Episode 2: Part 3

     Celes and Reina both finally got their cars over the line and received their clues from the old man in purple.
     "Sorry," Reina said to Faris as they received their clue. "You were done so quickly too. I feel horrible slowing you down like this."
     "Tis okay," Faris said. "It just be time fer us to start kickin' booty, else we'll ne'er get our booty."
     "Cid," Celes started. "I-"
     "Don't worry about it," Cid said quickly. "Ditto that mannish woman's sediments. Only less pirate-brogue heavy. Well actually, keep it piratey. It seems more... fun."
     Reina and Faris were first to jog toward the exit, but Celes and Cid were right on their heels as all four made their way to the sea-planes.

<Cecil & Rosa: Married, Currently in 2nd Place>
     Cecil and Rosa parked their plane and ran to Gongaga, with Rosa constantly checking the map.
     "It should be here," Rosa said, comparing a map to their current position. "Where that forest is."
     "I hope it is inside the forest," Cecil said. "Otherwise we might be very lost."
     They ran through the forest until they finally happened across the junkyard with the two designated piles of trash, one of which was substantially smaller and messier.
     "Take the small one, dear," Cecil said. He ran for the large pile formerly occupied by Rude and began sorting through the junk.

<Fran & Balthier: Sky Pirates, Currently in 3rd Place>
<Ma & Zell: Mother/Son, Currently in 4th Place>
     Fran and Balthier entered the junkyard with Ma and Zell still on their heels. Both teams quickly approached the taller pile of garbage.
     "Mind if we join you?" Balthier said rhetorically to Cecil.
     "Be my guest," Cecil said.
     Fran and Balthier quickly dug into the pile. Both climbed closer to the top, while Cecil remained low. Zell and Ma split up with Zell on the larger pile and Ma on the smaller pile with Rosa.

     "Got it!" Rosa yelled to Cecil as she pulled a bent clue from the junk pile. She ripped it open and read it aloud. "Make your way to Nibelheim. Caution, Xing ahead."
     "Sounds bad," Cecil said. "Let's move quickly."
     "I love when you take charge." She smiled and tapped Cecil on the nose before they both raced for the buggies.

<Zone & Watts: Resistance Fighters, Currently in 4th Place>
     "The hell?" Zone said to Watts as they approached the trash. "Weren't those four guys still at the car detour when we left?" He motioned toward the four racers digging through the trash. "How'd they pass us? When did they pass us?"
     "I'm not sure," Watts said. "Maybe it was when you had to take a leak off the side of the plane?"
     "Oh, you're still gonna complain about that? Like I told you when it happened: I'm not about to go while the plane is still in motion. There are giant propellers spinning around wildly! My stomach hurt just thinking about pulling my you know what out with those spinning around."
     "I'm just saying that's probably when they passed us. When we were off to the side. It was only a couple minutes, but that could've been all the time they needed."
     "Well let's not waste more time," Zone said. "Let's double team the small pile with Zell's mom."
     The pair ran to the smaller, messier pile with Ma and began frantically digging into the garbage.

<Reno & Rude: Partners, Currently in 1st Place>
     Reno and Rude reached Nibelheim. Neither bothered to look at the Gothic architecture of the city, since both had visited Nibelheim before. They instead ran through the city's square to a mansion in the rear of the town. Large stone walls surrounded the mansion and an iron gate with a red and yellow flag on it, which flapped in the wind. The gate was cracked and from within they could see the clue box beside a bright yellow sign reading "Xing" on it with a matching mat beneath it. On the clue box were several numbered tags from 1 to 10. 

<Announcer Gippal>
     "This is the first of six predetermined delay points. Throughout the race will be three types of delays: Yield, U-Turn, and Xing. An Xing can be used to force one team to stop racing until one team (or more) has past them. If the team waiting at the Xing is the last team, they will be notified after waiting for a time period of exactly five minutes, at which time they may begin racing again. Teams may only use one delay point throughout the race, so they must decide when it is most advantageous."

<Reno & Rude: Partners, Currently in 1st Place>
     Reno and Rude stood in the center of the mat. "We choose not to Xing anybody," Reno said.
     "Xing?" Rude asked, putting an emphasis on the pronunciation of the X.
     "You'd prefer I call it a Crossing?" Reno asked. "So like, 'we choose not to cross anybody...' Something like that?"
     "Whatever." Rude pulled the clue out of the box while Reno ripped the "1" tag from the side of the box. Rude opened the clue and pulled out the red card. "First one. Roadblock: Who's ready to open up?"
     "Aww, I know you are, buddy," Reno said to Rude.

