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Episode
7: Part 1
Gippal
stood on a small ledge in a cliffside
and walked down into a gorge while he
spoke to the camera. "This is the
Dark Depths in Radiant Garden. An epic
war hit this spot in the Kingdom Hearts
2 verse, but the only action it has
seen since then was the results of the
sixth leg of a race around worlds. Teams
departed from a mansion in Twilight Town
and made their way to Sunset Hill by train,
where teams had to each find a unique
wonder in the area. Sky pirates Fran and
Balthier took an early lead when they
learned the Spooky Steps wonder, but fell
behind when they attempted the first Fast
Forward of the race, then abandoned it.
Sisters Reina and Faris were the only
team that had enough drive to eat the
disgusting Sea Salt Popsicles, pushing
them to their second win. Meanwhile, teams
chose between a physical detour and another
that changed them physically, though only
while in water. We saw competitors turn
into several forms of sea animals before
heading to the race-changing Roadblock
searching for hairs, though it was the
long hike to the hair search that caused
Brahne and Garnet to fall horribly behind.
It was a close race to the finish and
Ronsos Biran and Yenke barely pulled ahead
of the mother and daughter at the end,
leaving Brahne and Garnet as the sixth
team eliminated. Now, will Reina and Faris
continue their domination and pull off
a third victory? Will the Ronso be able
to cope with the loss of their semi-allies?
And what will happen to Dona and Barthello,
who had a secret alliance with Brahne
and Garnet? Reina and Faris, who were
first to arrive at 11:04 am, will depart
at 11:04 pm."
<Reina & Faris: Sisters,
1st to Depart: 11:04 pm>
"Ready,
sis?" Faris asked. She held the clue
tightly and ripped the top off to pull
out the clue. She held it up to the light
from Reina's flashlight and read the clue
aloud. "Make yer way ter the computer
system of Radiant Garden and follow the
directions given by the computer."
<Announcer Gippal>
"Teams
must make their way to a computer system
in the city. Once there, they will put
on protective gear that will teleport
them inside the system to a mysterious
location."
<Reina & Faris: Sisters,
Currently in 1st Place>
"You
have 100 fol fer this leg of the race,"
Faris continued reading.
"Yep,
one-hundred...things. Let's go!"
Reina said happily after counting the
money. She and Faris searched through
the dark gorge for an exit, but the surrounding
area only had a few lights near the Pit
Start mat. Add that to their flashlights,
and they were in a very dark area.
"We
be losin' our lead," Faris said.
"Yeah,
but we'll find it!"
They continued
to search the walls around them when Faris
finally called out to Reina. "I found
'er!"
"Great!"
Reina pointed her flashlight in Faris's
direction until the light finally fell
on her and the slope that would take them
out of the gorge. They both walked up
the slope, making sure to keep a light
on the ground to avoid falling. Once at
the top of the gorge, there was a dimly-lit
path. It was just enough to make the journey
back to Radiant Garden a safe one.
On the edge
of the city was a large area that was
under construction. Several yellow steampipes
stuck out of the ground and walls and
a giant object that looked similar to
a grandfather clock was built into the
nearby wall. Faris and Reina walked down
a manmade path to a large open area, which
was lit by floodlights. One of the lights
illuminated a red-and-yellow sign labeled
as "computer" with an arrow
pointing them down a different path. Faris
and Reina followed the arrow to a corridor.
They followed
the corridor to a room with a giant computer
system inside. Reina walked up to the
computer while Faris looked around the
room for anything they might need besides
the main computer system. All she found
were a couple electronics in the upper
corners of the room that looked like security
cameras.
"It
says for Amazing Racers to push this big
red button," Reina said, pointing
to a large, red button in the middle of
the keyboard.
"Enough
waitin' around then," Faris said.
She slammed her hand down on the button
and a large computerized face appeared.
The face was cylindrical with no definite
ending to the top of the head, though
the bottom came to a point where a chin
would be.
"Your
next clue is a digital clue," the
computer said. "I will now teleport
you to Gemity City. You must search for
a clue box near the computer when you
arrive. Cease transmission."
