him-chim peeked out from his perch not eh light fixture. He smiled shyly as he shook his head. he was having too much fun.
"Do I up have to climb up after you!" Speed ordered. He pointed down to a piano that was just underneath the lighting future.
"I'm sorry…Speedy!" Spritle groaned. He was no going to have Chim-Chim spoil his Christmas party with the other kids. He had to leave early for school. He had forgotten that Chim-Chim was a smart little monkey. There was nothing and no place really Chim-Chim could not scale, unlock or crawl out of. He was standing on a desk trying to coax his friend down. He said, "Look…Speed is here…"
"Yea…Pops will be mad if he hears about you and Spritle having fun at the teacher's expense, "Speed warned.
"Oh?" Chim-Chim huffed as he peered down at Speed. He had to do what Speed ordered him to do. He wanted to have fun. Yet, he did not like crossing Speed when he got mad. He stood up on the rim of the light. With one hand grasping the casing for the wires, Chim-Chim jumped down into Speed's arms.
"That's over…" Speed sighed in relief. He wondered if Spritle did not bring Chim-Chim to school then how did he end up on school grounds. He turned to look at the teacher. He said, apologizing, "look Ma'am…it's not really his fault."
"Well," Miss Jones sighed. She was a rather tall and be-speckled older woman with her hair done up in a bun. "It is Christmas…we must set a positive note in the light of fellowship and joy our fellow man…" she looked at Chim-Chim.
Chim-Chim felt her eyes look at him. He grew instant shy as he tried to hide from her view. He knew that he was in trouble for his outburst.
"I'm sorry Miss Jones!" Spritle said as he glanced down at the ground.
"Yes. You should be, Mister Racer!' Miss Jones said. Then, she gave Chim-Chim and Speed another glance. "This is Christmas and we should be good our fellow man or in this case…animal!"
Despite the words of miss Jones, even Spritle got excited about Christmas. Chim-Chim glanced over at the second door. He knew something was up when he saw a man standing in the doorway. He wondered if this man was a stranger. He hopped out from Speed's arms and walked over to the doorway. He opened it a little more to let the stranger dressed in red and white. There was little girl who was still drawing a wintery picture looked up from her work. She knew who it was. She gasped very loudly, "Santa Claus!"
"Well…hello there…" Santa Claus said with a beaming smile. He held out his hand to let Chim-Chim shake it. Chim-chim shook Santa's hand with a curious glance. He looked at the man's gloved hand for just a second before letting it go. Santa said with a hand reaching up towards a large gray sack on the floor, "I might have something even for you, little fellow!"
Chim-Chim watched as Santa opened his sack. He fished around a banana from the very top. He said,with a smile, "Now…here you go…and be a good little fellow. O.K.?"
With a surprised look Chim-Chim gladly took the banana off of Santa's hands. He ran back to where Spritle was. He began to show off the fruit to the others.
Speed wanted to laugh now. Yet, something inside of him was making him keep still. He smiled a nervously as he glanced at Santa. Santa turned to see the young racer and gave him a wink to reassure everything was all right. Speed smiled back before chuckling softly. He said, "You remember me…"
"Yes..I do!" the old elf smiled. He and Speed were watching as the kids were lining up to see the special guest.
"Thanks!" Speed nodded as he reflected back to a time when he was just as anxious as the kids who were now standing in front off him.
The kids were starting to gather around Santa. He had glanced at the two boys who were walking over towards him. The first one was wearing a black and white sweater and dark gray pants. The second boy was wearing a jean jacket and pair of khakis He said, "Do you like Yo-Yos!"
"No.." the one boy said. He was quiet and shy as he glanced at the teacher.
"I do…if you got a red one!" the second one spoke up with a smile. He came up to Santa and stuck out his hand.
"Well, I do…" Santa said with smile. He reached in the sack to pull out a large silver and red yo-yo. He turned to look at the second boy. He asked, "What is your name, son!"
"Tommy!" the second boy grinned broadly. He watched as the toy was placed on to out stretched hand. He said, "Thank you Santa!"
"What else you would like, Tommy!" he asked with a side long glance.
"Maybe…I'll tell you later. I really have to think about it first!" Tommy said with a blush to his cheeks.
"Santa…" a small group of kids were trying it get his attention.
"Come on Sprilte…we have got to home and get ready for tonight!" Speed said as he noticed the time on the clock on the wall. It was getting late. He had to get a move it on order to be there for Trixie.
