Hey guys, it's been such a long time, and I'm sorry that…
Wait…
…
… A fast update?!
I suppose this winter vacation has given the unprecedented : ) Haha, and I was so happy reading some of your words that some of you sent me. Thanks for being so nice and supportive!
So please enjoy this middle of Episode 7 as the mystery of the Mole…and pretty much the entire game…continues.
Episode 7 (Part 3)
In the morning, the city was different. The streets were less crowded than they had been bustling the night before, and cars didn't turn every corner. The sound of engines and busy crowds were absent, and instead, the echoes of chirping birds replaced the urban sounds of the city.
"It's like the city is gone," Tiny commented in astonishment, looking out the window.
Tiny: Everything of last night. The hunt, the items, the drama…a new day. But did I want to continue?
"Oh…you again." Lifting up her pillow with puzzled eyes, she saw her journal, as she picked it up to tuck it under her arm with ambivalent feelings. She looked down at it, a bit sadly.
"You're not just keeping notes on the Mole's acts in the game," Tiny said, giving tucked book under her arm a little pat, just as if it were a miniature pet she had been keeping since Day 1. Her words were talking to herself.
"You're also jotting down every bit and piece of my mind too." She opened her eyes, staring ahead.
"Not all have been awesome, but, well, you're going to know everything." She looked at her open hotel door, ready to exit and to join the others. But before she did, she took in a deep breath, then let it out.
"If one more thing happens that you don't like, journal…it might just be the thing to push me over the stress limit and make me crack in this game for good," Tiny said, her voice low in ambivalent feelings. Journal in her hand, she carefully made her way down the hall.
Before she left, however, a thought from her latest page in her journal lingered in her head, secretly haunting her as she walked down the hotel corridor with a bothered and troubled look on her face, and even as she changed her mind and headed back:
Never tell Éclair that you had the same dream as her…solve what's going on first.
Snifit entered one of the open rooms in the hallway, immediately surprised to see it folded into a room of neatness. In the open room, Éclair was sitting on her bed, packing her clothes into her luggage container. As Snifit entered, he looked around with confusion.
"Hi Éclair," began Snifit, a bit curious and looking around.
"Hello…Snifit," Éclair said, turning around and smiling at him. But her smile was small, as Snifit coughed with noticed cognition. He stared at the bed.
"You're very neat. We just arrived last night, and wow…it's as if no one touched here at all," Snifit continued with a surprised look. Éclair simply continued to pack, picking up a pair of dirty shoes and putting it into another bag.
"I wish we could laundry our stuff," Snifit said with a laugh. Éclair didn't reply, as Snifit frowned. Then, he tried to put on another smile.
"You do know that McHallyboo told us we're staying here for the next three days…and we shouldn't pack until then because three of us will be continuing on into the final three, right?" Snifit said with a small, meek grin. Éclair paused for a bit, then continued her packing of her clothes, as Snifit frowned again.
"You're packing up," he began, surveying the room, "It's as if you're…the next…executed victim." His voice faded, looking at her strange.
"Why…exactly are you packing, anyway?" In silence, the princess turned to face him. She looked down first, then turned to face Snifit fully with a resolute face. Snifit looked back at her, startled, as she spoke.
"I am making the decision…to not continue further in this game," the princess said in soft voice. Snifit's eyes widened with shock.
"At the next execution…I will be self-executing." As Éclair finished, she simply turned around to continue to continue packing her second pile of clothes. At this, Snifit shook his head vigorously with a dazed face.
Snifit: Wait…what? Why?
"I don't…get it?" Snifit said in a slightly alarmed voice. "Well, I don't get it at all. What do you mean…why are you deciding to quit?" As Snifit blabbered his question, Éclair spoke again.
"My journey here…has been more than amazing," she said, holding a small smile. "I have experienced so many wonders in this game, and met many people. But now…I cannot go any longer. It is my turn to reach my end." She continued her packing.
"And so…on the next quiz, I will aim to answer as many questions I believe are incorrect. It is simple." As Snifit still held a stunned expression on his face, Éclair's smile increased even more, as she stopped packing for a second and turned to him again.
"While I leave…the three of you three go on. You…go on." She smiled, before turning back.
"It may be best…that the final three consists of those who deserve to be there." With that, she continued to pack in silence. As she continued not to speak, Snifit spoke up instead, his eyebrows raised.
"Is this because of Dashell?" he asked. Éclair turned around, flustered.
