Melanie barreled into the corner at speed, determined not to let Kong overtake her.

I'm racing against Donkey Kong. I'm actually racing against Donkey Kong!

OOC: 07:21, Today: Melanie Fox rolled 0 using 4 Fudge dice.
Possibly +1 from 'Craves Excitement' again

Melanie corners wider than she'd expected, almost losing control of her kart for a moment, but manages to stay neck-and-neck with the giant gorilla. As she skid, smoke rising from the kart's tires, she smashed through a giant floating semi-translucent box with the consistency of a bubble. A dial on her kart's steering wheel began to spin before settling on a green shell... and her keen eyes detected that the dial was also a button.

Kong meanwhile had positioned himself just to her side, and it looked like the big ape was drawing up to try to sideswipe her.

Rita had taken the corner more conservatively as the Princess and Mario passed her by - each taking the same tight turn that Melanie and Donkey Kong had, neither of them hitting question blocks - and so hit a block of her own, getting a red shell for her troubles.

Wario had kept pace with her on the outside of the track, collecting a block of his own, though there was no telling which shell he'd picked up.

David, meanwhile, had taken the corner way too quickly and was spinning out - in danger of flipping his kart unless he pulled off a choice maneuver!

Behind the main pack Jonathan had finally gotten a handle of things and had rocketed ahead, nearing the corner, while Caleb had managed to throw the kart into drive without stripping the gears, though he had a long way to go to catch up with the others.

ooc: Current positions
Basically tied for first: Melanie, Princess, Kong, Mario
Just behind them: Wario, Rita
Spinning out: David
Finally started: Jonathan
Last Place but now going the right way: Caleb

Melanie is caught up in the pack for first and can focus on either jockying for position OR dealing with Kong's upcoming sideswipe; if she focuses on the former she'll have to hope his roll fails, if she focuses on the latter she'll be letting the Princess and Mario draw ahead. Her Role Compels her to focus on avoiding DK's attack to the exclusion of remaining competitive.

For Rita this is a straightaway coming up; she can make a roll to gain on the leaders. Using her shell can give her a bonus here and will knock one of the other racers (Mario is currently in front but that can change based on opponents' rolls) for a loop.

David is spinning out and is in danger of flipping. He needs to roll to stay right-side-up.

Jonathan and Caleb are nearing the turn; they can roll to take it tight and gain some ground - but the blocks haven't regenerated yet. If they take the gentler turn they'll be able to avoid rolling AND grab a block.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:48, Tue 19 Oct 2021.

True to his racing habits, Jon tries to stay as close the the inside of the turn as he can... partly because he usually takes them too quickly, and he expects to drift out before getting out of it. His tires screech as he tries to stay in control, paying no attention to the floating cubes.

OOC: Trying for the tight turn. Managed a 0 because of my cart's Middleweight aspect.

12:50, Today: Jonathan Wagner rolled -1 using 4 Fudge dice ((0, 0, 0, -1)).
+1 Middleweight

Rita presses her accelerator as hard as she dares. She senses Donkey Kong's designs on Melanie. Figuring her cart's performance makes it unlikely she will win, it seems important that one of her friends wind up as the victor She lines up behind Kong and fires the red shell!

Rita Lowenstine rolled 4 using 4 Fudge dice!

Pizza rolls fly around the cockpit as Rita does a seated happy dance.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:32, Tue 19 Oct 2021.

Melanie's eyes widened as Kong tried to side-swipe her, and for a moment she felt a stab of fear. Anything could happen if he collided with her - her cart might flip, or crash, or go to pieces. It was too much of a risk, so she briefly hit the brakes, enough to let Kong slide in front of her and possibly side-swipe someone else.

Accepting the compel.
OOC: 19:26, Today: Melanie Fox rolled 2 using 4 Fudge dice.

This is much harder than the game itself! Caleb thinks as he goes into the next turn. Attempting the skid maneuver he had used so often in Mario Kart 64, he attempts to take the turn sharply to gain ground on the field. However, as he skids into the turn, he knows something is wrong.

OOC: Take a tight turn.

David does his best to right the cart, remembering defensive driving courses about what to do when you lose control of a vehicle. It's not much, but hopefully it'll at least keep him from getting hurt. Fortunately, it seems to do the trick, and he gets back in the race, albeit pretty far behind.

12:22, Today: David Richardson rolled 2 using 4 Fudge dice.

Rita fires her red shell right up the big ape's tailpipe! Enraged ape screeches commence as the large primate's kart goes spinning off-road!

David manages to pull himself out of his spin and right his course before disaster strikes, just as Caleb finds himself in a similar disaster, nearly tipping over sideways as he begins to spin out. Jonathan's fate is almost the same, but the worst that occurs is the skipping of his tires as he takes the turn to fast, skidding sideways and up on to two wheels for a moment before hitting the straight-away.

