Hey! Happy New Year everyone! We're drawing very close to the end of Episode 2, so sit back, relax, and pull out your Mole journals!
Episode 2 (Part 5)
Overhead, a grandiose glass chandelier illuminated the expansive lobby of the Glitz Pit. The dangling glass beads were reminiscent of the crystal leaves which branched from Posie's extraordinary tree back in Flower Fields. Security guards patrolled the entrances to both the Pit itself as well as the backstage locker room corridors. Everything of this room seemingly brimmed with energy, from the massive fighting posters decorating the walls to the large green hologram displaying match statistics. The greatest motivator of all, perhaps, was the loud cheers erupting from the arena beyond, ahead of which the host was currently addressing the eager players.
Mamar: I never imagined that I could ever be stimulated by the notion of fighting, but something about standing in a room where it's impossible to escape from such passionate cheering...there's definitely something magical about it.
"No need to be so tense," Blue said, observing the stiffened postures many had adopted following their dinner. "You've all fought hard enough today that you've earned a night off, courtesy of me."
"And we're supposed to believe there's not another mission looming under our noses?" Pennington speculated, quick to engage in the group's suspicions.
"Considering how glazed over you all were during our dinner, that would just be torturous on my part," Blue explained, realizing that he still had not eased any of their premonitions. "Alright, no. There are no planned missions scheduled for you all to partake in this evening." Some breathed a sigh of relief, thankful for the break after an exhausting day, while others simply settled that such circumstances were beyond their control. Goombella, on the other hand, bit her lip as she found herself glancing back down at her mysteriously gifted card:
*HIDDEN MISSION*
1000 coins for every other player who attends the full Minor League match.
Disqualified if any mention is made of the contents of this card.
Goombella: Ug, I was not at the mental capacity to be given this much responsibility tonight. As I read over my instructions, I kept doubting myself more and more. How am I supposed to convince people like Nastasia or Dimentio to even listen to me, let alone agree to what I tell them?
"Fortunately for you all, we have settled in just in time for the final matches of the evening," Blue announced. This immediately spurred excitement throughout the group, realizing they might get to witness one of the Pit's legendary bouts. "Unfortunately, both are occurring simultaneously, so you will have to make a decision as to which one you will attend."
Vinny frowned. "Simultaneously, huh? How can dat be da case when dere's only one Glitz Pit?"
"Oh, there's many secret facets to this building," Blue stated, staring at Bandy Andy in particular. "The match which doesn't take place in the Glitz Pit is being held in the basement around the athletes' training ring. Certainly an option for you all to find entertainment."
"And sacrifice spectating an historic match in the legendary Glitz Pit? Nooooo way!" Koover said with a smile, which quickly spread throughout the group. Realizing this, Goombella tensed up a bit.
"But, like, Blue hasn't even told us who has been competing!" came her input. "I mean, maybe someone like the Rawk Hawk is fighting downstairs tonight!" Then she panicked inside, realizing that someone of his prestige doubtfully bore a Minor League title.
Ms. Mowz curled her lips. "Mm hmm hmm, that beast of a man has me bound like a magnet," she said giddily, much to the disgust of others.
"Well according to my sources, the Rawk Hawk is sadly not chancing his belt in the ring tonight," Blue declared to Ms. Mowz's dismay. "But the match in the Glitz Pit should be exciting nonetheless! It will be a ranking challenge by number 2's Hamma, Bamma and Flare against rank 1's The Koopinator!"
Goombella: So basically, only one rung below the Rawk on the awesomeness ladder. Super.
"And downstairs?" Mamar asked for further inquiry.
Unsure himself, Blue reverted to the hologram display to his left. "Let's see...ah, looks like another contest by The Dead Bones against Spike Storm! Ranks 16 and 15, as of current."
"Aha ha ha, how enchanting," Dimentio chortled. "I imagine watching them compete would be as equally fascinating as watching tiny children peg each other with marbles. I, humbly, shall pass." Bandy Andy took insult to what felt like a personal blow, given his similar status.
"Oh come on, I'd like to imagine you advancing any further than the KP Koopas," he jabbed.
Dimentio: Try me.
"As for me, I shall be returning to my own quarters for the evening," Blue explained, transitioning into a farewell address. "There are some important documents regarding future missions which require my perusing. Oh, but not to worry, nothing which would interrupt your night off! Go and enjoy the match of your choosing. Whatever affairs capture your engagement tonight, I wish you all a pleasant evening." He bowed before somewhat awkwardly navigating his way through the group of players whose relationship nearly always consisted of them swarming around him.
"Alright then, show us the way to the box office! We've got some Major League tickets to snag!" Peach said, expressing what in her mind appeared to be the shared goal of the group.
"Wait, are we sure we want to go to the Major League match?" Goombella spoke up. "I mean, it's probably, like, way loud and crowded in there. We're all super exhausted, so something more dialed-down might be the better option."
Sushie sighed, rubbing her eyes with her fins. "I for one can contend to that proposal. There's a bed beckoning my name and it would do me well if I don't return to it with my blood pumping." The Goomba girl smiled at this early agreement, though her joy was short-lived.
"Are you ludicrous? Dis is da Glitz Pit we're talking about!" Vinny cheered, showing more enthusiasm than normal. "Not everyone gets da opportunity of a lifetime ta watch big-name fighters like dese duke it out!"
Vinny: Truth be told, it had been a childhood dream of ta be a fighter someday, be it a boxer or full-fledged brawler. Growing up, I sorta knew dat would never become a reality, but da Syndicate's been very good ta me. Still, just being here gets dat childhood part of me excited again.
"But consider what Blue just said!" Goombella countered, unaware that she was standing on her toes to try and match the Pianta's height. "Maybe we should play it more low-key tonight. You know, what if something comes up in the middle of the night or early tomorrow morning that we'd have to be focused for?"
"What's got you so paranoid all of a sudden?" Ms. Mowz asked in genuine surprise. "You're more than welcome to stay behind and catch up on sleep. I, for one, shall be waiting for that Koopinator to show off his armor!"
Ms. Mowz: Goombella was acting unusually pushy about our match decision. And while the other perhaps don't know Goombella as well as I do from our previous adventures, I know that there's a difference between her being shamelessly forward versus actively importunate. And if she indeed were behaving like the latter, then it typically is because she has some pressing motive she wants to see accomplished. And Goombella's the type of person who will persist that it be accomplished.
"It's not like we need to go together, either," Mamar suggested. "Or even go at all, for that matter. If the host is giving us a night off, I don't think we're required to spend it together."
