"Roomies 3: Digital Frontier," written by Freedom Fighter Our third double-length episode has arrived, and there's a whole lot to cover! So, let's just cut to the chase, okay? Disclaimer: I do not own any of the anime series, characters, or locations represented in this fanfic. I also do not own any of the reality show elements presented as well. = = = = = = = = = = Tenchi: (VO) 16 contestants from 12 anime shows. 42 days living by themselves in the wild Digital World. But only one will walk away with a grand prize of one million dollars. (Begin theme song, showing each of the contestants one at a time for 1.5 seconds each) - Tally, working with partner Riley as they boot up the Juggernaut program - James, being swindled by the Magikarp seller - Takuya, diving out of the way of a truck that spins to avoid hitting him - Amy M., studying for high school entrance exams with her friends - Jet, piloting the Bebop as Spike looks on from the side - Rally, driving her Shelby GT down the highway at more than 120 mph - Keith, observing a duel between Yugi and Kaiba atop Pegasus's castle - Rini, chatting with her own Moon kingdom kitty, Diana - Amy R., freeing her idol Sonic from a cage upon the Death Egg - Trunks, practicing how to fuse with Goten - Yugi, putting together the Millennium Puzzle - Yusuke, facing off against the three-eyed demon Hiei - Whitney, ordering Milty to roll down and back up a hill - Haruka, showing the dilapidated Hinata Summer House to the Hina crew - Nabiki, standing in front of the Anything-Goes Martial Arts dojo - Trowa, slipping on his circus costume (Show scenes of Keith walking to Salt Lake City, Haruka in a giant Bowser suit, Takuya sitting in a square, and Amy M. carrying a tent building kit.) Tenchi: (VO) Some of them will become the best of friends. Others will develop grudges against those they hate. But only one will walk away with up to a million dollars or more in cash and prizes. (A log cabin appears in the background.) Tenchi: (VO) These men and women are... Roomies! (End theme song, with a picture of all 16 contestants standing with Flame Terminal behind them in the background.) = = = = = = = = = = Episode 12 - Strategy is Important! (05.20.03) Day Twenty-Three Trunks and James were the first back to the cabin following the Trailmon ride, but what awaited them wasn't pretty. Trunks: What happened here? James: Don't look at me... I didn't do it! Pots and pans were scattered all over the place, and it only took one glance in the corner to see the culprits, both of whom were holding a pan in each hand. James: Guilmon? Trunks: And Gatomon? Guilmon/Gatomon: (pointing at each other) He/she did it! ====== Needless to say, the others weren't happy when they got to the cabin. Keith: What a mess! Tally: Just look at this place! Whitney: What's wrong with you two? Guilmon: We were bored. Gatomon suggested that we have a practice fight. Yugi: With the pots and pans? Gatomon: Guilmon wouldn't stop bothering me until I pulled them out of the cupboards! Guilmon: But you said... Tally: You two clean up this place right now! Get every pot and pan and put it back where you found it! Gatomon and Guilmon groaned as they started to clean up their mess. ====== Yusuke angrily stomped his way into his tent as he packed his things to move to the cabin. The rest of the group just plopped down lazily onto the ground, all except for Haruka, who was already searching for something to cook for dinner, and Rally, who hadn't returned yet after guiding Whitney most of the way back to the cabin. Yusuke: (yelling as he comes out of the tent) She's gonna get it when I get over there! Jet: What's wrong with you? Do you obviously think she purposely shot you in the face? Yusuke: She claims to not be stupid, so there's no way she could've done it on accident. 'Cause I tell you, no one hits me on purpose and gets away with it! Trowa: You're asking for trouble. Amy M.: Why can't you be the adult and talk to her about what happened? If you two would just calm down and... Yusuke: She told me that she shot me in self-defense! That means that it wouldn't have mattered if someone like Rini snuck up on her. She would've shot her in the face too! Jet: You don't know that for sure! Yusuke: What do you wanna bet I'm right? Do you think she'd tell me the truth if I presented her with that same argument? She'd say that she would have excellent control or something like that. And I say, if you had such great control, then why'd you shoot me in the face? At that point, Rally walked into the campsite and right into the argument. Yusuke: (pointing at Rally) And why'd you have to go and defend her? Rally: Because it's easier to get her to back down! The two of you are acting worse than the children are! Yusuke: It wouldn't have come to this if she had watched where she was firing. Rally: Maybe so, but you could've been a man and sought a peaceful resolution to the situation! Yusuke: It's hard to be peaceful when you're shot in the face! (looks at the welt on his hand) Do you know how much that hurt? Rally: We all got shot up, Yusuke. That's what paintball is like. Deal with it. Yusuke: I didn't mind the game. It's getting shot in the face as a result of the game and Whitney's stupidity! Rally: Stop calling her stupid! Yusuke: Okay... she's an idiot then. Rally: Don't call her that either! In fact, don't call her any names at all! Yusuke: Well, why don't you stop defending her and let her stand up for herself? Jet: Alright, that's quite enough. You two had better get packing and get to the cabin. Hopefully you can all get through the night. Amy M.: As well as pray that one... or both of you aren't sent home. Yusuke: I don't mind... I never wanted to be here in the first place! Yusuke headed back to his tent to finish his packing. Rally shook her head before going to get her things packed. Amy R.: I'm lucky I won't be in the cabin when Yusuke and Whitney get together. Trowa: It's out of our hands now. We just wait for the next challenge and see if they're both still here or not. ====== Keith and Yugi leave the safety of the cabin as they head off to the campsite. Takuya, Trunks, and Tally were the only ones standing outside to say goodbye. Takuya: See you guys at the next challenge! Tally: Don't give the guys at camp too much trouble. Yugi: Thanks everyone! See ya soon! Keith: Let's go already! I'd like to take a nap when we get there. ====== It wouldn't take long for Yusuke and Rally to make the trek from camp to the cabin. You couldn't blame them for taking their time though, especially since impending disaster was waiting for them. Rally: I need you to promise me that you won't go and get into a fight into Whitney. Yusuke: If I say yes, will you leave me alone and let me think? Rally: Yes. Yusuke: Fine then. But if she dares blinks the wrong way, she's going to get it! Rally: (sarcastically) Oh yeah... get yourself kicked out of the Digital World and spoil your chance at a million dollars, why don't ya? ====== But it seems that similar preparations were being made at the cabin. Tally: You're bigger than this, Whitney! Cast aside your anger and give Yusuke a chance to explain his actions. Takuya: I doubt that'll happen. Tally: If you're not going to help Takuya, then go help James prepare dinner! Takuya: (walking to the kitchen) I can see where I'm not wanted. Rini: Could you please not get into an argument with Yusuke, just for my sake? What kind of image would you be portraying if you two fought? Trunks: The two of you aren't enemies. You're not supposed to be fighting each other... unless you're sparring, but I doubt that'd ever happen between you two. Tally: You always say that you wanted to be strong. This is your chance! Make amends for your mistakes and start anew with him! Whitney, having been quiet the whole time while the others buried her with advice, finally responded. Whitney: Yeah! That's it! If he doesn't want to work with me, then I'll just ignore him! It always works back at the gym with annoying trainers! Tally: (sweatdrops) That's not exactly what we were thinking. James: You wanna know what I think about the whole thing? As if she didn't even hear him, Whitney headed for the front