Merged: Birdo, Toadsworth, Boo, Noki, Wendy, Princess Shroob
"So, what do we do now?" Birdo asked, looking to everyone else.
"Well," Brighton said, giving them a smile, "technically, you guys didn't win. You didn't coax all five chomps into the holes."
"Wait…what?" they all asked.
"He's right," Twila said. "Despite the fact that Princess Shroob lost, you guys didn't win, either."
"So what does that mean?" Noki asked, unsure of the future.
"It means," Brighton said, "that you guys are going to have to vote someone out…right now."
The five of them exchanged mixed looks, unsure as to how they would digest this new information. But, before they could do much of anything, there was a mechanical whirring coming from behind them.
"W-what's that sound?" Noki asked, looking around timidly.
"I hear it too," Boo said, nodding thoughtfully. "It's sound like it's coming from…the gorge."
With lumps in their throats, the five remaining players and the two hosts crept towards the edge of the village, wondering what this sound could be. As they drew near, the seven of them were blown backwards by a large gust of wind. Toppling over one another, they bumped and fell against the ground, crying out. As they fought the wind and dirt colliding with their eyes, they tried to see what the cause of this sudden gust was.
Birdo: Something told me that whatever the source of this wind was…we wouldn't like the answer.
The locals of pianta village were bustling about, trying to hold down their possessions amid this blustery wind. But as soon as the wind came, it was gone, and then they saw the cause.
In a large, UFO shaped device, Princess Shroob was floating above the village, grin plastered on her purple face. One hand was firmly planted on the controls of the UFO, and the other was holding her trademark goblet of wine. With skill, she landed the UFO on top of a nearby tree and slid down the trunk, landing in front of the competitors.
"Surprise, bitches!"
Princess Shroob: And so they thought they had bested I, Princess Shroob! Wahaha! Of course not! How could I be bested by this gangly freak show?
"B-but we defeated you!" Boo spat. "That Chain Chomp nearly killed you!"
"Nearly," said the princess with a smile. "Nearly, my sweet Boo. But unfortunately, nearly is not enough to best Princess Shroob. And," she added, looking to Brighton and Twila, "I'm afraid you're going to have to let me back into this game."
"Why would we ever do that?" Twila asked, rolling her eyes. "You're hell bent on destroying the kingdom. Like we'd let someone like you back into this game."
"Oh, come now," said the princess, rolling her eyes. "It's this dumb translator," she pointed to the device she'd been wearing around her neck since the first day of the game, "it mixes up my words, honestly. I'd never do something so diabolical!"
Wendy: Yes she would!
Princess Shroob: Yes I would!
Twila: We can see these confessionals, you idiot! We edit them ourselves!
"But that's not why you have to let me back in," Princess Shroob explained. From the folds of her space gown, she unfurled a long legal document.
"Is that what I think it is?" Brighton asked.
"Yes," Princess Shroob said, "the contract each of us signed before we began this stupid little quest for your ugly coins. It details the possible ways for a contestant to be removed from the show. They either quit of their own volition, are medically removed, or voted out by their fellow players."
"And?" Twila asked. "We're holding a vote right now anyway, everyone can just vote you out."
Princess Shroob shook her head. "Not quite," the alien queen said. "See, I think you detailed the challenge as follows, if I'm not mistaken. You do stutter like an idiot sometimes, so maybe I misheard, but I do believe you said something along the lines of: the five of these peasants had to cool down all five chain chomps within the time limit, or else I'd be given immunity."
Everyone paled.
"So, based upon the legal rules of the show, and the fact that the peasants failed to organize their rabble in time…it seems to me as if I not only remain in the game," she explained with a villainous grin, "but I also just won immunity."
Toadsworth: What ho!? This cannot be possible! I'm positively shaking in my clods!
"Hold up a second," Boo said, shaking his fist…if he had one. "You can't be serious! Come on, guys, do something." He implored the hosts.
Sadly, Brighton and Twila held up their hands.
"She's right," Brighton reminded him. "Based upon the rules of the contract, she's still in the game."
"B-but…" Boo just looked stunned, staring at the ground. Noki gave his back a comforting rub, but she too looked just as dejected.
Noki: We finally best Princess Shroob…and she's just right back in.
"I should sue you both for trying to get rid of me in such an underhanded way," Princess Shroob said, spitting her words at their feet. "But no matter. I am back, and I am immune, so let us have your little vote."
"Can we at least discuss this first?" Wendy asked, trying to buy herself some time.
