When you say you're on Winter Break so you can finish up the story but then you forget so you just wait until next Winter Break so you technically didn't lie to the one or two people still reading this story.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed.

Also thank you to the like 50 or 60 guest reviews that are all rooting for Princess Shroob. That's literally the only reason I'm updating this story.

The DreamStakes!

Merged: Birdo, Toadsworth, Boo, Noki, Princess Shroob, Pauline, Wendy

The next morning at Sirena Beach felt unusually quiet. Up until now, the Koopa King had traditionally stomped into the breakfast bars in the morning at each of their new destinations. He walked loud, talked loud, and most certainly ate loud. But now, with him gone, it was much quieter…and the fact that the competition was nearing its end was sinking into each of the remaining seven competitors.

Princess Shroob: Things are coming towards the end. Soon, I will have all the coins I need to fund my death ray. I mean…my charity. Yes…my charity.

The last to arrive, Wendy had taken her time that morning. She had slept in late, basking in the fruits of her labor. Surveying the room, she noticed one round table housed Toadsworth, Boo, Noki and Birdo, each of whom were casually talking and munching on food. The other table sat Princess Shroob and Pauline. Not sure where to sit just yet, she went to the breakfast bar and grabbed a yogurt.

Wendy: I've certainly changed my position in this game. I went from standing in my Dad's shadow to become a real contender in this game. Now that he's gone, I can focus on why I came here. Winning.

"Good morning," Wendy said, sitting down with Princess Shroob and Pauline.

"Hey," Pauline said shortly, not looking up from her compact mirror. "Last night's vote was a blunder, like, seriously a blunder. We need to start voting clearly."

Princess Shroob nodded.

"You and your father went for Boo, we went for Birdo, and in the chaos of it all he ended up going home," the alien princess said, looking miffed. "But who cares! We'll rebound!"

"How?" Wendy asked, craning her neck towards the do-gooders. "They have the numbers. It's 4 on 3."

Princess Shroob smirked. "Pah, numbers," she said, smiling. "All that matters is immunity."

Unsettled, Pauline and Wendy shared a glance, unsure of what that meant.

"Well good morning!" Brighton cried, jumping into the room, nearly giving Toadsworth a heart attack. The old Shroom wheezed and choked on his bagel.

"So, for today, we're going to be – "

"Pzzzbfft!" Toadsworth choked, falling on the floor. "H-help…m-me…"

Boo performed the Heimlich on him and saved the day.

Brighton frowned. "Now that Toadsworth is done interrupting, we can get to the real drama for the day. Here at Sirena Beach, the hotel is equipped with only the finest. Including…"

He paused for effect.

"A casino!"

Boo: A casino, hmm? I'm not too bad at gambling myself, so hopefully that'll come into play here.

"Oh dear…" Niko mumbled, "I'm not too good at games…"

"Well that sucks for you," Brighton said. "Come on, finish up your breakfast and then meet me in the casino. Twila's waiting for us there, and you all know she hates to be kept waiting."

Sighing, the players finished up their breakfast and then followed their sunny host, wondering what the days' challenge would hold.

At the casino, the seven marveled at the interior design. Bright, flashy lights decorated every inch of the room, with red carpets and regal trimming decorating the walls and floors. There were two rolls of humongous slot machines, each with red stools in front of them, along with two blackjack tables and two poker tables.

But in the middle of the room was a humongous roulette wheel with an effigy of a humongous Boo on top of it. In front of this roulette stood Twila and Brighton, waiting for the players to arrive.

"Welcome, our magnificent seven," Twila said, smiling. "Today's challenge is all about keeping your wits about you. Please, take a seat in front of the roulette wheel."

Pauline: I've been to my fair share of casinos, and I often walk away with more coins than I started with.

Taking their seats, the players waited for further instruction, intimidated by the glowing golden Boo in front of them.

"Each round, we'll give this lever a crank and eject a large roulette wheel. If the roulette ball stops on one of the slots with your symbol on it, then you'll have to pick one of two options."

