Tinsel's Trial

During the spring, the Task Force has decided to train Tinsel in a distant planet known as Tortiz 3 after she was racing poorly in a number of Grand Prixes. It is there she goes to a facility known as the Hovercraft Hub for a whole month. As her training progresses, she succumbs to a lethal agent made by Zoda to serve Dark Million as well as make her a deadly enemy while enhancing her skills. Will she forever be an asset for evil?
thumb
It was during the spring and Tinsel was losing race after race; she never won a single Grand Prix since she overcame Lisa Brilliant and the made-over Astro Robin. Jody came across a pamphlet describing a new location in Tortiz 3 known as the Hovercraft Hub. She and her teammates convinced her to give it a try, as it's designed for rookies or those that need improvement, even though the hovercrafts seem obsolete compared to F-Zero machines. She trained with her friends one last time before she left.
A lot of events had happened while she was away, yet still she has been thriving with every race. She was improving rather quickly, especially since it was mostly on water with little obstacles and just going with the current and the inner portions of the track. She messaged her friends that if she's able to win the Finals at Victoria Falls, she'll return to Earth the next day!! She was excited to reunite with the Task Force and she was very thirsty. She quickly drank from her orange cannister and started to feel woozy. She headed to the locker room to change, but she succumbed to the effects even more; she never knew her water was contaminated, as there was no taste/smell. Little did she knew, Zoda was behind it all, like a snake in the grass. The symptoms made her...awkward yet pleasant, as they circled around her body to her brain. She became heavy and repeated a mantra...
"Must...obey...the darkness...!"
Tinsel's eyes became dilapidated and even gave a sneer since she found she was loyal to Black Shadow!
A day later, Rick, Lucy, and Clash were amongst the spectators at the spectacular hovercraft track designed around a major waterfall! The dam opened, allowing a deep whoosh and the race began! In a green craft numbered 47, Lucy spotted Tinsel and her friends cheered her on! She never looked up, she saw her opponents, and after the big drop they emerged, and she started her destruction! Rick and the others were startled of her sudden behavior, and some pilots were capsized, but still alive. The race ended, and Tinsel won with hardly any opponents behind her.
They met with her in the winner's circle, congratulating her! But all she gave was a blank, sinister stare. Rick decided to check her out and followed her to the locker rooms. He listened in as Black Shadow praised her success, increasing the dark effects even more, stating she's not such a useless pawn after all. He instructed her to meet his cronies at the back of the stadium for further intel. Rick was shocked on what he heard, even addressing the enemy as "Lord Shadow", symbolizing her loyalty.
As he hurriedly hid himself from her, he immediately emerged into the Men's room, where several angered pilots never appreciated the Peeping Tom. The coast was clear, and Lucy and Clash were upset that Tinsel has turned. They'd decided to alert the Task Force. Jack was enraged, thinking she was a traitor, but Rick and Stewart never felt this way. The former even remembered how she saved his life as he was succumbing to a lethal spell, making Miss Killer flee. Jody confirmed she's been controlled, and Stewart shall analyze her predicament.
Meanwhile, Tinsel met up with members of Dark Million in their signature battleship, including Miss Killer, Octoman, a few Dark Soldiers that gave her the same beverage to increase the mind control's potency, and of course Black Shadow. He instructed that Tinsel and Miss Killer shall participate in the Mist Flow race and defeat the Task Force for good! It'll require dedication and strategy as they should study the course to have the homefield advantage. Jody warned Dark Million will use its best pilots for this race, and so she assigned herself, Rick and Jack to partake it, and hopefully save Tinsel.
At the kitchen, Stewart went thru Tinsel's belongings, no signs of taint. Except for her cannister showing a black residue. He went to work over the supplement and Jody wishes for a counteragent reversing the effects. Rick did the same. Stewart warns that if it stays in her system for too long, or if she's consistent on drinking it, the brainwashing may be indefinite.
