Episode 6: Part 2

(8:00 am Flight)
     Auron and Jecht were first to run into Ruffleberg's lab, followed quickly by Steiner and Beatrix. Auron ran up to Ruffleberg.
     "We need to go to Podunk. There's no time to waste," Auron said.
     "Fine. Crazy bastards," Ruffleberg said. "Nobody wants to talk to me. Everybody's just 'take us to Podunk.' Fine. Get on the platform."
     Steiner and Beatrix stepped onto the platform with Auron and Jecht as the four were teleported to the Podunk theaters. Beatrix and Auron grabbed the clues.
     "New York City," Auron read.
     "We'd better get to the airport," Beatrix said. The four ran off to find the airport.
     There was a lonely man at the counter and nobody in line. Beatrix walked up to the counter as the other three stayed back.
     "She good at this?" Jecht asked Steiner.
     "Our fate lies with yours, so for both of us, I hope so," Steiner responded.
     "The hell does that mean? Yes?"
     "Yes."

     "Four tickets please," Beatrix said to the counter. "Oh, that's to New York City. Oh, and make those the earliest flights possible."
     "There's an 11:00 am flight. That looks like the earliest one you can get on," the man said.
     "Right. We'll take that one then."

(9:00 am Flight)
     Lani and Amarant landed in Omnitopia and quickly made their way to Ruffleberg's lab. They saw a very agitated Professor Ruffleberg standing in the corner tapping his foot.
     "Podunk is it then?" Ruffleberg asked with anger overtones in his voice.
     "Yes," Amarant said. "And we're in a hurry."
     "I know I know. You're ALL in a hurry. Stand on the platform."
     Amarant walked to the platform and stood on it with his arms crossed. Lani, however, walked up to Ruffleberg.
     "It's not that we don't care," Lani said as she threw her arm around Ruffleberg. "It's just that we're in a hurry. If I could, I'd stay here and chat up a storm with yer cute self." Lani kissed Ruffleberg on the cheek and walked to the platform as Ruffleberg stood blushing by the control switch.
     "Compassion?" Amarant said quietly to Lani.
     "Pity," Lani responded quietly.
     "Yeah. That makes more sense."
     Lani and Amarant retrieved their clue from the Podunk theater and quickly headed to the airport. Once inside, Lani quickly approached the counter and ordered their tickets.
     "Okay, you're confirmed for the 11:00 am flight to New York," the man at the counter recapped. "Enjoy your flight."

<Announcer Gippal>
     "All six teams are headed for New York City. On the first flight are Yuna and Rikku, Fujin and Raijin, and Shinra and Rufus. On the second flight arriving two hours later are Auron and Jecht, Steiner and Beatrix, and Lani and Amarant."

(9:00 am Flight to New York City Landing)
     Yuna and Rikku were the first team off the plane and quickly ran to find the clue box. The box was just outside the airport entrance by a drop-off zone that was strangely empty.
     Yuna pulled out the clue and read it aloud. "Drive yourselves to Central Park using one of the six marked cars."

<Announcer Gippal>
     "Teams must now drive one of these six gray 2005 Corollas to Central Park in New York. Once there, they will find the clue at the entrance gates to the park."

<Rikku & Yuna: Cousins, Currently in 1st>
     "Let's go," Yuna said. 
     Rikku ran to the driver's seat and Yuna to the passenger's seat. Rikku fired up the car and backed out quickly without looking over her shoulder, nor in a mirror. She shifted into drive and tore ass out of the parking lot. The city was open with nobody on the road, and Rikku made sure to take advantage of this and ignore every speed limit sign around.

<Raijin & Fujin: Friends, Currently in 2nd>
     "SHOTGUN," Fujin yelled.
     "Guess I'm drivin', ya know," Raijin said.
     Raijin and Fujin ran to their car and drove off to Central Park almost as fast as Rikku had.

<Shinra & Rufus: Father/Son, Currently in 3rd>
     "I think I should drive," Shinra said. "I'm more experienced and I'm older and have seniority, so I think I get to drive."
     "Yeah, but I'm already in the driver's seat," Rufus yelled from the car. "Get the hell in, I'm driving."
     Shinra hopped into the passenger's seat and Rufus immediately sped off to catch up to the other teams. Rufus drove as fast as he could, but soon learned that Raijin and Rikku were doing the same thing. The streets of New York were completely empty, so driving quickly was encouraged, though the roads were icy.
     The Shinras quickly gained on the other two cars and started to pass Raijin and Fujin. Fujin looked coldly over her shoulder as the Shinras passed. She tried to grab the wheel from Raijin to run them off the road with their attempt to pass on the right.
     "Whoa!" Raijin yelled as he batted her hand away. "This is why I'm driving and you're not, ya know?"

