Chapter 8: Who ya gonna call?
-Last Time On Quarantine-
"I can't let my shape diminish, it's all I have."
Jet thrived to be the best monster he could be.
"You only care about your own place in the competition! You're even more evil than me!"
So he prepared major league for the next challenge.
"I thought you said books were boring."
...Oh come on, you know you'd rather be reminded of Lilly and Chauncey's relationship.
"Lilly! Mark my words. I will prove to you that I am right for you!"
In the mech challenge, Jet and Drenig both dominated on their teams.
"Ha! That's THEE fat crock to you! And don't forget his cool hair either!"
And we had a major fight between Lilly and Chauncey.
"After all you have done to me, I will make you want me!"
But it was Muffy who defended her friend and defeated Chauncey to win the game.
"Watch Muffy growl and cower! Grrrrrrrrrrrr!"
Afterward, Chauncey promised to shape up and be more helpful...
"No, if you are willing to fly straight, we can still use you on our team."
...But Chauncey had ran out of chances, leading to the most... touching elimination yet.
"Maybe some day we will meet again. And on that day, maybe we can be friends."
The pie's been sliced in thirds, and one slice has been finished, leaving two slices left to be devoured. Who will be the last drop of filling to survive?
-Mespute's Power Gluttony-
Dawn was breaking on another morning in Quarantine. All the contestants were asleep in their bunkers. Each team had their mechs from the challenge stored out front in the Quarantine grounds. No one knew what would happen first thing.
But the contestants would soon find out. Lurking around all the mechs were swarms of oddly colored Duskulls. These strange Duskulls also had strands of grass coming out of the top of their heads. It seemed these creatures were zombies. But what were they doing around the mechs.
"So what did master Mespute want us to do again?" one of the Duskulls in the group asked.
"Destroy each of these mechs," another responded. "I thought that was obvious."
"Don't question, just do it," another stated.
"You ever hear about the last time one of us crossed Mespute?" a fourth one asked. "He became the lunch of Mespute's pal."
"You mean Vower?" the third asked.
"No! HIS pal!" the fourth responded.
"You don't mean... Gulp, do you?" a fifth asked.
"Exactly!" the fourth answered. "No one wants to cross Hespute, or they have to deal with Gulp!"
"I hear Gulp could fit Vower in his mouth," the third mentioned.
"And he especially likes GHOSTS!" the fifth one added.
"Okay, blow the mechs up," the first one finished.
Each of the Duskulls went inside each of the mechs. Shortly after they did, static charged all through the mechs, and pretty soon, each of the mechs blew up. The sound they created could be heard all the way from the bunkers. Each of the teams woke up to the loud crash.
"What was that?" Grant asked. "That sounded like... chaos! Where's the chaos?"
"That sounds anything but good," Muffy added.
"Okay, but what just happened?" Ruce asked.
Eventually, their questions were answered as Bertram came onto the screen.
"Ugh, every time I think I get a one-up on Dagger Eyes, he blows our mechs up!" Bertram said.
"Wait! What?" Grant asked. "Nooooo! My doom machine!"
"And those mechs weren't cheap, either," Bertram said. "Now we have to think of another way to fight them. So now I'm at Savil's cave discussing ...ut ... ..xt pla. .. .tta.. .ga... ..."
"It's going staticy again," Jet pointed out.
"No... I could have told you that," Lilly said.
Eventually, someone came onto the screen. It probably wasn't Dagger Eyes, but it didn't look too friendly. It was a pale green Dusknoir.
"Hespute..." Percy muttered.
"Very good ugly and fat one," The Dusknoir named Hespute said. His comment made Percy look at himself after letting go of his waist. "You've done well in liberating Derek Bower, but you still have four confidants to fight yet. And I am next. I'm not like Vower. I'm MUCH more hungry!"
The screen scrolled down to Hespute's belly where Hespute had his hands placed firmly above what appeared to be a giant laughing mouth. In fact, his whole belly seemed to be a head in itself.
"Dusknoirs... are... creepy," Ruce said.
"FOUR confidants!" Lilly asked. "Bertram only mentioned you and Gola. Who are the other two."
"Oh gee! He actually mentioned me for once!" Suddenly, the screen cut to a rather angry Dragonite. "I'm Gola! I am the strongest of all Dagger Eyes generals!"
"Uh, it would be wise not to forget me," Eventually the camera cut to another creature floating right between Hespute and Gola. It was a familiar looking Hypno.
"Medula!" Lilly shouted.
Over at Zap-Dos, they were filled with questions too.
"Should have known you were one of the generals," Kiki stated.
"Wait a minute..." Aria stopped. "I get the names Vower and Medula, but... What the heck do the names Hespute and Gola mean."
"The name Gola means NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" Gola yelled.
"What's wrong with having disconnected names?" Hespute asked.
"I just find it odd," Aria added. "I also see a pattern among the ranks. Vower was the serious one, Hespute's the joker, Gola's the angry one..."
"ANGRY! I'm perfectly calm!" Gola yelled.
"...And Medulla is the smart and quiet one," Aria finished.
"Aw man, but who's the last one?" Drenig asked.
"Hey! Down here!" A voice yelled below Medulla.
"Who was that?" Kiki asked.
"Perhaps I could answer that!" Eventually everyone moved out of the way and Dagger Eyes made himself known. Like last time, all you could see where his glowing eyes.
"Ugh, it's that thing again," Dustin added. "...Is it a he or a she or... or an it?"
"I think it's a he," Wren stated.
"My vote's on IT," Aria mentioned.
"Hello? Screen time wanted!" the voice called out again.
"Where are my manners?" Dagger Eyes. "Please welcome the newest addition to my ranks. His name is... PANDORA!"
We then scroll down the screen to see a strange creature cloaked in all sorts of clothing. It looked like the creature was a Pangoro, but it was hard to tell. It looked awfully big and strong, though.
"Dahahahaha! I get it, cause he's a panda," Aria stated.
Riley shot a glance back at the loudmouthed squid and shook his head. Something about her was not sitting right with him.
-Confessional Session(Riley)-
"Does that useless creature ever shut up?" Riley asked. "That's all she's done the entire show is make sarcastic comments, and now I'm just about to my breaking point with her."
-After Confessional-
"Sweet precious Quarantine," Pandora started. "How I long for revenge against that ugly beaver and his STUPID minions!"
"I prefer the term disciple," Kiki mentioned.
"No, you will accept the term minions," Pandora said.
"Pandora is a recent addition to my ranks," Dagger eyes stated. "Gola and Medulla put him through the works, they did. But overall, he will do just nicely."
"Really," Aria said sarcastically. "He wants revenge for... what exactly?"
"Bertram has done him a wrong-doing," Dagger Eyes mentioned. "Naturally, Pandora is hungry for revenge."
"But not as hungry as I, master," Hespute mentioned.
"That didn't answer the question," Kiki stated.
"Silence! A magician never reveals his secrets," Pandora stated.
"Why? What's the big deal?" Drenig asked.
"He said silence, fool!" Dagger Eyes yelled.
"There's something fishy about that Pandora guy," Wren stated.
"You may have beaten Vower AND escaped my prison," Dagger Eyes stated. "But WE destroyed your mechs! Now you can't attack our home base with those beauts. And I aint telling you where our base is either."
"I'm sure Bertram will magically find a way," Aria mentioned.
"Ugh, shut up," Riley said.
"Come on, you have to admit this is cheesy," Aria said.
"No one cares," Riley said. "We came to play a game. If you came her to poke fun, then why are you here?"
"...I wanted to win the prize for our choir group," Aria said.
"Yeah, we all have hopes and dreams," Riley said. "We're here to play, now shut up."
"Jeeze, what a sourpuss," Aria stated.
-Confessional Session(Aria)-
"Ugh, that Riley just won't leave will he?" Aria asked. "I'm surprised people can even put up with his stuck-up attitude. Is he like this at home?"
-After Confessional-
Eventually, Dagger Eyes and his crew left the screen, and Bertram came back. With him was the witch doctor Savil.
"Ha! I think we have figured out how to revert the ghosts!" Bertram said. "But we'll have to be direct with this one."
"What? No creative ways of beating them like last time?" Aria asked. "Just boring straight-forward direct approaches?"
"I said shut up!" Riley yelled.
