Hi everyone! Welcome back :)

We are at the half-way mark of Episode 2! Just strolling, just strolling...

There are a few mysteries and thought-provoking questions in this chapter xD I do hope you enjoy them, but just don't think too much about them...just kidding! XD Think a lot!

Enjoy :)

Episode 2 (Part 3)

Unexpected words are spoken by some of the players, and even the host himself. The players then partake in a green, challenging, sweet mission.

"This is so incredible!" Isabelle gasped with wonder, along with a little squeal, as she saw their window view from their small house. It was an array of stars, galaxy lights, and even a few planets that added color and vibrant energy to the view of their sleeping accommodations. Little, colorful houses were their places to stay for the night...or in the mystical land of the Fountain of Dreams, it may have well been daytime.

"Lucina...you're missing a star!" Isabelle continued.

"I apologize...please hold your thought...just one second..." Lucina replied, eyes and mind focused, writing in her journal and finishing a last sentence. She then stopped writing and turned curiously to the window. Seeing the purple and blue galaxy herself, the Ylisse Princess breathed in awe: it was indeed sparkling and captivating.

"What is my role...?" she said pensively, and as quickly as she faced the galaxy window, Lucina turned back to her own journal with a conflicted face. She was about to write something more.

"Oh, but I must say: look at you!" Isabelle teased with a laugh, walking over to Lucina and seeing her current position. "You're still looking at your journal and writing. But why?" Lucina paused, a little silent and her eyes showing a tint of displeasure.

"Unfortunately...this is my role now," Lucina explained to her. "I must fulfill the role given to me." She saw Isabelle's confused expression.

"You see...at home, I am at times a warrior who must battle, and other times a ruler with arduous tasks. I even once took in a role similar to that of the Mole, actually. I pretended to be Marth, hiding my own identity. Even donning a mask in similarity...to Joker...though I cannot believe I had to do such trickery."

"Oh! That is something I'd really never imagine you doing," Isabelle laughed, amused at her tale. The dog shook her head.

"But...then now...you have another role?" Isabelle asked her, confused. "What would that be?"

"Well, what else must I be?" Lucina replied lightly. "Obvious, is it not? Now, in this game, I am given the role of a simple player...a player in a game called, 'The Mole." And in respect to the rules, I must try hard and be victorious. I cannot, and will not, lose easily." Isabelle listened to her words.

"Oh...wow…" Isabelle spoke. "So that's your role now!" She nodded...and thought about her own existence in the game.

"It's just...back at my home, I just always do too much paperwork," Isabelle sighed, shaking her head with displeasure. "That's why I came here: for an adventure!"

"So this is your chance to have an adventure?" Lucina wondered. "I respect your choice in life." Isabelle only nodded. But Lucina had another question for her.

"In the first mission…" Lucina continued, her voice evidently regretful, "I had tricked Lucario with the gondola. I let him make a mistake...even glanced at the wrong gondola...and I did not correct him. Do you think that was morally wrong to have done such an action?" Isabelle's eyes widened at the strong question

"I, umm, oh!" she began, stuttering. "Wow, what a thought-provoking question! I'm not sure exactly how to answer it, but do you think it hurt him?"

"Not extensively, of course," Lucina answered with thought. "Though I'm sure if Lucario were to know the truth, perhaps he would not have soundless thoughts about it." Isabelle opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something...but in fact, she didn't know what to say.

"Do you think it is in the role of a player in this game of 'The Mole' to lie and deceive others?" Lucina asked again finally. Isabelle's eyes looked more shocked, and Lucina looked down worryingly.

"Because if it is so...I'm afraid I will have to do such in the future."

DK's eyes looked flabbergasted, sitting on his small chair and listening to Joker speak.

"If Kazooie has a Plus 7…" Joker considered, pacing around the small, colorful room, "then that is almost to the equivalence of an exemption. It is almost mathematically next to zero for her to be eliminated next. So, yes: Kazooie will, undoubtedly, be existing into the next round." DK's eyes widened, standing up from his too-small-for-him stool in shock.

"Are you serious?" exclaimed DK, astonished, but not in a good way. "No way! We have to get that Plus 7 away from her, and ASAP! That's totally unfair! Let's go tackle her!"

"Oh, it is very fair," Joker reasoned to him. "She had great reflexes, looking to the glistening fountain water before I could even do it myself. Animals and reflexes...I should have known…" DK seemed to be grinning from ear to ear after hearing Joker's sentence, and the man noticed.

"What are you so thrilled about, DK?" Joker asked, unamused.

"Well, as you said yourself...I'm an animal!" began DK, looking a bit too proud, 'Soooo...I may be at an advantage too! With faster reflexes and all! In fact, I took that first quiz as fast as I could! It was Fox's advice!" Then, DK's face dropped suddenly, as he remembered his fallen friend. His face seemingly looked devastated once again, the same expression he had held in the throne execution room at Fox's downfall. Joker looked at his partner's expression and sighed.

"Don't dwell too much on the past and dead individuals, Kong," Joker told him, tossing a finished candy wrapper from his pocket into the pink garbage next to his desk. "The past is in the past. It's dead. I would say...forget Fox." DK looked at him, frowningly and disagreeingly.

"Hey, I don't believe that one bit!" DK argued. "Memories are great too! And remembering certain people! Also, isn't remembering the past important in this game also? For the quizzes?" Joker nodded. But then, he paused, thinking.

"I find it suspicious...I don't think Fox went fast on the first quiz," Joker concluded.

"Huh?!" DK looked stunned at him.

