A/N: If you see the user "Sweet Deer" formerly known as "AdmiralBetty" formerly know as "Sally" then please report. She is attempting to steal this story. If she PMs you or leaves a review on here please report her to support with the tag ABUSE in the subject line.

I apologize it took me so long to write another chapter, and that this story has a bajillion spam reviews, but after learning today that my story, that I worked really hard on as a kid. A long time ago, this story was plagiarized once before. I was about fourteen and this was the first story I wrote, but someone stole it and republished it as their own so I took it down.

I will not be doing that again. Now, as an adult, even though this little Mario fanfiction doesn't mean much to me at all, I've been inspired to finish it because it's MINE. And I don't know if I'll finish it, but if someone is writing new chapters it's going to be ME.

So here you go. I hope you enjoy!

With Love, AdmiralBobbery - the REAL owner of this fic

Merged: Birdo, Toadsworth, Boo, Wendy, Princess Shroob

Boo didn't feel whole. When he woke up the next morning in Pianta Village, everything felt…fuzzy. Noki was gone. He had started the game without her, alone, but as he navigated his way around the competition and she hers, they had found each other. Together they had played, at times with different allies, but always as one. Together they had sworn to take down Princess Shroob and her band of cronies. Together they had shared their first kiss over the sunset of Gelato Beach, sipping watermelon smoothies, coupling their ideas of love.

"Noki…" Boo's words were languid, lachrymose, devoid of all hope. The bed next to his was empty. Her bags were gone. Even the little sea-shelled framed photograph Noki kept of her parents was gone as well. Everything gone. He forced himself out of bed, floating to the edge of the doorway. He looked back and forth, once to the sunrise, once to the village's exit. It would be so easy to just walk away. He didn't need all that money. All he needed was Noki. His eyes wavered on the village's exit. His heart asked him to step towards it. His mind pulled him back.

"No." He said it aloud, firmly, resolutely. He said it again, this time louder. It felt good. A piece of him had returned. Quietly, he made his way to the confessional. He sat down inside, looking at the wooden walls, the small video camera. He pushed the button. A flashing green light appeared on the camera's lens, signifying it was recording. Later, Twila and Brighton would edit this confessional. When they did, they would remember it as the most moving confessional in the entire game.

"Noki," Boo said at first, choosing his words, letting each consonant and vowel roll over his tongue, the words swishing back and forth in his throat. "Noki, I'm sorry. I want to apologize to you, first and foremost. You trusted me with your game, and I let you down. I tried so hard Noki, I want you to know that. I imagined us getting to the end, looking one another in the eye, and being so proud and happy no matter which of us won. That won't happen now. Thanks to her." The word tasted like poison. It was a simple one, a mere signifier, a pronoun, but it tasted like poison nonetheless. He dared not say her name, but he had to. "Princess Shroob." He said it once more, as he had outside his hut with "No". "Princess Shroob." He said it louder, again, again, and again. "Princess Shroob," he said one more time, looking right at the camera, "I'm talking to you now. I'm making a vow to you, you freak from outer space. I'm sending you back to your planet. I'm kicking you out. You're not welcome here. You never were. You won't win this game, and maybe I won't either, but I don't want to anymore. I want to get you out. I will do anything, anything, anything. But know this. I will succeed."

He switched the camera off, exited the hut, and walked down the village's edge to watch the sunrise.

Princess Shroob had slept late. She rose when she pleased, changed her linens, her dress, the stones she was wearing and the gems that adorned her wrists and knuckles. She adjusted her translator, made sure her ray gun was at her hip. With a swagger, she left her hut. The rest of the group had already gathered around the breakfast hut, munching on the plethora of fruits Pianta Village had to offer. Fresh catch had been imported from Ricco Harbor, so some were munching on crackers with smoked fish on top of them.

She wasn't sure where to sit. Princess Shroob scanned the breakfast room for familiar faces – Pauline, Flurrie – but they weren't there. Bowser and Kammy too, had gone. At one point, she had even entertained the thought of working with Rosalina and the Don. They too, gone. Wario perhaps, with his infamous streak, but there was no scent of garlic and sweat. Boshi would sympathize, a schemer as well, but he too had been vanquished. The only company she had was Wendy, who had outwitted her more than once, and Birdo, who had proven herself to be much less of a waste than the princess previously thought.