Pennington stepped forward, situating himself in front of the statistics screen. "Hmm...no obviously glaring indicators or clues to incline us to pursue one match over the other," he observed, his brow furrowed as his eyes carefully scanned back and forth. Noticing this, Dimentio let out a sigh of disapproval.
"Has this game really strapped us of our capacity for free will?" he said in pure disapproval. "Not every utterance by the host is a command to bow and obey, nor does every vowel have a dubious double meaning." Frowning, Pennington adjusted his deerstalker cap, partly to cover up his flushed face.
Given their presence in the lobby, which opened directly towards the Glitz Pit's grand entrance, the ruckus of conglomerating fans had crept into all of their conversations thus far. At that moment, however, the players overheard the faint sounds of a female announcer, followed by the successive intensification of the crowd's cheering. "Something's heating up in there," Nastasia noted as she turned towards the bizarrely barren ticket counter. "Yeah, better decide on something soon."
"Well, who's in favor of joining me in finding some seats for the Major League match before we miss out on the action?" Peach surveyed, prompting most if not all of the players to raise their hands in unanimity.
"Sorry, but didn't come all da way up ta Glitzville just ta see some no-namers circle each other in a basement," Vinny remarked bluntly, which triggered another reaction from Bandy Andy.
"Really gonna call them no-namers with their fellow fighter standing right next to you?" Bandy Andy gibed, arms crossed. "I mean, at least they actually worked their way to having a name in the Glitz history books." Goombella watched the fighter to continue to pout as a critical thought began to develop in her head.
Goombella: It occurred to me then that, out of everyone in our group, I would need Bandy Andy's cooperation if I wanted to rally in any of the others. Why shouldn't we muster support for our fellow comrade, the Minor League fighter?
"Y'know, it might be neater to get a better perspective of what your match-ups look like, Bandy Andy," Goombella proposed, displaying a clever smile. "What other chance might we have to get an up-close opportunity to see what it must be like for you to compete?"
Bandy Andy stared back at her in surprise as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Really? Um, you guys don't have to...honestly, it's not all that it's hyped up to be. A Major League match would probably be more exciting..." His voice trailed off as Goombella's face expressed her disbelief.
Goombella: I couldn't believe it. Of all the people to downplay themselves, Bandy Andy?
"Thank you for your proud soliloquy," said Dimentio with a yawn. "Now, shall we continue our enjoyable dawdling or can we head inside?"
"Actually, it might be a lot of fun to catch a glimpse of this goofball's career," Koover considered as he grabbed Bandy Andy by the shoulder. "Plus if we want to continue heckling him, we ought to fact check our material!"
"Oh, is that how it is now?" Bandy Andy said sarcastically. "I hope we head to Koopa Village tomorrow so we can unearth some of your on-air gag reels as a weatherman!" As the fighter playfully pushed away the Koopa's arm, Goombella breathed a sigh of relief.
"See everyone? We should all head downstairs and show him our support!" she encouraged. "And it'll be a lot more fun if we all went together."
"Goombella, what exactly are you trying to accomplish for yourself?" The Goomba was surprised to hear the words coming from the mouth of Ms. Mowz, who eyed her suspiciously. "Is there some information you have that the rest of us should be informed about?"
Goombella: This was going disastrously. I anticipated a great deal of push by a group as strong-minded as this one, but for the biggest roadblock to be Ms. Mowz? Like, I get it, I'd be a bit skeptical as well, but I'm a Goomba! Stubbornness is in my blood. What, does she think I'm trying to swoop up an exemption? If that's the case, why would she be the one protesting?
Goombella cautiously wiped off a band of sweat which had appeared on her forehead. "Ms. Mowz, what are you implying?" she croaked before clearing her throat. "I just think that, after a mission as tiresome as the one today, it might do us some good to find some activity to unify us all as a team again. Fair enough?"
"But den why advocate for da duller option?" Vinny asked, somewhat grumpily. "I think da majority of us want ta catch da actual glitz of dis place, thank you."
"I...would like to see the Major League match," Mamar stated, offering Goombella an apologetic look. "I don't know if I'll ever be back to this place, so I'd like see to its spectacle while I can."
Realizing that the momentum she had built was dwindling, the Goomba girl tapped her foot frustratedly. "Fine then," she sputtered. "How dare I propose we explore an alternative together that would painfully ruin everybody's evening. An evening we have no certainty is actually over." Her huffing was short-lived, interrupted by the soft chiming of another.
"Um...I'll, uh, check out the Minor League match with you," came the timid voice of Nastasia. She offered a weak smile, which Goombella struggled to reciprocate.
"Oh," she said, somewhat taken aback. "Um, that's...you really don't need to..." As her voice trailed off, many in the group gave her a quizzical look.
Nastasia: Yeah, when trying to mend fences, it helps when you're neighbor doesn't have a 'Keep Out' sign on display.
In the background, the clamor of the crowd intensified, likely due to the entrance of the second competitor into the ring. "Look, this conversation's carried on long enough," Peach said, attempting to downplay any of her own impatience. "Sorry, I just feel everyone should make their own decision before we miss out any of the excitement of this evening."
Sushie nodded in agreement. "Honestly, whatever gets me on the road to beauty sleep earlier and most effectively," she said through a yawn. "And I imagine that the Koopa-slayer, or what's-his-name, is probably a bit too intense for my taste. Though I'm not sure that some Spike Storm is tranquil by default..." Smiling to herself, she turned to Pennington and gave him a playful nudge.
"Though I suppose it'd be tolerable in the company of others," she said, now directing her dialogue more towards the Bumpty beside her. "What do you say about spectating the match downstairs?"
Pennington, realizing her directive was personal, immediately grew uncomfortable. "Oh, um, me?" he stuttered, as if trying to defer her inquiry to someone else. "Well, I'm flattered, but...my heart was somewhat set on seeing what makes the Glitz Pit such a wonder. It's the detective in me, you know? Nothing, um..." He cleared his throat, marking the end of his sentence, as Sushie receded somewhat.
"Oh, of course," the Cheep Cheep said, her smile fading. "I wouldn't want to impose. You do what feels best for you, then."
Sushie: Honestly, I had zero desires to spectate either match that evening. Maybe some like Bandy Andy have discovered some unknown thrill to fighting, but I simply cannot get past the barbarism. Perhaps more disheartening was realizing my subtle hints were apparently too subtle for even a gumshoe to detect.
"You're welcome to join us," Goombella said, somewhat in surrender as she made another effort to rally in the others. "All of you are. Collectively. And I really think it'd be great if we all went together...to the basement."