<Announcer Gippal>
"Teams
will now be teleported by the Master Control
Program to Gemity City. This futuristic
city lies in the Star Ocean 3 verse.
Once there, teams will find their next
clue."
<Reina & Faris: Sisters,
Currently in 1st Place>
The large
head disappeared from the screen, leaving
Reina and Faris in a state of confusion.
"Teleport?"
Reina asked. "Like back at that temple
earlier. So we should be walking through
some gateway or something?"
The two
security camera-like objects suddenly
shot blue lasers at the two girls. Strange,
transparent blocks with a dotted blue
outline appeared around their bodies and
more blocks appeared around their extremities
until they were completely covered by
the invisible blocks. The blocks shrank
into nothingness in the blink of an eye,
with Reina and Faris disappearing as well.
The two
girls appeared in a room with a large
computer beside a clue box. A woman sat
in front of the computer and greeted them
as they arrived.
"Welcome
to Gemity City," she said.
"Thank
you!" Reina said. She moved to the
clue box and took the next clue, while
Faris patted herself down to make sure
she still had all her parts. Reina ripped
open the clue and read it to Faris. "Detour:
Buy Win or Buy Perfecta."
<Announcer Gippal>
"A
detour is a choice between two tasks,
each with its own pros and cons. In both
Detours, teams must participate by placing
bets on Bunny Races. Four bunnies race
around a track and you must pick the winner.
In Buy Win, teams bet on the winner of
the race. That is, they bet on which bunny
they believe will win. In Buy Perfecta,
teams bet on the top two bunnies in the
race, meaning first and second place (though
order is not important). Teams must win
at Buy Win a total of three times in order
to get their next clue. It is the safer
bet, but still could take some time, since
the bunnies are really slow. On the other
hand, teams must win Buy Perfecta only
once. It requires more luck, but if a
team is feeling lucky, it could push them
ahead."
<Reina & Faris: Sisters,
Currently in 1st Place>
"This
be yer thing," Faris said to Reina,
who was jumping for joy.
"BUNNIES!"
Reina shouted. She grabbed the clue and
started running through the room to find
the exit. After a long search, she stopped
and looked to Faris. "Where is the
exit?"
"Oh,
the teleporter behind you," the woman
at the computer said. She pointed to a
cylindrical device in the corner that
was glowing a beautiful blue color inside.
Faris and Reina stepped inside and the
device closed its door, which was only
a couple bars. A blue light spun around
them and within less than a second, they
disappeared and reappeared in a bright
city. The floors glowed with neon beams
and the general environment seemed fairly
regular aside from that. There were a
few teleporters around, but there was
also a large, stone fountain and a few
buildings that appeared to be normal cottages.
"I
don' like teleportin'," Faris said.
She pointed to a sign that led the way
to the Bunny Racetrack. They entered a
large building into a long hallway ending
in a betting counter. People were inside
placing bets with the main registratrar,
while an area in the corner was set aside
for Amazing Final Fantasy Race
bets. Faris and Reina approached the betting
lady.
"Win?
Or perfecta?" the woman asked.
"Perfecta!"
Reina said. The woman showed her a large
picture with each of the four bunnies
making up the four corners of the page.
They were very round bunnies; basically,
a ball with big rear feet and long floopy
ears. One was pink, one blue, one green,
and one yellow.
Reina seemed
deep in thought about the bunnies, while
Faris pulled the cameraman to the side
and whispered, "She's jus' gonna
pick the cutest ones. Me money be on the
pink, fer sure."
"The
pink one and the yellow one!" Reina
finally told the woman.
"Thank
you," the woman said. She placed
a marker reading "Reina & Faris"
on the pink bunny, then a second marker
on the yellow bunny. "You may go
inside and watch the race if you wish."
Reina jumped
at the oportunity, while Faris simply
shrugged and followed her. There was a
large, brightly colored racetrack with
the four bunnies each in their own lanes.
They were preparing to race, which Reina
found absolutely adorable. A light shined
and a horn sounded and the four bunnies
started hopping around the track...slowly.