"You'll have to do the usual morning routine first," Bertram stated. "But when you're done, you must return to Savil's cave where we will discuss the plan of actions."
"And you can't tell us now because?" Kiki asked.
"Because I'm sure you're all very hungry right now," Bertram said. "And I am sure you would all..."
"No, not really," Wren said.
"Well... it doesn't make much of a difference," Bertram stated. "I'd just rather you have a chance to catch your bearings. I mean, who would you rather have? The nice, kind Bertram who lets you do as you please? Or the big badguy Bertram who gives orders all the time!?"
"I think badguy Bertram is cute," Aria mentioned. "Because the thought of taking a Bibarel seriously..."
"ENOUGH!" Riley roared.
"Thank you Riley," Bertram said with a smile. "Be sure to do that regularly."
Bertram immediately logged off the screens, letting the two teams wonder what was going on. All they knew was they had to make breakfast and then meet Bertram at Savil's cave.
Over at Artic-Uno's hunting grounds, Jet and Percy were both running. Percy was trying his hardest to keep up.
"Come on, Percy! You're not losing steam already are you?" Jet asked.
"I don't *pant* do this *weeze* very often," Percy excused. "Can't we just *pant* go hunting?"
"You want to work off that belly fat, don't you?" Jet asked.
"Well, yeah, but..." Percy started.
"But nothing!" Jet exclaimed. "Let's get moving!"
With that, Jet and Percy kept running. It felt like Jet was pushing Percy too hard. But eventually, they stopped running and got to business.
"Okay, NOW let's get to hunting," Jet said. "I brought my spear, did you bring yours?"
"Yeah, my tail has it," Percy said.
"Percy! That's using your abilities!" Jet yelled.
"Oh right, sorry," Percy said before dropping the spear on the ground.
-Confessional Session(Jet)-
"With all the rule breaking going on in Quarantine, it's a miracle no one's been disqualified yet," Jet mentioned. "Perhaps it's because we haven't had any MAJOR offenses yet. Though I bet this is going to come up very soon."
-After Confessional-
"Okay, first we do stretches," Jet mentioned. "Take your spear with both hands, squat down, then stand up and thrust your spear skyward."
"Why?" Percy asked.
"Because it's a warm-up exercise," Jet mentioned. "It helps with our performance."
They both started doing squats with their spears in hand. They each squatted alternatively to the other.
"I don't see the point, but okay," Percy said. "So how many do we have to do?"
"At least a hundred squats, then we hunt," Jet said.
"That sounds like a lot of squats," Percy mentioned.
"Not if you squat really quickly," Jet said. "One squat only takes a couple of seconds. If you're fast you can do a squat a second. Should take us three or so minutes."
"Sounds easy enough," Percy mentioned.
"Yeah, you're right," Jet mentioned. "Let's do a thousand squats then."
"Wait, what?" Percy asked. "...Oh boy."
While Percy and Jet were doing squats, Muffy and Lilly were picking berries as usual, and Ruce... was with Grant. Grant was standing in the wreckage of all the mechs.
"No... Why did this have to happen?" Grant asked. "I could have conquered the world with this thing."
"Yeah, except you had eleven other mech users who would have stopped you from doing so," Ruce mentioned.
"Hello... what do we have here?" Grant asked, zooming in on a bunch of tiny tubes and orbes. "These... are perfect! My supports! Excellent!"
"Right, supports to that super special deadly ultimate destructo robot of doom fashioned with the shells of a newly discovered fruit supposedly brought to this world by a non-existent creature," Ruce stated.
"You mock the ultimate destructo robot of DOOOOOOOM!" Grant yelled. "But I assure you that one day I WILL RULE ALL! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!"
"...Fascinating," Ruce stated.
-Confessional Session(Ruce)-
"If I had a giant robot to control," Ruce started. "The first thing I'd do is find out who got my sister eliminated and then squash them with my giant robot. Yeah, I'm still thinking of my sister, because she will NOT go unavenged."
-Confessional Session(Grant)-
"Oh, don't mind me," Grant started. "I'm just a harmless little Grumpig pretending to be an evil genius. Nothing out of the ordinary."
-After Confessional-
The teams had made breakfast and now set out for Savil's cave again. That was where all the questions about Hespute would be answered.
-Ghost Duskers-
"Okay, so... what's the deal?" These were the first words made by a contestant upon assembling the cave. Kiki was the one to ask.
"Please allow us to introduce our newest creation," Bertram said before he and Savil held up a bunch of bug-spray guns. "Behold: Ghost Cougher!"
"...They're a bunch of fumigators," Aria mentioned.
"No, the invention of ours is inside the fumigators," Savil mentioned.
"But these are your fumigators," Bertram said before handing a spray-gun to each contestant. Savil did the same before going back to her position and pulling out one more gun off a table.
"OUR invention is this," Savil said before spraying the air. A blast of pinkish-purple for shot out into the air. "Through careful experimentation, we have converted our potion into gas form."
"Once again, you're welcome," Grant stated.
"We made the potion, YOU gave orders," Muffy responded.
"Actually, if I remember correctly Grant DID help with actually stiring the potion correctly so he kind of did help make it," Ruce mentioned.
"Thank you minion," Grant said before patting Ruce on the head.
-Confessional Session(Ruce)-
"If I hear the word "minion" one more time," Ruce started. "Someone is going swimming on our next hunting trip."
-After Confessional-
"Now, what makes this gas super special," Bertram started. "This gas is useable on ghosts. Ghosts cannot drink a liquid or eat a solid. ...Not willingly anyway. But a gas is perfect for the, as it can enter their body without permission, and there's nothing they can do about it cause they aren't fully solid."
"And remember to watch out for Gulp," Savil mentioned. "Consider Gulp to be..."
"Oh, you mean Hespute's..." Aria started.
Bertram slammed his cane into the ground again and brought down a thunderbolt near Aria, startling her before she could finish her sentence. Kiki kind of giggled at it.
-Confessional Session(Kiki)-
"I know I've said this before, but Aria is funny," Kiki said. "It's always thrilling to hear her say something dumb and then watch the consequences of her words."
-After Confessional-
"As I was saying..." Savil started.
"Not to criticize your hosting abilities," Jet started. "But why do you get use abilities and not us?"
"Yeah, things would be a bit more realistic if you couldn't summon thunderbolts, Bertram," Lilly added.
"Nothing is stopping me from summoning other things," Bertram stated. "It's because I'm not the one who's TRYING to be realistic. I am not competing, I can use abilities all I want."
"I wish I could though," Riley stated. "Cause frankly I'm in the mood for some fried calamari right now."
"Riley, that's a bit harsh, don't you think?" Kiki asked.
"A little... I guess," Riley stated.
"AS I was saying..." Savil started, getting a bit frustrated.
"I still think that's a bit unfair," Jet said.
"It's fair for the other contestants who don't have such abilities like Dustin," Bertram said.
"Hey! We Watchogs can be just as powerful as..." Dustin started.
"Enough! Let Savil speak," Bertram shouted.
"Thank you," Savil said. "Now, as I was saying..."
"You got a beef against Watchogs?" Dustin asked.
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Savil made a chilling cry that could be heard all the way from the bunkers. "ENOUGH DISTRACTIONS! LET ME TALK ALREADY!"
"Yeah man," Drenig started. "Let's just all calm down and listen to Savil. ...Continue?" After a long pause, Savil finally got back to talking.
"Finally..." Savil started. "As I was saying, consider Gulp to be Hesput's closes friend."
"Yes, very close inde..." Aria started
"Aria, I'd really refrain from talking," Wren said. "You could get hit by lightning."
"Right, sorry," Aria said.
"Gulp is the real danger here, not Hespute," Aria said. "Hespute feeds all his victims to Gulp, and he keeps his victims locked in bird cages in his mansion. ...The thing is... no one know's who Gulp is."
"It's his..." Aria started. "No, wait. Bite your tongue Aria." Aria then literally bit her tongue.
"Good choice," Bertram snarked.
"But... there are clues all over his mansion," Savil said. "If you can figure out who Gulp is, inject as much potion gas as you can, and Hespute will lose all power."
"Only Varmy knows where his mansion is," Bertram mentioned.
