Acceleracers Restart
Part Two: Speed of Silence
Chapter Eleven: The Water Realm
A/N: WOW!, WOW!, WOOOOW!, Hello all!, it's been a big amount of time since I last updated this thing, and I do apologize for my absence, altough it's justifiable (partly) due to school and more personal reasons. I have NO intentions of abandoning this, repeat, NO, NADA, NEIN, ZERO, so relax and sit back as you read this awesome (well, you qualify it by yourself after reading it) chapter! PS: Has anyone noticed Shirako's handheld camera?, did that exist in 2005?
Tezla and Lani were already in the Control Room. The old man grabbed the microphone, turned it on and his voice boomed through the speakers of the Acceledrome.
''The following drivers will enter the Realm...'', were his words.
''Taro Kitano'', said Metal Maniac had just woken up from a nap. His signature neutral frown on his face, he looked at the ceiling as if the speaker was there, which wasn't, and stretched his fingers. He rose from bed, grabbed the keys of Rivited, and his racing helmet, and then he got out of his bedroom, the door closing obediently behind him with the ''swoosh'' sound.
''Shirako Takamoto'', the Japanese Teku hmmmphed his name's mention indifferently as he kept his headphones held in his right hand, while his left one was free.
''Vert Wheeler'', the blonde surfer let out a ''Ha ha, yes!'' exclamation as a cheer of victory as he pointed to Shirako with his right index finger. Shirako, returned the gesture, albeit groggily, with a sort of handwave and thumbs up gesture.
''Deezel Riggs''. ''Oh, it's Pork Chop!'', Monkey complained about his bulky companion's real name being said instead of his cool nickname. Pork Chop neverminded it, as he was more concentrated on cheering and punching the air, shouting aloud his nickname.
''Kurt Wylde, Mark Wylde'', Doctor Tezla kept broadcasting indifferently, oblivious as hell to the deathly rivalry that envolved both brothers.
Lani grunted as she spinned on her swivvel chair to face Tezla, ''Those two are bad as Nolo and Tork, are you encouraging competition again?'', she asked Tezla with her eyebrows raised, to emphasize his guilt.
He completely neverminded it deftly, avoiding the question at all with the simple reply, ''Curious, isn't it?, Nolo can't forget his brother and Mark Wylde can't forgive his...'', making emphasys on the words ''forget'' and ''forgive'' as if they were more important than the matter at hand (the obvious rivalry).
Lani shook her head at him and returned to her position, overlooking the monitors of the cars' conditions.
''Octavio Donovan'', the argentinian Teku was sitting on the hood of Ocean Thunder, staring at Dash working on Rainbow Cruiser, her car of said mix of colors, which was a Nissan 240SX.
''Martin Vaneira'', the latino Maniac threw the can of Coke he had just finished drinking to the trash can. He got up from the Cafeteria's seat in which he was resting, stretched himself and ran down to his car, sprinting the hell out of there.
''Man, something feels off about this, like if something is bound to go wrong, related to Rachel, I gotta be careful', he mused as he got off the hood, put on his racing helmet and got inside the car.
''Rachel Dawson''. In the same way Monkey whined about Pork Chop's real name, RD did too but with her name. ''Oh, it's Dash!'', she cried as she glared daggers at the stone ceiling. She shook her head, got inside her car and put on her helmet.
''Ana Lovreau''. Said latino Street Beauties driver grunted in spanish an unintelligible curse to Tezla as she made her way, pacing absent-mindedly to her car.
''Ludmila Sorelo'', Lud was the next one to be chosen to race in the Realm. She nodded to Miku and Luka, who were looking at her expectantly. They were in the Cafeteria talking about mundane, common topics.
''So you still like him Miku?'', Luka asked jokingly as she rised her right eyebrow at Miku.
''Like who, Luka?, I don't get ya'', Miku said as she blushed.
''Some certain latino Teku which was your boyfriend previously, O-c-t-'', Luka replied as she was spelling the name of that one person, but Miku closed her mouth and looked at Lud.
''Go, go, Lud, we'll talk later'', she said, rushing Ludmila as she elbowed Luka.
Lud shook her head and chuckled before rushing to her car.
''Camila White'', the Street Beauties leader clenched her fists as she ran to her car. ''We must cooperate and use intensive teamwork if we want to win'', she reflexed with determination in her face. She put his simple white with a double black strip racing helmet on and sped up towards the Portal.
''Talia Pasaro''. She was tying her shoes when she overheard the announcement beckoning her to race. She heaved herself up and ran down the intricate maze of hallways that the Acceledrome had. She passed by a distracted Nolo to whom she merely nodded in salutation as he gasped and backed away, granting her pass, otherwise they would have collided.
