Episode 8 Final Part (5)
Toadiko: I barely even knew what hit me. One moment I was running away from Anderson, and the next I was smashed against the side of a tree. I didn't stand a chance. I'm just glad that the Life Shroom kicked in so quickly, because that was some of the worst pain I've felt in my entire life. Ugh, but I guess this means I'm out. I'm not entirely comfortable leaving those two alone though. I just hope the Mole's desire to beat Anderson beats his desire to beat us.
"Don't hit me again, I'm out!" Toadiko loudly declared.
Anderson belted out another evil laugh. "Mwahahaha! Tremble before me as your party crumbles to the awesome might of the M013!" After a few more laughs he cleared his throat and said in a completely normal tone "If you could please head towards the beach where you started, that would be great. That should keep you out of the line of fire."
Toadiko took one last look over to Mallow, who'd finally gotten to his feet. "I'm trusting you guys," she said. "Don't let me down. Please."
"We're doing everything we can," Mallow said, trying his best to sound reassuring. He made his way towards the forest as Toadiko left the battlefield. He broke into a sprint, attempting to get out of the M013's attack range while Shy Guy kept up the pressure with the Super Scope.
Fortunately for Mallow, Anderson had plowed a path straight from the mountain to the field, giving Mallow a straight shot across the devastation. He hopped from fallen log to fallen log, trying his best to avoid slipping into the craters where the roots of ripped up trees had once been. Soon enough, he arrived at the base of the mountain and quickly found the path he'd previously used to get down.
The first section of the mountain trail was fairly peaceful. The path, though muddy, wasn't too steep or too gravelly, and the various stone plateaus were a nice respite from the slog. The goat that had harassed Mallow on his way down was nowhere to be seen. But as he ascended higher and looked out over the island, he noticed a new problem.
Mallow: This storm made it impossible to see what time it was all day, so I guess evening snuck up on us. It's definitely getting darker. I'm not sure how much time I have before the sun fully sets, but I gotta be quick!
Ka-thunk! The final ballista bolt lodged itself deep in the M013's treads. Any hope Anderson had of creeping away had been thoroughly dashed – at least, that's what Shy Guy hoped.
"Give up, Anderson!" called Shy Guy. "I've got you pinned!"
"Pinned is not the same as defeated, Shy Guy!" Anderson called back. "I'm not about to let you weasel your way out of actually beating the final mission!" Just then, a huge charged Super Scope shot slammed into one of the arms, pushing them back towards the cockpit ever so slightly. "And don't think that thing will intimidate me into quitting!"
Nearing the peak of the mountain, Mallow finally reached the section he'd been dreading: the gravelly ledges.
Mallow: Getting down these was hard enough. How am I supposed to climb up?
He took a running start and leapt towards the first ledge. Not exactly a prolific jumper, he missed grabbing the ledge by a few inches. "Come on!" he groaned, taking another jump. Slightly closer, but still not there. With a pained grunt, he made a third jump. He desperately swung his arms up, stretching them as far as he could.
"Ha!" He just barely managed to grip the ledge. After dangling an readjusting his grip for a moment, he finally began the painful process of pulling himself up, wincing as he was forced to put his weight onto the bed of gravel.
Mallow: If I remember right, that was the highest ledge. I can do this. I can't back down!
A particularly big raindrop splattered Shy Guy directly in the eye, causing him to flinch and drop the Super Scope. As he rubbed at his eye, Anderson immediately sprang into actions, digging two more chunks of earth out of the ground. Shy Guy spotted what he was doing and picked up the Super Scope, but it was too late.
"I've had it up to here with your games!" shouted Anderson, hurling the piles straight towards Shy Guy. Shy Guy attempted to dive out of the way, but was hit in the gut by a rock. The force of the impact sent him rolling backwards across the rooftop, and sent the Super Scope clattering away from him.
"And again!" shouted Anderson, tossing even more dirt before Shy Guy could retrieve the Super Scope. He was now far enough away from the edge that Anderson missed, but getting back to the weapon seemed like a nearly impossible task.
Shy Guy: I'm gonna have to distract him again so he doesn't mess up our plan, but ugh, I'm lucky I survived that hit. I'm not sure I could take another.
With a pained gasp, Mallow pulled himself up. He finally made it. He was at the peak. He took a moment to catch his breath and scan the area. Sure enough, he spotted the excavator sitting behind a pile of rubble. He hopped in and turned the key.
Mallow: Please, please, please still work!
Nothing.
