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UnReality TV

Episode 4

"On the last episode of UnReality TV!" Jack chattered happily as the camera turned on. He was standing next to Bill and both the coyote and the fox kit seemed to be in good humor. "We had our most ridiculously over the top obstacle course yet! Chaos reigned as Ava, Emily and Justin tried to conquer it! With epic squeaks of 'wah' Justin found the course too difficult to conquer! Emily made a noble effort... But in the end the snow leopard simply found it impossible to progress! The true loser though was Ava! Who after wiping out earlier than everyone else realized she otter be leaving the show and moving to the zoo! Now... Only two contestants remain! On the most epic Kids Obstacle Show on earth! Unreality TV!"

"Wait... What!?" Emily walked onto camera. "Did he just say kids?" The pink spotted snow leopard had a look of concern. Suddenly she began to deflate. She regressed backwards in age slowly going through her teens, and then preteens before stopping somewhere around eight years old. "GOSH FREAKING DARN IT!" The snow leopard slammed her paw against the ground.

"Hey you're as young as me now!" Justin ran onto camera smiling at the snow leopard. The red panda kid seemed happy not to be the only kid on set anymore.

"These genre changes are getting ridiculous." Emily sighed. "At least they usually wait till the new show starts before changing us."

"Yap!" Bill added his own thoughts to the situation. The coyote tilted his head and looked at Emily as if confused.

"He has a point..." Jack nodded. "I mean... This has always been a kid's show. But you know, it's kind of cute when kids think they're adults. Maybe that's why you're a fan favorite!"

"But I am an-" Emily paused. "Wait I'm a favorite?"

"No time for that!" Jack interrupted her. "Bill has been working all night! And we realized a plain simple truth. The obstacle course put together in the last course was the most awesome thing to ever exist. The simple fact is no matter what we put together today it would just feel like a complete letdown compared to the amazing impossibly awesome course we had last week!"

"Convenient no one will ever see what that looked like..." Emily muttered.

"Shuuuush!" Justin nudged Emily in the side. "Don't ruin the moment.

"As I was saying..." Jack shot the two cubs a look clearly annoyed at the interruption. "We couldn't hope to match how climatic last week was! Therefore we decided the best thing to do was take existing obstacle courses and make them harder for you!"

"I... I don't like where this is going." Emily muttered.

"Oh trust me! You'll love it!" Jack spoke in a voice that suggested everyone would hate it. "It works like this! We're going to go through five challenges! But each challenge you'll each have a turn to modify it! Here's how! We'll reveal a basic obstacle course! Then you two will take turns modifying the course! On your turn you can choose to declare the course as too easy or impossible. If you decide the course is too easy then you have the option to make the course harder... Or give a disadvantage to the person running it."

"What kind of disadvantage?" Emily asked.

"Just something that will make it a little harder on you! That's all!" Jack flashed a predatory grin. "And of course if you choose to modify the course instead more will be added to make the contest harder! Now if you prefer you can also say the course is impossible. If you choose this, you're out for the round and can't run the course... BUT! The other contestant has to run the course as is at that point!"

"So you can try to escalate things to being too hard..." Justin said. "But if the other person drops out then you have to run it."

"That's right!" Jack nodded. "Now then... You don't gain or lose any points if you don't run the course. If you complete the course you gain two points. If you attempt the course and fail you lose one point. Understand?"

"I think so..." Emily muttered. "But what happens if neither of us backs down and keeps declaring it too easy?"

"Glad you asked!" Jack's smile widened. "There are two disadvantages that can be added to each course and two modifications that can be added. Once all four of these had been added in then both of you have to run the course regardless of how difficult it is. In this case that means you both have the potential to gain two points or lose one."

"I guess a head to head contest could be fun!" Justin said.

"Technically not really head to head since that isn't even a race..." Emily muttered. "Seems like you're better off taking your time and just completing the course rather than racing."

"You'd think that!" Jack's smile somehow grew wider. "Buuuuut some of the disadvantages will actually get worse the longer you're in the obstacle course! But enough of explanation! Let's reveal the first course!"