<Announcer Gippal>
     "A roadblock is a task that only one team member may perform. In this roadblock, that team member must enter the spooky mansion and open a safe by finding the four number combination. A note inside the mansion lists three locations around the mansion where teams will find the numbers. Then, without the aid of a pen, pencil, or paper, they must find the four numbers. The fourth number is not hidden inside the mansion, but is instead written directly on the note. This number, however, has been erased and is very difficult to see."

     Rude narrowed his barely visible eyebrows at Reno, then opened the clue and read it. "Okay." Without another word, he ran inside the mansion and quickly found the room to the left, where the list of number locations lay on the table. He looked at the first one: Look for the lid of the box with the most oxygen. He studied the clue, then quickly raced for the staircase and began looking around the house.

<Brahne & Garnet: Mother/Daughter, Currently in 6th Place>
<Biran & Yenke: Comrades, Currently in 7th Place>
     Brahne and Garnet approached the Gongaga forest with Biran and Yenke looming over Garnet's shoulders. Brahne walked beside Garnet, but constantly gazed longingly over her shoulder.
     "I think this is it," Garnet said while looking through the forest.
     "Hornless summoner is unsure," Biran noted. "Does not have her horn to guide her."
     "I'm sorry, I meant that yes, this is definitely it," Garnet reiterated. "Let's go quickly, mother."
     Brahne and Garnet began to jog through the forest, while Biran and Yenke merely walked and cracked all the hornless jokes they could think of. Garnet reached the garbage piles with the other teams first and quickly started throwing around the old car parts, bricks, pipes, and everything else that composed the disgusting trash mounds. Brahne joined her in hurling pieces everywhere to uncover a clue.
     "I can't believe we can't find any," Zell said to Ma from atop the largest pile. "We're one of the first teams. There should be tons of clues still!"
     "I'm sure there are, Zelly," Ma replied. "But you have to keep your wits about you and just keep digging. Don't get frustrated."
     "I'm not, Ma!"
     "Zelllllly," Ma scolded.
     "Sorry, Ma. I'll calm down."
     Biran and Yenke finally reached the trash piles and stood to decide where to dig. Their decision was entirely based on the location of Garnet, but she was on the other side of the trash where they were unable to see her. Yenke started to move for the smaller pile, when suddenly Biran backhanded his chest and bent down to pick up an old, oil-soaked coffee can. Inside a yellow clue shined brightly.
     Biran pulled out the clue and looked to Yenke. "Biran is almost sad. Must go ahead of hornless summoner."
     "Ronso can make sure path is safe for summoner," Yenke noted. Biran nodded in agreement.
     "Wait, they got a clue!?" Watts shouted. He pointed at the Ronso, who were reading over their clue.
     "What the heckles!?" Ma shouted. "They didn't even start looking!"
     "Ma, your temper!" Zell said to Ma.
     "Maybe we're looking at this wrong," Zone said. "Maybe I should wait down at the bottom and check any garbage tossed aside."
     "Naw," Watts replied. "Those hairy guys just got really lucky. It won't happen again."
     "Yeah, probably not. Still, I'll search down there."
     Biran and Yenke ran to the area with the buggies and picked one from the middle, then began driving to the north in search of Nibelheim.

<Cecil & Rosa: Married, Currently in 2nd Place>
     Cecil and Rosa parked the buggy and ran to the Nibelheim mansion. They ran to the Xing mat and tore off their "2" tag.
     "We choose not to X anybody," Rosa addressed the camera. She opened the clue and pulled out the roadblock card. "Who's ready to open up?" she read to Cecil. "I think I should."
     "Good luck," Cecil said with a hug.
     Rosa ran inside and found the note being read by Rude, who was already on his second number. Behind the Ivory's short of tea and ray.
     Rude silently exited the room in search of his clue while Rosa read the note for her first clue, then squinted and looked closer at the note. Below the third clue she read the erased clue: Right 97. "One down I guess," she said to herself, then jogged out of the note room in search of the room with the most oxygen.

<Freya & Fratley: Reunited Lovers, Currently in 8th Place>
<Dona & Barthello: Summoner/Guardian, Currently in 9th Place>
     "Is something bothering you?" Fratley asked Freya as they got off their sea-plane. Freya was watching Dona and Barthello very intently.
     "How did they catch up?" Freya asked. "I believe we were ahead of them."
     "It does not matter," Fratley said. "Come. We cannot let them affect our race."
     "Agreed. I appologize." Freya and Fratley began sprinting for Gongaga, leaving Dona and Barthello behind.
     "Ugh," Dona said to Barthello. "They're not going to make me run, are they?"
     "I believe we should run, but you do not have to," Barthello informed her.
     "Good. I-" Before Dona could complain, Barthello picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. He grabbed their backpacks with his free hand and began running after the two rats.
     Freya and Fratley reached the garbage piles and both quickly leapt to the tops of either pile to begin the digging. Barthello arrived shortly after and placed Dona on the ground.
     "So gross," Dona remarked before she hesitantly joined Barthello in digging for clues.