"Give it up, dearie," Ms. Mowz cautioned in a more serious tone. "People need to make their own choices. Trying to convince them of otherwise will only backfire." The two players exchanged glances as the rest of the group drew quiet.
"...okay then," Koover said to disrupt the silence. "I guess we'll head to our separate corners and come out...watching fighting?" He shrugged his shoulders, unsure of how else to summarize the matter.
Throughout the course of the conversation, the players had shifted positions suitable to their plans for the evening. Goombella frowned as she scanned the group of six whose plans as they stood differed from her own. "I suppose we will, then," she muttered, somewhat irritably. The end of their discussion was marked by the sound of a gong being struck from the arena beyond, indicating that fighters had begun duking it out in the ring. Without words, the players acknowledged one another as they headed to their separate matches, likely splitting up for the remainder of the night.
Unbeknownst to many that a mission had just concluded.
"LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLLLLLLLLLLE!"
The decibel level shot up substantially as the roaring of the crowd overwhelmed the sound coming from Jolene's microphone once more. On stage, the Koopinator and Hamma, Bamma and Flare returned to their corners after a water break following the first round. While the trio of brothers shouted taunts following their first round success, the Koopinator remained characteristically quiet, unfazed as he chose instead to meditate about his next moves. Fans clearly adored both tactics.
"Comin' through!" Vinny hollered loudly, returning from the concessions stand with a massive bucket of popcorn. After an earlier dilemma of deciding between standing in the pit below the platform or in the surrounding stadium seats, the mini-group had elected on the latter, hoping for grander views and milder fans.
"I didn't miss too much, did I?" he asked somewhat desperately as he attempted to shuffle past several spectators to regain his seat. Peach chuckled lightly as the large Pianta fully obstructed a young Toad's view in the process.
"Who knew that behind all those layers of toughness was just a young child at heart," she remarked as Vinny rejoined her. The bodyguard had not heard her, however, as his eyes were glued once more to the fighters on the stage.
Peach: It's the simple moments like these which I'd been longing for so much after a day like today. And while I hate to say it, I don't believe the Minor League match would be able to offer quite the same withdrawal. As a princess, I suppose it's important I show respect for both leagues, but as a player of the game, I think I'm entitled to some personal enjoyment, too.
Mamar cheered as the Koopinator dodged a boomerang attack by Bamma, though surprised herself by how loud she was. "Can you blame him though?" she said, leaning closer to Peach so her voice could be heard. "Never in a million years would I imagine myself here of all places, and having a blast! Must be Muskular rubbing off on me!"
"Ah, takes a simple mind to be impressed by such a meager display of athleticism," Dimentio caviled, clearly less entertained than the others. "There's nothing enthralling about such a predictable path to victory."
Peach shook her head. "Let me guess; professional, millionaire Major Leaguers are too unsophisticated for you caliber?"
"For droves of fans with wallets to empty, perhaps not," he explained, half watching the match and half processing his thoughts. "The Koopinator is obviously the superior opponent, even if he is outnumbered three to one. His psychological tactics give him the upper hand, but when that equates to faking damage, it feels too deceitful to be entertaining."
"Coming from you, who practically swims in a swamp of deceit?" Ms. Mowz jeered amusedly. "You're welcome to bail whenever you wish. Goombella made a tough case in point for the match downstairs."
Pennington, who had been standing tensely at the edge of their row, suddenly found reason to speak up. "Come to think of it, what was that all about earlier?" he asked, somewhat quickly. "Were you under the impression that something was suspicious about her demeanor?" The Squeek turned to him in surprise.
"You're right. It was uncharacteristically bizarre," Ms. Mowz replied, her tone less playful than it had been before. "But what matters is that you're here on your own accord of wanting to be here." Pennington paused in consideration of this. When he made no response, the badge shop owner returned her attention to the ongoing match, leaving the Bumpty focusing his attention elsewhere.
Pennington: Why did I feel so conflicted? Initially I wanted to behold the grandeur of the Glitz Pit, yet some strange part of me felt I should be downstairs instead? But why? To monitor Goombella more following her odd activity in the lobby...or something else? Hm, this game can be quite taxing sometimes. My razor-sharp sleuthing skills perhaps need a whetstone tonight.
A member of the Glitz Pit security team stood in front of the door leading to the basement's training ring. Traditionally, all matches were held in the iconic Glitz Pit regardless of standing. Last-minute challenges at rank, however, often required some occasional overlap, with Major League matches always taking priority in the Pit due to popularity and spiked ticket sales. Thus, the downstairs facility was often used for such circumstances, and because money sings, the public received an equal invitation to spectate.
Bandy Andy grinned widely as he waved at a security guard whom he was acquainted with. "Didja know that, according to Glitz Pit legend, spooky lights have been known to leak from underneath the Pit?" he informed as they marched inside. "Some of the other fighters believe that the source has been uncovered, but I'm pretty sure it originates from in here."
A lightbulb flickered in the dimly lit hallway. "Haunted, huh?" Koover asked with new excitement following a previous yawn. "Guess this match-up could be thrilling to watch after all!"
The guard who had been escorting them nodded as he opened the door to the training ring. The accommodations inside the facility were hardly glamorous, however, with only a few rows of scattered folding chairs available for the spectators. To call it a crowd would be an exaggeration, however, as maybe twenty other fans had made the venture downstairs in attendance.
"I wouldn't unleash my excitement just yet," Nastasia said as she watched the opposing teams warming up. With Jolene monitoring the match upstairs, the referee in charge appeared to be little more than a security guard in a striped jersey. As he blew his whistle, both Spike Storm and the Dead Bones came running into the ring. One of the Dull Bones on the team, however, was less than prepared, and as he tripped over the rope, several of his bones scattered in various directions.
Bandy Andy: Maybe this wasn't the ideal match to showcase as a glimpse into my career as a fighter. But hey, I outrank both of these lummoxes at least. Still, watching them compete was...embarrassing, to say the least.
"Everything okay, Sushie?" Koover asked as they grabbed some of the chairs closer to the back of the room. "You look like you'd rather be anywhere but here."
The grandcheep remained standing, her mouth slightly ajar as she watched the fight begin to unfold. "Um...I think I'm going to head back to our room, actually," she said in a somewhat dismayed tone. "I can already feel the onset of a headache coming, so I should probably spend tonight recuperating with sleep."
"Wait!" Goombella burst, almost in a shout. "Why don't I go find some water for you then? I think you'd enjoy this match; I don't anticipate it being too rowdy for your tastes."