"And what would those options be?" Birdo asked, folding her arms. "Something awful, I suppose?"

Brighton nodded. "Just two little things," he said with a smirk, "truth…or dare."

The players shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

"If you complete the truth or dare, you'll stay in the game. If you don't, you're out. And don't think truth is always the safe option. Some of the questions we've prepared for you are particularly…" he searched for the word.

"Personal," Twila supplied.

Brighton nodded. "That's right. Some of the question we've prepared are particularly personal."

Noki gulped, looking at Boo. Birdo too looked increasingly uncomfortable.

"So what?" Princess Shroob asked. "How do you win?"

"Be the last person standing, completing every truth and dare you take on," Brighton explained. "So, why don't we begin?" Without another word, he grabbed the large red lever and gave it a crank. In their seats, the players watched the large golden roulette ball pop out of the Boo statue's mouth and swirl around the table, eventually landing on a small symbol of Birdo's pink bowtie.

She didn't say anything, just looking at Twila.

"Birdo!" the lunar hostess cried, "truth…or dare?"

Birdo gulped. "Truth," she said.

"We warned you," Twila said, smirking, picking up a large white card from a nearby box. "Alright…Birdo, here's your question, and remember, you must answer truthfully. The seats you're sitting on will detect if any of you lie."

Everyone looked at each other, some in disbelief, some in anxiety.

"Were you in love with Stanley?"

Noki almost fell out of her chair. "H-hey! You can't ask something like that!"

"Yeah!" Boo spat. "That's ridiculous. You've no right – "

"It's alright," Birdo said, holding up a hand. "I'll answer it. They said the questions would be personal. And…well, it's alright." She looked at Twila, in the eye, steeling herself.

"Yes," she said, swallowing hard. "I loved him. But he doesn't exist, so it doesn't matter. How's that for truth?"

She looked pained, but Twila said nothing, simply putting the card to the side. "Good work. You stay in the game. Moving on."

Without missing a beat, Brighton cranked the lever and the roulette ball began to roll. It landed on a picture of a brown mushroom.

"What ho!" Toadsworth cried. "This old bean is picking dare!"

"What bravery," Brighton said, looking amused. "Here's your dare, Toadsworth. I dare you to speak in rhyme for the rest of the challenge."

"Well that should be easy," Toadsworth said.

"FAILURE!" Brighton screamed, nearly shocking everyone out of their chairs.

"By my grandmother's beard! You didn't say immediately!" Toadsworth cried.

"It was kind of self-explanatory," Brighton said. "Anyway, you're out."

"That wasn't really fair," Noki suggested.

"Pah! Who cares!?" Princess Shroob spat. "You're still in the challenge, you talking seashell. Be grateful."

Noki: I can't wait to finally vote out Princess Shroob tonight, she's so rude. We talked about it at breakfast. If she doesn't win today…she's as good as gone.

Moving on, Brighton pulled the lever and the ball landed on Pauline's symbol.

"Easy," the woman in scarlet said, "Dare."

"I dare you to look into the camera and renounce your love for Mario," Brighton said.

"Easy enough," Princess Shroob said, "just go ahead Pauline."

She shrugged, looked into the camera, and said, "I don't love Mario."

"Well, good work," Brighton said, "You stay in." He cranked the lever and the ball landed on Noki's symbol.

"Wish me luck," she said, giving Boo a small smile. He returned it, affectionately.

"Truth or dare, Noki?" Twila asked.

"Truth," Noki said.

"Really?" Twila asked, arching an eyebrow. "Fine. The question we planned for you is a little like Birdo's, but not quite. Tell me, Noki…are you in love with Boo?"

The room grew uncomfortably thick.

"I…I uhm…" she started blushing, looking away from the spectral ghost. He too, turned a little red, looking away.

"Noki, it's alright, you don't have to answer," he said, rubbing her arm.

