Hey! Guess I managed to update before the New Year, eh? My goal was Christmas, but I can't complain so long as it got published. Actually, would have liked to have finished this weeks ago, but with a summer job, college, and excessive business in the real world, I'm just glad to have wiggled the time in anyway. So if you're still reading, thank you!
And without further delay, allow me to present you with the start of the second episode!
Episode 2 (Part 1)
After three intense days in Flower Fields, the opportunity at earning up to one million coins withered for one player. Parakarry, the postal worker from Toad Town met an early demise; knowing the least about the identity of the saboteur, he performed poorest on the quiz and was consequentially executed. For the players, it was a heart-wrenching goodbye and a striking reminder about the nature of the game. For the Mole, however, the first to leave is just like the last to remain. If the contestants wish to avoid a similar fate, the answer to one simple question will become all the more imperative:
Who is the Mole?
Previously on The Mole: Paper Mario Edition
"CHOOOOOOOO CHOOOOOOOO!"
"Man, I'm stoked!" Bandy Andy cheered, pumping his fist.
Koover grinned. "Game on, Mole! Game on!"
"I can assuredly inform you that your top two selections on the Mole are...Peach and Koover."
"GERONIMO!"
"Oof! I'm stuck!" Sushie cried out to the players below.
"...this makes, like, NO sense whatsoever," Goombella complained.
"Dead end?" Nastasia spat, ultimately confused.
"After your first mission, the group pot stands at a wholesome 20000 coins. Congrats!" Reminded of the game itself, the players applauded their triumphs.
Mamar: Day One of The Mole, and things are off to an interesting start, as per expected.
"Take the one off the top and pass them down, if you'd please. These journals are yours to keep throughout the duration of the game."
"So, where are we sleeping?" Vinny asked, glancing at the hour on his watch.
"Why, under the stars, of course!"
"This game," Dimentio pontificated, "Is like one giant chessboard, controlled by a grand master."
"Shake on it?" Koover nodded, offering his hand to Bandy Andy, who grasped it firmly.
Goombella: I don't know...I think we're just two conflicting personalities.
SMASH!
"I got it!" Peach hollered as she unhesitatingly ran into the firing zone to retrieve the bag.
Parakarry's eyes widened. "You forgot?"
"Dearie, I don't see you jumping to fill me in on the answer either," Ms. Mowz protested, shutting her eyes in concentration.
VERRROOOSH.
"What was that?!" Dimentio spat accusingly, quick to assume that Pennington had somehow caused the bizarre noise.
Mamar: Our decision certainly sealed one thing all right...and it wasn't the hole at the bottom of the pond.
"In the end, the itsy-bitsy Moley was the only one to have found a happy ending, and 20000 coins were flushed away along with your hopes for success."
"And you both get exemptions?" Vinny asked with a trace of concern in his tone.
"Here here!" Pennington cheered, elevating his glass as well.
"An extraneous event occurred tonight: a tie."
P-A-R-A-K-A-R-R-Y
RED
"Thank you for the opportunity; truly an incredible experience," Parakarry said. "And to the friends I've made, good luck. May your Mole detection skills wage far better than mine!"
10 PLAYERS...1 MOLE.
"BANDY" ANDY
SURNAME: Ali
SPECIES: Bandit
BIRTHDAY: November 5
OCCUPATION: Prof. Fighter
DIMENTIO
SURNAME: DeJest
SPECIES: Unknown
BIRTHDAY: October 30
OCCUPATION: Magician
GOOMBELLA
SURNAME: Frankly
SPECIES: Goomba
BIRTHDAY: June 16
OCCUPATION: Archaeologist
KOOVER
SURNAME: Shelldon
SPECIES: Koopa Troopa
BIRTHDAY: May 21
OCCUPATION: Weatherman
BREE "MS. MOWZ"
SURNAME: Mowz
SPECIES: Squeek
BIRTHDAY: December 13
OCCUPATION: Badge Shop Owner
NASTASIA
SURNAME: Batglass
SPECIES: Bat
BIRTHDAY: May 5
OCCUPATION: Secretary
SUSHIE
SURNAME: Cheepkins
SPECIES: Cheep Cheep
BIRTHDAY: April 2
OCCUPATION: Nanny
PENNINGTON
SURNAME: Holmes
SPECIES: Bumpty
BIRTHDAY: February 27
OCCUPATION: Detective
MAMAR
SURNAME: Wishly
SPECIES: Star
BIRTHDAY: November 23
OCCUPATION: Charity Sponsor
PEACH
SURNAME: Toadstool
SPECIES: Human
BIRTHDAY: February 18
OCCUPATION: Politician
VINNY
SURNAME: Pianta
SPECIES: Pianta
BIRTHDAY: March 29
OCCUPATION: Bodyguard
Vinny: I've dodged many bullets in my career, but at da execution last night...dang. I can't help but feel dat I dodged a big one last night.
Pennington: Overconfidence is the surefire folly of a man, but it amuses me how simple this mystery is and how confused everyone else seems to be. Granted, they're all still searching for answers already found to me.
Mamar: It's only been three days, yet tensions are already mounting. I expect that the Mole wants to see the group dynamic collapse, but to see cracks forming this early makes me a little apprehensive about whatever's to come.
Goombella: Of course people are grouchy. We've been sleeping in tents for like the past three nights. Don't get me wrong, I'm down for a camping adventure, but seriously, a girl could use some R&R. And a legit shower.
Nastasia: Goals for episode two? Yeah...biting my tongue a bit more. Keeping myself composed. Rolling with the punches...and delivering some as well.
DAY 4
LOCATION: FLOWER FIELDS
Although accustomed to sunshine, the players found themselves awakening to an overcast morning. Rains from the previous night had coated the flowerbeds with a slick layer of dew. These combined factors coupled with the general humidity created a noticeable decline in temperature, which the players met with mixed displeasure as they poured out from their tents and met for breakfast.
"Cloudy Climb just got a bit cloudier," Bandy Andy smirked upon emerging from his tent. Upon realizing the true mercurial descent of the thermometer, however, he quickly regretted his early bird decision. Fortunately for him, a warm breakfast awaited them.
"It took everything in my power just to get out of my sleeping bag this morning," Sushie commented at the picnic table that morning. "Of course, that's how it's felt every morning..."
Dimentio gave her an amused look. "Slept like an infant lumberjack sawing logs through the night," he analogized, not hesitating to reach across the table to grab an apple. "After all," he said as he bit into the fruit, "I did have plenty of leg room."
"Parakarry..." Mamar trailed. She glanced guiltily down the table, suddenly noticing the empty plate a few spots down.
Peach: We've dwindled in number from twelve to eleven. Only one execution, yet the impact has left such a gaping hole in our group. Parakarry was just such a strong player and an outstanding guy...and I imagine future eliminations may prove just as difficult.
Vinny shrugged as he piled more food onto his plate. "Just means more food for da belly," he reasoned. Goombella promptly reminded him of the insensitivity of his comment with a jab to the stomach. "Er...dat's not how I meant it..."
"Sorry...I guess I'm a little irritable this morning," Goombella said. "And no, that doesn't mean that you-"
"I'm not saying anything," Nastasia smiled, cutting her off from a predictable conclusion to her sentence.
Pennington eyeballed the two suspiciously. Declining to inquire further, he wiped his mouth and set his napkin aside. "Well, perhaps we should just focus on a fresh start this morning. I envision far greater mysteries will unravel in our near future, so better to prepare to tackle them than worry about trivial matters." He paused, considering whether to expand on this idea.