Wendy: I'm not as shook by Princess Shroob's return as everyone else is. She's honestly the only person I could potentially align myself with, and if she's immune, the target shifts from her back…to mine. I didn't double-cross daddy and come this far just to get the axe before the finish line!
"So!" Twila cried, clapping her hands. "Go and discuss this for a little bit and then we'll have our vote…where one of you will leave the game."
Birdo: I have a lot of mixed feelings about this. On one hand, Princess Shroob returning is good for me since she'll always be a target. On the other, Wendy was right…Boo and Noki have to be split up at some point, and since Princess Shroob has immunity…this might be the time to do it.
A group of four had congregated under the shade of a palm tree, discussing the coming vote. Wendy, and of course Princess Shroob, had been left out.
"It's got to be Wendy," Boo said, taking the leadership role yet again. "If we can't get Princess Shroob and her stupid contract out of here, then we have to get rid of Wendy."
Birdo nodded, pretending to like the sound of that plan. But as they broke up, she motioned for Toadsworth to join her.
"What is it?" the old aide asked her in a whisper of a voice.
"I think this might be the time to go for Noki and Boo," Birdo said to him.
"Eh wot!? I think my hearing aid might be going bad," Toadsworth said. "I thought you said now might be a good time to get rid of Noki or Boo."
"That's what I said."
"BY MY GRANDMOTHER-"
"Shut up!" Birdo said, smacking him in the face.
Toadsworth rubbed his red cheek. "B-but why?" he asked her. "They're so nice! We've been with them from the start."
"This is a game, Toadsworth," Birdo explained. "At some point, the four of us are going to turn on each other. Would you like that to be now…or when it's too late?"
Toadsworth: The lass has a point…but I don't know if I'm ready to make this kind of move…I'll have to think about it.
"Ah, pink peasant, so good of you to join us," Princess Shroob said, eyeing Birdo like a meal.
"Shut up, Shroob," Birdo said, her horrid vacuum of a mouth moving about in discord. "I came to talk to Wendy."
"About what?" Bowser's daughter asked her.
"The vote," Birdo said. "I think I'm ready to break up Boo and Noki."
"Finally, the ugly thing has come to see reason," Princess Shroob said. "But do we have the numbers?"
"I think so," Birdo said, biting her lip. "Toadsworth seemed iffy, but I think it'll work out. If worst comes to worst, we tie."
"And we could push a tie," Wendy said. "So, what's the move? Boo…or Noki?"
"Boo," Princess Shroob said. "He's arrogant, rude, and it's high time he went. Some hero, if you ask me."
"But Noki's also dangerous," Birdo argued. "She's a good talker. Plus, Boo will do whatever she says, she's holding back his scheming side."
"Are you suggesting…?"
Birdo nodded. "We get rid of Noki, and to preserve himself, Boo will help us vote out Toadsworth next time. Then the three of us coast until the end."
Birdo: As if I want to work with Princess Shroob until the end. I just need Noki out of here! She's sweet, yes, but she's got Toadsworth and Boo checked until the end of the game. If I get rid of her, Boo and Toadsworth will most likely scatter…and become the free agents I need to get rid of Princess Shroob once and for all.
"Well, welcome back," Brighton said, seeing everyone filter into the voting area. "I hope you had ample time to make up your minds."
Birdo and Toadsworth exchanged a glance.
Toadsworth: I'm still not sure which way to go! Boo and Noki are my most trusted companions…but Birdo has a point.
"We'll begin with Princess Shroob, since she has immunity," Brighton said sickly. "Don't try voting for her…we'll just have to throw it out."
"As you should," the princess said, casting a mock air of dignity around herself. Whisking her dress around herself, she marched off to cast her vote. One by one, the six remaining players voted, and when they were done, Brighton tallied the score.
"I'll go ahead and read the votes," the solar host said.
Boo looked sure of himself, as did Noki. Toadsworth wiped his brow with a pocket handkerchief, hoping he had made the right choice. In her seat, Birdo steeled herself for the result, while Wendy looked extremely nervous that this might be it for her. Princess Shroob just drank more wine.
"First vote," Brighton began, "…WENDY."
The koopaling swallowed.
"Second vote," Brighton continued, "…WENDY."
She bit her lip, hoping that was the last one.
"Third vote," said Brighton, "…NOKI."
"Hmph," Noki said, shooting Princess Shroob a glare.
"Fourth vote," he continued, "…NOKI."
In her head, Noki counted Princess Shroob and Wendy's vote.
"Fifth vote," Brighton said, "…NOKI."
"What?" Noki said, looking to Birdo and Toadsworth. "W-why?"
Neither of them said anything.
Brighton unfurled the last piece of paper.