"What? Why…that is silly! Why would I…I suppose…no, this has nothing to do with that individual! I…I am doing this on my own will." As Éclair ignored Snifit's skeptic look, the player shook his head.
Snifit: Hmm.
"I think this game reminds you too much of Dashell," Snifit said in a voice of certainty, eyeing the princess, his voice fluctuating. "And you want to leave all of this behind." Snifit turned to the clothes in Éclair's hands, as she looked at him with surprised eyes.
"And because he's gone," Snifit said, thinking and looking at the ceiling, "you feel like you're gone too. Right? It's okay. I kinda know." Not knowing what to say anymore, Éclair only sighed and looked down at the jacket she was holding. It was the sports jacket she had worn at the end of Episode 6, given by Dashell.
"I joined this game…," Éclair said, closing her eyes with a bit of defeat. "To see another world. And now that I have….it is time to go back and forget this all. I do not want…any memories to remain," she concluded, and she let go off the track jacket and let it fall to the carpet of the room with a small sound. Snifit turned to it, eyes slightly shocked and sad at her action. But even though she had tears in her eyes, Éclair smiled again.
"Thank you, Snifit, for being my friend in my journey here. And now…all you can do is win. Win the game." As Éclair turned away sadly, Snifit bent over and picked up the track jacket into his own hands. He looked at it hard and intensely, then with another head shake, turned to Éclair.
"Do not quit." His voice was strong, almost urgent, as Éclair turned around with surprise.
"Don't," Snifit said in an insistent and solid voice. "Keep playing this game. You're not done yet. Go." Éclair, conflicted, was looking down at the mattress.
"I have…no reason to play anymore," Éclair replied, her voice quiet. "I…cannot play for myself anymore. I cannot go on."
"Then if you can't play for yourself, play for someone else…" continued Snifit, his voice sturdy as he paused. He walked over to Éclair, and put the track jacket back in her lap.
"Play for Dashell," he finished. At this sentence, Éclair looked up at Snifit with wide eyes. In reply, the player in red only nodded.
In the darkest room at that moment, Piantissimo sat on the edge of his bed. Like every other player, he was holding something in his hands as well, something more personal to him that he had owned since the beginning of his life.
"What did she mean…end the game happy?" he repeated, thinking to himself as a crack of light loomed into the room from a hole in the curtain. He turned around, looking at the light that slipped in, then back around at the floor. He almost gasped, looking at his very own shadow that was cast on the carpet.
"It's…it's not me." Then, he hung his head, almost in a sigh of defeat.
Piantissimo: Maybe I was playing this game wrong the whole time.
"I cannot play under a disguise anymore. I have to play as…who I am."
Piantissimo: And that I'll be. Goodbye.
And with that, he threw his mask onto the bed surface beside him, stood up, and headed down the stairs of the hotel.
"Uh, what's taking Piantissimo so long?" Tiny asked, throwing her hands up into the air. She, Snifit, and Éclair were waiting on the first floor of the hotel, given instructions to wake up early for the beginning of their second day.
"It's not like we're in a rush or anything," Snifit said, scratching his head, then reasoned, "McHallyboo gave us no instructions for a mission. In fact, I know we don't have one."
Snifit: Just like that. We were all just sitting in the lobby. All with our own secrets, and intense feelings, but nothing. Nothing. We all pretended like nothing happened.
"Well, whatever," Tiny concluded, and faced her partners with a wide smile, getting their attention.
"Hi guys! I…just want to say hi, and good luck to all of us. The final four. Whoo!" Tiny let out a small shout of enthusiasm, putting her hand into the air. Seeing the other two's confused reactions, she just smiled sheepishly.
"I just want to say that this game really has been a bit fun, and I'll miss all of it and most of you guys when it's over," she concluded, her eyes turning to the side a bit. "I...there have been times where I've wanted to pull my pigtails out. But right now, I'm just content being here. For now. Watch me change my opinion tomorrow." Snifit and Éclair smiled in reply.
"I understand," Éclair replied, smiling and looking down. "Soon…one of us will be gone, anyways. So even now is a good time…to acknowledge a goodbye, perhaps." Snifit looked at her.
Snifit: This game in unpredictable, so you really can never know what will happen next.
"Four people left…and one Mole," Snifit said, almost inaudibly. He stood in front of an armchair, thinking before sitting down. "I cannot believe it is this stage."
"Does anybody?" Tiny replied in a speculating voice as well. She looked at Snifit, gripping her journal tightly.
Tiny: And just more recently…not even two episodes ago…he's been one of my suspects. In the beginning of the game, not as much, but now I'm back onto him. Could I be right?