"If he had indeed gone fast...he would have most likely at least tied in score with another player...and been safe. Ties come down to the clock," Joker thought, his mind calculating hard. He spoke again, snapping his fingers.

"He must have gone slower...focusing on one, specific player. That was his flaw. Choosing answers for one person. And then...bam. Fzzzzt. Zilch." He put his hand down on the desk in front of him.

"Executed…" DK glared at him.

"Well, I'm going to avenge him!" DK stated loudly and proudly, his voice echoing within the small room with determination. "I'm going to make sure that his fall doesn't go down in vain! It was my terrible, most regrettable fault for making him fall in the sword fight! But most blamable of all...it was the Mole themself who caused him to go down! I will throw the saboteur of this game off a higher tower than I threw Fox off from! And I...will get...the...Mole!" He ended his speech with one arm in the air, as if still holding his sword from two days ago. He was also breathing heavily, eyes excited and lit up with passion.

"That's...all nice," Joker replied, and he turned to focus on the rest of his room and his tasks. He stopped for a second and asked DK a question.

"By the way, have you seen my journal? I seemed to have misplaced it."

Peach was heading her way to a communal house near the center of the Fountain of Dreams; it was the largest, most color-splashed house on the land, holding within it a kitchen, a conservatory of color-filled plants, and a spacious, comfortable living room for all players to visit, use, and share at any time of the night. She stared at the land of the Fountain of Dreams, smiling and sighing blissfully: she was for the first time that episode content and relaxed.

"This is much, much more peaceful than riding on that silly star...oh dearest!" Peach smiled to herself. And as soon as she was about to enter into the colorful house...someone else walked out.

"..." It was the host. They looked at each other, silent for a second.

"...Oh!" Peach exclaimed.

"Oh...my apologies, princess," Smash Host said to her quickly, tipping his hat to her as he closed the door behind him. "I didn't know you were out and about."

"It was just a bit...stuffy in my own room," Peach replied to him calmly, "so I figured I just needed a bit of...air. It is very peaceful outside here...unlike aboard somewhere else."

"Yes...definitely do not want to be aboard a...a warpstar," Smash Host replied, his eyes wide at her sentence. Peach smiled at him.

"Apologies." The host continued to walk on, stepping slowly further from the player he had just passed.

Then, he stopped...and turned around.

"I'm wondering...and asking on behalf of another person...which game did you like better, Peach?" the host asked. Peach turned around, surprised at hearing the host speak to her a question.

"Oh?" Peach's face was confused. "May you elaborate? I don't understand your question."

"Which game...do you prefer more?" the host repeated, his voice wavering just the tiniest of bits.

"Between the Star Game or the Fountain Game?" she asked, still looking confused. She nodded, before the host could say anything else.

"Well, I truly enjoyed the Star Game!" Peach answered, smiling with some thought. "However, if I were to had partaken in the Fountain Game, I'm sure I'd have been stressed at first at the new environment, but then slowly begun to like it...maybe even more so than the Star Game! No doubt a fun mission, as well...oh, but why do you ask this at all, Smash Host?" The host was only silent. His mouth opened again, as if he wanted to say something else...but then he changed his mind.

"Yes, indeed, both flying aboard a warpstar and wishing into a fountain are both games that do sound like quite fun," he said quickly. "Well...as I told all players...please meet me tomorrow morning at 9 A.M. Good night." He tipped his hat again to the confused-looking Mushroom Kingdom princess, and then, still thinking, the host walked his way out through the fenced gate.

A purple vehicle awaited them at the end of the Fountain of Dream, on a spot where the magical water cascaded off the edge of the planet. They would soon be leaving the color-filled land and all its mysterious, fuchsia beauty for yet another planet. Another world.

"Oh, already. So soon...hmm. Quite a disappointment," Lucario spoke to himself, having wanted to explore the peaceful scenery of their land just a little bit more.

Lucario: We leave a beautiful land. Goodbye, Fountain of….no, scratch that. I felt not one good aura from this land, unfortunately. A bad place.

All the players seemed a bit disappointed by their soon-to-happen departure, but they couldn't help but look at the new vehicle in front of them in wonder. It was a purple rocketship.

"What now? Do we have to blast out of here to escape?" Dark Pit mocked. "Escape how much we all sucked last mission?" The host only turned to the group.

"Those three engines you had retrieved from the dark side of the moon…" the host explained, smiling to them all, "will power us to our next location. A three-part answer. Thank you, Star players." Kazooie almost spit out the coffee she was drinking.

"Umm, whoa, okay," Kazooie huffed, looking in disbelief at the host for his sentence. "Just ignore the fountain players! We're not important. Whatever." Lucario and Joker could not help but laugh.

"This is the all-new, all-exclusive, very fast P. Model Rocket!" the host continued almost proudly. DK went up to the advanced vehicle in interest, looking at its purple exterior very closely.

"Ooh!" the monkey oohed, overly the most intrigued of the group. "It's shiny! So uhh, so what does that 'P' stand for?"

"This is the newest model," McHallyboo went on. "It stands for the Piantissimo Model Rocket 2021, and I'm quite excited to show it to you guys! It's a real winner. Well, first, let me explain..." Predicting a boring monologue, Wii Fit sighed loudly and rolled her eyes, then caught Kazooie's glance from the other side of the group. The two female players looked directly at each others' eyes...as if secretly communicating.

Flashback...

On the edge of the Fountain of Dreams...Wii Fit waved a green, rectangular-shaped object in the air. It was Joker's journal.

"Give me one of your Plus 1's...and I give you the book of one of the most mysterious players of this game," Wii Fit offered with a smile. Kazooie stared at her, shocked.