door, sensing the arrival of Yusuke to the cabin. Rini: I guess Whitney thinks James is annoying. James: I'm annoying? That's a new one to me. Takuya: You're annoying me by not helping me pre-heat the oven! ====== Whitney walked outside and spotted Yusuke and Rally coming out of the forest. The two stared at each other as the distance between them decreased. Rally kept one eye on each of them, while those already in the cabin watched from the cabin. Would anything happen? Obviously not, because Yusuke walked past Whitney and into the cabin. The rest of the group breathes a collective sigh of relief. Things seem to be just fine... ====== Night Twenty-Three At least they were until that evening, when the sleeping bags were being set up and, by some strange coincidence, Yusuke and Whitney were going to share the same corner of the room. Yusuke: Oh no... I'm not sleeping next to her! Whitney: Like I'd ever want to have you around me anyway! Yusuke: You're just saying that to tick me off, aren't you? Whitney: How do I know you're not doing this to irk me? Rally: Darn it already! Whitney, just take my place! I'll sleep over next to Yusuke! Tally: (smiling) Any particular reason why you're switching with her? Rally: Don't be reading anything into it! The two women switch places so that Rally is now sharing a corner with Yusuke... Rally: Just don't be sticking their hands where they shouldn't be. Yusuke: (smiling) I wouldn't dream of it. But Yusuke quickly changes his mind when he sees Rally sticking her toy gun under her pillow. Sure, it's a 'toy,' but this is Rally Vincent we're talking about. As for Whitney... she's sharing a corner with James. James: This is the way it should be! The two Pokémon trainers, sleeping next to each other! But Whitney hadn't heard a word, as she was already sound asleep in her new place. James: You're supposed to listen when I talk to you! Tally: (throws a pillow at James) Go to sleep, James! ****** Day Twenty-Four The following morning, Trunks is outside the cabin, sparring with Gatomon. Although fighting at only half strength, Trunks is easily overwhelming the feline Digimon. Trunks: Come on, Gatomon! Sense the punches and either block or dodge! Gatomon tried to concentrate as Trunks' flurry of punches seemed to get faster with every passing second. It eventually became too much, as Trunks landed a jab to the left cheek. Gatomon is sent flying to the ground. Trunks: Gatomon! Are you alright? Gatomon: (gets up and rubs her cheek) That really stung! Trunks: You've got to move faster than that if you hope to beat Guilmon! Gatomon: But Guilmon doesn't move that fast! Trunks: With Yusuke training him, he'll make up the difference. Trunks points to Yusuke and Guilmon, who are also sparring not too far away. But in that case, Yusuke's forced to back off after Guilmon gets hits by one punch after another. Yusuke: You call that defending yourself? My pinky could put up a stronger defense than you! (sighs) Forget it... let's quit for the day. Guilmon collapses on the ground, breathing heavily as he's exhausted from the workout. Yusuke heads inside to get his towel and take a shower before Tally finished cooking breakfast. Yusuke: We'll never win that Digimon battle if Guilmon doesn't toughen up. Yusuke reached for the bathroom doorknob when the door swung up. Whitney stepped out, dressed in her normal day clothes, mind you, and with a towel wrapped around her hair and her dirty clothes in her hands. Steam poured out of the bathroom after Whitney's long, sauna-like shower. Yusuke didn't seem to agree with what she did, though. Yusuke: I hope you didn't waste all of the hot water, Whitney! He expected her to shout back a response, but all the gym leader did was head over to her bags to deposit her outfit from yesterday and look for her hair care kit. Tally: (shouting from the kitchen) Does it matter, Yusuke? Just go take your shower! Yusuke: If you think I'm taking a shower after her, then you're nuts! Suddenly, the bathroom door closes. In Yusuke's haste, someone had gotten in ahead of him. Yusuke: (banging on the door) Hey! I was next in line! Trunks: (from inside) That's what you get for just standing there. Now you'll have to wait for me to get done. Yusuke: (continuing to bang on the door) Darn it! ====== Over at the campsite, Nabiki was hard at work preparing a broth to serve to her fellow campmates. But she wasn't doing it out of courtesy. She had other ideas. Nabiki: (CC) I've got the perfect plan! By the end of the day, I, Nabiki Tendo, will be back on the money trail! The first person... er, victim, was Haruka, up and working as usual. Nabiki: Ready to eat, Haruka? Haruka: I guess I could take some time out for breakfast. What's to eat? Nabiki: Chicken broth with rice... I hope. Nabiki spoons out a ladleful of soup and puts it in her mouth to taste. Nabiki: Yeah... I think that's chicken broth with rice. Haruka: (goes to get a bowl from the crates) I'll have a bowl then. Nabiki: Not so fast! Haruka: What do you mean? Nabiki: Well, you don't get anything until you agree to form an alliance with me. Haruka: (serious) Nabiki, I want a bowl of soup. Nabiki: Didn't you hear what I just said? Haruka: ('scarily' serious) Soup. Nabiki gives in and fills a bowl for Haruka before handing it over. Haruka walks off to find a peaceful place to eat. Nabiki: I'll give you a freebie because it's you, Haruka... but don't expect another! The middle Tendo sister went back to stir the pot, waiting for the others to wake up. Nabiki: (CC) So I had a minor setback. I've got six more chances, and I don't necessarily have to get them all to agree. Three would be good enough for me. ====== No need to worry about agreeing to form an alliance with the cook at the cabin. Besides, there's a different problem as that group of eight sits down to eat. Trunks: (stuffing his face) This is... gulp... great! Tally: You're not the only one here, Trunks! Save some for the rest of us! No, Trunks and his tendency to stuff himself aren't the problem. This time, it rests with Yusuke and Whitney. Don't these two ever give up? Yusuke: (biting into a soft boiled egg) This isn't half bad, Tally. Not half bad at all. Tally: I'd better hope so. Otherwise, someone won't be eating whenever I'm cooking. James: (pointing at Whitney's plate) Are you gonna eat any of that? Rally: Whitney... what's wrong? Whitney: I'm not eating the same food he is! That's what's wrong! James: Why not? The rest of us are eating it! James reaches for one of Whitney's soft-boiled eggs, but she slaps his hand away. Whitney: I can't stand to eat anything that'll also be in the stomach of someone like Yusuke. Yusuke: For your sake, I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Whitney: What? Scared of what I'll do to you? Yusuke: If you want a piece of me, then I'll be happy to oblige! Rally: (yelling) Will you two quit it already? You're acting like spoiled brats! The sleeping bags, the shower, breakfast, everything! I can't believe how you two are acting! Have you two even listened to yourselves today? Whitney: But... Rally: No buts, Whitney! One way or another, this has got to end here and now! Tally: What do we do though? How do we get them to stop arguing? Rally: We're going to have a peer intervention! Whitney/Yusuke: (simultaneously) A peer intervention? ====== Nabiki: (smiling) Ready to eat? Haruka watched as Nabiki offered bowls of broth to serve to Amy M. and Jet. She was waiting to see if Nabiki would offer them the chance to form an alliance. Amy M.: Thank you so much for cooking! Jet: We really appreciate it! The two reach for the bowls, but at the last second Nabiki pulled away. Jet: Hey, what's the big idea? Nabiki: Oh, this meal isn't free. You can't eat unless you promise me something. Amy M.: You want us to form an alliance with you, don't you? Nabiki: Very good, Amy! I knew you were always the smart one! Jet: (standing up) I'm not eating if it means working with you! Nabiki: (gasps as Jet walks away) What's wrong with that? I'm within my rights! Amy M.: (getting up as well) I'm not so sure you are, Nabiki. Nabiki: What do you mean? Amy M.: Although you have the right to form alliances and force people