Mallow: That's fine. This is what I expected. But without Toadiko here to help, it's going to be a pain to get this thing in place!
He flicked a lever to put the bulky vehicle into neutral, pausing for a moment to make sure it wasn't about to roll backwards off the cliff or something. When he was satisfied, he hopped out and began to push from behind.
"Come on!" he grunted, pushing his whole weight into the excavator. "Move!" With some solid footing, he was able to get the excavator to roll forward, inch by inch. However, it would take a few minutes of pushing to get it all the way to the edge.
Mallow: Hang in there Shy Guy! And hang in there sun, for that matter!
Shy Guy ducked behind the ballista, which shielded him from the next onslaught of dirt and rocks. Even then, the old weapon creaked and moaned as it took the brunt of the hit.
Shy Guy: That ballista can only stay up for so long. I need to grab the Super Scope before I'm a sitting duck.
Right as the dirt landed, Shy Guy bolted across the rooftop, heading towards a spot a bit to the right of the fallen Super Scope. As soon as he heard the mechanical whir of the arms, he pivoted and ran straight left, narrowly missing the aerial landslide. He leaned down and scooped up the Super Scope as he ran by. He prepared to mount it on his shoulder, but noticed Anderson was already preparing to lob more earth.
He sent out a few uncharged shots, two of which hit either side of the cockpit, and one slamming right into Anderson's forehead. The host was knocked back, but before Shy Guy could get another shot out, Anderson lunged for the controls, sending the dirt flying.
Shy Guy dove to the floor, cowering as the dirt flew towards him. But he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw their trajectory. It seems that in his haste to attack, Anderson altered the angle a bit. The dirt splattered against the front of the fortress with a harmless splat. Before Anderson could prepare for another attack, Shy Guy went on the offensive, forcing the host to shield himself with the M013's arms once more.
Shy Guy: Come on Mallow! I don't know how much longer I can keep this up!
The excavator teetered on the edge of the cliff. Mallow looked down at the steep path down the mountain and shivered.
Mallow: This is too crazy. I can't just ride this thing down!
But right before he gave the final push, he noticed that the excavator wasn't quite angled right. Unless something incredibly lucky happened, it wouldn't reach the M013 on its own. He looked between the excavator, the hill, and the M013, and let out a deep sigh before climbing into the seat.
He gave the steering wheel a few tentative pulls in either direction. Once he was sure it still worked, he gave himself one last moment to reconsider before leaning forward against the wheel, moving the machine's weight just far enough forward that it began to tip.
The excavator landed on the mountainside with a thud that shook Mallow all the way down to his bones. It began to move down the hill, slowly at first. Mallow used that time to make small adjustments to its path, bringing it closer and closer to lining up with Anderson. But the excavator was accelerating quickly, rolling over bumps and patches of gravel like they were nothing. Mallow struggled to keep it under control, but soon it was absolutely flying down the hill, shaking violently the whole time.
And then Mallow saw something that made him cry out in terror: a sheer drop – 20 feet down the mountain. He gave the steering wheel one last tiny twist before moving to the edge of his seat and leaping out. Despite his normal floatiness, between the speed he was moving at and the mud weighing him down, he quickly crashed to the ground and began tumbling down the hill. He tried his best to grab onto something, but the mountain was simply too muddy. He bounced and tumbled and thrashed until he flew right off the cliff and landed in the mud with a painful thud.
Mallow was still seeing stars as he struggled to his feet. All things considered, he didn't feel too bad. Though he quickly realized why that was when he glanced up. The image of a Life Shroom hovered over his head for a few fleeting moments before fading away. The fall had knocked him out after all.
And Shy Guy was the last player remaining.
Shy Guy tried to keep a straight face as he saw the excavator begin its journey down the hill. He kept blasting the M013's arms with Super Scope shots, glancing up at the mountain occasionally.
Shy Guy: It was a struggle not to just stop and stare at the excavator. Everything was riding on it, but I also couldn't let Anderson know something was up. If he found a way to block it or something, then we were done for.
He barely managed to suppress a gasp as the excavator flew off the cliff. He watched as it began to tip over in the air, landing on its bucket and bouncing. Its tip turned into a full spin, tumbling end over end as it bounded down the mountain faster and faster, heading right for a clear lane of forest.
Shy Guy: Mallow… please tell me you got out of there.
As the excavator thundered through the forest, still rolling as it went, the sound of its descent finally reached the fortress. It was a cacophony of crushing metal, splintering plants, thudding earth, and rushing air.
