Koopa2pa : Thanks for your review, I really appreciated it, that was so nice (maybe too much since I know this isn't a great story compared to Kris' and TheGreatAdvenger's ones *shot*). But still, I'm happy to see you're having fun reading it. ^^

Actually, there's nothing going on between Mario and Pauline, that's just simple flirt. XD

TheGreatAdvenger : Thank you for your review too ! ^^ Yeah, that reference was pretty awesome, but maybe it would have been even greater if an actual Princess was part of the cast. *shot for praising himself*

About Kooper, his job really is ambiguous... :/ To describe it, he helps Monty Mole whenever he needs assistance (like, if Monty Mole is required to be somewhere, but that he needs to be somewhere else at the same time, Kooper will be the one to help him. He is part of the Mole's production crew (the Mole as in the show, not the individual). ^^'

Ice Empoleon : *sees the review* *clicks on the button at the top left corner of the screen* *is shot* XD

Anyway, you're right about Donkey, we didn't see much of his soft side, but he was influenced by Jojora. You know, he was carried away by the group effect. Maybe he will have quieted down by the time we reach the reunion show. ^^

I don't think you reacted too strongly about the sexist thing, maybe we just don't react the same way, you know ? While it strikes you as something which is uncalled for, maybe I just don't really pay attention to it. ^^'

Oh okay, I actually thought that you didn't like them just because of what they had said. *shot for misunderstanding everyone*

I agree with your vision of the clue. Most of the time, I have the clues but I kind of don't know how to figure them out. ^^'

Okidoki for your tip about Monty's explanations of the challenges. One idea, one paragraph. It's pretty basic, but you don't always think about it. Thanks for reminding me. I'll do that for the next challenges. ^^

Yep, I also think Episode's 3 execution was coming up a bit early, but that's also the longest chapter I have ever written, so maybe that's some sort of compensation ? *shot* Actually, I couldn't really add another challenge, or else they could have gained almost the same sum of money than in the ultimate episode... Otherwise I would have gladly written another chapter. I also wanted to move on with the general plot. Don't worry though, the next one will have four chapters, I'm sure of it. Or maybe five, but that's still hypothetical.

When I was talking about your prediction, I was talking about the one in which you had said that you thought either Jojora or Flurrie would leave the game. ^^

Thank you very much for your review ! ^^

Previously on the Mole, the players had received a mysterious note, presumably slipped under their room's door during the night, note which caused more drama than necessary, as it made Toad leave Jojora's alliance when she confronted him about it. After that, Monty Mole took the players to Pagoda Peak, place of their sixth challenge. In this challenge, Toad and Bootler had the opportunity to win an exemption, at the price of twenty thousand coins. They were allowed to begin the challenge ten minutes before the six others. Their goal? Reaching an area at the other side of Pagoa Town before Flurrie, who was in a car. However, Toad and Bootler could slow down Flurrie by preparing traps that Noki, Mario, Pauline, Birdo and Jojora had to inactivate. At the end of this episode, one more player will fall, getting the short end of the stick. Who will it be?

First name : Birdo

Surname : Ribbon

Birthday : May 15

Job : Fashion Designer

First name : Bootler

Surname : Majordome

Birthday : September 6

Job : Butler

First name : Noki

Surname : Delphis

Birthday : August 7

Job : Air Hostess

First name : Toad

Surname : Phalloïde

Birthday : June 1

Job : Gardener

First name : Jojora

Surname : Teeheena

Birthday : December 27

Job : Sculptor

First name : Pauline

Surname : Celeste

Birthday : June 16

Job : Model

First name : Mario

Surname : Mario

Birthday : January 22

Job : Plumber

First name : Flurrie

Surname : Cumulia

Birthday : October 29

Job : Actress

11 : Corruption ; Execution

Bootler tore down the side of the mountain, fearing the others would make a comeback and ruin his chance at winning an exemption. Bootler was not selfish, he wanted security. Toad was a few pace behind him. He kicked the foundations of a rather unstable arch to make it collapse. To his delight, it was indeed put there by the production. It created a mess behind him that made him laugh.

"There's no way they'll be able to catch up with us, Bootler and I are playing our A game," commented Toad, somewhat cockily.

Toad then walked slowly toward Pagoda Peak's rock face and noticed there was a cave. He entered, scanning it despite the darkness, and found some rocks he decided to take with him. "They'll make good souvenirs, plus Toadette likes to collect rocks. Maybe she doesn't have this one yet."

He went out of the cave and followed Bootler's path. He reached a wooden bridge, looked around to see if there was something he could use to slow down Flurrie, but did not find anything. Shrugging he crossed the red bridge and saw Bootler who was almost arrived to a shop which was situated next to a sharp bend. Bootler saw Toad and gave him a nod, as if trying to tell him he would handle the electronic gate.