"WELL, think we should take the day to relax, huh?" said a voice appearing from the stairs, and they all realized that it was the voice of Piantissimo. "What do you all say?" Not looking at him, everyone nodded, but Snifit was the only one to nod in his direction.
"Yeah, wouldn't it be….WUU?" Snifit fell back into his chair, eyes open wide with jolt. As Piantissimo began walking down the stairs, the other players' mouths were agape with shock. As the player got closer to them with each step of the stairs he took, it became even clearer to the others that his appearance had changed drastically for the game. The character, having always worn a mask of concealment, was obscured no more as he made his way to the others.
"Your mask…" Éclair said, startled and a bit carefully. "Did you perhaps forget to…put it on?" Piantissimo shrugged, tilting his head to the sky.
"No," he said, a bit proudly to them all. "I didn't forget anything at all."
Piantissimo: To start anew, I had to look and be anew. This was the episode.
"What do you identify as, anyway?" Tiny immediately began to question. "Pianta, or human?" Piantissimo frowned, but more in confusion than offense.
"I do not even know," he replied, looking nonchalant. "But I want to start as the real me. And no longer a fake person." Tiny, still looking slightly baffled, sighed.
"At least one less person in this game is wearing a mask," she replied, chuckling, and then slightly nudged Snifit on the shoulder. "No offense."
"Everyone's still wearing a mask in this game," Snifit replied smartly. "And none of us…have taken them off." As everyone listened to his line they nodded together in realization.
"Glad to see you are all awake," came the host's voice, entering from the other side of the big room. The others turned to him right away.
"The city night life is over…for now. It's quite peaceful outside. Take this time to explore the city. It's much more peaceful and different in the morning. You'll have an important small mission in store for tonight. So be prepared." The four players looked at the host, nodding in obedience.
"We woke up just to explore more?" Piantissimo asked, a little distrustful.
"Don't be suspicious of everything," the host said with a hat tip. "I know it's hard not to…human."
"Huh…" Piantissimo scoffed in reply at the host's statement.
"Well, I'm not complaining," Tiny huffed with liberation, smiling. "I need…a break from this game. Phew….thank you McHallyboo." She looked towards the exit of the hotel, as Snifit raised his hand slightly.
"Are you allowed to tell us…uh…what is in store for the rest of the episode?" Snifit murmured in wonder.
"Do we have any plans that we are to prepare for?" Éclair asked. As everyone turned McHallyboo, he shrugged them away.
"Hmm…" McHallyboo looked at his watch, then at the players.
"Just make sure to meet me tonight, at 8PM…and then we shall travel to a special location. A place where…you will make the ultimate choice of survival for this episode".
And with this last line, the players couldn't help but feel that it was almost as mysterious as the host's final line: the one he had uttered at the end of the scavenger hunt the day before.
The city library was located on the outskirts of the town.
"Have you heard of this?" McHallyboo handed an open book to the person beside him, who looked at it curiously. The host had opened a page up for them to read.
"The Psychology…of Money Offers?" the Mole read. "No, I have never read about this subject before."
"The first term in that chapter explores a very fascinating phenomenon…about economics and a certain game of fairness," McHallyboo said, facing a plethora of books that littered the inside of the library shelf and admiring it.
"It is…quite fascinating," the Mole replied, flipping the page again. "But what does this have to do with the game?"
"Just a little preview for tonight…" the host said, then stopped. He spotted another book from the shelf slowly, as he took it out slowly.
"You should also take this book…it might come in handy when you're in the final episode." As the host turned to the Mole with the smile and gave them a book, the saboteur read the title of the book that McHallyboo had handed them. Words glistening, the Mole couldn't help but feel a little bit unnerved.
The Wonders of Time Traveling
The night fell quickly. As the players were getting to the end of their long-winded day, the four of them took the time to spend final moments either taking last notes, settling brief thoughts in their journals, or reflecting on their game. As the moon shined in the sky, the last person to enter the location, in which all four players had already gathered, was McHallyboo.
Tiny: We were in like a large plaza-like area, and on the wall of a building, there was a screen so bright that it hurt my eyes…probably ALL of our eyes. And I was a bit nervous on how the next game would exactly work.
It was a titillating and intriguing area of the city, on elevated land and above many of the other buildings that littered the bright town. In front of them all, an enormous screen upon the side of a building glistened to them, making them squint as they stared upon the large glass before them.
"Thank you all for meeting me here," the host began, grinning, "And my, you are all dressed wonderfully for the occasion."
