Patsy was comfortable in her kart's skill, that being said she wanted a fallback plan. The Squirrels have been getting creamed recently and they NEEDED to win this race. The Mongoose could not even fathom what Miss Mucus would do if they lost.
She instructed Nina and Gretchen to go about as normal as she was going to do some recon, hoping there was something she could use. Something to guarantee victory. She sat on her bed, meditating. she had been using this trick to meet up with Lazlo but had the idea to use it for other purposes.
Patsy again separated from her body, making her way to Camp Kidney, floating through the woods and sneaking by the trees. She made her way to Camp Kidney, entering Cocoa Bean Cabin. desperate to find something she could use. she found a bag on the one of the beds, reaching for it, her fingers slipped through the bag.
Patsy remembered she could not interact with physical things, realizing her best bet was to follow the Members of Cocoa around. she looked around the Campgrounds, eventually finding Tusk. the Boar was sitting on a tree stump outside of the camp, playing on his handheld.
Patsy floated towards him, unseen watching him play, looking at the green-tinted screen. the game he was playing was a space shooter, she tapped her chin, knowing Camp Kidney had a rule against electronic leisure devices. Tusk could seriously get in trouble for having a handheld.
it was interesting but not the big scoop she needed. Patsy wanted something guaranteed to use against the boys. Tusk continued playing as Patsy often looked at the screen, admitting the boar had skill, using the cluster bombs to overwhelm the boss, something she never would have thought of, and high score was pretty huge.
eventually she decided there was nothing there as she flew off, Looking for something juicy. She made her way to the Mess Hall, where Jakk was playing poker with a few scouts, rubbing his fingers on the cards in his hands.
This showed some promise, The Bean Scouts Gambling could be interesting, Jakk was sitting with Clam, Dave, and Gordon.
"Too rich for my blood" Gordon the bear replied, setting his cards down as the boys looked at Clam as he slid his beads towards the pile, going all in as the boys looked, Dave folded his cards.
Jakk revealed his cards as the boys looked, the Kangaroo had two pairs as Clam set his hand down, revealing a straight, scooping up the pile. Jakk huffed, making note never to play poker with the Rhino. Patsy realized they were playing with beads and not actual money so there was nothing she could use here.
She continued floating around as she heard humming. The Mongoose stopped in mid-air, recognizing the voice, belonging to Lazlo. she followed it like a siren's songs. his beautiful voice calling her as she realized it was coming from the showers.
Patsy stopped outside, really questioning if she should go further, she did not hear the water running but did not want to float in on the Monkey naked, though the image lingered in her mind, putting questionable thoughts into her head. Making up her mind, Patsy just waited outside, listening to his voice.
Lazlo's voice was beautiful as it stopped. eventually The Monkey left the showers, wearing a swimsuit, rushing towards the lake. As Much as Patsy could have followed Lazlo around, she remembered she was on a mission, floating away from the Monkey.
So far, she had not found anything she could really use. Her last thought was to look around for Andy, the Cabin's leader. hoping that he had something she could use against him. After looking around she found him, walking around the camp.
Patsy Followed the Tiger as walked around the Camp, eventually coming to a building that she had never seen. She followed him, not knowing she had just walked into the clubhouse of the Big Five.
Andy plopped on the comfy sofa, looking up at the ceiling, taking a brisk nap as Patsy muttered under her breath. despite never being in this clubhouse or never even knowing it existed, she saw the names of the Big Five written on the wall.
She was not going to find anything as she was ready to admit defeat. Her recon did not seem to yield anything that would help her. Part of her was really looking for a smoking gun, they had to have secrets. something they did not want others to know.
Patsy left the Clubhouse, floating around the camp, None of the Cocoa Bean seeming have the Jackpot she was looking for. Patsy thought about it, the only real option they had left was sabotage but if the Beans caught the Sabotage the Squirrels would probably be disqualified.
It was than the She noticed the fourth Cocoa Bean, the aggressive Wolf, Steven. He was skulking around the woods. Patsy admitted it was a bit interesting as she floated behind him. The Wolf had a cassette player attached to his hip as he walked through the woods. stopping at a spot as he looked around, surveying for anyone who may have followed him.
The Mongoose was floating opposite of him, their faces meeting but Steven did not see her. The wolf walked through a bush, revealing a hot spring he had stumbled upon. Patsy looked over seeing this but realized she got her hopes up.
