A/N: So last time, Boo and Noki received their exemptions and used them to shield Birdo and Stanley from the upcoming elimination. Either Team Manta or Team Dolphin will lose another member…but who will it be? This chapter, the news of the end of the prize challenge is revealed to the rest of the players. How will they react? Plus, a riveting elimination challenge takes place! Who will come out on top? Find out on this episode of…The DreamStakes!

Thanks to those who reviewed!

Yoshpa: Yes, the three ships are wonderful XD. I'm glad you're excited for the return of this! Updates may be slow because of school now, but I'm trying! Thanks for always reviewing and being positive :D

ultimateCCC: Maybe not this chapter...but maybe in the future, Wendy will step up ;D

Meta: Thanks for the double reviews! Rosalina's elimination is necessary, as you'll see the Don begins to develop on his own now that he's been forced into a corner. As for Pauline, her reaction and choice will be discussed this chapter. It's going to be interesting to see what she does. Thanks for reviewing!

The DreamStakes!

Team Manta: Mario, Birdo, Pauline, Princess Shroob, Bowser, Kammy, Black Yoshi

Team Dolphin: Toadsworth, Zess T., Noki, Boo, Wendy, Don Pianta

"What happened!?" Wendy demanded to know as Brighton rejoined them by the seashell cottages. "One minute we were all scrambling to get to the top of that waterfall and the next minute, you go and call off the challenge! Wendy wants money! Do you hear me!? WENDY. WANTS. MONEY. How am is Wendy supposed to win any money if you keep cancelling prize challenges!?"

It seemed that the little koopaling was quite irate.

"Why don't you two explain?" Brighton said to Boo and Noki.

"W-well…" Noki began nervously, but Boo squeezed her shoulder and stepped in for her.

"Noki and I reached the top of the summit," he said, "and when we did…well, Brighton offered us a choice."

"What choice was that?" Zess T. asked, leaning in with a suspicious leer to her eyes.

"We could either continue the challenges…or take two exemptions," Boo revealed, shocking everyone.

"But what need do you have for those?" Zess T. continued her interrogation. "You're safe on our side!"

"Well…erm…yes," Boo said, rubbing the back of his white dome sheepishly. "B-but…see, we can use them on other people."

Pauline: No! The moment that conniving little phantom said that I knew exactly what he was going to do!

"Noki and I took the exemptions and have decided to use them to shield Birdo and Stanley from the upcoming elimination," Boo told everyone. A shockwave rippled throughout the crowd, but for some…it was a different kind of shock than for others.

"Who is Stanley?" Bowser wondered aloud.

"Hey! Hello!?" Black Yoshi shouted. "I'm right here!"

"Oh, you mean Black Yoshi!" Bowser said with a laugh. "Oh yeah, I love that guy. Glad he's gonna be sticking around."

"Y-you can't be serious!?" Black Yoshi shouted in dismay.

"Aaaanyway," Brighton droned with a roll of his eyes. "They made their choice, and now the prize challenge is over. Whaaa whaaa, go cry about it or something. You all can explore the bay for a bit while I tend to Twila. I think she fell into a thorn bush somewhere." With that, their solar host left them to muddle about the bay.

Immediately, Birdo and Black Yoshi came up to Boo and Noki to thank them.

"We owe you guys one," Black Yoshi said in a low voice. "I think we were supposed to be next," he said.

"Of course you were!" Pauline shouted angrily. "What are we supposed to do now!?" She turned her iron glare towards Boo. "You #$%* !"

Boo: Never have I been called such harsh things…

"Hey!" Noki yelped, jumping to Boo's defense. "Go away, you big bully!"

"Big?" Pauline asked, abhorred. "I'm not big! I'm a double zero!"

"Let's just get away from this woman," Boo said with a snarl, herding his allies away from Pauline. Sighing, the woman with the buxom figure decided to speak with Princess Shroob about what had just transpired.

"This is just great!" Pauline snapped. "Now what do we do if we lose?"

"It's rather obvious, isn't it?" Princess Shroob asked, inspecting her nails for dirt with much disinterest for what Pauline was saying. "We only have one option."

"N-no!" Pauline shrieked. "He may never want me…but I can't get rid of him so soon! His downfall is supposed to be long and painful!"

"Well, unless you want to vote out our allies, Mario has to go!" Princess Shroob whispered with a hiss. "There's no other choice, Pauline! Quit playing with your heart and use that mind of yours! Otherwise, you'll follow Mario right out the door soon enough."

Her words stung Pauline.

"F-fine! Whatever!" Pauline spat. "Let's just do our best to make sure Team Dolphin loses again. We could stand to lose Don Pianta."