"Or do worry about them," he chuckled confidently, twirling a teacup on the tip of his hand. "And I'll be the only one here left worrying about the core question of this game."
Ms. Mowz shook her head in evident amusement, nibbling on a bite of quiche. "That's cute," she said. "Letting the Mole worry you so much. I reckon they aimed their fear tactics directly at you, knowing you'd obsess over a question that, arguably, is equally as trifling."
Viewing her comments as a jab to his own, Pennington was quick on the rebuttal. "Fair enough," he nodded, surprisingly accepting of her logic. He paused momentarily, taken in their floral surroundings. "Stop to sniff the roses. Be enthralled by the beauty of the game. Just don't come crying when you weren't cautious enough about their hidden thorns." The badge shop owner blew him a sarcastic kiss.
"Careful Dimentio," Koover warned, glancing up the table at the magician. "Your mastery of analogy looks like it's under attack."
"With marshmallow bullets," Dimentio countered, not missing a beat. "Only to be roasted."
"And he defends his title!" Bandy Andy cheered in arena fashion, triggering laughter from across the table. The return to lighthearted discussion, though welcome by the contestants, was soon intruded upon by a familiar face.
"A familiar phrase for you, I presume?" Blue asked with a smile. "I imagine you've heard it a lot from the land you call home."
The fighter smiled, proud of his athletic occupation. "A phrase all too often used when facing the usual...'contest' by the Goomba Bros."
"Don't be dissin-well, yeah, do be dissing the Goomba Brothers," Goombella laughed. "Hey, every fighter had to battle just to get there. Impressive in and of itself."
"And getting there you shall," the host said cheerfully, tying this side remark to his main point. "But by much more conventional methods: via blimp."
"Wait a sec, we're heading to Glitzville?" Bandy Andy asked with enthusiasm, to which Blue corroborated with a nod. "Hot dog, man!"
Exciting thoughts about Glitzville began to sweep through the heads of the contestants. A floating city and tourist attraction housing the most renowned fighting stage in the Mushroom Kingdom. Even the Mole became instantly imaginative with mental pictures of bright lights, intense match-ups and overwhelming fans.
Sushie whistled thoughtfully. "Man, as much as I hate to say I'm ready to leave Flower Fields, I am ready to leave."
"As fresh as it is here...a fresh change of scenery would be nice," Mamar agreed.
"But isn't the only blimp access to Glitzville through Rogueport?" Peach recalled, seemingly puzzled over the transportation dilemma. "By what means will we be getting there?" When the host's grin grew even wider, the princess anticipated a devious answer.
"Players, allow me to introduce to you your next mission," Blue began, immediately alerting the breakfast club to set aside their dishes and focus. "But before I divulge any more information, I would like you to split yourselves into three groups. I need a group of four who consider themselves to be travel-savvy, another group of four who prefer travel to be simple, and three of you who find travelling to be a nightmare." Thrown into the decision-making process, the players eyed each other quizically.
Bandy Andy was the first to assert himself. "Well, if we're doing anything involving that blimp service, count me under the nightmare group. My experience with it has always been anything but glitzy." He shook his head in remembrance of trips prior.
"I shall join you," Pennington quickly volunteered. "Disaster seems to follow me on any excursion."
Before anyone had a chance to speak, Sushie was already hopping over to join the two. "Count me in for that! I can already sense chaos in this mission and it does not forebode well for me." As the three players settled in closely with one another, the remainder of the group just stared at them blankly.
Nastasia: ...yeah, obviously it was a little suspicious for them to volunteer so quickly. No time to discuss, it's just suddenly down to two options for the rest of us.
"Okay den," Vinny said, redirecting his focus away from the other three. "Let's try dis diplomatically. Who wants ta be in da travel...um, savage group?" Six players raised their hands: all but himself and Mamar.
"I guess that qualifies the two of us for the simple travellers," Mamar determined. Neither she nor Vinny seemed disappointed with this outcome.
"Well, if I can argue my case," Peach began, "I think my years of excursion all across our beloved kingdom qualifies me as travel-savvy. Fair enough?" Nobody argued with her logic, all agreeing with her as an appropriate choice.
Goombella spoke up. "Branching off of that, I think my travel experience through my line of work also makes me a suitable candidate. You know...as an archaeologist." Her words were irksome to Nastasia, though the secretary maintained a hold on her tongue.
"Dearies, the same applies to me then," Ms. Mowz addressed. "I mean, it's not like I gather my badges from the Internet, you know."
Nastasia smacked her lips. "Well, looks like you all seem adamant in your abilities. Whatever, I'd prefer simple travels anyway." She marched over to where Mamar and Vinny were standing, leaving only Koover and Dimentio remaining.
"Um, can't say I have nearly as much field experience," Koover began sheepishly, "but I definitely love to travel, so I wouldn't mind being in the savvy group."
Dimentio struggled to hold back any laughter. "You? Travel-savvy? You've hardly stepped foot out of your hometown and you qualify that as savvy?" He laughed once more, already standing alongside the three girls in that group. "I've done enough inter-dimensional travelling to merit my placeholder."
Koover bit his lip. "I mean, we're just volunteering for positions we want, right? What difference does it make if your travel map is slightly larger than mine is?"
"I'm going to have to agree with Dimentio, dearie," Ms. Mowz said softly. "Besides, it's not like you're in the nightmare group."
"Yeah, just traveling simpler..." Koover trailed, shrugging it off as he moved away from the travel-savvy side.
Vinny: Maybe he wanted ta be in dat group because he felt it would be easier ta sabotage? Da Mole knows da missions before we do, after all.
"So, have we arranged ourselves accordingly?" Blue asked, to which the players more or less nodded in reply. "Perfect! All of you have an exciting journey in store for you, so we wouldn't want to leave anybody in the dust!" Apprehensive about the so-called "journey," the players gave their undivided attention to the host.
"This mission is called 'Happy Travels,' and it's so simple that it's bound to bring a smile to your face. At 6PM this evening, the last blimp of the day will depart from Rogueport station heading for Glitzville. Your goal is simple; arrive at the station with your ticket before departure time. For every team that does this, 15000 coins will be added to the pot, making this mission worth a potential 45000 coins." This sizable prize sum interested the contestants, yet they knew from previous mission mishaps that the host was likely not laying all of his cards on the table.
"But of course, the glories of travel are numerous," the host said with a poetic flair. "Which is why we decided to design a mission which centers around the opportunity for you players to explore more of this wonderful kingdom. And fortunately, you have already worked out your travel arrangements!" Sushie shuffled hesitantly.
"Oh dear...'nightmare' suddenly sounds a lot less...appealing," she quivered, fumbling through the words.
"For my travel-savvy players," the host addressed, directing his dialogue towards the freshly formed coterie of contestants. "The blimp ride from Rogueport to Glitzville requires only one vehicle of transport. However, considering your self-confidence in voyages prior, our production team feels certain that you can tackle any mode of travel. Perhaps even five." He reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a green fanny pack, which he threw to an unsuspecting Dimentio.
"Um, what's the purpose of this?" Goombella asked, peering over the magician as he unzipped it to explore its contents.
Blue cleared his throat. "In order to be granted your seats to Glitzville, you must travel to Rogueport station using a minimum of five different vehicular modes of transport. Which means, you must find some mode of travel out of Flower Fields, three more to various locations, and a final vehicle to drop you off at Rogueport Station. In addition, each vehicle trek must drop you off at least one mile out from your starting destination." He paused to gesture towards the fanny pack he had provided earlier. "All of the materials you should need for a day of kingdom traveling should be available in that."