''Gale Takamoto''. Shirako's sister was as distracted as he usually was and barely heard her name over her own music. She nodded to wherever the speaker was and got out of bed lazily. She ran down the corridor of the Metal Teku dorms and out into said team's garage. She climbed inside Bass Vortex and revved up the Chevrolet pickup's engine. The youngest Takamoto sibling smirked in satisfaction as she sped up and entered the Track that lead to the Portal of the Wheel of Power.
''And Aurora Wheeler''. The last driver chosen for this realm. Vert's cousin shook her head at what she had eavesdropped in the Cafeteria regarding Miku and Octavio's possbile reagroup. ''That's dumb, it can't be possible, Oct's already with Rach, Rech, what's her name?, nevermind, besides being exes, they won't even be able to see each other, will they?'', she mused as she paced briskly to Road Rage. She opened the door and literally vaulted inside, landing graciously in the seat, but also slightly painfully. She grunted in pain and clenched her teeth as she slipped on the safety belt and then her racing helmet. ''Damn it'', she mentally cursed before starting up the car and speeding towards the track that lead to the Portal itself.
''Got it Shirako'', Nolo responded as he extended his free right hand and gave it to Shirako. The japanese Teku smirked as he overlooked with his peripheral vision the Swamp Realm Accelecharger. ''Might come in handy'', he muttered as he switched gears groggily.
''Hey Taro, catch!'', Tork shouted at the japanese MM as he tossed him the chip-like object. Taro deftly caught it and nodded at Tork in a ''thank you'' gesture as he climbed inside Rivited.
All the cars were now racing towards the Portal. Ocean Thunder leading the march, followed by Impaler and Rainbow Cruiser. And then Power Rage, which was followed by Shirako's ride. And then the rest of the Maniacs, and the Street Beauties and the Metal Teku.
''Mmmm, water'', Tezla muttered as he observed the symbol on the miniature Wheel of Power he had on the Control Room.
''As soon as you hit the portal, switch your tires to hydro threads'', Lani ordered the drivers through the radio. ''This, is a Water Realm'', she finished, much to Pork Chop's dismay, he stared at the entirely of his car's dashboard as his mouth gaped in shock. His car reached 300 MPH and it entered the Realm, and so did all the other cars.
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Everything was dark. Very dark. All the cars were spit in the Realm by the Portal. Octavio couldn't see a damn. Neither could Martin, Rach-Rainbow D., or everyone else.
Lani couldn't see anything, the on board cameras of the cars were all blackened out with static.
''Vert, we can't see anything'', she warned him through the radio.
''I can't tell where we are'', he said. Vert turned on his car's lights and he saw some kind of... fishes?... Indeed, the fishes swam away, leaving bubbles behind... ''We're under water'', he mumbled as he kept analyzing the place where they were.
''There has to be a track here'', Taro told to no one in particular as he inserted the Cavern Realm Accelecharger in the slot and his car glew bright orange, and so did the environment, with a tint of said color. All he could see was static, pacific marine creatures. Manta rays, giant sized fishes, and more...
And then...
CLUNK!
CLUNK!
CLANK!
CLOMP!
All the drivers' cars landed on a platform apparently, and then a burble engulfed them. The floor was lit with green lights.
''Awesome'', the surfer of the Teku observed as he noticed how the bubble covered them, apparently, covering them from the water. The atmosphere inside was clean of water, so Kurt's automatic roof opened and he nodded in satisfaction.
''Not now Porj Chap, is all good, it's all good!'', Deezel Riggs muttered under his breath as he clenched the steering wheel tightly.
And all of a sudden, the floor opened, and the cars were all sent down.
''WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH, ¡MIERDAAAAAAAAAAAAA!'', Octavio and Martin simultaneously cried in their native tongue, saying the spanish equivalent word for the vulgar of poop.
The entirely of the cars landed smoothly on the ground and sped down on the track.
''Shut the pipeline!'', Vert cheered as he observed that the track ran along a pipeline that protected them from getting drenched in obnoxiously useless amounts of water.
Taro took the lead as Octavio followed close. Martin closed in behind, and Rainbow Dash too. Ludmi, Cami and Ani ran down the track behind them in a small group, with Talia, Gale and Aurora. Wylde passed the sextet neverminding them, his face contorted into a frown with clenched teeth.
The drivers ran down the slightly sinuous road as Lani observed the now functioning cameras from the Acceledrome. Monkey casually walked behind her and put his arm on her chair as he said amicably ''Hey, how's it goin'?''. She harshly pushed him off, and he muttered sorry before going to sit in a chair somewhat distant from her and monitor the cars on independent computer screens, so as to not cause her any bother.
She sighed as she reflexed, ''maybe I was too harsh with him, I'll have to say sorry to him later, damn it Lani!''.
She shook her head and focused back on keeping track of the drivers throughout the race.