"You're right about that," Princess Shroob remarked. "I've never trusted the old Don…"

Both of them lingered their eyes over Don Pianta and Mario. Would Pauline really be forced into voting out Mario so soon? She certainly hoped not…

Meanwhile, Mario was speaking with Boo and Noki by the water. The other members of their alliance had gone to have lunch while they spoke privately.

"Eesh," Mario commented dryly. "I understand what you guys were doing…but my fate is pretty much sealed now. If we lose today…I'm going home."

"Hopefully you win, then," Boo said, patting Mario on the back. "We can afford to lose twice more," he supplied. "Wendy and the Don will be easy enough to pick off now that we clinch the majority on our side."

Mario sighed. "I guess you're-a-right, but I don't-a-know…I just gotta win."

Noki tried to cheer up the plumber with a smile. "I really wish we had a third exemption, Mario…but there was only so much we could do."

"I-a-get it," Mario said flatly. He rose up from the ground and offered to help Boo and Noki up. "Let's just go to-a-lunch and enjoy this-a-day. Noki Bay is-a-too pretty to be so sad."

Noki and Boo agreed with his words, following the mustachioed hero out to lunch. However, someone had been lurking nearby.

"Easy pickin's, eh?" the Don whispered to himself. "We'll see about dat…"

Mario: Yes I'm-a-sad that Boo and-a-Noki didn't save-a-me, but it's-a-ok. Hopefully I can-a-win the elimination challenge today!

Everyone spent the afternoon eating and lounging around Noki Bay until Brighton returned.

"Good news," he said. "Twila is seeing the local doctor, and she'll have her head cleared up in a day or two."

"Booooo," Bowser remarked, pointing his thumb at the ground. Brighton just shot him a glare.

"It's time for today's elimination challenge," Brighton announced. "Today, we'll be going to the top of the waterfall for the challenge!"

*montage of waterfall hike*

"Alright!" Brighton beamed. "Now that we're all here, I can explain the game."

"How did we even get up here?" Black Yoshi asked.

"Eh wot!?" Toadsworth shouted. "Speak up, boy!"

"I asked how we even got up here!" Black Yoshi yelled.

"You don't need to be so loud, young'un!" Toadsworth advised with a crotchety wave of his cane.

"Alright," Brighton said with a roll of his eyes. "Anyway, today's game is gonna be fun!" he clapped his hands together and gave everyone a Machiavellian grin. "You're going to be diving down into this lagoon to collect pearls!"

"Yay!" everyone shouted as Noki let out a horrific, "No!"

Everyone looked at her quizzically.

Noki: This lagoon is home to a monster! The insufferable Eely-Mouth! He's got a mean streak wider than his backside…oooh I'm so scared! We can't seriously be doing this…right?

"There's a monster in there!" Noki cried, pointing at the water.

"Oh don't be ridiculous," Brighton said. "I mean, we didn't check the lagoon. But I can with absolutely no certainty that there's not a monster in that lagoon!"

"Good enough for me," Bowser said, cracking his knuckles. "So all we gotta do is nab a pearl?"

"Right-o," said Brighton with a nod. "Just dive in and find a pearl! If everyone from your team brings a pearl back before the other team manages to do so, you win the challenge and evade elimination. Be the last team to have all of their members bring back a pearl from within the lagoon…and you face the chopping block."

Princess Shroob: Gah! If Pauline tries any funny business during this competition, I'll be at my wit's end. Mario has to go! If she lets her little feelings cloud her judgment…I'll have to restructure my affairs in this game.

The alien princess gave Pauline a dubious look before Brighton continued with his explanation. It was a look no one noticed…save for Don Pianta. Since the elimination of Rosalina, the mob boss had been on the lookout for anything and everything that would help him stay afloat in this game, and he caught the subtle look of mistrust in Princess Shroob's eyes.

"However," Brighton continued, intercepting the thoughts of Princess Shroob and Don Pianta, "there are special pearls within the lagoon. They still count towards your teams total, but they have added benefits."

Mario: The moment he-a-spoke…I knew he-a-meant exemption! I have to-a-find it!

"So, let's begin, shall we?" Brighton asked. "Jump on in!"

As everyone blindly made their way to the lagoon, Noki pulled Boo aside.

"I'm telling the truth," she hissed into his ear. "This lagoon is home to a terrible monster. I can't believe Brighton is bypassing this kind of thing…it's a big deal!"

Boo shook his head. "Typical of this terrible show and its equally terrible hosts. Though, one of them is out of commission for the time being, she's just as sinister. Do you think we should warn the others?"