     "Yes!" Zell shouted, waving his clue in the air.
     "Oh, Zelly. Good job. But," Ma held up a clue of her own. "I just found one too."
     "Really?" Zell asked. He looked down to his Ma who, sure enough, also had a clue in her hands. "Okay, keep yours," he said. He took his clue between his middle and index finger and shouted "Free clue!" before spinning it into the air where it landed somewhere between the two piles. Zone, who was closest to the bottom, quickly grabbed up the clue.
     "Thanks, Zell!" Watts shouted as he joined his partner in reading their newly acquired clue.
     "So much for an alliance," Balthier noted to Fran.
     "He seems the type to forget things when excited," she replied. "Keep digging."
     Zell, Ma, Zone, and Watts quickly raced for the buggies and headed north for Nibelheim.

<Biran & Yenke: Comrades, Currently in 3rd Place>
     Biran drove the buggy across the plains near Gongaga and soon came to a river marked with a sign reading "Shallow Water. Cross with a Buggy or Chocobo only." The sign had a red and yellow flag attached to the top, so Biran knew he was going the right way. He drove the buggy into the shallow water and was halfway across when the buggy suddenly shut off. Water rushed against their windows and windshield as the two Ronso looked at each other curiously.
     "Yenke touch something?" Biran asked.
     "Not Yenke's fault. Is Biran's fault?" Yenke said.
     "Biran did nothing." Biran turned the key in the ignition, but the buggy did not respond with even a click. "Buggy is dead. Ronso cursed."

     "There," Fran said, picking a clue out of the garbage.
     "Nice work," Balthier said. He joined Fran in reading the clue, then running for their buggy. They hopped in the closest one with Fran taking the wheel. She pulled out and drove the buggy out for a couple minutes when they came across another buggy that was stopped only about a mile out in the middle of the grassy plains. Fran glanced out her window and smirked at the breakdown, but did not stop.
     "Who was that?" Balthier asked.
     "Our 'partners,'" she replied.
     "Karma is like that."

<Ma & Zell: Mother/Son, Currently in 6th Place>
     "No! No no no!" Zell shouted at the buggy. Both he and Ma sat in the car with their windows rolled down.
     "It did say there would be frequent breakdowns," Ma noted of the clue. She watched Fran and Balthier drive their buggy past.
     "But why us? This world sucks. The broken airplanes, the broken buggies. I hope later worlds have better technology."
     "I just hope we're around for later worlds."

<Zone & Watts: Resistance Fighters, Currently in 3rd Place>
     Zone and Watts ran through Nibelheim and stood on the Xing mat.
     "We choose not to use the Crossing," Zone said to the camera.
     Watts reached into the clue box and pulled out their next clue. He ripped it open and read it aloud. "Who's ready to open up?"
     "You," Zone said.
     "Me," Watts repeated. He read through the details, then nodded to Zone and ran inside. He ran to the note and read through all three hints. "Bottom up," he said to himself and began to pursue the third hint: The creak in the floor near the chair on the second floor... then to the left five steps, up nine steps, left two steps, and up six steps.
     He ran up the stairs and saw Rosa counting her own steps to the right. To his left he heard the sounds of a safe dial spinning wildly. He went to his right and started walking around, listening for the creak. Rosa looked up at him from her counting. He smiled at her, then was suddenly taken off guard by the creaking under his foot.
     "You're not going to-" Rosa started.
     "Don't worry," Watts said. "I'm not going to just look where you go. I plan to run a fair race."
     "Good to know nobility exists on other worlds too." She looked down at her feet, then her eyes shot upward in thought.
     "Left two," Watts commented. Rosa looked at him with confusion and curiosity. "Chivalry exists in our world too."
     Rosa smiled and took two steps to the left.
     "So does stupidity," Watts mumbled to scold himself as he counted out his five steps to the left.

     Rude stared at the safe and tapped his foot. He finally pulled the roadblock clue out of his pocket and read through it a second time. "Four numbers?" he said to himself, then went back to the note in the main area. He stared at it for a while, then shrugged and started searching the mansion again.

     Freya leapt up happily and showed the clue to Fratley.
     "Perfect," Fratley said. "Very nicely done, m'lady."
     The two rats read through their clue, then raced off to the buggies to head north to Nibelheim.

