(This is the first of three chapters I have to redo, since I lost the original version. So this race may be somewhat different from the original version.)

Ready for the next race?

This next race takes place in Sega Carnival. But you all knew that already.

I won't keep you all waiting, since you all know what's coming and you all know the disclaimer.

Chapter 25: Carnival Race.

The current standings were as follows: Galeon (31), Rector (29), Armand (27), Jet (26), Sonic (25), Raine (25), Basil (23), Rampage (20), Wave (16), and Knuckles (15).

A carnival had been set up in Station Square, and it was the setting for the next race. The carnival was called Sega Carnival for an unknown reason.

Gerald and Damien were ready to begin the pre-race announcements.

"Alright, everyone, it's time for the next race. And where better to have it than the Sega Carnival. As you all know, the competition is fierce, and there's no telling who will win this race. The standard race rules apply, so there's no need to go over them. Also, since Rector and Galeon are in the lead, if they finish higher than 3rd place, they will automatically move on. So, let's get this race over with."

Gerald and Damien headed toward the announcer's booth, and the 10 racers took their places at the starting line.

3…2…1…

GO!

The race began with Knuckles getting out of the starting block first, followed by the others. They launched off of a ramp that led to the first area. This place had buildings that moved up and down as if moving to some music, the track was a blue cobblestone form, and on a platform near the first turn they saw someone that looked like a monkey holding a pair of maracas. A couple of others were dancing beside the monkey.

"Where are we?" Sonic asked.

"The scanner says that this area is called Samba de Amigo, whatever that is." Armand replied.

They saw a rail that led around the turn, but a racer would have to launch off of the ramp to reach it. There was a large red door that looked like a power shortcut. Knuckles busted through it, but the others were riding a large turbulence trail that he had created from the speed, and they followed him through it. Up ahead was a ramp that led to what looked like a ship. All 10 racers launched off of it, and they all landed on the ship. There were two decks, and the racers landed on the bottom deck of the ship. Not one racer reached the top deck.

"Now where are we?" Rector asked.

"Supposedly, this area is from something called Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg." Armand replied after checking his scanner.

The ship was slightly and slowly rocking due to the water. It was nothing to the racers since all ships did that. It didn't affect the race one bit. Up ahead was a right turn, and this was when someone made the first attack of the race.

"HERE I COME!"

Sonic yelled in Knuckles's face, causing him to lose the lead.

After the turn was a quarter-pipe, which racers could launch off of to reach either some flight accelerator rings or a grind rail. Past that was a red door that served as a power type shortcut. But nobody bothered to take any shortcuts. Instead, after passing the shortcuts, they rounded a couple of turns and headed toward a cannon.

"Get ready, because we're about to enter an area from something called NiGHTS Into Dreams. That will lead us into something called Super Monkey Ball." Armand called out.

They entered the cannon, which shot them out into a half-tube that went around a tower. To add to the "excitement", they were in what looked like egg shells. It wasn't long before they reached the end of the half-tube, which shot them out into an area that had 3 platforms, each with a ramp, and a net that hung over a lake. Sonic was still in the lead, and he launched off of the first ramp coming out of the small cave that preceded the area. Up above and to the right were some flight accelerator rings that served as a major shortcut. Behind him, Basil, who was in 3rd, and Wave, who was in 5th, took that shortcut.

Sonic launched off of the ramp, and he was at level 2 due to a few rings that he picked up before launching. He saw some large bowling pins.

"It's time for some real bowling." Sonic said.

But when Sonic did his level 2 attack, he bounced off of the pins.

"Ow. How is that possible?" Sonic asked.

He didn't notice the red power sign before the pins. He then saw Rampage, who had just passed him, punching his way through the pins. Rector followed him as they passed Sonic.

"Oh, now I know it. I should have known." Sonic said to himself as he recovered.

After launching off of the three ramps, or speeding across the net at the bottom, they entered a city-like area.

"Now where are we?" Galeon asked.

"The scanner says this area is from something called Crazy Taxi. Whatever that is." Armand replied.

The racers saw a sign pointing to the right, signaling that they should go in that direction. But Rector saw something suspicious behind the sign. He went behind it, approached the circle, and a taxi appeared out of nowhere. Rector hopped in, and the taxi took off. It sped by the other racers, who couldn't believe it. The taxi took Rector to what looked like a gas station, and Rector hopped out as the taxi left the area. Rector had the lead.

Back before that area, some of the racers sped off of the edge to reach a lower track. Knuckles saw his chance to get the lead, so he attacked Rampage, who had the lead at the time.

