Slugterra Fanfic
Chapter 9 "Race if you Dare"
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A silky smooth growl filled my workshop as I revved my finished masterpiece.

I stepped back to admire my handiwork as my custom made mecha beast came to life right before my eyes.

Blue energy ran along the lines on his armour plates and filled his eyes with a bright keen glow, a beautiful contrast against his black and chrome plating.

His twin engines hummed in unison making music to my ears.

He took my breath away as he straightened up, head held high, tail balanced, legs tensed and ready to pounce.

I stared at him a little longer, allowing myself a feeling of triumph at what I had accomplished, then vaulted onto his back, my hands running over his steely plates.

Crypt squeaked.

"Sorry buddy, you can't come this time. It's just a test run and if something goes wrong, I'd hate myself if you got hurt, Okay?" I said sorrowfully, "Just open the doors will ya?"

Crypt looked sad but he hit the button and the sliding door opened to reveal a dark Slugterra.

It was nighttime and Smelter, Jet and everyone else was asleep, the perfect time to test out my hybrid.

Easing on the throttle I eased my mecha out, into Slugterra. He slunk out silently, perfectly.

My breath caught in my throat at the marvel of this technological hybrid.

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts and steeling my determination.

He slowly walked out onto the quiet open road, I flicked a few switches and he took off.

No jerky movements or loud noises.

He moved fluidly, like one single entity, gaining speed with every stride.

We reached 500k/ph after 10 minutes and I put on my sighting glasses and switch it to night vision mode.

The air rushes past me in streaks of bioluminescent blue as we swerve and dodge and race away into the night, as silent as shadows, the soft thudding of his feet as they hit the ground the only exception.

It breaks my heart to do so but I stop at the top of a small hill and gaze up at the cavern roofs with their little patches of blue light coming from the strange fungi and lichens.

I had always thought of the cavern roofs at night to be like the night skies I experienced back on The Surface.

I sighed. That life seemed so far away now. I had forged my own here in Slugterra but I knew in my heart, sooner or later someone was going to ask about my past, especially since I'm starting to make a image for myself.

"Well buddy, I'll just wait 'till it happens" I said, rubbing my hand on my mechas neck, "Hey, wait a minute. You need a name!" I exclaimed, nearly forgetting about such a small yet important detail.

"Hmm, lets see, Rush? No, Bolt? Mehhh," I muttered to myself as I continued looking upwards.

"No Wait! Black Skies! I'll call you Black Skies! As a reminder of my past and because the sky is never the limit" My voice was wistful, I dearly wanted to go back up and see what had happened to the world I knew but I couldn't.

The Burning World was no more than a myth down here and only wackos believed in it.

No. No More.

I wasn't a wacko. People would just laugh at me if I told them I was from the Surface.

I felt something harden inside me and my face grew cold.

The Surface no longer existed to me. I belonged here and I was going to make myself known.

I was no longer the girl that fell from above, I'm the girl that's gonna get what she wants, whatever way she can.

A cocky smile appeared on my face as I revved BLK 5-Ky5 and pounded down the hill towards Smelters, the speed fueling my anger.

A Week Later

Smelter doesn't like my plan to enter the Deep Caverns Race. He says that it should be made illegal, not kept open by the money that the rich people pay just to see racers on mechas get killed or injured.

But I'm deaf to his words. I don't care anymore. I have the most powerful mecha beast awaiting my commands and Jet at my side.

I can tell my slugs have noticed a change in my attitude but I don't care. After all, if Black Skies proves to be as powerful as I built him to be I won't need them. I'll sell them off or give them to someone, all of them except Crypt and my Teyegirter slug, Seeker. (These slugs can be shot at an opponent but will continue to hit them until they are down)

They are really special to me. The only ones worth keeping.

I mount up, Jet hops up behind me since I need to upgrade her leg so she can keep up with Black Skies. Crypt and Seeker hop on my shoulder and my blaster hangs from my hips, no longer is its purpose only for shooting. I changed it a bit. Since I can't shoot well I decided I was going to turn it into a close range weapon.