"Well, there's not much I can do here," noticed Toad, stating the obvious. "I hope the others won't catch up to us."

"Well," started Bootler, thinking hard about an enigma, "I do believe they will be able to catch up one way or another. Otherwise, we would not have had such an advantage over them. That's what I think." He then added another thing. "I would inspect the shop if I were you. There might be something you could use."

"Okay..." Toad knocked on the door, opened it and was greeted by a warming welcome coming from the shopkeeper.

"Hello dear!" she smiled. "What can I do for you?"

Toad bit his lips nervously. "Well, you see ma'am, I'm part of a game, and right now I need something that could hinder the other team's progress... The only thing is that I don't have money soo..."

"Oh, I see." The shopkeeper was disappointed. "Well, maybe I'll be able to help if you tell me what you need."

"I don't really know either," answered an embarrassed Toad, who rubbed the back of his chin. "Actually, do you have anything I could use against a car? The person I need to beat in a race has a car while we don't."

The shopkeeper eyed him suspiciously, but then noticed the cameraman who was outside. "Okay, I might have something but I'm not sure. Hold on a second..." She went into the back shop a few minutes and returned with a single box. "There, be careful with these, though."

"Awesome!" cheered Toad as she handed him the box full of clouts. "I'll be sure to come back here someday!"

He got out happily, and met again with Bootler. The refined Boo had found what to do with his next puzzle. He typed a few things before entering the validation key. Toad had a quick look at the instructions the butler had written.

8 – 6 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 7 – 6

1 + 8 + 7 + 3+ 5 + 8 + 3

Toad was puzzled as to its signification but let it go as he did not have to resolve this problem. Bootler led once again the way and glided down a slide, quickly followed by Toad. They had no time to waste for their places into the game were at stake. Bootler instructed Toad to set the clouts around the place, because this path was smaller than the rest of the road and Flurrie would most likely drive on them. Toad obliged and did it. He spotted a broom that he threw down the waterfall so that it would not advantage the other group.

"Toad, do you think you could puncture those oil barrels? I think it would slow down the others."

"Flurrie has a car, I doubt she would lose control of it, if that's what you were going at."

"That was not what I meant. It could slow down the others, not necessarily Flurrie. Remember that even though we have to beat her and only her, the others are the true threats since they are the only ones who can make her avoid the traps we set," explained Bootler.

Toad realized what Bootler meant. "Ah, I see! Okay, I'll do it!" Toad pierced the barrels and quickly ran to catch up with Bootler who was a little bit ahead of him. During his course, he spotted a pile of boxes, but thought it would not be useful enough to slow down the others. "That doesn't look good... The town is really big," he muttered to himself.

Bootler went down another ladder, which was situated near what looked like a dojo to him, but he did not pay too much attention to his surroundings and fell down from a few feet. "Ugh! My poor back..."

"Are you okay Bootler?" asked Toad, looking concerned. He went down the ladder and helped the old Boo to stand up. "Can you walk? Are you hurt?"

"No need to worry yourself Toad, I am perfectly fine Toad. Those are simply scratches, superficial wounds," he reassured. "Now let us hurry, we must win those exemptions!"

After that little incident, Toad and Bootler went as fast as they could toward the next gate. They knew that if the others were to pass them on the peak, they would not be able to win the precious passes to the next episode, so they had to hurry up.

"Another gate, another code... Do you have any idea as to what you will ask them to find?" questioned a curious Toad.

Bootler sighed. "I am ashamed to say that I cannot create enigmas out of the blue. And I cannot use problems I have already used during this challenge. Otherwise they would be useless. If I concentrate enough, maybe I will find something, but it is hypothetical..."

"I might have an idea, actually. Here, let me try..."

To pass this obstacle

Realize its meaning

Under the time limit,

To pass this obstacle

Highlight the truth.

Toad quickly entered the password, and then, he and Bootler rushed toward the town which was situated a little three hundred feet from their current position. Bootler congratulated Toad for his good teaser. "Well, it was really well-thought, I must say. You amazed me, Toad."

Toad blushed. "Please, it's nothing compared to what you have done. You came up with all the plans so I should be the only one congratulating you on what you've done so far." Bootler chuckled.

"Oh wait, some bamboos! I think I can use them to our advantage," Toad stated before using his machete to cut them and let them on the road. "Hopefully, that will stop them." He then followed Bootler.

The two of them were now entering the town...

…

Birdo, Pauline and Jojora were kicking at the bamboo sticks which were sprinkled over Flurrie's path. Soon, Pauline began to grow weary. "Girls, we are wasting time here. I'm sure Flurrie can drive over those. I mean, it's not like she was reckless or anything, and they obviously can't scratch the car, it's common sense, really!"

