The Mole: Deceiver's World

by krisetchers

Ten Smash fighters. Nine are completing a series of missions to win. But one of them is a saboteur set to destroy them. He or she is the chosen double agent, hidden and blending among them in this cryptic, incomprehensible game. Who is the ultimate deceiver of this new world? Who is...the Mole?

10. Fruit of Departure

Hi all! Sorry for the obvious delay xD! My bad Dx

Eyy, sooo :) I'm SUPER happy to how this chapter and end of Episode 2 played out! :D After several edits, I feel it turned into a great chapter overall with lots of reveals and conclusions and etc :D I'm happy to how it ended :D I hope you guys will be too :)

I hope you all enjoy...this odd, interesting episode end.

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Episode 2 (Final)

The nine players argue the results of their appley, sweet game. After several thought-provoking conversations and a delicious dinner under the fruity forest, another player goes home.

---

"This apple...this green apple...was the fruit of evil." Peach was speaking to everyone before her as she held up the fruit, her elegant, gloved arm holding it almost like a serpent itself. The group was all together on Green Greens' fighter platform. It was where ten, colorful apples were sitting on a table and where the end of their mission would take place. It was also the location where a potential 35,000 coins could be determined for the group. The players were staring at Peach with confusion.

"Indeed," the host confirmed. "Could you read the sticker's message located on the bottom of the apple?" The players all looked shocked as Peach removed the sticker from the green apple's bottom, the one she had seen during the game. She read the message out loud.

"'Take a bite from this apple," she read loudly, "and receive an Exemption...at the cost of all coin winnings from this game." The players gasped.

"So that's why you hid it…" Dark Pit realized. "You didn't want any of us finding the message and losing the money." Peach nodded to him.

"You thought I would take the exemption? No way!" Kazooie questioned her in disbelief, looking offended.

"You haaaad taken the Plus 7 earlier in the Fountain Mission," Peach smiled to her.

"...touche." Kazooie made a sound of agreement.

"I apologize for being rude earlier," Peach apologized to Dark Pit. "It was not my intention." The angel waved his hand, not having minded. The host turned to the rest of the players. The mission was over...almost.

"Wii Fit and Lucina: you did an outstanding job in your apple basket retrieving," the host told them, "You faced three roads, including the very feared, extremely challenging...Windy Path. You faced Whispy Woods himself. How challenging. Well done."

"Thank you," Lucina stated, her hair still messy and destroyed from the wind. Wii Fit smiled proudly, folding her arms. The two women looked appreciative to the host's congratulatory words.

"However..." Smash Host spoke, after clearing his throat, "there was perhaps a small mishap that occurred. Maybe you could have guessed." His sentence was unexpected to a majority of the players; Wii Fit and Lucina turned immediately to him, faces confused and silent.

"During the first Green Green Road, there was...unfortunately...a breach of the rules," the host explained further, seeing their faces. "You were supposed to have taken the gondola at the end of the path. You did not."

Wii Fit: …...hold on. What? Excuse me, host...exactly WHAT gondola?

"What in the world!?" Wii Fit burst.

"What!" DK stuttered, looking at them both. "How did you miss a freakin', huge gondola?!" Everyone else turned to the two players in question.

"You had taken a smaller, unrelated path within the woods...not even designed as a part of the game at all," Smash Host finished. Lucina's eyes immediately turned wide with shock, and she turned to Wii Fit, whose mouth was agape.

Lucina: I was simply at a loss of words...and I remembered…perhaps there was an element with the apple basket my partner had perhaps sabotaged?

"There was a secret gondola as an element of the game...?" Lucina asked slowly, almost seeking confirmation.

"There were instructions upon the very chair where the basket was that would have led you to the gondola," Smash Host nodded in confirmation, as the two females turned to each other once again, even more in disbelief.

"How could have instructions been missed?" Lucario asked, the Pokemon's eyes confused but trying to sound polite to them. "But you picked up the basket, no?"

"I..." Lucina tried to remember her best, reflecting on the game's events.

"It had been…" She turned to Wii Fit with surprise. Wii Fit sighed.

"This...mission…" Wii Fit shook her head with nothing but anger, not believing herself.

Wii Fit: I really, truly couldn't believe it. At all. All our hard effort was thwarted by a single, small sign...a sign that apparently, neither of us had seen.

"5,000 coins will be removed from the pot," the host concluded, and the group was hit with feelings of defeat.

"What a silly error," Joker sighed, and he shook his head.

"Perhaps unclear, nearly-unspottable instructions should be blamed here?" Wii Fit uttered a bit crossly, looking at the host himself with blame.

"We could not have even imagined a large-sized gondola being at the end of our path," Lucina explained to the group, her eyes guilty but also mostly appearing confused. "I am simply lost at all of this. Nevertheless...we can only apologize deeply." She bowed her head and looked wholesomely sorry in expression, but Wii Fit looked completely the opposite.

"You can't blame us..." Wii Fit scoffed. "Especially since we did incredibly well on the other paths...did any of you fight tiredlesly against a hurricane-blowing tree? Or climb a torturous mountain? I don't believe so." The rest of the players pondered.

Peach: Of course, we had to praise them for their efforts, for they did the most difficult work and strenuous tasks in the game. But they had cost a penalty. 5,000 coins to the Mole. Unfortunately.

Lucina: Wii Fit had displayed such honor and strength, so I do not want to blame her, but she had been the one to pick up the basket from the chair during our run. Perhaps she had missed it on purpose. Yet, such an intentional act...I hate to think so.

Joker: Hmm, an act of sabotage from the all-haughty Wii Fit herself.

Dark Pit: I also believe some of the blame should have gone to Lucina. What exactly was she doing when Wii Fit picked up the basket?

""And I'd like to know how your very strenuous apple throwing went in comparison to our difficult running," Wii Fit said sarcastically, as she turned to both DK and Joker.

"In fact, yes," Joker started, before the host could begin explaining. "We did rather...well. You could even say we did amazing." DK coughed loudly in the air.

"Umm…...yeah, about that," the large ape began speaking, but the host spoke instead.

"Your first basket...fell completely into the water," began Smash Host, and at this news, there was an explosion of jumps and uproars.

Wii Fit: Oh. NOW we knew why they had been so suspicious.

"Are you serious?!" Kazooie laughed.

"Oh dear," Peach sighed. The beautiful mission did not go as planned.

"WHAT!" Wii Fit exclaimed. She turned to Joker, her expression mad.

"And you had the audacity to even question our small error during our run?" she snapped at him. Joker looked a bit stunned, but then after a second, simply laughed in response to her with a large smile.

"It was our primitive friend here who did it," Joker shrugged, pointing to DK. Unreluctantly, after a few seconds, DK nodded.

"Okay, okay...I kicked it accidentally...without knowing," DK stated admittingly. He folded his arms, looking sad.

"Totally blaming me just cause my foot is bigger than all the rest of yours," DK said, a bit sulking. "Meanies, all of you."

Peach: His basket knocking into the river why we had only received one word for Sentence 1 on our chalkboard. Knocking the basket into the river...it had affected us a lot. DK did not have to knock the basket into the water.

Kazooie: DK just happened to pick to run to the spot where Joker had exactly put the basket. I mean, out of all places, my friend.

"A bit too ambitious, DK..." Joker shrugged to him, smiling.

"But it was you who placed it so close to the water!" DK replied with angry eyes to his partner. Everyone paused slightly in silence to DK"s sentence. Joker looked at him, silent and confused.

"...what...exactly are you referring to?" Joker asked him.

"I actually saw it...as well," Lucario announced suddenly, the legendary Pokemon stepping up. Everyone turned to Lucario in surprise at his sudden speaking. Joker's eyes narrowed at him.

"From across the river...everything was visible to us," Lucario confirmed, his voice truthful and loud for everyone to hear. "Joker, you placed it very precariously on the edge of the river. We cannot blame only DK for why the basket had toppled." The masked gentleman was silent, as everyone looked at him suspiciously. After a few seconds, Joker spoke.

"Exaggerations from both of you, but perhaps, yes," Joker finally stated in reply to the group. "I suppose I could have possibly placed it a bit too close to the river."

Peach: He very well could have known that the basket had the chance of falling into that river as well. It was not free of deceit or trickery, what he did.

Wii Fit: Joker...what to think of him. At first, I thought he was too obvious for a Mole. But does justttt enough subtle sabotage...and it's enough to be suspicious.

"So it isn't completely my fault!" DK said in reply. "Thank you, guys!" Joker sighed. The host cleared his throat.

"You...as a team, Catch 'n' Throwers...wasted over fifteen apples," the host said a little sadly. "I will have to penalize...5,000 more coins."

"Oi vey," Kazooie sighed. The entire team seemed to drop in spirits even more.