Wii Fit spoke again. "So, what do you say, Kazoo-"

"HOW DID YOU GET HIS BOOK?!" Kazooie yelled out loud, and Wii Fit looked around cautiously, hushing her quickly.

"Shh! Do be quiet!" Wii Fit hissed. "Or we may risk our very existence in this game! We may be kicked out!" Kazooie closed her beak.

"I...spotted it under his bag in the hallway of the communal house," Wii Fit whispered to her, a sly smile evident on her face.

"Is that even legal in this game?!" Kazooie exclaimed. She craned her neck to see if anybody else was around or watching. None of the other players were outside on the Fountain of Dreams land.

"For all Joker will ever know, his journal got lost somewhere or shuffled around in the house. Or maybe a maid or house cleaner thought it was trash. But I guess he'll be wrong..." She put the journal down on Kazooie's rock with a smile.

"The book is yours...if you give me just a simple, insignificant Plus 1," Wii Fit explained. Her eyes were concentrated and focused on her partner. Kazooie made a long sound of contemplation.

"Hmmmmmmmmm," Kazooie began. She put a wing to her beak, thinking, as Wii Fit remained silent, waiting for her reply. Then, after a few seconds, the bird nodded.

"Okay...we got a deal," Kazooie decided, "But! But...only if you keep me out of this if you ever get busted for taking his journal!"

"I swear to my heart," Wii Fit told her earnestly with a smile, putting her palm in the air. Kazooie nodded...and gave one of her green coins to Wii Fit. A Plus 1. As she did so, Wii Fit let out a small sigh of relief.

"A pleasure doing business with you, Ms. Breegull." Wii Fit put the important coin in her pocket gladly, then in return, gently pushed the journal on the rock closer to Kazooie. As Kazooie quickly took a look inside the book with wide eyes, she then carefully put it away under her wing. Then, it was Wii Fit's turn to make a sound of mindful deliberating. She was looking at Kazooie carefully, smiling, a finger on her chin.

"I may also want...something else," Wii Fit decided. Kazooie turned to her in disbelief.

"What?!" Kazooie asked, confused. "No way! What else do you also want?" But nevertheless, Kazooie listened to her next request. Wii Fit answered with a smile.

"I would like...your wing. A coalition."

Kazooie winked back. Wii Fit faced forwards again, content.

"Well, thanks for listening to my speech on rockets," the host finished to the group of bored players. "Now...let us ride...to somewhere green!"

"I do hope the next mission is more fun than listening to the host elaborate excessively on his hobbies," Lucario couldn't help saying to Dark Pit next to him. The angel groaned in frustration.

"Oh...if that's the next mission," Dark Pit moaned, "then count me out!"

Peering out the rocket window, the players saw their next world. The planet looked similar to Earth, but the masses of green land below them were shaped like stars: cosmic, enormous green stars upon blue water. Several tall mountains, smooth, blue, and white-tipped, were located on each similar star-shaped piece of land, grand mountains high enough to give anyone an impressive view if they stood on their massive tops. Numerous lakes and rivers cut through each star-like island as well like complicated mazes. The rocket was slowly lowering to this world.

Peach: Fresh, full of life, full of green...and nothing appearing stressful or intimidating...I was just happy to see it all! A wonderful place to be...as long as I wouldn't fall off from a star again!

"Oh wow…" As the rocket steadily began to find its spot on the land, they were now entering within a forest of lucious, healthy green. The vegetation was lighter than any of the trees on the Fire Emblem land of Ylisse, and everything surrounding them was more lively and green overall.

Each player stepped out of the galaxy vehicle, taking notice of a rainbow reflecting over them all and also colorful flowers all around their feet. As they stood in wonder, their feet were now standing on the earthly grass. Green, green grass.

"We are at Dream Land. And welcome..to Green Greens," the host greeted them all, happy, like most of the players, for their second location of the episode.

"It's so...err...green?" Kazooie couldn't help saying. The players seemed pleased as they studied their surroundings in awe.

"On this land, you will be partaking in your next second mission," the host explained. "This time... all nine of you will be in one game." The group all looked at each other: for their upcoming game, they had to be an entire team.

"Our teamwork must be stronger...than ever before..." Lucario nodded. "To be victorious...the nine of us must be one."

"Nine together..." Lucina nodded. "Yes indeed."

"Us eight…" began Joker, and Lucina turned slightly to him with concerned eyes.

"Eight of us...versus one Mole?" Wii Fit spoke. "We outnumber the Mole. No way are they gonna win."

"You never know…unfortunately," Lucario began, staring at the woods around him. "They are a strong individual."

Their next mission...would begin.

"You will split into three parts for this game," Smash Host began. "I need two Runners...four Catch 'n' Throwers ...and three Food Experts." The players all turned to each other, thinking of the spoken roles.

"We split…" Wii Fit whispered subtly to Kazooie, not turning her head as she whispered. Kazooie nodded slightly.

"So, let us begin first...runners?" Lucario asked the group. "Who is capable?" Everyone looked at each other.

"I'll be one," Wii Fit decided, stepping up. Her long legs didn't make the others question her twice. She smiled a little proudly.

"Since I run with a heavy sword in possession at most times...I think I shall be one to excel in the running portion for this game," Lucina spoke, though her voice wasn't bragging at all, but rather completely humble. The warrior stepped forwards, glancing at everyone else to make sure they accepted her volunteering.

"I'll be one of those cool Catch 'n' Throwers...cause that part sounds the most exciting!" DK said immediately, stepping forwards. "Yeah! These arms are meant for throwing something!" He stepped up.

"I will join as well," Joker said, walking slowly to the ape's side.