"Oh come on!" the Lakitu from Spike Storm complained after being pelted by a stray bone. "That was a totally illegal hit and you know it!" One of the Spinies brushed up against the makeshift referee in protest, succeeding only in being flung into the rope by an individual of much greater strength.
"...look, you four have fun," Sushie replied flatly. "Today has just been a bit too unruly for my taste." As she proceeded to leave, Goombella rose to block her immediate exit from the aisle.
"Please..." she said weakly, but not before the Cheep Cheep had maneuvered past her on her way back to their hotel room. Koover watched in confusion as Goombella collapsed down in her seat with an obnoxious huff, almost glaring as she sat back to watch the match unfold.
Koover: I kept kicking myself in the tail for convincing myself that a flipped-over Spiny would be more worthwhile to watch than seeing some big names throw some big punches in an arena that's a pretty big deal. I thought I was doing it to support Bandy Andy, but he seemed to be having an even worse time than I was.
Nastasia maintained a stiff posture as she glanced between the ongoing argument in the ring and the three others in their group who remained. "...yeah. Remind me why it was a better idea to spend our evening this way?" she tried asking Goombella. The archaeologist made no comment, choosing instead to block out the others entirely. As the referee blew his whistle for the two teams to resume the match, Bandy Andy slunk further in his chair.
DAY 5
LOCATION: GLITZVILLE
The players were pleasantly surprised when their morning wake-up call had been delayed to ten o'clock. The extra hours of sleep that morning were necessary for many of them who had not returned to their rooms until well past midnight. Fortunately, the fresh benefits of steam showers and plush pillows had helped to negate any lingering effects of prior insomnia. However, upon receiving instructions to convene at the Fresh Juice Bar for breakfast, their minds began to race once more.
"Goodness, what on earth is in this drink?" Pennington said with surprise, quickly returning his glass to the counter. Podler gave him a quizzical look as he continued to prepare beverages for the players who had currently gathered around the bar.
"Um...it's a raspberry lemonade," Peach explained, smiling as she showed him her similar drink. "Only one of the deadliest toxins known to man."
"Maybe for him it is," Ms. Mowz teased as she pivoted around in her bar stool. "Our detective friend was caught interrogating the concessions stand for more than a few drinks following yesterday's match-up." As Dimentio nodded in agreement, Pennington sought out a means of distraction in the form of Vinny and Bandy Andy's arrival.
"Hey, how was the Minor League match last night?" he asked rather quickly as Bandy Andy acquired the stool next to him. The fighter's face sunk somewhat as he turned to the others in the group, as if surprised that the topic had yet to be brought up.
"Well, it nearly put the cuffs in fisticuffs," Koover said, coming to Andy's rescue. "When the referee became one of the combatants, I figured one of the Dull Bones might be spending the night in a holding cell."
"Oh come on, it was not that extreme," Bandy Andy piped up as he helped himself to a pancake from Sushie's plate. "Though it would have been a better treat had you all witnessed the Hand-it-Overs steal the show."
"What you need to be handing over is my breakfast," Sushie said sternly, sliding her plate farther away from him. Realizing his rudeness, Bandy Andy grabbed a nearby menu to place an order.
"Morning everyone," came the voice of Blue as he strolled into the Fresh Juice Bar. "I hope you all have settled in nicely. I understand most of you took advantage of some of Glitzville's iconic highlights last night, did you not?" Goombella, who had been somewhat silent since she arrived that morning, perked up at the host's words as she anticipated the reveal of last night's hidden details.
Dimentio reached for his fruit smoothie and swirled his straw around. "My initial word association would have been substandard over iconic," he began, "and I was one of the few individuals to make a rational match choice." He proceeded to glance around the room, though his gaze fixated on one secretary, who pretended not to notice him.
Dimentio: My, so many marvelous narratives wrote themselves yesterday evening, all of them unnoticed allegories. The biggest page-turner for me, however, was the miraculous transformation of our own Ms. Batglass. Quite the rapid character development to transform from the lone wolf whose path was littered with eggshells to a lone wolf who willingly volunteered to spend her evening sitting through a sub-par showdown with the girl whom many would regard as her nemesis in this game. Such a rushed transformation is difficult to pull off successfully.
"Speaking of which, I was actually hoping we could discuss that," Blue explained as he displayed his signature grin for all to see. Noticing this, the players pivoted themselves to where they could all see the host.
"And by discuss, you actually have some bombshell you wish to drop on us," Mamar said in full preparation of what was coming their way.
Blue's grin grew wider. "You all have grown so sharp," he said pridefully. "But were any of you sharp enough to notice that a hidden mission was taking place as you all were making arrangements for your evening." Many grew surprised by this revelation; others nodded half-expectantly.
Ms. Mowz: Not a shocker. Considering how three players bore some harsh penalties for this upcoming execution, I sniffed great potential for a lurking exemption. Even with such a buffer, it's still natural to hunt for that exemption. But it's also natural that, when you suspect another of chasing down that very exemption, to show some resistance...even if that person is someone like Goombella.
"I wonder where dis is going, " Vinny remarked, looking down the bar towards the very Goomba girl. Others, however, remained mostly confused.
"What many of you didn't realize is that, by deciding which match to attend, each of you made pivotal decisions about whether or not money would be added towards your group pot." This statement triggered many surprise reactions in the group as Goombella took the opportunity to turn and face Vinny instead.
Vinny: Exemption! Or at least, dat's what we all though he was gonna say. But money?
After allowing this statement to settle in for a few moments, Blue continued his announcement. "One of you, however, was aware of these hidden details. Having been first to order last night's Shroom Steak Special, our waiters slipped this individual a note...one I'm sure they'd be happy to read for us now." Realizing she was no longer bound to silence, Goombella stood up rather quickly as she pulled the card out of her jacket pocket to read aloud.
"One thousand coins for every other player who attends the full Minor League match. Disqualified if any mention is made of the contents of this card." As she tucked the card away, she redirected her attention back to the host, smiling as she noticed a few jaw drops out of the corner of her eye.
Goombella: I want to imagine that, given the fairly powerless position I was placed in, I did an adequate job of holding my own against such a strong-willed group. Last night I was definitely a bit irksome about having to be so confrontational, but at least I had one redeeming factor: being the only one to know the details of the mission, I was also the only one who was actively paying attention to everyone's reactions-and reservations.
"You're kidding, right?" Vinny burst out as the revelation settled in. "No wonder you were acting so unusually stubborn!"
"Unusually?" Dimentio asked with surprise, flashing a smile in response to the glare from Goombella.