"YAP!" Bill let out a loud bark and then jumped up on his hind legs. He pressed a lever with his forepaws as a curtain rose behind everyone. What was revealed behind the curtain was staircase was a large pool of water. A bridge led out across the water to a staircase. There were two slow spinning wheels in front of the staircase and a platform with a button on the other side of it. "The challenge is simple! Climb the stairs, jump across the water wheels and press the button!"

"That doesn't seem that simple..." Justin muttered as his tail moved between his legs.

"I dunno..." Emily smiled. "I think being a cat might prove an advantage to me here."

"Now then..." Jack smiled. "As determined by a random coin flip! Justin! You get the first turn! Is it too easy or impossible?"

"Looks pretty difficult as is..." The red panda cub seemed downtrodden. He shot a look at Emily. "But... If we run it now she can definitely clear it... So... Too easy!"

"Wonderful!" Jack smiled. "Do you wish to add a disadvantage or modify the course?"

"A disadvantage I guess?" Justin asked. As he spoke a large sign emerged from the ceiling. There were four empty boxes on it. Two of them were labeled 'Modifications' and two were labeled 'Disadvantages.' One of the Disadvantage boxes lit up revealing an animal running on all fours.

"Our first disadvantage is added!" Jack shouted. "Whoever runs the course will be rendered feral! Having to run the course and press the button without hands or thumbs!"

"Ugggggh." Emily grunted. "Come on! I just got my thumbs back last week!" She looked at the course. "Though at least I guess being all cat might make it easier."

"Awww man!" Justin whined. "It was supposed to be harder."

"Whatever it's my turn right?" Emily examined the course. "It's too easy. Add a modification." As she spoke one of the boxes with modification lit up. It showed two arrows pointing to the right.

"We got the speed up modification!" Jack shouted happily. "The wheels will now spin even faster!" As he spoke the water wheels picked up in speed.

"Ugggh I'm out..." Justin whined as he saw that. "It really looks impossible now."

"You heard him!" Jack looked to Emily. "That means it's your turn to attempt the obstacle course! Succeed and you gain two points! Lose and you fall down to negative one! But first... Your disadvantage!"

"Yap!" Bill ran in a circle chasing his own tail. As he did there was a strange shift in the air. Suddenly Emily fell over onto all fours. She shrunk slightly, becoming the size of a snow leopard cub instead of a human as she gained a quadruped form.

"Grrrrrr." Emily growled and swished her tail, clearly irritated at being on four legs again. She shot a glare to Jack before walking across the bridge and up the staircase. She paused for a moment looking at the wheels then backed up. She then took a running start and jumped to the first wheel. Her hind paws barely touched the wheel before her forepaws were already off the ground leaping to the second wheel. Again she jumped the second she landed before leaping to the platform at the end. There she ran into her first bit of trouble as she couldn't reach the button. She had to brace herself on her hind paws by leading against the pillar containing the button. Then she was able to reach over it and press the button.

"Emily gains two points!" Jack shouted. As he did a new section appeared on the giant sign. It now had the scores on it.

Emily: 2

Justin: 0

"Freaking cats..." Justin kicked at the ground.

"MOW!" Emily objected as she jumped down from the obstacle course and returned to the stage. As she did a curtain fell down behind her.

"Now let's look at our second course!" Jack gave a shout as the curtain rose again. The pool had been replaced by a series of trampolines. There were three of them in a row. Hanging from the ceiling there were two hoops suspended from the air by a rope. "This one is simple! You must bounce across all three trampolines and pass through both hoops before landing on the third trampoline."

"ANOTHER JUMPING ONE!?" Justin threw up his paws. "I accuse this show of showing feline bias!"

"Mow." Emily chuffed smugly.

"Are you seriously accusing two canines of preferring felines?" Jack asked. "Look it's an obstacle course. It's gonna be all running and jumping."

"But still..." Justin pouted.