"Forced to," Snifit said with an uncomfortably stiff body. Piantissimo and Snifit, wearing tuxedos each, were dressed in attire that matched most of the city folk who straddled on the streets during the scavenger hunt. Tiny and Éclair were suited as well in elegantly styled dresses, their dresses sparkling almost as much as the screen before them. The next game would be played by the four elite-dressed players.
"In this game, you will play with your partners from the Scavenger Hunt," McHallyboo said in explanation, as each player glanced and nodded at their respective players. "And you will either…work together, or not work together." In the silent air, the four players looked at McHallyboo.
Piantissimo: A game of trust…or none at all.
"What is the game we are going to play?" Éclair asked, a little fearfully. McHallyboo's eyes shined.
"If you have ever heard of this, then you will know how it works," McHallyboo began. "But you will each be playing…the Ultimatum game." Everyone turned to each other at the mission's name.
Snifit: Ultimatum game? Oh no. It sounded intriguing, but it didn't sound safe at all.
"Psychologists and economists have used this little game for years to study the behaviors of people…and we will make it a game here in the Mole as well." The host's eyes twinkled, before he continued again.
"You could win up to the potential of…" the host began, and with his sentence, he opened his hand, displaying a set of metallic coins to the players as each one of them knew immediately what they were.
"Ten Plus 1's." Hearing this statement, the players' eyes all widened with shock.
Snifit: Oh boy…that was the largest quantity of prizes a person has ever been able to win in this game.
"TEN…plus 1's?" Tiny shouted in a bit of disbelief. "What?"
"That's quite ludicrous," Piantissimo quietly in amazement. "But I'm sure it won't be that simple?" McHallyboo chuckled.
"The game works very simply," the host elaborated. "One person in your pair chosen at random, Player A, will determine how to split the prize collection of ten Plus 1's, between him or her and their partner. They will make a proposal on how to split the prize pot between the two. Then…" Suddenly, the screen before them shined a bright light of words, making the other players shield their eyes a bit as they looked at the words on the screen. They all saw the following, glittering in yellow on the gigantic screen before them in grand view:
PLAYER A: X PLUS 1'S
PLAYER B: Y PLUS 1'S
ACCEPT OR REJECT?
"Player B will be brought to the center, and will be shown the proposal Player A has offered them," the host told them all. "If they accept the offer…then each player will receive the respective Plus 1's that the proposal stated, and money will be added to the pot." A large green checkmark glowed from the screen, as the players looked at it with understanding.
"But, if Player B rejects the offer…" McHallyboo finished, as a red X appeared on the screen before them, "then NEITHER person in the pair will win anything…and in addition…no money will be added to the pot." At this line, everyone turned to each other in slight concern.
"So only one person decides how to make the split between the Plus 1's?" Snifit wanted to confirm, as the host nodded. As Snifit turned to Éclair with worry, Tiny looked at Piantissimo with anxious eyes.
"A simple game," the host said, his face glowing from the screen behind him. "But the consequences and results can be...colossal." The words echoed to the player's ears.
Éclair: I was not sure what would happen. For it was an uncertain game we were soon to play.
Tiny: Who knows WHAT offer each of us will make. Or any of us will make in this game. This game was, needless to say, going to be a mind trip. And it was a simple game.
"If your team comes to an agreement…I will add 10,000 coins to the pot," McHallyboo declared, "for a total of 20,000 coins just from this simple game alone. But, if for some reason, your team rejects the offer between the two of you…then you will lose that 10,000 coins." At this final news, the players, now more apprehensive than ever, turned to each other.
"We have to play fair," Éclair said, her eyes showing concern. "That is the only way to guarantee our money is safe, and we all stay equal." She turned to Snifit.
"I guess," Tiny said, conflicted, turning to Piantissimo. "Right? Fair is fair. But which role am I playing, anyway?"
"And also, what exactly is fair-?" Piantissimo wanted to ask, but at that second, there was a bright light that was flashed from the screen, stunning all of them.
FLASH! The players shouted in terror as they ducked from the ferocious light that was immediately flashed from the large television screen, but before they could jerk their heads away in time, it was too late. The world turned into a small lightning of white as everyone in the vicinity was momentarily put into a state of orientation. Lasting for just a few seconds, it was enough for a person to lose orientation for weeks. But then, after a few seconds, one of the players regained consciousness in front of the monitor.
"Uh…ahh….I….I cannot…picture or see…anything."
Snifit was rubbing his eyes, trying to look around.