Maybe this was what she got, expecting a juicy secret to just all into her lap. How hard was it to find something to blackmail the Cocoa Beans. Patsy was so in her thought that she did not even notice Steven taking his uniform off tossing it behind him as the Wolf jumped into the Spring.
A splash was made that went right through Patsy but got her attention turning to the spring, which seemed empty, she looked at Steven's belongs among which were the cassette player and a Bean Scout Uniform as the wolf shot up in the water, red hair smooth along his body as Patsy recoiled.
The Mongoose was back in her body, smiling devilishly, she turned to Nina reading her book, Gretchen carving into a piece of woods.
"Girls, you will not believe what I just found" Patsy commented in disbelief, questioning if she saw what she thought she saw. She decided to make her way to Camp Kidney. If what Patsy saw was real, she had Steven's kryptonite in her head.
Patsy made her made to Camp Kidney walking up to Cocoa Cabin, waiting for the wolf. a few Beans passed by, avoiding the Mongoose who like she just ate the Canary. It wasn't long before Andy caught wind of Patsy waiting outside his cabin, due to Samson coming into the Clubhouse to tell the Cocoa Leader.
Andy made his way to Cocoa Bean Cabin, seeing Patsy wait with a disturbing smile on her face, as he looked at her. He asked why she was at the cabin.
"If you're here to pull out of the Race, It's not too late. we don't want a war with you Smiles" Andy replied, looking at the Mongoose leaning on the cabin, checking her nails. She told him that she wasn't actually here to talk to him, asking in a playful voice where Steven was.
Andy pondered, the Wolf said he was going for a walk but did not elaborate as Andy told her he was just on one of his walks. Patsy nodded, saying that she was waiting for him, wanting to talk.
Andy looked at her, just reminding her that The Squirrels started this fight, and The Beans were willing to drop it and start fresh. Patsy clearly told him that was not going to happen as Andy questioned her confidence.
Eventually the Wolf returned, doing some stretches as Patsy perked up, seeming happy to see him, calling out to him, waving her hand. Steven was genuinely confused.
"There you are, the scout of the hour, Come join me for a walk Steven" Patsy called out as the Wolf clearly did not trust her, asking why he would ever do that, so she could pelt him with mud. Patsy held her hands up, promising no pranks.
Steven told Patsy that whatever she had to say, she could say it at the Cabin as the Mongoose rolled her eyes asking if Steven was okay with Andy knowing about his Secret as Steven looked at her serious, agreeing to walk with her.
The Two were eventually away from the camp as the Mongoose turned to Steven explaining that she saw everything at the hot spring, adding he really should not leave his possessions laying around.
"Could you imagine if everyone found out your little secret, you may even get kicked out of the Bean Scouts" Patsy teased as Steven nodded, looking at the Mongoose.
He figured she was using blackmail to get him to throw the race, but the Wolf surprised her when he mentioning he know her secret too. Patsy jumped back, asking what he meant. Steven explained that he was the one who powdered their laundry.
"I was IN your cabin, I saw it, resting on your vanity" Steven explained genuinely catching Patsy off guard. She did not expect Steven to know about her big secret, outside of her cabinmates even the other Squirrel Scouts did not even know. They both looked at each other.
"I'm sure my friends will still accept me, but you. I could not imagine how the other girls would react if the found out, or the Boys, especially Lazlo, who you're clearly into" Steven pushed as Patsy grabbed the collar of his shirt, claiming if he told anyone especially Lazlo... she would make him pay.
Steven looked at her, it seemed they were at a stalemate, both having dirt on each other. the two looked at each other. It was clear that Blackmailing wasn't going to get Patsy anywhere as she pushed him off. storming off into the woods. Steven was a bit on edge that patsy knew the truth, in reality not even the others in Cocoa Cabin know Steven's secret but Patsy seemed to buy it.
"So, what was that about?" Andy asked, jumping from a tree, keeping an eye on his friend, knowing they were talking but he did not catch the dialogue. Steven rubbed his shoulder, saying the Patsy was trying to blackmail him int throwing the race.
Andy shook his head with disappointment that they would resort to blackmail, asking wht he said to make her storm off as Steven could have told him Patsy's Secret, but he kept it, knowing what it was like to have a secret.
So, Both Steven and Patsy's have huge secrets, I may reveal them later in the story but for now the secrets are...secret.