Ms. Mowz sifted her hands through the bag, sniffing through its contents. "Well, I understand the need for travel expenses," she commented as the jingling of coins could be heard. "And of course, our blimp tickets, but this?" She withdrew a watch with a digital screen on it.
"Ah, how silly of me to forget," Blue chuckled, smacking his forehead in amusement (though no amusement was reciprocated). "Our producers realized that having to walk and run and hustle between locations can make travel more of a hassle than a recreation. Therefore, we wanted to reduce your need to use your legs as much as possible. Which is why we have also provided you with a pedometer to calculate your steps. One of you must wear this throughout your travels today. As the average stride is about 2000 steps per mile, and seeing how one mile constitutes a vehicle voyage, and also seeing how we want this mission to be as leisurely as possible, for every 2000 steps you travel, 1000 coins will be subtracted from your winnings." Peach frowned at this news.
Dimentio: Define leisure, Blue. Please, I'm quite curious where we might find that word in your dusty hosting dictionary. I suspect one could find entries for 'cruel' and 'maniacal' somewhere in those pages as well.
In orderly proceedings, Blue moved on with the challenge explanation. "To my simple travelers! Chosen for your preference for the low-key travel experience! As such, we have accommodated with transportation our production team deemed appropriate for any family excursion!"
Nastasia folded her arms in front of her, tongue in cheek. "Um...'family' excursion?" she clarified. "Swiss Family Robinson wasn't a very low-key excursion if I recall."
"True, but they embarked on a sea voyage," Blue rationalized. "Whereas you guys get to participate in the ever-so stress-free pass-time known as...the road trip."
BEEP BEEP! The players turned behind them as they watched their designated vehicle pull up behind them. A faded gray, well-worn mini-van plowed through the flowerbed behind them, lurching to a halt and emitting an unpleasant plume of exhaust from its tail pipe.
Koover: Road trip? Really? What fantasy land does the host live in if he thinks road trips are at all pleasurable outlets? Potty breaks, reaching for toys, listening to the same Shroom Kidz CD on endless loop for nine hours straight, and good God, the scumbag who invented the phrase 'Are we there yet?' should be incarcerated...
Mamar seemed to be the only one enthusiastic about their arrangements. "Oh come on, it'll be an adventure!" she encouraged, noticing the disappointment of her three partners. "Besides, all we have to do is drive to Rogueport Station and hand them our tickets, right?"
"Ooh, about that," Blue interjected with deviant nonchalance. "You see, we don't exactly have your tickets...here. But fear not! They are out there, but somewhere between here and Rogueport Station. You'll find more information on the dashboard." Vinny stopped him before the host could continue explaining the challenge.
"So...dey get der tickets already, but we don't?" the Pianta asked quizzically. "How's dat supposed ta be fair?" Blue merely flashed his infamous smile, as if that were a sufficient explanation to his question.
"Now moving on to you three," Blue said, addressing Sushie, Pennington and Bandy Andy. "It greatly distresses me to know that travel for you would not be a rewarding experience, but rather a nightmare. Our production team agreed with me: we figure you've been through a great deal of stress already this first episode, so we decided you three could use a break during today's mission. Which is why we've already taken care of all of the arrangements!" He applauded, as if congratulating himself for his actions. Doing so only brought more confused looks.
"So, how are we cruising there, captain?" Bandy Andy asked suspiciously. The answer came quickly, however, as the players noticed the blustering of flower petals picking up with a stronger wind. Except, it wasn't the wind.
It was a private jet.
"Shut up!" Sushie burst, clutching onto her partners by the surprise. "That's...nuh-uh. No way! I..."
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks," Pennington chimed in amusement. "No contention on this Bumpty's behalf, Blue!" While they stared at their vehicle in disbelief, the others could not help but feel the twinges of envy.
"This is my jet," Blue explained pridefully. "Normally, I would fly solo, but with all the traveling all the way to Rogueport Station today, I decided that four's a party, is it not? Besides, not much fun indulging in a cocktail bar alone, now is it?" Ms. Mowz's eyes widened.
"...so to clarify," Dimentio calculated, "Their group doesn't have to do anything this mission? Like, just get flown to the destination and they earn us 15000 coins?" Blue's smile was both well-greeted and irksome.
"The rules of this mission are such that, as long as they arrive at Rogueport Station by six this evening with their tickets, the money is earned." Despite the prospects of what seemed like easy money, few people were quick to be enthusiastic.
Goombella: Like, do they not realize just how lucky they are to not have to do anything this mission? I guess it wouldn't make sense for the Mole to be in their group in that case...but seriously, why are the rest of us required to work today?
"Remember," Blue said, addressing all of the players once more. "The blimp departs Rogueport Station at 6PM this evening. However successful your ventures may be, whatever you do, do not be late, or there will be serious consequences." None of them desired to know what the host did not elaborate on.
"If there are no further questions," Blue proceeded, slyly pulling out a pair of pilot shades, "then Bon Voyage!" Realizing that their host wasn't kidding, the players shoved aside their flabbergasted thoughts and rushed off on their respective journeys...with a Mole along for the ride.
"Hand me the pedometer," Peach began, holding out her hand to Ms. Mowz.
"May I speculate why you're so possessive of it?" she asked earnestly.
"I've got longer legs, don't I?" the princess reasoned. "My stride should be longer than yours in that case, meaning fewer steps." The Squeek didn't argue with that logic and withdrew the watch from the fanny pack.
"Don't, like, shake it too much," Goombella said in nervous observation. "Last thing we need is to add too many unnecessary steps to that gadget."
Dimentio shook his head. "Actually, last thing we need to do is be concerned about our pace. Unless you want to blow all our money walking to Rogueport, we've got bigger problems." The magician twirled in full rotation, pointing to nothing in particular. His point was received, nonetheless: in a flowery meadow under the shade of the Wise Wisterwood, public transportation was non-existent.
Ms. Mowz: I may be well-traveled...but I'm not sure castle-raiding or ziplines count as vehicles of transportation.
"We need a game plan," Goombella reasoned. "If we can find some way for each vehicle to take us directly to the next in a series of chain reactions up until Rogueport Station, that'll save us compensating our coins for steps in the long run.
"Speaking of coins, how much spending cash do we have?" Ms. Mowz wondered, dumping the contents of the fanny pack on the ground in front of her. Dimentio appeared horrified as the blue coins flew in several directions.
"Do you handle your badges with such fragility?" he spat, reaching in to swoop some of the coins from getting lost in the flowerbed and proceeding to count them in the process.
Ms. Mowz licked her lips. "I'm counting fifty-seven in my pile and you've got twenty-three in yours...so that makes 800 coins altogether?" The magnitude of the money weighed on their minds.
"That doesn't sound very adequate to cover transportation for four," Peach worried, reflecting on previous costs she herself had made. "I mean, the cost of a plane ticket alone would burrow a deep hole in that amount anyway."
"Um...where would we even begin to think about a plane?" Goombella asked with a trace of sarcasm in her voice. Her question readdressed a legitimate travel concern.
As Ms. Mowz scooped up the remaining coins back into the fanny pack, a smile appeared on Peach's face. "You know, just because we're starting here in Flower Fields...doesn't mean we can't leave Flower Fields." She pointed to the Wise Wisterwood in the distance. Specifically, she pointed at the magical wooden door carved into its base-the one which brought them into this game from a shroomier locale.