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Meanwhile, another Portal opened at the start of the track and five Racing Drones emerged from it. They all landed directly in the track, going through the bubble, except one which was eaten by a neon-blue glowing, giant fish.
''Water, up ahead!'', Tezla advised through the radio.
''Be sure to keep your speed up when running on water!'', Lani reminded them carefully.
''I should've brought my board'', Vert said over-confidently as he switched gears and sped up to 160 MPH, racing over the water neatly. All the other drivers did like him, passing over the water uneventfully.
Pork Chop in the last place, started slowing down. He saw the giant blue glowing fish pass and roar deeply.
''WOH, OH GAH!'', he cried as he instinctively smashed the brakes and his car slid a bit over the water, and then it immediately sunk down.
''You have to keep your speed up Pork Chop!'', Lani shouted to him. But he was panicked beyond comprehension.
''Here, let me talk to him!'', Monkey's voice was heard. ''Pork Chop, what are you doing?, can you hear me Pork Chop?'', Monkey asked. He saw that Pork Chop nodded over his car's on-board camera. Unbeknownst to them, the Drones raced over the water perfectly, avoiding said obstacle.
A giant, glowing blue fish roared on Deezel's left window, and the video feed was abruptly cut off, seemingly having eaten Pork Chop's car.
''Pork Chop!'', Monkey cried, worried for his friend's fate.
Nolo watched as how Karma raced against the Drone which came out with Vert. They were not racing really, but rather in a racing simulator, courtesy of Doctor Tezla's high end, top notch technology. His attention shifted to the sudden cry that Monkey's voice let out through the speakers of the 'Drome.
''Pork Chop, you gotta get outta there buddy!, Pork Chop?!, can you hear me man?, you gotta use that driver escape thingy!'', Monkey insisted but to no avail.
''The Emergency Driver Return'', Gig corrected, hovering on Monkey's left. He jumped back slightly as he saw the machine appearing out of nowhere.
The Drones kept racing at a steady pace as the fish that had grabbed Pork Chop's car swam. ''PORK CHOP, CAN YOU HEAR ME?, PUSH THE DER!'', Monkey screamed, this time Pork Chop being able to hear him.
''That's EDR'', Gig corrected him again.
''JUST, PUUUUUUSH IIIIIIT!''.
The video feed was lost completely.
''We lost the signal'', Lani sadly remarked.
''And... The driver'', Tezla said monotonically, like he didn't give a c-r-a-... and the last letter of this cursing is quite obvious.
''Pork Chop!'', Monkey shouted uselessly as he clenched his gloved fists and his head went down.
However, Pork Chop wasn't dead. His car's cabin started filling with water. He slid open with a finger the EDR's thingy, and the water quickly reached up his nose. He slowly touched the EDR and he felt his entire body dematerialize, which was something quite strange to feel.
He found himself being violently spit out from the Wheel of Power back in the Acceledrome.
''AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!'', he cried as he sailed in the air and landed roughly on a pile of boxes and barrels. ''Ugh'', he finished as he caressed his left arm. ''Dang it, must've broken it'', he mumbled as he shook his head in disgust. ''At least I'm alive''.
''Pork Chop!'', Monkey said excitedly as he vaulted over the rail of the catwalk, landing with a roll and a thud. He ran over to his friend.
''He must have been travelling at a considerable velocity when he pushed the escape button'', Gig commented as he made gestures with his small robotic ''arms''.
''You mean, if you use the EDR you come out of the Realm at the speed you are going?'', Lani questioned, amazed by Gig's observation.
''Apparently'', the machine replied simply.
Gig hovered back to the Control Room and talked to Tezla, ''I better prepare the infirmary''. Tezla's suit's mechanical noises only added to the nod he gave in response.
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The drivers kept driving without incidents until they came to a part of the track which bifurcated in two sections.
''Looks like the track splits up ahead!'', Kurt said as he overlooked said division in the racetrack. ''I say we keep goin' until we reach the surface!'', he suggested as Battle Spec was swerved to the left path by his actions.
''I'm taking the other fork!'', Vert countered, slightly defiant. ''Maybe I'll get lucky'', he added as Power Rage went to the right.
''Heh, good luck'', Kurt told Vert. ''You'll need it'', he commented additionally. Vert simply shook his head in response to this, altough Kurt couldn't see it.
Taro went behind Kurt, and so did Shirako and Wylde.
''I'll go with Vert!, I wanna see if there's anything cool there!'', Dash announced as she switched gears and sped up after Vert.
''I'll go with you'', Ludmila said as she took the right path.
''I'll come too'', Ana said as her car, Black Widow, or rather, it's engine, roared under the hood. She punched the Nitrox 2 button and raced down the track.
''I'll play safe and go to the surface'', Camila exclaimed, in stark contrast to her teammates' aformentioned choices.
''I'll go with you'', Talia told her as she aligned TechTyte behind White Hope.