"Aww…gees! Speed!" Spritle groaned. He wanted to at least tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas. There was a new toy in the Globe department store window. He had been viewing at it with the same way that Speed viewed a new track, with determination.
"Go…Spritle…and be with your brother Speed," Santa ordered gently. He knew Speed's family was tightly knit group.
"But, Santa!" Spritle begged. He looked at the red suited man with pleading eyes. He knew he had to get that toy.
"I can see you later…" Santa said, smiling politely. Then, he turned to greet the other children. He watched from the corner of his eye, Spritle walking over to the coat rack with a not too happy look on his face. He wanted to get the special toy.
Speed waited for Spritle to get his coat. Chim-Chim hopped from one desk to another until he had reached where Speed was standing. He knew his best friend was not happy. He was going to cheer up Spritle in the only way he knew how, he was going to let him have the banana in which Santa gave him.
When Spritle came up to Speed, he asked, "Is Pops outside?"
"No…" Speed said as he turned to walk towards the door with Chim-Chim hopping down off the desk.
"Why?"
"He is going to be at the auto club to help out get the dinning room fixed up!" Speed said. He started towards the hallway.
Trixie noticed the local auto club's front tree standing in the middle of the parking lot. It was brightly lit with sparkle of gold and silver bulbs that flashed quickly. She smiled as she said, "This is going to be the best party yet!"
She went with Pops and Mom Racer to the auto club for the yearly Christmas party. She noticed some of the other drivers had come as well. Crush brothers were parking their latest car next to the front door. The youngest brother had been in a skiing mishap and broken his foot . It was not looking good for the Crush brothers.
"Chris?" Pops said as he stepped out of the back door entrance to the club.
"Hello…Mister Racer," Chris forced a smile on his lips. He was still in a great deal of pain as he hobbled towards the steps on crutches.
"Where is your brother, Bill?" Pops glanced at the parking lot. There was no extra cars from the Crush brothers.
"He's coming…." Chris said with a nod. He took his time on the steps. He used his crunches as a boost as he tried to walk up the steps. He noticed that Pops was walking over to the top of the steps. He said, "Are you going to help me?
"Yes…am I!" Pops said with a smile. He knew Crush family did not have much, but they were the tightest family in the whole area. "How is your father?"
"He can't wait for Christmas…Mom and Bill are going to get a tree tonight and we are going to trim it after the party!"
"That's the spirit!" Pops said. He went over to the door and opened it. He watched as Chris entered the hallway leading up to the main area. He said, "Tell your father…we will be coming over after Christmas!"
"thank you, sir!" Chris said with a blush. He hobbled over to a coat rack. He noticed another racer walking over to the coat rack. He knew this young man with a large green coat. He was a new comer to the racing field. Chris said, "Hello…I'm Chris Crush…how are you?"
"Like wise, I'm Greg Thistle!" the second young man said with a glance at Chris. He wondered how Chris got hurt. Yet, he felt like not asking the obvious.
Then, the ice was really broke when Speed entered the hall with Trixie and Chim-Chim. His warm personality could be felt by all. He noticed Chris standing with a pair if crutches. Spritle had enter the hall last. He wanted to see if Racer X would show up. He had no idea that Racer X had other ideas.
Meanwhile at the Sandy Beach inn, there was a loud disagreement between Racer X and a strange and mysterious looking man. He was waiting for the innkeeper to give him a message about the next day's events. He had been hoping to be in the race as soon as possible. His boss at Interpol was given a great deal of information about a diamond smuggling ring. He knew by chance the smugglers were in town in an attempt to lay low.
The mysterious man was part of the in crowd at the racing committee. He was Harry Hammond of the Good-star rubber and tire company. He was going to see what was on Racer X's mind.
Racer X had checked in and had been walking to his suit. He was hate for the party . he knew that Speed was going to be there fur the party. He wanted to keep on an eye on his little brother.
"Hello…Racer X!" Harry Hammond said with a semi-sour look on his face. He knew Racer X was no one to mess around with.
Racer X stopped in mid-step to turn to see Mr. Hammond's' face. He felt a little perturbed at the situation he was facing, "What is it that you want?"
Mr. Hammond was a tall, board-shouldered man. He was wearing a gray suit and dark glasses. As he spoke to Racer X, he took off his glasses, "I see you made it here!"