Dark Pit: 10,000 coins already down? I guess the Mole really did their job after all. I admire this messed-up Mole. I respect someone who can cause that much havoc and destruction and get away with it. Nice...

The host looked ready to move on. He looked at the two catchers: Lucario and Isabelle.

"Lucario, great apple catching," the host winked at him. The aura Pokemon looked surprised at the host's words.

"And Isabelle...you became a pro in less than an hour," the host added. The little dog just looked at everyone a little embarrassed, but beamed.

DK: Umm, hello? Both Lucario and Isabelle dropped a LOT of apples! Why was the host praising them?!

Kazooie: I did notice that we only got 4 apples for the second round. That was a little suspicious. Lucario and Isabelle allowed 9 apples...a majority! ...to fall to the ground or into the river. Didn't want to let that suspiciousness go either.

"But we did lose a lot, if not most, of the apples," Isabelle said curiously, turning to Lucario.

"Shh…" Lucario began, whispering to her. "Let us not add any more drama and tension to this discussion." They were both quiet.

"Huh...whatever," DK sighed. "Give us the blame while we also did a good job throwing! And they missed a lot!"

The reflections of the mission seemed to have finished. It was now over...almost over.

"Well…" The host turned to the last players of the group: Peach, Dark Pit, and Kazooie.

"Food experts...it is time to eat your apples. And all other players...no speaking." All players seemed to tense.

Apple Picking Time

Potential Winnings: 35,000 coins

Time Limit: 5 minutes

The Food Experts followed the host up to the table. Ten shiny, colorful apples awaited them upon the wooden rectangle: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, black, white, and pink.

"As you know...seven of these apples are very valuable, and you must not eat them," Smash Host reminded them. "Your goal...is to eat only the three non-valuable apples upon this table." The players looked at each other, a little dejectedly at the overly-difficult task.

"Let us begin," Peach told them encouragingly. "Perhaps...we can win...at least partially. Any victory, no matter how small, will thwart the Mole." They turned to the digital board.

1. - - - - - - - - - apple.

"Can we skip this failed one?" Dark Pit asked. "It's literally one word."

"I do agree...let us go with Number 2," Peach decided.

2. - at - ocean - - - person - sadness

"So we were thinking...either orange or green," Kazooie remembered. "I personally think green though. Toon Link is an ocean sailor. For sure."

"I was thinking orange," Peach pondered. The third player, Dark Pit, sighed. Then, his eyes lit up.

Dark Pit: You know what? Screw everyone around me. No one listens to me. Somewhere...someone...either one of the Runners, Catch 'n' Throwers, or Food Experts, was trying to make me look bad. And they wanted me to flop up. But no. No way. Nu-uh. I choose my own actions. I wasn't going to let them win.

Dark Pit leapt forwards...and before anyone could stop him...he grabbed the blue apple, put it up to his mouth, and before anyone could do anything, took a huge, gigantic bite from it. Everyone...was stunned.

"Dark Pit!" Peach exclaimed, surprised. But the angel just bit into the apple again, the blue apple in his hand.

"It's already in my mouth," he mumbled. Everyone stared at him, shocked.

"Spit it out!" Kazooie yelled, eyes popping out of her head. "That's probably the wrong one!"

"Really? Oh well. Too late," Dark Pit replied. From the group of players, Wii Fit was in shock, then rolled her eyes.

Wii Fit: Wow...as if he wasn't sabotaging the game enough: just another wrong move! Typical Mole act I think!

Joker: Not gonna lie, I was impressed with him.

"Why did you do that?!" Kazooie yelled in disbelief as he took his last bites. "Why did you eat the blue apple?! Darn it!"

"Because you guys would have said no otherside," was the angel's reply. "No one ever listens to me. So that's that. Pay attention to what I have to say. I'm never gonna be ignored by any of you guys ever again. " Everyone's eyes were wide in surprise...all except for Peach's. She was smiling.

"Actually, Dark Pit...I was about to say...I think you were right all along," Peach said calmly, as Kazooie looked at her as well with shock. "If you were clever enough to catch me hiding that green apple...then I trust your cleverness with this answer." She smiled at the angel. Surprisingly, Dark Pit...smiled a bit to her back.

Peach: Never, never underestimate a person. No matter how weak they look. That is what I've learned in the past. I have new lessons to learn everyday...even though I'm a thirty-something-year old princess!

"Well, let's not dilly-dally," Peach continued, turning to the board again. "What was Number 3 again?" They all looked.

3. When - moon is gone, another circle - - sky.

"This one, I might just be as confident as Dark Pit and might just stuff the whole apple right away into my mouth as well," Kazooie laughed. Her two partners stared at her, as she just flapped her wings nonchalantly.

"What color...do you think it is?" Peach asked her, surprised this time by her.

"Well, take it with a birdseed of salt, but I think…" Kazooie thought out loud, concentrating, "It's definitely talking about the sun in the sky. If the moon is gone, what's the only other circle we see during the day? The sun!"

"Hmm…" Peach and Dark Pit, after thinking, nodded with agreement.

"You're thinking yellow?" Dark Pit asked. "You're not just saying that cause you like the color yellow, right?"

"Yep!" And then Kazooie, happily with a smiling beak, swiped up the yellow apple in her wing. She looked at the others.

"Can I bite it?" she asked eagerly.

"Yes, indeed," Peach nodded, smiling.

Dark Pit: She devoured it.

The final, unsolved sentence shined out to them from the digital chalkboard.

1. - - - - - - - - - apple.

Peach went up to the board, silently touching the one, single word that glistened to them from the screen.

"I have a feeling…" Peach began, her hand on the word, "that the answer is simple." She faced the other two.

"The answer I am thinking is...surprisingly...the obvious one…" Peach told them.

"But what's the obvious one?!" Kazooie asked, confused. Peach shook her head.

"I think...something simple is being signified in this veiled sentence," Peach spoke to her teammates. "If 'apple' is one of the words in this very short sentence ….then what other color can be alluded to in such brevity...besides the simple color we always associate with apples: red." Her two teammates thought about her sentence.

Kazooie: Well, to be fair, we had both chosen an apple each. So now, it was up to Peach. The final answer.

And with her gloved hand, she picked up the red apple. And, after one last moment of thinking... she took a bite. All the players around her couldn't help but wince at the significant bite: either she had succeeded...or she had just taken an expensive bite out of a 10,000 coin apple.

Peach: And after a few bites, and a few full, crunchy minutes...the apple was gone.

After several minutes, three apples had been eaten. Everyone turned to the host. Smash Host faced them all, his expression ambiguous.

"I will now tell you...the results of each apple…" the host began slowly. The players upon the Green Greens platform were all silent, tense.

"My yellow apple wasn't even that good," Kazooie whispered, bated breath. "I hope it wasn't 10,000 coins!"

Kazooie: The most expensive apple I might have ever eaten...and it tasted worse than a regular red one!

"Out of the three apples…you had, in result, eaten a number of..." All players could only stare with nervousness and anticipation, waiting for the host's announcement.

"Come on...at least make some money…!" DK pleaded.

"...zero valuable apples." The players were stunned. For a second, they didn't say anything. But then it hit them.

"What! Now way." Kazooie looked ecstatic.

"Congratulations. All valuable apples were left unharmed on the table. You all win...35,000 coins." They had won.

"WHOO HOOOO!" DK roared. The players all erupted into thrilled emotions.

"We had all...chosen...correctly?" Peach gasped, looking shocked. "Oh my!"

"Yeah! That's the win I'm talking about!" Wii Fit grinned, high-fiving the players around her.

"We did it...we have all done it," Lucario spoke with relief, grinning to his teammates. Everyone at that moment seemed more than just the expected emotion of happiness: they were ecstatic ….ecstatic and relieved that finally, they had won a mission in its whole. And they had won against the Mole.

"For successfully eating the non-valuable apples, you will not have to compensate for losing any of the expensive ones," the host winked. "We don't have to awkwardly pay anyone. Phew. Congratulations." The players all stared at the remaining seven, rare apples.

"I cannot believe these are all so priceless!" Isabelle added, going up to the table and looking at the table of colorful apples.

"I stiiiiiill secretly want to try how one tastes," Kazooie couldn't help saying, eyeing them hungrily.

"No one's stopping you," Joker said to her slyly with a smile.

"These...were the sentences," the host continued, grinning, and the three Food Experts looked in curiosity at the answers.

1) Love and anger are expressed by the typical delicious apple - Red

2) Stare at the ocean to match a person of sadness - Blue

3) When the moon is gone, another circle appears in the sky. - Yellow

Lucina: I could not believe...how much victory was attained. It was due to my teammates.

"The pot now stands at a total of...52,000 coins," the host announced to them. The players gasped at the conclusion of their team pot's value. It seemed almost unreal: it had almost doubled than what it had been before.

Team Pot

52,000 coins.