"So, to clarify, I'm the stubborn individual for trying to sway the minds of people like you, who practically blocked out any idea that didn't involve the Glitz Pit," she replied defensively. "Well, the joke's on you for drowning me out."
Peach: I had no idea at the time that, by choosing to go to the Major League match, I would be withholding one thousand coins from the pot. But Goombella didn't exactly present herself as a martyr, either. Naturally, advocating for what might be a less desirable alternative is going to receive some push from the group. And considering that, I wasn't under the impression that Goombella really tried her hardest to sell us her case.
Bandy Andy nodded as Podler returned with his breakfast. "So if I'm not mistaken, we missed out on six thousand, but got four thousand, correct?" he asked as he dug into one of the sausages from his own plate.
"More like three thousand coins," Blue clarified, which prompted some questionable looks. "If you recall, the card mentioned that money would be awarded for every other player whom Goombella convinced to attend the entire Minor League match. A qualification met by only three of you." He nodded at Sushie, who realized that the host had directed the attention of the group towards her.
"Oh, really?" she responded, somewhat in disgust. "I believe I deserve some credit for even sitting through just a few minutes of such a brutish activity."
"Um, but you also could have actually earned money had you just sucked it up for a bit longer," Nastasia pointed out, before retreating behind her teacup.
Sushie folded her fins. "Tell that to the six of you who didn't bother to accept the invitation at all," she replied as she readjusted her napkin. A few seats away, Pennington also found himself making readjustments to his cap.
Bandy Andy: But actually, it'd be a solid tactic by the Mole: be so close to earning money just to back out, rather than reject adding any altogether.
"You all are welcome to make your own conjectures," Blue announced, "but I am happy to award you all with three thousand coins nonetheless!"
Post-Dinner Decisions Results
3000c/10000c
Team Pot
45000c/125000c
"Keeping it consistent I guess," Koover said with a frown as the host revealed to them the new total to their team pot. "Another mission which we earn just below half the possible total."
"It's not like this game was really a money maelstrom either, dearie," Ms. Mowz added optimistically. "If anything, I think it functioned more to make us reconsider some things."
"Perhaps we ought to reconsider our strategy as a group," Pennington chimed in. "If I'm not mistaken, I believe we've hit the one-eighths mark for the maximum winnings any of us could walk away from this game with."
"And there will be plenty more to earn in the future," Blue reassured them, rising from the bar to grab his waistcoat. "And while I hate to burst the curiosity you all are bubbling with, I do have one assignment for each of you to work on into the afternoon." Having regained their attention, the host returned with eleven sets of blue cards, which he handed to Mamar to distribute to the others.
"Are we ranking something?" she asked as she examined one of the cards herself. On its surface were ten numbers ranging from one to ten.
"Yes," Blue said as he took one last swig of his juice glass. "Your fellow contestants: from favorite to least favorite."
Having finalized their surveys, the players had been given minimal instructions on how they were to conduct themselves for the remainder of the afternoon. The general consensus, however, appeared to be one of solitude, as the group dispersed themselves throughout the floating city to gather their thoughts following a day jam-packed with suspicious activity. Their one requirement, however, was to await a telephone call from the host, in order to discuss the list which they had completed.
Peach: When Blue tells you to write down the names of your competitors based solely on your preference for them, your mind immediately begins to race. Do you answer truthfully? I hate labeling anybody in our group as being the odd man or woman out, but at the same time, I think we all have established some relationships that are closer than others. Perhaps the better question is, will the answers I select be revealed?
The princess approached the telephone booth with skepticism. Located at the southwest corner of the propelled fighting capital, the phone booth stood only a few meter's away from the city's edge, which was blocked off by glass gates to allow magnificent views of the clouds below. As she grew distracted by the sky, the phone suddenly rang, much to her alarm. Hesitantly, Peach slid inside the cramped kiosk and held the metal phone to her ear.
"Um...hello?"
"Good afternoon, Peach." From the other end of the line, Peach found herself listening to the voice of Blue. "I would like to discuss the evaluations you made earlier regarding your fellow players. If you would, please retrieve your list and read again to me the order which you compiled, from favorite to least favorite."
"As you wish," Peach responded as she removed the blue card from her pocket. She paused for a moment as she reflected upon her own list before reciting it into the receiver:
Mamar/Sushie/Koover/Pennington/Bree/Nastasia/Goombella/Andy/Dimentio/Vinny
"Very interesting," Blue responded, his voice drawing out the word longer than necessary. "If you don't mind my inquiry, please oblige me with the reasons behind your order, starting with Mamar."
"Oh dear," Peach began, chuckling nervously as she leaned against the glass. "Well, I definitely wouldn't hesitate to place Mamar at the top of the list. While I've only known her for a short time, she appears to be playing this game from her heart. Plus, I find her life of charity to be quite admirable, and from the actions I have seen so far, genuine as well."
"Fascinating," the host replied. Peach wondered if she could detect the sound of a scribbling pencil on the other side of the line. "And as for the remainder of the list?"
"Well, I suppose it follows a fairly straightforward order," she explained. "I've also established a close bond to Sushie, largely due to her motherly nature. And the rest at the top have been fairly pleasant companions as well."
"And as for those at the bottom?"
Peach sighed. "It's nothing personal, but there are definitely some individuals her who seem to enjoy creating drama more than others in the group. My ranking of said individuals tries to be reflective of that."
"Which brings us to your least favorite, whom you indicated as Vinny. Any reason?"
Peach: Look, I had to choose someone. And there have been times in this game where Vinny has taken it a bit too far, especially towards people like Nastasia. Plus he hasn't exactly been a positive light when it comes to the missions, either.
"Again, nothing personal towards him. Just seems like he's been a large source for the drama in this group," she answered definitively.
"Duly noted. Thank you, Peach."
"Well, that's not what I-" Before Peach could further defend her choices, the line had died.
Dimentio nearly dropped the payphone after bursting into laughter following the instructions of the host on the other end. "Trying to sneak a peak at my inner thoughts, aren't we?" he accused jokingly as he withdrew the blue card. "You know, most individuals would prefer to share this information with their diaries than with their nagging guardian." Card in hand, he read aloud his order:
Sushie/Vinny/Mamar/Andy/Pennington/Peach/Bree/Nastasia/Goombella/Koover
"So, Sushie as your favorite contestant," clarified the voice of Blue, his voice carrying a bit of skepticism. "I'm sure you'd be happy to provide your reasons why?"