"My head…huh?" He looked around, realizing with an uttered gasp that no one else was in front of the screen with him. Behind him, a small one-legged table with little coins upon it had made its way to the middle of the floor as well. As he tried to shake his head, he stumbled backwards, seeing McHallyboo standing right behind him.
"Hello Snifit…" the host began. "You are the first one." It was just the two of them, and as the light from the gigantic screen turned off, it was darkness around them as they were left standing together in the dim city plaza.
"You are to make a deal proposal to Éclair," McHallyboo instructed. "As Player A, you must decide how to distribute ten Plus 1's…between the two of you." Snifit nodded, a little nervously then glanced at the small table away from the two of them.
"If Éclair accepts your proposal to split between you two…then you both win the respective amounts of the proposal, and I will add ten thousand coins to the pot." The host bowed his head.
"Leave the number of Plus 1's you desire to give to your partner…on the table over there." McHallyboo motioned towards the metal table, and nodded, as if signifying the beginning of the game.
"You have five minutes to make your offer." As Snifit nodded back, he carefully turned to the table, then anxiously looked down at the prize of coins. Each one, green, had a little "1" marker on them, and the currency of the game of the Mole caused Snifit to make a sound of anxiety and excitement.
"Ten plus 1's," was Snifit's statement in awe, seeing the coins before his eyes.
Snifit: There were…so many prizes. I was picturing myself pocketing all ten coins for myself. But first, that would be wrong to Éclair.….but then…
"She wants to self-execute…maybe she doesn't want these," Snifit thought to himself, his face lighting up as he looked up at the big screen. He looked down at the table, conflicted and a nervous look on his face.
Snifit: If I took all ten…this would guarantee a spot in the final three…but would she accept?
"Oh man…uh…"
And after a minute of thinking, the player made his choice and took his coins into possession, as the bare metal surface shined from the moonlit sky.
Éclair was brought into the center of the plaza. Everything was dark, and she had to follow MHallyboo's hand to be guided to the center of the barely-lit area. The screen was blank, as McHallyboo turned to her. The first round of the game was to reach its conclusion.
"Welcome…Player B," the host began, as Éclair opened her mouth with acknowledgement of her role. The air was calm, and with Snifit nowhere in the scene, it was only the host and Éclair who remained in the center. Between them, a metal table existed, as Éclair put her hand upon it for support.
"It is…your turn for this part of the game." Though they were in the dark, Éclair saw McHallyboo's mouth slowly form a smile.
"Your partner's offer to you will soon be revealed," the host began, as Éclair nodded. "If is up to you to accept…or reject it." The host flipped the monitor in his hand into the air upside-down.
"If you accept…then 10,000 coins will be added to the pot, and you each earn your respective winnings of Plus 1's," McHallyboo explained. "But, if you reject it…no one wins anything, and nothing is added to the pot." He turned directly to the dark screen on the side of the building.
"You will soon be shown…his deal to you." With a bit of fear, Éclair turned to the screen with apprehension.
Éclair: I did not know…what my partner would offer to me. And the game depended on both his offer and my accepting or refusing of the deal.
"Screen….ON!"
At McHallyboo's shout, he pressed down on his remote, and the bright light illuminated the entire center of the city in an instant. Éclair shielded her eyes momentarily, but after the light had settled to an accustomed level, she stared in wonder at the phrase and number that existed on the screen.
At once, the offer was seen to her.
ÉCLAIR: 4
SNIFIT: 6
ACCEPT OR REJECT?
"That is Snifit's deal to you," McHallyboo said in a slightly suave voice, as he dropped a series of coins onto the metal table that stood between them. As Éclair turned to the clunking, she realized that McHallyboo put four Plus 1's besides her on the table. Also upon the table was a red button, the light from the button shining brightly among the coins it resided with.
"Four to you…six to him. Take the coins to take them…or press the red button to reject it." McHallyboo smiled.
"Do you accept…or reject?" As the host looked at Éclair, the princess looked heavily at the table, red button, and coins between them. She opened her mouth to speak.
Éclair: And I knew I had to make one choice. It was a testing and difficult decision.
"To accept this…is to truly seal my fate in this game," Éclair said, bowing her head, "for I will be at most likely a disadvantage to the others." Then, she eyes turned to the red button momentarily.
"But perhaps I…do not have to accept…"
Éclair: If I accepted, then I would be losing….but I knew what choice to make. The only choice in order to make us win as a team. Win the money. And…now, I knew I could only make one choice for this game.