Joker: I simply just wanted to be in the largest group. After all, more opportunities to observe more people, and catch more suspicious actions.

"Food role for me!" Kazooie spoke with pleasure, going to the farthest end. "There better be something delicious involved in that part. I'm also...sort of hungry."

"Ooh! I do love baking!" Peach voiced with happiness. As Peach also went to Kazooie, Isabelle looked conflicted, wanting to join them both.

"I don't want to be a Catch 'n' Thrower...but I don't think I'm a food expert at all!" Isabelle tried to think. "I want to help. Uh…"

"Be a Catch 'n' Thrower," Peach reassured her with a smile. "It sounds fun!" Isabelle nodded happily.

Isabelle: True, I'd be a little alone without Peach or any of the people I was comfortable with...but I needed to have fun! That's what I came here for.

The last two, Lucario and Dark Pit, turned to each other.

"Which do you prefer, may I ask?" the legendary Pokemon asked him. "I am indifferent. I would like you to choose, Dark Pit."

"I don't care," Dark Pit said. As Lucario walked to join the Catch 'n' Throwers, Dark Pit slowly walked to the other Food Experts.

"Oh, do you bake?" Peach asked him excitedly.

"I'm pretty bomb at pressing microwave buttons," the angel joked. The teams were set.

"This game..." began Smash Host, "...will be called…'Appley Adventures". The players' eyes all looked surprised.

"Oh...I did NOT expect that name," Kazooie commented. "But if it involves anything with apple pie, I'm set!"

"Wii Fit and Lucina...you two are the Runners of this game," the host instructed, facing them. The two athletic women nodded, listening to his next words carefully.

"You must run to certain locations; your goal is to retrieve baskets of apples."

"I sense simplicity..." Lucina began, but the young lady seemed uneasy as she saw the host's disappearing smile.

"Take warning, as you will be running uphill on slopes, upon paths, and even...against wind...in many locations across the Green Green lands. Some of them very difficult. Break any rules on these paths...and 5,000 coins is penalized." Despite this, the two females displayed unbothered faces.

"We both can face the toughest of challenges, obviously," Wii Fit spoke assuredly, "and our legs won't be giving up until they fall off themselves. Count that on us."

"You two must drop off baskets of apples at the Dedede River...where the Catch 'n' Throwers will be," the host explained further, and he faced the biggest group of four.

"DK, Joker, Isabelle, and Lucario...two of you will be on one side of the river and two of you will be on the other. You must successfully throw apples from one side...to the other. And successfully catch them. No drops in the river or on land."

"Yeahh! Throwing apples high in the air! Sounds FUN!" DK roared. Isabelle seemed a little unfavorable towards the idea.

Isabelle: Oh now! Just how unlucky could I be? Throwing and catching apples?! I didn't want this!

"Every apple you successfully throw and catch over the river brings you closer to success...but be warned: the more apples you drop on the ground or in the water, the more the pot will be penalized," McHallyboo warned them. "If it is judged you had wasted too many apples by the end of this game, it will COST you...5,000 coins." Joker, DK, Lucario, and Isabelle froze.

"The key? Don't waste food." The team of four looked a bit more nervous, but overall nodded.

Lucario: I have not played baseball perhaps since my Pokemon elementary education days...but, if it is to help the environment and curb food shortage, I suppose I will be incentivized to play ball well.

The host then faced the final three players.

"The last part is you three," the host concluded, facing Peach, Dark Pit, and Kazooie. "Food Experts...you will be up, secluded, on the fighter platform of Green Greens. You will have a simple, wooden table before you. But upon the table?" Smash Host winked. "Ten colorful apples." The Food Experts seemed surprised.

"Colorful...apples?" Peach repeated.

"Next to the table of beautiful apples, a digital chalkboard with clues upon them will be present. At the end of the sixty minute timer for this game...you must each eat a correct apple. Three apples in total."

"So we WILL be eating after all," Kazooie laughed. "I'm all ready!"

"For every apple that the Catch 'n' Throwers can successfully transfer across the river, a word will be revealed on the chalkboard. In total, there are three clue sentences. These three clue sentences will hint you...towards which three, correct apples on the table you must eat at the game's very end."

"Okay…?" Peach questioned, still a little confused on the meaning of the apple eating.

"This is the kicker," Smash Host explained seriously. "The three apples you are assigned to eat are the only three normal, valueless, common apples on the table. Devour them. However…" Smash Host grinned a bit, before continuing.

"The seven other apples on the table...are not so ordinary. They are very, very, very rare. At a coin value of about...10,000 coins each approximately."

"What! THAT expensive?" Dark Pit exclaimed. The players gasped.

"And...if you accidentally eat one of these rare, expensive apples...then as a team, you must pay and compensate for the apple you ate to the company who graciously provided the fruit from lands far away. 10,000 coins for each wrong apple." The players' mouths dropped.

"Uh oh…!" Kazooie began, changing her mind about the mission.

Kazooie: Yikes! This eating challenge became deadly! But fun. Let's hope we don't mess up!

"Oh no," Peach gasped, looking at a nearby tree and seeing its apples. "Such expensive fruit! I can't even imagine!"

Dark Pit: So you're saying I might end up with a 10,000 coin apple in my stomach by the end of this mission?! …..I guess on second thought, what a meal. But wow, what a waste of MONEY!

"However, if you can avoid eating any of the expensive apples at the end of this game...35,000 coins will go to the pot." The players' eyes all widened with surprise: it was their biggest value to win yet.

"35,000? Whoa!" DK stuttered, turning to everyone else. "We gotta win!"