"And there was a lot of going on with the new deals!" Racer X sighed. He knew that Speed was at the party. He wanted to be sure Speed was safe. He had a feeling on the back of his mind Speed would be tangled up with the wrong people at the party.
"And what are your options to the deals!" there was a great deal of concern on Mister Hammond's face.
"I can't decide just yet with the company you had ask for me to look into!"
"And why not?"
"I want to spend some time with a group of friends in town…I have been racing on a non-stop time frame since last September. I want to take a break!" Racer X sighed deeply. He did not look so pleased. He wanted to really check up on Speed and Pops. It seemed like Speed was growing up into his own person.
"Can't you make an expectation?"
"No…I can't…Christmas means a lot to me!"
"You can't win this race with that kind of emotion…" Mister Hammond's face grew even colder. He wanted to make sure that Racer X did not win.
Racer X looked at a clock. He knew the time was growing later than he bargained for. He tried to excused himself. Yet, Mister Hammond was not taking no for answer. He had a group of goons carefully staked out around the entrances of the lobby. He was going to have his way.
The party was getting lively as the time past. Speed and Trixie tried to find a little private corner for themselves. There was much talking to do. Speed hoped to really relax as best as he could. He knew there was a lot of learning about the new rules to the race. He wanted also to have a good navigator in Trixie. She was understanding everything possible turn and bump on the course. It was close to impossible to find a nice place for just two people.
"what do we do?" Speed asked as he glanced for a way to a table. He noticed the room was growing packed with well wishers and party goers. He wanted some time with Trixie before the big race. She was the best navigator that he knew.
Trixie looked around for one last time. She spotted a small table off to the side. She noticed no one there. She said as she looked at Speed, "I think I found a table…"
Speed glanced at Trixie for a better look. He had to have a good look at her. She was wearing a red and green mini-dress with an old fashion red pin on her left shoulder. She looked very nice. He saod, "Oh…where did you find it!"
"Over there!"she said as she carefully watched as people just walked past the first table. Then, she pointed it out to him. "It's tiny…but, it will do!"
"That's great, Trixie!" he smiled. He held out his hand to help Trixie to the table she had spoke of.
There were a few people who were milling about on the dance floor. Spritle and Chim-Chim were checking out the tables with the flowers and food. Speed noticed a young girl about Spritle's age. She was a shy, tiny creature with large green eyes. She looked around the room. He told Trixie, he was going to see why the little girl was so lost. He notice her expression the minute he saw her. She looked so lost that she did not want to be over worried about the girl. The little girl was dressed in a holiday gown of pine green.
"What's wrong?" Trixie asked.
"Look," Speed said as nodded his head for just a minute. He did wanted to let Trixie in on the secret of the little girl's appearance.
"Oh?" Trixie said as she noticed the little girl.
The little girl was now standing at the punch bowl, looking over the neat rows of glasses. She placed a finger up to her lips as she thought. She was barely viewable to the man who was servicing the punch. He noticed a rather large yellow bow slowly bobbing up and down. He stood on his tiptoes to see who it was. The man asked with a friendly voice, "Would you like to have some punch, little girl!"
The little girl stopped and looked up at the man. She smiled broadly, "Yes…I would…"
Another driver walked past Speed and Trixie. He noticed the two watching the little girl as she carefully took a glass of punch. "Hey, Speed…how's it going?"
Speed glanced at the driver, "I'm doing fine, Andre."
"Who is that little girl!" Trixie asked gently. She did not want to bring attention to herself.
It seemed like a pretty darn cute scene for the little girl. She had smiled at the man as he reached over to take a small cut glass cup with one hand. The little girl did not know shed was being watched by Spritle. He wondered who was she. She looked very much like the girls in bis class. She had not been to school for a long time. she was being tutored by a young man in her home town. She had no idea who was giving the money for the tutor.
"Oh-Oh!" Speed said as he noticed Spritle in the distance. He wondered if his little brother was going to be on his best behavior.
"What's wrong?" Trixie asked, noticing Speed's face.
"My little brother is watching that little girl. I wondered why he's doing it!" he shrugged.
"Maybe she's cute to him!" Andre interjected. He noticed Speed's little brother staring at the little girl. He said as he glanced back at Speed, "You know who that girl is?"
"No…I haven't seen her before?" Speed said. He knew the little girl had belonged to someone, but who?
"I hope you have a nice Christmas, Diana!" the man said after he had given her a cup of punch. He smiled with a nod.