<Reina & Faris: Sisters, Currently in 10th Place>
<Celes & Cid: Subject/Researcher, Currently in Last Place>
     "That was certainly a nice shortcut," Cid commented to Reina and Faris as all four disembarked from their ships.
     "We asked ye not ter follow us," Faris barked back. Reina pulled Faris by her hand toward the forest.
     "Come on," Reina urged. "Don't worry about them. They're nice people."
     "Aye. Bet we can take 'em on foot anyhow."
     Faris and Reina began running for the forest while Cid and Celes hung back for a moment. Celes grabbed her backpack from the plane.
     "Now remember, Granddad," Celes said to Cid, "we're in this to win. I know you're feeling bad for taking their shortcut, but we had to."
     "Yes, I know," Cid replied. "But I still like to be courteous. If we have to be mean, can I make you look like the mean one?"
     "Sure."
     Celes and Cid put on their backpacks and ran to the forest around Gongaga and made their way through to the garbage pile. Faris and Reina had already begun digging for garbage when Celes and Cid approached.
     "Glad to see people are still here," Cid said quietly to Celes.
     "Even our alliance friends Garnet and Brahne are here," Celes said. "That means this is tricky. Let's dig in quickly."

     "Eww, come here Barthello," Dona said, waving flies away from her face. When Barthello reached her, she pointed at a clue stuck in some oil near a dead frog. Barthello pulled the clue out and read it, then the pair raced for the buggies while Dona cleaned herself off.

     "Yaharr!" Faris said, leaping to her feet. She held a clue triumphantly above her head. "Me expert treasure huntin' abilities amaze even me."
     "Good job!" Reina said, joining her sister to read the clue. "Though it looked to me more like you slipped off the top of a pile of garbage and knocked a bunch of garbage on the way down and accidentally uncovered it."
     "Yer bad fer me image."

     Rosa mouthed several numbers to herself as she sat in front of the safe. She finally started turning the knob to the right, then left, then right, then further to the right. She pulled on the handle and the safe swung open.
     "Yes!" Rosa cheered as she grabbed her clue and ran outside.
     "Rosa! Amazing!" Cecil said as he joined her. "You passed the bald man?"
     "I did? I thought he was done first." Rosa and Cecil paused, then both quickly ripped into the clue. Rosa grabbed the clue and read it aloud. "Make your way to the Pit Stop on Mt. Nibel. Warning, the last team to check in may be eliminated."

<Announcer Gippal>
     "Teams must now race through the mountain pass on Mt. Nibel on foot. Almost a mile into the path is a reactor. This reactor is the Pit Stop for this leg of the race. The last team to check in here, may be eliminated."

<Cecil & Rosa: Married, Currently in 1st Place>
     "Let's go," Cecil said. "Those two men in suits could probably take us in a footrace, so let's not lose our lead."
     "Right," Rosa said.
     The two raced out behind the mansion into several tall, pointed mountains. The path curved around many times, so even from the beginning of the trail they could see the rope bridge leading to the reactor where Gippal stood. Rosa looked on to the reactor and forgot to watch the path, which made her slip on a rock. Cecil caught her by the arm and helped her regain her footing.
     "Thank you, honey," Rosa said.
     "You're welcome. Just focus on the trail for now, not the finish line."

<Fran & Balthier: Sky Pirates, Currently in 4th Place>
     Fran and Balthier stood on the Xing mat and addressed the camera.
     "We choose to save our delay," Balthier said. He ripped open the next clue. "Who's ready to open up?"
     "I will," Fran said. She read through the information, then with Balthier holding the door to the mansion open for her, she entered and began searching for the clues.

     Rude paced around the clue room. He finally picked up the note after seeing Fran read through it and removed his sunglasses. His eyes grew wide as he looked at the fourth number that he was unable to see with his sunglasses on.
     "Oh," he muttered to himself. He put his sunglasses back on and raced to the safe. He quickly threw in the four numbers and grabbed the clue, then ran outside to get Reno. Without breaking stride, he punched Reno on the shoulder as he passed. Reno jumped to his feet and chased after him.
     "Nice, Rude!" Reno said, catching up to Rude. "I mean, a girl beat you y'know, but I think we can still catch them."
     The two men in suits sprinted ahead, but finally Rude grabbed Reno's jacket and forced him to slow to a stop. He pointed ahead at the reactor, where Cecil and Rosa were already standing.