to join them, you can't do it this way! Nabiki: You mean I can't do it by threatening to starve people? What makes it any worse than what Keith or Yusuke does? Amy M.: You... you just can't! I don't know why, but you just can't! Amy got up and headed off to do some work around the camp. Nabiki kept her eye on her, having failed once again to form an alliance with someone. Haruka went back to cutting up the firewood, carefully observing Nabiki as the day continued on. ====== Over at the cabin, Yusuke and Whitney were seated facing each other, just an arm's length apart. While James, Rini, and Trunks went out to train with the Digimon, it was up to Rally, Tally, and Takuya to resolve the differences between these two. Rally: No one leaves this cabin until the two of you forgive and forget. So the two of you might as well save us a few hours and apologize to each other. Yusuke: You first! Whitney: No, you first! Yusuke: I'm being a gentleman here! You first! Whitney: Since when have you been a gentleman? You first! Takuya: Why don't you both shut up and go first at the same time? Tally bangs her head against the table loudly. Rally: I see we're going to have to do this the hard way. Let's see... ====== Trowa: Are you going to give me the same offer as everyone else? Nabiki nearly froze in her tracks. Trowa was the only person in the camp to have not yet approached her for breakfast. Only two days ago had Trowa broken off the alliance he had with her, but after hearing what the others had told him, he wanted to take action. Nabiki: (pouring a bowl of broth) I don't see why I should. I know you're going to turn me down. Trowa: You don't know that for sure. Nabiki: Don't give me that! If you had your reasons for dumping me two days ago, then why go back on them? Besides, I don't need you anyway. Trowa: (raising an eyebrow in interest) Really? Nabiki: (lying) Yeah! I've already gotten several people to say yes to me! Trowa: Then I guess that everyone being angry is an act, huh? Nabiki looked around and saw that her fellow campmates were not pleased with her. If they weren't staring angrily at her, they were trying to avoid looking at her as they did work around the camp, regardless of whether there was work to do or not. Trowa: This is not the way to win people over, Nabiki. You're digging yourself into a hole that's bigger than those of Whitney, Yusuke, and Bandit Keith combined. I'd advise you to stop now, while you still have some dignity. Nabiki: Trowa... this game isn't about dignity. It's about winning money! If it were about anything else, I wouldn't have come here in the first place! Trowa: Suit yourself. I gave you your fair shot to save yourself. You'll just have to deal with the consequences that await you. He snatched the bowl from Nabiki and then walked off to enjoy a meal. Nabiki began to think about Trowa's words, just to see if they had any truth to them. But after a few seconds, she decided to just ignore him and continue with her planned strategy. Unfortunately, it would no longer involve the cooking pot, as Haruka shooed Nabiki away so that she could begin preparing lunch. ====== Rally: Now... shake hands and make up! (seriously) Or else! Whitney: (sticking her hand out) I'm sorry for shooting you in the face. Yusuke: (doing likewise and initiating the peaceful handshake) I'm sorry for being so judgemental. Takuya: Whew... at least that's finally solved. Tally: We're glad to announce that the quarrels between you two are over! You two should now be able to live for the remainder of the game in peace! Whitney: (to Yusuke) Why don't you say we go outside and help train our Digimon? Yusuke: (to Whitney) I'd be fine with that. The two walked out side-by-side, heading out to join James, Rini, and Trunks out in the forest, where they were training with Guilmon and Gatomon. Rally, Tally, and Takuya all applauded their success, then breathed a sigh of relief when the now on-speaking-terms duo had disappeared from sight. Rally: Well, I'm glad that's over. Tally: Don't be so sure. I bet the peace won't last long. Takuya: I think we're safe until the next challenge. Rally: Just hope we don't have one today. I don't think I could take another peer intervention like that one! Tally: The way you were negotiating with them, I hope not! Ah, one problem solved, at least temporarily... ====== But what about the other? Nabiki: If I give a 70% of my winnings regardless of whether I win or you win, will you work with me? Amy R.: I'm not that desperate, Nabiki! No way! Nabiki: (as Amy walks off) Okay, 80-20? 85-15? Okay, 90-10's my final offer! As Nabiki continues to plead her case to Amy R., Yugi and Keith watch from afar. Yugi: Why is she acting like she's desperate? Keith: At your age, I'd think you'd know the answer to that question. Yugi: That's not a nice thing to say, Keith! Keith: What else could I say? It's either she's gone crazy or it's that time of the month! Before he knew it, Keith was on the receiving end of a pan whack from Haruka. Keith: (rubbing his head) Ow! Don't you usually reserve that for Yusuke? Haruka: Yes, but he's not the one making irresponsible comments. Yugi: (sighs) How much longer do you think this'll last? Haruka: She'll give up eventually. She'll have to. The trio watches as Nabiki continues to parade around, hoping to convince someone to help her... or die trying. ****** Night Twenty-Four Nabiki: (shouting) Alliance! Alliance! If you're not with me, you don't sleep! Nabiki wasn't intending on giving up any time soon, as she was now parading around as she shouted out slogans to keep the Roomies... and the wild Digimon... awake. Keith: (from his tent) Shut up before I come out there and ring your neck! Nabiki: (continuing on) No one sleeps! No one sleeps! Ally with me now or no one sleeps! As those at camp tried to figure out how to get Nabiki to stop her one-person 'march,' two of them were away from camp, meeting in darkness as they tried to figure out a way to find a solution. ???: I don't think we have any option. It's either make her a part of our alliance, or we all don't eat or sleep until the next challenge. ??????: I have to admit, it goes against our plan. But we've got to do what we've got to do. ???: Don't worry... I'm sure Tally will understand. The two of them head back to camp, as they approach Nabiki. In an instant, she is pulled away before anyone notices that they can't hear her voice. Back in the darkness, we start to recognize the voices of Haruka and Jet as they make a deal with Nabiki. Jet: If you promise to do everything we tell you, you can be part of our alliance. Nabiki: Of course! I'm just glad you guys finally see things my way! Haruka: Things aren't your way, Nabiki. This is our alliance, and we will not give you our support if you don't do what we command of you. Nabiki: Command? Command what? Jet: First, we have to tell our other member that you're part of the team. Then, we have to get rid of the person that has your spot. Nabiki: What's that supposed to mean? Jet: Let's just say that you're taking someone else's place in the alliance. Haruka: Call it an even exchange, if you will. Nabiki: But who? Who's this person I'm replacing? Jet: Why? You scared? We're the only people offering you an alliance, kid. It's us or nothing at all! Nabiki: (sighs in defeat) Fine! But I'd better have my say in the end! Jet: You'll have it... just as long as you promise to shut up and let everyone sleep tonight! Nabiki: You've got a deal! Nabiki hopped back to camp, giddy as a school girl. Jet and Haruka glanced at each other, wondering if they had made the right decision. ====== Day Twenty-Five The next morning, Rini is seen outside on the porch of the cabin, feeding Gatomon some fish leftovers from dinner last night for breakfast. Rini: Aaahhhh... it's nice for things to be peaceful for once! Gatomon: You said it! As Gatomon continued to splurge on the remains of the fried flounder, Rini glanced out into the woods facing the cabin. Rini: (CC) So much has happened here in the Digital World, from the good to the bad to the worse. And to believe that we've still got another two weeks plus to go. I can't believe I'm saying this... but I actually