But neither even noticed her enter the room.

No one wanted her here, she knew that. No one had, not since the start. But she was here. Fifteen others had fallen, and the princess remained. They had hated her, spit at her, cursed her name, but she was still here. They couldn't get rid of her, she knew, with a devilish smile. She would win immunity again, like she most always did, or come up with some crafty scheme to a dodge a vote her way. She could frame Toadsworth for something, manipulate the girls into distrusting Boo, bring up Birdo's old betrayal, scapegoat Wendy. She had options, she could still play. The princess smiled and grabbed a yogurt. It tasted sweet. Like victory.

Toadsworth had spent the morning with a walk. In his heart he carried loss. He had lost a lot, too much, in his journey for the coins. But he had never been here for the money, had he? He had been on that plane the very first day for one reason: the princess. Not the alien one, his princess. He had served dutifully all her life, from her first day in the world. He had protected her, and recently, he had failed her. She had exited early, a victim of scheme. But his heart went on. He met Zess T., and for him, a possibility life had never extended his way was extended to him. Love. The old toad had fallen madly in love with the sweet chef, and he longed to see her. She told him to win, for them – a similar vow Boo had made for Noki. But Toadsworth had never found the courage to say it. He knew what Zess wanted, but he didn't know what he wanted. All his life had been worrying about the safety of someone else, before Peach it was her mother, her mother before her. He was an old done man, but he felt something stir within him on his walk that morning. Perhaps it had been the way Noki looked at Boo before she said her goodbyes. Perhaps it had reminded him of the way Peach looked at Mario, of the way Zess looked at him, of the way he felt of her and of all his friends and family. Love. He had a reason to win.

Before Boo had used the hut, someone else had. The old toad sat down in the confessional, adjusted his glasses, and turned on the recorder.

"I've never used this seriously," he said at first, slowly. "I've been bumped on the head with surprise after surprise in this game, but now I think it's time to reflect. To ponder. By my great aunt's glasses, if you could see me now, princess. Your old aide, old Toadsworth, so close to a fortune. So close to saying he was able to do something for himself. I've found more than a lifetime's worth of riches on this journey. I've found love, for not just someone else, but for myself. I won't back down, Peach. I won't back down, Master Mario. I won't back down, Zess."

When he left the hut, he hadn't even felt the single tear roll down his cheek.

Wendy wanted to win. She wanted it, more than anything. Of everyone left, not many pined for the fortune. They had their different motives, their own personal goals. For Wendy, it had always been about the finish line. She had been underestimated, underdeveloped at times, but she had slid her way in, and by no fluke. She had deceived her father, king of the koopas, and brokered timely alliances when she needed them most. Wendy's resume was the longest, she knew, and she knew could take it all the way to the top. So she spent the morning making sure this would happen. She spent the morning with Birdo.

"It's strange, isn't it?" Birdo asked her over their fruit and yogurt breakfast.

"What's strange?" Wendy asked, taking a bite of melon.

"This game," Birdo told her, "all of it. We've spent all this time playing challenges and winning coins and making these little alliances, all for what? Some money? So much has happened that at times I forgot why I'm even here."

Wendy bit her lip. "It's Boshi, isn't it?"

Birdo nodded. "I…for the first time in my life, thought someone loved me. I thought…I dunno, I thought maybe someone found me attractive. I thought…I thought wrong. So the only course left for me is to win. To make it up to myself for letting myself get fooled."

Wendy smiled at her pink companion. "What if I want to win too?"

Birdo rolled her eyes. "I think you're the only person left who truly does, Wendy. That's what makes you so dangerous. Princess Shroob can throw her ray gun and her contracts around all she likes, but she won't win this game. She'll have to win every challenge until the end, and she won't. You however, have a shot."

"All four of us do."

Birdo nodded sagely. "You're right. Realistically, it's entirely unlikely for Princess Shroob to win. But the others, Toadsworth, Boo…they might. They've got as good a shot as you or I. We could be noble about this, you know. The four of us could get rid of her. We could fight it out, like old friends, duking for a title that really doesn't mean anything. But it would be honorable."

"What if some of us don't want to play honorably?"