"If I must say so, we must," Lucario corrected him. "Our pot is embarrassingly low."

Lucario: Could we succeed? Of course, we could and have the potential to. But will we succeed…?

The mission would soon begin. Across the Green Greens...the players were sequestered. And apples...were carefully selected and placed upon a table.

Mission 5: Appley Adventures

Goal: To successfully toss apples across a river in order to ultimately avoid eating expensive ones.

Rules: Two runners must retrieve apple baskets from various locations and drop them off at the Dedede River. At the river, two throwers must toss the apples over the water to the other side, and two catchers on the other side must catch the fruit. For every caught apple, a word clue is revealed. At the end of the game, three Food Experts must eat three non-valuable apples from a table of ten. However, if they accidentally eat one of the seven rare, expensive apples accidentally, 10,000 coins is lost for an apple in compensation. If the Food Experts eat the three correct apples, the team would win a total of 35, 000 coins. Throughout, penalties exist.

The appley game was soon to begin.

"Are you ready?" the host called out. Wii Fit and Lucina faced each other. They nodded, ready to run.

Wii Fit: I felt ready and confident, of course, but especially moreso knowing Lucina would be running by my side. She was strong and not one to mess up...I hope.

Lucina: She is more rash in personality. Would she become a friend? Or unfortunately...a foe?

"Ready..." Wii Fit whispered with a smile, facing the plain trail. Lucina herself faced the open air and forest path before them. And at the end of the path...out of view...their first basket of apples waited for them both.

"In three...two...one…." The mission timer, of an hour and not one minute more, began.

Game Start!

"Go!" The two women dashed off.

Wii Fit: The first path was rather, well, easy, to be fair. Being two very strong individuals...and I believe stronger than some of the males at that...we both were able to run towards our first apple basket with simplicity.

"Nice air...a pretty place...," Wii Fit noticed as they ran down the path together. "This is a rather breezy, easy mission and we're having TOO much of the easiest of times. Can't believe I'm wishing this...but I do wish this run was a bit harder, hmm hmm." Lucina faced forwards, thinking heavily at her partner's sentence.

"I often consider the phrase, 'Be careful what you wish for'...but...I just cannot help but feel the same sentiment as you," Lucina realized with surprise. "I do quite like challenges. I'm afraid this is not one." They both smiled in agreement, as they continued to run down their unknown path.

"Failure is not an option," Wii Fit reminded herself. "We didn't do so well in our first games."

"If we fail...our teammates will not look too lightly on us," Lucina reminded herself cautiously. However, she spoke again.

"But though, I cannot help but feel we are perhaps a better choice than an overconfident monkey, and an angel who complains often about running," Lucina spoke honestly, hiding a smile. At her sentence, Wii Fit laughed out loud.

"Oh, you can say that again!" Wii Fit grinned, as they continued on together running down the path. Their first apple basket was just several meters ahead. Five minutes had passed.

Joker and DK stood on one side of the river. Their faithful catchers, Isabelle and Lucario, were located on the other side of the elongated body of water, straining to see their partners. The large, flowing, calm stream separated the two pairs of players.

"HEYYY! HOW'S THE WEATHER OVER THERE?!" DK shouted to them enthusiastically, his voice echoing even further than the river and going across the Green Green lands.

"Quite loud, he is...does he not realize that we are not a mile away?" Lucario asked with a laugh, turning to Isabelle. The width of the river was about fifty feet, far in distance, but not too far, and it was the distance that separated the two pairs and soon to be the distance for numerous apples to be thrown. It was a calm, non-threatening river...but it was still their obstacle in the game.

"Not sure if there are any other hidden components to this game," Joker thought, looking around the open air and at the grass around them. "There might be something...additional. We must keep our eyes peeled, DK." DK looked at him a little weirdly, but Joker only thought.

On the other side of the river, two canines waited. Isabelle turned to Lucario.

"Oh, I'm nervous about catching the apples," Isabelle told him. "Would you be able to help and catch most of the apples when they come?"

Isabelle: I volunteered to catch because I didn't think I'd have enough strength to throw apples over a river! But then also, catching was also difficult as well! It was just bad for me on either end!

"Do not worry," Lucario replied. "I feel as if this mission will go well. Let us just...try our best." Isabelle smiled. The four of them as a group could only wait for the two runners.

"Oh, gosh...what is this?" Dark Pit looked unenthusiastically at a long, wooden table. Upon the table, they saw their ten apples: the apples' shades spanned the colors of the rainbow and even further.

"Oh, how colorful!" Peach exclaimed. The three of them studied the colors of the apples upon their table: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, white, black, and pink.

"Ten apples," Kazooie began, examining them close up one by one. "Red...pink...even black?!"

"Hey, what's wrong with black?" Dark Pit snapped at her. Kazooie shut up, looking at the apples again.

"So, we must eat three...and..." The bird's eyes lit up in excited realization.

"So seven of these are super valuable apples!? Super neat! I'm looking at 10,000 coin apples right here in front of me! Neat...neat." More intrigued in the fruit than anything else, Kazooie examined them closer.

"Don't eat them all accidentally!" Peach smiled teasingly. "We must choose which ones to eat carefully in the end. Otherwise we pay a large amount of 10,000 coins for each wrong apple." She faced the fruit, just a little worriedly.

Peach: Which apples were expensive? Which were not priceworthy? The game was up to us!

Kazooie: Honestly, I just wanted to eat everything.

Just six minutes in...and they found the basket.

"The basket!" Wii Fit and Lucina had spotted the container of fruit at the end of their forest path. They ran up to the basket of apples with pleased faces; it was their first mini-victory for their role.