"I already tried, didn't I?" Noki asked him. With a sad shake of her head, she swallowed. "We're just going to have to be extra careful. Stay close to me. I'm a strong swimmer." Boo nodded, taking her hand and following her to the lagoon's edge. One by one, the contestants began to hop into the dark water, their hunt for pearls commencing. Little did they know, Noki was indeed telling the truth…and without knowing it, the players were hopping into Eely-Mouth's lair.

Under the water, the hunt for pearls began. Initially, everything seemed dark, but as the players got further down into the water, they realized there was a bright light covering the floor of the lagoon. It wasn't deep, but it did take skill at holding your breath to make it far. Little by little, the contestants would find pockets of air bubbles they could use to recover their breathing without having to go up for air.

Inhaling an air pocket, Kammy noticed something ahead. A few bubbles poured out of her mouth as she tried to speak, but then she realized the task was hopeless. Instead, she gestured towards a clam just a bit ahead. Swimming over, she directed Bowser to the shell. Using his tremendous claws, the Koopa King pried open the clam to reveal a shiny white pearl within. Nodding to Kammy, Bowser gave her the go to take the pearl above. Bidding her boss goodbye, the old Magikoopa clutched onto the pearl and kicked for the surface.

Once she made it to the shore of the lagoon, Kammy threw the pearl on the ground and inhaled dramatically.

"Kammy has returned with the first pearl for Team Manta! They lead, 1-0!" Brighton announced.

Back underwater, the twelve remaining competitors in the hunt for the pearls searched for the shiny objects. Inhaling air here and there, they tried to find some sort of nook or cranny where the pearls could be hiding.

Princess Shroob: It does not behoove me or Pauline to throw this competition. So, when I found a shiny pearl hiding in the crag of the wall, I decided to take it.

Princess Shroob grabbed onto the pearl, trying to wedge it out of place. Her mouth ejected bubbles of frustration as she cursed her poor attempt at freeing the pearl. Growing frustrated, she wrenched the pearl out of its socket with great force, causing the wall to shake. A low rumble bounced throughout the lagoon, turning the heads of every player…and one more.

The source of the light now became visible. Not spotlights…but eyes. The fluorescent, gleaming eyes of a sea monster. Letting out a roar, a monstrous eel crept out of its sleeping place, sweeping the lagoon with its large eyes and capturing all twelve of the divers within its petrifying glare.

"MONSTER!" everyone tried to scream, but only bubbles came out. Eely Mouth was out to play, but he didn't look very happy. Slithering forward, he now tried to interfere with the players and their search for pearls. Quickly swimming aside, Black Yoshi and Birdo dodged the eel and their eyes laid upon where he came from. A seabed of kelp with a few pearls resting in it. However, as they made for the pearls…they realized someone else had seen them too.

"Noki! Boo!" Birdo tried to shout. Despite the clogging water, Black Yoshi was able to understand her, for they could see the duo swimming for the pearls. Noki and Boo were too close, so the endeavor was hopeless for Birdo and Black Yoshi. Instead, they focused on finding air pockets and dodging Eely-Mouth for now.

Having successfully nabbed the pearls from Eely-Mouth's den, Noki and Boo swam for the top and made it to shore.

"Noki and Boor return with two pearls for Team Dolphin! The score is now 2-1 in favor of Team Dolphin!" Brighton announced to Noki, Boo, and Kammy.

"I told you!" Noki said, getting quite angry with Brighton. "There's a monster in there! Everyone's fighting for their lives!"

"Oh, I know," Brighton said with a laugh. "Eely-Mouth makes the challenge all the more interesting, don't you think? Having you all just find pearls is boooooring, but a treasure hunt while escaping a monster? Talk about exciting!"

"Ugh, you make me sick," Noki said, turning away from Brighton as Boo shot the sunny host a glare. Kammy was just drooling in the sand.

Back underwater, the contestants fought off Eely-Mouth while hunting for pearls. Zess T. found a pearl on the lagoon bed, and she bid Toadsworth goodbye as she took off for the top. Her quick movement attracted Eely-Mouth's attention, so the large eel made for Zess T. with a chomp of his teeth. Realizing the monster was after her, the chef quickened her kicks, but the monster was gaining on her. With wide eyes, Toadsworth swam forward and got up in Eely-Mouth's face. With a smack of his cane, he knocked the monster on the head. Grumbling, the eel turned around and now faced Toadsworth. Escaping, Zess T. made it to shore, depositing her pearl.

"That's another point for Team Dolphin!" Brighton announced.

"Dear me…" Zess T. mumbled. "That was so brave of Toadsworth! I hope he makes it out alright!"

