Oh yeah, Episode 6! I’m getting into the groove! I hope you guys are too! This had to be the most fun I’ve ever had writing a fanfic! Just read on and see what I mean! A quick reminder... remember to cast your vote for the girl that should win it all! You will be able to vote until mid-July. I haven’t decided on a deadline yet, but we’re getting close! Let Episode 6 begin! Disclaimer: I do not own any of the shows, characters, or products advertised in this series. * * * * * * * * * * Layla: (VO) Last time on Roomies... Giselle: (pleading with innocent eyes) I’m only trying to help! Is there anything wrong with that? Kari: Yolei, please don’t start another argument. I’ve had enough of those to last a week. Yolei: Oh. Right. Layla: (VO) Sasami had a plan to bring Misty and Sora closer together... Sasami: It’s this fun game that I saw on TV once. It’s called laser tag. Kari: Ready? Sasami: Let’s do it! Misty: Sora! Duck! Sora: What? Kari jumps down from the tree with her gun drawn. As she motions to take the shot, Misty fires and hits her in the face visor. Layla: (VO) Did it work? Sora: Sasami’s right. We make a pretty good team. Misty: I guess you’re right. The two shake hands. Sasami and Kari breathe a sigh of relief. Sasami: Finally. Kari: It’s about time. Misty: (smirks) Just don’t get used to it. Layla: (VO) Almost... * * * * * * * * * * Sixteen young girls Four different anime shows Forty-two days living alone in a mansion One lucky soul walks away with up to one million dollars in cash (Begin theme song, showing each of the contestants, two at a time via split screen) Casey, playing baseball with her Chikorita Chelsea, holding her favorite stuffed panda Duplica, dressed as a Metapod Giselle, talking with her old friend Joe after a training class Jun, wearing her T-shirt that was signed by Matt and TK Kari, reading an e-mail message on her D-Terminal Madison, showing Sakura her rubber cat suit battle costume Meilin, fighting the Fight card in Penguin Park Mimi, waking up and seeing Palmon with her to celebrate Christmas Misty, singing a lullaby to Togepi Nikki, clearing the box vault during P.E. class Rita, putting on her sword shaped brooch Sakura, using the sealing wand to capture the Thunder card Sasami, cooking dinner at the Masaki residence Sora, returning a serve on the tennis court Yolei, taking a picture with her friends on her class trip to Kyoto Some of these girls will form long lasting friendships Others will develop intense rivalries But only one will walk out with up to a million dollars in cash and prizes These girls are... roomies! (Four group shots, each featuring one of the anime shows being represented, flashes on the screen for about two seconds each) - Digimon - Jun, Kari, Mimi, Sora, Yolei - Tenchi Muyo! - Sasami - Cardcaptors - Chelsea, Madison, Meilin, Nikki, Rita, Sakura - Pokémon: The Johto Journeys - Casey, Duplica, Giselle, Misty (End theme song, with a picture of all sixteen contestants in front of the mansion) * * * * * * * * * * Roomies Story Written by Freedom Fighter * * * * * * * * * * Episode Six Night Nine Sora is sitting silently in the living room. She glances up at the ceiling and takes a big breath. Sora: (VO) This is it. I’m finally going to end it. Misty walks into the room with her arms crossed over her chest, although she didn’t look annoyed at having to talk to Sora again. Misty: What’s up now? Sora: Misty, we need to talk. The two of them sit down. Sora: (sighs) Misty, I’m sorry. Misty: Sorry? Sorry for what? Sora: For being so pigheaded. Here I am, retaliating at you just because of your beliefs. In reality, I should’ve found a way to resolve our conflict. Misty: I see. Sora: I understand that you don’t like anyone from Digimon. And after several failed attempts by most of the house, myself included, to sway you from your view, I’ve decided that I was wrong in using that approach. Misty: Okay. Sora: So, instead of persuading you to like Digimon, I’ve learned that the only way to earn your friendship is to apologize for all I’ve done and then learn to respect you. Misty: (smiles) Sora, if there’s anyone who should be sorry, it should be me? Sora: Huh? Out in the hall, Kari, Mimi, and Sasami have gathered unnoticed. They look on as Misty and Sora continue their conversation. Misty: I’m the one who went overboard with my stand on Digimon cast members. I should’ve opened my mind and allowed you and your friends to take a stand. Dare I say that I respect you for what you did. Sora: I’m so glad you understand! Misty: I’ll never get to like your show, but I can learn to like you! Sora: It’s agreed then. We have a mutual respect for each other. Misty: Heck, maybe we can become friends! Sora and Misty stop and think