"It's alright…uhm…" she looked up at Twila, her eyes watering a little bit. "I…I like Boo a lot, I really do. But, things like love take time. I…"

Boo smiled weakly. "Noki, it's fine. I get it. We haven't known each other very long and…"

"But I do love him," she said, smiling up at Boo. "I know it hasn't been long. But…I love him. I do."

Boo looked surprised. "N-Noki…"

"And it doesn't matter if he loves me too because – "

"Because I do," Boo said, smiling down at her. "I love you too, Noki."

"Oh, how disgusting," Princess Shroob said, imitating a gag. "Get a room, you sickos. Let's move on, she answered the question."

"That she did," Twila said, smiling. "Moving on…"

Brighton pulled the lever, and it landed on Boo's symbol.

"Boo! Truth or dare?"

"Dare," Boo said, hardening his eyebrows, now full of resolve.

"I dare you to kiss Birdo," Brighton said, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

"What!? No!" Boo hissed.

"Fine then," Brighton said, holding up his hands. "Guess you're out of the challenge."

"Wait, Boo," Noki said, "Honestly, I don't mind. It's not like you want to. It's just to stay in the challenge."

"She's right," Birdo said. "I mean…not like I want to either, but for you to stay in…"

"It's fine," Boo said. "I don't want to. So, I won't."

Birdo: I get Noki and Boo just professed their love for each other, but it's a simple dare. We might get harder tasks later on, and with Toadsworth already out, Boo's already halving our alliance's chances at immunity with his stubbornness.

"Think about the long game," Noki told him, "Toadsworth is already out."

"And I'm confident you and Birdo can pull this one out," Boo told her. "Please, Noki. I only want to uhm…I only want to kiss you."

She smiled. "Well then, if that's what you want."

Birdo sighed, looking down at her feet. Meanwhile, Princess Shroob and Pauline moved one step closer towards immunity.

The next roulette ball landed on Wendy.

"Wendy, truth or dare?"

"Truth," she said, wondering what they could cook up to embarrass her.

"Alright then, Wendy, here's your question. How do you really feel about your father?"

She immediately paled, looking at the cameras. "Uhm. Well, I know I've said in confessionals that I've been in his shadow…and he can forget about me some times…and he's not really the nicest…"

Suddenly, she looked at the floor. "I'm really not comfortable with this," she said.

"Fine then," Brighton shrugged. "You've been eliminated."

Birdo gave her a small smile, but Wendy just looked the other way.

Wendy: Dang, I should have picked Dare! Of course that idiot host would bring up my father…

The next ball landed on Princess Shroob's symbol.

"Princess Shroob, truth or dare?"

"I spit on your measly dares. Show me what you can do," she said.

"Alright, your dare is to drink this," Brighton said, producing a large glass of black liquid.

"What…is that?" she asked.

"Beats me," Brighton said. "Found it in the bathroom. Go on, drink up."

"Fine," she said, storming over and swiping the cup. She tossed the glass back, chugging the liquid. Finishing it all, she put it back down on the counter and let out a horrendously loud belch.

"Tastes like squid ink and foot fungus," she remarked. "A delicacy back on Planet Shrooboid."

Brighton shrugged and continued on. Pauline's symbol lit up.

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth," she said, "since I picked dare last time."

"What truly happened with Princess Peach?" Brighton asked. "Were you responsible for everything that went down with her and Mario in the beginning of the game?"

Toadsworth raised a bushy, grey eyebrow.

"Sure, I'll own up to what went down. It was all me."

"I knew it," Toadsworth mumbled. "What a horrible, scheming woman."

"You stay in," Brighton remarked. "Moving on…"

This time, the ball landed on Birdo's symbol.

"Truth…or dare?"

"Dare," Birdo said, folding her arms. "I've been through far worse in this game."

"I dare you to eat this," Brighton said, pulling up a tray of raw squid.

"Uhm…no thanks," Birdo said, turning up her nose. "I don't think I'd be able to get that down. It smells like…garbage."

Noki frowned. "You won't give it a taste?"

"I guess," Birdo said, sighing. "Bring it here."

Brighton brought her the squid, but after one bite, she immediately spit it out.

