LEG 2
The morning arrives, with all ten teams ready to go. Little do they know that at today's pit stop, one team will be eliminated.
Tucker/Valerie, Ember/Youngblood, and Vlad/Dan are up and ready to go. They get their envelopes at 7:30am.
ROUTE MARKER 2.1 – Make your way to Osaka, Japan and find Osaka Castle. Search the grounds around the castle for your next clue. You may use ghost powers to travel around the grounds quicker, but you may NOT use ghost powers to fly across the ocean, you must use an airline.
"Ooh, Osaka," Dan says with glee, "where I can take over the peons of an inferior country."
"Yes, Osaka," Ember adds, "the Japanese crowd goes crazy over pop rockers like me."
They drive off in their SUVs. As they drive closer to the interstate, Vlad suggests a good idea.
"I saw a travel agency on the way in," Vlad says to Dan. "Let's get our tickets there."
Vlad and Dan drive to the AAA in Silver Lake as Ember/Youngblood follow.
As they work for a travel arrangement, 3 more teams prepare to depart. At 8:00am, Danny/Sam, Jazz/Lancer, and Dash/Paulina open up their clue.
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone!" Lancer exclaims. "That's a long, long trip."
"Well, duh," Danny responds, "that's the point of the Amazing Race. Thought you'd know that seeing as how you are a teacher."
As Danny laughs, Lancer glares at him. After the teams get in their cars, Lancer reacts to what Danny just said.
"If Danny wants to be in a random alliance with us, don't let him," Lancer angrily says. "I want him eliminated."
"But, Mr. Lancer," Jazz responds, "you can't be that mean to my brother, who has something to hide...I mean, nothing! Nothing to hide at all!"
Catching Jazz's slip-up, Lancer becomes suspicious. As Danny and Sam pass them for 4th place...
"I'm watching you, Fenton," Lancer thinks to himself.
Meanwhile, the first group of teams has found the quickest way to Osaka.
"So what you're saying is if we drive quickly to Seattle and fly ANA out of there, we can get to Osaka first?" Youngblood asks to the travel agent.
"That is correct," he responds, "but your flight is in 5 hours, and Seattle is a good 3.5 hours away. You'll have to speed up there."
"Good point," Tucker says.
They drive off, hoping to make their 2:00pm flight. It is currently 9:00am. This means that the final group, consisting of Jack/Maddie, Skulker/Technus, Johnny/Kitty, and Spectra/Desiree, has left the campsite and is on the way here. As soon as the first group leaves the travel agency, the 8:00am group arrives to receive some bad news.
"No tickets at all?" Sam exclaims.
"Nope," the travel agent responds. "you cannot travel with your racing rivals. The quickest way there now is to fly Northwest out of Portland, OR, but you'll get there 2 hours later."
Dash sighs. "Give us those."
They all take those tickets and depart for Portland. The final group that comes behind them also grabs the Northwest tickets.
"We can only hope," Skulker says, "that that first group won't make it to Seattle in time."
"And I've got just the way to make that work," Johnny evilly says.
He fires 3 long-range ecto-blasts at the cars heading towards Seattle. They are direct hits on the tires, crippling the cars of Tucker/Valerie, Vlad/Dan, and Ember/Youngblood 1 hour away from the airport. It is 11:30am.
"Drat!" Valerie says. She examines the tire more closely. The mark left behind is of the number 13. "Johnny, you are going down!"
An hour elapses before replacement cars arrive. Under the rules of TAR, a team whose vehicle has broken down through no fault of their own can obtain a replacement vehicle. However, no time credit could be given for such an unlucky break. The teams move into their replacement vehicles, hoping they could get up to the airport and thru security in 90 minutes.
Meanwhile, the other 7 teams arrive in Portland and get on their flight. The reason for the two hour discrepancy would be a layover in Tokyo.
At the same time, Tucker/Valerie, Vlad/Dan, and Ember/Youngblood arrive at the airport with only 28 minutes until their flight departs. They have their tickets, but security lines are 20 minutes long.
As a last-ditch effort, Tucker uses his PDA to access the FAA's controls.
"What are you doing?" Valerie asks.
"I'm disabling the ANA plane until we can reach the plane," Tucker answers.
"Oh," says Ember, who overhears the conversation. "That's real smart."
The group is able to make their flight with Tucker's scheme.
All ten teams are on their way to Japan, with Tucker/Valerie, Vlad/Dan, and Ember/Youngblood getting a non-stop flight from Seattle to Osaka. All the other teams must transfer through Tokyo and therefore arrive in Osaka 2 hours later.