about it for a second before responding... Sora: We’ll worry about that next week. Let’s just go one step at a time. Misty: Agreed. Sora and Misty shake hands. Outside, Sasami, Kari, and Mimi sweatdrop. Kari: At least they won’t try to yell each other’s heads off anymore. Mimi: That’s a relief. Sasami: (yawns) I guess we better hit the sack. Maybe we can finally get a good night’s rest. The three of them head upstairs to their respective bedrooms. By leaving early though, they don’t see Sora and Misty share a tender hug together. Day Ten As the sun shines brightly from above, Giselle, dressed in her school uniform, decides to go out and soak some rays. Taking her sunglasses, some suntan lotion, and a blanket, she walks out the front door and on to the front yard. Once she is a good distance from the mansion, Giselle sets the blanket down on the grass. She puts on her sunglasses. Then, she opens the bottle of suntan lotion and applies it to her face, arms, and legs. Then throwing the bottle aside, she lies down on her blanket, facing the sun. Just as she begins to get comfortable, Misty appears, blocking Giselle’s view. Giselle: Misty! You’re in my sun! Misty: Don’t you know it’s impolite to litter? Misty shows Giselle the empty lotion bottle. Giselle takes it and lays it next to her. Giselle: You happy? Now get out of my sun. Misty: Maybe it’s just me, but shouldn’t you be stripped down to a swimsuit if you’re trying to get a tan? Giselle: Don’t tell me how to get a tan! Besides, it’s not good for my audience to see my beautiful body until it’s ready. Misty: (groans) Whatever... Misty walks back to the house. Giselle sighs. Giselle: That’s better. Back inside the house, Yolei and Madison are walking down the stairs. They are discussing the outfit that Madison is designing. Madison: I’m almost done! By this time tomorrow, you’re be styling in your very own Digiworld clothes... without having to go to the Digiworld! Yolei: That’s great! Finally, I can show off to my friends. They’ll be so jealous! Madison: I wish I could go to the Digiworld. I would have never imagined that simply entering a magical world could help provide the style of the new millennium! Yolei: I don’t know if it’ll pass Mimi’s fashion test, but if it passes yours, it’s good enough for me. All of a sudden, Duplica comes running down the stairs, right past the duo. She has a water gun in hand, aimed towards the top. There, Meilin is giving chase with her own gun. Duplica: You can’t catch me! Meilin: (firing her water gun) Take this! Meilin fires and hits Madison in the back. Madison: Hey! Meilin: (running past her) Sorry about that Madison! It’s just a game! Sakura runs out of the kitchen, right to the stairwell, where she shoots Meilin in the face as she reaches the last step. Meilin: Ooh, you are so going to get it, Avalon! Sakura: (smirks) I’d like to see you try! As Meilin approaches Sakura with her water gun drawn, they are both squirted from the top of the stairs. They look up and see Casey standing up there, smiling. Casey: Yes! Meilin and Sakura smile. They then run up the stairs and go after Casey, spraying wildly all over. Sakura: Here we come Casey! Meilin: You’d better watch out! Casey takes off running, with Meilin and Sakura following her towards the bedrooms. Madison: If Sakura’s playing, then I want to play! Yolei: But what about your blouse? Shouldn’t you change first? Madison: Why? I’m going to get wet anyway. The two of them make their way to the bottom of the stairs, where they find quite a sight in the dining room. An angry Sasami is pointing a mop right at Duplica. Sasami: Don’t you know how hard water stains are to get out of the carpet? Duplica: I’m sorry Sasami. I didn’t know! Sasami: Why don’t you and the others go outside and play? It’s a nice day. Besides, maybe you’ll save me a chore! Duplica: Okay, okay Sasami! We’ll go outside! Madison: (walking up) I’m sure they didn’t mean any harm, Sasami. Sasami: Excuse me, but you don’t have to do all the chores around here! Sasami stomps off towards the kitchen, off to prepare lunch. Duplica, Madison, and Yolei watch her hasty exit. Yolei: Boy, did she wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Madison: Maybe I better stay and help her. Or else we all might regret it at lunch. Yolei: Good point. I’ll help! Duplica: I’ll go round up the others so we can go outside. Keep Sasami away until we do so. Madison: (winks) Got it. A minute later, Duplica is the first to make her way outside. She spots Giselle sleeping peacefully over on the front yard. She runs over. Catching her by surprise, she squirts Giselle in the face. Giselle wakes up with a startle. Giselle: Eek! Who did that? Giselle takes off her sunglasses and