"Nice…" The woven basket full of apples was upon a small, green chair, and Wii Fit picked up the basket into her arms.

Wii Fit: Truthfully, it was such a quick pick-up. And I certainly had no idea until later...

"To where next?" Wii Fit turned and saw that Lucina was staring and looking around at the land and trees behind them, at the trail they had just come from.

"I…" Lucina began again. "I cannot spot the river." Wii Fit joined her, folding her arms.

"Indeed, we must make it to the river..." Wii Fit nodded, thinking, peering around the land. "But how?" They both looked around, unsure. Lucina gazed and peered through the trees on their left side...and paused. It was something in the distance that caught her eye.

"I may be mistaken, but could that be...?" she began. A small, tiny path that diverged to the left direction through the trees could now be seen by them both. And indeed, at the end of the little path, both of them had strong, correct inklings that it led to the river's edge.

"Let's go!" Wii Fit said strongly. They quickly ran back onto their previous big trail, running for just a few seconds before reaching the entrance of the miniature trail that they had spotted earlier.

"So easy," Wii Fit commented, but then stopped. Lucina stopped too, her eyes wider than before. They both felt uneasy...standing at the tiny trail's entrance.

"Come to think of it, where are the instructions leading to this small path? We didn't receive any...had we not?" Lucina wondered. "I am perplexed about this element of the game."

"So very hidden," Wii Fit commented. "I cannot fathom the game makers wanted us to use this small, hidden trail. But how else can we make it to the river?"

"Neither can I..." Lucina looked at the river at the end of the trail. "I cannot imagine how we were assigned to this road...but...I do not see how we can get to the river any faster. And time, unfortunately, is wasting as we speak and consider."

Lucina: It was all...truly baffling. For was this mission more free as we had anticipated?

They both turned to each in confusion. But after another thought, they finally looked at the trail confidently, then decisively entered into the mini-path. They began to run again with strength and conviction down the tiny, hidden trail.

Behind them, back on the seat of the green chair where the basket had once been, was a sign with instructions: Go further down the road...and the gondola delivery awaits.

"They are not here yet?" Joker contemplated, sitting at the edge of the river. Ten minutes had passed in total...but there were no signs of any apples arriving.

"Maybe they're busy chowing down on some of the apples themselves," DK replied to him, playing with a heavy stick and swinging it in the air. "I'm getting a bit hungry too myself!"

"Hmm, Joker began, thinking hard.

Joker: When players take too long...you can't help but think in just the slightest, "Exemption offer?"

47 minutes remaining...

"Any sign of the runners!" Lucario called out loudly from the other side of the river. Three more minutes had passed, and he and Isabelle were waiting anxiously as well.

"Well, we can just…huh?" But then DK stopped talking, and both him and Joker stood up. The two runners had arrived from a patch of trees behind them and were running their way to their very spot, approaching closer and closer, until they reached them, huffing. To their horror, they saw that they were not in the best of conditions.

DK: What...the hecking heck!? They were all scratched up! Like they had went through a hurricane on this land!

"Whoa, what...HAPPENED!?" DK exclaimed, seeing their bodies. They were shockingly covered with dirt and leaves.

"Unfortunate...events," Wii Fit huffed, not so pleased overall and sighing. "I won't...explain. And don't ask questions." She faced Lucina.

"Well, that wasn't the correct path. At. All."

Lucina: The path we had run was more difficult than we had anticipated. Although speedy and quicker... it was not a safe, pleasant path, unfortunately; it had ledges, and drops...branches and a multitude of sticks blocking our way. And even worse...thorns. Neither of us had a pleasant time.

Joker: As we would discover later, they didn't have to take that path at all. Whatever compelled them to take that alternate path was one hundred percent not correct.

"That looks...BAD!" DK shouted, eyes shocked and feeling queasy. On one of Lucina's arms was a cut.

"This is nothing compared to a battle," Lucina reassured. She held out the basket to the two males.

"However, we have no time, unfortunately. Your job is to transfer these apples to the other side. Please transfer these for us." Following her orders, DK grabbed the basket from her and ran to the edge of the river, Joker following him.

"What was up with all that?" Joker whispered, as they ran to the river's edge. Finally, they reached the river, and then once they did, Joker and DK both waved their arms to their two teammates on the other side of the flowing river. The other two, Lucario and Isabelle, returned their gestures excitedly.

"Oh, finally!" Isabelle jumped up. Lucario nodded, excited.

"We're coming! The apples are coming!" DK yelled.

"Ten apples…" Joker carefully set down at the basket of apples at the edge of the river.

"Grab one," the student winked, stepping back and letting DK go first. The ape grinned, going up and grabbing one of the apples into his large hand. Then, he took a few steps back away from the river's edge.

"Here it goes," Lucario said readily and a bit excitedly himself, gritting his teeth. "We need to catch this, Isabelle. Just remember...it is for the environment and mother nature. We cannot waste apple." The Pokemon looked readied to catch. Isabelle nodded.

"Oh no!" Isabelle tried to ready herself, but she was still nervous of the potential catching.

DK took one last step backwards. He prepared himself; it was the first throw. Then, with pride, he let out an animalistic cry of enthusiasm as he ran forwards.

"OOOH, OOOH!" DK ran with full force towards the river, his arm drawn back with apple in hand. He was building momentum, and was ready to throw the fruit over the river. The two catchers, Lucario and Isabelle, only braced themselves, waiting to catch it. DK grinned.

"Three...two...one...let's go!" DK then flung his arm, throwing the apple to the other side. It had sailed successfully into the air, and high over the river, and all four players felt victorious.