Andre leaned forward in order not to let little Linda see him talking. She was too busy with the punch. She said, "You to…sir!"
"That's Diana Meed…" Andre said in a soft staged whisper.
Speed was a little shocked to hear about the meed family. The Meed family was a great racing family dating back at least forty years. He watched as Spritle tried to make his way to Diana. There was something about the little girl which puzzled his little brother.
"What's he doing?" Trixie asked as she watched Spritle reaching out to tap Diana on the shoulder.
"He might be asking a question…like her name?" Andre shrugged.
"Maybe!" Speed said, knowing what type of personalty his little brother was like.
Spritle swallowed hard as he wondered up to Diana. His courage was a fleeting thing as he stared at her. She took a small sip before looking around to find Spritle walking up to her. She held the cup close as she heard Spritle saying, "Hello…I'm Sprite Racer!" He stuck out his left hand.
"Oh?" Diana said with wide eyes. She was surprised to see him of all people being so nice to her. She said, "Are you Speed Racer's brother?"
"Yea…" he smiled
She took his hand into hers and shook. She blushed a little as she said,"I'm Diana!"
"Yea?" he said as he light up. He got to know another girl. He knew all about Trixie and a few others, but Diana was different. She was really like a lady.
"Do you know about my brother?" she asked.
Spritle did not know who her brother was.
"I was wishing he was here…" she wondered as she looked around to see of her brother would or could have shown up.
"And my brother is Speed!" he nodded. He looked around to see if Speed and Trixie shown up. After a minute, he noticed Speed standing in the distance. There is he!" he said.
"Oh?" she glanced at the direction where Speed and Trixie stood. She blushed after looking at Speed for a just a minute. "He looks nice!"
"Yep…he's the best brother any one could ask for!" Spritle nodded.
Then, by cue Chim-Chim popped around from under the table. He smiled as he glanced at Diana. Diana gasped a little scared, but was happy to see a monkey.
"Chim-Chim…I was talking to Diana!" Spritle groaned. He knew his best friend was getting in the way. He wanted to have Diana all to himself.
Chim-Chim mumbled his reply to Spritle as he waved his left hand slowly. Then, he looked at Diana. She never saw a monkey before in her life. She was a little scared as she viewed Chim-Chim. Spritle said as he took Chim-Chim's hand, "He's my friend. He doesn't bite…"
"He doesn't?" Diana said slowly, not knowing what to think of next.
Spritle nodded with a serious look on his face. Then, he changed to a smile once again. "Only if you are a bad person."
"Oh," she blushed. "I'm not a bad person…in fact I like all animals!" she reached over to pat Chim-Chim on the head. She noticed he was smiling as he chattered softly. "You're a nice one…uh…"
Spritle looked at Chim-Chim and asked, "When did you start liking girls?"
Speed could read Spirtle's lips and chuckled softly. He knew Diana was just a shy, but sweet little girls. Trixie looked at Speed before asking, "What's wrong?"
Speed tried to ease any tensions as he said, "I think Spritle and Chim-Chim are in good hands with Diana…"
"That's good…" Andre said. He knew Diana';s life was a very much a lonely one. Her brother was more important for many reasons. She had been kept out of the limelight in order for her to have a normal childhood.
"Now…can we talk about the race?" Trixie asked.
Speed glanced back at his date. She was going to a pain one way or another if she had her way. He said, "Let's get to that table and talk about the race!"
"What about Spritle?" Andre asked. He watched as Spritle talked to Diana about his many trips that took with Speed.
"Don't worry…Pops will be here at any minute," Speed said as he watched for his father to enter the room with his mother in arm and arm.
Speed and Trixie turned to walk over to the table. He offered her a chair. Somewhere a band started to play a slow song in the distance.
It seemed like a nice and relaxed time to talk about things outside of the race.
It had been snowing for some time now. The whiteness had covered all over the streets and buildings. It was not a hard snow. The wind played instead really blowing in a normal fashion. Speed was about to get to the Mach 5. He buttoned up his jacket around his neck. It was going to be cold drive if he had the top down.
Spritle and Chim-Chim decided to leave with Pops and Mom as Speed wanted to see the lights with Trixie. It seemed like a very much normal picture of noel happiness.
All was left in the hall was three people. One was little Diana. She had been waiting for her father to show up at least to say hi to some people. He did not even bother to stop at the entrance way. He was too busy with his own job. She had waited for a long time to see her brother and father. She sat there at one end of the dance hall on a large chair. She was very tiny and her feet dangled in mid-air. She knew if she waited with a patient heart, then her family would come.