sees Duplica laughing right above her. Duplica: (giggles) You should have seen the look on your face! Giselle: That’s not very funny! Duplica: We’re shooting water guns! Do you want to play? Giselle: (putting her sunglasses back on) I’m trying to get a tan, not get all wet. Duplica: Meilin’s playing, you know. Giselle throws her sunglasses aside and pulls out a water gun out of nowhere. Giselle: Why didn’t you say so? Giselle and Duplica run over to the side of the house and wait for Meilin to come out. It doesn’t take long... just seconds later, she walks out the front door. She is unaware of what is about to happen. Then, when Meilin least expects it, Giselle and Duplica run by, squirting her in the face with their water guns. Meilin: Hey! Giselle: It’s only a game! Lighten up! Meilin: (pumping her water gun) Oh, you’re mine now! Sakura then makes her way out of the house. She is on the run because Casey is right behind her, squirting away. Meilin is oblivious to all of this. She’s only focused on Giselle, who is running all over the yard. Giselle: (aiming back at Meilin) Take this! Meilin: (dodging the blast) Missed me! As Giselle continues to run, she fails to notice that she is about to run over the spot where she had put that empty bottle of suntan lotion. She trips over, causing her to fall to the ground and let go of her water gun, which lands about fifteen feet in front of her. Meilin runs up all of a sudden and without warning, she starts spraying Giselle in the face. Very hard. The pressure of the blast is so high that Giselle is feeling a lot of pain from it. Meilin finally stops, laughing her butt off. Giselle, angry at Meilin’s actions, glares at her. She then begins to chase her without going back to pick up her water gun. Meilin fires the water gun continuously at Giselle, but she keeps missing. Meilin begins to panic as Giselle advances on her, ready to tear her apart. Meilin: Can’t you take a joke? I really didn’t mean to hit you that hard! Giselle: Tell it to my fist! Sakura is the first to notice Giselle’s change in attitude. Sakura: Hey! Sakura runs over to stop Giselle from attacking Meilin. Casey and Duplica notice this as well. They drop their guns and go over to help. Layla: (VO) When Roomies resumes... Kari: (CC) I just got done with Misty and Sora! Sakura: I’m nipping this one in the bud! Sakura tries her best to hold back Giselle, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. Kari: (CC) Can’t someone else handle Meilin and Giselle? Layla: (VO) Here we go again... Madison: Can’t we talk about this like ladies? Meilin and Giselle: (simultaneously) She started it! Layla: (VO) Then, how will the girls fare in their second prize challenge? Zachary is in the announcer’s booth, calling the race. Zachary: Giselle and Meilin, battling for fourth in turn one. Look out! They’re both going down! Giselle, on the inside, slides her back wheel into Meilin’s back wheel. Unfortunately, her angle is so sharp that they are both sent down. Meilin comes down on Giselle’s leg as the two bikes and their drivers slide towards the outside wall. Zachary: Misty’s is now only a bike’s length behind Sakura as they come to the white flag! One lap to go! Misty: (CC) I’m going all out! I’m going to win this race! Sakura: (CC) Misty’s not going to get the best of me! Layla: (VO) See what develops, right after these messages... * * * * * * * * * * Kari walks outside to see what all the noise is about. She then spots Giselle arguing with Meilin over on the front yard. Kari: (moans) Oh no. Not again. Sakura grabs Giselle by the arms, in order to keep her from strangling Meilin. Casey goes over to Meilin to keep her back, while Duplica takes a neutral position between the two dueling girls. Sakura: I’m nipping this one in the bud! Giselle: Let me go! Meilin: You want a piece of me? Come on! I dare you to hit me! Casey: (pleadingly) Stop it. Please! Duplica: I hope this isn’t what you had in mind yesterday, Giselle. Sakura tries her best to hold back Giselle, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. By this time, Sora, Misty, Madison, and Yolei had joined Kari on the front porch. Madison: What’s going on? Kari: I’m not exactly sure, but Meilin did something that Giselle wasn’t too happy about. Yolei: They were shooting water guns in the house before they got out here. Sora and Misty look at each other. They nod to each other before they both run onto the yard and towards Meilin and Giselle. Yolei: Sora! Madison: Misty! Kari: (shaking her head) Why is this happening all over again? Misty runs over to Giselle to help Sakura hold her back. Misty: Giselle! What in the heck happened? Giselle: (pointing to Meilin) She squirted me in the face on