My disclaimer
I know Disney owns "Kim Possible"...lock, stock, and Rufus. Before I get done, I will probably tick off a few more studios, too. If they want to sue me, they have to get behind all my other creditors. Since I am in south Florida, the line has formed to the right and goes all the way to Sacramento!
To all readers:
1) According to the World Clock website, Mumbai is three-and-a-half hours behind Tokyo…not three…not four…three-and-a-half! It also states that neither country observes Daylight Saving Time. I was able to work around this when going from Kuwait City to Mumbai by using fictional arrival times for each flight (See note 3, below). However, I have to incorporate the unique time difference in this chapter.
2) Because of the "hurry-up-and-wait" aspect of 'The Amazing Race', some of the dialogue may read like a play's script, the rest may read like a normal story. I am sorry, but it's the only way to preserve the pacing of the story to match that of a standard 'Amazing Race' episode.
3) The departure times, seat availability, and duration of flights are completely fictional—Please do not waste your time trying to correct me by using info from travel sites and various brochures. We are dealing with cartoons here, remember?
4) Unless I get a lot of requests to do so, the opening theme sequence will only be posted in the first chapter and referenced back to it throughout the rest of the story.
5) I did receive a few reviews questioning the story's placement in the "Kim Possible" category instead of somewhere else. I hoped the intensive focus on Kim & Ron in the last few legs…Oh, forget it! If you don't know it's a KP story by now, you're too brain-dead to read this, anyway…I'm sure the Simpsons section of FanFiction would love your attention.
6) No matter what I put here, it's still up to you, the loyal reader, to let me know what you want. Review me, e-mail me if you wanna reach me! If you want to 'PM' me, that's ok! (Sorry…got carried away there, but you get the idea.) Enjoy!
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(Off-screen voice of Phil): "Previously, on "The Amazing Race"…Clue envelopes gave teams an earful.
"Everyone," Phil called out, "I just got a message from Thad about a change in the race." This brought on a flurry of groans, yelling, raspberries, and words a rabbit shouldn't really be saying in mixed company.
"What does 'Writer Boy' have up his sleeve now?" moaned Shaggy.
"Well," Phil replied, "Thad was really moved when he heard the musical card from Ron. In honor of such a wonderful gesture, all clue brochures for this race have been replaced by brochures that play sound. Although the instructions will still be printed in the brochures, the information will also be read aloud."
"Ron's quick thinking helped Team Possible catch a big break at the airport…
"Ma'am," Kim began, "we would like to book the 6:45 flight to—"
"NO, WE DON'T!" screamed Ron, waving a computer printout. "We want the 8:02 to Mumbai!"
"But that leaves nearly two hours later," admonished Kim.
"The 8:02 is a 'non-stop' flight! It hits Mumbai at 1:26 pm. That beats the other flights by four hours…and according to the availability computer over there where I got this, it only has two seats left!!"
"…which made Kim appreciate her teammate even more.
"…Ron proclaims how lucky he is to have me…It should be the other way around—I should thank the good Lord above to have a man like that…That's right—m-a-n MAN…He's not that little boy sitting alone in the tree-house anymore!
"…Drakken was absolutely right…I thought I was 'all that', but I'm really NOT—at least, not without Ron to have my back!"
"Yet, the seeds of doubt grew quickly in her mind.
"Ron keeps going on and on about trust…so why does it seem like he is hiding something? On several occasions, he has tried to tell me something about those stupid 'Ronnies'…when I was crying after that horrible nightmare, he said they won't hurt me—not can't hurt me…why is he so sure those stalkers and the 'MiJs' will still keep their distance? He said he had to lay down 'a few extra tracks' for that card…wouldn't 'a few extra tracks' mean he laid down some other tracks before that—maybe for one of those 'Ronnies'??"
"Pressure began to take its toll on the teams.
Robin & Starfire were first to the ticket counter, only to have Bugs try to cut in front of them. This brought on a heated argument that nearly had all three of the ticket-deficient teams thrown out of the airport. Only after hearing that threat from a security patrol did Bugs finally return to his place in line.
"The next 'surprise' didn't help matters.
BROCHURE: "(sound of shattering glass) As of this moment, your team has been "Shattered'! It is every competitor for himself/herself/itself!!"
"Everything came to a head at the 'Road Block'...
…After being hit by a glass bottle and taking a couple of punches, Scooby took pleasure in connecting a couple of 'haymaker' punches on Elmer before throwing him out the second-story window...
"…where Kim & Ron settled a life-changing wager...
"Still want to bet?" she growled. "It's now or never—and I'm raising the stakes…You win, we are full partners in every mission from here on out…I win, you spill the entire sitch on those 'Ronnies' and the Jump-suit Brigade! Got it??"
It wasn't long before the two combatants became merely a blur of bare hands, black boots, red hair, and a glowing blue aura.
Soon after that, a brilliant explosion rocked the entire theater. It sent the kumite mat into the saloon, Kim flying onto the pirate ship, and Ron soaring through the air toward her. She closed her eyes briefly, but re-opened them just as Ron delivered a palm-strike above her right temple.
'STOP!' a familiar voice boomed through their minds. This made time stand still. Ron's hand was frozen just as the strike began to make impact with Kim's head.
'Miss Possible,' Sensei continued, 'you must stay down. You have been defeated. Had Stoppable-san finished his strike, your skull would have been crushed!