"I accept this offer," she concluded, and she carefully place her hand on the table, taking in the coins and putting it into her dress pockets. McHallyboo nodded.
"Very well," he announced. "I am happy to say that you have earned yourself four Plus 1's for this episode's quiz. Snifit…has won six." Éclair nodded, not sure of her decision, but pleased.
"Please make your way to exit. You have added 10,000 coins to the pot." She bowed slightly to the host, and then with uneasy but content feelings, she made her way out of the plaza.
Piantissimo looked around, a bit quizzically as he made his way into the center of the marble floor. He looked around, noticing the metal table right away, but also seeing that the screen before him was black. In the shadow, McHallyboo stood beside the table.
Piantissimo: And I had the feeling...that it would be me who would be making the split. Oh poot. The most tough decision of all, I felt.
"Look at these," the host began, making his open hand point to the metal table between them. Piantissimo walked up to it, wide eyes staring at the ten coins that sat on its surface.
"You are Player A, and the game is simple," the host continued, remembering his words spoken to Snifit. As Piantissimo opened his mouth
"You have five minutes to decide how to split these ten Plus 1's between you and your partner, who is Tiny." Piantissimo nodded, thinking. The second round was to start, and his single action was the instigator. The player looked at the host.
"And if she accepts, then I get to keep the split that I made, and she keeps the split too," Piantissimo said in a careful voice. The host nodded, confirming his statement.
"And...10,000 coins will be added to the pot," McHallyboo added. "If Tiny rejects her share however...then no money will be won between the two of you." Piantissimo nodded, putting a finger on his goatee.
"I can even take all ten coins if I wanted to," Piantissimo said, trying to confirm. The host glanced at him, a surprised look on his face
"Well…err, technically," the host said in a different voice. "But I don't know how well that would go." Piantissimo shook his hand with a smile.
"I won't do that," the player said, a little bit of a contemplative smile on his face. He looked at the coins, one by one, as McHallyboo stepped back, starting the five minute timer for the player at the table. Piantissimo his hand up to his chin, thinking deeply as he frowned.
Piantissimo: In fact…the decision was difficult. I had this opportunity…to take all ten. But there was no way I would get an acceptance. Not a chance. She is tricky, and has beat me in a game of coins before.
"Should I….do this?" he said with a silent voice. "Hmm…"
In silence, Piantissimo leaned against the metal table, maintaining this position for several minutes. As small buzzes from the traffic of the street a block away filled the air, it wasn't until the last thirty seconds of the time left did Piantissimo finally make his decision.
"I will...play this game like this."
Taking his share of coins, Piantissimo walked back out of the plaza.
As the last player brought to the plaza, Tiny was baffled at her surroundings. Brought into the center of the blank city area, and the fourth player to play her role, it was a look of bewilderment on her face that McHallyboo saw when he finally came to join her. In the dark, Tiny smiled with slight feelings of anxiety as the host approached her.
"I guess it's finally my turn…to play the final round of the game," Tiny spoke with a heavy breath, as McHallyboo nodded with confirmation and looked at her.
"Your role…is that of Player B," McHallyboo began. Tiny listened, eyes ready and understanding of the game.
"Your partner, Piantissimo has made an offer to you. His job was to make a proposal to split ten Plus 1's between him and you. How he did it…and whether you accept it...is up to you" Tiny nodded, closing her eyes.
"Ten Plus 1's….that's a LOT, McHallyboo," Tiny said with an apprehensive look to him. "This could change anyone's game."
"And that's why this game is so important," the host continued, face serious. "If you accept this offer…you both win your respective prizes, and I will add 10,000 coins to the pot. If you decline…" He smiled a bit.
"No one wins any money. And neither you, nor Piantissimo, get any coins of the deal." Taking a small gulp, Tiny just looked up at the host's shadow in front of her.
"Are you ready to see his offer?" he asked her. He raised his remote control for the large screen into the air. Tiny took a heavy breath, this time, with hesitant but sure readiness.
"Yes." With that, the screen flickered once, and then shined on with a jolt of electricity. As the words became apparent to Tiny, she looked at it with a stunned face.
TINY: 5
PIANTISSIMO: 5
ACCEPT OR REJECT?
Mouth closed, Tiny continued to look at the words on the screen.
"You have three minutes to decide," McHallyboo said, and he placed five coins carefully onto the metal table before her, as she blinked at each clink that was made. "Take the coins, or…" The host pointed a single finger at the other object that was situated on the metal table as well: the red button, shining almost as brightly as the screen.