Arriving first at 7:00am Japan Time (JST), Vlad/Dan are first out of the airport, followed quickly by Tucker/Valerie and Ember/Youngblood. They each decide to take the train to downtown, and are all on the same subway. Arriving at the same time 1 block away from the Osaka Castle, Vlad/Dan reaches the castle first. Vlad turns into his ghost form and agrees with Dan to fly in different directions, searching for the route marker. Ember and Youngblood do the same, leaving Tucker and Valerie to go on foot. Suddenly, Ember sees it.
"There it is," Ember thinks, "but I have to grab it quickly and fly away so no one else knows the position of the Marker."
She grabs the clue and then goes to search for Youngblood, who coincidentally is nearby. They get out of the area and open the clue.
ROUTE MARKER 2.2: Travel by bullet train to the city of Kyoto, Japan and find the Nintendo World Headquarters. No ghost powers may be used to find this Route Marker.
Unfortunately for the lead team, Tucker was tracking Ember's ecto-signature using his PDA.
"It's cool that I can use this PDA on this race for most anything," Tucker says in his post-leg confessional, "but it's too bad that they won't let me have GPS capability. That would've given us the race right there."
Tucker tracks the ecto-signature to the route marker and he and Valerie head for the train station in hot pursuit of Ember/Youngblood. 15 minutes later, a frustrated Vlad finally finds the clue and they head off to Kyoto. At the train station, after paying 1380 yen (US$12) for tickets, Ember/Youngblood grab a train that is ready to go. Much to their glee, the train departs before Tucker/Valerie can get there.
"Aw, shoot," Valerie says, "And now we have to wait another 12 minutes before another train."
This discrepancy allows the fast Vlad/Dan team to catch up with them, and they load onto the same train to Kyoto.
As they depart for Kyoto, Ember/Youngblood arrive in Kyoto. Conveniently, the Nintendo HQ is only 3 blocks away. In front of the building, Ember/Youngblood encounter the next route marker: a detour.
DETOUR 2: WORK OR PLAY
WORK: Travel 2 blocks to Shikado Indoor Swimming Pool where you must complete a breathing exercise underwater.
PLAY: Travel 10 miles to Miyamoto Arcade where you must complete a dancing tutorial.
Ghost powers may not be used for traveling to or completing either challenge.
Little do they know the pros and cons of these vague instructions. In work, the team would have to complete a process known as drownproofing. Drownproofing is a technique where a person can breathe and bob above the surface of the water at the same time. In this Detour, it will be taken to the extreme, as each team member will have their hands and feet bound together and they will have to survive. They would have to each stay in this position for 5 consecutive minutes to complete the Detour. If a team member had to be rescued, the team would have to go to the back of the line. Teams wouldn't have to go as far and the pool is relatively easy to find, but they would have to complete a challenging task. In Play, the team would have to play a game of Dance Dance Revolution and complete 3 songs with a grade on each of "D" or better. Teams would have to go a far distance and the arcade is in a hard-to-find location, but the task is definitely easier.
"So which one should we do?" Ember asks.
"I think we should do the work," Youngblood responds, "because we are experienced pirates and experienced in the water."
Ember/Youngblood head for the pool. They arrive to see the real task in front of them.
"We have to do THAT?" Ember says. "With our legs and arms bound?"
"Watch how they're doing that," Youngblood says, responding to the people in the water demonstrating the technique.
"I'm scared. I don't want to drown."
"Don't worry, we got those people to rescue us just in case."
Ember nervously walks back and forth for a couple of minutes, trying to reassure herself of the task at hand. They only get going into the pool after Vlad/Dan arrive at the pool, choosing work over play as well. They dive into the pool with their hands and feet bound and begin the technique. They are successful and get out of the Detour first, receiving the next Route Marker.
ROUTE MARKER 2.3: Make your way to the Miyako-zushi Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan where you will find your next clue. You may travel using any method except using ghost powers.
As the leaders head for Japan's capital, it is Vlad/Dan's turn to try the Detour task. Luckily for the ghost team, both Vlad and Dan are great at holding their breath, completing the Detour with ease.
While Vlad/Dan travel to Tokyo, Tucker/Valerie are heading to the arcade in a taxi. Lucky for them, the taxi driver knows where the arcade is, getting them to the arcade in a hurry. They discover the DDR challenge, and Tucker is pumped.
"This is my favorite game!" Tucker says. "We are gonna pass this with ease."
"Especially since my dancing skills are unrivaled," Valerie adds.
They pass the challenge easily and head off to Tokyo. All three teams choose to take the Bullet Train to Tokyo.