'It was I who prevented Stoppable-san from telling you about our project—the one attracting the 'unwanted stalkers'. All will be revealed soon enough, Miss Possible. You must trust his judgment as you trust your own and let destiny run its course.' With that parting thought, Sensei faded into a soft mist.
Ron took Kim into his arms. She closed her eyes again as he began kissing the spot on the temple where his palm-strike hit.
"KP," he said, "I want to love you for the rest of my life…and the next five lifetimes…and the next six…seven…eight…"
Kim wearily opened her eyes again. Her body was unable to move, and her head was still situated on the side of the cannon.
"…nine…TEN!!!" screamed the director.
"KP…It's going to be ok!" Ron said as he began to use his healing powers on Kim's injuries.
"You and Sensei both told me that already. He was the one who told you to stop your palm-strike when I hit my head on the cannon."
"Kim, I didn't give you a palm-strike! The explosion threw me into the water. I barely got back on board by the time the director reached 'nine'!"
"Let's go, Partner!!" Kim prodded. "Team Possible may be 'Shattered', but the 'S/P Alliance' still has a race to win!"
"At the 'Pit Stop', things began to look brighter most of the competitors…
BROUCHURE (playing music): "Re-u-nit-ed, and it feels so good!"
"…But Elmer must make the decision of a lifetime…
PHIL: "ONE, you can save Bugs by putting him back onto your team. However, your start time would be based on his 'check-in' time—not yours. You would receive no money for the next leg of the race. Also, your team would be 'marked for elimination', meaning you would suffer a thirty-minute penalty if you do not finish first at the next 'Pit Stop'.
"TWO, you can continue the race on your own, as a 'one-person' team. Since you have only performed three officially-counted 'Road Block' tasks, you could still potentially win the race and take home $500,000—half a team, half a prize! You can start the next leg based on your own 'check-in' time, but you can not have any help with the 'Detour' tasks from here on out—any help at all!
"THREE, you can simply walk away from the race. If you do so, the remaining teams will be the 'Final Three' teams to the finish line. You would lose your chance at the million dollars; but to sweeten the deal, you would receive one of every 'leg victory' prize we have awarded so far. This prize package would include a 2008 Toyolet Primmus Hybrid, a 64-inch San-yo-yo plasma television, a seven-day luxury cruise from another set of 10 one-ounce bars of .9999 pure gold like those you won before, a 5,000-gallon PB Petroleum gas card, and a $10,000 savings bond. We would also add enough cash to bump the total package value up to an even $100,000!!
"So Elmer, what will it be…flying solo, being 'marked for elimination', or walking away?"
"…What other surprises await our teams on their quest for One MILLION Dollars...and what surprises do they have for us???
Scooby put up his paws in a fighting stance and shouted, "R-R-R-R-R-RET'S GET READY TO R-U-M-M-M-M-B-L-L-L-L-L-L-L-E!!!!"
"…Find out NEXT!"
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'Amazing Race' opening theme begins... (Please go to chapter 1 for theme sequence)
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So The Reality: 'Amazing Race'—Mumbai (Leg #7)
(Off-screen of Phil): "This is Mumbai, one India's largest cities. In addition to being an international hub of business and finance, Mumbai's film industry, known as 'Bollywood', has gained the attention of numerous American studios…
"…At the heart of the Bhuleshwar section of the city stands Mumbadevi Temple. Named after the city's patron Hundu goddess, this nearly 600-year-old temple was the sixth 'Pit Stop' in a race around the world…
"…After 'checking in' at the 'Pit Stop', teams stayed for a mandatory rest period to recharge and interact with the other teams; more importantly for Elmer, it gave him time to make a decision that could change the entire framework of the race."
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9:58 PM—Day 10—'Pit Stop' Rest Area—Next To Mumbadevi Temple
PHIL: "So Elmer, what will it be…flying solo, being 'marked for elimination', or walking away?"
ELMER: "Wow…Dis is vewy, vewy tough! (Sighs) Awwight, I pick the pwizes. Good wuck, evewybody!"
…After making his choice, Elmer received a hug from each surviving team member, from Phil, and all the other people in the rest area, with emphasis on "people".
In one corner of the dining area, Bugs Bunny was definitely in a foul mood. He rose to his feet and stepped toward the entrance of the facility. He then turned around and shouted back to Elmer…
"Of course, you realize this means WAR!"
At this declaration, Elmer asked Phil for the bag containing the items confiscated from him back in Omaha. He took the bag and walked into the male-gender restroom. He soon emerged from the facility wearing his full sportsman's outfit, complete with the oversized hat.
Elmer then pulled out a shotgun from behind his back and turned toward those remaining in the rest area. Just before leaving, he put a finger to his lips and said…
"Shhhhhh! Be vewy vwey quiet. I'm huntin' wabbits! Huh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh!"
Phil addressed the remaining teams as they reflected in the familiarity, yet weirdness, of the scene that just played out before them.
"Teams," Phil began, "I just got some bad news. Because Elmer took the $100,000 prize package, we had to cut back on the production budget."
"No more 'box lunches'?? Don't take away the 'box lunches'!!" Ron pleaded.
Phil chuckled. "No, Ron," he continued, "it's nothing like that. We just couldn't afford the talking clues anymore. We will use the traditional paper brochures for all remaining clues in the race."
"Oh, that's good," Ron sighed. "I like my 'box lunches', Phil!"
"Enough with the 'box lunches', man," Shaggy yelled. "Let him finish, already!"