"Or reject. Up to you." As he turned to walk away, Tiny was left with a face of struggle. Then, she put her hand swiftly down on the table in resolution, her fast hand touching the coins as she placed her fingers down.
"I already know my decision," Tiny said, a little bit of relief on her face. "I…do."
"Oh?" McHallyboo said in wonder, turning back around. He smiled, opening up his arms with anticipation.
"Then what would he be?" he asked, and before another word was spoken, Tiny, with a small smile, quick action, and eyes staring with determination and tension, leaned forwards and pressed down on the red button on the table.
"That…is my decision," she voiced resolutely with a small wince, and the screen behind them, like the color of blood from a showdown, turned red.
And…Wow! What decisions, no? What are the reactions of the others from the choices made in this game? Just what? What?
The second of third game finishes…and just one more game remains before the end of the episode and the execution.
Anyways, I took the fun pleasure in replying back to all of you guys : ) My replies were a bit lengthy, but haha, I guess it's good and it's also nice to reply back to you guys while your previous words may be still fresh in your minds! : )
NintendoMLP: No problem! No such thing as a late review. Anyways, what a theory! You make good use of it from the information given. Now that we have some spilled information by McHallyboo of a certain player…just what role does Mimi play in this? And poor Dry Bones; his execution really wasn't justice. Anyways, I'll REALLY miss your step-by-step reviews! They were always a highlight of mine. If you ever decide to do them again, I will be jumping with joy : ) But no pressure, haha. About your Dashell/Éclair story idea, ahh! Just the thought is beautiful haha. The shipping still continues…even when Dashell is gone. This chapter really kept him alive a bit, the beginning part at least with Éclair's mentioning. So in a way, it's like the couple is still going on despite his "death". Haha anyways, Im a sucker for romance stories when I say Im not. Thanks for making me realize -.-
sixthsense6: Shocked? Me too Xd And I wrote this story, haha. But only time will explain it, as well as to see if your predictions become right! It's nice to see you back, Mr. Sixthsense!
FireKai: -sniff- Oh what! I was not crying from the first part of your review, that's ludicrous! –hides hankerchief- Hehe but thanks for always being there : ) I can't believe times flies by so fast! Anyways, it's so cool to know you read the other author's reviews! It makes it a bit of a small community, which is so precious and awesome. Anyways, you brought up important actions in the scavenger hunt that WOULD have made sense (e.g. certain people deciding not to split up), and whether that was intentional or disregarded by me wont be known until the end….haha. But yes, the funny thing is, when splitting up would have helped them here, the fact that they split up in the beginning was their downfall. Irony much? : ) Anyways, favorites! I'm sorry that Mimi was one of your favorites and taken away so early in the game….well…saying that the theory that you know doesn't hold water….. –vanishes-
Perianth: Not going to lie, I wanted to go for an M. Night esque kind of thing Xd I guess it worked! Anyways, you made an interesting list of components for a theory! I compliment you for trying to gather information to compile such an elaborate theory. Only time will tell the truth! And yes, I knew I had to make it customary for Vivian to appear : ) With Wario, Yoshi (and even Luvbi appearing!), Vivian was next on the list and I was trying to find an appropriate way to fit her. I wanted to introduce her in this season as someone who was wise and benevolent, enriched in kindness and wisdom from her experiences in her own game, so that be it. And Bonnie and Clyde, haha, you're so right! Éclair with a gun being even 1 percent fitting is one of the most amusing thoughts that I've ever put together (but weirdly it slightly works lol). Thank you like always for your review : ] And OH GOSH, I have to watch out for your intelligence from now! hehe. : p
Smart One: Haha. Oh. My. God. Your review made me howl, chuckle, slightly cry, chortle, eye with astonishment, scratch my chin, question even myself, worry about my own story, look back at my own story for several hours, gaze with wonder, and overall, howl with laughter and amazement. It was so note-worthy, I had to show it to my little brother (who knows all the Mole truths in this story) and I think he was dying with laughter. Every paragraph you wrote was like its own story. You actually pointed out certain and speculative things that made ME go back to my past chapters and look at things in different lights than I ever thought before. But I will give you this, for your splendid theorizing, that you got a good number of points and speculations right in that they are worth looking into. You were on the right track for like….50 percent (guestimating) of the things you said in terms of the mystery surrounding McHallyboo's line. Going back on other things, your "car-Piantissimo" theorizing/wondering also made me question that scene. But I loved the way your phrased "RIGHT INTO HIS BODY", and mentioned how he made little reaction to it. It kind of sent me those strange chills you get when you read some weird gaming creepypasta theory. I can't believe you managed that feeling in me. Hur, impressive. Your last line of your review you wrote also had me on the floor (more sure of the Mole than the identities of the players). Hmm, I hope when the real truth is revealed about this entire….Mimi enigma… it will be a satisfying, "AHA!" to you. You deserve it! But, to spare you the agony….everything will be revealed at the end of this episode. Overall, thank you for that WONDERFUL THEORY AS IT WAS AMAZING! It was the greatest read I have pretty much ever gotten from you, or anyone in a review.