     Rikku and Yuna pulled up to Central Park and attempted to jump out of the car and run to the clue box, only to both forget to take off their seatbelts. Both fell back against their seats and looked at the other. After a mutual sigh, both unfastened their seatbelts and ran for the clue box. Yuna reached in and grabbed the clue.
     "Detour," Yuna read. "Doing Time or Doing Broadway."

<Announcer Gippal>
     "A detour is a choice between two tasks, each with its own pros and cons. In Doing Time, teams must travel to the local police station and find the office room. Once there, teams will have to search through several desks of messy New York cops to find a key that opens the locked locker in the locker room. Inside the locker will be their next clue. This task is not physically demanding, but searching could take a long time. In Doing Broadway, teams must travel to Carnegie Hall and make their way onto the stage. They will be given a couple stage props and scripts, then they will act along with a couple professional actors and do an entire scene. At the end of the scene, they will be given their clue. This task is not very physically demanding either, but those that get nervous in front of an audience may have a hard time."

<Rikku & Yuna: Cousins, Currently in 1st>
     "Let's act!" Rikku said with a cheer. "We both have no problem in front of crowds, right?"
     "Right! Let's do it!" Yuna agreed.
     Both Yuna and Rikku hopped back into their car and sped off to find Carnegie Hall.

<Shinra & Rufus: Father/Son, Currently in 2nd>
     Rufus jumped out of the car before it had even completely stopped and ran for the clue box. Shinra nonchalantly pulled up the emergency brake. The car stopped and Shinra stepped out and walked to join Rufus at the clue box.
     Rufus ripped open the clue. "Doing Time or Doing Broadway? I think doing t-"
     "It's an omen!" Shinra said theatrically as he raised a hand to the air and talked to the camera. "It has been prophesized, and so it shall be, that I- President Shinra of Midgar- shall play the lead in Broadway and I shall steal the show! The Honeybee Inn plays were only a stepping stone, but now I have reached Broadway and-"
     Rufus sighed as he put the clue into his jacket. "This is all just more convincing that we should do time."

<Raijin & Fujin: Friends, Currently in 3rd>
     Raijin and Fujin pulled up just as Shinra was ending his speech. Both Shinras left as Raijin ran to the box and grabbed the clue. "Detour. Doin' Time or Doin' Broadway?"
     "TIME," Fujin said.
     "Okay. Let's get goin', ya know?"

(11:00 am Flight to New York City Landing)
     Amarant, Lani, Steiner, Beatrix, Auron, and Jecht were all neck and neck as they sprinted forward toward the clue box. Jecht was the first one to reach the clue box, but as he opened the top to pull out his clue, Lani and Beatrix slammed into him. All three fell over, including the clue box. Teams scrambled for the clues that lie on the ground. Auron and Amarant simply watched as the other four desperately tugged at the clues.
     "They're like five-year olds," Auron said as he waited for the clue scramble to end.
     Amarant nodded. "We're wasting the time we just made up."
     "Red!" Lani yelled from the floor with a clue in her hand. "We already made up a half hour from a fast flight! Don't just blow that half hour gossiping like a little girl!"
     Amarant walked after Lani without another word as the two jumped into their car. Lani hopped eagerly behind the wheel.
     Auron and Jecht grabbed their car not long after as Jecht took the wheel and drove off after Lani and Amarant. This left Steiner and Beatrix standing by the last car.
     "A powerful vehicle for a powerful woman," Steiner said as he handed the keys to Beatrix.
     "I don't think so!" Beatrix replied as she tossed the keys back at Steiner.
     "I can't drive stick!" Steiner yelled as he reluctantly opened the driver's side door.
     "I can't drive at all!" Beatrix yelled back. "I know they taught us before the race, but you were better!"
     "But I-"
     "So much better!" Beatrix yelled, suddenly trying to flatter him. "Oh my goodness! I never told you, did I!? The guy. The driving instructor. While you were out running over those cones. He said to me that you were the quickest learner he's ever seen!"
     "H-he did?" Steiner said, a bit taken back. Suddenly confidence struck him. He started the car up. "Well, he would have said the same about you, but you're a woman. Aside from that, you were pretty good." Steiner started the car up again, causing the engine to squeal. Beatrix smirked and sat back as Steiner drove off for Central Park.