purpose! Very hard! Meanwhile, Sora had made her way over to Meilin and was trying to talk some sense into her. Meilin: Out of my way! You have nothing to do with this! Sora: I’m trying to help! Casey: She really is. Give her a break! Meilin: Oh, I will. (pointing to Giselle) After she cools her jets over there! Madison, Kari, and Yolei continue to watch the argument fold out from far away. Madison: (to Kari) Aren’t you going to go over and stop them? Kari: I would, but I’m still recovering from what we just went through last week! Yolei: We’ve got to do something! We just can’t sit here and wait for things to get worse! Madison: (sighs) If you won’t help them Kari, then I guess I’ll have to. Madison begins walking over towards Meilin and Giselle. Kari: (CC) I just got done with Misty and Sora! Can’t someone else handle Meilin and Giselle? Yolei: (CC) I’m not sure if letting Madison going over there is such a good idea. But what do we have to lose? Madison: Can’t we talk about this like ladies? Meilin and Giselle: (simultaneously) She started it! Madison: Okay you two! Let’s go inside and settle this like mature, young women! Giselle, who had been struggling to get out the grip of Sakura and Misty, begins to relax. She unclenches her fists and starts walking over towards Madison. Giselle: You know what? Madison’s right. I shouldn’t have to be reduced to this level. Madison: That’s the spirit! (turning towards Meilin) Meilin? Willing to give Giselle another chance? Meilin: Well, I guess talking it out would be better than trying to pummel each other senseless. (under her breath) Although I believe she deserves it. Madison: Great! Let’s head in and we’ll all sit down and talk about it. The trio walks towards the house, with Madison in the middle. Everyone watches, stunned over how easily Madison had managed to calm them down. As they arrive on the front porch, Madison winks at Kari as she leads Meilin and Giselle into the house. Yolei: Wow! I can’t believe Madison got them under control so easily. Kari: That’s nothing. Wait until she actually gets them to talk. (to herself) But for some reason, I feel confident that she’ll make it through okay. A few minutes later, Meilin and Giselle are sitting in the dining room, facing each other. Madison is sitting between them, acting as a mediator. Madison: So, let me make sure I get this straight. This all started because Meilin believes that Giselle forced Jun to be her personal slave. Meilin: That’s right. Madison: And Giselle, you responded that you didn’t force Jun to work for you. Am I correct? Giselle: Very. Meilin: (getting up out of her seat) Stop lying! Madison: Meilin, please! Meilin growls at Giselle as she sits back down. Madison: I actually spoke to Jun early this morning, before I knew about any of this. Meilin: What did she say? Giselle: Yeah? Madison: According to Jun, she said when they first moved in to their room, she worshipped Giselle because she was so rich and she wanted to be just like her. Giselle: That’s true. Madison: More importantly, Jun said that she personally thought helping Giselle out would allow her to learn more about the aristocratic lifestyle that you’re used to. Meilin: (pointing at Giselle) Hah! And you used it to your advantage, didn’t you? Giselle: Shut up! Madison: Why don’t you both shut up? I’m trying to help you two! The least you two can do is listen to what I have to say. Meilin: Sorry. Giselle: It won’t happen again. Madison: Good. Now where was I? Oh yeah, I remember. Jun officially admitted that Giselle never considered her as a slave. Giselle: (sticks her tongue out at Meilin) See? Madison: Although Jun said she felt that Giselle took it too seriously, especially when she spit that cup of cocoa at her. Giselle: Oh. I guess I did go a little overboard. Meilin: A little? Madison: Wait a minute! From what I understand, you saw this happen personally, right Meilin? Meilin: That is correct. Madison: And so you decided to have Jun help you find a way to retaliate, right? Meilin: (nervously) Yeah... Madison: So during the water gun shootout, you decided to spray Giselle in the face when she accidentally tripped, right? Meilin: Yes, I did. Giselle: That hurt, you know! Madison: Giselle, I’m mediating here. Meilin, what you did was wrong. Giselle has every right to be mad at you. Meilin: What? Madison: Wait! Let me finish! Giselle, you could have avoided all of this if you hadn’t mistreated Jun. The way I see it, the only way to end this before it gets ugly is to apologize. Giselle, you need to apologize for using Jun like you did. Meilin, you need to apologize for squirting Giselle in the face. Okay? Meilin and Giselle stare at each other for a minute. Finally, Giselle speaks