"Fifteenth person voted out of the DreamStakes…Noki."
"I…I can't believe it," the marine biologist said, rising from her stump. "I just can't believe it…"
Boo immediately got up and embraced her with a hug, planting a warm kiss on her cheek.
"W-why?" she asked Birdo and Toadsworth, tearing up.
"Yeah," Boo said, "why?"
"You're a dangerous couple," Birdo said. "And you both know you both can't win this game. When it gets this close to the end…we have to start playing for ourselves too, you know."
Both Boo and Noki swallowed, hard.
"Well, come on Noki, we don't have all day," Brighton said, gathering her bags. "Tell your buddies goodbye."
Solemnly, she waved back at everyone else. Boo helped escort her to the edge of the village.
"Oh Boo," she said, growing red in the face. "I…I didn't think I'd ever make it this far."
"Neither did I," he said with a laugh. "But once I got to know you…I knew we'd make a great team."
They shared a short kiss.
"I love you, Boo," she said.
"I love you too."
"God, you two make me sick," Brighton said, sticking out his tongue. "Come on Noki, the cab is waiting." With one last kiss, Noki bid Boo and the competition goodbye.
"Win for us!" she said, blowing him a kiss. "We've made it this far together, but I know you can pull out the final stretch alone!"
"I will!" Boo called back. "You can count on it!"
And with that, she was whisked into the cab and out of the game.
Slowly, Boo returned to the voting ring.
"So that's that, huh?" he asked, looking pointedly at Birdo and Toadsworth.
Birdo: So I got rid of Noki, yay. Now, I have to do damage control with Boo.
"I said the reason why," she said softly. "We had to split you guys up at some point."
"At some point?" Boo asked, folding his arms. "With these two still in the game?"
"It's a game, my good egg," Toadsworth reminded him. "Noki's not dead."
Boo sighed. "Fine, whatever. I get where you're coming from, and we've been allies for too long for me to burn you again, Birdo. I didn't really expect this out of you, Toadsworth, but I guess you're both right."
Boo: They want to start playing for themselves? Fine. I'll start playing for myself then too.
"I'd recommend grabbing some dinner and then getting some rest," Twila recommended. 'It's been an…eventful day," she said, looking right at Princess Shroob. "Tomorrow, we're going to hold one of our last immunity challenges here in Pianta Village, and we'll move one step closer to the end of this game."
Her words hung over all of their heads as they left the voting ring.
Wendy: Another vote down, and I'm still in this game. I'm barely scraping on by the skin of my teeth…and I've got to change that if I want to win.
Princess Shroob: Another great day and another great victory for Princess Shroob! Now, all I need to do is knock out that pesky Boo and the game is as good as mine! I love you, liability clauses!
Birdo: I'm really starting to play this game for myself. Princess Shroob might be back, but I'm not going to let her push me around like she did in the past. And I know Boo is still upset about Noki, but I think I'll be alright…
Toadsworth: Huzzah! Toadsworth is still here! Look out, Zess, I'm coming for you and this money, honey!
Boo: Ugh. Today sucked. Royally. Not only did Princess Shroob finally get the boot only to come back, but then I lost my partner in this game…my best friend…she's gone…a-and now I've got to play alone…for me. D-don't worry Noki…I'll win for you…for us.
Well what an exciting chapter! I know it's short, but hey, it set the stage for the final act of this game! Princess Shroob can't be beat so easily, when she's not using her ray gun, she's using binding legal contracts to get her way! This beast of a woman cannot be stopped!
Also, I wanted to talk about Pauline and Noki's eliminations. To me, it was time for Pauline to go at the end of Sirena Beach. Pianta Village is going to be all about Princess Shroob vs. Boo, so I had to get rid of both of their supporting players. Pauline did come back around after losing Mario and started playing for herself, but I felt like she was just second-rate to Princess Shroob.
As for Noki, she's sweet and kind and smart, but that's about it. She's not going to make the calculated moves that Boo is going to make, as he's much more of a gamer than she is. So, if one of them had to face Princess Shroob, I'd make it Boo and not Noki. As for the other three, I really like the personal growth arcs they're undergoing. Wendy is learning to branch out from her father's shadow, Birdo has learned to stop letting people push her around and take charge herself, and after years of worrying about Peach, Toadsworth is finally starting to worry about himself.
So there you have it! The final five is set! Prepare for an epic showdown for immunity in Pianta Village in the next chapter! If you liked this chapter, be sure to leave a review! Until next time~
Voting Results
Noki (4): Princess Shroob, Wendy, Birdo, Toadsworth
Wendy (2): Boo, Noki