miss Serena for once! As Rini sat there, she noticed a piece of paper sticking out of the mailbox. Instantly knowing what it was, she grabbed it and ran inside to tell the others. ====== The sixteen Roomies make their way to the Challenge Field, where they find out that the virtual reality system has been setup again. Keith: We're not playing that stupid golf game again, are we? Rally: (smirks) I didn't know you liked that game, Keith. Keith: What are you blabberin' about? I didn't say that! Tenchi: Welcome Roomies to your fourth roommate challenge! As you can see, we're using the VR system again. But this time, you're not playing 'Kirby's Dream Course.' You're playing '007 Nightfire,' as in James Bond 007. Rally: (overjoyed) Really? Alright! Trowa: I get a chance to show off my marksmanship, huh? Tenchi: The object of the game is simple... the first team to get to 25 points wins the challenge. All sixteen of you will be in the game at once, meaning that things will get hot and heavy real fast. James: It's just the way I like it. Keith: (coughs) Only you would. Haruka: Knock off the chit-chat, you two. Tenchi: You get one point if you kill somebody. You do not lose a point if someone kills you. But... you do lose a point everytime you either kill your teammate or yourself. And trust me... that is possible. Amy M.: This is completely safe, right? Tenchi: Yeah. You'll feel as if you're right in the game, without having to feel the pain of losing your life. Yugi: That doesn't sound too reassuring. Tenchi: Anyway... before you guys go in, I'm going to give each team a study guide. It'll tell you about the game, what weapons will be available to use, the level you'll be on, and a few good ideas for strategy brainstorming. You'll have 15 minutes to prepare, and then we'll boot you all into the game. Tenchi hands out the small pamphlets, which the teams quickly begin to scan through. ====== [Roommate Challenge 4: Secret Agent 007] [Team Assignments: Red - James/Jet Blue - Nabiki/Whitney Yellow - Takuya/Trowa Green - Haruka/Yusuke Orange - Amy M./Rally Violet - Trunks/Yugi Black - Keith/Rini White - Amy R./Tally] [Available Weaponry: - P2K, 2 clips of 16 bullets, semi-automatic and silenced - SG5, 2 clips of 30 bullets, automatic and burst fire - Auto 12, 2 clips of 8 shotgun-like bullets, pump and automatic - Sentinel, 2 clips of 4 rockets, guided and unguided - Tactical Sniper, 2 clips of 5 bullets, single shot] As the teams get set up in their virtual reality helmets with help from the support staff, Tenchi explains the rest of the rules. Tenchi: When you first boot into the game, each pair of teammates will start together. But for every subsequent time, you are automatically rebooted individually. Also, every time you have to start over, you always start with the standard P2K. There's also body armor to help shield you temporarily, but given the number of people in this game, it'll probably won't be of much help. Yusuke: Does everyone have a certain number of lives? Tenchi: Nope, everyone has an infinite number. That means, if you want, you can kill the same person 25 times if you want. Not that anyone will manage to pull that spectacular feat off, mind you. Rally: Well, let's get this game started! Tenchi: Very well then. Good luck to you all... and challenge begin! The teams spawn into the first multiplayer level, a valley filled with snow. There's an old castle at the top of the hill and a giant log house at the bottom. We'll start with Haruka and Yusuke, who have the fortune (or misfortune) of starting right in the middle of the course. Haruka: Whatever you do, don't run off and go after Whitney. Yusuke is seen running off towards Whitney's signal. Haruka: I wasn't being sarcastic, Yusuke! Yusuke: Don't worry, Haruka! I'm just going off to have a little fun with her! Meanwhile, two teams have quickly run into each other on one side of the castle. With P2Ks blazing, Takuya and Trowa try to down Trunks and Yugi. Trowa's skill, thanks to the Gundam Heavyarms he usually pilots, allows him to get Yugi with one shot to the head. Trunks is a little harder because of his speed, and Trowa and Takuya take some damage before finally taking the pint-sized Saiyan down. Their hard work is rewarded... by several SG5 shots to the back from Keith that take Takuya down and cut Trowa's life bar in half. Trowa: The shoot-us-when-we're-not-looking trick, huh? Trowa and Keith then get into a firefight, which ends up attracting Jet, Tally, and poor James... poor because he's killed before he could defend himself. Rally runs after somebody with her gun drawn. Rally: You're not getting away that easily! Rally ends up chasing down Nabiki, as she takes her out with ease. Anyway, because of the nature of the challenge and the inability to keep track of some many battles without getting confused, a team-by-team fast forward is in order... ====== [Challenge Fast Forward] [Team White: Amy R./Tally] The pink hedgehog seems to be struggling to get accurate shots off at the opposition, which results in her going down a few times. Meanwhile, Tally is a bit more accurate and takes down most of the easy, inexperienced targets. But she's outmatched when she runs into either Rally, Jet, Trowa, or Yusuke. [Team Yellow: Takuya/Trowa] Trowa's accuracy with the firearms is a real asset, as he's able to quickly move from one person to the next without having to worry about being surrounded. Takuya, on the other hand, takes the goggle-boy foolhearted approach by charging into every single battle he sees. This usually results in him dying, scoring the occasional point or so once in awhile thanks to unintentional help from other teams. [Team Red: James/Jet] Jet also holds his own, as he is the most accurate of all in the early going, as all but one of his first 40 shots or so hit somebody. James, on the other hand, has found the level's ultimate weapon, the Sentinel. He enjoys wreaking havoc by using the guided missiles to kill several people at once. Unfortunately, his terror streak doesn't last long, as Trunks loads one bullet of his Auto 12 into James's skull. [Team Violet: Trunks/Yugi] And speaking of Trunks, his fast speed gives him a huge advantage, as he's able to run circles around his enemies. But he chooses to go into the biggest battles to score the most points, and ends up unintentionally getting in the crossfire several teams. Yugi, on the other hand, isn't really comfortable in shooting people, and thus, he's one of the easier targets to pick off. [Team Green: Haruka/Yusuke] Yusuke seems to be on a rampage, shooting anything he sees moving. That includes shooting Haruka in the back a couple of times, which doesn't make her happy. Still, Yusuke proves to be one of the hardest to kill as he racks up the points. Haruka has decided to play the part of sniper, as she locates the Tactical Sniper and slowly picks off people one at a time, occasionally moving to avoid being found. [Team Blue: Nabiki/Whitney] Fundamentally, Nabiki and Whitney are the weakest team, and that's quickly made obvious by their inability to shoot accurately. Even dives for armor aren't helpful, and in giant firefights they're usually the first to go down. Together or separate, it doesn't matter... they aren't getting much help from anyone. [Team Black: Keith/Rini] Rini takes a defensive approach, knowing that she didn't stand a chance offensively. Thus, she killed more people than times she got killed. Keith, meanwhile, is the daredevil, moving from battle to battle and continually armoring himself when necessary to stay alive and get the most kills per turn. [Team Orange: Amy M./Rally] Amy is freaked out by the whole ordeal, but she still manages to suck it up and sneak in a few shots here and there. While Amy is cautious, Rally is calculating and devious as she weaves her way through the landscape, picking off people with her accurate shots. Only because of the fact that many of the other players are gunning for her at the same time does she die a few times. [End Challenge Fast Forward] ====== The game continues past the 10-minute mark, as the two teams are just points away from victory... whether they realize it or not. At one end of