Previously tense, the jester chuckled at the princess's wit. "Splendid sleuthing, your highness. But with that logical answer illuminated, I reckon it's time we bid this pollen utopia ciao." Without objections, Dimentio kissed his surroundings farewell and proceeded to run towards the door that would take them to the much more urban atmosphere of Toad Town. Every step in that direction proved more precious than the one before it.
Meanwhile, another foursome approached their mini-van with skepticism. "How many miles has this bad boy been dragged through?" Koover wondered as he circled their vehicle with folded arms.
"Better question would be how many miles does dis thing have left?" Vinny asked, equally concerned about their transportation. The two males began a quick inspection of their family-friendly ride. Observations included a dent on the lower right back bumper, a large chip of paint off the left-side door, a side-view mirror teetering on only one of two hinge points, and an array of obnoxious bumper stickers including 'My Child is a Star Student at Shooting Star Elementary School.'
Nastasia shook her head in disgust. "Yeah, so which one of you is the 'Baby on Board'?"
"As long as the engine isn't what's whining," Koover remarked as he circled back around to the front of the van.
"Hey, what's on the dashboard?" Mamar asked, opening the passenger side door and reaching for the objects of interest. She retrieved three broad road maps of regions between Flower Fields and Rogueport, as well as a manila envelope. Withdrawing its contents, she found a green card which she read to her fellow passengers:
Ticket 1
Though distant, along your route I'm found.
Though stony, in meadows I abound.
Though ancient, a place of refuge I'm crowned.
Though silent, my title crashes with sound.
"...what da?" Vinny asked, breaking into a confused grin. For him, their riddle at least seemed somehow humorous. "Where on da planet is dis clue talking about?"
Nastasia grabbed their note from Mamar, groaning after rereading it for herself. "Yeah, is it really fair that, on top of having to scramble for our tickets, we can't even get a clear picture of where to find them?"
Nastasia: ...patience, Nastasia...you said you wouldn't complain...
Mamar scratched her forehead in contemplation. "Okay, it's not like it can be impossible to solve. Or reach, at that. We've got all day for this challenge, let's not get hung up over something as small as this." She leaned over Nastasia's shoulders to reexamine the clue. "...I'm stumped, though."
"Y'know, we were also given maps," Koover conjectured, looking over the projections they had received. "Maybe the place we're looking for is somewhere on one of them?"
"Well, it's gotta be on da way to Rogueport, den," Vinny said in reference to their first line. He looked at the first map, which seemed to highlight roads leading out of Flower Fields; the third map marked Rogueport, while the second map covered regions between them. "But it's distant dough, so maybe it's all da way near Rogueport?"
"We've got three other tickets to find, though," Mamar reasoned. "I doubt they'd have us backtrack for the rest of them."
Nastasia repeated the terms to herself. "Stony...meadows...yeah, isn't this place comparable to one giant meadow already?"
"True...but what about da Petal Meadows?" Vinny wondered, pointing on the map to the flower-coated region about seventy-five miles outside Flower Fields. "Dat's fairly distant, yet still on da way to Rogueport."
"...that would make sense to me," Koover replied, considering this location himself. "I know from family that live there that there's some pretty rich history to the region. Stony, ancient, it all adds up."
"Yeah, but where in Petal Meadows?" Nastasia asked. "I mean, not like the ticket will just hit our car window because we showed up there, hmm?"
"Fair enough," Mamar said. She stepped back to survey their vehicle before looking up towards the hills far along the horizon. "But if it's on the way, can't hurt to take a little drive. Plus while we're heading there, we can keep looking over the maps to see if something stands out."
Vinny shrugged his shoulders. "And if not, I bet da locals have a better clue dan we do." Hearing no objections, he smacked the hood of the car and opened up the driver door. "Well, hop in kiddos!"
"Seat belts, everyone?" Koover reminded, snagging shotgun.
"Oh hush, mother," Nastasia hissed, rolling her eyes as she and Mamar filed into the back. Mamar grinned, sprawling the maps across the backseat for her and Nastasia to examine on their trip. Vinny started the ignition in nervous anticipation for how the engine would respond. Suddenly, the van howled to life as the windshield wipers violently whipped in front of him. Smiling at the ridiculousness, he searched for the switch and moved the clutch into gear. They were off.
"After you," Pennington said, gesturing for Sushie to board their liner. The plush carpeted gangway had been lowered for them as the jet idled on the flowery tarmac below.
"Such a gentleman," Sushie teased, grabbing Blue's hand for support as she boarded the luxury aircraft. Bandy Andy hopped up the platform quickly afterward, eager to explore whatever awaited them on the inside. When he did, however, the words left him.
"Welcome to the empire cabin!" Blue announced, extending his arm towards the room before them. Unlike the economy class seating expected for a regular airline flight, the cabin was arranged more like a broad limousine, with cushioned green seats lining both edges. Television monitors rested on the walls toward the back of the cockpit, and near the rear end stood a marble bar with four red stools. Behind the counter stood two Toad bartenders, polishing wine glasses in front of a chilled cabinet of wine bottles they could only presume were expensive.
Bandy Andy: Daaaaaaang! Though I'm on the brink of kissing the Major Leagues, I can only imagine that this must be the type of lifestyle fighters like Prince Mush or the Rawk Hawk experience on a daily basis. And now I get the pamper treatment on this crazy show for for free? Whaaaaaaaa?
The players jumped at the sound of the cork flying off the champagne bottle which Blue carried over from the bar. "A toast for our voyage?" the host proposed, pouring each player a glass, to which there were no objections.
"To happy travels!" he said, clinking glasses with the contestants. All three returned his toast cheerfully. Bandy Andy and Pennington swiftly sipped their beverages while Sushie approached hers more cautiously.
"I wonder if these even double as personal flotation devices," Bandy Andy remarked, settling comfortably against his pillowed seat while ensuring he was still buckled in for takeoff.
"Of course!" Blue said, as though that were a ridiculous question. He withdrew a remote control from his pocket. With the click of a button, his feet flew out from under him. "It also doubles as a recliner!"
Sushie about melted as she sank into her seat. "Oh my stars...after all those nights of camping, I am not about to raise my voice in opposition to any of this." To her own surprise, she swirled the liquid in her glass a little and took a second sip.
"Ladies and gentleman, this is your pilot speaking." Attention quickly shifted to the intercom as the Toad stewards raised the gangway and shut the door. "The seat belt sign has been turned on for your safety. The current weather in Flower Fields is overcast with a temperature of 58 degrees Fahrenheit. However, we should enjoy some sunshine when we reach our cruising altitude of 23000 feet. Thank you for choosing Mole Airlines, and enjoy your flight! Crew, prepare for takeoff."
Pennington chuckled nervously at the title of their aircraft as the jet slowly accelerated. "Mole Airlines, huh?" he speculated. "Not sure how comfortable I feel flying in the aircraft of a saboteur." His fellow passengers laughed as the jet quickly increased in velocity, gliding smoothly into flight away from the gardens they had known for the past three days. In spite of their carefree accommodations, however, some found it hard to settle in for the ride.
Pennington: Quite convenient how for us who find travel to be a nightmare, we're treated to the most lavish journey compared to our fellow players...I'm not buying into this charade for even a second.
As the door to Flower Fields shut behind them, the immediate rush of bustling activity in Toad Town felt overwhelming by comparison. "Wouldn't mind staying here for a while," Peach sighed, reminiscing about her hometown. She paused to reevaluate where Minh T.'s garden was in perspective to everything else in town-namely, the airport.