"Varmy?" Percy asked. "Isn't he that curmudgeonly Swoobat who grows all those big roots?"
"Well, someone must have eaten their vitamins this morning," Bertram complimented. "Yes, that's is exactly who it is."
"We know the mansion is somewhere in the jungles," Savil started. "Problem is... we don't know where. But Varmy does so seek him out."
"Remember, Hespute's mansion will be crawling with ghosts," Bertram mentioned. "In fact their should be some outside his mansion. Keep those guns loaded."
"Before you go," Savil said before she went back to the table and picked up a bunch of bags filled with round gun-cases. "Take these satchels with you. They have Ghost Cougher refills in case your gun runs out of gas."
"Anyone even know HOW to change these guns?" Kiki asked.
"There's nothing to it," Drenig started. "You just have to..."
"Listen, you guys really should hurry," Bertram stated. "After all, Hespute is not going to wait forever. He could be back with his legion of ghosts."
"Ay'll tell ya on the way," Drenig said. "Let's motor on out before the other team does."
"Wait a minute, how do we win?" Muffy asked.
"The first team to find Gulp and revert him is the winning team," Bertram said.
"Got it!" everyone said in unison. Eventually, both teams were gone.
Artic-Uno had no problems finding where they needed to go. They had Percy leading the group.
"Remember, the jungle and Varmy's house are along the Quarantine fence line," Percy stated. "We follow the fence, we will arrive at Varmy's in no time HEY!"
As Percy was talking, Jet hopped onto his shoulders. What did Jet have planned here.
"You might be able to burn more calories by carrying more weight," Jet said. "Besides, someone needs to be the look-out."
"YOU would probably burn more calories hopping instead of riding on someone else," Percy returned.
"AHCK!" Jet cried before jumping off Percy and hopping faster. "Gotta burn the calories I just gained."
"Ugh, what a schizoid," Percy commented. Percy tried pumping his fists up and lifting his legs higher while walking. It's generally what runners do to get the most out of their exercise.
Meanwhile, the girls and Grant were talking about things. Muffy didn't notice it, but Chauncey wasn't with the other team.
"So... I take it they eighty-sixed that poor Gallade," Muffy asked.
"Yup, no more moochy-mughead," Lilly stated. "It's gonna be more peaceful without him around."
"I can't help but wonder what his problem was," Muffy stated.
"I think he just lost his better judgement," Lilly stated. "He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he didn't care. All he cared about was getting me. Sometimes it's easy to lose yourself, but most people have better control over it."
Meanwhile, Ruce and Grant were trailing behind. Ruce was asking Grant about his robot.
"So... you're robot finished yet?" Ruce asked.
"I haven't tested it out yet," Grant mentioned. "But I assure it will be plenty strong enough."
"Right," Ruce stated. "By the way, have you found out anything about who planted the page?"
"I... I'm afraid I haven't even the slightest clue," Grant said. "I spent so much time thinking about all the evil potions I could be brewing that I forgot to look into it more."
"Maybe it IS Jet," Ruce mentioned. "He was the one who suggested getting rid of the weak."
"Yeah, but that's not evidence," Grant added. "I want to know more about this "Gulp" character now and his ties to Hespute."
"Yeah, now that I think of it, who is Gulp?" Ruce asked aloud. "Any ideas?"
"Has Hespute ever introduced him to us?" Lilly asked.
"And what's with the anatomy?" Muffy asked. "So which one's the head? The body or the top?"
"Huh, that's a good question," Lilly stated. "They're probably both part of the head. I think the eyes on a Dusknoir's body are fake."
"I... I suppose so," Muffy stated.
"How far away do you think the other team is?" Grant asked.
"Huh... I don't actually know," Percy said.
Over at Team Zap-Dos, they were comparably far in the jungle. Aria was trying to speak to the group, but Riley kept stopping her.
"You don't even know what I'm going to say," Aria said.
"No one cares," Riley mentioned.
"Why not, it could be important," Aria said.
"It's not!" Riley yelled.
"What if I told you I knew..." Aria started.
"Shut up!" Riley yelled.
"Now Riley, don't you think we actually should let her speak?" Kiki asked. "For all you know, it could be."
"How do you guys put up with her?" Riley asked.
"Well, she's my friend," Wren said.
"I think her sarcasm's kind of amusing," Kiki stated.
"Hey, I thought I was going to teach you guys how to reload the guns," Drenig blurted out.
"Dang, now that you mention it Drenig, that's a good idea," Kiki said.
"Oh good lord, there's a button on the gun that releases a latch holding the cartrige in," Aria interupted.
"You know, I said I would do it," Drenig mentioned. "And then take the magazine rack off the gun and slide the new cartrige into place."
"I'm just saying it's kind of obvious," Aria mentioned.
"Aria, what has gotten into you?" Wren mentioned.
"I suppose I was being a bit rude," Aria said.
"Ya! You were," Drenig stated.
"Thy should press onward," Dustin said. "I think we're almost there."
"Honestly, I think sir L.A.R. P.-alot is even more annoying," Kiki mentioned.
"Sir L.A.R. P.-alot!?" Dustin asked?
"Guys, if we keep fighting, they'll beat us there," Wren said. "We gotta stick together."
"Wren's right, we really should get going," Kiki said.
"Goody two-shoes," Riley muttered under his breath.
"Pardon?" Wren asked Riley.
"Nothing," Riley hided.
Because of the arguing on Team Zap-Dos, Artic-Uno made it to Varmy's home first. He was sleeping on the pole outside his house.
"Maybe me, Jet and Ruce should back away," Percy stated. "He knows us and will try to attack us."
"Right," Ruce replied. Ruce, Jet, and Percy backed off into the distance, leaving Lilly, Muffy and Grant to talk to Varmy. But first...
"Okay, I am telling you this now Grant," Muffy started. "Keep your mouth shut. None of that evil nonsense, okay?"
"Grant the Dastardly takes orders from no one," Grant said. But then, Muffy growled at him. He was singing a different tune. "Okay," he replied in a high-pitched tone."
"Uhhh... excuse me?" Lilly asked. ...Varmy didn't respond. "Uhhh, excuse me?"
"Eh, what?" Varmy said, groggy from his sleep. He then used echolocation to detect the three. "Argh, more thieves! Always after my big roots. My big roots! MINE!"
"Calm down, we're not after your roots," Muffy stated. "We just want to know where Hespute's mansion is."
"Hespute? You mean the landlord?" Varmy asked.
"Uhhh... sure. The landlord," Lilly said.
"Ohh, not too far from here, except..." Varmy started to stutter. "I wouldn't go near there if you can't fly."
"Please, we can handle it," Muffy said.
"But the trees," Varmy mentioned. "You can't go up to the mansion without having to battle the trees."
"We're all set," Grant said. "My latest will stop them cold."
Lilly tapped Muffy on the shoulder. Muffy turned her head and Lilly shook hers.
"Just go with it," Lilly said. "As long as he doesn't mention the roots."
"What was that about roots!?" Varmy asked. "You're trying to steel my roots!"
"We're not here to steal your roots," Lilly said. "We just want to see the landlord."
"Ack! More of them?" Varmy asked, pointing at the incoming Zap-Dos members. Using his echolocation again, he read the figures.
"Uhhh, greetings Varmy," Kiki started. "We wish to..."
"YOU!" Varmy yelled. "YOU TWO! You stole my root!"
"Uhhhh..." Kiki stuttered.
"The big guy and the flaily one!" Varmy yelled, referring to Drenig and Aria. "GIVE ME BACK MY ROOT!"
"Uhhh, we'd love to, but..." Aria started.
"No, we got it right here," Drenig said, going toward the pots. "We're putting it back now."
"You don't have no root in your hands!" Varmy yelled. "I may be near-sighted but I'm not blind! Give me back my root!"
"We... don't have it," Aria said. "We..."
"The Pancham stole it!" Drenig excused, using quick thinking to find a way out. "We were gonna give it back, but then that kid took it and now the kid probably took it home with him."
"Dah! I'll find that Pancham and teach him a thing or two!" Vermy yelled.
"Before you do so, mind telling us about Hespute's mansion?" Kiki asked.
"We are on a quest!" Dustin proclaimed.
"Not another group marching to their deaths," Varmy said.
"It's okay, they got my latest too," Grant said.