the field, Takuya and Nabiki battle with Auto 12s, Rini has her P2K, Trunks is wielding the Tactical Sniper, and James fires away with the burst mode of his SG5. Down at the bottom of the hill, in the house, Rally and Jet are in a P2K standoff in the stairwell leading to the balcony, the two Sailor Scouts (Amy M. and Rini) try to outduel each other in a battle of Auto 12s, and out on the porch, Haruka and Yusuke double-team Whitney with SG5s, who got caught without any ammunition. But suddenly, a rocket comes flying from the top of the castle, and it veers right towards the first aforementioned grouping, taking out all but James, who was somehow lucky to just receive damage and not be killed. The challenge is over as one team has gotten the needed 25 points. We look up to see who has the Sentinel atop the castletop... And surprisingly, it's the ultra-cute Amy Rose who delivered the winning score. ====== Once everyone had logged out of the game, Amy Rose and Tally celebrate happily, as the rest of the crew is stunned by the huge upset. Rally: How did we not win? Keith: I thought our team had it! Tenchi heads over to the machine's printer to get a print-out of the final scores. Although the winners have been determined, the other teams do not know where they finished as of yet. Tenchi: First of all, congratulations to Amy Rose and Tally. I think we're all surprised that you two won this one. Amy R.: It's nothing! I planned it this way the whole time. Whitney: But you two weren't doing so well in the beginning. Tally: True... until we came up with a strategy and changed things up. Tenchi: And now, the final results... in last place with 6 points were Nabiki and Whitney. That was followed by Trunks and Yugi with 15, James and Jet with 17, Haruka and Yusuke with 18, Takuya and Trowa with 22, and finally, the teams of Amy M. and Rally and Keith and Rini finished tied for second with 24. The final score for our winners, Amy Rose and Tally, was 26 points. The results really surprised a lot of people, especially Keith and Rini, who finally place in a roommate challenge. Tenchi: You know the drill... the Top 4 teams get to stay at the cabin until the next challenge, the bottom 4 are at the campsite. You can now head back and pack, if need be. The groups begin to head back, as Amy Rose shares a congratulatory hug with her teammate before heading to the campsite to get her things. ****** At the campsite following the challenge, Amy Rose is acting as if she's walking on air as she skips happily around. Amy M., Keith, and Trowa are just being quiet as they pack their things, leaving Haruka, Jet, Nabiki, and Yugi to fix lunch for themselves and the newcomers. Amy R.: Finally in first, finally in first! Sonic'll be so proud of me! Jet: (sarcastically) I'm sure he'll be ecstatic. Amy M.: Come on now, Jet! Can't you be happy for her? Jet: I guess I could. But only because you say so. While Amy the Sailor Scout smiled at that remark, Amy the hedgehog continued to skip around gleefully. Meanwhile, Keith was plotting his next move as she glanced at Jet and Haruka. Keith: (CC) I just have one more thing to do before Phase One of my plan is complete. And then... I can start to dismantle the Adult Alliance! Those suckers won't know what hit them! Amy R.: (CC) I'm glad Tally and I finally won a roommate challenge! Now that I have the inspiration to continue on, I'm going to play this game out for all it's worth! The gang hasn't seen the best of Amy Rose yet! ====== Over at the cabin, it's James, Trunks, Whitney, and Yusuke who are packing and Rally, Rini, Takuya, and Tally beginning to get things for lunch ready. But before they depart... Trunks and Yusuke have some words with each other. Trunks: I forgot to tell you this earlier, but the other day, Bandit Keith approached me about how... Yusuke: Tally, Haruka, and Jet are conspiring against us? Yeah, he told me. Trunks: What do you think? Can the four of us take them on? Yusuke: Four of us? There's only you, me, and Keith right now. Trunks: You mean... you got rid of Nabiki? Yusuke: Yep. But don't worry... we don't need her and she doesn't need us. Trunks: I hope you're sure. We don't want her backstabbing us with another alliance. Yusuke: I doubt that'll happen. ====== As the move commences, things seem to be busy at camp. Well, at least for Haruka and Jet... Haruka: So, we make our move today? Jet: Yeah. We'll talk to James and see if he's in. Haruka: Too bad Rini and Amy Rose are over at the cabin. Jet: Tally's at the cabin, remember? They're teammates, so I'm sure she can convince her to join our cause. Haruka: So all that's left is for me to convince Rini to join us. That would make six. Jet: There's you and me and Tally, and we'll all vote for each other. That's two votes each. Amy, Rini, and James will vote for the three of us, and that gives us five each. Haruka: And to give us all some free will, we can each throw our extra vote to someone else we like. Wait... what about Nabiki? Jet: She'll make seven, which makes six votes for all of us. Still, let's not count her in just yet. We need to test her loyalty first. Haruka glances over at camp where Nabiki is checking the crates for stuff to eat and Yugi is cleaning his Millennium Puzzle. Haruka: How do we do that? Jet: We get her to get rid of Keith! Haruka: You sure that'll work? Jet: Trust me! ====== We move on to later in the day, as things are rather slow at the cabin. But it looks like interest is picking up... as Amy and Takuya are coming back from a walk with Gatomon. But it seems that the feline Digimon is the last thing on their minds as she goes back into the cabin, leaving the duo alone outside. Amy M.: Isn't it nice for things to be peaceful out here? Takuya: Yeah. I thought I'd never see the day. Amy M.: I guess it's back to work for us. Ready to go in? Takuya: You bet! The two head in, but they could swear they saw Rini and Amy Rose peering at them through the window... though they weren't there anymore. ====== Night Twenty-Five With nothing to do, we're pretty much stuck figuring out where the alliances lie and who's in them. Let's start with activity from the Adult Alliance at the cabin, where Tally and Amy Rose are out on the porch. Tally: It'll be you, me, Haruka, and Jet. We have a sworn allegiance not to backstab each other for the Final Four vote. Amy R.: I don't. I mean, I'm glad that you want me as part of your alliance, but... Tally: But? Amy R.: Why does it have to be Haruka and Jet? I don't like either of them. Tally: Why not? Amy R.: Haruka orders us around too much. And Jet... well, Jet's scary. Tally: Maybe so, but think about it this way. There's four of us in the group, and three of the votes can be used to get in the other members. Of course, we'll vote each other in. But we get four votes, right? Amy R.: I get it now! We can give the fourth vote to anyone we want! Tally: Right! Amy R.: Gee... that sounds like a good deal. Okay, I'm in! Tally: Thanks a lot, Amy! You won't be disappointed! Amy R.: I hope not! My hopes are riding on you three to get me into the finals! The two head inside, drawing a few stares from the other cabinmates. Tally: (CC) Well, my part is done! Now it's up to Jet and Haruka to finish off their parts. ====== And speaking of which, let's check in on James and Jet, who are lucky enough to share a tent so that their discussion doesn't raise immediate suspicion. James: You want me to join your alliance? Jet: Yes! We think that you're adult enough to be a part of! James: I can't believe this! Jet: Believe it, man! You're part of the team now! James: I'm so happy! Now I'll be able to give Team Rocket a proud showing! Jet: Right! James: (shaking hands with Jet) Trust me... you won't regret making me part of the team! Jet: Just remember... at the vote, you've got to vote for Haruka, Tally, and me. The fourth vote can be whomever you want. James: Got it! Jet: Good. Now, let's get some sleep before we get caught talking. James: Actually, I'm not tired. I'm going out for a walk. Jet: Uh, okay. But don't tell anyone what we talked about! James: Of course! James leaves the tent, but Jet isn't reassured at all. ====== A few minutes later, we see two