"This
is gonna be a long day," Faris moaned.
After a
grueling five or six minutes, the bunnies
were finally in line for the finish. Reina
seemed very excited to see the result,
but Faris was already leaving the room,
since while the pink bunny was fighting
for first, the yellow bunny was obviously
dead last. To add insult to injury, the
pink bunny only placed second.
"Want
ter switch ter Win bets?" Faris asked
Reina.
"Please,
just one more!" she said. Faris rolled
her eyes, but agreed. Reina once again
bet Perfecta on pink and yellow. Another
match passed, this time with the pink
one placing first, but yellow lagging
in the third position. Reina looked to
Faris and held up her index finger. "One
more?"
"Nay,"
Faris said, shaking her head. "We
can't be losin' our lead like this. Let's
switch to Win bets, and lemme have a crack
at it."
"Sure!"
Reina said. Faris placed a bet on the
blue bunny to Win as the girls sat back
to watch the race. The bunnies raced again,
only this time, Faris was sitting on the
edge of her seat as the blue bunny broke
out into the lead in the finishing stretch.
The yellow bunny started to gain on it,
but the blue one maintained the lead and
won the match. Faris jumped out of her
seat and looked to high-five Reina, but
she was currently being held back from
the bunnies by security.
"I
just want to hug it!" she whined
to security, but Faris finally pulled
her away and they headed back to the betting
booth.
<Fran & Balthier: Sky
Pirates, 2nd to Depart: 12:47 am>
Balthier
took a deep breath, then exhaled boisterously.
"Ah, a good day to start a race."
"It's
night," Fran corrected.
"Either
way..." Balthier ripped open the
clue and read it to Fran. "Make your
way to the computer system of Radiant
Garden and follow the directions given
by the computer." He hoisted up his
pack and began the search with Fran for
the computer system.
-------------------------{Fran
& Balthier: Interview}-------------------------
Fran and
Balthier sat in a corner of the dark gorge
near their rolled out sleeping bags.
"We're
in a bit of a dilemma now," Balthier
told the camera. "On the one hand,
we are excited to see the two women gone.
On the other, we never viewed them as
much competition and would rather they
stick along. It was always our plan to
keep them here, though their departure
is merely a boost for pride. The teams
remaining are all wild cards. And to be
quite honest, I'm curious how those Ronso
fellows will fare now. Without Garnet
to tease, they may actually become decent
competitors."
"We
are now hoping to eliminate Ma and Zell,"
Fran added. "They make mistakes,
but can be very good racers when they
do not."
-------------------------{End
Interview}-------------------------
<Reina & Faris: Sisters,
1 Win at Detour>
Faris and
Reina watched their chosen pink bunny
race around the track. Both cheered it
on wildly, though as the race neared the
end, they realized it was all in vain.
Their bunny placed last.
"Aww,
that was a foul!" Reina shouted at
the bunnies. "That green bunny should
be kicked out, as should blue and yellow!
All that bumping and and and...stuff!"
"Methinks
yeh should wait in the lobby, sister,"
Faris suggested.
Reina, oddly
enough, agreed. "Tell me how we do,
I'll grab a water while we wait. And afterwards,
it's my turn to bet again!"
"I
can't wait..."
<Ma & Zell: Mother/Son,
3rd to Depart: 12:49 am>
Ma ripped
open the clue and read it to a very sleepy-looking
Zell. "Make your way to the computer
system of Radiant Garden and follow the
directions given by the computer."
"I
hope we get to rest soon," Zell said.
"I couldn't sleep at all. It was
so bright all day!"
"We
don't want to lose our lead, though."
"Yeah,
I guess not. Let's go, Ma."
<Reina & Faris: Sisters,
1 Win at Detour>
Reina returned
to Faris, who shook her head. "We
lost," Faris said. "We got another
bet comin' up soon on yer pink one."
"Yay!"
Reina smiled. The two watched the match,
where the pink bunny failed to get above
the third position. They returned to the
booth, and this time, Faris put a bet
on the green bunny. The race began and,
luckily enough, the green bunny came in
first, giving them their second Win.