"You're what-now?" Riley called out.
"Play along," Lilly stated.
"Okay, but it's your funeral," Varmy stated. "Just a mile or two behind my home. You really can't miss it with all the evil ghost trees."
"Evil ghost trees?" Wren asked.
"Thanks for the advice," Kiki stated.
"We'll just be on our way," Lilly said. Eventually, both teams started to trek off. Eventually Percy, Jet and Ruce joined the rest of the group and went off to Hespute's mansion to find him and fumigate his closest friend: Gulp.
Eventually, both teams found Hespute's mansion and it was huge. Varmy wasn't kidding when he said you couldn't miss it. Teams tread carefully up to the estate.
"Varmy mentioned something about ghost trees," Ruce mentioned.
"The trees do look pretty ghoulish," Muffy added.
"I doth not fear the undead," Dustin mentioned.
Suddenly, the trees started to move. Not only that, but you could even see eyes and mouths coming off the trees. They even had arms too. Also, there bark was pale green and covered in swamp grass. They weren't trees, they were zombie Trevenants.
"Okay, maybe thee fears the undead just a little," Dustin said.
"Oh for the love of, just spray them," Aria said, brandishing her gun.
"Time to test... THE DEVICE!" Grant yelled before going to town on all of the Trevenants.
"Ready, aim, FIRE!" Drenig called out on his team.
Eventually, the team sprayed all of the Trevenants coming at them. Every single one that got sprayed stopped dead in their tracks. There swamp grass fell off and their skin seemed to change color as they all wiped themselves. Obviously it was green paint.
"They seem calm now," Lilly mentioned.
"Do they talk?" Muffy asked.
"Yes, we quite do," one of the Trevenants said. "Who are you?"
"We are the ones who just freed you from zombification," Percy mentioned.
"Call us the Liberators," Jet said. Percy picked Jet up by his head and set him aside.
"We are here to free all the ghosts from Hespute and Gulp," Percy mentioned. "Do you know who Gulp is?"
"Oh PLEASE, it's obviously..." Aria started before being once again cut off.
"Stop trying to ruin the game for us!" Riley yelled.
"Do you want to win or not?" Aria asked.
"Why don't you save it for when our team is alone?" Kiki mentioned.
"No! Keep it to yourself," Riley shouted.
"What's their problem?" the Trevenant talking to Percy asked.
"I... am not sure really," Percy said. "I take it two of their members have a lot of issues to settle."
"But anyway, I'm afraid we have no idea who Gulp is," the Trevenant stated. "All we know is that he eats Hespute's henchmen who disobey them. He takes the ghosts into a room behind his throne room and all you can hear is a scream."
"Oh come on! It's so obvious!" Aria shouted.
"That's what we'll have to go by for now," Lilly stated. "Thank you."
Eventually, both teams started at the mansion as the Trevenants moved away from them.
"Well... time to brave the fortress," Dustin said.
"Don't worry, I'll be behind you always," Drenig mentioned.
"Together we fight as one!" Dustin cried.
"...One?" Lilly asked.
"We're not on your team, we fight for our own," Ruce mentioned.
"Then together we fight as TWO!" Dustin yelled. "Onward!"
Both teams entered the mansion to face the challenge ahead. But there would be no guarantees of an easy travel.
-Please, Don't Mansion It-
Upon entering the mansion, it first seemed quite normal. It was very quiet, nothing was moving, but it was very dark inside. There was a big stairway leading upstairs that branched out into different paths.
"So... ghosts?" Jet asked. "This place is supposed to be crawling with them."
"I aint afraid of no ghosts," Muffy stated.
"You may not be saying that if you come face to face with one," Drenig stated.
"Look, on the ground," Wren said, pointing to two rugs on the ground. There was a blue one and a yellow one. A long ways away from the rug were two doorways: one for each team.
"I aint touching that rug," Aria said. "It seems fishy."
"She does have a point," Lilly said. "Why would their be rugs of our team colors here? It's like Hespute was expecting us."
"Let's just go through the doors then," Percy said.
Both teams did so. Upon entering the halls, they noticed two doors at the end of the hallway. The doors said "All six must step on the rugs to proceed."
"I still don't trust the rugs," Aria said,
"No one cares," Riley stated.
"Let's try the stairs then," Drenig suggested.
Both teams had the same idea. Eventually, they backed out of the hallway and went up the stairs. ...But when the contestants took one step on the stairs, the step immediately gave way. Kiki's foot almost got trapped inside.
"You know those games where an NPC asks a question and repeats the question till you pick the desired choice?" Dustin ask. "I have a feeling this is like that."
"You mean we HAVE to step on the rugs?" Ruce asked.
"Exactly," Dustin stated. "The challenge won't progress until we do."
"Well... if it's part of the challenge," Lilly said, walking over to the blue rug. "We all have to stand on the rug."
"Wait... can we huddle up?" Aria asked.
"Get real!" Riley said before going to the rug.
"No, this is important," Aria said.
"Can we just humor her?" Wren asked.
"Yeah, okay," Kiki said before huddling up with Wren and Aria.
"You're actually listening to her Kiki?" Riley asked. "She's a lunatic, she doesn't know what she's talking about."
"They're getting ahead of us, guys," Drenig stated.
All the Artic-Uno members stood on the blue rug. The next thing to happen was exactly what you'd expect to happen: a trapdoor opened up below the rug, swallowing the entire Artic-Uno team down into a pit.
"I KNEW THIS WAS A TRAAAAAAAAP!" Muffy yelled as she was falling.
Aria started to laugh at the other team. She then looked at the doorways and noticed the Artic-Uno door DID open up, and so did the Zap-Dos door.
"Well Riley? Am I a lunatic now?" Aria asked.
"Pfft, you got lucky," Riley said.
It was Aria's plan all along to make the other team go first to see what would happen. But Riley was being too thick-headed to listen.
"Riley, don't you think you should be more supportive?" Kiki asked as they started walking down their hallway.
"You have to admit though, her sarcasm really is ruining the game," Riley said.
"Sorry," Aria mentioned. "We all have things we try to keep inside but we blurt out anyway."
"You should try learning better control," Riley said. "If all you have to contribute to this team is sarcasm, you don't have much of a reason to be here."
"I do see the point you're making Riley," Kiki mentioned. "But I still think you're being too hard on her."
"Sometimes you have to be tough," Riley mentioned. "You know that better than anyone, and that's why I actually have quite a lot of respect for you."
"Hmmmm..." Kiki stuttered.
-Confessional Session(Kiki)-
"I've heard Riley mention that he does have lots of respect for me," Kiki mentioned. "I'm just not sure how much I respect him. He does have his strong points, but he's also a bit anti-social too."
-Confessional Session(Riley)-
"Sure I'm a little hard on Aria," Riley said. "But she's been doing this through-out the entire compotition. Every time she has an excuse to criticize the show, it's plot, it's characters, it's challenges, or whatever else makes the show, she will use that excuse."
-After Confessional-
This challenge was the pits for Team Artic-Uno. ...Get it? They had just fallen into a soft pit filled with foam blocks.
"Ugh, stupid pitfall," Muffy shouted.
"Don't worry, there has to be a way out," Percy said. "We just have to go further. Look, there's a dimly lit hallway over there."
"Ha ha! Evil has no fear!" Grant said before trudging through the blocks into the hallway.
Past the hallway was a dirty floor with lots of webs filled with primitive-Spinaraks and Joltiks. There were coffins everywhere. The other members followed him into the room.
"See? No fear!" Grant exclaimed. ...But suddenly he went over to a coffin, and out of the coffin popped out a ghoulish Dusclops. Grant dropped his gun in fear and started to shiver, but tried not to scream.
"Yargh!" Ruce yelled before spraying the Dusclops with the spray. The Dusclops relaxed its arms and straightened it's posture afterward.
"Ha! See? I stared death in the face and I almost laughed," Grant said.
-Confessional Session(Grant)-
You could see Grant was sucking on his thumb-hoof while grabbing his legs with his arm. But after a while he looked at the camera and tried to pretend he wasn't doing anything of the sort.
"Ha! I'm just kidding, that ghost didn't scare me," Grant stated before a long pause. "...Yes it did. I guess evil does have fears."