DarkPunxy: Right? Didn't the players see that? But what does that mean? Aha, the "nah" at the end of your review gave it such voice. It's like that character in a story who finds all this compelling evidence, but he's just like, "Nah, that can't be the answer to the treasure", when it actually is. Anyways, thanks for your review!
Guest: I like the spacing of your review! It's very real-time thought like, haha, and a nice read. Anyway, good picking out at the sabotages in the mission! There were definitely a bunch that you smartly picked out, from sunglasses, to blaming…just what was the Mole's line? And your mentioning of Snifit being pwned by Éclair, haha, it's such a trope to have a male character being pwned by a female character at an unexpected event, so I like that it happened. Also, your second review had good theory! I like how towards, the end you became more ballistic and crazier. I seriously LOL'd at your mentioning of the directors possibly stuffing Snifit;s body into a bag and ridding it…the producers would do something like, haha. Imagine a conspiracy? :o Oh goodness! But you had many good points Xd Anyways, thank you so much for your review!
Vivalahomestar: Haha! " I don't even care who the Mole is, I just need to figure out what the heck is going on with Mimi!" I almost died laughing from that line. I guess this episode kind of turns the mystery another direction, doesn't it? Anyways, let's see...wow, MP7 was your first! That's a pretty cool notion and I wonder how differently you view the series than me (lol, Im old and started back then). Your prediction about the rocket on the board…I wont say fi youre right, but youre right. Haha, and I'll only spoil his to you, but the rocket ship plays a HUGE role later towards the end of this episode. I like how you analyzed the Scavenger mission: I definitely wanted to go back to the simple roots, at the same time, not going all the way back to Base 1. And GREAT suspicious! I liked how you justified their rankings. And also their sabotages. Like how you stated some sabotage might have not actually been "sabotage". Anyways, I look much forward to your final suspect list once it's down to the final three : )!
Jesterboobro: Oh man! You got me. Really, really good. True, if this were any other story….that car hit would have been the end of Piantissimo ; ) Thanks for getting into my psyche! Also, are you sure the host wouldn't murder someone intentionally for the game? ; )…..wait, what the heck am I even saying. Just…scratch that notion. Never think of it again, HAHA.
Luigenius: Always a pleasure to see your name! : ) Anyways, ah yes, and the mysteries continue! I am sorry for throwing a ukiki wrench at you (and for you having to call me salty dog Xd), but to make it better, I think you win an award for asking the most questions in a successive row in a review, ahahaaa! (pointing to the end of your main paragraph). Kudos, kudos, lol. Anyways, I'm actually happy in this point of my story, you have been surprised and confuzzled, even if it's not about the identity of the Mole. What a thought! And, anyways, YES COLLEGE! Wait, LAST SEMESTER? Me too! Wait…are we…the same school year? –touches mirror dramatically in a lost twin-esqe fashion.- Haha, everyone I ever know on fanfiction is either five years younger or five years older than me. Anyways, thanks for your review! (well, like always : ) !
Elegance Silenced: Hi! It is always a privilege to see "new" people! haha. Wait…your name is so familiar. It's an awesome penname and now I just wish I made mine as cool as yours Xd anyways, thanks for the compliment! Means a lot! And wow, what an awesome analyzing piece in your review! I like how you took a single line from the speaking between the two of them from Episode 7's intro, and made it a huge depth look. You made terrific points indeed! I also like how to looked back at LITTLE things from four episode back! (referring to the "camp" scene that you mentioned in your review). I love that! Thanks so much for analyzing and making me think back twice to those scenes as well! Big thank you : )
Well, that's that!
Just WHAT MORE ADVENTURES ARE IN STORE FOR THE REST OF THIS EPISODE!
The final four is dwindling down…there isn't much time left. What final mission of the episode is in store for next chapter? And who is….the executed one for Episode 7?
Time will tell! Stay tuned for next! : )
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