''I'll go as well yo'', Gale said coolly as Bass Vortex joined the two girls above mentioned to form a three car ''squad''.
''I'll race after Greenie!, I want to see if underwater mocking is possible!'', Aurora shouted fiercely as she hit the gas pedal on Road Rage and chased after her cousin.
''I'm comin' to the surface, ¿ché Octavio, qué vas a hacer vos?'', Martin asked his friend as he looked at the radio peripherally.
He was only met with silence for several seconds.
''Oct, you there buddy?'', Martin insisted.
''I'll go with Dash'', he simply replied briskly.
''Cool, be careful man, something seems off about this situation'', Martin warned him.
''Copy'', Octavio replied as he hit the Nitrox 2 button on Ocean Thunder and took the right path.
And so, the drivers divided on each path more or less in an equivalent amount...
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The five Drone cars squad marched neatly in a single file line. The Lieutenant Drone leading the march. His virtual frown of concentration and seeking for perfection was unmistakeable. Three cars went to the left in the same fork that the humans had mere minutes ago been in, and two chose the right path.
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The ''surface crowd'', which consisted of Shirako, Kurt, Taro, Wylde, Talia, Martin, Gale and Camila, found yet another fork in the road. Kurt, Gale, Talia and Camila took the left road, while Taro lead in the right one, followed by Shirako, Martin and Wylde.
The oldest Takamoto sibling switched gears and slammed his foot on the gas pedal. Martin raced behind him. He looked in Impaler's rearview mirror that Wylde was coming at full speed. He shook his head in dissaproval before swerving to the side to let him pass.
''Jeez, always rushin', one day I won't be surprised if he hits his head against the door because he forgot to open it or some random crap like that'', Tincho mused as he went from fourth gear to fifth and reached 130 MPH. The tracks got together again.
Only to split up again... Martin cursed in spanish yet again, and he took the right path, behind Talia, Camila and Gale. Taro Kurt and Shirako were in the left path, followed by Markie Wylde.
''Yo', what's up Martin?'', Gale asked, in a rather high tone of voice, which was even higher than his music. That scared Talia as hell, but Camila and Tincho seemed to nevermind it.
''Hey, you are Shirako's sis right?, yeee, I got it right!, pretty much nothing, just cussin' cuz this track is kinda dumb'', Martin protested with a slight frown.
''Haha, I get you'', Talia chimed in. ''But we should focus on the race''.
''Yeah, you are right'', Camila agreed.
''Has anyone noticed Octavio's odd behavior?'', Martin queried.
''Yes, all of us have, he's had this strange vibe for a week now, something related to Rachel'', Talia observed as all four people focused on racing in that section.
''Which one did Kurt take?'', Wylde asked, almost unintelligible due to his clenced teeth.
''He's right behind me'', Taro revealed nonchalantly, like he didn't care the least if the two brothers beat each other to death.
Wylde nodded, and his smile turned into a frown as he touched the Nitrox switch, and a set of flames erupted from Spinebuster's rear wheels. He was nearing Shirako now.
''Woooooow, look at those colors man'', Shirako said, wondered by the underwater's fauna and flora marvelous sight. He was recording it with his handheld camera. He was suddenly distracted by Spinebuster passing by at a much higher speed than his relatively ''walking'' pace. Shirako craned his head to the left and saw Wylde speeding away.
Wylde finally caught up with Kurt, and accelerated just a bit more. He rear ended him once. Kurt grunted and looked on the rearview mirror. He was rear ended again and grunted in annoyance once more.
''Back off, little brother'', Kurt ordered, somewhat mockingly.
''Your brother died in prison'', Wylde replied, with venom in his voice, as if to make Kurt realise that he was the one who had doomed himself, making Wylde change in an unthinkable way.
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Back in the Acceledrome, Nolo accompanied Lani in her former Wave Surfers '57 Chevy, making a practice lap around the base of the Wheel of Power. She finished it and braked to a halt, the tires squealing in protest against the ground.
''Is Pork Chop gonna be okay?'', Nolo questioned her, his hazel eyes facing her directly.
Lani's gaze fell on him. She was not oblivious to the concern that Nolo had for Pork Chop, even though they were in opposite teams.
''I thought you hated the Metal Maniacs'', she stated, unbelieving.
''Just one'', Nolo remarked sadly as his eyes deviated from Lani's and looked out through the window.
She was at a loss for words, so she simply sat silent in the car.
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After a considerably while of racing without anything happening, Vert felt bored.
Until he caught glimpse of two things. First off, he was being followed by a lot of his pals, well, only Octavio, and then, by all the other girls, including Octavio's girlfriend, Dash. He neverminded it because he saw some kind of thing to his right which made him brake quickly.
''Cool, a hyperpod!'', he mumbled as he went in reverse and got on it.