"I mean red pandas are good climbers too you know." Jack smiled. "So you might do better than you thought! Anyway... Since Emily is in the lead you get to go first again."

"And again I have to choose too easy, because she could easily do this." Justin crossed his arms and thrashed his striped tail. "I guess since the disadvantage did nothing I'll go with modification."

"Wonderful!" Jack responded. The sign lit up showing the outline of fire. Suddenly... Both hoops lit up in flames.

"HISSSSSSSSS!" Emily arched her back and sneered at the fire.

"Seriously Jack what the heckles!?" Justin shouted.

"What? It's not real fire!" Jack shrugged. "But that means you'll get something else other than a burn if you touch it."

"Of course..." Justin muttered.

"Now then Emily it's your turn! Too easy or impossible?" Jack asked.

"Mow." Emily tilted her head and looked at Jack.

"Ah... That... Is an issue..." Jack looked sheepish. "Interns! If you please!" As Jack spoke a mouse ran onto the stage dragging a red and green flag behind him. He left the flags at Emily's paws before retreating.

"Such hard workers..." Jack nodded.

"Yap!" Bill added.

"Very delicious." Jack nodded.

"Wait what?" Justin had a look of horror.

"Relax! It was a joke! We don't eat the workers!" Jack smiled. "Probably!"

"Uhhhhh." Justin looked unsure.

"Anyway Emily! Just hold up the green flag for too easy or the red flag for impossible!" Jack smiled.

"MROWL!" Emily picked up the green flag in her teeth before waving it around.

"Okay and um..." Jack thought for a moment. "Green flag for add a disadvantage, red flag for add an obstacle." Jack watched as Emily continued to wave the green flag. As she did one of the Disadvantage lights lit up. It showed the image of a rabbit. "It seems whoever goes this contest will have to do it in the form of a bunny rabbit!"

"Wait how is that a disadvantage?" Justin asked. "Bunnies are great jumpers! Wouldn't that make it way easier?"

"Oh sure the jumping part is easier..." Jack smiled. "But getting those long ears through the hoops is a lot harder! If even an ear touches the hoop you'll lose. Your turn Justin."

"Ugggh fine um... I think I can do it if I'm a bunny... Even with the ears..." Justin looked at the course. "Too easy! Add another modification!"

"Oh a wonderful idea!" The modification light lit up. It showed the image of trampoline with arrows pointing forward. "The trampolines will now move left and right!" As he spoke the three trampolines began to move. "Emily your turn."

"Mow." Emily picked up and waved the red flag then smirked at Justin.

"Emily has declared it impossible!" Jack grinned. "That means Justin has to run the course! But first! His disadvantage! Bill if you would be so kind!"

"AROOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Bill let out a loud howl. As he did Justin began to shrink as his ears got longer. His tail shrunk down to a small tuft and his fur became more uniform brown and gold. In a few moments he was left standing as an eight year old bunny kid with some ears that seemed slightly too big for his body.

"Ugggh..." Justin walked up to the trampoline. "Okay... Okay... I can do this." He jumped up onto the trampoline and began to bounce. Once he was bouncing high enough as the hoops he tried to bounce forward. As he flew forward he grabbed his ears with his hands and pinned them against the side of his head so they weren't sticking up. He soared through the first hoop without touching it! However... The tip of his tail did make contact with the flames.

"The flames don't count as the hoop!" Jack called as Justin landed on the second trampoline. "So he's still good! Of course... He did touch the flames so there's the other matter."

As Jack spoke Bill began to shrink in size. It was a sensation he was used too. His body became unsteady as he bounced up and down though. He became slightly chubbier and his legs felt less steady. He had lost his age until he was now a mere four years old.

"Gah!" Justin gave a shout. "Everything is so big and wobbly now!" The bunny flopped onto his stomach landing on the trampoline. He bounced before managing to recover his feet. "AHHHH!" He gave a shout as he dove forward for the hoop. He forgot to hold down his ears this time... But thanks in a large part to his reduced size he made it through safely before landing on the final trampoline. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He continued to shout.