"Wow, phew!" DK breathed with a sigh of relief. "No Mole is gonna take our money away now. We're winners! I totally liked this apple mission!"

"Besides the multitude of sabotage," Wii Fit stated, sighing.

"We must revel in this victory...and not take this win for granted," Lucario said, almost with warning. "It is a rare one." Lucario closed his eyes.

"I must warn us...as I feel as if the Mole will undoubtedly, and unfortunately for all of us...strike strongly next round," Lucario told the group, the Pokemon putting a hand on his chin. "I sense a stronger animosity within the Mole."

"Oh dear…" Isabelle gasped.

"We must prepare ourselves for their attack in our next episode," Lucina confirmed with vigor, looking at her teammates and feeling her own sword cautiously. "At least...those who are still here in the next episode …" Her voice drifted off with realized sadness. Everyone turned silent, but they agreed.

Peach: The Mole is always angry at the group. At least that's what I think! And after this game…after knowing their plans were foiled in this mission...they might indeed be out to get us next round viciously. How scary!

"If, however, we had beaten the Mole once," Peach reminded them all, looking at the group with a small smile., "then we can certainly, with no doubt, beat them once again." She bowed to them all, as the host nodded.

"Indeed. The Mole is stoppable," the host nodded. "Once you discover who they are...you can then find their weaknesses."

Amidst the appley land...they all looked at each other. It was almost imaginable that one of them was keeping their calmness...their cool...despite the very words that were being spoken against them. One terrible player hiding among them, like a bad apple in a forest of trees, was indeed the Mole.

---

"We'll talk about the contents of this journal...later." The two players closed the stolen book, silent.

Within a hidden wooden gazebo at the edge of the Green Greens lands, two players were amidst their very first coalition discussion. The structure was far from the other players: purposefully secluded, they chose the gazebo because it was difficult to locate even if one were to try using a detailed map of the Dreamland planet to find it.

Wii Fit: No one could find us or sneak on anything we had to say. We had privacy. Privacy to find the Mole.

Wii Fit and Kazooie sat on opposite benches within the gazebo, reflecting upon and talking about the events of their last mission.

"I heard…from what Lucario told me..." Wii Fit began, leaning in to whisper to Kazooie, "that DK was throwing the apples too hard to him."

"So? DK is just naturally strong! That's normal!" Kazooie said, confused.

"But your mission is for your partner to catch apples on the other side...and yet even so, you still throw strongly and out of reach of them..." Wii Fit pointed out to her. Kazooie huffed, understanding.

"But thinking a strong bloke like DK himself could be the Mole is also something I can't fathom," Wii Fit chuckled. "Imagine if it were him."

Wii Fit: I suppose no one could be excluded as the Mole, however…my very own coalition partner could be the Mole. But I'm not going to focus on that possibility...yet.

Kazooie: It's the early stages of our coalition, so I can only wonder: WHY did Wii Fit choose me? Does she secretly suspect me as the Mole? I wonder if that's her true motive for choosing me. Hurr…

"Hey, do you know what I think is suspicious?" Kazooie pointed out. "Lucario telling you about other players' suspicious actions after the mission ended."

"Why?" Wii Fit questioned, smiling slightly. 'You don't think he was just being nice and polite to one of the several strong, attractive women in our group?" Kazooie chuckled.

"What I'm saying is…" Kazooie explained to her, "is that he immediately talked about other people's suspicions to you. You told me you only talked for a minute after the game in quick banter as we walked back to the camping spot. Why did he immediately state suspicions to you?" Wii Fit wasn't sure.

"Either he has a crush on you...or he's deflecting suspicion off from himself by blaming other people." Wii Fit nodded, finally understanding.

"Let's hope for the former," Wii Fit said, and they both laughed loudly, too loudly that anyone in reasonable distance could easily discover their hiding spot.

"Speaking of someone having a crush on someone…" Wii Fit started, giving the stolen journal under her bag next to her a slight glance, "I believe I have myself some...interesting gossip. And you simply won't believe it."

---

"Lucario." Hearing a mysterious voice amidst the forest, Lucario stopped his walking. The powerful Pokemon alerted to his surroundings immediately, carefully looking around the trees. The sun had already set.

"Who...who is it? Show yourself!" Lucario demanded, ready to take action, his pose looking as if he were ready for a duel within the night air. Turning around, he noticed...someone. In the shadow of a tree, sitting at its base, was Joker.

"Calm down." Joker then stood up from the tree he was sitting under. "I don't want to battle you. I'd probably lose, anyway." They were standing in the dark, under the moon.

"You approach so suddenly...surely your intentions are not short of animosity," Lucario replied sternly. Joker chuckled at his sentence.

"Who do you think I am? Do you truly think I am a bad person? Someone...evil?" Joker continued. "Is that what your aura tells you?"

Lucario: Yes.

"No," Lucario replied. "Though I believe your actions may sometimes be tricky and deceitful." Joker gave him a strange look, but then waved his hand uncaringly.

"Anyways, like how you saw me place the basket precariously by the edge of the river...I also heard every word you had uttered from the other side…" Joker informed him. Lucario, although taken back with surprise at this sentence, remained stoic.

'What...did I say?" Lucario asked curiously.

"At one point during the game…" Joker continued to him, "you had spoken the sentence, 'I feel an energy. As if two bodies will be here soon...and lo and behold: a second later, Lucina and Wii Fit turned the corner." Lucario looked at Joker, a bit silent.

"You stated that your aura powers are limited," Joker continued, pressing on.

"Yes," Lucario replied slowly.

"So, how...did you know two bodies were coming?" Joker questioned him, eyes sharp. Lucario was uncertain on what words he would be saying next. He said the most simple ones he could imagine.

"It was a guess," Lucario told him calmly. "It is called a hunch. And even humans have them. Have you never experienced a hunch before, Joker?" The student was silent, not knowing what to answer.

"Hmm," was Joker's reply. It was all he uttered.

"Good night." Lucario curtailed the interrogation, his face still and expressionless. The two players faced each other in silence for a few seconds. Then, Joker nodded...but also spoke.

"Good night...and let me know if your aura powers give you any other signs. Perhaps I can trade you any valuable information for them. Perhaps we can find the Mole... together. " Joker then turned around to leave. He had on a black cape, matching the dark shadows casted by the apple trees around him, and as he turned around to walk away, it billowed in the wind.

Lucario: It was an offer I'd never take. To find the Mole in our group...one could not possibly work with such a character as him to discover our saboteur. Or even worse...Joker was the very Mole himself….and perhaps I was his very next target for execution.

---

It was the next morning; a day had passed. The sun was out. The execution was that night as well...but this time, in contrast to their nervous emotions in the previous episode before the grueling execution ceremony, some of the players took the time to truly enjoy the day and scene.

Among the apple orchard, Peach and Lucina were picking apples for that night's surprise….a sweet, sweet surprise.

As happy as they both were, however...the two princesses knew that another, more terrible surprise awaited them that night as well. The execution involving all nine of them.

"I wonder if it matters which specific apples we choose for this pie," Lucina voiced. She seemed concerned, staring at a few apples on the tree before her, standing on a tall, wooden ladder and dangerously reaching for the fruit. "I'm not familiar with baking, except when my mother and I used to cook, but do we bake with the apple skins peeled or unpeeled?"

Lucina: Surely, I remember the days when I was very young. When I actually did cook and bake. A mother to teach me. But now, I am alone. Not just in life however, but in this game, too. Alone, against eight others...but stronger.

"Oh, it most certainly matters which apples we choose!" Peach told her, putting a chosen apple in her basket. "But hmm...good question. Do we peel or unpeel for the pie? I've never known the correct way! And it's been twenty years of baking!" Peach suddenly laughed…and then her eyes widened so suddenly. She let out an exclamation.

"That's it!" the princess squealed suddenly.

"What is amusing?" Lucina asked with sudden surprise and a bit of worry at her sudden reaction, peering around the tree. Peach shook her head, amused, showing that she was mostly happy.

"'It's like taking the quiz of the game!" Peach laughed. "What's the correct way? Focus on one person, focus on three people, and at what speed...or…"

"Not even focus on anyone at all," Lucina finished to herself, smiling with understanding towards Peach's metaphor. Peach looked at her curiously.

"It is a precautionary way to take the quizzes, I had determined," Lucina explained to her, nodding. "To not have a sole suspect in mind...to play safe. That is the best way for a player to survive in this game." Peach looked impressed.

"Indeed, you're right: I do admire your way of thinking!" Peach told her, smiling. Lucina, hearing the other princess' sentence, stopped and seemed surprised.

"I appreciate your admiration...how rare..." Lucina couldn't help but say to her, almost bowing to her whilst standing upon the tall tree ladder.

'Peach...do allow me to say…" Lucina began quietly. Peach looked confused.