Rainbow Dash, Aurora, Vert's cousin, Ana and Ludmila, the brave, venturing Street Beauties, and Octavio, passed him, and they soon disappeared out of sight.
Vert revved up his car in place and soon enough, the Hyperpod launched him at an extremely high speed, 514 miles per hour. He soon passed by the other drivers, which were bespectacled by him. He laughed really hard when he got to see Oct's face. He could definitely read his lips saying in spanish ''son of a...''.
He turned on the music player. ''Go!'' by Mark Mrdeza was playing.
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Tezla overlooked from the Control Room how Nolo put on the apparatus, altough Nolo was far away from that place, he was in fact down, near the Wheel of Power itself, with Lani.
''The Drone's driving is like a machine, precise, contundently flawless'', Karma remarked from behind Tezla. ''But there's some things it does perfectly... the skills which were tested specifically in each Realm we raced in''.
She remembered all the Realms they had all been through so far.
''In the Storm Realm it was staying focused on your driving, in the Swamp Realm it was finding the right line of grip, the Cavern Realm was about driving in the dark, and to win the Mythic Realm you had to understand how the different environments in which the mythologic creatures lived in affected your car's performance'', she reflexed. ''The Drones are mastering specific skills every time they go into a Racing Realm'', she announced to him. ''Maybe that's the whole point of the Realms'', she proposed her opinion to the Doctor.
Tezla saw from the Control Room how the giant ''mattress'' was inflated and acquired it's full size. ''No, no, the point of the Realms is to win the Accelechargers'', he vehemently countered with rotundity.
''And the only way to win, is identifying the exact skill for each Realm, and master it!'', she kept on arguing.
Tezla sighed as he told her the next doubt-filled words, ''Even if you are right, if the Accelerons created the Realms to teach us... I don't know, we need more time to think, and to test''.
''The point is, that there is no more time Doctor Tezla, I can help them win, and I can help them now'', she concluded, with an emphasys on ''now''.
Convinced at last, Tezla talked to her ''Do it'', as he returned to the miniature Wheel of Power.
Karma grabbed the headset communicator and got her hands to work.
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''Tell Doctor, tell lawyer, tell mailman, tell mother, gotta step up, gotta move out!'', the music reverberated through Vert's speakers as he finally caught glimpse of sun light. He reached the surface!
His car sailed out in the air as the Hyperpod automatically dropped him.
''Vert, this is Karma, I think I know which skill you need to-'', but her voice fell on deaf ears as he cried a ''yeaaaaah'' of joy as he landed on the track and drifted over the water.
He took another curve and drifted over some more water with complete control of his car.
''Vert, you need to focus on mantaining control when hydroplannning, and when you hit the water, you gotta watch the oversteer, and DON'T accelerate!'', Karma told him as she checked the on board camera.
''How long have I been in the Realm Karma?'', Vert asked, acting like if he hadn't heard her announcement.
''Almost thirty minutes'', she replied as she checked the clock.
The exit Portal glowed in the distance, with the Realm's symbol on it still present (which, on this ocassion, was a light blue ''N'' letter inclined 45 degrees to the right).
''I'm going for the record, fastest time ever!'', Vert cheered as his frown of determination focused on the road. He switched gears after taking a final curve, and he sped up.
''VERT, LISTEN, BACK OFF THE ACCELERATOR!'', Karma's voice boomed over the radio.
''Woah!'', Vert cried in surprise as he slammed the brakes after losing control of his car, he tried swerving the steering wheel, but his car spun out of the track and sailed out in the air, aimed at a giant red coral reef.
He activated the EDR after moving the lid up. He felt strange as his entire being was teleported out of the Realm. He could still feel some heat of Power Rage impacting on the reef, and subsequently, exploding immediately after the collision.
''WOAAAAAAAAAH!'', he screamed as he sailed out of the Wheel of Power back in the Acceledrome and he hit the giant... cushion?. He slid down off it and landed on the ground safely.
''Yes!, it worked!'', Lani said, smiling and cheering. Nolo, albeit not showing so much exterior joy, commented with a slight smile, ''Yeah, it did''.
''Bullshit'', Vert muttered under his breath. He had failed. Again. Due to his own stupidness. This was the top of it all.
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Shirako's brow furrowed as he grunted. He was falling behind. He switched gears again and hit the pedal to the metal so as to catch up with Kurt, Wylde ''crazy dude'' and Taro, his Metal Maniac counterpart.
On the other hand, Talia, Gale, Martin and Camila were right behind them. Talia sped up TechTyte and saw the sun light outside as the track turned into a ramp leading up.
Kurt landed out in the surface first, followed by Taro and Wylde. Shortly after Shirako landed, altough a bit drifting, so he had to steer to keep control of his car. Martin's ride, Impaler, landed perfectly. Bass Vortex, TechTyte and White Hope did as well. They all ran down to get to the Portal.