As the lead pack approaches Tokyo, the 2nd flight, carrying Danny/Sam, Jack/Maddie, Jazz/Lancer, Dash/Paulina, Skulker/Technus, Johnny/Kitty, and Spectra/Desiree, arrives in Osaka. Johnny and Kitty grab the lead heading out of the airport and grab a just-departing subway to grab the advantage. The other teams grab the next subway train. Johnny and Kitty hit the Osaka Castle first and go intangible to search for the Route Marker. A few minutes later, Danny and Sam arrive. Danny dives behind a bush to turn into Danny Phantom, then uses his powers to turn him and Sam invisible as well. In order to keep the couple invisible, Danny has to keep his arm around Sam, a motion that makes Sam blush. As she blushes, Danny spots the Route Marker and the couple gets on the bullet train for Kyoto. Johnny and Kitty follow on the same train as they find the route marker at the same team. Meanwhile, the other 5 teams reach the castle simultaneously. Spectra decides it is time for a little bit of depressing news to slow the other teams down, so she grabs a megaphone out of her backpack.
"You guys aren't gonna get the million dollars anyways," Spectra says, "so why do you continue trying?"
The other four teams become depressed temporarily, letting Spectra and Desiree invisibly grab the Clue and get on a train by themselves, heading to Kyoto in 6th. After another 10 minutes, the remaining teams become anti-depressed and grab the clue at the same time. They get on the same bullet train and head for Kyoto.
At the same time, the lead pack is having troubles of their own in Tokyo. The restaurant where the next clue is is hard to find for the taxi drivers the teams have selected. Suddenly, the taxi driver for Vlad and Dan finds the restaurant. Vlad and Dan get out of the taxi quickly and encounter the Road Block.
ROAD BLOCK 2: Who's up for a feast?
"I'll do it," Dan says, knowing that Vlad did the first Road Block and remembering the RB limit.
ROAD BLOCK 2 OPENED: The person selected must eat 10 sushi rolls before they can receive their next clue. No ghost powers allowed.
"10?" Dan reacts. "That seems like a lot."
But Dan has already dedicated himself to the challenge. He goes in to accept his fate, with Tucker/Valerie and Ember/Youngblood pulling in behind them. Valerie agrees to do the Road Block, as does Ember for her team. The challenge proves to be challenging for Dan, who was never the biggest sushi eater. Meanwhile, Valerie pounds through her sushi in only 18 minutes. After showing that she has indeed eaten all 10, Tucker/Valerie receive their next clue.
ROUTE MARKER 2.4: Make your way to the Pit Stop, located in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan. No ghost powers are allowed to travel until you reach the Hiroshima city limits, then everything is fair game. Warning: last team to check in will be eliminated.
Heeding the warning, Tucker and Valerie depart for the train station. Ember finishes in 24 minutes and they depart as well. Vlad begins to get worried about Dan, who has only finished four rolls.
"We need to get going!" Vlad urges to Dan. "Why can't you finish this stuff?"
"Shut up!" Dan says. "I'm going as fast as I possibly can!"
As Dan continues to struggle in Tokyo, Danny, still in Phantom form, and Sam reach the Detour. Sam is excited that one of her choices is DDR.
"You know that every goth loves DDR," Sam says, "so let's go do that."
"Ok," Danny says, turning back into his human form behind a tree.
They rush off for the arcade, while Johnny and Kitty try their hand at drownproofing. Johnny and Kitty fail the first time, as Kitty was never the best at breathing.
"But I thought you were!" Johnny says angrily to his girlfriend.
"I lied," Kitty answers. "All girls lie."
Meanwhile, Danny and Sam pass the DDR Challenge with ease and they head off for Tokyo. As Johnny and Kitty continue to struggle, the last five teams, Jack and Maddie, Jazz and Lancer, Dash and Paulina, Spectra and Desiree, and Skulker and Technus, arrive at the Detour. Jack/Maddie, Spectra/Desiree, and Skulker/Technus head off for the arcade while Dash/Paulina and Jazz/Lancer walk to the pool. Johnny and Kitty, in the middle of their 3rd attempt at the Detour, see the other teams come in. Alas, they fail once again, and now they must go to the end of the line. Meanwhile, Dash and Paulina, athletic as they are, pass the challenge with ease. They leave for Tokyo in 5th place. Back in Tokyo, the pressure is starting to get to Dan.
"Just eat it!" Vlad urges.
Dan, angry as he is at his partner, swallows his pride and finishes up. They rush to Hiroshima just as Danny and Sam pull up to the restaurant. Reading the Road Block, they both agree that Sam is perfect for this challenge.
As Sam prepares to dig in in Tokyo, the leaders Tucker/Valerie and Ember/Youngblood arrive in Hiroshima. Ember and Youngblood, knowing that they could now use their ghost powers to fly, use that quality to their advantage. They find the memorial quickly and the mat where the Pit Stop Check-In is located. They land on the mat where Phil and a local are waiting.
"Welcome to Japan," the local says.
"Thanks," Ember and Youngblood respond.
"Ember and Youngblood," Phil says. Then he pauses a moment to create dramatic effect. "You are team number one!"
Ember and Youngblood cheer. Ember's hair goes into a blue flame to celebrate.