Dimentio: 'Favorite' is such a trivial word. It implies that I entered this game anticipating to walk out with friends. But what advantage do friends provide? We are not merrily partaking in hopscotch or four square here. That being said, I am not heartless: I do have my own 'favorites' in this group: namely, those individuals who are kind enough to make my route to victory easier to navigate.
"Now now, I hope you are not abusing your hosting duties to promote a popularity contest," Dimentio jabbed playfully. He found himself casually leaning against the glass of the phone booth as he stared out at the tourists wandering around the blimp field.
"Fortunately for you and your lawyers, my decision was not popularity-based," he clarified. "Sushie is hardly a threatening player. In fact, calling her a player at all gives her more credit than is merited based on her actions thus far. I'm not even convinced that she has processed through her own suspects of the Mole at this point, given how carelessly she lets information slip under her nose. But who am I to complain? Imagine sitting besides someone like that in the final quiz. That would surely be a feather in my cap."
"...I see," Blue responded after a brief delay. "So following that line of reasoning, you must regard players like Nastasia and Goombella as considerable contenders, then."
Although Blue could not see it, the smile on Dimentio's face shifted following this statement. "Perhaps I should pull the brakes on that train of thought," he warned. "Just because I lack favorites in this game does not make having least favorite players out of the question."
Dimentio: I have no doubt that Goombella is bright beyond the scope of this game; she only reminds everyone a quadrillion times while she's here. As for Natty, her reactions are always very entertaining, but terribly unchallenging. Not to mention she harbors some clear resentment from prior episodes. And then there's...
"Koover? Why does he rank the lowest?"
Dimentio noticed that the glass door of the phone booth bore his reflection. Seeing himself, the smile returned. "I suppose he falls under both categories."
Andy/Goombella/Pennington/Mamar/Sushie/Peach/Bree/Nastasia/Vinny/Dimentio
Koover rubbed his chin after having delivered his list into the phone. "Um, is that all that's necessary of me?" he asked, following the lack of immediate response into his ear.
"Well, surely you've prepared your reasoning of why," Blue rebutted, his sass evident even over the phone.
"Guess it's good you're hiding safely somewhere beyond the confines of this phone booth," Koover jested, licking his lips. "Bandy Andy is by far my biggest ally in the game. I'd like to believe he's been truthful with me up to this point as we've bounced suspects off of one another. Plus how can you hate someone who speaks his mind as flagrantly as he does? The man has no filter!" He chuckled softly as he found himself recalling earlier moments from their time together.
Koover: Having a coalition with Bandy Andy has been a huge asset so far. I think we're both very driven individuals when it comes to playing this game, but our minds operate in very different ways: mine more detail-oriented, his more off the cuff free-thinking. Frankly, it's been like having a second brain to help solve this game's many calculations...albeit one that gambles a bit.
"That would make sense," Blue replied, followed by the distressing sound of background writing. "And for your least favorite, you marked Dimentio. Why?"
Before answering, Koover popped his head outside of the phone booth, scanning his surroundings to make sure the jester could not be eavesdropping on the conversation. "Well, if the coast is clear," he began hesitantly, "I'm halfway convinced the magician could be certifiably crazy. He's never straightforward with anybody, if you haven't noticed."
"It's not a matter of me noticing, but of you," the host reminded as the Koopa got back on track with his reasoning.
"The point is, he's arrogant and standoffish, and prides himself for his wit more than is perhaps deserved," Koover finished. He let out a sigh, feeling somewhat guilty about badmouthing another player. "I suppose the 'Pleaser of Crowds' is hardly all that pleasant."
"To think, I used to call her a floozy back in the day," Goombella recalled. She found herself propped up against the corner of the phone booth in an effort to make herself comfortable in the cramped space. Before proceeding, the Goomba girl shifted her gaze back towards the card which she had already transmitted:
Bree/Koover/Mamar/Andy/Peach/Sushie/Vinny/Pennington/Dimentio/Nastasia
"But surprisingly enough, we've gotten along great," she confessed. "Maybe it has something to do with our shared history together, but she's sharp-witted like me, so in a manhunt like this one, it's a definite plus."
Goombella: I think Ms. Mowz makes a great competitor, but I find myself substituting that word for ally. She's definitely fierce competition to make it far into this game, but I get the feeling she's got the same concerns about me. I say that as a way of forgiving her behavior towards me during my secret mission. But even in spite of that, I've got no doubt she's marked me as her favorite too.
"Thank you for that," Blue affirmed, having processed Goombella's thoughts. "Now, regarding Nastasia, whom you marked as your least favorite?"
Goombella groaned a bit, taking a deep breath before preparing her explanation. "Ug, where do I even begin..."
Ms. Mowz giggled as she answered the telephone. "And to what lucky admirer do I owe this pleasure?"
"This is your host speaking," Blue responded in as monotonous of a voice one could imagine. "If you would, please produce the list you created earlier and read your order aloud." Realizing that her playful banter had failed, Ms. Mowz calmly obliged:
Mamar/Andy/Goombella/Nastasia/Peach/Dimentio/Vinny/Koover/Sushie/Pennington
"How very interesting," the host said, his tone now expressing some degree of oscillation. "So, Mamar as your favorite then? What gives?"
"What, surprised that it's not a man?" Ms. Mowz teased innocently. "But all jokes aside, I think she's quite good-natured." There was a pause in the conversation, as if the host were anticipating for her to continue.
"...oh, I see," he finally replied, though he did not bid for her to continue. "Surely you must have a broader reason for why Pennington was your least favorite, though?"
"Nah...he's just less fun to charm," she replied blankly. She smiled as she imagined the sight of Blue's face following her perfunctory responses.
Ms. Mowz: I suppose I can be truthful in a confessional: I have nothing for or against either Mamar or Pennington. But I imagined that something about this list we compiled would prove pivotal farther down the line. I figure that either the most or least favorite person will be put in some position where they're advantaged, so I formatted my list accordingly, hopefully counterbalancing some of the others produced. And yes, perhaps that includes dropping Goombella down a few pegs.
Andy/Pennington/Bree/Dimentio/Sushie/Peach/Mamar/Goombella/Koover/Nastasia
"And let me just say, dat even if da Mole took away all da money in our pot right now, I'd still place dem higher den Nastasia," Vinny echoed into the telephone. For the bodyguard, the phone booth probably offered the most claustrophobic experience out of any of the players. The Pianta quickly grew uncomfortable with the space and stepped outside, leaning back in only as far as the phone would extend.
"Well, I was actually going to have you start by explaining your favorite, but we can work backwards," Blue replied amusedly as he prepared to jot down notes.