Rainbow Cruiser, Rachel's car, I mean, Rainbow Dash's, sailed out and landed behind them, racing at full speed. She was oblivious to the danger of this. Martin slowed down until he was behind her. Octavio, who had passed Aurora, Ludmila and Ana, reached the surface and caught up with his girlfriend. The aforementioned Street Beauties (And Vert's crazy cousin) landed safely on the racetrack as well.
''Hey, Rach, listen, you gotta slow up a bit, the track's got water, it's dangerous!'', he cried to her in warning.
''Chill Oct, I got this uuuunder complete control!'', she replied calmly and overconfidently, mistake by which she would pay.
The Racing Drones landed behind the last one, which was Ana's car, Black Widow.
Camila looked in the rearview mirror as the Lieutenant Drone activated its battle mode. It pulled the lever on it's right, and the car transformed into a battle-tank like thing. It was protected by a big carapace with outside wheels that was like a ''protection'' to the main car, the Lieutenant Drone's car. It also had a lava plow that was launchable.
The Drone's face was covered by it's ''combat mode'' visor. It pressed the lava plow release button, and it was sent out in the track. It hit Ana, and she went flying out in the air.
''OH, SHIIIIIIIT!'', she screamed as she and Ludmila were sent out into the air. However, both cars had installed Teku patented technology, jump jets. Altough they spent a lot of the jump jets' fuel reserves, they used it to make their cars descend back down safely.
Octavio and Dash, however, which had Martin closely near them, simply jumped over it with the Jump Jets. Martin did not have jump jets, so he had simply ''impaled'' Octavio's car like he had done with the Lieutenant Drone in the Swamp Realm. He unattached himself and proceeded with the race.
There was a fork in the track, and they all went to the right while the Drones went to the left, chasing after the main drivers.
''We're OK!'', Ana advised through the radio.
''Copy that!'', Martin replied as he raced in between Dash and Octavio. He was literally in the middle, Oct behind and Dash ahead.
And suddenly, it was when it happened. She suddenly used too much speed and lost control of her car. He franctically tried to push the hook button. He instantly punched it and it went out, intending to grasp Rainbow Cruiser's back.
Her car had already sailed out in the air.
Octavio's screams of desperation to Martin literally ripped everyone's ears through the radio, since all the human drivers were talking on the same radio channel.
''MARTIN, THROW THE FUCKING HOOK ALRIGHT, OH NO, SHIT!, DASH!''.
''I...CAR...SAILED OUT...NEED TO!...EDR DOESN'T WORK!...DAAAAAAAAAAH!'', she cried as her car flew out in the air aimed right at a giant coral reef.
The memory was, from that moment on, imprinted on Octavio's retinas forever. On his dark brown eyes the reflection of her car impacting on the reef, and exploding in a ball of fire. Martin and him got back in the main track right ahead of the Drones. The Lieutenant Drone then rear ended Martin and sent him hurling out off the track. The Maniac latino smashed the EDR and succesfully escaped death, his car, unfortunately, being destroyed in the ensuing explosion.
''¡MIERDAAAAAAAAAAAAA!'', he cried as he was thrown out of the Wheel of Power. He landed with a grunt and a dull thud against the giant, padded cushion. Unfortunately, he fell harder than he expected in the ground, and he heard a really nasty ass crunch on his left lag.
''Damn, that's gonna be really sore tomorrow'', he said grimly as he laid on his back, looking at his slightly out of place and just a bit twisted left leg.
Back in the Realm, Octavio's teeth clenched. Hard.
''First, you made my girl lose control, and now, you almost kill one of my best friends of my entire life?, how 'bout I teach ya' some manners asswipe!'', he grunted out as he smashed gas pedal, keeping in mind what Karmah had told Vert.
Up ahead, the same lava plow kept going.''RAM!'', Taro cried out, but only he was safe from it as he swerved to the left. It wipped off the map Kurt, Wylde, Shirako (who had used the Swamp Realm Accelecharger), and Talia and Gale and Camila. The above mentioned girls used the track Shirako had created to get back on track normally. They thanked him and he just said ''Yo', it's cool to help my sis's buddies, remembah, my sis's buddies, my buddies'', somewhat enigmatically. Then, we have Aurora, who ran by herself on another fork of the surface track.
''They're all right'', Karma announced to Tezla.
Tezla frowned as his metallic fist smashed the console back in the Acceledrome, ''they've lost again!''
Suddenly, with his left leg horribly broken, Martin busted through the Control Room's door. ''Get me a radio, I need to contact Octavio''.
''What for?', Tezla asked, perturbed by the sudden annoyance.
''He's gonna go apeshit, I've known him for years, he's gonna get REALLY mad and do something he thinks he can do with control, but he'll risk his own life, I am talking about avenging her'', Martin quickly said.