Birdo smiled. "There's that dangerous girl. You really think keeping Princess Shroob around can do anything but hurt your game? She's wreaked so much havoc. She doesn't deserve it."

Wendy agreed. "Boo's just as dangerous as I am," Wendy said, "and so are you. Don't forget who made the call to jump at the chance to eliminate Noki."

Birdo flushed an embarrassed red. "I…I was thinking of the bigger picture there. And I still am. Getting rid of the princess is the best bet for all four of us. If we take her into four, there's no telling what she might do. She could run the challenges."

"She could."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Birdo asked her. "For her to be immune until the bitter end. Out of everyone here, she's the only who'd never think to get rid of you."

Wendy admitted it was true. Why shouldn't she? "Princess Shroob has never been an ally of mine, but she's never truly been an enemy, either. I've worked with her and against her in the past, whatever it took to navigate past her. You're right. She's dangerous. So is Boo. So are you. So is Toadsworth in his own way. It just depends on who's the most dangerous of us all."

"And if you determine who that is?"

"I'll get rid of them," Wendy said, finishing her melon. "Just like I got rid of everyone else in my way."

"Congratulations to the five of you for making it so far," Brighton said, spreading his arms wide to express his cheer. "It's quite the accomplishment to make it to the final five. But soon, five will become four. We're done giving out prizes, there's only one left. That big stack of gold coins just waiting for one of you at the finish line."

"Yes," Twila said, pursing her lips, "and we're quite literal when we say they're waiting for you at the finish line. Because there is a finish line, a real, checkered finish line. But it's going to be difficult getting there. Welcome to the final challenge of the game."

The five remaining players didn't say a word. They looked stupefied.

"Shocked, are you?" Brighton asked. "Too bad we don't have a sibling made to look like a lightning bolt, huh? Well, my sister speaks the truth. There is a finish line, and whoever crosses it first will win this game. But not all of you will set out on this adventure. See, before you go, you'll need to know where it is you're going."

"And to do that," Twila supplied, "you'll have to figure it out for yourselves. We've hidden letters, not the envelope kind, but the ones that build words. You'll find them hidden here in Pianta Village."

Brighton smiled. "And Sirena Beach."

Twila matched his expression. "And Pinna Park."

"Gelato Beach."

"Ricco Harbor."

"And finally," Brighton said, all smiles, "Bianco Hills."

"The destination you seek is a six-letter-word, and you'll find one piece of your puzzle at each of those mentioned locations. You'll have to scour the whole area, look high and low, and maybe you'll find all six."

"And the last person to do so," Brighton said, finishing his sister's work, "will be eliminated from the game."

Birdo: It's all too surreal. Not only do we have to earn our right to set out for the finish line of this game, but one of us won't even get to set out. Not to mention, we have to scour not just Pianta Village, but every location we've visited in this game besides a few.

"Excuse me," Boo asked, "but why isn't anything hidden at Noki Bay or Delfino Plaza?"

Twila rolled her eyes. "We ruled out Noki Bay for you, lovebird. We don't want you to get a sneak peek at your beloved. It wouldn't be fair to poor Toadsworth, who won't see his little Zess until he gets back home. So no Noki Bay for you!" Boo looked a little hurt, but he shrugged it off.

"As for Delfino Plaza, well, that's where you'll be bringing the letters once you find them all. See, it's not just enough to find them," Brighton explained. "You're going to have to bring all six back to the feet of the Shine Gate in Delfino Plaza in order for your findings to truly count. So, don't be late! The last person to check in at the Shine Gate will be leaving the competition."

"When do we start?" Wendy asked, competitiveness seeping into her tone.

"Hmm," Brighton said, looking at Twila, "how about…now!" they both cried together.

Toadsworth: Dear me, this one'll be a humdinger folks! Look out Delfino Plaza, this old cad's gonna be coming in hot with a whole bundle of letters! I'm not backing down, oh no sir!

Birdo: I've faced a lot of tough stuff in this competition, but I think this might just be the toughest thing yet. Let's do this!

Boo: I can't think about Noki or Princess Shroob right now. I have to focus on one thing and one thing only: finding these letters.