"Thanks, Shag." Phil continued. "Now some the good news…Since Elmer walked away from the race, you teams now have a 'one in three' chance at the million dollars!"
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(Off-screen voice of Phil): "The earliest member's time before the team's reunion will determine the team's start time for this leg of the race. Kim arrived at 4:58 pm. She and Ron will depart at…
4:58 AM—Day 11
When Ron opened the clue envelope, a look of unbridled joy swept across his face.
RON (reading clue): "Fly yourselves to…TOKYO, JAPAN!!!"
(Off-screen voice of Phil): "That's right, Ron. Teams must fly from Mumbai to Tokyo, Japan, known worldwide as 'The Pearl of the Orient'. Teams must then travel by taxi to Zojoji Temple, where they will find their next clue."
RON (finishing clue): "Each team will receive $188 for this leg of the race."
KIM: "What's with the odd figure? (Pulls out seven bills) Oh, I get it!"
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5:43 AM
While their flight to Mumbai gave Kim & Ron a four-hour lead, they lost nearly an hour due to the wager. For Kim's 'peace of mind', it was an hour well spent. For the running of the race, however, it proved to be unfortunate. The first flight left the airport at 5:35 am, just eight minutes before Team Possible arrived at the terminal. By the time the next flight was scheduled to leave, Kim was sure the Titans and Mystery, Inc. would catch up to them.
Learning her lesson from Kuwait City, Kim checked for non-stop flights first. Seeing none, she booked the flight with the earliest available arrival. Once she got the tickets for the 9:25 flight, she rejoined Ron at the terminal's Sunbucks shop.
"Well, partner," Kim sighed, "I'm sorry our little wager forced us to miss the flight."
"No sweat, KP," chimed Ron. "We took the bad. We took the good. We've learned, about the best we could, 'The Realities of Existence'!" This brought a giggle from Kim.
"At least we got our tickets," he reasoned. "Who knows? The flight may fill up before they get here."
His smile then turned to a look of concern. "Are you're alright, Kim? I mean, my healing ability should have taken care of your injuries in the fight, but are you sure you're ok 'upstairs'?"
Kim gave him a reassuring smile. "Of course I'm ok," she said. "I really did talk to Sensei on the pirate ship. He told me he set up some sort of a project with you, and to trust you to tell me all about it when the time is right!
"Although he didn't give many details, he did say it was the cause of all those 'Ronnies' chasing us."
As if on cue, a group of teen-age and preteen girls appeared at the far end of the terminal. They all held pictures of either Ron or Ron & Rufus and began to run toward the Sunbucks shop. About half-way down the terminal, a blue-and-green blur tackled the mob, knocking them all into a car rental booth. One of the 'Ronnies' brought new meaning to the name of the business, as she wailed, "Man, that Hurtz!!"
Kim turned back to Ron and narrowed her eyes. "I still don't know the sitch with the 'MiJs', though."
Ron's face became blank as he held her hands in his. "To be honest, KP," he said, "Your guess is a good as mine." The look in his eyes even convinced Kim's little skeptic voice he was telling the truth.
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8:29 AM
…Shaggy & Scooby benefited from a taxi driver with a lead foot and no regrets. They came up to the ticket counter and discovered...only one seat was left for the 9:25 flight. This time, Shaggy had the forethought to ask the ticket agent to place him and Scooby on the 'standby' list.
Right behind them, a young man in a three-piece suit rushed up to the counter. He lived in Mumbai and had bought a ticket to go to Tokyo on business. His voice was rushed as he told the ticket agent his wife was going into labor two weeks early. This meant he had to cancel his trip and get to the hospital immediately. He quickly paid the cancellation fee and rushed out of the terminal.
"Well, well," said the ticket agent. "I guess we have two seats available after all."
"We'll take them!" Shaggy yelled.
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…Three minutes later, Robin & Starfire arrived. Despite their placement on the 'stand-by' list, they watched helplessly as the 9:25 flight took off on schedule. Their despair grew when they learned the next flight for Tokyo would not leave until 1:48 pm…
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1:36 PM, Local time, Mumbai
5:06 PM, Local time, Somewhere in Japan
…It was time for the patrols to change shifts. Mantis Squad, finished with their six-hour shift, was changing from blue-and-green jumpsuits to their normal attire. Crane Squad, already clad in their jumpsuits, was being briefed on their next mission by their green-glowing leader.
According to intelligence reports, the incoming squad was told they would not have to track their target very far on this mission—the target was scheduled to land in Tokyo within the next ten hours. Preparations would have to kick into high gear to ensure the mission's success once the target came to town…
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…Ron and Kim kept up their meditation routines while on the flight, as they knew it would be the dead of night upon their arrival in Tokyo. Between trance sessions and after their in-flight meal, Ron kept writing on a pad of puzzles filled with grids and numbers. This surprised Kim almost as much as his floating fan-blade stunt in Argentina.
"Sudoku, Ron??" asked Kim.
"Kim, you can only watch the same Pauley Schipp movie so many times on these flights," Ron stated.
"Do you solve even the 'colossally difficult' ones?"
"Ah, Yup-Yup," Ron chirped.
"But…I thought you hated numbers."
"Numbers are great, Kim. It's the math I hate—and you don't even need math for this! You could use numbers, letters, colors, symbols, really any set of items."
"Who do Sudoku? Jew do Sudoku?" joked Shaggy, making fun of more than just the puzzle name.