people talking behind some trees near camp... ???????: You're asking me for help? ?????: You're the only one I can turn to! Doesn't loyalty mean anything? ???????: You're the absolute last person to talk about loyalty! ?????: You want me to prove my loyalty then? Alright... just tell me who you want to put down and I'll do it. ???????: It's not like that! I may hate his guts, but I can't do that to him. That would be totally unfair. ?????: No one will know! All you have to do is promise me this... The two continue to talk in secrecy, as we don't get to hear the rest of it. ====== Day Twenty-Six The next day, most of the people in the cabin seem content with sleeping the morning away. Only Amy M. and Trowa are up and about by ten thirty, the former enjoying a warm shower and the latter preparing lunch. Unfortunately, everyone would get a rude awakening when they hear someone pounding on the front door. Trowa rushes to the door to get it, but Amy R., sleeping the closest to it, answers it first. Tenchi: Good morning. Amy R.: Tenchi? Trowa: Is something wrong? Tenchi: No, nothing's wrong. I just need to speak with Rally. Trowa: Rally? The two of them look back and see Rally still snoring peacefully. Trowa: Okay, but you'll have to wait a few minutes to get ready. Rally: (getting up) That's alright... I can change quickly. She glances at the bathroom door and sees that light is on, signifying that someone's inside. Rally: Hmmm... guess I'll have to change out here. Rally slips off her black short sleeve shirt, leaving her in nothing but her underwear. Unfortunately, she forgot that Trowa and Tenchi were still looking at her. Rally: Ack! Amy R.: (pushing them outside) Bad boys... you should know better! Trowa: (closing his eyes) I swear I didn't see anything. Tenchi: (trying to hold in a nosebleed) Yeah... what he said. ====== Once Rally was fully dressed, to the relief of Ryoko-Tenchi and Ayeka-Tenchi coupling fanatics and to the groan of disappointment from the fanboys, she went outside to meet with Tenchi. And by the look on his face, he was all business. Tenchi: Rally... one of my cameramen told me that you were threatening people with your toy gun the other day. Rally: Why would I do that? Tenchi: Threatening people is not allowed, Rally. It's against the rules to threaten someone's life. Doing so results in an automatic expulsion from the game. Rally: What? Tenchi: And that's why we need to talk... to determine whether the threat was serious enough to warrant expulsion. Rally begins pacing around nervously, wondering what was going on and if this would be her swan song... would she really be sent home? ****** Tenchi takes Rally to the production trailer that sits just outside the Pagumon village. To Rally's shock, both Yusuke and Whitney are also there. Rally: What are you two doing here? Tenchi: They're here for related and unrelated reasons. Unrelated because of the bickering between them the past few days. And related to you, in terms of what you did to stop their arguments. Rally: Is that what this is all about? I swear, Tenchi... I pointed that gun at them just to scare them! I'd never really threaten them. Tenchi: Maybe so, but this is a serious matter. (to Yusuke and Whitney) You two were on the receiving end of it. Do you think she threatened you? Yusuke: Of course she threatened us! The way she was holding that gun was meant to be threatening! Whitney: But hold on, Yusuke! It was meant to scare us into agreeing to stop fighting. Rally: It looks like it worked... you two aren't at each other's throats. Whitney: It's because we know that if we showed any severe hostility to each other here, one or both of us would be gone already. Yusuke: And as much as I hate being here... I've been here so long already and earned a good chunk of change. If I've got a shot at winning this, then I want to stay too! Tenchi: Their matter has been resolved, for now anyway. Right now, we're focusing on you, Rally. Rally: I swear on my heart, Tenchi! I would never, ever threaten to shoot either of them! It was a scare tactic, honest! Tenchi: You do admit that you threatened to shoot them with a toy gun? Rally: Yes. Yes, I do. Whitney: (jumps up out of her seat and points at Rally) She's lying! Tenchi, Rally, and Yusuke all stare at Whitney strangely. She chuckles lightly as she sits back down. Whitney: What? I really thought Yusuke was going to beat me to the punch and do it first. Yusuke: You obviously think I'm stupid enough to do that? Tenchi: Whitney, this is no time for jokes! Whitney: (lowering her head) Sorry. Tenchi: Now Rally, do you think that you could stay here without me or the rest of the production staff worrying about you pulling that gun out on someone else? Rally: Of course! I'm in complete control. It'll never happen again. Tenchi: Uh huh... to ensure that, would you be willing to give up the toy gun? Rally: What? But the only way I can sleep at night is to sleep with a gun under my pillow! Tenchi: (to Whitney and Yusuke) Would you still feel threatened by Rally if she still had the gun? Whitney: I would. Definitely. Yusuke: You think I'm scared of a silly toy gun? In your dreams, pal. Tenchi: Just yes or no, Yusuke. Yusuke: No. Okay? Tenchi: Would you feel safe if Rally remained in the game? Yusuke: I'm not that worried about her killing me! She wouldn't be able to do it anyway! Rally: Shows how much you know! Tenchi: Rally! Ahem... and you, Whitney? Whitney: Rally was just trying to help us. I would feel safe with her. No need to worry about that. Rally: So, I'm okay? Whew... thank goodness. Tenchi: Not quite. Whitney said she wouldn't feel safe if you had the toy gun, so... Rally: You're going to take it away from me? (to Whitney) Whitney! Whitney: That's the way I feel, Rally. I'm sorry. Tenchi: Hand over the gun, Rally. Rally: But... it's back at the cabin! Tenchi: (seriously) Rally... Rally sighs and pulls the toy gun, which was strapped to the right underside of her shirt, just above the pelvis, out of her holster. She hands it over to Tenchi. Rally: What am I supposed to do now? Tenchi: Well, the three of you can head back now. Rally, don't threaten anyone else, okay? And Yusuke and Whitney, you two keep your tempers in check. Yusuke: It's too bad that's a problem for fiery redheads. Whitney: Why don't you say that to my face, Yusuke? Tenchi: Ahem... Yusuke: (doing a 180) I meant, no need to worry, Tenchi! Whitney and I are the best of friends! Whitney: (doing the same) Yeah! In fact, we're so close now that we're practically brother and sister! Yusuke: (whispering) What kind of cover was that? Whitney: (whispering) Would you have rather have me say we liked each other? Rally: Stop the whispering you two. You're not fooling anyone. Tenchi: And you're not fooling me, Rally. The three of you get back before I change my mind. In a flash, Rally, Whitney, and Yusuke leave the trailer and head back to the others. ====== Upon getting back, Whitney and Yusuke find the gang at camp playing with cards. But not with Duel Monsters cards... with regular old playing cards. Haruka, James, Jet, and Nabiki were sitting in a circle on the ground, each with five cards in hand. Jet: So... anyone going to ante up? Nabiki: You bet! Three rocks! In lieu of money, chips, or other valuables, they were using rocks as betting pieces. Haruka: I'll see your three and raise you one. Jet: I'll match that. Nabiki: Me too. Each of them arrange things so that they now have four rocks each riding on their hands. But James has yet to bet anything. Jet: Come on, James! James was examining his hand and the five rocks before him. As he tried to figure out what to do, Yusuke snuck up behind him and whispered something into his ear. Jet: Hey, no fair helping! Yusuke: Helping what? I'm just saving his life. James: Yes! According to Yusuke, I've got a lousy hand! So instead of risking my rocks, I'll just fold. James put his cards down on the ground. He then got up from his seat and went over to Whitney, who was exhausted from the trip. Yusuke decided to take James's seat in the game as it continued on. James: So, what happened? Whitney: Nothing you should be concerned about, James. James: Oh, come on! You