However, something else had happened. Getting as close to the edge of the water as he could, DK's foot had knocked into something else at the edge of the river. It wasn't a rock, nor a branch, nor something unimportant or inconsequential.

It was the entire apple basket. With dropped mouths, DK and Joker saw it topple slightly over, and with a splash, the entire basket and the entirety of its appley contents fell into the river...and before one could react or save them, all nine apples were lost.

The three Food Experts only waited. The ten, shiny apples remained in front of them, almost invitingly and tauntingly.

"Wow...there is nothing to do here!" Kazooie realized, and she groaned. "Put me as one of the runners or catchers! I'd do anything but just stare at these apples for an hour!"

"Do not fret," Peach reminded her with a shake of her head, going up to her. "Remember: our roles are the most important in this game. We determine whether or not 30,000 and potentially 35,000 coins go into the pot or not. And in addition, we will be receiving puzzle and riddle clues soon. Our roles are very, very crucial." Kazooie nodded, admittingly.

They were all on a platform in the sky. It was the stage most of them had recognized from personal previous battles and fights they had partaken in. Dark Pit was looking off the edge of the platform, sighing.

"I can see little dots," he huffed with boredom, staring below at running figures along the river. They were the other players, almost five-thousand feet below. Dark Pit turned around...and noticed Peach was holding onto one of the apples. Her eyes were strangely fixated on it...but too strongly, and the angel noticed this right away. He looked at her with wide eyes.

"What the-" Dark Pit began. With a suspicious face, he started to walk towards her spot. But before he could say anything, Peach then turned around...and placed the apple she was holding directly into her dress pocket quickly.

Seeing her strange action, the angel took a step back, stunned.

Dark Pit: What...was she hiding?

Whoa oa oa!

Ended on a little mystery here!

Actually, this entire chapter was full of mysteries in a way xD

I hope you enjoyed it! Part 4, the rest of the mission, will take place next! I will update next Wednesday to the best of my ability :)

Darksymphony777: Bahaha! Never bet against McHallyboo...you have a point xD. I mean, he was a poker dealer in the casino of the mast episode of Saboteur's Island and totally whooped Yoshi's arse xD Your exclamation of "KRIS' PREVIOUS STORIES ARE CANON", if true, would make me nervous and I would delete your review before others could see it. I think next chapter screws me over though, as you'll see a few references to...some previous tales lol. Nice spotting and mentioning of the Sirius star, hmm :) you did your research I see. Is this to Isabelle and what would it mean...and also the giant ball of fire, hmm, nothing goes past your eyes does it? Nice theory tying that back to Peach and the Mushroom Kingdom world items! And lastly...somehow...I promise to put in Amazonia somewhere and you and I will be the only ones howling and understanding xD

Dark Punxysaur: I'm happy you saw the Minus -5 as a twist! :D Originally there was gonna be no twist….I made a typo at first, and went to correct it...then thought HMM…this would be an interesting double negative idea! XD Wow, nice pointing out the suspiciousness of the 3 Fountain players! Especially seeing how Lucario could have kept his mouth quiet….hmm. Yeah, the girl princesses are playing interesting games! Either they're being genuine...or one of them is secretly trying to deflect suspicion, IF one is the Mole :o I agree! DK became too much of an arse hole last chapter! xD Bahaha! But I promise you, he gets a bit better this chapter and the rest of the episode! I swear haha :) And what a curious place to look for a clue! The Fountain Messages! Indeed, they do line up and make an entire, pleasant image together...whether there is a clue or not within them, we'll have to see :) I do love how the menancing the Fountain sounds! In terms of stealing another journal...surprisingly it's legal and allowed! If a player doesn't do a good job in protecting their journal and just neglects them uncaringly, then it's up for grabs! :O If they leave it lying around, in a way they totally deserve it, right?! But if a player like, sneaks into someone else's ROOM and take's a journal...well, that's bad xD Baha, a big no no and a big kick in the butt by the game producers!

Derick Lindsey: Omg! I am all for poetic justice :) Some things just seem wrong, right?! Wii Fit just taunting and looking down too much on Dark Pit...I think this is a very interesting character relationship, unfortunately a negative one. I do know which player gets executed before the other...so! If Wii Fit gets executed before Dark Pit, then it's obvious justice and that's that :) But IF it's the case that Dark Pit is to get eliminated before Wii Fit...I assure you, there will be at least a personal victory in a way for Dark Pit so that he will not go down completely fallen and lost, and it'll be happy, I promise that! Wow, smart analysis and predicting on the Fountain players! :) It's cool you felt that Kazooie was going to look down. Bahaha, I feel like the necks of birds always need to be stretched, so there's that, haha. But true, Lucario and Joker both could have done different actions to have ultimately prevented Kazooie for looking down! I guess they're both guilty

