Disclaimer: I own nothing except new characters, new cars, and the plot. Sue me and you will get nothing but paper and a blown gasket!
A/N I have no idea why I didn't publish this sooner since this is actually the very first Speed Racer fic I hand wrote. Set in the animated universe sometime after Speed beats the Car Acrobats for the first time, this fic was written in the flavor of the cartoon series and will hopefully live up to that format as far as dialog and flow go. Well, let the madness BEGIN! Please review! XD
The number five car streaked across the finish line way ahead of the other cars. Another victory for the young driver of the Mach 5. The fans were overjoyed as Speed Racer accepted the gleaming trophy with a grin and a wave. However there was a dark figure in the grandstands who was not celebrating. A slick man dressed in a black trench coat, dark glasses, and a wide-brimmed hat growled his displeasure and disappeared into the shadows. He took out a walkie-talkie and contacted his lackies.
"Boys, get Tony's car ready for the cross-country race. I hear Racer and his team entered. From now until the race I want you to discourage them from participating by any means necessary. You have your orders. GET GOING!"
GOSPEEDGOSPEEDGOSPEEDGO
Speed Racer zoomed around the practice track, his mind focused on the road and fused to the Mach 5. Even when Trixie was in the car with him, Speed's mind was focused (mostly) on his driving. He listened to his car the same way an equestrian listened to his mount. The engine purred as the skilled driver navigated an S curve. Brakefoot expertly pressed and released at the right moments as the Mach 5 exited the curve and headed back to where the rest of the Go Team waited. Sparky, Speed's mechanic and best friend, looked excited as the young driver reluctantly brought the car to a halt. Speed looked to his friend for the information that was always given at the end of a practice; his timing. Sparky readily provided the info.
"Wow, Speed! Fifteen seconds faster than last time! What a terrific run!"
"Thanks to the modifications you made to the suspension and brakes, Sparky. I don't know what Pops and I would do without you!"
Speed leaped out of the car with a flourish and landed in front of his navigator, who gushed at the young racer. Her name was Trixie Shimura, and she had had a crush on Speed Racer since preschool. Trixie was also Speed's anchor, and often times his rescuer (mostly from Pops!) not to mention the girl was an ace level spotter and pilot to boot. She was still hopelessly in love with Speed and got overly jealous if the young champion even glanced at another girl. Trixie threw her arms around Speed's neck and briefly hugged him.
"Oh, Speed! At this rate the Cross Country Race will be a shoe-in!"
"Maybe Trixie. We won't know until Pops gets here with the race map. Then I can practice on whatever terrain I'll encounter during the Mifune Cross Country Rally."
From the trunk of the Mach 5, four eyes narrowed in frustration, then the trunk exploded open and two small troublemakers emerged. Spritle and Chim-Chim; candy hounds and Racer family members, entered the scene. Spritle idolized his older brother and got extremely upset if anyone so much as hinted that Speed would lose a race—even if that person was Speed himself! In Spritle's mind, Speed Racer was already the greatest race car driver in the world and no amount of candy could change his mind. Stomping his foot, the youngest Racer folded his arms and demanded for all to hear:
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN MAYBE THE RACE WILL BE A SHOE-IN, SPEED?! If you're in the race, the other drivers won't even stand a chance and everyone knows it!" Spritle punched his brother's leg to punish him for doubting the blatant fact that he could not be beaten.
Speed grinned at his kid brother, glad that Spritle was too confident in his abilities as a driver that the thought of how dangerous the race was never crossed Spritle's mind.. Suddenly the roar of a familiar engine caught Speed's attention and the young driver turned toward the sound. A black and maroon car bearing the letter C pulled up next to the Mach 5 and the driver got out. Spritle, Sparky, and Trixie gasped in recognition—for this was Cobra Oiler, the older brother of Snake Oiler of the Car Acrobatic Team. Snake had died shortly after the Alpine Race in which his ignorance and lust for victory had caused him to crash, while Speed, blind as a silent bat, took the first place spot right out from under the Car Acrobats.
Since then the older Oiler had sworn personal revenge on Speed and took every opportunity to remind the young racer of that vow if they ever raced against each other. The older Oiler was out for blood and was becoming one of the dirtiest drivers in the world. Speed was too good a sport to fling any angry words at his rivals no matter how dirty they drove, so when Cobra announced that he was entered in the cross country race, Speed honestly wished him good luck. Cobra glared at his rival and snarled,
"Be careful what you wish for, Speed. Good luck for me would be them pulling your body out of the Mach 5 like we pulled Snake out of his car while you took the victory from us."
Trixie shuddered, and then her fiery temper made itself known as she remembered who was really responsible for that fateful crash.
"If you remember, Mr. Oiler, it was Snake's own fault that his car blew up and Speed had tried to warn him of the danger but he was too pigheaded to listen!"
"That doesn't change the fact that victory was stolen from us that day! If Speed had not entered then the Car Acrobats would have won and Snake would still be alive. I'm warning you, Speed stay clear or this race will be your last!"
Cobra drove off leaving rubber at Speed's feet. The young Racer chuckled softly to himself as Pops Racer drove up. If I hadn't entered that race the Car Acrobats would have STILL lost because Racer X was in the race and HE would have won! Pops handed Speed the map and the two got to work discussing strategy.
GOSPEEDGOSPEEDGOSPEEDGO
In a glorious mansion not far from the practice track, billionaire Trace Munick and his son Tony 'Zinger' Munick are having a heated discussion over dinner. Trace has just revealed to Tony his devious plans for the upcoming race and his son is less than pleased by the news.
"I don't want your men on this, Father. It isn't right!"
"I don't care if it's not right, Tony! I want you to win and this is the only way you'll have a chance!"
"Father, Speed Racer is my friend and one of the few drivers I respect and he respects me because I've always been an honest driver. Why do you want me to play dirty NOW?"
"Because I want this victory more than anything you could ever imagine! I have watched Speed Racer take first place from you for too long, Son and I want YOU to win this time."
"Then let me win fair and square, Father! I can't bear to race any other way!"
"With Speed behind the wheel of the Mach 5?! You won't have a chance. No, son, I'm sorry but this is the only way."
Tony flew from the room, out the door into the massive garage, climbed into his car—named the 'WindRunner'—and lay down with his head on the ebony steering wheel, and sobbed. Then a thought occurred to the young driver and a surge of hope coursed through his shattered psych. I've got to warn Speed of my father's plans before it's too late! Speed's probably training for the race and so he'll most likely be at Cyprus Point—the Multi-Terrain track! The WindRunner's engine roared to life and then the car shot out of the garage like an angry Thoroughbred.
The boy felt his father's eyes on his back as the sleek, black-and-orange Forvettillac roared off, but he kept on driving. I'm gonna need some help. Father knows what I'm doing. Tony swerved to the right and headed for an old garage that had been abandoned for years or so people thought.
Tony Munic knew otherwise.
Well, how was Chapter 1! Fun fact: The Forvettillac is a cross between a Ford GT, a Vett C5 Z06, and a Cadillac CTS-V. No, it doesn't exist, not yet, but since I didn't want any companies sueing me I decided to make up the sickest vehicle I could imagine. Hope it rocks as much as YOU GUYS DO!! Thanks for reading and stay tuned 'cause there's DEFINITLY more to come!
Up next: The Car Magician!