"To be honest...Princess Peach..." the female warrior continued, in a voice almost royal-like, formal and respecting, "I have always looked to you as perhaps a perfect role model for myself. I have found ways, from your conduct, expertise, and display of experience, to potentially better myself as a princess. I want to become a better ruler for my kingdom and my people. But I also want to become a better person...for myself. How do I do it? Please...do not mind my speaking of these words to you." Hearing this, Peach looked at Lucina in surprise.

"Oh no, no, not at all!" the Mushroom Kingdom princess told her hastily. "I am so, so very honored to hear such from you! But…" Peach smiled at the other princess with a kind face.

"I actually have looked to you in this game!" Peach told her gratefully. Lucina looked stunned.

Lucina: She had been looking at me? I could not believe such.

"Your strong will in this game...your skill in fighting…" Peach nodded, continuing and smiling, "is exactly what a player in the Mole should be! And not to mention, your intelligence! Being able to play Lucario like that, as you described last episode, was very, very tricky and smart. And at the same time, you also still have morals that you're not abandoning. That's exactly what a player should be." Lucina looked down...and as strong of a warrior herself she was...she looked down almost a bit shyly.

"Princess Peach...do you believe I am playing the role of a player in this game in the right manner?" Lucina asked her carefully. Peach smiled at her.

"You don't have to copy anyone else," Peach told her, truth in her voice. "I would say...simply be yourself! Don't copy any outline or guide."

"Oh," Lucina answered quietly to her.

"Even to be a princess...you don't need to wear gloves and sip from a tea cup elegantly. That is so silly."

"That is indeed," Lucina smiled, looking to the ground.

"Don't copy anyone, like a little cat or monkey. Be yourself!"

Peach: I could not have given her truer advice.

---

Dinner had taken place under the shadows of the trees, but despite so, it was lively, full of spirit, and not one bit gloomy. Lights hung from the apple trees themselves, and if the artificial lighting hung around the forest wasn't enough, the stars above them gave them enough light to have a dazzling, shiny dinner. Everyone was happy and content...and full with apple pie.

"That was deeeeelish!!" Kazooie called to Peach. "Much better than one boring, 10,000 coin apple would be, I'm sure!

Kazooie: Though...can't help but think about how delicious it could have been! I wish I was the Mole...

"And much cheaper too," Peach finished gratefully to her. DK finished the bottom of his pie plate and looked a little sad himself.

"I want another one...let's bake one more pie!" DK yelled out, as everyone laughed. The players were in a good mood...all nervous of course…but less than they had been three nights ago.

"You all seem a bit more in higher spirits than at the dinner before the last execution," Smash Host couldn't help saying to the players at the table, looking at them. "What...has changed?" Everyone thought about his sentence in silence, contemplating and thinking. From his mention of the impending elimination, however, most players felt dread hit them once again.

"Perhaps it's because we already know what dread is to come later," Wii Fit told him, her voice seemingly unbothered. "We've already survived one execution...so surely most of us can surely survive the next."

"Most of us will survive…" Joker repeated, giving the trainer a look, "but not all of us." Wii Fit noticed his sneaky smile towards her.

"Indeed...one of us will be leaving...let's hope it's not a school delinquent who gets executed," she replied to him hintingly. Joker chuckled and took another apple pie bite.

Kazooie: Well...I also think it's cause Wii Fit has a Plus 1. And me? I have 6! But it makes me think however. Even with a Plus 1...or even something magical like a Plus 6...you're still not exempt from the execution. Uh oh. And you can still fall to the very ground like a rotten apple.

"I think also, we're just so, so happy from getting those 35,000 coins," Isabelle spoke, smiling from memory. "We're a lot happier from our victory win! That's made us happier for the end of this episode!" Lucario nodded.

"Indeed...and some of us had performed well, I would say...in greater victory than we had anticipated," Lucario expressed, looking content, "so the way we all ended this episode is another reason for our uplifted emotions."

"But regardless, we still cannot allow ourselves to let our guards down…no matter how safe things may seem," Peach began. Everyone turned to her, but she continued speaking.

"Let us not remember how Fox looked during last episode's final dinner…" Peach spoke to them, reminding them all. "He was the most unconcerned, with a little, tiny smile on his face...and where did he end up? Sadly...in the execution light." Everyone nodded at the princess's words...except for one player. Lucario shook his head slowly.

Lucario: But...should we worry?

"I do not agree," Lucario said out loud, as everyone turned to the legendary Pokemon to hear his own words. "If we worry...then that means that the Mole has been successful. He or she wants us to worry." Everyone's eyes lit up at his words. And even Peach herself made a little sound of agreement, smiling.

"Oh, that does make sense," Isabelle realized, turning to Lucario. "If we worry…then that will just make it worse for us! Uhh! ...but I also agree with you, Peach! Completely, truly!" Peach nodded to both of them, smiling and waving her gloved hand, not offended one bit.

"I do agree, actually, with Lucario's words...thank you for making me realize and pointing that out," Peach said with content gace, realizing the fact as well. "This Mole cannot win us. We can't be super frightened all the time."

Dark Pit: So, wise Princess Peach, what do you do then? Worry your butts off and let the Mole win...or not worry at all and then fail the quiz being executed by the Mole? Either way, you all still lose to the Mole. The Mole wins again. This game was like a black hole. You're screwed.

"We can be...both," Peach concluded to everyone. "Happy...yet, still at all times and at every second, attentive of when the Mole would strike us next."

"Here, here. To the next executed player." Joker raised his cup, nodding. DK groaned.

"I just want to have a meal where I don't have to worry all the time!" DK seemed to complain, grumbling. "You know what? On the quiz, I'm not even gonna be attentive or care...not one little bit!" Hearing DK, Wii Fit smiled at him.

"Well, if you don't pay attention even one single percent, then that'll just end you up in one place," Wii Fit told him with a smile. "And that one place, you may ask? Execution."

---

Outside, under different trees, small, wooden tables were situated. Upon each naturally-made table was a laptop, shining out to each player the moment they sat down to start taking their quizzes. It was the second time they were seeing the quiz, and though they were all familiar with the process, as they had discussed at their dinner, they were still nervous. Under the apple trees, they began to take their quizzes.

Peach, looking at the first question, began her quiz.

1. Is the Mole male or female?

-Male

-Female

Peach: Like baking an apple pie...how do you take the quiz? There are many steps, and I suppose you must surely be careful...and just hope you picked the right, correct apple in the first place.

Kazooie looked at Question 2, and quickly chose her choice for the question.

2. In which game did the Mole play in at the beginning of the episode?

-Warp Star Travels

-The Fountain of Temptation

Kazooie: The Warp Star game...phew, there were a lot of sabotages! DK touched Lucina's shoulders during the Warp Star Travels game. Was it accidental or on purpose? Like Wii Fit and I discussed, he'd be an interesting Mole.

3. Did the Mole ever set foot on the dark side of the moon?

-Yes

-No

Isabelle looked at the third question, her eyes focused yet still a bit unsure.

Isabelle: It was really sad that Wii Fit and Dark Pit didn't make it to the moon. Could those two feuding players be the Mole? Wii Fit is boastful, so she could be so confident from being the never-failing Mole. She failed the sign however. Dark Pit is angsty...oh, maybe because he's the Mole and hates everyone because of it! He's scary to me.

4. Did the Mole survive to the end of their mission?

-Yes; they avoided temptation or flew and arrived safely back to their planet

-No; they did not avoid temptation or they were lost in space.

Dark Pit thought about the next question and shrugged, clicking.

Dark Pit: Kazooie taking the Plus 7 was a huuuuge sabotage. No doubt about it. 15,000 coins? Maybe she's the Mole. A big, red-crested bird? What a weird choice.

5. Did the Mole enter the colorful communal house upon the Fountain of Dreams?

-Yes

-No

Wii Fit sighed with a bit of satisfaction, thinking of her actions so far in the game.

Wii Fit: Stole a journal from another player without being caught? Check. Formed a solid coalition with another player I can perhaps trust enough to make me survive? Check. I don't often like to brag...but I believe I may be doing quite well. Especially if Joker himself was the Mole.

6. What was the Mole's role in the game Appley Adventures?

-A Runner

-A Catch 'n' Thrower

-A Food Expert

Joker thought about the second half of their game. He looked at the screen...grinned...and clicked.

Joker: Wii Fit must have been very convinced that there were no other instructions when they ran down that unrelated, tiny path. Wii Fit grabbed the basket herself, which is fishy. However, Lucina did not spot the sign either. A warrior with such precision and accuracy didn't see it.

7. How many apples did the Mole be in close proximity to in total throughout the entire game?

-Ten

-Approximately fifteen or twenty

-Thirty

-None

The mission was still fresh in his head. Lucario, remembering nothing but flying apples as he used his memory recollection, clicked his answer.