"Yeah, like I thought," she said, scrubbing her tongue. "That was disgusting."

"Only three remain," Brighton said. The ball this time landed on Noki's, and she took a dare.

"I dare you to finish Birdo's squid."

"I can try," Noki said. She put a piece in her mouth, but found Birdo's words to be true. After spitting it out, she too was eliminated.

"So now we're down to just Princess Shroob and Pauline," Brighton said, "but honestly, this squid dare is getting everyone. So, whoever can finish a plate of squid first wins the challenge," Brighton explained, pulling out another plate of raw squid.

"You planned this, didn't you?" Princess Shroob asked, raising a brow.

"I decline to comment," Brighton said.

He placed a plate in front of Princess Shroob and one in front of Pauline. Gulping, Pauline looked down at her plate in disgust, but Princess Shroob didn't seem too phased by it.

"Go!"

Pauline put a piece in her mouth but spit it out the moment it made contact.

"Ugh! Gross!" she cried, feeling the texture on her tongue. However, Princess Shroob made quick work of her plate, gulping it down.

Princess Shroob: I could feel those little misfits plotting against me. I knew I had to win this one, so I'll eat one hundred plates of raw squid if it means I stay in this game!

"Well, that was disappointingly one-sided," Brighton commented. "Anyway, Princess Shroob wins immunity! Now, get out! We'll meet back here tonight for the elimination."

Smug, Princess Shroob swept up her dress and left the room, taking a swig from her wine goblet. Pauline followed her out, feeling less confident. Birdo helped Wendy off her stool, the koopaling still looking shaken up. Meanwhile, Toadsworth, Boo and Noki exchanged unsure looks.

At the poolside, the group of former heroes were discussing the vote.

"Well, we can't get her tonight," Boo said, frowning. "So we go for second-best."

"Pauline," Toadsworth filled in.

Boo nodded. "Straight and simple. Four votes Pauline, and she's out."

Birdo and Noki nodded, agreeing with the idea.

Birdo: I've taken too much crap from Pauline. It's time to vote her out, especially after the things she said about Mario and Peach at the challenge today. I'm doing this for my friends…all of my friends who were voted out by her and stomped on by her along the way. And then next time…bye bye Princess Shroob.

"Well, what do we do?" Pauline asked Princess Shroob at the tiki bar, sipping a frozen drink. "Vie for Birdo's vote? She won't come our way."

"No," Princess Shroob said, "she's been burned by us enough times now to know not to play with fire. But, there's someone else we could swing for."

"Who? Neither of those love birds will ever work with us."

"Exactly," Princess Shroob said, sneering. "Which is exactly why they need to be split up. Surely, even a foppish old man can see that he won't make any progress with two players left in the game who professed their love for one another today."

"He won't go for it," Pauline said, sounding defeated.

"Let me talk to him," Princess Shroob said. "I'll handle it."

Getting up, she went to find the old toad.

At the open food bar, Princess Shroob found Toadsworth writing in his journal and having a small snack.

"Good afternoon, Toadbert," she said.

"My name is Toadsworth," he said, sighing. "What do you want, Princess Shroob? Come to surrender?"

"I do admire your candor, but no," she said, faking a frown. "I came to talk. You have the numbers now, yes, but you won't for long. Those two lovebirds are so head over heels that they went announced their undying loyalty to one another today. Don't you think they'll never split up…even when you all get down to the final four?"

Toadsworth stroked his mustache. "I can't say I haven't thought about it. But getting rid of one of them tonight would even out the numbers. I'm no fool, Princess Shroob. You swindled Zess out of this game, after all. I'm not going to be working with you."

She sighed. "What can I say, then?"

"With you safe tonight, we're getting rid of Pauline. You can say goodbye to your little henchwoman. Your days of bullying everyone and running this game are over, Princess Shroob."

"Really?" she asked. "I don't care about that hussy. Fine, vote her out. Then next round, at the six, I'll help you take out Boo. You'll still have the majority, and you won't have to deal with those two lovers sailing their sunset cruise to the end of this game."