"Little Diana…" a janitor asked as he came out of the exit on the other side of the hall. He knew she had been waiting for a long while. He knew she was all alone and needed to call someone to pick her up. "Are you O.K.?" he called out to her.
"I'm fine…" Diana smiled shyly, looking down at her feet. She had been swinging them as she waiting. She held a little doll she had won at the party. She was given a gift with no tag on the package to her complete surprise.
"What do you have there?" he asked as he came closer to see her. He swept the floor as he tried to keep an opened ear for Diana's family.
Diana smiled at the janitor as he swept. She knew if she wished hard enough she get to see her older brother once again.
Meanwhile Speed and Trixie drove carefully up and down the streets. They were checking out the lights of Happy town.
he night sky was the darkest blue that had been for a long time. Speed took his time in driving. he wanted to see the lights as badly as Trixie wanted to see. He knew that Trixie had something on her mind. the stars were out shown by the lights which twinkled on the many strings of wires. They were keeping the houses so happily calling out to the sight seers to come and visit.
Speed knew his little brother was fighting tooth and nail with Pops. It did not seem fair for Speed to be out and Spritle had to be in bed for a while.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked her. He wanted to sure if Trixie was thinking of Diana.
"Oh?" she sighed loudly. She noticed the lights as they came on and a sort of tune filled the air. " It's that nice?'
Speed noticed a small lit up carriage with spinning while. He wondered if there was anybody who made the lights into fabulous signs.
"And look at that!" she began to giggle. Then, she pointed to a clown tipping his hat as a dog walked on top of a ball.
"I hope that the race will be a good one!" Speed said as he looked at the empty grandstands in the middle of the main thoroughfare of down town . He knew the race was going to be a difficult one with the possible of bad weather.
"If only the others felt like you do!" Trixie said. She knew Speed always drove and lived by the rules. She had a feeling that he wanted to be a fare person even off the track.
"And?" Speed asked. He knew his family would be proud even if he did not win the race. To be in a holiday race was just as thrilling as if he could win.
"Then," she sighed, looking at lights, "...the world would be a better place!"
"I can understand!" he smiled.
The two stopped in front a shop were the display was lit up with coloured lights. There were old fashioned toys in the display. Speed could see an old model train. He wondered if his father, Pops had the same sort of train.
"What's that?" Trixie asked, pointing out another toy.
Speed glanced at it for just a second, then he moved a little closer to get a better look. He said, "It's an airship of some kind….i never got to see that one before!'
"Oh?"
"Look at that?" Speed smiled as he noticed a toy racing car from the teens or the twenties. He had to laugh a little as he remembered seeing old movies about the racing cars from many years ago.
Trixie noticed a reflection of someone standing just a few feet away. She realized it was Racer X. Racer X was in town for the race as well. He was Speed's older brother Rex and guardian angel outside of being a spy for Interpol and terrific racer. Trixie turned to speed to say, "Isn't that racer X?"
Speed looked up at the reflection of Racer X. he said, "Yea…it is…he is also racing in the derby. I hope to beat him!"
"and he looks like he is on mission!" Trixie said as she and Speed watched as Racer X came up the doorway in a brisk motion.
"I hope he's OK," Speed said. He could tell Racer X was not in a good mood. There was a twist to this idea of Racer X being a fair and honest driver. He had thought about the little girl, Diana, he and Trixie had met at the hall. He felt something was amiss with her. Why did her brother no show up at the party. Diana's older brother was a racing car driver too. His name was Wes. Diana had been waiting for a long time. She wanted to see her brother. Yet, where was her brother? Was Racer X holding back on any sort of information about Wes.
Speed had a feeling he should return to the hall where the Christmas party was at. He had asked Trixie if she would not mind to be with him back at the hall. She knew he was thinking about little Diana. She knew the little girl was alone with her brother not showing up during the main events at the party. She asked Speed a question about Wes. He had to give it some through as he went to a parking lot to turn around in. "I'm sure that Wes is there…" he said as the Mach 5 did a graceful curl in the snowy parking lot. "He has a grudge with his father."
"Oh…a grudge?" Trixie asked, feeling there was more to the story.
"Yes…It's little like Pops and my brother, Rex!" Speed recalled the couple of fights Pops and Rex had when Speed was Spirtle's age.