Vivalahomestar: Eyy! Psychic, I don't doubt it! :D Or maybe you're subconsciously taking in the next chapter release dates?! You see, I announce the next update at the end of each chapter! The fact that you didn't take that in consciously...maybe your subconscious mind is super strong! :O And yay! I'm happy you finished an entire part of Fiend's Burrow! Never be afraid to upload it! :) Haha it's better to have something than nothing! Wow wow wow….nice analysis of how Peach's actions may have subtly affected the actions of the other players! From her "biscuit" line to maybe angering DK to maybe influencing the other star players...wow! I give you that :) Ahahahaha! You got it! Joker was not only trolling the other players with his fake "Lucario took the offer" line...but the readers! It was totally a double troll as Dark Pit said :) Speaking of the Dark angel, you said you saw a clue on my profile that is now deleted? What are you talking about?! Haha in fact, I know exactly what you are referring to :D and nice job finding that! Is it a clue to Dark Pit confirming him as the saboteur? Or something else deeper? Maybe more things will make more sense in the future?! Mysteries xD Your third suspect, Wii Fit, wow, you had such an amazing analysis on Wii Fit and I really admire analyzing her actions at the end of the episode with the journal/Kazooie, etc! : o Yeah, and it's so mind-opening how you mention the age gap between Wii Fit and Dark Pit because it's like, the same thing crossed my mind too. And what exactly are the intentions of her bickering and arguing so much with someone younger? Or does age not matter? It's a whole other mystery again, ahhh! And great thinking about DK being a potential suspect too; as we've seen, he's been low on a lot of people's radar through reader comments, so seeing a paragraph about him and how his sabotage could be mistaken by others as part of "just his brash personality" is really insightful! I think you did an excellent job analyzing specific people and I'm glad! :D

Wendychristensen: I...can't even defend myself. I can't even deny. Yes, so my story extended even further...into my Instagram and one percent into my own personal life, doesn't that make everything just so weird in a way!? xD I do commend you for finding that very difficult clue towards the one and only important Joker. So is that a clue confirming him as the agent of the game? Is there something more to it?! You will see as time comes and unfolds haha :) But wow...you found that Instagram clue! I'm impressed! Nice choosing of suspects! I like your reasonings for each one! You pointing out Lucina playing a hero and yet also messing up is one-hundred percent true. For DK, that's where importance of roles comes in play: being a seeing player puts you at FULL manipulation of other blindfolded people. And Lucario. Peaceful Lucario, yet maybe not so peaceful in the end :) I find it humorous how you sai at your Kazooie part, "15,000 seems big but...I dunno" xD

FFWF: HALLO! :D It feels so good to call you by this name! Of course, if you change back to Guest, then my heart would still be happy in equal amount! :) So the real killer of Alphabetized Murder was….Kit Snicket! She gathered everyone in the beginning of the story at the hotel! And she wanted revenge for Jacques Snicket….that's all the motives and clues I had xD as you can tell not thought out LOL! The Misereable Mill in the show was weirdly phenomenal! It made my least favorite book so exciting I couldn't believe it I was stunned! XD The water rising or being attacked by electric eels! I would have appreciated that twist for the Fountain tbh xD Why are you hinting that Peach was in two different games? Hmm?! Wow, nice pointing out a weakness for Joker! :o Complacency truly is one of his downfalls and maybe we'll see that play a role somewhere with him again in the future? I'm glad Wii Fit is becoming one of your favorite characters :) I do admit, she isssss becoming a little bit too conniving! Aww poor Lucario, in a way I feel like he had a different outlook of the game before coming here….it's too brutal for him xD is he the next executed as you guessed? And Kazooie is such an interesting, neutral character and it was interesting seeing your analysis on the bird herself :)

Cavin856: I totally missed the double negative myself! At first it was a typo...and then I realized…"You know what...I can use this." XDDD so it was totally missed by me at first! "Shenanigans", haha I love that word! Indeed there were many in the Warpstar game. You had nice, well-explained predictions and theories regarding Lucina and her blindfold! I give you credit for them :) I love the word you use, "Puppeteer"...and I can't help thinking of Saw baha xD are you a horror movie fan like me? For some reason I get an inkling you are! XD Also really interesting to see your defending for Peach and you got some plausible points for that too! :) Yess! I do love Lucario and in a way I kinda adore how he's the innocent one compared to the others. And your last line about Kazooie made me laugh too much xD She would definitely say something like that.

Darksymphony777: Hello again! Theorizing? I see I see! xD good find! Of course, as good level as your "St Honote cake" gind. I find it so fascinating however, after you find a clue, well-hidden element, you the. state it as possibly just being "bait". XD it is an interesting choice. I shall say no more of this finding of yours, except I applaud you for the find :)

LuiasyLover: I'm so glad you like 2-2 as well! :) Yeah Toady was so awesome as a Mole! I'm sure if you were a player in the game as well, you would have been friends with them :D ! Wow, good Isabelle theories! The lack of confessions and the Journal adjectives being possible pointers to her are interesting and great logic. Could the Mole be the doggy indeed? And wow! I do realize that if Peach gets executed, the players would truly sadly be left alone with no guidance :o Lucina does resemble Eclair a bit! The princess qualities indeed! :) however, I see Lucina as more noble and powerful and wanting to be a honorable figure, more so than Eclair. True I agree, some characters deserve more screentime! Eventually, I promise they will all get their share evenly :) Lastly, AHHH! You are inspired to write your own Mario Mole fanfic?! I'm so proud of you! :DD it's always fun to brainstorm one and write one :) the hard work is worth it! If you do write it, do send me a message ;)

CocoTots: Hi! :D I'm so glad to hear from you! Thank you for dropping some words :) Great suspect list! Suspecting someone because of genuineness is truly a good indicator sometimes because of course the Mole wants to appear as real as a person/player as possible. So you both suspect AND hope DK will be the winner! That happens a lot when I watch/read Mole shows cause usually my suspects are also my favorite players xD haha! I look forward to hearing more from you! :)

And devastatingly, I give my special honor thanks to The Wise Zora, Wendychristensen, and Princess Toady! I got notifications that you guys had written wonderful reviews! BUT I CANNOT SEE THEM T.T It usually takes a day or so to appear on the site for me for some reason...however I do get like a 100 word preview in email alerts so I know you had written them :') You guys are the best! T.T By the time you read this message, I have most certainly read your review 100 percent :D