"Only
one more win!" Reina said excitedly.
"I think pink!"
"I
figured as much..."
They returned
to the betting and placed a bet on the
pink bunny. It raced around the track
with the other three bunnies, only to
come in second place. Faris took her turn
next and placed a bet on the green bunny
again.
<Fran & Balthier: Sky
Pirates, Currently in 2nd Place>
Fran and
Balthier made their way through the construction
site and found the computer to teleport
them to the next world. Fran pressed the
large button and listened to the computer
as it told them their next clue.
"I
will now teleport you to Gemity City.
You must search for a clue box near the
computer when you arrive. Cease transmission."
"More
teleportation," Balthier said. "And
I was hoping for another chance to pilot
that gummi ship."
"We
do have an advantage in the air,"
Fran added. The invisible boxes formed
around their bodies, then teleported them
to Gemity City, where Fran grabbed their
next clue and read it. "Detour: Buy
Win or Buy Perfecta."
"I
suppose Buy Win is the better option,
but what say we gamble a bit?"
"Perhaps
a couple of races, but no more than that,"
she replied. Balthier agreed and stepped
on the teleporter with her.
<Zone & Watts: Resistance
Fighters, 4th to Depart: 12:59 am>
Zone opened
his clue and read it to Watts. Both yawned,
then lifted up their packs and searched
for a way out of the gorge.
<Reina & Faris: 2 Wins
at Detour>
"Go
Green!" Faris shouted at the bunny
as it rounded the last corner, only to
be overtaken by the yellow bunny at the
last second. "Noooooo! Curse you,
rabbit!"
Faris and
Reina again returned to the lobby to place
their bets. Seeing how it was Reina's
turn, the bet was, of course, placed on
the pink bunny. While waiting in the lobby,
they were startled to see Fran and Balthier
enter the detour area and approach the
counter. But just as they reached the
counter, the horn sounded for the bunnies
to start the next race.
"Yes!"
Faris shouted. "They be too late!"
"Come
on, Pink!" Reina shouted as well
as they both ran to watch the race.
"What
a strange bunch," Balthier noted.
"Well, Fran, shall we watch the match?"
"Very
well, but for every Viera comment you
make during these races, you lose a body
part," she replied.
"I'm
hurt you would imply I would do such a
thing...but the comment is duly noted."
<Ma & Zell: Mother/Son,
Currently in 3rd Place>
Ma pushed
the button on the computer, which teleported
them to Gemity City, where Zell pulled
the clue out of the clue box. "Detour:
Buy Win or Buy Perfecta."
"Let's
risk it, Zelly!" Ma said. "Let's
do Perfecta!"
"Just
what I was thinkin', Ma!" he replied.
They walked to the next teleporter and
were whisked away to the main part of
the city. They searched the town quickly,
but both managed to walk right past the
sign pointing the way to the bunny races.
<Reina & Faris: 2 Wins
at Detour>
"Go
Pink!" Reina shouted at the pink
bunny as it took the lead over the blue
one.
"Go
Pink!" Faris joined in. Both sisters
started chanting "Go Pink" as
the pink bunny kept its lead over the
blue one and managed to place first.
"YES!"
Both girls shouted. They raced back to
the lobby, where the woman handing out
bets handed them their next clue with
a word of congratulations.
"Thank
you so much!" Reina said happily.
She opened the clue and read it to Faris.
"Teleport to Elicoor II's Aire Hills."
<Announcer Gippal>
"Teams
must now travel back to the teleportation
room and speak to the woman behind the
chair. She will teleport them to the simulated
planet Elicoor II in the Aire Hills region.
Once there, a clue box will be waiting
for them."
<Reina & Faris: Sisters,
Currently in 1st Place>
"Let's
go," Reina said. She and Faris left
the building and nearly ran right into
Zell and Ma, who had just found the bunny
tracks.
"Which
one is good?" Ma shouted to them
as they walked by.
"The
pink one!" Reina said.
"Not
the pink one!" Faris said at the
same time.