Pressing the button below the ammo feed will make the barrel slide together to form some sort of blade, strong enough to cut through metal making it the perfect weapon for a mecha race.

My glasses haven't been upgraded and I slide those down as we head off towards the race. I want to get there at just the right time so I can size up the competition and determine strengths and weaknesses.

I show up at the Starting Line and register my mecha for the race. The guy at the tent gives me a once over and my mecha two. He raises an eyebrow.

"You gotta problem?" I half-ask, half-snarl.

He looks scared "No, It's just- that's an interesting mecha"

He scribbles my name down and I sign it.

I steer Skies, that's his nickname, over to a quiet, partly shadowed spot.

I instruct Jet to stay here and keep hidden while I check Skies for any technical problems then study the competition.

I recognize the pink and silver cheetah mecha that nearly hit me a week earlier getting checked by a girl with blonde hair and a Aquabeak and Crystalyd on her shoulder.

As long as she doesn't try to run me over I'll try to not hurt her to much.

I also see Vance Volt handing out autographs. Show-off.

My eyes search some more then they widen in surprise as a famous face walks up to the register booth on a symbolic black, orange and white wolf mecha, trailed by his sidekicks.

Eli Shane!? What's he doing here? Aren't good guys like him supposed to stay away from races like this?

I shrug and pat Jet "Well he better stay outta my way 'cause I'm going to win this race if it's the last thing I do"

All of his gang have appeared with there mecha beasts but it seems Eli is the only one entering.

A girl in his gang that I haven't seen before walks up to him and punches him on the shoulder in a friendly way.

She is tall and lean with brown hair down to her shoulders with a green T-shirt and brown pants. She sweeps her bangs out of her eyes before planting a kiss on Eli's cheek.

Blah. I pull a face.

She isn't wearing any shoes but that doesn't bother me. It's a free-ish world.

An announcement is made that the race will start in five minutes.

My eyes move to the poster announcing the prize.

The prize is the only other reason I'm entering this race. It's a touch-screen phone, from the Surface. I want to win it and destroy it after I've found out all I have from it.

The prize has attracted a lot of attention. Scientists, rich people and crazy people have all either entered the race themselves or paid someone else to win it for them.

Three minutes until the start of the race.

I quickly set Skies to input mode. This is where he'll draw surrounding energy into his engines for a maximum starting boost.

Two minutes 'till the start.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Jets hackles go up and hear her growl ever so softly.

I follow her gaze until I see Blakk walk through the gate with Twist in tow.

Uh-oh. Didn't count on this and neither did Eli.

I see his face harden along with the rest of his gang.

Looks like there is some sort of rivalry going on between those two. Good to know.

"It's alright Jet" I scratch her behind the ears, "I'm still going to win"

She settles back down, her eyes still wary.

"All Racers to the Starting Line please!" Comes a static voice over the speakers.

I mount up on Skies and make my way over along with all the other racers.

Spectators rush to the sidelines to get the best views and some of them shoot me a weird look. I glare back with an evil smile and they look away, too chicken to hold my gaze.

"Welcome Ladies, Gentlemen and Racers to the Deep Caverns Race! Where only the best Racers enter! Today you are competing for this!", He holds up the phone, "I strange piece of powerful technology and the title, the best Mecha Racer in all of Slugterra!" He blabs on about the rules, no slug slinging at other racers. That's the only rule.

Good, because I'm not going to shoot any slugs. Oh no. I'm going to show all of Slugterra just how dangerous BLK 5Ky5 really is.

I glance around at the stands where the posh people are. Most are pointing out racers there betting on winning while a couple point at me and whisper something to each other.

I spot Doctor Blakk surveying the scene. He isn't racing. Twist must be doing his dirty work then.

His eyes spot my mecha and stay on it longer than he should have. I know he can't recognize me because of my clothes I'm wearing but you never know.

I look around again and spot Eli's gang watching from the sidelines.

The announcer finishes his speech

"On Your Marks!" Mecha Beasts rev up. Hearts start to pound.

"Get Set!" The revving gets louder and the mechas' tense ready to pounce. The air's static with tension.

"GOOOOO!"

And the race begins.