Anderson heard the noise as well. "What is that?" he shouted. He frantically fumbled with the M013's controls, but the treads were so full of ballista bolt holes that he couldn't even turn to see what was coming. He slowly lowered the arms and just stared at Shy Guy. His gaze was a mixture of fear, frustration, and… pride?
The sound of the two machines colliding was deafening – a metallic shriek, dull thud, and explosion all mixed into one. The excavator crumbled into shards of metal and fiery machine parts upon impact. Miraculously, the M013 was still intact, though not perfectly. Its back was mostly caved in and, more importantly, the impact had knocked it off balance.
Shy Guy held his breath as the M013 wobbled back and forth on the edge of its tread. He genuinely could not tell if it would land upright or fall. It teetered for what felt like an eternity until finally, with a low metallic groan, the metal mole menace tipped forward. The machine fell face first, burying itself several feet in the mud. The shockwave of its impact shook even the fortress.
After a few moments, Shy Guy fell to his knees, chucked the Super Scope off the roof, and let out a victorious cry of "Yes!"
Anderson Blooper and the M013 laid defeated in the mud. The players had won.
The rain went on for a few more minutes, just long enough to wash the mud off of everyone, but by the time they returned to the beach, the clouds had cleared, and they could see a brilliant orange sunset on the horizon.
Anderson was the last one to arrive, having needed some help to escape from the M013's muddy tomb. When he arrived, he held out three blue mushrooms. "Here," he said quietly. "These Super Shrooms should heal any extra damage you took." The players quickly devoured them without a word. By the time they finished, each player was standing up a bit straighter and looking a bit more radiant. "Before we get to the results, I need to apologize," said Anderson. "The whole 'trying to kill you with a giant mech' thing really went above and beyond this game's usual fare."
Shy Guy grinned. "All is forgiven. It was scary as heck at the time, but I came out of that feeling like a true action hero."
"Yeah, that really reminded me of my days with Mario!" said Mallow.
Toadiko didn't meet his gaze. "Mhm."
Toadiko: Honestly, I'm still mad at Anderson. Those were by far some of the scariest hours of my life. Perhaps a bit less scary than the Shroob invasion, but still up there. That being said, I've already started to look back on some of the scarier moments earlier in the game fondly, so perhaps this will become another fond memory in due time. Anderson better hope so.
"While things got a bit down to the wire at the end, with two of you being knocked out, you still performed admirably," said Anderson. "I honestly wasn't sure if this was a mission you could win, but I guess you proved me wrong."
Mallow pumped his fist in the air. "Yeah we did!"
"Needless to say, you have won the full prize for this mission. So without further ado, allow me to present the final total for the team pot!"
Team Pot
222,000 coins
plus
60,000 coins
Result: 282,000 coins
Possible: 500,000 coins
Toadiko: Hey, we managed to earn over half the pot! The Mole still stole a lot from us, but this still feels like a victory.
Mallow: I can't believe one of us is about to win all that money! It's kinda sad that only one of us gets it though. Everyone worked so hard to get where we are.
They basked in their victory for a few minutes, but as soon as the sun passed all the way below the horizon, Anderson's look grew grim.
"Players, you remember what I said at the beginning of the episode, right?"
The trio looked warily at each other as the realization dawned on them. Their camaraderie had come to an end for the final time.
"When you called, you said that the final execution would be at sundown," recalled Toadiko.
Anderson nodded. "Follow me."
Before properly beginning the execution, each player was pulled aside to answer a few questions regarding the final results. First: "Why should we think you are the Mole?"
Shy Guy: Because, unlike Mallow and Toadiko, I've shown very little of my true self. I'm the only player wearing a mask… both literally and metaphorically. And agent needs to keep himself at an arm's length from the people he sabotages, and that's exactly what I've done.
Toadiko: Because I'm the most knowledgeable player. To be a good Mole, you have to understand everything about the missions you're trying to ruin, and I'm the most well-read of us all. My knowledge has made me a leader in a good number of missions, giving me the power to ruin them or make myself look like the hero.
Mallow: Because I'm nice! A Mole needs to lull you into a false sense of security, right? Well I'm the best fit for that. Shy Guy's too closed off and snarky, and Toadiko gets mad pretty easily. How could you suspect me when I'm being so sweet?
"Why should we think you are not the Mole?"
Mallow: Also because I'm nice! The Mole has to be willing to strike without mercy, and I don't know if I have that in me. I'd end up letting the players win because I really want to see them happy.