"Hey, hippie," snapped Ron, "Don't dis the grid!"
"Hah! Talk about a 'meddling kid'," Shaggy fired back. "You couldn't 'get a clue' if it came up and hit you with our blue-and-green 'Mystery Machine'."
Ron responded, "What would you know? You and your mutt are always stoned on those 'Scooby Snacks'! Do the cops know what's in those things??"
This made Shaggy get up and face Ron. "Shall we settle this 'man-to-man'," Shaggy sniped, "or do you want to fight me instead!"
Kim did not want this to get as ugly as the ticket counter incident in Kuwait City. She got up, turned around, and looked Shaggy squarely in the eyes.
"Listen here, 'Super Stubble'," she said in a firm, venomous tone. "You heard about our little 'bonus stunt' at Colossal Studios-Bollywood, right?"
Shaggy responded, "Yeah, so what?"
"If we did that much damage to those we love, just imagine what we do to those we hate—and I don't see any glowing hands on you or your hound, either. I'd say you'd last three, maybe five seconds!" She raised her voice to normal volume. "Does anybody have a stopwatch?"
At that moment, Shaggy shrank down into his chair and Scooby did something uncharacteristic of a dog that is used to long stretches in a confined mode of transportation.
"EEEWWW!!! Forget the stopwatch," Kim cried out. "Does anybody have a mop and bucket?"
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2:23 AM—Tokyo—Day 12
…Team Possible and Shaggy & Scooby arrived at the airport and tried to hail a cab. One taxi was slowly pulling up to the curb. Another cab whipped around the first one and slammed on its brakes. Seeing as this driver's initiative could possibly get them to Zojoji Temple a little faster, Ron & Kim quickly entered this cab.
Just as the driver turned on the meter, he sent a message to his dispatcher. It was soft enough so that Kim & Ron could not hear it from the back seat:
"Cobra Five to Nest…the Naco has landed."
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2:47 AM
…Indeed, the driver did have the need for speed, zipping through what traffic existed at a minimum of 10 kph over the posted limits. After they paid the driver and left the cab, the driver reported his position to dispatch…
…As Kim removed the clue envelope from the box, she started to feel like she was being watched. After looking in virtually every direction imaginable, she only found a well-lit area next to the temple. Within that area were three small pedestals, each one in front of an area covered by a six-foot-square canvas. A barrel of ink sat next to each podium
Finding nothing out of the ordinary for the race, she opened the envelope.
KIM (reading clue): "…'Road Block'…Who wants to take a letter?"
(Off-screen voice of Phil): "A 'Road Block' is a task only one team member may perform…and no team member can perform more than 6 'Road Block' tasks during the course of the race. The 'Relay' in Argentina counted as a 'Road Block' for each team member. When the teams were 'Shattered' in the last leg, that 'Road Block' did not count toward his/her/its 'Road Block' total.
"In this 'Road Block', one team member must go to one of three stations, put on a set of 'cover-alls', and open up the white envelope containing a Katakana character in the written Japanese language. Then that person must lift up the canvas, revealing a five-foot-long brush and a pad containing four-foot square sheets of paper.
"After the paper and brush are uncovered, the team member must then dip the brush into the ink barrel and paint the character onto the four-foot-square sheet of paper.
"Once the painted character is an acceptable rendition of the character in the envelope, a temple monk will give the team its next clue."
…Kim turned to Ron and volunteered to do the 'Road Block'.
"Ron," she said, "I know you recognize more Japanese characters, but I really think I can do this!"
Ron pointed to a sign when he responded to Kim's statement.
"No matter who does it," he said, "we're gonna have to wait a while. The temple doesn't open until 8:00 am for a monk to check the work!"
Kim shot back, "Well, the clue doesn't say we have to wait for the monk to be here to begin painting it!"
"It's a heck of a risk if you're wrong, though."
"Hey! I'm Kim Possible. 'I can do anything,' remember? Besides…if I am wrong, I can always restart it after the supervisor gets there."
"Good point, KP. The brush is yours."
Kim went to the far-right podium and grabbed the white envelope. She opened it to reveal a symbol similar to a backwards capital 'E'. A small down-and-right line, followed by a much smaller up-and-right jag, was shown at the beginning of each horizontal line of the character…
…Before she could start her character, Shaggy & Scooby pulled up to the temple. Kim picked up her brush like a staff, just in case the hippie and dog wanted to start any trouble. They were smart enough to keep their distance, taking the far-left podium…
…True to her word, she painted the symbol to perfection.
"Yo, KP!" shouted Ron.
"What, Ron?"
"No, Kim, 'Yo'. That's the character you drew!"
"Oh."
"Not 'O', 'Yo'!"
"Riiiight," Kim chuckled. "Now that the ink is dry, I'll cover the pad with the canvas."
…After Kim began her brushwork, Scooby opened his envelope. His symbol resembled a square, with the top horizontal line starting just below the top of the left vertical line and the bottom horizontal line going just past the right vertical line. Even a dog could paint this one with no big issues. That was a good thing for Scooby, being a dog and all…
…Ron looked at Scooby's pad just before it was covered by the canvas.
"Ro," he said to Kim as they unrolled their sleeping bags for a nap until sunrise.
"Ron," Kim countered, "it's a square, not a row!"
"KP," Ron lamented, "not again!"
"I'm just kidding," Kim giggled. "Now let's get some sleep."