"Now I've got some good news," Phil continues, "as winners of this first leg of the Amazing Race, you have each won this brand new portable Sirius Satellite Radio, which you can enjoy wherever you want. Congratulations."
Tucker and Valerie show up a few moments later.
"Tucker and Valerie, you're team number two."
Tucker and Valerie high-five each other.
"But we would've been last," Valerie says to Phil, "If it wasn't for that PDA. Thank you technology!"
"Now you're getting the idea!" Tucker responds.
Back in Tokyo, Sam is already finished with her sushi.
"Wow," Danny says, "good job."
"Thanks," Sam responds, "seeing as how I'm vegetarian and all."
They receive the clue and set off for Hiroshima. Meanwhile, back in Kyoto, Jazz and Lancer pass the Detour, with Jazz's aerobic exercise routine paying off. Jack and Maddie have also passed the DDR Challenge and get on the same train as Jazz and Lancer heading for Tokyo. Now it is Johnny and Kitty's turn once again for the drownproofing. Again, they fail, dropping behind Skulker and Technus and Spectra and Desiree, who have each passed DDR. On the next turn, they finally pass drownproofing, but miss the train that Skulker/Technus and Spectra/Desiree took, putting the boyfriend/girlfriend team in last place.
Back in Tokyo, Paulina volunteers to do the Road Block for her team. She finishes quickly and heads off to Hiroshima. Then it is Lancer's turn, and he is amazed at the amount of food on his plate.
"Grapes of Wrath, that's a lot of sushi!" Lancer exclaims.
"But we must hurry!" Jazz urges, "There are other teams coming in!"
Indeed, Jack and Maddie have made it, with Jack, seeing as how he loves to eat, volunteering to go for his team. As the two men race to down the sushi, Vlad and Dan check in in Hiroshima.
"Vlad and Dan, you're team number three."
In Tokyo, it is a dead heat to down the sushi. Jack is the more experienced eater, though, and finishes as Lancer still has 3 rolls to go. Jack and Maddie take off for Hiroshima in 6th. Meanwhile, their son and his friend are checking into the Pit Stop.
"Danny and Sam, you're team number four."
They hug to celebrate surviving the first Pit Stop. Phil notices that the two are holding hands tightly at the mat.
"It seems like you two really like each other," Phil says.
"Yep, nothing more than friends!" Danny says. "Nothing more."
"Again," Sam thinks to herself, "If he only knew what I was thinking."
On the mat, she breathes in like she's about to say something, but she refrains. Perhaps now isn't the right time.
Back in Tokyo, Lancer finishes up and leaves in 7th. A few minutes later, Spectra and Desiree find the restaurant. Desiree agrees to go for her team. Meanwhile, Skulker and Technus become lost in Tokyo.
"I thought that you were a built in GPS unit!" Skulker yells.
"But not for Japan!" Technus responds, "Just for the United States!"
As they continue to struggle, Desiree finishes up in average time and leaves in 8th place. Meanwhile, Johnny and Kitty arrive at the Tokyo Train Station and bolt for the restaurant. They find it quickly, arriving at the same time as Skulker and Technus. Technus and Johnny agree to go for their teams as the race to stay alive begins.
Over in Hiroshima, three more teams check in during Technus and Johnny's battle.
"Dash and Paulina, you're team number five."
"Jack and Maddie, you're team number six."
"Jazz and Lancer, you're team number seven."
Back in Tokyo, each team has one more roll to go. Both Technus and Johnny are miserable.
"You can do it, babe!" Kitty screams. "Just suck it up!"
Kitty's words give Johnny more motivation. He finishes up slightly ahead of Technus. Both teams find their way to the train station at the same time, as both of them get on the same train.
As that train nears Hiroshima, another team checks in.
"Spectra and Desiree, you're team number eight."
The final train reaches the station. Johnny and Kitty walk out, but their opponents have disappeared.
"Where did they go?" Kitty wonders.
"I don't know," Johnny answers. "Maybe they got off at the wrong stop."
But in actuality, Skulker and Technus have played this race smart. As soon as their train hit the Hiroshima city limits, a good mile and a half from the train station, Skulker and Technus went intangible, flying out of the train. That let the team fly by their own free will, giving them the advantage to avoid elimination.
"Skulker and Technus, you're team number nine."
10 minutes later, Johnny and Kitty fly in and receive the bad news.
"Johnny and Kitty, you are the last team to arrive," Phil says. "I'm sorry to tell you that you've both been eliminated from the race."
"That's what you get when you race with a punk like Johnny!" Kitty says, trying to force blame.
"But baby..." Johnny says.
"No buts! When we get back to the Ghost Zone, we are so done!"
Johnny and Kitty hang their heads and fly back to America.
So Leg 2 is over, with Ember and Youngblood in the lead. In 12 hours it all begins again. Where will they head to in the next leg? Find out soon in Leg 3...