<Rikku & Yuna: Cousins, Currently in 1st>
     Yuna and Rikku's Corolla slid hard around the corner and drove straight to Carnegie Hall. They drove to the designated drop-off zone with only the front-right tire hopping up onto the curb. Rikku got out of the driver's side as Yuna stepped from the passenger's side. Neither seemed to be aware of Rikku's horrible driving. Both were admiring the building as they stared upward.
     "Wow," Rikku said. "If this doesn't give you the jitters."
     "Rikku," Yuna said slowly. "Do you... think I'm good at singing?"
     Rikku smiled, then bit her lip noticeably. "Well..." she trailed off. "Of course you can! I'm just wondering how well you can act!"
     Yuna put her fists on her hips. "Don't tell me you forgot about my commercial for Spurt Plus all-in-one shampoo and conditioner!"
     "Oh yeah! You were great in that! We'll have no sweat then!" Rikku said enthusiastically.
     "Thanks!" Yuna said as she walked inside Carnegie Hall.
     Rikku looked back at the camera. "At least I'll do okay. I should've won an Emmy for that performance." Rikku grinned widely and trotted inside behind Yuna.
     As Yuna and Rikku entered, a mob of people attacked them with what they needed to do. One person waved scripts at them and another waved costumes while a couple people stood on stage waiting to act with them. One was dressed as a king and one was dressed as a knight.
     "We need a prince and a princess," the director yelled at them. "You!" he pointed at Yuna. "You're Princess Rosa. Try to be all sexy and stuff." He scratched his chin for a minute. "Okay, you!" he pointed at Rikku. "You're gonna be Prince Cecil. Maybe if we just push up the boobs we can make those little things look like pecs."
     "Hey!" Rikku argued, but the director didn't seem to notice.

<Raijin & Fujin: Friends, Currently in 2nd>
     Raijin and Fujin walked inside the police station and made their way down the hall after following a few Amazing Race colored arrows that led them to the large room of messy police desks. They were a lot messier than Fujin and Raijin had planned on.
     "We need a system, ya know?" Raijin said. "How about if you start on the right, and I'll start on the left- Oh! Or how 'bout you do all the drawers and I'll do the tops of the desks?"
     Fujin yanked a drawer out and held it up high. "QUIET," she said. Once they had complete silence, she dumped the drawer out and listened. Only papers hit the ground, so there was no loud noises.
     "Hey, good plan, ya know?" Raijin said. "Okay, we'll listen for a key."

<Shinra & Rufus: Father/Son, Currently in 3rd>
     Rufus and Shinra pulled up to Carnegie Hall and jumped out of the car. They both took a glance at Rikku and Yuna's horrible parking job, then went inside. A bunch of people met them at the entrance.
     "Sorry, we have a group on stage right now," the man said. "You'll be the next group after they're done. For now, have a seat and enjoy the play."
     Rufus and Shinra nodded as they made their way through the empty seats and found a couple in the middle of the theatre. They watched the happenings on stage as Yuna and Rikku staggered through their lines nervously.

     "Oh sweet Princess Rosa," Rikku read, "My love for you is like the sun and the moon! Princess Rosa. And my love for y- Oh, that's your line."
     "Oh yeah!" Yuna said as she looked down at the script. "And my love for you burns like the fire of the burniest fireplaces!" Both she and Rikku looked long and hard at the script. Finally Yuna looked out to the director. "What does 'they embrace' mean?"
     Rufus jumped up on his seat. "It means kiss! Full on girl-on-girl kiss! Sloppy-like with tongues!"
     "Oh! Is that what it means!?" Yuna and Rikku said together. After some confirming nods from men in the staff including the Amazing Race staff, they did just that.
     Shinra joined Rufus in standing and leaning as close to the action as possible. Shinra slapped Rufus on the back. "Good job, son!" he said as he pounded appreciatively on Rufus's back until he screamed and fell into the row of seats in front of him.

     Finally Yuna and Rikku finished and ripped off their costumes as the director gave them their clue.
     "Make your way to the Museum of Natural History," Yuna read.

<Announcer Gippal>
     "Teams must now travel to the Museum of Natural History and make their way to the front door. Waiting by the service door will be the next clue."

     "Let's go," Rikku said as she got back into the driver's seat of their Corolla. Yuna hopped into the passenger's seat after pulling the parking ticket from the windshield.

<Raijin & Fujin: Friends, Currently in 2nd>
     Raijin pulled a key from the ground after it clattered to the ground. "I got one, ya know?" He ran out of the room and found the lockers. There was a marked locker directly ahead that he quickly stuck the key into. He turned it as hard as he could, but it wouldn't budge. "Oh man. They didn't tell us there were fake keys, ya know? We might be here a while..." He trailed off as he pulled the key from the lock and threw it into the corner. "This su-"
     "OPEN," Fujin said as she pulled open the locker with a key she'd found. She pulled the key out and read the clue. "MUSEUM," she stated.
     "Right, let's go then, ya know?"