At the Mist Flow arena, Rick and Jack were preparing themselves, although they seemed out of sorts as Rick continued to worry for Tinsel while Jack was his arrogant self. Jody reprimanded them they must stay sharp and win the race, and she assured Rick that Stewart's working on a reversal; they must not focus on the negativity, especially on a tumultuous track. The race began, and Tinsel and Miss Killer went to the front of the pack effortlessly.
Tinsel saw her target, the White Cat, and Luna urged her to destroy it! Two against one, Jody slipped away and lost! The Dragon Bird was the next target, but he kept begging for Tinsel to remember them and snap out of the infection! Tinsel never let up and she and Luna crushed Rick from both sides; she intimidated he shall meet the same fate as they destroyed his CO! Rick desperately tried to talk some sense into Tinsel, then...the Comet swerved. It gave him the chance to bash the Moon Shadow while he was trying to catch the Comet from falling. Tinsel lost consciousness and they both fell off the track!
Luckily for them, they only fell to the lower part of the track! Jody suffered some damage, but she can still live, Jack stated. Rick came around and saw Tinsel who was still comatose, even when he tried to wake her. They were taken to the hospital, and Rick had a constant visual over her. Stewart arrived and Jody seems well, while Jack won. He gave Tinsel a warm serum made by his own counteragent and applied it to her lips. She drank as much as she could, and they waited. Till she finally came to, albeit drowsy and out of it; at least she was her normal self. Stewart went to check on Jody while Rick volunteered to stay.
Tinsel can't remember much, just feeling disoriented inside the locker room at Tortiz 3. Rick informed her she won the hovercraft race in Victoria Falls, and never recognized the Mist Flow Front and Back circuit. She was alarmed she must've given the prize money to Dark Million, and the trophy. Rick assured there was no prize money involved, and the prize can be replaced. Tinsel wondered if there was a tsunami that struck New York in the past, Rick said there wasn't even though it was rumored to be one in the future; she remembered fragments on going down the waterfall, as it reminded her of seeing one that terrified her as a kid on an old comp game. She then burst into tears, on causing so much damage to her friends physically/emotionally. Rick tended to her, saying it wasn't her fault, and everyone's alright; they'd be glad to see her home. She was so glad to be reunited, in Rick's arms.
Meanwhile, Stewart and Jody watched over them, and he hopes that Tinsel's relationship would heal Rick's wounds. Jody realized she's been very supportive to him. And he wishes their time would come...
== Trivia ==
* Originally, this was Ikran's first F-Zero fic!
* The Hovercraft Hub was a made-up place, almost like a summer camp and training ground for beginner F-Zero pilots. This was roughly inspired by Diddy Kong Racing.
* The hub is in Tortiz 3, a more temperate side of the world opposing Death Wind and Devil's Forest.
* Victoria Falls was the hovercraft racetrack, and the finals for Tinsel. Just a random idea.
* This kickstarted Dark Million's experiment on brainwashing the Task Force; Black Shadow and Zoda used Tinsel as a test subject. This can be based on Ikran's unfortunate experience when she was 18 and how she was used as a lab rat once she was diagnosed for mental illness.
* Much like Vulnerability of a Hero, there was a moment in which Tinsel bonds with Rick.
* This oneshot takes place in spring 2575 (in Ikran's timeline) and soon after the cancellation of GP Legend, when Tinsel was losing races since the events of A Trilogy of Tension. This story breaks her curse! And it's set before the epic, Ending it All!
* The references of a tsunami, and the comp game, were based on Ikran's childhood as she saw a terrifying one on the MS-DOS game, Undersea Adventure, as well as a documentary about mega tsunamis, and how the Cape Verde Islands shall collapse and devastate the Eastern seaboard, from the Discovery Channel.
Category:F-Zero
Category:F-Zero Fan Fictions
Category:Fan Fiction
Category:Fanfiction
Category:Fanfics
Category:Fanmakes
Category:One Shots
Category:Drama
Category:Angst
Category:Hypnotize fanmake
Category:Stories that are rated PG-13
Category:TheIkranRider