The Ranch

First Place (2)

With their path mapped out, Tih, Kai, Sherlock, and Lucien defeat game after game, steadily racking up points. By the end of the day, they've already made four-thousand points, but the currently first place has already climbed pass [6,500].

The group heads back to the dorms after eating dinner for a good night sleep. They awaken the next day and go right back to racking up points. The crowd seems like the largest it's ever been, making the lines longer than ever.

They spend the next ten or so hours earning a total of [7,000] points, fully displayed on the center hologram, putting them in third place. At this moment, a loud siren goes off throughout the colosseum.

[Announcement: There is one hour left before the carnival ends. From this point forward, the leaderboard will no longer be displayed. Please return thirty minute after the carnival ends for the after party and winner's announcement.]

Kai looks at the board once more to memorize the scores before the screen disappears. "We're about tied with two others at the seven-thousand mark. Let's speed up our pace this last hour."

Since no one can know If they're leading and how many points they're leading by, everyone in the top five spots can't let their guard down. They have to continue playing until the last second.

Soon enough, the hour ends and everyone is ushered out of the colosseum for the next half hour. Maddox and Phillip planned to spend this time clearing all the games to use the venue for a party where they would announce the winners. Half an hour was the maximum estimate it would take to clear everything away. The reason they gave out the longest estimation instead of an shorter one is because it's better to open early rather than late.

The set-up was completed very quickly, only taking ten minutes. Most of the populace that was ushered out stay in the surroundings to chat while they waited. After the ten minutes, everyone was allowed back in. There seems to be even more people entering now than when they had to leave.

Everything in the arena was swept away, save for a few of the more popular games that remain in one small area of the colosseum. Now those games are to be played for fun, showing off, and bragging rights.

Many tables and chairs were set up to eat and rest at. With the number of people appearing in the carnival, they needed enough tables and chairs for everyone and ended up taking most of the space in the colosseum.

Buffet-style carts will stroll around the tables for people to grab food off of and put on their plates. Each cart has different kinds of foods like sushi, bbq, hotpot, pastas, European desserts, or Asian desserts. There are also many different kinds of drink dispenser carts including milkshakes, smoothies, juices, sodas, and most exiting of all for the soldiers, alcoholic beverages. Alcohol takes over a majority of the drink carts.

Musicians from different genres were hired to play live music. Since the colosseum is so large, depending on where you sit, you can listen to whichever genre you prefer without having to hear the others. Those that dislike music can sit around the center of the colosseum.

Provided with free food and entertainment, the arena became very rowdy, but organized. Some people would get a little too drunk and start fights. They would be carried out by hired security members that maintain the peace.

Tih and his group found a place to sit and eat at. Tih is stuffing his face while the others talk.

"You think this was a last minute thing?" Kai asks Sherlock.

"Of course! They would never offer so much free food if they lost profit."

"That means their gig was a success."

"I have to say, it was fairly smart on their part. Those that lost the chance to win the prize in the maze would see the carnival as a new, even better opportunity with all the prizes they offered up."

"Just how did they manage to get their hands on all that stuff anyways?" Kai asks.

"I'm not certain, but it must have cost them a small fortune. That's why I was surprised by this after-party event, with its free food and all."

"I have you're friend to thank for that." Instructor Maddox appear out of nowhere and places his hand on Tih's chair.

"Tih helped us a lot. We really owe him one." Phillip brings Tih into a light chokehold and gives him a rough noogie after noticing his military cap is not on his head.

After his black cap kept flying off during the obstacle course, Tih set his hat besides Instructor Henri. Since he still needed to compete in the game for a couple more days, Tih left the cap in his apartment and hasn't worn it since. Now, he either flips up his hood or let's his fluffy hair breath in the wind.

The rest of the group latch on to Phillip's words. They owe Tih a favor? Sherlock and Kai glances at each other, confirming Instructor Maddox and Phillip are really who they think they are. People who have increasingly high positions in their companies and on the island. A favor could be of a lot of use in the future.

After saying hi, Phillip and Instructor Maddox leave, still very busy. The group continue eating, enjoying their company together, and becoming a little closer along the way.

An hour after the party started, the speakers are turned on and the announcer quiets everyone down, taking their attention. By now, it's already night, but the stars are outshined by the yellowish white lights covering the colosseum walls and lining the edge of each table and the stage. The contrast of bright surroundings and dark background creates a unique atmosphere for the crowd to indulge in.

"Good evening gentlemen. On behalf of my boss, Instructor Maddox, I hope you've had an enjoyable evening. With that said, the man himself would like to speak along with the associate that helped bring the carnival into existence, Instructor Sinclair."

A polite round of clapping takes place before Maddox and Sinclair give short speeches. Phillip also talks for a little while. Most of the content is about how the islanders need a break every once in a while and the carnival was created for that exact reason.

They also talk about the under-appreciated occupations, asks everyone to give them a round of applause. All the workers were actually allowed to join the after-party and were grouped up in one section of the colosseum. They felt very grateful for Instructor Maddox and Instructor Sincalir's appreciation of the and their occupation.

All in all, after the three finished their speeches, their reputations improved and grew. The most drastic change would have to be Instructor Maddox, who's good image was in the mud at the start of this event.