Lucario: From placing the apple basket near the river's edge...to intimidating players left and right...Joker is trying to cause havoc in this group secretly. If he is the Mole...I must protect the group. I feel like it's perhaps my goal.

8. Did the Mole directly penalize the team pot money value in any way throughout this episode?

-Yes; in the Warp Star or Fountain missions only

-Yes; in the Appley Adventure mission only

-Yes; in both missions they partook in

-No; the Mole did not directly penalize any missions this episode

DK looked with confused eyes as he read the eight question.

"Huh?" He read each choice again and again...and his confusion seemed to increase with each additional read.

DK: Too difficult, some of these questions! All I know is that we gotta give Isabelle and Lucario some blame for not being perfect apple catchers. They ruined a lot! Why would they miss so many apples when they're probably secretly both good at catching, huh?

9. How many slices of apple pie did the Mole eat at dinner?

-One

-Two

-None

-The Mole helped make the apple pie (this answer prioritizes over others)

Lucina was almost done with her quiz. Her hand was steady, like a warrior's should, yet her feelings were nervous.

Lucina: To think how daunting it is that maybe your very friend might be the Mole...it is enough to make one feel petrified. For example, Peach sacrificed herself in the Warp Star mission, but was she perhaps displaying a false appearance as a hero? She also played a hero in the Apple game, choosing the correct apple from a single word. She is inspiring to me, and to many others, so I fear such what-if's. As I think more...indeed, I can only think about those displeasuring possibilities… what-if?

With a conflicted heart, she chose her answer. She chose with confidence. Her answer to the last, fateful question.

10. Who is the Mole?

-Peach

-DK

-Joker

-Wii Fit

-Isabelle

-Lucina

-Lucario

-Dark Pit

-Kazooie

---

Exiting the forest, the players came upon their second execution ceremony setting: a blue, calm river and green grass. Winding almost endlessly into the distance, the sparkling river was alluring, and it separated two pieces of large, expanse lands of green. The flowing water of the river was soft, the soothing sound being the only relaxing element of their approaching, distressing ceremony to come. Nine chairs were placed upon the grass, waiting for them all. As they sat down, they noticed the twinkling stars above them: they were staring at the very galaxy and stars that some of them had the privilege to fly past and through.

"Those were the stars we were once right next to…" Peach gasped with realization, facing the night galaxy above. Amidst the terrible air, she managed to smile.

"Oh no..." Isabelle squealed softly. What she noticed scattered around the chairs were fragments of broken apples, thrown mercilessly and unsuccessfully from their game prior. Their destroyed, dead parts were almost foretelling the events that were to take place very soon: the eliminating and destroying of one of them. Soon...one of them would be no more.

The host was right next to the glistening river, close to its edge like a basket of apples precariously placed on the edge near the surface. So was a television screen, which was soon to determine the bad fate of one of them.

"Hello," the host began, "And welcome...to the second execution." Everyone turned to him, their attention strong and their faces nervous.

"Here, next to the river, where many apples had fallen...one of you will fall as well," the host said, and his foot was nudging right on a spot where an apple's remains were situated. The players couldn't help but feel a little sick.

"One by one...I will enter your names into the computer," the host informed them. "If the screen turns green after your name is entered...you are safe. However...if it turns red…" the host took his time to glance to the crushed, red object under his foot.

"You are gone." Everyone turned to him nervously.

"Let us begin...the second execution." As he sat down in his own chair, he faced the player in front of him.

"Kazooie," he began, and everyone turned to the red bird. They all knew she held an advantage, if not a big one, for this execution. But nevertheless, Kazooie still had wide, unsure eyes, looking at the bright screen with just a one-percent of worry running through her body and her feathers. As the host typed in her name, she stared at the screen with anticipation.

"Kazooie," the host said again, and her eyes turned wider than before as she heard the menacing click of the 'Enter' button.

K-A-Z-O-O-I-E

…

…

…

…

…

GREEN

It was almost a quiet laugh of relief that Kazooie let out. She looked overall relaxed in her chair.

"Wii Fit," the host called, and everyone turned to the tall woman at the front of the seats as well. She straightened her back a bit, hearing the announcing of her name. The player had a pose of confidence, sitting in her chair, and her face seemed to show some confidence as well, but in her eyes were, understandably, concern.

"There's no way," Kazooie whispered, as everyone saw the trainer's name become entered. Seeing the host ready his click, Wii Fit took in a deep breath.

"Wii Fit," the host spoke, and he pressed 'Enter'.

W-I-I F-I-T

…

…

…

…

…

G-R-E-E-N

Wii Fit let out a deep breath and her eyes looked less worried. In all, she was relieved to be continuing in the game.

"Joker," called the host. Everyone turned to the masked man; the player himself looked calm, only staring at the screen and leaning slightly back in his wooden chair with a demeanor of nonchalance.

"Ready," he replied in a voice of lessened concern.

"Too calm," Lucario breathed, eyeing him from the other side of the chairs.

"You will be next," the host finished. Then, the host entered his name in, and pressed 'Enter'.

J-O-K-E-R

…

…

…

…

…

GREEN

The tuxedo-wearing player only nodded in understanding. He was safe as well.

"Peach," the host said. The Mushroom Kingdom princess looked with curious eyes at the screen as her name began to appear before her. Her name was called, and she was focused to the screen.

"Yes," Peach spoke, and letter by letter, she grasped her hands tightly together, a little nervously yet a little ready for the results of her quiz. The stars above them all shined as the host finished her name.

"Peach," the host said, and pressed the 'Enter' button.

P-E-A-C-H

…

…

…

…

…

RED

The shocked emotions filled the woody air. Every player was speechless at the red screen.

Wii Fit's face turned stunned. "How can this be…!"

"Oh...no….!" Isabelle let out a cry, already finding tears in her eyes as she faced towards Peach's direction. Everyone else couldn't believe it as well. Peach was taken as the Mole's victim.

DK: It was...Peach?! How was it Peach?!

"Oh no..." Peach had a hand on her soft face, shocked, but then she then closed her eyes, her face showing acceptance. It was the truth: the Mushroom Kingdom ruler would no longer continue in their game.

"I am sorry to say," the host began, sounding a little sad himself, "but Peach...you are the Mole's victim of this second execution."

Joker: It was a departure of somebody that no one expected it to be. Not even the Mole, perhaps.

"Hmm…" With both dissatisfaction and surprise, Lucario looked to the ground. He was shocked too: another respected player would leave.

"If you could kindly grab your bag," the host only spoke. At his sentence, the princess in the pink dress nodded heavily to the host. She stood up slowly with grace, and seemed, mostly and surprisingly, at peace.

"Well...I must go. I will go gracefully and with no qualms!" Then, she looked at all the players.

"With greatest pleasure...I am glad to have been part of this wonderful game," Peach smiled to them all. She waved at them with her gloved hand, even looking elegant in her departure.

"This way…" Smash Host motioned. Peach went to grab her bag, and with her bag in possession, then began to make her way towards the forest, following the host. She passed the sitting players once more again as she made her way to the apple trees.

"Princess Peach..." Lucina covered her mouth. She, too, was overwhelmed at the announcement of Peach's exit. She looked with stunned, slightly guilty eyes as she saw the other princess walk past her very seat. But the Ylisse princess couldn't hold her sadness either as she felt some tears form slightly in her eyes.

Within seconds, the host and Peach were gone. No one spoke.

"What the heck…?" Dark Pit began, speaking first.

"This...this is just not fair," Isabelle cried in defeat, looking down. Together, everyone felt her feelings as a group.

---

The princess of the Mushroom Kingdom and the host of the Smash World walked under the trees and through the forest together. Talking, they reflected on their eye-opening time spent together.

"It has come to an end...my time within this game," Peach said sadly with a contemplative smile as the host and her walked down through the forest. They were making their way down a beautiful path of apple trees. Though dark with shadows, it was still an extremely enlightening road to walk down together.

However, overall, it couldn't be denied that the emotions from the post-execution made everything seem sadder overall around them...it had made the entire world around them sadder and gloomier. Peach herself...had been executed.

"What was your reaction...to getting executed?" the host asked her quietly. "Even I...was surprised." Peach looked at him, smiling at his words.

"Oh, it was just surprising to me too, obviously of course! Yet at the same time...unsurprising," Peach told him. Smash Host looked at her, confused.

"Becoming executed...was also a bit unsurprising?" the host asked her in a reflective voice.

"I just knew I simply couldn't make it far in this game, because this time around, it just seemed so much more, well...difficult!" Peach stated. "Yet, I didn't anticipate I would be eliminated so very early...so that is where the surprising element was for me, I suppose." The host nodded, thinking about the princess' words.

"You played an excellent game," the host said, as they walked past one of the grandest apple trees in the forest, fruit fresh and redness of the apples sparkling even in the night shade. The host then said one more sentence, a little more quietly.

