Kirk is standing in front of the Mine Shaft surrounded by the four remaining players. ?Welcome back to Legends,? he says. ?Now, of course, the glory goes to the fastest and the strongest, so let?s get to know our team players.? He turns to talk to the black boy on his immediate right. ?On the Green Monkeys, we have Daron. How old are you??
?Thirteen,? he replies.
?And it says here you play basketball, but you wanna be a lawyer??? Kirk says. ?Tell me about that.?
?It makes a lot of money, that?s all,? Daron replies.
?Okay,? Kirk says, then going to interview the curly-brown-haired girl on Daron?s right. ?And Melissa, how old are you??
?Twelve,? she replies.
?Now, it says here you like to dance and you collect pens,? Kirk reads on the index card in his left hand. ?How big is your collection??
Melissa thinks about it, her blue eyes staring up at the ceiling. ?Umm? about 50.?
?Have you ever written with any of these pens?? Kirk asks.
?No,? Melissa answers.
?Do you have a favorite??
?There?s? this one that?s made of all these tiny little pens, and it can write in any color.?
?Sounds cool,? Kirk says. ?We?ve got a good team here, I think. Let?s hear it for the Green Monkeys!? The audience applauds for a moment as Kirk goes to interview the rather tall, bushy-dark-haired boy just right of center screen. ?And on the Red Jaguars, we have Rolando. How old are you??
?Fourteen,? he replies.
?And you?re into skateboarding but you wanna go into the music biz,? Kirk reads. ?Tell me about that.?
?Probably gonna be hip-hop,? Rolando explains. ?My friends said I have this 'natural rhythm,' quote un-quote.?
?Tell me,? Kirk replies, ?isn?t hip-hop all about those same images with everybody wearing long T-shirts, baggy jeans and saying the same stuff the same way??
?Not when I get there,? Rolando says in response.
?Oh, I think we got a rebel here, folks!? Kirk shouts before going to interview the girl on Rolando?s left, whose brown hair was carefully braided into a ponytail just longer than shoulder-length. ?And Jacqueline, how old are you??
?Twelve,? she replies.
?And I understand you like hanging out at the mall, but you also like to draw,? Kirk says. ?what kinda stuff do you draw??
?People,? Jacqueline answers simply.
?What kinda people?? he asks.
?People with grayish-colorish skin? and eyes completely the black and shiny part like this?? Jacqueline puts both the index fingers around her right eyelid and tries to make only the iris and pupil visible. Kirk tries to suppress laughs as she does that.
?Okay, let?s hear it for the Red Jaguars!? he says, his voice a little shaky from trying to hold back any laughs. The audience applauds for a moment.
?Okay, guys go get ready for the first Temple Game, girls can go get set up for the first one over here,? Kirk says as Daron and Rolando, then Jacqueline and Melissa, walk offscreen, ?and I'll tell you what's gonna happen here. In the Temple Games, each team will be competing to win?" he opens a pouch and pulls out a small gold medallion to show to the camera? "Pendants of Life. They?ll need those Pendants to protect themselves from the dreaded Temple Guards as they make their way through the Temple. There are three Temple Games, and Olmec? tell us about Temple Game #1.?
Olmec begins:
?Phoolan wasn?t always such a master thief? early in her career, she would often get captured and have to break herself free. Your job in this game is to break free as well. When Kirk gives the signal, climb along the wall and maneuver the chain along the slot, trying to make your way to the space marked ?Freedom.?
?The first player to reach ?Freedom?? or the one that?s closer to ?Freedom? after 60 seconds? wins.?
?Oh, they gotta free themselves from this big board where they?re all tied up?? Kirk says, standing in front of the equipment. ?This is gonna be tricky. Let?s set the clock for 60 seconds.? The clock then appears in the bottom-right corner of the screen. ?On your mark, get set, GO!?
Daron and Rolando move along the wall and begin to move toward the metal loops which must be passed through on the way to ?Freedom.? ?These guys have to find the way through to freedom, it?s a lot of work,? Kirk comments as Rolando passes through the first metal loop with 47 seconds remaining. Daron is only a couple seconds behind at that point, but Rolando manages to stay ahead. ?Red Jaguars doin? good so far!? Kirk comments. However, Rolando slows down a little again, passing through the second loop with 33 seconds left and allowing Daron to catch up somewhat without passing his opponent. Rolando, keeping his lead, makes it through the last loop and frees himself with 16 seconds left.
?All right, that?s it! That was quick!? Kirk says, running onscreen as a spotter frees Daron from his equipment. ?Red Jaguars blazed through there, they get a half Pendant of Life!? The audience applauds for a minute. ?Green Monkeys can catch up in the next game. Olmec, tell us about it.?
Olmec continues:
?Phoolan?s cave was hidden very deep into the thick jungles of India, and as you will find out in this game, returning to the cave with spoils was no easy task. In this game, you will play the role of Phoolan, and the rod you have with you contains a hidden amount of gold. When Kirk gives the signal, put the rod behind your head and make your way through the jungle. Whenever you come to two trees, you must find a way to maneuver between or around them, keeping your rod behind your head and both of your hands on it.