When the chaos clears Mario has a clear lead, followed by the princess, both having pulled ahead of the Donkey Kong-Melanie-Rita melee, with Wario bringing up the rear behind them and gaining fast as they neared the next turn.

ooc: Normally I'd say that Melanie's breaking to let Kong pull ahead turns her into the target of Rita's red shell, but four successes is a lot of successes... so it works out somehow!

Positions:
Mario (he's a-numbah one)
Princess
Rita and Melanie
Donkey Kong (spinning out) and Wario
Jonathan
David
Caleb (spinning out)

Caleb can make a roll to see how well he recovers, everybody else gimmie a general roll for the rest of the lap. There will only be a few more rolls, but due to the nature of item boxes and cinematic race scenes it's still anybody's race.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:07, Fri 22 Oct 2021.

The entire situation seems preposterous to Caleb. He still isn't sure how all of this has happened, though he suspects ol' Bernie had somehow cooked up some next-next-next-gen VR platform. If he could figure out how to drive this kart, he'd be having a lot more fun right now.

Jon gives the ape a worried glance, hoping he'll be able to avoid him as he tries to catch up with the rest of the pack.

OOC: 21:41, Today: Jonathan Wagner rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice ((0, 0, 0, 1)).

David once again thinks back to when he used to play, aiming for one of the item boxes and praying for a miracle that will help him pull ahead. However, he winds up with nothing more than a banana peel, which doesn't help him at all- and spending the time aiming for the boxes only cost him more time.

"Hate this fucking game," he muttered, as he tossed the banana peel behind him to free up his inventory.

03:14, Today: David Richardson rolled -1 using 4 Fudge dice.

Rita grins as Domnkey Kong spins off the track, gripping her steering wheel firmly. Catching Melanie’s eye, she points at her and then motions down the track, indicating that Mel should press forward.

Figuring her kart is unlikely to win, she’ll be her friend’s wingman and try to keep any of the real Mario characters from overtaking her. That should ensure their team of at least a third-place finish.

If that matters.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:22, Sun 24 Oct 2021.

Melanie was too caught up in the race to even think about the strangeness of it all. She accelerated forwards again, and fired her green shell at Princess.

OOC: 11:55, Today: Melanie Fox rolled -1 using 4 Fudge dice.
And missed :)

As the grown-ass adults get the hang of the karts things seem to level out a bit and the rest of the lap is taken up with jockeying for position. Caleb manages to recover his cart and at least catch up to the point where he can see the rest of the racers. Jonathan picks up a speed-boost mushroom. Rita chiefly guards Melanie, who misses in her attempt to take out the Princess... though a winged shell fired by the rotund Wario does the job instead, leaving the Plumber with a commanding lead.

Crossing the starting line at the dawn of round 2 it's Mario followed by a neck and neck header between - surprisingly - Jonathan and Wario, then Melanie and Rita a hair's breadth ahead of the Princess and Donkey Kong. David is a bit behind them, followed at a distance by Caleb.

Risking a glance at the standings above the stands it looks like there are two laps to go.

ooc: We'll abstract the next lap. Describe a particular tactic or incident during it, give yourself the bonus if you're able to work in any of your aspects, and gimmie a roll.

"Okay, stay cool, just remember what they did in GDQ..." He's in a good position, but Jon doesn't trust things to stay so smooth for long. So... he tries something crazy. Something too risky to try unless you're far enough ahead that you can recover, or so far behind you've got nothing left to lose. As he comes out of the tunnel, he turns inward, punching the engine with his mushroom, trying to jump the wall in a classic Mario Kart shortcut.

OOC: 14:22, Today: Jonathan Wagner rolled 0 using 4 Fudge dice ((-1, 1, -1, 1)).

As he zips down the track, the wind blowing through his hair, Caleb figures that he is so far behind that he might as well enjoy himself. Had Bernie done the same thing with his other games? If so, this is incredible technology, worth far, far more than the value of his geek collection. He wonders what the most responsible use of this game system would be. Maybe for the Make-A-Wish foundation?

But then another thought comes to Caleb. Is this simulation like the Holodeck or the Danger Room, with safeties to prevent people from being injured? If he wrecks his cart, would he physically be hurt? The thought is suddenly terrifying.

OOC: Keep going. Try to slide into turns. Grab boxes for speed-up mushrooms.

David does his best to recall the old stunt driving tricks he saw in the movies, long ago. Such things wouldn't work in the original Mario Kart as originally programmed, of course, but maybe they could work in these unique circumstances...

Gonna invoke my Wannabe Action Star aspect for this one. Rolled a 1, and if my Aspect is acceptable, it'll rise to a 2.

23:12, Today: David Richardson rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice.

Melanie pushed her cart as fast as it would go, now thoroughly caught up in the competitive race. Sensing a chance, she slipped into the narrow gap between Jonathan and Wario and attempted a risky side-swipe of Wario.

OOC: 09:44, Today: Melanie Fox rolled -4 using 4 Fudge dice.
LOL, I don't think I'll even try using her 'craves excitement' aspect to help this!