''Here, there is one right beside me'', Karma offered to him, while pointing at an empty chair to her left.
''Thank you, Karma right?'', he said as he ran to the seat, well, rather, limped quickly.
''Yes'', she simply stated as she gasped at his evident wound, but did not comment about it.
''The Drone's have mastered the skill for this Realm, driving over water, they deserve to win'', Karma simply comment as she observed all of them slowing down considerably while mantaining a perfect driving over water.
Tezla nodded in acknowledging, and saw that, besides the infuriated Octavio, to which Martin was screaming in spanish, Taro was still running and was about to engage by himself all the Drones.
''TARO!'', Tezla shouted to the Asian Maniac.
XXXXX
''I'll take them'', Taro said as he turned on a switch in Rivited's dashboard. The cars front wheels were covered in a carapace-like armor, and from the front of the car, a lava plow emerged. ''Right at the end'', with that added, he touched the Nitrox button and accelerated, having caught up with the Drones.
The Lieutenant Drone, through the camera that had looking at it's rear, saw Taro coming at an alarmant speed.
''Maneuver seven'', it ordered to it's subordinates behind it.
The one behind it swerved to the right and braked, with Taro attaching himself to it. Another one came from behind Taro and smashed Rivited's back, going the three cars together. He turned over his shoulder and overlooked the situation. ''I've got trouble'', he said turning back to the front. Taro frowned at the Lieutenant Drone going alone ahead and crossing the Portal in first place, snatching the victory from his hands.
Taro heard a second CLOMP behind him, and on the rearview mirror he noticed it was Octavio. He was oblivious, however, to the calamitous situation the latino driver had just experienced, thus, Taro did not know why was said Teku so angry that literally the veins were visible on his face. He had attached to the Drone car, well, rammed it rather.
The four cars, Taro's, Octavio's, and the two Drone subordinates, reached the Portal and crossed it, dissapearing in a flash of white light.
And so did Ana, Lud, Cami, Talia, Gale, Aurora, Wylde, Shirako and Kurt. They all landed out of the Realm safely, and after storing their cars, some returned to their common tasks, while others, Shirako, Ana, and Camila, went to see the race in the Recreation Room.
XXXXX
The Drone Lieutenant came out of the Realm in first place. It's car drifted to a halt as it's driver disassembled the roof and the doors, because it was such a hulking robot that it literally made up the cockpit's doors and roof. It lifted it's right arm proudly, showing the Water Realm Accelecharger to Gelorum, it's leader, and to all the other millions of billions of robotic henchmen, which hailed it in victory.
Gelorum, on her balcony which overlooked the entrance to the Drones HQ's Portal, smirked in satisfaction.
Shortly thereafter, Taro and Octavio emerged through said portal, the two drone cars flying away and exploding in the chasm below.
The Maniac and the Teku, the later much more calmer now, studied with a frown the environment. Everything was black and glowing green. Multiple unintelligible mumblings were heard.
''I've got more trouble'', Taro summed up the situation in which they were.
The Drone Lieutenant stopped showing the Accelecharger and turned to face both human drivers slowly.
XXXXX
Karma looked at the computer screen as it flashed with static.
''We're not receiving transmission from Taro'', Karma told Tezla, turning over her shoulder.
''Neither am I from Oct'', Martin added, grunting from his injured leg.
''Something's happened'', Karma said as she kept her focus on the screen.
XXXXX
Drone henchmen started closing in on Taro and Octavio. The Lieutenant Drone looked at both drivers menacingly with it's combat visor engaged suddenly.
''I'M OUT!'', Taro shouted as he nodded to Octavio. He made a thumbs up gesture and both went in reverse to the Portal, punching the Nitrox 2 button to achieve the required 300 MPH to pass through it.
Both their speedometers reached three hundred miles per hour and they both sailed through the Portal, and back into the Realm.
Karma was slightly jumpscared by Taro's feed coming back up again, all of a sudden.
''I got him, he's back!'', Karma exclaimed, cheered up.
''And I ain't alone'', Taro expressed. He was taken aback because he was back in the Realm, he thought he'd come out into the Drome again. ''So much for thinking things can go easy'', he mused.
''Hey Karma'', Octavio greeted her.
She could feel the hidden rage beneath his voice. A person could only last so long without exploding, letting out all the negative emotions. She hoped he didn't do it while still in the Realm.
''How much time do we have left?'', Taro asked, getting her attention back again.
She glanced over at the clock and responded, ''Less than twenty minutes!''.
''Can we make it to the Portal before it closes?'', Taro queried as he raced through the pipeline, Octavio literally right behind Rivited.
''Their EDRs aren't working, the electrical systems in their car are shorted out, their cars have submerged in water twice'', Tezla diagnosed in a rather grim tone.