up. Giselle: Meilin, I’m sorry. I agree with you that what I did was wrong. I promise not to take advantage of Jun anymore. Meilin: Apology accepted. Madison: Meilin? How about you? Meilin: Okay, I’m sorry for squirting you in the face, Giselle. I didn’t mean it. Giselle: I believe you. Madison: Now you can seal the deal by giving each other a big hug! Meilin: Madison, are you crazy? Madison: (angrily) Give each other a big hug! Giselle and Meilin cower back in fear. They quickly turn to each other with arms wide open. Giselle: Of course. Meilin: Let’s do it. The two of them put their arms around each other and share a big hug. Madison’s smile beams brightly between them. Madison: (smiling) See? Doesn’t that feel good? Sakura walks into the room with a manila envelope in hand. Sakura: Guys, get your stuff! We’re leaving! Giselle: Where are we going? Sakura: We have another prize challenge. The note says to be dressed in clothes fit for some exercise. Fifteen minutes later, the girls are all dressed. They pile into the two vans waiting for them outside, which take them to their destination. Layla: (VO) Coming up next... Nikki: Bikes? What am I going to do with two bikes? Misty: (CC) I bet this is a scheme by Ash so that he wouldn’t have to buy me another bike! Layla: (VO) The girls are competing for a shot at two brand new bicycles. Sora: (VO) Being an athlete myself, this little bike race should be no trouble at all. Layla: (VO) Who will drive into victory lane? Misty: (CC) I’m going all out! I’m going to win this race! Sakura: (CC) Misty’s not going to get the best of me! Layla: (VO) When Roomies returns... * * * * * * * * * * The two vans arrive at Readington Park, where Miss McKenzie is waiting for them. Layla: Good afternoon! Welcome to your second prize challenge. Sakura: So, what are we doing today Miss McKenzie? Layla: I’m glad you asked that, Sakura. A moving truck drives onto the park grounds. It stops right in front of the girls. A man comes out and opens the back to reveal sixteen bicycles. The girls begin to scream and shout in delight. Layla: In this challenge, you will be competing in a bicycle race. Those of you who pass the challenge will earn a chance to get two of these Huffy Loma 24” bicycles of your own. Nikki: Bikes? What am I going to do with two bikes? Chelsea: Oh, chill out Nikki! Besides, I think this kinda cool! Nikki: But I don’t know how to ride a bike! Layla: That’s not a problem. Mrs. McKenzie leads the girls, who have each picked out a bike, down to a bicycle track located near the playground. Upon entering the track, another bunch of screams and shouts ring out from the girls. Layla: Tomorrow, you girls will be racing on this half-mile track. But first off, we have to help those of you who have never ridden a bike before. For that, I’ve called upon an assistant. The girls look over Miss McKenzie and see a black haired boy make his way towards them from the opposite side of the track. The Cardcaptors cast members recognize the figure instantly as he runs up to the group. Sakura: It’s Zachary! Chelsea: Zachary! What are you doing here? Zachary: (running over to Chelsea) I came here to watch you and the others. Madison: This is so cool! Nice to see you again! Zachary: (CC) Hi! I’m Zachary! I may have been a reject for the boys’ edition of this show, but I’m not complaining. I get to hang out with the girls! Layla: Zachary will be helping me teaching those of you who need help riding a bike. He will also be the announcer at the race tomorrow. Zachary: Did you girls know that the bike was invented in 1817 as a machine that would help him get around a royal garden faster? It was made entirely of wood, but instead of sitting on, he had to push it along. Of course, people back then thought of it as a new method of transportation. So pretty soon, everyone was walking with these so-called bicycles. Of course, it didn’t make getting to work on time any easier... Chelsea grabs Zachary by the ear and pulls him away from the others. Chelsea: Okay Zachary, I think they’ve heard enough of your tall tales. Layla: Before we get started, we have to take a few safety precautions. Miss McKenzie leads them behind the bleachers, where a stack of helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads await them. The girls proceed to put them on. After that, Nikki, Duplica, Madison, Mimi, Casey, and Sasami join Miss McKenzie and Zachary, as they teach them how to ride a bike. Everyone else hits the track, getting in some practice with their own bikes. Zachary: Now don’t worry! I’ll be holding the bike the whole way. Just keep moving your legs forward. Casey: I’m scared! Zachary: Don’t be. It’s very easy. You won’t fall as long as I’m holding the