Rita gasps at Jonathan's attempt to leap the wall and at Melanie's effort to sideswipe Wario. She was always much too cautious in video games and Mario Kart was no exception. She tries to steer through any power-up boxes that she comes upon.

The final two laps are chaotic and, to some, a little terrifying. Melanie's attempt to sideswipe Wario goes horribly wrong as the large man seems to anticipate her attempt, dawing back just enough to let her make the attempt before slamming the left rear of her cart - sending her into a tailspin off the track and flipping against the wall below the stands. It's all fire and smoke for her - protected from the impact by the kart's roll-cage, but not from the whiplash and possible concussion of the sudden stop. A cloud descends in an instant, extinguishing the blaze of her kart's engine before it can reach her, leaving the woman shaken but not seriously harmed.

The others are well past when this happens, out of sight, unable to see as Toads - small men with simple faces and too-smooth skin - help her from the car and off the track, to wait in the pit for the end of the race.

Jonathan's stunt is more effective, literally catapulting him into a distant second place behind Mario with a death-defying leap far more real than any stunts David'd pulled in his film career - and perhaps more dangerous. But who knew if they could really be hurt here? If there were stakes? Risks? Was this real?

Caleb didn't know, but the possibility saw him falling further and further back - so much so that Mario managed to lap him before the end.

Such was it that at the end of the race it was Mario by a wide margin, then Jonathan beating Wario by a whisker, followed by the princess, Donkey Kong, Rita, David, and - eventually - Caleb.

By the time Caleb crossed the finish line Toads were already helping the racers out of their carts, chattering excitedly as they led Mario, Jonathan and Wario to the winner's podium. They were, up close, alien - half the height of a human, with smooth unlined faces, mere slits for mouths, and dark pits for eyes. They didn't seem malevolent... simply wrong, and far from human.

Mario, Wario, and the Princess, on the other hand... they were human up close. Normal, lacking the exaggerations of any versions of their character sprites. Not cuddly cartoon characters. Mario looked... well, like a blue collar guy, the princess was somewhat regal, and Wario? A slob who leered far too much for comfort. And Donkey Kong was, straight up, a gorilla in a necktie.

They looked real. The wind on the racers' skin, the warmth from the sun, any soreness from the seatbelts or seats lingering from tight curves... the weight of the small silver trophy pressed by an excited Toad into Jonathan's hands... and the ringing in Melanie's head and the small tears in her clothing... that all felt real.

Meanwhile, the crowd was roaring, and Jonathan was being helped up onto the platform by a pleasantly smiling Mario. "You did-a good for a-first time!"

Rita gives the trampled pizza rolls scattered across the floorboards of her Koopa Kart a sorrowful glance and abandons the baking sheet as well. She hurries to Melanie’s side to provide moral and—if needed— physical support.

“Great effort, Mel! You almost got Wario! You feeling okay?”

Watching the presentation of the trophies, she applauds madly and yells, “Woo-hooo!” For Jonathan’s silver trophy.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:03, Thu 28 Oct 2021.

Caleb remembers the frustration of when he first started playing Mario Kart, how difficult it had seemed at first. Everyone had seemed better than he had been. He had felt so alone.

And now history repeats itself. He grimaces wryly. He must have looked pretty silly, poking along at a snail’s pace behind everyone else, eventually being lapped by Mario. Caleb feels pretty crummy, and he jams his hands in his pockets as the winners are announced. At least Jonathan had done well.

The Toads were weird. Caleb was reminded of the Pokémon in Detective Pikachu. Pika himself had looked great, as had several other mon, but some, like Jigglypuff and Lickitung, had looked bizarre. Mario, Wario, and Peach looked like excellent cosplayers, but the Toads and DK looked so off. The characters’ artistic charm had somehow been sacrificed.

Wait, what had happened to Melanie’s clothes? Did she smell faintly of smoke? ”Melanie, uh, are you all right?” he asks, a little nervous. ”Your clothes - what happened?”

Jon blinks as Mario shakes his hand. "Ah... thanks." His legs still felt rather shaky after that crazy jump he did. Everything felt real, but the entire experience was so surreal that it seemed more like a dream. He gives the crowd a shy wave half-expecting to wake up at any moment.

Melanie has no time to scream before her kart flips and explodes in flames, winding her. Once it's extinguished, she climbs shakily out of the cart.

"Wow," she finally manages, still having trouble focusing.

For a moment, she doesn't take in Caleb's words, then she looks down at herself. She's damp and bedraggled from the extinguishing cloud. Her silk blouse is ruined, with a number of small rips. At least her leather jeans only need a bit of soot wiping off.

"I liked that blouse," she grumbles.

The cheers of the Toads grows distant as the light of the sun grows brighter, giving everything a washed-out quality. It's all the visitors can do to shield their eyes as it brightens to white, accompanied by a high-pitched tone, and almost as quickly fades again, to black.