"Well, tragically we can't stop to sniff the roses anymore," Dimentio said, his habit of irritation quickly returning.
"Hey, better chances at catching a ride here than anywhere else," Peach scoffed, noting the bustling morning traffic all around them. After much urbanization, Toad Town was now one of the largest populations in the Mushroom Kingdom, and as a result public transportation had boomed significantly, an infrastructural pride by the princess.
"As I doubt the door counts as transportation," Ms. Mowz said, "We better find ourselves a ride. We still have five total to catch."
Goombella frowned. "But where do we even want to go? We're still nowhere closer to Rogueport, and each ride has to travel at least one mile."
"Expensive as it may be, the airport is probably our best bet," Peach remarked, pointing to the northwest end of town. "Besides, if we can't catch a reasonably priced flight, there's at least cabs there which can take us to other places. So I vote we start heading that way." She took a few steps in that direction before being halted abruptly by Dimentio.
"Let's not forget you're toting a ticking time bomb," he reminded, referring to the fateful pedometer at her hip.
Goombella: Even if we had 'happy travels' with all five vehicles, none of it mattered if we walked fifteen miles in the process. It'd be so easy for the Mole to just, like, get into that cardio spirit and rack up some extra steps on the pedometer. So it was interesting for me to watch how Peach, one of my top suspects, would perform.
"It's not like she can just remain like a statue, dearie," Ms. Mowz pointed out. "But we ought to consider our next step before we take, well, ten more."
Dimentio threw his hands up. "Well, how do you want to get there? Car? Train? Chain Chomp?"
"Hey! I found us a ride!" Goombella hollered from the opposite end of the garden. The others eagerly rushed over to her (Peach taking wider strides), but had mixed reactions upon realizing what she was standing beside: a horse-drawn carriage.
"Um...it's a fairly sizable distance to the airport," Peach commented hesitantly. She smiled politely to the elderly Toad coachman, but eyed the two majestic creatures nervously. "I don't imagine them taking us there very quickly."
"How much to the airport, sweetie?" Ms. Mowz asked.
The Toad smiled. "Well, that's quite a considerable distance for ol' Abercrombie and Fitch here. Normally I just take people on short rides around the castle grounds, so if I were to take you all the way over there...well, it'd be about an hour for these horses, so that'd be about, oh, 100 coins..." Dimentio's jaw dropped in shock.
"100 coins?! What are you charging for, your retiremen-"
"Hmm, aren't you a feisty little fox," Ms. Mowz teased the coachman, elbowing Dimentio in the ribs to shut him up as she clambered into the carriage herself. "Don't suppose you could haggle the price for a few dolls like us, hmm?" Peach appeared mortified by these remarks.
Peach: Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom here...and here I am watching my friends harass this poor gentleman who's simply making an honest living providing services to the good citizens of the community. How can I possibly endorse this?
"Goombella, that's too long for too far," she warned, kindly thanking the coachman for stopping and bidding him on his way. The university girl frowned at this rejection.
"But isn't it such a brilliant choice for a vehicle?" she voiced in annoyance. "I mean, Ms. Mowz, you can vouch that public transport in Rogueport is much less selective than here, right? If all five vehicles have to be different, why not take care of some more obscure choices and leave the ones we know we can get for the last leg of our trip?"
As the carriage trotted off, something else caught Dimentio's eye. "Because why not pack like sardines if it's on the fast and cheap?" he said with a smile. The group followed his gaze towards a bus stop about a block away. Passengers were boarding the mushroom-colored bus whose name offered promise: Airport Shuttle.
11:00AM
Koover frowned as he continued tampering with the radio, only to be rewarded with more static. "Well, there goes any chance for entertainment," he told Vinny with a sigh. He looked through the rear-view mirror at the two ladies hunched over in the backseat.
"Either of you pick up any car jingles in your years?" he asked as he leaned over the shoulder of his seat.
"For da love of our safety, no jingles," Vinny pleaded, already frustrated with having to spend the whole day driving.
"Yeah, aren't you supposed to be helping in the search for our first ticket?" Nastasia said, raising her own map to prove her point.
Koover turned away once more and held up his own. "Considering my map only covers Rogueport, I found it quite difficult pinpointing any meadows," he replied sarcastically. "Though I suppose I could draw some in, got all day y'know."
"Mamar, getting any closer ta telling me when I should turn off?" Vinny asked over his shoulder. After brief navigation through the largely uncrowded Flower Fields, their van was now traveling along a rural highway towards the general direction of Petal Meadows.
Mamar: Of course, everything in this game has to be cryptic by default. Navigation has never really been a strong suit of mine anyways. But hey, not like we could just be flown there. Hmm...wouldn't that be a treat?
The Star Spirit kept scanning over her map in exasperation. "Just continue down this highway," she replied, pointing forward. "You've still got a ways to go before we reach the Meadows."
"Well, I'd like some idea before getting dere," he responded, watching acres of flowerbeds slowly fall behind their van.
Nastasia groaned as she reexamined the map. "Yeah, I don't see how it can't be Hooktail Castle. On the way, old, stony, fits the description."
"But that's basically at the other end of Petal Meadows," Mamar replied, handing the map to Koover so he could voice his opinion. "If we're wrong, that's a long way to backtrack."
"Um, nobody ever mentioned anything about backtracking," said Nastasia irksomely. "For all we know, the rest of our tickets could be in Rogueport."
"Hey guys, did any of you think about Shhwonk Fortress?" Koover asked. He pointed to the labeled structure on the map, which was much closer to their edge of the meadows.
"Not very 'distant,' though," Nastasia said, referring to the first line of their clue.
"But since when was Hooktail Castle ever crowned a place of refuge?" the Koopa reasoned. "I don't know anything about this fortress, but I'm pretty sure people never took refuge in a castle owned by a dragon."
Mamar reexamined their clue card carefully. "Though silent, my title crashes with sound...what could that possibly mean?"
Vinny briefly peered over at the location Koover was indicating. "Um...'Shhwonk' kinda sounds like a thud. Dat's like a crash?"
Koover's face lit up. "Onomatopoeia," he said as the realization sank in. "Duh. Plus the 'shh' is a sound you'd make to be silent. That's gotta be our location."
"Great, now how do I get dere?" Vinny asked, still driving down the lonely highway. He craned his neck to read a green mile marker: Exit 143.
"Um...the most direct route appears to be Exit 145," Koover replied after examining the new map in his hands. "Which...means we passed it." Groaning, Vinny smacked his forehead against the steering wheel, the two girls in the backseat expressing a similar reaction as Koover looked for a detour.
Vinny: As da driver, I couldn't really look at da map at all, so I could only follow whatever instructions I was given. Very easy for a Mole ta sabotage.
"Excuse me sweetie, but could I borrow your cell phone?" Ms. Mowz asked a college-aged Toad on the bus. She offered him a smile, hoping that would merit some favor-which, worked.
The four savvy travelers were currently being shuttled to Toad Town International Airport by bus. Although this first vehicle had definitely taken them more than a mile, the players still had at least four more modes of transport to figure out before their final destination. While waiting to be dropped off, the foursome tried asking around for flight information.
"Search by destination, not airline," Peach advised, recounting from her own travel experiences with the airport. "That should pull up quicker results."
"Gee, must be psychic," Dimentio teased, holding up a passenger's smart phone, having already conducted the exact search. "My sources say there's a Fire Flower Airways flight landing in Rogueport at 3:45 this afternoon."