     Gippal stood alongside a man with a long, dark ponytail, thick glasses, and a long white lab coat. The mat was at the top of a flight of metal stairs leading to the shiny reactor.
     Cecil and Rosa climbed the steps and stood on the mat.
     "Welcome to the Mt. Nibel Reactor," the scientist, Hojo, announced to the pair. Cecil and Rosa, both of whom were out of breath, simply smiled and bowed their heads.
     "Cecil and Rosa," Gippal said. "You're team number one!"
     Cecil and Rosa, despite knowing they were the first team, cheered loudly. Rosa hugged Cecil around the neck and Cecil lifted her off the ground. After a few seconds of rejoicing, they looked back to Gippal.
     "As the winners of this leg of the race," Gippal continued, "you've both won a seven day cruise around the country of Wutai, courtesy of chocobocity.com, which you can enjoy after the race."
     "That sounds amazing, Gippal. Thank you," Rosa said with a smile.

     Biran and Yenke sat on the top of their buggy, which was still mostly submerged in the river. The two wet Ronso watched Dona and Barthello drive by, when suddenly their new buggy arrived. Biran took the driver's seat and Yenke dove into the backseat. They took off driving behind Dona and Barthello as they passed through the desert cliffs of Cosmo Canyon.

     Zell and Ma similarly sat on the hood of their buggy as they waited for their buggy, which had finally arrived. Zell quickly jumped into the driver's seat and almost sped off before Ma was fully in the buggy.
     "Sorry, Ma," he said.
     "Don't worry about me, just step on it!" she replied.

     Reno and Rude stepped onto the mat and faced Gippal.
     "Rude and Reno," Gippal said, "you're team number two!"
     "Yeah, this guy told me why we lost," Reno said, gesturing to Rude. "Sunglasses, can you believe it? We almost had a double win too, y'know."

     Freya and Fratley leapt onto the Xing mat. "We shan't cross anyone," Fratley said. He ripped open the roadblock clue. "Who's ready to open up?"
     "I believe you should," Freya said.
     "Agreed. Wait here for me, m'lady," Fratley said. He ran inside the mansion and started reading over the note of clues.

     "FOUND IT!" Brahne shouted at the top of her lungs.
     "Thank goodness," Garnet said. She waved to Cid and Celes. "Good luck you two!"
     "You too," Celes said.
     Brahne and Garnet hopped into one of the two remaining buggies and drove north to Nibelheim.
     "Think we can catch up?" Garnet asked.
     "I hope so, dearie," Brahne asked. "Hopefully it's only driving around and driving toy cars the rest of the way though. Much as I hate to address my own weaknesses, but my legs couldn't bear to run long distances. And my heart couldn't bear to be the one to knock my dear Ciddles from this competition."
     "Yes, I hate being in the bottom with our allies. But if we have to race against them, then that's just how it is. I both hope and dread that they find their clue."

     "Here's one," Celes said. "Let's hurry, Granddad."
     "This is not going to be pretty," Cid said.
     The two raced for the remaining buggy and headed to the north.

     Reina and Faris stood on the Xing map. "We won't use our x-thing now," Reina said to the camera.
     Faris tore open the roadblock and read it. "Who's ready ter open up? Aye, that be me."
     "Good luck, sister!"

     Watts gave the safe a final spin, then opened the door and removed his final clue. He ran outside and collected Zone as the two ran to the mountains behind the city.

     Dona and Barthello reached the Xing mat and looked to each other.
     "Who should we cross?" Dona asked Barthello. She began fingering through the pictures of the other racers, but Barthello shook his head.
     "I think we should wait. We can use it later," Barthello said.
     Dona sighed. "Fine. We won't use it then. But whatever that roadblock is, you're doing it, Barthello."
     "Yes, ma'am," Barthello said. He read through the roadblock and ran inside the mansion.

     "Mother?" Garnet said to Brahne behind her as she drove the buggy.
     "Yes dear?"
     "Cid and Celes are done. And behind us. I- I don't know how they caught up. I've been driving as fast as possible."
     "They're... They're behind us!?" Brahne spun around and saw the other buggy quickly gaining on them. "What are you doing, Garnet!? Drive faster! Faster!" Brahne started hopping up and down in her seat and with each jolt, the buggy lost speed.
     "Oh, oh please, Mother!" Garnet said. "Please stay still! I think the buggy is moving slowly because of weight issues and bouncing is not helping."
     "Sorry, dear," Brahne said. She pulled a stick she'd found from her backpack and started breaking it in half, then breaking the halves in half. "Come on, buggy!"

     "Zone and Watts," Gippal said as the two boys put both feet on the mat. "You're team number three!"
     "We just keep getting better," Watts said.
     "Never doubt the Forest Owls!" Zone cheered.