can tell me! I'm your friend! Whitney walked away to her tent to have some girltalk time with Nabiki. But most important of all was what she was doing right now. James: You're ignoring me again! Why do you keep doing that? ====== Yes, the cards do have some purpose. But we'll get to that later. Right now, we need to get back to the whole alliance dealie, as it seems to be getting more important with every passing day. This time, we check in on Bandit Keith in the forest, as he looks to complete Phase One of his master plan... whatever that is. Keith: Hey Rally, you wanna chat? Rally: Not really. Keith: (nearly falls over but catches himself) Come on! We're both Americans here! Rally: Maybe so, but we're from two different worlds. Besides, you don't really represent what Americans are really like. Keith: Is that anyone to talk to someone who can get you into the Final Four? Rally: (slightly intrigued) Okay, you've got my attention. Talk. Keith: What if I told you that there are certain people who are trying to form an alliance with every single person in the game? Rally: How is that possible? If they were doing that, they would have to have gotten caught by now. Keith: (putting his arm around the back of Rally's neck) That's the thing... they're really good. But I've caught onto their plan. Rally: (shoving Keith's arm off of her) And let me guess... you're trying to form an alliance to fight back, right? Keith: Yep. Rally: Alright... who's in your alliance and who's in theirs? Keith: It'll be Yusuke, Trunks, me, and you against Haruka, Tally, and Jet. Rally: Jet? Jet's part of their alliance? Keith: Yeah! Rally: I can't go against Jet. We're working together, we share the same profession, and I can't see him doing that. Keith: But how much do you really know about him? You see, I was originally part of their alliance. Rally: You were? Keith: I was. But when I saw what their strategy was, I voiced my disagreement. And because of it, they kicked me out! Now I want revenge! Rally: How can I be sure you're telling the truth? Keith: (putting his hand over his heart) I'm a sworn American, babe! Americans never lie. Rally: Americans are people too, Keith. They do lie. Don't go assuming otherwise, because that's not the right way to convince me to help you. Keith: Okay then... how about this? Keith leans in and gives Rally a quick peck on the lips. In response, Rally slaps him silly. Rally: That's not the right way either! Keith: (holding his hand up to where Rally's handprint was) Okay, how about this? If I promise to drop out of the alliance if I betray anyone in it, would you then join us? Rally: That sounds good... but you have to promise you that you'll do what you just said. Keith: Cross my heart and hope to die! Rally: Well... okay. It's a deal. Keith: Heh... pleasure doing business with you. The two shake on it, but it seems that their conversation has not gone unnoticed by another member of the alliance, Yusuke. ****** Night Twenty-Six That evening, outside the cabin, Yusuke voiced his disapproval about Keith's dealings with Rally. Yusuke: How dare you bring Rally into the fold without my approval? Keith: Sorry, chief. I thought you would have loved to have a woman in the group. Yusuke: I could care diddly squat about whether there's a woman in this alliance or not! What I care about is that you brought someone into the alliance without consenting me! This is the exact same reason that I kicked Nabiki out for! Keith: So, Nabiki was part of the alliance before. Yusuke: Damn it! See what you made me do now? Keith: (smiling) I didn't make you do anything. Yusuke: Forget it... look, you can't be going around making deals! What if Rally is already in another alliance? Especially the Adult Alliance! You want this turned against us? Keith: She's on the level, Yusuke! Chill! Yusuke: It's hard to chill when you just compromised the security of our alliance! Keith: Look at it this way... unless we've got a chick in the alliance, our chance of getting any of the girls to support us is slim to none! I know what I'm doing! Yusuke: I guess you've got a point. Still, you should've asked me first! Keith: Okay... captain. Yusuke: Look, don't do it again or you're out! Keith: Of course! Yusuke: I'd better head back to camp before the others start worrying about me. Remember, nothing done without me knowing, okay? Yusuke then headed back, not hearing Keith's low chuckle. Keith: (CC) Phase One's complete. Now after I solidify a few things, Phase Two can begin! ====== Day Twenty-Seven While Takuya, Amy M., Tally, and Rally were out training with Guilmon and Gatomon, things in the cabin take a strange turn when Trowa finds two things in the mailbox. The regular challenge message... and a bunch of index cards rubber banded together. Trowa: (entering the cabin) We've got challenge mail... and something else too. Rini: Like what? Amy R.: What is it? Keith: I bet it's nothing. Trowa: (examining the cards) It looks like each of them has a name on it. He takes out his card and sees that there are three names on it... Catherine, Duo, and Quatre. Trowa: What's this for? Keith takes the challenge message from Trowa and reads it aloud. Keith: Bring the pack of cards you got yesterday to today's challenge, as they will be a big part of it. Also, bring your index card with it filled out. Trowa hands Keith, Amy, and Rini their cards. Each of them also has three names on it, and the instructions 'Check one.' Amy R.: What could this be for? Keith: I don't know, but maybe it has something to do with today's challenge. Rini: Let's do it then! The foursome fills out the cards, unaware of what they are for. ====== Around midday, after an early lunch, the two factions make their way to the Challenge Field. Two plain old tables are set up, each with eight seats. There seems to be poker chips on them too. Tenchi appears from behind a nearby tree, and with a guest to boot. A real hot-looking guest that was familiar to one of the Roomies. ????: What do you mean this is not for money? Tenchi: Well, not for money money. They're playing for a prize. Jet: Is that you, Faye? The woman is Faye Valentine of Cowboy Bebop. She also was a competitor in last season's edition of Roomies. And she was obviously getting the attention of most of the boys. Yusuke: Wow, who's she? Keith: Now that's a babe! Jet and Rally team up to knock some sense into the two love-crazed boy. But then a third fist connects with Yugi's head thanks to Whitney... because he had been staring too. Whitney: I can't believe you, of all people! Yugi: (holding his head) A simple 'Stop staring at her!' would have sufficed. Tenchi: For those of you who don't know, this is Faye Valentine of Cowboy Bebop and she's here to assist me in refereeing this challenge. Faye: (smiling) Glad to see you're still alive, Jet. Jet: What the hell is that wisecrack supposed to mean? Faye: I'm surprised you haven't grown attached to any of the young women yet. Jet: Do I look like a womanizer to you? Tenchi: Could you two save the discussion for later so I can explain the challenge? Ahem... now, who has the packs of cards? Trowa and James pull them out of their pockets and hand them to Tenchi. Tenchi: Good. Today, you'll be playing a little Blackjack 21. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the card game, Faye will explain further. Faye: Yes. Blackjack 21 is simple. The object of the game is to get the closest to 21, including 21 itself, without going over. In each round, everyone starts with two cards. They can have up to five cards in their hand per round. Tenchi: Face cards count as tens, while the aces can count as either as a one or an eleven. If at the start of the round you get a face card face up and your face down card is an ace, that is an automatic Blackjack and thus, you win the round. Faye: Everyone will be given five chips. You can bet as many as you want per round, but once you run out, you are out of the game. Tenchi: Once again, we will have a male winner and a female winner. Each winner will get a complete home theater system, courtesy of Bose. The males will have Faye as their dealer, while I will deal the female table. Tenchi hands one deck to Faye as the two take their place at the tables. Tenchi: So then... let the challenge begin! Oh, and Faye, please put something more dignified on! Faye: (rolls her eyes) Fine. ====== [Prize Challenge 4: Blackjack 21 Marathon] Right before the start of the challenge, Jet is seen whispering something to both Haruka and Tally, drawing some suspicion. Still, the challenge begins as planned. [Men's Table - First Hand] Faye, now dressed in her dealer's outfit from Episode 3 of her series, deals out the first hand to the men. Immediately there's smiles on the faces of Yusuke and Takuya. Yusuke: (pushing forward his chips) I bet four chips! That instantly made everyone nervous as the drawing of cards begins. Jet goes first and draws one card... and then throws his hand down in disgust. Jet: Dang it Faye, I went over! Faye: Sorry Jet... I'm not playing favorites today! Oh, and if you ever go over, you're required to pony up two chips to the dealer. As Jet reluctantly hands two of his five over, Trunks draws a card. Not satisfied, he draws a second and then holds. Trunks puts in a two-chip bet. Takuya decides to hold, and so he places a safe bet of one chip. James is next, as he draws and also goes over with the next card. The same happens to Trowa as well. Yugi draws his allowed three cards and then bets one chip. Last but not least is Keith, who doesn't draw anything and just puts one chip forward. Faye: Any more bets? Okay... reveal! Yusuke has a Q and K (20 total), Trunks has two 3's, a 10, and a 4 (20 total), Takuya has two 10's (20 total too), Yugi has a 4, a 5, two 3's, and a 6 (21 total), and Keith has a 7 and a J (17 total). Faye: Yugi wins with 21... he gets eight chips, plus the one he bet back. Yugi: Alright! Yusuke: Lucky draw! [Chips: Yugi 13, Takuya/Keith 4, Jet/James/Trowa/Trunks 3, Yusuke 1] [Women's Table - First Hand] Meanwhile, Tenchi had already dealt out the first hand to the women, as they debated what to do. Amy Rose was first. Amy R.: Alright... I'll draw one card and bet two chips. Once she does that, we move on to Nabiki. Nabiki: (smiling) Okay, I'll take one card... and then bet all five of my chips! Amy M.: You shouldn't bet it all at once, you know. Nabiki: I know what I'm doing! Amy M. nodded as she took her turn. She decided not to draw and hold with her cards, putting in one chip. Rally is next, as she draws one card at first. But she decides to go for two, and that puts her over 21. Tally draws fifth, but she takes just one card and puts in one chip. Rini draws three cards and then bets two chips. Whitney also gets three cards and bets two chips. And finally, Haruka bets two without drawing anything. Tenchi: Okay ladies, reveal your hands! Amy R. has two 5's and a 7 (17 total), Nabiki has a 6, a 7, and an 8 (21 total), Amy M. has two Q's (20 total), Tally has three 6's (18 total), Rini has two 2's, two 3's, and 4 (14 total), Whitney has three aces, a 2, and a 5 (20 total), and Haruka has... Tenchi: A Jack and a face-down ace! Haruka has blackjack! As Haruka takes the pot of 15, including the 2 she got back, as Nabiki slinks away from the table, already out of the game. [Chips: Haruka 18, Amy M./Tally 4, Amy R./Rally/Rini/Whitney 3, Nabiki 0] ====== [Challenge Fast Forward] [Hand Two] - On the men's side, James goes over again. Yusuke wins this hand with a 2-chip bet, collecting 2 each from Yugi, Keith, Jet, and Trowa, and 3 each from Takuya and Trunks, eliminating the latter. For the women, Haruka, Tally, Rally, and Rini all went over. Amy M. wins the hand with her 1-chip bet, but only collects 1 from Amy R. and 2 from Whitney. [Chips: Yusuke 15, Yugi 11, Keith 2, James/Jet/Trowa/Takuya 1, Trunks 0] [Chips: Haruka 16, Amy M. 7, Tally/Amy R. 2, Rally/Rini/Whitney 1, Nabiki 0] [Hand Three] - Trowa gets a blackjack from his hand as Yugi is the only one to go over 21. The biggest payoff comes from Yusuke, who bet 5 chips to Trowa's single 1. Keith also only bet 1, as did James, Jet, and Takuya, as that was all they had left. Meanwhile, the next hand for the women also goes over sour, as Tally, Amy R., and Rini all go over. Whitney saves herself from elimination, but that takes out Rally in the process as they both bet their last chip. Whitney would also get 2 from Amy M. and 3 from Haruka, totalling 6. [Chips: Yusuke 10, Yugi 9, Trowa 7, Keith 1, James/Jet/Takuya/Trunks 0] [Chips: Haruka 13, Whitney 7, Amy M. 5, Tally/Amy R./Rally/Rini/Nabiki 0] [Hand Four] - At the men's table, nobody goes over, but Keith is eliminated when he doesn't win the hand, losing his last chip. The win goes to Trowa, who gets 2 each as well from Yusuke and Yugi after betting 2 himself. And for the women, Haruka and Whitney both go over, making Amy M. the winner. She doesn't get any chips, but Haruka and Whitney each lose two. [Chips: Trowa 12, Yusuke 8, Yugi 7, Keith/James/Jet/Takuya/Trunks 0] [Chips: Haruka 11, Whitney/Amy M. 5, Tally/Amy R./Rally/Rini/Nabiki 0] [End Challenge Fast Forward] ====== It's down to three players at each table as Hand Five is dealt. We take a look at the women's table first this time, as the three remaining players there decide what to do. Haruka: I'll take one card. Tenchi gives her one card as Haruka smiles. She then bets out all eleven, to both Whitney and Amy's surprise. Whitney: Wow! Amy M.: That can't be good. Haruka: (smiles) It's either all or nothing, girls. Whitney looks at her hand and decides not to draw. But she puts in two chips anyway. Amy, meanwhile, does draw two cards before putting forth a two chip bet. Tenchi: Hands, ladies? Haruka is the first to reveal, showing that she has a 5 and two 7's (19 total). Whitney is holding two K's (20 total) and Amy has an ace, two 3's, and a 4 (21 total). Tenchi: Amy wins the hand and gets 13 chips. With that, Haruka gracefully bows out... but not without confusion from the others. Haruka: It's okay, girls. I just decided that you two would probably need it more than me. [Chips: Amy M. 18, Whitney 3, Haruka/Tally/Amy R./Rally/Rini/Nabiki 0] As Haruka walks away, let's check in on the men's table, which is about to reveal its hand. Trowa and Yusuke both have three cards and have bet three chips. Yugi, on the other hand, has two cards but has bet only one chip. But before anyone can reveal, Trowa ups the ante. Trowa: I'll match your three coins and raise you three more. Yusuke: What are you doing? Trowa: Making the stakes a bit more interesting. Yusuke: Okay, fine... I'll match that so that I'm betting six too! The two then look at Yugi to see if he'll match their twin bets. Yugi thinks about it, but decides to settle for doubling his bet from one to two. Yusuke: What are ya? Chicken? Trowa: I wouldn't be so confident if I were you. Yusuke: We'll see who's confident after this. Faye: Okay gentlemen... reveal! The hands are revealed... and the winner of this pile of chips is... ========================= End Episode Twelve ========================= Tenchi: (VO) On the next episode of Roomies... Amy M.: I hope you're not thinking about giving up. Whitney: Not on your life, Amy! Tenchi: (VO) Who will win the home theater systems? Yugi: (CC) I can't believe I bet everything on that one hand! Trowa: Time to see who the winner is. Yusuke: It'll be me... just watch! Tenchi: (VO) Plus... let's have a few friends over to the Digital World! Amy R.: I'm still glad that you came. Yugi: I'm glad you liked the card I sent you. Tally: This is the best thing that's happened to me here! Tenchi: (VO) Wait... let's go back to the challenge, 'cause something's wrong... Jet: That's not the way we planned it! Tally: Well, I can't help the way the game played out! Tenchi: (VO) And lastly... someone steals an item of sacred value... James: Hey! Who took my bottle cap collection? Tenchi: (VO) All this and more on the next episode of Roomies! Tally: (walking away from the camera) I don't want to talk about it! ========================= Next Episode ========================= And so things get more complicated. With all of the alliances forming, some of them are bound to overlap... some already are. What will happen when the chips hit the fan and all the partnerships are revealed? We'll see... Episode 13 is up next Tuesday... 'til then!