Goombella's eyes widened. "Hold the phone-"
"Wow, I really do have telepathic powers!" the jester laughed. Unamused, Goombella pried the phone from his hand.
"Hilarious," she grumbled. "But not nearly as funny as how chaotic it's gonna be to find three unique vehicles in Rogueport in only two hours." She sighed in frustration, still disappointed in their decision to take the bus so directly to the airport.
Dimentio: Players like Goombella...could be the Mole. She's bright but stubborn, like a mule who's caught onto the carrot trick and demands her choice of corn. Not only would it be clever to sabotage through her own adamance, but it'd be a brilliant defense to fall back on those times when her obstinacy actually proved to be right.
"Earliest flight today," Dimentio defended, clasping his empty hands together. "Unless we choose to construct our own wings and flap ourselves there."
"Well, we better reserve them before they run out of seats," Peach hesitated, motioning for Ms. Mowz to return to where they were standing. "Hey Bree, go ahead and call Fire Flower Airways and make a reservation."
"Dialing!" Ms. Mowz announced in a sing-song tone, winking to the Toad student in the back. The players watched her in nervous anticipation as the Squeek carried on a chatty conversation with an agent from the airline. After a minute or so, Ms. Mowz hung up and returned the phone to its owner.
"Okay, tiny bit of bad news," she said to a suddenly on-edge audience. "Our tickets are confirmed at a manageable 110 coins a pop, but because we're paying in coins, we have to head over to their agency office which is a bit of a hike from the ticket booth."
Peach bit her lip hesitantly as she watched the shuttle come to a stop at the airport entrance. "A hike is the last thing I need in my condition..."
Something clicked in Dimentio's head as he noticed a purple-spotted Toad woman stuff a pillow into her suitcase. "And just what condition might that be?" he said with a grin, reaching for the fanny pack from Ms. Mowz.
"Players, this is Veronica," Blue introduced, gesturing to the attractive Boo woman who was pushing some sort of collapsible bed into the cabin area. "If any of you have a creak that needs uncreaking, do not hesitate to use her as your personal masseuse for this flight."
"Pardon my lack of French knowledge," Sushie said, eyeballing the bed questionably, "But what exactly is a masseuse?" Her eyes lit up when she noticed the facial crest at the head of the bed.
"Nah, get outta here!" Bandy Andy cheered before turning to Veronica with his million-dollar smile. "Oh no, you can stay. Please stay. Forever."
Sushie: Never in a million years would I imagine enjoying such a day of luxury on a nanny's allowance. I mean, how many people my age can say they tasted chardonnay while having a shiatsu on a private jet? I guess perhaps I have gotten a clue or two since the previous mission!
Pennington turned to their generous host as though evaluating his motives. "I don't suppose you're funding this spectacular voyage out of our own pot, now?"
Blue chuckled heartily as he headed to the bar to retrieve a fresh sample of wine. "Oh goodness no. That's the Mole's line of work; I earn my salary through much less unconventional methods."
"Are you paid to act so mysterious?" Bandy Andy asked, holding up his glass for him to fill.
"Not as mysterious as this blend," the host grinned, pouring wine from an expensive bottle: Chateau d'Auger.
"Oh, please don't tell me such things," Sushie said with a smile as she hopped on the massage table. "The last thing my grandchildren need to wonder about their grandcheep is what was in the beverage I consumed that made me go-ooooh, yes, that's the spot!" She sighed in satisfaction as she her game-related stress was relieved by Veronica. Despite the camaraderie of his companions, Pennington remained seated, scoping out the unfolding surprises.
Pennington: Blast, my detective's wit was just screaming at me that entire plane ride, trying to inspect everything on board that was setting my senses into overdrive. It's like I was waiting for the flashing warning signs to appear and see Blue toss us emergency parachutes.
"Another left," Mamar directed, causing Vinny to activate his turn signal. Outside the van, the scene of flowers had transitioned into much grassier surroundings. Though none could get too comfortable, the sight of withering cobblestone fences encouraged them that Shhwonk Fortress was nearby.
"Whoever finds the ticket gets to reserve it for them?" Koover proposed for the others to consider.
Koover: In the back of my head, I couldn't shake off what Blue mentioned about the 'consequences' for failure in this mission. Not earning money is a normal expectation-I don't want to imagine how worse it can actually get. And seeing that we weren't already provided blimp tickets for our role of the mission...I just wanted to get my hands on one.
"Let's just hope it's even able ta be found," Vinny reasoned. "I doubt dat dey would hide it if we have to drive all this way just to collect it."
"Assuming this is the way," Nastasia commented, arms crossed as she stared outside her van window. Her eyes narrowed with curiosity as yellowish-gray stone fences entered her field of vision. The fortress, covered in moss and overrun by weeds, certainly seemed to match all of their descriptions upon closer examination.
After parking the van in a visitor center parking lot, the players bolted for the entrance. "Search every corner," Mamar advised as they headed inside. "Could be tucked under a stone or something."
"Dis...is a lot less fortressy dan I expected," Vinny said, frowning as the interior appeared to be little more than an empty room with nothing more than a Whomp statue. For a supposed tourist attraction, only one local Koopa appeared to be visiting.
"Great. Not here," Nastasia sighed, readjusting her glasses in frustration. "Of course, not like there's just some neon sign pointing it out to us." Mamar paused, looking around the room once more before deciding to approach the sole visitor to the fortress.
"Um, excuse me sir," she began, "But you wouldn't happen to have a ticket for us, would you?" With a smile, the elderly Koopa withdrew two items from his pocket: one was an audio cassette tape-the other, their first ticket.
"Well well, congrats kiddo!" Vinny congratulated as the Star Spirit happily claimed the ticket for herself.
Vinny: Had we gone ta Hooktail Castle instead, da amount of time backtracking would definitely have ruined our chances at earning any money. But da problem is, I'm not sure if dat was Nastasia trying ta act Moley and failing or not, or if someone else is actually ta blame.
"Guess we know what's actually ancient about this place," Koover joked as they returned to the van. Hopping back into the passenger side, he popped the audio cassette into its player, still functional and existent in their van's model. After a few moments of static, they quieted as they heard the sound of a voice talking.
"Hello players! The name is Bub-ulber. I have your next clue somewhere in the region on your map circled in red. To find me, you must search for the connection between your past and future destinations. I'll be hungrily waiting for you, with your champion ticket in all of its glory!" Seconds later, the recording rewound, replaying its message on a continuous loop.
Nastasia just sat there with a blank look on her face. "...because, y'know, it'd be totally irrational for them to give us something easy to work with like say, I dunno, directions?"
"Well technically, we do know where we're going this time," Mamar said as she scanned through the maps, quickly finding the circled region the tape had referred to. "...er, however broad it may be."
"Let me see dat," Vinny asked, wanting to look at the maps for a change. "Hmm...well, da circle seems to cover...just about all of Petalburg." He frowned, realizing the extent of their new search area.
Koover shrugged his shoulders, unable to provide an answer. "Fair point...but at least we can be more confident of where we're heading this time." Deciding it best to try comprehending their message on the drive, Vinny started up the engine once more...albeit, as it sputtered.
12:00PM
"I can't believe we're doing this...and in my home airport of all places."
Peach covered her face in embarrassment as Dimentio wheeled her around on the wheelchair. Goombella had loaned her headlamp to help further disguise the politician from controversy, considering how the pillow on her lap was falsely used as an excuse to be loaned one of the airport wheelchairs in the first place.
