Events Happen![1][2][3]Bowser has barely any time to enjoy his weekend as a flurry of reporters encircle his pit-castle for the next few days, wanting to get his comment on joining Team Flare. The goombas can barely keep them at bay! His reverie is interrupted as his new sponsor swoops in crimson suited contractors to begin redecorating everything in his castle, and swapping out all his Bowser Banners for Team Flare flags. Price of doing business..at least they're using summer colors.
The worst part is they've scheduled him for 're-styling', starting with his hair...
"...Abreezio is the best stylist we could find who would take our calls! Oh yeah, it'll have to come out of your own pocket, but don't worry-it'll be good for the brand, good for us, which is good for you, which is good for us, which is good for the brand, right?"Change his do? He's worn his hair the exact same way since 1985!
He's pretty sure this is going to blow fireballs no matter what he decides.
Bowser has to choose between two bad (?) things!
-1 Coin
OR
-1 Glamor (This image will negatively impact his relationship with team flare)
....
Jack Frost is in a similar situation, but in his case it's more of a 'family reunion'...figures they'd come out of the frostworks as soon as he gets some money!
Somehow he's not surprised to find a Milky Frost on his doorstep, sounding as sweet as ever.
Yeah, there's a story behind everyone.
Most Demons/Shadows known as 'Jacks' are pretty closely related (though none so close they wouldn't immediately betray the other for personal gain and/or amusement) and there's a
seperate race known as Frosts. Not all Jacks are Frosts and not all Frosts are Jacks. These Frosts were created in Jacks Image, but they were originally completely artificial-as in, created by a human.
What complicates this is that after awhile they started appearing like any other Demon would, completely naturally in the sea of souls.
What matters is that they've all got a smug Hero complex and there's five of them, and if five of them get together, they form a team of Invincible Super Frosts called the Frost Five with five times the smugness...
"...COUSIN! It's been hee-ho heck of a long time since we've gotten together! How about I cut to the chase and ask you for money! Hee hee!
So, I'm getting the hee-ho whole band together! We're gonna form the Frost Five of the Mushroom Kingdom, and purge this land of bad hee ho-ers! And for that, Milky needs some money to bring them over the Rainbow Bridge! Can you help a fellow Frost out? I promise it'll be worth it!"Jack Frost is pretty sure it WOULD be worth it, because the thing about product recognition is the more product you have, the easier it is to sell. One Jack Frost is nice, One Jack Frost and Five Knockoffs who will engage in a very public displays of courage and battling 'evil' (Who decides who's evil again, hee?) will do a wonder for his own popularity!
...Of course, when Milky hands him the bill, he finds it is quite astronomical. It covers not only travel expenses, but new costumes, a really big dinner he's not sure they'll invite him to, and the deed and construction of the "Jackster Building", a tower which will apparently house this new superhero team. He cannot actually afford this...unless he asks his new sponsor for money. Or, ironically, asks the mousers to pull some strings. He's pretty sure it's not the first superhero team founded on organized crime hee ho! He figures he has a little less to lose here-if he makes the effort of at least attempting and fails, well, hee ho oh well.
But, who says he can't do the organizing? Jacks devious little mind concocts a scheme where he could steer them to BurgerKun for 'help'-they'd fund the teams foundation and then ruthlessly mine them for coins, rather than letting them fight crime. At least, that's what a normal company would do. Or he could direct them to the mousers and see what happens. And he in any case, could pocket a significant finders fee! On the other hand, that wouldn't endear him much to his extended family...
Dilemma!
Jack frost has to choose!
+1 Fame/-1 Coin a race for the next five races (Fund the Frost five out of your own wallet. Jack can ask his sponsor [and/or the mafia] for help paying.)
OR
+1 Coin a race for the next five races (Pawn the Frost Five on the Mousers or BurgerKun!)
...
Cranks pit crew has tried a lot of things to break him out of his funk, but maybe in the end, it's the work that brings him back...
"Hey, Crank! Open up or I'll blow the door down!"He's not joking.
...
Crank consults with Chief Boomer about a choice between two low-price sponsors. So low they can't even provide any coin, but they will lend some replacement parts...
Boomer smokes freely in his office. Crank probably doesn't have a nose anyway.
"First up is the 2021 Deep Arctic Drilling Expedition. They just want a flag. Not sure what they expect to find up there rather than a bunch of my bom-buddies frozen down in the ice...hmmph...well, they're offering some newfangled repair device. As a test, to see if it works. In theory we'll be able to account for some damage from that GRLR kit and whatever else might pop up on the tracks...Brainy upstairs says it'll make us look all the more educated and whatever, might endear us to the sponsors looking for that sort of thing. I don't know about this experimental stuff...but we've pushed the envelope before...and set it on fire...
Second, the Boom Boom brothers are offering to let us test a new fuel mix if we, and I quote 'dumb down thems racing' a bit. I'm not sure what that means, but even being associated with the Boom Booms will make us seem very dumb. On the other hand, they know their fuel up in Boom Boom Hills, I certainly wouldn't mind a drink of it..." Boomer tends to approve fuel mixes for Cranks kart based on his taste preferences.
Crank is wondering if he should just go back to his trailer.
Optional Dilemma!
Crank can choose! Both bonuses are unique perks/hiccups, which can't be revealed (or refused) until chosen. Could be positive or negative.
Gain [Arctic Compensator] Bonus next race, and adjust education +1
Or
Gain [Boom Boom Nitrous] next race, and adjust education -1
Or
Turn down both deals!