"In fact, you always have."

---

By the river, the remaining players were still in disbelief and sadness. But they had the energy, amidst their shock and downheartedness, to still speak.

"Peach...the high ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom...was taken by the Mole," Lucario said with quiet surprise. "I believe none of us had seen it coming."

Lucario: And simply, like that...another player we had treasured had tragically departed us.

"No…" Isabelle sounded, her face incredibly sad and still buried in her lap.

"Just...I can't believe it!" DK moaned, scratching his head and dumbfounded. "Another strong player...gone!?" Everyone agreed, their faces all conflicted and sad.

Wii Fit: It certainly took us another minute to all take in this shocking, second execution. It seemed like the nightmare of Fox's leaving had returned, I was afraid...but with a respectable princess instead. Just how unfortunate, really.

"What a respectable woman and leader that Peach was," Wii Fit spoke in a strong voice. "We wouldn't have been as successful as a group up to this point if it weren't for her helping us in several of our games. She helped us succeed in so many areas where we had failed. Just like a leader should." Everyone nodded, remembering the successes of the recently departed player sorrowfully. Yet still, in their faces, they all had appreciation for the player who had just left them.

"Shucks..she really did do so much for the team!" Kazooie realized as well. "Like how she chose that final apple in our last mission...that was almost magical! Pootooie...we're going to fail so much from now on without her."

Kazooie: And with someone strong like Peach gone...well...the Mole is just going to keep on winning. This wasn't good for us. Yikes.

"Solving the window and ocarina riddles in the throne room in Episode 1...I knew she wasn't just a beautiful princess to be trifled with," Joker admitted, as everyone else smiled too, if not sadly.

"It was funny; she said in the beginning at the breakfast table that we should not have a leader," DK said, even smiling a little glumly, "but...well. She sorta became one for us."

---

Peach and the host still talked heavily with smiles as they were making their way over a broken, worn-down bridge that spanned over a small height above the water. The bridge itself was safe and not too high, but the stream water itself was deep and menacing. They looked down at it together.

"Why," the host asked to Peach slowly, "do you think you got executed?" The player then immediately nodded, as if she knew her answer.

"Figuring out the identity of the Mole was not my main focus on my mind. It was not my priority," Peach revealed to the off-guard host.

"No?" the host asked her with wide eyes. "That is quite a surprising answer to hear." Peach stepped over a broken piece of brick, trying to keep her balance.

"I suppose that's why I failed," Peach smiled, trying to keep her own footing as she also carefully made sure her dress was okay and not dirtied. "I did not make that my priority."

"Then what was?" the host asked her. Ahead of her, he offered a hand to Peach, as she stepped her way carefully down safely to the other side of the land.

"It was...perhaps everything else besides focusing on the identity of the Mole," Peach realized, and she was even a little laughing. "The way to play missions...succeeding in games...making friends with those who I felt were not there to deceive me...and bringing overall harmony and structure to the group...everything else besides figuring out the Mole was my priority and my goal." She nodded, turning happily to look backwards at the other end of the forest, where the eight remaining players still sat.

---

"I...just…" Isabelle was the saddest of the group, tears in her eyes. She bent her face down into her lap.

"I just can't believe that we had shared so many missions together, like the first gondola mission, and the warpstars...and yet...she's suddenly gone!" she sighed. "I didn't expect to make a great friend in such a game like this." Lucario, next to her, could only pat Isabelle a little softly.

"That is what loss is…" the Pokemon said to her, wisely. "It is never expected...and so sudden...and when it happens, we are not prepared for it one bit. Before we know it...one is gone forever." Everyone reflected on Lucario's words, thinking about them deeply and with sadness.

"Quite the peaceful, buoyant, yet strong woman we lost…"Wii Fit sighed. "How terrible as we continue."

"Quite the hero we lost, too!" DK couldn't help saying with a grin. "When she reached over during the Warpstar game to save that falling engine piece...that was heroic! Almost as heroic as me!"

"I wish I could have seen that," Kazooie laughed, and everyone felt light-heartedness amidst their sadness.

"Well, I guess you never know what you have until it's gone," Dark Pit said, looking down at the grass. "Meh. That's pretty much life, I guess."

"Yes...indeed." Lucina was quietly reflecting in silence for the most part of the aftermath of Peach's execution, but finally, the other princess of the Ylisse Kingdom decided to speak.

"I had told Peach," Lucina revealed to the others hesitantly, "about how I looked up to her. That she was the one who I had always looked up to in becoming a better princess...a better ruler for my people...a better human overall." The others suddenly realized that they themselves too, in at least a small amount, also had deep admiration for Peach at one point or another throughout the game.

"And when you told her all of that...what did she tell you back?" Wii Fit asked her, curious.

"She told me important words…" Lucina whispered, and she tried to fight back her tears. Taking a small breath, she then continued in a straightforward, calm voice. She hid her emotions.

"She told me an answer that I should have already known a long time ago," Lucina told them. "To not copy her. Or not to copy any outline written in stone elsewhere. You must be true to yourself...and that is how you should live."

---

"You were a great player," the host said, smiling as they walked. Peach laughed and shook her head with disagreement.

"Oh really? How so?" Peach said to the host teasingly.

"Sacrificing yourself in outer space for that engine on the star...and eating the right apple and saving the team 10,000 coins...what will the team do without you, Peach?" Smash Host said towards her. Peach smiled.

"They will all definitely be okay," she answered to him. "But even with that...also…there's another thing..." Peach thought.

"What is that?" the host smiled.

"I'm afraid they will have to realize on their own that this game will...unfortunately and very unevitably...get harder from now on," Peach realized. "And that is one of the other reasons why I am happy to be leaving now. It will just become too stressful on you!"

"That...I can agree with," the host nodded with consideration. "For the remaining eight...things will only become more difficult. You have escaped the rest of the trials and suffering to come, Princess Peach. The other eight...will have to endure them."

---

The remaining players were left by the river under the glistening galaxy sky.

"And then there were eight," Joker spoke out loud, sighing. "Dwindling...dwindling…" Lucario picked up a piece of broken apple from the ground next to his chair. His look...was curious. His eyes seemed confused.

"It did not occur to anyone else," Lucario began very slowly, "that Peach...had a great amount of knowledge about this game...more knowledge in comparison to the rest of us?" Wii Fit folded her arms.

"What do you mean?" Wii Fit asked him.

"Besides several odd auras I received from her...she had stated some things in this game that made me realize she knew certain things...us others didn't know." Hearing his very words, Lucina gasped suddenly.

"I must agree," Lucina realized with wide eyes, turning to look at Lucario. "Her mentioning of journals being important...and one of her spoken sentences she said during the Warp Star game about strict rules...they were peculiar, I had thought…"

"Hmm. I will jump on this train as well. There was something a bit off with how well she knew all the games," Joker thought, hand on his chin. "As if...she knew how the game of the Mole worked out beforehand and knew how the premise of missions worked out as well."

"I don't get it," Dark Pit asked them all, face confused. "Are you saying Peach had possibly played in a game of the Mole beforehand?! What kind of bad apples did you all eat?! That's just ridiculous!"

"Yeah, and if she did, she would have said something to us about it!" Kazooie laughed, shaking her head to them all in complete disbelief

"Or maybe she wanted to keep it a secret..." DK shrugged. "IF she truly had!" Kazooie made an exaggerated face of curiosity to him, and DK frowned back.

"Your theorizing and conspiracizing all truly amuse me," Wii Fit laughed.

"But within every theory…" Lucario pointed out to her, "there is always some small, no matter how small, amount of truth in it."

They were silent...not sure what to think.

---

They were at the edge of the forest. The departure was soon to happen. As unimaginable as it was...Peach was soon to leave the game.

"With me leaving…" Peach said quietly, turning backwards to the host, "Do you think there will be many questions and mysteries that will be left unanswered?" The host was silent at her sudden question. He paused.

"That...is a very funny question for you to ask," the host replied slowly to her.

"But is it really?" Peach said, smiling a bit. The host didn't respond for a second. But, then, he nodded.

"Some stressed, excited players might say that there are...too many mysteries in this game...on top of the difficult mystery of simply, 'Who is the Mole?" the host said truthfully. "With you leaving…I actually believe some of those mysteries will be settled. It puts most of the other players at minds of peace." Peach nodded, understanding completely.

"However...those other mysteries...on top of simply, 'Who is the Mole?'...are very, very exciting," Smash Host grinned, "and they make the game just that much more fun and captivating. So...I thank you...if you had happened to bring any of those into this game."

The rocket, purple and beautiful, awaited them upon the green grass. Its metal exterior shined in the moonlight.

"Farewell...Peach."

Peach stepped up to the magnificent vehicle. Powered by the very engine she had brought back to the moon, the very same engine she had sacrificed herself for within the sky upon a star, she couldn't help but smile.