bike. Okay? Casey: (begins to pedal) Okay, here goes. Whoa! Hey, this is neat! Zachary: Ready for me to let go? Casey: Huh? Zachary: (letting go of the bike) Here goes! As soon as Zachary lets go, Casey’s bike begins to wobble furiously. She begins to panic. Casey: What do I do? Zachary: Try to keep your body straight! Casey: I can’t do it! (starting to lean towards her left) I’m going down! Casey and her bike tumble down to the wet infield grass. Zachary runs over to check on her. Zachary: Are you okay? Casey: (dejected) No. Zachary: Come on, don’t give up! You almost had it that time! I know you can do it! Casey: You think so? Zachary: (winks at her) I know so. Casey pulls her bike back up. Zachary holds the bike while Casey gets back on. Zachary runs with the bike as Casey begins pedaling. After a few feet, he lets go. Casey doesn’t fall off her bike, though. This time, she continues to ride the bike around without any problems. Casey: Zachary! I’m riding a bike! Zachary: (clapping) Good job! Casey: I’m riding a bike! Yeah! Layla: (helping Sasami get onto her bike) Good going, Casey. Casey: (VO) I’m so happy! I’m glad that Zachary helped me out. He is so kind. Zachary helps Casey bring her bike to a stop. The two begin to converse on the sideline as some of the other girls ride by on their bikes. They too are thinking about the race tomorrow. Misty: (CC) I bet this is a scheme by Ash so that he wouldn’t have to buy me another bike! Sora: (VO) Being an athlete myself, this little bike race should be no trouble at all. Jun: (CC) I feel like a machine! I should run away with this! Day Eleven The bleachers surrounding the track are filled with nearly a thousand spectators. The girls are down on the track, getting some last minute information from Miss McKenzie. Zachary is in the announcer’s booth, calling the race. Zachary: Welcome to the first ever Roomies bicycle race! These sixteen young girls will race around this half-mile track. Their goal? To finish this twenty lap race in under fifty minutes! Those who succeed will get a chance to win two bikes themselves. Let’s head down to the track, where the girls are lining up. [The starting order of the race, from inside to outside, picked in random order: Row 1 - Meilin, Chelsea, Sakura, and Sora Row 2 - Jun, Misty, Duplica, and Yolei Row 3 - Rita, Sasami, Kari, and Casey Row 4 - Giselle, Mimi, Madison, and Nikki] Zachary: They’re all lined up! Miss McKenzie has the green flag in hand. She waves it, and this race is underway! Zachary describes the race as the girls head into the first turn. Zachary: Pole sitter Meilin Rae hits the first turn in the lead, but Sora Takenouchi, who started on the outside of the first row, is right beside her. Sakura Avalon follows in third. She’s followed by Jun, Misty, Chelsea, Duplica, Yolei, Sasami, Kari, Casey, Giselle, Mimi, Rita, Madison, and Nikki. As they come out of turn two and make their way to the back straightaway, Sora inches ahead of Meilin on the outside and Sakura’s going with her. Misty, running side by side with Jun, is trying to join them. Down on the track, Sora and Sakura pass Meilin as the three ride single file into turn three. Misty jumps in front of Jun, beating her out for fourth place. Jump forward to lap seven... Zachary picks up the commentary on the front of the pack. Zachary: Sakura now challenging Sora on the outside for the lead as they head for turn three. Oh, look at that! Sora breaks early, allowing Sakura to slip by and get in front of her. And look who’s lurking right behind them! It’s Misty. She’s been sitting back there the last few laps, watching these two. Let’s see if she’s going to make a move. Wait a second, a bike’s gone down in turn two! The camera moves towards turn two, where Chelsea has just fallen off her bike. She gets back on and tries to get back on pace, as Sasami and Giselle pass her on the inside. Zachary: It’s Chelsea! I hope she’s okay. I think she was battling for sixth with Duplica a moment ago. She’s going to lose a few positions after that fall. Jump forward again, this time to the start of lap eleven... once again, here’s Zachary with the call. Zachary: Sakura Avalon, the current leader, passes the halfway point at just over 24 minutes. About half of the field right now is still in position to make it to the end of the race in time, but will fatigue become a problem. We’ll have to see. Speaking of fatigue, it doesn’t seem to be fazing Giselle one bit. She started thirteenth, but she’s now up to sixth and closing fast on the leaders. Further back in the pack, some of the girls are starting to show signs of fatigue. Yolei, running in ninth, currently sits just behind Sasami and just ahead of Chelsea. She is sweating profusely