"I'm
confused," Zell said. He and Ma walked
up to the counter and stood in line behind
Fran and Balthier, who were currently
placing their perfecta bet on the green
and yellow bunnies.
"Should
we copy?" Zell whispered quietly
to Ma.
"No,"
she replied. "First off, they'd beat
me in a footrace, so we need to just get
lucky to beat these two. Secondly, Fran
can hear you right now. Probably better
than I can."
"It's
highly likely," Fran said to them
as she and Balthier walked to the racetrack.
Ma smiled
as she and Zell approached the counter.
"I like the pink bunny, so one of
our Perfecta bet will be the pink one.
Which do you like, Zelly?"
"The
blue one!" he said. The woman put
their markers on the blue and pink bunnies,
then gestured for them to head inside
to the track.
The race
began and so did Zell. He began shouting
like a madman to cheer on the blue and
pink bunnies. Ma screamed a lot, too,
which caused Balthier and Fran to stand
up and walk to another section of the
track to watch the race.
<Zone & Watts: Resistance
Fighters, Currently in 4th Place>
"A
computer world sounds scary," Zone
said to Watts as they approached the computer
in Radiant Garden.
Watts nodded,
then pushed the button on the computer.
The computer gave them their next clue,
then teleported them away.
<Reina & Faris: Sisters,
Currently in 1st Place>
Reina and
Faris entered the teleportation room and
showed the woman at the computer their
clue. "We need to go to Elicoor II's
Aire Hills," Reina told her.
"Excellent,
just give me one moment. The teleporter
is busy at the moment," she told
them.
Suddenly,
a bright, purple square with a white outline
appeared on the ground. Reina and Faris
stepped back, then, suddenly, Zone and
Watts appeared and the purple square faded.
"Whoa,
is that what we looked like when we teleported
in?" Reina said. "That's neat."
She looked over to Zone and Watts and
waved. "Hi, guys!"
"Hi,"
Watts waved. Zone was too busy trembling
on the floor. "You coming or going?"
"Goin',"
Faris informed him.
"Drat,
we were hoping we caught up to you."
"Just
remember to bet 'Win,'" Reina said.
She and Faris switched places with Zone
and Watts. Zone finally stood up and took
their clue from the clue box.
"Detour:
Buy Win or Buy Perfecta. We trust Reina,
so we'll do Buy Win," Zone said.
He and Watts moved to the city's teleporter.
The blue light swirled around them and
took them to the city.
"Ready?"
the woman asked Reina and Faris, who stood
on the purple square, which had appeared
only second ago.
"Ready,"
the sisters said together.
The woman pushed
the button and after a bright flash of
light, Reina and Faris found themselves
in a dirt field. A section of lighter-colored
dirt formed a path that rounded some of
the dirt hills and rocks, but the sisters
found their next clue box just slightly
to their right. There was a small light
that barely illuminated the clue box.
Even with the light, the girls had difficulty
seeing much of anything at 1:20 am.
Reina pulled
out the clue and read it aloud. "Make
your way to the Kirlsa Caverns to the
west."
Faris pulled
out a compass and pointed her flashlight
at it. She pointed to the left, then began
walking with Reina in the direction indicated.
<Announcer Gippal>
"Teams
must now travel to the Kirlsa Caverns
located to the west of Aire Hills. They
will have to pass through the town of
Kirlsa in order to do so. Their next clue
box is located at the entrance to the
caverns."
<Dona & Barthello: Summoner/Guardian,
5th to Depart: 1:28 am>
Dona opened
the clue and read it to Barthello, who
held both backpacks. "Make your way
to the computer system of Radiant Garden
and follow the directions given by the
computer. Psh, machina again. When will
they learn..."
Dona and
Barthello searched the gorge for an exit
and soon proceeded up the slope to the
path above.
"We
got one-half," Zell said to Ma. "Does
that count for anything?"
Ma shook
her head. "Well, I'm going to bet
on the pink one again. I have a feeling
about that bunny."
"I'll
stay blue, too. Maybe if we keep betting
on the same ones we'll eventually win!"
"'Fraid
it doesn't work that way," Balthier
told them. He spoke to the receptionist.