…A wind-up alarm clock supplied by 'Race' officials read 3:30 am. As Kim and Ron snuggled together for their nap, a man watched them from a window high in the temple. His message to his superior was short and sweet:
"Cobra Twelve to Nest…Naco in the deep freeze…Thaw in four and thirty."
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7:22 AM
…Just as Kim & Ron woke up from their nap, Robin & Starfire arrived at the temple to open their clue envelope. After they finished reading the clue, Kim revealed the strategy both she and Scooby already used. Seeing their advantage over at least one team disappear, Shaggy was not too pleased at this development…
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8:00 AM
…One of the monks emerged from the temple and looked at each station, from left to right. After studying each one, he nodded approval and handed the team their next clue…
SHAGGY (reading clue): "Make your way…"
STARFIRE: "…to the Imperial Palace."
(Off-screen voice of Phil): "Teams must travel by taxi to the Imperial Palace. Once they reach the front gates, they will find their next clue."
RON (finishing clue): "…Caution! 'Yield' ahead!"
…Shaggy & Scooby caught the first cab, while Robin & Starfire tried to get in the second cab. The cab sped off just before they could open the door. It only took thirty seconds to hail another cab, so they didn't lose much time.
The cab that sped off earlier screeched to a stop in front of Kim & Ron once they reached the curb. Once they gave the destination to the driver, he spoke softly into his radio:
"Dragon Sixty-Four to Nest…Naco is flying to the palace."
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…As expected for one of the world's most congested cities, 'rush hour' traffic was unbearable. Because the clue specified their method of travel, it took a little longer to get to the palace than if they traveled on foot.
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9:06 AM
…The 'clue box' setup was a little more complicated than for the last 'Yield'. To the left of the clue box stood a pink board with the word 'TAG' written across its top. Beneath that word hung three tags, each with a team name. To the right of the clue box was the now-familiar 'Yield' sign, with an hourglass on its own shelf.
(Off-screen voice of Phil): "This is the last of three 'Yields' throughout the entire race. At a 'Yield', any team may force any other team to turn over this hourglass and wait for it to finish running out of sand before proceeding to the next task. Each team can only use their 'yield' power once during the entire race—so they must us it wisely.
"If a team is 'Yielded' but still have other teams trailing them when their 'Yield' ends, they could still 'Yield' any of those teams."
…Unfortunately for Kim & Ron, it was Mystery, Inc. who reached the temple first. Scooby took great pride in sticking Team Possible's picture on the 'Yielded' portion of the yellow sign. Shaggy then removed the yellow clue brochure from its envelope…
SHAGGY (reading clue): "Detour, 'Sling it' or 'Sing it'?"
(Off-screen voice of Phil): "A 'Detour' is a choice between two tasks, each with its own pros and cons. In this 'Detour', teams must choose between 'Sling it' or 'Sing it'…
"In 'Sling it', teams must travel by foot to Tokyo Station, then ride the Mita Line northwest to Hasune Station (Station 23 on the line). After they emerge from the station, they must find the specially-marked restaurant and prepare a specified meal. They must use the traditional teppan-yaki (or 'iron-plate grilled') method of cooking, as demonstrated by the master chef on duty. Once they, as a team, properly prepare the meal, the master chef will give the team their next clue
"Only two teppan-yaki grill tables are available at any given time, so they are on a 'first-come, first serve' basis…
"In 'Sing it', teams must travel by foot to Tokyo Station, then ride the Honzomon Line northeast to Oshiage Station (Station 14 on the line). After emerging from the station, they must find a specially-marked karaoke juice bar. Either one or both team members must then sing a song on stage, before and during which time the volume of the applause will be measured. The highest audience decibel level before, during, or after each song they perform will be added together. Once the team generates a combined 150 decibels in this manner, they will receive its next clue.
"The decibel level of the music and microphones are at a maximum of 70 decibels, so teams who do poorly may have to sing several times to complete this task. In addition, the juice bar only has one stage—if two teams are at the bar at the same time, they will alternate performances until they complete the task."
SHAGGY: "Let's 'Sling it', Scooby."
…Within five minutes, the Titans and Team Possible reached the temple. Robin & Starfire quickly chose 'Sling it' and ran toward Tokyo Station...
…As Ron turned over the 'Yield' hourglass, Kim gave a 'green-laser' glare to the 'Yielded By' picture of Shaggy & Scooby...
…A man disguised as a palace guard spoke into a wireless communicator:
"Dragon Nine to Nest…Naco is caged…ET between thirty and forty-five."
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9:44 AM
…Kim & Ron had spent the first thirty minutes of the 'Yield' in meditation, seeking calm after their initial urge to shove a certain mystery-solving duo onto the subway tracks of nearby Tokyo Station. They also heard Robin & Starfire talking about the 'Detour' choices. In addition to calm thoughts, they also pondered their 'Detour' choices during the meditation.
Soon after they finished their session, the sand finished running in the hourglass. They officially opened their clue and read the same information they heard earlier. Ron, being a master chef himself, begged Kim to go for 'Sling it'. Kim finally caved, in shock more than for any other reason, when Ron did a precise duplicate of Kim's world-famous 'Puppy Dog Pout'.
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…A microphone picked up Kim and Ron's entire conversation. As they walked toward Tokyo Station, the guard impersonator radioed their choice to the 'Nest'…
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While they were on the subway, Kim finally asked Ron the question that tweaked her for the last few minutes.