"And what about Noki? What will she say when we vote out Boo?"

"Oh, I'll handle her. I can take all the heat, make something up. Besides, if I want to win this game, Pauline had to go sometime. So how about it, Toadsworth…deal?"

Toadsworth: I'm making a dark deal here…but I didn't make that promise with Zess to just stand by and get carried to the four and then lose. She's right. I have to do this for not just myself…but for the princess, for my Zess…

Night had fallen, and the seven players were now grouped in the casino. Brighton and Twila stood in front of the roulette table, waiting for everyone to sit down.

"Soon, seven will become six," Brighton said. "Before we vote, let's talk about where this game is at. Princess Shroob, you won immunity today."

"I did," the alien said, smiling, "and did I need it. Something tells me if I wasn't immune, I'd be the one leaving tonight."

"So then, if it's not you, then who?" Twila asked.

"Me," Pauline said, rolling her eyes. "If they can't get Princess Shroob, then something tells me they're gonna go for me."

"Why you?" Brighton asked. "Why not…say, Wendy?"

"Wendy hasn't been as aggressive," Birdo said, shrugging. "She hasn't bullied people to get where she is."

"Oh, give me a break," Pauline said. "We all have different ways of playing this game."

"Some people's ways are just a little more honorable," Toadsworth mumbled.

"But let's get back to today's challenge. Boo and Noki announced their love for each other. That has to be weighing on some people's minds, right? That there are two players here, when only seven of you are left, who arguably won't ever turn on each other…or is it not even arguable?" Brighton asked.

"It's not," Princess Shroob said. "They're never going to turn on each other."

"Boo? Noki? Is that a safe assumption?"

The two nodded.

"Yeah," Boo said, "it's a safe assumption. I'm not going to be turning on Noki."

"And I'm not going to turn on him," Noki added.

"So then, you've got to think, for their allies, that has to be a concern," Twila chipped in.

Birdo shrugged. "It'll become a concern when it becomes a concern," she said.

"Alright then," Brighton said, "well, it looks like the four are still solid. Let's get to the vote. Toadsworth, you're up."

Nodding, the old Toad hopped up and ambled towards the voting both. One by one, the players voted, and when they were done, Brighton brought back the votes.

"Alright, I'll read the votes," he said, opening the box. He pulled out the first paper and unfurled it.

"First vote…PAULINE."

She nodded. "Figures."

"Second vote…PAULINE."

Pauline nodded, looking complacent.

"Third vote…PAULINE."

"Well," she said, brushing back her hair, "it was fun."

Brighton unfolded the fourth piece of paper.

"Fourteenth person voted out of the DreamStakes…PAULINE."

"Well guys, I played hard, but I guess not hard enough. I don't regret a single thing," she said, standing up and smoothing down her scarlet dress. "Princess Shroob, give 'em hell. You too, Wendy. And as for you Birdo," she said, pointing at the pink dinosaur, "I hope you lose this game."

Birdo just rolled her eyes and faked a laugh.

"Well Pauline, please get your bags," Brighton said. She grabbed her suitcase and sashayed away, flipping Birdo the bird on her way out. The doors closed behind them, leaving the six remaining players with Twila.

"Well, six of you are left, and the game is nearing its end. Titans have started to fall, and remember, despite all your friendships and relationships, there can only be one winner."

Eyeing one another, the six remaining players rose from their seats and left the room, not saying a word, but thinking quite a few.

Pauline: What can I say? I played the hardest I could. I allied with the villains, and I pulled every sneaky trick in the book I could. Seventh place isn't bad. It's not the win, but at least I didn't go out first. I made my mark on this game, and I mean it when I say I don't regret a thing I did.

Voting Results

Pauline (6): Toadsworth, Boo, Noki, Birdo, Princess Shroob, Wendy

Birdo (1): Pauline

Well, there's an update for you. Maybe with just a few chapters left, I'll actually finish this thing. If you liked it, leave a review. Thanks~