Vinny: Honestly, I've known dat girl for only five days now, but dat time has been enough for me to determine dat, should she ever step foot inside of da Pianta Parlor, she's getting kicked out like dat. Dere's no redeeming quality I can come up with when I picture Nastasia and da perfect little bubble she lives in, which seems ta pop every ten seconds. And fittingly like a bat, she's blind to all of it.
"Perhaps we should move on to your favorite, Bandy Andy," the voice of Blue interrupted, realizing that Vinny's rant was not losing momentum. "What are your feelings towards the Bandit?"
Vinny paused momentarily as he realized his tangent had been cut short. "Oh," he began. "Well, I guess I favor Bandy Andy because he's a straight-shooter. Plus I've always wanted to be a professional fighter, so being around one is pretty neat...can I be done?"
"Yes, Vinny. You can hang up the phone."
"Oh good," he responded in relief, immediately returning the phone to its receiver. The bodyguard was happy to close the door behind him as he marched away from the phone booth.
"Just as a disclaimer, I'm not really the person who tries to play favorites," Mamar excused as she reached for her neatly folded list. Comforted by the lack of response from the host, she relayed her order to Blue:
Peach/Koover/Sushie/Andy/Bree/Pennington/Goombella/Vinny/Dimentio/Nastasia
"So, her highness ranks the highest?" Blue observed. "Please elaborate."
Mamar nodded, only to realize that the host was unable to see her gesture of affirmation. "Well, I've always had an admiration for the princess," she explained lightly. "But I think it's grown after getting to know her more over the past few days. Plus I also admire her confidence, even when faced with adversity or division." Before the host could interject, Mamar found herself adding on.
"But that isn't to say she outranks any of the others," she quickly defended. "Koover also has a good-hearted nature to him. And Sushie, for that matter; I'd consider her like a mother to me in this game."
"Well, well. Following that, is there anybody in this game who you actually dislike? Nastasia, perhaps?" The Star Spirit gulped when she realized she could not carry on with the positives alone.
Mamar: I'm really sorry, Nastasia...but if it's worth anything, there's no damage done that can't be repaired. And from what I can tell, you're making an effort to consolidate with those in the group who maybe bear some resentment...oh dear, I hope that doesn't sound too harsh.
"I'm surprised people actually use this phone for more than just prank calls," Bandy Andy laughed as he answered the call from Blue. "I've been known to request a delivery from a Rogueport pizzeria using this phone, with special instructions for the driver to sprout wings and fly!"
"Quite the prankster," Blue congratulated, though his amusement was short-lived. "But what I'd rather have you deliver to me is your rankings of your fellow players."
"Would you like that with our custom-made garlic sauce?" teased the fighter as he produced the crumpled list from his jacket pocket. Realizing that he could not hear any audible snickering from the other end, Bandy Andy found himself adopting a more serious tone:
Koover/Vinny/Dimentio/Peach/Goombella/Mamar/Bree/Nastasia/Pennington/Sushie
Bandy Andy: To be honest, I really didn't waste a lot of brain cells when writing down my order, but I guess it was pretty obvious. Koover's been a good pal so far, even if some of his dad jokes fall short of exceptional. But he's all about having fun! And when you have killjoys like Sushie, it's hard to build up a bunch of hype.
"I dunno man, maybe it's the age difference," he explained, following the inquiry by the host about the choices he'd listed towards the bottom of his list. "But really, just because your youth is fleeting and all the fun that came with it doesn't give you the right to interfere with the fun the rest of us are having."
"Yikes. Ever thought about respecting your elders?" Realizing his brashness, Bandy Andy began to sweat a bit.
"Heh heh...maybe I should consider ordering them a pizza."
Sushie muttered something incoherently after accidentally dropping the telephone in the process of retrieving her list. She scanned outside the phone booth to ensure there were no witnesses to her spectacle, aside from the one audibly chuckling in her ear:
Pennington/Peach/Mamar/Koover/Goombella/Nastasia/Vinny/Bree/Dimentio/Andy
"So, the detective ranks at number one," Blue repeated, which triggered a blush across Sushie's cheeks that she was relieved could not be detected. "What gives?"
"Oh, like it should hardly come as a surprise," Sushie responded, her grasp on the phone firmer than before. "Pennington is just a pleasant fellow to be around, and a breath of fresh air in such a youth-dominated game. Plus..." The Cheep Cheep found her voice fading softly, only noticing when Blue prompted her to speak up.
Sushie: For a man full of mystery, there's one enigma I can't seem to solve. Every time I feel like I'm growing closer to Pennington, it seems like he pushes me further away. I mean, given the passion he has for his profession, it's no wonder that he's hunting for the Mole as hard as he is. But there's only been so many bread crumbs left by the Mole for him to scoop up, yet I'm concerned that his hunger for this game might overwhelm him...
"Yes, he's a good companion," she concluded softly, though audibly enough for the host to hear her finish.
"Very well then. What about those you ranked inferiorly, such as Bandy Andy?"
"Hmmph," Sushie began with a groan that was purposely audible. "Let's just say, it only took a minute of exposure to understand where he gets his slipshod personality from."
Pennington eyed the ringing phone suspiciously. "Never can be too careful," he remarked as he cautiously stepped inside of the phone booth to answer it. "No telling whether or not it's a dirty bomb set to detonate upon contact."
"The only bombshells being dropped here are the ones you produced from your list earlier." The voice of Blue startled even the Bumpty, who awkwardly realized that he had still been talking to himself after retrieving the phone. "I'm assuming you brought it with you, as requested, correct?"
Pennington: I have a confession to make: when Blue required us to rank our fellow players, I immediately suspected that something was aloof. So, like any logical person, I answered them as reasonably as possible.
Andy/Bree/Dimentio/Goombella/Koover/Mamar/Nastasia/Peach/Sushie/Vinny
Pennington: I simply filled it out alphabetically.
"Interesting choices," Blue speculated over Pennington's whistling. "So, why is Bandy Andy your favorite person here?"
"...oh, do I actually have to justify my choices?" he asked, somewhat nervously. He glanced at the horizon of the floating city, as though trying to receive instant inspiration from the cloudy panorama.
"Hm...Bandy Andy is...a player, for starters," Pennington said, fumbling for the words. "And as a player, he plays very hard. Plus he's a fighter, who has fought hard to be here. And seeing him here in his hometown of Glitzville has been quite a gratification, has it not?"
A long pause followed. "...sounds like you've spent a lot of effort formulating this opinion," replied Blue, his words laced with sarcasm.
"It is, of course, a trifle," Pennington defended. "But there is nothing so important as trifles."