Birdo's face lighted up as she stopped to. "Oh yeah, I totally agree with you! Jojora's trying to make us lose time!" Jojora glared at her.

"Oh no, you did not say that!" she pronounced clearly, putting emphasis on the negation. Mario arched an eyebrow and looked at Flurrie.

"Well, what do you think we ought to do? Do you want to give it a try and to drive as if nothing was here? You're the driver, so that's your call."

Flurrie looked unsure. "Well, they say bamboo is pretty resistant... But I guess it can't hurt us to give it a try." Flurrie carefully and slowly drove over the bamboos and stopped after a little time. "Is the car damaged?" she asked fearfully. Jojora smacked her own forehead.

"Are you really stupid or what? I mean, the game is over the instant a scratch makes its way on your car, so asking us won't change a thing! Just drive already!"

Birdo wept over her fate. "Aww man! I should have been the driver... I can't feel my legs..." Mario gently pushed her.

"We have to keep going though. You'll feel worse if you stay here doing nothing. Trust me, I know it."

"And that isn't good for the body," added Jojora. Birdo looked shocked while Pauline rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, let's keep going. And Birdo, I wouldn't trust her if I were you."

While the three girls were arguing about pointless issues, Noki, Mario and Flurrie were already far ahead, trying to reach the bottom of the peak as fast as possible.

"Not to be rude or to speak ill of them, but so far they didn't do much to hinder our progress," noticed Flurrie, still driving her car. Mario and Noki nodded but did not respond because they knew that running and talking at the same time would exhaust them. A few seconds later they reached the second gate and faced the second enigma. It was covered in dry paint. At first Noki was disappointed, but then Mario tried to scrape it off and it worked, much to their delight.

"This one shouldn't be too hard, right? Since we know how they made the first one," tried to reassure himself Mario. Noki shook her head.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that. Do you see the code? It clearly differs from the other. I think we need to work together if we want to solve it quickly."

"Why wouldn't we try to simply enter the word they ask us to enter? I mean, it would be faster," suggested Mario. Noki shrugged.

"We already try that for the other one and it didn't work. Not to mention that it would defeats the purpose of having gates to slow us down. I doubt they chose obvious answers as passwords, you know?"

"You have a point here," conceded Mario. "So what should we do?"

"First of all, where are Birdo, Jojora and Pauline?" asked a baffled Noki. "We're the teamwork team, we must work as a team!"

"I honestly think we should leave them here. They don't help us anyway," responded Mario loud enough so that the three late females would hear him. Immediately, the trio heard footsteps behind him.

Noki crossed her arms impatiently. "So, as I was saying before, we need to cooperate. If the value of 'a' is 'z' minus 't', then 'a''s value is six. And that means that 'b''s value is seven, that's 'c'' is eight and the list goes on. Basically it's the same code as before except we start with six instead of eight this time."

Almost two minutes later, they had an answer. Mario typed the answer; it was : 6-18-22-13-6-7-10-26-14-8. He pushed the enter key, but to their surprise, the gate did not bulge.

"Wait, what happened exactly?" inquired Pauline. "It should work, right?"

A little unnerved, Mario tried something else and typed the word they thought they needed to translate into numbers, 'Alphabetic', into the little computer. To his and everyone's surprise, the gate rose.

The other five were looking at Mario, their mouth agape. "What? I just knew there was something odd about this code. I mean, they were in a rush, so you can't expect them to think deeply about it. Let's suppose you were in their position for an instant. You wouldn't want to lose too much time thinking about one single enigma, would you?"

"His reasoning makes sense," noted Flurrie. "Anyway, let's go now, we won't catch up to them if we stay here doing nothing." The little group nodded, with the exception of Jojora who only grunted.

Flurrie stepped on the gas but hit the brake shortly afterward. "Guys, I need help."

Birdo's eyes widened. "Don't make it be physical stuff, please..." Noki patted her on the back.

"I'm sorry but it is. Don't worry though, I can still help you!" she cheered. Birdo collapsed dramatically.

"She would make a great actress," remarked Flurrie, chuckling.

Jojora tapped her foot on the soil. Mario and she were doing most of the work. Noki was not strong enough to be of much assistance, and Pauline and Birdo were not trying as hard as them. "I'd like to finish this challenge before sunset. Just saying."

Mario kept on pushing the remaining of the arch Toad had broken earlier until a path was cleared for Flurrie. "Well, I'll be going now. Please hurry guys, I think they set even more traps over there."

"No kidding. They want their exemptions after all," reminded them Jojora.

The little group moved a little faster than before, motivated by Jojora's statement. Flurrie reached the third barrier and the other ones soon followed suit. Mario and Noki immediately started thinking about the problem.

"It seems rather simple. One addition and one subtraction, I think the two of us can handle this, Mario," stated Noki.