"How in the world did you pull off that PDP?" she wondered.
"Just like my training at Yamanouchi," he beamed, "I learned from the Grand-Master!"
After a light, playful slug on the arm, Kim and Ron laughed and held each other for the rest of the ride to Hasune Station.
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10:22 AM
…Shaggy & Scooby found the restaurant easily enough. They watched the teppan-yaki master chef with amazement as he threw ingredients onto the scalding-hot center of the table. He then attacked those ingredients with several knives, some spatulas, two knocking pepper shakers, and a bottle of soy sauce. With a flurry of chops, flips, sprinkles, and splashes, he made a simple meal of Kobe beef and vegetables become a wonderful blend of sights, sounds, and smells. Within minutes, he took the finished meal and served it onto a nearby plate for an early customer.
Scooby and Shaggy quickly picked up on the technique. They began to prepare their version of the master chef's creation. Shaggy did most of the chopping and flipping, while Scooby added the occasional knock of pepper and splash of sauce…
…Robin & Starfire arrived at the restaurant about half-way through the master chef's demonstration. It was Starfire who chopped and flipped, with Robin sprinkling and splashing the seasonings…
…The master chef tasted both attempted meals. Approving both meals, he handed each team a clue envelope.
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10:49 AM
…Both teams left the restaurant to open their clue envelopes. They were surprised to find a pink brochure. A picture of two left-pointing arrows in a square was printed on the brochure…
SCOBBY & ROBIN (reading from the clue): "…'Rewind'???"
(Off-screen voice of Phil): "Yep. 'Writer Boy' is at it again, folks! Each team made a choice at the 'Detour' point. With 'Rewind', teams must now go back to the Imperial Palace, pull the tag with their team's name on it off the 'Tag' wall, put it in one of their backpacks, then proceed to the other 'Detour' option and perform that task.
"Since the only team with 'Yield' capabilities has yet to perform either task, the 'Yield' at the palace is now null and void."
…Four competitors grew angrier by the minute as they got back on the subway for the return trip to the palace…
""""""""""
10:56 AM
…Kim wanted to watch to watch the restaurant's master chef for a moment first. The chef, however, had other ideas. Aware of her world-wide culinary 'reputation', he took one look at her and hid in the walk-in cooler. Even Kim knew she 'could do anything'—except cook! She was the only student in Middleton High's history to set off the fire alarm when trying to boil water.
Ron opened the cooler door to reason with the chef. Aware of Ron's culinary 'Reputation', the chef took one look at him, respectfully bowed and wheeled out a fresh set of ingredients for the table.
"Kim," Ron hollered, "The chef and I made a deal…I call out the food, you throw it on the table, and I cook it."
Kim gave a 'thumbs up' to the idea. While she couldn't cook, she definitely knew how to throw things with pinpoint accuracy. Ron made sure the ingredients were set up in correct order. All Kim had to do was go left to right and throw the next item down the line when and where Ron needed it.
After a whirlwind of food, metal, commands, and spices, Ron concocted two exquisite dishes. First, he made a perfect rendition of the dish required for earning their clue. The second dish was a work of art on its own—which Ron named 'Surf and Turf Eruption'. Kobe beef, chicken, fresh vegetables, shrimp, lobster, and fried rice surrounded a flaming bean-sprout volcano!
""""""""""
11:21 AM
…As Kim opened the clue and read about the 'Rewind', the chef was begging Ron for the 'Surf and Turf Eruption' recipe…
""""""""""
12:08 PM
…Shaggy & Scooby grabbed their tag off the 'Tag' sign and placed it in their backpack. They went back to Tokyo Station to catch the Honzomon Line…
…Starfire grabbed her team's tag from the sign, opened her backpack, and quickly threw it toward the backpack's opening. Unfortunately, she did not notice the slight breeze which blew the tag away from the opening. It caused the tag to harmlessly fall to the ground as the Titans ran back to Tokyo Station.
…It was really unfortunate for them that three camera spheres recorded the whole thing, each from a different angle...
""""""""""
12:40 PM
…Team Possible returned to the palace and grabbed their tag off the wall. After they secured their tag inside the backpack, they began their return to Tokyo Station…
…Since Kim & Ron's return came after a 'changing of the guard' at the palace, it was a younger man which drew a little more than the desired attention as he radioed to headquarters:
"Mantis Thirty-Five to Nest…Red alert!! Red Alert!! The river has run upstream!!
NACO E.T.A. NINETY! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!
REPEAT, NACO---E.T.A.---NINETY!!"
""""""""""
1:39 PM
…Shaggy and Scooby arrived first at the karaoke juice bar. Shaggy selected 'This Is How I'm Reminded' by Nicklefront. His voice had more cracks than a long-abandoned sidewalk. His applause did not even rise above the sound level of the music. Apparently, the crowd got the wrong idea of who was performing when they heard that 'Shaggy' was on the stage. This made his official decibel score a 70…
…During Shaggy's 'performance', Robin & Starfire entered the juice bar. They followed his Nicklefront song with 'Rock Throughout the Night' by Smooch. It was pretty good, considering it was a boy and girl singing a 'heavy metal' song written for a group of grown men in Halloween make-up to sing to a woman. Still, their applause only generated 100 decibels. On the bright side, they only needed one more performance like that to complete the task…
…A that moment, Mantis Squad setup a loose, inconspicuous perimeter around the juice bar. That's when they heard over their radios…
"Nest to Mantis Squad…Tube still on time…NACO E.T.A. THIRTY!"