Shy Guy: Because I've been so shy for so much of the game. The Mole is a very psychological game. You need to trick players and manipulate them into messing up. That's pretty hard to do when you spend the first few episodes only muttering to a select few people.
Toadiko: Because I wear my heart on my sleeve. I'll admit, I'm really easy to tick off, and I'm also really easy to overwhelm. You need to be in absolute control of yourself to be an effective Mole, but I'm a bit too passionate for that.
"Why are you going to win?"
Toadiko: Because I'm observant and a good memory. I answered the most questions by far in Flashback Fun. Even if my opponent has managed to memorize everything in their journal, I'm likely to recall it faster and win based on time.
Mallow: Because I've learned from my friends. Even though Mario was executed, he was still an incredible player, and I learned a lot from him – enough to make it here. And since then I've kept learning from Timpani, Mona, Shy Guy, and Toadiko. They've all helped me pick out important clues and learn to think on the Mole's terms. With all those lessons, I'm gonna blaze through that quiz and ace it!
Shy Guy: Because I'm the only one who's played the social game. I've done my fair share of deception over the course of the game, and that means I've seen things differently the whole time. I've had the chance to notice behaviors that no one else has. And, of course, I'm the only one who's read the dossier.
Anderson led the final three along one of the destructive paths he tore through the forest, all the way up to the mine. Without a word, he entered, and the players followed suit. The depths held a new sense of foreboding now that the three of them were together with the host. No longer was the winding tunnel part of a tense race, nor was it a refuge. It was finality.
Anderson silently led them through the main chamber, stepping carefully over the gash the M013 tore in the ground. He walked right up to the end of the chamber, where the iron door was now missing.
Toadiko: Hmm, I wonder if they sealed the way to Fiend's Burrow on purpose. If we ran down there then Anderson wouldn't follow, since he wouldn't want to destroy the location of the final execution quiz.
They walked down the final tunnel in total silence, each player separately processing the fate they would soon face. For the two true players, they faced perhaps their greatest trial so far – a battle to finally claim victory over the Mole. The Mole, however, was at ease. With each mission finished and no chance of victory, their job was finally over. All that faced them was a quiz whose answers they knew by heart.
The Mole: All I can do is wait for my reveal. To my plucky adversaries: you've done well to make it this far. May the best Mole-hunter win.
Anderson, Shy Guy, Mallow, and Toadiko passed under the neon sign once more, marking their return to the game's final room: the titular Fiend's Burrow. The players had previously been too preoccupied with the dossier to get a look around, but it was actually surprisingly cozy. Though the walls and floor were dirty stone, the center of the room was covered in a rug and decorated with a rustic table and chair. Lining the back wall were a set of old couches that looked big enough to fit about ten people total.
But what grabbed the players attention the most were the jail cells. Three cells were built into the left wall, and three were built into the right. The rusted gates of the left cells were all open and sitting inside each of them was a laptop.
"This is the end of the line," said Anderson. "Here you will face not ten, but twenty questions about the identity and actions of the Mole – questions that span the entirety of the game. For our two real players, whichever one of you answers the most questions correctly (or answers the fastest, in the case of a tie) will triumph over the Mole, win the game, and go home with 282,000 coins. And for our other player, you will become the Mole's eighth and final victim."
He motioned for the players to enter their cells. They did so without a word, and Anderson calmly closed the gates behind them.
"If anyone still needs it: good luck," said Anderson. "And welcome to your final execution."
Final Execution Quiz
#1 – Which limo did the Mole arrive in at the beginning of the game?
-First
-Second
-Third
-Fourth
Shy Guy: So they're including every possible answer, instead of just the ones that apply to the three of us? This is gonna be tricky.
#2 – Did the Mole successfully retrieve in outfit during Bag Shooter?
-Yes
-No
-The Mole was shooting the bags
Mallow: This was the first time Shy Guy cost the group money for an exemption, but it was far from the last.
#3 – How did the Mole travel to the fortress in Super Mole Bros?
-By car
-By boat
-By helicopter
-By motorcycle
#4 – In what order did the Mole arrive on the roof in Rooftop Run?
-First
-Second
-Third
-Forth
-Fifth
-Sixth
-Seventh
-Eighth
-The Mole was answering questions instead
Shy Guy: I know Toadiko's afraid of heights, but her fear cost us big time in that mission.
#5 – Which of the Master's challenges did the Mole take on?
-The kart challenge
-The gambling challenge
-The maze challenge
-The cooking challenge
-The coin challenge
#6 – Was the Mole a runner or a guider in Poached Corn?