Peach: ...oh, I don't even wish to express the vocabulary that could describe how deplorable that moment was.
"Relax, dearie," Ms. Mowz reassured, waving their four plane tickets in her hand. "All we have to do now is head to the gate and wait to board."
"And how many hours will that be?" Goombella asked again for clarification. Although their flight arrived in Rogueport at 3:45PM, the plane itself would not depart Toad Town until about 1:30PM, giving them about an hour and a half of time to kill.
"Well, however long we have to wait here, I'm not going to put up with this hideous farce any longer," Peach said, struggling to hold back on some of her own irritation. After checking to see that nobody was looking, she stood up from the wheelchair, yanking off both the pillow and headlamp.
"Hey princess, that disguise was impeccable!" Dimentio voiced in disappointment, powerless to change her mind. "But no problemo, just go back to cranking up our step count, why don't ya?"
Peach glared at him. "You're also not the one who will be caught up in a scandal on this show for faking a baby bump," she snapped. Realizing her change of temperament, she bit her tongue and dropped the conversation. "Well, I need to use the ladie's room if you don't mind."
"Hmm, probably a good time to go now," Ms. Mowz reasoned, tossing Dimentio her fanny pack as she accompanied the princess. Dimentio frowned as he and Goombella sat down at some of the chairs outside an airport coffee shop.
Dimentio let out a melodramatic groan. "Ah, such noble considerations for her citizens!" he said sardonically. "And yet we abandon such beautiful ingenuity when we haven't even arrived at our gate yet!"
"Oh, lighten up," Goombella defended, not one to be caught up by his antics. "Besides, we saved plenty of steps already. What we ought to be worrying about is how we're going to find three more vehicles in Rogueport with only a two-hour window."
Goombella: I still found it totally ridiculous that we were just sitting inside of an airport for who knows how long when that time could easily have been spent trying to find some other form of transportation to help kill time. How easy for the Mole to just condense our time in Rogueport like that?
"Well, having already gone through security, I think it's safe to say that ship has already sailed," Dimentio remarked. The word choice of ship did strike both of their interests.
"Obviously the airport isn't a lake," Goombella smirked, shaking her head at the ridiculous thought. She looked around the airport, imagining what it would be like were it all actally underwater. But as she scanned her surroundings, a particular sign piqued her curiosity.
"Miss us?" Ms. Mowz asked, winking at Dimentio as both she and Peach returned from the restroom. The jester was busy speculating the puzzling reaction the archaeologist had made.
Goombella had almost jumped with excitement. "We still need to head to our terminal, right?" she explained before motioning to the overhead sign. "Why not get there by tram?"
Vinny grumbled as the van came to a halt beside the construction worker. "Since when does a tiny town like dis ever do any construction?" he complained as they idled on the roadway alongside the temporary stop sign.
"Guess somebody thought Shhwonk Fortress was worthy of repairs after all," Nastasia chuckled, thankful that she didn't have to be reprimanded for her lacking taste in archaeological ruins.
"Um...not sure how congested this is going to be," Koover said, noticing that construction vehicles had overwhelmingly slowed down traffic ahead of them. "Looking at the map, I'd advise taking a right at this exit and navigating past this work zone."
"As long as you can get me back on da main highway, works for me," the Pianta agreed, slowly maneuvering his way to the exit when given the go-ahead by the construction worker.
"Here, play the tape again," Mamar asked as Koover popped the cassette in for another run-through.
"...to find me, you must search for the connection between your past and future destinations," the speaker sounded. Nastasia frowned, trying to make sense of this enigmatic recording.
"Yeah, that part stands out to me the most," she explained. "Does something in Petalburg have any significant link to Rogueport? I mean, considering that's where we're heading?"
Vinny shrugged, his role as driver not making him immune to the clue-solving process. "Unless Petalburg's got gang rivalries, drunker sailors or a Pianta syndicate, dose two cities are as different as night and day," he said with a frown as he drove past a slew of construction vehicles on the shoulder.
Mamar furrowed her brow in consideration. "That last line about a 'champion' ticket...maybe it has to do with Glitzville more than it does with Rogeuport," she wondered. "Is there some sort of competition that's unique to Petalburg?"
"Yes, because obviously we are walking encyclopedias about all Petalburg traditions," Nastasia replied coolly. She sighed, rubbing her temples in irritation at the repetitive nature of the tape, which felt almost like mockery.
"Hey, it's a start at least," Koover reasoned in Mamar's defense. "It's not like we can't ask the people who live there. Heck, we could even ask if anybody knows who this Bub-ulber fellow is!"
"Alright, fair point," Nastasia said, backing down from her pessimism. "Just hard to be cheery when it feels like you're spending all day in what looks and smells like a stinky diaper."
POP!
"Da heck was dat?" Vinny asked in alarm? Seconds later, he found himself exerting more force than before when steering the van to the left. Outside Koover's window, the sound of thudding against the asphalt could be heard, much to the players' horror.
"Pull over up there," Koover advised, pointing to a grassy off-bank. The bodyguard obliged, flashing his emergency lights as he brought the vehicle to a gentle stop. Hesitantly, the players got out of the backseat and hurried to inspect the tires.
"...oh please don't let this be happening," Mamar remarked worrisomely. From the front left tire came the sound of hissing air as it escaped a hole punctured by the tiniest of culprits: a nail.
Nastasia: A flat tire? Seriously? Well, our probability at making it to Rogueport in time just deflated...
"The doors are closing. Please keep clear, and hold on for departure to all 'C' gates."
"Can't even afford to give up your seat to a lady, eh?" Ms. Mowz teased as Dimentio sat down in the last remaining spot on the packed airport tram. The magician sighed as he swiftly stood up and held onto one of the support poles instead.
"Could use a towel, as I'm just dripping in chivalry over here," he muttered, though in playful amusement.
"Now wasn't this a genius idea or what?" Goombella said, relishing in her own pride. Peach, however, sat staring at a map of the tram's route with a concerned expression on her face.
"I'm just wondering if this will take us at least a mile away from where we are at A gate," she explained, pointing to their location in perspective to the terminal they needed to go. "It's a 2.5 mile track, but if we're only getting off at D gate, I'm not sure that'll cover the full mile away we need."
Ms. Mowz: The rules Blue gave us were that every vehicle we took had to transport us at least a mile away from our starting point. Which means that we couldn't just hop along for a mile in ride length if in turn, we only ended up a block away.
"Relax, it's a linear track, isn't it?" Goombella explained. "Besides, if we head over to E gate first, that should totally cover us for a mile."
Dimentio casually leaned against the pole, entering into their conversation. "And force us to backtrack all the way to D gate?" he said with an arched eyebrow. This consideration led them all to turn towards Peach, who caught onto their antics.
"Oh no, absolutely not!" she exclaimed, already shaking her head in refusal. "Good luck finding a pillow or a person willing to put up with such a tactless idea for a second round."
"Dearie, as I recall, you were also the one who volunteered to bear the pedometer in the first place," Ms. Mowz pointed out, to which Peach uncomfortably clutched the device at her hip.
"Well, as long as we don't jeopardize this vehicle by getting off too early," Peach reasoned. "Though I still decline any efforts that would illegitimately handicap myself."
Ms. Mowz: Peach would be a perfect Mole candidate. Always so sweet and genuine with you, but I smell a lot more hidden facets to her personality that align perfectly with a saboteur. Definitely worth sniffing out, at any rate.
"At least this ride was free," Goombella smiled, holding on as the tram came to a stop at the next station. "And speaking of money, how much spending cash do we have once we reach Rogueport?"