as the threesome goes into turn three. Casey, not too far behind them, is also starting to tire. Onward to lap fourteen... let’s pick it up back in the front, shall we? Zachary: Sakura is enjoying a three second lead, but she’s catching up on more lap traffic with Casey just a few feet in front of her. As she comes out of turn two, not far behind is the battle for second between Sora and Misty. But it looks like Kari, who is running a lap down, is right in Sora’s path. Misty uses it to her advantage and overtakes them both coming out of the turn. Further back, there’s Madison, who is also a lap down, and then Giselle and Meilin, battling for fourth in turn one. Uh oh, there’s trouble! Look out! They’re both going down! Giselle, on the inside, slides her back wheel into Meilin’s back wheel. Unfortunately, her angle is so sharp that they are both sent down. Meilin comes down on Giselle’s leg as the two bikes and their drivers slide towards the outside wall. They stop just before hitting it. They both get up, glaring at each other. Giselle then winces a little in pain. She looks down at her right leg. Although there isn’t any blood flowing out, there seems to be a small cut there. Her leg is also in pain. Meilin, without hesitation, hops back on her bike and tries to get up to speed. That’s not before Jun wings her way past them to move up to fourth. Giselle struggles a little to get on hers, but she eventually gets going again. Zachary: Whew that was close. I hope no one was hurt. A camera gets a close-up of Giselle’s injured leg as she makes her way through turn two. Duplica rides by on the outside, passing Giselle. Now, there are only two laps to go. Misty comes out of turn four getting around Sasami, who is now a lap down. She now has a clear view of Sakura, who is just ahead. Zachary: Misty now has no one between her and race leader Sakura Avalon as they get the two to go signal from Miss McKenzie. Misty is about a full second behind now, down from nearly two full seconds just two laps ago. All the way back in third place, now about sixteen seconds behind Sakura is Sora. She will come across the line with about five minutes left in the challenge. Remember, to pass the challenge, the riders must finish the twenty-lap race in under fifty minutes. Up front, Sakura is slowly closing in on Giselle, who stands in seventh and represents the last rider on the same lap that she is on. Giselle follows Kari and Casey, who are both a lap down already, into turn one. Sakura rides about a second and a half behind them, followed by Misty, who continues to close the gap. Over on the backstretch, Mimi has suddenly found an extra burst of strength. One lap down, she gets around Rita, who is two laps down, and sets her eyes on Yolei. She’s currently running in tenth, trying to catch up with her friend. In front of Yolei is Sora, who enters turn three. Sora’s already aware that she’s too far back to catch Sakura or Misty, so now she’s just trying to go fast enough to make it to the end on time. A minute or two passes. As Sakura and Misty make their way through turn four, Misty inches ever closer as they hit the front straightaway. Miss McKenzie is standing at the start/finish line, holding the white flag. Zachary: Misty’s is now only a bike’s length behind Sakura as they come to the white flag! One lap to go! Sakura knows that Giselle is only a few feet in front of her, but she’s more concerned about how close Misty is getting. Misty knows that she has the advantage, and that it would be her race to win. Misty: (CC) I’m going all out! I’m going to win this race! Sakura: (CC) Misty’s not going to get the best of me! Zachary: As they hit the first turn, they’ve got lap traffic in front of them. Kari leads this pack, running in twelfth. She’s been battling with Casey for position the past few laps. Then comes Giselle, who is currently in seventh, and then Sakura and Misty are fighting for the lead and possibly the victory. The five bikes go single file into the turn. Giselle, still feeling some pain in her leg, decides to pull to the outside and give Sakura and Misty room to battle. As the group exits turn two, Kari pulls away from them. Casey, who is now exhausted herself, joins Giselle on the outside. This allows Sakura and Misty to chase each other on the inside as they made their way down the backstretch. Zachary: Down the backstretch for the final time, Sakura and Misty now have room for a side-by-side duel. That is, if Misty can get close enough. It looks like they’re moving at the same pace. Zachary watches closely as Sakura heads into turn three, now with Misty right on her back bumper. Zachary: Into turn three, Sakura’s still ahead. Misty looking to squeeze in on the