A few second after that, the results came: minus twenty for the first line and thirty five for the second one. Mario entered the code, but nothing happened. Noki and him quickly came up with another answer by adding the two values and entered fifteen. Once again, the gate did not bulge. Jojora was growing very frustrated by the minute.

"Let me handle this!" she yelled, pushing Mario and Noki out of her way. "Let's see... Eight, six, two, three, four, seven, six, enter!"

Everyone was surprised when they saw that the gate was rising. "And that's how you do it," bragged Jojora. Pauline and Birdo rolled their eyes but said nothing.

The little group was making good progress. They were already near the waterfall. Once there, Flurrie stopped, letting the others wonder why she had done so. Their questions were quickly answered when they saw the dirty paved road, on which were scattered clouts. Birdo backed down immediately.

"There's no way I'm going to help you guys. That's too dangerous for my tastes, ask someone else."

Mario sighed and scanned the horizon. Hidden behind the temple was a blue bucket which he took and filled with water. He then walked back to where the clouts were and threw the bucketful on them, clearing the way rather easily. Pauline squealed while Jojora frowned. As to Flurrie, she voiced her apprehensions.

"Keep it up Mario, I think there's oil below..."

"Thank goodness the path is going down. Mario will only have to threw bucketfuls from here and then it will wash out the oil."

Mario, however, did not do as Noki had predicted. He preferred to throw the bucketful directly on the oil. "I doubt it would have worked your way, Noki."

"Why?" she questioned as Flurrie, and Jojora sped up ahead with Pauline and Birdo jogging at a moderate pace behind them.

"Because the water would have spread out, you know, without really washing the oil. At the most it would have washed a tiny part of it." Noki shrugged.

"If you say so, you must be right. You are the expert after all," she smiled.

They quickly met up with the other four and began to work on the puzzle. "Wow, that's really a good enigma for something that was imagined in a few seconds," noted an astonished Noki. Birdo was intrigued by Noki's remark, so she decided to take a closer look at the riddle.

"You're right, it's really a good acronym!" she exclaimed. Everyone looked at her, flabbergasted. "What? I have something on my face or what?"

Pauline waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, just enter the word formed by the acronym so we can move on."

Birdo pushed the keys until the word 'Truth' appeared, and she confirmed her choice. The electrical gate opened once again. Flurrie pushed the gas pedal and drove over the bamboo sticks without giving them much attention. The others followed suit, happy to see that their challenge would finally be over, and anxious about its outcome.

…

Toad and Bootler marveled at the sight of the lively town, even though they had seen it only thirty minutes or so ago. They regained their senses and realized the final part of the challenge would be near impossible to win. They could not set up traps in the town, otherwise they would be arrested. And assuming they were not arrested by the police, the inhabitants would foil their plans. On the other hand, Flurrie would have to wait because of the traffic lights, but still... The town was big and she could easily catch up to them.

They passed a gong and saw the last barrier. Toad had an idea. "Should we ask them to translate a word in another language? I mean, not everyone knows how to speak different languages, so they should be stuck for a while."

"Mmmh... That is indeed a good idea, however I cannot help you on this one as I do not know a thing about other languages."

"Well, I only know a few words of several languages, so... Do you think it's worth trying?" besought the mushroom.

"We do not have anything else, so please, by all means, do as you wish."

Toad nodded and wrote the instructions the others would need to open the gate on a piece of paper.

'I don't know' in Dutch.

Toad entered the code and he and his partner quickly ran toward the finish line, crossing roads dangerously. A few minutes after them came Flurrie who needed to wait for the others to solve this last enigma.

Mario and Jojora were the first ones to reach her, but they did not know anything about Dutch. Mario knew Italian fairly well, but that was about it. "I think we lost," he declared.

"Yeah, only a miracle would save us now," agreed Jojora. Flurrie laughed quietly.

"I don't think so." Jojora and Mario turned toward her, puzzled looks on their faces. As they started to open their mouth to ask her what she meant, a panting Noki arrived. "Birdo and Pauline gave up, I think. Oh, another enigma! Let's see..."

As Noki read the clue, her face lighted up. "Wow, really?" she laughed. She went to the computer and entered 'Ik weet het niet'. The gate rose up and Flurrie sped toward victory.

Noki stayed where she was. "Well, I'm sorry but I'm a bit tired, and I doubt I will be of much use to you, so maybe you should accompany Flurrie to the finish line, just in case there are more obstacles on her way."

Mario and Jojora nodded to her and ran to catch up with Flurrie. Soon, Birdo and Pauline arrived, looking more tired than ever. "Don't tell me we still have to run?" whined Pauline. Noki only smiled.