"What happened?" Boo asked.

"That horrible monster came after me, is what happened," Zess T. explained. "But then…oh Toodletoes! In a heroic display, he slayed the beast with his mighty cane!"

"What!?" Boo and Noki exclaimed.

"Well…he just sort of tapped it on the head to distract it," Zess T. admitted. "Much less dashing, but heroic nonetheless! Oh, what a wonderful fungus!"

Zess T.: Toadsworth did such a brave thing! I hope he makes it out alright!

Back in the water, Princess Shroob was quick to follow. Having awoken Eely-Mouth, she decided to take the pearl she had wrenched from the wall and swim to shore. Leaving those she had doomed in her wake, the space queen snickered as she reached the top of the lagoon.

"That's two pearls for Team Manta, but still three for Team Dolphin!" Brighton exclaimed.

Princess Shroob: Hopefully in the panic I caused, the rabble will forget that I was the one who awoke the beast from its slumber…oh well, at least I'm not down there anymore! Hahaha!

Underwater, the players were having trouble. Mario was searching desperately for the pearl he believed would save him in this game…and finally he found it. Among some seaweed at the bottom, a green with an "E" on it shone like a diamond in the rough. Plucking it from the bottom, Mario happily turned around and then found himself face to face with Eely-Mouth.

"Aieee!" the plumber gurgled, screaming and dropping the pearl in fright. The pearl floated in the water for just a moment. Eely-Mouth lunged forward, snapping his teeth. Mario narrowly evaded the beast, but his pearl did not. Eely-Mouth swallowed the green pearl whole, much to Mario's dismay.

Mario: This is-a-terrible! My one-a-lifeline…gone!

As Mario fended off the monster, other players found pearls. Bowser, Black Yoshi, Toadsworth, and Wendy all found pearls, bringing them ashore and raising the game 5-4. Only Mario, Pauline, Don Pianta, and Birdo remained.

The four of them struggled to outrun Eely-Mouth. The lagoon was small, and the monster was hungry. However, Pauline's eyes alighted on a glowing golden pearl. Smiling, she swam over to it and plucked it up. Making a break for the top, she emerged from the water victorious.

"Pauline brings the game 5-5, and she also found a special pearl!" Brighton exclaimed. Everyone groaned, because everyone hates Pauline. "This golden pearl is worth 50,000 coins! Congratulations to Pauline!"

Pauline did a little dance as everyone groaned again. Save for Princess Shroob, who was happy for her strongest ally.

Pauline: Take that! Even though Boo and Noki foiled the prize challenge, Pauline still wins money, honey! What a good day! Now we just need to win this challenge so I don't have to send Mario home, and all will be well!

However, underwater…all was not well. Birdo, being useless and miserable, was completely hopeless at finding a pearl, and Mario was busy with Eely-Mouth. This gave Don Pianta the perfect moment to scoop up a pearl and swim to shore, effectively ending the challenge and giving the win to Team Dolphin.

"All of Team Dolphin's members have returned with a pearl…meaning this challenge is over!"

Underwater, a bright light flashed. Eely-Mouth was dazed, and two Lakitus appeared, probably interns on the show's set, to fish out Mario and Birdo.

Pauline was livid as Mario and Birdo were dumped on shore.

"You stupid dinosaur!" she screamed, kicking Birdo. "Ugh! You ruin everything! It should be you going tonight, you! But your stupid little friend protected you! UGH! You're so useless!"

Birdo looked up at Pauline. "W-what…"

"Hey!" Black Yoshi shouted. "Don't…"

"No," Birdo said sadly. "She's right…I should've been able to find a pearl. Mario was busy keeping the monster busy, so I should've been able to do something. I'm just not worthy as a team member…"

"Birdo…" Black Yoshi said, his eyes glassing over.

"You're right, Pauline," Birdo said with a nod. "I should be going home tonight. But I can't…so I'm sorry I lost the challenge."

"Whatever," Pauline snorted. Black Yoshi gave the woman a contemptuous gaze. Mario just kept silent, trying to lay low since he knew his head was on the chopping block. Princess Shroob and Don Pianta looked on with watchful eyes, studying the dynamic of the team that was quickly falling apart since yesterday's prize challenge.

"Well!" Brighton said with a clap. "Meet me here tonight, Team Manta! One of you is going home, and it's not Birdo and Black Yoshi!"

"Stanley!" Black Yoshi corrected him, shaking his head.

As the teams broke up to pursue leisure in Noki Bay, Team Manta shot one another odd looks. The team was not getting along…and tonight, they'd lose a member.