"Whatever you say, detective. I'm guessing that you've formulated greater qualms against those you scored lower on your list, namely Sushie or Vinny?" Upon hearing the names he had placed towards the bottom of the list, Pennington's face dropped.
Pennington: Perhaps it was not the most brilliant strategy I have ever devised...
The secretary found herself pacing outside the phone booth in anticipation of the host's call. She watched as a young couple walked away from a concessions stand, laughing as they took turns sharing their root beer float. When the phone finally did ring, Nastasia was slow to answer, her movements fairly protracted as she slid inside the booth and enjoyed its privacy.
Nastasia: When Blue asked everyone to rank each other by popularity, I found myself with butterflies in my stomach. Not like I should care, really, but it's an unnerving feeling nonetheless. Especially when you've made yourself out to be a bit of a loner as it is.
"Good afterrnoon, Nastasia," Blue greeted politely, yet seriously. "This conversation pertains to the list you compiled of your fellow contestants. At this time, please recite to me the order in which you ranked them, from favorite to least favorite." Nastasia made no reply as she quietly retrieved her blue card. The ink was far from fresh, as it had been several hours since she had penned the names of their caravan. She adjusted her glasses to better read the list, though she found herself recalling the sequence vividly:
Peach/Bree/Mamar/Pennington/Sushie/Andy/Koover/Goombella/Vinny/Dimentio
"I notice you placed three females at the top of your list," the host mentioned, a factor Nastasia had not noticed herself. "Perhaps there is some shared quality among all three which has tickled your fancy?"
"If you say so," she muttered, somewhat unconvinced. "It's been a little difficult to play favorites, lately. But at least Peach has put in some effort not to distance herself from me entirely."
"Surely you've played no role in distancing yourself from the others, though?" The host's words, though lighthearted in their delivery, stung like bees in Nastasia's throat.
"...just like I said. Ironically enough, Peach doesn't seem to be one to look at solely the superficial qualities of a person." A crack in the doorway allowed a brisk chill to sweep inside of the phone booth, prompting Nastasia to shiver as she brushed her bangs aside.
"Fair enough. But scrolling down to the bottom of the list, you labeled Dimentio as your least favorite. Why?"
"I think the evidence points to itself," Nastasia stammered. She held the phone away from her face momentarily, catching a few of Blue's words asking for an elaboration. Then, recognizing that her brief answer technically bound her from any further obligation to converse, she took an action of bold resilience.
Click! As she hung up the phone on the host, the secretary sighed. But rather than march out of the phone booth, she simply slid down to the point where she found herself bundled up on the floor.
Nastasia: I may as well out with it. Yes, I do bear some resentment towards Dimentio. And yes, much of it does brood from beyond the scope of this game. I entered this game expecting to be deceived by the Mole, without having to carry the baggage of another's deception. It's already very difficult for me to break free of my cocoon and place my trust in someone, so to have that be shattered so spectacularly...let's just say, I've been building up barricades ever since.
From elsewhere in Glitzville, a blue-speckled Toad closed his flip-phone with a huff. "Well, that was rather impertinent of her," Blue commented as he set the phone aside. "But at least it was educational for all other purposes."
A pencil replaced the phone in his hand. "As a host, it's always important to be well-informed about each of the players who regard you so highly," he continued as he resumed his tedious scribbling. The camera panned lower, revealing a list of eleven names, all of whom had varying degrees of accompanying tally marks.
"And fortunately for me, this experiment has proven to be very enlightening," Blue said with a grin. After making a few final tallies, the host dropped his pencil in exchange for the paper, which he held up to the light. The room he was in was poorly lit, and fairly run-down for that matter. His own seat showed signs of wear and tear as well, with one of the springs detached entirely from the cushion. Following a few more seconds of inspection, the Toad rose to retrieve his suit jacket, which was hanging inside of a locker that was perhaps on its last days of usage.
"I suppose I should return to the players, especially if all preparations are complete," he rationalized, adjusting his coat in the reflection of a cracked mirror. "Their curiosity is insatiable, after all. Keeps me on my toes as well." As he headed towards the door, he paused a moment to glance at the room around him before shutting off the lights and locking up.
"Curiosity did kill the cat, however" he mused as he closed the door behind him. "Soon we'll see whether our players can survive theirs." Upon flipping the switch, the room was cloaked with darkness, though one device in particular remained illuminated: a laptop computer. The desktop wallpaper was rather simplistic, depicting a green thumbprint logo and displaying only one file with a title known to accelerate anyone's heartbeat:
Quiz 2
Yikes! Turns out this episode will be split across six chapters after all, and who knows what's in store when there's an execution lurking! Anyways, thanks to all who left reviews!
SAFER: Eeey, you're awesome! :)
SHADOW OF DIMENTIO: Thank you as always for your continued support! I know, Parakarry is proving to be quite the character, right? :P Always love to hear your assessments of the cast! Even when writing a mystery such as this one, there's still the critical element of storytelling at work as well. And honestly, I probably find the most enjoyment expanding their character arcs as well, so I'm glad to hear that you enjoy it too! Just one request: if you are the bomb, please don't explode. :P
ADMIRALBOBBERY: Good to hear from you! And thanks for the proofread; this chapter should be more polished. As always, I love hearing your perspective on the unfolding game! You have a very astute way of dissecting the game that is always a privilege to hear. Plus you share my great love for the Paper Mario series, which gives me such joy to bring to life! Thank you again for your insights, reactions, and of course, patience. :P Also, THREE CHEERS FOR GLITZVILLE! Can't wait to explore more of this exciting city!
PRINCESS TOADY: Thank you, good friend! Before I continue, I'll have you know that yes, I noticed your update from the other day (WHICH EVERYONE SHOULD CHECK OUT), and I'm already in the process of catching up again. I'm starting afresh from the beginning and am about three chapters in, and my goal is to try and drop a review once an episode until I'm caught up, which will come soon now that I've published this chapter. And gosh, that game was so long ago, wasn't it? So many good memories of me trying to wage a coalition with the Mole. :P Thank you again for your sharing a glimpse of your very perceptive mind!
If you like what you're reading, don't hesitate to drop a review, whether you're an experienced Mole hunter or fresh on the scene! And as a reminder, be sure to check out my accompanying website! If you Google 'The Mole: Paper Mario Edition', it should pop up in the search results underneath the link to this story.
Also, take a look at the new poll at the top of my profile! The players voted on their favorites, so why shouldn't you?
The final final part of Episode 2 is fast approaching! Stay tuned!