"We'll try Perfecta again. This time,
green and blue."
She marked
their bunnies. Zell and Ma approached
and bet on pink and blue again, then took
their seats in the race area as Zone and
Watts entered the room and approached
the counter.
"Win
bet on what, blue?" Watts asked Zone.
"I think it's both our favorite colors..."
"I'm
okay with blue," he replied. "Tell
the lady, please."
"Win
bet on blue," Watts said to the receptionist.
She put a "Zone & Watts"
marker on the blue bunny and gestured
for them to enter the racetrack viewing
area.
"This
should be fun," Zone said to Watts.
"I think bunnies are one of the few
things I'm not afraid of."
"Wait
till you see these bunnies."
"Wh-
wait, what's wrong with these bunnies?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?
No, there has to be something wrong! What
is it? Do they eat human flesh? Do they
have giant claws? What?"
"Nothing."
"Don't
play with my mind like that!" Zone
shouted. He started to hunch up until
he saw the four bunnies take their places
on the starting line. "Hey! They're
adorable!" He punched Watts in the
arm. "Jerk."
Five
minutes later, another punch to the arm
was delivered, this time Fran punching
Balthier. "What was all that talk
about 'it doesn't work that way?'"
"So
our previous bet won," he replied
as they got in line for betting behind
Zell and Ma. "I stand by my statement.
It doesn't work that way. It's all luck."
"We
are done with luck. We will do Win bets
from now on."
Ma and Zell
continued to place their bets on blue
and pink, Zone and Watts took blue to
win, and Balthier and Fran decided to
bet on yellow to win.
<Biran & Yenke: Comrades,
Last to Depart: 1:35 am>
"We
race this leg for hornless summoner,"
Yenke said before ripping open the clue.
"Make way to computer in Radiant
Garden and let hornless computer tell
you where to go next."
Biran laughed.
"Yenke true comedian. Best hornless
jokes I heard in five hour."
"The
blue one won!" Watts shouted, hugging
Zone around the neck. "Okay, what
color do we bet on next?"
"Blue?"
Zone asked.
"Good
idea. Stick with one color! We'll just
keep betting blue!"
"So
close again!" Zell said. "I
think Faris was right about not betting
on pink...."
"We
can't quit now, Zelly," Ma said.
She walked up to the receptionist and
put another bet down on blue and pink.
Her bet was followed by another blue bet
from Zone and another yellow bet from
Fran.
<Dona & Barthello: Summoner/Guardian,
Currently in 5th Place>
Dona and
Barthello teleported into Gemity City
and grabbed their next clue. Barthello
read it aloud. "Detour: Buy Win or
Buy Perfecta."
"Betting
on animals," Dona moaned. "Wonderful.
Let's just bet Perfecta and be done
with it."
Barthello nodded.
They headed through the second teleporter
and entered the bunny races, where, currently,
another race was in progress.
-------------------------{Dona
& Barthello: Interview}-------------------------
Dona and
Barthello sat inside the bunny racing
building. Dona had her back to the camera
while Barthello talked alone.
"I
was really happy to read this detour card.
I... I love bunnies. Especially these
ones. They're so cute and lovable!"
"Enough,
Barthello," Dona said, still
not facing the camera.
"That
is all."
-------------------------{End
Interview}-------------------------
All three teams came back to the reception
area, none smiling. All of their bets
had lost. Dona and Barthello were first
in line to talk to the receptionist.
"Who
just won?" Dona asked.
"Green,
then yellow," she said.
"Perfecta
on them, then," She moved from the
counter and waved for her partner. "Come,
Barthello."
The other
three teams placed the same bets down
once again. They all walked into the racing
area and sat near Dona and Barthello.
All racers watched as the bunnies slowly
hopped around the course.
<Biran & Yenke: Comrades,
Currently in Last Place>
The Ronso
teleported into Gemity City and took their
clue from the clue box. Biran read it.
"Detour: Buy Win or Buy Perfecta?"
"Ronso
poor. Ronso cannot buy anything,"
Yenke said.
