. I don't think we are.
(Then both of their eyes widen and it came to realization.)
Pen Pals: RUN!
(They race off the train and follow the tracks leading to the station.)
(Skip ahead to Decision Junction as the train stops there with Discord and Fluttershy waiting by there.)
Bowser Jr: Yes! First place is ours!
Bowser: Ha! How do you like them apples?
(They exit the train and ran to the finish line and stepped on the rug.)
Discord: Bowsers, you're in first!
Bowser Jr: Yes!
Discord: Or you will be if no one makes it in an hour. You have a penalty.
(A clock with 60 minutes/1 hour appears.)
Bowser: What? What did we do wrong?
Discord: Really? Did you honestly think we wouldn't see that the rest of the train isn't even here?
Bowser Jr: Pfft, yeah right. The other teams are miles behind us. No way anyone is gonna-
Mario: Coming through!
(They step on the finish line.)
Luigi: Alright!
Fluttershy: First place to you guys!
(The Mario Bros high five each other leaving the Bowsers ticked off.)
(Interview: Bowsers)
Bowser Jr: Why does everything like this happen to us? Those two have to be rules hogs or something. Is it because we're better? Too well liked? Too popular? Too all of the above?
Bowser nodded in agreement.
(The Ex-Sisters continue running along the tracks.)
Luna: Seems like they went over the cars instead of through them. Looked smart to me.
Celestia: Wait, what if all the teams did that? What if every else got to the finish line already? What if we're in last place?
Luna: Then let's hope a team has a penalty. How are we going to get to the Junction from here.
Celestia: Look! (She spots a pumper car on the tracks then smiles.) You thinking what I'm thinking?
Luna: Definitely!
(Up ahead, Rainbow Dash found Scootaloo. She landed in a bush not to far back.)
Rainbow Dash: You okay Scootaloo?
Scootaloo: Yes, but my wing is broken and one of my hooves is twisted. (Shows her injuries to her.)
Rainbow Dash: Yikes! We need to get you to the hospital.
Scootaloo: No, I'll be alright. (Winced in pain.) Please take us to the end.
Rainbow Dash: Okay, but you're going to get that wing and hoof bandaged up after we check in. (Scopes the area for something.) Hop on and stay on!
Scootaloo: Okay.
(She gets on and they race to the finish. Rewind back to the Ex-Sisters pumping up and down on the tracks.)
Celestia: Give it all you got Luna!
Luna: I'm pumping as hard as I can.
Celestia: How do these people even handle this in this weather?
Luna: I have no idea!
(20 minutes pass by and it skips ahead to them making it to the finish line.)
Discord: Ex-Sisters, second place, again!
Celestia: Close call, but why are they waiting? (Pointed to the Bowsers.)
Fluttershy: They have a penalty for unhooking the rest of the train.
Luna: It was them?! Well I'm glad you got what you deserve.
Celestia: Yes, and I think we owe an apology to a certain team.
(They walk over to the Mario Bros sitting on the bench.)
Luna: Pardon us, but we are very sorry for falsely accusing you.
Mario: That's okay, all's forgiven.
Celestia: Thank you.
(They walk off and avoid staring at each other. There was a long pause until...)
Luna: I'm sorry.
Celestia: What?
Luna: I'm sorry for everything that's happened between us. We aren't like this, I let a competition like this get in the way of our friendship. On top of all that, we've done nothing but hurt each other and insults. Is this what we really want to happen for the rest of our time here?
(This gave Celestia some guilt and she now spoke up.)
Celestia: You're right, this isn't like us at all. What kind of example are we setting for our people in Equestria? I never wanted this to happen. We're sisters. No matter what happens, there are a few things that we don't have in common. I'm sorry too, but I need you.
Luna: And I need you Celestia.
Celestia: Let's put all this aside and be sisters again.
Luna: That would be great. (Both of them turn to each other and smile.) Are you just going to hug me now or-
Celestia: Oh, just come here already.
(They embrace each other in a long hug.)