-After Confessional-
"Huh, you're a strange bunch," the Dusclops said. "Where... where am I?"
"Uh, hello," Percy greeted. "You are in Hespute's mansion."
"Hespute? The guy with the belly mouth?" the Dusklops asked. "I want one of those when I grow up."
"That's beside the point," Lilly mentioned. "Do you know anything about Gulp?"
"Ah, Gulp..." The Dusknoir said. "They say Gulp lives in the back room of Hespute's study, but no one's gotten a look. I hear two Duskulls tried to, but they were caught and eaten. No one knows what they saw."
"How do you get to Hespute's studdy from here?" Percy asked.
"Easy," the Dusklops started. "There's a manual elevator shaft over should take you to the second floor. His study is on the third though, but there's a big door guarding it so it will be easy to find."
"Any... ghosts we have to deal with?" Grant asked.
"The second floor should be crawling with Duskulls," the Dusklops mentioned.
"Great, we have some action to look forward to," Jet said.
"Speak for yourself," Lilly said.
"I... think maybe I should go ahead in front," Muffy said. "This would be a good chance to conquer my fears."
"Coming from someone who said they weren't afraid of ghosts," Grant mentioned.
"Like the Krookodile said, I might be saying differently if I face one," Muffy said.
"Maybe I should go with you," Percy said. "I can handle a few stage ghosts. After all, there will be surprises everywhere in the mansion, but there won't be any real dangers so don't be too upset."
"Well... Okay," Muffy agreed. The group walked over to the shaft and had Muffy and Percy pull their team up.
"After all, we better hurry because the others could very much be ahead," Percy mentioned as they pulled themselves up.
Over with Team Zap-Dos, they were looking through a hallway filled with all kinds of Pokemon armor.
"Man these armors are big," Wren stated.
"Just keep those spray guns handy," Drenig mentioned. "The armor might contain ghosts."
"Look, there's a big set of Emboar armor guarding that door," Kiki mentioned, pointing to a big door guarded my giant Emboar armor with a lance.
"ATTAAAAAACK!" Dustin yelled.
"Dustin, shut up!" Kiki yelled.
"Incidentally, anyone want to..." Aria started.
"No!" Riley shouted.
"But we're alone now, Artic-Uno is nowhere to be found," Aria said.
"Yes Aria, please tell us what you know," Kiki said.
"Well, I have a pretty good idea of where Gulp could be found," Aria started. "You see... Uhhh..."
Suddenly, the giant Emboar armor started to move.
"Uh oh, things are getting serious," Wren stated. "Quick, someone spray the armor!"
Drenig stepped forward and shot the armor with the fumes. ...But the armor kept it's advance.
"It's not working!" Drenig said. "The gas isn't penetrating the armor!"
It was safe to assume there was a ghost Pokemon in there. What kind of ghost Pokemon was unknown.
"Drenny!" Dustin yelled before taking a sword from one of the other armors and charging towards the ghost armor.
As Drenig got out of the way, Dustin swung his sword at the armor. But the armor picked Dustin up and tossed him aside.
"We may have to just run past the armor," Kiki mentioned. "It doesn't look like we can destroy it, and there's no point in doing so."
"But it takes up too much of the room for Drenig to get past," Wren mentioned.
"Not if I charge through!" Drenig yelled. Dustin, who was recovering after being tossed aside, decided to object.
"But Drenig, that's suicide!" Dustin yelled.
"If I barrel into it, I can knock it aside!" Drenig yelled before rushing up to the side of the armor without the lance. But the Emboar armor stuck the lance over into the wall of said side to block Drenig's path. Then the armor swung the lance to knock Drenig back.
"Told you it was suicide," Dustin said.
"I got a plan B," Kiki mentioned. "I'm gonna get it to turn it's back."
Kiki then ran toward the Emboar armor. The armor then did the exact same thing by sticking it's lance out. ...But Kiki slid under the lance and got it to turn around.
"NOW!" Kiki yelled to the rest.
Drenig found a chance to run past the Emboar armor as Kiki got it to turn around. Eventually everyone made it past the armor and to the door. Kiki opened the door and found a flight of stairs. The team rushed up the stairs and closed the door behind them leaving the Emboar armor behind them.
"Whew, that was close," Drenig mentioned.
"Still, that was some pretty cool armor," Dustin mentioned. "I know an Emboar L.A.R. P. er who would love to have cool armor like that. His name's Edgar."
"I think you told me about him before," Drenig mentioned. "He's like the head knight for your L.A.R. P. ing faction, right?"
"Yeah, he is," Dustin mentioned. "Pretty strong and good with a lance. ...Even better than that armor, now that I think about it."
"Come to think of it, what kind of creature inhabited that armor?" Wren asked.
Over with Artic-Uno, they had just pulled themselves up the shaft and made it to the second floor of Hespute's mansion. They could see the entrance and the main floor from where they were.
"Any sign of the other team?" Ruce asked.
"Not from the looks of it," Percy mentioned.
"Okay, let's just find the third floor," Muffy stated.
The team looked over and saw a flight of steps adjacent to the hallway they were walking on. It seemed a bit of a walk, but they would tough it out.
"So where are these... ghosts?" Muffy asked.
Suddenly, they walked by a painting, and immediately a pair of Misdrevius flew out to attack the group. The group jumped in shock.
"Agh! Fire! FIRE!" Muffy yelled before spraying the two Misdrevius with the potion gas. Afterward, the two Misdrevius shook their heads and flew down to the first floor.
"Did someone say fire?" The team then looked over to a pillar near the railing of the hallway they were walking in and saw two candles, one on the pillar and one on the wall opposite of it. ...Or what looked like candles but turned out to be Litwiks.
"Crud!" Jet yelled before hopping up and spraying one of the Litwiks. Percy sprayed the other. Afterward, the Litwiks went to rest on the holders they were on.
"The Dusklops wasn't kidding when he said the place would be crawling with ghosts," Lilly stated.
"Oh come on!" Grant shouted, alerting the group of two more litwiks. Grant shot one of them and Ruce shot the other. They just stood there and went to sleep like the other Litwiks did.
"Dang, they're really slowing us down," Ruce said.
"We gotta hurry!" Lilly shouted. "Look! The other team!"
Over on the opposite side of the room, they could see the other team in the distance. And they appeared through a door closer than the one Artic-Uno just went through.
"We're in the lead!" Wren said to his team.
"Yes, let's keep in the lead," Riley stated.
"We have to hurry," Lilly said. "We know what to expect from the rest of the hall, so use that to our advantage."
"Uhhh, right," Muffy said as she ran forward.
"Good idea," Percy admitted before running off down the hall with Muffy. Everyone else followed.
While Artic-Uno was blasting paintings and candles, Team Zap-Dos was finding out EXACTLY what they were in for as the first painting they encountered was one inhabited by more ghosts.
"Ahk! No one ever mentioned ghosts in the hall!" Dustin yelled.
"Kind of expected the mansion to have it's guardians," Drenig stated before spraying one of the ghosts.
"What else is down here?" Aria asked.
"The candles!" Kiki yelled. "They're alive too!"
Using the knowledge of the ghosts to their advantage, Team Artic-Uno was able to catch up to Team Zap-Dos. But eventually, they wised up too, and the match became a neck-and neck brawl to the steps.
"Come on, we're almost there!" Kiki yelled as their team reached the steps.
Artic-Uno, as well, reached the steps and they both started rushing up the steps, trying to get up there first. But Artic-Uno actually knew where to go, and Zap-Dos had to guess. As Artic-Uno was rushing towards the big door, Zap-Dos stopped to look around.
"Which door should we go through?" Dustin asked.
"Oh you have to be kidding," Aria said. "Artic-Uno probably knows, they're rushing right towards a door!"
Artic-Uno rushed down the hall, shooting more ghosts on the way, and they were almost able to reach Hespute's room. ...But when they got there, the door was locked.
"What the... How is this possible?" Jet asked, pulling at the door. "It's locked!?"
"I had a feeling getting in wouldn't be this easy," Muffy stated.
Suddenly, they heard a nasty laugh fill the room. This laugh was the same laugh they saw in the video.
"It's them!" Aria yelled out.
"Them? What do you mean them?" Kiki asked.
"Well I've been trying to say something for a while, but Riley keeps interrupting," Aria stated.