To add to this, the images of Rivited and Ocean Thunder glew the normal light blue and red color in the screens of the Drome, and Taro heard the sparking and fizzing of cables in his dashboard, along with the speedometer, RPM counter and the other stuff malfunctioning badly.
''You can make it guys, but you gotta watch your control when you are hydroplanning'', Karma warned both drivers.
''Let's do it'', Taro said, scowling with determination. (I recommend you play ''Anything but down'', more precisely, the part when it gets cool).
Taro and Octavio pressed the Nitrox simultaneously, and the cars left a mixed trail of yellow and blue flames behind as they sped on the track, disspearing after a curve. Taro switched gears to fifth, and so did Octavio.
A loud, low-pitched growl was heard on the left side of the track, and more on the right. Taro turned to the right slightly, and saw a lot of giant-sized manta rays, with black coloured backs and white tummy, which growled as they swam at the same speed of both cars.
''ACCELERATE, NOW!'', Karma ordered both men with a shout.
Taro switched gears again and ran over the water, and so did the Teku, the manta ray barely missing him.
''Yes!'', Karma cheered.
Taro allowed himself a grin of triumph, and he kept going on with the race, the male Teku never leaving the spot behind his car.
''Taro, easy, pull back, pull back!, good!'', Karma instructed the Maniac to correct the errors in his driving.
''Watch out Octavio, speed up, speed up!'', Martin shouted, doing the same like Karma.
Most of the drivers were watching the two giant plasma screens on the Rec. Room, and how the drivers maneuvered with the little time available.
''NOW, ACCELERATE, GO!'', both instructors ordered their drivers fiercely. Fifty-five seconds and counting was all the time remaining.
They reached the end of the fork that led to the surface.
''GO, GO, GO!'', Karma screamed yet again demandingly.
''Even if they make it out of the Realm, how do we know that they'll come out throug here, and not through the Drones' portal again?'', Lani asked Tezla, concerned for the well being of the drivers.
''I don't know'', he replied nervously.
Thirty-two seconds.
They both came out of the pipeline and into the surface again. They landed on the track and drove over the water, hydroplanning. Taro was reminded verbally to watch his corner force. He kept a deadly grip on the steering wheel as he drove a curve to the right. Octavio kept driving all the way behind him.
Back in the Acceledrome, Vert's eyes widened in surprise. ''They're gonna make it!'', he mentally claimed. Even more, Kurt saw Shirako's mouth agape and his headphones actually lower of the surprise. Kurt's mouth gaped even more. ''If Shirako removes his headphones, this is some SERIOUS shit man'', he observed mentally.
''I have to talk to-'', Lani said to Karma, but she stopped her with a gesture of her palm.
''If you lose steering, don't overcorrect!'', Karma announced as she looked at the clock.
Ten seconds and counting.
Last body of water in which they had to slow down.
A curve.
Five seconds.
The portal was visible in the end of the track.
They both smashed the Nitrox button, using the last bit they had.
Three.
Two.
One.
The alarms in the Acceledrome started blaring, and just as Lani's eyes widened in shock, thinking they had lost two more drivers, she saw both the blue car and the yellow one come out of the Realm, and then the Wheel closed.
''He made it!'', Lani announced on the PA system. Karma blew out a breath of relief. Monkey and Tork cheered in the Rec. Room with the rest of the drivers.
''Good work Taro!'', Wylde cried from over Spinebuster's interior.
''¡BIEN BOLUDO!'', all the spanish speaking Street Beauties and Martin shouted.
''Yeeeeeaaaah, ha ha!'', Pork Chop cried and punched Gig away in his state of emotion, sending the hovering machine plummeting down to the ground.
''He's a good driver, for a Maniac'', Nolo commented as he walked away of the Recreation Room.
''Yeah, the best...'', Vert added, somewhat grimly as he looked down at his feet.
However, not everyone was cheering. Taro had gotten of his car and was looking at Ocean Thunder. His grin turned into his signature frown as he walked to the car. Suddenly, the latino Teku bursted through the driver door, and sprinted to the now idly-spinning Wheel of Power.
He fell to his knees, his helmet removed. The Mythic Realm Accelecharger fell of his grasp, and so did his helmet. His entire body felt weak, devoid of the determination and flaming need for revenge he had held mere minutes ago. His head fell down, and tears streamed down his face, staining his clothes and the light blue dragons on his helmet.
''I've failed her, I failed you Dash, you were the one I sworn to protect, to love and to even risk my life for, and I've doomed you, I am sorry!, I am an useless shit!, crap!, sorry!, sorry!'', he mumbled until it became unintelligible whimpering. He fell into a curled position, and he heard multiple, albeit more and more muffled, footsteps and voices. He felt tired, and he fell asleep, a sleep that he hadn't had in a long time.
PS: There it goes, this edited version has added Taro's epic scene, suck that lazyness!