Pauline: There's two moves to make. Vote out Mario, or get rid of Bowser. Kammy is not a threat. She's old, helpless, and will do whatever you tell her to do if you take Bowser out of the equation. Can I really vote Mario out…?

Bowser: Wahaha! It's finally time to send mustache packing! This is gonna be great!

Kammy: Mario's days in this game are over! Huzzah!

Mario: Tonight, I think it might be me. But I have to hope Pauline doesn't vote me out…I-a-wish I had-a-kept that exemption!

Princess Shroob: As I said earlier…there's no reason for Pauline to dissent! Mario must go!

Black Yoshi: The way Pauline treated Birdo makes me want to vote for her…it was despicable!

Birdo: Am I really worthless? Stanley's been helping me break my shell…but today's challenge revived some old demons of mine…

The members of Team Manta congregated atop the waterfall near the lagoon. Eely-Mouth was now peacefully poking his head out of the water, watching the proceedings with a smile. The odd occurrence in his home had angered him earlier, but now he had calmed down. Brighton was present…still no Twila.

"Twila should recover fully in the morning," Brighton explained. "For now, it's just me. Remember, Birdo and Black Yoshi cannot be voted for tonight."

"Stanley!" the irate dino chirped.

"Shut up!" Brighton barked. "Anyway, one by one, go cast your votes!"

Everyone did so, and as each person walked to the other side of the voting arena, doubt clouded the zone. Brighton returned with the votes, ready to read them.

"Here we go," he said. "First vote…PAULINE."

The damsel frowned.

"Second vote…PAULINE."

"Third vote…PAULINE."

She began to worry. One more vote…and she was toast.

"Fourth vote…MARIO."

The shift in the tide had occurred, and now Mario looked worried.

"Fifth vote…MARIO."

Mario's brow began to sweat.

"Sixth vote…MARIO."

Three to three. One more vote, and either Pauline or Mario would go home.

"Seventh vote…" Brighton read. "BOWSER?"

"What!?" The Koopa King roared. "Who had the nerve!?"

Pauline turned slightly red. "I…I couldn't do it," she admitted. "I know this forces a re-vote…but I couldn't vote out Mario."

"How pathetic," Princess Shroob spat. "You're beginning to slide into the peasantry, Pauline." Her nasty comment caused Pauline to considerably pale.

"Alright," Brighton said. "It's time for a revote. You may only vote for Mario or Pauline, and Mario and Pauline cannot vote. Let's get to it. Birdo, you're up."

Birdo rose to cast her vote, giving Mario a sympathetic glance. One by one, everyone revoted, and once the ceremony was done, Brighton returned again.

"Alright, this time, there will be a verdict. I'll read the votes," he said.

"First vote…PAULINE."

"Second vote…PAULINE."

One more vote would do it.

"Third vote…MARIO."

Mario sighed, throwing his cap onto the ground in defeat. Pauline looked flushed, exchanging glances with Princess Shroob in shame. The alien queen just shook her head.

"Fourth vote…MARIO."

Birdo and Stanley grabbed each of Mario's hands, trying to delay the plumber's demise with their hope…but it was not enough.

"Final vote…MARIO."

Mario just shook his head. "That's it, Mario," Brighton said. "Please gather your bag and depart." Mario turned to give Birdo and Stanley hugs.

"Win," he told them. "Win this game, for-a-me, and for-a-Peach."

They both nodded sadly, unable to speak as they lost yet another ally.

Mario nodded to the other four members of his team. Grabbing his bag, he waved goodbye and began to take the path down the waterfall. Twelve remained.

"Well," Brighton concluded, "what an interesting vote. You're now even with Team Dolphin…better not lose again!"

Everyone rose to leave, but Pauline looked out over the waterfall. She saw Mario's retreating figure in the distance.

"Goodbye…Mario," she whispered, her words melting into the wind and gliding away. She had lost her purpose in this game…so now she had nothing to lose.

Voting History!

Round One

Mario (3): Bowser, Kammy, Princess Shroob

Pauline (3): Mario, Black Yoshi, Birdo

Bowser (1): Pauline

Round Two

Mario (3): Bowser, Kammy, Princess Shroob

Pauline (2): Birdo, Black Yoshi

Well, Mario's finally out! He might've been bigoted and oppressive, but he was a number for the good guys! Now in the minority, will Birdo and Stanley be saved by a merge…or will it never come? Also, how will Princess Shroob react to Pauline's dissention? What plan is Don Pianta cooking up with his watchful eye? Will Wendy ever get speaking lines again? Find out next time on…The DreamStakes!

AdmiralBobbery