Suddenly, a figure appeared right above the door and floated to the center of the room where he could not be reached.
"Hmph! Welcome to my mansion, minions of Bertram," Hespute said before doing his signature laugh again.
-Confessional Session(Ruce)-
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Ruce roared, going crazy after hearing the word "minion" one more time.
-After Confessional-
Hespute was in sight, but the game wasn't coming to a close yet. Who would be the first to find Gulp and convert him to cut off Hespute's power?
-Gulp Trip-
"It is I, Hespute!" the giant ghost said. "My power is gigantical! My darkness is unblindable! And my study is locked to ALL except my minions."
"That's okay, I'll end the challenge right now," Aria said before trying to run up to Hespute. ...But Riley grabbed her.
"Do you even have a mind?" Riley asked.
"Do you want to win or not?" Aria asked.
"Yeah," Riley said. "But a blind charge won't work."
"I know what I'm doing," Aria said.
"Hello! Eyes on Hespute!" the giant ghost shouted. "Only my minions have the key, so YOU are pretty much out of luck. Slash and Smash are my two mains, and both should have a key. Incidentally, neither of them will just give their key away. And that silly little gas of yours won't work on them."
"Gas doesn't work..." Dustin said. "The big guy! That must have been Smash!"
"I'm talking here!" Hespute shouted. "The both of them will be roaming the halls in search of you, and they will make sure they take good care of you. You can run all you want, but the only place you can go is out, and that won't get you anywhere now will it? Anyway, good day."
Eventually, Hespute went back through the wall where his study was.
"Great, now what?" Kiki asked.
"First, you could explain what you know about Smash," Ruce called out.
"All we know is he wears big Emboar armor," Dustin said.
"And Slash?" Percy asked.
"We... haven't encountered him yet," Drenig said.
"So... what do we do?" Muffy asked.
"Hey, figure that out for yourself!" Aria asked. "You're not on our team, so we don't have to tell you." Eventually the teams huddled together.
Over with Team Zap-Dos, they were trying to figure out what to do. They didn't have a good idea, nor did they have a plan.
"Well... what do you guys got?" Drenig asked. "I got nothing."
"Maybe we should hide and wait for them to come out," Aria mentioned.
"That's stupid," Riley said.
"Is that all you do is criticize Aria?" Wren asked.
"Sorry, but she gets on my nerves," Riley mentioned. "And come on, doesn't she get on all of ours? Be honest."
"No, I'm fine with her," Wren said.
"What if we... what if we get one of them to take it's helmet off?" Kiki suggested.
"How do we do that?" Dustin asked.
"Uhhhh..." Kiki stuttered.
"So we have no plan," Drenig said.
"Why don't I tackle Smash down the steps," Dustin said. "I'm sure his helmet will fall off during the fall."
"That's suicide!" Kiki shouted. "You could kill yourself doing that!"
"And now we're back to hiding," Aria said.
"I'm not hiding like a coward," Riley stated.
"Do you have a better idea?" Aria asked. "Because the floor is all yours if you do."
"I say we fight him, then we steal his key," Riley said.
"Take the fight to the giant menace!" Dustin shouted.
"No, let's not and say we did," Kiki said. "You're forgetting there's an actor in the armor. We could hurt him and get our whole team disqualified from the challenge."
"Don't tell me you're siding with Aria," Riley said. "I thought you had more brains then that."
"You're telling me we should physically harm whoever's in that armor?" Kiki asked.
"It's a ghost, we'll just destroy the armor," Riley said.
"We don't know that!" Kiki shouted. "Why would they need keys if they're ghosts?"
"I dunno, to get inside with their armor?" Riley asked.
"No, they'd need to be solid for keys to be relevant," Kiki asked.
Over at Artic-Uno, they had an easier time figuring out what to do. Jet had a plan crazy enough to work.
"Why don't I just leap onto the armor and grab his helmet off," Jet asked.
"That sounds like a stupid plan," Muffy said.
"I dunno, I think legs might be able to pull it off," Grant stated.
"Do you think so?" Ruce asked.
"Sure, why not?" Grant asked. "Okay Jet, why don't you give it a shot?"
Percy eventually stood up and looked to the other group. There was a lot of noise there.
"Wow, there must be another battle going on over there," Percy stated. "Are they always arguing?"
"Now that I think of it, they were doing that before we went inside," Jet said.
Back with Team Zap-Dos, the flames began. Riley was arguing why they should attack the armor, and Kiki was arguing against it.
"We have no good plans to work with!" Riley shouted. "Fighting the armor is all we have!"
"I think Aria's actually right, Riley," Kiki said. "I think hiding and getting the drop on them is the way to go."
"You're siding with HER!?" Riley shouted. "I thought you were the team leader!"
"I go with what I think is the best option!" Kiki yelled. "I do NOT think physically assaulting an ACTOR is the way to go!"
"Ugh! I thought there'd actually be people on this team that aren't completely useless," Riley insulted.
"You're calling ME useless!?" Kiki asked.
"And me?" Aria asked. "What have YOU done?"
-Confessional Session(Aria)-
"Third time's a charm, little lizard," Aria said. "This time you are SURELY going home."
-After Confessional-
"Guys, be quiet," Dustin said. "I think I hear clinking armor in the distance. They're coming."
"Right, hide where you can," Kiki said, going through one of the doors.
"You can stay out here if you want," Aria stated, going through another.
Eventually, everyone except Riley went through a door. Eventually, two figures were emerging from the steps. As you'd expect, one of them was an Emboar armor. The other was armor in the shape of a Scizor. They said nothing, they just walked up the stairs. ...When suddenly... Jet leaped out at the Scizor armor.
"Yargh! I just need to pull this helmet off..." Jet said. But then the armor started to fight back. But even though Jet didn't use his tongue which would have been against the rules anyway, Jet managed to pull off the helmet, revealing... an actual Scizor. ...One with a rather long neck.
"Gah! Smash, help!" Slash cried.
"Inhale THIS you overrated ugly lobster!" Jet said before spraying at Slash' mouth.
"Who you calling over-rated, you hideous blue lickitung wannabe?" Smash yelled before running off after Slash.
"Hey, YOU!" Riley yelled before running up and jumping onto Smash. Smash turned around and Riley managed to grab onto his arms, right before grabbing and pulling his helmet off. Riley fell off the armor, which ALSO turned out to be the actual creature and brandished his gun. As Smash started to charge after Riley, Riley brandished his fumigator and sprayed right in Smash's face. Eventually, both knights stopped their struggle and stood still.
"Wow, Jet's plan actually worked," Muffy admitted.
"Guess I was right to trust in the over-rated hideous blue lickitung wannabe," Grant mentioned.
Suddenly, Zap-Dos members poured out of the rooms, as did a few Duskulls. They were all shouting very loudly, which showed they were scared.
"Okay, maybe that wasn't such a good idea!" Aria yelled.
"Told you my idea was better," Riley said, pointing at Smash. Dustin couldn't help but stare at both Smash AND Slash.
"...Edgar?" Dustin asked.
"Uhhh..." Smash stuttered.
"And there's our faction's rival's leader, Dorval," Dustin said, pointing to the Scizor.
"Uhhh... are we supposed to know you?" Slash asked.
"You two are from our L.A.R. P. ing community!" Dustin proclaimed.
"Uhhh, we know not of these "Edgar" and "Dorval" characters you mention," Smash said.
"You're forgetting it's a show," Drenig whispered. "Even if they are who you think they are, they're not going to admit it on camera."
"Oh, thy must have you two confused," Dustin said.
-Confessional Session(Dustin)-
"Though I am right," Dustin said. "Those two are well respected faction leaders of our L.A.R. P. ing community. Sometimes Edgar and Dorval team up to fight other communities during the L.A.R. P. ing wars."
-After Confessional-
"Well? Are you going to apologize?" Riley asked.
"All you did was take his helmet off," Kiki said. "You didn't actually fight him."
"But I DID get the job done," Riley mentioned. "Which is more than smarty-squid has preformed."
"We all have our moments," Aria admitted. "Well go on, isn't this the part where you two would say something like "Huh? Where are we? Thanks for saving us. Here's the keys."
"Actually, we know where we are," Slash said. "We came here to defeat Hespute and Gulp."