     Biran and Yenke stood on the Xing mat and looked to the camera.
     "Ronso noble creatures," Yenke said. "We not cross-"
     "Wait," Biran said. "But think of summoner. Lost and behind. All alone with no horn to help her. Ronso must help!"
     "So Ronso not noble creatures?"
     "Not really. Ronso going to cross," Biran dug through the pictures until he found the faces of two people he had not seen pass them while they were broken down in the water. "Ronso crossing Hair-Horn and his mommy." Biran put the picture of Zell and Ma onto the board while Yenke added their own picture in the section labeled "Crossed By."
     "Now then," Yenke said after savagely ripping into the roadblock clue. "Who ready to something up? Yenke ripped too hard. Word missing."
     "Biran will do it. Yenke messes things up. Puts holes in clues." Biran ran inside the mansion and looked around at the chaos within. He could hear several voices of people repeating numbers and directions so they would not forget. He saw Fran racing up a flight of stairs, while Fratley opted to instead leap from the floor to the landing above, thus cutting off Fran. Faris upstairs was counting large steps as if looking for a giant 'X' on the ground to tell her where to dig, but was interrupted in her counting as Barthello ran through her path saying something about oxygen. Biran ran to the note prepared to join in the crazy roadblock.

<Ma & Zell: Mother/Son, Currently in 9th Place>
     Zell and Ma approached the Xing sign not long after Biran and Yenke had departed. Zell quickly started complaining when their picture was in eyesight, though Ma was quiet because her eyesight was not as good. Once they were within Ma's eyesight, she also began complaining loudly.
     "So what's this mean then?" Zell asked Ma.
     "According to this clue, it means we can't go on until any other team touches this mat," she replied.
     "Man, this isn't good at all. First the breakdown, now this. Those hairy beasts are gonna get it." Zell started jumping around making punching motions in the air to stay active. Ma thought he looked ridiculous, but shrugged and decided to join him.

     Fratley spun the dial of the safe while Fran waited impatiently behind him. Fratley started to cover the dial so that Fran could not see, but Fran simply walked a few steps back and looked the other way to keep from causing delays. Finally, Fratley opened the safe and pulled his clue out. He raced out the door and leapt from the landing down to the first floor and ran out the door.
     Meanwhile, Fran closed the safe since Fratley had not, then proceeded to unlock the safe as well. She did it quickly and soon enough was racing after Fratley with a clue of her own.

     "Come m'lady," Fratley said to Freya as he exited. "We haven't a moment to lose!"
     "Coming dear," Freya said as she grabbed her backpack and got to her feet. She and Fratley looked around and easily located the mountains behind them, then ran for the path.
     Shortly after, Fran emerged and waved for Balthier to follow. "Ffamran, follow."
     "Coming dear," Balthier mocked. He and Fran raced out the gates and chased Freya and Fratley along the mountain path.
     "Do we really need to run?" Fran asked Balthier as they started to gain on Freya and Fratley. "We're neither first nor last."
     "We don't need to beat them, no," Balthier said between breaths. "But I wouldn't mind adding an extra minute or so to our names."
     "Likewise."
     Freya and Fratley reached the mat and leapt on. Fran and Balthier were right on their heels and waited at the bottom of the stairs for them.
     "Freya and Fratley," Gippal said, "you're team number four!"
     "Once again," Fratley said. "But that is okay. Fourth is safe for now. We'll move up later."
     Freya kissed Fratley on the cheek. "I never thanked you for such an amazing roadblock completion. Very well done."
     "Don't," Fran ordered Balthier, who seemed to be ready to copy Freya once again.
     "You two getting anxious?" Gippal asked Fran and Balthier. He gestured for Freya and Fratley to move out of the way, then gestured for Fran and Balthier to approach. "Fran and Balthier, you're team number five!"
     "We, on the other hand, are moving down the chain," Balthier noted to Fran. "We'd best change that."
     "Indeed we shall," Fran replied.

     "Finally!" Zell shouted as both the bottom teams started running through Nibelheim. Cid and Celes took the lead with Garnet and Brahne right behind them. By the motivation in their eyes, it was easy to see these two teams were not allies for the time being. Zell and Ma stood to the side of the mat, both waiting for one of the other two teams to set foot on the mat, thus freeing Zell and Ma. Celes' foot touched it first and Zell quickly reached into the clue box and pulled out their clue.
     "Who's ready to open up?" Zell read. "You do it."
     "Okay," Ma said. She hiked up her apron and ran full-speed into the mansion.

     Celes and Garnet both ripped open their clues and read to their partners.
     "You want to?" Celes asked Cid.
     "I'm too slow," Cid said. "We'll need your speed for whatever's in there."
     "Okay."

     "I'll do it," Garnet told Brahne. "You stay out here and start stretching. Just in case we need to run."
     "Go get 'em, dearie!" Brahne ordered. "Make them bleed if you have to!"
     "Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."