…

Toad and Bootler were nearing the area they needed to reach before Flurrie. They made a halt and asked a shopkeeper if they could take some tomatoes for free. After a heated discussion, the shopkeeper let them take three tomatoes. They thanked him and began to run another time toward the finish line. As they were in the home stretch, they stopped suddenly.

"Bootler, am I hallucinating? Don't tell me it's Flurrie over here, and please don't tell me Mario and Jojora are running toward the finish line?"

"I am afraid everything you just said is right..."

Toad took a deep breath. "Well then only one last thing to try... DUCK EVERYONE!" he shouted. Scared by the sudden yell, the inhabitants ducked. Flurrie however turned her head, her eyes widening when she saw Toad throwing tomatoes at her.

"That was the last one," announced Toad to Bootler after his fourth throw. "We need to run, now!"

Toad and Bootler ran toward the finish line, some pedestrians on their tails thinking they were fugitives or delinquents. Flurrie, as if waking up of her trance, suddenly stepped on the gas and went through the red light, slaloming skillfully between the cars which were already on the road, and earning herself nice honking noises.

Toad's and Bootler's faces were speaking for themselves. They were horribly disappointed especially after going this far into the challenge and failing at a mere few feet from the finish line. Nevertheless, they kept on running, even though they knew Jojora and Mario would clean up the car before their arrival.

Soon enough, the challenge was over.

…

Monty Mole, Flurrie, Jojora, Mario, Bootler and Toad were now waiting for Noki, Pauline and Birdo to appear. The three females crossed the finish line and were given a round of applause. They began to blow kisses at their nonexistent supporters, which made everyone laugh.

"Well, what did you think of this challenge?' asked them Monty Mole.

Pauline was the first to answer to his question. "Very very exhausting. Maybe I'll stop to put on high heels before a challenge." Monty Mole chuckled lightly.

"As you already know, Bootler and Toad here were offered an exemption if they succeeded to reach the finish line before Flurrie's car. But this car had to be in tip-top condition for the group to win the money. Before I start to announce the results of your mission, I'm pleased to tell you that nobody broke any rule!"

"That must be a first," commented Birdo, jokingly.

"So, who won the challenge? Let me tell you right now..."

"Get on with it," commanded Jojora. "We all know who won."

"Or do you?" asked the host, slyly. "Anyway, the winners of this race are non other than Toad and Bootler."

Everyone was astonished. Mario chose to speak up for everyone. "Flurrie crossed the finish line and we cleaned up the car before Bootler and Toad crossed it too, so how could we have lost?"

Monty Mole nodded and waddled toward the car. "May I direct your attention to this spot, over here?" he inquired, pointing at the side of the car. "Do you see it now? This is a scratch. Thus, you lost the challenge."

"But I never- Oh wait, was it you Toad?" asked Flurrie. Toad grinned sheepishly.

Challenge's Results :

Money Won : 0

Team Pot : 59 000 coins

"Well, we'll have our third execution tonight, on the isle on which you started today's challenge. Meet me there on due time! Until then you can do whatever you wish to do. See you later!"

As Monty Mole walked away, the players gathered their thoughts on who they thought was suspicious during that challenge.

Toad : I know my impressions are a little biased, since I only was with Bootler during this whole challenge, but to me he was the most suspicious. I mean, it was him who told me to check the shop where I found clouts, it was him who told me where to set up traps and for the most part, it was him who chose the barriers' codes. Compared to his, mine were rather simple. I feel like he was really more prepared than ever.

Bootler : It is obvious that I am suspicious of Toad. Even though I am grateful that he won us the exemptions, I still think that he was fishy during this whole challenge. He was not doing much, and ultimately caused the other team to lose the challenge when he threw a rock at Flurrie's car. Talking about rocks, where did he find it exactly?

Mario : If there was someone I suspected during that challenge, it was Noki. I really think Flurrie is the most trustworthy right now, that's a shame she will be evicted today... What did Noki do? Well, first of all, she was the one who was trying to answer the problems we needed to solve. Two times in a row, she disregarded my ideas, which were correct by the way. If we had tried to do what I suggested, then we would have won, hands down. Oh yeah, and we were always waiting for her to solve the problems too.

Flurrie : Who did I find the most suspicious? Well, I would say Toad, because he was the reason we lost the game. But Birdo and Pauline didn't help at all, and Mario was once again too useful. I still remember what he did during the first two challenges. Trying hard but failing when he was close to getting the answer. Nice strategy for the Mole, right?

Birdo : My prime suspect for that challenge? Jojora, obviously. I mean, she was pointing fingers at Pauline and me because we were slacking off, but what was she doing? Nothing. Oh yeah, she was making us lose time by telling us to remove the bamboo sticks. And when she tried to solve the only puzzle she looked at, she did it in a matter of time. I'm close to base my answers to the quiz entirely on her.