inside, but there’s no room there. Sakura is giving it all she’s got, but Misty refuses to give up. She looks towards the inside. Sakura refuses to give up the inside of the track. Heading towards the fourth and final turn, the two are now pedaling as fast as their tired legs would allow them to. Zachary will cover commentary as they make their way to the finish line... Zachary: Here they come! We’re coming up on 49 minutes as race leader Sakura and her only challenger Misty come out of the final turn. All that’s left is a hundred meters to the finish! Misty pulls to the outside for some clear track. These girls aren’t going to give up their positions without a fight. Another look at the clock shows that we are now officially at 49 minutes on the dot. One minute left in the challenge, but more importantly, it’s Sakura and Misty down to the wire! Miss McKenzie’s ready to wave the checkered flag. Oh, it looks like Misty’s slowing down. She’s just got no energy left as Sakura crosses the finish line to win the race! Misty will finish second, but more importantly, she’s in that drawing for the two free Huffy bikes along with Sakura. Will anyone join them? The camera looks back down the track. Casey and Giselle are running alongside each other very slowly as they cross the line, but both of them still have a lap or two left. Back further, Sasami makes her way out of turn four, but she’s a lap down. Then comes Madison, who’s two laps down. After her we find Sora, the third place rider, entering turn four. Sora is now pouring all of her remaining energy into her pedaling. Miss McKenzie had been yelling out times over the past few laps and she knew that she would have to go all out to make it under the fifty-minute time limit. She would succeed. Sakura and Misty, now standing on the sidelines out of breath, applaud Sora as she crosses the finish line with just seconds to spare. Sora rides her back onto the grass and stops. She gets off and makes her way over to Sakura and Misty, giving them a thumbs up. They return the favor, giving a thumbs up back to Sora. The trio shares an old fashioned, yet tiring hug as Miss McKenzie blows the whistle to signify that time was up. About thirty minutes later, all of the girls were sitting on the now empty bleachers. They were all sipping refreshments after the race had taken a lot out of them. Giselle now had a bandage on the cut she had gotten in the race. Her leg was still in pain, but she didn’t show any anger towards Meilin. She just sat there, with her leg lying on the metal bleacher she was sitting on. Miss McKenzie walks up to them, holding three index cards and a small pouch. Layla: Good work today, all of you! It was a hard race, but everyone made it through. I’m here to congratulate Sakura for winning the race, as well as give her, Misty, and Sora the entry forms for the drawing. Let’s give them a hand. The rest of the girls clap as Sakura, Misty, and Sora take their cards. They fill them out and then put them in the pouch. Zachary also drops by to give his congratulations to them as well. Everyone then packs their stuff up and heads to the vans, where they will be taken back to the mansion. Sakura: (CC) You know, it’s a shame that I don’t get a trophy for winning this. Still, I think it was an enjoyable challenge. I can’t wait to get home and soak in the tub. (whines) My legs hurt so much! The girls are practically leaning on each other’s shoulders as they get into the vans. Tired and in most cases, beaten, they’re just glad that this day is over, and that they can focus on tomorrow. The vans drive off the park grounds and back towards the mansion. Zachary waves goodbye to them as they depart. End Episode Six Layla: (VO) On the next episode... Kari: Put on your bathing suits girls, because we’re going swimming! Layla: (VO) Not quite, Kari... Misty: Why do they have to be here? Daisy, Violet, and Lily walk out, all dressed in their swimsuits. Mimi: You mean you’re Misty’s older sisters? Cool! I love your swimsuits! Daisy: You know, we’re not actually having a swimming competition. Giselle: I didn’t think so anyway. Daisy points to the top diving board, which is approximately ten meters above the water. Sakura: (gulps) You mean I have to go all the way up there? Meilin: I knew you’d chicken out Sakura. Sakura: I’m not chickening out. I’m just... trying to visualize what my dive is going to be like, that’s all. The crowd cheers in the background as Yolei takes her place on the five-meter diving board. Layla: (VO) Who’s ready to take the plunge? Yolei: (running towards the end) Here goes! Yolei jumps off the end and dives arms first towards the water below. Layla: (VO) Find out on our next episode! Copyright Date: 6/16/01