"JUSTIN!" Jack shouted.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Justin continued to scream as he bounced up and down.

"Justin stop screaming! You cleared the challenge!" Jack shouted.

"Oh..." Justin looked sheepish as he stopped bouncing. The little bunny kid then returned to the stage and stuck his tongue out at the snow leopard cub.

"MROWL!" The snow leopard sneered at him. Meanwhile the curtain went down as the scoreboard updated.

Emily: 2

Justin: 2

"Looks like it's tied." Jack looked at the scoreboard. "For the third challenge since it's tied and Justin went first last round Emily can go first! Now let's see the next obstacle course!" The curtain rose. On the other end of the curtain was a narrow ledge against a wall. There were two panels along the wall. Every now and then one of them opened up as a giant boxing glove sprung out of it. "This one is simple! Simply cross the ledge without falling in! Oh! And those boxing gloves aren't on a timer. It's completely random when they go off. Good luck. Emily you're up first."

"Growl!" Emily picked up the green flag in her mouth to mark too easy. She then waved the green flag a second time to indicate 'Disadvantage.' At this one of the Disadvantage lights lit up showing the image of a person under a magnifying glass.

"The size reduction disadvantage is in!" Jack shouted. "Whoever runs this will be half their size! That might make the ledge easier to stand on... But it's going to make those boxing gloves hit with way more force! You won't have any chance of staying on the ledge! Justin you're up!"

"Ugggh... Um..." Justin looked at the thing. "You know what... I'm good! That's impossible!"

"Surrendering already?" Jack turned to Emily. "But I guess that makes it your turn! And now Bill, you have the honors!"

"Arf!" bill wagged his tail happily. As he did Emily began to shrink in size. By the time the snow leopard was done shrinking she looked more like a house kitten than a wild cub.

"GRRRRR!" Emily growled and glared at Justin.

"Aha ha... Sorry?" Justin tried.

"Mrow." Emily huffed as she walked over to the ledge. At least at her current size it was easy to keep her balance. She walked across the edge stopping just short of the boxing glove. She waited for it to come out... And then immediately sprinted across the ledge after it went in. She then paused at the second boxing glove. Again she waited for it to come out before sprinting across. This time the boxing glove came out immediately a second time! It struck the diminutive cat sending her flying all the way back to the stage. "MROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWL!" Emily let out a cry before she landed on the stage on all fours. She was unharmed but all her fur was sticking up.

"And Emily loses a point!" Jack shouted as the curtain closed and the scoreboard updated.

Justin: 2

Emily: 1

"Challenge four! Second to last one!" Jack smiled as the curtain rose. This time it revealed a rock wall. It seemed relatively simple. There was a platform with a button at the top of it like the one in the first challenge. "Simply climb the wall and press the button!" Jack replied. "Emily, since you're in last place, you get to go first."

"MROWL!" Emily waved the green flag to indicate 'too easy.' She then dropped it and picked up the red flag to indicate 'Obstacle.' As she did one of the lights lit up revealing a waterfall. A small flow of water immediately started from the top of the rock flowing down the entire thing.

"And we have the waterfall! And it's not normal water either!" Jack smiled.

"Ugggh um..." Justin knew it was his turn. "Um too easy!" He said at last. "Add... Um... A disadvantage!"

"One disadvantage coming up!" Jack shouted. The Disadvantage light lit up showing the image of a deer. "Whoever climbs the wall will do so as a deer! Let's see how well you climb once you have hooves to grab onto things!"

"MROWL!" Emily stood up and grabbed her green flag immediately to wave in 'Too easy.' She then waved the other red flag for 'Obstacle.' The second obstacle light lit up revealing the image of a rock sticking out from a wall. Suddenly the rock wall changed so that it had several ledges sticking out from it. In some places this made it easier, as it gave a ledge to rest on... However other places it left the climber being stuck climbing from underneath the ledge.