"Argh, alas he was too strong even for an Emboar such as I," Smash said. "I don't exactly have the speed of a Scizor."
"...We Scizor are actually quite slow ourselves," Slash said.
"Oh, I didn't know," Smash said.
"And besides, I am much more lethal than you are," Slash said.
"I could still kick your butt," Smash argued.
"Only cause of your type," Slash countered. "Things would be rather different with neutral types."
"Yeah right!" Smash yelled.
"Arguing just like old times," Dustin said.
"Who is this kid again?" Slash asked.
"Duh, I don't know Slash," Smash said.
"Anyway, you freed us from his curse," Slash mentioned. "So we will each give you teams a key."
Slash took his key out of his armor and flew over to Jet. Slash threw it in the air and Jet jumped right up to catch it. He even did a front flip, the show off.
"Ha! Nice," Slash said.
Dustin ran up to Smash as he came closer to the group. Dustin was eager to get the key from "his guild master," so he put his fist out before grabbing the key. What do you know, "Edgar" gave Dustin a bump back before handing the key to him.
"Anyway, we better head out," Slash said. "Good luck against Hespute."
"Wait, aren't you gonna stay and fight with us?" Dustin asked.
"You have the weapons that work against him and we don't," Smash mentioned.
"Dustin... let em go," Drenig said. "You'll probably see them at the next convention anyway."
Over with Artic-Uno, they were not wasting any time. They were heading straight for the study.
"Alright, now to bust into his study," Jet stated.
"The one he's probably still in?" Percy asked.
"Don't worry, I have a plan," Jet said as he opened the door and gave a shocked look to Hespute. It was all part of his plan. "Lord Hespute! Your minions failed to defeat us!" he cried.
"Ha! Welcome to my chamber," Hespute said. "So you have come to defeat us? Me and Gulp. That will be very fun to see, you trying to destroy me AND my friend."
"I bet Gulp is hungry though!" Jet cried. "Bet he would really like to try a nice juicy Emboar right now."
"Yes, that he would," Hespute said. "I'll go fetch the two right now and have them face punishment. In the meantime, you stay put."
Hespute then flew up to the top of the room before going through the wall again. He then flew out into the third floor balcony and down the stairs.
"...That's it?" Ruce asked. "He's just going to leave the room?"
"Ah ha ha ha! Idiot!" Grant blurted out. "And look, the back room is exposed."
Lilly walked up to the door and examined it. It was locked.
"Looks like we might need a key for this door if we want to face Gulp," Lilly suggested.
"But why would that punk just leave the room?" Muffy asked. "Why doesn't he stay here and try to stop us?"
"Hey guys, I found a key in his throne," Percy said after digging through the throne cusions and pulling out a key."
"Great, now all we have to do is open the door," Jet said before Percy went to the door to open.
"I still think it's too easy," Muffy said. That made Lilly think.
"You're right... it does seem a bit... easy," Lilly said.
Eventually, Percy opened the door to the study. There, they each got a look at what was in the back room for the first time.
...But that would be revealed later. Team Zap-Dos saw Hespute fly down the stairs. Dustin got kind of worried.
"Edgar!" Dustin yelled.
"Forget that, it's a game," Riley yelled. "We have to stop the other team from..."
"Come on, Dustin," Aria said. "Let's go save Edgar. We'll kill two Tailows with one gravelrock."
"What are you doing!?" Riley yelled. "We have to get in there before they do!"
"We're going to win the game!" Aria shouted before she rushed down the steps. Dustin and Wren followed them. Drenig eventually did too.
"GET BACK HERE!" Riley erupted. Riley ran after Aria, but Kiki tried to stop him.
"Riley, I think Aria might know what she's doing!" Kiki excused.
"You mean like last time?" Riley asked.
"I don't know," Kiki said. "I just have a feeling she knows something. She's been hiding something the whole time."
"Why do you keep defending her?" Riley asked.
"Now, I don't like her either," Kiki stated. "I mean, I don't hate her, but I can see why she annoys you Riley."
"Then let's go!" RIley shouted.
"But I still think she might..." Kiki started.
"Listen Kiki, are you going to trust a blithering idiot or are you going to trust me?" Riley asked.
"I... I don't know," Kiki said. Riley was scaring her.
"Let's go already!" Riley shouted before running after Aria and the others. Kiki followed in suit.
Down on the second floor, Slash and Smash had just made it down. Suddenly Hespute showed up and started to fly around their areas.
"Where do you think YOU TWO are going?" He asked before grabbing Slash first then flying over and grabbing Smash. "You're forgetting what happens to those who fail me. May we consult the laws of Hespute's mansion? Or would you like to be good children and answer yourself."
"You and Gulp can perish!" Slash threatened.
"We don't work for you anymore, and we never will again!" Smash yelled.
"Ha! Both very good answers," Hespute taunted. "However, they are WRONG answers."
"Edgar! We've come to help!" Dustin shouted before coming down stairs.
"For the last time, my name is Smash!" he answered.
"Fine, Smash and Slash," Dustin said. "We come to help."
"Because it's game over for you and your little pal," Aria said before rushing up to Hespute's belly. She pointed the gun at the belly's mouth and... was tackled to the ground by an angry Charmeleon.
"You FOOL!" Aria yelled. "We we going to win!"
"I am the fool?" Riley asked. "You just blindly walk up to him and point the gun without thinking?"
"You're costing us the challenge!" Aria yelled.
"Awww, that is adors, isn't it?" Hespute asked, talking about Aria and Riley's arguing. "But now, where was I?"
"HERE COMES THE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" Suddenly, Hespute heard a shout coming from the other flight of steps. He saw Grant rushing up to the group, locked and loaded. Ruce was right beside him, rushing up to Hespute just as feisty.
"Don't let them get away!" Ruce yelled. Eventually the two took turns firing away at Hespute's belly. Hespute kept trying to back away, but eventually both Grant and Ruce managed to fire off blasts of potion gas straight into Hespute's belly. Eventually, the belly started to cough furiously.
"What are they doing?" Riley asked. "Are they mental?"
"No," Aria answered. "I've been trying to tell the team the whole time, but you refused to listen."
"What do you mean?" Riley asked. Eventually, Lilly came up to the group.
"Simple," Lilly started. "If I am right, Aria was trying to say that Hespute's friend "Gulp" is actually Hespute's belly."
"Huh!?" Riley shouted.
"While you were chasing after Hespute," Percy started. "We got a sneak peak at his back room. Do you know what we saw back there?"
"Uhhh..." Riley stuttered.
"Nothing. All we saw was a black and empty room," Ruce stated.
"I knew it was too easy," Muffy said. "He left us alone cause he knew we'd be wasting our time up there. He had nothing to hide but nothing itself."
"Thanks for being a doll and letting us win by the way," Grant said.
"Woo hoo! Another day I don't go home!" Jet shouted.
"Uhhhhh..." Riley looked down at the pinioned Malamar, and she looked angry.
"Apologies please?" Aria asked.
-One Step Closer-
"So..." Hespute started once both teams were assembled. "You figured me out, didn't you? Well done. I kind of wish you didn't convert me thought. I thought it was kinda fun being an evil lord for a change."
"Care to rule the world together?" Grant asked.
"Cute, but no," Hespute said.
"Now that I think of it, I kind of recognize you too," Aria said. "You're famous comedian Goat Hepher."
"Goat Hepher? Is that a stage name?" Kiki asked.
"Huh? I don't know what you're talking about," Hespute said. "Right Slash and Smash?"
"Uhhh, right," Slash mentioned.
"Please, Bower admitted his true identity," Aria said.
"Alright, I admit it," Hespute said. "I really am Goat Hepher. I kind of made that my stage name after someone commented on the ammount of meat jokes I make."
"Please, invite me to your next show," Lilly said. "Someone needs to boo you off the stage."
"She's a vegetarian," Muffy said. "She wouldn't find that funny at all. ...Honestly I don't either."
"I don't think making light of something's death, big or small, is something to laugh at either," Drenig mentioned.
"...Do any of you find those jokes fun?" Hespute, or should I say Goat said.
"...I do," Aria said, raising her tentacle up.
"...Really?" Wren asked Aria.
"And you two really are..." Dustin started.