Princess Shroob: I daresay this puts me in a bit of a bind. This isn't a physical challenge, nor is it one I can really manipulate. No matter! I'll sweep these peasants under the rug and claim my rightful spot.

Wendy: To the Shine Gate, huh? See you there, losers! Wendy O. Koopa's got a big bag of coins with her name on them, honey.

At once, the five remaining competitors burst from the starting line, sprinting into the heart of Pianta Village. The first of the six letters lay somewhere here, but where to look?

That question went unanswered for some time. They scoured high and low, looking behind trees, in huts, in pools of water and mounds of rock. Eventually, tired and bedraggled, they didn't know where to look.

"Excuse me," Boo said, panting, looking to a blue pianta wearing a red backpack for help. "You haven't…happened to see a letter anywhere…have you?"

"A letter?" The pianta seemed puzzled. "Like, the mail kind?"

Boo shook his head. This was hopeless. He wasn't going to find anything here. He turned, floated low, and nearly bumped into a yellow-shaded pianta in a suit.

"Ey kid," the pianta said, "watch where youse going, eh?"

"S-sorry, just looking for a stupid letter in this stupid village to win a stupid game so I can stop a stupid princess," Boo said.

"Sounds complicated, yikes. Ey, a letter doe? I think I mighta seen one. Why don't ya come wit me, ya see?"

"You've seen one?" Boo asked. "Like an alphabet letter, not the mail kind."

"Yeah, yeah, sure kiddo. Right this way, I think."

The pianta led Boo over to a shaded canopy covered in banana leaves. Inside, two nokis were fanning a rather rotund pianta who was reclined on a beach chair. Beside him, a woman in a cyan bikini was sipping on a delicious looking cocktail. In between them sat a shirtless mustachioed man with a big gut, wearing his swimsuit and munching on a huge plate of fruit.

"What is this…" Boo asked, his jaw dropping at the sight. The large pianta lowered his shades as the yellow one behind Boo let out a laugh.

"Surprised to see us, eh Boo?"

"Y-you…"

"Oh come on now, don't pretend youse forgotten your old pal Don Pianta."

Boo was speechless. Before him sat three former competitors: Rosalina, Wario and Don Pianta himself.

"D-Don…Rosalina and Wario?"

"Don't forget it!" Wario barked. "We might not have lasted as long as you, punk, but we're in charge now!"

"He's right," Rosalina said in her quiet, placid voice. "You're looking for a letter, right?"

Don Pianta laughed. "He sure is." He reached under his chair and pulled out a cut-out of the letter C. It was orange and embossed with gold stones, looking quite the spectacle for such a simple thing. "And if he wants to get it, he's gonna have to do us a little favor."

Boo could feel the sweat breaking on his brow. "W-what would that be?"

"Oh, it's not much. A trifle, really. See, you found us before any of your buddies did. That's good, that's real good. But soon they'll show up too, and ol' Don here is gonna have to give them a task as well. So you're in a good spot right now, Boo boy. Don't muck it up, ya hear? You just gotta do one little thing."

"W-w-which is?"

The Don chuckled. It was a low, predatory laugh. "My daughter, you see, she's run off. Wit one of my own boys, scandalous, isn't it? Well, I ain't gots a clue as to where they might have run off to, but if I know my girl Francesca she's not one to survive too long without her jewelry. The dame went and left her whole jewelry box behind. Bring me a piece of her jewels so that I can tempt her to come home, and I'll see about giving you dis letta."

"Done." Boo sighed. "Where's the jewelry box?"

The Don let out a roar of a laugh. Rosalina giggled while Wario laughed and ate all at the same time.

"Oh, I mighta given it ta someone for safekeeping."

"Who?"

The Don shrugged. "His name is uh…oh, Rosa, what was his name?"

"I believe the locals call him Eely-Mouth," the space beauty said.

"That's the one! Yeah, I gave it to Eely-Mouth!"

"The giant eel at the bottom of Noki Bay?" Boo asked, his eyes widening in shock.

"That's the guy, and you betta be quick, because here comes Birdo!"

Boo turned and saw the dino approaching, led by the same yellow pianta. He must have slipped out while Boo and the Don were talking.

"Fine," Boo said. "I'll go get it."

He rushed out, eager to brave the trial ahead, but the game was just beginning.