"Ohh that's a tough one!" Jack replied. "So Justin up to you! Going to trigger the last disadvantage and make you both run it... Or this one too tough?"

"Impossible!" Justin shouted.

"The verdict has been made! Emily runs the course! But of course.. Her disadvantage first!" Jack smiled happily.

"Yap yap yap!" Bill barked excitedly and let his tongue hang out to one side. As he did Emily began to change. She regained a humanoid form... Her fur became more singular color... That of a white doe. Though she had one purple stripe running down her backside to the tip of her small tail. Ear ears became smaller on the side of her head. There was a clopping noise as she stood straight, her hooves clicking against the ground.

"FINALLY!" Emily shouted. "Sweet hands again I have missed you!" She paused and looked at her hands. Instead of hands she had hooves. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" She fell onto all fours at this realization.

"Well, time to attempt the climb!" Jack shouted.

"Yeah... yeah..." Emily muttered as she approached the rock wall. She looked at her hoof hands wondering how she was supposed to climb. She sighed before wrapping two of them around a rock and began to pull herself up. She placed a foot hoof on another rock as she began to climb. She then felt the waterfall running over her. It didn't feel bad... Kind of refreshing.

Emily decided to take her time for the climb. All that mattered was winning the challenge... Not winning it fast. However as she got about halfway up and pulled herself onto a ledge she noticed something. The rocks seemed to be getting bigger... And she felt weaker. Despite the weaker feeling she also felt more energetic. Realization hit her.

"What kind of water is this?" Emily shouted.

"Fountain of youth water of course!" Jack shouted back. "The longer the climb takes the younger you'll get!"

"UGGGH!" Emily grunted. Being half the size of a normal deer person made this hard enough! Now she was getting younger too? That was too much! She looked at herself... It had been gradual at first... But now she was as young as six years old! And the size of a three year old...

Emily began to climb faster. A few times she nearly slipped, but she found her foot-hooves were surprisingly adept at getting a grip. It didn't change the fact that she was getting younger by the second. Soon she was four, as young as Justin again.

Emily was near the top. She threw her hand-hooves over the edge trying to pull herself up. However she was getting even weaker. She now lacked almost any upper body strength. It felt impossible... But somehow she pulled herself up. She was now a toddler of a mere two years of age. She could barely stand for very long. Thankfully, the button was low to the ground. She pressed it.

"Emily clears the obstacle!" Jack shouted. "Though she might need help getting down! INTERN!" As he spoke a hawk flew onto the stage. It snatched Emily up in its claws before depositing the toddler deer back on the stage next to Jack. The curtain went down and the scoreboard updated.

Emily: 3

Justin: 2

"And now for the final obstacle course!" Jack shouted, and the curtain rose. This time there was simply a pool of water running from the start to the end. "You simply have to swim to the end of the pool! But be warned... This one has some mean upgrades. Justin, you're up first."

"Uggh." Justin groaned. "This is the last round and I'm down points... If I back out and make it easy... She wins. Best bet is to stick it out. Too easy. Add an obstacle."

As Justin spoke the Obstacle light lit up. This one showed a wave. As it lit up the water began to move as it gained a current.

"We have water flow!" Jack explained. "Now you'll swim against the current! Emily your turn."

"I see what you're trying to do." Emily looked at Justin. "With the score this close, backing down early is just giving it to the opponent. Too easy. Add a disadvantage!"

"Okay, a disadvantage it is!" Jack smiled as the Disadvantage light lit up. It showed the image of a four legged animal. "It's the return of the feral disadvantage! Hope you both know how to doggy paddle! Back to you Justin!"

"Ugh. That doesn't seem too hard..." He looked at Emily. "Though she is young... No I can't risk it! Too easy! Add the second disadvantage!"

"Second disadvantage is added!" Jack shouted as the light lit up. This one showed a baby crawling. "Ohhhh, infancy disadvantage! Whoever runs the course will be reduced to a six month old infant!"