?The first player to reach the mouth of Phoolan?s cave at the end of the jungle? or the player that?s further along at the end of 60 seconds? wins.?
?It?s gonna be a race to the finish,? Kirk comments as Jacqueline and Melissa pick up their rods. ?Let?s put 60 seconds on the clock.? The clock then appears in the corner of the screen. ?Everyone ready? Okay, on your mark, get set, GO!?
The girls begin to make their way through the forest and try to find the quickest path to get past each pair of oddly bent trees. Jacqueline leads early on, but then Melissa pulls ahead when Jacqueline gets caught trying to maneuver through a particularly small gap. Melissa is just ahead when she makes it out with 22 seconds left.
?All right!? Kirk shouts, running over to declare a winner. ?Looks like Green Monkeys got their partner out of the forest first. That earns them a half Pendant, it?s all tied up and we go to the third and final game. That?s worth a full Pendant. Olmec, tell us about it.?
Olmec narrates:
?Thieves would often have to transport large amounts of stolen goods. In this game, you will practice transporting a large number of treasures by making multiple trips. When Kirk gives the signal, grab a treasure, and run out to meet your partner at the middle of the path. Then, pass the treasure to your partner, who will slide back and place it in your treasure box. Then go back and do it again.
?The team with the most treasures in their treasure box after 60 seconds wins.?
?It?s all tied up, half Pendant each,? says Kirk. ?This?ll decide who goes to the Temple. 60 seconds on the clock.? The clock appears in the corner of the screen. ?On your mark, get set, GO!?
The team players fight against the pull of the bungee cords to make it to the middle of the tracks. Melissa gets to the middle several seconds before Daron does, but while Rolando and Jacqueline make contact and pass some sort gold orb with a handle attached, Melissa?s cord pulls her back a couple feet as she waits for Daron. As a result, the Red Jaguars score first with 42 seconds left, but the Green Monkeys take a few more seconds to pass the first treasure.
?This takes a lot of determination,? Kirk comments as the teams head out to make their second transfer each. ?There?s some rhythm too I guess, Red Jaguars doing a great job, it must be that natural rhythm!? The Red Jaguars get their second artifact in the treasure box with 26 seconds left, with the Green Monkeys not depositing their second treasure until only 20 seconds remain. The Red Jaguars maintain a lead in terms of making the transfer first, but the Green Monkeys manage to put one final treasure in just before time runs out.
?Okay, that?s it! Stop right there!? Kirk shouts, running between the tracks to grab the treasure boxes, count the final scores and declare a winner. As soon as the players are freed from their equipment, they run over and join him. ?Let?s start with the Green Monkeys. They got one, two? three,? he says, discarding the gold orb, a silver necklace and a large ruby. ?And the Red Jaguars, they got one, two? three!? He puts aside a lengthy diamond necklace, a gold-lined mask and an enormous gold bracelet. ?It?s a tie? we go to a tiebreaker! Let?s bring out the tiebreaker pedestal! C?mon, bring it over!?
The players run over to the tiebreaker pedestals and stand behind their gongs as directed by Kirk. ?Okay, here?s the tiebreaker rules. In a minute, Olmec is gonna ask you a question. If you think you know the answer, hit the gong in front of you. You?ll have three seconds to answer and I must accept your first response. If you?re right, you and your partner will be going to the Temple in search of the Treasure Chest of Phoolan Devi, but if you?re wrong or you run out of time, I'm gonna give the other teams a chance. All clear?"
The players nod in response.
"All right, Olmec!" Kirk shouts. "What is the final question??
Olmec asks:
?Is the capital of India: Calcutta, N???
Rolando hits the gong first and answers: ?Calcutta.?
?Incorrect,? Olmec replies.
?Okay,? Kirk says. ?Green Monkeys, it?s your turn.?
?Could he finish the question?? Melissa asks, speaking into Kirk?s microphone.
?Olmec, please finish the question,? Kirk requests.
Olmec asks:
?Is the capital of India: Calcutta, New Delhi, or Mumbai??
Melissa then hits the gong: ?New Delhi???
Olmec replies:
?That? is? correct.?
The audience bursts into applause, and Melissa jumps up and down and high-fives Daron. ?They pulled it out in the clutch,? Kirk says, ?it came down to the tiebreaker, but the Green Monkeys are goin? to the Temple!? He walks over to talk with the Red Jaguars. ?These guys gave it a gallant effort too. Here?s what we?ve got for them.? Jacqueline and Rolando will each be receiving a small gift package from Regent sports.
Kirk is standing behind the tiebreaker podium between Daron and Melissa. ?These guys broke the tie,? he comments, ?and now we?re gonna see if they can make it through Olmec?s Temple? right after this!? The camera zooms in on the bucket in the Mine Shaft before fading to commercial.
Topic: Rediscovery EP: The Secret Treasure of Phoolan Devi (Read 1178 times)