Noki : I mostly suspect Jojora and Pauline, because they weren't helping at all. Jojora was being bossy and we all know she did that on purpose because it was part of her 'master plan' but that doesn't mean she isn't the Mole. She could be a blatant Mole. And Pauline didn't really help. As far as I remember, she hasn't helped us much during this whole game. Then again, that might be her personality but it would be a little convenient, wouldn't it?

Jojora : Birdo and Bootler. They are the two I suspect the most as of now. I just can't picture Toad coming up with all those various problems, so I think that Bootler is the one who created them. Bootler is respected by everyone, so he could be the Mole after all. Well, my plan kind of backfired anyway because I suspect Toad of having told the three girls about our plan. Oh well, I'll still have an advantage as long as I'm the only one who possess the clue to the Mole's identity. And I suspect Birdo, because she was always complaining about running, but as far as I know she has great stamina. Remember the Windmill mission?

Pauline : I actually don't know who to suspect, because it seems like we are in an alliance war. Hopefully I won't be the worst scorer today and Jojora will stay true to her words so that I can have more information. I think I'll read my journal carefully this afternoon. Very carefully...

…

Noki, Birdo and Flurrie went to a shop in order to buy souvenirs which would remind them of their experience. While searching for something good to buy, they were discussing about what they were going to do for their upcoming quiz.

"I'm sorry girls, but I didn't learn anything about their plan. When I was spying on them, all Jojora did was pointing fingers at Toad about the notes we had put under their door. After that, Toad got really angry and decided to leave their alliance, soooo... I decided to follow and comfort him," explained Noki.

Birdo sighed. "Don't worry about it, we would have probably done the same thing. I really hate the time just before the quizzes. You know, thinking it might be our time and everything."

Flurrie agreed. "Unfortunately, we're at a disadvantage here. I think one of us we'll be leaving tonight."

"Well no need to worry about this now, right? Let's just assume that Jojora will be going home tonight, okay?" suggested Noki.

"You're dreaming girl," joked Flurrie while admiring a figurine on a stand.

Noki : If one of us goes home tonight, I'll be extremely disappointed. Okay, I'm no sure whether they are the Mole or not, but I know for a fact that we're friend, and I would rather play a game with friendly Moles than unfriendly persons.

After that, the shop's bell rang, letting enter a figure they recognized. "Hello!" greeted the mysterious individual. "Oh, you're here too?"

"Hi Toad!" smiled Birdo. "And yes, as you can see, we're buying presents for our loved ones!"

"Errr... I think you're just buying yourself things but if you say so..." Noki and Flurrie laughed when they saw Birdo's face.

"So, what are you doing here?" questioned the pink dinosaur. "You want to buy souvenirs too?"

"Yep, for my girlfriend, Toadette. I want to buy her something cute, just like her," he responded. The three girls let out a dreamy sigh. "Or maybe a weapon will do the trick, since she's got a fierce temperament." Immediately, they frowned. Birdo even went as far as to put her hand on her forehead.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Toad asked.

"You probably won't understand anyway..."

Toad raised an eyebrow. "You're weird...in a good way." He then looked out of the window at nothing in particular. "Actually, I'm kind of glad that you're all here. Jojora's plan was to make Flurrie think that Bootler was the Mole. I don't know if he really is a genuine player or not though. That was a pretty bold and huge gamble on Jojora's part. I told you what I knew, so good luck with that. I have no way to determine if Bootler sabotaged because he wanted an exemption or because he was following Jojora's orders or even if he did it because he is the Mole. Once again, good luck."

With that, Toad took one last look at what the shop was selling, and exited it, leaving three puzzled yet glad females on the spot.

…

"You what...?" asked Pauline, angrily.

Pauline, Mario, Bootler and Jojora, the leader of the group, were sitting under the shadow of a tree, discussing something about the game. This something did not seem to please Mario, Bootler and Pauline one bit.

Mario grumbled. "Can we at least know why you have changed your mind?"

"I guess it wouldn't hurt me to say it... With Toad out of the alliance, it's possible that he told everything we intended to do to Flurrie. If Flurrie knows that everything we did so far was an act, then it means that she is on the same level as us. If I were to give you the clue, then you could found out its meaning, and obviously, you wouldn't share your suspicions with me, and that would put me at a disadvantage, so I chose to keep this information to myself."

Bootler raised an eyebrow. "That is very low, even for you, Jojora. You do realize it will not do you any good in the long run, don't you?"

Jojora dismissed him by waving her hand in the air. "I can take care of myself just fine. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a questionnaire to prepare." And with that, she left them alone.

Mario waited a moment and talked. "Maybe we should make an alliance too?"

Pauline shook her head categorically. "I'm sorry Mario but we're through at every possible level." Bootler chuckled a bit but regained his composure when he saw Mario's glare.