"L.A.R. P. ing captains? Yes we are," Dorval said. "As you said, I'm Dorval and he is Edgar."
"Hey Dusty," Edgar said happily. Dustin waved back to his team captain.
"But now that we've said who we are, the illusion's kind of..." Goat started.
"Dagger Eyes did this to you guys," Aria said. "He took a bunch of innocents and turned them into zombies."
"Huh? Is Aria trying to take the game seriously?" Kiki asked.
"You were just hardworking people who went about life normally," Aria said. "So was Gola, Medula, AND... possibly Pandora too, not sure what to think of him. You had fame and fortune, and Dagger Eyes took all of that away from you. Dagger Eyes is ruthless and evil, and he will pay for his crimes."
"Uhhhh... Yes, let's go with that," Goat said. "Anyway, the challenge is over. Now we should return to Bertram. He should be waiting for you guys back at the cave."
"Wait, how do you know?" Ruce asked.
"Dagger Eyes has cameras planted everywhere, even from my mansion," Goat said. "I knew you were coming the whole time."
"Now I know why Aria has a hard time taking this show seriously," Lilly said.
Back at the cave, the challenge was wrapping up. Bertram seemed proud by Goat's pressence, as it was proof the teams had succeeded.
"So, if my eyes do not decieve me, one team has converted Gulp," Bertram said. "May I ask which team?"
"Uhhh... Team Artic-Uno did so," Goat said.
"Really, me and my team WOULD have won, but SOMEONE tackled me to the ground before I could complete the challenge!" Aria shouted, staring at Riley.
"Hmph, I guess no ammount of appologizing is going to save me from this one," Riley stated. "This is why I don't like working in teams. ...Because I have a hard time doing so without letting my anger towards them get the better of me."
The two teams stared at Riley. There seemed to be a sense of sympathy towards him.
"I really do deserve to be sent home after what I did today," Riley said. "After all, you have no reason to send anyone else home. ...I... I'm sorry for attacking you, Aria."
"Hmmmm..." Aria was thinking about Riley's appology. In fact, the whole team was.
"Well, I guess the matter of your reward is in order Artic-Uno," Bertram said. "Unfortunately, there will be no food reward this time."
"Awww..." Muffy whined.
"Instead, Kaleb's Pipes and Plumbing will install some new showers in BOTH bunkers," Bertram said. "In addition, Artic-Uno's package comes equiped with top of the line washing impliments, all kinds of scented cleaning products, luxurious towels, bath robes, AND adjustable heat on the showers.
"No way, really?" Jet asked.
"My fur has been really dirty as of late," Percy mentioned.
"The losing team only gets standard washcloths, plain cleaning products, bargain towels, NO bath robes and each shower will only be equiped with warm water," Bertram added. "Not very comfortable, but it will wash you up. In addition, one more member will be sent home."
-Confessional Session(Kiki)-
"Should we really give Riley another chance?" Kiki asked. "I know he has his demons and his strong points, but he STILL cost us the challenge. I don't know who else to send home. ...Oh wait, yeah I do. That annoying Watchog that thinks he's a knight. If I vote for anyone else, it's him."
-Confessional Session(Wren)-
"I don't care if he appologized today," Wren said. "He'll just come back and do it again."
-After Confessional-
Everyone of the Zap-Dos members gathered around for the next ceremony. As usual, everyone got a glass to drink.
"As usual, you must drink the milk or you are disqualified," Bertram said.
"Why should I bother?" Riley asked. "I should just go now."
"No! Drink your milk," Bertram said.
"Whatever." Riley drunk the milk, but didn't think there was much of a point. Everyone else drank as well.
"So... are we ready to start the ceremony?" Bertram asked.
"I got nothing to say," Kiki said. "Anyone else?"
"No, I'm good," Drenig said.
"Nothing here," Wren stated.
"Anyone else?" Kiki asked. ...Silence. No one had anything to contribute. "Okay, you may start."
"Once again we find ourselves at the Exile Chamber," Bertram stated. "Five of you will remain here, but one person will go home."
"Just send me home already," Riley said.
"No, we have to go through the list first," Bertram said. "Let's see... Kiki, you are safe. ...Aria, you are ALSO safe."
"Is there any point?" Riley asked. "It's obvious they're sending me home."
"Not neccesarily, let's have fun with it," Bertram said. "Maybe they'll give you another chance. Okay, Wren and Drenig are..."
"I've been down here three times in a row," Riley stated. "Why would they give me another chance?"
"Well, Jet got three chances," Bertram said. "But then again, he would have been sent home if Yoshi didn't forfeit. Anyway, Wren and Drenig are..."
"As much as I try, my team knows I can't function in a group," Riley said. "I've let my group down once again and now... Now I'm starting to feel dissapointed. ...Dissapointed in myself for not trying harder to work in a group. Maybe that comes with being an aspie."
"Wait, what?" Kiki asked. "You never told us you had Aspergers."
"Because I never found the point in telling anyone," Riley said. "But I do. That's part of the reason I have such a hard time working in a group, because it's not part of my nature to do so. I've always prefered to be alone, and now I wish I was more social. But I can't easily change who I am."
"Well if you'd just let me finish..." Bertram started. "Oh what's the point? Riley, yes, you are going home."
"Figures," Riley said before walking over to the quarantine chamber. Bertram opened the chamber for him to step inside.
"Any last words before you go?" Bertram asked.
"I..." Riley stuttered. "I guess I wanted to learn more about Kiki. I... kind of wanted to be good friends with her because she was the one I looked up to the most. I can even go as far as to say... I had a crush on her. Kind of glad me and her are two compatable monsters."
"No you're not," Bertram said to Riley.
"Wait, what?" Riley asked. But before an answer came, Bertram pushed him into the chamber. "You mean we're not compatable!?"
Riley never got an answer before the smoke consumed him. Eventually, Riley was gone and another member had bit the bullet.
"Hmph, he seemed kind of nice," Bertram said. "Maybe I should invite him into a future season, assuming we get that far."
"Uh Bertram?" Kiki started. "Is that true? Are we really not compatable?"
"I am afraid that was not a joke," Bertram said, shaking his head.
"Meh, I guess I didn't come here for that anyway, unlike Chauncey," Kiki said.
"I hate to say it," Wren started. "But I almost regret not liking him now."
"It's alright," Aria stated. "I didn't like him much either before now. Anyway, let's go back to our bunkers."
Wren hopped back with the group, but then looked back at Bertram. He had a question to ask.
"Say, is Kiki compatable with anyone on the island?" Wren asked.
"Why is that relevant?" Bertram asked. "She said she didn't come here for love."
"I... I guess you might as well," Kiki said. "Just for kicks and giggles I guess."
"In that case, yes you are compatable with someone," Bertram said.
"Who?" Wren asked.
"Him," Bertram said, pointing his paw at Drenig.
"Wait, what now!?" Drenig asked.
"Oh, it's not relevant," Kiki said. "I only asked cause I was curious."
-Confessional Session(Drenig)-
"Me and Kiki?" Drenig asked himself. "You know, I never put thought into that." Drenig shook his head afterward. "But who cares. I came here to raise money for Big Boss Motors. ...And charity. There's several charities I wouldn't mind submitting to."
-After Confessional-
Bertram was looking into a book. The book was titled "Wedding Bells: Which Mate Is Right For You," the same book Muffy was reading a couple of days ago.
"Boy this book is a fun ready," Bertram said. "This episode of Quarantine has been brought to you by Prista Ardenta, author of "Wedding Bells: Which Mate Is Right For You," and Kaleb's Pipes and Plumbing for state of the art ductwork. Tomorrows episode will mark the last we see of teams Artic-Uno and Zap-Dos. Because two episodes from now, there will be an obligatory merge. Tomorrow is the last episode before the merge, and it's looking to be a good one. Until next episode, we say goodbye to you for now."
-Next Time On Quarantine-
"It's time to tell... the truth!"
Contestants are given the task of listing the things they hate about each of their team members.
"What DON'T I hate about him?"
After the contestants learn, they will be put inside a maze...
"Where am I now?"
...A maze which can only be solved through correct answers.
"Oh great, not another intelligence challenge."
All this leads up to the shocking turn of events.
"I must proceed with phase TWO."
In the next episode of Quarantine: Crusafix Twofold.