     Celes and Garnet ran inside and both started reading the note, which they left on the table.
     "Wait!" Garnet said suddenly. "Celes, if we team up and cut this list in half, we can probably get out of here before at least Zell's mom."
     "True," Celes said. "Okay, I'll work on the first two since they seem easy. You do the third one. And we'll call this 'Right 97' one a freebie."
     "Okay, meet me by the safe!" Garnet ran upstairs while Celes began checking downstairs.

     "Yaharr!" Faris shouted as the safe burst open. She grabbed her clue and kicked the safe door shut, then ran outside to collect Reina.
     "Yes!" Reina cheered as she grabbed her belongings and ran alongside Faris to find the next region. They ran into the central plaza and found a man dressed in rags.
     "Pardon me, sir," Reina asked. "But we need to get to Mt. Nibel. Can you tell us where that might be?"
     The man gave the girls a strange look, then pointed at the mountains directly behind the mansion.
     "...Oh," both girls said. They thanked the man and quickly raced for the mountains.

     "I can't do this," Barthello said to himself as he spun the dial of the safe and once again failed to open it. "It's too much to memorize. I was never good with puzzles. Dona always did our cloister of trials." Barthello sighed and got to his feet. "Maybe I had something wrong." He ran out the door and checked the lid of the treasure box in the conservatory and nearly bumped into Celes, who was checking the same thing.
     "Pardon me," Celes said as she crept by Barthello and headed down the stairs and into the note room to read her second clue.
     Barthello, having already found the second clue, went down the stairs behind her but instead detoured into the back room to examine the piano where Ma was pushing keys in hopes that something would fall out when she pushed the right one. Finally Barthello gave in.
     "It's here," Barthello said. "Mind if I recheck it?"
     "Sure, sweet boy," Ma said, stepping aside so Barthello could see first. He thanked her and headed upstairs while Ma examined the key. "Okay, so we're at 'Right Randy had 36 tacos left in 10 lunchboxes.' What would the world do without mnemonic devices?"
     Barthello ran back upstairs where Garnet was counting out her steps and looking at the ground. Barthello having already found it simply recalled the location and looked at the ground. Garnet stopped her counting to join Barthello in looking at the number.
     "Sorry," Barthello said. "It's just that Dona will kill me if I don't-"
     "It's okay. It saves me some time," Garnet said with a smile.
     "But this is what I remembered," Barthello said. "And then 'Left 97' and-"
     "Right 97, wasn't it?"
     Barthello's eyes opened wider and he cracked a smile. "Thank you. Thank you so much." Barthello ran off to the safe while Garnet stayed behind and examined the number.
     "I shouldn't have said anything," Garnet said to herself softly. She got to her feet and went into the safe room. She waited behind Barthello, who was waiting behind Biran, who was currently spinning the dial. She waited for Celes and prayed she get there before Zell's mom.

     "Faris and Reina," Gippal said, "you're team number six!"
     "Gettin' better every day," Faris said.

     Biran pulled his clue from the safe and slammed the door shut before racing outside to get Yenke. Yenke, who was sitting right outside of the door, suddenly fell over as Biran raced out and pushed him over.
     "Come, Yenke!" Biran yelled at him. "Yenke always in the way, making Biran go slow."
     "Yenke is sorry," Yenke said. He jumped up and raced behind Biran for the mountains. The Ronso were quick along the mountains since both were accustomed to climbing mountains, but suddenly Biran stopped.
     "Oh no. Biran forget something important!" Biran said.
     "What Biran forget?" Yenke asked.
     "Biran pass hornless summoner and not make fun of her!"
     "What if hornless goatling summoner is unable to finish now? Not motivated by Ronso insults!"
     "Biran is sorry, but Ronso must finish even if hornless summoner cannot. Ronso always come first except sometimes."

     Barthello raced outside and handed Dona the clue.
     "Finally," Dona said. She read the clue aloud. "Come, Barthello. We're close."
     "Yes, ma'am," Barthello said. Dona began walking quickly into the mountains while Barthello tailed behind her.

     Garnet stepped up to the dial just as Celes entered and told her the first two numbers.
     "Right 36, Left 10," Celes said. "And it looks like we're ahead of Ma, but not by much."
     "Right 36," Garnet said as she put the numbers in. "Left 10. Oh, and my number was Right 59. Then Right 97..." The door popped open and Garnet grabbed her clue. She closed the door and looked to Celes. "You'd better open it yourself, just in case."
     "Agreed," Celes said. "Good luck, Garnet."
     "You too." Garnet raced outside and ripped open the clue. "Oh goodness, we have a mile run."
     "Oh dear," Brahne said. "But I've been doing Pilates out here to impress my Ciddles, so I'm ready to run."
     "Please..." Zell said, quivering in the corner. "Make her stop. Go go!"
     Brahne gave Zell an evil look, but then she and Garnet started running for the mountains. The ground around the mansion started to shake as Brahne ran.

