The story starts at a new location in another outer space circuit. Not the one known as the Outer Space Meteor Stream, the circuit that was once bombarded by meteors, but the one deep in Fractalian Space, simply known as the Particle Accelerator. The usual mission for the Elite Mobile Task Force was to beat the next gen of space pirates and win this race, but it won't be easy as this course had a new gimmick, a cinnabar pad that enables an allusion of the track getting blurry and making it swerve rapidly if they should run over the Blinding Zone. Unless if they'd pay attention to the course layout on their radar, they'll either fall off course or collide into any of the walls. Or even fall behind other racers.
To add to the festivities, Rick decided to don on his attire as the Young Capt. Falcon and race in the Blue Falcon GT, instead of his usual vehicle, the Dragon Bird! Tinsel, in her Silver Comet, arrived next to it, making Rick a little uneasy. He was concerned about her welfare; just a few weeks ago, she experienced some internal pain as well as spotting. Rick wondered if she was alright, she assumed it's normal as she was experiencing that time of the month, but it didn't discern him. Over time, Tinsel became more agitated and her temperature rose at times, making him adjust the air conditioning in the Falcon Fortress. She did experience some discomfort thru headaches and stomach cramps, and a little less of a drive and an appetite.
Rick was also acting peculiar himself, as he noticed his drive has increased more, making him a little reckless with each race and bounty-hunting mission. He was also having constant sessions of meditation with Goroh at his grove in Planet Cryton to calm himself, as well as getting intimate with the exotic drums from Giant; almost every day he had gone away as well as getting more tense, while Tinsel was growing more fragile. Nevertheless, these unusual symptoms didn't hinder their relationship; however, Rick grew anxious about Tinsel.
As their friends were beating the space pirates in that wavering course, Tinsel began to feel nauseous and light-headed upon the Blinding Zone interfering her machine including its G-Diffuser. Rick recently noticed she was growing paler before the race started and he wanted her to sit this one out, but she never budged. One time the Comet hovered over the disorienting obstacle, reducing her vision and increasing her anxieties. So much so, that she couldn't focus making her Comet slip hard to the side of the track. She literally felt she was going to faint!
Seeing the incident, Rick called her name and immediately stopped then turned toward her vehicle. Since it was in the middle of space, he never exited the cockpit, instead he released a grappling hook which popped out of the Blue Falcon's trunk and attached to the head of the Silver Comet. Still out of it, she hardly noticed Rick pulling her to the finish line steadily, while the rest of their friends just defeated the group of scoundrels, known as Mr. Kool and the Master Class, and won the prize money!
Meanwhile, the two machines stopped away from the Particle Accelerator track and he examined Tinsel, still out of it. She hardly noticed him as she muttered Rick. Without his helmet, he escorted her to the paramedics nearby and on a stretcher, she was loaded and taken back to Planet Nintae with Rick always by her side. He watched over her warily, hoping she wouldn't take a turn for the worst.
Moments later, they went to a hospital where the Stewarts were awaiting them. They examined her straightaway, wondering what made her so weak and fatigued. Rick constantly reassured her she'll be alright and tendered her. She apologized for partaking in that race, disregarding his advice. Rick assured her their friends won, and he was glad she didn't slip away. Eventually, thanks to a liquid solution made from the Light Reactor Mights, Tinsel got her strength recovered, but still experiencing some discomfort. She wondered if it was something she ate, but the tests shown no signs of foodborne illness. She then suspected it was the course's new gimmick that made her pass out, although to Rick's knowledge she experienced these symptoms prior to which progressively worsened in the last 3-4 weeks, so it wasn't due to motion sickness. Luna and Robert Stewart then encouraged Tinsel to take a urine test, to which she obliged. Rick was still by her side for hours on end as she finally rested, while also giving her some of his comforting thermal energy; they didn't care who exactly won the race nor how much prize money there was involved, although some of it would go straight to the emergency procedure. The Stewarts still housed in Mute City, though out of concern following Rick's, they decided to relocate to the Port Town hospital prior to the Fractilian Space race. Heck, even Phoenix Levin decided to pay Tinsel some visits, even Jack. Despite his best efforts wanting to hang out with Rick to lighten the mood, it didn't help much.
Several hours passed, and Dr. Stewart marched in, requesting Tinsel for analysis as the test results came back. Rick feared she may have contracted a sexual disease, as they had more frequent intimate moments, even sometimes twice a day. They usually diagnosed each other but each scan came back negative. Why now? Stewart asked if she can stand, and she slowly trotted to the other room. He even asked when was the last time her menstrual cycle began, which was only a few weeks ago with spotting; he was impressed by how she kept track on red blobs in her holographic calendar from her key fob. Minutes later they returned with wide smiles on their faces, though Tinsel's was more nervous. She then broke the news.
"Rick. I'm pregnant! I'm now expecting..!" she said bashfully.
He then broke into a wide grin, his eyes and face glowing. "What..? No! No way!" He immediately rose and they held each other tightly as they cried with ecstasy! The Stewarts can't be more prouder, and neither could Rick! They didn't expect this could happen on account on Tinsel's angsts of inheriting her birth defects. She was worried the baby could have similar symptoms to hers both mentally and physically. They figured they'd let the docs use a uterine replicator after the next few weeks.
It was a solution over their concerns on delivering a child; mostly Tinsel's, as it can't possibly pass on her birth defects nor would she experience the hardships of advanced pregnancy nor delivery. They were fully aware of what happened to Tinsel as her doomed late mom was giving birth, resulting the placenta being ruptured as well as the fetus lacking nutrients and oxygen. The infant would instead be grown, combining the inserts of samples from Tinsel's egg cells and Rick's sperm, as well as controlling the artificial womb's environment, and removing any corrupt DNA and RNA strands eliminating any chances of cancer, mental illness, and other genetic risks. However, the uterine replicator can be risky as it is experimental letting the fetus grow inside and in order for it to be healthy, the cells must be at their peak, hence making some lifestyle changes like diet and activity.
Inside the stasis tube, the fetus hadn't been forming throughout Tinsel's first trimester. Tinsel and Rick were called by Rodney as he made an appointment. He escorted them to the long glass cylinder attempting to scan thru the fluids fogging it, preventing the couple seeing the new lifeform from the outside. Despite his best efforts, no readings showed up... Tinsel grew worried.
He then went to the other room to get the high-flying medico. He repeated the process as he continually and thoroughly scanned the tube. He asked how long it's been, and Rodney said they were right on schedule, a few weeks after the prognosis. Still, no results were found, just masses of cells floating inside the liquid tube... He and Rodney turned somber and offered to leave the depressed couple alone for awhile. They were deeply sorry for their loss, even Luna who sobbed for them just a few rooms away.
As Rick and Tinsel got back to Port Town, he offered they should try again when she's ready. But, he only saw her sulking on the low-gravity mattress in the opaque bedroom just enough to hide her tears. He couldn't help but also shed some tears as he tried to comfort his beloved's devastation. Their chances for baring a child were lost. The uterine replicator process aborted.
A/N: The Fractilian Space section, and the Particle Accelerator, were references to MegaRace, the futuristic-racing game made for the Sega CD and MS-DOS back in 94. This course in particular used to make me dread when I was very young, in fact I believe it was the farthest I might've gotten in the game since it seemed difficult and it stood out to me the most.
Also...my hopes on a new F-Zero are dwindling. F-Zero: Overdrive, the fandub, was indeed a blessing, but I don't think Nintendo has what it takes to make a new game. Especially as long as obsessives, greedy, egotistical Myamoto takes the helm. So...Rick and Tinsel were unable to bear a child... :(