…Hundreds of girls from across the city ditched their last classes of the day. Based on a rumor they heard, they all made a pilgrimage to some juice bar near Oshiage Station…
…Scooby had a different strategy when he hit the stage. He thought the humor angle would generate more applause than Shaggy's performance. With that in mind, he performed a dead-on rendition of 'Barking Jingle Bells'. A round of applause spiking at 120 decibels, added to the previous 70 decibels, gave the team more than enough to complete their task and receive their next clue…
""""""""""
1:59 PM
SHAGGY (reading the clue): "…'Make your way back to the Imperial Palace—the next 'Pit Stop'!' Talk about 'deja-vu all over again'!"
(Off-screen voice of Phil): "Just to keep things simple—yet confusing—teams must travel by subway one last time to the Imperial Palace, the 'Pit Stop' for this leg of the race. The last team to 'check in' here may be eliminated!"
…Robin took the stage as Mystery, Inc. left the juice bar. With the martial arts moves he improvised, his version of Doug Carlson's "Jujitsu Fighting" generated an impressive 130 decibels. He and Starfire grabbed their clue just in time to see a large group of girls converging on the juice bar. They knew they had to get out of there—and quick…
…When Mantis Squad saw the large crowd approaching them, it took all their years of extensive training to tighten and maintain the perimeter. Some members of the group were still able to use unconventional methods to get around the squad…
""""""""""
2:11 PM
…Kim & Ron both sensed something different in the air as they left Oshiage Station. There were pockets of normal activity, but most of the area was quiet. Usually, this part of town is bristling with activity, regardless of the time of day.
Just as they entered the juice bar, chaos broke out. Girls were trying to get into the juice bar…'MiJ's' were trying to keep them out…and the whole building quickly filled with more than twice the number of people allowed by the local fire code.
Kim finally caught her breath and looked around the room to realize…Ron was missing!
She cried out his name as loud as she could as she frantically tried to search the juice bar. The building was so crammed with people, she could barely move more than three feet in any direction.
…Just then, the room went completely dark…
…A rolling fog hit the stage as it began to flicker alternating blue and green lights. A menacing chord pulsed through the speakers. A voice soon boomed over the chord. With each passing statement, the chord slowly went up in range…
"Ladies and gentlemen…"
---
---
"It is rare when original artists sing karaoke of their own hits."
---
---
"That makes our next performance a 'once-in-a-lifetime' event!"
---
---
"After his appearance on 'American Starmaker'…"
---
---
"…his 'hip-hop' blockbuster ascended American charts."
---
---
"Soon, he enchanted Europe…"
---
---
"…swept South America…"
---
---
"…assaulted Africa…"
---
"…and invaded India."
---
---
"Now, he's here to tackle Tokyo…"
---
---
"… and make his world-wide conquest complete!"
---
---
…At this, Kim saw a dark figure rising from the fog. She quickly assumed her 'Full Mission Mode' fighting stance, thinking the dark figure knew where Ron was being held…
"Give it up for…"
---
---
"…Yamanouchi Music's very own…"
---
---
"…STOPPABLE-SAN!!!!!"
Kim stood in total shock as Ron stepped out from the fog wearing a blue kimono with a green belt. The instant he was recognized by the pressing crowd, the noise level of applause rose to well over the 150 decibels needed to complete the task.
Ron saw the manager give the clue envelope to Kim. Since the task was officially completed after the applause hit those 150 decibels, this gave Ron the 'go-ahead' to start his one-man theatric and light show. He began to gleam with his blue light as he floated throughout the building.
Along with the clue envelope, Kim found a white envelope sealed with a sticker of a green lotus bloom on a blue background. As she opened the white envelope, she heard the familiar intro…
NA-na-naaa
Na-na-naaa-NA-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-NAAAAAAAA…
…While the song continued, Kim began reading the letter. It was printed on the stationery of…
YAMANOUCHI MUSIC
Tokyo—Los Angeles—Nashville—Middleton
"Miss Possible,
I can now reveal the full details of the project developed by Stoppable-san, his father, and myself.
For many years, the proceeds of Yamanouchi Music's royalties have funded improvements and repairs to our school. You may have heard of our publicly-known labels, such as ACM, Sidewalk, MMM Unity, and Mercurian.
While Stoppable-san scored recent victories over Monkey Fist, they came at a high cost. Our temple and sleeping quarters required major repairs after those battles. Walls needed replacement, ceilings needed repair, and support beams needed reinforcement.
Given the success of Stoppable-san's 'Naked Mole Rap' performance on 'American Starmaker', he hoped signing with our label could help finance the rebuilding process.
His creativity also inspired a widely successful launch of merchandise carrying our blue-and-green lotus logo. He based the color scheme on his blue glowing aura, along with my green eminence…"
…Kim was startled at this point by a series of shouts with the force of a jet engine at close range…
"(Can I get a Boo-Yeah) BOO—YEAH!!!"
"(Can I get a Boo-Yeah) BOO—YEAH!!!"
…Once Kim caught her breath again, she continued reading the letter…
"…He and his father signed an agreement with Yamanouchi Music soon after the telecast. It called for the Yamanouchi school to receive the majority of the royalties, while the rest would be held in trust until Stoppable-san's graduation from Middleton High School.
