Alright, so I'll try and do some kinda update here, even though I'm essentially flying by the seat of my pants. Last night was a bit all over the place, and even though I'm not thrilled with losing Big Kroc, my main goal there was to send DP in
THE RING without getting dragged in myself (just gonna assume DP is winning this duel). So,
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! I'm kinda just trying not to over play here and spend too much energy trying to micromanage both votes. It's just not possible, we're not at that point yet where working to send the perfect two people in is a realistic goal. So reasonably good is the best I can hope for here, then just wait for the duel results and do it all again. Trying to keep my connections close to my chest, and work at moving enough people forward that I can rely on, so that as the voting pool gets smaller, I'll be safe and can work on setting my end game up. Of course it can blow up at any moment, and I'll get dropped into
THE RING, that's almost inevitable. But I feel like if that happens it'd be me and Squirt, and I think I'd have a decent chance against Squirt, so that's something I guess.
I'd like to get some of the challenge beasts up and out until one is left - so that's Robbie, Wario and Falco. Not sure that Robbie is a challenge beast, but she is a social threat so I'd like her out before endgame either way. Then buddy up to the remaining one and use them as a
SHIELD if I can. Since when there is one challenge beast left, you have to assume that they are making FTC. So you need them on your side.
How is my social positioning? Not sure. Feel like I have a few avenues of protection, not sure on how I am perceived. Think maybe a mid-packer, which ain't a bad spot to be right now, but also not somewhere I wanna remain as FTC approaches. Though just quickly
CAN'T BELIEVE talking about FTC is even in the question right now. I know it's still miles away and I'm not expecting to actually make it, but the fact that it's close enough to consider is not somewhere I ever expected to be after my shaky start. And
SINGLE DIGITS too?
C'MON! That's really cool. For a second I though last round was about to blow up on me and I'd be 10th again, but now here I am- and I'm essentially guaranteed final 7 now, because I don't place 8th or 9th.
At this point things are shaping up to be- basically worming your way through the cracks while keeping your best connections safe as much as you can, landing on some mutually beneficial outcomes. Tonight, I'll be angling for Yosh vs. DP, with the hope that DP is up and out. If Yosh goes, that could spell danger. Basically DP, Robbie and Falco are the three power brokers as I see it, I don't want all three of them to contend with in endgame, else I probably won't make it there. Dunno what my perfect final 5 or so would even look like- can't possibly plan for it since it all comes down to duels at the end of the day. Maybe something like me, Squirt, Kaz, maybe Yosh, maybe Falc/Wario has a shield.
Just a quick word on the other
RACERS!
Squirtle - Still my partner in crime, let's just all forget about the time I threw him under the bus back on
BLUE, never happened. Our interests are totally aligned at the moment, and I'm counting on the fact that if we are thrown in together, I could beat him. Or that he's perceived as more beatable and would get thrown in ahead of me. Do I want him in the end?
HELL NO. He's a social butterturtle, and everyone loves him. I think if we're both there we'd either split votes or he'd steal all of my potential ones. So at some point, I will have to do what needs to be done, but I'm hopeful others will take care of it for me. Love him though, Cap n' Bluey forever!
Kazuya - I feel bad for always doubting him- but the whole green alliance nonsense always just made me feel like he was keeping me at arms length and that he had closer connections, or
AS close connections, elsewhere. I feel that is put to bed now. I don't think I could write his name down at this point, even more so than Squirt. Well, I'd also feel more comfortable up against him at FTC. I think it might be kinda obvious that we're close at this point, but having an ear in both camps is still a really beneficial thing and can keep us both out of the crosshairs for now. Hoping at some point he can help me perform some kinda split on maybe like, Robin and Falco.
Falco - His attitude yesterday morning, the fuck? To be fair, he's right to some extent. But I was still keen to unify
BLUE, and honestly, I did love the drama, love a little scuffle. I considered him my possible number 1 at the end of the first week, now he's kinda doing his own thing, and I think it's pretty clear we've drifted apart and have our own agendas at the end of the day. I just feel like... it's inevitably gonna turn sour at one point. And when he's a challenge beast, that's gonna be hard to work around.
Yoshi - He votes with me, is getting voted in ahead of me it seems, and is good at challenges so can take down my enemies. What's not to love here? Considering the egg distribution he's essentially a +1 vote for Squirt and I, and people are gonna want to break that up, but as long as it's him and not me, I'm cool with it. He's been a lot of fun in this though.
Robin - The bitch is good. She's on top of her social game, kinda doing the same thing that I'm trying to do, have a little in with everybody. Plus what she pulled last night was impressive. Much respect, and our interests align for now, but she's gotta be taken down at some point. I'll start dropping those seeds now, but don't wanna risk it getting back to her and souring our relationship here. We get on great but it's gonna be about who shoots first I think. And I'm the one with the
GUN!Wario - I clearly know that
Russell Wario is running around to everyone and telling everyone the same thing. But we can either work with each other or against each other. And I do not wanna work against him, are you kidding? He's just an incredible force. With
Russell Wario I definitely feel like I am making a deal with the devil... but I want the devil on my side. But for real, messy king. What a hilarious presence. "At least I have you. I don't want to be alone."
He is definitely a sweetheart under that too even though I know he will come for my throat at a certain point.
King Dedede - We kinda vibe? Love his low key trolly presence. Maybe we could end up on the same page here later down the track, in a "we need each other in the end" kinda way, not against it. But he'll have to prove himself in
THE RING first, cos I don't wanna face anyone with 0 duels, unless I also have 0 duels. All this FTC talk, I'm getting
WAY ahead of myself here, but I'm just spitballing at this point. Totally prepared for this to all come crashing down at any moment.
Dark Pit - He called me out yesterday for spinning a story and honestly, I'm glad he did. He was right, I was kinda giving him a half-truth and playing scared. And it kinda woke me up that, you know, I don't wanna play scared and that is not how
THE CAPTAIN should be playing. But at the end of the day I don't see how our interests are ever gonna align so I do kinda want him out.
And on the poor bastards that
SPUN OUT!
King K Rool - He's an angel. The way he calls me Cap.
Too pure for this world, but he seems very green, so I'm glad he at least got the full
ARENA experience, made merge, survived a duel, all that good stuff.
Mythra & Pyra - Dunno if they hate me after that vote, but I feel like I gave them ample opportunity to speak up if they really wanted me to turn the ship around. Would I have done it... I think so? At the end of the day I do and did feel loyalty to
BLUE, and wouldn't have hung them out to dry. But they seemed pretty indifferent about it, so I'm not gonna go out of my way to blow up my game and expose myself on that. And voting against Yosh would have just been a superficial gesture, so if they were upset about that, idk what to say really. Sour ending for us, which is a shame, cos when we did connect it was great.
Marth - Hope he is doing well. He'll probably find out how hard I was pushing for him, but I'm sure he'd understand my reasoning, it was nothing personal against him. So I'm hoping he is rooting for ol' Cap here.
Piranha Plant - My little pet. Sorry buddy, hope he forgives me! And is also rooting for me.
FIRE FIELD 