"Mmmmm." Emily considered. "That seems pretty hard... If I give up though and he clears it he wins... If I say too easy though there's only one obstacle left to add... And we both have to run it." She paused. "And if it seems impossible for both of us and we both lose a point... Then I guess that means I would win! Okay... Too easy!"

"Reveal the final obstacle!" Jack smiled. It showed a potion bottle.

"What does that mean?" Justin asked.

"The water will be replaced with a potion!" Jack smiled as the water turned purple. "Specifically a shrinking potion! Now every second you're in the water you'll get smaller!"

"Uggggh..." Emily grunted.

"Oh no..." Justin muttered.

"Okay Bill! They're both running it! Give them their disadvantages!"Jack smiled.

"AROOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Bill let out an ecstatic howl. As he did both Justin and Emily fell onto all fours as they were forced into feral stances. They then both shrunk down becoming six month old infants. The deer and the bunny passed a look at each other before glaring at Bill. Reluctantly they both crawled towards the pool."

"Let the final obstacle course begin!" Jack shouted.

Emily and Justin both leaped into the pool. Being feral proved to be something of an advantage here. Infant animals were slightly less helpless than infant humanoids. They were able to doggy paddle slightly and stay afloat. However... The waves from the pool kept pressing them back. Still, they struggled to go on as they began to shrink in size. It even looked like they were making progress.

Both of them grunted. They weren't able to speak, only make animal noises. Still they continue to press forward, soon Emily was no bigger than a mouse and Justin no bigger than a rat! Then the two were as small as insects.

"Any second now we'll have a winner!" Jack shouted. "Will they both wash out or will one of them make it and..." Suddenly both contestants vanished. "Wait... Um... It appears that... They have just shrunk beyond the level with which we can see. They have both gone microscopic! Huh... Do you think either of them will finish the race?"

"Arf?" Bill shrugged.

"But... We don't have a winner! And! And!" Suddenly a raccoon walked onto the stage holding a letter. It handed it to Jack. "And I've just been informed that we could be in serious legal trouble if we lost our contestants! Um... Okay! Interns! Empty the pool into a bunch of petri dishes! And uh get them all under a microscope! We'll find them and safely move them somewhere for study I mean rescue!"

"Yap!" Bill nodded.

"But... We still don't have a winner!" Jack protested. "It's the final episode! We can't end the series without a proper winner! But there's no one else left! What do we..."

"..." Steve stepped up directly behind Jack.

"GAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The fox kit's fur puffed up and he jumped behind Bill. "Where did you come from?"

"YAP! Grrrr!" Bill bristled as he looked at Steve. The same raccoon from earlier came by with a second note.

"Huh that notes says this is Steve... And he's one of our contestants?" Jack tilted his head. "But I've never seen this man in my life."

"Yap?" Bill tilted his head.

"We can't declare him the winner!" Jack objected. "He's... So boring! And he didn't even participate in the challenges!" The raccoon returned with a third letter. "Uh oh..." Jack swallowed.

"Yip?" Bill looked at the fox kit.

"It's from Cod with a capital C." Jack almost looked as if he was sweating despite being a fox. "It um... It um says if we don't pick a winner then um... It doesn't count and we have to go back to his original plan for us."

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!" Bill began to panic and run in circles.

"Look we'll just pick the very next person we need!" Jack shouted. "If only there was another contestant!

Steve took another step towards Jack.

"GAHHHH!"

"AROOO!"

Bill and Jack both jumped back at this. Their fur stood puffed out.

"Who the heck are you?" Jack asked. "And how are you so quiet! Geez. Just... Wow! Do you work on the show? I've never seen you before in my life... Wait..." Jack smiled. "If I've never seen you before... You obviously don't work on the show! Congratulations random stranger... You win UnReality TV! Now we have to go... Be somewhere... Not near you!" With that Jack and Bill bolted from the stage disappearing from sight.

Steve was left standing on the stage alone. Slowly one by one each of the stage lights turned off as people left and returned home for the day. Then there was just Steve, standing in the dark. It was as if no one had even noticed him before they left.

The End