Most of that trust has been allocated for Stoppable-san's college education. However, he did request a small portion be set aside for a potential celebration just before entering college…"
…Kim was completely off-guard when nearly five hundred people pointed to her at once and shouted, in tune with the song…
"YO, KP! WE GOT YOUR BACK!!!"
…After overcoming that momentary jostle, she proceeded with the letter…
"…Not even the prophecies could have predicted the sweeping success of Stoppable-san's endeavors. 'Naked Mole Rap' alone has provided more than enough funds to completely rebuild our school. It has also generated sufficient finances left over to expand our training facilities and set up a reserve account to cover future repairs and renovations for years to come.
This success, however, has come with its own price. Many of our worldwide graduates have had to provide security assistance to prevent crazed fans known as 'Ronnies' from interfering with your team's endeavors during this competition.
Stoppable-san thought the jumpsuits would better conceal our school's true identity should any graduate be caught. He figured a private security firm would be a more believable cover for this kind of mission than an army of secret ninjas.
Miss Possible, it was never our intention to cause any physical or mental hardship to you. If this project has brought you suffering in any way, please accept my deepest heartfelt apologies.
Stoppable-san wanted to your involvement in this project from its inception. I, however, thought otherwise. His confidence started to increase when he first began his personal meditation sessions. Yet, I sensed his soul was still yearning for a great individual achievement to solidify his belief in fulfilling his destiny.
Although I have taught Stoppable-san much, I have also learned much from him—and now you. If he seeks your involvement in his next project, whatever that may be, rest assured I will not be foolish enough to stand in the way again.
Honorably yours,
Sensei"
"(blows kiss) Bu-bye, bu-bye, bu-bye…(fading off)"
""""""""""
2:21 PM
…Ron flew off the stage—literally—to one more thunderous round of applause. Within two minutes, he was back in his regular clothes. He then read the clue, grabbed Kim by the hand and ran toward Oshiage Station.
Once they boarded the subway, Kim showed Ron the letter from Sensei. This made Ron heave a gigantic sigh of relief.
"KP, I'm so sorry about not letting you in on this from the start," he begged. "Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?"
Kim decided to string Ron along for a moment before answering.
"Well, Ron," she stated, "I gotta tell you...with this sitch, I have heard a lot of words and read a lot of words. It's time for the words to stop!! The only way to resolve this drama is with some action…"
A wicked grin came across Kim's face. She yanked Ron's shirt by the collar so that their eyes were locked in a momentary stare. She then pulled him into a lip-lock and held it until they reached Tokyo Station…
""""""""""
3:42 PM
…After Shaggy & Scooby emerged from the entrance to Tokyo Station, they made the now-familiar sprint to the Imperial Palace. Since Robin & Starfire took the same train, they were right behind the Mystery, Inc. team…
PHIL: "Shaggy and Scooby…you're team number ONE—and a guaranteed finalist for the million dollars!!"
(Shaggy and Scooby hugged and cheered)
PHIL: "I have some more good news for you. As winners of this leg of the race, you have each won luxury-suite tickets to all three jewels of horse racing's Triple Tiara, with airfare and hotel accommodations provided by our friends at after Shaggy & Scooby left the mat, the Titans walked up to Phil. His face turned very grim…
PHIL: "Robin & Starfire…you are the second team to arrive. However, (showing footage from three camera spheres) you clearly failed one of the requirements of the 'Rewind' clue. You did not properly place your pink wall tag into your backpack. Because of this error, you have been assessed a one-hour penalty. If Kim & Ron 'check-in' before the hour is up, they will take your place as team number two."
""""""""""
4:03 PM
…As Kim & Ron approached the Imperial Palace, they noticed a look of defeat on the faces of Robin & Starfire…
PHIL: "Kim and Ron…you're the last team to arrive. However, Robin & Starfire are serving the last thirty-nine minutes of a one-hour penalty for failing to complete part of the 'Rewind'. This means you are team number Two—and a guaranteed finalist for the million dollars!!"
…Phil then asked for the Titans to approach the mat…
PHIL: "Robin & Starfire…you're officially team number three. I'm sorry to tell you that you have been eliminated from the race."
…Robin & Starfire hug Kim & Ron just before leaving the palace grounds…
STARFIRE (during a post-race interview): "Since we're out of the running now, we're really pulling for Kim & Ron to win it all!"
ROBIN: "Yeah, I would love to see Mess-tery, Stink go down in a ball of flames."
BOTH: "Go, Team Possible, GO!!"
(Off-screen voice of Phil): "Nine teams gone…two teams left! WHO will cross the finish line and win the One MILLION Dollars??? Find out next time, in the exciting conclusion of 'The Amazing Race'!!"
(END CREDITS)
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Author's ending notes:
1) Before you automatically assume who will win, consider this…I have yet to determine which team will win…or how…or what happens after the race…
2) No, there would be no prize involved (I can barely afford to pay attention, much less pay for anything else). However, I'm curious as to how many readers figured out my money allocation. Just as a refresher...Seven bills...$188. Those who want to guess, please send me a PM on it.
3) The production of this story, like that for any work of fiction, is solely dependent upon the constructive feedback of its readers. If you like it, I will gladly make more. If you think of ways to make it better, I am always open to suggestions. If you really think it's a piece of garbage, stop me before I strike again!! Once again, Review me, e-mail me if you wanna reach me! If you want to 'PM' me, that's ok!
Your friend in writing,
The Samurai Crunchbird