"SCREW PUNCH!" Knuckles called out.

Knuckles was at level 3, so the attack left Rampage screwed up, literally. As Rampage unwound himself, Knuckles took the lead as he launched off of the ramp. If a racer went high enough, they would be launched up to a short, high track to the start/finish line. If not, they would have to take a couple of sharp corners to reach the line.

Knuckles, Galeon, and Sonic managed to launch high enough to reach the top, but the other six didn't. They had to take the lower route. As the three racers sped along the top path, up ahead they saw Rector nearing the start/finish line.

"No way! How'd he get in front?" Sonic asked.

They passed the path where anyone that took the lower path would emerge from, and saw a few of the other racers coming towards them. Meanwhile, Rector had just passed the finish line to complete lap one.

"One lap down, and Rector has the lead as the second lap begins." Damien announced as he saw Rector pass by.

Rector launched off of the ramp, and the others followed. This time, Sonic and Armand managed to reach the grind rail, and they followed it around the corner as Rector made his way to the power barricade and blasted through it. As he emerged, he saw Sonic and Armand pass him.

"Darn it. They passed me." Rector said to himself.

The other racers rounded the corner and headed towards the upcoming ramp, which Sonic, Armand, and Rector had already launched off of. But the three didn't make it to the top path. But Basil and Raine made it. The others didn't make it, though. Because the top path was shorter than the bottom path, by the time everyone reached the cannon, Basil had the lead, with Raine in second. Everyone was shot out into the rolling egg area.

After the dizzying ride was over, everyone tried to get across the ramps as fast as they could. The faster someone made it through the area, the better the chance that racer could grab the lead. And Jet, who was at level 2, took the bottom path, where the net was. He boosted repeatedly to get through the area, and as he neared the end of it, Basil got hit by his attack, then Raine, Sonic, and Armand, in that order. Jet now had the lead, and he was headed into the city area.

Jet found the area behind the sign, and he went behind it to find a taxi waiting. Armand was right behind him, and he tried to get ahead so he could jump in the taxi. But Jet reached it first, and hopped in as the taxi took off. Then another taxi appeared, and Armand hopped into that one. The others had followed them, and as a taxi left, another appeared, and soon all 10 racers were riding in their own taxis. Since Jet was the first one in, he was the first one to jump out. The others soon followed. Sonic, who was at level 3 at the time, boosted into Jet, tripping him over and taking the lead as he crossed the start/finish line.

"Sonic has the lead as we enter the final lap of the race." Gerald announced as the racers passed by.

Sonic led the other racers off of the ramp, through the turn, all the way to the ship…and then lost the lead to a level 3 Galeon.

"KATANA THRASH!" Galeon called as he hit Sonic with both of his katanas, thereby stunning him. Galeon now had the lead as they sped into the cannon.

After the dizzying ride, the racers emerged in the next area, which hadn't changed. Galeon, who was still in the lead, launched himself across the ramps, trying to keep the lead without messing up. Rector was behind him. If they finished higher than fourth, they would automatically move on, and wouldn't have to participate in the upcoming Survival Race.

As they entered the city part for the final time, Knuckles passed both of them as they were launching off of the ramp. They sped around the final corners with the other racers following them all closely. Soon, the finish line was in sight. Knuckles crossed it first to win the race.

"Knuckles wins the race!" Gerald announced.

"No contest!" Knuckles gloated.

The results were: Knuckles (+10), Galeon (+9), Rector (+8), Raine (+7), Basil (+6), Sonic (+5), Armand (+4), Jet (+3), Wave (+2), and Rampage (+1).

"And with that, Galeon and Rector will automatically move on. They are too far ahead for anyone to catch up." Damien announced.

Galeon and Rector high-fived each other. They were moving on to the final race automatically.

"This also means that there is no need for them to participate in the next Survival Race. Congratulations to them! Well, with that, we'll see you all tonight for the final Survival Race of the tournament. Until then, have a good day."

Gerald and Damien took their leave, and the racers headed to Jet's airship to rest up.

End of Chapter 25.

Finally, this chapter has been recovered. I know it's not as good as the original, but bear with me.

By the way, here are the standings: Galeon (Moving on), Rector (Moving on), Raine (32),Armand (31), Sonic (30), Jet (29), Basil (29), Knuckles (25), Rampage (21), and Wave (18).

Now, only 2 more chapters to go until I have finally caught up.

Read, and you may review if you want.