"I am happy to have helped the team," she whispered. She put one foot within the rocket, and it looked like she was about to depart completely...but then she stopped. She turned around and looked at the host in the eye.

"There is...however...one thing I had always wanted to say to you," Peach spoke suddenly without warning. The host looked surprised, however, he nodded at the departing player.

"And...what would that be?" he asked. The princess' mouth formed into a smile: it was almost a mysterious smile. She opened her mouth and delivered her final sentence to him.

"I had always liked you in your other hat better," Peach said slyly, and with one last wink, she fully entered into the rocket. As the door closed, Smash Host remained still, mouth open in a little shock, as the rocket began to ascend and ascend, further in the sky, almost covering him in smoke. The rocket, within minutes, was gone and out of sight. Into the beautiful, shining galaxy and sky.

A few minutes passed by. The host seemed stunned in place, standing still upon the green grass of the unworldly planet. A camera crew worker slowly came up to him, approaching.

"What was that all about?" the camera man asked him. "Her final sentence about a hat? And...should we include that in the final edit?"

"She must had mistaken me...for someone else," the host said, wide eyes and a little stunned. "For someone I know well." He swallowed.

"Everything is okay. Don't worry. But just delete that final line. Let us return now." And the two of them went back to the apple forest.

"By the way...I just conferred with the Mole a second ago," the camera man continued. "They actually knew who Peach was all along. It was actually no surprise to them."

"As if they wouldn't have figured it out," the host replied. "They're a very smart one...and might I add, a very dangerous one too. Almost as smart and dangerous as Peach herself."

---

Well...there you have it! The shocking execution that left even ME surprised! XD

The most mysterious player, besides the Mole, has left...but no fear and tears! Peach's legacy will surely live on within the Mole universe :)

And hopefully a lot of questions have finally been answered! :) It was a most surprising, but also a most needed execution to answer many unsolved mysteries. And then there were eight.

---

Anyways, below are the results to my profile poll! Here are the results! :)

Who is the Mole? (Episode 2) Poll Results

1. Peach (6 Votes) - 17 percent

2. DK (5 Votes) - 14 percent

2. Lucina (5 Votes) - 14 percent

3. Isabelle (4 Votes) - 11 percent

3. Lucario (4 Votes) 11 percent

4. Wii Fit (3 Votes) - 8 percent

4. Dark Pit (3 Votes) - 8 percent

4. Kazooie (3 Votes) - 8 percent

5. Joker (1 Vote) - 2 percent

By the way, some people asked if I choose the executed victim during each episode as I go along! Or based on who is the most suspicious! The answer is...it's already all decided! :) The pecking order had been picked and determined since the very beginning :) since Chapter 1, I know the exact order in which the players will get executed...which means...I already know who the fated Final 3 are :o

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Anyways, this is the stage of the story where I will stop having precise, exact announcements for next chapter updates! :'( I will be returning back to the US in 2 weeks! So I'll be getting a bit busy in the near future unfortunately. However, I'll be aiming for a new chapter every 2 weeks! :') If I was able to survive TEN whole chapters on a successful schedule, I think I can continue it for the rest of this awesome story :) so I really recommend to any readers, PLEASE FOLLOW OR FAVORITE THIS STORY FOR ALERTS on the future updates for this story! :) Because honestly, if you know my history past...I sometimes have the tendency to not update on regular intervals xD bahahaha. It's a mess! Unless you have some way to get email alerts :)

Last thing! If you have read up to this point, you're awesome! :D But please please leave a review on who you think is the Mole as well as your favorite characters/favorite game elements/favorite moments and scenes. Okay, that is all!

Thanks so much! :) I will see you all...probably when I'm back in America xD. Episode 3 awaits.

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Cavin856: Aww! It's so sweet to know you've warmed up to Lucario a bit more :) Not gonna lie, writing that apple teaching bit made me realize how much I now like him myself haha. It's SOOO funny how you tackled the Apple riddles backwards, skipping the first one: that's exactly what the 3 players did during the mission since the first one was difficult/impossible xD We all think alike. Wow, nice thinking with Incineroar on the 2nd riddle! Making it fire would have been so much better! Please write my riddles next time :) Okay, time to tackle your awesome, dedicated clue hunting! I truly admire how you managed to find connection between Fountain of Dreams and Fire Emblem; whether this was intentionally done or not, well done! :) Second...I commend you even more on the 2nd clue you very perfectly and organizedly laid out. I'm…...WOW. I'm too impressed. To even picture and look at the map of the Galaxy, you get bonus points already. But then you managed to eventually unearth (no pun) Gao Gao, our blue Mole. And matching that to Lucina….you see, this is either a series of coincidences or a real clue. And truly this was your best find yet :) congratulations! As author I can't confirm anything, but you are seriously a great clue hunter! :D Well, not surprised by how amazing your analysis was of the 5 islands in the very first mission.

Darksymphony777: Are you saying that in an alternate universe, Eclair, Piantissimo and Tiny are playing the exact same games as these guys? I like how you say just "excellent" to Peach mentioning "games are usually harder", and you don't say, "THIS PROVES PEach theory!" Bahah, yes God's best creation was Kirby Anime and unforgettable other creations of God such as Escargoon and the scary TV boss guy (who gave me Nightmares as a kid, what's his name?) Haha, Dark Pit's official name is Emo Boy and I totally love it and live for it. Might as well change his name starting Episode 3 (if he survives). DARN YEAHHHH! Min Min being a new character gives me happy Smash female power! Yessss! Wii Fit Amazonian Woman would really really be proud of my feminism ways which I vocalize by making this Smash cast 50/50 male and female, I wanna make her proud damn it.

Masking What Remains :) No worries! You know I'm always SO happy to see your name in reviews! In any circumstance or form :D My whole life is falling behind on things like stories and shows but then getting boosts of inspiration randomly to catch up xD I remember it being so difficult to get other fruits in the earlier Animal Crossings, eg Gamecube, so I literally bought another memory card, made a fake town, and transferred fruits there xD LOL! Yeah I wish I was smart enough as a kid to AC Wiki internet stuff cause I was literally doing trial and error, real life edition ahaha. The apple Throwers and Catchers did miss a lot of apples and I cannot deny that :o You will find out next chapter whether or not they wasted too many apples for a penalty...and if they did...maybe sabotage? : o Yay! I'm happy you're cheering for the Peach and Isabelle duo :) and even if Isabelle is the Mole, you cheering for her is even more wholesome! :D haha

Dark Punxysaur: Yeah, the money results are always so confusing xD I guess that's why we have Smash Host always explaining in long length after each mission the money results haha xD The green apple would have simply invalidated the entire mission's winnings is all! Smart apple riddle color analyzing! I know you're smart cause you said that Orange most likely couldn't be the correct answer because that was the false red herring of Squirtle's shell color being the wrong answer :) DarknPunxy scores again! Very cool theory about the correct apple colors being a hint to either the Mole or possibly the final three! I mean, there are three apples right? Ahah. And I have NO IDEA what you mean by me mentioning McHallyboo at the end! That must have been a trick of your eyes ;) ...or was it? Bahaha. Anyways thanks for your review again! :)

Derick Lindsey: Wow! D: How the heck did I even forget about the very first chapter of Traitor Aboard when Peach volunteered Toadette in the Baggage game?! You know my own stories better than I do Dx haha! I am dying at your comment of "How the FFF did Peach know about the exemption?!" because looking back at the chapter...it's so unclear and completely a mystery xD but then the newest chapter solves it. Yeah! Lucario is nice and lol, I am also on the floor laughing picturing DK and Isabelle as a catching duo...NOT then best haha xD Speaking which, nice eye spotting that Lucario told DK to throw the apples less, but still afterwards at one point, DK threw powerful again :o Hmmm. Anyways I guess Dark Pit was powerless because at that point of the game, everything was determined...then again there wasn't even an exemption...darn the host for that deceiving, false cliff hanger xD haha

Vivalahomestar: I AM SO MAD! Fanfiction took like yeaaaaarrs for your preview review to show up in full :( grrr I'm gonna get them. Anyways I read your whole last review and I'm so happy that you write the review as you go and read along! :D it makes it seem special. As for your newest review to the previous chapter: Yes precious ball and apple catching between our two beloved canines! :) I FORGOT THEYRE BOTH CANINES TOO! I literally took a step back and though, "Oh wow...they're both dogs! :D *heart*" I love your theorizing about that strange dialogue! Saying it might be a flash forwards of the final three! You even looked back at previous stories to see if it was a line?! Your detective efforts are sooo admirable and awesome! :O You search deep! I absolutely love how you recognized DK's character and personality within this chapter :) Indeed, he is in this to maximize having a good time, whether he's genuine player or is the Mole, regardless, that's the truth :) Peach is so mean to Dark Pit! xD Like as if everyone else isn't mean to the poor boy, Peach adds herself to the list xD Maybe she had her reasons during the mission? Nice job saying "I'll reserve my judgements till next part." Yes, all the little subtle things you picked up on! :) Like Wii Fit and Lucina surprisingly bonding, then Joker flirting with Lucina?! What the heck is going on here!? Mysteries as big as the Mole xD