-Runner
-Guider
#7 – Which floor was the Mole stationed on during Castle Crashers?
-First
-Second
-Third
Toadiko: So much went wrong in that mission, from the jammed Super Scopes to the number of times Bowser and his troops managed to get by us.
#8 – Was the Mole's guest a blood relative?
-Yes
-No
#9 – What color was the Mole's key in Volcanic Breakout?
-Red
-Orange
-Yellow
-Green
-Blue
-Indigo
-Violet
Toadiko: This quiz really validates how detailed my journal has been. There were times when I wasn't sure how minute I should've been, but there's no way I'd remember something like this if I hadn't written it down!
#10 – What was the Mole's role in Ranch Revolt?
-Lookout
-Cowboy
-Counter
#11 – Which mission did the Mole repeat at the Remix Carnival?
-Pipeline Rocketboard
-Bag Shooter
-Super Mole Bros.
-Tops and Trapdoors
-Rooftop Run
-The Master's challenges
-Greed of the Miner
-Poached Corn
-Hairy Situation
-Castle Crashers
-Molesque
-Volcano Surfing
-Volcanic Breakout
-Gameshow Teaser
-Overheating Odyssey
-Ranch Revolt
-Investigation on the Cactuar Express
-Duel in Orangarst
-Humble Host
-Cultural Criminal
-The Assassination Plot
-Flashback Fun
-Hunt for the Dossier
-Showdown with the M013
-Execution Quizzes
Mallow: I remember this question being long last time, but this is just ridiculous!
Shy Guy: Is this every single mission we've faced.
Toadiko: This just goes to show how much work we've all put in. Consequently, it shows how desperate we are to win.
#12 – Who did the Mole duel first in Orangarst?
-Jolene
-Monty
-Daisy
-Mario
-Wolley
-Timpani
-Mona
#13 – Did the Mole do their task in Humble Host, and is that what their victims thought they would do?
-The Mole did do their task, as expected
-The Mole did do their task, which was unexpected
-The Mole didn't do their task, as expected
-The Mole didn't do their task, which was unexpected
#14 – Which of these things did the Mole do in Cultural Criminal?
-Knock over paint
-Go down a fire escape
-Jump between open windows
- Catch a thief
Mallow: These questions are starting to get pretty recent, but that's making me nervous. Everyone remembers these, so it's easier for someone to answer them quickly and pull ahead. That's assuming I can even get a tie.
#15 – How did the Mole get into Governor Skullington's mansion?
-The Mole posed as a waiter
-The Mole used their status
-The Mole posed as an attendant
#16 – How many questions did the Mole buzz on in Flashback Fun? Only include questions where they were first and on time.
-Fewer than 5
-5-9
-10-12
-13-15
-More than 15
#17 – Where did the Mole begin during the hunt for the dossier?
-Atop the mountain
-On the beach
-In the villa
-In the forest
-In the mine
-In the fortress
-In the bunker
Shy Guy: Seems that we missed at least one secret on this island. The fact that we weren't observant enough worries me a bit.
#18 – How did the Mole attack the M013?
-With the Super Scope and ballista
-With Bob-ombs
-With the Volt Shroom and excavator
-With banana peels
-The Mole never successfully hit the M013
#19 – How many times have I typed the Mole's name during executions?
-Never
-Once
-Twice
-Three times
-Four times
-Five times
-Six times
-Every time
Mallow: Here we go. Let's do this one last time!
Shy Guy: It's time for my final answer.
Toadiko: It's the question that we'll finally hear the answer to soon.
Mallow: Who…
Shy Guy: Is…
Toadiko: The Mole?
#20 – Who is the Mole?
-Mallow Nimbus
-Shy Guy Maskio
-Toadiko Shroomose
One by one, the players answered the question that had been plaguing them for weeks and shut their laptops. After all this time, after many miles travelled, many adventures weathered, many coins won and lost, they were at the end.
The Mole: Fiend's Burrow was over.
Standing atop Molehill Island's mountain, illuminated only by moonlight, was Anderson. "Here we are," he said, speaking directly to the audience. "After eight exhausting episodes, the players have finally completed their journey. However, while this game of The Mole has come to close, we still have a few loose ends to tie up. Namely: who is the Mole? Join us next week, when we reunite our fallen players, reveal the winner, and finally unveil the fiend once and for all!"
He waved happily as the camera pulled away. "See you soon – back in Fiend's Burrow!"
Author's Notes: The final quiz has been completed. Next time, it's finally time to reveal our Mole!