"Never mind me, I will leave the two of you alone." Bootler floated in another direction.

"You didn't act that way before, Pauline, and I thought we were still friend..."

Pauline sighed. "Of course we're still friends, but I still didn't get over the fact that you replaced me so quickly by her. Especially after all those years we've been together. And I'm sorry, but in this game, I just can't trust you. I guess you can understand that, right?" And with that, she left the poor red plumber alone.

"Well, if they don't want to form coalitions, that's fine by me. I can try to regain Jojora's trust so she will give me what I want."

…

The eight players were now on their way to the place where they would take their third execution quizzes. Although the trip did not take them long, it seemed like forever. Nobody was talking, the players were lost in their thoughts. Monty Mole greeted them when the cloud landed on the floating island.

"Well, you will soon take your third quiz, so good luck guys! I wish you the best of luck!" exclaimed sincerely Monty Mole. "Please follow me inside, you will all take the quiz at the same time this time."

Monty Mole led them inside the temple where they saw and greeted Koopa Master, who was obviously the Master of the Koopa Technique, an ancient form of fighting transmitted from masters to masters throughout generations. Eight room were waiting for them. They all picked one randomly and began to work on their quizzes.

…

Did the Mole try to look for the clue during the Clue Hunt Challenge?

-Yes

-No

Did the Mole found the clue during the Clue Hunt Challenge?

-Yes

-No

Noki : I decided to split my answers on three different people. If the Mole is one of them, then I'll most likely be guaranteed to make it to the next round. I'm not really worried about myself, to be honest. I'm more worried about Birdo since I don't know what kind of answer she is going to choose. Also, she's pretty impulsive sometimes and often change her mind. Hopefully, she will do good.

How many coins did the Mole gain or lost for the team during the Clue Hunt Challenge?

-5 000

-0

-Minus 5 000

Jojora : They always reminded us how Donkey was screwing up here and there, but nothing has ever been said against Birdo, and she does the same thing he did. Her sabotage is subtle, I'm not really sure whether the others have noticed it or not – not that I really care about their opinion to be honest – but she's always goofing up and everything. And of course nobody is blaming her, because, well, she's Birdo.

During the Challenge Feet Versus Wheels, did the Mole had a chance at winning an exemption?

-Yes

-No

Flurrie : I think Mario might be the Mole. I don't know why, but I have this feeling about him which tells me that he isn't completely honest with us. Let's face it : Mario is too knowledgeable about every thing. He recently toned down his game, but he still knows too much. I also suspect Bootler, but since Toad told us it was only an act, I'm not sure if I should vote for him.

During the Challenge Feet Versus Wheels, what was the Mole's group?

-Teamwork Group

-Driver Group

-Havoc Group

Pauline : Right now, Jojora makes me sick. Who does she think she is, using us like pawns? I hope she will get eliminated soon. Part of me thinks she could be the Mole, while another thinks she would maybe be too obvious. I guess I'll have to rely on my gut instinct on this one.

During the Challenge Feet Versus Wheels, when did the Mole cross the finish line?

-First

-Second

-Third

-Fourth

-Fifth

-Sixth/Seventh/Eighth

Birdo : This episode was crazy. First we have this huge conspiracy against Flurrie, then we have Jojora's blackmail and her domination of the game, after that we have a crumbling alliance, and finally one of her former allies spills out the beans. And despite that, I still think she controls the game. She's one of my prime suspects.

What is the Mole's gender?

-Male

-Female

Bootler : Nobody really pays attention to Toad, but I am fairly convinced that he could be the Mole. He avoids every confrontation he can, and stays under the radar. Well, I also avoid as much confrontations as possible, but I am not the Mole, so that does not apply to me. Pauline is also a suspect of choice... Mmmh...

Did the Mole already win an exemption yet?

-Yes

-No

Mario : Everyone is disregarding the fact that Flurrie could be the Mole, just because she was a 'victim' of Jojora's conspiracy. Let me tell you one thing. I saw what happened when Toad threw a rock on her car. Let me tell you that she could have seen it coming. Oh yeah, and even if the car hadn't been damaged by his throw, we could have lost because of her mad driving. I'm surprised she hasn't been penalized for that yet, by the way.

What is the Mole's job?

-Sculptor

-Fashion Designer

-Gardener

-Model

-Plumber

-Butler

-Air Hostess

-Actress

Toad : Noki and Bootler are two shy players, who seem to do really great during the mental challenges. What's funny though, is that both of them fail when we think they will succeed. With them, it's all-or-nothing.

Who is the Mole?

-Toad

-Pauline

-Bootler

-Flurrie

-Noki

-Mario

-Jojora

-Birdo

...