Princess Toady: You're such a good reader but also friend, thanks for always reviewing :'D Nice theory on the random dialogue being maybe about Peach. True, I admit myself that it's a weird piece of convo...inserted weirdly...haha, Dark Pit really can't seem to take a break xD Kazooie isss very obvious and I like how you rank characters like Peach and Isabelle above her cause some of her sabotage is indeed more subtle! :o in terms of your Number 1 suspect, wow..I have to point out two impressive lines you wrote that really blow my mind yet they're very true. "She has a lot of screentime and interactions with the other players yet she's the one we know the least about". Regardless if she's the Mole or not that's true and wide-opening. And "She tends to be in bigger groups" is definitely a Mole potential element. Peach being a second "Snifit": I love the analogy and in a way I must acknowledge this and say yes, she does add her own second flair of mystery :) And Lucina for your third suspect..oh wow, I applaud you for perhaps finding out the true truth: that the Fire Emblem princess does indeed have the most sabotage acts under her belt, quantity wise. Same way you acknowledged that Wii Fit had made costly sabotages throughout the games. Nice suspect picking of your top 4 :) I like how you suspect the Mole is a girl and then bam, Kazooie is all the way at the bottom xD I totally love your honesty about her though. I wonder what her game is.

smoov: Eyyyyy! How are ya?! :D You are literally the link between both story worlds, hehe. The AOOO universe is so awesome and I'm glad to be a part of it as well as here :) Yeah, kudos on the negative -5 element...you were perhaps the only one who caught that little tricky trick in the Fountain game! Yeah, so back in 2013 or so, I had an exact Mole game with authors who reviewed my Mole stories! The missions were live and it took over a span of two months….it was fun and memorable :) that DM twitter game sounds so fun but rude! Forever blocking eliminated players off sounds extremely cruel :( It's like an entire world is lost. Anyways I'm so glad to see you here! :)

LuiasyLover: Ah! I should have considered your new story maybe had been in the Mario category :D unguessable E's and S's?! Hmm...Elvin Gadd? Sprixies? The Sprixie Princess? A Spiny?! The list is forever :) But I look forward to seeing the characters in your story! Haha, I like your "What's the point, baby?!" when you accuse Isabelle xD Indeed, Lucario and DK take blame for the apples and in fact all four of them kind of do. I like how you consider perhaps the Indigo apple could be the correct one for Number 2. Yep, the ship between Joker and Lucina...no one saw that coming, not even me, haha! xD And clues! Dont worry if you can't find any :) Most of them are hidden anyway. Though there at least 3 clues to the Mole hidden within each chapter. Then again you're an awesome reader so I'm sure you'll manage to find quite a few before the story ends :)

FFWF: Yes! Lucario's ability to teach does come from him being a Martial Arts Instructor :) it's interesting the "jobs" I gave the players... I tried to match as realistically as possible to what they would be...and the fact that I made both Lucario and Lucina be instructors and teachers in their fields is no coincidence: I wanted to show that there is some sort of similarity between them both in character. Interesting theory in the odd cutaway dialogue being a flashforward! And perhaps it indeed can give us some clue on the personality of the Mole! I like how you noticed it's something "you've never written before" :) ...you're so write and this is the first time I ever did something like this before! You 1000 percent analyzed the apple mission correctly; the clues couldn't be too obtuse, and ding ding! You floored the description of the red apple perfectly :) nice spotting the broken URL and the "ultimate deceiver" line...can never underestimate your clue hunting one bit! Nice thinking how Peach's act might have been illegal and the host was putting it back for grabs! Such a great analysis on Joker: your theory of him throwing apples a certain way to Isabelle, being directly at her, is definitely a possibility to consider. You're also right that although he's dark, he's not as antagonizing as other players. Wii Fit willing to give respect to those she finds worthy, YES! That's why I like her a lot too :D I'm happy her character is built that way. It makes her just that much more likable despite her rude qualities. Interesting Poll story! Indeed the list of players randomized for each unique computer I believe! I like how you tested fate and switched DK for Wii Fit, based solely on the poll list order alone. And unique guess on the next executed player! I know most others don't suspect Isabelle to go...oh, but just imagine if Kazooie were the next player eliminated xD game statistic chaos everywhere!

TheMarioMole: Is this your first review so far in the story?! HELLOOOO! :D So happy to see you! Especially since your name holds so much importance and significance in the Mole world….your name is literally "The Mario Mole". I can't. You hold so much power :) Yes: the colored apples are indeed inspired by the Super Paper Mario mission where Peach had to eat numerous colored apples to get better! :) nice memory and it does bring a lot of nostalgia, right? Anyways, I look forward to hearing from you more!

Darksymphony777: First of all, "Holy balls" I'm dead. Thank goodness the reviews are not rated K+ haha. Second, I'm curious on which "URL changed" review you read….because if you looked back at another review even more...you would have seen that the URL perhaps changed TWICE on my profile. Anyways, I'll stop talking. Just wanted to give you a little hint, is all.

The Wise Zora: UK 2 was one of my favorite seasons that kickstarted my Mole fanfiction series inspiration in the first place so I'm glad we both know it! :D I totally forgot Nicole's strategy of thinking potential quiz questions and memorizing answers, so smart! :O Oh, yeah, now I totally see what you mean by DK taking the quiz as fast as he could: a player doing that would just click the 1st choice answers! Definitely bad! xD now I totally get you on that. Very nice analysis possibilities on the mysterious dialogue! I like how you theorize that it sounds a bit royal like! And even more, the possibility that it could be the host! If it is, how interesting that'd be! :o "Seems like some pretty blatant sabotage from Wispy by the way, so I'll have to write that one down." I'M CRYING! XD I picture you and some other readers being such good Mole journal writers, that that'd totally be the writing style you would write in a journal entry xD Lucario is a noble Pokemon and Joker is a "HOR" HAHAHAHA! I CAN'T! It totally is portraying him that way so it can't be denied LOL. Your little c̕͝l̶̡͘͟͞u̵̡͢e̵͝ at the end of your first review probably 1-upped me...it made me catch me breath cause I was so surprised seeing that Moley text. Continuing on :) Omg, so I realized how little screen time the Apple Table players got in comparison to the others for Chapter 9 xD I bet if I had a deleted scenes section there'd be more scenes of Dark Pit secretly trying to sneak the apple out of Peach's pocket and Peach hastily turning her body away LOL. Nice mission predictions :)! Of course...penalties ahoy huh xD NICE execution analyzing and predictions! :) I like how you assumed some players were safe due to story arcs and logic, while some others assumed as safe could still be executed! Your theory of the fountain giving a fake plus 7 was eye opening! :O but alas, the fountain isn't that evil xD (fortunately for Kazooie haha)

LuiasyLover: I just looooooved your suspect list! :D it's cause you had such good reasoning, thought and logic! :O like it was written so organized and well! You're so right; when I looked back at Season 1, Toadette barely sabotaged the first two episodes : o eep! I like how you acknowledge Lucina as the MOST dangerous Mole compared to the past others (speaking if she isss the Mole) because she indeed has sabotaged a lot...maybe challenging against Yoshi a bit? :) I really like how you ordered Lucario and DK! Because the fact that Lucario is "just there" makes him a bit of a suspect himself, doesnt it? Your logic on Joker not being the Mole because of the journal is really good~ I give that kudos to you :) GREAT Peach prediction not eating the apple exemption! You analyzed her character well! I must say you are getting better at your analyzations! You were good before but now I'm like seriously getting impressed! :)

Cocotots: Hey there! :D Good to hear from you! Such validity on your suspect for the executed player, Lucina! An abundance of sabotage from her, and the fact that Lucina has a lack of suspects, are great reasons to suspect the Ylisse princess of departing next :O I like how you spelled her name! At first I was why, "Why did you space out her name?" Then I realized: EXECUTION TYPING STYLE! Dang, the cleverness in your review :) I loved it! :D

Mr. Rainbow Dude: THANK YOU THANK YOU! You are a gift to be a review writer, as someone who doesn't usually review :') I was on the fanfiction Reddit page the other day and you have no idea how many writers appreciate sudden reviews posted on their stories so yeah you totally made my day :)) Thank you so so much and if you have the energy and dedication to write another review I am (duh!) happily open! :D Anyways I'm so happy to know that Fox going home was a surprise for you! I really tried to build up a surprise in that sort :) I hope you are surprised again, wink wink ;D Canon might be canon! This last chapter definitely answers a lot of questions, especially about Peach :)