Used to calculating prices at the Lovely Howz of Badges, Ms. Mowz jumped at the opportunity to do math. "Hmm...taking into account the bus fare and cost of plane tickets, I believe we should still have about 350 or so coins left." She reached for the fanny pack to double check her mental equation. She frowned as she fumbled around with her hands, not finding it anywhere on her person.
"Um...dearie, could you hand me the fanny pack?" she asked Dimentio, which alerted the magician to stand upright.
"Hahaha, don't forget you've been carrying it all day," he joked. The giddiness stopped when Ms. Mowz's eyes widened with fear.
"But darling, I handed it to you when Peach and I went to the-" She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. And as the intercom alerted them once more of closing doors, a terrifying realization hit all four of them at almost the same time.
That, back on a bench at B gate in complete isolation, laid their only carry-on item of the day: a green fanny pack with a Mole thumbprint.
Unlike their morning back in Flower Fields, sunshine greeted the jet passengers as they patiently waited for the gangway to lower. They had landed in the north and wealthier district of Rogueport, where the jet had taxied to a stop nearby the Cheep Cheep blimp air field.
"If this is what swimming in money feels like," Sushie began, marching down the carpeted staircase, "Then I may need to pick up a few lottery tickets in my future!"
"Hey, don't forget we've already got 20000 coins in our pot," Bandy Andy pointed out. As he descended, he found himself dizzier after the flight, which led him to clutch the railing a bit tighter for balance.
Pennington smiled as he reflected on this cash amount. "Ah, but how unfortunate that I've already made my reservations for that entire prize sum," he stated with confidence that made the others wince. He paused on the tarmac, blocking the sunlight with his right wing to have a better look at the blimp which would be their vessel to Glitzville later that evening.
"Guess you weren't actually pulling the wool over our eyes when you said we'd be heading straight here," he directed to his host, who appeared at the base of the gangway behind them.
Blue smiled in return as he buttoned up his waistcoat. "Well, this is Rogueport Station, is it not?" he reasoned before brushing past the players on his way to visit the Cheep Cheep steward at the launch pad.
"Gotta say," Bandy Andy commented as the group casually followed their host, "Even if my time with Veronica has come to an end, waiting around here for a few more hours can't be all that bad."
"Oh, don't think we didn't catch you striking up the conversation with her on that massage table," Sushie teased, playfully slapping the fighter with her fin. "Trust me, we saw it!" Despite donning a green suit, the Bandit turned a shade of pink.
"Thank you, and enjoy your flight!" the steward proclaimed, receiving the ticket from Blue. The players quickly realized that the Cheep Cheep was prepared to ask them the same question.
"Oh, um, we're with him," Sushie explained, attempting to follow the host before being stopped by the steward.
"Of course, ma'm! If you would just show me your ticket?"
Bandy Andy raised an eyebrow. "Hey Blue, I think you forgot to give us our tickets on the plane!" he hollered. Puzzled, Blue turned around to face them, the masked expression on his face appearing just as dumbfounded as they were.
"Wait just a second," Pennington said, interrupting the Cheep Cheep who was attempting to close the gate. "We're traveling to Glitzville later this evening as a part of our game here. There must be some sort of mix-up that I'm sure can be easily corrected!"
"I'm sorry sir, but the blimp is for ticketed passengers only," the steward explained, shutting the gate and returning to his post. Sushie's jaw dropped in disbelief as they watched Blue sit down at a bench on the opposite side, shrugging his shoulders as if to taunt his locked out contestants.
"Oops," he mouthed, a smile slowly curling on his lips. "Looks like you'll need to find yourselves a ticket!"
Triple cliffhanger? Hopefully that compensates for the gap in updates. Again, apologize that this took as long as it did. Part of the delay was due to poor planning and methodology of this challenge, but after finally figuring out how I wanted to perform it the words began to flow. Also, I anticipate that next chapter won't be nearly as long, so with any luck that should yield a quicker update!
And now for some shout-outs! Thank you all so much for your kind and thoughtful words! Never would have expected so many of you to enjoy this like you do, and I appreciate feedback from each and every one of you!
ADMIRALBOBBERY: WOW! Thank you so so SO much for all of your wonderful reviews! Awesome to see another Paper Mario and Mole enthusiast out there! Glad you enjoy the cast as well: definitely had fun when choosing which characters would participate. The Paper Mario universe is so broad after all, so it was nice to be able to pool from the well-known partners (like Parakarry, rest in peace) as well as develop the personalities of several minor characters. Also, all of your insight is incredible. I love how you created the Moley and Player Award for each chapter. Lol, good thing Leonardo diCaprio isn't a player. :P I apologize if chapters are too long! Every time I start anew, I tell myself that I'm going to be as concise as possible without removing elements from the storyline, but I get too much enjoyment out of the dialogue between this cast that I find myself creating lengthy conversations that I don't want to cut. But hey, you made it through! Also, I will do my best to drop a few well-deserved reviews your way, because from the taste of what I've read oh my god you write beautifully. XD Thank you again!
CRAZYKIDS21: I liked Parakarry too! (Though I guess each character holds a special place in my heart :P) As I developed him more and more I realized how much I enjoyed writing him, but shucks, I just had to cut him loose. Thanks again for your character preferences and Mole insight!
SHADOW OF DIMENTIO: Haha, thank you so much for taking a chance on this story! And welcome to the mysterious world of the Mole! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Yay, glad that you like Dimentio! Honestly I was worried that I wouldn't do him justice with my writing. He's such a vivid character in the Paper Mario world that I was nervous my portrayal of him would fall flat. And yeah, considering this is a game show in a universe where heroes and villains can bond over go-karts, world domination backgrounds tend to be pushed aside. :P Also, I absolutely love your character insight! Already advanced for a first time Mole reader. Thank you again! Ciao!
PRINCESS TOADY: Gaaaaah! I'm mad at myself too, but it had to be done! *dodges all incoming bullets* As much as I also love that sexy Paratroopa, he unfortunately was always destined for an early departure. Which definitely sucks, because I hadn't intended for him to be so involved with the other players as he turned out. Thanks as always for your spectacular suspicions list! Can't wait to see how they may or may not fluctuate with this chapter.
BRITTKIP: Yay, glad you're enjoying this story! I definitely enjoy the Mole because character interactions are so much more advanced than they might be in other types of stories, largely because the element of a hidden traitor adds this sort of depth that alters how each one of them interact. Look forward to hearing more from you! And yes...RIP Parakarry. :P
THE WISE ZORA: (First off, AMAZING username!) Wow, thank you so much for all of the kind words! Definitely encouraging to hear that one's writing inspired another author, even in spite of #thatslowupdatelife. ;) Give me a few days and I will definitely give your story a look! And great suspect list by the way! Fantastic insight you've got going on each and every character. Even Parakarry as a top three suspect! Guess that narrows it down a bit for you, huh? Time (but hopefully not much time) will tell just how accurate your list actually is!
Again, thank you all so much! Never guessed I'd get as much feedback as I did, which definitely motivates me to triumph through procrastinating any further on the next update.
But hey! I've also got a gift for all of you! My Mole website (which you can find by following the instructions at the top of my profile) has been updated to reflect the current episode. Not only that, but I've even added a second picture clue to the gallery for your inspection, which means you have a whole episode to speculate over what it could possibly mean!
An end to 2015 brings with it a new challenge for players on the Mole. Just how happy will said travels be? Stay tuned!