The players had taken their quizzes and were now heading to the location where would take place their third execution. They did not have to walk much, as Monty Mole was waiting for them near a dragon statue. It may have been more exact to say that he was waiting for them inside the dragon's mouth, which was not particularly reassuring. One by one, Pauline, Toad, Mario, Flurrie, Jojora, Birdo, Noki and Bootler took a seat and waited for Monty Mole to began his usual speech.

"Welcome everyone, yo your third execution. As you may already know, the player who scored the lowest on the quiz will be eliminated..."

The players nodded, anxiety in their eyes. The host carried on.

"Well, normally, that is. This time, things will be different."

He received puzzled stares as he went to take a suitcase, hidden behind a table. He put it on the table and opened it.

"This suitcase contains fifty thousand coins. These coins can be yours...if you leave the adventure immediately," he added, his voice booming. The contestants looked at each other, unsure as to what their reactions should be.

"Additionally, if one of you were to take this suitcase and leave the game immediately, twenty thousand coins will be added to your pot. It could constitute an act of redemption, I suppose."

"Mmmh... May I ask something?" asked Bootler. Monty Mole nodded. "Well, if nobody takes it, and somebody gets eliminated, do they earn the coins for themselves by default?"

Monty Mole smiled and shook his head. "It would be a little too convenient if it happened that way, wouldn't you say? I'll give you five minutes to think hard about it. After that, we will begin the execution. You can interrupt me at anytime of the execution, as long as a red screen haven't shown up yet."

Some players looked at one another, sending each other signals. Others preferred to focus on the black screen, while the last ones had their head buried into their hands. Five minutes passed, and Monty Mole began to call the players by their name. "Toad."

Toad went to the device and inserted his exemption card into the slot. He wore a confident smile on his face.

T-O-A-D

…

…

…

…

…

GREEN

"Bootler." The ghost did not lose one second and did the same as Toad had done before. He was looking pretty stoical.

B-O-O-T-L-E-R

…

…

…

…

…

GREEN

After he returned to his seat, Jojora volunteered to go. Monty Mole complied. "Jojora."

Jojora stood up from her seat and walked straight toward the screen while her name was typed.

J-O-J-O-R-A

…

…

…

…

…

GREEN

Monty Mole began to call their name randomly. "Noki."

N-O-K-I

…

…

…

…

..-

"Wait! I'll take it!"

"Are you sure? Once you have taken it, there will be no turning back," warned them Monty Mole.

"I'm sure of that," confirmed the player.

"Very well then, please take your belongings and follow me outside." The figure nodded took their bag and turned toward the players.

"I hope you will keep on having a good time here. Good luck everyone, and especially you, Mole."

Noki waved goodbye. "I can't believe she sacrificed herself like that..."

"That happened so fast..." commented Toad.

Birdo nodded. "Yeah, she needed the money, so I'm really happy she took the offer. I was hoping someone would take it before a red screen would appear. I'm really glad the person who left the game tonight didn't leave it empty-handed."

"Each game has its twists. This one just appears to have the best and the most crucial of them all. It's the Mole for you, one wrong move and you're going down." Mario shook his head. "Hopefully, she left the game on a positive note."

…

Monty Mole and Flurrie were waiting for the latter's helicopter, on the floating island. The actress was glancing at the dragon's mouth in which were located the other players who were waving at her in the distance.

"So, I suppose it is finally the end of your game... Why did you choose to take the money and leave?"

"Well, first of all, I couldn't be too sure about my results. I mean, I could have been the lowest scorer, and then, I would have looked pretty dumb not to have taken the coins. I didn't really want anyone to leave either, to be honest. And the most important reason was that I needed that money. It will be useful if I want to have a home built for the Punies."

"That was a most laudable intention," smiled Monty Mole. "I really wish you would leave on a positive note, but I'm not sure you lived an adventure of a lifetime..."

"Seriously Monty Mole, I had a wonderful time. In spite of our quarrels with Jojora, I really lived an adventure of a lifetime, as you put it. This experience had me getting stronger than before, and strength is something you need in the showbiz. I met some incredible persons, some who never ever left my side. I discovered true friends. I also discovered what the word 'adversity' meant, and for that I thank Jojora and Donkey. I'm sure that once the game is over, I'll stay in touch with everyone. All the drama that occurred back then...will probably be more useful to me than anything you could ever imagine. I sense a feeling inside me, I need to feel the light shining upon me... It is time for the splendastic Flurrie to make her comeback on the stage! The audience shall marvel at my sight! Was that too dramatic?" she laughed.

Monty Mole was at a loss of words. Flurrie giggled once again, before spotting her helicopter. "I'll miss you, The Mole !" she yelled, before entering her vehicle. Soon it took off, taking with him the Mole's third victim.

Seven remain. Who is the Mole?