(Interview: Reformed Royal Sisters)
Celestia: We're back together again! I did not expect that!
Luna: You know it doesn't matter how we do in the next round because we won't care as long as we do it together.
Celestia: I couldn't agree more.
(Later, the next team arrives at the finish line.)
Fluttershy: What happened to you?
Scootaloo: I fell off the train and broke my wing.
Rainbow Dash: Her front hoof too, we took a pit stop to get her injuries bandaged up. That's why we were late.
Discord: Well depending on her condition, I'll let her decide if she wants to continue. Otherwise, you can leave if you want to.
Scootaloo: Oh, I'm gonna regret this, but Rainbow Dash...
... We're still gonna race!
Rainbow Dash: You mean it kid?
Scootaloo: Yes, I'm not going to give up and quit now. You would have done the same thing for me.
Rainbow Dash: Okay, if that's what you want then we'll still compete.
Discord: Very well then, you take third place and I'll let you continue on one condition.
Rainbow Dash: What is it?
Discord: You have to carry your partner throughout the rest of the race.
Rainbow Dash: Deal!
Discord: Ok, now with that out of the way, it all comes down to the Pen Pals and the Bowsers. (Faced them still waiting as the clock is now at 20:12, 20:11, 20:10, 20:09.) Feeling nervous about your chances?
Bowser Jr: Not even a little.
(Twenty minutes pass and a minute is left on their penalty.)
Discord: One more minute until your penalty expires. Who knows where the Pen Pals are?
Fluttershy: I see them!
(From a distance, Twilight and Sunset are running as fast as they can to the finish line.)
Twilight: There's the Junction! We can still make it!
Discord: Pump those hooves ladies!
(Thirty seconds are left on the clock as they grow nervous from this anticipation.)
Discord: Tick tock, tick tock, each second slower than the last.
Sunset: We're almost there!
(Tens seconds are left on the clock.)
Discord: Looks like they're going to make it!
Twilight: We're here! You would not believe what we've been through.
Sunset: The train stopped a long way from here and we had to run the rest of the way here.
Twilight: Which was completely exhausting!
Discord: Good thing you told me what happened, but you forgot one thing.
Sunset: What is it?
Discord: This! (The buzzer goes off and the Bowsers stepped on the rug.) Fourth place to the Bowsers!
Bowsers:Yes!
Twilight: Oops! We forgot about that.
Discord: Unfortunately Pen Pals, you're last.
Sunset: We should have stepped on the finish line before.
Discord: Once again, you're out the game! Sorry!
Twilight: Well we tried.
Sunset: It's been fun.
(The best of Twilight and Sunset: Pen Pals.)
(Scenes of their great moments are played as they recap.)
Twilight: I'm glad we got to do this, twice actually.
Sunset: At first, I thought it was over for us earlier, but we had a second chance and it didn't go to waste.
Twilight: I'm actually proud of us for getting this far. Fifth place isn't that bad actually.
Sunset: I even made lots of new friends along way and got to race with Twilight and made amends with Celestia.
Twilight: I'm actually glad they made up.
Sunset: Yeah, me too.
(The scene is now over and they are seen walking off in the distance.)
Twilight: This was actually pretty fun.
Sunset: Mind if I join you and watch the rest of this when we get home?
Twilight: Sure, we could root for Celestia and Luna when we get home.
Discord: There you have it. Two teams from two universes remain and it's down to the final four. Who will go all the way in the next round? And which three teams will move on to the semifinals? You'll just have to wait and see on the next episode of... The Amazing Crossover Race!
(END)
Only four teams remain, and sorry to any fans of the Pen Pals. I know many of you wanted them to win, but they did do better than last time. Only two teams from the MLP universe and the Mario Universe remain. Vote on who you want to win that means you can choose from the Mario Bros., Royal Sisters, Pegasisters, or the Bowsers. Also, it was surprising to have another episode done after the previous one was uploaded yesterday.
And yes, this leg was similar to the India, but the twist close to the end caught you off guard didn't it? Two; count 'em, only 2 more episodes are left, and then the season begins.