"Biran
thinks it means hornless ones let Ronso
bet without money."
"Ohh,
Biran is smart. Or wrong. But Yenke believes
Biran is smart."
The Ronso
used the second teleporter and started
walking toward the betting area. Biran
was feeling his horn more often than normal.
"Something
wrong, Biran?" Yenke asked.
"Biran's
horn feels smaller.... Biran thinks teleport
device mixed up Biran and Yenke's horns!"
Yenke started
feeling his own horn, then feeling Biran's.
"Yenke feels the same. OH, see!?
Biran's horn is same because Biran's horn
has defining dark spot! Horn-mole! Horn-mole
still there on Biran's horn on Biran's
head."
Biran felt
his horn a second time. He then touched
Yenke's horn. "Yenke is right. Biran's
horn is still bigger than Yenke's."
"Yenke
feels strange touching other Ronso's horn.
Especially in public."
Both released
the other's horn and looked around to
see if anybody was watching. Then, they
puffed out their chests and walked into
the bunny racing area.
<Fran & Balthier: 0
Wins at Detour>
<Ma & Zell: 0 Wins at Detour>
<Zone & Watts: 1 Win at Detour>
<Dona & Barthello: 0 Wins at Detour>
<Biran & Yenke: 0 Wins at Detour>
The four
teams came back into the lobby. Balthier
was smiling as the scoreboard announced
a yellow bunny victory. They lined up
with the Ronso in the back of the line,
making Zone uncomfortable because of their
stature. Fran put down a bet on green,
Zell bet Perfecta on blue and pink again,
Watts bet on blue, Dona bet Perfecta on
green and yellow again, and Yenke bet
Perfecta on blue and yellow.
Everybody
again followed Dona and Barthello to their
seats. Somehow, Biran obtained popcorn,
though nobody was entirely sure how. He
offered to share, but nobody took the
offer, fearing it might have been on the
floor.
The bunnies
raced around the track, coming around
the turns like a bunch of slow bunnies
on a really long track. Biran got nervous
when he saw yellow out front and spilled
his popcorn on Dona. She did not take
it well.
"Biran
is sorry," Biran said to her. He
started reaching to remove the popcorn
from her cleavage, but she slapped his
hand away and glared at him.
"Sorry
doesn't get the disgusting popcorn
off me," Dona said.
"That's
why Biran was going to take popcorn off
you, but hornless lady slapped Biran's
hand."
"That's
it," Dona rose to her feet
and squared off against Biran, though
her head only came up to around his chest.
"You animals need to-"
"Dona!
Dona!" Barthello cried out. "We
won! Yellow and green!"
"We'll
settle this later," she said to Biran.
She joined Barthello in running for the
lobby to get their next clue. Barthello
thanked the receptionist while Dona opened
the clue. "Teleport to Elicoor II's
Aire Hills. Come, Barthello."
Barthello
was smiling happily as he left the bunny
races with Dona. They proceeded back to
the teleporters and teleported to the
darkness of the Aire Hills.
"Flashlight,
Barthello," Dona ordered. He clicked
his light on, but the light was very dim.
Still, he handed this flashlight to Dona
and pulled out his own flashlight. It
didn't come on at all. "I need
light, Barthello."
"We
don't have light, Dona,"
he explained. "I- Remember when somebody
mentioned the concept of 'batteries' to
us, but we did not fully understand? I-
I think this is what batteries do. I think
we should have bought more batteries."
"So
we don't have light?"
"No,
we don't."
Dona was
silent for a while, then, suddenly, Barthello
tensed up as he felt her cold fingers
wrap around his right arm. "Turn
that camera off!" she shouted. A
faint "yeah, it's totally off, sure"
from the cameraman was heard, then, "I'm
afraid of the dark, Barthello," Dona
whimpered. "Protect me, please."
"I
will always protect you," he replied
strongly.
"Thank
you, Barthello..." She pulled a clue
from the clue box and read it to Barthello.
"Make your way to the Kirlsa Caverns
to the west."
"Are
you ready?" Barthello asked.
"Yes,"
she replied.
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