     "Dammit," Celes said as the number flew past 10 and went to 9 on her left turn. She spun the dial around to reset it and started again. She finally put the combination in and pulled the door open. She grabbed the clue and ran outside to meet Cid.
     "How're Garnet and Brahne?" Celes asked.
     "They're... on the move," Cid said. "We should be too. Zell's mother won't be far behind."

     "Biran and Yenke," Gippal said, "you're team number seven! Quite an improvement, boys."
     "Biran work harder, Yenke work harder, but all human things break!" Biran complained. "Hornless show needs more Ronso inventions. Like stick. Or rock. Those never break."
     "So true," Gippal said. He shrugged and looked to Hojo beside him, but he was unresponsive.

     "Dona and Barthello," Gippal said, "you're team number eight!"
     "Wonderful," Dona said. "Another day of this."
     "Thank you, Gippal," Barthello said. "I'm really enjoying this."
     "You'll really need to get her to warm up to the idea of this show," Gippal said to Barthello. "This competition needs two teammates working in harmony to succeed."
     "Yes, sir," Barthello said. "I'll do my best."

     Ma sat down beside the safe and started turning the dial while reciting her mnemonics device. "Okay, Right Randy had 36 tacos left in 10 lunch boxes right after 59 baseball players played right through 97 innings." The door flew open and Ma grabbed her clue and ran outside. She joined Zell and the two started running up the mountain at full speed.
     "I still see the other teams! Hop on, Ma! We can make it!" Zell said and motioned for her to jump on his back.
     "You hop on!" Ma yelled back as she passed Zell.

     "They're coming. Can't you run more?" Celes urged Cid, who was walking and gasping for air.
     "I'm sorry, Celes," Cid said. "That question is about twenty years too late. We can still beat them though. We're almost there. And we're closing in on Brahne and Garnet at that!"

     "Mother, are you okay?" Garnet asked Brahne, who was walking slowly and using her daughter as a crutch.
     "We.... can't.... lose," Brahne choked out.

     "Zelly," Ma said. "I'm sorry, I just can't run anymore."
     "Then don't," Zell said. He stopped and crouched down on the ground in front of her.
     "Are you sure?"
     "Do it! Hurry hurry, Ma!"
     "I'll scold you for yelling at your mother later," Ma said as she leapt onto Zell's back. He held her arms around his neck and ran, though at a slower pace.

     "Oh no!" Celes yelled as Zell ran by with his mom on his back. "Cid, you want to do that?"
     "Can you carry me?" Cid said. "You're a general not some pack mule."
     "Get on!" Celes shouted at him. He quickly jumped on her back and she started running as well.

     "NOOOOO!" Brahne shouted as Zell and Ma ran past them and went across the bridge to the Pit Stop area. "Garnet, sweetheart, if you could just-"
     "I'm sorry, Mother, but no. Not a chance," Garnet said.

     "Ma and Zell," Gippal said, "you're team number nine!"
     Zell tried to make a response, but instead just collapsed on the mat.
     "Thank you, Gippal," Ma said. "I think I'm going to take him to bed now."
     "Good idea," Gippal said.

     Cid rode Celes all the way to a rope bridge, then tapped her on the shoulder to put him down.
     "Okay, I can run from here," Cid said. "Let's go."
     Cid and Celes ran across the bridge and ran to the bottom of the stairs, where the two watched Gippal at the mat with Garnet and Brahne.
     "Brahne and Garnet," Gippal said, "you're team number ten."
     Garnet and Brahne nodded and beckoned for Cid and Celes to join them. Garnet gave Celes a hug while Brahne gave Cid a hug and kiss on the cheek, which was only on the cheek because Cid turned his head at the last second. The two moved onto the mat and faced Gippal.
     "Celes and Cid," Gippal said, "you're the last team to arrive. I'm sorry to tell you you've been eliminated from the race."
     "Thanks for a wonderful time," Celes said to Gippal.
     "Are you proud of your 'granddad?'" Gippal said, making sure to include air quotes.
     "Of course. I was proud before this race. This just reconfirmed it."
     "Disappointed to go?" Gippal asked.
     "Of course," Cid responded. "We were close to survival. Very close. But close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades."
     "Very true," Gippal said. He mouthed 'horse shoes?' to Celes, but she just shrugged and shook her head.
     "I couldn't have asked for a more entertaining experience," Celes said to Gippal. She looked to Garnet and Brahne. "And you two had better do our alliance proud!"
     "We will!" Garnet and Brahne said. They started to wave as Cid and Celes walked back down the stairs and away from the Pit Stop.